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Gibbs eyes first Cup playoff berth with two races until title fight begins at AMS

By
Official Release
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NASCAR at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, February 25, 2023 in Hampton, GA. Anthony Hall

HAMPTON, Ga. (Aug. 20, 2024) – Young racing talent Ty Gibbs didn’t earn his first NASCAR Cup Series victory in Michigan, but a strong 3rd place effort and a repeat winner were the next best thing for his playoff chances.

“It was a great day. We have kind of had a yard sale the last three races prior and it was really good to have a great day, with a great points day and a great finish,” said Gibbs, who is attempting to make the playoffs in just his second full-time season at NASCAR’s top level. “(We were) in contention to win and missed out by a little bit, but it was a good improvement for sure.”

Gibbs is now 10th in the series standings and 39 points ahead of the playoff cut line with just two races remaining: the ever-unpredictable Daytona International Speedway followed by the unforgiving high banks of Darlington Raceway. Gibbs has high expectations for himself and the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing team to close out the year strong and earn a spot in NASCAR’s postseason.

“We’re really fast week in and week out usually if we don’t have any issues,” said Gibbs. “So I feel like we should be in (the playoffs) in a way, but I’ll be very thankful to make it.”

If Gibbs succeeds, the first challenge he’ll face as part of the 16-driver field of championship contenders will be Atlanta Motor Speedway, which has hosted sensational races since it was reconfigured for the 2022 season. With close-quarters, white-knuckle racing the norm at AMS, Gibbs has a simple goal to survive and give himself the best opportunity to win the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart.

“You just have to get up front and stay up front the whole time,” said Gibbs. “Staying up front is really key (at Atlanta).”

Here’s a look at the full NASCAR Cup Series playoff picture with two races remaining in the regular season:

Locked In:

  1. William Byron
  2. Daniel Suárez
  3. Kyle Larson
  4. Christopher Bell
  5. Denny Hamlin
  6. Chase Elliott
  7. Tyler Reddick
  8. Brad Keselowski
  9. Austin Cindric
  10. Ryan Blaney
  11. Joey Logano
  12. Alex Bowman

Almost a Lock:

Martin Truex Jr. (+77 to the cut line) – A rare slip by the 2017 champion late in Monday’s race at Michigan spoiled what was setting up to be a solid result for the No. 19 team. That said, trouble found other bubble drivers at Michigan as well and Truex remains in a good position to secure a spot in the playoffs.

On the bubble:

Ty Gibbs (+39 to the cut line) – Gibbs had the best showing of the drivers on the bubble, finishing 3rd and extending his lead over the cut line. If he secures a solid finish at Daytona, he will upgrade his status on this list. However, if he finds trouble instead, the pressure will increase for the regular season finale at Darlington.

Chris Buescher (+16 to the cut line) – Collected in a multi-car accident during Stage 2, Buescher’s playoff hopes appeared to take a critical hit. Instead, the No. 17 crew repaired his car and the Prosper, Texas, native rallied to flip the script and score a 6th place finish, vaulting back above the cut line with a few points to spare.

Ross Chastain (+1 to the cut line) – While Buescher rallied to turn a bad day into a good result, Chastain had a good day spoiled in overtime. Battling in the top 10 on the first overtime attempt, Chastain lost control of the No. 1 Chevrolet and spun into grass, surrendering multiple positions and valuable points in the process. With his 25th place result, his playoff standing remains tenuous.

Bubba Wallace (-1 to the cut line) – The lap 116 pileup that collected Buescher also involved Wallace, whose No. 23 car suffered more detrimental damage when Larson spun into his path. As a result, a promising run that saw Wallace seize the lead early in the 200-lap event ended with him limping to the finish in 26th. Wallace’s playoff hopes likely cannot survive another mishap with two treacherous tracks left to determine the playoff field.

Winning solves (almost) everything:

There’s 17 more drivers (including Austin Dillon, who is set to have his appeal of a penalty that removed the playoff eligibility from his Richmond win later this week) who can earn a spot in the NASCAR Playoffs by winning a race, so long as their victory is not encumbered by NASCAR officials. Those drivers are:

  • Kyle Busch
  • Chase Briscoe
  • Todd Gilliland
  • Michael McDowell
  • Carson Hocevar
  • Josh Berry
  • Noah Gragson
  • Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
  • Ryan Preece
  • Erik Jones
  • Justin Haley
  • Austin Dillon
  • Daniel Hemric
  • Corey Lajoie
  • Jon Hunter Nemechek
  • Zane Smith
  • Harrison Burton

Two races remain to determine who will race for a championship starting at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, Sept. 8 in the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart. Tickets and camping accommodations for the Sept. 6-8 Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart NASCAR weekend are available at www.AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

About the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart:

The Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart kicks off the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. 16 drivers begin their quest to hoist the Bill France Cup on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s high banks on Sunday, Sept. 8.

Accompanying the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart is the Focused Health 250 on Saturday, Sept. 7. With just three races remaining in the NASCAR Xfinity Series regular season, the rising stars of NASCAR will have added pressure to secure their place in the postseason with a trip to victory lane.

More information on the Sept. 6-8 Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart weekend and ticket availability can be found online at AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

Follow Atlanta Motor Speedway:

Keep track of all of Atlanta Motor Speedway’s events by following on Twitter, Instagram, and become a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Atlanta Motor Speedway mobile app.

No. 4 eero Racing: Josh Berry Daytona Advance

By
Official Release
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JOSH BERRY
Daytona Advance
No. 4 eero Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Coke Zero Sugar 400 (Round 25 of 36)
● Time/Date: 7:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday, Aug. 24
● Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway
● Layout: 2.5-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 160 laps / 400 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 35 laps / Stage 2: 60 laps / Final Stage: 65 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / MRN Radio / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series heads to the penultimate race of the regular season at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway this weekend, Saturday night’s annual Coke Zero 400. Josh Berry, driver of the No. 4 eero Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing, hits town 23rd in the driver standings, 99 points under the top-16 playoff cutline. With a scant mathematical possibility of earning a playoff berth on points, the 33-year-old Berry’s more realistic chance of securing a berth is a victory at Daytona, or at the regular-season finale Sept. 1 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. Berry is currently second in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings, 14 markers behind leader Carson Hocevar.

● Berry took on the high-banked 2.5-mile Daytona oval in February for his first Daytona 500 to kick off his first fulltime season in NASCAR’s premier series. He ran competitively and led his first lap behind the wheel of the No. 4 Ford Mustang. Berry’s bid came undone, however, when he was spun on pit road during a green-flag pit stop on lap 112, the subsequent lengthy stop causing him to lose the draft. He finished 25th.

● In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Berry has 10 superspeedway starts at Daytona and its sister track Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, notching one top-five and two top-10s in those 10 starts. Berry’s best Xfinity Series superspeedway finish of fifth came in October 2022 at Talladega in the No. 8 JR Motorsports entry. In that event, Berry qualified seventh and finished the second stage in 10th.

● Saturday night’s race under the lights at Daytona marks crew chief Rodney Childers’ 38th attempt to chase a win at the “World Center of Racing” that has eluded him in his illustrious career. In his previous 37 Daytona starts as the shot-caller in the Cup Series, Childers’ drivers have earned eight top-five finishes, 12 top-10s, and one pole award by former Stewart-Haas driver Kevin Harvick in August 2020.

● Joining Berry this weekend at Daytona is eero. Known for award-winning hardware and software that continues to create connectivity solutions for individuals, businesses, communities and service providers, eero is the primary partner for Berry and the No. 4 Stewart-Haas team in the Coke Zero Sugar 400. With wifi being integral to everyone’s day-to-day lives, eero ensures that it’s fast, reliable and secure. Specifically, eero pioneered mesh wifi because it realized many of the problems we face, like buffering or weak coverage, could be solved by using multiple access points working as a mesh network as opposed to using a single router. Now, a decade later, there are tens of millions of eero devices around the world delivering wifi the way it should be – simple, reliable and blazing fast. Hence, eero’s place on Berry’s No. 4 Ford Mustang at Daytona. And just as in racing, eero continues to innovate and push the limits of what’s possible in the world of connectivity. eero Max 7 is its fastest, most powerful system yet, delivering wired speeds up to 9.4 Gbps. eero Built-in turns Echo devices into wifi extenders to quickly and easily add more coverage. eero Internet Backup enables customers to keep their wifi up and running when the wired connection goes down by switching the network to a wireless connection. eero for Business and eero for Communities are powerful, intuitive software solutions that allow business owners and multi-unit buildings to offer great wifi without needing to be a networking expert. eero’s advanced security tools provided with its premium service, eero Plus, makes it simple to help customers stay safe online. eero products continue to get better over time with automatic software updates for the latest security patches and feature upgrades. Customers can manage their network in the eero app and rest easy knowing they can reach out to eero’s world-class support team seven days a week. To learn more, please visit eero.com.

Josh Berry, Driver of the No. 4 eero Ford Mustang Dark Horse

As you head back to Daytona this weekend and reflecting on the year you’ve had, how do you view your and the team’s progress since your debut with the team at this year’s Daytona 500? And what have you learned in your first fulltime regular season in the Cup Series?

“It’s been a very up-and-down season, to say the least. Going back there this weekend, I feel much more confident in the NexGen car in general, and having seat time at a couple of the drafting-style tracks helps just get me in those scenarios that you can’t always get in a simulator or in practice. But overall, I am just excited for another opportunity to punch my ticket into the playoffs this weekend and that would make my season better than I feel now.”

What have you learned in the other superspeedway-style races this season that you can apply to Saturday’s race at Daytona?

“I think learning how the car reacts to being in the draft is really important, obviously. It reacts differently than the Xfinity car did, so seat time is always really important to me in getting me to feel better about where to drive the car and how it will handle in different parts of the race. I think managing fuel milage and getting track position where you can is also really important throughout the race, and if you can optimize both of those, you can give yourself a shot to be up near the front and make a charge for the win when it counts.”

Heading into this weekend at Daytona, there are 12 races left. How do you use these remaining weeks if you don’t make the playoffs?

“I think what it comes down to, and a lot of guys do it really well, is that each race is just another chance to learn a lot and get better when it comes to working on race craft and what it takes to be competitive, regardless of the circumstances. I definitely would love to be in the playoffs, but if I don’t make it that far, I still have a bunch of races where I can go work on my skill, learn a ton, and still get my first Cup Series win. I am grateful for the opportunity to race each week and this season has been a lot of fun, and we aren’t done having fun yet.”

No. 4 eero Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Josh Berry

Hometown: Hendersonville, Tennessee

Crew Chief: Rodney Childers

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Car Chief: Robert “Cheddar” Smith

Hometown: Whitewater, Wisconsin

Engineer: Dax Gerringer

Hometown: Gibsonville, North Carolina

Engineer: Billy Kuebler

Hometown: Saline, Michigan

Spotter: Eddie D’Hondt

Hometown: Levittown, New York

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Daniel Coffey

Hometown: Granite Falls, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Daniel Smith

Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Mason Flynt

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Jack Man: Brandon Banks

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Evan Marchal

Hometown: Westfield, Indiana

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Tyler Trosper

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Mechanic: Chris Capaldi

Hometown: Armada, Michigan

Tire Specialist: Zac Lupien

Hometown: Pine Bluff, Arkansas

Engine Tuner: Robert Brandt

Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Transporter Co-Driver: Jake Zierhoffer

Hometown: Billerica, Massachusetts

Transporter Co-Driver: Stephen Mitchell

Hometown: Woodville, Ohio

Sammy Smith scheduled for final double-duty Xfinity-Truck campaign between Daytona and Milwaukee

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Ron Olds for SpeedwayMedia.com.

This upcoming weekend is set to mark a busy one for Sammy Smith, who will be racing double duty between two racetracks and two NASCAR national touring series (Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series) that commences under the lights at Daytona International Speedway before concluding on a Sunday afternoon at the Milwaukee Mile.

On Friday, August 23, Smith, a 20-year-old native from Johnston, Iowa, will be piloting his full-time Xfinity Series ride, the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports, at Daytona and in his continued quest to remain above the top-12 cutline in the regular-season standings that would enable him to make the 2024 Xfinity Series Playoffs. Two days later, he will then travel to West Allis, Wisconsin, and make his fourth and final Craftsman Truck Series start of the season at Milwaukee in the No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado RST for Spire Motorsports, a team that is set to contend for this year’s Truck Series owners’ championship with Milwaukee serving as this year’s Truck Playoff opener.

Smith, the reigning Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year and two-time ARCA Menards Series East champion, is coming off a fifth-place run at Michigan International Speedway, which moved him back into the top-12 cutline to make the Playoffs as he currently holds sole possession of the final transfer spot into the Playoffs by a single point with five regular-season events remaining on the schedule. He is also competing in his second full-time stint in the Xfinity Series and first with JR Motorsports after spending the previous season driving for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Thus far, Smith’s best on-track result at Daytona in the Xfinity Series is 19th, which occurred during the 2023 season opener. Through 21 of 33-scheduled events of the 2024 Xfinity Series season, Smith has recorded four top-five results, 11 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 15.6 as he strives to make his second consecutive appearance in the Xfinity division’s postseason berth and elimination-style battle to the championship. He qualified for his first Xfinity Playoffs a year ago, where he fell short of transferring into the Championship 4 round and ended up in sixth place in the final standings. During the season, he notched his first career victory at Phoenix Raceway and managed to claim the rookie title over Chandler Smith.

In addition to his full-time Xfinity Series role this season, Smith has made three Truck Series starts in Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 “all-star” Chevrolet entry, all on short track events. He made his first start at Martinsville Speedway in April, where he finished eighth. Four races later, he recorded a career-best fifth-place run at North Wilkesboro Speedway in May before finishing sixth in his recent series’ start at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in July. During the Martinsville and Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park weekends, Smith was also pulling double duty between both the Truck and Xfinity circuits.

Previously, Smith made his Truck Series debut during the 2023 season opener at Daytona, where he piloted the No. 17 TRICON Garage Toyota to a 14th-place finish. While this upcoming Sunday is set to mark Smith’s first start at the Milwaukee Mile in the Truck Series, it will not mark his first overall start at the venue, with the Iowa native notching an ARCA Menards Series victory in 2022 while driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

Currently, Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 entry is set to commence the 2024 Truck Series Playoffs in eighth place in the owners’ standings with 2,003 points. The entry has been piloted to Victory Lane twice this season, both occurring with two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February and at Texas Motor Speedway. Corey LaJoie, Connor Zilisch, Connor Mosack, Andres Perez de Lara and Clint Bowyer have all piloted the entry at least once through 16-scheduled events. Following Smith’s fourth and final start at Milwaukee, Zilisch and Mosack are scheduled to pilot the entry for the remainder of the season in their efforts to keep Spire’s No. 7 entry led by veteran crew chief Brian Pattie in contention for the owners’ title.

Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Sammy Smith’s upcoming double-duty weekend is set to commence with the Xfinity Series’ Wawa 250 at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, August 23, with the event’s broadcast time to commence at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. He will then compete in the Craftsman Truck Series’ Playoff opener at the Milwaukee Mile for the LiUNA! 175 on Sunday, August 25, that will air at 4 p.m. ET on FS1.

Bass Pro Shops Racing: Martin Truex Jr. Daytona Advance

By
Official Release
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Martin Truex Jr.
Daytona Advance
No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Coke Zero Sugar 400 (Round 25 of 36)
● Time/Date: 7:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, August 24
● Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway
● Layout: 2.5-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 160 laps/400 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 35 laps / Stage 2: 60 laps / Final Stage: 65 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Where We Stand: Truex sits eighth in the driver standings with 682 points, 132 behind new leader Tyler Reddick. All four Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) entries are currently inside the top-10 in the standings, with Denny Hamlin third, Christopher Bell seventh and Ty Gibbs 10th as the series heads to the penultimate race of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season at Daytona.

● Playoff Watch: Just two races remain in the NASCAR Cup Series regular season with Truex highest in points among drivers without a win so far in 2024. Truex is 13th on the 16-driver playoff grid with a 77-point cushion over 17th place. Twelve drivers have scored wins so far this season.

● In his 38 career Cup Series outings at Daytona, Truex has three top-five finishes, six top-10s, and he’s led a total of 148 laps. His average Daytona finish is 21.2.

● Outside of the NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona, Truex has made seven career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts there. Of his 13 career Xfinity Series wins, only one came at Daytona, earned in July 2005. Truex is a two-time Xfinity Series champion (2004 and 2005) to go with his 2017 Cup Series championship.

● Looking for 35: Truex’s win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon in July 2023 was his most recent Cup Series win, the 34th of his career, tying him with 2004 champion Kurt Busch for 25th on the all-time Cup Series win list.

● Ahead at this Stage: Truex has accumulated 63 stage wins since the beginning of the stage era in 2017. He is the only driver with 10 or more stage sweeps, with his latest sweep coming at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn in August 2023. Truex scored his third stage win of the season in July at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, leading the field across the line at the end of Stage 1.

Martin Truex Jr., Driver of the No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE

How do you attack trying to win at Daytona knowing how chaotic that race can be?

“We just need to be smart and need to do just what we know how to do. Daytona is always a crapshoot, so you never know what can happen. We just have to be mindful of the first two stages and see what we need to do in the final stage and that will set our strategy for the rest of the race. Really excited to have Bass Pro Shops back with us this weekend and hope we can get some stage points and then be there at the end on Saturday night.”

You have two races remaining in the regular season. What do you need to do to get in the playoffs the next two weeks?

“We just need to go race and do what we can. About the last two months have been pretty miserable for us. Had a lot of speed and not much to show for it overall. Just need to execute better and not have mistakes since it’s been a little of everything over that time. We’ll go to Daytona and do what we can there with some of that out of our hands, and then head to Darlington, a place I know we have been very fast at, and see where it falls.”

What are races like at Daytona?

“Daytona is a wide-open crapshoot. Everyone holds it wide open. You get down to the end of the race and we’ve seen the crashes over and over on the green-white-checkereds. Everyone just holds it wide open and, if they have any momentum at all, they just try to drive through the guy in front of them and it spins him out and crashes him. It’s really just a wild card, it’s kind of crazy. I wouldn’t say I’m not uncomfortable there, but it kind of stinks to get down to the end, if you make it that far, to just get crashed at the end. I’m hoping we can have some better luck this weekend with our Bass Pro Shops Camry.”

Who do you think is the best superspeedway driver these days?

“I think there are a lot of guys that are really, really good at it. Denny (Hamlin) is certainly near the top. It is nice to have him in our camp to have with our deal. He’s very helpful. He’s very knowledgeable to help our guys with our gameplan and things, so I would say he’s probably right there at the top.”

Did superspeedway racing change over the last several years?

“I think superspeedways probably haven’t changed much as opposed to some of the other types of tracks. Just the way you can bump draft with this car is totally different than the previous-generation cars. I think right now there are a lot more options as far as what lanes work. It used to be that you never wanted anyone on the outside, and now you can pass guys on the bottom a bit easier and that sets up some other opportunities. I feel like the racing has been fun on superspeedways, but you have to be really aggressive, as well.”

No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Martin Truex Jr.

Hometown: Mayetta, New Jersey

Crew Chief: James Small

Hometown: Melbourne, Australia

Car Chief: Chris Jones

Hometown: Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia

Race Engineer: Jaik Halpainy

Hometown: Blockville, New York

Spotter: Drew Herring

Hometown: Benson, North Carolina

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Ryan Martin

Hometown: Mechanicsburg, Virgina

Mechanic: Todd Carmichael

Hometown: Redding, California

Interior/Tire Specialist: Tommy DiBlasi

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Engine Tuner: Beau Morton

Hometown: Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Transporter Driver: Kyle Bazzell

Hometown: Fairbury, Illinois

Transporter Driver: Eddie DeGroot

Hometown: Baldwinsville, New York

Over-The-Wall Crew Members

Gas Man: Matt Tyrrell

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Jackman: Caleb Dirks

Hometown: Riverside, California

Tire Carrier: CJ Bailey

Hometown: Outer Banks, North Carolina

Front Tire Changer: Thomas Hatcher

Hometown: Middleburg, Florida

Rear Tire Changer: Lee Cunningham

Hometown: Leaf River, Illinois

BuzzBallz Launches New Responsible Drinking Campaign with Sponsored Professional Driver Taylor Reimer

By
Official Release
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Carrollton, TX, Aug. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In preparation for the end of summer and Labor Day weekend, BuzzBallz has released a new responsible drinking PSA video starring professional driver Taylor Reimer, who BuzzBallz has sponsored since her first year as a professional racer in 2021.

The ad spot features Reimer in various settings including with her BuzzBallz branded ARCA series race car. Throughout the spot she speaks on the importance of being a responsible driver, not driving after consuming alcohol, and alternative options to get somewhere safely after drinking.

Reimer said it was an honor to collaborate with BuzzBallz on this campaign because responsible alcohol consumption is a value she shares with the brand.

“As a professional driver, safety on our highways and roads is one of the most important messages we can deliver. I hope the PSA conveys the message effectively and especially connects with younger drivers,” Reimer said.

This campaign will run through August and September on social media outlets, including targeting in markets where Reimer will be racing.

BuzzBallz EVP of Sales and Marketing Tracy Frisbie said:

“Reimer embodies working hard and playing smart, and is a disciplined person who puts responsibility first in all of her actions. She is determined to put her best efforts forward.

“In addition to being a dedicated and talented driver on the track she also is responsible in her leisure time, ensuring that she makes decisions that don’t detract from the hard work she puts into her racing career. We couldn’t have a better partner for this campaign than Taylor,” Frisbie said.

This video spot exemplifies BuzzBallz’ commitment to responsible consumption.

“BuzzBallz is a fun brand, but we are serious about consumers making good choices in their leisure time and being responsible when enjoying an adult beverage. Taylor is a good spokesperson to help us drive the message of responsible drinking,” Frisbie said.

For more information, visit www.buzzballz.com and www.taylorreimerracing.com.

About BuzzBallz, LLC/Southern Champion:

Since its founding in 2009, BuzzBallz, LLC/Southern Champion has been a leader of innovation and originality in the ready-to-drink cocktail industry. Owning the only woman-owned distillery, winery, and brewery in the United States, CEO and Founder Merrilee Kick has taken her master’s degree thesis project from an idea by her pool to a worldwide brand with distribution nationwide and in 29 countries. The company’s two staple brands, BuzzBallz and Uptown Cocktails, have won dozens of awards for their design, flavor, and popularity, with BuzzBallz rising to the #1 selling RTD in convenience stores and going viral on social media with hundreds of millions of views on posts mentioning the one of a kind cocktail.

The company’s mission is to create fun and innovative premixed cocktails for the world with a vision to reinvent happy hour. With premium natural ingredients and all gluten-free and Kosher-certified flavors, the Texas-based business is dedicated to high quality in their products for consumers and community alike. Through partnerships like their TerraCycle® program, BuzzBallz, LLC/Southern Champion values environmental responsibility with an emphasis on sustainability and economic improvement. The family-owned company cultivates a familial relationship with their teams to make a positive and lasting impact one sip at a time. Learn more at: www.southern-champion.com, www.uptowncocktails.com, and www.buzzballz.com.

FIELD SET FOR PEP BOYS NHRA FUNNY CAR ALL-STAR CALLOUT AT TOYOTA NHRA U.S. NATIONALS

By
Official Release
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Bob Tasca III gets top seed in loaded eight-car specialty race, which provides bonus money and bragging rights at The Big Go

INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 20, 2024) – The world’s biggest drag race includes a standout Funny Car showdown, as the field is now set for the eight-car Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout on Sunday, Sept. 1 as part of this year’s 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals.

The Big Go takes place Aug. 28-Sept. 2 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park and one of the major highlights of the Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals is the Funny Car specialty race that offers up bragging rights and big money on drag racing’s grandest stage.

For the first time, Bob Tasca III earned the top seed in the Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout, with the rest of the eight-car field including, in order, 2022 Callout winner Ron Capps, defending world champion Matt Hagan, Chad Green, J.R. Todd, Cruz Pedregon, Alexis DeJoria and Paul Lee. Both Green and Lee are making their first appearance in the specialty race, while Todd returns to the Callout this year after just missing out a season ago.

Lee was ninth in the Callout standings and moved into the final field with John Force unable to participate following his June crash in Richmond.

By earning the top seed – which is based on qualifying points for the last seven races of 2023 and the first 13 races of 2024 – Tasca will get the first chance to call out his first-round opponent. If Capps is not selected, the back-to-back Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals champion will get the next pick, going down the line until all first-round matchups are set. There is plenty on the line in the opening round as well, as the driver who makes the quickest winning run will get to select their semifinal opponent, adding more intrigue and excitement to the Callout.

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.

Now in its third year at The Big Go, the Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout offers the chance for one driver to pull off something spectacular and win more than once at the Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals. Capps swept the weekend in 2022, while Robert Hight won the Callout last season. Tasca is currently second in points and enjoying another strong season, while Hagan has advanced to the Callout final both years and is coming off a final-round appearance in Brainerd. Pedregon and DeJoria have both advanced to the Callout the last two seasons.

The specialty event promises to be a huge attraction at the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals, which will be one of the biggest in the illustrious history of The Big Go. It features the final Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge of the year, 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.

Last year, Antron 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. Dallas Glenn is the Pro Stock points leader, while Gaige Herrera has six wins to his credit in Pro Stock Motorcycle. Other stars to watch include Top Fuel’s Ashley, Brittany Force, Shawn Langdon and racing legend Tony Stewart, who will make his Indy Top Fuel debut, Funny Car’s Jack Beckman, Pro Stock’s Erica Enders, Greg Anderson and Aaron Stanfield, and Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Chase Van Sant and Jianna Evaristo.

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.

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.

2024 Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout Final Standings

  1. Bob Tasca III
  2. Ron Capps
  3. Matt Hagan
  4. Chad Green
  5. J.R. Todd
  6. Cruz Pedregon
  7. Alexis DeJoria
  8. Paul Lee

(Note: Tasca will get the first selection for the opening round, followed by the next-highest seeded driver until matchups are set.)

PEP BOYS NHRA FUNNY CAR ALL-STAR CALLOUT SCHEDULE (ET):

Saturday, Aug. 31:

11:30 AM – Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout first-round selections in Top Eliminator Club (Get your TEC Tickets Today!)

Sunday, Sept. 1

10:00 AM – Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout autograph session at Pep Boys display

1:00 PM – Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout opening ceremonies

1:05 PM – First round for Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout

2:40 PM – Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout for round two. This will be conducted at the top end. The winning driver who makes the quickest run in the first round earns the right to select their semifinal opponent.

4:30 PM – Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout final round

5:00 PM – Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout show airs on FOX

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.

Back to Racing for Silver Hare at Watkins Glen

By
Official Release
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Jake Drew, Boris Said Jr. Look To Pick Up Where They Left Off Before Summer Break

HIGH POINT, N.C. (Aug. 20, 2024) – The Silver Hare Racing duo of Jake Drew and Boris Said Jr. head to iconic Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International to kick off the home stretch of the 2024 Cube 3 Architecture TA2 Series season Friday at this weekend’s Mission Foods Watkins Glen SpeedTour.

The 30-lap, 75-minute race around the 3.4-mile, 11-turn Watkins Glen circuit will be the first of back-to-back weekend events for Trans Am competitors, who eight days later will return to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, for the first time since 2014. Drew and Said look to pick up where they and the Silver Hare team left off when the series last raced, also on back-to-back weekends June 22 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington and June 29 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

Drew, the 24-year-old driver of the No. 7 Silver Hare Racing/Franklin Road Apparel Chevrolet Camaro who’s competing in his first career TA2 season, scored back-to-back podium finishes of third at Mid-Ohio and Road America, the latter round featuring his first pole of the year. The podium finishes elevated his total to three for the season and moved him to fifth in the driver standings. He scored his first podium with a second-place finish in just his second TA2 start April 14 at NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale, Louisiana. A native of Fullerton, California, Drew also moved to the top of the TA2 Rookie of the Year standings despite running one fewer race than his nearest competitors, and into third in the Young Gun standings for drivers 25 and under.

The veteran of a half-dozen NASCAR Truck Series events in 2023 and a 23-race slate of ARCA Menards Series outings from 2021 to 2023 that featured three road-course victories in 2022, narrowly missed a podium finish in his TA2 debut in the season’s second round March 24 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. As is the case most every weekend on his rookie TA2 tour, Drew will be taking to the Watkins Glen circuit for the first time. But he’s certainly proven to be a quick study.

Said, the 20-year-old first-year driver of the No. 75 HendrickCars.com/Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro, finished seventh at Mid-Ohio and eighth at Road America to give him four consecutive top-eight finishes, a streak that included his best career TA2 finish of sixth May 25 at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut. The Escondido, California native is looking for a breakthrough run this weekend on the track he’s watched his dad, Boris Said, enjoy numerous successes in NASCAR and sportscar competition over the years.

In last year’s TA2 round at Watkins Glen, the Silver Hare Racing Camaro of Connor Zilisch was the first to take the checkered flag after starting on the pole. But what would have been the team’s fourth victory of the season was disallowed after a ride-height violation was declared in postrace technical inspection. Zilisch and Silver Hare went on to win the very next two rounds at World Wide Technology Raceway outside St. Louis and Virginia International Raceway in Alton, the High Point, North Carolina-based team’s home track, both victories coming from the pole after leading every race lap. Silver Hare finished 2023 with a TA2 series-high five victories.

This weekend’s Mission Foods Watkins Glen SpeedTour kicks off Thursday with a 35-minute TA2 test session at 2 p.m. EDT, followed by a 30-minute official TA2 practice session at 4:45 p.m. Qualifying is at noon Friday, with the TA2 race, round nine of 12 on the 2024 schedule, set for 4 p.m. with live television provided by series partner MAVTV, augmented by live-streaming video on the Trans Am and SpeedTour channels on YouTube. MAVTV will air a 60-minute race show at 8 p.m. EDT on Thursday, Sept. 5.

Silver Hare Racing leverages its Trans Am effort to promote its arrive-and-drive program, where aspiring racers and even tenured professionals hone their road-racing skills on some of the most revered tracks in North America. NASCAR Cup Series drivers Daniel Suárez, Christopher Bell, William Byron and Harrison Burton have all wheeled Silver Hare Racing-prepared cars to burnish their road-racing abilities in top-flight equipment.

The team offers six, professionally built and maintained TA2 chassis from Howe Racing for both competition and private testing. Silver Hare Racing has a dedicated, fulltime crew and operates out of a state-of-the-art facility in High Point, North Carolina. At the track, two 53-foot Featherlite transporters serve as the team’s base, each outfitted with a lounge and smart TVs for data and video review, as well as for hospitality.

To further Silver Hare Racing’s driver development capabilities, the team’s race shop in High Point is now equipped with a SHOCKWAVE Simulator, a tool specifically developed for drivers to accelerate racetrack familiarity, improve car control and confidence, and build stamina. SHOCKWAVE has been involved in racing since 1965 and is currently actively participating in NASCAR, ARCA, Trans Am, Late Models, and Sprint cars. Its Trans Am package replicates a Howe Racing TA2 chassis, complete with cockpit controls and sounds.

“With NASCAR having so many more road-course races, it’s our goal for Silver Hare Racing to be the preferred team for drivers to get that road-course experience,” said Laura Hull, Silver Hare Racing co-owner and team manager. “We want to be that important step in the ladder for the young, up-and-coming drivers. We want people to know we have an arrive-and-drive program, where for people who want to run this track or another, we provide the opportunity to do that and be successful.”

Jake Drew, driver, No. 7 Silver Hare Racing/Franklin Road Apparel Chevrolet Camaro:

It’s been eight weeks since you scored your second of back-to-back podium finishes and your first TA2 pole in the most recent round at Road America. Safe to say you’ve been looking ahead to this weekend at Watkins Glen?

“As a driver, we definitely don’t like taking eight weeks off, but I think it was good for the series and our team and all teams involved to regroup and get back on track. We had a lot of races in a short stretch and I’m sure everybody could use that break. I’m super excited to get back into my Silver Hare/Franklin Road Chevrolet and excited to take on another new track like Watkins Glen. Potentially, I feel like it has a lot of similarities to Road America, where we got our first pole and shared a lot of success. Toward the end of that last stretch of races, we were building some good momentum and I’m looking forward to picking up where we left off.”

Another new track for you in Watkins Glen this weekend, but there is a wealth of resources out there to draw from in learning the track. What have you been doing to prepare, and what are your impressions of the track?

“I’ve been doing a lot of iRacing and have been watching race videos back so I can be as prepared as possible and deal with whatever comes to me. As we all know, it’s definitely a high-speed track and has a lot of high commitment to it, so you’ll have to have a lot of trust in your car and your equipment. You’ll need momentum on your side in some places dealing with elevation changes and what not. I’m looking forward to getting there and utilizing our practice time and working hard together as a team and do the best we can.”

You’re entering the home stretch of your first TA2 season. How has the experience matched your expectations so far?

“It’s definitely more competitive than I thought it was going to be, and I don’t mean that in a way that I was underestimating it in any way, just out of respect to all the other teams and competitors who’ve been doing it for a long time. I think it’s a really great series that more people should get involved in. I’ve really enjoyed learning a new car and a new team. Silver Hare is a family, and that makes it super enjoyable. With these last four races coming in, I’m definitely adding some pressure on myself – I really want to bring home a win, if not multiple wins. We just got our first pole at the last race and we have a few podiums, but winning is always the best, so I’m looking to do whatever it takes to make that happen.”

Boris Said Jr., driver, No. 75 HendrickCars.com/Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro:

You’re back on track for a points-paying TA2 race for the first time since Road America the last weekend in June. How have you enjoyed your time away from Trans Am, and what are your thoughts about Watkins Glen?

“Seems like it’s been forever since we raced at Road America, so I’m excited to get back to it this weekend. It was good to not be off for the entire eight weeks since I got to run the All-Star Race at Lime Rock with Dad, and then I got to meet up with some friends in Cyprus and Spain. I got to do some jet skiing and windsurfing and it was very relaxing. So, like I said, I’m really excited to get back to it with our Silver Hare team. I’ve been running on the simulator a lot to get ready for these next two races. I like Watkins Glen a lot because it’s a fast track and it’s fun. And I’m really excited for Mosport (Canadian Tire Motorsport Park) because I’ve never raced there before but I really enjoy running it on the simulator.”

Your dad has had quite the history at Watkins Glen, having been a regular contender in NASCAR over the years, and the winner of several sportscar races. Does that make the track extra special for you as you kick off the home stretch of the season?

“It’s a very cool track. I went there as a kid a lot and it’s cool to be able to race there. I really like the track and the ambience. It’s a great way to kick off this last four-race stretch of the season. I think consistency is the biggest thing we’ve been able to achieve this year as a driver and a team working together to this point. I can’t put my finger on exactly how that has come about, just a lot of little things. I’m looking forward to building on that starting this weekend and finishing the season strong.”

About Hendrick Automotive Group:

Representing 131 franchises and 25 manufacturer nameplates from the Carolinas to California, Hendrick Automotive Group is the largest privately held automotive retail organization in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the company employs more than 10,000 people in its 94 dealership locations, 21 collision centers and four accessories distributor installers in 13 states. For more information, please visit HendrickCars.com.

About HendrickCars.com:

HendrickCars.com is the online home for everything Hendrick Automotive Group. Visitors can shop thousands of new or pre-owned vehicles, locate centers for service and collision repair, receive a value to sell or trade their car, chat online with customer service, discover career opportunities, learn more about vehicle protection programs, and explore how the company gives back to the community.

About Silver Hare Racing:

Silver Hare Racing is a fulltime competitor in the TA2 division of the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli. The multicar team has won the TA2 masters class championship three times (2018, 2019 and 2020) with driver and team co-owner Maurice Hull. Under the leadership of Hull’s wife, co-owner and team manager Laura Hull, Silver Hare Racing provides a variety of services that includes private testing and arrive-and-drive programs. The team offers six, professionally built and maintained TA2 chassis from Howe Racing and operates from a state-of-the-art facility in High Point, North Carolina. For more information, please call 336-870-5151 or visit SilverHareRacing.com.

Petty’s Garage Ready to Become Leaders for Historical Stock Car Racers

By
Official Release
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Speed Shop Combines Performance Parts and Services with Championship Heritage

LEVEL CROSS, N.C. (August 20, 2024) – Petty’s Garage, and its championship stock car racing pedigree, is now ready to bring its expertise to teams and racers competing in the various historical stock car series in the United States.

Recently, Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) introduced the HSR NASCAR Classic presented by Petty’s Garage. HSR has partnered with the Historic Stock Car Racing Association to create the new racing series for older generation of NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, Truck, and ARCA Series vehicles. The series will debut at the VIRginia International Raceway on August 23-25.

Petty’s Garage, the home of over 250 wins at stock cars highest levels, is primed to be the leader for the restoration, preparation, tuning, and body and parts shop for owners and the drivers racing these stock cars. Petty’s Garage not only has expert fabricators, engine tuners, and mechanics, but also comes with the brand you can trust to help you perform at your best at the track.

“There isn’t a better fit for our services than vintage stock car owners, teams, and racers,” said Greg Steadman, Chief Operating Officer, Petty’s Garage. “Our championship history, built by the Petty family and generations of stock cars best, all came through the doors of Petty’s Garage. We pride ourselves on that same craftmanship and can help anyone with projects large or small to get to the track.

“And we really are the best solution after your race, too,” continued Steadman. “From body repair, tuning, to stripping the car down and making it fresh for your next event, this is what we offer. We prioritize safety of the vehicle and also give you the best performance parts from our shop.

“It’s an exciting time for classic stock car racing with so many cars in competition. We have an open door for anyone.”

Petty’s Garage is home to the historical Petty Enterprises that competed in the NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, Truck, and ARCA Series in all the eras that are allowed to compete in the classic car series. Petty’s Garage has partnerships with every OEM and has access to thousands of high-performance aftermarket parts. In addition, Petty’s Garage has the capabilities and experience to setup your racing machine using its years of experience.

“There is no better match for what Petty’s Garage can do than working on historic stock cars and getting them ready for the track,” said Petty. “This is what we’ve been doing for 75 years and we have the people and experience to make it happen. We have seen historic stock car racing grow a lot the past decade and we want people to know that we are here to help them.”

You can learn more and follow Petty’s Garage on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also call the shop Monday-Friday at 336-498-3745.

About Petty’s Garage

Petty’s Garage is a high-performance speed shop originally founded by Richard Petty in 2008 as an expansion of his competitive career and ambition to find ways to continue to win both on and off the track. Petty has been building hot rods ever since his childhood bicycle wouldn’t go fast enough. Performance vehicles or stock cars, Petty’s life has been built around production and driving high quality vehicles. Today, the Garage is a second-generation, Petty family owned and operated business. Our performance experts have earned the respect of customers and fans that crowned Petty “The King” of NASCAR. Our crew is looking forward to helping you start a new project or upgrade your current vehicle. For more information, visit www.pettysgarage.com.

Ford Performance NASCAR – 2024 Daytona/Milwaukee Advance

By
Official Release
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DAYTONA 2 / MILWAUKEE

Friday, August 23 — NASCAR Xfinity Series, 7:30 p.m. ET (USA)
Saturday, August 24 — NASCAR Cup Series, 7:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
Sunday, August 25 — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 4 p.m. ET (FS1)

All three NASCAR national series will be in action this weekend, including the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series as it conducts the first playoff race of the season at the Milwaukee Mile. The NASCAR Xfinity Series still has five contests remaining in its regular season while the NASCAR Cup Series has only two.

DAYTONA REPEAT?

Chris Buescher capped the hottest streak of his NASCAR Cup Series career in this race a year ago when he won the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway. That regular-season finale victory marked his third triumph in a five-race stretch and sent him into the playoffs with all the momentum in the world. Buescher goes into Saturday night’s race in 15th place, 16 points above the cut line with two races to go in the regular season.

PLAYOFF BOUND

With two races remaining in the NASCAR Cup Series regular season, four Ford drivers have locked up spots in the playoffs. Brad Keselowski (Darlington), Austin Cindric (WWTR), Joey Logano (Nashville) and Ryan Blaney (Pocono) will all compete for the championship when the postseason opens in two weeks at Atlanta Motor Speedway. As noted above, Chris Buescher currently holds one of the final spots based on points.

BLANEY WINS IN WILD FINISH

Ryan Blaney endured a chaotic end to the Coke Zero Sugar 400 in 2021 at Daytona as he swiftly escaped a multi-car pile-up exiting the third turn with four laps remaining. Blaney, who was running fifth in the middle row of three-wide competition, moved up the track to evade a group of spinning cars and inherited the lead. In overtime, Blaney managed to stay out front, fending off Kevin Harvick and Chris Buescher in the final laps before the race’s eighth caution, subsequently giving Blaney his third win of the season under caution.

FIREBALL ROBERTS COMPLETES ’63 SWEEP

After Tiny Lund was crowned Ford’s first Daytona 500 winner in 1963, Fireball Roberts gave the manufacturer its first season sweep at the speedway in spectacular fashion by driving his 1963 Holman-Moody Ford to a midsummer victory in the Firecracker 400. Roberts bested the likes of teammate Fred Lorenzen and Wood Brothers Racing’s Marvin Panch and a top-five that included the Mercury of Darel Dieringer as well as Ned Jarrett’s Ford. Originally called the Firecracker 250, the race was 100 laps until expanding to the current 400 miles (160 laps) in 1963. The thrilling debut of the elongated version saw 39 lead changes with Roberts beating Lorenzen by a car length.

CUSTER STILL ON TOP

Cole Custer continues to lead the NASCAR Xfinity Series point standings, holding a 12-point lead over second-place Justin Allgaier with five events remaining in the regular season. Custer took the lead following the race in Portland on June 1 and has held it ever since, although he lost 44 points last weekend after his race in Michigan ended early due to suspension damage he incurred from an accident. He has nine career series starts at Daytona International Speedway and has a pair of top 10 finishes with his best result being fifth in this event last season.

MAJESKI MOJO

Ty Majeski ended the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series regular season with back-to-back victories and enters the postseason as the hottest driver on the circuit. The Wisconsin native, who has led a combined 126 laps the last two races, would like nothing more than to win in front of his hometown fans and automatically secure a spot in the Round of 8. Seeing Majeski peak now isn’t anything new because all five of his career series triumphs have come in the second half of the year. Last season, Majeski finished 13th in this event as the series returned to the Milwaukee Mile for the first time since 2009.

RHODES READY TO DEFEND

Ben Rhodes has had a quiet season to this point and is still looking for his first win, but the defending series champion enters the postseason as the ninth seed. While he has some ground to make up, he’s been in this position before. A year ago he entered as the seventh seed and survived the first three events before catching fire and posting three top-5 finishes in the final four races. Rhodes, who won his first title in 2021, is looking to join ThorSport Racing teammate Matt Crafton and Jack Sprague as three-time series champions.

FORD’S NASCAR CUP SERIES

SUMMER RACE WINNERS AT DAYTONA

1963 – Fireball Roberts

1965 – A.J. Foyt

1967 – Cale Yarborough

1969 – LeeRoy Yarbrough

1970 – Donnie Allison

1983 – Buddy Baker

1988 – Bill Elliott

1989 – Davey Allison

1991 – Bill Elliott

1994 – Jimmy Spencer

1997 – John Andretti

1999 – Dale Jarrett

2000 – Jeff Burton

2003 – Greg Biffle

2007 – Jaime McMurray

2011 – David Ragan

2014 – Aric Almirola

2016 – Brad Keselowski

2017 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

2021 – Ryan Blaney

2023 – Chris Buescher

FORD’S NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

WINNERS AT DAYTONA

1995 – Chad Little (1)

2004 – Mike Wallace (2)

2015 – Ryan Reed (1)

2016 – Aric Almirola (2)

2017 – Ryan Reed (1)

2021 – Austin Cindric (1)

FORD’S NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES WINNERS AT MILWAUKEE

1998 – Mike Bliss

1999 – Greg Biffle

2000 – Kurt Busch

2002 – Terry Cook

TIDAL WAVE AUTO SPA BECOMES OFFICIAL CAR WASH OF ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY

By
Official Release
-

HAMPTON, Ga. (Aug. 20, 2024) – Tidal Wave Auto Spa and Atlanta Motor Speedway are teaming up in a new partnership to keep the speedway’s fleet of vehicles looking sharp and ready to welcome fans to the track.

As the Official Car Wash Partner of Atlanta Motor Speedway, Tidal Wave Auto Spa will ensure the Speedway’s fleet of Chevrolet vehicles get the ultimate clean year-round with industry-leading car wash technology and exceptional customer service.

“We’re thrilled to be the car wash partner of the Atlanta Motor Speedway,” said Tidal Wave’s Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Lucas Mininger. “It’s no secret that the Speedway has an immense reach to car enthusiasts and race fans everywhere, and it’s an incredible opportunity to introduce this audience to Tidal Wave. We are committed to providing an exceptionally clean car and we’re looking forward to helping the Speedway’s fleet make the best first impression.”

Tidal Wave Auto Spa strives to provide every customer with an exceptional car wash experience with clean and attractive locations, the highest-quality car washes, and friendly customer service. The company was founded over 20 years ago in Thomaston, Ga., and has grown into a top four conveyor car wash company with over 275 locations across the Southern, Midwest and Northern United States. With its large network of locations and quality service, Tidal Wave is the top choice for customers looking to polish up the family car on their way to work, businesses with an armada of vehicles to keep looking their best, and everyone in between.

“We’re known best for our major NASCAR events like the upcoming Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart weekend Sept. 6-8, but our facility is hosting events all year long,” said AMS Executive Vice President and General Manager Brandon Hutchison. “We rely on our fleet of 25 Chevrolet vehicles to support these events, helping us to deliver top-notch experiences for our guests. We’re thrilled to be partnered with Tidal Wave to keep our vehicles spotless and ready to impress all year long!”

In addition to its partnership with AMS, Tidal Wave is also proud to partner with Speedway Children’s Charities Atlanta for the company’s annual Charity Day event on Friday, September 20. Half of all wash proceeds made at the McDonough, Ga., location during the one-day philanthropy event will benefit SCC Atlanta, helping with their mission to advance children’s causes in the Atlanta metro area and the State of Georgia. Tidal Wave is committed to making a positive impact in the communities they serve, and has raised over $3 million for local organizations through their fundraising program and annual Charity Day event.

To learn more about Tidal Wave, including fleet services and fundraising, visit tidalwaveautospa.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X for the latest news and information.

Follow Atlanta Motor Speedway:

Keep track of all of Atlanta Motor Speedway’s events by following on X, Instagram, and become a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Atlanta Motor Speedway mobile app.

About Tidal Wave Auto Spa

Tidal Wave Auto Spa is an industry-leading conveyor car wash company founded in 1999 by Scott and Hope Blackstock in Thomaston, GA. Tidal Wave is committed to providing cutting-edge car care technology and exceptional customer service at each of their 277 locations sprawling 28 states across the South, Midwest, and Northern United States. In 2020, Tidal Wave partnered with Golden Gate Capital to facilitate their accelerated growth across the country. Tidal Wave is one of the top five conveyor car wash companies in the country and has been included in the Inc. 5000 list for America’s Fastest Growing Companies since 2020. The company was recognized as a 2023 Champion of Charity Honoree by Professional Carwashing & Detailing and has raised over $3 million dollars for organizations in their communities.

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