Category: NASCAR Cup PR

Lexington, N.C. (August 7, 2024) — Kaulig Racing and Strive, a financial services firm on a mission to maximize value for its clients through an unapologetic embrace of capitalism, meritocracy, and innovation, are excited to announce a 2024 NASCAR season partnership.

Strive, an Ohio-based firm, co-founded by Vivek Ramaswamy, has accumulated over $1.5 billion in assets under management since launching its first fund in 2022. The company manages a variety of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) with an investment philosophy focused on maximizing shareholder value and pushing back against ESG, DEI, and other value destructive initiatives. The company also manages investment options in the Strive Pooled Employer Plan (Strive PEP) and, in response to significant demand for expanded financial services following the early success of Strive’s asset management platform in the United States, plans to launch Strive Wealth Management.

“We are absolutely thrilled to partner with Kaulig Racing for the rest of the 2024 NASCAR season,” said Strive CEO Matt Cole. “Strive’s commitment to pro-American principles aligns perfectly with what NASCAR fans believe in – and could be looking for when they need help managing their hard-earned savings. We look forward to seeing the Strive car on the track later this year.”

As part of this partnership, Strive will be the primary sponsor of AJ Allmendinger’s No.13 car for the Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. NASCAR fans have the chance to help Strive decide which paint scheme will hit the track at Talladega. Fans can check out the eye-catching options and cast their votes by visiting kauligracing.com/strive.

“We’re super excited to partner with another Ohio-based company in Strive,’’ said Chris Rice, president of Kaulig Racing. “Its excellence-focused approach in asset management falls in line with our thought process here at Kaulig Racing and all Kaulig companies.”

Allmendinger and the No. 13 Strive Chevrolet will take to Talladega’s high-banks for the Geico 500 on Sunday, October 6 at 2 p.m. ET with coverage on NBC. Strive will also be featured as an associate partner on Daniel Hemric’s No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 car throughout the remainder of the 2024 season.
 
About Strive

Co-founded in 2022 by Vivek Ramaswamy, Strive is a financial services firm with a mission to maximize value for its clients through unapologetic support of capitalism. The firm has quickly grown to manage over $1.5 billion in assets, competing directly with the world’s financial institutions by empowering Americans to invest with a sole focus on shareholder value maximization. Learn more at strive.com.

About Kaulig Racing

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time, multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has earned 23 NXS wins, made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started, and won two regular-season championships. In 2021, the team competed in select NCS events, before expanding to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first NCS start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. Kaulig Racing is currently fielding two full-time entries in the NCS and continues to field three full-time NXS entries, with a part-time fourth entry at select events. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

Richmond Raceway Competition Notes

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 6, 2024) – Michael McDowell and the No. 34 team return to Richmond Raceway after the two-week Olympic Break.

McDowell has a career best finish of sixth at the 0.75-mile Virginia short-track, but looks to improve that this weekend, hopefully with a win to lock himself into the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. The iconic Love’s Travel Stops livery returns under the lights for the 400-mile event.

On track activity for the NASCAR Cup Series will start with practice and qualifying on Saturday, August 10th at 4:30 pm ET. The Cook Out 400 is scheduled for Sunday, August 11th at 6:00 pm ET. Fans can watch the action live on the USA Network or listen in from the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.

No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

DRIVER MICHAEL MCDOWELL:

“I’m excited to be back behind the wheel. The break was nice, but we still have a lot of work to do. There are only a few races left before the playoffs, but I’m confident for us to get the win and lock ourselves in. We’re looking to gain some momentum here at Richmond and these final stretch of regular season races.”

CREW CHIEF TRAVIS PETERSON:

“We just have a totally different attitude towards the short tracks this year, especially coming out of the two-week break. We’ve made a lot of great gains, and it has shown. I think we need a little more speed, but I think we can compete in the Top-10 again and have a good day. Right now, every lap is important for us to have a good finish.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Richmond Raceway Competition Notes

 MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 6, 2024) – NASCAR is back in action this weekend at the Richmond (Va.) Raceway. Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse team up with The Pete Store for the 400-lap event.

Gilliland and the team look to pick up where they left off at the 0.75-mile Virginia track, after a sixth-place finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the two-week, Olympic break. Gilliland has a career best finish of 15th at the track, but the team looks to best that this weekend.

On track activity for the NASCAR Cup Series will start with practice and qualifying on Saturday, August 10th at 4:30 pm ET. The Cook Out 400 is scheduled for Sunday, August 11th at 6:00 pm ET. Fans can watch the action live on the USA Network or listen in from the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.

No. 38 Pete Store Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

DRIVER TODD GILLILAND:

“I’m looking forward to going back to the Richmond Raceway. I haven’t had the best results there, but we qualified 6th in the spring, so I think we have a solid shot this weekend to leave with a result we can be proud of. The break was nice, but I happy to be back in the shop and heading to the track this weekend. There is still a lot of racing left in the season and each race is an opportunity to win.”

CREW CHIEF RYAN BERGENTY:

“I think our second trip to Richmond will be a good one. We had a good qualifying effort in the spring, we just need to do it again but capitalize on it. I think we can do that this weekend. The team enjoyed their break but we’re all excited to be back. Each race is an opportunity to earn points and fight for a win.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

CLUB ENTRY LIST

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
POINT STANDINGS: 31st

ERIK JONES
POINT STANDINGS: 27th

CLUB NOTES

NASCAR and the NASCAR Cup Series returns to action this weekend at Richmond Raceway following a two-week hiatus for the Olympic break. This weekend will mark the second stop at the 0.75-mile oval in the 2024 season.

Recap From the First Trip: During the first stop at Richmond Raceway, John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team started in 18th and finished in 25th while Erik Jones and the No. 43 team gained 13 spots from his 27th place starting spot to finish inside the top 15 with a 14th place finish.

Where the CLUB Left Off Last: John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 42 Pye-Barker Fire & Safety team was having a promising day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A strong 10th-place qualifying effort for the 27-year-old driver provided Nemechek the opportunity to vault to the top of the leaderboard. In all, the North Carolina native led 16 laps on the day and turned 18 fastest laps, the most of any driver in the field. A wreck in overtime ended what was looking like what could have been a career best day. For Erik Jones, Indy didn’t go as planned as he was dealing with fuel-pressure issues resulting in several pit stops to try to correct the problem. Those issues ultimately hindered Jones from going forward in the standings. Jimmie Johnson returned the seat of the No. 84. During the Brickyard 400, Johnson climbed the standings to run as high as 11th from his 33rd-place starting spot. Again, what was looking like a good result for Johnson, he fell victim to a turn 1 accident that resulted in a DNF ending his quest to tie his former teammate, Jeff Gordon with five Brickyard 400 wins.

Tire Options: This weekend NASCAR and Goodyear will provide options for which tire teams would like to use. Similar to the NASCAR All-Star Race earlier this year at North Wilkesboro, there will be a standard ‘prime’ Goodyear racing tires, as well an ‘option’ tires for use during the weekend. The option tire uses the same compound as the oval wet weather tire and provides faster short run speeds vs. standard the prime tire.

JHN at Richmond: John Hunter Nemechek has an impressive resume when it comes to Richmond Raceway. In his career, he has a total of 10 starts across the top three NASCAR Series. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, he has three top-five finishes, including two second place finishes. In the Truck Series, he also has two starts but he was victorious in 2021, and he came close to repeating that feat in 2022 with a runner-up finish. Nemechek looks for those results to translate over to the NASCAR Cup Series.

Beshore at Richmond: Crew chief, Ben Beshore enters Richmond with five NASCAR Cup Series races under his belt. While calling the shots for Kyle Busch at Joe Gibbs Racing, Beshore has four top-10 finishes at the 0.75-mile speedway.

Erik Jones at Richmond: Jones has had 14 starts at Richmond Raceway. He has earned one top-10 finish, and four top-15 finishes, his best being sixth in 2017. Earning his fourth top-15 finish back in the spring of this year, Jones is hopeful to improve during the second stop at Richmond Raceway for the 2024 season.

Elenz at Richmond: Crew chief of the No. 43 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE has a strong resume in the Xfinity Series at Richmond Raceway. With six total top-10s and one win in the Xfinity Series, Elenz comes to Richmond determined to add another black and white checkered flag to his resume. The Jones and Elenz duo has one top-15 together at Richmond Raceway in the Cup Series.

Partner Spotlight: This week the No. 43 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE driven by Erik Jones will have partners, Energizer, Unilever, Henkle, and BIC riding along during the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway

Going for G.O.L.D.: Partners Dollar Tree and Family Dollar will honor store #11378 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. Store #11378 is located in Richmond, Va.

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.

Grand Marshall: The King, Richard Petty will serve as the Grand Marshall for Saturday evening’s NASCAR Truck Series race at Richmond Raceway. The King will kick off the Clean Harbors 250 when he gives the command to start the engines.

This Week in Petty History: This week in Petty History, Richard Petty won five races; Aug. 8th was a big day in petty history having won on three different occasions.

Before Richmond Raceway was named such, it was Lee Petty who won the first NASCAR sanctioned event at the venue in 1953.

Kyle Petty at Richmond: On Feb. 23, 1986, Kyle Petty drove to victory lane at Richmond Raceway for the first time in his NASCAR Cup Series career. With the victory, Kyle became the first third generation driver to win in the NASCAR Cup Series.

The King at Richmond: Richard Petty is the most decorated driver to compete at Richmond Raceway, with 13 Cup Series victories.

The King’s Hat: The King’s Hat will be in the Fan Zone at Richmond Raceway. Be sure to check to the track’s social media handles for exact location.

CLUB QUOTES

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver of the No. 42 Pye-Barker Fire & Safety Toyota Camry XSE:

“Going back to Richmond for the second time this year, we now have a notebook to look back on. We’re hopeful to improve and continue with the speed that we have had the last couple of races. Richmond has been a really good place for me having won in the NASCAR Truck Series and coming close in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Hope to have a solid run for Pye-Barker, and the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team.”

Ben Beshore, Crew chief of the No. 42 Pye-Barker Fire & Safety Toyota Camry XSE:

“Hopefully we will be able to work on the issues we had in the first Richmond race earlier in the year. With a few more short tracks under our belt, we hopefully can find a good package that has some speed. The tire option is another variable we’ll have to work with. At North Wilkesboro, the balance of the car was quite a bit different between the two tire options, so we’ll have to adjust accordingly.”

“It’s kind of hard to say how the option tire will react at Richmond, there was more fall-off with the option tire at North Wilkesboro, but the option tire was quite a bit faster. We get two sets of the option tires so I assume most cars will save the option tire for the end of the race, but some may use it if we get a caution at the end of the stage or if they are in jeopardy of losing a lap.”

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

“I like the challenge Richmond brings, it’s always a tough race to conserve some tires and also have some good track position. The tough part is sometimes it gets to be a bit one groove and challenging to move through the field. I feel good about going back. Our short track program this year is something I’ve felt good about, so hopefully we can kick off our last half of the year strong.”

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

“We’re excited to go back to Richmond. Had a decent run in the spring. Looking forward to building on that and getting the car a little bit better. It’s going to be interesting to see how this option tire plays out. We’ve never had it in a points race yet and the balance with the option tire is quite a bit different, so we’ll have to see how people use it and at what times in the race they use it. We have a limited amount of them, so you can’t just switch to it and stay on it so there will definitely be a little more speed for a few laps and if you get the balance right, I think you can end up the winner at the end of the race.”

BROADCAST INFO

RICHMOND RACEWAY

SUNDAY, AUGUST 11 @ 6:00 PM ET

ABOUT OUR PARTNERS

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 PYE-BARKER FIRE & SAFETY: The U.S. leader in fully integrated life safety systems, Pye-Barker Fire & Safety provides complete fire protection and security systems nationwide. With over 200 locations and 6,000 team members nationwide, Pye-Barker is an industry leader and ranks No. 954 on the Inc 5000 and No. 9 on the SDM 100.

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.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 6, 2024) – Michael McDowell will have a familiar face atop the pit box in 2025.

Travis Peterson has signed a multi-year agreement and will join Spire Motorsports at the conclusion of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) season. Peterson will call the shots for McDowell and the No. 71 Chevrolet, filling out the team’s NCS crew chief lineup for the 2025 campaign.

Peterson, 33, has been paired with the 2021 Daytona 500 winner since 2023 combining for three pole positions, one win, four top-five and 14 top-ten finishes. The potent duo made headlines last July by snaring the checkered flag in the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

“It’s exciting to have Travis Peterson join Spire Motorsports,” said Spire Motorsports president Doug Duchardt. “The first time Travis and I worked together was when Greg Ives and Travis came to Hendrick Motorsports to be the crew chief and the engineer for the No. 88 car with Dale (Earnhardt) Jr. I got to spend time with Travis there as a young engineer and it’s exciting to see how he’s grown into a leader and a crew chief. He’s going to add tremendous depth to our crew chief lineup and be a great compliment to Luke (Lambert) and Rodney (Childers). I’m really excited to see what those three can do together.”

Born in Wisconsin, Peterson moved with his family to the Charlotte metro at a young age when his father accepted a position at Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR). The younger Peterson would later work as a race engineer intern at JGR in the K&N Pro Series East ranks while working towards a mechanical engineering degree.

Upon graduating from the William States Lee College of Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in fall 2012, Peterson immediately went to work at JR Motorsports (JRM), where he was part of Chase Elliott’s three-win 2014 season that ultimately resulted in the NASCAR Xfinity Series title. Following a two-year run of success at JRM, the badger-state native moved to Hendrick Motorsports where he worked with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the famed No. 88 team from 2015-2018.

Peterson has proven to be one of the most promising young crew chiefs on pit road and has called 63 races in NASCAR’s premier division, to date. Prior to his time with McDowell and Front Row Motorsports, Peterson spent five seasons as a lead race engineer at Roush Fenway Racing.

“It is a very exciting opportunity,” said Peterson. “Michael (McDowell) and I had the opportunity to meet with Doug (Duchardt) and (Jeff) Dickerson and they really sold us on the vision of where Spire is going and how we could be big role players in building the organization. I think having that skin in the game was important to both of us. The opportunity in front of us has all the potential to be very rewarding. That was a huge part of it. I love the energy right now and the overall culture around Spire Motorsports. They’re investing in people and team ownership is highly engaged. The mindset is ‘We’re going to do what it takes to win and this is what we want to build. Here’s the vision, where we’re going, what we’re going to do to get there, and we want you to be part of it.’ That was the biggest selling point.”

McDowell is a veteran of 487 NCS starts and a two-time NCS race winner. He made his debut in 2008 and has since recorded three pole positions, 11 top-five and 43 top-10 finishes in NASCAR’s premier division.

“There are times when you meet people and you are immediately able to naturally communicate on a real level,” said Peterson of his relationship with McDowell. “I feel like we were that way from the start. We didn’t have to work at it. Our personalities, the way we openly communicate, and our honest nature helped us click from the start. We have no problem talking about hard stuff or easy stuff. We can be happy together when we win and be sad together when we lose. There is no red tape. We just work. It’s hard to recreate that. Staying together is a huge part in coming to Spire Motorsports for both of us. It’s hard to put a value on a driver/crew chief pairing, but there’s an intangible there. We just know it has been working, and if we can keep it going, we’re only going to get better over time. That’s what we’re chasing. We want to continue to grow and get better together.”

Spire Motorsports was founded in 2018 and has logged 354 Cup Series starts, posting one win, seven top fives and 14 top 10s.

Peterson will work alongside veteran NASCAR topkicks Rodney Childers and Luke Lambert in 2025 as the three-car Mooresville, N.C., team looks to capitalize on experience and depth, and build itself into a consistent challenger for race wins, top 10s and playoff berths.

“It’s going to be exciting,” Peterson continued. “Rodney (Childers) is a veteran of the sport. It is exciting for me to learn from a guy with that much success. Luke (Lambert) and I worked together when I was an engineer at Roush so we’re definitely familiar with one another. We have all seen each other around and we’ve all paid attention to each other. Combining all those ideas will be exciting. That is where a lot of strength is right now in the sport. The teamwork side of our group is going to be very valuable.”

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

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

RICHMOND 2

Saturday, August 10 — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 7:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
Sunday, August 11 — NASCAR Cup Series, 6 p.m. ET (USA)

NASCAR returns to action after a two-week break for the Olympics with a doubleheader at Richmond Raceway featuring the NASCAR Craftsman Truck and NASCAR Cup Series. Both events will take place at night as the Truck Series concludes its regular season on Saturday and Chris Buescher looks to defend his Cup Series win from 2023 on Sunday.

BUESCHER TRYING FOR REPEAT

Chris Buescher enters this weekend’s event at Richmond Raceway as the defending winner of the Cup Series race and would like to repeat that on Sunday to clinch a spot in the playoffs. Buescher, who finished ninth in the spring race, currently sits 15th in the playoff standings and is 17 points above the cut line with four races remaining in the regular season. He used this race a year ago as a springboard to a strong regular season finish, leading 53 of the final 54 laps to claim his first win of 2023. Buescher went on to win the following week at Michigan International Speedway and again at Daytona International Speedway to close out the initial 26-week schedule.

RICHMOND ONE OF LOGANO’S BEST

It would be easy to look at Joey Logano’s two career wins at Richmond and say it’s got to be one of his best tracks on the circuit, but the statistics provide further proof. In 30 career starts, Logano has 14 top 5 and 19 top 10 finishes, which gives him an average finish of 9.7. That’s his best average finish on tracks where he’s run more than 10 races. He’s coming off a second-place run in the spring and has finished seventh or better in seven of the last eight Richmond races.

KESELOWSKI SOLE RICHMOND WINNER IN 2020

Richmond Raceway hosted two NASCAR Cup Series events a year from 1959-2019, but in 2020 the track had only one event due to COVID and Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski took the checkered flag in dominating fashion. Keselowski led 192-of-400 laps in recording his second career Cup win at the Virginia short track, and automatically advanced to the Round of 12. Overall, Ford led 297 laps on the night and had five drivers finish in the top 10, including Joey Logano (3rd), Kevin Harvick (7th), Aric Almirola (8th) and Clint Bowyer (10th).

REGULAR SEASON FINALE

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series concludes its regular season on Saturday night with Ty Majeski looking to win consecutive races after taking the checkered flag at Indianapolis Raceway Park. That officially clinched a spot in the 10-driver playoff field for the Wisconsin native while defending series champion Ben Rhodes is on the bubble. Rhodes is ninth in the playoff standings, 17 points ahead of 10th-place Tanner Gray and 22 points above the cut line. Matt Crafton (-43), Layne Riggs (-75) and Jake Garcia (-82) need a win in order to make the postseason.

FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS

AT RICHMOND

1957 – Paul Goldsmith

1959 – Tom Pistone and Cotton Owens

1960 – Speedy Thompson (2)

1963 – Ned Jarrett (2)

1965 – Junior Johnson (1)

1968 – David Pearson (1)

1969 – David Pearson (1)

1970 – James Hylton (1)

1979 – Bobby Allison (2)

1980 – Bobby Allison (2)

1981 – Benny Parsons (2)

1984 – Ricky Rudd (1)

1986 – Kyle Petty (1)

1988 – Davey Allison (2)

1990 – Mark Martin (1)

1992 – Bill Elliott (1)

1993 – Davey Allison (1)

1994 – Ernie Irvan (1)

1995 – Rusty Wallace (2)

1996 – Ernie Irvan (2)

1997 – Rusty Wallace and Dale Jarrett

1998 – Jeff Burton (2)

1999 – Dale Jarrett (1)

2001 – Ricky Rudd (2)

2002 – Matt Kenseth (2)

2005 – Kurt Busch (2)

2013 – Carl Edwards (2)

2014 – Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski

2017 – Joey Logano (1)

2020 – Brad Keselowski

2022 – Kevin Harvick (2)

2023 – Chris Buescher (2)

JOSH BERRY
Richmond Advance
No. 4 P&G Supports Our Military Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Cook Out 400 (Round 23 of 36)
● Time/Date: 6 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 11
● Location: Richmond (Va.) Raceway
● Layout: .75-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 400 laps/300 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 70 laps / Stage 2: 160 laps / Final Stage: 170 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● After a two-week break from NASCAR Cup Series racing, Josh Berry heads to Richmond (Va.) Raceway, where the 33-year-old rookie is no stranger to speed. In his two previous starts on the .75-mile oval, Berry scored an impressive runner-up finish in the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports entry in April 2023, driving for an injured Chase Elliott, then followed it up with an 11th-place result in his first race there in his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Ford Mustang Dark Horse this past April. He started 30th in both races before driving his way to the front, and led a total of 12 laps in the two events. Berry has made four starts at Richmond in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for JR Motorsports. In those starts, he’s earned one top-five (third in 2023) and three top-10s with 64 laps led, an average starting position of 14.3 and an average finish of 10.3.

● NASCAR is bringing back the optional, soft-compound tire this weekend, which made its debut in the non-points All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway in May. Tire strategy also played a part when Berry and his fellow competitors faced evolving track conditions in their last appearance at Richmond in April, when wet conditions forced all teams to start the race on wet-weather tires. Berry was one of the biggest movers in the race, advancing to ninth from his 30th starting position by the end of the opening stage.

● During the NASCAR break for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, Berry returned to his racing roots, piloting the No. 62 KHI Late Model car at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway on July 27. In that race, the short-track aficionado drove to a ninth-place finish. Berry first made a name for himself on short tracks, climbing the ranks to earn his seat in the Cup Series by dominating at the grassroots level. During his days driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr. as part of the JR Motorsports Late Model program, Berry amassed an impressive 95 victories in his 262 starts with the team, with 189 top-fives and 219 top-10s. He was also the NASCAR Weekly Series champion in 2020, finishing every race but one inside the top-10 that season.

● Crew chief Rodney Childers has 35 Cup Series starts atop the pit box at Richmond, including last April’s race with Berry. Sunday night’s race at Richmond will mark the first track Berry and Childers will return to since they were paired together this season. Across Childers’ previous 35 starts, his drivers have amassed six pole positions, one win (Kevin Harvick in August 2022), 12 top-five finishes, 18 top-10s, 319 laps led, an average starting position of 10.0 and an average finish of 14.3. Childers’ drivers have finished all 35 races.

● This Sunday, the No. 4 Ford Mustang Darkhorse welcomes a new partner – P&G – with a vibrant red, white, and blue scheme. P&G is proud to serve our U.S. Military at Commissary and Exchange locations worldwide. As a part of P&G’s “Shop Smart with Heart” platform, military shoppers are empowered to enjoy supporting the sport of NASCAR racing while bringing excitement to their military community by choosing unbeatable solutions from their Commissary and Exchange with a winning lineup of P&G’s superior products.

Josh Berry, Driver of the No. 4 P&G Supports Our Military Ford Mustang Dark Horse

What did you do during your two weeks away from the NASCAR Cup Series schedule? What is your mindset as we look ahead to close out the season?

“I spent the first weekend racing at Hickory Motor Speedway in the KHI Late Model car, which is something I always enjoy. I’ve said it a lot, but I just love to race, and to be able to have Kevin (Harvick) see my passion for racing and continue to support my career is really special to me. After we wrapped up the race, my family and I spent the week away at the beach to just enjoy some rest and each other. This schedule is a grind and takes a lot of our time across the whole program and SHR as a whole. So I took advantage and just unplugged, and I feel as motivated as ever to take on the last bit of the season. I know my team is fired up and ready to get back to the track and go compete for wins.”

This weekend, NASCAR is bringing back the soft, option tire. On the subject of tires, you found speed on the wet-weather tire last April at Richmond. What is your opinion of this weekend’s option tire, and how does your past success bode for your confidence?

“It is a good thing, I think, that Goodyear and NASCAR are taking chances and getting aggressive to find something that improves the racing we have as a series. Obviously, I did have speed there last time and did well in the No. 9 entry last year, so I think regardless of the situation, I just feel comfortable there. It has been a place, in general, where I have just felt like it fits my driving style and kind of sets up well for me. I feel confident we will have a good car and be able to run up front.”

This weekend, you have P&G on board the No. 4 Ford Mustang, promoting its Commissary and Exchange program. What does it mean to you to be able to have a partner that helps the U.S. Armed Forces?

“It’s always a special weekend when you can do something to help give back to the armed forces and all who protect our nation. Being able to help promote this program and having them come on board is neat, and meeting the people who support my team and my career is an opportunity that I hold close to my heart. Weekends like this with P&G remind me that sometimes what we can do is more than just racing, it’s helping impact lives across the country.”

No. 4 P&G Supports Our Military Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Josh Berry

Hometown: Hendersonville, Tennessee

Crew Chief: Rodney Childers

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Car Chief: Robert “Cheddar” Smith

Hometown: Whitewater, Wisconsin

Engineer: Dax Gerringer

Hometown: Gibsonville, North Carolina

Engineer: Billy Kuebler

Hometown: Saline, Michigan

Spotter: Eddie D’Hondt

Hometown: Levittown, New York

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Daniel Coffey

Hometown: Granite Falls, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Daniel Smith

Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Mason Flynt

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Jack Man: Brandon Banks

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Evan Marchal

Hometown: Westfield, Indiana

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Tyler Trosper

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Mechanic: Chris Capaldi

Hometown: Armada, Michigan

Tire Specialist: Zac Lupien

Hometown: Pine Bluff, Arkansas

Engine Tuner: Robert Brandt

Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Transporter Co-Driver: Jake Zierhoffer

Hometown: Billerica, Massachusetts

Transporter Co-Driver: Stephen Mitchell

Hometown: Woodville, Ohio

Richmond Event Info:
Date: Sunday, August 11
Time: 6 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Format: 400 Laps, 300 Miles, Stages: 70-150-170
TV: USA
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 4:30 p.m. ET, Practice (NBC Sports App, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 5:35 p.m. ET, Qualifying (NBC Sports App, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 6 p.m. ET, Race (USA, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

• Chris Buescher heads into Richmond this weekend as the defending race winner.
• In the last six races (dating back to Iowa) Buescher has the fourth-best average finish of any driver – 13.5 – with two top five finishes int hat span.
• Coming out of the two week break for the Olympics, RFK heads into the next month’s stretch as the defending winner at four-consecutive tracks, with Michigan, Daytona and Darlington on the slate to close out the regular season.

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

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

Keselowski at Richmond
Starts: 29
Wins: 2 (2014, 2020)
Top-10s: 15
Poles: 2 (2014, 2019)

• Keselowski, a two-time winner at Richmond, makes his 30th Cup start at the ¾-mile track on Sunday. He won the lone race at Richmond in 2020 after leading 192 laps.
• More recently, Keselowski finished eighth in the spring race – one of three-straight top-10s – and is coming off a fall event last season where he led 102 laps and finished sixth.
• He’s finished inside the top-15 in every Richmond race since the spring of 2015, and in that stretch has led laps in 11 different races. In total he’s led 1280 laps at Richmond in 14 different races, his most of any track on the circuit.
• Keselowski won back in 2014 after starting on the pole, leading 383 of the 400 laps.
• His 12.0 average finish holds as one of his best among all tracks with 15 top-10s overall and six finishes inside the top five.
• He also has two poles – 2014 and 2019 – for an average starting position of 11th, also one of his best marks.
• Keselowski made 17 Xfinity Series starts from 2006-17 earning four victories and 10 top-10s. He won his last NXS start there in 2017 and also went to victory lane in 2010 once and 2013 twice.

Buescher at Richmond
Starts: 16
Wins: 1 (2023)
Top-10s: 3
Poles: —

• Buescher is the defending winner of this race at Richmond, having led 88 laps en route to his first of three victories last season, and the first of three in a stretch of five weeks.
• This spring he finished ninth after qualifying 14th.
• Despite a 21.7 average finish at the track, Buescher has two top-3 finishes in the last four Richmond races. He finished third in the 2022 fall event, one of his four top-15 efforts in the last five outings at the ¾-mile track.
• Buescher has a 20.0 average qualifying effort with a best effort of seventh (twice) last spring and in 2019.
• Buescher made five NXS starts for Jack Roush from 2011-15, earning three top-10s with a best finish of seventh (2014).

RFK Historically at Richmond
Cup Wins: 6 (Mark Martin, 1990; Jeff Burton, 1998; Matt Kenseth, 2002; Kurt Busch, 2005; Carl Edwards, 2013; Chris Buescher, 2023)

• History in the Commonwealth of Virginia: Overall, RFK has 368 starts at Richmond Raceway, earning a total of 16 wins, 91 top-five and 156 top-10 finishes. RFK Fords have sat on the pole 14 times and led 5,151 laps across NASCAR’s three major touring series.
• To Xfinity and Beyond: RFK has earned nine victories, 43 top-five finishes, 66 top-10 finishes and an average finish of 11.8 at Richmond in the Xfinity Series. All in all, three different drivers are responsible for the nine victories at the Virginia short track (Edwards, Mark Martin and Jeff Burton).
• Nine and Counting: RFK’s nine victories at Richmond rank fourth among all tracks the organization has competed on in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, trailing Darlington Raceway (15), Charlotte Motor Speedway (12) and North Carolina Speedway – formerly known as Rockingham – (11).
• Tale of the Tape: RFK has started 227 NCS races at Richmond with 79 top-10 and 39 top-five finishes along with seven poles. Former drivers Mark Martin (1990), Jeff Burton (1998), Matt Kenseth (2002), Kurt Busch (2005), and Carl Edwards (2013) are responsible for RFK’s five Cup wins, with Buescher adding his name to that list in 2023, and a Jack Roush Cup Series Ford has led 2,633 laps at the .75-mile track.

Last Time Out & Where They Stand
Indy: Keselowski led with less than five to go in Indy two weeks ago, but ran out of fuel and went on to finish 21st. Buescher overcame two blown tires and finished 22nd.

Points Standings (6: 9th, 17: 12th): Keselowski is officially locked into the playoffs, still ninth, while Buescher continues his battle for a playoff position.

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

Event Overview

● Event: Cook Out 400 (Round 23 of 36)
● Time/Date: 6 p.m. EDT on Sunday, August 11
● Location: Richmond (Va.) Raceway
● Layout: .75-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 400 laps/300 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 70 laps / Stage 2: 160 laps / Final Stage: 170 laps
● TV/Radio: USA Network / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Where We Stand: The New Jersey native sits seventh in the driver standings with 653 points, 96 behind leader Kyle Larson. All four Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) entries are currently inside the top-10 in the standings, with Denny Hamlin fourth, Christopher Bell eighth and Ty Gibbs 11th as the series heads to Richmond coming out of a two-week break for the 2024 Olympics.

● Playoff Watch: Just four races remain in the NASCAR Cup Series regular season with Truex sitting as the highest in points among the drivers without a win so far in 2024. Truex is 13th on the playoff grid with a 108-point cushion over 17th place. Twelve drivers have scored wins so far this season.

● Truex has three wins, 10 top-five finishes and 18 top-10s and has led a total of 1,587 laps in 36 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Richmond. Truex’s average Richmond finish is 15.0. In this year’s April race at Richmond, he led a race-high 228 laps and was leading with just two laps to go when the caution flag waved. The subsequent trip to pit road cost Truex his first win of the season as he looks to return this time and bring home the victory on Sunday night.

● Truex notched his most recent Richmond win in September 2021, when he led 80 laps en route to his third victory there. All three of Truex’s Richmond wins have come in a Joe Gibbs Racing car. In fact, in his last 11 races at Richmond, Truex has only finished outside the top-10 once.

● In his last 11 races at Richmond, Truex has amassed eight top-five finishes, which includes the aforementioned three victories.

● Laps Led: The 1,587 laps Truex has led at Richmond is the most he’s led at the active racetracks on the Cup Series schedule. His next-best track in laps led is Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, where he’s led 1,067 laps.

● 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 champion Kurt Busch for 25th on the all-time Cup Series win list.

● Ahead at this Stage: Truex has accumulated 63 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 third stage win of the season two races ago at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, leading the field across the line at the end of Stage 1.

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

Once you began having success at Richmond, did it make a climb on the list of tracks you like?

“I’ve always really liked it, to be honest. From the first time I raced there in 2003, I’ve always enjoyed the track. There was a long period where I didn’t have great numbers there, but I felt like I loved the track and always ran well there and had a lot of crazy things happen there throughout my career. Once I got to Furniture Row (Racing), we started leading a ton of laps there. We also had a couple of heartbreaking finishes there where we should have won the race but didn’t, and I wondered if it was ever going to happen. Then we went on a streak there, so it’s been a great track and it’s a ton of fun. We had a great run going there in the spring and thought we had a shot at winning, then we were down a set of tires and the cautions didn’t go our way. I think we’ve improved our program a ton and have been putting on a show at some of the short tracks and places like Richmond. I hope for myself and my team we can get our Bass Pro Shops Toyota back in victory lane there like we’ve done before. We had such a dominant run there in the spring and the caution came out and our race went haywire from there. Would like to get back out front and stay there on Sunday.”

How do you view Richmond and your success there?

“The wins stick out as usual. Everywhere, the wins are huge. That place has been really, really good for us. And also very frustrating with the amount of times when we’ve dominated and came up short, including this season. It’s a very unique track, very old school track. Tire wear, you have to manage your stuff and that really plays into my strengths. It’s going to be different this time around with the tire combination from what we had in the spring. Going to have to figure out how to recapture it and hopefully come up with something that worked like it has in the past.”

This weekend at Richmond NASCAR is offering an option tire much like it experimented with at North Wilkesboro in May. What are your thoughts on the option tire and how it could change the racing at Richmond this weekend?

“The problem with options like that on a tire in the Cup garage is that everyone is so smart and people are on the same agenda. You are going to have to see a very specific set of circumstances to decide to put the soft tire on. You’re not going to be in the middle of a green-flag run and make a pit stop to pass a few cars because you’re going to wear them out and be in trouble. Tire wear at Richmond is a huge deal and most of the field is going to be on the same strategy until it comes down to some special circumstances. There’s still the potential that it could make some interesting things happen, it just depends on how the race plays out. You get a restart with 10 laps to go and everyone is going to put the soft tires on, and if it’s the end of the stage, then everyone is going to put the hard tires on like normal. We’ll just have to see how it plays out.”

What are the challenges that come with racing at Richmond?

“I love the track, it’s great. Been very successful there, especially lately with our Bass Pro Shops Camry. Been lucky enough to win some races there. I really enjoy the track because it’s kind of unique. It’s a short track, but it races like a bigger track than it is. You can really move around there the way the tires wear out and the track is really slippery, and that makes it fun and a challenge, and it’s always a good race for the fans.”

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: Thomas Hatcher

Hometown: Middleburg, Florida

Rear Tire Changer: Lee Cunningham

Hometown: Leaf River, Illinois