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Bowman notches a thrilling, last-lap victory at Pocono

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Kirk Schroll for SpeedwayMedia.com.

After losing the lead and having a potential victory slip out of his hands to his teammate Kyle Larson in the final laps, Alex Bowman earned redemption and came out on top after a flat tire allowed Bowman to overtake his Hendrick Motorsports’ teammate on the final lap and win the Pocono Organics CBD 325 at Pocono Raceway, the first of a Pocono weekend doubleheader, on Saturday, June 26. The victory allowed Bowman to claim his third NASCAR Cup Series victory of the 2021 season and his first in the Tricky Triangle circuit in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.

The starting lineup was based on a performance metric formula, weighing the driver’s and owner’s results from a previous Cup event, the owner points position and the fastest lap recorded from a previous Cup race. With that, Kyle Larson, winner of last weekend’s Cup event at Nashville Superspeedway, started on pole position and was joined on the front row with teammate William Byron.

Prior to the event, Cole Custer started at the rear of the field due to multiple pre-race inspection failures.

When the green flag waved and the race commenced, Larson received a push from Joey Logano on the outside lane to clear teammate Byron and take off with the lead entering the first turn. Behind, Logano made his way into the runner-up spot along with Ross Chastain, thus dropping Byron back to fourth. 

With the field jostling early for positioning, Larson led the first lap ahead of Logano, Chastain, Byron and Kevin Harvick, with Denny Hamlin in sixth ahead of the Busch brothers, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Austin Dillon.

By the fifth lap, Byron, who was running in third place the previous lap, muscled his No. 24 AXALTA Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE into the lead over teammate Larson and Logano. Behind, Harvick was in fourth while Chastain fell back to fifth ahead of Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin. 

Meanwhile, Chase Elliott, coming off his disqualification run at Nashville Superspeedway, was mired back in 27th place after sustaining damage at the start of the race. Ahead, Brad Keselowski was in 12th behind Daniel Suarez, Tyler Reddick was in 13th ahead of Aric Almirola and Matt DiBenedetto, Martin Truex Jr. was in 16th ahead of Bubba Wallace and Christopher Bell, Alex Bowman was in 18th, Ryan Blaney was in 23rd behind Erik Jones and rookie Chase Briscoe was in 25th behind Chris Buescher. 

Four laps later, the first caution of the event flew due to debris reported in Turn 2. By then, NASCAR informed the teams that the caution for debris will serve as the competition caution initially planned on the 12th lap.

Under caution, some like Chastain, Truex, Wallace, Blaney, DiBenedetto, Jones, Briscoe, Ryan Newman, Ryan Preece and Elliott pitted while the rest led by Byron remained on the track. Following the pit stops, Corey LaJoie was busted with a pit road speeding penalty.

When the race restarted on Lap 12, Byron received a push from teammate Larson through the first turn to retain the lead as the field behind battled through two lanes for one full lap. 

Just as the field returned to the frontstretch and crossed the start/finish line, the second caution of the event flew when Brad Keselowski, who was trying to make a crossover move on Cole Custer, bumped and turned Custer hard into the outside wall, effectively ending Custer’s first of two weekend runs at Pocono early and sending him to a back-up car for Sunday’s event.

Under caution, few like Keselowski, Newman, Preece and Elliott pitted while the rest led by Byron remained on the track.

When the race restarted on Lap 17, Byron retained the lead while Kyle Busch, who restarted on the front row, fended off Larson for the runner-up spot, with Harvick and Logano in the top five. Not long after, Kyle Busch was able to muscle his No. 18 M&M’s Mini’s Toyota Camry into the lead over Byron.

By Lap 20, Kyle Busch was leading by nearly four-tenths of a second over Byron, with third-place Larson trailing by more than a second. Harvick and Logano were in the top five followed by Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Daniel Suarez, Austin Dillon and Reddick.

A few laps later, Aric Almirola, Christopher Bell and Alex Bowman pitted under green as part of a strategic plan.

Back on the track, Kyle Busch extended his advantage to more than a second over Byron. With a clear course in front of him, Busch, who managed to lap teammate Bell, was able to cruise away from the field and win the first stage on Lap 25, thus claiming his third stage victory of the season. Byron settled in second followed by teammate Larson, Logano and Harvick while Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Suarez, Austin Dillon and Reddick were scored in the top 10.

Under the stage break, some of the leaders led by Kyle Busch pitted while others led by Logano remained on the track.

The second stage started on Lap 29 with Logano and Reddick restarting on the front row. At the start, Logano’s No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang rocketed to the lead with drafting help from Kurt Busch’s No. 1 Monster Energy Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE while Chastain, Blaney and Truex all overtook Reddick through the first turn.

By Lap 35, Logano continued to lead by nearly a second over Kurt Busch, with teammate Chastain, Blaney and Truex in the top five. Bubba Wallace was in sixth followed by Reddick, Keselowski, DiBenedetto and Newman. Meanwhile, Larson, Byron and Kyle Busch, all of whom were battling their way back to the front on fresh tires, were in 13th, 14th and 15th. Hamlin was in 16th ahead of Harvick, Suarez, Almirola and Jones.

Through the first 40 laps of the event, Logano remained as the leader followed by Kurt Busch, Chastain, Blaney and Truex while Larson, Byron and Kyle Busch were in 10th, 11th and 12th. By then, Reddick peeled off the race track to pit under green.

By Lap 45, Logano surrendered the lead to pit followed by Kurt Busch as Chastain took over the lead ahead of Blaney and Truex. A few laps later, Newman and Austin Dillon also pitted under green.

Through the first 50 laps of the event, Chastain, racing in his No. 42 McDonald’s Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, was leading by six-tenths of a second over Blaney, while Truex, Wallace and Keselowski continued to run in the top five. Larson, meanwhile, worked his way back to sixth place ahead of teammates Bowman and Byron while Kyle Busch was in ninth ahead of Hamlin.

Three laps later, the caution flew when Newman, who made a pit stop not long ago, got loose, spun and made contact with the outside wall in Turn 1 as he sustained damage to the left side of his car.

Under caution, nearly the entire field led by Chastain pitted while some like the Busch brothers, Michael McDowell, Logano and Reddick remained on the track. 

The race restarted on Lap 57 with the Busch brothers starting on the front row. At the start, Kyle Busch managed to pull ahead of brother Kurt through the first turn while Byron, racing on two fresh tires, battled with Logano for fourth place behind McDowell.

With the field battling intensely for positioning around the Tricky Triangle, the caution returned two laps later when contact from rookie Anthony Alfredo and Corey LaJoie sent LaJoie making contact with the outside wall and spinning across the frontstretch.

When the race restarted on Lap 63, Kyle Busch retained the lead followed by brother Kurt and Logano while McDowell slipped back to fourth ahead of Byron. As the field fanned out to multiple lanes behind, Byron was able to move into fourth place followed by Blaney and Larson, all of whom overtook McDowell for positioning.

At the halfway mark on Lap 65, Kyle Busch was leading by nearly half a second over Kurt Busch while Logano, Byron and Blaney were in the top five. Larson was in sixth followed by McDowell, Reddick, Hamlin and Truex. Elliott, meanwhile, was in 13th behind Wallace and Keselowski, Chastain was in 15th behind Bowman and Harvick was in 16th ahead of Suarez, Briscoe, Almirola and Jones.

By Lap 70, Kyle Busch extended his advantage to more than two seconds over brother Kurt, while Logano, Byron and Larson were in the top five.

Just then, the caution returned when Chastain, who made right-side contact with the wall in Turn 2, spun in Turn 3 while trying to peel off the track to pit road, though he was able to make it back to his pit stall. At the time of caution, McDowell pitted for service.

Under caution, some like Kurt Busch pitted while the rest led by Kyle Busch pitted.

With two laps remaining in the second stage, the race restarted. At the start and with the field fanning out to multiple lanes approaching the first turn, Kurt Buch retained the lead ahead of Logano, Larson, Byron and Blaney. 

Capitalizing in a two-lap shootout, Kurt Busch managed to fend off the field to claim the second stage on Lap 77 and win his second stage of this season. Larson crossed the start/finish line in second followed by Logano, Byron, Blaney, Hamlin, Truex, Bowman, Kyle Busch and Keselowski.

Under the stage break, some like Elliott, Alfredo, Justin Haley, Chastain, LaJoie and others pitted while the rest led by Kurt Busch remained on the track.

With 49 laps remaining, the final stage started. At the start, Kurt Busch received a huge push from Larson on the outside lane to clear Byron prior to reaching the first turn. With Kurt Busch and Larson out in front, Logano overtook Byron for third while Blaney settled in fifth ahead of Hamlin, Truex, Kyle Busch and the field.

A lap later, the battle for the lead intensified as Larson took over the top spot through Turn 2. Through the following turn, Kurt returned the favor before Larson utilized the outside lane to his advantage to clear Kurt Busch and assume the top spot through the frontstretch.

With 40 laps remaining, Larson was leading by over Kurt Busch, with Logano, Blaney and Byron running in the top five. Bowman was in sixth followed by Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Wallace and Suarez. By then, names like Truex, Harvick and Bell pitted. 

During the next three laps, names like Logano, Almirola, Byron, Blaney, DiBenedetto, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Austin Dillon, Erik Jones and Keselowski pitted under green. The leader Larson also pitted along with Wallace, Suarez, Kurt Busch, Bowman. Following the pit stops, Austin Dillon was busted for speeding on pit road while DiBenedetto was penalized for removing the gas can out of his pit stall. While serving his first penalty, the race went from bad to worse for DiBenedetto, who was busted for speeding on pit road.

Back on the track, Hamlin, who has yet to pit, was leading followed by teammate Kyle Busch, McDowell, Reddick and Elliott. 

With 33 laps remaining, Kyle Busch peeled off the track for fuel under green and managed to exit pit road and pull ahead of Larson.

Three laps later, Hamlin was leading by nearly 15 seconds over McDowell, with Reddick, Elliott and Chris Buescher running in the top five. Rookie Anthony Alfredo was in sixth followed by Cody Ware, Ryan Preece, James Davison and Kyle Busch, who was still ahead of Larson.

Another few laps later, Hamlin surrendered the lead to pit for two fresh tires and fuel. By the time he returned to the track, he was overtaken by Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson, both of whom had enough fuel for the finish and were battling intensely to be ahead of one another with the rest of the leaders needing to pit. 

Back at the front, McDowell was leading followed by Reddick, Buescher and Elliott while the two Kyles battled for fifth with 25 laps remaining.

A lap later, Reddick pitted, moving Buescher and Elliott to second and third while Kyle Busch continued to remain ahead of Larson in fourth.

Shortly after, the caution flew due to debris spotted in Turn 2. Under caution, a number of competitors led by McDowell pitted while the rest led by Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson remained on the track.

With 19 laps remaining, the race restarted with Kyle Busch and Bowman starting on the front row ahead of Larson and Blaney. At the start, the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE driven by Alex Bowman powered his way into the lead on the inside lane entering the first turn while Kyle Busch fended off Larson for the runner-up spot. A lap later and with the field jostling for late positioning, Larson took over the runner-up spot and pursued teammate Bowman for the lead while Busch was pressured by Byron for more. 

Four laps later, Bowman continued to lead by two-tenths of a second over teammate Larson while third-place Kyle Busch trailed by nearly a second. Byron was in fourth followed by Blaney, Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Reddick, Logano, Harvick, Suarez and Wallace.

Down to the final 10 laps of the event, Bowman maintained a three-tenths-of-a-second advantage over teammate Larson, with both pulling away from third-place Kyle Busch by more than a second. Despite repeated challenges from Larson, Bowman retained the top spot through every corner and straightaway, including blocking his teammate and thwarting his teammate’s momentum to assume the top spot.

With five laps remaining, Larson gained a run through the frontstretch and attempted to extend his momentum through the inside lane, but Bowman pulled the block. While Larson attempted to crossover on the outside lane, Bowman retained the top spot. 

A lap later, Larson finally succeeded after he gained another run and overtook teammate Bowman through Turn 2 after side-drafting him. By then, Kyle Busch cut the deficit to be under a second behind the two Hendrick Motorsports’ teammates. Larson, however, started to pull away with the lead.

With the white flag waving and the final lap of the race occurring, Larson was ahead by more than a second over teammate Bowman with Kyle Busch trailing by less than two seconds. 

Then, trouble occurred for Larson, whose No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE lost a left-front tire and went dead straight into the outside wall in Turn 3, thus smacking the wall and losing his momentum. With Larson scraping the wall and limping back to the finish line, Alex Bowman reassumed the lead on the final corner and was able to come back around to take the checkered flag and grab the win.

The victory was Bowman’s fifth of his NASCAR Cup Series career in his 207th series start and third of the season since taking over the iconic No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports car. Bowman, who signed a two-year contract extension to remain at Hendrick Motorsports a week ago, also became the third competitor to achieve three or more victories of this season.

In addition, Hendrick Motorsports’ competitors have won the last seven Cup events in recent weeks, including the All-Star Race, and 10 of the first 18 regular-season points-paying races of 2021.

“I don’t even know what to think,” Bowman said on NBCSN. “I hate to win one that way, but hell yeah, I’ll take it. Super proud of this Ally No. 48 team. Man, we kind of gave the lead away. We’re on two tires, just got super tight. Tried to hold [Larson] off as long as I could, but can’t say enough about everybody at Team Hendrick right now. From top to bottom, everybody’s just putting great race cars on the track. [Crew chief] Greg [Ives] and all the guys did a really good job. Man, we didn’t run that good all day, so I’m kind of in shock. I don’t know what to say to you guys…Heck yeah. I’ll take it.”

While Bowman celebrated, Larson, who made significant contact with the wall, coasted across the finish line in ninth place and with a wrecked race car as his hopes of winning four consecutive Cup races in recent weeks were spoiled on the final lap. The wreck will force Larson to move to a back-up car for Sunday’s Cup event at Pocono.

“I guess, disbelief still,” Larson, who made a trip to the infield care center, said. “I don’t know. A little bit laughable just because I can’t believe it. Hate that we didn’t get another win. It would’ve been cool to win five in a row, but just wasn’t meant to be, I guess, today. I felt something like right in the middle of the tunnel [turn], wasn’t quite sure what it was yet and then, it finally shredded halfway through the little short chute there and couldn’t turn. Hate that we didn’t get the win, but cool that Alex still did. Cool to keep Mr. [Hendrick]’s streak going, but hate that we didn’t get HendrickCars.com into Victory Lane. But, we’ll try and start another streak tomorrow.”

Kyle Busch settled in second place, nearly seven-tenths of a second behind, while Byron, Hamlin and Blaney finished in the top five.

Kurt Busch notched a strong sixth-place result while Logano, Harvick, Larson and Keselowski finished in the top 10.

Reddick, Elliott, Suarez, Wallace and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. earned top-15 finishes, Truex settled in 18th behind Almirola and Bell, Austin Dillon ended up in 21st in front of Erik Jones and rookies Chase Briscoe and Anthony Alfredo finished 24th and 26th.

There were 14 lead changes for nine different leaders. The race featured eight cautions for 25 laps.

With eight races remaining until the 2021 Cup Playoffs commences, Hamlin continues to lead the regular-season standings by eight points over Larson. Eleven competitors (Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman, Joey Logano, Kyle Busch, Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski, Christopher Bell and Michael McDowell) are currently guaranteed Playoff spots based on winning at least once through the first 18 regular-season races of this season. Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Austin Dillon, Tyler Reddick and Kurt Busch occupy the remaining five vacant spots as winless competitors, with Busch ahead by four points over Chris Buescher, 42 over Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 55 over Daniel Suarez, 62 over Matt DiBenedetto.

Results.

1. Alex Bowman, 16 laps led

2. Kyle Busch, 30 laps led, Stage 1 winner

3. William Byron, 13 laps led

4. Denny Hamlin, 11 laps led

5. Ryan Blaney

6. Kurt Busch, 12 laps led, Stage 2 winner

7. Joey Logano, 18 laps led

8. Kevin Harvick

9. Kyle Larson, 15 laps led

10. Brad Keselowski

11. Tyler Reddick

12. Chase Elliott

13. Daniel Suarez

14. Bubba Wallace

15. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

16. Aric Almirola

17. Christopher Bell

18. Martin Truex Jr.

19. Michael McDowell, five laps led

20. Chris Buescher

21. Austin Dillon

22. Erik Jones

23. Ryan Preece

24. Chase Briscoe

25. Cody Ware

26. Anthony Alfredo

27. Justin Haley

28. James Davison

29. Garrett Smithley

30. B.J. McLeod

31. Quin Houff

32. Matt DiBenedetto, one lap down

33. Ross Chastain, one lap down

34. Josh Bilicki, two laps down

35. Timmy Hill, four laps down

36. Corey LaJoie, five laps down

37. Ryan Newman – OUT, Accident

38. Cole Custer – OUT, Accident

The NASCAR Cup Series will return for its second event of the weekend at Pocono and to cap off a doubleheader weekend on Sunday, June 27, with the event to occur at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Nemechek holds off boss man Busch for Pocono victory

By
Briar Starr
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Photo by Kirk Schroll for SpeedwayMedia.com.

In a late-race duel following a restart with six laps to go, John Hunter Nemechek, with help from a push by Todd Gilliland, got past team owner Kyle Busch to take the lead and win at Pocono Raceway.  

Busch tried to rally back within the closing laps, but Sheldon Creed got underneath Busch which caused both trucks to get loose and slide up the track. Nemechek pulled ahead to a two-second lead and won for the fifth time this season.

The Mooresville native spoke to FOX Sports 1 after the race in victory lane.

“These guys just work so hard,” Nemechek said of his team. “We never gave up. We weren’t very good the first stage. Without this opportunity—without Kyle and Toyota, I wouldn’t have had it. Five wins this year and beat Kyle—three for five against Kyle is pretty good odds.”

This was the last Truck Series race of the 2021 season for Busch and his last race with sponsor Cessna/Beechcraft. He led 20 laps and challenged for the win late, but after the incident with Sheldon Creed, Busch had to settle for his fifth top-five of the season.

Meanwhile, Busch was in his last race of the 2021 Truck Series season where he led 20 laps and challenged for the win late. But after the incident with Sheldon Creed, Busch had to settle for his fifth top-five of the season.

“I don’t know (what happened there),” Busch said about the incident with Creed to Fox Sports 1. “The Cessna Tundra was pretty good. We were up front there leading, the caution came out at the end and just bunched us up back together.

“We got, not a great restart, but a decent restart. We were all even getting into (Turn) 1, and John Hunter just slid me and got the lead. I was trying to figure out what I could do to fight back and get the lead back, and I got drilled in the left rear. That basically handed the win to the 4 truck.

“That’s our year and that’s what it is. I guess we’ll be back in 2022 sometime.”

Prior to the green flag, Busch announced that the Pocono race would be the last race for sponsor Cessna/Beechcraft and stated he is working on plans for the 2022 season. The partnership between Busch and Cessna began in 2017 at Kansas. Since then, the duo has enjoyed 14 victories with each other when Cessna was the main sponsor.

Stages 15-15-30 made up the 60-lap race and Todd Gilliland was on the pole via the qualifying metric system.

An early caution was brought out on Lap 1 when series newcomer Jack Wood, in the No. 24 GMS truck, missed a gear on the initial start and caused the field to stack up. Unfortunately for Johnny Sauter who needs a win to get into the playoffs, he was collected in the incident.

The early caution was the only caution in the stage and Zane Smith went on to win the stage that ended on Lap 15. Busch, Creed, Gilliland, Chandler Smith, Rhodes, Friesen, Austin Hill, Eckes, and Crafton completed the Top 10 for Stage 1.

In Stage 2, there were no yellows but multiple strategies caused various lead changes. On Lap 20, Busch closed in on race leader Zane Smith in the tunnel turn but got loose slightly tapped the wall off Turn 3 one lap later.

On Lap 27, near the end of the stage, there were numerous race leaders who pitted including Busch, Creed, and Chandler Smith. Zane Smith also chose to make a pit stop but the GMS driver didn’t make it to pit road in time and had to restart at the rear of the field for the final stage.

Nemechek did not pit and took the lead during the green-flag pit stops, going on to win Stage 2. Rhodes, Friesen, Austin Hill, Crafton, Berry, Majeski, Purdy, Enfinger, and Wright were the Top 10.

As the final stage began with 25 to go, Busch and Carson Hocevar restarted as the leaders.

Busch looked as if he was going to set sail with the lead, but a late caution with 10 to go came out for Friesen who crashed in Turn 2. This bunched the field up again which set up a restart with six laps to go.

Busch was inching in on Nemechek and it appeared as though there would be a battle for the win late. However, with three laps to go, Sheldon Creed challenged for second and slid both he and Busch up the track.

All Creed and Busch could do was watch as Nemechek drove away with the victory for his 10th career Truck Series victory. Kyle Busch, Sheldon Creed, Tyler Ankrum, Austin Hill, Matt Crafton, Todd Gilliland, Zane Smith, Ryan Preece, and Derek Kraus was the Top 10 finishers.

There were four cautions for 13 laps and eight lead changes among seven different drivers.

Playoff Standings with two races left in the regular seasaon.

  1. John Hunter Nemechek, five wins, 34 playoff points
  2. Ben Rhodes, two wins, 11 playoff points
  3. Todd Gilliland, one win, seven playoff points
  4. Sheldon Creed, one win, six playoff points
  5. Austin Hill, +183
  6. Zane Smith, +142
  7. Matt Crafton, +106
  8. Stewart Friesen, +65
  9. Carson Hocevar, +49
  10. Chandler Smith, +28

    Below the cut line
  11. Johnny Sauter, -28
  12. Tyler Ankrum, -33
  13. Austin Wayne Self, -41
  14. Derek Kraus -55

Official Results following the CRC Brakleen 150 at Pocono Raceway.

  1. John Hunter Nemechek, won Stage 2, led 12 laps
  2. Kyle Busch, led 20 laps
  3. Sheldon Creed, led three laps
  4. Tyler Ankrum
  5. Austin Hill
  6. Matt Crafton
  7. Todd Gilliland, led four laps
  8. Zane Smith, won Stage 1, led 18 laps
  9. Ryan Preece
  10. Derek Kraus
  11. Josh Berry
  12. Christian Eckes
  13. Carson Hocevar
  14. Ty Majeski
  15. Chase Purdy
  16. Tanner Gray
  17. Ben Rhodes
  18. Ryan Truex
  19. Austin Wayne Self
  20. Lawless Alan
  21. Tate Fogleman
  22. Howie DiSavino III
  23. Ray Ciccarelli
  24. Tyler Hill
  25. Chandler Smith, 1 lap down
  26. Hailie Deegan, 1 lap down
  27. Spencer Boyd, 1 lap down
  28. Josh Reaume, 1 lap down
  29. Todd Peck, led one lap, 1 lap down
  30. Kris Wright, 2 laps down
  31. Jennifer Jo Cobb, 2 laps down
  32. Norm Benning, 2 laps down
  33. Stewart Friesen, 2 laps down
  34. Bryan Dauzat, 3 laps down
  35. Johnny Sauter, 5 laps down
  36. Grant Enfinger, OUT, Engine
  37. Bayley Currey, OUT, Mechanical
  38. Danny Bohn, OUT, Mechanical
  39. Jack Wood, OUT, Accident

Up Next: The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will take a few weeks off before heading to the inaugural series race at Knoxville Raceway Friday night, July 9, live on Fox Sports 1 and MRN Radio at 9 p.m. ET.

Kaz Grala Tapped to Drive for Jordan Anderson Racing at Road America

By
Official Release
-

STATESVILLE, N.C. (June 26, 2021) – Jordan Anderson Racing (JAR) announced today 22-year-old Kaz Grala of Boston, Mass. will drive the team’s No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro SS in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) Henry 180 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis.; Saturday, July 3.

Holding the record as the youngest driver to compete in an International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) event at the age of 15, Grala has become a NASCAR road course specialist in recent years.

With 12 road course races to his credit throughout NASCAR’s top three series since 2016, Grala holds an average finish of 12.25 with seven Top-10’s and four Top 5’s with most recently claiming a best of second at Circuit of the Americas (Austin, Texas) in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) competition. Having made starts in both the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NCWTS this season, the Henry 180 at Road America will mark Grala’s first NXS start of 2021.

“Growing up my father was a road course racer and for our family to spend late January at the 24 hours of Daytona was a special time, it was only natural for me to take interest and excel in road racing especially after starting in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge at such an early age.” Stated Kaz Grala.

“Road America has been a place that I have adapted to very well in recent years. In three starts in the NXS I have earned two Top-Ten finishes, and an eleventh. Those are very respectable numbers at a track that offers high-speed sections, elevation changes, and tight corners. I am excited for this opportunity that Jordan Anderson Racing, Ruedebusch.com, and Bommarito Automotive Group are giving me. The pairing of the chassis from RCR and the engine package from ECR will be very similar to what I have competed in there the last few years.”

Grala will join a Chevrolet team that has earned four Top-15 finishes in five starts this season with Tyler Reddick, Josh Berry, and Jordan Anderson driving.

“Kaz is a great road racer, with the familiar RCR and ECR combination he has raced the last few years and with Crew Chief Arthur (Arthur) Haire calling the race I am confident we will be able to provide all tools needed for him to earn a great finish in the Henry 180 at Road America,” Stated JAR Team President Jordan Anderson.

“We have had some tremendous success the last five races with Tyler and Josh driving for us and I hope to continue that with Kaz. I would like to welcome Ruedebusch Development and Construction to the team. I am confident with everything we have in place Kaz will be able to do a very good job and continue the momentum JAR has with a respectable finish.”

Grala’s No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro SS will carry branding from Ruedebusch Development & Construction a highly qualified, vertically integrated full-service commercial real estate development and construction company located in Madison, Wisconsin.

Providing design-build construction, commercial real estate development, property management, and commercial real estate consulting. Many of the services Ruedebusch offers may be contracted separately or combined together to create a cohesive experience from beginning to end. The geographic boundary includes projects throughout the United States and Canada.

Ruedebusch has knowledge and experience in all aspects of the commercial real estate field. From locating new rental space for your business, to finding the perfect piece of land for your new corporate headquarters; from the turn-key facility, to the architectural and interior design that will best reflect your company’s culture, Ruedebusch is with you every step of the way.

For more information on Ruedebusch Development & Construction
visit them online at Ruedebusch.com.

Joining Ruedebusch.com for the Henry 180 is longtime JAR partner Bommarito Automotive Group of St. Louis, Mo.

Bommarito Automotive Group currently operates 20 automotive franchises throughout every St. Louis neighborhood led by President John Bommarito and the over 900 dedicated team members. What once started as a vision to have one Bommarito vehicle in every driveway, is today a reality thanks to the family’s “Where Price Sells Cars” mission.

For more information on the Bommarito Automotive Group or to see the vehicles they currently have, visit them online at Bommarito.com, and follow their social channels on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Tickets for the NXS Henry 180 are still available for purchase by visiting Road America online at RoadAmerica.com.

If you are unable to make it to the Road America for the NXS Henry 180 on July 3, the race will be broadcast LIVE on NBC and the NBC Sports App at 2:30 PM EST and aired LIVE on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and on SIRIUS/XM NASCAR radio Channel 90.

Stay updated with everything Kaz Grala by following him on Social Media; Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

For more information on JAR, visit JordanAndersonRacing.com, and be sure to follow the team all season on the JAR social channels on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Ruedebusch Development & Construction Inc.

Ruedebusch Development & Construction, Inc. is a highly qualified, vertically integrated full-service commercial construction, and real estate development company located in Madison, Wisconsin. Ruedebusch has knowledge and experience in all aspects of the commercial real estate field. From locating new rental space for your business to finding the perfect piece of land for your new corporate headquarters; from the turn-key facility, to the architectural and interior design that will best reflect your company’s culture, Ruedebusch is with you every step of the way.

About Bommarito Automotive Group

Bommarito Automotive Group is celebrating its 50th year in the St. Louis marketplace, the Bommarito Automotive Group currently operates 20 automotive franchises throughout every St. Louis neighborhood led by president John Bommarito and the over 900 dedicated team members. Bommarito is recognized by the St. Louis Business Journal as Missouri’s No. 1 selling automotive group and is currently ranked 52nd in the nation. What once started as a vision to have one Bommarito vehicle in every driveway, is today a reality thanks to the family’s ‘Where Price Sells Cars” mission.

About Jordan Anderson Racing

Jordan Anderson Racing (JAR) is a NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) team, owned by owner/driver Jordan Anderson. Established in 2018, JAR has competed full-time in the last three NCWTS seasons claiming back-to-back runner-up finishes in the 2020 & 2021 season opening NextEra 250 at Daytona International Speedway. JAR fields a full-time entry in the NXS Series; the No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro SS driven by Jordan Anderson, Tyler Reddick, Josh Berry, and Kaz Grala. JAR also fields the No. 3 Chevrolet Silverado for select drivers in the NCWTS.

Team Hardpoint EBM Scores Team’s Maiden Win With Efrin Castro in Porsche Carrera Cup North America at Watkins Glen

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Castro won the Pro-Am Class, with Riley Dickinson Fourth in the Pro Class and Overall on Friday

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (June 25, 2021) – Team Hardpoint EBM earned the team’s first-ever race win in the midst of their first full season on Friday at Watkins Glen International, where Efrin Castro scored a hard-fought Porsche Carrera Cup North America victory. Teammate Riley Dickinson was fourth overall and in the Pro Class during the 45-minute race.

Castro started the race second in the Pro-Am class in the No. 65 Fine Fare Supermarkets /GoDominicanRepublic.com Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, then moved around the then-leader on the opening lap going into Watkins Glen’s famed “bus stop” complex. In front, Castro turned the quickest lap of the race in the Pro-Am class with a time of 1:50.528 (110.741 mph) and held off a hard charge from current class Championship point leader Alan Metni to win by 0.198-second at the finish line. Castro averaged 109.547 mph over the 25-lap, 85-mile race.

The win came after an incident in Thursday’s practice two left his Porsche with damage that needed to be repaired.

“I’m just thrilled with the victory,” Castro said. “It was a tough beginning to the weekend because in practice two, I lost the rear of the car and put it in the wall. Thankfully, we’re running a very professional team here and they got the car back to normal. The car came back even better than before. The car was perfect, just on rails. I had an opportunity in the bus stop on the first lap and took the lead, and that’s all she wrote. From there, I just maintained my pace and hit my marks and didn’t make any mistakes.”

Dickinson qualified the No. 53 Porsche Austin/Team Hardpoint EBM Porsche fifth and moved to fourth on lap four of the race. Though in a line with the podium finishers, Dickinson couldn’t find a way around to improve any further. Sitting in fourth place in the Championship point standings entering the event, Dickinson is now just two points behind third place.

“The Team Hardpoint EBM guys did a great job getting the car prepped and ready to go, so I can’t thank them enough,” Dickinson said. “Ultimately, it came down to qualifying simply because it was so hard to make a pass on the guy in front. It felt like F1 almost. At the end of the race, we had the speed but couldn’t really do anything with it given the aero balance for everybody. We’ll look at the data and do what we can to get them tomorrow.”

Both Team Hardpoint EBM drivers will get a second opportunity at a podium finish on Saturday morning at Watkins Glen for the second race of the weekend doubleheader. Friday’s win, which followed podium finishes for each driver in the opening two event weekends at Sebring and Circuit of the Americas, is the result of hard work for the team, which launched its Carrera Cup effort this season.

“The first victory is always the sweetest, especially if you have to work for it too,” Will Bamber, Team Manager, said. “Efrin drove phenomenally, especially after his incident in FP2 yesterday. Missing a whole session is hard to come back from and he qualified really well. A lot of this victory goes out to the guys who had a late one last night. We made some small tweaks after qualifying and the car was a rocket ship. Under a huge amount of pressure, he stayed cool and brought it home. We can’t ask for anything more.”

Team Hardpoint EBM is also competing this weekend in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen. Team owner Rob Ferriol, Katherine Legge and Andrew Davis will share the No. 88 Richard Mille/GridRival Porsche 911 GT3 R in the GT Daytona (GTD) class of the event on Sunday.

Dickinson and Castro are back in action for a second 45-minute race at 9:35 a.m. on Saturday. The race can be streamed live on IMSA.tv.

About Team Hardpoint EBM:
Hardpoint Motorsports was founded by Rob Ferriol in 2018 with the vision of combining his experience as a successful entrepreneur with his passion for racing. Team Hardpoint EBM is a joint venture between Team Hardpoint and Earl Bamber Motorsport formed in late 2020 to combine the resources of EBM and co-owners Earl Bamber and Will Bamber and the early success of Team Hardpoint. Headquartered at VIRginia International Raceway, the team’s 2021 plans include a full-season effort in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship in a Porsche 911 GT3 R and a multi-car effort in the IMSA Porsche Carrera Cup North America. More information on Team Hardpoint EBM can be found at www.hardpoint.com or through its strong social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Matos Masters Mid-Ohio Qualifying

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Official Release
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Takes fourth-consecutive Mid-Ohio TA2® pole

LEXINGTON, Ohio (25 June 2021) – Getting a late start in qualifying due to a time penalty – and then further inconvenienced by a black flag midway through the 15-minute session, Rafa Matos quickly got up to speed and captured his fourth-consecutive pole position at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for Saturday’s TA2® Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli event.

It was the 11th career pole for Matos, but his first Motul Pole Award since last year’s race at Mid-Ohio. He turned in a best lap of 1:30.788 seconds in the No. 88 3-Dimensional Services Ford Mustang, which saw his three-year-old track record stay intact due to rain prior to the qualifying session.

Matos was second in afternoon practice – only 0.147 seconds behind leader Skeen, but was penalized five minutes in qualifying due to speeding exiting pit lane during the session. Matos entered the weekend with a one-point advantage over defending champion Skeen, 112-111.

“I was very anxious waiting in the car watching the clock tick down after my five-minute penalty and during the black flag stoppage,” said Matos. “I was worried we weren’t going to get a chance at a lap, but luckily we were right in front after the track went back to green. The car was really quick. I was able to pass Tyler (Kicera) and Adam’s (Andretti) time. I followed Mike (Skeen) and the car just hooked up. Today was a good day.”

Running on slick tires, Matos managed only two fast qualifying laps, going off and spinning in the grass on his final lap. His car escaped damage in the incident.

While the rain stopped before qualifying, the track was still very wet. Several teams began the session on Pirelli rain tires, but most of the 27-car field had switched to slick tires by the midway point.

Kicera came in second, missing the pole by 0.286 seconds in the No. 5 Silver Hare Racing Ford Mustang. He started on rain tires and switched to slicks during the session.

“Qualifying like this is a huge confidence boost for us, we haven’t been anywhere close like this anytime during the season,” said Kicera, a 2020 race winner at VIR. “I feel like we are not going to be starting behind the eight ball for the first time this year. I am really excited to see what we can do. We have a good car, it’s been handling well all weekend. Even though we are running up front, it’s going to take consistency to win. Today was just a huge confidence boost for the whole team.”

Andretti was third, 1:31.271-seconds in the No. 86 3-Dimensional Services Mustang. He will give live in-car commentary from behind the wheel during the live stream of the race. Like his teammate, Andretti ran the entire session on slick tires.

“I knew that I had the best team out there with Peterson Racing and 3-Dimensional Services, and that gave me confidence to go out there and perform,” said Andretti, who coached for four years at the circuit. “I’ve logged a lot of laps here at Mid-Ohio and knowing those tricks in mixed conditions really helped me today. If I had a clean lap without traffic on the last couple laps, I know we would have been a serious threat to Rafa (Matos) and Tyler (Kicera). I am not upset with P3, it’s a great place to start here at Mid-Ohio heading into Turn 1. I’ll be right behind Rafa to help protect him and get him some more championship points tomorrow.”

Points leader Skeen led practice and was first at the black flag in No. 1 Liqui-Moly/Turn 14 Distribution Chevrolet Camaro. He missed a bid for a third-consecutive TA2® pole, coming in fourth with a lap of 1:31.528 seconds.

“I’m disappointed with the fourth-place result,” said Skeen, who ran the entire session on slick tires. “We had the fastest car out there before the black flag. I started 15 seconds behind the field and passed five cars when setting our fastest lap. After the session went back to green, I couldn’t get a clean lap because there was so much traffic. The team worked really hard preparing the Liqui-Moly/Turn 14 Distribution Chevrolet Camaro, and to end up fourth because more time was added to the clock guts me.”

Also hurt by the stoppage was TA2® newcomer Adrian Wlostowski. Second at the time of the black flag, he wound up fifth with a time of1:34.510 in the No. 3 Hawk Performance/F.A.S.T. Auto Chevrolet Camaro.

The session was black-flagged near the midway point due to a stopped car in the Turn 4 gravel trap. The session resumed with six minutes of green-flag activity remaining.

Drivers from the TA, SGT, SGT and GT classes had the opportunity to test for 40 minutes earlier Friday afternoon, but the afternoon rain limited participation. Simon Gregg was fastest with a lap of 1:40.053 seconds on his final lap in the No. 59 Peter Gregg Foundation Camaro, followed by Tomy Drissi at1:43.197in the No. 8 Lucas Oil Chevrolet Camaro. Billy Griffin led SGT, 1:50.414-seconds in the No. 14 Griffin AutoCare/Sheehans Towing Ford Mustang GT4.

The 45-lap TA2® race is set to start at 1:05 p.m. ET on Saturday, followed by TA and remaining classes at 3:05 p.m. The TA/XGT/SGT/GT race will begin at 2:15 p.m. on Sunday.

The full weekend will be live streamed for subscribers on the Trans Am by Pirelli Racing App

Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing Teams in Two IMSA Racing Series Reach Mid-Season Mark in Back-to-Back Schedule at Watkins Glen International

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WATKINS GLEN, New York – Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams competing in both the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series will reach the halfway point of the 2021 racing season this week, thanks to a quick span of back-to-back races this weekend and next Friday at Watkins Glen International. The tight schedule for both IMSA series begins with the traditional Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen this weekend, June 25 – 27, which is followed less than a week later by an IMSA WeatherTech Championship and IMSA Pilot Challenge sprint-race doubleheader at The Glen, Friday, July 2.

First run more than 50 years ago on the legendary 3.4-mile Grand Prix course in upstate New York, the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen race weekend is an endurance race showcase for both the WeatherTech Championship and the Pilot Challenge series.

A pair of Mercedes-AMG GT3 teams compete in this Sunday’s featured six-hour WeatherTech Championship race while six Mercedes-AMG GT4 entries will do battle in Saturday’s four-hour Pilot Challenge race.

By contrast, next Friday’s doubleheader features a two-hour and 40-minute WeatherTech Championship sprint and the series-standard two-hour race for Pilot Challenge competitors. The sprint-race event was added to the 2021 schedule earlier this year as a replacement for an event at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park outside of Toronto, which was cancelled for the second-straight year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The WeatherTech Championship races at The Glen are the fifth and six rounds, respectively, in this year’s 12 race championship. The Pilot Challenge races in turn are the fourth and fifth rounds on this year’s 10-race schedule.

This Sunday’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen IMSA WeatherTech Championship race is scheduled to start at 10:40 a.m. EDT. Live streaming on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold begins at 10:35 a.m. EDT with the NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) telecast airing at 7 p.m. EDT Sunday night.

Full-season competitors Michael de Quesada and Daniel Morad are set for both WeatherTech Championship races at The Glen in the No. 28 Alegra Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3. They will be joined in Sunday’s Sahlen’s Six Hour by Alegra’s endurance race driver Billy Johnson.

Alegra will be joined on the WeatherTech Championship GT Daytona (GTD) grid in the six-hour race by the No. 75 SunEnergy1 Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Kenny Habul, Mikael Grenier and Maro Engel.

Engel returns to the No. 75 after competing with SunEnergy1 Racing in the 12 Hours of Sebring. He also co-drove the race-winning No. 75 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 in January’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, and has been in contention for the Michelin Endurance Cup GTD Driver Championship ever since.

The Sahlen’s Six Hour is round three of 2021 Michelin Endurance Cup, which awards the top performers in the year’s four endurance races at Daytona, Sebring, The Glen and November’s season-ending Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

Coming into The Glen, Engel is just one point shy of the Endurance Cup driver championship leaders, 23 – 22, while Mercedes-AMG is second in the Endurance Cup manufacturer championship, 27 – 22.

The six-strong Mercedes-AMG GT4 Grand Sport (GS) class entry in Saturday’s four-hour Michelin Pilot Challenge race includes a Mercedes-AMG customer team making its IMSA debut for the second-consecutive race.

Co-drivers John Allen, Kris Wilson and Gary Ferrera will give the first-year Capstone Motorsports team its first IMSA GS start following the team’s initial victory in SRO America GT4 competition earlier this month. Allen, Wilson and Ferrera co-drive the No. 60 Capstone Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4 in tomorrow’s four-hour race.

Capstone’s inaugural IMSA start follows the IMSA debut of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport customer racing team FCP Euro one race ago at Mid-Ohio. Team drivers Nate Vincent and Michael Hurczyn scored a top-10 finish in the No. 11 FCP Euro Mercedes-AMG GT4 in Ohio and look to improve on that result at The Glen.

Winward Racing brings a two-car Mercedes-AMG GT4 entry to The Glen after securing a podium finish with the team’s No. 57 entry of Bryce Ward and Alec Udell at Mid-Ohio. The third-place showing was the first podium finish of the year for the Mercedes-AMG GT4 in IMSA competition and came in the season-debut of Ward, Udell and the No. 57 team.

Winward’s second entry is the No. 4 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 of Ward’s son, Russell Ward, and his co-driver Indy Dontje.

Another successful two car Mercedes-AMG GT4 team competing at The Glen comes from Murillo Racing. Jeff Mosing and Eric Foss are frequent contenders in the No. 56 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 that competes alongside the No. 65 Mercedes-AMG GT4 of Brent Mosing, Tim Probert and endurance-race addition Kenny Murillo.

Saturday’s featured four-hour IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race is scheduled to start at 2:35 p.m. EDT with live coverage on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold. International viewers can watch live at www.IMSA.tv.

On-track action in both the IMSA WeatherTech Championship and IMSA Pilot Challenge began Friday at Watkins Glen. Practice sessions for both series was followed by Pilot Challenge GS qualifying Friday afternoon.

Daniel Morad, Driver – No. 28 Alegra Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3: “The first four rounds of the championship haven’t gone to plan, with some things outside of our control and few things we could have done better together. We are really looking to regroup and bounce back, and I know that the Alegra Motorsports guys have worked hard on our Mercedes-AMG GT3 to get ready for this weekend. Everything has been checked, we are 100% ready for a six-hour endurance race. Having Billy back will be great with our three-driver lineup again. We are really looking forward to exploiting the full potential of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 around the fast circuit at Watkins Glen. This is one of my favorite circuits in the world now based on the surface since the repaving a few years ago. It just has the most grip of any race track I have been on around the world. After four races with the Mercedes-AMG GT3 package, Alegra Motorsports really understands the car and its sweet spots. I think the pace will be there. It is just going to be down to the drivers and the pit stop execution going perfectly.”

Bryce Ward, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “I think Watkins Glen is another track that I really enjoy. It’s unfortunate that we couldn’t go to The Glen last year, but it is so nice to be back now. Two races in a row at the same track is going to be a lot of fun. For me, it’s particularly important. The real pros can step into the car and knock it out of the park straight away, but it takes me a little bit of time to settle in. The first race we’ll get a bit of practice, but the second we don’t get much practice at all. We’ll have a decent amount of drive time between the two and I’m really excited to be there for both races. I’ll be traveling back home between races, but the rest of the team will prepare the cars and hopefully spend a little bit of time in New York City and have a good time and get some good food and be ready for the second race.”

Alec Udell, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “We had a great car, the team executed perfectly, we had a great pit stop and Bryce drove a great first stint there, so we’re really happy with the result at Mid-Ohio. We can carry that momentum into a circuit that for all intents and purposes is going to suit the Mercedes-AMG GT4 really well. I think most circuits do, and that’s a testament to the Mercedes-AMG brand and to the car. For us as a team, it’s focusing on making the fewest mistakes, staying clean and keep working forward. I think we’ve got a really good package with myself and Bryce and the Mercedes-AMG GT4, and we’ve proven that a few times over the past season. The four-hour race this weekend is going to add an entirely new element. It’s always more challenging, but when you add more time to the race, there’s more opportunities for things to happen, more opportunity to show well. Our focus is on maximizing the amount of time we have on the track and taking the Winward machine to the front.”

Kenny Murillo, Driver – No. 72 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “Ultimately, I am just grateful for the opportunity to not only drive a Mercedes-AMG GT4 again but to do it with Brent and Tim. We had a really good time at Daytona, and it was really my first time competing on the lead lap and battling in some restarts here and there. I am looking forward to putting what I learned at the beginning of the year to good use here at this Watkins Glen race.”

Atlanta Speedwerks Pair of Honda Civic TCRs Scores Front Row Lock Out For Saturday’s IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Race

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Photo credit Daylon Barr Photography

Robert Noaker Earned The Third Motul Pole Award For the No. 84 Honda Civic TCR, With Todd Lamb Qualifying Second in the No. 94 Honda Civic TCR

WATKINS GLEN, New York (June 25, 2021) – Atlanta Speedwerks locked down the front row for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge TCR class race on Saturday at Watkins Glen International, with Robert Noaker earning his second Motul Pole award in the opening four races and Todd Lamb qualifying second during Friday’s session.

The 17-year-old Noaker’s best lap of 1:56.046 (105.475 mph) in the No. 84 Sabelt/Pagid Honda Civic TCR was quick enough to set a new track record in the class and earn the team’s third top starting position in four races in the 2021 season. Noaker’s co-driver, Brian Henderson, scored the top spot at Daytona International Speedway in the season opener.

“I love this track,” Noaker said. “I’ve only been here one other time before this but on sims I’ve always loved it. It’s very different than any other track with the banking and there’s not much runoff. The car was handling and it’s good to get pole. It’s a four-hour race, so it’s just going to be staying out of trouble and try to stay out front. Hopefully I’ll hand the car off the Brian clean and see what he can do with it.”

Noaker was 0.825 ahead of Lamb in the No. 94 Dinner With Racers/Lemons of Love Honda Civic TCR during the session. Qualifying for the first time and racing for just the second time this season, Lamb turned a best lap of 1:56.871 (104.730 mph) just before the checkered flag flew on the 15-minute session. Lamb will co-drive with Ryan Eversley during Saturday’s four-hour race sitting second in the team championship and with Eversley second in the driver’s championship point standings.

“It was a great qualifying,” Lamb, also the team owner, said. “I’m really glad we can have both cars on the front row. We’re really coming together as a team, and to me that’s the biggest thing of all. It’s awesome to be able to drive this weekend, but as a team owner I just want to be able to have success and see both cars on the podium.”

The Tioga Downs Casino Resort 240 at The Glen gets underway at 2:35 p.m. EDT on Saturday from Watkins Glen International. The race can be seen live on the NBC Sports app via TrackPass.

About Atlanta Speedwerks
Atlanta Speedwerks is a professional road racing team and prep shop, providing road racing services, car builds, roll cages, arrive and drive programs, and performance parts. Headquartered near Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, the company runs winning arrive & drive programs in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, Mazda MX-5 Cup, Porsche Club of America and SCCA Spec Miata, among others. Professional coaching and driver development round out the company’s offerings.

Hall of Fame driver Jack Ingram dies at age 84

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Jack Ingram, a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame, has died at age 84, NASCAR announced on Friday morning.

Ingram won the inaugural 1982 championship in what is now the NASCAR Xfinity Series and claimed the title again in 1985, after finishing second in the standings to Sam Ard the previous two years. His 31 victories in the series rank sixth all-time.

A native of Avery’s Creek, N.C., Ingram also won championships in NASCAR’s Late Model Sportsman Division in 1972, 1973 and 1974. Nicknamed “Iron Man,” Ingram is credited with more than 300 career victories.

He was inducted into the NMPA Hall of Fame in 1997 and the NASCAR hall of Fame in 2014.

“There is no better way to describe Jack Ingram than ‘Iron Man,’” NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France said in a statement. “Jack was a fixture at short tracks across the Southeast most days of the week, racing anywhere and everywhere. He dominated the Late Model Sportsman division like few others.

“He set the bar for excellence in the Xfinity Series as its Most Popular Driver in 1982 and champion in 1985. Jack was an ‘old school racer’ and his work on his own car helped propel him to Victory Lane hundreds of times.

“Of our current 58 NASCAR Hall of Fame members, he is one of only six that was elected based on his career and contributions in the grassroots level of our sport. On behalf of the France family and NASCAR, I offer my condolences to the friends and family of NASCAR Hall of Famer Jack Ingram.”

Ingram competed in 19 NASCAR Cup Series races over a 20-year period, with a best finish of second to fellow NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty at Hickory Motor Speedway in 1967. That event was the fifth victory for Petty during his record streak of 10 straight wins.

Ingram also got the first and last of his 31 Xfinity Series victories at Hickory.

SS GreenLight Racing | Joe Graf Jr. Nashville Superspeedway Event Preview

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Official Release
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SS GreenLight Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Pocono (Pa.) Raceway | Pocono Green 225

Fast Facts
No. 07 SS GreenLight Racing Team:
Driver: Joe Graf Jr. (@JoeGrafJr)
Primary Partner(s): G-Coin
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro
Crew Chief: Mike Tyska
Pocono Green 225 Starting Position: 35th (Event Formula)
Driver Points Position: 30th | Owner Points Position: 34th
Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines (ECR)

Notes of Interest:

Welcome Aboard: This weekend at Pocono Raceway, SS GreenLight Racing and Joe Graf Jr. welcome back G-Coin as the primary partner of the team’s No. 07 Chevrolet Camaro for Sunday afternoon’s Pocono Green 225.

Pocono marks the fourth race of a multi-race deal where G-Coin, a product that brings gold into the digital age, making it accessible and giving it true utility will be the primary partner.

About G-Coin: Unlike cryptocurrencies, G-Coin is a digital title to a real asset: 1 G-Coin token equals 1 gram of Responsible GoldTM.

G-Coin combines the best qualities of traditional gold – stability, security, value, confidence, and social status – with the benefits of digital innovation, allowing users to easily save, send, and spend gold.

Tech-savvy investors keen to avoid cryptocurrency volatility, or physical storage burden and costs, are now able to purchase G-Coin digital gold tokens. G-Coin tokens can be purchased in increments of 0.01gram, giving individual investors better access to the gold market and the ability to use gold for day-to-day purchases.

G-Coin Wallets give users the freedom to send and receive value instantly, securely, and at no cost from the convenience of your mobile phone.

G-Coin Tip of the Week: Because gold prices often do not trade in the same direction as the stock market, some compare buying gold to buying insurance. You may not need it, but it may be beneficial in some circumstances.

You Can Win $1,000 In Gold! To celebrate their new partnership with Joe Graf Jr., in the NASCAR Xfinity Series G-Coin will give away $1,000 in FREE gold to a lucky individual next week!

To enter, download the G-Coin app on your smartphone to submit your entry.

Saving You Some Money: As summer kicks off, Joe Graf Jr.’s other marketing partner Z Grills wants to help the NASCAR community save money – but also enjoy the perfect barbecue.

In preparation of their upcoming partner at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway next month, Z Grills Racing (ZGrillsRacing.com) is offering a 10 percent discount off your TOTAL purchase, using the code NASCAR at checkout.

Welding Another Partnership: On Wednesday, SS GreenLight Racing and Joe Graf Jr. announced that PowerWeld will serve as the primary marketing partner of the No. 07 Chevrolet Camaro for the upcoming New Holland 250 at Michigan International Speedway in August.

PowerWeld is a leading brand in the industrial welding products market across North America. Its core areas of focus include welding filler metals, arc, MIG and TIG welding accessories and equipment, gas welding and cutting accessories and equipment, and welding safety.

PowerWeld products are designed to withstand the daily rigors of industrial applications, including manufacturing, metalworking, oil and gas, construction, fabrication, shipyards, automotive repair and more.

PowerWeld products are available at quality distributors and retailers in the United States and Canada.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Pocono Raceway Stats: Sunday afternoon’s Pocono Green 225 Recycled by J.P. Mascaro will mark Graf’s second NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the 2.5-mile triangle.

Last June, Graf started the race 25th but was an innocent victim in an early race accident relegating the team to a disappointing 35th place finish.

Joe Graf Jr. ARCA Pocono Raceway Stats: In addition to one NASCAR Xfinity Series start at the “Tricky Triangle”, Graf Jr. has four ARCA Menards Series starts from 2018 to 2019, scoring three top-10 finishes and a track-best seven in his ARCA Pocono debut in the 2018 General Tire #AnyWhereIsPossible 200 edition for Chad Bryant Racing.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Career Speedway Nuggets: At tracks greater than 2.0-mile in size, Graf has competed in nine NASCAR Xfinity Series races. He holds an average starting position of 20.1 and looks to improve an average result of 30.1.

Nashville Superspeedway | Tennessee Lottery 250 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, Graf Jr. piloted the No. 17 G-Coin Chevrolet in his 49th career Xfinity Series start.

Starting 33rd – Graf inched towards a top-20 finish but was eliminated from competition by an aggressive driver 37 laps from the finish.

The result left Graf with a disappointing and frustrating 34th place result.

Put Me In Coach: In an effort to strengthen his physique, Joe Graf Jr. began working with new trainer and former NASCAR Cup Series Josh Wise during the offseason.

In addition to Wise, Graf has also been working with former NASCAR driver and open-wheel driver Scott Speed on being more discipline behind the wheel of his No. 07 G-Coin Chevrolet Camaro.

Sneaker Mania: Along with the adrenaline of the Motorsports competition, Joe Graf Jr. also has a vogue for hype sneakers. In his current collection, he owns and wears at least 80 limited edition sneakers – and his collection continues to grow every month.

The current estimated value of his collection tops $90,000.

From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Mike Tyska is Joe Graf Jr.’s crew chief.

He will crew chief his 15th NASCAR Xfinity Series race as crew chief on Sunday afternoon.

Tyska joined SS GreenLight Racing in January after honing his skills in all three of NASCAR’s national divisions and working for teams like Germain Racing, GMS Racing and Rick Ware Racing.

Tyska was a part of Todd Bodine’s 2006 championship season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Germain Racing.

Hello From The Other Side: Graf Jr. has a teammate at SS GreenLight Racing. Rookie Carson Ware will drive the No. 17 JACOB Construction Chevrolet Camaro on Saturday afternoon.

Ware is poised to make his fourth career Xfinity Series start and first of the 2021 season. In one of his three Xfinity starts last year, he finished 20th after starting 16th.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Joe Graf Jr. visit JoeGrafJr.com, like him on Facebook (Joe Graf Jr.), follow him on Twitter (@JoeGrafJr) and Instagram (@joegrafjr).

For more on SS GreenLight Racing, please like them on Facebook (SS GreenLight Racing) and follow them on Twitter (@SSGLR0708) and visit their website at SSGreenLight.com.

Joe Graf Jr. Pre-Race Quotes:

On Pocono Raceway: “Never really had the opportunity to showcase what we were capable of last year at Pocono as our race ended early. Thankfully, I’ll have another shot on Sunday afternoon and I’m hoping we can have a clean race and carry out our performance from Nashville to the checkered flag this weekend.

“We need a good race and I hope Pocono will deliver.”

On G-Coin Partnership: “This is a unique partnership, and I am excited to continue to have the support of G-Coin this weekend at Pocono.

“The more that G-Coin is in our Chevrolet – the more we can continue to educate others about the amazing ecosystem G-Coin is building.

“Together, we believe the NASCAR community will assist in putting G-Coin on the global map.”

On Recent Performances: “The last several races have been tough; especially last weekend at Nashville when I really thought we were turning the corner. However, it is during times like this that all your mental discipline and training really come to the forefront.

“I can’t stress enough the importance of mental toughness in overcoming obstacles you don’t control.

“When I look at the speed and balance of our cars this year they are much better than last year. That isn’t from luck. That is from the hard work and grind it out mental toughness of this team.

“It’s such a shame that we have had such a rough stretch, but this is no different from life. We all experience highs and lows in life. Like anyone at a low point, we are going to remain mentally tough and keep moving forward. We embrace the suck. We know it can’t last.

“Going forward we are going to focus on what we can control and continue to execute at our highest level. There are a ton of races left in the season and hopefully, we have shaken the bad luck. I would be worried if our cars lacked competitiveness, but they don’t. We have a lot of racing left and we are due for some good luck.”
Race Information:

The Pocono Green 225 Recycled by J.P. Mascaro (90 laps | 225 miles) is the 16th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2021 schedule. The race will take the green flag on Sun., Jun. 27, 2021, shortly after 12:00 p.m. ET with live coverage on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN), the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (ET).
About SS Green Light Racing:

As one of the most tenured teams in all of NASCAR, SS GreenLight Racing led by team owner and former driver Bobby Dotter has been a mainstay in the sport fielding entries in either the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series or the Xfinity Series competition since 2001.

SS GreenLight Racing will continue with a two-car program in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2021.

Fr8Auctions Offers Fans Chance to Put Name on McDowell’s Car at Atlanta

By
Official Release
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Donation to Brave Like Wyatt Will Send 34 Kids to Camp Braveheart

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (June 25, 2021) – Your name can ride with Michael McDowell on the No. 34 Fr8Auctions Ford Mustang during the NASCAR Cup Series race at the Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 11. And, it’s all for a great cause and to enrich the lives of children.

Fr8Auctions, McDowell, and Front Row Motorsports (FRM) have partnered with Brave Like Wyatt to achieve the goal of sending 34 kids to Camp Braveheart. A donation of $500 sends one child to a unique, residential summer camp providing essential medical care, treatment and fun for kids with heart defects and heart transplants.

The first 34 fans who are gracious enough to make the donation will have their name on the No. 34 Fr8 Auctions Ford Mustang during the NASCAR Cup Series race. Fans can make the donation here: bravelikewyatt.com/camp-braveheart.

“Fr8Auctions has always found different ways to give back to the community through Brave Like Wyatt,” said 2021 Daytona 500 Champion, McDowell. “This is another special cause to help send 34 kids to a summer camp at no cost to them. I’m ready to make my $500 donation and I hope we can find 34 fans who want to make this summer special for the children at Camp Braveheart.”

Donations will be accepted through Friday, July 2.

To learn more about Camp Braveheart, visit www.choa.org/campbraveheart.

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.

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