Garcia puts No. 3 Z06 GT3.R on class pole with Milner second in shadow of GM RenCen
DETROIT (May 31, 2024) – Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports will roll off 1-2 in class for the hometown race for the team and Chevrolet after Friday’s 15-minute qualifying session for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic.
Antonio Garcia captured pole position in the GTD PRO class in the No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R with a lap of 1:09.092 (85.711 mph) around the 1.654-mile, nine-turn street circuit in downtown Detroit. He was 0.336 seconds clear of teammate Tommy Milner in the No. 4 Corvette.
It’s the second consecutive pole position in IMSA competition for the Z06 GT3.R following a pole for Nicky Catsburg – Milner’s teammate – earlier this month at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The pair of yellow GTD PRO Corvettes also started first and second at Laguna Seca with Milner and Catsburg going on to finish third in class for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R’s first podium.
“Congratulations to Antonio Garcia on his pole-winning lap in GTD PRO with the No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R on the streets of Detroit – the second consecutive pole position for our new Corvette GT3 entry in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship,” said Scott Bell, Vice President, Global Chevrolet. “Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports continues to show the performance capabilities of the Z06 GT3.R, which is a testament to the work of the team, and our Chevrolet and GM engineering groups.”
Pre-race work at Chevrolet’s Driver-in-the-Loop simulator paid immediate dividends in each of Friday’s two practice sessions. Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports engineers leaned on the learnings of Chevrolet’s NTT INDYCAR program to help establish a baseline for a handful of sessions on Chevy’s Driver in the Loop simulator.
That helped with the results in pre-qualifying running. Alexander Sims, who shares the No. 3 Corvette with Garcia, went fastest in GTD PRO during the opening 90-minute session. Milner paced the two-hour afternoon practice in the field’s final track time before qualifying.
The Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 1. The race will air live on USA Network with full streaming coverage also on Peacock. IMSA Radio will air the race at IMSA.com along XM 206, SiriusXM Online 996.
CORVETTE RACING BY PRATT MILLER MOTORSPORTS QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R – GTD PRO POLE-WINNER: “I think it’s great. That’s the first goal we had – to get as soon as possible up front. So having another Corvette one-two really helps with that. It’s nice to have two yellow Corvettes up front around these buildings. It means the whole team is running really, really good. We just need to keep everything together. Let’s hope it’s not like Laguna where we went from up there to somewhere else. So we just need to be cautious and we need to stay on track, for sure. There’s probably going to be some yellows, too. We just need to be smart. That’s it.”
Controlling the race from up front: “In a place like this, where it’s almost impossible to pass, it’s really good to have track position, for sure. But now we get to the point where maybe a ton of people roll the dice and maybe the whole thing changes. We’ve seen these things at these kinds of race tracks many, many times. The fastest race car doesn’t always win. We just need to play smart and that’s all we can do. If everything falls as it should, I think it would be great to have a Corvette one-two around the RenCen.”
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R – QUALIFIED SECOND IN GTD PRO: “I’m definitely happy. I would like to have been P1, but I just didn’t put the laps together. I’m curious to see what the best sectors would have been. I don’t think I had quite enough for pole with Antonio going fast again on his last lap. But overall I’m happy. It’s great to be here in Detroit, in the shadow of the RenCen and having both Corvettes on the front row it’s great. That’s the first part of the job done. The second part is to go win this thing tomorrow. We have two really great cars. The guys are working really hard and well right now. As long as we do our job tomorrow we should be in a good position.”
Race outlook: “It will be a challenge, no question about it. With the Lexus and the Porsche behind us, both those cars and guys are quick, obviously. Some are more aggressive than others. Passing is hard here so we’ll have to be prepared for how they normally race and be prepared to race as hard as they normally do.”
Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.
About Chevrolet Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
DETROIT, Michigan (May 31, 2024) — The Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTRAndretti) Acura ARX-06 GTP teams battled through the streets of downtown Detroit in an effort to set the grid for Saturday’s Detroit Grand Prix. With a split strategy amongst the ten GTP entrants, both WTRAndretti Acura ARX-06s elected to stay out on track for the entirety of the 15-minute qualifying session. Wheeling around the bumpy, 1.645-mile street circuit, Filipe Albuquerque displayed impressive lap times, contending the top three positions before a red flag for a car stopped in the middle of the track with under five minutes remaining placed the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 fourth on the starting grid. Much of the same was for Jordan Taylor and the No. 40 DEX Imaging Acura ARX-06 crew as they competed alongside their No. 10 teammates for the top qualifying spots and encountered the same late session red flag track blockage to earn a fifth place starting position.
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTP teams will see the green flag fly for the 100-minute sprint race from the downtown streets of Detroit at 3:10 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 1. USA Network will serve host to the Detroit Grand Prix with the broadcast beginning at 3 p.m. ET.
TOP FIVE GTP STARTING GRID
No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsports (Porsche 963) N. Tandy, M. Jaminet (90.564 mph)
No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsports (Porsche 963) D. Cameron, F. Nasr (90.392 mph)
No. 01 Cadillac Racing (Cadillac V-Series.R) R. van der Zande, S. Bourdais (90.052 mph)
No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 (Acura ARX-06) R. Taylor, F. Albuquerque (90.045 mph)
No. 40 DEX Imaging Acura ARX-06 (Acura ARX-06) J. Taylor, L. Delétraz (89.725 mph)
Filipe Albuquerque, No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06: “It’s always fun to qualify on a street course; going close to the walls, taking so much risk, one little mistake will cause a red which in the end can happen. The No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 car was okay, I think we were running consistently improved laps in the top three. Unfortunately, my last lap was P2 and the lap after that was improving, but then we got the red flag and I couldn’t finish that lap. I thought I was P2, but they improved because they were able to finish their lap and I dropped down to P4. It’s a bit frustrating, but it is what it is. Everyone is so good, and the field is so competitive. We are still lining up in the second row; it’s decent, obviously I wanted more – especially when we were so close. Tomorrow it’s a different day. I think tomorrow is going to be wild in GTs and overtaking GTs. They go fast and when they are battling, there is no place for three cars here. It’s going to be curious to see the race, so just stay put, because even we are looking forward to how it going to happen. As you can see if a car spins, no one can pass, so it’ll be interesting.”
Jordan Taylor, No. 40 DEX Imaging Acura ARX-06: “We made some ground from practice, we were a little bit off I think and made some good changes to the car. I think we’re in the hunt and in the battle for the race with the No. 40 DEX Imaging Acura ARX-06. It’s going to be a difficult track to pass on, so obviously the higher up you start, the better. But it’s going to be about execution in the pits with it being a one-stop race. We will work on our driver change a little, it could come down to a fast driver change, but I think we have good team around us in WTRAndretti to execute in the pits. If we need to jump a couple spots, that may be the place to do it. Starting where we are, that’s better than we expected coming out of practice.”
ABOUT WTRANDRETTI Andretti Global and Wayne Taylor Racing announced a new, long-term partnership in 2023 that combines the resources of the two championship-caliber teams to compete in IMSA’s top classes. In 2024, Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTRAndretti) has expanded to a two-car GTP program as well as competes in the GTD class. Coming off its 2023 championship winning effort, WTRAndretti continues its Driver Development Program competing in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series with a full stable.
WTRAndretti’s global motorsports enterprise boasts two IMSA driver championships (2013 and 2017), and back-to-back IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Championships (2020, 2021) which contributed to nine IMSA manufacturer championships for Acura, Pontiac, Corvette and Cadillac. In its brief 17-year history, WTRAndretti has accumulated multiple victories in sportscar racing’s most iconic events: Rolex 24 At Daytona, Twelve Hours of Sebring, Petit Le Mans, Mid-Ohio, Road America and the Six Hours of The Glen. With its back-to-back PRO Class Championship wins (2022, 2023), WTR also has ten North America Lamborghini Super Trofeo Championship titles and a Lamborghini World Finals title.
Andretti Global, a Championship-winning motorsports organization, competes in additional racing categories worldwide, including the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, Extreme E, Australian Supercars and the Mexico SuperCopa Championship. Additionally, the racing enterprise commits to driver development through competition in INDY NXT by Firestone and through support of Sebastian and Oliver Wheldon’s racing careers.
WTRAndretti’s long term partnerships include Acura, Honda Racing Corporation US (HRC), Konica Minolta Business Solutions USA, DEX Imaging, Harrison Contracting Company and Gainbridge.
Bourdais puts the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R in third position for 100-minute race
DETROIT (May 31, 2024) – Sebastien Bourdais recorded a lap of 1 minute, 05.762 seconds in the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R on the 1.654-mile, nine-turn temporary street circuit to qualify third for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear.
Bourdais, who co-drove with Renger van der Zande to victory in the other IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship street course race this season, will aim to best the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) competition in the 100-minute race Saturday in the shadow of GM’s world headquarters.
Reigning GTP champion Pipo Derani, who had qualified on the pole in three of the four races, was running fifth in the 15-minute session when the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R make right-rear contact with the concrete barrier in Turn 5, slid across the track and made light nose assembly contact with the barrier to cause a red flag with 2:30 left in the session.
Derani lost his two fastest laps and will start 10th. A 20-minute practice session precedes the 3 p.m. ET green flag. The No. 6 Porsche 963 earned the pole with a lap of 1:05.390.
Cadillac won four of the five races and placed second in the other in 2017-2022 at Detroit (the 2.3-mile street circuit on nearby Belle Isle) since joining IMSA prototype competition in 2017. There was no race in 2020 because of the pandemic and the GTP did not compete at Detroit in 2023. Van der Zande co-drove to victory in 2022 and 2021 with Cadillac Racing.
USA will telecast the race and Peacock will provide flag-to-flag streaming of the race in the U.S. while IMSA.TV will have coverage outside the U.S. IMSA Radio (IMSA.com), RadioLeMans.com will broadcast every session. SiriusXM live race coverage will be available at XM 206, SiriusXM Web/App 996.
What they’re saying
No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R
Sebastien Bourdais: “It’s not bad at all; just missing a little bit to put everything together. I’m pretty happy. You’re never completely satisfied with P3 but given the circumstances for this weekend I think it’s not bad. We’re in a raceable situation and it’s all pretty tight behind us. We have something we want to try in the (race day) practice because we’re not where we want to be. We might have gone a bit too conservative because of the nature of what seemed to be a very bumpy track. It is, but it really isn’t at the same time. There are bit bumps, but I feel like your still need a car that gives you enough ride height and downforce to really challenge the tires and get them going, particularly tomorrow when it’s going to be overcast.”
No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R
Pipo Derani: “We’ve been struggling a bit through the weekend with set-up, so I went in there and I knew it was only three laps to go and I just tried a bit too much. Unfortunately, I spun and hit the wall. I don’t think we had the pace we wanted to be fighting for the front and I didn’t feel like I had much more in the pocket. Then I tried to be a bit of a superman and put a lap in. We have enough time to recover tomorrow.”
Finding the perfect car can be difficult when you do not care about money, but things get a lot tougher when you are on a budget. There are many things that you need to consider if you want to make the most of the money you have. Here, we will give you some tips on how to make it easier to find a car you would love.
Know your budget
Before we can go out and look for your new car, we need to know who we are working with. There are many ways you can determine your budget; while you do that, you need to allocate as much money to your budget as possible. Of course, if you have the money to buy something more expensive but do not want to do that, that is something different. If that is not the case, we suggest that you organize a sale where you can sell some of the things you do not need to boost your budget to some extent.
What are your needs?
The best way to get the most out of your money when buying a car is to determine the basic things your car needs to have so that you can build from them. Think about the size of the car, how much horsepower you need, and things like that. Once you have realized all these things and you see that you have more money in your budget than you can spend, start thinking about things like comfort. You do this until there is no money left and then you go to a car dealer and get the car that gets you the most of what you need. This way, you will be satisfied with your car purchase because you know it is what you can afford.
Get a used car
One great way to stay within your budget and still get a great car—one that you will love—is to buy a used car. If you know how to pick a good car, then it would be much better to get a used car because of all the options you have and simply because you know what you are dealing with. Even though with new cars there is no risk involved, the reward of buying a used one is so much higher. What is also great about used cars is that, even though they get older, their prices do not drop as fast as with new ones. Also, if you know your cars, you can buy and resell them for a higher price.
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You do not need a lot of features
When buying on a budget, we need to be realistic and realize that we cannot have all the bells and whistles that we want but rather that we need to sacrifice some of them. You need to think about what features you can go without and what not and then make the right decision. We suggest that you pick cars thinking about performance and not about what new gadgets they have. Most likely, that gadget won’t do you any good if you get somewhere stuck in the wilderness where there is no one around.
Research
If you want to find the best car for the money that you have, you will have to do a lot of research. There are many cars there and you need to go to many different websites and see whether they have something that interests you. What we suggest is that you pick cars that are in your vicinity. Of course, they should all be in your price range. Make a short list of all the cars that you like and then go and see what they look like in real life. You should not go for the first one that you like because there may be a better one waiting for you. As you are going through your list, make sure to make notes of all the things you like and what you do not. This will come in handy once you want to make your decision.
Go for lesser known brands
If you are on a tight budget, we would recommend that you go for a brand that is not among the most popular ones. You should know that there are many car brands out there that could outperform bigger brands with some of their cars, even though they are half the price. What you should do is go online and see what your money can get you when it comes to brands that are not common. You will be amazed at what some cars can do and for what price. We only suggest that you hear what the person who had these cars has to say, because things on paper can sometimes be deceiving.
Learn how to negotiate
Most likely, there will be many cars that are totally or just out of your price range while you are choosing the right car. We cannot help you with those that you cannot in any way afford but with those that are just above what you can afford, there may be some wiggle room that you can exploit. What you need to do is, when you find one of these cars, try to get the price within your price range. This means that you will have to learn how to negotiate with them. The more you try to get better prices, the easier it will be for you.
Do not be fixated on one brand
Some people only buy one brand of car, and that can sometimes be problematic. You need to go out there and try new things. Many cars are lovely and may even be better for what you need.
Finding your perfect car when you have a budget is no easy task but it is doable. You will have to do a lot of research and remain dedicated if you want to achieve this feat. The more time you spend finding it, the higher the chances that you will find what you are looking for.
DETROIT (Friday, May 31, 2024) – Alex Palou, one of the smoothest drivers in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, sure has taken a liking to the rough-and-tumble Streets of Detroit circuit since its debut in 2023.
Palou opened his defense of his Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear victory last year by leading the first practice for this year’s event Friday with a top lap of 1 minute, 1.7210 seconds in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
Two-time and reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Palou will aim for his second consecutive pole on the nine-turn, 1.645-mile circuit on bumpy city streets and lined with concrete barriers during NTT P1 Award qualifying at 12:15 p.m. ET Saturday (Peacock, INDYCAR Radio Network). Palou leads the championship by 20 points over Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon after five of 17 points-paying races this season.
“It was busy,” Palou said. “I visited the run-off areas a couple of times here and there, just trying to find the limit and the grip of the track. The track is grippier, a lot grippier, than last year. Pretty happy. The car feels good so far.”
Pato O’Ward, runner-up last Sunday in a thrilling finish of the 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, was second in the 75-minute session today under sunny skies in the Motor City with a top lap of 1:01.7315 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. Colton Herta was third at 1:01.7968 in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda of Andretti Global w/Curb-Agajanian.
Kyle Kirkwood, winner of street-circuit races last season at Long Beach and Nashville, was fourth at 1:01.8103 in the No. 27 AutoNation Honda as Andretti Global was the only team with two drivers in the top five.
Scott McLaughlin rounded out the top five at 1:02.0959 in the No. 3 Gallagher Team Penske Chevrolet.
Josef Newgarden, who earned his second straight Indy 500 win last Sunday, was sixth at 1:02.2377 in the No. 3 Hitachi Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet despite contact with Kirkwood when traffic backed up on the course.
Wall contact by Jack Harvey forced a red flag with less than 15 minutes left in the session. Harvey clipped the left-side barrier in Turn 7, careening across the track and hitting the right-side barrier before his No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda stopped between Turns 7 and 8. Harvey was unhurt.
Up next is a one-hour practice at 9:10 a.m. ET Saturday (Peacock, INDYCAR Radio Network), followed by qualifying in the early afternoon. Live coverage of the 100-lap race starts at noon ET Sunday on the USA Network, Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network.
CHEVROLET IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES CHEVROLET DETROIT GRAND PRIX DETROIT, MICHIGAN TEAM CHEVY PRACTICE REPORT MAY 31, 2024
PATO O’WARD AND ARROW MCLAREN LEAD TEAM CHEVY IN THE FIRST PRACTICE FOR THE CHEVROLET DETROIT GRAND PRIX, FINISHING THE SESSION SECOND ON FRIDAY
Pato O’Ward, driver of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, led Team Chevy on the streets of Detroit finishing first practice in second with his fastest lap of 1:01.7315.
Chevrolet finished with five drivers in the top-10 in first practice, with O’Ward in second, Scott McLaughlin and Josef Newgarden of Team Penske in fifth and sixth, AJ Foyt Racing’s Santino Ferrucci in seventh, and Will Power of Team Penske in ninth.
Saturday sees a second practice session at 9:10 a.m. ET, as well as qualifying and the Firestone Fast Six at 12:15 p.m. ET. Coverage of both sessions is broadcasted via Peacock, as well as INDYCAR Radio and SiriusXM Channel 218.
TEAM CHEVY TOP-10 PRACTICE RESULT: Pos. Driver 2nd Pato O’Ward (1:01.7315) 5th Scott McLaughlin (1:02.0959) 6th Josef Newgarden (1:02.2377) 7th Santino Ferrucci (1:02.3277) 9th Will Power (1:02.4474)
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING (QUOTES):
Santino Ferrucci, No. 14 AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet:
“It feels good to come back to Detroit and be in the window. Solid job by all the boys rolling out strong and looking forward to tuning on this Sexton Properties Chevrolet.”
Sting Ray Robb, No. 41 AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet:
“Pretty happy with the first practice. We learned a lot. It was a clean run with just a couple kisses of the wall but nothing too dramatic, so happy with that. The Goodheart Vet / Pray.com Chevrolet feels really nice and I think we’re in a good spot. I didn’t get a great run on the greens (tires) but I think we’ll have it figured out. Santino had a great run so I think that we’ll compare notes and see what we can learn for tomorrow.”
Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:
“It’s better than last year. We got laps in, you know? We’ve still got some work to do. It’s tricky out there. It really is. There’s a lot of bumps, and it’ll be very important to get the window right on the car in qualifying just because those bumps can kind of throw you off in sequence quite quickly. It’ll just ruin your lap, so you have to be pretty precise.”
Théo Pourchaire, No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:
“It is a fun track, and I really like it. The first practice was a bit of a mess for us with all of the traffic. We don’t know the real pace because some cars are blocking the other ones because of the track layout. That’s no one’s fault; no one is doing it on purpose. With so many cars on the track, it can be tough to get a lap. We struggled with the balance a bit at the beginning, but we improved toward the end. It’s all part of racing and we will get there. The most important thing is to get better, and we will work for a great job tomorrow.”
Alexander Rossi, No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:
“It’s great to be back in Detroit. We will be looking for some performance overnight, but Pato’s car looks good. We will look at that and see what we can do to improve the No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet for tomorrow.”
Gavin Ward, Team Principal at Arrow McLaren:
“Everybody is taking a bit of time to get the tires up, which is a common theme out there today, but I’m encouraged that we have one of our cars up there at the top of the timing sheets. So, there’s some good data there to look at to try to get things dialed in for tomorrow.”
Romain Grosjean, No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet:
“Day one in Detroit, and it was bumpy, slippery, and a lot of fun out there. I think the car’s got some potential. Obviously, it’s always hard to put a lap here in, but we’ll do some work, come back tomorrow, and hopefully qualify well.”
Agustin Canapino, No. 78 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet:
“We started here in a good way in Detroit, P11 for beginning of the weekend. I’m happy to start this way. Of course we want to be faster tomorrow. We are slightly away from the pace of the leaders but I think we have a good car to start the weekend.”
Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet:
“I think we just got better through the session, and we were running a lot of the primary tires. Definitely abusing them. In the middle, towards the end of the early running, I think we hit on some changes that were really good. Then, we were able to show it a little bit more on the greens. I think we have event more in it. I think the car feels really good. I’ve got to clean some stuff up on my side. I think I know some areas where we can be better and faster. The Astemo Chevy looks good, feels good. Long weekend, we’ve got to make it to the end, and we’d love to have a good result with these guys.”
Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet:
“I learned how to spin in each of them because I kept going down the escape roads. That’s all part of it here. You risk in the points where you’ve got least risk. The Gallagher Chevy feels really good. On the straightaways, I feel like I am in a really good spot. It felt really strong, so I hope that carries on throughout the weekend.”
SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN, NO. 3 GALLAGHER TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET – End of Day Press Conference:
THE MODERATOR: Joined now by Scott McLaughlin, best finish of seventh in the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix.
Q. Testing the limits, is that going into the runoffs, trying to find a place you can brake?
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Basically, yeah. A lot of it’s the corners where you know you have the runoff. Might as well bring a yellow out now than later. That’s always my strategy on street circuits.
Q. Can you change your brake bias during a lap?
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, you can.
Q. Something you would do at a place like this?
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Depends. It really depends on what you got in the car and how comfortable you are with it.
Yeah, that’s something I’ve done in the past with Supercars, for sure.
Q. Everybody is complaining the place is very bumpy. Is there anything you can do in the setup to make it a little bit easier?
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: I think it’s character. You can do a couple little things, softening or whatnot. Ultimately there’s a point where it hurts the balance trying to set up for the bumps. You just got to deal with them. It’s not a billiard table, absolutely not. It’s Detroit streets. We just enjoy it.
Q. (No microphone.)
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah. Couple guys are going to have to tighten the belts, enjoy it.
Q. Any bumps from last year been smoothed over?
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Last corner coming out of the pit straight. Really, really good. I think there’s a lot of great improvements. Off the long back straight, it’s a lot smoother there. Bumpy down Jefferson Ave. Once it gets to the point they resurface, they resurface a thousand feet or something like that, which is amazing.
Yeah, I think there’s been a lot of really good improvements from this time last year to now. So yeah, I think they’ve done a really good job.
Q. That plus the car being lighter, the whole year of setup data, faster than last year in the first practice?
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Was it? Maybe we all know this track a bit better. That for sure is probably a thing. Last year first practice was our first time on track. After a year, everyone has seven-posted, thought about different things. Cars are just better, they’re lighter.
Yeah, it’s probably a case of that, too.
Q. The alternates and the primary look close together to the point that some drivers chose not to switch on the split segment. We could expect this to be a primary race on Sunday?
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: I think you’re nuts not to run them right now because you can’t run them again. I feel like that’s a silly move.
Ultimately we’ve seen this trend. I think it might lend to that way. It just depends on how it goes throughout the weekend.
I think as the track grips up, tires are probably going to wear out less. We’ve seen this trend quite a fair bit. Yeah, I feel like it’s going to be more of a green tire race already.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Scott.
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Thank you.
About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
THIRD TIME’S A CHARM: Sunday marks the third NASCAR Cup Series race at WWT Raceway in Madison, Illinois. Last year, HENDRICKCARS.COM driver Kyle Larson led five laps before finishing fourth in the 243-lap race. Overall, he has one top-five finish, one top-10 and an average finish of eighth at the 1.25-mile oval.
OUT FRONT: This season, 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Larson has led 649 laps – the most of any driver by 42. He also has a series-high seven stage wins and three pole positions while his six top-five finishes are tied for the most in NASCAR’s premier series.
VICTORIOUS: Larson has visited victory lane twice in 2024. In March at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the 31-year-old driver led 181 laps and won both stages en route to the win at the desert track. In May at Kansas Speedway, Larson nosed ahead of Chris Buescher at the finish line to win by 0.001 seconds – the closest finish in NASCAR Cup Series history.
FOUR TIRES FAST: The No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM pit crew holds the sixth-fastest average four-tire pit stop time in 2024 at 10.921 seconds. Larson’s pit crew consists of Blaine Anderson (front-tire changer), R.J. Barnette (tire carrier), Brandon Harder (fueler), Brandon Johnson (jackman) and Calvin Teague (rear-tire changer).
AWAY BUT ALWAYS AVAILABLE: In 2024, the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM team recognizes “home” events by wearing white firesuits and “away” with blue. Its home races come at tracks with nearby Hendrick Automotive Group car dealerships. This weekend, the team will race “away” just outside of St. Louis. However, you can pick up a new set of keys from any one of Hendrick Automotive Group’s 93 dealerships nationwide. Customers can also shop from the convenience of their home by selecting the category, make, model and vehicle packages that are important to them from the nearly 30,000 new, high-quality pre-owned and certified cars, trucks and SUVs available at HENDRICKCARS.COM.
HENDRICK AUTOMOTIVE GROUP IS HIRING: Join 10,000+ others nationwide in working at Hendrick Automotive Group. The company is hiring technicians and other positions at its dealerships throughout the country. Positions are open for all skill levels and offer tuition and training reimbursement. Individuals who are interested can apply at HENDRICKCARS.COM.
9 CHASE ELLIOTT
Age: 28 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: 4th
No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
KING OF CONSISTENCY: Chase Elliott continues his strong 2024 NASCAR Cup Series campaign. The 2020 champion sits fourth in the standings, just 17 points behind the leader. His average finish of 9.64 is the best in the series and is also his best average finish through 14 races since 2019 (9.21). Elliott is the only driver this season to finish every event inside the top 20. He’s completed all but one lap of competition, tied for most in the series.
2024 NUMBERS: This season, Elliott has secured one win (Texas Motor Speedway), and his five top-five finishes – which are in a three-way tie for second-best in the Cup Series field – have all come in the last eight races. After 14 starts, he ranks seventh in laps run in the top five (997), fourth in laps run in the top 10 (2,163) and fifth in average running position (11.59). Additionally, the Hendrick Motorsports driver has started inside the top 10 in nine events.
RECAPPING 300: Last Sunday, Elliott made his 300th Cup Series start at Charlotte Motor Speedway – a day after winning his sixth career NASCAR Xfinity Series race. In Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600, the Dawsonville, Georgia, native rolled off the grid from the fifth position. After finishing the first stage in 11th, Elliott led laps in the second stage, marking his sixth consecutive Coca-Cola 600 pacing the field. The 28-year-old driver ended the second stage in seventh and was battling inside the top 10 during the third segment of the race when weather entered the area, bringing out the red flag. Officials were ultimately forced to call the race with 249 laps completed. Elliott and the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts team were scored with a seventh-place finish.
SIMILAR TRACK STATS: In 59 Cup starts on tracks measuring 1 to 1.37 miles in length (Darlington Raceway, Dover Motor Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Phoenix Raceway and WWT Raceway), Elliott has four wins. His first came at Dover in 2018 and was followed by his championship-winning performance at Phoenix in 2020. His two most recent victories on a track in this length range came in 2022 at Dover and Nashville. Accompanying the quartet of triumphs are 23 top-five finishes, 30 top-10s and 1,246 laps led across his starts on this track type. This season in two races on this variation of track, Elliott’s best finish is fifth (at Dover).
NEXT GEN STRONG: Since the introduction of the Next Gen race car in 2022, Elliott has earned six victories, placing him fifth on the Cup Series win list. In that span, he holds the best average finish (12.19).
FASTEST FIVE: In April at Texas, the No. 9 pit crew laid down the fastest four-tire pit stop (9.076 seconds) of the 2024 season. The over-the-wall squad has remained the same since 2018 and currently holds the fastest average four-tire pit stop time (10.575 seconds) this season. The 2021 Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew award-winning group is comprised of Chad Avrit (rear-tire changer), Jared Erspamer (tire carrier), John Gianninoto (fueler), Nick O’Dell (front-tire changer) and T.J. Semke (jackman).
GET UP AND GO: This weekend at WWT Raceway, the white-based NAPA Auto Parts scheme is back on the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. It will mark the fourth appearance of 2024 for the scheme, which debuted at the Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in February. Elliott’s best finish of third in this livery came at Kansas Speedway in May. Get a look at all the angles of the white No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet here.
24 WILLIAM BYRON
Age: 26 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: 5th
No. 24 Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
24 IN ‘24: William Byron’s 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season continues to be impressive. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native is tied for the series lead in wins (three), is in a three-way tie for second in top-five finishes (five), and in a two-way tie for the most top-10s (nine) with teammate Alex Bowman. He has the third-best average finish (11.79), spent 1,046 laps in the top five (sixth-most) and 2,076 laps in the top 10 (fifth-most). Byron sits fifth in the 2024 Cup Series standings after 14 races and holds 16 playoff points.
NEXT GEN DUO: Since the Next Gen Cup Series car was introduced in 2022, Byron and crew chief Rudy Fugle have a series-leading 11 wins. Byron also has the second-best average finish (13.023) in the Next Gen car behind teammate Chase Elliott.
SIMILAR IN SIZE: This Sunday’s race at WWT Raceway will mark Byron’s 47th start on tracks between 1 and 1.37 miles in length (Darlington Raceway, Dover Motor Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Phoenix Raceway and WWT Raceway). In his previous 46 starts, the 26-year-old driver has collected two pole awards, two wins, 10 top-five finishes, 20 top-10s and 537 laps led.
GOING TO GATEWAY: This Sunday’s race marks the third time the Cup Series will race at WWT Raceway. In last year’s event, Byron qualified seventh and had his best showing at the track, where he led 30 laps before finishing eighth. In 2016, Byron competed at WWT Raceway in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. He started third and led 47 of 160 laps before being collected in a late race incident that resulted in a 17th-place finish.
THE RUDY RUNDOWN: Crew chief Rudy Fugle has extensive experience at WWT Raceway in addition to his three Cup Series starts. The Livonia, New York, native has called six previous races at the 1.25-mile oval, all in the Truck Series. His drivers collected two pole awards and two top-10 finishes with a best finish of sixth, all while leading 258 laps. One of the six starts was with Byron in 2016.
PIT ROAD PROWESS: After 14 races in 2024, the No. 24 pit crew continues its success from last year when it was one of the best in the Cup Series. The five-person crew ranks second for the fastest average four-tire pit stop (10.755 seconds). It consists of Spencer Bishop (jackman), Jeff Cordero (front-tire changer), Orane Ossowski (rear-tire changer), Ryan Patton (tire carrier) and Landon Walker (fueler).
VALVOLINE RETURNS: Valvoline will make its first appearance of 2024 as the primary sponsor of Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Sunday’s event at WWT Raceway. Valvoline Inc. (NYSE: VVV) is a leading worldwide marketer and supplier of premium branded lubricants and automotive services, with sales in more than 140 countries. Established in 1866, the company’s heritage spans more than 150 years, during which time it has developed powerful brand recognition across multiple product and service channels. Valvoline ranks as the No. 3 passenger car motor oil brand in the DIY market by volume.
48 ALEX BOWMAN
Age: 31 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Resides: Concord, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Blake Harris
Standings: 8th
No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
BEST TOP-10 STREAK: Alex Bowman’s ninth-place performance at Charlotte Motor Speedway marked his ninth top-10 finish of the year and his fifth in a row. It is the longest active top-10 streak amongst Cup Series drivers and Bowman’s personal best thus far in his career. The nine top-10s are tied for his most through 14 races in a season (2022). The driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is now tied with Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron for the most top-10 finishes of any driver in 2024.
MEMORABLE WEEK WITH ALLY: On May 22 ahead of Memorial Day, Bowman, the No. 48 team, primary sponsor Ally and United Service Organizations (USO) volunteers held a fifth annual packing event (2019, ’21, ’22, ’23 and ’24). The group assembled more than 2,000 care packages full of cards, snack and hygiene kits for deploying service members from the state of North Carolina. Check out Racing America’s YouTube video recapping the event here. On Sunday, May 26, Ally hosted a cookout for Hendrick Motorsports employees with veteran status and their families.
COCA-COLA 600 RECAP: At Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Ally Racing team advanced to the second round of qualifying to secure a sixth-place starting spot for Sunday’s 600-miler. In the first stage of the longest race of the year, Bowman gained three positions to finish third and earn valuable stage points. The second stage ended under caution with the 31-year-old driver sixth. Halfway through stage three, inclement weather caused NASCAR to stop the race, which was ultimately cut short at 249 laps. Bowman earned a ninth-place finish.
RACE 15: Entering Sunday’s race at WWT Raceway, Bowman ranks eighth in the Cup Series standings, up one position after Charlotte. The Tucson, Arizona, native is having a strong year with one runner-up finish and four top-fives, which are his most ever through 14 races in a season.
THE LOU: This weekend NASCAR returns to WWT Raceway near St. Louis for the third consecutive year. Bowman enters the 300-mile race seeking his eighth victory in the Cup Series. In his two previous starts at the 1.25-mile oval, the Ally Racing driver has a best finish of 13th (2022) and has completed all laps attempted at the venue.
ON STAGE: On Sunday, fans can see Bowman in the WWT Raceway fan zone. The driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will make an appearance at 11 a.m. local time at the NASCAR Experience Stage. Come prepared to #Rally48 with Bowman by learning more here.
OVER-THE-WALL CREW: The Ally Racing pit crew ranks eighth in the Cup Series for best average four-tire stop at 10.941 seconds. The five-man No. 48 crew is composed of jackman Allen Holman, tire carrier Brandon Grier, front-tire changer Donnie Tasser, rear-tire changer Andrew Bridgeforth, and gasman Jacob Conley.
ADOPT A BEST FRIEND: 2024 marks the fourth consecutive year Ally and Bowman are supporting Best Friends Animal Society and its vast network of partners. This weekend’s beneficiary of the pair’s $4,800 donation is Needy Paws Rescue, located just 17 miles south west of WWT Raceway. Visit the shelter this weekend or view their dogs available for adoption online.
HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS /
2024
All-Time
St. Louis Stats
Races
14
1,359
2
Wins
6*
307*
0
Poles
4*
250*
0
Top 5
20*
1,252*
1
Top 10
31*
2,143*
2
Laps Led
1,024
80,781*
35
Stage Wins
9
107
0
*Most **Most (tie)
FAB 40: In 2024, Hendrick Motorsports is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The team holds the all-time NASCAR Cup Series records in every major statistical category, including championships (14), wins (307), pole positions (250) and laps led (80,781). This season, it leads all Cup organizations with six points-paying victories through 14 races.
ONLY THREE: On Sunday, the Cup Series will make its third trip to WWT Raceway near St. Louis. It is one of just three active tracks where Hendrick Motorsports has not recorded a Cup-level win. The others are the Chicago Street Course, which made its debut last season, and Iowa Speedway, where the tour will race for the first time this season.
CRACKING 30: After 14 points-paying events this season, Hendrick Motorsports leads the Cup Series with 31 top-10 finishes. The team also led the tour at this point in 2023 with 29 top-10s going into the 15th race.
ABOVE AVERAGE: This season, Hendrick Motorsports drivers occupy four of the top-seven positions in average finish. Chase Elliott is best in the Cup Series at 9.64, with William Byron third (11.79), Alex Bowman sixth (12.43) and Kyle Larson seventh (12.62).
QUOTABLE /
Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on racing in the Midwest: “I really enjoy racing in the area – whether it be a stock car or on dirt. The fans are really passionate. We didn’t have a great race the first time we went back in ’22 but made some gains as a team and as an organization last year. Hopefully we made some more steps forward so we can battle for the win this weekend.”
Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on adjusting his driving style for the Next Gen car: “It’s definitely been different. This is a car that likes to be driven off the right-front tire. With the old cars, I think you could get away with really being on the rears and getting by with it at a lot of tracks with the side force that those cars had. This car is just not that way. It wants to be really straight. A lot of the aero and the downforce that it makes is underneath the car. Whereas the old car was kind of more on the right side, this one really wants to be just dead straight and it’s a strange thing for me. It’s just not how I’ve wanted to go about it. So I’m just trying to adjust those things. We’ve been working at it really hard over the last six, eight months or more.”
Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on this weekend’s race at WWTR Raceway: “One of the biggest factors at this track is pit road. It’s one of the toughest ones on the circuit, so qualifying well and getting a good pit selection is key. From there, it is doing what you can to minimize mistakes and stay towards the front because it’s extremely tough to pass. This track hasn’t been the best for us statistically, so I know we’re all eager to improve upon that and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish this weekend.”
William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on what racing at WWT Raceway is like: “It’s only our third time going to WWT Raceway in the Cup Series so we don’t have a whole lot of notes with this car there. The interesting thing is that we will run the same package that we ran at Charlotte a few days ago and other mile-and-a-half tracks, but it races like a short track in the corners. Turns one and two are a lot like Richmond and turns three and four are a lot like Phoenix Raceway with really long straightaways. There’s also a lot of shifting and shift points with high brake usage. Pit road is really narrow. It’s barely wide enough to run two-wide.”
Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the biggest challenges of racing at WWT Raceway: “It’s just a tough track. All drivers will be complaining about three things: loose in, tight middle and loose off. You have to pick the right thing to make the car go faster, but you can’t fix it all. Strategy will also be a big factor. It’s a really short race, kind of like a truck- or Xfinity-style race. In the past you’ve only seen three, maybe four, pit stops at most. There’s going to be times that the caution comes out and you’re going to have to nervously say to stay out. We’ve seen some people take two right-side tires and it work out and then seen it not work for others. That’s one of those decisions that could work out well if enough people do it with you, or you could look like a dummy because no one else did it. It’s a track where you can really look like a hero or a zero as a crew chief.”
Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on WWT Raceway: “I’m excited to go back and get another shot (at WWT Raceway). I’ve put in some time in the simulator and feel like we have some really good notes that we were able to build on years past with. The two different ends of the racetrack are so different than each other, and it’s pretty flat in (turns) three and four. (Turns) one and two have a tighter corner, but it has some banking. The track has long straightaways, requires a lot more shifting than normal and is just vastly different than our other tracks. Hopefully we can go out there this weekend and perform better than in 2023.”
Blake Harris, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his outlook for Sunday’s race: “Last year (at WWT Raceway), Alex and I were just kind of getting back into the swing of things with him getting back in the car (from injury). We kind of made something that was not a great day into something that was decent, until we had an issue there at the end (of the race). I think we can build off of it. This Ally Racing team has some good momentum going and we aim to make good at the end of it Sunday.”
DETROIT (Friday, May 31, 2024) – Louis Foster charged to the top of the leaderboard late in the opening practice Friday for the Detroit Grand Prix, setting the pace by more than four-tenths of a second in INDY NXT by Firestone.
Foster’s best lap on the nine-turn, 1.645-mile temporary street circuit in downtown Detroit was 1 minute, 6.8356 seconds in the No. 26 Copart/Novara Technologies car fielded by Andretti Global. Nolan Siegel was second at 1:07.2513 in the No. 39 HMD Motorsports machine.
“There are a few places where the track organizers have smoothed over some of the bumps,” Foster said of the challenging circuit. “But it’s still very bumpy, it’s still quite aggressive, and it’s still quite hard to drive. But that’s what makes it so much fun.
“We just continue to do what we’re doing, push forward and hope to get some more wins.”
Foster, who won the most recent race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, captured the pole for both races of the Detroit doubleheader last year and set the track record for the series.
Series points leader Jacob Abel ended up third at 1:07.3609 in the No. 51 Abel Construction car fielded by Abel Motorsports as the top three drivers in the championship standings rose to those spots in the 45-minute practice. Caio Collet was the quickest rookie and fourth overall at 1:07.4695 in the No. 18 HMD Motorsports car.
James Roe rounded out the top five at 1:07.4820 in the No. 29 Topcon machine of Andretti Global.
Four red flags interrupted the practice, two for the stopped cars of Siegel and Yuven Sundaramoorthy and two for separate wall contacts by Lindsay Brewer and Bryce Aron. Rookies Brewer and Aron were unhurt.
Up next for the INDYCAR development series is practice at 8 a.m. ET Saturday, followed by qualifying at 11:20 a.m. (both on INDYCAR LIVE, INDYCAR Radio Network). Live coverage of the 45-lap race starts at 10:20 a.m. ET Sunday on Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network
Netflix, INDYCAR Team Up To Celebrate Upcoming Release of ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’
DETROIT (Friday, May 31, 2024) – Actors Judge Reinhold and John Ashton, stars of the upcoming Netflix release “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F,” will be featured guests at this weekend’s Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear.
The fourth installment of the celebrated “Beverly Hills Cop” franchise will stream globally and exclusively on Netflix beginning July 3.
The Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear airs on Sunday, June 2 at noon ET on the USA Network, Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network.
Reinhold will join a long list of celebrated INDYCAR Fastest Seat in Sports passengers as he leads the field to green in a custom INDYCAR SERIES car with a special back passenger seat. This high-speed, high-octane, super-charged thrill ride already has been taken by Jon Bon Jovi, actor Dylan Sprouse and country music star Riley Green during the 2024 INDYCAR season.
Ashton also will take a high-speed lap around the Detroit Grand Prix track, and both actors will be introduced to the crowd during pre-race ceremonies before taking a special grid walk before the green flag drops.
Both actors are reprising their long-running key roles for “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.” The movie begins with Detective Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) back on the beat in Beverly Hills. After his daughter’s life is threatened, she (Taylour Paige) and Foley team up with a new partner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and old pals Billy Rosewood (Reinhold) and John Taggart (Ashton) to turn up the heat and uncover a conspiracy.
The franchise has deep ties with the city of Detroit, where its first scenes take place with Foley serving as a Motor City plainclothes police detective. Netflix also had a significant display supporting the film featuring seven vintage Chevy Novas at the recent Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.
This is the second year INDYCAR has raced on the streets of downtown Detroit after a 32-year era on Belle Isle. The energy will be felt with an inclusive and open event for fans as more than half of the racing circuit will be accessible for FREE – creating a deeper connection with local communities and neighborhoods.
MotoAmerica Racing Set For Iconic Wisconsin Race Track For Years To Come
ELKHART LAKE, Wis., May 31, 2024 – MotoAmerica, North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series, and Road America, one of the premier racing circuits in North America, are thrilled to announce a multi-year partnership extension. This enduring alliance promises to bring exhilarating motorcycle racing action to fans at the iconic Wisconsin track for years to come.
“MotoAmerica has been an integral part of our racing family, and we are delighted to extend our partnership,” said Mike Kertscher, President and General Manager of Road America. “This collaboration has not only fueled the passion of countless racing enthusiasts but has also significantly contributed to the local economy and motorsport culture.”
The partnership between Road America and MotoAmerica has consistently delivered some of the most thrilling and competitive racing on the MotoAmerica calendar. Road America’s challenging four-mile, 14-turn track has become a favorite among riders and fans alike, known for its high speeds, dramatic elevation changes, and beautiful scenery.
“We are excited to continue our journey with Road America, a venue that resonates deeply with our riders and fans,” said MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey. “This extension is a testament to our shared commitment to delivering top-tier motorcycle racing and enhancing the fan experience.”
The multi-year agreement ensures that MotoAmerica will remain a staple at Road America, with the series set to host its annual event at the circuit for years to come. Fans can look forward to witnessing some of the best riders in the country compete in various classes, including the premier Steel Commander Superbike class.
As part of this renewed partnership, both Road America and MotoAmerica are committed to further enhancing the event experience for attendees. This includes improved fan zones, more interactive displays, and expanded access to riders and teams.
With kids 16 and under entering free with a paying adult and racing guaranteed rain or shine, Road America is set to provide an unforgettable weekend for families and racing enthusiasts alike. For tickets and more information, visit www.roadamerica.com or call 800-365-7223. Join us for a weekend where memories are made at every turn!
