Home Blog Page 2614

GMS Racing ARCA Talladega Preview

By
Official Release
-

Jack Wood, No. 21 Chevy Accessories Chevrolet
Talladega Superspeedway Stats

  • No prior starts at Talladega Superspeedway. 2021 ARCA Menards Series
  • Starts: 2, Best start: 5, Best finish: 9, Top 10s: 1

Notes:

  • Jack Wood is set to make his first career start at Talladega Superspeedway in Saturday’s General Tire 200. Wood has one prior superspeedway start at Daytona International Speedway in February.
  • Wood and the No. 21 team will compete with chassis no. 655 this weekend in Talladega. This is the same chassis that Wood piloted to a ninth-place finish at the season opener in Daytona.
  • Wood enters the Talladega weekend eighth in series points, 41 points behind the leader.

Quote:

“Our first goal for Talladega is just to run all the laps. The Superspeedway racing can be so hit and miss, with getting caught up in stuff outside your control, we just need to make it to the checkered flag. Superspeedway racing is just a big chess game and that caught me off guard in Daytona, but having that race under my belt I’m prepared to be more aggressive at Talladega and more willing to try different things in the racecar to get us up front. Our team as a whole is gelling so much better than we were at the start of the season because we’ve had some time to work together. I’m in the shop with them every week and the camaraderie has grown so much. We know how to communicate and what we’re looking for in the car so I’m looking forward to heading to Talladega this week and having a chance to put our Chevy in victory lane.”

ABOUT GMS RACING

GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with drivers Sheldon Creed, Zane Smith, Tyler Ankrum, Chase Purdy and Raphael Lessard. The team also competes in the ARCA Racing Series with Jack Wood. Since the team began in 2014, GMS Racing won the 2016 and 2020 Camping World Trucks Championship, the 2015 ARCA Racing Series championship as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA East championship and 2020 Sioux Chief Showdown Championship. GMS has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. The campus also includes operations for GMS Fabrication. More information can be found at https://www.gmsracing.net/

SOCIAL MEDIA

To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow GMS Racing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Frustration builds heading into Talladega

By
SM
-
Photo by Barry Albert, Speedwaymedia.com

Alex Bowman placed the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Chevrolet in victory lane for the first time in nearly four years on Sunday afternoon at Richmond Raceway.  This was his third NASCAR Cup Series victory and his first of the 2021 season.

“We just had a great race car; it’s as simple as that. Greg Ives (Crew Chief) and all the guys, they have to deal with me at short tracks and I drive these places really wrong. We kind of instead of trying to make me figure it out, we went to work on getting the race car where I needed it to be. Greg has done such an amazing job at making that happen.” Bowman said.

It was a power play in the final laps for the No. 48 Chevrolet driver and you can make your own at powerplay sports betting and capture the ultimate adrenaline rush into sports betting.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin dominated the race by leading 207 of the 400 laps and lost again for the third race in a row.  Hamlin finished second, but it was another late-race pass that cost him another race win.

“We just didn’t take off quite as good there at the end. I tried to warm it up and do everything that I could – just the 48 (Alex Bowman) had a little more on those last few laps and I couldn’t hold the bottom. Once he got the position, we were just shut down there.” Hamlin said.

Last week at Martinsville Speedway, Hamlin led 276 laps and lost the lead to Martin Truex Jr. with 16 laps to go in the race.  “That was a lot of fun there racing at the end with Denny (Hamlin). We raced clean and we were able to come out on top.” Truex Jr. said.

“We had a really fast car for 20 laps or so, and then it would just kind of go away. Fortunate for us, we had a great day and had ourselves a shot at it, but just wasn’t quite good enough.” Hamlin said at Martinsville.

The frustration is mounting for the driver of the No. 11 Toyota as the series heads into the unpredictable 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama.

“There’s frustration, for sure. But it doesn’t change my attitude or work ethic. I’m going to work just as hard to win next week and the week after that. You’re a competitor, you want to win.” Hamlin said after Richmond.

Hamlin has two wins, nine top-5’s, 13 top-10’s, an average finish of 16.7, and a driver rating of 83.6 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Brad Keselowski might be a powerplay for your portfolio.  Keselowski leads all active NCS drivers in victories at Talladega Superspeedway with five (2009, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017).

Jennifer Jo Cobb was going to make her Cup Series debut at Talladega, but NASCAR says that she didn’t meet the sanctioning body’s approval criteria for the race.

The GEICO 500 is scheduled for Sunday, April 25 at 2 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

Dover International Speedway can host fans during its May 14-16 NASCAR tripleheader weekend

By
Official Release
-

DOVER, Del. (April 19, 2021) – Dover International Speedway, in consultation with state public health officials, is permitted to host fans in its grandstands for its May 14-16 NASCAR race weekend, track officials announced today. State public health officials have allowed the Monster Mile to host fans after approving the track’s health and safety protocols related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Dover International Speedway can accommodate guests who have already purchased tickets for the May 14-16 weekend, including for the “Drydene 400” NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, May 16 (2 p.m., FS1). All ticket sales for the “Drydene 400” will be paused starting today so purchased seats can be reassigned for social distancing. Fans will receive direct communication from the track requiring them to submit an attendance decision and are urged to respond quickly.

“We appreciate the confidence the state has displayed in our team to be allowed fans in our grandstands and on our property in May for these outdoor events,” said Mike Tatoian, Dover International Speedway’s president and CEO. “While hosting the most loyal fans in NASCAR public safety remains our top priority and we’ll be communicating specific tips and requirements to fans before and during our May 14-16 NASCAR weekend.”

Special fan procedures will include social distancing in grandstands and concession lines, the use of digital tickets for all grandstand seats, the required wearing of masks, staggered grandstand entrance times, enhanced cleaning in high-traffic areas, added hand sanitizer stations and infield access prohibited except for race teams, track personnel and select media.

The “Drydene 400” NASCAR Cup Series race is the 103rd Cup Series race at Dover, one of only 10 tracks in the country to host 100 or more Cup Series events. Tickets can still be purchased for the “General Tire 125” ARCA Menards Series East race (5 p.m.) on Friday, May 14 and the NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash race (1:30 p.m., FS1) on Saturday, May 15.

Follow Speedway news and updates on DoverSpeedway.com and via social media at Facebook.com/DoverInternationalSpeedway, or on Twitter and Instagram at @MonsterMile.

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.

Speedway Motorsports Names Toyota the Official Vehicles Of NASCAR at COTA and Entitlement Partner For the Toyota Tundra 225

By
Official Release
-
(Left to right) Toyota Racing drivers Kyle Busch (NCS), John Hunter Nemechek (NCWTS) and Daniel Hemric (NXS) pose for a photo alongside their Toyota stock cars and production vehicles at Circuit of The Americas in advance of next month's inaugural NASCAR at COTA race weekend. (CMS/HHP photo)

CONCORD, N.C. (April 19, 2021) – When NASCAR’s three premier national touring series debut at the world-renowned Circuit of The Americas May 21-23, Toyota cars and trucks will lead the fields to the green flags as the Official Vehicles of NASCAR at COTA. Speedway Motorsports officials also announced Toyota as the entitlement partner for the inaugural May 22 Toyota Tundra 225 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race.

“We are proud to call Toyota an official partner at several of our speedways across the country,” said Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith. “With Toyota’s North American headquarters located in Texas, it’s only natural to extend our relationship to NASCAR’s first visit to the state capitol of Austin.

“NASCAR at COTA is one of the most highly anticipated and spectacular event weekends on the 2021 schedule,” Smith added. “It’s an honor to saddle up with Toyota for what will be an event experience like no other.”

Toyota will provide a TRD Camry (NASCAR Cup Series), GR Supra (NASCAR Xfinity Series) and Tundra (NASCAR Camping World Truck Series) as the official pace cars and truck for the inaugural NASCAR at COTA race events, including the May 22 Toyota Tundra 225 Camping World Truck Series and Pit Boss 250 Xfinity Series races and the May 23 EchoPark Automotive Texas Grand Prix Cup Series race. With Official Vehicles and entitlement partner status, Toyota will receive preferred on-site display, promotional marketing and signage rights throughout the event weekend, hospitality and entertainment options for employees and business partners as well as naming rights for the Camping World Truck Series race.

“Toyota is proud to become the official vehicle of COTA for the track’s inaugural NASCAR race weekend,” said Paul Doleshal, group manager motorsports and assets, TMNA. “The addition of COTA to all three of the national NASCAR series schedules is a great opportunity for Toyota to showcase three of our production vehicles, including the TRD Camry, GR Supra and Tundra as they pace the field each day.

“The Tundra is built here in Texas, so we are thrilled to be able to race it here as well. COTA is located just 90 minutes from one of our largest U.S. manufacturing facilities, TMMTX (Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas, Inc.), where every Tundra in the world is built,” added Doleshal. “This makes our entitlement for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, the Toyota Tundra 225, so important in Tundra’s hometown. We look forward to having our team members join us at COTA to enjoy what is sure to be a great weekend of racing. As we like to say, Tundra is built here, lives here and now will race here!”

TICKETS:
Adult three-day weekend packages start at just $99 for general admission access and $125 for reserved seating to the May 21-23 NASCAR at COTA event weekend. Kids 12 and under can enjoy the entire weekend for just $10. Single-day tickets and three-day weekend packages can be purchased online at NASCARatCOTA.com or by calling the Texas Motor Speedway ticket office at (833) 450-2864.

MORE INFO:
Fans can connect with NASCAR at COTA and get the latest news by following on Twitter and Instagram or becoming a Facebook fan.

About Speedway Motorsports:
Speedway Motorsports is a leading marketer, promoter and sponsor of motorsports entertainment in the United States. The Company, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates the following premier facilities: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Sonoma Raceway, Texas Motor Speedway and Kentucky Speedway. Speedway Motorsports provides souvenir merchandising services through its SMI Properties subsidiaries; manufactures and distributes smaller-scale, modified racing cars and parts through its U.S. Legend Cars International subsidiary; and produces and broadcasts syndicated motorsports programming to radio stations nationwide through its Performance Racing Network subsidiary.

About Toyota:
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 38 million cars and trucks in North America, where we have 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama (10 in the U.S.), and directly employ more than 47,000 people (over 36,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold 2.8 million cars and trucks (2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2018.

Through the 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 ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Tickets on Sale for May 22 ARCA Menards Series Herr’s Potato Chips 200 at Toledo Speedway

By
Official Release
-

Menards Offering Discounted Tickets for Toledo Speedway ARCA Event
Fans can Save Big Money on Herr’s Potato Chips 200 Tickets

Toledo, OH (April 19, 2021) – Discount tickets for the ARCA Menards Series “Herr’s Potato Chips 200” are on sale now at Toledo-area Menards stores. Fans can also call or visit the Toledo Speedway track office to reserve tickets to the only appearance the ARCA Menards Series is scheduled to make to its home track in 2021.

“We raced at Toledo Speedway a lot last season,” said ARCA president and Toledo Speedway track owner Ron Drager. “With all the pandemic challenges we had with the schedule, it was a great option to have – even though we unfortunately couldn’t accommodate spectators for three of those four events. We’re very much looking forward to getting back to the track and seeing all of our great Toledo area race fans again.”

Discount tickets will be available at 13 Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan Menards locations. The advance, discounted ticket sale will end Friday night, May 21 at 9pm EST. Fans can save $10 off the price of a ticket with the advance purchase. Fans can visit Menards locations in Toledo, Oregon, Holland, Findlay, Defiance, and Sandusky in Ohio and Ann Arbor, Belleville, Livonia, Taylor, Warren, Wixom, and Jackson in Michigan to purchase Herr’s Potato Chips 200 tickets.

The ARCA Menards Series has competed 80 previous times at the paved half-mile, located about one mile south of the Ohio-Michigan border just off the shores of Lake Erie, at the Alexis Road exit off I-75. Notable winners include ARCA’s all-time leading winner Frank Kimmel, who won ten races at Toledo, Iggy Katona, Jack Bowsher, Benny Parsons, local favorite Joy Fair, Bob Keselowski, Bobby Bowsher, and Ken Schrader. Sam Mayer, who will race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2021 driving for Dale Earnhardt, Jr’s JR Motorsports team, won all three ARCA Menards Series races at Toledo Speedway last season, and finished second in the ARCA Menards Series East race in June.

Drager urges fans planning on attending the Herr’s Potato Chips 200 to stay current on local COVID-19 regulations by visiting ToledoSpeedway.com for the most current information.

“We will be guided by state, county, and local government healthcare advisories to ensure a safe and healthy experience for our race fans,” Drager said. “We want everyone to come out and enjoy themselves in a responsible manner on May 22 and throughout the 2021 season.”

Fans interested in more information on any event at Toledo Speedway can call the speedway office at (419) 727-1100 or visit ToledoSpeedway.com.

Mazda MX-5 Cup Takes Thrill Show to Streets of St. Petersburg

By
Official Release
-

April 19, 2021 – The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires is making waves in the motorsports world with its incredibly close racing, and this week the spectacle arrives at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. The concrete walls and compact schedule will test each team’s performance under pressure.

It wasn’t so long ago that the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup was racing at St. Petersburg, as the series raced to a championship-deciding close on the Florida circuit just last October.

The Championship was decided by just four points in favor of Michael Carter (No. 08 Carter Racing Enterprises), who won the first race of the weekend and finished fourth in the second race to lock in the title and the $250,000 prize on offer from Mazda.

The reigning champion has already won this year in Round Two at Daytona International Speedway, but he comes into the St. Petersburg event trailing Gresham Wagner (No. 5 Spark Performance) by 150 points.

Wagner is the only repeat winner of the year so far and has a score to settle with the streets of St. Pete. Last year, his engine expired on the formation lap of the first race and thus prevented him from taking part in the second. Though he qualified on pole for both races, he never turned a race lap.

“I don’t think anybody is owed anything in racing, but I was definitely excited when St. Pete returned to the schedule,” Wagner said. “I loved the track and was really looking forward to the races last year, so I’m looking forward to getting back on track and going after the wins I feel like I was headed toward last year.”

The winner of Sebring’s epic Round Three finish, Selin Rollan (No. 87 Hixon Motor Sports), loves street courses, but loves the St. Petersburg street course in particular because he frequently flies into the Albert Whitted airport. He is currently third in the point standings.

“It’s a smaller airport, so it’s only prop planes and no jets,” Rollan said. “It’s on the water and there’s a nice restaurant in the airport terminal that has a balcony to watch the landing and departing planes. Just the fact that we race there once a year makes it a special place for me!”

Even drivers who’ve never raced a street circuit before are eager to get on track in St. Petersburg.

“I am really excited for St. Pete because every single person I have talked to about racing street circuits says they are an absolute blast,” said Loni Unser, driver of the No. 92 Hixon Motor Sports car. “I also like how there is no margin for error. I can’t wait to hear the sound the track makes while we are driving as well.”

Series official, coach and test driver Tom Long notes that the concrete walls aren’t the only thing keeping drivers in check at St. Petersburg.

“Not only is the St. Petersburg street circuit tight, but so is the schedule,” Long said. “The teams will practice and qualify on Friday, then have both races on Saturday. There is truly no room for error in Race One, since one mistake in that race can erase any hopes of starting Race Two.”

Both of Saturday’s MX-5 Cup races will be streamed live on IMSA.com, IMSA Radio and NBC Sports Gold TrackPass. Race One is set for 8:35am ET and Race Two will start at 4:20pm ET. A recap of the race weekend will air Wednesday, May 5, at 3:00pm ET on NBCSN.

About: The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires is the signature spec series for Mazda Motorsports. Mazda-powered grassroots champions earn a Mazda scholarship to advance their career. The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup champion earns a $250,000 scholarship.

Find out more at http://www.mx-5cup.com.

Kyle Marcelli and Danny Formal join the No. 1 Prestige Performance with WTR Race Team for the 2021 North America Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series

By
Official Release
-

BROWNSBURG, Indiana (April 19, 2021) – Coming off a successful, two-day test at the Circuit of the Americas, Wayne Taylor Racing (WTR) and Prestige Performance Racing announced their driver line-up for the 2021 Lamborghini Super Trofeo (LST) North American Championship season.

Danny Formal and Kyle Marcelli will co-pilot the No. 1 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo (PRO) in the 6-race North American PRO Series which kicks off May 21st during the NASCAR headliner event at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) and finishes up at the 2021 World Final weekend at Misano Adriatico, Italy on October 30th -31st.

“As we enter our sixth year, the partnership and legacy that Prestige Performance and Wayne Taylor Racing have built in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Series is second to none,” said Chris Turner, President, Prestige Performance Racing. “We have done it successfully season after season and are looking to come out even stronger in 2021.”

25-year-old, Danny Formal from San José, Costa Rica started racing at the age of five and quickly became a National Champion in Costa Rica at the Four-Cycle Endurance and Indoor Karting championship. The Costa Rican’s success grew as he progressed through the racing ranks as the 2019 KZ Supernats World Champion, Senior Max Rotax Grand Nationals Champion, Senior Max Florida Winter Tour Vice-Champion and Max US Rotax Grand National Champion. In 2020, Formal had 4 Podiums and 1 Win (Sebring Finale) in the North America Lamborghini Super Trofeo PROAM Series.

“It’s a dream come true for me,” said Danny Formal. “I have been following Wayne Taylor Racing for the longest time. To get an opportunity to race with a prestigious team like them and also represent Prestige Performance is an incredibly opportunity. I’m super grateful for this. I will give my best starting with our first test until the end of this year. Hopefully we can bring some great results for the team and fight for the championship.”

Canadian, Kyle Marcelli’s resume includes victories in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, SRO GT World Challenge America, IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship, European Le Mans Series, and more. In Marcelli’s 263 races entered, he has 32 wins, 99 podiums, and 24 pole positions and will look to achieve even more victories with Wayne Taylor Racing in his first season in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo series.

“I have always admired WTR and the benchmark they set on and off track, said Kyle Marcelli. “The team has all the tools and resources a driver needs and I hope extract the most from those resources to deliver the winning results we all want and expect. The Lamborghini Super Trofeo is a new car to me and I look forward to the challenge of learning it’s characteristics. I am grateful for the opportunity and excited to get to work.”

Since its inception in 2015, the Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing effort has clinched seven North American PRO-Driver, Team and Dealer Championship titles, experienced the first woman World Finals race winner and was crowned the overall 2017 Lamborghini Champions at the World Finals in Imola, Italy. In 2020, the team finished the season in the Top-Three in the Team Championship, PRO-AM and LB Cup classes and fourth in the PRO Class. Prestige Performance-Paramus finished second overall in the 2020 Dealer Championship chase.

To complete the 2021 Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Super Trofeo stable, veterans Ashton Harrison will run solo in the AM Class in her No. 25 Harrison Contracting LST entry while 2020 LB Cup Champion Randy Sellari returns to the WTR fold in his No. 03 J.G. Wentworth LST, also running in the AM class.
“We are excited to get back to what hopes to be a regular season for us all,” said Travis Houge, Vice President | General Manager of Wayne Taylor Racing. “We welcome Danny and Kyle to our group and are delighted to have Ashton and Randy back with us for the season. We still have plans to field a fourth car and hope to have news on that shortly. It is going to be a great season!”

After the season opener at COTA (May 21-23), the 6-race North American series continues with races at Watkins Glen (June 24-27), Road America (August 6-8), WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (September 10-12) and Virginia International Raceway (October 8-10). The final races of the series will be held during The World Finals scheduled at the Misano Adriatico, Italy, October 28-31.

For more information, please visit www.waynetaylorracing.com.

FRM Richmond Weekend Recap: Gilliland Collects Top-10 Finish. McDowell Finishes 27th and Alfredo 31st on Sunday

By
Official Release
-

Gilliland Collects Top-10 Finish and Gains in Truck Series Championship. McDowell Finishes 27th and Alfredo 31st in Sunday’s Cup race.

A Recap of the Weekend Past

The NASCAR Camping World Truck and Cup Series visited the Richmond (Va.) Raceway this weekend after a weekend off for Easter. The Front Row Motorsports (FRM) teams and drivers were eager to go back racing.

Todd Gilliland and his No. 38 Pete Store Ford F-150 team impressed on Saturday with a sixth-place finish in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 250-lap event. It was the best finish of the weekend for the organization.

Michael McDowell and his No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang team led the Cup program with a 27th-place finish.

Anthony Alfredo and the No. 38 MDS Ford Mustang team finished Sunday’s 400-lap Cup event in 31st.

For Gilliland, the No. 38 Pete Store team came into Richmond after a fourth-place finish at the Bristol Motor Speedway. Another short track, Gilliland felt confident the team was going to have a great race. They spent the past two weeks preparing the truck and had a good setup for the sometimes tricky Richmond Raceway.

From the green, Gilliland showed speed. In Stage 1, Gilliland paced himself inside the top-10 before making up a few positions at the end of the Stage. He was eighth heading into Stage 2.

The Pete Store Ford F-150 was just as fast in Stage 2. Gilliland raced as high as sixth before finishing the Stage in eighth again. The team made adjustments for the long run and the final laps of the race. But, with numerous cautions, it was difficult for Gilliland to find a rhythm.

At one point, after a restart, Gilliland was up to third, but another caution waved and the team had to pit for tires. The team raced from 10th back up to sixth, but was as fast as fourth. Gilliland just missed another top-five, but still had an impressive day.

Gilliland remains ranked ninth in the championship run, but is only one point out of eighth.

TODD GILLILAND. NO. 38 THE PETE STORE FORD F-150. FINISHED 6.

“We were in the top-10 all day. We ran as high as third, but got jumped by some of the guys on pit strategy. Restarts were really important, too. But it’s another good, solid day that keeps the momentum moving in the right direction. We’ll go prepare another strong Ford F-150 for Kansas. Thanks for The Pete Store for their support of FRM and our truck team. We’ll keep working.”

Michael McDowell and his No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang took the green flag in Sunday’s 300 Mile event from the 23rd position at Richmond Raceway.

During the Competition Caution on Lap 32, McDowell told the team that his race car was “tight in the center (of the corners). It feels like our long run speed is going to be ok” and would pit for 4 tires, fuel and a trackbar adjustment before going on to finish Stage 1 from the 28th position.

In Stage 2, the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang would see two green flag, fuel only pit stops as the lack of cautions made it difficult for teams to make adjustments on their race cars without suffering the loss of a lap, to which McDowell would take the second green-white-checkered flag from the 27th position.

During the Final Stage of Sunday’s 400 lap event, McDowell continued to battle for track position, however long green flag runs once again limited the team’s ability to make any large adjustments to their No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang and McDowell would go on to take the checkered flag from the 27th position at Richmond Raceway.

MICHAEL MCDOWELL. NO. 34 LOVE’S TRAVEL STOPS FORD MUSTANG. FINISHED 27.

“It was a tough race for our No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops team at Richmond Raceway. We started out on the tight side of things and just struggled to roll the center of the corners. I felt like our long run speed was pretty decent, but unfortunately we went a few laps down and with the limited amount of cautions, it just made it difficult for us to regain the Lead Lap. Looking at the positives, we certainly learned a few things, which we’ll add to our notebook for when we come back to Richmond (Raceway) in the fall. I wish we could have had a better finish for our partners, but I greatly appreciate the support of Love’s Travel Stops and hopefully we can go out next weekend and deliver another solid superspeedway performance for them at Talladega (Superspeedway).”

Alfredo made his Richmond Raceway debut on Sunday. The short truck was tough on the team throughout the day, but Alfredo gained a lot of experience on one of NASCAR’s most difficult tracks to master.

The MDS team started off with a car that was tight and lacked some drive off the turns that Alfredo needed. They made major changes at the Competition Caution and again at the end of Stage 1. Alfredo was 32nd and just could not gain the positions he wanted.

A lack of cautions on Sunday, Alfredo and the team didn’t have opportunities to tune on the handling. Neither did the rest of the field. The leaders had over half the field a lap down by the middle of the race and only 14 cars finished on the Lead Lap- many teams were multiple laps down.

Alfredo had to race with the cars on his lap and it wasn’t many. He would advance as high as he could on the track- even showing speed and passing cars in the top-20. But, Alfredo was just too many laps back after the select few such as Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano and Alex Bowman blistered the field.

Alfredo ended his race 31st. Although it was not a highlight finish, it was a lot of track time gained for future Richmond races.

ANTHONY ALFREDO. NO. 38 MDS FORD MUSTANG. FINISHED 31.

“It was not a great day at Richmond. We just lacked raw speed, along with our teammates. Historically, as a group, this hasn’t been one of our strongest tracks. But, we’ll go back and do our homework to get better. I liked racing the track today, I feel good, but we just weren’t able to get the finish we wanted.”

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

Early Spin Relegates Newman to 30th-Place Finish in Richmond

By
Official Release
-

RICHMOND, Va. (April 18, 2021) – A spin halfway through stage two of Sunday afternoon’s 400-lap race from Richmond set Ryan Newman and the Oscar Mayer team back on a day where much of the field had difficulty passing. The No. 6 team battled back from the damage to ultimately finish 30th.

Just two non-stage cautions flew all day, with the first involving the Oscar Mayer Ford. The other came late in the action with 19 laps to go after several long green flag runs as only 14 cars finished on the lead lap, several of which took the wave around in the final break.

Newman started the day from the 19th spot and ended the first stage there, battling tight conditions in the middle of the corners with loose conditions on exit. After the team’s third stop of the day under green at lap 137 – the first stop of the second stage – Newman was on the outside of a three-wide scenario that saw the No. 6 spin off the front of the No. 33 machine.

The damage was mostly cosmetic on the left rear, but Newman lost a pair of laps in the sequence setting him back. He went on to finish the second stage in 32nd, and with just one final caution at lap 381 and two additional stops under green, was relegated to the 30th-place result.

Newman and the No. 6 team head to Talladega Superspeedway next weekend for 500 miles from the 2.66-mile track. Race coverage is set for 2 p.m. ET on FOX and MRN, and coverage can also be heard on SiriusXM Channel 90.

Palou Holds Off Heavyweights To Take First Career Win in Barber Thriller

By
Official Release
-

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Sunday, April 18, 2021) – When Alex Palou sits back and soaks in the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama presented by AmFirst, he can take special satisfaction in knowing he took his first career NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory the old-school way.

He earned it.

Palou held off legends Will Power and Scott Dixon – who have seven series titles and two Indianapolis 500 victories between them – to win Sunday afternoon at Barber Motorsports Park in his debut with reigning series champion Chip Ganassi Racing. Palou held off a charging Power by 0.4016 of a second – the closest margin of victory in the history of this race – to take the checkered flag in his No. 10 SEGI.TV Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

“We did it!” Palou said. “It’s amazing. All of the team did an amazing job. We had the best cars. We’re starting strong, and we’ll keep it strong.”

Six-time and reigning series champion Dixon helped Chip Ganassi Racing take two of the three podium positions by finishing third in his No. 9 PNC Bank Grow Up Great Honda, 2.9881 seconds behind his winning teammate.

NTT P1 Award winner and pole sitter Pato O’Ward finished fourth in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet, 3.9741 seconds behind Palou as a fascinating duel between series legends and young stars unfolded over the closing laps on the 17-turn, 2.3-mile circuit.

Sebastien Bourdais rounded out the top five after starting 16th in the No. 14 ROKiT AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet.

The race, held under sunny skies and before a capacity-allowed crowd of 20,000, developed into a clash of strategies for the first 70 laps. Palou, Power, Dixon and Marcus Ericsson were among the leading lights who opted for a two-stop strategy, while O’Ward, Bourdais and Graham Rahal were among the contenders who chose a three-stop strategy.

Two stops became the golden ticket, as Palou, Power and Dixon ended up on the podium. But once each of the contenders had made their final stops, regardless of strategy, the race became a contest of brilliant driving and deft usage of Push-to-Pass, not a game of clever fuel mileage calculations on the pit box.

It was the best of both worlds of INDYCAR.

Power scorched the track with fast in and out laps around his last pit stop in the No. 12 Verizon 5G Chevrolet. Palou led Power by 5.1284 seconds when the Spaniard made his final stop on Lap 60. Power made his final stop on Lap 62 and had trimmed the margin to Palou to 2.3901 seconds on Lap 68, one circuit after Palou took the lead for good when O’Ward made his final stop.

Over the closing laps, Power began to nibble at Palou’s lead through pace and more available Push-to-Pass in his No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske Chevrolet.

The gap evaporated to 1.8038 seconds on Lap 83 of 90, with Power having nearly twice the Push-to-Pass seconds in his firesuit pocket as Palou. The Spaniard had the further complication of dealing with the turbulence from the rear wing of the No. 20 U.S. Air Force Chevrolet of Conor Daly, who was just ahead of him and racing to stay on the lead lap.

Power closed to within 1.1160 seconds with two laps to go, but Palou padded that margin to 1.8311 seconds at the white flag and staved off everything Power had over the final lap for victory.

“I made one little mistake in (Turn) 9, but with the amount of Push-to-Pass I had left, it could have been pretty good,” Power said. “We had to save some fuel, but I had enough to use Push-to-Pass the last two laps.

“It just blew my mind how fast Alex was in that first stint. I had absolutely nothing for him. He just pulled away, so I figured he was on a three-stop race. I was getting the best lap time I could for the fuel number.”

Said Palou: “It was one of those days when everything went well. We had good fuel mileage, good tire management and good pace.”

Palou’s early fast pace after starting third helped him build a lead of 6.6 seconds shortly before his first pit stop on Lap 31 and a gap of 8.4 seconds on Lap 49. His average speed was 110.025 mph in a rapid race that featured 10 lead changes and just two caution periods for eight laps.

One of those cautions occurred on the first lap.

Chaos unfolded when two-time series champion and three-time Barber winner Josef Newgarden got loose exiting Turn 5 in the No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet, touched the dirt just outside the racing surface and spun. He collected Andretti Autosport teammates Colton Herta and Ryan Hunter-Reay, Felix Rosenqvist of Arrow McLaren SP and Max Chilton of Carlin in the melee.

All the drivers involved in the incident were unhurt, but Newgarden and Hunter-Reay were eliminated.

“I got loose coming over the hill,” Newgarden said. “I thought I had the car and touched the grass, and I think once I touched the grass, it pitched me sideways. I feel really bad for anyone that got involved in that. Obviously, my mess created a bigger mess.”

The second caution came on Lap 10 when seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson spun in the No. 48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Johnson recovered to finish 19th in his eagerly anticipated NTT INDYCAR SERIES debut.

Fellow rookie Romain Grosjean finished 10th in his series debut in the No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda, while rookie Scott McLaughlin placed 14th in the No. 3 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet.

The next event is the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on Sunday, April 25 (live coverage starts at noon ET on NBC, INDYCAR Radio Network). The first practice starts at 4:15 p.m. (ET) Friday, April 23 (live on Peacock Premium).

1...2,6132,6142,615...6,764Page 2,614 of 6,764