Denny Hamlin
11 FedEx Express Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing

Race Info:
Race: Toyota Save Mart 350
Date/Time: Sunday, June 6/4:00 p.m. ET
Distance: 90 laps/226.8 miles
Track Length: 2.52 miles
Track Shape: Road Course
2020 Winner: N/A

Express Notes:

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

Charlotte Recap: Hamlin started the race in 14th and quickly learned the handling of the FedEx Freight Toyota was going to be challenging for the NASCAR Cup Series’ longest race of the season. The car responded differently depending on what line Hamlin ran and whether he was in traffic, and the day-into-night track conditions affected the handling, too. The #11 team was able to lead three laps in Stage 2, but the car wasn’t strong enough to maintain a spot up front. With track position difficult to come by, the team was able to use pit strategy and fast pit stops to move up the leaderboard at various points of the race. But it wasn’t enough to get close to Kyle Larson, who led 327 of the 400 laps and scored the victory.

Sonoma Preview: The NASCAR Cup Series returns to the road course of Sonoma Raceway after a year off (due to COVID) on Sunday, June 6. With 12 turns and 160 feet of a total elevation change on the track, Sonoma will be the third test of the FedEx team’s road racing program this season. Hamlin seeks his first career victory at Sonoma and first of the 2021 season.

Hamlin Statistics:
Track: Sonoma Raceway
Races: 14
Wins: 0
Top-5: 4
Top-10: 6
Laps Led: 100
Avg. Start: 17.1
Avg. Finish: 17.7

Hamlin Conversation – Sonoma:

Your team has faced adversity, especially these past few races. How does your team remain confident week in and week out?

“We have a talented squad and some things just haven’t gone our way. Looking at Charlotte, our FedEx Camry wasn’t quite handling the way we needed it to that night. But considering the challenges our team has faced, we have still remained the points leader and are continuing to learn from each race.”

How are you preparing for the road course and elevation changes at Sonoma?

“Road courses are never easy and always tough no matter where you race. But JGR has a strong road course program, and I will be preparing myself to handle the conditions so I can give our team the best chance to win.”

FedEx Express Along for the Ride at Sonoma: Amid increased safety and security risks stemming from civil unrest, dedicated team members in the Minneapolis, Minn., market spent months navigating emotional crowds, street closures and other obstacles while on the road providing service to FedEx customers. Safety and security are top priorities at FedEx Express. That is why they are pleased to recognize the extraordinary efforts of the Minneapolis employees at MSPR, AELA, BRDA, DLHA, EAUA, FBLA, JDTA, MICA, and STCA with the letters MSP on the B-post of the Toyota #11 at the Sonoma Raceway Toyota/Save Mart 350.

FedEx Office – Closest to Sonoma Raceway: 901 E Washington St, Petaluma, CA 94952, (707) 763-6553

MOORESVILLE, NC – June 2, 2021 – Roush Yates Engines and L.S. Starrett Co. are pleased to announce an extension of their partnership agreement.

Since 2017 Roush Yates Engines and Starrett, located in Athol, Massachusetts, have teamed up to make one of the most successful metrology partnerships. For over 140 years, Starrett has been an industry leader in metrology tools and equipment. Starrett measuring and inspection devices are vital elements in our ability to deliver championship level products to our customers.

“Starrett’s brand is iconic and known world-wide. Their support to our race programs has provided competitive advantages to win races,” said Todd English, VP Strategic Partnerships and Marketing, Roush Yates Engines. “We rely on their employee’s workmanship in their manufacturing facilities in Athol and across the globe. We look forward to expanding our valued partnership and leveraging Starrett’s metrology hand tools, force measurement, vision measurement systems, and DataSure 4.0 to acquire metrology data.”

Starrett’s craftmanship and standard of quality is world-class, their accuracy and product performance exceed international standards. It is essential to have a partner that performs to this level of excellence when machining products for the motorsports, aerospace, defense, and industrial markets, where precision is critical.

We utilize a wide array of Starrett metrology equipment from hand gages and micrometers to top of the line Vision machines (AV450, HDV 400, AVR 300). In addition, force and material testers, are critical pieces of equipment for the development and analysis of automotive and motorsports components, giving us crucial information for making time sensitive decisions.

For collecting and recording precision data measurements, the DataSure® 4.0 system has been a recent addition to our metrology toolbox. This is the industry’s latest data acquisition solution from Starrett. Measurements are directly recorded into our quality database system. This wireless based system helps to streamline our data collection and eliminate multiple step processes.

“Starrett has been a partner like no other,” commented Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “We rely on their accuracy in both of our facilities. Whether it’s a part going to the track in a FR9 engine or components for the aerospace or defense markets, it’s a necessity to have the best equipment in the metrology business.”

“Starrett is glad to work with a high demanding customer such as Roush Yates Engines, as they use precision with everything they do,” said Emerson Leme, Vice President Industrial Products North America of Starrett. “Starrett has been a long-standing premier supplier to Roush Yates Engines for many years and extending this partnership is a win for all of us.”

With a shared passion to deliver the best products to our customers, it is our honor to partner with Starrett and their experienced team to continue to build on our strong partnership we have built over the last four years.

About L.S. Starrett Co. (NYSE: SCX):
The L.S. Starrett Co. was founded in 1880, in Athol, Massachusetts. Starrett, a leader who has set the standard for fine precision tools in the industry for over 140 years, has rightfully earned the title, “World’s Greatest Toolmakers”.

Manufacturing more than 5,000 variations of precision tools, gages, measuring instruments and saw blades for industrial, professional and consumer markets worldwide. Starrett operates manufacturing locations and sales offices worldwide. For more information about L.S. Starrett visit Starrett.com

About Roush Yates Engines:
Roush Yates Engines is a leading-edge engine development company based in Mooresville, NC consisting of two state-of-the-art facilities – Roush Yates Engines and Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions, a world class ISO 9001 / AS9100 certified CNC manufacturing facility. The company’s core business includes designing, machining, building, and testing purpose-built race engines.

Ford Performance in partnership with Roush Yates Engines is the exclusive engine builder for the NASCAR FR9 Ford V8 engine and Ford Mustang 5.2L V8 engine, used in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series.

With an unparalleled culture of winning and steeped in rich racing history, Roush Yates Engines continues to follow the company’s vision to lead performance engine innovation and staying true to the company’s mission, provide race winning engines through demonstrated power and performance. To learn more, go to: RoushYates.com

Team: No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Luke Lambert
Twitter: @17RoushTeam, @RoushFenway and @Chris_Buescher
Race Format: 226.8 miles, 90 laps, Stage Lengths: 20-20-50
Save Mart 350 – Sunday, June 6 at 4 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Buescher at Sonoma Raceway

• Buescher makes his fifth Cup start at Sonoma on Sunday. He has an average finish of 19.3 in four prior starts, including a best finish of 12th in the 2018 race.
• Most recently he ran 16th in 2019 after starting 10th. This will be Buescher’s first race at Sonoma with the No. 17 team after COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the event last season.
• So far in road course races in 2021, Buescher has finishes of 11th (Daytona Road Course) and 13th (COTA).

Luke Lambert at Sonoma Raceway

• Lambert will call the shots for his seventh Cup race at Sonoma this weekend, where he carries a 17.3 average finish.
• Lambert’s best run came back in 2016 when he and Ryan Newman ran eighth. The two also finished 11th the year prior, and most recently Lambert led Daniel Hemric to a 15th-place finish in 2019.

QUOTE WORTHY
Buescher on racing at Sonoma:
“It’s been a while since we’ve been out west to Sonoma, but we feel good about our chances given our focus and success on road courses as of late. It’s another chance for us to make up a lot of ground in the points standings, and the later we go into the summer obviously the more important that conversation becomes. We’re looking forward to another good day in the Fastenal Ford, and can’t wait to turn left and right again this weekend.”

Last Time Out
Buescher continued his momentum in NASCAR’s longest race of the season this past weekend at the Coke 600, securing his third-straight top-10 in the event. He finished eighth in the Fifth Third Ford and picked up stage points along the way, aiding his playoff push.

Where They Rank
Buescher is 14th in points through 15 races, and in a tight battle for the 13th spot as just six points separate he and the No. 8, while a 20-point gap separates Buescher from 15th.

On the Car
Fastenal is in its 11th season with Roush Fenway, having first joined the fold in 2010 as the primary partner on the No. 60 NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team and driver Carl Edwards. That team went on to win the owners championship with Edwards in 2011. Fastenal later served as a primary on Buescher’s No. 60 Ford that captured the NXS Championship in 2015.

Fastenal will feature top suppliers KCP, MCR, Weiler and Brennan Industries on Buescher’s Mustang as he competes this weekend. For more information on these suppliers, visit Fastenal.com, and stay up-do-date on social @FastenalRacing, @Fastenal.

About Fastenal
Fastenal helps its business partners strengthen their supply chains, remove unnecessary costs, and focus more resources on what they do best. The company’s distribution system centers on 3,200+ in-market locations, each providing tailored inventory, flexible service, and custom solutions to support the unique local needs of our customers. This customer-centric service network is supported by 15 regional distribution centers, a captive logistics fleet, multiple teams of industry specialists, a suite of e-business and automated supply technology solutions, and robust sourcing, quality, and manufacturing structures – all focused on helping customers reduce costs, capture time, and achieve their business goals.

Team: No. 6 Guaranteed Rate Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Twitter: @Roush6Team, @RoushFenway and @RyanJNewman
Race Format: 226.8 miles, 90 laps, Stage Lengths: 20-20-50
Save Mart 350 – Sunday, June 6 at 4 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Newman at Sonoma Raceway

• Newman will make his 19th start at Sonoma on Sunday, a track where he has an impressive average finish of 12.8, his best among road courses and second-best mark across all active tracks.
• Newman has eight top-10s and two top fives at Sonoma all-time, including three top-10s in the last five events at the 12-turn road course. Newman’s best finish came in the 2006 race when he placed second to Jeff Gordon.
• Newman most recently finished seventh in 2019 as the NASCAR Cup Series did not visit wine country in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Newman has an average starting position of 13.6 with seven starts inside the top-10, the best of which came in 2006 where he lined up fourth.

Scott Graves at Sonoma Raceway

· Graves will be on the box for his fifth Cup start at Sonoma. In four prior races, he has a 16.3 average result, with a best finish of seventh with Newman in 2019.

· Two of his other three races came with Daniel Suarez in 2017-18 with a best finish of 15th, and his first Cup race at Sonoma came in 2013 with Ricky Stenhouse Jr., in the No. 17 for Jack Roush.

QUOTE WORTHY
Newman on racing at Sonoma:
“Obviously road course racing is a key focus within our series this year, and something we’ve been hard at work on. Last time we ran Sonoma we put together a pretty good day, I remember it was really hot but we fought through it and came away with a top-10. Strategy and attrition will come into play Sunday for sure, and we’ll give it our best shot in the Guaranteed Rate Ford.”

Last Time Out
Newman was in good position for a solid run in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600, sitting inside the top-15 for a majority of the first 200 laps, before a cut tire with just over 100 to go spoiled his night, relegating him to a 27th-place finish.

Where They Rank
Newman is 20th in points through 15 events.

On the Car

Guaranteed Rate returns to Newman’s machine for its fifth points race of 2021.

About Guaranteed Rate

The Guaranteed Rate Companies, which includes Guaranteed Rate, Inc., Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC, and Proper Rate, LLC, has more than 9,000 employees in over 750 offices across the United States. Headquartered in Chicago, Guaranteed Rate Companies is one of the largest retail mortgage lenders in the United States, funding over $73 billion in 2020. Founded in 2000 and located in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., Guaranteed Rate Companies has helped homeowners nationwide with home purchase loans and refinances. The company has established itself as an industry leader by introducing innovative technology, offering low rates and delivering unparalleled customer service. 2017 marked the launch of Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC, a mortgage origination joint venture between Guaranteed Rate, Inc. and Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY), a global leader in residential real estate franchising and brokerage. In 2020, the company launched Proper Rate, LLC, a mortgage origination joint venture between Guaranteed Rate, Inc. and @properties, one of the nation’s largest residential brokerage firms. Collectively, the Guaranteed Rate Companies have earned honors and awards including: Top Lender for Online Service for 2018 by U.S. News & World Report; Best Mortgage Lender for Online Loans and Best Mortgage Lender for Refinancing by NerdWallet for 2021; HousingWire’s 2020 Tech100 award for the company’s industry-leading FlashCloseSM technology; No. 3 ranking in Scotsman Guide’s Top Retail Mortgage Lenders 2019; Chicago Agent Magazine’s Lender of the Year for five consecutive years; Chicago Tribune’s Top Workplaces list for seven consecutive years. Visit rate.com for more information.

CONCORD, N.C. (June 1, 2021) – Spire Motorsports announced today that NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Championship contender Ben Rhodes will make his NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) debut driving the team’s No. 77 Kaeding Performance Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE in Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway.

Rhodes, a 24-year-old Louisville, Ky., native, kicked off the 2021 season for ThorSport Racing by winning the NCWTS season-opener at Daytona International Speedway. He went back-to-back a week later by capturing the checkered flag in Round 2 at the iconic venue’s 3.61-mile infield road course.

Rhodes is currently second in NCWTS points on the strength of three poles, two wins, five top-five and nine top-10 finishes. Most recently, he finished third at Charlotte Motor Speedway where he locked down his fifth top three of the 2021 season. Over the first 10 races, Rhodes has earned an impressive 6.3 average start, a 6.2 average finish, led 66 laps and completed all but one of the 1,278 laps contested.

“You only get to make your first Cup start once and to do it with Spire Motorsports is pretty special,” said Rhodes. “I have a fun and long history with the Spire family but we haven’t worked together in a few years so it’s nice to come full circle. It’s daunting to make my first Cup start at a road course that I have no experience at, but I’m confident the team will have the car comfortable and fast. This is pretty exciting for me, and Sonoma can’t get here quick enough.”

Rhodes raced his way to NASCAR’s upper echelons from the Go Kart, Bandolero, and Legends Car ranks. He added an exclamation point to his young career when at just 17-years-old, he earned 2014 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE) Championship honors while simultaneously being named the series’ Rookie of the Year and Most Popular Driver.

Meanwhile, Kaeding Performance joins Spire Motorsports as the primary sponsor of the team’s No. 77 entry for the NCS’ annual visit to northern California.

The Kaeding family has rich history in both racing and business and combined the two disciplines in the early 1960s to forge a successful high-performance business in Campbell, Calif.

Founded by brothers Howard and Herb Kaeding, what began as a wheel-widening and repair business evolved into a specialized Sprint Car performance center. Today, the Kaeding family is represented by three generations of champions including Howard, Brent, Tim and Bud.

Kaeding Performance relies on championship-caliber racing experience to provide its customers the latest in sprint car technology, set-up advice and unwavering confidence in the parts it sells.

Thursday night, Howard Kaeding will be enshrined in the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame as part of the 2020 Heritage Inductee Class at the Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa, Calif.

The elder Kaeding is a three-time NASCAR State of California and San Jose (Calif.) Speedway supermodified champion. The Golden State racing legend once won 17 main events in a row – all while starting last. Kaeding is a pioneering speed shop operator and patriarch to a three-generation racing family that includes son Brent (“The California King”), a 13-time Northern Auto Racing Club (NARC) champion and World of Outlaws winner.

“Ben Rhodes has long been a part of the Spire family and we’re thrilled to have him make his NASCAR Cup Series debut in Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Chevrolet,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner T.J. Puchyr. “Ben is a great kid and comes from a great family. Justin Haley will be focusing on his NASCAR Xfinity championship aspirations at Mid-Ohio so this was a great opportunity for Ben to slide in the seat. He’s a tremendous road racer and has earned this opportunity. We think a ton of Ben and we’re eager to see how he does at Sonoma.

“We’re also honored to have Kaeding Performance as our primary sponsor this weekend. The Kaeding family has such proud motorsports pedigree and to be able to pay some homage to the family and to Mr. Kaeding the week he’s inducted into the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame is a privilege for our entire organization.”

Following post-race inspection last weekend in Charlotte, the No. 77 was found to have two loose lug nuts, and per the NASCAR rule book, crew chief Kevin Bellicourt will be sidelined for this weekend’s event. Veteran NASCAR top kick and former Spire Motorsports’ crew chief Peter Sospenzo will fill in at Sonoma Raceway in Bellicourt’s absence. Sospenzo was on the call when Spire Motorsports earned the victory when Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019.

The Toyota/Save Mart 350 from Sonoma Raceway will be televised live on FS1 Sunday, June 6 beginning at 4 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 16th of 36 races on the 2021 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

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About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports was established in 2018 and is co-owned by longtime NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. Spire Motorsports earned an upset victory for the ages in its first full season when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019.