Category: NASCAR Cup PR

DARLINGTON, S.C. (May 20, 2020) – A bold pit strategy nearly resulted in a 1-2 finish for the Roush Fenway team, as the No. 6 and 17 Mustangs stayed out during the second stage break with inclement weather threatening Darlington Raceway. Rain drops fell on the track with Chris Buescher in the second position and the caution flag displayed, but ultimately cleared and he took the checkered flag 23rd on Wednesday night at the South Carolina track.

Buescher rolled off the grid 32nd in his Fastenal Ford and drove his way up to as high as 25th in the first stage. The driver pitted twice during the second caution of the day to continue to fix a vibration and to loosen up the car, but Buescher ultimately took the green-white-checkered flag for the first stage 28th.

The No. 17 team restarted stage two 21st, but only three laps after the restart a competitor car got into the back of Buescher, sending him for a spin. Luckily, his Mustang had minimal damage and the driver was able to pit for a quick fix and get back on track. The team stayed steady in the mid to high twenties to finish the second stage 24th.

Pit strategy came into play at the beginning of stage three as crew chief Luke Lambert made the call not to pit. The threat of inclement weather in the area came into play as Buescher restarted for the final stage in second, with teammate Ryan Newman leading the field. Rain drops fell on the track, but ultimately cleared and the race resumed.

After the green flag waved, the No. 17 team did their best to maintain momentum, but old tires set them back. Buescher hit pit road at lap 169 for a second attempt at a stop after missing pit road the prior lap. The team elected to take tires and fuel, then went back to work, two laps down. A series of cautions in the final sixty laps of the race helped the team fight their way back up to 23rd with 20 laps to go. Inclement weather arrived at Lap 208, ending the race early. Buescher was scored 23rd.

The No. 17 team looks on to Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 24 for 600 miles of racing under the lights. Tune into Sunday evening’s race at 6 p.m. EST on FOX and PRN.

Roman and Newman partner to bring awareness to the importance of men’s health

CONCORD, N.C. (May 20, 2020) – Roush Fenway Racing announced today that Roman — a leading men’s digital health clinic — will serve as the primary partner for Ryan Newman and the No. 6 team this weekend at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, one of NASCAR’s crown jewel events. Newman will power the No. 6 Roman Ford in Sunday’s 61st running of the 600-mile event, the longest and most demanding race of the NASCAR season.

“We are excited to have Roman on board this weekend,” said Newman, who made his return to NASCAR action with a 15th-place finish last Sunday at Darlington. “The Coke 600 is one of the most challenging races of the season. Roman’s support of men’s health initiatives makes it a great fit for this weekend, at a race where you really have to be on your game both mentally and physically to compete at the highest levels for 600 miles.”

Newman finished second in the Coke 600 in 2009 at Charlotte, where he has scored an impressive nine career poles. This will be his 37th start at the 1.5-mile track, where he has turned in 15 career top-10 finishes.

Powered by its parent company Ro, Roman offers a personalized healthcare experience for men from online treatment to the delivery of medication and ongoing care.

“Roman’s mission is to make high-quality healthcare accessible and convenient for men across America,” said Rob Schutz, Chief Growth Officer and Cofounder of Ro. “We’re thrilled to be working with Ryan as he returns to racing with a renewed commitment to his own health. Together, our goal is to bring awareness to the importance of men’s health and how Roman can help improve the lives of our members and their loved ones.”

The Coke 600 is set for Sunday, May 24 at 6 PM ET and will be televised live on FOX. Qualifying is set for earlier that afternoon at 2 PM on FS1.

ABOUT ROMAN

Launched in 2017, Roman is the men’s digital health clinic from Ro that brings the care of leading medical experts to the privacy of one’s home. The company’s nationwide network of physicians and pharmacies provides a personalized, end-to-end healthcare experience from online treatment to the delivery of medication and ongoing care. Roman offers treatments for erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, hair loss, cold sores, genital herpes, allergies, skincare and more. For information about Roman, please visit www.getroman.com.

ABOUT ROUSH FENWAY RACING

Roush Fenway Racing is one of the most successful teams in NASCAR history, fielding multiple teams in NASCAR Cup Series. Moving into its 33rd season, Roush Fenway is a leader in driver development, having launched the careers for many of the top drivers in the sport. Off-track, Roush Fenway is a leader in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning Social Media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns. Roush Fenway is co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner Jack Roush and Fenway Sports Group, parent company of Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox and English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C. Visit RoushFenway.com, become a fan on Facebook and Instagram, and follow on Twitter at @roushfenway.

HARRISBURG, N.C. (MAY 20, 2020) – JTG Daugherty Racing and Ryan Preece will honor Corporal Kyle Schneider of the United States Marine Corps on the windshield of the No. 37 Scott Brand Camaro ZL1 1LE for 600 miles this Sunday during the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. NASCAR is one of the first sports to resume its season since the COVID-19 shutdown in early March, with the 600 Miles of Remembrance program continuing to honor fallen service members during the NASCAR race this Memorial Day Weekend.

Cpl Kyle R. Schneider died Thursday, June 30, 2011 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, by an improvised explosive device while he was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. A 2006 graduate of Baker High School in Baldwinsville, N.Y., Cpl Schneider’s life goal was to join the U.S. Marine Corps. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division II, Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C. The improvised device was the second he had encountered in a month. The first blast knocked him unconscious, sent him to a hospital and left him with a concussion, hearing loss and headaches. Within 48 hours, he was back in the fight.

“It is such an honor to have Cpl Kyle Schneider on the windshield of our No. 37 Scott Brand Camaro ZL1 1LE this weekend for the Coca-Cola 600,” Preece said. “The program is such a special tribute to our fallen service members and those currently fighting for our freedom. I am grateful that we are continuing to honor those who dedicated their lives to our country as the world is in unprecedented times and we are slowly returning to racing. This is just a small thing we can do to show our appreciation to Cpl Schneider and his family.”

Cpl Schneider was born on January 8, 1988 in upstate New York. He attended Onondaga Community College before joining the United States Marine Corps and graduating from Marine Corp Recruit Training at Parris Island, S.C. in June of 2008. He then attended the School of Infantry at Camp Geiger, N.C. and earned the Military Occupational Skill of 0311, Infantryman before reporting to Marine Corps Security Force School in Chesapeake, V.A. Serving in 8th & I until 2010, he then volunteered and was transferred to Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 3rd Platoon. In January 2011, he was deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with the II Marine Expeditionary Force.

His military awards consist of Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, ISAF NATO Medal. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on July 19, 2011.

Cpl Schneider is being honored on Preece’s No. 37 Chevrolet as part of the NASCAR Salutes Program during the race at Charlotte Motor Speedway this Memorial Day Weekend. NASCAR returned to racing last Sunday at Darlington Raceway following a 71-day shutdown due to the COVID-10 pandemic. The green flag will wave for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 24 at 6:00 p.m. ET, broadcast on FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

HARRISBURG, N.C. (MAY 20, 2020) – JTG Daugherty Racing and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will honor PFC Barrett L. Austin, United States Army, on the windshield of the No. 47 Kroger Camaro ZL1 1LE during the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 24. As NASCAR returns to on-track racing, JTG Daugherty Racing is honored to be able to tribute a fallen soldier who dedicated his life to our country.

PFC Austin died on April 21, 2013 in Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries sustained when his vehicle was attacked by an enemy improvised explosive device in Wardak Province, Afghanistan, on April 17, 2013. PFC Austin was born in Easley, South Carolina on November 10, 1992 to Curt and Yolanda Austin. He was a 2011 graduate of Pickens High School and a member of Rock Springs Baptist Church in Easley.

“I’m really grateful to be able to honor PFC Barrett Austin on our Kroger Camaro ZL1 1LE at Charlotte Motor Speedway for 600 Miles of Remembrance,” Stenhouse Jr. said. “The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown everyone for a loop, but being able to return to racing and have the opportunity to show our gratitude towards PFC Austin and his family is really special. NASCAR has always been one of the best in military appreciation and having PFC Austin on our car for 600 miles is just a small token of our appreciation for the sacrifices he and his family have made.”

PFC Austin graduated high school in May of 2011 and had enlisted in the United States Army by October of the same year. He spent his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and was stationed to Fort Stewart in Georgia after completing his Advanced Individual Training (AIT) in August of 2012. In February the following year, he was selected to transfer to Alpha Company deployed to Wardak Province in Afghanistan assigned to route clearance. On April 17 while on a mission, PFC Austin was driving the lead sweep vehicle that came across an IED that was remotely detonated.

PFC Austin was beloved in his community, and to date there has been one mine detection dog who served in Iraq, one police dog currently serving in Greenville County, S.C. and four babies named in his honor.

PFC Austin is being honored on Stenhouse Jr.’s No. 47 Kroger Camaro ZL1 1LE as part of the NASCAR Salutes program during Memorial Day Weekend. As the NASCAR and sports world were put on halt in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NASCAR returns to racing on May 17 without fans in attendance. The green flag will wave for the Coca-Cola 600 on May 24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway at 6:00 p.m. ET, broadcast on FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Auto Parts Retailer Continues Relationship During NASCAR’s Return

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 20, 2020) – CarParts.com and their millions of customers are excited for the return of the NASCAR Cup Series to the live sports landscape. The e-commerce auto parts retailer recently debuted as the primary partner of Michael McDowell and the No. 34 CarParts.com Ford Mustang team at the Darlington (S.C.) Speedway and will continue that partnership for tonight’s event. In addition, CarParts.com will now be the primary partner of McDowell at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway on Wednesday, May 27.

“We have seen the excitement that the NASCAR Cup Series, Front Row Motorsports, and Michael McDowell are bringing to sports fans during this time, and appreciate the opportunity to be a part of it,” said Lev Peker, CEO of CarParts.com and its parent company, US Auto Parts. “Our customers have been tuning in, and we are looking forward to watching tonight’s race and now next week’s race in Charlotte.”

CarParts.com offers an easy-to-navigate, mobile-friendly website and a 90-day return policy that assures customers they will get the right parts, guaranteed. The company has delivered over 50 million parts across America and recently counted McDowell as one of their customers.

“You’re always looking for authentic partnerships that are natural to what you do every day,” said McDowell, who is currently upgrading his 2017 Ford F-150 with parts from CarParts.com. “I’ve had my personal truck for a few years and now it’s time for some upgrades. CarParts.com makes it easy for me and everyone. So, it’s cool that they are continuing their partnership and getting the NASCAR fanbase familiar with their site and services. It’s been fun to work with them.”

CarParts.com is the answer to race fans’ collision, repair, and maintenance needs. The company will continue to brand their homepage with the No. 34 CarParts.com Ford Mustang and spotlight McDowell via social media and other marketing efforts. The retailer will also continue their relationship with Sunoco Rookie of The Year driver John Hunter Nemechek throughout the season.

After tonight’s event, the No. 34 CarParts.com Ford Mustang will be ready to return to the Charlotte Motor Speedway on Wednesday, May 27. The NASCAR Cup Series race will air nationally on FS1 at 8:00 p.m.

For more information about CarParts.com, visit CarParts.com.

About CarParts.com
Established in 1999, CarParts.com is an e-commerce auto parts retailer that specializes in OE replacement collision, repair, and maintenance parts. With over 50 million parts delivered, we’ve helped millions of drivers across the United States find the right parts to fix their cars and keep their vehicles on the road. Our vehicle selector and easy-to-navigate, mobile-friendly website offer customers guaranteed fitment and a convenient online shopping experience. Paired with our 90-day return policy and satisfaction guarantee, CarParts.com makes it easier than ever to get the parts you need delivered straight to your door.

About Front Row Motorsports
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields two full-time entries – the No. 34 of Michael McDowell and the No. 38 of John Hunter Nemechek – from its Mooresville, N.C., headquarters just outside of Charlotte. In 2020, the team announced an expansion to include the No. 38 Ford F-150 in the NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series, driven by Todd Gilliland. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
TOYOTA 500
DARLINGTON RACEWAY
DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
MAY 20, 2020

2020 NASCAR CUP SERIES CONTINUES WITH RACE #6:
The NASCAR Cup Series will make a return visit to Darlington Raceway for the circuit’s next event, the Toyota 500, on Wednesday evening, May 20th at 6:00 p.m. ET. Following the sport’s successful return to active competition at the track nicknamed “Too Tough to Tame’ just three days ago, NASCAR continues with its revised schedule of five Cup races in a 14-day span.

BOWTIE BULLETS:
· Chevrolet leads all other manufacturers with 41 all-time wins in NASCAR’s premier division at Darlington Raceway.

· Jimmie Johnson, who pilots the No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 1LE, tops the win list for active drivers with three NCS wins at Darlington Raceway (2012, and the sweep in ‘04).

· The youngest Darlington Raceway pole winner to-date is set by Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron, No. 24 Axalta Camaro ZL1 1LE, who captured the pole for the 2019 Southern 500 (21 years, 9 months, 3 days).

TEAM CHEVY MOMENTUM:
With a solid return to action following a two-month pause in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, the Bowtie Brigade has momentum on its side. In Sunday’s race, Alex Bowman, No. 88 ChevyGoods.com NOCO Camaro ZL1 1LE, spent 204 laps in the top-two positions, earning an average running position of 2.8, to capture a solid runner-up finish. Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1 1LE, and Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 1LE, were right behind in third and fourth, making it three Chevrolet’s in the top-four.

Tyler Reddick, No. 8 Caterpillar Camaro ZL1 1LE scored a career-best Cup Series result with a seventh-place finish. In his return to full-time racing, Matt Kenseth, No. 42 Credit One Bank Camaro ZL1 1LE, posted a solid tenth place in the order to give Team Chevy five of the top-ten overall.

A PAIR OF CAMARO ZL1 1LE’S ON THE FRONT ROW:
Without qualifying or practice, the starting lineup for Wednesday’s race has been determined by the finishing order of the Real Heroes 400 event. The top-20 finishers from Sunday’s race will be inverted, which puts Ryan Preece, No. 37 Tide Power Pods Camaro ZL1 1LE, on the pole.

Ty Dillon, sporting a special ‘Hump Day’ paint scheme, will start on the outside front row in his No. 13 GEICO Camaro ZL1 1LE, making it a Chevrolet front row to lead the field to the green in the mid-week event.

The starting order for the remainder of the 39-car field will mirror the finishing positions of the May 17th race.

TUNE-IN:
In compliance with the pandemic guidelines, the Toyota 500 will run without spectators, but you can view the live competition on Wednesday, May 20th, at 6:00 p.m. ET on FS1. Live coverage of the 228-lap, 311-mile race can also be found on MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

QUOTABLE QUOTES:
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 CHEVYGOODS.COM / NOCO CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 2nd IN STANDINGS
“Everybody at HMS does a really good job of getting all our cars extremely close. I think we can take what we ran (Sunday) and have a pretty good idea of some adjustments we couldn’t do on pit road but I felt like would really help what I needed in the racecar there to be a little better on long runs and help me in some areas. I’m really looking forward to it. I think we have a good game plan for it. Our cars are really strong right now.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 4th IN STANDINGS
“I’m looking forward to Wednesday. I am excited to keep this trend going. I think it’s super fun showing up and racing. It adds an element of excitement for me that I haven’t had in a while so I thought that was really cool. I am looking forward to getting back and going back over there and racing Wednesday night under the lights. Such a cool race track to race at in general, but I think the night time brings another element that’s going to be really cool, always has been in the past for me. We will see how it goes Wednesday and hopefully we can finish a few spots better. Hopefully just try and improve on Sunday.”

KURT BUSCH, NO. 1 MONSTER ENERGY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 13th IN STANDINGS
“As far as heading back to Darlington, three days after a race. This is that that moment that we always have in team meetings, where we ask one another. “if we were going to go back there tomorrow, what would we change?” Now it’s time to put our money where our mouth is and make the changes and capitalize, with these two events being so close to one another. It is similar to the All-Star Race and then going back to run the 600 at Charlotte. Only this is even closer in comparison, because of the stage lengths and the approach to the race. Also, with our starting positions, we pulled the random draw to start 22nd for the first Darlington race and then with the invert, following the third-place finish, will be starting 18th in this second race. Both of our races are very similar, the stages and the set-ups are pretty close. We could go along with no yellows in between stage one and stage two, but we’ll see how it pans out. This is definitely one of those moments where it’s like “boom” make quick changes and head straight back to the track and go for the win!”

BUBBA WALLACE, NO. 43 VICTORY JUNCTION CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 19th IN STANDINGS
“Returning to the Darlington Raceway for race number two – I feel more confident going into this one. Having the first race under our belt, and figuring-out what we need to be better. Our Richard Petty Motorsports team had a good debrief to get our Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE better as a whole. We have a good balance read and balance update, so we have some ideas of what we could do to be more competitive. Darlington Raceway, no matter how many times you run on it you will still show-up and be intimidated by the track. I’m looking forward to the challenge when we get down there Wednesday.”

JERRY BAXTER, CREW CHIEF OF THE NO. 43 VICTORY JUNCTION CAMARO ZL1 1LE
“We’ve got the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 Victory Junction Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE just about ready to go for the second race at the Darlington Raceway. We learned a lot down there, last weekend, and we made quite a few changes on the current car. We’ll go down there and fight the rain for a little while, and we’ll see how we can do.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 21st IN STANDINGS
“I’m looking forward to going back to the same race track in the same week. I think it’s a unique situation that we don’t normally get, for us to be able to go back to a track for a second time and so soon. I’m excited to see what we can carry over from our speed that we showed in our Axalta Chevy on Sunday. I think it’s going to be difficult from where we’re starting the race, but I’m looking forward to moving through the field and hopefully getting back up towards the front again.”

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 KROGER CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 23rd IN STANDINGS
“Well, hopefully we’ve got that bad luck in the rearview mirror now. Yesterday’s race obviously didn’t go how we had hoped or planned, but the only thing to do now is to keep moving forward. We’ve got a little bit of a challenge ahead of us since we didn’t get any track time on Sunday, but everyone at the shop has worked really hard to get our cars ready and prepped for us to race. Our teammate had solid speed, so we can learn a little bit off of what he was feeling in the car on Sunday and take those notes to apply to our car on Wednesday. Wednesday’s race will be at night, which will affect the setups from Sunday and is a little bit more of what we’re accustomed to racing at Darlington Raceway. We have speed on our intermediate track program on this No. 47 Kroger Camaro ZL1 1LE and I’m ready to makeup what we lost on Sunday when we get back to Darlington.”

RYAN PREECE, NO. 37 TIDE POWER PODS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 30th IN STANDINGS
“I was pretty happy with how our race went on Sunday at Darlington Raceway. We definitely had speed in our No. 37 Chevrolet, and earning stage points was huge as we continue to turn our season around from a rough start. Racing on Sunday was really good to build notes for Wednesday night’s race. While the track conditions will be opposite racing at night than it was during the day, we definitely have a lot of things we learned that we can apply. We were really good in Turns 1 and 2, but just needed a little bit more front turn in Turns 3 and 4. Starting on the pole for the shortened race on Wednesday night will be really important for track position. I’m proud of everyone at the shop and on the road crew for adapting to this new normal and giving us a car we can continue to build on, and put on another great race on Wednesday night in our No. 37 Tide Power Pods Camaro ZL1 1LE.”

MATT KENSETH, NO. 42 CREDIT ONE BANK CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 34th IN STANDINGS
“I had a lot of fun in the car on Sunday and enjoyed getting to work with all the guys for the first time, and we ended with a great finish. It was a really good way for us to start, and I hope to just improve a little bit on everything we did during Sunday’s race. It was a quick turnaround to get ready to get back on track and the conditions will be a bit different for this race, but the CGR Chevy’s run really well at Darlington, so I’m looking forward to another good race and another chance for us to work together as a team.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships:
Total (1949-2019): 39
First title for Chevrolet: 1958
Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)

Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

Drivers Championships:
Total (1949-2019): 31
First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)
Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)

Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016

Event Victories:
Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)

2020 STATISTICS:
Wins: 1
Poles: 2
Laps Led: 429
Top-five finishes: 10
Top-10 finishes: 21

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 787 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 716
Laps led to date: 234,735
Top-five finishes to date: 4,024
Top-10 finishes to date: 8,303

Total NASCAR Cup wins by corporation, 1949 to date

General Motors: 1,121
Chevrolet: 787
Pontiac: 154
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65

Ford: 789
Ford: 689
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467
Dodge: 217
Plymouth: 191
Chrysler: 59

Toyota: 144

Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 100 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with 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.

IMG ARENA To Unveil First-Ever NASCAR Virtual Sports Betting Product; IMG ARENA To Offer NASCAR Streaming Rights to International Sports Betting Operators

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 20, 2020) – NASCAR^® and IMG ARENA, a leading sports betting service and content hub, announced today that IMG ARENA has licensed official assets to create a virtual sports betting game that replicates some of NASCAR’s most iconic tracks, including Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Watkins Glen International. The virtual product, created by Leap Gaming*, will be offered to sports betting operators around the world. This deal expands IMG ARENA’s growing portfolio of virtual sports betting products, which now includes tennis, football, cycling, horse racing, speedway racing and greyhound racing.  

Additionally, NASCAR and IMG ARENA have formed a long-term partnership that will provide international sports betting operators the ability to live-stream NASCAR Cup Series races for the first time. Cars returned to the track on May 17^th at Darlington Raceway, and the remaining 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season will be available to betting operators outside of the U.S. and Canada. 

“IMG ARENA is the leading partner for global sports and entertainment media. We are excited to work together to provide a global audience the ability to engage with our sport virtually and in real-time,” said Scott Warfield, Managing Director of Gaming, NASCAR. “The international sports gaming landscape is mature and vibrant, and this partnership allows us to offer compelling products that further enhance our international footprint.”

“Adding NASCAR to our client roster is a proud achievement. The brand is renowned in sport and entertainment with the high-octane race series providing must-watch, appointment-viewing content for more than 70 years,” said Freddie Longe, Executive Vice President and Managing Director at IMG ARENA. “The partnership significantly bolsters our streaming and official virtual sports offering with a product that we expect to be popular in a number of different markets.”

This partnership comes on the heels of an announcement made earlier this year introducing Penn National Gaming as NASCAR’s first authorized gaming operator in the United States. The partnership centered around a free-to-play, mobile game named NASCAR Finish Line, which offers users the chance to win a $25,000 jackpot every race.

Headquartered in London, IMG ARENA works with more than 460 leading sportsbook operators worldwide, providing always-on services including 24/7 live streaming and on-demand virtual sports products designed to evolve and inspire engagement by placing fans at the heart of the action. Its ground-breaking data collection system ensures that the fastest and most accurate sources of data are delivered live from the action to the end user in less than a second.

In the past year, NASCAR announced a series of agreements to prepare the industry and its fans for the rapidly growing sports betting landscape in the U.S., including its first authorized gaming operator, an exclusive data partnership, an integrity partner to safeguard and protect the sport, and unique content deals. Furthermore, the sanctioning body granted all teams and tracks the ability to sell marketing sponsorships to sports betting companies and licensed sportsbooks.

Catch the NASCAR Cup Series tonight, Wednesday, May 20, in the Toyota 500 from Darlington Raceway at 6 p.m. ET live on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

*IMG ARENA has been an investor in Leap Gaming since 2018. The two companies have a shared vision of developing official virtual content for federations such as NASCAR.

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR consists of three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series™), three regional series, one local grassroots series, three international series and the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, Americrown Service and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

About IMG

IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion, events and media. The company manages some of the world’s greatest athletes and fashion icons; owns and operates hundreds of live events annually; and is a leading independent producer and distributor of sports and entertainment media. IMG also specializes in licensing, sports training and league development. IMG is a subsidiary of Endeavor, a global entertainment, sports and content company.

MCDOWELL TALKS SECOND RACE IN A ROW AT DARLINGTON:

“We kind of had to go into Sunday’s race without knowing what to expect. It’s rare during the NASCAR Cup Series season that we get a chance like this to go back to the same track so quickly after a race. Drew [Blickensderfer] and I have talked a lot since Sunday on what we want to do different for Wednesday’s race.

“This new routine is different, and will take some time to adjust, but everyone at NASCAR and our Front Row Motorsports team has worked tirelessly to have the opportunity to blaze a trail for live sports to return. I’m really proud to be part of that effort.

“Our No. 34 CarParts.com Ford Mustang looked great on track on Sunday and I think it’ll look even better under the lights on Wednesday. Huge shoutout to everyone at CarParts.com for coming on board to support us this week.”

NEMECHEK TALKS SECOND RACE IN A ROW AT DARLINGTON:

“It felt great to turn laps on Sunday in our No. 38 Scag Power Equipment Ford Mustang. Safety continues to be the number one priority across the industry. We’ve got to do everything we can to make sure that we can compete while mitigating current health risks. We’re all in this together, learning and adjusting as we go along.

“We were anticipating Wednesday being our best race at Darlington, so to get a top-10 was a huge accomplishment. We were able to learn a lot on Sunday and it’s actually pretty helpful to have the opportunity to race in the same place again just a few days later. We’ve talked about some adjustments we want to make, not only to run at Darlington again, but to transition into a night race as well.

“I’m also excited to have Scag Power Equipment with us again for Wednesday’s race. I’m confident that our No. 38 team is ready to ‘mow’ the competition down again.”

HARRISBURG, N.C. (MAY 19, 2020) – NASCAR made its grand return to on-track competition on Sunday at Darlington Raceway, marking the first live race since the COVID-19 shutdown in early March. This Wednesday, the NASCAR Cup Series returns to the track named “Too Tough to Tame” to continue to honor frontline workers as part of The Real Heroes Project. JTG Daugherty Racing is proud to honor one of their own, Chris Little, MD, the godson of team owners Tad and Jodi Geschickter.

Dr. Chris Little will adorn both Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Ryan Preece’s Chevrolets at Darlington Raceway, replacing their own names above the doors for 228 laps Wednesday evening. A graduate of University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical School, Dr. Little was in his second year of surgical residency in Seattle, WA, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit with a vengeance. He hit pause on performing surgeries and dedicated his time to helping the incoming critically ill coronavirus cases.

“The Real Heroes Project was a great success in our first race back at Darlington Raceway last Sunday,” Stenhouse Jr. said. “It’s only fitting that we are able to follow that up by honoring someone that is considered one of our own. Tad and Jodi have done so much for our race team during these unprecedented times and I’m proud to be able to give back to them and their family as we honor their godson during Wednesday night’s race.”

“We are so thankful for all of the nurses, doctors and medical staff that have been on the frontlines during this pandemic,” Ryan Preece said. “Dr. Little put a pause on his surgical residency to help COVID-19 patients, and that’s a really admirable thing to do. We can’t thank him and his team enough for all they have done for the coronavirus patients that were in one of the worst-hit areas of Washington.”

The Toyota 500 on Wednesday, May 20 at Darlington Raceway is the second race of the NASCAR Cup Series’ return to on-track racing since the COVID-19 shutdown. The race will be shortened from the traditional 400-mile intermediate track length and will consist of 228 laps equating to 310.6 miles. Preece finished 20th in Sunday’s race at Darlington, and the top-20 field will be inverted, putting the No. 37 Chevrolet on the pole to take the field to green. The green flag will wave at 6:00 p.m. ET and broadcast on FOX Sports 1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.