Category: NASCAR Cup PR

Ty Gibbs
Texas Motor Speedway Advance
No. 54 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 (Round 9 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 14
● Location: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 267 laps/400.5 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 85 laps / Final Stage: 102 laps
● TV/Radio: FS1 / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Outrageously Dependable for 33 Years and Counting: Interstate Batteries has 11 primary sponsorships on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule in 2024, a similar number of schemes to last year’s expanded presence among all four JGR Toyota Camry XSEs. After another appearance in the Daytona 500 to start the season with Christopher Bell finishing in third, Interstate returned at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with Christopher Bell to bring home a 33rd-place finish, and Denny Hamlin brought the green colors to the Circuit of Americas in Austin, Texas, last month and brought home a 14th-place finish. This weekend’s race at Texas is the first of four primary sponsorships on Gibbs’ No. 54 Camry. Next up, Interstate’s colors will have co-primary sponsorships at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway in May with Gibbs. Bell and Gibbs will run the majority of the Interstate Batteries’ races with eight primaries total between the two drivers. Hamlin returns for the second of two races sporting Interstate colors at Iowa Speedway in Newton in June, and Martin Truex Jr., will carry a primary Interstate Batteries sponsorship for one race on the No. 19 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in July.

● Just a Little Bit Closer. Ty Gibbs makes his 60th career start in the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend at Texas. Gibbs has had a strong start to his sophomore season in NASCAR’s top series, recording three top-five finishes and five top-10s, and leading 309 laps in the eight races contested so far this season. Sitting at the top of his to-do list is scoring his first career Cup Series win, and he’d like nothing more than to bring home that first victory in the backyard of JGR’s founding sponsor Interstate Batteries.

● Texas History. Last September’s race at Texas was Gibbs’ second Cup Series start at the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway oval, but his first for JGR ended early because of an accident. Gibbs competed in the 2022 edition of the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 for 23XI Racing, qualifying 16th, completing every race lap and finishing 20th. In addition to his two Cup Series starts on the Texas oval, Gibbs participated in a pair of Xfinity Series races – both during his 2022 Xfinity Series championship season. The 20-year old’s best Texas effort was a third-place finish he earned during the November 2022 Xfinity Series race.

● Gibbs heads to Texas seventh in the driver standings with 254 points, just 55 behind series leader Kyle Larson. All four JGR entries are currently inside the top-11 in points heading to the ninth race of the season. Martin Truex Jr. sits second in the standings with Denny Hamlin in third, Gibbs seventh, and Christopher Bell 11th, propelling a strong start to the season for Team Interstate.

● At the age of 19 years, 9 months and 20 days, Gibbs made his first career NASCAR Cup Series start last July 24 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway for 23XI Racing. He became the 37th driver younger than 20 years of age to make a Cup Series start. He started at the rear of the field but completed all 160 laps on his way to an impressive 16th-place finish.

● Dazzling Debut: Gibbs was victorious in his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in the February 2021 race on the Daytona road course. He led 14 of the 56 laps and became the youngest driver to win an Xfinity Series road-course race at 18 years, 4 months and 16 days. The native of Charlotte, North Carolina, also became the second-youngest winner in Xfinity Series history behind Joey Logano, who won in June 2008 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta at the age of 18 years, 21 days.

Ty Gibbs, Driver of the No. 54 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry XSE

What are your thoughts about this weekend’s 400-mile race at Texas?

“I enjoy racing at Texas and it’s cool that Interstate Batteries is back on our car for the first time this year. It’s a big weekend for them whenever we get to race at Texas with their office right up the road. I know they’ll have a lot of people there rooting us on, which is really cool. They are an important part of Joe Gibbs Racing and the founding sponsor, so hopefully we can give them a great weekend.”

With Interstate Batteries being the founding partner at JGR, how special is it to be racing the Interstate Batteries colors at its home track this weekend?

“Norm Miller (Chairman Emeritus) has been great to JGR all the way back to 1991, when my grandfather started this whole thing. He’s just a great guy, and Lain Hancock (President and CEO) is doing a great job, and it’s more than a sponsorship – they’re part of the family. I hope we can put them in victory lane.”

What is your relationship like with crew chief Chris Gayle and the No. 54 team, with whom you’re off to a strong start to the season?

“It’s really great. I work really well with them. Chris Gayle – he has been my crew chief since 2021. He’s been working with me for a minute. I feel like we have a good connection, Also, my engineer Kyle Abrahims – he’s been with me and Chris Gayle since 2021. We’ve all been working really good together and we are going to keep hammering down. Hoping we can keep running up front and have a chance for the win this weekend with Interstate Batteries.”

Joe Gibbs Racing has been very strong over the last few seasons. How do you describe the dynamic at the team right now?

“First of all, we need to give all of the thanks to the Joe Gibbs Racing aero department, along with Toyota. The new Toyota Camry XSE body – they’ve just done a great job with it. They’ve worked really hard on it, so it is great for all of them. Our team is great, and I have great teammates – they all have different characteristics, which is really cool, and I think that is really helpful with a team. We all come from pretty different backgrounds, so it’s a good atmosphere there and, in our meetings on Mondays, I can tell we all want it. All of the great feedback is just going to help us get better and better.”

No. 54 Interstate Batteries Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Ty Gibbs

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Chris Gayle

Hometown: Little Rock, Arkansas

Car Chief: Nate Bellows

Hometown: Fairfax, Vermont

Spotter: Tony Hirschman

Hometown: Northampton, Pennsylvania

Race Engineer: Kyle Abrahims

Hometown: Spring Grove, Pennsylvania

Race Engineer: Evan Karl

Hometown: Ballston Lake, New York

Road Crew Members

Truck Driver: Ben Smith

Hometown: Greensboro, North Carolina

Mechanic: Ryan Towles Hometown: Salem, Virginia

Mechanic: Scott Eldridge

Hometown: Warsaw, Indiana

Truck Driver: Mike Yates

Hometown: Daytona Beach, Florida

Mechanic/Tire Specialist: Jeff Swearengin

Hometown: Elkhart, Indiana

Over-The-Wall Crew Members

Gas Man: Ian Anderson

Hometown: Pffattown, North Carolina

Jackman: Braxton Brannon

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Nick McBeath

Hometown: Miami, Florida

Front Tire Changer: Jackson Gibbs

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Kevon Jackson

Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

This Week in Motorsports: April 8 – 14, 2024

· NCS/NXS/NCTS: Texas Motor Speedway – April 12-14
· NHRA: The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – April 12-14

PLANO, Texas (April 10, 2024) – NASCAR is back in the Lone Star State at Texas Motor Speedway with all three national series competing on the 1.5-mile oval. NHRA finishes up its west coast swing at Las Vegas for the first four-wide nationals of the season.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS | NCTS

Six of eight Camry drivers within top 16 in points … Through eight races of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season, six of Toyota’s eight full-time drivers are inside the top 16 of the series points heading to Texas. Martin Truex Jr. has been leading the Toyota contingent for most of the season so far, currently second in the standings trailing Kyle Larson by 14 points. He is joined by Denny Hamlin (third), Ty Gibbs (seventh), Tyler Reddick (ninth), Christopher Bell (11th) and Bubba Wallace (12th).

Jimmie Johnson back in action … Seven-time Cup Series champion, Jimmie Johnson, will make his second start of 2024 in the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB this weekend. Johnson made his lone appearance of the season so far at the Daytona 500, where he finished 28th. Sunday will be the 691st start of Johnson’s legendary career and his 36th at Texas Motor Speedway, where he’s accrued seven wins, 16 top-fives and 22 top-10s.

Nemechek seeks another Texas win … Texas Motor Speedway has been good to John Hunter Nemechek over the past few seasons while the North Carolina native made his way back up the NASCAR ladder to the Cup Series. Nemechek enters the weekend with three wins in his last five Texas Motor Speedway starts across NASCAR’s three national series, with Xfinity Series victories in 2021 and 2023, along with a Truck Series win in 2021.

Bell happy to return to Texas … Texas has also been a favorable track for Bell of late as the Oklahoma native seeks more solid runs to firm up his playoff position. Bell has three top-fives in the last four races at Texas Motor Speedway, while also entering the weekend with five top-10 finishes so far this season.

Smith extends points lead … After another top-five finish last weekend, his sixth in the first seven races of 2024, Chandler Smith extended his Xfinity Series points lead to 35 going into Texas. His Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Sheldon Creed, moved up one spot to the 10th position after compiling solid stage points at Martinsville.

Truex back in GR Supra … Veteran Ryan Truex is back behind the wheel of a GR Supra this weekend in the Xfinity Series, piloting the No. 20 for Joe Gibbs Racing. Truex started the first two races of 2024 in the No. 19 GR Supra, where he last finished ninth at Atlanta in February.

Toyota aims to continue Texas dominance … Entering the weekend, Toyota has captured victory at Texas Motor Speedway in seven of its last 10 Xfinity Series races. Nemechek provided the most recent wins in a GR Supra, including last spring.

Toyota drivers in the thick of playoff race … Coming to Texas, Toyota Tundra TRD Pro drivers continue to find themselves towards the top of the Truck Series points standings. Corey Heim is leading Toyota drivers, currently tied for second in the points standings and seven points behind the top spot. Taylor Gray sits fifth after another top-10 finish at Martinsville last weekend. His brother, Tanner Gray, sits just outside the top-10 of the points standings in the 11th position.

Wright makes 2024 Truck debut … Full-time ARCA Menards Series driver, Kris Wright, will make his season debut in the Trucks Series this weekend with TRICON Garage in the No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. Wright pilots the No. 15 Toyota Camry for Venturini Motorsports in ARCA. Wright has made 45 career Truck Series starts with 12th as his best career finish (Daytona 2021 and Texas 2023).

Friesen seeks another strong Texas run … Truck Series veteran, Stewart Friesen, has been consistently strong at Texas Motor Speedway over the course of his career. The Canadian has top-10 finishes in more than half of his starts at Texas, including a victory in 2022, the third of his career.

NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car

Toyota seeks five consecutive wins … After the victories by Justin Ashley (postponed Winternationals from Pomona) and Shawn Langdon at Firebird Motorsports Park, Toyota has four consecutive wins in Top Fuel heading to Las Vegas this weekend. The streak started with Doug Kalitta’s victory at Pomona last fall where he also captured his first career championship.

Brown seeks Las Vegas Four-Wide repeat … Multi-time world champion, Antron Brown, returns to the Four-Wide Nationals as the defending race winner. Another triumph for Brown in the event would be his fifth career Las Vegas spring race win and his 75th overall victory in NHRA competition.

About Toyota

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

Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 26 electrified options.

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

CLUB ENTRY LIST

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
POINT STANDINGS: 19th

ERIK JONES
POINT STANDINGS: 20th

JIMMIE JOHNSON

CLUB NOTES

The Boss at Texas: LEGACY M.C. co-owner Jimmie Johnson holds several records at Texas Motor Speedway, including the most wins at the track (seven), most runner-up finishes (five), first among top-five finishes (16) and has led 1,152 laps.

Epic battle: One of the best memories of Johnson’s seven wins at Texas was his first win and the hard-fought battle with LEGACY M.C’s competition advisor Matt Kenseth. The 2007 event saw Kenseth and Johnson door-to-door battle down to the stripe.

Last time at Texas: The last time Johnson raced at Texas Motor Speedway was in INDYCAR in 2022. He started 18th, spun out on Lap 2, then made his way back through the entire field, to narrowly miss a top-five finish in the closing laps. Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon, overtook Johnson who ended up finishing sixth.

Nemechek knows Texas, X 2: Last time at Texas Motor Speedway, John Hunter Nemechek made the winning pass in his ROMCO Toyota Camry Xfinity Series ride with seven laps remaining in the event to claim his seventh victory of the 2023 season. He led 38 of 200 laps, and won by 1.005-seconds – for his second win at the 1.5-mile Texas track.

Front Row JH: Nemechek has led in his last three attempts at Texas Motor Speedway in the Xfinity Series, totaling 86 laps. Two of the three races resulted in a trip to Victory Lane in 2021 and 2023. Nemechek has only finished outside of the top-10 once at Fort Worth.

SWAU: AdventHealth will host a series of educational panels for Southwestern Adventist University (SWAU) students in Keene, Texas, located just outside Dallas. These panels will focus on various professions in the world of racing, including a separate panel on driver backgrounds. Ahead of this weekend’s race at Texas Motor Speedway, AdventHealth will host LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s VP of Race Operations, Joey Cohen, for a brief panel. The second panel, hosted by David Weis, CEO of AdventHealth Daytona Beach, will include LEGACY M.C. drivers Jimmie Johnson and Erik Jones.

Family Dollar Gold Star: Primary partner Family Dollar will honor store #1907 this weekend as a part of the company’s “Go For G.O.L.D.” (Grand Opening Look Daily) program. The Dollar Tree and Family Dollar primaries will highlight these stores on the deck lid of all three LEGACY M.C. entries throughout the race season.

Last Run: During the 2023 race in the Lone Star State, Jones and the No. 43 put together a strong day. The team qualified 12th and steadily moved up the scoring pylon, earning a second-place finish in stage two while running most of the race in the top five. Unfortunately, Jones was collected in a wreck with just 12 laps to go after an issue on pit road set him back a handful of spots on the restart. Jones, slated for a top-five finish, was credited with finishing 30th.

Triple Duty: On November 8th, 2015, Jones became the youngest driver to complete triple duty at Texas Motor Speedway. Jones kicked off the race weekend, winning the truck series race on Friday after starting in fifth position and leading for 117 laps. On Saturday, Jones competed in the Xfinity Series race, starting third and finishing fourth. To cap off a weekend full of racing, Jones qualified sixth and finished 12th in his second career NASCAR Cup Series race. Jones raced a total of 1,021.5 miles that weekend.

Quality Numbers: Jones has strung together a handful of solid races at Texas Motor Speedway, leading laps in seven of his last nine races. Jones has led 116 laps, all following the reconfiguration in 2017. In his most recent attempt at the 1.5-mile oval, Jones qualified 12th while running most of the race in the top five. With just over 20 laps to go, Jones was collected in a wreck on the front stretch and credited with a 30th-place result.

Xfinity: Jones put on a show in the Xfinity Series at Texas Motor Speedway, collecting three wins in six attempts. Jones led 368 laps, including two starts from the pole in 2015 and 2017, while never finishing outside the top five. Jones holds an average start of 1.8 and an average finish of 2.2.

Spring has Sprung: The Jones family took advantage of the warmer weather late last week and began tilling their home garden. This will supply the Jones family (including Oscar and Biscuit) with plenty of garden-fresh vegetables through the spring and summer.

Q&A: Jones will join competitor Tyler Reddick for a Q&A on Sunday at the NASCAR Fan Zone stage from 11:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

CLUB QUOTES

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver of the No. 42 ROMCO Toyota Camry XSE:

“We’ve had some great runs at Texas over the years in the Xfinity Series. I’m excited to have ROMCO back on the car this weekend so I hope that we can give them a good showing. Ever since the repave I have been fast there – the track really just suits my driving style. The Next Gen car is different and I am still learning it but Erik was fast there last year and Jimmie is going to be with us this weekend so we have some great notes.”

Ben Beshore, Crew chief of the No. 42 ROMCO Toyota Camry XSE:

“We had one race in Vegas on the mile-and-a-half tracks but had an issue on pit road. Our speed was ok, we left Vegas knowing we had to work on our short run and traffic but once we get that dialed in we should be ok. John Hunter is really good at Texas with multiple wins in two different series so we should have a good day.”

Erik Jones, Driver of the No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE:

What is it about Texas that fits your driving style so well?

“Texas has always been a good track for me, even before the reconfiguration in 2017. We were able to win there in the Xfinity Series and have carried that success to the Cup Series after the reconfiguration. I feel like the reconfiguration has changed it, but for me, it seems like a lot of the things that you could do on the old track still somewhat apply to the new track. I just have a good feel; I feel comfortable there, and I feel like I have had good cars that have given me the opportunity to run well there, run up front, and be fast. We had a really strong car in the fall, I am hoping we can have similar speed at Texas this weekend.”

Dave Elenz, Crew chief of the No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE:

What makes Texas such a good track for Erik?

“I think Texas is a good track for Erik because it takes discipline to run there, with the corners being as different as they are. Turns three and four have a lot of wide-open throttle and a lot of confidence to get through that corner and then get into one and two. It is definitely more technical, and I think Erik does a good job pairing those two together to really exploit the speed at Texas.”

What have you learned about the track since the reconfiguration in 2017?

“Since we have had the configuration change at Texas, we have really changed the racing there. It has made for unique setups and compromises that you don’t have to make at other intermediate tracks. You get a car that is trimmed out enough to have the speed down the straightaway in three and four, but handle through one and two as well.”

Jimmie Johnson, Driver of the No. 84 AdventHealth Toyota Camry XSE:

“Texas is a place that has very special memories for me. I am looking forward to seeing how this car handles on the track and just getting back behind the wheel of the AdventHealth Toyota Camry. This is the first of a few race stretch for me as a driver – Texas has always been good to me.”

Jason Burdett, Crew chief of the No. 84 AdventHealth Toyota Camry XSE:

With Jimmie’s success at Texas, where is your comfort level with him in the NextGen car this weekend?

“I think Jimmie has some confidence going into Texas based on his run at Charlotte last year. He felt like he ran well there and had a good feel on the ovals with this car. Obviously, that was a different track than Texas, and now a new car with Toyota. So, I feel like we will learn a lot this week in the simulator, with him being able to get in there, make some laps, and build some confidence in what we have.”

What are your overall goals for the weekend?

“Our overall goal as a team is to go there and have a car that can drive well for Jimmie so that he has a good comfort level and can go out there, race with everybody, and learn what it is like to race with the NextGen car. Obviously, this year, he has seven more opportunities on ovals after this weekend. Hopefully, we can go out and have a solid day, run all of the laps, show some speed, and build some confidence going into Dover, Kansas, and back to Charlotte. I think we have opportunities this year to keep building on this, where it is not just one race, and see what happens. We can build up for him, and he can continue to grow.”

PETTY 75TH ANNIVERSARY

ABOUT PETTY 75th: The 2024 season marks a significant milestone in the history of the Petty family as they have helped define stock car racing for 75 years. Their commitment to the sport and the people who make it possible – behind the wheel, under the hood, in the back office, and beyond – has shaped the growth and success of NASCAR. Their LEGACY lives on with the countless fans, drivers, technicians, and team members they touched. Throughout 2024, LEGACY M.C. will celebrate the Petty family and share countless memories with friends and fans at race tracks across the country.

Making History: In April 2000, at 19, Adam Petty made history at Texas Motor Speedway, becoming the first fourth-generation driver to compete in a NASCAR Cup Series event. In his lone Cup Series start, Petty qualified 33rd for the event and was forced to retire 215 laps into the 334-lap event due to engine failure. Petty was credited with finishing 40th.

Petty Fest: Race fans far and wide will have the chance to celebrate their affinity with the Petty family at the 14th Annual PettyFest on April 20th. This historic event celebrates all things Petty and will take place at the Petty Museum in Level Cross, N.C., from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The event will feature meet and greets with Kyle and Richard Petty, tours of the original Petty homestead, food trucks, vendors, and much more. Meet and greet wristbands are limited to the first 100 guests.

The King’s Hat: This week’s Texas-sized King’s Hat will be at the Speedway Motor Sports experience in the Fan Zone at Texas Motor Speedway.

BROADCAST INFO
TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
SUNDAY, APRIL 14th @ 3:30 PM ET

ABOUT OUR PARTNERS

ABOUT ROMCO EQUIPMENT CO.: Founded in 1961, ROMCO, a Texas-based company and member of the SMT Group of companies since its acquisition in 2022, adopts a segmented industry approach to cater to the diverse needs of the equipment market. Through four specialized divisions, we focus on delivering top-notch solutions for construction, paving, aggregate and power equipment requirements.

ROMCO operates through a network of 17 locations in Texas and Southern New Mexico maintaining our proud history of service and commitment to growth. As a comprehensive full-service distributor, we represent prestigious brands such as Volvo Construction Equipment, Cementech, Atlas Copco, K-Tec Earthmovers, FRD Kent, Genesis, Yanmar, ASV, CK Power, Terramac, HKD Blue, Rockland, Gomaco, Atlas, Mantsinen, Shuttlewagon, Leeboy, Bearcat, Roadwidener, Finn, Sandvik, McLanahan, Phoenix, Keestrack, Noble and Kafka.

Explore our extensive offerings and discover more about our unwavering commitment to excellence at www.romco.com

ABOUT DOLLAR TREE, INC.: Dollar Tree, a Fortune 200 Company, operated 16,622 stores across 48 states and five Canadian provinces as of October 28, 2023. Stores operate under the brands of Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, and Dollar Tree Canada. To learn more about the Company, visit www.DollarTree.com.

ABOUT AdventHealth:With a sacred mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ, AdventHealth is a connected system of care for every stage of life and health. More than 90,000 team members across hundreds of care sites including physician practices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, home health agencies and hospice centers provide individualized, wholistic care. A shared vision, common values, focus on whole-person health and commitment to making communities healthier unify the system’s more than 50 hospital campuses in diverse markets throughout nine states. For more information about AdventHealth, visit AdventHealth.com/news.

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 www.LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com.

INDIANAPOLIS (April 10, 2024) – Fleddermann von Rieste, an independent Indiana-based watch brand, has partnered with NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Briscoe, with the Mitchell, Indiana-native serving as the first brand ambassador for Fleddermann von Rieste and its growing line of watches.

The partnership with Briscoe includes the launch of a signature watch, designed in collaboration between Fleddermann von Rieste and Briscoe, which is set to launch later in 2024. For more updates regarding product launches and the signature Chase Briscoe watch, please visit vonrieste.com.

“Partnering with Chase was an obvious choice for us,” said Dr. Adam Fleddermann, CEO, Fleddermann von Rieste. “From the early stages of our relationship, it was clear that Chase shares the same Hoosier values and traits that our family and brand values.

“With Chase being our first brand ambassador, we wanted to ensure we got it right on all levels. We believe that with Chase and his family, we’ve found the perfect partner and ambassador for our brand and our family. He is a man of the highest values and integrity, on and off the track, always pursuing a winning path. We’re proud and blessed to welcome Chase Briscoe to the Fleddermann family.”

Briscoe is a third-generation racecar driver who has advanced from winning grassroots dirt track events in his home state of Indiana to competing at the highest level of North American motorsports, the NASCAR Cup Series.

“Being someone who has always been attracted to watches and what they symbolize as not only a tool for keeping time but also a piece of family pride, I was naturally drawn to the Fleddermann von Rieste brand,” Briscoe said. “Their Hoosier heritage and faith-based family approach to business made them a perfect fit for me and the brands I want to represent. The Fleddermann family has already become part of my extended family, and I’m excited to introduce their high-quality products to my fans and the entire racing industry.”

Since he was 13, Briscoe has followed in his grandfather’s and father’s footsteps, racing sprint cars on the rough and tumble bullrings of the Midwest. Briscoe has since expanded his family’s name into NASCAR. After winning the NASCAR Cup Series rookie-of-the-year title in 2021, Briscoe won in just the fourth start of his sophomore season. On March 13, 2022 at Phoenix Raceway, Briscoe took the checkered flag in just his 40th career Cup Series start. The victory secured Briscoe’s place in the NASCAR Playoffs and earned him the honor of being the 200th Cup Series winner in NASCAR history.

“Similar to the same attributes teams put into their cars to win at the top level of our sport, I can respect the incredible attention to detail and overall craftsmanship the Fleddermann von Rieste team puts into every watch they design. The watches they produce are attention-grabbing pieces that you truly want to cherish for generations,” Briscoe said.

“Many don’t realize it, but drivers are constantly on the go, both at home and when we’re traveling to races. A reliable watch, that also looks the part, is important in making sure we stay on time during even the most hectic of race weekends.”

Learn more about Briscoe by visiting vonrieste.com/ambassadors.

About Fleddermann von Rieste:

Fleddermann von Rieste is an independent Indiana-based watch brand that assembles watches with an American Watchmaker and Clockmaker Institute (AWCI) certified watchmaker and his apprentice in Kokomo, Indiana. Arriving in the 1840s, the Fleddermann family is proud of their longstanding Indiana heritage, with their earliest ancestor arriving in Southeastern Indiana from Rieste, Germany. Appreciative of their Indiana and German roots, the family believes in producing attainable luxury timepieces inspired by their ancestry in Germany, produced with passion and skill in their home state of Indiana. Fleddermann von Rieste offers a growing line of watches ranging in styles and pricing from under $500 to $1,600. All have mechanical or automatic movements and have passed the stringent bench testing of AWCI watchmakers before finding a home on your wrist. When you purchase a Fleddermann von Rieste watch, you’re not only purchasing a watch, but also an extension of your personality as you take another step forward on the journey toward your legacy.

Martin Truex Jr.
Texas Advance
No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 (Round 9 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 14
● Location: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 267 laps/400.5 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 85 laps / Final Stage: 102 laps
● TV/Radio: FS1 / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Where we Stand: The New Jersey native heads to Texas second in the driver standings with 295 points, 14 points behind new leader Kyle Larson. All four Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) entries are currently inside the top-11 in points heading to the ninth race of the season, with Denny Hamlin third, Ty Gibbs seventh, and Christopher Bell 11th.

● Aiming for First: Truex has yet to bring home a Cup Series win at Texas in his 34 career starts. Truex has come close, however, bringing home a pair of runner-up finishes there – in the fall of his championship 2017 season with Furniture Row Racing and the fall 2020 race with JGR.

● Up Front: Truex led a race-high 228 laps two weekends ago at Richmond (Va.) Raceway and sits second in laps led in NASCAR’s top series. All four JGR Toyota Camry XSE drivers are among the leaders in total laps led on the season. Larson’s 454 laps led tops the list for the Cup Series, followed by Hamlin at 358 and Truex with 352. Gibbs with 195, and Bell with 119, are also among the top-10 in laps led.

● Truex has five top-five finishes, 17 top-10s and has led a total of 689 laps in 34 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Texas. Truex’s average Texas finish is 14.6.

● Looking for 35: Truex’s win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon last July was his most recent Cup Series win, the 34th of his career, tying him with 2004 Cup Series champion Kurt Busch for 25th on the all-time Cup Series win list.

● Ahead at this Stage: Truex has accumulated 62 stage wins since the beginning of the stage era in 2017. He is the only driver with 10 or more stage sweeps, with his latest sweep coming at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn last August. Truex scored his first stage win of the season two weekends ago at Richmond, leading the field across the line at the end of Stage 2.

Martin Truex Jr., Driver of the No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE

Texas is a place where you’ve been good, but you’re still trying to find that first win. What is it going to take?

“It’s been a few different things over the years. It’s always been a good track for us. In 2022, we were leading and we blew a tire. It’s been one of those places where we have been snakebit a lot. We’ve had some good runs, we’ve had some struggles at times since they repaved it. Just one of those things, but I feel confident going there with what we have that we’ll run well, especially how we ran there the last couple of years. It’s been tough, we’ve gotten a lot of poles there and led a lot of laps but we just haven’t been able to win there. We just have to go there and I think we have a great shot to win with our Bass Pro Shops Camry.”

Where do you feel like you are as a team so far this season?

“I feel good about where we are at. We’ve had a top-three to top-five car every week, every race, with the exception of Martinsville last week. We haven’t quite capitalized on that over the course of some of these races, some of it in our control and other stuff that just hasn’t worked out. We’ve been really consistent. We’ve been working on cleaning up some mistakes in several areas, I know the guys have been busting their tails working on pit stops. If we can clean that up a bit and they can get some confidence and get consistently fast – our cars are great and the team is doing a great job – and clicking and working hard, and hopefully we can get our first win of the season here really soon. We have had some fast cars at a lot of these places.”

There’s a lot of variety in the schedule now – you go from short tracks, to dirt, to concrete, to road courses, and this week to a 1.5-mile oval. How do you take on the challenge of the variety of tracks you go to in the Cup Series?

“I feel like the schedule nowadays is all over the place with all the road courses we have, it’s just that every week is so different and you have to do your homework and study and think back to last year and past races just to remind ourselves. We have really short practices now, so you don’t get a lot of time to get dialed in and get comfortable, and not getting in that rhythm and just getting the car dialed in. We don’t have a lot of time and we need to show up and be ready to go. For the most part, I’ve been doing to these tracks for quite a while now and you lean on that past experience a lot, especially at a place like Texas this week, where I have raced a lot of times over the years.”

Is the competition as close as it’s ever been?

“Ever since we went to the NextGen car, everything has been closer, and you can see that in the standings, as well – it’s pretty tight. It is harder to find an advantage, it’s harder to run at the front every week consistently. Everything is tighter, closer together, less room for error, and you really have to be on top of things. Qualifying is a big deal now with track position at a premium. You want to run up front and hope for good things to happen.”

No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Martin Truex Jr.

Hometown: Mayetta, New Jersey

Crew Chief: James Small

Hometown: Melbourne, Australia

Car Chief: Chris Jones

Hometown: Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia

Race Engineer: Jaik Halpainy

Hometown: Blockville, New York

Engineer: Jeff Curtis

Hometown: Fairfax Station, Virginia

Spotter: Drew Herring

Hometown: Benson, North Carolina

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Ryan Martin

Hometown: Mechanicsburg, Virgina

Mechanic: Todd Carmichael

Hometown: Redding, California

Interior/Tire Specialist: Tommy DiBlasi

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Engine Tuner: Beau Morton

Hometown: Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Transporter Driver: Kyle Bazzell

Hometown: Fairbury, Illinois

Transporter Driver: Eddie DeGroot

Hometown: Baldwinsville, New York

Over-The-Wall Crew Members

Gas Man: Matt Tyrrell

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Jackman: Caleb Dirks

Hometown: Riverside, California

Tire Carrier: CJ Bailey

Hometown: Outer Banks, North Carolina

Front Tire Changer: Lee Cunningham

Hometown: Leaf River, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Marquill Osborne

Hometown: Cornelius, NC

NOAH GRAGSON
Texas Advance
No. 10 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 (Round 9 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 14
● Location: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 267 laps / 400.5 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 85 laps / Final Stage: 102 laps
● TV/Radio: FS1 / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Six weeks have passed since the last time the NASCAR Cup Series raced on a 1.5-mile oval. It was March 3 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Noah Gragson drove his No. 10 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing to a season-best sixth-place finish. With another 1.5-mile oval next up on the Cup Series docket with the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Gragson is looking forward to racing in the Lone Star State and scoring another strong result.

● Gragson has only one NASCAR Cup Series start at Texas. It came in September 2022 when the Las Vegas native drove to a 21st-place finish for Kaulig Racing. It was just Gragson’s 13th career Cup Series start. Sunday’s AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 will mark Gragson’s 48th career Cup Series start. He’s slated to make his milestone 50th career Cup Series start April 28 at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway.

● While Gragson’s NASCAR Cup Series experience at Texas is limited, his overall experience at the D-shaped oval is not. He has eight career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts there and four career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts.

● In those eight NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Texas, Gragson scored four top-fives, hitting his stride in his fourth start at the track. After finishing 13th, 30th and 30th in his first three starts, Gragson roared to a strong second-place finish in October 2020, rising from his ninth-place starting spot to lead three times for a race-high 43 laps before coming up .445 of a second short to winner Harrison Burton. Gragson went on to score three more top-10 finishes in his last four Xfinity Series starts at Texas, going out on top in his final start at the track in September 2022. Gragson started second and took the lead on lap one. He wound up leading three times for a race-high 85 laps, including the final 12, to take the victory by 1.238 seconds over runner-up Austin Hill. The lone finish outside of the top-10 during that four-race stretch came in May 2022 when Gragson won the pole and proceeded to lead twice for 32 laps before getting collected in a six-car accident on lap 124 of the 167-lap race that left him 36th.

● In his four NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts at Texas, Gragson never finished outside the top-10. He debuted in strong fashion in June 2017 by winning the pole and leading twice for 13 laps before finishing seventh. It ended up being Gragson’s best Truck Series result at Texas as he tallied three consecutive 10th-place finishes in his last three Truck Series starts (November 2017, June 2018 and November 2018).

● For the second straight week, Overstock.com adorns Gragson’s No. 10 Ford Mustang. The partnership amplifies the recent relaunch of Overstock.com, home of crazy good deals that offer quality and style for less. Overstock.com is for the savvy shopper who loves the thrill of the hunt and it includes product categories customers know and love, like patio furniture, home furniture and area rugs, while reintroducing jewelry, watches and health-and-beauty products.

Noah Gragson, Driver of the No. 10 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

The risk versus reward factor is higher at Texas because the speeds are so much higher. Can you explain how fast things happen at Texas and how quickly you need to think and make moves on the track?

“Texas is challenging just because you’re pretty much wide open from the exit of turn two all the way through (turns) three and four, down the front straightaway until you get to turn one. There are two different corners at Texas, and that’s a big challenge on getting your car handling right. Turns three and four are more banked, and turns one and two are more flat and wide. It’s a tough, challenging racetrack, and it’s always pretty hot and slick there, too. It’s easy to get up out of the groove and spin out through one and two. You definitely have to be on your game from the get-go.”

Texas is the exact opposite of a short track, which is where the NASCAR Cup Series has raced the past two weekends. But would you like to see the kind of tire fall-off we’ve seen at the short tracks to where the race would have more comers and goers, or does that get a little bit dicey considering the speeds you’re running at Texas?

“Texas is super smooth just because it’s been repaved within the last 10 years, so it would be hard to make the tires wear out there. But it’s gripped up, it’s fine, you’re going fast around that place, and I like the challenge of that.”

What are the tricky parts of Texas and what do you have to do every time you make a lap?

“You can go to the bottom and run your right-sides in the resin, or you can run all four in the traction compound, but if you slip up, there’s only one groove in that traction compound. If you try to get a little bit higher on your arc into the corner, it could be a disaster and you can spin out and lose all grip. It’s like you hit ice. That’s a big challenge there.”

Texas is another track where you’ve enjoyed considerable success in NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. In fact, you won in your last Xfinity Series start there and you never finished outside the top-10 in four career Truck starts at Texas. What has allowed you to have so much success at Texas?

“I don’t have a clue. I felt like it was always my worst track. The first time I went there, we got the pole, which was awesome, and I told myself in the Truck that I had to be wide open if I wanted a shot at the pole, and I held it wide open until I got past the checkered flag. I guess it’s just about being disciplined getting it to the line each lap. It’s a handful around that place.”

Texas’ victory lane is pretty over the top with flames, confetti, cowboy hats and six-shooters. Has it been one of your favorite places to celebrate a win?

“Yeah, it’s a fun victory lane to celebrate, by far. There are always a lot of people, they have cool trophies, cowboy hats, and they have flames shooting off the top of the backdrop. It’s a good time, but it’s always hot in Texas and it feels like it’s 200 degrees in a sauna in victory lane there just because they have the fire going the whole time. I remember when we won the Xfinity race and I’m like, ‘Please just tell them to shut off the flames because it’s so damn hot and I’m worn out.’”

What’s your favorite barbecue joint in Texas?

“I like going to Hard Eight BBQ. I could eat lunch and dinner there every day when I’m in town. I love that place. I get brisket, I get the bacon wrapped jalapeno, and I also do a jalapeno creamed corn, and that’s all I need. For me, it’s the only place that really has it all for me, and I’m not really a big barbecue guy. But for whatever reason, when we land in Texas, I’m going to Hard Eight in Dallas.”

No. 10 Overstock.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Noah Gragson

Hometown: Las Vegas

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer

Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Jerry Cook

Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Engineer: James Kimbrough

Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

Spotter: Andy Houston

Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Ryan Mulder

Hometown: Sioux Center, Iowa

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White

Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard

Hometown: King, North Carolina

Jack Man: Sean Cotten

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Fuel Man: James “Ace” Keener

Hometown: Fortuna, California

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Chris Trickett

Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Beau Whitley

Hometown: Carmel, Indiana

Tire Specialist: Jacob Cooksey

Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Steve Casper

Hometown: Salisbury, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

Texas Event Info:
Date: Sunday, April 14
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Format: 267 Laps, 400.5 miles, Stages: 80-85-102
TV: FS1
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 10:35 a.m. ET, Practice (FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 11:20 a.m., Qualifying (FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 3:30 p.m. ET, Race (FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

• Texas Motor Speedway hosts its lone race date of the season this weekend as the NASCAR Cup Series embarks on the ninth race of 2024.
• Jack Roush has 18 wins all-time at Texas, including nine in Cup.

6 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Matt McCall
Partner: BuildSubmarines.com

‘Month of the Military Child,’ an initiative run through Brad’s Checkered Flag Foundation, continues this weekend in Texas. Levi and Max Johnson will ride along on the No. 6 on the passenger side name rail as part of the campaign meant to recognize a military child’s name during each race in April.

17 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: Fifth Third Bank

• Mammoth Energy Services will ride along on Buescher’s No. 17 this weekend as part of the ‘Fueled by Fifth Third’ program. Mammoth is an integrated, growth-oriented energy services company focused on providing products and services to enable the exploration and development of North American onshore unconventional oil and natural gas reserves as well as the construction and repair of the electric grid for private utilities, public investor-owned utilities, and co-operative utilities through its infrastructure services businesses.
• Mammoth’s suite of services and products include: well completion services, infrastructure services, natural sand and proppant services, drilling services and other energy services. For more information, please visit www.mammothenergy.com.

Keselowski at Texas
Starts: 28
Wins: —
Top-10s: 13
Poles: 2 (2015, 2022)

• Keselowski makes his 29th Cup Series start at Texas this weekend. He has a 15.8 average finish at the 1.5-mile track with 13 top-10s, and two runner-up results in 2012 and 2015.
• He’s coming off five-straight top-10 finishes in Fort Worth, including a P7 last fall after starting third.
• Despite no victories at TMS, Keselowski has led 685 laps at the track, fourth-most of any track in his career.
• Keselowski earned the pole in 2022 and went on to lead 31 laps, one of two Texas poles in his Cup career (2015).
• He’s also qualified inside the top-10 in six-straight Texas races with an overall average starting position of 13.2.
• He made an additional 23 combined starts at Texas in the Xfinity and Truck Series with two NXS victories in 2013 and 2015.

Buescher at Texas
Starts: 14
Wins: —
Top-10s: —
Poles: —

• Buescher makes his 15th Cup start at his home track of Texas this weekend. He’s coming off a 14th-place finish last fall, his career best at Texas.
• He’s coming off three-consecutive career best qualifying efforts, after starting P2 last fall. The year prior he qualified 13th, and started 10th in 2021.
• Buescher also made five Xfinity starts at Texas with a best finish of ninth (2015).

RFK Historically at Texas
Cup Wins: 9 (Jeff Burton, 1997; Mark Martin, 1998; Matt Kenseth, 2002, 2011; Greg Biffle, 2005, 2012; Carl Edwards, 2008, 2008)

• Dream Season: RFK won both the first NCS (Jeff Burton) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (Mark Martin) races at Texas in 1997. Burton began the afternoon from the fifth position and led 60 laps en route to the inaugural victory.
• Houston, We Don’t Have a Problem: RFK has earned nine NCS victories at Texas, dating back to the inaugural event in 1997. Former drivers Burton, Martin, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth have captured the checkered flag in the Lone Star State.
• J.R.’s ’08 Sweep: Edwards swept the 2008 NCS races for RFK at Texas, leading 335 laps in the two events.
• 9 a.m. in Dallas: RFK has started 154 NCS races at Texas, recording a total of nine victories, 38 top-five finishes, 61 top-10 finishes, an average finish of 16.0 and has led 2,557 laps. Biffle earned RFK’s most recent victory at Texas in the April 2012 event.
• North Dallas Forty: RFK has earned eight victories, 26 top-five finishes, 47 top-10 finishes and an average finish of 13th at Texas in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. RFK won three of the first four races at the 1.5-mile oval.
• Jack Roush: TMS Hall of Famer: Based on the strength of RFK’s numerous accomplishments at Texas, team owner Jack Roush was inducted into the Texas Motor Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.
• Tale of the Tape: RFK has started 305 races all-time at Texas Motor Speedway, recording 18 wins, 76 top-fives and 135 top-10s. RFK Fords have captured 10 poles at the 1.5-mile track and led 3500+ laps while turning more than 112,000 miles.

RFK Texas Wins

1997 Burton Cup

1997 Martin NXS

1998 Martin Cup

1999 Martin NXS

2000 Martin NXS

2000 Biffle Truck

2002 Kenseth Cup

2005-1 Biffle Cup

2005-2 Edwards Cup

2007-1 Kenseth NXS

2008-1 Edwards Cup

2008-2 Edwards Cup

2010-2 Edwards NXS

2011-1 Edwards NXS

2011-2 Bayne NXS

2011-1 Kenseth Cup

2012-1 Biffle Cup

2012-1 Stenhouse NXS

Last Time Out & Where They Stand
Martinsville: Buescher led the RFK contingent with a top-15 finish at Martinsville last weekend, his third-straight top-15 at ‘The Paperclip.’ Keselowski finished 24th.

Points Standings (17: 13th, 6: 18th): Buescher dropped one position to P13, while Keselowski is 18th entering the ninth race of the season.