Home Blog Page 2768

Ryan Truex Joins Niece Motorsports Full Time in 2021

By
Official Release
-

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Nov. 24, 2020) – After competing in a partial schedule during the 2020 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season (NCWTS), Ryan Truex will pilot the No. 40 Marquis Spas Chevrolet Silverado for Niece Motorsports for the full 2021 schedule.

“Last season was really a learning year for me with this team,” said Truex. “I feel like we learned a ton every week. We adjusted to working with no track time prior to racing, and I feel like we made our equipment better throughout the course of the year. I am excited about the continuity we will be able to build, competing week in and week out. I’m thankful to Marquis Spas for their support this season and as we move into next season.”

The Mayetta, N.J. native competed in nine races with Niece Motorsports throughout the 2020 season, with his best finish of 12th coming at both Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway.

Truex, who ran full time in the NCWTS in 2017, has two poles, 10 top-five finishes and 19 top-10 finishes in 51 starts in the series. In addition to his experience behind the wheel in the Truck Series, Truex has 78 starts in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and 26 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series to his credit.

“We’re excited to bring Ryan full time next season,” said General Manager Cody Efaw. “As a team, we are really excited about how our program is shaping up for next season. We are working hard collectively to make our equipment the best it can be. We are thankful for the support of great partners like Marquis and Chevrolet. We look forward to contending for wins next year with Ryan.”

Marquis, an employee-owned company founded in 1980, offers creative and innovative designs that provide the ultimate soaking experience, cost less to operate, and require the least amount of maintenance. Marquis spas are designed with cutting-edge features for supreme comfort and long-lasting enjoyment. Marquis is proud to craft a spa designed to enhance health and well-being.

Last week NASCAR announced the 2021 NCWTS schedule, with highlights including the addition of Circuit of the Americas, Nashville Superspeedway, Knoxville Raceway and Watkins Glen International.

The 2021 NCWTS season will kick off at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, February 12.

About Niece Motorsports:

Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2021, Niece Motorsports enters its sixth season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

5 of the best Formula 1 drivers ever

By
SM
-

In the sports discipline, many different honors separate the finest from the best. In Formula 1, for this sake, is no different. You will come across awards like Driver of the Day, Fastest Pit Stop, and Fastest Lap Award. All these awards help categorize drivers according to their stellar performances.

To be ranked as the best F1 driver, you ought to smash previously set records, win multiple F1 races, and competed with the big boys in the industry.

meta.reviews has looked at five of the best formula 1 drivers to grace the Formula 1 track ever according to accurate statistics and incessant sports analysis.

The criteria we will use to categorize the drivers

The most experienced drivers should have excellent championship & career wins, a high podium finish, and exceptional career points.

Here is a list of the five best F1 drivers ever.

5. Fernando Alonso (ES)

Title: Fernando Alonso

Alt: A photo of Alonso in 2016

Fernando Alonso is up to now considered an icon in the Formula 1 driver’s list. Having won the F1 world championship in 2005 and 2006, the Spaniard began his humble journey back in 1988. In the 1990s, Alonso won multiple tournaments, including the junior championship at age 7, and became a brand as years progressed.

Now, he has titles in his name with different motor racing companies including Ferrari, McLaren, Renault, and other notable brands.

  • Total career points: 1900

4. Sebastian Vettel (GER)

Title: Sebastian Vettel

Alt: Vettel in 2019

You can remember the German driver who won the F1 world championship four consecutive times from 2010-2013.

Vettel not only has world titles in his name. He has broken significant records like the driver with the most consecutive wins, third most race victories, and most race victories in a single championship season.

  • Total career points: 3018

3. Stirling Moss (GB-UKM)

Title: Stirling Moss

Alt: Stirling in 2014

If you began watching Formula 1 races back in the 1950s, you probably remember the British F1 driver who was described as “the greatest driver never to win the World Championship.” 

Having no championship in his name did not deter him from making a statement in the industry. Moss consecutively broke the world speed records of clocking an average of 100 miles/hour in 1950, 1952, and 1957.

  • Total career points: 185 ​9⁄14 (186 ​9⁄14)

2. Michael Schumacher (GER)

Title: Michael Schumacher

Alt: A photo of Schumacher

A retired German pro racer with 7 championships to his name, Schumacher helped shape the Grand Prix with his record-breaking speed. The German is not only recognized for his expertise in the Asphalt-layered surface but also in other dimensions of life.

The experienced Schumacher has been honored severally in the sports industry with other famous athletes like Tiger Woods and Pele.

Michael has won five consecutive Grand Prix seasons from 1994-2004.

  • Total career points: 1566

1. Lewis Hamilton (GB-UKM)

Title: Lewis Hamilton

Alt: Hamilton in 2016

Currently ranked number one in the world, Lewis Hamilton has the most wins in the competition.

Hamilton began his pro career 22 years ago after winning several kart races from 1993-1998. 

At only 35, the British adept driver has won a total of 7 Formula 1 championships, multiple series tournaments, and other top races to date.

  • Total career points: 3738

UEFA Europa League Group Stage Predictions

By
SM
-
Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay

With the UEFA Champions League calling the attention of fans around the world, many people may leave the UEFA Europa League behind. However, it is a competition full of interesting teams and confrontations, in which bettors could find good opportunities to bet and make some money.

That is why author Kate Richardson made a list of predictions to matches that may not be in the spotlight, but can also bring good chances to bettors who want to place their bets on the Europa League. Let’s take a look.

CSKA MOSCOW – FEYENOORD

For Group K, the match between CSKA Moscow and Feyenoord will happen next Thursday at the CSK Arena in the city of Moscow.

The Russians have presented poor football at European level so far, having only two points and being at the bottom of the group table. Feyenoord have also been inconsistent in this Europa League so far, where they are 3rd in Group K with the same four points from second place Wolfsberger and one behind first-place Dinamo Zagreb.

In a group with highly balanced accounts at the start of the second round, this will be an important match for the aspirations for CSKA Moscow and Feyenoord. Thus, a dynamic game is foreseen in offensive terms, since both teams should be more concerned with adding the three points than with not losing.

Due to the offensive quality that the Dutch have, in contrast to some defensive problems, a game with several opportunities is expected, so the best bet option will be in the over 2.5 goals market.

BRAGA – LEICESTER

For Group G, Braga, from Portugal, will welcome Leicester City, from England. The match will be held at the Municipal Stadium of Braga.

Carlos Carvalhal’s men are currently second on the group table with six points, just three behind their opponents Leicester, who are currently on the top of the table. So far, Leicester count only with victories in the Group G.

The differences between the two teams are striking and, even playing at home, Braga should have some difficulty balancing the game against one of the best teams in the Premier League this season. It will be difficult to end up the same as three weeks ago at King Power Stadium, but it should still be Leicester who dominates most of the time and create more and better goal opportunities. Thus, the Asian handicap of Leicester City is an interesting bet with nice odds.

LILLE – AC MILAN

For Group H, Lille, from France, will welcome AC Milan, from Italy in a game for matchday 4 of the Europa League. At the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, this match is expected to be very interesting, as it will count with the two better teams in group H.

Lille have had a good campaign in the Europa League so far, being currently at the top of the table with seven points. The second place, AC Milan, is just one point behind and knows that this direct confrontation could mean the first place of the group. Also, both teams are having good moments in their national leagues, as Lille are in second place in the French League and Milan are in first place in the Italian League.

In a clash between the two best teams in Group H, as the results of the first round proved, a balanced and very well played game is expected, where AC Milan seeks to “avenge” the 3-0 defeat suffered at home against the French club. Both teams have plenty of offensive qualities to be able to dismantle the opposing defensive organization and create good goal opportunities. Thus, the best investment will be in the market for both teams to score.

Conclusion

As we have seen in this article, the UEFA Europa League provides some interesting confrontations, games that have big clubs and others that are already famous in European Leagues, as well as matches full of excitement and chances of betting.

If it was necessary to choose only one market for all three matches, it would probably be the over 2.5 goals. However, in this case here, the best would be betting in each of the markets that were suggested at the end of the match predictions, as each of the games count with different markets.

If you want to choose a place to bet on the UEFA Europa League, because you are new to the betting world or you want a new bookmaker, take a look at the website Mightytips.com. They offer reviews of a great variety of online bookmakers in the market in order to help new and old bettors to choose the best place to put their money and make their bets.

They also count with a team of specialists that make predictions and betting tips for free.

Wayne Taylor Racing announces 2021 driver lineup

By
Briar Starr
-
Photo Courtesy of Wayne Taylor Racing

Wayne Taylor Racing announced their 2021 driver lineup on Monday afternoon and the lineup features some familiar faces.

Ricky Taylor, son of Wayne Taylor (Team Owner), moves back over to his dad’s team after recently competing with Team Penske in the Acura this season. Taylor competing for Wayne Taylor Racing will be the first time in three years since he last made the start for the team which came in 2017. That season, the Apopka, Florida native obtained five wins (Daytona Rolex 24, 12 Hours of Sebring, Long Beach, Austin and Bell Isle), achieved seven podiums and averaged a finish of 3.2 with 803 laps led.

“I have a lot of history with Wayne Taylor Racing,” said Ricky Taylor who has 24 wins, 57 podiums and 28 pole positions in his IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar championship career. “I grew up with the team and they helped develop me as a driver. It was a very difficult decision to leave the team in 2017 and join Acura Team Penske but I was able to grow more. It’s always great to go somewhere and bring value to the team, so now that I feel like when I return, I can do that. Alex, Helio and I have a lot of experience with the Arura ARX-05 and I know the team really well, it’s literally family. The addition of Filipe Albuquerque who is a world-class driver and has a lot of experience driving for big manufacturers and winning of the biggest races in the world. I think we have a very strong line-up.”

In addition to the lineup, 45-year-old veteran Helio Castroneves also comes to the team for the first time in his career. The move marks the first time in quite some time that Castroneves will compete for someone other than Penske. Despite losing his ride with Team Penske after Acura pulled support, Castroneves maintains with the Acura family.

“To be part of the WTR super team with a great group of drivers is like we are continuing what we left off from last year,” said Helio Castroneves who hopes to add a Rolex 24 at DAYTONA victory to his acclaimed resume. “Working with Ricky Taylor, Alexander Rossi and Filipe Albuquerque is just a great way to start 2021. Looking forward to working and racing with this organization with eyes on the Rolex 24 win, something they know very well.”

For the 2020 season, the Brazilian earned four race victories with those wins coming at Road America, the 2 hour and 40 minute Road Atlanta event back in the summer, Mid-Ohio, the 10 Hour Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in October, and most recently at Laguna Seca. Castroneves shared the championship with Taylor after finishing eighth in the Daytona Prototype Class in the season finale at Sebring this past month.

Two other additions to the team include full-time NTT IndyCar Series driver Alexander Rossi and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Filipe Albuquerque. Rossi only competed in three events this past season, mainly focusing on endurance races duties which came at the 24 Hours of Daytona, 10 Hours of Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta and finishing the season at the 12 Hours of Sebring.

“It’s a great honor to not only drive for WTR next year but also to continue to race the Acura DPi for the three endurance races,” said Alexander Rossi who has two podiums in his five IWSC races. “On top of that, to be able to stay united with Ricky and Helio will be a huge benefit to all as we make this transition. I look forward to working with Felipe for the first time and I am excited to get to work right away in January, and hopefully, we can bring home a Daytona win for HPD.”

Meanwhile, Albuquerque has made on and off starts throughout the last couple of years in his IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar career. The Portugal driver collected one podium this year in the 2 hours and 40 minutes race at Road Atlanta.

“I am really really happy with this new project,” commented Albuquerque with six victories and 19 podiums in IWSC. “Wayne Taylor Racing is one of the best teams at IMSA, they are always at the top at every event. My motivation couldn’t be higher. Regarding my teammates, I think it’s hard to have picked better ones. I fought them in the past and now they are my teammates, it takes away a lot of pressure. WTR could not have chosen better. Between us all, we have won everything: IMSA, Daytona, Le Mans, ELMS, WEC, Indy500.”

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Series looks to begin their 2021 season with the annual 24 Hours of Daytona, which is slated to begin Saturday, Jan. 30. However, there will be a “Roar before the 24 test” as well just a couple of weeks before on Friday, Jan. 22.

NTT DATA Extends Partnership with Chip Ganassi Racing

By
Official Release
-

PLANO, Texas – November 23, 2020 – NTT DATA Services, a global digital business and IT services leader, announced a multi-year extension of its partnership with Chip Ganassi Racing that will expand to ranging sponsorship levels across the NTT INDYCAR Series entries of Scott Dixon, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Kanaan and Alex Palou beginning in 2021.

Building on its longstanding partnership with one of INDYCAR’s iconic organizations, NTT DATA will have a range of engagements that incorporate: two of the most heralded drivers in all of motorsports, a fan favorite who has won a series championship and Indianapolis 500, and an upcoming talent in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

NTT DATA returns as the primary sponsor on the No. 10 NTT DATA Honda at multiple events for the 17-race season in 2021. Alex Palou, a 23-year-old Spaniard who replaces Felix Rosenqvist in this entry, will run the NTT DATA livery for the season opener at St. Petersburg, Fla. (March 7), Texas Motor Speedway (Race 1 on May 1), 105th running of the Indianapolis 500 (May 30), and the season finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. (Sept. 19), along with several other races over the course of the season.

Palou finished runner-up for rookie-of-the-year honors this past season driving for Dale Coyne Racing with Team Goh. His season was highlighted by three-top 10 finishes, including a podium at Road America in June, and qualifying seventh for the Indianapolis 500. Next season with Palou on board will mark the eighth consecutive year that NTT DATA has served as the primary sponsor of the No. 10.

NTT DATA also returns as the season-long associate sponsor on the No. 9 car of six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Scott Dixon. He posted four wins en route to this season’s championship, leaving him one shy of the all-time record of seven series titles held by A.J. Foyt. The four victories pushed Dixon’s career total to 50, which trails only Foyt (67) and Mario Andretti (52) and includes the Indy 500 in 2008. NTT DATA has been an associate sponsor on Dixon’s car since 2017.

Chip Ganassi Racing’s new, highly anticipated No. 48 entry signals the arrival of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson to North America’s premier open-wheel series and the return of the 2013 Indy 500 winner and ’04 series champ Tony Kanaan to the organization. Johnson, who amassed 83 wins in his 20-year NASCAR Cup career, is scheduled to compete in only road and street course events for the upcoming NTT INDYCAR SERIES season while Kanaan will handle the No. 48 driving duties for the four oval events.

NTT DATA will be the primary sponsor for Johnson when he competes in the Honda Indy Toronto street circuit race on July 11. The event will mark the only race outside of the United States on the 2021 schedule and will be held in Canada’s largest city.

Kanaan, who spent the past three seasons with A.J. Foyt Racing, is quite familiar with NTT DATA Racing fans, having the company as the primary on his No. 10 Ganassi entry from 2015-17. He will have NTT DATA as a primary for the Aug. 21 race at St. Louis’ World Wide Technology Raceway and as an associate sponsor for the other three oval events, including the Indianapolis 500.

In addition to the association on three of the organization’s four entries, NTT DATA returns as the Official IT Services Partner to Chip Ganassi Racing’s INDYCAR program.

“This has been a tremendous partnership from a sponsorship perspective and from a technological standpoint over the years,” NTT DATA Services Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer David Croxville said. “Building and cultivating relationships with our clients is the foundation of our business. The partnership with a championship-winning organization that features unparalleled access to an incredibly talented group of drivers allows us to create unforgettable experiences with and for our clients and partners.”

The renewal extends a partnership with Chip Ganassi Racing that began in 2013 when NTT DATA sponsored the No. 8 entry of Ryan Briscoe in the Indianapolis 500. Headquartered in Plano, Texas, NTT DATA continued to expand that partnership with an INDYCAR organization that has amassed 13 series championships and 113 victories, including four prestigious Indy 500 crowns, in its 30-year history.

“NTT DATA has been and will continue to be a big part of who our company is, and what we represent as an organization,” team owner Chip Ganassi said. “Their involvement with our racing programs, from both a technology and business standpoint, has enabled us to deliver results on the track with multiple championships and race wins over the past eight years. Key relationships like this give us the ability to continue to push forward and achieve our goals.”

NTT DATA’s involvement in the sport also includes the return of its parent company, NTT, as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES entitlement partner for a third season in 2021. For more information on NTT DATA Racing, please visit www.us.nttdata.com/en/about-us/content/ntt-data-racing.

About NTT DATA Services

NTT DATA Services is a digital business and IT services leader headquartered in Plano, Texas. We are the largest business unit outside Japan of trusted global innovator NTT DATA Corporation, a top 10 provider and part of the $109B NTT Group. With our consultative approach, we leverage deep industry expertise and leading-edge technologies powered by AI, automation and cloud to create practical and scalable solutions that contribute to society and help clients worldwide. Our global team delivers one of the industry’s most robust and integrated portfolios. This includes consulting, applications, data intelligence and analytics, hybrid infrastructure, workplace, cybersecurity and business process services to help organizations accelerate and sustain value throughout their digital journeys.

THWAITS CROWNED INAUGURAL XGT CHAMPION BRINGING HOME HARDWARE FOR AUDI CUSTOMER RACING IN 2020

By
Official Release
-

Atlanta, GEORGIA – November 23, 2020 – Ronald Reagan was President of the United States back in 1985 when Ken Thwaits won the Pro Formula Mazda Professional Championship – his last series championship title – so it was with understandable delight that Ken ended his 35 year wait for another National Championship Saturday, November 21 at the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Having qualified the Audi in 1:25:898, a new record in the class and a time that put him in P8 overall, ahead of some of the TA Class cars, the Tennessee pilot went on to wrap up the inaugural XtremeGT Class Championship with the minimum of fuss. Securing pole position and then leading his class in the race from start to finish, a typically smooth drive from Ken secured maximum points. Ken also finished in P8 overall out of 23 starters and posted a best lap of 1:27:056 – another new record in the XGT class.

“You never know if you’re going to get a yellow – so you can get a rest – but not this time,” Thwaits said after climbing out of the cockpit. “Justin Oakes and I had a good battle at the beginning, but traffic allowed me to get a gap on him. Then the TA cars started coming through, and it was give and take. I am the first XGT champion – we finished all nine races this year. Great job to the Showtime Team.”

“I locked up the championship and brought the car home unscathed,” He told our reporter Sunday morning. The No. 5 Franklin Road Apparel Audi R8 LMS Ultra he has piloted with such expertise has been ever present in the XGT Class, proving as reliable and consistent as the man behind the wheel.

“I’m not pressing my luck. It’s been a really great year, starting nine races and happily, finishing nine races,” stated Ken with a grin. Across the season Ken has had four pole positions, four wins, four 2nd places, and a 3rd place – a clean sweep of podiums. Those results propelled Ken to a total of 253 Championship points, more than 100 points clear of nearest rival Erich Joiner.

There’s no doubt Ken and the Showtime Motorsports Franklin Road Apparel team have made a huge contribution to the Trans Am presented by Pirelli series this year, something series live stream reporter Ben Cissell referred to when he spoke to Ken in the paddock, “This is a concours winning paint job,” he said, referring to the stunning black Audi, before adding, “I feel like this XGT class is going to blow up in 2021!”

Showtime Motorsports is an outstanding case study of success in North American GT3 road racing bringing home the hardware for Audi Customer Racing in the inaugural season of XGT racing in the Trans Am presented by Pirelli Series.

Ken will no doubt be back for more in 2021, and it’s worth remembering that there is a seat available next to Ken in an identical car for next season, but for now congratulations and hats off to Ken and to Showtime for a job really well done. Fantastic result, Ken!

Visit the team’s website for Showtime Motorsports, showtimemotorsports.net. Learn more about the Showtime Motorsports team partner, Franklin Road Apparel, at franklinroad.com and keep up to date with the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli at gotransam.com. #GoTransAm

Check out the Showtime Motorsports Facebook page: facebook.com/showtimemotorsp/ and @ShowtimeMotorsp on Instagram.

About Showtime Motorsports:

The Showtime Motorsports brand includes Ken Thwait’s racing team and racecars, and an outstanding classic Camaro collection. Showtime Motorsports brings together a dynamic staff who employ diverse talents and share a passion for cars, racing and caring for clients like they are our own family members.

Bobby Labonte Celebrates 20th Anniversary of NASCAR Cup Win

By
Official Release
-
Bobby Labonte (second from left) in 2000 after winning the NASCAR Winston Cup Championship (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Racing Legend Engages Fans in Virtual Chat with Hall of Fame

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – (November 23, 2020) – 20 years after he clinched a NASCAR Cup Series Championship, Bobby Labonte took a virtual look back at his storied career with some of his biggest fans and members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. At the same time, he previewed what 2021 will look like when he gets back on the track.

The Hall of Fame invited members to join Labonte and Executive Director Winston Kelley for a video chat, which started with a video montage of Labonte’s career and historic wins. It was a fitting end to an unusual NASCAR season, which endured delays, empty grandstands and unprecedented safety measures, and Labonte talked about how he’s looking forward to racing again next year.

“I’m excited about 2021. I’m going to drive some races for Ray Evernham and Tony Stewart for the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX); there are some great names in it and some preliminary tracks have been announced. Hopefully, I’ll also get to race again in the modified division at Bowman Gray Stadium, and we’re looking to get everything in order to get back to Goodwood, too.”

As Kelley guided fans through a look back at Labonte’s career over the last several decades, they discussed what racing meant to the Labonte family, and Bobby Labonte’s induction into the Hall of Fame earlier this year.

“The whole weekend of the Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Charlotte was awesome,” said Labonte. “Reliving all the things you did to get there. I think about all of those races, not knowing at the time that what I was doing would lead me into the Hall of Fame.”

Labonte is the first driver to have won both the NASCAR Cup championship and the Busch Series championship in both series’ current, touring form. He also won the IROC title in 2001.

Labonte won four races in 2000, the year he took the Cup championship: the early-season race at Rockingham, the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis, the Southern 500 at Darlington and the fall race at Charlotte. He led the point standings for 25 weeks straight after taking over at California, and never relinquished it on the way to winning the Winston Cup championship – finishing ahead of Dale Earnhardt by 265 points and completing all but nine of the 10,167 laps that season with 4 wins, 19 top five finishes, 24 top ten finishes and 3 poles.

“It was a huge deal for us to be able to win that year. I probably didn’t appreciate it in the moment as I should have because I was always looking forward to what’s next and thinking about the next race,” said Labonte. “But now, thinking about how incredible it is that my brother Terry and I both ended up in the Hall of Fame is just so special.”

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

John Hunter Nemechek to Compete for Truck Series Championship with KBM in ‘21

By
Official Release
-

Six-Time Camping World Truck Series Winner to Pilot No. 4 Tundra

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (November 23, 2020) – Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) announced today that John Hunter Nemechek will compete for the 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship behind the wheel of the organization’s No. 4 Tundra.

Nemechek is a six-time winner in Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports. Also, while driving his family-owned team, the North Carolina native qualified for the Camping World Truck Series playoffs in each of his two full-time seasons, finishing eighth in the championship standings in both 2016 and 2017. He was voted the series most popular driver in 2015.

The 23-year-old driver produced three top-10 finishes and an average result of 22.4 while competing for rookie of the year honors in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020. He recorded a career-best eighth-place finish twice, both coming at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, earned the Sunoco Rookie of the Race award four times and finished 23rd in the championship standings.

“Kyle and Samantha with the support of Toyota have built an organization that has won races and championships on a consistent basis and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to carry on the winning tradition by getting back to victory lane in the Camping World Truck Series next year,” Nemechek said. “I can’t thank the partners that have supported my career through the years enough for their continued support and I’m looking forward to building relationships with new partners this year. Bring on 2021 — Let’s Go Places!”

“I began my XFINITY Series career with NEMCO and I’ve had a long-running relationship with Joe and the Nemechek family, so it’s cool to see things come full circle with being able to sign John Hunter to race at KBM,” Busch said. “John Hunter is a proven winner in the Camping World Truck Series, as well as the Xfinity Series, and someone who we are confident will be able to put the No. 4 Tundra up front on a consistent basis and compete for victories each and every race. Despite only being 23 years old, he has a lot of experience across all three series and with next year’s Truck Series schedule including a lot of events where it’s just show up and race, having an experienced driver in one of our full-time Tundras is going to be beneficial to our whole organization.”

In addition to his six Camping World Truck Series wins, Nemechek has one NASCAR XFINITY Series win, which came at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City in October of 2018. In 2019 he qualified for the playoffs and finished seventh in the championship standings in his lone full-time season after positing six top-five and 19 top-10 finishes.

Nemechek won two marquee Super Late Model events in 2014, the Snowball Derby at 5 Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla., and the All-American 400 at Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville, Tenn. He also won the Snowflake 100 at 5 Flags Speedway in 2015.

Announcements on sponsors and who will serve as Nemechek’s crew chief are forthcoming.

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).

Sonoma Raceway and The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Confirm 2021 ARCA Menards Series West Dates

By
Official Release
-
Cars race during the General Tire 150 for the ARCA Menards Series West at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 26, 2020. (Miranda Alam/ARCA Racing)

The first two ARCA Menards Series West dates have officially been added to the 2021 schedule.

Races at Sonoma Raceway and The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway have been confirmed, with the Sonoma date set for Saturday, June 5 and the race at The Bullring slated for Thursday, September 23. Both races will be held in conjunction with NASCAR Cup Series races.

Noah Gragson won the last time the ARCA Menards West raced at Sonoma Raceway in 2019. The 2020 race was moved to The Bullring at LVMS due to the pandemic. Gracie Trotter became the second female to win a West race, and the first female to win in the ARCA Menards Series platform, with her victory in that race last September.

The races at Sonoma and The Bullring are the first of what is expected to be an eight-race schedule for the West Series. It will be the second season the series, which dates back to 1954, will be a part of the ARCA Menards Series platform.

Ticket information for both races can be found at SonomaRaceway.com and LVMS.com. For news updates on the ARCA Menards Series, log on to ARCARacing.com.

Wayne Taylor Racing names Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque as Full-Time Co-Pilots for 2021 Season

By
Official Release
-

Castroneves and Rossi to Run Endurance Races

Brownsburg, Ind. (November 23rd, 2020) The 2021 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season launches a new era for the No. 10 Konica Minolta team, with an entirely new manufacturer and driver lineup. Ricky Taylor returns to Wayne Taylor Racing after a three-year stint with Team Penske and will be joined by world-class sportscar veteran Filipe Albuquerque. The move to Acura for the 2021 season marks an exciting new chapter in the team’s history, fielding an Acura ARX-05 in the Daytona Prototype International (DPi) class.

2016 Indianapolis 500 Champion Alexander Rossi will compete alongside Taylor and Albuquerque for three endurance races, with three-time Indianapolis 500 Champion Helio Castroneves joining the team for the Rolex 24 at DAYTONA in January. Castroneves was Taylor’s co-driver at Acura Team Penske for the last three seasons, while Rossi joined the duo for the endurance races the past two years.

“This is an exciting time for Wayne Taylor Racing,” said team owner Wayne Taylor. “I am extremely excited about securing the three drivers that have been driving the Acura ARX-05 the past few years as well as Filipe Albuquerque who has been driving a similar car in Europe with great success. With us as a team changing manufacturers, I wanted to have consistency in the drivers and with this group, that is one thing we can tick off the list. I am very excited that Konica Minolta and, of course, CIT, are joining us again this year. It is certainly a new challenge, but I believe we have the right people and the right drivers in place to be competitive and win races. On another note, I would like to introduce Harrison Contracting as a new sponsor of the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05.”

Wayne Taylor Racing began in 2007 and since then has been a dominant team in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, winning three of the last four Rolex 24 at DAYTONA titles, the 12 Hours of Sebring twice and Petit Le Mans three times. The team has also achieved two IMSA Driver Championships and eight IMSA Manufacturer Titles.

Ricky Taylor returns to Wayne Taylor Racing after a successful three-year run with Acura Team Penske where the American achieved the 2020 IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship, five wins and 12 podium finishes. Taylor’s history with Wayne Taylor Racing includes one IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, one Rolex 24 at DAYTONA victory and one 12 Hours of Sebring win in his seven years of racing with the team.

“I have a lot of history with Wayne Taylor Racing,” said Ricky Taylor who has 24 wins, 57 podiums, and 28 pole positions in his IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar championship career. “I grew up with the team and they helped develop me as a driver. It was a very difficult decision to leave the team in 2017 and join Acura Team Penske, but I was able to grow more. It’s always great to go somewhere and bring value to the team, so now that I feel like when I return, I can do that. Alex, Helio and I have a lot of experience with the Arura ARX-05 and I know the team really well, it’s literally family. The addition of Filipe Albuquerque who is a world class driver and has a lot of experience driving for big manufacturers and winning of the biggest races in the world. I think we have a very strong line-up.”

Filipe Albuquerque joins Wayne Taylor Racing for the 2021 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship after a banner year as the 2020 European Le Mans Champion, LMP2 World Endurance Champion and winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The veteran sportscar driver holds one overall and one class victory at the Rolex 24 at DAYTONA.

“I am really really happy with this new project,” commented Albuquerque with six victories and 19 podiums in IWSC. “Wayne Taylor Racing is one of the best teams at IMSA, they are always at the top at every event. My motivation couldn’t be higher. Regarding my teammates I think it’s hard to have picked better ones. I fought them in the past and now they are my teammates, it takes away a lot of pressure. WTR could not have chosen better. Between us all we have won everything: IMSA, Daytona, Le Mans, ELMS, WEC, Indy500.”

Seven-time INDYCAR race winner and 2016 Indianapolis 500 champion, Alexander Rossi, joins Wayne Taylor Racing for the Rolex 24 at DAYTONA, 12 Hours of Sebring, and the season finale at the MOTUL Petit Le Mans.

“It’s a great honor to not only drive for WTR next year, but also to continue to race the Acura DPi for the three endurance races,” said Alexander Rossi who has two podiums in his five IWSC races. “On top of that, to be able to stay united with Ricky and Helio will be a huge benefit to all as we make this transition. I look forward to working with Felipe for the first time and I am excited to get to work right away in January, and hopefully we can bring home a Daytona win for HPD.”

Three-time Indianapolis 500 champion, 24-time INDYCAR race winner, and five-time IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race winner Helio Castroneves joins Wayne Taylor Racing with a clear goal to claim his first Rolex 24 at DAYTONA win.

“To be part of the WTR super team with a great group of drivers is like we are continuing what we left off from last year,” said Helio Castroneves who hopes to add a Rolex 24 at DAYTONA victory to his acclaimed resume. “Working with Ricky Taylor, Alexander Rossi and Filipe Albuquerque is just a great way to start 2021! Looking forward to working and racing with this organization with eyes on the Rolex 24 win, something they know very well!”

The 2021 season begins January 22nd at Daytona International Speedway for the annual Roar Before the 24 test, with the Rolex 24 at DAYTONA immediately following on Saturday and Sunday, January 30th and 31st.

About Konica Minolta

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is reshaping and revolutionizing the Workplace of the Future™ with its expansive smart office product portfolio from IT Services (All Covered), ECM, Managed Print Services and industrial and commercial print solutions. Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for thirteen consecutive years, and is proud to be ranked on the Forbes 2017 America’s Best Employers list. The World Technology Awards recently named the company a finalist in the IT Software category. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for eight consecutive years has spent three years on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list. It partners with its clients to give shape to ideas and work to bring value to our society. Konica Minolta, as title sponsor, highlights Wayne Taylor Racing’s existing lineup of partners featuring Acura, CIT, Harrison Contracting, and Honda Performance Development. For more information, please visit us online and follow Konica Minolta on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter.

1...2,7672,7682,769...6,782Page 2,768 of 6,782