Author: Official Release

  • NTT INDYCAR SERIES points leader Alex Palou aims for historic third Portland win at BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland on Sunday

    NTT INDYCAR SERIES points leader Alex Palou aims for historic third Portland win at BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland on Sunday

    Palou to sign autographs from 4-4:45 p.m. PT at kickoff party tomorrow at 10 Barrel Brewing Co.

    PORTLAND, Ore. (Aug. 21, 2024) – Alex Palou is chasing history and another NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship as the series heads to Portland International Raceway (PIR) this weekend, Aug. 23-25, for the BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver aims to win at PIR for second consecutive year and become the third ever three-time Portland INDYCAR winner, joining Al Unser Jr. and Michael Andretti, at the 30th running of the event on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. PT.

    Palou is also closing in on his third NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship in four years. The 27-year-old pilot leads the INDYCAR championship by 59 points with three races to go in the 2024 campaign. He has been dominant at PIR, winning two of the past three INDYCAR rounds at the 12-turn, 1.964-mile road course. Palou clinched the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship with a convincing win in Portland last September.

    “I think it’s more of a shock if we see a champion repeating than if we don’t see him repeating,” Palou told NBCSports.com. “I think that the opportunity I have in front of me, it’s great… I don’t really feel the pressure of trying to defend a title because every time we step on the track, we need to win. Even if you are a champ or you’re not, you need to win.”

    Palou (443 points) carries a substantial lead over a talented group of drivers including Andretti Global w/ Curb-Agajanian pilot Colton Herta (384 points), Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon (378 points) and Team Penske’s Will Power (377 points) in the INDYCAR standings. Both Dixon and Power are multi-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champions, and Power won the Portland race in 2019.

    Palou will help jump start the race weekend festivities by appearing at the BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland Kickoff Party on Thursday, Aug. 22 at 10 Barrel Brewing Co. (1411 NW Flanders St, Portland, OR 97209). The party will run from 4-7:30 p.m. PT with the Portland sports talk radio show “Primetime with Isaac & Suke” from 1080 AM The Fan broadcasting live on site until 7 p.m. PT. Palou, INDY NXT by Firestone driver and Portland native Josh Pierson, plus additional support series drivers will be in attendance at select times to sign autographs and mingle with fans.

    Drivers from the four open-wheel development series that feed into the NTT INDYCAR SERIES will also be battling for championships at PIR this weekend. With three races left, INDY NXT by Firestone points leader Louis Foster has an opportunity to clinch the series championship as he brings a 91-point lead to Portland. Additionally, champions will be crowned and scholarship funds awarded as all three USF Pro Championship Presented by Continental Tire (USF Pro 2000, USF2000 and USF Juniors) conclude their seasons with multiple races across the weekend.

    Ticket prices start as low as $25 for Single Day General Admission and $70 for Single Day Grandstand seats. Three-day tickets remain available for purchase and offer the best fan value. General Admission for the entire weekend is just $75, and a 3-Day Grandstand reserved seat starts at $85 which includes gate admission.

    Children 12 and under receive free general admission to the event. This also includes complimentary access to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Paddock throughout the weekend when accompanied by a ticketed adult. To enhance their experience further, the youngest fans can participate in the BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland Rookie Racers. This immersive program, offering unique experiences throughout the race weekend, is on sale at raceportland.com for $25.

    For all ticket pricing, grandstand locations and additional festival information, visit raceportland.com. Stay up to speed on the BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland on social media by following #PortlandGP.

    About BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland:

    Portland International Raceway (PIR) is the home of the BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland. PIR is a 1.964-mile, 12-turn permanent road course owned by the City of Portland and operated under Portland Parks & Recreation. Opened in 1960 to host sports car and drag racing, the 268-acre property hosts over 550 events annually including automotive and motorcycle road racing, motocross, cruise-ins and other special events including the Rose Cup Races. PIR has been the site of many memorable INDYCAR races. Al Unser Jr. won the inaugural Portland race in 1984, and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES returned in 2018 after an 11-year absence with 2017 and 2020 Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato taking the checkered flag. The Father’s Day race of 1986 featured Mario Andretti passing his son Michael on the last lap and winning by 0.070 of a second. The closest three-way road racing finish in INDYCAR SERIES history took place at PIR in 1997 when the top three were covered by just 0.055 of a second. In 2023, Alex Palou clinched the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship with a win in Portland. The BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland is owned and operated by Green Savoree Portland, LLC, which also promotes NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Pacific Office Automation 147 event at PIR (May 31-June 1, 2024) and whose affiliates own and operate 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 Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto (July 19-21, 2024).

    For more information, visit RacePortland.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page @PortlandGP or follow updates on X @Race_Portland and Instagram at @Race_Portland using #PortlandGP.

  • Rush Truck Centers Racing: Noah Gragson Daytona Advance

    Rush Truck Centers Racing: Noah Gragson Daytona Advance

    NOAH GRAGSON
    Daytona Advance
    No. 10 Rush Truck Centers Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    Event Overview

    ● Event: Coke Zero Sugar 400 (Round 25 of 36)
    ● Time/Date: 7:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday, Aug. 24
    ● Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway
    ● Layout: 2.5-mile oval
    ● Laps/Miles: 160 laps / 400 miles
    ● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 35 laps / Stage 2: 60 laps / Final Stage: 65 laps
    ● TV/Radio: NBC / MRN Radio / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    Notes of Interest

    ● Noah Gragson brings his quiet consistency to Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway this weekend for the Coke Zero Sugar 400. The 25-year-old Las Vegas native has finished among the top-20 in five of the last six NASCAR Cup Series races, the most recent of which was a 12th-place drive last Sunday at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.

    ● Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 gives Gragson the opportunity to extend another streak. In the two superspeedway races held this year – the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 19 and the GEICO 500 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on April 21 – Gragson has finished ninth and third, respectively. He is one of just three drivers who have scored top-10 finishes at both Daytona and Talladega this year, with the others being William Byron (first at Daytona and seventh at Talladega) and Alex Bowman (second at Daytona and fifth at Talladega.)

    ● The Coke Zero Sugar 400 will mark Gragson’s fifth NASCAR Cup Series start at Daytona. The driver of the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing earned his best result at the high-banked, 2.5-mile oval when he finished fifth in the 2022 Coke Zero Sugar 400. It was Gragson’s first top-five and it came in just his 11th career Cup Series start.

    ● Gragson earned his second career top-five in April at Talladega, the 2.66-mile oval that is a sister track to Daytona. His third-place finish was the best of his still young NASCAR Cup Series career, as it came in just his 49th start.

    ● Gragson has made 12 starts at Daytona outside of the NASCAR Cup Series. He has eight NASCAR Xfinity Series starts and two apiece in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series.

    ● Gragson’s first career NASCAR Xfinity Series win came at Daytona in the 2020 season opener. He started 12th and led twice for 15 laps, including the final two, to take the victory over Harrison Burton. Gragson also owns four other Xfinity Series finishes of 15th or better at Daytona, including a third-place drive in the 2022 season opener and a seventh-place finish in August 2021.

    ● In two career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts at Daytona, Gragson got a taste of Daytona’s fickle nature. He completed just one lap in the 2017 season opener before getting taken out in an accident. He then made only 79 of the race’s 200 laps in the 2018 season opener when another multi-vehicle accident ended his day.

    ● Seventh is Gragson’s best ARCA Menards Series result at Daytona, earned in the 2018 season opener.

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

    Noah Gragson, Driver of the No. 10 Rush Truck Centers Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    Ninth in the Daytona 500. A career-best third in April at Talladega. What are your expectations for your return to Daytona this weekend, and can you keep the momentum going at these big, drafting-style racetracks?

    “I’m definitely excited to get back to a superspeedway. I had my best finish of third at Talladega this year. I really like drafting and I like superspeedways. It is somewhat of a crapshoot, but everybody’s got equal speed in their cars and you can really control your own destiny on how you choose your lanes and what lines you go with. You definitely hold a lot more weight behind the wheel on your decision-making throughout the weekend. There’s a lot of skill involved with superspeedway racing, so I’m excited for Daytona.”

    What’s been the secret to your performance this year at Daytona and Talladega?

    “I think just being smart and being patient. You definitely want to be aggressive and get to the front. I always want to get to the front at a superspeedway and be able to control the lines and be up in that front row leading the line or being second. But if I can’t get there, because sometimes it’s like a roadblock out there and you just can’t physically get to the front, I’ll just cruise around in the back and wait for them to wreck. It depends on what part of the race it is, but definitely starting that third stage, I want to be able to get track position. I want to have that track position at the start. And if we are in the back, I want to get up to the front as soon as I can because I know the intensity of the race ramps up as those stages and the race come to a close. Being able to get to the front early in the stage is definitely important to me as a driver. Those are the tendencies I look for.”

    Describe the intensity of racing at Daytona, especially with it being the second-to-last race of the regular season where, for many, it’s the last chance to earn a playoff berth.

    “The Daytona 500 is obviously a big race and people want to win that probably more than any other race, so they’re willing to make risky moves. But right before the end of the regular season, coming close to that cutoff line, guys are more likely to be more aggressive, too. It’s going to be exciting, and it’s going to be crazy under the lights. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

    What’s the patience level of drivers who are racing at Daytona in August compared to the Daytona 500 in February when there’s still an entire season ahead of everyone?

    “I think you can look at it two ways. When we’re starting the Daytona 500, if I wreck, I still have 35 opportunities to win a race. But for me, personally, when I go to the Daytona 500, I want to roll across the start-finish line and have a good day, start the season out with points, go into the second race of the year in a good qualifying group and in a good order. When you start toward the back, there’s a lot that’s involved with that. And I also think that’s the flipside of the Daytona race in August, as well. Do I want to be super aggressive and go for the win, and if I wreck, I wreck? Is that the mindset to have? Or is it, ‘Hey we’re going to try to be patient and methodical and get to the end of this thing because you still might have a shot?’ There are two ways to look at it. I probably look at it the same on both of them. I want to be up front and be aggressive to get up there, but if I don’t feel comfortable in the pack of cars I’m in, or if I’m in the middle of the pack, it seems like it’s easy to get swept up in the chaos. I think guys will be aggressive. I certainly try to be as aggressive as I can, but I also try to be as patient and as smart as I can be.”

    Does blocking remain the necessary evil it’s seemingly always been when it comes to superspeedway racing?

    “I think there’s always blocking, especially if you’re leading the line. But it’s harder to punch through the air and get to a guy’s back bumper. As the lead car, you’re almost lifting off the corner to get the guy attached behind you and have him pushing you when you get to the flat down the back straightaway. Off of turn four, you kind of lift out of the gas so he can get locked up with you so he can push you down the straight straightaways. If you get too far of a lead and the cars in second and third are hooked up, they’re coming with a massive run, so yeah, you’re blocking. But it’s not like it used to be maybe three or four years ago where you’d see those guys get massive runs and hit the leader and the leader will go to block them. The runs don’t come as fast in this NextGen car, so blocking is definitely a lot easier to stall out the momentum of the guy behind you.”

    When you finish the second stage at Daytona, is there a sense of accomplishment because you’ve avoided the Big One to that point?

    “You don’t really get that sense until you cross the start-finish line when the checkered flag is waving at the end of the race. You could start the third stage and be wiped out on a restart, or something else happens, like you make a bad move. There’s no sense of accomplishment until you cross the start-finish line under your own power. You want to stay out of the mess. Anything can happen on any given lap.”

    On the last lap of a race at Daytona, how smart do you need to be and how lucky do you need to be, as it seems those last 2.5 miles are the most treacherous part of the race?

    “You’re spending the whole race trying to see what your car’s tendencies are, where they’re better and where they’re weak. You’re trying to figure out where you’re getting big runs and where guys around you are getting runs on you. You’re setting up a plan the whole race to where, if you’re in that position to be leading the race, or running second or wherever you’re running, you’re setting up a plan and you’re gathering information throughout the whole race. So you definitely have to be very, very focused and aware of your surroundings, and be in rhythm and in sync with your spotter to be able to paint a good picture. Your spotter has to paint a good picture so you can make the right moves. They always ask, ‘What’s the best position to be in coming to the white flag? Do you want to be second or do you want to be leading?’ I’d like to be leading. I feel like I can control a lot more, but it’s a different situation every single race. You just try to learn in every single race on what’s going on, and if you get put in that situation again, you’ll be ready for it.”

    No. 10 Rush Truck Centers 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

  • TEAM CHEVY NASCAR RACE ADVANCE: Daytona International Speedway / Milwaukee Mile

    TEAM CHEVY NASCAR RACE ADVANCE: Daytona International Speedway / Milwaukee Mile

    TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
    Daytona International Speedway / The Milwaukee Mile
    August 23-25, 2024

    A tripleheader weekend will see NASCAR’s three national touring series split between two different venues. The NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) will venture south to the “World Center of Racing” of Daytona International Speedway, where Chevrolet returns as the defending winners in each division following a sweep of the sport’s season-opening weekend. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) will begin its seven-race stretch to the championship this weekend, with the Milwaukee Mile Speedway set to host the series’ playoff opener.

    RELIVING A MILESTONE

    The season-opening weekend at Daytona International Speedway saw Chevrolet added yet another monumental feat towards its already successful legacy at the “World Center of Racing”. Rev Racing’s Nick Sanchez took the checkered flag in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for the first time in his young career, while also delivering Chevrolet its milestone 100th all-time points-paying victory in the NASCAR national ranks at Daytona.

    The monumental victory was celebrated by two more trips to victory lane for the Bowtie brand that weekend, with Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill taking the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ season-opener and Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron claiming his first crown jewel with a victory in the Daytona 500. Chevrolet also set another record that weekend, with the Bowtie brand becoming the only manufacturer in NASCAR history to sweep the wins across all three NASCAR national series in a season-opening weekend more than once – also accomplishing the feat in 2018.

    Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona International Speedway:

    Racing on the beaches of Daytona transitioned to Daytona International Speedway in 1959, with the 2.5-mile superspeedway hosting the inaugural Daytona 500. 65 years later, the track deemed the “World Center of Racing” has hosted a remarkable 154 points-paying events for NASCAR’s top division. Team Chevy’s William Byron is the series’ most recent winner at the Florida superspeedway with his Daytona 500 victory – marking Chevrolet’s 51st all-time NCS victory at the track.

    NASCAR’s first summer race at Daytona also came in 1959, where the event quickly became a July Fourth tradition for many years. In 2020, the staple summer event transitioned to an August date, with this weekend’s 400-mile event marking the series’ penultimate race of its regular season. Chevrolet has collected a series-leading 22 victories in the series’ summer race at the track, with the most recent of those triumphs coming in 2022 when Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet team scored a walk-off win to claim the final playoff position that season. Among the list of active drivers to have a NCS win at Daytona includes four from the Chevrolet camp – each of which have a victory in the summer race: William Byron (two wins; Aug. 2020 and Feb. 2024), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (two wins; July 2017 & Feb. 2023), Austin Dillon (two wins: Feb. 2018 and Aug. 2022) and Kyle Busch (one win; July 2008).

    STACKING SUPERSPEEDWAY STATS

    Throughout NASCAR’s Next Gen era, superspeedway-style racing has proven to be strong suit for the Bowtie brigade. With his victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway earlier this season, Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez became the seventh different Team Chevy driver to park the Next Gen Camaro ZL1 in victory lane at a superspeedway-style track. The triumph marked Chevrolet’s 10th victory in 15 superspeedway-style races during NASCAR’s Next Gen era. Among those victories, Chevrolet earned no worse than four top-10 finishes in each event – including a manufacturer-leading six top-10s on three different occasions (Atlanta – March 2022; Talladega – April 2022; Atlanta – July 2023) and five top-10s twice (Atlanta – July 2022; Daytona – Feb. 2023).

    CHASTAIN ENTERS PLAYOFF PICTURE WITH TWO-TO-GO

    Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain will head to his home state narrowly inside the playoff bubble, with the Team Chevy driver sitting at a one-point advantage on the cutline over Bubba Wallace. With two races remaining to clinch a playoff berth, Chastain heads to a pair of tracks that have a strong potential to be the site of his first victory of the 2024 season.

    Chastain and the No. 1 Chevrolet team proved to be a top contender in the series’ last outing at Daytona International Speedway. The 31-year-old Alva, Florida, native was sitting at the top of the scoring pylon for the final restart, but a bold move for a potential Daytona 500 race-winning pass fell short, leaving the Team Chevy driver with a 21st-place result. During his tenure at Trackhouse Racing, Chastain has earned two top-10 results at the 2.5-mile Florida superspeedway – each coming in the Daytona 500 (10th – Feb. 2022; ninth – Feb. 2023).

    In 10 career NCS starts at Darlington Raceway, Chastain has tallied two top-five finishes, including a fifth-place result one year ago in the Sept. 2023 event. Despite still looking for his first NCS win at the “Lady in Black”, Chastain was able to notch a victory in NASCAR’s most recent appearance at the track – coming in the NCTS with Niece Motorsports (May 2024).

    ALLGAIER MAKING BIG GAINS IN REGULAR SEASON RUN

    A combination of pit strategy and the execution of an overtime shootout earned Justin Allgaier and the No. 7 JR Motorsports Camaro SS team a trip to victory lane at Michigan International Speedway last weekend. The victory marked Allgaier’s 25th career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory – a record that moved the veteran to 10th on the series’ all-time win list, passing his car owner and NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. Accompanying the win was a stellar points day for the 38-year-old Riverton, Illinois, native. Also earning points in each stage, Allgaier put together a 51-point day – cutting his deficit from the points lead to just 12 points heading into the weekend. The opportunity to takeover the points lead comes at a track that has fared well for the Team Chevy driver in recent years, with Allgaier returning as the defending winner in the series’ summer event (Aug. 2023).


    Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Daytona International Speedway:

    Since the NASCAR Xfinity Series made its debut at Daytona International Speedway in 1982, Chevrolet has recorded 47 wins in 65 NXS races at the track – giving the manufacturer a stellar winning percentage of 72.3 percent. Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill was the most recent driver to add to Chevrolet’s winning ways at the “World Center of Racing”, with his season-opener triumph marking the manufacturer’s sixth-straight NXS victory at the track. Dating back even further to the series’ summer event in July 2017, a victory by now NCS regular William Byron and JR Motorsports started a stretch of dominance at the track for the Bowtie brand, with the manufacturer collecting wins in 13 of the past 14 NXS races.

    NCTS CHAMPIONSHIP RUN BEGINS AT MILWAUKEE

    The 2024 playoffs begin for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this weekend, with Milwaukee Mile Speedway hosting the first of three stops in the Round of 10. Six drivers from four different Chevrolet organizations will vie for the championship title – marking the second consecutive season that at least half of the series’ playoff field comes from the Chevrolet camp.

    Leading the Bowtie brigade into the title run is the 2024 NCTS Regular Season Champion, Christian Eckes, who will enter Milwaukee ranked second in the playoff standings. The 23-year-old Middletown, New York, native has put together an already career season – collecting three wins, as well as a series-leading 10 top-fives and 15 top-10s in 16 races.

    Joining Eckes in postseason competition includes Rev Racing’s Nick Sanchez and Spire Motorsports’ Rajah Caruth, who also each became first-time winners in the series this season. Joining forces with CR7 Motorsports this season, series veteran Grant Enfinger put together a strong summer stretch to race his way into the playoffs for the sixth time in his career. McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Tyler Ankrum and Daniel Dye each pointed their way into title contention to round out the Team Chevy playoff field.

    Chevrolet in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at the Milwaukee Mile Speedway:

    One year ago, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series returned to the Milwaukee Mile Speedway after a nearly 15 year hiatus. Team Chevy’s Grant Enfinger put together a dominant performance in his No. 23 GMS Racing Silverado RST to put Chevrolet back into victory lane at the track – a win that came just four days following the announcement of GMS Racing’s final season. The victory marked Chevrolet’s sixth win in 16 NCTS races at the Milwaukee Mile Speedway.

    BOWTIE BULLETS:

    · In 11 tripleheader weekends this season, Chevrolet is the only manufacturer to earn a weekend sweep – accomplishing the feat three times (Daytona International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway).

    · With 62 races complete across NASCAR’s three national series this season, Chevrolet has earned a winning percentage of 51.6% with 32 victories (NASCAR Cup Series – 11 wins; NASCAR Xfinity Series – 12 wins; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – nine wins).

    · Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Daytona International Speedway:

    William Byron – two wins (Aug. 2020 & Feb. 2024)

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – two wins (July 2017 & Feb. 2023)

    Austin Dillon – two wins (Feb. 2018 & Aug. 2022)

    Kyle Busch – one win (July 2008)

    · In 154 NASCAR Cup Series races at Daytona International Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded 51 wins, with 22 of those victories coming in the series’ summer event at the track.

    · Nick Sanchez’s victory in the 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season-opener marked Chevrolet’s milestone 100th points-paying victory across all three NASCAR national series at Daytona International Speedway.

    · Chevrolet – the winningest manufacturer in NASCAR history at Daytona International Speedway – has recorded 102 all-time points paying victories across all three NASCAR national series at the “World Center of Racing”.

    · In 96 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 48 victories – a winning percentage of 50%.

    · Team Chevy’s Kyle Larson and William Byron are the only two drivers with a double-digit win record in the NASCAR Cup Series’ Next Gen era – each recording 11 victories since the vehicle’s competition debut in 2022.

    · With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 862 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.


    FOR THE FANS:

    • Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway, Chevrolet Injector and Chevrolet Experience Center at Daytona International Speedway.
    • Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles at each display location including:

    Chevrolet Racing Display in Fan Midway: Equinox RS, Silverado 2500HD ZR2 Bison Diesel, Silverado 1500 ZR2, Equinox EV 3RS, Tahoe High Country, Traverse Z71, Blazer RS, Colorado ZR2, Corvette Stingray.

    Chevrolet Injector: Silverado High Country, Tahoe RST, Blazer RS

    Chevrolet Experience Center: Corvette Z51, Traverse 2RS, Silverado ZR2, Silverado EV RST, Colorado ZR2.

    • Fans can also view William Byron’s No. 24 Camaro ZL1 show car at the Chevrolet Racing Display in the Fan Midway.

    Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:

    Friday, August 23

    · Sammy Smith: 1:45 p.m.

    · Justin Allgaier & Sam Mayer: 2:10 p.m.

    · William Byron: 4:00 p.m.

    · Parker Kligerman: 5:00 p.m.

    · Brandon Jones: 5:15 p.m.

    Saturday, August 24

    · Austin Dillon: 3:25 p.m.

    · Ross Chastain: 3:40 p.m.

    · Corey LaJoie: 3:55 p.m.

    · Kyle Busch: 4:10 p.m.

    · Alex Bowman: 4:30 p.m.

    · Kyle Larson: 5:00 p.m.

    Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:

    · Friday, August 23: 1 p.m. – 8 p.m.

    · Saturday, August 24: 1 p.m. – 8 p.m.

    Manufacturer Points Standings

    Chevrolet: 874
    Toyota: 861 (-13)
    Ford: 828 (-46)

    Manufacturer Points Standings

    Chevrolet: 785
    Toyota: 743 (-42)
    Ford: 675 (-110)

    Manufacturer Points Standings

    Chevrolet: 603
    Toyota: 561 (-42)
    Ford: 523 (-80)

    TUNE-IN:

    NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona

    Coke Zero Sugar 400

    Saturday, August 24, at 7:30 p.m. ET

    (NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

    NASCAR Xfinity Series at Daytona

    Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola

    Friday, August 23, at 7:30 p.m. ET

    (USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

    NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Milwaukee

    LiUNA! 175

    Sunday, August 25, at 4 p.m. ET

    (FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)


    QUOTABLE QUOTES:

    ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 WORLDWIDE EXPRESS CAMARO ZL1

    With your position in points, five of the last seven Daytona races have been won by drivers who had to win to secure a playoff spot. What are the opportunities or challenges going into Daytona needing to secure a playoff position?

    “A lot like the (Daytona) 500, where I’ve learned to just enjoy it for what it is. There’s just no way around it. If we leave Michigan and don’t have it secured, then it’s math. You just have to know that if you finish bad, you get less points, and if you finish good in the stages and the race, then you get more points. It’s just simple math.”

    What do you think of Daytona?

    “I have so many fond memories of going to the July Daytona race with my family. It’s obviously a different experience now that I go as a driver. I try and enjoy it though because we start the season there with the Daytona 500 and it’s always fun to start a new season. Then we go there in August in the playoffs and depending on where you are in points it can be stressful so I just try and enjoy it because so much is out of your control.”

    COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 CELSIUS CAMARO ZL1

    Daytona has always been a track where you excel and superspeedways are a sweet spot for you. After finishing fourth in this year’s Daytona 500, you must have been looking forward to this weekend since February.

    “We had a top-five performance at the Daytona 500, so I’m looking forward to returning and turning our luck around this weekend. Having Celsius on board makes it more special. Their support of my career highs and lows means the world to me.”

    KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 CHEDDAR’S SCRATCH KITCHEN CAMARO ZL1

    How do take the positive momentum from Michigan and manage these next two races?

    “That’s just it, just trying to get through these next two and keeping ourselves in position to win. Daytona is a crapshoot. You can be leading on the final lap and be in a heap before you get to the finish line. Darlington is the same way. You have to be in position there. It’s really narrow, really tough, really tight. Handling really comes into play a lot there. We just have to be on top of our game if we’re going to put ourselves in the playoffs.”

    How far of a step forward was the strong run at Michigan for RCR as a whole?

    “Michigan is how we expect to run and how we want to run. We want to run up front and have opportunities to excel. Good pit calls helped us to be able to do that and we made a couple good moves on the late restart that got us that. Overall, nothing can translate from Michigan to Daytona or Darlington setup-wise, vehicle dynamics, that sort of stuff. We have good momentum and we’re rolling in the right direction and just keep that going.”

    A lot can happen at Daytona but recently you have ran well and shown speed there.

    “Daytona has been good for us since I joined RCR. ECR has done a great job on our engines at Daytona. We were really quick there earlier this year and had a good shot to win the race. It comes down to restarts and what happens and what lane you take and how the lines accelerate out of the restart and get the momentum building. There are 36 guys that show up and walk through the gate and at least think that they have a shot to win so they’re going to go out and prove that they can. A lot of Hail Marys are thrown and sometimes a lot of wrecks happen. You’ve got to be in the right place at the right time and hope for the best.”

    DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 31 CIRKUL CAMARO ZL1

    “As the regular season winds down, there are twenty-plus guys outside the cutoff that feel like they have a shot. I feel like we have an equal shot and a chance to go there and do something pretty special. Our superspeedway program at Kaulig Racing has taken big leaps over the last couple months. Hopefully we can go down there and showcase that with our No. 31 Cirkul Chevy.”

    ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1

    Bowman on racing at Daytona International Speedway for a second time this year:

    “Going back to Daytona (International Speedway) certainly has a competitive feel this weekend. We were so close to a win there in February with a runner-up finish in the DAYTONA 500. Obviously, a win at such a challenging superspeedway like Daytona (International Speedway) would feel like a huge accomplishment- even a strong finish would build solid momentum going into the playoffs. Our Ally Racing team is ready to get back on track.”

    BLAKE HARRIS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1

    Harris on having two races left in the regular season and the team’s return to Daytona International Speedway:

    “With two points-paying races left in the regular season, I’m really looking forward to seeing if we can maybe get a couple stage wins and maybe knock off another win going into the playoffs. Alex and I have had some really good runs together there (Daytona International Speedway). Obviously getting so close to winning the (DAYTONA) 500 and coming in second to a teammate in February has it very top of minds for us to try and capitalize with a win this time.”

    ZANE SMITH, NO. 71 FOCUSED HEALTH CAMARO ZL1

    You’ve had plenty of speed over the last several weeks and now you’re headed to Daytona where, historically, you’ve run well. You finished in the top 10 at Michigan and now you’re headed to a track where you won twice. You must feel good about this weekend.

    “Michigan was a long weekend but coming home with a seventh-place finish makes it worth it. Daytona is a different beast. You never know what you are going to get out of it. I’ve won two truck races there, so it’s a place I like a lot and holds so many great memories. We have been on a huge momentum stretch ever since Nashville back in June so hoping to continue it and keep moving forward! Looking forward to an exciting weekend in Daytona.”

    CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 PREMIER SECURITY CAMARO ZL1

    There’s so much unpredictability at Daytona International Speedway, you learned that earlier this year. How does that change your mindset going into the weekend?

    “Anybody can win at Daytona, so we’re thinking why not us? I feel like at Daytona, anybody can achieve and be a hero, but at the same time anybody can be a zero. I think it’s going to help us that we don’t really have to be a team that is hunting for points, and we can just do our own thing and try to be there at the end. The only thing we can do to make a huge difference in our season is to win, and to do that we just need to be there at the end.”

    DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 COCA-COLA ZERO SUGAR CAMARO ZL1

    Are you excited for the return of Daniel’s Amigos?

    “Of course. I always look forward to Amigos. Coca-Cola and NASCAR work with the track and put on a great event. It’s a lot of fun for the guests and it’s always fun for me. Whenever we host the Amigos it makes me feel like I am at home. It’s also fun to bring people to the track for the first time. NASCAR in person is a really cool experience and I hope this gives them an opportunity to see what a fun sport we have.”

    What is the key to success in Daytona?

    “Saturday night at Daytona will be the same as it has been the last few years because speedway races are all about being organized and executing. Everyone is going to be fast so you are going to see the manufacturers and organizations working together. Race strategy, pit strategy and things like that. The Chevrolet camp has done a good job of working together and being as organized as possible.”

    Are you concerned about the ‘Big One’ in Daytona?

    “The Big One is going to happen Saturday. There might be even two or three “Big Ones.” Every time I get caught in a wreck I’m happier if we were running up front than if we were wrecked in the back of the pack. Most of the wrecks lately have been from the front to the back. If I get wrecked and I am in the top-five then I can sleep good at night. We just have to put ourselves in the position to be up front and see what happens.”

    Are you worried about playoff standings?

    “Luckily, I don’t have to worry about that. I plan to go out and race hard and support my Chevrolet teammates and (Trackhouse Racing teammate) Ross (Chastain.) Hopefully, we get the win and get Ross in the playoffs. It’s important we get playoff points. We got one at Richmond and we need more Saturday in Daytona. We will push hard.”


    Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

    Manufacturers Championships:

    Total (1949-2023): 42

    First title for Chevrolet: 1958

    Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)

    Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023

    Drivers Championships:

    Total (1949-2021): 33

    First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)

    Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)

    Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021)

    Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021

    Event Victories:

    Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)

    2024 STATISTICS:

    Wins: 11

    Poles: 7

    Laps Led: 1,931

    Top-five finishes: 43

    Top-10 finishes: 93

    Stage wins: 14

    · Chase Elliott: 1

    · Kyle Larson: 8

    · Ross Chastain: 1

    · William Byron: 1

    · Shane van Gisbergen: 1

    · Daniel Suarez: 1

    · Kyle Busch: 1

    CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

    Total Chevrolet race wins: 862 (1949 to date)

    Poles won to date: 750

    Laps led to date: 251,086

    Top-five finishes to date: 4,341

    Top-10 finishes to date: 8,953

    Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

           General Motors: 1,196
    
           Chevrolet: 862
    
           Pontiac: 154
    
           Oldsmobile: 115
    
           Buick: 65
    
    
    
           Ford: 833                                                           
    
           Ford: 733
    
           Mercury: 96
    
           Lincoln: 4
    
    
    
           Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467
    
           Dodge: 217
    
           Plymouth: 191
    
           Chrysler: 59
    
    
    
           Toyota: 188


    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.

  • Beard Motorsports: Parker Retzlaff Daytona Advance

    Beard Motorsports: Parker Retzlaff Daytona Advance

    PARKER RETZLAFF
    Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Superspeedway
    No. 62 FunkAway Chevrolet Camaro

    Event Overview

    Event: Coke Zero Sugar 400 (Round 25 of 36)
    Time/Date: 7:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday, Aug. 24
    Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway
    Layout: 2.5-mile oval
    Laps/Miles: 160 laps/400 miles
    Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 35 laps / Stage 2: 60 laps / Final Stage: 65 laps
    TV/Radio: NBC / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    Notes of Interest

    ● Round 3 of 4. Beard Motorsports returns to NASCAR Cup Series competition for the third of four races this season during Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. It will be the family-owned team’s 29th start since its Cup Series debut at the 2017 Daytona 500, and its 13th overall start on the iconic, 2.5-mile Daytona oval. While five different drivers have previously wheeled the No. 62 Beard Chevrolet since its inaugural season, with a particular focus on Daytona and its sister track, Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, the team welcomes its sixth driver in 21-year-old Parker Retzlaff, who will be making his second career Cup Series start and first at Daytona Saturday night. Retzlaff made his Cup Series debut two weekends ago on the .75-mile Richmond (Va.) Raceway oval in the No. 66 MBM Motorsports entry, which resulted in a 35th-place finish.

    ● Retzlaff Superspeedway Prowess. When it comes to NASCAR’s superspeedway tracks, Retzlaff has an acumen that belies his age. While Saturday night marks his first Cup Series start on a superspeedway, he has a combined five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts on the Daytona and Talladega ovals, and another three on the 1.5-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway oval that has produced superspeedway-style racing since its reconfiguration prior to the 2022 season. In his three Xfinity Series starts at Daytona, all resulted in finishes of seventh or better – fourth in February 2023, seventh last August, and third this past February. Best of his two Xfinity Series starts at Talladega was his seventh-place run, with two laps led, in April 2023. And best among his three Xfinity Series starts at Atlanta was this past February’s fifth-place finish. Retzlaff will also be competing in Friday night’s Xfinity Series race at Daytona in the No. 31 Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito Autosport Chevrolet he’s driven fulltime the past two seasons.

    ● FunkAway. A new partner will adorn the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet for the first time this weekend. FunkAway, a line of odor-eliminating products, steps up to the Cup Series after partnering with Retzlaff for a majority of his 63 Xfinity Series starts since 2022. FunkAway, the Extreme Odor Eliminator, was created by FunkAway owners Dan Zbynski and Kyle Bolke, who loved to coach and play sports but hated the odors that came with it. The pair set out to find a solution that did not just cover up odors but eliminate them completely. FunkAway eliminates odors using a unique OM Complex™ that attacks odors on a molecular level, encasing and eliminating the source of bad smells.

    ● Family Matters. The 2024 NASCAR season is Beard Motorsports’ eighth participating in the Cup Series. Linda Beard, along with her children, Amie Beard-Deja and Mark Beard Jr., carry on the pursuit of this passion project that belonged to their late family patriarch, Mark Beard Sr. The No. 62 NASCAR Cup Series team is just one of their family-owned entities. Beard Oil Distributing is the foundation of the Beard family-owned business portfolio and is recognized as a women-owned certified organization through the Women Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

    ● For the Record. Best of Beard Motorsports’ 12 previous outings on the Daytona oval was Noah Gragson’s fifth-place run in the August 2022 Coke Zero Sugar 400. The team has three other top-10 runs there, topped by a pair of seventh-place finishes by Brandan Gaughan in July 2017 and the 2020 Daytona 500, respectively, and an eighth-place finish by Gaughan in the August 2020 Coke Zero Sugar 400. Anthony Alfredo wheeled the No. 62 Chevrolet in its previous two races this year at Daytona and Talladega, finishing sixth in the latter event.

    ● Powered for Greatness. As it always has, the No. 62 Funkaway Chevrolet Camaro will be powered by an ECR-built engine. Beard Motorsports has leveraged the power of ECR Engines since making its NASCAR debut at the 2017 Daytona 500 and has made the most of the power supplied through the partnership. During its eight seasons of racing, Beard Motorsports has participated in 28 Cup Series events, scoring one top-five finish and six top-10s.

    Parker Retzlaff, Driver of the No. 62 FunkAway Chevrolet Camaro:

    Before taking the wheel for your second career Cup Series start and first in the No. 62 FunkAway Chevrolet for Beard Motorsports, you got your first taste of the NextGen car two weekends ago at Richmond. What was that experience like for you?

    “I made my Cup debut in Richmond just to get some experience and to get some seat time, and to just get the shifting down and all of that, and go to Daytona so we can try to get the best finish we can and be as prepared as I can be. It was a lot of getting experience in what is a new car for me, trying to be more comfortable before we get to Daytona.”

    How much more prepared do you feel you are after making the start at Richmond?

    “I think it was good because we only get one lap before the race at Daytona, and that will be in qualifying, so I definitely feel more prepared. I know about the shifting and it will feel a lot more natural when I get to qualifying at Daytona rather than it being my first-ever lap in the NextGen car. I think it will make us qualify better and make me more confident before we get there, and it’ll make the overall weekend better.”

    You’ll also be competing in Friday’s Xfinity Series race at Daytona. How much do you feel that will help your effort on Saturday night?

    “I think any and all experience I can get will help. Learning how to make stuff happen on a superspeedway is important, it’s all a little bit different, but learning how stuff moves and what lane is moving and stuff like that is always beneficial. I think that you’re always learning something when you get in the car at these places, and I think that any experience I can get before the Cup race on Saturday will be beneficial.”

    You seem to run really well at the superspeedways. What in your racing background prepared you for that?

    “I don’t know what prepared me for superspeedway racing, specifically. It was actually the type of racing I was most worried about going into the Xfinity Series. I have learned that you have to be patient, but you also have to realize when you need to be aggressive to gain spots in the race. We always seem to end up at the wall in a single-file line at the end of those races, so it makes it where you have to be aggressive at times, even if it is just to pick up one spot, but you also can’t make too aggressive of a move or you could end up costing yourself spots.”

    You spent some time with crew chief Darren Shaw. How has that helped you?

    “We were together all of Richmond weekend and I’ve been to the shop a couple of times just hanging out with him and he is great. I think our communication will be good. We both have the same goal – we’ve talked about our goals and everything for the race, so everything so far seems really, really great with him and I’m just excited and happy to have a guy with his experience behind me.”

    What does it mean to get this start in the No. 62 FunkAway Chevrolet for Beard Motorsports?

    “I have watched the 62 car. I was a big fan of Brendan (Gaughan) growing up. I used to watch him when he was driving it. I remember him racing when they started the team in 2017, and now it’s amazing that I’m getting the opportunity to drive the same car he did.”

    Making your first start at a storied track like Daytona, what does that mean to you?

    “Daytona hosts the biggest race of the year for NASCAR and it’s probably one of the more memorable tracks we visit. I think I’ll definitely be a little nervous on race day because it was kind of my dream as a child to race in the NASCAR Cup Series and I will be doing that at Daytona in a Cup car. So I think that it will all hit me on race day, but right now I’m just trying to be as prepared as I can and try to get the team the best finish.”

    No. 62 Beard Motorsports Team Roster

    Primary Team Members

    Driver: Parker Retzlaff

    Hometown: Rhinelander, Wisconsin

    Crew Chief: Darren Shaw

    Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

    Car Chief: Travis Owens

    Hometown: Nashville

    Spotter: DeAndre Smith

    Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

    President: Linda Beard

    Hometown: Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

    Over-The-Wall Members

    Front Tire Changer: Chase Masterson

    Rear Tire Changer: Chris Jackson

    Tire Carrier: Jeremy Holcomb

    Jack Man: Brandon Derby

    Fuel Man: James Kelley

    Road Crew Members

    Mechanic: Jack Gagnon

    Hometown: Quebec, Canada

    Mechanic: Mark Sanders

    Hometown: Springfield, Ohio

    Tire Technician: Mike Harrold

    Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

    Engine Tuner: Jason Watkins

    Hometown: Ridgeway, Virginia

    Interior Specialist: Nic Hill

    Hometown: Fort Myers, Florida

    Transporter Driver: Roger Lankford

    Hometown: Lexington, North Carolina

  • Layne Riggs and the No. 38 Zorn Compressor & Equipment Ford F-150

    Layne Riggs and the No. 38 Zorn Compressor & Equipment Ford F-150

    Milwaukee Mile Competition Notes

    MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 21, 2024) – Layne Riggs will make his debut at the Milwaukee Mile this weekend in a rare, Sunday race for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.

    This will be Riggs’ first attempt at the mile long track, but has delivered impressive results at other short-tracks on the Truck Series circuit, scoring Top-5 finishes at the North Wilkesboro Speedway, the World Wide Technology Raceway, the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, and the Richmond Raceway.

    The No. 38 Ford F-150 will bring a new livery this weekend with Riggs’ partnering with Zorn Compressor & Equipment for the 175-lap event. Zorn Compressor & Equipment is a family-owned company based in Pewaukee, Wisconsin with multiple branches located in Wisconsin and Illinois.

    With over 55 years of experience in the industry, Zorn distributes a wide variety of compressed air equipment, parts, and services and provide maintenance and repair, emergency service and rentals, installation and plant piping, and air, energy, and system audits. Whether it’s their expertise in the design and installation of systems, their comprehensive maintenance programs, or their robust inventory of parts and lubricants, Zorn’s customers, throughout a variety of industries, depend on them. Zorn is committed to providing top-quality support regardless of each unique need and strive to exceed expectations.

    The weekend will kick off with practice and qualifying on Saturday, August 24th at 4:00 pm ET. Sunday’s event is scheduled for 4:00 pm ET and will be televised live on FS1. Fans can also listen in from the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.

    No. 38 Zorn Compressor & Equipment Ford F-150:

    DRIVER LAYNE RIGGS:

    “I’ve never raced at Milwaukee, but Dylan (Cappello) and the team have data to go off of from last year so I think we have a pretty good baseline. We had impressive runs at the other short-tracks this season, so I am confident heading into this weekend.

    “I am happy to see Zorn Compressor & Equipment join us for the race. I love the paint scheme, and I think fans will like it too. Hopefully I can represent them well and give them a result we can all be proud of.”

    CREW CHIEF DYLAN CAPPELLO:

    “I can see Milwaukee being a track that Layne (Riggs) can win at. He has shown a lot of speed at these smaller tracks and Milwaukee is no different. I am confident in Layne’s ability, we just need to execute and be there in the end.”

    ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

    Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

  • Spire Motorsports LiUNA! 175 Race Advance

    Spire Motorsports LiUNA! 175 Race Advance

    • In Spire Motorsports lone NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) start at the Milwaukee Mile, Derek Kraus started 25th and wheeled the team’s No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to an eighth-place finish in last season’s visit to America’s Legendary Oval. Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolets full time in the NCTS. An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth drives the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Chevrolet Silverados in the No. 77.
    • The LiUNA! 175 from the Milwaukee Mile will be televised live on FS1 Sunday, Aug. 25, beginning at 4 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 17th of 23 NCTS races on the 2024 schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

    Sammy Smith – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

    • Sammy Smith will steer Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Golden Harvest Chevrolet Silverado in Sunday’s LiUNA! 175 at the Milwaukee Mile.
    • The No. 7 team qualified for the 2024 NCTS owner’s playoffs, seeded eighth on the 10-truck grid with three playoff points. Milwaukee marks the first of three races in the Round of 10, continuing at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (Sept. 19) and Kansas Speedway (Sept. 27). The crew is tied at the cutline to advance to the Round of Eight.
    • Friday’s 175-lap event will mark Smith’s fourth and final NCTS start this season. He finished eighth at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (April 5), fifth at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway (May 19) and sixth at Indianapolis Raceway Park (July 19).
    • The NASCAR Xfinity Series regular will be pulling double duty this weekend, driving the No. 8 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on Friday night. He will make the 1,000-mile trip to Wisconsin State Fair Park following the 250 miler.
    • Smith has two ARCA Menards Series (AMS) starts at the Wisconsin oval, qualifying on the pole and leading 122 laps en route to a victory in the 2022 event with Kyle Busch Motorsports. In 2021, he started on the front row and finished fifth.
    • The Super Late Model standout participated in the ASA Midwest Tour Father’s Day 100 at the track in 2021. He finished fourth as the race was cut 19 laps short due to inclement weather.
    • Golden Harvest Seeds has been working with and listening to farmers with intention since 1973, offering in-depth seeds expertise combined with the local agronomic know-how of an independent Golden Harvest Seed Advisor to help identify custom solutions for every corn and soybean acre. Today, each Golden Harvest hybrid or variety is bred with the individual needs of hardworking farmers in mind. Golden Harvest® corn hybrids feature elite genetics with proven performance and the most complete above- and below-ground insect control solutions with the Duracade® and Viptera® trait stacks. Golden Harvest soybean varieties include the industry’s broadest trait choice and exclusive genetics that set a new standard for performance and yield potential.
    • In 63 NXS starts, the Johnston, Iowa, native has 11 top fives, 29 top 10s and claimed his first NASCAR national touring series victory at Phoenix Raceway last March.
    • The two-time ARCA Menards Series East champion has racked up eight wins across 15 starts in the regional stock car series. He claimed his second-consecutive East Series title in a dominant 2022 campaign, winning five of the seven races while maintaining an average finish of 1.7.
    • The young-phenom doubled-up in 2022, earning the ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief Showdown crown. Smith emerged victorious four times in the series and did not finish outside of the top five in all 10 races, maintaining a 2.2 average finish.
    • The short track ace has earned wins in some of the country’s most notable Late Model races including the Winchester 400, Red Bud 400 and Florida Governor’s Cup. He snagged a CARS Pro Late Model Tour victory in 2021 at Jennerstown (Pa.) Speedway and four pavement super late model wins that same season. In 2022, Smith was victorious in a star-studded combination ARCA CRA Super Series/Southern Super Series race at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway.
    • Through 16 races, the No. 7 has compiled two wins with an average starting position of 10.4 and an average finish of 12.6 thus far this season. Kyle Busch led 33 laps en route the team’s first victory of 2024 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February and a 112 laps in the team’s most recent triumph in Texas.
    • In his first season at Spire Motorsports, crew chief Brian Pattie led the No. 7 team to two victories across the first seven events this season, both with Kyle Busch (Atlanta Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway). The duo also won twice across five races last year with Kyle Busch Motorsports.
    • Matt Mills finished 25th in Pattie’s lone race calling the shots in Truck Series action at Milwaukee last July. He’s been atop the box for a pair of races in Xfinity Series action at the historic Wisconsin oval with drivers Reed Sorenson and David Stremme.
    • The Golden Harvest colors will wrap Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-081. Kyle Busch parked the truck in victory lane at Texas Motor Speedway in April. The chassis was last on track at Gateway with Andres Perez behind the wheel, who finished ninth in his Truck Series debut.
    • Sammy Smith Quotes
    • You’ve seen success at Milwaukee in ARCA and Late Model competition. How do expect your prior experience to correlate to the truck?
    • “Having won there in the past, I am bringing in a lot of confidence. It is a fun track to race at. I’m excited to get the opportunity to run the Golden Harvest colors in my last run in the No. 7 Silverado this year.”
    • You’ll be racing the Xfinity car in Daytona on Friday night before making the trip to Wisconsin. In your eyes, what is the biggest challenge in pulling “the double?”
    • “In my eyes, the biggest challenge will be the weather. Hopefully it is clear Friday night so I can make the trip to Milwaukee before practice and qualifying. The Xfinity car and the truck are completely different, and the two tracks have nothing in common. I think adapting to the car I am in will be the biggest piece in having success this weekend.”

    Rajah Caruth – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

    • Rajah Caruth will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Silverado in Sunday’s LiUNA! 175 at the Milwaukee Mile.
    • Caruth and the No. 71 team qualified for the NCTS playoffs thanks to their win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway earlier this season and ending the regular season fifth in the championship point standings. The Round of 10 kicks off this weekend at Milwaukee and will continue at Bristol Motor Speedway (Sept. 19) and Kansas Speedway (Sept. 27). Caruth and Co. are seeded fifth on the playoff grid, seven points above the Round of Eight cutline.
    • Last time out, Caruth qualified 16th and finished 17th in the regular-season finale at Richmond Raceway.
    • HENDRICKCARS.COM is the online home for everything Hendrick Automotive Group. Visitors can shop thousands of new or pre-owned vehicles, locate centers for service and collision repair, receive a value to sell or trade their car, chat online with customer service, discover career opportunities, learn more about vehicle protections programs, and explore how the company gives back to the community.
    • Last season, the 22-year-old finished 15th in the first Truck Series race at the Milwaukee Mile since 2009.
    • The Winston-Salem (N.C.) State University senior owns two ARCA Menards Series starts at Milwaukee, highlighted by a fourth-place finish in 2022.
    • The Washington, D.C., native is currently fifth in the NCTS championship point standings after 16 races. He has logged two poles, one win, three top-five, eight top-10 and 12 top-15 finishes. He’s recorded a 10.8 average start and an 11.4 average finish.
    • With his first career NCTS win and pole position earlier this season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Caruth became the third African American driver, alongside NASCAR Hall of Famer, Wendell Scott and current NASCAR Cup Series regular Bubba Wallace, to win a NASCAR National Touring Series race.
    • Caruth raced his first full season in NCTS in 2023, earning four top-10 finishes and closing the year 16th in the division’s championship point standings.
    • Crew chief Chad Walter will visit Wisconsin State Fair Park for the second time as a crew chief in the Truck Series. He’s also called the shots three times in Xfinity Series action, most recently in 2009 with Justin Allgaier at Team Penske.
    • The No. 71 Silverado racing on Sunday will be Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-063. The truck has finished inside the top 10 nine times in its 14 starts and paced the field for 188 circuits. Kyle Busch took the chassis to victory lane at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2020.

    Rajah Caruth Quotes
    What makes Milwaukee so unique?
    “Milwaukee is unique for a few reasons. You’d expect a track with similar shape to have a lot of grip and high speeds, but it’s actually the opposite. The surface is weathered and hasn’t been repaved in nearly two decades. It is a completely flat race track. For a driver, it’s a challenge because you have to trust the truck in a different way than you would at a high-banked race track with high speeds. It rewards the short trackers that have a good understanding of how to use the brake pedal and the lateral and side grip of the truck. Milwaukee is a different animal, and I think when we get out of there with a good finish, we’ll be in good shape to continue our run for a championship.”
    What’s your approach going into your first playoff appearance?
    “Number one, I’m really excited for the opportunity. One of my main goals for the year was to get into the playoffs with Spire Motorsports, given the quality of equipment here. We not only got the win earlier this year to lock ourselves in, but we would have made it in based on our point standing as well. In terms of an approach, I wouldn’t say we have changed a thing. I believe we have all the pieces needed to be one of the four competing for a championship in Phoenix. We just need to fine tune some small things and work out some minor kinks. The increased intensity of the playoffs suits me and is something I’m familiar with coming from a sports background. The playoff grind is something I live off of.”

    Chase Purdy – Driver, No.77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

    • Chase Purdy will drive Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado in Sunday’s LiUNA! 175.
    • Last time out, Purdy finished 20th at Richmond Raceway.
    • In the Truck Series’ return to Milwaukee in 2023, the 24-year-old qualified seventh and finished sixth. He racked up the third-most quality passes on the day with 35.
    • The Clean Harbors 250 will mark Purdy’s 92nd NCTS start and 17th behind the wheel of the No. 77 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports.
    • Purdy finished third in the 11-race Sioux Chief Short Track Challenge series within the 2018 ARCA season. He racked up six top fives and nine top 10s while achieving a sixth-place average starting position and a 6.9 average finish.
    • Purdy is no stranger to victory lane in “The Badger State.” In 2018, he took the checkered in the ARCA Midwest Tour Dixieland 250 at Wisconsin International Raceway. He led 55 laps en route to the win at the Kaukauna, Wis., track. Later that same season, he finished sixth in the Slinger Nationals at nearby Slinger (Wis.) Speedway.
    • The Meridian, Miss. native earned his best finish of the year on a short track, a third-place finish at Martinsville Speedway in April.
    • While racing for Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2023, Purdy had the best statistical season of his career. He earned three top-five, 11 top-10 and 14 top-15 finishes while notching a career-best finish of second at Texas Motor Speedway (April 1) and claiming his first career Truck Series pole at Kansas Speedway (Sept. 8). He would snag his second career pole two races later at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (Sept.30), a race in which he led a career-high 11 laps.
    • Crew chief Jason Trinchere is yet to call the shots at the Milwaukee Mile, but was a lead design engineer on Bryan Clauson’s ride at Chip Ganassi Racing in the 2008 NASCAR Xfinity Series event.
    • Engineer David Stillman , an Appleton, Wis., native, calls the Milwaukee Mile his home track. Stillman, an industry veteran, spent time at Dale Earnhardt, Inc., Richard Childress Racing, Roush-Fenway Racing and Team Penske prior to arriving at Spire.
    • Purdy will be behind the wheel of Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-073 on Sunday. He piloted the truck to a sixth-place finish in its last appearance at Darlington in May.

    Chase Purdy Quotes
    How do you plan to attack the final seven races of the year?
    “Even though we missed the playoffs, our goal doesn’t change. We are here to win. We no longer have to points race, so we are able to approach each week with the strategy to be up front at the end.”
    Milwaukee marked one of your best races of the year last season. How do you feel returning to the track?
    “We had great speed last year at Milwaukee. We are taking notes we had from the event and applying it to this weekend. I have a lot of confidence at that place, so I’m looking forward to getting back there.”
    From the Top of the Box

    Brian Pattie – Crew Chief, No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado

    • In his first season at Spire Motorsports, Brian Pattie has led the No. 7 team to two victories, both with Kyle Busch. The duo also won twice across five races last year at KBM.
    • Pattie also collected a victory with Ron Fellows at Watkins Glen International in 1999 to give him five career NCTS wins.
    • Pattie was atop the pit box for six wins across 14 seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series and has 11 career victories as a crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

    Chad Walter – Crew Chief, No. 71 Chevrolet Silverado

    • Chad Walter has over two decades of experience and began his career with Hendrick Motorsports in 1996.
    • Walter guided Caruth to his first NCTS win March 1, 2024 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
    • Some of his most notable accomplishments include a pair of Daytona 500 victories (2001 & 2003) with Michael Waltrip, along with Cup Series wins with Steve Park and Terry Labonte.

    Jason Trinchere – Crew Chief, No. 77 Chevrolet Silverado

    • Jason Trinchere earned his Bachelor of Science from Penn State University and began his professional career in 2005 as the race engineer for the iconic No. 75 Spears Manufacturing NCTS team, owned by series’ pioneers Wayne and Connie Spears.
    • Notable accomplishments include Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 wins with both Ganassi Racing and Penske Racing. He was a key member of the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series Championship team with driver Joey Logano.

    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 campaigns 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 also fields 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 drives the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Silverados 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.

  • Michael McDowell and the No. 34 Long John Silver’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    Michael McDowell and the No. 34 Long John Silver’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    Daytona International Speedway Competition Notes

    MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 21, 2024) – Michael McDowell and the No. 34 return to the high-banks of Daytona looking for that all important win to lock themselves in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. The 34 Ford Mustang Dark Horse will feature the return of Long John Silver’s for Saturday night’s event.

    The 2021 Daytona 500 winner, McDowell is no stranger to the 2.5-mile superspeedway. He has three Top-5s and 8 Top-10 finishes at Daytona in his career, as well as a second-place qualifying effort at this year’s Daytona 500 back in February.

    The Cup Series will kick off the weekend with qualifying on Friday, August 23rd at 5:00 pm ET. The 160-lap event is scheduled for Saturday, August 24th at 7:30 pm ET. Fans can watch the action live on NBC or listen in from the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.

    No. 34 Long John Silver’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

    DRIVER MICHAEL MCDOWELL:

    “We can win at Daytona, we have done it before, and we have showed good speed at the superspeedway tracks. But it’s Daytona, so you never know what is going to happen. There’s a little bit of unknown since every team not locked into the playoffs races with that urgency to win. It’s going to be intense.”

    CREW CHIEF TRAVIS PETERSON:

    “We know what we need to do to win. Daytona is a great track for us, and we showed all season that we have the speed at the superspeedways to qualifying up front and stay there. I have confidence in Michael and the team that we will bring a fast race car and execute well Saturday night.”

    ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

    Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

  • Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 Grillo’s Pickles Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 Grillo’s Pickles Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    Daytona International Speedway Competition Notes

     MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 21, 2024) – The NASCAR Cup Series makes their return to the Daytona (FL.) International Speedway. Grillo’s Pickles will go back-to-back with Todd Gilliland, partnering with the driver to make their debut at the track, after showcasing their green and white livery at the Michigan International Speedway.

    For Gilliland, the historic Florida track shows much promise for him to capture his first win in the NASCAR Cup Series and lock himself into the 2024 playoffs, leading 16 laps at the 2.5-mile venue in this season’s Daytona 500. Gilliland has proven that he has what it takes to be a trusted drafting partner at superspeedways with impressive performances at Daytona, Atlanta, and Talladega.

    The Cup Series will kick off the weekend with qualifying on Friday, August 23rd at 5:00 pm ET. The 160-lap event is scheduled for Saturday, August 24th at 7:30 pm ET. Fans can watch the action live on NBC or listen in from the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.

    No. 38 Grillo’s Pickles Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

    DRIVER TODD GILLILAND:

    “This is an important weekend for us. We only have two races left until the playoffs start, with Daytona being one of them. We have shown a lot of speed on superspeedways this year so I’m confident that we can bring it again this weekend.

    “It means a lot to me that I get to showcase the Grillo’s Pickles livery in their Daytona debut. They are all about our program and bring so much energy to the track. I can’t thank them enough for our partnership. Hopefully I can get Sam Sam the Pickle Man in Victory Lane.”

    CREW CHIEF RYAN BERGENTY:

    “We don’t have many races left in the regular season and we need a win to make the playoffs. I think Daytona can be the place Todd (Gilliland) gets the job done. He has shown that he has what it takes to drive these superspeedways, with Daytona being one of them. We’re bringing a fast Grillo’s Pickles Ford Mustang Dark Horse and have a driver that has what it takes to compete upfront. I’m excited for this weekend.”

    ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

    Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

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

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

    COLE CUSTER | RILEY HERBST
    Daytona NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
    NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

    • Event: Daytona 250 (Round 22 of 33)
    • Date: Friday, August 23
    • Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway
    • Layout: 2.5-mile oval
    • Time/TV/Radio: 7:30 p.m. EDT on USA/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    Cole Custer Notes of Interest

    • Cole Custer and the No. 00 Fanttik team are looking to rebound in Friday night’s Daytona 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. The 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion ran into some bad luck last Saturday at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn after his No. 00 Ford Mustang Dark Horse sustained damage in accident on lap 48 of the scheduled 125-lap race. While the team was able to repair most of the damage, a series of cut right-front tires kept forcing Custer to pit road, prompting crew chief Jonathan Toney to bring the car to the garage just 17 laps shy of the finish. It was just the second DNF (Did Not Finish) for Custer in 2024, a season that has featured a July 13 victory at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, a runner-up finish to teammate Riley Herbst at Indianapolis Motor Speedway the following weekend, along with three pole positions, 16 top-10s and 427 laps led. With five races left in the regular season, Custer remains the leader in the NASCAR Xfinity Series driver standings by a 12-point margin over second-place Justin Allgaier. In addition to race wins, Custer’s primary goal is to claim the regular-season title, which he has yet to do in his career, and take home another 15 playoff points to provide him a cushion when the Round of 12 kicks off on Sept. 28 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City.
    • Friday night’s Daytona 250 on Daytona’s historic 2.5-mile oval will mark Custer’s 165th career Xfinity Series start and his 10th at the track. He scored career-best finishes in both races there last season – ninth in February and fifth in August. Prior to last year, Custer never finished better than 14th at Daytona. In his most recent visit to the track in February, he earned a 13th-place finish after being shuffled back in the closing laps. In addition to his Xfinity Series starts at Daytona, Custer has five NASCAR Cup Series starts, one NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start, and one ARCA Menards Series start. Best of those was his 10th-place finish in the February 2016 ARCA race.
    • Fanttik is a youthful, dynamic brand dedicated to outdoor, household, sports and automotive products that cater to every need for the perfect adventure. In a short span of time, Fanttik has garnered extreme acclaim from enthusiasts, social media influencers, digital media and consumers. It has earned the internationally revered Red Dot Design Award multiple times, along with the prestigious IF Design Award. Fostering the motto, “We explore, we innovate and we make it happen,” Fanttik has brought trailblazing experiences in the automotive arena to the most diverse audience. For more information, visit Fanttik.com and, on social media at Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Reddit and Quora.

    Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

    • Riley Herbst, the driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing, is ready to put the bad luck of last Saturday’s race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn behind him as he heads to Friday’s Daytona 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. After starting second for the scheduled 125-lap race at Michigan, Herbst led four laps and looked to be on his way to compete for the win when a misjudged gap while passing the No. 39 Ford Mustang of Ryan Sieg sent him into the outside SAFTER Barrier and ended his day on lap 48. He was able to earn four bonus points with his seventh-place Stage 1 finish. Herbst has clinched a berth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs thanks to his July 20 win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He currently sits sixth in the regular-season standings, 23 points behind fifth-place AJ Allmendinger. He’ll be looking for his third career Xfinity Series win and his second of the 2024 season at Daytona – a track that has been good to him in the past.
    • Friday’s race marks Herbst’s 11th career Xfinity Series start on the 2.5-mile oval in Daytona. His best finish at the track is fourth, earned in August 2020 and February 2022. When the series visited the track for February’s season opener, Herbst qualified 11th and finished sixth. In his four seasons with SHR, Herbst has finished outside the top-15 just twice at Daytona.
    • Herbst has eight starts at Daytona outside of the Xfinity Series – three in the ARCA Menards Series, two in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and three in the NASCAR Cup Series. He earned a best finish of seventh in the Truck Series season opener in February 2020. He made his Cup Series debut in the February 2023 Daytona 500, during which Herbst earned an impressive 10th-place finish to become only the second driver in NASCAR history to record a top-10 in his Cup Series debut in the iconic race. He joined Terry Ryan, who made his debut in the 1976 edition of The Great American Race and finished sixth. Herbst went on to participate in both Cup Series races at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway last year and the August Daytona race, earning a best finish of ninth in the October Talladega race after leading 10 laps, his first laps led in the Cup Series. He returned for this year’s 66th running of the Daytona 500, where he had a strong week leading up to the feature race in the No. 15 Monster Energy Zero Sugar Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Rick Ware Racing. Herbst started sixth in Thursday night’s Bluegreen Vacation Duel No. 2 and led seven laps to follow up his strong 2023 starts. But a subsequent accident forced him to the rear of the Daytona 500 starting grid. He finished the race 24th.

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

    Superspeedways, especially Daytona, are unpredictable by nature. How do you prepare for a race where it’s difficult to make a solid plan because anything could happen?

    “So that’s what is so tough about Daytona and superspeedways. Your plan is always changing. There can be like 15 situations that could happen, and no matter what situation, you have to know what to do when presented with each one. Honestly, you have to take these races lap-by-lap to see what kind of scenario you’re in and then adapt from there. You can’t have a solid plan going into a superspeedway because it’s always going to change and you’re forced to adapt to whatever comes your way.”

    We’re heading back to where the season started at Daytona. Talk about how you feel your season has gone so far as there are only 12 races left.

    “I think overall our season has gone well. We obviously didn’t show the speed we did last year at the beginning part of 2023, but as we got to the summer months, I feel like the No. 00 team really hit our stride. We were one of the cars to beat all summer. There’s been bad luck, especially last weekend at Michigan, but one bad race doesn’t make or break your season at this point. We have a win and that gets us into the playoffs. We have the opportunity to experiment because of that win so that once we get to the playoffs, we can hopefully figure out how to win all the way to the championship. This season has been great, and we’ve welcomed some new partners like Fanttik. Hopefully we can give them a good run this weekend at Daytona.”

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

    Daytona has been one of your better tracks on the circuit, even though superspeedways seem to be a place where luck plays a huge part. Would you say you’ve just found a good string of luck or is there something that you find you excel at in superspeedway racing?

    “Honestly, it’s a little bit of both. You have drivers who are just strong superspeedway racers, so I do think it’s a skill to know how to run there. You know how to stay out of trouble but also have speed. At these races, it’s all about being there at the end. Sure, you want to get stage points and run well, but if you’re super aggressive too early, you can put yourself out of the race. So you have to be smart, but there is that element of luck. Sometimes there are situations out of your control and that’s just superspeedway racing. We’ve been on both ends – having a great day and being caught up in an accident not of our own doing. I think this No. 98 Monster Energy team will have a shot at the end of this race if we can just stay out of trouble. I’m excited to get back down to Daytona with them.”

    You’ve been in contention to win a couple of superspeedway races in your career. What would it mean to get a third career win Friday night under the lights at an iconic track like Daytona?

    “Winning at Daytona would mean a lot. It’s one of those iconic racetracks like Indianapolis that everyone around the world knows. Daytona is anyone’s to win, but it’s still special. You’re a winner at Daytona and it puts you in a different history book. I’ve gotten wins at two very different tracks. We have one win on the season, so we know we can take chances now and Daytona is one of those that we can just go for the win and not have to worry about points. That hasn’t been the case in the past few seasons. I know the No. 98 team will give me a fast car, so I think we’ll be in contention this weekend if we just stay out of trouble.”

  • Toyota Racing Weekly Preview 08.21.24

    Toyota Racing Weekly Preview 08.21.24

    This Week in Motorsports: August 19 – 25, 2024

    NCS/NXS: Daytona International Speedway – Aug. 23-24
    NCTS/ARCA: The Milwaukee Mile – Aug. 25

    PLANO, Texas (Aug. 21, 2024) – It’s a busy weekend for Team Toyota in NASCAR, with the Cup and Xfinity Series at Daytona International Speedway, while the Truck and ARCA Menards Series head to The Milwaukee Mile. The Truck Series race Sunday afternoon begins the series’ 2024 Playoffs.

    NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS | NCTS

    Reddick assumes points lead … With the monumental win for Tyler Reddick and 23XI Racing at Michigan last weekend, he has now taken over the Cup Series regular season points lead for the first time in his career and for his team. His car co-owner and Toyota teammate, Denny Hamlin, moved up to third in the points after a top-10 finish Monday afternoon. They’re joined inside the provisional playoff field by Christopher Bell (seventh), Martin Truex Jr. (eighth) and Ty Gibbs (10th). Bubba Wallace, Reddick’s 23XI teammate, sits just one point outside the Playoffs with two races remaining in the regular season.

    Reddick top-10 streak rolls on … Following his triumph last weekend, Reddick also kept his top-10 streak alive, now in seven straight races and has scored 10 in the last 11 events, giving him 17 top-10s on the season, the most in the Cup Series. In those seven consecutive races, the driver of the No. 45 Camry XSE has been inside the top six finishing positions, specifically. Another top-10 this weekend would be Reddick’s third such finish at Daytona International Speedway, with the other two top-10s coming in the summer race (fifth in 2021 and second in 2022).

    Nemechek looks for another strong Daytona run … John Hunter Nemechek has only made three Cup Series starts at the “World Center of Racing,” but has an impressive resume on the 2.5-oval so far in his career. The driver of the No. 42 Camry XSE for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB has finished inside the top-11 in all three of his previous starts at Daytona, including a seventh-place finish at the Daytona 500 back in February.

    Xfinity Series points battles heat up … With just five races remaining in the regular season for the Xfinity Series, the series point standings continue to tighten. Chandler Smith remained in fourth position after last weekend’s race in Michigan, while his teammate, Sheldon Creed moved up to seventh with his second-place finish after winning his second pole of the season.

    Creed seeks another Daytona top-five … Daytona International Speedway has proven to be a strong circuit for Creed. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has finished in the runner-up spot his last two starts in Daytona, coming close to his long-awaited first career win. Creed has also finished inside the top-10 in half of his starts at Daytona and has three consecutive top-10 finishes entering this weekend after his runner-up in Michigan.

    Heim, Gray begin championship quests … With this weekend beginning the 2024 NASCAR Truck Series Playoffs, two Tundra TRD Pro drivers begin their chase for the championship – Corey Heim and Taylor Gray. Heim has had a stellar season to date, with five wins, 10 top-fives and 12 top-10s as he begins the Playoffs as the No. 1 seed. Gray has also had a solid year, beginning the Playoffs as the No. 8 seed. Including this weekend, the two have three races to keep themselves inside the top eight of the standings before the next cutoff race at Kansas.

    Thompson doing double duty … TRICON Garage’s Dean Thompson will be doing double duty in Milwaukee this weekend, piloting the No. 5 Tundra TRD Pro for TRICON Garage in the Truck Series event, along with a Toyota Camry for Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series race. This will be Thompson’s fourth ARCA start this season, where he’s finished inside the top-10 in all three starts to date.

    NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA Menards Series

    Sawalich’s win streak continues … William Sawalich and his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing team continued their dominance in the ARCA Menards Series last weekend at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, winning his third consecutive race and fifth in the last six. Sawalich has finished inside the top-five in all but one of his starts so far this season and returns to The Milwaukee Mile looking to repeat his win from pole a season ago. Like Thompson, Sawalich will also be doing double duty this weekend, piloting the No. 1 Tundra TRD Pro for TRICON Garage in the Truck Series race.

    About Toyota

    Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

    Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 47 million cars and trucks at our 12 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 13th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 29 electrified options.

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