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SERVPRO Racing: Noah Gragson St. Louis Advance

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Official Release
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NOAH GRAGSON
St. Louis Advance
No. 10 SERVPRO Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Enjoy Illinois 300 (Round 15 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 2
● Location: Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Illinois (near St. Louis)
● Layout: 1.25-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 240 laps/300 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 45 laps / Stage 2: 95 laps / Final Stage: 100 laps
● TV/Radio: FS1 / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Noah Gragson’s NASCAR Cup Series career at Gateway International Raceway is comprised of just 197 laps. The Las Vegas native made his first Cup Series start at the track on the outskirts of St. Louis last year, but a broken brake rotor sent Gragson careening into the turn one wall just as he began his 198th tour of the 1.25-mile oval. The resulting impact resulted in a red-flag period that lasted just over nine minutes. The accident not only ended Gragson’s race at Gateway, but it kept him out of the car for the following race at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway. Gragson returned to his racecar June 25 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway.

● Prior to coming to Gateway in the NASCAR Cup Series, Gragson made two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts at the track, earning a pair of top-10 finishes – ninth in 2017 and 10th in 2018. It was that 2018 race, however, that Gragson feels he should have won. After starting third, Gragson led twice for a race-high 63 laps. In fact, he was cruising to victory, leading the race with less than 10 laps to go. But a flat tire seven laps short of the finish prompted an unscheduled pit stop, forcing Gragson out of the lead. That he battled back to finish 10th in a race where 17 trucks finished on the lead lap was a testament to Gragson’s strength that day at Gateway.

● Battling back is what Gragson aims to do again at Gateway. The 25-year-old driver for Stewart-Haas Racing finished 38th last Sunday at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway after a crash on lap 171. It ended a run of seven straight top-20 finishes, the last four of which were all among the top-15, including a career-best result of third April 21 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

● Joining Gragson at Gateway is SERVPRO, a leader in property cleanup, restoration and construction. For more than 50 years, SERVPRO has been a trusted leader in fire and water cleanup and restoration services, construction, mold mitigation, biohazard, and pathogen remediation. SERVPRO’s professional services network of more than 2,200 individually owned and operated franchises spans the United States and Canada, responding to property damage emergencies large and small – from million-square-foot commercial facilities to individual homes. When disaster strikes, homeowners, business owners and major insurance companies rely on SERVPRO to help make it “Like it never even happened.”

Noah Gragson, Driver of the No. 10 SERVPRO Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Your history at Gateway is comprised of two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts and one NASCAR Cup Series start. With that body of work, what is it like to race at the flat, 1.25-mile oval?

“It’s a tough track because you have a really tight turns one and two, and then a long, sweeping, flat turns three and four, so it’s hard to get your car handling great on both sides of the racetrack. But that being said, it’s definitely a fun track. It was fun in the Trucks. We ran well there and should’ve probably won. I was leading with 10 to go and got a flat tire, so that was a bummer. But it’s a fun track. They always pack the house out there. It’s a good time.”

You endured a hard crash last year at Gateway and it kept you out of the car the following week at Sonoma. What do you remember about the accident and what were you feeling in its immediate aftermath?

“I had a little bit of brake shake and the pedal got a little longer, and then when I went into turn one, right when I hit the brake, I thought the right-front tire blew out, but it was really the rotor. I lost all braking capabilities, and then I turned left to spin the car out because I was already turning into the corner, and just tried to spin it out through the grass as best I could. Had I known it was going to blow out, I would’ve obviously tugged it to the right, wall-rode it. I got a concussion and had to sit out the next weekend. It was a hard hit.”

You scored a pair of top-10s in your two Truck Series starts at Gateway. How different was that experience compared to when you raced there last year in a Cup car?

“You’re still shifting in a Truck there, if you need to. You have options with the Truck. You’re not downshifting twice into turn one, but sometimes you are downshifting in turn one in the Truck. So, that was not too totally different. I think in 2017, it was the old pavement, so it was quite a bit different. But ever since they repaved in late 2017, early 2018, I went out there and did a tire test with Goodyear, so that was good to get experience on. And then I ran pretty well in the Truck, so going back there, it felt pretty similar to the same racetrack where I left off in 2018.”

Is Gateway similar to other flat ovals, like Phoenix, where you finished 12th earlier this year?

“I think it definitely races a lot like Phoenix. It’s kind of a hybrid between a mile-and-a-half and Martinsville because you’re going pretty slow through the corners, but it’s the same mile-and-a-half aero package. It’s a fun track. It’s challenging because it’s so flat and it’s hard to get your car working on both sides. But I hope it’s like Phoenix because we ran pretty solid there all weekend.”

You had a prime tire and an option tire during the All-Star Race weekend at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway. How did you like it and would you like to have those same options available at Gateway and at other tracks on the schedule?

“I really liked the soft tire, it just gave the car a lot more grip. There was falloff and you could move around and you could pace your run out a little bit. But it’s hard to really get a good gauge because it was a repave there at North Wilkesboro. If they took that soft tire to New Hampshire or Phoenix, you’ll probably wear it out in 30 laps. So it’s hard to really tell exactly and get a full read on what that tire was, but I thought it was a lot more fun than the hard tire. I think they should bring that tire everywhere, or at least try it. Double thumbs-up to Goodyear. They did a great job with that tire. They made the cars a lot more fun to drive and made it a lot racier.”

No. 10 SERVPRO Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Noah Gragson

Hometown: Las Vegas

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer

Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Jerry Cook

Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Engineer: James Kimbrough

Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

Spotter: Andy Houston

Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Ryan Mulder

Hometown: Sioux Center, Iowa

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White

Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard

Hometown: King, North Carolina

Jack Man: Sean Cotten

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Fuel Man: James “Ace” Keener

Hometown: Fortuna, California

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Chris Trickett

Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Beau Whitley

Hometown: Carmel, Indiana

Tire Specialist: Jacob Cooksey

Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Steve Casper

Hometown: Salisbury, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

CORVETTE RACING AT DETROIT: Home Sweet Home

By
Official Release
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First event on downtown streets of Detroit for GTD PRO squad, Corvette Z06 GT3.R

DETROIT (May 28, 2024) – Chevrolet and Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports are in their own backyard this week for the Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic – the first appearance in the Motor City for the program since 2021.

The pair of yellow Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs are part of an 11-car field in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s GTD PRO class. Tommy Milner and Nicky Catsburg will team in the No. 4 Corvette and are coming off the first podium finish for the Z06 GT3.R in the last GTD PRO race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Of note, Milner also was part of the Corvette’s first victory – two weeks ago at Circuit of The Americas for DXDT Racing in GT World Challenge America. Not to be outdone, Catsburg drove the Z06 GT3.R to its first IMSA pole at Laguna Seca.

In the No. 3 Corvette, Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims sit fifth in GTD PRO points and just ahead of their teammates. The pair was in prime position to contend at Laguna Seca before an ill-fated safety car that came out on Garcia’s in-lap barely an hour into the race.

Milner and Garcia are the only Corvette drivers who have contested Detroit, albeit on the Belle Isle circuit. They were part of a non-points GT Le Mans race in which the Corvette Racing factory team brought two Corvette C8.Rs to the island. Before that, and owing to the closeness of the Detroit race and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Corvette team’s two other appearances on Belle Isle came in 2007 and 2008 as part of the GT1 class.

The downtown Detroit circuit, which runs around the Renaissance Center and the global headquarters of General Motors, is the shortest on the calendar at nine turns and 1.654 miles around. Neither GTD PRO nor the GTP categories raced at Detroit last year (it was the same weekend as the Le Mans Test Day), so very few drivers in the field have any experience at the circuit.

To help the team prepare, 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 should allow the Corvette team to roll right into its setup program to be in the best possible position for Friday’s qualifying and Saturday’s race.

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 all on-track sessions at IMSA.com along XM 206, SiriusXM Online 996.

CORVETTE RACING BY PRATT MILLER MOTORSPORTS

PRE-EVENT DRIVER QUOTES

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “We want to do well in Detroit. For sure the target is to win. We are running around the RenCen, so obviously it will be very important if we can win there. So I’m looking forward to it It’s a new track for me and most of the other drivers. I had a chance to do a few laps in the simulator and it looks very stressful. But I’m sure it will bring a lot of action and tight racing. I don’t know the weather is going to be, but it will be good to our own street race because I did miss racing at Long Beach this year. So I am looking forward to getting back to a street track.”

ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “We did an initial run on the simulator some time ago – just to get a read on it and check to see if the track model was working and behaving itself. The Corvette felt reasonably sensible around there. It’s definitely a very bumpy circuit, as you would expect with a street track. A bit of undulation, couple of rises and slightly blind corners. It’s a busy little track and not a huge amount of speed anywhere outside the long straight. Overtaking will be pretty tough. It’s going to be pretty crazy with the GTPs. I’ve not been to Detroit before and didn’t do the previous Detroit races. It will be a cool thing for all of us. It will be nice to be there and to have a completely new experiences. Some of those are few and far between for me, so I’m looking forward to it.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’ve driven in it in person in a rental car and some sim work also. It’s exciting to be in the downtown part of Detroit. Racing in the shadow of the RenCen is very cool. It’s going to be a challenging race track, for sure. It’s short but like any street track, there are a lot of places where you can get yourself in trouble. It’ll be a lot to learn as it’s a basically a new track for everybody. As with any street tracks we’ve done in the past, it’s great to be in the city and on top of everything that is happening around the race. Detroit does some unique things with free viewing areas for fans, which is something you don’t see anywhere in the world. I’m excited to go back to Detroit.”

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I raced at Belle Isle in a Lamborghini in World Challenge many years ago. It was a cool track then. This is a home race for the team, so it makes it extra cool to go to. Some families of the crew will be out, and we’ll have some things to do around the race as well. The added pressure of it being a home race will for sure make it a very tough event. In IMSA, the practice times are always quite limited. On a street course, that makes it extra hard. It’s hard to explore the limits there. On other tracks you can go over the limit and dial it back a little bit, and then you’ve found your speed quickly. Hopefully it will be a weekend of more positive results for the Corvette.”

2024 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Points

GTD PRO Drivers Standings

  1. Laurin Heinrich/Seb Priaulx – 981
  2. Ben Barnicoat/Jack Hawksworth – 925
  3. Bryan Sellers/Madison Snow – 888
  4. Mario Farnbacher/Ross Gunn – 867
  5. Alexander Sims/Antonio Garcia – 812
  6. Nicky Catsburg/Tommy Milner – 808

GTD PRO Teams Standings

  1. No. 77 AO Racing – 981
  2. No. 14 Vasser Sullivan – 925
  3. No. 1 Paul Miller Racing – 888
  4. No. 23 Heart of Racing Team – 867
  5. No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports – 812
  6. No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports – 808

GTD PRO Manufacturers Standings

  1. Porsche – 1003
  2. Lexus – 947
  3. Aston Martin – 880
  4. Chevrolet – 877
  5. McLaren – 851

GTD Drivers Standings

  1. Philip Ellis/Russell Ward – 1367
  2. Patrick Gallagher/Robby Foley – 1154
  3. Adam Adelson/Elliott Skeer – 1059
  4. Parker Thompson – 1038
  5. Mikael Grenier/Mike Skeen – 1033
  6. Matthew Bell/Orey Fidani – 830

GTD Teams Standings

  1. No. 57 Windward Racing – 1367
  2. No. 96 Turner Motorsport – 1154
  3. No. 120 Wright Motorsports – 1059
  4. No. 32 Korthoff/Preston Motorsport – 1033
  5. No. 43 Andretti Motorsports – 952
  6. No. 13 AWA – 830

GTD Manufacturers Standings

  1. Mercedes-AMG – 1457
  2. Porsche – 1208
  3. Lamborghini – 1199
  4. Lexus – 1178
  5. Aston Martin – 1059
  6. Chevrolet – 1026

CORVETTE RACING BY THE NUMBERS: Detroit

  • 2: Generations of Corvette Racing entries at Detroit – Corvette C6.R (2007-08) and Corvette C8.R/Z06 GT3.R (2020-present)
  • 3: Wins in Detroit for Corvette Racing in as many starts – 2007 and 2008 in GT1, and 2021 in GTLM (although it was a non-points event)
  • 8: Victories at Detroit for Chevrolet in IMSA competition. In addition to three wins for Corvette Racing, Corvette Daytona Prototypes won overall each year on Belle Isle from 2012-2016
  • 14: Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001.
  • 27: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Daytona, Detroit, Houston, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Miami, Mid-Ohio, Monza, Portimão, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen
  • 48: Number of drivers in Corvette Racing entries since 1999 – DXDT Racing’s Alec Udell being the latest in GT World Challenge America at Circuit of The Americas
  • 71: Years since Corvette was introduced to the world on Jan. 17, 1953 in New York City. A total of 300 cars were produced that year
  • 197: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 115 in North America, nine at Le Mans, three in the FIA WEC and two in GT World Challenge America
  • 293: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999
  • 378,689.70: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing entries since 1999. To put that in perspective, Corvette Racing is more than halfway to the distance traveled by Apollo 13 – the longest manned spaceflight in history: 622,268 miles

Corvette Racing at Detroit (all previously on Belle Isle)

2007

No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Johnny O’Connell – 1st in GT1

No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Olivier Beretta – 2nd in GT1

2008

No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Johnny O’Connell – 2nd in GT1

No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Olivier Beretta – 1st in GT1

2021 (unofficial race)

No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 2nd in GTLM

No. 4 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy – 1st in GTLM

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.

Single Day tickets go on sale today for the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto

By
Official Release
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The 36th edition of the iconic downtown Toronto summer festival features 10 races, interactive entertainment, food trucks, beer gardens and more

TORONTO (May 28, 2024) – Single Day tickets to the 2024 Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto go on sale to the public today at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets can be purchased online at hondaindy.com for the 36th running of the annual marquee event at Exhibition Place, July 19-21.

For 2024, this downtown festival features 10 races headlined by the NTT INDYCAR SERIES plus interactive activities and diverse food and beverage options in Thunder Alley. The festival setting offers a great value for families as children 12 and under receive free general admission all weekend when accompanied by a ticketed adult.

“We are excited to continue this spectacular summer Toronto tradition for the 36th year. All three days of on-track action are paired with off-track food and fun for the whole family,” said Jeff Atkinson, president of the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto. “It’s an unforgettable experience from start to finish beginning with Your Ontario Honda Dealers Free Fan Friday. NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifying highlights Saturday’s on-track action, and the 85-lap IndyCar race on Sunday will wrap up a great weekend.”

The stars and cars NTT INDYCAR SERIES will take on the 2.874-kilometre (1.786-mile), 11-turn temporary street circuit built on the Exhibition Place grounds near the Lake Ontario shoreline for Round 12 of 17 in the season championship battle. The stars will include multi-time Toronto winners Scott Dixon, Will Power and Josef Newgarden, the back-to-back Indianapolis 500 champion, plus last year’s race winner Christian Lundgaard.

Exciting, highly-competitive sports car racing from Sports Car Championship Canada presented by Michelin and Emzone Radical Cup Canada presented by Michelin will join INDYCAR on the weekend schedule. The tripleheader Radical races will again feature a race-within-race format running with the Radical Cup North America series. Additionally, the up-and-coming open-wheel stars from USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire and USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire will roar through the downtown streets.

2-Day Grandstand and General Admission tickets are available offering the greatest weekend value with access to the best seats. Pricing starts at $105 for 2-Day Grandstand seating, and 2-Day Weekend General Admission is $80. Single Day General Admission is $50 for Saturday and $65 for Sunday while Single Day Grandstand tickets start at $75 and $95 for Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Your Ontario Honda Dealers Free Fan Friday returns for the 13th year offering complimentary general admission on Friday, July 19th, with a voluntary charitable donation.

Other items on sale to upgrade the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto experience include Pit and INDYCAR Paddock Passes. A Pit Pass includes the Paddock Pass and provides access to pitlane during practice, qualifying and pre-race for INDYCAR plus all the on-track sessions for the support series races. A Paddock Pass grants entrance into “the locker room of motorsports” to see the cars and drivers up close located inside the Enercare Centre.

All attendees are encouraged to use Toronto’s GO Lakeshore West Train to Exhibition Station for the easiest commute without the worry of traffic or parking at the Honda Indy Toronto. For $85, GO Transit is offering a combo ticket which includes 2-Day General Admission and two daily round trip fares for convenient transportation to and from the event. Single-day combo options are also available at hondaindy.com/GO. Children 12 and under ride free on Go Transit.

For more ticket pricing and festival information, visit hondaindy.com. The entire Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto weekend schedule will be released soon.

About Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto:

Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto is a world-class motorsports festival which takes place annually on a 2.874-kilometre (1.786-mile), 11-turn temporary circuit using the streets surrounding Exhibition Place near Lake Ontario in downtown Toronto. The event features many attractions, food trucks, interactive displays and activities, and supports local charities. Your Ontario Honda Dealers Present Honda Fan Friday offers general admission courtesy of the Ontario Honda Dealers Association through a voluntary donation. To date, over $1 million has been raised for Make-A-Wish® Canada. As one of Ontario’s largest annual sporting events, the first race held in 1986 was known as the Molson Indy, later became the Honda Indy Toronto and is now titled Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto. It has become a prestigious meeting place for some of the world’s fastest race car drivers including past NTT INDYCAR SERIES champions like Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Alex Palou and Will Power as well as Canadian racing greats Scott Goodyear, James Hinchcliffe, Greg Moore, Alex Tagliani, Paul Tracy, Jacques Villeneuve, Robert Wickens and more. Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto is owned and operated by Green Savoree Toronto, ULC, whose affiliates also promote three additional INDYCAR SERIES races: Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding (March 8-10, 2024), The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2025 Civic Hybrid (July 5-7, 2024) and BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland (Aug. 23-25, 2024).

For more information, visit hondaindy.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page @IndyToronto or follow the event on X (formerly Twitter) @HondaIndy and Instagram @HondaIndy using #indyTO.

ABEL Motorsports duo takes INDY NXT momentum to the Motor City

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Official Release
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Indianapolis, IN - during the INDYCAR Sonsio Grand Prix in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Chris Jones | IMS Photo)
  • With podium finishes in each of the first four races, Jacob Abel looks to grow his points lead
  • Yuven Sundaramoorthy will return to Michigan in two weeks for the Formula SAE Electric final at Michigan International Speedway

SPEEDWAY, Ind. (27 May 2024) – On the heels of a victory and a second-place finish in the INDY NXT by Firestone doubleheader at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway two weeks ago, ABEL Motorsports takes a 25-point championship lead to the Motor City this weekend.

Yuven Sundaramoorthy (Oconomowoc, WI.) will race in Detroit for the first time, while Jacob Abel (Louisville, Ky.) raced on the new nine-turn, 1.7-mile downtown circuit last year, finishing fourth in the first of two races.

“The new circuit around the Renaissance Center feels raw, almost unfinished, in comparison to other street circuits we go to,” said Abel. “Tracks like St. Pete and Toronto are very polished, they almost have a road course look to them – the track is fairly smooth, and we know those tracks so well. Here, it feels as though you’re driving through the streets of Detroit, which makes for very interesting racing. Plus, on a new street circuit, things can change drastically year to year – we need to watch for repaving, or bumps that were there last year and are gone now. It’s a tough track, very bumpy, and it’s difficult to get into a draft.”

As the points leader, Abel knows the balance between going for the win and the need to score maximum points each race. But he also knows that the balance of risk and reward requires a little bit different calculation on a circuit as unforgiving as Detroit.

“It’s all very circumstantial,” said Abel. “It’s important to maximize every race weekend, and it’s still early in the championship so I’m not looking at the big picture quite yet. We’re just looking to go out there and win races and succeed as best we can. The best way to extend a championship lead is to win – and I think I’m the kind of driver who doesn’t take unnecessary risks as it is, so I’ll just keep that attitude going forward.”

Sundaramoorthy enjoys street course racing and hopes to add the Detroit circuit to his favorites list. The 21-year-old University of Wisconsin graduate also looks forward to returning to Michigan in two weeks, for a very special competition.

Sundaramoorthy will drive the Formula SAE electric vehicle he helped build while studying computer science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The student team will compete for the electric vehicle championship title at Michigan International Speedway, against as many as 119 university-based teams from all over the world. Wisconsin recently brought home third place in the combustion engine competition’s design category, though Sundaramoorthy had to miss the weekend as he was racing at Indianapolis.

“It’s so cool – you learn so much at those competitions,” said Sundaramoorthy. “You see everyone else’s cars, and everyone enjoys explaining what they did. Saturday will be the endurance race so hopefully we can do well!”

As the ABEL Motorsports team heads to Detroit with the points lead, it might be easy to think that a team leading the championship would change its practices or mindset. Team manager John Brunner would be quick to refute that idea.

“The job is the same every single weekend,” said Brunner, “We haven’t changed anything in our processes this year, but we have a confident driver – we’ve always thought that when Jacob wins a race, he’s going to be tough to beat, and I think that we’re living that right now. Detroit is a little bit different of a challenge in that it’s maybe a little bit tighter than Toronto or St. Pete in that and it’s definitely got its quirks, but the mindset is the same: if we have a car capable of winning, we expect to win. But the goal is clearly to get all the points that the car is willing to give us that day.”

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

The INDY NXT by Firestone Detroit Grand Prix takes the green flag Sunday, June 2 at 10:20 a.m. ET. The race will be streamed live in the U.S. on Peacock, while international viewers can watch via INDYCARLIVE, with INDYCAR Radio available at indycar.com and on Sirius XM.

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

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

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

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

ABEL Motorsports social media

Facebook: ABEL Motorsports
Twitter/X: ABEL Motorsports
Instagram: ABEL Motorsports

WTRAndretti Acura ARX-06 GTP Teams Take on the Streets of Detroit

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Official Release
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DETROIT, Michigan (May 28, 2024) – The Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTRAndretti) pair of Acura ARX-06 GTPs return to Detroit, this time marking the GTP debut on the streets of downtown. The WTRAndretti team found success when the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship previously drove in the Detroit area, capturing four victories (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017) over the 10-year stint at the Belle Isle street circuit. For the Detroit Grand Prix, the 1.645-mile, nine-turn street circuit presents a new challenge and equalizing factor for the entire GTP field over the course of the season’s second 100-minute sprint race.

Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque head to Detroit ready to use the new track and their experience in the simulator as a refreshed approach for the second half of the season. Following a solid result of sixth at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, the drivers of the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 are hoping their previous luck in Detroit is resurfaced come this weekend.

In the No. 40 DEX Imaging Acura ARX-06, Jordan Taylor and Louis Delétraz will try their hand again for a street course sprint race. After the pair collected a top-five finish at Laguna Seca, both Taylor and Delétraz are keen to regain their early season momentum and collect key championship points.
On-track action for the WTRAndretti team will begin on Friday, May 31, with the first GTP practice on the streets of Detroit at 8 a.m. ET, with qualifying to follow at 5:05 p.m. ET. The 100-minute Detroit Grand Prix will go green at 3:10 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 1, on USA Network.
Wayne Taylor, Team Principal, WTRAndretti: “Obviously, everybody at WTRAndretti is working hard and Detroit is going to be a completely new experience, given that we’ve never driven on this circuit before. We’ve got to make sure that we can get the cars up to speed quickly and see if we can make the car competitive.”

No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 GTP Drivers
Ricky Taylor: “We are very lucky to be a part of a program and to grow up in an era with such great simulation technology where the track scans are so precise that we can learn tracks without even going to them. We have a sim test planned before the weekend where all four drivers will have a chance to drive the track in our Acura ARX-06 racecar. Besides that, watching lots of race footage from IndyCar and getting as much info about the track as we can. The track looks very unique and challenging, lots of details on track that are very different from anywhere else we go so it will be a challenge for all of the teams. Getting up to speed quickly will be key, in these short weekends every detail matters. Having a good practice sets you up for a good qualifying which sets you up for a very short race where everything is under the microscope. Our Andretti IndyCar teammates have been very supportive in our few conversations but as we get close to the event, I think we plan on leaning on them heavily to help us get up to speed.”

Filipe Albuquerque: “I’m looking forward to Detroit, it’s a new venue for everybody. Curious to see what the track will be like. I think it’s going to be hard to replace Belle Isle – I mean it was one of my favorite tracks in IMSA. The pitstops during the race are going to be very interesting, so look forward to a new challenge. We’ll reset and we go again, always focused to go for it, a podium for sure, and obviously for the win.”

No. 40 DEX Imaging Acura ARX-06 GTP Drivers
Louis Delétraz: “Detroit will be interesting as no one has ever driven there with GTP cars. We have driven on the HRC simulator to prepare for the event, but obviously it’s harder to prepare when there is so many new factors. Street tracks are always exciting and with all the hard work of everyone at WTRAndretti and HRC, I have good hope the No. 40 DEX Imaging Acura ARX-06 will be fast. Let’s race!”

Jordan Taylor: “It’s been a while since we’ve gone to a new track, so it’s been a fun challenge! These days learning a track is quite different. We have lots of onboard footage to look at from IndyCar last year and the biggest enhancement these days is the simulator. That’ll be the biggest help for us with learning the track. It looks like it’s going to be a challenging race. Watching the IndyCar race last year, things look very tight and intense. I think when we have multi-class racing out there, it should make for a pretty exciting race. We had a strong weekend at Laguna Seca from an execution point of view, and I think that’s going to be a big part of being successful at Detroit, so I’m excited to get going.”

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.

Overstock.com Racing: Ryan Preece St. Louis Advance

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Official Release
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RYAN PREECE
St. Louis Advance
No. 41 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Enjoy Illinois 300 (Round 15 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 2
● Location: Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Illinois (near St. Louis)
● Layout: 1.25-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 240 laps/300 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 45 laps / Stage 2: 95 laps / Final Stage: 100 laps
● TV/Radio: FS1 / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Ryan Preece is gearing up for Sunday’s Enjoy Illinois 300 at Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Illinois, just across the Mississippi River from downtown St. Louis. This will be the NASCAR Cup Series’ third visit to the 1.25-mile oval and Preece’s second time competing there. He made his Gateway Cup Series debut last June, finishing 17th after starting 29th.

● Preece heads to Gateway after finishing 26th in last Sunday’s rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. He gained five spots from his 31st-place starting position, the 11th time in 14 races this season Preece has finished better than he started, including each of the last four races. Preece’s ninth-place finish April 7 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway remains his best of the year.

● In 14 points-paying races this season, Preece has four top-15 finishes and six top-20s, matching his performance after last year’s first 14 races. His ninth-place finish at Martinsville came in the eighth race of the season.

● Preece returned to his roots in last weekend’s SMART Modified Tour Kenny Minter Classic at Franklin County (Va.) Speedway. He started on the pole and led laps before an incident relegated him to an 18th-place finish. Preece has one career win in the series, which came at South Boston (Va.) Speedway in April 2021. Preece’s Modified career features 26 wins and the 2013 championship in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

● Overstock.com adorns Preece’s No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse at Gateway. The partnership amplifies the recent relaunch of Overstock.com, home of crazy good deals that offer quality and style for less. Overstock.com is for the savvy shopper who loves the thrill of the hunt and it includes product categories customers know and love, like patio furniture, home furniture and area rugs, while reintroducing jewelry, watches and health-and-beauty products.

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

You finished 17th at Gateway last season in your only start at the track. What are your thoughts heading into the weekend?

“I’ve only been to Gateway once, so it’s definitely a new track for me. It’s not a short track, but I feel like it drives like a short track and shares a lot of those similarities. Based on what we learned there last year and what we’ve learned this year at different tracks, it’s a place that I feel pretty good about going to. Hopefully, we can show up with speed and put together the strong run that I know we’re capable of having.”

We’ve seen the importance of qualifying this season. How important is qualifying well at Gateway?

“I think qualifying is important everywhere. It doesn’t matter where you’re racing. It’s one of the most important things right now for us drivers and teams. It’s something that our team is emphasizing and focusing on to put ourselves in the best position possible when it’s time to race.”

What do you think the racing will look like at Gateway this weekend?

“It will probably be tough to pass. I think that’s something we saw there last year, but it’s also tough to pass, in general. The field is closer than it’s ever been, but if you have a car that’s maneuverable and can go where the other drivers aren’t, you can find a way to move forward. I think strategy will factor into the racing, as well, and that almost certainly makes things interesting.”

No. 41 Overstock.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Ryan Preece

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Crew Chief: Chad Johnston

Hometown: Cayuga, Indiana

Car Chief: Jeremy West

Hometown: Gardena, California

Engineer: Marc Hendricksen

Hometown: Clinton, New Jersey

Spotter: Tony Raines

Hometown: LaPorte, Indiana

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Devin Lester

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Rear Tire Changer: Austin Chrismon

Hometown: China Grove, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons

Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Jack Man: Kapil Fletcher

Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Fuel Man: Dwayne Moore

Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Road Crew Members

Front End Mechanic: Joe Zanolini

Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Interior Mechanic: Robert Dalby

Hometown: Anaheim, California

Tire Specialist: Matt Ridgeway

Hometown: Carrollton, Georgia

Engine Tuner: Jimmy Fife

Hometown: Orange County, California

Transporter Co-Driver: David Rodrigues

Hometown: Santa Clarita, California

Transporter Co-Driver: Charlie Schleyer

Hometown: Youngsville, Pennsylvania

Bass Pro Shops Racing: Martin Truex Jr. St. Louis Advance

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Official Release
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Martin Truex Jr.
World Wide Technology Raceway Advance
No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Enjoy Illinois 300 (Round 15 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 2
● Location: World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois (near St. Louis)
● Layout: 1.25-mile, egg-shaped oval
● Laps/Miles: 240 laps, 300 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 45 laps / Stage 2: 95 laps / Final Stage: 100 laps
● TV/Radio: FS1 / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Where We Stand: The New Jersey native sits second in the driver standings with 487 points, just five points behind leader and JGR teammate Denny Hamlin. All four Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) entries are currently inside the top-11 in the standings, with Ty Gibbs seventh and Christopher Bell 11th as the series heads heads into the summer months this weekend just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis.

● In the 2022 debut of the NASCAR Cup Series at World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) in Madison, Illinois, Truex and the No. 19 team ran well, leading 42 laps and bringing home a sixth-place finish. They followed it up in 2023 with a solid fifth-place finish. Truex’s average WWTR finish is a solid 5.5.

● Dazzling Debut: While this weekend is just the third time the Cup Series will have competed at WWTR, Truex has competed at the 1.25-mile, egg-shaped oval twice before in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, qualifying on the pole for both the May 2004 and 2005 races. He went on to win the 2004 race, leading 109 laps along the way.

● Looking for 35: Truex’s win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon last July was his most recent Cup Series win, the 34th of his career, tying him with 2004 champion Kurt Busch for 25th on the all-time Cup Series win list.

● Ahead at this Stage: Truex has accumulated 63 stage wins since the beginning of the stage era in 2017. He is the only driver with 10 or more stage sweeps, with his latest sweep coming at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn last August. Truex scored his second stage win of the season at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway last month, leading the field across the line at the end of Stage 1.

Martin Truex Jr., Driver of the No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE

What has it been like going back to St. Louis the last couple of years, but this time in the Cup Series?

“It’s been awesome to go back there. I think the last time I raced there before the last couple of years was 2005. It’s amazing how different the track is now and how good it is. The racing there was incredible with this NextGen car. We were going back there thinking that this was going to be one-groove with everyone on the bottom and it’s going to be hard to pass, and that’s not been the case at all. We use the whole racetrack and that’s what makes it good now. It’s a fun track with really long straightaways, but you have to use the brakes, you have to slow down for the corners. It’s the only place we downshift twice on an oval to make a corner and it’s really produced some really good racing and it’s been a lot of fun. We’ve had a good season but would love to get in the win column this weekend with our Bass Pro Shops Camry. It’s a place we are capable of winning at, for sure.”

What does it take to be able to win at WWTR?

“Qualifying well is important, but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t qualify well. It’s a short track, basically. It has long straightaways but short turns, so you have to be able to turn the center of the corner but also be able to get the power down on exit and be able to save the tires for the long run. That’s key.”

What have been the challenges of the NextGen car?

“It’s challenged all of us, that’s for sure. The biggest thing is that everyone is so close, we all have the same car. So it’s really hard to find those little things that make our cars faster and make your chances of winning better. It’s just been tough. These cars are very sensitive to small changes and you really have to be on top of it. The crew chiefs and engineers are all going to be out of hair in a couple of years working on this thing because it’s a challenge. It’s been tough, but also a lot of fun to drive.”

What are your expectations heading to the Cup Series’ third race at World Wide Technology Raceway?

“The first year there, we were one of the best cars out there, along with Joey (Logano) and Kyle (Busch). We were up there and fighting for the lead a ton. It’s a place I’ve always liked, so we were able to get our car where we needed to fairly quickly with a full practice session and time to work on the car during the weekend. Last year, we got behind on track position but had a really strong finish to the race and almost made it back up into the top-five at the end. Hoping we can pick back up where we left off there and keep the track position this time and get our first win of the season. St. Louis is flat, like Phoenix, but it’s a lot more worn out. Hoping we can have another strong effort there with our Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE.”

No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Martin Truex Jr.

Hometown: Mayetta, New Jersey

Crew Chief: James Small

Hometown: Melbourne, Australia

Car Chief: Chris Jones

Hometown: Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia

Race Engineer: Jaik Halpainy

Hometown: Blockville, New York

Engineer: Jeff Curtis

Hometown: Fairfax Station, Virginia

Spotter: Drew Herring

Hometown: Benson, North Carolina

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Ryan Martin

Hometown: Mechanicsburg, Virgina

Mechanic: Todd Carmichael

Hometown: Redding, California

Interior/Tire Specialist: Tommy DiBlasi

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Engine Tuner: Beau Morton

Hometown: Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Transporter Driver: Kyle Bazzell

Hometown: Fairbury, Illinois

Transporter Driver: Eddie DeGroot

Hometown: Baldwinsville, New York

Over-The-Wall Crew Members

Gas Man: Matt Tyrrell

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Jackman: Caleb Dirks

Hometown: Riverside, California

Tire Carrier: CJ Bailey

Hometown: Outer Banks, North Carolina

Front Tire Changer: Lee Cunningham

Hometown: Leaf River, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Mike Louria

Hometown: Gibraltar, Michigan

Cadillac at Detroit: Returning home on a roll

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Official Release
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Cadillac Racing has finished first or second in all four IMSA GTP races

DETROIT (May 28, 2024) – History 101: A Cadillac DPi won four of the five races and placed second in the other at Detroit (Belle Isle) since joining IMSA prototype competition in 2017. There was no race in 2020 because of the pandemic and no IMSA prototype class race in 2023 in the city.

History 102: Renger van der Zande co-drove to victory in 2022 and 2021 with Cadillac Racing at Belle Isle after starting from the pole position.

History 103: The Cadillac Motor Car Co. was named after French explorer Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac, who founded Detroit in 1701.

Cadillac in four IMSA GTP races: 5
First- or scond-place finishes 4
Earned poles 3
Front-row qualifying sweeps 2
Track-record qualifying lap times 1

Recent history: Cadillac is the lone Grand Touring Prototype manufacturer to finish first or second in all four IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship races this season, has earned the pole in every race, including a front row sweep in three events, and has recorded the fastest race lap three times.

Cadillac Racing’s No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R and No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R head into their home race on a roll.

Now for something new: The IMSA hybrid GTP cars will compete on the 1.654-mile, nine-turn street circuit in the shadow of the Renaissance Center instead of the 2.3-mile street circuit on nearby Belle Isle.

The circuit, comprised chiefly of 90-degree turns with a short frontstretch, should highlight the quickness, agility and cornering power of the Cadillac V-Series.R.

“It’s a new track for everybody so it’s a level playing field and that’s quite exciting,” Aitken said. “I’ve had a couple of new tracks in the past few weeks with Long Beach and Laguna Seca, both of which I think I got up to speed quickly. Going to somewhere that is new for everybody will swing favor in our direction.”

The Cadillac GTP entries will pit on driver’s right for their scheduled lone service and driver change on the split pit lane.

The 100-minute Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic on Saturday, June 1, marks the second short race on the IMSA calendar. The No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R driven by Sebastien Bourdais and van der Zande won the first in April at Long Beach after starting second to the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R driven by Pipo Derani and Jack Aitken, who were the runners-up.

“The Cadillac V-Series.R has been the car to beat in IMSA, so I’m sure it will be competitive there as well,” said van der Zande, who at Long Beach extended his streak of at least one victory in each of his 11 IMSA seasons. “It’s a home track for GM, which makes it special for us as Cadillac Racing drivers to see if we can perform to the maximum and win the race.”

Cadillac, the reigning and four-time IMSA prototype class (DPi/GTP) Manufacturer Champion, leads the GTP standings.

USA will telecast the race starting at 3 p.m. ET Saturday, June 1. Peacock will provide flag-to-flag streaming of the race along with qualifications at 4:35 p.m. Friday, May 31, 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.

‘No Perfect Formula’ premiere

A documentary that follows the development of the Cadillac V-Series.R and its 2023 IMSA and WEC competition premieres at 7 p.m. ET Friday on Hagerty Channel 2545 on Samsung TV Plus. Also available on Hagerty’s Facebook page.

Cadillac display at Hart Plaza

See the exciting lineup of Cadillac passenger vehicles, including the CT5-V Blackwing, at the Hart Plaza display. Hours are 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.

What they’re saying

No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R

Sebastien Bourdais: “The circuit is all-new for everybody and looks challenging going from fairly wide to very narrow places. Some places have been repaved, so we’ll have to see where the bumps are. Quite a bit to figure out and always a bit tricky schedule with the short format, so there will be a need to get as comfortable as possible quickly on a technical track. Every corner is a first gear corner and will be difficult to manage braking with our big, heavy cars to make sure you don’t lock up and at the same time get the tires energized and ready to go. Detroit has been good for me over the years and I’m looking forward to our Cadillac 01 to do well at its home race. We’ve proved that we can get things done and we have a far better understanding on how to get there, so the whole group is pumped. It’s high intensity right now on the heels of Laguna and going to Detroit and straight to Le Mans. I’m looking forward to it.”

Renger van der Zande: “I won in Detroit in Cadillac DPi – once with Sebastien (Bourdais) and once with Kevin (Magnussen) and I also won in LMPC there, so it’s been fa fantastic place for me. But, obviously, we’re on a different track now. Exciting to be on a track that we don’t know, exciting to see what the track will bring. We have wide cars and the track is narrow, so we’ll need to see how things develop and see what works on the setup. The Cadillac V-Series.R has been the car to beat in IMSA, so I’m sure it will be competitive there as well. It’s a home track for GM, which makes it special for us as Cadillac Racing drivers to see if we can perform to the maximum and win the race.”

No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R

Pipo Derani: “Quite honestly, I am sad we are not racing at Belle Isle anymore. Despite that, it is always great to race at GM’s home and feel the extra energy that it brings. We will be hoping to continue our strong form into this very important weekend as we seek to defend our championship. I’m looking forward to challenging for the race win with the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R.”

Jack Aitken: “So far, the season has been great. We’re showing a lot of consistency, which is one of the things we wanted to work on from last year with it being such a crazy first year of the GTP cars, and we do think it’s going to be quite important in the title defense. So, with three second places and being in the hunt at Sebring before the accident as well I think we really have carried through on that goal. Of course, it is a bit frustrating to not have that first win up on the board, but I’m sure we will be able to solve that in the coming weeks. We’re continuously putting ourselves in the right place, we have a fast car and it’s been bad luck and a few mistakes that have held us back. It would be fantastic to get that win in Detroit in our home race. It’s a new track for everybody so it’s a level playing field and that’s quite exciting. I’ve had a couple of new tracks in the past few weeks with Long Beach and Laguna Seca, both of which I think I got up to speed quickly. Going to somewhere that is new for everybody will swing favor in our direction.”

RFK Advance | Gateway

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Official Release
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Gateway Event Info:
Date: Sunday, June 2
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Concord, N.C.
Format: 240 Laps, 300 Miles, Stages: 45-95-100
TV: FS1
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 9:30 a.m. ET, Practice (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 10:15 a.m. ET, Qualifying (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 3:30 p.m. ET, Race (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

  • The NASCAR Cup Series schedule flips to a less-familiar track this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway as Gateway hosts just its third-ever Cup event.
  • Jack Roush has five wins at Gateway (4 Xfinity, 1 Truck).
  • Brad Keselowski has the second-best average finish of any driver in the last six races – 8.0 – with four top five finishes in that span. He’s finished runner-up in three of the last six races alone, and has six top five finishes through 14 starts in 2024.

6 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Matt McCall
Partner: Solomon Plumbing

17 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: TravelCenters of America

Keselowski at Gateway
Starts: 2
Wins: —
Top-10s: —
Poles: —

  • Keselowski makes his third Cup start at Gateway after finishing 20th and 28th in each of the first two Cup races there in 2022-23.
  • Keselowski made five Xfinity Series starts at Gateway from 2007-10 as he earned the last NXS win there in 2010. Overall he finished top-10 in three Xfinity races with three races in the No. 88, and the final two in the No. 22.
  • Keselowski also made three Truck starts at WWTR with a P2 finish in his last start in 2010.

Buescher at Gateway
Starts: —
Wins: —
Top-10s: —
Poles: —

Buescher makes his second-ever start at Gateway this weekend, where he debuted last year with a P12 finish (he missed the inaugural race in 2022).

RFK Historically at Gateway
Overall Wins: 5 (Greg Biffle, 1999, 2002; Carl Edwards, 2006, 2008, 2010)

  • Biffle One of the First to Win at Gateway: Greg Biffle established himself as a winner early in the days of NASCAR visiting Gateway, winning his second-ever truck race there in 1999. He led 30 laps in the No. 50 machine after starting fifth for one of his 17 truck wins all-time, and one of nine on that season.
  • Edwards 3x Winner in Illinois: Carl Edwards went to victory lane on three occasions at Gateway, all two years apart beginning in 2006. He led 26 laps in the 2006 race, then went on to lead 79 laps in 2008. He went on to win again in 2010 after starting eighth, capping off his trifecta at the 1.25-mile track.
  • Tale of the Tape: RFK has 49 starts at Gateway across the Xfinity and Truck Series, tallying five combined wins with 28 total top-10s. Four of those victories came in the Xfinity Series from 2002-2010, with the lone Truck win coming in 1999.

RFK Gateway Wins

1999 Biffle Trucks

2002 Biffle Xfinity

2006 Edwards Xfinity

2008 Edwards Xfinity

2010 Edwards Xfinity

Last Time Out & Where They Stand
Charlotte: Keselowski finished second in a rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600, while Buescher was credited with 23rd.

Points Standings (6: 9th, 17: 15th): Keselowski and the No. 6 team advanced again in the standings, this time inside the top-10 to P9, 11 points off 8th. Buescher sits 15th with a 21-point gap separating 13th-16th.

Louis-Philippe Dumoulin confident for the Vallée-Jonction’s race this Saturday, his 155th in NASCAR Canada!

By
Official Release
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EventBud Light 300
TrackAutodrome Chaudière of Vallée-Jonction – June 1st, 2024
BroadcastTSN + app (live) | TSN (tape delayed) | RDS (tape delayed) | FloRacing (USA)
Race5:30 PM E.T. – nascar.ca/race-center/

Trois-Rivières (Quebec), May 28, 2024.- Less than two weeks after the inaugural round on the road course of the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Mosport) in Ontario, the drivers of the NASCAR Canada series will compete this Saturday in the first of seven consecutive races on an oval track, at the Autodrome Chaudière, located in Vallée-Junction, in the Beauce region of Quebec. For the driver of car #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare | Omnifab Louis-Philippe Dumoulin, this is a very important race, on a track that he particularly appreciates.

The three-time champion of the NASCAR Canada series and the Dumoulin Compétition team are indeed familiar with the Autodrome Chaudière track, which they occasionally use in testing and to fine-tune the development of their oval car. “I really like this track. The Autodrome Chaudière has quite banked turns, which makes it pleasant for the drivers, and the races there are always very competitive” indicates Louis-Philippe Dumoulin, who adds: “The particularity is that this event will not only be the first of the 2024 NASCAR Canada championship presented in Quebec but also the first of seven consecutive rounds on an oval track. In fact, from this Saturday, all series’ races until the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières next August will be on ovals.

Third in qualifying last year at Vallée-Jonction, then Top 5 at the end of a very competitive race where the first 10 at the last restart could claim victory, Dumoulin is confident about the improvements made to his oval car: “I’m happy that this is the second race of the season because it will quickly give us good lessons for the following rounds. I’m aiming for victory because we worked well during the off-season on this #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare | Omnifab and the whole team work very well together, as we shown at the season opener at Mosport.”

Classified third in the first event after leading for several laps, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin will be making his 155th start in NASCAR Canada series this Saturday. “It’s been a long career in the series and I’m still highly motivated to win! But for now, I prefer to look to the future and this race this Saturday which could allow us to be back to Victory Lane. At least the Top 5 to score good points but, even if I know that there is always a bit of contacts that we can avoid in the last laps in this race, I really think that we have a candidate to win” says the Trois-Rivières driver.

Very often ranked well without managing to score a win in recent years on this oval, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin knows that settings are crucial on this track, just like qualifying. “It’s a 300-lap race in which the strategy is defined mainly according to the position on the starting grid. If you are well qualified, you can stay at the forefront throughout. Otherwise, you have to be patient and take advantage of restarts to gain positions and to be among the leaders at the end,” concluded the driver of car #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare | Omnifab.

ABOUT PARTNERS

WeatherTech is committed to designing, engineering and manufacturing the finest products possible for your vehicle, home and your pet. From the industry leading FloorLiner to the 100% non-toxic Pet Feeding System, WeatherTech has dedicated itself to exceed customer expectations of quality, craftsmanship and environmental sustainability for over 30 years. To see the full line of automotive, home and pet products that are guaranteed for life, visit weathertech.ca

Groupe Bellemare is a 3rd generation family business that has been serving clients since 1959. Today, the company has more than 500 employees and provides them with an innovative work environment facilitating work-family balance and a healthy and safe quality of life. With over a half century of experience and its sustained R&D efforts, the Company offers high-quality products and services in areas as diverse as concrete, abrasives and minerals, dimensional load transportation, and recycling. Groupe Bellemare is also very involved in its industry and attaches great importance to its social and environmental role as a member of the business community. Groupe Bellemare makes a positive contribution to the quality of life of citizens in the communities it serves by supporting numerous social causes and promoting local purchasing through its responsible procurement practices. For more information, visit groupebellemare.com

Omnifab has joined Dumoulin Compétition in June 2023.In less than twenty years, Omnifab has made its place in the mechanical manufacturing industry in Quebec. They have earned this place by offering a unique turnkey solution to large companies and SMEs that want to modernize their production line or have their industrial equipment repaired. No matter your industry, you can count on Omnifab team to manufacture custom industrial machinery or solve your mechanical problems with great precision, in a timely manner and with quality components, as pledged. Visit omnifab.ca for more information.

Rousseau Metal has been manufacturing high-quality products for 70 years. Over the years the company become known as a leader in storage solutions. The quality, durability and reliability of their products have earned them a reputation as being among the best in the industry. Over the years, the quality of Rousseau products and excellence of the company’s business practices have been recognized through various certifications and membership in industrial and automotive organizations. To learn more about the company and its products, visit rousseau.com

Dumoulin Competition

Jean-François and Louis-Philippe Dumoulin founded the Dumoulin Competition Race Team in 2009. Working with financial, marketing, logistics and sports management experts, they built up a solid business structure. Dumoulin Competition prepares its own race cars in-house since 2016. Their motto: “Passion – Performance – Partnerships” expresses their will to perform on the track and offer their partners maximum visibility and profitability in return for their commitment. Their vision: To become Canada’s leader in motorsports through on-track performance, an entrepreneurial spirit and human values. dumoulincompetition.com

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