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RFK Announces Wellness Walk at Pocono with Esperion

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Official Release
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Brad Keselowski to Walk Infield Camping Route Alongside Fans Promoting Heart Health

CONCORD, N.C. (June 26, 2024) – In its continued effort to promote Heart Health, RFK Racing team partner Esperion invites fans and the public to walk a one-mile route on the infield camping area at Pocono Raceway. The walk will begin at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday, July 13th, with Brad Keselowski leading the way in the walk.

“We’re thrilled to activate with RFK and Brad at the upcoming race in Pocono,” said Sheldon Koenig, President and CEO, Esperion Therapeutics. “Staying active and living an active lifestyle is one of the best ways for us to promote health and wellness, and we’re excited to do that alongside the team next month. No strings attached, we welcome and encourage anyone who wants to participate!”

Fans interested in attending the walk are encouraged to stay tuned to RFK’s social media channels for updated maps and information. The walk will promptly start at 9 a.m. ET at the block party stage along the infield camping road and last until the one-mile loop is complete.

Track activity begins after the walk at 12 p.m. with group practice, followed by single-car qualifying at 12:45 p.m. Sunday’s race is set for 2:30 p.m. ET (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

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

About Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway, also known as ‘The Tricky Triangle,’ is family-owned and situated in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. In business for over 50 years, the Raceway hosts multiple, national motorsports events including the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series events each year. The facility’s calendar also consists of over 200 events including Elements Music & Arts Festival and a wide range of non-motorsports entertainment, car clubs and racing schools. Pocono Raceway is recognized as the world’s first, privately-owned solar-powered sports facility. Their 25-acre, three-megawatt solar farm provides the energy needs of the Raceway, as well as, adds electricity to the local power grid. Each member of our raceway staff is committed to creating exciting experiences and lifelong memories. For more information, please visit www.poconoraceway.com.

JR Motorsports — NXS Nashville Preview

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Official Release
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JR Motorsports Team Preview
TRACK – Nashville Superspeedway (1.33 mile tri-oval)
NXS RACE – Tennessee Lottery 250 (188 laps / 250.04 miles)
TUNE IN – USA, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90 at 5:00 p.m. (ET)

Sam Mayer

No. 1 – Huck’s Market Chevrolet

Mayer 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 16

Wins: 2

Top 5s: 7

Top 10s: 8

Laps Led: 118

Avg. Finish: 16.2

Points: 10th

  • Sam Mayer heads to “The Music City” for only his third NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Nashville Superspeedway.
  • In just two starts at the 1.330-mile tri-oval, the 21-year-old driver has earned two top-five efforts, with his best coming at this event last summer where he took the checkers third in line.
  • On tracks measuring under 1.5 miles in length, Mayer has earned a total of three victories, 21 top-five and 30 top-10 finishes in 54 starts.
  • Returning JRM partner Huck’s Market will be making its third appearance alongside the No. 1 Chevrolet in Nashville and its first appearance of the 2024 season this Saturday afternoon.

Sam Mayer

“Things did not end the way we wanted them to in New Hampshire, but I am ready to turn that back around in Nashville. This track is always a fun run for me as we have ran super-well there the past two years. Mardy (Lindley, crew chief) and the guys have given me such fast race cars this year and I know we will continue that in Nashville. I am pumped to have our good friends at Huck’s Market back on board so hopefully we can get them to Victory Lane this weekend.”

Justin Allgaier

No. 7 Hellmann’s / Dollar General Literacy Foundation Chevrolet

Allgaier 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 16

Wins: 1

Top 5s: 5

Top 10s: 8

Laps Led: 487

Avg. Finish: 14.9

Points: 3rd

  • Justin Allgaier is a previous winner in “The Music City” in the NXS, having gone to Victory Lane in dominating fashion in this event in 2022.
  • On that day in 2022, Allgaier swept both stages and led for a race-high 134 laps en route to his first win on the concrete oval.
  • According to NASCAR’s loop data statistics, Allgaier currently leads the NXS in quality passes (258), green-flag passes (373) and laps run inside the top 15 (1,686) at Nashville.
  • Overall, on tracks measuring between 1 and 2 miles in length in the NXS, the veteran JRM driver has amassed a combined 13 wins, 79 top fives and 148 top 10s.

Justin Allgaier

“I always love coming back to Nashville. This has been one of my favorite places on the schedule and it’s somewhere that we have always unloaded very strong at. Hopefully that will be the case again this weekend with our Hellmann’s / Dollar General Literacy Foundation Chevrolet and we will be right up front fighting for the win in the end come Saturday. This No. 7 group is ready to go.”

Sammy Smith

No. 8 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet

Smith 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 16

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 3

Top 10s: 9

Laps Led: 53

Avg. Finish: 15.8

Points: 11th

  • The 20-year-old Iowa native heads to Nashville this weekend for his second start at the superspeedway in “The Music City”.
  • Sammy Smith has 31 starts on tracks measuring 1.5 miles in length or shorter with one win, seven top fives and 19 top 10s overall in the NXS.
  • Smith is currently third in NASCAR’s loop data statistics for quality passes this season with 719.
  • Pilot Flying J will share the TV panel this weekend with Western Express, a Nashville, Tenn. based company with a mission to serve the needs of their customers by providing innovative transportation solutions that exceed their needs.

Sammy Smith

“Our finish at New Hampshire unfortunately didn’t show how strong of a car we had. Even with no track time after practice and qualifying were cancelled, my team brought a strong car to the Magic Mile and we were competitive all day. The numerous restarts shuffled us at the end, but we’re learning every time we hit the track. We’ll take those lessons into Nashville to try to get Pilot Flying J into Victory Lane.”

Brandon Jones

No. 9 Menards / BestAir Chevrolet

Jones 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 16

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 1

Top 10s: 5

Laps Led: 20

Avg. Finish: 20

Points: 15th

  • Brandon Jones has made three NXS starts at Nashville. Overall, Jones has an average start of 10.5 and a best finish of sixth in “The Music City”.
  • The 27-year-old Georgia native has also made one ARCA Menards series start at the concrete oval where he finished in the top five.
  • In 140 starts on tracks measuring 1-2 miles in length in the NXS, Jones has recorded four wins, 20 top fives and 63 top 10s, while pacing the field for 392 laps.
  • Crew chief Phillip Bell has been atop the pit box for a pair of races at Nashville in the NXS as lead engineer with an average finish of 10.5.
  • BestAir, the leader in indoor air quality for more than 50 years, will be making its first appearance at Nashville on the hood of Jones’ No. 9 Chevrolet this weekend.

Brandon Jones

“We had a good run last weekend in New Hampshire, so we plan to build off that momentum heading into Nashville this weekend. This No. 9 team has been working hard to make sure we have a fast car to roll out on Saturday. Nashville is a slick track, so Phillip (Bell, crew chief) and I have been working on out strategy to make sure we are ready to put this Menards/BestAir Chevrolet in Victory Lane.”

Carson Kvapil

No. 88 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet

Kvapil 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 4

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 3

Top 10s: 3

Laps Led: 38

Avg. Finish: 7.5

Points: 32nd

  • For the second week in a row, Carson Kvapil will make his first attempt at a track in the NXS, this time at Nashville in what will be his fifth career start.
  • Kvapil will be seeking his fourth top-five result in five races so far this season, following a runner-up at Dover, a fourth-place run at Martinsville and last week’s fifth-place result at New Hampshire.
  • The 21-year-old driver will make his third straight start on a track measuring more than 1 mile in length (Darlington, Dover and New Hampshire).
  • Crew chief Andrew Overstreet has guided the No. 88 team to finishes of second, fourth, fifth, sixth and 19th in his five 2024 starts. That’s an average finish of 7.2 for the season.

Carson Kvapil

“We had a shot to win at New Hampshire, and if things go as they have been going, hopefully we’ll be in the mix this weekend at Nashville. It’s another new track for me, and I’ve been pretty good with getting acclimated to them. Andrew (Overstreet, crew chief) and this No. 88 Clarience Technologies team have been on it with strategy and constantly put me in a position to win, and I want to get that done this weekend for them and everybody at JR Motorsports.”

JRM Team Updates

JR Motorsports at Nashville Superspeedway: JR Motorsports has competed at Nashville Superspeedway a combined 30 times in the NXS since its first trip there in 2006. In those starts at the 1.33-mile tri-oval, the organization has recorded two wins, 11 top-fives and 17 top-10s, with an average finish of 11.1.

Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith, Brandon Jones and Carson Kvapil will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / Legacy MC souvenir rig on Saturday, June 29 from 1:45 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. CT.

Interstate Batteries Racing: Ty Gibbs Nashville Superspeedway Advance

By
Official Release
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Ty Gibbs
Nashville Advance
No. 54 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Ally 400 (Round 19 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 30
● Location: Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway
● Layout: 1.333-mile, concrete oval
● Laps/Miles: 300 laps/399 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 90 laps / Stage 2: 95 laps / Final Stage: 115 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Outrageously Dependable for 33 Years and Counting: Interstate Batteries has 11 primary sponsorships on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule in 2024, a similar number of schemes to last year’s expanded presence among all four JGR Toyota Camry XSEs. The Ally 400 is the third of four primary sponsorships on Ty Gibbs’ No. 54 Camry this season. Christopher Bell and Gibbs will run the majority of the Interstate Batteries races with eight primaries in all between the two drivers. Martin Truex Jr. will carry a primary Interstate Batteries sponsorship for one race on the No. 19 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in July during his final season as a fulltime Cup Series driver.

● Prior to the inaugural Ally 400 at Nashville in 2021, 10 years had passed since NASCAR last competed at the 1.333-mile, concrete oval. It was a NASCAR Xfinity Series race on July 23, 2011 and it was won by Carl Edwards. The NASCAR Cup Series had never competed at the track until the 2021 Ally 400 with this weekend’s race being the fourth edition with NASCAR’s top series at the track located some 40 minutes east and south of downtown Nashville.

● No Sophomore Slump for Gibbs: This weekend marks Gibbs’ second opportunity to race on the Nashville concrete oval in a Cup Series car, as he brought home a 14th-place finish in his debut there last season. So far in 2024, Gibbs has had a strong season, bringing home one pole, four top-five finishes and eight top-10s over the first 18 races while leading 309 total laps. He is fighting to make the Cup Series Playoffs for the first time in just his second season.

● Concrete Time: While Gibbs has only made one Cup Series start at Nashville, he’s had strong runs in his two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track. He brought home a fourth-place finish there in his Xfinity debut there in 2022. Last year, he led 28 laps before an accident ended his day early.

● Gibbs heads to Nashville 11th in the driver standings with 499 points, 121 behind series leader Kyle Larson. All four JGR entries are currently inside the top-11 in points heading to the 19th race of the season. Denny Hamlin sits third in the standings with Truex fourth, Christopher Bell sixth, and Gibbs 11th with eight races remaining in the regular season for the Team Interstate contingent.

● At the age of 19 years, 9 months and 20 days, Gibbs made his first career NASCAR Cup Series start on July 24, 2022 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway for 23XI Racing. He became the 37th driver younger than 20 years of age to make a Cup Series start. He started at the rear of the field but completed all 160 laps on his way to an impressive 16th-place finish.

● Dazzling Debut: Gibbs was victorious in his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in the February 2021 race on the road course at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. He led 14 of the 56 laps and became the youngest driver to win an Xfinity Series road-course race at 18 years, 4 months and 16 days. The native of Charlotte, North Carolina also became the second-youngest winner in Xfinity Series history behind Joey Logano, who won in June 2008 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta at the age of 18 years, 21 days.

Ty Gibbs, Driver of the No. 54 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry XSE

What are your thoughts about racing this weekend at Nashville?

“I’m looking forward to Nashville. It’s a unique track at 1.33 miles and it’s concrete, so it can be challenging. I’ve competed in a couple of Xfinity races there and finished fourth two years ago. And we didn’t get the finished we deserved in my first Cup race there last year. It’s a fun track and I’m hoping to keep learning like I do at every place we go this year. Great to have Interstate Batteries on board. They are the founding sponsor of Joe Gibbs Racing and hopefully we can give them a good run.”

How important is qualifying at Nashville?

“I think it’s important, but not as important as it is at some other places we race at, like Iowa a few weeks ago as an example. You get a little more room at Nashville to move around and spread out and makes passes, so you are able to move up through the field if you don’t get the qualifying lap you wanted. I get to run both races there this weekend, with He Gets Us on the Xfinity car there Saturday, and I’m hoping those extra laps will help us on Sunday with our Interstate Batteries Camry.”

What’s the most challenging part of racing at Nashville?

“I think backing up your corner entry and trying to drive your car in deeper, so keeping the entry backed up and getting a good run off a corner and keeping your momentum is very important there in qualifying and during the race.”

Interstate Batteries has been with JGR since Day 1. How special is that to carry those colors anytime, but also in particular at Nashville this weekend?

“It’s really cool to think about how long Interstate Batteries has been with our team. They were with this team before I was born, and to be able to be on my car with the relationship they’ve had with my grandfather for so many years. I think it would be really fitting to get my first win in an Interstate Batteries car and we’re going to give it our best shot again this weekend in Nashville.”

You are still chasing your first Cup Series win. How beneficial was it to get seat time with 23XI back in 2022 before your full rookie season with JGR in 2023 to get you to where you are running up front and contending?

“It was really beneficial. You don’t get much time in the Cup car now with limited practice and testing, so just more seat time was huge for me. Beyond that, I think my team and my crew chief have done a great job the last couple of years of just helping me along and helping me learn each and every week. All those things add up, and hoping we can turn that into a victory.”

No. 54 Interstate Batteries Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Ty Gibbs

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Chris Gayle

Hometown: Little Rock, Arkansas

Car Chief: Nate Bellows

Hometown: Fairfax, Vermont

Spotter: Tony Hirschman

Hometown: Northampton, Pennsylvania

Race Engineer: Kyle Abrahims

Hometown: Spring Grove, Pennsylvania

Race Engineer: Evan Karl

Hometown: Ballston Lake, New York

Road Crew Members

Truck Driver: Ben Smith

Hometown: Greensboro, North Carolina

Mechanic: Ryan Towles Hometown: Salem, Virginia

Mechanic: Scott Eldridge

Hometown: Warsaw, Indiana

Truck Driver: Mike Yates

Hometown: Daytona Beach, Florida

Mechanic/Tire Specialist: Jeff Swearengin

Hometown: Elkhart, Indiana

Over-The-Wall Crew Members

Gas Man: Ian Anderson

Hometown: Pffattown, North Carolina

Jackman: Braxton Brannon

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Nick McBeath

Hometown: Miami, Florida

Front Tire Changer: Jackson Gibbs

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Kevon Jackson

Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

Kaulig Racing Weekly Preview | Nashville Superspeedway

By
Official Release
-

Race Notes

Nashville Superspeedway
Ally 400
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Sunday, June 30 at 3:30PM EDT
NBC | PRN | SiriusXM
Team Notes

  • Kaulig Racing has made four NCS starts at Nashville Superspeedway.
  • The team has earned a top 10 and two top-20 finishes at Nasvhille.
  • So far in the 2024 NCS season, Kaulig Racing has earned five top 10s, 14 top 20s and led 39 laps.

AJ ALLMENDINGER

“Nashville has been a great racetrack for us on both the Xfinity and Cup side of our program. Being able to win the Xfinity race last year was a huge highlight; getting that guitar that is so iconic and then running inside the top 10 all day in the Cup race. It’s a racetrack that I have enjoyed since we started going to it. Hopefully, we can have the same success that we have had the past few years. Looking forward to the weekend and thinking we can have a good run in both race cars and find the momentum that we need.” AJ Allmendinger on Nashville Superspeedway

No. 16 Celsius Camaro ZL1

  • AJ Allmendinger has made two NCS starts at Nashville Superspeedway. Allmendinger has an average finish of 14.5 at the track and has earned one top 10 and two top-20 finishes.
  • So far in the 2024 NCS season, Allmendinger has made six starts, earned three top-10 finishes and led 12 laps.

DANIEL HEMRIC

“I’m looking forward to Nashville. The layout lends more towards tracks like Dover and Charlotte, where we have performed well. History shows that this is one of this team’s better tracks, so I’m optimistic heading into the weekend.” – Daniel Hemric on Nashville Superspeedway

No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1

  • Daniel Hemric will make his first NCS start at Nashville Superspeedway in the Ally 400.
  • So far in the 2024 NCS season, Hemric has earned two top 10s, seven top-20 finishes and has led 14 laps.

Race Details

Nashville Superspeedway
Tennessee Lottery 250
NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS)
Saturday, June 29 at 5:00PM EDT
USA | PRN | SiriusXM
Team Notes

  • Kaulig Racing has made nine NXS starts at Nashville Superspeedway. The team has led 148 laps, earned one win, two top five and four top-10 finishes.
  • So far in the 2024 NXS season, Kaulig Racing has earned two wins, six top five, 15 top-10 finishes and led 111 laps.

JOSH WILLIAMS

“Nashville is a really hot track. It gets slick there pretty quickly, and Kaulig Racing has had a lot of success there recently. I think we’ve got the opportunity for a good finish there.” – Josh Williams on Nashville Superspeedway

No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Chevrolet Camaro

  • Josh Williams has made three starts at Nashville Superspeedway. His best finish at the track came in 2021 (21st).
  • Williams sits 18th in the NXS points standings with three top 10s and 14 laps led.

AJ ALLMENDINGER

“Nashville has been a great racetrack for us on both the Xfinity and Cup side of our program. Being able to win the Xfinity race last year was a huge highlight; getting that guitar that is so iconic and then running inside the top 10 all day in the Cup race. It’s a racetrack that I have enjoyed since we started going to it. Hopefully, we can have the same success that we have had the past few years. Looking forward to the weekend and thinking we can have a good run in both race cars and find the momentum that we need.” – AJ Allmendinger on Nashville Superspeedway

No. 16 Celsius Chevrolet Camaro

  • AJ Allmendinger has made three NXS starts at Nashville Superspeedway. Allmendinger has earned one win at the track in 2023, led 73 laps and earned two top-five finishes.
  • So far in the 2024 NXS season, Allmendinger has earned three top five and seven top-10 finishes. He has led 32 laps and currently sits eighth in driver standings.

SHANE van GISBERGEN

“Nashville [Superspeedway] was the first track I visited before going racing at Chicago last year. I am excited to get to race there this weekend and see what it’s all about. It is fun visiting these tracks for the first time but challenging too. It’s another oval I can learn on and get better. My No. 97 Kaulig Racing team continues to brings fast cars to the track every weekend, so I’m looking forward to another shot on an oval. Excited to have WeatherTech back on my Chevy this weekend, and looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish together.” – Shane van Gisbergen on Nashville Superspeedway

No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet Camaro

  • Shane van Gisbergen will make his first-career NXS start at Nashville Superspeedway in the No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet.
  • So far in the 2024 NXS season, Van Gisbergen has earned two wins, three top fives, four top 10s, one pole award and has led 65 laps.
  • Van Gisbergen and his No. 97 Kaulig Racing team currently sit 13th in the driver standings heading into the weekend at Nashville Superspeedway.
  • The New Zealand native will carry the white and red WeatherTech livery. For decades, WeatherTech has delivered on its promise of quality and craftsmanship through a commitment to American-made auto, home and pet products. More information can be found at weathertech.com.

About Kaulig Racing

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time, multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has earned 23 NXS wins, made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started, and won two regular-season championships. In 2021, the team competed in select NCS events, before expanding to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first NCS start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. Kaulig Racing is currently fielding two full-time entries in the NCS and continues to field three full-time NXS entries, with a part-time fourth entry at select events. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

Ben Rhodes to make 200th Truck career start at Nashville

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

In his quest to both defend and capture his third NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship, Ben Rhodes is set to achieve a milestone start. By taking the green flag in this weekend’s series event at Nashville Superspeedway, the No. 99 ThorSport Racing Ford F-150 driver will make his 200th career start in the Truck Series.

A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Rhodes made his inaugural presence in the Truck Series at Martinsville Speedway in March 2014. By then, he was competing for the ARCA Menards Series East title with Turner Scott Motorsports after previously competing with TSM in the ARCA Menards Series East on a part-time basis in 2013 and in the UARA-STAR Series with Marcos Ambrose Motorsports in 2012. Driving the No. 32 Chevrolet Silverado for TSM, Rhodes started 12th and finished eighth in his series debut. He would make three additional Truck starts with TSM at Dover Motor Speedway in May, Bristol Motor Speedway in August and at Phoenix Raceway in November, where he finished 22nd, ninth and fifth, respectively. By then, he had also secured the 2014 ARCA East title.

After competing in 10 Xfinity Series events with JR Motorsports in 2015, Rhodes entered the Truck Series full-time for the 2016 season, where he piloted the No. 41 Toyota Tundra for ThorSport Racing. He commenced the season by finishing seventh at Daytona International Speedway in February before finishing sixth and 16th during his next two events. By then, he had notched his first career pole position at Martinsville Speedway in April. At Kansas Speedway in May, Rhodes was within striking distance of notching his first victory amid an overtime shootout until he made contact with veteran Johnny Sauter with two turns remaining and sent both into the outside wall, with Rhodes ending up in 18th place.

Despite finishing no higher than 11th during his next three starts, he rallied by finishing fourth at Iowa Speedway and a career-best runner-up result at World Wide Technology Raceway, respectively, in June. With only a single extra top-10 result recorded during the final seven regular-season events on the schedule, Rhodes did not make the 2016 Truck Series Playoffs. Ultimately, he would finish no higher than 12th during the seven-race Playoff stretch before concluding his first Truck Series season in 14th place in the final standings.

Remaining at ThorSport Racing while sporting the No. 27 alongside his entry for the 2017 Truck Series season, Rhodes began the season by finishing 12th at Daytona after being involved in a final lap multi-truck wreck that collected all four ThorSport Racing entries. After finishing fourth at Atlanta Motor Speedway and 20th at Martinsville Speedway, respectively, Rhodes was in position to achieve his first career victory at Kansas. He led 25 laps and had outdueled Kyle Busch in the closing laps until he blew his engine with eight laps remaining and retired in 23rd place. Amid the disappointment at Kansas, the Kentucky native would accumulate four top-five results, a runner-up result at Pocono Raceway in July and seven top-10 results during the following 11 regular-season events on the schedule.

After finishing in sixth place during the regular-season finale at Chicagoland, Rhodes managed to claim the eighth and final transfer spot to the 2017 Playoffs in a tie-breaker over Ryan Truex. Then after finishing seventh in the Playoff opener at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September, Rhodes made a daring three-wide pass on Truex and Christopher Bell for the lead during a seven-lap dash to the finish before fending off Bell to score his first elusive career victory in his 46th Truck start and transfer from the Round of 8 to 6.

Four races later, however, Rhodes’ hopes of transferring into the Championship 4 round came to an end during the Round of 8 finale at Phoenix Raceway after he got turned by Playoff rival Austin Cindric and made head-on contact into the inside wall before he slid up the track and collected teammate Matt Crafton during a restart with 21 laps remaining. Settling in 19th place during the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway after running out of fuel with five laps remaining, Rhodes would conclude his sophomore Truck season in fifth place in the final standings. By then, he tripled his top-five results (six) and earned seven additional top-10 results compared to his previous season (12). He had also led 203 laps and recorded an average-finishing result of 12.4.

Returning to sport the No. 41 alongside his entry as ThorSport Racing changed manufacturers from Toyota to Ford, Rhodes commenced the season with two consecutive fourth-place finishes and five top-10 results through the first 10 scheduled events. Then after finishing in the runner-up spot at Chicagoland in June, Rhodes notched his first Truck victory of the season and the third of his career at his home track, Kentucky Speedway, in July after leading 38 laps. He notched two top-seven results during the final four regular-season events before the Playoffs began and made his second consecutive Playoff appearance.

After being eliminated early from title contention with respective results of 14th, fourth and 16th throughout the Round of 8, he earned two top-five results and finished no lower than 12th during the final four events on the schedule before ending up in eighth place in the final standings. By then, he accumulated a career-high three poles, eight top-five results, and 13 top-10 results, with 232 laps led and an average-finishing result of 9.9 to coincide with his Kentucky victory.

With Rhodes entering his fourth consecutive Truck Series season at ThorSport with his fourth different number, 99, for the 2019 season, he commenced the season with a 14th-place finish at Daytona after being involved in a multi-truck wreck during an overtime shootout despite leading 11 laps and leading when the incident occurred. Despite finishing in the runner-up spot three times and notching eight top-10 results during the 16-race regular-season stretch, Rhodes missed the Playoffs for the first time since 2016. He would finish in the top five twice and in the top 10 four times during the seven-race Playoff stretch before settling in ninth place in the final standings and with an average-finishing result of 11.3.

Like the previous season, Rhodes’ season commenced with a wreck at Daytona after he was involved in a multi-truck wreck with three laps remaining while battling for the lead and ending up in 25th place in the final running order. He would rally by finishing in the top 10 during his next three starts as he would reach 100 career starts in the Truck Series. After finishing in the top five four times during his next 10 starts, Rhodes snapped a 48-race winless drought by notching his fourth career victory at Darlington Raceway in September after fending off Derek Kraus during an overtime shootout and etching his name back into the Playoffs.

Despite transferring from the Round of 10 to 8 after respective finishes of 13th, 23rd and fourth throughout the Round of 10, Rhodes finished 20th, 20th and second, respectively, during the Round of 8, which were not enough for him to make the Championship 4 cutline. With a seventh-place finish during the finale at Phoenix Raceway in November, Rhodes ended up in seventh place in the final standings. By then, he notched a career-high nine top-five results, 14 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 10.0.

The 2021 Truck Series season was a career year for Rhodes, who remained as a ThorSport Racing competitor for the sixth consecutive season and his third piloting the No. 99 truck while the team returned to fielding Toyota Tundras. During the season opener at Daytona, Rhodes overtook Cory Roper entering the tri-oval on the final lap before edging a hard-charging Jordan Anderson to claim his fifth Truck career victory and first at Daytona. He would then go back-to-back in victories and win multiple races in a Truck season for the first time in his career after winning the Daytona International Speedway Road Course during the following weekend.

From there, Rhodes would finish in the top three three times and collect eight top-10 results during the final 13 regular-season events before the Playoffs commenced. Implementing consistency in the form of two top-three results and a total of four top-10 results throughout the Playoffs, Rhodes managed to make his first Championship 4 appearance. Then during the finale at Phoenix, Rhodes achieved his first Truck Series championship after finishing in third place on the track and emerging as the highest-finishing title contender over Zane Smith, John Hunter Nemechek and teammate Matt Crafton. With his accomplishment, Rhodes became the 19th different competitor to win a Truck Series title as he delivered both the fourth series’ driver’s title and first owner’s title for ThorSport Racing. Overall, Rhodes concluded the season with eight top-five results, a career-high 16 top-10 results, 99 laps led and a career-best average-finishing result of 9.3.

Entering the 2022 Truck Series season as the reigning champion, Rhodes commenced the season by finishing in second place at Daytona. Six races later, he overtook Carson Hocevar with four laps remaining to notch his first victory of the season and the seventh of his career at the Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt Course in April. He would proceed to finish in the top 10 four additional times for the final 10 regular-season events before making his sixth consecutive appearance in the Playoffs. With two runner-up results throughout the Playoffs and a sixth-place finish during the Round of 8 finale at Homestead in October, Rhodes managed to transfer from the Round of 10 to the Championship 4 round by a single point. Amid a late pit strategic move for two fresh tires in the closing laps that enabled him to assume the lead both in the race and the title battle, Rhodes would be overtaken and beaten by title rival Zane Smith amid an overtime shootout as he would settle in second place in the final standings. While he did not defend his title, Rhodes concluded the 2022 Truck season with eight top-five results, 13 top-10 results, a career-high 271 laps led and an average-finishing result of 11.7.

Returning to pilot a Ford while retaining control of ThorSport’s No. 99 entry for the 2023 Truck Series season, Rhodes commenced the season by finishing 11th at Daytona amid a rain-shortened event. He would then record three top-five results and five top-10 finishes during his next nine starts before notching his eighth Truck career victory and his first at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, with Rhodes collecting the first Triple Truck Challenge $50,000 bonus of the season. The Charlotte victory also guaranteed a spot into the 2023 Truck Playoffs for the Kentucky native, who finished no lower than 12th during the final five regular-season events.

Despite enduring a difficult Round of 10, where he finished no higher than 16th twice, Rhodes managed to earn the eighth and final transfer spot into the Round of 8. Then, after finishing seventh and second, respectively, in the Round of 8’s first two events, he capitalized on a gusty pit call made by his championship-winning crew chief Rich Lushes to pit with 53 laps remaining, lead 22 laps and nurse his No. 99 Ford for the remainder of the event as the tires wore out to finish second at Homestead and secure the fourth and final transfer spot into the Championship 4 in a tie-breaker over rookie Nick Sanchez.

During the finale at Phoenix, Rhodes withstood four overtime shootouts amid a series of late carnages that affected all four title contenders, including Rhodes himself, to fend off a late charge from title rival Grant Enfinger and finish fifth on the track, but as the highest-finishing title contender over Enfinger, Corey Heim and Carson Hocevar, that enabled Rhodes to win his second Truck Series championship. With the accomplishment, Rhodes became the fifth competitor to achieve multiple Truck Series championships as he also delivered the fifth series title for ThorSport Racing.

This season, Rhodes has racked up two top-five results and four top-10 results through the first 12 scheduled events, with his highest result being a third-place run at Darlington in May. He is currently ranked in eighth place in the 2024 driver’s standings. Despite trailing the points lead by 177 points, he is 36 points above the top-10 cutline to make the 2024 Truck Series Playoffs with four regular-season events remaining on the schedule.

Through 199 previous Truck starts, Rhodes has achieved two championships, seven victories, five poles, 58 top-five results, 107 top-10 results, 1,234 laps led and an average-finishing result of 11.6 as he strives to make the 2024 Playoffs and contend for his third series title.

Ben Rhodes is scheduled to make his 200th Craftsman Truck Series career start at Nashville Superspeedway for the Rackley Roofing 200. The event is set to commence this upcoming Friday, June 28, and will air at 8 p.m. ET on FS2.

Rush Truck Centers Racing: Chase Briscoe Nashville Advance

By
Official Release
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CHASE BRISCOE
Nashville Advance
No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Cummins Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Ally 400 (Round 19 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 30
● Location: Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway
● Layout: 1.333-mile, concrete oval
● Laps/Miles: 300 laps/399.9 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stages 1: 90 laps / Stage 2: 95 laps / Final Stage: 115 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Chase Briscoe is listed at 6 feet, 1 inches tall, but if he appears 10-feet tall and bulletproof when he walks into Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway for Sunday’s Ally 400 NASCAR Cup Series race, he’s not just carrying the swagger of Travis Tritt’s 1994 hit single because he’s in the Country Music Capital of the World. Briscoe is walking tall thanks to his second-place finish last Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, and because his NASCAR future is set. With Stewart-Haas Racing’s closure at the end of the 2024 season, Briscoe was the first of its drivers to be picked up for 2025. In an announcement on Tuesday, Briscoe was named the heir to the No. 19 car at Joe Gibbs Racing, which is currently being driven by Martin Truex Jr., who will retire after the Nov. 10 season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

● Briscoe’s second-place finish at New Hampshire ended a four-race streak in which his best result was 17th (June 2 at Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis). It got him back to his front-running ways from earlier in the year, as Briscoe’s runner-up effort was his second top-five and sixth top-10 of the season. In fact, it was Briscoe’s best finish so far this year. His previous best was fifth, earned May 12 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. And Briscoe’s second-place drive at New Hampshire was the 12th top-five of his NASCAR Cup Series career, a mark highlighted by his March 2022 win at Phoenix.

● Sunday’s Ally 400 will mark Briscoe’s fourth career NASCAR Cup Series start at Nashville. The driver of the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Cummins Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing needs the momentum from New Hampshire, as his best Cup Series finish in his three previous Nashville starts is 31st, earned twice (2021 and 2023).

● Nashville is the rare track where Briscoe has no other starts in any division of racing outside of the NASCAR Cup Series. Despite 86 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts and 29 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts, none have come at the 1.333-mile Nashville oval.

● While Briscoe has no other starts at Nashville beyond the NASCAR Cup Series, he does have one race under his belt in Nashville Proper. On April 9, 2016 at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, Briscoe finished ninth in the ARCA Menards Series race after starting from the pole. It was one of 18 top-10 finishes Briscoe earned during that 20-race season on his way to the championship, which he won by a whopping 535 points.

● The 2024 season marks the 15th year of partnership between Rush Truck Centers and Stewart-Haas Racing, and it’s a partnership that goes well beyond a design on a racecar. All Stewart-Haas racecars are transported via tractor-trailers from Rush Truck Centers, the premier service solutions provider to the commercial vehicle industry. And those tractor-trailers are supported by the RushCare Customer Support team of parts and service experts, who also provide concierge-level service for scheduling maintenance, technical support, mobile service dispatch and roadside assistance, along with help locating the nearest Rush Truck Centers dealer, and more. Rush Truck Centers is the largest network of commercial vehicle dealerships in North America with 150 locations in the United States and Ontario, Canada, and takes pride in its integrated approach to customer needs – from vehicle sales to aftermarket parts, service and body shop operations, plus financing, insurance, leasing and rental, as well as alternate fuel systems and other vehicle technologies.

● Rush Truck Centers is proud to support Wounded Warrior Project in its effort to provide free, life-changing programs and services for American’s heroes and their families. Now through Sept. 15, individuals who make a $50 tax-deductible donation to Wounded Warrior Project will be entered to win a true piece of iconic Peterbilt history – the last and only 2025 Peterbilt Model 389X ever produced. Donate at WinTheLast389.com.

● Cummins joins Rush Truck Centers for this weekend’s race at Nashville. Cummins Inc., is a global power technology leader that designs, manufactures, distributes and services a broad portfolio of power solutions. These solutions include advanced diesel, natural gas, hybrid, electric, fuel cell and other technologies. Cummins powers the future through innovations that make people’s lives better. From buses that transport kids to and from school, to the trucks that carry essentials, to construction, mining equipment, trains and ships, and critical backup power for places like data centers and hospitals, Cummins is doing it with the cleanest solutions available. Learn more at cummins.com.

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Cummins Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Nashville is concrete, but does it race like its fellow concrete tracks – Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway?

“I don’t think so. I feel like they all race kind of the same from a grip-level standpoint, they just change color during the race. I don’t feel like Nashville has the same tendencies of a Bristol or Dover, where it’s super, super black from top to bottom, maybe it’s just because it doesn’t have the banking and what not. But definitely don’t feel like it changes color like those places. From a grip-level standpoint, I can’t ever tell that much of a difference.”

Would you call Nashville an intermediate-style track, where it shares similarities with other 1.5-mile, D-shaped ovals, or is it kind of its own animal since it’s a little smaller (1.333 miles)?

“You look at a place like Iowa and it’s more of a hybrid, but I would say it leans a little more toward a short track, and Nashville is kind of the same. I feel like it’s more of a hybrid, but I would say Nashville almost leans a little bit more toward the intermediate side. So, yeah, it is unique. Things happen a touch quicker as far as the size of the racetrack, but obviously we’re going slower from a miles per hour standpoint. It’s just a unique track. The one thing about that place is it’s not like any other place we go, so it’s kind of cool every time we go there because it’s different. I’ve never really run that great there, but I enjoy going there.”

Nashville is the rare track where coming into it three years ago, you had no prior experience on it. What’s the learning curve been like where you don’t have that background experience in the NASCAR Xfinity or NASCAR Craftsman Trucks to provide a baseline?

“That first time we went there, we were really, really good. I think we were running fifth or sixth, but lost brakes and crashed, so we’ve been snake-bitten every time we’ve been there. Truthfully, I don’t think I’m at a disadvantage when we go to Nashville. I did a Goodyear tire test there one year and got a lot of really good laps. I was able to try a lot of things to find what worked for me. It’s definitely not been a great place for me results-wise, but I feel like it’s one of those tracks where the results don’t always show the speed we’ve had there. Hopefully, we can find the results to go with it.”

How has your intermediate track performance been this year? Your teammate, Noah Gragson, says it’s been one of his team’s strengths.

“I would say the 10 car (Gragson), honestly, has been probably a little bit better on intermediates, and I would say ours has been a little more hit or miss. We’ve always had really, really good speed in qualifying on the intermediates, we just haven’t raced as well, for whatever reason. It kind of just depends on the racetrack for us. Some of them I feel like we’re really, really solid. A place like Texas, I thought, we honestly could’ve won the race. Vegas, we had good speed until we got some damage. And then there have been some other ones where we weren’t in the mix all day. I don’t know what to expect going into Nashville. It’s kind of an intermediate, but it’s kind of not, so hopefully we can hit it right when we get there.”

Nashville is the home of country music. What artists do you listen to and follow?

“Eric Church is probably one of my favorites, along with Cole Swindell and Luke Combs. I definitely like going to Nashville just because it’s the Country Music Capital of the World and there’s a lot of good music to listen to. And a couple of the artists, when they come out to the racetrack, it’s really cool to see them up close. I’m just hoping to have a good run there in country music’s backyard.”

No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Cummins Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe

Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell

Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Car Chief: J.D. Frey

Hometown: Ferndale, California

Engineer: Mike Cook

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Spotter: Joey Campbell

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala

Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff

Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal

Hometown: Holland, Michigan

Jack Man: Kapil Fletcher

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams

Hometown: Plymouth, Wisconsin

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads

Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Shock Specialist: Brian Holshouser

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips

Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

Transporter Co-Driver: Todd Cable

Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Dale Lackey

Hometown: Taylorsville, North Carolina

Mitsubishi Motors Added to FTSE4Good Index Series, FTSE Blossom Japan Index and FTSE Blossom Japan Sector Relative Index for Consecutive Years

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Official Release
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TOKYO, June 26, 2024 – (JCN Newswire) – Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (hereafter, Mitsubishi Motors) has been added to the FTSE4Good Index Series(1) and FTSE Blossom Japan Index(2) for five consecutive years, and to the FTSE Blossom Japan Sector Relative Index(2) for three consecutive years in recognition of the company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives.

The FTSE4Good Index Series is a globally recognized index that measures the performance of companies in their ESG practices and adds superior companies to their index. It is regarded as one of the important criteria for investors to evaluate companies’ ESG initiatives when deciding where to invest.

The FTSE Blossom Japan Index was designed to reflect the performance of Japanese companies that demonstrate strong ESG practices.

In addition, the FTSE Blossom Japan Sector Relative Index, designed in 2022, tracks the performance of Japanese companies that, relative to their sector, demonstrate prominent approaches to ESG issues. As well, in order to promote the shift to a decarbonization economy, companies with high performance in reducing greenhouse gas emissions are included, where the company efforts are measured by the Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI) Management Quality Score(3).

The FTSE Blossom Japan Index and FTSE Blossom Japan Sector Relative Index have been selected as one of the ESG investment indexes adopted by the Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF), the world’s largest public pension management and administration organization.

Mitsubishi Motors identifies material issues from various issues in each respective area of ESG, determines initiatives to implement as well as their goals and tracks the progress at the Sustainability Committee chaired by the president and chief executive officer. Mitsubishi Motors will continue its efforts to contribute to building a sustainable society and bolster its corporate value while enhancing communication among top management, employees, and stakeholders.

(1) FTSE4Good Index Series
www.lseg.com/en/ftse-russell/indices/ftse4good
(2) FTSE Blossom Japan Index/ FTSE Blossom Japan Sector Relative Index
www.lseg.com/en/ftse-russell/indices/blossom-japan
(3) TPI Management Quality score

Its goal is to assess the progress of companies in transitioning toward a decarbonization economy in terms of both Management Quality and Carbon Performance. The TPI Management Quality Score measures the quality of risk and opportunity management relating to a company’s greenhouse gas emissions and shift to decarbonization.
https://transitionpathwayinitiative.org/

Access below for other external assessment for Mitsubishi Motors
www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/sustainability/strategy/evaluation/

About Mitsubishi Motors

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (TSE:7211) — a member of the Alliance with Renault and Nissan — is a global automobile company based in Tokyo, Japan, which has about 28,000 employees and a global footprint with production facilities in Japan and the ASEAN region. Mitsubishi Motors has a competitive edge in SUVs, pickup trucks and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and appeals to ambitious drivers willing to challenge convention and embrace innovation. Since the production of our first vehicle more than a century ago, Mitsubishi Motors has been a leader in electrification — launched the i-MiEV, the world’s first mass-produced electric vehicle in 2009, followed by the Outlander PHEV, the world’s first plug-in hybrid electric SUV in 2013. With a target of increasing the sales ratio of electrified vehicles to 100% by 2035, Mitsubishi Motors will deliver models that embody Mitsubishi Motors-ness and contribute to the realization of a carbon-neutral society.

For more information on Mitsubishi Motors, please visit the company’s website at www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/.

TOP FUEL’S SHAWN LANGDON HAS HOPES FOR ANOTHER ALL-KALITTA FINAL AT SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT NHRA NATIONALS

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Official Release
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NORWALK, Ohio (June 25, 2024) – Last weekend in Richmond represented an ideal scenario for Kalitta Motorsports in the Top Fuel ranks and standout driver Shawn Langdon would love to see that continue – with one minor change – at this weekend’s 18th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at world-class Summit Motorsports Park.

Langdon and points leader Doug Kalitta met in the final round on Sunday at Virginia Motorsports Park, with Kalitta getting the win and his third victory of the season. It was a great moment for the team and Langdon is hopeful for another opportunity this weekend in Norwalk, which serves as the home track for Kalitta Motorsports.

The only difference, of course, is Langdon would like to get the win in his 11,000-horsepower Kalitta Air Careers dragster, which also give him three victories in what has been a massive turnaround season for the former world champion.

Kalitta and Langdon are first and second in points approaching the halfway mark of the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season, rolling to five wins in the first nine events. It’s been an ideal start and Langdon is hoping it continues at “America’s Racetrack” to close out a stretch of four races in five weeks.

“You know Norwalk will pack the stands. The Bader family does a great job promoting their track,” Langdon said. “It’s definitely exciting to get back there every year to experience the great atmosphere. Hopefully we can make this ‘two Kalitta cars in the final’ thing a trend. It’s the home track for Kalitta so it’ll be an extremely busy weekend which is going to be awesome. I think everybody’s going to be riding the high from last week in Richmond of both cars being in the final. I think everyone’s eager to get out there. We’ll have a lot of Kalitta people there to enjoy it.”

Last year, Leah Pruett (Top Fuel), Blake Alexander (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all took home wins at an event that will again be broadcast on FOX and FS1, including eliminations on FOX starting at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday. It is the 10th of 20 races during the 2024 season and it’s a loaded weekend that includes a spectacular fireworks show after Friday qualifying, the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday.

Langdon will take part in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday, facing off with Antron Brown, while the other matchup features Kalitta and Top Fuel newcomer Tony Stewart. The winners meet in the finals of the specialty race on Saturday, with bonus points and a bonus purse on the line.

It’s another opportunity for Kalitta Motorsports to thrive and there’s been plenty of that in 2024. Langdon opened the year with a win in Gainesville and added another victory in Phoenix, while Kalitta has been red-hot in June, winning two of the past three races. Combined, it’s been an impressive combo and Langdon, who has one career win in Norwalk, will look to keep it going while facing off against a loaded field that also includes Justin Ashley, Steve Torrence, Tony Schumacher, Clay Millican and Brittany Force.

“They’ve been giving me a great race car all season, so we just have to keep at it and keep working hard,” Langdon said. “I couldn’t be happier for this whole Kalitta bunch. It’s great to see the success that has come from all the hard work that’s been invested into these cars. It’s rewarding, and I’m really happy for the guys. You can definitely see a little bit bigger smile on the guys’ faces, and it obviously gives them a lot of confidence.”

In Funny Car, Alexander, one of only 19 drivers in NHRA history to win in both nitro categories, picked up his first Funny Car win last season over Matt Hagan, who went on to collect the world championship. Other stars include class newcomer and points leader Austin Prock, J.R. Todd, Daniel Wilkerson, Ron Capps and Bob Tasca III.

Hartford picked up his first Norwalk win last season when he defeated current points leader Dallas Glenn. To repeat that, he’ll have to get past Greg Anderson, reigning champion Erica Enders, Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Richmond winner Aaron Stanfield.

Arana was one of only four drivers to win in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class last season. Gaige Herrera, the 2023 champion, dominated for the bulk of the season, and is undefeated in 2024, winning an NHRA-record 10 straight races dating back to last year. Matt Smith, Angie Smith and Richard Gadson will try to unseat Herrera this weekend.

The event also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown and the new Holley EFI Factory X category. The Summit Racing Equipment Junior Drag Racing League Shootout will take place in Norwalk as well. After nitro qualifying on Friday, fans will be treated to an impressive fireworks display that has been a highlight of the event for several years.

Summit Motorsports Park also has some of the finest camping facilities and grounds on the tour, offering fans a great way to spend their weekend at the track, enjoy a memorable atmosphere and not miss a second of the action.

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 Summit Motorsports Park 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 Norwalk. 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 5 and 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, June 28 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, June 29 at 1:30 and 4 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, June 30. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, with eliminations coverage starting at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday on FS1, moving to FOX at 5 p.m..

To purchase tickets to the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, fans can visit www.summitmotorsportspark.com or call 419-668-5555. For more information about NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.

About Mission Foods

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

About NHRA

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

70 DAYS FROM THE 70TH: NHRA U.S. NATIONALS CELEBRATES SEVEN DECADES IN 2024 AT LUCAS OIL INDIANAPOLIS RACEWAY PARK

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Official Release
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A host of special events make up the historic weekend, as NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series competitors look for legacy-making victory at the iconic Big Go

INDIANAPOLIS (June 25, 2024) – In 70 days, four drivers in the NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series will celebrate one of the biggest wins in their careers when the 70th annual NHRA U.S. Nationals takes place on Aug. 28-Sept. 2.

The world’s biggest drag race takes place at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park and celebrates its 70th anniversary during the 2024 season, offering something special for all fans and competitors. As the NHRA’s most iconic event commemorates seven decades of racing on the grandest stage, drivers in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle will look for a legacy-making win during the spectacular weekend.

The race features everything from the final Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge race of the season to the Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout on the pro side, as well as the special Sox & Martin Hemi Challenge presented by the McCandless Collection and racing action in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™ and NHRA Holley EFI Factory X.

There’s something for every drag racing fan to celebrate The Big Go turning 70, as well as a number of can’t-miss incentives, including:

  • A special 70th anniversary NHRA U.S. Nationals pennant for the first 8,000 fans in attendance for eliminations on Monday, Sept. 2.
  • Free parking for all fans in attendance for the entire weekend.
  • SealMaster Track Walk on Monday and winner’s circle celebration.
  • An unforgettable Top Eliminator Club experience, including NHRA driver appearances, food and drink, TEC gift bag, starting line seats and much more.
  • The biggest field in drag racing. Last year, more than 900 cars competed on the hallowed grounds of Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
  • A must-see Hot Rod Junction.
  • Children 12-and-under get in free to an event offering all-day entertainment.

There will be a host of special events announced in the coming weeks as well.

Simply put, a win at the world’s biggest drag race means more. Careers are defined by victories at the NHRA U.S. Nationals and all the greats have forged their legacies through their Indy success, including iconic drivers like Don Garlits, Don Prudhomme, Kenny Bernstein, Ed McCulloch, Connie Kalitta, Shirley Muldowney, Joe Amato, Bob Glidden, Warren Johnson, Lee Shepherd, Dave Schultz and many more.

It’s a list that also includes current stars like Tony Schumacher, John Force, Antron Brown, Ron Capps, Greg Anderson, Jeg Coughlin Jr., Steve Torrence, Erica Enders, Matt Smith, Doug Kalitta, Matt Hagan, Cruz Pedregon, Shawn Langdon and J.R. Todd.

Top Fuel’s Schumacher has an amazing 10 victories at The Big Go, the most of any driver in NHRA history, while Force’s five Funny Car wins are tied with McCulloch for the most in class history. Anderson’s 100th career win in 2022 gave the five-time champ seven overall wins in Pro Stock at the world’s biggest drag race, while Brown has five career wins across two classes at the U.S. Nationals.

The NHRA U.S. Nationals has been synonymous with some of the biggest moments in NHRA history and more will be made in 2024. Last year, Brown (Top Fuel), Capps (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock), and Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won, with Brown, Capps and Smith winning at Indy for the second straight year. This year’s race will again be broadcast on FOX and FS1, including live eliminations on FOX on Monday, Sept. 2.

Doug Kalitta currently leads the Top Fuel ranks, while Austin Prock’s debut season in Funny Car has been a huge success as he leads the way. Dallas Glenn is the Pro Stock points leader, while Gaige Herrera remains undefeated in 2024 with five wins to his credit in Pro Stock Motorcycle. Other stars to watch include Top Fuel’s Brittany Force, Justin Ashley and racing legend Tony Stewart, who will make his Indy Top Fuel debut, Funny Car’s Bob Tasca III, Daniel Wilkerson and Alexis DeJoria, Pro Stock’s Aaron Stanfield and Troy Coughlin Jr. and Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Angie Smith, Hector Arana Jr. and Richard Gadson.

Starting next week, the NHRA will also explore each of the seven decades of The Big Go, starting with the 1960s when Garlits picked up a trio Top Fuel wins.

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

About Mission Foods

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

About NHRA

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

Richard Childress Racing Announces Key Competition Personnel Changes Ahead of Nashville Superspeedway Race

By
Official Release
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Andy Petree Announces his Retirement: Keith Rodden Named Interim Competition Director

WELCOME, N.C. (June 25, 2024) – Long-time Richard Childress Racing competition executive Andy Petree has announced his retirement from the 55-year-old race team. Keith Rodden has been appointed interim competition director of RCR.

“I’m incredibly grateful to Richard Childress for the impact he has had on my career, as well as the wonderful memories and on-track success we have enjoyed together,” said Petree. “Although my day-to-day involvement with RCR is changing, I will always be a fan and supporter of everyone in Welcome, North Carolina. I wish RCR the best for the rest of this season and beyond.”

A 35-year veteran of the motorsports industry, Petree first joined Richard Childress Racing in 1993 as the crew chief for the famous No. 3 Chevrolet driven by Dale Earnhardt. With Petree’s help, Earnhardt earned his sixth and seventh championships in 1993 and 1994. The pair also secured 15 wins, seven poles, 56 top-five and 47 top-10 finishes together.

Petree most recently led RCR’s competition team as executive vice president. In that role, he guided the organization to 26 race wins (nine in the NASCAR Cup Series and 17 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series) and helped RCR earn the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship in 2019. Under Petree’s leadership, RCR made seven NASCAR Cup Series Playoff appearances from 2017-2023. He was also instrumental in overseeing the development of the Next Gen Chevy.

“Andy Petree has been a tremendous supporter of RCR for many years and we wish him success in the future,” said Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “Our organization won two championships with Andy during his first stint at RCR, and we have made the NASCAR Playoffs and won races with him during his most recent tenure. I am grateful for his contributions to the team, leadership and friendship over the years. Keith Rodden has big shoes to fill as interim competition director, but I know his passion for motorsports and dedication will help drive RCR forward during a key time for our organization.”

Rodden, a veteran crew chief and race engineer, will take on a larger role across the organization to help maximize the capabilities of RCR’s Chevys and provide leadership, coordination and support.

The changes are effective immediately.

For more information and all that is going on at RCR, visit rcrracing.com.

Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrracing.com) is a renowned, performance-driven racing, marketing and manufacturing organization. Incorporated in 1969, RCR has celebrated over 50 years of racing and earned more than 200 victories and 16 championships, including six in the NASCAR Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Truck Series and is a three-time winner of the Daytona 500 (1998, 2007, 2018). Its 2024 NASCAR Cup Series lineup includes two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch (No. 8 Chevrolet) and 2017 Coca-Cola 600 winner and 2018 Daytona 500 champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Chevrolet). RCR fields a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series program with Jesse Love (No. 2 Chevrolet) and Austin Hill (No. 21 Chevrolet).

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