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

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

  • Event: Tennessee Lottery 250 (Round 17 of 33)
  • Date: Saturday, June 29
  • Location: Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway
  • Layout: 1.333-mile, concrete oval
  • Time/TV/Radio: 5 p.m. EDT on USA/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

  • The last time Cole Custer visited Nashville, he was celebrating his 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series title during the annual NASCAR Champion’s Week celebration in December. This weekend, he returns to the Country Music Capital of the World as the Xfinity Series points leader looking for his first win of the 2024 season in Saturday’s Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway. With 13 top-10 finishes this season, including each of the last four races, Custer is showing signs he’s closing in on that elusive victory. In last Saturday’s Xfinity Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speeday in Loudon, Custer was the driver to beat. He started from the pole after Friday qualifying was cancelled due to weather. Then, starting Saturday’s race on wet-weather tires, he led the field five times for a race-high 114 laps, his first laps led at New Hampshire in the Xfinity Series. In the closing laps, Custer was in the lead by a more than two-second margin over second-place Christopher Bell before the race’s final caution that closed up the field. In the previous 50 laps, Custer managed to hold onto the lead through four restarts, but on the fifth and final one, Bell was able to get around Custer, going three-wide with his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Sheldon Creed. Custer fought valiantly before ultimately finishing third.
  • This Saturday’s Tennessee Lottery 250 will mark Custer’s second Xfinity Series start at Nashville. In his first start last June, he earned a ninth-place finish after qualifying on the pole. He has two starts outside of the Xfinity Series at the 1.333-mile, concrete oval, both coming in the NASCAR Cup Series in June of 2021 and 2022, which resulted in finishes of 30th and 26th, respectively.
  • Nashville proved to be kind to Custer in the series’ most recent race last June. The native of Ladera Ranch, California appeared to be on his way to his second victory of the season after scoring his third pole of the season. He led the opening 13 laps and finished second in each of the opening two stages. He went on to lead three more times for a total of 32 laps. In the final stage, he was racing for the lead with A.J. Allmendinger when he dropped back to ninth as a result of pit strategy and late-race restarts that did not go his way.
  • Win and you’re in. That’s the mentality when it comes to racing for a coveted spot in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs. With 10 races left before the playoffs kick off Sept. 28 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Custer is sitting in a solid spot to make the 12-driver postseason field. As the regular-season driver championship leader with a 15-point lead over second-place Chandler Smith and a 205-point advantage over the top-12 playoff cutline, the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion is confident he can point his way into the playoffs. Still, the driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse would not only like to secure his spot with a race win, but also earn the regular-season championship that not only comes with a trophy but an additional 15 playoff points.

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

  • Riley Herbst has his eyes set on Music City as he heads to Saturday’s Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway. As a native of Las Vegas, Herbst should feel right at home in Nashville. The capital of Tennessee may be best known as Music City, but its bright lights and lively nightlife have earned it another nickname – “Nashvegas.” The fact that Nashville’s 1.333-mile, concrete oval is an intermediate-style track makes Herbst feel even more at home. His history at intermediates is strong. His first career Xfinity Series victory came on the 1.5-mile oval of his hometown Las Vegas Motor Speedway last October, and prior to that his best career Xfinity Series results came at intermediates – a pair of second-place finishes, in February 2020 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, and July 2020 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta. He’s since added runner-up finishes in June 2023 at Nashville, October 2023 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, this past April 20 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, and two weekends ago at Iowa Speedway in Newton. The driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse heads to Nashville riding the momentum of his runner-up finish at Iowa, followed by last weekend’s hard-fought eighth-place finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, where he started fourth, finished third in the opening stage, then showed his perseverance in the final stage by fighting his way back into the top-10 after pit road issues dropped him back in the field. It was his third top-10 in the last four races.
  • Saturday’s Tennessee Lottery 250 will mark Herbst’s fourth race at Nashville, having finished inside the top-10 in his previous three starts. Herbst’s best finish at the track came last year, when he started fifth for the scheduled 188-lap race and finished second, just 1.323 seconds behind race-winner A.J. Allmendinger. During the 2022 race at the track located some 40 minutes east of downtown Nashville, Herbst won his second career pole and finished third behind race-winner Justin Allgaier and runner-up Trevor Bayne. In his first start at the track in June 2021, he rallied for a solid top-10 finish from the 20th starting position.
  • Not only will Herbst race on Saturday, he’ll also hop behind the wheel of the No. 15 Monster Energy Zero Sugar Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Rick Ware Racing in Sunday’s Ally 400 at Nashville. It will mark his third Cup Series start of 2024 and his seventh overall. He’s earned two top-10s in seven starts – a career-best of ninth last October at the 2.66-mile, behemoth Talladega oval, and 10th in his NASCAR Cup Series debut in the 2023 Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. He became just the fourth driver to score a top-10 in all three of his NASCAR national series debuts. While five of his prior Cup Series starts have come on superspeedway-style tracks, he made his first start on an intermediate on May 5 with Rick Ware Racing at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, where he finished 35th.
  • Monday marked one year since Herbst began working with crew chief Davin Restivo, who first climbed atop the pit box for the No. 98 team last June at Nashville. Herbst had been working with Richard Boswell as his crew chief since his arrival at Stewart-Haas Racing in 2021, while Restivo was an engineer for the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Cup Series team and the crew chief for Aric Almirola’s June 2023 Xfinity Series win at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, just two weeks prior to moving to the No. 98 team. In their first weekend together, Herbst and Restivo collaborated on the second-place finish at Nashville. While bad luck found them in the following weeks, they made steady progress and ultimately earned Herbst’s first career Xfinity Series win in October at Las Vegas. Though not part of the 2023 Xfinity Series playoff field, the No. 98 team earned more points than any other team during the Round of 8.

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

Last year at Nashville, you were strong out of the gate by being fast in practice and winning the pole. You’ve shown speed this year and already have won two poles this season, not including your front row starts from rained out qualifying session. What are your expectations for this weekend?

“I think we’ll be fast. This track is one that has a lot of speed in it and I hope we can capitalize on it. While I only have one start there in the Xfinity Series, we had a strong run last season. We probably could’ve gone for the win had our pit strategy not been off, but it’s just one of those instances where we have to put a perfect race together in order to find victory lane. We’ve been so close. Riley (Herbst, teammate) did well there in his prior three starts, so I’m definitely going to be leaning on him, still. I think the Stewart-Haas Racing Xfinity Series program will have a good run at Nashville as long as we can stay out of trouble. This program has won two poles in the three races run there, so we’re not lacking in speed. Hopefully we can put it all together on Saturday.”

You’re sitting in a good place to make the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs with the points lead over Chandler Smith and sitting 205 points to the good of the cutline with 10 regular-season races to go. How much pressure would it take off to get a win this weekend in Nashville?

“It would take a lot of the pressure off. Right now, we’re focused on winning, but points racing is always in the back of your mind. You can’t just forget about it, because you don’t want to point your way out of the playoffs, either. Ultimately, a win would put everything to rest and put some ease in our minds. We could race for more race wins and stage wins at that point. We have to balance it all at this point, though. In a perfect scenario, we would’ve won by now, but that’s not the reality. I’m confident that this team can get it done again, though. Hopefully we can do it this weekend at Nashville.”

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

You should feel right at home in “Nashvegas” this weekend after growing up under the neon lights of Las Vegas. How excited are you to get back to Nashville Superspeedway after finishing second last year and third the previous year?

“I’m pumped to head back to Nashville again. The city itself is so much fun, but so is the racing at the superspeedway. I don’t know how to describe it, but the track works with my style of racing. This is a race that I had circled on the calendar for this summer after three very strong years at Nashville. That first year we ended up 10th, then in 2022 we finished third, and last year we were second. We keep trending upwards at Nashville, and hopefully that proves to continue to be true this weekend. A win there would be so cool, especially with the double-duty weekend. It can be a difficult track, for sure, due to how slick it can get in the summer heat, but you just have to put together a great race and be there at the end. No mistakes, fast pit stops, and speed in the racecar. Hopefully, we can see all of that this weekend.”

This weekend will mark your third start of the 2024 season in the NASCAR Cup Series. How do these select starts not only help you in the Xfinity Series, but also help you in furthering your career and experience?

“Honestly, the cars are so different now that you can’t really carry anything over between the two series, other than just getting more seat time. Back in the day, it used to help a lot because the cars were similar, minus the higher horsepower in the Cup Series. Now with the NextGen cars, it’s just a lot different. The cars are nowhere near the same. Still, these are not only chances for me to learn a track but to showcase what I could do in those cars. Kansas didn’t go how we wanted, but it was also a good chance for me to learn how to drive a NextGen car on something other than a superspeedway. It was a new challenge for me, and honestly as the race went on, I was able to show more speed. By that point, though, we were already a couple of laps down, so the results didn’t show. My dream is to race on Sundays, so I’m thankful to Rick Ware Racing and Monster Energy for a chance to get these select starts this season to continue to develop and learn the NextGen car.”

Chase Briscoe joins Joe Gibbs Racing on multi-year Cup Series basis, beginning in 2025

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Bruce Nuttleman for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Chase Briscoe will etch a new beginning to his racing career for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season by joining forces with Joe Gibbs Racing on a multi-year basis to pilot the No. 19 Toyota Camry XSE entry.

Briscoe, a native of Mitchell, Indiana, who is currently campaigning in his fourth full-time season in the Cup Series with Stewart-Haas Racing, will be replacing 2017 Cup champion Martin Truex Jr. who announced his retirement from full-time NASCAR competition at this season’s conclusion 11 days ago during a press conference at Iowa Speedway.

Bass Pro Shops will continue to sponsor the No. 19 Toyota entry that is set to be piloted by Briscoe, beginning with the 67th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2025. James Small, an eight-time Cup Series race-winning crew chief, will retain his role atop the No. 19 pit box.

“I’m excited for this opportunity with Joe Gibbs Racing and Bass Pro Shops,” Briscoe said. “From a competition standpoint, [Joe Gibbs Racing] is the place to be if you want to go win races week in and week out and to race for the championship every year.

“I am blessed that [Bass Pro Shops founder] Johnny Morris and Bass Pro are on board to help us carry on the legacy of the 19 car. For me personally, being an avid outdoorsman, there’s a lot of pride in now being a part of the Bass Pro brand and I’m extremely grateful for this partnership. Getting to meet Johnny, I feel like I share a lot of the same values as him and Coach [Gibbs], and I’m ready to get to work and prove that they have made a great choice putting me in this car.”

The news of Briscoe joining Joe Gibbs Racing comes in light of his future teammate Christopher Bell accidentally spilling the news of Briscoe’s addition when asked about the shift of driver leadership within the organization during this past Friday’s press conference at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Once Bell realized he mentioned the name Chase taking over the vacant car, he instantly became silent and lowered the microphone while trying to fight off a guilty smile. Despite attempting to resume his statement, he stumbled through his words and shared more laughter with the media.

Ironically, Bell swept this past weekend’s Xfinity and Cup Series events at New Hampshire while Briscoe, who joked but brushed off the early leaked news, finished in the runner-up spot to Bell in the Cup event. In addition, Bell formally introduced Briscoe as the driver of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing entry during Tuesday’s press conference that included team owner Joe Gibbs and Small.

Briscoe’s addition to Joe Gibbs Racing also comes as his current organization, Stewart-Haas Racing, announced its plans to cease operations after the 2024 season. The announcement was made in late May and left Briscoe and his current teammates (Josh Berry, Noah Gragson and Ryan Preece) free to pursue other opportunities for the 2025 season.

Briscoe, who grew up competing in sprint cars and racing on dirt, made his inaugural presence in the Cup Series division at the start of the 2021 season, where he replaced the retiring Clint Bowyer in the No. 14 Ford entry for Stewart-Haas Racing after spending the previous two seasons winning 10 races in the Xfinity Series.

After claiming the 2021 Rookie-of-the-Year title, Briscoe captured his first Cup career victory at Phoenix Raceway four races into the 2022 season. In doing so, he became the 200th competitor overall to win in NASCAR’s premier series. The Phoenix victory also automatically guaranteed Briscoe a spot into the 2022 Cup Series Playoffs, where he would transfer as far as the Round of 8 before settling in ninth place in the final standings.

Through 126 current starts in the Cup Series, Briscoe has accumulated one victory, two poles, 12 top-five results, 27 top-10 results with 494 laps led, and an average-finishing result of 18.7. He has also notched 11 career victories in the Xfinity Series and two in the Craftsman Truck Series. He achieved the Rookie-of-the-Year title in both divisions and contended for the 2020 Xfinity title as a Championship 4 finalist, where he ended up in fourth place in the final standings. He is also the 2016 ARCA Menards Series champion.

Currently, Briscoe trails the top-16 cutline to make the 2024 Cup Series Playoffs by 25 points as he has recorded two top-five results and six top-10 results through the first 18 scheduled events. His current average-finishing result is 16.3.

For the 2025 season, Briscoe is set to become the fourth competitor overall to pilot the No. 19 Toyota entry for Joe Gibbs Racing, an entry that has been piloted to Victory Lane 20 times in the Cup Series: five from Carl Edwards and 15 by Martin Truex Jr.

Photo by Simon Scoggins for SpeedwayMedia.com.

“We are extremely excited about the future of our 19 team with Chase [Briscoe] behind the wheel and the partnership with Johnny [Morris], J.P. [Morris] and everyone at Bass Pro Shops,” Joe Gibbs added. “I talk about it often, but one of the great things about our sport is the relationships you have the opportunity to build around your teams and certainly we are just so thankful to have that with everyone at Bass Pro Shops. We obviously do a lot of research before selecting our drivers and through the process everything kept pointing us back to Chase. With James’ [Small] leadership, Chase behind the wheel, and the support from Bass Pro, and of course Toyota, we couldn’t be more excited about the future of our 19 team.”

With his future plans set, Chase Briscoe’s 2024 Cup Series season, which will mark his fourth and last driving for Stewart-Haas Racing, continues with the upcoming Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway. The event is scheduled for this upcoming Sunday, June 30, and will air at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

What went down in the NASCAR Cup Series USA Today 301 at New Hampshire

By
SM Staff
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Christopher Bell, driver of the #20 Rheem Toyota, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Cup Series USA Today 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on June 23, 2024 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

After a two-hour-plus rain delay due to rain, Christopher Bell swept the NASCAR race weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday in the USA Today 301. Driving the Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) No. 20 Rheem Toyota, the 29-year-old Oklahoman led a race-high of 149 of the 305 laps and beat Chase Briscoe to the finish line by 1.104 seconds in overtime.

“I love this place. It is absolutely amazing,” Bell said. “This place, I don’t know, it has been special to me since we came here for that late model race back in, I think, 2015. This one was different though. Rain tires, the track was really slippery, it was just so much fun out there in those adverse conditions, the track was changing around so much. That was one a lot of fun, and I’m really happy for our partners – Rheem, Toyota, DEWALT. We have Watts on the car again. I think we’ve won every time they have been on the car. Just a really cool weekend.”

This was Bell’s third win of the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) season and the ninth of his NCS career.

Race Notes

  • After the extended rain delay, NASCAR elected to go with the wet weather tires to finish the race.
  • The average speed was 84.832 mph.
  • The margin of Victory was 1.104 seconds.
  • There were 14 caution flags for 85 laps, with six lead changes among five drivers. (Bell, Elliott, Gilliland, Hamlin, and Reddick)

What went down behind Bell

Briscoe and the No. 14 Zep Ford Mustang Dark Horse team finished second after running outside of the top 20 before the rain. This was Briscoe’s second top-five and sixth top-10 of the season.

“The rain definitely helped us,” said Briscoe. “If it wasn’t for the rain we were going to literally run 24th probably. We had a couple of good restarts and the guys did a good job of understanding the rain balance. I think we learned a lot when we did it at Richmond. We needed a good turnaround day, and it definitely didn’t start that way, but I am glad that it ended up that way for sure.”

Josh Berry and the No. 4 Miner Docks Doors & More Ford Mustang Dark Horse team finished third and also benefitted from the rain. This was Berry’s second top-five and fourth top-10 of the season. “We were 20th when it was raining and then we threw some rain tires on it and did what I knew we could do and moved all the way up there. That was a lot of fun honestly,” said Berry.

Kyle Larson, driving the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Camaro ZL1, finished fourth and captured his eighth top-five finish of the 2024 season.

Chris Buescher and the No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang Dark Horse team finished fifth. “Loudon has not been our best track,” Buscher said, “definitely not mine specifically. There was no quit in this Fastnal group today. It was awesome to come home with a top five. We were really good in the rain when it was wet.”

23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick was leading the race when the initial rain fell and ended up finishing in sixth place.

“It was a real shame we couldn’t find victory lane today in our SiriusXM Toyota Camry, but for us to take a risk and have a potential to win the race if it continued to rain and to turn that into a top-10 finish is good for our team. We will take the sixth place finish, and move on from it and get ready for the next one, but it was certainly an interesting day and a wild experience,” said Reddick

John Hunter Nemechek battled back from two laps down to finish in eighth place. “I’ll take eighth after the day we had,” Nemechek said. “I think we were stuck in 31st or 32nd pretty much all day, so solid finish for us and something that we needed. Hopefully, we can build some momentum off of this.”

Martin Truex Jr., who might have competed in his last race at New Hamshire, overcame a pit stop issue and an on-track incident to finish in ninth place.

“Definitely a tough day,” Truex explained. “We had a speed in our Reser’s Camry. It is a shame the way things worked out, but definitely happy to get a top-10. It has been a rough four weeks, so we needed a good finish. We had good stage points, and we needed a good finish; so glad that we got it, but it hurts to have a tough day here, probably being my last one.” said Truex.

Chase Elliott and the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 team started on the pole but finished 18th after an accident with Logano just before the red flag on lap 201. The Hendrick Motorsports teammates are now tied for the series standings.

Joey Logano had top-five finishes in the first two segments but finished 32nd after being involved in a multi-car incident with Elliott at the start of the final stage.

“Unfortunate end to our day after the speed we showed in the first two stages,” a disappointed Logano said. “I thought we had something to contend for the win but just didn’t pan out that way.”

Alex Bowman had engine woes on his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet early and finished 36th.

What’s Next

The NASCAR Cup Series will head to Nashville Superspeedway for the Ally 400 on Sunday, June 30, at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA Network, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Red Bud 400 Up Next for ASA STARS National Tour

By
Official Release
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(Anderson, IN) – One of pavement super late model racing’s Crown Jewel Events up next for the ASA STARS National Tour.

The 58th Annual Red Bud 400 – one of the longest-running annual events in short track history, is set for Saturday, July 20 at Anderson Speedway. The 2024 version will once again mark the return of the iconic ASA Brand to the Red Bud 400, with the ASA STARS National Tour set to sanction the 400 lap, 100 mile race.

“We’re very excited to welcome the ASA Brand back to Anderson Speedway again this year!” commented Rick Dawson, the owner / promoter of Anderson Speedway. “Along with the Little 500 Sprint Car Race Memorial Day Weekend, The Red Bud 400 is a historic annual event for the track, and the city of Anderson, IN.”

“This race (The Red Bud 400) was around a year before ASA even started,” Dawson revealed. Dawson purchased Anderson Speedway from ASA Founder Rex Robbins in 1996, and in fact worked for ASA prior to the speedway purchase.

“Rex was a partner with Joe Helpling and a group of owners of the track before he ever started ASA,” Dawson continued. “The first Red Bud Race was held in 1967, one year before ASA was founded.”

The legendary Iggy Katona won the first Red Bud Race, and the list of drivers who have won the 400 lap grind on the Anderson quarter mile is a who’s-who of the very best short track racers of the era. This year’s edition will be no different, with drivers from 10 or more states and Canada are expected to be on hand.

Rex and Becky Robbins first promoted sprint car races under the ASA Banner, before launching the stock car series in 1973. The track hosted an ASA 50th Anniversary ASA Racers Reunion last summer, bringing back some of the biggest names from the series.

On track activities for the 58th Annual Red Bud 400 will kick off on Friday, July 14th with inspection and practice for the ASA STARS National Tour. Go Fas Pole Qualifying is scheduled for late Saturday afternoon, July 19th, with the Red Bud 400 set to go green at 8:00PM Eastern Time.

Long awaited first Carrera Cup victory for Sedgwick and PT Autosport

By
Official Release
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Sedgwick scores his first Porsche Carrera Cup North America win from pole at Watkins Glen

WATKINS GLEN, NY (25 June 2024) – PT Autosport with JDX Racing and Alex Sedgwick finally checked Porsche Carrera Cup North America “victory” off their to-do list, scoring the win from pole in Saturday’s second of two 40-minute races at Watkins Glen International – part of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen.

Series sophomore Sedgwick captured his first series win from pole after a race-long battle with series points leader Loek Hartog. The 25-year-old Warwickshire, UK native kept his No. 98 PT Autosport/JDX Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car out in front despite hot and slippery conditions to capture that long-awaited win.

Sedgwick began the weekend in Thursday’s first practice, under blazing sun and humid conditions. He promptly set the quickest lap time by two-tenths of a second but was pipped for the top spot with only 10 minutes remaining in the session. The afternoon practice was delayed an hour due to heavy thunderstorms, as Sedgwick paced first in rain tires, then on slicks as the track dried. At the checkered flag, he was again P2, just two tenths of a second off points leader Hartog.

In Friday morning qualifying, Sedgwick went straight to the top of the speed charts in his opening laps. Pitting for tires mid-session, he laid down a stellar lap at 1:48.592 to start third in race one – and on pole for race two.

Sedgwick took the green in race one Friday afternoon and stuck behind pole sitter, looking to take second position through the Turn 1 right hander, then taking another look in Turn 3. But Sedgwick had Michael Cooper in his mirrors, and Cooper took advantage of Sedgwick’s move to make a pass, putting Sedgwick back in fourth.

His woes continued as a competitor ahead brake checked Sedgwick, causing him to lock up his tires and sliding him back into sixth position. Sedgwick settled in, looking for the drivers ahead to make a mistake. A full course yellow with 15 minutes remaining stalled the action, with the race going back to green with just over seven minutes left. Taking a look in Turn 1, Sedgwick had to slip back into the draft. With a car off in Turn 5, the yellow flew again, ending the race under caution, with Sedgwick a disappointed sixth.

“I got a decent start and then everyone just stacked up, said Sedgwick. “My car seemed to really struggle in the aero wash of the cars ahead, much more than I’d ever experienced before. Cooper was able to get around the outside of me, but he was slower. I tried to get by, driving into my normal brake marker in the corner, and he slowed much earlier than he had before. I had to brake hard to avoid him and locked up the rear, so I really had nothing after that. Definitely a disappointing day, after the speed we’d had for the first two days.”

Under hot sun and track temperatures over 110F, Sedgwick took the green from pole position Saturday morning. With a solid jump at the start, Sedgwick held off the cars behind through the first two corners – but cars behind were not so fortunate, as an eight-car incident mid-field brought out the yellow flag.

With 20 minutes remaining, Sedgwick timed the restart perfectly, gaining ground in Turn 1. But as the race progressed, he began to deal with an increasingly slick racetrack and a surging Hartog, balancing hitting his marks and making consistent lap times with anticipating Hartog’s next move. He did that to perfection, staying in front to the checkered flag.

When asked about his emotions as he took the hard-fought first win, Sedgwick didn’t hesitate with his answer.

“The biggest emotion right now is relief,” said Sedgwick. “I’m so happy to finally get this done – huge thanks to PT Autosport for getting me here, and to JDX Racing for giving me a great car and all tools I needed. It was a wild day. It got crazy there for a while, with a restart ahead of Hartog to deal with. We obviously didn’t get any racing for half the race, but I got that good jump and kept the gap over Hartog. He pushed me super hard race, it was a difficult race – it was hard to maintain the pace and keep the tires under me in the heat since this is such a high-load track. We pushed hard to the end, so I’m super happy to come away with my second first win (Sedgwick lost a win in Miami due to a penalty that the team unsuccessfully contested).”

For team principal Jason Myer, the win validated the belief that both PT Autosport and JDX Racing had in Sedgwick’s potential.

“This win has been a long time coming for Alex,” said Myers. “He had a couple close ones last season, and this season he’s come really close – so close that he led every lap after qualifying on pole and finished first in Miami, only to have it relegated by what we feel was not the right call. Finally, having this first win felt like a real victory that couldn’t be taken away and is likely only the beginning of what will be a very strong second half of the season for Alex. I’ve been very impressed with Alex’s climb through the points this season against some very talented drivers brought in from Europe. I’ve believed in him since we took him to the Porsche Together-Fest at Indy in 2022, when we brought an older 991.2 GT3 Cup and he set pole by half a second against a very experienced field of 991s and 992s. We are really looking forward to the rest of the season and seeing Alex thrive. Thanks so much to our partners for continuing to support our efforts.”

PT Autosport would like to thank partners STEAM Sports Foundation, Classic Car Club Manhattan and New Jersey Motorsports Park, as well as JDX Racing partners Byers/Porsche Columbus, and Renier Construction.

Next up for PT Autosport and the Porsche Carrera Cup North America will be the doubleheader in support of the IMSA SportsCar Weekend at Road America August 2-4. The races will be broadcast live in the U.S., on IMSA.tv, the NBC Peacock streaming app and PorscheCarreraCup.us.

About PT Autosport — Discover Unique Talent. Develop Champions.

PT Autosport, based at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ, campaigns rising star Alex Sedgwick (UK) in the 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup North America series with JDX Racing, 2022 Aspiring Driver Shootout winner Henry Drury (UK) in the Toyota GR Cup North America series with Precision Racing LA, and 2023 Aspiring Driver Shootout winner Brenna Schubert (USA) in select SPEC-MX5 races for the 2024 season.

PT Autosport is dedicated to providing merit-based motorsport industry opportunities for diverse individuals with high integrity, grit, and coach-ability, achieved through a development program for young aspiring drivers, engineers, mechanics, and other professionals. The first step of this process is applying for the annual Aspiring Driver Shootout, in which aspiring drivers aged 18-23 can compete for a team racing partnership with the team.

A rigorous evaluation process of applicants determines the final competitors for the driver shootout. The winner earns financial support of up to $250,000 ($50,000 guaranteed) to pursue their racing career. The review process also provides the team the chance to identify unique talent for other roles in motorsport, including race engineers, mechanics, and professionals.

PT Autosport is building a community that fosters the development of young talent to find a place where they can make an impact in the motorsport community as a career.

PT Autosport social media

Instagram: @pt_autosport
TikTok: @ptautosport
Twitter: @PtAutosport
Facebook: PT Autosport

Ford Performance NASCAR – 2024 Nashville Advance

By
Official Release
-

NASHVILLE

Friday, June 28 — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 8 p.m. ET (FS2)
Saturday, June 29 — NASCAR Xfinity Series, 5 p.m. ET (USA)
Sunday, June 30 — NASCAR Cup Series, 3:30 p.m. ET (NBC)

The NASCAR summer stretch rolls on with Nashville Speedway hosting all three major touring series on the same weekend for the fourth straight season. The last time all three series were together came a month ago at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but since then the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series has competed only once and returns to action after a three-week break.

LOGANO LIKES NASHVILLE

Joey Logano has shown flashes of speed in the first three Nashville races, posting a pair of top-10 finishes. But where he’s really shined is in qualifying, where he has started no worse than fourth. He qualified third in the debut event in 2021 before finishing 10th and was second one year later when he ultimately led four times for 28 laps and came home ninth. Last year, he posted the fourth-fastest speed in qualifying and ended up 19th, making his average starting position 3.0 and finishing position 12.7.

BERRY FINDING HIS GROOVE

Josh Berry has hit his stride with Stewart-Haas Racing and with eight races remaining in the regular season is making a late push for a playoff berth. Berry, who enters this weekend’s race at Nashville Superspeedway 73 points below the cut line, has caught fire the last six weeks. It started with a third-place run at Darlington Raceway last month and continued at Charlotte Motor Speedway with a 10th-place effort in the Coca-Cola 600. He’s had back-to-back top-10 runs in Iowa (seventh) and New Hampshire (third), giving him four top-10 runs in the last six events which has moved him up four spots in the overall standings.

PLAYOFF SCENARIO

Three Ford drivers have clinched spots in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs after winning earlier this season. Brad Keselowski (Darlington), Austin Cindric (Gateway) and Ryan Blaney (Iowa) all have secured their spots, but there are a few other Ford Performance teammates looking to join them. Currently, Chris Buescher and Joey Logano are holding down the final two berths based on points. Buescher is 50 points above the cut line while Logano is 13 with eight races remaining in the regular season.

BRAD KESELOWSKI: “Nashville is an interesting track for us because we have been so good on that type of track this year in 2024. We have a great opportunity to go there and compete for a win, so I am pretty pumped about it. It is a race that we certainly have circled with both of our RFK cars and we can’t wait to get there.”

AUSTIN CINDRIC: “Nashville is a pretty interesting race track. It is a unique size and has been pretty wild the last few years. I always like racing under the lights. I think that is always fun for the race fans. It is a fun town to be in as well. It has been cool to see how that event has grown into our schedule year after year. I am looking forward to getting back there and having a good run.”

NOAH GRAGSON: “Nashville is a super fun track. It is all concrete and the biggest concrete track we go to which makes it a lot of fun and also very challenging with how the rubber gets laid down. I will be running an Xfinity car there in addition to the Cup car, so I am super excited about that place. I have kind of struggled there in the past but I want to get as many laps as I can, which is why I am doing the Xfinity race. Hopefully, that pays off and helps us for the Cup race.”

FORD NASHVILLE WINNERS

Ford is still looking for its first NASCAR Cup Series victory at Nashville Superspeedway, but three drivers have won at the facility in other series. Brad Keselowski (2008 and 2010) and Joey Logano (2009) went to Victory Lane in the NASCAR Xfinity Series while Ryan Preece captured back-to-back Ford victories in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2021-22.

CUSTER EXTENDS SERIES POINTS LEAD

Cole Custer’s third-place finish on Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway allowed him to extend his lead in the NASCAR Xfinity Series point standings to 15 over Chandler Smith. Custer, who registered his fourth pole of the season, has now rattled off top-10 finishes in 13 of the last 14 events, including four straight going into this weekend’s race at Nashville Superspeedway. Last season, Custer sat on the pole and finished ninth in his only series start on the middle Tennessee track.

FORD WINS NASCAR DEBUT AT NASHVILLE SUPERSPEEDWAY

The first race held at Nashville Superspeedway for one of NASCAR’s top three touring series came on April 14, 2001 when Ford’s Greg Biffle won the Pepsi 300 in what was then known as the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series, now NASCAR Xfinity Series. Ford dominated the race up front as Biffle, Jason Keller and Jeff Green combined to lead 200-of-225 laps. Biffle, who was out front for a race-high 133 circuits, beat Keller to the checkered flag by just over a half-second as Ford finished first and second.

FOUR RACES TO GO IN REGULAR SEASON

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series has had three weeks off and as the action shifts to Nashville Superspeedway there is a lot to race for with only four races remaining in the regular season. Ford’s Ty Majeski and defending series champion Ben Rhodes are currently in playoff positions as they sit fifth and eighth, respectively. Three-time champion Matt Crafton finds himself 46 points below the cut line in 13th place while Jake Garcia (-69) and Layne Riggs (-76) are 15th and 16th overall. The top 10 drivers will make the playoffs and compete in a seven-race battle to determine this year’s champion.

FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS

AT NASHVILLE

2001 – Greg Biffle

2002 – Scott Riggs (1)

2003 – Scott Riggs (2)

2006 – Carl Edwards (2)

2007 – Carl Edwards (Sweep)

2011 – Carl Edwards (Sweep)

FORD NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES WINNERS AT NASHVILLE

2003 – Carl Edwards

2007 – Travis Kvapil

2021 – Ryan Preece

2022 – Ryan Preece

Niece Motorsports NCTS Race Advance: Nashville Superspeedway

By
Official Release
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Race: Rackley Roofing 200 (150 laps / 200 miles) | Race 13 of 23
Track: Nashville Superspeedway
Location: Lebanon, Tennessee
Date & Time: Friday, June 28th | 8:00 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 2 | Motor Racing Network (MRN) | Sirius XM Ch. 90

No. 41 DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Bayley Currey | Crew Chief: Cody Efaw
Bayley Currey
@BayleyCurrey
@BayleyCurrey05

  • Currey’s Nashville Stats: Bayley Currey has made one prior Truck Series start at Nashville which came in last year’s running of the Rackley Roofing 200. Currey and team had a strong run at the 1.33-mile track last season, starting the race from the outside pole. Shown as a true contender throughout the event, Currey nabbed his second-career top-five finish with an impressive fifth-place race result. Currey has also made two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts here in 2021 and 2022.
  • Niece Motorsports Nashville Stats: Since the Truck Series’ return in 2021, Niece Motorsports drivers have combined to make a total of 10 starts at Nashville Superspeedway. Niece is the defending race winning team, having picked up the win with Carson Hocevar in last year’s Rackley Roofing 200. In total, Niece drivers have led 41 laps and picked up three top-five finishes.
  • On the Truck: Currey’s No. 41 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from DQS Solutions & Staffing along with Masked Owl Technologies. The truck will debut a radically new, black and white paint scheme, with DQS serving as Currey’s primary partner at Nashville, Kansas Speedway II, Talladega Superspeedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, and Martinsville Speedway II.
  • Recapping Gateway: Currey and the No. 41 team fought mechanical issues in the race at World Wide Technology Raceway. After starting 25th, Currey began to pass some competitors, moving up to 21st in stage one. Towards the end of stage two, his truck began to lose power, dropping to 25th in stage two. The issue would persist throughout the rest of the race, resulting in a 29th-place finish.
  • Points Rundown: Entering the 13th race of the season, Currey is seeded 18th in the NCTS driver points standings. Searching for his first breakout result of the year, the driver from Driftwood, Texas is 97 points out of the Playoffs picture. His nearest competitor, Dean Thompson in 17th, is 18 points ahead.
  • Quoting Currey: Last year, the trucks at Nashville seemed like it was a combo that naturally fit you. How can you take what you learned to transition it to this weekend?

“Yeah, that was fun last year; I definitely feel like that was the best run in my NASCAR career. I felt like we could have walked away with the win if a few things went differently. I really like these kind of tracks that are in between a mile-and-a-half and a short track. You still have to use a little bit of brake, but you’re carrying so much speed too, so I feel like it fits my style as a driver. I think if we can fight the dirty air that’s usually pretty bad here and stay up front with some track position, we should be pretty good on Friday.”

  • Quoting Efaw: As we get through the halfway point of the season, what can you say about the speed the team has had this year on the intermediates?

“I feel like our mile-and-a-half package has been pretty good this year. It seems like we’ve been fine tuning on it really since the first true intermediate in Las Vegas. Now that we’ve had a few of those races in our notebook, I feel pretty strong about the direction we’re headed in. Each week, our guys do a great job at finding that extra bit of pace, and it’s showing across the board. Bayley, Matt, and Kaden have started to get in a rhythm at these tracks, and they’ve been able to work really well together, which makes us have some high hopes for this weekend. I’m looking forward to seeing what they can continue to build off of.”
DQS Solutions & Staffing Mission Statement: The core mission of DQS Solutions & Staffing is to attain unparalleled excellence in our specialized domains, specifically staffing and security. Simultaneously, we maintain the flexibility required to collaborate closely with our clients in the creation of innovative products and services within the framework of DQS.

No. 42 J.F. Electric / Utilitra Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Jon Leonard
Matt Mills Racing
@MattMillsRacing
@MattMillsRacing

  • Mills’ Nashville Stats: Matt Mills has yet to compete in a Truck Series race at Nashville Superspeedway, and will make his first series start at the track on Friday night. Mills made one Xfinity Series start here (2021) while driving for BJ McLeod Motorsports, which resulted in a 25th-place finish.
  • Leonard’s Nashville Stats: Jon Leonard has a strong record on top of the box at Nashville Superspeedway. In two Truck Series starts, Leonard recorded two top-five finishes while working with Stewart Friesen, who finished fifth in back-to-back years (2021 & ’22). Leonard did not call the race here last year.
  • On the Truck: Mills’ No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from longtime partners J.F. Electric and Utilitra.
  • Recapping Gateway: Mills and the No. 42 team had a relatively uneventful day at WWT Raceway. Mills qualified in the 26th position and would finish in the same spot at the conclusion of stage one. Jon Leonard called for significant changes in stage two, and the group would climb to 18th at the stage. Citing a tight condition, Mills lost a bit of track position en-route to a 23rd-place finish.
  • Points Rundown: The five-race stretch went well for the No. 42 team, resulting in Mills picking up five spots in driver points. Mills is currently shown in the 23rd position in the standings, 11 points behind his teammate, Kaden Honeycutt.
  • Quoting Mills: It’s been a while since you last raced at Nashville, so do you anticipate it being tough to get acclimated again?

“Well, the first time I raced at Nashville in the Xfinity car, I had no idea what the track was going to be like. So, going into it this time with having the resources of the simulator time and the good, experienced people at the team, I’m definitely more prepared for this track now. I think we should be a lot better; we’ve started to build some good momentum on our mile-and-a-half and short track package, and Nashville seems to be in the sweet spot right in the middle of those types of tracks. In the past, the Niece trucks have been really fast there, so hopefully it’ll be a good one for us.”

  • Quoting Leonard: Your team has done a great job of picking up spots in points over the past few races. How do you keep this momentum to gain more moving forward?

“I think we have to just keep building week-to-week on what Matt needs and stay with our baseline of what we’ve been running. We’ve been staying closely as a company setup-wise, and I think Matt’s in a good space of building momentum which keeps his confidence up, so we just have to chip at it on a weekly basis like we have been doing on the No. 42 team.”

About J.F. Electric: J.F. Electric is an electrical contractor that provides engineering expertise, backed by construction and installation know-how in a diverse range of service offerings, from utilities and commercial projects, to industrial and telecommunications customers. When having a long family history in an industry, a company not only builds on its knowledge and experience, it takes pride in cultivating a solid understanding of client needs, all the while nurturing strong relationships with its employees. Evolving through five generations of the Fowler family, J.F. Electric has matured into a well-managed and thoughtfully diversified electrical contractor which is poised to continue its growth and expansion into the future.

About Utilitra: Utilitra is a woman-owned firm specializing in utility and technology solutions with a diverse team of specialized professionals. Utilitra is committed to solving their client’s unique challenges, whether one expert or a team of experts is needed. By adapting to the needs of their respective industries, Utilitra has built a range of services for their utility and technology partners.

No. 45 AutoVentive / Precision Vehicle Logistics Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Kaden Honeycutt | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Kaden Honeycutt
@KadenWHoneycutt
@KadenHoneycutt10

  • Honeycutt Returns: After stepping aside for Connor Mosack to take the reigns in the last race at WWT Raceway, Kaden Honeycutt returns to the seat of Niece Motorsports’ No. 45 Chevrolet for his sixth start of the season. Honeycutt’s last three starts in his part-time schedule resulted in three top-10 finishes – with finishes of ninth at Martinsville, fourth at Kansas, and most recently, seventh at Charlotte back in May.
  • Honeycutt’s Nashville Stats: Honeycutt has made one start at Nashville Superspeedway which came in the 2022 running of the Truck Series race. In that race, he finished 21st for G2G Racing behind the wheel of the No. 47 truck.
  • Gould’s Nashville Stats: Phil Gould is the defending, winning crew chief in the Truck Series race at Nashville. Last year, Gould guided Carson Hocevar to victory lane for the No. 42 team’s second race win of the season. Gould has made a total of three starts here, recording two top-five finishes with Hocevar.
  • On the Truck: Honeycutt’s No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from AutoVentive and Precision Vehicle Logistics. Having primarily sponsored the team’s No. 41 entry driven by Bayley Currey, the partners will make their debut on the No. 45 truck in Friday’s Rackley Roofing 200.
  • Recapping Gateway: Connor Mosack and the No. 45 team had high hopes for a solid run in Gateway, but sustained damage early on. Mosack qualified 18th, but had to make repairs in stage one, dropping to 25th. They went on to finish 26th in stage two, but the damage proved to be too heavy to enable him to move up the running order. Mosack would walk away with a 22nd-place result in his second start with Niece Motorsports.
  • Points Rundown: Despite only running a part-time schedule, Kaden Honeycutt’s impressive results have kept him relatively high up in the points standings. Honeycutt enters Nashville scored in 22nd, 15 points behind Timmy Hill in 21st.
  • Owner Points Outlook: The No. 45 team is amidst a heated battle for a Playoffs bid in the owner points standings. The team, currently shown in seventh position, has had four drivers in its rotation this year, highlighted by a Darlington win delivered by Ross Chastain. Only three points behind TRICON Garage’s No. 17 team, the No. 45 has a 36 point buffer to the Playoffs cutline.
  • Sim to Reality: Tonight, Honeycutt will compete in round 11 of the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series held at the virtual Nashville Superspeedway. Driving the No. 8 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports’ eSports team, Kaden is currently eighth in the series standings. The race will be shown live on eNASCAR.com/live at 8:00 PM ET.
  • Double Duty Weekend: Following the Truck Series race, Honeycutt will travel east to compete in the Thunder Road Harley Davidson 200 at South Boston Speedway on Saturday. The Late Model Stock race is the first leg of the prestigious “Virginia Triple Crown” with the NASCAR Advanced Auto Parts Weekly Series, and can be seen live on FloRacing at 7:00 PM ET.
  • Quoting Honeycutt: How high is your confidence heading into Nashville after having two strong runs on intermediate tracks?

“I feel really confident going to Nashville, especially after the last two mile-and-a-half tracks that we ran. We’re bringing the same truck that we had at Kansas and Charlotte, so I know we’ll be really fast, but it’s all about executing. We’ve got to be fast on and off pit road, as well as myself on the racetrack in qualifying well. It’s up to me to figure out how to win the race and bring home back-to-back wins for Niece Motorsports after they won with Carson last year. Now, it’s our turn as a company to try and back it up this year. Thanks to AutoVentive and Precision for jumping on board, and for all they do for our team as a whole. We’ll go out and represent them well and try to get them a win!”

  • Quoting Gould: Last year, your team showed a ton of speed here. Do you think Kaden should be able to adapt quickly to the truck having not raced here in two years?

“For sure, I feel like he should adapt really well here. The places that Kaden has been fast at this year are some of the same tracks that Carson (Hocevar) was fast at last year, so I think Nashville will be no different. Looking at what he’s been able to do on the simulator showed the pace he has, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

About AutoVentive: AutoVentive is an industry-leading Software as a Service (SaaS) applications developer providing customized solutions to the automotive logistics industry. The company is part of Liberty Hill Equity Partners, LLC, a Cincinnati-based private equity firm.

About Precision Vehicle Logistics: Precision Vehicle Logistics is a customer-focused group of professionals committed to service excellence in finished vehicle logistics. Precision offers a unique combination of talented experience, industry-leading software and systems, and a network of partners and resources to deliver customized solutions to the world’s leading automakers.

About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2024, Niece Motorsports enters its ninth season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as X @NieceMotorsport.

Rush Truck Centers to Sponsor Clint Bowyer, Spire Motorsports at Nashville Superspeedway

By
Official Release
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MOORESVILLE, N.C. (June 25, 2024) – A familiar face will be paired with a familiar partner when the NASCAR CRAFSTMAN Truck Series (NCTS) returns to Nashville Superspeedway for the Rackley Roofing 200.

Rush Truck Centers, the nation’s largest provider of premium products and services for the commercial vehicle market, will serve as the primary sponsor aboard Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado when Clint Bowyer returns to the driver’s seat in a NASCAR-sanctioned event for the first time since the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season finale.

“I’ve had some great sponsors over the years, and I’m thankful for all of them, but I take a very special pride in my connection to Rush Truck Centers and couldn’t be prouder that they’ve decided to come on board for this race,” said Bowyer. “When we first announced that I was going to drive for Spire Motorsports at Nashville and be working with (crew chief) Brian Pattie, we talked about getting the band back together, so to speak. Well, to have Rush Truck Centers sponsor the truck is kind of the trifecta. I’m pretty excited about how all this is coming together.”

Bowyer will reconnect with crew chief Brian Pattie who guided the 44-year-old’s NCS efforts from 2012-2015. Pattie led the affable racer to three wins in 2012 and ultimately a runner-up finish in the NCS championship point standings when the potent duo was paired together at Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR).

In addition to replicating the traditional Rush Truck Centers livery the Emporia Kan., native raced during his final season on NASAR’s senior circuit, Bowyer’s No. 7 entry will also showcase a special sweepstakes benefitting Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP).

In March, Rush Truck Centers announced a sweepstakes for a chance to win the final Peterbilt Model 389X ever built, and the only 2025 model year ever produced. Eligible participants are encouraged to visit winthelast389.com for details and to make a contribution to WWP and be automatically entered to win.

The Model 389X embodies the history of trucking with its traditional styling and stunning display of chrome and class. This one-of-a-kind Peterbilt Model 389X has been customized to match the paint scheme of the 1965 Peterbilt Model 358 proudly displayed at Rush Truck Centers’ headquarters which commemorates the year the company was founded.

“This is probably the coolest sweepstakes I’ve ever seen,” added Bowyer. “That model Peterbilt is a piece of Americana. There’s no telling how many truckers made a living behind the wheel of a Pete 389 and how much freight those trucks have pulled up and down the road. For someone to be able to win that truck – the last one ever built and the only 2025 – is absolutely incredible. It’s a priceless truck. Literally, one of a kind. Rush stepped up in a big way to help an organization that does very important work providing free, life-changing programs and services for America’s heroes and their families. I’m really proud to help promote such a worthy initiative.”

Nashville Superspeedway marks the site of Bowyer’s second-career NASCAR Xfinity Series start, where he tallied nine total races from 2004 – 2008. He has one win over those nine starts at the 1.33-mile oval and parlayed those efforts into an uber-impressive 2.8 average finish, competing on NASCAR’s junior circuit.

In 14 NCTS starts from 2006 – 2016, Bowyer recorded two pole positions, three wins, nine top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. While he hasn’t competed in a NASCAR sanctioned event since dropping the window net for the final time in November 2020, Bowyer made three Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) starts last season and was a threat for the win in each outing.

After 12 races, the No. 7 team sits fifth in the 2024 NCTS owner point standings after posting two wins, five top-five and eight top-10 finishes. Kyle Busch earned both the teams 2024 wins by collecting the checkered flag at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. In the series most recent stop at World Wide Technology Raceway, Andres Perez started 16th and finished ninth.

“Clint has big shoes to fill, but we’re pretty sure he’s up to the task,” quipped Pattie. “He’s been to the shop a couple times and he’s the same as he ever was. We never skipped a beat. We know he’s up for the job and Clint is always up for a good time, so we’re looking forward to Friday night. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

The Rackley Roofing 200 from Nashville Superspeedway will be televised live on FS2 Friday, June 28, beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 13th of 23 NCTS races on the 2024 schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

*No donation required to enter or win. See winthelast389.com for details and complete rules.

About Rush Truck Centers …
Rush Enterprises, Inc. is the premier solutions provider to the commercial vehicle industry. The Company owns and operates Rush Truck Centers, the largest network of commercial vehicle dealerships in North America, with more than 150 locations in 22 states and Ontario, Canada. These vehicle centers, strategically located in high traffic areas on or near major highways, represent truck and bus manufacturers, including Peterbilt, International, Hino, Isuzu, Ford, IC Bus and Blue Bird. They offer an integrated approach to meeting customer needs — from sales of new and used vehicles to aftermarket parts, service and body shop operations plus financing, insurance, leasing and rental. Rush Enterprises’ operations also provide CNG fuel systems, telematics products and other vehicle technologies, as well as vehicle up-fitting, chrome accessories and tires. For more information, please visit rushtruckcenters.com and rushenterprises.com, on X @rushtruckcenter and Facebook.com/rushtruckcenters.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports is a NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race team co-owned by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2024, Spire Motorsports will campaign the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Corey LaJoie, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively. The team will also field the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth will drive the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Chevrolets in the No. 77.

Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on April 12, 2024, when Kyle Busch took the checkered flag in the SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Built By Legends Unveils Reimagined 650-HP R34 Skyline GT-R Designed to Conquer The Midnight Run

By
Official Release
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BUILT BY LEGENDS INTRODUCES RAZOR SHARP REIMAGINED 650-HP R34 SKYLINE GT-R MADE FOR CONQUERING THE MIDNIGHT RUN
Now Available in the U.S., the Built By Legends R34 Presents the Pinnacle of Japanese Automotive Design Brilliantly Engineered for Modern-Day Driving

New for 2024, Built By Legends introduces a razor sharp reimagining of the classic GT-R: modernizing performance while retaining the Japanese sports car’s iconic design and neo-classic driving experience. Now available in the U.S. market for the first time after the expiration of the Imported Vehicle Safety Compliance Act, the Built By Legends R34 GT-R is the classic Skyline that enthusiasts have waited decades to drive; a spectacular urban street fighter prized for its nimble handling, perfectly balanced power, and lightweight engineering. Unavailable in the United States marketplace upon its debut in 1999, enthusiasts now finally have the chance to acquire the Built By Legends R34 GT-R and unequivocally experience one of the world’s finest cars.

“When we first started the company, Built By Legends wanted to bridge the gap between Japan and the rest of the world in some unique way. With our team’s shared passion for the automotive industry, we recognized an opportunity with the Skyline in particular. With the vintage Skyline now becoming legal in North America, the timing was perfect. Built By Legends also noticed that a significant number of GT-R cars are regularly exported from Japan to places all over the world, but many of them are in poor condition. Since proper restoration services are not available in many countries, Built By Legends is able to fill that void by offering enthusiasts the very best classic Skyline GT-R with everything modernized underneath,” comments Built By Legends CEO & Co-Founder Masaharu Kuji. “Our goal is to bring out the true potential of the GT-R as a driver’s car and to deliver a world-class driving experience. Our new Built By Legends R34 GT-R represents our relentless commitment to excellence.”

Firmly established in pop culture with numerous movie and video game appearances, eighties and nineties era Skylines remain the most sought after JDM car ever created. Tuning has long been a key element of the Skyline appeal and each Built By Legends R34 GT-R features a powerful 650-hp MINE’S MB7 engine (65 kgf-m/8,000 RPM limit) built on a 24U N1 engine block mated to a 6-speed Getrag heavy duty six-speed transmission. This perfectly balanced powertrain is controlled by the MINE’S VX-ROM ECU system that operates alongside a MINE’S Carbon Air Intake Duct and Fuel Delivery pipe, as well as R35-transplanted Airflow Meter and Injectors. Design meets performance in the engine room where Built By Legends brings color, material finish, and machined details to the engine cover, service touch points, and MINE’S Titanium Tower Bar.

The process to upfit each donor R34 is exacting and thorough. Built By Legends works in partnership with respected Japanese Skyline specialist Garage Yoshida on each build. Yoshida san’s first step is carefully measuring each donor vehicle’s frame and chassis (a 108 point 3D alignment test that exceeds all of Nissan’s exacting production tolerances) and reenforcing the backbone of the car. Donor cars receive replacement Garage Yoshida Strut Panels, Cowl Top Brace, and OEM Hood Ridge Panels. This proprietary modification reduces chassis movement and allows the suspension to come alive.

Each Built By Legends R34 GT-R receives a complete chassis restoration, starting with detailed media blasting to bare metal and followed by individually powder coating more than 150 parts. Each donor chassis is then treated to a full wet blasting, by dry ice treatment, anti-rust epoxy spray coat, a 2 component urethane coat, and full sealant before being treated with two-tone chassis paint of the clients choice — the chassis of this car being finished in the company’s Signature BBL Navy and the body in Shiranami White Pearl color. Built By Legends brings the exterior color into the engine room – highlighting the design and attention to detail of the engine.

For customers who are seeking the ultimate in long term chassis protection, Built By Legends offers an optional chemical chassis dip followed by cationic electrodeposition coating.

To further strengthen and stiffen the R34 Skyline chassis, Built By Legends builds a comprehensive 400 point spot welding program throughout the car across the front and rear window door openings and quarter glass. The company also completely refreshes each suspension component, replacing all bushing and bearings for every car. Front and rear suspension for the vehicle is then upgraded to a set of Aragosta suspensions selected by MINE’S, integrating a high-performance Type S sport suspension. This Built By Legends R34 GT-R features a race-ready front and rear braking system from AP Racing, highlighted by 6 pot calipers with RDD 356 mm rotors in the front and 4 Pot Caliper RDD 356 mm rotors in the rear.

Built By Legends blends light weighting, aerodynamic performance and design detailing with their dry carbon 1-piece front bumper and bonnet that are sculpted to enhance airflow into the engine room and evoque period racing modifications. Nowhere is Built By Legends attention to detail more evident than in their hollow carbon hood prop. Built By Legends collaborates with MINE’S to produce a range of dry carbon aero components: a Chin Spoiler that integrates with the front bumper, a Rear Spoiler with integrated trunk mount, a Rear Diffuser with vertical fins, and MINE’S signature Aero Mirrors. To signify the depth of their collaboration with MINE’S, Built By Legends includes a handmade, titanium, MINE’S emblem on the R34’s trunk lid and interior emblems on the dashboard.

Auditory sense of occasion comes from the aggressive, growling engine note that surrounds the car, courtesy of a MINE’S Silence VX-Pro Titan III with Cerakote, a MINE’S Front Pipe Pro Titan, and Super Outlet Pro II turbine outlet. Inside the Built By Legends R34 GT-R, the cockpit crisply and concisely presents the original seats, restored in black with matching black stitching Fuji Ultrasuede fabric (a partnership with Toray Textiles). Roof liner, dashboard, and interior panels are also completed in matching black Fuji Ultrasuede with black carpet and floor mats. The rear speakers for the audio are deleted and concealed for a cleaner cabin presence.

Built By Legends installed Daiko rubber roof and floor sound and heat reduction sheets throughout the cabin, co-developed by Garage Yoshida, for added comfort and an improved driving experience. High performance touches abound throughout the cockpit of the Skyline such as a MINE’S D-Shape steering wheel finished in Nappa leather and Alcantara alongside matching handbrake and aluminum racing pedals. The meter and dials utilize MINE’S special 320km system. Every element of the interior is crafted to contribute to driver comfort and engagement, subtly improving the factory design in numerous small ways that contribute to a feeling of performance and confidence. Built By Legends’ mission is to create the ultimate street car for everyday driving so the car is not fitted with a roll cage – a modification that would relegate it strictly to track use.

To make sure each Skyline immediately makes an impression driving day or night, paint quality is truly world class, standing out immediately. The first Built By Legends R34 Skyline features the signature Navy underbody color, offset by 4-layer Shiranami White Pearl details that can be seen throughout, delivering an incredible presence for the car in-person. A special optional Ghost Stripe can be specified by the commissioning owner. Stunning period correct custom Rays 21A 10.5J x 18 wheels wear high-performance Bridgestone Potenza 71RS tires in 265/35R18 fitment.

“We feel that it is vitally important to preserve the integrity of the GT-R while also supplying the modern upgrades necessary for enjoying driving in modern conditions. When we first developed the idea for Built By Legends, we were driven by one simple question: What kind of GT-R would we all want to drive now, if we were to ever build one? That was the start of our journey creating Built By Legends,” continues Kuji. “In working with the best Japanese automotive designers and engineers, we can confidently say that Built By Legends made the finest reimagined Skyline available in the world today.”

From full bare chassis restoration to minor rusted panel replacements, Built By Legends offers a full range of service options tailored to meet a wide array of customer requests, including completely unmodified restorations. Clients are also able to choose between retaining the vehicle’s original look by incorporating as many OEM components as possible, or implementing performance upgrades throughout for a decidedly modern driving experience.

For the R34, commission prices start at $450,000 for build and restoration (price does not include the donor Skyline, which Built By Legends can source for clients). Built By Legends commissions take less than 12 months to complete, with shipment available anywhere in the world.

For more information on Built By Legends and the company’s restomod of the R34 Skyline GT-R, please visit www.builtbylegends.jp.

RFK Advance | Nashville

By
Official Release
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Nashville Event Info:
Date: Sunday, June 30
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Lebanon, Tennessee
Format: 300 Laps, 399 Miles, Stages: 90-95-115
TV: NBC
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 1:05 p.m. ET, Practice (USA, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 1:50 p.m. ET, Qualifying (USA, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 3:30 p.m. ET, Race (NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

  • Nashville Superspeedway – the 1.33-mile tri-oval – hosts its fourth Cup race this weekend as race No. 19 in the 2024 slate.
  • Jack Roush won six times in the Xfinity Series at Nashville, and Brad Keselowski has a pair of wins at NSS himself in the NXS.
  • Through the halfway point in the 2024 season, Keselowski leads the series in second-place finishes (3), and is tied with the No. 5 and No. 24 with six finishes of third or better.

6 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Matt McCall
Partner: Consumer Cellular

17 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: BuildSubmarines.com

Keselowski at Nashville
Starts: 3
Wins: —
Top-10s: —
Poles: —

  • Keselowski makes his fourth start at Nashville this weekend. He’s coming off his best finish there a year ago (P11).
  • He has 12 additional starts otherwise at the 1.333-mile track and is a former winner in the Xfinity Series. He went to victory lane twice in Nashville – once in 2008 and again in 2010 – with seven overall top-10 finishes and an average result of 10.9.
  • Outside of the pair of wins, Keselowski also has finishes of fourth (2008), third (2009), second (2009), fifth (2010) and third (2011).

Buescher at Nashville
Starts: 3
Wins: —
Top-10s: —
Poles: —

  • Buescher makes his fourth start at NSS this weekend. He finished 18th a season ago after starting 12th, his best finish there to date.
  • He’s qualified top-17 or better in each of the three Cup races dating back to 2021, carrying a 14.7 average starting position into the weekend.

RFK Historically at Nashville
Cup Wins: —

  • Roush Responsible for Marquee Wins at Nashville: NASCAR’s initial tenure at Nashville lasted around a decade, and Jack Roush not only opened but closed out the run the Xfinity Series had there with victories. In the very first NXS race back in 2001, Greg Biffle led 133 of the 225 laps to capture one of his five series wins that season. Carl Edwards, responsible for five NXS wins at Nashville Superspeedway, won the very last NASCAR Xfinity race there, leading 124 of the 225 laps in July of 2011.
  • Cousin Carl Dominates in Music City: Edwards dominated in his 13 starts at Nashville, finishing top-10 in all but once race, and top five in all but two. He averaged a finish of 3.5 with five overall wins, including three-straight from 2006-07, and the final two in 2011. Driving the No. 60 entry in all 13 events, Edwards led a combined 247 laps in the first three wins, then went on to lead a combined 272 laps in the 2011 races, which stands as the last time NASCAR visited the facility.
  • Tale of the Tape: Overall at Nashville SS, 15 different drivers have driven for Jack Roush at the 1.33-mile track. RFK has 28 top-10s in 52 starts, 17 of which were inside the top five.

RFK Nashville Wins

2001 Biffle

2006 Edwards

2007 Edwards

2011 Edwards

2011 Edwards

2007 Edwards

Last Time Out & Where They Stand
Loudon: Buescher earned his fourth top five of the season in a rain-filled Sunday at New Hampshire, driving to a fifth-place result. Keselowski finished 28th.

Points Standings (6: 10th, 17: 13th): Keselowski sits now 10th in points while Buescher is comfortably in 13th.

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