AMSOIL Introduces New 100% Synthetic Diesel Oil for Smaller Diesel Engines

By

-

December 16, 2020

AMSOIL 0W-20 and 5W-30 Synthetic Diesel Oil DP020 and DP530 PERMISSION TO DISTRIBUTE

December 16, 2020

AMSOIL has introduced two new 100% synthetic diesel oils engineered to meet the demands of diesel engines in smaller, half-ton pickups and other passenger vehicles. Available in 0W-20 and 5W-30 viscosities, new AMSOIL 100% Synthetic Diesel Oil provides industry-leading protection and performance with up to 6X better wear protection than required by a leading industry standard.

AMSOIL 100% Synthetic Diesel Oil delivers outstanding protection during heavy use and extreme operating temperatures. It protects turbochargers and emissions systems, helping to extend engine life. AMSOIL 100% Synthetic Diesel Oil minimizes oil consumption while providing superior engine cleanliness. It helps smaller diesel engines maintain power and fuel efficiency while reducing maintenance costs and downtime.

AMSOIL 100% Synthetic Diesel Oil is recommended for the drain intervals specified by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Drain intervals may be extended beyond the OEM-recommended interval with oil analysis. It is specifically engineered for use in smaller American diesel pickups, vans, cars and SUVs that require any of the following specifications:

0W-20: GM dexosD

5W-30: GM dexosD; dexos2; Chrysler MS-11106; Ford WSS-M2C214-B1; ACEA C3

Neither oil is suitable for use in applications that require an API CK-4 (or prior) specification.

¹Based on third-party testing in the OM646LA cam wear test using 0W-20 as worst-case representation.

AMSOIL formulates advanced synthetic lubricants and performance products for those who demand the best. For more information or to order, contact your nearest AMSOIL Dealer or visit AMSOIL.com. AMSOIL INC., 925 Tower Ave. Superior, WI 54880.

McLeod & Tifft’s Live Fast Motorsports, 2021 Newest Team

By

SM

-

December 16, 2020

When in October 2019, Matt Tifft collapsed with a seizure at Martinsville, many thought this was the end of his NASCAR career.

This was not what Matt Tifft thought.

Instead, the 24-year-old will become the youngest team owner in the Cup Series. The new Live Fast Motorsports team will be jointly owned by Tifft and his friend and mentor B.J. McLeod.

Live Fast Motorsports

When Go Fas Racing team owner Archie St. Hilaire decided to reduce his schedule to just six races, placing his full-time ownership charter on the open market, Tifft and McLeod purchased the charter and the resulting organization has been christened Live Fast Motorsports.

The new NASCAR Cup Series entry in the No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Ford Mustang was unveiled Friday by the pair. The team will be based in Mooresville and operate with a partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing.

Live Fast Motorsports has entered this strategic partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing, a 10-time Cup Series winning organization in 2020, “to assist the team in the competition and navigate the difficulties of developing a successful NASCAR Cup team.”

“Live Fast Motorsports is excited to be joining an incredible group of owners, as well as the new teams and ownership coming into the sport,” the release stated. “ Live Fast Motorsports and its partners are ready to take on the challenge to grow and develop as a team.”

First of all, NASCAR is a TEAM sport consisting of all of the amazing people who work behind the scenes to support the driver and help him win. And, also one of the most popular sports to bet on. Among other sports, on sites like sbo.net, you can wager on a NASCAR driver or a team as a whole, check their performance, and if they seem to win a race or series, it can be quite good. In regards to this, we are eager to see how McLeod & Tift’s Live Fast Motorsports team will perform in the upcoming 2021 season.

NASCAR's newest Cup Series team has its youngest and most unorthodox owners, respectively.https://t.co/tyhf7X5QwF
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) December 13, 2020

Old Relationship

The two first met when Tifft was 12 and participating in a driving school in Florida.

“I’ve been with him since the Late Model days,” Tifft said about his new business partner and old friend.

“I was his first Truck Series driver at Martinsville and getting a top-10 there with him really launched my career. He was a groomsman at my wedding, so we’ve been together for a long time. When we were racing, he was my Friday night movie buddy.”

McLeod also has nothing but good things to say about his friend and their new partnership.

“Matt is going to make me stronger. He’s got some really good qualities about him that I’m excited about helping some of the weaknesses that I might have and just what we can do together.”

“It’s literally decades of dreaming, decades of work, decades of being focused, just a lot of relationships being built to get us to this point,” McLeod said.

Matt Tifft

Although he is still not completely sure that his driving career is over, Tifft is entering his new NASCAR role after much thought and questioning.

“I went through several months there, where first, I was dealing with the health problems and second, a dark space because I worked my entire life to get (to the Cup Series) and all of a sudden, that was gone.”

“I explored all kinds of avenues, whether that was being involved from a PR standpoint or sponsor standpoint,” Tifft said. “I looked at some driver coaching stuff. I couldn’t drive, so when you spend your entire life being a driver, it’s pretty hard.

But this is not the first time he is facing such a big challenge, also involving health problems. In 2016 he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. This required surgery and caused him to miss time. But Tifft was far from giving up – that season he was a part-time Xfinity Series driver, and he returned to active competition 11 weeks later!

B.J. McLeod

Tifft’s partner, the 37-year-old B.J. McLeod is also a very striking individual.

He already operates a multi-car team in the Xfinity Series and has served as a driver-owner in the Truck Series in addition to owning Super Late Model. One of the most respected individuals in NASCAR, he is also an unusual owner in the Cup Series: He usually sports slicked-back jet-black hair, often held in place by a backward Hurley baseball cap, and completed with his signature Affliction shirt.

“My new dream is to be a Childress, a Gibbs, a Hendrick, or whoever,” McLeod said

2020 Formula One season in review

By

Andrew Kim

-

December 15, 2020

Twenty-three weeks (161 days) since its start, the 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship season concluded on December 13 when the final checkered flag flew at Yas Marina Circuit following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. While another season of Formula One competition was stamped in the record books, this season has been like none others in recent years.

Initially set to commence in March, the 2020 Formula One season was also set to mark the start of a new era of motorsports competition, highlighted with 22 Grand Prix events on the schedule and the sport celebrating its 70th anniversary of the first Formula One World Drivers’ Championship. Instead, everything changed in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the start of this year’s F1 season and several Grand Prix events were cancelled.

Delayed for four months amid the pandemic, the season was able to make its highly anticipated start on the track in early July as new and familiar Grand Prix events along with old circuits made its way into a rescheduled calendar for a total of 17 events spanning six months.

Throughout the season, the competitors and teams competed as a unity amid the COVID-19 pandemic while also expressing solidarity against acts of social injustices. Along the way, new and familiar faces rose to the spotlight both on and off the track while the dynasty of a multi-time champion took another step into history. In addition, a number of competitors concluded their final seasons with their current teams, with some set to embark on new adventures with new teams entering a new season while others await their future plans.

With the 2020 F1 season concluded, here is a rundown of the teams and competitors that competed throughout this season as they look ahead to 2021.

Amid a pandemic year, there was no denying another dominating on-track season for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, which claimed its record seventh consecutive Drivers’ and Constructors’ championships (573 points) and placed its two drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, atop the Drivers’ standings. Since the first Grand Prix event of this season, the Mercedes team was in total control of the championship standings for the drivers and the constructors, winning all but four of 17 Grand Prix events and all but two poles throughout the 2020 season. Following their latest victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in late November, the Mercedes team surpassed the Williams Racing team for the third-most victories in F1 with 115. After eclipsing Ferrari’s previous record of six consecutive Constructors’ championships, Mercedes has an opportunity in making more history and extending their championship streak to eight, which would move them into a tie with McLaren for the third-most Constructors’ titles.

With 11 Grand Prix victories and another world championship added to his resume, Lewis Hamilton has taken another step towards history as he continues to shatter the record books following another dominating season with Mercedes. Compared to his previous championship seasons, this season was also like none other for the 35-year-old veteran from Stevenage, England, who started the season kneeling prior to every race and expressing solidarity towards the Black Lives Matter movement and against acts of racial injustices. It only took two races into the 2020 season for Hamilton to commence his run for the title when he won the Styrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Styria, Austria, and claimed his first victory of the season. From July to September, he went on to claim Grand Prix victories at Hungary, Great Britain’s Silverstone, Spain, Belgium and Italy’s Tuscany while finishing no lower than seventh. After finishing in third place in the Russian Grand Prix, Hamilton went on to win the following Grand Prix events in Nürburg, Portugal, Imola and Turkey. Following his win in the Portuguese Grand Prix, Hamilton surpassed seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher and became the all-time Grand Prix wins leader with 92. Two races later, he clinched his record-tying seventh world championship with a victory in Turkey and tied Schumacher for the most F1 titles. Two days after claiming his 95th career victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, Hamilton was unable to compete in the upcoming Sakhir Grand Prix after testing positive for COVID-19 symptoms. With Williams’ driver George Russell filling in at Bahrain, Hamilton was able to return the following week and cap off the 2020 season in third place in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Despite being absent for a single race, he walked away with the championship and with a 124-point advantage over teammate Valtteri Bottas, leaving him one title short of holding the most F1 titles of all time. Currently, Hamilton does not have a contract to drive for Mercedes for next season, though he intends on having a new contract with the team set by Christmas.

For a second consecutive season, teammate Valtteri Bottas opened a new season of Formula One racing by winning the season opener and he went on to finish in the runner-up spot in the final Drivers’ standings behind Lewis Hamilton. On this occasion, he settled behind Hamilton in the standings by 124 points compared to 87 last season. The 31-year-old veteran from Nastola, Finland, started the season with three consecutive podium results, including his win in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix. He went on to win the Russian Grand Prix in late September and rack up seven additional podium results, including five additional runner-up results, for the remaining 14 events of the season. Throughout the season, he did not finish in the top 10 three times and he struggled during two Grand Prix events at Bahrain, which ended his title hopes for this season. Nonetheless, he concluded the season with a second-place result in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he also settled in second place in the Drivers’ standings for a second consecutive season. Currently, Bottas is set to return to Mercedes for the 2021 F1 season.

Settling in the runner-up position in the 2020 Formula One Constructors’ standings with 319 points is the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing team, which claimed its highest-points result in the standings since claiming second place in the Constructors’ standings following the 2016 F1 season. Despite trailing Mercedes throughout the season, Red Bull Racing, coming off its second season powered by Honda engines, rallied from double retirements in Austria to record two victories and 24 top-10 results throughout the season. With a win in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to cap off this season, Red Bull Racing aims to close the gap to Mercedes and return as world champions since winning four consecutive titles in 2010-13.

If there is a current competitor on the grid who emerges as a potential championship threat for the 2021 season, it is Max Verstappen, who is coming off his sixth season in F1 competition. When the 2020 F1 schedule was re-drafted and the season opener was moved to the Red Bull Ring in early July, the 23-year-old Verstappen aimed to start the season on a strong note and with an advantage after winning the previous two Grand Prix events in Spielberg. Instead, his season started off on a low note when early electrical issues sidelined him. He rebounded from his early misfortune by finishing on the podium in the next six Grand Prix events. During this streak, he recorded the first victory of the season for himself and Red Bull Racing in the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone Circuit in August. For the next nine Grand Prix events, he recorded four additional podium results, but sustained four retirements, which allowed Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes to run away with the Drivers’ and Constructors’ championships for the 2020 season. While he did not claim his first F1 title, he recorded a dominating victory in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from the pole, a victory which allowed him to conclude the season in a career-best third place in the Drivers’ standings with 214 points and provide a potential preview of his run for the 2021 title.

Following his late but superb on-track audition with Red Bull Racing last season, Alexander Albon was given a full-time ride with Red Bull for the 2020 season with hopes of extending his strong performances and taking the next step in challenging for victories and podiums on a regular basis. His season started off, however, on a low note when he was involved in a late incident with Lewis Hamilton, where Hamilton spun Albon while he was in position of recording his first podium result. Since then, he went on a six-race streak of finishing in the top 10, with his best result being fourth place at the Styrian Grand Prix in July. A week after finishing 15th at the Italian Grand Prix, Albon prevailed over a late battle with Daniel Ricciardo to capture his first podium result in the Tuscan Grand Prix at Mugello Circuit with a third-place finish. With his accomplishment, the 24-year-old Albon became the first Thai F1 competitor to achieve a podium result. During the next five races, however, he finished no higher than seventh place as he sustained a retirement and two results outside of the top 10. He rebounded during the final three races of the season by finishing in the top six on the track. Among his late accomplishments included his second career podium result in the Bahrain Grand Prix with a third-place result and finishing in fourth place in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. In the end, Albon concluded his sophomore season in F1 in seventh place in the Drivers’ standings, one spot better than his rookie season, with 105 points. Despite a strong finish to this season, Albon’s F1 plans for next season remains uncertain.

With Mercedes and Red Bull emerging as the two front-runners of the 2020 F1 season, it was also a victorious season for the McLaren F1 Team, which achieved two podium results and finished in third place in this year’s Constructors’ standings with 202 points following a strong consistent season for drivers Carlos Sainz Jr. and Lando Norris. The result marked McLaren’s return to the top three in the Constructors’ standings for the first time since 2012 and following a year-long battle against names like Racing Point and Renault. It also snapped McLaren’s seven-year span of finishing no higher than fourth place in the Constructors’ standings. With the McLaren Group coming off a new long-term investment deal into McLaren Racing from MSP Sports Capital, an American sports investment group, and switching from Renault to Mercedes engines for 2021, McLaren, winner of 12 Drivers’ championships and eight Constructors’ championships, aims to return as race winners and world champions in the coming years in F1 competition.

Following a strong 2019 season with McLaren, Carlos Sainz Jr. started this season on another strong note by finishing in fifth place in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix. The 26-year-old native from Madrid, Spain, backed it up by finishing ninth in the Styrian Grand Prix while also recording the fastest lap of the race and finishing ninth again the following Grand Prix at Mogyoród, Hungary. During the next four Grand Prix events, Sainz’s best result was sixth place at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, his home track. The lowlight during the stretch was failing to start the Belgian Grand Prix during to a power unit issue. He rallied back in early September by collecting his second career podium result at Italy’s Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, where he notched a career-best second place behind race winner Pierre Gasly. Despite retiring the following two Grand Prix events at Tuscany and Russia, Sainz concluded the season by finishing in the top 10 for the remaining seven events. In the end, he contributed to McLaren finishing in third place in the Constructors’ standings as he settled in a career-best sixth place in the Drivers’ standings with 105 points. Despite a successful two-year run with McLaren, Sainz is set to join Scuderia Ferrari for the 2021 F1 season.

Like Sainz, teammate Lando Norris had a productive on-track season that started off on a bright note when he captured his maiden podium result in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix. Though he initially crossed the finish line in fourth place, the 21-year-old native from Bristol, England, benefitted from Lewis Hamilton being penalized five seconds on the track due to being involved in a late incident with Alexander Albon to finish 4.8 seconds behind Hamilton and move into third place on the track, thus becoming the third podium sitter in F1 at age 20 years, seven months and 22 days. Throughout his sophomore campaign in F1, Norris achieved 13 top-10 results, including the final five events of the 2020 season and two fastest lap times in two Grand Prix events with only one retirement. Like Sainz, Norris contributed to McLaren finishing in third place in the Constructors’ standings as he settled in ninth place in the Drivers’ standings, two spots better than his rookie season, with 97 points. Unlike Sainz, Norris will remain as a McLaren F1 competitor for the 2021 season.

If there was a team that fought through adversity and intimidated McLaren for third place in the Constructors’ standings all the way to the final checkered flag of the season, it was the BWT Racing Point F1 Team. In the team’s second full-time season as Racing Point, the team achieved an abundant of on-track success amid challenges and a disappointing start to this season. The low moment for the team occurred in July when protests coming from Renault were launched over the team’s use of brake ducts not designed by Racing Point themselves and copying the ducts used by Mercedes in 2019. In between back-to-back Grand Prix events at Silverstone, United Kingdom, the team was fined €400,000 and docked 15 points in the Constructors’ standings after Renault’s protests were upheld. In addition, Racing Point’s two drivers, Sergio “Checo” Perez and Lance Stroll, were absent from a Grand Prix event after testing positive for COVID-19 symptoms. Their absences allowed veteran Nico Hülkenberg to fill in as a relief competitor for a total of three races. Amid the challenges throughout the season, Racing Point remained in contention to emerge as the third-best team in 2020 while achieving its first victory in the Sakhir Grand Prix with Perez. While the team achieved a total of 24 top-10 results between its two-car lineup, late on-track issues during the Grand Prix events in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi left Racing Point behind McLaren as the third-best team in 2020 by seven points. Nonetheless, the fourth-place result in the Constructors’ standings (195 points) marks the team’s best best points results since the 2017 Formula One season when the team competed as the Sahara Force India F1 Team. With the 2020 season concluded, Racing Point is set to rebranded as Aston Martin F1 Team for the 2021 season.

In his 10th season as an F1 competitor, Sergio “Checo” Perez is coming off a career-defining season that currently leaves him uncertain of his status for next season. The 30-year-old veteran from Guadalajara, Mexico, started the season with three consecutive results in the top 10. His season, however, was placed in jeopardy when he was absent from the following two Grand Prix events at Silverstone due to testing positive for COVID-19 symptoms. During his absence, Nico Hülkenberg filled in, where he failed to make the starting grid for the British Grand Prix but rebounded with a seventh-place result in the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix. Returning in mid-August for the Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Perez rebounded with a fifth-place result. From Spain in August through the Turkish Grand Prix in November, he went on a nine-race streak of finishing in the top 10 and collecting an abundant of points. During this span, he achieved his first elusive podium result since 2018 in the Turkish Grand Prix after coming home in a career-best second place behind the champion Lewis Hamilton. By then, however, it was confirmed that Perez will not be remaining with Racing Point for the 2021 season, though he initially inked a three-year contract extension with the team following the 2019 season. After retiring in the final laps of the Bahrain Grand Prix due to an engine failure and while having a podium spot within his grasp, Perez returned to Bahrain International Circuit with vengeance and won after rallying from an opening lap incident to claim his maiden F1 victory in the Sakhir Grand Prix and in his 190th career start. With his first F1 victory, Perez became the 110th different competitor to win a Grand Prix event and the first Mexican competitor to win a Grand Prix event since Pedro Rodriguez made the last accomplishment in the 1970 Belgian Grand Prix. His final ride with Racing Point, however, ended on a low note during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, when an early technical issue sidelined the Mexican. Despite the bitter conclusion, Perez achieved a career-best fourth place in the Drivers’ standings with 125 points. Currently, his racing plans for next season are unknown.

Like Perez, teammate Lance Stroll also achieved great success on the track in his fourth full-time season as an F1 competitor. Following an early retirement in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix, the 22-year-old Stroll from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, went on a seven-race streak of finishing in the top 10 and collecting an abundant of points. By then, he was coming off his second career podium result after finishing in third place in the Italian Grand Prix in early September. The next five Grand Prix events, however, did not fall in Stroll’s favor as he suffered three retirements. In addition, he withdrew from competing in the Eifel Grand Prix in October due to testing positive for COVID-19 symptoms, which allowed Nico Hülkenberg to fill in for his third race as a Racing Point interim competitor. Stroll rebounded the following event on the schedule, Turkish Grand Prix, by capturing his maiden pole position and becoming the first Canadian F1 pole winner since Jacques Villeneuve made the last accomplishment at the 1997 European Grand Prix. He also was one of two F1 competitors not driving for Mercedes to win a pole position throughout the 2020 season. He went on to finish in ninth place during the main event. A week after flipping early in the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit, Stroll again rebounded by claiming his third podium result of his career, second of the season, in the Sakhir Grand Prix at Bahrain after finishing in third place, two spots behind teammate and winner Sergio Perez. He went on to cap off the season in 10th place in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and settle in a career-best 11th place in the Drivers’ standings with 75 points. With Perez departing, Stroll is set to remain with Racing Point that will be rebranded to Aston Martin.

Another team that contended for the third-place spot in the Constructors’ standings throughout the 2020 season was the Renault DP World F1 Team. Following a difficult 2019 season, Renault’s two-driver lineup, featuring Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon, recorded a combined 24 top-10 results, six more than 2019, and three podium results along with two fastest time laps in two Grand Prix events, both with Ricciardo. The results, however, were not enough for the two-time world championship team to overtake McLaren and Racing Point in the Constructors’ standings, with Renault concluding the 2020 season in fifth place, equivalent to 2019, but with 181 points compared to 91 in 2019. Like Racing Point, Renault is set to be rebranded as the Alpine F1 Team for the 2021 season while sporting the French national colors of red, white and blue and compete with Renault engines. In addition, the team is excited to feature two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso as one of its two competitors for the 2021 season, which will mark Alonso’s return to Formula One competition since 2018.

For Daniel Ricciardo, his second season with Renault started off on a low note when he retired in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix due to overheating issues. Compared to last season and despite the season-opening retirement, the 31-year-old veteran from Perth, Australia, did not record another retirement for the remainder of this season. Instead, he finished in the top 10 in all but two of the remaining 16 Grand Prix events and achieved two fastest lap times in two Grand Prix events. By the end of September, his best on-track result was fourth place (twice). During the following Grand Prix at Nürburgring, Germany, Ricciardo achieved his first podium result with Renault after finishing in third place behind race winner Lewis Hamilton and runner-up Max Verstappen. The podium result was Ricciardo’s first since winning the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix and the first for Renault since the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix. Two races later, he achieved another podium result in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Italy after finishing in third place. Afterwards, he capped off the season with four consecutive top-10 results and finished in fifth place in the Drivers’ standings with 119 points, his best result in the standings since 2017. Despite a successful 2020 run with Renault, Ricciardo is set to open a new chapter to his resume in 2021 as he will become a McLaren F1 competitor.

After being left without a full-time seat for the 2019 season, Esteban Ocon began his comeback return in F1 this season when he replaced Nico Hülkenberg as one of Renault’s two competitors. The 24-year-old native from Évreux, France, started the season by finishing eighth in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix. He then retired during the Styrian Grand Prix and finished 14th in the Hungarian Grand Prix before recording back-to-back top-10 results at Silverstone. Through the first 15 Grand Prix events of this season and entering the Bahrain Grand Prix, Ocon’s best on-track result was fifth place, which occurred during the Belgian Grand Prix in August. While he achieved eight top-10 results, he also sustained four retirements. Nonetheless, he managed to conclude the season on a positive note when he earned his maiden F1 podium result in the Sakhir Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit by finishing in second place in his 66th career start and behind ex-teammate Sergio Perez. A ninth-place result in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit following a late battle with Lance Stroll was enough for him to conclude the season in 12th place in the Drivers’ standings, the same spot he finished in following his previous full-time season in 2018 but with 62 points. Following an up-and-down season, Ocon is set to remain with Renault that will be rebranded to Alpine in 2021.

For the first time since the 2014 Formula One season, Scuderia Ferrari did not conclude an F1 season in the top three in the Constructors’ standings. Instead, the team, which has achieved 16 Constructors’ championships, 15 Drivers’ championships and 237 victories, settled in sixth place in the standings with 131 points, their lowest points result since finishing 10th in 1980. In addition, the team failed to win a Grand Prix event since the 2016 season. Since the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix, Ferrari struggled with pace and speed against the competition. Through the first half of the 2020 F1 season, the team only achieved two podium results with Charles Leclerc. While Leclerc improved with consistency in the second half of the season, teammate and former F1 champion Sebastian Vettel struggled throughout the entire season in finishing in the points for himself and the team. Following a difficult 2020 season, Ferrari looks to rebound and return to competitive form in 2021.

After achieving his first two Grand Prix events, 10 podium results and a fourth-place result in the Drivers’ standings last season, Charles Leclerc opened his second full-time season with Ferrari by finishing in second place in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix following a slow start. Following two results outside of the top 10, he claimed his second podium result of the season in the British Grand Prix in Silverstone, which was followed with a fourth-place result in the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix. He then sustained two retirements during the next three Grand Prix events, which diminished his hopes for the 2020 F1 title. From Tuscany, Italy in September through Sakhir, Bahrain in November, Leclerc rallied by finishing in the top 10 in seven consecutive Grand Prix events, with a best result of fourth place (twice). Despite his late consistent surge, he concluded the season on a low note by retiring in the Sakhir Grand Prix following an opening lap multi-car crash and finishing 13th in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. When the checkered flag flew and the dust settled, Leclerc concluded the season in eighth place in the 2020 Drivers’ standings, four spots lower than his first campaign with Ferrari, with 98 points, the highest-finishing competitor with double-digit points. The 23-year-old Leclerc from Monte Carlo, Monaco, is slated to remain as a Ferrari competitor through 2024.

Prior to this season’s start in July and during the pandemic, teammate Sebastian Vettel was thrown into the spotlight when it was announced that he will not be remaining with Ferrari following the 2020 season and following a six-year run with one of motorsport’s iconic names. When the season started, Vettel struggled with consistency and in keeping pace with the competition. Following the first half of the 2020 F1 season, nine races completed, Vettel’s highest-finishing result was sixth place, which occurred in the Hungarian Grand Prix in mid-July. In addition, he had achieved four additional top-10 results, but no podium results and two retirements. Vettel continued to struggle during the start of the second half of the season as he finished no higher than 10th place during the next four Grand Prix events. The following Grand Prix event in Turkey, Vettel captured his first elusive podium result of the season after crossing the finish line in third place. For the final three Grand Prix events of the season, however, he finished no higher than 12th place. In the end, Vettel capped off a long season of racing in 13th place in the Drivers’ standings, his lowest result since 2007, with 33 points. With his time with Ferrari complete, the four-time world champion from Heppenheim, West Germany, is set to join the Aston Martin F1 Team, rebranded from Racing Point.

Coming home in seventh place in the Constructors’ standings and the final team with triple-digit points (107) is the Scuderia AlphaTauri team. Rebranded from Toro Rosso and a sister team to Red Bull Racing, the team finished one spot behind from last season in the Constructors’ standings, but achieved a fair share of on-track success in 2020. The team’s bright moment was winning the Italian Grand Prix in September with Pierre Gasly, which marked the team’s first victory as AlphaTauri but second overall since winning the 2008 Italian Grand Prix with Sebastian Vettel while known as Toro Rosso. Throughout the 2020 campaign, the team’s two-driver lineup, featuring Gasly and Daniil Kvyat, achieved a total of 17 top-10 results and gained points in all but two of 17 Grand Prix events this season. The results, however, were not enough for the team to join the battle for the third-best team in the Constructors’ standings, but the team remains poised to be competitive on the track next season.

A year after being demoted from Red Bull Racing to Toro Rosso and achieving his maiden podium result at Brazil, Pierre Gasly experienced another first in his racing career this season. That first was his maiden Grand Prix win at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza in Italy in early September, where the 24-year-old native from Rouen, France, benefitted from an early pit stop and 10-second stop-and-go penalties handed to Lewis Hamilton and Antonio Giovinazzi to carve his way to the lead and hold off Carlos Sainz Jr. to score his first victory in F1 competition. With his accomplishment, he became the first French competitor to win a Grand Prix event since Olivier Panis made the last accomplishment in the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix. He also became the 109th different competitor to win a Grand Prix event and the first competitor not representing Mercedes, Ferrari or Red Bull to win an F1 race since Kimi Räikkönen won the 2013 Australian Grand Prix while driving a Lotus. In addition to his win, Gasly achieved 10 top-10 results throughout the 17-race schedule, four fewer than 2019, while also sustaining three retirements. By finishing in eighth place in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he was able to conclude his junior season in Formula One in 10th place in the Drivers’ standings with 75 points. Following a productive 2020 season highlighted with his maiden F1 victory, Gasly is set to remain with AlphaTauri for the 2021 season.

Compared to Gasly, teammate Daniil Kvyat had an up-and-down season in his sixth campaign in Formula One. A year after collecting a podium result in Germany and 10 top-10 results, the 26-year-old native from Ufa, Russia, opened this season with two retirements and finishing no higher than 10th place (twice) through the first seven Grand Prix events in 2020. He rallied during the following three Grand Prix events in Monza, Tuscany and Russia, his home country, by finishing in the top 10. Following a two-race slump in Germany and Portugal, Kvyat recorded a season-best fourth-place result in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in November. For the final four Grand Prix events of the season, however, Kvyat finished no higher than seventh place as he settled in 14th place in the final Drivers’ standings, one spot lower than last season, with 32 points. Currently, Kvyat’s F1 plans for next season remain uncertain.

Finishing in eighth place in this year’s Constructors’ standings with eight points is the Alfa Romeo Racing Orlen team. Compared to last season, where the team opened the season with four consecutive top-10 results, the team opened the 2020 campaign with a single top-10 result, which occurred in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix with Antonio Giovinazzi. Throughout the season, Alfa Romeo’s two-car lineup struggled to gain points and run towards the front. In total, the team secured a best on-track result of ninth place (three times) and five top-10 results, which was enough to emerge as the first team with single-digit points ahead of Haas and Williams (eight). Despite a difficult 2020 campaign, the team will retain its driver lineup, featuring Giovinazzi and Kimi Räikkönen, for the 2021 season.

The 2020 Formula One season marked a career low for Kimi Räikkönen, the 2007 F1 champion, as he recorded a career-low four points, two top-10 results and a final result of 16th place in the Drivers’ standings. Through the first nine races of this season, the 41-year-old veteran from Espoo, Finland, finished no higher than 11th place on the track. He was originally in position of battling for the lead and the win in the Italian Grand Prix in September until he faded in the late stages and finished in 13th place. During the second half of the season, Räikkönen managed to collect his first top-10 result and pair of points in the Tuscan Grand Prix in September. Four races later, he picked up another ninth-place result in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in November. Since then, his next highest result on the track was 11th place. In the end, Räikkönen tied teammate Giovinazzi as the highest-finishing competitor in the Drivers’ standings with single-digit points. With the 2020 season concluded, Räikkönen will remain as an Alfa Romeo F1 competitor next season.

Following a difficult freshman season in Formula One, Antonio Giovinazzi started off the 2020 season on a stronger note by finishing in ninth place in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix. It was not until the Eifel Grand Prix in October, however, until the 27-year-old native from Martina Franca, Italy, picked up his second top-10 result of the season (10th place) as he suffered two retirements during the first 10 Grand Prix events this season. He managed to pick up his third top-10 result of the season in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in November following a 10th-place result. Since then, Giovinazzi struggled with pace. In the end, he concluded the season in 17th place in the Drivers’ standings, equivalent to the 2019 season, but with four points, 10 fewer than his rookie season. Like Räikkönen, Giovinazzi will retain his seat with Alfa Romeo in 2021.

Emerging as the next-to-last team scored in this year’s Constructors’ standings is the Haas F1 team, which achieved a career-low three points in its fifth season in competition. Like last season, the Haas F1 Team struggled with their VF-20 and keeping pace with the competition. It took three races into the 2020 season for the team to achieve their first points of the season with Kevin Magnussen finishing in 10th place in the Hungarian Grand Prix in mid-July. Since then, the team picked up two additional points to this season with Romain Grosjean finishing in ninth place in the Eifel Grand Prix in October. Mired within their on-track struggles were 10 retirements, including a harrowing accident in the Bahrain Grand Prix that left Grosjean injured and sidelined for the remainder of the season. While the Haas F1 Team equalized their result in the Constructors’ standings from last season (ninth place), the team achieved a career-low three points. With the 2020 season complete, Haas is set to feature a new two-car lineup for the 2021 season, featuring Mick Schumacher, son of seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher, and Nikita Mazepin from Moscow, Russia.

With a single point recorded throughout this season, Kevin Magnussen recorded his fewest points in an F1 season since recording seven in 2016. His lone highlight in 2020 was finishing in 10th place in the Hungarian Grand Prix at Hungaroring in mid-July, the third event of the season, and recording the first point of the season for himself and Haas. Since then, his next highest result throughout the 2020 season was 12th place (twice) as he struggled to earn consistent results. In addition, the 28-year-old native from Roskilde, Denmark, sustained seven retirements throughout the season and he concluded the season in a career-low 20th place in the Drivers’ standings. Following six full-time seasons in Formula One, four with Haas, Magnussen is set to compete in the 2021 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season with Chip Ganassi Racing.

Like Magnussen, teammate Romain Grosjean endured a long 2020 season that came to a late conclusion. Through 14 of 17 Grand Prix events this season, the 34-year-old veteran who competed under the French flag finished no higher than ninth place, which occurred during the Eifel Grand Prix in October. His next highest-finishing result throughout the 2020 season was 12th place (twice) as he sustained two retirements. Grosjean’s season took a harrowing turn during the opening lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix in late November, when he made contact with AlphaTauri’s Daniil Kvyat, spun and collided into the barriers in Turn 3 at full speed. The impact split Grosjean’s Haas VF-20 in half, where the driver slipped through the upper section of the barrier with the front half of the car and with flames being ignited following the crash. Miraculously, Grosjean was able to extract himself from the wreckage without any assistance before receiving on-track treatment and being transported to the Bahrain Defence Force Hospital by helicopter for further treatment for burns on his hands. After spending three nights in the hospital, he returned to Bahrain and his paddock to be with his team and greet the medical and track/safety workers, among which included Dr. Roberts and medical car driver Alan van der Merwe, who saved his life. While he did not compete in the upcoming Sakhir Grand Prix, he ultimately decided to conclude his five-year run with Haas early to focus on his recovery and health. With Pietro Fittipaldi, grandson of two-time F1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi, filling in as a relief Haas competitor, Grosjean capped off the 2020 season in 19th place in the Drivers’ standings with two points. He currently has no racing plans lined up for 2021.

Finally, the Williams Racing team capped off the 2020 campaign in last place in the Constructors’ standings with zero points. The team started the season on a promising note when Nicholas Latifi finished in 11th place in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix. Throughout the season, the team’s best result on the track was 11th place (four times) while also sustaining seven retirements. The team’s low point of the season occurred in early September when Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal of Williams Racing, and the Williams family ended their 43-year involvement with Formula One following the Italian Grand Prix. The team was acquired by Dorilton Capital, an American investment group, for €152 million while remaining as Williams Racing and based in the United Kingdom. While the team’s two-driver lineup, featuring Latifi and George Russell, came close in recording a single point at certain Grand Prix events, the team ultimately settled in 10th place (last) in the Constructors’ standings for a third consecutive season.

For much of the 2020 Formula One season, George Russell, dubbed as a future star in F1, was nowhere towards the front. The 22-year-old native from King’s Lynn, Norfolk, England, achieved best results of 11th place (once) and 12th place (twice) while also sustaining four retirements through the first 15 Grand Prix events of this season. Then came an opportunity of a lifetime in the Sakhir Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit when Russell was selected to drive for the championship-winning Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team in place of the champion Lewis Hamilton, who was absent due to COVID-19 symptoms. During his one-race absence from Williams, British-Korean racer Jack Aitken made his F1 debut in place of Russell. Starting the race on the front row along with Valtteri Bottas, Russell dominated the event. During a pit stop sequence in the late stages, however, Russell’s road to victory was stalled when a mix-up in the Mercedes’ pit lane over the tire installments for Russell and Bottas resulted with Russell making another pit stop to have the correct set of tires installed on his car. Dropping back to fifth place, Russell wasted no time carving his way back to the front as he worked his way back into second place Sergio Perez. Just as he had the pace and victory within sight, everything changed when he was forced to make a late unscheduled pit stop due to a left-rear tire puncture. Returning back on the track, he ended the race in ninth place. While he earned his first three points in Formula One racing and established the fastest lap during the race, he was left dejected over the late issue that cost him his first F1 victory. Despite returning to Williams the following week and finishing in 15th place in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Russell concluded the season in 18th place in the Drivers’ standings, two spots better than his rookie season. He is also due to remain with Williams Racing for the 2021 Formula One season.

Unlike Russell, teammate Nicholas Latifi is coming off his first full-time campaign in Formula One racing, where he replaced veteran Robert Kubica. The 25-year-old rookie from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, recorded a strong 11th-place result in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix. He picked up two additional 11th-place results throughout the season while also sustaining three retirements. In the end, Latifi was the lone full-time F1 competitor to not record a single point throughout the 2020 F1 season as he concluded the season in 21st place in the Drivers’ standings. Like teammate George Russell, Latifi will return for a second full-time campaign in F1 with Williams Racing in 2021.

With the 2020 F1 season complete, the drivers and teams are currently in off-season before returning for the start of the 2021 Formula One World Championship season on March 21 at Melbourne’s Albert Park Circuit for the Australian Grand Prix, the first of 23 Grand Prix events slated on the provisional schedule.

CHEVY NCS: Erik Jones Teleconference Transcript

By

Official Release

-

December 15, 2020

NASCAR CUP SERIES
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
DECEMBER 15, 2020

ERIK JONES, DRIVER OF THE NO. 43 RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1 1LE, met with media via teleconference to discuss his anticipation going into the 2021 season, how the team has been preparing for their first season together, and more. Full Transcript:

BEING IN THE CLASH IS GOOD BEING WITH A NEW TEAM, BUT HOW MUCH MORE IMPORTANT IS IT NOW THAT THERE’S GOING TO BE A RACE THERE A FEW WEEKS LATER?
“Yeah, like you said, it was going to be big either way – thinking about going there and now really having any practice. Just getting in a new car, there’s going to be a lot of different things – from the way the motor runs, brakes, steering, everything is going to be totally different for me. So, just being able to get on track, have some laps on something other than the superspeedway at Daytona. Especially a road course, you have to really try out every system in your car. So, I think that’s going to be really important. And plus, now going into the road course after Daytona, is even bigger for me. We’re going to be able to take what we’ve learned in that race and, hopefully, improve on it.”

“There’s going to be stuff that’s different for me, obviously, and different for the team – a new driver for them and every driver has different preferences, feels, and things they want out of a car. So, it’s going to be pretty big for both of us.”

THE TEAM HASN’T ANNOUNCED SPONSORS YET FOR NEXT YEAR. THERE’S A LOT OF SOCIAL CHATTER – WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN, SO FAR, FROM BEING AT THE SHOP AND EVERTYHING THAT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT NEXT YEAR?
“Well, I think the sponsor announcements are going to come here, hopefully, soon. For me, I’ve been to the shop a lot. I was actually up there this morning doing some stuff, checking things out and doing some final fitting stuff in the car itself. For me, it’s encouraging just seeing the alliance that they have with RCR. I actually went down and saw their shop – I hadn’t been to RCR up until today. So, just to see all that stuff – see what they’re totally capable of is really encouraging. I’ve had a lot of conversations with Jerry (Baxter, crew chief) about the car and the engineers about what I like in a race car, what I like before the race, as far as pre-race driver reports and information for myself. So, there’s a ton of stuff to go over and we’re still going over a lot of stuff, and there’s going to be more to go over after Christmas and New Years – everyone is going to take a couple weeks off here. It’s been pretty busy and a lot of communication with the team. For me, it’s really encouraging. I think there’s a lot of things that we’re going to be able to accomplish next year that are probably going to surprised people. I think the equipment is there and very capable.”

NASCAR, OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, A LOT OF GOOD STUFF HAPPENED. OBVIOUSLY, YOUR DEAL, WHICH IS A GOOD DEAL FOR YOU. BUT, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS IS MORNING CONSULT CAME OUT WITH A LIST, RECENTLY, ABOUT THE FASTEST GROWING BRANDS OF 2020. AS NASCAR TRIES TO APPEAL TO THE YOUTH, HAVE THEY MENTIONED ANYTHING ABOUT THIS TO YOU GUYS ABOUT HELPING THAT TO CONTINUE TO RIDE THIS WAVE?
“Yeah, I really haven’t heard too much from them yet. I think it’s been pretty respectable and admirable, the job that they’ve done this last year in making that connection and making that growth. That was really cool for me to see – I read it there on Twitter a few days ago, maybe last week I guess now. It’s exciting for me. I think people in my generation and my age, definitely maybe in the last few years, haven’t paid much attention to NASCAR. But, obviously looking at that, it’s definitely growing and that’s a great thing for us. It’s a tough market right now. I think everybody being kind of held up indoors maybe opened their eyes up to a new sport, watching new things, and for a while, NASCAR was really the only thing on TV. So, I think a lot of people tuned in that maybe had never watched a race before and realized that there’s so much more to it than us just racing and being on the track – there’s so much strategy to it and lot of the things that are pretty unique in our sport that make it pretty exciting. I haven’t talked to NASCAR about what we can do to keep it going, but I would definitely be interested in that – in what I can do in my field to keep connected with the younger fans, keep them interested and keep bringing them in.”

ALL NASCAR TEAMS HAVE THE SAME BASIC THINGS – CREW CHIEFS, TEAM MEMBERS AND ALL THAT. PETTY HAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAT YOU PROBABLY HAVEN’T EXPERIENCED IN THE FORM OF RICHARD PETTY. HAVE YOU TALKED TO HIM? DO YOU THINK HE’S GOING TO HELP MENTOR YOU IN ANY WAY? IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD BE AN ADDED BENEFIT BECAUSE HAVING TALKED TO MR. PETTY MYSELF, I KNOW HOW MUCH KNOWLEDGE HE HAS.
“Yeah, I’ve talked to him actually quite a bit through all this – when we were trying to get the deal done and since we’ve got the deal signed and done, I’ve chatted with him quite a bit. It’s really neat for me to see how in-tune he is with everything that’s going on. You don’t really know until you spend time with somebody how much they’re really involved and what they’re doing. With The King, with his team, he’s all in. So, it’s been really neat to see and just get some advice from him right off the bat about dealing with sponsors, dealing with fans and things he’s done over his time in the sport to really nurture those relationships and build strong relationships with sponsors and fans. I’ve definitely enjoyed the time I’ve gotten to talk to him so far. For me, I’m looking forward to continuing that through the year and just being able to go to him, ask questions and get advice about something he’s been around his whole life. And most the time the sport has been around itself, he’s been involved too. I’m excited to grow that relationship and get to chat with him about racing and obviously hope to make him proud on the track. Running well is what he really cares about – he wants his car to go out and be successful and I hope we can do that.”

JERRY BAXTER (CREW CHIEF) SAID THAT THE STEP THE TEAM TOOK LAST YEAR, JUMPING UP SIX SPOTS IN POINTS, HE’S LOOKING TO DO THAT AGAIN NEXT YEAR WITH YOU. MAYBE THAT’S BEING A LITTLE GREEDY, BUT HE WANTS TO GET INTO THE TEENS. FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, IS THAT A REALISTIC GOAL? WHAT ARE YOU SHOOTING FOR, IN TERMS OF WHERE YOU THINK THIS TEAM CAN BE POINTS-WISE?
“I think that’s a realistic goal. The top-20 is the goal, for sure. They took a huge step last year, obviously like he said, and I think they’re just continuing to grow that relationship with RCR and that’s continuing to make them stronger. I think there’s even more stuff we can do this year that’s going to make us better. Hopefully, I can bring some knowledge from what I’ve done over at JGR and their group and continue to help RPM. It’s going to be interesting to see. Obviously, it’s a little tough with the development freeze – we’re not really able to go in and make parts and make things that are better than what they’ve had. But there’s still some aero development and stuff there that we can go out and hopefully work on.”
“Yeah, I’m excited. I’ve talked to Jerry a decent amount about next year. I think his excitement level matches mine in what we can go out and do next year. It’s just kind of a fresh start for everybody – it’s a fresh start for me, obviously it’s a fresh start for RPM with myself as a new driver and just a different group. It’s going to be fun to see. I’m excited to just be with a small group. It’s unique for me – I already know all the guys in the shop, which at JGR, I don’t know that I had the chance to meet every single person face-to-face through the time I was there. I’m excited and I think that’s a realistic goal to get in the top-20 in points.”

JERRY SAID IT’S PROBABLY GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF A CULTURE SHOCK FOR YOU, GOING FROM A COMPANY AS BIG AS JGR TO RPM. I KNOW YOU SAID YOU’VE BEEN UP THERE A LITTLE BIT TO GET ACCLIMATED. WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE TO JUST SEE HOW THEY DO THINGS AND BE AMONG A SMALLER GROUP? WAS IT AS MUCH OF A CULTURE SHOCK AS MAYBE HE THOUGHT IT WAS?
“It’s a lot different. It just kind of brings me back to short track racing to me more than anything – what I grew up doing in Late Models and stuff there. Obviously, that was my family team, so it was really just me, my dad, we had a crew chief a couple of times and that was it. The rest was help that was around us growing up in Michigan, local people. It reminds me more of that. I’ve enjoyed it. It’s nice to just be able to walk into the shop and right off the bat get to say ‘hi’ to everybody and there’s nowhere to walk around all day trying to get to see everybody that you need to see. So, I’ve enjoyed it. The communication is really easy – talking to Jerry (Baxter), talking to Philippe, everybody there that kind of makes the world go around. I’m excited for next year, just having one car to focus on. It’s all for us at RPM – we’re trying to go out and make the No. 43 run the best we can, which I think is pretty neat.”

YOU’VE ALWAYS BEEN A GREAT INTERVIEWER, ERIK. IS IT JUST ME OR AM I SEEING YOU ON SOCAL MEDIA MORE? YOU AND YOUR DOG, YOU READING STORIES AND WHATNOT. IT’S ALWAYS BEEN EASY TO TALK TO YOU, BUT I WONDER, ARE YOU KIND OF STEPPING UP THE SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE?
“Yeah, I mean it’s been intentional – you’re not just imagining things with that. It’s definitely been a work-in-progress over the last year and a half, just getting more active on social media. It’s not something that I was always heavy into. I didn’t share a lot from my personal life, I guess, on social media. But the world of motorsports is changing a lot in the last couple of years in what sponsors are interested in and what teams are interested in, and I think social media is a big part of that change. For me, it was kind of evolve or move on. So, I started to really push through social media and try to make it a bigger part of my life in a way that wasn’t overwhelming or overbearing for me, I guess.”

“It’s still a challenge at times. I don’t always think of things to share for what people want to see. The more you post, the fans are really interested in you sharing anything from your life, so I try hard to keep what I have going on day-to-day out there. We’ve done some cool stuff, obviously with the reading initiative that I’ve been doing for kids; reading some of the children books, which we started right at the start of the pandemic, which was not intentional. But it worked out really cool, people being at home and kids not being in school, being able to read some of those books and take some suggestions along the way. So, just some cool stuff we’re doing and I’m trying to think everyday of new things we can do on social media to keep interactive and keep it interesting.”

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OFF-SEASON NOW, ARE YOUR FEELINGS DIFFERENT THAN THEY WERE A YEAR AGO? OBVIOUSYLY, EVERYONE ALWAYS SAYS THEIR EXCITED AT THE START OF THE YEAR AND IF YOU’RE AT A NEW PLACE, YOU HAVE TO SAY THAT, AND I SURE YOU ARE. BUT DO YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT FEELING ABOUT ANYTHING THAN YOU DID A YEAR AGO?
“I think I feel re-invigorated more than anything – just excited to get the year started. I know you said everybody says they’re excited, but not lying and being totally truthful, I probably haven’t been this excited since my rookie year – coming into the Cup Series and just having a fresh start, a new group, something to build and roll together with is fun for me. When you feel like you’re really bringing something to an organization, that’s rewarding and I’ve felt that so far in being at RPM – just feeling valued, wanted and that I can bring something to the table in myself, help improve and, as a group, grow and get better. I think that’s probably, more than anything, more exciting for me and what’s energized me to get the season started. It seems like a lot of times you get to the off season and you’re thinking ‘man, I’m ready for that month or two off’. And this year, I was just ready to get to Daytona with those guys. I was over there right after Phoenix at RPM – getting to meeting everybody, spending time there, eating lunch with them. It’s just been a different feeling this off season for me and I think it’s been a good thing.”

YOU MENTIONED THE TRANSITION GOING TO A SMALLER TEAM AND OPERATION. HAS THERE BEEN A MAJOR ADJUSTMENT ALSO IN MOVING TO THE CHEVROLET SIDE OF THINGS, AFTER SPENDING SEVERAL YEARS OF YOUR DEVELOPMENT IN THE TOYOTA SYSTEM?
“Yeah, in a few ways. Obviously, names and faces are new and you’re trying to meet everybody and figure out what everybody’s role is in a short amount of time. Beyond that, it’s the simulation stuff – the simulator, how that works, who runs it, where it’s at, when do you get on it and how much can you use it, stuff like that. And just the processes, it’s just so different. The race team is the race team – at the end of the day, they’re all kind of ran the same way, they’re just smaller or bigger, this or that. But the manufacturers I think are pretty different and they all have different ways of thought and train of thought in how they run things and how things are accomplished. For me, it’s just been a learning process with Chevrolet to figure that out.”

“The easy thing with Chevrolet for me is just my connection with them from my whole life. Growing up around the Corvette company we had and that side of things. I had a ton of family that worked at GM – generational workers at GM. So, there’s a lot of things that are easy and natural for me with Chevrolet and GM. But figuring out the processes of how everything works internally with the race team side has definitely been an adjustment and a learning curve.”

YOU MENTIONED SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS YOU’VE HAD WITH RICHARD PETTY, SO FAR. HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND THE HISTORY OF JUST EVERYTHING HE’S BEEN ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE – JUST THE MAGNITUDE OF THE NO. 43, PETTY BLUE, ALL OF THOSE THINGS?
“It’s a little bit hard to totally grasp the impact that Richard Petty has had on NASCAR and the No. 43 itself. I never got to see The King race, so that’s kind of an interesting thing I think for me. But I know obviously his impact on the sport, what he means to NASCAR and what he means to NASCAR fans. Growing up, my grandmother was and still is a huge Richard Petty fan and there’s a lot of people that are really excited to see me in that car from back home. So, it’s been hard to wrap my head around that a little bit and really think about all the history in that car and what it’s meant to the sport. But I hope I can go out and do it and its fans proud. I know there’s a lot of fans of that car, just from back when Richard was driving it himself, so hopefully we can go out and make those fans happy.”

I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE LEVEL OF SECURITY YOU FEEL NOW BECAUSE THE LAST TWO YEARS, YOU WERE WORKING ON A ONE-YEAR CONTRACT. JUST TO KNOW YOU’RE SOMEWHERE THAT YOU’RE REALLY WANTED, YOU’RE NOT NECESSARILY IN A PECKING ORDER WITH ALL THE STAR POWER YOU HAD SURROUNDING YOU. HOW DOES THAT HELP YOUR CONFIDENCE GOING INTO 2021?
“It definitely helps a lot. You’re not so much worry about that. Obviously, I put a lot of pressure on myself to go and perform, and in the situation I was in, there was a lot of pressure to perform just naturally. Not just because they have fast race cars and that they win races, but the other drivers you’re surrounded with, as well. Obviously, the goal is to compete with those drivers and be able to go out and beat them, but it’s not an easy thing to do. I’m excited to get over to RPM and not be thinking about that – just be able to go out and voice my opinion on what I feel like the cars are doing, what we feel like we need to do better and be better at from my side of things. So, that’s exciting for me. And just not having to worry about everything else that’s going on outside is going to be kind of a relief. It’s just a group of true racers. Guys at that shop want to be there, want to race and they want to go to the track and succeed and run well. I think that’s kind of the same mentality for myself – I don’t want to go to the race track and just race and that’s kind of it. Hopefully, we can go and do really well, but definitely more excited for Daytona than I’ve been in a while. Like I said earlier, I feel energized about it and ready to get to the race track.”

I ASKED BRAD KESELOWSKI ONCE WHY THERE WASN’T MORE RACERS FROM MICHIGAN SINCE THEY HAVE SUCH A CAR CULTURE AND YOU CAN RELATE TO THIS SINCE YOU AND YOUR DAD’S LOVE FOR CORVETTES AND WORKING ON CARS. HE SAID GUYS LOVE CARS TOO MUCH TO WANT TO WRECK THEM ON A RACE TRACK. FROM A SOMEWHAT LONG LIST OF GUYS THAT HAVE COME FROM MICHIGAN, JUST THE CAR CULTURE – YOU TALKED ABOUT CHEVROLET, THERE’S GOT TO BE A SENSE OF PRIDE. YOU TALK ABOUT FAMILY PRIDE – MY GRANDFATHER WORKED A CHEVROLET. TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR A MICHIGAN GUY TO BE IN WITH A COMPANY THAT’S SO STEEP IN HISTORY LIKE PETTY ENTERPRISES.
“Yeah, I think it goes hand-in-hand. Getting to talk with some of the guys from Chevrolet on the phone over the last couple of weeks and just tell them my story was pretty fun. I don’t think those guys really knew, other than what I’ve been able to do in racing on the race track, kind of my history in being from Michigan. Being from just outside of Flint, which was obviously a huge manufacturing hub for General Motors for many years, it was cool to share that. And just the love of cars, that’s an easy thing to talk about and those guys are car guys. They have their own cars and stuff that they work on and are interested in. I shared some of the projects that I’ve done over the last few years, with the 1969 Corvette I restored, my dad’s Corvette – all that stuff was really a natural fit for me. Being from Michigan, there’s definitely people that are heavily ingrained in Chevy culture and I think that’s kind of what helps the transition be a little bit easier for me. But it was definitely cool to share the story with them, kind of my family and the history that we’ve had with General Motors and in the Flint area was pretty cool.”

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.

Yamaha bLU cRU Racers Secure Multiple National Championships in 2020

By

Official Release

-

December 15, 2020

Podium-Proven YXZ1000R, YFZ450R, and YZ250FX Racers Claim Victories Nationwide

MARIETTA, Ga., Dec. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Yamaha Motor Corp., USA’s Side-by-Side (SxS), ATV, and off-road motorcycle bLU cRU racers wrapped up the 2020 racing season, locking in several national championships and finishing on the podium across numerous series, including Championship Off-Road, ATV Motocross (ATV MX) and the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) racing series.

The Championship Off-Road series’ inaugural year capped off with bLU cRU racer, CJ Greaves, finishing the season in his Greaves Motorsports / Yamaha / Monster Energy / Maxxis YXZ1000R with multiple championships after taking both the Pro Stock SxS and Pro Mod SxS titles for a combined $25,000 in bLU cRU bonuses. Battling with Greaves in the Pro Mod SxS class and keeping the standings close all year, Powersports 1 / Beyond Redline YXZ1000R driver, Rodney VanEperen, finished the season strong with a first-place finish at the final round, enough to secure second overall, just shy of Greaves by a mere six points.

In the second-annual SXS Sports “King of the Elements” three race series, featuring closed-course tracks held on dirt and ice, the pure sport YXZ1000R secured both the Pro Stock and Sportsman championships with drivers VanEperen and Dylan Marquardt, respectively.

In the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series’ Production 1000 UTV class, Brock Heger secured eight podium finishes and three first-place finishes over the course of the season in his BH Motorsports / Maxxis / Weller Racing YXZ1000R for second overall.

GNCC’s reigning XC1 Pro ATV champion, Walker Fowler, clinched his sixth-straight title and the $10,000 bLU cRU championship bonus following his podium finish at round 11 on his Mark Notman-prepared WFR / GBC / Fly Racing YFZ450R, leading with 301 points and six first-place finishes – one of which included his 60th career win. Fowler was also awarded GNCC’s prestigious “ATV Rider of the Year” award at the series’ year-end banquet. Fellow Yamaha bLU cRU YFZ450R racers Brycen Neal and Cole Richardson secured a podium sweep for Yamaha, finishing the season in second and third, correspondingly. Between Fowler, Neal, and Richardson, the YFZ450R solidified its podium-proven prowess in the GNCC series, finishing first in all but one round, aiding in Yamaha capturing the GNCC’s ATV Manufacturer’s Cup for 2020.

BABS Racing’s Becca Sheets also clinched the GNCC’s WXC Bike championship at the 11th round, with six class wins on her YZ250FX. AmPro Yamaha Racing’s Rachael Archer captured her first WXC Bike win on her YZ250FX at the eighth round, along with the next four thereafter, finishing 2020 in second overall, even after missing the final round due to a season-ending injury incurred while capturing her fifth win. AmPro Yamaha Racing’s YZ250FX racers, Mike Witkowski and Cooper Jones finished second in XC2 and 150B, respectively. After taking a few races off and switching to Yamaha late in the season at the ninth round, AmPro Yamaha Racing’s Steward Baylor Jr. started and finished strong with all podiums on the new setup, mounting four overall wins and a second-place finish on his YZ450FX in the XC1 Pro Bike class. Baylor aims to be a solid GNCC championship contender for the bLU cRU in 2021 and already secured his place with the AmPro Yamaha Racing team for the next two years, alongside the returning Layne Michael, Witkowski, and Archer.

In support of GNCC’s annual “pink race” at the Yamaha Racing Ironman GNCC in Crawfordsville, Indiana, raising breast cancer awareness and funding local breast cancer care and research, Yamaha once again returned as a major contributor to the effort, committing $50 for each class win on a Yamaha, and an additional $50 for each 2020 Yamaha championship. This year, with 29 national championships and 35 race-day wins, Yamaha donated over $3,000 supporting the local Faith Alliance Fund, held at the Montgomery County Community Foundation.

Closing the season at this year’s virtual GNCC banquet, Yamaha awarded payout and prize opportunities to eligible bLU cRU racers competing in the majority of the XC2, Junior A, College A, Junior B, and College B ATV class rounds. Yamaha’s bLU cRU contingency for the overall winners of these GNCC classes were as follows:

XC2 ATV:

Second- $1,500, Drew Landers
Third- $750, Branden Owens
Fourth- $500, Wyatt J. Wilkin
Fifth- $250, Ronnie Rusch

Junior A: First- $500 ShopYamaha.com gift card, Nick Davidson
Junior B: First- $500 ShopYamaha.com gift card, Jacob Albaugh
College B: First- $500 ShopYamaha.com gift card, Caden Rine

In the American Motorcycle Association’s (AMA) ATV MX series, second all-time winning champion, Chad Wienen, secured his seventh AMA Pro title, in addition to the $10,000 bLU cRU racing bonus on his Wienen Motorsports / SSI / Fly Racing YFZ450R. Wienen also won the Pro Stock class for the second straight year after the category’s inception in 2019. Fellow bLU cRU YFZ450R racer, Thomas Brown, announced his retirement from ATV MX racing after another successful and consistent year on the podium, finishing third in the AMA Pro class and second overall in Pro Stock. Additionally in the ATV MX series, Andrea Berger secured the women’s championship in the WMX class on her Proven Off-Road YFZ450R.

For the 2020 ATV MX season, Yamaha’s bLU cRU racer support program offered payout and prize opportunities to eligible participants competing in the majority of the Production Stock rounds. Awarded at the year-end banquet in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Yamaha’s bLU cRU contingency for the overall winners of the 2020 ATV MX season’s Production Stock classes included:

Production Stock Premier:
First- $2,500, Chad Wienen
Second- $1,500, Thomas Brown
Third- $750, Max Lindquist
Fourth- $500, Michael Allred
Fifth- $250, Jacob Stevens
Production Stock: First- $500 ShopYamaha.com gift card, Blair Miller
Production Stock C: First- $500 ShopYamaha.com gift card, Rueger Orr
WMX: First- $500 ShopYamaha.com gift card, Andrea Berger

In addition to the bLU cRU payouts, eligible GNCC and ATV MX bLU cRU racers were entered to win a brand new YFZ450R. Through random selection during each series’ awards banquet, Mason Hunt won the ATV MX giveaway, while Cory Vandelinder won the GNCC giveaway.

Every Yamaha SxS and full-size ATV is proudly Assembled in the USA at Yamaha’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Newnan, Georgia, for worldwide distribution.

For more information on the bLU cRU program, including all guidelines and requirements for ATV and SxS racing, visit YamahabLUcRU.com. Follow Yamaha Outdoors on social at Facebook.com/YamahaOutdoors, Instagram.com/YamahaOutdoors, Twitter.com/YamahaOutdoors, or by searching the following hashtags on all social platforms: #YXZ1000R #YFZ450R #YZ250FX #YZ450FX #Yamaha #YamahaRacing #bLUcRU #ProvenOffRoad #REALizeYourAdventure #REALizeYourPodium #AssembledInUSA

About Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the outdoor recreation industry. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles, Snowmobiles, WaveRunner Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars, Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and Robotic Machines, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, Yamalube products, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of distributors and dealers in the United States.

YMUS has a corporate office in California, two corporate offices in Georgia, facilities in Wisconsin and Alabama, and factory operations in Tennessee and Georgia. Additional U.S.-based subsidiaries include Yamaha Marine Systems Company (YMSC) with divisions Bennett Marine (Florida) and Kracor Systems (Wisconsin), Skeeter Boats (Texas), with division G3 Boats (Missouri), and Yamaha Precision Propeller (Indiana).

ATVs over 90cc are recommended for use only by riders 16 years and older.
SxS Vehicles are recommended for use only by licensed drivers 16 years and older.

Riley Motorsports Confirms Team Managers for 2021 Racing Programs Across Three IMSA Racing Series

By

Official Release

-

December 15, 2020

Fourth-Year Riley Motorsports Team Manager Ben Levite Shifts Exclusively to New LMP3 Two-Car IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Program
New Riley Motorsports Management Addition Russ Ruedisueli Named Team Manager for IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Toyota Supra and IMSA Ferrari Challenge Programs

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (December 15, 2020) – Riley Motorsports has confirmed Team Managers across three IMSA racing series for 2021, with team veteran Ben Levite shifting exclusively to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and new team addition Russ Ruedisueli overseeing Riley’s IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and IMSA Ferrari Challenge operations.

Fourth-year Riley Motorsports Team Manager Levite focuses solely on running the team’s two-car IMSA WeatherTech Championship LMP3 program in 2021 while veteran high-performance automotive industry executive Ruedisueli has joined the Riley organization as Team Manager for the IMSA Pilot Challenge Toyota Supra Grand Sports (GS) and IMSA Ferrari Challenge programs.

“We have enjoyed some solid growth with our racing programs the last few seasons and further expanding with a pair of experienced and dedicated Team Managers is another step forward in our progress,” said Riley Motorsports President and Owner Bill Riley. “Ben Levite has done a great job managing the operations of several different Riley Motorsports teams in recent years and will continue to operate a multi-car team in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Russ Ruedisueli is a longtime colleague and teammate that brings decades of high-performance vehicle management and a passion for all things racing to Riley Motorsports.”

The 2021 racing season will be the third-straight year that Riley Motorsports competes in three different IMSA racing series. Riley continues its WeatherTech Championship program with a new two-car Ligier JS P320 LMP3 team in addition to debuting the new Toyota GR Supra GT4 program for the team’s third year of GS competition in Pilot Challenge. Riley is also set for its third Ferrari Challenge season in 2021.

“When Bill gave me a call it was pretty darn exciting,” Ruedisueli said. “Both the Ferrari and Toyota Supra programs will be very challenging, but I am really looking forward to working in both series with Riley Motorsports. The Toyota Supra program is similar to what we did together with the Viper in that it is new to IMSA and we will be getting a great car up to speed. The Ferrari series sounds like a competitive and interesting format and is a great marketing tool in bringing Ferrari customers into race cars.”

Ruedisueli joins Riley Motorsports after retiring from a more than 30-year career with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) a few years ago. He has an extensive high-performance vehicle and auto racing background within FCA and managed the factory support for multiple motorsports championships in NASCAR, NHRA, SCCA and IMSA. The IMSA success was in partnership with Riley Technologies and Riley Motorsports that collectively built and maintained the SRT Dodge Viper GTS-R and GT3-R cars that won numerous titles and championships.

“I worked with Russ back when we ran the championship-winning Viper program in GTLM, and I had a lot of respect for him and everyone at SRT, the entire FCA corporation on how they ran things, and the overall demeanor within the company,” Riley said. “When a need came up for additional management at Riley Motorsports, Russ was a great choice.”

Ruedisueli’s arrival complements Levite’s established relationship with Riley Motorsports, which he joined in 2012 as a Data Engineer on the Viper GTS-R GTLM program. Levite was promoted to Team Manager prior to the 2018 season, taking the reins of the WeatherTech Championship program while also overseeing the expansion into Pilot Challenge that same year.

“This will be Ben’s fourth year as a Riley Motorsports Team Manager and he has done a great job on our WeatherTech and GS programs the last three seasons,” Riley said. “He will be primarily focused on our two-car LMP3 assault in WeatherTech with Gar Robinson and Jim Cox. That’s a fairly tall order to run two cars at these major endurance events, so that will be his main focus along with a few other special projects.”

In addition to his high-performance automotive corporate background, Ruedisueli is also an accomplished SCCA driver. He has recorded several top-five finishes in Formula F (1600), including a career-best third place at Road America in 2012, in various appearances at the annual SCCA National Championship Runoffs over the years.

“Calling on that combined skillset was also a fairly big deciding factor,” Riley said. “You have the corporate side, where Russ was with Chrysler for 30-plus years, and then you have his club racer side as a competitor in SCCA, which is just as hard, but it is a different set of skills. It is a good combination that helped with our decision to ask him to join our team.”

In his new position, Ruedisueli, who also led the team that produced the Viper, Viper ACR and Hell Cat Powered SRT Chargers and Challengers at FCA, is relocating early in 2021 to the Mooresville, N.C. area from Detroit.

Both Levite and Ruedisueli respectively oversaw the operations of the new WeatherTech Championship LMP3 and Toyota Supra GS teams in a test last week at Daytona International Speedway.

“We have done a test together at Daytona and everything went very smooth,” Riley said. “Ben jumped right in on the LMP3 teams and from where he left off just a few weeks ago after the 2020 finale, and it seems like Russ is going to be up for the task of being the Team Manager for our Toyota Supra GS program and for our Ferrari Challenge program.”

Castrol® Expands Partnership with Roush Fenway Racing

By

Official Release

-

December 15, 2020

High-performance lubricant brand to continue serving as team’s official oil partner

Castrol to Serve as Primaries on both No. 6 and No. 17 Ford Mustangs

CONCORD, N.C., (December 15, 2020) – Roush Fenway Racing has announced that Castrol, who joined the team prior to the 2020 season, has expanded its partnership with Jack Roush’s championship organization in 2021 and beyond. In addition to serving as the team’s official oil partner, Castrol will serve as a primary on both Ryan Newman and Chris Buescher’s Cup Series entries in select events.

“We are very pleased to have Castrol expand their program with Roush Fenway,” said NASCAR Hall-of-Fame owner Jack Roush. “Castrol is one of the most recognized brands in the world and has been synonymous with high engine performance for decades. We consider it a distinct advantage to utilize their products in our Fords on the race track and look forward to growing the program off the track as well.”

Roush Fenway will continue to run Castrol Motor Oil exclusively in all of its Ford machines, with its 2021 debut as a primary partner coming at the Daytona Road Course on February 21 on Newman’s No. 6 Ford. The brand will also serve as the primary for the No. 6 team at the spring Talladega race, the Charlotte Roval and the season finale at Ford Championship weekend in Phoenix. Buescher’s No. 17 will carry the iconic Castrol colors at Atlanta and Michigan in July and August. Castrol will also be featured as an associate partner throughout the 2021 NASCAR season on both cars.

“Roush Fenway has been an outstanding partner over the last year and continuing this partnership was something we were very keen to do,” said Rayne Pacek, Castrol’s Vice President Marketing. “We are excited to continue to bring both fans and customers unique opportunities to get to know Ryan and Chris, as well as enhance the Castrol and Roush Fenway brands over the next two racing seasons”.

Roush Fenway and Castrol teamed up to win a prestigious MarCom Platinum Award in their debut season in 2020 for their work promoting the brand’s Garage Life platform, which highlighted Newman’s off-track hobbies during the early weeks of the COVID-19 shutdown. Entering 2021, the brand will continue to feature Newman and Buescher with unique social content geared to engage the NASCAR and car culture fan base.

Newman, who completed his 19th full Cup season in 2020, drove the Castrol Ford to a 15th-place run early in the year at Bristol and improved on that with a 13th-place finish in the summer at Michigan with Castrol on board.

Newman enters his 20th full season in NASCAR’s top series in 2020, and third behind the wheel of Jack Roush’s iconic No. 6 machine. He enters 2021 with 263 career top-10s, including 115 finishes inside the top five, and 18 wins. Buescher, a five-year Cup veteran, embarks on his second season in the seat of the No. 17 Ford. The Texas native is fresh off a campaign that brought him eight top-10 finishes, doubling his previous career-high dating back five years.

About Castrol
Castrol, a global leader in lubricant technology, serves consumers in over 140 countries. Our leadership brands include Castrol® GTX® — a premium conventional motor oil; Castrol® GTX® High–Mileage™ – a premium synthetic blend designed for vehicles with over 75,000 miles; the Castrol® EDGE ® line of advanced full-synthetic super premium motor oils that offer unsurpassed strength and performance; as well as our range of commercial transport lubricants. To find out more about Castrol products and programs, please call 1–888–CASTROL or visit www.castrol.com/us

About Roush Fenway Racing
Roush Fenway Racing is one of the most successful teams in NASCAR history, fielding multiple teams in NASCAR Cup Series. Set to begin its 34th season in 2021, Roush Fenway is a leader in driver development, having launched the careers for many of the top drivers in the sport. Off-track, Roush Fenway is a leader in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning Social Media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns. Roush Fenway is co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner Jack Roush and Fenway Sports Group, parent company of Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox and English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C. Visit RoushFenway.com, become a fan on Facebook and Instagram, and follow on Twitter at @roushfenway.

AmericanTrucks Launches F150 Bedcover Sweeps

By

Official Release

-

December 15, 2020

Brought to you by Proven Ground | Enter Daily Until 1/15/2021

PAOLI, Pa. (December 14, 2020) – Aftermarket truck parts retailer, AmericanTrucks (AT) is giving away two (2), Proven Ground bed covers valued at $1200. Entries are accepted daily during the promotional period which begins at 12:00 a.m. EST on December 15, 2020, and ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on January 15, 2021. No purchase is necessary to enter or win.

Proven Ground offers rugged styling parts for on and off-road enthusiasts. In addition to their tonneau covers, the brand offers fender flares, bumpers, exhaust systems, polished tips, and more.

Two Grand Prize winners will receive a Proven Ground bed cover of their choice as available on americantrucks.com. All styles are on the table, from roll up bed covers to hard folding tonneau covers. Winners will be drawn from all eligible entries on or about January 15, 2021 and notified shortly thereafter. The sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the United States, District of Columbia, and Canada who are age 18 or older at the time of entry. Some exclusions apply. Additional information and rules of entry can be found on the entry page below.

Enter daily here: https://www.americantrucks.com/truck-bed-tonneau-covers.html

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

About AmericanTrucks

AmericanTrucks is regarded as one of the best, most reliable online aftermarket retailers providing parts and accessories for F150, F250, Ranger, Silverado, Sierra, and RAM. Catering to the needs and demands of late-model truck owners and enthusiasts, AmericanTrucks provides the best parts with support from genuine truck experts. Located just outside of Philadelphia, AmericanTrucks is dedicated to offering the truck community with the highest quality of parts and customer service. Please visit https://www.americantrucks.com for more information.

23XI Racing announces sponsors; Our Motorsports fields two cars and NASCAR at COTA

By

SM

-

December 15, 2020

NASCAR Cup Series 62nd Annual Daytona 500 — During the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 17, 2020. Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images.

The Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin owned team, 23XI Racing (pronounced twenty-three eleven) has announced their sponsorship for the 2021 season. The No. 23 Toyota Camry with driver Bubba Wallace behind the wheel will have DoorDash, McDonald’s, Columbia Sportswear, Dr. Pepper, and Root Insurance on the car and is fully sponsored for the 2021 season.

“This is an opportunity of a lifetime for me and there are no more excuses. We want to go out and win and I know we’ll have everything we need each week to make that happen.” Wallace said. “To have great partners in DoorDash, McDonald’s, Columbia Sportswear, Dr. Pepper and Root Insurance come on board and show their support of me and this team is really cool.”

Wallace has driven the No. 43 for Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) in the past three seasons. Wallace had three top-5’s and nine top-10’s in the three years with RPM. Wallace also has six total NASCAR Camping World Truck Series wins. Erik Jones will join the RPM organization in 2021 as the driver of the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS), made famous by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty.

23XI Racing will have a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR). Wallace will finally have the sponsorship and alliance that he did not have at RPM that can make him one of the favorites picks at DraftKings in February at Daytona International Speedway.

Hamlin confirmed on Friday that his former crew chief Mike Wheeler will be Bubba Wallace’s crew chief. Wheeler was Hamlin’s crew chief from 2016 to 2018.

Howard to full time at JD Motorsports

JD Motorsports has announced that 19-year-old Colby Howard will move to full-time status in 2021 with their team in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS). Howard will drive the No. 15 Chevrolet Camaro with Wayne Carroll as his crew chief.

“I cannot thank (team owner) Johnny Davis and Gary Keller enough for the opportunity to run a full season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series next year” Howard said.

Howard had 22 starts last season with seven top-20 finishes.

Its now two cars for Our Motorsports

Our Motorsports, a NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team will expand to a two-car program for the 2021 season. Two-time NXS Champion Tyler Reddick and NASCAR Cup Series regular will drive the team’s second Chevrolet Camaro in Daytona in February, but the full driver line-up and sponsorship for the second entry will be announced at a later date.

“I’m very thankful to Our Motorsports for the opportunity and am looking forward to partnering with Brett to get the season off to a solid start,” Reddick said.

Brett Moffitt, a former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver has been confirmed to drive the team’s No. 02 Chevrolet in 2021.

Inaugural May 21-23 NASCAR at COTA Event Weekend Announced

After careful consideration for what will create an unforgettable experience for the fans and an incredible challenge for the drivers, Speedway Motorsports officials have selected the iconic 3.41-mile long course for all competition during the inaugural May 21-23 NASCAR at COTA event weekend.

“We took a hard look at both the 3.41-mile long course and the newly reconfigured 2.2-mile short course,” said Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith. “There’s no doubt the long course will be the most entertaining for the fans. There are more sightlines and opportunities for hillside viewing, plus we’ll have additional options for trackside camping.

“Every NASCAR driver will be challenged by the same 20-turn, counterclockwise circuit designed for Formula One racers.”

5 Upgrades You Should Do To Your GMC Canyon

By

SM

-

December 15, 2020

It is always good that you should upgrade your GMC Canyon. Trucks are a great vehicle and they can be an indispensable tool for work, a great way to have fun, or simply a reliable way to move you or your cargo from one place to another.

Time to move on to your GMC canyon Lift Kit!

5 Upgrades You Should Do To Your GMC Canyon – Always Look for Better and Bigger

The GMC is a new generation of cars that are designed concerning future tendencies and technologies. Although there are varieties of upgrades you can do to your GMC Canyon, we have picked up the most favorite ones for you.

Let’s have a look at the list

Floor mats
Side steps
Tonneau cover
Exhaust modifications
Mud Guards

So, without wasting more time, let’s move towards the bonus upgrades!

Floor mats – Where to keep your feet?

Undoubtedly, mats are important when you plan to upgrade your vehicle. Although it is a minor modification, having an amazing interior will change in general the feel of your vehicle.

These mats can be washed easily because once they become dirty you can simply remove and wash them. You no longer need to worry about thorough cleanups as it has a reservoir trap that will carry fluid away from your feet.

You must also note that these mats will eliminate the possibility of your car going dirty because of their absorbing effects the dirt will not carry away to other parts of your vehicle.

Also, it doesn’t only take seconds to put in but will surely make a huge difference to your truck.

They are made up of high-grade material which will perform flawlessly in even extreme conditions. This material will provide elevated strength, high friction, and your feet a tactile surface to rub and kick. This is a key pain point for several drivers and we ensure that our floor mats won’t disappoint you.

Side steps – Know your way to step up!!!

Who wouldn’t want to step out of their car smoothly and safely?

Firstly, you need to know that there are two types of side steps available in this vehicle:

Tough metal: It is more durable, will provide more resistance, and will ensure that you enter your car safely.

Rubberized platforms: These will help you enter your car more safely as rubber provides more grip than the metal ones and will eradicate the effect of free fall.

Hence, it is important to see which one suits your needs. There are advantages and disadvantages to both of them and you need to make a calculated decision about which one to buy. Indeed, it depends on what you require.

Tonneau Covers – Protect your Car and Cargo

They are easy to install and will cover the bed of your truck completely. Also, these can roll and unroll easily and you can operate them with a single hand.

Moreover, you can protect your goods and other essentials securely, safe, and dry as it will completely cover the bed of your truck.

The two most important types of covers available are:

Roll–up Tonneau cover: It will cover the entire bed of your truck and is more spacious.

Tri–fold Tonneau cover: This is useful if you want to secure your cargo under a bed cover and you hardly ever need to use your whole bed.

Stick till the end to find out more!

Exhaust modifications – Improve power output

Never chain down your beast with restrictive stock equipment. Rather set it free and let it unleash every pinch of power it can pump out.

For that, an upgraded exhaust will help improve the power output of your vehicle. Therefore, as more air will flow out of your car’s engine, the more air will flow in.

A variety of exhausts are available in the market:

Firstly, cat-back exhaust will help your truck engine to escape exhaust fumes quickly and easily. Their exhaust sound seems to be like a roar.

Secondly, the side exhaust is of great help too. This will deposit fumes off to the side of your vehicle and you can hear the exhaust noise more easily.

Lastly, you have exhaust tips. If you don’t want to spend a lot, these are great. They are simple to install and won’t cost an arm or leg.

Mud Guards – Keeping your vehicle clean and clear

This special upgrade plays an important role in your vehicle performance.

Want to know how?

As you all know that rocks, gravel, and salty slush always put your vehicle’s paint in danger. Therefore, this upgrade will act as a strong shield and keep your truck finish clean and scratch free.

The duo purpose mudguards are designed to support your car’s cleanliness and ensure that you reach your destination in a decent look. Mud guards will also clear out any dirt that comes as a reaction to your driving.

Mud Guards will block dirt from ruining your truck and will not make it look messy at all. Also, they can be installed easily without any hassle.

Conclusion:

Although there are a variety of options you need to consider whenever lifting GMC Canyon and the upgrades discussed above will be a great place to start from. It will help to improve the feel, performance, and looks of your GMC Canyon.

As we have discussed in detail about how the various aspects of this vehicle can improve your performance output here are a few tips to boost your aura:

Don’t rush into a performance upgrade as each feature has its benefit.
All these features will eventually add in enhancing how your lift canyon goes by.

Meta description:

Why do you need to upgrade your GMC Canyon? Will it improve your vehicle’s performance? Here is the answer to all your questions.

SpeedwayMedia.comOnline Resource for Motorsports Information

SpeedwayMedia.comOnline Resource for Motorsports Information

AMSOIL Introduces New 100% Synthetic Diesel Oil for Smaller Diesel Engines

McLeod & Tifft’s Live Fast Motorsports, 2021 Newest Team

2020 Formula One season in review

CHEVY NCS: Erik Jones Teleconference Transcript

Yamaha bLU cRU Racers Secure Multiple National Championships in 2020

Riley Motorsports Confirms Team Managers for 2021 Racing Programs Across Three IMSA Racing Series

Castrol® Expands Partnership with Roush Fenway Racing

AmericanTrucks Launches F150 Bedcover Sweeps

23XI Racing announces sponsors; Our Motorsports fields two cars and NASCAR at COTA

5 Upgrades You Should Do To Your GMC Canyon

5 Upgrades You Should Do To Your GMC Canyon – Always Look for Better and Bigger

Floor mats – Where to keep your feet?

Side steps – Know your way to step up!!!

Tonneau Covers – Protect your Car and Cargo

Exhaust modifications – Improve power output

Mud Guards – Keeping your vehicle clean and clear

SpeedwayMedia.comOnline Resource for Motorsports Information

Site Map

Archives

Popular Category