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Back in the Playoffs: Elliott ready to start title pursuit at his home track

By
Official Release
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Chase Elliott celebrates in Atlanta Motor Speedway victory lane in July 2022. Photo credit: Harold Hinson PhotographyChase Elliott celebrates in Atlanta Motor Speedway victory lane in July 2022. Photo credit: Harold Hinson Photography

HAMPTON, Ga. (Aug. 27, 2024) – While several drivers head into Sunday night’s regular season finale hoping to secure their place in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, Dawsonville, Ga.’s Chase Elliott knows he’ll have a shot at a second NCS title this fall.

A victory at Texas Motor Speedway in April locked Elliott and the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team into NASCAR’s postseason, ushering the 2020 champion’s return to the playoffs after missing the cut last year.

“It’s good to have an opportunity for sure. I fought really hard to try to get back in last year and it didn’t work out so it’s way more fun when you’re in the mix,” said Elliott. “I’m really looking forward to these last 10 (races), obviously starting in Atlanta is going to be wild. What that race has turned into is nuts.”

All 16 championship contenders will hope to start their championship pursuits with a victory in the opening round at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sept. 8; a victory locks a championship contender into the next round of the playoffs. With AMS being his home track, and knowing how much sweeter it is to win there after his triumph in July 2022, Elliott has added motivation when NASCAR comes back to Georgia.

“Having experienced that satisfaction of winning at your home track I definitely think it means more,” said Elliott.

Elliott will compete against 15 other drivers for NASCAR’s biggest crown over the 10-race playoffs. Here’s a look at the full NASCAR Cup Series playoff picture with one race remaining in the regular season:

Locked In:

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

23-year-old Harrison Burton pulled off the upset victory at Daytona, scoring his first career victory in his 98th start. The win flipped the script on what had been a disappointing season for the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing team and guarantees Burton a spot in the 16-driver NASCAR Cup Playoffs.

Almost a Lock:

Martin Truex Jr. (+58 to the cut line) – Truex seemingly hit everything but the lottery on Saturday night, but nonetheless remains in a favorable position to make the playoffs in his final full-time season heading to Darlington, one of his strongest tracks.

On the bubble:

Ty Gibbs (+39 to the cut line) – Despite a strong top-5 finish at Daytona, Gibbs playoff future remains uncertain as a result of Burton’s unexpected win. Nonetheless, Gibbs controls his destiny at Darlington, where he scored a runner-up finish earlier this year.

Chris Buescher (+21 to the cut line) – With a top-10 result and strong finishes in the two opening stages, Buescher earned the most points among the bubble drivers. His 21 point advantage to the cut line is solid, but vulnerable if Buescher falters or another new winner emerges.

Bubba Wallace (-21 to the cut line) – Wallace recorded a solid 6th place effort in Daytona, but instead of leapfrogging back into the playoff 16 he remains on the outside looking in as a result of Burton’s victory. Wallace can still point his way into the playoffs, but he will need a strong run throughout the 500 miles Sunday night to have a chance.

Ross Chastain (-27 to the cut line) – After being collected in a big accident on lap 61 Saturday night, finishing 12th was an impressive rally for Chastain. However, scoring no stage points and finishing behind Gibbs, Buescher, and Wallace – along with Burton moving the cut line up with his win – has dropped Chastain from barely in the playoff field to well outside of it with one race remaining. That said, while it’s not likely it is possible for Chastain to point his way back to the right side of the cut line. It’s more likely Chastain will need to win at Darlington to earn a playoff berth.

Just win:

There’s 16 more drivers (including Austin Dillon, whose team lost its final appeal of a penalty that removed the playoff eligibility from his Richmond win) who can earn a spot in the NASCAR Playoffs by winning a race, so long as their victory is not encumbered by NASCAR officials.

Those drivers are:

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

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

About the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart:

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

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

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

Follow Atlanta Motor Speedway:

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

An International and Historic Affair: NASCAR Cup Series to Compete in Mexico City for First Time as Part of 2025 Schedule

By
Official Release
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Version 1.0.0

The Historic Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez to Host First International Cup Series Points Event in the Modern Era; Race to Air on Prime Video
NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Mexico Series to Join Marquee June 14-15 Weekend; Xfinity Series Race to Air on The CW

MEXICO CITY (Aug. 27, 2024) – For the first time in its storied history, the NASCAR Cup Series will see cars hit the track for a points race in Mexico. On Sunday, June 15, 2025, the world-class Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez road course in vibrant Mexico City will host the milestone event as part of the 2025 schedule. The monumental weekend will also include the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Mexico Series competing on the road course.

The new international NASCAR event was announced today as part of a press conference at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City with Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s Executive Vice President & Chief Venue & Racing Innovation Officer, Federico Alaman, Head of Commercial Partnerships for OCESA, Jimmy Morales, CEO of NASCAR Mexico Series, and Daniel Suárez, driver of No. 99 for Trackhouse Racing.

“This is a historic moment for our sport, and specifically for the NASCAR Cup Series, in being able to expand our footprint to Mexico,” said Kennedy. “We’ve been bold about our intentions to grow on a global scale, and there isn’t a better place to take the next step in that journey than at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez road course in Mexico City.”

“At OCESA, we are dedicated to entertaining people, and this has positioned us as the most powerful live events platform in Mexico and Latin America, as well as one of the most important globally,” said Alejandro Soberón, Founder and CEO of OCESA. “The arrival of the NASCAR Cup Series to our country reflects the significant growth that motorsports has experienced in Mexico, an achievement in which Escudería Telmex has played a major role by promoting the NASCAR Mexico Series and supporting drivers like Daniel Suárez.”

The historic road course is 2.674 miles long, boasts 17 turns and sits at an elevation of 7,342 feet. Built in 1959, the track was named in honor of racing brothers Ricardo Rodríguez and Pedro Rodríguez. The circuit was remodeled back in 2015 and has hosted eight Formula 1 Grand Prix´s since then, becoming one of the most popular international racing circuits and a spectacular destination for NASCAR fans to experience.

While the race will be a first in the Cup Series, there is a storied relationship between NASCAR and Mexico. In 1950, NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. and Curtis Turner participated in La Carrera Panamericana road race across Mexico. Between 2005-2008, the Xfinity Series competed at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, with current Cup Series stars Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex, Jr. all earning a victory there during the four-year stretch.

Additionally, the NASCAR Mexico Series has been the premier stock-car racing series across Mexico with 17 seasons under the NASCAR name, developing future talent along the way — including Cup Series winning driver Daniel Suárez and current Drive for Diversity rising stars Eloy López, Andres Pérez de Lara and Regina Sirvent. The series competed in the United States earlier this year when it joined the Cup Series for the Busch Light Clash at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum event weekend in February.

The Cup Series first competed internationally on July 1, 1952 at Stamford Park, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada in a race won by Buddy Shuman. The last Cup Series international points race was on July 18, 1958 at Canadian Exposition Stadium in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NASCAR also held three exhibition races at Suzuka Circuitland in Suzuka City, Japan in 1996-1998.

The action at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez will begin with the Mexico Series and Xfinity Series as part of the June 14-15 race weekend. The NASCAR Mexico race weekend will culminate with the first international points event in Cup Series modern history on Sunday, June 15. The Cup Series event will air live on Prime Video while Saturday’s Xfinity Series tilt to air live on The CW.

While information on tickets has not been announced, fans can register online to receive event and ticket information at www.nascarmexico.com.

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 14 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Series, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 11 countries and more than 30 U.S. states.

For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X and Snapchat.

About OCESA

OCESA is Mexico’s leading live entertainment company and has been part of Live Nation Entertainment, the largest and most recognized events promoter company worldwide, since 2019. For additional information, visit www.ocesa.com.mx. Get in touch on Twitter: @ocesa_total, Facebook: @OCESAmx and Instagram: @OCESA.

Ford Performance NASCAR – 2024 Southern 500 Advance

By
Official Release
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DARLINGTON 2

Saturday, August 31 — NASCAR Xfinity Series, 3:30 p.m. ET (USA)
Sunday, September 1 — NASCAR Cup Series, 6 p.m. ET (USA)

The final race of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series regular season headlines this weekend’s action as Darlington Raceway hosts its annual Labor Day event. Brad Keselowski will be going for a season sweep on the Cup side as he looks to follow up his win in the spring with another on Sunday night. Ford currently has five drivers locked into Cup Series playoff spots after Harrison Burton’s dramatic win last week at Daytona International Speedway.

WOOD BROTHERS WIN #100

Wood Brothers Racing celebrated its 100th NASCAR Cup Series win on Saturday night when Harrison Burton won the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, becoming the eighth organization in NASCAR history to reach that milestone. Current Ford owners Roger Penske and (143) Jack Roush (142) are also part of that elite group.

BURTON JOINS EXCLUSIVE CLUB

Harrison Burton’s win on Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway put him and his dad, Jeff, into an exclusive club as one of only eight father-son duos to each win a NASCAR Cup Series race. Jeff won 21 career Cup events, including 17 when he was driving for Jack Roush. Here is the list of father-son winners: Bobby and Davey Allison; Buck and Buddy Baker; Jeff and Harrison Burton; Dale and Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Bill and Chase Elliott; Ned and Dale Jarrett; Lee and Richard Petty; Richard and Kyle Petty.

KESELOWSKI GOING FOR DARLINGTON SWEEP

Brad Keselowski won the Southern 500 in 2018 and if he can do it again this weekend he’ll sweep the 2024 season at Darlington Raceway. That’s because the 2012 Cup Series champion captured his first win since becoming co-owner with Jack Roush in 2022 and snapped a 110-race winless streak in the spring race last May. Keselowski passed Chris Buescher and Tyler Reddick with nine laps to go after those two made contact while battling for the lead and went on to win the first race for the new Ford Mustang Dark Horse.

FORD PLAYOFF SCENARIO

There are five Ford drivers locked into the Cup Series playoffs as Brad Keselowski (Darlington), Austin Cindric (WWTR), Joey Logano (Nashville), Ryan Blaney (Iowa and Pocono) and Harrison Burton (Daytona 2) all claimed their spots with wins earlier this season. Chris Buescher currently holds one of the final spots going into Sunday’s race at Darlington Raceway, 21 points above the cut line.

JOEY LOGANO: “The good thing for us is we’re in the playoffs, so it takes that piece of it away, and it’s kind of the last race we get to go all-or-nothing before the playoffs start, and then you have a lot more on the line. For us, getting in the top 10 in points isn’t likely, so it’s kind of about going to win and that’s kind of nice to have that. To me, that’s a little bit of fun and it’s the Southern 500. That’s the biggest part, which it’s fun to win that one.”

RYAN BLANEY: “It’s obviously a different look. That race has been the kickoff to the playoffs for a little bit and I really liked it being the first race in the playoffs. It was a huge race for multiple reasons, so now it’s a little bit different, but at the end of the day it’s still important to go try to win and go try to have a good run to keep some good momentum going before you get going for 10 weeks. We had a great run there in the spring and just got cut short, but it would be nice to add another crown jewel. Hopefully, we can do it.”

CHRIS BUESCHER: “Darlington, you’re always racing the track. I love that racetrack. I love how difficult it is and what it makes you think of as a driver. For us, you will pay attention. If that’s the scenario we’re in, we’ll pay attention to where others are at, but you’ve got to race that racetrack first, run our own race, and make sure we don’t make mistakes. You’re right at the edge at any given point there and while the cars have proven to be quite robust when you are right there up against the fence, they’re certainly not indestructible. We have to have our mindset right going in.”

KESELOWSKI SWEEPS 2018 SOUTHERN 500 WEEKEND

Brad Keselowski rode a fast pit stop by his crew to register a win in the 2018 Southern 500. Keselowski found himself in a three-way battle with Kyle Larson and teammate Joey Logano in the latter stages. When the caution came out for a spin by Jeffrey Earnhardt with 23 laps to go, Keselowski and his crew were able to win the race off pit road and assume the lead for what proved to be the final restart of the race. Keselowski was able to get out front on the restart with 19 laps to go and eventually win by 1.224 seconds. Logano finished second to make it a 1-2 Ford/Team Penske finish and cap a weekend that also saw him take the NASCAR Xfinity Series race a day earlier.

WOOD BROTHERS LEAD THE WAY

It comes as no surprise that the Wood Brothers are Ford’s all-time winningest team at Darlington Raceway, posting eight career victories. All but one of those triumphs came in a Mercury, which the team ran in the 1960’s and 70’s. David Pearson, who holds the record with 10 career Darlington Cup victories, led the way with six while Cale Yarborough captured the team’s first in 1968. The last Darlington win for Wood Brothers Racing came in 1981 when Neil Bonnett took the Southern 500 in 1981 behind the wheel of a Ford.

DARLINGTON MASTER

David Pearson holds the record for most NASCAR Cup Series wins at Darlington Raceway with 10 and eight of those came in Ford Motor Co. products. He won six times driving the famed No. 21 Wood Brothers Mercury (1972,’74,’76-2,’77), winning the Southern 500 twice in that span (1976-77), and two more times in a Holman-Moody Ford (1968 and ’70). Pearson won three Southern 500 titles overall, including 1979.

SIEG EYEING PLAYOFF BERTH

Ryan Sieg’s fifth-place finish last weekend at Daytona International Speedway helped him strengthen his position for making the playoffs. Sieg, who is 10th in the regular season point standings, currently holds the 12th and final playoff position going into this weekend’s race at Darlington Raceway. He’s 15 points above the cut line and 29 points behind Parker Kligerman, who is one spot above him. Sieg has made 15 series starts in his career posting three top-10 finishes and one top-5 effort with that being a third-place run in 2020.

FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS

AT DARLINGTON

1956 – Curtis Turner

1960 – Joe Weatherly (1)

1961 – Fred Lorenzen and Nelson Stacy

1962 – Nelson Stacy and Larry Frank

1963 – Fireball Roberts (2)

1964 – Fred Lorenzen

1965 – Junior Johnson and Ned Jarrett

1968 – David Pearson (1)

1969 – Lee Roy Yarbrough (2)

1970 – David Pearson (1)

1981 – Neil Bonnett (2)

1982 – Dale Earnhardt (1)

1985 – Bill Elliott (Sweep)

1988 – Bill Elliott (2)

1992 – Bill Elliott (1)

1993 – Mark Martin (2)

1994 – Bill Elliott (2)

1997 – Dale Jarrett (1)

1998 – Dale Jarrett (1)

1999 – Jeff Burton (Sweep)

2001 – Dale Jarrett (1)

2005 – Greg Biffle

2006 – Greg Biffle

2018 – Brad Keselowski

2020 – Kevin Harvick (1) and (3)

2022 – Joey Logano (1)

2024 – Brad Keselowski (1)

FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS

AT DARLINGTON

1993 – Mark Martin (2)

1994 – Mark Martin (Sweep)

1995 – Mark Martin (2)

1996 – Mark Martin (1) and Terry Labonte (2)

1997 – Jeff Burton (2)

1999 – Mark Martin (2)

2000 – Mark Martin (Sweep)

2001 – Jeff Green (1) and Jeff Burton (2)

2002 – Jeff Burton (Sweep)

2004 – Greg Biffle

2005 – Matt Kenseth

2009 – Matt Kenseth

2018 – Brad Keselowski

2019 – Cole Custer

2020 – Chase Briscoe (1)

A look back at Dick Berggren’s 2001 interview with Dale Earnhardt at Daytona

By
Quinn McCullough
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Dale Earnhardt Sr. collected three victories in the spring event at Talladega Superspeedway (all during the 1990s) and 10 overall, becoming the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series winner at the 2.66-mile track. The tradition continues with the GEICO 500 on Sunday, April 28 as NASCAR’s biggest track celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

Many long-time viewers of NASCAR who have watched the sport know who Dick Berggren, PhD is. He’s been a color commentator and pit reporter in NASCAR broadcasting for many years.

Berggren has encountered and interacted with many legendary drivers throughout his career, but one that particularly stands out is Dale Earnhardt Sr.

As many NASCAR fans know, Earnhardt Sr. liked an excellent prank and would never hesitate to pull one when he could.

It all started at Daytona International Speedway in the 2001 Daytona Speedweeks when Berggren was a Pit Reporter for Fox Sports, the new NASCAR broadcast partner at the time. FOX was under pressure to make sure all of its NASCAR broadcast team hires made a great first impression.

During the 2001 Daytona 500’s practice and qualifying laps, a pit producer at FOX Sports wanted Berggren to try to get an interview with Earnhardt right after he finished his practice and qualifying laps.

When Berggren saw Earnhardt Sr. was done with his laps and out of his car, he noticed and tried to tell the FOX producer we couldn’t get him, yet he was with his team and discussing strategy.

Once Berggren talked to the producer, there were better times to talk to Earnhardt Sr. and to wait. The producer said,” We need Earnhardt; get him now.”

Berggren would later say, “he’ll be done discussing with his team in a moment, then I’ll go over there and interview him.”

Berggren started to walk over to Earnhardt now that he had stopped talking with his team. Berggren would ask when he went up to him and ask him for the interview.

Earnhardt Sr. would then pull a prank and say,” Not now, can’t talk.”

Once Berggren heard that he thought nothing would come out of it.

Then, a short second later, Earnhardt Sr. turned him around and then said loudly,” How about now!”

Once the interview happened, Berggren knew Earnhardt Sr. pulled one on him. Berggren would later realize that it would be the final interview he would ever have with Earnhardt before he died tragically at the Daytona 500 later that week.

It was definitely a classic Earnhardt Sr. story that many, including Berggren, will remember for a long time.

Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Lamborghini Super Trofeo Stable Takes on the Circuit of the Americas

By
Official Release
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AUSTIN, Texas (August 27, 2024) — The Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTRAndretti) Lamborghini Super Trofeo (LST) team will continue its championship efforts at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Rounds 7 and 8 of the LST North America Championship. With 43 cars set to compete in the two 50-minute rounds, all four WTRAndretti driver pairings remain in championship contention across the PRO, PRO|AM and AM classes. The team will join the World Endurance Championship to take on COTA’s challenging 20 turns across the 3.426-mile track.

Danny Formal and Ryan Norman will return to their No. 1 WTRAndretti Lamborghini Huracán LST after the duo secured their first win of the 2024 LST North America season at Watkins Glen International. The No. 1 car now sits in third in the PRO class championship standings, with just ten points separating Formal and Norman from the lead. After a double podium finish at Watkins Glen, the driver duo will look to continue their momentum as they enter the second half of the season and make a charge for the championship lead.

Nate Stacy and Nick Persing will continue their championship hunt in the No. 8 WTRAndretti Lamborghini Huracán LST. A mixed weekend at Watkins Glen saw the duo drop to fourth in the PRO|AM championship, with misfortune ruining their race in the fifth round. However, the pair recovered well, taking a podium in the sixth round of LST North America competition in order to keep their championship hopes intact.

In the No. 10 DEX Imaging WTRAndretti Lamborghini Huracán LST, Graham Doyle and Ashton Harrison continue the momentum from Watkins Glen. Two solid finishes by the driver pair across the weekend saw the No. 10 team jump in the AM championship standings as they took their first podium of the season in the fifth round. Entering the second half of the season, both Doyle and Harrison look to continue their positive trajectory.

Anthony McIntosh and Glenn McGee return to pilot the No. 69 Global Power Components WTRAndretti Lamborghini Huracán LST as the duo looks to string together strong results to regain their championship lead in the AM class. In the last four rounds of the 2024 LST North America season, the driver pair has either stood on the podium or been struck by misfortune during the race. Now sitting in second in the AM championship, McIntosh and McGee will look to regain their consistency from the first rounds as they enter the second half of the season.
The WTRAndretti LST stable will log their first laps around the Circuit of the Americas at 10:20 a.m. CDT on Friday, August 30, with qualifying and the first race of the doubleheader commencing at 9:30 a.m. CDT and 6:10 p.m. CDT respectively on Saturday, August 31. The second race of the weekend will take place at 9:50 a.m. CDT on Sunday, September 1. Rounds 7 and 8 LST North America Championship from Circuit of the Americas will be streamed live on Peacock.

Ryan Norman, No. 1 WTRAndretti LST (PRO): “I’m feeling really good going into COTA race weekend! We had a great couple days of testing and made huge improvements in our car and it was a lot more comfortable over long run pace. We had a strong race weekend in Watkins Glen with a win and 2nd place and Danny and I will be looking to continue that consistency through the rest of the season.”

Danny Formal, No. 1 WTRAndretti LST (PRO): “COTA is up next. This was my first ever race that I did with WTRAndretti back in 2021. Kyle (Marcelli) and I got our first podium in our first race with the team, so super excited to get back there. Our test earlier in the month, we did really well. We tried a lot of stuff and we found really good balance for the car. It’s going to be extremely hot, probably one of the hottest races I’ve ever done in my life, so super excited to get going. So proud of this WTRAndretti team. We’re sitting third in the championship, a few points from the lead. Excited to get going at COTA, get back with the crew, Ryan Norman, and hopefully put the number one car where it belongs.”

Nate Stacy, No. 8 WTRAndretti LST (PRO|AM): “Excited to be back at the track this weekend in the No. 8. After doing some testing here recently with the team, I am confident we have a good racecar and can have some good results!”

Nick Persing, No. 8 WTRAndretti LST (PRO|AM): “I’m really excited to be back at COTA – it was one of my first podiums when I was racing F4 back in the day. I’ve had a lot of time at the track and hope that I can make that track time translate. The test went pretty well earlier this month. It was a little tricky adjusting to the drive style around the track in a GT car rather than a formula car, but I have no doubt I’ll figure it out by the time the race weekend comes and have a feeling it’ll be a good weekend for Nate and I.”

Graham Doyle, No. 10 DEX Imaging WTRAndretti LST (AM): “Looking ahead to my debut in the No. 10 DEX Imaging LST with Ashton. I really how can’t express how excited I am. First, just to get back in the car. It’s been a long break since Watkins Glen, so it’s going to be awesome to be back with the team again and get back to racing. Second, getting to work with Ashton further and continue progressing on our goals we set for the season and our continued improvements race after race. I think COTA will be a place we can really showcase those. As we reach the midpoint in the season and midway in the points, Ashton and I are looking to capitalize on a very strong test we recently had and looking ahead to getting some solid finishes and points that will hopefully leave us in a good position in the standings heading to the final round.”

Ashton Harrison, No. 10 DEX Imaging WTRAndretti LST (AM): “Looking forward to going back to COTA in Super Trofeo. WTRAndretti has had a lot of success there and I’ve personally had some success there in a variety of cars, so I’m looking being at as infamous of a track as COTA. Getting to experience this with Graham, his first time at our test, he did an amazing job – that track is pretty challenging. Looking forward to racing in the AM category and continuing our podium success. As we are winding down the season here in the U.S., preparing for our European tour at World Finals, I’m looking forward to working with Graham and continuing our success with WTRAndretti.”

Anthony McIntosh, No. 69 Global Power Components WTRAndretti LST (AM): “Glenn and I have prepared quite a bit for this race. The prerace work with the team has been top notch. We are looking forward to racing hard with all the other drivers in the series.”
ABOUT WTRANDRETTI’S DRIVER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Wayne Taylor Racing, now with Andretti Global (#WTRAndretti), is a leader in sportscar racing, recognized worldwide for fielding championship winning racing efforts since 2007. WTRAndretti has run a stable of championship winning cars and drivers in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series for over half a decade, forming the basis of its Driver Development Program. Since its inception in 2015, the team has clinched eight North American PRO Driver, Team and Dealer Championship titles, fielded the first woman World Finals race winner and became the overall 2017 Champions at the World Finals in Imola, Italy. In addition to its Lamborghini Super Trofeo stable, WTRAndretti fields a two-car GTP program with it Championship winning No 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 and No. 40 DEX Imaging Acura ARX-06 effort as well as GTD program with the No. 45 DEX Imaging Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2.

CORVETTE RACING AT COTA: Corvette’s Home Race

By
Official Release
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TF Sport looking for season’s best FIA WEC result in series’ lone American stop

DETROIT (August 27, 2024) – TF Sport and the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R program come full-circle this weekend as the FIA World Endurance Championship returns to Circuit of The Americas for the first time since 2020 at the six-hour Lone Star Le Mans.

Two of the TF Sport-run Corvettes are set for Sunday’s race around the 21-turn, 3.4-mile circuit in Austin. It’s the lone visit to the U.S. for the FIA WEC and the pair of first-year GT3.Rs that are part of the LMGT3 class.

However, it isn’t the first race for the Corvettes at COTA this season as the Corvette swept both rounds of GT World Challenge America.

Despite a difference in weather conditions – May vs. September and tires – Pirelli vs. Goodyear – there are significant lessons that can carry over to the WEC round.

From an engineering perspective, suspension and other points in chassis setup – with validations from Chevrolet’s Driver in the Loop simulator – should provide a solid baseline for when TF Sport arrives at COTA and hits the track for Friday’s first practice.

The squad has previous success at COTA with a GTE-Am class win in the last FIA WEC event at the track in 2020. Corvette factory driver Charlie Eastwood was part of the winning lineup and was part of the program’s first test with the Corvette Z06 GT3.R roughly a year ago.

Eastwood will continue in the No. 81 Corvette alongside full-season teammates Tom Van Rompuy and Rui Andrade – each of which will compete at COTA for the first time. So will all three members of the No. 82 Z06 GT3.R lineup: while Hiroshi Koizumi, Sebastien Baud and factory driver Daniel Juncadella, who also tested the Corvette for the first at COTA last August.

The Lone Star Le Mans is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on Sunday, September 1. MotorTrend TV will air live television coverage with streaming coverage on the FIA WEC app and the MAX app in the U.S. Radio Le Mans also will stream audio coverage of Saturday’s final practice and qualifying, plus Sunday’s race.

TF SPORT PRE-EVENT DRIVER QUOTES

CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “In general it’s a fantastic track. It’s undergone some repaving so it will be interesting to see what happens with that. I have fond memories of COTA. The last time we were there in WEC we won the race, which was a great result. It also was the very first place I got to drive the Z06 GT3.R a year ago in the heat of the summer, which is what we’re going to have. I think it will suit the car very well. Degradation will be a key – in the middle of summer in Austin it’s not going to be cool at all – so managing that from the outset will be important. I’m looking forward to it. Brazil wasn’t a great result but we showed some strong pace, which at the minute is what we need to show. We’ve got a bit of confidence going in.

“The three sectors are three different racetracks, for sure. The first is super-high speed. You really have to have a good aero platform to get through. It’s still seven corners but they’re almost all high-speed so you need a good car under you. The middle sector is super-tricky with really long apexes and really late apexes. Then going to the final sector you still need a really good car under you. There is a lot of speed so the deg will be high. It’s a really tricky track to get it fully hooked up. It’s a super-long lap with a lot of high-speed corners with a lot of corners… it’ll test both the car and the drivers. Hopefully we can put everything together for a good result.”

RUI ANDRADE, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m very excited to race in COTA for the first time. The track is incredible and to race a Corvette in the USA is such an amazing opportunity. The season hasn’t been easy for us but we are taking steps forward, and in Brazil we saw some good steps in performance. I can’t wait to hit the track and give it our all to try and chase some trophies.”

DANIEL JUNCADELLA, NO. 82 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “COTA will be quite a special event for me. I’ve never raced at COTA but I did my first test there in a Corvette GT3 last August. So it’s cool to close out my first proper year of driving Corvettes at COTA. With it being the home WEC race for the Corvette should be a good event. The track is cool. Watching on TV, you always think it’s not super-exciting because there is so much asphalt runoffs there. But when I drove there last year, I was quite impressed by the combination of high-speed corners, the fast changes of direction and elevation. It’s quite interesting and I really enjoyed it, even though I only drove maybe 20 or 25 laps. So it should be cool. It will be difficult to manage the heat so that will play a big role in terms of strategy and how we manage the tires. These are a couple of good ingredients to make the race quite exciting for everybody. Hopefully we can navigate those and get our best result for the season.”

2024 FIA World Endurance Championship Points

LMGT3 Drivers Standings

  1. Aliaksandr Malykhin/Joel Sturm/Klaus Bachler – 100
  2. Morris Schuring/Richard Lietz/Yasser Shahin – 75
  3. Augusto Farfus/Darren Leung/Sean Gelael – 74
  4. Alex Riberas/Daniel Mancinelli/Ian James – 55
  5. Alessio Rovera/Francois Heriau/Simon Mann – 49
  6. Charlie Eastwood/Rui Andrade/Tom Van Rompuy – 11
  7. Daniel Juncadella/Hiroshi Koizumi/Sebastien Baud – 10

LMGT3 Teams Standings

  1. No. 92 Manthey PureRxcing – 100
  2. No. 91 Manthey EMA – 75
  3. No. 31 Team WRT – 74
  4. No. 27 Heart of Racing Team – 55
  5. No. 55 Vista AF Corse – 49
  6. No. 81 TF Sport – 11
  7. No. 82 TF Sport – 10

CORVETTE RACING AT COTA: By the Numbers

  • 3: Generations of Corvette Racing entries at COTA since 2013 – Corvette C6.R (2013), Corvette C7.R (2014-2019) and the mid-engine Corvette C8.R – which raced at COTA for the first time in WEC competition in 2020 – and Z06 GT3.R, both of which are eighth-gen Corvettes
  • 4: Class wins at COTA for Corvette Racing entries in two championships: IMSA and GT World Challenge America. Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen won twice in ALMS GT/WeatherTech Championship GTLM. Tommy Milner and Alec Udell won in GT World Challenge America earlier this year in the first wins for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R
  • 8: Wins this year for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R including two earlier this year at Circuit of The Americas
  • 14: Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001
  • 27: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Daytona, Detroit, Houston, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Miami, Mid-Ohio, Monza, Portimão, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen
  • 51: Number of drivers in Corvette Racing entries since 1999. DXDT Racing’s Bryson Morris joined the list at Road America in GT World Challenge America
  • 71: Years since Corvette was introduced to the world on Jan. 17, 1953 in New York City. A total of 300 cars were produced that year
  • 135: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 116 in IMSA, nine at Le Mans, three in the FIA WEC and seven in GT World Challenge America
  • 302: Event starts by Corvette Racing entries since 1999, starting with that year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona. No. 300 came in early August at Road America in IMSA
  • 3845.40: Number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing in its eight previous events at Circuit of The Americas. That represents 24 trips across the Texas Panhandle.
  • 387,712.20: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing since its inception. To put that in perspective, Corvette Racing is more than halfway to the distance traveled by Apollo 13 – the longest manned spaceflight in history: 622,268 miles. That means Corvette Racing has raced to the moon and more than halfway back!

Corvette Racing at Circuit of The Americas

2013 – IMSA

No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen – 1st in GT

No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 11th in GT

2014 – IMSA

No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen – 9th in GTLM

No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 10th in GTLM

2014 – FIA WEC

No. 65 Corvette C7.R: Tommy Milner/Jordan Taylor/Ricky Taylor – 7th in GTE Pro (FIA WEC entry)

2015 – IMSA

No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen: 6th in GTLM

No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner: 8th in GTLM

2016 – IMSA

No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen: 3rd in GTLM

No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner: 5th in GTLM

2017 – IMSA

No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen: 1st in GTLM

No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner: 7th in GTLM

2020 – FIA WEC

No. 63 Corvette C8.R: Jan Magnussen/Mike Rockenfeller: 6th in GTE Pro

2024 – GT World Challenge

No. 63 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Tommy Milner/Alec Udell – 1st,1st in Pro

No. 08 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Bryan Sellers/Scott Smithson – 6th, 11th in Pro-Am

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

RFK Advance | Darlington II

By
Official Release
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Darlington II Event Info:
Date: Sunday, Sept. 1
Time: 6 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Darlington, South Carolina
Format: 367 Laps, 501.32 Miles, Stages: 115-115-137
TV: USA
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 12:35 p.m. ET, Practice (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 1:20 p.m. ET, Qualifying (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 6 p.m. ET, Race (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

  • The 2024 regular season culminates this weekend with the running of the Southern 500. Chris Buescher sits on the cut line in the playoff picture, but 21 points to the good entering the weekend.
  • Brad Keselowski enters the weekend coming off his second win at the track this spring, where both RFK cars led significant laps.
  • In the last seven races at Darlington, Keselowski has the fourth-best average finish of any driver (11.9) with five top-10s in that stretch. Buescher also has four top-10s in that stretch, tied for second-most of any driver in the Cup Series.

6 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Matt McCall
Partner: Solomon Plumbing

  • Brad Keselowski’s Checkered Flag Foundation’s Tribute to Veterans program returned this year presented by Solomon Plumbing. For its sixth consecutive year, and third with RFK Racing, the program will honor America’s heroes with a special scheme on the No. 6 Solomon Plumbing Ford Mustang piloted by NASCAR champion Brad Keselowski at Darlington Raceway.
  • This year 268 names will be featured on the car. The Tribute to Veterans program gives friends and family the opportunity to honor and recognize their heroes, including veterans, active military, military family members and their caregivers—acknowledging the ongoing commitment to the well-being of veterans and those who play a role in veterans’ lives daily.
  • The proceeds of the program benefit the Checkered Flag Foundation in its mission to honor and assist those who have sacrificed greatly for our country and our communities.

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

Keselowski at Darlington
Starts: 21
Wins: 2 (2018, 2024)
Top-10s: 12
Poles: 3 (2015, 2020, 2021)

  • Keselowski is coming off his second Darlington win this spring where he led 37 laps and locked himself into the 2024 NASCAR Playoffs. He started P2 in that race before going on to secure his 36th Cup Series win.
  • Keselowski has four-straight top-10s at Darlington and a 10.9 average finish. He ran sixth in this race a year ago after starting fifth.
  • Keselowski won the fall race back in 2018, one of his seven top fives overall at the track Too Tough to Tame. Overall he’s finished 15th or better in 13 out of the last 15 Darlington races.
  • Keselowski does have three poles at Darlington – 2015, 2020, 2021 – with an average starting position of 10.3 and 14 starts inside the top-10.
  • He also made seven Xfinity Series starts with one win (2018) and three top-10s.

Buescher at Darlington
Starts: 14
Wins: —
Top-10s: 4
Poles: —

  • Buescher was in line to win his first-ever race at Darlington this spring, but late contact negated that. He went on to finish 30th in that race after leading 21 laps and starting from P3.
  • He finished third in this race a year ago after starting eighth, one of his four top-10s overall. All four of those finishes have come in the past three years in Darlington.
  • He carries a 20.9 average starting position and is coming off back-to-back career-best qualifying efforts (P3 this spring, P8 last fall).
  • Buescher also made four Xfinity starts at Darlington with a fifth-place run in 2015.

RFK Historically at Darlington
Cup Wins: 6 (Mark Martin, 1993; Jeff Burton, 1999, 1999; Greg Biffle, 2005, 2006; Brad Keselowski, 2024)

  • Darlington Two-Step: RFK has twice won consecutive NCS races at Darlington, including a season sweep in 1999 with former driver Jeff Burton. RFK also earned victories in consecutive seasons at the egg-shaped oval in 2005 and 2006 with Biffle.
  • Tale of the Tape: In 264 all-time NASCAR starts at ‘The Lady in Black,’ Jack Roush’s Fords have 21 wins, 72 top-five and 125 top-10 finishes, along with 20 poles. Over the years RFK has led 4,600+ laps across the Cup, Xfinity and Truck series, with more than 93,000 miles logged at the 1.366-mile track. In NCS action alone, RFK has finished top-10 in 44 percent (78-of-178) of the races with 38 top-five results and five wins.
  • Kickin’ it Old School: Legendary RFK drivers Mark Martin, Jeff Burton and Greg Biffle are responsible for the five Cup wins for Jack Roush at Darlington. Martin earned Roush’s first Cup win back in 1993 after leading 178 laps. Burton swept the 1999 events as the dominant car, and Biffle earned the two most recent victories in 2005 and 2006.
  • Most All Time: It’s no secret that when Roush has dominated in the Xfinity Series at Darlington. In 79 starts, the organization has 15 wins, 33 top-five and 44 top-10s. Mark Martin is responsible for eight of the victories, second-most for him among any track, after winning five of the first seven races at the track for Roush from 1993-96. He also went on to win in 1999 and swept again in 2000. Jeff Burton got in on the fun with wins in 1997, 2001 and 2002, while Biffle earned a win in 2004. Most recently, Kenseth drove to victory lane in 2005 and 2009.

RFK Darlington Wins

1993-2 Martin Cup

1999-1 Burton Cup

1999-2 Burton Cup

2005 Biffle Cup

2006 Biffle Cup

1993-2 Martin NXS

1994-1 Martin NXS

1994-2 Martin NXS

1995-2 Martin NXS

1996-1 Martin NXS

1997-2 Burton NXS

1999-2 Martin NXS

2000-1 Martin NXS

2000-2 Martin NXS

2001-2 Burton NXS

2002-1 Burton NXS

2002-2 Burton NXS

2004-1 Biffle NXS

2005 Kenseth NXS

2009 Kenseth NXS

2024 Keselowski Cup

Last Time Out & Where They Stand
Daytona: RFK had arguably two of the best cars Saturday night in Daytona as Keselowski earned the most points of any driver and both cars earned top-10 stage finishes. Buescher – for the second-straight week – overcame an incident to finish 10th, while Keselowski finished eighth.

Points Standings (6: 7th, 17: 11th): Keselowski is up another two positions in driver points while Buescher is 11th in driver standings. In the playoff picture, Buescher sits 16th, 21 points to the good entering the final race of the regular season.

Bass Pro Shops Racing: Martin Truex Jr. Southern 500 at Darlington Advance

By
Official Release
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Martin Truex Jr.
Southern 500 at Darlington Advance
No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Cook Out Southern 500 (Round 26 of 36)
● Time/Date: 6 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Sept. 1
● Location: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway
● Layout: 1.366-mile, egg-shaped oval
● Laps/Miles: 367 laps/501.32 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 115 laps / Stage 2: 115 laps / Final Stage: 137 laps
● TV/Radio: USA Network / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Where We Stand: Truex sits ninth in the driver standings with 695 points, 128 behind Tyler Reddick. All four Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) entries are currently inside the top-10 in the standings, with Christopher Bell sixth, Denny Hamlin eighth and Ty Gibbs 10th as the series heads to the final race of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season this weekend at the track “Too Tough to Tame.”

● Playoff Watch: Going into the final race of the regular season, Truex is highest in the standings among drivers without a win so far in 2024. Truex is 13th on the 16-driver playoff grid with a 58-point cushion over 17th place Bubba Wallace. Twelve drivers have locked themselves into the playoffs with wins so far this season. Truex would be locked into the playoffs no matter the result at Darlington if there is not a first-time winner this season in Sunday night’s Cook Out Southern 500.

● Truex has two wins, four top-five finishes and 10 top-10s and has led a total of 914 laps in 24 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Darlington. Truex’s average Darlington finish is 13.9.

● Truex notched his most recent Darlington win in May 2021, when he dominated the race and led 248 laps en route to his second victory at the 1.366-mile, egg-shaped oval.

● While he doesn’t like to play favorites, Truex certainly excels at tracks with worn-out surfaces, where driver skill is key to managing the tires and the racecar over the course of a long race. At four such tracks – Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, the now defunct 2-mile oval at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, Homestead-Miami Speedway, and Darlington – Truex has six wins, 25 top-five finishes and 47 top-10s, and has led 2,209 laps.

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

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

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

What’s the challenge of 500 miles at Darlington as opposed to other racetracks, and even the 400-mile race there?

“The challenge is that it’s a long race, a lot of pit stops and a lot of chances for things to go wrong. Track position is obviously really important. To go through 13 sets of tires or whatever it is, and track position and what it means there, and to keep track position, it’s tough to stay up front and be consistently really strong. It’s tough to do there, and we hope we can do that on Sunday night with our Bass Pro Shops Camry XSE.”

Does it take a driver a long time to get used to how to drive Darlington and get used to its nuances?

“I think it just suits some guys, and others it doesn’t. For me, I feel like it’s about how I like to drive my car and the feel I need for the long run. For as long as I remember, I don’t really know what I do differently than everyone else, and I don’t know if my team does, either, it’s just the way that it happens. Even with all the technology today, sometimes you just can’t pinpoint exactly what it is that makes us good there. You can see the SMT and see exactly what a driver is doing, but there’s more to connecting that feel and those inputs than you can imagine. It just suits me, and I really enjoy it. Looking forward to this weekend with our Bass Pro Shops Camry.”

Some drivers say they love Darlington and others say they just can’t get a grasp on it. Is it just tires, or much more, to be good at Darlington?

“It’s very unique, I love it. It’s really hard on tires and hard to get your car working good. For me, I’ve had a lot of really good runs there and have won a bunch of races and have been really strong in the last four years, so I really enjoy it. I had bad cars there years ago and I can see how that could be just miserable if you don’t have a good car. Fun track and a place I really like.”

How technical of a track is Darlington?

“It’s definitely really technical. It’s a track that is really fast but the two ends of the track are completely different, which makes the crew chiefs scratch their heads. It’s hard to get your car working right on both ends, so you have to compromise. It’s never going to be perfect. It’s never going to be comfortable, but you’ve got to figure out a way to be comfortable with it and that’s what I love about Darlington. You are on the ragged edge so much and the tires wear off the car so bad on the long run that you are just on ice. You are sliding and trying to keep the right rear from dragging against the wall and you are just sliding everywhere. I just think it’s so much fun. It’s been a great track for me, I think, just because I like it so much. Hoping we can have a great run there this weekend with our Bass Pro Shops Camry and get back to victory lane there.”

No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Martin Truex Jr.

Hometown: Mayetta, New Jersey

Crew Chief: James Small

Hometown: Melbourne, Australia

Car Chief: Chris Jones

Hometown: Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia

Race Engineer: Jaik Halpainy

Hometown: Blockville, New York

Spotter: Drew Herring

Hometown: Benson, North Carolina

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Ryan Martin

Hometown: Mechanicsburg, Virgina

Mechanic: Todd Carmichael

Hometown: Redding, California

Interior/Tire Specialist: Tommy DiBlasi

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Engine Tuner: Beau Morton

Hometown: Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Transporter Driver: Kyle Bazzell

Hometown: Fairbury, Illinois

Transporter Driver: Eddie DeGroot

Hometown: Baldwinsville, New York

Over-The-Wall Crew Members

Gas Man: Matt Tyrrell

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Jackman: Caleb Dirks

Hometown: Riverside, California

Tire Carrier: CJ Bailey

Hometown: Outer Banks, North Carolina

Front Tire Changer: Thomas Hatcher

Hometown: Middleburg, Florida

Rear Tire Changer: Lee Cunningham

Hometown: Leaf River, Illinois

Four-time Winner at the CTMP, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin Eager to compete in the WeatherTech 200 this Weekend

By
Official Release
-
© Stéphane Gagné / poleposition.ca
EventWeatherTech 200
TrackCanadian Tire Motorsport Park (Bowmanville, Ontario), September 1st, 2024
BroadcastTSN + app (live) | TSN (tape delayed) | RDS (tape delayed) | FloRacing (USA)
Race2:00 PM E.T. – nascar.ca/race-center/

Trois-Rivières (Quebec), August 27th, 2024.- After the ICAR event unfortunately shortened by a mechanical failure last Saturday, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin will be on track this weekend as part of a very important race for the NASCAR Canada series and especially the driver of the #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare | Omnifab car: the WeatherTech 200 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP), located northeast of Toronto, in Bowmanville.

The legendary track formerly known as Mosport, which has hosted the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Canada eight times and where Louis-Philippe Dumoulin has won multiple times, including four in the NASCAR Canada series, is hosting another major motorsport event this weekend, featuring the legendary American Trans Am series, where Louis-Philippe Dumoulin has also competed in recent years, and the NASCAR Canada series, which will be the eleventh of thirteen 2024 races.

“Our expectations were high for the race at the Complexe ICAR last Saturday, unfortunately an engine failure put an early end to our race. What more can I say except that it’s part of motorsport? We now have to focus on the WeatherTech 200. I’ve won four times in NASCAR Canada at CTMP and finished on the podium the last two times I’ve raced there, so of course my expectations are high,” said Louis-Philippe Dumoulin. He specifies: “The doubt is the engine change. Will the new engine be as efficient as the one we had in previous races? We obviously hope so. I don’t start a NASCAR Canada race to finish sixth, I always want to win. We are facing a challenge that the entire Dumoulin Compétition team and the people who work on the #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare | Omnifab car want to resolve brilliantly.”

Third in the season-opening race last May at the CTMP and second in the WeatherTech 200 last year when he had fought a very spectacular battle for victory until the last corner, Dumoulin does not hide his ambitions: “we will do everything to bring the WeatherTech 200 trophy, with the colours of our main sponsor, at home!”

Despite his retirement at ICAR, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin is still in fourth place in the drivers’ championship standings, but the 7-point gap on third place has now increased to 30. Winning a fourth title is now unrealistic, but the hope of winning in the next rounds remains the driver and his team’s motivation.

This Saturday, August 31, free practice will take place at 12:50 p.m. before qualifying session is scheduled for 5:25 p.m. The WeatherTech 200, the final road race of the 2024 NASCAR Canada season, will start on Sunday, September 1 shortly after 2 p.m.

ABOUT PARTNERS

WeatherTech is committed to designing, engineering and manufacturing the finest products possible for your vehicle, home and your pet. From the industry leading FloorLiner to the 100% non-toxic Pet Feeding System, WeatherTech has dedicated itself to exceed customer expectations of quality, craftsmanship and environmental sustainability for over 30 years. To see the full line of automotive, home and pet products that are guaranteed for life, visit weathertech.ca

Groupe Bellemare is a 3rd generation family business that has been serving clients since 1959. Today, the company has more than 500 employees and provides them with an innovative work environment facilitating work-family balance and a healthy and safe quality of life. With over a half century of experience and its sustained R&D efforts, the Company offers high-quality products and services in areas as diverse as concrete, abrasives and minerals, dimensional load transportation, and recycling. Groupe Bellemare is also very involved in its industry and attaches great importance to its social and environmental role as a member of the business community. Groupe Bellemare makes a positive contribution to the quality of life of citizens in the communities it serves by supporting numerous social causes and promoting local purchasing through its responsible procurement practices. For more information, visit groupebellemare.com

Omnifab has joined Dumoulin Compétition in June 2023.In less than twenty years, Omnifab has made its place in the mechanical manufacturing industry in Quebec. They have earned this place by offering a unique turnkey solution to large companies and SMEs that want to modernize their production line or have their industrial equipment repaired. No matter your industry, you can count on Omnifab team to manufacture custom industrial machinery or solve your mechanical problems with great precision, in a timely manner and with quality components, as pledged. Visit omnifab.ca for more information.

Rousseau Metal has been manufacturing high-quality products for 70 years. Over the years the company become known as a leader in storage solutions. The quality, durability and reliability of their products have earned them a reputation as being among the best in the industry. Over the years, the quality of Rousseau products and excellence of the company’s business practices have been recognized through various certifications and membership in industrial and automotive organizations. To learn more about the company and its products, visit rousseau.com

Dumoulin Competition

Jean-François and Louis-Philippe Dumoulin founded the Dumoulin Competition Race Team in 2009. Working with financial, marketing, logistics and sports management experts, they built up a solid business structure. Dumoulin Competition prepares its own race cars in-house since 2016. Their motto: “Passion – Performance – Partnerships” expresses their will to perform on the track and offer their partners maximum visibility and profitability in return for their commitment. Their vision: To become Canada’s leader in motorsports through on-track performance, an entrepreneurial spirit and human values. dumoulincompetition.com

TOP FUEL’S ANTRON BROWN LOOKS TO ADD TO INDY LEGACY AT TOYOTA NHRA U.S. NATIONALS

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Official Release
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Three-time world champ seeking third straight win at The Big Go and sixth in his standout career

INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 26, 2024) – Five wins at the world’s biggest drag race has put Antron Brown on the path to becoming a Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals legend. He’s rolled to back-to-back wins at The Big Go and a third straight victory would continue to build an already impressive legacy at the prestigious event.

Brown gets that opportunity at this weekend’s 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, as the three-time world champion looks to become the first driver since Tony Schumacher (2007-2009) to pick up three consecutive victories on drag racing’s grandest stage.

His Toyota teammate, Funny Car driver Ron Capps, and Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Matt Smith will also try to do the same in Indy this year, but a sixth Indy victory would put Brown among the sport’s elite. Only six other drivers have won six times at Indy and it’s a class Brown could join with another victory this weekend at The Big Go in his 11,000-horsepower Matco Tools/Toyota dragster.

“I’m super excited for the Toyota U.S. Nationals. It’s so cool to be able to participate in the 70th running of this historic event, especially with it now being a Toyota race,” said Brown, who enjoyed two Indy wins in Pro Stock Motorcycle early in his career. “We’re really striving hard right now. Our team is peaking at the right time and we’d love to pull off the undeniable turkey here, so that’s what we’re going in to do. That’s our game plan.

“We’ve won here the last two years and we’re going to try and continue that streak. The points are really tight and we’re working hard to push to be into that top four going into the Countdown. We’re going to give it all we’ve got and see what we can do. Our Matco Tools Toyota team is ready to go.”

Brown (Top Fuel), Capps (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all claimed NHRA U.S. Nationals victories in 2023 and this year’s race will again be broadcast on FOX and FS1, including a special Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout broadcast on FOX at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday and eliminations coverage on FOX beginning at 2 p.m. on Monday. It is the 14th of 20 races during the 2024 campaign and the final race in the regular season, and plenty is on the line at the prestigious race.

Along with the chance at Indy glory, it’s a points-and-a-half race, meaning Brown and the other standouts could make a big move in the standings. He’s currently fifth in points, but only 14 out of fourth and 82 out of third, and a considerable jump could be in place with a stellar weekend.

That’s the goal, but nothing comes in easy in Top Fuel, which features a wealth of talent and 20 overall dragsters in Indy, including points leader and reigning world champion Doug Kalitta, Shawn Langdon, Brainerd winner Justin Ashley, four-time champ Steve Torrence, Clay Millican, motorsports legend and NHRA rookie Tony Stewart, Tony Schumacher, whose 10 Indy victories are the most in NHRA history, and Brittany Force.

But Brown has always performed well when it matters most, evidenced by his back-to-back Indy triumphs. He’s already won three times in 2024 (Chicago, Norwalk and Sonoma) and the 77-time event winner has no plans of slowing down at The Big Go.

“It’s always been a plan in motion to try and peak at the right time, and our car has been running exceptionally well,” Brown said. “That’s a tribute to our team. The U.S. Nationals is our last race to get in the position we need to get in heading into the Countdown.

“We’re trying to get back to that true form and I believe we’re there. What makes the class so different today is now you have 10-12 cars that are good every race and there’s at least 14 cars that can win a race.”

The 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals promises to be one of the biggest in the illustrious history of The Big Go. It features the final Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge of the year and the Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout, as well as the special Sox & Martin Hemi Challenge presented by the McCandless Collection and the Rooftec Comp Cash Clash, along with racing in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™ and NHRA Holley EFI Factory X, plus:

A special 70th anniversary NHRA U.S. Nationals pennant for the first 8,000 fans in attendance for eliminations on Monday, Sept. 2.
Free parking for all fans and children 12-under admitted free.
An unforgettable Top Eliminator Club experience, including NHRA driver appearances, food and drink, TEC gift bag, starting line seats and much more.
The biggest field in drag racing featuring more than 900 cars.

Capps, a three-time Funny Car world champ, sported an iconic paint scheme last year with his Don Prudhomme Hot Wheels tribute car. He is after his first win of the year against the likes of points leader Austin Prock, three-time 2024 winner Bob Tasca III, reigning champion Matt Hagan, and Gainesville winner J.R. Todd. Jack Beckman, who will be racing for John Force in Indy, will also be making his Indy return.

Hartford won his first NHRA U.S. Nationals last season. The eight-time event winner is looking for his first win of 2024. Leading the Pro Stock points is standout Dallas Glenn followed by multi-time champs Greg Anderson and Erica Enders, with Aaron Stanfield and Jeg Coughlin Jr. also looking for Indy success.

Smith, a six-time NHRA champ, captured his third NHRA U.S. Nationals win last season. Smith won the most recent race in Sonoma and has his sights set on dethroning reigning world champ Gaige Herrera, who has won six of the eight events this season. Also in the mix is former NHRA U.S. Nationals winner John Hall, Richard Gadson, Jianna Evaristo, Angie Smith, Steve Johnson and Seattle winner Chase Van Sant.

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 Indy can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Monday 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 Monday 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 Indy. 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 one round at 6:45 p.m. ET on Friday, Aug. 30, two rounds at 12 and 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 31 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 12 and 3:00 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. ET on Monday, Sept 2.

The first round of the Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout takes place at 1:05 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 1, with the semifinals at 2:40 p.m. and the final round at 4:30 p.m. A special broadcast of the Callout takes place on FOX at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 1 p.m. ET on Friday and 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, and eliminations beginning at 12 p.m. on FS1 on Monday, shifting to FOX at 2 p.m.

To purchase tickets to the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general admission area with a paid adult. For more information about NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.

About Mission Foods

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

About NHRA

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

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