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AM Racing | Harrison Burton Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez Xfinity Race Preview

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Official Release
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AM Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez | The Chilango 150

Fast Facts

No. 25 AM Racing Team:
Driver: Harrison Burton
Primary Partner(s): AirBox
Manufacturer: Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Danny Efland
Spotter: Kevin Hamlin
Chassis Intel: AMR Chassis No. 1058
Engine: Roush-Yates Engines
2025 Driver Points Position: 12th | 2025 Owner Points Position: 14th

Notes of Interest:

● Junior Journey: AM Racing will embark on its junior year journey in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025 with driver Harrison Burton for the entire 33-race tour, continuing with Saturday afternoon’s running of the Chilango 150 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

● Future Focused: In September 2024, AM Racing announced that NASCAR Cup Series winner Harrison Burton would join the family-owned operation to pilot the team’s No. 25 Ford Mustang, beginning with the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season-opener from Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on February 15, 2025.

Burton, a native of Huntersville, N.C., has been a staple in the NASCAR Cup Series for the past three seasons but will embrace a return to the NASCAR Xfinity Series and continue his relationship as a driver of the Ford blue oval.

Burton, 24, arrives on the scene at AM Racing after a 108-race stint driving for the historic Wood Brothers Racing team.

● Welcome Back, AirBox!: Long-time AM Racing partner AirBox will increase its partnership with Harrison Burton and AM Racing and serve as the team’s primary partner for the series’ return to Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in 17 years (2008).

Founded in 2017, AirBox, the industry leader in commercial indoor air quality (IAQ) solutions, is delivering healthier indoor environments through advanced air purification. AirBox specializes in implementing ASHRAE’s performance-based ventilation (IAQP), enabling clients to achieve significant energy savings while meeting high standards for occupant health and wellness.

Their High-Volume Air Purifiers (HVPs), manufactured in North Carolina, combine Certified HEPA and Advanced Molecular Adsorbent technologies with IAQ Verification Testing and expert engineering and analytical science support to provide a turnkey approach.

With a proven track record and unmatched expertise, AirBox continues to lead the way in creating safer, healthier indoor environments for all.

● Game On: The Ford Driving for a Difference presented by the Gene Haas Foundation is a five-week competition among the five full-time Ford teams competing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Teams from AM Racing, the Haas Factory Team, and RSS Racing will go head-to-head for the highest cumulative finishing position across a stretch of select races.

The team with the most points at the end of the challenge will earn a generous donation to their designated charity courtesy of the Gene Haas Foundation. In contrast, all participating teams will receive a contribution in recognition of their efforts.

AM Racing has selected All Within My Hands, the charitable foundation founded by the legendary rock band Metallica, as its charity of choice.

The program not only fuels on-track competition but also drives meaningful impact off the track through charitable giving.

The initiative launched at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 24, 2025, and continued at Nashville Superspeedway on May 31. Two races remain — this weekend’s road course event and next weekend’s finale at “The Tricky Triangle,” Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania.

● Critical Summer Stretch: The second road course of the season — and one with international flair — Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez kicks off a pivotal nine-week stretch that will help shape the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff picture ahead of the postseason opener at Bristol Motor Speedway in September.

The series will visit a wide variety of tracks over the coming weeks, offering a mix of challenges and styles. The stretch includes the 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway, a return trip to the hybrid superspeedway of EchoPark Speedway, the Chicago Street Course and another road course at Sonoma Raceway in Northern California.

From there, teams will take on the high-banked concrete of Dover Motor Speedway, then head to the iconic yard of bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, followed by Iowa Speedway, before wrapping up the stretch on August 9 at Watkins Glen International — a renowned road course in the Finger Lakes region of New York.

● Harrison Burton NASCAR Xfinity Series Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Chilango 150 will mark Burton’s inaugural NASCAR Xfinity Series start at the road course nestled in Mexico City, Mexico.

The 2025 Xfinity race will utilize a modified 14-turn, 2.429-mile layout of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, tailored for stock car racing.

This return marks a significant milestone for NASCAR’s international expansion and rekindles a historic connection with Mexican motorsports fans.

Through 14 races, the NASCAR Xfinity Series has visited only one road course — Circuit of the Americas in February. After starting 31st, Burton raced his way into contention for a top-10 finish and won a stage, but a late-race axle failure dashed those hopes, relegating the team to a disappointing 35th-place result.

● Harrison Burton NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: Entering Mexico, Burton has 89 career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts to his credit with four wins, 27 top-five and 55 top-10 finishes, and a championship-best result of eighth, twice in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

Burton’s four wins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series occurred during the 2020 season. Burton, the son of former NASCAR driver and current television analyst Jeff Burton, captured the checkered flag at Auto Club (Calif.) Speedway, Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, respectively.

Burton maintains a solid Xfinity Series average finishing position of 12.4 in four years of competition.

In addition to the 89 Xfinity Series starts, he has achieved 109 NASCAR Cup Series starts, 40 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts and 52 career starts across the ARCA Menards Series platforms.

● Nashville Superspeedway | Tennessee Lottery 250 Race Recap: The NASCAR Xfinity Series returned to the 1.33-mile concrete oval of Nashville Superspeedway, nestled just outside of Music City.

After a challenging practice session, Harrison Burton rebounded in qualifying to secure his eighth top-20 starting spot of the 2025 season.

Once the green flag dropped, Burton fought an ill-handling No. 25 DEX Imaging Ford Mustang. Steady adjustments from crew chief Danny Efland kept him in the conversation for a potential top-10 run until a restart incident caused significant rear-end damage to the car.

Following swift repairs on pit road, Burton restarted 36th with 50 laps to go.

Despite the mangled sheet metal, his No. 25 DEX Imaging Ford Mustang came to life in the closing laps, charging through the field and rallying to an impressive 12th-place finish by the time the checkered flag flew.

The effort resulted in the team’s ninth top-15 finish of the year.

● Thanks For Your Support: With 42 percent of the 2025 Xfinity season complete, AM Racing and Harrison Burton would like to thank their partners for their continued support: AIRBOX Air Purifier, Blue Wolf Cleaner & Degreasers, Dead On Tools, DEX Imaging, Eagle Rentals, Flying Circle, Mechanix Wear, Morton Buildings, Racing Radios, Volt Batteries and WIX Filters.

● From the Pit Box: Veteran race engineer and former NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Danny Efland is Harrison Burton’s crew chief.

He will be the crew chief for his 19th career NASCAR Xfinity Series race, his first at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, on Saturday afternoon.

In his previous 18 Xfinity Series starts, he has collected one pole (Daytona International Speedway | February 2016), two top-five and seven top-10 finishes.

● Follow on Social Media: For more on AM Racing, please visit AMRacingteam.com, like their Facebook page (AM Racing), or follow them on Instagram and X | Twitter @AMRacingNASCAR.

For more on Harrison Burton, please visit theharrisonburton.com, like his Facebook page (Official Harrison Burton), or follow him on Instagram (@harrisonburton12) and X | Twitter (@hburtonracing).

Harrison Burton Quoteboard:

On Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez: “I’m really looking forward to racing at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez for the first time. It’s such a unique and historic track, and just watching past races there, you can tell how challenging it is, especially with the elevation and the technical layout.

“I know it’s going to be a big learning experience, but I’m excited to take it all in and make the most of the opportunity with our team this weekend.”

On Keys to Success at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez: “To be successful this weekend, it’s going to take a lot of discipline and adaptability. This place throws a little bit of everything at you — tight corners, fast straights, and the altitude on top of it all.

“You’ve got to be precise but also aggressive when it counts. For me, it’s about learning quickly, staying calm under pressure, and making sure we execute when it matters most.

“I definitely think strategy will come into play as well, so as a team, we have to be ready for that too.”

On Potentially Racing in the Rain at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez: “Racing in the rain adds another layer of challenge, especially at a place like Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, where there’s already so much to manage.

“Visibility, braking points, tire wear — it all changes.

“I’ve had some experience in the wet, and while it’s tough, it can also create opportunities if you stay focused and make smart decisions. If the rain comes, we’ll embrace it as best we can and do everything possible to adapt and capitalize.”

On Nashville Superspeedway Finish: “We definitely had to fight for that one. The balance just wasn’t where we needed it early on, but Danny and the guys made great adjustments to keep us in the mix.

“Getting caught up in that restart wreck was tough — I thought our night might be over.

“But the crew did an awesome job getting the car patched up, and honestly, it drove the best it had all race after that.

“To come back from 36th to 12th says a lot about the heart this team has. It’s not the finish we wanted, but it’s something we can definitely build on.”

On 2025 Season Outlook: “I truly believe we can turn some heads in 2025. The goals we’ve set for ourselves aren’t just realistic—they’re within reach, and I know this AM Racing team has what it takes to execute and get into the Playoffs.”

“We’ve got a great group of people and partners who are fully behind what we’re building this season. Nothing would mean more to me than delivering AM Racing its first Xfinity Series win, locking into the Playoffs, and making a run at the championship.”

“It’s shaping up to be a really fun and exciting year.”

Race Information:

The Chilango 150 (65 laps | 157.3 miles) is the 15th of thirty-three (33) NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2025 schedule. The first of two Xfinity Series practice sessions will take place on Friday, June 13, 2025, from 12:05 p.m. to 12:55 p.m., with a final 25-minute practice scheduled from 1:30 p.m. to 1:55 p.m. Qualifying will follow on Saturday, June 14, 2025, launching at 8:30 a.m. The 40-car field will take the green flag shortly after 2:30 p.m., with live coverage on The CW Network, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (CT).

About AM Racing:

AM Racing is a multi-tiered, multi-faceted Motorsports program headquartered in Statesville, N.C.

Established in December 2015, AM Racing is prided on faith, honesty and intelligent performance.

In its ninth year of competition, the family-owned team will compete in the ARCA Menards Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and various Dirt Modified events.

Front Row Motorsports: Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez Competition Notes – Zane Smith

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Official Release
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Zane Smith and the No. 38 Benebone Ford Team
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez Competition Notes
Viva Mexico 250

Date: Sunday, June 15, 2025
Event: Race 18 of 38
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez (2.42-miles)
#of Laps: 100
Time/TV/Radio: 3:00 PM ET on Amazon Prime/MRN/SiriusXM channel 90

Zane Smith Notes

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, Mexico for the premier stock car division’s first international points race. In the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Smith has two wins on road courses, winning at the Circuit of the Americas in 2022 & 2023. In the Cup Series, Smith’s career best road course finish came at Watkins Glen in 2024 where he finished fifth.

Benebone, a leading USA brand of durable dog toys, will join Smith for the 400-lap race in a returning scheme featuring Smith’s dogs, Roxy and Kygo. This weekend’s race marks the second of three primaries for Benebone on the No. 38 this season. For more information, visit benebone.com.

“This race is huge for NASCAR,” said Smith. “It’s a big deal not just for the drivers, but for the fans as well. Hopefully, this weekend draws in a new audience to our sport. We don’t have much data going into weekend, so our practice sessions are going to be crucial in getting our car prepped for qualifying. I have been really happy with the speed that Ryan Bergenty and the team have been bringing, and I know this weekend will be no different.”

Road Crew

Driver: Zane Smith

Hometown: Huntington Beach, California

Crew Chief: Ryan Bergenty

Hometown: Plainville, Connecticut

Car Chief: Will Norris

Hometown: Bells, Tennessee

Engineer: Jacob Clamme

Hometown: Hartford City, Indiana

Engineer: Chris Yerges

Hometown: Green Bay, Wisconsin

Mechanic: Steve Godfrey

Hometown: West Haven, Connecticut

Mechanic / Engine Tuner: Tyler Podlaski

Hometown: Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania

Interior Specialist: Matt Fowler

Hometown: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Spotter: Ryan Blanchard

Hometown: Bethlehem, Connecticut

Transport Co-Driver: Ernest Mullins

Hometown: Fayetteville, North Carolina

Transport Co-Driver: Rick Grissom

Hometown: Bakersfield, California

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Ryan Flores

Hometown: Manasquan, New Jersey

Rear Tire Changer: Austin Chrismon

Hometown: China Grove, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Drew Baum

Hometown: Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Jackman: Ryan Selig

Hometown: Lindenhurst, Illinois

Fueler: Chris Webb

Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

ABOUT BENEBONE

At Benebone, we know that dogs make us better people. They help us live healthier and happier lives. Our simple mission is to make life a little bit better for dogs and their humans. We do it through a commitment to quality, community, and giving back. For more information, visit benebone.com.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Craftsman Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 Craftsman Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 34 and No. 38 Craftsman Truck Series teams from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @teamfrm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Kaulig Racing – Weekly Preview | Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez

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Official Release
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The Race to Stop Suicide

The Chilango 150 in Mexico City will not only mark Daniel Dye’s international racing debut, but also the first time Race to Stop Suicide—a cause founded by Dye and his father in 2018—will be introduced to an international audience. It holds even greater significance in June, during Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month. To learn more, visit https://racetostopsuicide.com/.

At Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez:

Kaulig Racing is set to take on Mexico City, as the NASCAR Xfinity Series takes on Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez for the first time since 2008, and the NASCAR Cup Series goes international for the first time in 25 years.

10 Team Info
Crew Chief: Andrew Dickeson
Partner: Ohio Logistics

Ty Dillon, No. 10 Ohio Logistics Camaro ZL1
Ohio Logistics: Working out of a single 40,000 sq. ft. warehouse in Findlay, OH, Ohio Logistics began its operations in June of 1988 as Findlay’s Tall Timbers Distribution Center. The work ethic and commitment to its customers and community have led to considerable and rapid growth. Today, the company operates as Ohio Logistics and successfully maintains 25 locations serving seven states. With over 6 million sq. ft. of state-of-the-art warehouse space, Ohio Logistics is one of the largest privately held logistics firms in the Midwest.

At Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez:

With the NASCAR Cup Series making its debut at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, Ty Dillon will make his first-career start at the 2.429-mile, 15-turn course.
 
“Mexico is going to be an exciting weekend. I think anytime we go to a new racetrack, a new venue, it gives you an opportunity to get ahead of the field and have a great shot at winning the race, especially when you have a teammate like AJ Allmendinger. He’s one the best to do it on road courses, so I’m excited to learn from him and enjoy the trip to Mexico for the first time with NASCAR in the Cup Series.” – Ty Dillon on Mexico City  

16 Team Info
Crew Chief: Trent Owens
Partner: LeafFilter Gutter Protection

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1

LeafFilter Gutter Protection: LeafFilter is America’s #1 rated gutter protection system trusted by more than a million homeowners. LeafFilter’s patented technology keeps gutters free of debris and is backed by a lifetime transferable warranty.

Meet AJ Allmendinger:
Sunday, June 14

AJ Allmendinger will be at the the Green Zone Fan Stage on Sunday, June 14th at 10am for a driver Q&A.

At Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez:

AJ Allmendinger has made two Champ Car starts at Autodromo Hermanos Rodiguez in 2004 and 2005. Allmendinger earned a podium finish of in both races, finishing second to his teammate, Justin Wilson, in 2005.

AJ Allmendinger’s three NASCAR Cup Series wins have come on road courses. Since joining Kaulig Racing, on road courses, Allmendinger has earned two wins, six top fives, 13 top-10 finishes and led 105 laps.

Earlier this season at Circuit of the Americas, Allmendinger battled for second place, maintaining position in the top five before facing a tire issue late in the race.

“It’s kind of crazy to think about it’s been 20 years since I’ve raced in Mexico City. The racetrack is beautiful, and the atmosphere is going to be absolutely insane. It’ll be a packed house and the fans are always fantastic there. I’m looking forward to going out there and getting on the racetrack. Obviously, we know this is a good opportunity to have a really good result if we execute like I know we can. It’s going to be a fun weekend. The weather could be interesting and throw curveballs, but we’ll have to be ready for that and look to have a solid weekend.” – AJ Allmendinger on Mexico City  

10 Team Info
Crew Chief: Kevin Walter
Partner: Race to Stop Suicide

Daniel Dye, No. 10 Race to Stop Suicide Chevrolet
Race to Stop Suicide: Daniel Dye will pilot the No. 10 Race to Stop Suicide Chevrolet at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Race to Stop Suicide leverages the passion and community of motorsports to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and provide critical support for suicide prevention and mental health. Through events and initiatives, the organization drives important conversations, inspires hope, and races toward saving lives.

At Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez:

Daniel Dye will make his first NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City.
Dye currently sits 15th in the playoff standings, having recorded five top-10 finishes so far in the 2025 season.
The Chilango 150 in Mexico City will not only mark Dye’s international racing debut, but also the first time Race to Stop Suicide—a cause founded by Dye and his father in 2018—will be introduced to an international audience. It holds even greater significance in June, during Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month. To learn more, visit https://racetostopsuicide.com/.
 
“I’m really excited to go to Mexico City; this will be my very first time leaving the country and using my passport. There’s a chance that we run into some weather, but I have a little experience racing in the rain. I generally enjoy road course racing, so hopefully all of our prep work on the simulator pays off. I’m also really excited to have Race to Stop Suicide on the car once again for Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month and to bring awareness to the cause on an international level.” – Daniel Dye on Mexico City  

11 Team Info
Crew Chief: Eddie Pardue
Partner: Alloy Employer Services

Josh Williams, No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Chevrolet
Alloy Employer Services: Based in Columbus, Ohio, Alloy Employer Services helps a range of clients, from small businesses to large employers. Industries served include healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, maintenance, hospitality, and construction. Alloy’s Midwest roots have led to national reach, serving clients with workers nationwide because of a love to design, build and innovate in our industry. Alloy Employer Services is a Fortune-HR, LLC company.

At Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez:

Josh Williams will make his first international start in a NASCAR-affiliated series.
On road courses throughout his career, Williams has finished in the top 10 twice in 29 starts. His best finish at a road course came at Portland Raceway in 2024, where he crossed the line in seventh.
Related to the impending weather in Mexico City this coming weekend, one of Williams’ best races on a road course came during the monsoon-ridden Charlotte ROVAL NASCAR Xfinity Series race in 2020. Williams was running in second place on speed midway through the event before being collected in a lap-36 wreck. AJ Allmendinger went on to win his second of four-straight NXS wins at the circuit that day.
 
“It’ll be pretty cool to race in Mexico. I don’t know if anyone was in [the NASCAR Xfinity Series] races there years ago and is still racing [in the NXS], but everyone is going in sort of at the same level. We’ve got good road course cars at Kaulig, so I think we’ll be a step higher from the start. Those practice sessions are going to tell us a lot.” – Josh Williams on Mexico City  

16 Team Info
Crew Chief: Alex Yontz
Partner: Celsius

Christian Eckes, No. 16 Celsius Chevrolet
Celsius: Christian Eckes and Celsius are teaming up in Mexico City. Eckes and the No. 16 Chevy will make their debut at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez for the Chilango 150. Celsius is known for their better-for-you lineup of energy and hydration products, all zero sugar and created with essential vitamins.

At Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez:

Christian Eckes will make his first NASCAR Xfinity Series Start at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, as well as his first international racing start.
Eckes currently sits 18th in the playoff standings with one top five and five top-10 finishes so far in the 2025 season.
 
“We’ve been eager to get to Mexico City after a week off, and we’re ready to get back into a rhythm. I think the elevation will be the biggest challenge of the weekend. There’s a bigger physical aspect racing at a track like this. The course has been a lot of fun on the simulator. The frontstretch is wild, as far as how fast it will be and should be the biggest passing area. We’re looking forward to a historic weekend for the sport.” – Christian Eckes on Mexico City  
 
About Kaulig Racing

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time, multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has earned 27 NXS wins, made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started, and won two regular-season championships. In 2021, the team competed in select NCS events, before expanding to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first NCS start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. Kaulig Racing is currently fielding two full-time entries in the NCS and continues to field three full-time NXS entries. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

Meyer Shank Racing Holding Pair of Top Tens as INDYCAR Heads to WWTR Oval

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Official Release
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#66: Marcus Armstrong, Meyer Shank Racing Honda

Pataskala, Ohio (11 June 2025) – After seven races of the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) fans don’t need to look far to find their favorite drivers as both pilots are in the top 10 of the championship standings – the first time MSR has had both cars in the top 10 this early into the season since expanding to a full-time two-car team in 2022.

MSR has earned nine top-10 finishes through the year’s first seven races, equaling the team’s combined total from the last two seasons. The success has kept the squad in the title hunt but in order to keep moving up, the Ohio-based unit must master the tricky World Wide Technology Raceway oval in Sunday’s night’s Bommarito Automotive Group 500. (8:00pm ET, FOX, SiriusXM ch. 218)

Felix Rosenqvist (No. 60 SiriusXM Honda) is tied for fifth in the series standings heading to the 1.25-mile oval, building his total on the strength on five top-10 finishes. The early-season run gave Rosenqvist, who is in his second year with MSR, a chance to stay in the top 10 despite a 21st-place run last weekend in Detroit when his day ended due to a crash not of his own making.

Marcus Armstrong (No. 66 Spectrum Honda) used a sixth-place Detroit run to vault into the top 10, climbing five positions in the standings after posting his best result of the season. The New Zealand-born driver not only has three top-10 results in the last six races but has also earned bonus points by leading laps in four separate events.

The oval formerly known as Gateway challenges teams with two drastically different corners, which incorporate characteristics borrowed from tracks in Loudon and Phoenix, creating an egg-shaped layout that invokes memories of former series track Twin Ring Motegi in Japan.

MSR earned its first front-row start of nine previous WWTR trips last year when David Malukas gridded second and led 11 laps. The team also carded its best finish in those nine trips last year when Rosenqvist came from 11th on the starting grid to place sixth.

The event weekend covers just two days on the oval, beginning Saturday with a pair of practice sessions that bookend a 3:00pm ET qualifying session (FS1). Sunday’s 260-lap Bommarito Automotive Group 500 gets underway at 8:00pm ET on Sunday night and can be seen live on FOX. SiriusXM will also carry live INDYCAR Radio coverage of all sessions on XM Ch. 218.

Meyer Shank Racing Driver Quotes:

Felix Rosenqvist: “Going to WWTR will be super fun, the first short oval of the year is always quite chaotic and wild in a good way. Ive always loved the track with the differences between T1 and T3. I’m feeling good after a tough weekend in Detroit, but the 60 crew and I are ready to bounce back and have a great weekend.”

Marcus Armstrong: “WWTR is a really fun, short oval. I really enjoyed that race last year and I think we finished seventh or eighth. I thought we had a really strong car there last year, which made a world of difference om a circuit like that. I’m looking forward to a very fun weekend getting back into short oval-mode; it’s going to be a fun race under the lights.”

Front Row Motorsports: Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez Competition Notes- Todd Gilliland

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Official Release
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Todd Gilliland and the No. 34 Long John Silver’s Ford Team
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez Competition Notes
Viva Mexico 250

Date: Sunday, June 15, 2025
Event: Race 18 of 38
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez (2.42-miles)
#of Laps: 100
Time/TV/Radio: 3:00 PM ET on Amazon Prime/MRN/SiriusXM channel 90

Todd Gilliland Notes

History will be made this weekend as the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Mexico City, Mexico for a 100 lap, points paying race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. This race marks the first points race held internationally for the NASCAR Cup Series.

Gilliland has an impressive track record on road courses throughout NASCAR’s top three divisions, winning the inaugural Truck Series race at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas in 2021. In the NASCAR Cup Series, Gilliland’s career best finish came in 2022 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course where he placed fourth.

“I’m really looking forward to this race—it’s going to be a one-of-a-kind event,” said Gilliland. “A few guys have raced here before, but for most of the field, this track is completely new. I’ve had solid results on road courses in the past, so it’ll be exciting to see how everything unfolds. Having two practice sessions is huge for us, and I think it’ll make a big difference in getting up to speed.”

Road Crew

Driver: Todd Gilliland

Hometown: Sherrills Ford, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Chris Lawson

Hometown: Medway, Ohio

Car Chief: Joe Marra

Hometown: Somers, New York

Engineer: Marc Rullo

Hometown: Ringwood, New Jersey

Engineer: Kevyn Rebolledo

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Spotter: Brit Andersen

Hometown: Branford, Connecticut

Underneath Mechanic: Michael Brookes

Hometown: Columbus, Ohio

Interior Mechanic: Chance Burke

Hometown: Siler City, North Carolina

Tire Specialist: Billy John

Hometown: Pitman, New Jersey

Engine Tuner: Tim Meyer

Hometown: Beatrice, Nebraska

Transporter Driver: Christian Boller

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Danny Olszowy

Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky

Rear Tire Changer: Justin Fox

Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Paul Steele

Hometown: Wichita, Kansas

Jackman: Landon Honeycutt

Hometown: Mount Pleasant, North Carolina

Fueler: Zeke Nance

Hometown: Calhoun, Georgia

ABOUT LONG JOHN SILVER’S

Long John Silver’s was founded in 1969 and is on a mission to create treasured moments through high-quality food and bell-ringing service. With restaurants from sea to mouth-watering sea, Long John Silver’s continues building on a belief that the unique seafood experience from the coasts should be accessible to all. Learn more at ljsilvers.com or join the conversation via social media on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Craftsman Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 Craftsman Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 34 and No. 38 Craftsman Truck Series teams from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @teamfrm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Mexico is Zane Smith’s Happy Place; Looking Forward to This Weekend’s Inaugural Cup Race

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Official Release
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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Mexico City Media Availability
Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Zane Smith, driver of the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford Mustang Dark Horse, is coming off a seventh-place finish in last weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway. Smith spoke about that performance and what lies ahead this weekend as the sanctioning body conducts its first international points race for the series in Mexico City.

ZANE SMITH, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford Mustang Dark Horse – HOW HAVE YOU PREPARED FOR THE HIGHER ALTITUDE THIS WEEKEND IN MEXICO CITY? “My honest answer is I haven’t done anything to prepare for that. I have spent time down in Mexico. I’ve been down there and I don’t think it’s going to be a huge deal. I could be completely proven wrong, but just prepared as normal as I would for the other 37 weekends. I feel like I kind of get myself, I don’t want to say spun out, but sometimes when it’s a new race weekend like this I feel like a lot of people try to not overprepare, but do things differently and it just has never worked for me. So, I’m approaching it as if it’s any other race weekend. It’s an awesome road course and we’re just outside of the country. There are still points that are gonna be given and it’s still gonna be road racing and it’s still a Cup race, so a big effort going at it. It’s been a little different from a film standpoint of not really knowing what to watch. An F1 car, watching that doesn’t really do it for me (laughing), but I’ve watched old highlights where Denny or someone won the race, and then obviously I’ve done numerous laps on our Ford sim, so that’s probably been the most helpful thing. It’s just gonna be attacking the race weekend. I fortunately have a good amount of road course experience and showing up to new racetracks was something that I just grew up doing, so I’m excited for it. I love the Cup car on a road course and I know how electric the fanbase is gonna be down in Mexico City, so I’m really looking forward to that.”

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO ADJUST THE SETUP OF THE CAR WITH THE CONDITIONS? “I guess going back to what we had from a setup standpoint at COTA just wasn’t good for us. COTA has been a great racetrack for me in the past and it was a big struggle for us that whole weekend. We missed it a little bit, so honestly, in a way, that’s better than it being just completely good throughout the weekend and then the race didn’t go well. That kind of leaves a lot of question marks on the weekend. We just weren’t very good all weekend, so we left COTA knowing that we needed to build on a new package of what I like and from a setup standpoint, I really like how my car has been driving. I think the road course is awesome. It’s gonna be a lot of fun. Obviously, the altitude is gonna be a little bit different from an engine feel. I’ve heard and I definitely can see that being the case. I don’t want to say brake issues, but what brake package you have is gonna be very interesting and trying to diagnose that as quickly as possible in practice, and we have a decent amount of practice this weekend. I know adjustments are gonna be really important. Hopefully, we can unload close to the feel that I like and I can spend every minute I can out on the track. I think that’s gonna be more valuable than small adjustments.”

HOW DOES IT IMPACT THE WEEKEND WHERE THIS RACE IS A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR EVERYONE? “I think an occasional weekend like this is really cool. I didn’t get to do the first Chicago race, but I remember all of the talk around it like, ‘What do we watch and how do we prepare for this?’ It kind of reminds me of that. I don’t want to knock Chicago in any way because it’s a ton of fun on that road course, but you’re racing on a street. This is a proper road course. F1 goes here, so if you’re gonna do it this way, I feel this is the best way you could possibly do it. I remember when we were going to all these different road courses in Truck and Xfinity, and then I remember when we first went to COTA I was so excited because I knew that was a proper road course and it felt that way just in practice. I’m excited for that. It seems a little bit of everything. It kind of reminds me of Watkins Glen in a way, which has been a great track for me with it being a fast and longer straightaway road course where you really have to execute your braking zones, and then it’s a little hint of COTA with the stadium section. I’m just trying to diagnose what I’ve had from all of these different road courses and apply my strong suits and weak suits and hopefully apply them to the weekend. I don’t think any of us are going to know how we truly are until we unload down there.”

HOW HAVE YOU SEEN YOURSELF GROW AS A DRIVER FROM WHERE YOU WERE A YEAR AGO AT THIS TIME? “I’ve definitely grown as a driver. You grow every year, but, to be honest, I don’t feel like I’ve changed anything up like, ‘Oh, man. This is why I’m getting good results.’ My cars have a lot of speed, a lot of fast Fords week in and week out. If we are a little off, I feel like my team and I are doing an incredible job of getting to where we need to be come Sunday. That’s super important and then at the beginning of the year, I don’t want to say we lacked any, but keeping up with the racetrack is a bigger challenge when you start going Cup racing, so I feel that was maybe a challenge last year. You just see these brutal rookie seasons for guys in Cup. I don’t remember anyone that just had a rookie season where someone dominated and won all these races, so you pretty much try to survive through that first year and learn as much as you can and take all the smack talking you can get it seems like week in and week out. There are just so many things. It just feels like a bad luck year your rookie year. I don’t really know why. It’s still fun because you’re Cup racing and you’re getting experience racing on Sunday and racing every weekend. I think that’s really cool, but your second year around you know what to expect. By then you’ve experienced a lot of highs and lows and you’re still gonna experience highs and lows in your second year, but I feel like you know how to react to them a little bit better. You just know what a race weekend brings. Sunday can totally be overwhelming at times, but I think trying to keep a level head and knowing what’s important and what’s not is probably the biggest thing.”

HOW HAS NASCAR PREPARED YOU FOR THIS? WE’VE HEARD STAY IN THE BUBBLE, DON’T GO ANYWHERE. WE’VE HEARD THAT DANIEL SUAREZ HAS GOT A GREAT PLACE FOR EVERYBODY TO GO EAT. ARE YOU MAINLY PREPARED BY THE TEAM OR NASCAR? WILL IT BE ANY DIFFERENT? “My honest answer is there’s a lot of overreaction from a majority of the industry, and it’s frustrating to hear and deal with. I have spent a good amount of time down in Mexico. I know I have vacationed in a different spot with a group of friends in Cabo for the past few years, but there’s a lot of people that are overreacting. It somewhat reminds me of Chicago. It’s like, ‘Oh my gosh. This is gonna be a train wreck.’ And then we go to Chicago and they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is like the most fun weekend ever.’ You just have to know what to expect a little bit in Mexico City and Mexico in general. There are good and bad areas, just like there is everywhere. You definitely do have to watch what you eat and drink. From my standpoint, I know what I’ll be eating and drinking because I’ve been on the good and bad side of that, but it’s just common sense and being smart. I feel like the saying better safe than sorry is definitely true this weekend. The altitude stuff, that’s gonna be different to us but I want to say we’re all in pretty good shape at least on Sunday. We race a lot and you don’t really see a lot of guys that flop out of the seat on Sunday – maybe like a really, really hot weekend. The last time I checked the weather it looks chillier and cold and rainy-ish, so it’s not so much the heat standpoint. I don’t know. I’ve been down there and I don’t really notice a huge difference, but we’ll see. I may completely be gassed after this race and we’ll see, but, all in all, I’m gonna go have fun and I can’t wait to go do some road course racing down in Mexico.”

DIDN’T YOU GET MARRIED OR HONEYMOON IN MEXICO A COUPLE YEARS AGO? “A little back story here. My dad has run the off road race team, which races in Baja and Mexico pretty much a majority of their races or at least their big races, and that’s for the Herbst family. That’s why Riley and I are best friends and have been pretty much all of our lives, so right after my championship in 2022 (Truck Series), we vacationed with Riley and some friends in Cabo San Lucas and it’s honestly my favorite place on earth. It’s a ton of fun spending time down there with Riley and just having fun. Me, Noah (Gragson), Riley, and even Todd (Gilliland) on one of the trips for the past three or four years we’ve gone down there and hung out and had an unbelievable time. It’s awesome. It’s different for everyone and, to be honest, the most frustrating and annoying part is probably our itinerary because we have it so easy every weekend. We have pretty much chartered planes, where we go to an FBO down in Statesville (North Carolina) where it’s literally only race teams so there is no security or anything every weekend. Well, when you’re flying out of the country there’s gonna be some security and there’s gonna be a little bit more to it than flying to Pocono. That’s probably the most frustrating thing of I wish I had my own flight because this would be a whole lot easier, but I know once we’re there it’s gonna be cool and a cool experience for everyone, and it’s great to have this style of fan base, just a new generation of fans and some new faces. Like I said, I know how great the fans are down in Mexico and I’m so excited to see them and so excited for the sport to see their passion around motorsports. I’m ready for it.”

HOW WOULD YOU RATE YOUR SEASON SO FAR WITH FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS? “It’s been pretty fun. I’m probably having the most fun I’ve ever had throughout my racing career and the last time I think I said that was in 2022 with FRM. It’s been great. Being able to get that pole was really cool. I feel like we’ve thrown away a lot of top 10s and possible top fives, and I feel like we’re getting ourselves closer and closer to putting ourselves in contention for a race win on Sunday. That’s crazy to say, especially with how last year went, but we’re just pecking away at it and trying to execute things the best to our ability. It’s been awesome being back at FRM and being teammates with two really close friends and, of course, just being back in the Ford family has been really special. I have some incredible memories with both the Ford family and FRM not many years ago, and we have some incredible memories on the truck side. We’re fighting hard and working hard to create some more memories on Sunday.”

THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT FUEL STRATEGY IN LAST SUNDAY’S RACE. HOW NERVERACKING IS IT AS A DRIVER WITH THAT BEING A FACTOR JUST ABOUT EVERY WEEK? “Even the races where fuel mileage isn’t talked about it’s always playing a role behind the scenes. From the moment we fire our cars up Sunday morning, we’re shutting them off trying to save fuel so our pit stops are shorter. You have to take less fuel than the next guy and we’ve seen a lot of wins happen from some guys doing that better than the next guy. At Michigan, as often times, it does come down to fuel strategy and it is confusing at times from the driver’s seat, where you don’t really know. It’s like, ‘What is this ultimate goal we’re doing right now’ because you’ll get track position and then it’s like ‘We’ve got to go take more fuel right now so we don’t have to a little later.’ And it doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense to you at the moment and then typically whenever it does work out for you you’re like, ‘OK, I’m glad that worked out.’ But there are guys on Sunday where their strategy didn’t work out. For us, we made a few mistakes and the caution fell that really hurt us early in the race. I was in good track position at the time. I think I was just outside the top 10 like 11th or 12th and that caution came out. Before that, pretty much every single guy behind me had just pitted and they were in a better tire and fuel position. I knew that put everyone in the window once that big wreck in one and two happened, and we were gonna go from 12th or 13th to 30th because I was at the end of that group that now had to come and get fuel ultimately. So, those things are frustrating. It didn’t work out that way. I think I came out around 20th because some guys behind me did come down as well to work on their car and get in a better fuel position, but the mistakes we made on Sunday put us in a position of taking two tires multiple times and it worked out. I was proud that we were able to hold off a lot of those guys on four tires to ultimately score a good finish. Anytime you finish in the top 10 on Sunday is a good day and we raced inside the top 10 a majority of the day. I had good speed and it was another positive weekend. There are just a few things we need to clean up.”

WE HAVE CHICAGO AND SONOMA AND WATKINS GLEN COMING UP AS ROAD COURSE RACES. WHAT MAKES YOU ENJOY THAT STYLE OF RACING? “I grew up road course karting. I grew up in California doing that, all around the east coast and all around the country really. It’s crazy watching Indy Car. Pretty much every single guy that I grew up racing with and competing for wins with when we were eight years old is pretty much the whole Indy Car field now. There are a couple guys that ended up in F1 now and then I don’t know if there’s anyone in NASCAR that I grew up karting with, but it’s cool to see us end up in all of these different forms of motorsports, and it’s kind of cool to carry that torch racing on Sunday. We all still connect through social media and I ultimately always pull for those guys in the Indy 500, or if they have a good run in F1. It’s just kind of cool to see you compete against those guys at such a young age. I don’t remember a whole lot of it, but all the pictures remind you of it and it’s cool.”

YOU ARE IN A BATTLE AROUND THE CUT LINE FOR THE PLAYOFFS. WHAT IS THE DYNAMIC LIKE BETWEEN STRATEGIZING FOR WINS THIS SUMMER AND POINTS? “Unfortunately, we’re like right in that weird position of like, ‘Hey, let’s try to ultimately get a win, but we can’t give away stage points.’ Stage points, it’s insane of what it carries you to, but I feel so confident from a strategy standpoint with what Ryan Bergenty, my crew chief does and how he approaches the race. Even when I think the day is going ugly, I know he has something up his sleeve, so I love that. I feel that’s just a big thing that can carry you in this sport right now with how close everyone is. If you have a little off day, you’ve got to do something different. If it works out or not, who cares? At least you tried and I feel like more times than not it pays off, and so it’s been a ton of fun working with him. We have some great tracks coming up. I obviously feel confident on the superspeedways with the speed our FRM Fords bring and then I’m looking forward to Pocono and all these road courses coming up. I’m excited to get going. I think we have 11 races until that cut off, so there are a ton of things that are gonna happen on a lot of Sundays. I’m just trying to stay focused and collect as many points as we can and see where we end up.”

Front Row Motorsports: Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez Competition Notes – Noah Gragson

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Official Release
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Noah Gragson and the No. 4 Long John Silver’s Ford Team
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez Competition Notes
Viva Mexico 250

Date: Sunday, June 15, 2025
Event: Race 18 of 38
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez (2.42-miles)
#of Laps: 100
Time/TV/Radio: 3:00 PM ET on Amazon Prime/MRN/SiriusXM channel 90

Noah Gragson Notes

Noah Gragson is going international this weekend as the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Mexico City, Mexico for the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit. In the Cup Series, Gragson has two top-12 finishes at road courses, finishing 11th at Watkins Glen in 2024 and most recently, finishing 8th at the Circuit of the Americas in March 2025. Long John Silver’s will partner with Gragson for the 100-lap race, debuting a new “¡Pescado, sí!” scheme on the No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse.

“I’m not sure what to expect in Mexico, but I’m excited to get down there,” said Gragson. “It’s a big event for our sport and a great chance to connect with new fans, so it’s cool to be part of it. We’ve had speed every week—it just feels like luck hasn’t gone our way. Hopefully, that turns around this weekend.”

Road Crew

Driver: Noah Gragson

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer

Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Joey Forgette

Hometown: Iron Mountain, Michigan

Engineer: Dillon Silverman

Hometown: Chico, California

Engineer: Scott Bingham

Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia

Mechanic: Chris Trickett

Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Tony Infinger

Hometown: Fort Valley, Georgia

Tire Specialist: Chris Aunspaw

Hometown: Zelienople, Pennsylvania

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Spotter: Nick Del Campo

Hometown: Blauvelt, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Nate “Cookie” Eller

Hometown: Granite Falls, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Thomas Hatcher

Hometown: Middleburg, Florida

Rear Tire Changer: Adam Riley

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

Tire Carrier: Jarren Davis

Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida

Jackman: Nate McBride

Hometown: Vidalia, Georgia

Fueler: Ray Hernandez

Hometown: Orlando, Florida

ABOUT LONG JOHN SILVER’S

Long John Silver’s was founded in 1969 and is on a mission to create treasured moments through high-quality food and bell-ringing service. With restaurants from sea to mouth-watering sea, Long John Silver’s continues building on a belief that the unique seafood experience from the coasts should be accessible to all. Learn more at ljsilvers.com or join the conversation via social media on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Craftsman Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 Craftsman Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 34 and No. 38 Craftsman Truck Series teams from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @teamfrm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

ALEX LABBÉ PARTNERS WITH BELLA SUN LUCI FOR NASCAR’S RETURN TO MEXICO CITY

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Official Release
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MOORESVILLE, NC, June 11, 2024 – NASCAR driver Alex Labbé today announced that he will pilot the SS-GreenLight Racing’s No. 07 Chevrolet Camaro in the landmark Chilango 150 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. The No. 07 will carry the vibrant colors of Bella Sun Luci, the premium brand of California sun-dried tomatoes owned by Mooney Farms, for this historic event.

The Chilango 150 marks the long-awaited return of the NASCAR Xfinity Series to Mexico, a monumental moment for Mexican motorsports and Mexico’s passionate fans. Competing on the modified 2.42-mile, 14-turn circuit at over 7,300 feet of elevation is a significant honor, and Labbé is poised to represent both SS-GreenLight Racing and Bella Sun Luci with distinction.

“Getting the call to race in Mexico City is incredibly special,” said Labbé, known for his road course prowess. “The atmosphere at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is electric, and the significance of NASCAR bringing a points race back here after so many years isn’t lost on anyone. It’s a huge symbol of national pride for Mexico. To do it with SS-GreenLight, a team I have a lot of respect for, and to carry the Bella Sun Luci colors, makes this opportunity even more meaningful. We’re aiming to put on a strong show for the amazing Mexican fans and our partners at Bella Sun Luci.”

“Our family is proud to be Mexico’s number one sun-dried tomato brand,” said Mary Mooney, owner of Bella Sun Luci. “We have a deep appreciation for the vibrant and growing marketplace in Mexico, and we are honored to present our brand during this historic NASCAR race. With NASCAR’s exciting return to Mexico, we saw this as a meaningful opportunity to show our support and gratitude to the loyal customers.”

Mooney Farms is a third-generation, family-owned company and is America’s leading producer of sun-dried tomatoes, renowned for its Bella Sun Luci brand. Inspired by Mediterranean traditions but embraced by global kitchens, Bella Sun Luci products are transforming modern Mexican cuisine with their intense, sun-ripened flavors.

The brand’s premium ingredients—including:

  • Sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil (perfect for salsas and moles)
  • California-grown garlic and basil (key for authentic adobos)
  • Sun-dried tomato Chipotle (great mixed with sour cream)
  • 100% olive oil vinaigrettes (elevating street corn and nopal salads)

—are increasingly featured in Mexican kitchens and restaurants. As the brand expands its presence in Mexico, Bella Sun Luci celebrates how traditional recipes and innovative flavors unite at the table.

The Chilango 150 (65 laps | 157.3 miles) is the 15th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2025 schedule. There are two practice sessions on Friday, June 13. The first is at 12:05 p.m., followed by a second session at 1:30 p.m. Qualifying takes place the next day at 8:30 a.m. The field is set to take the green flag later that day at 2:30 p.m. with live coverage on The CW, the Motor Racing Network (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are Central Standard Time (Mexico).

For more information on Alex Labbe, visit https://alexlabberacing.com/ or follow him on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AlexLabbe36), X (https://x.com/AlexLabbe36) or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/alexlabbe36).

For more information on Bella Sun Luci, visit https://bellasunluci.com/ or follow them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BellaSunLuci/) or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/bellasunluci/).

Toyota GAZOO Racing Weekly Preview 06.11.25

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Official Release
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This Week in Motorsports: June 9 – 15, 2025

  • NCS/NXS: Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez – June 14-15
  • ARCA: Berlin Raceway – June 14

PLANO, Texas (June 11, 2025) – NASCAR makes its highly-anticipated arrival to Mexico City and the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez with the Cup and Xfinity Series this weekend. The ARCA Menards Series heads off to Berlin Raceway for more short track action on its schedule.

NASCAR National Series – NCS/NXS

Hamlin inching closer to win records … With his victory on Sunday at Michigan, Denny Hamlin now sits just three wins away from 60 career victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, which would tie him with Kevin Harvick for 10th on the all-time wins list. While earning his 57th overall win last weekend, Hamlin also captured win number 54 with Toyota, now sitting just two behind of Kyle Busch’s leading mark of 56 wins.

Bell looks to continue road course prowess … This weekend’s race in Mexico City is the second road course event of the 2025 Cup Series season after Christopher Bell won the first road course at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) back in March. Road courses have been kind to Bell over the course of his career, especially recently. The Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) driver has four top-10 or better results in the last six road courses races, including the win at COTA and a runner-up result at the Charlotte ROVAL last October.

GR Supra drivers in and around Playoff cutline … After a week off, the NASCAR Xfinity Series is back in action in Mexico City this weekend as the 2025 Playoffs near, with several Toyota GR Supra drivers in or in the hunt for the postseason. Brandon Jones sits eighth in the series points standings and is already locked into the Playoffs with his win at Darlington earlier this season. His JGR teammate Taylor Gray and Sam Hunt Racing (SHR)’s Dean Thompson find themselves just outside the provisional Playoff field entering this weekend, with Gray in the 14th position and Thompson in 16th with 12 races remaining in the regular season.

Bell, Gibbs return to Xfinity Series … JGR veterans Bell and Ty Gibbs are getting extra track time at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez by running the Xfinity Series race on Saturday – Bell in the No. 24 GR Supra for JGR and Gibbs in the No. 19 GR Supra for JGR. This will be Bell’s second Xfinity Series start of the season after running at Darlington in April, where he captured the pole. Saturday will be his first Xfinity Series road course start since 2019 at the Charlotte ROVAL. For Gibbs, this will be his first Xfinity Series start of 2025, after running six races last season. He goes for his first Xfinity Series win after winning at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in 2023.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA Menards Series

Reaves for four wins in a row … JGR driver Max Reaves has had a dream start to his ARCA Menards Series career, winning in his first three starts in the ARCA Menards Series East – Five Flags Speedway, Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, and Flat Rock Speedway. He makes his national ARCA Menards Series debut this weekend at Berlin Raceway, looking for a fourth consecutive win as he continues his development.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In spring 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 32 electrified options.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

JR Motorsports — NXS Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez Preview

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Official Release
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JR Motorsports Xfinity Team Preview
TRACK – Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez (2.42-mile road course)
NXS RACE – The Chilango 150 (65 laps / 157.3 miles)
TUNE IN – CW, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90 at 4:30 p.m. (ET)

Carson Kvapil

No. 1 – Bass Pro Shops / Clarience Technologies Chevrolet

Kvapil 2025 NXS Stats

Starts: 14

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 3

Top 10s: 5

Laps Led: 56

Avg. Finish: 14.9

Points: 7th

  • Coming off his fifth top-10 finish of the season at Nashville Superspeedway, Carson Kvapil will make his first start at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez road course in Mexico on Saturday.
  • Kvapil currently has one start on a road course in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. That came earlier this year at Circuit of The Americas where he qualified fifth and led seven laps in the final stage.
  • Following his ninth-place finish in Nashville, the 22-year-old rookie moved up one position in the point standings where he now sits in seventh, one point out of sixth.

Carson Kvapil

“I am looking forward to going down to Mexico City with this No. 1 team to see what our Bass Pro Shops/Clarience Technologies Chevrolet can do. It is always interesting to go to a track we haven’t raced at in a long time because I feel like it levels the playing field a little bit. Knowing the conditions will be different than we are used to we have been putting in extra work to make sure we are prepared. I am hoping we can have a solid points day and be there at the end when it counts.”

Justin Allgaier

No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet

Allgaier 2025 NXS Stats

Starts: 14

Wins: 3

Top 5s: 10

Top 10s: 10

Laps Led: 638

Avg. Finish: 9.3

Points: 1st

  • Justin Allgaier heads south of the border for the first time in his NXS career this weekend in Mexico.
  • Allgaier enters this weekend as the most recent winner in the NXS, having taken the checkered flag two weeks ago at Nashville after sweeping both stages and leading for a race-high 101 laps.
  • Overall, in his career on road courses in the NXS, Allgaier has scored three victories, including one outside of the United States in 2012 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.
  • Allgaier’s additional two victories on road courses came behind the wheel of a JRM Chevrolet in 2018 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and at Road America.

Justin Allgaier

“This weekend is going to be a unique challenge for sure with it being a new track for virtually everyone. Jim (Pohlman, crew chief) and all the guys on this BRANDT Professional Agriculture team have gone to work through this past off-weekend and I know that we are going to hit the track on Friday for practice with a lot of speed. We’ve always had a strong road-course program and I know that that is going to be the case again come Saturday.”

Sammy Smith

No. 8 Pilot Chevrolet

Smith 2025 NXS Stats

Starts: 14

Wins: 1

Top 5s: 3

Top 10s: 6

Laps Led: 35

Avg. Finish: 14.9

Points: 13th

  • Sammy Smith heads to Mexico City to compete for the first time on the 2.42-mile road course in his racing career.
  • Smith has 15 starts on road courses with the NXS. In those he has tallied three top-five and five top-10 finishes.
  • Smith’s best finish on a road course is third place, coming in 2022 at Watkins Glen International and 2024 at Portland International Raceway.
  • Smith finished 11th in the first road course event of the season earlier this year at COTA.

Sammy Smith

“I’m looking froward to running in Mexico City this weekend. It’s a new track for me as a driver and this No. 8 Pilot Chevrolet team and we’re ready for the challenge. Having (Daniel) Suarez as a teammate to lean on will be really helpful since he’s had so much success at this track. My team and I have been doing a lot of prep work so I know we’ll have a strong Pilot Chevrolet to unload.”

Daniel Suarez

No. 9 Quaker State Chevrolet

Suarez NXS Career Stats

Starts: 88

Wins: 3

Top 5s: 33

Top 10s: 56

Laps Led: 633

Avg. Finish: 11.3

Points: N/A

  • Daniel Suarez makes his JR Motorsports debut this weekend behind the wheel of the No. 9 Quaker State Chevrolet.
  • The Monterrey, Mexico native is a three-time winner at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in the NASCAR Mexico Series, including in his most-recent start at the Mexico City road course in 2014.
  • The 2016 NXS Champion’s last start in the series came last year at the Chicago Street Course.
  • In 88 career starts in the NXS, Suarez has earned a combined total of three wins, 33 top-five and 56 top-10 finishes.

Daniel Suarez

“I’ve been very impressed with how fast JR Motorsports has been this season, and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the Quaker State Chevrolet. I appreciate everyone at Quaker State and JR Motorsports for coming on board to make this a reality. I think it’s going to be a good weekend.”

Connor Zilisch

No. 88 WeatherTech Chevrolet

Zilisch 2025 NXS Stats

Starts: 13

Wins: 1

Top 5s: 3

Top 10s: 5

Laps Led: 189

Avg. Finish: 14.5

Points: 5th

  • Connor Zilisch will make his first Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez start in the NXS Saturday afternoon in Mexico City. Zilisch claimed a second-place finish at Nashville in the most recent race, his third top-five and fifth top-10 finish of the season. He led the Nashville event once for 18 laps and has led a lap in nine races this season (189 laps total).
  • The driver of the WeatherTech Chevrolet gained one position in the NXS driver standings at Nashville. He enters Mexico fifth in the standings,14 points ahead of sixth-place Sheldon Creed.
  • Mexico will be Zilisch’s third NXS start on a road course. He enters the event with wins in both previous road races at Watkins Glen in 2024 and earlier this year at COTA. His stat line after those two races is impressive: two wins, two poles, and most laps led in each race. Zilisch led 71 of 155 laps in those races (45.80 percent) with an average running position of 5.65.
  • Zilisch enters Mexico with three pole positions this season, the most by any NXS driver. He leads the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings by 16 points over Carson Kvapil (394-378).

Connor Zilisch

“It’s so cool to be racing outside the USA and getting in front of a different fan base. Really looking forward to going to Mexico City and learning that racetrack. It’s going to be a really big event for NASCAR and a really good opportunity for me and my WeatherTech team. We just need a good, clean day. Altitude is another big factor. We’re at over 7,000 feet so that could change things. I’m doing all I can to prepare myself in the simulator and with my training work. Hopefully we can have a good weekend.”

JRM Team Updates

JR Motorsports at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez: JR Motorsports has made four previous starts at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico in the NXS, with a best finish of eighth coming in 2008.

JR Motorsports on Road Courses: JR Motorsports has tallied 11 victories on road courses in the NXS, with the most recent coming earlier this year with Connor Zilisch and the No. 88 Chevrolet at Circuit of the Americas in March.

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