KYLE BUSCH
Heating Up For The Summer

HUNTERSVILLE, North Carolina (July 7, 2021) – With the summer swing in full effect for the NASCAR Cup Series, Kyle Busch has been heating up in the NASCAR Cup Series as he heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday.

Busch, driver of the No. 18 SKITTLES Gummies Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), has posted three consecutive top-three finishes as he comes off a strong third-place run in Skittles colors this past weekend at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. In fact, Busch has posted five top-five finishes in his last seven races, including his second win of the season two weekends ago at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway.

Busch and the SKITTLES Gummies team have found the summer stretch more to their liking as the Las Vegas native continues to jell and grow with first-year crew chief Ben Beshore and a mostly new lineup. The pairing of Busch and Beshore took a huge step forward in the first stop this season at Atlanta, when they were able to overcome a speeding penalty to bring home a fifth-place finish there back in March. The team showed a lot of speed on the 1.54.-mile oval, which they used as a springboard to better finishes, including their first win together at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City in May.

Busch returns to the racetrack this weekend where the winning for him began with JGR in 2008. That was his first year with JGR, and he headed to Atlanta for the fourth Cup Series race of the season aiming to bring home the maiden victory for the team’s two new partners – Mars Wrigley and Toyota. After leading a race-high 173 laps, Busch broke through for the first time in NASCAR’s top series for Toyota, which was in its second year of Cup Series competition and its first year with JGR. Busch added an Atlanta Cup Series win in 2013 to go with seven top-five finishes and 10 top-10s at the 1.54-mile oval during his career.

The two-time Cup Series champion will have SKITTLES onboard for the second week in a row, with SKITTLES Gummies on the Cup Series car for the first time this season, but they did add a win together back in May at Circuit of Americas in Austin, Texas in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race. SKITTLES Gummies are available to fans in stores nationwide.

So, as the Cup Series heads back to Atlanta yet again this weekend, Busch and the SKITTLES Gummies team look to take lessons from their 2008 and 2013 race wins and their top-five finish this past March on the lightning-fast oval and bring home a third Cup Series win at the track. It would be extra sweet – the milestone 60th of Busch’s Cup Series career.

KYLE BUSCH, Driver of the No. 18 SKITTLES Gummies Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing:

You’ve been very strong on 1.5-mile ovals so far this year. What are your expectations this weekend?

“Our expectations are always focused on winning. I feel like we’ve been very good with the 550 (horsepower) package this year. We ran really well at Atlanta earlier this year and may have had a shot to win the race if not for a pit-road speeding penalty. Atlanta was the first weekend of the year I felt like we had a lot of speed, and Ben (Beshore, crew chief) and the team keep getting better each week. Really looking forward to this weekend at Atlanta with our SKITTLES Gummies Camry. It’s going to be hot and slick out there, so a bit different than it was there in the spring. We’ll see how it plays out and hopefully we can get another shot at a win there.”

What are your memories of racing at Atlanta?

“I’ve won a few Truck Series races there. That was fun. I won for the first time in an Xfinity race there a few years ago, so that was very cool. I finished second three or four times, so it had been an Achilles heel for me, I guess. The Cup races there, I’ve either been really good or really bad, it seems. There have been times where I’ve been really good throughout the event. I don’t know what it is, but I just can’t seem to keep the grip in my car for the long haul, as long as you need to throughout a run.”

What are your expectations going to Atlanta?

“Atlanta is one of those places where anything can happen and we’ll definitely have to be on our toes there this weekend with our SKITTLES Gummies Camry. You have to have good grip there, you have to have good (tire) fall-off – you have to be fast to start a run, yet you don’t want to fall off more than anybody else. So you have to take care of your stuff and bide your time a little bit. That lends itself to options by the driver to either push hard early (in the run) or save a little and be there late.”

With the way the racing is on the 1.5-mile and 2-mile ovals, are you doing anything differently with the aero on those types of tracks?

“It’s the same for everybody. You’re trying to shut off the guy behind you. You’re trying to shut his air off. That’s why the blocking is so bad, even at some of these places. The guys out front, they’ll mirror drive wherever the heck you’re going to make sure they shut your air off so you have to get out of the gas and stay out of the gas and lose momentum, and they can get a gap on you so they don’t have to deal with you again. As soon as you sort of lose that lead draft, if you’re not fast enough to catch back up to that guy in front of you, then you just continually seem to lose ground.”

Event Overview:

● Event: Quaker State 400
● Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 11
● Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway
● Layout: 1.54-mile oval

● Laps/Miles: 260 laps/400 miles
● Format: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 80 laps / Final Stage: 100 laps
● TV/Radio: NBCSN / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest:

● Well Above Average: Busch leads the way in average finish so far this season on 1.5-mile ovals. In the five races completed on 1.5-mile tracks, Busch has an average finish of 4.4, with the next-best driver Kyle Larson at a 5.4 average finish. Just six drivers have an average finish in the single digits on those tracks this season.

● Previous Playoff Points: Busch has accumulated 13 important playoff points he can take with him through each round. Busch also currently sits fifth in the point standings with 14 top-five finishes and 20 top-10s with just seven regular-season races remaining before the playoffs begin.

● Adding to 100: Busch picked up his 101st win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series last weekend at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. He’ll look to add to his win total this weekend as he’ll strap in behind the wheel of the No. 54 EXTRA Gum Supra on Saturday at Atlanta. It will be Busch’s final Xfinity Series race of the season.

● Five for Five?: With Busch entering his fifth and final Xfinity Series race of the season this weekend in Atlanta, Busch is shooting to go a perfect five-for-five in the win column. The 2009 Xfinity Series champion and all-time wins leader has won this year’s races at Circuit of the Americas in Austin Texas, Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth (his milestone 100th) and Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway before last weekend’s win at Road America.

● Alone in Ninth: With his win two weekends ago at Pocono, Busch sits at 59 career wins in NASCAR’s top series as he moved past Kevin Harvick into sole possession of ninth on the all-time win list. Next up on the win list is Dale Earnhardt, the seven-time Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer who won 76 races during his storied career.

● 221 and Counting: Busch will be aiming to add to his record 221 overall wins among NASCAR’s top three series this weekend at Atlanta. In addition to his 59 Cup Series wins and 101 in the Xfinity Series, Busch has 61 wins in the Camping World Truck Series.

Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Mustang will be carrying the colors of the title sponsor of Sunday’s Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

DiBenedetto and his Mustang, which also will be representing long-time backer Menards, will be making their final appearance on a racing surface – and a configuration – that has been in use since 1997. After Sunday’s race the track will be repaved, and the banking in the turns will be increased from 24 degrees to 28, making it the steepest of any intermediate track on the Cup Series circuit. The banking on the straightaways will remain at five degrees.

The width of the racing surface will be reduced from 55 feet to 52 feet on the frontstretch, 42 on the backstretch and 40 in the turns.

AMS officials say the changes are intended to make the racing closer and more competitive.

DiBenedetto, like most of his peers, is a fan of the current layout and its worn, abrasive asphalt.

“I’m definitely looking forward to the Quaker State 400,” he said. “It will be memorable since it’s the final race on the old, fun asphalt before the repave.

“We have had good speed at Atlanta, so this is one we are definitely looking forward to.”

DiBenedetto also is hoping to deliver a strong performance for his sponsors, which is a goal every week but a bit different this time with one of his sponsors in a dual role.

“It’s a big weekend with Menards and Quaker State,” he said.

DiBenedetto and the Menards/Quaker State team are coming off their best run in two months, a 10th-place finish after leading 10 laps at Road America. They are hoping to keep the good times rolling in Atlanta, which is hosting a second Cup race for the first time since 2010, when the track lost one of its two long-held race dates.

“We have really good momentum going as a team with [crew chief] Jonathan Hassler, myself and the team working really well together,” he said.

There will be no qualifying or practice before the start of Sunday’s race. DiBenedetto, who finished 11th at AMS in March, will line up 12th, a spot he and the team earned through their strong run at Road America.

The 260-lap Quaker State 400, which will have Stage breaks at Laps 80 and 160, is set to start just after 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time. TV coverage will be carried by NBCSN.

Menards

A family-owned and run company started in 1958, Menards is recognized as the retail home center leader of the Midwest with 236 stores in 15 states. Menards is truly a one-stop shop for all of your home improvement needs featuring a full-service lumberyard and everything you need to plan a renovation or build a home, garage, cabin, shed, deck, fence or post frame building. Menards is known for friendly Customer Service and as the place to “Save Big Money” with low prices every day, and sales too! For more information, please visit Menards.com to learn about our store locations, offerings and services.

Wood Brothers Racing

Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glen Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glen’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Matt DiBenedetto in the famous No. 21 racer.

Makes Second Donation of Over 1,400 Jars of Peanut Butter to Canine Assistants

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (July 7, 2021) – The Georgia Peanut Commission will return to support Anthony Alfredo and the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports team this weekend at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Commission returns after running their colors with Alfredo earlier this year at the same track.

The Georgia Peanut Commission will also make a second donation to Canine Assistants, a non-profit organization, dedicated to educating people and dogs so they may enhance the lives of one another. Canine Assistants will receive 1,440 sixteen-ounce jars of creamy peanut butter with Alfredo helping to make the donation this Friday.

“It’s awesome to have the Georgia Peanut Commission back on the car this weekend,” said Alfredo. “I really enjoyed helping to make their donation to Canine Assistants earlier this year and I’m looking forward to helping make another donation this week. I also want to continue to help promote the Georgia Peanut Commission, as the Georgia farmers do so much to help better our lives.”

The Georgia Peanut Commission conducts programs in the areas of promotion, research and education. Funding is derived from a $2 per ton assessment on all producers. Peanuts are a $2.2 billion industry in Georgia and a vital part of the economy. Facts about the peanut industry in Georgia include:

• Georgia farmers produced 53% of the United States’ peanuts in 2020 – more than 1.64 million tons
• Georgia farmers harvested 800,000 acres, yielding an average of 4,100 pounds per acre
• Georgia farmers planted peanuts in 76 counties in Georgia
• Georgia has approximately 4,500 peanut farmers
• Georgia peanuts accounted for 25.5% of the state’s row and forage crops income
• Peanuts are Georgia’s Official State Crop

“The Atlanta Motor Speedway, Front Row Motorsports and Anthony Alfredo help us spread the message of the work we do,” said Joe Boddiford, Promotion Committee chairman for the Georgia Peanut Commission. “We are proud to continue our partnership with Anthony and the Front Row Motorsports team this weekend and will be cheering them on the track and supporting our community with our donation to Canine Assistants.”

Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series event is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET. The race will be televised live on NBCSN.

About Georgia Peanut Commission
The Georgia Peanut Commission was established in 1961 under the state’s Commodities Promotion Act. Today, the commission represents Georgia’s 4,500 peanut farmers and conducts programs in the areas of promotion, research and education. To learn more, visit gapeanuts.com or follow @gapeanuts on Facebook and Instagram or @GeorgiaPeanuts on Twitter.

About Front Row Motorsports
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Camping World Truck Series and the 2021 Daytona 500 champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team– from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

This Week in Motorsports: July 5-11, 2021

· NCS/NXS: Atlanta Motor Speedway – July 10-11
· NCWTS: Knoxville Raceway – July 9
· ARCA: Elko Speedway – July 10

PLANO, Texas (July 7, 2021) – The NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series make their second stop in Atlanta this season, while the Truck Series returns to the dirt as the series races at Knoxville Raceway for the first time. The ARCA Menards Series is also back in action as they begin five consecutive weekends of racing at Elko Speedway.

NASCAR National Series – NCS| NXS| NCWTS

Hamlin holds the lead… After driving to his 11th top-five finish of the season, Denny Hamlin continues to hold the series points lead – a position he has held most of the year. Atlanta Motor Speedway would be a great place to cross off his first victory of the year. The Virginia-native previously won at the track in 2012.

Bell ready to add another Atlanta milestone… Christopher Bell had a stellar weekend in Road America as he showcased his road course racing skills on his way to a second-place finish in the NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday. Bell looks for the successful runs to continue this weekend, at a place he already delivered a win for Toyota. Bell drove the Toyota Supra to Victory Lane for the first time in 2019 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and in dominating fashion by leading 142 of 163 laps.

Busch wants to go five-for-five… After scoring his 200th Toyota win last weekend at Road America, Kyle Busch looks to close out his 2021 Xfinity Series schedule with his fifth consecutive victory. The all-time win leader in the Xfinity Series scored Toyota’s first Cup Series win at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2008 and scored back-to-back Xfinity Series wins there in 2016 and 2017.

Georgia-native looking for a big win… Atlanta-native Brandon Jones is back at his home track looking for a big victory. The four-time Xfinity winner has never visited Victory Lane at Atlanta Motor Speedway but scored a track-best finish of fourth in 2019.

Back to the dirt for the Trucks… For the first time in series history, the Truck Series will have two races on dirt in a single season as they make their debut at Knoxville Raceway on Friday. Cup Series regular Martin Truex Jr. won in the No. 51 Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) at the other race on dirt this season – Bristol – and that team will look for another good run with dirt veteran Brian Brown making his series debut this weekend.

Two Friesens this weekend… After impressing in practice at the Bristol dirt race before inclement weather took away her chance to qualify, Jessica Friesen will return behind the wheel of her No. 62 Toyota Tundra this weekend. Her and husband, Stewart Friesen, will look to become the first husband and wife duo to compete in the same Truck Series race on Friday evening.

Playoffs closing in… With just two races remaining in the regular season for the NASCAR Truck Series, Toyota drivers currently hold the majority of the 10-truck field. John Hunter Nemechek can clinch the regular season championship by leaving Knoxville Raceway with a 60-point lead over fellow Toyota driver Ben Rhodes. Nemechek, Rhodes and Austin Hill have all clinched spots in the post-season, while Matt Crafton, Stewart Friesen and rookie Chandler Smith are currently all in Playoff positions.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA

Heim and Gibbs battle for title… It has become a two-driver race for this year’s ARCA Menards Series title as Toyota drivers Corey Heim and Ty Gibbs have battled throughout the season. After his third win of the season at Pocono, Heim retained the points lead by three markers heading into Elko Speedway in Minnesota. Gibbs, who has won the other five races this season, is looking to improve on a track-best second-place run from 2019.

Love and Trotter return… Venturini Motorsports will welcome back both Jesse Love and Gracie Trotter to Camrys this weekend. Love is coming off a victory in last weekend’s ARCA West event at Irwindale Speedway, while Trotter was a season-best seventh in her last ARCA start at Toledo.

Stay Connected

https://www.toyota.com/racing @ToyotaRacing.com @ToyotaRacing

facebook.com/ToyotaRacing Camera With Flash on Apple iOS 11.3 ToyotaRacingMedia.com

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.

McDowell to Visit Camp and Fr8 Auctions Ahead of Racing Fr8 Colors on Sunday

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (July 7, 2021) – It will be a busy week and welcomed week for Daytona 500 Champion, Michael McDowell and partner Fr8 Auctions. McDowell and Fr8 Auctions will celebrate their Daytona 500 win together on Friday at the auction’s house headquarters, but first, McDowell will make a special appearance to Camp Braveheart on Thursday evening.

Camp Braveheart is a unique, residential summer camp providing essential medical care, treatment and fun for kids with heart defects and heart transplants. For some campers, camp brings many firsts – the first time away from home, the first time to ride a bike, climb to the top of the rock wall or learn to swim.

For many, it is the first time their scars make them feel included instead of different. The camp environment provides a unique setting where campers grow in confidence, build resiliency as they face difficult aspects of their disease head-on and acquire important life skills. For campers and volunteers alike, it is truly a magical and transformative experience.

“We’ve been waiting so long to see fans again, our partners again and to make these appearances to brighten up children’s lives,” said McDowell. “Fr8 Auctions and the Be Your Own Hero Foundation with the Brave Like Wyatt messaging, they do so much in the Atlanta community. Fr8 Auctions, Marcus Barela and their family, they are more than just partners. They make the whole deal like family.

“It’s great that I can go to Camp Braveheart and see these children,” continued McDowell. “I’m then heading to Fr8 Auctions and spend time with the staff. These are weekends that we’ve longed for since the pandemic. It makes for a full weekend of giving back, thanking people for their support and then having a great race.”

McDowell will be behind the wheel of the No. 34 Fr8 Auctions Ford Mustang this Sunday at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. His No. 34 Fr8 Auctions Ford Mustang will carry over 20 names of individuals who made a donation of $500.00 to Camp Braveheart.

“Michael represents us in a gr8 way at the track, but it’s what he does away from it that makes him special to us,” said Marcus Barela, Owner, Fr8 Auctions. “He’s always one of the first ones to help with #BraveLikeWyatt and helping others. We’re proud of him and wish him the best of luck on Sunday.”

For more information about Fr8Auctions, visit Fr8Auctions.com and follow Fr8Auctions on social media: Twitter at @fr8auctions and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Fr8Auctions-165690083576986/

For more information about the Be Your Own Hero Foundation #BraveLikeWyatt, visit www.bravelikewyatt.com.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Camping World Truck Series and the 2021 Daytona 500 champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team– from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Team: No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Luke Lambert
Twitter: @17RoushTeam, @RoushFenway and @Chris_Buescher
Race Format: 400 miles, 260 laps, Stages: 80-80-100

NASCAR Cup Series Race at Atlanta – Sunday, July 11 at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Buescher at Atlanta Motor Speedway

• Buescher will make his seventh Cup start at AMS come Sunday, where he carries a 19.2 average finish with two top-10s.
• Most recently he and the No. 17 team drove to a seventh-place finish earlier this season, and three races ago he ran ninth (2019) after starting 30th.
• In three Xfinity starts at AMS, Buescher ran a career-best fourth in the Fastenal machine in 2015, and prior to that finished 13th in back-to-back seasons (2013-14) for Jack Roush.

Luke Lambert at Atlanta Motor Speedway

• Lambert will call his 11th Cup race from Atlanta this weekend, a place he has three top-10s with an average finish of 19.4. He most recently led Buescher to the seventh-place run this March.
• Lambert and Ryan Newman ran seventh and 10th back in 2014-15, and together they captured five top-10 starting spots – two of which were on the outside front row in 2017-18.
• Lambert also called one NXS race with Elliott Sadler in 2012 finishing fourth after starting seventh.

QUOTE WORTHY
Buescher on racing at Atlanta:
“We’ve had Atlanta circled on the calendar since the first race there, and feel this is a great opportunity for our team to win a race. We were really strong there in the first one, very similar to Homestead, and a lot of the characteristics of the track are similar – very worn out asphalt with a ton of character to it – and I think that’s been our strong suit this year is that kind of race track. Atlanta is probably my favorite 1.5-mile track we visit, I like slipping and sliding from the white line to the wall, you have options. We just have to get a little better than last time in our Fastenal Ford.”

Last Time Out
After advancing to the final round of qualifying Sunday at Road America, Buescher drove to an 18th-place finish.

Where They Rank
Buescher remains 17th in the Cup Series standings with 25 points to make up to 16th as the playoff race heats up throughout the summer.

On the Car
Fastenal returns to the fold at Roush Fenway for its 11th season in 2021. They spent three years on the No. 99 before jumping to the No. 17 Cup Series entry, and were the primary partner on the No. 60 Xfinity team that captured the owner’s championship in 2011.

The No. 17 Fastenal Ford, known for prominently featuring top suppliers, will change gears this weekend and feature Fastenal’s own FAST Solutions brands. FAST Solutions represents Fastenal’s industry-leading innovative supply chain solutions which help companies save money, streamline efficiencies, and focus on what they do best. Each brand on the No. 17 represents a different supply chain solution offered by Fastenal:

FAST Solutions – FMI (Fastenal Managed Inventory) Technology: A range of solutions to simplify, monitor, and control your inventory.

FASTVend: Bringing visibility and control to assets and high-use consumables. FASTVend allows users to collect more meaningful data around parts that are most vital to their supply chain.

FASTBin: From manual programs to automated solutions. FASTBin is perfect for managing those higher dollar and more frequently used parts that benefit from electronic monitoring for a more streamlined supply chain.

FASTStock: Tailoring a custom solution to take waste, touches, and delays out of your supply process. Specifically, FASTStock allows you to manage lower frequency and lower dollar parts that don’t need as much attention.

About Fastenal
Fastenal [Nasdaq: FAST] is North America’s largest fastener distributor and a ‘one-stop’ source for hundreds of thousands of OEM, MRO and Construction products. With more than 2,600 stores worldwide, the company supports B2B customers with tailored local inventory and dedicated personnel, who visit regularly, quickly respond to emergency needs, and provide efficient inventory management solutions. Fastenal’s service-oriented business network includes the world’s largest industrial vending program, 14 regional distribution centers, 8 custom manufacturing facilities, thousands of delivery vehicles, and industry-leading sourcing, quality and engineering resources.