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Burton Finishes 16th In Season Finale At Phoenix

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Official Release
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Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team finished 16th in Sunday’s Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway as their Ford teammates Joey Logano and his No. 22 crew won the season title in their Team Penske Mustang.

Burton started Sunday’s season finale from ninth place and had a steady drive all day to post his seventh finish of 16th or better this season. Burton and the Wood Brothers also secured 16th place in the final points standings, thanks to a win at Daytona in August that put them in the Playoffs.

On Sunday, Burton dropped back a few spots on the initial start and ended the first 80-lap Stage in 14th place.

In the second Stage, Burton and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team continued to race mostly inside the top 20 before ending that segment in 19th place.

In the third and final portion of the 312-lap race, Burton worked his way forward, taking 18th place on Lap 264, 17th by Lap 274 and 16th with 24 laps remaining.

Sunday’s race marked Burton’s final drive in the No. 21 Mustang. Next season will see Josh Berry take the wheel with Miles Stanley as crew chief.

Eddie Wood offered his congratulations to Team Penske and to Ford Motor Company for their championship and added his thanks for those who supported his team in 2024.

“We congratulate Roger Penske and his organization and everyone at Ford on a hard-fought championship,” Wood said. “They were most deserving.

“And as we close out the season I’d like to thank Harrison and all the members of our 21 team, as well as all of our sponsors and fans for all they do for us.

“We wish all of you a happy and safe offseason, and we are all working hard and looking forward to a successful 2025 season.”

The No. 21 team will return to the track on Feb. 2 for the Busch Light Clash at a familiar venue for the Wood Brothers – Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C.

About Motorcraft®
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, independent distributors and automotive-parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty* of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.”

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company does that through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough EVs along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford is pursuing mobility solutions through Ford Next, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 177,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.

About Ford Performance
Ford Performance is based in Dearborn, Mich. It is responsible for Ford’s performance vehicle development and major racing operations globally, including NASCAR, IMSA, SRO British GT, FIA World Rally Championship, Supercars Championship, World of Outlaws, Ultra4, SCORE-International, FIA Rally-Raid, Formula Drift, NHRA, Rebelle Rally, Thailand Super Series and our latest commitment in Formula 1 with RedBull Ford Powertrains. Ford Performance also maintains a constantly evolving fleet of electric performance demonstrators to showcase the limits of electrification technology. In addition, the organization also oversees the development of Ford’s racing engines, as well as the outreach programs with all Ford Clubs and Ford enthusiasts. For more information regarding Ford racing’s activities, please visit Performance.Ford.com or follow @FordPerformance on Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube.

Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 100 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last eight decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.

Kaulig Racing Race Recap | NASCAR Cup Series Championship

By
Official Release
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DANIEL HEMRIC
No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1

  • Daniel Hemric qualified 22nd for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway.
  • After an early caution on lap one, Hemric restarted 21st but began trending free laterally and on throttle. The remainder of the opening stage finished without incident, as Hemric fell down one lap to the leader. He finished the stage in 33rd and received the free pass position.
  • During the first stage break, crew chief Trent Owens made the call to pit for four tires, fuel, an air pressure and a wedge adjustment on the No. 31 Cirkul Chevrolet. Hemric started the second stage from 33rd place. Hemric gained three positions on the initial start and made it as high as sixth place as green-flag pit stops began. He pitted under green on lap 134, receiving tires and fuel and went on to finish the second stage in 28th place, one lap down to the leader.
  • During the second stage break, Hemric pitted for tires, fuel and and an air pressure adjustment to tighten up the No. 31 Chevy. He started the final stage from 28th place. A timely caution on lap 251 allowed Hemric to pit under caution from 21st place. After receiving tires and fuel, Hemric restarted 24th with 54 laps remaining. The race stayed green, and Hemric finished 23rd.

“We clawed all day and made the No. 31 Cirkul Chevrolet much better there the last few runs. Trent [Owens] made great adjustments, as always. I’m proud of the hard work everyone on this team has put in this season. Today was bittersweet, but I can’t thank Matt Kaulig, Chris Rice, and everyone at Kaulig Racing for these past few years.” – Daniel Hemric  

DEREK KRAUS
No. 16 Western States Flooring Camaro ZL1

  • Derek Kraus qualified 26th for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship to close out the 2024 season.
  • The first caution of the day fell on the opening lap. Kraus and the No. 16 Western States Flooring Chevrolet stayed out to restart 29th from the top line. Kraus slowly lost several positions, dropping to 35th as he reported his car was running free into turns. He finished the first stage a lap down in 35th.
  • During the stage break, Kraus reported he lacked grip and could not trust the car. The No. 16 pitted for four tires, fuel and adjustments. Kraus restarted 35th and one lap down. As a caution-free stage two went on, Kraus pitted under green-flag conditions on lap 179 for four tires, fuel and adjustments. Kraus restarted in 36th and two laps down, reporting he was still tight. He remained silent on the radio and finished 34th, two laps down to the leaders.
  • During the final stage break, Kraus noted he trended tighter on the long runs and couldn’t lean on the car. Kraus took the wave around with crew chief Andrew Dickeson opting to stay out. The No. 16 restarted 32nd. As the final stage ran green, the No. 16 pitted with 78 laps to go, taking four tires, fuel and adjustments, reentering the field 33rd and three laps down. The caution flag came out for the No. 71 on lap 249, allowing Kraus to take the wave around, restarting 31st and one lap down. As green flag runs continued, Kraus ended the race in 25th.

“Overall a great weekend here at Phoenix Raceway. I learned a lot, and had fun running all the laps. I can’t thank Matt Kaulig and Chris Rice enough for this opportunity, and we will see what 2025 brings.” – Derek Kraus  
 
About Kaulig Racing

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time, multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has earned 23 NXS wins, made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started, and won two regular-season championships. In 2021, the team competed in select NCS events, before expanding to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first NCS start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. Kaulig Racing is currently fielding two full-time entries in the NCS and continues to field three full-time NXS entries, with a part-time fourth entry at select events. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

Carson Hocevar named 2024 Cup Series Rookie of the Year

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by David Myers for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Carson Hocevar has officially been named the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year.

The 21-year-old Hocevar from Portage, Michigan, made his Cup Series debut at World Wide Technology Raceway in June 2023, where he filled in as an interim competitor for Corey LaJoie in the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 entry as LaJoie was filling for the suspended Chase Elliott in the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet entry. By then, Hocevar was campaigning in his third full-time season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for Niece Motorsports. Starting 26th, Hocevar ended up in 36th place, dead last, in his Cup debut after he blew a right-front tire through the frontstretch, hit the outside wall and slid into the Turn 1 outside wall within the Lap 90 mark.

For eight of the remaining 10 events of the 2023 Cup Series season, Hocevar piloted the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 entry for Legacy Motor Club. During the 10-race stint, Hocevar achieved a season-best 11th-place run at Bristol Motor Speedway in September and a total of five top-20 results. In the midst of Hocevar’s part-time Cup campaign, he made the Championship 4 round in the Truck Series and settled in third place in the final standings despite racking up a total of four victories throughout the season.

In October 2023, Hocevar announced his graduation to the Cup Series on a full-time basis, where he would replace Ty Dillon to drive the No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 entry for Spire Motorsports, where he would be paired with veteran crew chief Luke Lambert. Hocevar commenced his first full-time Cup campaign on a low note after he was involved in a multi-car wreck on the fifth lap that sidelined him in 40th place, dead last. The Michigan native would rebound during the following event at Atlanta Motor Speedway by finishing 19th before he recorded back-to-back 15th-place finishes between Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Phoenix Raceway, respectively. Another five races later, he recorded his first top-10 result in the Cup Series by finishing 10th at Texas Motor Speedway in April.

Then after finishing no higher than 17th over his next five starts, Hocevar recorded a strong eighth-place finish at World Wide Technology Raceway in June. He would proceed to finish in the top 20 10 times over his next 11 starts before he achieved a career-best starting spot of second place for the 2024 Cup Series regular-season finale at Darlington Raceway for the Southern 500 in September. Hocevar, however, would end up in 33rd place after being involved in two separate incidents. By then, he missed the 2024 Cup Series Playoffs as he was ranked in 22nd place in the driver’s standings.

For the remaining 10 events on the 2024 Cup schedule, Hocevar racked up an additional seven top-20 results and two top-10 results. Mired within the results, he achieved his first top-five result by notching a career-best third-place run at Watkins Glen International in September. The Michigan native would also record a ninth-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway in mid-October before he settled in 18th place during the season-finale event at Phoenix Raceway, which was enough for him to wrap up the 2024 rookie title in NASCAR’s premier series as he ended up in 21st place in the final championship standings. With a total of 23 top-20 results recorded throughout the 36-race schedule, Hocevar final average-finishing result was 18.3.

By claiming the 2024 rookie title, Hocevar became the first Michigan native to achieve a Cup rookie title since Erik Jones made the last accomplishment in 2017 and the first Chevrolet competitor to do so since Daniel Hemric made the previous accomplishment in 2019. Hocevar also became the first competitor from the Spire Motorsports organization to claim the Cup rookie title.

Photo by Ron Olds for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Hocevar’s closest rival for this year’s Cup rookie title was Josh Berry, who commenced the season by succeeding the 2014 Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick in Stewart-Haas Racing’s iconic No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse entry. Berry, who recorded two third-place results and a total of four top-10 results, ended up in 27th place in the final standings. Hocevar’s other rivals for the rookie title included teammate Zane Smith and Kaz Grala. Smith, the 2022 Truck Series champion who campaigned in his first full-time Cup season with Spire Motorsports, settled in 30th place in the final standings on the strengths of a career-best runner-up result at Nashville Superspeedway in June along with a total of two top-five results and four top-10 results. Meanwhile, Grala, who campaigned on a part-time basis between Front Row Motorsports and Rick Ware Racing, recorded a total of three top-20 results in 24 starts.

“Being named Sunoco Rookie of the Year is special,” Hocevar said. “I got beat out for Rookie of the Year in the CRAFTSMAN Truck series, and I didn’t run in the Xfinity Series full time so to win the award in the NASCAR Cup Series is a huge accomplishment for our whole team. It definitely didn’t come easy. Josh [Berry] has won a bunch of Xfinity races, and the No. 4 team won tons of races and a championship with [crew chief] Rodney [Childers] and [Kevin] Harvick. We also had Zane [Smith] in contention, who raced for Spire Motorsports and has won several Truck Series races and a championship. It was a good group of accomplished drivers vying for it, and it means a lot to come out on top. We ran really strong at the end of the year and were able to pull away in terms of points. These last several weeks show our capabilities as a team.”

With the rookie title achieved, Hocevar, who is under a multi-year deal with Spire Motorsports, is set to return for a second full-time Cup Series campaign in 2025 and with goals to race his way into Victory Lane for the first time and make the Playoffs.

“This award will be something that will live with me my whole career, and I’m proud to be known as the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year,” Hocevar added. “There’s an elite list of guys who have won it, and many of them went on to win races and championships. The award is something you only have one shot at. You can never go back and try to win Rookie or the Year later down the line. It is the only thing like that in racing. It is cool to win something so significant this year, and the mission is now to get the No. 77 car to Victory Lane and in the playoffs in 2025.”

The NASCAR Cup Series teams and competitors enter an off-season period before returning to action at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for the Busch Light Clash on February 2, 2025. This event will be followed by the 67th annual running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway scheduled for February 16, 2025, to commence a new season of competition.

Ford Wins Third Straight Cup Championship as Logano Joins List of Three-Time Champions

By
Official Release
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(Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Championship Race | Sunday, November 10, 2024

FORD WINS CUP CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR AS JOEY LOGANO CAPTURES TITLE IN SEASON FINALE AT PHOENIX RACEWAY

  • Ford’s NASCAR Cup Series championship streak extended to three straight today after Joey Logano won the title in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.
  • This marks the first time Ford has won the Cup title three years in a row and the first time Team Penske has achieved that feat. Logano (2022), Blaney (2023), Logano (2024).
  • Ford has won the Cup Series championship 12 times by nine different drivers.
  • In addition, Ford has won at least two NASCAR championships in each of the last three seasons, including a sweep of all three last year.
  • Overall, Ford has won eight of the last 10 titles in NASCAR’s top three touring series dating back to Logano’s Cup championship in 2022.
  • Logano is the first Ford driver to win at least three Cup Series championships and the 10th driver in NASCAR history, joining fellow three-time winners 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.

FORD’S NASCAR CUP SERIES CHAMPIONS

1965 – Ned Jarrett
1968 – David Pearson
1969 – David Pearson
1988 – Bill Elliott
1992 – Alan Kulwicki
1999 – Dale Jarrett
2003 – Matt Kenseth
2004 – Kurt Busch
2018 – Joey Logano
2022 – Joey Logano
2023 – Ryan Blaney
2024 – Joey Logano

Ford Performance Results:

1st – Joey Logano
2nd – Ryan Blaney
9th – Chris Buescher
12th – Noah Gragson
13th – Austin Cindric
15th – Brad Keselowski
16th – Harrison Burton
20th – Todd Gilliland
24th – Josh Berry
29th – Chase Briscoe
31st – Michael McDowell
32nd – Corey LaJoie
34th – Kaz Grala
36th – Chad Finchum
37th – Ryan Preece

JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse – VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW – WHAT MAKES YOU FIND A DIFFERENT LEVEL IN THESE SITUATIONS? “I love the playoffs. I love it, man. What a race. What a Team Penske battle there at the end. I had a good restart and was able to get in front of the 12. He had a lot of long run speed there and that was all I had there to hold him off. We have three of them. That’s really special. What a team to fight through today. We went through a little bit of adversity in throughout the race. I can’t thank Ford enough and Shell and Pennzoil and Hunt Brother’s Pizza. Paul Wolfe, what a crew chief I have. I’ve got the best team. I don’t know if I’m the best driver, but I’ve got the best team and together we’re very well-rounded and can show up when it matters the most. We’ve got a mentally tough team that can make things happen when it matters.”

WHAT DID YOU FIND TO KEEP BLANEY BEHIND YOU? “Coleman Pressley. He was telling me where he was. He was up there telling me the best lanes to run and it’s a balance of putting dirty air on him and running the fastest laps for my Ford. We just got a little too tight there at the end and I couldn’t really wrap the bottom as good as I wanted to, so a 1-2 for Team Penske – three championships in a row since this Next Gen car. I couldn’t be more proud of everyone at the shop that’s built these things. Our pit stall is way over there because of what happened. I’m kind of bummed out. I don’t see them out here yet.”

HOW MUCH OF THIS CHAMPIONSHIP STORY IS ABOUT MAXIMIZING THE OPPORTUNITIES YOU HAD? “The race started in Vegas for us. The amount of work and effort that went into building this race car right here, the amount of time, I don’t think anyone works harder than us. We were up at 6 o’clock in the morning going over stuff and the guys just want it bad. I’m glad we delivered. It was looking iffy there for a minute, but that late-race restart was really the difference maker. I’m so proud of the team.”

ONE OF ONLY 10 DRIVERS TO WIN THREE TITLES. HOW DOES THAT FEEL? “It’s special, for sure, but I can’t help but think about everybody that this affects even more so than just a stat like that. Everyone works so hard and there are so many important things that happen when you win a championship and it affects so many people’s lives – two or three or four or five, whatever, this affects a lot of people. That’s what I care about the most. That’s me getting a little older and caring about others more, but that’s probably the thing that comes back to my mind about the amount of people that this affects, especially with a 1-2 with Blaney like that – 1-2 in the race and 1-2 in the championship. You couldn’t ask for anything more.”

TALK ABOUT THE FINAL LAPS. “The restart was everything. Getting a good start and getting cleared quick. The 12 got mired back there a little bit. I knew he was the fastest car and I knew that when we came here that he was gonna be wicked fast and hard to beat, but we had to out race him. I knew that coming into it. I said, ‘I’ve got to outsmart him and outrace him’ because I know he’s got speed and the 22 team did that. They showed up under pressure.”

RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Menards/Richmond Water Heaters Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “I’m just worn out. I just couldn’t quite get there. I tried really had to do so, but the restart didn’t really work out and just got too far away from me. It took me a while to pass a couple guys and I just could never get by Joey and I ran out of time. Congrats to him. Congrats to the 22 team and Pennzoil and Ford. They put together a great playoffs and we’re happy. If we’re gonna race somebody, I’m happy it was him for the championship and happy to be 1-2 for Roger. Three in a row for Roger. It’s super amazing and Ford, but on my side I hate it for Menards, Advance Auto Parts, BodyArmor, DEX Imaging, Wabash and Wurth group – everybody who puts a lot of effort into our program and just super fast, just didn’t quite have enough there at the end. At least a Penske car won it, but it was a heck of a battle. Hopefully, the fans enjoyed it and hopefully we can come back even stronger next year.”

DID YOU THINK YOU HAD JOEY ONCE YOU GOT PAST THE OTHER TWO CARS? “I didn’t know. I had to work really hard to get by the 5 and the 24 and Joey was pretty far away. I was working really hard to try to get to Joey, so I was kind of nervous that if I ended up getting close to him, a lot of my stuff would be burned off of it and it kind of was, but I didn’t have a choice. I couldn’t really wait. It just took too long. The restart just didn’t play out for us. I feel like if I came out behind Joey and didn’t have two cars in between us to pass, I would have been able to have a better shot, but the restart didn’t work out and that’s just the way it goes sometimes. I’m just so proud of the 12 team for their effort and really, really happy with our year and happy for Roger Penske and Joey Logano and Paul Wolfe and all those guys. We’ll try to restack and go at it again.”

ROGER PENSKE, Owner, No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse – THREE STRAIGHT TITLES WITH TWO OF YOUR CARS BATTLING FOR IT. WHAT WAS THAT LIKE? “I was worried they were going to get together at the end, but I think Joey had a little bit left there. Ryan did a great job because he was held up a little bit there at the beginning, but great racing all day long. I can only thank everybody upstairs. They were tremendous and these Ford engines and obviously our Shell sponsor. Think about that. They were on the car at Indy for the 500 and for here, so a pretty good day.”

WHAT DOES THIS SAY ABOUT YOUR GROUP IN MOORESVILLE, NC? “It’s all about the people. My name might be on the door, but it’s all about the people who make the difference and we sure have them on this team.”

JOSH BERRY, No. 4 Texas A&M University Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “Man, this is just such a special group and I can’t say thank you enough to everyone at SHR for all they did this season. We had some really tough circumstances and a lot of uncertainty and the No. 4 group still showed up and gave it their all, and I am just so thankful.”

NOAH GRAGSON, No. 10 Nitro Circus Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “It was a good improvement from where we were in practice and then where we qualified and just continued to stay in the fight and inch our way up front. We were looking at a top 10 day and just faded a little bit too much there on the last run, but, overall, today is about the memories and the people – the people at Stewart-Haas are in a tough position right now with everything that’s gone on this year, but we all rally behind each other and support each other and today is about all those people that are looking for jobs, build these race cars, get our race team to the racetrack that work so hard and sacrifice so much, so, overall I’m super grateful and I’ll cherish this moment today.”

CHASE BRISCOE, No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “It definitely wasn’t the day we wanted to end on. We just couldn’t ever get the car driving right and I sped on pit road. We weren’t gonna be very good probably anyway, but it wasn’t the finish we wanted. I told the guys before we took off whether we win or finish 36th, ‘let’s just have fun today and enjoy it.’ This is probably the most smiling and laughing we’ve ever had after a 29th-place finish. We would have loved to have a better result, but at the end of the day it was all about just enjoying each other and the people and everything that makes Stewart-Haas so special. It’s been a place I’m so thankful to have called home for the last seven years, and I didn’t think it would honestly be this emotional. I was crying before we even rolled off pit road. I’m appreciative of the opportunity from Tony and Gene. My dream was to make it into the Cup Series and the 14 car was the car I always cheered for, so the fact I got to drive it and do it for my childhood hero was pretty cool, so definitely something I’ll never take for granted.”

CARSON HOCEVAR EARNS 2024 NASCAR CUP SERIES SUNOCO ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD

By
Official Release
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MOORESVILLE, N.C. (November 10, 2024) – Carson Hocevar, driver of Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, has been named the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year.

The Portage, Mich., native earned the honors on the strength of one top-five, six top-10 and 13 top-15 finishes. In his first full-season at the controls of the No. 77 Chevrolet, Hocevar brought home a career best third-place finish in the Cup Series September visit to Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.

Hocevar impressed throughout his rookie campaign, accumulating 686 points and being the top finishing rookie in 15 races on NASCAR’s senior circuit. He out-distanced his next closest competitor by a handsome 107-point advantage when the checkered flag fell on Sunday’s season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

“Being named Sunoco Rookie of the Year is special,” said Hocevar. “I got beat out for Rookie of the Year in the CRAFTSMAN Truck series, and I didn’t run in the Xfinity Series full time so to win the award in the NASCAR Cup Series is a huge accomplishment for our whole team. It definitely didn’t come easy. Josh (Berry) has won a bunch of Xfinity races, and the No. 4 team won tons of races and a championship with Rodney (Childers) and (Kevin) Harvick. We also had Zane (Smith) in contention, who raced for Spire Motorsports and has won several Truck Series races and a championship. It was a good group of accomplished drivers vying for it, and it means a lot to come out on top. We ran really strong at the end of the year and were able to pull away in terms of points. These last several weeks show our capabilities as a team.

“This award will be something that will live with me my whole career, and I’m proud to be known as the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year. There’s an elite list of guys who have won it, and many of them went on to win races and championships. The award is something you only have one shot at. You can never go back and try to win Rookie or the Year later down the line. It is the only thing like that in racing. It is cool to win something so significant this year, and the mission is now to get the No. 77 car to Victory Lane and in the playoffs in 2025.”

The 21-year-old made his NCS debut for Spire Motorsports on June 4, 2020 at World Wide Technology Raceway. In addition to his NCS debut, Hocevar made four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts for Spire Motorsports in 2023, with a pair of top-10 finishes coming in May at Darlington Raceway (sixth) and Charlotte Motor Speedway (eighth).

Hocevar signed a multi-year contract with Spire Motorsports to drive the team’s No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro in the Cup Series in October 2023.

Hocevar was first paired with veteran crew chief Luke Lambert last season when he competed behind the wheel of the No. 42 machine in eight of the divisions final 10 races. He scored a then career-best 11th- place finish at the 2023 Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Lambert followed Hocevar to Spire Motorsports where he was chosen to lead the team’s No. 77 efforts for the 2024 season.

“I am incredibly proud of the effort Carson (Hocevar) and the No. 77 team have put into the 2024 season,” said Lambert. “Carson is a tremendous talent and that, combined with his effort and dedication, has led to solid performance on track, and continuous improvement throughout the season. I am honored to be a part of Spire Motorsports as we continue to progress as a NASCAR Cup Series team. Carson and the No. 77 team are committed to constant improvement and look forward to building on this rookie season in 2025.”

Hocevar made his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) debut on August 1, 2019 at Eldora Speedway and collected four wins, one pole, 21 top-five and 33 top-10 finishes over his CRAFTSMAN Truck Series career. He finished 10th in points in 2021 and 2022 and earned a berth in the 2023 Championship 4, where he ultimately finished third in the season-ending championship point standings.

“It has been an exciting season watching Carson, Luke and the whole No. 77 team grow together,” said Spire Motorsports president Doug Duchardt. “Carson’s finishes have improved throughout the year and the team has been running competitively during the playoffs, racing door-to-door with the playoff contenders on a regular basis. We are proud of Carson and the No. 77 team for winning the NASCAR Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award and I’m looking forward to seeing them continue to raise the bar next year.”

Hocevar’s accomplishment marks the first time a Chevrolet-backed driver has achieved the title since Daniel Hemric in 2019. He is the third Michigan-born driver to earn the honor, following in the footsteps of Erik Jones (2017) and Johnny Benson (1996.)

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports is a NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race team co-owned by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2024, Spire Motorsports campaigns the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Justin Haley, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively. The team also fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth drives the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Silverados in the No. 77.

Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win on April 7, 2022 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on April 12, 2024, when Kyle Busch took the checkered flag in the SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.

CHEVROLET NCS AT PHOENIX 2: Byron Drives to Third-Place Finish in Championship Race, Final Points Standings

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Official Release
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Photo by Andrew Coppley/HHP for Chevy Racing

NASCAR CUP SERIES
PHOENIX RACEWAY
CHAMPIONSHIP RACE
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORT
NOV. 10, 2024

Byron Drives to Third-Place Finish in 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race

 TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10:

POS. DRIVER
3rd – William Byron
4th – Kyle Larson
8th – Chase Elliott
10th – Daniel Suarez

WITH 36 NASCAR CUP SERIES RACES COMPLETE:

Wins: 15
Poles: 10
Top-Five Finishes: 71
Top-10 Finishes: 147
Stage Wins: 23

 The NASCAR Cup Series returns to the track at Bowman Gray Stadium with the Busch Light Clash at Bowman Gray on February 2, 2025.

  • In his second career Championship Four appearance, William Byron and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 team drove to a third-place finish in the 312-lap season finale race – ultimately ending the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season third in the final points standings.
  • The 26-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina, native closes out the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season with three trips to victory lane – highlighted by his first crown jewel triumph in the 66th running of the Daytona 500. Byron went on to prove his title potential early in the season, adding two more victories within the first eight points-paying races of the season (Circuit of The Americas – March; Martinsville Speedway – April). In addition to his three victories, the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 team tallied 13 top-fives and 21 top-10s at the conclusion of the 36-race season.
  • Closing out the third season of competition for the Next Gen cars, Chevrolet leads its manufacturer competitors with 15 victories – recorded by eight drivers from four different Chevrolet organizations. Among those triumphs included two crown jewel victories, including the Daytona 500 with Byron and the Brickyard 400 with Kyle Larson. This marks the third-consecutive season that the Bowtie brand has earned the highest win count on the season, with the Next Gen Camaro ZL1 also recording 18 wins in 2023 and 19 wins in 2022.
  • With 93 races complete across NASCAR’s three national series this season, Chevrolet has earned a winning percentage of 48.4% with 45 victories (NASCAR Cup Series – 15 wins; NASCAR Xfinity Series – 18 wins; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – 12 wins).
  • In 108 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 52 victories – a winning percentage of 48.1%.
  • With its 43 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 866 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

 TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE QUOTES:

William Byron, No. 24 Axalta Camaro ZL1

Finished: 3rd

It was a different pit strategy call from crew chief Rudy Fugle. How would you describe that run to the end? Did you feel like you, maybe with a late yellow, you could have had something for Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney?

“I don’t know. I know that our No. 24 Axalta Chevy team worked really hard all day, and I feel like we maximized the most part of what we had. We just didn’t quite have enough. Those guys were just faster than us. We would have a short, little surge there in the middle part of the run, and then they would start to drive away on the short and long runs.

We just didn’t have enough, but I’m really, really proud of our team. We fought hard. It was a great strategy there in the final stage to do something different, but we just didn’t have enough.”

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Worldwide Express Camaro ZL1

Finished: 10th

“I’m happy with our day. Just like at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway, I feel like we maximized the potential of our No. 99 Worldwide Express Chevy, so that’s good. We had a 10th-place car, or so, and that’s exactly where we finished. I’m really proud of this team. We had a good year, and it’s definitely something good to build off of for the future.”

Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1

Finished: 23rd

“We clawed all day and made the No. 31 Cirkul Chevrolet much better there the last few runs. Trent [Owens] made great adjustments as always. I’m proud of the hard work everyone on this team has put in this season. Today was bittersweet, but I can’t thank Matt Kaulig, Chris Rice, and everyone at Kaulig Racing for these past few years.”

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.

Toyota Racing – NCS Phoenix Post-Race Report – 11.10.24

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Official Release
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REDDICK SOLID IN FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP 4, FINISHES SIXTH
Christopher Bell leads Toyota with fifth-place finish

AVONDALE, Ariz. (November 10, 2024) – Tyler Reddick finished out his career-best season with a sixth-place finish at Phoenix Raceway in the NASCAR Championship race. With the finish, Reddick and 23XI Racing earned a career-best fourth-place finish in the final standings. The California-native also established career-highs in top-five and top-10 finishes this season.

Christopher Bell led Toyota with a fifth-place finish in the season finale. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver finished in the top-five in the final point standings for the third consecutive season and led the series overall with top-fives (15) and top-10’s (23).

Martin Truex Jr. closed out his final full-time NASCAR Cup Series season with back-to-back pole positions and ended Sunday with a 17th-place finish.

Toyota Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Phoenix Raceway
Race 36 of 36 – 312 Laps, 312 Miles

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

1st, Joey Logano*
2nd, Ryan Blaney*
3rd, William Bryon*
4th, Kyle Larson*
5th, CHRISTOPHER BELL
6th, TYLER REDDICK
7th, BUBBA WALLACE
11th, DENNY HAMLIN
17th, MARTIN TRUEX JR.
22nd, ERIK JONES
26th, JIMMIE JOHNSON
30th, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
40th, TY GIBBS
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

CHRISTOPHER BELL, No. 20 Interstate Batteries – DEWALT Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 5th

Did you just not have a long run car?

“I felt like our DEWALT, Interstate Batteries Camry was fine, but we definitely lost the handle of it on that last run. I knew that I was getting a little bit worse compared to the competition as the race went. We needed to take a step and make it a little bit better, and it seemed like I got a little bit slower in the end.”

Can you talk about how on it your pit crew was today?

“They were amazing. This whole team is incredible, so I’m glad to be paired up with them for the years to come, and hopefully we will keep building on what we have.”

TYLER REDDICK, No. 45 The Beast Unleashed Toyota Camry XSE, 23XI Racing

Finishing Position: 6th

What were you struggling with?

“I feel like we kept making our balance on The Beast Camry better and better all day – it was a bit telling in stage two here on that restart when we got to the 24 (William Bryon), 12 (Ryan Blaney) and the 22 (Joey Logano) – I wouldn’t say they were doing anything much different, but they were able to get away from us after a while. It was good year for us. Won in the right moments, just hoping for a little bit more of that magic today and wasn’t meant to be.”

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 17th

What are your emotions after your last full-time race?

“Oh man. I wanted it to go better than that. We were pretty good early and then lost track position and then the track just continued to rubber up and get hotter. At least that’s what I felt like it was doing. I kept losing the grip. I kept losing more balance. I just losing track position. It just all magnifies with this thing. We got caught by the caution there and had to stay out on old tires and get the wave around and we couldn’t even race to try to go forward. It was just not a good day. Not a good day to end on. I’m proud of the effort of my team. At least we got to lead a few laps at the beginning.”

What does it mean to be such a respected driver and have people like Michael Jordan and Jeff Gordon come up after the race to congratulate you?

“Yeah, it means a lot to have the respect of guys like that and what they mean to the sport. Absolute legends, right? It makes me feel good that I’ve earned that respect over the years, and it means a lot. From here forward, I’m just going to go have some fun and do a little bit of racing here and there just for fun. Hopefully, it will be less stressful than days like today.”

TY GIBBS, No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 40th

What happened to take you out of the race early?

“It was definitely a big hit. I made contact with the wall, but I didn’t think it was necessarily too bad, and I went off into the dogleg. We’ve been really hard on the track there all week and I think I just caught it at a bad angle, and it just took off from me. I had no control there. It was a really, really big hit though.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 47 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 30 electrified options.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Sheppard, Gravel, Williamson Crowned 2024 Series Champions in World of Outlaws World Finals Closing Night

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Official Release
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Brandon Sheppard (World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models), David Gravel (World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars) and Mat Williamson (Super DIRTcar Series) were all crowned season champions following the 2024 World of Outlaws World Finals. (CMS/HHP Photo)
  • David Gravel (World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars), Brandon Sheppard (World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models) and Mat Williamson (Super DIRTcar Series) all claimed their spots as the 2024 season champions
  • In a thrilling finale, Tyler Courtney (World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars), Chris Madden (World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models) and Anthony Perrego (Super DIRTcar Series) each captured feature victories to close out the 2024 season
  • As Charlotte Motor Speedway’s event season comes to a close, fans can look forward to Speedway Christmas presented by Atrium Health open nightly from Nov. 22 – Jan. 5. Tickets, schedules, upgrades and more can be found online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com

CONCORD, NC (Nov. 9, 2024) – After four heart-pounding nights of racing, the World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte concluded with thrilling intensity as David Gravel (World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars) – who locked up the championship Friday night –, Brandon Sheppard (World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models) and Mat Williamson (Super DIRTcar Series) were all officially crowned 2024 season champions in an electrifying finale.

Sheppard Herds in Late Model Championship Title

In an intense nonstop action showdown, Chris Madden dominated the field, taking the lead early and maintaining it through a caution-filled race. However, all eyes were on the points battle between leader Brandon Sheppard and runner-up Bobby Pierce for the title-earning championship.

From the start, Madden and Pierce both made bold moves with Madden pulling ahead by Lap 3. As Madden kept the lead steady, Pierce fought hard knowing he needed to finish strong to counteract Sheppards 22-point lead. As Sheppard began to fall back in the field, Pierce kept close on Madden, and after a Lap 19 caution, the point gap between the two championship contenders tightened to a mere two points. In true World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model fashion, every lap mattered as Sheppard attempted to stay inside the top ten to stay in control of the title fight.

The true deciding factor of the race came in Lap 22 as a flat tire struck Pierce’s No. 32 machine, forcing him to pit and fall to the back of the field, making Sheppard the likely champion with 28 laps left. Strategically keeping his position, Sheppard ultimately locked up the championship with a ninth-place finish.

“It’s been an up-and-down year all year long. I wouldn’t be here now without the great team I’ve got behind me,” said Sheppard. “Never ever thought that in a million years I’d be standing up here five different times so I’m super thankful for it and looking forward to getting back to work. This is definitely a good pick-me-up going into the winter.”

Marking his 39th feature win Madden ended the night at the top of the podium with Ricky Thornton Jr. in second, followed by Mike Marlar in third and Jonathan Davenport and Daulton Wilson in the top five.

Season-Capping Performance by Courtney; Gravel Walks Away With Sprint Car Crown

The 2024 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars season finale was packed with high-stakes drama, as Tyler Courtney charged from Heat 2 runner-up to P1 for a final night victory. While David Gravel locked up the series in Friday night’s performance, he showed his true championship mentality to the end going from P7 to P2

As the green flag dropped, Courtney quickly pulled away from the field, building an initial 1.596-second lead. Meanwhile, familiar faces of Gravel and last night’s feature winner Carson Macedo surged up from the lower half of the top ten, ultimately securing second and third by the race’s end.

Within five laps, Courtney stretched his lead to 2.4 seconds, skillfully navigating the track and pushing deep into lap traffic before the yellow flags began to fly. Undeterred, he pressed on, carving out a large 5.36-second gap before a Lap 15 caution erased his lead and bunched up the field. With just one lap to spare before a single-file restart, Courtney and Gravel lined up side-by-side on the pole, but holding his ground and expertly blocking Gravel’s attempt for one last win, Courtney pulled ahead, plowing through traffic to get a season-closing victory.

“He (Courtney) had a really good car so congrats to him. I thought we were pretty good but overall great season. Great run to go seventh to second so it’s been a good year,” said Gravel.

While one more win was on Gravel’s radar, after a fierce final night, 15 season wins including Thursday night’s victory and ultimately locking up the series in last night’s fourth-place performance, Gravel made his way to Victory Lane to claim his first Sprint Car title.

“It’s hard to say, I’ll have to take the week to reflect about it,” said Gravel on what a World of Outlaws Championship means to him. “Being down here has a feeling about it, being down here on the track at Charlotte, being down here with these two champions, it’s a very special feeling.”

After winning Heat 3 and starting P5, Macedo finished out the night third while Ryan Timms and Brian Brown rounded out the top five in the season-ending feature.

Williamson Defends Super DirtCar Title in Ultimate Battle

Anthony Perrego started and finished his season with a bang, capturing the checkered flag in Saturday’s final night of racing for the Super DIRTcar Series. After opening the year with a win, Perrego claimed his second win of the season and series career-best third in points behind Matt Sheppard and series champion Mat Williamson.

Tim Fuller, starting on the pole, dominated the first 30 laps of the 40-lap feature but with a slip on the eight and final restart, Perrego managed to slip in and seize the lead. Then holding his ground in a tense, crowd-thrilling battle, he managed to emerge victorious at the finish line.

“This is huge,” Perrego said “This is a great crowd to race in front of every year and it seems to get bigger and bigger. What a night for us.”

Entering the finale, 33 points sat between Mat Williamson and Matt Sheppard in their chase for the championship setting the stage for an intense night. After Sheppard received a DNF on Thursday night followed by victory for Williamson on Friday, the title race was close until the very end. For the ultimate race, Williamson powered his way to a third-place finish, securing his second Super DIRTcar Championship title.

“Super excited about it, it says a lot about the guys who work hard in the pit area every night and hard in the shop,” said Williamson. “Probably had a car better than a third-place car but the driver was nervous just trying to finish the race.”

At the end of the feature, the top five showcases were Thursday night’s winner, Fuller, Friday night’s winner and new champion Williamson in third, Sheppard in fourth and Alex Yankowski closing out the top five.

TICKETS:

Opening Nov. 22, experience the 15th annual Speedway Christmas presented by Atrium Health open nightly until Jan. 5. Tickets are sold per vehicle, starting at $35 Monday through Wednesday and $45 Thursday through Sunday nights. Tickets, schedules, upgrades and more can be found online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com

KEEP TRACK:

Keep track of all of Charlotte Motor Speedway’s events on X, Facebook and Instagram.

Stewart-Haas Racing: NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship from Phoenix Raceway

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Official Release
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STEWART-HAAS RACING
NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship

Date: Nov. 9, 2024
Event: NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship (Round 33 of 33)
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location: Phoenix Raceway (1-mile oval)
Format: 200 laps, broken into three stages (45 laps/45 laps/110 laps)
Note: Race extended 13 laps past its scheduled 200-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.

Race Winner: Riley Herbst of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)
Stage 1 Winner: Riley Herbst of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)
Stage 2 Winner: Riley Herbst of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)

SHR Race Finish:

● Riley Herbst (Started 3rd / Finished 1st, Running, completed 213 of 213 laps)
● Cole Custer (Started 7th / Finished 8th, Running, completed 213 of 213 laps)

SHR Points:

● Cole Custer (2nd with 4,029 points)
● Riley Herbst (7th with 2,254 points)

Final Points Standings:

  1. Justin Allgaier (4,035 points)
  2. Cole Custer (4,029 points)
  3. AJ Allmendinger (4,028 points)
  4. Austin Hill (4,027 points)

Victory Notes:

● Herbst earned his third career NASCAR Xfinity Series win, his second of the season and his first win in 11 career Xfinity Series starts at Phoenix. It comes in his fourth season with Stewart-Haas.

● This was SHR’s 105th overall victory (70 points-paying NASCAR Cup Series wins, six non-points-paying NASCAR Cup Series wins, 29 Xfinity Series wins and one ARCA Menards Series West win)

SHR Notes:

● This was Herbst’s third straight top-11 finish. He finished seventh Oct. 19 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, sixth Oct. 26 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and 11th last Saturday at Martinsville.

● Since joining Stewart-Haas in 2021, Herbst has only finished outside the top-10 twice at Phoenix.

● Herbst’s victory bettered his previous best finish at Phoenix – fourth, earned in both 2021 races and both 2023 races.

● Herbst won Stage 1 to earn 10 bonus points and one playoff point. He also won Stage 2 to earn 10 more bonus points and an additional playoff point.

● Herbst led seven times for 167 laps – his first laps led at Phoenix.

● Custer earned his 23rd top-10 of the season and his eighth top-10 in 10 career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Phoenix.

● Custer has never finished outside of the top-21 at Phoenix in the Xfinity Series.

● This was Custer’s fourth consecutive top-10 finish. He finished eighth Oct. 19 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, second Oct. 26 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and fourth last Saturday at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

● This was Custer’s third straight top-10 at Phoenix. He won last November and finished fifth in March.

● Custer finished seventh in Stage 1 to earn four bonus points and fifth in Stage 2 to earn six more bonus points.

● Custer led twice for seven laps increasing his laps led total at Phoenix to 208.

Race Notes:

● Herbst’s margin of victory over second-place Justin Allgaier was .246 of a second.

● There were seven caution periods for a total of 53 laps.

● Twenty-seven of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

● Allgaier won the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship with his second-place finish at Phoenix.

Sound Bites:

“I knew we were going to have a fast racecar. These guys have been working on this Phoenix car as if we were in the playoffs. I knew we were going to be really fast. It has been a really tough week this past week at the shop and a lot of really emotional people. This place has been home for a lot of people for a long time, including myself, and it has built me into who I am the last four years. I am grateful to every man and woman at Stewart-Haas Racing. They gave me a really fast car today and we capitalized on it. I can’t thank Monster Energy enough and everyone on the 98 team. They deserve to win. That is a championship-caliber team and crew chief. I wish we could have cleaned some stuff up over last summer, but I am proud of these guys and we will see what next year has. I’ve said it multiple times, I knew I could be here. I knew I could do this. Everything in life is just hard work and I definitely didn’t start out how I wanted to. It was embarrassing there for a few years and I was just really, really struggling, but I got around really good people. Tony Stewart, Richard Boswell, Davin Restivo, Kevin Harvick and they told me to get to work and they told me what I needed to work on and we did that. Now, we’re starting to see the fruits of our labor.” –Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse

“First of all, I just want to congratulate Justin (Allgaier). That’s a long time coming for him. He’s a deserving champion, for sure. What it came down to for us was that restart when the 21 stayed out on older tires. Honestly, it just came down to who you were behind. He made his car really wide, very hard to get by, which is his right. We’re all going for a championship, but that ended up screwing us worse than it did the 7, and the 7 was able to slip by. That’s what sucks. I really wanted to win this championship for SHR and finish it out strong, but it just wasn’t meant to be. It just sucks that it comes down to tire strategies and situational restarts and things like that, but the 7 car was great all day. I mean, they definitely had a fast car, but I can’t say enough about our team. JT and all these guys did a great job all year – Haas Automation, Andy’s Frozen Custard, Ford Performance. We’ll keep digging. This definitely stings because we were so close, but we’ll move on. I don’t know if I would say we were a clear favorite. I think us and the 7 were really equal. They just had some mistakes in the middle of the race, but at the end of the day it came down to that restart with the 21 and some guys staying out on older tires. We just got bottlenecked behind them, and the 7 was able to slip by. I have to say congratulations to Justin and all those guys. They definitely deserve it. Justin is a very deserving champion. He’s been working hard at this for a long time and I’m happy that he finally got it. It definitely stings for our team. I hate that it comes down to tire strategies and things like that, but it was a great race for us. We executed a great race, but it just didn’t work out. Everybody was racing hard, but it just sucks to run second. There have been a lot of memories with Stewart-Haas Racing and we just wanted to end it with on a win so bad. We got Riley a win, so that’s awesome to end it with that. I really wanted that championship, but it just wasn’t meant to be.” –Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Andy’s Frozen Custard/Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Kaulig Racing Race Recap | NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway

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Kaulig Racing Race Recap | NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship

 AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 16 Celsius Chevrolet Camaro

  • AJ Allmendinger qualified ninth but had to start from the back due to an unapproved adjustment for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway.
  • In the opening stage, Allmendinger drove up to 18th by lap 20. He maintained that position throughout Stage 1, reporting his No. 16 Celsius Chevy lacked grip. Allmendinger came to pit road under the stage break for four tires, fuel and air pressure and track bar adjustments. The team gained six spots on pit road to restart for the second stage in 12th place.
  • Allmendinger maintained position in 12th place, reporting that the changes didn’t help the handling of the No. 16 Celsius Camaro. When the caution came out on lap 63, the No. 16 stayed out to restart in 12th on lap 75. Quickly after, the yellow flag reappeared, and crew chief Alex Yontz made a strategy call to keep Allmendinger on track and not flip the stage on pit road. Allmendinger restarted in third place on lap 82 and went on to finish the stage in seventh.
  • Allmendinger came to pit road under the stage break for four tires, fuel and packer and wedge adjustments. He restarted in 19th place on lap 101 and took over 11th place on the first lap green. By lap 128, Allmendinger had driven up to sixth place. The team came to pit road for a scheduled green-flag pit stop on lap 148 and had cycled back up to eighth when the caution came out on lap 155. The team stayed out to restart in seventh place on lap 163. By lap 169, Allmendinger had fallen to 10th place. Allmendinger was scored in 12th place when the caution came out on lap 198. Allmendinger came to pit road under caution to put on his last set of fresh tires. The race went into overtime; Allmendinger restarted in 11th place and the caution came back out. Allmendinger restarted in 10th place for the second overtime attempt and went on to finish in ninth, scoring third in driver points.

“First off, congrats to Justin [Allgaier], Dale Jr and everyone on the No. 7 crew. Justin [Allgaier] has been working at it for a while so that’s really cool that he got it. I wish we could have been in the fight, but can’t thank Alex Yontz and my whole 16 group enough for fighting. We were off from the start, we were loose the whole race and just weren’t sure what else to do to make it faster. Just disappointing we were never really in the fight, but it definitely wasn’t lack of effort.” – AJ Allmendinger  

SHANE van GISBERGEN
No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet Camaro

  • Shane van Gisbergen qualified 17th for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway.
  • Van Gisbergen quickly worked his way up to 13th during the first two laps of the race. He reported major brake vibration shortly afterwards, as he battled to maintain position. The No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet was lacking rear grip through the long green flag run, and Van Gisbergen battled to hang on as he took the green-and-white checkered flag in 24th.
  • The No. 97 team came to pit road at the stage break for a chassis adjustment, four fresh tires and fuel. Van Gisbergen started the second stage in 27th after being issued a pit road speeding penalty. He reported that the brake adjustment worked, but that the WeatherTech Chevrolet still didn’t have rear grip. The caution came out on lap 63, and the No. 97 team opted to come to pit road for adjustments and fuel. Van Gisbergen restarted in 25th before another caution came out on the restart. Van Gisbergen fired off in 10th for the short run to the stage’s end, taking the green-white-checkered in 25th.
  • The No. 97 team came to pit road at the stage break for a chassis adjustment, fresh tires and fuel. Van Gisbergen started the final stage of the event in 27th. He quickly made his way up to 15th and then re-entered the top 10 on lap 125. The No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet battled in the top 10 before coming to pit road for adjustments, fresh tires and fuel with 53 laps remaining. Van Gisbergen rejoined the field in 19th and quickly climbed his way to 10th in five laps. A caution flew with 46 laps remaining in the race, and the No. 97 team opted to stay out. Van Gisbergen restarted in eighth on lap 163. He battled to stay in the top 10 but dropped down the field to 13th as he reported the car was tight. With three laps remaining, a caution flew, and the No. 97 team opted to come to pit road for fresh tires. The caution sent the race into overtime, and Van Gisbergen restarted in 12th. After two overtime attempts, Van Gisbergen ultimately took the checkered flag in 12th.

“That was a crazy race. Couldn’t get my WeatherTech Chevy comfortable at the beginning, was super loose and then tight towards the end, but the team and I battled through and came out with a pretty solid result. What a season with my No. 97 Kaulig Racing team! Thanks to everyone at Kaulig Racing and Chevrolet for sticking with me all season, learned a lot and had a blast!” – Shane van Gisbergen  

DANIEL DYE
No. 10 Champion Container Chevrolet Camaro

  • Daniel Dye qualified 13th for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway.
  • Dye immediately picked off a pair of spots followed by a third. As the run went on, Dye commented that his Champion Container Camaro struggled with front turn, and he lost the spots he gained earlier on. He ran consistent lap times through the middle of Stage 1, and he took the green-and-white checkered flag in 11th.
  • Dye started Stage 2 in 14th and would lose a few spots initially in his Camaro. A couple cautions slowed the race, and Dye restarted sixth with eight laps remaining in the stage. Dye would be relegated back after staying out and finished the stage in 19th. He asked for better fire off speed and pitted for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment at the stage break.
  • The final stage went green, and Dye restarted from 21st. The No. 10 fired off strong, and Dye began carving his way through the field. The Champion Container Chevy settled into 10th and ran consistent lap times. Dye, quiet on the radio, would continue to climb and stay out during the long run, where he would inherit the lead during green flag stops. Shortly thereafter, Dye pitted for tires and fuel, but a caution soon after trapped him a lap down. The race would see another caution, giving Dye the free pass, followed by another caution that allowed Dye to pit. In the end, the Champion Container Chevy would take the checkered flag in 17th.

“We had a great Champion Container Chevy, and I can’t thank everyone at Kaulig Racing enough for their hard work. Once we got it dialed in, we had good speed and were able to drive it through the field. Not the finish we wanted, but a lot to look forward to as we look to 2025!” – Daniel Dye  

JOSH WILLIAMS
No. 11 Seacrest Studios Chevrolet Camaro

  • Josh Williams qualified 19th for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway.
  • After reaching 17th at the end of lap one, Williams fell to 24th on lap 14 of the 45-lap first stage. He began finding extra speed in the No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Camaro as the stage continued, and he took the green-white-checkered in 20th.
  • Williams pitted for tires, fuel, and an air pressure adjustment during the stage break. He restarted in 20th on lap 55 and quickly fell back to 23rd one lap later. On lap 63, the caution came out with Williams in 20th. He stayed out and restarted there on lap 75 before another spin brought the yellow flag back out on lap 78. Williams flipped the stage, pitting for tires and fuel under the caution period and restarting in 25th on lap 83. He finished the stage on 23rd.
  • Williams fired off for the final stage in 14th on lap 101. He quickly lost spots, settling into 20th on lap 116. Williams reported that the No. 11 Alloy Employer Service Chevy lacked power on acceleration, saying that other drivers “just drive away” from him. Even so, he picked off two spots in three laps to take 18th on lap 131. During green flag pit stops, Williams’ Camaro required a battery change in addition to fresh tires and fuel, and Williams re-entered the race in 36th, six laps down. He eventually took the checkered flag in 33rd.

“We did a lot to try and manage our voltage issues tonight, but there was nothing more we could do to get the Alloy Employer Services Chevy moving forward. I’m appreciative of our No. 11 crew sticking with me all year.” – Josh Williams  
 
About Kaulig Racing

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time, multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has earned 23 NXS wins, made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started, and won two regular-season championships. In 2021, the team competed in select NCS events, before expanding to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first NCS start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. Kaulig Racing is currently fielding two full-time entries in the NCS and continues to field three full-time NXS entries, with a part-time fourth entry at select events. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

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