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2021 NASCAR Race Weekend at Auto Club Speedway Realigned to Daytona Road Course

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Official Release
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Timeline for Approval of Proposed Redevelopment Project Ongoing

FONTANA, Calif. (Dec. 8, 2020) – As NASCAR returns to competition for the start of the 2021 season in February, Auto Club Speedway’s NASCAR event weekend scheduled for February 26-28 has been canceled. As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic nationwide, this race weekend has been realigned to the DAYTONA Road Course for the second race weekend of the season, February 19-21.

“First and foremost, the health, safety and well-being of our fans, competitors, stakeholders and track personnel remains our top priority,” said Auto Club Speedway President Dave Allen. “The decision to realign our 2021 race weekend was an extremely difficult one. We will miss seeing the greatest fans in motorsports at the track and hearing the roar of NASCAR engines in Southern California this season. However, our colleagues across the industry will have our full support during the DAYTONA Road Course events and throughout the entire 2021 season, and we look forward to welcoming NASCAR competition back at Auto Club Speedway in 2022.”

Additionally, in conjunction with the realignment of Auto Club Speedway’s 2021 race weekend, the efforts will continue with the proposed redevelopment project to transform the track into a high-banked short track. Timing for approval will occur at a later date based on the impacts from COVID-19. This will allow fans and the industry the opportunity to properly close the history books on the storied 2-mile, D-shaped oval for what could be the final race on its original surface in 2022.

All customers who purchased tickets to the 2021 race weekend at Auto Club Speedway will be automatically moved to the 2022 race weekend. The track will also give an additional 20% credit that can be used at any NASCAR event at a NASCAR-owned track, subject to availability through the end of 2022. Fans interested in other options can visit AutoClubSpeedway.com/assistance.

About NASCAR

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

Daytona International Speedway Adds NASCAR Road Course Weekend in February

By
Official Release
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Week After Season-Opening DAYTONA 500, the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Make Historic Return to 14-Turn, 3.61-Mile DAYTONA Road Course, Feb. 19-21

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 8, 2020) –  NASCAR and Daytona International Speedway announced today, that for the second consecutive year, the storied DAYTONA Road Course will play host to the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Feb. 19-21, just one week after the 63rd running of the DAYTONA 500.

Due to several challenges as a result of the ongoing pandemic and the need for significant planning, the tripleheader on the iconic 14-turn, 3.61-mile road course-oval hybrid, replaces NASCAR’s visit to Auto Club Speedway (CA), and realigns one event from Homestead-Miami Speedway. The result is the creation of historic back-to-back weekends of action at the World Center of Racing to start the 2021 NASCAR season.

The two realigned Auto Club NASCAR events – the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Cup Series – will take the green flag, respectively on Feb. 20-21. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, originally set at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Feb. 19, will now occupy the same date, but instead take place on the twists and turns of the DAYTONA Road Course.

After two weeks of action at Daytona, NASCAR will then make the trek down I-95 to Homestead-Miami Speedway (Feb. 27-28), one week later than originally scheduled, for a doubleheader weekend featuring the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series to round out the Florida swing.   

This past August, NASCAR’s top-tier series made their first-ever appearances on the DAYTONA Road Course, made famous by the Rolex 24 At DAYTONA, North America’s premier race for sports cars since 1962. Recently crowned NASCAR Champions Chase Elliott, Austin Cindric and Sheldon Creed all were victorious during the history-making events in 2020 on the road course that uses portions of the track’s high banks and infield road course. 

“Daytona International Speedway is known for iconic moments, and last year’s historical, first NASCAR road course races were incredibly exciting and added to the legacy of the World Center of Racing,” said Speedway President Chip Wile. “It was also great to see our trio of winners go on and hoist Championship trophies at Phoenix. We’re thrilled to have all three series back.”

Like the events of DAYTONA Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth, which culminates with the DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, Feb. 14, all three DAYTONA Road Course events will have limited fan capacity and will abide by health protocols.

Single and multi-day tickets, as well as RV camping packages, are available at www.DaytonaInternationalSpeedway.com, and start at $59 for adults and $10 for children to the NASCAR Cup Series race. Fans wishing to attend all three of the NASCAR road course-oval hybrid events can save 25% on multi-day packages.

For information and schedule of racing events, including the Tuesday night Busch Clash on the DAYTONA Road Course as part of Speedweeks, (Feb. 9-14), log onto www.DAYTONA500.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP.

Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for the latest Speedway news throughout the season.

About Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a state-of-the-art motorsports facility and was awarded the SportsBusiness Journal’s prestigious Sports Business Award for Sports Facility of the Year in 2016. Daytona International Speedway is the home of The Great American Race – the DAYTONA 500. Though the season-opening NASCAR Cup Series event garners most of the attention – as well as the largest audience in motorsports – the approximately 500-acre motorsports complex, also known as the World Center of Racing, boasts the most diverse schedule of racing on the globe. In addition to at least nine major event weekends, the Speedway grounds are also used extensively for events that include concerts, civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo shoots, production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training.

About NASCAR

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

NASCAR Adjusts Two 2021 Race Weekends in February

By
Official Release
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 8, 2020) – Due to challenges resulting from the ongoing pandemic and the need for significant advance planning, NASCAR will adjust two race weekends immediately following the 63rd running of the DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, Feb. 14. All three NASCAR national series will now remain in Daytona to run a tripleheader at the storied road course Feb. 19-21 before the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series head down to Homestead-Miami Speedway on Feb. 27-28.

The NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the Daytona road course will replace the events originally scheduled to take place at Auto Club Speedway on Feb. 27-28. The Camping World Truck Series race is realigned from the event originally scheduled to take place at Homestead-Maimi Speedway on Friday, Feb. 19.

After consecutive race weekends in Daytona, the Cup and Xfinity Series will make the trek to Homestead-Miami Speedway one week later than originally scheduled, rounding out the Florida swing Feb. 27-28.

Following the events at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will all head to Las Vegas Motor Speedway as originally planned March 5-7.

FOX Sports platforms will carry coverage of all aforementioned race weekends, including annual coverage of the DAYTONA 500 on FOX. A complete schedule of start times and networks for all three series will be announced soon.

About NASCAR

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

KBM Announces Crew Chief Lineup for 2021

By
Official Release
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MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Dec. 8, 2020) – Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) announced today the crew chief lineup for its three full-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams in 2021. Eric Phillips, the winningest crew chief in Truck Series history, returns to the organization and will guide John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 4 team; Danny Stockman, who returns for his second season at KBM, will call the shots for Chandler Smith and the No. 18 team; and the organization has added Mardy Lindley to oversee the No. 51 Tundra with Kyle Busch and other drivers that will be named at a later date.

Phillips was hired by KBM in 2010 to lead the No. 18 team in its debut season and helped build the organization into one of the premiere teams in all of NASCAR before departing at the end of the 2014 season. Under his guidance, the No. 18 team won eight races in its inaugural campaign and became the first team in Truck Series history to capture an Owner’s championship in its first season of competition. In 2014, he led the No. 51 team to an owner’s championship and his team’s 10 wins spearheaded KBM to a single-season Truck Series record of 14 wins. His 37 career Truck Series victories make him the winningest crew chief in Truck Series history, with 27 of those coming while at KBM. Additionally, Phillips has nine career victories atop the pit box in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

Stockman led the No. 51 team to four wins in his first season atop the pit box at KBM in 2020. He came to the organization with experience as a crew chief in all three national series, including a Truck Series championship with Austin Dillon in 2011 and an XFINITY Series championship with Dillon in 2013. Stockman’s XFINITY Series drivers totaled seven wins and 19 poles from 2012 to 2018 and after last season his Truck Series totals stand at eight wins and 13 poles.

Lindley has guided his drivers to 32 wins and four ARCA Menards Series East championships since 2013, including back-to-back titles with Sam Mayer the last two seasons. Additionally, he earned the ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief Showdown championship with Mayer this year. Behind the wheel, the second-generation driver won 11 races on the Pro Cup Series from 2000 to 2006 and was crowned the series champion in 2001.

The 2021 season gets underway with the running of the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on Friday, Feb. 12.

About Kyle Busch Motorsports:

Since debuting in 2010, Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) has quickly established itself as one of the most successful teams in all of NASCAR. Owned by two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch and fueled by his passion for winning, the organization holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (80) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers; Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).

KBM prepares a fleet of race-winning Toyotas out of its state-of-the art 77,000-square-foot facility in Mooresville, N.C. Fans can stay up-to-date with all the latest KBM news online at www.KyleBuschMotorsports.com, by liking the team on Facebook (KBMteam) and by following the team on Instagram (KBMteam), and Twitter (@KBMteam).

Mazda Continues Generous Support of MX-5 Cup with Increased Prize Payouts

By
Official Release
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Over $500,000 in support up for grabs as series prepares for Daytona debut in January

December 8, 2020 – Mazda has reaffirmed its commitment to the Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires series by once again increasing the size of its championship prizes. As the series prepares to run under the IMSA banner for the first time starting in 2021, Mazda has taken the initiative to make MX-5 Cup more inviting than ever for drivers and teams by expanding championship prize offerings.

With Mazda having a well-established record of supporting racers from the grassroots level all the way to IMSA’s top DPi class, the 2021 season will mark yet another chapter of that commitment.

All together Mazda will award more than $560,000 in year-end prizes, including a $250,000 payout for the 2021 Champion. The prize package will also see the championship podium finishers earn significant payouts, as the runner up driver will earn $85,000, while the third-place points earner will emerge with $50,000 at the end of the 2021 season.

In addition to the $50,000 increase of funding that will be awarded to the Champion, Mazda will also pay prize money to the top 10 finishers in the championship points, which doubles the number of drivers taking home checks at the end of the season.

The 2021 MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Year prize also sees an increase from $75,000 to $80,000. This combined with the championship prizes and the $28,000 in Hard Charger Awards to be handed out over the season equals the remarkable sum of $568,500 that Mazda has committed to MX-5 Cup drivers and teams.

“Everyone at Mazda is looking forward to the next chapter in the Mazda MX-5 Cup with IMSA,” said Mazda Motorsports director Nelson Cosgrove. “We feel that it is some of the best door-to-door racing in the world! Our hope is to reward this amazing competition with a new and updated Championship and Rookie of the Year prize package. The Daytona kickoff is right around the corner and we cannot wait to get things started.”

The end of year scholarship payout will follow a season of racing that is set to take place at some of the most iconic tracks on the continent, from Daytona International Speedway to Canadian Tire Motorsports Park to the streets of St. Petersburg.

The year-end prize package isn’t the only support that Mazda provides. In addition to securing the services of Andersen Promotions to manage the series and the support provided by technical partner Flis Performance, Mazda also generates a healthy support package for talented and deserving racers with the annual Mazda Shootout.

The 2021 season will see American racer Aaron Jeansonne put his $110,000 scholarship to work after winning the Mazda Shootout last month, with Chris Nunes and Savanna Little both having earned $75,000 in support to take part in next year’s Mazda MX-5 Cup following the two-day event held at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

The start of the 2021 Mazda MX-5 Cup season at Daytona International Speedway is only seven weeks away, January 28 – 30. It will be the series’ debut at the famous 3.56-mile roval.

More exciting news about the 2021 Mazda MX-5 Cup season will be announced shortly.

The 2021 MX-5 Cup Championship payouts are as follows:

1st – $250,000
2nd – $85,000
3rd – $50,000
4th – $20,000
5th – $15,000
6th – $12,000
7th – $10,000
8th – $7,500
9th – $6,000
10th – $5,000

About: The Global Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires is the signature spec series for the Mazda Road to 24 (#MRT24). Mazda-powered grassroots champions earn a Mazda scholarship to advance their career. The Global Mazda MX-5 Cup champion earns a $200,000 scholarship.

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

Nashville Superspeedway launches new brand, website, merchandise; announces ticket sale dates

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Official Release
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3 Tips for Becoming a Better Defensive Driver

By
SM
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Everyone remembers the first time they were allowed to hit the road. The possibilities were endless. Being 16 years old and free was one of the best things that ever happened to anyone. The world was your oyster. But, the sad truth is, you most likely were prepared for that freedom. It’s not because you as a person, but the skill handed to you was not just a skill but a responsibility.

Hundreds of people die every year from car accidents. Families have been ripped apart because of responsibility and lack of attention. It would be best if you didn’t have to worry about what other people will do so when you are behind the wheel. After all, it is your life in someone else’s hands. Lucky for you, there are some tips to make sure you are as defensive as possible when behind the wheel. 

Choose a Safe Car 

You can’t put a price on human life, so buying a vehicle that you know will provide the safest environment for you and your family to hit the road in will be essential. Often, SUVs and trucks are the safest options because they are more significant than most vehicles, so if in an accident, they will maintain their structure. 

That being said, SUVs and trucks are much more expensive than smaller compact cars, but the price tag of safety is well worth it. Also, smaller cars are very safe and reliable, but they also would cost more than your average vehicle. Just make sure you choose a safe car for you and your family. 

Distance Between Vehicles

It is easy to forget how close you are to trailing someone on the road, but the truth is, most accidents occur from people following too closely to one another. It is required to keep a four-car or more distance between you and the person in front of you. Unfortunately, this rule is scarcely enforced, and therefore it is easy to rear-end the person in front of you. 

All it takes is one little swerve or weave to cause an accident if you are that close to someone. Keeping a safe distance between cars and being cautious behind the wheel are two giant steps towards becoming a more defensive driver. 

Making Sure You are in the Right State of Mind

Being under the influence of anything while operating a vehicle is highly illegal and extremely dangerous. Still, another thing that flys a little more under the radar is driving while tired. If you wake up and feel a bit extra sluggish that morning, make sure you grab a shower and a coffee cup before heading to work. 

Studies have shown that driving while tired is just as dangerous as driving while drunk. Many accidents occur when the offending driver is drowsy. 

People are going to make their own decisions. Whether that is to make sure they have a cup of coffee and a shower in the morning to wake themselves up or drive drowsy. It may even be that they have had a couple of drinks at the bar and decide they are OK to go home. This being said, their choices should not be able to affect your life. 

Conclusion

It is a mutual respect that people share that makes humanity what it is. But, sometimes, people break this respect and put other people’s lives in danger. Having the ability to avoid this danger is extremely valuable. Don’t be why someone loses their family, and be safe on the road to make sure you don’t lose yours.

2020 Year in Review – Cruz Pedregon

By
Briar Starr
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Photo Courtesy of Cruz Pedregon Racing

This year has been wild and unpredictable for many racers, including Funny Car Veteran, Cruz Pedregon, who entered his 28th year of competition. Speedway Media caught up with the Two-Time Funny Car Champion to discuss his 2020 season.

After the 2019 season, Pedregon entered the year with high hopes after earning one semi-final, five quarter rounds, and 18 first-round matchups last year. The California native entered the season with the same mindset from last year.

“Expectations were going to be a top-five car like we always enter,” Pedregon said. “That (expectations) was changed with everything that went on, especially the abbreviated runs. Our operations needed those runs. Ninety-six runs is normally what we get in a 24 race schedule and we only got a third of that. (Unfortunately), that put our performance in the can.”

Like most seasons in the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association), the season was going along smoothly without interruption and was on track for another 24-race schedule. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit the weekend of the 52nd annual Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida and everything was immediately shut down for several months. NHRA shut down until July before returning with races in Indianapolis. Pedregon remembers exactly where he was when he heard the news.

“I was in Gainesville, Florida at a Snap-On ride-along function and I literally got the call as I was headed to the track,” he said. “At the time, I didn’t know what was going to happen, (the virus) was a complete unknown. I thought we were going to be down one month, not months.”

Pedregon also added how the pandemic has impacted his 2020 season financially as a team.

“Well, it’s all about the economics with the COVID scenario,” the two-time Funny Car Champion said. “As a Team Owner, we had to turn over every rock, hotels, our people, fuel. It has required us to look at everything and scrutinize everything and it’s taught everyone that there are better ways to go about doing business and COVID (is) a lesson to move forward.”

Fortunately, NHRA announced their return to competition in mid-summer with consecutive races at the Indianapolis racetrack in Brownsburg, Indiana. With all the time off in-between, some race teams felt the restart was a fresh start for most people especially Cruz Pedregon.

On that same weekend, he qualified seventh but lost to Tim Wilkerson in the first round. Pedregon offered his insight on what he could have done to advance further into the rounds.

“Yes, I felt like it was a fresh start for us,” Pedregon said. “Early on, we were like a football team, trying to establish good consistent runs and not even worry about going fast at what we did. We accomplished consistency and I think our full run percentage was up near 90 (percent) and later we were going to incorporate the speed but the speed took more runs with what we had at the time.”

Even though Pedregon lost in the first round at the first Indy race following the restart, the Snap-On driver had some memorable highlights of the season such as qualifying third at St. Louis and making the quarter-final three times.

“I would say the third Indy race (was my favorite moment of 2020),” he said. “We had low E.T. of final qualifying run of Q2 (Qualifying Session No. 2) on the hottest part of the racetrack. We appeared to be well in position to win the race the next day. However, the second round we had a mechanical issue that prevented that from happening.”

Photo Courtesy of Cruz Pedregon Racing

Most drivers have an area that they would like to improve on as a driver and Pedregon is no different.

“In racing, it’s always about speed and with the new team I hired, I feel we’re going to have that balance and consistency it takes to be in the late rounds and win the races,” Pedregon said.

Though the 2020 season has not been the best of seasons for Pedregon, the 57-year-old had added some new sponsors as of late for the 2021 season. These include Mothers Polish, KICKER Performance Audio and TRU-SPEC, to name a few. The recent announcements have encouraged Pedregon as he looks ahead to the 2021 season.

“(I’m) very excited,” Pedregon said. “There’s a lot of work going into the season, since the season is so long. Long hard days, weeks, building not just a racecar but a race program. I mean, everything we’ve done, building the inventory up, it’s a long process but it’ll be worth it in the end.”

And as the 2021 season approaches, there are no days off in the Pedregon camp as they continue to prepare as a race team before the start of the Gaternationals.

“My owner hat is on now, strictly working with JC (John Collins, Pedregon’s New Crew Chief) and acquiring the necessary equipment to where he is comfortable and familiar, so we hit the ground running and not skip a beat with our performance.”

2021 could be a big year for Pedregon as he looks to add more victories to the wins column and continue to be a successful NHRA Funny Car driver.

“(I’m looking forward) to being a contender again, and pulling in the gate knowing we have a chance to win the race.”

Photo Courtesy of Cruz Pedregon Racing

In 2020, Cruz Pedregon saw three quarter-round matchups and eight first-round matchups. In addition, his highest qualifying run was third at St. Louis earlier this year and he had a round win/loss record of 3-11. Pedregon finished 10th in Funny Car points standings.

Fans wanting more information on Cruz Pedregon Racing can “Like” him on Facebook, follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

Fans can also find more information on Snap-On by following them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and by visiting their website.

Special thanks to Caleb Cox for coordinating the interview and Cruz Pedregon for being gracious with his time.

Magnus Racing Partners with Archangel Motorsports for 2021 IMSA Season

By
Official Release
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TOOELE, UTAH. (December 7, 2020) – The 2021 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is set to begin with the Roar Before the 24, January 22-24, and Magnus Racing has big changes ahead for the approaching season. The team, who ran the year as GRT Magnus Racing in a partnership with Grasser Racing, will not partner with GRT for next season, but instead race an Acura NSX GT3 Evo together with Archangel Motorsports.

“The Lamborghini was a good car and it was great working with their people,” said Team Somebody John Potter. “I want to thank the crew and Magnus Racing and GRT folks for their work this year. In the end, I want to change some variables. I am excited to take on something new, and I look forward to working with Acura and building on their success.”

Andy Lally will return for another season as Potter’s co-driver, as the two take on the new challenge, racing the 2020 GTD class’s Manufacturer Champion. The Acura will primarily be run by Archangel Motorsports and some Magnus personnel.

More details on how to follow John, Andy, and the No. 44 car will come in the coming months. Despite being less Magnus-y, John, Andy, et al. might be persuaded to do a poster for Daytona 2021. We welcome fan lobbying and ideas for poster, livery, suits whatever, via social media. They might even award prizes based on no logical criteria, and they might end up choosing their own ideas. Either way, get posting, because we’re already way behind this off season.

“The hardest part of changing all these things year-after-year is needed to go through these painful design processes every year,” said Potter. “You know I am behind when we show up naked at the Roar.”

The Roar Before the 24 will act as IMSA’s first official test of the 2021 season before kicking off the championship a week later with the Rolex 24 At Daytona, January 28-31. Tickets for the event are on sale now, with likely limited pit and paddock access for the general public. To stay up-to-date on all the events and COVID restrictions, visit imsa.com.

Magnus Racing will continue to distribute brief pre-event tune in emails, but please click here to subscribe to in-depth press releases from Magnus with Archangel.

Chandler Smith to Drive the No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass® Tundra in 2021

By
Official Release
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18-Year-Old Toyota Racing Development Driver Graduates to Full-Time Truck Series Campaign

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (December 7, 2020) – Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) announced today that Chandler Smith will compete for the 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship behind the wheel of the organization’s No. 18 Tundra. Safelite AutoGlass, the nation’s largest provider of vehicle glass repair, replacement, and recalibration services returns to KBM for a fourth season and will adorn the hood of Smith’s Tundra for 15 races.

The 2021 season will mark the Georgia native’s third season with KBM but first full-time effort. Smith made his Truck Series debut driving the No. 51 Safelite AutoGlass Tundra at Iowa Speedway in June 2019. After qualifying was washed out, he started from the pole based on owner’s points and remained up front for the first 55 laps of the race before bringing his Toyota home eighth.

The Toyota Development Driver has finished inside the top five in half of his 16 career Camping World Truck Series starts, including a career-best runner-up finish at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in August 2019. Smith posted an average finish of 7.7 across his final seven of 12 total Truck Series starts in 2020, including third-place finishes in the series finale at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway and his first career superspeedway start at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in October.

“Since I started racing at a young age, I’ve worked hard towards my goal of getting to compete full time in NASCAR, so being named to drive the Safelite AutoGlass Toyota Tundra and being able to chase a championship in the Camping World Truck Series next year is very rewarding,” Smith said. “I’ve learned a lot from Kyle the last few years, and I’m thankful to be in a position where I can continue to learn from him. KBM is a top-notch organization, and I know that with the hard work from everyone in the shop combined with the support from Toyota and TRD that every time we go to the race track we’ll have a chance to compete for wins as long as I do my part.

“Having been around KBM the last few seasons, I know how much Safelite supports their drivers and their racing program. I’m going to give it my all to get them back to victory lane next year and hopefully things will be back to normal where their employees and customers will be able to be there to celebrate with us!”

“Chandler is following the path that other Toyota Development drivers have in past seasons where they gain valuable experience driving a limited schedule for a couple of seasons and then graduate to running full time for a championship once they are eligible to do so,” Busch said. “He showed that he could run up front on the short tracks right out of the gates in his first season and at the end of this year once he started to understand the aerodynamics of racing on the bigger tracks in the Truck Series, he proved capable of producing top fives no matter where we were racing. Next season, we expect him to continue his progression and be able to turn some of those second and third-place finishes into wins and put himself into the mix for the championship.

“We appreciate Safelite’s continued support during these unprecedented times and look forward to having a contingent of their employees and customers touring the Truck Series garage proudly in their red and black crew shirts this season.”

“We’re very excited to welcome Chandler to the Safelite family,” said Safelite AutoGlass Senior Vice President Garth Beck. “We know he is a championship-caliber driver with many strong races at KBM under his belt over the last few years while driving a part-time schedule. We think he is a great fit to drive the Safelite Toyota Tundra for the 2021 season and very much look forward to cheering him on to victory next year.”

Smith has recorded nine wins, 10 poles and an average finish of 5.3 across 33 career ARCA Menards Series starts the last three seasons. He captured the pole in his series debut at Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville (Tenn.) in April of 2018 and set an ARCA Menards Series record by winning four consecutive poles to start his career. He earned his first victory at Madison (Wis.) International Speedway in just his fourth series start in June of 2018. Despite running a part-time schedule, he led the series in laps led in both 2018 and 2019.

Further sponsorship announcements and who will serve as Smith’s crew chief are forthcoming.

About Safelite AutoGlass:

With more than 7,900 MobileGlassShops™ and stores in all 50 states, Safelite AutoGlass® is the nation’s largest provider of vehicle glass repair, replacement and recalibration services. Last year, close to 7 million customers chose Safelite AutoGlass for its 24/7 national contact centers, advanced online scheduling, superior repair and replacement systems, and the industry’s only nationwide lifetime guarantee.

Safelite AutoGlass is a member of the Safelite® Group family of brands, which together make a difference in the lives of nearly 11 million customers annually. This leading service organization, founded in 1947, is reaching record growth thanks to its People Powered, Customer Driven strategy. The Columbus, Ohio-based company employs nearly 16,000 people across the United States.

About Kyle Busch Motorsports:

Since debuting in 2010, Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) has quickly established itself as one of the most successful teams in all of NASCAR. Owned by two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch and fueled by his passion for winning, the organization holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (80) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).

KBM prepares a fleet of race-winning Toyotas out of its state-of-the art 77,000-square-foot facility in Mooresville, N.C. Fans can stay up-to-date with all the latest KBM news online at www.KyleBuschMotorsports.com, by liking the team on Facebook (KBMteam) and by following the team on Instagram (KBMteam), and Twitter (@KBMteam).

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