Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Author: Official Release

Stewart-Haas Racing: Michigan NXS Advance (Cole Custer | Riley Herbst)
COLE CUSTER | RILEY HERBST
Michigan NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview
- Event: Cabo Wabo 250 (Round 21 of 33)
- Date: Saturday, August 17
- Location: Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn
- Layout: 2-mile oval
- Time/TV/Radio: 3:30 p.m. EDT on USA/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Cole Custer Notes of Interest
- Cole Custer is coming off back-to-back top-two finishes as he heads to Saturday’s Cabo Wabo 250 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, the first race back from the Olympic Break for the NASCAR Xfinity Series. After scoring his first win of the season July 13 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, Custer looked to be on his way to another win on July 20 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway after starting on the pole and leading 47 laps, his first laps led on the Indianapolis oval. He finished sixth in both stages and was leading as the race came to its final restart. He took the lead for a time, but in a last-lap battle for the lead with Aric Almirola and Custer’s Stewart-Haas teammate Riley Herbst, the driver of the No. 00 Autodesk / Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse emerged second behind the race-winning Herbst. It marked the first 1-2 finish in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Stewart-Haas. It was also the seventh top-10 for Custer in the past eight races. He looks to keep the strong runs rolling as he heads to Michigan, a track where he’s run well in the past.
- Saturday’s Cabo Wabo 250 will mark Custer’s fifth Xfinity Series start at Michigan. In his four prior starts at the 2-mile oval, he never finished outside the top-20 with a best of third earned in June 2018. Custer also has six starts outside of the Xfinity Series at Michigan – five in the NASCAR Cup Series and one in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, earning a best finish of 22nd among those in the August 2016 Truck Series race.
- The past few weeks have been big for Custer and his family. Prior to the Olympic Break, he announced his return to the NASCAR Cup Series for the 2025 season as the driver of the No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Haas Factory Team. He previously drove the same number during his stint in the series from 2020-2022, when he scored his first career Cup Series victory on July 12, 2020 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta. Haas Factory Team will field a NASCAR Cup Series entry and two NASCAR Xfinity Series entries for the 2025 season. Amidst the racing news, Custer and his wife Kari also welcomed their son, Callahan Brian Custer, into the world on Aug. 1.
- With only six races remaining until the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs kick off Sept. 28 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Custer has locked himself into the postseason via his victory at Pocono. He leads the regular-season points standings by 56 markers over second-place Justin Allgaier. He took the lead with his sixth-place finish June 1 at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway and has held it since. In addition to Custer’s victory this season, he has 184 stage points and three stage wins to help secure his spot on top of the leaderboard. In addition, Custer’s nine top-fives so far this season tie him with Sheldon Creed for the most of any driver. If he can hold onto the lead through the regular-season finale Sept. 20 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, he will not only take home the regular-season championship trophy, but will earn 15 valuable playoff points.
- Autodesk will once again adorn the hood of Custer’s No. 00 Ford Mustang Dark Horse in an alpha-bravo paint scheme with Haas Automation. The company previously sponsored Custer from 2020 to 2022 in the NASCAR Cup Series and earlier this season at Portland. For four decades, Autodesk has worked together with its customers to transform how things are made, and in doing so, it has also transformed what can be made. A car’s performance now inspires the method of its manufacture, a city’s infrastructure helps predict the unpredictable, and the creation of ever-bigger universes shapes ever-bigger stories. Today, Autodesk’s solutions span countless industries empowering innovators everywhere. But the company is restless to do more. Autodesk doesn’t believe in waiting for progress, it believes in making it. By combining and recombining technologies. By blurring boundaries, reinventing rules, and merging fields. By unleashing talent and unlocking insights across industries. By helping customers converge on solutions to the challenges everyone faces today. Autodesk believes that with the right tools to work and think flexibly comes the power to transform what actually needs making. The power to design and make a better world for all.
Riley Herbst Notes of Interest
- Riley Herbst is now a two-time winner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as he heads into Saturday’s Cabo Wabo 250 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn. The Las Vegas native scored his first win of the season and second of his career the week prior to the Olympic Break on the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval. It gave Stewart-Haas Racing back-to-back victories as teammate Cole Custer was victorious the week prior at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. Herbst started the race in second at Indianapolis behind polesitter Custer, marking the first 1-2 start in the series for Stewart-Haas. Herbst went on to win Stage 1 and finish second in Stage 2, and led 30 laps throughout the race while maintaining his position in the top-five. In the race’s final restart, Herbst was battling with Custer and Aric Almirola for the win. After Custer initially took the lead, then was passed by Almirola, Herbst showed his perseverance on the final two corners of the race to pass Almirola and take the checkered flag with Custer finishing in the runner-up spot. Herbst’s victory secured his spot in the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs and launched him from seventh to fifth in the regular-season points standings, passing both AJ Almendinger and Jesse Love. The driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse team now heads to Michigan hoping to keep the momentum rolling as Herbst now has nothing to lose and everything to win in the final six races of the regular season.
- Saturday’s race at Michigan will mark Herbst’s fifth Xfinity Series start on the 2-mile oval. Herbst is currently on a three-race top-10 streak at Michigan. He posted back-to-back top-10s in his August 2021 and 2022 starts there, finishes of seventh and ninth, respectively. In his most recent start at the track last August, Herbst bettered his previous best of seventh with a solid sixth-place finish after starting fifth, leading one lap along the way.
- The 25-year-old racer is already a winner at Michigan. Herbst scored his second career ARCA Menards Series win there in August 2020. He started from the pole, led four times for a total of 39 laps and took the checkered flag 1.456 seconds ahead of runner-up Bret Holmes. In a prelude to that win, Herbst finished second at Michigan in his second career ARCA race in June 2018, when he started eighth and led seven laps.
- While Herbst took some time off during the Olympic Break to explore the beaches in the South of France, he couldn’t be kept away from racing for long. He returned a week earlier than many of his Xfinity Series regulars to compete in his final Cup Series start of 2024 in Sunday’s Richmond 400 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. After qualifying 34th, Herbst brought home a 33rd-place finish in the No. 15 Monster Energy Zero Sugar Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Rick Ware Racing. He made all four of his Cup Series starts this season with the team – Feb. 19 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, May 5 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, and June 30 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway.
- After just barely missing the Xfinity Series playoffs last season, Herbst has successfully locked himself into the 2024 postseason via his July 20 win at Indianapolis. It’s the first time in his young career that Herbst has won his way into the playoffs. In his previous four full-time seasons in the Xfinity Series, Herbst has pointed his way into the post season three times (2020-2022). After missing the 12-driver field by one spot last season, Herbst went on to not only score his first career victory on Oct. 14 at his home track of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but also score the most points of any driver in the 38-driver field during the Round of 8. Herbst positioned himself to be a strong playoff contender after his string of six top-10 finishes in the final seven races of the 2023 season.
Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 00 Autodesk / Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse

The NASCAR Xfinity Series is back in action after a three-week hiatus for the Olympics. How did you spend your time off after scoring back-to-back top-two finishes on the season?

“Coming into the break on that hot streak was everything. We’ve been strong all season, but it’s nice to have this strong run as we head into the later part of the season. This is where it really counts. I enjoyed getting some time off before we head into these final races of the season, though. It gave us a chance to take a break before we have to grind for 13 weeks without a break. My wife Kari and I were expecting our first child over the break, and Callahan Brian Custer came into the world on August 1. I spent the rest of the break just enjoying my time with them and getting adjusted to the new life with a baby.”

While Michigan is a track that you still have yet to win at, it’s been a consistent track for you. What are your expectations for the weekend?

“Michigan provides a type of different racing for us just because you have to worry so much about dirty air at this track. In addition, you have to worry about how you position your car throughout the race, when to make moves and when not to. You can get freight-trained very quickly if you make a move at the wrong time. It’s a strategic racetrack. Ultimately, it’s just a different kind of racing than a typical intermediate track. At the end of the day, though, you have to have a good car that you can be aggressive with at any given moment. Just like at any other racetrack, a fast car makes all the difference. I think you saw speed from both Stewart-Haas Racing cars at Indianapolis, though, and we’re hoping that transfers to Michigan. The No. 00 Autodesk / Haas Automation team has done a great job at providing me with fast Ford Mustangs all season. Hopefully, we can go get a few more wins before the playoffs start in September.”

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

You’re now a two-time Xfinity Series winner. How does getting that second win help you not only this season but for the future as you prepare for 2025 and beyond?

“Getting that win at Indianapolis meant everything. To get one win in the Xfinity Series is hard, but to get a second after running so consistently is a whole other achievement. It proves that I have grown and become a better driver over the years. It may have taken me a little longer than others, but I’m proud of my journey. Indianapolis is one of those tracks that everyone knows, so to win on a track like that puts your name in a different history book. To move up in NASCAR, you have to win and that’s what I did. Now, we’re locked into the playoffs, and we can go race for wins. There’s nothing holding us back from just going for wins now. We’re solid in the points standings, but that win allows you to experiment more instead of playing the points games. I’m proud of this No. 98 Monster Energy team, and I’m ready to go race for a championship with them.”

After three straight top-10 finishes at Michigan and an ARCA Menards Series victory, you seem to be on a path to run well there. What do you need to do this weekend to back up those strong runs and your Indianapolis victory?

“We just need to have a solid weekend – a fast car, no mistakes, and some good luck. Michigan has been a good track for me in the past, but I haven’t been able to close the deal there in the Xfinity Series. When I won there in the ARCA Menards Series in 2020, it was such a different feeling because of how the world was then. This is a fast track, so you have to have your car just right if you want to compete for wins. We’re riding a wave of momentum after Indianapolis. The plan is to keep that going this weekend.”
August 13, 2024
Grillo’s Pickles Returns with Todd Gilliland at the Michigan International Speedway

Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 Grillo’s Pickles Ford Mustang Dark Horse
Michigan International Speedway Competition Notes

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 13, 2024) – Grillo’s Pickles is back with Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse team this weekend at the Michigan International Speedway.

After finishing 17th at the Richmond (Va.) Raceway, Gilliland looks to bounce back at Ford’s home track. Ford holds the most wins as a manufacturer at the two-mile speedway with 44 wins and has won the event in the past six races. Gilliland looks to continue that streak this Sunday.

The Cup Series will kick off the weekend with practice and qualifying on Saturday, August 17th at 12:30 pm ET. The 200-lap event is scheduled for Sunday, August 18th at 2:30 pm ET. Fans can watch the action live on the USA Network 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 a big weekend for Ford. With Michigan being their home track, there is a little bit more pressure to perform well. I’m not worried, though. Ryan (Bergenty) and team have been bringing speed all season, we just need to capitalize on it and close in on the points gap.

“It’s cool to see the support around Grillo’s Pickles adding a race to their schedule. I think it’s safe to say that everyone loves seeing them on our Ford Mustang Dark Horse. I can’t thank them enough for their support. Hopefully I can give them a good showing.”

CREW CHIEF RYAN BERGENTY:

“We want to perform well at every race, but especially at Michigan. Michigan is the home of Ford, and we always have a big group of Ford leadership at the track. We want to make them proud. I think we can do that this weekend.

“Myself, the team, and Todd (Gilliland) are eager to get to the track. I think we can make big gains in points this weekend and maybe even get the win to lock ourselves into the playoffs.”

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.

August 13, 2024
LEGACY MOTOR CLUB AND ERIK JONES AGREE TO MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION
- Three-time NASCAR Cup Series winner Erik Jones signs extension ahead of the 2025 season with LEGACY M.C.
STATESVILLE, N.C. (August 13, 2024) – LEGACY MOTOR CLUB announced today that NASCAR Cup Series veteran, Erik Jones has entered into a multi-year contract renewal. Jones will continue to pilot the coveted No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE for the 2025 NASCAR season and beyond.

“Erik Jones has been the consistent cornerstone of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s driver lineup since Maury chose to enter NASCAR’s highly competitive Cup Division,” said Cal Wells III, CEO of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. “He’s a proven champion that, surrounded with the right team powered by Toyota, can and will compete for race wins against the very best on any given Sunday. Having personally known Erik for close to 14 years, I feel blessed he’s chosen to remain with the CLUB and I’m looking forward to winning races with him at the helm of the iconic No. 43.”

The 28-year-old, Byron, Mich., native is currently in his eighth full-time NASCAR Cup Series season and his fourth with the organization, previously known as Petty GMS Racing after the team was acquired from Richard Petty Motorsports and then rebranded to LEGACY MOTOR CLUB ahead of the 2023 season. In his full-time NASCAR Cup Series reign, Jones has earned 3 wins, 37 top-five, and 89 top-10 finishes. In 2021, he transitioned to the then Richard Petty Motorsports team, from Joe Gibbs Racing. Jones became the first driver to win three consecutive “Rookie of the Year” honors in all three Series (NASCAR Truck Series in 2015, NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2016, and NASCAR Cup Series in 2017).

“Erik is one of the most talented drivers in NASCAR, I’ve had the chance to race against him and have had a chance to watch him drive for other teams and the CLUB,” said co-owner Jimmie Johnson. “I admire his talent and am glad we will have him race for us for the upcoming years. Erik will be a key to helping us turn our program around and we look forward to giving him the tools he needs to go out on Sundays and race for wins and eventually a championship someday.”

During his climb to the top Series in NASCAR, Jones accumulated three of his seven career total wins in the NASCAR Truck Series in 2015 en route to the NASCAR Truck Series Championship. In addition to the victories in the NASCAR Truck Series, Jones has piloted the NASCAR Xfinity Series vehicle to a total of nine victories.

“I’m looking forward to what we can build at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. I’ve been with the No. 43 car for a handful of years and feel like I’m coming into some of the best years of my career. I am hoping to grow alongside LEGACY M.C. in the seasons to come,” said Erik Jones, driver of the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB is in its second year of competition in the NASCAR Cup Series with full-time drivers, Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek along with Jimmie Johnson who is competing part-time for the CLUB. During the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season, LEGACY M.C. has accounted for four top-10 finishes and as well as 36 laps led.

ABOUT

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice “Maury” J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. The CLUB competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series fielding the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE of John Hunter Nemechek, the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE of Erik Jones, and the No. 84 limited schedule entry for Johnson. LEGACY M.C. also competes in the Extreme E Series. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty “The King” serves as CLUB Ambassador. With a unique title signifying a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for all motorsport enthusiasts to celebrate the past and future legacies of its members, while competing for wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level. To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ on Facebook, X, Instagram and at LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com
August 13, 2024
Ford Looking To Extend Michigan Cup Win Streak to 10

MICHIGAN

Saturday, August 17 — NASCAR Xfinity Series, 3:30 p.m. ET (USA)
Sunday, August 18 — NASCAR Cup Series, 2:30 p.m. ET (USA)

There is no track on the NASCAR circuit that Ford has been more successful at than Michigan International Speedway, which is where the NASCAR Cup and NASCAR Xfinity Series will be racing this weekend. Ford has won nine straight Cup races at the facility and 44 overall, which is the most for the manufacturer at any track.

FORD ALL-TIME MICHIGAN WINS LEADER

No manufacturer has had more success at Michigan International Speedway than Ford, which comes into this weekend looking to extend a nine-race winning streak. Since the track opened in 1969 there have been 106 NASCAR Cup Series races and Ford Motor Company has won more than half of them (53%). Overall, the company has 56 MIS victories with 44 being Ford and 12 Mercury. David Pearson is the track’s all-time leader in wins with nine (all Mercury) while Bill Elliott has the most Ford wins with seven.

FORD LOOKS TO EXTEND MIS WIN STREAK TO 10

Ford comes into Sunday’s scheduled race having won the last nine series races at the two-mile facility as Chris Buescher extended the streak one year ago when he led the final 12 laps to win for the second consecutive week. That made Buescher the fifth different driver to win at MIS during this streak. Kevin Harvick has five wins during that span while Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and Buescher have one each.

YEAR – DRIVER

2018 – Clint Bowyer (1) and Kevin Harvick (2)

2019 – Joey Logano (1) and Kevin Harvick (2)

2020 – Kevin Harvick (1 and 2)

2021 – Ryan Blaney

2022 – Kevin Harvick

2023 – Chris Buescher

HERITAGE TROPHY SUCCESS

Since Michigan International Speedway began handing out the Heritage Trophy to the winning manufacturer in August 2013, Ford has taken it back to World Headquarters in nearby Dearborn more times than any other manufacturer. Ford has won 11 races since the trophy came into existence while Chevrolet has won six and Toyota one.

BRAD KESELOWSKI: “I didn’t know it was nine races. That’s a great streak to have. We certainly don’t take it for granted. Those streaks come and go, but it’s been a good track for Ford. We put a lot of emphasis on going there, which has paid off clearly. Doug Yates and the engine shop are really good about making sure we’ve got the power and the things we need, and we had a good race there last year with RFK to be able to win with Chris. Hopefully, I can make it number 10.”

JOEY LOGANO: “It’s pretty important, more important for us. I’d like to get it more than anybody. Probably every Ford driver would say the same thing, but it’s definitely a special place to win for the OEMs. You think about it. All of the executives are there. The last thing you want is them to drive back to Dearborn and say, ‘Uhhhhh.’ You want them to be celebrating and enjoy it, so everyone brings as much as they can to try to win that one.”

RYAN BLANEY: “It’s huge. We take a lot of pride in that Heritage trophy and obviously with Ford being right there it’s really important. Edsel definitely makes sure that we know that it is important that we keep that there in Detroit at their home base. I was fortunate enough to win there a few years ago and have Edsel there and kind of see that excitement in him. It would be important to keep the streak going, so hopefully we can at least make a run at it and keep that trophy where it belongs.”

NOAH GRAGSON: “I know there are big manufacturer rivals up in the rolling hills, so going for 10 in a row is a pretty big accomplishment in my opinion at any racetrack. To be able to do it up in Michigan that’s the goal, obviously. Nine in a row is really big to be able to do that is a statement made. That makes me proud to drive a Ford and especially up in the rolling hills because they obviously have speed with the Dark Horse Mustang. I hope we can have a good run because Michigan is one of my favorite racetracks. It’s a good, fun, fast racetrack, probably the fastest racetrack we go to on the whole NASCAR circuit, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

FOUR STRAIGHT FOR AWESOME BILL

Bill Elliott is the only driver to win four straight NASCAR Cup Series races at Michigan International Speedway, sweeping both events in 1985 and ’86, and he capped that impressive streak in dominating fashion. Elliott led 125-of-200 laps on Aug. 17, 1986 to beat Tim Richmond to the finish line and win the Champion Spark Plug 400. Elliott went on to win seven career races at MIS and currently ranks third on the all-time list, trailing only David Pearson (9) and Cale Yarborough (8).

JARRETT WINS FIRST CUP RACE

Dale Jarrett registered his first NASCAR Cup Series victory in memorable fashion at Michigan International Speedway on Aug. 18, 1991. Jarrett, who was in second season driving for the Wood Brothers, found himself in a furious battle with Davey Allison, who stalked him over the final dozen laps in his No. 28 Texaco Havoline Thunderbird. Allison made a move to the outside coming off turn four and got alongside Jarrett as the two took the white flag together. They took turns exchanging the lead, but never left each other’s side. As they came off turn four both Fords made contact, but it was Jarrett who ended up edging Allison by eight inches at the finish line.

BIFFLE WINS FORD’S 1,000TH

Greg Biffle posted Ford’s 1,000th NASCAR victory when he took the checkered flag on June 16, 2013 in the Quicken Loans 400. The milestone win, which included combined victories in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck, NASCAR Xfinity and NASCAR Cup Series, was Biffle’s second straight at MIS and fourth overall. The race was shaping up to be a battle between Biffle, who was leading, and a hard-charging Jimmie Johnson, but a flat tire ended Johnson’s chances with two laps to go.

HERITAGE TROPHY FIRST

When Joey Logano won the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Aug. 18, 2013 it represented his first win with Ford and new car owner Roger Penske. But it also marked the first time the speedway awarded the Michigan Heritage trophy, which goes to the winning manufacturer of every NASCAR Cup Series race at MIS. Logano, who won the pole and led a race-high 51 laps, passed Mark Martin for the lead with four laps to go after Martin’s car ran out of gas.

BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK?

Ford will be going for its third straight series victory this weekend after Cole Custer won at Pocono Raceway and Riley Herbst captured the checkered flag at Indianapolis Motor Speedway three weeks ago. Custer, who has 14 career NXS wins, is looking for his first victory at MIS. In four career series starts, he has a pair of top-10 finishes with a third-place effort in 2018 being his best. Herbst enters the competition with three straight top-10 runs at MIS, including a career-best sixth in last year’s event. With both drivers now locked into the playoffs, the attention will focus on Ryan Sieg, who currently holds the final spot in the 12-driver field, but only has a three-point cushion over Sammy Smith with six races remaining in the regular season.

FORD’S NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS

AT MICHIGAN

1969 – David Pearson (2)

1984 – Bill Elliott (1)

1985 – Bill Elliott (Sweep)

1986 – Bill Elliott (Sweep)

1987 – Bill Elliott (2)

1988 – Davey Allison (2)

1989 – Bill Elliott (1)

1990 – Mark Martin (2)

1991 – Davey Allison and Dale Jarrett

1992 – Davey Allison (1)

1993 – Mark Martin (2)

1994 – Rusty Wallace and Geoffrey Bodine

1996 – Rusty Wallace and Dale Jarrett

1997 – Ernie Irvan and Mark Martin

1998 – Mark Martin (1)

1999 – Dale Jarrett (1)

2000 – Rusty Wallace (2)

2002 – Matt Kenseth and Dale Jarrett

2003 – Kurt Busch (1)

2004 – Greg Biffle (2)

2005 – Greg Biffle (1)

2006 – Matt Kenseth (2)

2007 – Carl Edwards (1)

2008 – Carl Edwards (2)

2012 – Greg Biffle (2)

2013 – Greg Biffle and Joey Logano

2016 – Joey Logano (1)

2018 – Clint Bowyer (1) and Kevin Harvick (2)

2019 – Joey Logano (1) and Kevin Harvick (2)

2020 – Kevin Harvick (Sweep)

2021 – Ryan Blaney

2022 – Kevin Harvick

2023 – Chris Buescher

FORD’S NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS

AT MICHIGAN

1993 – Mark Martin

1995 – Mark Martin

1998 – Jeff Burton

2001 – Ryan Newman

2008 – Carl Edwards

2011 – Carl Edwards

August 13, 2024
HEYDUDE Races into New Licensing Collaboration with NASCAR Team Properties
Collection available Aug. 13, featuring NASCAR, Daytona International Speedway, and select drivers

Daytona Beach, Fla. (Aug. 13, 2024) – HEYDUDE, a brand known for stylish and comfortable footwear, is coming together with the No. 1 motorsport in America for the first time to launch the new HEYDUDE x NASCAR collection, available for purchase as of today at https://www.heydude.com/collections/nascar-collection, Rack Room Shoes and select retailers.

The collection features five different designs of HEYDUDE’s classic Wally silhouette selling for $74.99 each, including three that are inspired by beloved drivers Chase Elliott, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Kyle Larson.
- Wally NASCAR: Racetrack ready, the black design features NASCAR written on the silhouette and NASCAR color details throughout the design.
- Wally NASCAR Daytona 500: Inspired by the iconic international speedway, the beige shoe features Daytona branding and NASCAR color details throughout the design.
- Wally Chase Elliott®: The blue No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts livery best associated with NASCAR’s 2020 Cup Series champion comes to life with plenty of additional detail from the car to the shoe.
- Wally Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Combining multiple fan favorites, this bright green shoe is inspired by the iconic Sun Drop scheme the NASCAR Hall of Famer continues to roll out with JR Motorsports.
- Wally Kyle Larson: This shoe brings to life the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion’s red, white and blue HendrickCars.com design synonymous with the No. 5 Chevrolet.
“HEYDUDE is an ideal partner to add to NASCAR’s licensing portfolio, and one that will absolutely resonate with NASCAR fans” said Megan Malayter, NASCAR vice president of licensing and consumer products. “The brand’s ability to delivery easy-on, easy-off comfort with designs that allow our fans to stylishly express themselves and their passions is a perfect fit at or away from the racetrack.”

“HEYDUDE is thrilled to come together with one of the most prestigious racing organizations in the world, NASCAR, to celebrate the exhilarating world of motorsports through this unique collection,” said Paul Nugent, Chief Marketing Officer at HEYDUDE. “We know that HEYDUDE and NASCAR fans alike will enjoy this collection that combines iconic NASCAR designs and personalized styles inspired by some of the sport’s top drivers.”

With just three regular season races remaining, Elliott, Larson and the rest of the NASCAR Cup Series roll into Michigan International Speedway for the FireKeepers Casino 400 at 2:30 p.m. ET this Sunday, Aug. 18 (USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Tickets are available for purchase at www.nascar.com/tickets.

About Crocs, Inc.

Crocs, Inc. (Nasdaq: CROX), headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, is a world leader in innovative casual footwear for all, combining comfort and style with a value that consumers know and love. The Company’s brands include Crocs and HEYDUDE, and its products are sold in more than 80 countries through wholesale and direct-to-consumer channels. For more information on Crocs, Inc. visit investors.crocs.com. To learn more about our brands, visit www.crocs.com or www.heydude.com. Individuals can also visit https://investors.crocs.com/news-and-events/ and follow both Crocs and HEYDUDE on their social platforms.

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 14 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 11 countries and more than 30 U.S. states.

For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X and Snapchat.

About NASCAR Team Properties

NASCAR Team Properties is a NASCAR industry managed organization created to promote efficiency and operational structure for the sport’s licensed merchandise business. NTP comprises NASCAR, NASCAR-owned tracks and participating teams in NASCAR’s national race series, and is operated under a Board of Directors representing those organizations.

About Hendrick Motorsports:

Founded by Rick Hendrick in 1984, Hendrick Motorsports is leading team NASCAR Cup Series wins history. At the sport’s premier level, the organization holds the all-time records in every major statistical category, including championships (14), points-paying race victories (310) and laps led (more than 80,000). It has registered at least one race win in a record 40 different seasons, including an active streak of 39 in a row (1986-2024). Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2024, the team fields four full-time Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 entries in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Alex Bowman, William Byron, Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson. Headquartered on more than 100 acres in Concord, North Carolina, Hendrick Motorsports employs approximately 600 people. For more information, please visit HendrickMotorsports.com.

About JR Motorsports:

JR Motorsports is the racing operation co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Fame member and 15-time Most Popular Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kelley Earnhardt Miller and NASCAR Hall of Famer Rick Hendrick. Now in its 23rd year of overall competition, JR Motorsports competes in multiple divisions, including the NASCAR Xfinity Series where it currently fields four full-time teams and earned championships in 2014, 2017 and 2018. The company also owns seven titles in regional Late Model divisions with consecutive championships in 2022-23 and a prized national title in 2020. To learn more about the organization, its drivers and its sponsorship opportunities, visit www.jrmracing.com.
August 13, 2024
Auto-Owners Insurance Racing: Martin Truex Jr. Michigan Advance

Martin Truex Jr.
Michigan Advance
No. 19 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing

Event Overview

● Event: FireKeepers Casino 400 (Round 24 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 18
● Location: Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn
● Layout: 2-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 200 laps / 400 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 45 laps / Stage 2: 75 laps / Final Stage: 80 laps
● TV/Radio: USA Network / MRN Radio / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Where We Stand: Truex sits eighth in the Cup Series standings with 662 points, 117 behind new leader Kyle Larson. All four JGR entries are currently inside the top-11 in the standings with Denny Hamlin fourth, Christopher Bell sixth and Ty Gibbs 11th as the series heads to the Irish Hills of Michigan this weekend.

● You Don’t See This Very Often: With an engine failure last weekend at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway, Truex suffered his first DNF (Did Not Finish) of the season. It was just the fourth DNF for Truex in the last two seasons.

● Home Game: Truex heads to Michigan hoping to get his first win at the 2-mile oval in the backyard of his primary sponsor this weekend – Auto-Owners Insurance, which is headquartered north of the track in Lansing.

● Truex has 11 top-five finishes and 16 top-10s and has led a total of 322 laps in 33 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Michigan. Truex’s average Michigan finish is 13.1. The Auto-Owners Insurance driver hasn’t finished outside the top-10 at the 2-mile oval since August 2018 and has not finished outside the top-10 at Michigan in a JGR-prepared car.

● Looking for 35: Truex’s win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon in July 2023 was his most recent Cup Series win, the 34th of his career, tying him with 2004 champion Kurt Busch for 25th on the all-time Cup Series win list.

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

Martin Truex Jr., Driver of the No. 19 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota Camry XSE

Michigan has been a place where you’ve been very consistent but haven’t quite been able to break through with a win. What are your thoughts heading into the weekend?

“Michigan is the fastest track we go to. It’s really hard to hold your foot down going into turn one. Your brain is telling you that you need to start lifting, but usually the car can take a bit more. It’s super, super fast and the commitment level is very high. And the groove is not really wide, which is different than, say, Fontana, where you can go really fast but the groove is very wide. You miss it by a few inches there you will be OK. At Michigan, not so much, especially when the traction compound is live, it’s very sketchy and on edge. We’ve been very consistent there in my time with JGR, but James (Small, crew chief) and the guys have been bringing fast cars. Hoping Michigan is another place we add to the win list this weekend with our Auto-Owners Insurance Camry. Really would love to get Auto-Owners a win at their home track. They’ll have a lot of people at the track cheering us on Sunday and hope we can make them proud.”

Last year, you had a runner-up finish at Michigan and almost pulled off the win. What worked so well for you there last year?

“I think we just needed a little longer run at the end of the race and we might have been able to catch the 17 (Chris Buescher). I felt like we were a little better, but it was just really hard to pass the leader on equal tires. Our Auto-Owners Camry was a rocket last year – just the leader in clean air was really, really hard to pass, which is usually the case. We just didn’t quite have enough, but I’m hoping things work out a little bit better for us and we can turn that strong finish from last year into a win this time around.”

With Auto-Owners right up the road in Lansing, Michigan, what has Auto-Owners meant to you as a longtime partner over the years, and how big is the Michigan weekend for them?

“They’ve meant a ton. I was able to visit the office there recently and get to see all the employees, and I have so many supporters there over the years. This is the eighth year they’ve been a partner of the teams I’ve driven for. Can’t thank them all enough for all of their support over the years, they are a special group. Going to be fun to see everyone with Auto-Owners Insurance at the track one more time at Michigan this weekend. We have a lot of visits to make and it will be great to get to thank them in person, as well.”

How much confidence do you have coming into the weekend?

“For sure, it’s been a tough couple of months, finish-wise. Speed-wise, aside from maybe just a few races like Iowa, we’ve been solid. Just need to capitalize on that and execute. It takes a lot of things to win races, lead laps, stay up front and have fast cars, so hope we can put it all together this weekend. But I feel good about it. Yeah, just kind of been in a slump for a little while now and we’ve had fast cars like we had at Richmond, and then bad things have happened that have kept us from good finishes.”

No. 19 Auto-Owners Insurance Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Martin Truex Jr.

Hometown: Mayetta, New Jersey

Crew Chief: James Small

Hometown: Melbourne, Australia

Car Chief: Chris Jones

Hometown: Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia

Race Engineer: Jaik Halpainy

Hometown: Blockville, New York

Engineer: Jeff Curtis

Hometown: Fairfax Station, Virginia

Spotter: Drew Herring

Hometown: Benson, North Carolina

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Ryan Martin

Hometown: Mechanicsburg, Virgina

Mechanic: Todd Carmichael

Hometown: Redding, California

Interior/Tire Specialist: Tommy DiBlasi

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Engine Tuner: Beau Morton

Hometown: Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Transporter Driver: Kyle Bazzell

Hometown: Fairbury, Illinois

Transporter Driver: Eddie DeGroot

Hometown: Baldwinsville, New York

Over-The-Wall Crew Members

Gas Man: Matt Tyrrell

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Jackman: Caleb Dirks

Hometown: Riverside, California

Tire Carrier: CJ Bailey

Hometown: Outer Banks, North Carolina

Front Tire Changer: Thomas Hatcher

Hometown: Middleburg, Florida

Rear Tire Changer: Lee Cunningham

Hometown: Leaf River, Illinois

August 13, 2024
RFK Advance | Michigan
Michigan Event Info:
Date: Sunday, August 18
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Brooklyn, Michigan
Format: 200 Laps, 400 Miles, Stages: 45-75-80
TV: USA
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 12:35 p.m. ET, Practice (USA, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 1:20 p.m. ET, Qualifying (USA, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 2:30 p.m. ET, Race (USA, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:
- Chris Buescher heads into Michigan as the defending race winner, one of his three wins a season ago.
- The victory marked Jack Roush’s 14th all-time in the Cup Series in the back yard of Ford Motor Company, and the first for RFK at Michigan since 2013 (Greg Biffle).
- Just three races remain in the regular season with Michigan, Daytona (Aug. 24) and Darlington (Sept. 1) hosting the final three races to determine the playoff picture.
6 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Matt McCall
Partner: Castrol Edge

17 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: Fifth Third Bank
- As part of the Fueled by Fifth Third Bank pass through program, Comprehensive Care Services (CCS) will ride along with Buescher on the decklid this weekend.
- CCS is committed to delivering superior patient outcomes for hospitals across Michigan, the United States and Europe. CCS proudly serves Michigan health systems including Corewell, Trinity, McLaren, and Ascension.
- As a Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) certified business, CCS upholds the highest standards of clinical excellence and innovative healthcare solutions to ensure quality care and efficiency for partner hospitals.
Keselowski at Michigan
Starts: 26
Wins: —
Top-10s: 14
Poles: 2 (2017, 2019)
- Keselowski makes his 27th Cup start in Michigan this weekend where he has an average finish of 12.3 and 14 top-10s.
- Despite no wins at his home track, Keselowski has eight results inside the top five with three runner-up finishes (2012, 2018, 2020).
- The Rochester Hills native has six top-10s in his last nine starts, and ran fourth a season ago after leading 15 laps in the race his teammate won.
- He has two career Cup poles at MIS (2017, 2019) and 10 overall starts inside the top-10.
- Keselowski has an additional nine combined starts at MIS in the Xfinity and Truck Series with two NXS wins (2009, 2010).
Buescher at Michigan
Starts: 13
Wins: 1 (2023)
Top-10s: 2
Poles: 1 (2020)
- Buescher is the defending race winner at Michigan, having led 52 laps a season ago after qualifying fourth.
- Buescher’s best finish prior was back in 2017 when he finished sixth, one of his two career top-10s at the track.
- He carries an average starting position of 18.5 with a pole back in 2020, and the P4 starting position last season.
- Buescher also made three NXS starts at MIS and finished top-10 in all three with a best finish of P4 in 2015.
RFK Historically at Michigan
Cup Wins: 13 (Mark Martin, 1990, 1993, 1997, 1998; Matt Kenseth, 2002, 2006; Kurt Busch, 2003; Greg Biffle, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013; Carl Edwards, 2007, 2008; Chris Buescher, 2023)
- Home Sweet Home: Michigan International Speedway serves as ‘home’ for Jack Roush and RFK Racing, located just an hour from Roush Industries in Livonia, Michigan. MIS has naturally been one of the organization’s most successful tracks on the circuit, with the team earning a total of 24 wins across NASCAR’s three major touring series.
- I Said Welcome to Detroit City: In 223 NCS starts at Michigan, RFK has recorded 14 wins, 58 top-fives and 104 top-10 finishes with 2,520 laps led. Greg Biffle’s win back in 2013 was the 1,000th NASCAR victory for Ford Performance.
- Roush vs. Everyone Else: RFK’s 14 wins in the NCS at Michigan are the most of any track on the NCS schedule. Six different drivers have earned victories for RFK at the two-mile oval with former drivers Mark Martin and Biffle both taking the checkered flag on four separate occasions. RFK drivers Matt Kenseth (two), Carl Edwards (two), Kurt Busch (one) and Chris Buescher (one) have also gone to victory lane for the organization in Michigan.
Consistency in the Motor City: Michigan ranks first overall among all tracks that RFK has competed on in the NCS in top-five finishes, top-10 finishes and in average finish among tracks that they have run two or more races. RFK has recorded 58 top-fives, 104 top-10s and has an average finish of 14.4 at the two-mile oval.

RFK Michigan Wins

1990-2 Martin Cup

1993-2 Martin Cup

1993 Martin NXS

1995 Martin NXS

1997-2 Martin Cup

1998 Burton NXS

1998-1 Martin Cup

1999 Biffle Truck

2000 Biffle Truck

2002-1 KensethCup

2003-1 Busch Cup

2004-2 Biffle Cup

2005-1 Biffle Cup

2006-2 Kenseth Cup

2007-1 Edwards Cup

2007 Kvapil Truck

2008-2 Edwards Cup

2008 Edwards NXS

2008 Darnell Truck

2009 Braun Truck

2011 Edwards NXS

2012-2 Biffle Cup

2013-1 Biffle Cup

Last Time Out & Where They Stand
Richmond: Keselowski finished 16th Sunday night in Richmond, while Buescher had to overcome a loose wheel to finish 18th.

Points Standings (6: 9th, 17: 13th): Keselowski remains ninth in points, while Buescher is down to 13th.
August 13, 2024
Lawless Alan to Drive for AM Racing in NASCAR Xfinity Series Race at Michigan International Speedway

STATESVILLE, N.C.: Officials from AM Racing confirmed today that NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series veteran Lawless Alan will drive the team’s No. 15 Ford Mustang in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Cabo Wabo 250 at Michigan International Speedway on August 17, 2024.

The Statesville, N.C.-based team heads to the Irish Hills after a welcome three-week break, allowing the family-owned team to reset and recharge ahead of the upcoming 13-race stretch to the season finale at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway in November.

Alan, who pilots the No. 33 Ford F-150 in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series, will make his Xfinity Series debut in the 21st race of the season.

Los Angeles, Calif. native Alan is in the midst of his third full-time season in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series. The 2024 season campaign marked his return to Reaume Brothers Racing, where Alan debuted in 2021.

Through 16 Truck Series races this season, Alan has earned a season-high 11th-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April and heads to Michigan International Speedway on the heels of a respectable 18th-place finish in this past Saturday night’s Clean Harbors 250 Truck Series after starting 25th.

AUTOChargit, who has served as Alan’s primary marketing partner in the Truck Series this season, will adorn the primary positions of the team’s No. 15 Ford Mustang for the 125-lap race.

AUTOChargit provides a complete turn-key solution for the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations and Mobile Charging Units.

AUTOChargit’s patented technology allows for up to ten vehicles to be charged by a single charger, significantly reducing infrastructure costs and increasing charging efficiency.

Alan will receive additional support this weekend from partners AUTODockit, AUTOParkit, AUTOStorit,

Garage Floor 24, ithena, Nord Drive Systems, PARKSentry and Siemens.

“I am very thankful for this opportunity to make my NASCAR Xfinity Series debut with AM Racing,” said Alan.

“I believe I will have the opportunity to be competitive at Michigan with our No. 15 AUTOChargit Ford Mustang and have the chance to bring the team and our partners a strong finish on Saturday afternoon.”

Alan has never competed at the 2.0-mile Michigan International Speedway but will have the opportunity to support both his AM Racing and Reaume Brothers Racing teams during the ARCA Menards Series Henry Ford Health 100 on Friday evening, along with drivers Christian Rose and Frankie Muniz, respectively.

“I’ve never been to Michigan, but I’ve been taking the last weeks to prepare myself for the race weekend, whether that be with iRacing, watching prior NASCAR Xfinity Series races, or just conversing with team members at AM Racing and Reaume Brothers Racing. Undoubtedly, watching the ARCA race on Friday and asking questions will be essential for making my Xfinity Series debut successful.

“The goal is to make gains from practice to qualifying. When the green flag drops on Saturday afternoon, we need to keep making gains with our No. 15 AUTOChargit Ford Mustang and be able to bring home a top-20 finish or better.”

In addition to Michigan, Alan will pilot the team’s No. 15 AUTOChargit Ford Mustang at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway for the Focused Health 250 on Saturday, September 7, 2024.

For more on AM Racing, please visit AMRacingteam.com, like their Facebook page (AM Racing), or follow them on Instagram and X | Twitter @AMRacingNASCAR.

For more on Lawless Alan, please visit lawlessalanracing.com, like his Facebook page (Lawless Alan Racing), or follow him on Instagram (@lawless_alan) and X | Twitter (@lawlessalan25).

The Cabo Wabo 250 (125 laps | 250 miles) is the 21st of thirty-three (33) NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2024 schedule. Practice begins on Friday, August 16, 2024, from 3:30 – 4:05 p.m. Qualifying immediately follows at 4:10 p.m. The 38-car field is set to take the green flag on Saturday, August 17, 2024, shortly after 3:30 p.m. with live coverage on the USA Network, the Motor Racing Network (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (Eastern).

About AM Racing:

AM Racing is a multi-tiered, multi-faceted Motorsports program headquartered in Statesville, N.C.

Established in December 2015, AM Racing is prided on faith, honesty and intelligent performance.

The family-owned team will compete in the ARCA Menards Series, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and various Dirt Modified events in its eighth year of competition.

August 12, 2024
Meyer Shank Racing Back in Action at WWTR Oval

Pataskala, Ohio (12 August 2024) – After a three-week break built around the Summer Olympic Games, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) will launch a homestretch run starting with the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 on Saturday (6:00pm ET, USA, SiriusXM Ch. 218).

MSR drivers Felix Rosenqvist (No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda) and David Malukas (No. 66 AutoNation / Arctic Wolf Honda) kick off the final month of the season which will consist of four ovals in five races.

The team will look to maintain the qualifying momentum gained in the two races before the break as both Rosenqvist and Malukas started in the top 10 at Iowa and Toronto. Work over the three-week break focused on converting those results into race-day success as MSR seeks to end the season in the same strong fashion it showed at the start of the year.

The previous two races saw Rosenqvist suffer issues that led to consecutive DNFs (Did Not Finish) for the first time this season, but will look to rebound as the Swedish driver seeks to reclaim a top-10 spot in the season standings.

Things are more positive for the No. 66 car as Malukas has taken it to its best finishes of the year since taking over the seat five races ago. He capped that run with a sixth-place result in Toronto and is poised to move into the top 20 in points despite missing the first half of the season with a wrist injury.

Malukas has great reason for optimism heading to the 1.25-mile oval located outside of St. Louis, Missouri as the young driver has finished second (2022) and third (2023) in his only two starts there. Rosenqvist has three top-10 results in his six previous starts at WWT Raceway and has led in three of those starts as well. MSR is looking for its first top-10 finish there since 2021, but the team has earned a pair of top-10 starting spots in its seven previous WWTR starts.

Qualifying on the oval takes place Friday evening with coverage beginning at 4:20pm ET on Peacock. Coverage of Saturday night’s 260-lap race begins at 6pm ET on USA Network and Peacock. All of the action can also be heard live on Sirius XM Radio, Channel 218.

Meyer Shank Racing Driver Quotes:

Felix Rosenqvist: “It’s been good for everyone to have this break and I feel like we’ve recovered the fire to get back into the fight. We’re definitely going into the oval part of the season and I’m ready to turn left!”

David Malukas: “I’m excited to return to World Wide Technology Raceway this weekend. This track has been amazing for me, with back-to-back NTT INDYCAR SERIES podiums in the last two years. The energy and incredible support from the fans make it a truly special place. I’m ready to see what we can achieve this year and push for another great result!”

August 12, 2024
Elias Sabo Makes Mid-Season Manufacturer Change to BMW M3

PHOENIX, Ariz., (August 12, 2024) — Following a challenging season in the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS sports car racing championship and discontent with results, Elias Sabo will change manufacturers from racing his Aston Martin Vantage GT3 to the BMW M4 GT3 for the remainder of the 2024 race season.

“The beginning of the 2024 season has presented several unforeseen challenges,” said Sabo. “Despite our best efforts, certain circumstances beyond our control arose, which has led to my decision. For my personal development as a driver and to enhance the overall racing experience, I have decided that a change is necessary. I have long admired BMW for their exceptional products and their competitiveness on the global stage. I am enthusiastic about embarking on this new partnership and excited about the opportunities it holds for the future.”

This mid-season manufacturer swap makes every second critical as the team prepares for the remaining races of the 2024 race season. The BMW arrived last week at the team’s Phoenix-based shop at Apex Motor Club in Phoenix, Arizona, and the team immediately began preparing for a shakedown and on-track test.

“This transition marks a significant change for our program within a brief period,” stated Program Manager Darren Law. “Switching manufacturers mid-season is a complex task due to the numerous factors involved. While it is regrettable that Elias and Andy will not continue with the current platform, we are eager to embark on this new chapter with BMW. Their collaboration has been invaluable in facilitating this transition, and their vehicles demonstrate remarkable performance. We are enthusiastic about beginning and fostering a strong relationship with them.”

The Flying Lizard BMW M4 GT3 will make its debut at Road America on the weekend of August 16 to 18 in rounds nine and 10 of the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS.

“BMW M Motorsport is delighted to welcome Flying Lizard Motorsports to the BMW family,” said Adam McGregor, BMW NA Motorsport & Customer Racing Manager. “Well known to us as champions and fierce competitors, we look forward to seeing them line up in SRO competition this year with the BMW M4 GT3. BMW of North America’s Customer Racing program continues to go from strength to strength and it is very exciting that the Lizards will make the BMW M Sports Trophy a little tougher to win.”

On behalf of Sabo, Flying Lizard will sell the pair of Aston Martin Vantage GT3 race cars, and interested parties can contact the team directly.

August 12, 2024