Category: NASCAR Cup PR

Dynamic Video Boards to Debut at Daytona Duels

CONCORD, N.C. (Feb. 6, 2024) – In connection with the launch of the RFK TeK Alliance, RFK Racing is set to elevate the race-day atmosphere with the introduction of state-of-the-art video boards on its pitboxes, debuting at the upcoming Daytona 500 weekend. This innovative addition aims to provide fans, teams, and partners with an immersive and dynamic viewing experience, showcasing dynamic graphics and engaging content.

The high-definition video boards, strategically integrated into RFK Racing’s pitboxes, will deliver various data, partner communications, and captivating visuals before each race event. Following the announcement of the RFK TeK Alliance initiative last week, this at-track project aligns with RFK’s increased commitment to technology and pushing boundaries and enhancing the overall fan and partner engagement within the dynamic world of NASCAR.

RFK’s award-winning marketing group first suggested the idea in 2023 and worked diligently with NASCAR officials in the offseason to make the technological advancement a reality.

“We are excited to unveil our latest enhancement to the race-day experience with the introduction of video boards on our pitboxes,” said Kevin D. Woods, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications. “This cutting-edge addition allows our team and partners to connect with fans on a whole new level. Our team worked closely with NASCAR to make this happen and the immersive content displayed on these boards will provide a unique perspective and insight into the intensity of NASCAR racing.”

The boards will debut in Daytona at the twin duels on Thursday evening (7 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM) and be featured in Sunday’s famed Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM), promising fans an enhanced viewing experience and a closer connection to the action on the track. RFK Racing, who unveiled its new RFK TeK Alliance last week, remains dedicated to innovation and aims to find and integrate new technologies both on and off the track.

About RFK Racing
RFK Racing, entering 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.

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team were among 13 drivers and teams that came up short in qualifying for the third-annual Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

With the forecast for Sunday calling for heavy rain, NASCAR officials on Saturday made the decision to move the main event to Saturday night and eliminate the heat races and last-chance feature that normally determine the line-up for the feature race.

The field for the non-points exhibition race was set based on speeds in the final practice session with 22 drivers earning starting spots based on their best lap time in the session, with one provisional starting spot that went to defending series champion Ryan Blaney.

Burton had a best lap at 66.094 miles per hour. It took a lap at 66.746 mph to make the cut.

Burton and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team now turn their focus to preparing the No. 21 Mustang Dark Horse for the regular season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 18.

About Motorcraft®
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, independent distributors and automotive-parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty* of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, that is committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for and deepen the loyalty of those customers. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, as well as connected services. Additionally, Ford is establishing leadership positions in mobility solutions, including self-driving technology, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 176,000 people worldwide. More information about the company, its products and Ford Credit is available at corporate.ford.com.
*See seller for limited-warranty details.

Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.

L.A. Clash
Los Angeles, California – February 3, 2024

AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 FREIGHTLINER FORD MUSTANG

FINAL PRACTICE: 27TH FINISH: DNQ

RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric, driver of the No. 2 Freightliner Ford Mustang, participated in his first on-track activities of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season today at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. As incoming inclement weather forecasts headlined the local Los Angeles news, NASCAR officials adjusted the weekend schedule, condensing all competition into Saturday and altering various aspects of the qualifying procedures. Cindric was among the drivers in Group 1 for practice, and from the onset, the Team Penske racer battled an ill-handling Ford Mustang. Despite the adjustments made by the No. 2 team within the limited window, Cindric’s Ford Mustang fell shy of advancing to the main event.

CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “Obviously, not excited about not being able to make the show. This place has been pretty challenging for me. We made a lot of progress between the first group of practice and second group of practice. We kind of did a Hail Mary on changes for qualifying, so I think we learned some stuff. We tried to apply some things that will hopefully help us with directions in the season, but it’s not fun to be able to watch it. I’d much rather be driving.”

RYAN BLANEY No. 12 MENARDS/GREAT LAKES FORD MUSTANG

FINAL PRACTICE: 26TH START: 23RD FINISH: 3RD

RACE RUNDOWN: Despite starting at the tail end of the field of Saturday night’s Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Ryan Blaney methodically made his way through the field to come away with a third-place finish in the No. 12 Menards/Great Lakes Flooring Ford Mustang. Blaney battled issues with low grip on the initial run of the night but worked his way up to 15th in the running order by the halfway break at lap 75. After getting four fresh tires and an air pressure adjustment, Blaney raced his way into the top-10 on lap 85 and continued his way forward to fifth when the caution flag flew with 10 laps to go. As the leaders put the bumpers to each other on the following restart, Blaney evaded the carnage to get up to third before the final caution came out to set up a green-white-checkered finish. Blaney chose the outside of row one for the ensuing restart and fought for the lead in the final two laps, but ultimately settled for a third-place finish.

BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “We did a good job all night just kind of staying clean, and our car was fast to drive up through the field. A couple restarts went our way as to where our lanes went, and just had a shot. I got a terrible restart on the last one. Probably wouldn’t have won anyway, but came from a long way back, so it was fun. I think every time I’ve been here, I’ve been spun backwards about two or three times, so it’s nice to have that one at the last one, so it’s good.”

JOEY LOGANO No. 22 SHELL-PENNZOIL FORD MUSTANG

FINAL PRACTICE: 17TH START: 2ND FINISH: 4TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano started from the outside of row one in Saturday night’s Clash at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and kept the Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang in the mix for the race win throughout the 150-lap event. After running third for a majority of the opening run, Logano took the lead after coming out ahead of a three-wide battle off of turn two and maintained the top spot heading into the halfway break on lap 75. The No. 22 team serviced Logano’s Ford Mustang with four tires and an air pressure adjustment before Logano settled into second in the running order on the ensuing run. A caution with 10 laps remaining saw the 2022 Clash champion take the outside of row one for the restart, but was shuffled out of line causing him to drop to fourth in the running order. A subsequent caution set up a green-white-checkered finish that saw Logano battle his way to a fourth-place finish.

LOGANO’S THOUGHTS: “Sometimes it’s real frustrating when you’re out there because it’s a tight bullring and you’ve got big cars and they’re sliding around, especially on refires with old tires – you’re sliding a lot. But I know from rewatching races and sitting in the grandstands for one of the LCQs last year or a couple years ago, it was like, this is really entertaining to watch. It becomes pretty crazy at the end, obviously. But you kind of see that. I think we were actually a little better than we were last year.”

The 66th running of the DAYTONA 500 will be held on Sunday, February 18 with live coverage on FOX, MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 BetMGM Chevrolet Team Unable to Defend Last Year’s Podium Finish at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

N/A
DNQ
N/A

“I applaud NASCAR for the way they recognized the impending weather and got the race in tonight. Unfortunately for us, it meant no last chance race and we needed it after struggling in practice and qualifying. I had high hopes leading into the weekend because we’ve been able to earn podium finishes the last two years. We just struggled with the handling of the No. 3 BetMGM Chevrolet in practice and qualifying today. The left front of our Chevy would lock up into the corner and we just couldn’t go anywhere. I’m looking forward to Daytona International Speedway to kick off our 2024 season.” -Austin Dillon

Kyle Busch and The No. 8 Morgan & Morgan Chevrolet Team Earn Strong Second-Place Finish at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

2nd
5th
N/A

“It was a good run for us tonight at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The No. 8 Morgan & Morgan Chevrolet Camaro was good. It was solid. I felt like we were a little bit better in the first half of the race. In the second half, we were not as good, but we still came out of Los Angeles with a second-place finish. I’m happy with that, but we know we have work to do on our short track program. Maybe some of the stuff we tried today will help us get there. We had a decent shot at the end of the race. We had a decent start, and I knew the No. 11 car was going to keep blowing off the bottom because he kept locking up his tires. I knew there was going to be a hole at the bottom and I got there off of Turn 2, but I couldn’t accelerate late in the run. There was just too much wheel spin to keep that position on him and to be close enough on the next end to get to the inside of him while he locked up. It definitely stings, but all-in-all, I’m glad to have a good night and come out of here in one piece, even with all of the bumping and banging and everything else that happens.” -Kyle Busch

NASCAR CUP SERIES
LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL COLISEUM
BUSCH LIGHT CLASH AT THE COLISEUM
POST-RACE REPORT
FEBRUARY 3, 2024

Busch Leads Chevrolet to Podium Finish in Clash at The Coliseum
Camaro ZL1 takes Four Top-10 Finishes

• Eight drivers from five different Chevrolet teams posted a qualifying lap in the Top-22 of the speed chart to secure a starting position in the 46th Running of the Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
• At the stage break caution on Lap 75, Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson led Chevrolet on the leaderboard in the second position. The running order saw three Team Chevy drivers in the top-five, with Larson leading teammate William Byron in fourth and Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch in fifth.
• Involved in contact that resulted in a caution on Lap 77, Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott suffered suspension damage on his No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 – ultimately forcing the team to retire early from the race.
• With a green-white-checkered finish, Kyle Busch led Team Chevy in the final running order – driving his No. 8 Morgan & Morgan Camaro ZL1 to a second-place finish.
• Four Team Chevy drivers recorded a top-10 finish, with Kyle Busch leading Kyle Larson in fifth, Alex Bowman in sixth and William Byron rounding out the Top-10.
• The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season officially kicks off at Daytona International Speedway with the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 18, at 2:30 P.M. ET. Live coverage can be found on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

 
TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10 RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
2nd Kyle Busch, No. 8 Morgan & Morgan Camaro ZL1
5th Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1
6th Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1
10th William Byron, No. 24 Liberty University Camaro ZL1

 
TEAM CHEVY TOP-FIVE POST-RACE QUOTES:
Kyle Busch, No. 8 Morgan & Morgan Camaro ZL1

Finished: 2nd

It looked like you had a shot there at the end. Walk though that last restart, especially when you know it’s a one-lap shootout to the finish.

“I got a decent start, and then I knew the No. 11 (Denny Hamlin) was going to keep blowing off the bottom because he kept locking-up his tires – he couldn’t get left-front lockup out of it. I knew there was going to be a hole at the bottom and I got there off of (turn) two, but I just couldn’t accelerate late in the run, late in the race, up off the corners. There was just too much wheel spin to keep that position on him and to be close enough on the next end to get to the inside of him while he locked-up.

It was a good run for us. The No. 8 Morgan & Morgan Camaro was good; it was solid. I felt like the first-half of the race, we were a little bit better. The second-half, we were not as good, but we still came out of here with a second-place finish. Happy with that, but we know we have work to do on our short-track program and get better on that. Maybe some of the stuff we tried today will help us there.”

Busch continuing on his runner-up finish:

“It definitely does sting. The first-half we were better – we had a better car and we were better than the No. 11 (Denny Hamlin). Some of the adjustments we made weren’t as good and some of the adjustments they made were better. All-in-all, I’m glad to have a good night. Glad to come out of here in one piece, even with all the bumping and banging and everything else that happens.”

Kyle Larson, No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Camaro ZL1

Finished: 5th

Overall, what did you think about the decision moving the race to tonight?

“Yeah, it was awesome. I was not planning on racing anything other than a heat race tonight and had no thought that racing was an option. Cliff (Daniels) had asked me if I had heard the rumors around 11:30 a.m., or so, and I got excited. I’m happy that we were able to do that. Obviously I’m sure NASCAR took a huge financial hit. I think, at the same point, the crowd was awesome out there for a spur-of-the-moment race with free admission and all of that. Hopefully a lot of these fans, who maybe have never been to a race before, will now fall in love with the sport and it can kind of grow from there. Maybe this could accidently work out really well for NASCAR.”

You and Bubba (Wallace) kind of got together there at the end. With it being an exhibition-style race, do you think the drivers are more willing to ‘forgive and forget’?

“I don’t know – obviously Bubba (Wallace) and I have a history in the past. I don’t really know – hopefully you ‘forgive and forget’. I mean like I said, he ran through me three times and I was just the one that happened to get him at the end. I hope he understands that part of it. Given our history, who knows. But I’m over it. I probably would have been over it too if roles were reverse and I ran through him three times and he finally spun me out the last corner. But we have different personalities too.. we all do out there. Everyone handles it differently. But yeah, it’s just the product of this racing, really. I try to tell myself to let things slide a little bit more, just knowing hits are coming from behind and stuff. Usually when you’re out there, you can get a good sense of when it’s happening – from the car wrecking behind you or before that. Yeah, it’s just kind of the way it goes with this race. It’s just the Clash.”

 

About Chevrolet

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

STEWART-HAAS RACING
Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum
Date: Feb. 3, 2024
Event: Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum (non-points race)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (quarter-mile, asphalt oval)
Format: 150-lap Feature with a 23-car field set by final practice speeds
Event Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Note: Race extended one lap past its scheduled 150-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.

Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang

● Qualified 22nd in final practice.
● Finished seventh in Feature, completing all 151 laps.

“We were good. We weren’t great. We probably needed a little bit more to kind of get into that top-three or five group. We were kind of just OK there, but for us starting 22nd and get to seventh was good. I didn’t even think we were going to make the race. I was walking back to change and get ready to head to the airport and I realized we made it, so from that to seventh is something to be happy about. It’s a good way to start the season with a little bit of confidence. It was going to be kind of a kick in the butt if we didn’t make the race, so it was nice to just make the race and then be able to go forward and pass cars, and a lot of good cars, too. This doesn’t really mean anything for the rest of the year, but for our confidence and from a team-building standpoint, I feel like it’s a really good start.”

Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 41 United Rentals Ford Mustang

● Qualified 12th in final practice.
● Finished 11th in Feature, completing all 151 laps.

“For us, we really struggled with balance all night. I felt like we were really good on restarts, but for the long runs, we struggled and I feel like 11th was kind of a victory for us. I think we’re going to really have to take a deep dive into what we have going on to continue to elevate ourselves because I know all of us had really high expectations to come in here and do what we did last year, and I know we’re going to continue doing that when we go to other short tracks this year.”

Noah Gragson, driver of the No. 10 Rush Truck Centers Ford Mustang

● Qualified 17th in final practice.
● Finished 20th in Feature, completing 147 of 151 laps.

“Overall, it was a good weekend. Our first objective was to make the race. We did that, and then got a little mixed up as a team on communication and had some errors to start the race and went a couple of laps down. Still super proud of our team. It was our first weekend together. Really proud of the communication between Drew (Blickensderfer, crew chief) and myself and spotter Andy Houston and the rest of the guys, just making good adjustments to make the race. There are a lot of positives. Our communication mishaps as a team going into the race with the modified schedule – we were misinformed on some stuff. Other than that, I’m proud of these guys and proud of the effort, thankful for the hard work and just grateful to be back out here. Our goal was to make the race and, although we want to win, we at least got to go out there and be a part of the show. Thanks to Rush Truck Centers and everyone at Stewart-Haas Racing. It was really fun driving the new Dark Horse Mustang. I can’t wait to get back out there. We’ll clean it up for Daytona. Thank goodness this wasn’t a points race.”

Josh Berry, driver of the No. 4 SUNNYD Ford Mustang

● 25th in final practice, did not advance to Feature.

“Obviously, it was definitely a fun experience to race here at the Coliseum. I feel like everybody did a good job. Obviously, it was a lot happening really quickly there, and I thought we did the best we could. We just barely missed it. I think we just needed a little bit more time to make some adjustments there. Ultimately, we were really close to making it into the show. We’ll just get ready and get ’em at Daytona.”

Race Notes:

● Denny Hamlin won the Busch Light Clash by .61 of a second over runner-up Kyle Busch. Ryan Blaney rounded out the podium.
● Eleven of the 23 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
● The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum kicked off its 101st anniversary with the Busch Light Clash.

Next Up:

The official start of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season begins with Daytona Speedweek Feb. 14-18 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Daytona 500 qualifying takes place at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Feb. 14 with live coverage on FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Only the top-two positions will be locked into the 66th Daytona 500. The rest of the field will earn their respective starting positions in the Bluegreen Vacations Duel – twin 150-mile heat races that set the rest of the Daytona 500 field. The Duel gets underway at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15 with live coverage on FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Daytona Speedweek then culminates with the Daytona 500 at 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 18 with live coverage provided by FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

HAMLIN CLAIMS CLASH VICTORY
Virginia-native wins first Clash in Los Angeles, fourth overall

LOS ANGELES (February 3, 2024) – Denny Hamlin won the pole, led 58 laps and got by his teammate Ty Gibbs with 10 to go to win the Clash at the Coliseum. It’s Hamlin’s first win in Los Angeles, and fourth Clash win overall (2006, 2014 and 2016 – all at Daytona).

The reigning Rookie of the Year Ty Gibbs was impressive throughout the event – leading a race-high 84 (of 150) laps before contact late led to a spin and a 18th-place finish. Six Toyota Camry drivers made the main event, including last year’s winner Martin Truex Jr., who finished ninth, and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s John Hunter Nemechek, who was scored 13th in LEGACY M.C’s debut event with Toyota.

In the debut race for the Toyota Camry XSE, Toyota drivers led all but nine laps (141 of 150 laps).

Toyota Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Clash – 150 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, DENNY HAMLIN
2nd, Kyle Busch *
3rd, Ryan Blaney*
4th, Joey Logano*
5th, Kyle Larson*
9th, MARTIN TRUEX JR.
12th, BUBBA WALLACE
13th, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
14th, TYLER REDDICK
18th, TY GIBBS

FAILED TO QUALIFY FOR MAIN EVENT
CHRISTOPHER BELL
ERIK JONES
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 Sport Clips Haircuts Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 1st

How did you fight your way back and take the lead with 10 laps to go?
“A lot of it was just what happened in front of me with the 54 (Ty Gibbs) and the 22 (Joey Logano). You just never know what was going to happen there, but I got a really good run off of turn two in my Sport Clips Camry and just got position and was able to hang on from there. It’s so chaotic – the restarts – everyone is just bumping and banging, but it feels great to win here in LA.”

What does this win mean to you to start the year this way?

“Just a big momentum boost. It doesn’t do much more than that. I clean off all the trophies every January 1st in the entryway of the house, and now we get to add one pretty quick. Really happy about that.”

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, No. 42 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB

Finishing Position: 13th

Can you tell us about your first Clash experience?

“It was great to make the show, great way to kick off our year and for myself just to get more experience and laps. Solid day for the Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE, ran around the track, ran into cars, and got run into as well. It’s what we expect in The Clash. On to Daytona.”

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

Finishing Position: 18th

What happened at the end there?

“I ran him up, but if you go back and look at the replay the 12 (Ryan Blaney) kind of chucks him out of the way too. It is just hard racing there at the end. This place is really hard to get your tires warm once the caution comes out – as you could see, everyone was sliding around, so I just got in there deep and washed up into him. We just got all tangled up after that.”

What are your emotions?

“It was just unfortunate. I just have to get better at restarts. My team brought me a great Monster Energy Camry as we saw. It was a good showing.”

What changes there at the end with your car compared to Denny’s?

“He just did a good job there getting back in contention for the race. I just overdrove the corner and got wrecked after that.”

What does it say for the 54 team to start the season this strong?

“Everyone did a great job. We started where we left off last year. It was a good showing for us. Our guys did a good job. Experience helps, and we will just keep going.”

CHRISTOPHER BELL, No. 20 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: Failed to Make Main Event

How did practice go?

“Practice was good. I felt like we were in a really good spot, and just didn’t have in qualifying.”

What changed from practice to qualifying?

“Just no rear grip in our Mobil 1 Camry for some reason. Just couldn’t get off the corners.”

ERIK JONES, No. 43 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB

Finishing Position: Failed to Make Main Event

What was your thoughts on today’s race?

“Obviously not the day we wanted. I wish things could have gone differently for our guys over at Family Dollar and Toyota, but the real test is in Daytona. We have a week to reset and get better before the regular season kicks off.”

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.

RICK WARE RACING
Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum
Date: Feb. 3, 2024
Event: Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum (non-points race)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (quarter-mile, asphalt oval)
Format: 150-lap Feature with a 23-car field set by final practice speeds
Event Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Note: Race extended one lap past its scheduled 150-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.

Justin Haley, driver of the No. 51 Walmart Health & Wellness Ford Mustang

● Qualified 10th for Feature in final practice.
● Finished 21st in Feature, completing 135 of 151 laps (Engine).

“I’m really proud of the effort from everyone at Rick Ware Racing. We were having a good night. Early in the race, we were able to make some gains and, as it went on, you either get better or fall off, and once we lost some track position we definitely had some of that fall-off. I think we would’ve been alright at the end. I feel like we could’ve gained a few more positions before it blew up, but overall I’m just really proud of how we did tonight and I can’t wait to get some more time with the team and show everyone what we’ve been working on.”

Kaz Grala, driver of the No. 15 N29 Capital Partners Ford Mustang

● 34th in final practice, did not advance to Feature.

“I like the track a lot. It’s definitely quirky. It’s different than anywhere I’ve ever been in anything, but I feel like we started out of the box a little bit far off there at the beginning and took a swing for that second practice that ended up actually being too much. Right in time for qualifying I felt like we got the balance better. We were finally in the mix and our lap times were close. We just missed it by a little over a 10th (of a second). So, I mean, the times were so tight that a little bit went a long way here. I feel proud of our effort, we beat a couple of cars that we probably shouldn’t have. It seemed like anybody that just missed it a little bit or hit it a little bit could have swung anywhere on that sheet there. We were just on the wrong end of it, unfortunately, but it was good working with everybody here for the first time. I think we got our communication down a little bit. I would’ve liked to be in the race tonight. I feel like, had we had one more practice, maybe we would’ve been better, but I think we can leave here with our heads up as far as who we were competitive with. I mean, this field this year is so tight. Not only the drivers being great, but there really aren’t any easy teams to beat out there anymore, either. Going into it, there were going to be huge names with huge organizations that we weren’t going to race tonight. We were hoping to be an upset and I’m glad the No. 51 got in there. That’s certainly an upset, so that’s cool for those guys. At least we’re in good company as far as who didn’t make the race, but I think if we were to do it over, I think we would’ve had a chance.”

Race Notes:

● Denny Hamlin won the Busch Light Clash by .61 of a second over runner-up Kyle Busch. Ryan Blaney rounded out the podium.
● Eleven of the 23 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
● The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum kicked off its 101st anniversary with the Busch Light Clash.

Next Up:

The official start of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season begins with Daytona Speedweek Feb. 14-18 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Daytona 500 qualifying takes place at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Feb. 14 with live coverage on FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Only the top-two positions will be locked into the 66th Daytona 500. The rest of the field will earn their respective starting positions in the Bluegreen Vacations Duel – twin 150-mile heat races that set the rest of the Daytona 500 field. The Duel gets underway at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15 with live coverage on FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Daytona Speedweek then culminates with the Daytona 500 at 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 18 with live coverage provided by FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

THE CLASH | RACE RECAP

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
No. 42 DOLLAR TREE CAMRY XSE

START: 21ST
FINISH: 13TH
POINTS: N/A

John Hunter Nemechek’s Post-Race Thoughts: “It was great to make the show, great way to kick off our year and for myself just to get more experience and laps. Finishing in 13th is a solid day for the Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE, I ran around the track, ran into cars, and got run into as well. It’s what we expect in The Clash. On to Daytona.”

ERIK JONES
No. 43 FAMILY DOLLAR CAMRY XSE

Erik Jones on “The Clash” experience: “Today was obviously not the day we wanted. I wish things could have gone differently for our guys and our partners at Family Dollar and Toyota, but the real test is in Daytona. We have a week to reset and get better before the regular season kicks off.”

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. 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.

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Clash at the Coliseum | Saturday, February 3, 2024

Ford Finishing Results:
3rd – Ryan Blaney
4th – Joey Logano
7th – Chase Briscoe
8th – Brad Keselowski
11th – Ryan Preece
19th – Michael McDowell
20th – Noah Gragson
21st – Justin Haley
23rd – Todd Gilliland

RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Menards/Great Lakes Ford Mustang Dark Horse – DID YOU THINK YOU’D HAVE TO TAKE A PROVISIONAL? “The plan was not to take a provisional. Our group was pretty slow. I guess we just couldn’t go, so we were lucky that we got in the race and then we did a good job all night. We just kind of stayed clean and our car was fast too, to just kind of drive up through the field. A couple of restarts went our way to where our lanes went. I had a shot. I got a terrible restart on the last one, but I probably wouldn’t have won anyway. We came from a long way back, so it was fun. I think every time I’ve been here I’ve been spun backwards two or three times, so it’s nice not to have that at the last one. It’s good.”

WHAT HAVE YOU LIKED ABOUT RACING HERE? “The demographic and the way that they kind of pulled the trigger on today trying to get it in. I think that was really smart by NASCAR. Maybe it doesn’t show in the stands just because of what it was, but it gets a lot of support and you also have the NASCAR Mexico Series here too. I think that’s good as well to kind of grow their side. It’s a neat area to do it in.”

JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse – WHAT HAVE YOU LIKED ABOUT RACING HERE? “I think it’s very entertaining and sometimes it’s real frustrating when you’re out there because it’s a tight bull ring and you’ve got big cars and they’re sliding around, especially on refires with old tires you’re sliding a lot. I know from rewatching races and sitting in the grandstands for one of the LCQ’s a couple years ago it was like, ‘This is really entertaining to watch.’ It becomes pretty crazy at the end, obviously, but you kind of see that. I think we were actually a little better than we were last year.”

CHASE BRISCOE, No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “We were good. We weren’t great. We probably needed a little bit more to kind of get into that top three or five group. We were kind of just OK there, but for us starting 22nd and get to seventh was good. I did not even think we were going to make the race. I was walking back to change and ready to head to the airport and I realized we made it so from that to seventh is something to be happy about. It’s a good way to start the season with a little bit of confidence. It was gonna be kind of a kick in the butt if we didn’t make the race, so it was nice to just make the race and then be able to go forward and pass cars and a lot of good cars too. This doesn’t really mean anything for the rest of the year, but for our confidence and from a team building standpoint I feel like it’s a really good start.”

JUSTIN HALEY, No. 51 Walmart Health and Wellness Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “I’m really proud of the effort from everyone at Rick Ware Racing. We were having a good night. Early in the race we were able to make some gains and as it went on, you either get better or fall off, and once we lost some track position we definitely had some of that fall off. I think we would’ve been alright at the end. I feel like we could’ve gained a few more positions before it blew up, but overall I’m just really proud of how we did tonight and I can’t wait to get some more time with the team and show everyone what we’ve been working on.”

DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THE CLASH

AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 2 Freightliner Ford Mustang Dark Horse – WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS AFTER NOT MAKING IT IN THE MAIN EVENT? “Obviously, not excited about not being able to make the show. This place has been pretty challenging for me. We made a lot of progress between the first group of practice and second group of practice. We kind of did a Hail Mary on changes for qualifying, so I think we learned some stuff. We tried to apply some things that will hopefully help us with directions in the season, but it’s not fun to be able to watch it. I’d much rather be driving.”

YOU HAD SOME CHALLENGES HERE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND THEN WON THE DAYTONA 500, SO THIS DOESN’T DEFINE A SEASON. “We do not race anywhere like this, that’s for sure. It’s definitely not discouraging me for the season. I was hoping I’d be able to make more progress at this track with the effort we put into the off-season.”

CHRIS BUESCHER, No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang Dark Horse – WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU FACE WITH THE CURVEBALL YOU WERE THROWN TODAY WITH THE WEATHER AND CHANGE IN THE RACE? “Nothing about that messed us up. We were better than we had been in the past. I felt pretty decent in the second practice there and got into our session and I don’t know. We were around fast cars in practice and thought we’d be able to pace them pretty well and the group didn’t go. I got caught up behind a car there and should have gapped more. I felt like we were definitely in a lot better spot this season and we were, but that’s just frustrating.”

JOSH BERRY, No. 4 SunnyD Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “Obviously, it was definitely a fun experience to race here at the Coliseum. I feel like everybody did a good job. It was a lot happening really quickly there and I thought we did the best we could and we just barely missed it. I think we just needed a little bit more time to make some adjustments, but ultimately we were really close to making it into the show, but we’ll just go get ready and get ‘em at Daytona.”

KAZ GRALA, No. 15 N29 Capital Partners Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “I like the track a lot. Definitely quirky. It’s different than anywhere I’ve ever been in anything, but you know, I feel like we started out of the box a little bit far off there at the beginning and took a swing for that second practice that ended up actually being too much. Right in time for qualifying I felt like we got the balance better. We were finally in the mix and our lap times were close. We just missed it by a little over a 10th. So I mean, the times were so tight that a little bit went a long way here. I feel proud of our effort, we beat a couple of cars that we probably shouldn’t have. It seemed like anybody that just missed it a little bit or hit it a little bit, you know, could have swung anywhere on that sheet there. We were just on the wrong end of it, unfortunately, but it was good working with everybody here for the first time. I think we got our communication down a little bit. I would have liked to be in the race tonight. I feel like had we had one more practice maybe we would have been better but I think we can leave here with our heads up as far as who we were competitive with in time there.”