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Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear Fast Facts

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Race weekend: Friday, June 11 – Sunday, June 13
Track: Raceway at Belle Isle Park, a 2.35-mile, 14-turn temporary street course (clockwise)
Race distance: 70 laps / 164.5 miles (both races)

Push-to-pass parameters: 150 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 15 seconds per activation (for each race)

Firestone tire allotment: Eight sets primary, five sets alternate (weekend). Teams must use one set of primary and alternate tires in each race. One additional set available to teams fielding a rookie driver is available for the first session of the weekend.

Twitter: @DetroitGP @IndyCar, #DetroitGP, #IndyCar

Event website: http://www.DetroitGP.com

INDYCAR website: www.IndyCar.com

2019 race winners: Race 1: Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet); Race 2: Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda)

2019 NTT P1 Award winners: Race 1: Alexander Rossi (No. 27 NAPA AUTO PARTS Honda) 1:14.1989, 114.018 mph; Race 2: Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet) 1:14.8607, 113.010 mph.

Qualifying lap record: Takuma Sato, 1:13.6732, 114.831 mph, June 4, 2017

NBC Sports race telecasts: Race 1 Qualifying, 11 a.m. ET Saturday NBCSN (live); Race 2 Qualifying, 9 a.m. Sunday, NBCSN (live); Chevrolet Dual in Detroit Race 1, 2 p.m. ET Saturday, NBC (live); Chevrolet Dual in Detroit Race 2, noon ET Sunday, NBC (live). Leigh Diffey is the play-by-play announcer for NBC’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy.

Peacock Premium Live Streaming: All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions and qualifying will stream live on Peacock Premium, NBC’s direct-to-consumer livestreaming product.

INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the chief announcer alongside analysts Davey Hamilton and Nick Yeoman. Jake Query and Michael Young are the turn announcers with Ryan Myrehn and Joel Sebastianelli in the pit lane. The Chevrolet Dual in Detroit doubleheader will air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 205, indycar.com and the INDYCAR Mobile app powered by NTT DATA. All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices and qualifying are available on SiriusXM 205, indycar.com and the INDYCAR Mobile app.

At-track schedule (all times local):

Friday, June 11
5 – 6:15 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice #1, Peacock Premium

Saturday, June 12
11 – 11:45 a.m. – Race 1 qualifying for NTT P1 Award (Two rounds of knockout qualifying/10 minutes each), NBCSN, Peacock Premium (live)
1:20 p.m. – Driver introductions
1:58 p.m. – Command to start engines
2:05 p.m. – Chevrolet Dual in Detroit #1 (70 laps/164.5 miles), NBC (live)

Sunday, June 13
9:15 – 10 a.m. – Race 2 qualifying for NTT P1 Award (Two rounds of knockout qualifying/10 minutes each), NBCSN, Peacock Premium (live)
Noon – Driver introductions
12:43 p.m. – Command to start engines
12:50 p.m. – Chevrolet Dual in Detroit #2 (70 laps/164.5 miles), NBC (live)

Race notes:

  • There have been six different winners in six NTT INDYCAR SERIES races to start the 2021 season. Alex Palou (Barber Motorsports Park), Colton Herta (Streets of St. Petersburg), Scott Dixon (Texas Motor Speedway-1), Pato O’Ward (Texas Motor Speedway-2), Rinus VeeKay (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course-1) and Helio Castroneves (Indianapolis 500) have all won in 2021. The last time there were seven different winners to start the season was 2017. The record for most different winners in a season is 11 in 2000, 2001 and 2014.
  • There have been eight different winners in the last 10 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races (Colton Herta, Josef Newgarden, Will Power, Alex Palou, Scott Dixon, Pato O’Ward, Rinus VeeKay and Helio Castroneves) The only repeat winners in that stretch are Newgarden (2 wins – Harvest GP-1 and St. Petersburg in 2020) and Herta (2 wins – Mid-Ohio-2 in 2020 and St. Petersburg 2021).
  • The Chevrolet Dual in Detroit will be the 28th and 29th INDYCAR SERIES races conducted at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park and the 30th and 31st INDYCAR SERIES races held in Detroit. A 2.5-mile street circuit in downtown Detroit hosted CART events from 1989-1991.
  • Scott Dixon has won three times at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park, tied with Helio Castroneves for most wins by an INDYCAR SERIES driver at the track. In addition to Dixon, other previous Belle Isle winners entered include Sebastien Bourdais (2015 Race 2 and 2016 Race 1), Ryan Hunter-Reay (2018 Race 2), Josef Newgarden (2019 Race 1), Simon Pagenaud (2013 Race 2), Will Power ( 2014 Race 1 and 2016 Race 2) and Graham Rahal (2017 Race 1 and Race 2).
  • There have been 17 different pole winners in the previous 25 races. Pole winners entered in this year’s race are Josef Newgarden (2019 Race 2), Alexander Rossi (2019 Race 1 and 2018 Race 2), Graham Rahal (2017 Race 1), Takuma Sato (2014 Race 2, 2017 Race 2), Simon Pagenaud (2016 – Race 1 and Race 2), Will Power (2015 Race 1) and Scott Dixon (2008 and 2012).
  • Four drivers have won the race from the pole: Graham Rahal (2017, Race 1), Scott Dixon (2012), Helio Castroneves (2001) and Robby Gordon (1995).
  • The driver who has gone on to win the championship has won at Detroit five times. Josef Newgarden won Race 1 in 2019, Scott Dixon won Race 1 in 2018, Will Power won Race 2 in 2014, Alex Zanardi won on Belle Isle in 1998, Bobby Rahal won at Belle Isle in 1992 and Emerson Fittipaldi won in downtown Detroit in 1989.
  • Scott Dixon has competed in 18 previous races at Belle Isle, most of any driver. Thirteen drivers entered have led laps at the track (Dixon 127, Graham Rahal 107, Simon Pagenaud 93, Will Power 50, Takuma Sato 44, Sebastien Bourdais 38, Josef Newgarden 33, Ryan Hunter-Reay 20, Santino Ferrucci 20, Alexander Rossi 19, James Hinchcliffe 11, Conor Daly 4 and Marcus Ericsson 2)
  • Seven drivers will race NTT INDYCAR SERIES cars at the Raceway at Belle Isle for the first time: Romain Grosjean, Jack Harvey, Jimmie Johnson, Dalton Kellett, Scott McLaughlin, Alex Palou and Rinus VeeKay.
  • Scott Dixon has made 278 consecutive starts heading into the weekend, which is the second-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES racing. Dixon, the longest-tenured driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, is third on the all-time victory list with 51 wins. Will Power is tied with Al Unser for fifth on the all-time list with 39 wins and Sebastien Bourdais is seventh on the all-time list with 37 wins.

Roush Fenway Weekly Advance | All-Star

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Roush Fenway Weekly Advance | All-Star

NASCAR hosts its annual All-Star event this weekend in Fort Worth, Texas, as the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway hosts it for the first time in history. Jack Roush has four All-Star wins all-time, with Ryan Newman locked into Sunday night’s field, and Chris Buescher set to try and race his way in to the main event.

NASCAR All-Star Open
Sunday, June 13 | 6 p.m. ET
FS1, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

  • Chris Buescher, No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang

NASCAR All-Star Race
Sunday, June 13 | 8 p.m. ET
FS1, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

  • Ryan Newman, No. 6 Wyndham Rewards Ford Mustang

Sonoma Recap, All-Star Preview

  • Buescher had an up and down day at Sonoma last weekend, ultimately finishing 16th in a race that went into NASCAR Overtime.
  • Newman was on the wrong end of a last-lap scuffle, putting him 33rd at the checkered flag.
  • Fastenal returns to Buescher’s machine for the All-Star Open Sunday evening as he tries to race his way in to the All-Star Race.
  • Newman will make his 20th start in the star-studded event, and will have Wyndham Rewards riding on board.

Another Historic, New-Look All-Star Race on Deck

  • After holding the NASCAR All-Star Race in Charlotte for many years prior to 2020, the annual invitational event moves to its third track in as many seasons with the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway set to host the 2021 event.
  • Outside of the 1986 event in Atlanta, the race had been held in Charlotte every season. Due to implications from COVID-19 a season ago, NASCAR officials moved the event from Charlotte to Bristol. And this season it moves again, this time to TMS.
  • Also new to this season’s version of the ASR is a six-round, 100-lap bout that will see the winner collect $1 million, and an additional $100,000 will be presented to the fastest pit crew in a mandatory pit stop near the end of the race.
  • Newman will make his 20th start in the All-Star Race come Sunday, an event he won back in 2002. He has two additional top fives in the ASR, including second in 2004 and fifth in 2006. He most recently finished 19th in last season’s non-points race at Bristol.
  • Buescher will compete in the NASCAR Open qualifying race and attempt to race his way into the All-Star field. He’s competed in one ASR all-time in 2017 and finished 17th. His best finish in The Open otherwise is fourth, which came last season at Bristol. The Open will be run in three segments – 20 laps, 20 laps and a 10-lap shootout – with segment winners and the overall winner advancing into the main event. Fan balloting will determine the final driver in the field who is otherwise ineligible.
  • For the All-Star Race itself, the format and procedures are below:
    • Round 1: 15 laps. After this round, the field will be inverted starting anywhere from the eighth through 12th positions, to be selected by a random draw.
    • Round 2: 15 laps, with entire field inverted after this segment.
    • Round 3: 15 laps, again the field will be inverted starting anywhere from the eighth through 12th positions, to be selected by a random draw after this round.
    • Round 4: 15 laps.
    • Round 5: 30 laps. The lineup for this round will be determined by cumulative finish from the first four rounds, with the best cumulative finisher starting from the pole. All cars must enter pit road for a mandatory four-tire pit stop during this round. The crew with the fastest stop will pocket $100,000.
    • Round 6: 10 laps. Cars will line up according to their finishing position from the previous round for the final segment.

All-Star Victories

Roush Fenway has earned four victories in NASCAR’s All-Star Main Event with drivers Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards. Martin, who is a two-time All-Star race winner, first went to Victory Lane in 1998 for Roush Fenway before taking the checkered flag again in 2005. Kenseth earned the victory in the 2004 running of the event and Edwards visited the winner’s circle in 2011.

Racing in to the Show

Overall Roush Fenway has four victories in The Open – the preliminary qualifying races prior to the main event – two by Greg Biffle and one each by Jeff Burton and Trevor Bayne. Burton earned the win in the 2003 running of the Open after starting 18th. Biffle won his qualifying race in 2015 to earn a spot in the event, and the following year he and teammate Trevor Bayne swept the qualifying races to put their name in the hat for a shot at the $1 million payout.

Starting Lineup Set for Sunday
Based off a random draw, Buescher will roll second in Sunday’s All-Star Open. Newman will fire off 14th in the main event after a random draw for that lineup.

Roush Fenway All-Star Wins
1998 Martin
2004 Kenseth
2005 Martin
2011 Edwards

Ross Chastain – SpeedyCash.com 220 Race Advance

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SpeedyCash.com 220 | Texas Motor Speedway Race Advance
Team: No. 45 CircleBDiecast.com Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Ross Chastain
Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @RossChastain

Chastain on Racing at Texas: “Thanks to Chip [Ganassi], Al [Niece] and everyone at Niece Motorsports who makes it possible for me to come race in these awesome Chevrolets,” said Chastain. “It’s always fun coming to race in the Truck Series. I’m excited about Saturday’s race. We’re going to do everything we can to put ourselves in contention for a win.”

Chastain at Texas: Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Texas Motor Speedway marks Chastain’s ninth start in the series at the track. He has three top-10 finishes, with his best result of seventh coming in 2019.

The Alva, Florida native has 12 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the 1.5-mile track, with his best finish of second coming in 2019.

Chastain also has four NASCAR Cup Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway.

On the Truck: The No. 45 Chevrolet will carry the CircleBDiecast.com colors in a scheme honoring team owner Al Niece and his military service at his home track of Texas Motor Speedway.

Plan B Sales was founded in 2010 with the goal of bringing service to dealers that carry licensed motorsports products. Plan B Sales started as a Lionel diecast and Chase Authentics apparel distributor. Over the last few years Plan B Sales has grown to be the largest account for Lionel, servicing the motorsports market and has expanded its product offerings.

Plan B Sales has quickly become the choice of dealers for a one-stop stocking distributor. Its product offering also includes Auto World, Greenlight Collectibles, BrandArt and are the exclusive distributor for University of Racing product lines.

In September of 2020, Plan B Sales decided to split its wholesale and retail business into two different websites to better serve each segment of customers, effectively launching CircleBDiecast.com.

About Niece Motorsports:

Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2021, Niece Motorsports enters its sixth season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Carson Hocevar – SpeedyCash.com 220 Race Advance

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SpeedyCash.com 220 | Texas Motor Speedway Race Advance
Team: No. 42 Sparco/PlainsCapital Bank Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Carson Hocevar
Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @CarsonHocevar

Hocevar on Racing at Texas: “I’m excited about racing at Texas Motor Speedway in our Sparco Chevrolet,” said Carson Hocevar. “I feel like our team is really starting to hit our stride. I’m hopeful that we will have another strong run this weekend and try and contend for a win.”

Hocevar at Texas: Saturday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway will mark Hocevar’s first start at the 1.5-mile track.

In his last two appearances at oval tracks one to two miles in length, Hocevar has scored his career-best finishes, third at Darlington Raceway, followed by second at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

In the Points: On the strength of a career-best second-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Hocevar sits 10th in the driver point standings. In addition, Hocevar retained the lead in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Standings.

Congrats to the Graduate: Hocevar received his high school diploma during the off weekend. The 18-year-old driver finished his studies in December but was able to participate in his spring graduation ceremonies.

On the Truck: The No. 42 Chevrolet will carry the Sparco and PlainsCapital Bank colors this week at Texas Motor Speedway.

Since 1977 Sparco S.p.A. has developed and produced equipment for the racing environment. Sparco has more than 300 partner teams throughout the world in various motorsport competitions including, F1, Indy, WRC, NASCAR, Dakar and many others.

Since 2000, The Sparco Group has diversified its activities, entering the carbon fiber automotive components’ industry for super sports car and luxury car manufacturers. In addition, Sparco has expanded its business to the gaming-simulation racing industry as well as the safety clothing industry (safety footwear and workwear).

Sparco is headquartered in Volpiano, Italy, and has more than 1,000 employees that operate in eight production plants (four in Italy, three in Tunisia and one in the USA).

PlainsCapital was founded in 1988 by former Hilltop Holdings Vice Chairman and Co-CEO Alan White and a group of investors who raised the capital to acquire Plains National Bank, a Lubbock financial institution with one branch and $198.8 million in assets.

Thirty years later, PlainsCapital Bank is the fourth-largest bank in Texas based on deposit market share. PlainsCapital has a statewide presence with more than 60 locations in markets such as Austin, the Coastal Bend, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Lubbock, San Antonio, and the Rio Grande Valley.

PlainsCapital has a diverse range of services, including commercial banking, treasury management, private banking, and wealth management, as well as consumer banking.

About Niece Motorsports:

Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2021, Niece Motorsports enters its sixth season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Ryan Truex – SpeedyCash.com 220 Race Advance

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SpeedyCash.com 220 | Texas Motor Speedway Race Advance|
Team: No. 40 Marquis Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Ryan Truex
Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @Ryan_Truex

Truex on Racing at Texas: “Texas is a track that I really enjoy racing at,” said Ryan Truex. “Hopefully we’ve gotten all of our bad luck out of the way for the year, and we can really show what our Marquis team is capable of this weekend.”

Truex at Texas: Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Texas Motor Speedway will mark Truex’s sixth start at the 1.5-mile track in the Truck Series. In his five previous starts, Truex has one top-five and two top-10 finishes. His best finish of fourth came in 2017.

The New Jersey native has four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway, with his best finish of 13th coming in 2018.

On the Truck: Truex will carry the Marquis colors this week at Texas Motor Speedway.

Marquis, an employee-owned company founded in 1980, builds world-class hot tubs in the USA. Designed with cutting-edge features, Marquis hot tubs deliver the ultimate hydromassage experience, costing less to operate, and requiring the least amount of maintenance. Marquis is proud to craft spas designed to enhance health and well-being. For more information, visit: www.marquisspas.com.

About Niece Motorsports:

Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2021, Niece Motorsports enters its sixth season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Toyota Racing – NXS Texas Quotes – Harrison Burton – 06.09.21

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Toyota Racing – Harrison Burton
NASCAR Xfinity Series Quotes

FORT WORTH (June 9, 2021) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Harrison Burton was made available to media prior to the Texas race weekend earlier today:

HARRISON BURTON, No. 20 Offerpad Toyota Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

How would you evaluate this season for you thus far?

“It’s been frustrating at times. I feel like we should be winning more races. We haven’t got into that win column yet, but it has been a positive season because I think we’ve been running almost better than we ran last year at times. Last year, we won right off the bat. Won four races, had a pretty decent season, but I felt like we passed someone on the last lap. Martinsville was really the only race where I felt like we dominated. Now I feel like it’s the opposite. We are running up front more. I just need to find a way to capitalize on those runs. I need to find a way to win those races. As a team, we are doing a good job of meshing and learning each other as tough as it can be with no practice and no experience together kind of knowing what you can do. It’s been okay. We have higher goals in mind. We have to get after it and get to winning and getting more Playoff points.”

When do you start talking to people about next season?

“I don’t know really. I’m in the awesome situation where my dad (Jeff Burton) is a big part of my business side of my career because he knows the business well. I’ve got great partners behind me so I can kind of lean on my dad to navigate decision making and all of that. He’s been really great at that. That allows me to just focus on driving, so I’m getting the results. If you get results and show talent, the opportunities will follow. I would like to start getting in that direction soon, but nothing too crazy going on quite yet.”

What do you think about the return to Nashville and how are you preparing?

“It’s exciting. Anytime I go somewhere I feel like I have the same experience as everyone else, I kind of tally that as an advantage. I feel like we have gotten used to having to prepare with not practicing and having to show up at places with limited experience. Especially last year, going to a lot of places for the first time in the Xfinity car and having to learn quickly. It’s exciting to me to get there. Obviously, it’s an awesome town. It’s an awesome city. It’s a great market for our sport. It’s amazing. I think the track is going to be really fun and put on a great race, and for me personally, I’m excited to go and try it out. I’ve done it on the simulator. I probably started four weeks ago; I ran my first time there. I’m trying to learn as quick as I can, and I’m trying to get our team a win there.”

What do you remember about the exciting win at Texas last season?

“Yeah, that was an exciting win last year. I remember how exciting how it was for me to win that race because just the circumstances it was under. I spun out earlier in the race. I made a mistake and kind of overstepped the car and somehow spun through the grass and didn’t tear off a splitter like I did last weekend. I made it through the grass and came back and rallied for the win. Those are probably the best two laps of my life that I ran – to run the 9 (Noah Gragson) down and pass him for the win. It was an awesome experience and that is a win that you can’t really draw up any better. You pass them on the last corner of the last lap to take the checkered from a distance you didn’t think you could catch them from. That’s pretty neat. I have a lot of confidence going into Texas just knowing that I can do it and get it done there.”

Are those the best kind of wins, when you come back from a challenge to score victory?

“I think so. Whenever you feel like you stole a win and you just did something that you didn’t expect to work and it worked, that’s always the most gratifying. You feel like you are on top of the world. It’s hard to beat that feeling for sure.”

Does Ty Gibbs scoring victories frustrating for you because you haven’t earned a win this year?

“When someone else wins on your team and you are not, it’s a little bit frustrating, but really, Ty’s (Gibbs) done a good job at being part of the team. He meshes well with everyone. We get along great, so I’m just happy for him. I remember last year, I got off to kind of a hot start, won a race early and felt probably the same type of feelings that he is feeling right now. It’s just a fun time to win races and run well every weekend. It’s just hard to beat that feeling. For him, it’s exciting and it’s exciting for the company. Coach’s (Joe Gibbs, team owner) grandson is running well and it’s neat for everyone. Overall, I can’t really say it frustrates me. I think he’s done a good job. He’s come in and deserved to win those races. It’s just about our team getting better and trying to win for ourselves. I think we are very capable of doing it, just have to make it happen soon.”

When you look at the Playoff field, do you want the same guys to keep winning?

“Well, if the same guys are always winning, as long as it’s me, I’m good. As long as it’s everyone else, it’s not good. They tend to get that gap between everyone else and the Playoff points are a huge deal, and it just makes it tough to crack into that Championship 4 without Playoff points. You are going to have to go and win if you don’t have any Playoff points to get into the top four. Most likely, you will have to go and win a race in the last round. For me, it’s important to start building that tally for ourselves and make us one of the top four cars and a threat on points to win the championship. I really feel confident that we can win any weekend, it’s just about putting it together and making it happen. It’s a tough feeling when you get out of the racecar and you are like, ‘Gosh, I just don’t know what we could have done differently. I ran well all day and put ourself in position and it just didn’t happen.’ I think it’s building Playoff points and trying to win for ourselves and create that gap is a big thing, but if anyone else does it, it is bad news for anyone else in the field.”

How far do you work ahead with your preparation?

“For me personally, I’m probably farther ahead than a lot of guys because I do a lot of the scaling for the simulator. Every weekend you have to scale the simulator to make it accurate. On Mondays, I’m in there trying to run tracks to make the simulator more accurate for those tracks and for our team to kind of get better. I’m normally pretty far ahead. Four weeks ago, I did Nashville and tried to make that accurate – which was tough, because I’ve never been there but neither had anyone else. Just trying to guess on that, but I’ve run Pocono, post-scaling all of the racetracks. I go back after the race and make them better. Kind of all over the place really. Trying to get the tires and all of the things that go into the sim model is insane. It’s hard to wrap my head around. Lucky that all of the great engineers at TRD (Toyota Racing Development) can kind of hold my hand through it. For my team as far as Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) and my engineer, Dustin (Zacharyasz), we do the weekend of. We spend a few hours on the track the weekend of, but with JGR’s (Joe Gibbs Racing) time slot, I will do tracks in advance or last week or whatever they need to make it more accurate.”

How long is your session on the simulator?

“It’s pretty interesting. They have the ability to tune (INAUDIBLE) with scaling and then I’ll do 12 to 1:30 or 12:30 to 2 with my team afterwards. It’s a lot of laps. I’ve looked down at the lap counter a few times and it’s been way up there in number. It’s all about getting that feel in the car. It’s hard to emulate the feeling of ‘Oh my gosh. I’m sideways loose. I feel uncomfortable.’ because you are not afraid to hit anything in there. Just things like that are things I’m working on and trying to get better. I think we are doing a good job at getting our sim program better and better and that’s really important now-a-days with no practice. So, yeah, it’s normally a pretty long shift, but it’s definitely worth it. It pays dividends afterwards.”

Have you been doing this all season?

“I was doing it some last year, and all season this year. A few times, my teammates will jump in and do it. This last weekend, Daniel (Hemric) took my shift because I (stuck) my splitter into the grass and he did a good job at getting the Mid-Ohio tire good. Just whatever works for the company. We get an email on when we need to be there and that’s when I’m there.”

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.

SpeedyCash.com Doubles Up in Texas with Gilliland and AlfredoLove’s Travel Stops and Luber-finer Support McDowell in All-Star Debut

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Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is preparing for NASCAR’s All-Star weekend at the Texas Motor Speedway.

“This weekend is all for our fans,” says Daytona 500 Champion Michael McDowell who will be making his All-Star debut on Sunday in the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops/Luber-finer Ford Mustang. The annual All-Star race pits race winners and champions in a series of sprints with the winner receiving a check for one million dollars. The race heads to the Texas Motor Speedway for its first time.

Making his first All-Star weekend appearance, Anthony Alfredo will compete in the NASCAR All-Star Open featuring a field of drivers and teams who are not currently qualified into the All-Star race. Alfredo is hoping to take his SpeedyCash.com Ford Mustang into the Speedy Cash victory lane at Texas.

Before Sunday’s activities, SpeedyCash.com will host the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Todd Gilliland will debut the No. 38 SpeedyCash.com Ford F-150 as he looks for his second win of the season.

Saturday’s SpeedyCash.com 220 starts at 1:00 p.m. ET and will be televised live on FS1.

Sunday’s All-Star festivities begin at 6:00 p.m. ET with the live broadcast on FS1.

“This is such a big weekend for our sport and for FRM,” said Gilliland. “There is the excitement of the All-Star race for the first time at Texas on Sunday and we’re just as pumped up for Saturday’s race as we’re carrying the Speedy Cash colors in their truck race. And, victory lane at Texas is sponsored by Speedy Cash, too. It makes for a fun weekend because we’re going to have a huge crowd cheering for us. I love it.”

Gilliland comes into Saturday’s race with four top-five and six top-10 finishes, including one win. The goal this season was to win and secure a Playoff position. Now, the focus is getting the team in it’s best position when the Playoffs begin.

“We want to keeping winning races and this weekend get into Speedy Cash victory lane,” continued Gilliland. “The more races and stages we can win, the more points we can accumulate for the Playoffs. We are in the top-five now, but I think we’re capable of even more. I really believe in our team at Front Row Motorsports.”

Gilliland will start fourth in Saturday’s race.

Alfredo and his No. 38 Speedy Cash Ford Mustang team are looking to be All-Stars on Sunday. Alfredo will compete in the Open and have the opportunity to win one of the first two stages consisting of 20 laps each, or win the race, a final 10 lap sprint to qualify for the All-Star race.

“We are going into Sunday trying to join Michael in the All-Star race,” said Alfredo. “We’re going to have a lot of support from Speedy Cash at the race this weekend and we’re going to give it our best shot.

“As a team, we’re gaining confidence and gaining momentum each weekend. Although this is an exhibition race, it’s still another chance for us to continue to build. I think at Sonoma, we broke through and raced in the top-10 against all drivers who are in the All-Star race. So, now, we just need to have that same confidence and deliver a great run because we know that we’re capable of being up front.”

Alfredo will start 12th in the Open.

After winning the Daytona 500, Michael McDowell will now make his debut in the NASCAR All-Star race to cap off Sunday evening. The All-Star race will be a total of 100 laps consisting of six different rounds of various laps and formulas. It will be as entertaining for the drivers as it will be for the fans.

“Texas Motor Speedway has gone all out for their first All-Star race,” said McDowell. “There is going to be entertainment in every round and something different, too. I don’t know if you can explain it all, but it’s set up to be fun for the fans and challenging for us.

“I’d like to say it will be fun for us too, but we’re trying to win one million dollars. When you compete for a purse like that, fun kinda goes out the window. You’re just there to compete like any other race and you want to win.

“But, I think we also look at the big picture, too. FRM has been in the All-Star race in the past and we just want to continue to be in this race. That means winning races each year. So, it’s just a part of us continuing to build and be better.

“It’s also cool for our partners. When Love’s Travel Stops and Luber-finer come to the All-Star race on Sunday, and they’ll have a lot of people there, it’s cool for them to watch us as an All-Star team and the chance for us to win it all.”

McDowell will start 11th in the All-Star race.

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.

Kaulig Racing Weekly Advance | Texas Motor Speedway

By
Official Release
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JEB BURTON
No. 10 Titan XC Chevrolet Camaro
Point Standings: 5th (-139 pts)
NXS Texas Stats:
Starts: 6
Wins: 0
Top Fives: 1
Top 10s: 3
Laps Led: 7
Best Start: 2nd
Best Finish: 5th

JUSTIN HALEY
No. 11 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet Camaro
Point Standings: 6th (-157 pts)
NXS Texas Stats:
Starts: 4
Wins: 0
Top Fives: 0
Top 10s: 3
Laps Led: 3
Best Start: 2nd
Best Finish: 7th

AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 16 Hyperice Chevrolet Camaro
Point Standings: 2nd (-96 pts)
NXS Texas Stats:
Starts: 0
Wins: 0
Top Fives: 0
Top 10s: 0
Laps Led: 0
Best Start: n/a
Best Finish: n/a

“I’ve always ran well at Texas, and it’s where I got my first win in the truck series. We’ve been running inside the top five the last few weeks, so I think we will have a pretty good showing this weekend. Hopefully we can get a finish we deserve. I’m excited to have Titan XC, one of Nutrien Ag Solutions’ products, on board our No. 10 Chevy, and I’m hoping to make them proud.” – Jeb burton

“Texas is a pretty typical mile-and-a half track, and we’ve improved our intermediate package quite a bit. We have never been stellar there, but we were pretty good at Las Vegas earlier this year, which is similar in certain ways. We will have a really good starting position after our great run at Mid-Ohio, which is always key at a mile-and-a-half track. Clean air is super important at Texas. Hopefully we can get some more stage points and ultimately, a win.” – Justin Haley

“To me, Texas feels like the fastest mile-and a-half track that we go to – at least inside the car. Turns three and four are quick, but turns one and two are completely different with how flat it is. That makes the track really technical and hard to set the car up for. I’ve always enjoyed the race track, and I am looking forward to going there with how well we have been doing with our mile-and a-half program. We have a great starting position, and hopefully we can stay up front all day and win another one.” – AJ Allmendinger

66- Kaulig Racing has led 66 laps at Texas Motor Speedway in the Nascar Xfinity Series.
3 – Kaulig Racing has led at least 3 laps at Texas Motor Speedway in 3 consecutive races.
3 – Three times in 2021, Kaulig Racing has finished all three cars inside the top-10. (LVMS, Talladega, COTA)
45 – Dating back to the 2020 season opener, Kaulig Racing has finished at least one car in the Top 10 in 4

Trans Am West Coast Set to Debut The Ridge Motorsports Park

By
Official Release
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New venue set for first SpeedTour event

SHELTON, WASH. (9 June 2021)- The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli West Coast Championship will travel to the Pacific Northwest with Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) to Shelton, Washington, for a weekend of vintage and sports car racing at the Ridge Motorsports Park June 11-13.

A mixed field of nearly 20 Trans Am, XtremeGT and SuperGT cars will take the green on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Pacific for a 100-mile race, or 75 minutes, whichever comes first.

It’s the first outing for Trans Am on the newly resurfaced and re-curbed 16-turn, 2.47-mile road circuit nestled between Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens, just 25 miles north of Olympia, Washington. While it is the inaugural visit for Trans Am at The Ridge, the high-speed straights, sweeper turns and heavy braking zones should hold some familiarity for the drivers from the last round at Thunderhill Raceway Park. The circuit designer for Thunderhill Steve Crawford, also penned The Ridge.

The West Coast TA2 class continues to grow and attract top talents from around the world, three countries – Canada, Mexico and the United States – will be represented this weekend, creating a true Trans American lineup.

Carl Rydquist leads the TA2 championship chase by 15 points heading into Round 4. The rookie is undefeated in the No. 47 Racecars4Rent/GroupWholesale Ford Mustang.

“Never been to The Ridge before, but I have nailed it on the sim,” said Rydquist. “We unlocked significant setup performance at the last race, and are very excited to see how it carries forward. The track setting reminds me of the Swedish forests around my grandparent’s place and I hear the Northwest fans are truly dedicated, so I look forward to good vibes all around! A lot of top regional names will be on the grid to make it a special race, the event will be awesome.”

Rydquist’s closest points rival Tim Lynn will miss this weekend due to scheduling conflicts, allowing competitors like local driver Jeff Holden, who is third in the championship, to close the points gap.

“My family comes first in my priorities and due to my daughter’s college graduation, I’m unable to attend the race,” said Lynn. “I’m happy with our last few outings and will attend the remaining events and see where the points end up. Good luck to the CHR team. Big D (Darrell) Anderson is the one to beat at The Ridge.”

Big D Anderson, as Lynn referred to him, is rookie Darrell Anderson. While his results don’t reflect his efforts, Anderson has been a top competitor in the No. 45 Park Place Constructors Dodge Challenger but mechanical misfortunes in the last two rounds have kept Anderson off the podium. The California native matched Rydquist in laps led at Thunderhill before blowing an engine, he suffered a similar fate with his engine at Laguna.

After taking a year-long break during the pandemic, Lux Performance returns to the Trans Am West Coast lineup at The Ridge, fielding two Dodge Vipers in the SGT class. Team co-owner Cindi Lux will drive the No. 5 LuxPerformance/BlackRockCoffee Dodge Viper for the team.

Lux made her Trans Am debut in 2015 with a victory at Brainerd in the then TA3 class. Over the course of her Trans Am career, Lux has amassed four victories, eight pole positions and 22 podiums.

“It has been a lengthy wait and I am so ready to finally get our Viper bad boys back out there,” said Lux. “It has been way too long since we have been able to crank it up and go racing with Trans Am. Having a new track to invite the championship to is really exciting. We know The Ridge track well as we normally do our pre-season testing there because of the considerable elevation changes. It’s tight and will put a real premium on track position. Our goal is to practice and qualify well and then try and hold our own in the race. If we are further back on the grid, then it’s going to be real exciting for the fans because we are unloading with the goal of doing well in front of our family and friends. All we can do is dust off our hotrods and try our best.”

Lux will have stiff competition though in the class as class championship leaders John Schweitzer (No.00 Superior Builders Inc Holden Monaro) and Rudy Revak (No. 60 Racecars4Rent Chevrolet Monte Carlo) are dueling for the championship lead. Schweitzer has a mere four-point advantage over second-place Revak entering the weekend.

Steve Goldman returns to the roster in the TA class after a winning run at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in No. 13 LIG Racing Chevrolet Corvette. The Seattle native is looking forward to the 300 feet of elevation change, including the 50-foot plunge into the front straight.

“I really appreciate the Trans Am series having a race in the Pacific Northwest this year,” said Goldman. “I believe there are great drivers and fans in the Northwest who love the history, rumble and competitive racing that Trans Am offers. Even though I live in Seattle, I haven’t yet had the opportunity to race at the Ridge. Everyone I know who has been there has nothing but great things to say about it so I’m really looking forward to it.”

The Trans Am Xtreme GT Class was created to give former GT3 cars a place to race. The class is open to a wide range of GT3 machines as well as custom packages from individual teams and race shops. This weekend, for the first time in Trans Am since 2017, a Lamborghini will race alongside American Muscle. Mike Sheehan will field the No. 49 Ferraris Online Lamborghini Gallardo as the lone XGT entry for the weekend.

The paddock will also see some new faces as Collins Motorsports is taking on a new venture as the long-time NASCAR oval track stock racing team adds road course racing to its resume. CMS joins TA2® powerhouse team Mike Cope Racing, providing tech and track day support on the West Coast. Collins Motorsports’ fabrication team built and designed the prototype race truck that launched the NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series, and the team is looking forward to being part of the continued growth of Trans Am’s West Coast Championship.

The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli West Coast Championship will host a full day of testing on Friday, followed by practice (11:30 a.m. Pacific) and qualifying (3:30 p.m. Pacific) on Saturday. The weekend will conclude on Sunday with a 100-mile (41 Laps or 75 minutes) all-class race at 10:30 a.m. Pacific. Gate will be open for The Ridge SpeedTour to fans (TICKETS) and live timing and scoring will be available on www.GoTransAm.com/LiveTiming.

Dixie Vodka named Official Vodka of Nashville Superspeedway leading up to track’s Father’s Day Weekend NASCAR tripleheader

By
Official Release
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LEBANON, Tenn. (June 9, 2021) – Dixie Vodka, one of America’s fastest growing spirit brands, has been named the Official Vodka of Nashville Superspeedway, track officials announced today.

Guests attending Nashville Superspeedway’s NASCAR tripleheader on Father’s Day weekend will have the opportunity to taste samples of Dixie Vodka’s products in the FanZone. In addition, Dixie Vodka ambassadors will visit track’s campgrounds throughout the weekend to interact with fans.

Nashville Superspeedway’s June 18-20 weekend includes the inaugural, sold-out “Ally 400” NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, June 20 (2:30 p.m. CT, NBCSN), the first Cup Series race in Middle Tennessee in 37 years.

Founded in 2014 and based in Charleston, S.C., Dixie Vodka was named the Official Vodka of NASCAR in 2019. Dixie Vodka’s six “flavors of the South” include Black Pepper, Citrus, Mint, Peach, Southern and Wildflower Honey.

“After becoming the first Official Vodka of NASCAR last year and the title sponsor of a Cup Series race, we’re excited to further extend our reach into racing by partnering with Nashville Superspeedway as the track’s official vodka and celebrate Nashville’s inaugural Cup Series race,” said Dixie Vodka founder Matti Anttila.

“We look forward to connecting with NASCAR’s incredible fanbase in the Nashville area to share Dixie Vodka as a go-to, all-American premium vodka that represents the best of Southern flavor, craftsmanship and hospitality – it’s the perfect accompaniment to any race day.”

“Dixie Vodka’s prominence in motorsports, and Southern sensibilities, are well known to NASCAR fans,” added Erik Moses, Nashville Superspeedway’s president. “Those fans continue to demonstrate their support and enthusiasm for NASCAR’s return to Middle Tennessee and I’m sure they will be excited to experience another familiar brand as part of our track partnership family and fun filled weekend.”

Tickets are available for Nashville Superspeedway’s first two races on its Father’s Day weekend slate, including the “Tennessee Lottery 250” NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday, June 19 (2:30 p.m. CT, NBCSN) and the “Rackley Roofing 200” NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race under the lights on Friday, June 18 (7 p.m. CT, FS1).

Fans can order tickets for the June 18-19 events by visiting NashvilleSuperSpeedway.com or calling 866-RACE-TIX.

Keep track of Nashville Superspeedway’s latest news and updates at NashvilleSuperSpeedway.com via social media at Facebook.com/NashvilleSuperspeedway, on Twitter at @nashvillesupers and Instagram @nashvillesuperspeedway.

About Dover Motorsports, Inc.

Dover Motorsports, Inc. (NYSE: DVD) is a promoter of NASCAR sanctioned motorsports events whose subsidiaries own and operate Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del., and Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn. The company also plays host to the Firefly Music Festival, produced by AEG Presents. For more information, visit www.DoverMotorsports.com.

About Dixie Vodka
Launched in 2014 and based in Charleston, SC, Dixie Vodka was established with the simple mission of creating an all-American premium craft vodka that represents the best of Southern flavor, craftsmanship and hospitality. With six signature flavors – including its flagship Southern Original, Black Pepper, Citrus, Mint, Peach and Wildflower Honey – Dixie Vodka partners with local farmers across the South to infuse regionally cherished ingredients into its award-winning products, each of which is six-times distilled from American corn. In 2020, Dixie Vodka was ranked the ninth-fastest growing spirits brand in the United States by the Beverage Information Group and remains the largest premium craft vodka produced in the Southeast. In partnership with the Southern-raised sport that transcends regional boundaries, Dixie Vodka is proud to serve as the Official Vodka of NASCAR, the title sponsor of the Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and the Official Vodka of Stewart-Haas Racing. Dixie Vodka donates at least 1% of all profits through its 1% for the Planet program, a commitment to supporting non-profits that work to protect the future of the planet. A core brand within the Grain & Barrel Spirits portfolio – an innovation-driven beverage platform that develops and scales craft spirits brands led by founder Matti Anttila – Dixie Vodka can be found on Facebook and Instagram, and on shelves in more than 30 states.

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