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Scott Graves to call 300th Cup event as crew chief at Michigan

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Tim Jarrold for SpeedwayMedia.com.

A significant milestone mark is in the making for Scott Graves, crew chief for Chris Buescher and the No. 17 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford Mustang team in the NASCAR Cup Series. By participating in this weekend’s FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway, Graves will call his 300th event as a crew chief in NASCAR’s premier series.

A native of Clifton Spring, New York, Graves graduated from Texas Tech University with a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1994. Twelve years later, he teamed up with Roush Fenway Racing and worked as an engineer on Roush’s No. 99 Ford entry in the NASCAR Truck Series that was piloted by Erik Darnell. Another five years later, Graves worked as a team engineer for RFR’s No. 60 Ford Mustang team in the Xfinity Series, a team that achieved eight victories and went on to clinch the Xfinity Series’ owner’s championship with the help of drivers Carl Edwards and Billy Johnson.

The 2012 season was Graves’ first as a crew chief, where he was atop the pit box of Roush’s No. 60 Ford Mustang team in four Xfinity Series races. Making his debut as a crew chief at Watkins Glen International in August, Graves went to Victory Lane for the first time with Carl Edwards capitalizing on a one-race return in the series. He returned to crew chief for Billy Johnson at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Trevor Bayne at Bristol Motor Speedway in August and Travis Pastrana at Richmond Raceway in September, respectively. Graves also made his crew chief debut in three NASCAR Cup Series races late in 2012, beginning at Dover International Speedway in September, where he worked with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Following a strong 12th-place result at Dover, Graves returned as Stenhouse’s Cup crew chief at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October and at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November, respectively.

In 2013 Graves was named crew chief for Stenhouse and the No. 17 RFR Ford Fusion team in the Cup Series, which marked Stenhouse’s first full-time season as a competitor in NASCAR’s premier series after winning back-to-back Xfinity titles. Throughout the 36-race schedule, Graves and Stenhouse achieved a pole, one top-five result and three top-10 results throughout the 36-race schedule, with the latter finishing in 19th place in the final standings and claiming the Rookie-of-the-Year title.

For the following two seasons, Graves returned to the Xfinity Series and worked as crew chief for Chris Buescher and RFR’s No. 60 Ford Mustang team. During the two-year stint, Graves achieved three victories and the 2015 Xfinity Series championship with Buescher. After Buescher moved up to the Cup circuit with Front Row Motorsports, Graves joined Joe Gibbs Racing and worked as a crew chief for Daniel Suarez and the No. 19 Toyota Camry team. In their first season together, Graves and Suarez won three races and claimed the 2016 Xfinity Series championship, which marked Graves’ second consecutive title in the Xfinity circuit.

Graves initially commenced the 2017 NASCAR season as crew chief for Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 18 Toyota Camry team in the first four of five Xfinity Series races of the schedule. After going to Victory Lane with Kyle Busch at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March, Graves then moved up to the Cup Series and replaced Dave Rogers, who took an indefinite leave of absence, as the crew chief for Suarez and the No. 19 Toyota Camry team for the remaining 31 Cup events of the season. The move reunited Graves and Suarez after both won the 2016 Xfinity title. Together, the duo achieved one top-five result and 10 top-10 results as Suarez finished in 20th place in the final standings.

Graves remained as Suarez’s crew chief for the majority of the 2018 Cup season. Following the first 30 events of the schedule, where Graves and Suarez achieved a pole, three top-five results and eight top-10 results, Graves was replaced by Dave Rogers for the final six events. Despite Suarez proceeding to finish in 21st place in the final standings with Rogers atop the No. 19 pit box, Graves still managed to reach 100 career events as a crew chief in NASCAR’s premier series before being replaced by Rogers.

In September 2018, Graves was named crew chief for the No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Mustang team and veteran Ryan Newman for the 2019 Cup season, a move that reunited Graves with RFR. Throughout the 36-race schedule, Graves and Newman made the Playoffs based on points and went on to finish in 15th place in the final standings after being eliminated from title contention following the Round of 16. In addition to making the Playoffs, the duo achieved three top-five results, 14 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 14.6.

The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season was a roller coaster season for Graves, Newman and the No. 6 RFR Ford Mustang team that commenced on a harrowing note after Newman was bumped and turned by Ryan Blaney on the final lap of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway while leading the event. The contact resulted with Newman flipping over and being hit by an oncoming Corey LaJoie at full speed before flying in the air, sliding and coming to a rest upside down near the pit lane exit, all while he managed to claim ninth place in the final running order. While Newman was ruled out indefinitely due to his injuries following the accident, Graves spent the next three races working with interim competitor Ross Chastain, who finished no higher than 17th during the three-race stint. Despite Newman returning to competition at Darlington Raceway in May amid a two-month delay of competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he and Graves were unable to mount a comeback to make the Playoffs as they went on to conclude the season in 25th place in the final standings and with a single additional top-10 result throughout the final 32 events on the schedule.

For the majority of the 2021 Cup season, Graves retained his role as the crew chief for Newman and the No. 6 RFR Ford Mustang team, where the duo achieved two top-fives and five top-10 results through 31 events, all despite missing the Playoffs. Then with five races remaining on the schedule, team owner Jack Roush swapped the two-car team’s pit crews and crew chiefs resulting in Graves transitioning to the No. 17 team piloted by Chris Buescher, whom Graves reunited with for the first time since 2015. Following the swap, Graves led Buescher and the No. 17 team to a season-best third-place result at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course in October and a ninth-place run at Martinsville Speedway in October before Buescher settled in 19th place in the final standings, nine spots ahead of Newman. By then, Graves surpassed 200 Cup events as a crew chief.

Through the first 16 events of the 2022 Cup season, Graves navigated the No. 17 Ford Mustang team that was rebranded to Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing to four top-10 results, all of which were made by Buescher as he had recorded a strong runner-up result at Sonoma Raceway in June and achieved his first Cup career pole at Dover Motor Speedway in late April. Amid the results, Graves was paired with Truck Series competitor Zane Smith at World Wide Technology Raceway in early June, where Smith replaced Buescher for a single event after the latter tested positive for COVID-19. Then coming off a 30th-place result at Nashville Superspeedway in late June, Graves was assessed a four-race suspension following a loose wheel infraction that occurred during the event. Despite RFK Racing’s attempt to appeal the penalty, which enabled Graves to participate in the following event at Road America, the team eventually withdrew its appeal as Graves was absent for four events throughout July.

Returning by early August, Graves and Buescher recorded two top-10 results through the final four regular-season events but fell short of making the 2022 Cup Playoffs. Three races later, Graves achieved his first Cup career victory at Bristol Motor Speedway in September after Buscher led a race-high 169 laps, including the final 61, to achieve his second career win in NASCAR’s premier series, his first since 2016 and the first since Roush Fenway Racing rebranded to Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing. Following the breakthrough victory at Bristol, Graves would navigate Buescher and the No. 17 team to only a single top-10 result through the final seven-scheduled events before settling in 21st place in the final standings.

The 2023 Cup Series season was Graves’ breakout season to date that commenced with him, Buescher and the No. 17 team to seven top-10 results throughout the first 21 events on the schedule. Then starting in late July through the end of August, Graves and Buescher ignited a hot streak that commenced with the duo winning at Richmond Raceway and securing a spot in the 2023 Cup Playoffs. They would then notch back-to-back victories in recent weeks after winning at Michigan International Speedway before capitalizing on an overtime shootout to win the regular-season finale at Daytona another three races later.

Once in the Playoffs, the duo would record three top-10 results through the first six Playoff events, which were enough for them to transfer from the Round of 16 to 8. Amid respective finishes of 11th, 21st and eighth throughout the Round of 8. However, Graves and Buescher fell short of making the Championship 4 cutline. Nonetheless, they proceeded to lead 18 laps during the finale at Phoenix Raceway in November before Buescher ended up in fifth place on the track and in a career-best seventh place in the final driver’s standings.

This season, Graves and Buescher have recorded five top-five results and nine top-10 results through 23 scheduled events, with the duo falling short of their first victory of the season to Kyle Larson at Kansas Speedway in May by 0.001 seconds. Despite being ranked in a tie for 13th place in the regular-season standings, they trail the cutline to make the Playoffs by three points with three regular-season events remaining on the schedule.

Through 299 previous Cup events, Graves has achieved four victories, three poles, 28 top-five results and 79 top-10 results while working with six different competitors.

Scott Graves is scheduled to call his 300th Cup Series event as a crew chief at Michigan International Speedway for the FireKeepers Casino 400 on Sunday, August 18. The event’s broadcast time is slated to occur at 2:30 p.m. ET on USA Network.

John Hunter Nemechek to make 11th and final Xfinity start of 2024 at Michigan

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

John Hunter Nemechek is scheduled to make his 11th and final NASCAR Xfinity Series start of the 2024 season this upcoming Saturday, August 17, at Michigan International Speedway for the Cabo Wabo 250. He will do so behind the wheel of the No. 20 Toyota Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing, the entry which he has made all but one of his previous 10 starts this season.

The second-generation racer from Mooresville, North Carolina, is currently campaigning on a full-time basis in the NASCAR Cup Series with Legacy Motor Club and in the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE entry. Through 23 scheduled starts, he is ranked in 32nd place in the 2024 regular-season standings on the strength of three top-five results, 36 laps led and an average-finishing result of 24.7.

Coming off a strong 2023 season, where he notched a season-high seven victories, transferred all the way to the Championship 4 round, settled in fourth place in the final standings and reached 100 Xfinity career starts, Nemechek transcended back up to the Cup Series on a full-time basis in 2024. The move occurred after Nemechek spent the previous three seasons regaining his on-track competitiveness and winning races that started by scaling back down from a full-time Cup Series role with Front Row Motorsports to a full-time ride with Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series. Amid his full-time Cup role, Nemechek also announced in December 2023 that he would make 10 Xfinity Series starts with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2024, where he would pilot the No. 20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing led by rookie crew chief Tyler Allen.

Nemechek commenced his part-time Xfinity campaign in 2024 by finishing in seventh place during the series’ season opener at Daytona International Speedway in February after rallying from a single-car spin towards the halfway segment of the event. Then after finishing 32nd during the following event at Atlanta Motor Speedway, he struck gold by winning at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in early March after he led a race-high 99 of 200 laps, including the final 11. With the victory, Nemechek notched his 10th career win in the Xfinity circuit, his ninth driving for Joe Gibbs Racing and his first at Vegas.

Over his next five starts in the Xfinity circuit, Nemechek recorded two top-10 results, with his best result being a third-place run at Circuit of the Americas in late March. During the five-race stretch, he added an Xfinity event to his part-time campaign, which was at Darlington Raceway in May as he piloted Sam Hunt Racing’s No. 26 “all-star” Toyota entry to a 23rd-place finish. 

Then at Nashville Superspeedway in mid-June, Nemechek capitalized on a restart with 46 laps remaining to muscle ahead of reigning series champion Cole Custer and fend off a late charge from teammate Chandler Smith to win for the second time in the 2024 season and triumph both for the first time at Nashville and the 11th time in his Xfinity career. Recently, Nemechek ended up in 25th place at the Chicago Street Course in early July.

In addition to making his 11th Xfinity Series start of the 2024 season this upcoming weekend at Michigan, the event will mark Nemechek’s 111th Xfinity career start and fifth at the two-mile oval circuit in the Irish Hills of Brooklyn, Michigan. Ironically, he won at Michigan for the first time a year ago in an event where he also recorded the milestone 200th Xfinity career win for Joe Gibbs Racing.

As Nemechek chases another checkered flag to add to his Xfinity Series resume at Michigan to gain an early advantage to his full-time Cup Series campaign, he also strives to extend the momentum of Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 Toyota team that aims to contend for the 2024 Xfinity owners’ championship at season’s end. Through 20 scheduled events, the No. 20 team is ranked in fourth place in the Xfinity owners’ standings on the strength of five victories, nine top-five results and 13 top-10 results. With Nemechek having won twice in the No. 20 entry, Aric Almirola, Ryan Truex and Christopher Bell have each piloted the entry to a single victory apiece. Should the No. 20 entry capture the owners’ title, it would be the seventh time doing so for the organization and the first for the No. 20 entry since the 2008 season.

The 2024 Cabo Wabo 250 at Michigan International Speedway is scheduled to occur this Saturday, August 17, and air at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA Network.

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

By
Jeffrey Boswell
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Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin started on the pole at Richmond and had a win in hand on the final corner, but was intentionally wrecked by Austin Dillon. Hamlin finished second.

“I’d like to sarcastically welcome Austin Dillon to the Playoffs,” Hamlin said, “and go ahead and wish him a fond farewell from the Playoffs after Bristol on September 21st.”

2. Kyle Larson: Larson finished seventh at Richmond, posting his 12th top 10 of the season.

“I won the Knoxville Nationals on the dirt on Saturday night,” Larson said. “I like racing on any type of track. It just goes to show that I’m the best driver in NASCAR; that is, unless some bad news ‘surfaces.'”

3. Tyler Reddick: Reddick finished third in the Cook Out 400 at Richmond.

“Austin Dillon was simply out of control,” Reddick said. “In his defense, he was just doing what Pop Pop told him to. But I think NASCAR needs to take a strong stand against this type of dangerous driving. I think it’s only fair that Dillon be suspended for the first three races of the Playoffs.”

4. Christopher Bell: Bell won Stage 1 at Richmond but was nabbed for speeding on pit road in Stage 3. The drive-through penalty likely cost him the win and he finished sixth.

“Sometimes,” Bell said, “your car is so fast, you can’t help but go too fast. And sometimes, your car is so fast, NASCAR finds a way to penalize you just to make for a more competitive finish. And they definitely got what they asked for.”

5. Ryan Blaney: Blaney came home 11th at Richmond.

“I had a pretty good view of the crazy finish at the front,” Blaney said. “And I think NASCAR’s ambiguous reaction to Austin Dillon’s actions can be described with two words that have dual meanings: ‘fair game.'”

6. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished ninth in the Cook Out 400.

“This was the first points race in which we had two types of Goodyear tires to choose from,” Elliott said. “There was the ‘prime’ tire, which is the harder compound, and the ‘option’ tire, which is the softer compound. It definitely made things much more interesting, for drivers and fans alike. You could say the tire choice has ‘compounded’ interest.”

7. William Byron: Byron finished 13th at Richmond.

“Kyle Busch started the race with a wrap on his sprained wrist,” Byron said. “But he got some scissors in the pits and cut it off. I’m sure it still hurts though. So, Kyle is one driver who, should NASCAR decide to punish him, might actually be hurt by a ‘slap on the wrist.'”

8. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 16th at Richmond.

“NASCAR racing is back after a two-week break for the Olympic Games,” Bowman said. “Now it’s back to the gold, silver, and bronze NASCAR fans are accustomed to, which is Gold Bond, The Silver Bullet Coors Light, and bronzer for their fake tans.”

9. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex suffered a blown engine on Lap 251 and finished 37th in the Cook Out 400 at Richmond.

“My engine was ‘cooked,'” Truex said, “so I was ‘out.'”

10. Bubba Wallace: Wallace came home fourth in the Cook Out 400, recording his fifth top 5 of the season.

“Ross Chastain’s No. 1 car featured the image of a man in his underwear driving the car,” Wallace said. “It was the brainchild of Jockey, and obviously they overlooked the fact that they walked right into a cascade of ‘skid mark’ jokes.”

TOP FUEL POINTS LEADER DOUG KALITTA SET FOR 600TH CAREER RACE AT LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS IN BRAINERD

By
Official Release
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BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 13, 2024) – After winning his long-awaited first NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series world championship, there’s been no slowing down Top Fuel fan-favorite Doug Kalitta during the 2024 season.

The longtime standout is the points leader with a commanding advantage this year and he is set to make more history at this weekend’s 42nd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at festive Brainerd International Raceway, becoming the first Top Fuel driver in NHRA history to make his 600th career appearance.

Kalitta’s storied career began in 1998 and race No. 600 will come this weekend in Brainerd in his 11,000-horsepower Mac Tools Toyota dragster. All these years later, Kalitta is still going strong, winning three races, advancing to five finals rounds and qualifying No. 1 five times in 2024 heading into the penultimate race of the regular season.

“It’s been an interesting ride and I didn’t realize nobody else has made it to 600 (in Top Fuel). It’s been a cool ride and a great opportunity for me, competing for as long as I have,” Kalitta said. “I still enjoy driving the cars and surrounding myself with great teams and great people. It’s been amazing driving for Connie (Kalitta, team owner) and I’ve been very fortunate to have so many great people around me. I’m still enjoying it and as long as we can continue to drive up front, that’s what drives me to keep going.”

Last season, Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) powered to the winner’s circle at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. This year, the event will again be broadcast on FS1 and FOX, including eliminations action on FOX on Sunday, Aug. 18 at 3 p.m. ET. It is the 14th of 20 races during the 2024 season and Kalitta will attempt to pick up his third career win in Brainerd and first since the 2005 campaign.

The weekend also includes the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday in the three pro categories, though it will mark a rare occasion that Kalitta won’t appear in the bonus race this year. He suffered a surprising first-round loss in Sonoma and will look to get back on track as the Countdown to the Championship playoffs get closer.

That’s where Kalitta got hot a year ago, winning three playoff races to pick up his first world championship, including a winner-take-all final round in Pomona. The team’s momentum is stronger than ever with what has been a brilliant 2024 thus far, but Kalitta knows the challenges will only get more different in the stretch run while facing off against a star-studded lineup that includes Kalitta Motorsports teammate Shawn Langdon, Brown, four-time champ Steve Torrence, Tony Schumacher, Clay Millican, Brittany Force and Top Fuel newcomer Tony Stewart.

Kalitta, though, has weathered those challenges this year, proving to be a dynamic duo with standout crew chief Alan Johnson and the rest of his Kalitta Motorsports team. They’ve made a strong impression at nearly every race this year, only losing in the first round on two occasions, but Kalitta hopes there’s no slowing down with this team as he makes his 600th Top Fuel appearance this weekend in Brainerd.

“It’s definitely a dogfight right now,” Kalitta said. “Brainerd is always a great place to go and I look forward to it every year. It’s always entertaining and the place is always packed. It’s just one of those very entertaining races to go. It’s just a special place to race. Our car has been running well and hopefully we can have another great weekend. It’s been fun to be a part of this and we’re just keeping our heads down, trying to make it happen. When you catch a wave like this, you want to stay on it as long as you can.”

In Funny Car, Capps is certainly no stranger to the Brainerd winner’s circle in Funny Car, picking up seven wins in his career. The Funny Car field is loaded with competition this season thanks to the efforts of points leader Austin Prock, Sonoma winner Bob Tasca III, reigning champ Matt Hagan, Gainesville winner J.R. Todd, rookie Daniel Wilkerson, Alexis DeJoria and Chad Green.

Glenn currently leads the Pro Stock class, but Elite Motorsports has been dominant as of late, winning six straight races. That’s a group that includes Jeg Coughlin Jr., Sonoma winner Aaron Stanfield, Troy Coughlin Jr. and Erica Enders, while other top names include five-time champ and area native Greg Anderson, Deric Kramer and Eric Latino.

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

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

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

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 4 and 6:15 p.m. CT on Friday, Aug. 16 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Aug. 17 at 12 and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. CT on Sunday, Aug. 18. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, as well as coverage of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on FS1, qualifying action at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday and eliminations on FOX at 3 p.m. ET Sunday.

To purchase tickets to the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, fans can call 866-444-4455. For more information on the NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.

About Mission Foods

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

About NHRA

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

Experience is key as ABEL Motorsports heads to World Wide Technology Raceway

By
Official Release
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West Allis, WI - Open Test for the INDY NXT by Firestone Series at the Milwuakee Mile at the Wisconsin State Fair Park. (Photo by Chris Jones | IMS Photo)

All four team drivers have raced on the oval before – though three will see their first action in an INDY NXT car at the Madison, Ill. track

Taylor Ferns set for the “double” – contesting both the USAC Silver Crown race and the INDY NXT event

SPEEDWAY, Ind. (August 13, 2024) – ABEL Motorsports will field its largest team of the season in this weekend’s INDY NXT by Firestone’s OUTFRONT Showdown at World Wide Technology Raceway, with four cars set to take the green flag Saturday afternoon.

Jacob Abel (Louisville, Ky.), Yuven Sundaramoorthy (Oconomowoc, Wis.), Taylor Ferns (Shelby Township, Mich.) and Jordan Missig (Joliet, Ill.) all have experience on the 1.25-mile oval, located just across the Mississippi river from downtown St. Louis, Mo.

Abel has three USF Pro 2000 races and two INDY NXT races on the oval and has delivered improving results each season, with four top 10s finishes, while Sundaramoorthy and Missig both raced at WWTR two years ago in USF Pro 2000. Missig will make his INDY NXT oval debut this weekend.

While Ferns will race the No. 55 ABEL Motorsports Dallara at WWTR for the first time, the USAC veteran has raced at the 1.250-mile oval twice (2022 and 2023, and she tested there at age 16), all in her Silver Crown car. In 2022, she was pacing in the top three and looking for a podium, but a radiator issue with six laps remaining put her back in ninth at the checkered flag.

All four drivers tested on the Nashville Superspeedway last week, which puts them back into the oval mindset following the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ “summer break” during the Paris Olympics (broadcast on NBC).

“It’s not your typical oval, because the two ends of the track are obviously pretty drastically different,” noted Abel. “Turns 1 and 2 are very tight and you end up lifting and downshifting, whereas 3 and 4 are two of the highest speed corners we race on. But it should be close to flat the whole race, which will be interesting. It presents a unique challenge because you need a different balance for both. We were good there last year, and we raced strong. We’re ready to get going after this break, with the first race of this final stretch, setting up a strong finish for the end of the season.”

“It’s nice that I’ve raced there several times before,” said Sundaramoorthy. “Of course, it would have been nice to test there, but I think we’ll still be pretty fast, the car was fast last year. It’s just going be the same as everywhere else: head down, just figure it out. The track has raced well in the past – two years ago, I was able to go two and three-wide, so it should be a good race.”

“I’m looking forward to going back there – it’s a good track for my oval debut,” said Missig. “I like the big ovals and I’m excited to see what it’s going to be like in the INDY NXT car, compared to the USF Pro 2000 car. I know there will be a substantial difference, but I know the ABEL Motorsports guys will be ready. I’m looking forward to getting some oval experience now with an eye toward next season, so that is one of the keys. Having the test last week at Nashville helped get me into the oval mindset, since it’s a very different driving style, so that gives us just that little bit more confidence going into this weekend.”

“I’m excited to get there and get more seat time in the INDY NXT car,” said Ferns, who will look to build on her Iowa INDY NXT debut last month. “I know it’s going to be much different than racing in the Silver Crown car – from the racing lines to the driving style. I’m excited to try that out and I’m ready for the challenge.”

Ferns is also ready for the challenge of competing in two very different races on the weekend. She will contest Friday’s 75-mile Ranken Technical College Silver Crown Shootout Presented by Welsch Heating & Cooling, and Saturday’s 75-lap INDY NXT by Firestone OUTFRONT Showdown.

“Racing is my passion, so I just didn’t feel right not doing it in the end,” said Ferns, who finished fourth in the Silver Crown main event last Saturday at Jennerstown (Pa.) Speedway. “The INDY NXT car is my focal point, but I think there’s just a natural intuition with the Silver Crown car – so I am skipping Silver Crown practice and qualifying in order to focus on the INDY NXT sessions, then doing Friday night’s race from the back of the field. I don’t have a problem passing cars so hopefully we can put on a good show.”

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

The INDY NXT by Firestone’s OUTFRONT Showdown takes the green flag Saturday at 4:05 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 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 specializes in general contracting and construction management, design build, IPD and facilities maintenance. Based in Louisville, Ky, ABEL is one of the largest contractors in the Kentuckiana region and has helped build some of the area’s most recognizable landmarks.

ABEL Construction was founded in 1938 and is now a fourth-generation, family-owned business, recognized for its experience, stability and capabilities, and focused on relationships and trust. That’s the ABEL way. abelconstruct.com/.

ABEL Motorsports social media

Facebook: ABEL Motorsports
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Instagram: ABEL Motorsports

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

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

  • Event: Cabo Wabo 250 (Round 21 of 33)
  • Date: Saturday, August 17
  • Location: Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn
  • Layout: 2-mile oval
  • Time/TV/Radio: 3:30 p.m. EDT on USA/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

  • Cole Custer is coming off back-to-back top-two finishes as he heads to Saturday’s Cabo Wabo 250 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, the first race back from the Olympic Break for the NASCAR Xfinity Series. After scoring his first win of the season July 13 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, Custer looked to be on his way to another win on July 20 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway after starting on the pole and leading 47 laps, his first laps led on the Indianapolis oval. He finished sixth in both stages and was leading as the race came to its final restart. He took the lead for a time, but in a last-lap battle for the lead with Aric Almirola and Custer’s Stewart-Haas teammate Riley Herbst, the driver of the No. 00 Autodesk / Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse emerged second behind the race-winning Herbst. It marked the first 1-2 finish in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Stewart-Haas. It was also the seventh top-10 for Custer in the past eight races. He looks to keep the strong runs rolling as he heads to Michigan, a track where he’s run well in the past.
  • Saturday’s Cabo Wabo 250 will mark Custer’s fifth Xfinity Series start at Michigan. In his four prior starts at the 2-mile oval, he never finished outside the top-20 with a best of third earned in June 2018. Custer also has six starts outside of the Xfinity Series at Michigan – five in the NASCAR Cup Series and one in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, earning a best finish of 22nd among those in the August 2016 Truck Series race.
  • The past few weeks have been big for Custer and his family. Prior to the Olympic Break, he announced his return to the NASCAR Cup Series for the 2025 season as the driver of the No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Haas Factory Team. He previously drove the same number during his stint in the series from 2020-2022, when he scored his first career Cup Series victory on July 12, 2020 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta. Haas Factory Team will field a NASCAR Cup Series entry and two NASCAR Xfinity Series entries for the 2025 season. Amidst the racing news, Custer and his wife Kari also welcomed their son, Callahan Brian Custer, into the world on Aug. 1.
  • With only six races remaining until the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs kick off Sept. 28 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Custer has locked himself into the postseason via his victory at Pocono. He leads the regular-season points standings by 56 markers over second-place Justin Allgaier. He took the lead with his sixth-place finish June 1 at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway and has held it since. In addition to Custer’s victory this season, he has 184 stage points and three stage wins to help secure his spot on top of the leaderboard. In addition, Custer’s nine top-fives so far this season tie him with Sheldon Creed for the most of any driver. If he can hold onto the lead through the regular-season finale Sept. 20 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, he will not only take home the regular-season championship trophy, but will earn 15 valuable playoff points.
  • Autodesk will once again adorn the hood of Custer’s No. 00 Ford Mustang Dark Horse in an alpha-bravo paint scheme with Haas Automation. The company previously sponsored Custer from 2020 to 2022 in the NASCAR Cup Series and earlier this season at Portland. For four decades, Autodesk has worked together with its customers to transform how things are made, and in doing so, it has also transformed what can be made. A car’s performance now inspires the method of its manufacture, a city’s infrastructure helps predict the unpredictable, and the creation of ever-bigger universes shapes ever-bigger stories. Today, Autodesk’s solutions span countless industries empowering innovators everywhere. But the company is restless to do more. Autodesk doesn’t believe in waiting for progress, it believes in making it. By combining and recombining technologies. By blurring boundaries, reinventing rules, and merging fields. By unleashing talent and unlocking insights across industries. By helping customers converge on solutions to the challenges everyone faces today. Autodesk believes that with the right tools to work and think flexibly comes the power to transform what actually needs making. The power to design and make a better world for all.

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

  • Riley Herbst is now a two-time winner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as he heads into Saturday’s Cabo Wabo 250 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn. The Las Vegas native scored his first win of the season and second of his career the week prior to the Olympic Break on the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval. It gave Stewart-Haas Racing back-to-back victories as teammate Cole Custer was victorious the week prior at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. Herbst started the race in second at Indianapolis behind polesitter Custer, marking the first 1-2 start in the series for Stewart-Haas. Herbst went on to win Stage 1 and finish second in Stage 2, and led 30 laps throughout the race while maintaining his position in the top-five. In the race’s final restart, Herbst was battling with Custer and Aric Almirola for the win. After Custer initially took the lead, then was passed by Almirola, Herbst showed his perseverance on the final two corners of the race to pass Almirola and take the checkered flag with Custer finishing in the runner-up spot. Herbst’s victory secured his spot in the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs and launched him from seventh to fifth in the regular-season points standings, passing both AJ Almendinger and Jesse Love. The driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse team now heads to Michigan hoping to keep the momentum rolling as Herbst now has nothing to lose and everything to win in the final six races of the regular season.
  • Saturday’s race at Michigan will mark Herbst’s fifth Xfinity Series start on the 2-mile oval. Herbst is currently on a three-race top-10 streak at Michigan. He posted back-to-back top-10s in his August 2021 and 2022 starts there, finishes of seventh and ninth, respectively. In his most recent start at the track last August, Herbst bettered his previous best of seventh with a solid sixth-place finish after starting fifth, leading one lap along the way.
  • The 25-year-old racer is already a winner at Michigan. Herbst scored his second career ARCA Menards Series win there in August 2020. He started from the pole, led four times for a total of 39 laps and took the checkered flag 1.456 seconds ahead of runner-up Bret Holmes. In a prelude to that win, Herbst finished second at Michigan in his second career ARCA race in June 2018, when he started eighth and led seven laps.
  • While Herbst took some time off during the Olympic Break to explore the beaches in the South of France, he couldn’t be kept away from racing for long. He returned a week earlier than many of his Xfinity Series regulars to compete in his final Cup Series start of 2024 in Sunday’s Richmond 400 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. After qualifying 34th, Herbst brought home a 33rd-place finish in the No. 15 Monster Energy Zero Sugar Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Rick Ware Racing. He made all four of his Cup Series starts this season with the team – Feb. 19 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, May 5 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, and June 30 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway.
  • After just barely missing the Xfinity Series playoffs last season, Herbst has successfully locked himself into the 2024 postseason via his July 20 win at Indianapolis. It’s the first time in his young career that Herbst has won his way into the playoffs. In his previous four full-time seasons in the Xfinity Series, Herbst has pointed his way into the post season three times (2020-2022). After missing the 12-driver field by one spot last season, Herbst went on to not only score his first career victory on Oct. 14 at his home track of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but also score the most points of any driver in the 38-driver field during the Round of 8. Herbst positioned himself to be a strong playoff contender after his string of six top-10 finishes in the final seven races of the 2023 season.

Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 00 Autodesk / Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse

The NASCAR Xfinity Series is back in action after a three-week hiatus for the Olympics. How did you spend your time off after scoring back-to-back top-two finishes on the season?

“Coming into the break on that hot streak was everything. We’ve been strong all season, but it’s nice to have this strong run as we head into the later part of the season. This is where it really counts. I enjoyed getting some time off before we head into these final races of the season, though. It gave us a chance to take a break before we have to grind for 13 weeks without a break. My wife Kari and I were expecting our first child over the break, and Callahan Brian Custer came into the world on August 1. I spent the rest of the break just enjoying my time with them and getting adjusted to the new life with a baby.”

While Michigan is a track that you still have yet to win at, it’s been a consistent track for you. What are your expectations for the weekend?

“Michigan provides a type of different racing for us just because you have to worry so much about dirty air at this track. In addition, you have to worry about how you position your car throughout the race, when to make moves and when not to. You can get freight-trained very quickly if you make a move at the wrong time. It’s a strategic racetrack. Ultimately, it’s just a different kind of racing than a typical intermediate track. At the end of the day, though, you have to have a good car that you can be aggressive with at any given moment. Just like at any other racetrack, a fast car makes all the difference. I think you saw speed from both Stewart-Haas Racing cars at Indianapolis, though, and we’re hoping that transfers to Michigan. The No. 00 Autodesk / Haas Automation team has done a great job at providing me with fast Ford Mustangs all season. Hopefully, we can go get a few more wins before the playoffs start in September.”

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

You’re now a two-time Xfinity Series winner. How does getting that second win help you not only this season but for the future as you prepare for 2025 and beyond?

“Getting that win at Indianapolis meant everything. To get one win in the Xfinity Series is hard, but to get a second after running so consistently is a whole other achievement. It proves that I have grown and become a better driver over the years. It may have taken me a little longer than others, but I’m proud of my journey. Indianapolis is one of those tracks that everyone knows, so to win on a track like that puts your name in a different history book. To move up in NASCAR, you have to win and that’s what I did. Now, we’re locked into the playoffs, and we can go race for wins. There’s nothing holding us back from just going for wins now. We’re solid in the points standings, but that win allows you to experiment more instead of playing the points games. I’m proud of this No. 98 Monster Energy team, and I’m ready to go race for a championship with them.”

After three straight top-10 finishes at Michigan and an ARCA Menards Series victory, you seem to be on a path to run well there. What do you need to do this weekend to back up those strong runs and your Indianapolis victory?

“We just need to have a solid weekend – a fast car, no mistakes, and some good luck. Michigan has been a good track for me in the past, but I haven’t been able to close the deal there in the Xfinity Series. When I won there in the ARCA Menards Series in 2020, it was such a different feeling because of how the world was then. This is a fast track, so you have to have your car just right if you want to compete for wins. We’re riding a wave of momentum after Indianapolis. The plan is to keep that going this weekend.”

Michael McDowell Brings Martin Transportation Systems, Love’s Travel Stops to the Motor City

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SM
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Michael McDowell and the No. 34 MTS / Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang Dark Horse
Michigan International Speedway Competition Notes

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 13, 2024) – Michael McDowell and the No. 34 team head to the Irish Hills of Michigan this weekend.

The 34 Ford Mustang Dark Horse will have a returning partner in Martin Transportation Systems (MTS) and Love’s Travel Stops with them.

A loyal Love’s Travel Stops customer headquartered in Byron Center, Michigan, MTS is a family owned and operated transportation and logistics company with a fleet of over 1,100 trucks and employs over 2,500 drivers and support staff. MTS provides dedicated, just in time “JIT” services to its customers with a dedication to safety, customer service, and technology.

After a Top-15 finish at Richmond, McDowell looks to have a good result at the Michigan International Speedway, Ford’s home track. The Blue Oval holds the most wins as a manufacturer at the two-mile speedway with 44 wins and has won the event in the past six races.

The Cup Series will kick off the weekend with practice and qualifying on Saturday, August 17th at 12:30 pm ET. The 200-lap event is scheduled for Sunday, August 18th at 2:30 pm ET. Fans can watch the action live on the USA Network or listen in from the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.

No. 34 MTS / Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

DRIVER MICHAEL MCDOWELL:

“It’s always a special weekend when we come to Michigan, being the home race for Ford, Ford Performance. This season has given us the best chance to finish well here, it’s all about having speed. I’m confident in Travis and the team, I know they will bring me a great MTS/Love’s Travel Stops Ford Dark Horse Mustang come Sunday.

“I’m excited to have MTS on board this weekend. They are a longstanding partner of Love’s, similar to Love’s and their partnership with us at Front Row Motorsports. I love to see these relationships come together on and off the track, and the success that entails.”

CREW CHIEF TRAVIS PETERSON:

“We will be ready for Michigan, I’m confident in that. We know we have better cars with speed, and Michael is driving well right now. The challenge is always the race strategy. Will it be fuel mileage, long runs? That’s what makes it exciting as a crew chief.”

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.

Grillo’s Pickles Returns with Todd Gilliland at the Michigan International Speedway

By
Official Release
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Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 Grillo’s Pickles Ford Mustang Dark Horse
Michigan International Speedway Competition Notes

 MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 13, 2024) – Grillo’s Pickles is back with Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse team this weekend at the Michigan International Speedway.

After finishing 17th at the Richmond (Va.) Raceway, Gilliland looks to bounce back at Ford’s home track. Ford holds the most wins as a manufacturer at the two-mile speedway with 44 wins and has won the event in the past six races. Gilliland looks to continue that streak this Sunday.

The Cup Series will kick off the weekend with practice and qualifying on Saturday, August 17th at 12:30 pm ET. The 200-lap event is scheduled for Sunday, August 18th at 2:30 pm ET. Fans can watch the action live on the USA Network 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 a big weekend for Ford. With Michigan being their home track, there is a little bit more pressure to perform well. I’m not worried, though. Ryan (Bergenty) and team have been bringing speed all season, we just need to capitalize on it and close in on the points gap.

“It’s cool to see the support around Grillo’s Pickles adding a race to their schedule. I think it’s safe to say that everyone loves seeing them on our Ford Mustang Dark Horse. I can’t thank them enough for their support. Hopefully I can give them a good showing.”

CREW CHIEF RYAN BERGENTY:

“We want to perform well at every race, but especially at Michigan. Michigan is the home of Ford, and we always have a big group of Ford leadership at the track. We want to make them proud. I think we can do that this weekend.

“Myself, the team, and Todd (Gilliland) are eager to get to the track. I think we can make big gains in points this weekend and maybe even get the win to lock ourselves into the playoffs.”

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.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB AND ERIK JONES AGREE TO MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION

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Official Release
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  • Three-time NASCAR Cup Series winner Erik Jones signs extension ahead of the 2025 season with LEGACY M.C.

STATESVILLE, N.C. (August 13, 2024) – LEGACY MOTOR CLUB announced today that NASCAR Cup Series veteran, Erik Jones has entered into a multi-year contract renewal. Jones will continue to pilot the coveted No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE for the 2025 NASCAR season and beyond.

“Erik Jones has been the consistent cornerstone of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s driver lineup since Maury chose to enter NASCAR’s highly competitive Cup Division,” said Cal Wells III, CEO of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. “He’s a proven champion that, surrounded with the right team powered by Toyota, can and will compete for race wins against the very best on any given Sunday. Having personally known Erik for close to 14 years, I feel blessed he’s chosen to remain with the CLUB and I’m looking forward to winning races with him at the helm of the iconic No. 43.”

The 28-year-old, Byron, Mich., native is currently in his eighth full-time NASCAR Cup Series season and his fourth with the organization, previously known as Petty GMS Racing after the team was acquired from Richard Petty Motorsports and then rebranded to LEGACY MOTOR CLUB ahead of the 2023 season. In his full-time NASCAR Cup Series reign, Jones has earned 3 wins, 37 top-five, and 89 top-10 finishes. In 2021, he transitioned to the then Richard Petty Motorsports team, from Joe Gibbs Racing. Jones became the first driver to win three consecutive “Rookie of the Year” honors in all three Series (NASCAR Truck Series in 2015, NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2016, and NASCAR Cup Series in 2017).

“Erik is one of the most talented drivers in NASCAR, I’ve had the chance to race against him and have had a chance to watch him drive for other teams and the CLUB,” said co-owner Jimmie Johnson. “I admire his talent and am glad we will have him race for us for the upcoming years. Erik will be a key to helping us turn our program around and we look forward to giving him the tools he needs to go out on Sundays and race for wins and eventually a championship someday.”

During his climb to the top Series in NASCAR, Jones accumulated three of his seven career total wins in the NASCAR Truck Series in 2015 en route to the NASCAR Truck Series Championship. In addition to the victories in the NASCAR Truck Series, Jones has piloted the NASCAR Xfinity Series vehicle to a total of nine victories.

“I’m looking forward to what we can build at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. I’ve been with the No. 43 car for a handful of years and feel like I’m coming into some of the best years of my career. I am hoping to grow alongside LEGACY M.C. in the seasons to come,” said Erik Jones, driver of the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB is in its second year of competition in the NASCAR Cup Series with full-time drivers, Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek along with Jimmie Johnson who is competing part-time for the CLUB. During the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season, LEGACY M.C. has accounted for four top-10 finishes and as well as 36 laps led.

ABOUT

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice “Maury” J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. The CLUB competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series fielding the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE of John Hunter Nemechek, the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE of Erik Jones, and the No. 84 limited schedule entry for Johnson. LEGACY M.C. also competes in the Extreme E Series. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty “The King” serves as CLUB Ambassador. With a unique title signifying a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for all motorsport enthusiasts to celebrate the past and future legacies of its members, while competing for wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level. To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ on Facebook, X, Instagram and at LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com

Ford Looking To Extend Michigan Cup Win Streak to 10

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Official Release
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MICHIGAN

Saturday, August 17 — NASCAR Xfinity Series, 3:30 p.m. ET (USA)
Sunday, August 18 — NASCAR Cup Series, 2:30 p.m. ET (USA)

There is no track on the NASCAR circuit that Ford has been more successful at than Michigan International Speedway, which is where the NASCAR Cup and NASCAR Xfinity Series will be racing this weekend. Ford has won nine straight Cup races at the facility and 44 overall, which is the most for the manufacturer at any track.

FORD ALL-TIME MICHIGAN WINS LEADER

No manufacturer has had more success at Michigan International Speedway than Ford, which comes into this weekend looking to extend a nine-race winning streak. Since the track opened in 1969 there have been 106 NASCAR Cup Series races and Ford Motor Company has won more than half of them (53%). Overall, the company has 56 MIS victories with 44 being Ford and 12 Mercury. David Pearson is the track’s all-time leader in wins with nine (all Mercury) while Bill Elliott has the most Ford wins with seven.

FORD LOOKS TO EXTEND MIS WIN STREAK TO 10

Ford comes into Sunday’s scheduled race having won the last nine series races at the two-mile facility as Chris Buescher extended the streak one year ago when he led the final 12 laps to win for the second consecutive week. That made Buescher the fifth different driver to win at MIS during this streak. Kevin Harvick has five wins during that span while Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and Buescher have one each.

YEAR – DRIVER

2018 – Clint Bowyer (1) and Kevin Harvick (2)

2019 – Joey Logano (1) and Kevin Harvick (2)

2020 – Kevin Harvick (1 and 2)

2021 – Ryan Blaney

2022 – Kevin Harvick

2023 – Chris Buescher

HERITAGE TROPHY SUCCESS

Since Michigan International Speedway began handing out the Heritage Trophy to the winning manufacturer in August 2013, Ford has taken it back to World Headquarters in nearby Dearborn more times than any other manufacturer. Ford has won 11 races since the trophy came into existence while Chevrolet has won six and Toyota one.

BRAD KESELOWSKI: “I didn’t know it was nine races. That’s a great streak to have. We certainly don’t take it for granted. Those streaks come and go, but it’s been a good track for Ford. We put a lot of emphasis on going there, which has paid off clearly. Doug Yates and the engine shop are really good about making sure we’ve got the power and the things we need, and we had a good race there last year with RFK to be able to win with Chris. Hopefully, I can make it number 10.”

JOEY LOGANO: “It’s pretty important, more important for us. I’d like to get it more than anybody. Probably every Ford driver would say the same thing, but it’s definitely a special place to win for the OEMs. You think about it. All of the executives are there. The last thing you want is them to drive back to Dearborn and say, ‘Uhhhhh.’ You want them to be celebrating and enjoy it, so everyone brings as much as they can to try to win that one.”

RYAN BLANEY: “It’s huge. We take a lot of pride in that Heritage trophy and obviously with Ford being right there it’s really important. Edsel definitely makes sure that we know that it is important that we keep that there in Detroit at their home base. I was fortunate enough to win there a few years ago and have Edsel there and kind of see that excitement in him. It would be important to keep the streak going, so hopefully we can at least make a run at it and keep that trophy where it belongs.”

NOAH GRAGSON: “I know there are big manufacturer rivals up in the rolling hills, so going for 10 in a row is a pretty big accomplishment in my opinion at any racetrack. To be able to do it up in Michigan that’s the goal, obviously. Nine in a row is really big to be able to do that is a statement made. That makes me proud to drive a Ford and especially up in the rolling hills because they obviously have speed with the Dark Horse Mustang. I hope we can have a good run because Michigan is one of my favorite racetracks. It’s a good, fun, fast racetrack, probably the fastest racetrack we go to on the whole NASCAR circuit, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

FOUR STRAIGHT FOR AWESOME BILL

Bill Elliott is the only driver to win four straight NASCAR Cup Series races at Michigan International Speedway, sweeping both events in 1985 and ’86, and he capped that impressive streak in dominating fashion. Elliott led 125-of-200 laps on Aug. 17, 1986 to beat Tim Richmond to the finish line and win the Champion Spark Plug 400. Elliott went on to win seven career races at MIS and currently ranks third on the all-time list, trailing only David Pearson (9) and Cale Yarborough (8).

JARRETT WINS FIRST CUP RACE

Dale Jarrett registered his first NASCAR Cup Series victory in memorable fashion at Michigan International Speedway on Aug. 18, 1991. Jarrett, who was in second season driving for the Wood Brothers, found himself in a furious battle with Davey Allison, who stalked him over the final dozen laps in his No. 28 Texaco Havoline Thunderbird. Allison made a move to the outside coming off turn four and got alongside Jarrett as the two took the white flag together. They took turns exchanging the lead, but never left each other’s side. As they came off turn four both Fords made contact, but it was Jarrett who ended up edging Allison by eight inches at the finish line.

BIFFLE WINS FORD’S 1,000TH

Greg Biffle posted Ford’s 1,000th NASCAR victory when he took the checkered flag on June 16, 2013 in the Quicken Loans 400. The milestone win, which included combined victories in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck, NASCAR Xfinity and NASCAR Cup Series, was Biffle’s second straight at MIS and fourth overall. The race was shaping up to be a battle between Biffle, who was leading, and a hard-charging Jimmie Johnson, but a flat tire ended Johnson’s chances with two laps to go.

HERITAGE TROPHY FIRST

When Joey Logano won the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Aug. 18, 2013 it represented his first win with Ford and new car owner Roger Penske. But it also marked the first time the speedway awarded the Michigan Heritage trophy, which goes to the winning manufacturer of every NASCAR Cup Series race at MIS. Logano, who won the pole and led a race-high 51 laps, passed Mark Martin for the lead with four laps to go after Martin’s car ran out of gas.

BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK?

Ford will be going for its third straight series victory this weekend after Cole Custer won at Pocono Raceway and Riley Herbst captured the checkered flag at Indianapolis Motor Speedway three weeks ago. Custer, who has 14 career NXS wins, is looking for his first victory at MIS. In four career series starts, he has a pair of top-10 finishes with a third-place effort in 2018 being his best. Herbst enters the competition with three straight top-10 runs at MIS, including a career-best sixth in last year’s event. With both drivers now locked into the playoffs, the attention will focus on Ryan Sieg, who currently holds the final spot in the 12-driver field, but only has a three-point cushion over Sammy Smith with six races remaining in the regular season.

FORD’S NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS

AT MICHIGAN

1969 – David Pearson (2)

1984 – Bill Elliott (1)

1985 – Bill Elliott (Sweep)

1986 – Bill Elliott (Sweep)

1987 – Bill Elliott (2)

1988 – Davey Allison (2)

1989 – Bill Elliott (1)

1990 – Mark Martin (2)

1991 – Davey Allison and Dale Jarrett

1992 – Davey Allison (1)

1993 – Mark Martin (2)

1994 – Rusty Wallace and Geoffrey Bodine

1996 – Rusty Wallace and Dale Jarrett

1997 – Ernie Irvan and Mark Martin

1998 – Mark Martin (1)

1999 – Dale Jarrett (1)

2000 – Rusty Wallace (2)

2002 – Matt Kenseth and Dale Jarrett

2003 – Kurt Busch (1)

2004 – Greg Biffle (2)

2005 – Greg Biffle (1)

2006 – Matt Kenseth (2)

2007 – Carl Edwards (1)

2008 – Carl Edwards (2)

2012 – Greg Biffle (2)

2013 – Greg Biffle and Joey Logano

2016 – Joey Logano (1)

2018 – Clint Bowyer (1) and Kevin Harvick (2)

2019 – Joey Logano (1) and Kevin Harvick (2)

2020 – Kevin Harvick (Sweep)

2021 – Ryan Blaney

2022 – Kevin Harvick

2023 – Chris Buescher

FORD’S NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS

AT MICHIGAN

1993 – Mark Martin

1995 – Mark Martin

1998 – Jeff Burton

2001 – Ryan Newman

2008 – Carl Edwards

2011 – Carl Edwards

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