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  • Louis-Philippe Dumoulin Top 5 at the 2024 NASCAR Canada Championship

    Louis-Philippe Dumoulin Top 5 at the 2024 NASCAR Canada Championship

    Trois-Rivières (Quebec), September 24th, 2024.- The 2024 NASCAR Canada season ended this past Sunday at Autodrome Montmagny. This thirteenth and final event of the season was also a premiere for the series, which had never before held a race on this oval in Eastern Quebec. In front of a packed grandstands, three-time series champion Louis-Philippe Dumoulin finished the race in eighth place after having to start last. This spectacular comeback concludes a season that was sometimes difficult but nevertheless crowned with a Top 5 in the final championship standings, out of more than 60 drivers.

    “Montmagny is a site that I knew for testing sessions, but it was a first for me and several series’ drivers to compete there. I think the NASCAR Canada series put on an excellent show and for me, it was interesting. The bump at the exit of turn 4 was a bit of a worry but it didn’t stop me from testing several different racing lines. I also really liked the atmosphere, the fans on site. Managing to hoist the #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare | Omnifab car to eighth place overall after having to start last is also a great satisfaction,” explains Louis-Philippe Dumoulin.

    After testing different settings in practice and then in qualifying, the Dumoulin Compétition team decided to work on the car after qualifying session, which automatically meant having to start from the back of the pack for the race. A wise decision, as Louis-Philippe Dumoulin explains: “We tried different settings in practice and qualifying but without being able to say WOW!, to put our finger on the optimal settings.” To fix this understeer problem that was affecting me, working on the car after qualifying was the right solution. So, I started last but I was quickly able to gain places when the race started.”

    Even before the halfway point of the race, the driver of the #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare | Omnifab car had gained ten positions and was in the Top 10 as soon as the competition break occurred at the 130th of the 250 laps. In the second half of the race, Dumoulin fought at the front. “I never gave up, in every corner, every overtaking. I tried different lines. I think I’m the driver who went the most on the inside line, close to the wall, but it paid off,” LP Dumoulin mentions.

    This eighth place allows Louis-Philippe Dumoulin to finish the championship fifth in the standings. “It wasn’t an easy season. After 5 races, I had four Top 5s and I thought I could do even better in the second half of the season, but we encountered more difficulties at that time. I had several good races, I fought at the front eight times in thirteen events and we finally collected the Top 5 in the championship. Under the circumstances, all the team members gave their best. I am proud of them, I thank them. It was still a great season, overall!” concludes the driver of the #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare | Omnifab car.

    ABOUT PARTNERS

    WeatherTech is committed to designing, engineering and manufacturing the finest products possible for your vehicle, home and your pet. From the industry leading FloorLiner to the 100% non-toxic Pet Feeding System, WeatherTech has dedicated itself to exceed customer expectations of quality, craftsmanship and environmental sustainability for over 30 years. To see the full line of automotive, home and pet products that are guaranteed for life, visit weathertech.ca

    Groupe Bellemare is a 3rd generation family business that has been serving clients since 1959. Today, the company has more than 500 employees and provides them with an innovative work environment facilitating work-family balance and a healthy and safe quality of life. With over a half century of experience and its sustained R&D efforts, the Company offers high-quality products and services in areas as diverse as concrete, abrasives and minerals, dimensional load transportation, and recycling. Groupe Bellemare is also very involved in its industry and attaches great importance to its social and environmental role as a member of the business community. Groupe Bellemare makes a positive contribution to the quality of life of citizens in the communities it serves by supporting numerous social causes and promoting local purchasing through its responsible procurement practices. For more information, visit groupebellemare.com

    Omnifab has joined Dumoulin Compétition in June 2023. In less than twenty years, Omnifab has made its place in the mechanical manufacturing industry in Quebec. They have earned this place by offering a unique turnkey solution to large companies and SMEs that want to modernize their production line or have their industrial equipment repaired. No matter your industry, you can count on Omnifab team to manufacture custom industrial machinery or solve your mechanical problems with great precision, in a timely manner and with quality components, as pledged. Visit omnifab.ca for more information.

    Rousseau Metal has been manufacturing high-quality products for 70 years. Over the years the company become known as a leader in storage solutions. The quality, durability and reliability of their products have earned them a reputation as being among the best in the industry. Over the years, the quality of Rousseau products and excellence of the company’s business practices have been recognized through various certifications and membership in industrial and automotive organizations. To learn more about the company and its products, visit rousseau.com

    Dumoulin Competition

    Jean-François and Louis-Philippe Dumoulin founded the Dumoulin Competition Race Team in 2009. Working with financial, marketing, logistics and sports management experts, they built up a solid business structure. Dumoulin Competition prepares its own race cars in-house since 2016. Their motto: “Passion – Performance – Partnerships” expresses their will to perform on the track and offer their partners maximum visibility and profitability in return for their commitment. Their vision: To become Canada’s leader in motorsports through on-track performance, an entrepreneurial spirit and human values. dumoulincompetition.com

  • Mercedes-AMG Clinches 2024 IMSA GTD Manufacturer Championships in Indianapolis as Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing Teams Target Year-End Team and Driver Honors at Petit Le Mans

    Mercedes-AMG Clinches 2024 IMSA GTD Manufacturer Championships in Indianapolis as Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing Teams Target Year-End Team and Driver Honors at Petit Le Mans

    INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – Winning Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams Winward Racing and Korthoff Preston Motorsports clinched the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar GT Daytona (GTD) Manufacturer Championship right at the start of the Battle on The Bricks and then spent the remainder of the wet and wild six-hour endurance race closing in on more year-end team and driver honors Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS). The No. 32 Korthoff Preston Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 finished third in GTD after co-drivers Mikael Grenier, Mike Skeen and Kenton Koch battled in the lead pack the entire race from the pole starting position. WeatherTech Championship GTD points leaders Winward Racing took the checkered flag just seconds after the No. 32 team for a fifth-place finish with team drivers Russell Ward, Philip Ellis, and Indy Dontje in the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3.

    The Winward and Korthoff Preston teams have combined for a WeatherTech Championship series-leading five Mercedes-AMG GT3 victories and four more podium finishes in the year’s first nine races. The unmatched run of success gave Mercedes-AMG a comfortable GTD manufacturer points lead going into the IMS race and Grenier all but sealed the championship by winning his second GTD pole in the last three races on Saturday. All that was needed to clinch the manufacturer crown Sunday was for the Mercedes-AMG GT3 GTD contingent to take the green flag.

    With Mercedes-AMG’s first IMSA WeatherTech Manufacturer Championship in the books, only next month’s Motul Petit Le Mans 10-hour race remains on the 2024 schedule. Both the Winward and Korthoff teams will fight to the finish there for several different season championship honors.

    Winward has led the WeatherTech GTD driver and team championships all season after securing its first of a series-high four wins in the Rolex 24 At Daytona in January. The No. 57 team and drivers bring a 222-point lead in both championships to the Petit Le Mans finale.

    With all tiebreaker scenarios in Winward’s favor as the GTD race-win leader, any finish ahead of – or even several spots behind – its lone title rival in Atlanta will seal the first IMSA GTD championships for Winward.

    A recent run of success for the Korthoff team has elevated the No. 32 team and Grenier into third place in the GTD team and driver standings. Catching the second-place competitor 271 points ahead would be a tall order, but Grenier and the No. 32 are a comfortable 300 points clear of their nearest challenger, which closing driver Koch kept just behind him in fourth place in the closing stages of Sunday’s race.

    The additional titles on the line in the finale are the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup (IMEC) championships that award the top performers in the year’s five endurance races. Korthoff’s third-place finish in Indianapolis was enough to clinch the IMEC GTD Manufacturer Championship for Mercedes-AMG for the second straight year, and now both Korthoff and Winward are part of a tight three-way battle for the respective driver and team titles.

    Korthoff, Skeen, Koch and Grenier are the defending IMEC GTD team and driver champions and join Winward in having a shot at taking the titles this year. The Winward team and drivers lead both championships with 35 points while Korthoff is third in each with 31 points. The second-place team and drivers have 34 points.

    The Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing GTD effort at Indy was bolstered by the return of the No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 of team co-drivers Salih Yoluç, Rui Andrade and Scott Andrews. The team joined several others in battling through wet and treacherous conditions for nearly the first half of Sunday’s race but soon found some pace and grip in the drying conditions.

    The race seemed to be coming to Lone Star in the closing hours only for the team to literally be knocked from contention by a GTD competitor more than 20 laps down. The No. 80 returned to the race after being retrieved from a gravel trap but was then four laps down after the needless delay, crossing the finish line 15th in the GTD running order.

    A fourth Mercedes-AMG Motorsport customer team, the No. 75 SunEnergy1 Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, returned to the GTD Pro ranks at Indy for the first time since Daytona. Team owner and driver Kenny Habul called on his Australian countrymen Chaz Mostert, the Australian Supercar star, and Mercedes-AMG Junior driver Jordan Love for the six-hour Indy effort.

    After persevering through some technical issues on Friday and the treacherous wet opening half of the race, the No. 75 was at its best in the final two hours. The team fought back from a lap down to get Mostert in a position to battle with their GTD contenders, but ultimately not enough laps were left before the race timed out and the No. 75 took a seventh-place finish on the lead lap.

    The season-ending Motul Petit Le Mans takes place at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, October 9 – 12.

    Mikael Grenier, Driver – No. 32 Korthoff Preston Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3: “We made the right calls at the right time. We were on the right strategy the whole race, everyone did well, we had amazing pit stops, and my teammates did great. Good weekend, the car is still in one piece, pole position, third place points and the manufacturer championship for Mercedes-AMG. It’s great, I love the brand and being able to race a lot with Mercedes-AMG. IMSA is not the easiest championship because you have many points available in the endurance events, long races, sprint races, a lot of changing strategy and a lot of action on track, so it is great for Mercedes-AMG to win this championship and hopefully we can defend the title next year.”

    Russell Ward, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “A really tough weekend for us, but we are a championship caliber team, and we can recover from anything. As disappointed as the team is after winning here last year, it is still a good result with a top five, and if we can go into the finale and do the same thing, we will win the championship. That’s just where our focus is now. The Winward guys did an amazing job getting us back up there. We will take this one on the chin as a learning experience and move on to the next.”

    Rui Andrade, Driver – No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “It’s always a bit sour leaving these races when we know we could have done a lot more. The truth is the Mercedes-AMG GT3 is so strong. We feel it, it is such a pleasure to drive always, and it’s quick. We had a bit of a difficult wet stint in the first half of the race, but when were able to get on slicks, Scott and I were both making moves. We were racing and making some recovery. It was starting to come to us and then we were hit by a guy who was more than 20 laps down. To do something like that is just so silly, ruining our race completely, especially when they really weren’t fighting for something. It’s motorsport, these things happen, and it is really frustrating, but in these situations, you have to focus on the positive. Our positive is that the car was good. Now we head to Petit Le Mans, on a track I won at two years ago, and I am happy to be going back. I think if we put it all together, we have a driver package and a team package to get a good result.”

    Chaz Mostert, Driver – No. 75 SunEnergy1 Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “It was a good experience. Any time you can race in IMSA and get in a Mercedes-AMG GT3 is really cool. Thanks to Kenny again for the opportunity. He has done this twice for me now, and I have been able to experience Spa and now Indianapolis, two tracks I have really wanted to do. A little bit gutted with the result as we spent the first four hours or so just trying to climb back into the fight. Then we had pretty good pace there to try and maybe challenge for a better finishing spot, but we did the best we could and finished on the lead lap. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I would love to come back and have another crack at it.”

    Jordan Love, Driver – No. 75 SunEnergy1 Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “It was my first IMSA race and first time racing in the U.S. It was good fun – sharing a car with Kenny and Chaz is always good fun – but it probably wasn’t the weekend we wanted or expected. We started off kind of on the back foot and missed practice one, and it was a new track for Chaz and I. We were kind of chasing our tails in the race until the last two hours, and then we came back for a lead lap finish. I really enjoyed sharing the car with these two, and hopefully we can do it again soon.”

  • Mazda to open new R&D office in Azabudai Hills in early summer 2025

    Mazda to open new R&D office in Azabudai Hills in early summer 2025

    TOKYO, Sept 24, 2024 – (JCN Newswire) – Mazda Motor Corporation will open a new R&D office in the cosmopolitan Azabudai Hills (Azabudai, Minato-ku, Tokyo) in early summer 2025, an area projected to see continuous development.

    Mazda has set out its 2030 VISION “to be a car-loving company that creates moving experiences through the ‘joy of driving’” and aspires to an ideal where everyone connected to the Mazda brand feels mentally refreshed, physically invigorated, and optimistic about each day.

    As advanced technologies such as generative AI gain widespread use, it is crucial to continue innovating software technologies alongside traditional hardware to deliver vibrant, engaging experiences to our customers through their cars. The new R&D office is expected to house development facilities, particularly in software, demonstrating Mazda’s goal to become a dynamic workplace of choice for software engineers. It will also function as a hub for collaborative innovation, fostering partnerships with universities, companies, and research institutions in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

    Based on the belief that our people are our most valuable resource, Mazda is promoting initiatives, like this new R&D office, to maximize the contributions of its personnel, including corporate culture reforms, improvements to HR systems, and the establishment of value-creation platforms.

    In our aspiration to create a comfortable working environment, the new R&D office will feature an open workspace and be equipped with the latest technology. Further details regarding the specific floor area and facilities will be announced in due course.

    True to Mazda’s “human-centered” philosophy and commitment to the pursuit of a comfortable and rewarding work environment, we endeavor to create an exemplary company where every employee feels the pride and energy to work with enthusiasm.

    News URL: https://www.acnnewswire.com/press-release/english/92975/

    Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/user/mazdaofficialweb | Linkedin : https://jp.linkedin.com/company/mazda-motor-corporation

  • RFK Advance | Kansas II

    RFK Advance | Kansas II

    Kansas II Event Info:
    Date: Sunday, Sept. 29
    Time: 3 p.m. ET
    Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
    Location: Kansas City, Kansas
    Format: 267 Laps, 400.5 Miles, Stages: 80-85-102
    TV: USA
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

    Weekend Schedule:
    Saturday: 1:05 p.m. ET, Practice (NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
    Saturday: 1:45 p.m. ET, Qualifying (NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
    Saturday: 3 p.m. ET, Race (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Pace Laps:

    • Kansas Speedway hosts its second race of the 2024 season – the site of the famed photo finish this May where Chris Buescher appeared to secure win, but finished second in the closest finish in NASCAR history.
    • Jack Roush has four wins in the Cup Series at Kansas and nine overall, the most recent in 2012.

    6 Team Info:
    Crew Chief: Matt McCall
    Partner: Solomon Plumbing

    17 Team Info:
    Crew Chief: Scott Graves
    Partner: Fastenal

    Keselowski at Kansas
    Starts: 29
    Wins: 2 (2011, 2019)
    Top-10s: 14
    Poles: 2 (2015, 2021)

    • Keselowski makes his 30th start at Kansas this weekend, a track where he carries a 12.2 average finish. He’s coming off an 11th-place finish this spring, and a P9 finish last fall.
    • Keselowski has an average starting position of 12th with 17 starts inside the top-10. He most recently qualified 20th last spring and 12th in the fall, and has two career poles (2015, 2021) in Kansas.
    • He also made a combined 10 starts in the Xfinity and Truck Series with one win and five combined top-10s.

    Buescher at Kansas
    Starts: 17
    Wins: —
    Top-10s: 4
    Poles: —

    • Buescher is coming off a positive – but heartbreaking – race this spring in Kansas where he finished second in the closest finish in NASCAR history. He won stage two and led 53 laps in that race in what was his fourth top-10 at the track.
    • He finished 27th in the 2023 fall race where he lost a tire with less than 10 laps remaining.
    • Dating back to the 2022 fall event, Buescher has qualified 14th or better in all four races, including a career-best 10th in that 2022 fall race. His average starting position stands at 19.1.
    • Buescher made three Xfinity starts at Kansas from 2013-15 with a best finish of sixth (2015).

    RFK Historically at Kansas
    Cup Wins: 4 (Mark Martin, 2005; Greg Biffle, 2007, 2010; Matt Kenseth, 2012)

    • Follow the Yellow Brick Road: Overall, RFK has started 185 races across the three national series, earning nine wins, 42 top-five finishes, 78 top-10 finishes and has an overall average finish of 15th.
    • Winning at Kansas: RFK swept both the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NCS races at Kansas in the fall of 2012 with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Matt Kenseth. Stenhouse became the sixth driver to win at the track for the organization via his Xfinity victory. NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin earned RFK’s first NCS win at Kansas in 2005 and former driver Greg Biffle bested the 1.5-mile track in 2007 and 2010. RFK’s first overall win at Kansas came in 2002 via Jeff Burton in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Three drivers (Jon Wood in 2003, Carl Edwards in 2004 and Erik Darnell in 2007) have won in the NCWTS at Kansas for RFK.
    • Tale of the Tape: RFK has started 116 NCS races at Kansas, recording four victories, 21 top-five finishes, 38 top-10 finishes, an average finish of 16.5 and has led 1047 laps. Kenseth earned the most recent victory at Kansas in the fall of 2012.

    RFK Kansas Wins

    2002 Burton NXS
    2003 Wood Truck
    2004 Edwards Truck
    2005 Martin Cup
    2007 Biffle Cup
    2007 Darnell Truck
    2010 Biffle Cup
    2012-2 Kenseth Cup
    2012 Stenhouse NXS

    Last Time Out & Where They Stand
    Bristol: Keselowski finished 26th and did not advance to the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Playoffs. Buescher led RFK with a 14th-place finish.

  • Stewart-Haas Racing: Kansas NXS Advance (Cole Custer | Riley Herbst)

    Stewart-Haas Racing: Kansas NXS Advance (Cole Custer | Riley Herbst)

    COLE CUSTER | RILEY HERBST
    Kansas NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
    NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

    • Event: Kansas Lottery 300 (Round 27 of 33)
    • Date: Saturday, Sept. 28
    • Location: Kansas Speedway in Kansas City
    • Layout: 1.5-mile oval
    • Time/TV/Radio: 4 p.m. EDT on CW/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    Cole Custer Notes of Interest

    • The reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series champion is back to defend his title with the support of a few fellow champs in Saturday’s Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City. Custer will sport a bright and vibrant orange Ford Mustang Dark Horse for the first time this season spotlighting NXT on CW and several of its 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 to the Xfinity Series where rising stars attempt to find their way into the elite series of their sport. Many NXT Superstars have gone on to WWE’s main roster and performed on the biggest stage. Kansas will be the first of two races for this partnership, with the second coming on Oct. 26 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This weekend, Custer’s No. 00 Ford Mustang will highlight four of the NXT’s Superstars – on the hood NXT Women’s champion Roxanne Perez and Trick Williams, while the quarter panels will feature NXT Women’s North American champion Kelani Jordan and NXT champion Ethan Page. The No. 00 Stewart-Haas team will also host Jordan and Page at the track for their first NASCAR race this weekend. Custer hopes the NXT Superstars connection this weekend helps him kick off this year’s playoff run with the ultimate result as he seeks to successfully defend his 2023 Xfinity Series title.
    • Custer adds a new title to his resume after clinching his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series regular-season championship by winning last Friday night at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. The driver of the No. 00 Ford Mustang Dark Horse entered the race 43 points behind points-leader Justin Allgaier. Custer was in a virtual must-win situation for the regular-season title after seeing the points lead he held since the June 1 race at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway dwindle away during a tough stretch of races following the series’ return from the Olympic break. He started Friday’s race second but made contact with the wall on lap four that caused a cut right-front tire. His hopes for the regular-season title and valuable extra playoff points appeared to be out of reach, but a determined Custer drove his way back up through the field to earn bonus points with finishes of seventh and second in the opening two stages, respectively. Meanwhile, issues with Allgaier’s No. 7 car opened up a chance for Custer. In the final stage, Custer still faced a must-win situation and also needed Allgaier to finish 26th or worse in order emerge with the regular-season championship and accompanying 10 bonus playoff points. Custer took command in that final stage, leading the final 92 laps en route to his second win of the season and 15th of his Xfinity Series career. He’ll start the playoffs’ Round of 12 second in the standings, just six points behind Allgaier.
    • Saturday’s Kansas Lottery 300 will mark Custer’s sixth career Xfinity Series start at Kansas. His best Kansas finish is 11th, earned in the October 2019 race when he led 85 laps. He has an additional eight starts outside of the Xfinity Series at Kansas – one in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and seven in the NASCAR Cup Series. He finished seventh in his lone Truck Series start there in May 2016, and a posted best Cup Series finish of 18th in September 2021.
    • Custer will once again “Honor a Cancer Hero” this weekend in partnership with the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation and the NASCAR Foundation. Earlier this season, the organizations welcomed fans to bid on the chance to have the name of their “cancer hero” on the driver-side nameplate of their favorite driver’s car. Custer will run the name of East Hartford-native Rindi Taylor, who valiantly fought ovarian cancer until her passing in August 2013. She was nominated by her daughter-in-law Meghan Taylor, who hopes to honor Rindi by putting her name on the car of her grandson’s favorite driver.
    • The CW is America’s fifth major broadcast network and is available to 100% 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% 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, please visit www.cwtv.com.

    Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

    • Riley Herbst is ready to race for redemption in Saturday’s Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway as his championship run begins a year after he was heartbreakingly eliminated from making the 2023 playoffs. The Las Vegas native and two-time Xfinity Series winner has his eyes on the prize as he vies for the title of 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion against 11 other fulltime drivers, including his teammate Cole Custer. Herbst finished the regular season eighth in the standings and will start the playoffs in the same position, with a total of 10 playoffs points collected via his stage and race wins. While he starts the Round of 12 on the bubble for advancing to the Round of 8 three races hence, he’s only one point behind seventh-place Sam Mayer and three points behind sixth-place Jesse Love. After a disappointing 13th-place finish last Friday at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, his favorite track, Herbst hopes to turn the focus to his bid for his first championship and making it back-to-back titles for Stewart-Haas Racing.
    • This is Herbst’s fourth appearance in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs in five fulltime seasons. The driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse clinched his playoff berth before the Olympic Break by virtue of his July 20 win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In seasons prior, Herbst has pointed his way into the seven-race postseason. Herbst has been on a roll since missing the playoffs in 2023. After last September’s regular-season finale at Kansas, he went on to finish in the top-five in the final five races of the season, including his first career Xfinity Series victory at his hometown Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and scored more points than all the drivers in the Xfinity Series Round of 8 playoff field. The No. 98 team is confident that if it can survive the Round of 12, which features the intermediate oval at Kansas, the behemoth Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, and the unpredictable Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval, it can flourish on its “bread-and-butter” tracks in the Round of 8 in hopes of making the Championship 4 field Nov. 9 at Phoenix Raceway.
    • Saturday’s race will mark Herbst’s sixth career start at Kansas. In his five prior starts, Herbst earned a best finish of ninth in his rookie 2020 season after starting eighth. He has finished outside of the top-25 just once in his Xfinity Series career at the 1.5-mile track. The Las Vegas native has an additional six starts outside of the Xfinity Series at Kansas – four in the ARCA Menards Series, all top-10 finishes and two in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He has a best finish of third in his July 2020 ARCA start after starting on the pole. Best of his two Truck Series starts was a ninth-place run in May 2019.
    • Like his teammate Custer, Herbst will once again support Martin Truex Jr.’s Honor a Cancer Hero program at Kansas in conjunction with the NASCAR Foundation. The cancer hero whose name will appear on his racecar’s driver-side nameplate is Ali Tupper, a breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed in March 2018 at just 39 years of age. Nominated by Kelsey Tupper, Ali has valiantly fought the tough battle against cancer. She continues her battle with the support of her family and friends.

    Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 00 NXT on CW Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    Bristol last weekend was nothing less than a fairytale ending. You went into the race 43 points behind regular-season championship leader Justin Allgaier and emerged with a dominating victory and the championship by a three-point margin. How does it feel to win the regular-season title in such a manner just one week before the playoffs begin?

    “I honestly went into last weekend thinking that the regular-season championship was just out of our grasp. We needed luck on our side to get it because Justin (Allgaier) had such a lead. When he had issues, we had to take advantage of it and win the race. That’s just what we did. Even after we brushed the wall on lap four, my team never gave up and I was back in the top-10 by the end of the first stage. I’m so proud of the No. 00 team and how we’re able to overcome adversity. I’ve never won the regular-season championship in my career, so to knock down another milestone before I move back up to the NASCAR Cup Series just means that much more. The confidence is high now as we head into the playoffs, and hopefully we can ride it all the way to the championship.”

    You’re welcoming a new partner to your car this weekend with NXT on CW, just one week after The CW kicked off its broadcasts of the the final eight Xfinity Series races of the season. How important is it to you that you have the support of this new partner, which is putting so much into the Xfinity Series?

    “Man, I’m so excited to have NXT on CW on our car this weekend. The CW itself is investing so much in the NASCAR Xfinity Series right now, so to have their support just means that much more. They’re covering the entire playoffs to prepare for 2025, so it’s exciting for them to support me in the first race of the playoffs and later on at Homestead. I’ve always been a big fan of the WWE and the NXT Series is just like the Xfinity Series, they’re all trying to get to the top level. I’m hoping to get them a strong run at Kansas and hopefully in victory lane for back-to-back No. 00 car wins.”

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

    After missing the playoffs last season, you’re back for redemption as you start your championship run at a track that brought you heartbreak last year. Talk about what you’ve learned since the Kansas race last year.

    “Last year was a heartbreak. We went into Kansas fighting for a place in the playoffs and left just short of the final spot. I was so frustrated and disappointed in myself. Still, we had seven races until the end of the season and I had to pick myself up to finish the year strong. I won’t lie – it was hard. We should’ve made the playoffs, but a string of bad races ruined that for us. Once I pushed all of that doubt aside, though, it changed everything. I won my first Xfinity Series race, scored the most points of any driver in the Round of 8, and scored five straight top-fives to close out the season. Experiencing all of this helped me grow as a driver. My journey in the Xfinity Series has been on a slower progression than others, but I’m proud of it. I’m a better driver because of it.”

    Kansas has been a solid track for you in the past – especially in the Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series. What do you like about the track?

    “I love this track. Kansas is probably one of my favorite intermediate tracks just because I have some solid history there in Trucks and ARCA. Even in the Xfinity Series, we’ve been decent there. There’s a lot that can transfer over from those starts to the Xfinity Series, but ultimately seat time helps you learn the track. We’ve had fast Ford Mustangs each and every week this year, so now it’s just about leaving any bad luck behind us and making no mistakes as we start the playoffs. I want to be able to park the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang in victory lane so we can automatically advance to the Round of 8. It would make the unpredictability of Talladega and the Roval a lot easier to handle in the two weeks after.”

  • Sesh Nicotine Pouches to Sponsor Freedom Racing Enterprises at Kansas Race

    Sesh Nicotine Pouches to Sponsor Freedom Racing Enterprises at Kansas Race

    Mooresville, NC (September 23, 2024) – NASCAR Driver and team owner Spencer Boyd has announced that Sesh will be the primary sponsor for Freedom Racing Enterprises’ No. 76 truck during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway on September 27, 2024. Sesh is revolutionizing nicotine consumption with its premium, smoke-free nicotine pouches, offering a fresh take on traditional nicotine use through high-quality, Swedish-crafted products.

    “We’re always excited about new partnerships, and this one is special,” said Spencer Boyd. “NASCAR has a long history with products in this category, and I believe Sesh’s innovative smoke-free pouches are exactly what NASCAR fans have been waiting for. I’m thrilled to be a part of their journey into the world of motorsports and to showcase a premium, modern alternative to traditional products.”

    Sesh is carving a unique path in nicotine alternatives by creating premium pouches that deliver a discreet, flavorful and long-lasting experience without all the smoke. Sesh’s mission is simple: offer current nicotine consumers alternative products that prioritize taste, quality, and user satisfaction.

    “NASCAR is all about speed, precision, and performance – qualities that align perfectly with Sesh’s mission to deliver the ultimate nicotine experience,” said Sesh Products CMO Josh Metz. “Our smoke-free pouches offer the same innovation and reliability that NASCAR fans expect from the sport. We’re confident that those who appreciate high-performance in racing will also appreciate the high standards we bring to our products. It’s a modern solution that fits right into their fast-paced lifestyles.”

    Sesh’s products are carefully crafted to meet the highest quality standards, offering an innovative, smoke-free alternative that stands out in the nicotine market. “Of course, we want to remind everyone that our products contain nicotine, and whilst nicotine does not make you drive any faster, it is addictive, just like NASCAR,” Metz added.

    The partnership with Sesh comes as Boyd returns to Kansas Speedway for the second time this season, a track where he has previously raced in both the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

    The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoff Race at Kansas Speedway is set for Friday, September 27, 2024, at 7:30 PM CT, and will be broadcast live on FS1.

  • Kaulig Racing and Morris-Shea Bridge Continue Partnership for the 2024 Season

    Kaulig Racing and Morris-Shea Bridge Continue Partnership for the 2024 Season

    AJ Allmendinger to Drive the No. 16 Morris-Shea Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Events at Kansas and Talladega

     Lexington, N.C. (September 23, 2024) – Kaulig Racing and Morris-Shea announce a continuation of their partnership for the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) season. Morris-Shea will serve as the primary partner on the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by AJ Allmendinger.

    Allmendinger will drive the No. 16 Morris-Shea Chevrolet in the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway and the United Rentals 250 at Talladega Superspeedway.

    “We’re excited to partner with Kaulig Racing again this year at both Kansas and our home track in Talladega,” said CEO, Morris-Shea. “The Talladega race weekend is a great employee appreciation event for the Morris-Shea team. We’re all looking forward to cheering on AJ [Allmendinger] in the No. 16 Morris-Shea Chevy Camaro.”

    Morris-Shea was first featured as a primary partner on Kaulig Racing’s No. 31 Camaro ZL1 for the 2023 Yellawood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

    “I can’t wait to see the No. 16 Morris-Shea Chevy on the high banks at Talladega,” said team president Chris Rice. “Representing their family-owned company means a lot to us at Kaulig Racing and we can’t wait to do it again.”

    Tune in to The CW on September 28th and October 5th to catch all the action of the No. 16 Morris-Shea Chevy on track.
     
    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.

    About Morris-Shea:

    Morris-Shea, a leading deep foundation contractor, installs deep foundation systems for critical commercial and infrastructure projects throughout the United States, the Caribbean and South America. Our team of experienced geotechnical professionals has constructed deep foundations under many of the world’s largest energy, manufacturing and industrial projects. Our family-owned company is well-established as a leader for deep foundation installation in heavy civil, commercial, industrial and marine construction markets.

  • COLE CUSTER WINS AT BRISTOL AND CAPTURES REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP

    COLE CUSTER WINS AT BRISTOL AND CAPTURES REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP

    BRISTOL, TN – September 23, 2024 – Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer won Friday’s Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway, claiming the regular season championship. This weekend’s win marked Custer’s first win at Bristol, second of the season, and 15th of his NASCAR Xfinity Series career.

    “Congratulations to Tony, Gene, Jonathan, Cole, and everyone at Stewart-Haas Racing on the race win and regular season championship,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Winning the regular season championship is a testament to all of the hard work, dedication, and teamwork of Ford Performance, Stewart-Haas Racing, and Roush Yates Engines.”

    “Man, it’s just unbelievable. It’s a testament to these guys. It’s been a really hard month, but everyone at the shop really kept their heads in it. I can’t thank HighPoint.com and Ford Performance enough. It’s awesome to get them both a win. All the guys did such a great job. It was an unbelievable car all night. I’m ready to get to the playoffs. It’s huge to get this momentum because our confidence was going down there this last month, so to get this win really means a lot. What a car. What a race. I mean, these guys did such a great job with this thing. I can’t thank HighPoint enough. Every race we’ve wanted to do better with them and this was finally a race we put it all together. It was just an unbelievable car. I could really drive through the field and do everything I needed. It’s a real testament to what this team can bring to the playoffs,” commented Custer.

    Cole Custer started Friday night’s race from the outside of the front row in P2. On the second lap, Custer scraped the wall, as his flat right front tire brought out the first caution of the race. Custer pitted and quickly rebounded to finish Stage 1 in P7. After the stage break, RSS Racing’s Ryan Sieg restarted Stage 2 in the lead. Custer continued to surge through the field, finishing Stage 2 in 2nd. On lap 209, Custer took the lead from Sheldon Creed on a restart and never looked back, leading a race-high 104 laps. Custer crossed the finish line 0.896 seconds ahead of Sheldon Creed, winning the race, Xfinity Series regular season championship, and now moves onto the Xfinity playoffs. Stewart-Haas teammate Riley Herbst also advanced to the playoffs Round of 12, following his win at Indianapolis earlier in the season.

    RSS Racing’s Ryan Sieg finished Friday’s race in P8 and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Riley Herbst finished in P13.

    The NASCAR Cup Series also raced at Bristol on Saturday. Three Ford Performance drivers finished in the top-10: Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney in P6 and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Ryan Preece and Chase Briscoe in P8 and P9. Four Ford Performance drivers advanced to the Round of 12: Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney in P5, Joey Logano in P8, Austin Cindric in P9, and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe in P12.

    The NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series both compete this weekend at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. The Round of 12 for both series consists of Kansas Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL.

    About Roush Yates Engines
    Roush Yates Engines is a leading-edge engine development company based in Mooresville, NC consisting of two state-of-the-art facilities – Roush Yates Engines and Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions, a world class AS9100 Rev D/ISO 13485 certified CNC manufacturing facility. The company’s core business includes designing, building and testing purpose-built race engines.

    Ford Performance in partnership with Roush Yates Engines is the exclusive engine builder of the NASCAR FR9 Ford V8 engine.

    With an unparalleled culture of winning and steeped in rich racing history, Roush Yates Engines continues to follow the company’s vision to lead performance engine innovation and staying true to the company’s mission, provide race winning engines through demonstrated power and performance.

  • New Era: Charter System Established for NTT INDYCAR SERIES Team Owners

    New Era: Charter System Established for NTT INDYCAR SERIES Team Owners

    INDIANAPOLIS (Monday, Sept. 23, 2024) – INDYCAR confirmed today the establishment of a charter system across the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. In total, owners of 10 teams have accepted charters for 25 entries competing in North America’s premier open-wheel racing series, beginning immediately.

    “This is an important development that demonstrates an aligned and optimistic vision for the future of our sport,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles said. “I want to extend my sincere appreciation to our team owners for their collaboration and ideation throughout this process. Ultimately, we’re pleased to have a system in place that provides greater value for our ownership and the entries they field.”

    This is the first charter system to be introduced in the history of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. A chartered entry is guaranteed a starting position on the grid at all NTT INDYCAR SERIES races, excluding the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. An entry also must be chartered to qualify for the annual NTT INDYCAR SERIES Leaders Circle program – an annual award program that compensates the 22 top finishers in the prior year’s NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship. The terms of the initial, long-term charter agreements are committed through the end of 2031.

    Chartered 2025 INDYCAR Teams

    NTT INDYCAR SERIES TeamEntries
    A.J. Foyt Enterprises2
    Andretti Global3
    Arrow McLaren3
    Chip Ganassi Racing3
    Dale Coyne Racing2
    Ed Carpenter Racing2
    Juncos Hollinger Racing2
    Meyer Shank Racing2
    Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing3
    Team Penske3

    Charters were extended to team owners based on full-time entries over the previous two seasons, with a maximum of three awarded per team.

    WHAT INDYCAR’S TEAM OWNERS ARE SAYING

    “I appreciate the efforts made by the INDYCAR and Penske leadership groups, as well as all the owners, to get this charter system started. It is incredibly challenging to get a large group of owners to agree on something, and certainly there was some give and take, but, in the end, I believe this is a path that is beneficial for all of the owners and for INDYCAR, while also maintaining the availability for open competition.” – Larry Foyt, A.J. Foyt Enterprises

    “When you look back in the modern era of INDYCAR racing, you will look at a few important moments, the first being the unification of the sport, the next being Roger Penske buying the INDYCAR SERIES and IMS, and I truly believe the third will be the charter system.” – Chip Ganassi, Chip Ganassi Racing

    “We are very pleased to begin this new era. The process has been thorough but, in the end, very exciting. This charter system will clearly strengthen our teams as we continue to grow the sport. I would like to thank Roger (Penske) and his entire team at INDYCAR.

    “ECR will have announcements soon, and I don’t know that they would be possible without the help of a program like this. With this groundbreaking development, the new TV deal with FOX and the momentum that had been building, INDYCAR’s future is very bright.” – Ed Carpenter, Ed Carpenter Racing

    “The charter agreement, to me, is the single-most important piece for the future of the series. I’m grateful that we all came together on this and thank the Roger Penske group for working with the team owners for getting it done.” – Michael Shank, Meyer Shank Racing

    The 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season begins Sunday, March 2 at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding on the streets of St. Petersburg. The entire 17-race schedule will be available live on FOX and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

  • Bed Bath & Beyond Racing: Noah Gragson Kansas Advance

    Bed Bath & Beyond Racing: Noah Gragson Kansas Advance

    NOAH GRAGSON
    Kansas Advance

    No. 10 Bed Bath & Beyond Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    Event Overview

    ● Event: Hollywood Casino 400 (Round 30 of 36)
    ● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Sept. 29
    ● Location: Kansas Speedway in Kansas City
    ● 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: USA / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    Notes of Interest

    ● Noah Gragson has made four NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, with his most recent being his best. In early May, Gragson qualified third and finished ninth in the Cup Series’ first Kansas stop of the 2024 season. It was a complete weekend, with Gragson bettering his previous best starting spot of 22nd (earned in May 2023) and his previous best finishing position of 18th (earned twice in his May and September Cup Series starts at Kansas in 2022).

    ● Gragson has five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Kansas and, collectively, they are emblematic of his growth as a racecar driver. The Las Vegas native finished 13th in his first Xfinity Series start at Kansas in October 2019 and then scored a 15th-place finish in his return to the 1.5-mile oval in July 2020. Two strong runs at Kansas followed in October 2020 and October 2021 when Gragson led a total of 22 laps, but crashes left him with finishes of 36th and 35th, respectively. But in Gragson’s fifth and final Xfinity Series start at Kansas, he put a whole race together and punctuated it with an exclamation point. In September 2022, Gragson qualified fifth and then led three times for 20 laps, including the final 18, to take the victory. It was the 10th of his 13 career Xfinity Series wins.

    ● Before that NASCAR Xfinity Series triumph at Kansas, Gragson had already put his name on the track’s list of winners. In May 2018, in his second and final NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at Kansas, Gragson dominated. He won the pole with a lap of 30.564 seconds at 176.678 mph and proceeded to lead five times for a race-high 128 laps, pacing the field for all but 39 of race’s 167 laps.

    ● Gragson’s Kansas debut came in the ARCA Menards Series. On Oct. 14, 2016, an 18-year-old Gragson started eighth and finished fifth in the Kansas 150.

    ● Riding along with Gragson in the Hollywood Casino 400 is Anastasia Vessel. Via a decal over the passenger-side window of Gragson’s No. 10 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, Vessel’s cancer battle is being highlighted by the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation’s and the NASCAR Foundation’s Honor a Cancer Hero program. Vessel was diagnosed with cancer six months after her wedding, but after going through chemotherapy and radiation, Vessel has since tested cancer free. She was nominated for the Honor a Cancer Hero program by her husband, Jack.

    ● Bed Bath & Beyond adorns Gragson’s No. 10 Ford Mustang Dark Horse at Kansas. The partnership celebrates Bed Bath & Beyond as the ultimate online destination for home essentials, featuring an unmatched assortment for every room of the house. Whether it’s your kitchen, bedroom, outdoor space or bathroom, Bed Bath & Beyond has what you need to create a space that feels uniquely yours. From cookware and bedding to bath accessories and beyond, Bed Bath & Beyond is your go-to source for functional and stylish home essentials.

    Noah Gragson, Driver of the No. 10 Bed Bath & Beyond Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    You qualified third and finished a solid ninth when you raced at Kansas back in May. How did that race go for you and what can you take from it and apply to your return to Kansas this weekend?

    “I hope we have the same kind of speed. We qualified third, finished ninth and ran in the top-10 pretty much the majority of the whole race. Had really good speed in practice. I think we were fourth in practice overall. It seemed like we had really good pace that race. I just showed up and I didn’t do anything different than what I do any other week. Our Ford Mustang Dark Horse just drove faster and I had more speed. I hope it translates again when we go back to Kansas this weekend.”

    How much of a factor is the wind at Kansas?

    “I haven’t really noticed the wind too much at any racetrack. I know it gets pretty bad at Vegas and some other tracks, but I don’t really feel it too much in the car. A lot of guys are pretty sensitive to it, but I haven’t been able to notice it in huge amounts.”

    You have five starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Kansas. Those first four starts were a bit of a struggle, but that fifth start was impressive. You qualified fifth and led three times for 20 laps, including the final 18, to take the win. How did you do it, and how satisfying was it to take the checkered flag?

    “It was either hit or miss there. We always ran well there but never finished well. But once I finally figured out how to put a whole race together, we ended up getting a win. The same thing happened in Trucks, too. The first year I went there, we had decent speed but just didn’t capitalize on the entirety of the day. It’s a fun track and, to be able to put it all together, it’s good.”

    That Xfinity Series win at Kansas was not your first win there. You won a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Kansas in 2018, and pretty handily too. You won the pole and led five times for a race-high 128 laps, and the race only went 167 laps. It was just your second-ever start at the track and you beat your boss at the time, Kyle Busch. How did you do it?

    “It was probably bigger just to win the race, in general. It was definitely a little sweeter because Kyle was in it, but we had a lot of speed that year and, once again, didn’t capitalize on the races where we had that speed and had shots to win. I got the pole, we won the first stage, the second stage, and ultimately won the race, so it was kind of a perfect day, a perfect weekend. That was a pretty cool moment.”

    You ran an ARCA race at Kansas in 2016 and finished fifth. At that time, it was one of the bigger tracks you had raced on. What were you experiencing as an 18-year-old competing at Kansas?

    “It was crazy. I never dealt with aero too much and having to move myself around, so learning on the fly and trying to figure that out and how to position your car just so you could have the best aero positioning was big, and that place was fast, learning how to drive around that place. I wish I could go back to that day knowing what I know now, I probably would’ve won that race. But with that being said, I was doing all I could to try and figure it out on the fly, and as I’ve gained experience, I’ve definitely learned a lot since that day.”

    No. 10 Bed Bath & Beyond Team Roster

    Primary Team Members

    Driver: Noah Gragson

    Hometown: Las Vegas

    Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer

    Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

    Car Chief: Jerry Cook

    Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

    Engineer: James Kimbrough

    Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

    Spotter: Andy Houston

    Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

    Over-The-Wall Members

    Front Tire Changer: Ryan Mulder

    Hometown: Sioux Center, Iowa

    Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White

    Hometown: Arlington, Texas

    Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard

    Hometown: King, North Carolina

    Jack Man: Sean Cotten

    Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

    Fuel Man: James “Ace” Keener

    Hometown: Fortuna, California

    Road Crew Members

    Mechanic: Chris Trickett

    Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

    Mechanic: Beau Whitley

    Hometown: Carmel, Indiana

    Tire Specialist: Jacob Cooksey

    Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

    Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

    Hometown: Monroe, New York

    Transporter Co-Driver: Steve Casper

    Hometown: Salisbury, North Carolina

    Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

    Hometown: Augusta, Georgia