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  • Toyota Racing – NCS Kansas Post-Race Report – 09.29.24

    Toyota Racing – NCS Kansas Post-Race Report – 09.29.24

    TEAM TOYOTA SCORES FOUR TOP-10 FINISHES IN KANSAS
    Bell Leads Race-High 122 Laps in No. 20 Camry XSE

    KANSAS CITY (September 29, 2024) – Four Toyota Camry XSE drivers finished in the top-10 in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) race at Kansas Speedway with Martin Truex Jr. (third) and Ty Gibbs (fifth) leading the way with top-five results. Playoff drivers Christopher Bell (seventh) and Denny Hamlin (eighth) joined their Joe Gibbs Racing teammates in the top-10 in the first race of the ‘Round of 12’ during the NCS postseason.

    Bell led six times for a race-high 122 laps (of 267), but the No. 20 Camry brushed the wall around the mile-and-a-half Kansas oval and he finished seventh. He currently sits third in the Playoff standings, holding a 28-point advantage to the cutline after the first of three races in the Round of 12. Hamlin currently sits fifth in the standings (11 points to the good), while Reddick ranks ninth, and is four points below the cutline, after finishing 25th on Sunday.

    Toyota Post-Race Recap
    NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
    Kansas Speedway
    Race 30 of 36 – 267 Laps, 400.5 Miles

    TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

    1st, Ross Chastain*
    2nd, William Bryon*
    3rd, MARTIN TRUEX JR.
    4th, Ryan Blaney*
    5th, TY GIBBS
    7th, CHRISTOPHER BELL
    8th, DENNY HAMLIN
    17th, BUBBA WALLACE
    25th, TYLER REDDICK
    30th, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
    35th, ERIK JONES
    36th, JIMMIE JOHNSON
    *non-Toyota driver

    TOYOTA QUOTES

    MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

    Finishing Position: 3rd

    What was the difference at the end of today’s race?

    “I just didn’t quite get the restart I needed or the help on the restart that I needed. Just not quite good enough on the short runs all day on the restarts. It took us 10 to 15 laps to get going. A couple of those guys could get by us, so that’s kind of what happened there. The 1 (Ross Chastain) and the 24 (William Bryon) got away and then we were catching them back, but just ran out of time.”

    TY GIBBS, No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

    Finishing Position: 5th

    How would you describe today’s performance?

    “We had a really fast Monster Energy Camry. I feel like we were pretty solid and in the top five most of the day. Just needed a little bit more to compete up front for the win and have the strategy kind of go our way. I feel like we were pretty solid and just needed a little bit more.”

    CHRISTOPHER BELL, No. 20 Rheem Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

    Finishing Position: 7th

    How was your race today?

    “They brought the heat, that’s for sure. I don’t know. Just obviously wish I had a couple corners back because there were a couple of them where I made mistakes and let a lot of track position go. Yeah, to come back and finish seventh after getting mired back in the back is something that is good but definitely left what could’ve been.”

    Can you talk about the aero games that were going on during the race?

    “It’s just normal procedure. The cars have become so aero dependent that blocking is a huge part of the game. Whenever you don’t have the lead, you’re just at the mercy of where the guys in front of you and it’s such a big advantage to have clean air that you get blocked and then you lose all of your momentum.”

    DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

    Finishing Position: 8th

    What set your No. 11 team back today?

    “It was just a crappy day on pit road, and we didn’t get the finish that we deserved. This is a great opportunity to lock ourselves in and instead we’re scraping and clawing to finish in the top 10.”

    What more did you need in today’s race?

    “We lost 15 spots on pit road and had the fastest car. We came in fourth and came out 15th or 20th or something like that and you can only pass so many.”

    What can you do to fix the issues on pit road moving forward?

    “I can’t do anything. I think they’ve got to get some reps and get in a rhythm and peak when it really counts here in the next couple weeks.”

    TYLER REDDICK, No. 45 DraftKings Toyota Camry XSE, 23XI Racing

    Finishing Position: 25th

    What did you struggle with on track today?

    “I guess for me it comes to just performance. For a month straight, we haven’t been that great, but we have two weeks to figure it out.”

    Did you feel like you had an opportunity to make up some spots on the final restarts?

    “That restart was a lot of it. That’s just part of it. When you have really good cars you can make incredible moves on restarts and when things aren’t just going the way you want them to inside the race car it’s really easy to have a big mistake and that’s what ultimately cost us our finish.”

    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.

  • CHEVROLET NCS: Chastain Drives to Playoff Spoiler Victory at Kansas Speedway

    CHEVROLET NCS: Chastain Drives to Playoff Spoiler Victory at Kansas Speedway

    NASCAR CUP SERIES
    KANSAS SPEEDWAY
    ROUND OF 12: RACE ONE
    TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORT
    SEPT. 29, 2024

    Chastain Drives to Playoff Spoiler Victory at Kansas Speedway
    Four Team Chevy Playoff Drivers Remain Above the Cutline

     TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10:
    POS. DRIVER
    1st Ross Chastain
    2nd William Byron
    6th Alex Bowman
    9th Chase Elliott
    10th Zane Smith

    WITH 30 NASCAR CUP SERIES RACES COMPLETE:
    Wins: 13
    Poles: 9
    Top-five Finishes: 57
    Top-10 Finishes: 119
    Stage Wins: 21

     UP NEXT: The NASCAR Cup Series will head to Talladega Superspeedway next weekend, with the YellaWood 500 marking the second race for the Round of 12. Coverage of the 188-lap event can be found on Sunday, Oct. 6, at 2 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

    •  Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain drove his No. 1 Kubota Camaro ZL1 to a playoff spoiler in the Round of 12 opener at Kansas Speedway – his first trip to victory lane this season.
    • The victory – his fifth in NASCAR’s top division – marked Chevrolet’s 13th NASCAR Cup Series win this season, with Chastain becoming the seventh different driver to contribute to the manufacturer’s series-leading 2024 win count.
    • Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron and Alex Bowman each put together a strong points day, collecting top-10 results in both stages en route to a runner-up and sixth-place finish, respectively, at the 1.5-mile venue. The pair will head into the second race of the Round of 12 above the playoff cutline, with Byron taking the top position of the rankings (+34 points) and Bowman sitting in the sixth position with an eight-point advantage over the cutline.
    • Kyle Larson endured yet another tough race to open the Round of 12. Entering the weekend back on top of the playoff points standings, Larson suffered a puncture in his right rear tire, forcing the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Camaro ZL1 into the wall early in Stage One. Despite making multiple trips to pit road under caution to make repairs, the Cliff Daniels-led team maintained a position on the lead lap and continued to keep working on their Chevrolet throughout the race. Salvaging a 26th-place finish, the former series champion leaves Kansas Speedway still above the playoff cutline – heading into the second race of the round in the fourth position with an 18-point cushion.

     TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE QUOTES:

    ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 KUBOTA CAMARO ZL1

    Finished: 1st

    “This is incredible! To drive into victory lane in the Cup Series, it’s just so challenging. It’s so tough. That process I talked about last year in Nashville, we all stayed on it. We haven’t gone anywhere. We keep showing up. It’s not easy when you’re failing or struggling at something, and you just can’t get to where you want to get to.

    Our No. 1 Kubota Chevy today, we had what we needed to have, when we needed it. After practice and qualifying, I didn’t think we had the best car, but we kept working on it. I have to be honest; it was some of the most motivating on-radio stuff that Phil Surgen has ever had. We manifested the front-two rows when we weren’t up there, and then we manifested the front row and we took the lead on it. For everything that this means for Worldwide Express and Busch Light – a brand like that, to buy into me, it’s absolutely incredible.”

    KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1

    Finished: 26th

    “It was just a long day for our No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevy team. Our team did a really good job fighting and clawing to get better where we ended up. I was just really tight there on that last restart and gave up everything. I wish it would have just went green to the end, instead of having those couple cautions. It is what it is, but we’ll regroup and move on to Talladega.”

    KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 BETMGM CAMARO ZL1

    Finished: 19th

    Busch on the incident that took him out of the lead in the final stage:

    “I don’t know.. I am sure he was racing to stay on the lead lap with whoever was in front of him there. Granted they have a race to run, but back in the old days when you were under 30 to go or whatever it was, lap traffic would kind of lay over and give you a lane and let the leaders race. I just wasn’t getting that, so I tried to force my hand into getting that and get to his outside, and for whatever reason, it just gave all the air in all the wrong places and I spun out.”

    DO YOU THINK HE SHOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU SOMETHING BASED ON DARLINGTON?

    “It doesn’t matter what I expect. I don’t think anybody gives anyone anything anymore. It’s all take, take, take.”

    WAS THERE A POINT WHERE YOU THINK THIS IS MY DAY OR DO YOU NOT THINK THAT FAR AHEAD?

    “I gave it one thought down the front stretch one time. But after that, I just kept trying to keep my focus on the race and the task at hand.”

    CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 UNIFIRST CAMARO ZL1

    Finished: 9th

    “We just had an uphill battle all day. I really thought out No. 9 UniFirst Chevy was pretty good. We were able to move forward a long ways it seemed like. Since we had a bad pit pick, ultimately it just puts you in a bad position to lose spots on pit road. It just seemed like we would get a bunch of spots on the track, and then lose a bunch of spots on pit road. We tried to claw our way back up into the top-10, so it was nice to at least get that far.”

    WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1

    Finished: 2nd

    WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE AT THE END AS YOU WERE TRYING TO GET THAT VICTORY?

    “I don’t know. I think just him being able to get out front and control his pace definitely helped. Just kind of being stuck in his dirty air, it seemed like the top got really dominant there at the very end. The shade just started creeping in and it was just hard to work other lanes. That is probably some of it, but just a little bit here and there. Had a good restart and that was nice to go from third to second and to be able to chase him down, but just needed a little more.”

    DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 31 SOUTH POINT HOTEL & CASINO CAMARO ZL1

    Finished: 20th

    “That was fun! Our No. 31 South Point Chevy showed a ton of speed today. After breaking a toe link and hitting the wall, the damage affected the maneuverability a bit, but I’m super proud of the No. 31 guys for staying focused and fighting to get back on the lead lap so we could compete in the final stage.”

    ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1

    Finished: 6th

    TALK ABOUT THE PLAYOFFS AND THE CONSISTENCY IN WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO SO FAR.

    “Yeah, we have been okay, for sure. We have had a little better pace in the playoffs than where we were prior, and it’s made my job a little easier. So, yeah, we are not perfect by any means, and we have got a lot of things we need to improve on. But we are kind of headed in the right direction right now and doing the right things.”

    WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT LAST RESTART? LOOKED LIKE YOU WERE IN GOOD POSITION ON THAT SECOND ROW.

    “Yeah, I just got tight. I got really tight off of (turn) two and the hole kind of opened up to fill the middle. It was turning pretty well until pretty late, and it’s just kind of plugged the right rear and got tight. So, bummer there, but it was that or fall to 19th. So, at least we tried and had a shot at it. Just couldn’t make it happen.”

    HOW DO YOU FEEL WALKING AWAY FROM TODAY?

    “Frustrated, for sure, to see the clean air and see what we needed to do. But I would be more frustrated if I just rolled around pushing somebody. At least we tried and yeah, we want to be better than that and be able to pull that move off. We were close and just needed to be a little better.”

    DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 WORLDWIDE EXPRESS CAMARO ZL1

    Finished: 13th

    “Our No. 99 Worldwide Express Chevy was pretty good yesterday, but today, we just missed it. We couldn’t make the front turn on the short runs, and we were way too free on the long runs. We just struggled with the balance all day. We didn’t feel very good. It was a decent finish, but I definitely feel like our Chevy had much more potential.”

     

    About Chevrolet

    Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

  • TONY SCHUMACHER, JACK BECKMAN, DALLAS GLENN, AND GAIGE HERRERA WIN NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS AT WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY

    TONY SCHUMACHER, JACK BECKMAN, DALLAS GLENN, AND GAIGE HERRERA WIN NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS AT WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY

    MADISON, Ill. — Tony Schumacher and Steve Torrence went head to head in the finals for Top Fuel at World Wide Technology Raceway on Sept. 29 for the NHRA Midwest Nationals, but it was Schumacher who took the spot in the Winner’s Circle with his 88th career win.

    Torrence has half the amount of championships than Schumacher, but that did not dull the competition between the two experienced drivers, but St. Louis was ultimately won by the Eight-time champion Schumacher.

    “I love it here. Had great moments here, been frozen out here, been rained out here, you know, been heated out here. I’ve had cars fly over me. They were inverted, but it was cool,” said Schumacher. “I’ve had cars do all kinds of things, but this, at this moment, at this time, was needed. I said it this morning. I said it yesterday.”

    Schumacher went at it with Shawn Reed on the newly resurfaced drag strip in the semifinals, however, it was Schumacher who came out on top with a 3.724, 323.74 to send him to the finals in St. Louis.

    2020 Rookie of the Year, Justin Ashley, faced off against the four-time champion Torrence. Experience seemed to take the lead in this match-up as Torrence propelled with a 3.785, 321.50 compared to Ashley’s 5.618, 126.52.

    For Funny Car, Austin Prock seemed to be on a winning path due to his No. 1 qualifying spot and new track record set at World Wide Technology Raceway, but Jack Beckman finished ahead in the semifinals with a 3.877, 322.65.

    Beckman has only made the finals one other time this season, but it did not matter as he advanced in St. Louis and went against Ron Capps in the finals, where ultimately Beckman took the win. Beckman had a final run with a 3.856, 315.86.

    Beckman was next up when there was a 15-minute delay that completely changed his mindset.

    “Couple of crew guys ducked under the body, and we sat there and talked for 15 minutes,” said Beckman. “And while a lot of people might in that time frame get more worked up and less confident, it just made me feel more at ease. And we went out there and we got the job done.”

    Capps had a semifinal run of 3.868, 325.77, and with his opponent, Blake Alexander smoking at the start, he quickly advanced to the finals. Capps final run of 3.882, 329.42 was quick, but not quick enough to beat Beckman.

    Pro Stock threw a curveball as the highest odd winner with +251, Erica Enders, lost to Aaron Stanfield in the semifinals. Enders had a successful qualification, No. 1 spot, and a successful first two rounds of eliminations, but Stanfield was able to capitalize on the track.

    However, Stanfield faced Dallas Glenn in the finals, but Glenn ultimately took the win resulting in his 13th career win.

    “Well, wins in the countdown are definitely, I feel like they’re harder than normal wins then during the normal season,” said Glenn. “Everybody steps up their games, you know, the points matter. Feel like the points matter more. Everybody brings out their best stuff, and everything just gets tighter and more difficult.”

    Glenn went up against Greg Anderson in the semifinals where Glenn’s run of 6.604, 207.18 put him ahead of Anderson and sent him on to what is now another win in the books.

    To finish up the Pro Stock category, Pro Stock Motorcycle ended with previous St. Louis champion Gaige Herrera took his 19th win against Chase Van Sant.

    Having a clean sweep at WWTR, Herrera had a dominating weekend that ultimately resulted in taking a back-to-back win in St. Louis for Midwest Nationals.

    “You know, St Louis, I feel like it’s the halfway point in the countdown, and to leave here with the points lead and get this win, it just gives me and the whole team a big boost,” said Herrera “going into Dallas and the rest of the races, I feel like, if you don’t do good here, they kind of set you back, put you in a different mindset.”

    Herrera went against Hector Arana Jr. in the semifinals where Herrera had a 6.813, 197.74 while Arana Jr. had a 6.839, 196.27

    Van Sant and Geno Scali went head to head for the first time in eliminations, but it was Van Sant’s ET of 6.939 at 192.91 mph that set him on his path to the finals.

    NHRA continues their nationals run with the Texas NHRA FallNationals Oct. 9-13 . The Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series is back at WWTR Oct. 2-5.

  • Toyota Gazoo Racing North America NHRA Midwest Nationals Post-Race Report – 09.29.24

    Toyota Gazoo Racing North America NHRA Midwest Nationals Post-Race Report – 09.29.24

    TORRENCE, CAPPS MAKE FINAL ROUND RUNS AT MIDWEST NATIONALS
    Toyota has now reached 40 consecutive NHRA final rounds

    MADISON, Ill. (Sept. 29, 2024) – Steve Torrence had a productive points day at World Wide Technology Raceway on Sunday, finishing runner up in Top Fuel in the NHRA Midwest Nationals. Torrence took out No. 1 qualifier, T.J. Zizzo and Toyota teammate, Justin Ashley, in his run to the finals, but fell to Tony Schumacher in end. Making his 96th career final round, and third of the 2024 season, Torrence moved up to fifth in the Top Fuel points with just three races remaining in the Countdown to the Championship.

    Ashley fell to Torrence in the semifinals but retained second in the Top Fuel points and inched closer to points leader, Antron Brown, who made the second round on Sunday. Shawn Langdon was the other Toyota Top Fuel Dragster to make it past round one.

    In Funny Car, Ron Capps also made the final round, falling in the end to winner, Jack Beckman. Capps’ final round run is the 151st of his career and marks the sixth time he and the NAPA Auto Care team have made the finals this season. The multi-time world champion now sits fourth in the Funny Car points halfway through the Countdown. Alexis DeJoria and J.R. Todd were eliminated in round one of Funny Car action.

    The final round appearances by Torrence and Capps on Sunday mark 40 consecutive NHRA event final rounds for Toyota in either Top Fuel and/or Funny Car.

    The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is next on track at Texas Motorplex for the Texas Fall Nationals, with eliminations on Sunday, October 13.

    Toyota Post-Race Recap
    NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series
    World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway
    NHRA Midwest Nationals
    Race 17 of 20

    TOYOTA TOP FUEL FINISHING POSITIONS 

    NameCarFinal ResultRound-by-Round
    Steve TorrenceCAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel DragsterFinalistW (3.726) v. I. Zetterstrom (3.764) W (3.766) v. T. Zizzo (10.915) W (3.785) v. J. Ashley (5.618) L (3.763) v. T. Schumacher (3.718)
    Justin AshleySCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel DragsterSemi-finalistW (3.733 – holeshot) v. C. Millican (3.712) W (3.721) v. S. Langdon (3.731) L (5.618) v. S. Torrence (3.785)
    Shawn LangdonKalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel DragsterSecond RoundW (3.72) v. D. Kalitta (5.399) L (3.731) v. J. Ashley (3.721)
    Antron BrownMatco Tools Toyota Top Fuel DragsterSecond RoundW (3.715) v. J. Salinas (10.365) L (3.759) v. T. Schumacher (3.746)
    Doug KalittaMac Tools Toyota Top Fuel DragsterFirst RoundL (5.399) v. S. Langdon (3.727)
    Billy TorrenceCAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel DragsterFirst RoundL (3.812) v. T. Zizzo (3.718)

    TOYOTA FUNNY CAR FINISHING POSITIONS 

    NameCarFinal ResultRound-by-Round
    Ron CappsNAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra Funny CarFinalistW (3.873) v. B. Hull (12.672) W (3.884) v. B. Bode (4.688) W (3.868) v. B. Alexander (9.261) L (3.882) v. J. Beckman (3.856)
    J.R. ToddDHL Toyota GR Supra Funny CarFirst RoundL (3.926) v. J. Beckman (3.878)
    Alexis DeJoriaBandero CaféToyota GR Supra Funny CarFirst RoundL (3.940) v. D. Wilkerson (3.901)

    *= Non-Toyota driver

    TOYOTA QUOTES

    STEVE TORRENCE, CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Torrence Racing

    TF Final Result: Finalist

    Take us through your day today.

    “A good day overall for our CAPCO Contractors Toyota team. Not the outcome we were hoping for in the end, but we were able to go rounds and gain some solid points by making the finals today. Now, we need to capitalize on this momentum heading to Ennis in a couple weeks and for the remainder of the Countdown with just a few races left.”

    RON CAPPS, NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, Ron Capps Motorsports

    FC Final Result: Finalist

    How would you describe your weekend and what it means for the rest of the Countdown?

    “Our day started with Slugger (Labbe, Engineering Manager, Vehicle Support, Toyota Racing Development) coming over and saying ‘I have a good feeling about today for you guys.’ And he was right. We had a good hot rod. You know, it was important for us to keep lane choice, and for a driver, anytime a crew chief tells you how important that is, it gives you a little added pressure on. But, we’re professionals out here and we’re supposed to do that anyway. I just felt like we were rising to the occasion every single run and we kept lane choice, meaning we were quickest where needed in each session. And the 3.86 semifinal time was really a great run and that really opened everyone’s eyes, especially the John Force Racing team’s with (Jack) Beckman and they knew they had to go up there and run a 3.85 in the final, which they did. Our car seemed to lose a little E.T. (elapsed time) in the middle of the track, and then it just never gained. And I never say his (Beckman) nose out my window. I thought we had it won. I went to hit my parachute button and I didn’t see him next to me and I was ready for my win light, but his came on. So, it was a sucker punch down there. But, so proud of my guys. We put the new GR Supra body on it that we just got. It’s a little lighter and so much fun to drive, especially when it’s running 3.80s and 330mph. It’s encouraging going into the last three races. We moved up another position in the points to fourth, and a lot of momentum right now. Now, let’s see if we can capitalize on it.”

    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.

  • Ford Performance Notes and Quotes – Blaney Rebounds to Lead Ford at Kansas

    Ford Performance Notes and Quotes – Blaney Rebounds to Lead Ford at Kansas

    Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
    NASCAR Cup Series Post Race
    Hollywood Casino 400 | Kansas Speedway
    Sunday, September 29, 2024

    UNOFFICIAL FORD FINISHING RESULTS

    4th – Ryan Blaney (P)
    11th – Chris Buescher
    14th – Joey Logano (P)
    15th – Corey LaJoie
    16th – Ryan Preece
    18th – Noah Gragson
    22nd – Brad Keselowski
    23rd – Harrison Burton
    24th – Chase Briscoe (P)
    27th – Todd Gilliland
    29th – Michael McDowell
    31st – Kaz Grala
    34th – Austin Cindric (P)
    38th – Josh Berry
    (P) denotes playoff driver

    RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Wurth Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Finished 4th)

    “We definitely have some things we have to work on, for sure. Having a loose wheel and having to come in under green there. A couple of things we have to address. Overall, at the end of the day, I thought our car was really good. I kind of fenced it there after we came out of the pits after the loose wheel and I think I kind of hurt it a little bit. Our long-run car was great. I think we were better when the temp was up a little bit and I could kind of run the bottom of three and four really well because guys were slipping. At the end I think it cooled off a little and that advantage kind of went away. All in all, it was a good day. We caught a break with the caution. I am proud of the fast cars and we just have to clean a couple of things up.”

    TAKE US THROUGH THE RANGE OF EMOTIONS TODAY:

    “Well, we caught a break with the 8 spinning because we were short on gas. We had a really fast car. The Wurth Ford Mustang was really good, especially on the long run. I could really get rolling and I could run the bottom in three and four, which not a lot of guys could do. That was a big advantage. At the end, I don’t know if I had enough laps, but also the bottom got worse. It cooled off a bit and there was more grip up top and it wasn’t as beneficial. It was a good recovery and we have a few things to work on but I am proud of the fast car. I appreciate the 12 guys for sticking with it all day. That is probably the best we have run here in a long time, especially with this NextGen car. I am proud of that and it gives us hope going on. I appreciate the effort all day.”

    JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Finished 14th)

    “I don’t know. We went from a winning car to being wrecking loose like someone hit a light switch. I don’t know why or what, but we had something that we could win with early and then we were out of control loose and trying not to wreck. It beats me. I don’t understand it. At least we scored good stage points in the first stage but we got nothing the second stage, unfortunately. We battled back from that loose wheel and got back to 14th. We just have to go to Talladega and be solid again. It isn’t going to be a comfortable next two weeks, that’s for sure.”

    CHASE BRISCOE, No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Finished 24th)

    WALK US THROUGH THE CONTACT YOU HAD WITH KYLE BUSCH

    “Yeah, I don’t know if we ever touched. I haven’t seen it still but these cars are so sensitive when you are off to the right. I couldn’t really run on the wall so I was trying to give him a car width and a couple inches and saw him get loose as soon as he got to my right rear. It didn’t feel like I was trying to do anything. I literally left him the top lane. These cars as soon as you get off to the right, especially here when you are running the wall, they just get really loose. I hate it for him. He has been so close all year long and I am a Kyle Busch fan and wanted to see him win to keep the streak alive. I hate that we are a part of the conversation. That was a really bad day for us. It was not what we needed, and certainly not what we wanted. We will go to work. We are 25 out but we can still do it, it just wasn’t the day we wanted, for sure.”

    AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 2 Menards/Moen Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Finished 34th)

    “It was a really frustrating result. I thought the team did a really great job with adjustments overnight and we had a really fast car today and just took ourselves out of it on pit road. Obviously we had some contact on the back straightaway and I took us out of the race, really. That is unacceptable for the position we are in and especially with the speed we have had in the car. I am pretty bummed about all that. I think the next two weeks are weeks we can go have great races but we definitely won’t be able to get this one back. It makes our goals a little more clear going into Talladega and the Roval.”

    RYAN PREECE, No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Finished 16th)

    “We had a good car, the track loosened up big time and we lost a lot of track position. Ultimately it was frustrating because that is where you need help on the other side, and we were losing it on all ends. That last run we finally got our car back to where it needed to be, but we were just too far back by that time.”

    NOAH GRAGSON, No. 10 Bed Bath & Beyond Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Finished 18th)

    “It was an up and down day but I am super proud of where we started to what we got the balance to. Drew made some good calls on the box. I felt like we were good the second to last and third to last run. We kept the car the same and it just was a little tighter there on the last run. I know it isn’t a great finish but I am proud of the weekend as a whole and how we worked together as a team and I am just grateful for the opportunity.”

    JOSH BERRY, No. 4 Bed Bath & Beyond Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Retired early due to accident on lap 1)

    “That was an experience like none other. Obviously we got clipped and spun and we had four flat tires. I assumed they were going to tow the car to the pits, which is what I was asking for, and then they dropped my window net and told me to get out. Rodney (Childers) was telling me to stay in because all we needed was tires. They were telling me to get out. Then they towed me into the campground, so I was just out there chilling with the fans. At that point they said they had to get a rollback and they finally made me get out. Rodney was trying to talk to somebody and couldn’t get anybody on the phone. I don’t know what I am missing. I have seen plenty of cars get towed to the pits and get tires put on, so I don’t know if I am missing something or if there was something different than normal, but that was an experience for sure.”

    DID THEY TELL YOU WHY THEY DID THAT?

    “They said the tire was off the wheel, which it is flat so of course it is off the wheel. They just refused to tow the car. They tried hooking it up on both ends which I knew wasn’t going to work. I don’t know why they didn’t just hook it up with the rear and tow it to the pit box and let us get tires on it. That is disappointing.”

    HOW DISAPPOINTING IS IT TO NOT BE ABLE TO FINISH THE RACE?

    “That is so crazy, the whole sequence of events, that I haven’t even processed it yet. That is the risk you take though, when you qualify where we did. I overdrove one in qualifying and got loose and those are the types of things that happen. It is still on me, but I wish we could have gotten some tires on it and finished the race.”

  • TOP FUEL FIELDS FOUR FEMALES FOR HISTORIC START IN ST. LOUIS

    TOP FUEL FIELDS FOUR FEMALES FOR HISTORIC START IN ST. LOUIS

    ST. LOUIS (Sept. 29, 2024) – For the first time in history, NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series race day will include four female drivers in the Top Fuel ranks at the 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis.

    The Top Fuel field at the NHRA Midwest Nationals will see former champion and No. 3 qualifier Brittany Force taking on Josh Hart in the first round of eliminations. No. 7 qualifier Jasmine Salinas will meet up with points leader Antron Brown while No. 9 Ida Zetterström will face off with former champion Steve Torrence. Finally, reigning Top Alcohol Dragster champion Julie Nataas – who qualified No. 15 – will battle with eight-time champion Tony Schumacher in her Top Fuel debut.

    NHRA has a rich history of female competitors. The 100th different female winner was crowned earlier this season in Seattle. Shirley Muldowney paved the way, winning three Top Fuel championships in the 70s and 80s. Pro Stock’s Erica Enders is the winningest female throughout all of motorsports with six championships to her credit. The Pro Stock Motorcycle division has seen five female riders qualify at St. Louis in 2022.

    Tickets may be purchased at the WWTR ticket office, by phone at (618) 215-8888, or online at www.wwtraceway.com. All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general admission area with a paid adult. For more information on NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.

    About Mission Foods

    MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

    About NHRA

    NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 110 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

  • RAFA Racing’s Ian Porter Clinches Porsche Sprint Challenge Driver’s Title With Win

    RAFA Racing’s Ian Porter Clinches Porsche Sprint Challenge Driver’s Title With Win

    Candas Adds Female Driver Development and Porsche Junior Crowns, Solidifies Second Place

    SONOMA, California (September 28, 2024) – RAFA Racing by JDX clinched three Porsche Sprint Challenge North America championships on Saturday at Sonoma Raceway when Ian Porter took his 10th win of the season to clinch the Cayman Pro-Am Driver’s Championship, while teammate Caroline Candas finished second to claim the Mobil 1 Female Driver Development and Porsche Juniors titles in the class.

    Porter started on pole in the No. 86 Grid Finder Porsche 718 Cayman with Candas on his outside, and the two quickly left the rest of the field behind. Candas and her No. 84 8Twelve Wheels Porsche Cayman hounded Porter throughout the race, dropping back and then getting a run again, but couldn’t get around the champion-elect.

    At the checkered flag, Porter was 1.264-second ahead of Candas, but the duo were another 18 seconds ahead of third place.

    That officially secured the top two positions for the drivers and the RAFA Racing team. The championship comes in the first season of racing at any level for Porter, at least in the analog world. Porter is a three-time Call of Duty World Champion and X Games gold medalist, but the OpTic esports star put his full 2024 commitment into chasing a new dream – motorsports.

    “I feel great right now,” Porter said after the race. “The amount of hard work and the sacrifices that it’s taken just to be in this position, it’s so rewarding. In my head I was celebrating 80 percent through the race because I knew I’d won.”

    His title, still with one race remaining in the season, reflects his promising ability in the sport and the work he’s put into a new career.

    “I could still be gaming, I could still be doing content, and I’m here because of passion,” Porter said. “This is my dream, this is what I want my future to be. I can’t thank RAFA Racing and everyone there who helped get me in this position. I’m over the moon right now. The first Call of Duty championship was very similar to this, where I put in so much time and effort and almost overworked to the point where when I went out to perform, the skills required to win were already there. I’ve always been about the journey, rather than the win, and this is right up there.”

    Candas came to RAFA Racing after being selected at last November’s RAFA Racing Female Driver Shootout. The shootout featured more experienced drivers, but the team’s judges recognized her potential and ability to improve after just one season in front-wheel drive Touring Cars in her home France.

    That selection paid off this season as Candas earned 11 podiums in 13 races, including a win at Watkins Glen. Five times she finished second to Porter, and her first career win came with her parents in attendance at the upstate New York track. Those results came despite race weekends being her first visit to many of the tracks on the calendar, and limited testing throughout the season to learn the Cayman’s characteristics.

    “I’m really happy for the second overall, and really happy for the team,” Candas said. “We clinched first and second with Ian, so I’m really happy for the RAFA Racing by JDX team. I learned a lot this year. New tracks, new cars, everything was new for me. To be the Junior champion is a great thing for the future. I can’t wait to see what comes from that.”

    Porter and Candas, along with teammate Rafael Martinez and his No. 85 RAFA Racing Club Porsche Cayman, will get two more races at Sonoma on Sunday. The final round of the Porsche Sprint Challenge gets underway at 11:30 a.m. PDT, this time with Candas on the pole and starting ahead of Porter in an effort to turn the tables on her teammate.

    Then, each of the three RAFA Racing by JDX drivers will compete as single drivers in the Porsche Endurance Challenge event at 4 p.m. PDT.

    Martinez finished the Porsche Sprint Challenge West race in third on Saturday, and has the option to compete in that race again on Sunday. That race is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. PDT, immediately following the Porsche Sprint Challenge finale.

    All of Sunday’s races, along with Endurance Challenge qualifying at 8:30 a.m. PDT, can be seen live on the official YouTube page of Porsche Motorsport North America at YouTube.com/@PorscheMotorsportNorthAmerica.

    About RAFA Racing Club:

    RAFA Racing, utilizing the motto “Race As Family Always,” is a motorsports club and race team founded by and made for high-performance auto drivers, supporters, and fans of all types. Started by Rafael Martinez, the Club aims to create a space for high-performance car enthusiasts to enjoy like-minded individuals, network and share ideas on and off the track, and bond as one team with a common interest. The RAFA Racing Team made its debut in 2023 with a runner-up finish in the McLaren Trophy Europe Series, and expands that footprint to include Porsche Sprint Challenge North America and SRO GT4 Europe in 2024. The Club’s off-track presence can be felt on social media and beyond, including YouTube, Instagram and Facebook and at RafaRacing.Club.

  • RCR NXS Race Recap: Kansas Speedway

    RCR NXS Race Recap: Kansas Speedway

    Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Team Earn Top-10 Result at Kansas Speedway

    Finish: 9th
    Start: 7th
    Points: 7th

    “Our No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet team fought hard all day at Kansas Speedway. Danny Stockman (crew chief) and the guys had their work cut out for them today. We took advantage of every chance to adjust the balance, but nothing seemed to work. At the start of the race, the car was extremely tight, so when given the opportunity to work on it at the end of Stage 1, we came to pit road. After going back green at the beginning of Stage 2, the car was decent on entry, but after a few laps, it would get tight again. During the final green flag run, the car started to drive better before returning to the tight side once again. We salvaged a ninth-place finish and stayed above the cut line going into Talladega Superspeedway. We will head back to Welcome, get to work, and be better for the next mile-and-a-half track deeper into the Playoffs. I’m confident in our Richard Childress Racing team to bring a great Chevrolet next week and hopefully lock ourselves into the Round of 8.” -Jesse Love

    Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet Team Capture Stage Points and Seventh-Place Finish at Kansas Speedway

    Finish: 7th
    Start: 10th
    Points: 3rd

    “All in all, we had a good day with our Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet. We struggled with having front turn, but towards the end of the race, we started to get on the free side. Our Chevrolet was too loose on the last run and took too long to get rolling. Once it came in though, we were fast and just as good as the No. 18 and No. 9. We ran out of laps to get the No. 9 coming to the checkered. It was a solid day with finishing seventh and running inside the top-10 all race. You always want more, but we had a solid points day. The cushion never feels big enough heading to a place like Talladega Superspeedway, so we have to stay aggressive and committed to one another. I look forward to working with our teammate (Jesse Love) next week and hopefully come out with a shot at the win. This No. 21 Richard Childress Racing team is going to battle each race of these Playoffs.” -Austin Hill

  • Kaulig Racing Race Recap | Kansas Lottery 300

    Kaulig Racing Race Recap | Kansas Lottery 300

    SHANE van GISBERGEN
    No. 97 SafetyCulture Chevrolet Camaro

    • Shane van Gisbergen qualified 22nd for the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway.
    • Within the first two laps, Van Gisbergen reported the race car was “super loose.” The No. 97 team opted to pit for an adjustment when the first caution came out on lap seven. The No. 97 SafetyCulture Chevrolet rejoined the field in 33rd. Van Gisbergen quickly moved his way through the field, entering the top 25 on lap 20 of the race. He battled to maintain position the remainder of the first stage, completing it in 23rd.
    • The No. 97 team came to pit road for a major adjustment, fuel and fresh tires at the stage break caution. Van Gisbergen started the second stage in 22nd. The caution came out halfway through the second stage, and the No. 97 team opted to pit for more adjustments. Van Gisbergen reported that the car had no grip and was still loose. He restarted the stage from the back of the field, and a caution quickly flew on the first lap of the restart. The race restarted with 15 laps remaining in the stage, and Van Gisbergen lined up 24th. Van Gisbergen quickly broke into the top 20 for the first time and finished the stage in 20th.
    • The No. 97 team pitted under the stage break caution for fresh tires, fuel and adjustments. Van Gisbergen started the final stage of the race in 16th. Battling to maintain position in the top 20, he reported that his car still had no grip. Van Gisbergen re-entered the top 20 with 61 laps remaining in the event. A caution came out with 55 laps remaining, and the No. 97 team opted to pit under caution for fresh tires, fuel and adjustments, returning to the field in 11th. Van Gisbergen re-entered the top 10 with 21 laps remaining in the event and ultimately took the checkered flag in 8th.

    “Our SafetyCulture Camaro looked good but didn’t drive very well. Proud of my Kaulig Racing team for not giving up and continuing to make adjustments all race to help me feel comfortable in the car. This was my first time at Kansas, and it was epic running up close to the wall. Got an eighth-place finish, which is amazing for how we ran most of the day, and we’re plus-eight above the playoff cut line. We will have to continue chipping away and have a decent race at Talladega next weekend.” – Shane van Gisbergen  

    JOSH WILLIAMS
    No. 11 Call811.com Chevrolet Camaro

    • Josh Williams qualified 18th for the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway.
    • Williams dropped to 20th by lap seven, when the race’s first caution came out. Firing back off from 20th on lap 11, Williams fell to 23rd on the restart but slowly scraped his way back within the top 20. After taking 20th on lap 25, Williams continued his crawl up the order, finishing Stage 1 in 15th.
    • Williams brought the Call811.com Chevy Camaro down pit road during the stage break for tires and fuel. Restarting 15th on lap 54, Williams rolled off tight and lost one spot by the lap-66 yellow flag. He restarted in 16th and avoided the spinning No. 7 down the backstretch on lap 70. The caution came back out, leading the No. 11 to come back to the green flag in 17th with 15 laps to go in Stage 2. Williams took the green-white-checkered in 14th.
    • After pitting for fuel and tires while under caution, Williams started the final stage on lap 98 in 12th place. He initially dropped to 14th on lap 100, but after a brief stint moving into 11th, his running position stabilized back to 12th. On lap 121, he was passed by both the No. 31 and No. 48 cars but swapped back to 13th after overtaking the No. 31 one lap later. As green-flag pit stops began, the No. 11 team planned to imminently come in, but a loose tire rolling out of the pits led to a caution on lap 146 while the No. 11 was in second place. Williams pitted for tires, fuel and air pressure adjustments and restarted from seventh with 49 laps to go. He eventually lost four positions during the race’s run to the finish, taking the checkered flag in 11th.

    “Pretty good run for us today. We might’ve been able to finish in the top 10 if things went more our way, but we didn’t have to make tons of adjustments to get to where we needed to be. I’m happy with how things ended up and looking forward to Talladega.” – Josh Williams  

    AJ ALLMENDINGER
    No. 16 Morris-Shea Bridge Company, Inc. Chevrolet Camaro

    • AJ Allmendinger qualified 14th for the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway.
    • In the opening stage, Allmendinger reported early that he lacked grip. He had fallen back to 17th by the time the first caution came out on lap seven. Under the caution, he told crew chief Alex Yontz that the front of the car was better, but he was free all around. The No. 16 stayed out and restarted 17th on lap 11. Allmendinger continued to report the No. 16 Morris-Shea Chevy was free; he went on to finish the first stage in 13th.
    • The No. 16 Chevy came to pit road during the stage break for four tires, fuel and adjustments to help Allmendinger with the handling. The team received a penalty for an uncontrolled tire; Allmendinger restarted at the tail end of the longest line on lap 54. Allmendinger battled through the second stage and finished in 13th place.
    • Before restarting for the final stage, Allmendinger came to pit road for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. The No. 16 team gained three spots on pit road, and Allmendinger restarted in 10th place on lap 98. By lap 137, Allmendinger was in eighth before pitting under green on lap 141. The caution came out on lap 146, before the green flag pits had cycled through, ultimately ending the opportunity for a solid finish. Allmendinger went on to finish in 17th place.

    “We had a long, hard fought day in our No. 16 Morris-Shea Chevy. I thought we were going to have a decent finish, but the way the caution fell didn’t work in our favor. We just didn’t have the car there at the end that we needed to get back in the position we were in before green flag pit stops.” – AJ Allmendinger  

    DANIEL DYE
    No. 10 Race to Stop Suicide Chevrolet Camaro

    • Daniel Dye qualified 30th for the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway.
    • Dye settled in early and quickly advanced a few positions. At the lap-seven caution, he was scored in 26th, relaying that the No. 10 Race to Stop Suicide Chevrolet was “a little nervous on the top.” On the restart, he gained a couple positions before settling in. Dye remained quiet on the radio throughout the run while finding the grove that worked best for track position. Securing 22nd at the stage conclusion, Dye reported that he was free on entry. He pitted for four tires, a track bar adjustment and an air pressure adjustment to start Stage 2.
    • Dye started Stage 2 in 19th position and quickly advanced into the top 15. At the lap-66 caution, Dye was scored in 17th and reported that he could really turn the wheel the way he needed to on corner entry. On lap 75, Dye restarted 14th and was relegated behind multiple drivers who took tires during the caution. He completed the stage in 22nd.
    • Daniel fired off Stage 3 and picked up a couple spots. Daniel reported the handling was good on his No. 10 Camaro. The field strung out and Daniel found the top line to his liking. The caution at lap 146 got Daniel in the fourth spot. A mechanical issues began during the pit stop. On lap 155, the No. 10 lost power and had to come to pit road to change batteries. The team would change batteries under the green flag while Daniel went numerous laps down. Dye finished 34th.

    “We had good speed once we got going with our Kaulig Racing Race to Stop Suicide Camaro. We were a little too free to fire off, but our guys got the No. 10 dialed in, and we caught a caution while running up front. Then we just lost power and had to change a battery, which ended the day. Really tough break, but we showed speed, and I can’t thank our partners enough for their support.” – Daniel Dye  
     
    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.

  • Stewart-Haas Racing: Kansas Lottery 300 from Kansas Speedway

    Stewart-Haas Racing: Kansas Lottery 300 from Kansas Speedway

    STEWART-HAAS RACING
    Kansas Lottery 300
    Date: Sept. 28, 2024
    Event: Kansas Lottery 300 (Round 27 of 33)
    Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
    Location: Kansas Speedway in Kansas City (1.5-mile oval)
    Format: 200 laps, broken into three stages (45 laps/45 laps/110 laps)

    Race Winner: Aric Almirola of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
    Stage 1 Winner: Aric Almirola of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
    Stage 2 Winner: Sam Mayer of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)

    SHR Race Finish:

    ● Cole Custer (Started 3rd / Finished 2nd, Running, completed 200 of 200 laps)
    ● Riley Herbst (Started 16th / Finished 10th, Running, completed 200 of 200 laps)

    SHR Points:

    ● Cole Custer (1st with 2,079 points)
    ● Riley Herbst (8th with 2,039 points, 40 out of first)

    Playoff Standings (with two races to go before the Round of 8):

    1. Cole Custer (2,079 points) +40 Points
    2. Chandler Smith (2,074 points) +35 Points
    3. Austin Hill (2,064 points) +25 Points
    4. Sam Mayer (2,051 points) +13 Points
    5. Sheldon Creed (2,048 points) +9 Points
    6. Shane Van Gisbergen (2,046 points) +7 Points
    7. Jesse Love (2,041 points) +3 Points
    8. Riley Herbst (2,039 points) +1 Point
    9. Justin Allgaier (2,038 points) -1 Point
    10. AJ Allmendinger (2,026 points) -13 Points
    11. Parker Kligerman (2,024 points) -15 Points
    12. Sammy Smith (2,016 points) -23 Points

    SHR Notes:

    ● Custer earned his 12th top-five of the season and his first top-10 in six career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Kansas.

    ● This was Custer’s second straight top-two finish. He won last Friday at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

    ● Custer’s second-place finish bettered his previous best finish at Kansas – 11th, earned in October 2019.

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

    ● Custer led four times for 48 laps increasing his laps led total at Kansas to 136.

    ● Herbst earned his 11th top-10 of the season and his second top-10 in six career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Kansas.

    ● Herbst ninth in Stage 1 to earn two bonus points.

    Race Notes:

    ● Aric Almirola won the Kansas Lottery 300 to score his sixth career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, his second of the season and his first at Kansas. His margin over second-place Cole Custer was .660 of a second.

    ● There were six caution periods for a total of 33 laps.

    ● Only 16 of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

    ● Custer is the championship leader after Kansas with a five-point advantage over second-place Chandler Smith.

    Sound Bites:

    “That killed us. Trying to pass Chandler (Smith) definitely burned our stuff up trying to get by him. It really made me mad when he put us in the fence on that restart. He is going to pay the consequences for that, and I’m going to race him how he races me. At the end of the day, I just can’t say enough about our No. 00 team and this car. I think we could’ve gone back-to-back really easily if things had fallen our way. We’ll move on to Talladega. I’m sure points wise we’re pretty good. We’ll keep chugging along.​” –Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 NXT on CW Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    “It’s just frustrating because I feel out of everyone in the garage me and Austin (Hill) race each other really hard but really clean. We make it difficult on each other but we have fun doing it. We don’t lay fenders. But I feel like he slipped and got into my left rear and spun us out. That was a frustrating day. I don’t think we were a top three car but could have held our own in fifth. We were there coming to the second stage but lost all that track position and once you lose that it is really tough to get it back. We managed to finish 10th. Not what we wanted in the first race of the first round but we have two more races to go race hard and get this No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse locked into the next round.​” –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 United Rentals 250 on Saturday, Oct. 5 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. The race begins at 4 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by CW and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.