Category: NASCAR Cup PR

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS)
Saturday, July 27, 2019

EVENT: Gander RV 400 Media Availability

DANIEL SUAREZ, No. 41 Haas Automation Ford Mustang – HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS RACE WITH YOU BEING ON THE BUBBLE? “Every race is important, not just for the Playoffs. Every race is important and Pocono has been a good race track for us, not just this year but in year’s past. I really enjoy coming here a lot and we have a fast race car, so hopefully I can be in here talking to you guys again after qualifying. Track position as always is gonna be huge here and we’ve shown that we have good speed, so we just have to keep the car up there and hopefully have a good, clean day. I think that’s gonna be important as well. That’s something that, unfortunately in the last few weeks we’ve had very fast race cars, but we haven’t been able to show that because of a lot of little mistakes or bad luck situation. That won’t last for very long. We have to clean those things up and have the finishes that we deserve.”

DO YOU HAVE CONFIDENCE COMING INTO THIS WEEKEND? “Yeah, for sure. To be honest, probably two months ago I was a little concerned for the speed we were having in the race cars, but right now I feel much better. I feel like our cars are getting faster and we’re understanding a little bit more of where we need to be and that’s always something very important, so I feel very good about it. Our 41 Ford Mustang has been pretty sporty today. We tried a lot of different stuff in second practice that didn’t work, but we know where we need to be and the kind of car that we have. Hopefully, we can do a good job in qualifying today. I feel like we have a good shot for the pole and talk to you guys after that and get ready for tomorrow.”

WHAT KIND OF CHANGES DO YOU SEE NEXT WITH THERE BEING TWO RACES ON THE WEEKEND? “This kind of racing with two-day shows are a little bit different. They’re impound races. We qualify exactly the same way that we race and that’s always a little bit of a challenge because you cannot just focus on qualifying. You cannot change your balance a lot just for qualifying, you have to think of the race as well, so it’s a little bit different kind of a system that we have for these races, but it has worked well for us in the past. Like I said, the car has been pretty solid and I’m really looking forward to showing that later today in qualifying and in the race.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE SEASON SO FAR COMPARED TO LAST YEAR? “It’s very hard to compare because there are a lot of things that are different. The race package, teams, engines – everything is different. The only thing that is the same are the race tracks, everything is different and even the race tracks are different now with the PJ1 and stuff. Everything is different, but I will say that the season has been probably one of the best years I have had in the Cup Series. I will say that without a question. Our team has been working really hard to build the speed that we deserve. I felt like we have been learning a lot in the first half of the year of what to do and what not to do and I feel like now we’re heading into a better direction. I felt like we were lacking some speed in the first quarter of the year for sure and in the second quarter we’re working back forward, and now I feel like we are moving in the right direction. I feel like it’s been a rushed year, but there are many factors involved in that. All I can tell you is I’m very excited for the second half of the year. The team has been working very hard and as you can see all four cars are moving together up the list.”

WHAT IS YOUR CONFIDENCE LEVEL GOING TO WATKINS GLEN NEXT WEEK? “If you think about it we have Pocono, we have Watkins Glen, we have Michigan and we have Bristol the next four races. There is no one race track that I don’t like, but there are some races tracks that for whatever reason I just get good results all the time. Pocono is one of them, Watkins Glen is one of them, Michigan is one of them and Bristol is one of them, so I feel very good about it. Our cars are getting better. We have very good races for us coming up and I don’t really know what else I could ask for. We have a lot of good things going our way and we just have to be smart. Like I said, the last couple of weeks we have had fast race cars and good race tracks, but haven’t been able to complete things. At Kentucky we had a flat tire. In New Hampshire we had a loose wheel and water on the race track and the 43 blocked me on pit road. I mean, everything that could have gone wrong went wrong, so we just need to have a clean day and finish the race the way that the car should finish the race. The car has been a top five car every week, so if we can do that, I think we’re gonna be having a little bit more fun.”

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS)
Saturday, July 27, 2019

EVENT: Gander RV 400 Media Availability

KEVIN HARVICK, No. 4 Busch Beer Gen X Ford Mustang – WHAT’S YOUR THOUGHT ON RESTARTS THIS YEAR?  HAS THERE BEEN MORE GAMESMANSHIP?  “I think you’re probably referring to last week at a certain point.  Here’s the thing, I don’t know if it’s gamesmanship this year anymore than last year.  I think a lot of what it comes down to is we’re going to a lot of these race tracks for the first time and faster and slower and being off on your restarts and the things that are different compared to what you have last year, I think you have to do some things differently and sometimes you get in a box that you can’t get out of unless you go faster or slower.  The second thing is there are a lot of race tracks that we go to some cars have first gear, some cars have second gear.  I think a lot of guys listen and see what the car next to them has for gearing, and if you know that they guy next to you has a first gear or the guy that’s leading the race has first gear and the guy next to him has second gear, the guy with first gear is gonna slow it down and the guy in second gear is gonna bog.  So I think there’s a lot of that going on.  I think that some of that comes from all the differences in things that we have this year, but there are differences, especially when you get to places like this of guys that have first gear and guys that don’t.”

CAN YOU HAVE THE SAME KIND OF RIVALIRIES WITH OTHER DRIVERS TODAY THAT THERE WERE 15-20 YEARS AGO?  “You look at other sports and I think we’ll use the Yankees and the Red Sox.  Does it seem the same that it was 15-20 years ago?  No, and I think a lot of that comes down to – no offense – but to the media, to social media, to guys growing up together and playing together.  There’s just more people who know each other and, for us, it’s harder to carry a grudge in the garage today than it was 20 years ago just because of the fact that if there’s a major beef going on it’s a major hassle and it affects your team and it affects the things that you do, and everybody knows that, so it’s best to just move on, have a short memory and that’s the approach that I try to take to it is to have the shortest memory possible, whether it’s a good weekend or a bad weekend, a good moment or a bad moment, and you move on with it.  It’s just super-hard to carry a grudge and be able to function and not spend your morning coming in here answering questions about that.  That would be what it would be about this morning if last week was something where you had a moment, so that’s frustrating and distracting.”

IS THERE A RIVALRY IN YOUR CAREER THAT STANDS OUT BETWEEN YOU AND ANOTHER DRIVER?  “Oh man, I wanted to rip Kyle Busch’s head off for a long time, and now I enjoy being around Kyle and racing with Kyle and the reason I think that is, for me, there’s a respect that comes with what he does on the race track, so I enjoy beating Kyle.  I know Kyle enjoys beating me and I enjoy racing Kyle, but I also understand that when it’s all said and done, he’s gonna be one of the greatest that goes through the sport.  Jimmie Johnson is gonna be one of the greatest, but I never had a beef.  Did Jimmie Johnson have a beef with anybody?  I don’t think so.  That’s probably why he won seven championships.  He had this grudge thing figured out long before I did, so it’s a different world.”

I KNOW THE DRIVER’S COUNCIL DOESN’T EXIST ANYMORE, BUT DO YOU FEEL NASCAR IS LISTENING TO YOU GUYS MORE LATELY?  WE’VE SEEN PJ1 PUT DOWN HERE THIS WEEKEND AND THE UNCONTROLLED TIRE RULE HAS BEEN CHANGED.  “I think the PJ1 is a good example.  I guess it depends on how far you want to poke your nose into things from a driver’s standpoint and how involved you want to get into the politics of it.  I think when it comes to the racing side of it everybody knows that it’s in our best interest to find other lanes with the rules and the racing and the way that it is, so it has evolved into putting PJ1 on the race track and it’s been very effective at a lot of place.  It’s been laid down much better than we have done it in the past, and I think as you look at that it just opens the door to other places and when we first started it was a complete disaster of how it was applied and where it was applied and why it was there.  So I think that Jay Fabian and the garage and everybody has every week he comes over and asks, ‘What do you think?  How is it?  What would you do different?’  And a lot of times you just have to wait and see how it evolves and it’s just those little pieces, but when you have everybody kind of chiming in and you have NASCAR listening, especially on the PJ1 side of it, it’s an evolution and it continues to get better.  Obviously, this is the first stab at it here.  I think when you get done with the weekend you’ll be able to apply it better and differently next time, and there’s a lot that goes to it and how they put it down and where they put it down.  It’s a science project.  How far out in the corner?  Should it be tapered into the corner?  Should it be the second groove?  The middle of the first groove?  There are just a number of things and when you get all of the drivers involved and Denny has kind of spearheaded a lot of the PJ1 evolution from the driver’s side of it.  It becomes easier when there are one or two guys, and he’s really the guy that is communicating on that side of it to try to get things moving forward.  You can just throw out your two cents in the group chat and he can compile all the information from all the different types because everybody looks at it differently, and when you have a number of guys that are chiming in to throw out their ideas it evolves quickly, so that part is good.”

WHAT’S YOUR MINDSET COMING HERE TO POCONO?  ARE YOU FRUSTRATED HAVING NOT WON HERE?  “I don’t get frustrated.  I just want to win.  I think we’ve been in position to win and I think I said this last week, there’s not a race that we go to that we don’t think we can win even though we’ve never won here, but we’ve been in position a number of times to win here and it’s just like last week, finally we knocked that wall down and things will go your way and you’ll be on the right side of it as long as you keep the performance where it has been here.  We’ve had a lot of things go wrong here over the past several years and in contention to win races, so if you stay in contention to win races long enough, you will.”

DENNY FEELS THE WAY HE RACED YOU LAST WEEK MIGHT BE A DEPOSIT TOWARD THE FUTURE WHERE IF HE NEEDS TO RACE MORE AGGRESSIVELY HE MIGHT GET MORE LEEWAY IN THE FUTURE?  DO YOU FEEL THAT WAY?  “I think as you look at last week everybody was trying to do everything they could to win a race for their team.  I think as you go back to the year before (at New Hampshire), I wanted to move Kyle out of the way and not wreck him.  I think that was done well and I think Denny tried to do the same thing, which he should, it was the last lap, and from there it was both of us just trying to do anything that you had to do to try to win, so you try to race as hard as you can without absolutely dumping a guy.  You go back to he and Chase (at Martinsville).  I’m sure he tried to move him out of the way, and I know that was a couple years ago now, but that’s the kind of thing I was talking about earlier, it just festers and it dwells and you talk about it.  It’s in all the highlights, but I think when it came down to the Playoffs, that’s what he thought he had to do to try to put himself in Victory Lane, and I think he’d probably do that again and take all the grief and take that chance.  So you try to do everything you can for your team, and I think Denny and I have always raced well together.  We’ve always raced each other hard, but using the front bumper and sides and everything on the last lap, whatever you’ve got to do to win is the way you’ve got to do it.”

Campaign Supports New FedEx Cares 50 by 50 Initiative

July 26, 2019, NEW YORK – Fans might do a double-take when they see Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota Camry at Watkins Glen International next weekend. And that’s a good thing. Getting everyone’s attention is exactly what the eye-catching FedEx Cares paint scheme is designed to do.

The artwork of Hamlin’s No. 11 FedEx Cares Toyota for the Aug. 4 race promotes back-to-school pedestrian safety with an attention-grabbing crosswalk motif. Hamlin unveiled the special scheme this morning on social media with the help of Safe Kids Worldwide, a nonprofit organization working to help families and communities keep kids safe from injuries.

The special race car design highlights FedEx’s 20-year relationship with Safe Kids Worldwide and also supports the new FedEx Cares 50 by 50 initiative, which aims to positively impact 50 million people around the world by the company’s 50th anniversary in 2023.

“I’m proud to help get the word out about the new FedEx Cares 50 by 50 initiative with this FedEx Cares/Safe Kids paint scheme in Watkins Glen,” said Hamlin. “FedEx Cares continues to help make the world a better place, working in areas like road safety, transportation, entrepreneurship, diversity and more, and through these programs they’re really making an impact.

“As a dad, I’m also glad that this special scheme promotes a message to help kids be safe,” Hamlin continued. “In just a few weeks, we’ll be sending our kids back to school, and it’s important they know how to be safe on the sidewalks and crossing the streets.”

Hamlin and Safe Kids Worldwide will take their messaging directly to their intended audience, too. The veteran Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver and the non-profit will conduct a safety program for Watkins Glen International’s Kids Club on race-day morning at the track.

The No. 11 FedEx Cares/Safe Kids car will take the green flag for the 220-mile road course race at 3 p.m. ET live on NBCSN.

To learn more about the FedEx Cares 50 by 50 initiative, visit FedExCares.com. To learn more about Safe Kids Worldwide, visit SafeKids.org.

Rush and Arizona Coyotes logos will be showcased on No. 77 Chevrolet at Pocono Raceway

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (July 26, 2019) – The Rapid City Rush, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes, are pleased to announce the Rush logo will be displayed on Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) Gander RV 400 at Pocono Raceway where rookie Quin Houff returns to handle the driving chores.

The Coyotes logo will also be showcased aboard the No. 77 Chevy marking the first time both organizations will enjoy a combined presence in NASCAR’s premiere series.

“This week has been exhilarating for the Rush organization,” said Rapid City Rush President Todd Mackin. “Yesterday, we announced our affiliation with the Arizona Coyotes, and today, we become the first ECHL team ever to be featured on a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Car. We are beyond excited for this opportunity. Three weeks ago, we watched as an organization as our parent company led the No. 77 car to victory lane in Daytona. Now, our logo, partnered with the Coyotes logo, will be on display on that same car for everyone to see at Pocono this weekend. This is an exciting time to be a part of the Rapid City Rush, and we hope our fans feel just as much pride as we do in this team for all that’s transpired in the last week.”
Sunday’s race will mark Houff’s 11th start of the year aboard Spire’s No. 77 entry.

Earlier this month, Justin Haley pulled of an upset for the ages in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway delivering the win for the No. 77 team at NASCAR’s highest level in Spire Motorsports first year of competition.

Spire Holdings, the parent company of Spire Motorsports and Spire Sports + Entertainment, secured an ownership stake in the Rush in late 2018.

“Spire brings unique opportunities to our partners when we aggregate our assets across all of our platforms and this is a great example,” explained Jeff Dickerson, co-owner of the Rush and Spire Holdings. “From our first discussions with our staff in Rapid City, to our partners with the ECHL, everyone was excited about showcasing both teams on the No. 77 car this weekend in Pocono. Not only are we trying to bring awareness to the Rush, but it’s a great week announce our affiliation with the Arizona Coyotes, as well. Thank you to the Rapid City community for welcoming us with open arms, the Arizona Coyotes and our hardworking staff with the Rush that brought this to reality.”

The Gander RV 400 from Pocono Raceway will be televised live on NBCSN Sunday, June 28 beginning 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 21st of 36 races on the 2019 MENCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Download the Rapid City Rush App on iTunes and GooglePlay to keep up to speed on all Rush news as we approach the 2019-20 ECHL season!

Season Tickets for all 36 home games are on sale now! Call the Rush office at 716-7825 to secure your seats today!

About Spire Motorsports … Spire Motorsports was established in 2018 by longtime NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “TJ” Puchyr. The team, led by veteran and championship winning team president Joe Garone, will field an entry for the entire 36-race Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season. Spire Motorsports will focus on growth, development and performance. The team is based in Mooresville, N.C.

Richard Petty Motorsports Celebrates Victory Junction’s 15th Anniversary with Donor-Generated Mosaic Paint Scheme

WELCOME, N.C. (July 25, 2019) – Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM), in collaboration with Victory Junction, a camp committed to enriching the lives of children with chronic medical conditions and serious illnesses, today announced a special collaboration for a full-body mosaic paint scheme for the No. 43 Victory Junction Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driven by Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr.

Since opening in 2004, Victory Junction has delivered over 50,000 camp experiences to children and their families, and in celebration of their 15th anniversary, will look to celebrate their on-going awareness and fundraising campaign “Feel Your Heart Race” with Richard Petty Motorsports. As part of the 15th anniversary celebration, Wallace will carry a distinctive mosaic paint scheme on the No. 43 Victory Junction Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at the Talladega (Al.) Superspeedway for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) 1000Bulbs.com 500 on October 13.

“This is a milestone year for us as we celebrate 15 years of serving children at Victory Junction, and we’re excited to have the opportunity to showcase our campers’ artwork alongside the names of donors who help make our work possible,” Chad Coltrane, Victory Junction president and chief executive officer, said.

The mosaic paint scheme will feature artwork from Victory Junction campers participating in family weekends, summer camp, and REACH, Victory Junction’s respected pediatric outreach program that brings camp to children and their families in hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses throughout North Carolina and South Carolina. Campers have been given the opportunity to showcase and design their own colorful paint scheme. Approximately 500 renderings will be collected to create the mosaic. In addition to the camper artwork, Victory Junction also wants to recognize the generosity of their donors. Due to the kindness of donors, families never pay for their children to attend the camp.

Richard Petty Motorsports is teaming-up with Victory Junction to offer a unique opportunity to support the camp’s mission and be featured on the No. 43 Victory Junction Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 mosaic paint scheme. Beginning today, Thursday, July 25, through September 23, fans will have the opportunity to be included with the campers’ artwork. For a gift of $43.00 or more, donors can have their name, or the name of someone they wish to honor, featured on the car in recognition of their special place in the Victory Junction family.

The 1000Bulbs.com 500 will be broadcast live on NBC on Sunday, October 13 at 2:00 p.m. (ET). It will also broadcast live at 1:00 p.m. (ET) on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

For additional information about the entry process and Victory Junction, please visit VictoryJunction.org/donate-now.

About Victory Junction
Victory Junction is a year-round camp for children ages six to 16 with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses. Co-founded by Kyle Petty and his family in honor of his son Adam, the camp is located in Randleman, North Carolina. Victory Junction provides life-changing camp experiences that are exciting, fun, and empowering, in a medically-safe environment, always at no charge to camper’s families. Since Victory Junction opened in 2004, more than 50,000 camp experiences have been delivered to children and their families through on-site summer and family weekend sessions and off-site pediatric outreach programming, REACH. Victory Junction is a member of the SeriousFun Children’s Network and is accredited by the rigorous guidelines of the American Camping Association. To learn more, please visit www.victoryjunction.org.

About Richard Petty Motorsports
A performance and marketing driven company, Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM), co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and successful business entrepreneur Andrew Murstein, is one of the most recognized brands in all of motorsports. RPM is the winningest team in NASCAR Cup history with 273 wins and has business partnerships with national and global leaders. Today the race operation fields the famed No. 43 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series with driver Bubba Wallace. The team is headquartered in Welcome, N.C. and is supported by primary partners United States Air Force and World Wide Technology.

For additional information, news and the latest updates, please visit www.richardpettymotorsports.com or connect with RPM on Facebook (Richard Petty Motorsports), Twitter (@RPMotorsports) or Instagram (@richardpettymotorsports).

Paul Menard and the No. 21 Menards/Duracell Batteries Ford Mustang were on track at Pocono Raceway just seven races ago, but they’ll find a different surface when they arrive for this weekend’s Gander RV 400.

Track officials are applying the PJ1 traction compound to all three turns of the Tricky Triangle in an effort to widen the racing groove. The PJ1 has been used at several tracks, but this is a first for Pocono.

Menard said he expects the traction compound to have a positive effect on the racing product.

“It should make for a wider track and a better race,” he said, adding that maintaining track position near the front of the pack will still be the key to a good finish. “The cars are so aero-dependent and it’s so hard to pass that it’s really hard to overcome a loss of track position.”

Menard said one of the keys to getting good track position to start out with it through a strong qualifying effort.

“Qualifying is so important, because if you start out up front it’s hard for people to pass you,” he said.

Another factor in the track position/pit strategy equation is stage points.
In many instances, going for stage points puts a driver and team at a disadvantage once the stage is over, so the stage points earned must outweigh the potential loss of track position.

“Two [stage points] at a time won’t cut the mustard,” Menard said. “You need to get at least five-point chunks at a time.

“We need to be more aggressive about that.”

There will be two practice sessions at Pocono on Saturday, followed by qualifying for the Gander RV 400 at 4:05 p.m.  The race is scheduled to start just after 3 p.m. on Sunday with TV coverage on NBCSN.

Menards

A family owned company started in 1958, Menards is headquartered in Eau Claire, WI.  Menards has more than 300 retail stores located throughout the Midwest in the states of IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, SD, WI and WY.  Menards is known throughout the home improvement industry as the low price leader.  It’s famous slogan “Save Big Money at Menards” is widely known and easy to remember.  For more information, visit Menards.com, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.

Wood Brothers Racing

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

Richard Childress Racing at Pocono Raceway … In 163 starts at Pocono Raceway, RCR team owner Richard Childress has two wins, both with Dale Earnhardt, who won on July 19, 1987 and July 18, 1993. Additionally, RCR has earned one pole award, 16 top-five and 55 top-10 finishes with 613 laps led at the uniquely-shaped three-turn track. Childress, a former driver in NASCAR’s top division, contributed two of those top-10 finishes under the RCR banner.

RCR in the MENCS … In 2,961 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 51 pole awards,108 wins, 489 top-five finishes and 1,072 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.7 and an average finishing position of 16.2. RCR has earned 15 total championships (six Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championships with Earnhardt in 1986, ’87, ’90, ’91, ’93 and ’94, six NASCAR Xfinity Series titles, two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series titles and one ARCA Menards Series title) and was the first organization to win titles in NASCAR’s three national series.

Interactive RCR … For up-to-date news and exclusive content, visit RCR’s corporate Twitter page – @RCRracing – along with the RCR Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series team Twitter page – @RCRCup, and driver Twitter pages @austindillon3, @TylerReddick and @DanielHemric. Information about the 15-time championship winning organization can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardChildressRacing and at www.RCRracing.com along with official driver pages –  http://www.facebook.com/austindillon3 and www.facebook.com/DanielHemric.

Catch the Action … The Pennsylvania 400 at Pocono Raceway will be televised live Sunday, July 28 beginning at 3 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

This Week’s Freightliner Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Pocono Raceway … Dillon has made 11 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Pocono Raceway, earning his best finish of 12th in June 2018. He has one NASCAR Xfinity Series race under his belt at the track and four NASCAR Truck Series starts at the triangle-shaped track, including a win in 2014.

Welcome, Freightliner … Freightliner Trucks designs and manufactures a wide range of commercial vehicles for nearly any application. Our commitment to innovation, advanced technology and responsive customer relations makes it easy to understand why Freightliner is the best-selling brand of heavy-duty Class 6-8 trucks in North America.

Meet Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to participate in Pocono Raceway Fan Fest on Friday, July 26. All race weekend ticket holders can attend Fan Fest for free, and it’s open to the public for $10 per car load. For more details, visit www.poconoraceway.com/fanfest.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
You didn’t have the best luck at Pocono Raceway in June, but what was the big takeaway with this new package before your early race incident?
“We had a good race car at Pocono Raceway. I really feel like we would have been able to run up front if we wouldn’t have been taken out early, so my biggest takeaway is don’t get taken out. Try not to put yourself in a bad situation early, and we might have a really good race at Pocono.”

Did you learn much about how this new package races around Pocono Raceway?
“Yeah, we were able to build a little bit of a notebook. I think the package races decent. The speed is definitely carried through turn two and through three to the start-finish line. I think those are the most important corners. Of course, every corner is important, but turns two and three are a little bit more important because it’s the flat end of the track. The traction compound is going to be there, also, so it should be interesting to see how all that adds to turn two and being able to run side-by-side.”

Daniel Hemric and the No. 8 Caterpillar Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Pocono Raceway … Hemric will be making his second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start at Pocono Raceway in this weekend’s 400-lap event. The Kannapolis, North Carolina, native started 23rd and finished 13th at the ‘Tricky Triangle’ in June, while leading three laps and earning points in Stage 2 with his No. 8 Kalahari Resorts & Conventions Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

About Cleveland Brothers … Since 1948, Cleveland Brothers has had a history of offering quality solutions to support the needs of their customers. They are focused on growing your business with the equipment, parts, and service for any size company. Cleveland Brothers has 26 locations conveniently located throughout Pennsylvania, Northern West Virginia and Western Maryland. An assortment of online tools and information are also available to help make your business decisions easier. For more information, please visit: www.clevelandbrothers.com.

Take a Ride with Hemric … The NASCAR media is invited to join the 2019 Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender for Chevrolet pace car rides around Pocono Raceway on Sunday, July 28, starting at 10 a.m. local time.

Meet the Driver … Hemric is scheduled to be at the Team Chevy display in the Pocono Raceway Fan Zone for a Q&A session on Sunday, July 28, starting at 11:30 a.m. local time.

DANIEL HEMRIC QUOTE:
What did you and the No. 8 Caterpillar team learn from the last trip to Pocono Raceway in June that you can apply to this weekend’s 400-lap event?
“When we went to Pocono Raceway in June, there was a new variable for everyone with this low horsepower, high downforce drag-duct package. Our team executed about as well as we could, running inside the top 15 and leading some laps. The good thing is that the June race is still fresh to all of us because it was only a few weeks ago, which means we can really dive in and look at what we did well and what we didn’t do so well to maximize how to go there this weekend and do all of those better. On the flip side of that, we can also eliminate the things we didn’t do so well in the previous race. I think because it has been so recent, the track conditions are going to be similar, but now they have sprayed the PJ1 traction compound, so that is going to throw another variable into the mix that everyone in the garage is going to have to figure out. The fact these two races are so close together on the schedule really allows us to focus on the little things that help our top-15 run become a solid top-10 run with our No. 8 Caterpillar Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.”
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Iowa Speedway … In 55 Series starts at the 7/8-mile speedway, RCR has captured one victory with Elliott Sadler in 2012. The Welcome, North Carolina, organization has completed 13,669 laps of the 13,867 (98.6 percent) that they have competed. RCR has accumulated three pole awards, 14 top-five finishes, 28 top-10 finishes, led 538 laps and averages a starting position of 10.6 and finishing position of 12.0.

New Hampshire Review … Tyler Reddick finished fourth and Kaz Grala finished 14th at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last weekend.

The Points …Tyler Reddick remains the current Xfinity Series points leader.

Social Media … To keep up with the latest updates from RCR’s Xfinity Series teams, follow @RCRracing and @RCRNXS on Twitter. Updates can also be found via RCR’s Facebook Page and Instagram (@RCRracing).

Catch the Action … Coverage of this week’s U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, July 27, beginning at 5 p.m. Eastern Time on NBCSN. It will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.
Tyler Reddick and the No. 2 American Ethanol / Novozymes Camaro at Iowa Speedway … Tyler Reddick has five previous NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Iowa Speedway, collecting one top-five and two top-10 finishes. The current points leader also has three previous NASCAR Truck Series starts, claiming two top-five and three top-10 finishes at the 7/8th-mile track.

Delivering Performance On and Off the Racetrack … Tyler Reddick races on Sunoco Green E15 fuel made with 15 percent American Ethanol. Ethanol is the most effective and least expensive source of octane available and it also burns cleaner and cooler than gasoline. All those factors mean that ethanol helps drive peak engine performance whether you’re in a race car or on your way to the grocery store. And, ethanol helps keep our air cleaner and our environment healthier by reducing toxic and greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more about why ethanol is the smart choice for your engine, your wallet and our environment at americanethanolracing.com.

About Novozymes … Novozymes is the world leader in biological solutions, supplying enzymes, yeast and technical services for biofuels made from corn and other grains. As a trusted partner and sustainable business leader, Novozymes helps ethanol plants improve their performance amid changing market conditions by providing a flexible suite of products, services and training. The company’s fuel ethanol product range is designed for optimized performance in ethanol plants which leads to performance at the pump and in our vehicles while providing a more sustainable solution for our planet. Novozymes’ strategy is “Better business with biology.” With a focus on sustainability and shaped by the promise of biology, we step into a future of better business – for customers, for Novozymes and for the world.

Meet Reddick … This week fans can meet Reddick when he visits the infield Fan Walk for autographs on the way to the Xfinity Series driver / crew chief meeting, beginning around 2:15 p.m. local time on Saturday, July 27.

TYLER REDDICK QUOTE:
Iowa Speedway is a track that a lot of drivers seem to love. What makes that track so special?
“Well, normally I love Iowa Speedway and think it really puts on some great shows. It’s a challenging track for a driver as far as figuring out what to do to make your car better. However, I didn’t love Iowa Speedway the last time we went there since I ran over something leaving pit road, and it set back our whole day. Our tire strategy was off once that happened, and we had to race guys with 40 more laps on our tires while trying to get our laps back. It created some fun battles with people I’m not always racing against, but we’ll be looking for redemption this time around. My crew chief, Randall Burnett, and the No. 2 team really have a fire under them this time around. We think we understand why we struggled in a few areas during the June race and are really looking forward to getting back there this weekend to redeem ourselves.”

Toyota Racing
This Week in Motorsports – July 22 – 28, 2019

Toyota Racing On-Track this Week

·         MENCS/NGOTS/ARCA: Pocono Raceway (Long Pond, Pennsylvania) – July 26-28

·         NXS/NKNPSE/NKNPSW: Iowa Speedway (Newton, Iowa) – July 26-27

·         NHRA: Sonoma Raceway (Sonoma, California) – July 28

·         POWRi: Belle-Clair Speedway (Belleville, Illinois) – July 26

Macon Speedway (Macon, Illinois) – July 27

NASCAR National Series – MENCS | NXS| NGOTS

Coming off a great weekend… For the second time in the last five races, all five full-time Toyota teams finished inside the top 10 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last Sunday. Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch led 231 of 300 laps. Hamlin finished second and Busch ended up eighth. They were joined inside the top 10 by Erik Jones (third), Matt DiBenedetto (fifth) and Martin Truex Jr. (sixth).

Toyota likes the triangle… Toyota Camry drivers have won the last four Pocono events. Busch has claimed three of those victories, including picking up the trophy at the first Pocono Raceway event of the season in June. Busch led the last 21 laps to score his most recent of 55 career MENCS wins. Busch has also achieved victory at the last two July events at the ‘Tricky Triangle’ with Toyota teammate Truex Jr. getting the win at the June race one year ago.

Last week’s winner strong in Iowa… Christopher Bell comes into Iowa the most recent race winner. Bell dominated at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, leading 186 of 200 laps in the Toyota Supra for his fifth win of the season. Now, Bell heads to Iowa where he scored his first career pole award in just his second career NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) start in 2017. Since becoming full-time in the NXS, Bell has two wins and has not finished worse than second. In the last three events, Bell has led 282 of a combined 757 laps run. Bell won this race one year ago and claimed victory again at the first race of the season at the track in June.

Playoff clinching… In just his 12th career NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series (NGOTS) start, Tyler Ankrum scored his first career win at Kentucky Speedway. Despite missing the first three races of the season due to an age restriction, the now 18-year-old Ankrum has received a waiver and will compete for the NGOTS championship. He is the second Toyota driver to clinch his spot in the eight-driver Playoff field alongside Austin Hill, who locked up his slot with his win in the season opening event at Daytona International Speedway.

Recent truck success… Toyota has won the last four NGOTS events at Pocono Raceway. Busch started the winning ways in 2015 and added another victory one season ago. Current Xfinity Series championship contender Bell (2017) and former Toyota driver William Bryon complete the recent winning history.

NHRA

Sonoma special for Kalitta…Doug Kalitta returns to the site of his first Top Fuel win when NHRA heads to Sonoma Raceway this week. The Toyota Top Fuel driver defeated Bruce Sarver in the finals in 1998 for the first of 45 Top Fuel victories. It was one of five victories (2005, 2004, 2000, 1999, 1998) for Kalitta in Sonoma, where he ranks as the track’s all-time Top Fuel win leader.

Toyota dragsters shine in Sonoma…Toyota Top Fuel drivers have excelled at Sonoma Raceway, earning eight victories at the northern California track since 2009. Antron Brown has scored four wins (2015, 2012, 2011, 2009) along with J.R. Todd (2016), Shawn Langdon (2013) and former Toyota drivers Khalid alBalooshi (2014) and Larry Dixon (2010).

Todd, Langdon eye milestone win…Both Toyota Camry Funny Car drivers will be looking for a milestone victory this weekend at the Sonoma Nationals. With a win, Todd would join Kenny Bernstein and Don Prudhomme as the only drivers in NHRA history to win multiple races at one track in both Nitro classes (Top Fuel and Funny Car). Todd won in Top Fuel in 2006 and 2016, along with earning his first-ever Funny Car win in Sonoma in 2017. Langdon will look to follow in his teammate’s footsteps in becoming just the third driver in Sonoma Raceway history to win in both Top Fuel and Funny Car at the track. Only Todd and Prudhomme have achieved that feat to date. Todd and Langdon are two of just 17 drivers in NHRA history to win a race in both classes.

Regional Stock Car Racing – ARCA| NKNPSE| NKNPSW

Toyota streaking in the combination events… For the first time this season, the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE) and West (NKNPSW) will be competing in a combination event at Iowa Speedway. Toyota has won the last five combination events at Iowa Speedway with Ankrum adding to the win total last season, leading the final 48 laps to score the victory on his way to the NKNPSE title. This year, championship contenders and Toyota drivers Derek Kraus, Hailie Deegan, Chase Cabre, Tanner Gray and Max McLaughlin will look to continue the recent Toyota success.

First time feeling… Venturini Motorsports scored their first 1-2-3 finish at the ARCA Menards Series’ most recent stop at Iowa Speedway. Chandler Smith scored his fourth win of the season by leading 140 of 150 laps. Teammates Christian Eckes and Michael Self completed the Toyota sweep and head into Pocono Raceway battling for the championship. With six races to go, Self has a 90-point lead over second place. Eckes, who missed a race earlier this year due to illness, holds down third, 110 points back.

Midget Racing – POWRi

Colwell giving back… Jesse Colwell earned his seat with the Keith Kunz Motorsports’ (KKM) Toyota team by winning the inaugural KKM Giveback Classic last fall at Millbridge Speedway. Of late, it’s been the Red Bluff, California, native who’s been giving back to the KKM team. After his first national midget feature win at Humboldt Speedway, Colwell will take the POWRi points lead into this weekend’s double-header in Illinois with a Friday night race at Belle-Clair Speedway and Saturday’s feature at Macon Speedway.

Stay Connected

ToyotaRacing.com   @ToyotaRacing.com  @ToyotaRacing  facebook.com/ToyotaRacing  ToyotaRacingMedia.com

POCONO RACEWAY (2.5-MILE TRIANGLE)
LOCATION: LONG POND, PENNSYLVANIA
EVENT: NASCAR CUP SERIES (RACE 21 OF 36)
TUNE IN: 3 P.M. ET, SUNDAY, JULY 28 (NBCSN/MRN/SIRIUSXM)

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Chase Elliott
No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Driver Chase Elliott Hometown Dawsonville, Georgia
Age 23 Resides Dawsonville, Georgia

2019 Season
8th in standings
20 starts
1 win
2 pole positions
6 top-five finishes
7 top-10 finishes
409 laps led

Career
133 starts
4 wins
6 pole positions
39 top-five finishes
66 top-10 finishes
1,652 laps led

Track Career
7 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
2 top-five finishes
6 top-10 finishes
67 laps led

KEEP THE STREAK ALIVE: As the NASCAR Cup Series returns to Pocono Raceway, Chase Elliott currently holds a streak of five consecutive top-10 finishes at the “Tricky Triangle,” his second-longest active streak at a track behind only Michigan (six-race streak). Elliott’s six top-10s at Pocono tie his results at Michigan and Dover for the most total top-10s he has at any track.

‘TRICKY TRIANGLE’ STATS: Elliott is set to make his eighth start at Pocono in the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend. In his first seven starts at the Pennsylvania track, the 23-year-old driver has collected two top-five finishes. His 10.86 average finish there is the sixth-best all-time. In June, he tied his track-best finish of fourth.

NAPA AUTO PARTS RETURNS: The familiar blue, white and yellow NAPA AUTO PARTS paint scheme will grace the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this weekend at Pocono Raceway. The Atlanta-based company will serve as majority sponsor for Elliott and the No. 9 team for a total of 26 NASCAR Cup Series races this year.

NO STRANGER TO POCONO: Besides his seven starts in the Cup Series at Pocono, last season, Elliott made his Pocono NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in the No. 23 Chevrolet, starting 10th and collecting a runner-up finish in the 100-lap event. He has also made two ARCA Series starts Pocono. In his first visit to the track in June 2013, the driver started 32nd and went on to lead 21 laps before collecting his first career ARCA win.

ENGINE, ENGINE NO. 9: This weekend, Elliott could become the third driver to win at Pocono with the No. 9 car number. The No. 9 is currently tied for third for the most wins at the track with six. Elliott’s father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, garnered five of those wins and Kasey Kahne collected the most recent win with the No. 9 in June 2008.

GUSTAFSON AT THE ‘TRICKY TRIANGLE’: No. 9 team crew chief Alan Gustafson will call his 30th Pocono race from atop the pit box this weekend. In his previous 29 starts at the 2.5-mile triangle with five different drivers (Elliott, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Casey Mears and Kyle Busch), Gustafson has collected two wins – with Gordon in June 2011 and August 2012 – and seven top-five finishes along with 17 top-10s.

HOME SWEET HOME: As the Cup Series returns to Pocono for the second time this season, there are four members of the No. 9 team that call the Keystone State home – car chief Josh Kirk (Chambersburg, Pennsylvania), engineer Matt Barndt (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania), primary truck driver Dave Ott (St. Marys, Pennsylvania) and co-truck driver Heath Edler (Williamsport, Pennsylvania).

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William Byron
No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Driver William Byron Hometown Charlotte, North Carolina
Age 21 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2019 Season
12th in standings
20 starts
0 wins
3 pole positions
1 top-five finish
6 top-10 finishes
180 laps led

Career
56 starts
0 wins
3 pole positions
1 top-five finish
10 top-10 finishes
241 laps led

Track Career
3 starts
0 wins
1 pole position
0 top-five finishes
2 top-10 finishes
35 laps led

PLAYOFF HUNT CONTINUES: With another solid race under his belt, William Byron once again gained points toward his mission of locking into the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. After New Hampshire, the driver of the No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is now 61 points above the cutoff in 12th place, the best position of his Cup career so far. In fact, over the last eight races, he has gained 76 points on the bubble spot.

TIED FOR SECOND: Byron is one of three Cup Series drivers who have finished second in a race in 2019 but have yet to capture the checkered flag. He is also ranked third among the Cup field for most laps led (180) without a win.

PREVIEWING POCONO: In advance of his fourth Cup Series start at Pocono Raceway, Byron is optimistic for what the weekend will hold. Earlier this year, he collected his second pole award of the season at the “Tricky Triangle” before going on to lead 25 laps and earning a ninth-place finish. After three-career starts, Byron is ranked seventh for the best average finish all-time (11.0) at the 2.5-mile speedway. With two top-10 finishes, Pocono is statistically one of his best tracks in the Cup Series. He also has a NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series victory at Pocono, that he won in 2016 after leading 44 of 60 laps.

LIBERTY U RETURNS: For back-to-back weekends, Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet will sport the Liberty University colors. Returning as a primary sponsor of the No. 24 team in 2019 for 12 races, Liberty University has a long history with the driver starting back in 2014 in the late model ranks and is in the midst of its fifth season of sponsoring the 21-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina, native. Liberty University has been Training Champions for Christ since it was founded in 1971. Located in the mountains of Central Virginia, Liberty is a liberal arts institution with 17 colleges and schools that offers more than 600 degree programs from the certificate to the doctoral level, on campus and online. Working on an undergraduate degree in business communication, Byron is now in his junior year at Liberty University through its online program.

NO TRICKING KNAUS: Making his 37th start as a Cup Series crew chief at the “Tricky Triangle,” Chad Knaus leads active Hendrick Motorsports’ crew chiefs in best finishes at Pocono Raceway. With three wins at the 2.5-mile triangular track with driver Jimmie Johnson, the crew chief swept both races in 2004 and then captured the win again from the pole in the spring of 2013. Earlier this season, the seven-time champion crew chief called the shots for Byron during their first trip together to Pocono Raceway, collecting their second pole award of the season, leading 25 laps and scoring a ninth-place finish.

NEW HAMPSHIRE NOTES: Last weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Byron was forced to start at the tail end of the field due to utilizing a backup car from an incident in practice. He fought his way through the field and found himself vying for a top-10 finish in the last half of the race. After experiencing handling issues, the driver of the No. 24 closed out the race with a personal-best finish of 12th at the track and representing the highest-finishing Chevy.

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Jimmie Johnson
No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Driver Jimmie Johnson Hometown El Cajon, California
Age 43 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2019 Season
17th in standings
20 starts
0 wins
1 pole position
3 top-five finishes
8 top-10 finishes
78 laps led

Career
635 starts
83 wins
36 pole positions
227 top-five finishes
360 top-10 finishes
18,781 laps led

Track Career
35 starts
3 wins
3 pole positions
11 top-five finishes
20 top-10 finishes
740 laps led

START ME UP: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, has a history of qualifying inside the top 10 at Pocono Raceway, where he has an average starting position of 11.0. In his 35 career races there, he has taken the green flag inside the top 10 a total of 20 times. Eight of his top-10 starts have been on the front row including three pole positions.

THREE-TIME TRIANGLE WINNER: Johnson is the proud winner of three Cup races at Pocono. The seven-time series champion swept back-to-back events there in the summer of 2004 and won again in 2013. He has finished in the top five 11 times and has 20 top-10 finishes.

MOST RECENT WIN AT POCONO: Johnson’s last win at the “Tricky Triangle” was June 9, 2013, when the El Cajon, California, native dominated the 400-mile event by leading 128 of 160 laps.

STREET CRED AT POCONO: Kevin Meendering, who will make his second Pocono start as Johnson’s crew chief this weekend, finished in the top 10 in all three Xfinity Series races with JR Motorsports at the “Tricky Triangle” and was also the lead engineer of the No. 88 team for the Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s “sweep” of both Pocono races in 2014 with former crew chief Steve Letarte.

FAN FESTS: Johnson will attend the Pocono Raceway Fan Fest on Friday evening, July 26, at 7:30 p.m. local time at the Pocono Infield’s Block Party Stage. For more info click here.

RACE DAY Q&A: Johnson will appear Sunday morning, July 29, at 11:45 a.m. local time at the Fan Fair stage for a question-and-answer session. The stage will be located between gates nine and 10 at Pocono.

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Alex Bowman
No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Driver Alex Bowman Hometown Tucson, Arizona
Age 26 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2019 Season
10th in standings
20 starts
1 win
0 pole positions
4 top-five finishes
6 top-10 finishes
182 laps led

Career
137 starts
1 win
2 pole positions
7 top-five finishes
20 top-10 finishes
456 laps led

Track Career
7 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
1 top-five finish
1 top-10 finish
0 laps led

ON BOWMAN’S SIDE: The primary blue-and-white colors of Nationwide will adorn the hood of Alex Bowman’s Chevrolet for this Sunday’s event at Pocono Raceway. As the No. 88 team’s majority partner, Nationwide will be featured in 20 NASCAR Cup Series events in 2019. After this weekend’s race, the sponsor will be back on board the No. 88 machine at Bristol Motor Speedway in August.

‘TRICKY TRIANGLE’ STATS: Bowman is set to make his eighth career Cup Series start at Pocono Raceway this weekend. The Tucson, Arizona, native earned his best start (10th) and best finish (third) at the track last July. The driver also has one start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at the Pennsylvania track, starting and finishing 10th in 2016. He made two “Trick Triangle” starts in the ARCA Series back in 2012, when he finished third in both events.

2019 AT A GLANCE: Bowman and the No. 88 Nationwide team sit 10th in the NASCAR Cup Series point standings after 20 events in 2019. This season, the 26-year-old driver has one win (Chicagoland Speedway), four top-five finishes and six top-10s. Since the April event at Talladega Superspeedway, he has led more than 180 laps.

POCONO CREDENTIALS: No. 88 team crew chief Greg Ives will call the shots for the 10th time at Pocono Raceway this weekend. The Bark River, Michigan, native’s resumé includes three top-five finishes. Ives’ best result at the track came back in 2016 when Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished runner-up in the 160-lap event. Last year at the Pennsylvania track, he led Bowman to the driver’s best finish of the 2018 season, taking the checkered flag in third at the July race. Before moving to the No. 88 team, the crew chief was a race engineer for the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team between 2006 and 2012. During that time, the team captured 11 top-10 finishes and one pole award at the track.

EYES ON THE POINTS: Since the 600-mile event at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, Bowman and the No. 88 Nationwide team have captured 225 points, which is the fifth-most earned in that span in the Cup Series. He is currently ninth on the list of drivers who have earned the most stage points since that May 26 race, collecting 47 extra points.

WHERE’S ALEX: Bowman will attend the Pocono Raceway Fan Fest on Friday evening, July 26, at 6 p.m. local time at the Pocono Infield’s Block Party Stage. He and driver Corey LaJoie will compete against each other in three fun activities with race fans. For more info click here.

HOMETOWN TRACK: Jason Seitzinger, shock engineer for the No. 88 team, grew up in Shartlesville, Pennsylvania, which is located about 70 miles from Pocono Raceway. His first job was at Penske Racing Shocks in Reading, Pennsylvania, where he worked inside the parts room. Seitzinger has been with Hendrick Motorsports for 17 years.

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Hendrick Motorsports

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS AT POCONO: Hendrick Motorsports leads all teams with 17 wins at Pocono Raceway, with the four most recent coming as season sweeps in 2013 (Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne) and 2014 (Dale Earnhardt Jr.). In addition, the organization is the all-time leader in each of the following categories at Pocono: pole positions (13), top-five finishes (69), top-10 finishes (125) and laps led (3,277). Hendrick Motorsports has also earned at least two top-10s in each of the past 26 visits to Pocono Raceway. There have been three of the team’s drivers in the top 10 in 17 of those races.

‘TRICKY TRIANGLE’ STREAKS: The record for the most consecutive victories at Pocono Raceway is claimed by Hendrick Motorsports. The organization posted a five-race win streak that began with Jeff Gordon in August 2012 victory and ended with Earnhardt in August 2014. The first four of the five straight races were won by four different Hendrick Motorsports drivers, a feat that has been accomplished on just one other occasion — by Carl Keikhafer Racing at Martinsville Speedway from 1955-1956.

POCONO PROWESS: Hendrick Motorsports’ 17 NASCAR Cup Series victories at Pocono have been delivered by seven different drivers, which is tied for the most different winners at a track by a team. The organization’s wins have come via Gordon (six), Johnson (three), Tim Richmond (three), Earnhardt (two), Geoff Bodine, Terry Labonte and Kahne. Gordon has claimed the most Hendrick Motorsports victories at the track with six.

PLAYOFF POSITIONING: All four Hendrick Motorsports drivers are in the conversation to make the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs at the end of the regular season. Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman have essentially locked in their spots by finding Victory Lane and rank eighth and 10th, respectively, in the standings. William Byron is currently 12th, with Jimmie Johnson 17th, just 17 points off the cutoff line.

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QUOTABLE /
Chase Elliott on last visit to Pocono:
“This past visit wasn’t our best performance there, but hopefully we can improve upon that. I felt like we were just in the right place at the right time to capitalize on the last restart and get a top five. We’ve had some better cars there and some better days overall, but it all has to go your way and you will take what you get.”

William Byron on Pocono:
“We had a really good car at Pocono Raceway earlier this year and I felt like we were really close. We just didn’t have the winning strategy, we went more for the stage points last race. I think this time, going back, we’ll be able to control our race a little bit differently. I was honestly a couple moves away from getting a better finish last time so I’m really optimistic for this weekend. Hopefully we can build off what we did there in June.”

Byron on tricky turns at the “Tricky Triangle”:
“Turn two isn’t as big of a deal as it was before now with this package. I would say you still have to get off turn three really well. That’s kind of the name of the game there. But when we went there with this package in June, turn one was the biggest importance in making sure the splitter was right through there and you could get through the bumps well. That’s probably the biggest difference now than in the past – figuring out turn one.”

Jimmie Johnson on Pocono:
“Pocono is a great family-run track that really puts their heart and soul into the racetrack – they try to make it the best experience for fans and competitors. There are a lot of reasons I really like going up to the Pocono, for a few reasons people may not think about. We’ve enjoyed three wins there, I like the outdoors and the area. The racing there is very challenging, I think with the traction compound this weekend its going to make it even more interesting, and I think if the stars align, we can put on a heck of a show.”

Alex Bowman on Pocono:
“I think Pocono is one of my favorite places to go. We typically are really fast there. We had a top-five run going earlier this year before we lost fourth gear there toward the end. It is an interesting racetrack. There is a big compromise in all three corners there. Trying to keep the car from being loose into Turn 3, but still turning off of Turn 3 is super key with how long that straightaway is. It is a very technical place.”

Bowman on his expectations this weekend:
“This is a really tough place to pass. Hopefully we can qualify pretty good and we won’t have to worry about passing too many cars. Pocono is really a one-groove track and it doesn’t widen out as much as we may want it to sometimes.”

Michael McDowell on Pocono
14 Starts
Best Finish: 16th
“I always like going to Pocono. It’s unique and fun because every corner is completely different. You have to be strategic about the changes you make to handle each corner. It’s a challenging track, but we’ve been able to get some decent speed out of our No. 34 Ford there in the past. We’re ready to capitalize on our Top-20 finish in June and come back with an even stronger result this weekend.”

Matt Tifft on Pocono
1 Start
Best Finish: 33rd
“I’m looking forward to getting back to Pocono. You always want to improve on your finish from the first race. I think we can do that and have a good race. For me, it’s the first weekend with a different crew and working with Seth (Barbour), so it’s something fresh. I think we’re just eager to start building that relationship and finishing the season strong.”

David Ragan on Pocono
25 Starts | 1 Top-5 | 1 Top-10
Best Finish: 5th
“Obviously, we have some changes going into this weekend. Mike (Kelley) is back with me. We worked together in the past. So, it’s good to have some changes and try some different things. Pocono has been a good track for us in the past, and I think if we do the right things, we can get a good finish and build some momentum.”

Gander RV 400
Pocono Raceway
(Long Pond, PA)
Sunday, July 28
3:00 p.m. ET NBCSN, MRN

Qualifying
Saturday, July 27
4:05 p.m. ET NBCSN, MRN