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COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP LOADED WITH STORYLINES AS NHRA PLAYOFFS SET TO BEGIN

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Six-race Countdown to the Championship playoffs start this weekend at Maple Grove Raceway as racers start title journey

INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 9, 2024) – The 2024 NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs are set to open at this weekend’s 39th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa., and it’s a postseason filled with excitement and plenty of intriguing storylines.

This weekend’s race kicks off three straight race weekends, as the Countdown to the Championship goes from Reading to zMAX Dragway in Charlotte for the NHRA Carolina Nationals on Sept. 20-22 and then the NHRA Midwest Nationals on Sept. 27-29 at World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis.

From there it’s a furious three-race finish, beginning with the main event of the Texas Motorplex’s “Stampede of Speed,” the 39th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals on Oct. 9-13 in Dallas. That leads into the fall stop at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Oct. 31-Nov. 3 and then the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals on Nov. 14-17 at historic In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

Heading into the playoff opener at the fan-favorite facility in Reading, let’s look at some of the top storylines in each category in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL

HOW DOES KALITTA RECOVER? By nearly every account, it’s been a banner 2024 for Kalitta, who followed up his first world title in 2023 by leading the points for the bulk of this season. But the points leader failed to qualify at the U.S. Nationals – the first time the veteran hasn’t qualified in a remarkable 301 races over 14 years. How he responds at Maple Grove Raceway is a massive question to open the playoffs. Last year, Kalitta won in Reading (and then Charlotte) to start his championship surge and he’ll look to put that Indy disappointment behind him as quickly as possible.

IS IT ASHLEY’S TIME? Ashley has been atop the Top Fuel field in the postseason each of the past two years, and was the points leader earlier this season, too. He’s learned valuable lessons each of the past two seasons, but the team seems eager for redemption after some playoff slip-ups in 2022 and 2023. Ashley enters the Countdown to the Championship second in points and is ready to pounce, especially with Shawn Langdon, Steve Torrence and Antron Brown right behind him.

WHO MAKES A MOVE? Kalitta won three times in the playoffs a season ago, coming all the way from sixth to claim the championship in dramatic fashion. Is there a driver who gets hot at the perfect time in 2024? Clay Millican starts in sixth this year, riding high from his U.S. Nationals win, while the likes of Brittany Force (ninth) and Top Fuel rookie Tony Stewart (seventh) seem to be peaking at an ideal time.

FUNNY CAR

IS THERE ANY SLOWING THE PROCK ROCKET? It’s been a dominant season thus far for first-year Funny Car driver Austin Prock. Taking over for Robert Hight and driving for his dad (crew chief Jimmy Prock), Prock has been the No. 1 qualifier an incredible 10 times in 14 races, winning five events and advancing to eight finals. He also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge seven times, giving Prock a 39-point advantage to open the playoffs. The car has been superb in all conditions and if Prock has his way, he’ll look to keep on rolling through the fall.

TASCA’S BEST SHOT: Bob Tasca III has become a legit championship contender the last three seasons and had a shot to win his first title a year ago on the final day of the season. But top to bottom, this seems to be Tasca’s best shot yet to win a title. He enters the playoffs second in points on the strength of three wins and the car has proven itself in any type of weather condition.

WHAT VETERAN GETS HOT? It’s difficult to imagine someone among the group of defending world champion Matt Hagan (third), J.R. Todd (fourth), Ron Capps (fifth) and Jack Beckman (driving for John Force in sixth) not going on some sort of roll in the Countdown. With a combined nine championships between the four, the group knows how to win, and it will likely take three victories to climb all the way to the top. A surging Blake Alexander, who opens the playoffs in seventh, will also be one to watch.

PRO STOCK

DOES THE ENDERS-ANDERSON SHOW CONTINUE? For all the influx of young talent in the class, Pro Stock continues to be ruled by reigning champ Erica Enders and veteran Greg Anderson. Enders has won four of the last five world titles in the class, while Anderson, a five-time champ, won in 2021. Nobody BUT those two has won a championship since 2018 and no active Pro Stock driver other than Enders and Anderson has won a championship since Jeg Coughlin Jr. in 2013. Simply put, Enders and Anderson know how to get it done in crunch time. Enders dominated in 2022 and was terrific in the playoffs last year, and with their track record, it would be hard to bet against Anderson and Enders coming through once again.

GLENN IS CHAMPIONSHIP READY: That said, Dallas Glenn seems ready to make a run. He’ll enter the Countdown to the Championship as the points leader for the second straight year, but his car seems better suited to make a championship run in 2024. Things didn’t go as planned a year ago, as Glenn struggled to a sixth-place finish, but the young standout opens the playoffs full of confidence and a 25-point advantage over Aaron Stanfield.

CAN STANFIELD STAY RED-HOT? Speaking of Stanfield, he may be the most championship-ready driver in the mix at the moment, winning the U.S. Nationals for the first time. He’s won four of the past six races in the category, jumping all the way to second to open the postseason. Stanfield has been dynamite on raceday, which could also play a factor down the stretch.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE

DOES THE HERRERA REIGN CONTINUE? That’s the obvious question after Gaige Herrera dominated the regular season to the tune of seven wins in nine races. Counting the last five playoff races of last year, Herrera has won 12 of 14 events and after his first Indy win, he remains the favorite in the category.

CAN SMITH MAKE HISTORY? While Herrera may be the favorite, Matt Smith appears plenty ready to challenge Herrera. He was dominant in Sonoma and won the playoff opener in Reading last year. A quick start will be necessary as Smith aims to become the first rider in Pro Stock Motorcycle history to win seven titles.

IMPACT PLAYERS: Who else can leave their mark in the Countdown to the Championship? The Matt Smith Racing trio of John Hall, Jianna Evaristo and Angie Smith have had their moments as of late, while 2023 NHRA Rookie of the Year Chase Van Sant snapped Herrera’s winning streak with his Seattle triumph. Herrera’s teammate, Richard Gadson, is also after a big finish in his rookie season.

To purchase tickets to any of the six races in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, please visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. For more information about NHRA, including the full television schedule for the 2024 playoffs, please visit www.NHRA.com.

COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS

Top Fuel

Doug Kalitta: 2109
Justin Ashley: 2094
Shawn Langdon: 2081
Steve Torrence: 2068
Antron Brown: 2062
Clay Millican: 2046
Tony Stewart: 2032
Tony Schumacher: 2026
Brittany Force: 2016
Billy Torrence: 2000
Josh Hart: 1992
Shawn Reed: 1980

Funny Car

Austin Prock: 2125
Bob Tasca III: 2086
Matt Hagan: 2079
J.R. Todd: 2071
Ron Capps: 2054
John Force (driver Jack Beckman): 2049
Blake Alexander: 2036
Daniel Wilkerson: 2023
Chad Green: 2012
Alexis DeJoria: 2000
Cruz Pedregon: 1990
Buddy Hull: 1980
Dave Richards: 1970

Pro Stock

Dallas Glenn: 2114
Aaron Stanfield: 2089
Greg Anderson: 2081
Erica Enders: 2074
Jeg Coughlin Jr: 2059
Troy Coughlin Jr: 2047
Jerry Tucker: 2032
Cristian Cuadra: 2020
Eric Latino: 2010
Mason McGaha: 2006
Deric Kramer: 1980
Matthew Hartford: 1970
Chris McGaha: 1960

Pro Stock Motorcycle

Gaige Herrera: 2113
Matt Smith: 2093
Richard Gadson: 2080
John Hall: 2067
Chase Van Sant: 2050
Angie Smith: 2042
Jianna Evaristo: 2031
Hector Arana Jr: 2020
Steve Johnson: 2010
Chris Bostick: 2000

2024 NHRA COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP

Sept. 12-15: 39th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals, Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, Pa.

Sept. 20-22: 16th annual NHRA Carolina Nationals, zMAX Dragway, Charlotte

Sept. 27-29: 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals, World Wide Technology Raceway, St. Louis

Oct. 9-13: 39th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals, Texas Motorplex, Dallas

Oct. 31-Nov. 3: 24th annual NHRA Nevada Nationals, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas

Nov. 14-17: 59th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals, In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, Pomona, Calif.

To purchase tickets, please visit www.nhra.com/tickets

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.

JOEY LOGANO WINS AT ATLANTA AND ADVANCES TO ROUND OF 12

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Official Release
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HAMPTON, GA – September 9, 2024 – Joey Logano won Sunday’s Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, advancing to the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs Round of 12. The victory marks Ford’s third straight victory and Logano’s second of the season, not including his All-Star race win.

“Congratulations to Roger, Tim, Paul, Joey and everyone at Team Penske on the race win at Atlanta,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “All three of Team Penske’s cars were fast and raced well together throughout the race to secure valuable playoff points and Logano’s win.”

“We didn’t (advance out of the first round) last year and it hurt a lot, but they just give me really fast cars on superspeedways and we always find ourselves towards the front of them, we just end up wrecking more times than not. So, to be able to finally capitalize on a fast race car and win here in Atlanta again, I lived right over there in condo 805 for a long time, waking up dreaming of just racing on this racetrack, so pulling into Victory Lane here is always a special one. We had such a really good team here today,” commented Logano.

Front Row Motorsports’ Michael McDowell started Sunday’s race from the pole position, completing an Atlanta sweep after winning the pole earlier in the season. Ford has now won the last four NASCAR Cup Series poles at Atlanta (Logano, Almirola, and McDowell twice), and had at least seven drivers qualify in the top-10 in each of the last four Atlanta races. Along with McDowell, six other Ford Performance drivers started in the top-10: Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney in P2, Front Row Motorsports’ Todd Gilliland in P3, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Josh Berry in P4, Team Penske’s Austin Cindric in P5, Team Penske’s Joey Logano in P7, and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe in P10.

The first caution of the race came at the end of stage 1, and Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney won under caution. Team Penske’s Austin Cindric led most of the second stage to take the stage win with teammate Ryan Blaney in P2. The end of the race came down to a battle between playoff drivers. As the drivers were approaching the start/finish line to take the white flag, a caution came out extending the race into overtime. During the overtime restart, Joey Logano picked the inside and Daniel Suarez decided on the outside, while both of their teammates restarted behind them. As the drivers came to the start/finish line to take the checkered flag after the two-lap shootout, several cars wrecked behind them, causing a multi-car accident. Joey Logano had the lead by over a car-length when NASCAR called the caution, winning the race and advancing to the playoffs Round of 12.

All three Team Penske cars finished in the top-10: Joey Logano in P1, Ryan Blaney in P3, and Austin Cindric in P10.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series also raced at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday. AM Racing’s Lawless Alan finished P13 in his second Xfinity Series start.

The NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series both compete this weekend at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York.
39 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 469 WINS – 435 POLES

About Roush Yates Engines
Roush Yates Engines is a leading-edge engine development company based in Mooresville, NC consisting of two state-of-the-art facilities – Roush Yates Engines and Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions, a world class AS9100 Rev D/ISO 13485 certified CNC manufacturing facility. The company’s core business includes designing, building and testing purpose-built race engines.

Ford Performance in partnership with Roush Yates Engines is the exclusive engine builder of the NASCAR FR9 Ford V8 engine.

With an unparalleled culture of winning and steeped in rich racing history, Roush Yates Engines continues to follow the company’s vision to lead performance engine innovation and staying true to the company’s mission, provide race winning engines through demonstrated power and performance.

Dead On Tools Returns as Primary Sponsor of Anthony Alfredo

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Official Release
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WELCOME, N.C. (September 9th, 2024) – Starting at Talladega Superspeedway on October 5th, Dead On Tools will serve as the primary sponsor of Anthony Alfredo and the number 5 NASCAR Xfinity Series car in four of the final six races of the 2024 season. In addition to Talladega, the Dead On Tools Chevrolet Camaro will be seen on track in action at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 19th, Martinsville Speedway on November 2nd, and the season-finale at Phoenix Raceway on November 9th.

Dead On Tools and Anthony Alfredo first partnered in 2022 during his first full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series campaign, and again for one race primary sponsorship in 2023.

Dead On Tools has been seen on the number 5 Chevrolet Camaro as an associate sponsor throughout the 2024 season so far, but in regards to bringing Dead On Tools onboard as a primary for multiple races, Anthony said “Dead On Tools has been a great partner over the last few years and I am so excited to take our relationship to the next level. We have been having a great season and I am looking forward to having even more success with the Dead On Tools brand on our race car in multiple events before the completion of 2024 season. My team in the shop have been building fast race cars using an array of their products and even utilizing them on race weekend at the track!”

Dead On Tools is one of the world’s fastest-growing brands of hardware and storage gear today. From its humble beginnings, Dead On Tools has grown to be a household name within the trade. If you enter any job site, chances are you will find Dead On Tools. Our cornerstone products, such as our investment cast hammers, helped build the way for the brand. Today, Dead On Tools still carries its namesake hand tools, but has focused intently on mastering professional tool belts and other styles of gear. The latest installation of tool belts includes serious upgrades like the professional suspension system and belt that boasts a maximum width of 52″ around. These innovations have helped keep Dead On Tools at the front of the pack.

“Anthony is not only a phenomenal driver on the track, but he has been a cornerstone for us while representing the brand over the past few years.” said Brian Ranallo, Director of Sales & Marketing for Dead On Tools. “We are all excited to see him captain the Dead On Tools Chevy Camaro this season, and continue our growth together. We will see you in Victory Lane!”

Catch the Dead On Tools Chevrolet Camaro on track for the first time in 2024 during the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Talladega Superspeedway on October 5th, 2024, at 4:00 PM ET. Fans can watch the race live on The CW or listen to the radio broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90.

KENNINGTON CLAIMS THIRD IN CASTROL EDGE DODGE

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Official Release
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DJ Kennington racing the #17 Castrol EDGE Dodge at Delaware Speedway. Credit: Matthew Manor

September 9, 2024 DJ Kennington, driver of the #17 Castrol EDGE Dodge, delivered another stellar performance at his home track, Delaware Speedway, in the NASCAR Canada Series on Sunday afternoon. The St. Thomas, Ontario native, with five previous victories at the historic half-mile track, was once again a top contender.

Starting the 200-lap feature from the seventh position, Kennington wasted no time moving up the ranks. He quickly positioned himself within the top five and remained a fixture at the front of the pack throughout the race. With a huge crowd of supporters and team partners cheering him on, Kennington expertly navigated the challenges of the day, showcasing the skill and experience that have made him a success at Delaware Speedway.

Kennington’s relentless drive culminated in a podium finish, marking his ninth podium in just 12 NASCAR Canada Series starts at the track. The third place race result not only delighted the local fans but also solidified Kennington’s hold on fourth place in the overall championship standings.

DJ Kennington Quotes: “This place is special to me, getting my start here and being so close to home. To have so many supporters here cheering on the Castrol team and to be able to deliver a podium finish for them and for our partners is really rewarding. We’ve got a lot of momentum heading into the final stretch of the season, we’ve made some good strides this year on our oval program”.

Next up:
DJ Kennington and the Castrol Edge Dodge team are back in action for the final event of the season at the Autodrome Montmagny on Sunday, September 22nd.

TV & Live Streaming
The NASCAR Canada race from Delaware Speedway will be broadcast on TSN, and on RDS2. Dates and times, TBD. All races are streamed live on TSN+ and through FloRacing in the United States.

Race fans can follow DJ Kennington and the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge team on their official social media platforms:

Twitter www.twitter.com/@djkracing
Instagram www.instagram.com/djkracing
Website www.djkracing.ca
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DJKenningtonRacing/

Cadillac gathers confidence from COTA

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Official Release
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No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R heads to Fuji for seventh round of WEC season

DETROIT (Sept. 9, 2024) – Buoyed by the best result of its second FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season, Cadillac Racing enters the home stretch of the schedule with renewed confidence and direction.

Alex Lynn and Earl Bamber drove the No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R to fourth place September 1 in the six-hour Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of The Americas, battling the Texas heat/humidity and 17 Hypercar competitors for 183 laps on the 3.426-mile, 20-turn course.

The team’s previous top points result was seventh in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in mid-June. A fourth-place finish in the opener in Qatar was vacated after FIA stewards ruled on a post-race technical infraction.

“It was our first race where we could really work on the detail and dig into when we’re fighting for one-tenth every single lap what do I need in the car. Just a solid day,” Lynn said after congratulating team members at COTA.

A day earlier, Lynn was congratulated for qualifying third in the 10-minute Hyperpole session for an unrivaled fourth consecutive race in the top four.

Now the team’s attention turns to the Six Hours of Fuji on Sept. 15 at Fuji Speedway, where the No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R qualified fifth of 12 Hypercars in the six-hour race in 2023. Tire degradation on the 2.835-mile, 12-turn circuit, two drive-thru penalties for infractions and a lengthy garage visit for repairs countered the positive start and the team finished 10th.

Data and experience gleaned from the event are important aspects in developing the hybrid racecar and assisting the drivers for the race against 17 Hypercar entries.

“I believe Fuji last year was the event where we learned the most. The trajectory that we’ve been with the car all started with Fuji,” added Lynn, who went on to qualify third in the 12-car Hypercar field at the final in Bahrain. “I’m excited to get back there and see what we’ve done as improvements.”

What they’re saying

Alex Lynn: “I think Fuji last year was the event where we learned the most. That’s the most important thing we took out of the race. The trajectory that we’ve been with the car all started with Fuji. It was one of our toughest weekends and we’ve learned a helluva lot. I’m excited to get back there and see what we’ve done as improvements. It’s a special place. I love going there. From Austin to Tokyo to Fuji, I’m looking forward to it.”

Earl Bamber: “Fuji was challenging for us last year and we’ve put quite a bit of effort in the simulator to try to understand where we went wrong. I think in the second year of the program we’re understanding the areas where our strengths and shortcomings are and working on the deficiencies. I think we’ve managed to make it into a better window this year with the car always in the top five when the race goes right. We’re looking to show our progress in these last two races. I love Japan. The fans are incredible and last year we had a lot of support for Cadillac, so I’m looking forward to going back.”

Coleman and Telitz Take On 24H Barcelona with Optimum Motorsport

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Official Release
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DENVER, Colo., (September 9, 2024) – After several years competing together in GT4 sports car racing, longtime co-drivers Todd Coleman and Aaron Telitz will step up into GT3 racing with their entry into the 24H of Barcelona, September 13-15. Entering the prestigious event with Optimum Motorsport, they will be joined by Rob Megennis and Frederik Schandorff.

Based in the United Kingdom, Optimum Motorsport is a championship-winning McLaren customer racing team, with a number of successes in their 13 years of racing. With titles in the Asian Le Mans series, IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup, and GT World Challenge Europe, this group is already expected to make a strong showing in the endurance racing event.

“It’s great to be back on the grid racing in the Hankook 24H Barcelona,” said Team Principal Shaun Goff. “The last time we raced in this specific Creventic event was with the Ginetta G55 GT4 back in 2015! This year’s race celebrates the 25th edition, and it’s set to be as competitive as ever with close to over 40 entries. We’re excited to have Todd, Aaron, and Rob onboard with us. We’ve seen the pace the trio have out in the States, from racing against them in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship to seeing their great results in Michelin Pilot Challenge. Paired with Fred’s wealth of experience in the McLaren, I’m looking forward to seeing what they can do together out on track and contesting for the overall race win.”

Now, in his sophomore season in IMSA’s Michelin Pilot Challenge series, Coleman has shown great progress in racing alongside his pro-ranked co-driver, Aaron Telitz. The American pair celebrated an impressive and well-deserved win earlier this year at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and followed it up with two more podiums in the races to follow.

The third driver in the endurance lineup, American-British-Korean driver Rob Megennis first made his debut in sports car racing in 2020 and has since celebrated several podiums in GT4 and GT3 racing machinery. The 24-year-old has secured podium finishes at Petit Le Mans, bringing some endurance racing experience to add to Telitz’s experience in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Danish race car driver Frederik Schandorff rounds out the driver lineup, bringing with him his wealth of experience having raced in McLaren machinery since the end if 2021. He was a part of McLaren’s first-ever pole position at Le Mans this year, and has also celebrated two podiums in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship so far in 2024.

The Hankook 24H Barcelona will begin on Saturday, September 14 at 12:00 PM CEST, 6:00 AM EDT, airing live on youtube.com/@24HSeries.

DRIVER QUOTES

Todd Coleman

I am thrilled to be partnered with Optimum Motorsports, McLaren, our incredible sponsors and this amazing driver line-up for my inaugural entre’ into GT3 class racing. We have been working over the past few years towards the goal of moving up to a GT3 car, and I can’t think of a better way than a 24-hour endurance race in Barcelona and surrounding myself with some of the best drivers to learn from.

eStruxture is the largest Canadian data center provider with locations in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary. Headquartered in Montreal, eStruxture provides access to an ecosystem of almost 1,200 customers who trust and depend on our infrastructure and customer support, including carriers, cloud providers, media content, financial services, and enterprise customers. eStruxture offers colocation, bandwidth, security and support services to customers across Canada in its carrier and cloud-neutral facilities.

Aaron Telitz

I can’t wait to get to Barcelona and work with Optimum Motorsports in their McLaren 720s GT3 Evo. Todd, Rob, Fred, and I are all excited to work together for the first time and see what we can do jumping into the deep end with a 24-hour race!

Rob Magennis

There’s nothing like a 24-hour race, and I’m super excited to be back in Europe and in a GT3 car. We have a great team and car behind us, so seeing what we can do will be exciting. Hopefully, this is the first of many European trophies we’ll get together!

Frederik Schandorff

I am super excited to get back to Barcelona, the track where I won the GTWCE Gold Cup championship in 2022, and with the same amazing team as then. I can’t wait to get in action with Todd, Aaron and Robert. I am sure we will have a lot of fun together.

About Todd Coleman Racing

Todd Coleman Racing was founded in 2022, the passion product from entrepreneur Todd Coleman. He began his racing career in 2020, racing at an entry-level before working his way up to the professional ranks. He continued to learn the ropes of the business of motorsport, partnering with championship-winning sports car teams and professional coach/drivers. He founded Todd Coleman Racing as the next step in racing toward his dream; to create his own championship-winning race team.

About Optimum Motorsport

The Wakefield, United Kingdom-based squad has scored multiple championship victories in McLaren machinery, most recently claiming the marque’s first-ever pole position at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, securing the 2023 GT Open and British GT GT4 Silver Cup Titles, winning the Lenovo Gulf 12 Hours & 24 Hours of Spa.

Additional notable success includes securing a podium at last year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 2022 IMSA Endurance Cup, 2022 GT World Challenge Europe’s Endurance Gold Cup, Asian Le Mans GT and 2021 GT Open Pro-Am Titles

Rexy Returns for WeatherTech Championship Fight, Drivers Announced

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ST. CHARLES, Ill., (September 9, 2024) – Just two races remain in the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and AO Racing’s Rexy the No. 77 Porsche 911 GT3 Rawr is back from summer vacation, returning next weekend to resume his championship fight in the GTD PRO class. Michelin Endurance Cup addition Michael Christensen is poised to return for the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks, racing alongside full-season driver Lauren Heinrich in the six-hour endurance event at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sunday, September 22. Julien Andlauer will join the duo in the Porsche for Petit Le Mans, the 10-hour season finale at Road Atlanta,

“Roxy did a great job for us in the last two races, but Rexy is excited to be back for the remainder of the season,” said Team Principal Gunnar Jeannette. “Rexy is rested and ready for this last push. Our team is strong in the endurance races, and we feel good about our chances of fighting for the title. Both Michael and Julien have been great additions to our lineup, and we’re excited to have them in for the end.”

Christensen has completed two races with AO Racing this season, coming in second place at the Rolex 24 At Daytona in January. With two wins in the GTD PRO class, the team and driver Laurin Heinrich lead the championship by 17 points with 385 points remaining up for grabs between the final two races.

“I’m looking very much forward to get back with AO Racing and Rexy,” said Christensen. “The team has performed very well over the season and is in a great position leading the championship! I’ll do my very best to support and strengthen the position further into the last round at Petit Le Mans.”

Andlauer previously raced with the team at Road America, where he, Laurin, and Roxy finished in fourth place in a race plagued with yellow flags.

“I’m looking forward to being back with the team,” said Andlauer. “We had a difficult, but successful, weekend at Road America, which was better than expected going into the event. I hope we can have better potential for the last two rounds. Teaming up with Laurin and Michael will be a strong lineup. I’m looking forward to working properly and giving our best for the best result possible, and to get the championship win for the team and Laurin.”

TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks will begin on Sunday, September 22 at 11:40 AM ET, airing flag-to-flag on Peacock in the United States and imsa.com/tvlive for international audiences.

About AO Racing

Founded in 2022 by PJ Hyett and Gunnar Jeannette, AO Racing has swiftly risen to prominence in the world of professional sports car racing. With an unwavering commitment to on-track excellence and fan engagement, AO Racing commands attention with its fun liveries and fan-friendly presence, becoming a dynamic force in the sport. Central to AO Racing’s success is its unique blend of performance and personality. The iconic liveries of “Rexy” and “Roxy,” the T-Rex Porsche 911 GT3 Rawrs and “Spike” the LMP2 Dragon have captivated fans worldwide, earning AO Racing a dedicated following. With a focus on making racing accessible and enjoyable for enthusiasts of all ages, AO Racing has become a beloved favorite among motorsport lovers. The team has a global footprint, with strong efforts in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Asian Le Mans Series, European Le Mans Series, and the FIA World Endurance Championship. With passion, precision, and a touch of flair, AO Racing is writing the next chapter in the annals of motorsport history.

Team Penske NASCAR Cup Series Race Report – Atlanta 2

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Quaker State 400: Atlanta Motor Speedway
Hampton, Ga. – September 8, 2024

AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 MENARDS/QUAKER STATE FORD MUSTANG

START: 5TH STAGE ONE: 2ND STAGE TWO: 1ST FINISH: 10TH POINTS: 7TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric led a race and career-high 92 laps in Sunday’s Quaker State 400, but ultimately placed 10th in the Menards/Quaker State Ford Mustang after diligently working to recover from an issue on pit road. The speed of Cindric’s Blue Oval was on full display all weekend, as the 26-year-old driver qualified inside the top 10 for the fourth consecutive time at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Cindric had a constant presence among the frontrunners in the opening stint, finishing second in Stage 1 to secure nine valuable points. He pitted for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment and restarted second with teammate Ryan Blaney behind him. Cindric quickly jolted to the lead, where he remained until a caution for debris slowed the field on Lap 115. The yellow flag allowed the Team Penske car to pit for fuel only ahead of the restart, in which Cindric lined up as the leader. He cruised on to his fifth career Stage win by taking the checkered flag first at the end of the second segment, securing more valuable points. Happy with the balance of the car, he returned to pit road for four fresh tires and fuel; however, an unfortunate issue with the left front led to a loss of position and Cindric was scored 19th for the restart. He meticulously maneuvered his Ford Mustang up through the pack over the dramatic final segment to record a 10th-place finish.

CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “I’m just glad a Team Penske car won it. We’ve come to so many of these speedways with cars that are capable of winning races and I’m proud of Joey [Logano] and the guys to get it done. Obviously, Ryan [Blaney] and I worked really well together to get a ton of points to start. We just got off cycle there with a bad pit stop and just really took a long time to get back up to the front of the field. I feel like I could have made some better decisions on the last couple of restarts, but a solid effort all around with all of the challenges of pack racing.”

RYAN BLANEY No. 12 DENT WIZARD FORD MUSTANG

START: 2ND STAGE ONE: 1ST STAGE TWO: 2ND FINISH: 3RD POINTS: 1ST

RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney wheeled the No. 12 Dent Wizard Ford Mustang to a third-place finish in the opening race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Sunday at Atlanta, moving the 12-team to the top of the drivers points standings. After starting from the outside of row one, Blaney made the move to take over the lead on lap 30 and paced the field for the remainder of the first 60-lap stage for his fourth stage win of the season. He restarted Stage 2 from the inside of row two behind teammate Austin Cindric as the two pushed their way to the front of the field at the start of the run. The caution flag flew on lap 114 as the leaders pitted for fuel only, setting up a restart with 41 laps left in the second segment. Blaney continued to work with Cindric up front, culminating in a second-place finish in Stage 2 for the Dent Wizard Ford. With fuel mileage playing a major role in the final stage, teams began to vary their strategies as Blaney continued to run inside the top-10. On lap 205, the No. 17 got loose underneath Blaney off the exit of turn two and made contact with the left rear of the No. 12, sending him sliding across the track and into the door of the No. 19 to bring out the caution. The 12-team made a pair of stops on pit road under yellow for repairs to the right rear and left side door without losing a lap as Blaney got back on track to take the green from the tail end of the field. Without any concerns about making it to the end on fuel, Blaney began his charge through the field to make it back inside the top-10 with 16 laps to go. After a caution for debris set up a restart with five to go, Blaney worked his way through three-wide battles to get to the bumper of teammate Joey Logano before pushing him to the lead. The final caution of the afternoon flew with two to go to set up a green-white-checkered finish as Blaney lined up to restart behind Logano on the inside of row two. With another pair of teammates lined up in the outside lane, the Team Penske duo prevailed as Blaney pushed Logano clear of the No. 99 and to the eventual race win as the 2023 Cup Series Champion took the checkered flag third, marking his second-consecutive top-five and fifth-straight top-10 finish at Atlanta.

BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “Yeah, honestly I can’t believe we got back up where we did. The 12 boys did a really good job fixing it. I’m surprised it didn’t have more damage than what it did. From my seat, I got drilled in the left rear, the door I guess is where it hit me. The right rear got off the fence. I didn’t know how damaged we were. I was kind of able to carve up through traffic, could kind of get through the middle pretty good. So yeah, really proud of the effort. [I] had a thought of going three-wide on the frontstretch. I’m like, man, it’s going to be tight, we already have a good day going, great points, all that stuff. Yeah, third, a really good day. Appreciate Dent Wizard doing what they do. Menards, Advance Auto Parts, DEX Imaging, Discount Tire. Move on to Watkins Glen. Proud of the effort by everybody and congrats to the 22 team. Joey [Logano] did a great job all day.”

JOEY LOGANO No. 22 AUTOTRADER FORD MUSTANG

START: 7TH STAGE ONE: 4TH STAGE TWO: 12TH FINISH: 1ST POINTS: 5TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano locked himself into the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with a dramatic win in the opening race the postseason Sunday at Atlanta, parking the No. 22 Autotrader Ford Mustang in victory lane for his 34th-career victory. Sunday’s win is Logano’s 32nd with Ford, placing him fourth on the manufacturers all-time wins list, while also marking his eighth season with multiple Cup Series victories. Logano opened the 400-mile event with a fourth-place finish in Stage 1 before handling issues in traffic throughout Stage 2 resulted in a 12th-place result in the second segment. After restarting the final stage from 15th, Logano was scored 18th at the time of the caution on lap 175, prompting teams to hit pit road with the fuel window looming. Crew chief Paul Wolfe made the call for fuel only as the field lined up with 79 laps remaining, but another caution on lap 205 altered the strategy yet again as Logano was told to hold off on going hard until 10 laps to go. Logano found success running the top lane as he charged into the top-five with 27 to go before he was told he no longer needed to save fuel with 14 laps left, allowing him to jump to fourth on the leaderboard prior to a caution for debris with 11 to go. Logano lined up from the outside of row two for the ensuing restart and worked his way to the front with teammate Ryan Blaney on his back bumper as the two navigated three-wide battles prior to the caution with two laps remaining, setting up a green-white-checkered finish. Logano and Blaney lined up as the first two cars on the inside row coming to the green with teammates in the Nos. 99 and 1 lined up on the front of the outside row, but the Team Penske duo prevailed as the Autotrader Ford cleared the No. 99 heading into turn one on the white flag lap and kept it out front the rest of the way, culminating in Logano’s second points-paying win of the 2024 season and second-career victory at Atlanta (2022 Spring). Logano’s 34th-career Cup Series victory moves him into a tie for 25th on the series’ all-time wins list with Kurt Busch and Martin Truex Jr.

LOGANO’S THOUGHTS: “They just give me really fast cars on superspeedways and we always find ourselves towards the front of them, we just end up wrecking more times than not. So, to be able to finally capitalize on a fast race car and win here in Atlanta again, I lived right over there in condo 805 for a long time, waking up dreaming of just racing on this racetrack, so pulling into Victory Lane here is always a special one. We had such a really good team here today. It’s awesome to get Autotrader into Victory Lane and the JL Kids Crew are here today, so it’s really cool to finally win with them here.”

“We all talked about how wild card this round could be. We knew that the Penske cars would be strong on the superspeedway style type racetracks. We’ve been all year long. Unfortunately we’ve been caught up in every possible wreck on these type of tracks. It’s nice to finally capitalize on the laps led, being towards the front, having a teammate lined up behind me there. He scored a ton of points today, too, being up there. A good day for Team Penske all the way through. A really special day for Penske to be able to score some good points and set themselves up pretty good for the Round of 12.”

The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs continues the Round of 16 at Watkins Glen International on Sunday, September 15. Coverage of the Go Bowling at The Glen begins at 3 p.m. ET on USA, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Keselowski Finishes 19th at Atlanta in Opening Race of Playoffs

By
Official Release
-

Buescher DNF Following Crash in Final Stage

HAMPTON, Ga. (Sept. 8, 2024) – Brad Keselowski finished 19th Sunday afternoon in a rather uneventful opening race of the 2024 NASCAR Playoffs. Chris Buescher ran inside the top-10 late but retired early following a crash with 60 laps remaining.

6 Recap
Keselowski began the day from the 19th spot coming off Saturday’s single-car qualifying session. The opening stage of 60 laps looked to run caution free until the closing laps, when the No. 5 took a hard hit, displaying the first yellow of the afternoon at lap 56. That caution would also serve as the stage end with Keselowski in 23rd.

The King’s Hawaiian Ford rolled 33rd for stage two following the first pit stop opportunity of the afternoon. The race went caution-free for the next 46 laps as Keselowski was scored 15th at lap 113, when crew chief Matt McCall called him to pit road for a fuel-only stop. That strategy put him eighth on the ensuing restart, resetting the track position for the final 41 laps of the segment. Keselowski went on to finish the stage 14th.

From there, he was unable to gain much track position, restarting the stage 20th. He worked as high as 17th by lap 181, but despite a pair of late yellows, could not manuever through the field well enough.

He restarted 25th for NASCAR Overtime, and sliced through a last-lap incident to finish 19th.

“It just wasn’t a super strong day,” Keselowski said following the finish. “We kind of survived and we’ll live to fight another day.”

17 Recap
Much like Keselowski, Buescher spent a large majority of the afternoon finding his pace in the Fastenal Ford. After starting 17th, Buescher went on to finish 26th to end stage one. After a stage two result of 27th, he took right side tires only in the stage break, flipping the track position to 13th to begin stage two.

Another caution flew just a handful of laps later as Buescher took fuel only that time, restarting 14th at lap 181. Then, just as be entered the top-10 around 200, Buescher lost his handling on the bottom lane on lap 206, collecting a handful of other machines.

His day would end early as the right-side damage was too severe to continue.

“Ultimately, that’s not how we wanted to go out,” Buescher said following the crash. “I’m definitely disappointed and screwed up there. I got a really good run, got to the bottom and we’d been able to keep really good pace on the bottom, and then just caught a bump and stepped out and ended up making a crash.

“I’m disappointed in myself for that one. It certainly wasn’t our typical Atlanta day, either. We’d been so good here, but I had to fight for the handling today. The team made good adjustments and good calls to get us close to the front, but I just messed it up when it counted.”

Up Next
Watkins Glen International hosts race two of the playoffs next weekend. Race coverage is set for 3 p.m. ET Sunday on USA, with radio coverage on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

About RFK Racing
RFK Racing, in its 37th season in 2024, features an ownership lineup pairing one of the sport’s most iconic names, Jack Roush, along with NASCAR Champion, Brad Keselowski, and Fenway Sports Group owner John Henry. Roush initially founded the team in 1988 and it has since become one of the most successful racing operations in the world, propelling him to be the first NASCAR owner to amass three hundred wins and capturing eight championships, including back-to-back NASCAR Cup titles in 2003 and 2004. Keselowski, a former owner in the NASCAR Truck Series, is the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Champion. In 2007, Roush partnered with Henry, who also owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, to form Roush Fenway Racing. Off the track, RFK is a leader and proven winner in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning social media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns. Visit rfkracing.com, and follow the team on all social platforms @rfkracing.

Rick Ware Racing: Quaker State 400 from Atlanta

By
Official Release
-

RICK WARE RACING
Quaker State 400
Date: Sept. 8, 2024
Event: Quaker State 400 (Round 27 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway (1.54-mile oval)
Format: 260 laps, broken into three stages (60 laps/100 laps/100 laps)
Note: Race extended six laps past its scheduled 260-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.

Race Winner: Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 1 Winner: Ryan Blaney of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 2 Winner: Austin Cindric of Team Penske (Ford)

RWR Race Finish:

● Justin Haley (Started 29th, Finished 12th / Running, completed 266 of 266 laps)
● Cody Ware (Started 31st, Finished 30th / Running, completed 266 of 266 laps)

RWR Points:

● Justin Haley (31st with 391 points)
● Cody Ware (36th with 105 points)

RWR Notes:

● This was Haley’s eighth NASCAR Cup Series start at Atlanta. His best finish remains seventh, earned in July 2022.
● This was Ware’s eighth NASCAR Cup Series start at Atlanta. His best finish remains 23rd, earned in July 2022.

Race Notes:

● Joey Logano won the Quaker State 400 to score his 34th career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his second of the season and his second at Atlanta. His margin of victory over second-place Daniel Suárez was .212 of a second.
● This was Ford’s 736th all-time NASCAR Cup Series victory, its seventh of the season and its third straight. Ford driver Harrison Burton won Aug. 24 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and Briscoe won last Sunday at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.
● This was Ford’s 37th NASCAR Cup Series victory at Atlanta. The manufacturer won its first race at Atlanta with NASCAR Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen on July 9, 1961.
● There were eight caution periods for a total of 44 laps.
● Thirty of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

Sound Bites:

“Atlanta is tough. We did a good job working on the balance early on, but it gets tough in dirty air. I’m glad we made it to the end and had some laps in the top-10. Another top-15 finish we can build on.”– Justin Haley, driver of the No. 51 Grady Health System Ford Mustang Dark Horse

“It’s tough to stay out of trouble all day, only to find it on the last lap. We learned a lot and we’ve still got another shot at getting a good finish with Mighty Fire Breaker in a couple of weeks at Talladega. ” – Cody Ware, driver of the No. 15 Mighty Fire BreakerFord Mustang Dark Horse

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Go Bowling at The Glen on Sunday, Sept. 15 at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. The race begins at 3:00 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by USA and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

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