Home Blog Page 65

CONGRUITY NHRA PRO MOD SERIES TO HOLD SRI PRO MOD SHOWDOWN IN INDY

INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 23, 2024) – Already the biggest event of the season in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ for a variety of reasons, SRI and Finish Line Consultants are pleased to announce the SRI Pro Mod Showdown will also be contested during qualifying as part of the Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals on Aug. 28-Sept. 2 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

The marquee event on the NHRA Pro Mod schedule, The Big Go also serves as the first race in the category’s four-race “Road to the Championship” playoffs and the special SRI Pro Mod Showdown adds even more to the weekend, which features a huge collection of Pro Mod standouts.

The SRI Pro Mod Showdown will take place during qualifying, with the driver who puts together the best E.T. average during qualifying receiving $7,500 from SRI, continuing the strong recent momentum in the NHRA Pro Mod category.

“SRI is thrilled to be a part of the Showdown at the 70th Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals. Pro Mod is so exciting for the fans to watch, and we love that the class will be at our home track. SRI is your go-to destination for all things racing and street performance, offering a wide range of products, including chassis, engines, suspensions, supplies, raw materials and more. Drag racing enables us to showcase our products and we look forward to being at Indy in 2024. We hope everyone stops by the Pro Mod pits to say hello,” said Chad Elliott, SRI Director of Technical Sales/Engine Components.

It adds another exciting element for the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, which is expected to have nearly 30 cars in attendance at The Big Go. Each of the drivers in the “Road to the Championship” will be profiled next week heading into the U.S. Nationals, where Kris Thorne won a year ago.

After taking the last two months off, the class returns to action in a major way, with all challengers looking to track down points leader and former world champion Thorne. He’ll open the playoffs with a 20-point advantage over Jose Gonzalez, another world champion in the class.

Two rounds of qualifying in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV take place on Friday at 2:30 PM and 4:45 p.m. ET, while the final qualifying rounds are at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday. The first round of eliminations is slated for 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, with the SRI Pro Mod Showdown adding another major incentive for the class over the first two days at the Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals.

The 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals also promises to be one of the biggest in the illustrious history of The Big Go, featuring the final Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge of the year and the Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout, as well as the special Sox & Martin Hemi Challenge presented by the McCandless Collection and the Rooftec Comp Cash Clash, along with racing in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™ and NHRA Holley EFI Factory X, plus:

  • A special 70th anniversary NHRA U.S. Nationals pennant for the first 8,000 fans in attendance for eliminations on Monday, Sept. 2.
  • Free parking for all fans and children 12-under admitted free.
  • An unforgettable Top Eliminator Club experience, including NHRA driver appearances, food and drink, TEC gift bag, starting line seats and much more.
  • The biggest field in drag racing, featuring more than 900 cars.

To purchase tickets to the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general admission area with a paid adult. For more information about NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.


About SRI Indy

SRI Indy, located in Brownsburg, Indiana, is your go-to supplier for everything the racing industry demands, making it your ultimate one-stop shop for all things racing. SRI Indy delivers the best customer service, with technical experts available for each racing series and product line, ensuring you get the exact support and knowledge you need.

SPA Technique: Founded in 1989 in the United Kingdom, SPA Technique has become a global leader in the supply of high-quality fire suppression systems. With over three decades of industry experience, SPA Technique is renowned for its expertise in delivering fire suppression system solutions to a diverse range of clients across all racing disciplines. From IndyCars to SCCA, WOO Sprint Cars to Dirt Late Models, Nitro Funny Cars to No Prep Drag Cars, and beyond, SPA Technique’s proficiency in fire suppression systems is unmatched worldwide.

About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 110 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Chris Buescher Looking to Repeat Daytona Victory

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Coke Zero Sugar 400 Media Availability | Daytona International Speedway
Friday, August 23, 2024

Chris Buescher, driver of the No. 17 Fifth Third Bank Ford Mustang Dark Horse, is the defending winner of the Coke Zero Sugar 400. He comes into this weekend 16 points above the cut line with two races remaining in the regular season and discussed that situation as part of a media session this afternoon at Daytona International Speedway.

CHRIS BUESCHER, No. 17 Fifth Third Bank Ford Mustang Dark Horse – IF THERE ARE A GROUP OF CARS THAT PIT EARLY LIKE THE TOYOTAS DID AT TALLADEGA IS THERE A CHANCE TO COUNTERACT THAT? “We can counter it, yeah. It’s more on our radar now. Obviously, fuel saving has become very prominent at these superspeedways in the last four to six races and it was that ‘what-if’ and the group took it and ran with that and proved that there’s a possibility and everyone took note. So, yeah, it’s definitely something that if it’s going on and we see it happening, then we definitely have the opportunity to cover it this go around and not have to try and hope for anything bad to happen. We’ll be more prepared for that this go.”

WITH THE SUCCESS YOU AND BRAD HAVE HAD ON THESE TRACKS IN THE NEXT GEN ERA, DOES THAT GIVE YOU MORE CONFIDENCE IN YOUR ABILITY TO EXECUTE GIVEN HOW UNPREDICTABLE THESE RACES CAN BE? “Yeah, it certainly helps. We know we’re gonna be fast when we get on track here in a short bit. We know we’ll have Fords that will race really well, that push really well, things that we’ve excelled at that it’s taken others longer to figure out, and a lot of the field is starting to catch up in those areas, so we are aware, but certainly we know we have a lot of really good things going for us when it comes to this style of racing and it makes them a lot more enjoyable when you’re fast and when you don’t feel like you’re white-knuckled and hanging on it every moment. With that, we are very much looking forward to getting going into the race tomorrow. Obviously, we’ve had a lot of discussions on how our teamwork has benefited us in the last couple of years. I think we can pick out moments in time from every race where we could have done better, whether that ends in a one-two finish or whether that ends with a big separation of cars there are always moments in a race when you feel like we can be better teammates, be more on the same page and try and cover more strategies, I guess, and be prepared for anything that may happen during a race. All of that said, there’s a level of unpredictability or it’s probably predicted that it’s going to happen, it’s just when so when we come to these races we know that and at the end of the day you can only control what we can in our very small circle and the rest of it will go as it may. Unfortunately, that’s part of the game at these places and small lapses in judgment lead to rather catastrophic consequences. We’re certainly ready for it, but we’ll be eyes out front paying attention and trying to be smart and work together really well so that we can find ourselves with a shot to go one-two again.”

AS THE ONLY FORD IN A POINTS POSITION THAT HASN’T SECURED A SPOT AT THIS POINT, IS THERE AN EXPECTATION THAT YOU WILL GET HELP FROM YOUR FORD TEAMMATES IF YOU NEED IT? “I don’t know if it’s an expectation. It’s more of an ask if given an opportunity to help out a manufacturer car versus a competitor. I think the ask would be there to try and have that scenario in your mind from some of our teammates across the board on the Ford camp, but, no. I certainly don’t think you can expect it from others. We’re all competitors. We obviously have a very singular goal in mind, all of us for the same thing, and you’re not gonna get there if you’re helping out those that you’re gonna have to compete with at the end of the day. Again, it’s kind of just a small favor, if possible. You try to pay attention to who is around. It’s something that I feel like we’ve done in the past if you had the opportunity to help a fellow Ford move forward in a line or be in a better spot to push, then you would take that, but ultimately I certainly know everybody out here is trying to figure out how to win this thing.”

HOW EASY WAS IT TO HELP ANYBODY THAT NEEDED HELP LAST YEAR SINCE YOU WERE ALREADY LOCKED IN? “The part for me is the fact that our two RFK Fords are very good and if we’re both in the race and can find each other, we’re gonna work together first and try to better both of our positions. With that, the person we can count on the most is names on my shirt and the side of the car. That’s our biggest ally out there on any given weekend, but certainly this race and we know that at all these superspeedways. That’s what worked so well for us last time, so it’s a matter of doing what we can to help each other, but obviously it’s within our organization’s walls it’s very important to try and get a win for the 17 group and go ahead and lock this thing in to where we can go to Darlington and not have any of this thoughts in the back of our minds. When we come to Daytona it’s tricky because we’ve gone about this different ways in the past and ultimately I think we just have to go out here and race and try to be smart within our group – make decisions and try to better both of us and go race and let it fall where it will. It’s Daytona. We know things can happen, but we’ll go race hard, be smart at times, but we’ll go see what happens and see how we can find ourselves in victory lane again.”

AT DARLINGTON YOU NOT ONLY RACE THE COMPETITION BUT YOU RACE THE TRACK AS WELL. HOW MUCH OF THAT RACE ARE YOU DOING BOTH OF THOSE THINGS? “Darlington, you’re always racing the track. I don’t want to be in the position leaving here where we have to have too many of those internal thoughts, but it’s a tricky place. I love that racetrack. I love how difficult it is and what it makes you think of as a driver. For us, you will pay attention. If that’s the scenario we’re in, we’ll pay attention to where others are at, but you’ve got to race that racetrack first, run our own race, make sure we don’t make mistakes. You’re right at the edge at any given point there and while the cars have proven to be quite robust when you are right there up against the fence, they’re certainly not indestructible. We have to have our mindset right going in, but it’s about how we’ve gone about the last couple weeks is go to figure out how to win the race and for whatever reason, many different reasons, we haven’t found ourselves with a chance to really compete for a win in the closing stages of these things and with that you kind of turn your attention to those that we are racing on the other side of it and knowing what their situation is and kind of helping decide how we need to approach the ends of these things. You want to ultimately be fighting for the win first and then worry about the rest of it.”

HAVE YOU AND BRAD TALKED ABOUT THE STRATEGY GOING INTO THIS RACE TO REPEAT LAST YEAR? “We always study a lot for these races and the teamwork side of things we have focused on a lot. We have seen it work for us. We’ve seen it work for other organizations that do it well and we know that it’s a big part of it. It’s certainly a big strategy race. Yes, there’s some of that unpredictability in it and, yes, it puts up this little asterisk there, but it is still a big strategy race. There’s a lot going through your mind as a driver. There’s a lot going through our team’s minds as we go through this. A lot of scenarios that we play out. We go back and watch the old races, even the ones that went right because there’s always stuff to do better differently, try and dissect it through the week leading up to these things and when it comes down to the end, I fully expect it to be side-by-side with Brad last year at the end of this thing and his help kind of all just fanned out behind him in the end and ultimately just stalled out all of us. We all just kind of got stuck to the finish, so I don’t think I ever expect him to simply get in line and push. I think the hope is that in a position where we come down to the end we’re one-two and we can have a shot at this thing together and not take that chance of losing it. If you’re running one-two, make it exciting and go for the win. I think it’s understandable as competitors, but certainly don’t finish second and third doing something dumb. That’s the general mindset right now. I can’t speak for where Brad’s head is exactly, but obviously with having a win and being locked in – this race last year he was locked in mathematically, so it was an easier race as a group to go through and not have that on our minds with it being more ideally not the last one leading into the playoffs, so I do like this, but with that we do have one more race after this that we need to be aware of. You need to be in the hunt to win this thing and if you come close and put up a bunch of points on the board, it will make next week a lot easier.”

WHAT IS IT LIKE WHEN YOU GET AIRBORNE IN A CAR? “I hate Talladega Nights. I hate that movie, but I’ll start with that, but it is strange the amount of time you have to think and the amount of silence that is in the race car when it goes airborne. I haven’t asked Corey about this. I watched it happen right out my A-post window last week. It started out as a spin and the first thought in my mind was, ‘that’s bad angle. He’s gonna hit a lot,’ and then before I got that thought out of my head it was upside-down and flying though the air. I’m sitting there thinking, ‘I know that feeling and it’s not a good one.’ I’m glad he’s OK. I’m glad he and Kyle Sieg are OK, but it is not a pleasant feeling and it’s something that most racetracks, and Michigan is a little bit of an exception, but at most racetracks you don’t realize how fast you’re going, how dangerous this really is until something goes wrong and you’re sideways, or backwards, or upside-down. Michigan is the exception to that. You know how fast you’re going there forwards. I can’t imagine what it feels like backwards and I know it’s not good, so it is very strange feeling. I’m afraid of flying in general. I’m a little more so afraid of flying in a race car, so it’s not something to have on my bucket list. Unfortunately, I have two under my belt. I’m like a quarter of the way to my pilot’s license at this point is what I figure, so maybe that will overcome my fear, but I want to do the rest of it in a real airplane and not in race cars.”

WHEN YOUR CAR STOPS FLIPPING, DO YOU JUST WANT TO GET OUT OF THE CAR AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE OR DO YOU TAKE A SECOND TO GATHER YOURSELF? “My first one at Talladega landed right side up and it’s always the last couple of impacts to me that hurt the most. All of the energy is basically landing on flat ground. At that point in Talladega, the suspension was torn off the car. It was just chassis to Earth. That one I wanted out quicker. I remember the window net was caught because of the A-post. The sheetmetal of the old car was actually wrapped around the buckle, so plus-one for the roof hatch, and then our Charlotte one I just wanted out of that stupid car at that point. I was so mad. It was just a bad situation and sitting in there upside-down for that long, first one to have to be turned back over in the new car and, unfortunately, I was kind of just the learning curve for everybody. It was not fun. It’s not that it was particularly painful during the accident, but you just start getting a little bit of a temper as you’re sitting there upside-down and you know if you undo the belts sitting upside-down it’s gonna hurt worse, just unstrapping and hitting stuff on the way down. Three or four minutes into that one I just decided I’ll just let my arms dangle and kind of tuck down and wait for whatever is gonna happen to happen, but that one was different landing on top and having way too much time to think about things.”

KEVIN HARVICK COULDN’T BELIEVE YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT HOW YOU PRIORITIZE WINNING OVER POINTS RACING. HE CALLED IT BS. HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND TO THAT? “I can assure him it’s not BS. It is not something that we’ve put any focus on throughout my career, especially not until it’s absolutely necessary. At this point, there are thoughts of what our point situation is and discussed it a little bit today and last week. The last couple of weeks haven’t gone our way, so we don’t start the race thinking about points and how do we just put points up and play conservative. I promise, that’s not what’s going on here, but we’ve had some rough go’s for a couple of races and we haven’t been in a spot to compete for a win at the end. Yes, at that point, the team has made me aware of struggles of some of the other cars we’re racing on that cut line, and it’s just information. It’s not telling me to do anything different. It’s just, ‘so you know, we’ve had two cars that we’re racing that have had failures or wrecked out.’ That’s just information for me to say, ‘Do I really want to go four-wide into turn one at Pocono, or three-wide may be my number.’ That’s all it is. Yeah, at that point you think about it. If you don’t truly believe you’re gonna have a shot to win the thing, you’re not gonna go do something crazy and lose 30 points on the day. I’ll defend that one pretty adamantly. I can assure him it’s not BS and we’re not coming here to points race. We’re coming here to win races.”

CHEVROLET NCS AT DAYTONA 2: William Byron Media Availability Quotes

NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
COKE ZERO SUGAR 400
TEAM CHEVY MEDIA AVAIL. QUOTES
AUGUST 23, 2024

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Liberty University Camaro ZL1, met with the media in advance of the NASCAR Cup Series qualifying session at Daytona International Speedway.

Media Availability Quotes:

Earlier today, you got to go to the Daytona 500 Champions Walk of Fame and see the car for the first time. What was that like for you?

“Yeah, it was really fun. I really haven’t, during the season, given the Daytona 500 much thought but I think going there, seeing there in person, was definitely a chance to relive it. It was special. Really cool. Really cool day. I always think about it when I see the trophy, but to see the car was pretty cool.”

How is this year’s summer slump you guys have kind of went through similar or different to last year, and do you feel confident you can turn it on like you did last year?

“We’re just up and down this summer. I think we still had some races that were pretty good. Iowa comes to mind. There were a couple of others. Just tracks, I think, aren’t super strong for us. I don’t know if we just don’t put emphasis on it enough in the offseason or what, but we’ve been trying to get better at those tracks. Really, we focus on the tracks that are in the Playoffs and the start of the year. We try hard every week, but really, I think the tracks that suit us as we go through the Playoffs. That’s what our focus is, and I feel like we’re turning up the performance again and feel good about that.”

You’ve never experienced something like the charter negotiations, and obviously, you can’t influence that or be a part of that process, but are you watching that? Are you following it much?

“Yeah, I don’t really pay attention to the business side that much. I really just focus hard on what I do, what I can control, but I do read the articles and look at everything and kind of get an idea of what is going on and how it’s evolving. I just want to be a good racecar driver and win a bunch of races, and hopefully, the sport is around a long time, and I can do that. I think it would concern me if something was going on where we weren’t going to race or something like that, but I don’t really pay much attention.”

You got your first win at this track. What does that mean to you to have so much success at Daytona?

“There’s a lot of luck involved as we all know. I feel like I’ve been fortunate in some situations here to win twice. But also, I’ve been in a lot of crashes, and up until this year at the 500, I’ve been in crashes most of the time. It just is trying to be a good drafter, try to make good decisions in the draft. I feel like I’ve learned a lot of things about side drafting, controlling the lanes, and I feel like that stuff has come fairly natural to me, but just trying to evolve and be better at it. I feel like the Next Gen car has changed the game in terms of being too wide and not being able to really create a third lane unless there’s some fuel-saving going on. Just trying to figure out how I can control my lane and not necessarily kind of move from each lane as much. It’s just a different style, and fuel-saving is a part of it now. You have to know the strategy to save fuel. That’s what we did well in the 500. We were able to save fuel better than most, and I came out in the top three or four after every pit cycle and I can race from there.”

Looking forward to Darlington next week. You have a win and four top 10’s in the last four starts. What is it about that place you’ve really taken to?

“I love Darlington. I felt like since I was a rookie there it was one of the tracks that clicked for me. I’m not really sure why other than just the difficulty of it, kind of respecting the place. I do feel I spent a lot of time as a kid watching races there. Kind of that visual memory of how to get around the place, knowing the cadence of it, has always paid off. I just really like the technical aspect of it. I feel like I really have a place I can live with the balance of the car that makes speed on the long run. I just try to live by those things. I think we’re going to be a little bit different this time around at Darlington as far as we’ve talked about, just because I felt in the spring, we were a top five car, but not very good on the short runs. Gotta get better on the short runs. Gotta qualifying a little bit better to have a shot, because we were really about a fourth or fifth place car and the race came down to a short run and we finished sixth, I believe. Just need to be a little bit better on the short runs.”

The regular season points kind of got jumbled last week with (Kyle) Larson going out so early. What did you and Rudy (Fugle) discuss as far as how you handle the next two races, just try to get max points to try and leapfrog over (Tyler) Reddick?

“I don’t think we’re really, I think, technically I guess we are in the race for the regular season, but I think we’re really eyeing fourth or fifth in points. I think we moved up a spot because of the penalty, and I think we just need to keep doing a good job. We didn’t have a great Richmond, but I feel like that was kind of status quo for us. Really, we lost a chunk of points at Indy. We lost a really big chunk of points there because we had a top four or five car and was wrecked out early. Just trying to climb out of that hole. I think going into that race we were only 40 back, then we were 90 back. Just trying to climb out of that hole and try to chip away at it. Like, I said, if we can get a few stage wins and try to finish fourth or fifth, that’s going to be realistic.”

When you approach the Daytona 500, or do you still think of it as I won my first career race, this place is special for that reason, first and foremost?

“It was weird. Every time I came here after my first win, I liked coming here but it didn’t really click for me like I… I wasn’t relieved or anything coming here. I was still super stressed because of the nature of this place. I feel like this time around coming here, I’m super relaxed. I think just the fact that this race, there’s less pressure for us, not really worried about the Playoffs and we can just kind of enjoy the fact we can reminisce on that win. I think there’s, at least for me, a lot more relaxation coming down here. I’m not as worried about the outcome, but anything can happen. Coming here, I just have that in my head, and just knowing the result could be bad, but trying to put as much effort as I can in on Saturday night and do a good job drafting. Stage 1 here is interesting, so I’ve thought about that. Just the fact that you don’t have to save fuel. I think you’ll see a different style race and some crashes in Stage 1 just because of the nature of how aggressive you can be pushing.”

What about the right-side window air deflector that’s added here, and how much do you, you were talking about paying attention to the charter deal, but how much do you pay attention when a car flips and how much do you watch it, or do you just leave that to others?

“I heard Kyle Busch talking about the right-side air deflectors as just a shark fin down the right side, I think. He said it maybe added some side force. Maybe, when we get to Kansas we can test that out a little bit, but I don’t know. I think it’s going to change the air somehow around the car. Any aero change does. I’m sure there will be a little bit to learn, I guess when we go to Darlington. I don’t know if it will be on there, but it’ll be something to learn there. As far as this weekend, I don’t worry about it. I don’t think about that. Honestly, I knew that he had flipped, but I just… I didn’t see the replay during the race, so I assumed there was some contact that created it. But really, it’s running your own race, and thinking about that later. When I saw it after the race and seeing he spun on his own and flipped, it was definitely surprising. It is kind of odd that a car flipped the same way the day before, so I don’t know if there is something there in the track, a dip or something. I don’t know. I don’t think about it that much outside of that.”

Ty Gibbs said that with the practice, a little bit in qualifying, you might feel it, but you’re just going to wing it. He said to wing it. Being a mere mortal here, do you feel… Will you have to have people tell you the data before you could tell it made a difference or will you feel it, do you think?

“It’s probably so small, I probably won’t feel it but who knows. It might change the balance or something a little bit, I don’t know. We’ll just have to see. Anytime there’s a change on the car, it’s going to change something. I assume it’ll be a little bit of a shift.”

After you saw video of his flip, are you glad NASCAR did something and do you have any thoughts on if this is the right way to go?

“Yeah, I’m glad they did something, but I just don’t really think about it. I just try to get myself as safe as possible in the car with all of my stuff. I’ve been changing some stuff here and there to try and feel safer, but I’m glad they did something because it was pretty odd. I don’t know what that experience is like, but I’m sure it’s not fun, especially with the issues you can have upside down if the car catches on fire, things like that. I think it’s good they looked at it and made a quick change and was proactive about it. That’s always a good thing.”

Since you mentioned change, did you make any changes after the Indianapolis crash or are you picking some things up from what other guys are experiencing now?

“I made some little changes in my car. Really, just kind of going back to what I ran last year with the HANS device. Really just made that change but it wasn’t necessarily related to that. It was more comfort-based, but I’ve always kind of tweaked things here or there to balance comfort and safety. There’s a lot of devices that can make you safe but just trying to get as comfortable as possible.”

This year, Daytona is not the regular season finale as it has been in years past. Do you like that we’re going to a track that’s nowhere near anything can happen like Daytona, or would you rather see Daytona as the regular season finale going forward?

“I don’t know. I’m indifferent. I feel like I care more what the Playoffs tracks are. I feel like when we were in that position in 2020, I don’t want to be in that position again. It about gave me a heart attack with the stress of it. I feel like leading into that race going into a superspeedway, we were three points out then ended up winning the race. The points took care of themselves. I don’t envy that position. I don’t know. It’s probably more entertaining to be for it to be the last race, for sure, but as a competitor I think it’s nice to have Darlington because it’s a crown jewel. It’s going to have a lot of importance, but it’s kind of going to give you that Playoff tune up that everyone’s going to bring a lot of their stuff and see what we have.”

From a convenience point of view and a finance point of view, is Bowman Gray better than going to California early in February every year?

“I don’t know. Those fans are pretty rowdy so I’m sure it’s going to be a heck of a show. I don’t know. I didn’t mind the LA thing. I thought it was pretty cool. I’m sure it’s a lot easier to go to Bowman Gray personally to drive up there. Whatever puts on a better show is better for everybody.”

The three races in the first round of the Playoffs couldn’t be any different and I’m just wondering how do you approach that going from one that runs like a superspeedway, to a road course, to a short track?

“Just race by race. I think it’s going to be race by race because it’s going to be chaotic in some ways. We don’t know what to expect with tires at Bristol, and Atlanta can be a crap shoot. There’s a lot that goes into running well at Atlanta, but you can always get into a crash at the front as we’ve seen with bad pushes and things. I mean, it’s going to be race by race and just seeing what points position you’re in. The only one I feel really good about is Watkins Glen based on last year and things. I feel like our road course stuff is really good. Just got to see what happens.”


About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

CHEVROLET NCS AT DAYTONA 2: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Media Availability Quotes

NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
COKE ZERO SUGAR 400
TEAM CHEVY MEDIA AVAIL. QUOTES
AUGUST 23, 2024

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., driver of the No. 47 Kroger/BIGGIE Muffins/CapriSun Camaro ZL1, met with the media in advance of the NASCAR Cup Series qualifying session at Daytona International Speedway.

Media Availability Quotes:

Given that you only have one option to get into the playoffs and that’s winning.. For the first few stages at least, do you guys just try to go all out and race, or do you still have to do the fuel saving as everyone else will probably do?

“Yeah, no for us, it obviously doesn’t matter if you win the first or second stage. So we’ll be just making sure we can do whatever we can do to make sure we have our car at the end of the race and be capable of running basically that last stint after you pit for fuel. You’re going to run the whole race managing your fuel and trying to make that last pit stop as fast as possible so that you can get your track position then and see how it plays out. I think everybody’s in the same boat for the most part.. like your options on trying to win the race. Nobody is going to come up with a crazy option to win the race, but you’re going to have to make your pit stops as minimal as possible and see if you can just keep your track position. Getting on and off pit road, especially if it’s a green flag pit stop, will be super important. And doing it with a group of cars that can leave pit road with you and get up to speed as quick as possible to keep that track position. That will be all the things that we’re looking at throughout the whole race tomorrow.”

What are the differences between the two Cup races here, and how much does the temperature and stuff like that play into the race?

“Yeah, Daytona is always a racetrack that can be temperature sensitive, for sure. I would say more with our older cars versus now. I feel like this car is really similar everywhere we go, especially coming back to a speedway race. I feel like there’s more difference in Atlanta’s two races than probably Daytona. Talladega is obviously really similar, but you get a little different handling aspects of the car sliding around a little bit more. I would say more so now than February, you would kind of want tires more often. I think all of us would rather have no tires and track position versus tires and having to run through the field. I would say the biggest issues are always off turn four here; getting tight and making sure your car is still kind of rotating, especially if you’re stuck on the bottom lane. But I don’t see it being too big of a difference from February.”

On one hand, this is an opportunity race for you guys. It’s a chance for you to win your way into the playoffs and a chance to win at Daytona again. On the other hand, there’s probably a 75 percent chance you’re going to end up in a crash, too. I’m curious, how do you balance those two things? Do you get excited to come here? Are you nervous to come here? What are the vibes when you drive through the tunnel?

“I don’t get nervous. I think excited is probably the way I go into it. I feel like, throughout a lot of my career, especially in the Xfinity Series, I didn’t really like speedway racing very much. I felt like you never knew what was going to happen. I didn’t feel like I knew enough about it to enjoy it. I was just kind of out there in the draft. If I got a good finish, it was just because I got a good finish. And then throughout my Cup career, I felt like I started learning more; how to draft, the way to use the side draft, use the pushes, getting better at blocking, pulling up in front of lanes and having a better game plan. That’s kind of when my aspect of speedway racing kind of changed and I started enjoying it. And then when I started enjoying it, I started running better at them. I’m definitely excited; optimistic at our chances here. I think there’s a lot of people in the same boat, but we sat down this week in the shop and said that the only thing that we’re focused on is winning the race. We know that there’s a high possibility of getting no stage points and getting in a wreck, but we feel like that’s the best option that we have right now going forward, knowing that there will be a handful of people that are looking for stage points to move themselves up in the standings or whatnot. We know that we can leave out of here with one or two points, but we’re going to give ourselves an option in going to win the race.”

I know it’s not something you can control or influence at all, but a veteran like you, who knows the business side, do you monitor the charter negotiation conversations? Do you reach out to ownership, just to say – hey, what’s the status here? What are your thoughts on all that?

“I mean I think, obviously I’m not near as involved as a Denny (Hamlin) or a Brad (Keselowski). But as a driver, you’re definitely I would say concerned, a little bit about it.. thinking it would already be done by now. But as far as getting into the details.. no, I don’t really get into the specifics. I get a little information from my owners. And then obviously I play a lot of golf with Denny.. him and I are good friends. Obviously I think they’ll come to an agreement at some point. Hopefully it’s in a good spot for everybody. I know that, from our team, our ownership side is super committed to this sport and they love this sport. So for me, that’s all that really matters going forward. Yeah, hopefully they get something that works for everybody.”

I’ve heard some drivers say that becoming a parent has had an impact on, maybe not the way they race, but the way they look at racing… maybe some of the moves they make. As you come to a track like Daytona, now that you come here as a dad, does that have any impact on how you’re going about Saturday’s race?

“No, I think for me, I’m just super excited. I’d love to get him to victory lane. I think that would be the coolest thing.

But you know, no – I mean I think once I strap into a race car, I’m all task at hand, and that’s to do the best job for our team, our partners and all our fans. There’s not a move I won’t make, if it gives us an opportunity to win. But no, I’m super thrilled to have him here at the race track, that’s for sure.”

What’s it been like the last few weeks without your family at the track and kind of being on your own the last five or so races?

“Yeah, there’s been more golf played on the weekends. But you know, I think for me, the off weeks came at a great time for us. I like staying up and watching dirt racing anyways, so I take the night shift. It’s all been working out. There’s been a lot of dirt racing on lately, so everything has been pretty smooth on that side of things. Yeah, definitely glad to kind of get back into the normal swing of things. First time at the racetrack for everyone, so it’ll be a fun weekend. We’ve got some great races close to home, which will be nice.”

Obviously anything can happen, any weekend. But do you look at this weekend as the true last chance to get into the playoffs, based on the challenges of Darlington?

“I would say, no. You know, yeah – this could potentially be maybe the easiest. But you know, I look at our races, really all year long, and there’s been a lot of opportunities that I feel like people have put themselves in, especially at like mile-and-a-half racetracks. If you catch a caution the right way and all of a sudden you find yourself starting on the front row, our speeds are so close with these race cars. When you go back and look at lap times and average lap times throughout a race, like at Michigan, a tenth is first to 20th. So theoretically, you could have a 20th place car; catch a caution the right way, your pit strategy works out and all of a sudden you’re starting on the front row with tires. Any of us can hang on for a win, if that happens. I mean, no pun intended, but there’s a lot of late-race cautions, so anything can happen. So I think we keep our options open all the way until the checkered flag falls at Darlington, for sure.”

You’ve had some great times here and some pretty rough times. You said awhile ago that there isn’t a move you won’t make to get the win this weekend. How aggressive are you willing to be, in light of what happened a few weeks ago, and things like that? What will you do to try and make the playoffs?

“Yeah, I mean I think you look at speedway racing a little bit differently. I mean we’re all beating, banging and pushing each other. I would say 98 percent of the time there’s a wreck on the last lap. I would assume they would look at it a little bit differently on speedways, but I don’t know.. I think you’re just going to be pushing, side drafting and trying to get all you can. I don’t think anybody really knows exactly what moves they’ll make until they’re put in those positions. And then you make them and figure it out after that. I definitely just hope we have a shot at it; put ourselves in that position to be able to make a move, one way or the other, and try to win the race.”

How important is conditioning for you to improve in the race car, and what kind of workouts are you doing during the season?

“Yeah, I think for the most part for myself, what’s really worked since I hired my trainer. Trainer Ryan, he was Kasey Kahnes trainer for a long time. Kasey was in great shape. Just really worked on heart rate stuff. I did a lot of cross fit back in the day, and now I kind of do a little bit of everything. We did a burpee-broad jump for a mile last week.. that was harder than I thought it was going to be, mentally. Physically it was OK, but mentally, it was draining after a quarter of a lap. On the first lap, I was really to call it quits. But that’s what we signed up for, so we did it and it took way longer than expected. So two hours and 17 minutes of burpees isn’t a lot of fun, but it was a cool test. I got some great buddies, as well, that we tend to just do dumb stuff. Like the most miles I had ran before this offseason was 11 at one time, and me and a buddy went out on a 30-miler this offseason. Now he wants to do 50 (laughs). But yeah, we just do random stuff all the time and just see how it goes. It’s a lot of fun, but I do feel like with my conditioning, I feel really good in the race car compared to where I was five or six years ago.”

Do you have a stance on ending under green versus ending under caution debate?

“Daytona 2023, I liked ending under caution (laughs). But I don’t know.. I think if you’re trying to end under green, we could be here for days. It seems like we all lose our minds at the end of the races; just hold the throttle down until we get to the front, it seems like. I think back to like a Nashville – yeah, I guess it did under green, but it took forever. I don’t know.. I think you’re just asking a lot because like at Nashville, you had guys that were running 25th to 30th have a shot at winning the race because they had enough fuel in the car, right? When you’re in the back, you’re constantly stopped to make sure you have enough fuel. And then the guys at the front can’t pit and just give up all their track position. But ultimately, you’re going to run out of laps that you can go. You know, so I look at a Nashville, and you almost have somebody win that race that had no other option, up until those late-race restarts when everyone started running out of gas. Ending under green could be pretty tricky.”


About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Young’s Motorsports Daytona Xfinity | The Milwaukee Mile Trucks Team Preview

Young’s Motorsports | NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series
The Milwaukee Mile | LIUNA 175

Fast Facts
No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Team:
Driver: Dexter Bean
Primary Partner(s): Badger Environmental & Earthworks
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST
2024 Driver Points Position: N/A
2024 Owner Points Position: 28th
Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

Welcome To The Team: For Sunday afternoon’s LIUNA 175 at the Milwaukee (Wisc.) Mile, Young’s Motorsports welcomes Motorsports veteran Dexter Bean to command the team’s flagship, No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado RST for his first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series race of the 2024 season.

About Dexter: Hailing from Westby, Wisc., Dexter Bean earned success in the Midwest in Late Model competition. From Late Models, Bean and his family-owned BlackJack Racing team became a staple in the ARCA Menards Series in the mid-2000s, before earning an opportunity in ARCA with Spraker Racing Enterprises in 2008.

Since then, Dean has been sporadically appearing in all three of NASCAR’s national divisions, including a Cup Series start at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in 2009 and most recently competing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where he made a start in April at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway driving for DGM Racing and earning a 20th-place finish in the Dude Wipes 250.

On Sunday, Bean will make his fourth career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start but first with Young’s Motorsports.

All-Aboard!: For the 17th of 23 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races this season, Badger Environmental & Earthworks will serve as the primary marketing partner on the No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado RST for the 175-lap race on Sunday afternoon.

Badger Environmental & Earthworks, Inc. is a General Contractor, Specialty Contractor that serves the Westby, Wisc. area and specializes in Electrical, Landscaping, Demolition, General Construction Management and Earthwork.

Dexter Bean Truck Series The Milwaukee Mile Stats: Sunday afternoon’s LIUNA 175 at The Milwaukee Mile will mark Bean’s second career Truck Series start at the vastly popular 1.015-mile oval.

Dean made his inaugural Truck Series start at The Milwaukee Mile, finishing 17th after starting 27th for DGM Racing in the 2009 edition of the Copart 200.

The opening round of the 2024 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs will be part of a doubleheader on Sunday with the ARCA Menards Series. It will mark Bean’s fourth career short-track race in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series.

The Milwaukee Mile marks the sixth race of the second half of the 2024 Truck Series season.

Dexter Bean Truck Series Career Stats: Entering The Milwaukee Mile, Bean has three career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races to his credit. He has earned a career-best 17th-place finish, at The Milwaukee Mile after starting 27th in the Copart 200 for DGM Racing.

Since 2009, he has carried an average finish of 23.0.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series at The Milwaukee Mile: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ fourth and fifth NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts at The Milwaukee Mile.

The organization posted a team-best 32nd place with former Young’s Motorsports Truck Series winner Spencer Boyd at the wheel in the Clean Harbor 175 on Saturday, August 27, 2023.

Since 2023, the Mooresville, N.C.-based Young’s Motorsports team has had an average starting position of 32.3 and an average finish of 34.0 in three The Milwaukee Mile starts.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series History: Since entering the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series in 2012, the Mooresville, N.C., – based organization has logged 498 starts from 66 drivers, resulting in solid performances that include two victories (Talladega Superspeedway 2019 and 2021), seven top-five finishes and 33 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 23.1 and an average finishing position of 22.1.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Dexter Bean, please like him on Facebook (Dexter Bean Racing), and follow him on X |Twitter (@dexbean).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (@youngsmotorsports) and X |Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Dexter Bean Pre-Race Quote:

On The Milwaukee Mile: “It’s not every day you get to race in God’s country. We have many local partners supporting us this weekend, that will be in attendance here in our great state, and we’re hoping for a really strong debut for them with Young’s Motorsports.”

No. 46 Young’s Motorsports Team:

Driver: Thad Moffitt

Primary Partner(s): Petty’s Garage

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST

2024 Driver Points Position: 30th

2024 Owner Points Position: 33rd

Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

Part of the Family: Just past the half point of the 2024 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series season, Young’s Motorsports continues to welcome Thad Moffitt to the organization set to compete in one of two entries in Sunday afternoon’s LIUNA 175 at The Milwaukee (Misc.) Mile for Young’s Motorsports.

As previously noted, Young’s Motorsports has obtained the ownership rights of Faction46 Racing and will field the No. 46 Chevrolet Silverado throughout the remainder of the season with Moffitt at the helm.

This weekend’s race is just the ninth time the organization has fielded more than one entry this season.

About Thad: Moffitt, 23, just finished his first entire season in the Trans Am Series TA2 class. Racing for TeamSLR, he finished seventh in the championship standings and second in the rookie standings. He had six top-10 finishes.

Moffitt, the grandson of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Richard Petty, returned to the NASCAR ranks this season after having success in the ARCA Menard Series, finishing fourth in the series championship standings in 2021.

Entering the season, Moffitt had four starts in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series with a best finish of 18th at the Daytona International Speedway in 2022.

In 2024, Moffitt has participated in 15 Truck Series races thus far, matching a career-best 18th place finish at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway in May.

All-Aboard!: For the 17th of 23 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races this season, Petty’s Garage returns with Moffitt to serve as the primary marketing partner on the No. 46 Chevrolet Silverado RST for the 175-lap race on Sunday afternoon.

Founded in 2008, Petty’s Garage is a high-performance speed shop owned by “The King” Richard Petty. Headquartered in Level Cross, North Carolina, Petty’s Garage occupies the legendary Petty facility that produced winning stock cars for more than 50 years.

Petty’s Garage specializes in performance upgrades, parts, restorations, custom builds, supercharged engines, paint and body, exhaust upgrades, brake systems, custom interiors, tires and wheels, custom fabricated projects, and corporate builds. If you can dream it, Petty’s Garage can build it.

For more information on Petty’s Garage, please call 336.495.6651 or visit pettysgarage.com.

Thad Moffitt Truck Series The Milwaukee Mile Stats: Sunday afternoon’s LIUNA 175 at The Milwaukee Mile will mark Moffitt’s inaugural Truck Series start at the vastly popular 1.215-mile oval.

However, Moffitt does have one career ARCA Menards Series start in West Allis. In 2021, Moffitt finished ninth after starting eighth in the 2021 edition of the Sprecher 150 at The Milwaukee Mile driving for TRICON Garage.

The opening round of the 2024 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs will be part of a doubleheader on Sunday with the ARCA Menards Series. It will mark Moffitt’s seventh career short-track race in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series.

The Milwaukee Mile marks the sixth race of the second half of the 2024 Truck Series season.

Thad Moffitt Truck Series Career Stats: Entering The Milwaukee Mile, Moffitt has 19 career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races to his credit. He has earned a career-best 18th-place finish twice, most recently at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway after starting 32nd in the Buckle Up South Carolina 200 for Faction46.

Since 2022, he has carried an average finish of 28.5.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series at The Milwaukee Mile: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ fourth and fifth NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts at The Milwaukee Mile.

The organization posted a team-best 32nd place with former Young’s Motorsports Truck Series winner Spencer Boyd at the wheel in the Clean Harbor 175 on Saturday, August 27, 2023.

Since 2023, the Mooresville, N.C.-based Young’s Motorsports team has had an average starting position of 32.3 and an average finish of 34.0 in three The Milwaukee Mile starts.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series History: Since entering the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series in 2012, the Mooresville, N.C., – based organization has logged 498 starts from 66 drivers, resulting in solid performances that include two victories (Talladega Superspeedway 2019 and 2021), seven top-five finishes and 33 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 23.1 and an average finishing position of 22.1.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Thad Moffitt, please visit thadmoffitt.com like him on Facebook, (Thad Moffitt Racing) and follow him on Instagram (@thadmoffitt46) and X |Twitter (@thadmoffitt).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (@youngsmotorsports) and X |Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Thad Moffitt Pre-Race Quote:

On The Milwaukee Mile: “I feel like we were taking a step in the right direction before our incident at Richmond Raceway.

“I’m excited to get to another short track in Milwaukee where I’ve been before and see what we can do. Milwaukee is a neat race track with a lot of nuances. Drive off and keeping the truck turning will be big for a successful race for me and the Young’s Motorsports team.”

Race Information:

The LIUNA 175 (175 laps | 177.625 miles) is the 17th of 23 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races on the 2024 schedule. Practice begins on Saturday, August 24, 2024, from 3:00 p.m. to 3:20 p.m. Qualifying will follow from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The 36-truck field will take the green flag on Sunday, August 25, 2024, shortly after 3:00 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (ET).

Young’s Motorsports | NASCAR Xfinity Series

Daytona International Speedway | Wawa 250

Fast Facts

No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Team:

Driver: Leland Honeyman Jr.

Primary Partner(s): Young’s Building Systems | Randco Industries Inc.

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro

Crew Chief: Andrew Abbott

2024 Driver Points Position: 20th

2024 Owner Points Position: 23rd

Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing

Movin’ on Up!: In January, Young’s Motorsports announced it would graduate from the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series to the NASCAR Xfinity Series full-time in 2024 with rising star Leland Honeyman Jr. behind the wheel of the team’s No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro for the entire 33-race season continuing with Friday night’s Wawa 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

About Leland: The Phoenix, Ariz. native began honing his racing skills at the tender age of two racing Quads. By four years old, he moved into Trophy Karts and then collected three series championships in off-road racing Trophy Karts.

After an instrumental tenure in Go Karts, he moved into the Bandolero competition in 2015 and was crowned a Bandolero National Champion two years later. From there, he moved into Limited Late Models before graduating to the Carolina Pro Late Model Series division in 2021, where he earned championship-runner-up honors and picked up an astounding victory in the annual Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway Fall Brawl.

Honeyman, 19, returns to the Mooresville, N.C.-based organization, where he ran an impressive ARCA Menards Series East Series campaign, finishing third in the 2022 championship standings.

During the 2023 season, he made eight NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, highlighted by a 21st-place finish at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Road Course.

All-Aboard!: For the 22nd of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races this season, Young’s Motorsports welcomes back Texas-based Young’s Building Systems and Randco will partner with the Mooresville, N.C.-based team as the primary partners on the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro for the 100-lap race on Friday night.

Since 1981, Young’s Building Systems has been providing West Texas with all their metal building needs. This family-owned and operated business has become an industry favorite due to the experience gained and the professional results completed. Young’s Building System is a division of Randco Industries, Inc. We have expanded into a company that has the ability to erect any type of building, from a small single story to a city high-rise.

Our customers have multiple uses for our buildings, including commercial, residential, agricultural, industrial, skid-mounted buildings and compressor station buildings.

We also have a team that specializes in stairs and railings of all shapes and sizes. Young’s Building Systems is fully insured for your peace of mind, so we carry workmen’s compensation and general

liability coverage that goes above and beyond State requirements.

Our company is fully equipped with moving and lifting equipment along with compressors, generators and welding equipment. We have the tools and equipment needed to support large, demanding projects. Our work ethic is based on the principles of quality, promptness, and customer experience.

Young’s Building Systems continuously raises our standard of excellence and works hard to make sure that each and every one of your needs are met.

Leland Honeyman Jr. NASCAR Xfinity Series Daytona International Speedway Stats: Friday night’s Wawa 250 at Daytona International Speedway will mark Honeyman’s second Xfinity Series start at the historic 2.5-mile speedway located in Daytona Beach, Fla.

This weekend is part of a double-header with the NASCAR Cup Series in its annual summer to the “World Center of Racing.”

Daytona will mark Honeyman’s third career Xfinity Series superspeedway race and second at Daytona International Speedway.

The Xfinity Series rookie driver will look to improve his overall superspeedway average finish of 17.0.

Leland Honeyman Jr. NASCAR Xfinity Career Stats: Entering Daytona, Honeyman has 29 career

NASCAR Xfinity Series races to his credit, earning a career-best fourth-place finish at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway after starting 33rd in the Ag-Pro 300 for Young’s Motorsports in April 2024.

Since 2023, he has carried an average finish of 23.5.

Michigan International Speedway | Cabo Wabo 250 Race Recap: In the 21st race of the 2024 Xfinity Series season, Young’s Motorsports and Honeyman searched for another solid finish in the team’s inaugural Xfinity Series trip to the Michigan International Speedway.

Qualifying for the 125-lap race on speed in the 33rd position, Honeyman would masterfully climb through the field, Honeyman and crew chief Andrew Abbot would work on the handling of their No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro that allowed the freshman driver to make a brilliant run to the finish.

Taking advantage of a couple of late-race cautions, Honeyman would execute his restarts brilliantly to deliver a strong 12th-place finish at the checkered flag.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Honeyman Jr. as crew chief of the No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro is longtime crew chief Andrew Abbott.

On Friday, he will be crew chief in his 119th NASCAR Xfinity Series race. In his previous 118 races, he has four top-five and 12 top-10 finishes.

The season’s 22nd race will be his eighth tango at Daytona International Speedway as crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR Xfinity Series at Daytona International Speedway: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ second NASCAR Xfinity Series start at the Michigan International Speedway.

In February, the team successfully made its Xfinity Series debut by qualifying a respectable 24th. Unfortunately, a late-race accident collected the team, resulting in a 30th-place finish.

The Mooresville, N.C.-based team also has 20 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts at the famed central Florida race track.

The organization posted a team-best fourth-place finish with Spencer Boyd at the wheel in the 2019 NextEra Energy Resources 250 on Friday, February 15, 2019.

Since 2014, the Mooresville, N.C.-based Young’s Motorsports team has had an average starting position of 20.9 and an average finish of 16.7 in 20 Daytona International Speedway Truck Series starts.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR Xfinity Series History: Since entering the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2024, the family-owned organization has logged 21 starts and maintains an average starting position of 26.3 and an average finish of 23.5.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Leland Honeyman Jr., please visit LelandHoneymanRacing.com, like him on Facebook (Leland Honeyman Racing) and follow on Instagram (@lelandhoneymanjr) and X |Twitter (@lelandhoneyman3).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (@youngsmotorsports) and X |Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Leland Honeyman Jr. Pre-Race Quote:

On Daytona International Speedway: “As we come back to a superspeedway this weekend, I am excited to be in the pack and drafting. Daytona was OK to us when we were there in February.

“This weekend, though, we want to come home with a clean car and a win for my Young’s Motorsports team. The guy’s got my back, and we are very excited for this weekend!”

Race Information:

The Wawa 250 (100 laps | 250 miles) is the 22nd of thirty-three (33) NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2024 schedule. Qualifying is set for Friday, August 23rd, 2024, beginning at 3:00 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag later that day, shortly after 7:30 p.m., with live coverage on the USA Network, the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (Eastern).

Daniel Dye Returns to Kaulig Racing Full Time in 2025

Daniel Dye to Drive the No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025

 Lexington, N.C. (August 23, 2024) – Kaulig Racing announces Daniel Dye will return to the No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro to run full time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) in 2025.

Dye has competed part time for Kaulig Racing in the 2024 NXS season. So far, the Daytona Beach, Fla. native has made seven starts in the No. 10 Chevrolet and has earned two top 10s and four top-20 finishes.

“Daniel [Dye] has done a really great job for our team this season,” said team president Chris Rice. “He is invested in our program and putting in the time and effort to keep getting better. I’ve been able to spend a lot of time with him throughout the season, and we’re looking forward to having him with us full time in 2025.”

Dye is scheduled to make three additional starts in the No. 10 this season at Kansas Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Phoenix Raceway.

“I’ve really enjoyed driving the Xfinity car this year, and I’m excited for the opportunity to continue working with Kaulig Racing in 2025,” said Daniel Dye. “It’s been a fun experience learning the car and trying to navigate the different feeling compared to the truck. I’m looking forward to finishing out the season, running for the Truck Championship and making the most of my remaining races in the No. 10.”

Partnership details for Dye and the No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro will be announced at a later date.

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 23 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, with a part-time fourth entry at select events. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

ACTION HEATS UP IN NHRA SUMMIT RACING SERIES AT UPCOMING SUMMIT E.T. FINALS

Racing and the chance to compete for a national championship starts in late August at NHRA Member Tracks across the United States and Canada

LAS VEGAS (Aug. 23, 2024) – Starting next weekend, the race is on for drivers in the NHRA Summit Racing Series to compete for a spot at the Summit E.T. Series National Championship.

With 75,000-plus participants competing at more than 100 NHRA Member Tracks this year, the spotlight now turns to the divisional championships set to take place across the United States and Canada in eight NHRA division events.

The Summit E.T. Finals in the seven NHRA divisions take place during late August, September and October, with the winners advancing to compete for a national championship. The first race takes place in Division 6 on 29-Sept. 2 at Pacific Raceways, continuing throughout September and finishing with the final Summit Racing Series E.T. Finals on Oct. 9-13, as the Division 7 race takes place at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The ”Road to Vegas” wraps up with 40 qualified finalists taking part in the NHRA Summit Racing Series National Championship on Oct. 31-Nov. 3 as part of the NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It’s the culmination of an impressive program that includes nearly $300,000 in annual series contingency postings up for grabs.

“This is such a terrific program and it’s a great way for racers to get involved at their member track, race their divisional Summit E.T. Finals and possibly qualify to race for a NHRA Summit Racing Series National Championship,” NHRA Sportsman Racing Manager Sara Walker said. “The ‘Road to Vegas’ starts at every competitor’s hometown NHRA Member Track and we are thrilled Summit Racing Equipment continues to be so heavily-involved and supportive of this series and NHRA’s grassroots programs.”

Each division also presents unique items at their Summit E.T. Finals, including:

Division 1 – Lebanon Valley Dragway, West Lebanon, N.Y., Sept. 20-21 

  • Two reigning champions come from this division and with a huge talent pool of competitors, this event will feature one of the biggest and toughest fields for the E.T. finals.

Division 2 – South Georgia Motorsports Park, Cecil, Ga., Sept. 12-14 

  • More than $15,000 will be paid out daily on the Thursday/Friday gambler’s races and an all-new Race of Champions Appreciation Dinner and raffle will take place on Friday of the event.

Division 3 – Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio, Sept. 13-15 

  • This marks a new track for the Summit E.T. Finals and the event includes a free test-and-tune, Thursday welcome party, a Friday bonus race with a guaranteed purse of more than $22,000, best appearing and spirit awards and fireworks.

Division 4 – Ardmore Dragway, Ardmore, Okla., Sept. 6-8 

  • The Carrell family operates Ardmore Dragway, which is the longest continually run dragstrip in the United States. The racer-owned facility offers a special grassroots experience with plenty of stout competition.

Division 5 – Flying H Dragstrip, Odessa, Mo., Sept. 14-15 

  • The new facility will host the E.T. Finals for the first time, offering increased payouts across every class in 2024 and more than $7,500 in giveaways/prizes during the Parade of Champions.

Division 6 – Pacific Raceways, Seattle, Aug. 29-Sept. 2 

  • This race will include a reaction time challenge during the weekend, as well as a poker tournament and a “Best Performing Track” award

Division 7 – The Strip at Las Vegas Motorsport Speedway, Las Vegas, Oct. 9-13 

  • This event will include a practice tree tournament, while the member track dinners offer a unique team-building opportunity between the track and track family.

An Eastern Canadian E.T. Finals takes place for the first time in NHRA history in 2024 as well, with the race taking place Sept. 6-8 at Napierville Dragway in Quebec. The E.T. Finals will be a championship-level event mirroring the seven NHRA Divisional E.T. Finals currently contested.

The intense racing action in Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman, Motorcycle and Street Legal EV categories will lead to Summit E.T. Finals champions, putting drivers and race teams on track for a truly memorable experience at the NHRA Summit Racing Series National Championship.

It starts with a welcome dinner on Thursday, Oct. 31, which will also feature a chip draw for the first four positions, who will call out the remaining drivers to set the first-round matchups.

Special prizes will also be raffled off between the 40 finalists, including NHRA suite passes for a day, experience a nitro car warmup in the pits and more. All finalists will have marquee access during Top Fuel and Funny Car qualifying sessions, as well as a parade in front of the grandstands in Vegas and pre-race introductions during the official pre-race ceremonies at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, putting the racers in front of the fans before running for a championship.

Along with the purse, also up for grabs is a national championship Wally trophy, a championship jacket and much more.

For more information on the NHRA Summit Racing Series, visit https://www.nhra.com/sportsman.

2024 NHRA Summit Racing Series Finals Schedule 

Division 1 – Lebanon Valley Dragway, West Lebanon, N.Y., Sept. 20-21 

Division 2 – South Georgia Motorsports Park, Cecil, Ga., Sept. 12-14 

Division 3 – Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio, Sept. 13-15 

Division 4 – Ardmore Dragway, Ardmore, Okla., Sept. 6-8 

Division 5 – Flying H Dragstrip, Odessa, Mo., Sept. 14-15 

Division 6 – Pacific Raceways, Seattle, Aug. 29-Sept. 2 

Division 7 – The Strip at Las Vegas Motorsport Speedway, Las Vegas, Oct. 9-13 

Eastern Canadian E.T. Finals, Napierville Dragway, Quebec, Sept. 6-8 

NHRA Summit Racing Series National Championship 

The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Oct. 31-Nov. 3 

About Summit Racing Equipment

Summit Racing Equipment has been the World’s Speed Shop® for over 50 years! Summit Racing is the world’s largest e-commerce, mail order, and retailer of performance automotive parts and accessories. Summit Racing offers a huge selection of parts in stock from over 1,500 manufacturers for all forms of racing, street performance, off-roading, restoration, tools, and yes, diesel. It also offers fast ground service shipping to most areas of the country and same-day shipping on in-stock items. Summit Racing has the industry’s top-rated customer service and a full-time technical department to answer your questions. With headquarters in Tallmadge, Ohio, Summit operates distribution and retail stores in Tallmadge, Sparks, NV, McDonough, GA, and Arlington, TX.

Summit Racing Equipment
www.summitracing.com
1-800-230-3030

About NHRA 

Headquartered in San Dimas, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 21 national events featuring the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown™ and Top Fuel Harley Series. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 120 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Olympic Medal-Winning Climber Watson To Ride in Fastest Seat at Portland

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, Aug. 23, 2024) – American speed climber Sam Watson, who won a bronze medal at the Summer Olympics in Paris, will ride in the Fastest Seat in Sports at the BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland on Sunday, Aug. 25 at Portland International Raceway.

Watson, 18, from Southlake, Texas, is the fastest speed climber in history. He set a world record of 4.74 seconds in the event en route to the bronze medal for the United States in Paris, breaking his record of 4.798 set earlier this year in the IFSC Climbing World Cup at Wujiang, China.

The Olympic medal was a highlight of Watson’s international climbing accomplishments, which also include a gold medal in speed climbing at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, a gold medal in the IFSC Climbing World Cup event in 2022 at Edinburgh, Scotland, and a victory in the 2022 U.S. National Speed Climbing Championship.

Competition speed climbing, which takes place on an artificial and standardized climbing wall, is the main form of speed climbing.

Watson will join a long list of celebrated INDYCAR Fastest Seat in Sports passengers as he leads the field to green in a custom INDYCAR SERIES car with a special back passenger seat. This high-speed, high-octane, super-charged thrill ride already has been taken by Jon Bon Jovi, actors Judge Reinhold and Dylan Sprouse, country music star Riley Green and reality TV star Mary Bonnet during the 2024 INDYCAR season.

Live coverage of the BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland starts at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, Aug. 25 on the USA Network, Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES represents the ultimate challenge in racing, with drivers competing at speeds of 200+ mph across a demanding set of ovals and road and street courses. The full schedule can be viewed here.

RCR Race Preview: Daytona International Speedway

Richard Childress Racing at Daytona International Speedway… Richard Childress Racing has collected seven points-paying victories in NASCAR Cup Series competition at Daytona International Speedway. RCR owns three Daytona 500 wins (Dale Earnhardt – 1998, Kevin Harvick – 2007, Austin Dillon – 2018) and four Coke Zero Sugar 400 trophies (Earnhardt – 1990, 1993, Harvick – 2010, Dillon – 2022).

RCR has won 11 pole positions at Daytona dating back to Ricky Rudd capturing the top starting spot for the 1983 Daytona 500. Other RCR drivers to win pole at Daytona include Dale Earnhardt (1994, 1995 and 1996-500), Mike Skinner (both races in 1997 plus 1998-500), Harvick (2002), Jeff Green (2003-500), Jeff Burton (2006-500), and Dillon (2014-500).

The Welcome, N.C. based organization has racked up 15 victories in the Daytona 500 Duel qualifying races, most recently by Dillon (2021). Earnhardt reeled off a record 10-consecutive Duel victories (1990 – 1999). Other drivers to win qualifying races at Daytona with RCR include Mike Skinner (2001), Robby Gordon (2003), Jeff Burton (2011) and Harvick (2013).

In addition to its NASCAR Cup Series success, RCR has racked up nine NASCAR Xfinity Series wins: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 2002, 2010, Harvick – 2007, Clint Bowyer – 2009, Tony Stewart – 2013, Dillon – 2015, Austin Hill – 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Big Power on the Drafting Tracks… ECR has dominated all three drafting tracks in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season (Daytona International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, and Talladega Superspeedway). ECR has won all three races and also swept the pole position in all three events. How strong has ECR been on those tracks? ECR teams have led 315 laps in those races (76.27 percent) and 640.14 miles (71.91 percent).

Catch the Action… The NASCAR Xfinity Series Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway will be televised live Friday, August 23, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

The Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, August 24 beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Daytona International Speedway… With 22 previous starts in the NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona International Speedway, Austin Dillon heads to the World Center of Racing with experience on his side. So far in his career, Dillon has acquired two wins in the Cup Series at Daytona, including the 2018 Daytona 500 and the last race of the regular season to clinch a spot in the NASCAR Playoffs in 2022. He is a former pole award winner in NASCAR Cup Series competition at the track and has four top-five and nine top-10 finishes. The Welcome, North Carolina driver, who grew up attending races at Daytona International Speedway with his family, has 10 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Daytona with one win, seven top-five, and seven top-10 finishes. He has two starts at the track in the NASCAR Truck Series.

Former Pole Winner… Dillon earned his career-first NASCAR Cup Series pole award with a lap of 196.019 mph (45.914 seconds) in the 2014 edition of the Daytona 500. Dillon also started on the front row for the July 2015 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona.

BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Team Up with Dillon… Dillon and the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing team will be supported by BREZTRI AEROSPHERE®, an AstraZeneca product, at Daytona. This partnership is about more than just racing. You can learn more about Austin Dillon and his family’s personal connection to the brand at Breztri.com. AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines in Oncology, Rare Diseases, and Biopharmaceuticals, including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide.

Meet Dillon… On Friday, August 23, the Coca-Cola Racing driver is scheduled to make an appearance on behalf of Coca-Cola at Walmart (1521 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach, Florida, 32174), beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET. Dillon is scheduled to appear at Bass Pro Shops on Friday, August 23 at 3 p.m. ET, (1880 Checkered Flag Blvd, Daytona Beach, Florida 32114).

Dillon is scheduled to participate in a Q&A session at the Chevrolet Racing Stage display in the Daytona International Speedway Midway on Saturday, August 24 at 3:30 p.m. ET.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:

You’ve had success at Daytona International Speedway. How do you negotiate staying out of the wrecks throughout the race so that you can be in contention at the end?

“It’s tough. It’s a game of putting yourself in position. I call it high-speed chess because you know at some point in time, you’re going to be vulnerable. You hope that someone doesn’t take advantage of that too much and cause a big wreck. It’s one of those things where you are constantly moving and trying to guess the flow of the pack. I think the best place to be is in the front most of the time, but it’s impossible now with the way we race to keep yourself up there for the entire race. You usually know when the intensity is rising, and the pack is starting to get a little bit out of control. You try to do your best to give yourself an out or be in front of it.”

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Daytona International Speedway… Kyle Busch has one win (2008 Coke Zero Sugar 400) and one pole (2013, also in the summer event) at Daytona International Speedway and will make his 38th NASCAR Cup Series start at the 2.5-mile facility. Busch won in NASCAR Overtime, taking the lead from Jeff Gordon with seven laps to go. The driver of the Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet is second among active drivers with 531 laps led and has led at least one lap in 28 starts at Daytona. Since making his Cup Series debut at Daytona in 2005, Busch has eight top-five and 12 top-10 finishes at the World Center of Racing.

Points Update… Busch currently holds the 17th position in the Cup Series driver championship point standings, 93 points below the Playoff cutline. The Las Vegas, Nevada native scored 48 points at Michigan International Speedway, marking the most points Busch has scored in a race this season.

About Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen… Cheddar’s serves American classics and homestyle comfort food in a feel-at-home atmosphere. Guests get a lot, for not a lot with homemade entrees like hand-breaded Chicken Tenders, homemade Chicken Pot Pie and slow-smoked Baby Back Ribs so big, they almost fall off the plate. To kick off a memorable meal, every Guest is welcomed with a warm Honey Butter Croissant on the house. Cheddar’s operates more than 180 restaurants in 27 states and employs more than 15,000 friendly and passionate team members. Cheddar’s is open for lunch and dinner, now featuring new weekday lunch specials, starting at just $8.59. For more information or to locate the nearest restaurant, visit Cheddars.com. Fans can like or follow Cheddar’s on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:

How do take the positive momentum from Michigan International Speedway and manage these next two races?

“That’s just it. Try to get through these next two races and keep ourselves in position to win. Daytona is a crapshoot. You can be leading on the final lap and be in a heap before you get to the finish line. Darlington is the same way. You have to be in position there. It’s really narrow, really tough, really tight. Handling really comes into play a lot. We just have to be on top of our game if we’re going to put ourselves in the Playoffs.”

How far of a step forward was the strong run at Michigan International Speedway for RCR as a whole?

“Michigan is how we expect to run and how we want to run. We want to run up front and have opportunities to excel. Good pit calls helped us to be able to do that and we made a couple good moves on the late restart that got us that finish. Overall, nothing can translate from Michigan to Daytona or Darlington setup-wise, vehicle dynamics, that sort of stuff. We have good momentum. We’re rolling in the right direction and need to keep that going.”

A lot can happen at Daytona International Speedway but recently you have ran well and shown speed there.

“Daytona has been good for us since I joined RCR. ECR has done a great job on our engines at Daytona. We were really quick there earlier this year and had a good shot to win the race. It comes down to restarts, what lane you take, how the lines accelerate out of the restart and get the momentum building. There are 36 guys that show up and walk through the gate and at least think that they have a shot to win so they’re going to go out and prove that they can. A lot of Hail Marys are thrown and sometimes a lot of wrecks happen. You’ve got to be in the right place at the right time and hope for the best.”

Austin Hill and the No. 33 United Rentals Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Daytona International Speedway… Austin Hill has made one career NASCAR Cup Series start at Daytona International Speedway, piloting the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet to a 14th-place finish last summer. The Winston, Georgia native has also competed in six career NASCAR Xfinity Series event at the World Center of Racing, earning three victories (2022, 2023, 2024) and two pole positions (both 2023 races). In addition, Hill has raced in six NASCAR Truck Series events, securing the checkered flag in his 2019 victory.

About United Rentals… United Rentals, Inc. is the largest equipment rental company in the world. The company has an integrated network of 1,504 rental locations in North America, 38 in Europe, 23 in Australia and 19 in New Zealand. In North America, the company operates in 49 states and every Canadian province. The company’s approximately 26,300 employees serve construction and industrial customers, utilities, municipalities, homeowners, and others. The company offers approximately 4,800 classes of equipment for rent with a total original cost of $20.66 billion. United Rentals is a member of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, the Barron’s 400 Index and the Russell 3000 Index® and is headquartered in Stamford, Conn. Additional information about United Rentals is available at unitedrentals.com.

Turns for Troops… Through their Turns for Troops program, United Rentals will make a donation for each lap that Hill completes in his United Rentals Chevrolet Camaro during the Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway. Funds from the Turns for Troops program support military veterans and their families through Operation Homefront.

Meet Hill… On Saturday, August 24, Hill will make two appearances in the Daytona International Speedway Midway prior to climbing behind the wheel of his Camaro. At 4:05 p.m. ET, the 30-year-old is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler. Immediately following at 4:30 p.m. ET, Hill will answer fan questions at the NASCAR Experience Stage. Come by to meet the multi-time winner at the Florida speedway.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:

What is the goal for the Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway?

“I have a couple Cup Series superspeedway races under my belt now, and in those races, I’ve learned that the Next Gen car does not react the same way as the Xfinity Series car. With that being said though, there are some tendencies behind the wheel that are the same and just a product of the style of racing. Our No. 33 team wants to have a solid day and keep our United Rentals Chevrolet out of trouble. If we can find ourselves in a position in the final laps, anything can happen at the end of these races. But most importantly, I want to do whatever I can to help Austin Dillon or Kyle Busch to the victory. If we as a team at RCR can get the No. 3 or No. 8 a win, it would be a massive moment for our entire organization.”

Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet Camaro SS at Daytona International Speedway… Jesse Love has made one career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Daytona International Speedway, piloting the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet earlier this season. In February’s event, the 19-year-old earned his first series pole, led a total of 34 laps, and picked up his first series stage victory. Love has also made one career start at the World Center of Racing, competing in last season’s ARCA Menards Series event. Love started from the second position, faced motor issues, and finished in seventh place.

Superspeedway Victory… While the Menlo Park, California native is searching for his inaugural victory at the historic Florida tri-oval, Love secured his first career Xfinity Series win at a different drafting track – Talladega Superspeedway – earlier this season.

Honor and Remember – National Fallen Firefighters Foundation… Love will carry a special tribute on his No. 2 Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway, as Whelen honors the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) with a unique patriotic design. The decklid on Love’s Camaro carries the names of 226 fallen firefighters who added to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial earlier this spring. Each of the brave heroes died in the line of duty in 2023 and previous years. The hood of the Chevrolet features the NFFF logo to bring awareness to the important foundation work.

The U.S. Congress created the NFFF to lead a nationwide effort to honor America’s fallen firefighters. Since 1992, the non-profit foundation has developed and expanded programs that fulfill that mandate. Their mission is to honor and remember America’s fallen fire heroes, to provide resources to assist their families in rebuilding their lives, and to work within the fire service community to reduce firefighter deaths and injuries. Each year, the NFFF sponsors the official national tribute to all firefighters who died in the line of duty during the previous year. Thousands attend the weekend activities held at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland, to experience special programs for families and co-workers along with moving public ceremonies.

About Whelen Engineering… Whelen Engineering is a family-owned company with a pioneering spirit and a passion to protect the lives of those who protect and serve others. The company mission is to provide industry-defining safety solutions around the world, while creating a community of problem-solvers who are inspired to push boundaries and continue our legacy of delivering ground-breaking innovation. As a global leader in the emergency warning industry, Whelen has been trusted to perform since 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon. Whelen now encompasses two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space and the largest design staff in the industry. Every part of every Whelen product is proudly designed and manufactured in America. We embrace quality as our foundation, we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.

Meet Love… On Friday, August 23 at 5:05 p.m. ET, Love is scheduled to visit the RCR Merchandise Hauler in the Daytona International Speedway Midway to sign autographs. Stop by to meet the current Sunoco Rookie of the Year points leader and purchase new No. 2 gear.

JESSE LOVE QUOTES:

After a successful first Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway earlier this season, what are the expectations returning to the historic track?

“Winning the race is goal number one, but we want to be up front the entire race and secure more Playoff points. Our Richard Childress Racing Chevrolets are really good, especially at superspeedways, which makes my job as the driver easier. Our No. 2 team wants to be in just as good of a spot as the No. 21 team currently is when it comes to Playoff points. As a team, we have the ability to beat the No. 21. Obviously, the No. 21 team is the status quo when it comes to superspeedways, but we can challenge that. The No. 21 team supports the No. 2 team and vise versa, but there is still a positive, internal rivalry between the two cars. I feel like I’ve proven that I can hold my own and compete with Austin (Hill) at superspeedways. He did a better job than me at Daytona earlier this year, but I’ve learned a lot since then. Going back there, we want to win.”

You earned your first Xfinity Series victory at Talladega Superspeedway. Can you apply anything from that win to this weekend, even from a mindset standpoint?

“The win at Talladega Superspeedway helps because part of the field now wants to work with me more since I have won a superspeedway race. While I picked up the victory at Talladega, I didn’t run a perfect race. I let the emotions get the best of me towards the end of it and could have lost that one. Now that I’ve done it, I know what to do at the end of these races. I took a lot of learning lessons from Talladega to implement this weekend at Daytona. I feel confident that I can run a better race than I did at Talladega. That doesn’t mean I will win, but as far as controlling our own destiny, I’ll be a lot better at that than the last time we were at Daytona.”

Whelen is honoring the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, and the No. 2 team will host the fallen family members at the track this weekend. What does this mean to you personally?

“I got emotional when we unveiled this car a few months ago. Having folks come up and talk about their family members brought the magnitude of the cause to the forefront. It’s an honor to run not only the NFFF colors, but more importantly, the names of 226 individuals who died protecting our communities. I’m proud to represent a company in Whelen who takes care of the people who take care of us. Everyone on the No. 2 team is working extremely hard to win in Daytona, knowing what and who we are racing for this weekend.”

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation and Logistics/Global Industrial Chevrolet Camaro SS at Daytona International Speedway… Austin Hill has made six career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Daytona International Speedway, earning three victories (2022, 2023, 2024) and two pole positions (both 2023 races). The Winston, Georgia native has also competed in six NASCAR Truck Series events, securing the checkered flag in his 2019 victory.

Daytona Success… Hill returns to Daytona International Speedway looking for a single season sweep after claiming the checkered flag in the season opener in February. The No. 21 Richard Childress Racing driver has found Victory Lane three times in the last five Xfinity Series races at the World Center of Racing. If Hill is able to win Friday’s night race, the 30-year-old will be just the second driver in series history to accomplish the single season sweep – joining NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2003).

Milestone Anniversaries… Bennett Transportation & Logistics and Global Industrial have partnered together to highlight their milestone anniversaries at Daytona International Speedway. Bennett Transportation & Logistics celebrates 50 years of faith, family, and freight, while Global Industrial has provided industrial and MRO products for 75 years. Both anniversary logos are featured on the decklid of the No. 21 Chevrolet, while the car design showcases a diamond pattern for Global Industrial and gold accents for Bennett Transportation & Logistics.

About Bennett Family of Companies… McDonough-Ga. based Bennett Family of Companies is a woman-owned, Women’s Enterprise Business Council (WBENC) certified, diversified transportation and logistics company. Through its 14 affiliated operating companies, the Bennett Family of Companies delivers integrated transportation and supply chain management solutions worldwide. Bennett has 4,625 drivers/owner-operators, over 1,000 employees and 600 agents located across the United States. For more information, visit www.bennettig.com.

About Global Industrial Company… Global Industrial Company (NYSE:GIC), is a value-added distributor. For 75 years, Global Industrial has gone the extra mile for its customers, currently offering hundreds of thousands of industrial and MRO products needed to run businesses and facilities. Global Industrial is committed to its customer-centric strategy, and utilizes a team of subject matter experts, Global Industrial Exclusive Brands™ products and national vendor relationships to help customers succeed. Global Industrial. “We Can Supply That®”.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTES:

As the last race winner at Daytona International Speedway, what is the outlook and expectation heading back?

“Our expectation is to win the race for sure, but it’s not going to be easy. Outside of Jesse (Love), we don’t have a ton of help out there, so we will have to be smart and control the race from up front. Same as in February, our car should be fast enough to have a shot at the pole, which will hopefully give us the track position to start the race. We have to be aggressive and calculated with our moves. If we lose track position, it will be tough to get it back, because the rest of the field knows that we are one of the cars to beat for the win. At the end of the race, a little bit of luck has to be involved in these superspeedway races. We will need to have everything work out, but the number one goal is to get as many stage points as possible and then go for the win at the end.”

Does the August race at Daytona International Speedway have a different feel than the race in February?

“Yes, because with it being hotter outside, the track will be slicker. Handling comes into effect a little more, which is what we noticed last year in the Xfinity Series car. I am expecting the same with the Cup car this weekend. You’re going to have to have a balance of being trimmed out with raw speed and having drivability in your car to where, if you need to make big moves, you can.”

You’ve had a lot of success on superspeedways in your career. Is there a reason why?

“The biggest thing for me is I feel like Derek Kneeland (Xfinity Series spotter), and I are really aggressive from the start of the race. During Stage 1, we learn to set ourselves up for Stage 2 and Stage 3. That is not going to change any; it’s just something that we have always done. If we get big runs, we pull out of line to see if it works. The more that you can learn in Stage 1 to apply to Stage 2 and 3, it sets you up better for when you get in the final 10 or 20 laps. You can apply everything that has been learned early in the race. This is something that is carried over for every race I’ve ever run on a superspeedway and probably won’t change going forward.”

7 DECADES OF THE BIG GO: FIRST-TIME WINNERS ETCH OUT LEGACIES IN 2010s & 2020s AT TOYOTA NHRA U.S. NATIONALS

Current stars and champions like Capps, Kalitta, Torrence, Hagan, Todd and Enders enjoy first Indy victories and more

INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 22, 2024) – It’s been said that no racer’s legacy is complete without a win at the prestigious Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals. Known as the world’s biggest drag race, a victory in Indy is the one that every competitor wants and that will be the case at this year’s 70-year celebration of The Big Go on Aug. 28-Sept. 2 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

For nearly 70 years, racers have chased the ultimate glory at the Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals, including several marquee and star drivers who cashed in for the very first time during the 2010s and thus far in the 2020s.

Celebrating 70 years of The Big Go greatness brings us to the two most recent decades, which featured a flurry of first-time winners, many of whom waited a considerable time to taste success on drag racing’s grandest stage.

By 2015, many of the sport’s biggest current stars had not won in Indy, a list that included Ron Capps, Matt Hagan, Doug Kalitta, Erica Enders, J.R. Todd and Steve Torrence, an impressive group that now has more than 300 victories and 19 world championships combined. It took them time to find their Indy moment, but each has found the prestigious Indy winner’s circle in the past 10 years.

Enders, a six-time world champion and motorsports’ winningest female driver, broke though in the midst of her dominant 2015 campaign, following it up with Indy triumphs in 2020 and 2021.

Kalitta’s time came even later, as he could never find his footing at the U.S. Nationals. That all changed in 2019, as the veteran, who went on to claim his first career world championship in 2023, defeated Billy Torrence in the final round for his first Indy win. It came 25 years after his uncle and team owner, Connie Kalitta, picked up his lone Indy victory in 1994.

“I’m a real persistent guy, so I never give up,” Kalitta said in his post-race interview. “But it does make you wonder if you’re going to win it. After we got past the first round, I was thinking this was going to be a pretty good chance to win it.”

In 2017, both Todd and Torrence broke through, sharing the winner’s circle as first-time Indy winners in the professional ranks. Todd, who grew up not far from the facility, repeated the next year as well en route to his first world championship, while Torrence won again in 2021 as he finished the year with a fourth straight world championship.

Hagan, who claimed his fourth world championship last year, enjoyed his marquee Indy moment in 2016, while Capps had to stay (very) patient. After years of agonizing losses at The Big Go, Capps, who had done everything in his career but win Indy, finished the job on Labor Day Monday in 2022 in a spectacular moment he will always remember. The following year, though, was just as special, as Capps showcased a special paint scheme honoring Don “The Snake” Prudhomme. With Prudhomme in attendance, Capps went back-to-back in an Indy moment that will undoubtedly live forever.

In Top Fuel in the 2010s, Shawn Langdon won in 2013 for his first victory, adding another in 2020, while Antron Brown’s first Top Fuel win at Indy came in 2011, as well as back-to-back years in 2022 and 2023. Tony Schumacher’s 2016 victory gave him an incredible 10th victory at The Big Go, while Terry McMillen’s 2018 Indy victory serves as one of the biggest upset wins of the decade.

John Force Racing ran roughshod at Indy in the 2010s, winning for six straight years from 2008-2013. Ashley Force Hood won in 2010, defeating her father, John, in the final round, while Mike Neff took back-to-back wins and Robert Hight capped off the streak in 2013. Who broke it? It was Alexis DeJoria, who scored her biggest drag racing moment with her 2014 Indy victory. Jack Beckman, now driving for Force, claimed the Indy win in 2015, while Force’s fifth Funny Car win at The Big Go followed in 2019.

Other Indy highlights in the past decade-plus include Andrew Hines’ first Pro Stock Motorcycle win at the race (2012), Chris McGaha’s 2016 win in Pro Stock, Eddie Krawiec finishing the deal in 2014 in PSM, a pair of wins from Jerry Savoie in the 2010s and Greg Anderson getting his 100th career victory in 2022 at Indy.

Back to the present, what star will be next to pick up their first victory at the Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals? It’s not easy and standouts like Justin Ashley, Brittany Force, Bob Tasca III, Dallas Glenn and Gaige Herrera remain looking for their moment at the world’s biggest drag race.

This year would be an ideal one to win, as the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals promises to be one of the biggest in the illustrious history of The Big Go. It features the final Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge of the year and the Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout, as well as the special Sox & Martin Hemi Challenge presented by the McCandless Collection and the Rooftec Comp Cash Clash, along with racing in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™ and NHRA Holley EFI Factory X, plus:

A special 70th anniversary NHRA U.S. Nationals pennant for the first 8,000 fans in attendance for eliminations on Monday, Sept. 2.
Free parking for all fans and children 12-under admitted free.
An unforgettable Top Eliminator Club experience, including NHRA driver appearances, food and drink, TEC gift bag, starting line seats and much more.
The biggest field in drag racing, with more than 900 cars in attendance.

Last year, Brown (Top Fuel), Capps (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won, with Brown, Capps and Smith winning at Indy for the second straight year. This year’s race will again be broadcast on FOX and FS1, including eliminations on FOX at 2 p.m. ET on Monday, Sept. 2.

Kalitta currently leads the Top Fuel ranks, while Austin Prock’s debut season in Funny Car has been a huge success as he leads the way. Glenn is the Pro Stock points leader, while Herrera has six wins to his credit in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature one round at 6:45 p.m. ET on Friday, Aug. 30, two rounds at 12 and 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 31 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 12 and 3:00 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. ET on Monday, Sept 2.

The first round of the Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout takes place at 1:05 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 1, with the semifinals at 2:40 p.m. and the final round at 4:30 p.m. A special broadcast of the Callout takes place on FOX at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, and eliminations at 12 p.m. on FS1 on Monday, shifting to FOX at 2 p.m.

To purchase tickets to the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general admission area with a paid adult. For more information about NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.


About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 110 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.