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WTRAndretti Acura ARX-06 GTP Teams Close Out 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at MOTUL Petit Le Mans

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BRASELTON, Georgia (October 12, 2024) – The Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTRAndretti) Acura ARX-06 GTP teams saw checkered flag fly on the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season with Saturday’s MOTUL Petit Le Mans. With ten hours of action-packed endurance racing, the team closed the chapter on their manufacturer partnership with Acura and Honda Racing Corporation US (HRC). WTRAndretti’s success with Acura and HRC was highlighted by their 2021 Rolex 24 at Daytona win, a Twelve Hours of Sebring victory in 2024 and seven additional impressive wins.

For the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06, Filipe Albuquerque handled the opening stint driving duties after qualifying in fifth position. An influx of cautions throughout the first hour and half of the ten hours, Albuquerque kept his nose clean and navigated in lap traffic to pit and give co-driver Ricky Taylor a solid top five running position. Taylor took control of the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 and with a stretch of green flag running, the blue and black team found themselves in the lead trio of GTPs. At the six-hour to go mark, IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup (IMEC) co-driver, Brendon Hartley, climbed inside the No. 10 for his triple stint into the evening hours. Hartley pulled off an impressive stint staying within the leader as the halfway mark was reached. Hartley then made a masterful pass in Turn 10a to take the lead just shy of four hours remaining. Albuquerque took over for Hartley after his stout stint and continued to lead for nearly all his second on-track stint.

Now with nightfall, it was back to Taylor as the clock was under two hours remaining. Jockeying throughout lapped traffic, Taylor kept his distance to the leader within three seconds and a stellar pit stop by the No. 10 crew propelled the No. 10 back into the lead with a little over an hour remaining. Unfortunately, with under an hour remaining, the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 made contact with a GT car stopped on track in Turn 5 and damage from the contact ended the strong run for the blue and black team, finishing in ninth.

In the No. 40 DEX Imaging Acura ARX-06, Jordan Taylor tackled the start, from the seventh spot on the grid, for the MOTUL Petit Le Mans. As the first yellow flag flew, the No. 40 team made the decision to stay out while much of the GTP filed pitted – creating an alternate strategy early and cycling to lead. Taylor held steady for a double stint and handed over the No. 40 to his full-season co-driver, Louis Delétraz, for his first laps on race day. Delétraz ran within the front half of the GTP field, holding strong on the team’s alternate strategy. Just before the halfway point, IndyCar Vice Champion for Andretti Global and IMEC co-driver, Colton Herta, hopped into the No. 40 for his first MOTUL Petit Le Mans laps since 2020.

With the second half of the ten hours of racing on the horizon, Herta managed a triple stint and maintained to stay on the lead lap of the GTP field until a cut tire forced the team to pit. From that point, it was focusing on progressing forward once again while balancing traffic. With about two hours to go, Taylor hopped back into the car through the checkered flag. Attrition ahead of the No. 40 team placed the Taylor into the top five, but a penalty from the final caution of the race resulted in a stop-and-hold, sliding the No. 40 DEX Imaging Acura ARX-06 back to seventh to finish.

Although the season didn’t end as expected, the WTRAndretti team boasted two victories with the Twelve Hours of Sebring and the Streets of Detroit, along with two pole positions and two podiums in the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.
Wayne Taylor, Team Principal, WTRAndretti: “This is the first year we’ve come into the final race not being in a position to win the championship and we could just go for the win. But unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be. All the drivers in the No. 10 car did an outstanding job. It was very unfortunate what happened. Ricky had just taken the lead with 30 minutes to go, but literally as he took the lead, another car was stopped on the track and he had nowhere to go but straight into the stopped car. The No. 40 car were working their way back but unfortunately had a penalty in the closing hour. All three of them did fantastic in the No. 40 car as well. I think they all led for a certain period of time. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the result we wanted but thank you to everyone on the WTRAndretti and Acura and HRC.”

No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 GTP Drivers
Ricky Taylor: “First of all, I’m super proud of the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 team. For the fourth year straight, they put us in a position to fight for the win. I think we were so much looking forward to ending the relationship with Acura and HRC on a high note. For me, since 2018, and for the team since 2021, we have so many good memories. It was a great partnership to work with, to combine such talented groups. I think this just proves how hard the sport is and how ruthless it can be. I think we can still look back on it and feel lucky we were able to work together for such a long time. And as a team we move on to next year and try this one again in twelve months. Maybe the sixth time’s the charm.”

Filipe Albuquerque: “There aren’t really words to describe this race. Brendon did an amazing job. We were leading. Ricky just took the lead in Turn 5, doing a great job, and there was just a car in front of him, so he crashed. It was impossible to avoid. Our competitors seem to have good luck in this race while we do not. For so many years, we leave here crying because of losing in heartbreaking ways. We were doing everything right and we need to be proud of that. But it’s just tiring and exhausting to come up completely empty, knowing that we did everything right. There is nothing to learn from this. It’s just a matter of going again. I feel sorry as well because it was our last race with Acura and HRC. They did great and the car felt amazing; we were fighting with the championship leaders. This race reflects our last three years in GTP: we do everything correctly, but the results seem to slip through our fingers. I just feel sorry for how we ended the last race with Acura and HRC, but I think it reflects our last three years well.”

Brendon Hartley: “I loved being back with Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti at Petit Le Mans. I had a good feeling this weekend that we had a shot at the win. I think we had a pretty faultless race up until that one-hour-to-go mark. Mechanics, engineers and drivers, I think we were all on it. We were fighting in the first two positions for the whole race. Ricky was just coming back on the Porsche, and we had the tire advantage. I think we had a really good shot at this win, and then Ricky was just completely unlucky. There was nothing he could do there; there was a car stopped in the middle of the road and he couldn’t see it. It’s kind of heart breaking. I’m still really desperate for the first win with WTRAndretti. I feel like we’ve come close so many times. This year in Sebring, second at Daytona last year and then Petit Le Mans a couple years ago. It just wasn’t meant to be. Today felt like what could’ve been. But big thanks to everyone. I really enjoyed it. I loved working with Ricky and Filipe again, the crew and the No. 40 drivers. It’s such a good atmosphere. Just disappointed we couldn’t end up with a win.”

No. 40 DEX Imaging Acura ARX-06 GTP Drivers
Louis Delétraz: “I think it was a crazy race. We’ve been fighting for six hours to stay on the lead lap after the first caution, where we were surprised to have no final wave-by and ended up over a minute behind the leaders. We came back; Colton and Jordan did a fantastic job. But a (tire) puncture put us right back to fighting for that lap. We almost made it, but in the end we did not. We tried everything to get our lap back. Today was either winning or seventh, and it was seventh. A huge thank you to HRC and Acura for the season. We all wish it could have been better, but I enjoyed meeting and working with all the talented people. I’m sure there will be a lot of success in the future.”

Jordan Taylor: “I think we had some promise today. Early on, we led a lot of laps, and the No. 10 car led a lot of laps. They just had a super unlucky event to take them out of the race, and we just had an unlucky puncture that took us out of contention. Kind of the name of our year. There was some hope here and there, but no results. Sebring was a great one to think back on, but I think we’re all looking forward to 2025.”

Colton Herta: “I always enjoy coming to this race and racing these endurance races. It’s something different from my main IndyCar schedule, and it’s fun to do with HRC and the Acura ARX-06. It was a lot of fun and I enjoyed my time with the WTRAndretti team. You know, I hope I can come back in the future and win this great race.”

ABOUT WTRANDRETTI
Andretti Global and Wayne Taylor Racing announced a new, long-term partnership in 2023 that combines the resources of the two championship-caliber teams to compete in IMSA’s top classes. In 2024, Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTRAndretti) has expanded to a two-car GTP program as well as competes in the GTD class. Coming off its 2023 championship winning effort, WTRAndretti continues its Driver Development Program competing in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series with a full stable.

WTRAndretti’s global motorsports enterprise boasts two IMSA driver championships (2013 and 2017), and back-to-back IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Championships (2020, 2021) which contributed to nine IMSA manufacturer championships for Acura, Pontiac, Corvette and Cadillac. In its brief 17-year history, WTRAndretti has accumulated multiple victories in sportscar racing’s most iconic events: Rolex 24 At Daytona, Twelve Hours of Sebring, Petit Le Mans, Mid-Ohio, Road America and the Six Hours of The Glen. With its back-to-back PRO Class Championship wins (2022, 2023), WTR also has ten North America Lamborghini Super Trofeo Championship titles and a Lamborghini World Finals title.

Andretti Global, a Championship-winning motorsports organization, competes in additional racing categories worldwide, including the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, Extreme E, Australian Supercars and the Mexico SuperCopa Championship. Additionally, the racing enterprise commits to driver development through competition in INDY NXT by Firestone and through support of Sebastian and Oliver Wheldon’s racing careers.

CORVETTE RACING AT ROAD ATLANTA: Season-Long Rewards

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AWA heads to Le Mans; Chevy wins GTD PRO Endurance Cup Manufacturers title

BRASELTON, Ga. (October 12, 2024) – Corvette Racing’s three Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs teams encountered mixed fortunes in the 10-hour Petit Le Mans on Saturday at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, but Chevrolet claimed a key long-distance championship and the No. 13 AWA team punched its ticket to next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

AWA driver Orey Fidani clinched the season-long Bob Akin Award with the No. 13 Corvette Z06 GT3.R at the end of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s season finale. The award goes to the top points-scoring, Bronze-rated GTD driver at each race and for the season with the additional prize of an automatic entry into the following year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans for the year-long winner.

Fidani, Matt Bell and Lars Kern finished 12th in GTD and fourth among Akin-eligible cars Saturday night. For the season, Fidani and Bell were the highest-finishing Akin pairing in three races.

“Congratulations to Orey Fidani and all of AWA on securing the Bob Akin Award and an automatic entry into the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans,” said Christie Bagne, Corvette Z06 GT3.R Program Manager. “To see their hard work and effort lead to this accomplishment is something in which they and everyone at Corvette Racing can take a high level of pride. We’re excited for AWA’s future and can’t wait to welcome them to Le Mans next summer.”

That wasn’t the only season-long award for the Corvette program after Saturday. For the fourth time since 2015 – and first in GTD PRO – Chevrolet won the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Manufacturers Championship. The Endurance Cup is a collection of the five IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship races, including Petit Le Mans.

“It is very gratifying for Chevrolet to win our fourth IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Manufacturers Championship,” said Mark Stielow, Director, Chevrolet Motorsports Competition Engineering. “We are very proud and pleased as a company to achieve this in the first year of the Corvette Z06 GT3.R in IMSA’s premier long-distance races.”

Those accomplishments offset a tough race for the two GTD PRO Corvettes from Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports. The No. 3 Z06 GT3.R of Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims and Daniel Juncadella placed fifth in class after a frantic 10 hours that saw the trio lead three times but also suffer brake issues that required two extra pit stops in the race.

That the No. 3 team made the race was an achievement. The Corvette suffered right-rear chassis damage in a crash during Thursday’s night practice, and mechanics worked into early Friday morning to patch and weld the damaged portion back together. Garcia qualified the No. 3 Corvette fourth in class and remained in contention through the end.

The result was good enough to clinch third place in the GTD PRO Drivers and Teams standings for Garcia and Sims, and the No. 3 Corvette team, respectively.

The No. 4 Corvette of Tommy Milner, Nicky Catsburg and Earl Bamber showed strong form early from its second-place starting position. Milner was at the wheel when he was hit by an LMP2 car with the impact damaging the front and rear suspension on the right side of the car. The No. 4 crew worked quickly to repair it and get it back in the race, albeit more than 50 laps down. The trio finished 12th in class.

The Corvette Z06 GT3.R program will return to IMSA competition at January’s Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Petit Le Mans is scheduled for 12:10 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 12. The first three hours will air live on NBC starting at noon followed by USA’s coverage from 6-10:30 p.m. Live streaming starts at noon ET on Peacock inside the United States and IMSA.com outside the U.S. IMSA Radio will air all on-track sessions beginning with Thursday’s opening practice at IMSA.com with the race call also on XM 206 and SiriusXM Online 996.

CORVETTE RACING BY PRATT MILLER MOTORSPORTS POST-RACE DRIVER QUOTES

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It looked really good from the start until we had our first brake issue that put us a lap down. We kind of kept it there and with the lack of yellows that’s all we could do… just carry on and stay there. It was a gut-check race the whole way. With two hours to go, the last issue more or less put us out of it. We did fight our way back but needed some more yellows and action on track to get something good to happen. The guys did an amazing job. It was a difficult season with some challenges for all of us. I think we deserved a few more wins this year, but that’s the way it is. I’m proud of how the team worked and responded even in hard times – just like Thursday night and trying to repair the whole car just in time for qualifying. It’s a hard job for them but it was nice to fight for the win for them.”

ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It was a typical Petit Le Mans. All sorts of things happened in the race, unfortunately probably one too many things for us. We had issues with the brakes early in the race with the caliper. We’re not entirely sure what happened when I went out toward the end. Immediately the brake pedal was really long… potentially a lack of fluid from the previous issues. We’ll diagnose and understand that better for the future. It put us one or two laps down. Although we finally got back on the lead lap, there were so many cars between myself and the leader that I couldn’t really make my way through enough. But I had fun. I had a really eventful last stint carving through a lot of GTD cars. I’d say the second half of the race was pretty clean. There were very few yellows and not too much mayhem. There was probably a lot less carnage than people expected. It was a joy to drive the Corvette as always. The whole Pratt Miller team did a great job to give us all a great, fast, consistent racecar after Thursday. I can’t thank them enough. Unfortunately we had those two issues that put us back too much.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “The incident earlier is kind of what I thought happened. I got caught up in someone else’s accident. That was unfortunate, for sure. On the whole, not a bad year. There were some ups and downs for sure with some frustrating races but also some good moments as well. I think generally because the car was quite competitive at several rounds, expectations were really high. In reality, it was the first year for our Corvette customer program and the Z06 GT3.R. There’s a lot to learn – good and bad – and a lot to apply toward the whole program. We’ll use all that for next year and into the future to improve the car and our team. We’ll go for it again next year.”

AWA POST-RACE DRIVER QUOTES

OREY FIDANI, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I couldn’t be happier or more proud right now. This is the goal we set for ourselves at the very beginning of this program coming together, and we worked tirelessly to see it through. No matter what happened throughout this season, we were always focused on the Bob Akin Championship and getting a 24 Hours of Le Mans entry, and we never lost sight of the big picture. I can’t thank Andrew and the entire AWA crew enough for all they’ve done. I love everybody on this team from the bottom of my heart. I’m so excited and I can’t wait to show what we can do in France!”

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.

Cadillac scores dramatic victory

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Official Release
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No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R comes back from early race issues to win Petit Le Mans

BRASELTON, Ga. (Oct. 12, 2024) – Perseverance was the word of the day – and night – for the pink No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R team during the 27th Motul Petit Le Mans.

“Remember, we have a long way to go; we’ll get ‘em,” race strategist Mike O’Gara for the Chip Ganassi Racing-run racecar said after the team’s third on-track setback with 7 hours, 30 minutes left in the 10-hour race at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

O’Gara and the rest of the team know the truth in that encouragement, especially in the ebb and flow of the endurance race on the 2.54-mile, 12-turn course. Indeed, with good pace, solid strategy and steering clear of further incident, drivers Sebastien Bourdais, Renger van der Zande and Scott Dixon combined to get back on the lead lap and in position to challenge for a podium spot.

And, under a bright half moon, the team reaped the rewards of their perseverance with a dramatic victory to the delight of a record crowd for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season finale.

It was the fifth Petit Le Mans victory for Cadillac Racing, which has recorded a first or second in every 10-hour race at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta since joining IMSA prototype competition in 2017. Van der Zande has three victories (2018, 2020, 2024) and a pair of second-place finishes (2019, 2023) with Cadillac Racing.

“Congratulations to Cadillac Racing team and the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R on their victory in the Motul Petit Le Mans. Every member of the team can be proud of their efforts in preparing the racecar for success along with the skillful driving of Sebastien Bourdais, Renger van der Zande and Scott Dixon,” said John Roth, global vice president of Cadillac. “The podium demonstrates the incredible technology and durability of the V-Series.R, and the remarkable capabilities, expertise and determination of the Cadillac Racing team.”

Season highlights for Cadillac Racing include:

  • Six poles in the nine races, plus a seventh race with a front-row start.
  • 30th earned pole in IMSA prototype competition when Aitken reset the GTP track record Friday with a lap of 1:09.639.
  • Three front-row qualifying sweeps.
  • 31st victory in IMSA prototype competition.
  • Two victories by the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R.
  • Victory and second place at Long Beach.
  • Three runner-up finishes for the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R.
  • Two runner-up finishes for the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R.
  • Eight top-three finishes.
  • Fastest lap in four races.
  • Second in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Manufacturer Championship. Cadillac has earned five IMEC Manufacturer Championships since 2017 and finished second the other years.

Both the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R and No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Serries.R overcame two drive-thru penalties, and the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R was levied a mechanical black flag by IMSA to satisfy a scrutineering system requirement while running fourth in the 18th minute. Translation: a sensor was not broadcasting information. The crew resolved the issue on the second service stop under a full course yellow, though it rejoined the race a lap down.

The No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R remained in contact with the leaders through an uncharacteristically long period of green flag racing and was running fourth when the final full-course caution was called with 57 minutes left. After pitting for fuel 48 minutes left, van der Zande prepped for his most important restart of the season. He was running second to the No. 6 Porsche Penske 963 when the green flag waved with 35 minutes left and waited for the prime opportunity in traffic to make his decisive move.

That came with 15 minutes left in Turn 1 and van der Zande, who earned his 21st IMSA victory and 11th with Cadillac, held off the Porsche to win by 2.948 seconds.

Post-race quotes

No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R

Renger van der Zande: “Super happy to finish this off with a bang. It’s the last race for Chip Ganassi with Cadillac. It’s my last race with Cadillac. I’ve been with Cadillac for seven years now, which makes me very proud, but also sad to leave. Nice things come to an end, and this is the right way, with Cadillac. In the last four years (with Chip Ganassi Racing). Chip has been so nice to me, Mike Hull, Mike O’Gara, the team. I think this year, we had such a good team, and everyone was working in the same direction. This win was really good.”

Sebastien Bourdais: “I don’t even know where to begin. Last year, we were winning until the final 30 minutes. This year we weren’t leading until right at the end. We had a torque sensor issue which affected the beginning of the race, so we had to do 100 laps on a set of tires. It looked like a lost race but the guys managed to fix it, and get us back to contending for the win at the end. I’m super happy to be able to finish on a high like this. It was frustrating last year to lose it, so we’ll definitely take it. I’m super happy for everyone at Chip Ganassi Racing, Cadillac, and my two awesome teammates. It couldn’t be a better send-off.”

Scott Dixon: “I’m so happy for the team. What a day. I’ve never been a part of anything like that. It’s so cool. As everybody saw the way it started we had a tricky day. We had a sensor issue, and kudos to everybody on the team side and Cadillac engineering for working through that and working with IMSA to enable that. Everybody had tremendous stints. I’m just so happy for everybody on the team and Cadillac.”

No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R

Jack Aitken: “Sadly, the race is probably a quite good summary of our season. We didn’t get the breaks when new needed them and I think a couple of costly mistakes in a row put us on the back foot and we couldn’t recover. It’s a shame. I think we weren’t really the quickest tonight, but it would have been nice to be up there in the fight. We had a relatively clean race, came home in the top five and on to next season.”

Pipo Derani: “Unfortunately, there were no yellows to bring us back to the lead lap and fight. Nonetheless, I’m really happy with how I finished my stint with the team. I had two amazing stints in the middle of the race and was having so much fun, so I’ll take those great memories. It was a difficult year, but nonetheless Cadillac won the last race. Great day at the office despite being a little short on fighting for the win. I’ll take the great friendships I made with the team and I had fun on my last day on the job.”

Tom Blomqvist: “It was eventful for us early on. We were a lap down since after two hours and just never had an opportunity to get it back. It ruined our race and disappointing way to end our season. I’ve enjoyed my time with the team. It’s just a shame we didn’t get any victories.”

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.

Hendrick’s Boatman Headlines Historic Stock Car Association’s Charlotte Debut

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Hendrick Motorsports Track Attack Program Manager Adam Boatman piloted a 2018 Jimmie Johnson-raced chassis to victory in Saturday's Historic Stock Car Racing Association race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. (HHP/Chris Owens photo)

CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 12, 2024) – With pit road lined with all shapes and sizes of older model race cars, a 20-car field in four different classes competed in the Historic Stock Car Racing Association’s first visit to Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday night.

Starting with a morning qualifying session, the 30-minute final came on the heels of a thrilling Drive For The Cure 250 presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC NASCAR Xfinity Series race.

Both cars and trucks competed in the final, sporting familiar paint schemes, including a yellow Joey Logano-style entry and a white-and-purple Denny Hamlin-fashioned ride.

In the familiar No. 5 Chevrolet pattern of Kyle Larson, Adam Boatman, the program manager for Hendrick Motorsports’ Track Attack program, won the Pro Class competition, topping NASCAR veterans Joe Nemechek and Camden Murphy in the process. Boatman’s race-winning car was previously a 2018 Jimmie Johnson-driven NASCAR Cup Series machine.

Saturday night’s top class finishers included:

PRO: 1-Adam Boatman; 2-Joe Nemechek; 3-Camden Murphy
SCA: 1-Pat Womast; 2-Brian Pritchard; 3-Harry Hoopcugh
SCB: 1-Matt Tifft
SCT: 1-Scott Dolfi

PRO FIRST PLACE, ADAM BOATMAN, No. 5 Chevrolet: “This was our first time out with the classic series after we learned about it a few months ago. We’ve been doing track day cars with our Hendrick Track Attack program, so we figured we’d bring out an old Cup car and see how it goes. Not the newest car, but it’s new enough to obviously be fast. It was over 800 horsepower so hooking it up was interesting, but it was a pretty good experience. It’s been a fun day. Meeting these guys in the paddock, they’re a close-knit community and they travel all over to race. It’s fun to be invited into that group and share in that kinship.”

PRO SECOND PLACE, JOE NEMECHEK, No. 47 Chevrolet: “This was a series that had the vintage stock cars and we were helping a couple customers. Everyone was having issues. It was so much fun. We started going across the country, going to different tracks. I probably fixed 25-30 cars for people. We have a lot of fun when we go to the racetrack. NEMCO Motorsports and Nemechek Motorsports Engineering is going strong right now, teaching people that want to learn. We’re teaching the next generation of mechanics.”

PRO THIRD PLACE, CAMDEN MURPHY, No. 46 Chevrolet: “It’s great to be back in a NASCAR format. It’s been a blast being out here. It’s just a lot of fun and it’s also challenging, with the elevation changes.”

TICKETS:

The action continues Sunday with the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400. Tickets are available at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Kids 12 and under get in for just $10.

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Mayer Cures NASCAR Playoff Woes, Captures Another ROVAL Victory

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Sam Mayer, driver of the No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, celebrates after winning Saturday's Drive for the Cure 250 presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC at Charlotte Motor Speedway. (HHP/Harold Hinson photo)

CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 12, 2024) – Sam Mayer’s championship dreams looked to be dashed – just before a mad dash of his own gave him another shot at a title.

On a day that started with a black flag – and almost ended with a second-place finish – perseverance was the key for Mayer, who passed fellow NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff driver Parker Kligerman on the next-to-last lap during a green-white-checkered overtime finish and held on to win Saturday’s Drive For The Cure 250 presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC on the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL™.

Driving the No. 1 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, the 21-year-old from Franklin, Wisc., earned his seventh career NASCAR Xfinity Series win and his second consecutive ROVAL™ triumph. Mayer overcame a 13-point playoff deficit to start the day after expertly moving past Kligerman during an overtime finish which came after NASCAR ruled a late caution period came just before Kligerman, leading at the time, took the white flag during regulation.

For Kligerman, who finished sixth after suffering a tire rub in overtime, all he could do was sit in his window and watch Mayer’s celebratory burnout from pit road.

A.J. Allmendinger was second, with pole winner Shane Van Gisbergen in third, Austin Hill in fourth and Chandler Smith in fifth.

Kligerman, Van Gisbergen, Sheldon Creed and Riley Herbst were eliminated from championship contention, leaving eight drivers left to battle for the title over the season’s final four races. Justin Allgaier, who finished seventh, joined Mayer as drivers who began the day outside the championship field but raced their way in. Allmendinger won Stage 1 while Allgaier took Stage 2.

Mayer was shown the black flag while leading after the first lap for a start violation.

SAM MAYER, NO. 1 JR Motorsports CHEVROLET (RACE WINNER): “Luckily, [the caution light] came on early. The last restart was unbelievable. I just turned underneath [Kligerman] on the exit of Turn 7. It worked out really well. We wanted to defend our race win from last year. This one is definitely sweeter with all the road-course aces in the field. This was probably the toughest Xfinity [Series] field on the ROVAL™ and we came out on top, so I’m super proud of that. I said this morning, ‘If you’re in my way in Turn 7, you’re not going to have a good day,’ and I kind of meant that for everyone except [Kligerman]. I was able to put him in a bad spot there [after the last restart] and then kind of drive away, but we raced each other clean. I think this was one of the cleanest Xfinity races on the ROVAL™ in a long time, too.”

A.J. ALLMENDINGER, NO. 16 KAULIG RACING CHEVROLET (RUNNER-UP): “We were on the line of, we were in, but if we crashed we were out. I feel bad for Parker. I thought he got it at the line there. I thought [Mayer] and [Kligerman], for what was at stake, I thought it was pretty fair. It was cleaner than I expected.”

SHANE VAN GISBERGEN, NO. 97 KAULIG RACING CHEVROLET (THIRD-PLACE FINISHER): “Our car speed was really, really good. I didn’t know what the points [standings] were in the car [as the race unfolded]. I was doing the best I could. [If] you’re relying on people to take each other out, I don’t want to win that way.”

TICKETS:

The action continues Sunday with the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400. Tickets are available at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Kids 12 and under get in for just $10.

MORE INFO:

Fans can connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway and get the latest news by following on X and Instagram, becoming a Facebook fan or downloading the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.

FORCE, PROCK, ANDERSON & HERRERA HOLD ON TO NO. 1 POSITIONS AT TEXAS NHRA FALLNATIONALS

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Force picks up 50th career No. 1 qualifier, Prock ties John Force for most No. 1 spots in a single season in Funny Car history

ENNIS, Texas (Oct. 12, 2024) – Two-time Top Fuel world champion Brittany Force clinched her 50th career No. 1 qualifier on Saturday at Texas Motorplex, hanging on to the top position at the 39th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals.

Austin Prock (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the 18th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the fourth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Force’s run of 3.667-seconds at 338.19 mph from Friday in her 11,000-horsepower HendrickCars.com/Chevrolet dragster wasn’t challenged on Saturday, handing the 16-time event winner her fourth No. 1 qualifier of the year. She will open eliminations against Spencer Hyde, looking to pick up her first victory since the 2022 season. Force was thrilled to earn a 50th career No. 1 qualifier, but her focus remains on going four rounds on Sunday.

“Just to hear ‘50,’ that’s such a big achievement,” Force said. “It’s a big achievement by all of John Force Racing. It’s something I’m very proud of. It seems like an impossible number and to have that in my career, to be able to accomplish that is huge and something I’m very proud of. The cool thing is, it was a collective thing. It was done with so many different teams and crew chiefs that I’ll always look up to. They all taught me things along the way that I still use to this day. I’m very thankful to them that they’re part of my career and getting that 50.

“To see three (No. 1s) in the last (five) races, it shows that this team is gaining momentum and that we’re moving in the right direction. We’re starting to move on to something positive. But ultimately, we want to perform well on Sunday.”

Shawn Reed qualified second with a 3.676 at 330.71 and Texan Steve Torrence took third thanks to his pass of 3.721 at 332.03. Points leader Antron Brown qualified fifth and will face off with Justin Ashley, who is 34 points behind in second, in a must-see opening round.

In Funny Car, Prock matched his boss and legendary Funny Car driver John Force for the most No. 1 qualifiers in a single season in class history, earning his 13th No. 1 spot of the 2024 season when Friday’s track-record run of 3.813 at 333.09 in his 11,000-horsepower AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS wasn’t challenged on Saturday, ensuring a John Force Racing sweep in qualifying.

Friday’s run was also the eighth-quickest in Funny Car history for the dominant points leader, who will look to extend his lead on Sunday. He will start raceday against Terry Haddock as he seeks an eighth victory in 2024.

“It’s pretty special. I had no idea that there was a record until a few weeks ago and we’ve knocked off a few more, and we eventually tied them today,” Prock said. “It’s pretty special to be added to that list, and to do it in 18 races is pretty incredible. It speaks volumes about this team, my dad, my brother, Nate Hildahl, everyone that’s on this AAA/Cornwall Tools car. I’m really proud of this team and happy to be driving this race car.

“I did talk to John last night and he was he was so ecstatic to see our race car and his daughter’s race car go No. 1 qualifier. He was watching all evening long, and he was really proud. It was nice to hear his voice and know that he was watching and he’s proud, and hopefully we can make them proud the rest of the season.”

Defending event winner and reigning world champion Matt Hagan took second after Friday’s 3.823 at 335.20 and Jack Beckman, who is second in points, finished third with a 3.825 at 331.49.

Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson heads into raceday with plenty of momentum after his 6.524 at 208.99 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro from Friday was enough to hand the five-time world champion his sixth No. 1 spot of the season and the 130th in his standout career. Anderson, who is currently fourth in points, made a pair of solid runs on Saturday as well. To stay in the title hunt, Anderson knows he will need a big day on Dallas.

Enders qualified second thanks to Friday’s 6.526 at 209.09 and David Cuadra took third with a 6.532 at 208.60. Aaron Stanfield and leader Dallas Glenn – are fourth and fifth, respectively. The top two in points could meet in the second round, with a potential matchup with Anderson looming in the semifinals.

“Three of us are one side. Erica happened to end up on the other side and I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing for her. We’ll see how it plays out tomorrow,” Anderson said. “There’s only going to be one of the three left in the semifinal on our side of the ladder. Without something like that happening at one of these races I probably wouldn’t have a chance to make up ground because if we all four keep making the semifinals, you’re not going to make up much ground. It’s really the only chance I’ve got.

“We’ll see how the cards fall tomorrow, but it’s an opportunity. I like that. We’re going to be fast. I’m excited to race, and it could be a turning point of the season. It’s time to either get it done or go home.”

Herrera was the only provisional No. 1 qualifier to improve on Saturday, delivering a run of 6.749 at 202.52 in Pro Stock Motorcycle on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. It hands the points leader his eighth No. 1 qualifier in 2024 and the 22nd in his career, and Herrera will look to win in Dallas for a second straight year. Herrera was impressed with his team’s ability to improve on Friday’s run as he looks to extend his points lead on Sunday.

“The only thing that made it possible was tail wind,” Herrera said. “You just had to catch it at the right time. It was a cross tail so I didn’t think being in the right lane would affect us as much as it did, but it did. That was a good pass. Tomorrow we’re going to be racing in this kind of weather. I think it’s going to be a direct, straight tail wind instead of across. Probably see a pretty good mile an hour tomorrow and it’ll be a good day of racing.

“The biggest thing I focus on is the here and now. You can’t predict what’s going to happen. You can’t try to make stuff happen. You just have to go out there and do what you have to do and it’s going to turn out how it’s going to be.”

Matt Smith jumped up to second in the final session after going 6.756 at 201.77 and Jianna Evaristo took third thanks to Friday’s 6.777 at 201.81.

Eliminations for the 39th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals begin at 12 p.m. CT on Sunday at Texas Motorplex.

Stewart-Haas Racing: Drive for the Cure 250 from Charlotte

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Official Release
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STEWART-HAAS RACING
Drive for the Cure 250 presented by BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina

Date: Oct. 12, 2024
Event: Drive for the Cure 250 presented by BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina (Round 29 of 33)
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval (2.28-mile, 17-turn road course)
Format: 67 laps, broken into three stages (20 laps/20 laps/27 laps)
Note: Race extended five laps past its scheduled 67-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.

Race Winner: Sam Mayer of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: AJ Allmendinger of Kaulig Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)

SHR Race Finish:

● Cole Custer (Started 14th / Finished 13th, Running, completed 72 of 72 laps)
● Riley Herbst (Started 12th / Finished 32nd, Driveshaft, completed 57 of 72 laps)

SHR Points:

● Cole Custer (2nd with 3,028 points, seven out of first)
● Riley Herbst (11th with 2,086 points)

Playoff Standings to Begin Round of 8:

  1. Justin Allgaier (3,035 points) +18 Point
  2. Cole Custer (3,028 points) +11 Points
  3. Austin Hill (3,026 points) +9 Points
  4. Chandler Smith (3,025 points) +8 Points
  5. Sam Mayer (3,017 points) -8 Points
  6. Jesse Love (3,013 points) -12 Points
  7. AJ Allmendinger (3,007 points) -18 Points
  8. Sammy Smith (3,006 points) -19 Points

Failed to Advance to Round of 8:

  1. Shane Van Gisbergen (2,102 points)
  2. Sheldon Creed (2,097 points)
  3. Riley Herbst (2,086 points)
  4. Parker Kligerman (2,080 points)

SHR Notes:

● Custer earned his 21st top-15 of the season and his fourth top-15 in four career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the Charlotte Roval.
● This was Custer’s fourth straight top-15 at the Charlotte Roval. He finishes second last October.
● Herbst finished eighth in Stage 1 to earn three bonus points.

Race Notes:

● Sam Mayer won the Drive for the Cure 250 to score his seventh career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, his third of the season and his second at the Charlotte Roval. His margin over second-place AJ Allmendinger was 1.474 seconds.
● There were seven caution periods for a total of 20 laps.
● Twenty-six of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
● Justin Allgaier is the championship leader after the Charlotte Roval with a seven-point advantage over second-place Cole Custer.

Sound Bites:

“That definitely was not pretty, whatsoever. We did a great job the first two races of this round getting ourselves where we needed to in the points. All year we put ourselves where we needed to in the points and it ended up where we didn’t need our best day today. I’m definitely frustrated. I felt like road courses were our strong suit last year and we’re really struggling with them this year. I am a little confused. We have some good tracks for us coming up, so we are looking forward to those.​” –Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Andy’s Frozen Custard Ford Mustang Dark Horse

“It wasn’t what we wanted. It sucks. This race was frustrating for me. The Roval has never been a good track for me, but I thought we would be okay to advance if we just survived. Neither myself nor the No. 5 were giving up in the chicane and it took me out ultimately. We probably would’ve been fine if it wasn’t for that. Still, we struggled with the handling of our car all day so it wasn’t perfect. We almost stayed in it until the end, but it just wasn’t enough. There’s still four races left to try and get a win though with this No. 98 team.” –Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the Ambetter Health 302 on Saturday, Oct. 19 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race begins at 7:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by CW and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

RCR NXS Race Recap: Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL

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Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Team Battle at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL to Advance to the Round of 8

Finish: 19th
Start: 8th
Points: 6th

“I’m proud of our No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet team for the effort today at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL. We had a car at the beginning of the race that I felt we could win with. We short-pitted and got stuck back in traffic. There were times that I could have gotten wrecked, so I had to let those guys by so we could live to fight another lap. We had to keep our heads down, stay cool, and do everything possible to get the best finish for our team. In the end, I forced so many people, including myself to race in a way that I didn’t want to, but I knew what it was going to take to advance to the Round of 8. I’m never going to be the driver that lets my team down. I’m looking forward to racing for a championship, which is the most important thing. I poured my heart and soul into the ROVAL since Watkins Glen International, and it was shown early in the race. We fought all day. To finish 19th doesn’t show how good we were, but we did what we had to. Thanks to Richard Childress Racing and ECR Engines for bringing a fast Chevrolet today. We have good tracks coming up and I feel like we have a shot at making the Championship 4.” -Jesse Love

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet Team Keep Championship Hopes Alive with Fourth-Place Result at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL

Finish: 4th
Start: 6th
Points: 2nd

“Our Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet was capable of winning the race, but a few restarts didn’t go our way. We had really good speed and were catching the top four at the end. Just ran out of laps and wasn’t able to get there. Maybe I didn’t get the tires cleaned enough, but on the overtime restart, I slipped the tires too much for the green-white-checkered laps. All in all, it was a solid day for our No. 21 Richard Childress Racing team. We came in here and did what we had to do to advance to the next round. At the beginning of this week, I told our team that all we had to do was run top 10 for the stages and get a solid finish to move on. I definitely want to win on a road course, because I know our program is good enough to do it. But I’ll happily leave the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL with a fourth-place finish.” -Austin Hill

Kaulig Racing Race Recap | Drive for the Cure 250 at Charlotte ROVAL

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AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 16 Campers Inn RV Chevrolet Camaro

  • AJ Allmendinger qualified third for the Drive for the Cure 250 at the Charlotte ROVAL.
  • Allmendinger took the lead on lap four and maintained the lead for the duration of the stage. Allmendinger remained quiet on the radio and won the first stage by 6.3 seconds over second place. Allmendinger reported his No. 16 Campers Inn RV Chevy was a tick free. The team came to pit to road under the stage break for four tires and fuel.
  • Allmendinger restarted the second stage in 17th place after several cars flipped the stage. Allmendinger gained positions quickly, and by lap 28, when the caution came out, he was in 10th place. On the restart on lap 30, Allmendinger took over ninth place and was scored in fifth when the caution came on lap 31. The team came to pit road under the caution for four tires and fuel and went on to finish the second stage in sixth place.
  • The No. 16 restarted in third place for the final stage. On lap 48, Allmendinger took over second place but reported three laps later that he was loose. When the race’s next caution came out, Allmendinger was scored in third place. He came to pit road for four tires and fuel before restarting in 14th on lap 57. The No. 16, on four fresh tires, moved up to seventh on the restart and took third on lap 59. When the final yellow flag waved, Allmendinger was scored in third, where he restarted for overtime. Battling until the end, Allmendinger went on to finish in second place, advancing to The Round of 8.

“I wanted to win the race. I wanted to go for five in a row, but I didn’t want to take us out of the next round. The Campers Inn RV Chevy was really good that first stage. It just built too loose as the track kind of cooled off there, that was probably our hinderance of actually being faster than the No. 1. Sam did a good job; I feel bad for Parker [Kligerman], he deserved to win. I’m so proud of my group to start off at Kansas the way we did, to fight through Talladega and get to the next round; It’s a big deal.” – AJ Allmendinger  

SHANE van GISBERGEN
No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet Camaro

  • Shane van Gisbergen qualified on the pole for the Drive for the Cure 250 at the Charlotte ROVAL.
  • He led the first three laps of the event before his teammate, AJ Allmendinger, took the lead on lap four in the front chicane. On lap eight, Van Gisbergen missed the back chicane and fell to sixth. He quickly made his way to second by lap 17. Van Gisbergen completed the first stage in second, earning nine stage points.
  • Van Gisbergen reported the car lacked grip and felt weak at the conclusion of Stage 1. He pitted during the stage break for fuel, four fresh tires, and adjustments. Starting the second stage in 22nd, he quickly advanced to 12th by lap seven. A caution came out on lap 28, and Van Gisbergen restarted in 12th. He made gains up to ninth before another caution on lap 31. The field had just returned to speed when another caution followed quickly on lap 35. Taking advantage, the No. 97 WeatherTech team pitted for four tires and fuel, rejoining the race in 17th. Van Gisbergen swiftly moved into the top 10, reaching seventh with three laps remaining in the stage. The second stage ended under caution, with Van Gisbergen finishing seventh, earning four stage points.
  • The No. 97 WeatherTech team started the final stage, 5th, with 24 laps remaining in the race. Van Gisbergen battled to catch the leader and reached second place with 15 laps remaining in the event before a caution flew. The No. 97 team opted to stay out, when the caution flew, giving Van Gisbergen the chance to restart the stage first with 11 laps to go in the race. Van Gisbergen lost the lead with 9 laps remaining, dropping back to fourth where he raced for the remainder of the race. A caution came out seconds before the white flag flew, giving the No. 97 another chance at a restart. Van Gisbergen restarted the official overtime, 4th, with two laps remaining. Van Gisbergen ultimately took the checkered flag, 3rd. Van Gisbergen and the No. 97 WeatherTech team would not advance into the Round of 8, finishing two points below the cut line.

“We had a good crack at it, but just gutted for the whole team. It was a bit of a rollercoaster all race and my WeatherTech Chevrolet was fast. Just wish last weekend would have gone better and we would have been in a better (playoff) spot heading into today. Proud of my Kaulig Racing team. We’ve had an amazing year, my first year in NASCAR and I’ve loved it. I’m happy but also not, I would have loved to keep advancing in the playoffs.” – Shane van Gisbergen  

JOSH WILLIAMS
No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Chevrolet Camaro

  • Josh Williams qualified 23rd for the Drive for the Cure 250 at the Charlotte ROVAL.
  • Williams spent most of the first stage running on the cusp of the top 20. At the end of lap 15, Williams pitted for tires and fuel, flipping the stage and taking the green-white-checkered in 30th.
  • He fired off for the second stage in 11th and immediately was embroiled in battles with cars that had fresher tires. The caution came out on lap 28 while Williams was in 19th. After restarting on lap 30, another caution came out, and Williams restarted in 17th on lap 33. He was involved in a multi-car wreck after the ensuing green-flag lap, ending his day prematurely. He finished in 36th.

“Just a bad day all around, we didn’t get a chance to see where we’d fall with the cautions or pit strategies. Looking forward to moving on to the next one.” – 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.

Toyota Racing – NXS Charlotte ROVAL Post-Race Report – 10.12.24

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Official Release
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SMITH SCORES SIXTH STRAIGHT TOP-FIVE, ADVANCES TO ROUND OF 8
Sheldon Creed’s championship hopes are dashed after being involved in a mid-race incident

CONCORD, N.C. (October 12, 2024) – Chandler Smith’s hot streak continued as he led Toyota with a fifth-place run at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL in NASCAR Xfinity Series action on Saturday evening. Smith, who previously clinched his spot in the next round, earned his sixth straight top-five finish and eighth-consecutive top-10. Smith led three Joe Gibbs Racing Supras to finish in the top-10 with Josh Bilicki finishing eighth and Aric Almirola in ninth. The Georgia-native will start the Round of 8 as the fourth seed, eight points to the good.

Sheldon Creed, who came into the race 32 points to the good, looked likely to advance early after earning stage points in the first stage, but was involved in a major multi-car incident during the race. The team did the best to repair the damage, but the California-native was unable to continue, ending his quest for the Xfinity Series title.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL
Race 29 of 33 – 155.44 Miles, 67 Laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

1st, Sam Mayer*
2nd, AJ Allmendinger*
3rd, Shane van Gisbergen*
4th, Austin Hill*
5th, CHANDLER SMITH
8th, JOSH BILICKI
9th, ARIC ALMIROLA
33rd, THOMAS ANNUNZIATA
35th, SHELDON CREED
37th, ED JONES
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

CHANDLER SMITH, No. 81 Wheelers Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 5th

Another good run, and you are moving on in the round of 8.

“Yeah, it is a testament to everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing. All of the hard working men and women that has been thrashing to make this No. 81 Wheelers Toyota group back to how we were at the start of the season. We went through a rough patch through the summer. We were hit or miss. We would show up and be really good some weeks, and others we would show up and not be great. Very, very happy with the consistency we have shown. I’m looking forward going into the next round.”

How was your car today and what were your thoughts on the changes?

“I actually liked the changes. I thought it was unique and I thought it made it a little more racy in my opinion, but at the same time, I only raced the old ROVAL once, but honestly, we struggled today. We were at-best a top-five car. We couldn’t run hard and have speed at the start and make it last, so definitely have some work to do here at the ROVAL, but we will go back to the shop and keep building fast Supras and make it better.”

JOSH BILICKI, No. 19 Insurance King Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 8th

What do you take away from this opportunity with Joe Gibbs Racing?

“Yeah, just learning how a powerhouse team like (Joe) Gibbs (Racing) operates, from the prep before the race, throughout the race weekend – it is next level. Honestly, I’m forever grateful. It was super cool to lead some laps – really my first consecutive laps led. That was fun. I think I didn’t do a good job on the start of stage three. We went backwards on an adjustment – and we just lost track position and track position was key. We kind of dug ourselves in a little bit of a hole at the start of stage three, got some track position back those last couple of laps. I’m happy – we were at least able to move forward on that last restart and pick up some positions. Eighth isn’t terrible, but I really wanted a top-five, but thank you to Insurance King, Trim-Tex and AMECO for giving me this opportunity.”

ARIC ALMIROLA, No. 20 Samaritan’s Purse Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 9th

What were your thoughts on the ROVAL?

“Yeah, I didn’t love it. It seemed like it raced a little better than I probably expected, but it is still certainly calamity corner, right? It just invites you to dive bomb it in there. It seemed like for the most part, everyone was pretty respectful, and got through there okay, but it is really, really tough to manage – do you block? Do you not block? It is really inviting to shove it down in there, even when you are two to three car lengths back.”

SHELDON CREED, No. 18 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 35th

How do you summarize this race as a team?

“Yeah, I guess just not our day, I guess. We were running third, and my transmission locked itself in second gear, so that was weird. First time that has ever happened to me. That was the whole reason that we went to the back. I thought I was going to be okay, when they started crashing. I stopped right at it, and then whoever was behind me, pushed me into it even further. Unfortunate. It sucks that our Playoffs will end this way. My guys deserve a lot more. Everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota deserve it. I guess, I don’t know – I will just go grab a beer and watch it unfold.”

What happened out there?

“I had to go to the back. My transmission locked itself into second gear, and then the 5 (Anthony Alfredo) and the 98 (Riley Herbst) just ran into each other and caused a crash. They started stacking up. I stopped right at the crash, and whoever was behind me just piled me into it even further, and I think that is what broke the radiator. I don’t know what to do. It was out of our control there.”

How tough is this?

“It’s out of my control. It’s obviously very frustrating if we don’t get to move on this way. I don’t know.”

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 more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 47 million cars and trucks at our 12 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 13th 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 29 electrified options.

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

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