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  • Cole Custer and Riley Herbst Getting Ready for NXS Playoffs

    Cole Custer and Riley Herbst Getting Ready for NXS Playoffs

    Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
    NASCAR Xfinity Series
    Food City 300 Advance | Bristol Motor Speedway
    Friday, September 20, 2024

    Stewart-Haas teammates Cole Custer and Riley Herbst have both qualified for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs, which begin next week at Kansas Speedway. Both drivers visited the Bristol Motor Speedway infield media center to discuss their seasons to date.

    COLE CUSTER, No. 00 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse – HIGH POINT IS ON THE CAR THIS WEEK. “It’s always awesome having High Point on the car. They’re a long time sponsor at SHR. They’re the most energetic people that really bring a lot of energy to our team, I feel like. We didn’t have the best run for them last week, so hopefully we can get it this week. I felt like Bristol was a really strong track for us last year, so hopefully we can follow it up and get the High Point car up front.”

    WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO TONIGHT? “For the most part, I think they’d have to have a pretty big issue for us to catch them, so we’re focused mainly on winning and keeping the second-place position because I think we have like 15 points to third, so I think it’s one of those things that we’ll try to go for the stage points if we can, but you also want the win, so you really have to try and manage those two things and just see how your car is running. If you have a really strong car, you might go for the win. If you’re not how you want to be, you might go for the points a little bit more, so it’s gonna be up in the air, I would say.”

    AS YOU WATCH WHAT’S HAPPENED THIS SEASON IN CUP AND XFINITY, HOW HAS THAT CHALLENGED YOUR OWN PERSONAL CODE AND ETHICS AS YOU PREPARE TO GO BACK TO CUP NEXT YEAR? “It will drive you crazy. I think you see that with what Truex says after the race and things like that because you just get used up, it feels like. I don’t’ know if anybody has taken advantage of the guys who race clean that they just know that they’re not gonna retaliate as much or whatever it is, but I don’t think that’s what people are doing. It’s just everybody is so aggressive because they know if they don’t do something aggressive, someone is gonna do something aggressive to them. It’s a really tough situation because if you don’t go out there and be really aggressive, you’re just gonna get used up. It’s one of those things where you really have to manage it and really have to stick your nose in there. Even though it might not work out, you have to be on that aggressive side of things. It’s tough because it can drive you crazy. I always want to just go racing. I feel like if I do my things right, I’m not gonna get in a pissing match with somebody else and just have that derail our day another weekend. I think it’s better to move on and focus on what you have in your car and how you make yourself better, instead of worrying about a pissing match with somebody else. It’s a really tough line to walk on just with how aggressive things are and sometimes you have to stand your ground. The problem is if you stand your ground, then you are derailing your weekends in the future and there aren’t many guys who want to derail their races in the future when they have so much on the line, so I guess it’s just become common practice that it’s just part of the sport, I guess.”

    YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE SITUATION HARRISON BURTON IS IN, GOING FROM CUP BACK TO XFINITY. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THAT’S LIKE AND WHAT HE CAN EXPECT? “Harrison shows a lot of potential. He’s a guy who works really hard and obviously has shown that he can win in the Xfinity Series, so at the end of the day a good thing for him is that he’s gonna be a leader over there for that team and he can really steer the ship, and I think he’ll be great as an alliance partner. I think, at the end of the day, they have a lot of potential with that team. I think you’ve seen the last few races they’ve been able to show speed, it’s just a matter of getting the finishes, but I feel like he’ll be able to come back down and he can bring value to an organization – really be able to lead an organization and get them better throughout a year.”

    WHAT IS IT ABOUT BRISTOL THAT MAKES YOU SO GOOD? “It’s always been a track that I’ve loved to race at just because it’s Bristol. Ever since I was a little kid, Bristol was such a cool place to watch on TV and really one of the highlights of the whole year, really. So when you go and get to drive there for the first time it’s a place that you really want to run good at because it’s such a special place. For whatever reason, I’ve just had really fast cars here that have helped me do that, really great teams and you just have to work really hard at understanding the racetrack because it can change a lot, especially with how the top works in and how they spray the resin down different every single time it seems like, so you have to really keep up with it and be smart about how you want your car. It’s always a fun place to go because it does change so much.”

    RILEY HERBST, No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse – HOW MUCH DOES BEING LOCKED IN EARLY HELP TAKE THE PRESSURE AWAY? “I’d say it takes it away a little bit, but it’s always nice to get back in championship form before the playoffs start next week at Kansas, so I think that’s kind of the biggest objective outside of winning tonight is to get our feet back underneath us and score good stage points, run up front and lead some laps and head on to Kansas with a full head of steam for sure.”

    HOW DO YOU PUT NEXT YEAR’S UNCERTAINTY OUT OF YOUR MIND FOR NOW AND FOCUS ON THESE NEXT SEVEN RACES? “I think there’s always a little bit of that nature, for sure, but we’re very focused on the 98 team and trying to win this championship. I feel like when we are at our top form, like everybody saw at Indy and previous races, we can win this championship and we have the best speed in the field. It’s about executing and getting back to executing. Who know what’s gonna happen next year. Anybody’s guess is as good as mine, so we’ll take it from there and hopefully we can get some more trophies before January rolls around.”

    IS THERE ONE SPECIFIC THING YOU CAN ISOLATE FOR WHAT’S KEPT YOU AT THE TOP OF YOUR GAME THIS YEAR? “I think the biggest thing is just time. We live in a world where everybody wants everything immediately. I’m guilty of that as well, and I didn’t have enough time. I just jumped in this thing very fast head first, and now that I have my feet underneath me I feel like I’m understanding what I want out of my race car. I’m comfortable in my own skin and I’m ready to show us at the racetrack with the mentality that I’m gonna win the race. I feel like that’s the biggest thing and obviously pairing with Davin and his really, really smart engineering mind, but to bring me fast race cars obviously has helped me tremendously as well. I think it’s a bunch of things, but I’m so excited for these playoffs because I genuinely feel like we have a really good chance to make it to Phoenix, unlike any other playoffs I’ve ever been in before.”

    WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS TRACK THAT MAKES IT SPECIAL FOR YOU AND SHR? “I think we’ve always just kind of ran pretty well here at Bristol. I think that it goes back to Chase Briscoe and Cole Custer earlier. They built a pretty good setup and I’ve been lucky enough to have that setup and just kind of understand this race. It’s very fast paced. I think it’s gonna be on the bottom for quite some time tonight and we might move up a little bit later, but we’ve had some good finishes and hopefully we can get one more tonight.”

  • Justin Haley to Pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet

    Justin Haley to Pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet

    Team, Hoosier-State Native to Jump Start 2025 Campaign at Kansas Speedway

    MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Sept. 20, 2024) – Who says you can’t go home again?

    Spire Motorsports has agreed to a multi-year contract with Justin Haley to drive the team’s No. 7 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) beginning with next weekend’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

    Haley will take over the controls of the No. 7 Chevy Camaro from Corey LaJoie, who will swap rides with him and finish out the 2024 season in Rick Ware Racing’s No. 51 entry.

    Haley, a native of Winamac, Ind., made his NCS debut for Spire Motorsports on April 28, 2019 at Talladega Superspeedway and picked up both his and the team’s first win – an upset of practically unprecedented proportions – less than three months later in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 behind the wheel of the No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro at Daytona International Speedway.

    Haley is a veteran of all three of NASCAR’s National Touring Series and began his career racing at the national level in the ARCA Menards Series when he was just 15-years-old. Since then, he’s gone on to amass 294 total starts across NASCAR’s Cup, Xfinity and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.

    At 25-years-old, Haley has collected four NASCAR Xfinity Series checkered flags and three NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series wins, making him one of just 41 drivers in history to have earned wins across all three of NASCAR’s National Touring Series.

    “Justin Haley is extraordinarily talented and we’re thrilled to welcome him back home and to have a young driver of his caliber behind the wheel of Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet beginning next weekend at Kansas Speedway,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson. “We’re grateful to our friends at Rick Ware Racing for teeing up the the idea of a trade between Justin and Corey as the 2024 season winds down. We think this is a great opportunity to get a head start on 2025 and to get Justin acclimated so we’re ready to put our best foot forward next season.

    “This moment doesn’t come without some reflection, and as I’ve said all along, Corey LaJoie is and will always be more than a driver to us. He’s an incredible person, a great father and dependable teammate. He’ll always be family. He deserves this new opportunity with an emerging team and allowing them to take another step forward in their trajectory. Again, just a win-win all around.”

    Haley is a veteran of 136 Cup Series starts and has notched one win, five top fives, 15 top 10s and led 98 laps in NASCAR’s premier division.

    While many drivers, native to the Hoosier State, pursue careers in the open wheel ranks, Haley was drawn to stock cars and made his mark on the national stage in his early teens.

    After making his maiden ARCA Menards Series start in May 2014, he turned heads by recording his first pole position and top-three finish one race later. Haley earned four top 10s that season and would secure his first win two seasons later in just his 13th start on the ARCA national tour.

    Haley made six CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts from 2015-2016, before joining the series full-time in 2017, following his 18th birthday. He notched the first of three 2018 wins in June at World Wide Technology Raceway and went on to visit Victory Lane later that season at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Texas Motor Speedway prior to finishing the season third in points.

    He shifted his full-time focus to the Xfinity Series in 2019, earning four-top five and 20 top-10 finishes enroute to a 12th-place finish in the season-ending points tally. He further cemented his pedigree that same season with the upset NCS win at the “World Center of Racing.”

    “Spire Motorsports gave me my first few starts in the Cup Series,” said Haley. “My first was in the No. 77 at Talladega on my 20th birthday. We had a lot of great runs in our first year together in 2019, and there’s still a lot of familiar faces around there who were on the team back then. I’m excited to come home. This is where I got my start in the Cup Series, and I’m excited to go out there and compete with (crew chief) Ryan Sparks and the No. 7 team. The next seven races will give us nice head start and a baseline for next season.”

    He continued to prove his mettle the following year when he earned three Xfinity Series wins between Talladega Superspeedway and Daytona before closing out the season with a third-place points’ showing. A year later, he would win again at Daytona to compliment nine top fives and 24 top 10s. He finished 12th, third and sixth, respectively in Xfinity Series points from 2019-2021, amassing four wins, 23 top-five and 65 top-10 finishes.

    Since 2019, he’s logged 136 starts in NASCAR’s premier division, recording five top fives and 15 top 10s. He has driven Rick Ware Racing’s No. 51 entry to a pair of top 10s this season. Haley has paced the field for 25 laps and completed 99.2 percent of the laps contested in 2024.

    In July, Spire Motorsports announced Rodney Childers, a 40-time NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) race winning crew chief and one of the sport’s most respected tacticians, will lead Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 team beginning in 2025.

    Childers, 48, led Kevin Harvick to the 2014 NCS championship and is the winningest active crew chief in NASCAR’s premier division. The Mooresville native called 37 wins from 2014 – 2023. Prior to the over three dozen victories with Harvick, Childers is credited with leading drivers David Reutimann and Brian Vickers to Victory Lane.

    “Having someone like Rodney behind you and supporting you on the pit box is one of the biggest motivations you can have as a driver and a team,” said Haley. “I’m really looking forward to working with Rodney. He brings a lot to the table, especially for a younger driver like me. He had lots of success with Kevin (Harvick) for several years, and I feel like we have similar aspects to each other. I’m looking forward to seeing what he has to say and how he approaches a race weekend. Obviously, every crew chief prepares and executes the weekend differently, so I’m ready to absorb all I can from him.”

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

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

  • Rick Ware Racing and Spire Motorsports Announce Driver Trade

    Rick Ware Racing and Spire Motorsports Announce Driver Trade

    RWR Acquires Corey LaJoie From Spire, Spire Procures Justin Haley From RWR

    BRISTOL, Tenn. (Sept. 20, 2024) – With eight races left on the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series calendar, two teams are making changes for the remainder of the season.

    Rick Ware Racing (RWR) has acquired driver Corey LaJoie from Spire Motorsports, and Spire Motorsports has procured driver Justin Haley from RWR. Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway will be the last race for each driver with their current organizations. Beginning with next weekend’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, LaJoie will take over the No. 51 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RWR, and Haley will drive the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Spire Motorsports.

    While LaJoie’s pending partnership with RWR will mark his first stint with the team, Haley’s upcoming drive with Spire Motorsports serves as a homecoming. Haley began his NASCAR Cup Series career with Spire Motorsports, winning the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in just his third career NASCAR Cup Series start.

    “Justin Haley is a very talented driver who has done a lot to help elevate RWR,” said Robby Benton, president, RWR. “Justin came to us over the Olympic break with a longer-term opportunity that would serve his career well. We were sympathetic to his desires, as Justin committed to RWR early last year and has since played a key role in the growth of our organization. We didn’t want to compromise his growth or our own. In our talks with Justin following the break, we agreed to release him from his contract with RWR.

    “Obviously, we needed a new plan to maintain the momentum we’ve gained this year, and Corey LaJoie joining RWR allows us to keep moving forward. These seven races provide a unique and unconventional opportunity to work together now and evaluate what we may be able to accomplish together going forward. Corey wants to continue his path toward winning in the NASCAR Cup Series, and so do we. We’re like-minded in that pursuit.”

    LaJoie comes to RWR after spending the last four seasons (2021-2024) at Spire Motorsports.

    “Corey LaJoie has been a cornerstone of Spire Motorsports and we’re incredibly appreciative of all the time, effort and energy he has invested in our program. RWR is getting a workhorse in Corey. He’s dedicated to his craft and his tenacity brings out the best in those around him,” said Jeff Dickerson, co-owner, Spire Motorsports.

    “We’ve known Justin Haley for many years and have been bullish on his talent from the beginning of his NASCAR career. Justin, and his win at Daytona, put us both on the map. It was a pivotal moment for his career and our organization. We’ve both grown since that day, as Justin has proven his talent in the Cup garage and he comes back to an organization that is very different from the one he left a few years ago. Getting back together now, rather than waiting until 2025, gives us an excellent opportunity to build a baseline and be a step ahead when we get to Daytona next February.”

    LaJoie is a 32-year-old, third-generation racer who grew up near stock-car racing’s epicenter of Charlotte, North Carolina. Haley is a 25-year-old racer from Winamac, Indiana, who began his career on dirt tracks before transitioning to pavement racing. Both drivers have worked their way up the NASCAR ladder to the elite NASCAR Cup Series, competing in the ARCA Menards Series, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Saturday night’s race at Bristol will mark LaJoie’s 265th career NASCAR Cup Series start and it will be Haley’s 137th career NASCAR Cup Series start.

    About Rick Ware Racing:

    Rick Ware has been a motorsports mainstay for more than 40 years. It began at age 6 when the third-generation racer began his driving career and has since spanned four wheels and two wheels on both asphalt and dirt. Competing in the SCCA Trans Am Series and other road-racing divisions led Ware to NASCAR in the early 1980s, where he finished third in his NASCAR debut – the 1983 Warner W. Hodgdon 300 NASCAR Grand American race at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway. More than a decade later, injuries would force Ware out of the driver seat and into fulltime team ownership. In 1995, Rick Ware Racing was formed, and with wife Lisa by his side, Ware has since built his eponymous organization into an entity that fields two fulltime entries in the NASCAR Cup Series while simultaneously campaigning successful teams in the Top Fuel class of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, the NTT INDYCAR Series, Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup, Progressive American Flat Track and FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX).

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

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

  • LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ PARTNERS WITH DRIVEVALUE.COM WILL SPORT DRIVEVALUE.COM BRANDING FOR KEY RACES IN 2025 SEASON

    LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ PARTNERS WITH DRIVEVALUE.COM WILL SPORT DRIVEVALUE.COM BRANDING FOR KEY RACES IN 2025 SEASON

    STATESVILLE, N.C. / WESTLAKE, Ohio (Sept. 20, 2024) – LEGACY MOTOR CLUB today announced a partnership with DriveValue.com, powered by the Exit Planning Institute (EPI), to serve as the primary partner on the No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota Camry XSE beginning in 2025. DriveValue.com is a platform that equips business owners and leaders with the education, insights, resources, and experts needed to maximize profits, attract exceptional talent, build impactful cultures, and drive unprecedented value—while gaining the freedom they desire.

    “I’ve had the pleasure to get to know the great individuals with DriveValue.com — you will not meet a more passionate group of people,” said John Hunter Nemechek, driver of the No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota Camry XSE. “I look forward to representing the DriveValue.com brand on track at Nashville next season. I was fortunate enough to secure the Gibson guitar trophy earlier this year with a NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at Nashville, nothing sounds better than to get DriveValue.com a guitar in their debut in the NASCAR Cup Series.”

    The partnership with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB will prominently feature the DriveValue.com brand/marks on the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE driven by John Hunter Nemechek at Nashville Superspeedway on June 1, 2025.

    DriveValue.com is powered by the Exit Planning Institute (EPI), which is recognized globally as a leader and innovator in exit planning. Since 2005, EPI has educated business advisors on the importance of exit planning and its implementation. EPI has since standardized this expertise through the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) credentialing program, certifying over 5,000 active advisors. EPI Academy further supports advisors and business owners by offering self-paced courses designed to build, refine, and master essential exit planning skills.

    “The future of business ownership and leadership is about more than just success it’s about creating significance that lasts,” said Scott Snider, President of EPI. “The Drive Value platform, in collaboration with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, is designed to help business owners, their leadership teams and the next generation unlock their company’s full potential, build stronger cultures, and create enduring legacies that go well beyond more annual profits and make a lasting impact to the owner, their families, teams, and communities.”

    To learn more about Drive Value, visit drivevalue.com.

    ABOUT

    ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice “Maury” J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. The CLUB competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series fielding the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE of John Hunter Nemechek, the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE of Erik Jones, and the No. 84 limited schedule entry for Johnson. LEGACY M.C. also competes in the Extreme E Series. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty “The King” serves as CLUB Ambassador. With a unique title signifying a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for all motorsport enthusiasts to celebrate the past and future legacies of its members, while competing for wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level. To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ on Facebook, X, Instagram and at LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com

    ABOUT Drive Value: As the landscape of business ownership evolves, shifting from success to significance is essential for building lasting value. Drive Value empowers business owners, their leadership teams, and the next generation to unlock their company’s full potential by providing the tools, insights, and experts needed to grow profits, build strong cultures, and create lasting impact. The platform equips business owners and their leadership teams with valuable resources and expert guidance to help them create value and align business, personal, and financial goals. By emphasizing a mindset shift toward long-term significance, Drive Value helps owners achieve greater freedom, attract top talent, and build legacies for both their companies and communities.

  • RCR Race Preview: Bristol Motor Speedway

    RCR Race Preview: Bristol Motor Speedway

    Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway… In 187 NASCAR Cup Series starts on the pavement configuration at Bristol Motor Speedway, RCR has scored nine wins, seven by Dale Earnhardt: both races in 1985 and 1987, plus victories in 1988 (fall), 1994 (spring), and 1999 (spring). Kevin Harvick won the 2005 spring event while Jeff Burton won the spring race in 2008. The Welcome, North Carolina based organization has racked up 35 top-five and 71 top-10 finishes.

    25th Anniversary of “Rattle His Cage”… Saturday night’s Cup Series race at the World’s Fastest Half Mile marks the 25th anniversary of one of the most memorable finishes in Bristol Motor Speedway history featuring legendary RCR driver Dale Earnhardt. Earnhardt, who started 26th, won the 1999 night race following a last-lap bump to Terry Labonte. Earnhardt said in Victory Lane that he didn’t mean to spin out Labonte – just to “rattle his cage.” Earnhardt and Labonte swapped the lead seven times over the last 200 laps in one NASCAR’s classic races.

    RCR in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Bristol… Richard Childress Racing has nine NASCAR Xfinity Series victories at Bristol Motor Speedway led by Kevin Harvick’s four wins (2000, 2001, 2003, and 2005). Other drivers who have posted wins at the Tennessee short track include Jeff Green (2002), Clint Bowyer (2008), Elliott Sadler (2012), Austin Dillon (2016) and Tyler Reddick (2019). The storied organization has racked up 38 top-five and 64 top-10 finishes at the high banked oval. Austin Hill is the most recent RCR driver to score a top-five result at Bristol Motor Speedway (third in 2022).

    Catch the Action… The NASCAR Xfinity Series Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live Friday, September 20, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on The CW. The live radio broadcast can be heard on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

    The Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, September 21 beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. The radio broadcast will be live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

    Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway… Austin Dillon has made a total of 21 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, 18 of which have been on the track’s paved configuration. Dillon has three top-10 results at the track in the paved format, including a fourth place finish in the fall of 2016. The 2013 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion has nine NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the half-mile track with a win in 2016. Dillon has also made three NASCAR Truck Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway.

    Winner, Winner… Dillon has won at Bristol Motor Speedway on both the paved and dirt configurations. In addition to winning a NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the Tennessee track in August 2016 (paved), Dillon was among the first drivers to compete on the track’s dirt surface in 2021. The veteran racer won two features and a heat race in dominating fashion in a 604 Crate Late Model for Corey Hedgecock Racing.

    About Bass Pro Shops… Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations, and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops united with Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations, and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.” Bass Pro Shops has a long relationship with NASCAR, dating back to 1998. For more information, visit http://www.basspro.com/.

    The Cowboy Way… Dillon is wearing two proverbial hats this weekend – his racing helmet and his cowboy hat. As the General Manager of the Carolina Cowboys, a professional bull riding team in the PBR Team Series, Dillon has spent much of this week managing his roster of cowboys and promoting the team’s homestand, which takes place at the Greensboro Coliseum this weekend. The Cowboys head into Greensboro on top of the PBR Team Series Standings with 15 wins, four losses, and one tie.

    AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:

    What are your thoughts on Bristol Motor Speedway?

    “Anything can happen at Bristol Motor Speedway. It’s a high-banked short track and you can get caught up in things fast. The Bass Pro Shops Bristol Night Race is a grind for 500 laps and that’s what fans love to see. You are battling it out all race long and it helps to get your car handling better if you can move around and try different lanes on the Bristol concrete. That has helped drivers make long green flag runs. There’s action all over the track and I’m looking forward to the race..”

    Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway… Kyle Busch will make his 36th NASCAR Cup Series start on the pavement at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend. Busch leads all active drivers in multiple categories: most victories (eight) – 2007 (spring), 2009 (both races), 2010 (fall), 2011 (spring), 2017 (fall), 2018 (spring) and 2019 (spring), most top-five finishes (14) and most laps led (2,598). The driver of the Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet has earned two Cup Series pole positions at the Tennessee short track – 2013 (spring) and 2018 (spring). Busch also claimed a premier series victory on the dirt surface in 2022. The Las Vegas, Nevada native has nine NASCAR Xfinity Series wins and five NASCAR Truck Series victories, marking 23 checkered flags at Bristol Motor Speedway across all three NASCAR national series and surface configurations.

    The NASCAR Hat Trick, Twice… Busch made history at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2010, becoming the first driver to win all three NASCAR national series races in the same weekend. Seven years later in 2017, Busch repeated the accomplishment – again at the Last Great Colosseum – when he secured victories in the Truck Series, Xfinity Series, and Cup Series events.

    Youngest Bristol Winner… Busch also holds the record for youngest Cup Series winner at Bristol Motor Speedway. He was 21 years, 10 months, and 23 days when he won the 2007 Food City 500, his first victory at the .533-mile oval.

    Points Check… Busch currently holds the 20th position in the Cup Series driver championship point standings.

    About Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen… Cheddar’s serves American classics and homestyle comfort food in a feel-at-home atmosphere. Guests get a lot, for not a lot with homemade entrees like hand-breaded Chicken Tenders, homemade Chicken Pot Pie and slow-smoked Baby Back Ribs so big, they almost fall off the plate. To kick off a memorable meal, every Guest is welcomed with a warm Honey Butter Croissant on the house. Cheddar’s operates more than 180 restaurants in 27 states and employs more than 15,000 friendly and passionate team members. Cheddar’s is open for lunch and dinner, now featuring new weekday lunch specials, starting at just $8.59. For more information or to locate the nearest restaurant, visit Cheddars.com. Fans can like or follow Cheddar’s on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

    KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:

    The tire at Bristol Motor Speedway will be the same compound used in the spring race. What did you learn from that race that will help you this weekend?

    “Tire management. Tire management will be the biggest key to the race this weekend. How much you can preserve the life of your tire with your driving style and the things that you do to not punish the tire will be critical.”

    The Cup Series will have one 45-minute practice session at Bristol Motor Speedway. Is that something that you would like to see at more tracks in the future?

    “Yes. I do think that having one 45-minute or even a 60-minute session would be great for our series and drivers that need more track time going forward.”

    You have said that Bristol Motor Speedway is one of your favorite tracks. What makes that track so challenging?

    “I love Bristol Motor Speedway. Bristol is always fun though it’s gotten a little more challenging over the years with the Next Gen car because it’s more difficult to pass. I think the tough part of racing at Bristol is the amount of banking and load that you see throughout the entire race. There’s no time to relax. You’re really on top of it for the entire time. That’s kind of what wears on you the most with the repetitious nature of driving down the straightway into the corner. It never seems to stop. It makes it fun for a lot of guys and challenging for others.”

    Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway… Jesse Love has made three career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, driving in ARCA Menards Series events from 2021-2023. The Menlo Park, California native started inside the top-five for all three races and recorded a best finish of second-place last season.

    About Whelen Engineering… Whelen Engineering is a family-owned company with a pioneering spirit and a passion to protect the lives of those who protect and serve others. The company mission is to provide industry-defining safety solutions around the world, while creating a community of problem-solvers who are inspired to push boundaries and continue our legacy of delivering ground-breaking innovation. As a global leader in the emergency warning industry, Whelen has been trusted to perform since 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon. Whelen now encompasses two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space and the largest design staff in the industry. Every part of every Whelen product is proudly designed and manufactured in America. We embrace quality as our foundation, we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.

    Meet Love… On Friday, September 20 at 4:45 p.m. ET, Love is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler in the Fan Zone at Bristol Motor Speedway. Immediately following at 5:15 p.m. ET, the Sunoco Rookie of the Year points leader will head to the Chevrolet Display in the Fan Zone to answer fan questions. Stop by to meet Love before the regular season finale event begins.

    JESSE LOVE QUOTE:

    With Bristol Motor Speedway being the final race of the regular season, what is the focus for the No. 2 team?

    “Our focus remains the same honestly. We want to go win the race and accumulate as many playoff points as possible. Danny Stockman and everyone on the No. 2 team has been working extremely hard all season, but especially these last few weeks to get us in the best spot entering the Playoffs. We started the season with a ton of speed, hit a lull in the middle, and have started to put together solid races again in the last month. I feel confident in our program and expect us to have a good run on Friday night. I have raced at Bristol a few times already and probably had the best car last season in the ARCA race. We will have to be smart from start to finish, but our Whelen Chevrolet should contend for the win.”

    Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway… Austin Hill has made two career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, earning a best finish of third in 2022 while piloting the No. 21 Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet. The Winston, Georgia native has also competed in six NASCAR Truck Series events (best finish of 10th) and three ARCA Menards Series East races (best finish of fifth) at the World’s Fastest Half Mile.

    About Bennett Family of Companies… McDonough-Ga. based Bennett Family of Companies is a woman-owned, Women’s Enterprise Business Council (WBENC) certified, diversified transportation and logistics company. Through its 14 affiliated operating companies, the Bennett Family of Companies delivers integrated transportation and supply chain management solutions worldwide. Bennett has 4,625 drivers/owner-operators, over 1,000 employees and 600 agents located across the United States. For more information, visit www.bennettig.com.

    Meet Hill… On Friday, September 20 at 4:15 p.m. ET, Hill is scheduled to answer fan questions at the Chevrolet Display in the Fan Zone at Bristol Motor Speedway. Immediately following at 4:45 p.m., Hill will head to the RCR Merchandise Hauler to sign autographs in the Fan Zone. Stop by to meet the 30-year-old driver before the green flag waves on the regular season finale.

    AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:

    What does it take to win at Bristol Motor Speedway?

    “I guess I really don’t know that yet, because I haven’t won at Bristol Motor Speedway throughout my career. During my rookie season, our No. 21 team had a really good Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet, finished third, and had a shot at winning. Even though I haven’t won there, I know a lot of the things that you’re looking for. You need a very versatile car. You need to be able to run the bottom when the resin is laid down, and as that starts wearing away, you need to be able to move up the racetrack and eventually get up against the fence. That is what I was able to do last year and was really good right up against the wall. There are a lot of wrecks and melee that happens at Bristol, so you have to be patiently aggressive, stay up front all race, keep your track position, and minimize your mistakes.”

  • ARCA Menards Series / ARCA Menards Series East at Bristol: Bush’s Beans 200 Post-race Notes

    ARCA Menards Series / ARCA Menards Series East at Bristol: Bush’s Beans 200 Post-race Notes

    • Defending series champion William Sawalich (No 18 Starkey / SoundGear Toyota) clinched the 2024 ARCA Menards Series East championship with his victory in Thursday night’s Bush’s Beans 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Sawalich outdueled Landen Lewis (No. 97 Grant County Mulch Chevrolet) on an overtime restart to score his eighth ARCA Menards Series victory of the year and third ARCA Menards Series East win of the season.
    • Connor Zilisch (No. 28 Silver Hare Development / Chevrolet Performance Chevrolet) entered the race at Bristol with a 16-point lead in the ARCA Menards Series East championship standings and was on pace to clinch the title early in the race. Zilisch, who needed to only finish 12th or higher to win the title, was relegated to 26th at the finish after he was swept into a crash not of his doing while leading on lap 65. Zilisch finished second in the East standings, 12 points behind Sawalich.
    • Lewis finished second in his first ARCA Menards Series appearance since he finished 20th at Bristol in 2023. Lewis won at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in 2021 in just his second series start and is a two-time ARCA Menards Series West winner. He also finished second at Phoenix Raceway in March 2023.
    • Lavar Scott (No. 6 Max Siegel Inc. Chevrolet) finished third after a stuck throttle in qualifying forced him to start 26th. Scott quickly worked his way through the field and avoided major problems while battling for position in and among the top ten to score his eighth top-five finish of 2024.
    • Andres Perez (No. 2 Max Siegel Inc. Chevrolet) finished fourth to maintain a 53-point lead in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings over Scott with just two series races remaining.
    • Dean Thompson (No. 5 Thompson Pipe Group Toyota) was the highest finishing of the five Venturini Motorsports entries in fifth.
    • ARCA Menards Series West championship points leader Tyler Reif (No. 23 Sigma Performance Services/GMS Fabrication Chevrolet) finished sixth in his first ARCA Menards Series start since the second race of the season at Phoenix Raceway. Reif won in his ARCA Menards Series debut at Phoenix in 2023 and has two West victories in 2024. He leads the West standings by seven points over defending series champion Sean Hingorani with four races remaining.
    • Corey Day (No. 82 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet) scored his best career series finish in seventh. Day drove a second entry fielded by Pinnacle Racing Group; his effort was overseen by Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Greg Ives.
    • Talladega winner Jake Finch (No. 1 Phoenix Toyota) finished eighth in just his second short track appearance of the season. Finch finished 18th at Salem Speedway in his only other short track start this season.
    • Lawless Alan (No. 33 AutoPARKIt Ford) finished ninth, his third top-ten finish in five ARCA Menards Series starts in 2024.
    • Andy Jankowiak (No. 73 Acacia Energy Toyota) finished tenth, the final car on the lead lap.
    • Zachary Tinkle (No. 11 Racing for Rescues Toyota) finished eleventh to secure fourth place in the final ARCA Menards Series East championship standings.
    • The next race for the ARCA Menards Series is Reese’s 150 at Kansas Speedway on Friday, September 27 at 5 pm ET/4 pm CT. The race will be televised live on FS1 and broadcast on select affiliates of the MRN Radio network nationwide.

    About ARCA
    The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio, and acquired by NASCAR in April 2018, is the leading grassroots stock car sanctioning body in the United States. Bridging the gap between NASCAR’s top three national touring series and weekly and regional tour racing all across the country, the organization sanctions over 100 races per year in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, ASA STARS National Tour, ASA CRA Super Series, ASA Midwest Tour, ASA Southern Super Series plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways. For more information about ARCA visit www.arcaracing.com, or follow ARCA on Facebook (@ARCARacing) and Twitter (@ARCA_Racing).

    About Menards
    A family-owned and run company started in 1958, Menards is recognized as the retail home center leader of the Midwest with 236 stores in 15 states. Menards is truly a one-stop shop for all of your home improvement needs featuring a full-service lumberyard and everything you need to plan a renovation or build a home, garage, cabin, shed, deck, fence or post frame building. You’ll find a large selection of lumber, roofing, siding, construction blocks, trusses, doors and windows, plus cabinets, appliances, countertops, flooring, lighting, paint, plumbing supplies and more. To complete the job, Menards has quality hand tools, power tools, fasteners, electrical tools plus storage options and supplies for everyone from the weekend warrior to the pro!

    Menards has what you need to complete your outdoor projects and keep your yard in tip-top shape including mowers, trimmers, blowers, pressure washers and more, plus a beautiful garden center stocked with plants, shrubs, trees, landscaping tools, grass seed, fertilizer options, outdoor décor and patio furniture. Menards also has everyday essentials like health & beauty products, housewares, pet and wildlife supplies, automotive items and even groceries. And at Christmas, an Enchanted Forest display area with impressive trees, lighting, decorations, ornaments, inflatables and more.

    Menards is known for friendly Customer Service and as the place to “Save Big Money” with low prices every day, and sales too! For more information, please visit Menards.com to learn about our store locations, offerings and services.

  • Harrison Burton Joins AM Racing Xfinity Series Program Beginning in 2025

    Harrison Burton Joins AM Racing Xfinity Series Program Beginning in 2025

    STATESVILLE, N.C.: AM Racing proudly announced today that recent Daytona Cup Series winner Harrison Burton will join the organization to pilot the team’s flagship Ford Mustang entry full-time in the Xfinity Series beginning with the season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on February 15, 2025.

    Burton will join the Statesville, N.C. team following a three-year stint in the Cup Series, driving the famed No. 21 Ford Mustang for the iconic Wood Brothers Racing team.

    The son of former Cup Series driver and current NBC television analyst Jeff Burton, missiled his way into the 2024 Cup Series Playoffs with a dramatic last-lap pass in the penultimate Cup Series race of the regular season at Daytona International Speedway to deliver the Stuart, Virginia team its 100th victory in the Cup Series and Burton’s first-career win at the sports pinnacle level.

    The Huntersville, N.C.-native will join AM Racing for its third year of full-time competition in the Xfinity Series. After several years as a mainstay in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, the family-owned team graduated to the Xfinity Series in 2023.

    “I’m excited to join AM Racing and help build it into the race-winning race team I believe it can and will be,” said Burton. “I think this will be a great opportunity for me to take the things I’ve learned in the Cup Series, bring those to the Xfinity Series and be the best driver I can be.

    “It’s a blessing to continue my NASCAR journey, and I intend to make the most of this opportunity.”

    AM Racing has also renewed its agreement with Roush Yates Engines to continue to provide the legendary Ford horsepower for the 33-race schedule next season.

    The team will continue its technical alliance with the soon-to-be-rebranded HAAS Factory Team for a third consecutive Xfinity Series season.

    “AM Racing is proud to welcome Harrison Burton on board,” offered Wade Moore, president of AM Racing. “He is a first-class individual and has already proven that he will immediately impact each team member here at AM in a positive manner. His experiences across NASCAR’s National Series will position him to be a leader and a catalyst in our pursuit of Victory Lane and the goals we ultimately envision for this program.

    “We are equally proud to continue our strong partnerships with Ford Performance, Roush Yates Engines and HAAS Factory Team. These collaborations have been instrumental in supporting our team’s growth and success, and we look forward to building upon these relationships in the upcoming season. We will continue to invest in this team, our employees and ultimately, our future.”

    Additional details on Burton’s Xfinity Series program with AM Racing will be announced in due course.

    For more on AM Racing, please visit AMRacingteam.com, like their Facebook page (AM Racing), or follow them on Instagram and X | Twitter @AMRacingNASCAR.

    For more on Harrison Burton, please visit theharrisonburton.com, like his Facebook page (Official Harrison Burton), or follow him on Instagram (@harrisonburton12) and X | Twitter (@hburtonracing).

    About AM Racing:

    AM Racing is a multi-tiered, multi-faceted Motorsports program headquartered in Statesville, N.C.

    Established in December 2015, AM Racing is prided on faith, honesty and intelligent performance.

    The family-owned team will compete in the ARCA Menards Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and various Dirt Modified events in its eighth year of competition.

  • JDX Racing Descends On Brickyard Looking For Porsche Carrera Cup Wins

    JDX Racing Descends On Brickyard Looking For Porsche Carrera Cup Wins

    Alex Sedgwick, Zachary Vanier and Elias De La Torre All Sit Top 10 in Point Standings, With Madeline Stewart Closing Fast in Impressive Showing for Four Car Effort

    INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (September 20, 2024) – With just six races left in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America season, JDX Racing enters the stretch run with two drivers in the top four of the point standings, another inside the top 10, and a fourth showing significant improvement in recent rounds – giving the four-car effort momentum heading into this weekend’s doubleheader at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

    Alex Sedgwick currently leads the way for JDX Racing, sitting second in the Pro Class point standings on the strength of four podium finishes. Sedgwick is 57 points from the lead, with teammate Zachary Vanier just 15 points and two positions behind Sedgwick. Elias De La Torre sits eighth in the points, with Madeline Stewart 16th.

    All four will be in action this week, with doubleheader races on the 2.4-mile “Brickyard” road course. Friday’s 40-minte race takes the green flag at 3 p.m. EDT, with Saturday’s race at 11:10 a.m. EDT. Both races can be seen live Races air live at PorscheCarreraCup.us, on the IMSA YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@imsaofficial, for subscribers on the Peacock streaming app and at IMSA.TV.

    JDX Racing Pre-Race News and Notes

    • Sedgwick’s No. 98 PT Autosport/Byers Imports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup enters the weekend with a four-event podium streak. Outside of the opener at Sebring, Sedgwick has been on the podium at least once at each doubleheader this season.
    • The streak may well continue this weekend, as Sedgwick was a podium finisher in each race at Indianapolis a season ago. His race two podium last year for JDX Racing came after starting 11th.
    • It’s a bit of a homecoming for Sedgwick, despite his British heritage. His first race with backers PT Autosport came in Porsche Sprint Challenge at Indianapolis, which led to the opportunity to partner with JDX Racing for Carrera Cup the past two seasons.
    • The consistent finishes have pushed him to second in the championship. Though he trails leader Loek Hartog by 57 points entering the Indianapolis weekend, he has a 14 point cushion on third place, and 19 points to his teammate Vanier in fourth.
    • Vanier and his No. 9 Technica Mining/Byers Imports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup finished as the runner-up the last time out at Road America. It was a strong bounce back from Saturday’s race, where he was collected in a lap one incident that likely cost him significant points.
    • Though it’s Vanier’s rookie season in Carrera Cup North America, he swept the weekend at Indianapolis a year ago in Porsche Sprint Challenge on his way to that championship. Both single-make series run by Porsche Motorsport North America utilize the same 992 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars, giving the young Canadian extended experience in the car.
    • De La Torre continues to show improvement from his rookie season in Carrera Cup. His 76 championship points put him eighth on the grid and are almost three times the number he scored a year ago – still with six races to go.
    • The 18-year-old matched his season best at Road America with a fifth-place finish in Saturday’s race there.
    • Stewart scored points in both races on a weekend for the first time at Road America, boosting herself to 16th in the point standings. Stewart drove her No. 82 Spool Imports/Byers Imports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup to a seventh and 11th place finish at Road America, with both runs topping her previous season best.
    • Like Vanier, Stewart was a participant in the Porsche Sprint Challenge a season ago. She finished just off the podium at Indianapolis in that championship during its season finale with a fourth-place finish.
    • The New Zealand native is currently calling Indianapolis home as she pursues her racing career, making this week’s event the closest to a “home” race on the North American schedule for Stewart.
    • JDX Racing has run successful tests at both Indianapolis and Circuit of the Americas in the time since the last rounds at Road America.
    • The Indianapolis event began with practice on Thursday morning. Sedgwick opened with the fourth-quickest time to lead all JDX Racing drivers in the 30-car field, just 0.253-second off the best time in the session. Vanier was eighth on the timing charts, followed by Stewart in 11th and De La Torre in 15th. Sedgwick jumped to the top in the much warmer Practice 2, with Vanier and De La Torre improving their times from the morning session.
    • Prior to the racing, qualifying takes place at 9:35 EDT on Friday morning. The 20-minute session will set the grid for Friday’s race one.

    JDX Racing Quote Board

    Jeremy Dale, Team Principal, JDX Racing: “We’re really excited to get back on the track after a number of weeks off post-Road America. We’ve done a test at Indy and we’ve done a test of COTA and all the drivers and team are feeling quite tuned up so it should be a fun weekend for us. We’ve had reasonable success here over the years so we’ll be looking to build on that and solidify our places in the point standings as the season continues to progress.”

    Alex Sedgwick, Driver, No. 98 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: “It’s always special to come to Indy and to be able to say that you’ve raced here. Last year went really, really well. With a year of additional experience, we have very high expectations and I think it should be a very good weekend. We’re looking to maximize our points haul and gather as many as we can as we continue to claw back into the championship. We obviously need a little bit of luck on our side as well but I’m feeling very positive that it can be a good one for us. Indianapolis was where it all started with PT Autosport. The first PT Autosport race was Sprint Challenge at the Porsche Together Fest in a 991.2 Porsche. It was my first race in a Porsche, PT Autosport’s first race as an organization, and really what gave me the opportunity to move onto Carrera Cup and start this partnership between PT and JDX. There’s a lot of history here, and a track I love to race around as well.”

    Zachary Vanier, Driver, No. 9 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: “I’m really looking forward to being back at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Porsche Carrera Cup North America. It’s a track with such a strong legacy and one that treated me really good las season by giving me two wins. It’s a track that’s very difficult since it’s always changing and requiring different things each lap, making it really important to adapt and maximize each session. Coming off a strong weekend Road America, we’re going to continue pushing for strong points toward the championship with the goal of leaving Indianapolis again with two wins. We’ve just got to stay focused and continue developing our platform into something competitive which gives me a great amount of confidence that we’ll be a front-running contender this weekend. I can’t thank all of my partners and family enough for giving me this opportunity and I hope to make them proud this week.”

    Elias De La Torre, Driver, No.4 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: “Heading into the weekend at the historic ‘Brickyard,” we hope to have a better weekend than last year where a mechanical issue in qualifying had us starting from the back. We’re trying to carry the good parts of the Road America weekend over and continue progressing toward the front end of the grid once again. Although Indy isn’t a circuit that suits by style, we will maximize the car and the track time to go as far forward as possible.”

    Madeline Stewart, Driver, No. 82 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: “I’m really looking forward to racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend. Having been based in Indianapolis for the 2024 season, it feels like a home race for me. We’re coming off our best Carrera Cup round to date, so I’m focused on building on that momentum and continuing to progress.”

    About JDX Racing:

    Founded in 2008 and based outside of Denver, CO, JDX Racing represents the very best in professional motorsports. Competing in the IMSA sports car series, JDX Racing campaigns cars in events throughout North America. JDX Racing features world-class drivers, outstanding crew members and dynamic marketers from Champ Car, IndyCar, NASCAR, ALMS and the Champ Car Atlantic Championship series. For more information, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/jdxracing, on Twitter @JDXRACING and on Instagram @jdxracing.

  • Lane Riggs earns second Truck Series victory by racing to UNOH 200 title at Bristol Motor Speedway

    Lane Riggs earns second Truck Series victory by racing to UNOH 200 title at Bristol Motor Speedway

     BRISTOL, Tenn.—Layne Riggs relished his role as spoiler so much that he returned for an encore Thursday night at Bristol Motor Speedway.

    Riggs isn’t competing for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship, but that didn’t prevent him from winning the Playoff opener Aug. 25 at the Milwaukee Mile.

    On Thursday, Riggs passed runner-up Corey Heim for the lead on Lap 121 of 200 in the UNOH 200 Presented by Ohio Logistics and held it the rest of the way to score his second career victory and his fourth straight top five.

    “Oh, my gosh, we’ve just learned so much with the trucks,” said the driver of the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford. “My team, Dylan (Cappello), he’s bad-ass…

    “To be running fifth, 10th and all of a sudden to go back-to-back in the Playoffs—man, I wish I was in the Playoffs so bad. I think we’d be a real threat to win the championship.”

    Heim had to settle for second place, but there was a silver lining for the driver of the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota. Heim scored enough points on Thursday to advance to Round of 8, as did fourth-place finisher Christian Eckes and fifth-place Nick Sanchez.

    “Every time we got a heat cycle on the tires, it seemed like we got tighter and tighter,” said Heim, who fell one spot short in his defense of last year’s victory at Thunder Valley. “Just didn’t quite have it, but solid points day in the Playoffs—that’s what you need, so I will keep moving forward…

    “I’m looking forward to my favorite place (Kansas Speedway) next week.”

    Heim won a drag race for the runner-up spot over Rajah Caruth, who elevated his standing in the Playoffs with a win in the first stage and a solid run the rest of the way.

    Caruth vaulted from 10th to fifth in the standings with the third-place run and now stands 35 points above the current cut line with next Friday’s elimination race at Kansas left to determine which eight drivers advance to the next round.

    “We executed the race—just two spots short,” said Caruth, who glanced toward Riggs’ truck doing celebratory burnouts on the frontstretch. “Man, I wish that was us,” Caruth added wistfully.

    Reigning series champion Ben Rhodes fought an ill-handling truck and finished 27th, two laps down, and fell to 10th in the standings, 12 points behind Grant Enfinger in eighth.

    Daniel Dye tangled with Kaden Honeycutt on the frontstretch on Lap 157 and finished 37th, six laps down. Dye heads for Kansas seven points behind Enfinger.

    Eighteen-year-old Sprint Car star Corey Day finished 18th in his Truck Series debut. After winning his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut last Saturday at Watkins Glen, polesitter Connor Zilisch spun in Turn 4 on Lap 109 and came home 19th.

    Matt Crafton ran sixth, followed by Chase Purdy and Playoff driver Ty Majeski, who started from the rear after his team made unapproved adjustments to the No. 98 Ford. Stewart Friesen and Playoff driver Tyler Ankrum completed the top 10.

    • Story by NASCAR Newswire

    William Sawalich raced to the win in the Bush’s Beans 200 ARCA Menards Series race and in the process claimed his second ARCA Menards East Series title. It was Sawalich’s second straight Bristol Motor Speedway victory.

    Sawalich powered past his challengers at the controls of his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing machine to take the checkered flag in front of Landen Lewis, Lavar Scott, Andres Perez and Dean Thompson.

    Connor Zilisch, who entered the race as the ARCA East points leader got caught up in a crash early in the race and it ended his championship chances. His No. 28 machine collided with Logan Misuraca’s No. 9 Chevy, which spun out and hit the wall. As her car drifted back down track, Zilich’s machine slammed into it at full speed. The damage to Zilisch’s car was too much to overcome. Zilisch finished 26th and dropped to second in the East standings.

    Other notable finishers included heralded dirt track racer Corey Day, who finished seventh and former Indy Car racer Marco Andretti, who finished 22nd.

    Bush’s Beans 200 Final Results
    ARCA Menards Series
    Bristol Motor Speedway
    Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024

    1. William Sawalich
    2. Landen Lewis
    3. Lavar Scott
    4. Andres Perez
    5. Dean Thompson
    6. Tyler Reif
    7. Corey Day
    8. Jake Finch
    9. Lawless Alan
    10. Andy Jankowiak
    11. Zachary Tinkle
    12. Toni Breidinger
    13. Kris Wright
    14. Eric Caudell
    15. Gio Ruggiero
    16. Tim Richmond
    17. Cody Dennison
    18. Andrew Patterson
    19. Alex Clubb
    20. Christian Rose
    21. Greg VanAlst
    22. Marco Andretti
    23. D.L. Wilson
    24. Michael Maples
    25. Amber Balcaen
    26. Connor Zilisch
    27. Logan Misuraca
    28. Tim Goulet
    29. Dale Shearer
    30. Nate Moeller
    31. Brian Clubb
    32. Brad Smith
    33. Dawson Sutton

    NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race – UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics
    Bristol Motor Speedway
    Bristol, Tennessee
    Thursday, September 19, 2024

    1. (18) Layne Riggs #, Ford, 200.
    2. (2) Corey Heim (P), Toyota, 200.
    3. (3) Rajah Caruth (P), Chevrolet, 200.
    4. (8) Christian Eckes (P), Chevrolet, 200.
    5. (6) Nick Sanchez (P), Chevrolet, 200.
    6. (11) Matt Crafton, Ford, 200.
    7. (9) Chase Purdy, Chevrolet, 200.
    8. (19) Ty Majeski (P), Ford, 200.
    9. (5) Stewart Friesen, Toyota, 200.
    10. (14) Tyler Ankrum (P), Chevrolet, 200.
    11. (4) William Sawalich, Toyota, 200.
    12. (16) Taylor Gray (P), Toyota, 200.
    13. (28) Bret Holmes, Chevrolet, 200.
    14. (17) Dean Thompson, Toyota, 200.
    15. (26) Bayley Currey, Chevrolet, 200.
    16. (13) Stefan Parsons, Chevrolet, 200.
    17. (15) Grant Enfinger (P), Chevrolet, 200.
    18. (22) Corey Day, Chevrolet, 200.
    19. (1) Connor Zilisch(i) (P), Chevrolet, 200.
    20. (20) Connor Mosack, Chevrolet, 200.
    21. (21) Jake Garcia, Ford, 200.
    22. (27) Timmy Hill, Toyota, 200.
    23. (10) Tanner Gray, Toyota, 200.
    24. (29) Lawless Alan, Ford, 199.
    25. (30) Matt Mills, Chevrolet, 199.
    26. (24) Jack Wood, Chevrolet, 199.
    27. (25) Ben Rhodes (P), Ford, 198.
    28. (35) Justin Mondeik, Chevrolet, 198.
    29. (31) Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 198.
    30. (12) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 198.
    31. (32) Mason Maggio, Ford, 196.
    32. (7) Daniel Dye (P), Chevrolet, 194.
    33. (34) Keith McGee, Ford, 194.
    34. (33) Tyler Tomassi, Chevrolet, 192.
    35. (36) Kaden Honeycutt (P), Chevrolet, Accident, 157.
    36. (23) Conner Jones #, Ford, Overheating, 126.

    Average Speed of Race Winner: 79.552 mph.

    Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 20 Mins, 24 Secs. Margin of Victory: 1.096 Seconds.

    Caution Flags: 4 for 39 laps.

    Lead Changes: 8 among 5 drivers.

    Lap Leaders: C. Zilisch(i) (P) 1-41;C. Heim (P) 42-51;R. Caruth (P) 52-59;C. Heim (P) 60;T. Hill 61-65;C. Heim (P) 66-99;R. Caruth (P) 100;C. Heim (P) 101-120;L. Riggs # 121-200.

    Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Layne Riggs # 1 time for 80 laps; Corey Heim (P) 4 times for 65 laps; Connor Zilisch(i) (P) 1 time for 41 laps; Rajah Caruth (P) 2 times for 9 laps; Timmy Hill 1 time for 5 laps.

    Stage #1 Top Ten: 71,11,19,7,2,52,1,38,77,43

    Stage #2 Top Ten: 11,19,71,38,2,52,1,88,5,77

    Layne Riggs (38) held off defending winner Corey Heim (11) to take the victory Thursday at Bristol Motor Speedway.

    Layne Riggs takes the checkered flag Thursday at Bristol Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

    UNOH representatives congratulate Layne Riggs in Victory Lane Thursday after winning the UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics.

    William Sawalich (18) edged out his season long rival Connor Zilisch (28) for the ARCA East championship after winning the Bush’s Beans 200 Thursday at Bristol Motor Speedway.

  • Layne Riggs Drives F-150 to Fourth Straight NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Victory

    Layne Riggs Drives F-150 to Fourth Straight NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Victory

    Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
    NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
    UNOH 200 | Bristol Motor Speedway
    Thursday, September 19, 2024

    LAYNE RIGGS CONTINUES HOT STREAK WITH SECOND STRAIGHT VICTORY

    • Layne Riggs drove his No. 38 Love’s Travel Stops Ford F-150 to his second straight NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory tonight at Bristol Motor Speedway.
    • He’s the second Ford driver to win back-to-back series races this season after Ty Majeski did it at Indianapolis and Richmond.
    • The last time Ford won four straight NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races was 2000 when Greg Biffle (3) and Kurt Busch (2) combined to win five straight.

    LAYNE RIGGS, No. 38 Love’s Travel Stops Ford F-150 – VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW

    YOU WANTED TO BE A PLAYOFF SPOILER AND THAT’S WHAT YOU’RE DOING. WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THIS BREAKOUT TO? “We have just learned so much with the trucks and my team. Dillon, my crew chief, he’s bad ass. He works so hard at night and we as a team, we’re a young team. I think the average age is in the twenties, so it’s so amazing. To be running fifth, 10th and then all of a sudden go back-to-back in the playoffs? Man, I wish I was in the playoffs so bad. I think we’d be a real threat to win this championship.”

    WHAT DOES YOUR TEAM’S CONVICTION DO FOR YOU AS A DRIVER? “I’m a bad mug. That’s what they said over the radio. I wasn’t scared to throw it against the fence tonight and, man, the track was so fun. I’m so glad they didn’t put the PJ1 on the track. It was so much fun. Even at the very end you could run the bottom or the top and make equal lap times. I know this Cup race on Saturday night is gonna be really awesome. I hope everybody tunes in, but what a shout out to Love’s for being on the truck. You can’t miss the big yellow truck. Xfinity Communications, that’s two in a row. Man, everybody has helped me so much to get here.”

    Unofficial Ford Finishing Order:

    1st – Layne Riggs
    6th – Matt Crafton
    8th – Ty Majeski
    21st – Jake Garcia
    24th – Lawless Alan
    27th – Ben Rhodes
    31st – Mason Maggio
    33rd – Keith McGee
    36th – Conner Jones

    TY MAJESKI, No. 98 Road Ranger/Grinds Coffee Pouches Ford F-150 – “We did what we needed to do tonight. Obviously, we fought some adversity. I was proud of the team. When you have a little mishap like that, this is the kind of comeback we needed tonight. It’s what we needed. Of course, we always come to the racetrack wanting to win. We have good, fast Ford F-150s every week. We made the most out of it tonight and did exactly what we needed to do. That will put us in a really comfortable spot going to Kansas and we’ll try to capitalize there and move on to Talladega.”

    BEN RHODES, No. 99 Bommarito Automotive Group Ford F-150 – “It was tough from the get-go. The moment we unloaded from the transporter we had some issues in practice. It’s kind of the story with this Next Gen practice. If you have issues, you can’t really fix them. You can only really tune on the truck and we needed more than fine-tuning today. We tried to fix one thing, but it would hurt another so we were kind of stuck in the middle of No man’s land and not really able to fix the truck. That made myself more less comfortable at times. All in all, I wish we had a better outing for this Bommarito Ford F-150, but we’re just gonna have to go get it at Kansas now and work really hard to get our points back. I don’t know where we’re at in points, but I know it’s not good. You kind of do mental math as the race is unfolding and know that you’re losing it, so now we’re in a clutch moment where we have to come through at Kansas.”

    MATT CRAFTON, No. 88 Planters/Menards Ford F-150 – “All in all, we made something there at the end. We were OK. On long runs, the first run we were off just a little bit and made some good adjustments on the one pit stop we made and made it better. We still didn’t quite have the longer run speed that we needed, but, all in all, not a terrible night.”