Category: NASCAR Cup PR

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY
FORD ECOBOOST 400
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES AND QUOTES
NOVEMBER 17, 2019

TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL FINISHING RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
8th Austin Dillon, No. 3 Symbicort Camaro ZL1
9th Alex Bowman, No. 88 Nationwide Camaro ZL1
12th Daniel Hemric, No. 8 myblu Camaro ZL1
13th Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1
15th Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Camaro ZL1

TOP FIVE UNOFFICIAL FINISHING RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
1st Kyle Busch (Toyota)
2nd Martin Truex, Jr. (Toyota)
3rd Erik Jones (Toyota)
4th Kevin Harvick (Ford)
5th Joey Logano (Ford)

UNOFFICIAL FINAL PLAYOFF RANK (Following Round 10 of 10)
POS. DRIVER
1. Kyle Busch (Toyota)
2. Martin Truex Jr. (Toyota)
3. Kevin Harvick (Ford)
4. Denny Hamlin (Toyota)

This concludes the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season. The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series will kick off with Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, February 16, 2020 at 2:30 P.M. ET. Live coverage can be found on FOX, MRN, and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.

TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES AND QUOTES:

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 SYMBICORT CAMARO ZL1 – Finished 8th
THOUGHTS ON HIS RUN.
“It’s really special to end the year with a top-10 finish. It’s been a hard year. We’ve changed our bodies and everything, just trying to get closer to the competition and working really hard. It was the first car we’ve had all year that’s been really competitive at these 1.5-mile tracks. We’ve had some good qualifying efforts, but we were racy tonight and that was good to see.”

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE MOMENTUM FROM THIS FINISH TO CARRY OVER INTO THE 2020 SEASON?
“You have to be pretty proud of that last finish of the season. There are a lot of different things for us as a team next year. Hopefully we can put it all together and just have a better year.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CAMARO ZL1 – Finished 9th
“The last three races, we’ve finished fifth, 23rd and ninth. So, we just need to be a little more consistent than we have been. Nights like tonight are kind of our M.O.; we ran 22nd half of the night and then get our stuff together, drive forward and pass a bunch of race cars. If we didn’t have to do that, the last two runs would have been quite a bit better I feel like. I’m proud of my guys for the changes they made. But we just need to be more consistent and start the races off better.”

WERE YOU AWARE THAT THE 24 AND THE 42 HAD ENGINE ISSUES DURING THE COURSE OF THE RACE?
“I wasn’t; it doesn’t really do any good to tell me. If it was going to blow up, it was going to blow up. Thankfully, the Hendrick engine department does a good job. It’s a bummer those two guys had issues. But they are doing all they can to make the best horsepower they can. Those issues out of our camp are really rare.”

DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 8 MYBLU CAMARO ZL1 – Finished 12th; 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year
TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS TO YOU.
“Yeah, it’s pretty special to say the least. I wish we were able to win Rookie of the Year and have a couple more solid finishes throughout the year than what we had, but about five or six years ago, myself and Ryan Preece somehow ended up tied with four or five races to go, so we knew we had to buckle down. And really proud of this group for doing that.”

“It’s tough for them, obviously, with me announcing my plans over the last couple days, a lot of those guys’ future is unknown. It’s easy for them to lay down, and they didn’t. They kept continuing to put their best effort in every single week. For the last three weeks, we were able to string three decent races together, tonight being one of our best of the year.”

“Just proud of those guys and the heart they continue to fight with. And a lot of really important people in our sport have been able to take these honors home, so I’m going to take pride in the Rookie of the Year title and look forward to the next chapter.”

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.

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS)
Sunday, November 17, 2019

EVENT: Ford EcoBoost 400, Homestead-Miami Speedway

Ford Finishing Results:
4th – Kevin Harvick
5th – Joey Logano
6th – Clint Bowyer
7th – Ryan Newman
11th – Ryan Blaney
14th – Daniel Suarez
17th – Paul Menard
18th – Brad Keselowski
19th – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
22nd – Aric Almirola
23rd – John Hunter Nemechek
26th – Michael McDowell
27th – David Ragan
31st – Corey LaJoie

KEVIN HARVICK, No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang – YOU GUYS STAYED OUT TOWARD THE END AND TRIED SOMETHING DIFFERENT, WAS THAT BASICALLY YOUR ONLY SHOT WITH THE WAY THE 19 AND 18 WERE RUNNING? “Yeah, we just needed to do something different. They were so much better than us on the long run, that was our best chance, to have a caution there at the end and we never got one. We did something different, hoping for a caution. We had to do the opposite and it just didn’t work out.”

DID YOU THINK YOU HAD ANYTHING FOR THEM AT ANY POINT IN THIS RACE? “On the restarts I could do what I wanted to do and hold them off for 15 or 20 laps. This race has come down to that every year. You kind of play toward that and they were quite a bit better than us on the long run. We had a really good car for those first 15-20 laps on the restarts and had a lot of speed, we just never got to try to race for it there with the caution.”

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE RESTART WHERE THE 19 GOT INTO YOU? “I just spun the tires and he ran into the back of me.”

IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT YOU WERE OUTNUMBERED FROM THE GET-GO? “Not really. I mean, you race against these guys and it really turns into individual battles and I would say those guys were all racing for each other and trying to win a championship. I didn’t really look at it quite that way.”

WERE YOU AT ALL SURPRISED WITH THE PACE OF THE RACE TONIGHT? “My car didn’t drive very well and it looked like mine drove a lot better than most of them. You didn’t see very many tire marks against the wall or anything like that. Just no cautions and nothing happening. When that happens, you just get spread out.”

JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang – “You want to win. You want to be the one who spoils the must-win to win the championship party if you’re not in it and we just weren’t fast enough. Maybe a late-race restart would could have made some magic happen, but fifth was the best we were gonna do. That was about the highest we got all race long and apparently all year long as well because we were fifth in points, so it was a strong year. It wasn’t a championship year. We want to be better, but we’ll move on.”

CLINT BOWYER, No. 14 Rush Truck Centers Ford Mustang – “We had a solid night. You always want to win when you come to this race track. It’s a cool race track with a lot at stake and a lot of eyes on it, so you want to win, but, all in all, we gained another spot in the points. I’m proud of our efforts there. We stubbed our toe one or two races and had some crummy luck at actually some good tracks for us – Martinsville – kind of got us behind the eight ball and kind of knocked us out of that Round of 8. That hurt us, but, all in all, we rise to the occasion in the playoffs and ran our best all year long in the playoffs, so I was proud of those efforts.”

RYAN NEWMAN, No. 6 Wyndham Rewards Ford Mustang – “I didn’t really realize we were seventh, but I’m proud of the guys with the Wyndham Rewards Ford. We had a loose wheel that put us back. We had a really good car. We had one run there at the start of the third stage that just wasn’t quite as good as we needed to be, but I felt like our last run was pretty good. I’m proud of the guys. We made a lot of progress this year. It’s a good way to end the season and prove that we were a top 10 car there at the end. We didn’t end up there in points, but just proud of the overall team effort for sure.”

SOMETHING TO BUILD ON FOR NEXT YEAR. “We had something to build on before tonight, but tonight definitely adds to it.”

DAVID RAGAN, No. 38 Thank You David Ford Mustang – “Our last race was really uneventful. We tried some strategy a few times and it kind of bit us. We probably lost a lap or two that we shouldn’t have, but we were being aggressive because we didn’t really have anything to lose I can’t say enough about everybody at Front Row Motorsports and the NASCAR industry for making this last weekend special. It was a tough season. I wish we had some better results to show for it, but the last season won’t dictate my 13-year career. We’ve had a lot of fun, a lot of good memories and don’t regret anything that we’ve done. I’ll sleep good tonight and think a little bit over the offseason on what I want to do next year and I’m sure I’ll be around.”

AND YOU HAVE SOME PICTURES TO REMEMBER TODAY. “Yeah, I’m not too much of a guy that plans ahead and thinks about all that fun stuff, but thankfully I’ve got a good wife and a good team at Front Row Motorsports that made today special. I probably wouldn’t have done some of those things, but those memories and videos and fun stuff we got to do will be something we talk about and remember for a long time.”

Team Penske NASCAR Xfinity Race Report
Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway
Race: Ford EcoBoost 300
Date: November 16, 2019

___________________________________________________

No. 22 MoneyLion Ford Mustang – Austin Cindric
Start: 3rd
Stage 1: 9th
Stage 2: 1st
Finish: 7th
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 200/200
Laps Led: 40
Driver Point Standings (behind first): 6th (-1746)

Notes:

Austin Cindric and the No. 22 MoneyLion team finished the 2019 season on a high note, leading 40 laps, winning Stage 2 and finishing seventh in Saturday evening’s Ford EcoBoost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Cindric closed the 33-race season with two victories, 205 laps led, 14 top-five and 24 top-10 finishes. He ended up sixth in the final point standings.

The driver of the MoneyLion Ford Mustang started his day by grabbing third place during qualifying for the 200-lap race. Over the course of a caution filled 45-lap first stage, Cindric fell to the 10th position, battling a loose Ford on fire-off. He was credited with ninth-place at the end of Stage 1.

During the caution, crew chief Brian Wilson called the 21-year-old to pit road for four fresh Goodyears, fuel and minor adjustments to help aid the handling. Cindric would restart 10th on lap 50.
The Mooresville, N.C. native wasted no time powering his MoneyLion Mustang to the lead on lap 53, dominating the caution-free second stage. Cindric led a total of 40 laps en route to taking the stage win. Wilson called the No. 22 MoneyLion Mustang to pit road for service on lap 93 for fresh tires and fuel. Cindric would restart in the second position when the race restarted on lap 96.

Over the course of the long run, Cindric fell to fifth by lap 122. Cindric communicated to his MoneyLion team his Ford was too free on the long run. Wilson elected to pit Cindric once more for adjustments and he would restart fifth on lap 127.

Cindric was able to race his way to the fourth position, still battling a loose Ford. The final stage would see green-flag stops starting with Cindric pitting from the fourth position on lap 157. Cindric would inherit the lead briefly but was unable to hold off a hard charging Christopher Bell and would surrender the top spot on lap 165. The remaining laps would run caution free and Cindric would fall to the seventh by the end of the 300-mile race.

Quote: “It was a great season. I wish I would have been able to end it off a little better. Winning that stage there in stage two was awesome. I knew my lane was gonna go away there and knew we had to do a couple adjustments to keep up with the track. I think maybe some practice probably would have done us some good. We came with a bit of a science project and it paid off in a lot of ways and I think we learned a lot, but it was definitely something to learn for next year.”

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS)
Saturday, November 16, 2019

Ford EcoBoost 400 | POST-PRACTICE MEDIA AVAILABILITY

Kevin Harvick met with media members after the lone practice session of the weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway Saturday afternoon.

Q: IT LOOKS LIKE, ACCORDING TO THE PRACTICE BOARD, THAT OF THE FOUR GUYS, YOU HAVE THE MOST WORK TO DO. HOW DO YOU FEEL PRACTICE WENT?

KEVIN HARVICK, No. 4 Ford Mustang: “It went good. We missed our travels a little bit the first run and got our car a lot better.”

Q: IN 2014 YOU SAID THIS FORMAT FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP WAS SHORTENING CAREERS FOR THE DRIVERS. HERE YOU ARE FIVE YEARS LATER. DO YOU STILL FEEL THAT WAY?

KEVIN HARVICK: “It is a lot easier now. You understand it. It is still stressful, you just learn how to deal with it better.”

Q: IS IT A BIG DEAL THAT YOU DON’T GET A PRACTICE SESSION AT NIGHT AND CAN YOU LEARN ANYTHING FROM TODAY FOR THE RACE TOMORROW?

KEVIN HARVICK:“Half the race is in the day, so there is definitely something that can apply, for sure.”

Q: IS THE BOTTOM LINE A BETTER LINE OR IS IT STILL IMPORTANT TO RUN THE TOP AND HOW DOES THAT CHANGE FOR RESTARTS WITH LANE SELECTION THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO HAVE IF YOU HAVE THE CHOICE? KEVIN HARVICK: “I think that the line is probably not that much different, it is just following behind the cars is worse than what it has been before. YOu are going to have to be versatile on where you can run on the racetrack and be able to run bottom, middle and top because you can’t run behind every car.”

Q: HOW ABOUT ON RESTARTS?

KEVIN HARVICK:“Typically the bottom just doesn’t go as well with the traction so we will see how that goes with the higher downforce and less power.”

Q: YOU SEEM PRETTY UPBEAT THIS WEEKEND, WHAT IS THE EMOTION AROUND YOUR CREW?

KEVIN HARVICK:“It is just business as usual.”

Q: WHEN YOU GO INTO SUNDAY’S RACE, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU THINK OF DIFFERENTLY OR DO YOU TRY TO STAY ON THE SAME PATH YOU ALWAYS DO AND JUST DO WHAT YOU DO?

KEVIN HARVICK:“You can’t really stay on the same path because of all the things that they force you to do. You can’t really be in your normal routine and you have to know that coming into the week with all the things that are just way out of normal from what you would do on a weekend. So you just have to know that coming into the week and just deal with all the extra things and extra people and things that come with the week.”

Q: WHAT ABOUT THE RACE ITSELF THOUGH?

KEVIN HARVICK:“As soon as that starts you are like, ‘Thank God!, I can do what I normally do.’ So yeah, once the race starts, it is a little different because you don’t have the stages that you have to worry about, you aren’t worried about stage points. The strategy is really pretty straightforward as to what you are trying to do and that is be around to have a chance at the end of the race.”

Q: WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE DECISION TO HAVE PRACTICE INSTEAD OF QUALIFYING? WHAT ARE ANY IMPLICATIONS OF NOT HAVING QUALIFYING?

KEVIN HARVICK:“I don’t really have any input on any of those so I don’t worry about things like that.”

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS)
Friday, November 15, 2019

Ford EcoBoost 400 | MEDIA AVAILABILITY

Daniel Suarez met with media members at Homestead-Miami Speedway Friday afternoon to discuss the news that Sunday will be his final race in the No. 41 Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing.

TAKE US THROUGH WHAT CAME DOWN THIS WEEK AND HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT IT:

DANIEL SUAREZ: “I am a little disappointed. A lot of people have worked very hard on this team to try to put everything together and unfortunately it wasn’t enough. We needed a few months. We had to find a big amount of money to keep the ride for next year. My group of people, friends and a lot of people at Stewart-Haas Racing went to work and we actually did a pretty good job. We pretty much got the goal but unfortunately part of the money wasn’t on the table at this point. It was going to come a few months later and it wasn’t enough. It was a little unfortunate. It was a surprise. I was as shocked as you guys are probably right now, just a couple of nights ago. It is what it is. One door closes, another door opens.”

QUESTION INAUDIBLE: “It has been less than 36 hours since I found out. Like I said, I have been talking with most of you for the last few weeks and I am pretty sure that most of you saw me very confident because I knew where we were. I was 95% sure that we were in. I thought we were in good shape. I was extremely surprised. A lot of people at Stewart-Haas Racing worked very hard to put everything together. It was disappointing to see that. Tony Stewart was pushing for me so hard. Brett Frood, a lot of people in Stewart-Haas Racing. Unfortunately things didn’t work out with Haas.”

THIS IS TWO YEARS IN A ROW FOR YOU. CAN YOU GUT HANDLE ANY MORE PUNCHES? “I am pretty strong. I have had a lot of sacrifices in my life to be here. Not just when I came here to the US, but even before that. To stay in racing and to do a lot of different things. As many of you know, I don’t come from a race family or from a lot of money or have a lot of contacts or anything like that. I am here because of myself. This has been tough. It is not fun to be in this position. I feel like I am strong and it has been a little difficult the last 24-hours. I couldn’t believe it because we did find a big amount of money. This is the position we are in now but I think good things happen to good people and I am sure good things are going to line up for me.”

TONY SAID HE WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO HELP YOU, THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO HELP IN ANY WAY THAT HE CAN. ARE THEY SAYING THAT, OR DO YOU BELIEVE THEY COULD STEP IN AND HELP FIND SOMETHING? “Tony is a great guy. In the last six months I have learned that he is a very good friend. In the last week I have been talking to him a lot. He was talking to a lot of people and he was pushing very hard for me. Unfortunately the 41 team, and especially the 41, he doesn’t have a lot that he can do with that car because the 41 is not his car. He pushed. I am sure that he pushed as hard as he could, like a lot of people at Stewart-Haas Racing did. It just didn’t work out.”

CAN HE HELP NOW SOMEHOW? “I had a conversation with him earlier today. He is trying to help me stay in the family. I don’t know what I am going to do yet. There are a lot of things going through my head right now and I don’t know. I don’t even know if I want to be here. That is the way it is. I have to get back on my feet and find the best option for myself.”

QUESTION INAUDIBLE: “I am not angry, I was just not expecting it. I was not expecting this. I am a little disappointed. I would say that. Quite a bit disappointed. Especially because in the last few months I have worked extremely hard outside of the race track. The last few months I have been focusing more outside the race car than inside the race car to make this happen. Things actually happened. We were in good shape. It is very hard to just write a check and put it on somebody’s desk. It doesn’t work like that. It is impossible. They put the bar very high for me and my group to find money but we did it. But just the timing wasn’t right.”

EDSEL FORD SAID HE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP YOU IN THE FORD FOLD. HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO SIT DOWN AND TALK WITH YOU ABOUT SOME OF YOUR OPTIONS. “Yeah, I have a meeting with Mark Rushbrook from Ford Performance earlier today and they were as surprised as I was. We all knew that it wasn’t secure but we also knew all the work we had been doing and where we were at and how we were moving forward. It is just a difficult position to be in. Ford Performance has been great to me. Edsel is an amazing person and it has been an amazing pleasure to race for him and to call him a friend now. Like I said, everything has been very recent and I don’t know what is going to happen. A lot of things have been going on. I am sure that we will find the time to sit down and talk and find the best solution and best option for myself.”

IF YOU WOULD HAVE GOTTEN IN THE PLAYOFFS, WOULD YOU HAVE HAD THIS RIDE NEXT YEAR? DID YOU RAISE ANY MONEY OR NONE? “Maybe a lot of people don’t believe this but this wasn’t a problem of results. This wasn’t because we didn’t perform. Kevin Harvick is an amazing driver with an amazing team and has been doing an amazing job and that is why he is here today, fighting for a championship. But if you think about it, we have been racing along the other two cars very even the whole year even though we were a new team. We have had issues with pit crew and changed the pit crew around several times this year to improve. That is the sad part for myself, that I have spent a lot of time working with my team to make my team better and changed the pit crew many times and moved people around and the spotter and a couple other things. I felt like we finally got everything clicking better the last month, month-and-a-half to be stronger. Now everything is coming apart. Honestly, I feel like that has been my Cup career so far. I have been in the Cup Series for two years but I haven’t had six months of consistency in my Cup career. I am sure I will catch a break at one point.”

DID YOU HAVE SOME OF THE SPONSORSHIP? DID YOU RAISE ANY MONEY OR NOTHING? “For next year? Several millions. This was — I don’t know. We had a goal to get X amount of money and we pretty much got there but part of the money was going to come in a few months from now and that was the biggest part.”

DID YOU MEET YOUR OBLIGATION OR SHARE THAT YOU NEEDED TO RAISE? “We raised a good amount of money. We did for the most part. We were almost there but the other part was going to come later and it just wasn’t enough.”

THIS SAME THING HAPPENED WITH KURT (BUSCH) LAST YEAR: “It is a very tough position to be in because I know how hard a lot of people in Stewart-Haas Racing worked for me. Brett Frood, Tony Stewart, Mike Verlander and a lot of people at Stewart-Haas Racing worked their butts off to try to help me. Everyone wanted to keep me. We worked with the sponsors with business to business opportunities. In the last few months I was working harder outside of the race track than inside of the race track and that is why we were able to make it happen. A month and a half ago I was worried because we were not close to our number. But a few weeks ago we got almost to the number and so I thought we were going to be good but part of the money just didn’t arrive on time and it wasn’t enough.”

IS XFINITY AN OPTION OR DO YOU HAVE TO BE IN CUP? “I don’t know. It has only been 36 hours. I have one hour until I jump in the car and I haven’t even thought about the race car yet. There is a lot going on. I don’t know. For now I have to enjoy the last race of the season and see what happens.”

ARE YOU TALKING TO RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING? “Richard is a great guy. He is a very honest and straightforward person. I haven’t talked to him in weeks but in years past we have had several conversations but not lately. Right now I really haven’t done a lot. I just wanted to get back on my feet and go racing and try to kick their butt.”

IS IT MORE IMPORTANT THAT YOU ARE IN SOMETHING COMPETITIVE RATHER THAN JUST HAVE A RIDE? THAT YOU CAN GO SOMEPLACE TO WIN RACES AND NOT JUST RIDE? “When I made a decision to move here to the U.S. it was very important for me to achieve my goal. My goal was to win races and championships. I have achieved that, not in the Cup Series, but I have achieved that in the Xfinity Series. I have to keep working hard and I guess I will eventually have to make that decision but for now I don’t know. I don’t know what I am going to do but for me it is a priority to be with a competitive team to be able to do what I know how to do.”

DO YOU FEEL THIS D

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS)
Friday, November 15, 2019

Ford EcoBoost 400 | MEDIA AVAILABILITY

Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Mustang in the NASCAR Xfinity Series was officially announced today to drive the No. 41 SHR Cup Series Mustang in 2020. Custer met with media members at Homestead-Miami Speedway Friday afternoon to discuss the promotion.

COLE CUSTER: “This is obviously a dream come true. I have been around the garage for a long time and when I was a kid I never thought I would be good enough to be a Cup driver. It is pretty unreal to have that happen. We obviously have a big race tomorrow and that is where our main focus is. It is the biggest race of the season and it all comes down to this race, so that is what we are focused on.”

ARE YOU RELIEVED THAT THIS NEWS IS OUT THERE NOW AND PEOPLE CAN STOP ASKING YOU ABOUT NEXT YEAR? “Yeah, I mean I didn’t really find out until yesterday really so it is kind of something that is pretty crazy and it is cool to have happen.”

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO FINALLY REACH THE PINNACLE? “I have Gene Haas to thank a lot for everything that has happened in my racing career. I can’t thank him enough for everything that he has done to support me. I am going to try to prove him right next year and have a strong season. At the same time, I need to focus on today and not worry about it right now but I am definitely looking forward to it.”

QUESTION INAUDIBLE: “No, I think there is always stuff you can learn in whatever series you are in. That is pretty much my outlook on it usually.”

HOW TOUGH DO YOU THINK THE TRANSITION WILL BE? “There is always a lot of stuff to learn and a lot more competition. We usually have about 10-12 cars we are competing against here in the Xfinity Series and when you move up you are racing against 25-30 of them.”

WHEN DID YOU FIND OUT? “Not too long ago.”

TONY (STEWART) SAID EARLIER THAT YOU EARNED THIS RIDE. DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD TO KNOW THE OWNER OF THE TEAM RECOGNIZES WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AND THINKS YOU DESERVE THIS SHOT? “Yeah, it means a ton. Having Gene and Tony, two of the best bosses you can have. Tony is a legend in our sport and someone I watched growing up watching racing on TV. Having someone like that in your corner is huge. Gene Haas, everything he has done for me in my career, I am looking forward to getting in that car and seeing what we can do.”

IS MIKE SHIPLETT GOING WITH YOU NEXT YEAR? “I don’t really know at this time. We are just focused on this race and we will see after the weekend.”

IS THIS A DISTRACTION FOR THIS WEEKEND OR A RELIEF? “I think us drivers are pretty good at blocking things out and focusing on what we have to during the weekend. I am looking forward to getting on the track today and seeing what we’ve got. We have been good here the last couple years. It is a matter of putting it all together.”

WHAT KIND OF A RELATIONSHIP DO YOU HAVE WITH GENE HAAS? “Gene has been huge. I don’t think I would be where I am at today without Gene Haas. I have a lot to live up to. I really want to make him proud. Hopefully we can do a good job. It is going to be a lot of work in the off-season to get ready for it but today we are focused on the championship.”

WHEN THEY TALKED TO YOU AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND TOLD YOU THAT THEY WANTED MORE OUT OF YOU, COULD YOU EVEN IMAGINE YOU WOULD BE MOVING UP AT THE END OF THE YEAR? “You always put a lot of pressure on yourself. I know we have fast cars and stuff like that so you try to find ways and look at yourself to see what you can do better. I know there are still things that I can do better. It is constantly looking back on it and trying to make yourself a better driver.”

WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE TO BATTLE WITH REDDICK AND CHRISTOPHER BELL FOR ROOKIE OF THE YEAR? “That will be cool. We have raced against each other a lot this year and I think we have made each other a lot better. It will be fun to do that and see who comes out on top I guess.”

IS THERE A CHANCE YOU WILL DRIVE ANY XFINITY RACES NEXT YEAR? “I don’t know at this time. We will see.”

QUESTION INAUDIBLE: “That wasn’t the plan so far. I really didn’t know so we are kind of just focused on the championship for the most part. That is pretty much it.”

DID YOU DREAM OF THIS, MOVING UP TO CUP, OR DID THIS ALL JUST HAPPEN TO YOU? “Honestly, as a kid I didn’t know if I was going to make it or not. I think it is something that is so far away that you don’t really know what is going to happen. You take it one step at a time and it all just worked out.”

WHAT KIND OF CONVERSATION WAS THAT LIKE WHEN TONY STEWART SAT YOU DOWN IN THE OFF-SEASON AND SAID THAT HE NEEDED TO SEE MORE IMPROVEMENT OUT OF YOU? “It is just something that you always put pressure on yourself also. If you aren’t winning races, it isn’t fun when you aren’t running good. You have to make sure you are doing all you can to make yourself better and that is kind of the way I look at it.”

ARE YOU EXCITED OR JUST OVERWHELMED RIGHT NOW WITH THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE THIS RACE AND ALL THIS STUFF GOING ON? “I think I will find out once this race is over. Right now you have the championship going on and it is a lot to think about. We will worry about the rest after.”

GIVEN THIS DEAL HAS COME OUT AND THE CHAMPIONSHIP RUN AT HOMESTEAD ISN’T OVER, ARE YOU NERVOUS MORE OR LESS ABOUT THIS NOW? “No, you find ways to block it out, honestly. We have been fast here the last two years and I think I have a good idea of what I am looking for when I get in the car. It is a matter of putting it all together and tomorrow putting it all together. You have to do a little bit of everything.”

Keen Parts – Homestead – Race Advance
Event: Ford Ecoboost 400
Venue: Homestead-Miami Speedway (Homestead, FL)
Format: Three Stages – Stages End: Lap 80, 160, 267 = 400.5 Miles
Date/Broadcast: Sunday, November 17 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC

The 36-race Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) season will come to a close this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway as the Championship 4 contend for the title.

For Go Fas Racing (GFR) driver Corey LaJoie, he will wrap up his first season as a full time driver in the MENCS, a season that has been one to remember for both LaJoie and the GFR organization.

LaJoie’s history at the Florida track includes two MENCS starts and four NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) starts. Of the six total starts, the 28-year-old has a best finish of 15th in which he tallied in the 2017 NXS season finale.

The Randy Cox-led team remains focused on finishing the season on a high note despite being faced with adversity the last two weeks at Texas Motor Speedway and ISM Raceway.

The No. 32 team will conclude the season by bringing along familiar sponsor, Keen Parts, rolling out a new tropical paint scheme.

Fitting for the setting of this weekend’s Ford Ecoboost 400, the GFR Mustang will be decorated with flamingos and palm trees surrounding the pink Keen Parts/CorvetteParts.net logos.

Whether you’re looking for a complete interior for your vintage ’58 Corvette or a performance accessory for your ’09, they have the Corvette part you need and the expertise you want. Check out CorvetteParts.net for any of your Corvette needs.

skooza is also supporting the team’s effort at the season finale. Find out more about skooza at www.skooza.com.

Fans headed to the 1.5-mile track for Ford Championship Weekend can catch LaJoie at the Bluegreen Vacations display on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and at the Ford Display on Sunday at 11 a.m.

The final race of the 2019 season will be broadcast on NBC on Sunday, Nov. 17 at 3 p.m. ET.

LaJoie on the upcoming weekend at Homestead:

“It has been such a great first full season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. We’ve grown together a lot as a team and had some really good races throughout this season. We still have a lot to race for with the two guys behind us in points and we have to make sure we block and tackle this weekend to stay ahead of them. Homestead-Miami Speedway is one of the most unique and fun racetracks that we go to and I couldn’t ask for a better track and sponsors in CorvetteParts.net and Skooza to close the season out with.”

LaJoie MENCS career highlights at Homestead:
Starts: 2
Best Finish: 31st (2017)
Average Start: 34th
Average Finish: 32.5

————————————————————–
About Our Team

About Keen Parts/CorvetteParts.net:
Corvettes are all they do, so whether you’re looking for a complete interior for your vintage ’58 Corvette or a performance accessory for your ’09, they have the Corvette part you need and the expertise you want. For your Corvette exterior, they got you covered bumper-to-bumper.  They even have emblems, moldings, grilles, bumpers and brackets, fiberglass, exterior trim and weather stripping. For the interior, they have steering wheels, seats, dash pads, consoles, carpeting, door panels, seat belts, interior trim and fasteners. Under the hood, they’ve got it all from air cleaners to exhaust systems, air conditioning, radiators, and valve covers all the way down to the decals and correct fasteners to bolt it all back together. For more information, please visit www.corvetteparts.net
or call 1-844-Tom-Keen.

Get Corey LaJoie Updates:
To get live updates during the race weekends follow @coreylajoie on Instagram and Twitter. Make sure to give Corey a “like” on Facebook – “@CoreyLaJoieRacing”. For a detailed bio and updated in-season statistics, please visit www.coreylajoieracing.com .

About Go Fas Racing:
Go Fas Racing (GFR) currently fields Ford Mustangs in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series for driver Corey LaJoie. Located in Mooresville, North Carolina, GFR has competed in the NASCAR’s premier series since 2014; fielding cars for some of NASCAR’s top drivers, including past champions. To find out more information about our team please visit www.GoFasRacing.com.

CONNECT WITH US:

Go Fas Racing:

For 2019 or 2020 sponsorship opportunities with Go Fas Racing contact Ryan Ellis at rellis@gofasracing.com

Platform builds off FansChoice.tv – immediately becomes most robust digital motorsports offering in U.S. Marketplace

STAMFORD, Conn. and DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 14, 2019) – NASCAR® and NBC Sports have teamed up to launch TrackPass^TM on NBC Sports Gold, a new streaming product representing NASCAR’s most significant undertaking in the direct-to-consumer space. Set to launch in early December, TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold builds off the foundation set by FansChoice.tv and immediately becomes the most robust live and on-demand motorsports content offering in the domestic digital marketplace.

TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold will bring fans more exclusive live motorsports events and an extensive library of archived documentaries and films. The platform will offer exclusive live viewing of a multitude of motorsports, including American Flat Track, select ARCA Menards Series™ events (including ARCA Menards Series East and West races), NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour™, and tentpole grassroots racing events, as well as NASCAR Cup Series™ and NASCAR Xfinity Series™ practice and qualifying sessions (NBC Sports’ half of the schedule only).

International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) enthusiasts are also covered, as TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold will feature live and archived content from the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and IMSA Prototype Challenge. Live NASCAR national series races (NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Gander Outdoors Trucks Series™) will not be offered on the platform.

“The launch of TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold is a significant step forward in both our commitment to grassroots racing and the evolution of our direct-to-consumer strategy,” said Steve Phelps, NASCAR president. “By partnering with NBC Sports, we can deliver more high-quality content to fans who have passionately followed their favorite racing series via FansChoice.tv, while increasing product availability and reliability.”

“Our partnership with NASCAR on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold is a win for racing fans across the U.S., from four-wide action at superspeedways to two wheels sliding across dirt tracks,” said Sam Flood, executive producer and president, production, NBC and NBCSN. “TrackPass will deliver unprecedented, exclusive live coverage of a wide variety of diehard racing fans’ favorite series – from IMSA, ARCA and American Flat Track, to grassroots racing at iconic local tracks like Bowman-Gray Stadium and Myrtle Beach Speedway. TrackPass is a must-have for passionate race fans.”

Fans can access all the content on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold for $4.99/month or $44.99/year. Lower-priced, series-specific subpackages for IMSA, AFT and NASCAR Roots content will also be available. Both the IMSA and NASCAR Roots (which includes ARCA, Whelen Modified Tour, tentpole grassroots events and select NASCAR practice and qualifying sessions) packages are $2.99/month or $19.99/year. The American Flat Track package will have a $1.99/month or $10.99/year introductory rate for 2020. Existing FansChoice.tv registered users will receive an introductory free trial to TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold.

While FansChoice.tv was a web-based platform, TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold allows users to cast streamed content on a connected device via NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app, letting fans experience racing action on their preferred hardware, including big-screen environments. Upon launch, TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold will be available on desktop web browsers and via the NBC Sports app on iOS and Android phones and tablets, Apple TV (Gen 4), Roku, Amazon Fire TV, AndroidTV, Xfinity X1, Xfinity Flex and Chromecast devices connected via HDMI.

Click here for additional information on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold.

In the meantime, catch the crowning of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion from Homestead-Miami Speedway this Sunday, November 17, at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.

__ __ __

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (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 (Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Gander 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 North American 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, ARCAracing.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

About NBC Sports Gold

NBC Sports Gold is NBC Sports’ direct-to-consumer live streaming product that provides sports fans with access to exclusive premium sports events and content, live and on-demand, at an affordable price. Launched in 2016 with a single cycling product, NBC Sports Gold currently offers 18 individual sports “passes” – twelve domestic (PGA TOUR LIVE, Premier League, Premier League Match Day, INDYCAR, Cycling, Track & Field, Premier Lacrosse League, Speed Skating, Rugby, Rugby World Cup, Supercross, and Snow, consisting of seven Olympic winter sports); two regional (Blazers and Philly); one combination (Supercross and Pro Motocross), two domestic and international (Figure Skating and Pro Motocross); and one international-only (Notre Dame Football). Find NBC Sports Gold in the NBC Sports app available in the U.S. on Apple iOS & tvOS, Android, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast and NBCSportsGold.com, and also on Xfinity X1 and Xfinity Flex.

NEWS RELEASE

This Week in Motorsports: November 11 – 17, 2019
· MENCS/NXS/NGOTS: Homestead-Miami Speedway (Homestead, Florida) – November 15-17
· NHRA: Auto Club Raceway (Pomona, California) – November 17
· USAC: Arizona Speedway (San Tan Valley, Arizona) – November 15-16

PLANO, Texas (November 14, 2019) – NASCAR and NHRA head to the final races of their seasons with five Toyota drivers in the running for championships, while USAC returns on-track after a nearly month-long absence to begin the closing part of its year.

NASCAR National Series – MENCS | NXS | NGOTS

Record-Breaking Season for Toyota, Gibbs… With Denny Hamlin’s victory in Phoenix, Toyota extended a record-breaking season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS). It was the 18th Cup win this year for both Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), which is the most victories recorded by Toyota and JGR in a single season. Hamlin’s victory helped secure the manufacturer’s title for Toyota in 2019 for the third time in the past four seasons.

Three Toyotas in the Championship 4… The season-long success of JGR is also showcased in the Championship 4 as JGR and Toyota become the first team and manufacturer to place three Cup drivers in the four available spots to run for the title. With his win, Hamlin joins Martin Truex Jr., who earned his spot with a win in the Round of 8 opener at Martinsville Speedway, and Kyle Busch, who claimed the only spot available via points, to run for the championship in Miami. Truex (2017) and Busch (2015) are looking for their second championships, while Hamlin looks to earn his first. All three are former victors at Homestead-Miami Speedway with Hamlin winning at the track twice (2009 and 2013), while Busch (2015) and Truex (2017) have one win a piece. Hamlin has also earned the pole position in three of the last four Miami races.

Bell Looks for Redemption… Christopher Bell is headed back to the Championship 4 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) for the second straight season. Bell leads the series with eight wins and looks to claim his first NXS title. If Bell could win the championship, it would be his second NASCAR national series title to go along with his 2017 NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series (NGOTS) championship.

Truck Manufacturer’s Title in Sight for Toyota… With one race remaining in the NGOTS season, Toyota looks to claim its series-leading 11th manufacturer’s championship. Toyota has a nine-point advantage heading into Homestead-Miami Speedway and is guaranteed to clinch the title if a Toyota driver finishes fifth or better. It would be the sixth title in the past seven seasons for Toyota.

Eckes Plans to Deliver… ARCA Menards Series champion Christian Eckes looks to deliver an owner’s championship to Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) in the NGOTS race this weekend driving the No. 51 Tundra. Coming into this weekend, KBM has a series-leading six owners titles. The No. 51 team has six triumphs this season with Busch scoring five wins and Greg Biffle claiming victory in his return to the Truck Series at Texas Motor Speedway in June. Eckes has made seven starts in the No. 51 Tundra this season, earning three pole awards and a best finish of third in Las Vegas in September.

Ankrum is Rookie of Year… Despite missing the first three races of the season due to NASCAR’s age restriction, Tyler Ankrum will officially clinch the NGOTS Rookie of the Year when the checkered flag waves at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Friday. The 18-year-old Ankrum was the only rookie contender to earn a spot in the NASCAR Playoffs due to his win at Kentucky Speedway in July. Ankrum advanced to the Round of 6 before being eliminated at ISM Raceway. He is the fourth Toyota driver to earn Rookie of the Year honors at the NGOTS level along with Erik Jones (2015) and former Toyota drivers William Bryon (2016) and David Reutimann (2004).

NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car

Kalitta in Title Hunt at Finale… Doug Kalitta heads to this weekend’s NHRA Finals squarely in the hunt for his first Top Fuel world championship. He enters this weekend’s action in third place, 55 points – just under two rounds – out of the lead. Kalitta has shined at the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in recent years, winning three of the last six events at the track including this year’s Winternationals in February.

Langdon Looks to Join Elite Club… After winning earlier in the Countdown to the Championship at St. Louis, another victory this weekend would put Shawn Langdon in elite company as one of just six drivers to win at Pomona in both Top Fuel and Funny Car. He would join Don Prudhomme, Kenny Bernstein, Gary Scelzi, his current co-crew chief, Del Worsham, and teammate J.R. Todd. Langdon, who grew up less than 20 miles from Pomona, won four times in Top Fuel before making the switch to Funny Cars in 2018.

Toyota Top Fuelers Dominate at Pomona… Toyota Top Fuel drivers have won 14 of the last 21 races at Auto Club Raceway, including eight of the last 10 NHRA Finals. In addition, Camry Funny Car drivers also have recorded four wins in the finale since 2008.

USAC

USAC Heads to Arizona… Heading into this weekend’s USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Series double-header at Arizona Speedway in San Tan Valley, eight different Toyota-powered drivers have combined for 11 victories this season. Defending series champion Logan Seavey leads the way with three victories, while Jason McDougal has won two, including the most recent USAC event at Tri-State Speedway.

BANGOR, Maine – As excitement builds for this weekend’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the track and NASCAR are set to bring attention to a true American hero and his Maine-based foundation.

The Travis Mills Foundation will carry the primary sponsorship for the No. 52 Rick Ware Racing Ford at the Ford EcoBoost 400 on Sunday. The sponsorship is a gift from New England-based Bangor Savings Bank, the season sponsor for Cup driver Austin Theriault.

Travis Mills is a retired United States Army Staff Sergeant and one of only five quadruple amputees from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to survive his injuries. Since 2013 the Travis Mills Foundation has provided support and respite to more than 300 combat-wounded veterans and their families from around the country.

Homestead-Miami Speedway has made Mills an Honorary Official for Sunday’s race, and will give the foundation a social media takeover of the speedway social channels on race day to bring awareness to the nonprofit’s great work. Mills will also join Theriault throughout the weekend for NASCAR media interviews and fan events.

Josh Bilicki will drive the No. 52 Travis Mills Foundation/Bangor Savings Bank Ford in place of Theriault. Theriault remains committed to doing all he can during race weekend to spread awareness of the foundation’s “Never Give Up, Never Quit” mission.

“I’m excited to see Josh run with the Travis Mills Foundation colors this weekend and be at the track with Travis to talk about the important work he is doing for veterans and their families,” said Theriault.   

Bangor Savings Bank has supported the Travis Mills Foundation through its events, like the Miles for Mills Memorial Day 5K, and through donations to the amazing vacation retreat it has built for military families. The foundation has supported families from 38 states since its founding.

“We’ve had a wonderful partnership with Austin Theriault and, with Austin’s support, thought it was a perfect opportunity to highlight a local nonprofit that is responding to a nationwide need,” said Bangor Savings Bank President and CEO, Bob Montgomery-Rice. “The Travis Mills Foundation’s philosophy of ‘Never give up. Never quit’ is an inspiration to us all. We hope the exposure leading up to and during the race helps the Travis Mills Foundation fulfill their mission.”

Theriault is also helping bring attention to a matching fundraiser happening for the foundation through Dec. 31. Through the Mortach Million Dollar Challenge, Dave and Sophie Mortach of Cleveland will match every donation made to the Travis Mills Foundation through the end of the year, up to $500,000.

Mills and his wife, Kelsey, founded the Travis Mills Foundation to benefit post 9/11 veterans injured in active duty or as a result of their service to the nation. The foundation provides programs that help veterans overcome physical obstacles, strengthen their families and provide rest and relaxation. The foundation retreat in Rome, Maine, hosts families for an all-inclusive, no-cost, barrier-free vacation where they participate in adaptive activities, bond with other veteran families, and enjoy much-needed respite in Maine’s great outdoors.

For more information about Bangor Savings Bank, visit www.bangor.com.

About Bangor Savings Bank

Bangor Savings Bank, with more than $4.4 billion in assets, offers retail banking to consumers as well as comprehensive commercial, corporate, payroll administration, merchant services, and small business banking services to businesses. The Bank, founded in 1852, currently has 58 branches across Maine and New Hampshire and can also be found on the Web at www.bangor.com. The Bangor Savings Bank Foundation was created in 1997. Last year, the Bank and its Foundation invested over $2 million into New England communities in the form of nonprofit sponsorships, grants, and partnership initiatives. Bangor Savings Bank is an equal opportunity employer.