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Layne Riggs and the No. 38 Zorn Compressor & Equipment Ford F-150

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Official Release
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Milwaukee Mile Competition Notes

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 21, 2024) – Layne Riggs will make his debut at the Milwaukee Mile this weekend in a rare, Sunday race for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.

This will be Riggs’ first attempt at the mile long track, but has delivered impressive results at other short-tracks on the Truck Series circuit, scoring Top-5 finishes at the North Wilkesboro Speedway, the World Wide Technology Raceway, the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, and the Richmond Raceway.

The No. 38 Ford F-150 will bring a new livery this weekend with Riggs’ partnering with Zorn Compressor & Equipment for the 175-lap event. Zorn Compressor & Equipment is a family-owned company based in Pewaukee, Wisconsin with multiple branches located in Wisconsin and Illinois.

With over 55 years of experience in the industry, Zorn distributes a wide variety of compressed air equipment, parts, and services and provide maintenance and repair, emergency service and rentals, installation and plant piping, and air, energy, and system audits. Whether it’s their expertise in the design and installation of systems, their comprehensive maintenance programs, or their robust inventory of parts and lubricants, Zorn’s customers, throughout a variety of industries, depend on them. Zorn is committed to providing top-quality support regardless of each unique need and strive to exceed expectations.

The weekend will kick off with practice and qualifying on Saturday, August 24th at 4:00 pm ET. Sunday’s event is scheduled for 4:00 pm ET and will be televised live on FS1. Fans can also listen in from the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.

No. 38 Zorn Compressor & Equipment Ford F-150:

DRIVER LAYNE RIGGS:

“I’ve never raced at Milwaukee, but Dylan (Cappello) and the team have data to go off of from last year so I think we have a pretty good baseline. We had impressive runs at the other short-tracks this season, so I am confident heading into this weekend.

“I am happy to see Zorn Compressor & Equipment join us for the race. I love the paint scheme, and I think fans will like it too. Hopefully I can represent them well and give them a result we can all be proud of.”

CREW CHIEF DYLAN CAPPELLO:

“I can see Milwaukee being a track that Layne (Riggs) can win at. He has shown a lot of speed at these smaller tracks and Milwaukee is no different. I am confident in Layne’s ability, we just need to execute and be there in the end.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Spire Motorsports LiUNA! 175 Race Advance

By
Official Release
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  • In Spire Motorsports lone NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) start at the Milwaukee Mile, Derek Kraus started 25th and wheeled the team’s No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to an eighth-place finish in last season’s visit to America’s Legendary Oval. Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolets full time in the NCTS. An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth drives the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Chevrolet Silverados in the No. 77.
  • The LiUNA! 175 from the Milwaukee Mile will be televised live on FS1 Sunday, Aug. 25, beginning at 4 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 17th of 23 NCTS races on the 2024 schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Sammy Smith – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

  • Sammy Smith will steer Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Golden Harvest Chevrolet Silverado in Sunday’s LiUNA! 175 at the Milwaukee Mile.
  • The No. 7 team qualified for the 2024 NCTS owner’s playoffs, seeded eighth on the 10-truck grid with three playoff points. Milwaukee marks the first of three races in the Round of 10, continuing at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (Sept. 19) and Kansas Speedway (Sept. 27). The crew is tied at the cutline to advance to the Round of Eight.
  • Friday’s 175-lap event will mark Smith’s fourth and final NCTS start this season. He finished eighth at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (April 5), fifth at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway (May 19) and sixth at Indianapolis Raceway Park (July 19).
  • The NASCAR Xfinity Series regular will be pulling double duty this weekend, driving the No. 8 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on Friday night. He will make the 1,000-mile trip to Wisconsin State Fair Park following the 250 miler.
  • Smith has two ARCA Menards Series (AMS) starts at the Wisconsin oval, qualifying on the pole and leading 122 laps en route to a victory in the 2022 event with Kyle Busch Motorsports. In 2021, he started on the front row and finished fifth.
  • The Super Late Model standout participated in the ASA Midwest Tour Father’s Day 100 at the track in 2021. He finished fourth as the race was cut 19 laps short due to inclement weather.
  • Golden Harvest Seeds has been working with and listening to farmers with intention since 1973, offering in-depth seeds expertise combined with the local agronomic know-how of an independent Golden Harvest Seed Advisor to help identify custom solutions for every corn and soybean acre. Today, each Golden Harvest hybrid or variety is bred with the individual needs of hardworking farmers in mind. Golden Harvest® corn hybrids feature elite genetics with proven performance and the most complete above- and below-ground insect control solutions with the Duracade® and Viptera® trait stacks. Golden Harvest soybean varieties include the industry’s broadest trait choice and exclusive genetics that set a new standard for performance and yield potential.
  • In 63 NXS starts, the Johnston, Iowa, native has 11 top fives, 29 top 10s and claimed his first NASCAR national touring series victory at Phoenix Raceway last March.
  • The two-time ARCA Menards Series East champion has racked up eight wins across 15 starts in the regional stock car series. He claimed his second-consecutive East Series title in a dominant 2022 campaign, winning five of the seven races while maintaining an average finish of 1.7.
  • The young-phenom doubled-up in 2022, earning the ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief Showdown crown. Smith emerged victorious four times in the series and did not finish outside of the top five in all 10 races, maintaining a 2.2 average finish.
  • The short track ace has earned wins in some of the country’s most notable Late Model races including the Winchester 400, Red Bud 400 and Florida Governor’s Cup. He snagged a CARS Pro Late Model Tour victory in 2021 at Jennerstown (Pa.) Speedway and four pavement super late model wins that same season. In 2022, Smith was victorious in a star-studded combination ARCA CRA Super Series/Southern Super Series race at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway.
  • Through 16 races, the No. 7 has compiled two wins with an average starting position of 10.4 and an average finish of 12.6 thus far this season. Kyle Busch led 33 laps en route the team’s first victory of 2024 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February and a 112 laps in the team’s most recent triumph in Texas.
  • In his first season at Spire Motorsports, crew chief Brian Pattie led the No. 7 team to two victories across the first seven events this season, both with Kyle Busch (Atlanta Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway). The duo also won twice across five races last year with Kyle Busch Motorsports.
  • Matt Mills finished 25th in Pattie’s lone race calling the shots in Truck Series action at Milwaukee last July. He’s been atop the box for a pair of races in Xfinity Series action at the historic Wisconsin oval with drivers Reed Sorenson and David Stremme.
  • The Golden Harvest colors will wrap Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-081. Kyle Busch parked the truck in victory lane at Texas Motor Speedway in April. The chassis was last on track at Gateway with Andres Perez behind the wheel, who finished ninth in his Truck Series debut.
  • Sammy Smith Quotes
  • You’ve seen success at Milwaukee in ARCA and Late Model competition. How do expect your prior experience to correlate to the truck?
  • “Having won there in the past, I am bringing in a lot of confidence. It is a fun track to race at. I’m excited to get the opportunity to run the Golden Harvest colors in my last run in the No. 7 Silverado this year.”
  • You’ll be racing the Xfinity car in Daytona on Friday night before making the trip to Wisconsin. In your eyes, what is the biggest challenge in pulling “the double?”
  • “In my eyes, the biggest challenge will be the weather. Hopefully it is clear Friday night so I can make the trip to Milwaukee before practice and qualifying. The Xfinity car and the truck are completely different, and the two tracks have nothing in common. I think adapting to the car I am in will be the biggest piece in having success this weekend.”

Rajah Caruth – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

  • Rajah Caruth will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Silverado in Sunday’s LiUNA! 175 at the Milwaukee Mile.
  • Caruth and the No. 71 team qualified for the NCTS playoffs thanks to their win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway earlier this season and ending the regular season fifth in the championship point standings. The Round of 10 kicks off this weekend at Milwaukee and will continue at Bristol Motor Speedway (Sept. 19) and Kansas Speedway (Sept. 27). Caruth and Co. are seeded fifth on the playoff grid, seven points above the Round of Eight cutline.
  • Last time out, Caruth qualified 16th and finished 17th in the regular-season finale at Richmond Raceway.
  • HENDRICKCARS.COM is the online home for everything Hendrick Automotive Group. Visitors can shop thousands of new or pre-owned vehicles, locate centers for service and collision repair, receive a value to sell or trade their car, chat online with customer service, discover career opportunities, learn more about vehicle protections programs, and explore how the company gives back to the community.
  • Last season, the 22-year-old finished 15th in the first Truck Series race at the Milwaukee Mile since 2009.
  • The Winston-Salem (N.C.) State University senior owns two ARCA Menards Series starts at Milwaukee, highlighted by a fourth-place finish in 2022.
  • The Washington, D.C., native is currently fifth in the NCTS championship point standings after 16 races. He has logged two poles, one win, three top-five, eight top-10 and 12 top-15 finishes. He’s recorded a 10.8 average start and an 11.4 average finish.
  • With his first career NCTS win and pole position earlier this season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Caruth became the third African American driver, alongside NASCAR Hall of Famer, Wendell Scott and current NASCAR Cup Series regular Bubba Wallace, to win a NASCAR National Touring Series race.
  • Caruth raced his first full season in NCTS in 2023, earning four top-10 finishes and closing the year 16th in the division’s championship point standings.
  • Crew chief Chad Walter will visit Wisconsin State Fair Park for the second time as a crew chief in the Truck Series. He’s also called the shots three times in Xfinity Series action, most recently in 2009 with Justin Allgaier at Team Penske.
  • The No. 71 Silverado racing on Sunday will be Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-063. The truck has finished inside the top 10 nine times in its 14 starts and paced the field for 188 circuits. Kyle Busch took the chassis to victory lane at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2020.

Rajah Caruth Quotes
What makes Milwaukee so unique?
“Milwaukee is unique for a few reasons. You’d expect a track with similar shape to have a lot of grip and high speeds, but it’s actually the opposite. The surface is weathered and hasn’t been repaved in nearly two decades. It is a completely flat race track. For a driver, it’s a challenge because you have to trust the truck in a different way than you would at a high-banked race track with high speeds. It rewards the short trackers that have a good understanding of how to use the brake pedal and the lateral and side grip of the truck. Milwaukee is a different animal, and I think when we get out of there with a good finish, we’ll be in good shape to continue our run for a championship.”
What’s your approach going into your first playoff appearance?
“Number one, I’m really excited for the opportunity. One of my main goals for the year was to get into the playoffs with Spire Motorsports, given the quality of equipment here. We not only got the win earlier this year to lock ourselves in, but we would have made it in based on our point standing as well. In terms of an approach, I wouldn’t say we have changed a thing. I believe we have all the pieces needed to be one of the four competing for a championship in Phoenix. We just need to fine tune some small things and work out some minor kinks. The increased intensity of the playoffs suits me and is something I’m familiar with coming from a sports background. The playoff grind is something I live off of.”

Chase Purdy – Driver, No.77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

  • Chase Purdy will drive Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado in Sunday’s LiUNA! 175.
  • Last time out, Purdy finished 20th at Richmond Raceway.
  • In the Truck Series’ return to Milwaukee in 2023, the 24-year-old qualified seventh and finished sixth. He racked up the third-most quality passes on the day with 35.
  • The Clean Harbors 250 will mark Purdy’s 92nd NCTS start and 17th behind the wheel of the No. 77 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports.
  • Purdy finished third in the 11-race Sioux Chief Short Track Challenge series within the 2018 ARCA season. He racked up six top fives and nine top 10s while achieving a sixth-place average starting position and a 6.9 average finish.
  • Purdy is no stranger to victory lane in “The Badger State.” In 2018, he took the checkered in the ARCA Midwest Tour Dixieland 250 at Wisconsin International Raceway. He led 55 laps en route to the win at the Kaukauna, Wis., track. Later that same season, he finished sixth in the Slinger Nationals at nearby Slinger (Wis.) Speedway.
  • The Meridian, Miss. native earned his best finish of the year on a short track, a third-place finish at Martinsville Speedway in April.
  • While racing for Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2023, Purdy had the best statistical season of his career. He earned three top-five, 11 top-10 and 14 top-15 finishes while notching a career-best finish of second at Texas Motor Speedway (April 1) and claiming his first career Truck Series pole at Kansas Speedway (Sept. 8). He would snag his second career pole two races later at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (Sept.30), a race in which he led a career-high 11 laps.
  • Crew chief Jason Trinchere is yet to call the shots at the Milwaukee Mile, but was a lead design engineer on Bryan Clauson’s ride at Chip Ganassi Racing in the 2008 NASCAR Xfinity Series event.
  • Engineer David Stillman , an Appleton, Wis., native, calls the Milwaukee Mile his home track. Stillman, an industry veteran, spent time at Dale Earnhardt, Inc., Richard Childress Racing, Roush-Fenway Racing and Team Penske prior to arriving at Spire.
  • Purdy will be behind the wheel of Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-073 on Sunday. He piloted the truck to a sixth-place finish in its last appearance at Darlington in May.

Chase Purdy Quotes
How do you plan to attack the final seven races of the year?
“Even though we missed the playoffs, our goal doesn’t change. We are here to win. We no longer have to points race, so we are able to approach each week with the strategy to be up front at the end.”
Milwaukee marked one of your best races of the year last season. How do you feel returning to the track?
“We had great speed last year at Milwaukee. We are taking notes we had from the event and applying it to this weekend. I have a lot of confidence at that place, so I’m looking forward to getting back there.”
From the Top of the Box

Brian Pattie – Crew Chief, No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado

  • In his first season at Spire Motorsports, Brian Pattie has led the No. 7 team to two victories, both with Kyle Busch. The duo also won twice across five races last year at KBM.
  • Pattie also collected a victory with Ron Fellows at Watkins Glen International in 1999 to give him five career NCTS wins.
  • Pattie was atop the pit box for six wins across 14 seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series and has 11 career victories as a crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Chad Walter – Crew Chief, No. 71 Chevrolet Silverado

  • Chad Walter has over two decades of experience and began his career with Hendrick Motorsports in 1996.
  • Walter guided Caruth to his first NCTS win March 1, 2024 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
  • Some of his most notable accomplishments include a pair of Daytona 500 victories (2001 & 2003) with Michael Waltrip, along with Cup Series wins with Steve Park and Terry Labonte.

Jason Trinchere – Crew Chief, No. 77 Chevrolet Silverado

  • Jason Trinchere earned his Bachelor of Science from Penn State University and began his professional career in 2005 as the race engineer for the iconic No. 75 Spears Manufacturing NCTS team, owned by series’ pioneers Wayne and Connie Spears.
  • Notable accomplishments include Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 wins with both Ganassi Racing and Penske Racing. He was a key member of the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series Championship team with driver Joey Logano.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports is a NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race team co-owned by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2024, Spire Motorsports campaigns the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Corey LaJoie, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively. The team also fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth drives the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Silverados in the No. 77.

Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on April 12, 2024, when Kyle Busch took the checkered flag in the SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing denied Overturn of Richmond Penalties from Appeals Panel

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Stephanie McLaughlin for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Richard Childress Racing lost its appeal process in overturning Austin Dillon’s penalty of having his NASCAR Cup Series victory at Richmond Raceway stripped from Playoff eligibility following a hearing from the National Motorsports Appeals Panel on Wednesday, August 21.

Dillon’s penalty stems from August 11, where he wrecked both Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin on the final lap and final corner to win at Richmond during an overtime shootout, actions Dillon mentioned as last-resort actions to race his way into the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

Three days after the victory, however, NASCAR stripped Dillon’s Playoff eligibility, citing that he “crossed the line” with the actions he made to wreck both Logano and Hamlin on the final corner. In addition, his No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet team were docked 25 driver/owner points while Dillon’s spotter, Brandon Benesch, was assessed a three-race suspension for encouraging Dillon to wreck the leaders to win. Amid the penalties, Dillon was still credited as the official Richmond winner.

Following the penalties that were handed down to Dillon and Richard Childress Racing, the organization released a statement, citing their plans to appeal the penalties.

A week since, the National Motorsports Appeals Panel, which overheard and reviewed the appeal process made by Dillon and Richard Childress Racing, ruled that both had violated the Member Code of Conduct Penalty Options and Guidelines from the NASCAR Rule Book. Therefore, the loss of points and the Richmond victory not being credited towards Playoff eligibility for Dillon remained intact. The panel did reduce spotter Brandon Benesch’s suspension from three to one race.

In addition to the decision being made, the panel, which included Tom DeLoach, Kelly Housby and Tommy Wheeler, released the following statement of their decision.

“NASCAR represents elite motorsports and, as such, its drivers are expected to demonstrate exemplary conduct if its series’ championships are to be validated. In this case, the ‘line’ was crossed.”

As a result of the penalties remaining intact, Dillon remains mired within the top-30 mark in the 2024 regular-season stretch and in a “must-win” situation to make the Playoffs with two regular-season events remaining on the schedule.

Not long after the decision was made, Richard Childress Racing released a statement that expressed the team’s disappointment with the outcome and plans to appeal to the National Motorsports Final Appeal Officer, which is permitted per the NASCAR Rule Book.

In the meantime, Austin Dillon’s on-track quest to race his way back into the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs continues this upcoming Saturday, August 24, at Daytona International Speedway for the Coke Zero Sugar 400, the penultimate regular-season event on this year’s schedule. The event’s airtime is slated to commence at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Michael McDowell and the No. 34 Long John Silver’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse

By
Official Release
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Daytona International Speedway Competition Notes

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 21, 2024) – Michael McDowell and the No. 34 return to the high-banks of Daytona looking for that all important win to lock themselves in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. The 34 Ford Mustang Dark Horse will feature the return of Long John Silver’s for Saturday night’s event.

The 2021 Daytona 500 winner, McDowell is no stranger to the 2.5-mile superspeedway. He has three Top-5s and 8 Top-10 finishes at Daytona in his career, as well as a second-place qualifying effort at this year’s Daytona 500 back in February.

The Cup Series will kick off the weekend with qualifying on Friday, August 23rd at 5:00 pm ET. The 160-lap event is scheduled for Saturday, August 24th at 7:30 pm ET. Fans can watch the action live on NBC or listen in from the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.

No. 34 Long John Silver’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

DRIVER MICHAEL MCDOWELL:

“We can win at Daytona, we have done it before, and we have showed good speed at the superspeedway tracks. But it’s Daytona, so you never know what is going to happen. There’s a little bit of unknown since every team not locked into the playoffs races with that urgency to win. It’s going to be intense.”

CREW CHIEF TRAVIS PETERSON:

“We know what we need to do to win. Daytona is a great track for us, and we showed all season that we have the speed at the superspeedways to qualifying up front and stay there. I have confidence in Michael and the team that we will bring a fast race car and execute well Saturday night.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 Grillo’s Pickles Ford Mustang Dark Horse

By
Official Release
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Daytona International Speedway Competition Notes

 MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 21, 2024) – The NASCAR Cup Series makes their return to the Daytona (FL.) International Speedway. Grillo’s Pickles will go back-to-back with Todd Gilliland, partnering with the driver to make their debut at the track, after showcasing their green and white livery at the Michigan International Speedway.

For Gilliland, the historic Florida track shows much promise for him to capture his first win in the NASCAR Cup Series and lock himself into the 2024 playoffs, leading 16 laps at the 2.5-mile venue in this season’s Daytona 500. Gilliland has proven that he has what it takes to be a trusted drafting partner at superspeedways with impressive performances at Daytona, Atlanta, and Talladega.

The Cup Series will kick off the weekend with qualifying on Friday, August 23rd at 5:00 pm ET. The 160-lap event is scheduled for Saturday, August 24th at 7:30 pm ET. Fans can watch the action live on NBC or listen in from the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.

No. 38 Grillo’s Pickles Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

DRIVER TODD GILLILAND:

“This is an important weekend for us. We only have two races left until the playoffs start, with Daytona being one of them. We have shown a lot of speed on superspeedways this year so I’m confident that we can bring it again this weekend.

“It means a lot to me that I get to showcase the Grillo’s Pickles livery in their Daytona debut. They are all about our program and bring so much energy to the track. I can’t thank them enough for our partnership. Hopefully I can get Sam Sam the Pickle Man in Victory Lane.”

CREW CHIEF RYAN BERGENTY:

“We don’t have many races left in the regular season and we need a win to make the playoffs. I think Daytona can be the place Todd (Gilliland) gets the job done. He has shown that he has what it takes to drive these superspeedways, with Daytona being one of them. We’re bringing a fast Grillo’s Pickles Ford Mustang Dark Horse and have a driver that has what it takes to compete upfront. I’m excited for this weekend.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

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

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

  • Event: Daytona 250 (Round 22 of 33)
  • Date: Friday, August 23
  • Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway
  • Layout: 2.5-mile oval
  • Time/TV/Radio: 7:30 p.m. EDT on USA/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

  • Cole Custer and the No. 00 Fanttik team are looking to rebound in Friday night’s Daytona 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. The 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion ran into some bad luck last Saturday at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn after his No. 00 Ford Mustang Dark Horse sustained damage in accident on lap 48 of the scheduled 125-lap race. While the team was able to repair most of the damage, a series of cut right-front tires kept forcing Custer to pit road, prompting crew chief Jonathan Toney to bring the car to the garage just 17 laps shy of the finish. It was just the second DNF (Did Not Finish) for Custer in 2024, a season that has featured a July 13 victory at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, a runner-up finish to teammate Riley Herbst at Indianapolis Motor Speedway the following weekend, along with three pole positions, 16 top-10s and 427 laps led. With five races left in the regular season, Custer remains the leader in the NASCAR Xfinity Series driver standings by a 12-point margin over second-place Justin Allgaier. In addition to race wins, Custer’s primary goal is to claim the regular-season title, which he has yet to do in his career, and take home another 15 playoff points to provide him a cushion when the Round of 12 kicks off on Sept. 28 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City.
  • Friday night’s Daytona 250 on Daytona’s historic 2.5-mile oval will mark Custer’s 165th career Xfinity Series start and his 10th at the track. He scored career-best finishes in both races there last season – ninth in February and fifth in August. Prior to last year, Custer never finished better than 14th at Daytona. In his most recent visit to the track in February, he earned a 13th-place finish after being shuffled back in the closing laps. In addition to his Xfinity Series starts at Daytona, Custer has five NASCAR Cup Series starts, one NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start, and one ARCA Menards Series start. Best of those was his 10th-place finish in the February 2016 ARCA race.
  • Fanttik is a youthful, dynamic brand dedicated to outdoor, household, sports and automotive products that cater to every need for the perfect adventure. In a short span of time, Fanttik has garnered extreme acclaim from enthusiasts, social media influencers, digital media and consumers. It has earned the internationally revered Red Dot Design Award multiple times, along with the prestigious IF Design Award. Fostering the motto, “We explore, we innovate and we make it happen,” Fanttik has brought trailblazing experiences in the automotive arena to the most diverse audience. For more information, visit Fanttik.com and, on social media at Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Reddit and Quora.

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

  • Riley Herbst, the driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing, is ready to put the bad luck of last Saturday’s race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn behind him as he heads to Friday’s Daytona 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. After starting second for the scheduled 125-lap race at Michigan, Herbst led four laps and looked to be on his way to compete for the win when a misjudged gap while passing the No. 39 Ford Mustang of Ryan Sieg sent him into the outside SAFTER Barrier and ended his day on lap 48. He was able to earn four bonus points with his seventh-place Stage 1 finish. Herbst has clinched a berth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs thanks to his July 20 win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He currently sits sixth in the regular-season standings, 23 points behind fifth-place AJ Allmendinger. He’ll be looking for his third career Xfinity Series win and his second of the 2024 season at Daytona – a track that has been good to him in the past.
  • Friday’s race marks Herbst’s 11th career Xfinity Series start on the 2.5-mile oval in Daytona. His best finish at the track is fourth, earned in August 2020 and February 2022. When the series visited the track for February’s season opener, Herbst qualified 11th and finished sixth. In his four seasons with SHR, Herbst has finished outside the top-15 just twice at Daytona.
  • Herbst has eight starts at Daytona outside of the Xfinity Series – three in the ARCA Menards Series, two in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and three in the NASCAR Cup Series. He earned a best finish of seventh in the Truck Series season opener in February 2020. He made his Cup Series debut in the February 2023 Daytona 500, during which Herbst earned an impressive 10th-place finish to become only the second driver in NASCAR history to record a top-10 in his Cup Series debut in the iconic race. He joined Terry Ryan, who made his debut in the 1976 edition of The Great American Race and finished sixth. Herbst went on to participate in both Cup Series races at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway last year and the August Daytona race, earning a best finish of ninth in the October Talladega race after leading 10 laps, his first laps led in the Cup Series. He returned for this year’s 66th running of the Daytona 500, where he had a strong week leading up to the feature race in the No. 15 Monster Energy Zero Sugar Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Rick Ware Racing. Herbst started sixth in Thursday night’s Bluegreen Vacation Duel No. 2 and led seven laps to follow up his strong 2023 starts. But a subsequent accident forced him to the rear of the Daytona 500 starting grid. He finished the race 24th.

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

Superspeedways, especially Daytona, are unpredictable by nature. How do you prepare for a race where it’s difficult to make a solid plan because anything could happen?

“So that’s what is so tough about Daytona and superspeedways. Your plan is always changing. There can be like 15 situations that could happen, and no matter what situation, you have to know what to do when presented with each one. Honestly, you have to take these races lap-by-lap to see what kind of scenario you’re in and then adapt from there. You can’t have a solid plan going into a superspeedway because it’s always going to change and you’re forced to adapt to whatever comes your way.”

We’re heading back to where the season started at Daytona. Talk about how you feel your season has gone so far as there are only 12 races left.

“I think overall our season has gone well. We obviously didn’t show the speed we did last year at the beginning part of 2023, but as we got to the summer months, I feel like the No. 00 team really hit our stride. We were one of the cars to beat all summer. There’s been bad luck, especially last weekend at Michigan, but one bad race doesn’t make or break your season at this point. We have a win and that gets us into the playoffs. We have the opportunity to experiment because of that win so that once we get to the playoffs, we can hopefully figure out how to win all the way to the championship. This season has been great, and we’ve welcomed some new partners like Fanttik. Hopefully we can give them a good run this weekend at Daytona.”

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

Daytona has been one of your better tracks on the circuit, even though superspeedways seem to be a place where luck plays a huge part. Would you say you’ve just found a good string of luck or is there something that you find you excel at in superspeedway racing?

“Honestly, it’s a little bit of both. You have drivers who are just strong superspeedway racers, so I do think it’s a skill to know how to run there. You know how to stay out of trouble but also have speed. At these races, it’s all about being there at the end. Sure, you want to get stage points and run well, but if you’re super aggressive too early, you can put yourself out of the race. So you have to be smart, but there is that element of luck. Sometimes there are situations out of your control and that’s just superspeedway racing. We’ve been on both ends – having a great day and being caught up in an accident not of our own doing. I think this No. 98 Monster Energy team will have a shot at the end of this race if we can just stay out of trouble. I’m excited to get back down to Daytona with them.”

You’ve been in contention to win a couple of superspeedway races in your career. What would it mean to get a third career win Friday night under the lights at an iconic track like Daytona?

“Winning at Daytona would mean a lot. It’s one of those iconic racetracks like Indianapolis that everyone around the world knows. Daytona is anyone’s to win, but it’s still special. You’re a winner at Daytona and it puts you in a different history book. I’ve gotten wins at two very different tracks. We have one win on the season, so we know we can take chances now and Daytona is one of those that we can just go for the win and not have to worry about points. That hasn’t been the case in the past few seasons. I know the No. 98 team will give me a fast car, so I think we’ll be in contention this weekend if we just stay out of trouble.”

Toyota Racing Weekly Preview 08.21.24

By
Official Release
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This Week in Motorsports: August 19 – 25, 2024

NCS/NXS: Daytona International Speedway – Aug. 23-24
NCTS/ARCA: The Milwaukee Mile – Aug. 25

PLANO, Texas (Aug. 21, 2024) – It’s a busy weekend for Team Toyota in NASCAR, with the Cup and Xfinity Series at Daytona International Speedway, while the Truck and ARCA Menards Series head to The Milwaukee Mile. The Truck Series race Sunday afternoon begins the series’ 2024 Playoffs.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS | NCTS

Reddick assumes points lead … With the monumental win for Tyler Reddick and 23XI Racing at Michigan last weekend, he has now taken over the Cup Series regular season points lead for the first time in his career and for his team. His car co-owner and Toyota teammate, Denny Hamlin, moved up to third in the points after a top-10 finish Monday afternoon. They’re joined inside the provisional playoff field by Christopher Bell (seventh), Martin Truex Jr. (eighth) and Ty Gibbs (10th). Bubba Wallace, Reddick’s 23XI teammate, sits just one point outside the Playoffs with two races remaining in the regular season.

Reddick top-10 streak rolls on … Following his triumph last weekend, Reddick also kept his top-10 streak alive, now in seven straight races and has scored 10 in the last 11 events, giving him 17 top-10s on the season, the most in the Cup Series. In those seven consecutive races, the driver of the No. 45 Camry XSE has been inside the top six finishing positions, specifically. Another top-10 this weekend would be Reddick’s third such finish at Daytona International Speedway, with the other two top-10s coming in the summer race (fifth in 2021 and second in 2022).

Nemechek looks for another strong Daytona run … John Hunter Nemechek has only made three Cup Series starts at the “World Center of Racing,” but has an impressive resume on the 2.5-oval so far in his career. The driver of the No. 42 Camry XSE for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB has finished inside the top-11 in all three of his previous starts at Daytona, including a seventh-place finish at the Daytona 500 back in February.

Xfinity Series points battles heat up … With just five races remaining in the regular season for the Xfinity Series, the series point standings continue to tighten. Chandler Smith remained in fourth position after last weekend’s race in Michigan, while his teammate, Sheldon Creed moved up to seventh with his second-place finish after winning his second pole of the season.

Creed seeks another Daytona top-five … Daytona International Speedway has proven to be a strong circuit for Creed. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has finished in the runner-up spot his last two starts in Daytona, coming close to his long-awaited first career win. Creed has also finished inside the top-10 in half of his starts at Daytona and has three consecutive top-10 finishes entering this weekend after his runner-up in Michigan.

Heim, Gray begin championship quests … With this weekend beginning the 2024 NASCAR Truck Series Playoffs, two Tundra TRD Pro drivers begin their chase for the championship – Corey Heim and Taylor Gray. Heim has had a stellar season to date, with five wins, 10 top-fives and 12 top-10s as he begins the Playoffs as the No. 1 seed. Gray has also had a solid year, beginning the Playoffs as the No. 8 seed. Including this weekend, the two have three races to keep themselves inside the top eight of the standings before the next cutoff race at Kansas.

Thompson doing double duty … TRICON Garage’s Dean Thompson will be doing double duty in Milwaukee this weekend, piloting the No. 5 Tundra TRD Pro for TRICON Garage in the Truck Series event, along with a Toyota Camry for Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series race. This will be Thompson’s fourth ARCA start this season, where he’s finished inside the top-10 in all three starts to date.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA Menards Series

Sawalich’s win streak continues … William Sawalich and his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing team continued their dominance in the ARCA Menards Series last weekend at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, winning his third consecutive race and fifth in the last six. Sawalich has finished inside the top-five in all but one of his starts so far this season and returns to The Milwaukee Mile looking to repeat his win from pole a season ago. Like Thompson, Sawalich will also be doing double duty this weekend, piloting the No. 1 Tundra TRD Pro for TRICON Garage in the Truck Series race.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 47 million cars and trucks at our 12 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 13th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 29 electrified options.

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

ABEL Motorsports looks to continue momentum at Portland

By
Official Release
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Abel and Sundaramoorthy head to the final INDY NXT by Firestone road course race looking to build on dual podium finishes last weekend at the WWTR oval

SPEEDWAY, IND. (August 21, 2024) – After a 2,000-mile trek from the oval near St. Louis, Mo. to Portland International Raceway, the ABEL Motorsports pair of drivers is ready to build on last weekend’s INDY NXT by Firestone momentum as the season – and the championship battle – draws to a close.

Jacob Abel (Louisville, Ky.) and Yuven Sundaramoorthy (Oconomowoc, Wis.) both scored podium finishes on the World Wide Technology Raceway oval last weekend, with Abel second and Sundaramoorthy taking his first series podium in third. Now the attention turns to the final road course race of the season, the 35-lap race on PIR’s flat but tricky 1.964-mile, 12-turn circuit – with rain possible early in the weekend.

Abel and Sundaramoorthy have each raced at Portland four times previously. Abel contested two USF Pro 2000 races in 2019, finished fourth in INDY NXT in 2022, and 16th last year (caught up in an opening lap incident).

“I’m excited to get back to Portland, and back on a road course,” said Abel. “Anything can really happen in this race – it’s almost like qualifying doesn’t really matter, because something always happens in Turn 1. And if weather is going to be an issue Friday, we need to make the most of whatever dry track time we do get. I think that plays a little bit to my experience, in changing conditions. If we do go into qualifying or the race for the first time on a dry track, I’ve been there before and driven on it in just about every condition, so I know what to expect.”

Sundaramoorthy holds rookie status in the INDY NXT series, and the Portland weekend marks only the second track this season that he has raced at before in the Dallara IL-15. He finished 10th in last year’s race – like Abel, he was also involved in the opening lap incident but was able to continue the race. Sundaramoorthy raced at Portland in four other junior formula series races: two USF2000 races in 2019 and two USF Pro 2000 races in 2022.

“I really like Portland – it’s a fun track and we were super-fast there last year,” said Sundaramoorthy. “Unfortunately, we got caught in the lap one incident, so we ran the whole race a lap down, but it made for good practice – and the last time I went to a track that I’d been to before in this car (WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, where he earned two top four finishes), we did really well, so it should be even better this time. If it stays dry, we should have a good chance, but if it rains, that’s one more learning experience – and I’m pretty confident in my ability in the wet as well.”

ABEL Motorsports thanks partners ABEL Construction Company, Advance Ready Mix, Boyd Cat®, S Team Motorsports, Quest Global and OMP for their continued support.

The INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Portland takes the green flag Sunday, August 25 at 1:10 p.m. ET. The race will be streamed live in the U.S. on Peacock, while international viewers can watch via INDYCARLIVE, with INDYCAR Radio available at indycar.com and on Sirius XM.

About ABEL Motorsports: Team principal Bill Abel began racing motocross in 1972, earning numerous championship titles as he continued the family racing tradition. In 2015, ABEL Motorsports was launched, starting in the USF2000 series and building up the junior open wheel ladder. The team captured the inaugural Formula Regional Americas Championship with driver Kyle Kirkwood in 2018.

ABEL Motorsports currently competes in the INDY NXT by Firestone series, the official development series for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, led by third-generation driver Jacob Abel. The team made its INDYCAR debut in 2023 with driver RC Enerson in the Indianapolis 500. For more information visit the official team website at abelmotorsports.com.

About Abel Construction Company: ABEL Construction is one of the largest general contractors in Kentucky, holding licenses in thirteen states. The company has offices in Lexington, Kentucky and Indianapolis, Indiana, with the corporate office in Louisville. Their expertise spans many areas, including general contracting, construction management, design-build, Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), and facilities maintenance.

Abel Construction has helped build some of the region’s most recognizable landmarks. Their projects cover diverse sectors, including automotive, healthcare, post-secondary education, commercial, food/beverage, tech, and industrial/manufacturing. They prioritize client satisfaction, focusing on efficient project delivery regardless of size or cost. The company’s skilled professionals utilize cutting-edge technology and software to ensure successful outcomes. abelconstruct.com/.

ABEL Motorsports social media

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Kligerman, Big Machine Racing assessed L1 Penalty for Spoiler Modifications at Michigan

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Adam Lovelace for SpeedwayMedia.com.

NASCAR assessed an L1 penalty to the No. 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet Camaro team driven by Parker Kligerman following this past weekend’s Xfinity Series event at Michigan International Speedway.

Kligerman’s No. 48 Chevrolet was found to have violated Sections 14.4.10.A of the NASCAR Rule Book, which involves modifications to the rear spoiler. As a result, Big Machine Racing’s No. 48 team have been docked 20 points and five Playoff points. In addition, crew chief Patrick Donahue has been fined $25,000.

The points penalty impacts Kligerman’s cushion towards making the 2024 Xfinity Series Playoffs. Originally being 36 points above the top-12 cutline in the Playoff standings, Kligerman, who finished 11th at Michigan, is now 16 points above the cutline with five regular-season events remaining on the 2024 schedule.

The 34-year-old Kligerman from Westport, Connecticut, is currently campaigning in his second full-time Xfinity Series season with Big Machine Racing. Through 21 of 33-scheduled events, Kligerman has recorded two top-five results and nine top-10 results as he strives to make the 2024 Xfinity Playoffs. He did so a year ago, where he ended up in 10th place in the final standings after being eliminated from title contention following the first Playoff round. During the 2023 season, he notched a career-high eight top-five results and 18 top-10 results along with a career-best average-finishing result of 13.2 as a full-time competitor.

Through 110 Xfinity Series career starts, Kligerman has tallied a total of one pole, 13 top-five results, 47 top-10 results, 107 laps led and an average-finishing result of 14.6 as he continues his pursuit for both his first Xfinity race victory and championship.

Parker Kligerman’s 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and pursuit to make the Playoffs continue this upcoming Friday, August 23, at Daytona International Speedway for the Wawa 250, which will air at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA Network.

EVENT PREVIEW: Wright Motorsports Rolls into GT-Only WeatherTech Weekend

By
Official Release
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BATAVIA, Ohio. (August 21, 2024) – Wright Motorsports heads back to VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) this weekend for the next round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the Michelin GT Challenge at VIR. After a second-place finish at VIR last month in the Fanatec GT World Challenge, the team is well-prepared to fight for another strong result in the WeatherTech Championship with the No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R.

“We’ve had a strong season so far, and coming off a great result at VIR last month gives us a lot of confidence heading into this weekend,” said John Wright, Team Owner of Wright Motorsports. “Our team has been working hard, and we believe the car is in a great spot to compete for another podium. Adam and Elliott have shown tremendous growth this season, and I’m excited to see what we can achieve together at this GT-only event.”

Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer have piloted the green and yellow Porsche to a podium finish twice so far this season, and this weekend, the pair aspire to nab their first IMSA WeatherTech win. Twenty-three entries will compete in the GT-only weekend, with 14 of them making up the GTD class in which Wright competes. Sunday’s two-hour, 40-minute race will be the last sprint event of the 2024 season, with just the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta remaining.

VIRginia International Raceway is a favorite among drivers and fans alike, known for its challenging layout and picturesque setting. The 3.27-mile circuit features 17 turns and a mix of high-speed straights and technical sections that test both driver skill and car setup.

The Michelin GT Challenge at VIR will begin on Sunday at 12:10 PM ET, streaming live on Peacock and airing live domestically on the USA Network. Fans outside the United States can stream live on imsa.com/tvlive. For event information, visit imsa.com.

EVENT SCHEDULE | All Times Eastern

Friday, August 23

2:00 PM – 3:30 PM Practice One

Saturday, August 24

1:00 PM – 1:30 PM Practice Two
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Autograph Session
4:50 PM – 5:05 PM Qualifying

Sunday, August 25

11:00 AM – 11:50 AM Open Grid Fan Walk
12:10 PM – 2:50 PM Michelin GT Challenge at VIR

Adam Adelson

I’m super excited to be racing at VIR for the second time this year. It’s my favorite track. I’ve always looked up and admired to those IMSA weekends where they just put the GT cars on a pedestal, where I think they deserve to be there. There are such amazing vehicles, and to just be in racing there is a dream come true for me. I’m really excited.

Elliott Skeer

There is nothing better than GT racing in North America, and to do it at a place like VIR truly represents old-school GT racing at its finest. It is definitely going to be an incredible event, and just having SRO recently there really makes me feel prepped and ready to go for what the IMSA WeatherTech fight can be. Definitely everything in my life is leading up to try to win an IMSA event, and I can’t really think of a better one to try and get it at than VIR.

Wright Motorsports
Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series and international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy, and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013, and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team, and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. In 2020, the team captured the GT World Challenge America Am championship. In 2021, Wright Motorsports had a wildly successful season, capturing nine championships across their five racing efforts.

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