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Routine Maintenance Tips to Extend the Life of Your Land Rover

By
SM
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Photo by artbutenkov at https://depositphotos.com/

Owning a Land Rover reflects a taste for elegance and strength. It combines high-end features with robust performance to enhance your everyday journeys and elevate your driving experience. However, regular maintenance is necessary to maintain your car’s performance and ensure smooth operation, and you can do that at Land Rover service center Dubai.

Make Routine Oil Changes

It is highly recommended that the frequency of a car oil change be paid attention to maintain the performance of the Land Rover engine at a higher level. Summer can be pretty hot in some places, coupled with the constant exposure to the sun, which causes the oil to degrade. Hence, the oil should be changed as per the manufacturer’s requirements. 

Land Rover Tire’s

Tire maintenance involves frequent checkups to determine any signs of damage or deterioration. Also, inflate them to the recommended tire pressure level; this ensures good grip on the road and correct tire alignment, wear, and balance.

Brake System Inspection

Brakes are essential for safe driving, especially in busy city traffic. For these reasons, it is recommended that the brake system be checked regularly to avert a failure of the entire system, which could lead to a dangerous situation. 

Cooling System Maintenance

The coolant level must be frequently monitored, and the radiators, hoses, and belts should be checked for wear and tear or leakage, which can cause overheating. Additionally, listen for any weird noises or hissing sounds, which could mean you have a leak.

Fluid Checks and Changes

Fluids like engine oil, coolant, brake, and transmission fluid need special attention. Regular checks and timely changes will ensure optimal vehicle performance and protect vital components from wear and tear.

Battery and Air Filter Replacement

Excessive heat can also reduce the battery’s life expectancy. Clean the battery terminals frequently for signs of corrosion and ensure they are well connected. Additionally, changing the air filter at recommended intervals will safeguard the engine from harmful contaminants, preserving its efficiency.

Transmission Service

Your Land Rover transmission requires regular maintenance to ensure smooth gear shifts. Check the transmission fluid levels and look for any signs of leaks. Have your transmission service performed by a professional at the recommended intervals to avoid costly services. Additionally, keep records of maintenance and other vehicle-related inspections for future reference.

Kaulig Racing Weekly Preview | Watkins Glen International

By
Official Release
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Race Notes

Watkins Glen International
Go Bowling at The Glen
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Sunday, September 15, at 3:00PM EDT
USA | MRN | SiriusXM
Team Notes

  • Kaulig Racing has made four NCS starts at Watkins Glen International, earning a runner-up finish and a fourth-place finish with AJ Allmendinger.
  • So far in the 2024 season, Kaulig Racing has earned seven top 10s, 18 top 20s and led 53 laps.

AJ ALLMENDINGER

 ”Watkins Glen in the Cup car has been really good for us over the last couple of years. We’ve had top-five speed, opportunities to win the race, and we’ve finished second and fourth there in the last two years. I’m really pumped about the opportunity to run the No. 13 Go Bowling Chevy at Watkins Glen. With that car, we don’t have to worry about points and can focus on using our strategy to win the race. I think we can run up front all day and have a great opportunity to steal a win.” – AJ Allmendinger on Watkins Glen International

No. 13 Go Bowling Camaro ZL1

  • AJ Allmendinger has made 12 NCS starts at Watkins Glen International. He has earned one win, five top fives and eight top-10 finishes. He has led 60 laps and has an average finish of 8.8.
  • Allmendinger earned his first NCS win at Watkins Glen International in 2014.
  • In his two NCS starts at Watkins Glen with Kaulig Racing, Allmendinger has earned two top-five finishes.
  • So far in the 2024 NCS season, Allmendinger has made 11 starts. He has earned three top-10 finishes — two on road courses — and has led 13 laps.

SHANE van GISBERGEN

 ”I’m looking forward to racing the Cup car at Watkins Glen [International]. It’s a road course, so I’m excited to see how my WeatherTech Chevrolet will stack up with the rest of the field. It’s not going to be easy, it’s going to be a challenge but a lot of fun! Thankful for everyone at Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet, Trackhouse Racing and WeatherTech for making this all possible.” – Shane van Gisbergen on Watkins Glen International

No. 16 WeatherTech Camaro ZL1

  • Shane van Gisbergen will make his first-career NCS start at Watkins Glen International, his eighth start in the series this season for Kaulig Racing.
  • Van Gisbergen has made two road course starts this season in the NCS, first at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, where he finished 20th, and at the Chicago Street Race, where an incident ended his race early.
  • Van Gisbergen became the first driver in 60 years to win in his NCS debut, winning at the Chicago Street Course in 2023.
  • The No. 16 WeatherTech Chevrolet is a collaboration between Kaulig Racing and Trackhouse Racing with Travis Mack as the crew chief.
  • Van Gisbergen will sport the white-and-red WeatherTech livery this weekend. For decades, WeatherTech has delivered on its promise of quality and craftsmanship through a commitment to American-made auto, home and pet products. More information can be found at weathertech.com.

DANIEL HEMRIC

 ”I’m really excited for some road course racing this weekend at Watkins Glen. Kaulig Racing is typically really good at road courses, and with my teammates Shane [Van Gisbergen] and AJ [Allmendinger] who are some of the best on these types of tracks, I’ll be able to lean on them. Hopefully we can carry some momentum from Atlanta into this weekend.” – Daniel Hemric on Watkins Glen International

No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1

  • Daniel Hemric has made one NCS start at Watkins Glen International.
  • So far in the 2024 NCS season, Hemric has earned four top 10s, nine top-20 finishes and has led 14 laps.
  • Hemric has currently completed more laps than any other driver in the 2024 season with 7,195 of 7,235 laps completed (99.4%).

 
Race Details

Watkins Glen International
Mission 200 at The Glen
NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS)
Saturday, September 14 at 3:00PM EDT
USA | MRN | SiriusXM
Team Notes

  • Kaulig Racing has made 14 starts at Watkins Glen International in the NXS. The team has earned two top fives and five top-10 finishes there.
  • Over the course of five road course races in 2024, Kaulig Racing has amassed three wins, four top fives, six top 10s, and 98 laps led.
  • So far in the 2024 NXS season, Kaulig Racing has earned three wins, nine top fives, 25 top-10 finishes and led 204 laps.

JOSH WILLIAMS

 ”I’ve been learning a lot from SVG on the sim about Watkins Glen, and we’ve brought some fast cars to all of the road courses this year. We’ve had a good run the last few races, and I know we’ve got the ability to move up quickly if we need to.” – Josh Williams on Watkins Glen International

No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Chevrolet Camaro

  • Josh Williams has made three starts in the NXS at Watkins Glen International. His best finish there (14th) came in 2021.
  • Williams achieved his best finish of the season so far (seventh) on a road course (Portland International Raceway).
  • Williams sits 17th in the NXS points standings with four top 10s and 14 laps led.

AJ ALLMENDINGER

 ”Watkins Glen is a racetrack that I truly love. Our Xfinity cars haven’t had outright speed to win races for the last few years, but hopefully we can go there and have more speed with what SVG has helped us learn. Watkins Glen is a racetrack where we know we can run up front, be inside the top five all day, and have an opportunity to win the race. Our main focus is trying to win, but at the end of the day, running up front and giving ourselves the opportunity to win is just as important. Watkins Glen is a place where we can do that.” – AJ Allmendinger on Watkins Glen International

No. 16 Celsius Chevrolet Camaro

  • AJ Allmendinger has made four NXS starts at Watkins Glen International. He has earned three runner-up finishes and led 44 laps.
  • On road courses in the 2024 NXS season, Allmendinger has an average finish of 7.5. He has earned one top five, two top-10 finishes and led 20 laps.
  • So far in the 2024 NXS season, Allmendinger has earned four top fives, 12 top-10 finishes and led 111 laps. Allmendinger is currently scored fifth in driver standings and ninth in playoff standings.

SHANE van GISBERGEN

 ”I’m excited to make my first Xfinity Series start at Watkins Glen [International] this weekend. I’ve raced there before, but this time will be a completely difference experience in a stock car. I’m looking forward to going out on Saturday and having fun in our WeatherTech Chevrolet. Hopefully we can celebrate in Victory Lane again!” – Shane van Gisbergen on Watkins Glen International

No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet Camaro

  • Shane van Gisbergen will make his first NXS start at Watkins Glen International (WGI) with the No. 97 WeatherTech team.
  • This season, Van Gisbergen has won at three of the four road courses the NXS has competed at (Portland International Raceway, Sonoma Raceway, Chicago Street Race).
  • Van Gisbergen has led 78 laps across all four road course appearances this season, with 32 of those from Sonoma in June, where Van Gisbergen started from the pole position for the first time in his NASCAR career.
  • The No. 97 will sport the white-and-red WeatherTech livery this weekend. For decades, WeatherTech has delivered on its promise of quality and craftsmanship through a commitment to American-made auto, home and pet products. More information can be found at weathertech.com.
  • Van Gisbergen and his No. 97 Kaulig Racing team are tied for the most NXS wins this season (three) and currently sit 12th in driver standings heading into this weekend.


 
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.

What High Top Speeds of NASCAR Tell Us About Our Own Car Safety

By
SM
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Nothing is more exhilarating than screeching tires, electrified fans, and the sounds of 40 roaring engines flying by you at incredible speeds. All of these factors appeal to the senses and deliver a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience each time you visit the speedway. NASCAR has been at the heart of many Americans since its first event in 1948 at Daytona Beach. As the sport became popular, more money was invested into participating cars to make them faster. While faster cars meant they were lighter and had more horsepower, this often came at the cost of safety.

Likewise, on public roads speed and safety also clash. Understanding that a regular car is not the same as a racecar can save lives — if you were involved in a crash, a Boulder car accident lawyer can get you the compensation you deserve.

Evolution of NASCAR

Stock cars of NASCAR today can reach average speeds of 188.3 mph (on Super Speedways such as Talladega). They also have an average of 670 horsepower compared to the 152 horsepower of the 1949 Lincoln Coupe — one of the first cars to compete in a NASCAR race. Although technological development allowed for massively more powerful vehicles, it also raised the risk of injury for drivers (and fans). The deaths of NASCAR drivers rose steadily over the decades reaching its height in 2000/2001 when racing legend Dale Earnhardt and three other NASCAR drivers all died from crashes resulting in basilar skull fractures.

Safety Improvements in NASCAR

Since the death of Dale Earnhardt, NASCAR has come up with many different ways to reduce fatal accidents:

  • 2001: All drivers are required to use the HANS device (prevents the whiplash effect by synchronizing head and body)
  • 2002: Concrete walls replaced with energy-absorbing SAFER barriers, completed by 2005
  • 2003: “Free-pass” rule implemented, which froze the entire field during cautions 
  • 2007: Six-point harness requirement to reduce sternum injuries (seven-point harness today) 
  • 2007: Moved drivers to center of the car and added energy absorbing materials to driver side door panel
  • 2013: Updated roll bars added for increased protection during rollover crashes
  • 2017: Partnership with AMR adds a physician to on-track medical response team

High Speeds Lead to Devastating Accidents On and Off the Speedways

With average speeds reaching close to 200 mph, NASCAR crashes are spectacularly morbid. Drivers involved in rollover crashes spin sideways at such high speeds that entire panels of car fly off in all directions. For what only lasts 10 seconds feels like ages, having fans and loved ones hoping and praying that their beloved driver is ok.

Comparing this to public road high-speed car accidents by non-racecar drivers, the results are disastrous. Other than the average person not being a NASCAR driver (and not knowing how to handle a car at high-speeds), the common street cars they are pushing to the limit cannot work properly the faster they go. Race cars (like the stock cars found in NASCAR) have specialized high performance brakes compared to their street car counterparts, of which lack the proper equipment to handle these breakneck speeds. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that “12,330 people [were] killed in 2021 [from] speeding-related crashes” and “reminds everyone to slow down and arrive safely – it’s better to arrive a few minutes late than not at all.”

You Are Not a NASCAR Driver

At the end of the day, most people do not drive cars for a living (especially ones that reach top speeds of 278 mph). For this reason it is imperative that you slow down when driving your non-racing car. This will ensure the safety of you and those around you, preventing disaster car accidents that no one benefits from.

JR Motorsports — NXS Watkins Glen Preview

By
Official Release
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JR Motorsports Team Preview
TRACK – Watkins Glen International (2.45-mile road course)
NXS RACE – Mission 200 at the Glen (82 laps / 200.9 miles)
TUNE IN – USA, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90 at 3:00 p.m. (ET)

Sam Mayer

No. 1 – 10X Health Chevrolet

Mayer 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 24

Wins: 2

Top 5s: 7

Top 10s: 10

Laps Led: 136

Avg. Finish: 18.7

Points: 13th

  • Sam Mayer heads north to Upstate New York this weekend as the defending NASCAR Xfinity Series winner at Watkins Glen International.
  • In his previous three NXS starts at Watkins Glen, the 21-year-old driver has finished inside the top 10 each time, including the victory last season.
  • In 22 starts on road courses in the NXS, the young driver has tallied three wins, seven top-five and 14 top-10 efforts.
  • With just two races remaining in the NXS regular season, Mayer sits locked into the playoffs by virtue of his two victories earlier this season at Texas Motor Speedway and Iowa Speedway.

Sam Mayer

“I’m really looking forward to get back to a road course this weekend. Mardy (Lindley, crew chief) and the guys have always built such great road course cars for me in the past, so I have no doubt that we will be strong again this weekend at Watkins Glen. Last year we were up front when it mattered the most and were able to grab the win, so I am looking forward to being up front again and hopefully can take home another trophy at The Glen.”

Justin Allgaier

No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet

Allgaier 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 24

Wins: 2

Top 5s: 7

Top 10s: 15

Laps Led: 589

Avg. Finish: 13.1

Points: 1st

  • Justin Allgaier has earned four top fives and seven top 10s in 12 career NXS starts at Watkins Glen, with a best finish of third coming in 2018 and 2019 at the famed New York road course.
  • Allgaier is a three-time winner on the road courses in the NXS, with two of them coming behind the wheel of a JRM Chevrolet in 2018 (Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Road America).
  • Through four road course events in 2024, Allgaier has scored two top fives, three top 10s and a best finish of second coming at Portland in June.
  • Allgaier currently holds a 34-point lead in the championship standings with just two races remaining in the NXS regular season.

Justin Allgaier

“Watkins Glen has always been a fun and challenging road course. I feel extremely confident that Jim (Pohlman crew chief) and everyone on this BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet will give me a great car that will have us in contention for the win. We know what we need to do out there and if we execute the way we have been, I see no reason why we won’t be up front at the end.”

Sammy Smith

No. 8 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet

Smith 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 24

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 5

Top 10s: 13

Laps Led: 55

Avg. Finish: 15.1

Points: 10th

  • Sammy Smith has 14 NXS starts on road courses, earning three top-five and five top-10 finishes.
  • Smith scored his best finish at The Glen in 2022 when he took the checkers in the third position.
  • Smith earned his third top-10 in the last four NXS events last weekend in Atlanta, crossing the finish line in seventh.
  • Pilot Flying J will share the TV panel with Leonard’s Express. It is a family-owned asset-based transportation provider located in Farmington, N.Y. with a nationwide footprint. They are committed to providing unparalleled solutions, fostering lasting partnerships and driving innovation in the industry.

Sammy Smith

“I’m looking forward to getting this Pilot Flying J Chevrolet back on track this weekend and building on the speed we had last week in Atlanta. We gave ourselves a bigger cushion in the playoff standings and Phillip (Bell, crew chief), the team and I are planning on continuing that as we head into the last two races of the regular season.”

Brandon Jones

No. 9 Menards / Pelonis Chevrolet

Jones 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 24

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 1

Top 10s: 6

Laps Led: 30

Avg. Finish: 19.9

Points: 14th

  • Brandon Jones has made seven starts at Watkins Glen, with a best finish of sixth coming during the 2021 season.
  • Additionally, Jones will be making his third ARCA Menards Series start in the Empire State. He has previously gone to Victory Lane in ARCA at Watkins Glen, capturing the checkered flag in 2022.
  • Pelonis, a trusted brand in home comfort for over 25 years, will be making its second of four appearances on the hood of Jones’ Camaro this weekend.

Brandon Jones

“We had a strong run last weekend in Atlanta, so I am hoping we can continue that momentum into this weekend. We’ve been preparing in the sim to make sure I am ready when we unload and I feel confident as we get closer. Adam (Wall, crew chief) and this entire Menards/Pelonis team have been hard at work, hopefully we can put it all together this weekend and come home with a solid finish.”

Connor Zilisch

No. 88 Carolina Carports Chevrolet

Zilisch 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 0

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 0

Top 10s: 0

Laps Led: 0

Avg. Finish: N/A

Points: N/A

  • Connor Zilisch will make his first start for JRM this weekend at a place he knows well. The young driver competed at WGI earlier this season in the sports-car ranks and also previously, led 34 of 42 laps there in the 2023 ARCA Menards East Series event on the 2.45-mile course.
  • Zilisch will have Carolina Carports on the side of his No. 88 Chevrolet this weekend at The Glen.
  • Earlier this season, Zilisch qualified first and finished fourth at Circuit of the Americas in his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut.
  • Crew chief Andrew Overstreet will guide Zilisch this weekend, as the young driver joins Carson Kvapil, Connor Mosack and Bubba Pollard on the list of drivers for the team this season.

Connor Zilisch

“It feels great to make my debut for JR Motorsports at Watkins Glen. I’m fortunate to have raced here before and I can’t wait to get out there in the Carolina Carports Chevrolet and make a good impression. This track is very technical and very fast, and after watching what Andrew (Overstreet, crew chief) and the team has been able to do so far this season, I’m looking forward to Saturday’s race.”

JRM Team Updates

JR Motorsports at Watkins Glen International: JR Motorsports has competed at Watkins Glen International a combined 50 times in the NXS since its first trip there in 2006. In those starts at the 2.45-mile road course, the organization has recorded two wins,11 top-fives and 29 top-10s, with an average finish of 12.0.

Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith, Brandon Jones and Connor Zilisch will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / Legacy MC souvenir rig on Saturday, Sept. 14 from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET.

Stewart-Haas Racing: Watkins Glen NXS Advance (Cole Custer | Riley Herbst)

By
Official Release
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COLE CUSTER | RILEY HERBST
Watkins Glen NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

  • Event: Mission 200 at The Glen (Round 25 of 33)
  • Date: Saturday, Sept. 14
  • Location: Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International
  • Layout: 2.45-mile, seven-turn road course
  • Time/TV/Radio: 3 p.m. EDT on USA/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

  • Cole Custer is ready to trade in the high banks and unpredictability of superspeedway-style racing for the high-speed, left-and-right turns of Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International in Saturday’s Mission 200 at The Glen. Custer’s strength on road courses has been prevalent throughout his career. In his 27 Xfinity Series starts on road courses, Custer has scored two wins, 20 top-10s and led 26 laps. Last season, he scored two of his three wins on a road course and a street course – June 3 at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway and July 1 on the Chicago Street Course. The series has visited three road courses – Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, Portland, and Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway – and the Chicago Street Course so far this season. Custer scored top-10 finishes in three of these four starts with a best finish of fourth on March 23 at COTA. In fact, Custer hasn’t finished outside the top-10 at a traditional road course in the Xfinity Series since an accident cut his race short on July 29, 2023, at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Custer and the No. 00 HighPoint.com team look to be contenders to win this weekend as he attempts to continue to close the gap on Justin Allgaier’s regular-season points lead with just two races to go before the Xfinity Series Playoffs begin Sept. 28 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City.
  • Saturday’s Mission 200 at The Glen will mark Custer’s sixth Xfinity Series start at the 2.45-mile, seven-turn circuit. His five prior starts feature back-to-back top-10 finishes in 2018 (sixth) and 2019 (seventh), and a seventh-place result in August 2023. He’s never finished outside the top-12 in his Xfinity Series starts at the track. Custer also has six starts outside of the Xfinity Series at Watkins Glen – three in the NASCAR Cup Series and three in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. He earned a best K&N Pro Series East finish of third in August 2016, and a best Cup Series finish of 11th in August 2022.
  • HighPoint.com is a leading provider of technology infrastructure solutions that is headquartered in Sparta, New Jersey. HighPoint has been a partner of Stewart-Haas Racing since 2020, when the company supported Chase Briscoe’s NASCAR Xfinity Series campaign, a collaboration that netted a series-best nine victories. HighPoint has climbed the NASCAR ladder with Briscoe and has helped Stewart-Haas maximize its IT investments. As an IT Solutions Integrator focused on all things that connect, HighPoint helps its customers with the selection and supply of network infrastructure, mobility, collaboration, data center, security solutions and the risk-mitigated implementation and management of their technology. The company, founded in 1996, is a minority-owned business that serves markets in its nearby Tri-State Region (New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware) and the Southeastern United States via its presence in Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as globally with offices in Amsterdam and London. To learn more about HighPoint’s solutions, visit HighPoint.com.

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

  • Riley Herbst is looking for a change of scenery in Saturday’s Mission 200 at The Glen at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. After being caught up in an accident with just a handful of laps to go in last Saturday’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Herbst was able to limp to the finish after an otherwise solid day of running in the top-10 at Atlanta. With that heartbreak behind him, Herbst is hoping that the No. 98 Monster Energy team can rebound to earn a top finish at Watkins Glen, the track where his playoff bid last year took a critical hit when Herbst ran inside the top-10 all day, but a mechanical issue forced him to retire early with a 35th-place result. This weekend, Herbst finds himself already locked into the seven-race postseason thanks to his July 20 win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. With two races to go until the playoffs kick off Sept. 28 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Herbst is sitting seventh in the regular-season points standings and eighth in the playoff standings with seven playoff points.
  • Saturday’s race at Watkins Glen will mark Herbst’s fourth Xfinity Series start at the track. Best among his three prior starts was a seventh-place finish in August 2022. He finished 13th in his first start at the track in August 2021 with the No. 98 Monster Energy team. He also has two starts at The Glen outside of the Xfinity Series – one in the ARCA Menards Series in August 2021, which resulted in a sixth-place finish, and one in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, which resulted in a 12th-place finish.
  • Herbst has proven his resilience on road courses in the last year, bouncing back from several tough runs at the start of the year to nab top-15 finishes in five of the eight road-course races last season. He earned a 10th-place finish in last year’s first road-course race at COTA on March 25, 2023. He then finished 15th when the series visited Sonoma for the first time on June 10. In his fifth-place finish July 29 at Road America, Herbst rebounded from incidents during the race to work his way from the back of the pack. He followed that up with a 12th-place result after starting 10th at the Aug. 12 Indianapolis Grand Prix. He closed the season with his strongest run of the year at a track that has troubled him in the past, the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval. Herbst finished fourth in that Oct. 7 race, his best Roval finish after back-to-back DNFs in 2021 and 2022. While his road-course starts in 2024 have been riddled with bad luck, Herbst has proven it’s never too late in the season to turn luck around. His fourth-place finish at Charlotte was his first of five straight top-fives to close out the 2023 season, which included his first career Xfinity Series victory Oct. 14 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 00 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

You’re welcoming HighPoint.com to your car this weekend at Watkins Glen for the second year in a row. It’s been an SHR partner for several years and made the move last year to sponsor you in the Xfinity Series for a race. You earned a sixth-place finish. What does it mean to have the company’s support?

“HighPoint’s support means a lot to me and Stewart-Haas. The whole family and all the people over there are extremely caring and really on the ground floor with things. Mike (Mendiburu, owner) has always been a big supporter of my career. We met years ago and it’s nice to finally be able to work with them on my own car. It’s really cool to see just how much effort they put into their business and seeing how invested they are in NASCAR. It’s hard to come by these days. I think you’ve seen it with their investment in the Stewart-Haas team all these years. I’m excited to have them back as primary partner at Watkins Glen. Overall, just seeing how invested they are in the sport and how much they love racing is pretty awesome. I can’t thank them enough for also investing in me. Hopefully, we can give them another good run and park their Ford Mustang in victory lane.”

You’re heading to the fourth traditional road course of the 2024 season. In the three prior starts, you scored top-10 finishes. Talk about your expectations for the weekend at Watkins Glen, given your success on road courses.

“Watkins Glen is a fun track for me. I’ve never finished outside the top-12 there, but it’s honestly just a high-speed, fast road course. It’s difficult for sure, but I think that’s what makes it more fun as a driver. You have to be careful not to overstep or lose your temper too quickly. Road courses are all about patience so you can stay out of trouble and be there at the end. You’ve seen that countless times – including my win at Portland when I passed the leaders who got tangled up on a restart. If you’re too aggressive, you can put yourself in a worse position. I think the No. 00 team will be one of the ones to watch this weekend.”

Riley Herbst, Driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse

The No. 98 Monster Energy team has shown so much speed at road courses, but bad luck has taken you out of contention for some potentially great finishes. What do you need this weekend to get the job done and park your Ford Mustang in victory lane at The Glen?

“Our No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang has been fast all year on any style of track. It’s just a testament to the hard work that this team is putting in each and every week to make us better. The only one I will say that we were truly slow is COTA earlier this year, but every other race has been great. We’ve had some bad luck. We’ve had some work cut out for us. But, we never gave up. I think that mentality has only helped us get better. I’m thankful for these guys for sticking by me and giving me fast cars each week. Last year was tough at Watkins Glen, but now we’re not focused on making it into the playoffs. We’re already in. Now, we can focus on winning and preparing for these final races. There isn’t any other team I would rather head to a road course with.”

Watkins Glen seems to be a favorite road course among the drivers. Describe what goes through your mind as you’re making your way around it.

“Watkins Glen is a fun track as a driver, for sure. It’s such a fast road course, and you really have to think about each turn so you’re not getting yourself into trouble. Each of the turns on this course is unique, so you just have to be on top of your game every time you go there. I’m excited to head back there to hopefully compete for a win, and given the speed we’ve had on road courses, I think we’re in a good spot this weekend. We’ve had top-five speed almost every week, it seems, so now it’s just about avoiding mistakes and having another perfect race. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that it’s never too late to turn your luck around.”

Austin Dillon to make 400th Cup start at Watkins Glen

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

Austin Dillon is primed to achieve a milestone in his 11th full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series. By competing in this weekend’s Cup Playoff event at Watkins Glen International, the driver of the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing (RCR) Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will make his 400th career start in NASCAR’s premier series.

A native of Welcome, North Carolina, Dillon made his inaugural start in the Cup Series at Kansas Speedway in October 2011. At the time, he was campaigning in his second full-time season in the Craftsman Truck Series for Richard Childress Racing after clinching the Rookie of the Year title in 2010. Driving the No. 98 Chevrolet Impala for Curb Racing, Dillon finished 26th in his first Cup event.

The following two seasons, Dillon competed full-time in the Xfinity Series for RCR, where he achieved the 2012 Xfinity Series’ Rookie of the Year title before notching the drivers’ championship a year later. During the two-year stint, he made 12 Cup Series starts, his first occurring at Michigan International Speedway in June 2012 as he piloted RCR’s No. 33 Chevrolet to a 24th-place finish. The remaining 11 Cup starts occurred in 2013, with his first being the 55th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway as he finished 31st.

In total, Dillon made five Cup starts with RCR, four with Phoenix Racing and two with Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) as an interim competitor for the injured three-time Cup champion Tony Stewart. Within the starts, he notched a season-best 11th-place finish at Michigan in June with RCR and a 14th-place run at Michigan in August with SHR. At Talladega Superspeedway in October, Dillon, who was driving the No. 14 SHR Chevrolet SS, was running in third place on the final lap when he slipped sideways off the front nose of Ricky Stenhouse Jr., came back across the track in the backstretch and was sent airborne after being rammed by Casey Mears, with the result dropping Dillon to 26th place in the final running order.

Less than a month after winning the 2013 Xfinity Series title, Dillon was announced as a full-time Cup Series competitor in RCR’s No. 3 Chevrolet SS for the 2014 season, which marked the return of the No. 3 in NASCAR’s premier series for the first time since the 2001 Daytona 500, last piloted by the late seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt.

Dillon commenced his rookie Cup season on a strong note by securing the pole position for the 56th running of the Daytona 500, which was his first in the series, and becoming both the fourth competitor to place a No. 3 entry and the fifth rookie candidate on the pole for the Great American Race. During the main event, Dillon, who led the opening lap, rallied after being involved in a late multi-car wreck to record his first top-10 result in the series with a ninth-place finish. He would then finish no higher than 11th three times during his next 16 starts before securing his first top-five result in the form of a fifth-place finish at Daytona in July.

With only an additional top-10 result, being a 10th-place run at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July, occurring in the final eight regular-season events, Dillon was unable to qualify for the 2014 Cup Series Playoffs. He would proceed to finish no higher than eighth during the final 10 events on the schedule before settling in 20th place in the final standings and the runner-up spot behind Kyle Larson for the Rookie-of-the-Year title. Overall, Dillon achieved a single pole, one top-five result, four top-10 results, 10 laps led and an average-finishing result of 17.5 during his first full-time Cup Series season.

Dillon’s sophomore Cup season in 2015 was mired with a harrowing final lap accident at Daytona in July, where his car went airborne after colliding with a spinning Denny Hamlin. He flew over four competitors and smashed upside-down into the frontstretch’s catchfence before the car came back on the speedway on the roof and was hit by a spinning Brad Keselowski before coming to a rest on the roof. Amid the wild wreck that ripped the engine out of the No. 3 car, Dillon, who managed to finish seventh before the wreck, emerged uninjured as he only sustained a bruised tailbone and a bruised forearm.

The Daytona result would serve as one of Dillon’s five total top-10 results he earned throughout the 2015 Cup season, with his best on-track result being a fourth-place finish at Michigan International Speedway in August after leading 19 laps. After missing the Playoffs, Dillon settled in 21st place in the final standings with an average-finishing result of 21.0.

Like his rookie Cup season, Dillon commenced his junior Cup Series season with a ninth-place result during the 58th running of the Daytona 500. Two races later, he recorded a strong fifth-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March followed by a ninth-place run at Phoenix Raceway before notching his second Cup career pole at Auto Club Speedway, an event where he would finish 24th. Nabbing three additional top-five results and a total of six top-10 results during the final 21 regular-season events, Dillon was able to race his way into his first career Cup Series Playoffs based on points.

After finishing 14th, 16th and eighth throughout the Round of 16, Dillon transferred into the Round of 12. With respective finishes of 32nd, sixth and ninth throughout the Round of 12, however, he did not transfer to the Round of 8 amid a tie-breaker against Denny Hamlin. Scoring his second pole of the season at Texas Motor Speedway in November, Dillon finished no higher than 12th during the final four events on the schedule before settling in 14th place in the final standings. Overall, Dillon achieved two poles, four top-five results, a career-high 13 top-10 results, 17 laps led and an average finishing result of 15.9. He had also surpassed 100 career starts in NASCAR’s premier series.

Dillon began the 2017 Cup Series season with a 19th-place finish during the 59th running of the Daytona 500. Then after managing only one top-five finish during the first 11 events on the schedule, he scored his first Cup career victory in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May after overtaking seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson with two laps remaining and having enough fuel to coast his No. 3 Chevrolet across the finish line ahead of Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr.

With the victory, Dillon became the 188th different competitor to win a Cup Series event and the seventh to notch a first Cup victory in the Coke 600. It was the first victory for the No. 3 since Dale Earnhardt won at Talladega Superspeedway in 2000. Despite finishing in the top 10 only twice during the final 14 regular-season events, the Coke 600 victory enabled Dillon to automatically advance to the Playoffs for a second consecutive season. After having his title hopes come to an early end after finishing no higher than 16th twice and not advancing past the Round of 16, Dillon proceeded to notch five top-15 results within the final seven events on the schedule before settling in a career-best 11th place in the final standings.

Returning for a fifth full-time Cup campaign in 2018, Dillon commenced the season with a thriller after spinning Aric Almirola on the final lap to win the 60th running of the Daytona 500 and notch his second Cup career victory. With the accomplishment, Dillon, who only led the final lap and piloted a Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to its first NASCAR victory in its first event, became the 39th competitor to win the Great American Race as he delivered the third Daytona 500 victory for Richard Childress Racing and the first for the No. 3 since Dale Earnhardt won his first and only 500 event in 1998.

The victory also occurred 11 years to the day when Kevin Harvick delivered the second and latest 500 victory for RCR. With the 500 victory guaranteeing Dillon and the No. 3 team a spot in the 2018 Cup Series Playoffs, the North Carolina native proceeded to finish in the top 10 three additional times during the remaining 25 regular-season events. Having his title hopes eliminated early after finishing 11th, sixth and 39th throughout the Round of 16, Dillon proceeded to finish in the top 11 five times during the final seven events on the schedule before settling in 13th place in the final standings. Despite achieving one less top-five result from his previous season (two), he doubled his top-10 results (eight) and improved his average-finishing result from 18.6 to 17.5.

After missing the 2019 Cup Series Playoffs and finishing 21st in the final standings, where he notched a total of six top-10 results, a career-high three poles and surpassed 200 Cup career starts throughout the season, Dillon began the 2020 Cup season with a 12th-place finish in the 62nd running of the Daytona 500 before notching a fourth-place run during the following event at Las Vegas. Then after recording three additional top-10 results during his next 15 starts, Dillon snapped an 88-race winless drought and returned to the Victory Lane in the Cup Series at Texas for the third time in his career after leading 22 laps and fending off teammate Tyler Reddick during a two-lap shootout.

The Texas victory also enabled Dillon to clinch a spot in the 2020 Cup Series Playoffs, which marked his fourth time making the postseason title battle, as he concluded the regular-season stretch with two additional top-10 results, amid being absent from the Daytona International Speedway Road Course event in August following a positive COVID-19 test. After notching a strong runner-up result during the Playoff opener at Darlington Raceway in September followed by a fourth-place finish at Richmond Raceway and a 12th-place run at Bristol Motor Speedway, respectively, Dillon transferred into the Round of 12. After being eliminated from the Playoffs due to finishing no higher than 12th throughout the Round of 12, he secured two 11th-place finishes during the final four-scheduled events before tying his career-best result in the final standings in 11th place. Overall, Dillon still managed to notch a career-high 135 laps led along with a total of four top-five results, nine top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 16.2.

Throughout the 2021 Cup Series season, where he reached 300 Cup career starts at season’s end, Dillon accumulated a total of eight top-10 results and a season-best third-place finish in the 63rd running of the Daytona 500. Despite winning the second Bluegreen Vacations Duel at Daytona in February following a final lap where he overtook Bubba Wallace, Dillon did not make the 2021 Cup Series Playoffs and concluded the season in 17th place in the final standings. Nonetheless, he still secured a career-best average-finishing result of 14.4 on the strength of 27 top-15 results throughout the 36-race schedule.

The 2022 Cup season began with a 25th-place finish during the 64th running of the Daytona 500, Dillon collected two runner-up results and a total of seven top-10 results throughout the following 24 regular-season events. Then during the regular-season finale at Daytona in August, he raced his way into the Playoffs after dodging a wreck that eliminated nearly the entire field with 23 laps remaining and withstanding a lengthy rain delay period to lead 10 laps and overtake Austin Cindric with three laps remaining before leading teammate Tyler Reddick across the finish line as part of a 1-2 finish for Richard Childress Racing.

The victory was Dillon’s fourth of his Cup career and the fifth time he made the Playoffs. Although his title hopes were eliminated early after finishing no higher than 14th throughout the Round of 16, Dillon notched a fourth-place finish and two 10th-place runs during the final seven-scheduled events before ending up in 11th place in the final standings for the third time in his career. By then, Dillon notched career-high stats in top fives (five) and top 10s (11) while emerging with an average finishing result of 16.5.

This past season, Dillon notched a strong runner-up result in the non-points Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Two weeks later, he was in contention and battling for the victory in the Daytona 500 before he was swept up in a multi-car wreck during an overtime shootout and ended up in 33rd place. Dillon proceeded to finish in the top five once and in the top 10 six times during the following 25 regular-season events but missed the Playoffs for the fifth time in his career. Finishing no higher than 10th throughout the 2023 Playoffs, Dillon ended up in 29th place in the final driver’s standings, the lowest of his career as a full-time Cup competitor.

Dillon started the 2024 Cup Series season with only two top-10 results through the first 22 scheduled events, which left him mired outside the top-30 mark in the regular-season standings. Then at Richmond Raceway this past August, he endured a high-turned-low career moment that started when he assumed the lead from Denny Hamlin with 28 laps remaining. Initially poised the seal the victory during the event’s scheduled distance, the event was sent into overtime due to a late multi-car wreck. Despite retaining the lead during the event’s caution period, Dillon would lose the lead to Joey Logano at the start of the overtime shootout. Then on the final lap, Dillon stepped on the gas and bumped into Logano and sent him spinning through the final turn. Dillon then veered dead left and turned Hamlin into the frontstretch’s outside wall to reclaim the lead and streak across the finish line to win for the fifth time in his career.

After initially guaranteeing himself and his No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet team a spot into the 2024 Cup Series Playoffs, disaster struck three days later after NASCAR revoked his Playoff eligibility due to the North Carolinian’s deliberate actions to win and make the postseason. Following two appeal processes made by Dillon and Richard Childress Racing, both of which were denied, Dillon plummeted back down towards the top-30 mark in the regular-season standings. Despite finishing in 15th place in the regular-season finale at Darlington, Dillon was unable to race his way back into the Playoffs, which he missed for the sixth time in his career.

Through 399 previous Cup starts, Dillon has achieved five victories, six poles, 23 top-five results, 78 top-10 results, 411 laps led and an average-finishing result of 18.4. He is currently ranked in 29th place in the 2024 drivers’ standings.

Austin Dillon is scheduled to make his 400th Cup Series career start at Watkins Glen International for the Go Bowling at The Glen on Sunday, September 15, with the event’s broadcast scheduled to occur at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network.

Todd Gilliland to make 100th Cup start at Watkins Glen

By
Andrew Kim
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The 24-year-old Gilliland from Sherrills Ford, North Carolina, is scheduled to reach a milestone start in his third full-time campaign in NASCAR's premier series.

Todd Gilliland is poised to achieve a milestone start in his third full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series. By competing in this weekend’s Cup Playoff event at Watkins Glen International, the driver of the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford Mustang Dark Horse will make his 100th career start in NASCAR’s premier series.

A third-generation racer from Sherrills Ford, North Carolina, Gilliland made his inaugural presence in the Cup Series at the start of the 2022 season, where he assumed the role of the driver of the No. 38 Ford Mustang for Front Row Motorsports. By then, he had achieved two victories in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and was a two-time champion of the ARCA Menards Series West.

During the season-opening 64th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, Gilliland ended up 33rd after being involved in a late multi-car wreck. During his next 20 starts, he notched eight top-20 results with a best finish of 15th at Darlington Raceway in May. He achieved his first career top-five finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course by finishing fourth amid an overtime finish.

Gilliland capped off the regular-season stretch with four consecutive results outside the top 20 and did not make the 2022 Cup Series Playoffs. He managed to notch his second career top-10 result at Talladega Superspeedway with a seventh-place finish and then finished 13th during the penultimate Cup event on the schedule at Martinsville Speedway. Gilliland concluded his first full-time Cup season in 28th place in the final standings. In addition, he settled in third place in the Rookie-of-the-Year battle behind Austin Cindric and Harrison Burton.

This past season, Gilliland competed driving for Front Row Motorsports and Rick Ware Racing for the entire 36-race schedule, 31 of which occurred with FRM. The remaining five occurred with Rick Ware Racing as the reigning Craftsman Truck Series champion Zane Smith piloted Gilliland’s No. 38 entry for six events. Throughout the 36-race schedule, Gilliland achieved a season-best eighth-place finish at the Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt Course in April and earned four top-10 results. With an average-finishing result of 22.0, Gilliland, who did not make the Playoffs for a second consecutive season, ended up in 28th place in the final standings for a second consecutive season.

Returning as a full-time Cup Series competitor for Front Row Motorsports this season, Gilliland commenced his junior season by finishing 35th in the 66th running of the Daytona 500 after being involved in a late multi-car wreck. He would then lead a race-high 58 of 260 laps during the following event at Atlanta Motor Speedway before he was involved in another late multi-car wreck that pinned him four laps down and mired in 26th place in the final running order. After finishing no higher than 13th during his next seven starts, Gilliland notched his first top-10 result of the season by finishing eighth at Talladega Superspeedway in April.

The North Carolinian proceeded to record three top-10 results and seven top-15 results over his next 12 starts before he capped off the regular-season stretch with finishes no higher than 17th twice in four races. By then, he missed the Cup Playoffs for a third consecutive season. Nonetheless, Gilliland has recorded four top-10 results through 27 scheduled events this year, which ties his current record of top-10 results from his previous season. In addition, he has led 126 laps with an average finish of 19.9, both higher than his previous marks over the last two seasons.

Through 99 previous Cup starts, Gilliland, who is set to remain at Front Row Motorsports in 2025, has achieved one top-five result, 10 top-10 results, 137 laps led and an average-finishing result of 21.8 as he continues his pursuit of his first Cup Series career victory. He is currently ranked in 21st place in this year’s standings, which would mark a career-best result for the competitor.

Todd Gilliland is scheduled to make his 100th Cup Series career start at Watkins Glen International for the Go Bowling at The Glen on Sunday, September 15, with the event’s broadcast time set for 3 p.m. ET on USA Network.

GMG Racing Continues Recent Run of Podium Finishes Saturday in SRO America Competition at Barber Motorsports Park

By
Official Release
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  • Kyle Washington Finishes Third in Saturday’s GT America Sprint Race at Barber Motorsport Park in the No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R
  • Top-Five Pro-Am Finish and Fastest Lap of the Race in Saturday’s GT World Challenge America for Washington and Tom Sargent in Sister No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (September 10, 2024) – GMG Racing secured a podium finish for the fourth straight SRO America race weekend Saturday at Barber Motorsports Park where team driver Kyle Washington drove the No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R to a third-place showing in the 40-minute GT America powered by AWS sprint race. The P3 run for Washington set the stage for another strong result later on Saturday when Washington and Tom Sargent co-drove to a top-five Pro-Am finish in the 90-minute Fanatec GT World Challenge America race in the team’s sister No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R. Sargent also set the fastest race lap in the closing stages of Saturday’s GT World Challenge race.

“We have just seen incredible improvement and progress from Kyle and Tom,” said GMG Racing Founder and Principal James Sofronas. “Kyle has made it to the podium every SRO America race weekend since Circuit of The Americas (COTA) back in May with Tom closing the deal for two of those finishes with fantastic final stints in GT World Challenge. Getting on the box again at Barber showed that the hard work is paying off because we were not able to test here, and our drivers have never been here before, but we had the fastest Porsche on the grid and Tom set the fastest race lap overall on Saturday. It’s a testament to the team and drivers hitting on all cylinders each and every race weekend.”

Washington was impressed by the unique nature and rolling terrain and turns of the pristine Barber Motorsports Park circuit and facility.

“This place is amazing,” Washington said. “It reminds me of a skate park! Everything is cambered, it’s up and down and super, super fun. The rain kept us from getting much practice early in the weekend, but when I finally got some laps around the track I felt like I knew it better. I had a good sprint race with a P3 podium, which I was super happy about, and we had a solid run in the GT World Challenge race on Saturday.”

Washington’s visit to victory lane at Barber followed a GT America season-best second place finish at COTA in May. One race weekend later, Washington and Sargent broke through for their first GT World Challenge America victory at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR). From there, the podium and race-winning momentum continued straight to Road America in August where Sofronas marked his professional racing debut on the 4-mile Wisconsin circuit 30 years earlier with a GT America Sunday race win in his No. 14 GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO2. The milestone victory for Sofronas followed a second-straight GT World Challenge podium run for Washington and Sargent who scored a second-place GT World Challenge Pro-Am finish at Road America on Saturday.

“Kyle is really improving on his race craft,” Sofronas said. “He put a move on Johnny O’Connell on Saturday at Barber which was something Johnny would have put on most people back in the day. Overall, Kyle’s confidence is increasing and Tom is certainly showing his abilities despite having never been to most of the tracks. We don’t have a testing program in place due to Kyle’s heavy corporate schedule away from the track, so we really couldn’t be happier to keep reaching the podium and picking up some race wins too.”

The third-place showing at Barber was the fifth podium for GMG Racing in the current streak dating back to COTA, but the team has a total of 12 visits to victory lane this year. Sofronas (GT3) and Brent Holden (GT2) each scored a pair of GT America podium finishes in April’s Grand Prix of Long Beach GT America doubleheader. Holden also picked up a pair of GT2 podiums in the season-opening GT America race weekend at Sonoma Raceway where he was joined in victory lane on Sunday by Sofronas, who finished second in GT3 in the Audi.

Next up for GMG Racing is the final USAC Porsche Sprint Challenge race weekend of the season at Sonoma Raceway, September 26 – 29. One week later, GMG arrives in full force at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the season-ending Indianapolis 8 Hour that includes the final rounds of both GT World Challenge America and GT America, October 3 – 6.

NOTEWORTHY – Sights on Thermal:

  • GMG Racing’s move to its new 28,000 square-foot race shop at The Thermal Club in October is now just weeks away. The shop is nearly complete and is located in the heart of one of the most impressive country club motorsports facility in the world. The facility will soon be open for service, performance upgrades and motorsports arrive-and-drive programs and track support. The Thermal shop will also continue to offer the same street performance product support and maintenance services as the Santa Ana shop, which is also open for both street and track support over the next few weeks before the permanent move to Thermal. “We are excited to bring all of our current customers, and to welcome all of our new clients, to the Thermal Club where we will continue to do everything that we currently do in our existing shop at our all-new and state-of-the-art facility,” Sofronas said.

About GMG Racing: Founded in 2001, GMG Racing quickly established itself as North America’s premier performance tuning facility. What began as a small 1,200 sq. ft. shop, maintaining two race cars, has grown into a state-of-the-art performance tuning, racing and service facility located in Santa Ana, California in Orange County and with a trackside motorsports facility at 28,000 sq. ft. currently being built at The Thermal Club. The staff, attention to detail, and passion are what make GMG the choice of professionals and enthusiasts worldwide. GMG, in its early years, was located directly across the street from Porsche Motorsport North America (PMNA). This close proximity allowed GMG to build a strong relationship with the legendary racing brand which has helped us support our customers to the highest level possible. From club racing to Sebring, Daytona and Spa, GMG can take you as far as you want to go. More information can be found at www.gmgracing.com.

RFK Advance | Watkins Glen

By
Official Release
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Watkins Glen Event Info:
Date: Sunday, Sept. 15
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Watkins Glen, New York
Format: 90 Laps, 220.5 Miles, Stages: 20-20-50
TV: USA
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 11:30 a.m. ET, Practice (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 1 p.m. ET, Qualifying (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 3 p.m. ET, Race (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

  • Race two of the NASCAR Playoffs rolls from New York this weekend as Watkins Glen International hosts a playoff race for the first time in its history.
  • The 2.45-mile course stands as the middle race in the opening slate in the Round of 16, with Bristol Motor Speedway set to determine the Round of 12 next weekend.
  • Despite recent struggles on road courses, Keselowski and the No. 6 team finished 13th in Sonoma back in June, and 18th in Chicago after qualifying 10th in that race.
  • Chris Buescher has notably been one of the better drivers in the Cup Series on road courses as of late. His 9.6 average finish since the start of the 2021 season is second-best among all drivers as he has 12 top-10s in that 20-race stretch.
  • Jack Roush has six wins all-time at The Glen, with three in the Cup Series.

6 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Matt McCall
Partner: King’s Hawaiian Pretzel Bites

17 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: BuildSubmarines.com

Keselowski at Watkins Glen
Starts: 13
Wins: —
Top-10s: 6
Poles: 1 (2021)

  • Watkins Glen stands as Keselowski’s best road course statistically with a 13.9 average finish in 13 starts.
  • He has six top-10 finishes, including four inside the top five, with three career runner-up results – all of which came in consecutive races from 2011-13. Most recently, he finished 15th a season ago after starting 24th.
  • Keselowski has an average starting position of 12.5 at The Glen with six starts inside the top-10, and one pole in 2021.
  • He also made 10 Xfinity Series starts at WGI with one win (2013) and nine top-10s.

Buescher at Watkins Glen
Starts: 8
Wins: —
Top-10s: 2
Poles: —

  • Buescher lines up for his ninth Cup start at The Glen this weekend, where he carries an average finish of 18th.
  • He’s coming off back-to-back top-10s at the road course after a P7 result last year.
  • His best qualifying effort also came two summers ago (P7), as he has a 19.3 average starting position overall.
  • Buescher also made a pair of Xfinity starts at WGI in 2014-15, earning a third-place finish in 2015.

RFK Historically at Watkins Glen
Cup Wins: 3 (Mark Martin, 1993, 1994, 1995)

  • There’s Nothing You Can’t Do, Now, You’re in New York: In 111 NCS starts at WGI, RFK has three wins, 23 top-five and 43 top-10 finishes along with four poles. All three of RFK’s victories came with former driver and NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin (1993, 1994, 1995).
  • Top of the List, King of the Hill: Martin secured three-straight wins for RFK at the famed New York road course from 1993-95. He started on the pole for each of the three races and led a combined 183 laps during the three-year streak.
  • Tale of the Tape – Road Courses: In 264 road course starts all-time in the NCS, Jack Roush’s Fords have won five races and tallied 43 top-five and 93 top-10 finishes, along with six poles. In those 264 starts, an RFK Ford has led 625 laps for an average finish of 17.3.

RFK Watkins Glen Wins

1993 Martin Cup

1994 Martin Cup

1995 Martin Cup

1998 Ruttman Truck

2000 Biffle Truck

2012 Edwards NXS

Last Time Out & Where They Stand
Atlanta: Keselowski finished 19th in one of the more uneventful Superspeedway races to date Sunday afternoon, as Buescher was caught up in an incident in stage three to DNF.

Points Standings (6: 13th, 17: 18th): Through just one race in the playoffs, Keselowski is currently P13 and on the bubble, just one point out of 12th, and two points behind 11th.

FOND MEMORIES AT MAPLE GROVE RACEWAY DRIVING TOP FUEL POINTS LEADER DOUG KALITTA AT PEP BOYS NHRA NATIONALS

By
Official Release
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READING, Pa. (Sept. 10, 2024) – The most recent race didn’t go the way reigning Top Fuel world champion Doug Kalitta planned, but it would be hard to deny that the current points leader still has plenty of momentum heading into this weekend’s 39th annual NHRA Pep Boys Nationals based on last year’s results at Maple Grove Raceway.

Kalitta enters the opening race of the Countdown to the Championship playoffs as the defending event winner and it was a huge victory, jumpstarting his memorable run to a first world championship and also giving the veteran his 50th career win.

The bump in the road is Kalitta failed to qualify at the U.S. Nationals two weeks ago, the first time that happened for the longtime standout in 301 races and nearly 14 years. Kalitta and the team rebounded with a successful test session in Indy in his 11,000-horsepower Mac Tools/Toyota dragster, restoring Kalitta’s confidence as he looks to defend his world title, as well as his key Reading victory from a year ago.

“I was very relieved and I think we got the wheels back underneath this thing,” Kalitta said. “Indy’s a big race and we just struggled to get the down the track. It just wasn’t our weekend. We’re definitely looking forward to this weekend. Everyone is working really hard on this thing. Our team is really excited and it should be fun. Reading is a great place to run and I think our car will be happy there.”

Last season, Kalitta (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all claimed wins in their respective categories and this year’s race will again be broadcast on FS1 and FOX, including elimination coverage on FOX on Sunday, Sept. 12 beginning at 2 or 4:30 p.m. ET (based on local listings). It is the first of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs – and the 15th of 20 races in the 2024 campaign – and Kalitta has enjoyed a number of bright spots this year.

He’s won three races, advanced to five final rounds and has been the points leader for the past seven races. Kalitta has also enjoyed plenty of success at Maple Grove Raceway, winning the race a pair of times. He’ll open the playoffs with a 15-point advantage over Justin Ashley in what should be an epic fight to the finish in the loaded Top Fuel ranks.

Kalitta’s teammate, Shawn Langdon is third, while other championship contenders include four-time world champ Steve Torrence, three-time champ Antron Brown, U.S. Nationals winner Clay Millican, class rookie and racing legend Tony Stewart, Tony Schumacher, Brittany Force, Billy Torrence, Josh Hart and Shawn Reed.

But after winning his first world title last year, Kalitta certainly isn’t satisfied, pointing to the back-to-back world titles his cousin, Scott, won in the Top Fuel ranks in 1994 and 1995 as one source of motivation.

“We’re certainly looking forward to it. It’s pretty exciting right now with everyone at Kalitta Motorsports,” Kalitta said. “We’re focused on going rounds. At this point, I would love to be like my cousin, Scott, and win back-to-back championships. He did it back in the day (1994-1995), so that will be our goal. It would be cool if we could pull it off and it’s definitely the goal. I think we’ve got what we need to make it happen and I’m looking forward to it.”

Funny Car’s Austin Prock has taken over driving duties for Hight and will look to keep rolling in Reading. He has five wins this season, entering the playoffs in the points lead while taking on the likes of Bob Tasca III, reigning champion Matt Hagan, Ron Capps, J.R. Todd and Funny Car veteran Jack Beckman, who is racing for John Force.

Pro Stock’s Hartford will look to get his season on track, but it won’t be easy in a loaded category that includes points leader Dallas Glenn, Aaron Stanfield, who starts the postseason second in points, reigning world champion Erica Enders, and veterans Greg Anderson and Jeg Coughlin Jr.

Six-time Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Smith started the playoffs with a Reading win last year, but Gaige Herrera dominated the rest of the way, winning the last five races en route to the title. Herrera has won seven of nine races in 2024 and has a second straight world title in mind, also taking on John Hall, Richard Gadson and Angie Smith.

The event also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock.

Fans will be invited all weekend long to the Nitro Alley Stage, which is the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, meet and greets, music and much more. Race fans at Maple Grove Raceway can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners.

As always, fans get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet in Reading. Fans get a unique chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. They can also visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 2:30 and 5 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 13 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 12 and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 15. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, as well as at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday and eliminations on FOX at 2 or 4:30 p.m. ET (check local listings) on Sunday.

To purchase tickets to the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, fans can visit www.maplegroveraceway.com. All children 12 and under are admitted free in the general admission area with a paid adult. For more information on the NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.

About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

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

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