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Herta, Kirkwood Complete ‘Big Day’ For Andretti Global

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Official Release
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Toronto, CA - during the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on the streets of Toronto. (Photo by Joe Skibinski | IMS Photo)

TORONTO (Sunday, July 21, 2024) – Michael Andretti’s raised right arm said it all following the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto at Exhibition Place, and the team owner could have raised two.

One for Colton Herta, another for Kyle Kirkwood.

The two drivers gave Andretti Global a win for the first time since last year’s rebranding and its first 1-2 finish in a race since Kirkwood and Romain Grosjean delivered in 2023 at Long Beach.

Herta ended a 40-race winless drought by scoring his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES race in 799 days, and an Andretti car won this event for the ninth time. Andretti won seven times as a driver, Ryan Hunter-Reay went to victory lane for Andretti’s team in 2012.

“We needed this so bad,” Andretti said after the race. “We’ve been competitive all year but we just haven’t been able to get the final result.

“It was a big day.”

Herta effectively led from start to finish, relinquishing the lead only twice to pit. Officially, he paced 81 of the 85 laps, with Kirkwood following him throughout, including on the stops.

For the weekend, Herta had the fastest lap in all three practices, won the NTT P1 Award and then he won the race, a feat that is mind-boggling if not unprecedented. It’s believed no driver in the sport’s history has so dominated an event weekend. Herta now has eight career wins.

“We’ve been knocking on the door to win for so long,” Herta said. “Forty-one starts without a win is a long time, and it’s been disappointing for us. I think we’re a team – Michael is the owner — that demands perfection … (I’m) so happy. The Gainbridge Honda was so fast.”

The separation between Herta and Kirkwood at the finish line was .3469 of a second, but the driver of the No. 27 AutoNation Honda said he was less concerned with passing Herta than keeping third-place Scott Dixon at bay.

“Putting us at risk was just not the move today,” Kirkwood said of the team’s approach. “I played a little bit more defense as you probably noticed over the (late) restarts. Super happy with second place. (Finishing 1-2) was the goal today.”

Kirkwood said Herta earning the pole on Saturday made him “deserving” of the race win.

Dixon finished third to tie Mario Andretti for the most top-three finishes in series history. Each has 141.

Behind those three was something of a mess, including stoppage for a multi-car accident in Turn 1 on Lap 73.

Pato O’Ward was running sixth when he spun his No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet halfway around. At that point, there wasn’t much damage to his car, but there soon was. Worse, he was facing traffic and could see oncoming traffic at speed.

Marcus Ericsson veered his No. 27 Delaware Life Honda into O’Ward’s car on the left side of the track, but that wasn’t the end of it. Pietro Fittipaldi was the fifth car in line after Ericsson’s contact, and he struck O’Ward’s car with enough force to lift his off the ground. Santino Ferrucci was trailing Fittipaldi, and his No. 14 AJ FOYT RACING/SEXTON PROPERTIES Chevrolet launched, hitting the fence with the bottom of the car before landing on the track upside down.

Rookie Nolan Siegel and his No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet followed Ferrucci into the crash site, and his car struck O’Ward’s as well. Rookie Toby Sowery then hit Siegel with his No. 51 Global Kartin League/Vuzix Honda of Dale Coyne Racing. Fortunately, no one was injured.

Just prior to the accident, rookie Kyffin Simpson hit the Turn 8 wall with his No. 4 Journie Rewards Chip Ganassi Racing Honda as Alexander Rossi did in Friday’s practice. Whereas Rossi broke his right thumb, Simpson was not injured.

Minutes before that, Felix Rosenqvist overshot Turn 3 in the No. 60 AutoNation/SiriusXM Honda of Meyer Shank Racing and drove into the escape area. Ericsson similarly had to take evasive action.

Rookie Theo Pourchaire, who was standing in for Rossi in the No. 7 Ryde Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, had contact with fellow rookie Linus Lundqvist (No. 8 The American Legion Chip Ganassi Racing Honda).

If that wasn’t enough, Team Penske had a disastrous lap with nine laps remaining. Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Business Team Penske Chevrolet) bumped Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Gallagher Team Penske Chevrolet) into the Turn 5 wall, leading to a penalty and sarcastic applause from McLaughlin as he waited for his teammate to come back around. They were racing for fourth place.

If that wasn’t bad enough for Team Penske, Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet) suffered a cut tire in the sequence and was forced to pit. Whereas the team had three cars in the top seven at the time, they finished 11th, 12th and 16th as Newgarden later overshot Turn 3.

All three Penske drivers, plus O’Ward, have had designs on overtaking Palou for the series championship, but those hopes too a big hit as Palou drove from the 18th starting position to finish fourth. Palou extended his series lead over Power to 49 points. Dixon is third, 53 points out. Herta moved to fourth, 57 points behind Palou (No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda).

The series will take three weekends off as the Paris Olympics are held. The 13th race of the 17-race season will be the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway on Aug. 17.

Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto Race Results

TORONTO – Results Sunday of the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto NTT INDYCAR SERIES event on the 1.786-mile Streets of Toronto’s Exhibition Place, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver, engine, laps completed and reason out (if any):

  1. (1) Colton Herta, Honda, 85, Running
  2. (2) Kyle Kirkwood, Honda, 85, Running
  3. (15) Scott Dixon, Honda, 85, Running
  4. (18) Alex Palou, Honda, 85, Running
  5. (13) Marcus Armstrong, Honda, 85, Running
  6. (6) David Malukas, Honda, 85, Running
  7. (16) Christian Lundgaard, Honda, 85, Running
  8. (22) Rinus VeeKay, Chevrolet, 85, Running
  9. (5) Romain Grosjean, Chevrolet, 85, Running
  10. (8) Graham Rahal, Honda, 85, Running
  11. (7) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 85, Running
  12. (9) Will Power, Chevrolet, 85, Running
  13. (24) Linus Lundqvist, Honda, 84, Running
  14. (26) Theo Pourchaire, Chevrolet, 84, Running
  15. (21) Toby Sowery, Honda, 84, Running
  16. (4) Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet, 76, Contact
  17. (14) Pato O’Ward, Chevrolet, 72, Contact
  18. (11) Marcus Ericsson, Honda, 72, Contact
  19. (23) Pietro Fittipaldi, Honda, 72, Contact
  20. (17) Santino Ferrucci, Chevrolet, 72, Contact
  21. (19) Nolan Siegel, Chevrolet, 72, Contact
  22. (20) Kyffin Simpson, Honda, 66, Contact
  23. (3) Felix Rosenqvist, Honda, 63, Mechanical
  24. (25) Hunter McElrea, Honda, 57, Contact
  25. (27) Sting Ray Robb, Chevrolet, 13, Mechanical
  26. (10) Agustin Canapino, Chevrolet, 4, Contact
  27. (12) Christian Rasmussen, Chevrolet, 0, Contact

Race Statistics
Winner’s average speed: 91.568 mph
Time of Race: 01:39:28.4293
Margin of victory: 0.3469 of a second
Cautions: 5 or 15 laps
Lead changes: 5 among 3 drivers

Lap Leaders:
Herta, Colton 1 – 34
Dixon, Scott 35 – 36
Herta, Colton 37 – 53
Dixon, Scott 54
Ericsson, Marcus 55
Herta, Colton 56 – 85

NTT INDYCAR SERIES Point Standings: Palou 411, Power 362, Dixon 358, Herta 354, O’Ward 340, McLaughlin 328, Kirkwood 314, Newgarden 266, Alexander Rossi 265, Ferrucci 231, Lundgaard 229, Ericsson 222, Rosenqvist 221, Armstrong 203, VeeKay 201, Grosjean 199, Rahal 197, Lundqvist 173, Fittipaldi 135, Simpson 133, Robb 121, Rasmussen 109, Canapino 109, Pourchaire 91, Siegel 88, Malukas 82, Jack Harvey 80, Tom Blomqvist 46, Callum Ilott 39, Ed Carpenter 32, Sowery 32, Luca Ghiotto 27, Helio Castroneves 26, Conor Daly 26, Katherine Legge 24, Kyle Larson 21, Takuma Sato 19, Tristan Vautier 12, Colin Braun 10, Ryan Hunter-Reay 6, McElrea 6, Marco Andretti 5

PPG Extends Presenting Sponsorship of Brickyard 400 in Long-Term Agreement

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Official Release
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Logo Unveiled for 2025 Brickyard 400 presented by PPG

INDIANAPOLIS (Sunday, July 21, 2024) – PPG, a global leader in paints, coatings and specialty materials, announced a multiyear agreement to extend its presenting sponsorship of the Brickyard 400, a crown jewel of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule held annually at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

PPG also will continue as the Official Paint and Finishing Supplier of IMS as part of the long-term agreement.

The presenting sponsorship, which began in 2024 with the Brickyard’s 30th anniversary and return to the oval, adds to PPG’s historic legacy with the Brickyard 400. The first seven winners of the Brickyard 400 had their names inscribed on the coveted PPG Trophy.

As part of the extended sponsorship announcement, the logo for the 2025 Brickyard 400 presented by PPG also was unveiled. The logo incorporates the colors synonymous with PPG and its motorsports involvement, which signify the company’s focus to protect and beautify the world.

“For more than four decades, PPG has been one of the most trusted, innovative and dedicated partners in motorsports,” said Roger Penske. “We look forward to building on our long-term relationship with PPG and the opportunities that lie ahead as we continue to feature PPG and their commitment to enhancing our communities across INDYCAR and NASCAR and at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.”

For more than 40 years, PPG also has maintained a partnership across Team Penske’s NASCAR and INDYCAR programs. As part of today’s exciting news, it was announced PPG also returns as a Team Penske partner in the NASCAR Cup Series, serving as an associate sponsor of the No. 2 Ford Mustang driven by 2022 DAYTONA 500 champion Austin Cindric, the No. 12 Ford Mustang driven by reigning Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney and the No. 22 Ford Mustang driven by two-time Cup Series champion Joey Logano.

“We are excited to build upon our extensive history with Team Penske, INDYCAR and IMS,” said PPG Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Tim Knavish. “To be able to expand and strengthen these relationships speaks to the commitment and success we’ve had together. I look forward to seeing the PPG name on Team Penske cars and at the Brickyard 400 for years to come.”

Team Penske’s most recent NASCAR victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway came with Cindric at the inaugural race on the road course during Brickyard Weekend 2021 in the No. 22 PPG Ford Mustang.

PPG works to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and specialty materials that our customers have trusted for more than 140 years. Through dedication and creativity, PPG solves customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, PPG operates and innovates in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $18.2 billion in 2023. PPG serves customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.

TEAM PENSKE AND PPG EXTEND LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIP

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Official Release
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Josef Newgarden to Continue Racing No. 2 PPG Chevrolet in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES

MOORESVILLE, NC (July 21, 2024) – The 40-plus year partnership between Team Penske and PPG – one of the longest-running business relationships in motorsports history – will continue in 2024 and beyond with today’s announcement of a multi-year extension of PPG’s sponsorship across the team’s NASCAR and INDYCAR programs.

The distinctive blue-and-white PPG paint scheme will continue to be featured in NTT INDYCAR SERIES competition as two-time series champion and back-to-back Indianapolis 500 winner, Josef Newgarden, will race the No. 2 PPG Chevrolet in 2024 and into the future. Under the partnership extension, PPG will continue to serve as an associate partner on the No. 12 Chevrolet driven by two-time INDYCAR champion Will Power, and the No. 3 Chevrolet driven by six-time INDYCAR SERIES race winner Scott McLaughlin. PPG will also continue as a Team Penske partner in the NASCAR Cup Series, serving as an associate sponsor of the No. 2 Ford Mustang driven by 2022 DAYTONA 500 champion Austin Cindric, the No. 12 Ford Mustang driven by reigning Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney, and the No. 22 Ford Mustang driven by two-time Cup Series champion Joey Logano.

“Our relationship with PPG was really one of the first business-to-business partnerships of its kind in motorsports,” said Team Penske President Tim Cindric. “It began over 40 years ago and we are really proud of everything we have accomplished together on and off the race track. Their commitment to motorsports has been far-reaching. We are looking forward to continuing to wear their colors in the winner’s circle for years to come.”

The Team Penske and PPG partnership began with the 1984 INDYCAR SERIES season. Over the last 40-plus years, Team Penske and PPG have amassed unparalleled successes together. Notable accomplishments include, 17 Indianapolis 500 victories, 11 INDYCAR titles, four NASCAR Cup Series championships, three DAYTONA 500 wins, seven NASCAR Xfinity Series titles, four Australian SuperCars Championship triumphs and a Bathurst 1000 victory.

“I am honored and excited to continue representing PPG in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES,” said Newgarden. “They are a legacy partner not only of Team Penske, but of the series as well. A company with terrific products deserves a beautiful paint scheme and the No. 2 PPG Chevrolet certainly has that. Fans love it as much as we do. I have a lot of wins with PPG and I am looking forward to plenty more in the future.”

Building on the partnership with Team Penske, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) also announced today that PPG has extended its title sponsorship of the NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400, a crown jewel of the NASCAR season, for multiple years. In addition, PPG will continue as the Official Paint and Finishing Supplier of IMS.

“We are excited to build upon our extensive history with Team Penske, INDYCAR, and IMS,” said Tim Knavish, PPG chairman and chief executive officer. “To be able to expand and strengthen these relationships speaks to the commitment and success we’ve had together. I look forward to seeing the PPG name on Team Penske cars and at the Brickyard 400 for years to come.”

Team Penske’s most recent NASCAR victory at IMS came with Cindric in 2021 on the famed facility’s road course behind the wheel of the No. 22 PPG Ford Mustang. Team Penske and PPG have visited victory lane together 13 times across INDYCAR and NASCAR competition as a primary partner.

“For more than four decades, PPG has been one of the most trusted, innovative and dedicated partners in motorsports,” said Roger Penske. “We look forward to building on our long-term relationship with PPG at Team Penske for many years to come. We are also excited about the opportunities that lie ahead as we continue to feature PPG and their commitment to enhancing our communities across INDYCAR and at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.”

ABOUT PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD®

At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and specialty materials that our customers have trusted for 140 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $17.7 billion in 2022. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial, and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.

ABOUT TEAM PENSKE

Team Penske is one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports. Cars owned and prepared by Team Penske have produced more than 630 major race wins, over 690 pole positions and 44 championships across open-wheel, stock car and sports car racing competition. Over the course of its 58-year history, the team has also earned 20 Indianapolis 500 victories, three Daytona 500 Championships, a Formula 1 win, victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring, along with a win in Australia’s legendary Bathurst 1000 race. In 2024, Team Penske currently competes in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the NASCAR Cup Series. Through a Team Penske global partnership, Porsche Penske Motorsport races in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the World Endurance Championship this season.

DAMS LUCAS OIL SECURES POINTS FINISH IN HUNGARY

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Official Release
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DAMS Lucas Oil scored a points finish with Juan Manuel Correa in the Sprint Race on Saturday, showing strong race pace throughout the weekend at the Hungaroring.

Having qualified 19th, Correa fitted the hard tyres, which paid off in the latter stages of the event, as he moved up 11 places to secure the final points paying position, while Jak Crawford opted for the soft rubber, moving up 13 spots to finish just behind in 9th.

On Sunday, Correa and Crawford started on the soft tyre with both making six overtakes on the opening tour of the circuit, before pitting on Lap 7 as the Safety Car came out. However, a slow double-stacked pit stop and another intervention from the Safety Car late on allowed alternative strategy runners to close in, meaning the duo finished 16th and 17th respectively.

“I was pleased to pick up the final point in the Sprint Race, gaining 11 places certainly made for an entertaining afternoon. We started the Feature Race well but then during the first pit stop which frustratingly cost us several positions. We have a great race car, but we need to do better on a Friday to make sure we can score the big points throughout the event.”

Results
Qualifying: 19th
Sprint Race: 8th (+1 point)
Feature Race: 16th

“The weekend started great with P2 in Free Practice, but in qualifying we missed the window for the soft tyres, meaning we failed to maximise our performance. It was a strong Sprint Race for both of us on different strategies, showing that our race pace is good as I only narrowly missed out on the points. We’ve got one round to go until the summer break, so we’ll try and finish on a high.”

Results
Qualifying: 22nd
Sprint Race: 9th
Feature Race: 17th

“It was another event when we had an impressive race car, as shown by both drivers, especially in Saturday’s event, but we missed out on the big points due to qualifying. We’re pleased with the recovery in the Sprint Race, for both drivers to make up so many places, with JM securing the final point. In the Feature Race, the Safety Car forced us to double stack the two cars, but JM stalled and Jak had to wait behind. It had been a positive start with both cars gaining multiple positions, but it was a very tricky race after that. We will aim to bounce back in Spa before the summer break next weekend.”

Drivers’ Championship

1. Isack Hadjar 140
2. Paul Aron 122
3. Gabriel Bortoleto 110
-7. Jak Crawford 84
-16. Juan Manuel Correa 31

Teams’ Championship

  1. Invicta Racing 184
  2. Campos Racing 178
  3. MP Motorsport 175
  4. Hitech Pulse-Eight 147

-7. DAMS Lucas Oil 115


About DAMS
DAMS is a professional racing team founded in 1988 by Jean-Paul Driot, currently competing in FIA Formula 2, F1’s main feeder series. Ahead of the 2022 season, ex-F1 driver Charles Pic took control of the team. So far, 33 DAMS drivers have reached F1, with many more going on to become professional racing drivers. In its history, DAMS has won 15 drivers’ titles, 16 teams’ championships and has scored over 170 race victories.

PROCK, ASHLEY, STANFIELD & HERRERA GET MISSION #2FAST2TASTY CHALLENGE WINS IN SEATTLE

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Official Release
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Prock, S. Torrence, Enders & Herrera all take No. 1 spots at NHRA Northwest Nationals

SEATTLE (July 20, 2024) – Funny Car points leader Austin Prock stayed red-hot in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge at Pacific Raceways, winning his fourth straight specialty race and fifth this season for John Force Racing on Saturday as part of the 35th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals.

Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, while Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Prock, Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Herrera all qualified No. 1 at the 11th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Prock went 3.993-seconds at 320.13 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS to defeat veteran Ron Capps in the finals of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, continuing his domination in the bonus race. He’s now won the challenge five times this year, advanced to six finals and earned 17 bonus championship points in the process.

Prock also made the quickest run in every qualifying session this weekend in Seattle, putting down impressive laps in a variety of weather conditions. At the site of his first professional victory, Prock will aim to pick up his fourth win in what’s already been an incredible 2024 season.

“This team has been very, very consistent. It’s definitely been a fun race car to drive,” Prock said. “We were low in all four qualifying sessions this weekend, and then ended up winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge as well, so another great start for the weekend.

“The biggest deal about the Challenge is those points that stay with you when the points reset, and they are huge. You see so many people win or lose a championship by one or five points and other people are accumulating them than them as well, but we’ve definitely been doing a good job of getting them.”

Capps qualified second with a 3.886 at 331.53 and Paul Lee is third after going 3.917 at 327.03.

In Top Fuel, Justin Ashley claimed his third Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win of the season on Saturday in Seattle, taking down defending world champion Doug Kalitta in the final round with a run of 3.890 at 315.49 in his 11,000-horsepower Scag Power Equipment/Toyota dragster. The third specialty race victory paces the Top Fuel field, a year after he dominated the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, and puts Ashley in another strong position for Sunday eliminations. He defeated Antron Brown earlier in the day and then got past the points leader for the Saturday win.

“This is really meaningful, especially this time of the year because we’re getting closer and closer to the Countdown,” Ashley said. “The way the points are, they get added after the [Countdown points] reset, so these points and qualifying bonus points are super important. Any time we can get a win in competition, whether it’s on race day, or the Mission Foods Challenge, I think it’s really beneficial for us.

“I think we had a really good start to the year but then there was a stretch recently over the last four or five races where we’ve been struggling. We had a good bounce back in Norwalk, then we ended up qualifying No. 2 here. We’re working on some things, testing out some things, just adjusting the tune up, so I’m pretty happy with where we’re at, and a win like this is good for the team.”

Defending event winner Steve Torrence easily held on to the No. 1 spot for the second time this season and 39th in his career thanks to Friday’s 3.688 at a track-record 335.32. Torrence made a solid run to close out qualifying as well, as the four-time world champ has his sights set on his first victory of the 2024 campaign.

“I feel confident; that last run was a good, clean run down through there that we needed,” Torrence said. “We probably could have run quicker but we needed to get good information to go A to B and set up for tomorrow because we’ll have some of these conditions that are very similar. We put ourselves in a good position as No. 1.”

Ashley also qualified second with a 3.694 at 331.04, while Brittany Force took third with a 3.701 at 333.08.

Pro Stock’s Aaron Stanfield, who has won back-to-back national events, now has a Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory to his credit, going 6.557 at 208.10 in his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Janac Brothers car to beat a red-lighting Mason McGaha in the final round. It was a strong turnaround on Saturday for Stanfield, who struggled on Friday but rebounded over the final two qualifying sessions in a big way. He took down Deric Kramer in the opening round and then earned the victory when McGaha went red on the starting line.

“I really enjoy the #2fast2Tasty Challenge. We won the championship (for the bonus race) last year and to just now get our first one, it’s taken us a minute but it’s a blast and it’s good to have some continued success,” Stanfield said. “We’ve had a really good race car and I’ve been driving decent, so hopefully we can continue to build on race day.”

His teammate, reigning world champion Erica Enders, stayed atop the loaded category thanks to Friday’s impressive 6.500 at 209.98 in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Scag Power Equipment car. It hands the six-time world champion her fifth No. 1 spot this season and 39th in her career, and Enders, who opens eliminations against Val Smeland, will look for a big Sunday as she seeks her 50th national event win. Eric Latino took the second spot with Friday’s run of 6.518 at 209.82, while McGaha’s 6.520 at 209.85 gave him the third spot.

“We knew we weren’t going to improve on our run from last night, so we were definitely working on a few other things with the race car, just preparing for the Countdown [to the Championship], just trying to get things in order,” Enders said. “That’s at the forefront of our minds, but the weather conditions were obviously not as conducive for great runs today as they were last night.

“We’ve had some really great success here in the past, so I’m hopeful that that trend continues and we can finally get that 50th [win] off our back. It’s a huge milestone for me and for women but I just want to get back in the winner’s circle. That’s my main goal.”

Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera enjoyed another terrific day at Pacific Raceways, holding on to the No. 1 qualifier position and also picking up the win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge over rival Matt Smith, going 6.745 at 200.32 on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. Smith went red in the final round matchup of the specialty race, handing the victory to Herrera, who claimed his third victory this season in the bonus race, but also his first in two months.

He again made four strong runs in qualifying, also taking the No. 1 spot for the fourth time this season on the strength of Friday’s 6.734 at 201.22. It’s also the 18th in his career as Herrera looks to win his 12th consecutive race and seventh straight this season.

“It was a little hot today for sure, so we were battling the track a little bit, but we made a few changes to the transmission to accommodate the heat, and it paid off in the in the final against Matt Smith,” Herrera said. “Unfortunately, he went red or it probably would have been a really good race.

“Tomorrow I think we’ll have to go at least another [6.]70 and it might even dip in the [6.]60s. It just depends on what the weather’s going to do. It’s an early start, so tomorrow is going to be good.”

Chase Van Sant took second after going 6.742 at 199.44 and Smith is third with a run of 6.755 at 201.43.

Eliminations for the NHRA Northwest Nationals begin at 10:30 a.m. PT on Sunday at Pacific Raceways.

KENT, Wash. — Sunday’s first-round pairings for eliminations for the 35th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways, the 11th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.

Top Fuel — 1. Steve Torrence, 3.688 seconds, 335.32 mph vs. 14. Ron Smith, 4.349, 275.51; 2. Justin Ashley, 3.694, 331.04 vs. 13. Shawn Langdon, 4.146, 184.98; 3. Brittany Force, 3.701, 333.08 vs. 12. Tony Schumacher, 3.911, 317.79; 4. Doug Kalitta, 3.710, 326.40 vs. 11. Billy Torrence, 3.872, 315.19; 5. Jasmine Salinas, 3.734, 332.43 vs. 10. Tony Stewart, 3.778, 319.90; 6. Shawn Reed, 3.736, 325.61 vs. 9. Clay Millican, 3.768, 319.60; 7. Antron Brown, 3.746, 329.42 vs. 8. Josh Hart, 3.748, 329.99.

Funny Car — 1. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.838, 328.62 vs. Bye; 2. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.886, 331.53 vs. 15. Gary Densham, Ford Mustang, 5.114, 153.14; 3. Paul Lee, Dodge Charger, 3.917, 327.03 vs. 14. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Camry, 4.282, 244.21; 4. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.919, 326.48 vs. 13. Buddy Hull, Charger, 4.076, 312.57; 5. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.975, 319.52 vs. 12. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.072, 302.48; 6. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.018, 318.32 vs. 11. Dave Richards, Camry, 4.072, 315.27; 7. Alexis DeJoria, GR Supra, 4.027, 318.99 vs. 10. Blake Alexander, Mustang, 4.069, 308.85; 8. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.046, 311.27 vs. 9. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.050, 308.00.

Pro Stock — 1. Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.500, 209.98 vs. 16. Val Smeland, Camaro, 6.610, 209.33; 2. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.518, 209.92 vs. 15. Sienna Wildgust, Camaro, 6.583, 209.85; 3. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.520, 210.18 vs. 14. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.573, 209.65; 4. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.521, 210.93 vs. 13. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.556, 210.28; 5. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.527, 209.59 vs. 12. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.548, 211.06; 6. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.532, 211.13 vs. 11. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.537, 210.14; 7. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.532, 209.69 vs. 10. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.534, 209.69; 8. Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.533, 209.82 vs. 9. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.534, 211.00.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Joey Grose, 6.657, 207.85.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.734, 201.22 vs. 12. Eiji Kawakami, Suzuki, 7.122, 185.59; 2. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.742, 199.94 vs. 11. Brandon Litten, EBR, 7.073, 184.77; 3. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.755, 201.43 vs. 10. Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 6.872, 199.02; 4. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.756, 199.88 vs. 9. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.812, 197.19; 5. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.765, 201.43 vs. 8. John Hall, Beull, 6.807, 199.73; 6. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.792, 197.33 vs. 7. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.802, 200.86.

Toyota Gazoo Racing North America NHRA Seattle Post-Qualifying Report – 07.20.24

By
Official Release
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TORRENCE CLAIMS NO. 1 QUALIFIER FOR NHRA NORTHWEST NATIONALS
Justin Ashley wins #2Fast2Tasty challenge in strong day for Team Toyota

KENT, Wash. (July 20, 2024) – In his quest to defend his Northwest Nationals title, Steve Torrence claimed the No. 1 qualifying spot for tomorrow’s eliminations at Pacific Raceways just outside of Seattle. The three-time Top Fuel world champion posted a blistering 3.688 elapsed time under the lights on Friday, earning his second No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 39th of his career. Torrence goes for career win number 55 tomorrow.

Justin Ashley followed Torrence by qualifying in the No. 2 seed for tomorrow’s eliminations, missing out on the top spot by just 0.006 seconds. Doug Kalitta was the other Toyota Top Fuel Dragster in the top-five seeds, claiming the No. 4 spot. Ashley also defeated Kalitta in the Top Fuel Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge Saturday evening, his third challenge win of the season.

In Funny Car, Ron Capps is in excellent position to capture his first victory of the 2024 season, earning the No. 2 qualifying position for tomorrow. Capps goes into Sunday just three round wins away from 900 in his historic career. J.R Todd is close behind Capps in the No. 4 spot and Alexis DeJoria enters tomorrow in 7th.

Tomorrow’s eliminations at Pacific Raceways begin at 10:30 a.m. PST with live TV coverage beginning at 4 p.m. EST on FOX.

Toyota Post-Qualifying Recap
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series
NHRA Northwest Nationals
Pacific Raceways
Race 11 of 20

TOYOTA TOP FUEL QUALIFYING POSITIONS 

NameCarQualifying PositionFirst Round Opponent
Steve TorrenceCAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster1stR. Smith
Justin AshleySCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel Dragster2ndS. Langdon
Doug KalittaMac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster4thB. Torrence
Antron BrownMatco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster7thJ. Hart
Billy TorrenceCAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster11thD. Kalitta
Shawn LangdonKalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster13thJ. Ashley

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING POSITIONS 

NameCarQualifying PositionFirst Round Opponent
Austin ProckCornwell Tools Chevrolet Funny Car1st*Bye
Ron CappsNAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra Funny Car2ndG. Densham
J.R. ToddDHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car4thB. Hull
Alexis DeJoriaBandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car7thB. Alexander

*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

STEVE TORRENCE, CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Torrence Racing

TF Qualifying Result: 1st

Will you be able to sustain the momentum you have from qualifying?

“That’s a good start for these CAPCO boys, but what we’re really looking for is a good finish. We’ve gone a whole calendar year without a winners’ circle celebration and, man, that’s too long!”

JUSTIN ASHLEY, SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, SCAG Racing

TF Qualifying Result: 2nd

What’s the feeling in winning the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge?

“Well quite a bit (of pride). Let’s be honest, tomorrow is a completely different day. I actually expect the conditions to be the same as they were now, today, but I hear it’s going to be a bit cooler and there’s going to be some cloud cover, so it’ll be a totally different day. Nonetheless, we have a lot of pride. We wanted to win this race for everybody at SCAG Power Equipment, Philips, Toyota and all of the wonderful partners we have. This team works incredibly hard. They’ve been grinding. We’ve been constantly trying to find ways to improve, and honestly, you have to in this Top Fuel field as it’s so deep and so talented, top to bottom. Really appreciate Mission Foods for putting this whole deal on. We’ll definitely take the win, definitely take the championship points. Mike Green (crew chief), Tommy DeLago (co-crew chief), all of the guys. Great job.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships. 

Toyota directly employs more than 49,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 34 million cars and trucks at our nine manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 10th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 28 electrified options.

Through its Driving Possibilities initiative, the Toyota USA Foundation has committed to creating innovative educational programs within, and in partnership with, historically underserved and diverse communities near the company’s U.S. operating sites.

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

Kaulig Racing Race Recap | Pennzoil 250

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Official Release
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SHANE van GISBERGEN
No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet Camaro

  • Shane van Gisbergen qualified 23rd for the Pennzoil 250.
  • On lap one, a mid-pack wreck occurred, collecting multiple cars, but the No. 97 team was able to avoid the carnage, restarting the race in 11th. Van Gisbergen entered the top 10 on lap nine. The No. 97 team opted to pit under caution before the stage one break as Van Gisbergen reported to be battling a very loose race car. He returned to the field in 25th and ultimately ended stage one in 16th.
  • Van Gisbergen was scored 16th to begin stage two. The No. 97 team maintained position throughout the stage, and Van Gisbergen raced his way into the top 10 towards the end of the run. The No. 97 team opted to pit for adjustments, new tires and fuel with three laps remaining while under caution, placing him in ninth on the restart. Van Gisbergen took the green-and-white checkered flag in seventh.
  • The No. 97 team started the final stage in sixth place. After an early caution to start the stage, the No. 97 team opted to stay out and restarted from the fifth position, with 29 laps remaining in the race. Van Gisbergen battled hard to maintain position and raced in the top five for over 15 laps. A caution flew with 15 laps to go, and the No. 97 team opted to come to pit road for new tires and fuel. Van Gisbergen restarted the final stage 12th with 11 laps remaining. The New Zealand native quickly made his way up to fifth with nine laps remaining and took the checkered flag in fourth.

“Wow, what a race! We just continued to get better and better throughout the stages, and I got more confident through the race. We were running up front with good guys and got super good restarts, the whole race was amazing! Proud of my No. 97 Kaulig Racing Team. These guys works super hard, and it’s so special to race at a place like this and get a fourth-place finish.” – Shane van Gisbergen  

DANIEL DYE
No. 10 Black Widow Trucks Chevrolet Camaro

  • Daniel Dye qualified 22nd for the Pennzoil 250.
  • Taking the green flag, Dye reported the No. 10 fired off strong. On lap one, a mid-field wreck collected several competitors. Avoiding the chaos, Dye was able to gain a few positions. As the race resumed, Dye experienced a tight condition through the run. The No. 10 team opted to stay out to the end of the stage for track position, completing the stage in the 17th position.
  • Dye made strides in stage two by learning a better approach to passing traffic. He had maneuvered into the top 15 before a late-stage caution came out. He pitted but lost six positions due to jack issues. He returned to the field and relayed the No. 10 Black Widow Trucks Chevrolet was still a little too tight. He completed the stage in 19th.
  • Starting stage three, Dye was stuck deep in the pack but held steady and progressed through the field in his No. 10 Black Widow Trucks Camaro. His persistence paid off, as he was able to gain positions as the stage neared end. Ultimately, he took the checkered flag while scoring an NXS career-best finish of seventh.

“Fun day of learning, and cool to get another top-ten run. Cool to race at such a historic racetrack and do well. Thanks to everyone at Kaulig Racing and our partners, including Black Widow Trucks, for all the support and hard work!” – Daniel Dye  

AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 16 Celsius Chevrolet Camaro

  • AJ Allmendinger qualified eighth for the Pennzoil 250.
  • Allmendinger was scored in seventh when the first caution came early on lap two. The No. 16 was hit in the door but suffered no additional damage. After the restart, Allmendinger reported his balance was okay but he lacked confidence in the rear of the car. When the caution waved on lap 18, Allmendinger was scored in seventh. The team stayed out to restart in second on lap 21. The No. 16 fell to third on the restart but regained second place on lap 27 and went on to finish the opening stage in second.
  • During the stage break, the No. 16 came to pit road for four tires, fuel, and track bar and chassis adjustments. Allmendinger restarted in 12th place on lap 35, and by lap 51, he had taken over sixth place. When the caution came on lap 56, Allmendinger reported the only place he was struggling was with the rear on the entry of turn four. The No. 16 came to pit road for further work on the same adjustments made at the end of stage one. Allmendinger restarted in sixth place for a one-lap shootout to the stage end. The No. 16 finished stage two in fourth place.
  • Allmendinger came to pit road during the stage break and restarted in second place on lap 65 after gaining two positions on pit road. When the caution came out on lap 68, the No. 16 stayed out and restarted in second place on the outside lane. On the first lap green, Allmendinger took the lead over the No. 98 and No. 00. Allmendinger led four laps before falling back to third place when the caution came out on lap 86. On lap 90, Allmendinger restarted in third place and quickly reported his No. 16 Chevy was now too tight. Allmendinger went on to finish in eighth place.

“Really solid day for our No. 16 team. Happy with the speed we had today. We didn’t have quite enough to win. We made a strategy call to try and win the race that didn’t work out.” – AJ Allmendinger  

JOSH WILLIAMS
No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Chevrolet Camaro

  • Josh Williams qualified 19th for the Pennzoil 250.
  • Williams avoided a first-lap incident and picked up 10 spots — as well as some grass on the No. 11’s grille — to restart from ninth on lap eight. He lost one spot before the caution came out on lap 18, and he stayed out during the yellow to restart from fourth with 10 laps to go in stage one. The No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Camaro dealt with mid-corner tightness as the run continued, and Williams finished stage one in 15th.
  • Williams brought the No. 11 Chevy down pit road for tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment. Having to restart at the end of the line due to an uncontrolled tire during the pit stop, Williams fired off for stage two from 34th on lap 34. He immediately began moving up through the field, running in 22nd on lap 41. The Chevy’s handling began loosening up, and Williams’ forward progress halted. A late-stage caution set up a one-lap shootout to the end of the middle stint, and during the yellow, Williams pitted for fuel, tires and another track bar adjustment. He restarted and finished stage two in 23rd.
  • Williams took the green flag for the final stage in 22nd on lap 66 and took 19th before another wreck brought out the caution on lap 68. Williams re-fired from 21st on lap 72, but with 16 laps remaining, he was involved in a wreck that ended his day. Williams finished 36th.

“I had a whole speech prepared until I talked with [Anthony Alfredo] in there. Things happen… I figured he would stay up against the fence until everyone got past him, but if you cut a tire here, you just have zero control.” – Josh Williams  

 
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.

Herbst Wins Pennzoil 250 Thriller; Reddick Takes Brickyard 400 Pole

By
Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, July 20, 2024) – NASCAR’s return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval was worth the wait, if Riley Herbst’s thrilling victory Saturday in the Pennzoil 250 presented by Advance Auto Parts was any indication.

Herbst prevailed in a wild final two laps to win the first NASCAR Xfinity Series race on the fabled 2.5-mile oval since 2019, edging Cole Custer and Aric Almirola to open race competition on Brickyard Weekend. The NASCAR Cup Series will race on the oval for the first time since 2020 with the Brickyard 400 presented by PPG at 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday.

“This is Indianapolis; this is the most famous racetrack in the world,” Herbst said. “It’s an honor just to walk in this place, let alone win.

“This is hallowed ground. Every person in the world wants to race here, and I won here. I don’t care if it’s the Xfinity Series, the Cup Series, the go-kart track out back, this is the Brickyard. This is the coolest racetrack in the world. This is pretty sweet.”

Herbst, who started second in the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford, held off Stewart-Haas Racing teammate and pole sitter Cole Custer by .167 of a second for his second career Xfinity Series victory. Almirola was third in the No. 20 He Gets Us Toyota of Joe Gibbs Racing, .224 of a second behind the winner after a sizzling three-way fight for the lead on the last two laps of the 100-lap race.

The 1-2 finish for Stewart-Haas Racing – co-owned by two-time Brickyard 400 winner Tony Stewart and Gene Haas – was bittersweet as the team is disbanding after this season.

“Proud of everybody at Stewart-Haas Racing,” Herbst said. “Obviously, the news of us shutting down, these guys could have given up on me, gone to other teams, but they stuck behind me and Cole.”

Herbst lost the lead to Custer on a restart on Lap 90, and it appeared Custer might cruise to victory. He built a lead of 1.384 seconds by Lap 95. But Herbst began to chip away, trimming that lead to .649 of a second on Lap 97 and .270 of a second on Lap 98.

Almirola also was gaining ground on the two leaders and took the lead on the front straightaway at the end of Lap 99 on a breathtaking move with the white flag in the air. Herbst and Custer were racing side-by-side for the lead low on the straightaway, and Almirola moved within inches of the wall to clear the dueling pair and slice down across the noses of their Fords for the top spot.

On the final lap, Herbst chased Almirola, dove under him for the lead in the short chute between Turns 3 and 4 and held on to the checkered flag. It was the last of 12 lead changes in the race.

“When he (Herbst) was within a car length or so from behind, I was just so tight,” Almirola said of his car’s handling. “I got to the bottom, but I was just so tight. They were the class of the field. They ran the 00 (Custer) down. Those two cars were certainly better than us.”

Herbst and Custer combined to lead 77 of the 100 laps, with Custer out front for a race-high 47 and Herbst 30.

Indianapolis 500 veteran Conor Daly finished 14th in the No. 26 Polkadot Toyota of Sam Hunt Racing after running in the top 10 for a portion of the race.

In two rounds of qualifying for the Brickyard 400 presented by PPG, Tyler Reddick continued the strong form he showed in leading practice Friday by winning the pole for the 160-lap NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday.

Reddick turned a top lap of 181.932 mph in the No. 45 The Beast Unleashed Toyota of 23XI Racing, co-owned by basketball superstar Michael Jordan and Cup Series star Denny Hamlin. This is Reddick’s second Cup Series pole at IMS, as he won the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard from the pole in 2022 on the IMS road course.

This is the first time the NASCAR Cup Series has raced its Next Gen car, which debuted in 2022, on the IMS oval. The Cup Series last raced on the fabled oval in 2020.

“Round two, I knew what the target lap time was,” Reddick said. “I did not feel great about my Turn 1, but the rest of the lap this The Beast Unleashed Toyota Camry was really stout.

“It’s really cool. I’ve been very fortunate to come here and have a lot of speed on the road course, and it’s great to be back on the oval here and have that speed again. Excited for tomorrow.”

Reddick’s boss, Hamlin, qualified second at 181.492 in the No. 11 Sport Clips Haircuts Toyota of Joe Gibbs Racing. Hamlin seeks his first Brickyard 400 start in his 16th start on the IMS oval.

2020 Cup Series champion Chase Elliott will start third in the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet fielded by Hendrick Motorsports after his best lap of 181.803. Teammate William Byron will join him in Row 2 after his qualifying lap of 180.155 in the No. 24 Valvoline Chevrolet.

2021 Cup Series champion Kyle Larson helped Hendrick Motorsports put three cars in the top five qualifying spots with his best lap of 181.298 in the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet. Larson is racing on the IMS oval for the second time this season, as he earned Rookie of the Year honors in the 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge after qualifying fifth and finishing 18th in a Hendrick-Arrow McLaren entry.

Ty Gibbs filled Row 3 after qualifying sixth at 180.043 in the No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota of Joe Gibbs Racing.

The Brickyard 400 presented by PPG starts at 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday. Visit IMS.com to buy tickets or for more information.

Mustang Finishes 1-2 at Indianapolis as Herbst Scores Xfinity Series Victory

By
Official Release
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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Penzoil 250 Post Race | Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Saturday, July 20, 2024

UNOFFICIAL FORD FINISHING RESULTS

1st – Riley Herbst

2nd – Cole Custer

11th – Ryan Sieg

16th – Matt DiBenedetto

22nd – Kyle Sieg

26th – David Starr

29th – Blaine Perkins

38th – Josh Berry

Riley Herbst Puts Ford in Victory Lane at Indianapolis; Mustang Finishes 1-2

  • Riley Herbst won the NASCAR Xfinity Series Pennzoil 250 Presented by Advance Auto Parts, his first victory of the season and ninth top-10 finish in 2024.
  • The win marks the second straight for Ford and Stewart-Haas Racing following Cole Custer’s win at Pocono a week ago.
  • Custer (second) posted his third top-10 finish in four races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
  • It was an all-Ford front row with Custer on the pole and Herbst second.
  • Ford also swept the stages with Herbst winning Stage 1 and Ryan Sieg winning Stage 2.
  • Custer leads the point standings by 56 points over Justin Allgaier.

RILEY HERBST, No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Finished 1st)

WALK US THROUGH THAT LAST LAP FOR THE WIN:

“This is Indianapolis. This is the most famous racetrack in the world and it is an honor just to walk in this place, let alone win. We had speed all year and I felt like we could win but I just messed up on the restarts a little bit. It was a good fight. I thought I had Cole clear and then he slid bottom of three with the 20 and I thought it was going to be tough. I just continued to work. It has been a pretty tough week on me mentally to be honest with you. I am proud of these guys and everybody at Stewart-Haas Racing. Obviously the news of us shutting down, these guys could have given up on me, gone to different teams, but they stuck behind me. That is back-to-back wins for Stewart-Haas Racing. Thank you so much Monster Energy. Thank you to everybody in Las Vegas, my family. I am going to go drink beer and turn my phone off for three weeks.”

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WIN HERE WITH YOUR FAMILY HERE?

“This is hallowed ground. This is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Every person in the world wants to race here, and I won here. I don’t care if it is the Xfinity Series, the Cup Series or the go-kart track out back. This is the Brickyard. This is the coolest racetrack in the world. I love you guys. This is pretty sweet.”

COLE CUSTER, No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Finished 2nd)

HOW BAD DID YOU WANT THAT?

“I mean, you could see us beating doors down the front stretch. You are going to do everything it takes to win Indy. I was doing everything I could to get this thing to turn. I needed one less lap. I felt like it was kind of a disadvantage to lead all day. If you were in second you would get your car looser which would save your tires throughout a run. Whereas if you were leading you would just get so tight after 15 laps. What an awesome day for SHR. Two cars at the front all day. We qualified 1-2 and finished 1-2, an unbelievable day for SHR. I hope we keep this rolling.”

AND A BIG DAY FOR YOU AND A BIG WEEKEND:

“For sure. This is a great way to kick everything off. Riley drove a great race there and it was fun racing with him. I wish we just had one less lap and we would have been kissing the bricks.”

JOSH BERRY, No. 15 Klutch Vodka Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Retired early after accident on Lap 1)

“It looked like Sam (Mayer) got three-wide middle and got loose and we all stacked and couldn’t see and so we all kind of stacked up and wrecked. Obviously disappointing. We had a good qualifying effort being in the top 10, we were just in the wrong spot at the wrong time there. I just want to thank everyone at AM Racing and Klutch Vodka for having me the last couple of weeks. I hate that we didn’t get the results that we should have. The car was pretty solid in practice and qualified well and I was excited to see how we could do today.”

Toyota Racing – NXS Indianapolis Post-Race Report – 07.20.24

By
Official Release
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ALMIROLA, CREED EARN TOP-FIVES IN WILD FINISH IN INDIANAPOLIS
Fourth-straight Xfinity Series top-five for Almirola

INDIANAPOLIS (July 20, 2024) – Aric Almirola was half a lap away from claiming a marquee victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway but settled for third place in a dramatic last-lap battle in the Xfinity Series race Saturday afternoon. The driver of the No. 20 GR Supra was in contention for the win all day long but had to overcome adversity after a spin late in the race to claim the third-place result at the end. This is the fourth consecutive top-five for Almirola in just his sixth Xfinity Series start this season for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Almirola’s teammate, Sheldon Creed, also ended up in the top-five by finishing in the fifth position when the checkered flag flew. Like his teammate, Creed was in or around the top-10 most of the afternoon, and with the help of intuitive pit strategy, battled his way to the top-five at the race’s conclusion. The result is the ninth top-five for Creed this season.

INDYCAR driver and Indiana native Conor Daly also impressed throughout the day in his first NASCAR Xfinity Series oval start. Daly was running seventh prior to a late race caution. With several pit strategies in play, Daly battled through the closing laps and ended his strong run with a career-best 14th.

With the Olympic Break, the Xfinity Series is off for four weeks before returning to action at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday, August 17.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Race 20 of 33 – 250 Miles, 100 Laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

1st, Riley Herbst*

2nd, Cole Custer*

3rd, ARIC ALMIROLA

4th, Shane van Gisbergen*

5th, SHELDON CREED

14th, CONOR DALY

17th, JOE GRAF JR.

33rd, CHANDLER SMITH

*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

ARIC ALMIROLA, No. 20 He Gets Us Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 3rd

Take us through your day and that finish.

“I thought that was our only chance if we were going to steal one. The Stewart-Haas (Racing) cars were the class of the field all weekend. I thought that was my chance to try, when they (Riley Herbst and Cole Custer) got side-by-side and make something happen. I thought it was going to work out. I thought I was going to get clean air and was going to be okay, but Riley’s car was so good, and he got to my left rear and got me tight. It happened earlier in that run. I’d get so tight when he’d get to my left rear. Hats off to those guys, they did a great job. Proud of everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing. Tyler (Allen, crew chief) and the all the guys on this 20 team. They just did as great job. Proud of the effort and dang, that hurts.”

SHELDON CREED, No. 18 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 5th

Where did you come from there at the end?

“Just a good call by my crew chief, Sam McAuley, to get tires there. And yeah, picked the right lane that rolled well. And just having tires against some of the cars at the end meant something. I was able to get in line and go forward there at the end, which was great as we were battling all day. Just slow. The car handled well all day, just a little too slow all day.”

How sketchy was it out there today?

“Yeah, dirty air was not fun, especially when you were two or three-wide. Just tried to manage that and obviously, we’ve seen a few wrecks there. Yeah, just put ourselves in position for another top-five run, which is great. But yeah, I want to go lead laps and win races, so we have to find a little bit. Yeah, it’s great to have the consistency we’ve had the last so many weeks and get ready for the Playoffs, so that’s good.”

CONOR DALY, No. 26 Polkadot Toyota GR Supra, Sam Hunt Racing

Finishing Position: 14th

This has got to be a new position where you can repair damage.

“Dude, I was literally in between the wall and two vehicles and thought, this NASCAR thing was fun while it lasted, but the wheels were still somewhat straight. The car was really fast. I honestly had a tremendous time. I think I got moved out of the way a little bit which I expected, but for the most part, I really enjoyed the racing. Racing with Shane (van Gisbergen) was really fun. He’s awesome to race with – the other guys in this series too. It was really fun to race up front with these guys. I watch every week and I enjoy watching the series. This Toyota was fast. It has a lot of character to it now.”

Did you take a moment to take in racing here on the oval, not in an INDYCAR?

“Yeah, honestly. I think my experience here helped – but it is such a different car and there were so many moments that literally just ambushed me. I just didn’t know. I just hadn’t been moved with just air. Austin Hill got to my left rear and didn’t touch me at all, and I was almost crashing. It was just one of those things that was just difficult. This team did a great job. They gave me a great car. We maybe overtightened it at the end, but super thankful for Polkadot, Sam Hunt (team owner) for letting me be a part of his program, and Toyota for letting me be part of their group.”

When you were running with that front group, what kind of confidence did that give you?

“Honestly, when we were seventh, I thought we were stuck behind three of these guys. I thought we were much better. If we could have just cleared (Justin) Allgaier, I think we had much more momentum on that stint – let’s say it ran all the way to the checkered – I thought we were going to be in really good shape. A bit of a gamble to take two tires at the end, which was tough because I had never experienced a car with just two tires. Definitely tightened me up more than I expected, so just part of a new experience.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 49,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 34 million cars and trucks at our nine manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 10th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 28 electrified options.

Through its Driving Possibilities initiative, the Toyota USA Foundation has committed to creating innovative educational programs within, and in partnership with, historically underserved and diverse communities near the company’s U.S. operating sites.

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

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