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INDYCAR Harvest GP presented by GMR, Indianapolis 8 Hour Story Ideas

INDIANAPOLIS, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020 – Story ideas follow for the INDYCAR Harvest GP presented by GMR and Indianapolis 8 Hour event week Oct. 1-4 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The event consists of two races for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, on Friday, Oct. 2 and Saturday, Oct. 3, and an eight-hour endurance race for the Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli and its North American counterpart, GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS, on Sunday, Oct. 4. The event also will showcase sports car drivers in SRO America’s Pirelli GT4 America, GT Sports Club America and the TC America series.

Welcome back, fans: Fans will be welcomed to a race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time in 2020 during the INDYCAR Harvest GP presented by GMR event weekend. Up to 10,000 spectators can be in the grandstands each day of racing action Oct. 1-4, per approval from the Marion County Public Health Department.

The massive facility, which holds more than 300,000 people, will provide two spectator zones with up to 5,000 fans in each. The zones will be located in Turns 1 and 4 of the oval, offering strong sightlines of the road course. Strict health and safety rules will be in place, including mandatory face coverings, temperature screenings before gate entry, social distancing in grandstands and other areas, and more.

Facility improvements: Fans who attend the INDYCAR Harvest GP presented by GMR event weekend will see a host of improvements made to the 111-year-old IMS facility this year since Roger Penske purchased the track.

Among the countless improvements that fans will enjoy during this weekend will be refreshed restrooms and concession stands, 5G connectivity and widened ingress and egress areas on Georgetown Road running parallel to the front straightaway of the oval.

Fall races: History will be made during the INDYCAR Harvest GP presented by GMR event weekend, as a major auto racing event will take place in October for the first time in the 111-year history of IMS.

The Harvest Classic, United States Grand Prix Formula One and Big Machine 400 at the Brickyard races all have taken place in past years during September on the IMS oval or road course. The Red Bull Indianapolis GP MotoGP event also raced in September at IMS.

But among major events, only the Red Bull Air Race World Championship for acrobatic airplanes has competed at the Racing Capital of the World during the cool, crisp, colorful days of October.

INDYCAR title up for grabs: The championship race for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES will continue to charge down the homestretch at the INDYCAR Harvest GP presented by GMR, as Scott Dixon will try to hold off his closest pursuers and either clinch or close in on his sixth series title.

Dixon leads reigning champion Josef Newgarden by 72 points, with Pato O’Ward 128 points behind Dixon in third. There’s plenty of opportunity for Dixon to gain or lose ground with two races scheduled on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course.

There are 54 points maximum available to a driver at each NTT INDYCAR SERIES race outside of the double-points Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. So, with just the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on Oct. 25 remaining on the schedule after the INDYCAR Harvest GP, Dixon will clinch the championship with a lead of 55 points or more after this weekend.

The mission is tough but not hopeless for two-time series champion Newgarden. He trimmed 24 points from Dixon’s lead during the Honda Indy 200 doubleheader weekend Sept. 12-13 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

King of the road: Scott Dixon won the first NTT INDYCAR SERIES race of 2020 at IMS, the GMR Grand Prix on July 4. It was one of the three straight victories with which he opened the season, as Dixon has never trailed in the championship standings.

Dixon could earn the rare distinction of being the first NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver to win three races in one year at the Racing Capital of the World with a sweep of the INDYCAR Harvest GP presented by GMR doubleheader.

Multiple INDYCAR races only have taken place in the same season at IMS since 2014, when the GMR Grand Prix joined the annual schedule along with the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge at the world’s most famous racetrack. Team Penske teammates Will Power and Simon Pagenaud swept the Grand Prix and “500” in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

The schedule shuffle created by the COVID-19 pandemic placed three INDYCAR events at IMS this season, giving Dixon the chance to make history with three wins in the same year at the Brickyard. Takuma Sato won the Indy 500 on Aug. 23, and he also could be the first three-time winner in one season at IMS among NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers with a sweep of the INDYCAR Harvest GP.

NTT INDYCAR SERIES star Colton Herta won all three Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires races in May 2018 at IMS, with two races on the road course and the Freedom 100 on the oval. Indianapolis native Johnny Aitken swept the Harvest Classic on Sept. 9, 1916, a single event comprised of three races. That event inspired the name of the INDYCAR Harvest GP presented by GMR.

Welcome back, Seb: One of the most popular veterans of INDYCAR racing will return to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES at the INDYCAR Harvest GP presented by GMR, as Sebastien Bourdais will drive the fabled No. 14 Chevrolet for AJ Foyt Racing.

Bourdais won four consecutive Champ Car titles from 2004-07 and was a mainstay and race winner in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES after nearly two seasons in Formula One. He will make his first INDYCAR start of 2020 with Foyt’s team in the doubleheader on the IMS road course and will drive for the team in the season-ending Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on Oct. 25 in advance of a full season behind the wheel of Foyt’s car in 2021.

Frenchman Bourdais has produced three fourth-place finishes (2014, 2015, 2018) in six career INDYCAR starts on the IMS road course. He also won the inaugural Rolex Sports Car Series race at IMS in 2012, sharing a Riley-Ford Daytona Prototype with Alex Popow.

Tune in: With spectator attendance reduced for the INDYCAR Harvest GP presented by GMR due to the COVID-19 pandemic, fans are encouraged to tune in to watch or listen to both races if they can’t make it to the track. TV coverage plans for the weekend include a network TV showcase for the second day of INDYCAR action.

Race 1 will be televised on the USA Network at 3:30 p.m. (ET) Friday, Oct. 2, with Race 2 on NBC at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. The Pennzoil INDYCAR Radio Network also will have live coverage of both races.

Briscoe’s back: One name on the Indianapolis 8 Hour entry list will be very familiar to Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indianapolis 500 fans – Ryan Briscoe.

2012 Indy 500 pole winner Briscoe, formerly a Team Penske driver in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, will share the No. 6 Vital Speed Ferrari 488 GT3 in the eight-hour endurance race.

This will be Round 2 of the 2020 Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli. The season opened Jan. 31-Feb. 2 at the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour in Australia. Two rounds remain after the IMS race, the Total 24 Hours of Spa on Oct. 22-25 in Belgium and the Kyalami 9 Hour on Dec. 10-12 in South Africa.

Long haul: The Indianapolis 8 Hour will feature the longest major race in the 111-year history of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as GT sports car teams will compete in an event governed by eight hours on the clock and not a lap count.

Ray Harroun won the inaugural Indianapolis 500 in 1911 in a race that took six hours, 42 minutes and eight seconds. That remains the longest elapsed time of a race in IMS history.

Some of the world’s best GT sports car drivers will compete in the historic eight-hour race Sunday, Oct. 4, as the Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli and GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS will be combined for the first time in an epic endurance classic on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course.

The Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli is the world’s only global GT3 championship. It features spectacular GT3- and GT4-spec machinery from evocative marques such as Acura, Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Bentley, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche.

Hendrick Motorsports Media Advance: Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY (1.5-MILE OVAL)
LOCATION: LAS VEGAS
EVENT: NASCAR CUP SERIES (RACE 30 OF 36)
TUNE IN: 7 P.M. ET, SUNDAY, SEPT. 27 (NBCSN/PRN/SIRIUSXM)

Chase Elliott
No. 9 UniFirst Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Driver Chase Elliott Hometown Dawsonville, Georgia
Age 24 Resides Dawsonville, Georgia

2020 Season
5th in standings
29 starts
2 wins
1 pole position
11 top-five finishes
17 top-10 finishes
669 laps led

Career
178 starts
8 wins
9 pole positions
55 top-five finishes
91 top-10 finishes
2,513 laps led

Track Career
7 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
2 top-five finishes
3 top-10 finishes
82 laps led

SWEET 16: The NASCAR playoffs Round of 16 concluded on Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway where Chase Elliott garnered a seventh-place finish in the 500-lap event. In the three races of the round, the driver of the No. 9 collected the most stage points (35) and had the best average running position (5.37) of all drivers. Elliott led a total of 139 laps and picked up one top-five finish and two top-10s in the three events.

PLAYOFFS CONTINUE: For the fifth consecutive NASCAR Cup Series season, Elliott has advanced to the Round of 12 of the playoffs. Of the three tracks in the second round (Las Vegas, Talladega, Charlotte road course), Elliott has won at both Talladega and the Charlotte road course.

UNIFIRST TAKES VEGAS: On Sunday, UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF), a North American leader in providing customized work uniform programs, corporate attire and facility service products, will serve as the primary sponsor for Elliott and the No. 9 team. It will be the final race of the season that UniFirst will be the primary partner and have its updated green corporate logo adorning the No. 9 Chevrolet. In 2016, Hendrick Motorsports and UniFirst announced an eight-year partnership. UniFirst is the Official Workwear Provider of Hendrick Motorsports, supplying work clothing and uniforms to the team and sister company Hendrick Automotive Group, which is the largest privately held retail automotive organization in the United States. Most recently, it was onboard for Elliott’s All-Star Race win at Bristol Motor Speedway in July.

LAST 10: Over the last 10 races in the 2020 season, Elliott is tied for the most top-10 finishes (eight) in those events. He also won at the DAYTONA Road Course, posted four top-five results and led a total of 218 laps in the last 10 races.

ELLIOTT THROUGH 29: In 29 starts in 2020, Elliott has accumulated career bests in laps led (669), runner-up results (three), top-five finishes (11), stage points (235) and stage wins (seven). His 17 top-10s are tied for a personal best and his two wins are the second most for him at the 29-race mark.

LAS VEGAS STATS: On Sunday, Elliott is set to make his eighth NASCAR Cup Series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In his previous seven starts, he has collected two top-five finishes and three top-10s. Earlier this season at the 1.5-mile track, Elliott led 70 laps and won both Stage 1 and Stage 2. Unfortunately, a flat left-rear tire sent him into the wall, causing enough damage to put him a lap down and ultimately finished 26th.

RIDING WITH ELLIOTT: This weekend at Las Vegas, Elliott will have a special moniker featured on his No. 9 UniFirst Chevrolet. Dr. David Elkowitz’s name will be over the driver’s door as part of the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation and NASCAR Foundation’s initiative to showcase those who have fought bravely against cancer. Dr. Elkowitz hails from Smithtown, New York, and was nominated by his wife Stephanie. A die-hard Hendrick Motorsports fan, Dr. Elkowitz continued teaching his medical students at Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell despite undergoing 12 weeks of intense chemotherapy.

1.5-MILE STATS: Chase Elliott will make his 54th start on a 1.5-mile track this weekend as Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In his previous 53 starts on the same track length, he has led 617 laps. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native scored his first 1.5-mile track win in October 2018 at Kansas Speedway and most recently won at Charlotte on May 27. Along with those wins, Elliott has collected 18 top-five finishes – five of which are runner-up results – and 28 top-10s on 1.5-mile tracks. So far in 2020 on 1.5-milers, he has led a career best in laps led (189).

GIVE A HOOT: On Wednesday, the No. 9 Hooters Give A Hoot Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE that Elliott will pilot at Texas Motor Speedway in October was unveiled. The special black and pink scheme promotes Hooters’ Give A Hoot campaign that supports the fight against breast cancer. Everyone can join Hooters in the fight against breast cancer and #GiveAHoot by purchasing specially produced pink No. 9 merchandise at Hooters.com and the Chase Elliott Store. A portion of sales will benefit the V Foundation for Cancer Research, one of the nation’s leading cancer research funding organizations, as well as other local beneficiaries through Hooters Community Endowment Fund and Kelly Jo Dowd Breast Cancer Research Fund. For more information or to donate visit Hooters.com/Give.


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William Byron
No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Driver William Byron Hometown Charlotte, North Carolina
Age 22 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2020 Season
14th in standings
29 starts
1 win
0 pole positions
3 top-five finishes
10 top-10 finishes
97 laps led

Career
101 starts
1 win
5 pole positions
8 top-five finishes
27 top-10 finishes
391 laps led

Track Career
5 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
1 top-10 finish
27 laps led

STILL FIGHTING: While William Byron’s NASCAR Cup Series playoff run came to an unfortunate early close after an on-track incident at Bristol Motor Speedway, there are still seven races left in the 2020 season. With points resetting after the Round of 16, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native now sits 14th in the standings with the opportunity to gain additional positions in the remaining events.

LOOKING FOR LUCK: When the No. 24 Axalta Chevy ZL1 1LE unloads for Sunday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, it will mark Byron’s sixth Cup Series start at the 1.5-mile speedway. Out of those five previous starts, Byron has a best qualifying effort of 11th in the February race earlier this year and a track-best finish of seventh in September 2019. However, the 22-year-old driver’s stats at Las Vegas don’t accurately represent the strength the No. 24 team has displayed there. For example, in February, Byron finished sixth in Stage 1, fourth in Stage 2 and restarted second for the two-lap shootout to the end. Unfortunately, contact with another competitor on the restart left him with a tire rub and a 22nd-place finish, despite running inside or near the top five all race.

KNAUS’ KNACK: Sunday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be veteran crew chief Chad Knaus’ 22nd race on top of the pit box at the west coast track. In his previous 21 starts at the 1.5-mile track, Knaus has three wins, all coming with Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 team, ranking him second for most victories to crew chief Paul Wolfe, who has four.

AT IT AGAIN WITH AXALTA: Making their return since the doubleheader weekend at Dover International Speedway in August, Axalta will be on board Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for Sunday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. After this weekend’s race, Axalta will have one more race with Byron in 2020 at the season finale at Phoenix Raceway. In 2020, Axalta is the 22-race majority partner of the No. 24 team. The company’s relationship with Hendrick Motorsports was recently extended, taking one of the most enduring partnerships in sports through 2027.

REMEMBERING DAVID OLIVER: Earlier this month, the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation and the NASCAR Foundation partnered together to recognize those who have battled cancer and support Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month by auctioning off the space above the driver-side door to honor a cancer hero. For this weekend’s race, Byron will have David Oliver riding on board his No. 24 Chevy, who was nominated by Kelley Earnhardt-Miller. Working in motorsports early on, Oliver began his career racing at local dirt tracks before pursuing his dream career in NASCAR. For over 30 years, Oliver worked as a mechanic at championship-caliber teams, including Richard Petty Motorsports, Roush Fenway Racing and Hendrick Motorsports. He was a part of the championship teams of Kurt Busch and Matt Kenseth. Unfortunately, Oliver lost his battle to Synovial Sarcoma in June of this year.


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Jimmie Johnson
No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Driver Jimmie Johnson Hometown El Cajon, California
Age 45 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2020 Season
17th in standings
28 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
4 top-five finishes
9 top-10 finishes
102 laps led

Career
679 starts
83 wins
36 pole positions
231 top-five finishes
373 top-10 finishes
18,936 laps led

Track Career
21 starts
4 wins
0 pole positions
7 top-five finishes
10 top-10 finishes
595 laps led

GAMBLING IN VEGAS: At the race in February at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Jimmie Johnson started 18th and quickly moved into contention. He finished ninth and seventh in the first two stages and a two-tire stop gamble by crew chief Cliff Daniels saw Johnson finish the event in fifth place, recording his seventh top-five at the racetrack on the outskirts of “Sin City.”

LEADING THE PACK: As Johnson heads to Las Vegas for the final time in his NASCAR Cup Series career, he leads all current drivers with most wins at the 1.5-mile track with four. One of the most iconic races Johnson won at Vegas was the coveted 150th cup win for Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick. Once Johnson secured the checkered flag, all four Hendrick Motorsports teams and drivers went to the flamboyant victory lane to celebrate with Johnson and then-crew chief Chad Knaus. The duo posed with heavyweight belts, which was the track trophy at the time, and traditional Vegas showgirls.

A RIDE FIT FOR A ‘COUNT’: Ally Racing recently brought together Johnson, NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon and Las Vegas-based custom car personality Danny “The Count” Koker to share in their love for racing, music and cars. Koker, creator of the show “Counting Cars,” and Johnson filmed a four-episode content series showcasing the legends discussing car design and livery of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet for the Las Vegas Motor Speedway event. The car was unveiled this week and Johnson will sport a Count Kustoms decal as a thank you to Koker. For more information and to watch the weekly episodes, go to AllyRacing.com.

BRISTOL HONORS JJ: Last weekend, Bristol Motor Speedway recognized the historic accomplishments Johnson, a winner of two Food City 500s at “The Last Great Colosseum,” with a 5K trail surrounding BMS property named in his honor. The “JJ 5K Trail at Bristol Motor Speedway,” located on the track property, is a 3.2-mile course and marked trail that highlights Johnson’s career accomplishments at Bristol and in the NASCAR Cup Series. It will open in 2021 and be available to all guests who are attending events at the iconic Northeast Tennessee venue. In addition to the trail, the track, in partnership with Trek (bicycles) and Food City, will also donate 48 bicycles in Johnson’s honor to children through Santa Pal in Bristol, Virginia, and other charities that receive support from BMS’ chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities. Johnson met with track president Jerry Caldwell before the race on Saturday to accept the honor.

HONORING A CANCER HERO: In conjunction with the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation, the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet will have a “Cancer Hero” whose name will ride along with Johnson on Sunday at Las Vegas. Rajean Lowenstein lived in Casselberry, Florida, and was nominated by her sister, Nida Diekmann. Lowenstein, a mother of four children, was diagnosed with brain cancer in 1994. She fought and survived for 13 years before passing away in 2007 at the age of 46. Diekmann described her sister as her hero and said, “She won the fight, cancer didn’t win. She accomplished what she wanted and, for that, she will forever be my hero.” Lowenstein battled hard and was able to see all four children graduate before she passed.

PIT CREW REMAINS STRONG: Heading into the 30th race of the 2020 season, the No. 48 pit crew are some of the top performers on pit road. The crew, consisting of veterans Calvin Teague, Brandon Harder and Kyle Tudor as well as Allen Stallings and Donnie Tasser, has averaged a 14.34 on pit road, which ranks 10th among all teams in the NASCAR Cup Series. Led by pit coach Jon Carvin, the No. 48 crew also pits for Justin Allgaier in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, who currently is third in the point standings with three wins this season.


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Alex Bowman
No. 88 LLumar Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE ​
Driver Alex Bowman Hometown Tucson, Arizona
Age 27 Resides Concord, North Carolina

2020 Season
7th in standings
29 starts
1 win
0 pole positions
3 top-five finishes
10 top-10 finishes
389 laps led

Career
182 starts
2 wins
2 pole positions
13 top-five finishes
36 top-10 finishes
863 laps led

Track Career
7 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
1 top-10 finish
0 laps led

SITTING IN SEVENTH: Coming off a 16th-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway last weekend, Alex Bowman clinched a spot in the Round of 12 for the third consecutive year. Bowman now sits seventh in the NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings going into this weekend’s race in Las Vegas. The Tucson, Arizona, native is 58 markers behind the leader. In the Round of 16, Bowman earned 109 points in three events, which is the sixth-highest number of points earned by playoff drivers. He also earned the fifth-highest amount of stage points with 29 and averaged the fifth-best running position of 9.88.

BOWMAN IN VEGAS: The 27-year-old driver of the No. 88 machine has seven previous starts in the NASCAR Cup Series at the Las Vegas track. Bowman’s best qualifying effort of ninth came in the fall race in 2018 and his best finish of sixth came in the fall event in 2019. Earlier this season, Bowman placed 13th after capturing stage points in each of the two stages. In his lone start at the track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Bowman finished eighth after qualifying 18th for the 200-lap event in 2013.

RIDING WITH PA: On Sunday, there will be a new name above the door of the No. 88 LLumar Chevrolet at Las Vegas Motor Speedway thanks to the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation’s “Cancer Hero Program.” Kenneth Chase, a native of Sebago, Maine, lost a nine-year battle with cancer on August 25, 2020. Known to his six grandchildren as “Pa,” Chase was a dedicated NASCAR fan. He and his wife of 54 years, Esther, went annually to New Hampshire Motor Speedway with their grandchildren by their side. On the weekend of what would have been his 77th birthday, Chase will be riding on board the No. 88 machine in Vegas with Bowman.

1.5-MILE STATS: The No. 88 team has four stage wins this season, which is tied for sixth overall in the NASCAR Cup Series. Three of these stage wins came at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The sixth-year Cup Series driver won three out of five total stages at Charlotte in May, which is the most stage wins by one driver at a 1.5-mile facility this season. Bowman has led 221 laps this season on 1.5-mile tracks, which is more than his career total (189) prior to 2020.

ROLLING THE DICE: Greg Ives will call his ninth Cup Series race at Las Vegas this weekend for the first event in the Round of 12. In eight previous events at the 1.5-mile facility, the crew chief has one top-five and three top-10s with a best finish of fourth in 2015 with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Ives has two starts in the Xfinity Series at the track, which includes one top-five with Chase Elliott in 2014 and one top-10 with Regan Smith in 2013. From 2006-2012, Ives was a race engineer for the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team. During that time, he was a part of three wins and four top-five finishes at Las Vegas.

LLUMAR IS BACK: LLumar is back on board the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for their final primary event this season. Eastman Performance Films, LLC joined Hendrick Motorsports back in 2018 as a primary sponsor of Alex Bowman and the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE through 2020. The sponsorship features the LLumar brand of window film and paint protection film on board Bowman’s machine. In February, Hendrick Motorsports and LLumar unveiled the 2020 scheme that will run on track this season.

DEALS, DEALS, DEALS: During the month of September, No. 88 team sponsor ChevyGoods.com is providing discounts on various accessories on its website. Customers can receive 10% below MSRP on all Adam’s Polishes, NOCO and Truck Hero accessories purchased online. Use code CHEVYGOODS to receive the discount at ChevyGoods.com.


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Hendrick Motorsports

HIGH ROLLERS: Hendrick Motorsports heads into Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with good odds of success. The team has hit the jackpot with five wins there, which ties it for the second-most in the series. Its six runner-up finishes, 22 top-fives and 1,455 laps led are all “Sin City” track records. The organization’s 40 top-10 results are tied for the most ever at the 1.5-mile venue.

50-50 ODDS: Sunday’s race at Las Vegas will fall on Sept. 27, which historically has been good time to bet on Hendrick Motorsports. Since its inception in 1984, the team has competed in four NASCAR Cup Series events held on the date with victories in two of them. Driving for Hendrick Motorsports, Darrell Waltrip won at Martinsville on Sept. 27, 1987, and Jimmie Johnson won at Dover on Sept. 27, 2009. In the other two Sept. 27 races, Jeff Gordon finished second at Martinsville in 1998 and Hendrick Motorsports place three cars in the top 10 at New Hampshire in 2015.

STRAIGHT FLUSH: Hendrick Motorsports has placed at least one car inside the top 10 in the last 11 NASCAR Cup Series races, which is one away from matching the team’s longest streak of 2020. Its Chevrolet race cars have also led laps in seven straight races, the best active streak by any organization.

HOT HAND: Since the inception of the format in 2004, Hendrick Motorsports has 44 NASCAR Cup Series playoff wins – 16 more than any other team. The organization has scored at least one playoff victory in a record 15 different seasons, missing only 2017. A series-topping seven different drivers have won a playoff race for Hendrick Motorsports.

ALL IN: Since its inception in 1984, Hendrick Motorsports has earned 260 race victories and holds the all-time records for championships (12), pole positions (226), top-five finishes (1,092), top-10s (1,885) and laps led (70,146) in points-paying NASCAR Cup Series competition. Including 2020, the organization has won at least one race in 35 consecutive seasons, the longest-ever streak. Hendrick Motorsports is eight wins away from tying Petty Enterprises’ all-time Cup record of 268.


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QUOTABLE /
Driver Chase Elliott on returning to Las Vegas:
“Las Vegas is a track that went pretty well for us earlier this season. Obviously, a lot has changed since then, but I am really looking forward to getting back. This is an important time for the UniFirst since we are still in the playoffs. Hopefully it goes well and we run like we did in the spring.”

Elliott on advancing to Round of 12:
“I’m definitely excited to move on in the playoffs and proud of the effort of my team and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports. I hope this next round is good for us. It’s definitely not going to get any easier as it goes.”

Driver William Byron on returning to Vegas since the pandemic:
“It’s crazy to think how far things have evolved since we went to Vegas earlier this year. It was just the second race of the year and before everything changed with the pandemic. That race, we had a lot of speed even though everything was still new and fresh for the year. We had a fast car and we just have to continue that when we get Vegas this weekend.”

Byron on how the track can change this time of year:
“The track definitely does change, even with a slight change in temperature. We’re used to going to Vegas at the beginning of September when it’s still really hot. I think being closer to the end of September it will have started to cool off a bit. That will make it unique for us, especially with the late start time Sunday. This race is going to have some different elements that everyone will need to overcome.”

Driver Jimmie Johnson on his favorite Las Vegas memories:
“Las Vegas has always been a great place to race. I have had some highs and lows there – which is fitting since it’s the gambling capital of the world. Winning the 150th for Hendrick Motorsports was one of the best memories over the years. I love to go out there and cycle on a Saturday afternoon and there are so many great places to experience the area close by the track. We didn’t have anything go our way last weekend in Bristol. It’s frustrating, but we have to stay optimistic. I feel in my heart we can win one of these last races. We just need some luck.”

Driver Alex Bowman on making it to the Round of 12:
“Clinching a spot in the Round of 12 last weekend in Bristol was exactly what we needed to do as a team. Although we didn’t have the greatest finish last week, it was something that was completely out of our control. We have some strong tracks in the Round of 12 that will be good for us. Our main goal this season was to make the Round of 8 and I really feel like this team is on track to do that. We have to continue putting solid races together and getting strong finishes.”

Bowman on going back to Las Vegas:
“Las Vegas is a strong track for us. We ran really well in the spring event this season, so I am ready to get back to the track this weekend. Our intermediate program at Hendrick Motorsports is really strong and we need to have a strong race this weekend. Greg (Ives) and the LLumar team have been working extremely hard on our cars and I really think it is showing.”

Menards/Duracell Team Ready to Roll at Vegas

With seven races left on the 2020 Cup Series schedule, the goals have shifted a bit for Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Menards/Duracell team, but the determination to succeed remains unwavering.

They were among the four teams eliminated from the Cup Series Playoffs at the end of the Round of 16, but there are still significant accomplishments to pursue, among them a race win and a choice spot in the final points standings.

The work begins this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Sunday’s South Point 400. It was at Las Vegas back in February, where DiBenedetto, riding on older tires but having track position due to a strategy call, scored a runner-up finish in his second race in the Wood Brothers Mustang.

“I can’t wait for Vegas, especially after finishing second there earlier this year,” DiBenedetto said, adding that he’s ready to put the disappointment of dropping out of championship contention behind him. “I’m bummed we didn’t make it through the first round of the Playoffs and had a few rough races, but I’m excited to go to a strong track for us and to finish the season strong in this Menards/Duracell Mustang.”

DiBenedetto will have some extra motivation this weekend as the Menards/Duracell Mustang will be honoring a cancer hero, Marnie Howiler, as part of the Nominate a Cancer Hero program spearheaded by the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation.

Howiler, from Cornelius, N.C., is the granddaughter of the late NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Isaac. She was diagnosed with Stage IV Wilms Tumor at five years old and underwent eight months of treatment.

Howiler was nominated by Robbie Isaac, daughter of the late NASCAR champion, who said she reconnected with the Wood Brothers at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and now cheers, along with her family, for DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Mustang.

In her nomination, Isaac wrote: “Since there isn’t a No. 71 [her father’s car number], in the field, being with Matt, the Wood Brothers and the No. 21 car is the perfect place for Marnie. They are all survivors and winners.”

Isaac described DiBenedetto as “a person everyone would love to see win.”

She had similar praise for Howiler. “Marnie is my cancer hero because she chooses to be happy every day and enjoy life. She is a wonderful person, and I couldn’t love her more.”

Sunday’s South Point 400 is set to get the green flag just after 7 p.m. Eastern Time with TV coverage on NBCSN.

Menards

A family owned company started in 1958, Menards is headquartered in Eau Claire, WI. Menards has more than 300 retail stores located throughout the Midwest in the states of IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, SD, WI and WY. Menards is known throughout the home improvement industry as the low price leader. It’s famous slogan “Save Big Money at Menards” is widely known and easy to remember. For more information, visit Menards.com, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.

Wood Brothers Racing

Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glen Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glen’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Matt DiBenedetto in the famous No. 21 racer.

Jeremy Clements Racing to part ways with Repairables.com

Spartanburg, SC – As a formidable single-car independent team competing against the goliaths in NASCAR, JCR has become a very competitive team in the XFINITY Series over the past few seasons. This has been largely due to the partnership and friendship with RepairableVehicles.com.  Repairable has been a partner of Jeremy’s for over 10 years. With the biggest accomplishment being winning Road America in 2017 and making the Playoffs.

As of this week, JCR and Repairables.com have mutually agreed to amicably part ways ending one of the longest-running partnerships in NASCAR.  “It has been an amazing 10 year run with Brad Meyer and his Repairables.com team and I will be forever grateful for what they have done for me and JCR.  I wish Brad and Karen and the whole Repairables.com team the best in the future.” Jeremy said.      

JCR will finish out the season while looking for sponsorship partners for the remainder of the year and into 2021.

McDowell Looks for Continued Success with Love’s Travel Stops and Delo at Las Vegas

McDowell on Las Vegas:

“I can’t wait to head back to Las Vegas this weekend for the second time this year. It feels like forever since we were last at Las Vegas; you know, with the quarantine and everything else that has happened this year, it feels like a really long time.

“I’m also excited to get back on a mile-and-a-half. Las Vegas has shown to be a strong race track for us in past races and unfortunately we had some mechanical issue in the spring, so hopefully we can rebound this time around and add another solid result to our 2020 portfolio.

“We have Love’s Travel Stops and Delo back on board our No. 34 Ford Mustang for the second consecutive week and we’re coming off of a great Top-10 run together at Bristol, so hopefully we can keep the momentum rolling with them this weekend.

“We’re nearing the end of September, but we’re not there yet. I want to remind all professional truck drivers that throughout the entire month of September, Love’s has been running some really cool initiatives that were created specifically to show their appreciation for all that professional truck drivers have done and are continuing to do to help keep America moving. I encourage all professional truck drivers to head over to Loves.com to learn more and take advantage of these great rewards programs while they last.”

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.

About Chevron Delo®

Chevron Delo® is the global commercial lubricant technology leader recognized by OEMS and consumers for providing superb heavy-duty diesel equipment protection. Delo 400 with ISOSYN Advanced Technology works to provide excellent diesel parts protection, improve engine longevity and extend oil drain performance. Delo
400 low viscosity oils will help optimize fuel efficiency performance.

ISOSYN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY is the combination of Chevron’s outstanding formulation expertise, unique high performance additive chemistry and premium base oils helps extend the durability of critical diesel engine parts.

Harvick awarded pole position for Cup Playoff race at Vegas

Photo by Tim Jarrold for SpeedwayMedia.com.

In what has been a dominating season for him and his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford team, Kevin Harvick will start on pole position for the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, September 27.

Harvick, who won last weekend’s Playoff race at Bristol Motor Speedway, was awarded the pole based on four stats: current owner points standings, driver’s results, and team owner’s results from a previous Cup race, and the fastest lap recorded from a previous Cup race.

Sunday’s race at Vegas will mark the fifth time this season, the second time at Vegas, and the third time in the previous five Cup races where Harvick will lead the field on pole position as he continues his quest for a second Cup championship.

Sunday’s race at Vegas will also serve as the first race in the Round of 12 in the 2020 Cup Playoffs after last weekend’s race at Bristol featured the first four contenders (Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Cole Custer, and Matt DiBenedetto) eliminated from the Playoffs.

Kyle Busch, who aims to snap his 29-race winless drought of this season at his home track this weekend, will start alongside Harvick on the front row. Chase Elliott, Aric Almirola, and Joey Logano will start in the top five.

Clint Bowyer will start in sixth place followed by Austin Dillon, Alex Bowman, and Kurt Busch. Denny Hamlin, coming off a historic announcement to field a NASCAR Cup Series team with NBA legend Michael Jordan and to have Bubba Wallace as the team’s driver in 2021, will start in 10th place. Martin Truex Jr. and Brad Keselowski will start in 11th and 12th.

Starting in positions 13-26 are Erik Jones, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher, Michael McDowell, Jimmie Johnson, Matt DiBenedetto, Matt Kenseth, Ryan Preece, Cole Custer, Bubba Wallace, Ty Dillon, John Hunter Nemechek, and Christopher Bell.

Starting in positions 27-39 are Ryan Newman, William Byron, Daniel Suarez, Gray Gaulding, Corey LaJoie, Quin Houff, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Joey Gase, Brennan Poole, Timmy Hill, J.J. Yeley, Josh Bilicki, and Chad Finchum.

The NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will occur on Sunday, September 27, at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Roush Fenway Weekly Advance | Las Vegas II

Roush Fenway Weekly Advance | Las Vegas

With just seven races remaining in the NASCAR Cup Series season, the circuit heads west this weekend to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for its second event at the Nevada track in 2020. Jack Roush has 16 wins all-time at the 1.5-mile track, including seven in the NCS.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway (1.5-Mile)
South Point 400
Sunday, Sept. 27 | 7 p.m. ET
NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90
· Ryan Newman, No. 6 Guaranteed Rate Ford Mustang
· Chris Buescher, No. 17 SunnyD Ford Mustang

Vegas Next Stop for NASCAR Playoffs

· For the first time since the return to racing, NASCAR heads west as Las Vegas Motor Speedway plays host to the fourth race of the NASCAR Playoffs, and first in the Round of 12. All three National series will be at the 1.5-mile track this weekend as part of their respective playoff schedules.
· Following action in Vegas, the series heads to the high banks of Talladega Superspeedway (Oct. 4) followed by the ROVAL at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Oct. 11) to cap off the Round of 12.
· The starting lineup will once again be set by three competition-based performance metrics, rewarding both season-long and single-race performance. Chris Buescher will roll off 16th for the event, with Ryan Newman starting from the 27th position.
· Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the COVID-19 hiatus with races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville postponed before the schedule later picked back up in mid-May.

Bristol Recap, Vegas Preview

· Newman finished 25th last weekend in Bristol.
· Buescher rallied late to finish eighth at Bristol, his seventh top-10 of the 2020 season.
· Guaranteed Rate returns to Newman’s machine for the Sunday evening race in Las Vegas, where he has 10 top-10 results and an average finish of 15.7.
· SunnyD is back on Buescher’s machine this weekend for the first of two-straight races for the brand as part of the #SUNNYDouble. During #SUNNYDouble race week, fans will have the opportunity to win a personalized, virtual signed hero card, a virtual photo with Buescher and their very own personalized SunnyD bottle. Fans will also have the chance to win spectacular SunnyD giveaways like lanyards, t-shirts, hats, laptop stickers and more.

Early JACKpot

Roush Fenway hit the Vegas jackpot right off the bat, winning the inaugural Cup event at Las Vegas in 1998. Mark Martin led 82 laps in the victory that served as a banner day for Roush Fenway.

Inaugural Sweep

Roush Fenway placed all five of its Cup entries inside the top 10 of that inaugural Las Vegas Cup race in 1998, including three inside the top five, four inside the top six, one in the winners circle and the runner up (6 – 1st, 99 – 2nd, 26 – 4th, 16 – 6th and 97 – 10th).

Continued Success

Roush Fenway Racing won the first three Cup races at LVMS from ‘98-’00, with Jeff Burton winning back-to-back events in ’99 and ’00. Roush Fenway also took three of the first nine Xfinity Series events at LVMS.

Victory Lane at Vegas

In addition to the first three Cup races at LVMS, Roush Fenway again found the winners’ circle in 2003 and 2004 at the 1.5-mile track with Matt Kenseth. Carl Edwards took the checkered flag at the 2008 and 2011 events to give RFR seven Cup wins at Las Vegas with four different drivers.

Back to Back at Vegas

Roush Fenway has won back-to-back Cup races at LVMS on two separate occasions in ’99-’00 and ’03-04’ and once in the Xfinity Series in ‘99 and ‘00.

Across the Board at Vegas

All in all, Roush Fenway Racing has tallied 16 total NASCAR wins, while turning 37,000+ laps in NASCAR action at LVMS for 55,000+ miles, while leading over 2,600 laps at the track in NASCAR’s top three divisions. At the same time the organization has finished inside the top 10 in 50 percent of its 176 NASCAR starts at LVMS.

Roush Fenway Las Vegas Wins
1998 Martin Cup
1999 Burton Cup
2000 Burton Cup
2003 Kenseth Cup
2004 Kenseth Cup
2008 Edwards Cup
2011 Edwards Cup
1999 Martin NXS
2000 Burton NXS
2002 Burton NXS
2005 Martin NXS
2009 Biffle NXS
2012 Stenhouse NXS
1997 Ruttman NGOTS
1999 Biffle NGOTS
2007 Kvapil NGOTS

JR Motorsports — NXS Las Vegas II Preview

JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
RACE: Alsco 300 (200 laps / 300 miles)
DATE: Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020
Broadcast Information – TV: 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN / Radio: 7 p.m. ET on PRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Michael Annett
No. 1 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet
• Michael Annett enters the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs on a high note, with six top-10 finishes in his last seven races, part of a longer streak that includes three top-five and 13 top-10 results in his last 15 races.
• Annett’s best finish in 10 starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is fifth in the spring of 2019.
• Entering the playoffs tied for ninth in the standings, Annett is three top-10 finishes from tying his career high in top10s (19) set last season.
• This season, Annett has two top-five and seven top-10 finishes on 1.5-mile tracks, averaging a finish of 8.3 in nine starts.

Daniel Hemric
No. 8 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet
• Daniel Hemric has a best finish of sixth in four previous NXS starts at Las Vegas.
• In eight combined starts across NASCAR’s three major touring series at Las Vegas, Hemric has scored one top five and three top 10s with a best finish of second coming in 2016 in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series.
• Through 16 NXS starts in 2020, Hemric has earned a best finish of second at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May.
• This weekend marks the third primary race of 2020 for South Point Hotel & Casino with the No. 8.
• The No. 8 team enters the playoffs as the 10th seed in the NXS owner standings, 49 points behind the series lead.

Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson enters the opening round of the NXS Playoffs fourth in the playoff seeding, just 25 points behind leader Austin Cindric.
• Gragson returns to his home track in Las Vegas having never finished outside of the top 10 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at the 1.5-mile facility.
• At tracks that are between 1-2 miles in length, Gragson holds an average finish of 9.1 and has led 75 percent of his career total at these facilities.
• In his last 10 series starts, Gragson has finished inside of the top 10 eight different times including four straight.

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier heads into the opening race of the NXS Playoffs as the third seed, just 17 points outside of the lead.
• In 12 NXS starts at Las Vegas, Allgaier only has two finishes worse than ninth. His average finish at the track is 8.5, his best among all oval tracks on the circuit.
• Earlier this season, the veteran driver led 63 laps and earned a stage win at Las Vegas, bringing home an eighthplace finish.
• This season on tracks measuring 1.5-miles in length, Allgaier has three top fives and six top 10s, with 162 laps led.

Driver Quotes

“We had such a fast Pilot Flying J Chevrolet last week at Bristol, and I’m really looking forward to being fast again this weekend at Las Vegas. This is what we worked so hard to achieve, making the playoffs, and now it’s all about advancing to the Round of 8. This run of good finishes we’ve been on is great, and we’re going to have to keep that up from here on out. Every race is important, and being fast and consistent is what we have to do from here on out.” – Michael Annett

“I feel like we have some really good momentum heading into the playoffs and I’m glad we’re kicking things off at Vegas. It’s been a strong track for our BRANDT Professional Agriculture team and with the next two races in the Round of 12 being wild cards, this is definitely the place where you want go out there and win and secure your spot in the next round. I believe we have a team capable of getting it done.” – Justin Allgaier

“I’m really looking forward to heading back to Las Vegas this weekend with our South Point Chevrolet. We have had a lot of speed this season on the mile-and-a-half tracks and I feel extremely confident that we will have that again when we unload for the race on Saturday. I know that Taylor (Moyer, crew chief) and all the guys on this JR Motorsports team have been working extremely hard and I’m ready to see what we can do.” – Daniel Hemric

“It’s always great to race in Las Vegas because it allows me to see family and friends that I don’t get to visit with too often during the season. It’s also a track that really suits my driving style as we start off on the bottom and slowly work our way up the banking. My team at JR Motorsports has been bringing fast Camaros each week and hopefully we can put this Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Camaro in Victory Lane so we don’t have to worry about Talladega or the Roval in the first round.” – Noah Gragson

JRM Team Updates:
• JRM at Las Vegas: In 48 NXS starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, JR Motorsports has one win, 17 top-five and 28 top-10
finishes. NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin scored the organization’s lone victory at the 1.5-mile speedway in March of 2008. This victory was the first of 51 for JRM as an NXS team. Justin Allgaier scored the most recent victory for the company on Sept. 12 at Richmond.
• Black Rifle Coffee Wildland Firefighter Donations: The wildfires in the northwest states are causing immense strain on wildland firefighters. To help fuel their fight, Black Rifle Coffee Company is making direct coffee donations to wildland firefighters through a Buy a Bag, Give a Bag (BABGAB) initiative. With the purchase of any BRCC coffee product throughout September, you’ll directly support coffee donations to first responders on the front lines. Visit www.blackriflecoffee.com/babgab to help.
• Hellmann’s Ultimate Race Fan Experience: Enter for a chance to win the ultimate race fan experience from Hellmann’s and Sam’s Club. Each valid submission will receive entry into the Hellmann’s Ultimate Race Fan Experience Sweepstakes with the chance to win the Grand Prize of a meet and greet with Justin Allgaier, two VIP

Toyota Racing Weekly Preview – 09.23.20

NEWS RELEASE

This Week in Motorsports: September 21-27, 2020

· NCS/NXS/NGROTS: Las Vegas Motor Speedway – Sept. 25-27

· ARCA: Memphis International Raceway – September 26

· ARCA West: The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – September 26

PLANO, Texas (September 23, 2020) – NASCAR heads back to the West Coast as the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Round of 12 begins under the lights at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. They will be joined by the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS), which begins their Playoff run, and the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series (NGROTS). The ARCA Menards Series also finishes its first of four championships on Saturday afternoon in Memphis.

NASCAR National Series – NCS| NXS| NGROTS

Kyle Wins at Home… Kyle Busch has quite the track record at this home track, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with six victories across the top three series of NASCAR, including earning his first Las Vegas crown in the NCS in 2009. Busch added a Truck Series victory to his total earlier this season.

Round of 12 Begins… The NCS begins the second round of the Playoffs – the Round of 12 – this Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with all three Toyota drivers advancing to the second round. Denny Hamlin is the second seed with Martin Truex Jr. in sixth and Busch starting in 10th.

Burton Ready for Vegas… NXS Rookie Harrison Burton has been extremely consistent in his limited starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In his NGROTS rookie year one season ago, Burton drove to two top-10 finishes in Las Vegas and added a fifth-place result in his NXS track debut in February.

Headed Back Home… Las Vegas native Riley Herbst returns home for his third career NXS start at his home track. Herbst has finished ninth in both of his previous starts at the track.

Reigning Las Vegas Winner… Austin Hill drove to his third win of the season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last fall. Hill took the lead with 12 laps to go and drove away to earn the victory. Hill was also solid in the first race at Las Vegas Motor this season, finishing third to fellow Toyota driver Busch. Hill will also compete in the NXS race on Saturday.

First Career Vegas Start…Chandler Smith heads into Las Vegas with momentum after earning a top-five finish at Bristol Motor Speedway. It is the 18-year-old’s first Las Vegas start after making his mile-and-a-half track debut earlier this season at Kentucky Speedway.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA| ARCA West

Championship Opportunity for Gibbs… The first ARCA Menards Series championship of the season – the Sioux Chief Showdown – will be decided at Memphis International Speedway on Saturday afternoon with 17-year-old Ty Gibbs still in the running for the title. Gibbs is currently second in the standings and sits six points behind leader Sam Mayer. Gibbs currently has two wins and eight top-10 finishes in nine events so far this season.

ARCA West Back on Track… After one month off, the ARCA Menards Series West is back on track with the first of four remaining events at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Last time the series was on track at Colorado National Speedway, Jesse Love continued his strong season with his third win of the year. Love continues to lead the point standings.

Stay Connected

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About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks in North America, where we have 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama (10 in the U.S.), and directly employ more than 47,000 people (over 36,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold nearly 2.8 million cars and trucks (nearly 2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2019.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

Haley to Jump-Start Playoffs with Solid Points Day in Las Vegas

Justin Haley Notes
Best start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS): 10th (2019)
Best finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the NXS: 10th (2019)

Kaulig Racing Notes
Best start Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the NXS: 8th (2019)
Best finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the NXS: 4th (2019)

Race Notes
Saturday, September 26 at 7:30PM ET on NBCSN
Stages: 45/90/200 Laps

Justin Haley Quote
“We are headed to Las Vegas Motor Speedway – a night race! It’s an important one though, because it’s the first round of the playoffs and the first race of the playoffs. It’s crucial to get all the points that we can. We have a red banner, a red spoiler, and a red splitter, so that way you know who we are racing against in the playoffs. It’s crucial for us to have a good first race and get a good points gap, so then we can have a little fun at Talladega and the ROVAL. It’s going to be an exciting one!”

About Kaulig Racing™
Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016 Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started. Kaulig Racing fields two full-time entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by Ross Chastain and the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by Justin Haley, as well as, a part-time entry – the No. 16 driven by AJ Allmendinger. Kaulig Racing™ earned two wins in 2019 and have come to be one of the top competitors on track each weekend. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

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