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Ford Performance NASCAR: Logano Tops Ford in Cup Practice Session at COTA

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Official Release
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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Circuit of the Americas Post-Practice Media Availability | Saturday, May 22, 2021

Joey Logano, driver of the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang, was the fastest Ford in today’s only NASCAR Cup Series practice at Circuit of the Americas. Logano participated in a post-practice media call to talk about track conditions.

JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang — IS THERE ANY WAY TO PREPARE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS WITH ALL THE RAIN? “I haven’t really ran many wet races in my career. I didn’t have much road racing background either, so it’s just kind of studying different races, watching rain races from here, whether it’s one of those Porsche-Lamborghini 40 car things and trying to learn from what we did in Daytona and the Roval and trying to figure it out from that. I don’t know. Go kart experience from up in Mooresville (laughing). I don’t know. Outside of that, that’s what you’ve got. It was a lot of fun out there. I had a blast. I was having a great time trying to find lap time, trying to push yourself. The whole thing is a head game. It’s a mental strain out there of how hard you can push, how hard can you drive in the corner and being able to see behind cars. That’s probably the hardest part is visually down that long straightaway between 11 and 12. The spray off the back of a car you can’t see. You just straight-up can’t see and you’re going really really fast and the car is hydroplaning through that section. I think it’s newer asphalt there or something. The water sits on top more and the cars just jumping out of nowhere on you. The first time is scares you and then really the third and fourth time it still scares you, but you kind of catch yourself really quickly. It’s entertaining, believe me. I could have stayed out there making laps all day. I was having a good time.”

ARE YOU OK IF IT’S LIKE THIS TOMORROW AND IT’S A POINTS RACE WITH 40 CARS ON THE TRACK AND YOU CAN’T SEE? “It’s racing. You watch an F1 race or sports car race in the rain and those guys can’t see either and somehow they do it, so we’ll figure it out. It’s sketchy, for sure. It feels very uncomfortable, but I think as you do it, maybe just because it’s new we’ll get a hold of it a little better. It’s not bad through the esses. Ninety percent of the racetrack is not bad, it just gets really bad in the faster sections of the track, which is that long straightaway, front straightaway and then a little bit through the carousel. I don’t know what numbers they call those, I guess it’s 18, 17, 16 maybe, so those are the ones that are the most challenging to see for sure.”

WHAT DO THE ELEMENTS MEAN AS FAR AS ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES OF SETTING UP THE CAR? “It’s definitely a challenge. I don’t think we know what to do. Paul and I were just talking about it. We’re like, ‘What’s the weather gonna be?’ I don’t know. It could rain and it may not rain. It may rain for a little bit and dry up. I don’t know. There are definitely things you can change in the car to make it better in the weather either way and that’s gonna be part of the game here, I think — which way do you want to go. It’s really hard to be a crew chief or driver in these situations where you have to be a weatherman to some extent. I don’t know if you guys realize it, but most of the time the weatherman is wrong, so I don’t know how to do this correctly, but that’s what it is. We’re all in the same boat. We all have the same challenge ahead of us, so it’s just how we all handle it.”

HAVE YOU GOTTEN ANY SENSE OF THE VIBE AROUND TOWN? “Yeah, it’s really cool. My wife and I came down Thursday and had a date weekend for the first time, I think, since we had kids. We had a little bit of fun Thursday night and Friday. We jumped on those scooters and drove around town for a while and explored Austin, which was fun. There’s a lot of really cool areas. You kind of just drive around and kind of run into some things. It’s a really fun area for sure. The racetrack is beautiful. You guys can see just walking around here in the media center it’s like, ‘Whoa.’ It’s next level. The garage area is incredibly nice. The thing is built out of stone, can you imagine what that thing cost to build? So, it’s just an incredible facility. The racetrack is fun as well. I’m interested to see how it’s gonna race. There are definitely passing zones and also some areas where it’s just gonna get tight getting through some spots, but there’s a little bit of everything here. They’ve got high-speed zones, heavy braking zones and they’ve got the slow tricky areas where you’ve got to be really careful with your car.”

WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE IT RAIN TOMORROW FOR CONSISTENCY SAKE SINCE IT RAINED DURING PRACTICE TODAY? “It’s the same for everyone. If it dries up and we’re all trying to figure out how hard to drive when it’s dry, it’ll be the same for everyone. I just had a blast a second ago, so I’m OK with it raining at this point. Before practice the unknown and the uncertainty that you’re thinking about as a race car driver saying, ‘I don’t know how hard to go in. I don’t know what to do. Am I gonna be awful at this? Am I gonna be decent? I don’t know. How is our car gonna be? Do we even know how to work on the car?’ I don’t think we’ve answered all of those questions yet, but we have at least a general idea to where I feel more confident if we line up and race at this point, so, whatever. Like I said, it’s the same for everybody.”

HOW STRESSFUL WAS IT TO DRIVE AROUND THERE IN THOSE CONDITIONS? “I think you have to approach it with kind of a fun attitude, where fortunately enough for us we have a win, we’re in the playoffs. You have to look at the challenge as something fun. Honestly, I put it in the same category as Bristol. Bristol Dirt Race we go in there and say, ‘Let’s just try to figure it out. We’ll have some fun figuring it out.’ We don’t know what the heck we’re doing and it’s a very slick racetrack just like Bristol was very very slick. Maybe that’s my wheelhouse and I don’t even know it, but I do see to enjoy the challenge of something different, whether it’s changing the grip level, throwing some dirt on it, raining, whatever — something different, for me, I’m able to adapt fairly quickly and enjoy it a lot trying to figure out the new challenge. Any time there’s a big change like that there’s so much low-hanging fruit. You can just make huge gains run after run, whether it’s in the car or yourself as a driver. You’re able to make gains where you can gain a second at a time. We’re past that on dry asphalt. We’re trying to find half-a-tenth, but in these conditions it’s kind of a new game and there’s a lot of easy finds that can pick you up a second.”

SascoSports International/American Challenge Race Kicks-Off Three Days of Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) Competition at Barber Motorsports Park Friday at the HSR Barber Historics

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Official Release
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  • Yves Scemama Secures SascoSports Overall and Porsche-Class Victory in Heritage Motorsports 1974 No. 52 Porsche 911 IROC
  • Jeff McKee Sasco Sports American-Class Winner and Third Overall in Olthoff Racing 1964 No. 51 Ford Falcon
  • Cody Ellsworth Scores Sasco International-Class Honors in 1996 No. 11 BMW M3

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (May 21, 2021) – Racing action at this weekend’s Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) Barber Historics moved off to a competitive start Friday at Barber Motorsports Park where a stout field of 37 competitors took the green flag for the day’s featured Sasco Sports International/American Challenge race.

The overall and Porsche-class victory went to Yves Scemama who scored a convincing win in his Heritage Motorsports 1974 No. 52 Porsche 911 IROC.

Scemama shared the overall and Porsche-class podium with returning Heritage teammate Mike Banz who crossed the finish line second in his 1974 No. 13 Porsche 911 RSR. It was a fitting returning for Banz, a multiple HSR race winner and series champion, who is competing this weekend for the first time since 2019.

Jeff McKee took SascoSports American-division honors and third overall in his 1964 No. 51 Ford Falcon prepared Dennis Olthoff and Olthoff Racing.

Olthoff himself got in on the SascoSports American podium, guest driving the Frank Marcum-owned 1996 No. 15 Gentry Motor Works Cobra to second in class and fourth overall.

The overall top five and third in Porsche went to Tom McGlynn in his 901 Shop No. 8 Porsche 914/6.

The SascoSports International-class race victory was earned by Cody Ellsworth in his 1996 No. 11 BMW M3.

Ellsworth topped a diverse International-class podium that included runner-up Amber Stephenson in the 2Girls Racing 1963 No. 5 Lotus Super 7 and third-place finisher Brian Peele in his 1993 No. 84 Toyota Supra.

Friday’s other podium finisher was Chris Ronson Sr. who took third place in the SascoSports American division in his 1970 No. 94 Chevrolet Corvette.

Saturday’s schedule at the HSR Barber Historics incudes the opening rounds of this weekend’s HSR WeatherTech Sprint Series doubleheader races for all Run Groups.

The day’s feature race is Saturday afternoon’s Vintage and GT Classic (GTC) race that is scheduled to start at 4:55 p.m. CDT.

Tickets are available to the public for the HSR Barber Historics Saturday and Sunday. Online information on a variety of admission ticket, camping and parade lap options is available by clicking here.

About HSR: Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) was formed in the mid-1970s with an event at Road Atlanta. There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate the race cars from the past. As a “time machine” of sights and sounds, HSR provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at race tracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions eight vintage and historic racing events at some of the world’s most renowned race tracks, including Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and more. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR’s website at www.HSRRace.com. Look for the HSR Channel on YouTube and follow HSR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HSRrace/ and on Twitter and Instagram at @HSR_race. A dedicated website for the Classic 24 Hour at Daytona presented by IMSA is available at www.Classic24hour.com.

CR7 Motorsports looks to Circuits of the America for shift in momentum

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Official Release
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AUSTIN, TX: With two disappointing finishes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) in the last three races, CR7 Motorsports invades the coveted Circuit of the Americas (COTA) for Saturday afternoon’s Toyota Tundra 225 hoping to turn the tide.

Finishes of 36th at Richmond (Va.) Raceway and 38th most recently at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway has been tough for the Statesville, N.C.-based team to swallow but knowing that driver Codie Rohrbaugh was a victim of circumstances in both races makes the fork in the road a little easier to bypass.

For the third time this season, Fairhope, Ala. native Grant Enfinger will take the wheel of the No. 9 Good Sam | Grant County Mulch Chevrolet Silverado with hopes to capitalize on his 17th place finish at Kansas Speedway earlier this month and score his second top-10 of the year with the family-owned CR7 Motorsports team led by Doug George.

Enfinger, 36, turned in an impressive showing in his CR7 Motorsports debut with a seventh-place run at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway in March.

Earlier this season, Rohrbaugh posted his career-best NASCAR Camping World Truck Series road course finish of 16th at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway giving the team an optimistic approach heading into the second road course race of 2021.

“Everyone at CR7 Motorsports welcomes Grant (Enfinger) back with open arms,” said Rohrbaugh. “He has been instrumental in helping us continue to build our race team in a competitive operation week in and week out. Yes, we’ve had a patch of some tough luck, but we will recover. We always do.”

Enfinger, a six-time winner in the Truck Series has four previous starts on a road course with battles at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and the Daytona International Speedway Road Course respectively and with an average finish of 12.5, Rohrbaugh looks to Enfinger to help improve another area of CR7 Motorsports.

“Grant has done a great done leading our team with new ideas and feedback for the intermediate tracks and I know he will do the same on a road course,” added Rohrbaugh. “We have a couple more road courses on the schedule this season and his guidance on what areas we can improve on with our No. 9 Good Sam | Grant County Mulch Chevrolet will be instrumental.”

Rohrbaugh, a native of Petersburg, West Virginia will join the team in COTA in a management role but is expected to return to the driving duties at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway on May 28th.

“We’re preparing hard for the summer stretch,” Rohrbaugh continued. “There is a lot of variety set to kick over the next couple of months, but we will be ready for the action. We all hope that luck will be on our side along the way.”

During the short caution-filled practice session at COTA on Friday afternoon, Enfinger landed the CR7 Motorsports third quickest overall, a little more than a second behind session leader Zane Smith.

CR7 Motorsports has 35 NCWTS starts to their credit with a career-best finish of third at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (February 2020). Additionally, the team owns five other top-10 finishes at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (fifth) in October 2020, Richmond (Va.) Raceway (sixth) in September 2020, Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway (seventh | Grant Enfinger) in March 2021, Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (eighth) in February 2021 and Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (10th) in October 2019. An 11th place qualifying effort at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (Oct. 2019) is the team’s best time trials effort to date.

With 14 races remaining, Enfinger despite missing one race is eighth in the championship driver standings, just 14 points from fifth. CR7 Motorsports holds a respectable 20th in the championship owner standings after eight races.

In 20 career ARCA starts, Rohrbaugh has a best finish of seventh twice at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway (July 2018 and Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (February 2019). He has qualified a career-best fourth on four different occasions, most recently at Kansas Speedway (Oct. 2018).

Marketing partnership(s) opportunities are also available for the No. 9 Grant County Mulch Chevrolet in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, as well as the team’s ARCA Menards Series No. 97 A.L.L. Construction | Grant County Mulch Chevrolet program with driver Jason Kitzmiller for the 2021 seasons and beyond. Interested inquiries are encouraged to
contact tonya@gcmulch.com or 304.257.8783.

The Toyota Tundra 225 (41 laps | 139.81 miles) is the ninth of 22 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races on the 2021 schedule. Qualifying is set for Saturday morning beginning at 8:05 a.m. The field will take the green flag later in the day shortly after 12:00 p.m. CT with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM Satellite Radio NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (CT).

What to Look for While Buying a Good Bicycle Cover?

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SM
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Bike owners are always on the lookout for dry storage options for their valuable bicycles, but sometimes it may not be possible. If you do not have a garage or a shed to store your bicycle, it will be left at the mercy of environmental elements. If the bicycle parts are getting exposed to wind, rain, sun, etc., it may quickly get eroded, and the machine’s performance may be adversely affected.

So, if you want to store your bike in an outdoor space or offer additional protection while stored indoors, it is ideal to consider a bicycle cover as a worthy investment. Most of the bicycle covers come as the one-size-fits-all type of choice. However, some covers have some adjustments possible to fit the bar of the cycle and the saddle height. There are two major types of bicycle covers as outdoor covers: waterproof and lightweight dust covers for indoor usage.

Outdoor bicycle covers

Outdoor second covers are usually made of waterproof and durable materials meant to protect your bike from all the environmental elements while being stored outside. There are many risk factors to the bicycle stored outside as UV rays from the sun, rain, snow, wind, tree pollens, bird droppings, etc. Most of the high-quality bicycle covers are made of waterproof materials like polyester or polyester blended materials. IT can also offer good quality protection against any harmful UV rays.

A good quality bicycle cover can protect the unit’s paintwork and help avoid any corrosion to its metal parts. While choosing a bicycle cover, you may also look for one with an elasticated bottom which will ensure a better fit around the bike’s wheels. In addition, having an elastic bottom or ties will ensure that the cover may not be blown off during heavy winds. Other useful features you can look for on a good quality bicycle cover are eyelets for the lock, which may ensure better security to your bike. As outdoor covers, you can also consider vinyl covers which are lightweight and easy to use as bicycling equipment storage.

Dust covers

Another popular choice of bicycle cover is the lightweight dust covers. These are ideal for indoor usage. These covers are usually made of lightweight vinyl materials, which can protect your bicycles from any damages or scratches. It will also ensure that the family members or other roommates may not be smeared with any chain oil smells when they pass by your bike, which is kept in the hallway or such other places to save space. 

Apart from the polyester covers, you can get other materials also as canvas, vinyl, PVC covers, etc., as bicycle covers. Based on the size of your bicycle and its features, you need to get an appropriately fitting bicycle cover to ensure optimal protection. When you invest a fair amount in buying your bicycle, it is also essential to consider buying the best quality bicycle covers to ensure optimum protection of these pricey possessions.

Top 5 Benefits of Using Car Magnets to Advertise Your Business

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SM
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When launching a new business, you’ll have to choose the best advertising method to promote your business, especially if you are in the field of estimating services. You also need to find the best and most affordable way to reach your potential audiences. Not to mention, your primary focus will be spreading your message across different people. Car magnets are one of the most affordable and straightforward ways to attract customers. Whether you have a large business or a start-up, utilize the benefits of car magnets will undoubtedly grow your customer base. 

Car magnets are the most essential branding tools you need to include in your marketing strategy. In this article, we will discuss the top 5 benefits of car magnets for your business advertisement purposes. If you’re thinking if car magnets are appropriate for your business or not, it’s suggested to read the article to the very end. 

Trust

Trust is the most important factor for a business. It doesn’t matter if your company generates high revenue or not, if you lose the trust of your customers, your business will be destroyed pretty soon. 

Magnetic car signs will provide your customers a robust sense of security. When you use your branded car magnets, it will make your business look more legitimate. Additionally, branded car magnets are effective so generate a good impression. So, you’ll be able to showcase your professionalism through them. 

Affordable

Some advertising methods such as billboards, commercials, and newspaper ads are pretty expensive and you need to purchase them over and over again. The moment you stopped paying for them, you won’t be able to utilize their benefits. Although they will boost your exposure, the rate of ROI will be beneficial as long as you pay for them. According to CallRail, ROI is a key performance indicator. 

On the other hand, car magnets are extremely affordable. A pair of car magnets won’t cost you more than $60-$70. Additionally, magnetic car signs are a one-time investment. Hence, they are very cost-effective when it comes to advertising your business. Moreover, you may complement them with leaflets and flyers. These are another budget-friendly marketing tactic, allowing you to reach a wider audience without breaking the bank. This combination allows for both broad and targeted reach, enhancing brand visibility and recognition.

Removable

Unlike the vehicle process, where you need to meticulously follow some steps to remove them, magnetic car signs can be removed, peeled, or repositioned in a couple of seconds. However, your car needs to be cleaned otherwise it will damage the magnets. 

If you want to take your car for a wash, remove your car magnets, wash the dust particles from your car and reinstall them. As car magnets are removable, you can replace the sign whenever you want. 

They are Easy to Order

Other forms of advertising methods are time-consuming and complicated. They require negotiations, contracts, and payment plans. However, magnetic car signs are easy to purchase and customize. There are tons of customizable options to choose from. While designing your magnetic car signs, don’t forget to include your business’s contact information. These high-quality magnets will undoubtedly boost your brand’s image.

No Damage

If you don’t have any professional experience and you try to remove your car stickers, it might damage the paint as well as the surface of the car. Since magnetic car signs are removable, they won’t cause erosion to your car. 

Conclusion

These are the 5 benefits of magnetic car signs to advertise your business. Not only the car magnets will attract customers but also boost the visibility of your business. However, you must find the perfect way to showcase them amongst audiences. When you install car magnets, you can promote your products and services without making a massive investment risk. 

Dixon Reaches 233, Rossi Tops among Solo Drivers on Fast Friday

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Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, May 21, 2021) – Scott Dixon raised the speed limit on “Fast Friday” at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, turning the fastest lap of the week – 233.302 mph – in the final full day of practice before Crown Royal Armed Forces Qualifying Weekend for the 105th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.

It was the second day this week that six-time and reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Dixon topped the speed charts, as he also was fastest Wednesday in the No. 9 PNC Bank Grow Up Great Honda.

“The team was really fast,” said Dixon, who also gained the advantage of drawing first in the qualifying order. “I think any time one of the Ganassi cars went out, they improved and improved in a big way.
“It was really tough out there today. Just really tough to get a clear track. I know it’s difficult. I know everybody wants to try to get a (qualifying simulation) run.”

Qualifying takes place from noon-5:50 p.m. (ET) Saturday, with positions 1-30 secured (noon-6 p.m., Peacock; 2-3 p.m., NBC; 3-6 p.m., NBCSN). On Sunday, the Fast Nine Shootout will determine the NTT P1 Award for pole and the order of the first three rows, and Last Chance Qualifying will determine which three of the five remaining cars will complete the starting field for the May 30 race.

Today was the first day of the event with elevated boost levels in the engine turbochargers, which continues through Saturday and Sunday for Crown Royal Armed Forces Qualifying. The additional boost added between 80 and 90 horsepower and increased speeds 8 mph from Thursday.

2008 Indy 500 winner Dixon’s top lap came with the benefit of an aerodynamic tow, which drivers won’t get in single-car qualifying this weekend. 2016 Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi was the fastest driver running alone on the 2.5-mile oval, marking him as a favorite to win the NTT P1 Award for pole Sunday. Rossi’s best no-tow lap today was 231.598 mph in the No. 27 NAPA AUTO PARTS/AutoNation Honda.

“I only I think (I got) just one four-lap (qualifying simulation) run because people kept jumping out or whatever,” Rossi said. “It’s always interesting on days like this when you have an unfriendly wind in Turn 2. For whatever reason, Turn 2 is hard. I don’t know if the air is different over there.”

All the top five overall speeds today came in a tow from traffic. Colton Herta was second at 232.784 in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda, while 2013 Indy winner Tony Kanaan – fastest Thursday – was third at 232.690 in the No. 48 The American Legion Honda.

Marcus Ericsson was fourth at 232.531 in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Alex Palou helped Honda-powered drivers sweep the top five spots on the speed chart, clocking in fifth at 232.155 in the No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Rossi has been among the fastest no-tow drivers each day this week, so his perch atop that list today came as little surprise. Other drivers to watch this weekend based on their speeds without aerodynamic help include Graham Rahal, second today on the no-tow list at 231.518 in the No. 15 United Rentals Honda, and Pato O’Ward, third among the no-tows at 231.510 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet.

O’Ward and Rossi also were fast in traffic today. O’Ward’s best lap in the draft was 232.034, good for sixth overall. Rossi’s top tow lap was 231.863, seventh overall.

“There’s always surprises,” Rossi said when asked to predict qualifying. “I think this year has proved that correctly across all the races, right? How many races have we had, four or five? Five races, five winners. I think that’s a testament to the series, the level of all these teams and guys. The guy that’s going to be on pole is really anyone’s guess.”

A one-hour pre-qualifying practice, with the field separated into two 30-minute groups will take place from 9:30-10:30 a.m. (Peacock)

Toyota Racing NXS COTA Quotes — Daniel Hemric 5.21.21

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Official Release
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Toyota Racing – Daniel Hemric
NASCAR Xfinity Series Quotes

AUSTIN, Texas (May 21, 2021) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Daniel Hemric was made available to media via videoconference prior to the Circuit of the Americas race earlier today:

DANIEL HEMRIC, No. 18 Poppy Bank Toyota Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

What happened with the power steering issue and was it fixed by the end of the session?

“It was fixed fairly immediately once they realized what had happened. Honestly, Dave Rogers (crew chief) and I haven’t even discussed it. They handled it, fixed it and it was good to go for my next turn out of the garage. I’m sure when they get back to the shop we’ll figure out what happened. Quick fix on their part to at least maximize our time after that.”

Is there any concern with the turns and the bumps that things can get knocked out more here than other road courses?

“I wouldn’t say any more here than other road courses. The turtles and what not have been the same height at the other race tracks where we’ve seen them. We all know the damage they can do and I guess the positioning of where you need to put your car to cross them correctly. Just like any kind of road course racing or short track racing, it’s tough on equipment. It’s a battle of attrition, car placement and managing your stuff from your tires to equipment to curb placement. I don’t think it’s any more of an issue here than anywhere else, but something for sure that we all have to keep an eye on.”

What have you done to improve your road racing skills?

“Short of just running Legends cars and what not during the Winter Heat Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway, there is not a whole lot of road course background for me. From the time I ran a truck for the first time on a road course in 2015, I think we were able to put together many years in the top-five when I had a chance to run road course stuff and that transferred immediately to the Xfinity Series. For whatever reason, this always felt good and comfortable. I think road course racing kind of brings out the short track racer in all of us. You’re chasing mechanical grip, you’re chasing all the things that you have to do to make speed and make longevity and it makes you really be precise. I’ve just always enjoyed the grind and the challenge of road course racing. As far as prepping for these places, it’s just really utilizing the tools we have within TRD and what the Toyota Racing family provides us. Everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing has so many tools to utilize and as us drivers know, being in the simulator as much as we are, every event but we really circle the road courses because there’s a lot we can work on ourselves as the driver. Just been trying to put that to use the best we can and happy with how far I was able to come from just running sim laps here to see the gains and now come here and see how close our stuff was is pretty rewarding.”

Do you feel like this is a driver’s road course?

“For me, I just feel like I’m still learning every corner. I don’t really know how to evaluate that question yet. I think like all road courses, there’s times where aggression is rewarded and there’s times that it hurts you. I think it’s trying to figure out where those spots are around here at COTA. I think I overstepped both sides of them, I was too conservative on a couple corners, too aggressive a couple corners and vice versa. I think you will see guys who typically run good on old, worn out surfaces whether it be mile-and-a-halves or short tracks, you’re going to see those guys probably prevail here just from a mechanical grip standpoint. I think Dave Rogers (crew chief) and my guys have brought a really good Poppy Bank Toyota Supra. We’ll see. To be seen.”

What was expected or unexpected when you got on the track for practice?

“A lot of what we’ve seen inside the TRD sim is very spot on from tire grip, that’s just something you’re making and you think this feels right and you’re trying to model that so you’re getting good data. If you put bad data in then you get bad data out so I’m very proud of the development we all did. I think we all had a hand as drivers in steering the ship in the right direction in that process. As far as getting here, there are some spots where we’re putting the race cars that we didn’t think we would. I also need to go back and watch practice back, but I don’t want to give away exactly the spots I’m talking about, but for sure not utilizing some of the race track like I thought we would. I think that’s just a matter of stock cars versus ground clearance and what we have and don’t have. Just trying to maximize those things. I’m sure everyone will be studying tonight and studying the data we were able to achieve there in that short amount of time. Pretty cool to see how close it all was.”

Can you describe one turn that surprised you?

“For me, I’ve been fortunate to do this for a while now and you don’t get a ton of sense of speed except at a few select tracks and there was something about when we put our second set of tires on here today and figured out where that max braking zone was into turn one, I think it’s 100 or 150 feet of elevation uphill. A little bit like Sonoma, turn one as far as the elevation or how much you can use that hill to slow you down. Driving to the point of a little bit of flutter in your belly of, ‘Oh, this is my spot,’ and then you hit the brakes. That’s something you don’t experience every week. That’s a cool visual getting into turn one and then all of the sudden the race track crowns away and the track goes left and you feel like you missed it every time. A lot going on and for sure going to be an exciting spot-on restarts.”

What were your first impressions of COTA?

“For me, I was fortunate enough to come out here and do the press release with Toyota and here at COTA to announce them as the official pace car and the official sponsor of the weekend. So I had a chance to at least cruise around the track and see some things, but a lot of the markers and braking zones and signage have all changed since I was here that day a couple weeks ago. When I first rolled on, it was taking notice of that. Instead of having 350, 300, 250 braking marks, now they’re six, five, four, three, two, one. That was different. Claire (B. Lang) asked earlier about the sim and that’s something that we didn’t have in sim, it was different. It’s good, it brings everybody back to a level playing field, but you for sure found yourself guessing, but the initial thoughts were definitely just checking all those markers out and refamiliarize yourself with a new place and then just trying to go out and make speed.”

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.

AUSTIN CINDRIC QUICKEST IN XFINITY SERIES PRACTICE; ZANE SMITH LEADS CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES SESSION FRIDAY AT CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS

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Official Release
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AUSTIN, Texas (May 21, 2021) – Austin Cindric, the Xfinity Series points leader, and Zane Smith, last season’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series rookie of the year, were the fastest drivers in their respective series Friday during the opening day of NASCAR racing at Circuit of The Americas.

Cindric, the defending NASCAR Xfinity series champion, drove his Team Penske No. 22 Ford to an average speed of 89.100 mph while Smith covered the 3.41-mile, 20-turn COTA layout in 89.348 mph in his No. 21 Chevrolet to pace the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Teams in both series were able to hit the track for 50 minutes each in their only scheduled practice session of the weekend for Saturday’s races, the Xfinity Series Pit Boss 250 and Camping World Truck Series Toyota Tundra 225.

Cindric finished second in the only other Xfinity Series road course event of the season, at Daytona in February. He has posted three victories in the season’s first 10 races. He said the COTA course reminds of a European-style F1 road course.

“We have a lot to go over tonight, a short amount of data,” Cindric told FS1 after the session. “I did a lot of outs and ins. We made a lot of changes. Tires fall off a lot, so I wasn’t happy with any of them. I’ll try to go through the data and come up with the best game plan for tomorrow.”

Daniel Hemric was second fastest in his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with a speed of 89.057 mph and was followed by Tyler Reddick, who is driving the No. 31 Chevy and posted a speed of 88.980 mph. Reddick was fastest among the five Cup drivers entered in the Pit Boss 250. Xfinity road course ace A.J. Allmendinger, who is driving the flagship Pit Boss Grills Chevy, was fifth with a speed of 88.565 mph.

Smith, last year’s most popular driver in the Camping World Truck Series, led practice and was followed by defending series champ Sheldon Creed, who posted a speed of 89.128 mph in his No. 2 Chevy. He was followed by veteran driver Grant Enfinger, who was third with a lap of 88.653 mph in his No. 9 Chevy. The tour’s most recent road course winner, Ben Rhodes, was fourth overall in the No. 99 Toyota with a speed of 88.464 mph.

Following the practice session, Smith feels good about his chances for Saturday’s Toyota Tundra 225.

“In a situation like this you’re never going to have enough practice,” Smith said. “I feel like we had a pretty smooth practice, we had the adjustments that we wanted to try. Some worked, some didn’t, but luckily we had a pretty clean track for most of the session. We unloaded with a fast truck and it really says a lot about the whole 21 team and GMS racing in general.”

Smith says he is ready for what he expects to be a thrilling race in Saturday’s Toyota Tundra 225.

“In a situation like this you’re never going to have enough practice,” Smith said. “I feel like we had a pretty smooth practice, we had the adjustments that we wanted to try. Some worked, some didn’t, but luckily we had a pretty clean track for most of the session. We unloaded with a fast truck and it really says a lot about the whole 21 team and GMS racing in general.”

Parker Chase, an IMSA regular who is driving the No. 51 truck for Kyle Busch Motorsports, was fastest among the road racing specialists in the Truck race at 11th overall with a lap of 87.725 mph in his Toyota Tundra.

Should rain fall on COTA this weekend, all races will go on as scheduled as Goodyear will provide wet weather tires to the teams if necessary. NASCAR’s road course rain rule does not allow competition during thunderstorms with lighting in the area or during really heavy downpours.

Prestige Performance was quickest in the IMSA Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series’ first practice session with a lap time of 2:09.005. O’Gara Motorsports led the second practice session with the best time of the day at 2:08.731. IMSA teams will have two qualifying sessions Saturday morning and the first of two 50-minute timed races for the weekend will be tomorrow evening at 6:50 p.m. CT The final IMSA race is scheduled to start at noon on Sunday.

NASCAR race weekend action continues Saturday with qualifying for both Xfinity and Truck teams to set the starting lineups for their races later that day. The Toyota Tundra 225 Camping World Truck Series race starts at noon CT (FS1, MRN Radio) and will be followed by the Pit Boss 250, which takes the green flag at 3 p.m. (FS1, PRN Radio). On Sunday, the NASCAR Cup Series teams will have two sessions of group qualifying starting at 10 a.m. to set the field for the EchoPark Automotive Texas Grand Prix, which takes the green flag at 1:30 p.m. (FS1, PRN Radio).

To obtain more information about the NASCAR weekend, download facility and parking maps and check out a list of FAQ’s about the event, please click here.

Tickets are still available for the NASCAR at COTA weekend and can be purchased by visiting www.NASCARatCOTA.com.

MARWIN SPORTS JOINS ROAD AMERICA AS OFFICIAL RACE APPAREL PROVIDER

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Official Release
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ELKHART LAKE, Wis., May 21, 2021 – Road America and Marwin Sports have announced a new partnership, naming Marwin Sports the official race apparel provider of Road America.

With the 2021 Road America season right around the corner, Road America and Marwin Sports look forward to the new relationship.

“We are thrilled to welcome Marwin Sports as our new partner and the official race apparel provider of Road America,” said Mike Kertscher, Road America’s President and General Manager. “We value their commitment to excellence and quality, and we look forward to this new partnership.”

“We at Marwin Sports are proud to enter into this partnership with Road America,” said Theresa Huang, President of Marwin Sports. “Road America is the most diverse road course in North America, offering everything from INDYCAR to NASCAR, IMSA, MotoAmerica, SCCA, and vintage racing, and we are eager to work with them to bring our premium and unique apparel solutions to the masses.”

Marwin Sports will be fitting the Road America staff in race weekend apparel for the upcoming 2021 season.

Tickets are now available for all events, and additional event details, ticket pricing, and camping information can be found at www.roadamerica.com or by calling 800-365-7223. Anyone 16-years-old and under is FREE with a paying adult at the gate. Racing runs rain or shine.

About Marwin Sports: Marwin Sports manufactures premium, functional smart tech apparel for consumers, corporations, and sports organizations. We integrate the latest nanotechnology to add water resistance, antimicrobial protection, and proprietary blockchain NFC technology to deliver a unique apparel experience. Learn more at www.marwinsports.com.

About Road America: Established in 1955, Road America is conveniently located between Milwaukee and Green Bay in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The world’s best racers have competed at this legendary four-mile, 14-turn road circuit for over 65 years. Along with over 500 events held seasonally at the 640-acre facility, several major weekends are open to the public, which include the IndyCar Series, the MotoAmerica Series, three vintage racing events, numerous Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) events, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and NASCAR. Road America’s park-like grounds offer amazing viewing opportunities, numerous camping options, fantastic concessions, and high-speed excitement to hundreds of thousands of spectators each year. Fans can also stay and play in cabins conveniently on the grounds and find all sorts of souvenirs, collectibles, and apparel at the 7,500 sq. ft Paddock Shop. Affectionately known by many as America’s National Park of Speed, Road America can accommodate groups of all sizes, including weddings and corporate events in the Tufte Conference Center. In addition to public race weekends, Road America offers various group event programs, including geocaching, disc golf, and off-road adventure tours, karting, and the Road America Motorcycle and Driving Schools. For more information, visit www.roadamerica.com Follow Road America on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube or call 800-365-7223

DEFENDING NASCAR CUP SERIES CHAMP CHASE ELLIOTT SEEKING FIRST WIN OF SEASON AS SERIES VISITS COTA FOR INAUGURAL ECHOPARK AUTOMOTIVE TEXAS GRAND PRIX

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Official Release
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AUSTIN, Texas (May 21, 2021) – Defending NASCAR Cup Series champ Chase Elliott has been a road course master in recent seasons, winning four of the last five starts where drivers are required to turn both right and left. The second-generation phenom will look to put those skills into play this weekend during the EchoPark Automotive Texas Grand Prix at the challenging Circuit of The Americas (COTA) layout.

While there’s been quite a bit of parity this season in the Cup Series, with 10 different winners in the season’s first 13 races, Elliott is still looking to make his first visit to Victory Lane in 2021. The driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy is hoping it will come this weekend on the 3.41-mile, 20-turn COTA road course. The historic race, NASCAR’s first visit to the purpose-built road course in the Texas capital that has hosted Formula 1 and INDYCAR, will take the green flag Sunday at 1:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on FS1 and PRN Radio.

Elliott swept all of the road course races in the Cup Series in 2019 and ’20, winning at Watkins Glen and the ROVAL™ in ’19 and then taking wins at Daytona’s road course and again at the ROVAL™ in ’20 for four in a row. He won the pole position and led 44 laps of the Daytona road race earlier this year but ultimately finished 21st after spinning out with six laps remaining in the race.

He’s ready to start another streak at COTA, a track that he says is a blast to drive. He was one of three drivers, along with Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr., who participated in a Goodyear Tire test at COTA in March.

“It’s a super neat facility – super nice facility, number one,” Elliott said. “The track’s fun. It has a lot of character to it, I feel like. I’ve never been here, never seen it before in person before (the Goodyear test) and really haven’t watched a ton of races here, so it’s really been a pretty steep learning curve for me, trying to piece together all the different parts of the track and understand where you need to be good and how to make it flow.

“I’ve enjoyed the challenge… Your lap time doesn’t tell the whole story, so you really have to piece that together to understand what you did good and what you didn’t, and then go put the pieces of the puzzle together and try to put the whole thing in the works.”

Elliott will have a host of talented rivals to contend with during the event, including a pair of Joe Gibbs Racing standouts in Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch. Both Truex Jr. and Busch have earned four career road course victories in the Cup Series and will be on the hunt for more. Truex Jr. leads the series with wins this season as he has posted three in his No. 19 Toyota. Two-time series champ Busch also has scored a win, at Kansas, in his No. 18 Toyota.

All three of Elliott’s Hendrick Motorsports teammates have won races this season, with Alex Bowman leading the charge by picking up wins at Richmond in mid-April and last weekend at Dover in the No. 48 Chevy. Kyle Larson put the No. 5 in Victory Lane in Las Vegas and William Byron scored a win in the No. 24 at Homestead-Miami.

Bowman’s Dover win was historic as it led the first-ever Hendrick Motorsports 1-2-3-4 finish in NASCAR history. Bowman took the checkered flag in front of his teammates Larson, Elliott and Byron, respectively, at the finish line.

“It’s pretty amazing,” Bowman said. “I feel like we’ve been off for a couple weeks, but we’re still the same race team that won in Richmond. We’ve been probably a little down on ourselves. Just tried to get the guys back motivated after a rough week last week in Darlington. Our pit stops were incredible today. To run 1-2-3-4 for Hendrick Motorsports is so cool… Really, really cool to see it.”

Other drivers to watch this weekend are Christopher Bell, who won at the Daytona Road Course in February in his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, and several past Cup Series road course winners, including veterans Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano. Atlanta winner Ryan Blaney has contended in road course races with three top-five finishes, as have veteran drivers Ryan Newman and Erik Jones.

Despite never winning on a road course, Team Penske’s Keselowski has come close on many occasions, posting seven top-fives in his No. 2 Ford, including a trio of second-place finishes at Watkins Glen. He feels like this could be his weekend to finally claim that first road course trophy. After testing at COTA in early March, Keselowski likes what he sees in the versatile circuit.

“I mean, it’s very wide,” Keselowski said. “In any of the high braking zones I expect significant, wild crazy moves, whether it be Turn 1 or the backstretch. You’ll see cars really fan out, which should be pretty interesting to watch. You know, you’ve got rhythm sections.

“It’s got all kinds of sections in it, it’s got your wide passing zone, it’s got your long straightaway. It’s got your very heavy braking zone. It’s got a carousel and a switchback. It’s really kind of got everything but a banked corner. So, I think it’s an interesting track.”

Road-course specialist A.J. Allmendinger, whose lone Cup Series victory came on a road course at Watkins Glen in 2014, will drive the No. 16 Kaulig Racing entry in the Cup race, pulling double duty along with his full-time job in the Xfinity Series. Austin Cindric, the defending Xfinity Series champ, also will do the COTA double, as he will run the Cup race in his No. 33 Team Penske Ford.

Several rising stars in the series should also be on fans’ radar, including Daytona 500 winner Michael McDowell who has a road course racing background; Wood Brothers Racing’s Matt DiBenedetto, who posted top-five finishes recently at Talladega and Kansas; and Richard Childress Racing’s Tyler Reddick, who finished second at Homestead and has posted five top-10s in the last seven races in his No. 8 Chevy.

The hometown Texas fans will be cheering on Roush Fenway Racing’s Chris Buescher, a native of Prosper that is situated in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area. Buescher drives the No. 17 Ford and is the only Cup driver on the roster this weekend with roots in the Lone Star State.

Two other drivers that fans will certainly be interested in following this weekend are Bubba Wallace and Daniel Suarez, who both are backed by celebrity team owners. Wallace’s No. 23 Toyota is co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan while Suarez’s No. 99 Chevy is co-owned by Grammy-award winning entertainer Pitbull. Wallace had his best finish of the season this past weekend at Dover with an 11th-place effort and Mexico native Suarez led 58 laps at the Bristol dirt race to post his season-best finish of fourth.

Should rain fall on COTA this weekend, all races will go on as scheduled as Goodyear will provide wet weather tires to the teams if necessary. NASCAR Cup teams were challenged by racing in the rain most recently last November during the Charlotte ROVAL™ Playoff event. NASCAR’s road course rain rule does not allow competition during thunderstorms with lighting in the area or really heavy downpours.

Race weekend action gets underway Friday with practice sessions scheduled for the NASCAR Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series. On Saturday, qualifying will be held for both Xfinity and Truck teams to set the starting lineups for their races later that day. The Toyota Tundra 225 Camping World Truck Series race starts at noon CT (FS1, MRN Radio) and will be followed by the Pit Boss 250, which takes the green flag at 3 p.m. (FS1, PRN Radio).

On Sunday, the NASCAR Cup Series teams will qualify in group qualifying at 10 a.m., with one 25 minute round with all drivers and one 10 minute round with the top 12 from the first round to set the starting lineups for the EchoPark Automotive Texas Grand Prix, which takes the green flag at 1:30 p.m. (FS1, PRN Radio).

To obtain more information about the NASCAR weekend, download facility and parking maps and check out a list of FAQ’s about the event, please click here.

Tickets are still available for the NASCAR at COTA weekend and can be purchased by visiting www.NASCARatCOTA.com.

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