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Author: Official Release

Weekly Preview | Homestead-Miami Speedway
Race Notes

Homestead-Miami Speedway
Straight Talk Wireless 400
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Sunday, October 27 at 2:30PM EDT
NBC | MRN | SiriusXM
Team Notes
- Kaulig Racing has made four NCS starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway and has earned two top-five finishes there.
- So far in the 2024 season, Kaulig Racing has earned one pole award, one runner-up finish, 10 top 10s, 25 top 20s and led 108 laps.
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Worldwide Express Camaro ZL1
- AJ Allmendinger has made 12 NCS starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He has earned three top fives and five top-10 finishes.
- In Allmendinger’s two NCS starts with Kaulig Racing at Homestead-Miami, he earned a third and a fifth-place finish.
- So far in the 2024 NCS season, Allmendinger has made 15 starts. He has earned four top-10 finishes and led 36 laps.
“We have had great races at Homestead the last two years. I’m happy to get back into the Cup car, have some fun and hopefully go have another strong run.” – AJ Allmendinger on Homestead-Miami Speedway

Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1
- Daniel Hemric has made one NCS start at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he earned a 12th-place finish.
- Following his 19th-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Hemric has earned four top 10s, 12 top-20 finishes and led 15 laps in the 2024 season.
- Hemric has completed 8,612 of 8,665 laps (99.4%), the most of any other driver in the 2024 season.
“We’re feeling confident heading to Homestead this weekend. I have not been there in the NEXTGen car, but it’s a track I have always enjoyed. We’ve really been working on our intermediate track package, and the speed has shown.” – Daniel Hemric on Homestead-Miami Speedway

Race Details

Homestead-Miami Speedway
Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300
NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS)
Saturday, October 26 at 4:00PM EDT
The CW | MRN | SiriusXM
Team Notes
- Kaulig Racing has made 18 starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The team has collected five top fives and nine top-10 finishes there.
- Ross Chastain (2020) and AJ Allmendinger (2022) each earned Kaulig Racing a third-place finish there, the team’s best result at the track.
- So far in the 2024 NXS season, Kaulig Racing has earned four wins, 14 top fives, 32 top-10 finishes and 363 laps led.
Josh Williams, No. 11 Star Tron Chevrolet Camaro
- Josh Williams has made seven starts in the NXS at Homestead-Miami Speedway. His best finish there (12th) came in 2020, when he also led one lap.
- Williams sits 17th in the NXS points standings with four top 10s and 14 laps led.
“Homestead is at the top of my list, probably one of my top-five favorite tracks in NASCAR. I love running near the wall and getting runs down the straights. It’s usually hot, so it’s a pretty slick track early on.” – Josh Williams on Homestead-Miami Speedway

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Modern Day Garage Chevrolet Camaro
- AJ Allmendinger has made four NXS starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He has led 49 laps, earned two top-five finishes and has an average finish of 10.5.
- So far in the 2024 NXS season, Allmendinger has earned one win, seven top fives, 16 top-10 finishes and led 249 laps.
- Allmendinger secured his spot in the Championship 4 after leading 102 laps and winning at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last weekend.
“Homestead is always one of my favorite tracks. It’s a lot of fun knowing we are locked into the Championship 4. We can just focus on going for the win to keep the momentum rolling to close out the season.” – AJ Allmendinger on Homestead-Miami Speedway

Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet Camaro
- Shane van Gisbergen will head to Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend for his first NXS start at the 1.5-mile oval.
- Van Gisbergen has recorded three wins, led 100 laps and posted 10 top 10-finishes.
- The New Zealand native will carry the white-and-red WeatherTech livery this weekend at Homestead-Miami. For decades, WeatherTech has delivered on its promise of quality and craftsmanship through a commitment to American-made auto, home and pet products. More information can be found at weathertech.com.
- Fans can join Van Gisbergen for a Q&A at the Chevrolet Display in the Fan Zone on Saturday at 2 p.m. local time.
“Homestead-Miami is a track I haven’t been to yet, so it’s going to be a challenge. The one-and-a-half-mile tracks have been my most challenging this year, and I am just continuing to learn as much as I can on them. I just need to be aggressive from the start and learn every lap. I’m optimistic my WeatherTech team can get a solid result on Saturday. Looking forward to getting on track at Homestead this weekend.” – Shane van Gisbergen on Homestead-Miami Speedway

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.
October 23, 2024
Mazda MX-5 Cup Makes Oval Debut at Martinsville Speedway

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (Oct. 23, 2024) – The time has finally come for the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin to take on Martinsville Speedway. The Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 will see the series racing on an oval for the very first time, with more than $60,000 in prize money on the line at the historic NASCAR facility.

Saturday, October 26, is the culmination of months of planning to bring Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup racing to Martinsville Speedway. What started as a fun idea has officially morphed into reality and the Michelin rubber is about to meet the Paperclip.

A mix of Mazda MX-5 Cup regulars and some oval specialists make up the entry list for this first-of-its-kind event. This includes newly crowned Mazda MX-5 Cup champion Gresham Wagner (No. 5 McCumbee McAleer Racing) and two-time champion Jared Thomas (No. 96 JTR Motorsports Engineering), who had the chance to experience the track in the open test at Martinsville in August. Wagner did not but is still familiar with Martinsville.

“I wasn’t at the in-season test with all the other teams and drivers, but I was fortunate enough to be able to drive in the first feasibility test at Martinsville over a year ago,” Wagner said. “So, I know what to expect, and I’m very lucky to have Chad [McCumbee] and MMR, who obviously know what they’re doing when it comes to going quick at an oval. Between the team and my MMR teammates that were at the test, I know they’ll have everything sorted for me to be quick. I grew up around short track racing in Virginia and the first time I ever tested a racecar was at Langley Speedway. So, even though my firsthand experience is limited, it’s not too foreign to me.”

All three Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout Scholarship recipients will be on the grid at Martinsville. Both Nathan Nicholson (No. 56 Advanced Autosports) and Sally Mott (No. 15 Spark Performance) turned laps at the August test, but 2024 MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Year Westin Workman (No. 13 BSI Racing) did not.

Tom Long (No. 8 McCumbee McAleer Racing) who is usually in race control for MX-5 Cup events is putting his driving suit on at Martinsville. His professional racing resume is so vast that fans might not know Long was the 2005 Miata Cup Champion, the precursor to MX-5 Cup.

A name that’s been missing from the entry list for a while, Selin Rollan (No 87 Rollan Racing/BSI Racing) returns to take a crack at Martinsville. It’s something he’s had his eye on ever since it was announced.

“MX-5 Cup has been a huge portion of my life for the last seven years so I couldn’t miss the opportunity to do the biggest one-off event in series history,” said Rollan, who has moved his focus to his career in aviation. “Also being a NASCAR fan for my whole life, Martinsville has been a bucket list track for me. I cannot wait to make history and chase a clock!”

Of the new faces, several have Spec Miata experience, including Ruben Caceres Jr. (No. 01 Hendricks Motorsports), Bobby Gossett (No. 44 McCumbee McAleer Racing) and Martinsville local Capers Zentmeyer (No. 99 Spark Performance).

Will Mazda experience or oval experience be the winner at Martinsville? CARS Tour regulars Brandon Pierce (No. 02 McCumbee McAleer Racing) and Landen Lewis (No. 31 McCumbee McAleer Racing) are hoping their oval backgrounds are the key to winning on Saturday, as is ARCA and Whelen Modified driver Andy Jankowiak (No. 2 Hendricks Motorsports).

At stake is $25,000 and a Martinsville grandfather clock for the winner who will have to survive a 100-lap race with a stage break at lap 50. Yellow flag laps will not count until after the stage break, which means nobody can lose a lap during the first half of the race. Prize money will be paid out to the top three at the stage break, as well as to the top 10 finishers at the checkered flag.

All of it will be streamed live on IMSA’s YouTube channel, with the green flag slated for 6pm ET.

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.

October 23, 2024
Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 gener8tor Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Homestead-Miami Speedway Competition Notes

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (October 23, 2024) – Todd Gilliland returns to the Sunshine State as the NASCAR Cup Series makes their annual trip to the Homestead-Miami Speedway.

With just three races remaining on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit, Gilliland and the No. 38 team are focused on finishing strong and making a final push for the highest possible points position. Following the Cup Series second trip to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Gilliland sits 23rd in the Driver’s Standings.

The NASCAR Cup Series will practice and qualify at 9:00 AM ET on Saturday, October 26th. The Straight Talk Wireless 400 is scheduled for Sunday, October 27th at 2:30 PM ET. Fans can watch the action live on NBC or listen in via the Motor Racing Network or SiriusXM channel 90.

No. 38 gener8tor Mustang Dark Horse:

DRIVER TODD GILLILAND:

“Miami is a fun track. I have had some good runs there in the Truck Series, so I know I have what it takes to succeed, we just have to execute. We’re almost to the off season and it’s easy to get lazy, but there’s still some good race left for us to have good finishes.”

CREW CHIEF RYAN BERGENTY:

“There is still a lot to race for with only three tracks left on the schedule. Todd (Gilliland) and I don’t want to leave anything on the table. We just have to execute and make the most of these remaining races.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

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

October 23, 2024
Bonanza Cabernet Racing: Ryan Preece Homestead Advance

RYAN PREECE
Homestead Advance
No. 41 Bonanza Cabernet Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Straight Talk Wireless 400 (Round 34 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 27
● Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 267 laps/400.5 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 85 laps / Final Stage: 102 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Ryan Preece and the No. 41 Bonanza Cabernet Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing head to South Florida for the NASCAR Cup Series’ annual visit to the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway oval. Sunday’s Straight Talk Wireless 400 will be the sixth Cup Series start at Homestead for the native of Berlin, Connecticut, who’ll be celebrating his 34th birthday Friday. Best of his previous five outings was last October’s 13th-place finish from the 29th starting position.

● Outside the NASCAR Cup Series, Preece has posted multiple strong runs at Homestead in limited NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series action. Best of his four Xfinity Series outings were his most recent two – back-to-back season finales driving Joe Gibbs Racing equipment in November 2017 and 2018. He started and finished fifth in the 2017 race, then came back the following year to finish sixth from the 12th starting position. Preece qualified on the pole for his lone Homestead Truck Series start with David Gilliland Racing in October 2022, but had to start from the back after unapproved adjustments before the race. Still, he battled to the front, led a pair of laps by the race’s midpoint, and rallied for a fourth-place finish.

● Joining Preece at Homestead and for the second weekend in a row is Bonanza, a California Cabernet Sauvignon created by Chuck Wagner of Caymus Vineyards. The wine’s name is inspired by the “bonanza” of the great state of California, where diverse vineyard land that produces delicious Cabernet can be found. Preece got to enjoy the fruits of his labor quite literally in June 2023 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway. Preece competed in the ARCA Menards Series West race and dominated from start to finish. He won the pole and led twice for a race-high 50 laps, including the final 32 tours around the 1.99-mile, 10-turn road course to take the victory by a commanding 9.675 seconds over runner-up Sammy Smith. It was Preece’s first ARCA victory and the first ARCA win for Stewart-Haas. From his race-winning chalice in victory lane, Preece sipped on Bonanza, soaking in the moment amid TV interviews and photographs.

● Chuck Wagner and his late parents, Lorna and Charlie Sr., opened Caymus Vineyards in 1972, starting off with 240 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon. Based at its original “home ranch” in Rutherford, California – deep in the heart of Napa Valley Wine Country – Caymus Vineyards remains a hands-on family affair. In addition to their celebrated Cabernet Sauvignons, Chuck and two of his children – Charlie and Jenny – produce diverse wines from Napa Valley, other parts of California and beyond. Said Preece about partnering with Caymus Vineyards and its Bonanza brand: “Representing Caymus Vineyards and Bonanza at Sonoma allowed me to see just how hands-on the Wagner family is when it comes to their winemaking. It’s impressive, and it’s something I can really appreciate. I’m hands-on with my racecars because I want them to be the very best. They have the same mindset at Caymus. That’s why they’re a great partner for our race team.”

● Riding along with Preece this weekend at Homestead as part of the 50th anniversary of the Ronald McDonald House Charities is the Bucci Family. Their 15-year-old daughter, Olivia, came down with meningitis earlier this year and spent 85 days in the hospital. Her parents were able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House of Connecticut. The family chose to be represented on Precce’s No. 41 Bonanza Cabernet Ford Mustang Dark Horse as Preece is also a Connecticut native, hailing from Berlin.

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 Bonanza Cabernet Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Is there a track on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule that emulates some of the characteristics of Homestead? If so, do you have an indication of how you’ll perform this weekend?

“I feel based off of Kansas and Vegas, we’ve had a really good car at tracks where typically you aren’t wide open at, and that makes me feel pretty confident, I would say, for us to have a good run at Homestead. So I think we’ve gotten our mile-and-a-half package for our car to be pretty solid in the race. And now if we could just figure out qualifying speeds so we could have some speed there, it would certainly help us.”

Drivers seem to universally praise Homestead. Do you feel the same way when it comes to racing there? And what are you able to do with a car at Homestead that you can’t do elsewhere?

“I think it’s just because you have different options. You have options to kind of move around and make speed. As a racecar driver, that’s all you really want is the ability to go where somebody else is and not feel like you have a one-lane racetrack. So Homestead just opens up a lot a lot of options to be able to run all the way against the fence or maybe even run the bottom, which I think will provide some good racing. The surface of the track is really worn, so you have to run that wall as best you can because that will be the sweet spot. The tire wear will be pretty substantial, so our team will focus on the tire strategy and taking care of our stuff. As always, we’ll want to qualify well so we can be upfront with track position just being everything.”

Your best of five NASCAR Cup Series finishes at Homestead was 13th last year. Best of your four Xfinity Series finishes was fifth and sixth for JGR in 2017 and 2018. Your lone Truck Series outing was a fourth-place finish from the pole in 2022. Success at Homestead in the NASCAR Cup Series seems to be more difficult to obtain. What makes success at the Cup level there so much more difficult, and why does prior success at a venue in another series not always translate to Cup?

“I think there are a lot of things that play into that. And I think this this NextGen car kind of levels the playing field. So, going into Homestead this year, I feel like we have a better mile-and-a half program – for us, anyway – and I feel like we can better that.”

No. 41 Bonanza Cabernet 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

October 23, 2024
Spire Motorsports Baptist Health 200 Race Advance
- In Spire Motorsports’ lone NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Marco Andretti started 25th and finished 18th in last season’s visit to the South Florida oval. Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolets full time in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series . An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth drives the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Chevrolet Silverados in the No. 77.
- The Baptist Health 200 from Homestead-Miami Speedway will be televised live on FS1 Saturday, Oct. 26, beginning at noon Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The 21st of 23 NCTS races on the 2024 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Connor Mosack – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado
- Connor Mosack will make his fifth appearance aboard a Spire Motorsports entry, piloting the No. 7 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Chevrolet Silverado in Saturday’s Baptist Health 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
- Mosack was last in a Spire Motorsports entry at Kansas Speedway (Sept. 27), where he qualified on the front row and finished 10th. Prior to Kansas, Mosack quaified 18th and finished 15th at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway (July 12).
- The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation will adorn the hood of the No. 7 Silverado on Saturday. The Foundation aims to improve the quality of life for children battling pediatric brain tumors and other childhood cancers by pairing them with local teams, clubs and community groups. For more information, please log on to Friendsofjaclyn.org.
- The accomplished road racer made his first of three starts for Spire Motorsports in May’s Heart of America 200 at Kansas Speedway. After qualifying fifth, a flat tire derailed his night, which ultimately left him 30th in the final rundown.
- Mosack retuned to the No. 7 Silverado at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May where he earned his first-career CRAFTSMAN Truck Series top 10 with an eighth-place effort.
- The 25-year-old has made 28 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with his best finishes coming at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International (fifth), the Chicago Street Course (sixth) and Portland (Ore.) International Raceway (eighth). He participated in the 2023 Xfinity Series event at Homestead-Miami with Sam Hunt Racing where he finished 31st.
- The “Road-Course Ringer” competes part-time in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli, piloting the No. 57 Pinnacle Racing Group Chevrolet Camaro for Silver Hare Racing in the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Class. The two-time class winner has six poles and 17 top-five finishes in 38 starts, while ranking third and fourth in the season-long point standings in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Mosack races alongside teammates Jake Drew, Boris Said, Jr. and Connor Zilisch.
- Through 20 races, the No. 7 has compiled two wins with an average starting position of 10.0 and an average finish of 14.0 thus far this season. Kyle Busch led 33 laps en route the team’s first victory of 2024 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February and a led a dominant 112 laps in the team’s most recent triumph at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. In its most recent outing, Connor Zilisch qualified 12th and was racing inside the top 10 until he was swept up in the infamous “Big One.” The team was credited with a 33rd-place finish.
- In his first season at Spire Motorsports, crew chief Brian Pattie led the No. 7 team to two victories across the first seven events this season, both with Kyle Busch (Atlanta Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway). The duo also won twice across five races last year with Kyle Busch Motorsports.
- Pattie has called one prior CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Homestead. Jack Wood qualified 11th and finished 12th in last year’s event with Pattie atop the pit box. Pattie has visited victory lane twice at the South Florida oval, guiding Joe Nemechek to a pair of NASCAR Xfinity Series victories in 1999 and 2001.
- Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-083 will hit the track for the third time on Saturday. The truck made it’s maiden voyage with Clint Bowyer behind the wheel at Nashville Superspeedway (June 28), and last saw action in a top-10 effort with Mosack at Kansas Speedway (Sept. 27).
Connor Mosack Quotes
All of your starts with Spire thus far have been on intermediate tracks. Despite running a limited schedule, does this help you when preparing for this weekend’s race at Homestead?
“I think the similar style of tracks definitely helps in getting comfortable with the truck. When you are in and out of the seat, you have to relearn how the truck drives in traffic and how to feel the air. With all of my starts coming at similar venues, I’m able to retain some of that information and draw comparisons from weekend to weekend.”

You have a lot experience, and success, at Kansas Speedway. Do you believe Homestead is a track that will race similar to Kansas?
“Kansas has been a really good place for me in everything I’ve ran there. I have plenty of experience running against the fence and that will definitely transition to Homestead. It takes a certain level of experience to be comfortable putting your equipment up there. Otherwise, the tracks are pretty different. The surface at Homestead is a lot more worn out, the seams between the grooves are difficult to maneuver and the tire falloff is far more drastic.”

Rajah Caruth – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado
- Rajah Caruth will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Silverado in Saturday’s Baptist Health 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
- Caruth and the No. 71 team qualified for the NCTS playoffs via their win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and ending the regular season fifth in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship point standings. Heading into the second race of the Round of 8, Caruth and Co. are seeded fifth on the playoff grid, five points below the Championship 4 cutline. The Round of 8 concludes next Friday at Martinsville Speedway.
- In the first race in the Round of 8 at Talladega Superspeedway, the Washington D.C. native started 13th and navigated “The Big One” while overcoming a pit road speeding penalty to finish fourth. His 38 points earned on the day were the third-most in the field.
- HENDRICKCARS.COM is the online home for everything Hendrick Automotive Group. Visitors can shop thousands of new or pre-owned vehicles, locate centers for service and collision repair, receive a value to sell or trade their car, chat online with customer service, discover career opportunities, learn more about vehicle protections programs, and explore how the company gives back to the community.
- The 22-year-old started 13th and finished eighth in last season’s trip to Homestead in CRAFTSMAN Truck Series competition. The result marked his fourth and final top 10 of the 2023 season.
- The 2024 season has marked a career year for Caruth. He’s totaled one win, a pair of Cometic Gasket Pole Awards and five top-five finishes, all of which are the first of his young career. His 11 top-10 finishes exceed his total of four in 2023. His average start of 10.6 is over four positions better than last season and his 10.7 average finish is an impressive seven positions higher.
- With his first career CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win and pole position earlier this season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Caruth became the third African American driver, alongside NASCAR Hall of Famer, Wendell Scott and current NASCAR Cup Series regular Bubba Wallace, to win a NASCAR National Touring Series race.
- Caruth raced his first full CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season in 2023, earning four top-10 finishes and closing the year 16th in points.
- Fans can meet Rajah Caruth at the Chevrolet Display for a 15-minute Q&A Session on Saturday at 9:15.
- Caruth will be signing autographs at the NASCAR Classics Merchandise Trailer on Saturday from 9:30 to 10 a.m.
- Crew chief Chad Walter has called a pair of CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races at the South Florida oval, including Caruth’s eighth-place run in 2023 and Tyler Ankrum’s runner-up finish in 2020.
- Caruth will pilot Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-085, a brand new Chevrolet Silverado.
Rajah Caruth Quotes
Homestead is a beast of its own. What characteristics make it a good track for you and your team?
“Homestead is a good track because of the nature of the race track. You have an abrasive, multi-groove surface where you can run along the white line, against the fence or anywhere in between. I feel like it is right in my wheelhouse. From the team perspective, the mile-and-a-half tracks are our strengths. That kind of racetrack is the strong suit of the trucks built in this shop. Top fives are the team expectation when racing at places like Homestead.”

Chase Purdy – Driver, No.77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado
- Chase Purdy will drive Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado in Saturday’s Baptist Health 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
- In last season’s visit to Homestead, the Meridian, Miss., native rolled off 14th and converted the second-most quality passes in the field (50) en route to a 10th-place finish. The result marked his 10th top 10 of the season, doubling his career total prior to 2023.
- The Baptist Health 200 will mark Purdy’s 96th CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start and 21st behind the wheel of the No. 77 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports.
- The 24-year-old is familiar with victory lane in the Sunshine State, claiming victory in the 2018 Snowflake 100 at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola. Spire Motorsports teammate, Carson Hocevar, finished fourth in that edition of the prestigious Pro Late Model event that leads up to the Snowball Derby.
- While racing for Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2023, Purdy had the best statistical season of his career. He earned three top-five, 11 top-10 and 14 top-15 finishes while notching a career-best finish of second at Texas Motor Speedway (April 1) and claiming his first career Truck Series pole at Kansas Speedway (Sept. 8). He would snag his second career pole two races later at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (Sept. 30), a race in which he led a career-high 11 laps.
- Crew chief Jason Trinchere has called the shots for three NASCAR Xfinity Series events at the 1.5-mile oval, highlighted by a fourth-place effort with Daniel Hemric at Kaulig Racing in 2022.
- Purdy will be behind the wheel of Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-073 on Saturday. He piloted the truck to a sixth-place finish at Darlington in May.
Chase Purdy Quotes
Mile-and-a-half tracks have been your strong suit this year. What is your mindset going into the weekend?
“Homestead is an awesome race track. Tire fall off is huge, and for me, it is all about putting together a solid day to finish the year strong. The whole team is giving max effort as the year comes to a close because we all want to get the job done in the last three outings. We have one goal. Win.”
From the Top of the Box

Brian Pattie – Crew Chief, No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado
- In his first season at Spire Motorsports, Brian Pattie has led the No. 7 team to two victories, both with Kyle Busch. The duo also won twice across five races last year at KBM.
- Pattie also collected a victory with Ron Fellows at Watkins Glen International in 1999 to give him five career NCTS wins.
- Pattie was atop the pit box for six wins across 14 seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series and has 11 career victories as a crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Chad Walter – Crew Chief, No. 71 Chevrolet Silverado
- Chad Walter has over two decades of experience and began his career with Hendrick Motorsports in 1996.
- Walter guided Caruth to his first NCTS win March 1, 2024 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
- Some of his most notable accomplishments include a pair of Daytona 500 victories (2001 & 2003) as a crew member for Michael Waltrip, along with Cup Series wins with Steve Park and Terry Labonte.
Jason Trinchere – Crew Chief, No. 77 Chevrolet Silverado
- Jason Trinchere earned his Bachelor of Science from Penn State University and began his professional career in 2005 as the race engineer for the iconic No. 75 Spears Manufacturing NCTS team, owned by series’ pioneers Wayne and Connie Spears.
- Notable accomplishments include Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 wins with both Ganassi Racing and Penske Racing as a design engineer. He was a key member of the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series Championship team with driver Joey Logano.
About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports is a NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race team co-owned by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2024, Spire Motorsports campaigns the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Corey LaJoie, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively. The team also fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth drives the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Silverados in the No. 77.

Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on April 12, 2024, when Kyle Busch took the checkered flag in the SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway.
October 23, 2024
Stewart-Haas Racing: Homestead-Miami NXS Advance (Cole Custer | Riley Herbst)
COLE CUSTER | RILEY HERBST
Homestead-Miami NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview
- Event: Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300 (Round 31 of 33)
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 26
- Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway
- Layout: 1.5-mile oval
- Time/TV/Radio: 4 p.m. EDT on CW/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Cole Custer Notes of Interest
- “Stone Cole” Custer returns to the site of his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series win sporting a sleek, new NXT on CW paint scheme on his No. 00 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Saturday’s Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Similar to his paint scheme at Kansas Speedway on Sept. 28 to kick off the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs, Custer’s No. 00 hot rod will showcase several of the NXT on CW’s championship-winning wrestlers. Launched by WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque, NXT has aired weekly since 2012 and features the brightest young talent in sports entertainment. Nearly 90 percent of the participants in last year’s WrestleMania were developed under the NXT banner. Led by WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels, NXT is popular with younger audiences. WWE Superstars, including Roman Reigns, Seth “Freakin” Rollins and Charlotte Flair, have come up through NXT, a series similar in concept to the Xfinity Series where rising stars attempt to climb their way to the elite level of their sport. Many NXT Superstars have gone on to WWE’s main roster and performed on the biggest stage. This weekend, Custer’s No. 00 Ford Mustang will once again highlight four of the NXT’s Superstars – NXT Women’s champion Roxanne Perez and Trick Williams on the hood, and NXT Women’s North American champion Kelani Jordan and NXT champion Ethan Page on the quarter panels. The No. 00 Stewart-Haas team will also host Perez, Williams, and Tony “The Don” D’Angelo at the track for their first NASCAR race this weekend at Homestead along with Jordan who attended the Xfinity Series playoff opener at Kansas. Custer made a guest appearance on Tuesday night’s episode of NXT on CW, where he showed off a few wrestling moves of his own. Watch Custer’s highlights from the show HERE.
- Saturday’s race at Homestead will mark Custer’s sixth Xfinity Series start at the 1.5-mile South Florida oval. He finished first, second and second there in the 2017, 2018 and 2019 season finales, respectively after finishing 17th in his Xfinity Series debut there in 2016. His 2017 win came from the second starting position, and he led 182 of the 200 race laps en route to the checkered flag. It was his milestone first in the Xfinity Series driving the No. 00 Ford Mustang. Custer’s runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2019 placed him second in the final championship standings. Custer has led a total of 292 laps at Homestead in his Xfinity Series career and has completed all but one lap he’s been able to run there. He has an additional four starts at Homestead outside of the Xfinity Series – three in the NASCAR Cup Series and one in the NASCAR Truck Series. His best Cup Series finish of 22nd came in June 2020. In his lone Truck Series start there in 2016, he started second and finished 10th.
- Last year at Homestead, Custer looked to be on his way to another Homestead victory after qualifying on the pole for the second-to-last race in the Round of 8. He led 114 of the 200 race laps and gained 18 valuable bonus points by finishing first in Stage 1 and third in Stage 2 before a blown tire forced him to pit from the lead on lap 151. After the tire change, he resumed deep in the field and one lap down, but his perseverance and sheer determination enabled him to climb his way back up to 13th. While it wasn’t the win that would’ve locked him into the Championship 4, Custer and the team did take advantage of a good points day as he left the race above the Championship 4 cutline holding down fourth in the playoff standings.
- Custer isn’t the only member of the No. 00 Ford team who knows how to win at Homestead. His crew chief Jonathan Toney was lead engineer of team co-owner Tony Stewart’s drive there to the 2011 NASCAR Cup Series championship. Toney also served as an engineer for Custer during his 2017 Xfinity Series victory at Homestead.
- The CW is America’s fifth major broadcast network and is available to 100 percent of U.S. television households. The CW delivers primetime entertainment programming and more than 500 hours of sports programming annually, including LIV Golf, ACC football and basketball, Pac-12 football, “Inside the NFL,” WWE NXT and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The free, ad-supported CW App is widely available on all major platforms. The CW App is home to The CW’s primetime programming, live streaming of LIV Golf tournaments, and a library of entertaining film and television content. The CW is 75 percent owned by Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: NXST), a leading diversified media company and the largest CW affiliate group. For more information about The CW, visit www.cwtv.com.
Riley Herbst Notes of Interest
- Riley Herbst and the No. 98 Monster Energy team head to Saturday’s Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway with their eyes on the prize – another win on the 2024 season. Last Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Herbst started seventh for the 201-lap event. He scored a total of 10 stage points with his third-place and ninth-place stage finishes, respectively, and battled for a top-10 spot in the final stage as the team struggled with the handling of the No. 98 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. He was able to lead once for four laps to increase his laps led at his hometown track to 107, and Herbst showed his persistence as he passed several cars in the closing laps to bring home a seventh-place result. It was his fourth straight top-10 at Las Vegas and his 13th top-10 of the 2024 season. He now heads to a track where he followed up his first career win last season with a strong runner-up finish as the highest finishing non-playoff driver.
- The Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300 will mark Herbst’s sixth career start at Homestead, where his best finish of second came last October in the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang – just a week after his first career victory at Las Vegas. In the final laps of last year’s race, Herbst was closing the gap between himself and leader Sam Mayer before ultimately finishing just .227 of a second behind in the runner-up position. He’s now on a mission to finish one spot better and join his teammate Cole Custer as an Xfinity Series winner at Homestead. In October 2023, Herbst finished an impressive eighth. He was 11th in the February 2021 race after back-to-back top-10s there in a June 2020 weekend doubleheader – 10th in the Saturday race and ninth in the Sunday race.
- Herbst is driving for a team that knows how to win at Homestead. In addition to Custer’s win at the track in the No. 00 car, the previous driver of the No. 98 Ford Mustang, Chase Briscoe, won the second race of the 2020 doubleheader after a seventh-place finish in the Saturday race, and runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2019.
- Herbst has nothing to lose and everything to win in the final three races of the season and his final races with the Stewart-Haas Racing Xfinity Series program. With the team shutting down at the end of the 2024 season, Herbst looks to up his Xfinity Series career win total. He currently has two wins, both coming with Stewart-Haas in the No. 98 Ford Mustang. The final three races are at three of his best tracks on the circuit. Consistency has been key for the No. 98 Monster Energy driver at Homestead. He has never finished outside the top-11 in five previous career starts on the 1.5-mile South Florida oval. The next race, Nov. 2 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, comes at a track where Herbst has finished outside the top-10 just three times in eight starts, with a best finish of third in October 2022, which he followed up with a fourth-place finish last October. And the season concludes Nov. 9 at Phoenix Raceway, where Herbst drove to best finishes of fourth in both 2021 races and again in both of the 2023 races there. He has also finished outside the top-11 just three-times in 10 career starts.
Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 00 NXT on CW Ford Mustang Dark Horse

You’re heading to the second race of the Round of 8 and you’re inside the top-four, 16 points above the Championship 4 cutline, after your eighth-place finish last Saturday at Las Vegas. After the drama coming to the checkered flag at Martinsville last season, do you feel like you have to win at Homestead to make it to the next round?

“I don’t think we’re in a place where we have to win, but you never know what could happen at these next two races. The No. 00 team has had a ton of speed in the playoffs, including last weekend where we led laps. I think if we keep managing our races, having good races, and doing what we need to do, then we can make it to the next round on points alone. There’s no reason why we can’t be in a good position on points to make it to the Championship 4, but a win this weekend at Homestead would just make the nerves a lot easier heading into Martinsville. I was so nervous last year heading into that race because you never know what could happen there. You obviously want to win before then to help ease your mind, but you also want to look at the bigger picture and build a points cushion. We almost won at Homestead last year had it not been for that blown tire, so I know we can do it again.”

You scored your first career Xfinity Series victory in November 2017 at Homestead after just missing the Championship 4. Talk about your career at Homestead and if there’s any extra confidence because of your history there.

“Homestead has always been a strong place for the Stewart-Haas Racing Xfinity Series team and for myself. You saw that with the strong run we had built last year and then Riley (Herbst, teammate) finishing second. Having my first win at Homestead was big, obviously, but also we’ve been consistently racing for the win at that track without fail. We’re always in the fight to win no matter the season, it seems like. I think our team overall just has a good package for this track and intermediate tracks. Hopefully, that remains true this weekend, as well. Homestead is a place that I’ve always been comfortable at and somewhere where you really have to search around the track to find grip and figure out what line works best for your car. It’s a lot of fun for myself as a driver, so I’m excited to head back there and try to find victory lane again.”

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

With only three races left in the regular season, how do you approach them as they’ll be the last for the No. 98 team and your last with Stewart-Haas Racing?

“It’s bittersweet. Obviously, I’m excited for the future, but this has been my home for the past four seasons. These crew guys are like my family and they’ve watched me grow from that first season. I want to do everything I can to add another win to the No. 98 banner before the end of the season. The history has been so rich with this number, and to be able to be a part of it has been amazing. I’m sure we can get another one before the final checkered flag. We’re not approaching anything differently than before, but with no championship to battle for anymore, we’ve got nothing to lose and everything to win. Who’s to say we can’t go out and win the final three races? I want to end on a strong note with these guys and I know we can find victory lane again before the year is over.”

Homestead has been a strong track for you. Coming off a strong run at Las Vegas, another intermediate track, does that boost your and the team’s confidence for what can come from this weekend’s race?

“It definitely gives us a confidence boost, especially with how strong our intermediate program has been in the past. At the same time, we take it one race at a time because anything can happen in these races. Homestead is an intermediate track, but it’s still different from Las Vegas or one of the other ones. I’ve run well at Homestead in my career, including that runner-up finish last year. At the same time, it’s a good track for a lot of people in the Xfinity Series, including my teammate Cole Custer. Everyone is going to run their best there, especially with seven guys still vying for three spots in the Championship 4. I’m hoping that we can take the notes from last year to run up front this weekend. We’ve had the speed all year, so now it’s just about having a perfect weekend. I have no doubt in my mind that we can contend for the win.”
October 23, 2024
Toyota Racing Weekly Preview 10.23.24

This Week in Motorsports: October 21 – 27, 2024

NCS/NXS/NCTS: Homestead-Miami Speedway – Oct. 25-27

PLANO, Texas (Oct. 23, 2024) – NASCAR hits the second race of the Round of 8 across its three national series as the Truck, Xfinity and Cup Series take on Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS | NCTS

Cup Series points shake up heading to Homestead … Following Sunday’s race in Las Vegas, the three remaining Camry XSE Playoff drivers all find themselves in different positions heading to Homestead this weekend. Christopher Bell, coming off a pole position in Las Vegas, his second consecutive runner-up finish and another stage win, currently sits 42 points above the cutline with two races remaining in the round. His Toyota teammates, Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick find themselves below the Playoff cutline going into this weekend, 27 and 30 points under, respectively.

Bell looks to continue strong runs … Bell and his No. 20 Camry XSE team have built serious momentum in the current stretch of races on the Cup Series schedule, now with 10 top-10s in the last 12 races, seven of those being in the top-five. Bell has now set his career-best in top five (13) and top-10 (21) finishes in a season and can still add more with three races remaining. He also returns to Homestead this weekend looking to repeat after last year’s victory at the 1.5-mile South Florida oval sent him to the Championship 4.

Hamlin also eager to continue top-10 streak … Hamlin and his No. 11 Camry XSE team have also been on a strong streak of late, finishing inside the top-10 in four of the last five races, dating back to Bristol Motor Speedway in September. Homestead has been a solid track for the 43-year-old in the past, with a win at the Florida track in 2020, to go along with three top-fives and 12 top-10s in his 19 career starts.

Smith remains above the cutline … With his seventh consecutive top-five finish at Las Vegas, Chandler Smith sits in an ideal position in the fight for the Xfinity Series Championship 4, currently eight points above the cutline heading to Homestead this weekend. Smith has only made three total career starts at Homestead across the Truck and Xfinity Series so far, with a best finish of seventh in the Xfinity Series in 2022.

Sawalich makes Xfinity Series debut in double duty weekend … In a monumental 2024 season for William Sawalich, he adds another feat to his list by making his Xfinity Series debut this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The Minnesotan will pilot the No. 19 GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing on Saturday around the mile-and-a-half track. Just a few weeks ago, the recently turned 18-year-old made his superspeedway debut in the Truck Series at Talladega Superspeedway, where he sat on pole, nonetheless. He’ll also be running the Truck Series race on Saturday with TRICON Garage in the No. 1 Tundra TRD Pro to start his double duty day, making his eighth Truck start of the season.

Heim, Gray continue chase for Championship 4 … After a few weeks off for the Truck Series, Corey Heim and Taylor Gray are back at it in hopes of clinching their way into the Championship 4. Heim, coming off an 11th-place finish at Talladega, is currently 30 points to the good while leading the championship standings. Gray, who finished runner-up at Talladega, is 13 points below the cutline with two races remaining in the Round of 8.

Friesen returns to favorable Homestead … Homestead-Miami Speedway has been a track of comfort for Stewart Friesen over the course of his Truck Series career as he makes his eighth start at the mile-and-a-half this Saturday. In his seven previous starts, Friesen has two top-fives and four top-10s, including third and sixth-place finishes in his last two starts. Friesen seeks his first top-10 since Bristol back in September and his first top-five finish since Charlotte Motor Speedway in May where he finished runner-up.

About Toyota

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

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

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

October 23, 2024
JR Motorsports — NXS Homestead-Miami Speedway Review
JR Motorsports Team Preview
TRACK – Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.5-mile oval)
NXS RACE – Credit One NASCAR Amex Credit Card 300 (200 laps / 300 miles)
TUNE IN – CW, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90 at 4:00 p.m. (ET)

Sam Mayer

No. 1 – 10X Health Chevrolet

Mayer 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 30

Wins: 3

Top 5s: 8

Top 10s: 12

Laps Led: 224

Avg. Finish: 18.1

Points: 7th
- Sam Mayer heads back to Homestead-Miami Speedway for his third NASCAR Xfinity Series start at the 1.5 mile oval. The young driver is the defending race winner.
- Last season, Mayer drove his way to the Championship 4 by winning this event leading 46 laps including the final one on his way to Victory Lane.
- Mayer will head into the second race of the Round of 8, 23 points below the cutline to make the final round in the NXS Playoffs.
Sam Mayer

“I am super-pumped to get back to Homestead this weekend as this track was so good to me both times I have run there. This race last year was a turning point in our season and gave me much confidence in myself and I am more than confident that we can go out and repeat last year all over again. Mardy (Lindley, crew chief) and this No. 1 team have worked so hard this entire year to get us where we are today and I am so ready to get them the result they deserve.”

Justin Allgaier

No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture / Precision Build Chevrolet

Allgaier 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 30

Wins: 2

Top 5s: 8

Top 10s: 17

Laps Led: 705

Avg. Finish: 14.4

Points: 1st
- Justin Allgaier enters the second race in the Round of 8 in the NXS Playoffs as the points leader, 32 markers above the cutline.
- Allgaier has earned a best finish of sixth in 15 previous NXS starts at Homestead, coming in the 2016 season-finale.
- Overall, Allgaier has scored 13 wins, 80 top fives and 151 top 10s in 243 career NXS starts on tracks between 1 and 2 miles in length.
- This weekend in Homestead marks the return of Precision Build on board the No. 7 Chevrolet in a co-branded effort with BRANDT Professional Agriculture.
Justin Allgaier

“This whole No. 7 group is ready to go this weekend in Homestead. We had a really fast car here last year and I know that Jim (Pohlman, crew chief) will give me another strong Precision Build / BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet when we get to the track on Friday. We just need to go out and execute the way we have been and I know that we will be in a great position as Phoenix gets closer.”

Sammy Smith

No. 8 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet

Smith 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 30

Wins: 1

Top 5s: 6

Top 10s: 15

Laps Led: 65

Avg. Finish: 15.4

Points: 8th
- Sammy Smith’s first race at Homestead in the NXS was in 2023 where he started in the top five and finished in the top 10.
- In the young driver’s NXS career he has tallied 30 starts on tracks 1-2 miles in length with one win, five top fives, and 17 top 10s.
- This season on 1.5-mile tracks, Smith’s best finish of third came at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
- Smith currently sits below the playoff cutline heading into the last two races of the Round of 8.
Sammy Smith

“Vegas didn’t end up the way we thought it would after qualifying fifth. We had the speed but the damage from the early incident killed our aero and we weren’t able to recover. That was a tough day for this Pilot Flying J Chevrolet team but we just have to learn from it and focus on Homestead now as we head into the last two races before the championship. We were the underdog going into Talladega and came out on top so I know this team can do it again.”

Brandon Jones

No. 9 Menards / Tuscany Chevrolet

Jones 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 30

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 1

Top 10s: 8

Laps Led: 45

Avg. Finish: 19.1

Points: 14th
- Brandon Jones’ return to South Beach this weekend marks his 10th appearance at the 1.5-mile oval and his 300th career start in the NXS.
- Of his nine previous starts at Homestead, Jones has earned two top fives and six top 10s, including back-to-back runner-up finishes during the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
- Jones’ average finish of 8.9 at Homestead is currently tied with Kansas for his best among all active tracks in the NXS.
- Tuscany, a company regarded for creating premium, cost-effective products including faucets, sinks, toilets, vanities and shower systems, will adorn the hood of Jones’ Camaro for the first time this season.
Brandon Jones

“I am looking forward to making my 300th Xfinity start at Homestead this weekend. This track has been good to me in the past so I am hoping to continue to build off the speed we have had these past few weeks and work towards a solid finish. I know this No. 9 team has been working hard to give me a fast car, so if we can qualify well like we have been and stay out of the mess we should be able to be up front when it counts.”

Connor Zilisch

No. 88 Roto-Rooter Chevrolet

Zilisch 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 2

Wins: 1

Top 5s: 2

Top 10s: 2

Laps Led: 45

Avg. Finish: 2.5

Points: N/A
- Connor Zilisch makes his third start for JRM and second on an oval track this weekend at Homestead.
- In his two previous starts, Zilisch has earned a victory at Watkins Glen on Sept. 14 and a fourth-place finish at Kansas Speedway on Sept. 28. That makes his average finish a stellar 2.5.
- The familiar colors of Roto-Rooter will be on the No. 88 this weekend for the young driver. It will be his first start for the legendary brand with JRM.
- In 15 starts this year, crew chief Andrew Overstreet has earned one win, five top fives and 9 top 10’s with five different drivers.
Connor Zilisch

“I am looking forward to racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend in the Roto-Rooter Chevrolet. The first two starts with JR Motorsports went about as well as they possibly could have, and with Andrew (Overstreet, crew chief) and the guys, the strategy has been solid. I think Homestead will be a good venue for all of us this weekend.”

JRM Team Updates

JR Motorsports at Homestead-Miami Speedway: JR Motorsports has competed at Homestead-Miami Speedway a combined 59 times in the NXS since its first trip there in 2005. In those starts at the 1.5-mile oval, the organization has recorded four wins, 13 top-fives and 29 top-10s, with an average finish of 14.1.

Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith and Brandon Jones will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / Legacy MC souvenir rig on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET.
October 23, 2024
Stellar drive from Sedgwick to close Carrera Cup season

The PT Autosport driver powers from sixth to second at the finish in a “hard, clean, smart” Porsche Carrera Cup North America finale

AUSTIN, Texas (October 23, 2024) – PT Autosport with JDX Racing’s Alex Sedgwick posted one of the most impressive drives of his young career last weekend, driving from sixth to second in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America season finale at Circuit of the Americas.

Unfortunately for Sedgwick and the team, several mechanical gremlins – and a technical inspection penalty that sent him from second to the back of the field – meant that the 25-year-old Warwickshire, UK native went from second to fourth in the final championship standings. But as one observer put it, Sedgwick drove a “hard, clean, smart” race behind the wheel of the No. 98 PT Autosport Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car, one that he hopes earns him the notice of IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship teams after delivering impressive results in his two-year stint in the highly competitive global Porsche championship.

Sedgwick took the green flag for the lone practice session on Friday afternoon and immediately found his rhythm, posting the second-quickest opening timed lap. Determined to do one better, Sedgwick’s second timed lap hoisted him to the top of the speed charts by half a second. But a mechanical issue midway through the session slowed Sedgwick, who was grateful to hold the fourth-quickest time at the checkered flag despite the loss of critical track time.

Unfortunately, mechanical concerns surfaced once again at the worst possible moment–in Saturday morning qualifying. Shortly after heading to the top of the speed charts, Sedgwick began experiencing radiator issues that sent him to pit lane – after only three laps. Forced to sit on pit lane for the remainder of the session, Sedgwick’s time was still good enough for sixth on the starting grid, though with third and fourth in the points chase ahead of him.

On the outside of row three, Sedgwick placed himself perfectly in the opening corners of race one, ready to make a move – until contact with a competitor put Sedgwick off track in Turn 9, returning back in 11th position. Before he could recommence the fight, an incident further back sent a car into the barriers and brought out a yellow flag, followed almost immediately by a second yellow.

Returning to green with 10 minutes remaining, Sedgwick was a man on a mission. Amidst plenty of wheel-to-wheel action, Sedgwick managed to capture fifth position, just as two back markers collided and stopped on track, meaning the race ended under caution.

Going into the season finale tied for second, Sedgwick was determined to move forward from his sixth place starting position. In the Turn 1 scrum, Sedgwick slid to the middle of the track and grabbed fifth, then focused on the car ahead, the championship leader. It took much of the race – to the 17-minute mark – but Sedgwick made the inside pass in Turn 11 to take fourth.

With 11 minutes remaining, Sedgwick slid into third position and aimed for the two leaders, knowing that time was rapidly running out. After making up an over two second deficit, Alex was engaged in a side by side, tooth and nail battle for two laps, Sedgwick made a bold move in Turn 18 and captured second position. But the battle meant that Sedgwick was now more than three seconds behind the leader, and as the checkered flag fell, he felt as though he had earned one of the most impressive podium finishes of his young career.

The champagne had hardly dried before Sedgwick learned that the car was out of specification after a suspension part suffered damage, negating his significant effort as the post-race results saw him come home fourth in the overall championship.

This, after having given up his dream of racing professionally until a chance meeting that saw his never give up attitude meet with the opportunity that PT Autosport aspires to deliver, as the young Englishman entered an extremely competitive championship, proved himself a winner, and will now look forward to what comes next.

Sedgwick was understandably disappointed with the outcome but in the end, he knows that the last two years of impressive drives in Carrera Cup have given his racing career new life, as he makes plans for 2025 and beyond.

“Things haven’t always gone to plan this season, with the racing gods throwing out a few weekends of bad luck along the way, and this past weekend might have been the most difficult to date,” said Sedgwick. “I put in the two races of my life to try and recover from our issues in qualifying, making it back to the podium in race two, but unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be.

“We don’t have the results on paper to show just how competitive the No. 98 PT Autosport with JDX Racing car was all year long, but to start 2023 at the back end of the top ten, to consistently fighting for poles and wins in the most competitive single-make series in North America is not bad going. I can’t thank Jeremy (Dale), Harrison (Brix), Ryan (Neff), Cody (Wollenslegel) and everyone else in the team enough. Every single one of them has contributed to my development over the past two years. And I would never have been here without PT Autosport. Their support and their decision to partner with JDX have made this all possible, I will never be able to repay Jeph and Jason for their belief in me and the opportunity to now, be looking at making the next jump in my career as a result of the last two years of hard work. 2024 has been hard, but it’s been an awesome year.”

As focus turns to 2025, PT Autosport team principal Jason Myers knows that the phone will be ringing this week, as teams review the drives Sedgwick laid down in difficult circumstances.

“What a weekend of ups and downs at COTA,” said Myers. “While the outcome for the season-long championship wasn’t what we had hoped for, the drives that Alex put down both Saturday and Sunday were nothing short of epic. We know there are a number of teams watching his performances and while the champion gets his name on a trophy, the real reward is where you go as a driver – yes, it’s about your driving skills, but it’s also about your networking and relationship-building, your tenacity and persistence, that really pay off in the end. Can’t give any details yet, but the possibilities in the pipeline are impressive. Stay tuned!”

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

About PT Autosport — Discover Unique Talent. Develop Champions.

PT Autosport, based at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ, campaigns rising star Alex Sedgwick (UK) in the 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup North America series with JDX Racing, 2022 Aspiring Driver Shootout winner Henry Drury (UK) in the 2024 Toyota GR Cup North America series with Precision Racing LA.

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

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

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

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October 23, 2024
Cadillac confirms 2025 IMSA drivers
Experienced, championship-winning roster to lead three-car GTP factory program

DETROIT (Oct. 23, 2024) – Cadillac Racing’s driver roster for the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season includes a lineup of experienced and championship-winning drivers.

Is 2025, Cadillac Racing expands its factory program from two to three cars for the third year of Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) competition that starts January 25-26 with the Rolex 24 At Daytona at Daytona International Speedway. Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing will run two cars, while Action Express Racing will run one car as Cadillac Whelen.

Drivers who will contest all nine rounds of the IMSA GTP schedule in Cadillac V-Series.Rs — powered by the purpose-built Cadillac 5.5L DOHC V8 engine — and endurance race drivers:

Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing (No. 10)
- Ricky Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque (full season; photo)
- Will Stevens (Daytona, Sebring, Road Atlanta)
- Brendon Hartley (Daytona)
Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing (No. 40)
- Jordan Taylor, Louis Deletraz (full season; photo)
- Alex Lynn (Daytona, Sebring, Road Atlanta)
- Kamui Kobayashi (Daytona)
Cadillac Whelen (No. 31)
- Earl Bamber, Jack Aitken (full season; photo)
- Frederik Vesti (endurance races)
The lineup represents seven FIA World Endurance Championship LMP1/Hypercar championships, eight Rolex 24 At Daytona overall victories (six with Cadillac Racing) and 11 24 Hours of Le Mans overall/class victories among other significant accomplishments.

The Nos. 10 and 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing full-time roster is unchanged from the 2024 season in which the team posted two victories and two other podium finishes with another manufacturer. Deletraz and Jordan Taylor teamed for victory in the 12-hour race at Sebring while Albuquerque and Ricky Taylor won the 100-minute sprint on the streets of Detroit.

By the numbers:

’25 roster notables
- WEC LMP1/Hypercar championships: 7
- WEC LMP2 championships: 2
- Grand-Am Rolex/IMSA prototype championships: 3
- Rolex 24 At Daytona overall victories: 8 (6 with Cadillac)
- Twelve Hours of Sebring overall victories: 6 (4 with Cadillac)
- Motul Petit Le Mans overall victories: 4
- 24 Hours of Le Mans overall/class victories: 11
FIA WEC 2024 full-season Hypercar drivers Bamber, Lynn, Hartley, Stevens and Kobayashi will compete in the season finale November 2 at the Bahrain International Circuit. Kobayashi returns to Cadillac Racing for the Daytona season opener after a two-year absence.

Aitken returns for his second full season and third overall in the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R run by Action Express Racing, which recorded four pole starts and three runner-up finishes this past season. Bamber, who has driven the No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R the past two seasons in the WEC, is no stranger to IMSA competition. The 2019 IMSA GTLM champion co-drove a Cadillac DPi-V.R to victory in 2022 at Sebring and this past season drove a Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R in GTD Pro class endurance races.

Vesti, the 2023 FIA Formula 2 Championship vice-champion, will make his IMSA GTP debut at Daytona.

Cadillac, which closed the 2024 IMSA season with an overall victory in the Motul Petit Le Mans, has earned nine Manufacturer Championships in sports car racing since 2005 and five IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Manufacturer Championships since 2017.

The Cadillac V-Series.R marks the third generation Cadillac prototype racecar and first with an electric motor component. The car – co-developed by Cadillac Design, Cadillac Racing and chassis constructor Dallara – incorporates key Cadillac V-Series production car design elements, such as vertical lighting and floating blades.

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.
October 23, 2024