Author: Official Release

RYAN PREECE
Indianapolis Advance
No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Brickyard 400 (Round 22 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 21
● Location: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
● Layout: 2.5-mile rectangular oval
● Laps/Miles: 160 laps/400 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 50 laps / Stage 2: 50 laps / Final Stage: 60 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / IMS / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Ryan Preece and the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse are ready for a highly anticipated return to the iconic 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval for the first time since 2020, when now-retired Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kevin Harvick scored his second of back-to-back dominating Brickyard 400 victories. Preece and his teammates would like nothing better than to keep the company’s Brickyard 400 win streak alive this weekend. The NASCAR Cup Series returns to the historic, rectangular oval after competing instead on the speedway’s 2.439-mile, 14-turn grand prix road circuit from 2021 through 2023.

● Preece has a pair of Brickyard 400s under his belt, driving for JTG Daugherty Racing in the 2018 and 2019 editions of the racing tradition that began in 1994. Preece finished 16th in the 2018 event before seeing his bid the following year ended by an accident just 14 laps into the race. The 33-year-old Berlin, Connecticut, native competed in two of the four races held on the Indy grand prix circuit, recording a 35th-place result for JTG Daugherty Racing after an accident 18 laps from the finish ended his day in 2021, and a 31st-place result last year in his No. 41 Stewart-Haas Ford.

● The No. 41 Ford for Stewart-Haas had back-to-back-to-back solid finishes in the last three Brickyard 400s from 2018 to 2020. Kurt Busch drove it to a sixth-place finish in 2018, Daniel Suarez drove it to an 11th-place finish in 2019, and Cole Custer drove it to a fifth-place finish in 2020. Before Harvick’s consecutive victories in 2019 and 2020 in the No. 4 Ford, Ryan Newman scored the company’s first Brickyard 400 win from the pole in 2013, driving the No. 39 Stewart-Haas entry.

● In addition to his Cup Series outings, Preece has a pair of NASCAR Xfinity Series starts on the Indianapolis oval. He made his series debut at the track for owner Johnny Davis in 2016, when he started 27th and finished 25th. Preece returned for the 2018 Xfinity Series race in a Joe Gibbs Racing entry, which he qualified third before an accident cut his race short 22 laps shy of the finish.

● Preece arrives at Indianapolis after a 30th-place result last Sunday at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. An accident ended his day on the 2.5-mile triangle 121 laps into the 160-lap race. He sits 27th in the Cup Series driver standings after best finishes this season of fourth at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway on June 30, and ninth at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway on April 7.

● Joining Preece and the No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse at Indianapolis is HaasTooling.com, the cutting tool division of Haas Automation. HaasTooling.com allows CNC machinists to purchase high-quality cutting tools at great prices. Haas cutting tools are sold exclusively online at HaasTooling.com and shipped directly to end users. Haas Automation, founded in 1983, is America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools. The company manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers, rotaries and indexers, and automation solutions.

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

The NASCAR Cup Series raced on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course at Indianapolis since from 2021 through 2023, but this weekend the series makes a highly anticipated return to its 2.5-mile oval. What are your thoughts heading into the weekend?

“I think racing there on the oval is what every racecar driver dreams of doing at some point in their career. It deserves a spot on our schedule. I enjoy road courses, and I think those racetracks suit my style of racing, but the oval, at Indianapolis, is just a special place. I’m excited for the opportunity to race there again, and hopefully we can grab a solid finish in our No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse.”

Sunday’s Brickyard 400 will mark the first time the NextGen car has raced on the oval at Indianapolis. What do you anticipate needing from your racecar to be quick this weekend?

“We’re still working really hard to roll off the truck better, and I feel like we did that last weekend. I think we can look at Pocono, take a lot of what was found there, and apply it at the Brickyard this weekend. Pocono and Indianapolis are as similar as two tracks could possibly be on our schedule. Indy is certainly a lot smoother than Pocono, but as far as the setup, there won’t be a lot of variation between the two racetracks. The racing product should be similar.”

Talk about your first race weekend at Indianapolis.

“It was certainly special. I ran my first race there in 2016, when I drove for JD Motorsports in the Xfinity Series. I remember riding into the speedway for the first time, knowing the history of the Brickyard and the legendary drivers that have raced there, it was a little intimidating. The racetrack has an aura about it, and I’m just thankful for the opportunities that have given me a shot to race at Indy.”

No. 41 HaasTooling.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Ryan Preece

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Crew Chief: Chad Johnston

Hometown: Cayuga, Indiana

Car Chief: Jeremy West

Hometown: Gardena, California

Engineer: Marc Hendricksen

Hometown: Clinton, New Jersey

Spotter: Tony Raines

Hometown: LaPorte, Indiana

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Devin Lester

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Rear Tire Changer: Austin Chrismon

Hometown: China Grove, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons

Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Jack Man: Sherman Timbs

Hometown: Indianola, Mississippi

Fuel Man: Dwayne Moore

Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Road Crew Members

Front End Mechanic: Joe Zanolini

Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Interior Mechanic: Robert Dalby

Hometown: Anaheim, California

Tire Specialist: Matt Ridgeway

Hometown: Carrollton, Georgia

Engine Tuner: Jimmy Fife

Hometown: Orange County, California

Transporter Co-Driver: David Rodrigues

Hometown: Santa Clarita, California

Transporter Co-Driver: Charlie Schleyer

Hometown: Youngsville, Pennsylvania

CLUB ENTRY LIST

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
POINT STANDINGS: 31st

ERIK JONES
POINT STANDINGS: 26th

JIMMIE JOHNSON

CLUB NOTES

After three years of racing on the road course at Indianapolis, the NASCAR Cup Series makes its way back to the 2.5-mile rectangular oval on Sunday, July 21st, to compete in the Brickyard 400.

Renaming the Streets: Each year Indianapolis Motor Speedway keeps tradition by renaming the streets of the capitol city for the drivers who compete in the event. This year, Jimmie Johnson is featured just off of Columbus Circle and Meridian as one of the six drivers who have won the event. Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek are on the corners of Washington and Meridian Streets. Click here for the map.

JHN at Indianapolis: John Hunter Nemechek has a small history at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s oval circuit. The 27-year-old driver has three starts on the 2.5-mile oval in his career. Two of his three starts came in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2019; Nemechek’s third start came in 2020 during his NASCAR Cup Series rookie season. In that Cup Series start, he would go on to score a 15th-place finish.

Beshore at Indianapolis: The No. 42 Pye-Barker Crew Chief Ben Beshore is looking to kiss the yard of bricks once again. Beshore was atop of the pit box in the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series race. Driver Kyle Busch started from the pole position and went on to lead 46-laps en route the victory. That race marked the only start on the 2.5-mile oval for Beshore.

84 Returns to Indy: Jimmie Johnson returns to the seat of the No. 84 Carvana Toyota Camry XSE this weekend; this will mark his sixth start of the season. Johnson has a decorated history at the fame yard of bricks having won on four occasions (2006, 2008, 2009 and 2012); he looks to tie former teammate, Jeff Gordon at the top as the winningest drivers in the Brickyard 400, who has five victories. In addition to his success in the NASCAR ranks, Johnson competed in the Indianapolis 500 and was named the 2022 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year.

Where it all started: Johnson’s first start in the now NASCAR Xfinity Series came at the nearby Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) in 1998. He would race part time in that Series until 2000 when he went full time in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2002.

Carvana Paint Scheme: For the Brickyard 400 this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Johnson will pilot a one-of-a-kind Carvana paint scheme that was designed by his daughters, Genevieve (14) and Lydia (11) in celebration of Father’s Day. The No. 84 Carvana Toyota Camry XSE features an imaginative blend of colors and patterns that represent Johnson’s personal life and dynamic racing career, brought to life through the artistic vision of his daughters. The car is covered in pink, turquoise, yellow, and purple doodles along with images of the family’s spirited Jack Russell Terrier, “Charlie Meatball” (who Genevieve spent the most time drawing).

Dad Spotting: A familiar voice will be back on the radio for Johnson this weekend at the Brickyard as his dad Gary will be the Turn 3 spotter for the event assisting longtime spotter Earl Barban with guiding Johnson around the track for 400 miles. Barban and the elder Johnson teamed up at the Indianapolis 500 in 2022 to do the same when Johnson competed in INDYCAR.

“Fast” or famine: Johnson has led 306 laps around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in his career. His last outing in a NASCAR Cup Series car was in 2019, where he led four laps but crashed. He had to sit out of the 2020 event, which was the first race on the GP road course, due to a positive COVID-19 test. Johnson has six top-five and seven top-10 finishes at the historic track. He has five DNF’s across 18 starts.

Top 100: Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB co-owner was recently named to ESPN’s Top-100 professional athletes of the 21st century list. Johnson joins Michael Schumacher from the race car driver category and names such Tom Brady, Serena Williams and Dwayne Wade. Click here for the 26-50 list. https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/40446224/top-100-athletes-21st-century

Burdett at Indianapolis: No. 84 crew chief Jason Burdett has wins with Johnson at the Brickyard when he was at Hendrick Motorsports, but he also has a stellar record at the historic track as a crew chief. Burdett has one win, three top-five and four top-10 finishes at Indianapolis with driver Justin Allgaier. The win came in 2018 where Allgaier started second and led 41 laps en route to victory.

Erik Jones at Indianapolis: The last three years in Indianapolis, the NASCAR circuit ran the road course at the track. This year, the sport is bringing back the Indy oval. On the road course over the past three years, Jones earned two top-15s. Before the road course, he has four starts at the oval, his best finish was second in 2018.

Elenz at Indianapolis: Dave Elenz, Crew Chief of the No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE, has only called the shots for the Indianapolis oval for the NASCAR Xfinity series. Elenz has a reputable stat sheet, with a top-6 finish for all five race starts. Elenz visited victory lane at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2017 with the now NASCAR Cup Series driver, William Byron.

Partner Spotlight: This week the No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB entry will have Pye-Barker Fire & Safety dawning his Toyota Camry XSE for this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Going for G.O.L.D.: Partners Dollar Tree and Family Dollar will honor store #7640 this weekend as a part of the company’s “Go for G.O.L.D.” (Grand Opening Look Daily) program. The Dollar Tree and Family Dollar primaries will highlight these stores on the deck lid of all three LEGACY M.C. entries throughout the race season. Store #7640 is in Indianapolis, IN.

CLUB QUOTES

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver of the No. 42 Pye-Barker Toyota Camry XSE:

“Pye-Barker Fire & Safety has been a long-term partner of mine so I’m excited to give them their first NASCAR Cup Series race as a primary sponsor this weekend and for it to come at a place like Indianapolis is really neat. Indy has a lot of history in motorsports and I’m happy that the Cup Series will be back on the oval this weekend. The entire LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team has been putting in a lot of work, week-in and week-out to get better and we’re hopeful that we can have a strong showing as we head into the couple off-weeks.”

Ben Beshore, Crew chief of the No. 42 Pye-Barker Toyota Camry XSE:

“Indy [oval] is one of the most historic tracks, it has a lot more history to it and the Brickyard was one of the crown jewel events for the NASCAR Cup Series; I am really looking forward to it, I think it’s a cool event and hopefully it puts on a good show.”

“I was fortunate to [kiss the bricks] in 2019, I also got to do it as an engineer in 2015 and 2016 — that was so cool, being in victory lane there and all the tradition and history for how old that place is.”

Erik Jones, Driver of the No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE:

“I think everybody is excited about getting the NextGen on the Indy oval. As soon as we started running this car, we realized it was pretty good on the bigger tracks and the short tracks and road courses weren’t always good of a show. The push was there to go back to the oval, for that reason, and just for the prestige of what the oval means to not just NASCAR, but the sport of racing in general. Indy’s not far from home for me, 4 hours away, so that race has a significant meaning to me and being able to compete in it but also have a shot to hopefully win it, so excited about that. At Indy, there are a lot of different challenges, really, but I think the biggest thing is track position – its always really challenging, pit road is really challenging, it’s really small, really narrow for our race cars, there’s always chaos and so many cars stay on the lead lap at Indy, as well. It’s fun, it’s a fast track. It will be a totally different experience than the last time I’ve been there, which was four years ago on the oval in the old car, so it will be a learning process getting out there and making some practice laps on Friday and hopefully get it dialed in for qualifying and the race on Saturday and Sunday”.

Dave Elenz, Crew chief of the No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE:

“It should be exciting to go to Indy with the NextGen car. It’s a new track that everybody knows. You have an idea of what it is but you don’t necessarily know how this car is going to behave there. It should be similar to what we had at Pocono – we had a good run there so hopefully we can carry a lot of that information over. Erik’s been very successful there, I’ve been fortunate in the Xfinity series there, so hopefully we can put all three of those things together and have a good day.”

Jimmie Johnson, Driver of the No. 84 Carvana Toyota Camry XSE:

“Indianapolis is a special place both for my time in the NASCAR Cup Series and for my time in INDYCAR. The place is sacred, and I can’t help but smile when I look back on all the experiences I have had over my entire career at this track. With no one racing this car on this configuration, it’s going to level up the playing field slightly. I’m excited to get back behind the wheel and see what we can do this weekend. I’m also thankful to Carvana for allowing my girls to design this very special paint scheme, it’s going to be awesome to see it in real life and on the track.”

Jason Burdett, Crew chief of the No. 84 Carvana Toyota Camry XSE:

“I was never a real big fan of the road course so it’s fun to go back to the oval and run. No one has run this car there before but we are three years into this car, so the field has a better handle on what they need to get the speed out of it. It’s going to be a completely different scenario than anywhere we go, as you can no longer compare Pocono to Indy because Indy is so much smoother and you can do so much more with the car. It will be fun to see how it all goes. The 50-minute practice will be great for Jimmie to get back into the groove.”

PETTY 75TH ANNIVERSARY

ABOUT PETTY 75th: The 2024 season marks a significant milestone in the history of the Petty family as they have helped define stock car racing for 75 years. Their commitment to the sport and the people who make it possible – behind the wheel, under the hood, in the back office, and beyond – has shaped the growth and success of NASCAR. Their LEGACY lives on with the countless fans, drivers, technicians, and team members they touched. Throughout 2024, LEGACY M.C. will celebrate the Petty family and share countless memories with friends and fans at race tracks across the country.

This Week in Petty History: On July 18, 1958, The King, Richard Petty began his NASCAR career, coming just 16 days following his 21st birthday in Toronto. On July 21, 1963, Petty earned his 23rd career victory with it coming at Bridgehampton Raceway in New York. This was Petty’s first road-course win.

The King’s Hat: This weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be in the fan midway area. Be sure to check out IMS social media channels for motor information and details.

BROADCAST INFO

INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

SUNDAY, JULY 21st @ 2:30 PM ET

ABOUT OUR PARTNERS

ABOUT DOLLAR TREE, INC.: Dollar Tree, a Fortune 200 Company, operated 16,622 stores across 48 states and five Canadian provinces as of October 28, 2023. Stores operate under the brands of Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, and Dollar Tree Canada. To learn more about the Company, visit www.DollarTree.com.

ABOUT CARVANA: Carvana’s mission is to change the way people buy and sell cars. Over the past decade, Carvana has revolutionized automotive retail and delighted millions of customers with an offering that is fun, fast, and fair. With Carvana, customers can choose from tens of thousands of vehicles, get financing, trade-in, and complete a purchase entirely online with the convenience of home delivery or local pick up in over 300 U.S. markets. Carvana’s vertically integrated platform is powered by its passionate team, unique national infrastructure, and purpose-built technology. Carvana is a Fortune 500 company and is proud to be recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Employers. For more information, please visit www.carvana.com.

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 www.LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com.

CHASE BRISCOE
Indianapolis Advance
No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Brickyard 400 (Round 22 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 21
● Location: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
● Layout: 2.5-mile rectangular oval
● Laps/Miles: 160 laps/400 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 50 laps / Stage 2: 50 laps / Final Stage: 60 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / IMS / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● The seeds of the Brickyard 400 were planted on Monday, June 22, 1992. It was the first of a two-day tire test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway where the viability of racing NASCAR Cup Series stock cars on Indy’s 2.5-mile rectangular oval was explored. Just a day removed from his victory in the Miller Genuine Draft 400 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Davey Allison joined eight of his Cup Series counterparts – Dale Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace, Bill Elliott, Darrell Waltrip, Ricky Rudd, Ernie Irvan, Mark Martin and Kyle Petty – to run full-bodied stock cars on a track that was specific to low-slung, open-wheel Indy cars and the iconic Indianapolis 500. On the second day of the test, the nine drivers raced in a pack to simulate drafting, all while an estimated 40,000 fans looked on. Elliott in his Ford Thunderbird was fastest on both days, yet his best lap was still 63 mph slower than Roberto Guerrero’s pole-winning speed of 232.482 mph for that year’s Indianapolis 500. The speed discrepancy didn’t matter. Big American iron thundering around the famed Brickyard whetted appetites, and on April 14, 1993, NASCAR president Bill France Jr. and Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Tony George announced that the inaugural Brickyard 400 would be held on Saturday, Aug. 6, 1994. It would be the first race other than the Indianapolis 500 to be held at the Speedway since 1916. Rising star and Indiana icon Jeff Gordon won the race to score the second of his 93 career victories, beating Brett Bodine by .53 of a second. For the next 26 years, the Cup Series raced on the oval before a three-year sojourn on Indianapolis’ 2.439-mile, 14-turn infield road course. It was not the same, and with the current-generation car putting on great shows at intermediate-style tracks across the nation, the decision to return to Indy’s 2.5-mile oval was made. The 2024 Brickyard 400 will mark the 28th Cup Series race on the big track, but the first since 2020.

● DYK?: The last NASCAR Cup Series team to win on Indy’s 2.5-mile oval was Stewart-Haas Racing. In fact, the team co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart and Haas Automation founder Gene Haas won the last two Brickyard 400s, each courtesy of Kevin Harvick. And not since 2017 has a manufacturer other than Ford won the Brickyard 400, as Brad Keselowski drove a Ford to victory lane in the 2018 Brickyard 400 before Harvick’s back-to-back Brickyard wins in 2019 and 2020.

● The “Stewart” in Stewart-Haas owns two Brickyard 400 victories. The Hoosier hotshoe grabbed a coveted Indy win in 2005 before securing a second triumph in 2007. Both victories came with Joe Gibbs Racing.

● Chase Briscoe doesn’t have a NASCAR Cup Series start on Indy’s 2.5-mile oval, but he does have two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts on the big track. The Mitchell, Indiana native made his Indy debut in 2018 and finished ninth. He then one-upped that result in 2019 by finishing eighth.

● Briscoe is a winner at Indianapolis. When NASCAR transitioned to the road course in 2020, Briscoe proved the quickest to adapt, winning the 62-lap NASCAR Xfinity Series race by 1.717 seconds over runner-up and fellow Indiana native Justin Haley. It was the seventh of Briscoe’s 11 career Xfinity Series wins and he did it with the same primary partner who will adorn his No. 14 Ford Mustang Dark Horse in Sunday’s Brickyard 400 – HighPoint.com.

● HighPoint.com is a leading provider of technology infrastructure solutions that is headquartered in Sparta, New Jersey. HighPoint has been a partner of Briscoe and Stewart-Haas since 2020 when the company supported Briscoe’s NASCAR Xfinity Series campaign, a collaboration that netted a season-best nine victories and earned Briscoe a promotion to the NASCAR Cup Series. HighPoint has climbed the NASCAR ladder with Briscoe and has helped Stewart-Haas maximize its IT investments. Said Briscoe about the partnership: “Even though we race stock cars, there’s nothing stock about what we do. The science of our cars is impressive, but the technology that goes into building our Ford Mustangs and then making them perform is even more advanced. Our IT needs are pretty complex, and we demand a lot from our technology every day, whether it’s at the shop or at the track. HighPoint provides efficiency and security. They’re more than just a sponsor – HighPoint is a partner that helps us perform.” As an IT Solutions Integrator focused on all things that connect, HighPoint helps its customers with the selection and supply of network infrastructure, mobility, collaboration, data center, security solutions and the risk-mitigated implementation and management of their technology. The company, founded in 1996, is a minority-owned business that serves markets in its nearby Tri-State Region (New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware) and the southeastern United States via its presence in Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as globally with offices in Amsterdam and London. To learn more about HighPoint’s solutions, please visit HighPoint.com.

● The story of how HighPoint.com came together with Briscoe and Stewart-Haas is one that could’ve been scripted in Hollywood. In November 2019, while walking to dinner after attending the SEMA show in Las Vegas, Kevin Briscoe was stopped by a stranger who noticed his No. 98 Stewart-Haas hat. The man was Mike Mendiburu, founder and CEO of HighPoint.com, and he said he was a big fan of Chase Briscoe, then a young NASCAR Xfinity Series driver from Mitchell, Indiana, who was driving the No. 98 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas. Kevin informed Mendiburu that Chase was his son and the two carried on a conversation like they were old friends. The two walked away with Kevin accepting Mendiburu’s business card, just in case the Briscoes ever needed anything. Months passed and Chase Briscoe was told that he may not have a ride in the No. 98 for the 2020 season if funding couldn’t be found. So, Stewart-Haas was given Mendiburu’s information and an agreement was reached for HighPoint.com to sponsor Briscoe. That chance encounter in Las Vegas led to a nine-win season in 2020. In October of that year, midway through the playoffs, Briscoe arrived at Tony Stewart’s house in Indiana for what he thought was a discussion with his team owner about whether HighPoint.com would be returning as his sponsor for the next season. The group sat down for dinner and Briscoe, joined by his parents, was informed a decision had already been made – he would be leaving the No. 98 Xfinity Series program to become the next driver of the team’s No. 14 Cup Series entry, the car Stewart himself wheeled during his driving tenure at Stewart-Haas. “I wouldn’t have a career if it wasn’t for Mike and everyone at HighPoint.com,” Briscoe said. “Going into 2020, I was going to be done. They literally came in the fourth quarter with 30 seconds left on the clock and kept things going. Without them, I think my career would’ve been over.”

● Briscoe will return to his dirt-track roots on Friday night by competing in the Maverick Winged Sprint Car Series race at Bloomington (Ind.) Speedway. He will drive his own 410 winged sprint car in the feature event at the quarter-mile dirt oval located approximately 60 miles south of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Hot laps begin at 6:30 p.m. EDT with the race program starting at 7:30 p.m.

● DYK?: ​Briscoe’s first time behind the wheel of a racecar came in 2001. Driving a quarter midget, he won his first heat race and then won the feature event that evening. Briscoe moved on to mini sprints and, when he was 13, stepped into a 410 sprint car. In his first race, he finished 10th in a 40-car field. And in a rookie season that saw 37 starts, Briscoe racked up eight top-five and 17 top-10 finishes, including a win in the last race of the season where he broke NASCAR Hall of Famer and four-time Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon’s record as being the youngest person to win a 410 sprint car race.

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang

This year marks a return to the oval at Indy. While you don’t have any NASCAR Cup Series starts on the 2.5-mile oval, you do have two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts on the oval (2018 and 2019). So, what’s it like for an Indiana guy to race on the most renown track in Indiana, and on the most renown oval in all of motorsports?

“It’s super cool. Every racecar driver, or anybody in motorsports, wants to race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and run laps at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but when you grow up in Indiana, it just means that much more to you. I’m just super excited to get back. I always say I don’t really care what we’re racing at Indy, whether it’s the road course, oval, dirt track, parking lot, whatever, I just want to race at Indy. It’s definitely more significant going to the oval, so it’ll be really special for me, personally, just to get to run a Brickyard 400. That was something I didn’t know that I was ever going to get the opportunity to do. With how it all kind of played out with this being the last year of Stewart-Haas, it’s really cool just to say I’ll get to run the Brickyard 400 in the 14.”

This year’s Brickyard 400 involves some interesting storylines for you – it’s your first Cup start on the oval, but you’re doing it in your last Indy start in the No. 14 while driving for your childhood hero, Tony Stewart. Is it a bittersweet moment – excitement mixed with a little sorrow?

“A little bit of both. I’m glad that I’ll at least get to say I got to drive one Brickyard 400 in the 14 for Tony. But it is bittersweet knowing that this’ll be the only time I’ll get to do it, and it’ll be the last time that Tony’s an owner at IMS. Yeah, there are mixed emotions. I’m excited and glad that I’m getting to do it with how everything played out, the fact that we’re going back to the oval this year and everything, it means a lot personally to get to do it in the 14. I’m glad that I’ll have that opportunity and at least get the chance to do it, but it is bittersweet. I was talking to Tony a couple of weeks ago and even brought up to him how a reporter had mentioned it to me and it didn’t even really hit me until I heard it. I think for Tony it was the same way. So it’s going to be bittersweet for both of us, but just glad we’ll have the opportunity.”

Explain what it’s like for an Indiana native to race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Why is it such a big deal?

“Just when you look at the people who have won there, it’s all icons in motorsports and just people you kind of look up to, the A.J. Foyts, the Parnellis, the Unsers and Andrettis, it’s just the names of the people who have gotten to run at that racetrack, let alone win at that racetrack, it’s kind of a who’s who. Just to get to run on a racetrack that’s been around for more than 100 years and has the history and significance that it has in the motorsports community is always special. Then, when you grow up in Indiana, it’s just normal. I think you take for granted that you have IMS there in your backyard. It’s something you don’t realize how big of a thing it is until you finally go there and see it in person and realize what it means to motorsports. It’s certainly special to have probably the most iconic racetrack in the world as my home track.”

Racing at your home track is cool, but it also comes with a good bit of work outside of the racecar as family and friends want to see you before, during and after the race weekend. How do you juggle that aspect with what you need to do with your No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang?

“I enjoy it. It’s nice for me to go up to Indiana and get away from everything and see my friends and family that I don’t get to see a whole lot, and even a ton of race fans that I normally don’t get to see. So I try to go up a couple of days early and hang out and kind of get away from the craziness that is everyday life in Charlotte. I enjoy it. I try to always hang out with my grandparents, I try to go fishing with some of my best friends who I grew up with, and try to enjoy being home, something I don’t really get to do anymore. Definitely enjoy and look forward to it every single year. It’s a lot of work going up there just because I’m always busy, but it’s definitely a good busy.”

Indiana in July is hot and humid. How do you deal with the heat, and how far out before a race weekend begins do you start preparing yourself for the heat?

“For me, it’s normally Wednesday and Thursday that I try to get prepared for the weekend, and definitely it’s Saturday when you’re getting ready for Sunday. Growing up there, I’m kind of used to it. Indiana in July is definitely a different type of heat than you’re typically used to. Every time I think about Indiana in July, I think of Indiana Sprint Week and racing eight races in 10 days. I think you kind of get used to the heat when you’re from there, but it’s definitely a shock to a lot of people when they go there, especially in the middle of July and August. For me, it’s kind of normal.”

What’s your earliest childhood memory of Indianapolis Motor Speedway?

“The earliest childhood memory I have of IMS is, when I was 7 years old, literally right outside the tunnel between turns one and two, there’s a brick building that I think just got sold last year, but there was a guy who did embroidery on uniforms there. His name was Jim Bob and I remember going there and getting my first-ever uniform embroidered with my name on it. That was the first time I’d ever seen IMS. I watched it on TV, but I never put two and two together, and I just remember going there and seeing the grandstands and just driving around the racetrack and being in awe of how big of a racetrack it was. I’d always seen quarter-miles and three-eighth-mile dirt tracks growing up, but had never seen anything that was two-and-a-half miles. That’s my first memory of IMS. Literally, when you drive out of that tunnel, you’re looking at the building. So it’s kind of crazy that my first-ever race suit came from across the street at IMS.”

What’s your favorite Tony Stewart memory from Indianapolis Motor Speedway?

“For me, obviously the Brickyard wins stand out. Truthfully, I don’t remember the Indy 500, the double runs, I was a little bit younger. But I definitely remember Tony’s first Brickyard win, and then the one where he gave the interview on the front straightaway about the fans sticking with him. And I remember him doing the burnout over in turn two in front of his dad, Nelson, and all of his family and friends, so those are the ones that sort of stand out more than the rest.”

No. 14 HighPoint.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe

Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell

Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Car Chief: J.D. Frey

Hometown: Ferndale, California

Engineer: Mike Cook

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Spotter: Joey Campbell

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala

Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff

Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal

Hometown: Holland, Michigan

Jack Man: Kapil Fletcher

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams

Hometown: Plymouth, Wisconsin

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads

Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Shock Specialist: Brian Holshouser

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips

Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

Transporter Co-Driver: Todd Cable

Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Dale Lackey

Hometown: Taylorsville, North Carolina

• In two NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) starts on the oval configuration at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), Spire Motorsports has logged one top-20 and two top-25 finishes. Ross Chastain earned a team-best 17th-place finish in the division’s 2020 visit to “The Brickyard.” Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NCS with Corey LaJoie, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively.
• In addition to two NCS starts on the oval configuration, Spire Motorsports has fielded six entries on the road course configuration at IMS, collecting one top-10, three top-20 and four top-25 finishes. Justin Haley owns the team’s best finish at the venue, crossing the line eighth in 2021.
• The Brickyard 400 from Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be televised live on NBC, Sunday, July 21st, beginning at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The 22nd of 36 races on the 2024 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Corey LaJoie – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Corey LaJoie heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway behind the wheel of the No. 7 Gainbridge Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
• The Brickyard 400 will mark LaJoie’s fifth Cup Series start in the prestigious event. In his four previous NCS starts on the oval at IMS, he has logged one top-20, a venue best 19th-place finish.
• For the past three seasons, the NCS raced the road course configuration of IMS. In these three races, LaJoie owns two top-20 finishes including a venue-best 16th-place finish in the 2021 event.
• Gainbridge Insurance Agency, LLC (“Gainbridge”), a Group 1001 company, is an insurtech which strives to offer products that are simple, intuitive, and backed by smart technology with no complexity or hidden fees. Gainbridge empowers consumers to take control of their financial future with solutions that are accessible to everyone no matter their budget or financial knowledge. Gainbridge’s digital-first distribution model underpins its mission to reach all communities, including those that have been historically underserved by the national financial system.
• LaJoie started 30th and finished 19th in last weekend’s The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. The 32-year-old has led 38 laps in 2024 and is currently 30th in points.
• Over 257 career NCS starts, the father of three has earned four top-five and nine top-10 finishes and led 161 laps in NASCAR’s premier division.

Corey LaJoie Quotes
What are your thoughts on heading to the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend?
“Indy is a special place, and it’s a big weekend for our Spire Motorsports team. Everybody brings their absolute best to ‘The Brickyard,’ and our No. 7 team is no different. With Indianapolis being the home of Gainbridge, its even more of an incentive to have a great run.”

Zane Smith – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Zane Smith will make his first NASCAR Cup Series start at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the Brickyard 400 on Sunday, driving the No. 71 Focused Health Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports.
• Last weekend in Pocono, Smith reached the second round of qualifying for the first time in his career, rolling off a career-best ninth for the 400-mile race. The rookie ran in the top-15 for a majority of the race before an incident on Lap 128 ended his day early, finishing 29th.
• Sunday will mark Smith’s 31st Cup Series start and his 22nd aboard the No. 71 Spire Motorsports entry.
• Focused Health will serve as the primary sponsor for Smith’s No. 71. The blue and orange paint scheme represents a health insurance agency that assists consumers and employers in navigating the myriad of health insurance options in the government programs space. The company partners with payors and employers to deliver health insurance solutions for individuals and families. For more information visit AtFocusedHealth.com.
• Crew Chief Stephen Doran is a two-time Brickyard 400 champion, winning the crown jewel in back-to-back seasons as an engineer for Kevin Harvick in 2019 and 2020.

Zane Smith Quotes
What are you looking forward to at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this coming weekend?
“I’m excited to get to Indy this weekend. It will be my first time racing there and it is a super iconic track, so I’m looking forward to getting on the oval on Friday and seeing how it feels. My No. 71 Spire Motorsports team has been working hard day in and day out to bring fast race cars to the track and it has shown the last couple of weekends. Hoping for a solid race on Sunday.”

Carson Hocevar – Driver, No.77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Carson Hocevar will make his first NCS start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Sunday’s Brickyard 400 driving the No. 77 Zeigler Automotive Group Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports.
• Hocevar started 15th and finished 17th in The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway last Sunday.
• Zeigler Automotive Group is one of the largest privately-owned dealer groups in the U.S. with 84 franchises across 41 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Vehicle brands represented include all the domestic and the majority of the imported manufacturers. Founded in 1975, the organization employs over 2,500 people, ranking among the top one percent of automotive dealers in the nation with estimated annual sales of $2.2 billion for 2023. The family-owned and -operated company is well known for its commitment to both customer service and employee satisfaction. Zeigler is regularly recognized as one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work for in the Nation, also earning similar accolades in Wisconsin, Chicago, and Michigan. Besides these prestigious accolades, Zeigler is also one of Glassdoor’s 100 Best Places to Work in the U.S. for 2024, and among Glassdoor’s top 10 U.S. companies for work-life balance.
• While he’s never raced at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the four-time NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series winner has two truck starts at nearby Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP), crossing the line fourth in 2023. He has also made two ARCA Menards Series appearances at the 0.686-mile oval, including a fifth-place finish in the 2018 event.
• In 2022, Hocevar was behind the wheel of a Super Late Model in an ARCA/CRA Super Series event at IRP. He finished fifth behind William Byron, Erik Jones and Sammy Smith.
• The youngest NCS driver in the field is currently 23rd in the division’s championship point standings. Over the course of the season’s first 21 races, Hocevar has notched two top-10 and five top-15 finishes.
• Crew chief Luke Lambert called the shots for Ryan Newman’s third-place effort in the 2017 Brickyard 400 during his stint at Richard Childress Racing.

Carson Hocevar Quotes
What does it mean to you to race at a historic track like Indianapolis Motor Speedway?
“It means a lot and I’m pumped. I raced quarter-midgets there for years, and even drove one around the oval once. I remember thinking that it would be a dream come true to race a full-sized car competitively at “The Brickyard.” Indy has always been a dream, especially the (Indianapolis) 500, but with no Brickyard races for the last few years, this is an incredible opportunity. We’ve got a strong team and this track suits our racing style, so I’m very optimistic. Everyone’s excited – Luke (Lambert), Jeff (Dickerson), the whole team – and we’re ready for a good run.”

From the Top of the Box

Ryan Sparks – Crew Chief, No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Ryan Sparks serves in a dual role as both Spire Motorsports competition director and crew chief for driver Corey LaJoie and the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro in the NCS.
• Sparks, a Winston-Salem, N.C., native, has been paired with LaJoie since 2020.
• Combined, Sparks and LaJoie have earned four top-five and seven top-10 finishes, including a fourth-place finish in the 2024 Daytona 500.

Stephen Doran – Crew Chief, No. 71 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Stephen Doran begins his first full season as a Cup Series crew chief leading Zane Smith and the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet team during the 2024 season.
• In 2006, Doran got his start in NASCAR at Petty Enterprises.
• Prior to his arrival at Spire Motorsports, Doran worked at Stewart-Haas Racing as an engineer, most recently on the No. 4 car driven by Kevin Harvick.

Luke Lambert – Crew Chief, No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Luke Lambert is the crew chief for Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 team with 2024 NCS Rookie of the Year candidate Carson Hocevar.
• The 2005 North Carolina State graduate has led the competition efforts for some of the sport’s most notable names including Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman, Elliott Sadler and Chris Buescher.
• In 2014, Lambert led Newman to a berth in the Championship 4, and ultimately a runner-up finish in the NCS championship point standings.

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

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

NASCAR’s elite Cup Series returns to the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend, with the race being contested on the legendary 2.5-mile oval after running the speedway’s road course the past three years.

Harrison Burton will be making his first start on the famed Brickyard track, but it’s a familiar venue for his Draiver-sponsored, Wood Brothers team.

The Woods have raced Cup cars at the Brickyard 26 times, with four top-10 finishes – in the first two Brickyard 400s and in two of the last three, with Paul Menard driving the Woods’ Ford in the latter.

Crew chief Jeremy Bullins has raced there as a crew chief six times, with four finishes of 12th or better. He said he’s really excited to be back on the 2.5-mile track known around the world for more than a century.

“To me one of the coolest things that we get to do is race at historical venues, and going back to race on the oval in Indianapolis is as awesome as it gets,” he said. “There’s nowhere that compares when it comes to motorsports history on our schedule, and it’s a privilege for us to get to race there.”

Bullins said he and the team have prepared an eye-catching Mustang Dark Horse, and he’s anxious to get it on track and tune it for the 400-mile run.

“We have an awesome paint scheme again with our Draiver Ford, and we look forward to a 50-minute practice to try to get our handling dialed in for Sunday’s race.”

That practice session is set to start at 2:35 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, with qualifying getting underway at 1:05 p.m. Saturday. Live coverage of practice will be available on the NBC Sports App, while USA Network will broadcast qualifying.

Sunday’s 160-lap, 400-mile race is scheduled to start just after 2:30 p.m., with Stage breaks planned for Laps 50 and 100.

NBC will carry the TV coverage.

ABOUT DRAIVER
Draiver is a market-leading on-demand vehicle delivery company offering elevated delivery solutions and experiences. Through best-in-class AI logistics software and a vetted, insured driver marketplace, the company moves cars faster, and more efficiently, to improve bottom lines for global fleet and rental companies, OEMs, large automotive groups, and single location businesses.

The company’s expertise has enabled rapid expansion to three continents, where the platform moves over 6,000 cars a day through an elite network of 20,000 drivers. The company’s full suite of services is available throughout North and South America, and their software solves logistics needs for large automotive companies in Peru, Argentina, Chile, Columbia, Peru and the GCC.

Draiver’s mission is to redefine the standard of excellence in vehicle delivery and offer unmatched opportunities for the gig economy in a people-first environment. Follow Draiver on Twitter, LinkedIn and www.draiver.com.

Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.