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Front Row Motorsports: EchoPark Speedway Competition Notes – Zane Smith

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Official Release
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Zane Smith and the No. 38 Aaron’s Lucky Dog Ford Team
EchoPark Speedway Competition Notes
Atlanta 400

Date: Saturday, June 28, 2025
Event: Race 20 of 38
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: EchoPark Speedway (1.5-miles)
#of Laps: 260
Time/TV/Radio: 7:00 PM ET on TNT Sports/PRN/SiriusXM channel 90

Zane Smith Notes

The NASCAR Cup Series will kick off their first ever In-Season Challenge this weekend at the EchoPark Speedway. The bracket-style tournament will pair Zane Smith up against Austin Cindric in a head-to-head battle with the highest finishing driver moving onto the next round. In his last visit to the 1.5-mile, Hampton, Georgia track, Smith qualified seventh and finished 11th.

Smith will participate in Dale and Amy Earnhardt’s Driven to Give Gloves Program this weekend to help raise money for the Dale and Amy Earnhardt Fund at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Smith will wear Earnhardt’s iconic skeleton gloves that will be auctioned off for the charity from Thursday, June 26th to Monday, June 30th. Fans can bid on the gloves at www.thedalejrfoundation.org.

Smith and Aaron’s Rent-to-Own will bring back the fan-favorite Aaron’s Lucky Dog scheme for the 260-lap race. The Lucky Dog scheme has a deep-rooted, nostalgic history in the NASCAR Cup Series, having been driven by David Reutimann, Brian Vickers, Michael McDowell, Michael Waltrip, and many more.

“This is a big weekend for Aaron’s,” said Smith. “Their headquarters is just down the road from the track, so I know their employee’s will show up in full support. Ford and Front Row Motorsports always bring fast cars to superspeedways, so I expect to qualify and run up front, it just comes down to executing and being there in the end.”

Road Crew

Driver: Zane Smith

Hometown: Huntington Beach, California

Crew Chief: Ryan Bergenty

Hometown: Plainville, Connecticut

Car Chief: Will Norris

Hometown: Bells, Tennessee

Engineer: Jacob Clamme

Hometown: Hartford City, Indiana

Engineer: Chris Yerges

Hometown: Green Bay, Wisconsin

Mechanic: Steve Godfrey

Hometown: West Haven, Connecticut

Mechanic / Engine Tuner: Tyler Podlaski

Hometown: Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania

Interior Specialist: Matt Fowler

Hometown: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Spotter: Ryan Blanchard

Hometown: Bethlehem, Connecticut

Transport Co-Driver: Ernest Mullins

Hometown: Fayetteville, North Carolina

Transport Co-Driver: Rick Grissom

Hometown: Bakersfield, California

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Ryan Flores

Hometown: Manasquan, New Jersey

Rear Tire Changer: Austin Chrismon

Hometown: China Grove, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Drew Baum

Hometown: Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Jackman: Ryan Selig

Hometown: Lindenhurst, Illinois

Fueler: Chris Webb

Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

ABOUT AARON’S

Headquartered in Atlanta, The Aaron’s Company, Inc. is a leading, technology-enabled, omnichannel provider of lease-to-own and retail purchase solutions of appliances, electronics, furniture, and other home goods. Aaron’s offers a direct-to-consumer lease-to-own solution through its approximately 1,200 Company-operated and franchised stores in 47 states and Canada, as well as its e-commerce platform, Aarons.com.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Craftsman Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 Craftsman Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 34 and No. 38 Craftsman Truck Series teams from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @teamfrm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Front Row Motorsports: EchoPark Speedway Competition Notes- Todd Gilliland

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Official Release
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Todd Gilliland and the No. 34 Rinnai Ford Team
EchoPark Speedway Competition Notes
Atlanta 400

Date: Saturday, June 28, 2025
Event: Race 20 of 38
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: EchoPark Speedway (1.5-miles)
#of Laps: 260
Time/TV/Radio: 7:00 PM ET on TNT/PRN/SiriusXM channel 90

Todd Gilliland Notes

Todd Gilliland and the No. 34 Ford team head to Hampton, Georgia for the NASCAR Cup Series second visit to the EchoPark Speedway. In the series’ first visit to the 1.5-mile superspeedway track in February, Gilliland qualified fifth and finished 15th. Saturday night’s 260 lap, 400-mile race will kick off NASCAR’s In-Season Challenge with Gilliland facing off with Chris Buescher and the No. 17 team in a bracket-style tournament.

Gilliland will participate in Dale and Amy Earnhardt’s Driven to Give Gloves Program this weekend to help raise money for the Dale and Amy Earnhardt Fund at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Gilliland will wear Earnhardt’s iconic skeleton gloves that will be auctioned off for the charity from Thursday, June 26th to Monday, June 30th. Fans can bid on the gloves at www.thedalejrfoundation.org.

Rinnai America Corporation will make their Front Row Motorsports debut this weekend with Gilliland and the No. 34 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. Rinnai will also serve as a full season associate partner of Gilliland, being featured on his car and uniform. In addition, Rinnai becomes the preferred commercial water heater of all Long John Silver’s restaurants across the country. Rinnai commercial tankless water heaters will be placed in new restaurants while also replacing aged water heaters.

“Rinnai’s brand promise is ‘Creating a healthier way of living’ which means partnering with our PROs to provide customers and businesses with the most efficient and high-quality comfort solutions in the market,” said Frank Windsor, President of Rinnai. “Our partnership with Front Row Motorsports and Todd Gilliland is a great opportunity for us to engage our customers and showcase Rinnai branded products.”

“Atlanta has always been a strong track for me,” said Gilliland. “We typically qualify well and run up front, but like Daytona and Talladega, it can be tough to avoid trouble. It’s great to have Rinnai on board this weekend at their home track—hopefully we can put together a solid run and take them to Victory Lane.”

Road Crew

Driver: Todd Gilliland

Hometown: Sherrills Ford, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Chris Lawson

Hometown: Medway, Ohio

Car Chief: Joe Marra

Hometown: Somers, New York

Engineer: Marc Rullo

Hometown: Ringwood, New Jersey

Engineer: Kevyn Rebolledo

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Spotter: Brit Andersen

Hometown: Branford, Connecticut

Underneath Mechanic: Michael Brookes

Hometown: Columbus, Ohio

Interior Mechanic: Chance Burke

Hometown: Siler City, North Carolina

Tire Specialist: Billy John

Hometown: Pitman, New Jersey

Engine Tuner: Tim Meyer

Hometown: Beatrice, Nebraska

Transporter Driver: Christian Boller

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Danny Olszowy

Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky

Rear Tire Changer: Justin Fox

Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Paul Steele

Hometown: Wichita, Kansas

Jackman: Landon Honeycutt

Hometown: Mount Pleasant, North Carolina

Fueler: Zeke Nance

Hometown: Calhoun, Georgia

ABOUT RINNAI

Rinnai America Corporation, a subsidiary of Rinnai Corporation in Nagoya, Japan, was established in 1974 and is headquartered in Peachtree City, Georgia. Rinnai Corporation manufactures gas appliances, including tankless water heaters, a wide range of kitchen appliances, and heating and air conditioning units. As the technology leader in its industry, Rinnai is the largest gas appliance manufacturer in Japan and is the No. 1 selling brand of tankless gas water heaters in the United States and Canada. Annual corporate revenues, including those of its subsidiaries, are in excess of $3.3 billion. With a global perspective to create 21st-century products for the home and business, Rinnai Corporation commits itself to safety and Creating a healthier way of living®. For more information about Rinnai’s entire product line, visitwww.rinnai.us.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Craftsman Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 Craftsman Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 34 and No. 38 Craftsman Truck Series teams from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @teamfrm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Layne Riggs Competing in Second Career Road Course Event This Weekend at Lime Rock Park

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Official Release
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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Lime Rock Park Media Availability
Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Layne Riggs, driver of the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford F-150 for Front Row Motorsports in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, is coming off his first victory of the season last weekend at Pocono Raceway to clinch a spot in the playoffs. He spoke about that win and this weekend’s upcoming inaugural series race at Lime Rock Park as part of a NASCAR media call.

LAYNE RIGGS, No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang Dark Horse – WHAT HAS THIS WEEK BEEN LIKE AFTER YOUR WIN AND HEADING TO A NEW TRACK THIS WEEKEND? “For me, it’s a lot of relief being locked in the playoffs and not really having to worry about points anymore until the playoffs start. Right now, our main focus is just trying to rack up as many points as possible to put as far above that cut line for the upcoming rounds. I feel like we’ve got a couple road courses coming up, some short tracks and some unknowns, so I feel like we got our win at a perfect time, right before the stressful time and the crunch time happens with the cutoff race being Richmond. We can save our equipment a little bit better. We can save our best trucks for when they really matter. We’re just in a little bit better position now than we were heading into Pocono, so I’m just really happy and excited about the position we’re in.”

FORD HAD NOT WON AT POCONO IN THE TRUCK SERIES SINCE 2013. WHAT DOES THAT WIN MEAN FOR FORD AND WHAT WAS THE REACTION? IT’S A PRETTY BIG DEAL. “It is. I was talking with Matt Todd before the race and he’s like, ‘This is a track that’s always been tough for us. We just haven’t had a lot of success here.’ And then he came over in Victory Lane and the first thing I said was, ‘I guess that turned around for you. I guess that’s not true anymore.’ I don’t really know what we would have had there. Last year I didn’t have a really good judge. I know Zane has run well there in the past and won some stages and been strong, but just haven’t really been able to seal the deal. It is great for Ford to win there and really Ford to win at any track, especially the ones where the stats aren’t really there. That shows we can do it about everywhere, so I’m just happy to represent them well and put them in Victory Lane again.”

WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH LIME ROCK AND WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THE FANS ABOUT WHAT WE COULD SEE THIS WEEKEND? “I’m excited for it. I look at it more as a car club style racetrack, kind of like the country club kind of place. There’s not really any bleachers that I saw there when I went. It just seems like a lot of people are gonna be in lawn chairs on the hill and having picnics. I think it’s gonna be a little bit of a different experience than we’re used to but in a good way. It will be a good change. A lot of people say that Mid-Ohio is kind of the same way. I never went there, so I can’t really relate, but it looks like a beautiful place. It’s a great facility. We went up there and ran some street cars to try to feel the place out a little bit, but the place is very fast and narrow, a lot of very sketchy sections. Even in street cars there were places I didn’t want to be side-by-side with people, so I think there’s minimal passing zones. I think into turn one is gonna fan out big and it’s really wide right there, so I think the restarts are gonna be pretty crazy. I think there’s very little room for error, so I think there’s probably gonna be several people in the barriers, just with such short and narrow corners. And then also the hill, the right-hander uphill you literally catch air. In the simulator, we were all four tires off the ground if you went over it hard, so it’s something us as NASCAR drivers don’t usually have to deal with a lot. I’m excited about it. I’ve run it on iRacing a lot in the past. I think for anybody that runs iRacing it’s like the first track you go to on the game just to get used to it, and then also just about track characteristics is the asymmetry of it. It’s all right-hand corners, except one left-hander, so us as a team we’re trying to guestimate how much asymmetry should we build into our setup and how much can you sacrifice the left-hander. How much is it worth being better in the right-handers to sacrifice the left-hander? I think there’s a game there. I think there’s a possibility for a surprise winner again, especially with some road course ringers coming in, but, either way, I’m looking forward to it. It’s only gonna be my second-ever road course race with COTA being the first one last year. I went into that one pretty nervous, but I was excited and pleased with the way I performed at a road course and I’ve been ready to redeem myself since then.”

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MANAGE THE DIFFERENT RULES WITH THE NON-COMPETITIVE PIT STOPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT? “We actually went to pit practice last night with the road crew and that was very entertaining to say the least. They need some work, but I’m pretty sure it’s gonna be like the minimum time down pit road, I think it’s 55 seconds you’re allowed, so we still have to do a stop within 30ish seconds, so that’s gonna make our road crew guys going as fast as they can. We’re just hoping we don’t have an issue under green where it’s a fully green flag live pit stop, go as fast as you can. I know there’s a possibility for rain this weekend, so we might even be on wet weather tires for my first-ever time. There are a lot of unknowns going into it. Considering our crew has really been on it, especially last week, we rebounded after some issues, so I was hoping they would be able to come and do some live pit stops, but at the same time it takes that pressure of like, ‘OK, we’re coming down pit road and there’s a chance we’re gonna lose x amount of stops if there’s a mistake.’ You know wherever you’re running, it’s not really gonna be dictated by something that could happen on pit road. It’s more what I’m used to with the short track racing. You had the break at halfway and would make adjustments, and all of the track position that you made you get to keep no matter what. It will be different for sure. I’m just curious how that’s gonna all feel behind the wheel just knowing that it’s really all on my shoulders.”

DID YOU WET DOWN THE PIT PRACTICE AREA IN CASE YOU HAVE TO GO FROM WETS TO SLICKS? “We didn’t do that. We were just trying to get everybody focused. We had the pit coach there and our regular pit crew guys. They were doing a little practice too with us, so they were all watching and laughing, but we didn’t fully do the wet pit road. I’m pretty sure even under green flag conditions it’s the minimum 55 seconds. I’ve got to look at the rule a little better, but I think it’s that way, which would be good and not force anybody to, ‘hey, say you brought a really trained, professional crew,’ you’re not gonna out-do somebody when you have those minimums.”

HOW WEIRD IS IT TO RACE ON SUCH A SHORT ROAD COURSE? “It is interesting. It’s like a short track/road course, especially all being right-hand dominant. It’s almost an oval track to a point, except for one corner. If you didn’t have one corner, it would be considered an oval, so I think it’s a good transition back into the road courses for me. It’s like a mid tier, single car, pretty easy track that is less technical to run, but I think it’s cool. It’s gonna be a lot of laps. I think having more laps means more rubber laid down, just because you’re seeing the same part of the track more often, and I think characteristics like that are gonna make more of a difference that what we’ve seen in the past.”

IS THERE ANY SORT OF GOOD NATURED COMPETITION TALKING BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR DAD AS FAR AS HOW MANY WINS HE HAD IN TRUCKS (5) VERSUS WHERE YOU ARE NOW (3)? “It’s really not and I’ve tried jabbing him. I’ll be like, ‘I’m getting close to you.’ And he’s like, ‘I’d hope so. I want you to do a lot better than me.’ I want to try to compete with him, but he doesn’t want to. He just brushes it off and is like, ‘No, I want you to do better than I ever did.’ He’s super supportive. I’m glad that he went to Pocono and was there for our win, but he’s fully passed the torch. We even talked about after the race how we didn’t take any Victory Lane pictures together. During Victory Lane he just disappeared. He’s like, ‘Yeah, I wasn’t part of that team. I didn’t help you win that race. That’s for those guys. I just like to be here to watch and support.’ He’s just dad now and he’s happy with that role. I think he’s gonna be at the track this weekend. I think he’s gonna catch a tire as it goes across the wall, so he’s gonna be there with a little behind the wall pit support, but it’s great to have him part of it so that we can cherish those memories together. At the same time, he’s not competitive at all. I hope you win every single race and beat my record as soon as you can, so he just wants the best for me and I’m super thankful for that.”

I BET YOU WOULD BE A GOOD TRASH TALKER. THAT WOULD BE FUN. “I asked him about why he doesn’t come back and run a late model race?’ I think his passion has kind of died over the years, especially when he had to do the start and park stuff. He’s like, ‘I just don’t care to race against any people anymore, but the only time I’ll race is if I can race against you because I just want to race the crap out of you.’ So, if he’s ever gonna come out of retirement, that would be the one time because he said, ‘I want to race against you and try to beat you. Besides that, it’s nothing but support.’”

ROSS CHASTAIN’S RACING AND AGRICULTURE PASSIONS COME TOGETHER IN TOUR OF SOUTHERN BELLE FARM

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Official Release
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HAMPTON, Ga. (June 25, 2025) – Ross Chastain is known for two things: going really fast in his No. 1 Trackhouse Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series and his enthusiasm for the agriculture industry.

On Wednesday, the eighth-generation watermelon farmer saw his two passions come together at Southern Belle Farm in McDonough, Ga. — the source of EchoPark Speedway’s traditional Victory Lane peaches that each NASCAR race winner receives.

“Racing is a hobby that I turned into a career, but I was born into agriculture, so I grew up in fields,” said Chastain. “It’s so cool to see this farm thriving so close to the city and the people that come out to this agritourism venue.”

Chastain received a tour of the farm, picked the brains of its staff about their efforts to grow peaches and other crops, and then picked the peaches that will be given out after Saturday night’s Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart.

“Pulling (peaches) right off the tree — they taste pretty sweet,” Chastain said, adding, “But I figure they’re going to be even sweeter on Saturday night if we win.”

Since the track was reconfigured for the 2022 season, Chastain has scored a pair of runner-up finishes and four top-10s in seven starts at EchoPark Speedway. Once a skeptic, he is now a fan of the “new” EchoPark Speedway and embraces the challenge it provides as he pursues his first win in Atlanta.

“I was in the camp that it was good how it was and we didn’t need to mess with it, but I was wrong, and I’m man enough to admit that,” Chastain said. “It’s better now. The Smith Family and Speedway Motorsports have done an incredible job of taking a mile-and-a-half track and creating superspeedway-style drafting like Daytona and Talladega.”

Adding to the challenge is the introduction of NASCAR’s first-ever In-Season Tournament, which starts Saturday night at EchoPark Speedway. The bracket-style elimination tournament will see 32 drivers compete for a $1 million prize. As the 13th seed, Chastain is in a head-to-head matchup with 20th seed Erik Jones; whichever driver finishes better in that pairing will advance to the next round at the Chicago Street Course – the other will be eliminated.

Chastain said the added wrinkle of the In-Season Tournament hasn’t changed his approach to Saturday night’s race, “but I do know that if that 43 car is in front of me, I definitely don’t want to finish behind him.”

Chastain and the rest of the NASCAR Cup Series competitors will hit the track for qualifying on Friday evening. They’ll then compete for 400 miles under the lights on Saturday night at 7 p.m. in the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart.

Tickets and camping accommodations for the June 26-28 Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart NASCAR weekend are available at www.EchoParkSpeedway.com.

About the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart:

Atlanta’s Night Race returns with the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart on Saturday night, June 28, 2025. Sparks will fly as NASCAR’s best duel under the lights on EchoPark Speedway’s challenging high banks.

The rising stars of the NASCAR Xfinity Series bring the action Friday night in the Focused Health 250 on June 27.

Adding even higher stakes to the weekend is the first running of NASCAR’s $1 million In-Season Tournament. 32 of NASCAR’s stars will be paired against each other in a bracket-style elimination tournament that begins at EchoPark Speedway.

More information on the June 26-28 Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart weekend and ticket availability can be found online at www.EchoParkSpeedway.com.

About EchoPark Speedway:

EchoPark Speedway is a premier entertainment venue located about 30 miles south of Atlanta, Ga.

Since 1960, EchoPark Speedway has been a staple of the NASCAR calendar and currently hosts two weekends of racing in the spring and fall each year. When NASCAR isn’t in town, EchoPark Speedway’s versatile facility hosts an assortment of events that attract visitors from near and far, from Monster Jam to the Georgia State Fair and everything between.

For more information on EchoPark Speedway and to see upcoming events at the facility, visit www.EchoParkSpeedway.com.

HSR NASCAR Classic Series Makes Lime Rock Park Debut at the LiUNA! 150 This Weekend

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Official Release
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Image by HSR/Jessica Johnk and Evan O'Hara/Low Shutter Media
  • HSR’s Second-Year Historic Stock Car Racing Series Visits Lime Rock Park for The First Time in First of Three NASCAR Support Race Appearances This Season
  • Variety of NASCAR Stock Cars Retired From Active Competition Compete at Lime Rock in a Friday and Saturday Sprint-Race Doubleheader

LAKEVILLE, Connecticut (June 25, 2025) – The HSR NASCAR Classic racing series makes its Lime Rock Park debut this weekend as one the featured support series at this weekend’s LiUNA! 150 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race. The overall event weekend is a history maker as it is the first time in Lime Rock’s 68 years the 1.5-mile road course in Northwestern Connecticut hosts a NASCAR national touring series event.

Celebrating stock car racing’s history is what the NASCAR Classic series is all about. Open to period-correct stock cars that have been retired from active competition, the introduction of NASCAR Classic last year was a direct response to the increasing popularity of the former HSR Group 8 historic stock car class. Eligible NASCAR Classic competition vehicles include those built to previous NASCAR rule book specifications for Cup, Xfinity, Truck and ARCA competition. Current editions of the rules-eligible cars in each series, such as the Cup series Generation 7 chassis, are not eligible in NASCAR Classic competition.

The third round of the NASCAR Classic season, the Lime Rock Friday and Saturday doubleheader race schedule is the first of three events this season running as support races on national NASCAR series race weekends. Lime Rock follows the season opening races at the HSR Sebring Classic 12 Hour Presented by Mission Foods in March and the 47th HSR The Mitty presented by Hagerty in April at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

Leading the way to Lime Rock is former NASCAR Cup star “Front Row” Joe Nemechek who has scored the overall and Pro-class victories in three of the year’s first four races. Appropriately for the LiUNA! 150 weekend, Nemechek’s stock “car” of choice for Lime Rock is his NEMCO Motorsports 2007 No. 47 Made in The USA Chevrolet Silverado.

The only driver to beat Nemechek so far in 2025 is his NEMCO teammate and protege Ryan Gemmell, who took the Race 2 win at Sebring in his 2009 No. 6 Toyota Camry. Look for this duo to once again likely be at the forefront of the action all weekend at Lime Rock.

A NASCAR Classic debuting entry at Lime Rock will be the oldest car in the race driven by a popular team owner and driver who has the distinction of being this weekend’s “senior” driver in the series. The ageless Buz McCall, who is still actively competing as he approaches his 79th birthday later this summer, returns one of his original American Equipment Racing (AER) stock cars to competition after a complete and race-ready competition restoration over the last 18 months.

Chassis No. AER-971, McCall bought the 1998 No. 96 Caterpillar Chevrolet Monte Carlo back at an auction in January of 2024. The Chevy was one of AER’s top road racing cars and had what McCall refers to as “Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda” near-miss races in the 1998 season when Robby Gordon led with three laps to go at Sonoma Raceway and Ron Fellows qualified on the outside front row later that season at Watkins Glen.

McCall and his son, Brad McCall, have been competing in recent years in the World Racing League (WRL), and Buz took the Monte Carlo out for a few laps recently during a WRL test at Circuit of The Americas (COTA). The No. 95 and its septuagenarian pilot were nearly if not more than 30 years older than the majority of cars and drivers in the session, but that didn’t stop Buz from easily dusting off BMWs and other modern GT4 and even GT3 cars from similar manufacturers.

A two-day event, the NASCAR Classic Lime Rock schedule begins with two 30-minute rounds of qualifying this Friday, June 27, at 11:15 a.m. and 12 p.m. EDT. The back-to-back sessions are split by a 15-minute NASCAR Classic exhibition run for historic stock cars on site at Lime Rock but not competing in the weekend’s races.

Friday afternoon’s first NASCAR Classic race is scheduled from 5 – 5:30 p.m. EDT with the second and final round scheduled to run Saturday from 11 – 11:30 a.m. EDT.

Additional event information and tickets are available at https://limerock.com/events/nascar/. Tickets, which start at $45, are also available at the gate, but fans are encouraged to purchase in advance to avoid long wait times in ticket lines.

About HSR: Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) is the premier vintage and historic racing series in North America. It was formed in the mid-1970s with an inaugural event at Road Atlanta and became a part of International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) in 2022. There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate and enjoy the racing cars from the past. As a “time machine” of sights and sounds, HSR provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at race tracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions eight vintage and historic racing events at some of the world’s most renowned race tracks, including Daytona International Speedway, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Watkins Glen International and more. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR’s website at www.HSRRace.com. Look for the HSR Channel on YouTube and follow HSR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HSRrace/, on Twitter X @HSR_race and on Instagram @HistoricSportscarRacing.

Auto Parts Supplier, My Auto Store, Backs Boyd for Back Half of Season

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Official Release
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Mooresville, NC (June 25, 2025) – Spencer Boyd announced today that My Auto Store has signed on to be a sponsor for the remainder of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. Their marketing campaign will be highlighted with a primary paint scheme at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in addition to associate races in the Northeast.

My Auto Store is one of the largest OEM auto parts recyclers in the USA. With over 200,000 parts, My Auto Store has a variety of high-quality drivetrain, auto body panel and interior parts. Headquartered in Camden, NJ, My Auto Store offers FREE shipping in the US and a standard 6-month part only warranty.

Spencer Boyd, Driver and Co-Owner of the No. 76 Truck commented on the addition to the sponsor lineup, “Auto Parts and NASCAR is always a great match. The way My Auto Store does business is all about quality and fast & free shipping so as to deliver what you need. Every used part they have is thoroughly inspected and their engines and transmissions are cleaned with dry ice. I can support that approach!”

My Auto Store – Order OEM Replacement Auto Parts online including used axles, transfer cases, AC compressors, used engines, and used transmissions. The My Auto Store online inventory has thousands of used auto parts ready to be shipped right to your door for free. No matter what you are looking for all of our parts pass a 4-step quality control process before they are listed on our website – myautostore.com.

As this announcement comes out just prior to the Lime Rock Park race with Freedom Warranty as the primary sponsor, it is timely to note that My Auto Store is a preferred vendor in Freedom Warranty’s system as they provide repairs for warranty claims.

The team at My Auto Store wanted Indianapolis as their primary race because of the motorsports history that is ingrained in the city. “I love the beating and banging of short track racing at IRP,” added Spencer Boyd. “I’m looking forward to the race after the upcoming summer break in the schedule!”

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Race at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park is scheduled for Friday, July 25, 2025 at 7:00pm CT. Catch the action in person with tickets still available or on TV live on FS1.

Bobby Rahal named grand marshal of The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the All-New 2026 Passport

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Official Release
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Photo Credits: Archive Photo (1985), Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

2025 race marks the 40th anniversary of Rahal’s first INDYCAR win at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

LEXINGTON, Ohio (June 25, 2025) – Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and American Honda Motor Co., Inc. are honored to announce Bobby Rahal, the 1985 and 1986 INDYCAR race winner at the legendary Ohio track, as the honorary grand marshal of The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the All-New 2026 Passport on Sunday, July 6.

As grand marshal, Rahal will announce the most famous words in racing, “Drivers, start your engines!” as well as participate in pre-race ceremonies for the 90-lap NTT INDYCAR SERIES race at Mid-Ohio. The race will broadcast globally with live coverage nationally starting at 1:00 p.m. ET on FOX.

Born in Medina, Ohio, and later a Dublin, Ohio, then New Albany, Ohio resident, Rahal’s connection to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course runs deep and is a long-standing one. In addition to his two INDYCAR wins at the track, the three-time INDYCAR SERIES champion finished on the podium a remarkable eight of his 16 career starts on his home circuit including in his last two races in 1997 and 1998.

Rahal has also won at Mid-Ohio as a team owner in 2015 with his son Graham Rahal taking the checkered flag at The Honda Indy 200 for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. The Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing shop was once located in nearby Hilliard, Ohio in the same building which formerly housed Truesports Racing. Rahal drove for Truesports when entering the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) series in 1982 and won the Indianapolis 500 with the Jim Trueman-owned team in 1986. The multiple motorsports hall of fame inductee is in a very select group of individuals who have won the Indianapolis 500 both as a driver and as an owner/entrant (2004 and 2020 as an owner).

“It’s a great honor to be the grand marshal for The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. Mid-Ohio played an important role in my personal and professional life,” said Bobby Rahal. “I went to the first ever race there with my father in 1962 and made annual trips there after that, sometimes twice a year. I got my first win at Mid-Ohio in my SCCA class in 1974, won both IROC races I competed in there, won the Lumberman’s race and of course the two INDYCAR races in 1985 and 1986.

Rahal continued, “Being by (Jim) Trueman’s side when he bought the track in 1980 and winning the IMSA race with him in 1983 as well as winning the INDYCAR races there and seeing Graham win there in 2015 are some of my greatest memories at one of my favorite tracks. It was a privilege to drive on such a great circuit all those years.”

Additionally, Jun Jayaraman, senior vice president, Manufacturing Management Center of Honda Development & Manufacturing of America (HDMA), will be this year’s honorary starter, waving the green flag to start the NTT INDYCAR SERIES race. Paul Dentinger, senior vice president, Purchasing & Supply Chain Center of HDMA, will be the trophy presenter to the podium finishers for post-race ceremonies.

“We are honored to celebrate Bobby Rahal’s many racing accomplishments and his tremendous legacy at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course by naming him this year’s grand marshal. He’s a true motorsports icon from the Buckeye State,” said Craig Rust, president of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. “Thank you to Paul Dentinger and Jun Jayaraman for also joining us to serve in these honorary positions. Mr. Jayaraman, Mr. Dentinger and the thousands of associates from the nearby manufacturing and R&D facilities joining us next weekend will make this another memorable Honda gathering.”

The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the All-New 2026 Passport on July 4-6 marks the 42nd running of Ohio’s biggest racing event. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES headlines the weekend of nine races across five different racing series. The full development ladder of the sport’s rising stars will be on display with INDY NXT by Firestone, USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire, USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire and USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire all competing on the 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course.

The event will also feature its annual off-track Fourth of July celebrations. On Saturday, July 5, campers are encouraged to decorate their sites in red, white and blue as part of the Camping with Honda tradition. Honda-powered NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers will begin to tour the campsites in the late afternoon after the INDYCAR qualifying session, followed by a fireworks display just after dusk. More information about the array of fan activities planned from Thursday, July 3 to Sunday, July 6 can be found at midohio.com/info/event-schedules/the-honda-indy-200-at-mid-ohio-indycar-schedule.

All event information including ticket options and pricing is posted online at midohio.com. Children 12 and under receive free general admission when accompanied by a ticketed adult. Follow the event on social media with #Honda200.

About Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course:

A comprehensive motorsports facility in Lexington, Ohio, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course sits on 380 acres and features a permanent road-racing circuit with two primary race track configurations: 2.4-mile, 15-turn or 2.258-mile, 13-turn layout. Located 60 miles north of Columbus and 75 miles south of Cleveland near Mansfield, the natural terrain road course is commonly referred to as the “Most Competitive in the U.S.” and annually hosts a diversity of locally, regionally and nationally-sanctioned race events for amateur, club and professional drivers and riders. It is also home to The Mid-Ohio School, featuring over 20 driving and riding courses, for teenagers to professional racers using Honda vehicles. Opened in 1962, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course has been owned and operated by Green Savoree Mid-Ohio, LLC since 2011, just the raceway’s third private ownership group in its history.

For more information, visit midohio.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page @MidOhioSportsCarCourse or follow updates on X @Mid_Ohio and Instagram @officialmidohio.

Kaulig Racing Weekly Preview | EchoPark Speedway

By
Official Release
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Kaulig Racing Takes on the Kaulig Companies Championship

Kaulig Racing drivers and executives traveled to Akron, Ohio last week to participate in the Kaulig Companies Championship. Kaulig Racing team owner and Kaulig Companies Executive Chairman Matt Kaulig, who holds the title sponsor for the tournament through 2026, helped raise more than $2.6 million over the past two years for 25 local Akron charities during the tournament’s events, with a goal of another $1.3 million in 2025. Read more here.

Hot Streak: Eckes Keeps the Momentum Rolling

Fresh off a career-best fourth-place finish in Mexico City, Christian Eckes turned up the intensity at his hometown track — powering to an even stronger third-place finish at Pocono Raceway. He earned points in both stages en route to his second-consecutive top-five finish and a new career-best finish.

At EchoPark Speedway:

Kaulig Racing has earned one win, a pole award, 13 top fives and 22 top-10 finishes at EchoPark Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
In the NASCAR Cup Series, the team has earned one top five and three top-10 finishes at EchoPark.

32 Drivers. 5 Races. $1 Million on the Line.

  • The first ever NASCAR In-Season Challenge kicks off this weekend at EchoPark Speedway.
  • The In-Season Challenge includes five rounds at five tracks.
  • Round 1: EchoPark Speedway
  • Round 2: Chicago Street Course
  • Round 3: Sonoma Raceway
  • Round 4: Dover Motor Speedway
  • Championship Round: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
  • The field is set with the top-32 drivers based on their highest finish of the last three races (Michigan International Speedway, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez and Pocono Raceway).
  • In a bracket format, the 32 drivers compete head-to-head with the highest finisher advancing to the next round. Each week, half the field is eliminated until the final two drivers are left to compete for the championship at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with the winner walking away with $1 Million.
  • The In-Season Challenge will kick off TNT’s NASCAR broadcast season featuring all five rounds.
  • For Kaulig Racing, Ty Dillon will take on Denny Hamlin in Round 1 with AJ Allmendinger taking on Michael McDowell.

10 Team Info

Crew Chief: Andrew Dickeson

Partner: Mark III

Ty Dillon, No. 10 Mark III Camaro ZL1

Mark III: For the second race at EchoPark Speedway this season, Mark III returns to the No. 10 Chevy with Ty Dillon for its second race of the season. Mark III Employee Benefits was founded on the values of honesty, integrity, and hard work by Don Browder in 1973. Mark III is now one of the leading independent brokers for public sector clients in the Southeast representing over 300,000 public servants.

Mark III’s commitment is to provide benefits for both the employees and employers. Through an educational format, its non-commissioned benefits counselors customize plans for employees and their families based on their needs.

As an independent broker, Mark III works for the customer and not any single insurance company to provide the best products available at the highest level of customer service. Mark III has assembled a team of expert finance officers, insurance carrier representatives, underwriters, and former top school officials. Mark III works for you – the employer and employee – to provide the best insurance solutions possible.

The legacy of Don Browder continues through the work of his sons – Dan, Neil, and Mark. For 50 years, the customer has been the main priority and will continue to be for years to come.

Meet Ty Dillon:

Saturday, June 28

Ty Dillon will be at the Chevrolet Merchandise Hauler at 3:30 p.m. to meet fans and sign autographs.

At EchoPark Speedway:

  • Ty Dillon will make his 12th Cup Series start at EchoPark Speedway this weekend. In his previous 11 starts at the track, Dillon has a career-best finish of 15th in 2017.
  • In the second race of the 2025 season, Dillon qualified 20th for the Ambetter Health 400 and was making improvements on the No. 10 Chevy before running over debris early in Stage 2 and cutting a tire. With damage to his Chevy, Dillon was forced to the garage for repairs and finished the race in the 29th position.
  • A key track in his career, Dillon made his Cup Series debut at EchoPark Speedway on August 31, 2014. Dillon started the race from the 29th position and finished 25th with Kasey Kahne taking the victory.
  • Dillon has six Xfinity Series starts at EchoPark Speedway with four top-10 finishes, including three finishes in the top five.
  • In the Craftsman Truck Series, Dillon has three starts at the track and won the race in 2012. Dillon started from the pole position for the 2012 race and led 40 laps on his way to victory lane. That same season, Dillon won the Truck Series Rookie of the Year honors.

“Atlanta is a unique track that has changed a bit over the last few years. It has a mix of a superspeedway feel and mile-and-a-half, but one where you need be aggressive and have a good-handling car to make the moves you need to make. Earlier this year, we didn’t have the best day. We had a good qualifying effort but started the race a little too free. We were making the right adjustments to our Chevy and then had a tire go down. This weekend is the first time this season we are going back to a track for the second time, and I think we’ve improved since we were in Atlanta earlier this year. This team doesn’t go down without a fight and we’ll continue to work hard each and every week. We’ve shown speed lately, we just need a little luck on our side.” – Ty Dillon on EchoPark Speedway  

16 Team Info

Crew Chief: Trent Owens

Partner: LeafFilter Gutter Protection

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1
LeafFilter Gutter Protection: LeafFilter Gutter Protection will be featured as the primary partner on the No. 16 Chevy at EchoPark Speedway this weekend. LeafFilter is America’s #1 rated gutter protection system trusted by more than a million homeowners. LeafFilter’s patented technology keeps gutters free of debris and is backed by a lifetime transferable warranty.

Meet AJ Allmendinger:

Saturday, June 28

AJ Allmendinger will be at the Chevrolet Merchandise Hauler at 3:15 p.m. to meet fans and sign autographs.
 
At EchoPark Speedway:

  • AJ Allmendinger earned Kaulig Racing’s best NASCAR Cup Series finish at EchoPark Speedway of third in 2023. He has led seven laps and earned one top five and four top-10 finishes. Earlier this season, Allmendinger finished 14th, earning one of his six top-15 finishes of the 2025 season.
  • As part of the In-Season Challenge, Allmendinger is seeded against Michael McDowell for the first round. The highest finisher of the two during the Challenge Round 1 – Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart at EchoPark Speedway will advance to Challenge Round 2 – Grant Park 165 at the Chicago Street Race.

“It’s going to be a challenging race this weekend with how slick the track will be from the heat. Being a drafting racetrack, track position is always critical, but I think this will probably be one of the toughest races since the repave just due to how hot the racetrack is going to be. In the past, we have had good runs, and I think we can do the same thing if we’re focused on the handling of the car and minimizing mistakes. It’s easy for something to happen there, but we will go out there with our best and look to get the momentum rolling headed into these next couple road courses.” – AJ Allmendinger on EchoPark Speedway  

10 Team Info
Crew Chief: Kevin Walter
Partner: bproauto

Daniel Dye, No. 10 bproauto Chevrolet
bproauto®: Daniel Dye will pilot the No. 10 bproauto® Chevrolet at EchoPark Speedway, which will also feature the Race to Stop Suicide in-car camera for the Focused Health 250. bproauto® is the OE-backed auto parts brand delivering high-quality products for most makes and models to wholesale partners and customers through dealership service departments. Experts in advanced technology, bproauto is focused on maintaining a reliable supply of advanced parts now, plus the new, high-tech parts emerging every day in an evolving aftermarket industry.

At EchoPark Speedway:

  • Daniel Dye has made one NASCAR Xfinity Series start at EchoPark Speedway earlier this season, where he earned a seventh-place finish, the first of five top-10 finishes so far this year.
  • Dye previously earned a pole award at EchoPark Speedway in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2024, earning a ninth-place finish that same race.

“I’ve really enjoyed racing in Atlanta in both the Truck Series and Xfinity Series. Earlier this year, we had a solid top-10 finish with this No. 10 team. Hopefully, this time we can get up to the front earlier, stay up there, and fight for some stage points in our No. 10 bproauto Chevy and rebound from Pocono.”

  • Daniel Dye on EchoPark Speedway  
    11 Team Info

Crew Chief: Eddie Pardue

Partner: Alloy Employer Services

Josh Williams, No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Chevrolet
Alloy Employer Services: Based in Columbus, Ohio, Alloy Employer Services helps a range of clients, from small businesses to large employers. Industries served include healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, maintenance, hospitality, and construction. Alloy’s Midwest roots have led to national reach, serving clients with workers nationwide because of a love to design, build and innovate in our industry. Alloy Employer Services is a Fortune-HR, LLC company.

Meet Josh Williams:

Friday, June 27

Josh Williams will be at the NASCAR Xfinity Series autograph session at 12:30 p.m. in the EchoPark Automotive Fan Zone.

At EchoPark Speedway:

Josh Williams has raced at EchoPark Speedway 12 times in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Williams has finished in the top 10 twice in Atlanta, with his best finish at EchoPark Speedway coming in 2024 with Kaulig Racing (eighth).
Williams qualified third in the series’ first trip to EchoPark Speedway this season, his best-career starting position.
 
“Atlanta is one of the best chances we’ve got to win so far this season. We probably left a little on the table earlier this year, but I’ve run well the last couple of times we’ve raced here. I think we’re in the “win and you’re in” deal now with playoffs, so we’ll put it all out there this weekend.”

  • Josh Williams on EchoPark Speedway  
    16 Team Info

Crew Chief: Alex Yontz

Partner: Campers Inn RV Mobile Medic

Christian Eckes, No. 16 Campers Inn RV Mobile Medic Chevrolet
Campers Inn RV Mobile Medic: Christian Eckes will drive the No. 16 Campers Inn RV Mobile Medic Chevrolet at EchoPark Speedway. Campers Inn RV Mobile Medic is the premier mobile RV service provider for Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand. Its industry-certified technicians provide fast and reliable service on a variety of maintenance tasks right at its customers’ campsites. The mobile medic will also be at many of the race tracks on the NASCAR schedule.

At EchoPark Speedway:

Christian Eckes has made one start at EchoPark Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Following a ninth-place qualifying effort earlier this season, he was set to earn a top-five finish until getting caught in a last-lap crash that relegated him to 29th place. This week, he looks for redemption, following a streak of top-five finishes.
Eckes has seen previous success at EchoPark Speedway in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, where he earned a win and a third-place finish.
 
“We had a really great run at Atlanta earlier this year and a fast No. 16 Chevrolet. We were just in the wrong place at the wrong time and got caught in a wreck coming to the white flag. Being there all day is the key to success; you can’t make mistakes during the race. If we can be patient and be there at the end, I think we’ll have another good shot at it. The biggest challenge of this track is that it’s tighter in the drafts. It’s similar to other speedways but it’s smaller. I think that makes it more fun than the typical superspeedway.” – Christian Eckes on EchoPark Speedway  

Meet the Kaulig Racing Drivers

Friday, June 27

Josh Williams will be at the NASCAR Xfinity Series autograph session at 12:30 p.m. in the EchoPark Automotive Fan Zone.

Saturday, June 28

  • AJ Allmendinger will be at the Chevrolet Merchandise Hauler at 3:15 p.m. to meet fans and sign autographs.
  • Ty Dillon will be at to the Chevrolet Merchandise Hauler at 3:30 p.m. to meet fans and sign autographs.

About Kaulig Racing

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time, multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has earned 27 NXS wins, made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started, and won two regular-season championships. In 2021, the team competed in select NCS events, before expanding to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first NCS start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. Kaulig Racing is currently fielding two full-time entries in the NCS and continues to field three full-time NXS entries. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

Berry Ready for In-Season Challenge to Start This Weekend in Atlanta

By
Official Release
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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Atlanta 2 Media Availability
Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Josh Berry, driver of the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Wood Brothers Racing, has already clinched a spot in the playoffs after his win earlier this year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Berry, who is coming off a 12th-place finish last weekend at Pocono Raceway, is also part of this year’s inaugural In-Season Challenge and is paired against John Hunter Nemchek this weekend at EchoPark Speedway.

JOSH BERRY, No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang Dark Horse – DO YOU HAVE A GOOD FEELING ABOUT THIS WEEKEND? “I feel good going back there. I felt like we had a really strong race there in the spring. We led laps and won a stage. We were in the battle the whole race, so it’s been fun going back and reviewing that one with my team together and learning and working with my spotter, Jason, and Miles on how to up our communication a little bit better and do a little bit better. Honestly, it was a really good race for us and we found ourselves in position, so I feel if our car is as good as it was in the spring, we’ll have a chance at it.”

DOES YOUR MATCHUP AGAINST JOHN HUNTER GET YOU EXCITED AS THE IN-SEASON CHALLENGE STARTS? “I think all of us will be paying attention to it and who we’re paired up against and how they’re doing. It should be interesting to follow, for sure. Obviously, a drafting style track will be a lot about just making it to the finish. That will play a big part of that. It will be hard to have a perfect bracket with a place like Atlanta because you never know. An accident can take you out or something like that, but it will be exciting to follow. I have not really overly thought that much about it, but we’ll pay attention to how John Hunter’s race is going compared to ours and hopefully we can come out on top.”

DO YOU SIZE UP THE OTHER TEAM YOU’RE GOING AGAINST OR ARE YOU JUST FOCUSED ON THE RACE AND YOUR TEAM STRATEGY? “Obviously, all of us want to win it. It would be really cool. It’s a really cool thing to follow and be a part of. I think anything can happen any week. Atlanta is gonna be a little bit of a wild card like I said earlier. It’s a drafting track and the accidents that can happen there, but even when you go to a road course or something like that, I mean you never know what can happen. If somebody has an issue, gets run off the track or gets spun out on a restart it will change, so it’s gonna be tough to make a perfect bracket in that thing because there are gonna be a lot of things that happen that are unexpected.”

WHAT MAKES YOU SO GOOD AT DOVER? “I don’t know. From the first time I went there in the Xfinity car I felt really comfortable. I remember before I went there for the first time I was pretty intimidated going to a place like that and not knowing what to expect. Even back then when I was making my first start there we didn’t have practice or qualifying either, so it’s a place that I took to well. We obviously got the win there with JRM. Their cars were always really strong there and I was able to carry that confidence into the Cup Series, too. It’s a place that it’s probably my favorite track. It’s a lot of fun racing there. I’ve had some really good days, so it’s one I’ve got circled coming up that I’m excited to get to.”

CHICAGO AND SONOMA ARE BOTH COMING UP. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR ROAD COURSE PROGRAM? “I thought there were a lot of positives for us in Mexico. Obviously, the weather threw a wrench into everything to start the race, but practice and qualifying we were much more competitive. It seemed like our whole group was more competitive. We were faster. We were all closer together, so there are positives to that. Chicago is tough. It’s a street course and it’s a really difficult racetrack. Sonoma is a totally different kind of road course, but we took a lot of positives out of Mexico. I think we’re working on the right areas and doing the right things. I think we’ve made our cars better and I feel I’ve adapted to the cars better, so I’m just excited to go run there and see how we do, stay out of trouble, execute and you can get a good finish in those races.”

YOU CAN REALLY SEE THE SPEED AT DOVER. DO YOU FEEL THAT SENSATION MORE THERE? “It’s fast. I think that’s what I enjoy the most about it. I think it’s just how fast it is and how it feels to have it down in the corners there. I just felt really comfortable going that fast. Even when I first started Xfinity racing, as much as I short track raced going to some of the intermediates I always felt really comfortable at the two mile intermediates, places like that that are fast and Dover kind of fit that. I’m excited to get there for sure.”

DOES THE IN-SEASON CHALLENGE CHANGE HOW GUYS WILL RACE THIS WEEK? “I don’t think it’ll change too terribly much. I think that each individual is gonna pay attention to who they’re up against and how they’re race is going. I’m sure over the course of the next month there’s gonna be battles late in the race that are matchups that they got paired pre-race that will be interesting to follow. I don’t think any of us are thinking that we need to be more or less aggressive. Obviously, I think Atlanta is gonna be a big opportunity for a lot of people to try to win a race and make it into the playoffs, so I think the aggression is gonna be higher more so for that than this tournament, but I’m sure there will be some interesting battles over the course of the next month.”

FORD AND PENSKE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FAST AT THESE SPEEDWAY RACES, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS CAR. CAN YOU SHARE WHAT KIND OF COMMUNICATION GOES INTO THAT ON SUNDAY MORNING BEFORE THE RACE? “No (laughing). In general it’s pretty easy to see that we try to work together the best we can and take care of each other and our teammates and our teammates at Ford to keep as many numbers up front as we can when we get to the end of the stages and the end of the race. It’s pretty simple. If you can have people around you at the end of these races that you can trust and rely on, it just slows down the decision making at the end of these races. Obviously, I’ve only been a part of it for a couple years with these guys, but it’s worked out well and I’m excited to go there and keep working on it and take what I’ve learned in the spring race.”

HAVE YOU FELT EXPECTATIONS SHIFT WITH YOUR MOVE FROM SHR TO THE WOOD BROTHERS? “Not too much. I feel like going into the opportunity that I had last year there were high expectations for all of us and I think we all left that opportunity with the majority of the media questioning our ability as drivers, honestly. So we all had a lot to prove going into this opportunity, but we’re all going to different situations and, for the most part, all of us have thrived in those situations. To me, I don’t feel like expectations are that much different. The 4 car had a lot of high expectations and they did a lot of amazing things, so, for me, I think it’s just about us going into new opportunities and thankfully they’ve worked out for most of us.”

HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK THE FIRST ATLANTA RACE WAS TO HELP YOU TEAM GAIN CONFIDENCE IN YOU AS A DRIVER, AND WAS THAT BIG FOR YOU AS WELL? “I think it was a really big confidence boost for all of us. Obviously, those cars have been fast at Atlanta, but to execute and perform like we did and battle for the win the whole night, it was just a big confidence boost and really was kind of a tale of things to come over the course of the season that we’re gonna have speed and have a lot to be excited about. Obviously, we didn’t get the finish that we deserved that night, but that’s part of racing. I think, like I said, we took a lot of positives from that day, a lot to learn from, a lot to look at going into this week and hopefully we can capitalize and have a good finish.”

THERE WAS SOME CONTROVERSY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT NASCAR DID OR DIDN’T THROW THE CAUTION IN BOTH RACES AT ATLANTA THE LAST TIME WE WERE THERE. HOW SATISFIED OR CLEAR DO YOU THINK THINGS ARE AS FAR AS IF THERE’S A CRASH ON THE LAST LAP THAT NASCAR WILL THROW A YELLOW? “Lately I feel like it’s been a little clearer. Thinking back to my incident, I took a couple big shots in the door – the left side door – and then obviously Connor hit a ton at Talladega. I think they’re leaning towards safety, which is not a bad thing. Overall, I think they’ve done a good job with that and generally the drivers want to err on the side of safety. It’s just up to us to try to get to the finish under green.”

CAN YOU GIVE A SENSE OF THE DISCIPLINE IT TAKES TO DRIVE WITH YOUR TEAMMATES LIKE YOU DID AT ATLANTA, ESPECIALLY THE FIRST HALF OF THE RACE? “I think it just goes back to the communication that we all have together and just trying to take care of each other out there. I think if we can work with each other and keep our group together, it increases all of our odds. That’s the best way to look at it for us. For me, I thought that’s been a big help, trying to understand this style of racing. Talking through those scenarios and opening up that conversation is something that I’ve never had with teammates and having those conversations. Obviously, every team always tells you that you all need to work with each other, but we do a really good job of communicating on how and why and when to do that. I think that pays off in the results in the end.”

WHAT’S IT LIKE ONCE YOU FALL OUT OF THE LEAD GROUP AND YOU’RE BACK IN THE BACK A BIT HAVING TO BE MORE DISCIPLINED? “It’s a battle there for sure. Obviously, that particular scenario the intention is to push Joey and stay connected. Unfortunately, it didn’t pan out and those things are gonna happen several times throughout the race. The good part about it is we’ve talked through those scenarios and understand that those things happen and when you get midpack it’s such a battle. That’s why it’s such a great race to watch on TV because the runs are so huge and it’s so exciting to be a part of. It’s a challenge to work back through there and it’s a challenge to stay up front too. It’s a lot of battling. It’s one that as a driver, you watch back those races and realize this is pretty fun to watch, so I’m sure everybody is excited for this weekend.”

SO ABOUT THAT RESTART SITUATION. IS THERE SOMETHING MORE YOU COULD HAVE DONE TO KEEP YOURSELF IN THAT OUTSIDE SECOND ROW AS OPPOSED TO FALLING BACK? “The idea is to hopefully stay connected and get control, but sometimes it depends on what the other lane does and what the guys behind you do. If they bail to the top or switch lanes, it’s all just situational. You just try to do the best you can to get going on the restarts and hopefully at least get one of us clear into the lead.”

HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR SEASON HAS GONE SO FAR WITH THE WOOD BROTHERS AND HOW EXCITED ARE YOU ABOUT THE PLAYOFFS? “It’s been a really good first season with the Wood Brothers. I’ve just really enjoyed working with them and being a part of the whole organization. Getting the win earlier in the year was a lot of excitement, but we’ve had a lot of good runs over the course of the year, a lot to learn from and look at, and I think we have a lot of room to improve and get a little more consistent. Heading into the playoffs, I think we’re a team that we feel like if we go out and execute like we know we can, that we’re gonna be able to make our way through the playoffs a little bit. It’s been a lot of fun this year, for sure.”

ARCA Menards Series at Lime Rock Park: Lime Rock Park 100 Pre-race Notes & Stats Update

By
Official Release
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THE RACE: Lime Rock Park 100
THE PLACE: Lime Rock Park, Lakeville, Conn.
THE DATE: June 28, 2025
THE TIME: 4 pm ET
TV: FS2, Live
RADIO: MRN Radio, Live

  • The ARCA Menards Series will make the first of two 2025 road course appearances in Saturday’s Lime Rock Park 100 at Lime Rock Park. It marks the first appearance for the series at the 1.47-mile track that also serves as a public park.
  • Lime Rock Park will become the 181st different racetrack the series has competed at in its history dating back to 1953. It will also be the first race in the state of Connecticut, the 32nd different state the series has raced in. The Lime Rock Park 100 will also be the 32nd road course race in series history.
  • Saturday’s race distance will be 68 laps / 100.5 miles around the facility’s 1.47-mile layout. The track features seven turns, all of which are right-handers with the notable exception of Turn 3, known unironically as “The Left Hander”.
  • Brenden Queen (No. 28 BestRepair.net Chevrolet) will make his first ARCA Menards Series start on a road course at Lime Rock Park. Queen, who won earlier this season at Daytona International Speedway, Kansas Speedway, and Michigan International Speedway, leads the series championship standings by 11 points over Lawless Alan (No. 20 AUTOParkIt Toyota).
  • Brent Crews (No. 18 Mobil 1 Toyota) will make his first ARCA Menards Series start since he won at Phoenix Raceway in March with a last corner of the last lap pass. Crews also won the ARCA Menards Series East race at Rockingham Speedway in April. Crews has two previous road course starts in the ARCA Menards Series; he finished second at Mid-Ohio in 2024 and third at Watkins Glen International in 2023. Crews will also compete earlier in the day in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race for TRICON Garage. Crews is the youngest winner in Trans-Am TA2 history at 14 years, 3 months, and 4 days with his win at Road America in 2022; he was the youngest champion in series history in 2023.
  • Alan has made nine road course starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with a best finish of eleventh at Circuit of the Americas in 2022. He made two starts at Utah Motorsports Campus in the ARCA Menards Series West in 2020, with a pair of 12th-place results.
  • Lavar Scott (No. 6 Max Siegel Inc. Chevrolet) has two previous ARCA Menards Series starts on road courses, with a ninth-place finish at Watkins Glen International last year as his best.
  • Isabella Robusto (No. 55 Yahoo Toyota) will also be making her first career ARCA Menards Series start on a road course. Robusto scored her second top-five finish of the season, a fifth-place finish, last weekend at Elko Speedway. She is no stranger to road racing; she has competed in the GT4 America and TGR GR Cup North America series, and has two top-five and three top-ten finishes in four starts in addition to a sixth-place finish last year in the ARCA Menards Series West race at Sonoma Raceway.
  • Dale Quarterley (No. 4 Van Dyk Recycling Solutions Chevrolet) is one of the few drivers entered with experience at Lime Rock Park. Quarterley has 14 career starts in what is now the ARCA Menards Series East at Lime Rock Park with two victories coming in 2001 and 2003. Quarterley will join Thomas Annunziata (No. 70 Nitro Motorsports Toyota) and Brent Crews as drivers racing in both the ARCA Menards Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races at Lime Rock on Saturday.
  • Should the race go into overtime, there will be one attempt at a single-lap “green-and-white together” overtime finish.
  • There will be a five-minute break at or near lap 34 for teams to change tires, add fuel, and make adjustments. Should the teams need to change to or from wet weather tires, they can do so at any time, but tire changes involving similar tread patterns – dry to dry or wet to wet – are prohibited outside of the break.
  • The Lime Rock Park ARCA 100 will be televised live on FS2 starting at 4 pm ET on Saturday, June 28. The race will also be broadcast live on select affiliates of the MRN Radio network nationwide as well as streamed on MRN.com. Live timing & scoring data will be available on ARCARacing.com; for up-to-the-minute updates please follow @ARCA_Racing on X (formerly known as Twitter).

About ARCA 

The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio, and acquired by NASCAR in April 2018, is the leading grassroots stock car sanctioning body in the United States. Bridging the gap between NASCAR’s top three national touring series and weekly and regional tour racing all across the country, the organization sanctions over 100 races per year in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, ASA STARS National Tour, ASA CRA Super Series, ASA Midwest Tour, ASA Southern Super Series plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways. For more information about ARCA visit www.arcaracing.com, or follow ARCA on Facebook (@ARCARacing) and Twitter (@ARCA_Racing). 

About Menards

A family-owned and run company started in 1958, Menards is recognized as the retail home center leader of the Midwest with 236 stores in 15 states.  Menards is truly a one-stop shop for all of your home improvement needs featuring a full-service lumberyard and everything you need to plan a renovation or build a home, garage, cabin, shed, deck, fence or post frame building.  You’ll find a large selection of lumber, roofing, siding, construction blocks, trusses, doors and windows, plus cabinets, appliances, countertops, flooring, lighting, paint, plumbing supplies and more.  To complete the job, Menards has quality hand tools, power tools, fasteners, electrical tools plus storage options and supplies for everyone from the weekend warrior to the pro!

Menards has what you need to complete your outdoor projects and keep your yard in tip-top shape including mowers, trimmers, blowers, pressure washers and more, plus a beautiful garden center stocked with plants, shrubs, trees, landscaping tools, grass seed, fertilizer options, outdoor décor and patio furniture.  Menards also has everyday essentials like health & beauty products, housewares, pet and wildlife supplies, automotive items and even groceries.  And at Christmas, an Enchanted Forest display area with impressive trees, lighting, decorations, ornaments, inflatables and more. 

Menards is known for friendly Customer Service and as the place to “Save Big Money” with low prices every day, and sales too!  For more information, please visit Menards.com to learn about our store locations, offerings and services.

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