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CONGRUITY NHRA PRO MOD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TO COME DOWN TO THE WIRE AT LAS VEGAS

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LAS VEGAS (Oct. 24, 2024) – The Road to the Championship in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ hits the finish line next weekend in Las Vegas and only one thing is certain: the championship picture is wide-open and loaded with contenders.

With 16 drivers still mathematically alive in the title chase, an epic finale is in store for the thrilling class as part of the Ford Performance NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

It is the last of 10 events during the 2024 season in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ and the championship could come down to the final run of the season on Sunday in Las Vegas. Former world champion Khalid Al Balooshi is the current points leader, but there’s a host of contenders all within striking distance, especially with the points-and-a-half scenario in play in Vegas.

Round wins are worth 30 points and a there’s a maximum of 179 points available at the final race of the year. Justin Bond is just 12 points behind in second, with Jordan Lazic, who advanced to the semifinals in St. Louis, just 24 points out of first. Ken Quartuccio is only two points behind Lazic, with Mason Wright rounding out the top at just 35 points – or just more than one round – behind Al Balooshi.

Minus Al Balooshi, all four drivers are seeking their first NHRA Pro Mod world championship. Bond and Lazic have been remarkably consistent in the loaded category, while Quartuccio picked up a thrilling win at the world’s biggest drag race, the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indy. Wright, meanwhile, picked up the victory in Epping and was also runner-up at the most recent Pro Mod event in St. Louis.

But they’re hardly the only contenders. Former world champion Kris Thorne (-38) and Kevin Rivenbark (-50) are both within two rounds of Al-Balooshi, with the likes of Billy Banaka, Dmitry Samorukov, and former champions Mike Castellana and Jose Gonzalez close behind. Castellana clinched the title last year in Vegas, picking up the event win in the process and he’s hoping for another spectacular finish in 2024.

Thorne has advanced to three final rounds, winning in Bristol, while Gonzalez won the season-opener in Gainesville and Rivenbark took the victory at the category’s first-ever appearance in Phoenix. To add even more drama to the mix, just getting into the field will be difficult, as 23 cars are on the entry list in Las Vegas.

From there, it should be a spectacular and intense finish among the contenders, with each driving willing to do whatever it takes to finish with a championship.

Featuring the world’s fastest doorslammer race cars, the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ offers something unique and exciting for every drag racing fan. The class continues to grow in popularity and is highlighted by historic muscle cars and a variety of late-model American muscle cars, as well as a number of different power adders.

The Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ will kick off with two qualifying rounds on Friday, Nov. 1 at 11 AM and 5:10 PM PT, with the final two qualifying rounds set for 10:45 AM and 5:10 PM on Saturday, Nov. 2. The first round of eliminations is slated for 8:40 AM PT on Sunday, Nov. 3.

To purchase tickets to the Ford Performance NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, call 800-644-4444 or visit www.lvms.com. Children 12 and under are admitted free in general admissions areas with a paid adult. For more information about NHRA, visit www.nhra.com.

Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series Points Standings

1 Khalid Al Balooshi 956
2 Justin Bond 944
3 Jordan Lazic 932
4 Kenneth Quartuccio Jr 930
5 Mason Wright 921
6 Kristopher Thorne 918
7 Kevin Rivenbark 906
8 Billy Banaka 887
9 Dmitry Samorukov 881
10 Mike Castellana 876
11 Jose Gonzalez 875
12 Stan Shelton 858
13 JR Gray Jr 855
14 Michael Stavrinos 836
15 Lyle Barnett 796
16 Mike Thielen 780
17 Nicholas Januik 751
18 Tony Wilson 715

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, Threads, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube.

About NHRA

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

OPEN WHEEL RACING GOES ALL IN AT 2024 OPEN WHEEL SHOWDOWN LAS VEGAS

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Official Release
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LAS VEGAS — The BITNILE.com Open Wheel Showdown Las Vegas is fast-approaching with the most lucrative pavement open wheel event in motorsports, November 14-16 at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Winged Sprint Cars will compete for $50,000 to win for the second annual event, along with $5,000 to win Super Modifieds and $5,000 to win Modifieds. Over 125 teams are registered for the $200,000+ event that will be broadcast live on Speed Sport TV.

Aaron Willison won the inaugural Winged Sprint Car 100-lap feature in 2023 ahead of Bobby Santos III in second and event promoter Davey Hamilton, Jr. in third for a talent-laden podium. They will square off against a 70-car entry list – the largest ever assembled on pavement. JoJo Helberg makes his anticipated return to pavement open wheel racing while 2023 Little 500 winner Jake Trainor makes one of his first career winged starts.

Modifieds were added to the Open Wheel Showdown in 2024 and they have responded in force with nearly 40 entries spanning the western states. West Coast champions such as Scott Winters, Eddie Secord, and Ian Elliott will battle with the champion drivers from both The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and the Rocky Mountains in a 75-lap feature for $5,000 to win.

Super Modifieds are headlined by the returns of Kenny and Davey Hamilton in search of the $5,000 prize after 40-laps of feature racing. 2024 SpeedTour champion Randy Anderson of Tacoma, Washington, multi-time race winners Jim Birges and Nathan Byrd, and many others make up the entry list of two dozen teams.

Action kicks off Thursday with optional practice. On Friday, the Winged Sprint Cars and Modifieds will qualify and compete in heat races. Following heat race action will be the Winged Sprint Car C-Main and pole shuffle.
All three divisions will compete in main events on Saturday evening as well.

For more information, visit www.openwheelshowdown.com Tickets and RV reservations are available via the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Pit Passes will be sold at the gate and include grandstand access.

Rick Ware Racing: Corey LaJoie/Kaz Grala Homestead Advance

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Official Release
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COREY LAJOIE | KAZ GRALA
Homestead Advance

Event Overview

● Event: Straight Talk Wireless 400 (Round 34 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 27
● Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 267 laps/400.5 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 85 laps / Final Stage: 102 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Corey LaJoie, Driver of the No. 51 Schluter Systems Ford Mustang Dark Horse

● Corey LaJoie, driver of the No. 51 Schluter Systems Ford Mustang Dark Horse, will make his eighth career Homestead-Miami Speedway start in Sunday’s Straight Talk Wireless 400. His best finish at the 1.5-mile oval is a 20th-place effort earned in the October 2023 event.

● In honor of 50 years of the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), the Steger Family of Indiana will be riding along on LaJoie’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse. The Steger family have been residents of the RHMC Northeast Indiana since April 2024. When Ambuhr Steger was 26 weeks pregnant she contracted COVID-19 that turned into pneumonia. She was intubated and in the ICU for two weeks, and her health complications lead to an early delivery. On April 16, her son Hendrix was born weighing one pound, 10 ounces, and measuring 11.5 inches long. Ambuhr’s husband Chris and their four other children moved into the RHMC Northeast Indiana. “It was a perfect spot to be with my family and be close to Ambuhr and Hendrix,” said Chris. “It was nice to know my kids were having fun, doing something new, meeting other kids in a similar situation,” said Ambuhr. “Thank you for the security, comfort, reassurance, and the support. You don’t have to do this, but you do, and it’s beautiful.”

● The North Carolina native also owns four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Homestead, three resulting in top-20 finishes. Best of those was a 16th-place finish in November 2014.

● In last Sunday’s South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, LaJoie drove to a 14th-place finish. It was his best result in 14 starts at the 1.5-mile desert oval and the best finish for RWR at Las Vegas. The result was also the second top-15 and third top-20 for LaJoie in four starts with RWR this season.

● Schluter Systems joins LaJoie for the third time this year and first as the primary partner on the No. 51 RWR Ford Mustang Dark Horse. Schluter Systems provides innovative, easy-to-use installation systems to support the durability, integrity and design of tile installations. With more than 8,000 products within its growing portfolio, Schluter Systems is continuously improving the landscape of the tile industry. Its educational workshops and intuitive approach to product design supports Schluter’s position as an industry leader in quality and service. Schluter Systems services North America with multiple training, distribution and manufacturing facilities in Plattsburgh, New York, Montreal, Reno, Nevada, and Fort Worth, Texas. For more information, visit www.schluter.com.

Kaz Grala, Driver of the No. 15 Meat N’ Bone Ford Mustang Dark Horse

● Kaz Grala returns to the No. 15 Meat N’ Bone Ford Mustang Dark Horse for his first Cup Series start at Homestead. In nine starts on intermediate tracks, the Boston native has an average finish of 27.7 and a best result of 18th earned May 12 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

● Grala’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse will carry the Jackson family of RMHC of the Piedmont Triad. The Jackson family had the opportunity to stay at the Ronald McDonald House in Winston Salem, N.C., after their baby girl, Raelyn, was admitted to the NICU weighing five pounds in November 2023. She was born five weeks early and spent nine days in the NICU, including Thanksgiving. Staying at the Ronald McDonald House allowed the family to be close to Raelyn and visit her daily while she was in the hospital. “We are forever grateful for the RMHC staff and volunteers who treated us like family, provided a beautiful Thanksgiving meal, and helped to keep our spirits high.”

● In the Xfinity Series, Grala has two starts at Homestead with a best finish of 18th earned in November 2018.

● Grala has 21 Cup Series starts this season and will pilot the No. 15 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RWR in the final three events of 2024 beginning this weekend at Homestead.

● Meat N’ Bone is an online butcher shop offering premium quality meats delivered locally and shipped nationally. Customers can order from more than 300 products, including USDA Prime and Wagyu A5, and have it delivered fresh to their door. Meat N’ Bone also offers local pickup and a personalized retail experience in its boutiques.

Rick Ware Racing Notes

● The 2024 FIM World Supercross Championship season begins Saturday with the WSX Canadian GP at BC Place in Vancouver. RWR announced a four-rider lineup for the season that features two Americans, the 2021 Australian Pro Motorcross 450cc champion, and a Brazilian rookie.

● Mitch Oldenburg joins RWR after a 2023 WXS season that saw the Texas native compete in both the WSX 450 and SX2 250 classes. Oldenburg began the season in SX2 and finished fourth overall at the WSX British GP, the first event on the schedule. Following the event, he moved up to the WSX category where he finished second overall at the WSX Austrailian GP. Oldenburg, who finished ninth overall in the standings despite missing the first round of the season, will complete his first fulltime season in the WSX premier class.

● Luke Clout moves up to the premier class with RWR after a third-place showing in the 2023 SX2 250 class. The 2021 Australian Pro Motocross 450cc champion finished on the podium behind champion Max Astie and Shane McElrath, who won the 2022 SX2 title for RWR.

● Enzo Lopes made his WSX SX2 debut last year, finishing third at the WSX British GP after he dislocated his shoulder in practice. The return to SX2 marks the Brazilian’s return to fulltime racing after being sidelined for the majority of the 2024 supercross season due to injury. Lopes’ resume includes fifth-place finishes in the AMA Supercross East standings in 2020 and 2022, and a fourth-place finish in the AMA Supercross West standings in 2023.

● Coty Schock, a native of Dover, Delaware, will make his SX2 debut in Vancouver after a standout season in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250SX East division. The 36-year-old finished third in the regional championship standings, a vast improvement from his 10th-place finish in 2023.

● Rick Ware has been a motorsports mainstay for more than 40 years. It began at age six when the third-generation racer began his driving career and has since spanned four wheels and two wheels on both asphalt and dirt. Competing in the SCCA Trans Am Series and other road-racing divisions led Ware to NASCAR in the early 1980s, where he finished third in his NASCAR debut – the 1983 Warner W. Hodgdon 300 NASCAR Grand American race at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway. More than a decade later, injuries would force Ware out of the driver seat and into fulltime team ownership. In 1995, Rick Ware Racing was formed, and with wife Lisa by his side, Ware has since built his eponymous organization into an entity that fields two fulltime entries in the NASCAR Cup Series while simultaneously campaigning successful teams in the Top Fuel class of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, Progressive American Flat Track and FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX), where RWR won the 2022 SX2 championship with rider Shane McElrath.

Corey LaJoie, Driver Q&A

You earned your best finish with RWR last Sunday at Las Vegas. Is there anything you can use from last week as you prepare for Homestead?

“We had a good run at Las Vegas that I think we can definitely use to our advantage. We’re carrying a lot of momentum into another mile-and-a-half and another track where you have a lot of options to move around and find speed. Similar to Vegas, it’s easy to have a decent car and not get the finish you deserve at Homestead. You just have to maximize the day, through strategy or track position or whatever is working in your favor.”

Homestead has an older surface where there is a lot of tire wear, and with the heat it can be a slick track. How does that affect the racing and what you’re looking for in your car?

“It creates an interesting race. Your first lap or two is going to be completely different than what you’ve got on lap 15 or 16. It’s why you need those other lines to move around and find what works best for you as a driver. This is track where it really comes down to what a driver can do. Your car is never going to be perfect, but if you can get it to a place where you’re in control of it and can put it where you’ve got good speed, you’ll be okay.”

Kaz Grala, Driver Q&A

This weekend at Homestead is the last time this year you’ll be making your first Cup Series start at a track. Are you looking forward to Sunday’s race?

“Yeah, Homestead is one of my favorite tracks. There are a lot of lines you can use to find speed, though typically you’ll see guys trying to ride right up against the wall. I feel like RWR has come a long way with our mile-and-a-half program, so I’m excited to see what we’ve got this weekend.”

You’ll finish out the season with two tracks that you’ve got a good amount of experience at between the Cup and Xfinity series. How does that affect your mindset leading into Martinsville and Phoenix?

“It’ll be interesting to go back to Martinsville and Phoenix. It’ll be a good way to judge how much progress we’ve had as a team and I’m looking forward to going back to those tracks with more experience under my belt. When we visited those tracks earlier in the season, I was still working to understand the Cup car and where it differs from the Xfinity car. I feel like I’ve got a pretty good handle on it now and will be able to better assess what I need throughout a race. So, hopefully with that, we can finish out the season on a high note.”

AM Racing | Dylan Lupton Homestead-Miami Speedway Xfinity Series Race Preview

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Official Release
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AM Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway | Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300

Fast Facts

No. 15 AM Racing Team:
Driver: Dylan Lupton
Primary Partner(s): Lupton Excavation | AirBox
Manufacturer: Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Ryan “Pickle” London
Spotter: Michael Fisher
Chassis Intel: AMR Chassis No. X-031
Engine: Roush-Yates Engines

Notes of Interest:

Final Stretch: Veteran race car driver Dylan Lupton will pilot AM Racing’s No. 15 Ford Mustang for the final three 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series races, including Saturday afternoon’s Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300 at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway.

Lupton, a graduate of the NASCAR Next initiative, will also drive the team’s Ford Mustang at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway, Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, and the season finale at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway on Nov. 9, 2024.

The former ARCA Menards Series West winner returned to NASCAR Xfinity Series competition for the first time since Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway last year on Oct. 5, 2024, at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

Driving the No. 15 Sentinel Foundation | Nine Line Apparel Ford Mustang for AM Racing, Lupton contended for a top-10 finish before being collected in the “Big One” with three laps to go.

To jumpstart his stock car racing career this year, Lupton returned to the ARCA Menards Series at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International in mid-September when he piloted the No. 30 Lupton Excavation | Rette Jones Racing Ford Mustang to a top-10 finish in the General Tire 100 at The Glen.

The Wilton, Calif. native has spent most of 2024 competing in select Late-Model events on the West Coast and in a limited Trans Am Series XGT Class schedule.

The Californian has three career starts for AM Racing at Talladega, the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Road Course and Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway respectively.

Lupton has 63 starts across all three of NASCAR’s national divisions, with one top-five and five top-10 finishes.

Welcome Aboard: For the 31st of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races this season, AM Racing and Lupton welcome Lupton Excavation to the team as the primary partner on the No. 15 Ford Mustang for the 200-lap race on Saturday afternoon.

Lupton Excavation Inc. was founded in 1987. The company provides excavation work and digs foundations.

Serving Sacramento, Calif., and surrounding areas, Lupton Excavation Inc. also specializes in Earthwork and plumbing.

Giving You Peace of Air: For the final speedway race of the season, AirBox will serve in an associate partnership role on Lupton’s No. 15 Ford Mustang in Saturday afternoon’s Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300 at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway.

In 2017, AirBox was established to focus on building the world’s best air purifiers for indoor occupied spaces. This coincided with people starting to wake up to issues with indoor air quality. With new challenges to air cleanliness, such as COVID-19 and wildfire smoke, people are looking for effective and proven solutions to ensure they receive cleaner air, at last.

Their history in delivering clean air systems and services gives them an expertise that is unmatched. AirBox uses some of the most effective air filtration technologies that exist with Certified HEPA and Advanced Molecular Adsorption. Coupled with their Indoor Air Quality Assessment, AirBox is the total solution for all indoor air quality needs, ensuring their customers meet and exceed current and future ventilation standards.

Today, AirBox filtration systems are used across the country, purifying the air and capturing harmful irritants to create healthier, safer spaces. They’ve become the trusted choice for hospitals, educational centers, offices, warehouses, construction zones, public assembly, sports facilities, and more.

They’re proud to build all products to the highest standards in the USA at their North Carolina production facility. Every day, AirBox is working hard to give the American people the safer learning, working, and living environments they deserve — helping people breathe easy and live better.

Dylan Lupton NASCAR Xfinity Series Homestead-Miami Speedway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300 at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway will mark Lupton’s first career Xfinity Series start at the 1.5-mile speedway in South Florida.

However, Lupton did make one NASCAR Cup Series start at Homestead during the 2016 season, competing in the season finale Ford EcoBoost 400, piloting the No. 32 Go Fas Racing Ford Mustang.

He will look to improve his overall speedway average Xfinity finish of 26.0.

Dylan Lupton NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: In 44 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, Lupton has a career-best ninth-place finish after starting 16th for Athenian Motorsports at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in August 2015.

In addition to his Xfinity Series starts, he has achieved four NASCAR Cup Series starts and 15 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts to his credit.

Thanks For Your Support: With 90 percent of the 2024 Xfinity Series season complete, AM Racing and Dylan Lupton would like to thank their marketing partners for their support: AirBox, Flying Circle, Mechanix Wear, Mobil 1 and WIX Filters.

Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway | Ambetter Health 302 Race Recap: The 30th race of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season kicked off in a return trip to Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway on Saturday, October 19, 2024.

In his Las Vegas return, Lupton immediately showcased speed with his No. 15 Lupton Excavation | AirBox Ford Mustang, posting a top-10 during his group run before landing 22nd overall at the end of the quick 15-minute session.

Lupton improved on his practice time to qualify a Las Vegas Xfinity career-best 21st.

From the drop of the green flag, it initially appeared that Lupton would have a fast enough car to contend for a top-15 finish.

However, the team encountered tire issues in Stage 1 and Stage 2, which hindered the team’s on-track performance, including making slight contact with the wall.

A gallant effort by the AM Racing team to combat the tire issues, the car responded to aggressive chassis adjustments in Stage 3 that allowed Lupton to rebound to take the checkered flag in the 27th position for the second consecutive week.

From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Ryan “Pickle” London is Dylan Lupton’s crew chief.

He will be crew chief for his 31st NASCAR Xfinity Series race and his first at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

In his previous 30 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected two top-10 finishes, including a career-best ninth at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International with Joey Logano in September 2024 for AM Racing.

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

For more on Dylan Lupton like him on Facebook (Lupton Racing) and follow him on Instagram (@luptondylan) and X | Twitter (@LuptonDylan).

Dylan Lupton Quoteboard:

On Homestead-Miami Speedway: “I’m optimistic about returning to Homestead-Miami Speedway. It’s been several years since I’ve been on the track, but I feel like we are in a good place knowing where we want to be with the setup.

“The AM Racing team had a strong showing going last year before being collected in a mid-race accident. I’d love nothing more than for us to build on the speed that we showcased at Las Vegas and deliver a respectable finish on Saturday afternoon and set us up for the last two races of the season at Martinsville Speedway and Phoenix Raceway.”

Race Information:

The Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300 (200 laps | 300 miles) is the 31st of thirty-three (33) NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2024 schedule. Practice will occur on Friday, October 25, from 4:35 p.m. to 5:05 p.m. Qualifying will immediately follow, beginning at 5:10 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag on Saturday, October 26, shortly after 4:00 ET, with live coverage on the CW Network, the Performance Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (Eastern).

About AM Racing:

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

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

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

Expressive appearance: the new Porsche 99X Electric

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Official Release
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Porsche 99X Electric

ABB FIA Formula E World Championship

Atlanta, Oct. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Atlanta. Porsche has presented its Formula E car for the next two seasons: the new Porsche 99X Electric. The all-electric open-wheel racer complies with the regulations for the updated third generation of Formula E cars, called GEN3 Evo, and features all-round improved Porsche in-house developments. The new Porsche 99X Electric made its debut online on 24 October, in a film with Bruno Correia, the Formula E safety car driver and GEN3 Evo development driver. The key technical innovations are the ability to power the front wheels in certain scenarios, tires with increased grip, and a modified front wing. World Champion Pascal Wehrlein and António Félix da Costa, last season’s driver with the most wins, retain their positions as the drivers for the works TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team. The two Andretti Formula E customer cars will have former World Champion Jake Dennis, and the new Porsche works driver Nico Müller at the wheel.

Refined Porsche in-house developments
The evolution model inherits Porsche’s most successful formula sports car to date: In its GEN3 version, the Porsche 99X Electric won the drivers’ world championship two years in a row – with Dennis in 2022/2023, and with Wehrlein in 2023/2024. The concept remains the same: available energy is restricted according to series regulations. This forces the teams and their drivers to optimize the efficiency of the cars across all areas. Components developed by the manufacturer were allowed to be changed for the GEN3 Evo. The Porsche development department in Weissach took the opportunity to make optimizations identified over the past two seasons – particularly regarding the powertrain. The homologation of the manufacturer components is valid for two seasons. The fourth car generation, GEN4, is set to be introduced for Season 13 (2026/2027).

Porsche 99X Electric

New features – GEN3 Evo
The key technical innovations of the GEN3 Evo relate to the standardized hardware of all teams and manufacturers taking part.

From now on, front-wheel drive may be engaged during qualifying duels, race starts, and Attack Mode. This gives the cars temporary all-wheel drive, enabling the Porsche 99X Electric to accelerate to 62 mph in about two seconds. Making the engagement of front-wheel drive as efficient as possible represents another technical challenge, with the lessons learned also benefitting Porsche road cars.

Higher performance tires from exclusive supplier Hankook will help the Formula E cars reach even higher speeds in the new season. To reduce the footprint, each car will still only have two sets of tires available per race weekend (three sets for double headers). The tire profile makes the tires suitable for both dry and wet conditions.

The evolution model is primarily recognizable by its modified front wing. The new form should make it more stable, enabling it to withstand contact better. Further modifications to the cladding were made behind the roll bar and in front of the rear wheels.

Colorways based on Taycan Turbo GT
Purple Sky Metallic and Shade Green Metallic – these are the new colors on the cladding of the Porsche 99X Electric. These were the colors that Porsche used to present the new Taycan Turbo GT, the most powerful production car the brand has ever built. The shades of purple and green replace the traditional combination of black, white and red. They symbolize the technology transfer from motorsport to production.

Next up
The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team and Andretti Formula E will take part in Formula E’s official pre-season testing in Valencia, Spain (November 4 to 7). In addition to Wehrlein and da Costa, the two female drivers Gabriela Jílková and Marta García from Czechia and Spain will be taking the wheel of the two works Porsches in Valencia.

Quotes from the world premiere
Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport: “We build future sports cars, so we also want our appearance to be progressive. The young and innovative Formula E is an excellent platform for promoting our electric production sports cars. The preparation for the season thus far fills me with confidence that not only do we look good, but we can also build on the successes of last season. The bar has been set high: With Pascal as the World Champion, we are at the pinnacle of Porsche’s formula racing history to date.”

Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E: “The biggest development task was and is the implementation of the temporary all-wheel drive. Since the hardware was already available for GEN3, a huge amount of work has gone into aligning the software. On the one hand we want to maximize acceleration and cornering speeds with the all-wheel drive. On the other hand, the goal is to not consume too much energy and to keep the car balance to the liking of the drivers. A task that is also relevant for our sports cars for the road.”

Pascal Wehrlein, Porsche works driver (#1): “The new Porsche 99X Electric is a very cool car. I love the colors so much that I designed my helmet the same way. It also goes without saying that I am proud to now have number 1 on the nose of my car. I want to defend my title and the preparations for the new season are going according to plan.”

António Félix da Costa, Porsche works driver (#13): “We are excited to see where we are at. The all-wheel drive, the new tires, and the comprehensive overhaul of our own components may shake things up a bit, even though there aren’t any major changes to the regulations. I’m optimistic and am pleased that we will be lining up in São Paulo again at the beginning of December. Hopefully the fans will love our new colors.”

Technical data – Porsche 99X Electric (GEN3 Evo)
Drive power
• Normal operation: 300 kW (402 hp)
• Attack Mode, qualifying duels: 350 kW (469 hp)

Power transmission
• Normal operation: rear
• Attack Mode, qualifying duels, race starts: all-wheel drive

Acceleration
• 0–62 mph: approx. 2.0 seconds

Energy recovery
• Up to 600 kW recuperation power (brake energy recovery)
• Approx. 50 percent of the drive energy per race comes from brake energy recovery

Brakes
• Regenerative braking system: up to 250 kW electric braking power on the front axle, up to 350 kW on the rear axle
• Additional deceleration through friction brakes on the front axle (“Brake by Wire” system)
• Front brake disc outer diameter: 258 mm
• Friction brakes on the rear axle only active in an emergency (if recuperation fails)

Tires
• Profiled Hankook iON Race for dry and wet conditions
• 2 sets per race weekend and per vehicle (3 for double headers)

Lithium-ion battery
• Supplied standard component
• Usable storage capacity: 38.5 kWh
• Weight: 285 kg

CCS charging system (Combined Charging System)
• Designed for extremely fast charging with up to 600 kW charging power

Weight and dimensions
• Weight: 862 kg including driver
• Length: 5016 mm, width: 1700 mm, height: 1023 mm
• Wheelbase: 2970 mm
• Ground clearance: up to 65 mm
• Front track: 1440 mm
• Rear track: 1380 mm

Key in-house developments
Pulse inverter, electric motor, gearbox, differential, drive shafts and other drive components on the rear axle as well as cooling, support and suspension components on the rear axle, operating software

Key standard components
Chassis and body, wheels and tires, drive, cooling and suspension components on the front axle, accumulator

Porsche in Formula E
Porsche contests its sixth Formula E season in 2024/2025. In addition to the works-run TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, the American customer outfit Andretti Formula E competes with the Porsche 99X Electric. The concept of the innovative electric racing car was developed at the company’s Weissach facility, which operates on a net carbon-neutral basis. With its commitment to the world championship, Porsche underlines its commitment to take a leading role among traditional automobile manufacturers in the areas of electrification, sustainability and technology. In Formula E, the brand gains valuable insights for its electric series-production sports cars.

Burton, DEX Imaging Team Hoping To Carry Vegas Speed To Homestead

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Official Release
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Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging Mustang Dark Horse turned some impressive laps in the latter portion of last Sunday’s South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Wood Brothers co-owner Eddie Wood is hoping the No. 21 team can pick up where they left off at Vegas as they take on a similar intermediate-length track, Homestead-Miami Speedway, in this weekend’s Straight Talk Wireless 400.

Burton was able to turn some impressive laps at Las Vegas using the outside groove, and up next to the wall has proven over the years to be the fastest way around Homestead as well.

“We are out of the running for the championship at this point, but it’s still important to finish the season on a high note,” Wood said. “Any time you go to the race track you want to run well, and I’m looking forward to seeing how Harrison and the team will perform on Sunday.

Practice for the Straight Talk Wireless 400 is set for Saturday at 9:05 a.m. Eastern Time to be followed by qualifying at 9:50.

Sunday’s 400.5-mile, 267-lap race is scheduled to get the green flag just after 2:30 p.m. with TV coverage on NBC.

Stage breaks are planned for Laps 80 and 165.

About DEX Imaging
DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEX sells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions, such as HP, Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and numerous others.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:
Reducing Operating Costs
Reducing Paper Consumption
Increasing Productivity

DEX Imaging has been the recipient of virtually every industry award since the company’s inception, including the JD Power & Associates Award for Best Customer Experience, the prestigious ProTech Service award by Konica Minolta, the Diamond Premier Dealer Award by Kyocera, and the Elite DEALER Award by ‘ENX’ magazine. Other accolades include being named ‘Best Place to Work’ by numerous business journals in the markets DEX serves.

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 seven 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.

Rockingham Speedway NASCAR Ticket Pre-Sale Window Open Through October 30

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Official Release
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Rockingham Speedway

Tixr announced as the official ticketing and commerce partner to create modern experiences for the fans

Rockingham, N.C. (October 24, 2024) – Excitement is building towards the return of NASCAR to Rockingham Speedway this Spring! NASCAR event promoter Track Enterprises is offering fans the opportunity to secure their seats, parking, camping and access to the exclusive ‘65 Club suite ahead of the November 1 ticket sale date.

Fans are encouraged to register for pre-sale ticket opportunities now on the NASCAR event’s official website, www.RaceTheRock.com. The pre-sale opportunity window will close at 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday, October 30.

NASCAR’s return to the renowned one-mile oval April 18-19, 2025 includes the NASCAR XFINITY Series, NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, and the recently-announced addition of the ARCA Menards Series East.

Track Enterprises has also announced Tixr, a trailblazer in modern ticketing technology, as its exclusive ticketing and commerce partner and official sponsor of the NASCAR event at Rockingham Speedway. As a proven major event service provider, Tixr will enhance the fan experience and ease of use with the latest technology.

Tixr has experienced rapid recent growth as demand for its modern ticketing and eCommerce solutions has reached an all-time high. Recognized in Inc. 5000 as one of the fastest-growing privately-held companies and ranked #25 on Andreesen Horowitz’s a16z Marketplace 100, Tixr already services events in 10 European countries, and exclusively powers more than 700 of the most respected live entertainment brands in 40 countries. Since its inception, Tixr has processed nearly $2 billion in transactions through its highly visual, unified commerce platform built for sales beyond admission tickets.

“The Rock is one of the most iconic tracks in motorsports, and we’re excited to showcase our technology to provide fans with a seamless, modern race day experience,” said Nate Liberman, VP of Sports at Tixr. “Partnering with Track Enterprises allows us to further expand our expertise in NASCAR and motorsports, while supporting their fan-first approach and driving new incremental revenue opportunities.

Parallel with the many facility improvements ongoing at the historic Rockingham Speedway, Track Enterprises is developing a re-designed website to launch around November 1, found online at www.RaceTheRock.com.

Tickets for NASCAR’s return to Rockingham Speedway will go on sale Friday, Nov. 1 at 10 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. For ticket and camping information, sponsor inquiries, continuing details and updates, log on to www.RaceTheRock.com, the official NASCAR event website for the NASCAR event at Rockingham Speedway.

About Track Enterprises

Track Enterprises has been promoting motorsports events since 1985. Based in Macon, Ill., a dedicated staff, led by longtime promoter Bob Sargent, organize and promote upwards of 80 races a year across the eastern half of the United States. Track Enterprises was responsible for the highly-acclaimed return of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series to the Milwaukee Mile in 2023. In 2019, Track Enterprises merged with Charlotte, N.C.-based Spire Holdings and continues to promote high-profile motorsports properties on the national stage.

About Tixr

Tixr, the largest, fastest-growing privately-held primary ticketing and event commerce marketplace in the world, is transforming the ticket-buying experience. Born from a fan-focused frame of mind, the Tixr platform empowers large-scale events, music venues, and sports properties with innovative solutions to highly complex

ticketing and e-commerce needs. Founded in 2013 in Santa Monica, CA, Tixr’s modern, unified commerce experience supports all types of events, from festivals to global arena tours, and an almost limitless suite of commerce offerings beyond admission tickets. Find upcoming events at Tixr.com and learn more about the Tixr platform at creators.tixr.com.

About Rockingham Speedway

Located in Richmond County, N.C., Rockingham Speedway opened as a flat, one-mile oval on Oct. 31, 1965. It was reconfigured to a one-mile (1.017 miles) high-banked, D-shaped oval in 1969.In 2018, a new ownership group took over the facility and renamed it Rockingham Speedway & Entertainment Complex. On Nov. 18, 2021, N.C. Governor Roy Cooper signed the 2021-2022 North Carolina state budget allocating $9 million to support reinvestment in the facility. The state funds, along with ownership investment, allowed for the redevelopment of the racetrack including the racing surface and extensive repairs. Today, the facility hosts a wide variety of events including karting, road racing, endurance racing, concerts and more. In 2025, Rockingham Speedway will welcome the return of NASCAR for the first time since 2013.

Zep Racing: Chase Briscoe Homestead Advance

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Official Release
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CHASE BRISCOE
Homestead Advance
No. 14 Zep Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Straight Talk Wireless 400 (Round 34 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 27
● Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 267 laps/400.5 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 85 laps / Final Stage: 102 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● If you took an informal poll among NASCAR Cup Series drivers and asked them what is their favorite racetrack, Homestead-Miami Speedway would be the most common answer. The 1.5-mile oval located 40 miles south of Miami’s famed South Beach features variable banking and worn asphalt, allowing drivers to run multiple grooves and really drive their racecars through the track’s corners, which go from 18 degrees at the apron to 20 degrees near the wall. It’s why Homestead is most often called a “driver’s track” by the very men who will turn 267 laps at nearly 170 mph for more than three hours this Sunday in the Straight Talk Wireless 400.

● Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 Zep Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing, will make his fourth NASCAR Cup Series start at Homestead when the green flag drops on Sunday. Seventeenth is his best Cup Series result at the track, earned last year.

● Briscoe’s NASCAR Cup Series stats at Homestead mask the 29-year-old’s true form at the track. In four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Homestead, Briscoe earned an average finish of sixth. A 13th-place finish in his first Xfinity Series start at Homestead in 2018 was his worst result, as Briscoe knocked down finishes of third, seventh and first in his three starts that followed.

● Briscoe’s final two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Homestead came during a doubleheader weekend in June 2020 amid the COVID pandemic. Adversity was the word of Saturday’s opening race, as Briscoe drove from nearly last in the 37-car field to finish seventh. He was forced to pit shortly after the green flag waved when a piece of equipment fell off his racecar on the pre-race pace lap. Five laps down to start the 167-lap race, Briscoe drove through the field twice in the first 70 laps and used pit strategy to get back onto the lead lap, allowing him to claw his way up to seventh when the checkered flag fell. Though his crew chief, Richard Boswell, was suspended for Sunday’s race as a result of the equipment issue on Saturday, Briscoe returned as strong as ever with Stewart-Haas chief competition officer Greg Zipadelli atop the pit box. Briscoe started ninth, led four times for 11 laps, and outdueled Brandon Jones in a two-lap dash to the finish to win by just .072 of a second.

● A prelude to that determined NASCAR Xfinity Series triumph came in 2017 when in his only NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at Homestead, Briscoe dominated. He won the pole, led four times for a race-high 81 laps, and handily scored the victory by 2.887 seconds over runner-up Christopher Bell. It was Briscoe’s first win in any of NASCAR’s top-three series – Cup, Xfinity and Truck – and it came in the last race of the season after a slew of near-misses where among Briscoe’s 10 top-five finishes, three were second-place results. The win elevated Briscoe to sixth in the final championship standings and helped him earn both Rookie-of-the-Year honors and the series’ Most Popular Driver award. The victory also sent the team Briscoe was driving for, Brad Keselowski Racing, out on a high note, as it was the organization’s final race, with the team ceasing operation days after Homestead.

● DYK? Briscoe is one of just four drivers who have won in both the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Homestead, joining Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne. If Briscoe can win Sunday’s Straight Talk Wireless 400 NASCAR Cup Series race, he will become only the third driver to win at Homestead across all three of NASCAR’s top series, joining Busch and Harvick.

● Briscoe carries the colors of Zep this weekend at Homestead. Zep is the go-to cleaning brand for professionals and its iconic blue-and-yellow palette adorns Briscoe’s No. 14 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for the Straight Talk Wireless 400. Zep is a leading innovator, producer and distributor of maintenance, cleaning and sanitation solutions for industrial and institutional, retail, and food and beverage customers. Briscoe’s partnership with Zep doesn’t stop on the track, whether in his garage at home or on the Chase Briscoe Racing sprint car hauler that travels to races across the country, Zep is always within reach. A few favorites include Zep’s engine degreaser, foaming glass cleaner, spray cleaner and polish, heavy-duty foaming degreaser, penetrating lubricant and brake cleaner. Said Briscoe: “Whether it’s at the track or at home, Zep is always close by. From its line of cleaning supplies to its car care products, you’ll find Zep inside my race hauler and inside my garage. Whether it’s my sprint car, my street car or my tractor, Zep helps me keep them looking right and running right.”

● Riding along with Briscoe this weekend at Homestead as part of the 50th anniversary of the Ronald McDonald House Charities is the Jett/Ellis Family. Their son, Ahmir, was born with spina bifida and schizencephaly in May. To stay close to their son during his prolonged NICU treatment in a hospital nearly two hours away from their home in Indianapolis, Ahmir’s parents relied on the Ronald McDonald House of Central Indiana. The family chose to be represented on Briscoe’s No. 14 Zep Ford Mustang Dark Horse as Briscoe is also a native Hoosier, hailing from Mitchell.

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Zep Ford Mustang Dark Horse

You had a mic-drop moment at Homestead in 2017. In your one and only NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at the track, you won the pole, led the most laps, and won the race, and it came in the season finale and in your final race with Brad Keselowski Racing (BKR), as that team shut down at the end of the year. Talk about that race, the emotion going into it, and the feelings you had after winning.

“That day in 2017 is certainly one I’ll never forget. Your first NASCAR win in any of the top-three series is a big deal, and that was one that I felt like was, obviously, going to be our last shot as a company to win a race since the team was shutting down after that. It’s definitely similar to what we’re going through now. We’d been so close that entire season. I think we ran second three times before and just never quite seemed to be able to jump the final hurdle. And Homestead was a racetrack I was super excited to get to because I felt like it was going to fit my driving style. We got there and just instantly had speed. We were able to sit on the pole, lead the most laps and win the race. It was bittersweet with it being the last race of the year, winning it and knowing that you could’ve been in the Championship 4 and, if you were, then you would’ve been the champion, but it just didn’t work out that way. But it was a really special night just to send BKR out literally on top. Its final race as a company was really, really cool. So, hopefully we can go to Homestead and win in SHR’s final race there because it’s been a really good track for the company.”

Are there some similar emotions going into this year’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Homestead, since it’s also the last year for Stewart-Haas Racing?

“A little bit, just with being in this same position where the team’s going to cease to exist at the end of the year. It’s definitely reminiscent of that. I would say just with how similar that feels and the emotions of the team and things like that, it’s going to be a little bit different since it’s not the very last race of the year, but it’s still one of the last races. So, it’ll feel pretty similar.”

You made four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Homestead and won in your last start there. That was win No. 3 in your nine-win season. What was that race like and what was that season like, as it all happened amid the COVID pandemic?

“Homestead has always been a track that I’ve been pretty good at. I feel like it’s one of my better racetracks. 2020 was the last time I was able to win there, but that was a doubleheader with the Xfinity car. It was probably one of our strongest performances in the Xfinity car. The day before, it was a back-to-back deal. We went seven laps down and came back to finish seventh, and finish on the lead lap, and then the next day we were able to win the race. It’s a place I always look forward to going to. On the Cup side, I haven’t had as much success, but it’s still a place I feel like I definitely kind of know what I need and know what to look for and just understand how to make speed around that racetrack.”

Success at Homestead in the NASCAR Cup Series has been harder to obtain – three starts with a best finish of 17th, earned last year. What makes success at the Cup level more difficult, and why doesn’t prior success at a venue in another series translate to Cup?

“The first year I went to Homestead in Cup was with the old car, and going there with no practice, no qualifying, just jumping right in, was tough. And then it was one of those tracks where you run the wall, but with the old car you weren’t allowed to touch the fence all day long, and I was just trying to wrap my head around that and kind of struggling. In the Xfinity car, you can kind of beat and bang and hit the wall a couple of times and be OK. And then, in the NextGen era, I would say we’ve been way better than where we’ve finished. We’ve had good speed. In 2022, I remember crashing there and, even last year our car was way better than where we finished. I don’t remember what happened, but we’ve had good speed there, just haven’t been able to put together the finishes to go with it.”

Is there a track on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule that emulates some of the characteristics of Homestead? If so, do you have an indication of how you’ll perform this year at Homestead?

“I feel like Homestead is kind of its own unique animal, but if it relates to any track, I would say it would be Darlington, just with the tire fall off and how much you slip and slide around and how you’ve got to run by the wall.”

Drivers seem to universally praise Homestead. Why do you like racing there, and what are you able to do with a car at Homestead that you can’t do elsewhere?

“It’s just a track where, as a driver, you feel like you can make a huge difference, especially if you can run the wall better than somebody. And the car is changing so much throughout a run from lap one to lap 30, with about three seconds of fall off. As a driver, your car is never driving well, so you feel like you can make up for it. You can slip and slide the car around and just do a lot of different things behind the wheel. When you go to a place like Kansas or somewhere that’s a really high-speed, not-a-lot-of-fall-off track, it just puts it more in the driver’s hands. And I feel like Homestead is a track where you slip and slide around, and just being uncomfortable normally makes a little bit more of a difference. So, for sure, that’s why a lot of the drivers love it.”

No. 14 Zep Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe

Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell

Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Car Chief: J.D. Frey

Hometown: Ferndale, California

Engineer: Mike Cook

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Spotter: Joey Campbell

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Daniel Coffey

Hometown: Granite Falls, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Daniel Smith

Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Mason Flynt

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Jack Man: Brandon Banks

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Evan Marchal

Hometown: Westfield, Indiana

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams

Hometown: Plymouth, Wisconsin

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads

Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Shock Specialist: Brian Holshouser

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips

Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

Transporter Co-Driver: Todd Cable

Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Dale Lackey

Hometown: Taylorsville, North Carolina

FIM World Supercross Championship announces full broadcast offering for 2024 season

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Official Release
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FIM

FIM World Supercross Championship announces its complete offering of broadcasters for the 2024 season
The FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX) has announced its full broadcast roster for the 2024 season.

A total of 12 broadcasters will deliver a variety of coverage options including free-to-air two-hour live shows and highlights packages.

A combination of FUEL TV and FIM MOTO TV will facilitate worldwide coverage with DAZN also broadcasting globally and completely free-to-air. At the same time, SSC will bring WSX to audiences in the Middle East and North Africa.

StarTimes and SuperSport are set to broadcast to Sub-Saharan Africa, while FOX Sports Australia, Kayo Sports, and Sky New Zealand will cover Australasia.

The North American offering will be available through a blend of FS1, FS2 and REV TV while L’Équipe will deliver WSX to fans in France. Finally, SPOTV will provide coverage to South East Asia.

2024 FIM World Supercross Championship Broadcasters

RegionBroadcasterCoverage Package
Global (excl. USA & Australia)DAZNLive & Highlights (Free-To-Air)
Global (excl. USA & Australia)FUEL TVLive & Highlights
Global (excl. USA & Australia)FIM MOTO TVLive (Free-To-Air)
Middle East & North AfricaSSCLive & Highlights
Sub-Saharan AfricaStarTimesHighlights
Sub-Saharan AfricaSuperSportHighlights
AustraliaFOX Sports Australia & Kayo SportsLive & Highlights
New ZealandSky New ZealandLive & Highlights
USAFS1 & FS2Live (as live for Vancouver)
CanadaREV TVLive & Highlights
FranceL’ÉquipeLive & Highlights
South East AsiaSPOTVLive & Highlights

The 2024 season will get underway on 26 October at BC Place in Vancouver for the WSX Canadian GP. The campaign will then set a course for HBF Park in Perth, Australia, where WSX will hold its first double-header. The season will reach its thrilling conclusion at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on 4 December.

Tom Burwell, CEO, FIM World Supercross Championship, said: “It’s hugely exciting to be able to reveal our full complement of broadcasters for the 2024 season. We want to bring WSX to the widest global audience possible and this group of world-leading media partners are enabling us to do just that. We can’t wait for the season to get underway and to share our sport with the world.”

FIM World Supercross Championship
The FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX) is an international competition led by SX Global, a global sports marketing and entertainment company. The world governing body for motorcycle sport, Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), awarded SX Global the exclusive organisational and commercial rights to stage and promote the Championship from 2022 onwards. For further information, please visit www.wsxchampionship.com.

Panini Racing: Josh Berry Homestead Advance

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Official Release
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JOSH BERRY
Homestead Advance
No. 4 Panini Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Straight Talk Wireless 400 (Round 34 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 27
● Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 267 laps/400.5 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 85 laps / Final Stage: 102 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Most people head to Miami to soak up the South Florida sunshine, catch the waves at the beach, or enjoy good seafood. This weekend, the NASCAR Cup Series competitors head to Homestead-Miami Speedway to run mere inches from the wall at nearly 200 mph in their determined effort to take home the hardware on the slick, 1.5-mile oval. Josh Berry will climb into the No. 4 Panini Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing for his first Homestead start in the Cup Series. The 34-year-old driver from Hendersonville, Tennessee, does have four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Homestead in the No. 8 JR Motorsports entry. In those four starts, he nabbed a top-10 finish in February 2021, when he started 20th and mounted a charge to finish 10th in the 167-lap race. Last October, Berry was running inside the top-10 when his car owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. slid into the side of Berry’s No. 8 entry, the incident ending Berry’s bid and leaving him with a 32nd-place result.

● Returning home this weekend is the No. 4 team’s jackman, Kapil Fletcher, who hails from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, just 62 miles north of Homestead. Fletcher was an avid football player who went on to play at Division I level at the University of Kansas. After hanging up his cleats, Fletcher joined NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program and utilized his athletic ability to become one of the elite pit crew members of NASCAR. Fletcher got his first win in the ARCA Series in 2017 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and never looked back.

● Crew chief Rodney Childers will make his final Homestead start for Stewart Haas Racing atop the pit box Sunday. In his previous 15 events at the track, Childers called the shots for one win by driver Kevin Harvick in November 2014. That year, the duo etched their names into the history books by scoring the Cup Series championship behind five wins, 14 top-five finishes, 20 top-10s, eight pole awards, an average starting position of 9.1 and an average finishing position of 12.9. In addition to the historic 2014 season, Childers also tallied six top-fives and seven top-10s at Homestead in his career.

● Riding along with Berry this weekend at Homestead as part of the 50th anniversary of the Ronald McDonald House Charities is the Boswell Family. Their 12-year-old son, Michael, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, in his right femur. Michael was transported three hours away from his home in Sylvania, Georgia, to Atlanta for treatment. The Atlanta Ronald McDonald House provided comfort for this family of five, with Michael’s parent and siblings all staying at the house as he underwent chemotherapy.

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

Homestead is a challenging track that requires you to run close to the wall at high speeds. How demanding is that from a driver’s perspective, and how do you manage that workload over the course of the race?

“Being able to run the top lane and be accurate on where you drive in the corners has definitely been the best way to get around Homestead and does require a lot of focus and commitment to do so. Being up at the top and driving so close to the wall allows you to maintain speed over a longer run, but that comes with the risk of getting into the wall so it’s just a really fine balancing act with small margins. The guys who can focus and hit their marks will have a better shot of running up front all day.”

When you ran at Homestead for the first time, how steep was the learning curve being and how did you work on improving as you got more seat time there?

“Honestly, the change in the grip level over the course of the run was something that stood out to me. We all know it gets slicked out, but going there for the first time and feeling it from the driver’s seat is just something you can’t prepare for in the sim or from trying to compare it to other tracks. I have said it all season, there is nothing that beats seat time and going to Homestead, where the track changes pretty dramatically, is paramount. So, our practice time is super important to me since I haven’t run there in the NextGen car yet.”

Homestead is notorious for its slick racing surface – do any of your Late Model skills translate to managing tires and staying on the wheel as the handling goes away?

“The one thing I think that’s comparable is managing your tires and making sure you don’t slip them. In the Late Model races, you only get one time to change tires, so keeping the grip as high as you can is so important, and the same logic applies this weekend. Not slipping the tires and making adjustments as the race goes on to keep up with the track is going to be vital to running well.”

No. 4 Panini Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Josh Berry

Hometown: Hendersonville, Tennessee

Crew Chief: Rodney Childers

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Car Chief: Robert “Cheddar” Smith

Hometown: Whitewater, Wisconsin

Engineer: Dax Gerringer

Hometown: Gibsonville, North Carolina

Engineer: Billy Kuebler

Hometown: Saline, Michigan

Spotter: Eddie D’Hondt

Hometown: Levittown, New York

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala

Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff

Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal

Hometown: Holland, Michigan

Jack Man: Kapil Fletcher

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Tyler Trosper

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Mechanic: Chris Capaldi

Hometown: Armada, Michigan

Tire Specialist: Zac Lupien

Hometown: Pine Bluff, Arkansas

Engine Tuner: Robert Brandt

Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Transporter Co-Driver: Jake Zierhoffer

Hometown: Billerica, Massachusetts

Transporter Co-Driver: Stephen Mitchell

Hometown: Woodville, Ohio

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