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INDYCAR Harvest GP presented by GMR Fast Facts

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Official Release
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Race weekend: Thursday, Oct. 1 – Saturday, Oct. 3

Track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course (clockwise)

Media Links: Race 1 Entry List | Race 2 Entry List | Trackside Book

Race distance: 85 laps / 207.35 miles (Race 1); 75 laps / 182.925 miles (Race 2)

Push-to-pass parameters: 200 seconds of total time, with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation.

Firestone tire allotment: Nine sets primary, five sets alternate (Note: An extra (10th) set of primary tires is available to any car fielding a rookie driver.)

Twitter: @IMS, @IndyCar, #HarvestGP, #IndyCar

Event website: www.ims.com

INDYCAR website: www.IndyCar.com

2019 race winner: Inaugural event

2019 NTT P1 Award winner: Inaugural event

Qualifying lap record: Will Power, 1:07.7044, 129.687 mph, May 12, 2017 (Set in Round 3 of knockout qualifying)

NBC Sports telecasts: Race 1, 3:30 p.m. ET Friday, USA Network (live); Race 2, 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday, NBC (live). Leigh Diffey will be the play-by-play announcer for NBC Sports’ telecasts of the INDYCAR Harvest GP doubleheader alongside analysts Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy.

NBC Sports Gold livestreaming: Thursday’s NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice session (2:25 p.m. ET Thursday) and NTT P1 Award qualifying (Race 1, 6:20 p.m. ET Thursday; Race 2, 10:20 a.m. ET Saturday) will stream live on INDYCAR Pass on NBC Sports Gold, NBC Sports’ direct-to-consumer live streaming product.

INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the chief announcer alongside analyst Davey Hamilton. The INDYCAR Harvest GP doubleheader airs live on network affiliates, Sirius 211, XM 205, IndyCar.com and the INDYCAR Mobile app powered by NTT DATA. All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices and qualifying are available on IndyCar.com and the INDYCAR Mobile app.

At-track schedule (all times local):
Thursday, Oct. 1

2:25-3:40 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice, NBC Sports Gold

6:20 p.m. – Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (two groups/12 minutes each), NBC Sports Gold (Live)

Friday, Oct. 2

3:30 p.m. – USA Network on air

3:53 p.m. – “Drivers, start your engines”

4 p.m. – INDYCAR Harvest GP Race 1 (85 laps / 207.35 miles), USA Network (Live)

Saturday, Oct. 3

10:20 a.m. – Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (two groups/12 minutes each), NBC Sports Gold (Live)

2:24 p.m. – “Drivers, start your engines”

2:30 p.m. – NBC Sports on air

2:31 p.m. – INDYCAR Harvest GP Race 2 (75 laps / 182.925 miles), NBC (Live)

Race Notes:

Scott Dixon leads the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship with three races to go for the third time since 2008. He also led the championship with three to go when he won the title in 2008 and 2018. Dixon has led the championship after every round this season. Since 2008, the driver who has led the championship with three races to go has won the championship seven times –Dixon in 2008 and 2018, Dario Franchitti in 2011, Will Power in 2014, Simon Pagenaud in 2016, and Josef Newgarden in 2017 and 2019.

  • There are seven drivers still mathematically eligible for the 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship: Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Pato O’Ward, Colton Herta, Will Power, Graham Rahal and Takuma Sato. Any driver who trails the points leader by 108 points or more following this event will be eliminated from contention.
  • The INDYCAR Harvest GP will be the second and third NTT INDYCAR SERIES races conducted on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course this year and the eighth and ninth races, overall. Scott Dixon, Simon Pagenaud and Will Power are the only drivers to win on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Pagenaud won the inaugural race in 2014, 2016 and 2019, Power won the race in 2015, 2017 and 2018. Dixon won the GMR Grand Prix earlier this season.
  • Simon Pagenaud, Will Power, Felix Rosenqvist and Sebastian Saavedra are the only drivers to have won the pole position on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Saavedra claimed the pole in 2014, Power in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2020, Pagenaud in 2016 and Rosenqvist in 2019.
  • Nine drivers have competed in every NTT INDYCAR SERIES race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course – Marco Andretti, Scott Dixon, James Hinchcliffe, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud, Will Power, Graham Rahal and Takuma Sato. All are entered this weekend.
  • Four NTT P1 Award winners have won the race from the pole: Will Power in 2015, 2017 and 2018 and Simon Pagenaud in 2016.
  • Every driver entered in the event have competed in INDYCAR races on the IMS road course. Eleven entered drivers have led laps: Will Power 210, Simon Pagenaud 68, Scott Dixon 66, Graham Rahal 36, Josef Newgarden 25, Ryan Hunter-Reay 18, Felix Rosenqvist 15, James Hinchcliffe 4, Alexander Rossi 2, Marcus Ericsson 1 and Jack Harvey
  • INDYCAR HARVEST GP PRE-EVENT QUOTES:

JOSEF NEWGARDEN (No. 1 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet): “It’s a really important weekend for us at Indianapolis. We’re running second in championship points and have some ground to make up to Scott (Dixon), so every point is really going to count. With this being a doubleheader weekend, the pressure is on to perform at our best in the Hitachi Chevy and really maximize the points that we get. With two opportunities to race this weekend, we still feel we have a good shot at the title since my entire team has been working so hard and have a really great plan put together. Execution will be key, especially since doubleheader weekends can be so intense and anything could happen. As a sport, we are probably most excited to have fans there this weekend. That’s going to be great, so we want to put on a good show and give them a good battle up until the end.”

CHARLIE KIMBALL (No. 4 Tresiba / AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet): “Any time you get to race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it’s a good time. And getting both a doubleheader on the Indianapolis road course plus the fall weather that has descended on Indy means that it will live up to its Harvest Grand Prix name. Partnering with both Dalton Kellett and Sebastien Bourdais means we’re all focused on a great result for AJ Foyt Racing this weekend.”

PATO O’WARD (No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet): “It’s crazy to think that the year is almost over. The entire team and I know that if there’s a time to push, it’s now, so we are all very motivated to build on what we have accomplished so far this season and keep racking up championship points. We are in the fight, so that’s what we will be pushing for. I know that the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet will be good, so if we execute, we will have a couple of good races.”

HELIO CASTRONEVES (No. 7 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet): “First and foremost, we want to make sure that Oliver (Askew) gets better. He’s a young man with a bright future ahead of him. For me, I’m coming off of a big win at Mid-Ohio in IMSA and carrying momentum into this weekend at Indianapolis. It’s great to be back in a place where I have so many memories. It’s even more exciting this time, coming back with a new team and getting new experiences. I already have a taste of the great group of people at Arrow McLaren SP, and I’m looking forward to this weekend. Hopefully I can add a little bit of my experience to a great team and brand. I also want to thank Roger Penske and Tim Cindric for allowing me to race this weekend for a different team. My biggest fear is to not enter the wrong garage after 20 years! I’m looking forward to a good race.”

MARCUS ERICSSON (No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda): “I’m looking forward to getting back to the Indy road course. I think we had a good weekend there at the Indy GP earlier this season with Scott winning, and I finished sixth and had really good pace during the race. I think we’re going to have a good car there. I have a good feeling in the car at the moment. We had a strong run at Mid-Ohio, our last time out, with a fifth-place finish there. It’s something to build on, and I’m still looking for my first podium of the year. We have two chances for that this weekend, and I’m excited. Weather will play a huge part in the results this weekend, and it’s going to be a big difference between the hot and warm temperatures we had earlier in the year for the GP. Let’s see what that does for the balance of the cars. I’m confident, and I’m looking forward to the race.”

SCOTT DIXON (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, NTT INDYCAR SERIES points leader): “I think for the No. 9 PNC Bank team, we just have to treat it like any other race weekend and try to get maximum points. The obvious goal is to go out there and try to win, but unfortunately, there are 23, 24 others that have the same goal. We’ll try to do better than we did at the last doubleheader at Mid-Ohio, where I definitely made a very large mistake that gave away some pretty easy points there. I’m really looking forward to it. I think it’s going to be fantastic to have up to 10,000 fans on each day. It’s definitely been a different dynamic, I think, for a lot of us this season, especially the Indianapolis 500 that ran without fans. We welcome the fans greatly. Hopefully, the weather cooperates and we can have a fantastic weekend.”

FELIX ROSENQVIST (No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda): “I think the Harvest GP will be a really tough race. It’s a track we have all been to, and it’s the second time this year. It’s all going to be in the details. However, I think Chip Ganassi Racing has always been strong there, especially in recent years. Scott won the Indy GP this year, and I had the pole there last year. It’s a good place for us, for sure. The cold temperatures may throw things around a little, but it actually may be to our benefit. I’m really pumped for the chance to get up on the top spot before the season ends.”

WILL POWER (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet): “Everything about Indianapolis is so special, and the road course is no different. My Verizon Chevy team and I have had some success there, so we’re trying to pull from our experience to perform well. We didn’t run as well as we wanted to there back in July, but we feel we have a strong plan going into this race weekend. We’re pretty much out of contention for the championship, so we’re really racing for wins. With it being a doubleheader, it’s great to have two chances to win, but it won’t be easy. I’m happy we’ll have fans back at Indianapolis with us. I can’t wait to see them back in the grandstands there because they bring such a great energy. It’s going to be an exciting weekend.”

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS (No. 14 AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet): “It’s time finally to get that 2020 INDYCAR season started for us. It’s been a long time coming but really happy to finally get this show on the road and see what we’ve got. Obviously, there was a lot of anticipation at the beginning of the year, and many months have gone by and many races, so we’re not taking it the easy way by getting in the seat at the tail end of the season. There’s a lot of things to learn for me with the team, the team to validate a few things that they think they need answers on for this season and, more importantly, the next. I’m very much looking forward to the Indy GP. It’s a track that I’ve had good success on and very much enjoyed the layout, but it’s not going to be easy because we’re jumping straight into the thick of it: one practice, then qualify, race, qualify, race. Hopefully, we hit the ground running with a happy setup and can have a good weekend. If that’s not the case, we’ll dig deep and learn a few things and see what we get results-wise.”

GRAHAM RAHAL (No. 15 United Rentals Honda): “The team has done a great job so far in improvements for the road courses over 2019. Our package has been extremely strong. Allen (McDonald; race engineer), Eddie (Jones, Takuma’s engineer) and all the guys did a great job coming up with some setups for this year that have worked. And we feel that it will work again at IMS this weekend. I thought we were phenomenal in Race 1 (GMR Grand Prix at IMS), and I think that Race 2 and 3 (INDYCAR Harvest GP) will be just as good for us. It’s just that people learned from the strategy and other things we did in the first race, and it will be interesting to see how we all respond this time around. It will be different this time because you’ve got 85 laps in the first race, which is longer than we did in July, and 75 laps is obviously shorter so the Saturday race will be a little different. Seventy-five laps is a pretty easy two-stop race based on what we did before. And 85 laps is a whole different ballgame. It will be interesting to see how it works out for everybody, but we definitely hope to put the United Rentals Honda up front. I would still like to get into third place (in the championship), and I think we can. I feel that we have had a tremendous season. On average, I feel like we have had the second-best, or third-best season of anybody. The problem is that we had two really poor races. Obviously, we missed points at Texas and Race 2 at Road America and St. Louis was not good for us, but I do expect us to be pretty strong to finish this off.”

SANTINO FERRUCCI (No. 18 SealMaster Honda): “Super excited to get back on track in the No. 18 SealMaster Honda and be racing on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course again. Obviously, there is some history to be made with the first-ever Harvest GP in the fall at IMS. It will be nice to have another doubleheader weekend. I think we have made a lot of progress since Mid-Ohio working on our cold-weather race car on the simulator, but it will be fun working with the crew again. I am confident we have a lot of good things to come and am looking forward to ending the season on a high note.”

CONOR DALY (No. 20 U.S. Air Force Chevrolet): “We had a great qualifying performance last time we were at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. I am really excited about being back for the Harvest GP since we already have experience together as a team at this track. We can look back on what we learned in July, build on that and progress from there. Hopefully, we will qualify again very strong and have an even better race this time.”

RINUS VEEKAY (No. 21 SONAX Chevrolet): “I am very excited to get going again after a few weeks off. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course was great for me earlier this year. Having two more races here makes me twice as happy. And fans this time for the Harvest Grand Prix will make it even better.”

SIMON PAGENAUD (No. 22 DXC Technology Team Penske Chevrolet): “Indianapolis is such a special place to me. It’s meant so much for my career between the road course and Indy 500 success we’ve had there. We are going to approach the end of the season aiming to race hard for more wins. I will proudly represent DXC Technology and Chevy in the usual black/white/chrome paint scheme. We will be facing a very demanding race weekend that’s a doubleheader. It will be very physical, and this format also requires a different approach on the technical decisions. The 22 team is up for the challenge. I look forward to seeing race fans back in Indianapolis, the heart of INDYCAR racing!”

SAGE KARAM (No. 24 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Chevrolet): “This weekend at the Harvest GP will be special since we get to return to the greatest racetrack in the world. Usually, we are only there in May. In this strange 2020, we will be at IMS in July, August and October. So that is quite a treat for all of the drivers and teams. For DRR, we are anxious to get back to the IMS road course, too. In July, it was the team’s first road race in seven years. So we had a lot to learn in trying to catch up with the other teams. Plus the heat was a factor. That won’t be the case this weekend. We did get our setups going in the right direction. We were sixth in warmup, and I think we had a top-10 race lap, too. Now, we have a good starting point when we hit the track this Thursday. We don’t have much time on track, so we want to be ready to go.”

TAKUMA SATO (No. 30 ABeam Consulting (Race 1)/Keihin (Race 2) Honda): “I think our road course setup has been very competitive as a team, but we had a couple of issues, too, so hopefully I will have a trouble-free weekend and get back on a good pace. Mid-Ohio was a tough one for us. Little things made a significant difference, and strategy-wise we weren’t able to do much, so we couldn’t recover well in the race, but I hope we will turn that around at IMS. I think everyone will have beneficial data from July. The field will be even more tight. However, we studied hard, and the preparation will boost us more, so I will expect a competitive weekend for us. The cooler temperatures will make a difference and usually make the car faster by itself as there is more downforce and consistent mechanical grips from the tires. The setup won’t be dramatically different from that, but we will need some adjustments. We have had both cold – and I mean even winter-jacket cold – and warm races at the Indy GP historically, so we should able to respond well. We want to finish as high at the end of the season as everyone else does. We just need to do the best possible job for the rest of season, too, and see where we will land.”

DALTON KELLETT (No. 41 K-Line USA / AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet): “It’s come down to the last race of the season (for me anyway)! This first year in INDYCAR has been fast-paced and full of unknowns, so I am looking forward to returning to a track that I have experience at. Compared to the heat of July, the cooler temps this weekend will be refreshing. Who knows? It might even get a little chilly in the car! We made good strides at Mid-Ohio, and the car had better pace than our results showed. If we continue on that path and put everything together, we will have a good shot at a solid finish for the #41 K-Line Insulators USA Chevy. That’s the approach to this event. I’m also looking forward to the chance to work with Sebastien (Bourdais). His experience and insight will be a great asset to the program.”

ALEX PALOU (No. 55 Guaranteed Rate Honda): “I’m super excited for the Harvest GP at Indy, especially after coming from a difficult weekend at Mid-Ohio. We had good pace, which was good for us, to show that we have a good car and to show what we can do, but unfortunately we had some bad luck and were not able to get the results we should have. Looking forward to Indy. We’ve been there earlier this year, but it will be very different mainly because of the temperature difference from July. I think that will make it a bit easier because tire degradation will be less, and when the temperature is lower, every car handles better. I also think that it won’t be as tough physically just because it won’t be so hot. It’s our last doubleheader weekend and our last road course for the season, so hopefully we can have a couple of good races with our Guaranteed Rate Honda.”

MAX CHILTON (No. 59 Gallagher Carlin Chevrolet): “I’m excited to get back on track this weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the No. 59 Gallagher Carlin Chevrolet, especially for a new event like the Harvest GP. There’s nowhere like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, so the fact that we get to go back now for our third race weekend of the season at IMS is great. We had a strong qualifying on the IMS road course back at the beginning of the season in early July, so I’m hoping we can build on that momentum and start and finish even stronger this weekend.”

JACK HARVEY (No. 60 AutoNation/Sirius XM Honda): “I think it’s really cool that INDYCAR is bringing back a race with some history to it. IMS is of course such a special track that we get to race at, and this year we are lucky to be here three times in one year. We’ve had a good record on the road course in the past. Unfortunately, earlier this year we had a strong run, but a yellow flag once again put us back in the field. Going into the weekend knowing that we have the speed is confidence-inspiring, so myself and the guys are ready to get a good result.”

MARCO ANDRETTI (No. 98 AutoNation / Curb Honda): “We need to close the year on a strong note, and we have two chances at it this weekend. I’m excited to welcome and represent AutoNation this weekend and ‘Drive Pink’ to help kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We had pace in the 98 machine at the Indy GP earlier this year before dealing with other issues, so hoping to capitalize on that speed.”

Love’s Travel Stops and Luber-finer Join McDowell at Talladega

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Official Release
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McDowell on Talladega:

“I can’t wait to head back to Talladega this weekend for the second time in 2020. We have our friends at Luber-finer back on the car with Love’s, so it’s great to have them back on board as they’ve been with us a few times over the last couple of years. Hopefully we can have a break-out race and get our No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang in Victory Lane on Sunday.

“Talladega has always been a great race track for our team; David Ragan picked up FRM’s [Front Row Motorsports] first win there back in 2013 and it would be really cool to put a Front Row [Motorsports] car back in the Winner’s Circle at Talladega this weekend. Love’s Travel Stops was actually on board with David Gilliland and the No. 38 team when Ragan won and [Gilliland] finished runner-up. We just need to keep our race car clean and be there at the end when it really matters. I think that if we can avoid the wrecks, we’ll come out of Talladega with a solid result and maybe even a trophy.

“Today is National Coffee Day and Love’s Travel Stops has a great initiative going on to raise money to help improve kids’ health. Today, Love’s Travel Stops will donate $1 to The Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals for every Love’s coffee purchased through their Love’s Connect app. I encourage everyone to download their app and purchase your coffee!”

About Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores

Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores is the nation’s industry-leading travel stop network with 530 locations in 41 states. Founded in 1964 and headquartered in Oklahoma City, the company remains family-owned and operated and employs more than 27,000 people. Love’s provides professional truck drivers and motorists with 24-hour access to clean and safe places to purchase gasoline, diesel fuel, fresh coffee, restaurant offerings and more. Love’s has more than 390 truck service centers, which include on-site and stand-alone Speedco and Love’s Truck Tire Care locations. Love’s and Speedco combined is the largest oil change, preventive maintenance and total truck care nationwide network. Love’s is committed to providing customers with “Clean Places, Friendly Faces” at every stop. To learn more, visit loves.com.

GMS Racing Gander Trucks Talladega Preview

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Official Release
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Sheldon Creed, No. 2 Chevy Accessories Chevrolet Silverado
Talladega Superspeedway Gander Trucks Stats
– Starts: 1, Best start: 5, Best finish: 9, Laps led: 20

2020 Gander Trucks Stats
– Starts: 18, Wins: 3, Best start: 1, Best finish: 1, Top 5s: 6, Top 10s: 9, Laps led: 293, Stage Wins: 7

Notes:

– Sheldon Creed the No. 2 team will compete with chassis No. 053 this weekend at Talladega. Creed has two top-10 finishes in three career starts with this chassis. GMS has two superspeedway wins with this chassis at Daytona in 2017 and Talladega in 2018.
– Creed is currently first in the points standings, 52 points above the cutoff line for the Round of 8.
– In addition to his 2019 Gander Trucks start at the track Creed has two ARCA Menards Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway.
– The GMS fleet will carry special pink ribbons this week to promote breast cancer awareness and honor individuals close to GMS team members who have been affected by the disease.

Quote:

“Talladega is always a challenge, but we’re just going to be patient and try to survive the race. We’re in a pretty good spot to advance to the next round, but we’re not in the clear yet. Just have to stay out of trouble and hope to have a shot at the win at the end.”

Zane Smith, No. 21 La Paz Margarita Mix Chevrolet Silverado
Talladega Superspeedway Gander Trucks Stats
– No prior Gander Trucks starts at Talladega Superspeedway.

2020 Gander Trucks Stats
– Starts: 18, Wins: 2, Best start: 1, Best finish: 1, Top 5s: 4, Top 10s: 10, Laps led: 271, Stage wins: 5

Notes:

– Although this will be his first Gander Trucks start at Talladega Superspeedway, Zane Smith has one ARCA Menards Series start at the track where he qualified eighth and led 16 laps en route to victory lane.
– Smith and the No. 21 team will compete with chassis No. 134 this weekend at Talladega. Smith competed with this chassis at Daytona in February where he qualified sixth and finished 11th.
– Smith is currently third in points standings, 13 points behind the leader and 39 points above the cutoff line for the Round of 8.
– The GMS fleet will carry special pink ribbons this week to promote breast cancer awareness and honor individuals close to GMS team members who have been affected by the disease.

Quote:

“I feel pretty confident heading into Talladega this weekend. I won there a few years back, so it’s been good to me. Hopefully we survive the day and leave locked in to the next round in the playoffs.”

Brett Moffitt, No. 23 Fr8Auctions Chevrolet Silverado
Talladega Superspeedway Gander Trucks Stats
– Starts: 2, Best start: 8, Best finish: 4, Laps led: 7

2020 Gander Trucks Stats
– Starts: 18, Best start: 1, Best finish: 2, Top 5s: 8, Top 10s: 12, Laps led: 363, Stage Wins: 6

Notes:

– Brett Moffitt and the No. 23 team will compete with chassis No. 129 this weekend in Talladega. Moffitt has one top five and 14 laps led in three career superspeedway starts with this chassis.
– Moffitt is currently second in points standings, eight points behind the leader and 44 points above the cutoff line for the Round of 8.
– Moffitt has led the most laps of any Gander Trucks regular so far this season.
– The GMS fleet will carry special pink ribbons this week to promote breast cancer awareness and honor individuals close to GMS team members who have been affected by the disease.

Quote:

“Talladega is always tricky, but we had a good run there last year. The goal is to stay out of trouble and be around at the end to compete for a win and advance to the next round of the playoffs.”

Chase Purdy, No. 24 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado
Talladega Superspeedway Gander Trucks Stats
– No prior Gander Trucks starts at Talladega Superspeedway.

2020 Gander Trucks Stats
– Starts: 5, Best start: 1, Best finish: 10

Notes:

– Chase Purdy will make his first superspeedway start in the Gander Trucks series at his home track. The Tuscaloosa native has one prior start at the track in the ARCA Menards Series where he qualified second and led four laps.
– Purdy and the No. 24 team will compete with chassis No. 127 this weekend in Talladega. This chassis served as a backup chassis for GMS in 2019. This chassis has three top-10 finishes in its last four superspeedway starts for GMS.
– The GMS fleet will carry special pink ribbons this week to promote breast cancer awareness and honor individuals close to GMS team members who have been affected by the disease.

Quote:

“I’m excited about Talladega. It’s a hometown race for me and it’s just a cool place to race. We’re just going to try to keep ourselves out of trouble and be around at the end to compete for a win!”

Tyler Ankrum, No. 26 LiUNA! Chevrolet Silverado
Talladega Superspeedway Gander Trucks Stats
– Starts: 1, Best start: 2, Best finish: 7, Laps led: 6

2020 Gander Trucks Stats
– Starts: 18, Best start: 2, Best finish: 2, Top 5s: 3, Top 10s: 9, Laps led: 54

Notes:

– Tyler Ankrum and the No. 26 will utilize chassis No. 133 this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. This is the same chassis that Ankrum ran at Daytona in February.
– Ankrum enters the Talladega weekend fifth in the points standings, 37 points behind the leader and 15 points above the playoff cutoff line.
– The GMS fleet will carry special pink ribbons this week to promote breast cancer awareness and honor individuals close to GMS team members who have been affected by the disease.

Quote:

“I’m feeling pretty good heading to Talladega this weekend. We had a good run at Daytona in February with this truck and I know we’ll be fast again this weekend. We just need to keep our nose clean and be around at the end for a shot at the win and a chance to advance to the next round.”

ABOUT GMS RACING

GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series with drivers Brett Moffitt, Sheldon Creed, Tyler Ankrum and Zane Smith as well as part-time with David Gravel and Chase Purdy. The team also competes in the ARCA Racing Series with Sam Mayer. Since the team began in 2014, GMS Racing won the 2016 Gander Trucks Championship, the 2019 ARCA East championship and has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. The campus also includes operations for GMS Fabrication. More information can be found at https://gmsracing.net/.

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Ticket Capacity Reached for Talladega Superspeedway’s YellaWood 500 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Race This Sunday

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Official Release
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Limited Number of 3-Day Infield Camping Spots Remain for Guests with Self-Contained RVs

Talladega, AL – (Sept. 29, 2020) – Talladega Superspeedway officials announced today that the socially-distanced grandstand and tower ticket capacity has been reached for Sunday’s YellaWood 500 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race.

A very limited number of camping spaces remain available for purchase in the track’s famous infield for guests with self-contained RVs. Those interested in camping possibilities for the weekend are encouraged to act quickly by calling 1-877-Go2-DEGA.

The YellaWood 500 is the second race (of three) in the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 12 Playoffs and is scheduled for a 1 p.m. CDT start. Saturday’s slate includes a double dose of playoff action with the Chevy Silverado 250 at TALLADEGA for the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, which is set to go off at Noon CDT. It will be followed by the Ag-Pro 300 at TALLADEGA for the NASCAR Xfinity Series at 3:30 p.m. CDT. The Chevy Silverado 250 at TALLADEGA will serve as the elimination race in the Round of 10 where two Gander Trucks drivers will be eliminated from title competition while the Ag-Pro 300 at TALLADEGA will be the second in the Round of 12.

“When we hosted a limited number of fans back to the track in June here we knew that it came with great responsibility,” said Talladega Superspeedway President Brian Crichton. “It was a tremendous honor then to be one of the first sports facilities to host fans once the pandemic started, and it’s just as big of an honor now as we host our fans for the NASCAR Playoffs.

“We owe a great deal of gratitude to Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, along with our community and state leaders for having the confidence in us to create an entertaining and safe experience for our fans, our partners and the entire NASCAR family. We are so thankful, too, for all the effort of our frontline workers. For those fans who won’t be able to join us, we encourage them to enjoy the YellaWood 500, the Ag-Pro 300 and Chevy Silverado 250 via our broadcast partners’ NBC, NBCSN, FS1 and MRN Radio. ”

The reduced number of fans permitted for the tripleheader weekend is in accordance with safety protocols and procedures to provide a safe experience. All guests who attend will be screened before entering the facility, required to wear face coverings and maintain six-feet of social distancing throughout the venue. For all safety protocols and rules, click here.

The YellaWood 500 will be the final race at Talladega Superspeedway for seven-time NASCAR Champion and two-time Talladega winner Jimmie Johnson, as well as a great friend of the track – Brendan Gaughan. Ryan Blaney is the defending champion of the YellaWood 500, as well as the track’s latest Cup winner in June when he claimed the GEICO 500 prize, narrowly winning both races by seven one thousandths of a second.
The full schedule for Oct. 3-4 Playoff Weekend for Talladega Superspeedway includes:

  • Sat, Oct. 3 – Chevy Silverado 250 at TALLADEGA NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series at 12:00 p.m. CDT (FS1, SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90 & MRN); 94 laps
  • Sat, Oct. 3 – Ag-Pro 300 at TALLADEGA NASCAR Xfinity Series at 3:30 p.m. CDT (NBCSN, SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90 & MRN); 113 laps
  • Sun, Oct. 4 – YellaWood 500 NASCAR Cup Series at 1:00 p.m. CDT (NBC, SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90 & MRN); 188 laps

For information on Talladega Superspeedway, visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or call 1-877-Go2-DEGA. Fans can keep up with all the happenings at the biggest, baddest race track on the planet by following Talladega Superspeedway on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and by downloading the track’s mobile app.

About Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway – which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year – is the most competitive race track on the NASCAR schedule (record 88 lead changes in 188 laps), the highest-banked (33 degrees) and the longest (2.66 miles), as well as the most fun and fan-friendly. Three- and four-wide racing at 200 mph are a norm at Talladega Superspeedway, along with nail-biting, photo finishes. For information, visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or call 1-877-Go2-DEGA.

FedEx Racing Express Facts – Talladega Superspeedway

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Denny Hamlin
#11 FedEx Express Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing

Race Info:
Race: YellaWood 500
Date/Time: Sunday, Oct. 4/2:00 p.m. ET
Distance: 188 laps/500.08 miles
Track Shape: Tri-Oval
Track Length: 2.66 Miles
Banking: 33 degrees
2019 Winner: Ryan Blaney

Express Notes:

Press Kit: Download the 2020 FedEx Racing press materials at www.fedexracing.com/presskit, including bios for Denny Hamlin, Chris Gabehart and Joe Gibbs Racing leadership, program highlights and statistics.

Las Vegas Recap: Denny Hamlin looked to be cruising to a Round of 12 Playoffs win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sunday – until a late-race caution scrambled the field and knocked him far out of the lead. Hamlin and his fast FedEx Office Toyota led 121 of the 268 race laps around the 1.5-mile oval, resulting in a Stage 1 victory. His fate quickly changed late in Stage 3, though. Hamlin was enjoying a nearly two-second lead when he came to pit road for a green-flag stop on Lap 233, but the untimely caution flew as soon as he rejoined the field. The yellow, which flew in the middle of the pit cycle, left the No. 11 back in 12th. A two-tire pit stop on Lap 252 under another caution helped Hamlin make a final charge, but he ran out of laps before he could track down leader Kurt Busch, who went to Victory Lane and clinched his spot into the Round of 8.

Talladega Preview: The Round of 12 moves onto Talladega, the biggest and fastest track on the NASCAR circuit. Coming off a strong performance in Las Vegas, Hamlin and the FedEx #11 team look to carry that momentum with them as they bring their FedEx Express Toyota Camry to Talladega. Hamlin has only one win at the superspeedway but is focused on changing that narrative and securing his spot in the Round of 8 with a win this weekend.

Hamlin Statistics:
Track: Talladega Superspeedway
Races: 29
Wins: 1
Poles: 0
Top-5: 8
Top-10: 12
Laps Led: 320
Avg. Start: 17.4
Avg. Finish: 17.2

Hamlin Conversation – Talladega:

How are you feeling as you move deeper into the playoffs and yet to end up in Victory Lane?

“It’s just really unfortunate circumstances that are keeping us out of Victory Lane. I’m really happy with the way we’re running, though, and feel confident going into Talladega this weekend.”

You remain second in points behind the leader, Kevin Harvick. What is your FedEx Racing team’s focus as you get ready for Talladega?

“We need to maintain focus and let the rest take care of itself. Talladega is known as the biggest and the fastest course in the circuit. We’ve had success in previous races there and just need to build off of the momentum we gained in Las Vegas.”

FedEx Express Along for the Ride at Talladega Superspeedway: FedEx Express is pleased to recognize team members at OLVRT in Memphis, Tenn., for their outstanding work through the COVID-19 pandemic by featuring the letters OLVRT on the B-post of the FedEx #11 at the Talladega Superspeedway YellaWood 500. The team moved personal protective equipment (PPE), COVID-19 test kits and other supplies throughout the country. These dedicated employees worked multiple weekend shifts over a four-month period, in addition to their normal schedules to provide priority service for these urgent medical shipments. The OLVRT team continues to assist with critical medical shipments for many pharmaceutical and medical customers.

How to Choose a Bumper | New Video

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AmericanTrucks’ Shopping Guide for F-150 Owners

PAOLI, Pa. (September 28th, 2020) – Aftermarket parts retailer, AmericanTrucks (AT) helps F150 owners shop for bumpers with the help of their new video shopping guide. AT host, Adam Maqboul highlights four types of bumpers showing them installed on a 2015 5.0-liter F-150. Each bumper style applies to all generations and can be found on AT’s website along with their in-depth F-150 bumpers tech guide.

Adam begins with an entry-level, off-road bumper he describes as a “durable, aggressive, and beefy front bumper that can act as a blank slate for potential add-ons.” Stepping it up from there is what Adam calls the “utility-based” bumper. In addition to protection and durability, the utility bumper will include features like a winch plate, strong D-ring shackles, and auxiliary lighting. Next up, is the “pre-runner style” front bumper built for maximum ground clearance. This lightweight bumper is ideal for off-road use allowing the tires to go over an obstacle before the bumper takes the hit. Lastly, Adam presents the “total protection” style front bumper. As the name implies, this bumper style is for F-150 owners who are looking for all-around front-end protection, in any driving condition, on or off-road.

AT offers a variety of F-150 bumper styles to suit any application. The new video helps customers narrow down what’s best for their truck, no matter what gen they’re driving. Customers can find additional information inside AT’s F-150 bumper styles overview page, complete with images, tips, and answers to common bumper-related questions.

View it here:  https://www.americantrucks.com/f150-front-bumpers.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.

Nemechek Ready for Another Talladega Top-10 with Speedy Cash

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Nemechek on Talladega:

“Superspeedways continue to be our best shot at winning as an organization. I’m really excited to go back to Talladega this weekend. We had a really strong run when we were there earlier in the year. We were right up at the front on the last lap and really had a shot at the win, but came home in 8th. I’m confident that my Front Row Motorsports No. 38 team will put together a fast racecar and we’ll have another shot at the checkered flag on Sunday.

“Speedy Cash is back with us for the second race in a row this week. We had a fast car with them last weekend, but the results didn’t totally reflect that. We definitely want to be able to make up for it when we hit the track this weekend.”

Hendrick Motorsports elevates Jeff Andrews and Chad Knaus into new leadership roles

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KNAUS TO END DECORATED CREW CHIEF CAREER AFTER 2020

CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 29, 2020) – Hendrick Motorsports has promoted senior leaders Jeff Andrews and Chad Knaus into new roles designed to enhance the competition structure of the 12-time NASCAR Cup Series champions. The moves include the elevation of Knaus, one of the most decorated crew chiefs in NASCAR history, to an executive management position.

As vice president of competition, Knaus will oversee the technical development of Hendrick Motorsports’ entire stable of Chevrolet race cars, including its implementation of NASCAR’s 2022 “Next Gen” vehicle. The Rockford, Illinois, native will be responsible for personnel dedicated to the organization’s four NASCAR Cup Series entries, including crew chiefs, pit crews, engineering, fabrication, assembly and other team-related staff. He will assume his new duties following the completion of the 2020 season.

Knaus, 49, is a seven-time Cup Series champion crew chief, all with driver Jimmie Johnson, and a winner of 82 races. From 2006 to 2010, the duo won an unprecedented five consecutive titles. At the top level of stock-car racing, only Hall of Fame crew chiefs Dale Inman and Leonard Wood have more race victories, and just Inman has more championships. As crew chief of the No. 24 team with driver William Byron, Knaus this season competed in his record-extending 17th Cup playoffs. He is the all-time leader in NASCAR playoff race wins with 29 – nearly three times more than anyone else – and recently called his 700th career Cup-level race.

“When I started at Hendrick Motorsports (in 1993) working for Ray Evernham, my goal was to be a crew chief,” Knaus said. “Starting at a young age, I wanted to win every race we entered and battle for every championship. Mr. (Rick) Hendrick has given me the chance to do exactly that, and I could not be more thankful to him. After all these years, my competitive desire has not changed at all, but now I have a family that deserves my attention. This new executive role will allow me to compete in a different way with all four of our teams while spending more time with my wife and two young children. I appreciate the company supporting my decision, and I’m truly excited about the challenge ahead of me to help us grow and win. I’m also looking forward to working closely with Jeff, who I admire and have great respect for. I owe so much to Mr. Hendrick and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports, and I’m ready for the next chapter.”

Knaus will report to Andrews, 55, who has been promoted to executive vice president and general manager, effective immediately. Andrews joined Hendrick Motorsports in 1992 and most recently served as vice president of competition since 2017. He previously held a variety of leadership positions in the team’s engine department, including director of engine operations. In his expanded role, the Fresno, California, native will oversee all competition-related departments, including powertrain, manufacturing and racing operations. He will continue to support the organization’s technical relationship with manufacturer Chevrolet and remain its primary liaison with NASCAR’s competition group. He reports to Hendrick Motorsports president Marshall Carlson.

“In my almost 29-year NASCAR career, I’ve been fortunate to work for just one organization,” Andrews said. “Mr. Hendrick is a racer and a fierce competitor. His drive to win is contagious, and I’m grateful to have a team of like-minded people who share that passion. Racing is all I have ever done professionally. When I left my home and my family 33 years ago to pursue this dream, I never could have imagined the opportunities that have been provided by so many people, most importantly Mr. Hendrick. It’s been a privilege to grow within this amazing organization, and I look forward to working alongside Chad in his new role. He and I share a love for this business and a commitment to providing the very best resources for Hendrick Motorsports to win into the foreseeable future.”

Andrews and Knaus have more than 50 years of combined experience with Hendrick Motorsports.

“As we look to the years ahead, Jeff and Chad are going to play significant roles in our success,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “They’re tremendous leaders who are respected within our organization and across the entire auto racing world. In addition, they each bring unique strengths and skillsets that will complement each other extremely well and benefit all of Hendrick Motorsports. We’re in the business of winning, and this combination is going to help us do just that.

“In life, it’s rare to witness true excellence first-hand, but that’s precisely what we’ve been treated to with Chad. Today’s announcement is bittersweet because, in my opinion, he is the finest crew chief our sport has ever seen. Although we’re going to miss him atop the pit box, I’m heartened that Chad has made this decision for himself and his growing family and that he is energized about the opportunity to move us forward in a new capacity. There is no one with higher standards or a stronger passion for winning. He will continue to elevate Hendrick Motorsports and instill his championship mentality throughout the company.”

Hendrick Motorsports will announce a new crew chief for Byron and the No. 24 team at a later date.

ABOUT HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS:
Founded by Rick Hendrick in 1984, Hendrick Motorsports has earned 260 points-paying race victories and a record 12 car owner championships in the premier NASCAR Cup Series. The organization fields four full-time Chevrolet teams on the Cup circuit with drivers Chase Elliott, William Byron, Jimmie Johnson and Alex Bowman. Headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, Hendrick Motorsports employs more than 600 people. For more information, please visit HendrickMotorsports.com or interact on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Ford Performance NASCAR: Grant Enfinger and Todd Gilliland Ford Zoom Call Transcript

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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoor Truck Series (NGROTS)
Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Grant Enfinger, driver of the No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford F-150, has three victories this season for and goes into Saturday’s NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Round of 10 finale at Talladega Superspeedway 31 points above the cutline. Todd Gilliland, driver of the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford F-150, is currently on the bubble in 10th place, 19 points out of the final transfer spot.

Both drivers participated in a Ford Zoom call with media today to discuss this weekend’s race.

GRANT ENFINGER, No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford F-150 – WHAT IS IT LIKE RACING AT TALLADEGA? “For me, I think it’s a little different than for some guys because that’s kind of the racetrack that started it all for me. That’s what started the fire burning to want to be a race car driver is going to Talladega as a kid and we’d go in a Greyhound bus and there would be a bunch of us and be some guys making some mistakes and drinking too much and having a good time and that’s what I remember as a kid going there was the entertainment value on and off the racetrack. I’ve always loved Talladega. I’ve always really pumped myself up for there. I’ve been fortunate enough because that’s where I got my first truck win, but racing at Talladega is awesome. I’m glad we only go to these speedways twice because it is so crazy. You know bad stuff is gonna happen, you just want to be positioned away from it when it does. I feel like, obviously, this year being a cutoff race for the Truck Series adds a different element. We’re going in there with a little bit of a points cushion, but I don’t know how much good that does you going into Talladega because there are gonna be some upset winners. We’ve seen that. There could be some losers too that’s not even an upset. You just kind of go in there expecting some guys in this playoff picture are gonna get caught up the wreck and just hopefully we do a good enough job positioning ourselves that that’s not us. I’m letting (Jeff) Hensley work on the truck right now, but we haven’t really discussed it, but right now my mentality is to race like heck those first couple stages and not do anything stupid, but we need some stage points. Hopefully, we can do that and we can lock in by that second stage and that way I can really go for broke at the end.”

KANSAS MOVING FROM NIGHT TO LATE AFTERNOON MAKES DAY RACES AT TEXAS AND KANSAS COMING UP. ANY DIFFERENT ON THOSE TRACKS THAT YOU’RE USED TO? “It would be different if it was a rainout and we had already prepared and you’re talking about the next day we’re going to the day race, but they’ve given us enough time that it doesn’t really affect us too much. In all honesty, it’s probably gonna be a little closer to the conditions that we had when we raced there back a month and a half ago, but since we have this much heads-up, I don’t think it’s gonna be a factor. I think it would be more of a factor if we had been trimmed out and tuned up for a night time race in 55-60 degrees and then to have a rainout and then we just all of a sudden, ‘Hey, we’re racing in another 15-20 degrees in the heat of the day.’ So I’m not too concerned with that.”

DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE TO RUN FOR STAGE POINTS AT TALLADEGA OR WILL YOU PLAY IT CAUTIOUS? “I feel like we definitely need stage points. My goal right now would be to accumulate enough stage points in those first two stages that we could go for broke at the end, and I could really put ourselves in the position I feel like we need to be to win. If we don’t accomplish that, I feel like that changes some things. Right now, my mindset is to be smart, but be aggressive and get some stage points early on.”

DO YOU PLAN TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN THE FIRST TWO STAGES TO TRY AND CLINCH AND THEN HOLD BACK IN THE THIRD UNTIL THE END IF THAT’S THE WAY THE POINTS FALL? “At this point, I want to push hard in those first two stages to get us locked in, and if we do accomplish that, then I race like heck the rest of the race. If we don’t accomplish it at that point, I think at that point then we have to analyze where we’re at and I kind of race to that approach. You can get wrecked in the front just as easy as you can in the back. I’ve had more success just trying to be smart, but trying to be up front the whole time, so that’s our approach now until we get to the end of that second stage. I’m not even gonna ask for any information before that second stage is over and then after that we’ll kind of re-evaluate where we’re at.”

A PAIR OF SIXTH-PLACE FINISHES TO START THE PLAYOFFS. ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH HOW YOUR TEAM HAS STARTED? “I think, overall, we have momentum on our side. We definitely have that going for us. I feel like we honestly had better than a sixth-place truck at Bristol and kind of had to do everything we can, and I feel like our team did an absolutely phenomenal job of not digging a hole. We had an opportunity to dig a hole there at Bristol from some circumstances going on, but we were able to fix the truck and get it back going and recover to finish sixth, but I thought we were a little better than that. Las Vegas was kind of the opposite. We didn’t have the speed all day. We knew exactly what went wrong. I just couldn’t get through the bumps, but normally myself and Jeff Hensley, we can talk about it and figure it out and by the end of the race we’re better. If we start out mediocre, we’re ending the race at least decent. We weren’t able to do that at Las Vegas, but we do know why, so I feel good about things. I feel like we have momentum in the right way, but I don’t think we raced to our potential at Vegas, but I’m extremely proud of what we did at Bristol.”

HAS TALLADEGA BEING IN THE PLAYOFFS CHANGED THE DYNAMIC OF THE PLAYOFFS AS A WHOLE? “Yeah, I think so. I think it made Bristol and Vegas that much more important. Having this speedway as a cutoff race, I look at everything from a fan’s perspective first. I think it’s just the nature of things and I wasn’t a big fan of it until I sat there and watched the Cup race there with the cutoff race at Daytona and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time seeing if Jimmie Johnson was gonna make it in and what was gonna happen. From an entertainment standpoint, from a fan’s standpoint, it is awesome. From a competitor’s standpoint, it’s terrible. This is gonna be a stressful race. Even though we’re going in with a bit of a cushion, anything can happen. It can happen at the start. More times than not it seems to happen at the end of these truck races and seems to happen in multiple instances, so it changes our dynamic, it changes how we approach this race. Had this been the first race of this series, I feel like we’d kind of go for broke the whole time and just hope for the best, but now that we have a little bit of a cushion not a great cushion going into this race, it definitely affects how we approach it.”

IS IT CRAZY HOW ONE TRACK CAN HAVE SUCH A BIG IMPACT LIKE THAT? “Yeah, and you can see it with the other tracks and you can see it just with mechanical issues and issues like we fought there at Bristol and were able to overcome. But when you see that it’s normally like one or two trucks that that can affect. At Talladega, it might affect all of us. You don’t really know. It seems like at these speedways, especially in the Truck Series, there is a lot more cars with damage or that have been through wrecks than those that don’t have damage or haven’t been through wrecks. It’s a matter of just kind of trying to manage the risk as much as you can from the driver’s seat and also from our crew chief’s perspective – for Jeff Hensley making calls and pit road, is this gonna get us in the back of the pack where we’ve got to drive through a wreck, or is this gonna get us out front? It definitely changes things.”

DOES LAST YEAR’S PLAYOFF BAD LUCK MOTIVATE YOU MORE THIS TIME AROUND? “Last year definitely motivates me more and it definitely motivates everybody on this 98 ThorSport team a lot. We missed the playoffs altogether in 2017 as a group and the same core group of guys that missed it in 2017 and had the heartbreak last year with the Las Vegas engine failure are the same guys working on it, the same guy driving it, the same guy calling the race, so, yeah, to say we’re motivated would be an understatement. Also, what we didn’t accomplish last year is winning a race, so we’ve been more aggressive on our plate calls. I’ve been more aggressive from the driver’s seat. We’ve been more aggressive to get wins and at the end of the day we can sneak through to this next round without winning. We’re not in a must-win situation at Talladega, but we get into that next round and I kind of feel like we are. I guess technically maybe one or two guys could make it to Phoenix without winning there in that second round, but business picks up in this next round.”

WHEN YOU ROLL OFF AT TALLADEGA HOW MUCH GOES THROUGH YOUR MIND ABOUT THE CRAPSHOOT IT IS? “You definitely don’t want to overthink anything. I feel like Talladega is always a big weekend for me and this year being a lot different, but normally we have a lot of friends and families and sponsors that go to that race and anything can happen. You can do everything perfectly right and win the race and you can do everything perfectly right and wreck on lap one, so it’s a matter of controlling what we can control and manage what we can. That’s kind of been Jeff Hensley’s motto all year long and that’s how we’re gonna approach this race. We’re gonna do what we can to be aggressive and to score stage points in these first two stages, and then once we get through that second stage, then I’m gonna ask the guys, ‘Where do we stand and can I go for broke?’ I’m hoping they say, ‘Yeah, you can go for broke,’ after that and we can do whatever we want. But if we can’t, if we haven’t scored enough stage points and we have to be a little conservative at the end, it is what it is but that’s not how I want to race.”

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED OVER THE YEARS ABOUT TALLADEGA? “I’ve learned a ton. I feel like there have been certain instances and, for the most part, when I go to these speedway races I try to race. There’s never a time that I go to the race and say, ‘Hey, I’d like to hang out at the back and just make it through this,’ even in a situation like this with the playoffs going on. But I do rely on my senses as well as my spotter Chris Lambert’s senses, and if we feel like there’s gonna be a wreck happening, or if I don’t like the guys we’re racing around, I try to get to the bottom and try to leave just about a car length in front of me – enough to where somebody can’t squeeze in, but enough to where I can see, I can jump off the apron and go down pit road – I can make some sort of evasive action and give ourselves a fighting chance. But if you’re pushing right on somebody’s back bumper and everybody is already moving around, which, don’t get me wrong, I’ll do that at the end when it counts, but if I have a bad sense of things through the middle part of the race or whenever it is, then I’ll try to find my way to the bottom and give myself a little bit of space.”

TODD GILLILAND, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford F-150 – WHAT IS YOUR OUTLOOK GOING INTO THE WEEKEND 19 POINTS BELOW THE CUT? “I think it’s our opportunity to be really aggressive. Nineteen points is obviously a lot. We kind of need some misfortune from other guys which is very, very possible, but the chances are high for us to get in a wreck also. I just think you have to be aggressive all day. I think if you do that, I think we’ve been in good positions at the speedway races before. At Daytona we were leading the bottom lane with two or three to go and a bunch of us wrecked, but it’s just about putting yourself in position to win.”

IS THERE ANY RELIEF IN THE SENSE IT’S PRETTY MUCH RACE TO WIN INSTEAD OF COUNT POINTS? “Absolutely, I think there is. We’re gonna go in there and be aggressive. If we wreck trying to go for the win, I think we can live with ourselves on that, whereas other guys that might be able to let someone in and still make it on points, those guys are gonna be looking behind them and worrying about points this whole week. For us, it’s pretty simple. There’s no one behind us. We can only move forward from here if we do our job right.”

HAVE YOU TALKED TO TANNER GRAY OR ANY OF THE THORSPORT GUYS ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER? “No. At Daytona we had a meeting about it, but, honestly, it’s so hard to work with people in the draft. Things go so fast that I think you have to be selfish in a way. A lot of times there’s barely a gap for you to get up at the times that you need to, let alone two to three cars you’re trying to work with. I think there’s more subtle things you can do. If you see there are two lines that are equal and you have a chance to push either one and one is a Ford, you’ll probably choose that one, but I think it tends to be a selfish kind of race.”

HOW DO YOU SENSE WHEN A WRECK IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN? “I think that’s all stuff you’re gathering from the time the green flag drops. The guys that are fighting their cars, they’re kind of squirrely, pushing each other, you can see that stuff coming. You can kind of see wrecks beginning to start maybe a lap before they even do just by someone getting a little impatient trying to force things that aren’t gonna happen. I think that’s when you see people get themselves in trouble, but I think just being aware of who you are around is the biggest thing.”

DEFINE REALLY AGGRESSIVE AT TALLADEGA. “I think there’s a fine balance. You can go out there and be aggressive and kind of just be a disaster on the racetrack. People aren’t gonna want to work with you. You’re not gonna look smooth. You’re not gonna look real good out there, so I think there’s a way to be aggressive and also really smooth at the same time. In the first five laps if you’re trying to block someone and they’re there, you let them go. I think that’s one thing that I’ve been good and bad about is just making my way to the front and then once you get there kind of getting split in the middle, but I think once you make a mistake you kind of just have to accept it and go to the back and restart, where some people if they’re aggressive, they’ll try to force their way in the line and chance wrecking it. Our plan is still to make it to the end of the race. Points can swing really fast. There’s a lot of trucks this weekend, so 19 points isn’t out of the realm of happening, so we’ve just got to run our own race and be aggressive, take chances when we can and be smart when we can.”

WILL PEOPLE BE CAUTIOUS IN THE RACE? “I think just from the outside in last year seemed to be a tamer Talladega race. Considering it was the playoffs I didn’t think too much of it, but now being in it I definitely appreciate it more, but I think people are definitely more cautious. If you take out four of the guys in the playoffs, that’s almost half of the playoff grid, so I think you’ve just got to be careful who you’re racing around. You don’t want to be that guy that ruins someone else’s year if you take them out of the playoffs, so people probably keep that in the back of their mind, but, it’s also Talladega and things happen fast. I’m sure someone will make a mistake at some point.”

WHEN YOU FIRST FOUND OUT TALLADEGA WAS GOING TO BE A CUTOFF RACE WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION? “For the fan in me I think it’s super cool. I think it’s gonna be great to watch, but as a driver if we were farther up the playoff grid I would hate it right now. Also, it’s still a great chance for us being where we are in the playoffs, so I think you can look at it from tons of different ways. I think as a fan it’s great. For the trucks it’s Talladega and Martinsville that are the two cutoff races. I don’t think you can ask for anything more than that. I love it. We’re in the entertainment business and it’s definitely gonna be entertaining.”

HOW MUCH OF A RESOURCE IS YOUR DAD ON A WEEKEND LIKE THIS? “He’s definitely always a huge resource. He’s done this a lot more than me. He’s run two truck races with me at some of the superspeedway races, so just being around and watching a guy like him, even I think the best guy in the Truck Series is Grant Enfinger. I was just listening to some of the stuff he was saying on this Zoom call trying to learn, but he seems to make his way to the front – go back to front a couple times and make the correct moves, so I think it’s all about watching the lanes, watching it from the time the green flag drops, but my dad, I’ve been watching him for years doing it, so it’s always fun to come to these races and feel like you can make good decisions as a driver and elevate the team.”

WILL YOU HAVE VIDEO SESSIONS TOGETHER TO GO OVER THINGS? “I think we can do that more on a subtle level, just things we come across. I don’t think we’ll actually sit down and watch a race, but I’ll more do that with my spotter, Coleman Pressley. He’s Brad Keselowski’s spotter on Sundays, so he’s one of the best at it. I think Brad is one of the best drivers, so they’ve got a ton of information that’s really relevant to us and just a lot of great resources. You’ve got to use them all.”

Playoff Pressure Builds as Talladega Superspeedway Hosts NASCAR’s Three National Series This Weekend

By
Official Release
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Eight of 12 Drivers in NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Have Victories at 2.66-mile Venue

Talladega, Ala. (Sept. 29, 2020) – The pressure-packed buildup for this weekend’s (Oct. 3-4) NASCAR Playoffs tripleheader at Talladega Superspeedway is finally upon us.

This Sunday’s YellaWood 500 NASCAR Cup Series race will serve as the second (of three) event in the Round of 12 for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs while Saturday’s Ag-Pro 300 will be the second race in the Round of 12 for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs. The first event of a double dose of action on Saturday will be the elimination race for the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series where the field of title contenders will be cut from 10 to eight.

Many view the YellaWood 500 as the “wild card” event of the Cup Series Playoffs because of the uncertainty it bestows. It can considerably strengthen or dash a driver’s hopes of moving on to the next round, and ultimately competing in the Championship 4 finale in Phoenix for the title. Of the 12-driver playoff field, eight have driven to the mammoth 2.66-mile track’s Gatorade Victory Lane at least once. If one of the 12 wins the YellaWood 500, he will automatically gain a spot in the Round of 8.

After this past weekend’s kickoff to the second round in Las Vegas, Kurt Busch, with his victory, punched his ticket to the third round. Kevin Harvick leads the point standings by three over Denny Hamlin while there is a log jam beginning with Brad Keselowski (-45) through the rest of the eligible field. Currently under the cutoff line are former Talladega winners Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer and Aric Almirola, along with Austin Dillon.

Below is the lineup of championship contenders, along with their playoff points and resume at Talladega Superspeedway:

  • Kurt Busch, No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet (3041 points (-63)/14th playoff appearance): While he is 63 points behind Harvick, with his win Sunday, he has already advanced to the Round of 8. The 21-year veteran scored a victory at Talladega in the 2003 International Race of Champions (IROC) event, but he is still searching for his first Cup triumph after 39 starts at the track. With eight top-five and 21 top-10 results, TSS is statistically one of Busch’s better playoff tracks. The 2004 premier series champion has come close to earning a win several times, including a runner-up finish in the 2018 GEICO 500 and four third-place results. In the last seven Talladega races, his average finish is 12.86 with four top-10 results.
  • Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford (3104 points/14th playoff appearance): The 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion and current championship points leader has 39 career Cup Series starts at Talladega and holds one win (April 2010). He has recorded seven top-five and 15 top-10 efforts. Since 2017, he has one top-five result and two top-10s with an average finish of 20th.
  • Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (3101 points (-3)/14th playoff appearance): The three-time Daytona 500 champion (2020, 2019, 2016) drove to the ’Dega Gatorade Victory Lane after the 2014 GEICO 500 in what is still his only win in 29 Cup starts at Talladega. The 2006 series Rookie of the Year has compiled eight top-fives – including three of the last four races (third and a pair of fourths) – and 12 top-10s. Since 2017, his average finish is 11.14.
  • Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Team Penske Ford (3059 points (-45)/ninth playoff appearance): Keselowski has more wins at TSS than any other active driver with five. His first-ever Cup victory came at the biggest track in NASCAR in the 2009 GEICO 500. In 23 Cup starts at the track, the 2012 Cup Champion has totaled seven top-five and 11 top-10 performances. Over the last seven races at TSS, he has one win (’17 YellaWood 500) but just two top-10s.
  • Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (3058 points (-46)/eighth playoff appearance): Truex, Jr. is still looking for his first ’Dega win, after 31 Cup starts. The 2017 Cup Series champion has recorded eight top-10s at TSS, but unfortunately, Talladega has been one of his worst playoff tracks. Over the last seven races, his best finish is 20th with an average of 25.14. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, he has been to Gatorade Victory Lane a record three times, consecutively from 2004-06.
  • Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford (3054 points (-50)/seventh playoff appearance): The 2018 Cup champion posted his first victory at NASCAR’s most competitive track in the 2015 YellaWood 500, and a year later, made it back-to-back fall triumphs. His most recent TSS win came in the 2018 GEICO 500. In 23 career Cup starts at the track, he has three victories and eight top-five finishes. Since spring of 2017, his average finish has been 10.57 with one win and four top-five results.
  • Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (3053 points (-51)/fifth playoff appearance): Elliott went to ’Dega’s Gatorade Victory Lane in the 2019 GEICO 500. In nine career starts at TSS, the 2016 series Rookie of the Year has produced three top-five results. His first came in his initial Cup series race at Talladega in the 2016 GEICO 500, a race in which he also started on the pole. Over the last seven races he has the victory with an 18.14 average finish.
  • Alex Bowman, No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (3052 points (-52)/third playoff appearance): Bowman has 10 TSS Cup career starts, with his best career finish coming in the 2019 GEICO 500 where he crossed the line in the runner-up position. Bowman has one top-five and three top-10 performances with an average finish of 17.40 over the last seven races. He was seventh earlier this year in the GEICO 500.
  • Kyle Busch, No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (3043 points (-61)/13th playoff appearance): In 30 Cup starts at ’Dega, the defending Cup Series champion has one victory (2008 GEICO 500) and six top-five finishes. Over the last seven races, his average finish is 18.57. Busch holds the record at TSS as the only active driver to visit Gatorade Victory Lane in all three of NASCAR’s top-tier series, having won in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2011 and back-to-back NASCAR Gander Trucks Series events in 2009 & 2010.
  • Clint Bowyer, No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford (3032 points (-72)/ninth playoff appearance): Bowyer will be making his 30th series start at TSS, looking to add a third win to his resume to go along with his victories in both the 2010 and 2011 YellaWood 500 events. He has tallied seven top-five and 13 top-10 performances at ’Dega in the Cup level. Over the last seven races here, his average finish is 22.71.
  • Aric Almirola, No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford (3025 points (-79)/fourth playoff appearance): If the last eight races are any indication, this is the guy to bet on. The 2018 YellaWood 500 champ has recorded eight straight top-10 results, including five top-five efforts, with an average finish of 5.125 during that span. He was fourth in last fall’s YellaWood 500 while third earlier this year in the GEICO 500.
  • Austin Dillon (3020 points (-84)/fourth playoff appearance): Piloting the No. 3 for Richard Childress Racing, which has 12 triumphs at Talladega, Dillon has three top-10 efforts at the 33-degree banked venue with a best result of third in May of 2016. Over the last seven races, his average finish is 25.14. He was sixth in last year’s YellaWood 500.

NASCAR Xfinity Series
Chase Briscoe advanced to the Round of 8 by winning Saturday in Vegas. Austin Cindric (-17) is in second in the championship standings, followed by Noah Gragson (-34), Justin Allgaier (-42), Justin Haley (-56), who won at Talladega in June, Brandon Jones (-57), Ryan Sig (-61) and Harrison Burton (-68). Currently below the cutoff line are: Ross Chastain (-70), Michael Annett (-78), Riley Herbst (-82) and Brandon Brown (-88).

NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series
Heading into Talladega’s cutoff race, Austin Hill is guaranteed to advance to Round of 8 as a result of his win at Vegas. Sheldon Creed leads the points chase by eight over Brett Moffitt, followed by Zane Smith (-13), Grant Enfinger (-21), Tyler Ankrum (-37), Matt Crafton (-37) and Christian Eckes (-46). Ben Rhodes (-52) and Todd Gilliland (-65) have work to do and sit below the cutoff line.

The YellaWood 500 gets the green flag on Sunday, Oct. 4, at 1 p.m. CT. The full schedule for Oct. 3-4 Playoff Weekend for Talladega Superspeedway includes:

  • Sat, Oct. 3 – Chevy 250 at TALLADEGA NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series at 12:00 p.m. CDT (FS1, SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90 & MRN); 94 laps
  • Sat, Oct. 3 – Ag-Pro 300 At TALLADEGA NASCAR Xfinity Series at 3:30 p.m. CDT (NBCSN, SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90 & MRN); 113 laps
  • Sun, Oct. 4 – YellaWood 500 NASCAR Cup Series at 1:00 p.m. CDT (NBC, SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90 & MRN); 188 laps

For further information, including infield camping possibilities for the weekend, fans may learn more by calling the ticket office at 1-877-Go2-DEGA. Fans can keep up with all the happenings at the biggest, baddest race track on the planet by following Talladega Superspeedway on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and by downloading the track’s mobile app.

About Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway – which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year – is the most competitive race track on the NASCAR schedule (record 88 lead changes in 188 laps), the highest-banked (33 degrees) and the longest (2.66 miles), as well as the most fun and fan-friendly. Three- and four-wide racing at 200 mph are a norm at Talladega Superspeedway, along with nail-biting, photo finishes. For information, visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or call 1-877-Go2-DEGA.

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