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Porsche Announced as Featured Marque of 2021 Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) Classic Daytona Presented by IMSA

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Porsche Sports Cars of All Competition Generations Take Center Stage at the Seventh Running of the Classic 24-Hour HSR Race at Daytona International Speedway, October 27 – 31

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (March 31, 2021) – Legendary and perennial sports car racing powerhouse Porsche will be the featured marque at this year’s Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) Classic Daytona presented by IMSA, the classic 24-hour race at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) that runs for the seventh time this October 27 – 31.

The Porsche celebration at the HSR Classic Daytona pays tribute to the Stuttgart-based manufacturer’s decades of unmatched success in the Rolex 24 At Daytona, and the earlier iterations of the twice-around-the-clock race, which has annually been run on the Daytona road course for nearly 60 years.

“We are honored to be selected as the featured marque of the 2021 HSR Classic Daytona,” said Kjell Gruner, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, Inc. ”Daytona has been the backdrop for many thrilling races for Porsche – some filled with joy, some heartbreaking. But that’s racing! We’ve learned a lot along the way – and made many friends. We’re excited and grateful to celebrate this rich motorsport history with our loyal racing fans here in the United States.”

Porsche is the most successful manufacturer in the history of the Rolex 24 At Daytona, amassing a record 22 overall wins, with the first coming in 1968 and the most recent in 2010. The winning run includes a record 11 consecutive overall victories from 1977 through 1987.

“For more than half a century, Porsche has set the standard for excellence in international sports car racing,” said HSR President David Hinton. “For many, Porsche has been and remains today the globally recognized benchmark for success in international sports car racing. Daytona is one venue where the famous Goldcrest has shined particularly bright, and we are honored to be able to celebrate Porsche’s amazing success at the ‘World Center of Racing’ this year at the HSR Classic Daytona presented by IMSA.”

Porsche’s Rolex 24 At Daytona class win record is just as impressive as its record tally of overall victories. Including the Daytona Continental races, which paved the way starting in 1962 for the inaugural 24-hour race in 1966, Porsches have been driven to 78 class wins at Daytona.

The most recent class win came in the GT Daytona (GTD) division in 2017 when HSR regulars Alegra Motorsports scored its second Rolex 24 At Daytona GT class victory.

Porsches are fixtures on HSR race weekends where they are regularly driven to victory lane in several different run groups and classes. The HSR Classic Daytona in particular draws a diverse and competitive lineup of Porsches each year, and the race has never been run without a Porsche taking overall honors in at least one run group.

Also featuring the HSR Daytona Historics, the 2021 HSR Classic Daytona presented by IMSA weekend at Daytona International Speedway is scheduled for October 27 – 31.

The 2021 HSR racing season begins today with the HSR Spring Fling at Sebring, March 31 – April 2. This year’s Spring Fling dates have been slightly adjusted for a Wednesday through Friday format allowing competitors and fans to be home for the Easter Weekend Holiday. More information, including the event schedule and entry list, can be found at the official HSR Spring Fling information page by clicking here.

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

WHEEL YOUR OWN VEHICLE AROUND TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY FRIDAY TO BENEFIT ALABAMA TORNADO VICTIMS

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NASCAR Star Erik Jones and Richard Petty Motorsports Partner BASF Help the National Auto Body Council® to Put the Brakes on Distracted Driving During April National Distracted Driving Month

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (March 30, 2021)—NASCAR star Erik Jones, who drives the legendary No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for Richard Petty Motorsports in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS), and BASF are helping the National Auto Body Council® (NABC) to put the brakes on distracted driving, just in time for National Distracted Driving Month in April.

Distracted driving, particularly related to cell phone use and in-vehicle digital displays, has become one of the most significant factors in vehicle accidents in the U.S. Many states are enacting tough laws banning phone use in the car with stiff fines attached.

Working with Richard Petty Motorsports partner BASF, the official paint of the team, Jones, a Michigan native with two wins in the NASCAR Cup Series, is sharing his tips and advice for reducing distractions on the road, especially for younger drivers.

“As a NASCAR driver, I know that even the slightest distraction can take your focus off what is in front of you,” Jones said. “When I get in my race car, I take the time to focus my attention and make sure everything is set before I fire-up the engine. I do the same thing when I get in my own Chevrolet – I check my directions and set my GPS, line up my music and make sure my phone is put away where I can’t see it and am not tempted to answer it – before I put it in gear. Your car covers 45 feet in one second at 30 mph – that’s one quick look at your cell phone. We all need to make the effort to put down our phones and put the brakes on distracted driving.”

  • Jones, who has spent more than a decade competing in a variety of racing series, offers these tips for staying safe and focused on the road:
  • Before you put your car in gear, check your messages and texts to answer anything outstanding
  • Set an automatic response that tells everyone that for safety reasons, you no longer answer calls or respond to messages while driving
  • Put your phone on silent when you get into your car and connect to your screen display in the talk to text mode, if needed
  • If you’re driving with friends, put someone else in charge of music and selfies, but make sure they aren’t distracting the driver!
  • If you are out late or too tired to drive home, sleep over or call Uber
  • Listen to your GPS device; set up your destination directions to audio instructions before you leave and don’t look at it!
  • Adjust your driving setup to your liking before you drive – and if you’re driving a rental car, make sure you’re familiar with all the controls in advance
  • Pull over if you need to make a call or check a message

“For young drivers, it’s a lot to learn to handle a vehicle, navigate the roads, anticipate what other drivers will do and get to your destination safely,” said Jones, who is 24. “Adding the distraction of a cell phone or digital display to that mix is a dangerous combination. Drivers need to keep their focus solely on the road to ensure the of safety of vehicle passengers, other folks on the road and, of course, themselves.”

Longtime NABC® member BASF is committed to helping all drivers be safer on the road.

“As a partner with the National Auto Body Council and their Distracted Driving initiative, we are proud to support this program to help educate drivers about being safer on the road,” said Jane Niemi, North American Marketing Manager for BASF. “And, as a partner with Richard Petty Motorsports, we couldn’t have a better representative for this program than the driver of the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE – Erik Jones.”

ABOUT THE NATIONAL AUTO BODY COUNCIL®

The National Auto Body Council®, which celebrated its’ 25th anniversary in 2020, is the premier organization of collision industry partners dedicated to strategic networking opportunities that positively change lives in the communities we serve. The collaborative membership of the National Auto Body Council® has gifted more than 2,600 vehicles, provided extrication opportunities for more than 3,800 First Responders and contributed to thousands of distracted driving pledges in communities through NABC Recycled Rides®, NABC First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.™) and the NABC Distracted Driving Initiative™. That effort equates to a 4:1 ROI in dollar value delivered from NABC™ membership dollars. The National Auto Body Council® is changing the paradigm of how the collision industry works and is viewed. For more information, visit www.NationalautoBodyCouncil.org.

About BASF Automotive Refinish

BASF’s Automotive Refinish business manufactures and markets coatings for the collision repair, commercial fleet and automotive specialty markets. Its paint products are supported by technical training programs, advanced color information systems, business management and planning tools. For more information visit http://www.basfrefinish.com

About BASF

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 18,200 employees in North America, and had sales of $17.9 billion in 2017. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.com.

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The more than 115,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into five segments: Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions, Agricultural Solutions and Oil & Gas. BASF generated sales of €64.5 billion in 2017. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (BAS). Further information at www.basf.com.

Pocono Raceway Launches Fan-Driven ’50 Years of The Tricky Triangle’ Celebration

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LONG POND, Pa. (March 30, 2021) – Pocono Raceway has launched ‘50 Years of The Tricky Triangle’ in celebration of the first race to take place on their 2.5-mile, triangular shaped track in 1971. This golden jubilee will include stories from motorsports’ most significant figures, a podcast series, a blog series, a collaborative website where fans can contribute photos and a special, online 50th Collection merchandise shop.

“Our family has had the honor of operating this venue for one reason and one reason only, the fans,” said Pocono Raceway CEO, Nick Igdalsky. “My grandparents shared a vision of where people could create lifelong memories here. Doc and Dr. Rose Mattioli dedicated their lives to ensuring everyone who visited felt at home and like family. We carry on their legacy today and look forward to seeing history come back to life through the lens of our beloved fans.”

Fans, and any past attendee to Pocono Raceway, are encouraged to visit www.poconoraceway.com/50 to share their photos. The website will serve as the hub for the entire ’50 Years of The Tricky Triangle’ celebration and details a historic timeline. The timeline will be comprised of notable storylines and fan-submitted memories. 

The fifth season of ‘The Pocono Raceway Podcast’ will launch this week and will feature a motorsport legend each week. Guests will include Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Jeff Gordon and Richard Petty, among others, as well as fans. Additionally, these stories will be complimented with dedicated blog posts or videos. The special, online ‘50th Collection’ merchandise shop will open later this week. The podcast, blog and merchandise shop will also be featured at www.poconoraceway.com/50 and updated regularly.

The 2021 NASCAR Doubleheader Weekend at Pocono Raceway will feature five races in three days, including two NASCAR Cup Series events taking place on back-to-back days. The jam-packed weekend starts with the General Tire #AnywhereIsPossible 200 ARCA Menards Series race on Friday, June 25th. A NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the first of two NASCAR Cup Series races will be held on Saturday, June 26th. The weekend ends with the Pocono Green 225 Recycled by J.P. Mascaro & Sons NASCAR Xfinity Series race and a second NASCAR Cup Series races on Sunday, June 27th. For tickets and more information, visit www.poconoraceway.com.

About Pocono Raceway

Pocono Raceway, also known as ‘The Tricky Triangle,’ is family-owned and situated in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. In business for over 50 years, the Raceway hosts multiple, national motorsports events including two NASCAR Cup Series, one NASCAR Xfinity Series, one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and one ARCA Menards Series events each year. The facility’s calendar also consists of over 200 events including a wide range of car clubs and racing schools. Pocono Raceway is recognized as the world’s first, privately-owned solar-powered sports facility. Their 25-acre, three-megawatt solar farm provides the energy needs of the Raceway, as well as, adds electricity to the local power grid. Each member of our raceway staff is committed to creating exciting experiences and lifelong memories. For more information, please visit www.poconoraceway.com.

Dover International Speedway promotes four veteran leaders ahead of May 14-16 NASCAR tripleheader weekend

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Buescher Overcomes Flat Tire for 14th-place Finish at Inaugural Bristol Dirt Race

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BRISTOL, Tenn. (March 29, 2021) – Chris Buescher ran for much of Monday’s delayed event on the Bristol dirt in the top-10, with his Fastenal Mustang advancing as high as sixth midway through the race. The Texas native picked up a stage point in the first segment, but a flat right rear tire midway through stage two halted his progress. He would ultimately finish 14th as he battled back from the damage.

With Saturday’s heat races rained out, NASCAR set the field by the formula it has used for other events this year. Buescher began the day from the 11th spot and would maintain that position during a chaotic opening green flag run. The first caution of the day on lap 40 for a pileup in turn 2 brought out a red flag, and Buescher sustained slight damage on the restart. Though he dropped just outside the top-15, another caution quickly flew and allowed cars to hit pit road for the first time in the event.

A unique feature of the event had teams perform controlled and timed pit stops, with three minutes to change tires and repair any damage with no positions to be gained or lost on pit road. The Fastenal team quickly corrected the fender damage and made adjustments to give the Ford Mustang more life on short runs.

The changes quickly paid dividends as Buescher vaulted to the 11th position in just a few laps. As the end of stage one neared, he engaged in a back-and-forth battle with the No. 9 car for the 10th spot and the crucial stage point that came with it. With just over a lap to go in the segment, Buescher completed the pass and took the position at the stage break.

Another pit stop brought more slight changes to dial in the handling of the Fastenal Ford, and Buescher continued his forward momentum early. He was trying to make a pass for the 8th spot at lap 140 when contact with a competitor pinched his right rear fender. The damage slowly drained the life from his tire, and the driver did everything he could to keep the car on the track until the second competition caution of the day at lap 150. By then, he was scored 22nd as cars hit pit road once again.

Damage repairs and a fresh set of tires did the trick, as Buescher would continually pick off positions despite three more cautions displayed before the end of stage two. By that time, Buescher had advanced back to 14th and wouldn’t fall outside the top 15 the rest of the way.

The final 50-lap shootout nearly ran green the entire way until the final yellow of the day flew with just four to go, setting up a chaotic final restart and green-white-checkered finish. Buescher held serve on the restart, taking the checkered flag 14th.

With seven races in the books, NASCAR takes the upcoming weekend off for Easter, with Martinsville Speedway the next stop on the circuit. That 500-lap race from ‘The Paperclip’ is set for Saturday, April 10, at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1. Coverage can also be heard on MRN and SiriusXM Channel 90.

MYERS BROTHERS LOOKING TO BREAK THE ICE IN SATURDAY’S SMART MODIFIED SERIES RACE AT SOUTH BOSTON SPEEDWAY

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Burt Myers, pictured in 2019 at South Boston Speedway, will be seeking his first win of the season in Saturday’s 99-lap SMART Modified series race that will be part of the Pocono Organics’ CBD Day At The Races at South Boston Speedway. Myers enters Saturday’s race in second place in the series point standings. Photo Courtesy South Boston Speedway

By Joe Chandler
Public Relations Director, South Boston Speedway

South Boston, VA…..When it comes to Modified racing in the south there are no names more well-known than the Myers brothers.

Burt Myers, 45, and Jason Myers, 42, have long been a staple of Modified racing in the south, having competed at Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina for many seasons as well as having competed on the former NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour and in former iterations of the SMART Modified Tour.

This season the two Walnut Cove, North Carolina residents are competing in the SMART (Southern Modified Auto Racing Teams) series. The SMART Modified series will visit South Boston Speedway on Saturday (April 3) for a 99-lap event as part of the Pocono Organics’ CBD Day At The Races, one of the three special events on South Boston Speedway’s 2021 season schedule.

For Burt Myers, who stands in second place in the series points standings, and Jason Myers, who sits fifth in the series standings, Saturday’s 99-lap race at South Boston Speedway is an event they have circled on their calendars.

“I put this race on my calendar to focus on to be a strong point for our season,” Burt Myers said.

“I’m looking to break the ice on 2021 at South Boston Speedway.”

“I’m excited about coming up there,” Jason Myers remarked.

“I’m excited about the race fans up there.”

Both say there is a lot of excitement among the SMART Modified drivers and teams about coming to South Boston Speedway this weekend.

“The talk in the Modified world right now is all about South Boston Speedway,” Burt Myers pointed out.

“It’s the buzz of the community. I know a lot of the guys that weren’t able to attend the last race at Florence (South Carolina), and I honestly think a lot of them were preparing for South Boston. Most teams have put this race on their calendar as a red star, saying ‘we’re going to South Boston’ and are looking forward to it.”

“I’ve talked to a couple of guys that didn’t go to the first two SMART races because they didn’t want anything to happen (to their cars),” Jason Myers pointed out.

“South Boston was the main race they wanted to go to. It’s understandable. It’s a beautiful racetrack, a beautiful place, and great people.”

Burt Myers may have a little edge on his fellow competitors heading into Saturday’s race as he has the most laps, or close to the most laps, on the .4-mile oval since the track was repaved a few short seasons ago.

“I probably have more laps there on the new pavement,” Burt Myers noted, “but our car count and the level of our competition is so high that I’m not sure that’s going to be as much of an advantage as some may think. I do feel, though, that it will play into my favor somewhat just because I know the different lines and the strategies that I’m going to have to work with when I come to run that race.”

Jason Myers, pictured with the car he drives on the SMART Modified series tour, is looking for good things in Saturday’s 99-lap SMART Modified series race that will be part of the Pocono Organics’ CBD Day At The Races at South Boston Speedway. He enters Saturday’s race in fifth place in the series point standings. Photo Courtesy Jason Myers Racing

Jason Myers looks at Saturday’s 99-lap race at South Boston Speedway as an opportunity for redemption.

“I can’t put into words how much it would mean to me to win at South Boston Speedway,” Jason Myers said.

“I’ve been up there and raced a few times and had two of the worst crashes I’ve had in my racing history at South Boston. I’ve had three really bad crashes since I started racing Modifieds, one at Martinsville and the other two at South Boston.

“I’ve kind of got a monkey on my back there,” he continued.

“I want to redeem myself at South Boston. It’s the one place right now that I would rather win at than anywhere else just because of my past experience there.”

The Myers brothers are expected to be joined by a number of the top drivers in the SMART Modified series including NASCAR Hall Of Famer and former NASCAR Cup Series Champion Bobby Labonte, John Smith, Tim Brown, Brian Loftin, Frank Fleming, Gary Putnam and Jeremy Gershner.

The 99-lap race for the SMART Modified series and a 100-lap race for the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car Division competitors headline Saturday’s Pocono Organics’ CBD Day At The Races. A 15-lap race for the Budweiser Pure Stock Division and a 15-lap race for the Budweiser Hornets Division round out the day’s action.

Adult general admission advance tickets are available online on the South Boston Speedway website for $15 each plus a $1.50 processing fee, for a total of $16.50. Advance tickets are available online on the South Boston Speedway website until midnight on Friday before the race. Adult general admission tickets at the gate on race day will be $20 each.

“We encourage fans to take advantage of the opportunity to purchase their tickets using our online ticket purchasing system,” said South Boston Speedway General Manager Cathy Rice.

“It’s fast, easy to use and gives fans an opportunity to save money on their ticket purchases.”

Saturday’s race day schedule has grandstand gates opening at 12:30 p.m. Qualifying will start at 1 p.m. and the first race will start at 2 p.m.

South Boston Speedway is participating in the Advance Auto Parts My Track Challenge, a contest for NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series tracks. Fans have the opportunity to vote for their favorite NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series track through Tuesday, April 27 and can vote up to three times a day. When fans cast their vote they will be entered to win NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series prizes. Votes for South Boston Speedway can be cast at https://bit.ly/VoteForSoBo.

The six tracks that receive the most votes after April 27 will be part of a two-day final round of voting that is scheduled to start on Sunday, May 9.

A $50,000 prize will be awarded to the winning track that can be used toward facility enhancements and community-based programs. The runner-up track will receive $15,000 and the third-place track will receive $10,000.

The latest news and updates about South Boston Speedway and its racing events can be found on the new South Boston Speedway website at www.southbostonspeedway.com and on the speedway’s social media channels. Fans can also subscribe for e-mail updates on the speedway’s website.

Gilliland Scores Top-5 Finish, McDowell Shows Skills on Dirt and Heartbreak Strikes Early for Alfredo at Bristol

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A Recap of the Weekend Past

The NASCAR Camping World Truck and Cup Series’ took on the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt track on Monday afternoon after both Saturday and Sunday’s events were postponed due to rain.

Todd Gilliland and his No. 38 Speedco Ford F-150 team score a 4th place finish in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event.

Michael McDowell and his No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang crossed the finish line in 12th during the NASCAR Cup Series event.

Anthony Alfredo and his No. 38 Dude Wipes Ford Mustang sustained heavy damage in an unavoidable on-track incident in Stage 1, to which the No. 38 would not be able to continue and finished 39th.

Todd Gilliland and his No. 38 Speedco Ford F-150 took the first green flag of Monday’s 75-mile NASCAR Truck Series race from the 13th position.

In Stage 1, Gilliland noted that he was fighting a tight race truck and needed to be able to turn better through the center of the corners. He would go on to take the first green-white-checkered flag from the 12th position. Under caution, the No. 38 Speedco Ford F-150 pitted for 4 tires and fuel.

Halfway through the second Stage, Crew Chief Chris Lawson radioed to Gilliland to say, “keep it up, your lap times are looking good compared to the rest of the guys in the Top-10” and the No. 38 Speedco Ford F-150 would go on to finish Stage 2 in the 6th position. During the Stage 2 Caution, Gilliland told the team that his Ford F-150 was “still getting better; the truck just gets tight through the center (of the corners)” and would pit for 4 tires, fuel and a trackbar adjustment.

Gilliland would run comfortably inside of the Top-5 throughout the Final Stage of Monday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series dirt race and the No. 38 Speedco Ford F-150 would go on to cross the finish line in 4th place at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Gilliland is now ranked 9th in the championship points standing.

TODD GILLILAND. NO. 38 SPEEDCO FORD F-150. FINISHED 4.
“It was a solid day for our No. 38 team at Bristol Motor Speedway. We started the race in 13th and finished it in 4th, which I’m still a little bit disappointed with because of how strong our Speedco Ford F-150 was in the Final Stage and I really think that we could have contended for the win if we only had a few more laps. But that’s racing; my team made great adjustments on our pit stops to keep up with the track and I’m super proud of everyone at Front Row Motorsports for their work in building this race truck – we need to keep this up! Also, a big thank you to Speedco and Ford Performance for all that they do for our race program.”

Michael McDowell was slated to start Monday’s dirt race from the 16th position at Bristol Motor Speedway, however the team noticed an adjustment that needed to be made while warming up their No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang, which forced the No. 34 to start the race from rear of the field.

By the end of Stage 1, McDowell had advanced his No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang to 22nd. Under caution he noted, “you can’t go anywhere because you can’t see … the car drives fine, I just can’t see,” referring to the dust that was being stirred up by cars on the track. During the first Stage Break Caution, McDowell would pit for 4 tires, an air pressure adjustment, a spring rubber adjustment and fuel.

On Lap 153 of Stage 2, McDowell would be involved in an on-track incident to which he would later tell the team that he had nowhere to go and spun the car around to avoid making contact with the nose of his race car – instead, he made contact with the rear bumper. McDowell’s quick thinking ultimately saved the race for the No. 34 team as the damage that was sustained did not hurt the overall handling of their race car and the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang would go on to finish Stage 2 from the 20th position. During the Stage 2 Caution, McDowell would pit for 4 tires and fuel.

Michael McDowell was impressive in the Final Stage of Monday’s dirt race at Bristol Motor Speedway as the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang climbed 8 positions in final 50 laps of the race and would go to cross the finish line in 12th.

McDowell now has an average finish of 12.3 through the first 7 races of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.

MICHAEL MCDOWELL. NO. 34 LOVE’S TRAVEL STOPS FORD MUSTANG. FINISHED 12.
“It was a fun day at the Bristol (Motor Speedway) dirt race. Our No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang was hooked up at the end and we passed a lot of cars in the Final Stage with 50 laps to go. We ended up 12th, so it was a good points day for us. The visibility was tough and it was really hard to see, but it was some great racing there at the end. Thanks to Love’s Travel Stops for coming on board and thank you to all of my guys for bringing such a fast No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang. For a guy that doesn’t have much dirt experience, this was a pretty good run.”

Anthony Alfredo took the green flag from the 29th position in Monday’s 250-lap event on the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt track.

On Lap 41 of Stage 1, just as Alfredo was beginning to get a handle on the ever-changing dirt track, an incident occurred in front of him to which the No. 38 Dude Wipes Ford Mustang was unable to avoid. Alfredo’s race car would sustain extensive damage that proved to be too much to overcome as Alfredo would be forced to retire his No. 38 Dude Wipes Ford Mustang early and would be listed in 39th at the end of the race.

ANTHONY ALFREDO. NO. 38 DUDE WIPES FORD MUSTANG. FINISHED 39.
“I’m really disappointed that our day ended so early. I hate it for Dude Wipes, Front Row Motorsports, Ford Performance and everyone that supports us. I was feeling really optimistic about today – the guys did an awesome job and we had a solid car and I felt like racing on dirt was an opportunity to level the playing field for us to go out there and sneak a solid finish; but there was a huge wreck and I couldn’t turn right to avoid it on the dirt. The front tires just slid and went straight and I couldn’t drive around it. So, that was really frustrating and it stinks to end the day early, but we’ll just take an off-week, a deep breath and go on to Martinsville in a couple of weeks recharged.”

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.

Newman Earns Strong 5th-Place Run on Bristol Dirt

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BRISTOL, Tenn. (March 29, 2021) – Ryan Newman earned his best finish of the young season and ran up front for nearly the entire race, picking up stage points in each of the two opening segments of Monday afternoon’s postponed Bristol Dirt Race. He finished fifth in the Oscar Mayer Ford Mustang, and earned a combined seven stage points along the way.

“That was fun, no doubt,” Newman said following the 250-lap race. “It was a good run for our Oscar Mayer Ford Mustang and a great team effort the entire week. I am really proud of the effort and a lot of guys got to see a lot more and experience a lot more. We got turned around there from a racing accident in turn 2 with the 24 and had to fight back and did. We just didn’t make it all the way back to the front. We had a pretty good car. I would have liked to see what we would have done with some track position but I am sure everyone else would say the same thing.”

An experienced dirt racer in his own right, Newman earned his first top five finish since late in the 2019 campaign, and has already matched his top 10 total from a season ago. The 43-year-old veteran spent much of the afternoon at or near the front of the field, as track position proved to be key throughout the unique format of the Cup Series’ first attempt at racing on dirt in 51 years. Heavy rain unfortunately cancelled Saturday’s heat racing action and ultimately proved to be too much for Sunday’s attempt at a race, pushing the event to Monday afternoon.

Due to the heat races being off the table, Newman began his afternoon from the 14th spot after the rule book and NASCAR’s formula set the lineup. He quickly charged forward, advancing up to eighth by the race’s first yellow at lap 40. He was the victim of the ensuing caution flag, as the No. 24 machine made contact on corner exit, sending him for a spin on the straightaway. With little fender damage, he restarted 14th after the competition caution at lap 50, but just a lap later was back inside the top-10.

He went on to maintain the eighth spot for the opening 100-lap stage, which ran caution free for the final 41 laps. Unique to Monday’s race were controlled and timed pit stops, meaning the field was frozen at each break, and no positions could be gained or lost on pit road. The No. 6 Oscar Mayer team took the first stage break to try and give Newman more forward drive on an otherwise decent-handling machine.

He would restart eighth for stage two, which ran all green to the next competition caution at lap 150 where he ran fifth. From there, three successive yellows were displayed to the end of the stage, which saw Newman cross the line fifth, picking up five valuable stage points.

He lined back up fifth for the final 50-lap shootout, and the race looked to finish under a long green-flag run, until the yellow flew with just four to go to set up a chaotic green-white-checkered finish. He battled back from restarting seventh to take the checkered flag in fifth.

With seven races in the books, NASCAR takes the upcoming weekend off for Easter, with Martinsville Speedway the next stop on the circuit. That 500-lap race from ‘The Paperclip’ is set for Saturday, April 10, at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1. Coverage can also be heard on MRN and SiriusXM Channel 90.

LOGANO MARKS HISTORIC WIN AT BRISTOL

By
Official Release
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BRISTOL, TN – March 30, 2021 – Joey Logano won the inaugural Spring dirt race at Bristol Motor Speedway. For the first time in more than 50 years, NASCAR Cup Series raced on dirt and Logano adapted to the new surface to become the seventh different Cup winner this season and record his 27th career Cup series win.

“Congratulations to Joey, Paul, Roger, and the No. 22 crew,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “It’s great to see another Ford Mustang in Victory Lane this year. Joey and the No. 22 crew did a great job adapting to the track surface and conditions, finding a way to get the most out of the No. 22 to win the race. We are fortunate to have great partnerships that provide resources on and off the track to support our racing programs.”

Logano and his crew worked together, continuously making the No. 22 Ford Mustang better and better throughout the race. Logano was able to work his way around the No. 99 of Daniel Suarez to take the lead on lap 193 and win Stage 2 of the race, setting himself up to be the leader going into the final stage of the race.

In an over-time, 2 lap shootout, the No. 22 led the field back to green and was able to pull away from the field to take the checkered flag .554 seconds ahead of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in the No. 47. Logano led the last 61 laps of the 253-lap race.

“Man, it’s incredible,” commented Logano. “How about Bristol on dirt? This is incredible, unbelievable racetrack. There were so many first-time winners and different winners than there has typically been I said, ‘We’ve got to get a win to make sure we get in the playoffs,’ so it’s amazing to get this Shell/Pennzoil Mustang into Victory Lane at Bristol. There’s nothing like winning at Bristol, but putting dirt on it and being the first to do it is really special.”

Roush Fenway’s Ryan Newman drove a great race, finishing P5 and Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney was able to recover from a ten-car incident mid-way in the race to finish P8.

The NASCAR Series will head to Martinsville Speedway in two weeks to take on the famed “Paperclip”, the shortest track on the NASCAR schedule.

About Roush Yates Engines
Roush Yates Engines is a leading-edge engine development company based in Mooresville, NC consisting of two state-of-the-art facilities – Roush Yates Engines and Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions, a world class ISO 9001 / AS9100 certified CNC manufacturing facility. The company’s core business includes designing, building and testing purpose-built race engines.

Ford Performance in partnership with Roush Yates Engines is the exclusive engine builder of the NASCAR FR9 Ford V8 engine and Ford Mustang 5.2L V8 engine, used in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series.

With an unparalleled culture of winning and steeped in rich racing history, Roush Yates Engines continues to follow the company’s vision to lead performance engine innovation and staying true to the company’s mission, provide race winning engines through demonstrated power and performance.

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