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  • Justin Bonsignore Dominates Season Finale to Capture 2024 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Championship

    Justin Bonsignore Dominates Season Finale to Capture 2024 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Championship

    Bonsignore also takes home first Martinsville Grandfather Clock as he moves into second on all-time wins list

    MARTINSVILLE, Va. (Oct. 26, 2024) – Justin Bonsignore wasn’t going to be denied his fourth NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship, as he dominated the season finale Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 at Martinsville Speedway to take home the Grandfather Clock and the year-end title.

    The championship marks Bonsignore’s fourth title (2018, 2020, 2021, 2024), and the win – his first at Martinsville Speedway – gave him sole possession of second on the all-time Whelen Modified Tour wins list with 45.

    A late-season surge in which he won the final three races of the season gave Bonsignore the edge over two-time Tour champion Ron Silk, as they carried their season-long contentious championship battle into the final race of season for the second year in a row.

    “A year of hard work, a lot of ups and downs, the middle of September wasn’t looking good, all of a sudden we got hot,” Bonsignore said in Victory Lane. “Three in a row is something I’ve never done in my career, and to cap it off with a Grandfather Clock is just really awesome.”

    A year ago, Silk led Bonsignore by 13 points heading into the Martinsville season finale and held on to win the championship, but the tables were turned this year.

    The pair of wins in the last two races leading into Martinsville gained Bonsignore a 10-point advantage over his rival as the title race loomed. The No. 51 Ken Massa Motorsports team brought the same car – the one with which Bonsignore won those races at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park and North Wilkesboro Speedway — to Martinsville. They unloaded fast again, as he led practice and then won the pole for the championship race.

    Silk, however, struggled in qualifying and started 13th in the race. And while Silk showed moments of speed, his championship hopes ultimately dissolved when mechanical issues took him out of the race with 60 laps remaining. He was relegated to a 17th-place finish.

    The championship moment was especially meaningful for Bonsignore after he went home empty-handed following the season finale at Martinsville the last two seasons.

    “We watched other people celebrate two years in a row here and we lost, and that’s tough to watch back,” said Bonsignore. “Just a lot of hard work by Ryan Stone and Ken Massa to keep things going in the direction we want to go.

    “It’s really had to put into words just how special this stuff is.”

    Matt Hirschman finished second, while Jacob Lutz was third. Austin Beers and Ryan Newman rounded out the top five.

    Bonsignore finished the season with 673 points, while Silk finished second in the standings with 641. Patrick Emerling also put together a solid second half of the season with three wins and was third in the standings with 635 points.

    Trevor Catalano was crowned the Sunoco Rookie of the Year after finishing eighth in points this season. He captured a win at Monadnock Speedway in July and recorded three top-five and four top-10 finishes this season.

    The day which ended with the crowning of the 2024 champion opened with exciting news about 2025 and beyond for the Tour. NASCAR officials announced an extension of the entitlement partnership of the Tour, as Whelen Engineering, Inc. returns to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour through 2029 in a partnership that guarantees increased team payouts starting with the 2025 season. The extension of the entitlement of the Whelen Modified Tour brings the partnership to 25 years in 2029, making them one of the longest-running sponsors in NASCAR.

    While the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour concluded their season at Martinsville Speedway, the half-mile track in Virginia still has one more race weekend remaining on the calendar for 2024.

    Next weekend, the NASCAR Playoff races at Martinsville will set the Championship 4 for all three NASCAR national series. The weekend opens featuring the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 200 on Friday, Nov. 1.

    On Saturday, Nov. 2, fans can witness the action of the NASCAR Xfinity Series National Debt Relief 250 as drivers take to the track for an intense battle. Then, on Sunday, Nov. 3, drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series will compete for those final spots in the Championship 4 in the Xfinity 500, the penultimate race of the season.  

    Limited tickets remain for Sunday’s showdown, and fans can purchase tickets to the 2024 NASCAR Playoffs Race Weekend via phone at 877-RACE-TIX or online at martinsvillespeedway.com.

    About NASCAR

    Celebrating its 75th Anniversary in 2023, 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 16 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 Mexico Series, NASCAR Pinty’s Series (Canada), 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 eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 12 countries and more than 30 U.S. states. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).  

  • Thomas Wins Historic Mazda MX-5 Cup Race at Martinsville Speedway

    Thomas Wins Historic Mazda MX-5 Cup Race at Martinsville Speedway

    MARTINSVILLE, Va. (Oct. 26, 2024) – With lap after lap of side-by-side racing for the lead, a late race green-white-checkered shootout for victory, and a close margin of victory, the first-ever Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin race on an oval lived up to the hype at Martinsville Speedway. Jared Thomas (No. 96 JTR Motorsports Engineering) took home $25,000 and a Martinsville clock at the end of the 105-lap exhibition race.

    Thomas was nearly perfect in the single-day event at ‘The Short Track.’ He turned the fastest practice lap, set the pole time and led 82 laps, but coming to the final restart, he was behind Westin Workman (No. 13 BSI Racing).

    Workman, who qualified second, was Thomas’ biggest opponent the entire race. The two were able to gap the rest of the field in the first half of the race, but Workman was on the attack with 20 laps to go and took over the lead after the duo dazzled the receptive Martinsville crowd as they ran side-by-side fighting for the lead without making contact before Thomas reclaimed the point.

    “We were, I would say pacing is a good word,” Thomas said. “We were trying not to use our stuff up, because we knew it was going to be the last 25 when it was going to get hot and heavy. I could tell some of the guys around me were pushing really hard, so I was trying to play the game where I pushed a little bit and then would ride a little bit and kind of balance it out and make them use their stuff up to catch me. The second half was a different story.”

    The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup used a lot of traditional oval racing rules, including the ‘Choose Rule.’ When preparing for a restart from yellow, cars get to choose which lane they restart in, left or right. Drivers can gain positions by choosing a lane with less cars, but will be in the ‘slower’ lane for the restart. For the final restart, Workman chose the left lane and Thomas opted to stay behind Workman on the left side.

    The pair sped into Turn One nose-to-tail, Workman appeared to get loose, and Thomas took rapid advantage.

    “The outside here from practicing it and going back and watching a lot of video from all the other NASCAR series that run here, you know you’re never gonna get around the guy on the top unless something extreme happens,” Thomas said of his choice. “So, I figured my best bet was on the bottom, run with him and then see if we can make a move on him.

    “I was trying not to get bumped and run myself,” Thomas said. “Because the 31 [Landen Lewis] was coming down. He was right on my bumper, and we all went in there and Weston got in a little hot.”

    Workman nearly fell off the podium all together, but was able to collect himself and reclaim second. There was not enough time to catch Thomas though, who won by 0.374-second.

    Along with a $25,000 check, Thomas also picked up a famed Martinsville clock for his history-making win.

    “[The clock] is gonna go in the shop for a while, and it’s going to stay there for a couple weeks, so all these guys that made this happen-all my crew guys-so they can enjoy it too.”

    Unlike Thomas, who came into the event with a solid background in oval racing, Workman was racing on an oval for the first time ever. The 2024 Rookie of the Year didn’t even test at Martinsville. Workman was a quick learner, which probably helped him secure the 2023 Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout Scholarship. He didn’t get the clock or the big check, but Workman did earn an impressive $10,000 for finishing second.

    “I thought we ran pretty well,” Workman said. “I thought we did pretty much everything right tonight. I felt like I wasn’t given a chance there in Turn One on the restart to really hold the position. There was literally nothing I could do, but happy with second place 10 grand in my pocket.”

    The highest finishing driver without Mazda MX-5 Cup experience was Landen Lewis (No. 31 McCumbee McAleer Racing). Lewis qualified fourth but struggled to stay in the top five for the first half of the race. He excelled at restarts however, and nearly bested Workman for second on the final restart but went on to finish third in his first MX-5 Cup race and collected $7,000.

    “I was kind of riding around, trying to bide my time, watching the laps go down, and then all of a sudden, I was getting shipped and moved and beat and banged,” Lewis said. “I come on the radio and I’m like ‘I need to man up. This is no joke. These guys are racing hard every single lap.’ I just manned up and tried to get in there as much as I could. It was really fun.

    “I felt like we had a top-three car right there at the end for sure. Before that caution come out, the leader and second, they were in a different zip code, so we just had what we had, but I learned a lot and would love to do this again.”

    Veteran Mazda pilot Tom Long (No. 8 McCumbee McAleer Racing), who is usually working in race control during MX-5 Cup races, couldn’t resist the chance to race at Martinsville and ended the day one spot shy of the podium, but $5,000 richer.

    Another MX-5 Cup newcomer, but Spec Miata ace, Capers Zentmeyer (No. 99 Spark Performance) completed the top five. It was a fairytale ending for Zentmeyer, who is a Martinsville native and qualified 14th, but played his hand wisely and ended up with a fifth-place finish and $4,000.

    The Mazda MX-5 Cup offseason has officially begun. Teams will regroup and prepare for the start of the 2025 season, January 24 – 26, at Daytona International Speedway. All races from the 2024 season are available to rewatch on IMSA’s YouTube channel.

    About: The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin is the signature spec series for Mazda Motorsports. The series has been operated by Andersen Promotions since 2017 and is currently sanctioned by IMSA. Mazda-powered grassroots champions can earn Mazda scholarships for this pro-level series. The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup awards more than $1 million in prizes and scholarships.

    Find out more at http://www.mx-5cup.com.

  • Carlos Sainz takes a stunning pole position in the Mexico GP

    Carlos Sainz takes a stunning pole position in the Mexico GP

    Mexico City. Saturday October 26, 2024 – During the Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix 2024 Presented by Heineken, which had an attendance of 142,951, Carlos Sainz produced a stunning 204.018 km/h lap to give Scuderia Ferrari their fourth pole position in the modern era at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodriguez ahead of Sunday’s race.

    In a thrilling hour of Qualifying action the 30-year-old Spaniard, in his last season with the Italian team, set the 4.303-km circuit alight as he claimed his first pole position since Singapore in 2023 and the sixth of his F1 career with a time of 1 minute 15.946 seconds.

    “Great couple of laps!”, said Sainz. “Often around Mexico you really feel that you cannot put a lap together and it’s extremely difficult with how much sliding there is, but today my two laps in Q3 were pretty much identical and almost perfect. Our number one priority now is to bring both cars home but if you win the race, those seven or eight points that you get is important for the team in the Constructors’ Championship. I’ll be looking forward to keeping that P1 into Turn 1 and from there hopefully our race pace should be good enough to win it.”

    Championship leader and five-time Mexico winner Max Verstappen’s Red Bull will start from the front row, the World Champion recovering from a tricky Friday to push title rival Lando Norris’s McLaren back on to the second row. Scuderia Ferrari is the only team in the hunt for the Constructors’ title to have both cars in the top 10, with Charles Leclerc alongside the British driver.

    “Yesterday I barely did any laps, so we’re playing a lot of catch-up,” said 27-year-old Dutchman Verstappen, who had an engine change overnight. “FP3 was not very good, so I was already under a lot of pressure to have a good Qualifying. Then my lap time got taken away, so that added a little bit more pressure! But I’m very happy to be on the front row, I didn’t expect that to be possible.”

    Verstappen shared Sainz’s feelings about the circuit. “It’s probably one of the hardest tracks to get right,” he added. “Street circuits are difficult, and this one as well: low downforce, it’s very easy to have a lock-up or a slide, the tires overheat immediately, it’s one of the trickier ones on the calendar.”

    While Norris was “pretty happy” with third, it was another disastrous day at home for Mexican star Sergio Pérez, eliminated in the first segment of Qualifying for the fifth time in his challenging 2024 season. “I just couldn’t get on top of it, I couldn’t stop the car soon enough,” the 34-year-old explained. Checo, who crashed out on the first corner here last year, knows he has another tough Sunday ahead. “It’s very important to try and maximize the day,” he said. “If we are able to score some good points it will be a tremendous effort, but it’s going to be very difficult from the position we are in.”

    The other big name eliminated in the first 18-minute segment was Norris’s teammate Oscar Piastri, who had one lap time deleted, then made what he called “a very poor mistake” that cost him a full second. “Painful,” said the 23-year-old Australian after compromising McLaren’s bid to keep their lead in the Constructors’ Championship.

    The third row of the grid belongs to Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, with George Russell marginally quicker than two-time Mexico winner Lewis Hamilton, but with big names missing from the final segment, some unaccustomed faces took advantage to complete the top 10.

    Danish veteran Kevin Magnussen, in his final year with MoneyGram Haas F1 Team, starts seventh alongside BWT Alpine F1 Team driver Pierre Gasly, with Alex Albon recovering from his own difficult Friday to put his Williams ninth alongside the second Haas of Nico Hülkenberg.

    About FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE LA CIUDAD DE MÉXICO Presented by Heineken

    Historically awarded “Best Event of the Year” for five races (2015 to 2019), FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE LA CIUDAD DE MEXICO Presented by Heineken has proven to be much more than a sporting event, it is an unparalleled promotional platform that shares with the world the cultural and touristic riches of Mexico City.

    For more information about FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE LA CIUDAD DE MÉXICO Presented by Heineken visit: http://www.mexicogp.mx

    About Formula 1®

    The history of Formula 1® began in 1950 and is the world’s most prestigious motorsport competition and the world’s most popular annual sporting series. Formula One World Championship Limited is part of Formula 1 and holds the exclusive commercial rights to the FIA Formula One World Championship™.

    Formula 1 is a subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: LSXMA, LSXMB, LSXMK, BATRA, BATRK, FWONA, FWONK) attributed to the Formula One Group shares.

    The F1 FORMULA 1 logo, FORMULA 1, F1, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, GRAND PRIX, PADDOCK CLUB and related marks are trademarks of Formula One Licensing BV, a Formula One company. All rights reserved.

    For more information about Formula 1® visit: www.formula1.com

    About CIE:

    With its origins in 1990, Corporación Interamericana de Entretenimiento (“CIE”) (BMV: CIE) is a leading player in the Latin American out-of-home entertainment industry and has contributed in making Mexico a world-class destination in the field.

    The company promotes and markets the FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE LA CIUDAD DE MEXICO, produces events for the public sector, and operates the El Salitre Mágico amusement park in Colombia.

    Through its strategic partnership with Live Nation at OCESA, it produces and promotes concerts, music festivals, Broadway-type theatrical and urban content productions, sporting, family and corporate events. It represents artistic talent, markets advertising rights and sponsorships, operates entertainment properties, the Citibanamex exhibition, congress and convention center, sells tickets through its Ticketmaster and Eticket platforms, and offers digital marketing and advertising services.

  • RCR NXS Race Recap: Homestead-Miami Speedway

    RCR NXS Race Recap: Homestead-Miami Speedway

    Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Team Capture Strong Fourth-Place Finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway

    Finish: 4th
    Start: 14th
    Points: 6th

    “We had a fast Whelen Chevrolet today at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Crew chief Danny Stockman made great adjustments to keep up with the track all race long, and our pit crew was solid – especially late in the race when they gained spots on pit road and we restarted second. We lacked rear grip during the long green flag run to the end, and after the round of green flag pit stops, we knew we had to make up as much time as possible leaving pit road. After I saw my teammate, Austin Hill, win both stages from the bottom line, I knew where I needed to run at the end. We didn’t have enough at the end to catch those guys. We couldn’t get the top line to work like I needed it to, so I know what needs to be worked on before we come back here next year. Congratulations to the No. 21 team and everyone at Richard Childress Racing and ECR Engines on their win and locking into the final four at Phoenix Raceway. I’m confident that our team will bring a fast Chevrolet to Martinsville Speedway next week, and hopefully our No. 2 team can lock in as well.” -Jesse Love

    Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet Team Win at Homestead-Miami Speedway to Advance to the Championship 4

    Finish: 1st
    Start: 16th
    Points: 3rd

    “We have worked so hard to be in this position. A lot of people doubt me, but I wake up every day to prove everyone wrong that I deserve to be here and race for a championship. This No. 21 team deserves this moment as much as I do. They work their tails off day in and day out. They gave me a heck of a Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet today. I didn’t have to run the wall and could run wherever I needed to. We only had one bad run at the start of Stage 3 with the car being so loose. I can honestly say I’ve never cried after winning a race, and I couldn’t get my emotions under control going into Turn 1 after taking the checkered. I’m not sure folks will understand the amount of hard work and dedication that went into this, and what it means to me and my family. The pit crew was on it as normal today and I knew when we got off pit road within distance of the No. 00, I just had to go to work without burning my right rear up. As soon as I saw the No. 00 start backing up to me, I knew it was game on. To be able to be in the final four and race for championship is amazing. There are no words to describe the feeling.” -Austin Hill

  • Stewart-Haas Racing: Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300 from Homestead-Miami Speedway

    Stewart-Haas Racing: Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300 from Homestead-Miami Speedway

    STEWART-HAAS RACING
    Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300

    Date: Oct. 26, 2024
    Event: Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300 (Round 31 of 33)
    Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
    Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.5-mile oval)
    Format: 200 laps, broken into three stages (45 laps/45 laps/110 laps)

    Race Winner: Austin Hill of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)
    Stage 1 Winner: Austin Hill of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)
    Stage 2 Winner: Austin Hill of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)

    SHR Race Finish:

    ● Cole Custer (Started 4th / Finished 2nd, Running, completed 200 of 200 laps)
    ● Riley Herbst (Started 8th / Finished 6th, Running, completed 200 of 200 laps)

    SHR Points:

    ● Cole Custer (2nd with 3,121 points, seven out of first)
    ● Riley Herbst (10th with 2,160 points)

    Playoff Standings (with one race to go until Championship 4):

    1. AJ Allmendinger (3,103 points) 1 Win
    2. Austin Hill (3,116 points) 1 Win
    3. Justin Allgaier (3,128 points) +35 Point
    4. Cole Custer (3,121 points) +28 Points
    5. Chandler Smith (3,093 points) -28 Points
    6. Jesse Love (3,086 points) -35 Points
    7. Sam Mayer (3,074 points) -47 Points
    8. Sammy Smith (3,026 points) -95 Points

    SHR Notes:

    ● Custer earned his 13th top-five of the season and his fourth top-five in six career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Homestead.

    ● Custer has never finished outside of the top-17 at Homestead in the Xfinity Series.

    ● This was Custer’s second straight top-10 finish. He finished eighth last Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

    ● Custer finished fifth in Stage 1 to earn six bonus points and third in Stage 2 to earn eight more bonus points.

    ● Custer led four times for 67 laps increasing his laps led total at Homestead to 473.

    ● Herbst earned his 14th top-10 of the season and his fifth top-10 in six career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Homestead.

    ● This is Herbst’s third straight top-10 at Homestead. He finished second last October.

    ● This was Herbst’s second straight top-10 finish. He finished seventh last Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

    ● Herbst has never finished outside the top-11 at Homestead in the Xfinity Series.

    ● Herbst finished eighth in Stage 1 to earn three bonus points.

    Race Notes:

    ● Austin Hill won the Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300 to score his 10th career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, his fourth of the season and his first at Homestead. His margin over second-place Cole Custer was 3.045 seconds.

    ● There were three caution periods for a total of 19 laps.

    ● Only 15 of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

    ● Justin Allgaier remains the championship leader after Homestead with a seven-point advantage over second-place Cole Custer.

    Sound Bites:

    “We needed a little bit of everything, I guess. That second to last run we had it going really good, and I thought we kind of had them there. That last run, I don’t think we changed anything, we just got pretty loose that run. I don’t know if we got that much worse but the 21 got way better than what they were the run before. I hate it. We had NXT and CW on the car, and I wish we got them a win. Points-wise, I think we’ll be in a solid spot, and we just have to go into Martinsville with everything we’ve got.” –Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 NXT on CW Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    “A top-10 finish leaving Homestead isn’t bad at all, but I know we could’ve competed for the win had we not had issues. The team had that No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse dialed in after the first stage, but we cut a tire and I went a lap down during the next stage. Luckily, the guys never gave up on me and I got our lap back. From there we only kept going forward. We were definitely a top-five car but missed it on the long run at the end. I’m proud of this team and how we overcome adversity. I’m excited to head to Martinsville to see what we can do there.​” –Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    Next Up:

    The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the National Debt Relief 250 on Saturday, Nov. 2 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The race begins at 4 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by CW and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

  • Kaulig Racing Race Recap | Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300

    Kaulig Racing Race Recap | Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300

    AJ ALLMENDINGER
    No. 16 Modern Day Garage Chevrolet Camaro

    • AJ Allmendinger qualified sixth for the Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
    • By lap seven, Allmendinger had taken over fourth place. He drove up to second place by lap 36 and fell back to third on lap 40 after battling with the No. 20. From sixth place on lap 44, Allmendinger reported he had no rear tire remaining. He finished the opening stage in seventh and came to pit road for adjustments under the stage break. The No. 16 took four tires, fuel and air pressure and wedge adjustments.
    • Allmendinger restarted in fifth place for the second stage on lap 52 and took over third on the restart. He remained quiet on the radio, taking over second place on lap 85. When the caution came out on lap 87, ending the stage, Allmendinger was scored in second, and he reported he was fighting lateral grip in the corner. The No. 16 came to pit road for tires, fuel and air pressure and wedge adjustments.
    • Allmendinger restarted the final stage in fourth place. He maintained position in the top five, reporting his Chevy was sideways, until the caution came on lap 122. The No. 16 came to pit road for tires, fuel and additional wedge and air pressure adjustments. Allmendinger restarted in 11th, with his teammate in the No. 97 behind him, on lap 128. He drove up to seventh on the first lap green and continued on to take sixth by lap 131. When green flag pit stops began on lap 159, Allmendinger took over second place and then the lead on lap 171. Being locked in the Championship 4 and having the ability to gamble on strategy, crew chief Alex Yontz brought Allmendinger to pit road under green on lap 179. After the pit stop, Allmendinger was scored in 17th. He was told to get back on the lead lap and manage his tires. Allmendinger went on to finish in 10th place.

    “I loved today. Our Modern Day Garage Chevy was pretty good. The No. 21 was obviously hooked up, congrats to them. It’s cool to get another Welcome, NC car in the Championship 4. We had nothing to lose, so once they started pitting, we decided to run it out and maybe get that lucky yellow and have an easy win. I was really proud to run top five all day. We have speed and that’s all that matters; we had a good day.” AJ Allmendinger  

    SHANE van GISBERGEN
    No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet Camaro

    • Shane van Gisbergen qualified 25th for the Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
    • Due to adjustments to the No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet following qualifying, Van Gisbergen was required to drop to the rear of the field for the race start. Van Gisbergen battled to work his way up the field, and, by lap 20, had gained 10 positions. Halfway through the stage, Van Gisbergen reported that the No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet was “pretty good” as he continued to work on his entry and exits through the corners. He completed the stage in 20th.
    • The No. 97 team came to pit road at the stage break for fresh tires, fuel and adjustments. Van Gisbergen started the second stage in 19th. He quickly reported the car was super tight and lacked turn in the corners as he battled to maintain position. Nearing the end of the stage, the handling remained tight, but Van Gisbergen managed to advance to 17th. A caution came out with four laps remaining in the stage and the No. 97 team opted to stay out and finish the stage under caution. Van Gisbergen concluded the stage in 16th, his highest position of the race at that time.
    • The WeatherTech team opted to come to pit road at the stage break for a chassis adjustment, four new tires and fuel. Van Gisbergen started the final stage in 18th. He quickly reported that the car was “much better” and battled to race up the field. On lap 110, Van Gisbergen reported that the WeatherTech Chevy had “tightened back up.” On lap 122, the caution came out, and the No. 97 opted to pit to pull a packer from the front and give the Chevrolet fresh tires and more fuel. Van Gisbergen re-entered the field in 14th with 74 laps remaining in the race. He entered the top 10 with 42 laps remaining, and the No. 97 team told him to “save fuel, as the plan is to run long unless something else changes.” Van Gisbergen reached his highest position of the race, fourth, with 29 laps remaining. He battled to maintain position and was running 10th with 15 laps left. The No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet ultimately took the checkered flag in 17th.

    “That was a tough race for my WeatherTech team. My car was super tight all day, and the team continued to work on it but just couldn’t get it comfortable. Homestead is a super cool track, and I enjoyed the racing, just wish we could’ve gotten a better result.” – Shane van Gisbergen

    JOSH WILLIAMS
    No. 11 Star Tron Chevrolet Camaro

    • Josh Williams qualified 24th for the Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
    • Williams gained three spots on the opening lap. By lap 12, he had picked up two more spots, and after passing the No. 27 for 17th on lap 22, Williams gave the No. 11 Star Tron Chevy clean air to continue moving forward. He finished Stage 1 in 16th.
    • Williams pitted for tires, fuel, and an air pressure adjustment, which was made to tighten the car, during the stage break. He fired off for the second stage from 13th on lap 52 and took 12th the following lap. Soon after, the No. 11 Camaro started to become too tight, and Williams fell to 16th. The Chevy’s handling improved for Williams as the stage progressed, and Williams took 14th on lap 66. Williams dropped to 15th on lap 85, and following a lap-87 yellow flag that ended the stage, Williams finished there for Stage 2.
    • The No. 11 Star Tron pit crew changed the Camaro’s tires, added fuel, reverted on the air pressure adjustment it made during the first stop, and made a wedge adjustment during the stage break. Williams restarted for the final stage from 16th on lap 96. He took 15th place on lap 114, then he continued his slow climb by passing the No. 9 on lap 118 to take 14th place. Coming out of turn four on lap 120, the No. 11 and No. 26 cars made contact. This cut the No. 11’s right-front tire as Williams drove into turn one, and he collided with the No. 26 to bring out a caution on lap 122. Williams reported that the car still felt “pretty good,” but he pitted for minimal damage repair, tires, and fuel. He restarted in 29th as the last car on the lead lap on lap 128. After toiling in 28th, Williams radioed that he “felt something dragging” on the No. 11 Star Tron Camaro, and he pitted on lap 142 so the crew could diagnose the problem and change tires. He cycled out one lap down. On lap 168, Williams pitted again for right-side tires, which put him two laps down in 29th. He eventually took the checkered flag in 27th.

    “That was going well til it didn’t. We had a pretty decent run. There’s nothing we could really do there with the flat tire.” – Josh Williams  

    About Kaulig Racing

    Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time, multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has earned 23 NXS wins, made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started, and won two regular-season championships. In 2021, the team competed in select NCS events, before expanding to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first NCS start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. Kaulig Racing is currently fielding two full-time entries in the NCS and continues to field three full-time NXS entries, with a part-time fourth entry at select events. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

  • Toyota Racing NXS Post-Race Recap – Homestead – 10.26.24

    Toyota Racing NXS Post-Race Recap – Homestead – 10.26.24

    ALMIROLA, CREED EARN TOP-FIVE FINISHES IN XFINITY SERIES RACE AT HOMESTEAD
    Creed now leads Xfinity Series in top-five finishes

    HOMESTEAD, Fla. (October 26, 2024) – Joe Gibbs Racing teammates, Aric Almirola and Sheldon Creed, came home third and fifth, respectively, in the Xfinity Series race at Homestead on Saturday. Almirola’s No. 20 GR Supra started third and was within the top-five for most of the afternoon, earning second and fifth-place stage finishes, before ending the day in the third position. The top-five result for Almirola is his fifth in 11 starts this season and helped move the No. 20 team back to third position in the Xfinity Series owner’s points standings, just 10 points behind the lead.

    Creed, who started on the front row, had an eventful day in his No. 18 that was strong on long runs. This included running long on the final green pit sequence and moving up the running order after his stop to find himself fifth as the checkered flag flew. This is Creed’s 16th top-five result of the season, which leads the Xfinity Series. He’s also scored at least a top-10 finish in 14 of the last 18 races this season.

    The remaining Toyota GR Supra driver in the Xfinity Series Playoffs, Chandler Smith, started the day on pole for the third time this season. He led the first 29 laps of the race but ran into his own handling issues and a problem on pit road late in Stage 3 that resulted in a 13th-place finish. Smith enters Martinsville fifth in the driver point standings, 28 points below the cutline.

    The Xfinity Series concludes its Round of 8 next Saturday, Nov. 2, at Martinsville Speedway. Coverage can be found at 4 p.m. EST on The CW Network, as well as radio coverage on MRN and SiriusXM Radio Channel 90.

    Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
    NASCAR Xfinity Series
    Homestead-Miami Speedway
    Race 31 of 33 – 200 Laps, 300 Miles

    TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

    1st, Austin Hill*
    2nd, Cole Custer*
    3rd, ARIC ALMIROLA
    4th, Jesse Love*
    5th, SHELDON CREED
    13th, CHANDLER SMITH
    21st, RYAN TRUEX
    24th, WILLIAM SAWALICH
    *non-Toyota driver

    TOYOTA QUOTES

    ARIC ALMIROLA, No. 20 Samaritan’s Purse Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

    Finishing Position: 3rd

    Can you describe your race today that ended in a third-place finish?

    “We started third and finished third! Pretty straightforward if you look at the box score. But, really hard fought. We battled the balance of the car all day. Just couldn’t quite get it where I needed to have the balance right. It would fire off okay and then I was just average at best. I was probably a fifth-to-seventh-place car for like 15 laps, and then it would start coming back to me in the long run. But I was struggling. (I) Was skating up on the top of race track. Didn’t have the turn I needed and just struggled to get the power down, sideways, with the back of the car. So, hard to fix two problems, but really proud of Tyler (Allen, crew chief) and all the guys on this No. 20 team. They brought me a good enough car to maximize our day, score a lot of points. I think we’re in an okay position going to Martinsville, one of my favorite race tracks.”

    SHELDON CREED, No. 18 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

    Finishing Position: 5th

    Take us through your race today.

    “Just were really slow on the short runs all day. Just struggled for 20 laps on the splitter, (was) tight. Then, it was the fastest car and (I) was able to track everyone down from a straightaway back. So, yeah, I just wanted that last run to go green completely and I think I was back to the second and third-place cars there when we started green flag pitting, and then we decided to go off strategy there to do something if a caution were to come out or something just because we knew weren’t very great on the short runs. Yeah, I mean, happy for another top-five, just frustrated as I feel like if it went green, feel like we would’ve had a shot at it.”

    CHANDLER SMITH, No. 81 QuickTie Products Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

    Finishing Position: 13th

    How would you describe today?

    “Yeah, just not meant to be, honestly. Missed it on balance. Driver made errors on the green flag stop, drove it off the jack. Just wasn’t meant to be today, and that’s okay. Looking forward to going to Martinsville and we’re probably going to be in a must-win situation there. We ran really good there in the spring.”

    About Toyota

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

    Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 47 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 30 electrified options.

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

  • Niece Motorsports Update Statement on Matt Mills

    Niece Motorsports Update Statement on Matt Mills

    Matt Mills will remain at a local hospital for continued observation overnight.

    Mills, driver of the No. 42 for Niece Motorsports, was transported after an incident in Saturday afternoon’s NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

    Matt and team are grateful for the outpouring of support. Further updates will be provided as they become available.

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

  • Custer’s Runner-Up Finish Leads Ford Xfinity Effort at Homestead

    Custer’s Runner-Up Finish Leads Ford Xfinity Effort at Homestead

    Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
    NASCAR Xfinity Series
    Homestead-Miami Speedway | Saturday, October 26, 2024
    Credit One NASCAR AMEX Credit Card 300 – Post Race Quotes

    FORD RESULTS (UNOFFICIAL)

    2nd – Cole Custer
    6th – Riley Herbst
    7th – Ryan Sieg
    26th – Kyle Sieg
    32nd – Dylan Lupton
    34th – Blaine Perkins
    35th – Armani Williams
    38th – Matt DiBenedetto

    COLE CUSTER, No. 00 NXT on CW Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Finished 2nd)

    WHAT MORE DID YOU NEED OVER THAT FINAL RUN THERE?

    “A little bit of everything, I guess. That second to last run we had it going really good and I thought we kind of had them there. That last run, I don’t think we changed anything, we just got pretty loose that run. I don’t know if we got that much worse but the 21 I think got way better than what they were the run before. I hate it. We had NXT and CW on the car and I wish we got them a win. Points-wise, I think we will be in a solid spot, and we just have to go into Martinsville with everything we’ve got.”

    YOU MENTIONED POINTS, YOU WILL GO INTO MARTINSVILLE IN FOURTH, 28 POINTS ABOVE THE CUT LINE. WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR MIND WHEN YOU HEAR THAT?

    “It is going to be crazy. No matter what it is always going to be crazy. We have to bring our best stuff there because you never know who is going to win. We just have to go out there and I think being the team that we are, we will be in the fight.”

    HOW CLOSE OR HOW FAR AWAY WERE YOU TO WINNING THIS THING TODAY?

    “I thought we had it that second to last run. Our car was really good and we freed it up a little bit and gained some speed but that last run we got pretty free and the 21 got way better than they were the second to last run. I really hate it for NXT and CW and wish we had gotten the win with them on the car. Solid points day. We will move to Martinsville and we have had good runs there before. We will bring everything we’ve got there because you never know who is going to win there.”

    WAS IT KIND OF A CONFUSING RACE BECAUSE AT ONE TIME YOU WERE THE BEST, AND THEN HE WAS THE BEST, AND THEN AT THE WRONG TIME YOU WEREN’T THE BEST:

    “Yeah, a lot of comers and goers and I really can’t say why. We did some things to our car to make it better but that 21 car on the long run really had it together today. We will move on to the next one. I feel good about Martinsville.”

  • Toyota Racing NCTS Post-Race Recap – Homestead – 10.26.24

    Toyota Racing NCTS Post-Race Recap – Homestead – 10.26.24

    HEIM, FRIESEN AND TAYLOR GRAY GET TOP-10 FINISHES AT HOMESTEAD
    Heim extends buffer to cutline heading to cutoff race

    HOMESTEAD, Fla. (October 26, 2024) – After starting from pole and leading the most laps Saturday afternoon, Corey Heim finished fourth in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Leading a total of 68 laps, 54 of the first 60, and winning the first stage and finishing second in Stage 2, Heim was the truck to beat for most of the 134-lap race. An early caution in Stage 3 flipped the strategy for teams up and down the pitlane, with a handful taking the chance to pit early under the caution, which put Heim in the mid-pack after his last pit stop under green. The 22-year-old driver of the No. 11 Tundra TRD Pro fought his way back up the field with fresh tires but was unable to get all the way back to the front, ending in fourth position once the checkered flag flew.

    Taylor Gray joined his TRICON Garage teammate on the front row Saturday and finished fourth and sixth in the first two stages as he also had a strong Tundra TRD Pro. Like Heim, the varying strategies in the final stage put him behind but was also able to gain some spots in the closing laps to finish 10th, securing his 12th top-10 finish this season and fifth in the last seven races. Stewart Friesen used the alternate strategy to his advantage to come home in sixth position for his sixth top-10 finish this season after starting the day 12th.

    With the Stage 1 win and his 13th top-five finish this season, Heim now holds a 49-point cushion to the Playoff cutline heading to Martinsville. Gray enters next weekend 24 points below the cutline.

    The final Round of 8 race for the Truck Series takes place at Martinsville Speedway next Friday, November 1. Coverage can be seen on FS1 at 6 p.m. ET, along with radio coverage on MRN and SiriusXM Radio Channel 90.

    Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
    NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
    Homestead-Miami Speedway
    Race 21 of 23 – 134 Laps, 201 Miles

    TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

    1st, Grant Enfinger*
    2nd, Ty Majeski*
    3rd, Connor Mosack*
    4th, COREY HEIM
    5th, Tyler Ankrum
    6th, STEWART FRIESEN
    10th, TAYLOR GRAY
    15th, DEAN THOMPSON
    17th, WILLIAM SAWALICH
    20th, TANNER GRAY
    23rd, TIMMY HILL
    *non-Toyota driver

    TOYOTA QUOTES

    COREY HEIM, No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

    Finishing Position: 4th

    Take us through your day today.

    “Yeah, I mean overall, a good day for points and what not. Obviously, the main goal is to get to Phoenix, so yeah, disappointing. We were so fast last year (here) and wanted to come back and redeem ourselves and win the race, of course. But, have no complaints as far as points go. Makes Martinsville a little bit easier, but still have to put together a decent day. Proud of all my TRICON Garage Toyota Racing Safelite guys for their efforts. Yeah, just oddly enough, we struggled with long-run speed which typically isn’t our forté. We definitely fired off better than we ended the run, so with that, once we got through the cycle and had a lap better on the 98 (Ty Majeski), as far as tires, and then we had the gap (behind the leaders after his pit stop) and able to drive away, (maybe) see those guys run out of gas, but it just never fell our way.”

    STEWART FRIESEN, No. 52 Halmar International Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, Halmar Friesen Racing

    Finishing Position: 6th

    How was your race today, coming home in sixth position?

    “Yeah, we could fire off on the race start and the restarts really good, but were just too draggy on the our runs. But on the really long run there, we didn’t fall off and had a really good package underneath it. We’ll take a sixth(-place finish).”

    TAYLOR GRAY, No. 17 A Place of Hope Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

    Finishing Position: 10th

    How was your race today and what’s your mindset heading to Martinsville next weekend?

    “Obviously, didn’t really get the points day we wanted. And then, just, strategy got us there at the end. Still came out with a top-10. Can’t thank my TRICON Garage guys enough for working their butts off all week long and preparing our Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. Just have to go to Martinsville, (pause), we’re in a must-win position, so try to go to Martinsville and be aggressive.”

    About Toyota

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

    Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 47 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 30 electrified options.

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