Author: Official Release

Niece Motorsports NCTS Race Preview: Bristol Motor Speedway II
NIECE MOTORSPORTS
NCTS RACE ADVANCE: BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Race: UNOH 200 Presented by Ohio Logistics (200 laps / 106.6 miles) | Race 18 of 23
Track: Bristol Motor Speedway
Location: Bristol, Tennessee
Date & Time: Thursday, September 19th | 8:00 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | Motor Racing Network (MRN) | Sirius XM Ch. 90

No. 41 Crazy Al’s Wine & Spirits Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Connor Mosack | Crew Chief: Cody Efaw
Connor Mosack
@ConnorMosack
@ConnorMosack
- Mosack’s Back: 25-year-old Connor Mosack returns for his final Truck Series start of the year with Niece Motorsports. In both of his previous starts with the team, he drove the No. 45 entry, but shifts to the No. 41 truck in Thursday’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The team’s primary full-time driver, Bayley Currey, has moved over to the No. 44 entry for this week. Mosack has made five total NCTS starts this year, splitting his schedule with Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 team. His season-best finish is an eighth-place run at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
- Niece Motorsports Bristol Stats: Niece drivers have accounted for a total of 23 NCTS starts on the traditional concrete layout at Bristol Motor Speedway. The team has captured two top-fives and four top-10 finishes, with a best result of third in 2019 by Ross Chastain.
- Mosack’s Bristol Stats: Connor Mosack has competed in one prior NCTS start at Bristol in 2022, where he finished 31st in Bret Holmes Racing equipment. Last year, Mosack raced his way to a top-15 finish in the Xfinity Series event when he finished 14th for Sam Hunt Racing. In his lone ARCA Menards Series start at the 0.533-mile short track, Mosack picked up a top-10 finish (ninth) in 2022.
- On the Truck: Mosack’s No. 41 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from Crazy Al’s Wine & Spirits, a family-owned liquor store located in Tonkawa, Oklahoma.
- Quoting Mosack: How do you sum up your experience in running with Niece Motorsports on a part-time basis this year?
“I feel like the two races haven’t gone as well as we’ve liked, but Las Vegas was my first truck race at a mile-and-a-half and it was also my first start at Gateway, so there’s been a lot of learning for me along the way. Both of those races were good opportunities for me to learn those places and mesh with the new team and crew chief. It’s been good; I’ve enjoyed it, and I feel like both races we improved all day. Going into Bristol, that’s a place I have been before, so I think we can start off a bit better and hopefully end on our best note.”
- Quoting Efaw: Without any track compound being used this week, how should that change the competitiveness of the race?
“I think that should give the drivers some more options to change their line throughout the race. In years past, when we’ve had the PJ1 applied to the track before our race, we’ve seen that it takes a while for us to break it in by the finish, so now it should open up the track a bit earlier. That gives us options to use the whole track from the drop of the green flag.”

About Crazy Al’s: Crazy Al’s is a family-owned wine and spirit store located in Tonkawa, Oklahoma. The store offers several varieties of premium wine, whiskey, tequila, vodka, and more, alongside a beer cave that carries domestic and imported brands suited to fit everyone’s tastes. Visit the Crazy Al’s Facebook page for new product offerings, sales, and more. Drink responsibly, must be 21 years or older to enter.

No. 42 J.F. Electric / Utilitra Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Jon Leonard
Matt Mills Racing
@MattMillsRacing
@MattMillsRacing
- Mills’ Bristol Stats: Matt Mills has made two prior NCTS starts at Bristol, including the spring race earlier this year. In March, Mills notched his best Truck Series finish at the track with a 25th-place result. Mills made five Xfinity Series starts at the short track and produced a best finish of 18th in the fall race of 2019.
- Leonard’s Bristol Stats: Jon Leonard has called four NCTS races at Bristol, and in two of those starts, he secured top-10 finishes while working with Stewart Friesen (fourth in 2021 & seventh in 2022). In his lone Cup Series start in 2018, Leonard’s team drove to a 15th-place finish with Kasey Kahne at the wheel.
- On the Truck: Mills’ No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from longtime partners J.F. Electric & Utilitra.
- Looking Back on NASCAR Debut: At age 19 in 2016, Mills made his very first NASCAR national series start at Bristol Motor Speedway driving the No. 07 Silverado for SS Greenlight Racing. On that night, Mills started 31st and finished 27th in his Truck Series debut.
- There’s a New Leonard in Town: Jon Leonard and his wife, AudriOnna, welcomed the birth of their third child last Thursday. Their baby boy named Karson is healthy and resting at home with his two big sisters. Congratulations to the happy family!
- Recapping Milwaukee: Matt Mills was on track to have a solid day in Milwaukee, but contact from another competitor resulted in him slamming into the wall with the rear of his No. 42 Chevrolet. Mills qualified 17th and held his track position in stage one. In stage two, he moved up to 16th, and made his way into the top-15 before the incident. A caution was not thrown for his contact and he fought an ill-handling truck for the rest of the race. Mills crossed the line in 24th.
- Points Rundown: Entering Bristol, Mills continues to be shown 22nd in the points standings. Last race, the driver of the No. 42 Chevy gained one point on his nearest competitor, Timmy Hill, who now leads a 12-point gap between the two for 21st. Mills in turn has a 21-point cushion above his teammate, Kaden Honeycutt, in 23rd.
- Quoting Mills: How much, if any, has the Bristol track changed since you made your debut here in 2016?
“Bristol has been one of those tracks that’s been hit or miss for me. It’s a track that doesn’t consistently race the same each time we go there, especially going from trucks to Xfinity cars. I’ve ran races when the track runs like a bottom feeder, but have also seen the top come in. It’s a very fun racetrack to make laps on, and even though my finishes have been hit or miss, I feel like we usually have speed there. We just have to keep up with how the track is going to race.”
- Quoting Leonard: Are the Bristol handling conditions similar when we race in the spring compared to the fall?
“I think for the most part, this track typically carries over a lot of similar handling characteristics. The biggest thing that will change from the first race to now is the fact that there won’t be any traction compound on the surface like how we are used to having before our race. I think that shouldn’t necessarily change how the trucks drive, but it should allow us to move around a lot more. Hopefully that will help improve the racing and make it easier for passing.”

About J.F. Electric: J.F. Electric is an electrical contractor that provides engineering expertise, backed by construction and installation know-how in a diverse range of service offerings, from utilities and commercial projects, to industrial and telecommunications customers. When having a long family history in an industry, a company not only builds on its knowledge and experience, it takes pride in cultivating a solid understanding of client needs, all the while nurturing strong relationships with its employees. Evolving through five generations of the Fowler family, J.F. Electric has matured into a well-managed and thoughtfully diversified electrical contractor which is poised to continue its growth and expansion into the future.

About Utilitra: Utilitra is a woman-owned firm specializing in utility and technology solutions with a diverse team of specialized professionals. Utilitra is committed to solving their client’s unique challenges, whether one expert or a team of experts is needed. By adapting to the needs of their respective industries, Utilitra has built a range of services for their utility and technology partners.

No. 44 DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Bayley Currey | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
Bayley Currey
@BayleyCurrey
@BayleyCurrey05
- New Number, Who This?: After making the first 17 races of the season behind the wheel of the No. 41 Chevrolet, Bayley Currey slides into the No. 44 truck for this week’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Currey is the third driver to drive the part-time entry after Conor Daly and Matt Gould both made starts in the No. 44 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park and the Milwaukee Mile.
- Currey’s Bristol Stats: Bayley Currey has made four Truck Series starts at Bristol since 2017 including three top-15 finishes. In the spring race, Currey finished highest of the Niece Motorsports drivers in 11th – his personal best finish at the track. Currey has started five Xfinity Series races at the short track, where in 2022 he also finished 11th after leading a handful of laps. He also owns a pair of Cup Series starts here as well.
- Rogers’ Bristol Stats: Wally Rogers has called seven NCTS races at Bristol and secured his personal best finish of third in 2004 while working with Matt Crafton at Kevin Harvick Incorporated. In 13 NXS starts atop the box, Rogers’ drivers have finished inside the top-10 seven times, including a pair of third-place finishes (2001 with Randy LaJoie and 2006 with Ron Hornaday). In 2009, Rogers made his first start as a Cup Series crew chief here and later went on to make 11 NCS starts at “The World’s Fastest Half Mile”.
- On the Truck: Currey’s No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from DQS Solutions & Staffing along with Masked Owl Technologies.
- Recapping Milwaukee: Bayley Currey’s race in Milwaukee was affected early after he was squeezed into the wall by another competitor in the first stage. Currey was forced to pit under green and lost two laps in the process, finishing 34th in stage one. He managed to pick up a handful of positions to finish 31st in stage two, but was ultimately unable to get back on the lead lap. Currey was credited with a 29th-place finish.
- Points Rundown: Currey remains 19th in the points standings for a second week in a row leaving Milwaukee. The driver sits 33 points behind Ty Dillon in 18th, and has a 10-point gap to Bret Holmes in 20th.
- Quoting Currey: Do you feel confident with how the spring race played out to come back and have another good run here?
“Well, Bristol is one of my favorite tracks that we go to. It reminds me a lot of the 1/5th-mile track I raced on as a kid. I think the racing should be a little more exciting this time around since they’re not spraying the traction compound before the race, so that should widen out the track a bit. I’m really excited about that; I’ve never got to rip the top in a truck, so it should be a lot of fun.”
- Quoting Rogers: How important is it to qualify well here in Bristol?
“Very important. It’s hard to pass there, and you’re going to have to have multiple lines that are fast, so track position is going to be extremely important. We just have to try and maintain that all throughout the race and that should lead us to get a good finish out of the night.”
DQS Solutions & Staffing Mission Statement: The core mission of DQS Solutions & Staffing is to attain unparalleled excellence in our specialized domains, specifically staffing and security. Simultaneously, we maintain the flexibility required to collaborate closely with our clients in the creation of innovative products and services within the framework of DQS.

No. 45 Moore’s Venture Foods Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Kaden Honeycutt | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Ross Chastain
@RossChastain
@RossChastain
- Honeycutt’s Bristol Stats: Kaden Honeycutt has competed in three NCTS races at Bristol Motor Speedway. He earned his best finish at the track in March, where he crossed the line in 12th after qualifying in the top-10. Honeycutt made an appearance in the ARCA Menards Series race here last year, but was sidelined to 21st after getting involved in a crash.
- Gould’s Bristol Stats: Phil Gould has started six NCTS races atop the pit box and was responsible for all four of Niece Motorsports’ top-10 finishes. His best result was delivered by Ross Chastain, who finished third in 2019. In the Xfinity Series, Gould called a total of 12 races on the high banks. Highlights include three top-10 runs and an outside pole qualifying effort with Brian Scott in 2013.
- On the Truck: Honeycutt’s No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from Venture Foods, a family-owned grocery store chain located in Oklahoma. 2024 marks the company’s 50th anniversary of the first store opening, and has been operated by the Moore family for three generations.
- CARS Tour PLM Battle: With two races remaining in the zMAX CARS Tour Pro Late Model Series season, Honeycutt remains in contention for the championship. Following a fourth-place finish at South Boston Speedway, Honeycutt is posted second in points behind leader, Spencer Davis. Next up for the tour is a trip to Tri-County Motor Speedway on Saturday, October 12th.
- Recapping Milwaukee: Kaden Honeycutt put together a solid outing in Milwaukee for his first start at the historic track. Honeycutt qualified the highest out of the team (seventh), and was en route to a fifth-place run in the first stage when the caution struck. After pitting, he was credited with 11th in stage one. In stage two, Honeycutt climbed to ninth and picked up two stage points. In dirty air, Honeycutt struggled to maintain his balance, and slid back to finish 12th.
- Owner Points Outlook: Milwaukee’s 12th-place finish, coupled with the added bonus of a handful of stage points, has pushed the No. 45 team above the provisional cutline heading into the second race of the Playoffs. Honeycutt and team are currently eighth in owner points, +2 on the Spire Motorsports No. 7 team in ninth. They need two good finishes in a row in order to advance to the Round of 8.
- Quoting Honeycutt: Given your short track background, are you happy to see this race in the Round of 10?
“Yeah, I think we’ve worked on our Bristol package a lot over the last couple of months since we struggled there in the first race. I feel like we should be a whole lot better this time, but the track will race a whole lot different without the traction compound. So, that’ll be a toss up, but I think we can qualify in the top-five and that’ll give us a better opportunity to go and try to get stage points. We need to get as many points as we can, but it would be great to win and move onto the next round in the Owner’s Playoffs.”
- Quoting Gould: What have you and your team mainly been working on to help the short track package?
“Mainly, we’ve been trying to find the feel that Kaden’s been looking for. We had a good package with Carson (Hocevar) that has carried over to the mile-and-a-half tracks, but for short tracks, we just haven’t been as good. I think Milwaukee was a step in the right direction; you know we had a good truck, but pit road hindered our performance. We were okay in the spring here in Bristol, but there’s a lot of unknowns without the traction compound. We’ve been doing a lot of work in the simulator so we’ll see what we’ve got.”

About Moore’s Venture Foods: Moore’s Venture Foods is a family-owned grocery store chain located in Oklahoma. The chain has brick-and-mortar stores in Alva, Fairfax, Shattuck, and Tonkawa, Oklahoma, and has been operated by the Moore family for three generations. To learn more, please visit www.MooresVentureFoods.com.

About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2024, Niece Motorsports enters its ninth season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as X @NieceMotorsport.
September 16, 2024
Titan Thursday doubleheader on tap for Bristol Motor Speedway with UNOH 200 and Bush’s Beans 200

BRISTOL, Tenn. (Sept. 16, 2024) – After a lengthy three-week break, the 10 Playoff drivers in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series now turn their attention to the high banks of challenging Bristol Motor Speedway for the second stop of the opening round of their Playoffs. The Truck Series will join with the ARCA Menards Series to put on a titan Thursday night doubleheader at The World’s Fastest Half-Mile that’s sure to thrill race fans.

Bristol spring winner Christian Eckes returns to Eastern Tennessee in a prime position to continue his march to the series championship at the controls of the No. 19 Chevy. He is leading the Playoff points standings over rivals Ty Majeski and Corey Heim, both former Bristol winners themselves.

Majeski, who claimed his first career Truck Series victory at Bristol in 2022, feels ready for the challenge of a championship run. He’s red-hot at the moment with two wins and a second-place finish in the last three starts. His wins at Indianapolis Raceway Park and Richmond give him confidence heading to another short track in Bristol.

“I think we’re one of those top-three contenders for sure, especially coming off these two wins,” said Majeski. “I think we’re probably carrying the most momentum in the series right now. I feel like maybe our valleys have been a little bit lower than the 19 (Eckes) and the 11 (Heim), but I feel like our peaks have been similar, so as long as we can just peak at the right time and keep this momentum going, there’s no reason why we can’t be a competitor at Phoenix (for the championship).”

The UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics which takes the green flag on Thursday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. (FS1, MRN Radio) promises to be a wild shootout as those three drivers mix and tangle with a host of Playoff challengers, including Nick Sanchez, Taylor Gray, Tyler Ankrum, Daniel Dye, Grant Enfinger and Rajah Caruth.

The Craftsman Truck Series defending series champ and also a past Bristol winner, Ben Rhodes, heads to the event needing a win or strong finish to pull himself out of the bottom two. He is in ninth currently, two points out of the top eight, which will transfer to the next round of the Playoffs after the Kansas race in two weeks.

Rhodes, the veteran and a multi-time champ in the series, says you have to be ready for everything in the opening round of the Playoffs.

“Something unfortunate is going to happen to somebody in this first round,” Rhodes said. “It may only happen to one driver, it could happen to two, but those are the ones that will have the disadvantage, so the biggest thing is to have consistent races, get your stage points, and that will get you to the next round. After that, you’ve got to be perfect.”

Rhodes, from nearby Louisville, Kentucky, enjoys racing at Bristol and says for some reason he shines during the postseason. He isn’t sure why or how, but when he looks at his championship trophies it reminds him that he knows how to get the job done.

“Just the fact that we’ve done it, I think that’s going to tell us that we can do it again,” Rhodes said. “We have the blueprint. We’ve done it twice. We’ve done it when our backs (have) been against the wall. We’ve done it when we’ve had to get in on tiebreakers, where we’ve had to do crazy strategy and get in on a point. We’ve been put through the crucible, we’ve gone through the ringer, and somehow we still found a way to make it to the next round.”

Others to watch in the UNOH 200 include rising star William Sawalich, Connor Zilisch, who won last weekend in his Xfinity Series debut at Watkins Glen, past IndyCar winner Marco Andretti and Tri-Con Garage racer Dean Thompson, all of whom plan to do the doubleheader that night and also race in the Bush’s Beans 200 ARCA Menards Series event, scheduled to kick off the action with a 5 p.m. start (FS1, MRN Radio).

The race is also the ARCA Menards East season finale where Zilisch currently leads Sawalich in the standings. Sawalich, the defending Bush’s Beans 200 winner, trails by 16 points and needs to finish several places in front of Zilisch in order to steal away the championship.

Other drivers who will certainly challenge for the victory in the Bush’s Beans 200 include series leader Andres Perez, Lavar Scott, Kris Wright, Christian Rose, Toni Breidinger, Amber Balcaen and Gio Ruggiero.

Nashville-based Logan Misuraca is making her Bristol debut in only her third career start in the ARCA Menards Series. It’s her first race of the 2024 season and she will be driving the No. 9 Chevy for Rev Racing.

On Friday, Sparks will fly in the Food City 300, as NASCAR Xfinity Series favorites Justin Allgaier, Austin Hill, Cole Custer, Sheldon Creed and Riley Herbst will be fighting hard alongside NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the Xfinity Series regular season finale (Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m., The CW, PRN Radio).

Finally, the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series will take to the track on Saturday for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race (Sept. 21, 7:30 p.m., USA Network, PRN Radio), you’ll get to see all of your favorite drivers like Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano and Tyler Reddick to name a few, racing hard in the Round of 16 to advance in the first elimination race of the Playoffs.

To purchase tickets, please visit www.bristolmotorspeedway.com or call the BMS Ticket Sales Center at (866) 415-4158.

September 16, 2024
CHRIS BUESCHER CAPTURES WIN AT WATKINS GLEN, MARKING 4-IN-A-ROW FOR FORD PERFORMANCE

BRISTOL, TN – September 16, 2024 – Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing’s Chris Buescher won Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen, completing a 4-in-a-row streak for Ford Performance and Roush Yates Engines. This weekend’s win marked Buescher’s first win of the season, 143rd NASCAR Cup Series win for car owner Jack Roush, and sixth since the forming of Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing.

“Congratulations to Jack, Brad, Scott, Chris, and everyone at Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing on the race win at Watkins Glen,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “What an incredible drive and finish by Chris Buescher. The No. 17 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing team worked their way to the front of the field for the win at the Glen.”

“That’s such a good BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang. This team is so great. Our long run speed was just phenomenal. I thought we lost it there on that last one and to stay right there with him. That was the spot he was better than us and he missed it, so I tried a crossover. He went to cut and just hard racing there. It’s just such an awesome finish. To be that good for so much at the end of the race, all race, to get a win is good. We came here to be a spoiler and we’re gonna do that,” commented Buescher.

Sunday’s race marked the first time that Watkins Glen International has hosted a playoff race. Four Ford Performance drivers started from the top-10: Team Penske’s Austin Cindric in P5, Team Penske’s Joey Logano in P7, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Noah Gragson in P9, and Front Row Motorsports’ Michael McDowell in P10.

The action-packed race started with a crash just past the bus stop on lap 1, involving multiple playoff drivers. Several cars pitted before the end of the first stage, shaking up the finishing order. Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe finished the stage in P3 along with Team Penske’s Austin Cindric in P5. An accident on lap 38 of 40 in the second stage caused it to end under caution with four Ford Performance drivers finishing in the top-10: Team Penske’s Joey Logano in P3, Wood Brothers Racing’s Harrison Burton in P6, and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe and Ryan Preece in P7 and P9.

The final stage of the race was filled with action. With under 20 laps remaining, RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher passed Joey Logano after turn one to take the lead. Shortly after, the caution flag came out for debris left on the track following an incident. With 7 laps remaining, a crash in turn 4 brought out a caution. With three laps to go, another caution was thrown after two cars collided just before the esses, causing the race to go into overtime. During the overtime restart, Shane Van Gisbergen passed Chris Buescher for the lead but became loose on entry to the bus stop chicane allowing Chris Buescher to close in on him with his No. 17 RFK Racing Ford. The two drivers made contact in the carousel, but Buescher surged ahead to make the race-winning pass, crossing the finish line 0.979 seconds ahead of Van Gisbergen.

Five Ford Performance drivers finished in the top-10: Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe in P6, Front Row Motorsports’ Michael McDowell in P7, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Ryan Preece in P9, and Team Penske’s Austin Cindric in P10.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series also raced at Watkins Glen International on Saturday. Joey Logano, driving for AM Racing, finished in P9.

The NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series both compete this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee.
39 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 470 WINS – 435 POLES

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.

September 16, 2024
Rush Truck Centers Racing: Chase Briscoe Bristol Advance

CHASE BRISCOE
Bristol Advance
No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Cummins Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Bass Pro Shops Night Race (Round 29 of 36)
● Time/Date: 7:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday, Sept. 21
● Location: Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway
● Layout: .533-mile, concrete oval
● Laps/Miles: 500 laps/266.5 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 125 laps / Stage 2: 125 laps / Final Stage: 250 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Chase Briscoe comes into the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway 11th among the 16 drivers in the NASCAR Playoffs. Only the top-12 drivers in points after Bristol advance to the next playoff round, and Briscoe sits just one spot above the playoff bubble with a six-point advantage over 13th-place Denny Hamlin. Briscoe can either maintain that advantage at the end of Saturday night’s 500 lapper around the .533-mile oval or punch his ticket to the Round of 12 with a victory.

● The Bass Pro Shops Night Race will mark Briscoe’s fifth career NASCAR Cup Series start on Bristol’s concrete surface. The driver of the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Cummins Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing has two top-15 finishes, with his best effort being 13th, a result earned twice – in his first Cup Series start at Bristol in September 2021 and in his last Cup Series start at the track in March.

● Despite limited NASCAR Cup Series experience at Bristol, Briscoe has always felt comfortable at the high-banked, .533-mile oval. In fact, Bristol’s layout harkens back to two other high-banked venues Briscoe competed on as he climbed the racing ladder. Salem Speedway and Winchester Speedway, both in Indiana, provided Briscoe with a hint of what throttling around Bristol’s 28 degrees of banking would be like. Salem is a .555-mile oval with 33 degrees of banking and Winchester is a half-mile oval with 37 degrees of banking. Briscoe made three ARCA Menards Series starts at Salem and one at Winchester. In his three starts at Salem between 2015 and 2016, Briscoe won two poles (April and September 2016), led a total of 155 laps, and scored two finishes of sixth or better, with his best result being fifth in his debut at the track in 2015. In his lone ARCA race at Winchester in 2016, Briscoe dominated by winning the pole, leading the most laps (142 of 200) and winning the race by 1.132 seconds.

● In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where Briscoe competed from 2018 through 2020 before earning his promotion to the NASCAR Cup Series, Bristol was one of Briscoe’s best tracks. He made six Xfinity Series starts at the track and, in his last four starts, Briscoe never finished worse than fourth. In fact, he capped off his Xfinity Series career at Bristol in the best way possible – with a win. Briscoe won the 2020 Food City 300 in September, vanquishing the back-to-back runner-up finishes he earned in his two prior starts at Bristol in August 2019 and June 2020.

● Briscoe competed at Bristol for the first time in 2017 when he drove a Ford F-150 for Brad Keselowski Racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race. Briscoe acquitted himself well, qualifying 15th and finishing 12th. It remains his only Truck Series start on Bristol’s concrete.

● The 2024 season marks the 15th year of partnership between Rush Truck Centers and Stewart-Haas, and it’s a partnership that goes well beyond a design on a racecar. All Stewart-Haas racecars are transported via tractor-trailers from Rush Truck Centers, the premier service solutions provider to the commercial vehicle industry. And those tractor-trailers are supported by the RushCare Customer Support team of parts and service experts, who also provide concierge-level service for scheduling maintenance, technical support, mobile service dispatch and roadside assistance, along with help locating the nearest Rush Truck Centers dealer, and more. Rush Truck Centers is the largest network of commercial vehicle dealerships in North America with 150 locations in the United States and Ontario, Canada, and takes pride in its integrated approach to customer needs – from vehicle sales to aftermarket parts, service and body shop operations, plus financing, insurance, leasing and rental, as well as alternate fuel systems and other vehicle technologies.

● Cummins joins Rush Truck Centers for this weekend’s race at Bristol. Cummins Inc., is a global power technology leader that designs, manufactures, distributes and services a broad portfolio of power solutions. These solutions include advanced diesel, natural gas, hybrid, electric, fuel cell and other technologies. Cummins powers the future through innovations that make people’s lives better. From buses that transport kids to and from school, to the trucks that carry essentials, to construction, mining equipment, trains and ships, and critical backup power for places like data centers and hospitals, Cummins is doing it with the cleanest solutions available. Learn more at cummins.com.

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Cummins Ford Mustang Dark Horse

How much confidence did that win in the regular-season finale at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway give you, knowing that you get it done when you need to get it done?

“A lot, and not just myself, but as a race team. We all kind of knew we could win. As a group, we’ve won before, but it had been almost two years. The pit crew guys, it was the first win for almost all of them, and they always thought they could win but, until you do it, you really don’t know. Just the confidence that comes along with winning goes a long way. Specifically, winning at Darlington, the Southern 500, it’s a crown-jewel race for us and, arguably, one of the hardest races on the entire schedule to win. So the confidence that comes along with that, knowing if we can win the Southern 500, then why can’t we win this week at Bristol? I definitely feel like our team as a whole has way more confidence. We kind of walk with more swagger. We just feel better about it. And to do it the way we did it, beating Kyle Larson, beating Kyle Busch, it’s not like we lucked into a win. We literally ran top-three from mile one to mile 500. Just all that kind of combines itself into having a lot of confidence, and I certainly feel like we have that right now.”

Do you get updates about where the other playoff drivers are during a playoff race? If so, does that impact how you drive?

“You’re definitely aware of those playoff guys, especially if some of them have trouble, just because then you can kind of balance your risk versus reward. If there are six playoff guys who are having a bad day and you’re running 12th, it’s not the worst thing in the world to finish where you’re at instead of trying to risk getting to ninth and you end up losing six or seven more spots. You’re definitely trying to balance that all out. During the regular season, you don’t really have a whole lot of that, but once the playoffs start, you’re really only racing the other 15 guys. The unique thing is that the non-playoff guys are still out there with us, but from a points standpoint, you’re just trying to race those other 15 guys and trying to take points away from them, so you base your strategy off that, you base your race off that. It’s definitely unique compared to other sports where we’re in the playoffs, but we’re still competing against people who aren’t in the playoffs.”

Bristol is an elimination race. What’s the feeling knowing four playoff drivers won’t advance?

“Going into Bristol, it’s an elimination race – and really, any elimination race, whether it’s Bristol or another round, or for us like it was at Darlington – you just know that you have to do everything perfectly. You can’t have any big mishaps, you can’t have a bad night on pit road, and you can’t make a big mistake on the racetrack. At the end of the day, you’re probably not going to win every elimination race, even if you do everything perfectly. But if you do everything perfectly that night, you can go to bed and hang your hat on the fact that you did everything you could and the points just weren’t enough. I think that’s the biggest thing going into an elimination race – not eliminating yourself and just putting together the most solid night you can from start to finish.”

What’s the intensity of a playoff race at Bristol?

“No matter if you’re a playoff driver or you’re not a playoff driver, when you go to Bristol, especially for the night race, it’s intense. Everything is electric, and there’s just a certain intensity in the air. And then you throw in the fact that it’s a cutoff race, that 16 guys are going to get whittled down to 12, there’s a different feeling in the air, a different intensity, and that’s what makes the Bristol Night Race even cooler.”

Do you consider yourself an underdog in this playoff race?

“I don’t consider ourselves to be an underdog. Some people might’ve already written us off, but for myself and our entire race team, we all feel like we can win it all. That’s probably crazy from a guy who didn’t look like he was even going to be a part of it, but the way we look at it is if we can win the Southern 500, we can win probably any race throughout the entire season. It’s probably the hardest race on the schedule to win and, for us, the big thing was that all of us thought we could win, but we didn’t know we could win. And now we know that we can win, and to do it the way we did it, the confidence and the momentum that comes with that is unique and something that I don’t think any other race team can match right now.”

Knowing you’re down to the final races with Stewart-Haas Racing, how much pride do you have to finish on a high note?

“A ton. I grew up a diehard Tony Stewart fan and just a fan of Stewart-Haas Racing. That was my favorite team growing up, so there’s a lot of pride for me that, first off, goes with just getting in the 14 car, let alone wearing that Stewart-Haas Racing badge for 320-plus employees. For us to be able to win when we did, in our final season, when we honestly had every reason to give up, and for us to keep fighting and keep going and bringing cars to the racetrack and to win, did a lot from just a company standpoint. That was the last race before the playoffs started, and if we don’t win that race, then there’s no shot for any Stewart-Haas car to win the championship. One of my guys said it best the other day, ‘If we didn’t win that race, everybody was already counting down the days to the end of the season.’ Now, they’re so excited and we’re just counting down the days to the next race. It’s changed the entire atmosphere at the shop, the morale, people are excited again, and that’s something that as a company we hadn’t had in a couple of years, so it’s pretty cool to be the guy who gets to bring that to the shop.”

Does Stewart-Haas shutting down at the end of the year provide more fuel to you and the rest of the team?

“Yeah, I think so. No other team can compare to what we’re going through, and no other team has the emotions that we do, so I think that’s what makes us so scary. We have a lot on our shoulders and there’s a lot of pride that comes along with that. We’re just a unique race team right now. And every other team in the playoffs, they’re trying to figure out how to make four cars fast in the playoffs. Hendrick’s got four cars in the playoffs, JGR has four cars in the playoffs, our place has four cars, but only one of them is in the playoffs, so all of the focus is on the 14 car, and I think that makes it a little easier for us.”

Explain how being the lone car from Stewart-Haas in the playoffs is better than being part of a four-car team with all of their drivers in the playoffs?

“There’s probably a disadvantage if you’re just a one-car team in general and you’re the only car in the playoffs, but I do think there’s a big advantage of being a four-car team and only having one car in the playoffs. Those other four-car teams have to focus on all four of their cars and bring their best to the racetrack every single week. And even on the racetrack, they’re all going to be fighting amongst each other, not giving each other a break. With me, I have three teammates out there who are going to do essentially everything they can to help me on the racetrack, and they can race the other guys a little bit harder than they would race me. Then even just preparing the racecars, we can take everything, the best of the best from each racecar, personnel, whatever it may be, and apply it to our car. So I definitely think there’s an advantage to being in the position that we’re in compared to them.”

What are your expectations heading into Bristol?

“Bristol is definitely a big question mark. We don’t know if the tires are going to last 150 laps or if they’re going to last 40 laps. Bristol is a place where we’ve been really good. We’ve qualified well and we’ve run up front. We had a good test there a month and a half ago. NASCAR was gracious enough to give us a test there thinking we weren’t going to make the playoffs. Now we’re in the playoffs, so it’s a great thing that we got to go up there and test. Hopefully, we can bring something back that’s going to be competitive there and be in the mix all night long.”

What did you learn during that Goodyear tire test at Bristol?

“I honestly have no idea. I seem to think it won’t be like it was in the spring, but my crew chief and engineers do. I could see it going either way. Everybody says it was temperature related. Who knows? If guys start running at the top, the top will probably come in and rubber up, but I don’t know why it wouldn’t go back to the way it was before, but I also don’t know why it did what it did the first time. I don’t know what to expect.”

The tire wear we saw the last time the NASCAR Cup Series raced at Bristol – did you like it or dislike it?

“It was definitely unique. I liked the fact that there was a little more strategy involved. And I even felt like, on the driver’s side, it put a little more in your hands instead of whoever had the best car was going to be really good. We probably don’t need it as drastic to where they just blow out, but I do think a good mix of that would be really cool to have, especially for the short-track races, for sure.”

It seemed like a return to old-school racing where tire management was the key to success. In all the racing that you’ve done in your career, was there a track or style of car where you had to manage your tires that you ended up relying on for that Bristol race?

“I’d never done any of that type of racing at any time in my career where you had to save tires. Everything I grew up doing was the complete opposite of that. But last year, I was able to run two Late Model races, one at North Wilkesboro and one at Florence, South Carolina, and the Florence race, specifically, at the beginning of the race I remember we rode around quarter throttle just saving tires and it felt very similar to that. I texted the guy I drove for, Chad Bryant, after the Cup race there at Bristol and I was like, ‘Man, I was so glad I got to run those races because I would’ve been so lost without them.’ Definitely felt like it was a lot like that and I feel like you saw all those guys with Late Model experience run so well.”

How do you save your tires? You have to continue to race, but what is that balance between racing for the position you have now and the position you want to have later?

“It’s just a risk-versus-reward thing. You know you have to get to X-amount of laps. Tony (Stewart) actually told me that your tire is like a battery. You only have 100-percent battery at the beginning and every time you push it or use more energy or use more of that tire, you’re never getting that percentage back. You have to just understand what that risk versus reward is and if you feel like you can get a couple of spots and only use maybe eight percent of your tire wear, then maybe that’s worth it.”

If you had tire fall-off where the track still rubbered up, would you need 1,000 horsepower, or are you in the camp that wants both tire fall-off and more horsepower?

“If we can have both, might as well take it. If you have more horsepower, it’s just going to make things harder for the drivers. I think if the tire is where it normally is, then 1,000 horsepower only helps. But if we have a tire that lasts only 30 laps, then you might only use 600 horsepower, so you don’t really even need 1,000. It just depends on how the tire is and how the race is playing out. It’s different every week, so I’d say it’s what you have versus what you need.”

With six Xfinity Series starts at Bristol – your last of which ended in victory lane – do you feel you have a good handle on the racetrack despite limited Cup experience on Bristol’s concrete?

“I don’t know. I feel like Bristol is one of those places you never really feel like you have it conquered, by any means. I’ve been able to have speed there in the past. The Xfinity car and the Cup car definitely race totally differently around Bristol. But I feel like I’ve always had speed at Bristol, I just haven’t been able to put the whole race together, especially on the Cup side. I definitely have struggled to get a good finish there even when we’ve had speed. Physically, it’s probably the most demanding race of the year. But I feel like it’s one of my more favorite racetracks that we go to. I always look forward to going there and having a lot of fun when I’m there. I just need to obviously find that little bit more. I feel like I understand it 90 percent, I just have to find that other 10 percent.”

Bristol is a tough place, period. It’s an even tougher place to win. How satisfying was your Xfinity Series win at Bristol in September 2020, which came during COVID?

“It was a super-cool race. That was one of my favorite races we won that year. That was honestly the only race that had fans during COVID and I just remember how cool it was that I was finally able to celebrate one of those wins with fans. I hadn’t been able to do that all year long. Any racecar driver, they want to win at Bristol. We talk about driver’s racetracks, and when you look at the list of guys who have won there, it’s a really special list to be on. To walk out of there with a sword is a super-cool thing, and especially to win at Bristol at night, it’s one of the most marquee events to win at. To be able to do that was really special.”

When your car owner, Tony Stewart, first talked about Bristol, he said it reminded him of Winchester Speedway and Salem Speedway. Did you think that’s an apt analogy?

“I definitely think they’re really similar. I’ve been able to run at Winchester, that’s actually where I got my first stock car win, so a super-special place. For me, it definitely reminds me a lot of Winchester, and it reminds me a lot of Salem – Salem’s 25 minutes from where I grew up. So I’ve had a lot of experience watching cars on super-high-banked racetracks and it definitely reminds me a lot of both those places. When I was in the ARCA Series, I remember when I went to Bristol for the first time in a Truck, it seemed very similar to Winchester. There are not a lot of racetracks in the world that have 30-plus degrees of banking, and any time you can get experience on them, it’s a big deal.”

How important is patience at Bristol, and when do you also have to determine when enough is enough and assert yourself so you’re not getting taken advantage of out there on the racetrack?

“It’s hard. I feel like you’re not ever patient at Bristol. I feel like you’ve just got to go. Just from the racetrack side of things, you literally have to attack it every single lap. If you take just a second to breathe, it seems like you’re going to go slower, so you have to constantly be in attack mode. Even the racing of the cars, I feel like you’re constantly trying to be extremely aggressive, not necessarily using your bumper, but just trying to get under them or try to get around them. There’s really no time to take a break there just because if you waste even five laps to get around a guy, the leaders are coming. So you’ve got to be extremely aggressive there all day long, and that’s why you see a lot of wrecks there, as well.”

You first saw Bristol back in 2017 when you competed in a Truck Series race. Was that an eyes-wide-open moment?

“From the racetrack side of things, it wasn’t anything crazy just because I’d run at Salem and Winchester. But that was one of the only tracks I remember walking into as a driver thinking how cool it was, I was finally able to run at that racetrack. I remember even my dad was like, ‘Man, this is so cool that you’re getting to race at Bristol.’ It’s a special place. It’s one of those places you dream of getting to race at.”

No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Cummins Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe

Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell

Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Car Chief: J.D. Frey

Hometown: Ferndale, California

Engineer: Mike Cook

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Spotter: Joey Campbell

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala

Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff

Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal

Hometown: Holland, Michigan

Jack Man: Kapil Fletcher

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams

Hometown: Plymouth, Wisconsin

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads

Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Shock Specialist: Brian Holshouser

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips

Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

Transporter Co-Driver: Todd Cable

Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Dale Lackey

Hometown: Taylorsville, North Carolina

September 16, 2024

Louis-Philippe Dumoulin Eager to compete in the NASCAR Canada Season Finale in Front of Quebec Fans

Event		Grande Finale XPN 250
Track		Autodrome Montmagny (Montmagny, Quebec), September 22^nd, 2024
Broadcast		TSN + app (live) \| TSN (tape delayed) \| RDS (tape delayed) \| FloRacing (USA)
Race		5 :30 PM E.T. – nascar.ca/race-center/

Trois-Rivières (Quebec), September 16^th, 2024.- For the first time in its history, the NASCAR Canada series will present its final round in Quebec, on Sunday, September 22 at the Autodrome Montmagny Speedway, east of Quebec City. Previously, two events in Ontario, at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and then on the Delaware Speedway oval, marked the end of the summer races. Two races that offered different scenarios for three-time series champion Louis-Philippe Dumoulin.

At Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Mosport), the WeatherTech 200 race unfortunately ended short for Dumoulin, who suffered an engine overheating problem on the fourteenth of 51 laps, after qualifying eighth. A week later at Delaware Speedway, the driver of the car #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare | Omnifab was back at the front of the field: ninth on the starting grid, he completed the 200 laps of the race with a new Top 5. “After the disappointment of Mosport, the Delaware race was really good, it put our team back at the forefront, our usual position in the series,” explains Louis-Philippe Dumoulin.

Even though he has already won at Delaware Speedway in the past, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin knew that this 2024 edition would not be the easiest. The final result is therefore significant: “Delaware Speedway is not the track on which our car is at its best. We are missing two tenths of a second per lap to aim for victory. It seems small but the level is incredibly high in NASCAR Canada series this season and that’s what makes the difference.” Dumoulin adds: “I fought throughout the race, I never wanted to give up a single tenth of a second, a single position. I knew that if I managed to get into the top 5, I could hope for a podium if a full-course yellow came out in the final laps. There was no late yellow, but I still managed to fight in the group of drivers battling between third and eighth place and I am very proud, for the entire team of the #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare | Omnifab car, to have achieved this result after two difficult events.”

Before the grand finale of the season on September 22 in Montmagny, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin obviously intends to finish the season in the best possible way. In the championship standings, he can still hope to finish in the top four, but he is 19 points behind 4th place, while having a 20-point lead over 6th position. So that is not where the stakes are. “We went to test at the Autodrome Montmagny a few days ago, in preparation for this finale. It went well, I’m confident for the race,” says Louis-Philippe.

For him, the fact that the NASCAR Canada series is presenting its season finale in Quebec for the first time in its history has a major impact: “I remember the packed grandstands at the Autodrome Chaudière of Vallée-Jonction in early June. I’m sure it will be like that in Montmagny. Performing on tracks in eastern Quebec is a privilege that NASCAR Canada offers to drivers and even more so to fans. I’m sure it will be a great event. For my part, I’m going to give my best to end the season on a high note. This 2024 season hasn’t always been easy for Dumoulin Compétition, but we’ve also had some very good races. Finishing on the podium would be truly wonderful!” concludes the driver of the #47 WeatherTech Canada | Groupe Bellemare | Omnifab car.

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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

September 16, 2024

Team Penske NASCAR Cup Series Race Report – Watkins Glen

Go Bowling at The Glen: Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen, NY – September 15, 2024

AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 AUTOTRADER FORD MUSTANG

START: 5TH STAGE ONE: 5TH STAGE TWO: 23RD FINISH: 10TH POINTS: 3RD

RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric recorded a solid 10th-place finish at Watkins Glen International – the first of two road courses in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs – and currently sits third in the postseason standings, 43 points above the elimination line heading into the Round of 16 finale at Bristol Motor Speedway. Cindric qualified fifth and hovered around that position for the opening stint, scoring six Stage points with a fifth-place finish in Stage 1. He informed the Autotrader team that his car was a bit on the tight side and headed to pit road for fresh tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. The No. 2 Ford Mustang restarted 24th as a plethora of other cars visited pit road prior to the end of the Stage. It was a relatively calm second segment, as Cindric remained around that position until returning to pit road with just a few laps remaining in the Stage. Shortly after the stop, a caution slowed the field and the segment ended under yellow with Cindric being scored 23rd. The 26-year-old driver lined up 16th for the restart of what would be a chaotic dash to the checkered flag. Various incidents brought out the yellow flag, but Cindric and the No. 2 team continued to gain position, ultimately securing a top-10 finish as the series heads to Bristol Motor Speedway for the third and final race in the opening round of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “The No. 2 Autotrader team did a great job bringing a fast car to the track and we were able to execute well enough to get a good finish and solid points. We were probably a little bit better than 10th, but collecting points is really important the first couple rounds. There was a little bit of stress in just trying to make sure the car was straight on all those restarts, but overall, we had great speed in our Ford Mustang.”

RYAN BLANEY No. 12 MENARDS/PENNZOIL FORD MUSTANG

START: 30TH STAGE ONE: 38TH STAGE TWO: 38TH FINISH: 38TH POINTS: 8TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney and the No. 12 Menards/Pennzoil Ford Mustang’s day came to an early end after getting caught up in a multi-car incident on the opening lap Sunday at Watkins Glen. As the field made its way through the bus stop for the first time, contact between the Nos. 7 and 8 sent cars spinning as Blaney slowed to avoid but ultimately made contact with the No. 6 who checked up ahead of him, causing damage to the left front. Blaney reported an issue with the steering column while stopped at the exit of the bus stop, necessitating a tow back to the garage which signaled the end to the 12-team’s afternoon. With the 38th-place result, Blaney drops to eighth in the playoffs standings but remains 29 points above the cut line heading into the final race of the Round of 16 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “I don’t even know what happened, honestly. We stacked up and I caught someone in the left front and it completely broke the steering. I don’t know if we could have fixed it. But that is the frustrating part, just didn’t even give us a chance and just ended our day without even letting us look at it before it is in the garage. It’s unfortunate. We’ll go on to Bristol next week.”

JOEY LOGANO No. 22 SHELL-PENNZOIL FORD MUSTANG

START: 7TH STAGE ONE: 17TH STAGE TWO: 3RD FINISH: 15TH POINTS: 1ST (ADV)

RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano raced his way to a 15th-place finish Sunday at Watkins Glen coming off last week’s win at Atlanta to advance to the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Logano kept the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford in and around the top-10 for a majority of the opening stage before he was called to pit road with three laps to go in the first segment to gain track position heading into Stage 2 as he lined up fourth for the ensuing restart. As the field was coming to two to go in the stage with Logano running third and the leaders planning to pit before the stage end, the caution flag flew as the 22-team settled for a third-place finish in the second segment. The 22-team made the call to not pit during the stage caution in order to maintain track position as Logano battled to keep cars behind him on fresher tires. A caution on lap 47 prompted crew chief Paul Wolfe to bring Logano to pit road on the edge of their fuel window to make it to the end, setting Logano up to restart 25th with 41 laps to go. As the green flag pit cycle began with 30 to go, Logano worked his way to the lead with 22 laps remaining while working to hold off the Nos. 71 and 5 who were on similar strategies. Logano was brought to pit road with 12 to go for his final stop of the day and was on his out lap when the caution came out, allowing him to jump a group of cars that opted to pit under yellow. After lining up 16th for the following restart with seven to go, a pair of cautions set up a green-white-checkered finish as Logano fought his way to a 15th-place finish.

LOGANO’S THOUGHTS: “Solid day for us overall. Obviously, we’re racing for playoff points coming off the win last week and we were in position to take Stage 2 before the caution forced us to settle for third. Our strategy at the end got us out front in clean air but we just weren’t able to work our way back through the field in those last few restarts.”

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Bristol Motor Speedway for the final race of the Round of 16 on Saturday, September 21. Coverage of the Bass Pro Shops Night Race begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

September 16, 2024
Buescher Stuns Playoff Field in Victory at Watkins Glen

BuildSubmarines.com Earns First Win, Also Buescher’s First Victory on a Road Course

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (Sept. 15, 2024) – Chris Buescher finally got the road course victory he’d been searching for, winning Sunday’s race at Watkins Glen in dramatic fashion. The victory marks Buescher’s first of the season and also the first for BuildSubmarines.com.

“That’s such a good BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang,” Buescher said after the win. “This team is so great. Our long run speed was just phenomenal. I thought we lost it there on that last one and to stay right there with him.

“That was the spot he was better than us and he missed it, so I tried a crossover. He went to cut and just hard racing there. It’s just such an awesome finish. To be that good for so much at the end of the race, all race, to get a win is good. We came here to be a spoiler and we did that.”

It took two restarts in the final laps to decide it, as Buescher maintained his lead the first two attempts before immediate yellows were again displayed. The third – in NASCAR Overtime – was a different story as road course ringer Shane Van Gisbergen got the best of the No. 17 on the initial restart. However, Buescher chased him down, ultimately overcoming the No. 16 on the back of WGI to take the checkered flag.

The win marks RFK’s second of the year after Brad Keselowski won Darlington back in May. It is the sixth victory under the RFK banner (since 2022) and 143rd overall for Jack Roush in NASCAR Cup Series action.

6 Recap
Keselowski had an eventful afternoon in the 220+ mile race. After starting 28th, Keselowski pitted just prior to the opening stage break to finish 25th. However, he was caught speeding on the stop and was forced to restart at the tail of the field.

He rolled 31st at lap 24, and 12 laps later hit pit road again for service. This time the team was assessed a uncontrolled tire penalty, again putting the King’s Hawaiian Ford to the rear.

He restarted 26th for the third stage, and when the caution flew just four laps later, he pitted in what – at the time – looked to be the final stop. That strategy kept Keselowski on track until 11 laps remaining, as he got as high as second trying to stretch the run on fuel.

However, he ultimately pitted at lap 79 from the eighth position, just prior to a caution a lap later. At that point his fuel was ample to the finish, but five laps later he was involved in a caution with the No. 24, forcing him to pit road for multiple damage repairs. From there, Keselowski crossed the line 26th.

17 Recap
Buescher slowly but surely used his long-run speed to reverse the course of a starting spot of 24th. Like Keselowski, Buescher hit pit road prior to the stage one end for the first service of the day at lap 17. He would finish the stage in 22nd, but restarted ninth for stage two at lap 24.

His next stop came under green-flag conditions at lap 36 from P10, before finishing stage two 15th.

Buescher fired off 10th for stage three at lap 42, and had worked his way to sixth by lap 49. From there, he quickly picked off spot after spot in the next few laps, working all the way to second by lap 56, before taking the lead at lap 57 for the first time.

With many of the cars at the time short on fuel, all Buescher needed was a clean stop and a clean race track, and he got both. It took 15 laps from the time of the stop (lap 58) to when he retook the lead, but he did just that at lap 73, leading the next 16 laps on the field.

Then, with 10 to go, the No. 21 lost a tire resulting in debris on the track. A handful of cars pitted for fresh tires, but Buescher remained on track, leading the field back to green at lap 83. That sequence happened again, this time resulting in a restart with three to go. He maintained the lead again in that sequence, before the final yellow flew immediately.

Van Gisbergen initially took over the lead from the No. 17, but Buescher maintained and set up the perfect pass in the carousel, driving past for the victory. In all, Buescher led 19 laps, second-most of any driver.

Up Next
Bristol Motor Speedway hosts the final race in the Round of 16 of the NASCAR Playoffs. Race coverage next Saturday night is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on USA, with radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

About RFK Racing
RFK Racing, in its 37th season in 2024, features an ownership lineup pairing one of the sport’s most iconic names, Jack Roush, along with NASCAR Champion, Brad Keselowski, and Fenway Sports Group owner John Henry. Roush initially founded the team in 1988 and it has since become one of the most successful racing operations in the world, propelling him to be the first NASCAR owner to amass three hundred wins and capturing eight championships, including back-to-back NASCAR Cup titles in 2003 and 2004. Keselowski, a former owner in the NASCAR Truck Series, is the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Champion. In 2007, Roush partnered with Henry, who also owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, to form Roush Fenway Racing. Off the track, RFK is a leader and proven winner in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning social media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns. Visit rfkracing.com, and follow the team on all social platforms @rfkracing.

September 16, 2024
Rick Ware Racing: Go Bowling at The Glen from Watkins Glen International

RICK WARE RACING
Go Bowling at The Glen
Date: Sept. 15, 2024
Event: Go Bowling at The Glen (Round 28 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International (2.45-mile, seven-turn road course)
Format: 90 laps, broken into three stages (20 laps/20 laps/50 laps)
Note: Race extended two laps past its scheduled 90-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.

Race Winner: Chris Buescher of RFK Racing (Ford)
Stage 1 Winner: Martin Truex Jr. of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Ross Chastain of Trackhouse Racing (Chevrolet)

RWR Race Finish:

● Justin Haley (Started 36th, Finished 29th/ Running, completed 92 of 92 laps)
● Kaz Grala (Started 38th, Finished 35th/Running, completed 87 of 92 laps)

RWR Points:

● Justin Haley (32nd with 399 points)
● Kaz Grala (35th with 171 points)

RWR Notes:

● This was Haley’s fourth NASCAR Cup Series start at Watkins Glen. His best finish remains 18th, earned in August 2022.
● This was Grala’s first NASCAR Cup Series start at Watkins Glen.

Race Notes:

● Chris Buescher won the Go Bowling at The Glen to score his sixth career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his first at Watkins Glen. His margin of victory over second-place Shane Van Gisbergen was .979 of a second.
● Buescher was the 15th different winner in the 28 NASCAR Cup Series races run this season.
● This was Ford’s 737th all-time NASCAR Cup Series victory, its eighth of the season and its fourth straight. Ford driver Harrison Burton won Aug. 24 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Briscoe won Sept. 1 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, and Joey Logano won last Sunday at Atlanta.
● This was Ford’s ninth NASCAR Cup Series victory at Watkins Glen. The manufacturer won its first race at the track on July 18, 1965 with Marvin Panch.
● Thirty-one of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Bass Pro Shops Night Race on Saturday, September 21 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. The race begins at 7:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by USA and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

September 16, 2024
ABEL Motorsports Back on INDY NXT podium to close season

Yuven Sundaramoorthy scores best INDY NXT by Firestone season finish of his rookie season

LEBANON, Tenn. (15 September, 2024) – Yuven Sundaramoorthy saved the best for last, moving from 11th to second through the INDY NXT by Firestone field to capture his top series finish to date in the 65-lap Music City Grand Prix at Nashville Speedway.

Rain halted series qualifying on Saturday midway through the session, with Sundaramoorthy (No. 22 Optima Batteries/Clarios/ABEL Motorsports) at the top of the speed charts. The cancellation meant the field would start based on points, with Jacob Abel (No. 51 ABEL Construction) starting second, Sundaramoorthy 11th and Taylor Ferns (No. 55 Bradford Allen/ABEL Motorsports) 18th. Knowing he had the speed, Sundaramoorthy was determined to go for the win.

But drama started even before the green flag, as Abel experienced a steering wheel failure, with the wheel refusing to click into place. He immediately came to pit lane for a new one – which meant he took the green from the back of the 18-car field.

At the drop of the green, Sundaramoorthy headed straight for the high line, moving up to seventh by lap three then using the low line to steadily continue passing cars as he took third on lap 17.

Abel also began making moves, up to 15th by lap 10 and 13th by lap 19. But unfortunately for Ferns, an issue brought her to pit lane on lap 20, ending her day.

By lap 28, the leaders had caught the tail of the field, and Sundaramoorthy balanced getting through traffic and tracking down the two leaders – all while laying down lap times one or more miles an hour quicker. After a multiple-laps battle, Sundaramoorthy made a move in Turn 1 to take second, while Abel moved into the top 10, taking eighth position several laps later.

Slight contact between two cars on lap 53 prodcuced the only yellow of the race, bringing the leaders together with lapped cars behind. Going green with seven laps remaining, Sundaramoorthy stapled himself to the leader, looking for a way by, but at the checkered flag, he was happy with the second-place finish – and a positive start to his 2025 season with the team.

“That’s everything I could have hoped for,” said Sundaramoorthy. “The ABEL team gave me the best car. If quali hadn’t been rained out, I think we would have checked out, but Louis (Foster) ran a perfect race, he didn’t give me an opening. He was breaking the draft as he needed to do and I just couldn’t hold it. I didn’t warm my tires up enough initially on the restart so the first couple of laps were a bit sketchy but once I got rolling, I just caught him. I think we should have had a go there at the end, but I made the pass in the wrong corner and that was that.

“But this has been a great learning year for me,” continued Sundaramoorthy. “I signed a two-year deal with the team so we always knew that was the focus. But the second half of the year, I felt super comfortable. I can’t wait for next year.”

An eighth-place finish was not how Abel wanted to end his INDY NXT – and his junior formula – career, but looking back over a season that includes 10 podiums and three wins in 14 races, and second place in the championship battle, he knows that he’s made a statement as he looks toward a move to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

“When I left pit lane, I turned the wheel and it wouldn’t click into place,” said Abel. “I don’t know what it was but it was just something mechanical. Definitely not how I wanted my INDY NXT career to end, but we made a few moves through the field and hopefully showed what we can do when things don’t go our way.

“I’m proud of the entire team this season – everyone on the team worked so hard to get me where I got in the end, I’m glad we were able to do this as a group. Some of these guys have been with me through my whole junior formula career so I’m happy with how the season went – that obviously wasn’t how it was supposed to end but I’m really proud of everything.”

Team principal Bill Abel looked back on the season for his two full-time drivers, noting the progression that both Abel and Sundaramoorthy have accomplished.

“In my mind, this season exceeds our expectations,” said Abel. “The championship didn’t quite go like we wanted it to, but Jacob led the first part of the season and was never out of second place, so that’s a pretty good run at it. We had the pace to win today, Yuven showed that.

“And I think one of the big achievements for us is watching Yuven’s progression this season, from where he started to the way he finished up,” said Abel. “That’s what we predicted with him, similar to what we’ve seen with Jacob over the last three years. Yuven will be back with us next, definitely one of the championship contenders. We hope to have a few other drivers with him to help him that effort, drivers that are going to be really good, able to share good supporting data and video. It’s exciting – the team is in a really good spot.”

The race might not be a “home” one for the Speedway, Ind.-based team, or for Louisville, Ky.-based ABEL Construction, but family, friends and employees made it feel like one, as over 125 people gathered in the team’s hospitality area and in the grandstands for the race.

“We really appreciated everyone who came out,” said Abel. “It was great to see all the ABEL Construction shirts everywhere!”

ABEL Motorsports thanks partners ABEL Construction Company, Advance Ready Mix, Boyd Cat®, S Team Motorsports, Quest Global and OMP for their continued support.

The first event of the 2025 season for ABEL Motorsports and the INDY NXT by Firestone series will be the Chris Griffis Memorial Test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Friday, October 18. Live timing and scoring of the test will be available at racecontrol.indycar.com.

About ABEL Motorsports: Team principal Bill Abel began racing motocross in 1972, earning numerous championship titles as he continued the family racing tradition. In 2015, ABEL Motorsports was launched, starting in the USF2000 series and building up the junior open wheel ladder. The team captured the inaugural Formula Regional Americas Championship with driver Kyle Kirkwood in 2018.

ABEL Motorsports currently competes in the INDY NXT by Firestone series, the official development series for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, led by third-generation driver Jacob Abel. The team made its INDYCAR debut in 2023 with driver RC Enerson in the Indianapolis 500. For more information visit the official team website at abelmotorsports.com.

About Abel Construction Company: ABEL Construction is one of the largest general contractors in Kentucky, holding licenses in thirteen states. The company has offices in Lexington, Kentucky and Indianapolis, Indiana, with the corporate office in Louisville. Their expertise spans many areas, including general contracting, construction management, design-build, Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), and facilities maintenance.

Abel Construction has helped build some of the region’s most recognizable landmarks. Their projects cover diverse sectors, including automotive, healthcare, post-secondary education, commercial, food/beverage, tech, and industrial/manufacturing. They prioritize client satisfaction, focusing on efficient project delivery regardless of size or cost. The company’s skilled professionals utilize cutting-edge technology and software to ensure successful outcomes. abelconstruct.com/.

ABEL Motorsports social media

Facebook: ABEL Motorsports
Twitter/X: ABEL Motorsports
Instagram: ABEL Motorsports

September 16, 2024
Stewart-Haas Racing: Go Bowling at The Glen from Watkins Glen International
STEWART-HAAS RACING
Go Bowling at The Glen

Date: Sept. 15, 2024
Event: Go Bowling at The Glen (Round 28 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International (2.45-mile, seven-turn road course)
Format: 90 laps, broken into three stages (20 laps/20 laps/50 laps)
Note: Race extended two laps past its scheduled 90-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.

Race Winner: Chris Buescher of RFK Racing (Ford)
Stage 1 Winner: Martin Truex Jr. of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Ross Chastain of Trackhouse Racing (Chevrolet)

SHR Finish:

● Chase Briscoe (Started 12th, Finished 6th / Running, completed 92 of 92 laps)
● Ryan Preece (Started 21st, Finished 9th / Running, completed 92 of 92 laps)
● Noah Gragson (Started 9th, Finished 11th / Running, completed 92 of 92 laps)
● Josh Berry (Started 31st, Finished 25th / Running, completed 92 of 92 laps)

SHR Points:

● Chase Briscoe (11th with 2,049 points, six points ahead of top-12 cutoff)
● Josh Berry (24th with 481 points)
● Noah Gragson (25th with 460 points)
● Ryan Preece (27th with 442 points)

Playoff Standings (with one race to go before Round of 12):
1. Joey Logano (2,084 points) 1 win
2. Christopher Bell (2,089 points) +46 points
3. Austin Cindric (2,086 points) +43 points
4. Alex Bowman (2,084 points) +41 points
5. Daniel Suarez (2,079 points) +36 points
6. Tyler Reddick (2,073 points) +30 points
7. Chase Elliott (2,073 points) +30 points
8. Ryan Blaney (2,072 points) +29 points
9. Kyle Larson (2,069 points) +26 points
10. William Byron (2,068 points) +25 points
11. Chase Briscoe (2,049 points) +6 points
12. Ty Gibbs (2,049 points) +6 points
13. Denny Hamlin (2,043 points) -6 points
14. Brad Keselowski (2,037 points) -12 points
15. Martin Truex Jr. (2,035 points) -14 points
16. Harrison Burton (2,029 points) -20 points
SHR Notes:

● Briscoe earned his eighth top-10 of the season and his second top-10 in four career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Watkins Glen.
● Today’s finish equaled Briscoe’s best road-course result in the NASCAR Cup Series. He finished sixth in 2021 at both Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, and Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
● Briscoe’s sixth-place result bettered his previous best finish at Watkins Glen – ninth, earned in his first NASCAR Cup Series start at the track in 2021.
● Briscoe finished third in Stage 1 to earn eight bonus points and seventh in Stage 2 to earn four more bonus points.
● Preece earned his third top-10 of the season and his first top-10 in four career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Watkins Glen.
● This was Preece’s third straight result of 18th or better. He finished 12th Sept. 1 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway and 18th last Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
● Preece’s ninth-place result bettered his previous best finish at Watkins Glen – 17th, earned last year.
● Preece finished ninth in Stage 2 to earn two bonus points.
● Gragson earned his 13th top-15 of the season and it came in his first career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Watkins Glen.
● This was Gragson’s best road-course finish in the NASCAR Cup Series. His previous best was 14th, earned in July in the Grant Park 165 on the streets of downtown Chicago.
● This was Berry’s milestone 40th career NASCAR Cup Series start.
● This was Berry’s best road-course finish in the NASCAR Cup Series. His previous best was 32nd, earned in June at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway.

Race Notes:

● Chris Buescher won the Go Bowling at The Glen to score his sixth career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his first at Watkins Glen. His margin of victory over second-place Shane Van Gisbergen was .979 of a second.
● Buescher was the 15th different winner in the 28 NASCAR Cup Series races run this season.
● This was Ford’s 737th all-time NASCAR Cup Series victory, its eighth of the season and its fourth straight. Ford driver Harrison Burton won Aug. 24 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Briscoe won Sept. 1 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, and Joey Logano won last Sunday at Atlanta.
● This was Ford’s ninth NASCAR Cup Series victory at Watkins Glen. The manufacturer won its first race at the track on July 18, 1965 with Marvin Panch.
● There were seven caution periods for a total of 21 laps.
● Thirty-one of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

Sound Bites:

“It was huge. It’s what we needed to do – score stage points and run good in the race, and we were able to do that. It was a really good, solid day for our HighPoint.com Ford. I felt like I could’ve gotten a couple more points, but just didn’t want to risk it there at the end. I knew I was in a pretty good position compared to a lot of the field, so we did what we needed to do and now we just need to go do that same thing next week. We need to just hit singles and doubles and don’t do anything crazy. As long as we just execute all day long, it should be enough. We’ll just go on to Bristol and see what we can do.” – Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

“The day didn’t start out very well, but it got a lot better. It was pretty chaotic and, ultimately, we had a pretty good car. Track position was everything today. Knowing where we were and never having it. Chad (Johnston, crew chief) was aggressive on the strategy and made the right calls to get us track position and we kept it. Ultimately, we got the race finish that we deserved, even with those late-race cautions” – Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 41 Mohawk Northeast Ford Mustang Dark Horse

“I just had a good practice and qualifying and tried to figure this place out. I’d never raced here, so I lost some spots early in the race. Then we worked really hard getting track position. Drew (Blickensderfer, crew chief) and the rest of the Bed Bath & Beyond team called a great race, strategy-wise. I just need to clean some stuff up on my part. But I’m grateful for this team.” – Noah Gragson, driver of the No. 10 Bed Bath & Beyond Ford Mustang Dark Horse

“We had, honestly, a really good day, I just hate that we didn’t finish where we should’ve. We were poised there to take an easy top-10, which would’ve been a great improvement for us, but unfortunately it just didn’t pan out there at the end. Everybody did a great job and we’ll get ready for the next one.” – Josh Berry, driver of the No. 4 Bed Bath & Beyond Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Bass Pro Shops Night Race on Saturday, Sept. 21 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. The third race in the 10-race NASCAR Playoffs starts at 7:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by USA and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
September 15, 2024