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Toyota Racing – Mid-Ohio NXS Post-Race Report

By
Official Release
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GIBBS, JONES SCORE TOP-FIVE FINISHES AT MID-OHIO
Ty Gibbs earns sixth top-five finish in his first seven Xfinity Series starts

LEXINGTON, Ohio (June 5, 2021) – Ty Gibbs (third) and Brandon Jones (fourth) led Toyota with top-five finishes in B&L Transport 170 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Saturday afternoon.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Race 13 of 33 – 169.350 miles, 75 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, AJ Allmendinger*
2nd, Justin Haley*
3rd, TY GIBBS
4th, BRANDON JONES
5th, Andy Lally*
12th, DANIEL HEMRIC
19th, MATT JASKOL
32nd, KRIS WRIGHT
36th, DAVID STARR
38th, HARRISON BURTON
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

TY GIBBS, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 3rd

What else did you need today?

“I felt like we lacked a little bit of overall grip. It took us a little bit to fire off, but my guys did a good job. We kept fighting there. It kind of sucks. The 16 (AJ Allmendinger) did us a little dirty there. I feel like there is a point, you know, we are racing in Xfinity cars at road courses. It’s always going to be rough, but he took it to the next level. I guess I was a little torpedoed. I got the 22 (Austin Cindric) knocked him out, but yeah, I didn’t really have anywhere to go. That’s just part of it – part of the end of these races, things get rough. Next time, going forward. I know what I need to do and my guys are going to work hard. Overall, good day. I will take third place. We were in the top-three I felt like all day and we led some laps. That was good. Going out of here positively. Thanks to everybody that was watching.”

What was missing at the end of the race to keep you from victory?

“We just lacked a little grip and then 16 (AJ Allmendinger) took us three-wide there, but it’s just frustrating. I really feel like there’s not too much respect going on here, and I could care less about respect at all but it’s just sort of like a point where there’s sportsmen-like and after that, it’s just dirty and that was dirty, but I mean, they dork around at Daytona. So I guess that’s what they want to do, but moving forward I’m definitely going to be way more aggressive and use the bumper, maybe spin people out, but overall, just a good day. Kind of frustrating being first and second, third, just couldn’t get it done. Kind of sucks.”

BRANDON JONES, No. 19 Menards/Swiffer Toyota Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 4th

How pleased are you with this fourth-place finish?

“This was awesome. I mean, I know it’s not a win, but it’s almost a win for me. Road courses just aren’t our strong suit, but we put a lot of time into it, go to a lot of different schools to learn how to do it. So this is big. I said I want to finish top-six, that would have been a big day for me and so top-five is even better. Thanks to Menards, Swiffer, everyone that did so much for us this weekend. I had the ARCA race yesterday with Menards, I think truthfully, that prepared me for the day as well. So, I guess I’m becoming a road racer. I guess we’ll see if we can get a win soon.”

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.

DGR ARCA Menards Series Race Recap: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

By
Official Release
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Friday, June 4
Track: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, 13-turn, 2.258-mile road course
Race: 7 of 20
Event: Dawn 150 (42 laps, 152.624 kilometers)
Thad Moffitt, No. 46 Dirteeze Ford Fusion

Start: 9th
Finish: 3rd

  • Moffitt started the Dawn 150 from the ninth position after the starting grid was determined by practice speeds. He quickly moved the Dirteeze Fusion into sixth position and held steady there until caution flag waved on lap 19.
  • The caution period lead into the scheduled lap 21 competition break for pit stops. Derek Smith called the No. 46 down pit road for fresh tires, fuel and adjustments to help with the balance and drive off the corner.
  • Green flag waved briefly with 20 laps remaining allowing Moffitt to take fifth position before the caution flag waved again for oil on the race track. The race resumed with 17 laps to go and the Ford driver began to fight his way forward and advanced as high as second on lap 27.
  • He was passed for second with 13 laps remaining, but was able to run clean and consistent laps for the remainder of the race and capture a podium finish in his Mid-Ohio debut.
  • The third-place result matches Moffitt’s career-best finish from Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway earlier this season. He has three top-five and six straight top-10 finishes so far in the 2021 ARCA Menards Series campaign.

Next event: General Tire #AnywhereIsPossible 200 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania on June 25 at 6 p.m. ET.

Uncle Nearest named promotional partner of Nashville Superspeedway ahead of track’s Father’s Day Weekend NASCAR tripleheader weekend

By
Official Release
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LEBANON, Tenn. (June 4, 2021) – Tennessee-based Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, the fastest-growing American whiskey brand of all time and the most awarded American whiskey or bourbon of the last two years, is a promotional partner of Nashville Superspeedway, track officials announced today.

Uncle Nearest’s award-winning whiskeys will be available for sampling in Nashville Superspeedway’s Premium Plus locations during the June 18-20 NASCAR tripleheader weekend, which includes the sold-out, inaugural, “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.

Headquartered in Shelbyville, Tennessee, 35 miles south of Nashville Superspeedway, Uncle Nearest’s whiskeys have dominated spirit awards in 2019, 2020 and 2021, including winning Wine Enthusiast’s Spirit Brand of the Year, two World’s Best honors by Whisky Magazine, Double Gold honors two years in a row at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the Bourbon Trophy at the International Wine & Spirits Competition.

Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey is inspired by the best whiskey-maker the world never knew, the first known African American master distiller, Nearest Green. Nearest helped perfect the famed Lincoln County Process that distinguishes Tennessee whiskey from bourbon.

On Saturday, June 19, Uncle Nearest is re-opening its Shelbyville distillery to guests for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic struck last spring and unveiling Phase Two of its $50 million upgrading project, including the Master Blender House, a 20,000-square-foot Welcome Center, Single Barrel Rickhouse and Philo & Frank, the world’s first non-alcoholic speakeasy.

“It is an honor to partner with Nashville Superspeedway on this historic weekend. We look forward to sharing the story of Uncle Nearest and raising a glass with NASCAR fans,” said Katharine Jerkens, senior vice president of global sales and marketing for Uncle Nearest.

“Uncle Nearest’s story and whiskey are a unique link to American history and are part of the cultural fabric of Middle Tennessee,” said Erik Moses, Nashville Superspeedway’s president. “As NASCAR brings America’s best drivers back to Nashville, our fans will no doubt enjoy Uncle Nearest’s premium whiskey as part of an unforgettable Father’s Day Weekend at Nashville Superspeedway.”

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. For questions about media relations, employment, or other inquiries, interested parties are encouraged to e-mail info@nashvillesuperspeedway.com.

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 Uncle Nearest, Inc.

Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey honors the world’s first-known African American master distiller, Nearest Green. Uncle Nearest is currently available in all 50 states and 12 countries, and is sold in more than 25,000 stores, bars, hotels, restaurants and at its 270-acre distillery in Shelbyville, Tenn., dubbed as “Malt Disney World.” For more information, please visit the Uncle Nearest website, and follow on Instagram and Facebook @unclenearest.

Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers Named Title Sponsor of NTT INDYCAR SERIES Road Race Aug. 14 at IMS

By
Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, June 4, 2021) – The Big Machine brand is increasing its already substantial involvement with INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway as its refreshing new adult vodka juice pouches, Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers, will become the title sponsor of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES race Saturday, Aug. 14 on the IMS road course.

“Big Machine’s enthusiasm for IMS, INDYCAR and motorsports is incredible,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “Scott Borchetta and his team have been such engaged, dynamic partners over the last decade, and this title sponsorship of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES road race during Brickyard Weekend takes that to a new level. We’re so grateful for our loyal friends at Big Machine, and their support will help us to elevate this exciting triple-header race weekend even higher.”

The Big Machine Spiked Coolers Grand Prix will take center stage Saturday on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile circuit at IMS, featuring the talented driver lineup and ultra-competitive, wheel-to-wheel action of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. It’s one of three major events that weekend on the road course, as the NASCAR Xfinity Series also will compete Saturday and the NASCAR Cup Series will race on the IMS road course for the first time Sunday, Aug. 15.

“Big Machine is celebrating 10 years as an IMS sponsor, and we’re so proud to announce this new, multi-year agreement highlighting our incredible new Spiked Coolers,” said the all-things Big Machine CEO, Scott Borchetta. “There is no other track in the world like IMS and, as the recent Indy 500 highlighted, it never disappoints. This is going to be a fantastic weekend of racing that fans will not want to miss.”

Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers are the latest in Big Machine Distillery’s long line of high-quality products and are available in three delicious flavors – Tropical, Lemonade and Cranberry. The ready-to-drink adult vodka juice cocktails come in eco-friendly pouches with straws included, making them the perfect drink for the pool, lake or racetrack. Spiked Coolers are currently available in multiple states, including Indiana and Tennessee. A more complete list of locations can be found at spikedcoolers.com.

This multiyear partnership also includes designation of Big Machine Vodka, “The Smoothest Tasting Vodka, Period!”, as the Official Vodka of the Brickyard Weekend, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indianapolis 500, and Big Machine Hand Sanitizer as the Official Hand Sanitizer of the Brickyard Weekend, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indianapolis 500.

Big Machine has been a valued partner in a variety of IMS events for a decade with its music & entertainment, spirits and hand sanitizer divisions. In addition to its NTT INDYCAR SERIES sponsorship at IMS, Big Machine is also the title sponsor of the series’ newest spectacle, the Big Machine Music City Prix, coming up Aug. 8 on the streets of Nashville, Tennessee.

Visit IMS.com for more information and for tickets to the Big Machine Spiked Coolers Grand Prix and the other races during Brickyard Weekend Aug. 13-15.

CHEVY NCS AT SONOMA: Alex Bowman Press Conference Transcript

By
Official Release
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NASCAR CUP SERIES
TOYOTA/SAVE MART 350
SONOMA RACEWAY
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
JUNE 4, 2021

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 1LE, Teleconference Transcript

IT’S BEEN A REALLY BIG WEEK FOR HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS WITH THE WIN IN CHARLOTTE AND A LOT OF CELEBRATING. WHAT’S IT BEEN TO BE A PART OF ALL THAT?
“Yeah, for sure. Really for the last couple of weeks, and all year, the atmosphere at Hendrick Motorsports has been pretty amazing. Lately, this week, has been really special. Sunday night was really special getting all of us together in Victory Lane and getting some photos and all that was really cool. To see Mr. Hendrick finally get to be number one on the all-time wins list was really special and I’m really glad to have been a small part of it.”

WITH HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS BEING AS STRONG AS IT IS ACROSS THE BOARD RIGHT NOW, HOW MUCH COMPETITION AMONG THE TEAMS IS THERE, AND IF SO, HOW DO YOU BALANCE WANTING THE COMPANY TO DO WELL AS A WHOLE AND WANTING TO INSERT THE NO. 48 AS THE TOP TEAM IN THE STABLE?
“Your teammates are kind of your benchmark sometimes and you always want to beat those guys. You see that in really any type of motorsports. It’s really the only sport where you’re going directly against your teammates sometimes. Always want to run the best we can and beat everybody, right? I think Charlotte was a struggle for us. I was shocked we finished fifth. We really struggled with our race car. But it’s great to see the entire company be so strong. I know we were pushing extremely hard trying to be 1-2-3-4 at Charlotte. That would have been really special to kind of add to that night. But William (Byron) and I came up one spot short. It’s been really good. I think the inner-team competition is really friendly, especially at this point in the year. It’s only pushing us all to be better. It’s not like, a tearing each other down, type of competition. It’s like we’re racing each other for wins and the four teams are definitely pushing each other to get faster and faster.”

HOW MUCH MORE CONFIDENCE DO YOU HAVE GOING TO SONOMA?
“Yeah, going to a road course, I’m going to need the fastest pit crew on pit road to make up for my lack of road course skills. It’s great to have them. They’ve been so strong all year. Strategy is really key at Sonoma. There’s a big balance between Stage points and just trying to finish the race the strongest you can. Just trying to balance that and being a good shot to try and go win that thing. The last time we were there, we were really fast in practice. I drove off the race track, like around, in qualifying and kind of ended up 12th. And then during the race we had a power steering failure. I’m excited to get back there because I feel like that’s a road course that I can be really fast at and try to get Hendrick Motorsports another win.”

LOOKING AHEAD TO THE ALL-STAR RACE, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT IT BEING IN TEXAS? IT LOOKS LIKE A LONG SET-UP IS NOT GOING TO HELP YOU AT ALL THERE.
“It’s going to be interesting. To be honest, I’m so focused on Sonoma this week that kind of had forgotten about it until you said that. Going for a big payday there. We’ve been strong there in the past, but I guess the rules are a little bit different for that deal. Strategy is going to be key in trying to be out front. We all know how fast it goes at that place, so just trying to that the right way. We have a really fast pit crew. Like I said, I haven’t really looked at how the Stages play out, or the segments, but hopefully our pit crew gets us out first there at the end and we can drive away from them.”

LOOKING AHEAD FROM SONOMA, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN LEARN THIS WEEKEND THAT YOU CAN APPLY TO ANY OF THE REMAINING ROAD COURSE RACES THIS SEASON?
“Yeah, I think any time we go to a road course I’m trying to learn how to be a better road course racer, honestly. I feel like if you look at our race cars at Hendrick Motorsports and I feel like we have some of the best road course cars in the garage. On the No. 48 side of things, I just need to continue to learn and improve. I don’t have a road course background. I don’t have a ton of experience. I really just ran a couple of Xfinity races, and then when I got to Cup. So, just trying to continue to improve and continue to get better at all of them and build confidence to be able to attack these places.”

WHAT’S THE TOUGHEST PART OF ROAD COURSE RACING FOR YOU? IS IT LIKE BRAKING OR SHIFTING?
“All of the above (laughs). I feel like some places, the place I feel like the places that people haven’t been, and they don’t have the huge notebook at, like the first year we went to the ROVAL, we’ve been really fast there. But you know when we go to Watkins Glen or Sonoma, where these guys have been going forever, it’s hard to catch up. Just trying to really like just being confident in attacking the race track. I feel like I get pretty worried about messing up and just trying to make it to the end and end up with a solid top-10. We do that, for the most part. But just confidence in attacking the rack track.”

JEFF GORDON IS A MASTER AT ROAD COURSES. DO YOU LEAN ON HIM OR ANYBODY ELSE FOR ADVICE?
“Yeah, for sure. My first year at Hendrick I especially leaned on Jeff a lot. It’s always changing, right? The cars have changed a little bit. Jeff was so good at these places. Chase (Elliott) is extraordinary at these places. I feel like Kyle (Larson) and William (Byron) don’t get the credit they deserve because they are both super good at road courses as well. Hendrick Motorsports has three really good road course racers and then me. But I’m going my best to catch up.”

DOES CHASE ELLIOTT GIVE YOU ANY OF HIS SECRETS?
“I think Chase doesn’t think he has any secrets. I feel like it comes really naturally to him. So, I’m extremely jealous that it comes as naturally to him as it does because he is so good. Not that he’s not working hard to be that good, but it’s like it doesn’t seem as difficult for him as it is for me to go as fast. Yeah, I’m just trying to learn from him. It’s hard to hide secrets these days, just with the way the data is and everything. I’m just trying to dissect that and learn from him.”

KYLE BUSCH WAS ASKED AFTER THE CHARLOTTE RACE, WHERE HE THINKS JGR RANKS AGAINST HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS. HE BASICALLY SAID KYLE LARSON AND THE NO. 5 TEAM ARE A 10 AND WE’RE A SEVEN. DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE A LITTLE BIT MORE AHEAD BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN’T PRACTICE AS MUCH AS IN PREVIOUS SEASONS?
“I don’t know. I feel it’s just the way the sport goes. We’ve seen it in the past. You’ve watched teams dominate. When I got to Hendrick Motorsports in 2018 it was ugly for us for a while. It’s great to be a part of and it’s been a lot of fun. I think we’re the best we’ve ever been since I’ve been there. And that makes going to the race track fun. You have a chance to win each and every week. But at the same time, it comes and goes. We’ve got the best in the world trying to catch us. We’ll just have to wait and see how the season plays out, but it’s been great to be a part of it this year.”

IT’S BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE THE LAST CUP RACE AT SONOMA. DO YOU EXPECT THE TRACK TO BE ANY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IT’S BEEN, AND WILL IT AFFECT THE SET-UP OF THE CAR OR NOT?
“I think the biggest difference for us is just going back with the low downforce package. When we were there in 2019, the cars had the big splitter and the big spoiler and all that stuff. Going back without that, with less downforce on the car, it’s going to change quite a bit. We haven’t been to that track configuration with low downforce so, the first time through the carousel without downforce and all that stuff. Just trying to predict, obviously with no practice, so hopefully we nail it right. But I’ve spent a lot of time in the simulator trying to get it dialed in and hopefully we’ll be solid.”

HAS THERE BEEN ANY EXTRA SPECIAL PREPARATION FOR SONOMA LIKE SIMULATOR TIME OR LOOKING AT FILM FROM PRIOR YEARS?
“I wouldn’t say extra. It’s my job to be the most prepared I can each and every week. I feel like the team does the same thing. They are trying to be extremely prepared every week. Yes, I’ve been in the simulator a lot. Yes, I’ve watched a lot of film and all that stuff. But we do that every week. It’s the same everywhere we go. We don’t leave any stoned unturned just trying to figure everything out and be as prepared as we can be. It’s a lot of hard work, but that’s kind of the norm at Hendrick Motorsports.”

CONCERNING THE RECENT HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS DOMINANCE, YOU ARE DOING THIS IN AN ERA WITH MINIMAL PRACTICE AND QUALIFYING. AND YET YOU ARE DOMINATING THE CIRCUIT. HOW PROUD OF YOU THAT WITHOUT FULL NORMALCY AND PREPARATION, THAT AS A TEAM, YOU ARE DOING THIS?
“I’m extremely proud of everybody at Hendrick Motorsports, from top to bottom. Everybody has worked really hard and had a couple of rough years. Last year I’ve been really strong and then to be able to fire off this year like this has been incredible. I’m just proud of everybody from the chassis shop, fab shop, engine shop, guys that sweep the floors, everybody. Everybody is giving it their all and it’s paying off. It’s cool to see, and I’m just proud of everybody in the organization.”

YESTERDAY, GM AND CHEVY BROKE GROUND ON THE NEW CHARLOTTE TECHNICAL CENTER AND SAID THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE THREE DRIVER-IN-THE-LOOP SIMULATORS WHEN IT OPENS NEXT YEAR. HOW MANY DO YOU GUYS HAVE RIGHT NOW THAT YOU’RE USING WITH CHEVY?
“We just have one. So yeah, the added simulators are definitely going to help us. Having it closer and right now, it’s a big balance between all the Chevy teams to get time in there. So having more opportunities to be in there more I think is a big gain. Being closer to us is a gain. I’m excited for that. I think it’s great. It’s awesome what Chevrolet is doing and their commitment to the sport; obviously they are a huge piece of why Hendrick Motorsports has been so strong lately. All the Chevy teams are working extremely well together. And to have that kind of backing and support from Chevrolet is awesome.”

HOW DO YOU DIVIDE TIME TO USE THE SIMULATOR? DO YOU HAVE TO BOOK TIME WITH CERTAIN TEAMS AND DRIVERS?
“Yeah, I don’t know exactly how it works. I kind of just get told hey, this is when we’re going in. But my understanding of it is that yeah, obviously you’ve got to book ahead of time and have shared time between teams and organizations and different race teams going in there. So yeah, I think that’s probably one of the bigger things about having multiples of them is just being able to be in there a little bit more.”
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.

Weekend schedule for Sonoma and Mid-Ohio

By
Angie Campbell
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JUNE 23: Cars race during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on June 23, 2019 in Sonoma, California. Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images.

The NASCAR Cup Series travels to Sonoma Raceway this weekend for Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 while the NASCAR Xfinity Series will compete at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Saturday afternoon.

NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series has a week off and will return to competition on June 12 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Martin Truex Jr. leads all active Cup Series drivers with three wins at Sonoma (2013, 2018, 2019) and would love to capture a third consecutive victory.

“I’ve been waiting for a while to go back to Sonoma and try to get the three-peat,” Truex said. “Sonoma is such a fun track and it’s a great part of the country. It’s beautiful and always great weather. I can’t wait to get there and see all of our fans in California that we haven’t seen in quite a while.”

His biggest rival may be Chase Elliott who has won five of the last six Cup Series road course races. And you can never count out Kyle Busch who has won twice (2008, 2015) at Sonoma.

There have been seven Xfinity Series races run at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with seven different winners. Austin Cindric was the most recent driver in victory lane in 2019. He also has three more road course wins at Watkins Glen (2019), the Daytona Road Course (2020) and Road America (2020).

Due to the pandemic, this will be NASCAR’s first time back at the track since June 2019.

There will be no practice or qualifying sessions for the Cup and Xfinity Series due to COVID-19 protocols established by NASCAR.

The starting lineups will be determined by the following metrics formula:
• 25 percent: Driver’s finishing position from the previous race
• 25 percent: Car owner’s finishing position from the previous race
• 35 percent: Team owner points ranking
• 15 percent: Fastest lap from the previous race

Notes: There will be a competition caution for the Cup Series on Lap 10 but no competition caution is scheduled for the Xfinity Series race.

All times are Eastern.

Saturday, June 5

1 p.m.: Xfinity Series B&L Transport 170
Green Flag: 1:13
Distance: 169.35 miles (75 Laps)
Stage 1 ends on Lap 25, Stage 2 ends on Lap 50, Final Stage Ends on Lap 75
FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Pole: Austin Cindric

Sunday, June 6

4 p.m. Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway
Green Flag: 4:14
Distance: 226.8 miles (90 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 20),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 40), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 90)
FS1/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Pole: Kyle Larson

Sonoma Raceway Data
Season Race #: 15 of 36 (06-06-21)
Track Size: 2.52-miles
Number of Turns: 12 varying
Track: Multi-Elevational Road Course
Race Length: 90 laps / 226.8 miles
Stage 1 and 2 Length: 20 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 50 laps

Sonoma Raceway NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying & Race Information:

  • Track qualifying record (2.52-miles): Kyle Larson, Chevrolet (95.901 mph, 94.598 secs. on 06-22-19)
  • Track qualifying record (1.99-miles): Kyle Larson, Chevrolet (96.568 mph, 74.186 secs. on 06-27-15)
  • Track race record (2.52-miles): Martin Truex Jr., Toyota (83.922 mph, (02:42:09) on 06-23-19)
  • Track race record (1.99-miles): Clint Bowyer, Toyota (83.624 mph, (02:39:55) on06-24-12)
  • 2019 pole winner (last race): Kyle Larson, Chevrolet (95.712 mph, 94.784 secs. on 06-22-19)
  • 2019 race winner (last race): Martin Truex Jr., Toyota (83.922 mph, (02:42:09) on 06-23-19)

Sonoma Raceway Qualifying Information:

  • Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch lead all active drivers in the series in starts at Sonoma with 19 each.
  • Kyle Larson leads the series in average starting position at Sonoma with a 2.5 in seven starts.
  • 18 different NCS drivers have won at least one pole at Sonoma and three are entered this weekend.  Kyle Larson (3), Joey Logano (1), and Kurt Busch (1).
  • Larson leads all active drivers in poles at Sonoma with three (2017, 2018, 2019).
  • The youngest series Sonoma pole winner is Joey Logano (June 26, 2011 – 21 years, 1 month, 2 days).
  • Five different manufacturers in the NCS have won a pole at Sonoma.  Chevrolet leads with 16 poles, Ford seven, Pontiac three, Toyota three, and Dodge with two.

Sonoma Raceway Race Information:

  • 19 different NCS drivers have won at Sonoma and four are entered this weekend.  Martin Truex Jr. (3), Kyle Busch (2), Kevin Harvick (1), and Kurt Busch (1).
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon leads the series in wins at Sonoma with five victories.
  • Martin Truex Jr. leads all active drivers in wins at Sonoma in the NCS with three victories (2013, 2018, 2019).
  • Chase Elliott leads all active NCS drivers in road course wins with six victories (Watkins Glen, two; Charlotte ROVAL, two; Daytona RC, COTA).
  • The youngest series Sonoma winner is Kyle Busch (June 22, 2008 – 23 years, 1 month, 20 days).
  • Five of the 31 (16.13%) NCS races at Sonoma have been won from the pole, making it the most proficient starting position in the field.
  • Hendrick Motorsports leads the NCS in wins at Sonoma with six victories (Jeff Gordon with five and Jimmie Johnson with one).
  • Six different manufacturers have won in the NCS at Sonoma.  Chevrolet leads with 11 victories, Ford eight, Toyota five, Dodge three, Pontiac two, and Buick with one.
  • Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch lead all active NCS drivers in top 10s at Sonoma with 10 each.
  • Clint Bowyer leads all active NCS drivers in average finish at Sonoma with a 10.077. 
  • Martin Truex Jr. leads all active NCS drivers at Sonoma with 213 laps led in 15 starts.

Top 12 Sonoma Driver Ratings

  1. Kurt Busch – 105.2
  2. Martin Truex Jr. – 96.8
  3. Kevin Harvick – 94.5
  4. Kyle Busch – 93.7
  5. Chase Elliott – 89.4
  6. Ryan Newman – 85.7
  7. Denny Hamlin – 84.9
  8. Kyle Larson – 83.0
  9. Joey Logano – 82.7
  10. Brad Keselowski – 78.9
  11. Ryan Blaney – 77.7
  12. Daniel Suarez – 74.9

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2020 races (15 total) among active drivers at Sonoma Raceway.

NASCAR Xfinity Series returns to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course tomorrow afternoon for the B&L Transport 170

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Official Release
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ARCA Menards Series set to race for the 1500th time in the Dawn 150 this evening

LEXINGTON, Ohio (June 4, 2021) – Stock car racing returns for a doubleheader feature at the 2.258-mile, 13-turn Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course later today for the B&L Transport 170 race weekend. The ARCA Menards Series races at 6 p.m. ET tonight (June 4) in the Dawn 150, then the NASCAR Xfinity Series takes the green flag for the B&L Transport 170 just past 1 p.m. ET on Saturday (June 5).

The Toledo, Ohio-based ARCA Menards Series returns for the first time to Mid-Ohio since 1965. Tonight’s feature also marks the 1,500th race all-time for the series as an 18-car field is set to battle in its home state. Corey Heim leads the points championship by a close 10-point margin over Ty Gibbs with Thad Moffitt sitting third.

For the eighth time on early Saturday afternoon, the rising stars of the NASCAR Xfinity Series compete at Mid-Ohio in the B&L Transport 170 as NASCAR’s only national series stop in Ohio in 2021. After winning the event in August 2019, Team Penske’s Austin Cindric will look for a repeat victory as the 2020 reigning series champion and current season points leader.

“Winning my first race at Watkins (Glen) then Mid-Ohio, and then qualifying on pole the next week at Bristol, it was definitely a fun time for me and the number 22 team,” said Cindric reflecting on his August 2019 accomplishments and his win at Mid-Ohio. “We’ve obviously been able to accomplish a lot since then, so looking back and for a lack of a better term, I’m a much more accomplished driver since the last time I showed up at Mid-Ohio. It’s a fun race track, and it’s somewhere that I’ll run my first lap, and I’ll have a smile on my face and remember why I enjoy coming here so much.”

Additional race weekend highlights include a doubleheader for the high-flying SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks, taking on the asphalt, jumps and air during its thrilling Mid-Ohio return with two races on Saturday. The Yokohama Drivers Cup USA makes its first visit to Mid-Ohio in this all Porsche racing series with races both days. Six races in total will take the green flag across the two-day event.

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course offers an exceptional family value. Children 12 and under are admitted free to Mid-Ohio when accompanied by a ticketed adult. Free parking is available. General admission is $60 for the weekend. Tickets are $10 additional each when purchased at the gate. Tent and motorhome camping is available on site. To order tickets in advance, visit midohio.com or by calling 419-884-4000, Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.

About Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course:
A comprehensive motorsports facility in Lexington, Ohio, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course sits on 380 acres and features a permanent road-racing circuit with two primary race track configurations: 2.4-mile, 15-turn or 2.258-mile, 13-turn layout. Located 60 miles north of Columbus and 75 miles south of Cleveland near Mansfield, the natural terrain road course is commonly referred to as the “Most Competitive in the U.S.” and annually hosts a diversity of locally, regionally and nationally sanctioned race events for amateur, club and professional drivers and riders. It is also home to The Mid-Ohio School, featuring over 20 driving and riding courses, for teenagers to professional racers using Honda vehicles. Opened in 1962, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course has been owned and operated by Green Savoree Mid-Ohio, LLC since 2011, just the raceway’s third private ownership group in its history.

For more information, visit midohio.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page @MidOhioSportsCarCourse or follow updates on Twitter @Mid_Ohio and Instagram @officialmidohio.

RCR Event Preview – Sonoma Raceway + Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

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Richard Childress Racing at Sonoma Raceway… In 73 starts at the 10-turn stadium course, Richard Childress Racing owns a storied history with two wins (with Dale Earnhardt in 1995 and with Robby Gordon in 2003), one pole award (Earnhardt, 1995), 14 top-five and 26 top-10 finishes. The Welcome, N.C.,-based team has led 140 laps at Sonoma Raceway, completed 7,623 of the 7,670 laps contested (99.4 percent) and has recorded just one DNF since the NASCAR Cup Series made its debut at the track in 1989.

Richard Childress Racing at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course… In 23 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the 2.258-mile road course, Richard Childress Racing has accumulated nine top-five finishes, 12 top-10 finishes, one pole award, led 72 laps and averages a starting position of 10.8 and finishing position of 11.2. The Welcome, North Carolina, organization has completed 1,817 laps of the 1,827 (99.5 percent) that they have competed at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Catch the Action… The NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Mid-Ohio 170 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course will be televised live Saturday, June 5, beginning at 1 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

The NASCAR Cup Series’ Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway will be televised live Sunday, June 6, beginning at 4 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Sonoma Raceway… Austin Dillon has made six previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at Sonoma Raceway, earning his best finish of 16th at the 10-turn, 1.99-mile road course in 2018. In his most recent road course start, Dillon finished 12th at Circuit of the Americas on May 23rd.

About The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation… Since 1989, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) has maintained a singleness of purpose that has guided the organization to become the most respected and trusted sportsmen’s organization in the political arena. CSF’s mission is to work with Congress, governors, and state legislatures to protect and advance hunting, angling, recreational shooting and trapping. The unique and collective force of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC), the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus (GSC) and the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC), working closely with CSF, and with the support of major hunting, angling, recreational shooting and trapping organizations, serves as an unprecedented network of pro-sportsmen elected officials that advance the interests of America’s hunters and anglers.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
We’re in the midst of a heavy stretch of points-paying races on road courses in the NASCAR Cup Series. Do you find that particularly challenging?
“I think it’s definitely challenging. The Circuit of the Americas race kicked off the stretch and we were able to earn our career-best road course finish, so that gives us some confidence heading into Sonoma Raceway. We’ve worked really hard on preparing for these races. We’ve been solid all year long. The Daytona Road Course was a positive for me, as a road course racer. I got stage points in both stages and we were on our way to earning a top-10 finish. We just have to go out there, attack, be aggressive, and try to take the things that I’ve learned in the off-season and use them to my advantage. We’re going to try to get better at each and every road course that we go to. We know that there’s going to be some challenges ahead, but we’ll do the best with what we have.”

How do you prepare for Sonoma Raceway?
“A lot of simulator time. Get in the simulator and run a lot of laps. We’ve been finding some time to do that within the busy schedule. This winter we put in a lot of time on the road courses and getting ready for them. It’s a lot of fun. Road courses haven’t been a strong suit for us, but both the Daytona Road Course and COTA were good for us. At Daytona, we ran in the top-10 in the first two stages, and then barely missed finishing in the top-10. We got caught up in some other peoples’ mess there. Then we went to COTA and earned our best road course finish. There’s a lot of beating and banging at the end of those road courses. It seems like they’ve become rougher and rougher as we go. I’m looking forward to those challenges. I did put in a lot of work this off season.”

How do you feel like your team has done so far this year?
“We’ve been pretty consistent week in and week out. We’re just showing up and doing our job; keeping all four tires on the ground and working hard to make the car better throughout the race. Hopefully we will have a win soon, but for now we are just doing the best we can to be consistent and earn stage points. That’s what you have to do.”

Talk about the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation being on your car this weekend.
“I love the outdoors, and one thing my grandfather taught me growing up is the importance of conservation and protecting our natural resources so that future generations can enjoy the outdoors as much as I do. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation works hard to advance this mission, so it means a lot to be able to race with them at Sonoma Raceway this weekend.”

Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Childress Vineyards Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Sonoma Raceway… Tyler Reddick will be making his first start at Sonoma Raceway, his home track, during this weekend’s event. The northern California-native ran well at his first visit to Circuit of the Americas, another new road course for him, earlier this year and earned both his first NASCAR Cup Series career pole and a top-10 finish there. Reddick looks to continue that success with another strong performance during his debut on the California road course this week.

About Childress Vineyards… Childress Vineyards is a premier winery located at the southern gateway of the Yadkin Valley in Lexington, North Carolina. Owned by Richard Childress, NASCAR team owner and Hall of Fame member, Childress Vineyards has been producing award-winning wines with the expertise of Winemaker Mark Frizsolowski. Open daily for tours, tastings, and lunch in the Bistro. Information about Childress Vineyards can be found on Facebook at facebook.com/childresswines/, on Twitter at @ChildressWines and on Instagram at Instagram.com/childresswines.

TYLER REDDICK QUOTES:
RCR has continued to have strong runs across both Cup teams recently. Has anything in particular helped push the teams forward?
“It’s definitely a good direction we’re going in. The intensity and detail we are bringing to our debriefs and pre-race strategy remains the same. We are still all aggressively hungry to continue to push and be better. Between Austin and I, our crew chiefs and our alliance teams, we’re just all working really well together and paying a lot of attention to all the little details that make up the difference between spots on the track. The same mentality and drive is there that we had last year on the Cup side. We’re focused on continuing to improve, which is the name of the game. You don’t want to become content or complacent. We’ve had a great stretch of runs with the No. 8 team over the past month or so, but we haven’t changed our mentality at all. If anything, we’re continuing to turn up the intensity to find what we’re looking for.”

How are you preparing for Sonoma Raceway, knowing you’ve never raced there before?
“I’ve never seen or step foot on property at Sonoma Raceway, but I’m really excited about this weekend. Obviously, the road courses are something myself and my team have worked really hard on being better at. I feel like the things we made gains on as a team and the things I made gains on as a driver at COTA will help if we get into a tire management on a road course situation this weekend. I’ve also got a lot more sim time scheduled for this week, but we’ve been working on Sonoma for quite a while now. AJ Allmendinger has been a big help as well, coming over and sharing some of his knowledge with me on how to approach the course. He has really helped me on the road courses over the past few years and changed the way I approach them. I have zero laps of experience at Sonoma, so it’s going to be a learning process on Sunday for sure, but I’m ready for it with the No. 8 Childress Vineyards team.”

Myatt Snider and the No. 2 Louisiana Hot Sauce Chevrolet Camaro at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course… Myatt Snider’s first lap at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course will be when the green flag waves on Saturday afternoon, as the Charlotte, N.C. native has never competed at the 2.258-mile road course. Despite not having prior experience at Mid-Ohio, Snider does enter the weekend armed with a substantial amount of road course starts in the NASCAR Euro Series.

About Summit Hill Foods… Summit Hill Foods is a fourth-generation, family-owned food company headquartered in Rome, Georgia. Founded in 1941, the company’s core strength is the development and manufacture of ingredient systems used to deliver texture and superior flavor. Summit Hill Foods is an ingredient supplier to food service manufacturers and restaurants. The company also markets nationally distributed brands including Better Than Bouillon®, Louisiana Brand Hot Sauce™, Southeastern Mills®, Shore Lunch® and Better Than Gravy®. Southeastern Mills operates six manufacturing facilities located in Rome, Georgia; New Iberia, Louisiana; and Salt Lake City, Utah. To learn more, visit www.SHFoods.com.

MYATT SNIDER QUOTE:
Although you’ve never been to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course before, you have a good amount of road course experience. Will that help you this Saturday?
“I think so. Road course racing is something I personally enjoy and I did get quite a bit of experience doing it overseas when I competed in the Euro Series. I’m excited to get to Mid-Ohio this weekend and drive our Louisiana Hot Sauce Chevrolet to the front. Andy (Street, crew chief) and I have been working on the sim and watching video, so I feel like we are prepared and ready. The Richard Childress Racing Xfinity Series program has been consistent at Mid-Ohio in the past, so we are looking to do that again on Saturday.”

10 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing Entries Lead Three SRO America Class Championships Heading into Mid-Season Weekend of Competition at VIRginia International Raceway, June 4 – 6

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DANVILLE, Virginia – Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams lead three class championships and are in top-three contention in six other points battles heading into the mid-season SRO America Championships weekend at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR), June 4 – 6. A record-tying combined entry of five Mercedes-AMG GT3 and five Mercedes-AMG GT4 teams compete across three different SRO racing series this weekend on the 3.27-mile road course in Southern Virginia. The Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS, Pirelli GT4 America and GT America powered by AWS series each run doubleheader race schedules Saturday and Sunday in the third event weekend of the 2021 SRO America season.

The record Virginia entry matches the 10 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport customer competitors that entered last month’s SRO America weekend of competition at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Texas.

As it was at COTA, the Mercedes-AMG Motorsport customer lineup is evenly split between five Mercedes-AMG GT3 entries and five Mercedes-AMG GT4 teams.

Anchoring the GT3 ranks is the four-strong Mercedes-AMG GT3 entry from DXDT Racing, competing in both the top-tier Fanatec GT World Challenge and the new-for-2021 GT America series.

Third year DXDT driver George Kurtz is the current SRO3-class GT America Championship leader in the No. 04 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3. Kurtz swept the season-opening doubleheader at Sonoma Raceway in March and placed third in the weekend’s second race at COTA, building a five-point lead in the GT America SRO3 standings coming into VIR.

Kurtz also competes in the No. 04 Mercedes-AMG GT4 with long-time co-driver Colin Braun in the Pro-Am class of the Fanatec GT World Challenge America series.

The No. 04 duo is second in the Pro-Am championship standings, just seven points out of first place, after picking up a race win in each of the season-opening weekends of competition at Sonoma and COTA. Kurtz and Braun also co-drove to their first overall GT World Challenge victory last year at VIR.

Third in the current Pro-Am GT World Challenge points race is the No. 63 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 of David Askew and Ryan Dalziel. The No. 63 team and drivers look to build on a season-best showing of second place in Sonoma’s first GT World Challenge race with their first victory of the season this weekend at VIR.

A third DXDT Racing entry competes in GT World Challenge this year with the duo of Erin Vogel and Michael Cooper in the No. 19 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3. Vogel and Cooper finished fourth in Pro-Am in Sonoma’s second race and look for their first World Challenge podium showing together at VIR.

Completing DXDT’s GT3 lineup at VIR is team driver CJ Moses, making his second race start in a Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the GT America doubleheader.

The DXDT armada is also a factor in the team championships in both Fanatec GT World Challenge and GT America SRO3, merely one point out of first place in both team title battles.

The fifth Mercedes-AMG GT3 competing at VIR is the all-Pro No. 33 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, seeking its third-straight GT World Challenge podium result this weekend. Full-season driver Russell Ward partners with Mikael Grenier, making his first North American start with the team after competing with Ward and his regular GT World Challenge America co-driver Philip Ellis in GT World Challenge Europe competition.

The No. 72 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4, and team co-drivers Christian Szymczak and Kenny Murillo, lead two Pirelli GT4 America championships coming into VIR.

After two wins and a second-place finish in three of the year’s first four races, the No. 72 team and its driving duo lead the Pirelli GT4 Silver-class team and driver championship standings by four points.

Another Pirelli GT4 title contender is the No. 16 Capstone Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4 of co-drivers John Allen and Kris Wilson. The No. 16 team and drivers are currently third in the Pirelli GT4 Am-class standings after opening the season with three-straight second-place finishes.

RENNtech Motorsports completes the Mercedes-AMG GT4 entries at VIR with an expanded team for the second-straight race.

Following their co-driving debut at Sonoma, Ross Chouest and Aaron Povoledo had a breakout weekend of Pirelli GT4 and GT America competition at COTA in the No. 89 RENNtech Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4.

Chouest won the GT4 class in Saturday’s first 40-minute GT America race at COTA in the No. 89 in only his second weekend of SRO America Championships competition.

Chouest backed the win up with a second place GT4 finish in Sunday’s GT America final round at COTA and also joined his coach and co-driver Povoledo for a pair of third-place Pro-Am finishes in the No. 89 on Saturday and Sunday in the 60-minute Pirelli GT4 races.

Debuting RENNtech and SRO driver Chris Cagnazzi joined Chouest in GT America victory lane Saturday at COTA after a third place GT4 class finish in his No. 39 RENNtech Mercedes-AMG GT3. Cagnazzi competes in GT America again this weekend at VIR, in addition to Pirelli GT Pro-Am competition with coach and co-driver Guy Cosmo.

RENNtech now expands to a three-car program at VIR with returning series driver Chris Gumprecht bringing his C.G. Racing program under the RENNtech tent. Gumprecht focuses on the single-driver GT America doubleheader in his No. 79 C.G. Racing/RENNtech Mercedes-AMG GT4.

Following a full day of practice Friday and qualifying for all series Saturday morning, the weekend’s schedule of six races begins Saturday afternoon at COTA.

Pirelli GT4 America’s first 60-minute sprint kicks the racing off Saturday at 11:30 a.m. EDT. The first 90-minute Fanatec World Challenge race of the weekend follows with a 1:15 p.m. EDT race start while the opening 40-minute GT America sprint race closes out the first day of racing action with a 4:50 p.m. EDT green flag.

Sunday’s schedule begins with the GT America finale at 9:10 a.m. EDT. The final Pirelli GT4 America follows at 11:10 a.m. EDT before the GT World Challenge series closes out its weekend with a 1:45 p.m. EDT start for its second 90-minute race.

Sunday’s GT World Challenge America race will be featured in live coverage on the CBS Sports Network (CBSSN) beginning at 1:30 p.m. EDT.

Saturday morning qualifying and all six weekend races livestream free worldwide on the SRO GT World YouTube channel.

The weekend schedule, live timing and scoring, as well as session reports and one-stop video viewing for GT World Challenge, are available at gt-world-challenge-america.com.

David Askew, Driver – No. 63 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “I’m so happy to get back to VIR. I just love the place. It’s literally the ‘greenest’ track on the planet. Since we’ve moved the DXDT Racing shop to North Carolina, and being 2.5 hours away, it’s kind of become ‘our’ home track. We’ve tested a bunch, including just a few weeks ago, and the Mercedes-AMG GT3 is usually pretty strong at VIR. What I’m most looking forward to is the return of fans in the paddock! They really add a lot to the experience, and it’s been weird without them.”

Ryan Dalziel, Driver – No. 63 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “The circuit at VIR is one of my favorite tracks. It’s a favorable layout for the Mercedes- AMG GT3, so we are looking forward to a good race for the No. 63 car. We have had an up-and-down season so far, so we really need to get our championship back on track and have a good, solid and trouble-free weekend. We had a great test here last month and David ran his fastest laps ever at VIR, so I feel good about our weekend in advance.”

Colin Braun, Driver – No. 04 DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “Last year’s win with George at VIR really set us on a course where we feel like we can win every time out. It’s amazing to look back at the last year to see how we all have continued to progress. Everyone on this program takes every opportunity to learn. It’s a team effort that continues to pay off with race victories. It shows how the work and effort we put into our racing pays off. We are finding our stride as a team. They all have a focus and determination that is unmatched. George has also done an amazing job this year. It’s been fun to see him improve over the years, and I think he’s really coming into his own on the track. The DXDT team has done an outstanding job preparing our Mercedes-AMG GT3 this year. The Mercedes-AMG has been an outstanding platform for us to work with, very confidence inspiring and straightforward to drive. This consistency is key. Those things combined have certainly led to our success so far in 2021.”

Mikael Grenier, Driver – No. 33 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “I am happy to race with Russell Ward and Winward this weekend at VIR. I am also racing in a Mercedes-AMG GT3 with them in Europe, driving with Russell and Philip Ellis in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup. But this weekend will be the first time racing with them in North America for me with their crew from the U.S. We will give our maximum to bring some points home for the team and VIR should suit our Mercedes-AMG GT3. We will give our maximum to bring some points home for the team GT world Europe Endurance with Russel and Philip Ellis in GT3.”

Kenny Murillo, Driver – No. 72 Murillo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “My general thoughts about VIR is that it is definitely a top-three track for me, and I think it probably is for everybody. It’s a beautiful facility, a well-kept track, and I look forward to going there every year. We always feel every time we come to VIR with the Mercedes-AMG GT4 that the car is basically built for this track. It’s so strong there, so our expectations are pretty high for the weekend. We have a good car and now it’s just up to the drivers and the team to work hard all weekend and between the two races. This is really my first time in a full-season effort. I have previously been a substitute for one-off races. So, this is new to me, but I still have the same mindset that if we do our best every weekend in the end we are going to get rewarded for it with the championship points.”

Aaron Povoledo, Driver – No. 89 RENNtech Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4: “Coming back to VIR is amazing in this Mercedes-AMG GT4. This is a very special track for me because VIR it was the first ever track in America that I ever drove on or raced on, back in 2005. In the last race at COTA, the Mercedes-AMG GT4 was hands down one of the best weapons I have ever had to fight and battle in. It’s an all-around great race car. Just hoping the handling and raceability we had at COTA with the car translates to Virginia has me happier than a hog down in the old Hog Pen section at VIR! I am just really excited to drive the Mercedes-AMG GT4 at VIR.”

General Motors Breaks Ground on Charlotte Technical Center

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New 130,000-square-foot facility to open in early 2022

CONCORD, N.C. – General Motors broke ground today on the new Charlotte Technical Center, a 130,000-square-foot facility that will expand GM’s performance and racing capabilities. Additionally, the center will accelerate strategic knowledge transfer between motorsports and production vehicle development.

Representatives of Chip Ganassi Racing, Richard Childress Racing and Hendrick Motorsports joined GM for the groundbreaking at the complex in Concord. The site was selected for its proximity to partner racing teams and major technical suppliers. The new technical center will support racing efforts across all series in which GM competes.

The facility is a $45 million investment for GM and is scheduled to open in early 2022.

“After more than a year of unprecedented challenges for everyone, we reevaluated our plans and found we could expand the footprint and scope for the Charlotte Technical Center to make it an even greater resource,” said Jim Campbell, GM U.S. vice president of Performance and Motorsports. “This new location and larger facility is a clean-sheet design, tailored for technology development and collaboration with our racing teams and technical partners.”

Construction has begun on the new facility. A previously announced site was repurposed by GM Defense for production of the new Infantry Squad Vehicle, a light and agile troop carrier developed for the U.S. Army.

The center’s location, in the heart of one of the nation’s racing hubs and near colleges and universities, will provide more opportunities for GM to recruit top talent in the fields of software engineering, computational science, electrical engineering and other technical skill sets.

“The new Charlotte Technical Center will expand GM’s engineering footprint in the epicenter of racing in the United States, and will improve our engineering speed and capability in both the racing and production environments,” said Jim Danahy, GM vice president of Global Safety, Systems and Integration. “It will be a strong hub for the racing and production engineering teams to collaborate, share resources and learn together, delivering better results more quickly both on the racetrack and in our production vehicles.”

Development technologies often make their way from the racing world to production vehicles. A combination of virtual simulation and physical testing is used to meet the quick development time frames for motorsports teams. The testing methods used in racing, along with frequent competition, provide valuable training experiences for GM production vehicle engineers.

The new technical center will feature advanced virtual tools, including three state-of-the-art Driver-in-the-Loop simulators, aero development and other software-enabled vehicle modeling technology that will enable faster analysis and iteration. The facility will expand GM’s capacity to process, analyze and leverage vast amounts of data, allowing its racing and engineering teams to optimize designs earlier in the development process while simultaneously delivering greater first-time quality.
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is a global company focused on advancing an all-electric future that is inclusive and accessible to all. At the heart of this strategy is the Ultium battery platform, which powers everything from mass-market to high-performance vehicles. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, can be found at .

Team Chevy NASCAR Cup Series Owner Quotes:

Richard Childress, Owner, Richard Childress Racing:
“Chevrolet is taking a big step in creating a best-in-class technical center to further increase resources and collaboration. Having a central hub for vehicle simulation, aero development and engineering support in the heart of NASCAR is going to make us even stronger. It’s so important to stay on top of technology and Chevrolet is making a key statement on their commitment to performance with this groundbreaking today.”

Chip Ganassi, Owner, Chip Ganassi Racing:
“The new technical center that GM is building shows a real commitment to their racing programs and partner teams in particular. All the new technology, tools and equipment will allow us to collaborate more effectively and efficiently across all three series that we partner with them on – NASCAR, IMSA and Extreme E.”

Rick Hendrick, Owner, Hendrick Motorsports:
“Hendrick Motorsports has raced with Chevrolet since we opened the doors in 1984,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “I’ve never seen them more committed to our sport and to the performance of their partner teams than they are today. The investment General Motors is making right here in the Charlotte area sends a clear message about the importance of auto racing to their brand and their passion for competing and winning at the highest levels. We share Chevrolet’s commitment and take immense pride in partnering with them on and off the racetrack.”

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