Team: No. 17 Fifth Third Bank Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Luke Lambert
Twitter: @17RoushTeam, @RoushFenway and @Chris_Buescher
Race Format: 399 miles, 300 laps, Stages: 90-95-115

NASCAR Cup Series Race at Nashville Superspeedway – Sunday, June 20 at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Halfway Point in 2021 Season

• This weekend marks week 18 of the NASCAR Cup Series season, the halfway point of the 36-race schedule, and with it comes a new facility in Nashville, Tennessee, along with TV coverage switching from the FOX networks to NBC.
• Nashville Superspeedway, a 1.33-mile oval in Lebanon, Tennessee, will host the NCS for the first time in its history. The facility – about a 40-minute drive from Nashville – once hosted NASCAR, ARCA and IndyCar events during its operation from 2001-11. The new event is one of many changes on the revamped 2021 schedule, and one of three tracks the series will visit for the first time.
• NBC’s portion of the schedule gets underway with this weekend’s action on NBCSN. In total, 12 races are planned on that network, with eight slated for the network NBC channel.

Buescher in Nashville

• Buescher will turn his first competitive laps at Nashville Superspeedway this weekend. His time in the Xfinity Series came after the track’s stretch of events. Buescher will get his first look Saturday afternoon for the lone practice session at 2:05 p.m. ET (NBCSN, MRN), with qualifying set for 11:05 a.m. ET Sunday morning (NBCSN, MRN).
• With Dover a close comparison to Nashville Superspeedway, Buescher has 15 combined starts at the concrete 1-mile track, with one win in the NXS (2015).

Luke Lambert in Nashville

• Lambert will also be new to the action this weekend as he, too, missed the 1.33-mile facility in his lone Xfinity season with Elliott Sadler in 2012.

QUOTE WORTHY
Buescher on racing at Nashville:
“We’re excited for yet another new track in Nashville Superspeedway this weekend, a place not too many people in the sport are familiar with. This is right in the heat of our summer stretch, and we know what we have to do to continue improving our points standing and get ourselves in even better position for the playoffs. Saturday’s practice session will be huge, and we’re looking forward to a good day come Sunday in the Fifth Third Bank Ford.”

Last Time Out
Buescher came up just short in advancing to Sunday’s All-Star Race at Texas, ultimately finishing third in the final segment.

Where They Rank
Buescher maintains his 14th spot in the point standings through 16 points events.

On the Car
Fifth Third Bank makes its fourth appearance on board Buescher’s Ford Mustang this season. The company is celebrating its 10th season as a partner with Roush Fenway in 2021, as the partnership began back in 2012 with Matt Kenseth at the time.

The car will feature Fifth Third Momentum Banking this weekend, the everyday banking solution is a first of its kind. Fifth Third Momentum Banking is the industry-leading solution to help customers avoid and manage cash shortfalls, get paid and pay others, and reach savings goals, all while knowing their bank helps to protect their identity and finances.

Fifth Third Momentum customers will have one of the broadest range of options among all banks to get fast access to their money and address liquidity issues through:

• Early Pay – Free access to payroll up to two days early with direct deposit, rolling out across our retail footprint this summer.
• MyAdvance – Ability to advance funds of $50 or more against future qualified direct deposits, available now, starting the month after direct deposit is established.
• Immediate Funds – Ability to receive instant availability for check deposits.
• Extra Time – Additional time to make a deposit and avoid overdraft fees, available in certain markets today and coming soon to our entire retail footprint.

About Fifth Third Bank
Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio and the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank, National Association, a federally chartered institution. As of June 30, 2020, Fifth Third had $203 billion in assets and operated 1,122 full-service banking centers and 2,456 ATMs with Fifth Third branding in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina. In total, Fifth Third provides its customers with access to approximately 53,000 fee-free ATMs across the United States. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending and Wealth & Asset Management. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of June 30, 2020, had $405 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $49 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations through its Trust and Registered Investment Advisory businesses. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Fifth Third’s common stock is traded on the Nasdaq® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Fifth Third Bank was established in 1858. Deposit and Credit products are offered by Fifth Third Bank, National Association. Member FDIC.

Team: No. 6 Planters Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Twitter: @Roush6Team, @RoushFenway and @RyanJNewman
Race Format: 399 miles, 300 laps, Stages: 90-95-115
NASCAR Cup Series Race at Nashville Superspeedway – Sunday, June 20 at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Halfway Point in 2021 Season

• This weekend marks week 18 of the NASCAR Cup Series season, the halfway point of the 36-race schedule, and with it comes a new facility in Nashville, Tennessee, along with TV coverage switching from the FOX networks to NBC.
• Nashville Superspeedway, a 1.33-mile oval in Lebanon, Tennessee, will host the NCS for the first time in its history. The facility – about a 40-minute drive from Nashville – once hosted NASCAR, ARCA and IndyCar events during its operation from 2001-11. The new event is one of many changes on the revamped 2021 schedule, and one of three tracks the series will visit for the first time.
• NBC’s portion of the schedule gets underway with this weekend’s action on NBCSN. In total, 12 races are planned on that network, with eight slated for the network NBC channel.

Newman in Nashville

• Newman will be one of many to make his first competitive laps at Nashville this weekend. The series will have one practice session, which is set for 2:05 p.m. ET Saturday. Teams will qualify Sunday morning prior to the race (11:05 a.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN).
• A close companion to the concrete Nashville Superspeedway, Newman has 39 starts at Dover with three wins. Dover Motorsports owns and operates Nashville Superspeedway.

Scott Graves in Nashville

• Graves will also get his first glimpse of the 1.33-mile track this weekend.
• Despite calling many events in the NXS in his early career, Nashville was not on the schedule during his tenure from 2012-17.

QUOTE WORTHY
Newman on racing at Nashville:
“I think we’ve found, and I’ve always thought, that Nashville is a great market for our sport, and we’re looking forward to taking our product there this weekend. Despite many of us having never run on that track before, it’s exciting to again have something new and will certainly be a challenge for us. Practice on Saturday will be crucial to just getting the smallest of data, so that hopefully by Sunday morning we have enough of an idea to put our Planters Ford in good position for qualifying and give it our best shot for 400 miles that afternoon.”

Last Time Out
Newman ran 20th in Sunday’s All-Star Race at Texas.

Where They Rank
Newman is 23rd in points through 16 events.

On the Car

Newman will carry a familiar brand on his Ford Mustang in Nashville, as Planters – the 115-year old snack brand – and the iconic Mr. Peanut, will ride along this weekend. Planters has served as an associate on the four races leading up to Nashville (COTA, Charlotte, Sonoma, Texas).

Aric Almirola
Nashville Advance
Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

• Event: Inaugural Ally 400 (Round 17 of 36)
• Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 20
• Location: Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway
• Layout: 1.333-mile, concrete oval
• Laps/Miles: 300 laps/399.9 miles
• Stage Lengths: Stages 1: 90 laps / Stage 2: 95 laps / Final Stage: 115 laps
• TV/Radio: NBCSN / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● It’s been 10 years since NASCAR last competed at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, when the Xfinity Series concluded a 10-year run there. The NASCAR Cup Series has never competed on the 1.333-mile concrete oval.

● Aric Almirola is one of the few drivers in this weekend’s Cup Series inaugural Ally 400 field who has raced at Nashville Superspeedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series. In four Xfinity Series starts at the track, Almirola has three top-10 finishes and one top-five with a best finish of fifth. In four Truck Series starts, Almirola has earned two top-10s and a top-five with a best finish of third.

● Last weekend, Almirola raced his way into the NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth by winning the All-Star Open. He finished eighth in the All-Star Race, but the mistake-free day was arguably one of the No. 10 team’s most successful days of the season.

● In Almirola’s last 10 starts at 1.5-mile tracks, he has earned three top-10 finishes and has led 36 laps. At Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, a 1.366-mile track comparable in length to Nashville, Almirola has two top-10s in his last three starts. He was involved in an early accident in his most recent visit to Darlington last month but showed speed before the incident.

● Career Stats: Almirola has career totals of two wins, two poles, 24 top-five finishes, 80 top-10s and 858 laps led in 368 NASCAR Cup Series starts.

● Smithfield Foods celebrates 10 years of partnership with Almirola this season with a special campaign called Taste Victory.As one of the most active partners in NASCAR, Smithfield plans to engage fans all year long by hosting a microsite that provides the opportunity to win when Almirola wins or finishes inside the top-10. When Almirola wins, one fan wins $10,000, and 10 fans win a gift card for each top-10 finish. The microsite also doubles as an Aric Almirola fan page and entertainment source where fans can get behind the wheel of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford with a custom racing game, and learn more about Almirola with fast facts, favorite recipes and custom content about his life on and off the track. Visit www.tastevictory.com to learn more. Thanks to Almirola’s Feb. 11 win in his Duel qualifying race for the Daytona 500, one lucky fan has already won $10,000.

● Beyond the 10 YouTube Series: In 2021, Almirola continues to share his life beyond the No. 10 Smithfield Ford with season three of his award-winning YouTube series. Fans and media can subscribe on YouTube to see Almirola’s personality on and off the track. Episodes have already featured life as a dad, a husband and an athlete, and it gives fans a unique perspective on what goes on in the life of a professional NASCAR driver. Fans can also follow Almirola’s social media channels: @Aric_Almirola on Twitter and Instagram, and @AricAlmirola on Facebook.

● After the season’s first 16 points-paying events, the Smithfield Ford team sits 28th in the championship with 205 points, 459 behind leader Denny Hamlin.

Aric Almirola, Driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

You have some solid finishes at Nashville in the Xfinity and Truck series. Are you looking forward to getting back there after a solid finish at Texas last weekend?

“I’m certainly looking forward to it coming off one of our best days this year. We tried something new and had a fast car good enough to let us race for a million bucks and we didn’t make any mistakes as a race team. It was the kind of day we needed heading to a new race that can get us back on track after the year we have had. We really needed that as a race team. Everyone is headed to Nashville with a clean slate and that gives me a lot of hope for a solid weekend.”

With this weekend bringing back practice and qualifying at another intermediate track, does this give you more opportunity?

“Absolutely. If we can have similar speed as last weekend, we have the opportunity to start up front in cleaner air and see what we have for the day. Bad luck has put us back in the standings and, when you’re far back in the standings, you start every weekend in a bad spot and it puts you in more unlucky positions. This format is so tough because we start outside the top-20 in dirty air and you can’t pass back there. Then you’re fighting so hard to make up a few spots at a time.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES
NASHVILLE SUPERSPEEDWAY
ALLY 400
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
JUNE 16, 2021

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 KROGER/NATURE VALLEY CAMARO ZL1 1LE, Teleconference Transcript:

WHEN YOU THINK OF NASHVILLE, DO YOU THINK OF RACES THAT YOU’VE BEEN IN THERE? DO YOU THINK OF TESTING THERE? DO YOU THINK OF THE PRAYER? DO YOU THINK OF GUITARS? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF?
“For me, it was always kind of that racetrack that for me when I was first starting out in my career, it was really close to home. It’s only 3.5-hours away from my hometown, so I always had a lot of friends and family that came. I’ve had some good memories of the track and I’ve had some bad ones. I was actually just watching pre-race of 2011. We ended up running second in that race to Carl. Then, like you said, a lot of the testing that we did in the wintertime – it was really cold there. So, obviously now, it’ll be really hot, slick and a lot of fun.”

“There’s a lot of things that I think I remember, but also a lot of things I feel like I don’t remember – what exactly it feels like driving the car around a concrete racetrack that big and also kind of that flat. There will be a lot of things to pick up on in that 50-minute practice that we have.”

DO YOU THINK THE DRIVERS THAT HAVE ALREADY RACED AT NASHVILLE MIGHT HAVE AN ADVANTAGE THIS WEEKEND? ARE THE CARS AND THE TRACK DIFFERENT NOW THAT IT’S NOT GOING TO GIVE TOO MUCH OF AN ADVANTAGE?
“I definitely think anytime you’ve raced at a racetrack, there’s a little bit of an advantage. Simulator time obviously kind of helps that transition quite a bit. And these cars are totally different than what we’ve ever ran at Nashville (Superspeedway) before. I would say most of us had a lot of test sessions there, at least in the Cup Series. So, I feel like a lot of us have been there and have had laps there. I do think there is a little bit of a comfort feeling knowing that you’ve been there before.”

IS THERE A TRACK THAT’S ON THE CURRENT SCHEDULE THAT IS MOST SIMILAR TO NASHVILLE THAT YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT ALL?
“No, I think Nashville (Superspeedway) is kind of its own beast. It’s concrete and fairly flat compared to most other racetracks of similar size. The concrete does have a little bit of a different reaction, as far as however much rubber is laid down and things like that. It definitely took more rubber than I remember when I went back and watched some of the races, so I’m anxious to see if we can get the groove moved up instead of just running the bottom of the racetrack. I think the weather is going to be good this weekend for the opportunity to move around the racetrack, especially with the Trucks, Xfinity and Cup all in the same weekend and the weather looking good.”

SINCE YOU SAID NASHVILLE IS KIND OF ITS OWN BEAST NOW, DO YOU VIEW IT AS A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR EVERY TEAM, CONSIDERING EVERYONE IS KIND OF STARTING FROM SQUARE ONE HERE THIS WEEKEND?
“I wouldn’t go that far. It’s still a circle track; we’ve still got the same cars that we run every week. So, I think that the cars and teams that are the ones to beat are still the ones to beat. I feel like us drivers in a 50-minute practice session, we pick up on things really fast. One or two runs in, we kind of have everything figured out, as far as what you need in your racecar and how to get around the racetrack. I think the cars that run really well right now are still going to be the ones that you have to beat.”

LOOKING AHEAD TO POCONO RACEWAY NEXT WEEKEND, ANOTHER DOUBLEHEADER. WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THAT EXPERIENCE WITH THAT MUCH COMPRESSION IN THE SCHEDULE, LOGISTICALLY AND ON THE TRACK THAT HELPED YOU FROM ONE DAY TO THE OTHER?
“It was cool for us. Pocono (Raceway) is a track that we’ve just been average at. We had an idea going in of what we needed. Obviously, running a race and turning around and running the next day, you’re able to make those adjustments that you feel like you needed that you normally talk about the following week in your debrief; like ‘when we go back next time, I want to try this or do this’ and you’re able to implement that overnight. I think we made the right adjustments between the two races last year and I’m looking forward to doing that again. As long as you have good weather in Pocono, a doubleheader is a great idea.”

IF THE TRACK IS NEW TO YOU AND YOU GET A SHORT PRACTICE, LIKE YOU SAID, YOU GUYS ARE PROFESSIONAL AND YOU CAN PICKUP ON IT AND WHATNOT. WHAT IS YOUR RHYTHM OF A NEW TRACK? WHAT DO YOU DO TO PREPARE FOR IT?
“For us and our race team at JTG Daugherty Racing, Ryan Preece and I don’t get simulator time. I think we both use the same WR1 iRacing Sim that I have right here behind me to make laps at Nashville (Superspeedway), and like you said, just get that rhythm of what everything is like. The things I remember about the racetrack when I ran it: the wall comes up really fast off of turn four; turn two exits really wide; and turn three getting in is kind of tricky. I feel like we kind of have a rhythm a little bit from running laps on iRacing or the simulator. Your team has a run log of what you want to do in that 50-minutes. It’s so condensed, so you have to have it scienced out in what you plan on going through. Going out there and running 10, 15, 20-laps to kind of figure it out, you don’t really have that opportunity. You better be ready when you get there.”

DO YOU REMEMBER – IS IT DIFFICULT TO PASS THERE? THAT’S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING PARTS OF THE TRACK, RIGHT?
“Yeah, I definitely felt like it was tough to pass. But if you have a really good racecar, I think it shows there. You’re able to run up through the field. You’re able to get out and lead laps. I feel like, for us in one of the races that I watched, we stayed about three-quarters of a second right behind Carl. I could never really get any closer and never really fell any further back. It is a tough place to pass, but I do think with all three series this weekend, the heat, the temperatures, I think the racetrack could widen out and you could see some really good racing.”

HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR SEASON HAS GONE SO FAR AND WHAT’S YOUR MINDSET AS YOU GET CLOSER TO THE PLAYOFFS?
“It started off, I would say, on the right foot; pretty consistent and we were happy with where we were. Then, you try to take that next step of how are we going to turn these top-12’s and top-15’s into top-10’s. You start working on your racecars and you start going through the process of trying to figure that out, as well as at the same time as everybody else is trying to make theirs faster. I think we got off a little bit, so we’re looking to kind of reset our program and kind of make another final run towards the Playoffs. We’ve still got quite a few races left that if we can get back to that consistency that we had to start the season, I feel like as those races play out, we could be back in close racing for those Playoff spots. That’s our goal, that’s our plan, and we’re going to see how that shakes out starting this weekend at Nashville.”

Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

NASCAR’s Cup Series is returning to Nashville, Tenn., for its first race there since 1984, and the Wood Brothers are back Cup racing in Music City for the first time since 1958 when team founder Glenn Wood ran 12th at the first-ever Cup race at the city’s Fairgrounds track.

That .596-mile oval is still hosting short-track races and is the oldest continuously operating track in America, but Sunday’s Ally 400 will be contested at Nashville Superspeedway, a relatively new 1.33-mile concrete oval in the suburb of Gladeville.

The superspeedway, which hosted IndyCar events as well as NASCAR’s Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series from 2001 to 2011 but has been closed since then, will reopen to a packed house on Sunday as all available tickets already have been sold.

Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team will have a bit of an advantage over some of their competitors as DiBenedetto ran an Xfinity race there in 2010 and finished 10th. It was his second career start in NASCAR’s No. 2 series, the first coming the year before at Memphis.

DiBenedetto said he’s happy to be returning to the site of his first top-10 finish in a major NASCAR division.

“I’m excited to go there,” he said, adding that the current horsepower and handling package is another allure for him. “Any races we add to the schedule that are low downforce and high horsepower races are my favorite.”

There will be a 50-minute practice session on Saturday afternoon for the Cup Series, and qualifying for the Ally 400 is set for Sunday at 10:05 a.m. (11:05 Eastern Time). The green flag for the 300-lap race is set to fly just after 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time. There will be Stage breaks at Laps 90 and 185.

This is the first race of the season for the NBC broadcast crew, which has taken over from FOX, and the race will be shown on NBCSN.

About Motorcraft:

Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln Dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.

About Omnicraft:

Omnicraft is part of the Ford lineup of parts brands: Ford Parts, Motorcraft and Omnicraft. Omnicraft is the exclusive non-Ford/Lincoln parts brand of premium aftermarket parts. With over a century of parts heritage to build upon, Omnicraft provides excellent quality and fit and is a preferred choice of professional automotive technicians. To find out more about Omnicraft, visit www.omnicraftautoparts.com or contact your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership.

About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center

Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine vehicle maintenance including tire repair and replacement with a Low Tire Price Guarantee and a full menu of automotive services including oil and filter, brakes, alignments, batteries, and shocks and struts on all vehicle makes and models. Service is performed by certified technicians at more than 1,000 locations worldwide while you wait, and no appointment is necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

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.

This Week in Motorsports: June 14-20, 2021

· NCS/NXS/NCWTS: Nashville Superspeedway – June 18-20

PLANO, Texas (June 16, 2021) – NASCAR is back in Nashville, and for the first time since 1984, the NASCAR Cup Series competes at Nashville Superspeedway this weekend. They will be joined by the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, which will make their return to Nashville Superspeedway for the first time since 2011.

NASCAR National Series – NCS| NXS| NCWTS

Hamlin has Nashville experience… Cup Series points leader Denny Hamlin heads to Nashville and is one of very few drivers with track experience at the superspeedway. Hamlin earned his second career Xfinity Series pole position at the track in 2006 and drove to a third-place finish. The Virginia-native added a fourth-place finish the following year.

Busch looking for a milestone… Kyle Busch is looking for a big milestone this weekend – 100 Xfinity Series victories – at a track that he has already had much success at in his career. Busch went two-for-two in his Xfinity Series starts this season with his second win of the season at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday and looks to add to that run of success with his third Xfinity Series win this season at Nashville. Although NASCAR has not competed in Nashville since 2011, Busch has scored victories at the track in both the Xfinity Series (2009) and Truck Series (2010, 2011).

Hemric plans to deliver… Daniel Hemric continued to run up front in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as he led laps for the sixth time in the past eight events on his way to his sixth top-five result of the season. With the fourth-place finish, Hemric is only 14 points from the runner-up position in the NXS point standings.

Nemechek continues to lead… John Hunter Nemechek continued with his stellar return to the Truck Series with his fourth victory in the first 11 events of the 2021 season at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday. With the victory, Nemechek extended his series points lead to 78 with four races remaining in the regular season.

Double-duty for Hill… After a tough start to the season, Austin Hill has scored top-10 finishes in eight of the last nine Truck Series events to move into third in the overall standings. Hill will return to his No. 16 Toyota Tundra for Hattori Racing Enterprises (HRE) this weekend, but also will be behind the wheel of the No. 61 Toyota Supra for the first time this season. Hill, who is scheduled to make several Xfinity Series starts this season, drove to a top-five finish at Kansas Speedway last fall to score his best Xfinity Series result.

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.

Denny Hamlin
11 FedEx Express Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing

Race Info:
Race: Ally 400
Date/Time: Sunday, June 20/3:30 p.m. ET
Distance: 300 laps/399 miles
Track Shape: Oval
Track Length: 1.333 miles
2020 Winner: N/A

Express Notes:

Press Kit: Download the 2021 FedEx Racing press materials at www.fedexracing.com/presskit, including bios for Denny Hamlin, Chris Gabehart and Joe Gibbs Racing leadership, program highlights and statistics.

All-Star Recap: Following a random draw, Hamlin started the multi-segment non-points paying event from the 16th position, and after a handful of laps, reported he was battling an extremely loose FedEx Camry. However, the unique format would give crew chief Chris Gabehart plenty of opportunities to make necessary adjustments to improve the handling. As the race progressed and adjustments were made, Hamlin became more comfortable with the handling and worked his way up to third during the fourth segment. Hamlin managed to stay in the top 10 during the fifth segment, which included a mandatory pit stop. The FedEx crew changed four tires during the stop but realized there was a good possibility that some of the lug nuts might not be tight. The team was hopeful there would be a well-timed caution that would allow them to remedy the situation, but the caution never came and Hamlin had to pit prior to the end of the race, relegating him to the 21st finishing position.

Nashville Preview: The NASCAR Cup Series heads to the Music City for the first ever running of the Ally 400 Cup Series event at Nashville Superspeedway. Drivers will try to conquer the 1.333-mile concrete oval in front of a sold-out crowd. Hamlin and his team will look to use their past success at superspeedways in an attempt to capture their first win of the season.

Hamlin Conversation – Nashville:

What are you looking forward to and what will be the struggle going to a track where no one really has much experience?

“It’s been 15 years since I’ve raced there, and I can remember how difficult it is to pass there, but we’ll have practice and that will be really helpful to get to know the track to find the lanes that we want to be in. I think it’s going to be a fun race, and it’s always interesting when you’re racing at a new track.”

What do you think about NASCAR adding this new destination to the Cup schedule?

“I know a lot of work has gone into getting the track ready for this event. Nashville is a great town, and there’s a lot for fans to do – at the track and in the surrounding area. It’s not just the race; there’s a whole family atmosphere and there’s a lot of fun things to do.”

FedEx Express Along for the Ride at Nashville: The #11 FedEx Express Toyota will carry the letters FYMA on the B-post in recognition of the FYMA Station in Columbia, Tenn. During the past year, the 36 team members at FYMA dealt with personal tragedies, with three employees losing loved ones – two sons and a brother – in the space of one month. The FYMA team pulled together and covered the open shifts and showed uplifting support for their fellow team members during trying times.