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Five Things To Watch at Genesys 300/XPEL 375 Doubleheader

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Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, April 29, 2021) – After staging a race on a permanent road course and another on a temporary street circuit, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES is ready to ramp up the speed with its first oval event of the season this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.

Call it a Texas two-step as the Genesys 300 opens the show at 7 p.m. (ET) Saturday followed by the XPEL 375 at 5 p.m. (ET) Sunday. The first race is 212 laps, the second 248 on the 1.5-mile oval. Both races will air live on NBCSN and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon won last year’s event, leading 157 of the 200 laps in the first of three consecutive victories to open his title-winning season. It was the third consecutive year that the Texas winner went on to capture the championship. But Dixon figures to have plenty of challengers in the first doubleheader at Texas since 2011.

These two races also help set the stage for a busy Month of May – two races each at TMS and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, plus NTT P1 Award qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. It’s possible, though unlikely in this competitive sport, that a driver could collect a staggering 274 points this month alone!

Given the two-day format at Texas, there is only one practice, a 75-minute session at 12:45 p.m. (ET) Saturday (live on Peacock Premium, NBC’s streaming service). Qualifying is at 4 p.m. (ET) Saturday (live on Peacock and NBCSN), with the starting grid for both races set in the session. Sign up for Peacock Premium at www.peacocktv.com for $4.99 per month to get all the INDYCAR action, Indy Lights races and shoulder programming.

Here are five things to look for this weekend in Fort Worth:

Ch-ch-changes
Let’s start with which drivers will be in the 24-car field and which cars they will drive. Two of the more noteworthy additions are former Texas race winners.

Tony Kanaan, who won at the track for Andretti Autosport in 2004, will drive the No. 48 Bryant Honda of Chip Ganassi Racing in the Genesys 300 and the No. 48 American Legion Honda for the Ganassi team in the XPEL 375.

2004 series champion Kanaan is sharing the entry this season with seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, who is focusing on the road courses and street circuits. These will be two of Kanaan’s four races this year, the others being the Indianapolis 500 on May 30 and the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 on Aug. 21 at World Wide Technology Raceway.

The other former Texas race winner making his season debut is Ed Carpenter, who in recent years has driven only on the oval tracks. Carpenter will drive the No. 20 U.S. Air Force Chevrolet, a seat held in the season’s first two races by Conor Daly. Like last year, Daly has moved to the No. 59 Carlin Chevrolet that Max Chilton usually drives. Chilton will be back in the car for both the GMR Grand Prix at IMS on Saturday, May 15 and the “500.”

Like Johnson, Formula One veteran Romain Grosjean is not competing on the ovals as an INDYCAR newcomer, and his seat in the No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda of Dale Coyne Racing with RWR will be taken on the ovals by rookie Pietro Fittipaldi. The 24-year-old Brazilian competed in three oval races in his six-race 2018 INDYCAR season cut short by injuries suffered in a World Endurance Championship sports car event in Belgium.

This isn’t the first time Fittipaldi has stood in for Grosjean. He drove the last two races of the 2020 Formula One season for the Haas F1 Team after Grosjean suffered burned hands in a fiery crash at Bahrain.

Former Texas Winners Aplenty
The next important factor to consider is which drivers have enjoyed success on Texas’ 1.5-mile oval. There are six who have won there, the highest number of former winners in an INDYCAR race this season until the “500,” when there could be up to nine.

Dixon dominated last year’s event in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Honda, one of his four wins at the track. Dixon’s other wins came in 2008, 2015 and 2018, which means he has won two of the past three outings and three of the past six. Only Helio Castroneves, who is not in this field, has won four INDYCAR races at Texas.

Team Penske’s Will Power (No. 12 Verizon 5G Chevrolet) has a pair of Texas wins, in 2011 and 2017. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Graham Rahal (No. 15 Fleet Cost & Care Honda) won in 2016 and Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden (No. 2 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet) won in 2019.

INDYCAR’s Youth Movement
Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou (No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) is the series points leader as a 24-year-old series sophomore, and a pair of 21-year-olds – Arrow McLaren SP’s Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet) and Andretti Autosport’s Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda) – won the NTT P1 Award as pole winner at the season’s first two races. Herta led 197 of the 200 laps in winning last weekend’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Also off to a strong start this season is Ed Carpenter Racing’s Rinus VeeKay (No. 21 Sonax/Autogeek Chevrolet). VeeKay, 20, has finished sixth and ninth in the season’s opening races, respectively, good for eighth in the standings.

Here’s an interesting fact about INDYCAR’s youth movement: Herta and VeeKay were 3 years old when Dixon scored his first top-three finish at Texas in the season-ending 2003 race. O’Ward was 4.

Parity on the Podium
The first two races of the INDYCAR season have seen six different drivers earn top-three finishing positions. In fact, the top four finishers in the two races have been represented by eight different drivers.

Consequently, the point totals are tighter than normal. Palou leads with 67, but Power and Dixon have 65 and Herta 62. Given the point structure, it is likely that any driver currently in the top nine will be the series leader – at least for a night – with a win Saturday.

Not surprisingly, there is congestion in the middle of the pack, too. Only four points separate fifth from ninth place, and three drivers – AJ Foyt Racing’s Sebastien Bourdais (No. 14 ROKiT AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet), Meyer Shank Racing’s Jack Harvey (No. 60 AutoNation/Sirius XM Honda) and VeeKay — are tied with 51 points. Chip Ganassi Racing’s Marcus Ericsson (No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) has 50 points.

Title Hopefuls Need Help
And then there are those especially eager to climb in the standings.

Newgarden (10th place with 47 points), O’Ward (11th with 45), Rahal (13th with 41) and Andretti Autosport’s Alexander Rossi (16th with 31) are ones to watch in this race. Newgarden and Rahal have combined for three wins, with Newgarden third last year and Rahal second in 2012 and 2019.

Rossi has had strong cars at Texas – he finished third in 2018 and was second in 2019 – and is desperate for a good points day after finishing ninth at Barber Motorsports Park and 21st in St. Petersburg, the latter due to his car suffering a flat right front tire in Turn 4 contact with Rahal. A slow start to last season cost Rossi a chance at the championship, and he had vowed to begin better this year. So far it hasn’t happened, but Texas could be his turnaround.

Flying Lizard Motorsports to Make Surprise Appearance in SRO America Austin Event

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Official Release
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AUSTIN, Tex., (April 29, 2021) – A pair of Flying Lizard Porsches will make a surprise appearance this weekend at Circuit of the Americas, competing in SRO’s GT America and USAC’s Porsche Sprint Challenge North America. The team, which had previously announced full-season entries in GT Celebration and the Yokohama Drivers Cup, is participating in the one-off event in Austin, Texas, with drivers Andy Wilzoch and Chris Bellomo.

Wilzoch, who last participated in an SRO America-sanctioned event in 2018, returns with his 2017 No. 460 Porsche 911 GT3 R to race in the new GT America series. The sprint series, specifically for Bronze-rated drivers debuted last month at Sonoma Raceway and will recommence this weekend at Circuit of the Americas for Rounds three and four of the championship. Each race has a run time of 40 minutes, with only one driver per car, and no pit stops required. Wilzoch has had ample track time on the Austin circuit, most recently earning back-to-back wins in 2019 in the Porsche Trophy West Series.

“Andy has been not only a long-time customer of Flying Lizard, but also a great friend and I am happy that SRO America has provided an opportunity for us to have a place to race this car,” said Program Manager Darren Law. “Andy has a lot of time in this particular car, and GT America is a great concept for Bronze drivers that gives our customers an opportunity to race. This will be his first race back in SRO since 2018, he knows the car, he knows the track and we are looking forward to having another Flying Lizard Porsche on the grid!”

Also in its inaugural season, the USAC Sprint Challenge North America series is the latest option for gentlemen racers to compete in a 40-minute sprint racing environment. Circuit of the Americas will host the third double-header event of the season, with an impressive 32-car grid. Chris Bellomo, who currently competes in a full season in the Yokohama Drivers Cup with Flying Lizard Motorsports. The 2021 season will see Bellomo racing in several Porsche series, gaining valuable experience in various competitive environments across North America. This weekend, he will race the No. 68 Porsche GT3 Cup with former Lizard driver Johannes van Overbeek as his coach.

“I am looking forward to watching the progress of Chris Bellomo,” said Law. “He has a full plate this season, where he will be racing in various events in three different Porsche series. He is talented and really working hard on all aspects of his driving. We have brought on Johannes Van Overbeek to work with Chris this season as a coach and have already seen a lot of improvement in Chris. I expect us to have a successful weekend.”

Tune In
Both GT America races will stream live for free on YouTube.com/GTWorld, on Saturday, May 1 at 4:45PM, and Sunday, May 2 at 4:05PM. The Porsche Sprint Challenge North America will air live on www.floracing.com on Saturday, May 1 at 5:40PM Central, and Sunday, May 2 at 10:00AM Central.

Friday, April 30
8:40AM – 9:00AM Bronze Test
9:00AM – 9:25AM GT America Practice 1
12:20PM – 12:45PM Porsche Sprint Practice 1
1:35PM – 2:00PM GT America Practice 2
2:55PM – 3:20PM Porsche Carrera Cup Practice 2
5:35PM – 6:00PM Porsche Sprint Practice 2

Saturday, May 1
10:10AM – 10:25AM GT America Qualifying
10:40PM – 11:15AM Porsche Sprint Qualifying
4:45PM – 5:25PM GT America Race 1
5:40PM – 6:20PM Porsche Sprint Race 1

Sunday, May 2
8:00AM – 8:45AM Porsche Carrera Cup Race 1
10:00AM – 10:40AM Porsche Sprint Race 2
3:05PM – 3:50PM Porsche Carrera Cup Race 2
4:05PM – 4:45PM GT America Race 2

All times U.S. Central

About Flying Lizard Motorsports
Based out of Sonoma, California, Flying Lizard Motorsports is one of the most iconic sports car teams in motorsports, having celebrated six driver and team championships, as well as competed internationally at the 24 Hours of Le Mans eight times. The team currently races in Pirelli World Challenge, Porsche Pirelli GT3 Cup Trophy USA, and Porsche Club of America.

The Lizards burst on the American Le Mans Series scene in 2004, competing in the GT class until 2012. In 2013, the team moved to the GTC class, still competing in legendary events such as the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Daytona. In 2014, the team expanded its program to include running two Audi R8 LMS in the TUDOR Championship, and in 2015, again expanded the program to include two Porsches in Porsche Club racing. Flying Lizard closed out the season with a dominating win at the 25 Hours of Thunderhill with Toyo Tires, a win they repeated in 2016, 2017, and 2018. For more information, visit lizardms.com. Flying Lizard Motorsports has proven to be a championship contender no matter the race series or race car.

CHEVROLET NTT INDYCAR SERIES: TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY DOUBLEHEADER – SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN PRE-RACE ZOOM CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT

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Official Release
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CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
GENESYS 300 AND XPEL 375 – DOUBLEHEADER WEEKEND
TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
FORT WORTH, TEXAS
SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN PRE-RACE MEDIA CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
APRIL 29 2021

ROOKIE-OF-THE-YEAR CONTENDER SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN, NO. 3 PPG TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET, MET WITH MEDIA VIA ZOOM TO DISCUSS HIS OVAL TRACK DEBUT THIS WEEKEND AT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY:

THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, everyone. Let’s go ahead and get started. Thanks for Zooming with us here this afternoon.
Obviously a very big weekend, two different perspectives heading into it. NTT INDYCAR SERIES rookie Scott McLaughlin will be making his essentially oval debut at Texas Motor Speedway, racing Genesys 300 and the XPEL 375, in the No. 3 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet.
Back to Texas Motor Speedway. How much are you looking forward to the weekend Scott?
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Excited. I’m very excited for my first oval experience. Had a lot of fun, a lot of enjoyment testing there not long ago. Obviously the Indy open test as well. I feel like we’ve got a raceable car. Heading there with the confidence of potentially doing well if I get it all right.
Of course, I’ve got a lot to learn with the draft and the dirty air, using the weight jacker, all my tools inside the car, something I have to get used to as well.
Like I said, thankfully we’ve had those test days. I feel comfortable going into it and can only learn from here.

THE MODERATOR -Scott, this season has only just begun. 40 points separating the top 18 right now in the standings. Given the parity, do you think this is going to be a tight season all season long?
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: One good result, especially a weekend like this where it’s a doubleheader, if you have a car good enough for both days, get two top five finish, you’re going to put yourself somewhere thereabouts for the championship fight.
It’s an important weekend for a lot of people. Got the same amount of points value as the Indy 500 does. It’s going to be exciting racing itself.
I think it’s going to be interesting with this new aero package, get a feel for what it’s like in traffic, how close we can follow and make moves as well. A lot to unravel here.
Very exciting, like the Pietro said. It started with a bang. It’s really exciting to be a part of it. Loving it. Racing every week. It’s exactly what I came to America for. Really excited to continue that trend this weekend.

THE MODERATOR: Let’s go ahead and open it up for questions.

Q. Scott, you’ve spent so much time already in an INDYCAR at Texas Motor Speedway. What is it going to be like to finally go out there and race?
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, it’s so exciting. It’s certainly going to be very different in the race to get a feel for everything and what I need to do, changing my tools, like I said, weight jackers in front, rear anti-roll bars, all that sort of stuff. That’s all stuff I’m going to have to learn. Even little things like coming into pit lane, it’s different jumping down to the apron there.
It’s exciting, nice to do a completely different discipline. I think I’m more excited for the ovals than I am for the road courses because it’s so different to what I’ve done before. It’s so fast. Just nothing that’s quite as exhilarating as going 220 miles an hour with people wheel-to-wheel.
That’s what’s so cool with INDYCAR racing, what’s so pure about it, what makes it so different to any really sport in the world, is we have a vast difference in tracks. We got a road, we got street courses, ovals, big fast oval, short ovals. It’s pretty cool and requires a whole different type of discipline which is what I’m really excited about for this weekend.

Q. You’re doing three different types of course, four races in a 14-day period. I guess that’s a cram course.
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, it’s perfect for a rookie (laughter). Exactly what I want.
No, ideally I’d love to do something a little bit more — I’d love to have a bit more time on each one, but that’s not how it works. I feel like I just got myself sorted on the road course, we jumped on the street course, which had a different tire, got a feel for the tire there. I’m going to jump into an oval and basically throw out the past two weeks’ work and focus on something completely different. But that’s why we love it.

Q. Basically practice, qualifying and race will all be on race downforce settings. Does that simplify your lives or would you prefer to have the two different stages of settings so that prepared you a little more for when you start trimming out during Indy 500 qualifying?
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: For me, we were just talking about that today. Parc ferme, obviously we will be qualifying pretty much on race condition stuff. I think we start the race on our qualifying tires.
It does take one less complication out of it for me to learn. For me, it’s probably nice to have the whole month of May basically to prep myself for trimming out qualifying, getting confidence in that department.
Yeah, look, for sure it would probably be nice to have an idea of what I want before I head to Indy in terms of qualifying trim. Like I said, we’ve got the full month to build up to it. It does make it a lot more simple for someone like myself, even I guess for Pietro who is coming in not a full-timer right now, just to get used to the car. I’m sure it might help a little bit, too.

Q. Scott, it’s been an interesting start to the season for you. You’ve been a top 10 car pretty much in both races. Things probably didn’t quite go your way strategy-wise. How do you reflect on how that’s gone? If that is the case, if you are a top 10 car, that’s got to be a pretty good start to your INDYCAR car career given how strong the field is at the moment.
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: For sure. It’s been a good start to the year. I thought it was over after the first 30 seconds at Barber. Thought I was going to get collected in that shunt. It was nice to get around that.
The biggest challenge for me so far has been qualifying. Understanding especially last weekend at St. Pete, I was quite disappointed with my qualifying because I was in the top eight through the whole weekend before leading up to it, felt really strong within the race car.
Just getting the feel of the red tires in qualifying has been difficult, not only at the street course but also on the road course. That’s all taking time.
Probably right now qualifying is my Achilles’ heel at the moment, I need to work on, which I’ll try to do. Certainly in the race I feel like we’ve had a really fast car and felt really strong in the races. Made a couple moves here and there, battling hard.
The race craft thing has sort of come naturally for me in terms I was a little bit nervous in what it would be like, open-wheel, side-by-side. I’ve had some pretty hard battles with some pretty tough guys, Takuma Sato, raced with Bourdais, a couple other people, people that race hard but fair. I’ve enjoyed it.
Like you said, we’ve had a top 10 car. It’s been a pretty solid start. We just have to keep it going from now on.

Q. Approaching an oval debut is not as simple as focusing on one thing. Any one area that Penske has been advising you to work on for this weekend? Is there like a major focus for you to make sure you get one thing sorted for the weekend?
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: I think it’s my understanding of the timing in the oval, understanding how hard do I drive into the corner, working out my exits so I get runs down into turn three or into turn one. When do I make a passing move, how do I save fuel on an oval. One thing that’s a little bit different as well.
Race strategy is a big thing. Especially in INDYCAR, the fuel saving is a huge thing. Trying to drive fast while saving more fuel certainly helps you in the long-term.
Yeah, a lot of things I have had to focus on. But certainly the race itself, like I said, the time, my passes have been one big focus for me. Thankfully I have thousands of hours of footage I can watch from previous years, including our testing, which will help.

Q. Scott, first time racing on an oval. There’s a lot of information probably coming at you all at once. What is your biggest concern going into a doubleheader this weekend, like on the high banks of Texas?
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Biggest concern? Probably I guess coming out of here with not many points. I think it’s a big points weekend. I don’t have too many concerns about where I’m placed and how I feel in the race car. I feel very comfortable, ready for the challenge. So I’m not concerned about any of that.
Probably knowing that I need to get a solid couple of races under my belt, not only just for championship-wise, but at the same time it’s for my confidence leading into the next big oval, which is the biggest race of my life, the Indy 500.
I’m certainly aware of how important these next two races are this weekend, and will be doing my very best to have a pretty solid run in all facets, in-laps, out-laps, passing, saving fuel, all that sort of stuff. I’m really looking forward to the challenge of that.

Q. You have your simulator behind you there.
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah.
Q. How has that been able to help you with ovals, or has it?
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, it’s certainly been a little bit of a help, more so with my spotter. I’ve never worked with a spotter before. Being able to have him on my Discord, the app that we use, he basically calls races like we would have in real life. He’d view it on iRacing.
Doing the odd INDYCAR race and stuff, he can talk to you, inside, outside, clear, outside line is working, inside line is working, all the normal chat we would have. But just getting familiar with all that sort of stuff is a big thing for me, something that I’ve never really had before. I’ve never had a spotter. That’s all new to me. Probably that’s one thing the sim has helped with.

Q. Scott, how beneficial is it to you to Josef, Simon, Will in the team, giving their experience on ovals?
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Invaluable (smiling). It’s the thing that I take very seriously, listen to a lot of their advice. I definitely ask for a lot. I’m in their ear all the time, watching all their footage, looking at all their data, just little things.
But they could easily be hiding away a lot of the stuff, not try and show me too much. But they’ve been fantastic in all facets. There’s stuff they’re probably hiding from me, but at the same time that’s what racing is all about with teammates. Everyone hides that last little 10th. That’s about me trying to find that myself. That’s what motorsport is all about.

Q. Obviously when you tested there recently, did you do practice, pit stops going into the box, all that kind of thing? It’s going to be very busy on Saturday. Kind of the same for you, Pietro. You’re going to have loads of cars going into pit lane if we have cautions. Any kind of way you train yourself to try to avoid an incident in pit lane?
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: No, I think it’s more just being instinctive, having a feel of what’s ahead of you, understanding with your spotter and stuff. Communication is a big thing.
Yeah, we did do a lot of practice, a lot of race runs, so basically full stints. Obviously I’ll (indiscernible) with my weight jacker, tools for the whole stint, resetting them before I got in the box. If you have one side that’s too heavy you can easily lock a wheel going into pit lane and overshoot the pit box.
There’s a lot to think about towards the end of a stint in an INDYCAR on the ovals. Thankfully had a lot of practice with that.

Q. I know you tested here a few weeks ago in Indy. You have both been at Texas. Any extra set of nerves, like a different mindset going into this weekend, like an excitement of something you’ve never done before racing at Texas?
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: For me it’s the excitement of having never done it before, experiencing what it’s like. That’s something that is going to be so cool, so refreshing for me. First career start on an oval. Why not do it in the fastest race car of all? It’s a cool thing.

PHOTO CREDIT CHEVROLET RACING – TEAM PENSKE’S SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN, NO. 3 PPG TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET, IHAS SHOWED STRONG RUNS IN FIRST TWO RACES

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 75 countries with nearly 4 million cars and trucks sold in 2019. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found www.chevrolet.com.

CBD American Shaman 2021 ADRL Tour Kicks Off This Weekend at the Texas Motorplex

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ENNIS, Texas – “Alright…you called down the thunder, well now you got it!” –Wyatt Earp, Tombstone

The thunder returns to the Texas Motorplex this weekend, courtesy of the CBD American Shaman 2021 ADRL Tour and the American Drag Racing League’s Dragpalooza. As always, tickets to the quickest and fastest Pro Mod show on the planet are completely free, thanks to the hundreds of thousands of tickets distributed throughout the Dallas region in recent weeks.

Frankie “The Madman” Taylor, Pro Extreme winner of this event a year ago and the 2020 class champion, is returning to the scene of that incredible victory with no intentions of this weekend’s result being any different than last year. During 2020’s ADRL season opener, Taylor made four uncontested passes down the track to take the win. “I’d rather be lucky than good,” Taylor said in the Winner’s Circle at the time. Lucky he may have been that night, but the native Texan used all his hard-earned skill and talents to take home the PX championship belt in St. Louis last October.

Taylor’s journey for a repeat championship continues when the track opens for race car inspection at 2 p.m. local time with a test session scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. The session is expected to last until 10 p.m. A second test session begins Friday at 10 a.m. with spectator gates opening at Noon.

Qualifying for the 2021 ADRL Dragpalooza kicks off Friday at 4:30 p.m. with three rounds of qualifying for all classes. ADRL qualifying continues Saturday at 2 p.m. with spectator gates opening again at Noon. The legendary pre-race ceremony begins at 5 p.m. with the invocation and the National Anthem.

“It’s been a long offseason, man!” said ADRL CEO Kenny Nowling. “We’ve had to delay the kickoff to the season, but honestly, being able to start the year at the Texas Motorplex with the amazing Lone Star
State fans and Andy Carter’s crew just means we’re gonna have to make this show twice as badass!”

For the full schedule of this weekend’s ADRL Dragpalooza at the Texas Motorplex, click HERE. More information can also be found at the official ADRL event page on Facebook, which can be found HERE.

CBD American Shaman 2021 ADRL Tour Schedule:

April 30-May 1: ADRL Dragpalooza (Texas Motorplex)
June 11-12: ADRL Gateway Drags (WWT Raceway)
Race 3: ADRL Summer Drags (Date/Location TBD)
Sept. 10-11: ADRL U.S. Drags (Texas Motorplex)
Oct. 1-2: ADRL Fall Drags (Location TBD)
Oct. 22-23: ADRL Dragstock XIII (WWT Raceway)

Get the Gear! Need your merch for the CBD American Shaman 2021 ADRL Tour? Get everything you need by clicking HERE or by heading to the at-track Adrenaline Zone at every ADRL event!

For more information on the American Drag Racing League and to stay up-to-date on breaking news, follow them on their official page on Facebook at Facebook.com/ADRLDrags and on Instagram and Twitter at @ADRLDrags. Fans can also visit the official ADRL website at ADRLDrags.com.

CHEVROLET NTT INDYCAR SERIES: TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY DOUBLEHEADER TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE

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CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
GENESYS 300 AND XPEL 375 – DOUBLEHEADER WEEKEND
TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
FORT WORTH, TEXAS
TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE – MAY 1-2
APRIL 29 2021

RACES 3 AND 4 OF 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES:

DETROIT (April 28, 2021) – Diversity of racing has been a hallmark of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ schedule. This weekend, not only will drivers/teams compete on the third different type of venue in as many weeks, but they will face the challenges of back-to-back races.

Following events at the Barber Motorsports Park road course and the temporary street circuit in St. Petersburg, Florida, Chevrolet drivers will tackle the fast 1.455-mile Texas Motor Speedway oval in the first of two doubleheader weekends this season.

The 212-lap Genesys 300 is May 1 and the 248-lap XPEL 375 will be contested May 2. Single-car qualifying will be conducted three hours prior to the opening race, with the drivers’ first lap time determining the starting lineup for the Genesys 300 and their second lap setting the field by position for the XPEL 375.

Repaved and redesigned in 2017, the racetrack in Fort Worth features 20 degrees of banking in Turns 1 and 2 and 24 degrees of banking in Turns 3 and 4, which will showcase the power of the 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged, direct-injected V6 Chevrolet engine as it interacts with the car’s aerodynamic setup around the asymmetrical track.

“There are many variables to consider with the racetrack configuration, wind, heat, grip level and the short time window to dial in the cars for the first race,” Chevrolet INDYCAR program manager Rob Buckner said. “Chevrolet trackside engineers worked with teams during a March 31 test at the track and we’ll be ready for more exciting racing at Texas Motor Speedway and hopefully bring home two victories.”

Since returning to NTT INDYCAR SERIES engine manufacturer competition in 2012, Team Chevy drivers have won five of the nine races and earned five pole starts on the oval that has hosted an NTT INDYCAR SERIES race annually since it opened in 1997.

Will Power, driver of the No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske Chevrolet who is tied for second in the Driver Standings, has scored two wins and three pole starts at the track. Teammate Josef Newgarden, No. 2 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet, earned the pole in 2018 and ’20 and won the 2019 race on the way to his second Series championship.

“One race around this place can smoke you pretty good,” said Newgarden, who placed third in the 2020 race that was the season opener on June 7 as previously scheduled races were postponed or canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “So, adding two … it will be a challenge, especially if it’s hot. It’s a daring track. You have to have commitment when you come here. You’ve got to feel very confident in yourself and in your car. I like that about this track.”

Joining the Team Chevy lineup this weekend will be Ed Carpenter in the No. 20 U.S. Air Force Chevrolet. The team owner, who won the 2014 race at Texas Motor Speedway, competes in the oval races. Conor Daly, who drives the No. 20 entry in the road/street course events, will switch to the No. 59 Gallagher Carlin Chevrolet for the Texas twinbill. He has a pair of top-10 finishes in four races at the oval.

Scott McLaughlin will make his Series’ debut on an oval in the No. 3 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet.

NBCSN will telecast the Genesys 300 live at 7 p.m. ET May 1 and the XPEL 375 at 5 p.m. ET May 2. Both races will also be broadcast live on INDYCAR Radio Network affiliates, Sirius 211, XM 205, Indycar.com, and on the INDYCAR Mobile app powered by NTT DATA. Practice and live qualifications will stream on Peacock Premium.

Team Chevy will be represented by:
A.J. Foyt Enterprises
Dalton Kellett, No. 4 K-Line Insulators/AJ Foyt Racing
Sebastien Bourdais, No. 14 ROKiT/AJ Foyt Racing

Arrow McLaren SP
Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP
Felix Rosenqvist, No. 7 Vuse Arrow McLaren SP

Carlin
Conor Daly, No. 59 Gallagher Carlin

Ed Carpenter Racing
Ed Carpenter, No. 20 U.S. Air Force
Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Sonax/Autogeek

Team Penske
Josef Newgarden, No. 2 XPEL Team Penske
Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 PPG Team Penske
Will Power, No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske
Simon Pagenaud, No. 22 Menards Team Penske
Chevrolet V6 Year-By-Year Results since 2012

2021 ­– 1 pole in 2 races
Pole – Pato O’Ward (Barber Motorsports Park)
2020 – 7 wins, 11 poles in 14 races
Wins – Simon Pagenaud (Iowa1); Josef Newgarden (Iowa2, St. Louis2, Indy RC2, St. Petersburg); Will Power (Mid-Ohio1, Indy RC3, St. Petersburg). Poles – Josef Newgarden (Texas, Road America1, Iowa2), Will Power (Indianapolis road course, St. Louis1, Mid-Ohio1, Indy RC3; St. Petersburg), Pato O’Ward (Road America2), Conor Daly (Iowa1), Rinus VeeKay (Indy road course October)
2019 – 9 wins, 9 poles in 17 races
Driver/owner championship (Josef Newgarden/Roger Penske); Indianapolis 500 win (Simon Pagenaud)
2018 – 6 wins, 9 poles in 17 races
Indianapolis 500 win (Will Power)
2017 – 10 wins, 11 poles in 17 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Josef Newgarden/Roger Penske)
2016 – 14 wins, 13 poles in 16 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Simon Pagenaud/Roger Penske)
2015 – 10 wins, 16 poles in 16 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Scott Dixon/Chip Ganassi);
Indianapolis 500 win (Juan Pablo Montoya). First manufacturer to capture all titles since Chevrolet returned to INDYCAR in 2012
2014 – 12 wins, 14 poles in 18 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Will Power/Roger Penske)
2013 – 10 wins, 11 poles in 19 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; Indianapolis 500 win (Tony Kanaan)
2012 – 11 wins, 10 poles in 15 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Ryan Hunter-Reay/Michael Andretti)
Total – 89 wins, 100 earned poles (104 poles total – earned and based on entrant points) in 151 races

PHOTO CREDIT CHEVROLET RACING – TEAM PENSKE’S WILL POWER, NO. 12 VERIZON 5G CHEVROLET, IS SECOND IN POINT STANDINGS AFTER STRONG FINISHES IN FIRST TWO RACES

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 75 countries with nearly 4 million cars and trucks sold in 2019. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found www.chevrolet.com.

The Cat Rental Store at Thompson Machinery named preferred equipment rental partner of Nashville Superspeedway’s June 18-20 NASCAR tripleheader weekend

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Official Release
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https://www.nashvillesuperspeedway.com/

Top Five Tips on Maintaining Your Car’s Performance

By
SM
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You are buying your first car, congratulations. Investing in a new one can be a really exciting experience. But do you know owning a new vehicle comes with a lot of duties? You need to take care of it. You need to know all the things that can keep your expensive car in good mechanical condition by using quality selected parts from ARP Bolts and other online or local retailers. You can’t let your car sit in the garage without giving it a complete check. 

This may sound a little dramatic, but for most of us, cars are like our lifeblood. We all depend on our vehicles. Today, the modern automobile is not just a piece of luxury, but we all need it for different purposes. For many, owning a car is important to run their businesses. For others, having a car is the best way to experience the world and enjoy the beautiful sights. Whatever the reason, vehicles are here to stay and will continue to be an integral part of man’s evolutionary development. 

Here we have organized a compressive guide to help you all in order to keep your vehicles in good condition. 

Importance of Maintaining Your Vehicle 

There are many reasons to maintain your vehicle, but we have listed below some of the more convincing reasons why maintaining your vehicle is always important. 

  • It improves safety 
  • Save you expensive repair charges 
  • Minimize the chances of roadside emergencies 
  • High resale value 
  • Contribute to a cleaner and safe environment

Common Maintenance Your Vehicle Needs

At the start of this article, we promised that we would share a comprehensive guide on how you can properly maintain your vehicle so here we are presenting the top five basic car maintenance tips.

  1. Don’t Forget to Inspect Your Car regularly 

This is the first thing that can save you expensive repair costs. If you inspect your vehicle regularly, this can help you spot minor and major damages on time. Make sure to perform the inspection yourself. It is the simplest and even easy if you know what things you need to look for. 

  1. Learn about Warning Light Indicators 

Modern vehicles have warning systems with sophisticated sensors that alert you about damages. It is hard to cover all the damages on your own, but warning lights can help you identify amiss. Warning lights can save you costly repairs. Ensure you know the engine light, electrical fault light, service engine light, coolant warning light, brake warning light, and oil warning light. 

  1. Try to Install LED Light Bar 

An LED light bar is more environmentally and energy-efficient. You may not know, but your car’s lightning features are not as efficient, controlling, and powerful as the LED light bar. If you are not sure about these lights, you can ask an expert car mechanic. These days LED light bar in Australia are more in demand and safe to use. 

  1. Check Tire Pressure

Incorrect tire pressures can cause many problems, including less gas mileage, instability, poor braking, and a flat tire. Try to check tire pressure before every ride. Also, try to rotate tires to make sure they are balanced and fitted properly. 

  1. Check and Change Oil Regularly 

Routinely changing and checking your car’s oil is necessary to keep its engine in better condition. Check your vehicle’s oil on a regular basis and change it as directed in the owner’s manual. One can also change oil whenever one takes it to a service station.

RCR Event Preview – Kansas Speedway

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Official Release
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Richard Childress Racing at Kansas Speedway… In 89 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has one win with Kevin Harvick (2013), five top-five, and 23 top-10 finishes. The Welcome, N.C. organization has also picked up a NASCAR Xfinity Series win with Harvick in 2006.

Catch the Action… The NASCAR Cup Series Kansas 400 will be televised live Sunday, May 2, beginning at 3 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops / TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Kansas Speedway… Dillon made his career-first start in the NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas Speedway in 2011 and has made a total of 15 NASCAR Cup Series starts at the 1.5-mile track, earning his best finish of sixth in May and October 2016. He has also made five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track, recording one pole award (2013) and a best finish of second (2012). In three NASCAR Truck Series races, Dillon has earned one pole award (2011) and a best finish of fourth (2014).

About Tracker Off Road… Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE prominently features TRACKER ATVs, a game-changing new line of all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides offering breakthrough performance, service and value in the off-road industry. TRACKER OFF ROAD was born out of a powerhouse partnership formed between Bass Pro Shops and TRACKER founder Johnny Morris and Textron Specialized Vehicles, bringing together the undisputed world leader in boating with a global leader in innovation and technology.

About Bass Pro Shops… Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.” Bass Pro Shops has a long relationship with NASCAR, dating back to 1998. For more information, visit .

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
How is Kansas unique compared to some of the other 1.5-mile tracks?
“Kansas Speedway has done a really good job with their banking. There’s a line right up by the fence that has a little extra grip. There’s an angle up there that I don’t think many tracks have figured out yet, but Kansas got it right. You can run from top to bottom there. The bottom groove is the preferred groove at the beginning, but it becomes too tight to try and run around there in turns one and two sometimes depending on what the balance of your race car is. I’ve enjoyed that track a lot ever since they repaved it. I wish every track could do as good as a job as Kansas has with repaves.”

Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Childress Vineyards Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Kansas Speedway… Reddick has three NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway, with his best finish of ninth coming in 2019. Reddick also has three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the 1.5-mile speedway, starting and finishing inside the top 10 in all three events, as well as two NASCAR Truck Series starts.

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

TYLER REDDICK QUOTE:
When it comes to a track like Kansas Speedway where you may be able to run the fence, do you go in with a higher sense of confidence? Or what are the keys to success at Kansas?
“I want to say I do, but it can be tough since that’s not the only way to be successful at Kansas Speedway. When I’m on the fence when the tires get warmer and we are on a longer run, the top can be a tool to help me with long run speed. I feel like when I’ve come in years past, I have almost put too much into it. My first race last year I tried to run it too much and tried to make our car the fastest car on the track when really I didn’t need to be at that time. Then, the second race we had there, my team did a really good job of making our car run well all across the racetrack, but I felt like I had to run the top and got us into a hole. So, running the top at Kansas is a lot of fun and we can get speed doing it, but it’s important to be versatile and be smart throughout the whole race. We’ll have a good starting position, which should help us on Sunday. But when I think about Kansas, I also think about execution getting to pit road, being fast in and out of the box, executing the green flag stops we’re going to have throughout the stages, and managing restarts. We just need to be smart and manage other parts of the race to make sure it doesn’t get away from us. We have a good starting spot with our No. 8 Childress Vineyards Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, so the goal is to build on that and race smart all day long.”

NASCAR To Honor Military Families and Communities Through NASCAR Salutes Together with Coca-Cola

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Official Release
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Industry-wide platform to honor, host and serve military families and communities during Military Appreciation Month

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 29, 2021) – As part of the annual NASCAR Salutes Together with Coca-Cola initiative, the NASCAR industry will honor United States Armed Forces heroes and their families throughout Military Appreciation Month, beginning this weekend at Kansas Speedway.

Now in its seventh year, NASCAR Salutes Together with Coca-Cola begins for the first time at Kansas Speedway with the Buschy McBusch Race 400 (May 2 at 3 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM) and concludes with the return of 600 Miles of Remembrance during the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway taking place Memorial Day weekend (May 30, at 6 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM).

“The NASCAR industry takes tremendous pride in honoring those who serve our country, along with their families and communities,” said Michelle Byron, vice president of partnership marketing, NASCAR. “It’s impossible to describe their sacrifices to protect and support our communities throughout the past year during the pandemic – it’s our privilege to recognize them through NASCAR Salutes annually.”

In conjunction with this program, U.S. Naval Officer and NASCAR driver Jesse Iwuji, will be welcomed as the newest Coca-Cola ambassador and will host many of the NASCAR Salutes Together with Coca-Cola events.

As part of the 2021 platform, NASCAR and Coca-Cola will celebrate the military community by showcasing stories of everyday heroes from local bases, in partnership with the USO, while also hosting at-track and virtual experiences led by Iwuji for military families through Troops to the Track.

Beginning this weekend at Kansas Speedway, a weekly pre-race show will launch on NASCAR.com and Facebook hosted by Iwuji alongside NASCAR personality Kim Coon. The show will highlight NASCAR Salutes for fans who are unable to attend a race in person and feature special celebrity guests, including Coca-Cola Racing Family drivers, race dignitaries and more.

“Coca-Cola is proud to support and honor the sacrifice and service of all military members and their families in partnership with NASCAR,” said Chris Bigda, director of sports marketing, Coca-Cola North America. “We are excited to welcome Jesse as a Coca-Cola ambassador to help bring communities together that share an appreciation for our military and the love of racing.”

Throughout NASCAR Salutes Together with Coca-Cola, FOX Sports will highlight military service stories from the industry across its NASCAR programming. Fans can learn more about the heroes honored throughout the NASCAR Salutes Together with Coca-Cola program by visiting NASCAR.com/Salutes. Fans can participate this year by sharing a military member or family they salute on social media tagging #NASCARSalutes.

During the Coca-Cola 600 race weekend, NASCAR and Coca-Cola will host Gold Star Families, many of whom will have loved ones honored during the annual Memorial Day weekend 600 Miles of Remembrance. All 40 NASCAR Cup Series cars will feature the name of a fallen service member on the windshield during the race in honor of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Among the other NASCAR Salutes events and activities are the following:

  • Throughout the platform, fans can follow and engage with the NASCAR Salutes conversation on social media using #NASCARSalutes.
  • At Kansas Speedway and Darlington Raceway, as part of NASCAR Troops to the Track Hosted by Coca-Cola, active servicemembers from local bases will receive grandstand tickets.
  • AMR, the “Official Emergency Medical Services Partner of NASCAR,” will feature the NASCAR Salutes Together with Coca-Cola branding on its NASCAR safety trucks and safety team helmets throughout the program.
  • In support of NASCAR Salutes, Charlotte Motor Speedway is again hosting its annual Mission 600 as a prelude to its pre-race salute to the troops prior to the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend. This year’s program includes a mix of virtual and in-person experiences to connect members of the Coca-Cola Racing Family and other drivers with military bases.
  • Mack Trucks, the “Official Hauler of NASCAR,” will again adorn NASCAR Salutes colors on its flagship NASCAR hauler. This year’s Mack Anthem scheme will be chosen by fans through a social media vote taking place until Friday, April 30 and will be unveiled on Saturday, May 1.
  • M&M’S, the “Official Chocolate of NASCAR,” will provide 100 tickets to active-duty service members and their families from Fort Hood as a part of their partnership with Operation Gratitude during NASCAR’s debut weekend at Circuit of the Americas.
  • For more than 10 years, Goodyear has transformed its NASCAR race tires by replacing its iconic “Eagle” sidewall design with a message to honor America’s military.  In 2021, for the third season, Goodyear will feature “Honor and Remember,” in recognition of the organization that worked closely with the industry for “600 Miles of Remembrance” to honor military lives lost while serving.
  • Through a new special at-track experience in partnership with Coca-Cola, the USO and Charlotte Motor Speedway, a group of service members and their families will have the opportunity to learn to race simulators from eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series competitors. The simulators will then be donated to the USO.
  • During the NASCAR Xfinity Series Alsco Uniforms 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Xfinity, a Proud Premier Partner, will display red, white and blue Xfinity windshield headers on their race cars to showcase their company’s commitment to hiring 21,000 veterans, National Guard and reserve service members, and military spouses who bring unique skills and experiences to Comcast NBCUniversal.
  • During Memorial Day weekend, Camping World will celebrate with red, white and blue windshield decals on all trucks racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Camping World is a strong supporter of all military branches and proudly displays 3,200 square foot American flags at its nationwide retail locations.
  • Leading into the Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR drivers will discuss 600 Miles of Remembrance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (channel 90) during a special military tribute show airing at 1 p.m. ET. The Dialed In Salute to the Troops special, hosted by Claire B. Lang, will feature interviews with several drivers as well as service members from different branches of the military.
  • During the broadcast of the Coca-Cola 600, FOX will display the name of every U.S. Armed Forces member who lost his or her life since last year’s Memorial Day weekend race as part of a special tribute titled “FOX Sports Remembers,” an initiative begun in 2009. FOX’s scroll will begin running during its pre-race show at 5:30 p.m. ET.

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’).

John Hunter Nemechek – No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra Camping World Trucks Kansas Preview

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Official Release
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John Hunter Nemechek: Driver, No. 4 Mobil 1 Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: Wise Power 200, Race 7 of 22, 134 Laps – 30/30/74; 201 Miles
Location: Kansas Speedway in Kansas City (1.5-mile tri-oval)
Date/Broadcast: May 1, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Neme’chek’ The Facts:

  • After a week off, John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 4 Mobil 1 team roll into Kansas Speedway coming off their second win of the weekend at Richmond Raceway, where Nemechek was able to hold off a late-race charge from Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) driver-owner Kyle Busch. After six races, Nemechek continues to sit at the top of the Camping World Trucks championship standings, 20 tallies ahead of Ben Rhodes.
  • In NCWTS competition, Nemechek has three starts at the 1.5-mile track, where his best finish of third came in 2017. In 2020, Nemechek made two NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas with a best finish of 17th, which came in the October event. In 2018, Nemechek captured his first career win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Kansas.
  • KBM enters Saturday’s event having won the last four Camping World Truck Series races. Nemechek started the streak at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway in March and captured KBM’s most recent triumph at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. Busch was victorious at Atlanta and Martin Truex Jr. captured his first Truck Series victory at the Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway Dirt Track. It’s the fifth time in the organization’s history that they’ve collected four straight victories but have yet to make it more than four straight.
  • Nemechek is an eight-time winner in Camping World Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports, and returning to victory lane this year with KBM. Across 108 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, the second-generation driver has compiled two poles, 866 laps led, 32 top-five and 55 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.9. The North Carolina native qualified for the Camping World Truck Series playoffs in each of his two full-time seasons, finishing eighth in the championship standings in both 2016 and 2017. He was voted the series most popular driver in 2015.
  • The 23-year-old driver produced three top-10 finishes and an average result of 22.4 while competing for rookie of the year honors in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020. He recorded a career-best eighth-place finish twice, both coming at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, earned the Sunoco Rookie of the Race award four times and finished 23rd in the championship standings.
  • Eric Phillips returns to KBM to lead the No. 4 team this season. Phillips led the No. 18 team at KBM in its debut season in 2010 and helped build the organization into one of the premier teams in all of NASCAR before departing at the end of the 2014 season. Under his guidance, the No. 18 team won eight races in its inaugural campaign and became the first team in Truck Series history to capture an owner’s championship in its first season of competition. In 2014, the Illinois native led the No. 51 team to an owner’s championship and his team’s 10 wins spearheaded KBM to a single-season Truck Series record of 14 wins. His 39 career Truck Series victories make him the winningest crew chief in Truck Series history, with 29 of those coming while at KBM. At Kansas, Phillips has 10 starts with two wins coming with Mike Skinner (2009) and Kyle Busch (2014).

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver Q&A:

Kansas was the site of your first NASCAR Xfinity Series win. Is it a place that’s special to you each time you go back?

“Going back to Kansas this weekend. It’s where I got my first NASCAR Xfinity Series win there in 2018. It’s a very special place for me and our family. My dad (Joe Nemechek) swept the weekend there in 2004, and I was able to be in victory lane as well as getting my first Xfinity win there. It’s a special place. It’s a really unique racetrack. I like going there. It’s one of my favorite racetracks to go to. I’m looking forward to this weekend.”

You haven’t raced a truck at Kansas since 2018, but the truck series had three races there last year. How much will you look at KBM’s notes from those races at Kansas last year?

“The trucks raced at Kansas three times last year. They have a lot of notes compiled from those three races. I haven’t been in a truck at Kansas since 2018. It’s unique circumstances. I don’t think it will slow us down. I am confident in my Mobil 1 team. I look forward to getting on track to see what we have. We just have to be consistent and go out and beat the boss.”

At the beginning of the season, Marcus Lemonis from Camping World announced that the team leading the point standings after Kansas would receive a $50,000 team bonus. You have a 20-point lead heading into this race. Are you looking forward to having that extra incentive on the line for your team Saturday?
“I’m definitely looking forward to having the incentive for the extra bonus for our team this weekend. We have to go and just hold the points lead. I hope that we can do so. We have a really strong team. I’m proud of all my guys. They’ve put in a lot of effort and work alongside everyone at KBM. Hopefully we can go out there and get it done!”

  • John Hunter Nemechek Career Highlights:Eight-time winner in Camping World Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports. Across 108 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, has compiled two poles, 866 laps led, 32 top-five and 55 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.9.
  • Qualified for the Camping World Truck Series playoffs in each of his two full-time seasons, finishing eighth in the championship standings in both 2016 and 2017.
  • Produced three top-10 finishes and an average result of 22.4 while competing for rookie of the year honors in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020. He recorded a career-best eighth-place finish twice, both coming at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, earned the Sunoco Rookie of the Race award four times and finished 23rd in the championship standings.
  • Across 51 career XFINITY Series starts, has totaled one win (Kansas Speedway, 10/20/18), one pole, 225 laps led, 12 top-five and 30 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 11.6.

John Hunter Nemechek’s No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra:
KBM-038: The No. 4 Mobil 1 team will unload KBM-038 Saturday in Kansas. The chassis was previously run at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in October 2020, where Christian Eckes piloted the chassis to a fourth-place finish. The chassis has collected six wins in 20 starts with Noah Gragson winning at Kansas in the chassis in May 2018.
Click Here for KBM-038 Performance Profile:

KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have collected four wins, four poles, 621 laps led, 13 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 9.9 across 34 starts at Kansas.
  • Noah Gragson led a race-high 128 laps and swept all three stages in the 2018 event at Kansas. Owner-driver Kyle Busch has collected two wins at Kansas (2014 & 2017) and William Byron earned his first career Camping World Trucks victory there in 2016.
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (84) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at the Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt Track, Martin Truex Jr. became the 16th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
  • The No. 4 has 13 career victories at KBM and was the number for both of the organization’s driver championships.
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