Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) On-Track Action Underway at Finger Lakes Invitational with Masters Historic Racing at Watkins Glen

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July 8, 2021

Thursday Test Day Precedes Three Full Days of Practice, Qualifying and Races, July 9 – 11, on The Legendary Watkins Glen Grand Prix Circuit

WATKINS GLEN, New York (July 8, 2021) – The first of four days of Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) on-track action at Watkins Glen International is currently underway with a Thursday test day that sets the stage for a full weekend of HSR competition with Masters Historic Racing at the Finger Lakes Invitational at The Glen, July 9 – 11.

The new-for-2021 race at The Glen, which was originally scheduled to debut in 2020, finally goes green this weekend after a year-long delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This weekend’s Finger Lakes Invitational at The Glen is also open to spectators, and information on ticket pricing, camping and packages is available by clicking here.

Following a pair of qualifying sessions Friday and final qualifying Saturday morning, the first HSR races of the weekend begin Saturday afternoon with the opening rounds of the weekend’s doubleheader schedule of WeatherTech Sprints for all Run Groups.

Sunday morning begins with HSR’s featured race of the weekend, a combined-class B.R.M. Chronographes Endurance Challenge one-hour race scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m. EDT. The HSR schedule then concludes with the final and second WeatherTech Sprint races of the weekend for all Run Groups that run throughout the day Sunday. For more information, please visit the HSR Finger Lakes Invitational Official Event Page, which is available by clicking here.

The Masters Historic Racing Weekend at The Glen continues a successful and ongoing relationship between HSR and Masters that has been in place the last few racing seasons.

The annual “HSR Classics” at Daytona International Speedway and Sebring International Raceway both feature Masters entries competing for overall and series honors in several different run groups.

This weekend’s HSR lineup includes all classes in Run Groups 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10. Groups 9 and 10 are open to cars that do not meet the eligibility criteria of event host Masters Historic Racing and Masters Endurance Legends, which gives even more HSR competitors a chance to race on the legendary 3.4-mile Grand Prix Circuit at The Glen.

About HSR: Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) was formed in the mid-1970s with an event at Road Atlanta. There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate the race cars from the past. As a “time machine” of sights and sounds, HSR provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at race tracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions eight vintage and historic racing events at some of the world’s most renowned race tracks, including Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and more. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR’s website at www.HSRRace.com. Look for the HSR Channel on YouTube and follow HSR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HSRrace/ and on Twitter and Instagram at @HSR_race. A dedicated website for the Classic 24 Hour at Daytona presented by IMSA is available at www.Classic24hour.com.

Eric Filgueiras and Community Beer Works Racing Ready for Remainder of Porsche Sprint Challenge Season Following Winning Debut at VIR

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Official Release

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July 8, 2021

Filgueiras and Community Beer Works to Closeout 2021 Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama in Silver-Class RS1 No. 520 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport
Campaign Follows Series Debut Win From Pole and Weekend Podium Sweep in Most Recent Porsche Sprint Challenge Doubleheader at VIRginia International Raceway

COCOA BEACH, Florida (July 8, 2021) — Following a race win from the pole and a top-two podium sweep in their series debut last month at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR), Eric Filgueiras and Community Beer Works Racing are ready for the remainder of the 2021 USAC Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama season in the No. 520 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport prepared by RS1.

“It was incredible at VIR and we are ready for the rest of the Porsche Sprint Challenge season,” Filgueiras said. “I’ve been trying for so long to make something work, make a deal happen and get back in a seat. Community Beer Works has really gotten behind me, I really appreciate them and the equally great support from RS1.”

Competing in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Silver class for Cayman GT4 Clubsports, Filgueiras and the Community Beer Works Racing/RS1 team were on pace at VIR straight into opening practice and qualifying. Filgueiras was quickest in both practice sessions, clocked in second fastest in qualifying for Race 1 and then stepped up to take the pole in qualifying for Race 2 by 4/10ths of a second.

“The VIR weekend wasn’t easy because I’ve never driven on the Yokohama tire before,” Filgueiras said. “It’s completely different than the Pirelli or the Michelin that I’ve driven on, so adapting to that was tough. On top of that, my main competitor Ben Waddell has a great team behind him and a lot of experience in these types of cars, so I knew it wasn’t going to be easy.”

Filgueiras trailed polesitter and race winner Waddell to the finish line for a second-place finish in Race 1.

“We fell a little bit behind and that was my fault at the start of Race 1,” Filgueiras said. “I learned from it, and on Race 2 we had a much better start. I was on pole and got an excellent start. There are some slower cars that start in front of us in a higher class and I was able to get by them and build a gap. Then a car spun in front of us, I had to go off track and Ben went by us and got the lead. From there we were able to close the gap. I was right behind him but he didn’t make it easy and made his car a little bit wide. We made a smart move with a faster car that was getting by him and slowed him down at the apex of turn one and just took off.”

Filgueiras retook the lead and held the top spot to the finish for the victory.

“I stayed right on top of Ben and we were able to get by him,” Filgueiras said. “From there we built a gap. That’s exactly how you want a race to go, and we managed it, hung on to it and didn’t overload the tires.”

Next up for Filgueiras and the Community Beer Works Racing/RS1 No. 520 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport team is another Porsche Sprint Challenge North America doubleheader race weekend at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, July 30 – August 1.

Toyota Racing – NXS Atlanta Quotes – Harrison Burton – 07.08.21

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Official Release

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July 8, 2021

Toyota Racing – Harrison Burton
NASCAR Xfinity Series Quotes

ATLANTA (July 8, 2021) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Harrison Burton was made available to media prior to the Atlanta race weekend today:

HARRISON BURTON, No. 20 Offerpad “Awesome Different” Toyota Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

We hear you have a new paint scheme.

“Yeah, we do have a new paint scheme. It’s a pretty wild looking paint scheme. Pretty goofy pictures with me on the front of it. I guess it’s a great way for Offerpad some exposure and Atlanta is a big market for them, so it’s an important race for us to get them out front, but the hood of both mine and Denny (Hamlin) are pretty goofy looking and Offerpad tends to be pushing me in the direction out of my comfort zone and doing things that are less than normal, but it’s also creative and awesome and it really matches their style when you look at how they are selling houses and what they do is just completely different from what other people are doing – just like Denny and I’s racecars for this weekend. They are pretty wild, pretty different and it will be pretty funny. It will be pretty awesome to try to get my goofy looking face up there in Victory Lane.”

What is the face on the right-hand side? What is the expression?

“We had a little photo shoot day and filmed that commercial that Offerpad has been running with me and Denny (Hamlin) doing all of those goofy poses and stuff. It was a different kind of photo shoot than what NASCAR drivers normally do. Then after all of that video filming they had us go take pictures, so that’s what all of those were. It was recreating different old 80s kind of photographs that were on the internet. That one was – you looked like you just saw a ghost or something. So, I just opened my eyes as wide as I could and that’s what they ended up putting on the hood of my racecar.”

What did you see in the last part of the race at Road America?

“It was time to go for me and I guess Myatt (Snider) missed a corner some and kind of put himself in a vulnerable spot and I tried to fill a gap that quickly closed between those two guys (Snider and Tommy Joe Martins). I didn’t intend for them to spin out or wreck. I wasn’t really angry at anybody. I saw a gap and I went for it, and it closed pretty rapidly, but lucky for us, we did not have too substantial damage. We had some splitter damage from it, but nothing too crazy and we were able to keep going. That’s just racing. You look at the Xfinity Series on road courses, it’s ultra-aggressive. Guys are really doing anything that they can to get by other guys. It’s a big challenge – what is the level of aggression that you have to be at. Sometimes you are over-aggressive, and things happen, but if you are not over-aggressive, you are going to get run over by some guys. I didn’t have any frustrations that led to that. That was me just trying to go. It was time to go at the end of the race and went for a gap that closed.”

You are fifth in points, but you don’t have any wins – so has this been a good season or a not-so-good season?

“We’ve had the speed to win. We got some analytics back that we’ve been looking at and it’s almost frustrating, because our average running position has been better than last year. Our average lap time has been better than last year. Pretty much all of the analytics other than the win column have been better. Why is that? I don’t know. Racing is challenging sometimes in that way. The season is not over yet. We’ve got a lot of racing left and my team and I fully believe that we can win this championship and have a lot of confidence going into each and every weekend. I think the w’s will come. I feel like I say that a lot on these Zooms. We just have to stay the course. We’ve been doing that. I’ve made some mistakes being a little bit over aggressive at some times and I’ve wrecked more than I usually do. Just getting back to what I know and getting back to winning races the way that I win races and that’s by being methodical and putting myself in the best position possible. I think if start doing that, we will start winning more and more often.”

When trying to prepare for this week, do you look more at earlier this year or last summer?

“Probably more last summer. March really was pretty cold, gripped up. It was actually more normal. I only ran Atlanta last year in the hottest temperatures possible and I was talking to Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) earlier this week about how shocked I was this year about how gripped up the track was. He was like, ‘you’ve only ran Atlanta in the worst possible scenarios, when it’s summer and 90 degrees.’ This is a completely different racetrack now, when we go – it’s going to be hot. I look at Atlanta 1 and Atlanta 2 completely different, so most of my preparation will be from last year. There are obviously things that can carry over, but most of it will be from last year for sure.”

How have you studied and prepared for Atlanta’s surface?

“It is crazy. Atlanta is one of the toughest racetracks because there is so many different ways that you can get around Atlanta. There is the (Kevin) Harvick line. You can run up top in (turns) one and two. You can arc. You can run shallow. You can leave low and straight or let the car have its head. It’s crazy. Every single different approach you have to be ready to do, because the track is always changing. That’s the thing that is crazy about racing that it’s hard to explain to fans. It is a different racetrack, especially at an old surface – every time you go back. You look at (Las) Vegas 1 or Vegas 2 or Atlanta 1 or Atlanta 2. Or Pocono is a recent racetrack we went to – the bumps in the tunnel turn were getting tremendously worse, year in and year out and becoming more of a challenge. Atlanta the temperatures are so different. Vegas the temperatures are so different, and it just changes everything about these racetracks. That’s the toughest things to prepare for is what’s going to be fast, how do you have to manage the race when you don’t even know what kind of track you are going to race. You can have an idea, but until you get out there and race, you don’t know, especially without practice.”

Do you think your mile-and-a-half program gives you momentum going into this weekend and what is the biggest thing that you have to work on?
“I think so. I think that has been our strength in some cases and short tracks have kind of been our strength. Mile-and-a-halves and short tracks, I always feel more confident just because it’s something we do more and more. It’s something that a guy with limited experience like myself – I’ve been able to have more chances at it. Anytime that you can go to a place like Atlanta that I’ve ran well in Trucks, ran well in the Xfinity car. I feel like we are going to run well this weekend. It’s always a confidence booster and when you put it on the same kind of configuration that you’ve had some success on, that’s a good thing. The hardest thing to prepare for is how to maintain track position. When you go to Atlanta, you know that you are going to have to pit a lot. You know you are going to have to restart on maybe old tires once or twice, so how do you manage the restarts? How do you stay in front of guys that are behind you and have a run up at you and you’ve got old tires trying not to spin them? It’s a big challenge. The restarts at Atlanta I think are the biggest thing to prepare for and how maintain track position there – especially with the choose cone. The outside is so hard to get going. There’s a lot of rows that you can make up by choosing that outside, but it might turn around and bite you in the butt pretty quick. Every week there is a lot to prepare for, but Atlanta is definitely sometimes a little bit extra.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands plus our 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly employs more than 47,000 in North America. The company has contributed world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama that begins production in 2021.

Through its Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

Monster Energy Racing: Riley Herbst Atlanta NXS Advance

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Official Release

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July 8, 2021

RILEY HERBST
Atlanta NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview
• Event: Credit Karma Money 250 (Round 18 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, July 10
• Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway
• Layout: 1.54-mile oval
• Time/TV/Radio: 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• Riley Herbst comes into Saturday’s Credit Karma Money 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway fresh off a seventh-place drive last Saturday in the Henry 180 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The finish kept Herbst and his No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang in the playoff hunt with only nine races remaining before the cutoff to make the 12-driver playoff field. Herbst is currently 43 points behind 12th-place Brandon Brown. Herbst can either use the next nine races to point his way into the playoffs or score a win and immediately earn a playoff berth.

• Intermediate tracks are the most prevalent on the Xfinity Series schedule, and Herbst has found himself close to winning on that style of track. Second is Herbst’s best career Xfinity Series result, which he has earned twice, with the most recent coming last July at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta – an intermediate-style track similar to Atlanta. In Herbst’s most recent trip to Atlanta back in March, he delivered a sixth-place finish.

• The Credit Karma Money 250 will mark Herbst’s 61st career Xfinity Series start and his third at Atlanta. He has six top-fives and 26 top-10s dating back to his first career start on June 17, 2018 at Iowa Speedway in Newton, where Herbst finished an impressive sixth. Of Herbst’s 30 starts on intermediate tracks, the 22-year-old has scored 22 top-12 finishes. In addition, seven of the past 13 winners on intermediate tracks have been under the age of 26.

Riley Herbst, Driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

You’re heading back to Atlanta where you scored a sixth-place finish in March. What are your thoughts heading into Saturday’s race?

“I’m excited. It’s going to be interesting to race at Atlanta in the middle of the summer. When we came here back in March, it was a good race for us with the top-10 finish. Hopefully, we can take the momentum from this past weekend and what we learned last time at Atlanta to be competitive this weekend. We’ve had the speed to run up front, now we just need to stay out of trouble.”

You’re below the cutoff line for the Xfinity Series Playoffs at the moment, but that point situation can change from one race to another. How are you strategizing with only nine races left in the regular season?

“Obviously, a win would be the perfect solution to our points situation, but I think we’re still in a place where we can point our way into the playoffs, if needed. Luck hasn’t been on our side this season, so hopefully that’ll change in the next nine races. We’re working on getting there with some great runs at the next few tracks.”

You’re fresh off a strong top-10 run at Road America and you finished in the top-10 at Atlanta in March. Does that help your confidence heading into the race weekend?

“Yeah, I think so. We know that we’ve had fast cars all season long and it’s just a matter of doing what we need to do and staying out of trouble most race weekends. Road America is a tough track, but I was able to pull off a great finish for the Monster Energy team. The last time we were in Atlanta, I also had a strong race, too. We just have to keep our heads straight and keep pulling off strong finishes.”

No. 98 Monster Energy Team Roster

Primary Team Members:

Driver: Riley Herbst
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell
Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Engineer: Justin Bolton
Hometown: Latrobe, Pennsylvania

Engineer: DJ VanderLey
Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Spotter: Tim Fedewa
Hometown: Holt, Michigan

Over-The-Wall Crew:

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala
Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Chris Jackson
Hometown: Fort Mill, South Carolina

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons
Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Fueler: James Keener
Hometown: Fortuna, California

Jackman: Sean Cotten
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Road Crew Members:

Truck Driver: Steve Wood
Hometown: Eatontown, New Jersey

Front End Mechanic: Mike Brill
Hometown: Woodsville, New Hampshire

Engine Tuner: Willie Pelotte
Hometown: Oakland, Maine

Notes Package for Camping World SRX Series Event No. 5 at Slinger Speedway

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July 8, 2021

Camping World SRX Series at Slinger
Round 5 of 6 – Slinger Speedway – July 10 LIVE on CBS

WHAT: Camping World SRX Series (Round 5 of 6)
WHERE: Slinger Speedway in Slinger, Wisconsin
WHEN: 8 p.m. EDT on Saturday, July 10
DISTANCE: Feature consists of 150 laps (preceded by two 12-minute heat races, which sets starting lineup)
CARS: Purpose-built SRX racecars
TV: LIVE on the CBS Television Network with streaming on Paramount+ Premium at 8 p.m. EDT on Saturday, July 10

● Host: Lindsay Czarniak
● Booth: Allen Bestwick (play-by-play) and James Hinchcliffe (driver analyst)
● Pit Reporter: Matt Yocum
● Roaming Analyst: Brad Daugherty
● Producer: Pam Miller
● Director: Jim Cornell

THE TRACK: Slinger Speedway (quarter-mile, high-banked, paved oval)

● Banking: 33 degrees in the turns; 12 degrees on the frontstretch; 25 degrees on backstretch
● Width: 50 feet all around
● Frontstretch Length: 340 feet
● Backstretch Length: 340 feet

SPOTTER GUIDE: Car color, car number, driver and series they represent

● Black: No. 98 of Marco Andretti (INDYCAR)
● Teal: No. 18 of Bobby Labonte (NASCAR)
● Yellow: No. 2 of Ernie Francis Jr.(TRANS AM)
● Red: No. 3 of Helio Castroneves (INDYCAR and IMSA)
● Lime Green: No. 13 of Paul Tracy (INDYCAR)
● Purple: No. 9 of Bill Elliott (NASCAR)
● Magenta: No. 1 of Hailie Deegan (NASCAR)
● Gold: No. 69 of Greg Biffle (NASCAR)
● Indigo: No. 17 of Willy T. Ribbs (TRANS AM, IMSA and INDYCAR)
● Patriotic: No. 4 of Luke Fenhaus (SLINGER ALL-STAR)
● Orange: No. 14 of Tony Stewart (NASCAR, INDYCAR and USAC)
● Blue: No. 15 of Michael Waltrip (NASCAR)

ROUND 1: June 12 at Stafford Motor Speedway in Stafford Springs, Connecticut (half-mile, paved oval)

● Feature Winner: Doug Coby (Local All-Star)
● Heat Race No. 1 Winner: Greg Biffle (Ringer)
● Heat Race No. 2 Winner: Doug Coby

ROUND 2: June 19 at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa (half-mile, dirt oval)

● Feature Winner: Tony Stewart
● Heat Race No. 1 Winner: Tony Stewart
● Heat Race No. 2 Winner: Scott Bloomquist (Ringer)

ROUND 3: June 26 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio (half-mile, high-banked, clay oval)

● Feature Winner: Tony Stewart
● Heat Race No. 1 Winner: Tony Stewart
● Heat Race No. 2 Winner: Marco Andretti

ROUND 4: July 3 at Lucas Oil Raceway in Brownsburg, Indiana (.686-mile, paved oval)

● Feature Winner: Ernie Francis Jr.
● Heat Race No. 1 Winner: Scott Speed
● Heat Race No. 2 Winner: Helio Castroneves

DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS: After Round 4 of 6

Tony Stewart (160 points)
Ernie Francis Jr. (130 points, -30)
Helio Castroneves (120 points, -40)
Bobby Labonte (115 points, -45)
Marco Andretti (111 points, -49)
Tony Kanaan (105 points, -55)
Michael Waltrip (86 points, -74)
Paul Tracy (83 points, -77)
Bill Elliott (52 points, -108)
Willy T. Ribbs (45 points, -115)

Note: Points are awarded in both heats and the feature. In each heat, the winner receives a maximum of 12 points. Second place earns 11 points with every position in descending order receiving one fewer point, with the 12th-place finisher earning one point. Points increase in the feature, with the winner receiving 25 points, second place 22 points, third place 20 points, fourth place 18 points, fifth place 16 points, sixth place 14 points, seventh place 12 points, eighth place 10 points, ninth place eight points, 10th place six points, 11th place four points and 12th place two points.

CREW CHIEF CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS: After Round 4 of 6

Local Legends (304 points)
Todd Parrott (297 points, -7)
Mike Beam (297 points, -7)
Jeff Hammond (257 points, -47)
Tony Eury Jr. (87 points, -217)

Scott Hansen is the local legend crew chief at Slinger Speedway. A native of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Hansen was a national short-track barnstormer who won more than 100 events in five major touring series – American Speed Association (ASA), ARTGO Challenge, Hooter’s Cup, All Pro Super Series and NASCAR Southwest Tour. Hansen won events on dirt tracks, road courses and pavement, earning rookie-of-the-year honors during the 1984 ARTGO Challenge and 1989 ASA Challenge campaigns. Hansen also drove for team owner Ken Schrader in NASCAR’s Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series, as well as the Menards ARCA Series.

THE LOCAL ALL-STAR: LUKE FENHAUS

Hometown: Wausau, Wisconsin, United States

Social: IG: @superluke04 / Twitter: @luke_fenhaus./ Facebook: @LukeFenhausRacing

● Won the 42nd running of the Slinger Nationals on Tuesday night to earn entry into Camping World SRX Series race at Slinger.

● At 17 years old, is the youngest winner in the history of the Slinger Nationals.

● Currently second in the ARCA Midwest Tour championship standings, but is skipping the upcoming Wayne Carter Classic 100 at Grundy County Speedway in Morris, Illinois, to compete in the Camping World SRX Series race at Slinger.

● Two-time Kulwicki Driver Development Program participant (2019 and 2021).

● Won the 2021 Icebreaker 100 Super Late Model race at Dells (Wis.) Raceway Park.

● Three-time winner of the prestigious Lodi Memorial Super Late Model race at State Park Speedway in Wausau, Wisconsin (2018, 2019 and 2020).

● Won 2018 State Park Speedway track championship and rookie-of-the-year title at the age of 14, his first year in Super Late Models. Won five races and had an average finish of 3.25.

● Also competed fulltime in the Midwest Truck Series in 2018, picking up four wins and finishing second in points while earning rookie-of-the-year honors.

● Began racing in the Midwest Truck Series in 2017. Despite being able to compete in only eight of the 18 races due to the series’ age restriction, earned two poles and won two races

● Began racing snowmobiles at age 4. From there, started racing go karts at age 7 and then competed in the Bandolero Series from ages 9-12.

● Is a rising senior at Wausau East High School.

Note: The Slinger Nationals is a short-track staple, a proving ground for the best of the best among Super Late Model drivers for the last 42 years. Past winners include NASCAR Hall of Famers Alan Kulwicki (1981) and Mark Martin (1984) and NASCAR Cup Series champions Matt Kenseth (1994, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2016 and 2019) and Kyle Busch (2011).

THE RINGER: GREG BIFFLE

Hometown: Vancouver, Washington, United States

Social: IG: @gbiffle / Twitter: @gbiffle / Facebook: @gregbiffle

● Biffle competed in the SRX season opener June 12 at Stafford. He won the first heat, finished last in the second heat, and finished second in the feature race to winner Doug Coby. Slinger marks his second SRX race.

● Won the 2000 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship and the 2002 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship.

● First of only three drivers to win championships in both the Xfinity Series and Truck Series, and one of 36 drivers to win races in the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Truck Series.

● Winner of 19 NASCAR Cup Series races and finished second in points in 2005.

● While retired from full-time racing, occasionally competes in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races and Stadium Super Trucks races.

● Competes in the six-race Sand Outlaw Series and builds many of the side-by-sides and off-road cars that compete in the series.

● Owns a fully operational mine and rock quarry in Virginia, operates heavy equipment there, and is also a real estate investor, oftentimes doing his own repair work on properties.

● Helped build Lake Norman Humane, a 501(c)(3) non-profit animal welfare organization located in Mooresville, North Carolina.

THE REPLACEMENT: HAILIE DEEGAN

Hometown: Temecula, California, United States

Social: IG: @HailieDeegan / Twitter: @HailieDeegan / Facebook: @ HailieDeegan4 / TikTok: @HailieDeegan

● Substituted for Tony Kannan June 19 at Knoxville. She finished third in the first heat, finished fifth in the second heat, and finished second in the feature race to winner Tony Stewart. Slinger marks Deegan’s second SRX race, as Kanaan has schedule conflicts that prevented him from competing at Knoxville and Slinger.

● Three-time winner in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, and was the first female to win a race in the series.

● Currently competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

● At just 19 years old, leads all NASCAR drivers – male and female – in fan engagement on social media.

● Daughter of Brian Deegan, a championship-winning motocross rider, off-road racer and Gold medal-winning X-Games athlete.

THE REGULARS:

MARCO ANDRETTI

Hometown: Nazareth, Pennsylvania, United States

Social: IG: @marcoandretti / Twitter: @marcoandretti

● Third-generation racer, son of INDYCAR champion Michael Andretti and grandson of the legendary Mario Andretti.

● Racing select NTT INDYCAR Series races in 2021 (which included the Indianapolis 500).

● Winner of the 2006 INDYCAR Series Rookie of the Year.

● Tested for Honda Racing’s Formula One program in 2006 and 2007.

● Purchased childhood home in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, and runs a successful real-estate business.

● Prepared to run the 2020 New York Marathon before the COVID-19 pandemic forced cancellation of the event.

HELIO CASTRONEVES

Hometown: São Paulo, Brazil

Social: IG: @heliocastroneves / Twitter: @h3lio / Facebook: @h3lio

● Four-time and reigning Indianapolis 500 winner (2001, 2002, 2009 and 2021).

● Winner of the 2021 Rolex 24 at Daytona with co-drivers Filipe Albuquerque, Ricky Taylor and Alexander Rossi.

● Credited with beginning the tradition of climbing the fence after a race win, which he did after scoring his first career INDYCAR victory at the 2000 Detroit Grand Prix.

● Mirror Ball Trophy winner on Season 5 of Dancing With The Stars in 2007, alongside partner Julianne Hough.

BILL ELLIOTT

Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia, United States

Social: Twitter: @billelliott9 / Facebook: @billelliott

● Affectionately known as “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville”.

● Won the 1988 NASCAR Cup Series championship and is a two-time Daytona 500 winner (1985 and 1987).

● Still holds the track qualifying records at Daytona International Speedway (210.364 mph) and Talladega Superspeedway (212.809 mph), both set in 1987.

● Inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2015.

● Voted NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver by fans a record 16 times.

● Father of reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott. They are the third father-son duo to win NASCAR championships, joining Lee and Richard Petty, and Ned and Dale Jarrett.

ERNIE FRANCIS JR.

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States

Social: IG: @erniefrancisjr / Twitter: @erniefrancisjr

● Won the fourth round of the Camping World SRX Series race July 3 at Lucas Oil Raceway. It was Francis’ first career win on an oval.

● Winningest driver in the 55-year history of the SCCA Trans Am Series, all while being just 23 years old.

● At 16, became the youngest champion in Trans Am history and is the youngest professional driver to win seven consecutive championships.

● One of his most impressive performances came in the 2018 Trans Am race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. He had to miss qualifying because of a NASCAR commitment, but still won the race from the back of the grid.

● Has made select starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR K&N Series.

● Grandfather immigrated to New York City from Haiti five decades ago.

● Counts Willy T. Ribbs as a mentor and, like Ribbs, making a name for himself in Trans Am.

TONY KANAAN

Hometown: Salvador, Brazil

Social: IG: @tkanaan / Twitter: @tonykanaan / Facebook: @tonykanaan

● Won the 2004 INDYCAR championship.

● Winner of the 2013 Indianapolis 500.

● Splitting 2021 NTT INDYCAR Series season with seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson in Chip Ganassi Racing’s No. 48 entry, competing in all of the series’ oval races.

● Lebanese ancestry but grew up in Brazil; member of racing “Brat Pack” with Dario Franchitti, Max Papis and the late Greg Moore.

● Fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and English.

● Avid triathlete and has completed Ironman event in Hawaii.

BOBBY LABONTE

Hometown: Corpus Christi, Texas, United States

Social: IG: @bobby_labonte44 / Twitter: @bobby_labonte

● Won the 2000 NASCAR Cup Series championship and 1991 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship.

● Won 2001 International Race of Champions (IROC) title, which was the precursor to SRX.

● Inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2020.

● Is a television analyst for FOX, specifically FS1’s RaceDay.

● Competes in the Southern Modified Auto Racing Tour (SMART).

● Founded Longhorn Chassis in 2010 with his brother, Terry, building dirt late model racecars. (Terry is a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, earning titles in 1984 and 1996.)

● Owns a Red Mango yogurt shop on the campus of Duke University.

WILLY T. RIBBS

Hometown: San Jose, California, United States

Social: Twitter: @willyribbs

● First African-American to compete in the Indianapolis 500 (1991 and 1993) and the first African-American to test a Formula One car (1986 with Brabham in Estoril, Portugal).

● Winner of the 1977 Dunlop/Autosport Star of Tomorrow Formula Ford 1600 championship.

● A 17-race winner in the SCCA Trans Am Series. Was the 1983 Trans Am Rookie of the Year on the strength of five wins and finished second in the series championship to teammate David Hobbs.

● Won 10 IMSA GTO races driving for the legendary Dan Gurney.

● Showed versatility by competing in Trans Am, IMSA, INDYCAR and various NASCAR divisions, including the Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series.

● Made 46 INDYCAR starts between 1990-1994.

● After retiring from racing, became a professional shooter in the National Sporting Clays Association. Ribbs’ son, Theodore, is also a professional shooter.

● In the Disney Channel cartoon The Proud Family, character Penny proud and her friends attend Willy T. Ribbs Middle School, where the mascot is “Racer.”

● Ribbs was the subject of the 2020 Netflix documentary, Uppity: The Willy T. Ribbs Story.

TONY STEWART

Hometown: Columbus, Indiana, United States

Social: IG: @tsrsmoke / Twitter: @tonystewart / Facebook: @tonystewart / YouTube: @tonystewart14

● Swept the two Camping World SRX Series dirt-track races June 19 at Knoxville and June 26 at Eldora.

● Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (2002, 2005 and 2011), 1997 INDYCAR Series champion and four-time USAC champion.

● Stewart is the first and only driver to win championships in stock cars, Indy cars and open-wheel Midget, Sprint and Silver Crown cars.

● Co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, winner of two NASCAR Cup Series championships (2011 and 2014).

● Owner of Tony Stewart Racing, winner of 26 championships – 14 in USAC, nine in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series and three in the All Star Circuit of Champions TQ Midgets.

● Inducted into numerous halls of fame, including the NASCAR Hall of Fame (2020), the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Hall of Fame (2020), the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2019), the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame (2019), the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame (2019), the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame (2018), the USAC Hall of Fame (2016) and the National Midget Racing Hall of Fame (2001).

● Formed the Tony Stewart Foundation in 2003.The 501(c)(3) organization’s goal is to raise funds primarily distributed to serving three specific groups – chronically ill and physically disabled children, animals that are endangered or at-risk, and drivers injured in the sport of motor racing. To date, the Foundation has awarded nearly $7 million to assist charitable initiatives for more than 150 well-qualified organizations throughout the United States.

PAUL TRACY

Hometown: Scarborough, Ontario, Canada

Social: IG: @paultracyofficial

● Current NBC TV commentator for its INDYCAR broadcasts.

● Won the 2003 INDYCAR championship.

● Finished second to Helio Castroneves in the 2002 Indianapolis 500.

● Has competed in NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races, and dabbled in professional downhill mountain bike racing.

MICHAEL WALTRIP

Hometown: Owensboro, Kentucky, United States

Social: IG: @mwr55 / Twitter: @mw55 / Facebook: @michaelcwaltrip

● Two-time Daytona 500 winner (2001 and 2003).

● Younger brother of three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip.

● Color commentator for FOX’s broadcasts of NASCAR Xfinity and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races, as well as pre-race commentator for FOX’s broadcast of NASCAR Cup Series races.

● Author of a New York Times best-seller in 2011, In the Blink of an Eye: Dale, Daytona, and the Day that Changed Everything. A documentary film adaptation was released in 2019.

● An avid runner, competed in the 2000 Boston Marathon.

● Participated in season 19 of Dancing With The Stars in 2014.

About Camping World SRX Series:

The Camping World SRX Series was created by a team consisting of Sandy Montag and The Montag Group, George Pyne, NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief and team owner Ray Evernham, and legendary driver Tony Stewart. The Montag Group leads business operations and Evernham oversees all racing operations. Pyne is a member of the Board and serves as an advisor. For more information, please visit us online at www.SRXracing.com, on Facebook, on Twitter and on Instagram.

Adam Lemke upbeat ahead of ARCA Menards Series debut with Rette Jones Racing

By

Official Release

-

July 8, 2021

ELKO, Minn: Rette Jones Racing is set to compete in their sixth ARCA Menards Series race of the season but first for new driver Adam Lemke in Saturday night’s Menards 250 at Elko (Minn.) Speedway.

The historic short track may be new to Lemke, a native of Hollister, Calif., but his Mark Rette-led team thankfully has plenty of experience at short tracks in the premier ARCA Menards Series division giving the 18-year-old confidence ahead of Saturday night’s race.

“I’m looking forward to this weekend with Rette Jones Racing,” said Lemke. “This is a great opportunity for myself and our marketing partners and I cannot wait to get to Elko and get some laps with practice and then focus on qualifying and the race.”

Lemke has been winning championships for more than half his 18 years, starting in Quarter Midgets at age eight and rising through the Mini Cup ranks. In 2017, he graduated to the USAC Western Midget Series and finished second in overall points and clinched the Rookie of the Year award.

In 2018, he won both the pavement and overall championships in the USAC Western Midget Series, as well as Rookie of the Year honors in the RPM Pro Late Model Series at Madera (Calif.) Speedway.

He graduated to the immensely popular and competitive CARS Tour where he joined JR Motorsports and competed in nine of the 11 CARS Late Model Stock events and finished 11th in the championship standings.

Most of Lemke’s racing efforts for 2020 were sidelined due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he did compete in a few CARS Tour races, as well as competed for Hawk McCall Motorsports in the NASCAR Advanced Auto Parts Weekly Series.

Having a diverse background in short-track racing is likely to play into Lemke’s hands this weekend, but the teenager also knows that he has a lot to learn about the heavier “stock cars” that the ARCA Menards Series requires.

Still, Lemke has spent a lot of time digesting and preparing for Saturday night’s Menards 250 and hopes his short-track mentality will be a benefit in his ARCA debut.

“I’ve been so fortunate and blessed to experience and win a lot in such a short amount of time,” added Lemke. “No doubt moving to the ARCA Menards Series and these heavier cars will be challenging, but that’s where I will lean on my team for guidance and direction.

“Our goal is a top-five finish at Elko. And based on the speed the team has shown this year, I think we can not only accomplish that but contend for the win too.”

JRi Shocks will serve as the primary partner for the ninth ARCA Menards Series race of 2021. In addition, Rette Jones Racing also welcomes Ford Performance, Goodridge Fluid Transfer Systems, Jones Group Demolition and Abatement, Mahle, Off-Axis Paint and Slick Products as associate marketing partners on the team’s No. 30 Ford Fusion.

“We are all looking forward to Elko,” offered co-owner and crew chief Rette. “Adam has been extremely focused on preparing for his ARCA Menards Series debut. He has been asking a lot of questions, reviewing as much data as he can, and so on. Overall, we feel we are well prepared as a team.”

RJR is co-owned by Canadian entrepreneur and former race car driver Terry Jones.

Additional details on Lemke’s 2021 program are forthcoming.

For more on Adam Lemke, please visit like him on Facebook (Adam Lemke) or follow him on Twitter (@AdamLemkeRacing).

For more on Rette Jones Racing, please visit RetteJonesRacing.com, like them on Facebook (Rette Jones Racing) or follow them on Twitter (@RetteJones30).

The Menards 250 (250 laps | 94 miles) is the ninth of 20 races on the 2021 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins Sat., Jul. 10 with a one-hour practice session from 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. General Tire pole qualifying is set for a short time later at 5:30 p.m. The race is set to take the green flag shortly after 9:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on MAVTV and NBC Sports Gold Pass. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (CT).

About Rette Jones Racing:

Headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina, Rette Jones Racing (RJR) was founded in 2015 with the intent of building a successful racing operation built around the fundamentals of hard work and a never-give-up attitude.

Owned by racers Terry Jones and Mark Rette, RJR plan to field a full-time entry in 2021 in the ARCA Menards Series East, while also hopeful to field vehicles in the ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS).

The winning ARCA East team also offers technical and setup intel as part of its technical alliance partnership program.

Watkins Glen International and United Rentals Forge Partnership on Entitlement of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race, United Rentals 176

By

Official Release

-

July 8, 2021

United Rentals Also Named the Official Rental Equipment Partner of NASCAR

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (July 8, 2021) – Watkins Glen International and United Rentals, the largest equipment rental company in the world, forge an agreement on the entitlement for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Aug. 7. The official race name will be the United Rentals 176 at The Glen.

“As we bring the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series back to The Glen for the first time since 2000, it’s great to have United Rentals on board as the entitlement partner for the race,” said WGI President Michael Printup. “And we know United Rentals will work as hard for us off the track as the trucks work on it.”

NASCAR and United Rentals announce a multiyear partnership that will designate the brand as the “Official Rental Equipment Partner of NASCAR” beginning in 2022. The wide-ranging agreement spans across the sanctioning body and NASCAR-owned facilities including NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race entitlements for the United Rentals 176 at The Glen and United Rentals 200 at Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 30 and future spring NASCAR Xfinity Series events.

“We are proud to launch our new partnership with NASCAR, and can’t wait to be part of the action supporting the team at The Glen,” said Steve Szaniszlo, Region Vice President at United Rentals. “The return of trucks to this iconic venue promises to be a highlight of the race season.”

To download the United Rentals 176 and United Rentals logo, click here.

As part of the partnership, Watkins Glen International and other NASCAR-owned facilities will work collaboratively with United Rentals for access to rental construction and industrial equipment, supplies and tools and additional items for on-going facility maintenance and race and event preparations and support.

To learn more about United Rentals, visit unitedrentals.com.

The Glen will host its NASCAR Go Bowling at The Glen weekend, which will include the United Rentals 167 at The Glen, Aug. 6-8.

NASCAR race tickets are available for purchase via phone at 1-866-461-RACE or online at www.TheGlen.com. Fans can view the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedules and purchase tickets at nascar.com/tickets.

Stay connected to Watkins Glen International on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR consists of three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour), one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

About United Rentals

United Rentals, Inc. is the largest equipment rental company in the world. The company has an integrated network of 1,156 rental locations in North America and 11 in Europe. In North America, the company operates in 49 states and every Canadian province. The company’s approximately 18,250 employees serve construction and industrial customers, utilities, municipalities, homeowners and others. The company offers approximately 4,000 classes of equipment for rent with a total original cost of $13.49 billion. United Rentals is a member of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, the Barron’s 400 Index and the Russell 3000 Index® and is headquartered in Stamford, Conn. Additional information about United Rentals is available at unitedrentals.com.

About Watkins Glen International

Located within five hours and 300 miles of 25 percent of the U.S. population, Watkins Glen International is the premier road racing facility in North America, four-times voted “Best NASCAR Track” by readers of USA Today. Keep up with The Glen on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For tickets, camping, and additional information, call 1-866-461-RACE or visit www.TheGlen.com.

2021 Watkins Glen International Schedule

May 21-23 – Ferrari Challenge North America

June 18-20 – SCCA Majors Super Tour

June 24-27 – IMSA Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen

July 1-2 – IMSA WeatherTech 240 at The Glen

July 9-11 – Masters & HSR Race Weekend

August 4-8 – NASCAR Go Bowling at The Glen

September 9-12 – Hilliard U.S. Vintage Grand Prix

September 16-19 – GT World Challenge America

October 29-30 – Finger Lakes Beer Festival Presented by Chemung Canal Trust Co.

2021 Watkins Glen International NASCAR Weekend Schedule

August 6 – Clean Harbors 100 at The Glen ARCA Menards Series Race

August 7 – United Rentals 167 at The Glen NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race

August 7 – NASCAR Xfinity Series Race

August 8 – NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen

Rackley W.A.R. Team Report: Knoxville Raceway

By

Official Release

-

July 8, 2021

Team Report
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News and Notes
Event: Corn Belt 150 Presented by Premier Chevy Dealers
Date: Friday, July 9, 2021
Venue: Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway
Track Description: .5 mile(s), dirt
Race: 75 miles / 150 Laps

Rackley W.A.R.’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series History … Since entering the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) in 2021, the Centerville, Tenn.,-based organization has logged 14 starts with three drivers, Josh Berry, William Byron, and Timothy Peters, resulting in an average starting position of 20.8 and an average finishing position of 23.9.

Catch the Action … The Corn Belt 150 Presented by Premier Chevy Dealers at the Knoxville Raceway will be broadcast live on FS1 on Friday, July 9, starting with NASCAR RaceDay: NCWTS Knoxville at 8:00 p.m. (ET). It will also broadcast live at 7:00 p.m. (ET) on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

The tentative weekend schedule for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at the Knoxville Raceway:

Thursday, July 8
6:00 p.m. ET Random Qualifying Draw
7:05 p.m. – 8:25 p.m. ET Final NCWTS Practice
Friday, July 9
7:00 p.m. ET 1st Qualifying Race
7:15 p.m. ET 2nd Qualifying Race
7:30 p.m. ET 3rd Qualifying Race
7:45 p.m. ET 4th Qualifying Race

Josh Berry
No. 25 Rackley Roofing Chevrolet Silverado

Knoxville Raceway Debut … Nicknamed the ‘Sprint Car Capital of the World,’ Knoxville Raceway, located in Iowa, will host the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for the first time in its history. Best known for hosting one of the most prestigious events in sprint car racing, the Knoxville Nationals, ‘The Granddaddy of Them All,’ Knoxville Raceway is perhaps one of the most famous dirt ovals in the world.

This weekend marks Josh Berry’s debut at the Knoxville Raceway with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Gettin’ Dirty Stats: Josh Berry will make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series dirt track debut at the Knoxville Raceway.

In preparation for the Corn Belt 150 Presented by Premier Chevy Dealers, on Tuesday, July 6, Berry tested a Super Street
at Friendship Motor Speedway, located in Elkin, N.C. It was the first time Berry ran anything on a dirt track.

Starting Lineup: NASCAR has instituted a special format for qualifying at the Knoxville Raceway which includes qualifying races to decide the starting lineup. The lineup for the qualifying races is done by a random draw on Thursday, July 8. The random draw determines heat race designation and starting position for the heat race. The draw is in order of current NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owner points (21st-place).

There are four qualifying races scheduled with 40 total entrants competing. Each qualifying race will have 10 drivers each to vie for 40 spots in the final field for the 150-lap event. The four qualifying races will be held to 15 laps each with only green flag laps counted – no overtime rule. Free pass and wave-around procedures will be in effect.

Pit Stall Selections … Pit Stall 31, towards Turn 2 on the backstretch.

Atop the Pit Box: Chad Kendrick … Chad Kendrick, crew chief for the No. 25 Rackley Roofing Chevrolet Silverado, with
the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will visit Knoxville Raceway this weekend for the first time. On dirt (Eldora
Speedway, and the Bristol Motor Speedway DIRT), Kendrick has one top-five finish and four top-10 finishes in the NASCAR
Camping World Truck Series in eight starts.

In the Rearview Mirror: Pocono Raceway … Josh Berry, driver of the No. 25 Rackley Roofing Chevrolet Silverado for Rackley W.A.R., finished in the 11th-place in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series CRC Brakleen 150 at the Pocono Raceway on Saturday, June 26, in Long Pond, Pa. Berry started in the 20th-place in the 39-truck field, and at the end of Stage 1 on Lap 15 he was in the 20th place. By the end of Stage 2 on Lap 30, Berry was scored in the sixth-place. He was scored as high as the fourth-place at the “Tricky Triangle.”

QUOTE WORTHY
Josh Berry, driver of the No. 25 Rackley Roofing Chevrolet Silverado for Rackley W.A.R.
“I am really excited to head to the Knoxville Raceway this week, and get to experience dirt racing for the first time. I have never raced on dirt, at all, so it will be about learning quick, adapting, and staying out of trouble in the race. If I am able to do that, I know that we can take the No. 25 Rackley Roofing Chevrolet Silverado to the front.”

Follow Rackley W.A.R. on Social Media … To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content,
visit Rackley W.A.R.’s Twitter page – @Rackley_WAR, and on Instagram at @rackley_war. “Like” Rackley W.A.R. on the
official Facebook page at facebook.com/RackleyWAR.

Weekend schedule for Atlanta and Knoxville

By

Angie Campbell

-

July 7, 2021

The NASCAR Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 21, 2021 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

The NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series head to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend for the second time this season while the Camping World Truck Series travels to Knoxville Raceway for the series debut at the half-mile dirt oval.

Six active Cup Series drivers have won previously at the 1.5-mile track. Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch lead the series with three wins each. Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch have two previous wins. Ryan Blaney, the most recent winner, and Denny Hamlin have each been to victory lane once.

Only three active Xfinity Series drivers have won at Atlanta. Kyle Busch has two victories while Justin Allgaier and AJ Allmendinger have one win each. Busch (13) and Jeremy Clements (12) have the most starts among the active drivers in the Series.

The Truck Series lineup at Knoxville Raceway will be set by four qualifying heat races prior to the main event. A random draw (in order of current owner points) will be used to determine the heat race and starting position for each driver. Only green-flag laps will count with no overtime rule.

Drivers will earn points for their finish in the qualifying race and can also gain passing points (the difference between their starting position and finishing position). The points will determine their starting position for the feature event.

The starting lineups for the Cup and Xfinity Series were determined by the following metrics formula:

• 25 percent: Driver’s finishing position from the previous race
• 25 percent: Car owner’s finishing position from the previous race
• 35 percent: Team owner points ranking
• 15 percent: Fastest lap from the previous race

All times are Eastern.

Thursday, July 8

7:05 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice at Knoxville – FS1

Friday, July 9

7 p.m.: Truck Series at Knoxville Qualifying Race 1 (15 Laps) FS1/MRN
7:15 p.m.: Truck Series at Knoxville Qualifying Race 2 (15 Laps) FS1/MRN
7:30 p.m.: Truck Series at Knoxville Qualifying Race 3 (15 Laps) FS1/MRN
7:45 p.m.: Truck Series at Knoxville Qualifying Race 4 (15 Laps) FS1/MRN
9 p.m.: Truck Series Corn Belt 150 presented by Premier Chevy Dealers at Knoxville (Stages 40/90/150 laps = 75 miles) FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Saturday, July 10

3:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series Credit Karma Money 250 at Atlanta
Stages 40/80/163 laps = 251.02 miles
NBCSN/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN)
Pole: Kyle Busch

Sunday, July 11

3:30 p.m.: Cup Series Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart at Atlanta
Stages 80/160/260 laps = 400.4 miles
NBCSN/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN)
Pole: Chase Elliott

Atlanta Motor Speedway Data:
Season Race #: 21 of 36 (07-11-21)
Track Size: 1.54-miles
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 24 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 24 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 5 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 2,332 feet
Backstretch Length: 1,800 feet
Race Length: 260 laps / 400.4 miles
Stage 1 & 2: 80 Laps (each)
Final Stage: 100 Laps

Atlanta Qualifying and Race Data:

Track qualifying record: Geoffrey Bodine, Ford (197.478 mph, 28.074 secs.) on 11-15-97
2020 pole winner: None – Starting Lineup set by Metric Qualifying; Chase Elliott started in first.

Kevin Harvick leads all active drivers in NCS starts with 31 starts, followed by Kurt Busch with 30 and Ryan Newman with 29.
Ryan Newman leads all active drivers in the NCS in average starting position of 8.138 in 29 starts followed by Kyle Larson at 8.286 in 12 starts.
Nine of the Atlanta NCS pole winners are active this weekend. Ryan Newman (7), Kevin Harvick (2), Aric Almirola (1), Denny Hamlin (1), Joey Logano (1), Kurt Busch (1), Kyle Busch (1), Martin Truex Jr. (1), and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (1)
Buddy Baker and Ryan Newman are tied for the ZNCS most poles at Atlanta with seven each and Newman holds the record for most consecutive poles with six (spring of 2003 through 2005).

Track race record: Bobby Labonte, Pontiac (159.904 mph, 03:07:48) on 11-16-97.
2020 race winner: Kevin Harvick, Ford (142.966 mph, 03:30:03) on 06-07-20.

Six former Atlanta winners are active this weekend. Kevin Harvick (3), Kurt Busch (3), Brad Keselowski (2), Kyle Busch (2), Denny Hamlin (1), and Ryan Blaney (1).
Kevin Harvick (2001, 2018, 2020) and Kurt Busch (2002, 2009, 2010) lead all active series winners at Atlanta with three each.
The youngest NCS Atlanta winner is Kyle Busch (03/09/2008 – 22 years, 10 months, 7 days).
The most proficient starting position in the field at Atlanta is the fifth starting position with 16 wins, more than any other starting position.
The deepest in the field that an active race winner has started at Atlanta is 37th, by Jimmie Johnson in 2015.
Hendrick Motorsports has the most wins at Atlanta in the NCS with 14.
Nine different manufacturers have won in the NCS at Atlanta. Chevrolet leads with 40, followed by Ford (34), Pontiac (11), Dodge (nine), Mercury (eight), Buick (four), Plymouth (four), Toyota (three) and Oldsmobile (one).
Kevin Harvick leads all active NCS drivers in laps led at Atlanta with 1,197 in 31 starts.

Top 12 Driver Ratings at Atlanta
Kevin Harvick……………………… 101.4
Kyle Larson………………………….. 98.0
Martin Truex Jr……………………… 96.7
Denny Hamlin……………………….. 95.6
Kurt Busch…………………………… 95.4
Kyle Busch…………………………… 94.6
Brad Keselowski……………………. 94.4
Ryan Blaney…………………………. 91.0
Chase Elliott…………………………. 89.9
Joey Logano………………………… 83.3
Ryan Newman………………………. 78.0
Ricky Stenhouse Jr………………… 77.5

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2021 races (23 total) among active drivers at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Hendrick Motorsports Media Advance: Atlanta

By

Official Release

-

July 7, 2021

Atlanta Motor Speedway
Sunday, July 11, 2021
1.5-Mile Oval
3:30 PM ET
Location: Hampton, Georgia
TV: Fox logo
Event: NASCAR Cup Series (21 of 36)
Radio: SiriusXM, PRN

5 KYLE LARSON
Age: 28 (July 31, 1992)
Hometown: Elk Grove, California
Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels
Standings: 2nd

No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

ON THE MARCH: In March at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson led 269 of 325 laps but was passed with nine to go and finished second. The driver of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE won both stages and now holds the best average finish (12.14) at the 1.5-mile track among active drivers.

PETTY, PEARSON AND LARSON: Larson has led the most laps in each of the last four races held on 1.5-mile tracks, tying Richard Petty and David Pearson all-time for most consecutive on 1.5-mile tracks. The Elk Grove, California, native can set the new mark if he leads the most laps on Sunday in Atlanta.

TWO-FER: Entering 2021, Larson had never won in the NASCAR Cup Series on a 1.5-mile track. He snapped that streak of 0-for-71 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March and followed that up in May with another victory at the 1.5-mile Charlotte Motor Speedway. Overall this season on 1.5-mile tracks, Larson is the only competitor with multiple stage wins (seven) and he has led 55% (836) of the laps on those intermediate-style tracks.

CLOSING IN: Following the season’s 11th race at Kansas Speedway in May, Larson ranked ninth in the driver standings, 144 markers behind the leader. In nine points-paying events since, Larson has scored eight top-10s including three wins and four second-place finishes. In that span, he has moved up seven spots to second in the standings and now trails by only three points.

NEARLY HALF: Larson has finished first or second in nine of 20 (45%) Cup Series races this season. He won at Nashville Superspeedway, Sonoma Raceway, Charlotte and Las Vegas while posting second-place finishes at Pocono Raceway, Circuit of The Americas, Dover International Speedway, Darlington Raceway and Atlanta. He also won the non-points NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway in June.

TOP OF THE BOARD: Through 20 of 36 Cup Series races, Larson leads the series in wins (four), second-place finishes (five), stage wins (12), playoff points (32), and laps led (1,441). He is tied for most top-five finishes (11), most top-10s (14) and most pole positions (one).

SUMMER ROAD TRIPPING: Last week, Larson participated in several Pennsylvania Sprint Car Speedweek events. On Monday night at Lincoln Speedway, the 28-year-old driver finished third. On Tuesday at Grandview Speedway and Wednesday at Port Royal Speedway, Larson crossed under the checkered flag first. This week, he will swap disciplines and is scheduled to race a dirt late model at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, South Carolina, on Thursday before heading to Maryville, Tennessee, Friday and Saturday for events at Smoky Mountain Speedway.

FOUR LESS: At 13.65 seconds, the No. 5 pit crew owns the quickest average time for four-tire pit stops in 2021. The over-the-wall crew is comprised of gasman Brandon Harder, jackman Brandon Johnson, tire carrier R.J. Barnette and tire changers Donnie Tasser (front) and Calvin Teague (rear).

YOUR CAR NEEDS: This weekend, Larson will drive the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. From the convenience of home, customers can select the category, make, model and vehicle packages that are important to them from the nearly 30,000 new, high-quality pre-owned and certified cars, trucks and SUVs available at HendrickCars.com. The website also makes it easy for customers to find one of Hendrick Automotive Group’s 93 dealership locations nationwide.

WE’RE HIRING: Hendrick Automotive Group is hiring more than 300 technicians at its dealerships throughout the country. Positions are open for all skill levels and offer tuition and training reimbursement. Interested people can apply at HendrickCars.com.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT
Age: 25 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: 6th

No. 9 A SHOC Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

DOMINATING DAY: Chase Elliott continued his road course dominance on Sunday at Road America, starting 34th and surging to the front to lead 24 laps and capture his second win of the 2021 season. This victory is his seventh of the last 11 road course races. The Georgia native owns the record for the most wins at different road course venues (five) and is just two wins shy of the NASCAR Cup Series all-time record (nine) set by NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon.

PEACH STATE PERFORMANCE: Elliott has made 10 total starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway across NASCAR’s top-three levels – six in the Cup Series, two in the Xfinity Series and two in the Camping World Truck Series – and only finished outside the top 10 on three occasions. Earlier this season at the 1.5-mile track, Elliott raced from the rear of the field into the top 10 before a mechanical issue ended the No. 9 team’s day in the final stage at Atlanta.

FIRE UP THE SI-REEN: On Sunday, Elliott could become just the second Georgia-born driver to win a Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, joining his father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, who won five times at the track.

ENGINE NO. 9: This weekend, Elliott has the chance to become the third driver to win at AMS with the No. 9 car number. The five victories for the No. 9 have come with two drivers: Elliott’s father, Bill Elliott (three), and Kasey Kahne (two). Kahne collected the most recent Atlanta win for the No. 9 in June 2008.

2021 RUNDOWN: With the series heading into the 21st event of the 2021 season, Elliott has two wins – his most in a season through 20 races. He is tied for second for the most top-five finishes (nine), has 11 top-10s and led a total of 153 laps. Elliott currently sits sixth in the driver point standings, 124 points behind leader Denny Hamlin. He has garnered more wins, runner-up finishes, top-five finishes and top-10s than he collected last year at the 20-race mark.

WELCOME TO THE TEAM, A SHOC: This weekend will mark A SHOC’s first of two Cup Series primary races (Atlanta and Talladega Superspeedway) with Elliott and the No. 9 team. In January, it was announced that A SHOC, the fast-growing, performance energy beverage distributed by Keurig Dr Pepper, would join Hendrick Motorsports as a sponsor of the defending Cup champion.

CHECK OUT THAT CAN: In June, A SHOC announced the release of Elliott’s signature can that commemorates the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion. The limited-edition can features Elliott celebrating alongside the No. 9 A SHOC Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE that he will pilot this weekend. These special cans are available nationwide for a short time only.

GEORGIA ON MY MIND: In addition to Elliott hailing from Dawsonville, Georgia, which is just 83 miles north of AMS, No. 9 team partners NAPA AUTO PARTS, Hooters and Kelley Blue Book all have major presences in Atlanta. NAPA will serve as majority sponsor for Elliott and the No. 9 team for 25 Cup Series races this season and Hooters will return at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course event in August. Cox Automotive, the parent company of team partner Kelley Blue Book, will have its first appearance as Elliott’s primary sponsor at Richmond Raceway in September.

CHAMPS GRANDSTAND: Atlanta Motor Speedway is honoring Georgia’s NASCAR Cup Series champions – Elliott, 1988 champion Bill Elliott and two-time Cup title winner Tim Flock – with championship banners that will hang in the concourse of the Champions Grandstand. Elliott’s banner, representing the 2020 championship season, will be revealed for the first time during driver introductions on Sunday.

24 WILLIAM BYRON
Age: 23 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: 3rd

No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

BEST YEAR YET: Entering the back half of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, William Byron is having his best season yet at the highest level of competition in the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. So far, he has collected one win (Homestead-Miami Speedway), one pole (Road America), eight top-five finishes and 14 top-10s (tied for the most by a driver this season) all while leading 245 laps and collecting three stage wins. His eight top-five finishes are the most the 23-year-old driver has had in a season at the Cup level and his 14 top-10s tie his previous best in a season, as well.

20/20 VISION: After 20 races, Byron has been seen running in the front of the field consistently every week. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native has spent 3,854 laps running in the top 10 – the second-most in the series – and 2,147 laps in the top five – the third-most throughout the field. Byron maintains the second-best average running position in the Cup Series of 8.36 and an average finishing position of 11.05, allowing him to maintain third place in the point standings.

1.5-MILE MOMENTUM: With the Cup Series racing at five 1.5-mile tracks so far this year, Byron has finished inside the top 10 in each event, tied for the most this season with Kyle Busch. So far in 2021, the driver of the No. 24 has a 6.0 average-finishing position on tracks 1.5 miles long – the third-best behind Busch and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson. Even going back as far as the last nine races on 1.5-milers, Byron has secured seven top-10 finishes – tied for the second-most behind Busch and Martin Truex Jr (eight).

THE ATL ARCHIVE: With four previous Cup Series starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Byron had his best run at the 1.5-mile track earlier this season, starting ninth and racing to an eighth-place finish. Other than his four Cup Series starts, Byron has two other NASCAR starts at the 1.5-mile track, one in the NASCAR Xfinity Series where he finished seventh, the third-highest result of the Xfinity Series regulars. He also has one start at Atlanta in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where he was running second before losing an engine, leaving him with a 32nd-place finish.

RUDY RUNS THE ATL: Returning to a track for the first time as a Cup Series crew chief, Rudy Fugle is ready to capitalize off the run the No. 24 team had in March earlier this year. Rolling off the grid in ninth, Byron and Fugle raced their way to a top-10 finish, crossing the finish line in eighth. Fugle also has six NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at Atlanta, including two pole awards and two wins. His drivers have collected four top-three finishes in six events, along with five top-10s. Fugle only has one finish worse than seventh coming with Byron in 2016 when the duo was running second before suffering an engine failure, resulting in a 32nd-place finish.

ALL ABOUT AXALTA: Returning to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the second time during the 2021 Cup Series season, Byron will climb behind the wheel of the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for Sunday’s event. However, Byron’s No. 24 will also feature Axalta’s partner Maaco, America’s Body Shop and leader in the automotive pant and collision industry. For a better look at Byron’s No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for Atlanta, click here.

WATCH MAACO GO: Earlier this week, Maaco announced their social media campaign “Watch Maaco Go” will run through Sunday’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. For the contest, fans can share a screenshot on social media with the hashtag #BetterGetMaaco every time they see the Maaco logo featured on the No. 24 Axalta Chevy throughout the week on social media or during on-track coverage on NBCSN. One lucky fan will be selected to win the ultimate race experience, including the TV panel off the No. 24 Chevy from the Atlanta race.

48 Alex Bowman
Age: 28 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Resides: Concord, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Greg Ives
Standings: 11th

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

ATLANTA STATS: Earlier this season, Alex Bowman finished third at Atlanta Motor Speedway after 325 laps in his sixth start at the facility. The driver’s best finish prior to the spring event at the 1.5-mile venue was 12th, which came from the 2020 event. On tracks measuring 1.5 miles in length, Bowman has finished in the top 10 seven times in the last nine races. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has one start there in the NASCAR Xfinity Series where he qualified 18th in 2013. In 2017, Bowman ran in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event and finished sixth after qualifying fifth.

2021 AT A GLANCE: So far this season, Bowman has three wins, five top-five finishes and 10 top-10s, which is tied for the eighth-most top-10 results in the series with Martin Truex Jr. and Tyler Reddick. The 28-year-old has led 151 laps and is currently ranked seventh in the NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings after 20 events. Bowman’s three wins this season are tied for second with Truex in the Cup Series. All five of Bowman’s Cup victories came on a different track and all three of his wins in 2021 occurred in the last 12 events.

1.5-MILE ROLL: Bowman’s last six outings at 1.5-mile tracks resulted in three top-five finishes, five top-10s and 54 laps led. He has 62 Cup starts at intermediate tracks, which include one win, six top-five finishes and 16 top-10s. Bowman’s first Cup win came in 2019 at the 1.5-mile Chicagoland Speedway after leading 88 laps. He captured three stage wins at 1.5-mile tracks in 2020, the third-most behind Denny Hamlin and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott.

IVES IN ATL: No. 48 crew chief Greg Ives will call the shots at Atlanta Motor Speedway for the eighth time on Sunday afternoon. The Bark River, Michigan, native has three top-five finishes at the track, which include a runner-up result with Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2016. At the 1.5-mile facility, Ives has two career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts as a crew chief. In 2014, his driver sat on the pole for the 195-lap event and led 36 laps en route to a fifth-place finish. From 2006-2012, Ives was a race engineer for the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team. During that time, he was a part of two wins and one pole award at Atlanta Motor Speedway with driver Jimmie Johnson.

PIT ROAD STATS: So far in the 2021 season, the No. 48 pit crew ranks fifth for the fastest four-tire pit stop average in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team has an average four-tire stop time of 13.81. The No. 48 pit crew includes fueler Jacob Conley, tire carrier Allen Stallings, jackman Dustin Lineback, and tire changers Scott Brzozowski (front) and Devin DelRicco (rear).

IN MEMORY: This Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the four Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE race cars of Hendrick Motorsports will carry a special decal in memory of longtime team member Mark Graves, who passed away over the weekend. Graves was hired in 1984 by legendary engine builder Randy Dorton and built the engine that powered Hendrick Motorsports’ first NASCAR Cup Series race win. He retired from the team’s engine department at the end of the 2014 season.

WIN 10: On Sunday at Road America, Chase Elliott delivered Hendrick Motorsports’ 10th win in 20 NASCAR Cup Series races held thus far in 2021. The all-time record for wins at this point in a Cup Series season is 16 by Carl Kiekhafer Racing in 1956, followed by five different teams that won 10 of the first 20 on six different occasions. Hendrick Motorsports is the only organization to accomplish it twice (2007 and 2021).

ROAD BOOKENDS: Going back nearly a full season, Hendrick Motorsports has won 15 of the last 34 NASCAR Cup Series races – or 44%. The team’s roll began in August 2020 with an Elliott victory at the DAYTONA Road Course. In the prior 133 races, Hendrick Motorsports had 14 points-paying wins.

EIGHT WEEK STREAK: Including the June 13 NASCAR All-Star Race won by Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports has posted a Cup Series victory in eight straight weeks, winning eight of a possible nine races. The team’s only loss in that timeframe came June 27 in the second event of the Pocono Raceway doubleheader.

TO THE POINT: In the last eight points-paying NASCAR Cup Series races, Hendrick Motorsports has won seven times, finished 1-2 four times and placed second five times. With 32 total entries in those eight events (four cars per race), the team has posted 18 top-five results and 22 top-10s. It has won 10 of 17 stages and led 1,242 of 1,578 laps (79%).

STAGE GAUGE: Hendrick Motorsports’ 16 stage wins in 2021 are the most ever by a team through the first 20 races of a season. The NASCAR Cup Series incorporated stage racing in 2017.

TRACKING INTERMEDIATES: Sunday’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway will be the sixth of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season on a 1.5-mile track. At the intermediate venues this year, Hendrick Motorsports leads all organizations in wins (three), pole positions (one), top-five finishes (10), top-10s (14), laps led (1,037), average finish (9.55) and stage wins (eight). Its 1,037 laps led are the most in history by a team through the first five intermediate races of a season.

ATL CONTROL: With 14 NASCAR Cup Series wins at Atlanta, Hendrick Motorsports is the track’s winningest team. It is tied with Wood Brothers Racing for the most different AMS winners (six) and has gone to victory lane in four of the last 11 races there. Jeff Gordon (five wins), Jimmie Johnson (five), Kasey Kahne, Jerry Nadeau, Ken Schrader and Darrell Waltrip have all won for car owner Rick Hendrick at the Georgia track.

LEADING ATLANTA: Hendrick Motorsports is 80 laps from breaking the Atlanta Motor Speedway track record for laps led by a team, which is held by Wood Brothers Racing (3,407 led). Most recently, Hendrick Motorsports led 271 laps there in the March 21 Cup Series event.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on leading laps but finishing second at Atlanta in March: “I definitely learned a lot in the moment, but I can learn even more by rewatching the race. You learn from everything – the good races and you definitely learn from the ones you feel got away. The track will certainly be different with the temperatures and the heat, so we’ll need to learn quickly and adapt quickly so we can hopefully battle for stage wins, the race win and the playoff bonus points that goes along with that.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on Atlanta in July versus March: “The track will be a lot different. In March, the track temperature was not warm and the ambient air temperature was pretty mild. We’re trying to anticipate what the track will do with more sunlight exposure, a hot ambient temperature and a really hot track temperature that will take a lot of grip out of the cars, in general, and change the balance. Hopefully, we anticipate that correctly and also just make sure we manage the race correctly – not going too hard at the beginning of the run to ensure we have enough at the end of a run. I think we have learned a lot since then, so hopefully we can apply that and be really good on Sunday.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on racing at his home track: “I am super excited for Atlanta this weekend for a lot of different reasons. Number one is obviously it’s my home track and that’s always an important thing for any driver – to want to do well at your hometown track. A place where you have a lot of family and friends that tend to want to go and watch and support. It just means a lot to me to be racing there. And then number two, we are bringing on a new partner this weekend with A SHOC. It’s a race, I think, we have all been really excited for and looking forward to for a while. This partnership has been a lot of fun and it’s always exciting to bring a new partner into the sport, and we just hope we can bring them in the right way and have a good run for them here in Atlanta. It is good to see them on board and I’m looking forward to a fun week down there.”

Elliott on how drivers have to adapt to Atlanta’s unique track: “You know, Cup racing at Atlanta and kind of the way it has evolved, you are saving, but you are also not. It’s really more about having your car driving really good so that you can push hard and not slip tires and that has really become the game, I feel like. It’s not as much riding around and just kind of biding your time and waiting for the last 15-20 laps of a run because you can’t make up those big chunks of time at the end of a run like you maybe could years ago. Nowadays, it’s just hard to do. It’s more about being able to push, having your car just perfect so that you can run as hard as you need to run and slip your tires the least amount as you can. That to me results in the best finish nowadays, in my opinion.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on returning to Atlanta: “Atlanta is typically a track where you’re always fighting loose with really limited rear grip. You’ll also have some front grip issues, as well, with the way tires wear. It’s really about managing it all throughout the run. You want to be able to wrap that white line and be good down low for as long as possible in a run. Hopefully for us, we have that grip in the car that we need.”

Byron on returning to a track in the Cup Series for the first time with crew chief Rudy Fugle: “I feel really good about going back to a track for the first time with Rudy in the Cup Series. We can really work on those little details this time that we wanted to work on before but opted to get a good baseline the first time around. So far, the things we have worked on in the simulator recently for Atlanta seem really good. I’m excited to get back there and I think we’ll run better than eighth like we did in the spring.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on returning to Atlanta: “I’m excited to be going back to Atlanta this weekend. I enjoy the challenge that Atlanta brings and how weather sensitive it can be. I think I’m more excited that this will be the first racetrack we’re going back to that I now have experience with the Cup cars. We formed a good baseline in the March race, and while conditions won’t be the same as it was then, I think we’re going to be rolling off the truck a lot closer to where we want to be, setup-wise. Sunday’s race will be more about executing the small details and putting the ‘full package’ together, where last time we we’re just trying to learn as much as we could as a group and find what William wanted most out of the car. I think Sunday will be a good race to show just how far this No. 24 team has come so far this season.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on the conditions at Atlanta: “Going to Atlanta this weekend, it is going to be a super hot and slick for 400 miles. It’ll be a good time. I think Atlanta is a great racetrack. We had a good run there earlier this year and ended up third. We need a good solid finish this weekend and the No. 48 Ally team has been working hard on our intermediate Chevrolet.”

Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on the strategies at Atlanta: “Atlanta has been a good track for our team. We have been able to come out of there with some good runs. The track has some high tire fall off, but you are going to have some teams short pitting and other strategies going on throughout the field.”

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