RACE PREVIEW
DATE: March 2, 2025
RACE: NASCAR Cup Series / Race 3 of 36
TRACK: Del Valle, Texas / 2.3-mile road course

CLUB MINUTES

RECONFIGURATION: For the 2025 NASCAR season, Circuit of the Americas (COTA) will introduce a revised 2.3-mile “National” course layout for the Cup Series and Xfinity Series races. This marks a shift from the previously utilized 3.41-mile “Full” course. The updated track configuration is expected to present new challenges for drivers and teams, adding an exciting element to the competition.

LEGACY AT COTA 2024: Last year at COTA, the No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB (LEGACY MC) entry driven by John Hunter Nemechek faced early challenges at the road course, including a lack of grip. The 27-year-old driver had contact with another car. A pass-through penalty dropped him to 37th in the running order. Despite the setback, strategic calls from crew chief Ben Beshore helped him climb back into contention, finishing seventh in Stage 2. In the final stage, Nemechek worked through the field after a late pit stop and ultimately secured a 21st-place finish.

Teammate Erik Jones battled handling issues early in the race, struggling with grip and balance in his No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE, ultimately finishing Stage 1 in 36th. Despite adjustments and strategic pit stops, Jones continued to fight for speed, cycling up to 15th during green flag stops, but a lack of caution forced him to fall back. A series of late-race setbacks, including contact with another car and a pit road speeding penalty resulted in a 32nd-place finish.

STRONG START FOR LEGACY: This past weekend was the first time in 46 NCS races that LEGACY MOTOR CLUB secured back-to-back top-10 finishes as an organization. Nemechek’s back-to-back top-10 finishes at Daytona and Atlanta have landed him seventh in the point standings. Jones had a 12th-place finish at Daytona and was on track for a strong run at Atlanta, running inside the top 20 for the majority of Stage 1 and a portion of Stage 2 before being collected in a multi-vehicle accident. The last time a LEGACY MC car finished back-to-back in the top 10 came in 2023 at Darlington and Kanas, with Jones finishing tenth and third, respectively.

NEVER SETTLE PODCAST GUEST: This week LEGACY MOTOR CLUB co-owner, Jimmie Johnson and Marty Smith interview Jake Peavy, a former professional baseball pitcher, who is currently an on-air analyst for MLB Network. In his past career, Peavy played Major League Baseball for the San Diego Padres, Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, and San Francisco Giants. New episodes of the podcast will debut every Wednesday and the show will also air Wednesdays (2 p.m. ET) on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90.

NO. 42 NOTES AND QUOTES
PYE-BARKER ON THE CAR: As announced in January, Pye-Barker Fire and Safety will adorn the No. 42 Toyota Camry for 14 races, the largest fully integrated and full-service fire protection, life safety and security services provider in the U.S. will be making its debut this weekend at COTA with a newly designed white, green, and blue paint scheme featuring flames down the side and rear of the Toyota Camry XSE.

NEMECHEK AT COTA: Nemechek has competed at COTA in all three NASCAR national series, with one start in the NCS, and four combined starts across the NASCAR Xfinity (NXS) and Truck Series (NTS). He finished 21st in his lone NCS start, while his Truck Series and Xfinity Series races have yielded stronger results. Nemechek secured a runner-up finish in 2022 with Kyle Busch Motorsports and a third-place finish in 2024 with Joe Gibbs Racing in NXS.

T-MACK AT COTA: Travis Mack has four NASCAR Cup Series starts as a crew chief at COTA. While working with Daniel Suárez, the duo secured strong qualifying results, earning two top-five starting positions—2nd in 2022 and 5th in 2023.

JHN TOP 10s: With the finishes in the last two weeks (Daytona fifth, Atlanta 10th), this marks the first time a Nemechek has secured back-to-back top-10 finishes in a NASCAR Cup Series season since 2005 when John Hunter’s father, Joe Nemechek, accomplished the feat at Watkins Glen and Michigan.

LAST TWO STANDING: Nemechek and the No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team are one of only two teams to open the 2025 season with back-to-back top-10 finishes, joining 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Ryan Blaney.

POINT STANDINGS: Following two races in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, Nemechek ranks seventh in driver points. This is his career-highest point-standing ranking to start a season as he heads into the third race of the year.
QUOTING JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK:

“I think COTA is going to be a great race. I’ve talked to a few guys who have run the cut-through, including Shane Van Gisbergen, who raced this layout in the Supercar Series—it has a lot of unique characteristics and bumps, while the rest of the track is fairly smooth. The shorter course will also make pit strategy more interesting. The No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team has had a fantastic start to the season, and everyone is gelling right now. We’re staying focused on the race ahead, controlling what we can, and aiming to keep delivering strong finishes.”

QUOTING TRAVIS MACK

“The poles that I’ve got in my career have come at road courses. Just bringing my knowledge of road course stuff, and hopefully, we can get John Hunter [Nemechek] on the same page and have a good showing in the next couple of weeks.”

“With the larger configuration of COTA, there were more cars that were able to pit before the end of the stage and not lose a lap. With the shorter track, the leader is going to be able to put a pace on people, whereas the back half of the field is not going to be able to short the pit cycle. It’s going to change quite a bit — strategy and the shortening of the stages.”

NO. 43 NOTES AND QUOTES
JONES AT COTA: Since the NASCAR Cup Series made its circuit debut at COTA in 2021, the driver of the No. 43 car has steadily improved his performance at the track. Over the course of the events held there, he has managed to earn one top-10 finish, with his best result being a solid ninth-place finish after starting in 30th position. His best starting position is eighth in 2023.

BESHORE AT COTA: Crew chief, Ben Beshore has accumulated one top 10 in three Cup Series starts at COTA with driver Kyle Busch at Joe Gibbs Racing. This will mark Beshore’s fourth Cup Series race at the Austin, Texas track as he had one Xfinity start with Nemechek in 2023, which resulted in a 27th-place finish.

DOLLAR TREE ON 43: Dollar Tree will serve as the primary partner on the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE for Jones at COTA. The white, green, and gold Dollar Tree scheme will hit the track with support from vendor partners Smithfield, Jack Link’s, Sunkist, and Utz, showcasing a strong collaboration of brands for the race weekend.

POINT STANDINGS: With on-track incidents out of his control and a 31st-place finish in Atlanta, the No. 43 team fell a few spots in the point standings to 17th, just one point below the playoff cut line.

QUOTING ERIK JONES

“With the new layout, we’re hopeful it will create more passing opportunities during the race. The changes seem to be a better fit for our cars, which should lead to more thrilling and dynamic racing for everyone. We’re excited to see how it all plays out and we are looking forward to the increased action on track.”

QUOTING BEN BESHORE

“There are a lot of unknowns going into this weekend. There is a new layout, most of the track has been repaved and we have a new tire. We will have plenty of options to try out in practice and see if we can find a good balance for the new configuration.”

CLUB APPEARANCES

JHN SIGNING: On Sunday, March 2 at 9:30 a.m. local time, Nemechek will meet with fans and sign autographs at the NASCAR merchandise hauler in the midway. This special appearance will give fans a chance to connect with Nemechek and pick up exclusive Pye-Barker gear ahead of the green flag.

HOW TO WATCH
Practice and qualifying for this weekend’s race at COTA take place on Saturday, March 1 at 11 a.m. ET and be shown Amazon Prime. The 95-lap main event at COTA will take place on Sunday, March 2 at 3:30 p.m. ET and broadcast on FOX, PRN Radio, and SIRIUS XM NASCAR Radio, CH. 90. Fans may also tune in to the NASCAR Driver Cam streamed live on MAX.

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: (LEGACY MC) is a premier auto racing organization co-owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmie Johnson. Drawing from a rich tradition of success, LEGACY MC is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of motorsport and setting new standards of excellence. The CLUB competes under the Toyota Gazoo Racing banner in the NASCAR Cup Series with the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE piloted by Erik Jones and the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE driven by John Hunter Nemechek. Johnson also races on a limited basis in the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE. With NASCAR legend and Hall of Famer Richard Petty, “The King”, serving as CLUB Ambassador, LEGACY MC blends timeless racing traditions with a new forward-thinking vision. As an inclusive community for motorsport enthusiasts, LEGACY MC honors both its storied past and the promising future of its members, always striving for victory and championship glory at the pinnacle of NASCAR competition.

Noah Gragson and the No. 4 Rush Truck Centers Team
Circuit of the Americas Competition Notes
EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix

Date: Sunday, March 2, 2025
Event: Race 4 of 38
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Circuit of the Americas (2.4-miles)
#of Laps: 95
Time/TV/Radio: 3:30 PM ET on FOX/PRN/SiriusXM channel 90

Noah Gragson Notes

Noah Gragson and the No. 4 team travel to Austin, Texas to Texas Two Step their way around the newly reconfigured Circuit of the Americas. Over the offseason, it was announced that the Cup Series will utilize the venue’s shorter track layout, the “National” Course as opposed to the “Full” Course, which had been used in previous years. The new layout will consist of 20 turns with a total track length of 2.4-miles. Additionally, 27 laps will be added, making the total number of laps 95, 27 more than in previous years.

Rush Truck Centers will join Gragson and the No. 4 team for the event. Rush Truck Centers celebrates its 60th year in business on March 3, 2025. What started as a single truck dealership in Houston, Texas has grown into the nation’s largest commercial dealership group and the premier solutions provider to the commercial vehicle industry. The No. 4 car will carry a 60th anniversary logo on the rear quarter panel to commemorate the milestone at the Circuit of the Americas this weekend.

The Texas-based Rush Truck Centers has increased its partnership and support of Noah Gragson and the No. 4 team to ten races, adding the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 25 and the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 12 to its 2025 race schedule. Additionally, Rush Truck Centers will serve as a full-season associate partner for Gragson and the No. 4 team as well as the “Official truck dealer and service center of Front Row Motorsports”. To learn more about Rush Truck Centers, please visit rushtruckcenters.com.

“Excited to kick off Rush Truck Center’s 60th Anniversary this weekend at COTA!” Said Gragson. “It’s an honor to represent an American company that was built from the ground up and continues to set the standard in the industry. Looking forward to a great weekend!”
Road Crew

Driver: Noah Gragson

Hometown: Las Vegas

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer

Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Joey Forgette

Hometown: Iron Mountain, Michigan

Engineer: Dillon Silverman

Hometown: Chico, California

Engineer: Scott Bingham

Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia

Mechanic: Chris Trickett

Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Tony Infinger

Hometown: Fort Valley, Georgia

Tire Specialist: Chris Aunspaw

Hometown: Zelienople, Pennsylvania

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Spotter: Nick Del Campo

Hometown: Blauvelt, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Nate “Cookie” Eller

Hometown: Granite Falls, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Thomas Hatcher

Hometown: Middleburg, Florida

Rear Tire Changer: Adam Riley

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

Tire Carrier: Will Cooper

Hometown: Huntsville, Alabama

Jackman: Nate McBride

Hometown: Vidalia, Georgia

Fueler: Ray Hernandez

Hometown: Orlando, Florida

ABOUT RUSH TRUCK CENTERS

More than a dealer network, Rush Truck Centers is the premier solutions provider for the commercial vehicle industry. With more than 150 Rush Truck Centers dealerships across the U.S. and Ontario, Canada, no one can match our network reach and scale. We provide our customers an integrated, one-stop approach to the service and sales of new and used trucks and commercial vehicles, aftermarket parts, service and collision repair capabilities, alternative fuel systems, vehicle technology solutions, and a range of financial services including financing, insurance, and leasing and rental options. Since 1965, we’ve earned our reputation for excellence, fairness, positive attitude and solutions that exceed customer expectations. That’s why we can say with confidence; when it comes to trucking, no one offers you more. Visit rushtruckcenters.com or follow us on social media: X @rushtruckcenters, Instagram @rush_truck_centers and facebook.com/rushtruckcenters

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 @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

• In nine NASCAR Cup Series starts at Circuit of the Americas (COTA), Spire Motorsports has logged one top-15 and two top-20 finishes. Corey LaJoie earned a team-best 11th-place result in the 2023 edition of the Cup Series annual visit to COTA. Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet ZL1s in the NCS with Justin Haley, Michael McDowell and Carson Hocevar, respectively.
• The EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix from COTA will be televised live on FOX Sunday, March 2, beginning at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The third of 36 points-paying races on the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series schedule will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Justin Haley – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1

• Justin Haley will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Group 1001 Chevrolet ZL1 in Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix.
• Group 1001 Insurance is a collective that empowers companies to create positive growth. Our insurance and annuities are easy to understand and accessible to all. Our online investing platform gives individuals control over their savings. Our technology and innovation help companies succeed. And our strategic partnerships bring people together through education and sports. As of September 30, 2024, Group 1001 Insurance had more than 1,500 employees and combined assets under management of $66.8 billion and provides over 496,000 active annuity contracts and life insurance policies. It comprises the following brands: Delaware Life, Gainbridge®, Clear Spring Life and Annuity Company, Clear Spring Property and Casualty Group, Clear Spring Health, and the RVI Group, among others.
• Group 1001 is excited to celebrate Women’s History Month by featuring the names of women employees on two Spire Motorsports-prepared Chevrolets this weekend. There are 821 women employees at Group 1001, over 50 percent of its workforce. Gainbridge® spends over 40 percent of its sports sponsorship dollars on women’s sports and counts Caitlin Clark, Billie Jean King and Annika Sorenstam as brand ambassadors.
• Last week at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Haley grappled handling challenges with his Gainbridge Chevrolet ZL1 for a majority of the afternoon. A last-lap incident left him 24th in the final rundown.
• The 25-year-old has four NASCAR Cup Series events under his belt at COTA. His best qualifying and finishing positions came in 2022, where he started ninth and finished 15th.
• Last season, Haley qualified 13th and raced inside or near the top 15 for the majority of the day. He logged an average running position of 14.32, the 11th highest in the field, and spent 48 of the 68 laps (70.6%) in the top 15, the ninth-most in the event.
• Haley competed in one NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Circuit of the Americas. In 2021, he started sixth and paced the field for three laps before ultimately finishing ninth.
• On road courses, Haley has collected one top five and four top 10s in the NASCAR Cup Series, four top fives and 10 top 10s in the Xfinity Series and claimed the checkered flag in the August 2018 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.
• The former Trans-Am Series competitor owns 23 starts in the division’s TA2 Class, collecting 10 top-five and 16 top-10 finishes. He closed out the 2016 season sixth in the division’s championship point standings after earning three poles, six top fives and nine top 10s while pacing the field for 41 laps.
• Haley made a pair of appearances in Trans Am competition at the 3.41-mile race course, highlighted by a 10th-place overall finish and second in the TA2 class.
• Last September, Haley made his return to Spire Motorsports and participated in the final seven events of the year aboard the team’s No. 7 Chevrolet, earning a season-best finish of seventh at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.
• The Winamac, Ind., native is a veteran of 146 Cup Series starts and has notched one win, five top fives, 16 top 10s and led 103 laps in NASCAR’s premier division.
• In total, Haley has made 43 Cup Series starts for Spire Motorsports, with the bulk of races coming during the 2021 season behind the wheel of the team’s No. 77 machine. He made his first Cup Series start at Talladega Superspeedway on his 20th birthday.

Justin Haley Quote
How do you feel about heading to Circuit of the Americas with the 7 team, especially after a tough start to the season?
“I’ve always felt really comfortable at Circuit of the Americas. We haven’t had the best start to the season but I’m looking forward to getting to a road course with the No.7 team and racing it out on Sunday.”

Atop the No. 7 Box – Crew Chief Rodney Childers

• Crew chief Rodney Childers comes to Spire Motorsports after spending the past 11 seasons at Stewart-Haas Racing, leading the organization’s No. 4 team. The first 10 of those campaigns were with 2014 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kevin Harvick.
• Childers has called all four Cup Series events at Circuit of the Americas, snagging a pair of top 15s with Kevin Harvick in 2022 and 2023.
• The 48-year-old called Harvick’s victory at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway in 2017. The pairing dominated the field, leading 24 laps and converting the highest average running position in the field (6.03).
• The veteran crew chief has participated in 679 NASCAR Cup Series races where he’s earned 34 poles, 40 wins, 178 top-five and 298 top-10 finishes. He also earned 2014 championship honors with Harvick.
• Childers’ 40 wins at NASCAR’s premier level are second-most amongst all active crew chiefs in the Cup Series garage.

Michael McDowell – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1

• Michael McDowell will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Gainbridge Chevrolet ZL1 in Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas.
• Founded in 2018, Gainbridge® is an insurtech subsidiary of Group 1001 that empowers consumers to take control of their financial future with solutions that are accessible to everyone, no matter their budget or financial knowledge. Its platform provides access to financial products that are simple, intuitive, and backed by smart technology with no complexity or hidden fees. Gainbridge® is headquartered in Zionsville, Ind. For more information, visit www.gainbridge.io or follow and connect with us on X and LinkedIn.
• McDowell has competed in all four Cup Series visits to COTA, earning three top 15s including a seventh-place finish in the 2021 rain-filled event.
• The former road course racer owns one win, three top-five, and 11 top-10 finishes on road courses in Cup Series competition. Furthermore, his 2016 Xfinity Series victory came at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis.
• In the last four road and street course races—Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL, Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, Chicago Street Course, and Sonoma Raceway—the father of five has earned an average finish of 7.25, including a runner-up effort at Sonoma Raceway.
• In last week’s Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the No. 71 Chevrolet encountered a power steering issue late in Stage 1. During the ensuing stage break, the team hustled to the garage and fixed the issue, returning to competition six laps down. Fortunately, a slew of cautions allowed the veteran driver to earn the free pass over six consecutive cautions, returning to the lead lap on Lap 184. A multi-car incident on the final lap allowed the 41-year-old to navigate his Chevrolet to a hard fought 13th-place finish.
• McDowell’s six free passes in last week’s event tied the single-race record. Former Spire Motorsports driver Jamie McMurray also received six free passes in the May 2014 Cup Series race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.
• The veteran, now in his 18th Cup Series season, aims for his third career playoff appearance (2021, 2023). After the season’s first two events, McDowell sits 14th in the driver standings.
• McDowell marked his 500th career start at Martinsville Speedway last fall, a milestone he celebrated at the site of his first Cup Series start in 2008. Now 40-years-old and a father of five, McDowell is set to complete his 17th season competing in NASCAR’s premier division. To date, he has 503 career Cup Series starts on his resume.

Michael McDowell Quotes
How does a road course early in the season help set your sights on the rest of the calendar?
“I’m looking forward to going to COTA, obviously having a road course early on in the season is beneficial, especially for me. It’s taken a couple weeks to get up to speed with the race team, Chevrolet and feeling out the differences. Now we can learn what we need to work on so we are carrying good momentum going into COTA. I am looking forward to our first road course of the season.”

Atop the No. 71 Box – Crew Chief Travis Peterson

• Crew chief Travis Peterson joins Spire Motorsports after spending the past two seasons at Front Row Motorsports. He made the move alongside driver Michael McDowell.
• Peterson helped Michael McDowell to victory in the 2023 Verizon 200 on the road course configuration of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. After rolling off fourth, McDowell led 54 of the 82 laps en route to the win.
• The Peterson-McDowell duo has proven to be potent on road courses, collecting two top fives, five top 10s, and 79 laps led while converting an average start of 12.9 and an average finish of 16.0 in nine starts together.
• Peterson called his first road course race as a Cup Series crew chief with Chris Buescher at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2022. After rolling off 16th, a competitor made heavy contact on the opening lap with Buescher dealing damage to the exhaust and rocker box, which caught the door foam on fire. After making adequate repairs and falling two laps down, the team rallied to and finish 10th, the then 31-year-old crew chief’s second top-10 in just his fifth start.
• Peterson contributed to several victories during his tenure at RFK Racing, Hendrick Motorsports and JR Motorsports, highlighted by clinching the NASCAR Xfinity Series title in 2014 and racking up three Cup Series wins with Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and the No. 88 team in 2015.
• Peterson is a mechanical engineering graduate of the Williams States Lee College of Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The West Bend, Wis., native earned his degree in 2012.

Carson Hocevar – Driver, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1

• Carson Hocevar will make his second Cup Series start at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, in Sunday’s Echo Park Automotive Grand Prix. The Delaware Life driver made his road course debut in NASCAR’s premier series in last year’s event on the 3.41-mile, 20-turn full-course layout.
• Delaware Life is excited to celebrate Women’s History Month by featuring the names of women advisors on Hocevar’s No. 77 Chevrolet ZL1 at COTA. Delaware Life is an insurance and annuity company that empowers financial professionals with a wide array of customizable solutions. A subsidiary of Group 1001 Insurance Holdings, LLC (“Group 1001 Insurance”), their focus is to deliver a seamless experience for advisors. They understand how important it is to find the right fit for every client, every situation, and every individual need. They’re passionate about equipping clients with annuities that give their customers peace of mind and a successful future—allowing them to plan with confidence for whatever’s next.
• It was announced in late 2024 that Hocevar and his fellow Cup Series competitors will run the 2.3-mile, 20-turn National Course layout for the series’ fifth visit to COTA while also contesting on a freshly repaved track.
• In the 2024 event, Hocevar started 18th and crossed the finish line 22nd. The Portage, Mich., native showed flashes of a seasoned road-course racer while spending time within the top 10 late in the second stage and midway through the final stint.
• Hocevar and the No. 77 Spire Motorsports team earned a runner-up finish in the second points-paying event of the 2025 season last Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The 2024 Rookie of the Year fell short of earning his career-first Cup Series victory after a yellow-flag was displayed on the final lap as the leaders raced toward the finish line.
• Prior to the race at Atlanta, Hocevar’s career-best Cup Series finish came at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International Sept. 15, 2024, when he drove to a third-place effort in the 92-lap Go Bowling at The Glen. It was his first Cup Series start at the track and his first podium finish in Cup Series competition.
• Hocevar, 22, is set to make his second Xfinity road course start in the No. 14 SS-Greenlight Racing entry in Saturday’s Focused Health 250. Hocevar competed in the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series event at COTA where he ultimately finished 38th after a transmission failure on Lap 8.
• In nine road course starts in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Hocevar owns one top-five and five top-10 finishes.

Carson Hocevar Quotes
Following your 29th-place run at COTA last March you improved your finishing position over the final three road course events, underscored with a third-place finish at Watkins Glen. How confident are you that the No. 77 maintain that momentum Sunday at COTA?
“I’m really excited to get to COTA and check out the new layout. Luke (Lambert) and, really, everyone at Spire did a great job last season of building up our road course program. I think we’ll all pick up where we left off, and a lot of that is the result of the work that was put in during the off season. Running the Xfinity race will give me a chance to get a couple more laps on the track and maybe find something I can share with my teammates. The other thing we’ve got going for us is two new teammates in Justin (Haley) and Michael (McDowell) that are really strong road-course racers. It’s been an exciting start to the season for us and we can definitely keep that going this weekend.”

Atop the No. 77 Box – Crew Chief Luke Lambert

• Luke Lambert, crew chief of the No. 77 Delaware Life team for Spire Motorsports, is set to call his 35th Cup Series road course event in this weekend’s race at COTA. He led Chris Buescher to a fifth-place finish at the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway road-course race on August 16, 2020, but his best result was last year’s top-three showing with Hocevar at Watkins Glen.
• The No. 77 team’s runner-up finish at Atlanta was the 27th top-five result for the 13-year Cup Series veteran and his 92nd top-10 finish in a points-paying event.
• In the nine NASCAR Xfinity Series events contested on road courses in which Lambert was atop the pit box, he led his driver to a top-10 finish in all but two events.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on Feb. 22, 2025, when Kyle Busch took the checkered flag in the Fr8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

In 2025, Spire Motorsports will campaign the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolets in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team will also field the Nos. 07, 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and the No. 77 Chevrolet in the ARCA Menards Series in select events.

CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS

Saturday, March 1 — NASCAR Xfinity Series, 2:30 p.m. ET (CW)
Sunday, March 2 — NASCAR Cup Series, 3:30 p.m. ET (FOX)

A new course layout at Circuit of The Americas will greet drivers from the NASCAR Cup and NASCAR Xfinity Series this weekend as both will compete at the Austin facility for the fifth straight year. The course will now feature a 20-turn, 2.3-mile layout compared to the 3.41-mile Grand Prix circuit.

LEADING THE WAY

Ford Mustang Dark Horse drivers have done everything but win through the first two races of the NASCAR Cup Series season, and no category bears that out more than laps led. Nine Ford drivers have combined to lead 338-of-467 laps at Daytona and Atlanta (72%). Team Penske has been at the forefront of that domination with Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric combining to lead 125 at Daytona and 131 at Atlanta (55%). Cindric led the most laps in the Daytona 500 (59) while Logano topped all drivers in the Ambetter Health 400 (83). Overall, Ford led 143 laps in the 500 and 195 on Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

BLANEY STAYS IN POINTS LEAD

Ryan Blaney is one of only two Cup Series drivers to start the season with consecutive top 10 finishes. The Team Penske driver followed up a seventh-place finish in the Daytona 500 with a fourth this past weekend after starting from the pole. That continued a three-year run of domination in qualifying at AMS that has seen Ford sweep the front row for five straight events and have at least one Team Penske driver in those positions on each occasion. Blaney goes into this weekend’s race at Circuit of The Americas with a 12-point lead in the standings while Penske teammate Austin Cindric is fourth.

BUESCHER AT HOME ON THE ROAD

Chris Buescher has been one of the most consistent drivers on road courses over the past three seasons, registering 13 top-10 finishes in the last 16 events. Included in the streak is a win last year at Watkins Glen International, which marked his first on that style of track. He comes into this weekend’s event at COTA having posted eighth-place finishes in 2023 and 2024, and has an average finish of 12.5 in four starts.

FORD’S ACTIVE ROAD COURSE CUP WINNERS

There are three current drivers who have won a NASCAR Cup Series race on a road course with Ford. The most recent winner was Chris Buescher, who won at Watkins Glen International and extended his streak of at least one victory to three straight seasons.. Ryan Blaney got his first road course win in the inaugural event on the Charlotte Roval in 2018 while Joey Logano scored his Cup victory at Watkins Glen International in 2015, which completed a weekend sweep after he won the NASCAR Xfinity Series race one day earlier.

OTHER FORD ROAD COURSE WINNERS

Besides the drivers mentioned above, Ford has five other active Cup competitors who have won on a road course in either the NASCAR Xfinity or NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Brad Keselowski (Watkins Glen NXS with Ford, 2013); Austin Cindric (NXS wins with Ford at Watkins Glen, 2019; Mid-Ohio, 2019; Road America, 2020, Daytona Road Course, 2020; and Indianapolis Road Course, 2021); Todd Gilliland (Circuit of the Americas NCTS with Ford, 2021); Zane Smith (Circuit of the Americas NCTS with Ford, 2022 and 2023); and Cole Custer (Portland NXS with Ford, 2023).

FORD ROAD COURSE WINS

IN THE MODERN ERA (1972-Present)

Circuit of The Americas is one of nine road courses the NASCAR Cup Series has competed on in the modern era, joining Riverside International Raceway (1958-88), Watkins Glen International (1957-Present), Sonoma Raceway (1989-Present), Charlotte Motor Speedway (2018-Present), Daytona International Speedway (2020-2021), Road America (2021-2022), Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2021-23) and the Chicago Street Race (2023-Present). Ford has produced a total of 20 combined wins at those facilities from 1972-Present. Mark Martin leads the way with four victories, including three straight years at Watkins Glen, while Ricky Rudd, Marcos Ambrose and Geoffrey Bodine have two each.

AUSTIN CINDRIC: “I think it specializes the track a little bit more with making it smaller. Just from a numbers standpoint, when you reduce the number of corners on the racetrack the corners that exist now have a heightened importance, whereas there’s a corner I might not have sacrificed setup items on or passing zones that are now much more important because they’re a higher percentage of the lap. So, from a numbers standpoint it does change things. I can’t say with certainty what those corners are exactly going to be and how important they’re going to be until we get there. They’ve done some paving as well, so there’s gonna be a bit of a learning curve, but it’s definitely gonna change the race for sure.”

JOSH BERRY: “Selfishly, I like the changes to the course because last year I was honestly pretty solid with the majority that they left, so we’ve spent some time at Ford in the simulator getting acclimated to the new layout and working on things. I feel good going there. All you can do is just try to be as prepared as you can and I’m continuing to gain experience on the road courses, so, for me, I think we just want to go execute a solid race. We want to be more competitive than I was last year there with no mistakes. If we can keep the car facing the right way and keep it on the racetrack, we can have a solid day.”

A COTA NASCAR FIRST

Todd Gilliland became the first NASCAR driver to win a national series event at Circuit of The Americas when he captured what was then known as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race in 2021. In a weekend that was hampered by rain, Gilliland was able to manage the mixed conditions of dry and wet pavement to win by nearly eight seconds. Gilliland, who registered his second series win that day, continues to look for his first NASCAR Cup Series victory this weekend in his fourth season driving for Front Row Motorsports.

BURTON BY HIMSELF

Who is the only driver in the NASCAR Xfinity Series to start the season with back-to-back top-10 finishes? If you answered Harrison Burton, give yourself a gold star. The 24-year-old native of Huntersville, NC, is in his first year with AM Racing and started the season with a sixth-place run at Daytona International Speedway. He was in the right place to avoid the last lap wreck at Atlanta ended up being Ford’s highest finisher in 10th. Burton comes into this weekend’s race at COTA sixth in the point standings.

MAYER PROVING TO BE A ROAD WARRIOR

Sam Mayer might be new to Ford Performance as he competes in his inaugural season with the Haas Factory Team, but he’s no stranger to winning on road courses. Of Mayer’s seven career NASCAR Xfinity Series victories, four have been on the road and they’ve all come in the past two seasons. His first career win came at Road America in 2023 and was quickly followed by victories at Watkins Glen and the Charlotte Roval, which he successfully defended last year.

FORD’S ALL-TIME CUP ROAD COURSE WINNERS

5 – Dan Gurney
4 – Mark Martin
2 – Fireball Roberts, Marvin Panch, Parnelli Jones, Ricky Rudd, and Marcos Ambrose
1 – Chuck Stevenson, Eddie Gray, Richard Petty, A.J. Foyt, Bobby Allison, Bill Elliott, Davey Allison, Geoffrey Bodine, Ernie Irvan, Rusty Wallace, Carl Edwards, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Ryan Blaney, Michael McDowell, Chris Buescher