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CORVETTE RACING AT ATLANTA: Right Places, Right Times

By
Official Release
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• Corvette C8.R riding four-race GT Le Mans win streak
• Garcia, Taylor winners of last two IMSA rounds
• Chevrolet enters with expanded lead in Manufacturer’s Championship
• Corvette Racing with 10 victories at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta
• Six-hour endurance race is team’s first since WEC at Circuit of The Americas

DETROIT (Sept. 2, 2020) – Corvette Racing returns to the endurance stage this weekend in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship on a four-race win streak and an increased margin in the series’ GT Le Mans (GTLM) category.

The TireRack.com Grand Prix at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta is the Corvette program’s sixth race of the year and fifth in the IMSA Championship. At six hours in duration, it also marks the first long-distance endurance race for the team since a February round of the World Endurance Championship and the first in IMSA since the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona in January – also the debut of the mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette C8.R.

Much has changed since the early days of 2020, to say the least. Racing is back since an extended shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and since that time no team has been on as big a roll as Corvette Racing. The team has reeled off four consecutive victories – three by GTLM Driver’s Championship leaders Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor in the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R, including two weeks ago at VIR.

Teammates Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner in the No. 4 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette C8.R have reeled off a win and runner-up finish since Corvette Racing returned to action at Daytona in July. Those results have moved them up to third in the GTLM Championship, and the combined efforts of the two Corvettes have Chevrolet comfortably ahead in the class Manufacturer’s Championship.

The four-race win run has been remarkable in the ways that the program has claimed victory. Rather than having outright power and pace of its competitors, Corvette Racing has relied on execution and minimizing mistakes while capitalizing on those of others.

This weekend’s race takes the place of the Sahlen’s Six Hours at The Glen, originally set for late June at Watkins Glen International. The move to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta means Corvette Racing – and the rest of the WeatherTech Championship – will compete in two long-distance events at the circuit in less than two months with Petit Le Mans scheduled for Oct. 15-17.

The Corvette Racing program has won 10 times at Road Atlanta, eight of those in long-distance endurance rounds. Gavin is IMSA’s winningest active driver at the circuit with five wins, and Taylor is a past IMSA winner at the track, having won twice in a prototype.

Road Atlanta is one of the tracks at which Corvette Racing tested the mid-engine C8.R during its development phase, albeit more than a year ago. It has been a good omen so far with victories at Daytona, Sebring, Road America and VIR – all places where the Corvette C8.R was tested in the past.

Both the Corvette C8.R and the 2020 Corvette Stingray production car were developed simultaneously with a deeper level of technology transfer between the race car and a production Corvette than ever before, which helps contribute to many of its advancements. As a result, the C8.R shares the highest percentage of parts between the production and race car than any previous generation.

The TireRack.com Grand Prix is scheduled for 11:35 a.m. ET on Saturday with live coverage on NBC Sports Network starting at 11:30 a.m. ET before continuing on Trackpass at 12:30 p.m. and returning to NBCSN at 2:30 p.m. IMSA Radio will stream Friday’s qualifying as well as the race on IMSA.com, which also will host live timing and scoring.
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “It’s true that we’ve won three of the last four races, but we cannot get complacent with a lot of races to go. In all of these races, our pace has been decent compared to the other GTLM cars. What has impressed me the most during this run is the attention to details and how Corvette Racing always seems to have us in position to capitalize on mistakes. That comes down some to strategy, how we maintain track position and yes some luck as well. But the results speak for themselves. Let’s see if that continues this weekend at Atlanta.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “I’m looking forward to going back to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. It’s a month earlier than we had originally planned, but it’s always good to go there. I’ve enjoyed success there before in both Prototype and GT cars, and it would be great to add to it this weekend with the C8.R. The last two months have been pretty crazy not just with winning races but how we’ve done it. That’s the never-give-up attitude that Corvette Racing has shown for more than 20 years. We try and find a way to be in the best position to take advantage when breaks come our way.”

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “It’s been an up-and-down season for us on the No. 4 Corvette, but we’re going to a track I really enjoy. There have been a lot of fantastic moments and race wins at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in both sprint and long-distance races. This six-hour race has a lot of potential for myself, Tommy and Corvette Racing. We were right there at VIR two weeks ago, and the two tracks share a handful of characteristics – a good mix of mid- to high-speed corners and significant elevation changes. I enjoyed driving the C8.R around Road Atlanta during our test program, and it should be that much better this time around.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “It will be interesting to race at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta twice in a short span. We have a lot of laps and data there, and fortunately some in the C8.R during our early testing program. The conditions for this weekend will be considerably warmer which should make the track greasier during the heat of the day Saturday. How we manage our tires and track position will go a long way to determining where we end up. We’ve learned a lot about tire life and how this new mid-engine Corvette changes and evolves during a race. We’ll put that to good practice this weekend.”

2020 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – GTLM Standings
Driver Standings

  1. Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 165
  2. Earl Bamber/Laurens Vanthoor – 146
  3. Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 145
  4. Fred Makowiecki/Nick Tandy – 143
  5. Jesse Krohn/John Edwards – 141

Team Standings

  1. No. 3 Corvette Racing – 165
  2. No. 912 Porsche GT Team – 146
  3. No. 4 Corvette Racing – 145
  4. No. 911 Porsche GT Team – 143
  5. No. 24 BMW Team RLL – 141

Manufacturer Standings

  1. Chevrolet – 170
  2. BMW – 159
  3. Porsche – 156
  4. Ferrari – 28

Corvette Racing at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta
1999
No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel/John Paul Jr. – 5th in GTS
No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Scott Sharp – 4th in GTS

2000
No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel/Justin Bell – 3rd in GTS (Fellows pole)
No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Franck Freon – 1st in GTS

2001
No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Scott Pruett – 9th in GTS
No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Franck Freon – 1st in GTS (Pilgrim pole)

2002
No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Oliver Gavin – 1st in GTS
No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Franck Freon – 3rd in GTS (Pilgrim fastest race lap)

2003*
No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell – 3rd in GTS
No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Oliver Gavin/Kelly Collins – 1st in GTS

2003
No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Franck Freon – 5th in GTS
No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Oliver Gavin/Kelly Collins/Andy Pilgrim – 3rd in GTS

2004
No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Max Papis – 2nd in GTS
No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin/Jan Magnussen – 1st in GTS (Gavin pole, fastest race lap)

2005*
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell – 1st in GT1 (O’Connell pole, fastest race lap)
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin – 2nd in GT1
2005
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Max Papis – 6th in GT1
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin/Jan Magnussen – 1st in GT1 (Beretta pole, Gavin fastest race lap)

2006
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Max Papis – 4th in GT1 (O’Connell pole)
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin/Jan Magnussen – 3rd in GT1 (Gavin fastest race lap)

2007
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Jan Magnussen – 3rd in GT1
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin/Max Papis – 1st in GT1 (Gavin fastest race lap)

2008
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Jan Magnussen – 1st in GT1 (O’Connell pole, Magnussen fastest race lap)
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin/Max Papis – 2nd in GT1

2009
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Johnny O’Connell/Antonio Garcia – 6th in GT2
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin/Marcel Fässler – 4th in GT2

2010
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Johnny O’Connell/Antonio Garcia – 6th in GT
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Jan Magnussen/Emmanuel Collard – 1st in GT (Magnussen fastest race lap)

2011
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Tommy Milner/Antonio Garcia – 17th in GT
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Jan Magnussen/Richard Westbrook – 4th in GT

2012
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 2nd in GT
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Richard Westbrook – 12th in GT

2013
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 6th in GT (Garcia/Magnussen ALMS GT title)
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Richard Westbrook – 10th in GT

2014
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Ryan Briscoe – 8th in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Ryan Briscoe – 4th in GTLM

2015
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Ryan Briscoe – 6th in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Ryan Briscoe – 3rd in GTLM

2016
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 4th in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 3rd in GTLM (Gavin/Milner clinch GTLM title)

2017
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 2nd in GTLM (Garcia/Magnussen clinch GTLM title)
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 4th in GTLM

2018
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Marcel Fässler – 8th in GTLM (Garcia/Magnussen clinch GTLM title)
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 2nd in GTLM

2019
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 4th in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 7th in GTLM

  • Two-hour, 45 minute races

CORVETTE RACING AT MICHELIN RACEWAY ROAD ATLANTA: By the Numbers
• 1: As in one team, one manufacturer and one model of car for more than 20 years: Corvette Racing, Chevrolet and the Chevrolet Corvette.
• 3: Generations of Corvette Racing entries at Road Atlanta since 1999 – Corvette C5-R (1999-04) Corvette C6.R (2005-2013) and Corvette C7.R (2014-current). The new-generation Corvette C8.R makes its Road Atlanta debut this weekend.
• 6: Career victories at Road Atlanta for Oliver Gavin – all with Corvette Racing. His first came in 2003 (Grand Prix of Atlanta), and five have come in Petit Le Mans (most among active drivers).
• 10: Number of Road Atlanta victories for Corvette Racing dating back to 2000 – eight of those at Petit Le Mans.
• 10: Petit Le Mans wins for Chevrolet – eight in GT and two in Prototype. That ranks third among manufacturers in event history.
• 12: Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001.
• 20: Number of GT Le Mans wins in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for Corvette Racing since the start of 2014.
• 24: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Daytona, Detroit, Houston, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Miami, Mid-Ohio, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen.
• 29: Number of drivers for Corvette Racing since 1999.
• 111: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 102 in North America and eight at Le Mans.
• 232: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999.
• 36,017.44: Number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing in its 22 previous trips to Road Atlanta. That represents 13,539 laps or more than 560 trips around Interstate 285 – Atlanta’s Perimeter.
• 306,399.06: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing since its inception. To put that in perspective, Corvette Racing is nearly halfway to the distance traveled by Apollo 13 – the longest manned spaceflight in history – at 622,268 miles.
Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 100 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Do Japanese Cars Last Longer Than German Cars?

By
SM
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In the last decades, German and Japanese car manufacturers have successfully dominated the production and sales of cars around the globe. Popular German cars include BMW, Audi, Mercedes, and Porsche, while for Japanese cars, you have Toyota, Honda, and Mitsubishi. Their success can be attributed to their respective principles in developing technology, engineering, and marketing. 

Clearly, both countries are producing top-quality cars. But the question is – which car lasts longer?

  1. Which car lasts longer? 

In a nutshell, Japanese cars generally last longer than German cars. Car engineers, enthusiasts, and owners worldwide unanimously agree on this. Yet, German brands are considered more exciting, luxurious, and attractive. Let’s explore this further.

  1. German Cars

German cars are known for speed, power, precision, and comfort. These features are due to the focus that German engineers have on coming up with impressive designs and innovative technologies. They put great stress on the car’s detail, performance, and precision. 

When riding a German car, the passenger could feel the ride’s smoothness and control, even on bumpy roads. The interior of German cars is equipped with advanced accessories, better stereos, and high-quality materials that offer luxury to its passengers.  Their cars are also spacious, and airbags placement more strategically located than their Japanese counterparts. 

German cars target the high-end market. Their cars are pricier compared to other cars because of the quality of the design as well as the technology invested in developing and manufacturing.

  1. Japanese Cars

On the other hand, Japanese engineers focus more on the quality aspect of the car parts. Japanese cars are famous for manufacturing long-serving, reliable, and affordable units. The reliability of Japanese-made cars appeals considerably to general car users. 

Japanese engineers won’t release any car part until has been perfected. This focus on perfection has resulted in more durable, reliable, and ergonomically designed car parts that edge other manufacturers. 

Therefore, Japanese used cars can last longer than others. It can run for more than 250,000 miles with the least maintenance during its lifetime. 

Japanese cars are mass-produced. Japanese manufacturers build their vehicles quickly, plus their parts are cheaper. The cost of repair and maintenance of Japanese cars is low compared to German-made cars. 

The car parts and accessories are vastly available in the market, including service centers for Japanese cars. This explains why aside from reliability, Japanese cars are also known for their affordability. 

These value propositions explain a greater share in the market for Japanese cars.

  1. Conclusion

If you plan on getting a new car, choose the car that fits your needs. Should you want speed and luxury, go for German cars. They will provide you with a fun driving experience plus the thrill of its performance.

However, if you want a reliable and long-wearing vehicle, the Japanese car is your go-to brand. Though you may not feel the luxury provided by German cars, its accessories and technology are still top of the line. It provides the basic comforts of a present-day car at a price that won’t break the bank.

GMS Racing Gander Trucks Darlington Preview

By
Official Release
-

Sheldon Creed, No. 2 Chevrolet Chevrolet Silverado
Darlington Gander Trucks Stats
– No prior Gander Trucks starts at Darlington.

2020 Gander Trucks Stats
– Starts: 14, Wins: 3, Best start: 1, Best finish: 1, Top 5s: 5, Top 10s: 8, Stage wins: 4, Laps led: 122

Notes:

– Sheldon Creed will carry a throwback scheme at Darlington, paying tribute to Jimmie Johnson’s trophy truck. Creed and Johnson, both from Southern California, got their start in off-road racing.
– Creed and the No. 2 team will compete with chassis No. 302 this weekend in Darlington. Creed has four previous starts with this chassis in 2020, most notably a third-place finish at Pocono in June.
– Creed has led laps in eight of the last nine Gander Trucks races in 2020.
– Creed is currently fifth in the championship standings and is locked into the playoffs with his wins at Kentucky, Daytona Road Course and Gateway

Quote:

“Obviously, it’s my first time at Darlington and the first time in a few years for the trucks so not really sure what to expect. We’ve had some time in the simulator thanks to Chevy and that does a good job of getting us prepared. I’m really excited about my throwback scheme, it’s a throwback to Jimmie Johnson’s trophy truck. We’ve both got really similar backgrounds and we’re from the same town so being able to have a throwback scheme to him this weekend is pretty cool. We’ll go out there and just be patient and see how things shake out and try to be around at the end to go for another win.”

Zane Smith, No. 21 MRC Construction Chevrolet Silverado
Darlington Gander Trucks Stats
– No prior Gander Trucks starts at Darlington.

2020 Gander Trucks Stats
– Starts: 14, Wins: 2, Best start: 1, Best finish: 1, Top 5s: 4, Top 10s: 9, Stage Wins: 4, Laps led: 227

Notes:

– Zane Smith will carry a throwback to the iconic Wood Brother’s No. 21 scheme this weekend at Darlington.
– Smith and the No. 21 team will compete with chassis No. 301 this weekend at Darlington. Smith has two top-six finishes and 20 laps led in two starts with this chassis in 2020.
– Smith is currently second in the championship standings, 28 points behind the leader. Smith is locked into the playoffs with his wins at Michigan and Dover in August.

Quote:

“Darlington looks like a fun place. Luckily, we’ll get to start towards the front, but I really don’t have any expectations going in. Just hoping for a shot at the win!”

Brett Moffitt, No. 23 GMS Fabrication Chevrolet Silverado
Darlington Gander Trucks Stats
– No prior Gander Trucks starts at Darlington.

2020 Gander Trucks Stats
– Starts: 14, Best start: 1, Best finish: 2, Top 5s: 6, Top 10s: 9, Stage wins: 4, Laps led: 150

Notes:

– Brett Moffitt has two prior NASCAR starts at Darlington Raceway, one Cup start in 2015 and a Xfinity start in 2020 where he finished 11th.
– Moffitt and the No. 23 team will utilize chassis No. 306 this week in Darlington. Moffitt has four top-10 finishes and 34 laps led in five starts with this chassis in 2020.
– Moffitt’s Silverado will feature a throwback scheme to Bobby Allison’s 1985 Miller scheme.
– Moffitt is currently third in championship points standings, 33 points behind the leader and 118 points above the playoff cutoff line.

Quote:

“Darlington will be interesting. I’m one of only a handful of drivers in the field that have had track time at Darlington, whether it was in a truck or another NASCAR series. I was able to run the Xfinity race earlier this year and my guys on the 23 team have been running Xfinity races there the last few years. Hopefully that will play out to our advantage. We’ve been so close for the last few weeks, looking forward to going out there this weekend and trying to finally get that first win of the season.”

Greg Biffle, No. 24 Sokal Digital Chevrolet Silverado
Darlington Gander Trucks Stats
– No prior Gander Trucks starts at Gateway.

2020 Gander Trucks Stats
– No prior Gander Trucks starts in 2020.

Notes:

– The 2000 Gander Trucks Champion will make his season debut at Darlington Raceway on Sunday. Greg Biffle earned a pair of Southern 500 trophies in 2005 and 2006 at Darlington as well as a Xfinity Series victory at the track in 2004.
– Biffle and the No. 24 team will compete with chassis No. 320 this weekend in Darlington. This chassis has five prior starts this season and went to victory lane at Charlotte with Chase Elliott.
– Biffle’s No. 24 will feature a throwback scheme to Ricky Hendrick’s Gander Trucks scheme from 2001.

Quote:

“I’m super excited to get back in the trucks. I cut my teeth in NASCAR in the trucks series and I really enjoy it. I love Darilngton. I have a few wins there in the Cup series. I’m excited, but I’m really nervous since I haven’t been in a truck in a little over a year and with no practice or anything, just cold turkey. It’s going to be exciting.”

Tyler Ankrum, No. 26 LiUNA! Chevrolet Silverado
Darlington Gander Trucks Stats
– No prior Gander Trucks starts at Darlington.

2020 Gander Trucks Stats
– Starts: 14, Best start: 2, Best finish: 2, Top 5s: 2, Top 10s: 6, Laps led: 1

Notes:

– Tyler Ankrum will compete at Darlington with a throwback scheme to Junior Johnson’s iconic 1966 yellow banana.
– Ankrum and the No. 26 will utilize chassis No. 322 Sunday at Darlington. Ankrum has two top-five finishes in four starts with this chassis in 2020.
– Ankrum enters the Darlington weekend ninth in points, 15 points above the playoff cutoff line.

Quote:

“It’s hard to know what to expect since I’ve never been to Darlington. We have had some time on the simulator so I’m not going in completely blind. My plan is to be patient and see how things play out, and hopefully we’ll be around at the end to compete for a win.”

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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Almirola set to remain at Stewart-Haas Racing for 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images.

Another name has been erased from the Silly Season topic for the 2021 NASCAR season. That name is Aric Almirola, who will return as driver of the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang along with primary sponsor, Smithfield Foods, next season.

In addition to Almirola’s return to SHR, Smithfield has also inked an extension to remain as a primary partner of Almirola with the team for an unknown number of races. The 2021 Cup season will mark the fourth season where Almirola and Smithfield (partners since 2012) will be competing underneath the Stewart-Haas Racing banner in the Cup level.

“He’s done a really good job, him and [crew chief] Mike [Bugarewicz], of growing together as a team and figuring out what he likes,” Greg Zipadelli, Vice President of Competition for SHR and former championship-winning crew chief, said during a Monday teleconference. “Buga has done a great job at that, but it’s time to go. They’ve been picking up and building their confidence and I feel like they’re ready, they just have to go out and execute. When you go back through and you look at the top fives and top 10s he’s had all year, I don’t know if a single one of them was just a good, clean race. They’ve had issues. Pit crews, restarts, speeding on pit road – things of that nature that have made him go to the back and have to race to the front. If we can clean all of those things up and not make any mistakes, I think he’ll have a good opportunity.”

Thus far, Almirola is coming off a strong 26-race regular-season stretch, where he has recorded two stage victories, five top-five results and 14 top-10 results. Since Homestead-Miami Speedway in June through the Michigan International Speedway doubleheaders in August, he recorded 10 top-10 results in 11 starts, all of which stabilized himself and his No. 10 Ford team inside the top 10 in the regular-season standings.

Almirola is one of 16 Cup competitors that have qualified for this year’s Playoffs (along with SHR teammates Clint Bowyer, Cole Custer and Kevin Harvick) and is set to embark on a 10-race postseason battle for this year’s championship. He is slated in a three-way tie with Austin Dillon and Cole Custer for 10th place in the standings with 2,005 points and with the 2020 Cup Playoffs five days away from commencing at Darlington Raceway.

From 2007 to 2017, Almirola competed for a number of teams, which include Joe Gibbs Racing, Dale Earnhardt Inc., Phoenix Racing, Billy Ballew Motorsports, JR Motorsports and Richard Petty Motorsports, before he made the move to Stewart-Haas Racing for the 2018 season to pilot the No. 10 Smithfield Ford. Since joining the team, Almirola has recorded one victory, which occurred at Talladega Superspeedway in October 2018 following a pass on the final lap. In addition, he has earned five stage wins, 12 top-five results and 43 top-10 results in 98 starts with SHR. He has also led a total of 648 laps and has made the Playoffs throughout his current three-year run with the team. His best result in the standings with the team was fifth place in 2018, where he also recorded his best average result of 12.8. He worked with crew chief Johnny Klausmeier in 2018 and 2019 before being paired with crew chief Mike Bugarewicz for this season.

With his racing plans for next season confirmed and secured, Aric Almirola’s quest for his first Cup title begins on Sunday, September 6, at Darlington Raceway for the Cook Out Southern 500, which will air at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Joe Graf Jr. and SS GreenLight Racing to throwback to Elliott Sadler at Darlington

By
Official Release
-

DARLINGTON, S.C.: Ahead of Darlington (S.C.) Raceway’s annual “throwback weekend,” Joe Graf Jr. and his SS GreenLight Racing announced today that they will throwback to 13-time NASCAR Xfinity Series winner Elliott Sadler for Saturday afternoon’s Sport Clips Help A Hero 200.

Graf Jr.’s No. 08 Bucked Up Energy Chevrolet Camaro will relic Sadler’s No. 88 GT Vodka Chevrolet for JR Motorsports from the 2010 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.

Bucked Up is the everyman (or woman) energy drink. We don’t care about the color of your collar; whether blue or white, we all require energy to power our days. We want something that tastes like success, enhances mood and focus, and most of all, delivers long-lasting energy.

Without the CRASH.

“Our No. 08 Bucked Up Energy Chevrolet looks stout for this weekend’s throwback weekend at Darlington,” said Graf Jr.

“I’ve always had respect for Elliott Sadler as a race car driver and to be able to flashback to his time at JR Motorsports is really cool for me.

“Hopefully, we can have another successful race at Darlington with a better finish than May.”

A span of 22 years, Sadler made 397 Xfinity Series starts from 1995 to 2019 producing 13 wins, 106 top-five and 227 top-10 finishes. The Emporia, Va. native made 15 Xfinity starts at the “Lady in Black” winning the 2016 race for JR Motorsports.

Graf Jr. will make his second Xfinity Series start at the historic 1.33-mile egg-shaped oval.

Darlington marked NASCAR’s return from the coronavirus pandemic. In his “Too Tough To Tame” debut at Darlington, Graf Jr. started 36th based on points — but captured a lead-lap 19th place finish without the benefit of any practice or qualifying.

The Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 (147 laps | 200.1 miles) is the 23rd of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2020 schedule. The 37-car field will take the green flag shortly after 12:00 p.m. on Sat., Sept. 5, 2020 with live coverage on NBC, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Satellite Radio, Channel 90). All times are local (Eastern).

For more on Joe Graf Jr. visit JoeGrafJr.com., like him on Facebook (Joe Graf Jr.), follow him on Twitter (@JoeGrafJr) and Instagram (@joegrafjr).

Freedom Warranty Extends Spencer Boyd Sponsorship through 2021

By
Official Release
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A Todd Bodine Throwback Truck Will Mark Freedom Warranty’s First Primary Race

Concord, NC (September 1, 2020) – Spencer Boyd announced today that he will run a Todd Bodine throwback truck at Darlington with longtime partner, Freedom Warranty. Freedom Warranty provides extended service protection for personal vehicles and made their first appearance on Boyd’s No. 20 Silverado at Spencer’s first career win at Talladega in 2019.

“This news comes at an important time in our sport,” commented Boyd. “2020 has been a year that has tested each and every one of us in one way or another. Freedom’s extension proves that sponsorship in NASCAR works.”

Freedom Warranty is the fastest-growing vehicle service contract administrator in the nation, offering a variety of products sold exclusively through authorized auto dealers, certified repair facilities, established lenders, and accredited insurance agencies in 23 states and the District of Columbia. Their goal is to provide a valuable service to automobile owners who want to protect their investment and shield them from unexpected repairs. By providing superior service to contract holders, they strive to provide dependable coverage with customer care that goes above and beyond.

Chris Miller, CEO of Freedom Warranty, remarked on the partnership, “The relationship has been amazing. We’ve signed up multiple dealers as a result of the affiliation with Spencer and Young’s Motorsports. They represent our brand so well and are always putting great social content out. We continue to grow as a business and wanted to grow our involvement with the NASCAR program. It’s truly a win-win!”

With the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series running a modified schedule this year, it allowed for the throwback race at Darlington to be added. Spencer Boyd made it clear who he wanted to honor in this race, “It had to be Todd,” he said. “Todd Bodine has been such a great supporter of me in my racing career. From coaching me at my first start at Charlotte, to feedback after so many races, his experience and friendship has helped so much. I mean he’s got the best view as a Fox Sports Analyst so I’ve got to listen to him right?”

The truck series returns to Darlington Raceway for the first time since 2011. The special Freedom Warranty paint scheme Boyd will run matches the truck that Bodine won within 2010 at Darlington.

The South Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Darlington Raceway will be a double header with the NASCAR Cup Series on Sunday, September 6. Television coverage starts at 2:00pm ET on Fox Sports 1 and can be heard on the Motor Racing Network or Sirius XM Radio Channel 90.

Visit Freedom Warranty at https://www.freedomwarranty.com

Chris Buescher – Darlington Advance

By
Official Release
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Team: No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Luke Lambert
Twitter: @17RoushTeam, @RoushFenway and @Chris_Buescher
Race Format: 501.3 miles, 367 laps, Stage Lengths: 115-115-137
Cook Out Southern 500 – Sunday, Sept. 6 at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

NASCAR Playoffs, Throwback on Tap This Weekend at Darlington

  • The ‘Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR’ and the start of the 2020 NASCAR Playoffs are on deck this weekend at Darlington Raceway, where the Cup Series will run 500 miles Sunday night.
  • NASCAR’s award-winning throwback weekend will celebrate “NASCAR’s Champions…Past, Present and Future” for its throwback campaign.
  • NASCAR will continue to use three competition-based performance metrics to determine the starting lineup and pit selection order for each race, replacing the random draw procedure.
  • NASCAR will reward both season-long and single-race performance to determine the lineup and pit selection, using owner points position, the finish and fastest lap from the most recently completed race. Beginning this weekend, playoff cars will fill the top starting positions starting from the Round of 16, all the way through to the Championship 4.
  • Four weeks of NASCAR action were initially 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.

Buescher Historically at Darlington

  • Buescher makes his seventh Cup start at Darlington on Sunday, where he has an average finish of 19th in six prior events.
  • Prior to the back-to-back races in May, Buescher had finished no worse than 17th at ‘The Lady in Black,’ with a career-result of 12th in the 2019 Southern 500. Most recently, Buescher finished 32nd after getting caught up in multiple incidents in the return to racing, and followed that with a 23rd-place run three days later.
  • Buescher earned an Xfinity career-best fifth-place run at Darlington in 2015 in the No. 60 entry. He also finished 12th two years prior in the No. 16 for Jack Roush.

Luke Lambert Historically at Darlington

  • Lambert will be atop the box for his 10th Cup event at Darlington on Sunday, where he has an average finish of 18.9 with three top-10s. All three came with Newman in the No. 31, with a 10th-place result in 2014, an eighth-place run in the 2016 Southern 500, followed by seventh in the race a year later.
  • Lambert also has one Xfinity Series event under his belt at Darlington, which came with Elliott Salder in 2012, finishing 24th.

QUOTE WORTHY
Buescher on racing at Darlington:
“I’m excited to get back to one of my favorite tracks, and thankfully we have a couple of races under our belts this year there, to help build on. With the playoffs kicking off, we have nothing to lose as a team, and look forward to putting our best foot forward in the Fastenal Ford come Sunday.”

Last Time Out
Buescher battled through the chaos in the closing laps of Saturday night’s race in Daytona, to finish ninth in the Fifth Third Bank Ford.

Where They Rank
Buescher is 21st in driver standings through 26 events.

On the Car
Fastenal celebrates its 10th season with Roush Fenway Racing in 2020. The Minnesota company spent three years on the No. 99 before jumping to the No. 17 Cup Series entry, and were the primary partner on the No. 60 Xfinity team that captured the owner’s championship in 2011.

Represented on the hood will be the Go Blue 500 Sales Event, running now through the end of September, which offers great savings on top brands that partner with Fastenal to support the No. 17 Fastenal Ford. The 10-Year Partnership logo will also be featured on the decklid, celebrating Fastenal and Roush Fenway Racing’s 10-year anniversary.

About Fastenal
Fastenal [Nasdaq: FAST] is North America’s largest fastener distributor and a ‘one-stop’ source for hundreds of thousands of OEM, MRO and Construction products. With more than 2,600 stores worldwide, the company supports B2B customers with tailored local inventory and dedicated personnel, who visit regularly, quickly respond to emergency needs, and provide efficient inventory management solutions. Fastenal’s service-oriented business network includes the world’s largest industrial vending program, 14 regional distribution centers, 8 custom manufacturing facilities, thousands of delivery vehicles, and industry-leading sourcing, quality and engineering resources.

Ryan Newman – Darlington Advance

By
Official Release
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Team: No. 6 Oscar Mayer Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Scott Graves

Twitter: @Roush6Team, @RoushFenway and @RyanJNewman
Race Format: 501.3 miles, 367 laps, Stage Lengths: 115-115-137

Cook Out Southern 500 – Sunday, Sept. 6 at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

NASCAR Playoffs, Throwback on Tap This Weekend at Darlington

  • The ‘Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR’ and the start of the 2020 NASCAR Playoffs are on deck this weekend at Darlington Raceway, where the Cup Series will run 500 miles Sunday night.
  • NASCAR’s award-winning throwback weekend will celebrate “NASCAR’s Champions…Past, Present and Future” for its throwback campaign.
  • NASCAR will continue to use three competition-based performance metrics to determine the starting lineup and pit selection order for each race, replacing the random draw procedure.
  • NASCAR will reward both season-long and single-race performance to determine the lineup and pit selection, using owner points position, the finish and fastest lap from the most recently completed race. Beginning this weekend, playoff cars will fill the top starting positions starting from the Round of 16, all the way through to the Championship 4.
  • Four weeks of NASCAR action were initially 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.

Newman Historically at Darlington

  • Newman will make his 24th Cup start at Darlington on Sunday. In 23 prior events, Newman has an average finish of 12.7 – his second-best track behind only Richmond – with 13 top-10s and seven top fives.
  • Newman has finished top-10 or better in 57 percent of his outings at the 1.366-mile track, including a career-best runner-up finish in his first Southern 500 back in 2002. Newman has 339 laps led at ‘The Lady in Black.’
  • Overall Newman has an average starting spot of 10.9, with 14 top-10 starts and one pole (2003 Southern 500). Most recently, Newman finished 15th in NASCAR’s Return to Racing at the track in May and followed that with a 14th-place run a few days later.
  • Newman also made five starts in the Xfinity Series, earning the pole in each of the first two events in 2001. He went on to finish fourth in the 2001 fall race with an overall finish of 13.6 in the series at the famed track.

Scott Graves Historically at Darlington

  • Graves will call his seventh Cup event at Darlington on Sunday. In six prior starts, he has a best finish of 14th – which came with Newman in May. He led Newman to a 15th-place finish three days prior, as part of the sport’s return to the track.
  • In Xfinity Series action, Graves led Suarez to a third-place finish in 2016 after starting fifth. The prior year he and Chris Buescher paired up for a fifth-place result.

QUOTE WORTHY
Newman on racing at Darlington:
“Darlington Throwback weekend is always cool, and it’s especially cool for me this year because Oscar Mayer has given us the opportunity to throw it back to my Silver Crown Championship season in 1999, which seems like forever ago. It was a pretty special moment and year back in my resumé-building time to make it to the level, and I am thankful to be representing it again so many years later in the Cup Series. Darlington is one of my favorite tracks, and we’ve been close recently in dialing in our car down there, so we’re looking forward to unloading even better this weekend in the Oscar Mayer Ford.”

Last Time Out
Newman was caught up in a multi-car incident Saturday night in Daytona, finishing 36th in the Guaranteed Rate Ford Mustang.

Where They Rank
Newman is 26th in driver points after 23 points races in his 2020 campaign. In owners’ points, the No. 6 is 26th.

On the Car
Oscar Mayer returns to Newman’s Ford for the brand’s last race of the 2020 slate. Now in its third year as a partner with RFR, Oscar Mayer gave Newman the opportunity to throwback to a ride of his own, celebrating his 1999 USAC Silver Crown National Championship.

The No. 6 this weekend will match that of his 1999 machine, where he won twice and finished top-10 in 12 of 15 races. He became the first driver to win in all three major USAC divisions that season, and did it all while balancing studying vehicle-structure engineering at Purdue.

About the Kraft Heinz Company

For 150 years, we have produced some of the world’s most beloved products at The Kraft Heinz Company (Nasdaq: KHC). We are one of the largest global food and beverage companies, with 2019 net sales of approximately $25 billion. Our portfolio is a diverse mix of iconic and emerging brands. As the guardians of these brands and the creators of innovative new products, we are dedicated to the sustainable health of our people and our planet. To learn more, visit www.kraftheinzcompany.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

FedEx Racing Express Facts – Darlington Raceway

By
Official Release
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Denny Hamlin
#11 Federal Express Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing

Race Info:
Race: Cook Out Southern 500
Date/Time: Sunday, Sept. 6/6 p.m. ET
Distance: 367 laps/501.3 miles
Track Length: 1.36 miles
Track Shape: Egg-shaped oval
2019 Winner: Erik Jones

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.

Daytona Recap: Denny Hamlin battled from the start of the race until the end, nearly taking the checkered flag in a wild ending at Daytona International Speedway. Hamlin finished third at the superspeedway in the Cup Series’ last event before the playoffs begin. The #11 FedEx Express Toyota lined up 10th for the event. With no practice or qualifying laps before the green flag, Hamlin had to assess the car during the first part of the race. The FedEx Racing team had brought a fast car, keeping Hamlin within striking distance throughout the entire race. After a series of cautions in the last 10 laps that took out much of the field, Denny started an overtime shootout in the lead, but fell behind as William Byron captured his first career win.

Darlington Preview: The series heads back to Darlington Raceway on Sunday night for the start of the 2020 playoffs with a 500-mile event on the egg-shaped oval. Hamlin is a three-time winner at the track, taking the checkered flag in 2012, 2017 and earlier this season in 2020. Hamlin owns nine top-five and 13 top-10 finishes in 16 career races at Darlington, leading a total of 574 laps.

Federal Express Throwback Scheme: For Darlington Throwback weekend, the #11 team will turn the calendar back to 1973, the year that Federal Express was founded. A special paint scheme will mirror the same colors and branding that were on the company’s planes and vehicles 47 years ago. The car will also use the #11 font style that Cale Yarborough used when he won at Darlington that same year.

Hamlin Statistics:
Track: Darlington Raceway
Races: 16
Wins: 3
Poles: 1
Top-5: 9
Top-10: 13
Laps Led: 574
Avg. Start: 9.3
Avg. Finish: 7.2

Hamlin Conversation – Darlington:

How does it feel to be starting the playoffs sitting second in the point standings?
“I think we’re in a really good spot. We’ve worked hard all season to earn playoff points to help us get through each round and hopefully to the Championship 4. And we’ll look to keep winning races and adding more points along the way.”

What do you need to do differently in the first playoff race at Darlington?
“I think we need to continue what we’ve been doing all season. I know my team will bring the best car possible, like they do every week, and we’ll do our best to go out and secure the win. Darlington is a great track for us, so I certainly think we’re capable of coming away with a win.”

Cale Yarborough Conversation – Throwback Tribute:
How do you feel about seeing your famous stylized #11 back on a race car?
“It feels good. It looks like a winner to me! That #11 loves the winner circle and looks to me like it can do it again.

“Listen, all my memories of winning at Darlington are great. It was my home track and I would rather win there than anywhere else in the world because it was home and where I got my start. Winning the 1968 Southern 500 was the best race I ever won in my life.”

MMD Carbon Fiber Trim Panel Kit | Review & Install Video

By
Official Release
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Step-by-Step Interior Upgrade Tutorial for 2015+ Mustang Owners

PAOLI, Pa. (August 31, 2020) – AmericanMuscle’s (AM) newest video is a walk-through guide for 2015-2020 Ford Mustang owners looking to level up the trim on their doors and dash. The video features an 8-piece genuine carbon-fiber trim kit from MMD designed to fit GT, EcoBoost, and V6 Mustang models equipped with the standard 3 vent center dash. The kit comes pre-installed with 3M tape for a peel-and-stick application.

Mustang owners can give their vehicle a luxurious, high-end appearance with a relatively easy installation that can be accomplished in just under an hour. AM host Justin Dugan, assures the viewer that MMD’s $900 price range, while not inexpensive, is “one of the highest-quality interior kits that I have personally seen over the years here at AM.”  The 100% genuine carbon fiber weave results in a dramatic impact to the interior and is “finished off in a beautiful clear coat, polished to a beautiful shine, and then measured out and cut perfectly.” Customers on the lookout for more affordable options can visit AT’s website for a selection of alternatives from vinyl to carbon fiber hydro dip plastic pieces. Justin reminds the viewer that beginning with a clean surface is key, and that taking the time to get everything lined up will ensure success. Justin hands off the remainder of the video to his colleague who outlines the 3 items needed for the installation before walking the viewer through the preparation and careful installation of each piece.

AM’s newest review and installation video gives Mustang owners the confidence to spruce up their interior trim with a high-end carbon fiber trim kit from MMD. Their website offers a wide range of Mustang aftermarket parts, along with expert advice designed to increase the luxury and appeal of their ride at any price point.

View it here: https://www.americanmuscle.com/carbon-fiberterior-trim-1518-w-performance-pack.html

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

About AmericanMuscle

Starting out in 2003, AmericanMuscle quickly rose to be one of the leading aftermarket Mustang parts providers in the business. With the addition of Challenger in 2018, AmericanMuscle provides the most sought-after parts, accessories, and fast shipping. Located just outside of Philadelphia, AmericanMuscle is dedicated to offering the Mustang and Challenger communities with the highest level of customer service.

Please visit http://www.AmericanMuscle.com for more information.

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