FORD PERFORMANCE NASCAR: DAYTONA ROAD COURSE ADVANCE

After running on the oval last weekend, NASCAR returns to Daytona International Speedway for a tripleheader on the road course as all three top touring series are scheduled to be in action. Defending NASCAR XFINITY Series champion Austin Cindric will be looking for his second straight win to start the 2021 season while Daytona 500 champion Michael McDowell tries to go back-to-back in the NASCAR Cup Series.

This Week’s Schedule:

Friday, February 19 – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, 7:30 p.m. (FS1)

Saturday, February 20 – NASCAR XFINITY Series, 5 p.m. (FS1)

Sunday, February 21 – NASCAR Cup Series, 3 p.m. (Fox)

THE LAST TIME…

Ford won the first two races of a NASCAR Cup Series season was in 2017 when Kurt Busch won the Daytona 500 and Brad Keselowski followed up with a victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Overall, Ford has won the first two races four times:

1964 – Ned Jarrett (Concord) and Fireball Roberts (Augusta)

1992 – Davey Allison (Daytona) and Bill Ellliott (Rockingham)

2009 – Matt Kenseth (Daytona and Fontana)

2017 – Kurt Busch (Daytona) and Brad Keselowski (Atlanta)

2021 – Michael McDowell (Daytona) and ?

THE ONLY TIME…

Ford won the first two races of a NASCAR XFINITY Series season came in 1995 when Chad Little won at Daytona and Rockingham. Little went on to post six victories that year, which included Loudon, Charlotte, Talladega and South Boston. He eventually finished second in the point standings behind Johnny Benson.

1995 – Chad Little (Daytona and Rockingham)

CINDRIC LOOKING TO REPEAT DAYTONA ROAD COURSE WIN

Austin Cindric capped off a stretch of five NASCAR XFINITY Series wins in six races when he won the inaugural Daytona Road Course event at Daytona International Speedway last August. Cindric passed Brandon Jones, making a bold move to the outside shortly after the final restart with five laps to go, and won going away. Cindric also won the first stage and led 21 laps as he joined Sam Ard as drivers who captured five wins in a six-race stretch.

MCDOWELL GOING FOR TWO STRAIGHT TO START 2021

Even though it took Michael McDowell 358 races before getting his first win, the Daytona 500 champion could be a contender again this weekend on the Daytona road course. McDowell, who is recognized as one of the better road racers on the circuit, finished 10th in last year’s debut Daytona event after starting 30th. That marked one of his four top-10 efforts on the season.

BLANEY MAKING 200TH CAREER CUP START

Ryan Blaney will hit a milestone this weekend as he makes his 200th career NASCAR Cup Series start. Blaney, who has four career series wins, made 88 starts during his three seasons driving with the Wood Brothers. His other 111 starts have come with Team Penske and includes a victory on the Charlotte Roval in 2018.

INAUGURAL RACE SEES BUESCHER TOP FORD

Chris Buescher led Ford in last year’s inaugural Cup race on the Daytona road course, going from seventh on the last restart with three laps remaining to finish fifth. That marked Buescher’s best effort since finishing third in the Daytona 500. Three other Ford drivers who ended up in the top 10 included Clint Bowyer (6th), Joey Logano (9th) and McDowell (10th).

Truck Dealership Featured on Alfredo and No. 38 Team at Daytona Road Course

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (February 17, 2021) – A longstanding partner of Front Row Motorsports (FRM) returns to the track this weekend. The Pete Store, a network of Peterbilt truck dealerships, will be the primary partner of Sunoco Rookie of the Year driver Anthony Alfredo and the No. 38 Ford Mustang team for Sunday’s first NASCAR Cup Series road course of the season at the Daytona Road Course.

Alfredo will be making his first start on the road course and second of the season.

Alfredo comes into the weekend with one of FRM’s strongest partnerships. Peterbilt trucks have hauled the team’s cars from coast-to-coast for years and it’s all with the help of The Pete Store. The Pete Store has locations spanning the Eastern United States and offers new and pre-owned trucks, parts, body shops and truck services. They have been the recipient of the Peterbilt North American Dealer of the Year numerous times.

“We know what it takes to build a winning team,” said Greg Arscott, President, The Pete Store Southeast. “Anthony is just beginning his journey and we’re proud to support him so early in his NASCAR Cup career. Bob Jenkins and everyone at Front Row Motorsports have been very loyal to us and it’s an honor that we can bring The Pete store colors to the No. 38 team this weekend in Daytona.”

The Pete Store just announced it has completed the purchase of Palm Peterbilt Truck Centers, a truck dealer group with six locations in South Florida including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Fort Pierce, Clewiston and Fort Myers. The acquisition extends the company’s footprint of Peterbilt dealerships to include eight states and 23 locations spanning 1,500 miles on the East Coast.

“It’s great to have The Pete Store on our car for Daytona.” said Alfredo. “Our haulers and the tractors that pull them are vital in our sport. You take it for granted until you have a problem or hear about someone having a problem on the road. We just put your trust into our Peterbilt’s and The Pete Store. Everyone at FRM always say they are the best in the business. I trust that.”

For more information about The Pete Store, visit www.petestore.com

About The Pete Store
The Pete Store is a growing network of Peterbilt truck dealerships, with locations spanning the Eastern United States. Through our exclusive Peterbilt dealerships we offer sales of new and pre-owned trucks, truck parts, body shops, and truck service. A recipient of numerous awards, including Peterbilt North American Dealer of the Year (2004, 2016 and 2018), The Pete Store is a respected dealer in the transportation industry with a track record for quality support.

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.

Matt DiBenedetto and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team will be back at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday for the second points race of the 2021 Cup Series season and the team’s second race this year on the Speedway’s 3.61-mile, 14-turn road course.

Sunday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 takes the spot on the schedule normally held by Auto Club Speedway in California, where concerns about the ongoing pandemic led to the race being moved to Daytona.

DiBenedetto and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team raced on the road course on Feb. 9 in the non-points Busch Clash and finished 10th.

DiBenedetto said he was glad to get in 35 laps in race conditions on the Daytona course as he and the team prepare for the seven points-paying road-course races this season.

“Road courses are where we’re working the hardest to improve,” he said. “Our team is very well rounded between superspeedways, intermediates and short tracks, but we just haven’t been able to get the exact feel I’m looking for on road courses.

“I’m glad we got to run the Clash. That helps us evaluate what we need to improve our Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang. We’re hoping to have a solid outcome on Sunday and get a good finish to build on.”

DiBenedetto said that while he was disappointed to be knocked out of the Daytona 500 before having a chance to show the speed of the No. 21 Mustang, he’s still very bullish on 2021.

“It was definitely not the way we want to start the season, but it’s early, and this weekend gives us a chance to go out there and redeem ourselves,” he said. “We’ve got a string of really, really good tracks coming up. We need to take advantage of that and continue to build on the momentum we had at the end of last season.”

There will be no practice or qualifying for Sunday’s 70-lap race, which will have Stage breaks at 16 and 34 laps.

FOX will carry the TV broadcast, and the green flag is set to fly just after 3 p.m. Eastern Time.

About Motorcraft:

Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln Dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.

About Omnicraft:

Omnicraft is part of the Ford lineup of parts brands: Ford Parts, Motorcraft and Omnicraft. Omnicraft is the exclusive non-Ford/Lincoln parts brand of premium aftermarket parts. With over a century of parts heritage to build upon, Omnicraft provides excellent quality and fit and is a preferred choice of professional automotive technicians. To find out more about Omnicraft, visit www.omnicraftautoparts.com or contact your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership.

About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center

Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine vehicle maintenance including tire repair and replacement with a Low Tire Price Guarantee and a full menu of automotive services including oil and filter, brakes, alignments, batteries, and shocks and struts on all vehicle makes and models. Service is performed by certified technicians at more than 1,000 locations worldwide while you wait, and no appointment is necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

Wood Brothers Racing

Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glen Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glen’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Matt DiBenedetto in the famous No. 21 racer.

This Week in Motorsports: February 15-21, 2021
· NCS/NXS/NCWTS: Daytona International Speedway Road Course – February 19-21

PLANO, Texas (February 17, 2021) – Its back to Daytona for NASCAR’s top three series, but this time they are going right and left on the Daytona Road Course.

NASCAR National Series – NCS| NXS| NCWTS

Hamlin strong at Daytona… Denny Hamlin has proven to be the driver to beat on the high banks of Daytona’s speedway layout, but is no slouch on the road course layout as well. In the first race on the track in August, Hamlin led 16 of 65 laps and finished second. Last week, Hamlin added an additional 21 laps leading the field during the Clash on Tuesday evening.

Busch looking for second Daytona Road Course victory in two weeks… Kyle Busch started Daytona Speedweeks with a victory in the non-points Clash event last Tuesday that was held on the Daytona Road Course with a last-lap pass. Busch owns four road course victories in his career, including two each at Sonoma Raceway and Watkins Glen International.

Truex knows his way around the road courses… Martin Truex Jr. always seems to find the front at road course events. Truex finished third in the first Daytona road course event last August and led laps in the Clash last week. The New Jersey-native owns four road course victories during his career.

Jones plans to be one spot better… Brandon Jones had many great moments as part of a career 2020 season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, including a runner-up finish at the Daytona Road Course where he led two laps and scored his career-best road course result.

Rhodes wins early… Ben Rhodes began the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season in the best way possible as he drove his new Tundra to victory lane. It was Rhodes first win in Daytona and the fourth of his career. It was a perfect homecoming for Rhodes and ThorSport Racing as they scored the win in the team’s first race back with Toyota.

Toyota looking for 200… After Rhodes’ victory at Daytona, Toyota is sitting at 199 Truck Series victories. Toyota scored the first victory in the manufacturer’s debut Truck Series season when former Toyota driver Travis Kvapil won at Michigan International Speedway on July 31, 2004. Since the debut season, Toyota has a series-record 11 manufacturer’s titles and eight driver championships.

Hill looks to bounce back… Truck Series championship contender Austin Hill will debut a new scheme on his Toyota Tundra this weekend and looks for another solid Daytona Road Course event. Hill was in front of the field for one lap and scored a top-five finish last August.

Stay Connected

https://www.toyota.com/racing @ToyotaRacing.com @ToyotaRacing

facebook.com/ToyotaRacing Camera With Flash on Apple iOS 11.3 ToyotaRacingMedia.com

# # #

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands plus our 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly employs more than 47,000 in North America. The company has contributed world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama that begins production in 2021.

Through its Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

Denny Hamlin
#11 FedEx Express Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing

Race Info:
Race: O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 At Daytona
Date/Time: Feb. 21/3:00 p.m. ET
Distance: 70 laps/253 miles
Track Length: 3.61 miles (14 Turns)
Track Shape: Road Course-Oval Hybrid
Banking: 31 degrees
2020 Winner: Chase Elliot

Express Notes:

Press Kit: Download the 2021 FedEx Racing press materials at www.fedexracing.com/presskit, including bios for Denny Hamlin, Chris Gabehart and Joe Gibbs Racing leadership, program highlights and statistics.

Daytona 500 Recap: Hamlin and his FedEx “Where Now Meets Next” Toyota won Stages 1 and 2, while leading 98 of the event’s 200 laps. When he wasn’t out front, he was actively weaving his way back up there, and it appeared he could be on his way to earning his fourth career – and third straight – Harley J. Earl trophy. With one last green-flag pit stop needed, Hamlin and the other Toyota drivers ducked down pit road together on Lap 173. But Hamlin and his teammates were too detached exiting pit road to blend back into traffic in the lead. Hamlin found himself in 13th with about 20 laps remaining, with the field staying single file until the white flag. The lead-lap group of cars then spread out for a dash to the finish, and contact between a pair of Team Penske cars triggered a last-lap wreck. Michael McDowell squeaked through for the win, while Hamlin crossed the line in fifth.

Daytona Road Course Outlook: The 2021 NASCAR series moves on, but is not going anywhere as the teams stay in Daytona Beach this week with the running of the O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 at the Daytona Road Course. Hamlin will look to secure his first career win in the 253-mile, 14-turn road course race. Hamlin and the FedEx Racing team are coming off a strong performance in the Daytona 500 and will look to use this momentum in order to end up in Victory Lane.

Hamlin Statistics:

Track: Daytona International Speedway – Road Course
Races: 1
Wins: 0
Top-5: 1
Top-10: 1
Laps Led: 16
Avg. Start: 2
Avg. Finish: 2

Hamlin Conversation – Daytona Road Course:

The rain delay during the Daytona 500 didn’t seem to affect your performance on the track. In Florida, do you almost have to expect weather to play a part in the race weekend?

“That was quite a long delay we had, but our team just maintained focus. You never have control over the weather or if a race will be delayed so you always have to stay ready. You never know when you’re going to hear, OK it’s race time.”

You led a solid amount of the laps in the Clash on the Daytona Road Course. How will you use that to your advantage?

“Yeah, we had a fast car during the Clash, and I’m sure this weekend won’t be any different. We’ll take that data and learn from it, and it will certainly help us as we return to the same course. It’s going to be a tough race like all road courses are, but I’m confident in our team to put us in a position to win.”

FedEx Express Along for the Ride at Daytona Road Course: FedEx Express recognizes the employees at the MLBA station in Melbourne, Fla., for their dedication to People Service Profit and commitment to the Purple Promise by featuring the letters MLBA on the B-post of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota at the O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 at Daytona. The MLBA team prides itself on operational excellence and is dedicated to making every FedEx experience outstanding.

SPIRE MOTORSPORTS PARTNERS WITH NETFLIX TO PROMOTE “THE CREW” FOR O’REILLY AUTO PARTS 253

CONCORD, N.C. (February 17, 2021) – A new season breaths new life into the spirit of any sports fan. Major League Baseball fans live for Opening Day. Alumni and die hards alike, bask in the glory of the first kick signaling a new season of college football. For National Hockey League fans, the drop of the first puck is a long-awaited moment that began immediately after the previous season’s champion hoisted the Stanley Cup.

In NASCAR circles, the Daytona 500 is the Super Bowl of stock car racing. The countdown to the Great American Race begins immediately following the final checkered flag the November before. But what about the lull that’s sure trail the biggest race of the season? Thirty five points races dot the calendar for the next 10 months. Get ready for the grind.

Cue Netflix’ latest sitcom “The Crew,” and NASCAR fans can beat their day-after-the-500 blues with the hilarity that is bound to follow Kevin James in his newest role as the veteran crew chief for Bobby Spencer Racing.

Spire Motorsports and Netflix have partnered to showcase “The Crew” aboard the team’s No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro with driver Corey LaJoie in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 from Daytona International Speedway’s road course.

“The Crew,” streaming now on Netflix, stars James along with fellow cast members Jillian Mueller, Freddie Stroma, Sarah Stiles, Gary Anthony Williams, Dan Ahdoot, Paris Berelc and Bruce McGill. The NASCAR-themed Netflix comedy follows James when the team owner steps down and passes the torch to his daughter (Mueller). James keeps the laughs coming as he protects himself and his crew from her attempts to modernize the team.

“We’re excited to see ‘The Crew’ on the No. 7 this weekend,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner T.J. Puchyr. “We were fortunate enough to work with Netflix last year at the Michigan double-header so we’ve been looking forward to it. Our whole organization has had a lot of fun collaborating with Netflix on this project. Seeing the show drop this week is the icing on the cake.”

LaJoie steered the No. 7 entry to a ninth-place finish last Sunday in the 63rd running of the Daytona 500 at the track’s legendary 2.5-mile superspeedway. The solid effort marked LaJoie’s third top-10 finish in NASCAR Cup Series competition at the World Center of Racing. The 29-year-old Concord, N.C., native logged a 32nd-place finish last season in his lone start at the facility’s daunting 3.61-mile road course.

“We had a great start to the season at the Daytona 500,” said LaJoie. “Obviously, you always want to be in position to race for the win but to start off the year by finishing ninth in the biggest race of the season is pretty gratifying. We’re going to do our best to build on that momentum as we get ready for the Daytona road course race. It’s going to be a lot of fun to have ‘The Crew’ on our car this weekend. Kevin James is always a lot of laughs and ‘The Crew’ is a great reminder not to take ourselves too seriously.”

The O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 will be televised live on FOX Sunday, February 21 beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). The second of 36 races on the 2021 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports was established in 2018 and is co-owned by longtime NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. Spire Motorsports earned an upset victory for the ages in its first full season when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019. The team will field the Nos. 7 and 77 Chevrolet Camaros in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2021.

About The Crew …
“The Crew” stars Kevin James as a crew chief for the fictional Bobby Spencer Racing team. When the owner steps down and passes the team off to his daughter (Jillian Mueller), James has to protect himself and his crew from her attempts to modernize the team. Freddie Stroma portrays Jake Martin, charismatic driver of the team’s No. 74 Fake Steak-sponsored car. Sarah Stiles, Gary Anthony Williams, Dan Ahdoot, Paris Berelc and Bruce McGill also star. Jeff Lowell (The Ranch, Two and a Half Men, Spin City) will serve as writer, showrunner and executive producer. Andy Fickman (Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, Playing With Fire) directed all episodes and serves as an executive producer. James, Jeff Sussman (The King of Queens, Paul Blart) and Todd Garner (Tag, Isn’t It Romantic, Mortal Kombat) will also serve as executive producers. Matt Summers and Tim Clark will executive produce for NASCAR.