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Justin Allgaier wins Xfinity Series race in overtime finish at Darlington

By
Angie Campbell
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Justin Allgaier celebrates after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Steakhouse Elite 200 at Darlington Raceway on May 08, 2021. Photo Credit: Ted Seminara

Justin Allgaier won the NASCAR Xfinity Series Steakhouse Elite 200 at Darlington Raceway Saturday afternoon in a dramatic two-lap overtime finish.

He outdueled his JR Motorsports teammate, Josh Berry, who had pulled ahead in Turn l, to take the lead for his second victory of the season and earn his 16th career win.

“Our car wasn’t as good as we wanted all day, but the guys down in the pits, they just kept fighting,” said Allgaier. “To check off Atlanta and Darlington, I couldn’t be more appreciative of this race team. We’re going to celebrate this one for a while.”

Josh Berry had to settle for second place, earning his fourth top-10 of 2021. He was also the highest finishing rookie of the race. Berry is currently scheduled to compete on a part time basis for JRM. He won at Martinsville Speedway in April and is trying to make the most of each opportunity.

“I’m mad,” Berry said. “I want to win. I’m racing for my life out here, man. We need to find a sponsor or something so I can run this thing full time. But it’s hard to be mad, coming here, running second, no practice, first time with these guys — that’s pretty incredible.”

Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Brandon Jones (No. 19) and Daniel Hemric (No. 18) finished in third and fourth, respectively. Jeremy Clements scored his fourth top-10 result of 2021 with fifth place.

Michael Annett, Brett Moffitt, Ryan Sieg, Alex Labbe and Harrison Burton rounded out the top-10 at Darlington.

Noah Gragson was originally scored in fourth at the end of the race but was disqualified due to a violation of Rule 20.14.c in the NASCAR Rule Book that reads, “All suspension mounts and mounting hardware must not allow movement or realignment of any suspension and/or drivetrain component beyond normal rotation or suspension and/or drivetrain travel.”

Gragson was relegated to a 40th place finish and was no longer eligible to receive the Dash 4 Cash bonus. He has already won two of the four events in the program. The $100,000 prize was ultimately awarded to AJ Allmendinger, who finished 12th and passed post-race inspection.

Wayne Auton, Xfinity Series director, stated that the Dash 4 Cash winners are routinely included in the post-race inspection for each of these races.

JR Motorsports will have the option to appeal the disqualification.

The last Dash 4 Cash race will be held at Dover International Speedway next Saturday, May 15, at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1. Allmendinger, Allgaier, Berry and Brandon Jones will be eligible for the $100,000 prize.

UPDATED: #9 – Disqualified – Failed Post-race Inspection
NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Number 9
Race Results for the 2nd Annual Steakhouse Elite 200 – Saturday, May 8, 2021
Darlington Raceway – Darlington, SC – 1.366 – Mile Paved
Total Race Length – 148 Laps – 202.168 Miles

FinStrNoDriverTeamLapsS1PosS2PosS3PosPtsStatus
1167Justin AllgaierGood Humor Ice Cream Chevrolet14877048Running
2248Josh Berry #Tire Pros Chevrolet14803043Running
32219Brandon Jones06 NCWTS Championship Toyota148100035Running
4718Daniel HemricPoppy Bank Toyota14830041Running
51251Jeremy ClementsAll South Electric Chevrolet14800032Running
6201Michael AnnettGatorade Pilot Flying J Chevrolet14896038Running
7132Brett MoffittDESTINY HOMES Chevrolet14809032Running
81139Ryan SiegCMR Construction and Roofing Ford14804036Running
92336Alex LabbeLarue Industrial Snowblowers Chevrolet14800028Running
10820Harrison BurtonDEX Imaging Toyota14821046Running
11194Landon CassillMaintenX Chevrolet14800026Running
12116AJ AllmendingerHyperice Chevrolet14852040Running
13411Justin HaleyLeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet14800024Running
141444Tommy Joe MartinsCapital City Hauling Chevrolet14840030Running
153399Ryan EllisCorvetteParts.net Toyota14800022Running
161761David StarrWhataburger Toyota14800021Running
172954Ty Gibbs #Interstate Batteries Toyota14880023Running
18102Myatt SniderTaxSlayer Chevrolet14860024Running
19310Jeb BurtonNutrien Ag Solutions Chevrolet14805024Running
203623Tanner BerryhillREALTY CONNECT Chevrolet14800017Running
213517JJ YeleyWORKPRO Chevrolet14800016Running
221566Timmy Hill(i)Lift Kits 4 Less Ford1480000Running
23968Brandon BrownBrandonbilt Motorsports Chevrolet14800014Running
243974Bayley Currey(i)Providing Hope VA Chevrolet1480000Running
253890BJ McLeod(i)BuckedUp Apparel Chevrolet1480000Running
26346Ryan Vargas #Monarch Roofing Throwback Chevrolet14800011Running
27698Riley HerbstHenry Repeating Arms Ford148010011Running
282515Colby HowardProject Hope Foundation Chevrolet1470009Accident
29222Austin CindricCar Shop Ford14718021Accident
30280Jeffrey EarnhardtForeverLawn Throwback Chevrolet1460007Running
313178Jesse LittleTufco Flooring Chevrolet1460006Running
322647Kyle WeathermanPit Viper Sunglasses Chevrolet1420005Running
334013Matt JaskolLift Kits 4 Less Toyota1420004Running
341848Jade BufordBig Machine/All American Racers/Hot Wheels Chevrolet1400003Running
352726Brandon GdovicSnapMobile.Shop Toyota1400002Running
36307Joe Graf Jr.Bucked Up Energy Chevrolet1320001Accident
373752Gray GauldingPanini America Chevrolet1070001Accident
382192Josh WilliamsStarbrite/Alloy Employer Chevrolet480001Suspension
39325Matt MillsJ.F. Electric Chevrolet440001Accident
4059Noah GragsonBass Pro Shops/True Timber/BRCC Chevrolet1480001Running

Team Penske NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Report – Darlington

By
Official Release
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Team Penske NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Report
Track: Darlington Raceway
Race: Steakhouse Elite 200
Date: May 8, 2021

No. 22 CarShop Ford Mustang – Austin Cindric
Start: 2nd
Stage 1: 1st (Fifth Stage Win of 2021)
Stage 2: 8th
Finish: 29th
Status: Accident
Laps Completed: 147/148
Laps Led: 34
Driver Point Standings (ahead of second): 1st (+39)

Notes:

  • Misfortune struck Austin Cindric late in the Steakhouse Elite 200 Saturday afternoon at Darlington Raceway, leaving the driver of the No. 22 CarShop Ford Mustang with a 29th-place finish. Cindric continues to lead the driver point standings, 39 markers ahead of second place.
  • The starting lineup was once again set per the NASCAR rule book, which gave Cindric the second starting position. He showed strength early in the race, leading 34 laps and winning Stage 1, collecting his fifth stage win of the season. Cindric took the lead from Noah Gragson on lap 26 and was out front when the segment ended on lap 45. As the track rubbered up, Cindric communicated his CarShop Ford began to loosen up. During the Stage caution Crew Chief Brian Wilson called for a trackbar adjustment plus four tires and fuel on lap 48. Cindric restarted fourth when the race went green on lap 52.
  • Cindric steadily ran inside the top-five despite the fact his Mustang was not handling to his liking. The fifth caution set up a four-lap dash to the finish of the stage, prompting mixed pit strategy among the leaders. Cindric remained on track and restarted second while others pitted for fresh tires. The new tires proved to be a big advantage and Cindric was shuffled back to ninth-place when the segment concluded on lap 90. Wilson once again called his driver to pit road during the stage caution for four tires, fuel, plus wedge and a rubber in a the left-front spring to improve the balance on the No. 22 Ford. He lined up 18th for the restart on lap 99.
  • The Mooresville N.C., native sliced and diced through traffic and was running 11th when the seventh caution was displayed on lap 127, setting up another round of pits stops among the leaders. Cindric gained two positions after the visit to pit road and restated ninth on lap 131. Two more cautions would slow the pace (on laps 133 and 143), the latter forcing the finish of the race into NASCAR Overtime. Cindric pitted during the final caution for four tires, hoping the advantage of fresh rubber would work to his advantage in the closing laps. He lined up 20th but was involved in an accident off Turn 2 and didn’t complete the final lap, leaving him with a 29th place finish.

Quote: “It’s just unfortunate. We started off strong and won the first stage and led some laps. Everyone on the CarShop team did a great job throughout the race. At the end we were just trying to do what the others didn’t. It just didn’t work out for us and we will move on to Dover next week.”

Toyota Racing NXS Post-Race Recap — Darlington 5.9.21

By
Official Release
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JONES, HEMRIC SCORE TOP-FIVE FINISHES AT DARLINGTON
Brandon Jones follows last year’s Darlington win with another strong run

DARLINGTON, S.C. (May 8, 2021) – Brandon Jones (third) and Daniel Hemric (fifth) drove their Toyota Supras to top-five finishes in the Steakhouse Elite 200 at Darlington Raceway on Saturday afternoon.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Darlington Raceway
Race 9 of 33 – 200.1 miles, 147 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Justin Allgaier*
2nd, Josh Berry*
3rd, BRANDON JONES
4th, Noah Gragson*
5th, DANIEL HEMRIC
11th, HARRISON BURTON
16th, RYAN ELLIS
17th, DAVID STARR
18th, TY GIBBS
34th, MATT JASKOL
36th, BRANDON GDOVIC
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

BRANDON JONES, No. 19 ’06 NCWTS Championship Toyota Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 3rd

How does a third-place finish feel for you?

“Our Supra was pretty dang good throughout the race. We honestly had lap times to win the race. We didn’t have it the entire time, but man, I don’t know. We couldn’t keep track position very good. I don’t know what the beef with the 16 (A.J. Allmendinger) is. The respect level between the two of us is just not there for whatever reason. To be able to run this Toyota, Todd Bodine throwback – I know this means a lot to them with Toyota. We came up short, but this is where we need to be after getting wrecked a few weeks ago.”

How was your race overall and did you have something for them on the final restart?

“I think it was so cool to have Todd Bodine’s scheme on the Supra this weekend. I know that meant a lot to Toyota. Definitely wanted to get a win for them in that scheme. I know last year was so cool to have that scheme and we got the job done. I knew it was going to be close and that restart there at the very end, those two JRM (JR Motorsports) cars were battling hard and flashbacks came into my mind. I thought that those two were going to get in the fence and I’ll roll on by. We just didn’t have quite enough I don’t think in the tank, but I think we ran some of the fastest laps of the race so we definitely had speed in our Supra. Just all in all, needed to be just a tick better. We’ve got a lot to build on when we come back here in the fall.”

DANIEL HEMRIC, No. 18 Poppy Bank Toyota Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 5th

Describe where you are at right now with this fifth-place run.

“Frustrated. That’s where I’m at. I thought we had a Red Farmer Poppy Bank Toyota Supra way capable of winning this race today. I’m disappointed it didn’t work out. We had a left rear tire going down when we had that caution late with just a couple to go in stage two. Thankfully, I appreciate (A.J.) Allmendinger radioing our guys that they thought the left rear looked soft. When we you are at these places, you try not to swerve the car back and forth because you are just taking tire life out of it, so I hadn’t tugged on the wheel any, but with him radioing our guys, I tugged on the wheel and immediately knew it was flat.That put us behind. We never really had a chance to rebound. This race is so short. You have stuff like that happen, it’s hard to come back from. I’m proud of the effort. I, for sure, look forward to coming back here.”

How was your car throughout the race?

“The car was way better than the finish. Really proud of everyone on this Poppy Bank Toyota Supra for sticking with it. I thought Dave Rogers (crew chief) and everybody prepared a car that was more than capable to come here and win this race. We gave it up right there on pit road, but our day is coming. They know it’s coming. We’re leading laps and we’re doing the things we’ve got to do, but it’s just unfortunate to get a flat tire rolling around under caution. That kind of just put the nail in the coffin for our day. We rebounded and looking forward to coming back here in the fall.”

HARRISON BURTON, No. 20 DEX Imaging Toyota Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 11th

How frustrating was it to pit under the final caution and have so few others follow?

“That’s always, as soon as you pit, you know more that you did before you pitted. Obviously, I think we would have gone back on that call. Hindsight is 20-20 and something to learn from. I’m really proud of how fast we were with our DEX Imaging Supra. We won a stage and needed maybe a tenth more and we could have won the race on speed. Disappointed in myself, I did a good job on the green flag runs and didn’t do a good enough job on the restarts to control the race. If I controlled the race then we wouldn’t have had to make a call to win like that. Just a tough day. You’re close, but not quite there. We’ll get one of these sooner or later.”

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.

Ford Performance NASCAR Xfinity Series – Darlington (Sieg’s 9th Place Paces Mustangs at Darlington)

By
Official Release
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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR XFINITY Series — Steakhouse Elite 200
Darlington Raceway | Saturday, May 8, 2021

Ford Finishing Results
9th — Ryan Sieg
28th — Riley Herbst
30th — Austin Cindric

RILEY HERBST, No. 98 Henry Repeating Arms Ford Mustang — Finished 28th

“Just frustrating. We missed the setup a little bit. At the end, I don’t know, everyone expects me to lift and I didn’t lift and we got wrecked off of two. It is dumb when people have new tires and people have 60 lap tires. Things like that are going to happen.”

Sheldon Creed wins Truck Series race in thrilling finish at Darlington

By
Angie Campbell
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Sheldon Creed celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series LiftKits4Less.com 200 at Darlington Raceway on May 07, 2021. Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images.

Sheldon Creed maneuvered through several late-race cautions to claim his first Camping World Truck Series victory of the year at Darlington Raceway Friday night. His No. 2 GMS Racing Chevrolet featured a Throwback paint scheme honoring the late Jason Leffler.

It was his sixth career Truck Series win and his fourth top-10 finish this season. Creed also won the Triple Truck Challenge presented by Womply, earning a $50,000 bonus.

The pivotal moment of the race came on Lap 119 when John Hunter Nemechek and Corey Heim got turned into each other after contact from behind, collecting at least 17 cars in the chain reaction that followed. A red flag was thrown to clear the track and apply speedy dry to absorb the fluids.

On the final restart, it came down to a battle between Rhodes and Creed.

“It feels great,” Creed said after the win. “Didn’t have the best truck there, for sure. Firing off, I was really tight. Then I was wrecking loose there, just doing everything I could. I was really aggressive on restarts; that’s what it takes. We’ve been struggling, but we keep chipping away at it. We’re getting better trucks the last couple weeks. All I ask for are trucks I can race with.”

His victory ended Toyota’s dominance of seven wins this year and disrupted Kyle Busch Motorsports’ five-race winning streak.

Ben Rhodes led 34 laps during the race in his No. 99 ThorSport Racing Toyota but after two flat tires and a penalty, was able to work his way back to the front and rallied to a second-place finish.  

“I saw going into the corner we were going to push low,” Rhodes said, “so I tried to work our way back up to give us some line so we could be side by side coming off of (Turn) 2, but got really loose. Luckily, we saved it, but it was an up-and-down night. I had a lot of fun.

“We set ourselves up for the end there with our Bombardier Tundra to go for a long run — with like low pressures, and then lo and behold, red flags and caution after caution after caution. So what do you do, right? He had seven-lap newer tires, some help on the restarts, and I guess conditions were perfect for him, but I’m not going to pout about it. I’m driving a race car. I’m happy.”

Carson Hocevar was the highest finishing rookie after a third-place result in his first race at Darlington Raceway. Matt Crafton and Grant Enfinger rounded out the top five.

Johnny Sauter, Timmy Hill, Nemechek, Austin Wayne Self and Jordan Anderson finished sixth-10th, respectively.

Todd Gilliland won Stage 1 but finished 15th after being caught up in the incident on Lap 119. Nemechek, who led a race-high 65 laps and won Stage 2, recovered to finish eighth.

There were 12 cautions for 66 laps during the race. The final incident, however, occurred after Creed had taken the white flag, so no flag was thrown and Creed was announced as the winner.

There were no issues in post-race inspection.

Nemechek leads the standings with 368 points followed by Rhodes (-46), Creed (-82), Austin Hill (-93) and Matt Crafton (-121).

The Camping World Truck Series will be off next weekend and will return on May 22 to compete at Circuit of the Americas at 1 p.m. on FS1.

Official Results – Camping World Truck Series LiftKits4Less.com 200:

1. Sheldon Creed
2. Ben Rhodes
3. Carson Hocevar
4. Matt Crafton
5. Johnny Sauter
6. Grant Enfinger
7. Timmy Hill
8. John Hunter Nemechek
9. Austin Wayne Self
10. Jordan Anderson
11. Ryan Truex
12. Ryan Reed
13. Austin Hill
14. Tyler Ankrum
15. Todd Gilliland
16. Zane Smith
17. Erik Darnell
18. Danny Bohn
19. Timothy Peters
20. Hailie Deegan
21. Bayley Currey
22. Spencer Boyd
23. Corey Heim
24. Jennifer Jo Cobb
25. Stewart Friesen
26. Parker Kligerman
27. Chandler Smith
28. David Gilliland
29. Spencer Davis
30. Tate Fogleman
31. Dawson Cram
32. BJ McLeod
33. Tanner Gray
34. Akinori Ogata
35. Derek Kraus
36. Chase Purdy
37. Norm Benning
38. Codie Rohrbaugh
39. Kris Wright
40. Cory Ropera

Darlington Raceway to Fully Open Grandstands for Fall NASCAR Race Weekend on Sept. 4-5

By
Official Release
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Cook Out Southern 500 to Launch NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at the Track Too Tough To Tame

DARLINGTON, S.C. (May 7, 2021) – Darlington Raceway will open its grandstands to full capacity for the start of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs over the fall race weekend on Sept. 4-5. There will be no restrictions on the number of fans allowed to take in the action from the grandstands for the famed Cook Out Southern 500® NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race on Sunday, Sept. 5 at 6:00 p.m. and Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday, Sept. 4 at 3:30 p.m.

“Our loyal race fans have displayed their passion for NASCAR at Darlington Raceway throughout the pandemic, so this is a key moment in our storied track’s history to fully open our gates once again for the fall race weekend featuring one of the crown jewel races of NASCAR, the Cook Out Southern 500,” said Darlington President Kerry Tharp.

“Thanks to S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster and his administration for their collaboration in helping us take this step forward together as a state to welcome the best fans in motorsports back home to the track Too Tough To Tame.”

Creating a safe environment for fans, competitors, employees, and the community is the top priority for NASCAR and Darlington Raceway. Both entities will continue to work closely with local and state government and health officials throughout the summer and adjust health and safety protocols as necessary. Any updates will be made available on www.darlingtonraceway.com.

NASCAR tickets are available for purchase via phone at 866-459-7223 or online at darlingtonraceway.com. Fans can view the full 2021 NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedules and purchase tickets at nascar.com/tickets.

Stay connected to Darlington Raceway on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

About Darlington Raceway

Darlington Raceway, nicknamed The Lady in Black and the track Too Tough To Tame, is home to the award-winning Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR and annually hosts two NASCAR Cup Series race weekends, along with the NASCAR Xfinity Series and/or NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Opening in 1950, Darlington Raceway is “A NASCAR Tradition” and NASCAR’s original superspeedway with its famed 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval, challenging the sports best in one of the most iconic NASCAR races, the Southern 500®. For more information about Darlington Raceway, visit darlingtonraceway.com.

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR consists of three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour), one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

Daytona International Speedway To Fully Open Frontstretch Seating for Aug. 27-28 NASCAR Weekend

By
Official Release
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Coke Zero Sugar 400 Will Set the Field for NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 7, 2021) – When NASCAR returns to Daytona International Speedway for late summer night racing on Aug. 27-28, there will be no restrictions on the number of fans allowed to take in the action at the World Center of Racing. Fans will be treated to two races – the Coke Zero Sugar 400, NASCAR Cup Series regular season finale, on Saturday, Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. and the Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Friday, Aug. 27 at 7:30 p.m.

“The fans are the lifeblood of NASCAR and the reason we race week in and week out. Their presence at the track creates the aura and energy this sport thrives upon,” said Daytona President Frank Kelleher. “Even with a limited capacity at the DAYTONA 500 the atmosphere was palpable, so we look forward to welcoming back all of our fans for what will be an electrifying environment filled with dramatic and unpredictable racing action.” 

Creating a safe environment for fans, competitors, employees, and the community is the top priority for NASCAR and Daytona International Speedway. Both entities will continue to work closely with local and state government and health officials throughout the summer on any health and safety protocols and adjustments for the race weekend. Those updates will be made available on www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.

Tickets for the Coke Zero Sugar 400, the Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola, and other speedway events can be purchased online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP. Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway and see the latest speedway news on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

About Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a state-of-the-art motorsports facility and was awarded the SportsBusiness Journal’s prestigious Sports Business Award for Sports Facility of the Year in 2016. Daytona International Speedway is the home of The Great American Race – the DAYTONA 500. Though the season-opening NASCAR Cup Series event garners most of the attention – as well as the largest audience in motorsports – the approximately 500-acre motorsports complex, also known as the World Center of Racing, boasts the most diverse schedule of racing on the globe. In addition to at least nine major event weekends, the Speedway grounds are also used extensively for events that include concerts, civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo shoots, production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training.

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR consists of three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour), one local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series) and three international series (NASCAR Pinty’s Series, NASCAR Peak Mexico Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

Kansas Speedway To Fully Open Grandstands for Oct. 23-24 NASCAR Weekend

By
Official Release
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Hollywood Casino 400, Kansas Lottery 300 to Serve as Second Races in NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs’ Round of 8

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (May 7, 2021) – When NASCAR returns to Kansas Speedway during the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs Oct. 23-24, there will be no restrictions on the number of fans allowed to take in the action from the grandstands. Fans will be treated to three races – the Hollywood Casino 400, NASCAR Cup Series race, on Sunday, Oct. 24 at 2 p.m. and on Saturday, Oct. 23, the Kansas Lottery 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at 2 p.m. followed by the Reese’s 150 ARCA Menards Series Championship Race at 6 p.m.

“Fans have expressed their overwhelming desire to get back to the racetrack so we are thrilled to welcome back all of our fans as we celebrate our 20th anniversary season during the Hollywood Casino 400 NASCAR Playoffs weekend,” said Kansas Speedway President Pat Warren. “We saw some great NASCAR racing throughout our spring race weekend, and we look forward to what’s in store when the NASCAR Playoffs and ARCA Menards Series championship return Oct. 23-24.”

Creating a safe environment for fans, competitors, employees, and the community is the top priority for NASCAR and Kansas Speedway. Both entities will continue to work closely with local and state government and health officials throughout the year on any necessary health and safety protocols and adjustments for the October race weekend. Any updates will be made available at www.kansasspeedway.com.

To purchase tickets for the Hollywood Casino 400 and other speedway events, click here. For the latest news on everything Kansas Speedway, please visit KansasSpeedway.com. Fans can stay connected with Kansas Speedway on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Kansas Speedway

Kansas Speedway is a premier motorsports facility in the Midwest. The track, which opened in 2001, hosts two NASCAR Cup Series weekends each year, along with approximately 200 other event days each year. This includes the annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue, the largest barbecue competition in the world which attracts teams both nationally and internationally. The Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway, which opened in 2012, overlooks Turn 2 of the track. Kansas Speedway’s two NASCAR weekends in 2021 will take place May 1-2 and Oct. 23-24. Both will consist of a NASCAR Cup Series race, including the Hollywood Casino 400 on Sunday, Oct. 24, the second race in the Round of 8 of the Playoffs. Kansas Speedway is owned by NASCAR.

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR consists of three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour), one local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series) and three international series (NASCAR Pinty’s Series, NASCAR Peak Mexico Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

Toyota Racing – NCS Darlington Quotes – Denny & Mary Lou Hamlin – 05.07.21

By
Official Release
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Toyota Racing – Denny Hamlin
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

DARLINGTON, S.C. (May 7, 2021) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin was made available to media via videoconference prior to the Darlington race earlier today:

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 Sport Clips Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

MARY LOU HAMLIN, mother, Denny Hamlin

How special is for you to be joined by your mom and have her support over all of these years?

DENNY HAMLIN: “It’s awesome. You definitely have to make sure you don’t take it for granted because a lot of parents don’t get to see their kids grow up and do what they always wanted to do. She’s been a supporter of mine since back in the go-kart days, chasing me across the country, running national events. She’s been on the grind with me the last 30 years or so.”

How proud are you of your son?

MARY LOU HAMLIN: “I’m so proud of him. Never did I think that he would actually get to the point to where he is now – even being a team owner. It amazes me how far he has gotten. I knew that he had the talent and all that his dad and I had wished for was that he would get to at least get to the point where he could compete with the best of the best, but for him to be one of the best of the best is very rewarding.”

DENNY HAMLIN: “I think all they ever wished for was somebody else to pay for it.”

MARY LOU HAMLIN: “That’s true.”

What’s your favorite memory you’ve shared with your mom at the track and vice versa?

DENNY HAMLIN: “For me, it probably was the Shootout win in ’06. I was in the race car, but I know at the time TV went to them and it was my mom and my dad – they were just going crazy. My dad was saying, ‘I knew it, I knew it.’ He still had doubts whether I was going to make it or not. Just then and how excited they were. Another one for me was probably Richmond, when I think I got the pole in one of my very first Richmond races and they were out on pit road with me as I was kind of waiting to see if I was going to get the pole. It was single car qualifying, so it took a while. They were right on the other side of the pit wall. I get out of the car and I’m just like, don’t jinx it , don’t jinx it, don’t talk about it, let’s just see how it goes. That’s one of my favorite memories.”

MARY LOU HAMLIN: “The Shootout for sure. I believe that his dad said that if he knew it was going to be that easy for him to do that, then he would have had more kids, more Denny Hamlins. It was very exciting. To win the first race out in the Cup car was just so exciting. I think one other memory I have was the first time he was ever on Talladega and he was practicing, and I was listening on the radio. He came on the radio and said, ‘I bet my mom is having a fit right now.’ As fast as they were going and as close as they were to one another, it was very nerve-wracking but that’s one of my memories.”

What are you driving these days?

MARY LOU HAMLIN: “I actually have a Toyota Highlander.”

DENNY HAMLIN: “You’re welcome.”

MARY LOU HAMLIN: “Which I love.”

What are your thoughts on the potential Talladega changes?

DENNY HAMLIN: “We had a meeting of sorts this week, but I think we are going to get back together in the next 7-10 days and kind of follow-up on that meeting. I think that Talladega is just not about speed. It’s the aerodynamic package as well. When we the nine-inch spoiler on the car, it made us run into each other. The faster way to go was to literally run into the person as hard as you could in front of you. Well, back in the old days of the bubble when you would get close to someone it would push them away, fans hated that, so they put a big spoiler on this thing to get us to run closer to each other, so it’s a balance. It’s not just about slowing the speed down; it’s got to do with the package as well. The package that is the safest is probably not the most exciting and vice versa, so we just have to figure out the balance of speed and danger and figure out how much we are willing to take.”

Do you think you will be able to bump draft in the Next Gen cars with the foam in the front and rear bumpers?

DENNY HAMLIN: “I’m not sure. I’m not sure how much extensive testing has been done on running those Next Gen cars together at the racetrack. I know that we hope it’s going to race better, and hope is a big word, and it is a strategy, but ultimately it comes with on-track testing and I think that will happen later this year, but we will know a little bit more at that point. I’m not really sure how those cars are going to react. The rear bumpers are a lot more rounded, so pushing someone off of center is going to be a lot different. You have to be aware of that. There’s just a lot of different elements that we don’t know about right now.”

Knowing the financial struggles your family went through supporting Denny, what was your reaction to him being a team owner?

MARY LOU HAMLIN: “I don’t think I had to give him any advice. I was saying earlier today when he was going to school, he wasn’t the best studier. He didn’t study, he didn’t like to study, he didn’t like to do his homework. But to see him now, he does his homework on everything. He makes good decisions. He studies things. It just amazes me that he has got this far. I’m so proud of him.”

What was it like telling your parents about the team ownership decision?

DENNY HAMLIN: “I’m not really sure how that first conversation went. I think she probably felt a lot better that I was teaming up with Michael (Jordan) versus trying to do this thing on my own. That was a big part of it. Probably the most pushback came from my dad because he probably wrote most of those checks back in the day. He’s like ‘Are you sure you can do this?’ I’m still not sure, but I’m going for it.”

What kind of spectator are you now?

MARY LOU HAMLIN: “I think I’m calmer other than Daytona and Talladega. Those make me pretty nervous. Even when he was in go-karts, I used to tape every one of his races so that he could go back after the race and watch it and learn from it, and I think that took a lot of the nervousness away at that time from when he was younger because I taped every single race of his in go-karts and local stock car races. I’ve gotten used to it.”

Do you ever think about how he started to where he is now?

MARY LOU HAMLIN: “It just amazes me. When I hear him talk to other business owners, it just amazes me the man that he has become. I’m just so proud of him.”

Is this a time for you to reflect with this race being a throwback weekend and Mother’s Day?

DENNY HAMLIN: “I think about it all of the time. It’s not just this weekend but I think about it all the time. When I think about the process of which it took to get to here, if one domino doesn’t fall in the exact order that it did – we don’t make it and I’m right now working at Chesterfield Trailer & Hitch, which is okay. I like that business. It was fun in Virginia. I think about that in the sense of who else is in that situation out there that maybe I can give an opportunity to one day. How can I find that next talent that’s not in the place where everybody sees them? I just think that I was very, very blessed to be in the situation that I was in. I had instrumental people throughout my childhood that believed in me and gave me an opportunity and kept me racing even beyond my family. My mom worked at AAA; my dad worked at Great Dane Tractor Trailers. He was a service manager there. We were just a very middle-class family, but we had small business owners that thought a lot of me and when I blew my engine or wrecked my car, they helped put it back together. That was the key. I always think about that when people ask me to help them all the time. I feel like maybe this is an opportunity to give back to them. Starting a race team, it’s an opportunity for me to give back to the community has done so well for me over my 16-year career. I don’t see the tunnel of driving ending anytime soon, but this is my runway to continue to give back to this sport well beyond my driving days. Hopefully, one day I can give that kid that came up just like me that same opportunity.”

What are the sensations you feel in a lap at Dover?

DENNY HAMLIN: “It’s the most physically demanding track for sure – simply because of the speed in the banking, the load that your body takes in the middle of corner. It’s a very, very tough track. It’s very rough. A lot of elevation changes from corner entry to the middle of the corner. It takes its toll on you. It hasn’t always been my favorite or best track during the course of my career, but honestly since being with Chris (Gabehart, crew chief) over these last few years, we’ve had some really good results there. I’m excited about it. I think we won there last year (Hamlin won the first race of the Dover doubleheader on August 22). Just winning at a track that I was struggling to run in the top-10 most of my career at always makes you enjoy it a little bit more. It is intimidating track. I would say that it is by far the most intimidating track that we go to.”

Being devout Catholic, how do you support Denny when he goes through struggles?

MARY LOU HAMLIN: “I pray a lot. My mother really believed in St. Jude, who was the saint of the impossible. I just pull out that St. Jude prayer card and I pull out her St. Jude key chain that she would carry with her all of the time. She always would say a prayer to St. Jude before Denny would race, so that sticks with me and that gets me through.”

How did you end up hanging with some of the New York Giants players?

DENNY HAMLIN: “I didn’t know anyone personally from that group. We had a couple mutual friends. Daniel Jones and a couple of those guys were in Charlotte working out for the last few months. One of my mutual friends asked, ‘Hey, they would like to play basketball, do you mind if they play at your place?’ I didn’t mind, of course, but unfortunately, they were short bodies, so I had to lace them up. I really didn’t want too, to be honest with you. That’s how I met them. Fun guys. I was downstairs. They had come in, and my friend was giving them a tour of the house. I was wondering where they were at and my buddies said that they couldn’t get them off of the racing simulator. One of them was where could they get a ride-along. They want to go race a car now, and where can they get a simulator. That was the biggest issue we had – was getting those guys off of my racing simulator.”

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.

TriGreen Equipment named preferred lawn equipment provider at Nashville Superspeedway

By
Official Release
-

LEBANON, Tenn. (May 7, 2021) – TriGreen Equipment, a leading regional John Deere supplier, has been named the Preferred Lawn Equipment Provider at Nashville Superspeedway as the track prepares for its June 18-20 NASCAR tripleheader weekend, track and company officials announced today.

TriGreen Equipment’s lawn-care machinery works throughout Nashville Superspeedway’s approximately 1,000 acres, including the track’s infield and RV campground areas.

The June 18-20 NASCAR tripleheader weekend at Nashville Superspeedway includes the “Ally 400” NASCAR Cup Series race on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 20 (2:30 p.m. CT, NBCSN), the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race in track’s history and the first NASCAR Cup Series race in Middle Tennessee in 37 years.

“We certainly keep our TriGreen Equipment products busy here at the track with all of our ongoing projects as we complete the rebirth of this facility,” said Erik Moses, Nashville Superspeedway’s president. “We know our Middle Tennessee fanbase is familiar with the quality products and services that TriGreen provides and we thank them for helping us welcome fans back to Nashville Superspeedway on June 18-20.”

TriGreen Equipment, formed in 2006, has almost two dozen full-service John Deere dealerships throughout Tennessee and Alabama and employs more than 400 people. In addition to residential customers, TriGreen provides lawn-care equipment to larger agricultural, government and commercial firms.

“TriGreen appreciates the opportunity to be a part of NASCAR’s return to Nashville Superspeedway,” said Richard Miller, TriGreen Equipment’s Corporate Sales Manager. “TriGreen customers love NASCAR and we thought it was a great fit for not only our farm customers but our rural lifestyle customers and commercial customers alike. We look forward to sharing in the success of Nashville Superspeedway and its return to the Nashville/Mid-South market that we both serve.”

Nashville Superspeedway’s first two races on its Father’s Day weekend slate include the “Tennessee Lottery 250” NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash race on Saturday, June 19 (2:30 p.m. CT, NBCSN) and the “Rackley Roofing 200” NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Friday, June 18 (7 p.m. CT, FS1).

Fans can order tickets by visiting NashvilleSuperSpeedway.com or calling 866-RACETIX.

Keep track of Nashville Superspeedway’s latest news and updates at NashvilleSuperSpeedway.com via social media at Facebook.com/NashvilleSuperspeedway, on Twitter at @nashvillesupers and Instagram @nashvillesuperspeedway. For questions about media relations, employment, or other inquiries, interested parties are encouraged to email info@nashvillesuperspeedway.com.

About Dover Motorsports, Inc.

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

About TriGreen Equipment

TriGreen Equipment was formed in November 2006 following a merger between several independent John Deere dealers who wanted to provide more for their customers. Today TriGreen has 21 full-service John Deere dealerships throughout Tennessee and Alabama. Our team is dedicated to providing our customers with the best products to suit their lifestyles. With a wide range of products and services, we can meet the equipment needs of our Agricultural, Precision Farming, Commercial Mowing, Governmental, Military, Residential, and Commercial Worksite Construction customers. For more information, visit www.trigreenequipment.com.

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