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CHEVY NCS AT DAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAY: Daniel Suarez Teleconference Transcript

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NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
FEBRUARY 3, 2021

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 TRACKHOUSE RACING TEAM CAMARO ZL1 1LE, Daytona Media Availability Highlights:

NASCAR HAS PROVIDED INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR MINORITY AND WOMEN SINCE YOU HAVE COME UP THE RANKS. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?
“It’s been a process. I don’t think NASCAR has been doing that just since I came into the ranks. I think NASCAR has been doing that since way before me. It’s just everything about having the right people around you and the right opportunity and the right timing. I feel like I’m extremely fortunate to have opportunities in my career; with a lot of support from NASCAR and from race teams and all the people in Mexico that have been supporting me since day one. So, it’s a combination of things. But definitely NASCAR and the NASCAR Latino group, they have worked extremely hard to make this a place for everyone. The diversity program and many other programs that NASCAR has and that they’ve been working on for many years to try to make this sport welcome for not just Americans, but for many drivers around the world. Not just for Americans but for many drivers around the world and everywhere in Europe and everybody in South America that the opportunity to come to this country and have a career.”

HOW DO YOU THINK BUBBA WALLACE AND MICHAEL JORDAN GETTING TOGETHER IS GOING TO HELP BOOST THIS EFFORT? ITS GOING TO BRING A LOT OF ATTENTION.
“I don’t know how that’s going to help me yet (laughs), but I wish them the best.”

LISTENING TO PITBULL AND JUSTIN MARKS YESTERDAY, THERE IS A LOT OF BUZZ IN THE TEAM OFF THE TRACK. AS A NEW TEAM, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT IS GOING TO TAKE YOU TO GET UP TO SPEED TO MATCH THAT ON THE TRACK?
“Yeah, it’s a combination. It’s like this combination of (Denny) Hamlin, Jordan and Wallace; and now you’re looking at the other side at myself, Justin, and Pitbull. It’s a process. It won’t happen overnight. It won’t happen like that. But we are very fortunate. Both of these organizations, we are very fortunate that we have very, very good manufacturer support and also very good partnerships. They’re going to help make this process very smooth. I do believe that this sport is changing. I do believe that having Pitbull like Michael Jordan and Pitbull in the sport is a plus for everyone in just bringing more attention. But especially for the race teams and the entire sport. So, I’m just very excited about where this sport is heading. I’m very fortunate to be a small part of this. I was talking to Justin actually, a few weeks ago, about five or six months ago, all this was just plans, and where we wanted to go. And to look back and to see where we are today is pretty incredible. We haven’t even raced yet. And to see all the ground that we have made in the off-season is pretty incredible. I’m extremely happy in the position that we are, and I can’t wait to go to the race track.”

WHEN IT COMES TO PITBULL, HE HAS 22.2 MILLION OR MORE FOLLOWERS. MICHAEL JORDAN ALSO HAS A LOT. NASCAR DRIVERS HAVE A LOT, BUT NOTHING LIKE THAT AS FAR AS FOLLOWERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. WHAT KIND OF IMPACT DO YOU THINK THAT WILL HAVE ON THE SPORT?
“Yeah, I’m not even close. The reality is that if you ask anyone that’s involved in racing about who is Daniel Suarez, most likely that will know, right? But if you ask someone in the street, who knows? It may be 50-50, it may be 30-70. Who knows? The thing here is that Michael Jordan and Pitbull are well known. They have a fan base extremely, extremely white; into sports, into lifestyle, into different countries; and that’s something that’s amazing because that will make the sport, in a way, with more eyes; but not just in the United States, but international. That, for me, is a huge plus. I think that will help a lot. And yeah, it’s actually funny. When I was with Pitbull back in December in Miami talking with him, he mentioned to me that his biggest fanbase was actually in Asia. That never even crossed my mind about Pitbull’s biggest fanbase being in Asia. I was thinking probably Mexico, probably Brazil, probably Columbia, Cuba, somewhere in Latino markets. But Asia? That never even crossed my mind. It’s pretty incredible the amount of eyes that are going to be looking to the sport because of these two individuals in 2021.”

HAVING RACED FOR GAUNT BROTHERS, COULD YOU HAVE IMAGINED FIVE OR SIX MONTHS AGO BEING IN THE POSITION THAT YOU ARE NOW WITH ALL THE HYPE AROUND YOUR TEAM?
“Listen man, what happened last year for me, it was very difficult. It was very, very difficult. I feel like I really learned a lot for myself and mentally. To be one hundred percent honest with everyone, today I feel much stronger as a person and a driver. At the beginning of 2019 for example, I had actually a good team behind me. Why? Circumstances, you know. Experiences. You know, experiences of what do you need to actually be competitive, people-wise, the support of the organization. So, there’s a lot of things that go into that. And yeah, I felt like last year was by far the worst year I have had in my career, but it really taught me a lot as a person. I can learn anything on the race track, to be honest. But, as a person and a driver, it really helped me a lot. And they say that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right? I think many of you are going to see the best version of myself in 2021.”

THE SPORT IS IN A POSITION RIGHT NOW TO REALLY ENTER A NEW ERA WITH PITBULL OWNERSHIP AS WELL AS MICHAEL JORDAN’S. ONE OF THE HOLES ON THE RACE TRACK THIS YEAR IS GOING TO BE THE LACK OF JIMMIE JOHNSON. IS THAT GOING TO HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THE LEADERSHIP OF THE SPORT FROM A DRIVER’S STANDPOINT?
“I like Jimmie a lot. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to race against him for a few years. What an amazing driver and what an amazing career he has had. I want to be very fortunate, hopefully, in five to 10 years to win races and have a championship or two under my belt, and telling my kids, you know what? I raced with that guy. And I didn’t just race but I beat him some times and I learned a lot from that guy. I have a lot of respect for Jimmie. At the same time, with that being said, we have a lot of good leadership in the sport. One driver doesn’t make the sport. It doesn’t matter who it is. We have a lot of drivers with a lot of experience. They’ve been in the sport for a long time and they have a very loud voice s well. So, with that being said and with all the respect I have for Jimmie, I don’t think the sport is going to lack leadership. I think Jimmie was definitely one of them, but we still have a lot of loud voices that are going to keep moving this sport in the right direction.”

YOU’VE BEEN BOUNCED AROUND THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WHEN IT COMES TO TEAMS AND MANUFACTURERS. DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’VE FINALLY FOUND A HOME WITH YOU NEW SITUATION WITH TRACKHOUSE? YOU SAID YOU REALLY WANTED SOME STABILITY. DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE A HOME WITH THIS TEAM?
“I do. I really do. And the reason for that is because we’re growing this together. For me this is very important. Number one: competition. Number two: the mission of the team and where we want to go in two, three, four, or five years. Number three: everything that’s involved with the racing outside (like) different programs and different organizations to try to help communities. These three boxes for me are extremely important. Trackhouse checks them extremely, extremely well. I’ve been part of big teams. I’ve been part of small teams. And I have learned many, many things. People are so important. And having the right people behind you is key. If you don’t have that, it doesn’t matter what kind of organization you are, you won’t be able to be successful. You name it. Any organization. So, it’s extremely important to have people that believe in you that are looking for your success to be able to win races and eventually winning championships. So, I’m just very happy and very fortunate and very blessed to be in this position. And I can tell you I’m as excited as can be to start 2021.”

WOULD YOU CALL THIS THE BEST OPPORTUNITY YOU’VE EVER HAD IN NASCAR?
“Yes. Definitely. It’s a combination of the people behind me. It’s a combination of believing in myself. It’s a combination of experience in myself. So yes.”

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME FOR TRACKHOUSE RACING IN THE CUP SERIES. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM JUSTIN MARKS AND PITBULL? AND IN WHAT WAY IS THIS CORPORATION GOING TO BE UNLIKE ANY OTHER YOU’VE HAD IN NASCAR RACING?
“As a driver, the last thing you want is to be moving from team to team and from manufacturer to manufacturer. But sometimes it’s just out of control of the driver or the team. Different situations are different experiences. It’s very difficult to be in that position because if you think about it, every single team that is successful in NASCAR is not a new team. It’s a team that has been together for years. And it takes time to build that, to build that relationship, to build that understanding, to build that I know what he wants, I know what he needs. It takes time especially when most of the race tracks that we go to, we only go once a year. By the time that you learn something, maybe the next time you’re going to try is going to be the next year. So, it’s a process. With that being said, I have learned a lot as well, as a driver. I was ready to go to the Cup Series in 2017. Talent-wise, I was ready because I’m very fortunate that I’m talented to drive race cars. Experience-wise, I was not. I didn’t have the right people around me telling me what to do and what not to do. I don’t have a racing family behind me that can tell me what to do and what not to do. I had to learn all those things in that way by myself. But with that being said, I’m very lucky that I still have a very good opportunity with an amazing team; with way more experience than a few years ago, and with a very good opportunity to start the season very competitive. The No. 99 Chevy in Daytona is going to have as good a shot to win the race as any other team. And that’s something that puts a huge smile on my face.”

YOUR CREW CHIEF, TRAVIS MACK, HAS BEEN BEHIND THE SCENES BUILDING THIS OPERATION AND GETTING YOU GUYS READY FOR THE DAYTONA 500. WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WORKING WITH HIM AND WHAT IS YOUR OUTLOOK KNOWING THAT HE HAS EXPERIENCE AS A CREW CHIEF?
“Working with Travis has been a lot of fun. I like Travis. He understands me personally. He works very hard. And he takes care of a lot of details. He knows about everything that is going on and I really like that. I feel like Travis and I really have a future together. I really like the way that he sees things, how cool he is, how relaxed he is about everything, and he knows that we have a big challenge ahead of us, and he’s not afraid of it. And I like that. I think we’re going to do some good things together and of course we’re going to have a lot of fun.”

YOU WERE FRONT PAGE NEWS IN CHARLOTTE YESTERDAY ABOUT DOING THE WORK WITH ANIMALS AND DOGS. HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS FOR YOU TO HAVE A LIFE OUTSIDE OF THE RACE TRACK, AND DOES THAT BALANCE HELP YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIFE?
“You hit it right on the point. It’s extremely good to help others and to help animals and to do good things for nature. I love that. I’m huge into animals and grew up like that. It’s funny that you asked me this question. Just last night I was talking with my father about a dog that’s for adoption in Mexico. My sister actually works a lot with different organizations to help animals to find homes and stuff like that. This is a dog that has three legs. Well, two legs and one arm. This dog has been trying to find a home for over a month. My dad has right now over ten dogs in the shop. We are very fortunate to have a big piece of land and have a lot of dogs and they are everywhere, and they have a house and everything. I’m talking to my father and you know he wants it and he loves this dog. Let’s bring this dog home with the other dogs and take care of it and make it happy. So, it’s these kinds of things, just to help animals. It’s just makes you feel so good. For me personally, it reminds me where I came from. And that’s super important. It makes my life more stable. I love racing. That’s my passion. But, if you do everything racing, eventually it’s going to get overwhelming. So, it’s very important to have a balance. For me, family, animals, cars, is my balance and I love sharing that. I love helping and I hope I can continue to do it for a long time.”

Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

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

Elite Imports Announces PSCA Summer Series Sponsorship

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DENVER — The Premier Street Car Association announced today the addition of Elite Imports & Auto Repair as a marketing partner for the PSCA Summer Series. The Summer Series consists of a four-race schedule at the legendary Bandimere Speedway featuring some of the best grassroots drag racing in the country.

Based in Centennial, Colo., Elite Imports are European vehicle specialists but proudly work on most makes and models. They employ highly-skilled and passionate mechanics who are Master ASE-certified and have received countless hours of factory training in order to provide customers with the best possible service. The Elite Imports shop is a full-service facility, there to assist car owners with the vehicle’s needs from general maintenance to major repairs and everything in between.

Working with PSCA makes sense for owners Corey Mitrovic and Joey Kenville, both of whom are long-time racers with Mitrovic being a series veteran and standout and Kenville earning four PSCA titles.

“Joey and I have participated in or helped with cars that raced in PSCA for more than ten-plus years,” said Mitrovic. “People that race and support racing have vehicles that need to be serviced and maintained. We would love to be the place where those people go for repairs.

“We also want to support the continued success of the Premier Street Car Association and Bandimere Speedway so we and race fans from all over can continue to enjoy the sport and camaraderie that drag racing provides.”

PSCA President Mel Roth said the addition of Elite Imports not only provides strong local support for the Summer Series, but also bolsters Bandimere’s existing schedule of incredible racing.

“One of the things that makes the Summer Series so much fun is the backing from local businesses,” Roth said. “They understand potential customers are coming here to either race or watch the races and both groups love their cars. Corey and Joey love the sport and they love what they do. We’re looking forward to a lasting relationship with Elite Imports & Auto Repair.”

For more information on Elite Imports, visit their Web site at EliteImportsAutoRepair.com or on their official page on Facebook at Facebook.com/EliteImportsAutoRepair.

The PSCA Summer Series schedule kicks off May 15-16 at Bandimere Speedway and wraps up Sept. 17-18. For further details and the full schedule, visit RacePSCA.com.

Need Merch?: Need to grab the gear but couldn’t make it to the track in 2020? No worries! Order all your PSCA/SCSN merch by clicking HERE!

Interested in forming a marketing partnership with the Premier Street Car Association and/or the Street Car Super Nationals? Drop Mel Roth an email at Mel@RacePSCA.com!

For everything SCSN, visit StreetCarSuperNationals.com or the official event page on Facebook at Facebook.com/StreetCarSuperNationals. PSCA can be found on social media on Facebook at Facebook.com/PSCARacing and on Twitter at @PSCARacing. For more information on PSCA and all its events, visit them online at RacePSCA.com.

-HSM-

About the Premier Street Car Association:
In its 22nd season, the Premier Street Car Association, based near Denver, has been a staple of doorslammer drag racing since its inception. With a mixture of heads-up, no-time, and bracket/index classes, the PSCA provides some of the best racing in the country for both fans and racers. The PSCA season is capped off by its Street Car Super Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, now in its 17th year.

About HighSide Media:
Founded in 2007, HighSide Media has represented some of the top drivers, teams, facilities, sponsors, and sanctions in American motorsports. HighSide Media provides public and media relations for racers at every level with tailor-made programs for every budget. Pass YOUR Competition on the HighSide.

About the Premier Street Car Association:
The Premier Street Car Association, along with its signature event the Street Car Super Nationals, exists to provide the sportsman drag racer with a safe, world-class facility in which to race the best competition in the nation. The PSCA and its staff have built a solid reputation of honesty and loyalty to its fans, drivers, and marketing partners for the past 20+ years. It is the goal of our organization to promote grass roots drag racing throughout the country in an effort bring the joy of the sport to both new and veteran fans, both young and old.

FR8AUCTIONS TO SPONSOR ATLANTA TRUCK RACE IN NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH AMS

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HAMPTON, Ga. (Feb. 3, 2021) – Fr8Auctions and Atlanta Motor Speedway have forged a partnership under which the Atlanta-based firm will sponsor several events at the historic speedway.

Under the multi-year agreement Fr8Auctions will be the entitlement sponsor of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2021 and beyond. The Fr8Auctions 200 will be the opening act of Atlanta’s spring NASCAR weekend on Saturday, March 20.

“Motorsports have been a great way for us to drive awareness of our auctions and partnering with our home track in Atlanta Motor Speedway is an exciting opportunity to build on that,” said Fr8Auctions founder, Marcus Barela. “We’re excited to kick things off with the Fr8Auctions 200 on March 20.”

In addition to the Fr8Auctions 200, Fr8Auctions will also partner with Atlanta Motor Speedway for several more events across the speedway’s event calendar. The asset liquidation firm is no stranger to motorsports, having sponsored several competitors in the NASCAR ranks.

“We’re thrilled to welcome a partner who shares our enthusiasm for racing,” said Atlanta Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager, Brandon Hutchison. “I look forward to working with Marcus and his team at Fr8Auctions to put on great events for our fans to enjoy.”

During the March 20 NASCAR doubleheader, the Fr8Auctions 200 precedes the EchoPark 250 Xfinity Series race. The spring NASCAR weekend is headlined by the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, March 21. Saturday-only tickets start at just $35 and weekend packages for all three races are available starting at just $59.

To get more information or purchase tickets to Atlanta Motor Speedway’s NASCAR weekends, visit AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com or call 877-9-AMS-TIX.

About Fr8Auctions:

Through partnerships with freight lines, distribution companies, and consumer-based businesses, Fr8Auctions helps sell excess, discontinued, or damaged inventory outside traditional distribution channels. Fr8Auctions provides its partners and buyers the opportunity to maximize the return on their investments with its industry-leading merchandising techniques, product presentations, and competitive bidding environment.

With more than 1 million square feet of space at its corporate headquarters, Fr8Auctions has the capacity to handle even the most extensive demands, and has adapted to meet the challenges of COVID on the market by giving buyers across the nation access to online (sealed bid) auctions featuring thousands of pallets of merchandise ranging from gas grills, to ceiling fans, to cleaning products and more.

Merchandise for each auction can be previewed online at Fr8Auctions.com.

About the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend:

Since 2015 the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 has been the main event in Atlanta Motor Speedway’s spring NASCAR weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The annual 500-mile race showcases some of the fastest and most thrilling action NASCAR has to offer. This storied race also brings awareness to Folds of Honor and its mission to help families of military servicemen and women who have fallen or been disabled while on active duty in the United States Armed Forces.

The race weekend also features Atlanta’s same-day NASCAR doubleheader on Saturday, March 20, which has been part of the spring NASCAR weekend since 2015. The thrills of the FR8 Auctions 200 Camping World Truck Series race and the EchoPark 250 Xfinity Series race all happen in one action-packed day that race fans look forward to every year.

More information on the March 20-21, 2021 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend and ticket availability can be found online at AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com or by calling 877-9-AMS-TIX.

Follow Atlanta Motor Speedway:

Keep track of all of Atlanta Motor Speedway’s events by following on Twitter, Instagram, and become a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Atlanta Motor Speedway mobile app.

hellowater® Partners with Justin Allgaier and JRM in 2021

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The Water That Works™ Brand on Board the No. 7 for Two NXS Races

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 3, 2021) – JR Motorsports announced today that hellowater® will partner with Justin Allgaier and the JRM No. 7 team for two races during the upcoming 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. hellowater, born in Chicago, Ill., will serve as the primary sponsor on Allgaier’s Camaro for the July 10 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway as well as Watkins Glen International on August 7.

hellowater is part of Hello Beverages, LLC, a manufacturer of enhanced functional waters, and is designed to deliver quality wellness benefits in digestive health, immune defense, and pH balance. This marks the first time that the beverage company has partnered with a team in NASCAR.

“We are beyond excited for the opportunity to partner with JR Motorsports to bring hellowater to the world of NASCAR,” said Rusty Jones, co-founder and chief strategy officer of Hello Beverages. “Hydration is key for peak performance and Justin and the No. 7 team will have hellowater products stocked throughout the season fueling their quest for a championship.”

In addition to its partnership with JR Motorsports, hellowater is also linked to Allgaier’s longtime primary sponsor BRANDT. The two companies recently joined forces to launch a patented immune defense technology branded CYTO PLUS™. Along with hellowater’s two primary races, the company’s logo will be featured on the decklid of the No. 7 BRANDT Chevrolet throughout the season.

Allgaier, JRM’s winningest driver, is entering his sixth season with the organization after a strong 2020 championship campaign that culminated in a career-best runner-up finish in the NXS driver standings. Accompanying his second consecutive NXS Most Popular Driver Award, Allgaier capped off last season with three victories, 11 top fives, 19 top 10s, and a staggering 1,008 laps led on the year. The veteran driver has 11 wins since joining the team in 2016 and 14 career NXS victories in 339 starts.

“I’m really looking forward to having hellowater as a partner for the 2021 season,” said Allgaier. “I was hooked the first time I tried their line of fiber-infused, prebiotic water last year and can’t wait to have their colors on our Chevrolet at Atlanta and Watkins Glen. I’ve gotten a preview of the paint scheme and it looks fast. Hopefully we get the opportunity to celebrate with hellowater to Victory Lane.”

Additional details on the partnership, including the unveil of the No. 7 hellowater Camaro, will be announced at a later date.

ABOUT HELLOWATER:
Hello Beverages LLC, born in Chicago, IL., is a manufacturer of enhanced functional waters. The company was co-founded in 2016 by beverage industry veterans and innovators Tom Bushkie and Rusty Jones. hellowater includes three functional varieties, each designed to deliver quality wellness benefits in digestive health, immune defense, and pH balance. hellowater was born with the mission to INSPIRE. HEALTH. It meets the needs of people with active lifestyles who are looking to make good choices that will positively impact their health. For more information about hellowater, visit www.hellowater.com.

ABOUT JR MOTORSPORTS:
JR Motorsports is the management company and racing operation for Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR’s 15-time Most Popular Driver and winner of 50 NASCAR-sanctioned races. Now in its 20th year of overall competition, JR Motorsports races in multiple divisions, including the NASCAR Xfinity Series where it won championships in 2014, 2017 and 2018. The company also competes in Late Model competition and owns five championships in regional late model divisions. To learn more about the organization, its drivers and its sponsorship opportunities, visit www.jrmracing.com.

DXDT Racing Expands Lineups for 2021 SRO America Effort

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Team grows on track and off, expanding GT3 program and opens new shop

STATESVILLE, N.C. (February 3, 2021) – The 2021 SRO America race season is set to begin in March, and DXDT Racing is operating at full speed ahead for what will be an action-packed season. The new season will see the return of the sports car racing team to the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS with the pairings of David Askew and Ryan Dalziel, and George Kurtz and Colin Braun back in GT3 competition, joined by Erin Vogel and Michael Cooper for a three-car team effort. CJ Moses will advance from the TC America series to join the GT America competition, and 2020 TCA Champion Kevin Boehm will return for another season in TC America. CrowdStrike Racing will also return as a strong supporter of the team, back for its third year of partnership with DXDT Racing.

The 2021 Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS championship will remain consistent with last year’s format, hosting two 90-minute races in one weekend, with two drivers sharing one machine. This will mark the team’s 5th year racing Mercedes machinery, now returning with three cars for the seven-weekend championship. The season will again end with the Indianapolis 8 Hour, running in conjunction with the Intercontinental GT Challenge. DXDT’s 2020 GT3 racing effort produced strong performance, with the No. 04 of Kurtz and Braun finished second in the Pro/Am championship, leading the team charge with three wins and eight podiums. They finished the season on a high note, racing in varying conditions to capture the win at the Indianapolis 8 Hour. No. 63 pairing of Askew and Dalziel also had a strong season, earning seven podiums and finishing third in the championship standings.

The newly established GT America championship brings a return of SRO America to its roots, running seven double headers in a single driver format, racing for 40 minutes. The series will include GT3, GT2, and GT4 platforms aimed for Bronze drivers to have a wide variety of competition across North America. CJ Moses will join the new series riding the momentum of five podium finishes from the 2020 season.

Now in its fourth year of competition, the 2021 TC America format will stay relatively unchanged from the 2020 format, featuring a single-driver, 40-minute race format. The new year will see the return of the TC and TCA classes, adding a new TCX category. TC America will also run a seven-weekend championship, comprising 14 races total. After clinching the 2020 TCA championship title, Kevin Boehm is back to continue the impressive run into 2021. Last season, Boehm won almost half of his races, finishing in the top five for all sixteen races.

Amidst putting together their full-season lineups, DXDT Racing also used the off-season to relocate their operations from Salt Lake City, Utah to Statesville, North Carolina. Located centrally to more North American racetracks than previously, the team will be able to save travel time and resources, freeing up the schedule for further work on development. The new facility boasts 20,000 square feet where DXDT will continue to build the program and hire new staff to reinforce the team’s strong standing in the series.

CrowdStrike, a leader in cyber security, is back for a fourth consecutive season with SRO America as the title sponsor and Official Internet and Cloud Security Provider for SRO’s GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS. In addition, Crowdstrike Racing, the sports marketing branch of the relationship, is renewing its partnership with with DXDT Racing for a third consecutive season, combining the efforts of two great companies to create a winning team.

“DXDT is very excited to continue our relationship with CrowdStrike in 2021,” said DXDT Racing owner and driver David Askew. “We are eager to pick up where we left off and looking forward to more wins and hopefully a championship-winning effort. Our mission is to support client racing, and CrowdStrike being a primary focus of our program. DXDT continues to invest in people and equipment with the goal of helping CrowdStrike Racing to win races and championships.”

The 2021 season for all three series begins March 5-7 at Sonoma Raceway, and will then take a two-month break before returning to Circuit of the Americas. The rest of the season will see the series visit the rest of the fan-favorite North American road courses: Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, VIRginia International Raceway, Road America, Watkins Glen, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

David Askew | Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS
No. 63 CrowdStrike/ DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3
DXDT is very excited to get the 2021 season underway. Last year we had breakthrough wins in TCA, TCR and GT America, culminating with a TCA championship and a win at the Indianapolis 8 Hour! We look to build on this success in 2021. In the past few months we’ve purchased a new race shop in Statesville, NC and moved the entire team into our 20,000 sq. ft. building. There was no off season for us as we’ve been busy testing at Daytona and Sebring. We have a full season test program in place and kick it off at Circuit of the Americas this weekend. The season opener at Sonoma is coming up fast and we plan to hit the ground running!

Ryan Dalziel | Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS
No. 63 CrowdStrike/DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3
DXDT Racing and David Askew are like family to me now, so I’m really happy we are continuing on for another season. Throughout a difficult 2020 for everyone, we were able to keep strengthening not only the No. 63 car, but the organization in general. I’m really proud of the brand we have built, which is proven in the new drivers and sponsors we’ve been able to attract for 2021.

George Kurtz | Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS
No. 04 CrowdStrike/DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3
The 2020 season was full of challenges but also great accomplishments for everyone at CrowdStrike Racing. I’m excited to continue building on what Colin and I accomplished throughout 2021. Our confidence is at an all-time high, which should mean great things for CrowdStrike this season.

Colin Braun | Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS
No. 04 CrowdStrike/DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3
After our successes in 2020, I’m very optimistic about the upcoming season with CrowdStrike Racing and George. In our third season together, the goal is a championship. With the support of CrowdStrike and DXDT Racing, there is no reason we can’t achieve this. CrowdStrike’s mantra in business applies here in racing: Every second counts at the track.

Erin Vogel | Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS
No. 19 CrowdStrike/DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3
I’m very excited to make this new turn in my career. It’s been my goal for a few years now to race in GT3, and I think this year we’ve all realized that life is too short to back down from our goals. When the opportunity to work with DXDT Racing came up, I quickly realized that it had the potential to be a great partnership with like-minded people. I’m very fortunate to be able to continue co-driving with Michael Cooper for 2021, and we’ll have a few other familiar faces on the engineering, technology, and transportation crew. It’s also exciting to get involved with a team that includes a number of other women, both on the management and media side as well as on the driving side. The Mercedes AMG GT3 is an incredibly capable platform that I was able to step right into and be up to speed with quickly, and DXDT has a very extensive testing schedule which will no doubt put us at the top of our game consistently. I’m grateful for this opportunity with DXDT Racing, and I know that as a group we’re all excited to show what we can do together.

Michael Cooper |Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS
No. 19 CrowdStrike/ DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3
I’m excited to make a return to the GT3 class with DXDT racing. David Askew and Erin Gahagan have done such a great job over the last few years to form a very well-respected team in the paddock. I’m hoping Erin Vogel and I can add to that and help drive the whole group forward. I believe we’ll be able to fight for class podiums and wins at every event we show up at. We’re testing our #19 Mercedes very soon and I’m looking forward to familiarizing myself with the car.

CJ Moses | GT America
No. 58 CrowdStrike/AWS/DXDT Mercedes-AMG GT3
When the concept of GT America was first announced, I immediately was interested,” Moses said. “I’m really excited to be part of what I believe to be an incredible platform and opportunity. A single-driver format in some of the best sports cars in the world at the best tracks and events in the country checks all the boxes. This should be an exciting first season for GT America.

Kevin Boehm | TC America
No. 9 CrowdStrike/DXDT Honda Performance Development Civic Type R TC
I’m grateful to be back in Touring Car America and moving up the HPD ladder to the TC category with CrowdStrike. We all learned a tremendous amount in 2020 during our first season at this level. The biggest thing will be taking those lessons and applying them to this new challenge. We definitely are up for it!

ABOUT DXDT RACING
DXDT Racing LLC is a high-performance sports car racing team founded by team principal David Askew in 2014 and located in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Team’s primary focus is on GT3 and GT4 racing in North America. The team has fielded cars in various racing series such as SRO’s World Challenge GT America Powered by AWS, IMSA’s Michelin Pilot Challenge, and Lamborghini’s Super Trofeo series. Although the team is young, DXDT is comprised of a group of highly experienced professionals with championship winning backgrounds.

ABOUT CROWDSTRIKE®
CrowdStrike® Inc. (Nasdaq: CRWD), a global cybersecurity leader, is redefining security for the cloud era with an endpoint protection platform built from the ground up to stop breaches. The CrowdStrike Falcon® platform’s single lightweight-agent architecture leverages cloud-scale artificial intelligence (AI) and offers real-time protection and visibility across the enterprise, preventing attacks on endpoints on or off the network. Powered by the proprietary CrowdStrike Threat Graph®, CrowdStrike Falcon correlates over 2.5 trillion endpoint-related events per week in real time from across the globe, fueling one of the world’s most advanced data platforms for security. For more information, visit crowdstrikeracing.com

Love’s Travel Stops fuels partnership with Front Row Motorsports into ninth consecutive season

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Official Release
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Family-owned Travel Stop Network Returns to the No. 34 Ford Mustang in 2021

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (February 3, 2021) – Leading travel stop network, Love’s Travel Stops, announces today that it will return to Front Row Motorsports (FRM) as a primary partner aboard Michael McDowell’s No. 34 Ford Mustang for multiple races throughout the 2021 NASCAR season – and will serve as a season-long associate partner as well.

The 2021 partnership will kick off when the recognizable red and yellow colors of Love’s Travel Stops hit the track at the Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 14 for the 63rd running of the Daytona 500.

Love’s Travel Stops will also join Michael McDowell and the No. 34 team at a variety of other unique events throughout the 2021 season, including (but not limited to), the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt race on March 28, both races at the Talladega Superspeedway on April 25 and Oct. 3, the newly added races at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA) on May 2, the Nashville Speedway on June 20 and the Road America on July 4, before heading south to the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL on Oct. 10.


“2020 was a really exciting year of racing for our No. 34 program as we recorded multiple Top-10 finishes and were able to really mix it up with the cars at the front of the field,” said McDowell. He continued by saying, “My goal has always been to win a race at the Cup level; and with this year’s schedule, which incorporates more road course races than ever before, I feel really confident that this could be the year that we put the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang in Victory Lane.”

2021 marks the ninth consecutive season of partnership between Love’s Travel Stops and Front Row Motorsports, as well as the fourth-consecutive year that Love’s (Travel Stops) has worked with NASCAR Cup Series veteran, Michael McDowell.

“Words can’t express my gratitude for all of the support that Love’s Travel Stops has shown us over the last eight seasons,” said Front Row Motorsports Owner, Bob Jenkins. Jenkins added, “Love’s has been such an integral part of Front Row Motorsports and our team has made tremendous strides with our time together – and a big part of that is because of their partnership.” In closing, Jenkins went on to say, “My employees at MDS Trucking have been stopping at Love’s Travel Stops for a hot shower, good food, rest and fuel, long before their involvement in NASCAR and I can’t thank them enough for the excellent service that they’ve continuously shown my drivers.”

The No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang will be on track for both Daytona 500 practice and pole qualifying on Wednesday, Feb. 10, airing live on FS1. The team will then compete in the Bluegreen Vacations Duels, the qualifying races that set the lineup for the Daytona 500, on Thursday, Feb. 11, airing live on FS1. The green flag in the 63rd running of the Daytona 500 is scheduled to drop on Sunday, Feb. 14, at 2:30 p.m. ET and will air live on FOX.

For more information about Love’s Travel Stops, visit loves.com. You can also follow Love’s Travel Stops on social media: Twitter at @LovesTravelStops, Facebook at @LoveTravelStops and Instagram at @Love’sTravelStops.

About Love’s Travel Stops

Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores is the nation’s leading travel stop network with more than 540 locations in 41 states. Founded in 1964 and headquartered in Oklahoma City, the company remains family-owned and operated and employs more than 29,000 people. Love’s provides professional truck drivers and motorists with 24-hour access to clean and safe places to purchase gasoline, diesel fuel, fresh coffee, restaurant offerings and more. Love’s has over 400 truck service centers, which include Speedco and Love’s Truck Care locations. Love’s and Speedco combined is the largest oil change, preventive maintenance and total truck care nationwide network. Love’s is committed to providing customers with “Clean Places, Friendly Faces” at every stop. To learn more, visit loves.com.

About Front Row Motorsports

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Camping World Truck Series. 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.

Clean Harbors and Aqua ChemPacs Partner with Thad Moffitt for His 2021 ARCA Menards Series Season

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Official Release
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Multi-Race Partnership with Moffitt and DGR Beginning in Daytona

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 3, 2021)—David Gilliland Racing (DGR) announced today that Clean Harbors and the CleanPacs brand by Aqua ChemPacs will be the primary partners of Thad Moffitt’s No. 46 Ford Fusion in the ARCA Menards Series in 2021. The pair will team-up for the season opener at the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on February 13 with Clean Harbors adorning the hood and CleanPacs on the quarter panels of the No. 46 Ford Fusion.

Moffitt, the 20-year-old grandson of NASCAR legend Richard Petty, is scheduled to compete in at least 11 ARCA Menards Series races in his second season with DGR. He earned his best career ARCA finish of fourth-place at Memphis (Tenn.) International Raceway in September of 2020 with CleanPacs as the primary partner. In 13 starts last season, he earned three top-five and eight top-10 finishes.

Clean Harbors, North America’s leading provider of environmental and industrial services, is no stranger to Moffitt’s team, having partnered with the No. 46 team since his debut in 2017 through its brand of recycled oil, Performance Plus. Moffitt and his Hall of Fame grandfather both endorse Performance Plus Oil and use it at Petty’s Garage.

Founded in 1980 with hundreds of locations across the country, Clean Harbors is the industry leader in COVID-19 decontamination and hazardous waste disposal. NASCAR partnered with Clean Harbors in May to decontaminate Darlington (S.C.) Raceway and help racing become the first major sport to return following the COVID-19 pandemic. The company decontaminated each track on the NASCAR schedule following the comeback – ensuring personnel, competitors, media and fans were safe each week. Following the success of the 2020 season, Clean Harbors will once again be decontaminating heavy touch points at Daytona and all NASCAR tracks in 2021 as needed.

CleanPacs, an Aqua ChemPacs brand, manufactures dissolvable concentrated liquid cleaning products. Celebrating its 10th Anniversary, CleanPacs is proud to return as primary sponsor of the No. 46 Ford Fusion for seven races in 2021 – Daytona International Speedway, Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway, Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, Iowa Speedway and Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. In addition, CleanPacs will serve as an associate partner for all remaining races.

“Clean Harbors is a longtime partner of the Petty family, and I am excited to carry the banner as the driver of the No. 46 Ford Fusion in 2021,” Moffitt said. “I am very grateful for the opportunity to work with such a great organization, and have them represented at the Daytona International Speedway and future events.”

Moffitt’s first ARCA Menards Series race of the season will be the Lucas Oil 200 Driven by General Tire Saturday, Feb. 13 at Daytona International Speedway. The race will be televised live on FS1 at 1:30 p.m. ET.

About Clean Harbors

Clean Harbors (NYSE: CLH) is North America’s leading provider of environmental and industrial services. The Company serves a diverse customer base, including a majority of Fortune 500 companies. Its customer base spans a number of industries, including chemical, energy and manufacturing, as well as numerous government agencies. These customers rely on Clean Harbors to deliver a broad range of services such as end-to-end hazardous waste management, emergency spill response, industrial cleaning and maintenance, and recycling services. Through its Safety-Kleen subsidiary, Clean Harbors also is North America’s largest re-refiner and recycler of used oil and a leading provider of parts washers and environmental services to commercial, industrial and automotive customers. Founded in 1980 and based in Massachusetts, Clean Harbors operates in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and India. For more information, visit www.cleanharbors.com.

About Aqua ChemPacs

Aqua ChemPacs is headquartered in Trevose, Pa., and is not just another sustainable products manufacturing company; Aqua ChemPacs is the industry leader in 100 percent dissolvable concentrated liquid cleaning products to both commercial and consumer markets. They strive to be the delivery system customers want and need by putting in place a product that eliminates excess waste and spending. At the same time, they provide a safe, sustainable product protecting our environment. Their reusable bottles in combination with their Green Seal certified ChemPacs have prevented millions of plastic bottles from entering landfills and oceans. For more information, email info@chempacs.com or visit www.cleanpacs.com and www.chempacs.com.

About David Gilliland Racing

David Gilliland Racing (DGR) is a race team owned by NASCAR veteran David Gilliland and businessman Johnny Gray. The team specializes in driver development, competing full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, multiple ARCA Menards Series divisions and CARS Tour with factory support from Ford Performance. In its first four years of operation, DGR has achieved success in each series tallying up multiple wins and championships. The team operates out of three buildings totaling 60,000 square feet in Mooresville, N.C.

NASCAR and Rev Racing Announce 2021 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Class

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Official Release
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Class of Eight Diverse Drivers Includes Program Veterans and New Participants Set to Compete in
ARCA Menards Series, NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series and U.S. Legends Cars

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Date) – Eight talented young drivers from various backgrounds were selected to the newest class of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program, NASCAR and Rev Racing announced today.

The 2021 roster for the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program includes returning veterans, a rising iRacer, two FB y BOHN Mikel’s Trucks driversand the 2020 World Series Dirt Nationals champion.

Nick Sanchez, Rajah Caruth, Isabella Robusto, Lavar Scott and Regina Sirvent are Rev Racing veterans returning to the program in 2021. This season will mark the first year of NASCAR Drive for Diversity participation for drivers Justin Campbell, Andres Perez de Lara and Jaiden Reyna.

Sanchez will race full-time in the ARCA Menards Series after a successful rookie season in the ARCA Menards Series East. Caruth, a prominent iRacer who made his transition to the racetrack in 2019, is advancing to compete in the ARCA Menards Series East while also continuing to race in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series in 2021.

Scott and Sirvent are advancing to join Caruth in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series after racing Legend cars in the 2020 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Program for Rev Racing. Robusto will also compete in the Late Model division. Newcomers Campbell, Perez de Lara and Reyna will race U.S. Legend cars.

“We are thrilled to welcome these accomplished drivers to our successful development program,” said Jusan Hamilton, NASCAR Director, Racing Operations and Event Management. “We’re enthusiastic about their future and look forward to working with each driver as they advance their racing careers.”

Traditionally, drivers are selected after participating in a two-day NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Combine sponsored by Honda Generators that includes on-track assessments. The 2020 combine was canceled due to the impact of COVID-19, so candidates were evaluated based on applications, references, historical success and previous on-track performance by a panel comprised of NASCAR industry members. To apply, interested drivers submitted a racing resume and video highlights to NASCAR and Rev Racing.

The NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program was created in 2004 to develop and train ethnically diverse and female drivers both on and off the track. NASCAR Cup Series drivers Bubba Wallace, Daniel Suárez and Kyle Larson are alumni of this program, which is operated by Rev Racing in Concord, N.C.

“We could not be more pleased with the 2021 class selection,” said Max Siegel, Rev Racing Owner. “Each year the competition in the sport continues to rise and so does the talent of our applicant pool. We feel very confident in our ability to be competitive and look forward to a successful season.”

Wallace debuted in the NASCAR Cup Series full-time in 2018 and finished second in the DAYTONA 500 that season. He also has six wins in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where he became the first African American driver since Hall of Famer Wendell Scott to win a NASCAR race. This season, Wallace will make his debut with the 23XI Racing team owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin.

Suárez won the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship in 2016 and became the first Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR national series championship. This season Suárez will debut with Trackhouse Racing, a team co-owned by music icon Pitbull. Kyle Larson is a six-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner and has qualified for the NASCAR Playoffs four times. This month at Daytona International Speedway, Larson will begin his first season driving for Hendrick Motorsports.

The 2021 class features the following drivers:

  • Nick Sanchez – ARCA Menards Series: The 19-year-old driver from Miami, Fla. had a fourth-place finish during his ARCA Menards debut in 2020. He finished third in the 2020 ARCA Menards Series East point standings with two top-fives and three top-10s.
  • Rajah Caruth – ARCA Menards Series East and NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series: The 18-year-old driver returns to Rev Racing and will compete in the ARCA Menards Series East.The Washington D.C. nativewon once at Greenville Pickens Speedway in a Late Model stock car in 2020. Caruth also finishedsixth in points at the Charlotte Summer Shootout racing in the Semi-Pro Division.
  • Isabella Robusto – NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series: The Fort Mill, S.C. native, 16, returns to Rev Racing after finishing third at Hickory Motor Speedway in 2020. She also won the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Young Racer Award for the second time.
  • Lavar Scott – NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series: Scott secured two podium finishes at the 1/5 Mile Trophy Dash at Charlotte Motor Speedway in a Legend car and won back-to-back races in a 600 Micro Sprint. The 17-year-old from Carney’s Pointe, N.J., also won the World Series Dirt Nationals.
  • Regina Sirvent – NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series: The State of Mexico, Mexico native competed in the FB y BOHN Mikel’s Truck Mexico Series, winning twice. The 17-year-old driver had a third-place finish at the Charlotte Summer Shootout with three top fives and five top 10s.
  • Justin Campbell – U.S. Legend Car: The 15-year-old from Griffin, Ga., earned a top-10 finish in the standings at the 2020 Thursday Thunder Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In 2018, he competed in a Bandolero with two top-10 finishes and a win.
  • Andres Perez de Lara – U.S. Legend Car:  The Mexico City, Mexico native competed in Formula 4 and won four races. The 15-year-old driver also competed in the FB y BOHN Mikel’s Truck México Series and had one win. Perez De Lara was 2020’s youngest winner in Latin American Formula 4.
  • Jaiden Reyna – U.S. Legend Car: Reynaearned two first place finishes at Lincoln Speedway in the Young Lion Division. The 14-year-old from Cornelius, N.C., also had ten firsts, one second and one third place finish at the 2020 Charlotte Summer Shootout in the Young Lion Division.

About NASCAR

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

About Rev Racing

Headquartered in Concord, N.C., Rev Racing, owned by Max Siegel, operates the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program, which is the industry’s leading developmental program for ethnic minorities and women drivers and pit crew members. For more information about Rev Racing visit http://revracing.net or follow on Twitter @RevRacin.

Bobby Labonte Joins 2021 Southern Modified Auto Racing Teams Tour

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Official Release
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NASCAR Legend to Drive No. 25 Cook Out Tour Modified

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – (February 3, 2021) – Just a year after his induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, legendary NASCAR Champion driver Bobby Labonte will be chasing the checkered flag once again in the Southern Modified Auto Racing Teams Tour (S.M.A.R.T.). It will be a new challenge for Labonte, who will be driving the No. 25 Cook Out Tour Modified for the 2021 season, set to begin March 14 at Caraway Speedway near Asheboro, N.C.

Labonte’s commitment comes a year after the tour’s rebirth in 2020. Last October, he filled in for the driver of the No. 25 car at the S.M.A.R.T. race at Florence Speedway in South Carolina, went on to set a track record in qualifying, started on the pole and finished fourth.

“The race in Florence was awesome and everyone with Team 25 is top notch,” said Labonte. “I really like the way the car is put together and the way the team operates. The experience at Florence got me thinking and talking with the team, and we decided to do this together for the 2021 season.”

Labonte first drove a modified competitively at Bowman Gray Stadium in 2019, and kept himself sharp with iRacing last year when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of races across the country.

“I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the 25 car again, and I’m thrilled to partner with Cook Out to take on the S.M.A.R.T. Modified Tour,” said Labonte. “I’ve got a great-looking car, a sponsor that I truly enjoy and a terrific team. This is just about perfect and we’re excited to go out there, race hard and have some fun along the way!”

S.M.A.R.T. Modified Tour Director Chris Williams and Team 25 are looking forward to welcoming Labonte to the 10-race series, set to be held at some of the newest, and some of the most historic, venues in American motorsports.

“Bobby is doing this out of his passion for motorsports and his love for modified racing. Plus, Cook Out is a great company,” said Williams. “Bobby’s participation will be great for the series and the competition. He exudes blue collar racing, and we are here for the grassroots fan. Modifieds are the talk of the town right now and this is going to take the sport to the next level. I know Bobby’s goal is to be competitive and win, but he’s going to have a lot of fun, too.”

“We’re so excited that Bobby is going to drive the 25 car for us,” said Mike “Andretti” Smith of Team 25. “We’ve been doing this for many years, so to sit here today looking forward to a season of working with the 2000 NASCAR Cup Champion makes this something really special.”

The partnership between Labonte and Cook Out is new as well, but Cook Out cemented its spot in racing last year when the fast food hamburger chain became the title sponsor of the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

“We’ve known Bobby for a long time and my father, Morris, and I have always admired his accomplishments as a race car driver,” said Jeremy Reaves, CEO of Cook Out. “Even more, we enjoy his down-to-earth style and friendship. Cook Out is honored to sponsor Bobby in the S.M.A.R.T. Modified Tour and we certainly wish him nothing but the best this season.”

Additional partners include Robert Yates Racing Engines, Pro-System Brakes, Nitro Manufacturing, Earnest Performance, PSR Products and Breaking Limits. Merchandise is now available at bobbylabonte.com.

About Bobby Labonte
Bobby Labonte is not only a successful NASCAR driver and NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2020 inductee, he is also a successful television race analyst, businessman, and philanthropist. Labonte is in his sixth year as a race analyst and his third season on FS1’s NASCAR RACE HUB show. He currently owns Breaking Limits, a full-service marketing, public relations, sponsorship, and events agency, he’s a co-owner of Longhorn Chassis, a successful dirt late model and modified chassis and fabrication business and he leads the Bobby Labonte Foundation, which works in partnership with the local community to empower parents, families, and children to build a strong foundation for childrens’ futures.

For more information, visit www.bobbylabonte.com or follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

About Southern Modified Auto Racing Teams Tour
In the fall of 1988, after a rained-out event in Myrtle Beach, S.C., a group of dedicated car owners and drivers banded together to form a club that would strive to return Modifieds to their previous state of popularity in the South. As a result of that meeting, the SOUTHERN MODIFIED AUTO RACING TEAMS (S.M.A.R.T.) was born.
Since its inception, S.M.A.R.T. has had the opportunity to provide race fans throughout the southeast with spectacular displays of raw power, fast-paced action and speed unrivaled by most asphalt racing today. Through hard work and dedication the efforts of S.M.A.R.T. have paid off.

About Cook Out
Cook Out is an American privately owned fast food restaurant chain founded in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1989 by Morris Reaves. The chain has since expanded, and now has drive-thru restaurants in over 100 cities and has grown to 289 locations throughout the South. With over half of the restaurants currently located in the Carolinas, the company also operates in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Mississippi, and Maryland. The chain is known for fresh chargrilled hamburgers and 43 different types of shakes.

CHEVY NCS AT DAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAY: Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. Press Conf. Transcript

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Official Release
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NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
FEBRUARY 2, 2021

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 JTG DAUGHERTY RACING CAMARO ZL1 1LE, Daytona 500 Media Availability Highlights:

LOOKING OVER THE LAST YEAR, YOU AND BRIAN PATTIE (CREW CHIEF) PRODUCED THE FASTEST CAR ON DRAFTING TRACKS. I’M CURIOUS WHAT THAT MEANS TO YOU. EVEN IN JOEY LOGANO’S COMMENTS LAST YEAR AFTER THE DUEL, HE SAID YOUR CAR WAS THE ONLY ONE CAPABLE OF MAKING A MOVE, MAKING A PASS WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF THE PACK. LOOKING AT WHAT YOU HAVE WITH JTG, WHAT IS LEFT, WHAT IS NEED THAT’S WITHIN YOUR CONTROL TO FINALLY WIN THIS THING?
“Yeah, I think for us, it’s paying attention to all the details on the driver side – going back and looking at how the Daytona 500 played out for us. Getting a penalty for passing below the yellow line put us in a bad spot. And then, we got wrecked coming to pit road being further back in the pack. So, little mistakes like that is what takes you out of contention for the biggest race of the year. I feel really good about our Kroger Camaro going down to Daytona again. The boys have been working really hard; massaging on it in the shop. And I’m excited for Pole night. I think, for us, it’s just doing all those little things right and making sure we do our job because being at JTG Daugherty Racing, you have me and (Ryan) Preece and that’s the only people we can count on. You can’t count on anybody else, so it’s nice to have a car capable of doing maybe things other people feel like they can’t do with their car. And that’s what you get when you pay attention to all those details that Brian (Pattie, crew chief) and our team does. So, I’m excited to get back down there and limit those mistakes. You don’t feel like it’s a big mistake, but one little thing can take you out of contention.”

SPECIFICALLY, WITH SPEED, OBVIOUSLY AT THE DRAFTING TRACKS, IT’S NOT EVERYTHING. SO, IS THERE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU SPECIFICALLY WANT YOUR CAR TO DO?
“Obviously, being fast is key, but specifically at Daytona, I feel like you have to have a car that turns off of Turn Four better than others. I feel like that’s a position in the race track, when I look back at my first few years in Cup, when I actually felt like I was kind of holding on and just trying to put myself in position to get a top-15, top-10 run instead of battling for the win – it’s about having a car that handles good off of Turn Four because there’s a lot of people that I feel like get tight off of Turn Four and have to lift the throttle and it’s tough to beat people back to the start-finish line when you don’t have a car capable of doing that. And then, having a car that, again, drives good so you can be a little bit more aggressive on strategy – take fuel only on that last stop to keep your track position, things like that.”

EARLIER, ONE OF THE DRIVERS SAID THAT THERE WAS NO PLACE TO HIDE ANYMORE AT DAYTONA – IT USED TO BE THAT YOU COULD HANG IN THE BACK OR GO SOMEWHERE ON THE TRACK DURING THE 500 AND IT WOULD KIND OF SIMPLIFY OR SAVE YOU FOR THE END OF THE RACE. IS THAT KIND OF THE FEELING YOU HAVE, AS WELL?
“Yeah, I think you can get far enough off the back of the pack, I guess, to give yourself some ability to slow down and miss a wreck early on in the race. I think points are valuable enough that everybody is trying to get stage points, as well. But obviously the main goal in sight is the Daytona 500 and being in Victory Lane. So, to me, definitely it used to be – if you’re in the top-10, you felt safe. Nowadays, that’s kind of where the wrecks start happening – that fifth to tenth range, versus I felt like back in the day, it was a 15 to 20th place where the chaos started. But all of us are trying so hard to try to keep our track position throughout the race that those mistakes and the aggressive driving is in the top-10 and mainly in the top-five, where you’re blocking lanes and trying to keep that track position. Definitely nothing up front feels comfortable or safe, but I do think it’s necessary to be up front so that you’re learning throughout the race. It’s so hard now, I feel like, to come from the back to the front on our superspeedway races, just how the package is and the aggressiveness of every single driver out there.”

YOUR THOUGHTS ON BRISTOL GOING TO DIRT.
“I don’t know what my expectations are. I went there and watched the sprint car races back in 2000-2001; I can’t remember which year I went. It was just cool to see Bristol have dirt on it. It was a sight to see. I’m excited to watch the other races there. My sprint car team will be there with Sheldon, Talladega week I believe that is. I think, for us in the stock cars, it’ll just be about for NASCAR managing the track – making sure we have a track that’s going to produce good racing. With dirt, it’s nice that you can go out and change it a lot quicker than an asphalt track. It should be fun.”

YOU’RE ENTERING YOUR SECOND YEAR WITH JTG DAUGHERTY RACING. HAVING GOING THROUGH LAST YEAR, HOW HAS THAT STRENGTHENED YOUR PERSONAL BOND WITH THE TEAM AND HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK THAT WILL BE AS YOU TRY TO GET THIS TEAM BETTER RESULTS IN 2021?
“Yeah, I think we’re all on the same page. The good news is, I feel like we kept everybody the same on the No. 47 team. We all believe in each other. I feel like this is a really good group of guys that are working on our race cars. We all believe that we under-performed, as far as the finishes go and the year-end points results. But there were a lot of highs, I feel like, with the speed of our cars when we showed up at the race track. On my side, I need to clean up my pit road mistakes because I feel like I can count on a full hand that I felt like I gave up some really good opportunities to run well inside the top-10 at some of these race tracks from having a pit road penalty. So, for us, I like that we have the same group. We have a little bit bigger notebook than we had last year with the Camaro and these chassis, so Brian knows what to look for and we need to change going into some of these tracks that we struggled with.

“But I think all-in-all, we have a lot of confidence that we can really improve; not just by a spot or two, we feel like we can improve by 10 spots and that final result. We’ve got some great opportunities ahead of us. Our speedway cars are really good and we take a lot of pride in those, and we’re doing that same prep and everybody is getting ready the same way for every race track that we go to. I feel like we’re pretty far ahead, as far as looking at races down the road, and I think that’s one thing COVID taught us. And with this schedule we have now, the guys are getting a little bit further ahead and making sure we look at everything as close as we can at the race track, knowing that we don’t have practice and making sure we have everything right – we let a couple things slip through the crack last year that they aren’t going to let happen again.”

GOING INTO DAYTONA 500 QUALIFYING, YOU’RE THE DEFENDING POLESITTER. THERE HASN’T BEEN SINGLE-CAR QUALIFYING ON THESE SUPERSPEEDWAYS SINCE THE DAYTONA 500 LAST YEAR. GIVEN THAT, PLUS THE FACT IT’S GOING TO BE ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT THIS YEAR AND FOUR YEARS BEFORE THE DAYTONA 500, DO YOU EXPECT THE RESULTS OF QUALIFYING TO BE DIFFERENT OR DO YOU THINK THE SAME GUYS THAT WERE FAST LAST YEAR WILL BE THE SAME GUYS THAT ARE FAST THIS YEAR?
“I think you can look at the consistency of the Hendrick Motorsports’ teams, specifically the No. 48 and the No. 9 – they’re consistently in that top-five or six spots every year. I think Alex Bowman has been on the front row a lot in the past. So, I feel like that’s pretty consistent and will probably be consistent again. I think last year, not a lot of people expected us to jump up the board as much as we did. But I think we can be a player again when it comes down to qualifying. I think, for me, it’s going to be interesting to kind of see what qualifying is going to be like at night. Obviously, temperature is going to be a little cooler. I think the wind could die down some, so you might not have that big effect throughout qualifying – wind shifting and things like that. Looking back at our runs on S&T, there was definitely different winds for each car that went out, especially when I looked at the cars that went out later in qualifying. But I don’t think there will be any big shakeup. It’ll be kind of crazy having just one little quick practice and going right into it. I’m excited for pole night.”

IT’S BEEN NO SECRET THAT YOU’RE STRONG ON SUPERSPEEDWAYS. WHAT IS THE SECRET TO SUCCESS?
“I don’t know if it’s a secret. Obviously, you’ve got to have a little luck and stay out of the wrecks, have a good chemistry going on with your spotter and crew chief throughout the race. You’ve got to have a car that handles. Speed is important and my team is building me some fast race cars for those superspeedways, but it’s got to handle good. When you have both of those combinations, you feel like you’re able to make some moves that maybe other people can’t throughout the race and put yourself in better positions. I’m always trying to learn what side drafts work best with the configurations and rules packages. I think everybody is petty advanced on what those drafting scenarios are compared to when I came in the sport back in 2009, 2010. I feel like everybody has learned so much more that it makes us all really tough and aggressive out on the race track. It makes it fun.”

WHAT WOULD IT MEAN TO YOU TO WIN THE DAYTONA 500?
“it would be awesome for me and everybody on our race team, it would be our biggest accomplishment. That’s our goal going down there. We’re preparing to leave our car in the Daytona Hall of Fame down there and that’s what we want to do. It would be huge for us and would really be a game-changer for everybody in our race team and organization. From starting small to growing big, it would be huge.”

ARE THE PLAYOFFS A GOOD MEASURE FOR DETERMINING A CHAMPIONSHIP IN NASCAR COMPARED TO OTHER MOTORSPORT THAT USE A SEASON-LONG FORMAT?
“I think you can argue it all different ways. Back in the day it was every single race throughout the season added up for points. But if you look at the Chiefs very well could have lost to the Browns and had the best regular season and they’re done in one game. So, I think our sport has evolved and I think it’s made it really interesting every round of the Playoffs. And you’ve got to perform. Obviously, the No. 4 and the No. 11 were by far the best last year over the course of the whole season. And yet neither one of them won the championship. But I think it’s those game 7 moments that NASCAR wanted to create to win the championship. And I think it’s brought a lot of excitement. But those three races per round are intense. I think it’s a good way to make sure that everybody keeps performing all the way until the last race is over. So, I think it’s good. I think NASCAR has done a good job with it. I think the teams and drivers have kind of accepted this format and know that you have to be good all the way to the last race.”

WHAT FACTOR IS GOING TO BE DECISIVE FOR YOU IN TERMS OF FIGHTING FOR THE DAYTONA 500 TITLE THIS YEAR?
“I think it’s just putting myself in better situations throughout the race is what is going to help factor us in to battle for that checkered flag. For me, it’s watching some film. Looking at the last couple of years of how the race was played out. For me, I know one big area where it went wrong last year with us having one of the fastest cars. You’ve got to do everything right. And we plan on having one of the fastest cars when we show up there next week. For me, it’s going to be limiting those mistakes and putting ourselves in a good position.”

GOING BACK TO QUALIFYING. DO ADJUSTMENTS CHANGE AS YOU HEAD INTO THE FIRST DAYTONA 500 QUALIFYING AT NIGHT? COULD IT BE LIKE AN EARLY PREP SESSION ON FIGURING OUT HOW THE CAR WILL ROTATE FOR THE LATER STAGES OF THE DAYTONA 500?
‘Yeah, it’s hard to take anything from your qualifying set-up over to the 500. Last year we had our car on kill and ready to go for qualifying. You only have so many adjustments that you can do before you go into the Duel race. So you’re kind of stuck with what you’ve got from qualifying and you’ve got to race it in the Duel. So normally in the Duel, it doesn’t handle as well. And then you start taking some of those adjustments out to get it ready for the Daytona 500. So, I think for us, you use the Duel more as far as drive-ability what your car does, good or bad. And then you try to adjust on that before Sunday comes around. So, I don’t think it really changes anything for us qualifying at night; other than I think the track could be a little bit faster so the cars might have to be a little bit higher off the ground and make sure you don’t over-travel your car and scrape the race track too much.”
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