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RCR Race Preview: Phoenix Raceway

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Official Release
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Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway… In 141 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway, Richard Childress Racing has scored six victories, led by Kevin Harvick with four wins (including a sweep of both races in 2006 plus fall races in 2012 and 2013). Ryan Newman was victorious in the 2017 Spring event. Dale Earnhardt won in 1990 to claim his ninth victory of the season enroute to his fourth of seven Cup Series championships.

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Phoenix Raceway… Richard Childress Racing has three NASCAR Xfinity Series wins by three different drivers at Phoenix Raceway: Elliott Sadler (2012), Clint Bowyer (2007) and Harvick (2006). The victory by Sadler ended a 91-race winless streak, while Bowyer led the most laps (120 of 200) on the way to the Winner’s Circle. The win by Harvick was one of nine victories he claimed on the way to his second Xfinity Series title with RCR. Both Jesse Love (second) and Austin Hill (fourth) claimed top-five finishes in March at Phoenix Raceway.

Championship 4 Weekend… Hill is competing for the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship on Saturday afternoon at Phoenix Raceway. Hill is seeking his first series title competing against AJ Allmendinger, Justin Allgaier, and Cole Custer. Richard Childress Racing is contending for its sixth Xfinity Series owner championship and will be racing against Joe Gibbs Racing (No. 20), Kaulig Racing (No. 16) and JR Motorsports (No. 7).

Did You Know? Richard Childress Racing has won five Xfinity Series driver championships (2001, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2019) – tied with RFK Racing for the most all-time. RCR has also won five Xfinity Series owner championships (2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2019) – second-most all-time.

Catch the Action on Saturday… The NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway will be televised live on Saturday, November 9, beginning at 7 p.m. ET on the CW. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Follow Sunday’s Action at Phoenix Raceway… The NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway will be televised live on Sunday, November 10, beginning at 3 p.m. ET on NBC. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Dow Salutes Veterans Chevrolet at Phoenix Raceway… Austin Dillon has 21 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway to his credit, earning two top-10 finishes. Dillon finished 12th in 2023’s fall event at the Arizona track. The North Carolina native has 11 starts at the one-mile oval in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, with a career-best finish of second in November 2016. Dillon has three top-10 finishes and one top-five finish in three starts in the NASCAR Truck Series at Phoenix Raceway.

Dow brings a science and engineering crew who is driven by limitless curiosity to the RCR Team… Dillon and the RCR team are again supported by Dow’s materials science expertise and technologies this season. Backed by the power of data analysis and virtual modeling, Dow develops and manufactures high-performance components and materials custom-made for the No. 3 car. Dow and RCR’s partnership has expedited innovation and shortened testing time in the automotive industry by using one of the most extreme environments – the racetrack – as a real-time testbed. After 11 years of collaboration, Dow scientists and RCR engineers are continuing to work together to make the No. 3 car faster, safer, and more precise. Stay up to date with Dow’s exciting developments at www.dow.com/sports, and follow them on X (@DowSports) and LinkedIn (Dow Sports Marketing Solutions).

Dow Salutes Veterans… More than 2,000 U.S. Military Veterans will “ride” with Dillon at Phoenix Raceway this weekend. His patriotic No. 3 Dow Salutes Veterans Chevrolet features the names of U.S. Military Veterans and active-duty military members. The 2024 Dow Salutes Veterans Chevrolet highlights Dow’s Military Degree Equivalency (MDE) program. The MDE program provides an opportunity for individuals with extensive military background to bring their broad scope of training and education, experience in leadership, and understanding of performing in high pressure situations into a successful career at Dow. 2024 marks the 10th consecutive year that Dow has partnered with RCR to honor U.S. Military veterans. The program began with just over 350 veterans in 2015.

Meet Dillon… Dillon and his RCR teammate, Kyle Busch, are scheduled to make an appearance on behalf of RCR partner BetMGM at the BetMGM Sportsbook at Gila River Resort & Casino – Vee Quiva (15091 S. Komatke Lane Laveen Village, AZ 85339) on Friday, November 7th at 7 p.m. local time. On Sunday, November 10 at 8:45 a.m. local time, Dillon is scheduled to visit the Team Chevy Stage in the Midway at Phoenix Raceway.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:

What are your thoughts on racing at Phoenix Raceway this weekend?

“The last few years Phoenix Raceway has seen changes, and I think it’s made the track more challenging, which makes it fun for drivers. It’s is a tough short track and one of those places where you hit it or don’t. Phoenix Raceway could be a good place for the No. 3 Dow Salutes Veterans Chevrolet team on Sunday. We have a long practice on Friday. The goal is to get a good starting position on Saturday and finish out the season on a high note.”

How special is it to you personally to have the names of more than 2,000 veterans on the car this weekend?

“This Dow Salutes Veterans program is so special, and it’s especially meaningful to be able to ride with these military heroes on Veterans Day weekend. Dow’s emphasis on supporting their employee veterans is a shared core value that directly correlates to the patriotism of everyone at RCR and within NASCAR. It’s been amazing to see the spiderweb-like growth of the Dow Salutes Veterans program. The names on the car grow each year, as does the impact and scope this program has on Dow employees worldwide. It means a lot to me, personally, to meet a lot of the veterans who are featured on the car each year and to have a chance to honor our Nation’s true heroes – veterans and active-duty military – for their service and dedication.”

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 3CHI Chevrolet at Phoenix Raceway… Kyle Busch will make his 39th career Phoenix Raceway start in the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend. Busch has three wins at the track (2005, 2018, and 2019), which ranks second among active drivers. He also has 12 top-five finishes. His 26 top-10 finishes are the most by any active driver at Phoenix, and Busch has logged a top-10 in 68.42 percent of his starts. Busch has won four pole positions and is tied with Ryan Newman for most poles all-time at the Arizona track. The driver of the 3CHI Chevrolet is also the all-time lap leader at one-mile oval (1,190).

Did You Know? Busch holds the record for both the youngest race winner and pole winner in track history at Phoenix Raceway. Busch captured his first Phoenix victory in November 2005 (20 years, 6 months, and 11 days) and won his first pole in March 2006 (20 years, 11 months, and 20 days).

3CHI Blazed the Trail for Another Industry First… 3CHI began with roots as a CBD producer and quickly became a pioneer in science-based hemp and cannabis innovation. The company was the first to commercially develop and market Delta 8 THC, and today, 3CHI is an industry leader with unsurpassed product quality and purity as verified by top independent labs and benchmark organizations. 3CHI products are sold in a majority of the United States, and the company produces and markets a variety of gummies, tinctures, lotions, edibles and vape products. All 3CHI products meet federal requirements for full legal compliance, with a commitment to promoting responsible adult use. See 3CHI.com for more information.

KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:

Do you race the drivers in the Championship 4 any differently at Phoenix Raceway? Do you try to give them extra room?

“You definitely don’t want to put yourself in a spot where you take out a Championship 4 contender. It’s important to be mindful of everything going on around you but you’re also not just going to just layover and give positions away.”

How important is it to end this season on a positive note with a strong run at Phoenix Raceway?

“I’m not sure that I would put any more emphasis on Phoenix Raceway than I would at any other week prior because I think every race is important. Phoenix is a track and this is a race that you want to be ready for when it becomes your turn to be in the Championship 4, so building all of your notes this weekend is really important.”

Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet at Phoenix Raceway… Jesse Love has made one career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Phoenix Raceway, earning a runner up finish earlier this season while piloting the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet. Despite only having one Xfinity Series outing at the Arizona oval, the 19-year-old has completed over 1,000 laps at the one-mile track. Love has one NASCAR Truck Series start at Phoenix Raceway, earning a fourth-place result (2023) in just his third series event. In addition, Love has seven starts in ARCA Menards Series competition at the facility, posting a best finish of second (2022) and three top-10 results.

Rookie of the Year… Love enters the final race of the Xfinity Series season atop the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings. Love has mathematically clinched the 2024 honors but will not be officially awarded until the Menlo Park, California native finishes the season in good standing, per the program guidelines and eligibility.

Season in Review… Through 32 races of the 2024 Xfinity Series season, Love has claimed one win, five poles, seven top-five, and 17 top-10 finishes. The rookie has led a total of 335 laps and completed 97.8 percent (5006 of 5116) of the laps competed.

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 Saturday, November 9 at 3:15 p.m. local time, Love is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Trailer located in the Midway at Phoenix Raceway. Stop by to meet the RCR Xfinity Series young gun and purchase new gear.

JESSE LOVE QUOTE:

With one race remaining, describe your season as a whole.

“I’m proud of the effort and year that our No. 2 team has had. Everything might not have turned out exactly like we hoped, and we had a stretch during the summer months that didn’t produce the best results, but we learned a lot throughout the season. There is a lot to be proud of for our group. With capturing our first win as a team, and also Whelen’s first win, and running consistently week in and week out, we put ourselves in position to earn Rookie of the Year honors. We obviously hoped to be running for a championship this weekend at Phoenix Raceway, but we still have a job to do. We had a strong race here earlier this season and if we do everything right, we should have an opportunity to compete for the race win again this weekend. That would be a nice way to enter the offseason and come back even stronger in 2025.”

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet at Phoenix Raceway… Austin Hill has five career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Phoenix Raceway, earning a best finish of fourth earlier this season while piloting the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet. In addition, Hill has five NASCAR Truck Series starts at the Arizona speedway, notching one pole (2019) and one top-10 result (2021).

Championship Chasing… Hill is making his first career Championship 4 appearance this weekend. After earning regular season championship trophies in both the NASCAR Truck Series and the Xfinity Series, the 30-year-old currently chases his first season title. The 2024 season marks Hill’s third Xfinity Series Playoff appearance.

Rearview Mirror… Through 32 races of the 2024 Xfinity Series campaign, Hill has captured four wins, one pole, 11 top-five, and 19 top-10 finishes. The Winston, Georgia native has led a total of 240 laps and completed 95.1 percent (4865 of 5116) of laps competed.

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.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTES:

What is your mindset heading into Phoenix Raceway, where you will race for your first NASCAR championship?

“Throughout my career, I’ve always said that I just want a chance. I simply wanted a shot at the final four and to fight for a championship, and we now have that chance. My mindset is to put it all on the line. The No. 21 team has the confidence and ability to win at Phoenix Raceway, just as good as anyone else that we are racing against. Everyone at Richard Childress Racing and ECR Engines deserves this opportunity. It hasn’t been the smoothest season for us. We’ve had our share of ups and downs, but we are confident going into championship weekend. I’m doing my best to soak in all the moments.”

Were you surprised that it took three years for you to make it to the Championship 4 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series?

“A little bit, just because we have had speed each and every year. Last season, we won the regular season championship, had the extra bonus points, and felt good about each of the tracks in the Playoffs, but it still didn’t work out. It goes to show how hard it is to make it to the final four and what a privilege it is. I can tell you all the scenarios of why we should have been in the Championship 4 the last two years, but this one all came together for us. I’ve definitely learned things from the last two years that I’ve applied to this season though. At the end of the day, you have to be perfect in the Playoffs. You can’t afford to have bad days. And if you do have a bad day, you have to execute and win the race the next weekend.”

What are your chances entering Phoenix Raceway?

“I feel really good about it. I’ve been prepping – watching film and in-car cameras from last year’s championship race – since the Monday after winning at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Our No. 21 team is putting in the work both in the shop and in the simulator to be as prepared as possible. 100% of our efforts are focused on this weekend. When we strap in for 200 laps on Saturday, we will give it our best shot. If that ends up with us as the champion, great. If that ends up with us as fourth out of four, we are still going to hold our heads up high, because we know that we had a shot at it. We have a stout group to go up against, so we have to bring our A game.”

7 Tips To Keep Your Porsche in the Best Condition

By
SM
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Porsche
Photo by rclassenlayouts at https://depositphotos.com/

Nothing quite compares to the feel of owning a Porsche, and once you’ve got one, you’ll become obsessed with ensuring that it stays in mint condition…which is probably why you’re reading this article, am I right? 

Trust me, it’s not that difficult to do when you know what to pay attention to. You’ve come to the right place because here, we’ll give you the best tips for maintaining your Porsche. 

1. Check your tyres on the regular

When it comes to the most essential parts of your car, tyres are high up on the list – which is why it’s essential to check on them consistently. Not checking your tyres regularly means there’s a chance you could drive with a slow leak, a dented rim or wheels that are out of alignment, so make a habit of checking them frequently before you hit the road. One thing you need to know about most Porsche tyres is that the front and back tyres aren’t interchangeable. 

2. Let the professionals handle services

The way to ensure that you can enjoy your Porsche for as long as possible is to send it in for a regular service. Look at yout driver’s manual to check for what the best intervals are for services – one year intervals work for most models (depending on how often and how much they’re being driven). You can learn more about what to check when getting a Porsche serviced, here. 

3. Shield it from the elements

While you want to take your Porsche out and show it off to the rest of the world, you need to try to keep it out of the sun and protected from the other elements as much as possible. The harmful UV rays can cause its colour to fade prematurely, and for anyone who lives near the coast, ensure it’s protected from the salty air and spray because once rust sets in, it spreads like wildfire. The best way to protect your Porsche is to park it in a shaded area or cover it with a tarpaulin any time it’s in the sun. Also, it’s essential to give it a good washdown if you’ve been driving anywhere near the ocean. 

4. Keep an eye on the coolant system

Another aspect of having a Porsche is that you need to check the coolant system regularly if you want it to remain in prime condition. This is because leaks in the coolant system of a Porsche are sometimes incredibly difficult to detect, so it’s best to monitor it. 

5. Oil checks are pivotal 

One of the things that can make all the difference in how long your Porsche lasts is ensuring the engine oil is good. Sometimes, all it needs is a good oil change, and your baby will run like new. For a high-quality ride, you can’t settle for low-quality engine oil, as this will put your Porsche’s engine at risk of developing huge issues. It’s best to see to it that the engine oil is changed at least once a year or after driving 16000 kilometres. 

6. Observe the dashboard alerts

The dashboard signals are not suggestions, and as soon as one appears, you need to act promptly and not ignore any of them. Whenever something pops up, take it to a professional Porsche mechanic who will know exactly how to resolve the issue and not cause any others. 

7. Maintain its battery health

Another key component you need to pay attention to on your Porsche is battery health. For those who live in hotter regions, you need to pay special attention to the battery as they do tend to deteriorate faster when there is constant heat. Along with battery, ensure you check on all the other connections to the battery as well. 

Can you use aftermarket parts?

Look, whether you choose to use OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts or aftermarket parts is going to come down to a few different factors, and both come with their own benefits and drawbacks. Ideally everyone should be using OEM parts, but realistically, they’re very expensive, so there is definitely a value in using aftermarket parts too. However, if you want to keep your Porsche in mint condition, only use OEM parts.

Final Thoughts 

To keep your Porsche in the best possible condition for as long as possible, you need to take the necessary precautions. By keeping these eight key tips in mind, you should be able to keep your car in good knick. 

Blaney, Logano, Reddick, and Byron battle it out for the 2024 championship title

By
SM Staff
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Blaney, Logano, Reddick, and Byron

NASCAR heads to Phoenix Raceway this weekend for the highly anticipated 2024 season finale. The four drivers will compete for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series championship title.

Blaney goes for another championship title

Reigning Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney is prepared for a tough battle heading into the weekend, attempting to capture the 2024 championship title.

“Everyone’s going to be strong. I don’t think there’s like any favorites, to be honest with you,” Blaney said. “And I never look at favorites when it gets to the Champ 4 because everyone’s there for a reason. They’re all teams that are really fast, and they’re gonna be fast no matter what, any given weekend, at any given track.”

Blaney has three wins, 11 top fives, 17 top 10s, one pole, and the seventh-best season-to-date driver rating of 89.3.

Will it be three times?

Two-time Cup Series champion Joey Logano has three wins, six top fives, 12 top 10s, three poles, and the ninth-best season-to-date driver rating of 84.2. Logano will be making his sixth appearance in the Championship 4 since the format was introduced in 2014. Logano aims to become the 10th driver to win at least three titles, joining legends like Tony Stewart, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, David Pearson, and Lee Petty, four-time champion Jeff Gordon, and seven-time titleholders Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, and Richard Petty.

For the second year in a row, Byron attempts to capture his first championship title

In his second Championship 4 Round appearance, William Byron will attempt to win his first NASCAR Cup Series championship and the 37th different driver to win it. This season, Byron has three wins, 12 top fives, 20 top 10s, one pole, and the fifth-best season-to-date driver rating of 91.8.

“It’s a short week for sure, you’re not home much because of obligations and just prepping for the weekend. It’s a lot of fun though. I enjoyed being a part of it last year. I feel like I learned a lot, not just for on-track but also off-track and what my routine would be going back this year. It’s something as a competitor you want to be a part of.” Byron said.

“For us, we had really good qualifying last year. We qualified on the pole which was awesome. We just need to continue and improve for sure. We want to try to be better through out the whole race though, especially the last run. That’s the part of the race that means the most, you don’t get paid for the first two stages, only the end.” Byron added.

Reddick attempts to capture his first championship

Tyler Reddick has three wins, 12 top fives, 20 top 10s, three poles, and the sixth-best season-to-date driver rating of 90.0. This is Reddick’s first Championship 4-round appearance and his first chance to win it. If he wins the championship, he will become the fourth driver to win the regular season championship and the championship title in the same season.

NASCAR Cup Series 2024 Championship 4 Round Drivers at Phoenix Raceway

RankDriverRacesPolesWinsTop 5sTop 10sDNFsAverage FinishDriver Rating
1Ryan Blaney1730812210.999.2
2Joey Logano3123816513.593.4
3Tyler Reddick90023117.982.3
4William Byron131127011.893.6

You can also read the weekend schedule and catch all the racing action this weekend.

The Craftsman Truck Series finale at Phoenix is scheduled for Friday, November 8th, at 8 pm Eastern time on FS1. The Xfinity Series finale will follow suit on the CW Network on Saturday, November 9, at 7 pm Eastern time. The Cup Series finale will cap off the weekend on Sunday, November 10, at 3 pm Eastern time on NBC.

Trackhouse Racing denied Overturn of Martinsville Penalties from Appeals Panel; RCR, 23XI withdraw appeal attempt

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Trackhouse Racing lost its appeal in overturning the penalties levied to the organization’s No. 1 Chevrolet team for violating the Member Code of Conduct section from the NASCAR Rule Book following this past weekend’s Cup Series Playoff event at Martinsville Speedway.

The No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet team piloted by Ross Chastain was one of three teams that came under scrutiny during the Martinsville event, where they and Richard Childress Racing’s No. 3 Chevrolet team piloted by Austin Dillon were both forming a side-by-side roadblock for Chevrolet teammate William Byron in the closing laps. During the time, Byron, a 2024 Cup Series Playoff contender, was trying to nurse his ill-handling car and race his way into the Championship 4 round over Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell.

Ultimately, Byron would finish ahead of both Dillon and Chastain on the track in sixth place while Bell initially crossed the finish line in 18th place after he overtook Toyota teammate Bubba Wallace, who had fallen off the pace after claiming that he had a right-front tire going down, and accelerated his car against the outside wall through Turns 3 and 4 approaching the finish line during the final lap. Bell, however, would be relegated to 22nd place for illegally maneuvering his way to gain a spot to make the Championship 4 round by scraping the wall, which enabled Byron to claim the final title berth by four points.

Two days after the event, Chastain along with Dillon and 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace were all levied massive penalties for attempting to manipulate the outcome of the Martinsville finish by providing an on-track advantage for their respective Playoff manufacturer teammates. The penalties levied included a $100,000 fine to both the drivers and owners, a dock of 50 driver/owner points and a one-race suspension to the competition executive, crew chief and spotter.

Following the announcement of the penalties, all three of the competitors’ teams (Richard Childress Racing, Trackhouse Racing and 23XI Racing) declared intentions to appeal the penalties. By Thursday, November 7, Richard Childress Racing and 23XI Racing withdrew their penalty attempt, which left Trackhouse as the lone team attempting to appeal.

Upon hearing Trackhouse’s appeal attempt, the National Motorsports Appeal Panel ruled that the team violated the initial rules set forth within the NASCAR Rule Book and upheld the penalties levied. As a result, Chastain’s crew chief Phil Surgen, spotter Brandon McReynolds and competition executive Tony Lunders remain suspended from participating in this weekend’s 2024 Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway. Despite being docked 50 points, Chastain remains in 19th place in the driver’s standings.

Following the decision of Trackhouse’s penalties being upheld, the panel, which included Kelly Housby, Lyn St. James and Steve York, released the following statement.

“We feel in the best interest of racing and to protect the integrity of the sport, it was appropriate to uphold and affirm NASCAR’s decision with regard to the NASCAR rule 4.4, attempting to manipulate the outcome of the race.”

In addition, Trackhouse took to social media to announce that the team will not be attempting to appeal the National Motorsports Appeals Panel’s decision to the Final Appeals Officer and focus to Phoenix.

The penalties also resulted with the suspensions of crew chief Justin Alexander, spotter Brandon Benesch and team executive Keith Rodden from Richard Childress Racing, and crew chief Bootie Barker, spotter Freddie Kraft and team executive Dave Rogers from 23XI Racing. With the points penalties, Wallace dropped from 17th to 18th in the standings while Dillon dropped from 28th to 33rd in the standings.

No penalties were levied to Christopher Bell’s No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota team and to William Byron’s No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team, the latter of whom will be contending for the 2024 Cup Series championship against Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano along with 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick.

The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season is set to conclude this upcoming Sunday, November 10, at Phoenix Raceway for the 2024 Championship Race, where a champion will be crowned. The finale’s broadcast time is slated to commence at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.

Toyota Racing – NCTS Championship 4 Media Day – Corey Heim – 11.07.24

By
Official Release
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Toyota Racing – Corey Heim
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Quotes

AVONDALE, Ariz. (November 8, 2024) – TRICON Garage driver Corey Heim was made available to the media on Thursday as part of Championship 4 media day at Phoenix Raceway.

COREY HEIM, No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

Can you talk about your extension for next year?
“I’m super excited to be back with TRICON for my third full-time season. Those guys have been so good to me over to course of my first two full-time seasons, got one more left, but just had so much development with them over the past two years, and feel like I’ve grown so much as a driver and can’t wait to keep doing the same thing.”

As far as Phoenix goes, how well suited do you feel like you are against your competitors?

“I feel good about it. I feel like throughout the year, we’ve done well at similar style of race tracks like Gateway and maybe a (North) Wilkesboro or something like that, closer to a mile long race track with fresher pavement. Anything can happen, and the points are reset so, I’ve got to beat these three guys to my left, but I feel really good about it. We’ve been good all year and can’t wait to keep it going.”

Do you feel like you have some unfinished business after this race last year?

“I feel like any new opportunity and new race, is a new chance for me to go out and improve myself and win. I don’t feel like this is any different. I don’t flash back to last year as a redemption for any means, but I’m as motivated as anyone in the room to go and win the championship.”

What have you learned since last year’s Championship 4 that will make you the champion this year?

“I certainly learned a lot from last year – circumstantially and how to handle myself in tough situations. I feel like every race I’ve grown as a driver, and I feel like I’ve done that every year at TRICON since I’ve started out with those guys. Last year was my maiden full-time voyage and I learned a lot on the way to points race and how to put myself in position, now that I have the full season under my belt and can run it back, I can improve on that from last year and I feel even better about it.”

Is there an ideal lane to be in on restarts?

“I feel like it is up for discussion. Last year, they had that weird restart lane movement. They moved it like 100, 200 feet forward, and it actually made it pretty outside dominant, but this year, with it being back it it’s normal spot, I feel like you can get away with either lane. It will be interesting to see how that works out.”

Do you feel like your trucks are as good as they were in the middle of the season?

“Yeah, I certainly do. A lot of people have talked about us being a little more hit or miss this year. Compared to last year, I feel like we were always top-five, but couldn’t close them out. This year, I think we are dominating winning or kind of struggling a little bit. I feel like our stuff is as good as anybody’s when we are on point, and we just have to make sure that we are on point this weekend.”

Did you have time to get away or are you focused on the race itself?
“That’s a good question. I feel like this year, I’ve learned a lot about how to disconnect during the week and be able to take some time for myself to keep my mind healthy and ready to go. This week isn’t any different. I feel like if I would have consumed myself with the race this weekend and worried about it 24/7, I feel like it would have kind of messed me up a little bit. I’ve had a pretty healthy mixture of focusing on the race and studying and getting dialed in, and also disconnecting and focusing on myself as well.”

How important is qualifying?

“It’s big. Last year, we were able to qualify on the pole and we were able to execute in the first two stages and put us in a pretty good spot. A lot of people talk about how hard it is to pass here, and it is definitely tough, so qualifying up front is definitely going to be pretty big.”

Are you worried at all the race is going to end in a crash fest like last year?

“I try not to think about that too much, to be honest with you. Our goal is to go out and lead the most laps, and never have to pass anyone – just go out and dominate. That is definitely the goal, but I guess you always have that chance that it will turn into a mess. It is a very high stakes weekend, and you saw that last year. My goal is to keep it clean and win the championship.”

Is part-time Xfinity and part-time Cup part of the plan for next year too?

“Still wait see. Definitely going to do the full-time voyage with TRICON Garage, and kind of working on some other stuff.”

How much has changed with you, your competitors and your program since this race last year?

“I feel like I’ve developed and learned a lot since the race last year. We had so much speed and were able to execute up to stage three. The goal this year is to close these races out. I feel like the entire 2023 season, I kind of struggled to close the races out, and that was kind of the name of the game for us, we were able to put together a great first and second stage and be there in position in stage three and weren’t, on my end, able to close out the deal. This year, I’ve definitely gotten better at that, and I hope to have that in this championship race.”

Did you look at other options before resigning with TRICON?

“There are always options on the table, but I never had a doubt that – my development with Toyota Racing has led me to where I am today, and it will get through to the future as well. It wasn’t a hard decision.”

Is the truck for Phoenix one that you’ve used before?

“We’ve run it at times and have been quite successful with it. We’ve made some changes at certain race tracks that we thought were questionable, so we’ve kind of gone back to the basics with our TRICON Tundra TRD Pro and hope to get back to victory lane this weekend.”

Do you know what truck you are racing this weekend?

“I do.”

What track has it raced before?

“It has raced at a couple of races in the fall, I’ll put it that way.”

Was it important to get the deal for 2025 announced and out of the way?
“For me, not really. I don’t have to worry about that in the background. I guess it was maybe a little overdue since it is so late in the season, but no, I feel good about the timing of it, and looking forward to the championship race and 2025 with TRICON.”

What has been the vibe that has held this group together for this weekend and into the future?

“I feel like we just do such a good job at staying consistent. My crew chief Scott Zipadelli has such a level head. He does a really good job of being a leader and keeping us all with level heads with the team. We never really have our highs and lows. I feel like, from an emotional standpoint, we are always really consistent. We keep a level head going into any race weekend, and this one will be the same. Everyone is dialed in and focused. They’ve worked their butts off these last seven-to-10 days getting this Phoenix truck ready and put a lot of work in this weekend as well. Super thankful for those guys and everything they do and wouldn’t be here without them.”

Are there things that you have worked on as a driver to be able to close out races more?
“I think a lot of it is just experience. Last year was my first full-time year, and I was able to keep a level head and put myself in a good position for stages one and two. Just feel like there was some circumstances – green flag pit stops were tough. It’s hard when you don’t have a lot of experience in that kind of stuff. I made some of my own mistakes on those. Late race restarts where you have to kind of be clutch – just getting those extra laps and extra reps in throughout last year and leading into this year was really big for me. I feel like the experience out of it has really paid off for me.”

Is there a chip on your shoulder with how last year ended?

“Not from what happened with racing and wrecking side of what happened in the championship race last year. I feel like we just had so much speed and had a really good opportunity to close out that race and didn’t. That has certainly put a chip on my shoulder to come back and do it this year. I think we were the best truck out of the four, last year, and to come back and have a shot at it again has definitely put a chip on my shoulder for sure.”

Is there anything you like to do when you come out to Phoenix?

“I really like Phoenix in general. I don’t know if there is anything specific that I would say that I do when I get here – the first thing I do when I get off the plane. I enjoy the atmosphere here. It is definitely colder than I expected, but it is an awesome place. I think it is a great environment for a championship race. It gets a lot of criticism for the racing product, but honestly, I think this place puts on a pretty good show, and I can’t wait to get out there.”

What has it been like working with your childhood hero, Denny Hamlin?

“Denny (Hamlin) has been a great role model for me the past year. I’ve been leaning on him a lot on the racing side, but also off of the race track. He has just been such a great role model for me. I feel like he has helped with my development as well, just being able to race Nashville with those guys, 23XI, and just thankful for those opportunities and hopeful for many more.”

What can you take from the experience last year to help with this year?

“I think the experience last year will be big for me – just learning how to handle tough situations. There was a lot of criticism from that race, but I feel like every race this year has developed me and made me into a better driver. I think the more laps and more reps I get, the more tough environments and tough situations that I have had to deal with has developed me into a better race car driver, and I feel like I am better than I was a year ago. The goal remains the same to go out and win the race.”

Do you think it is a battle between you and Christian after the success you both have had this season?

“It has been fun racing with Christian (Eckes) this year. He’s been on top of his game pretty much every week. I think he has a pretty crazy top-10 streak or something going on right now. I’ve raced with him for a long time – ever since I started out in late models. It’s been seven or eight years I’ve been racing against him. It’s cool to see him have the success he’s had this year, but like you said, there will be other trucks to be worried about. It is the Championship 4 after all. It just matters who peaks at the right time. I guess we will see. We will just have to be on top of our game, and we will be there at the end.”

Why shouldn’t Ty or Grant be counted out?

“I think looking at Grant (Enfinger). He’s peaked at the right time. He’s won two of the last three. You look at Ty (Majeski) and he is really good at these style of race tracks. He led a lot last year. I think he was probably the best truck other than us in the championship race last year. I think he won the first stage and was there all night. With the format, and this being a one race claim all format, I feel like who is ever there and hits it at the right time kind of gets there. I feel like we were really good last year and hit it at the right time in the championship race in 2023 and obviously, things didn’t go our way, but we will just have to do that again, and hope things do fall our way this time.”

Is there something that you can take from last year’s experience that helps you this year?

“I feel like last year, I didn’t know how to feel going into the race. I’ve never been in situation like this where it is a one race claims everything, one race wins everything kind of format. I was obviously nervous going into the race, but I prepared really hard, and I felt really good going into it. Looking back at it, I think I’ve just learned to enjoy the moment. You don’t get these opportunities every day, so I’m honestly feeling pretty good about it – pretty loose compared to last year, and can’t wait to get out there.”

So, there is no nerves now?

“You are always going to be nervous. I think – right now – I’m pretty calm ready to go, but I think when you strap in and get ready for qualifying, that is when you first start kind of feeling it. If anyone tells you they are not nervous, they are definitely lying.”

What would it mean to you to bring a championship to Johnny Gray and David Gilliland?

“It would mean everything. Those guys are so committed to their game, and have done such an incredible job these last two seasons of being a championship caliber race team, and to make that into a championship winning race team, would mean the world to me and them as well. They deserve it and so do my guys.”

What have you learned about yourself these last two seasons?

“I don’t know. I feel like I just really learned kind of how to mentally prepare for these races. The preparation side has always been pretty key to my success and being able to mentally focus going into a race weekend. Over the last couple of years, I’ve kind of learned what matters and what doesn’t in a given week on preparing for a race. Just being able to spend some time for myself and be able to feel mentally cleansed going into a race weekend and not feel so overloaded with information, on the preparation side of things. Just a healthy balance and all of that kind of stuff leads to good things as well.”

From a mental health aspect, how prepared are you for tomorrow night?

“I feel good. Business as usual for me for any given race week. I’ve definitely spent more time on the simulator than I normally would for a given week, but the stakes are pretty high this week, so I’m okay with that, but also just taking some time for myself to think about it. I had an early week fly out this week, so just kind of settling in and getting ready.”

Was there any part of you that would rather run full-time Xfinity?

“Yes and no. Making my select Xfinity starts this year, I certainly feel like I’ve learned a lot, and it has helped my development, but I don’t think there has been a lack of development in the Truck Series for me, and the opportunities and the development I’ve been given the last two seasons has grown me into a better race car driver and I feel like I’ve been ready for those select Cup starts I’ve made as well. The goal at the end of the day is to be full time Cup – that’s the long-term goal. I don’t think there is any lack of development opportunities in the Truck Series, so I’m okay with doing that again.”

Is there a plan and path for Cup for you?
“Yeah, Toyota Racing has given me a lot of opportunities in the last few seasons to develop and given me opportunities to make select Cup starts. I’ve been the reserve driver for LEGACY MC and 23XI this year, and those have given me two opportunities on the reserve side and one opportunity for a planned race with 23XI. You never know when those next opportunities will come up, of course being a reserve driver, but I think Toyota Racing has gotten me to this point, and I’m confident that they can get me to Cup.”

Was there any thought that you might be racing this weekend in Cup?
“Certainly a little bit, yeah. It was a pretty rare situation, I guess, with Martinsville, and you just never know. There was a little bit of question on that for sure.”

You and Ty had your issues in ARCA, so is it frustrating that it sounds like Joe Gibbs Racing isn’t an option or do you feel like you have a path?

“I feel like that topic is so over pushed. I don’t think that is a big situation by any means. I’ve had good opportunities in the Truck Series. I’ve had good opportunities in the Xfinity Series. I don’t think there has been any lack of opportunity for me in the past couple of years, and I don’t think there will be any lack of opportunity for me going forward either.”

What has this season been like being able to make those select starts in the other series?

“I’ve been busy this year, and I think that is really important for a young driver, like myself, to develop and get those opportunities. You see like guys like Connor Zilisch – he’s been racing anything every week he possibly can, and he has done a really good job. It really proves that, every week is really important to get in the seat of a race car, and I’ve been pretty happy with my opportunities to do that this year. Hopefully, I can do the same next year.”

What are your thoughts going into the final race?

“I feel really good. We finally get a longer practice session, which has been nice. Some opportunities to make some bigger changes than a typical race weekend. I feel really good about it. Looking back at last year, we had a lot of speed and had a really good opportunity to close our race out and things didn’t fall our way. This year in 2024, we want to be able to close this one out. Come with a chip on our shoulder to succeed and I think we approach this weekend no different than any other. We want to win the race and championship of course. I think everyone is feeling really good about it.”

Are you feeling more mellow this week after going through this experience last year?

“Yeah, 100%. He’s pretty spot on with that. I feel like last year I didn’t really know how to feel going into the Championship 4 race. I had nerves of course and I guess fear of not succeeding or not being good, but the moment I strapped in and got ready for practice I felt like I was ready to go and proved – we qualified on the pole and led a lot of laps and put together a decent showing in the first two stages. It definitely knocks off some of the edge being back for the second time in the Championship 4. It’s definitely not just another race for us. It’s very high stakes and everything is on the line, but I definitely feel ready and prepared.”

What was the team dinner like last night?

“It’s always good to spend time with those guys. We don’t get a lot of opportunities to kind of chill out before races. We fly out a day early for these west coast races I guess rather. Everyone seems definitely tired – they’ve been working hard these last couple days. I think they worked through the weekend. But everyone is ready to go. We’re bringing our best equipment; we’re bringing our best stuff. Everyone’s kind of worn out and got a good night’s rest last night getting ready, but I think we’re ready to go.”

What do you think your changes are in Friday night’s race?

“I feel good. I never really overlook into my competitors. I just kind of like to focus on myself for the most part and make sure that we have everything where we need it to be. These guys are no joke. Christian (Eckes), Grant (Enfinger) and Ty (Majeski) have put together great seasons and definitely deserve to be here. It’s not going to be easy but I’m very confident that we can get it done.”

Knowing you’ll be back next year, does it give you security knowing this is something you can build on win or lose?

“Not necessarily. I feel like this is a big opportunity and this is the championship. I don’t think we’re going to be okay with losing. I think it’s a big deal, but that’s not to say that we don’t have an opportunity to do it again next year. I think our goal would be to win both of them, right? I don’t think it’s going to make us feel any better if we don’t win it, but our plan is to go out and do it.”

Does it give you more security knowing that the nucleus of the team will be back together in 2025?

“Yeah, as far as my comments going into next season, sure. Those guys are very key in my success. I wouldn’t be able to do it without them. They’ve brought me an incredible Tundra TRD Pro in 2023 and 2024 season and it’s led to our nine or however many wins it was over the last two seasons. Definitely gives me a lot of security looking ahead to 2025 to have that same success and build on that but looking at this championship race we’ve got to execute for sure.”

What did you want to get better at going into this season?

“I think the main thing for me was being able to close out races. 2023 I feel like we were able to put together a really good qualifying effort and stage one and two effort, but there were a lot of races we weren’t able to close out. Looking at this year, I feel like we’ve done a better job at that. If we had the speed the first two stages or maybe if we were close to having the speed the first two stages, we’ve been able to close these races out and add to that win column so that was something I worked on mentally. Just being able to reset for stage 3 and close out these races and I think it’s definitely paid off.”

What do you mean by resetting for stage 3?

“You have the guaranteed first two cautions with stage one and two so you just have to kind of buckle up and get ready for that last little stint. There’s a good opportunity for a good pit stop and some crucial restarts at the end to execute on. That’s when you have to give it all you’ve got. I think people sort of maybe take it easy a little bit in stage one and two – kind of settle in. I feel like that’s where I was really comfortable in 2023 but looking at this year, I feel like I’ve gotten more comfortable closing these races out and executing when it matters the most.”

What is the mental part of racing like and how has that process evolved for you?

“A lot of it, is just the mentality side kind of like I talked about trying to get better in 2024. Once again, you just kind of settle in during stage one and two and figure out kind of where you’re at compared to the competition. It’s kind of hard to gage during practice with the tire situation and when you go out and whatnot. You really get a good feel where you’re at in stage one and stage two and then you have to make adjustments and really execute in stage three. The mentality is as soon as that green flag drops for stage 3 is to get after it and get all you can. Those green flag pit stops are crucial, and the restarts are crucial. It’s definitely a different level of aggression I guess in that last stage to execute and win the race.”

How does it feel getting your 2024 announcement out? It is a weight off your shoulders?

“A little bit, yeah. I guess some would say the announcement was a little overdue just being a little late in the season but certainly really excited to be back with TRICON Garage for my third full time year. Those guys have done such an incredible job of developing me the last two seasons and I can’t wait to keep developing in 2025. It certainly takes a little bit of weight off my shoulders going into the championship race, but I’ve known about it for a period of time so nothing changes. I’m definitely excited to race tomorrow night and also continue into 2025.”

Where does the team see themselves coming into the season-finale?

“With Grant (Enfinger) and Christian (Eckes) winning these last three races back-to-back it certainly feels like we’re a little bit overdue for a win I guess compared to the rest of the season. We’ve won six races this year and it’s been a little bit since we’ve won, I guess. I feel just as good as anyone sitting in the room. I feel like we’re at a really good spot with our race team, and we’re bringing all of our best stuff that we’ve been successful with for the 2024 campaign. I feel as good as anyone sitting in here and I think we’re capable of getting it done.”

How do you approach the restarts here with how chaotic they can be?

“Yeah, a lot of it is out of your control I feel like. Just what other people are going to do. As long as I put myself in a good position, closer to the front of the field where I feel like it’s slightly more calmed down would be ideal for sure. I was able to qualify on the pole last year and kind of stay out of trouble as far as track position standpoint until the strategy got crazy there in stage 3. I feel like it’s inevitable that you’re going to kind of be in the beehive if you will at some point, but the goal is to qualify good and stay out of it to the best of my ability.”

Do you feel like you can bring the same setup here as last year or did you have to make some changes?

“That’s the goal. I feel like the setup as you said would be a little bit different with the way the Truck Series has changed as far as maybe a tech perspective, it’s gotten more crucial to bring the best of your equipment. I feel like it’s narrowed the field a little bit compared to last year. It’s going to be a little bit tougher to be as good as we were last year. I feel like we were lights out. But the goal remains the same – to go out and qualify on the pole and lead the most laps in the race.”

How key is having a good pit selection here?

“The pit selection side is actually decided a bit different than Cup. We actually base it off of the best finish in the second round so unfortunately, we have the fourth pick – we had the fourth best finish in the second round so we’ll be picking fourth, so I think we picked the 29th stall. To answer your question though, I feel like pit selection is pretty important. It’s not the best selection that we have this weekend. I think the 9 (Grant Enfinger) has the first stall so it’s going to be tough, but you’ve seen people win it from different spots throughout the field in the pits but qualifying is still going to be very big and that track position is going to be as important as ever.”

About Toyota

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NASCAR Championship Weekend Media Day (Ty Majeski & Cole Custer)

By
Official Release
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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series & NASCAR Xfinity Series
Championship 4 Media Day | Thursday, November 7, 2024

Ty Majeski, driver of the No. 98 Soda Sense Ford F-150, is making his second Championship 4 appearance and first with Ford. He spoke to media members Thursday morning to discuss his chances.

TY MAJESKI, No. 98 Soda Sense Ford F-150 – HOW DO YOU FEEL RACING FOR A CHAMPIONSHIP? “I’m excited. It’s good to be back. In 2023 it was a little weird not being here for the championship race, so it’s good to be back. I feel like we belong here and I feel like we deserve to be here, I really do. And I think the same can be said for the other three. I think the four that are here deserve to be here and with this format it doesn’t always go that way, so it’s good to have what I feel like are the best four in the series this year battling for the championship, so I’m excited for the opportunity. It’s been a great year and hopefully we can close it out.”

IT WOULD BE THE SECOND STRAIGHT TRUCK TITLE FOR FORD: “Ford has obviously done a lot of great work for us and they’ve been a great partner with Duke in the past, and now with our second tenure with them it’s been great. They give us all the tools that we need to compete week in and week out. Ford obviously closed last year on a really high note with all three championships, so to have all three you have to win the first one, so hopefully that’s us Friday night.”

ANY PRESSURE? “I’m excited for the opportunity to go and compete at a high-level Friday night. I feel like in 2022 I learned a lot just from a mindset of what this all means – being here on Media Day and going through the motions. I kind of know what to expect this time around and feel like that makes me that much more prepared.”

WHAT MAKES THIS RACE DIFFERENT? “You’re only racing three guys, so you’re not racing to necessarily win the race, even though that might be what it takes. You’re watching three other guys and that’s really all that matters to us – Friday night. We’re gonna maybe play our strategy a little differently to try and beat those guys relative to what they’re doing and how their races are going, so we need to be mindful of that and try to put ourselves in good position. We obviously want to win the race, but we want to be champion. That’s the goal we all have here this weekend, so it’s gonna be a great event. Phoenix always puts on a great race. It’s always exciting with how the frontstretch is and the restarts, so it’s gonna be a great show. I’m excited to go.”

YOU WERE FINED $12,500. WHAT HAS THE WEEK BEEN LIKE? “It’s obviously been a whirlwind for sure. Like I said, I’m really focused on the race Friday night. I felt like I needed to do my duty as a U.S. citizen to vote. My team owners and I, Duke, Rhonda and Allison, we all made the decision to exercise that right.”

WHERE DID YOU VOTE? “Wisconsin.”

THE TUESDAY CONTENT DAY WAS NEW. WAS IT SOMETHING YOU WERE AWARE OF AND HAD CONTACT WITH NASCAR AHEAD OF TIME? “Yeah, we certainly knew about it. I didn’t specifically have much communication with NASCAR prior. I let everybody internally at ThorSport handle those conversations prior to not being there on Tuesday, so I feel like they knew our position and it’s kind of unprecedented. This has never happened before. Election Day, everyone knew it was Election Day for a long time. It’s unfortunate circumstances for everybody. I don’t think anybody wants to be put in that position, but we have to have a free country to race in and that’s just part of being a U.S. citizen, so I wanted to exercise that right. I didn’t know I was gonna in the Championship 4 until a few days prior. I’ve always in my whole life been an election day vote guy. I’ve never done an absentee ballot. I wanted to make sure my vote was counted.”

WILL YOU APPEAL? “That is our intent, yes.”

WHEN WILL IT BE HEARD? “I have not heard that yet.”

HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH THE END OF THE RACE IF IT ENDS UP LIKE LAST YEAR WITH A LOT OF ACCIDENTS? “I think there’s a lot of different ways to approach it and a lot of different drivers have different codes. Not everybody races the same. I know where my line is and what I’d be willing to do and still be able to sleep at night and be proud of how I won. That might be a little less aggressive than what we’ve seen in some different scenarios over the past couple of years. Like I said, we all have a code and I want to lay my head down at night and be proud of how I won.”

HOW HAS THE TEAM AS A WHOLE GROWN SINCE YOUR LAST CHAMPIONSHIP 4 APPEARANCE? “My 98 team has been really good. We’ve been together three years now. Obviously, there are some moving pieces, but Joe, I, the truck chief have been three really solid people throughout our tenure at ThorSport. Tyler Shullick, my truck chief, Joe Shear, my crew chief, we have a great relationship. We work really, really hard in the shop. That’s what it takes. It’s all about attention to detail and understanding and taking accountability of when we’re off, when I’m off, when I make a mistake, when Joe makes a mistake we hold each other accountable, but we’re incredibly close and we push each other to be better. I think that’s one of the biggest reasons we’ve been able to put really good runs together each season.”

IS THERE A LANE YOU PREFER HERE ON RESTARTS? “It really depends on the scenario. I’ve watched the last two or three races back here multiple times. There doesn’t seem to be a right or wrong answer to that. I think it’s very situational. I don’t know that there’s a line I prefer. You really have to pay attention to who is in front of you and what strategy they’re on, how old their tires are – there’s a lot that will probably go into the decision on what line I choose going into one, but that could be a championship decision when you’re on a restart on a green-white-checker. You need to make a decision on where to go and where to place your truck. It happened last year. Ben had a couple great restarts at the end and put himself in position to come out with the lead off of turn two and from there it’s hard to pass, so that will be a championship moment and hopefully it comes down to that.”

SEEING BEN DO IT LAST YEAR, DOES THAT GIVE YOU CONFIDENCE YOU CAN DO IT THIS YEAR? “Yeah. I mean, regardless of what Ben did last year, I have confidence in our team. We’ve run really well on these types of racetracks throughout the year. I know that we have the equipment and we have what it takes to come here and compete for a championship. It’s up to us to execute that, whether that be on pit road, strategy, myself on restarts. It’s all the little things that go into winning a championship. You’re not gonna be able to afford a mistake because there’s gonna be one of these other three that are going to go mistake-free in the race, so you have to be that guy and put yourself in position at the end of the race.”

THIS RACE IS DIFFERENT IN THAT A MISTAKE CAN COST YOU THE CHAMPIONSHIP. “Yeah. I think there needs to be a balance of you need to up your game for this race, there’s no doubt about it, but you also have to take the mindset, ‘Hey, it is just another race,’ and we need to do what we do and try and win the race because, at the end of the day, if we win the race, we’re champions. There’s more preparation that goes into it. You look at the finer details because those fine details can be the difference, but, at the same time, it is another race. Joe and I went to the simulator and prepared as we normally do coming up with a package and a setup, so a lot of the things are the same, but maybe you do those things with a finer comb, so to speak.”

THIS RACE DEVOLVED INTO A CRASHFEST AT THE END. ANY CONCERN THAT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN? “Man, I hope not. You never want a championship race to turn into that. I feel like moving the restart zone back will help that. We were so bunched up with how late the restart zone was or how close it was to the start-finish line. Everybody was bumper to bumper and as soon as we hit the start-finish line you just fanned out and went wherever people weren’t. I think with us being able to build up some more speed, go through more shifts, that’s gonna create a little more separation where hopefully you won’t see what we did last year.”

WHY SHOULDN’T YOUR TEAM BE OVERLOOKED THIS WEEK? “I think this is our type of racetrack. Anytime Joe and I show up to a flat short track, I feel like we’re a threat to win. I feel like we’ve all kind of had our parts of the season where we’ve been dominant and I really feel like the Championship 4 that are here really are probably the four that deserve to be here the most. That doesn’t happen all the time with this format, so it’s good to see that. I think that’s good for the sport, good for everybody involved to have us four here. It’s gonna be an interesting race for sure. I feel like we have as good a chance as anybody. Like I said, being on a short track I feel really good about our chances.”

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO BE THIS CLOSE TO A CHAMPIONSHIP AND ACHIEVING YOUR GOAL? “I’m just glad that this is kind of my second time here and I’ve had that experience to lean on and understand what goes into it with media day and all the attention you’ll be getting. Just having gone through it one time before this makes it that much easier. I’m much more calm this time around and understanding of what to expect. I’m excited for the opportunity. These are the types of moments that you dream of being in as a race car driver, kind of the Game 7 moment. It’s winner take all and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

DO YOU FEEL THAT AS YOU GET INTO THE TRUCK? IT MUST FEEL A LITTLE DIFFERENT. “Once I get the helmet on, you’re really not thinking about any of it. You’re just executing what you know how to do in a race car. It doesn’t matter if it’s a late model, a truck, when you get behind the wheel and put your helmet on, I personally don’t really think of any of that. It’s just focusing on the job at hand and executing the best I can.”

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT YOURSELF ON HOW TO PREPARE? “I think the biggest thing is trying to treat this how we treat any other race. There’s more preparation that goes into it, but as far as the mental state of it, you have to treat it just like every other one. You can’t get caught up in the moment and have to sort of make the moment smaller and execute at a high level. There’s a lot that’s out of your control in the past rounds. There are different races and different types of tracks and you’re relying on other people not to win in certain scenarios, so there are really more variables that are out of your control in the previous rounds, so our perspective was all we can do is the best we can do. This race, you kind of control your own destiny a little bit. It’s winner take all. You have to execute at a high level and not make mistakes. You don’t want to do something that’s gonna take you out of it at the end of the race, so I have to be smart and I have to mindful. Stages don’t matter. To this point, stages are a huge deal getting those points, pointing our way to the next round as we did each of these rounds. This week it’s winner take all. Points don’t matter.”

WHAT’S IT MEAN TO BE THE GUY FROM WISCONSIN CARRYING THE FLAG FROM THAT STATE? “I love it. Wisconsin, it’s really a honey hole for short track racing. A lot of great race car drivers have come out of there and a lot of them have had success in NASCAR. Obviously, Johnny Sauter, aTruck Series champion. Matt Kenseth, Cup champion. Dick Trickle is a legend. The list goes on and on and it’s neat to sort of be that guy right now. I’m happy to have the opportunity to carry that Wisconsin flag. I’ll always be a Wisconsin guy. I’ll always go back to short track racing in Wisconsin whenever I can, so it’s an honor to carry that flag.”

Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, is going for his second straight championship this weekend. He would become the ninth driver to achieve that feat and the second Ford driver to do it in back-to-back seasons (Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in 2011-12).

COLE CUSTER, No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse – HOW DOES WINNING THIS LAST YEAR APPLY TO THIS YEAR?

“You definitely have some confidence with it but at the same time it doesn’t matter. I think this is a totally different year and we have to go out there and execute a whole weekend. I think our team does a really good job at executing weekends and maximizing, so we just have to go out there and do it one more time.”

YOU MENTIONED THAT AT THIS POINT LAST YEAR YOU HADN’T EVEN WON ON AN OVAL. IT SEEMS LIKE YOU ARE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE NOW: “Hopefully. We have definitely had good speed in our cars and this has been a solid place for us, Phoenix. I think it should be a place where we can go execute a good race and be towards the front. You never know. We are going to unload and practice tomorrow and see what we’ve got and go from there.”

ANY FEAR THAT CHANDLER SMITH WILL RETALIATE? “I don’t know. I am not really thinking about it that way. At the end of the day I am going to go run my race and see where we end up and try to maximize the day. You race how you get raced, and you go from there. At the end of the day, I am just going to focus on our weekend.”

HOW MUCH DO YOU TAKE FROM LAST YEAR AND APPLY IT TO THIS YEAR FOR THIS WEEKEND? “Definitely a lot. Just how you go about your weekend and when to be aggressive and when not to be. Just the whole flow of the weekend it definitely helps out. I think having a notebook with our cars helps too. It has been a solid place, Phoenix has for us, so hopefully, we keep building on that.”

WHAT WOULD IT MEAN TO WIN BACK-TO-BACK TITLES BEFORE GOING BACK TO CUP? “It would be huge and from another standpoint, just having a shot to win a championship in NASCAR. You don’t get a ton of shots at that. You want to make every single opportunity count. We are going to try to make that happen and hopefully have that title again.”

HOW IMPORTANT IS QUALIFYING? “That is a toss-up. Qualifying definitely sets up your weekend good and gives you some confidence going into the race, but at the same time it doesn’t matter a ton. It comes down to that last run and where you end up there. Qualifying is just something that can give you a little confidence.”

WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING THING ABOUT RACING HERE? “You are taking a 3,000-pound stock car and trying to make it go around a flat corner. It is very difficult to do that. The two ends are different and trying to get the car to work at every single point of this race track isn’t easy because it is so different. It is starting to get some age to it, so the tires are falling off throughout a run. You have to have a little bit of everything here.”

GIVEN THE START TIME OF THE RACE, DO YOU EXPECT THE TRACK TO CHANGE A LOT THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE RACE? “A little bit. The race is starting later than it has the last couple of years, so that will make it a little more consistent throughout the night but at the same time, the practice we are running during the day will be a lot different than what the race is at night.”

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU HAVE LEARNED ABOUT YOURSELF THAT IS HELPING YOU MENTALLY PREPARE FOR THIS WEEKEND? “I think it is mainly just our team. I think we have done a great job executing all year and the process that we take throughout the week of checking all the boxes has worked really well for us and we just have to go out there and do it one more time. We know that we are a team that when we do things right we are going to be towards the front.”

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO YOU TO BE THE ONE THAT IS CARRYING THE BANNER THIS WEEKEND FOR STEWART-HAAS RACING IN THEIR FINAL RACES? “It is huge. It would mean so much to everybody in that building, but at the same time I think it would be so cool to see Tony and Gene go out on top in a series in NASCAR. We are going to give everything we’ve got to try to do that and end this thing strong.”

WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE THIS WEEK KNOWING THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE BACK? “It is tough. We had a going away party on Tuesday and seeing all the people that have been there for so long and everybody has had a part in our team. We used a lot of notes from the Cup guys, and we have asked a lot of questions and a lot of guys have touched that car. It definitely means a ton for us to try to finish this thing out strong.”

WHAT CAR ARE YOU RUNNING THIS WEEKEND? “It is our Bristol car that we won with, so we have some confidence with this car. We will see where it gets us.”

SOME HAVE CALLED FOR THE FINAL RACE TO ROATATE TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. AS A WEST COAST KID, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO HAVE THIS CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND HERE IN PHOENIX? “I think it is awesome. Phoenix, I have raced a lot here when I was younger. I am from southern California, so we used to drive out here a lot and race. It is cool to have your family able to come over a little easier for me, but I think it would be cool to rotate it around a little bit. I think it just kind of adds a little something to it if it rotates.”

KNOWING YOU PULLED THIS OFF LAST YEAR IN THIS RACE AT THIS TRACK, HOW MUCH CONFIDENCE DO YOU HAVE? “Definitely a lot of confidence. I think it means that we know how to execute a weekend like this and we have a good notebook for here. So we just have to do it one more time and execute and see where that puts us.”

WHAT HAS YOUR WEEK BEEN LIKE SO FAR? PERSONALLY, HAVE YOU BEEN BUSY OR CHILLING OUT OR WHAT? “We raced on Saturday in Martinsville, and then Sunday, we went to the shop a little hit and tried to get ahead on things on Sunday. Our guys went in and worked and we went in and talked about the week we had coming up. Monday we went to the simulator and ran about five hours on the simulator to finalize what we had coming here. On Tuesday, the cars had to leave to get here because it is so far. We were pretty much finished up from there. I flew out Wednesday. It is a hectic week, so it is good to get ahead on things.”

YOU SAID YOU WERE HOPING TO COME HERE AND FIND A LITTLE EXTRA SOMETHING. WHAT IS THAT EXTRA SOMETHING? “I don’t know if we need to find something. At the end of the day we need to execute our weekend and go from there. This has been a solid place for us and hopefully we will have a fast car and be there at the end of this race because that is all that matters.”

WHAT ARE THE FEELINGS LIKE GOING INTO THIS WEEK KNOWING THAT THE STEWART-HAAS RACING YOU GREW UP WITH IS GOING IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DIRECTION NEXT YEAR? “It is obviously bittersweet. We had a going away party this week and seeing all those people who have worked in the shop for so long and put so much into this team. Our team has used every single note we could take. So many people have had a part in this car that is showing up this weekend. It would mean so much to end this on a high note. It would be really cool to see Tony and Gene go out on top.”

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT YOURSELF GOING BACK TO THE XFINITY SERIES AND WINNING A CHAMPIONSHIP AND NOW BEING IN THIS POSITION YOU ARE FOR SATURDAY NIGHT? “A lot of confidence. I think having won a championship here before and building on that and coming back and winning races and being with a great team and build on things and learn how to work with your team and get the most out of everything. It has been a great experience, and hopefully we can use all that going back to Cup.”

HOW HAVE YOU MATURED? “I think I am definitely a lot different than a couple of years ago, just from having a wife and kid now and everything is a little different. I think just having confidence is the biggest thing. Knowing what to look for. Knowing when you are struggling a little bit, what are the things you need to focus on. Those are things you kind of build on.”

IF YOU CAN BE THE GUY TO GET BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPIONSHIPS, WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN? “It would be huge. That is such a big title. Anytime you win a championship in NASCAR, you don’t get that many shots at that, so you have to make the most of it, and I think we are going to do everything we can to finish it out strong.”

THE FOUR GUYS GOING FOR THIS CHAMPIONSHIP, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS MUTUAL RESPECT AMONG YOU FOUR. HOW MUCH EASIER DOES IT MAKE THE RACE KNOWING THERE ISN’T A WILD CARD THAT IS GOING TO TRY TO WRECK YOU? “I think all four of us in this Championship 4 have a lot of respect for each other> We all race really hard, but clean. I feel like it is hard to beat this Championship 4. It is a great group.”

THEY FINED CHANDLER $10,000. DID YOU THINK THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A PENALTY FOR THAT? “That is not really my concern. NASCAR is going to do whatever they have to do I guess. I don’t really care. It is what it is.”

WOULD YOU RATHER JUST BE ABLE TO HAVE FREE REIGN? “That is always a tough question. How ugly do we want it to get? Chandler’s was like, I could see it going either way, fined or not fined. I think they do want to hold reins in and not have absolute chaos, so you have to have a line somewhere, I guess. Chandler’s was definitely questionable on if you get a fine or not.”

SEMA 2024: Bold Off-Road Builds & Modern Muscle Take the Spotlight

By
Official Release
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Paoli, PA – SEMA 2024 in Las Vegas brought a standout lineup of custom builds, from rugged off-road rigs to classic muscle with a fresh edge. This year, top brands upped the ante, showcasing builds that push limits and redefine performance. Here’s a snapshot of the highlights from each video, offering a glimpse into the future of off-road, truck, and muscle car innovation. Gear up for the must-see builds that have everyone talking!

Jeep Highlights

  • Surco JLU: Black Rhino wheels, custom seat covers, and bolt-on roof rack.
  • Winbo JT: Adjustable shocks and a fully built roof rack.
  • Dynatrac JT: High-performance axle, WARN winch, rock sliders.
  • Drop Racks JT: Unique drop-down rack system.
  • American Modified “Stormchaser”: 40″ tires, dual roof racks, topographic wrap.

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOPlpoz8DHs

Ford Trucks

  • 2024 Roush F-150: Retro style, Roush supercharger, 37” tires.
  • 1971/2022 F-250 Swap: Classic body, 2022 chassis, 7.3L Godzilla engine.
  • Platinum F450: 42″ JTX wheels, lift kit.
  • Ford Performance F-150 & FP 700S: Bilstein suspension, Whipple superchargers.

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFbIJkriJRY

Mustangs & Muscle Cars

  • ProCharged 2024 Mustang: Up to 750 horsepower.
  • Shelby Super Snake: Carbon fiber detailing.
  • RTR Mustangs: Chrome and olive-green builds by Vaughn Gittin Jr.
  • Classic Icons: 1969 Terlingua Mustang, 1965 Cobra.

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQWXjRRXt60

About Turn5, Inc.
Turn5 is an award-winning e-commerce retailer founded in 2003, home to AmericanMuscle, ExtremeTerrain and AmericanTrucks.com. Employing more than 400 talented staff members who are driven and passionate about the work they do, Turn5 has received some of the most reputable business and e-commerce awards as a leader within the thriving automotive aftermarket performance niche. Located just outside of Philadelphia, Turn5 is focused on providing the highest level of customer service and an industry-leading shopping experience. Please visit www.turn5.com for more information.

AM Racing to Field ARCA Menards Series West Entry for Kole Raz at Phoenix Raceway

By
Official Release
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AVONDALE, Ariz.: AM Racing proudly announced today they will field an entry for Friday’s ARCA Menards Series West Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100 for driver Kole Raz at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway.

Raz, 21, will pilot the team’s No. 76 Ford Mustang for the 100-lap race with support from Cyclum Renewables.

Founded in 2019, Cyclum Next Gen Travel Centers embarked on a mission to revolutionize the trucking industry.

Cyclum Renewables is building a next-generation network of 400 truck stops across the US, offering a comprehensive suite of transitional and traditional fueling options, alongside all available renewable fuels, such as hydrogen and EV charging.

“Incredibly grateful for the opportunity to make my first start at Phoenix Raceway with AM Racing,” said Raz. “It has been nothing but a warm welcoming into such an amazing group of individuals.

“I Look forward to hitting the ground running Thursday night and into Friday Morning in our No. 76 Cyclum Renewables Truck Stop Ford Mustang!”

Raz, a native of Lake Oswego, Oregon, has already won in ARCA Menards Series West competition this season. Earlier this year, Raz won the season’s second race at Kern County (Calif.) Raceway Park in the MMI Oil Workers 150.

Phoenix will mark his fifth ARCA Menards Series West start of 2024, and Raz is eyeing his second win and fourth top-10 overall.

“I know that AM Racing brings fast race cars to the track, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to experience that for myself,” added Raz. “Phoenix is going to be a very competitive field, but I feel our No. 76 Cyclum Ford Mustang will be fast enough to contend for the win.”

Cyclum Next Gen Travel Centers also looks forward to hoisting a trophy on Friday.

Last month, Raz delivered them a checkered flag at the CARS Tour West division event at the Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway Bullring.

“At Cyclum Renewables, we’re thrilled to partner with AM Racing and Kole Raz for Friday’s race, championing both high-performance innovation and being a solution for building a next-generation truck stop featuring renewable fuels,” offered Brian Profitt, CEO of Cyclum Renewables, LLC.

Ryan “Pickle” London will serve as crew chief for Raz for the November 8 race.

For more on Cyclum Renewables, please visit https://gocyclum.net and like their Facebook page (Cyclum Renewables LLC).

For more on AM Racing, please visit AMRacingteam.com, like their Facebook page (AM Racing), or follow them on Instagram and X | Twitter @AMRacingNASCAR.

For more on Kole Raz like him on Facebook (Kole Raz Racing) and follow him on Instagram (@koleraz) and X | Twitter (@koleraz27).

The 2024 ARCA Menards Series West season finale Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100 will air live on FloRacing.com at 11:30 a.m. MT (1:30 p.m. ET).

About AM Racing:

AM Racing is a multi-tiered, multi-faceted Motorsports program headquartered in Statesville, N.C.

Established in December 2015, AM Racing is prided on faith, honesty and intelligent performance.

The family-owned team will compete in the ARCA Menards Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and various Dirt Modified events in its eighth year of competition.

Matt McCall departing Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing at 2024 season’s conclusion

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing took to social media to announce that Matt McCall, who currently serves as a crew chief to driver/owner Brad Keselowski and the No. 6 RFK Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse team in the NASCAR Cup Series division, will not be returning to the organization for the 2025 season.

McCall, a former racer turned engineer and crew chief from Denver, North Carolina, is a graduate from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a degree in engineering. He first joined RFK Racing at the start of the 2022 season. By then, the organization had been rebranded from Roush Fenway Racing as Keselowski joined the organization as a part-time owner with owner Jack Roush and competitor of the organization’s iconic No. 6 Ford entry. In addition, McCall had departed Chip Ganassi Racing as the organization’s assets were acquired by Trackhouse Racing.

After failing to qualify for the 2022 Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the duo of McCall and Keselowski achieved a non-points victory in the first of two Bluegreen Vacations Duels at Daytona International Speedway that led to the 64th running of the Daytona 500, where they proceeded to finish in ninth place despite leading a race-high 67 laps.

Over the next three seasons (103 current events total), McCall navigated Keselowski and the No. 6 RFK Racing team to 17 top-five results, 36 top-10 results and two Cup Series Playoff appearances, including this season. The highlight of the driver-crew chief duo was when they won at Darlington Raceway this past May, which snapped a three-year winless drought for both McCall and Keselowski as they also navigated the organization’s No. 6 Ford entry to its first Cup victory since July 2011.

Prior to RFK Racing, McCall, who made his Cup crew chief debut on an interim role for a single event with Richard Childress Racing and Jeff Burton in July 2013, spent the previous seven seasons (2015-21) as a crew chief for Chip Ganassi Racing’s No. 1 Chevrolet team, where he worked with Jamie McMurray during the first four season before working with Kurt Busch during the latter two. During the six-year span, McCall notched his first Cup career victory as a crew chief at Kentucky Speedway with Busch in July 2019. He would achieve two additional victories with Busch between the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Overall, McCall has accumulated four victories, two poles, 47 top-five results, 134 top-10 results and eight Playoff appearances while working with four different competitors in 356 events as a Cup Series crew chief. He and Keselowski are currently ranked in 13th place in the 2024 driver’s standings on the strengths of nine top-five results and 14 top-10 results as they strive to conclude the 2024 season on a strong note.

In the social media announcement made by RFK Racing of McCall’s departure, the team stated: “We want to thank Matt for his dedicated efforts over the last three seasons, his role in the success that we have had and we wish him well in future endeavors.”

Plans for both McCall and RFK Racing’s new crew chief for the 2025 Cup Series season remain to be determined.

Matt McCall’s final event as a crew chief for Brad Keselowski and the No. 6 RFK Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse team is scheduled to occur this upcoming Sunday, November 10, at Phoenix Raceway for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race that will cap off the 2024 season. The finale’s broadcast time is slated to commence at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.

Corey Heim Returns for Third Season at TRICON

By
Official Release
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Credit: https://tricongarage.com/

11-Time Truck Series Winner Back in No. 11 Safelite Tundra in 2025

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (November 7, 2024) – TRICON Garage (TRICON) has confirmed that Corey Heim will return to the team for a third full-time season in 2025. Heim, ranked as a top NASCAR prospect by multiple leading media outlets, will continue to drive the No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro.

“I am excited to be back with TRICON for my third full-time year,” said Heim. “I have developed so much alongside this organization in the last two years, and we have made some incredible memories along the way. I can’t wait to continue this journey in 2025 with my No. 11 crew.”

The Georgia native’s performance has been nothing but impressive in his two seasons driving for the organization, including nine wins and 25 top-five finishes. Along with two victories in his Rookie of the Year campaign for Kyle Busch Motorsports, Heim became the youngest driver in NASCAR Truck Series history to earn 10 wins. He also won the 2023 Regular Season championship, before qualifying for the Championship 4. His series-leading six victories this year have him locked into his second Championship 4 appearance at Phoenix Raceway in as many seasons.

“We’re extremely fortunate to get another year with Corey. His dedication to not only the No. 11 team, but the entire organization has elevated TRICON beyond measure in our team’s short history,” said Kevin Ray, general manager, TRICON Garage. “While we’re looking forward to 2025, our priority remains on closing out this season with a victory and our program’s first championship.”

The confirmation of Heim’s continued tenure with TRICON is the first of many exciting announcements for the five-truck team as preparations begin for the 2025 NASCAR Truck Series season.

The NASCAR Truck Series Championship event in Phoenix will roll off at 8:00 p.m. ET on Friday evening. It will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 with radio coverage provided by the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

About TRICON Garage

TRICON Garage is a professional racing organization fielding five full-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series entries. Serving as the flagship Truck Series partner of Toyota Racing Development, the team plays an integral role in the NASCAR development ladder. Headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina, TRICON has quickly established itself as the premier home for cultivating the next generation of motorsports industry professionals. Actively involved in three different industries – racing, fabrication and transportation, the team operates out of three buildings totaling 60,000 square feet.

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