Category: NASCAR Cup PR

Paul Menard and his No. 21 Ford Mustang will be honoring one of America’s racing heroes this weekend in the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway. Menard’s Quaker State-sponsored Mustang will carry a paint scheme reminiscent of the Quaker State colors that appeared on the No. 11 World of Outlaws sprint car driven by Steve Kinser in 2005, the year he won his 20th series championship.

The paint scheme was chosen in a fan poll that included Quaker State colors carried in NASCAR by Ricky Rudd in 1988, when his No. 26 Buick delivered Quaker State its first NASCAR win, at Watkins Glen. Fans also had the option of voting for a design carried by Eddie Cheever and his No. 27 Lola in 1996, when he ran the fastest Indy 500 lap ever with a blistering speed of 230.103 miles per hour on the 78th lap of that race and you can find the best money back promotions.

Menard said carrying Kinser’s familiar green Quaker State paint scheme is an honor.

“When I was a kid, Steve Kinser was at the top of his game,” Menard said of the legendary driver who won 690 A-Main events in his career. “I definitely have a lot of respect for what he’s done.”

Menard also has a lot of respect for the Kentucky track, which he says can be a challenge – especially Turn Three.

“Turn Three at Kentucky is the trickiest turn of any track we go to,” he said. “Turns One and Two are pretty straightforward for a mile-and-a-half track, then Three is flatter on entry.

“You’re loose on entry, then you pick up the banking as you go into Turn Four.”

Turns One and Two at Kentucky are banked 17 degrees, with Three and Four at 14 degrees. Most other intermediate tracks are banked from 18 to 24 degrees in the turns.

Menard said that while Kentucky is flatter than most mile-and-a-half tracks, it makes up for it by being wider than most.

“It’s definitely a unique track,” he said.

Menard and the Menards/Quaker State team enter Saturday’s race 20th in the points standings and still hopeful of securing a playoff berth. He said he feels like he missed a chance to gain points on the drivers he’s battling to be one of the 16 in the Playoffs in Sunday’s rain-shortened race at Daytona. He said his Mustang had speed while many of the drivers he’s battling for a playoff berth had problems, but the race was called for rain before he could capitalize.

“It’s an uphill battle,” he said. “Our best bet is to go out and win a race.”

Qualifying for the Quaker State 400 is set for Friday at 6:05 p.m., and the race is scheduled to start just after 7:30 p.m. on Saturday 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.

KENTUCKY SPEEDWAY (1.5-MILE TRI-OVAL)
LOCATION: SPARTA, KENTUCKY
EVENT: NASCAR CUP SERIES (RACE 19 OF 36)
TUNE IN: 7:30 P.M. ET, SATURDAY, JULY 13 (NBCSN/PRN/SIRIUSXM)

​
​ ​ ​
​

Chase Elliott
No. 9 Mtn. Dew DEWnited States Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Driver Chase Elliott Hometown Dawsonville, Georgia
Age 23 Resides Dawsonville, Georgia

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

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

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

WE’RE HALFWAY: With only eight weeks remaining in the regular season, Chase Elliott’s Talladega win earlier this year secured his playoff spot, and he is currently seventh in the point standings. During the first 18 starts of the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season, the driver of the No. 9 Mtn. Dew DEWnited States Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has accumulated six top-five finishes and seven top-10s, averaging a starting position of 11.9 and finishing position of 12.9.

KENTUCKY STATS: Elliott is set to make his fourth Cup Series start at Kentucky Speedway this weekend. In 2017, the Dawonsville, Georgia, native collected a career track-best finish of third. He also has four starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Kentucky, averaging a starting position of 9.2 and finishing position of 8.2. The driver has led 20 laps and collected a pair of top-five finishes in the Xfinity Series at Kentucky.

1.5-MILE TRACK STATS: This season, Elliott holds an average finish of 10.0 on 1.5-mile tracks, one of only four drivers to own an average finish of 10th or better on the track length in 2019. In October 2018, Elliott led the final 44 laps in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway en route to his third victory of the season. In his previous 39 starts at 1.5-mile tracks, he has led 412 laps, collected 13 top-five finishes and 22 top-10s. The driver averages a starting position of 14.2 and finishing position of 13.1 at tracks of that length.

DEWNITED STATES: This weekend, Elliott will pilot the No. 9 Mtn. Dew DEWnited States Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Kentucky Speedway. Earlier this month, his Kentucky ride was revealed on social media. The DEWnited States scheme celebrates the entire country. Mountain Dew launched 50 unique labels on bottles across the U.S. representing all 50 of the DEWnited States. Fans that find and collect all 50 can score $100 by entering the code under each cap at dewnited.com. Last week, Elliott shared a virtual cheers video via his social channels promoting the DEWnited States campaign. Click here to watch.

DAYTONA REWIND: Last weekend at Daytona International Speedway, Elliott earned top-five finishes in the two opening stages of the race before being collected in a multiple-car incident in the final segment that caused terminal damage to the No. 9 NAPA Batteries Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. As a result, the No. 9 team was credited with a 35th-place finish.

​
​ ​ ​
​

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

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

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

Track Career
1 start
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
0 top-10 finishes
0 laps led

REDEMPTION AT DAYTONA: After an on-track incident in final practice, William Byron was forced to start from the rear of the field when the NASCAR Cup Series was finally able to take the green flag at Daytona International Speedway last Sunday afternoon. Methodically working his way through the field and into the top-five running order, Byron was able to successfully avoid “The Big One” on Lap 120, positioning himself as the runner-up at the time of the caution. With various pit strategies playing out with the weather in the area, the race was deemed official on Lap 127. Byron was credited with a second-place finish – a career best and his first Cup Series top-five finish.

HALFWAY HOME IN 2019: Hitting the halfway mark of the 2019 Cup Series season, Byron is hitting his stride with the No. 24 team. After collecting his career-best Cup Series finish of second last weekend at Daytona, he is now tied with five other drivers, including teammate Alex Bowman, for the most top-10 finishes in the last eight races with five. He is also tied with teammate Jimmie Johnson for the longest active streak with two consecutive top-10 finishes, and his two straight top-10s on 1.5-mile tracks tie for the third-longest active streak. Over the last seven races, the driver of the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has steadily gained 73 points over the playoff bubble since the 600-mile event at Charlotte in May. With 18 starts in his sophomore season, Byron has led 180 laps, collected three poles, one top five-finish and six top-10s compared to 61 laps led and four top-10s through 36 starts in 2018.

AT IT AGAIN WITH AXALTA: After running the Axalta Flames of Independence paint scheme this past weekend at Daytona, Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will return with the iconic Axalta flames back on board for Saturday night’s race at Kentucky Speedway. After this weekend, Axalta Coating Systems has four races left on Byron’s Chevy in 2019 with two races in October (Dover and Talladega) and two races in November (Texas and Homestead).

BLUEGRASS STATE BOUND: When the Cup Series heads to Kentucky Speedway this weekend for Saturday night’s race, Byron will make his sixth national series start at the 1.5-mile oval. With last year marking his first race at Kentucky in the Cup Series, Byron fought an ill-handling car all race before ultimately finishing in the 20th position. In his two Xfinity starts at the track, Byron has one top-10 finish and was poised for a second in the fall race but a loose wheel sent him to an 18th-place finish. In 2016, Byron qualified third in the Truck Series race at Kentucky, led 70 laps and went on to be the first winner on the newly repaved and reconfigured track.

KNAUS NEEDS KENTUCKY: This weekend’s race at Kentucky Speedway marks the second track of four this season where No. 24 team crew chief Chad Knaus has yet to claim a victory. Calling the shots for eight races at the 1.5-mile track, third (2011) is the closest Knaus has come to taking home the checkered flag. In those eight starts, the veteran crew chief has one pole (2012), one top-five finish and five top-10s.

​
​ ​ ​
​

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

2019 Season
13th in standings
18 starts
0 wins
1 pole position
3 top-five finishes
8 top-10 finishes
78 laps led

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

Track Career
8 starts
0 wins
1 pole position
1 top-five finish
5 top-10 finishes
206 laps led

SEASON BEST: Jimmie Johnson’s third-place result last Sunday at Daytona International Speedway was the best finish by the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 team this season. On the heels of a fourth-place finish one week earlier at Chicagoland Speedway, Johnson is on his longest streak of top-five finishes since 2017. He last finished inside the top five in three consecutive races in 2015, when he went on to amass a five-race streak of top-five results.

LOOKING FOR VICTORY LANE AT KENTUCKY: Johnson has led 206 laps at Kentucky Speedway, the most laps led by a driver who has yet to find Victory Lane at the 1.5-mile track. The seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion’s best finish at the Sparta track is third, which came in 2011 in his first start at the track. It is one of only four tracks where he has yet to win in the NASCAR Cup Series along with Chicagoland Speedway, Watkins Glen International and the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course.

LUCKY NUMBER NINE?: This weekend will mark Johnson’s ninth start at Kentucky, and as history has it, he’s scored his first win at a track in his ninth start five times. These tracks include Daytona International Superspeedway, ISM Raceway, Sonoma Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway and Texas Motor Speedway. He has gone on to win multiple times on four of those tracks.

TOP-10 STREAKING: Johnson currently has four straight top-10 finishes on 1.5-mile tracks in the NASCAR Cup Series, which is a series-best. Those finishes include a fifth-place result at Texas Motor Speedway, sixth-place at Kansas Speedway, eighth at Charlotte Motor Speedway and fourth at Chicagoland this season. It marks his longest streak of top-10 finishes on 1.5-mile tracks since he had six straight spanning the end of 2015 season and beginning of the 2016 campaign.

GAINING GROUND: In the past three races, Johnson has gained 35 points on the playoff bubble. Since the Pocono race on June 2, he has jumped from 17th to 13th in the point standings.

1.5-MILE MASTER: Over the course of his 83 NASCAR Cup Series wins, Johnson has amassed 28 of them – the most of all-time – on 1.5-mile tracks. NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon is the second-most winningest driver on the track length with 17, followed by Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart (15), Dale Earnhardt (14), Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski and Richard Petty (13).

​
​ ​ ​
​

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

2019 Season
9th in standings
18 starts
1 win
0 pole positions
4 top-five finishes
6 top-10 finishes
182 laps led

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

Track Career
3 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
0 top-10 finishes
3 laps led

WELCOME BACK, NATIONWIDE: Nationwide will be featured on the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in 20 NASCAR Cup Series events in 2019. Nationwide will adorn the hood of Alex Bowman’s Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for this weekend’s event at Kentucky Speedway and again later this month at Pocono Raceway.

NATIONWIDE KIDS ON BOARD: For the fourth consecutive year, Nationwide is donating its No. 88 paint scheme to Nationwide Children’s Hospital to recognize the hospital’s great work and to honor its patients. This weekend at Kentucky Speedway, the No. 88 machine will feature a light blue paint scheme with the famous butterflies featured on board. A key piece of the paint scheme will be the three patient champion names that will adorn the deck lid of Bowman’s machine. Through the Nationwide Sports Sponsorship platforms, Nationwide has raised more than $33 million for the hospital since 2011. Check out Bowman’s threads for this weekend’s 400-mile race here.

BOWMAN AT KENTUCKY: Bowman is set to make his fourth Cup Series start at Kentucky Speedway this Saturday night. On 1.5-mile tracks this season, the Tucson, Arizona, native has one win (Chicago) and three top-10 finishes including two top-fives. The driver of the No. 88 machine has an average finish of 9.0 at 1.5-mile venues and is one of only four drivers with an average finish of 10th or better on the track length in 2019. The 26-year-old driver also has three starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Kentucky, completing 98.9 percent of the total laps run and recording two top-10 finishes including one top-five.

ON A TOP-10 ROLL: Bowman is tied with five drivers for the most top-10 finishes in the last eight races. He has finished inside the top-10 five times since Dover in May. The No. 88 driver owns the second-longest active streak of top-10s on 1.5-mile tracks with three.

IVES’ STATS: No. 88 team crew chief Greg Ives will call the shots for the fifth time at Kentucky Speedway this weekend under the lights. The Bark River, Michigan, native’s resume includes two top-15 finishes and four laps led. Ives’ drivers have an average starting position of 12.8 and an average finish of 21.2 at the track. In 2013 and 2014, Ives was a crew chief at JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. His drivers led 20 laps at the 1.5-mile track and had an average start of 10.8 and an average finish of 14.5. From 2006-2012, Ives was a race engineer on the No. 48 team with Jimmie Johnson. During that time, the team had one pole win, one top-five finish and two top-10s at Kentucky.

MEET BOWMAN: For fans at Kentucky Speedway this weekend, there are two opportunities to meet Bowman. On Friday, July 12, the No. 88 driver will be at the youth autograph session in the Kid’s Zone located in the midway from 4 to 4:20 p.m. local time. From 5 to 5:15 p.m. local time on Saturday, July 13, fans can catch the driver at the Fan Zone Infield Fan Stage for a question-and-answer session.

​
​ ​ ​
​

Hendrick Motorsports

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS AT KENTUCKY: Kentucky is one of only two tracks in the NASCAR Cup Series where Hendrick Motorsports has yet to claim a victory along with the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course. In the organization’s 32 starts at Kentucky, it owns two poles, one second-place result, six top-five finishes, 15 top 10s and 220 laps led. The organization has finished in every position from second to 14th at least once at the track.

THE LAST NINE: Over the last nine races, Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in several categories. The organization has earned the most poles (three), runner-up results (four), top-five finishes (12), top 10s (20) and laps led (580) during that span. Hendrick Motorsports’ average finish of 11.75 in those eight races also leads the Cup Series, and its two wins are tied for the second-most.

FULL SPEED AHEAD: Hendrick Motorsports has had at least three cars finish in the top 10 in four of the past eight races (Dover International Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway). Through the first 18 races of 2019, the organization has increased its poles by five, wins by two, top-five finishes by seven, top-10s by five and laps led by 709 over the same span in 2018. Hendrick Motorsports’ average start of 12.01 this season is 3.8 positions better than through the first 18 races last year, and its average finish of 13.58 is 2.89 spots better than 2018’s mark through the first half of the year.

DRIVEN TO GIVE: During the Kentucky race weekend, all four Hendrick Motorsports drivers will be among the 55 Cup Series and Xfinity Series drivers wearing Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s signature skeleton gloves as part of the Driven to Give Gloves program. Following the race, each pair of gloves will be autographed by the driver wearing them and Earnhardt, then put up for auction on the NASCAR Foundation auction site to benefit the Dale and Amy Earnhardt Fund at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The funds will support patients and their families in pediatric injury rehabilitation, research and prevention.

1.5-MILE CHAMPS: Hendrick Motorsports has a history of competing well on 1.5-mile tracks, owning an all-time record 59 wins on the track length. Jimmie Johnson leads drivers all-time with 28 wins on 1.5-mile tracks, with former teammate Jeff Gordon in second with 17.

PLAYOFF POSITIONING: Currently, all four Hendrick Motorsports teammates are in position to make the 16-driver NASCAR Cup Series playoffs at the end of the regular season. Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman have both essentially locked in their spots by finding Victory Lane and rank seventh and ninth, respectively, in the point standings. William Byron currently ranks 12th in the standings, with Johnson in 13th.

ORGANIZATION STATS: To date, Hendrick Motorsports has a total of 12 championships, 254 race victories, 221 pole positions, 1,059 top-five finishes and 1,814 top-10s in points-paying NASCAR Cup Series competition. Its teams have led more than 68,500 laps since 1984.

​
​ ​ ​
​

QUOTABLE /
Chase Elliott on Kentucky:
“Kentucky has been a different place, especially since they repaved it. The differences in the corners now has been a challenge. I feel like we ran a little better there before they repaved it than we have after – or I have, personally – but I’m looking forward to it.”

Elliott on the challenges of Kentucky:
“Kentucky and New Hampshire are two racetracks that have been harder for me than others. Some challenging racetracks coming up – they are all challenging, but I feel like those specifically (Kentucky, New Hampshire) are some that I need to put some extra work into to try and be better.”

William Byron on Kentucky:
“Kentucky has lost a lot of grip quickly. They repaved it less than five years ago and it has really gotten grayer and grayer each year. I’m sure it’s going to be even more slick this year when we go back. It’s one of those tracks that takes a while to get rubber, so you just have to almost wait for that process to happen and make sure you tune your car to the rubber and not the clean track. That’s really all I’m worried about is once the rubber lays down, you know it’s going to be a different racetrack.”

Jimmie Johnson on Kentucky:
“We are back to getting some top-fives and knocking on the door right now. These guys on my team have been working really hard. I think we’re starting to hit our stride as a group. While I’ve had a lot of success on 1.5-mile tracks, Kentucky has always seemed to be a challenge for me. It’s got bumps. Going into Turn 1 you are climbing up a hill and then quickly descend until you actually turn into Turn 3. The cars are very edgy and then you get some grip off of Turn 4 and then you are down the front straightaway again.”

Alex Bowman on going back to 1.5-mile tracks:
“It is going to be exciting going back to a mile-and-a-half track this weekend. Last year in Kentucky, it didn’t end well. We are hoping that with our recent success at a track this size, we will have a good weekend. This Nationwide team has been working hard on our programs and it is definitely paying off.”

Bowman on Nationwide Children’s Hospital:
“Having the Nationwide Children’s Hospital on our Chevrolet this weekend is definitely special. Seeing these amazing patient champions at track is always great and carrying their names on the deck lid this weekend will be an honor. I have been to the hospital multiple times and it is such an amazing facility. The work that they are able to do there helps so many kids and it is an honor to carry these butterflies on the car this weekend.”

Richard Childress Racing in the Bluegrass State … In 24 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kentucky Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has earned two top-five and three top-10 finishes, completing 6,403 of the contested 6,429 laps (99.6 percent).

RCR in the MENCS … In 2,957 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 50 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 Kentucky 400 at Kentucky Speedway will be televised live Saturday, July 13 beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

This Week’s AAA Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Kentucky Speedway … Dillon has six previous Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kentucky Speedway, earning his best finish of 16th in 2016 and 2014 and best starting position of 11th in 2015.

Dillon in the Bluegrass State … Kentucky Speedway is the site of Dillon’s career-first win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The 2013 Xfinity Series Champion earned back-to-back Xfinity Series wins at the 1.5-mile track in 2012, sweeping both races and earning the pole award for both the June and September events.

Don’t Drive Intoxicated. Don’t Drive Intexticated … In America, over 1,000 people per day are injured as a result of distracted driving. As an advocate for drivers and safety, AAA is working to bring attention to the importance of keeping your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. AAA invites you to spread the word and to take the pledge to not drive distracted. Help make our roadways safer for friends, family and fellow drivers. Visit AAA.com/DontDriveDistracted to take the pledge today.

Meet Austin Dillon … Dillon is scheduled to participate in a Q&A Session on behalf of AAA at the Trackside Live! Stage in the Kentucky Speedway fan midway area on Friday, July 12 at 3:45 p.m. ET.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
What are your thoughts going into Kentucky?
“Kentucky is one of those places I’ve always been pretty decent at, going back to the NASCAR Truck Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series days. We were able to win there, and any time that you head into a track that you’ve been successful at in the past you go in with some confidence. The repave is a few years old now so it should be fun to see how that’s shaping up. We will look forward to Kentucky as one of those places that we feel like we can run well at.  At this point, we need a win in order to make it into the Playoffs and that is our goal.”
Daniel Hemric and the No. 8 Caterpillar Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Kentucky Speedway … Hemric will be making his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start at Kentucky Speedway during this weekend’s 400-mile event. The Kannapolis, North Carolina, native has three previous starts at the 1.5-mile speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, recording an average start of 7.3 and an average finish of 6.0, with a best finish of second coming in 2018.

About Whayne Supply Company … With over 100 years in business, Whayne Supply Company is one of the oldest and largest Caterpillar dealers in the U.S., based in Louisville, Kentucky. Whayne Supply Company has 17 locations across Kentucky and Southern Indiana serving the construction, mining, highway, ag and power industries.

About Walker Machinery … With over 60 years in the construction and mining industries, Walker Machinery is the best choice when you are looking to purchase or rent equipment. Not only are we the authorized Caterpillar Dealership in western West Virginia and southeastern Ohio, we also sell and service several other lines of equipment. From backhoes and dozers, to continuous miners and on-highway trucks, we are your number one choice for all of your equipment and service needs.

Meet the Driver … Hemric is scheduled to be on NASCAR Trackside Live! in the Kentucky Speedway fan midway area on Friday, July 12, starting at 3:30 p.m. local time. He is slated to sign autographs at the RCR merchandise hauler in the fan zone on Saturday, July 13, starting at 3:20 p.m. local time. Hemric is also scheduled to take part in a fan question and answer session in the Kentucky Speedway infield fan zone tent on Saturday, July 13, starting at 4:35 p.m. local time.

DANIEL HEMRIC QUOTES:
Kentucky Speedway is a unique mile-and-a-half track, but it seems to be the style of track that puts on the best racing with the current rules package. What do you expect going there this weekend for your first Cup Series start there?
“There’s a possibility to have some pretty good options and some really good runs at Kentucky Speedway. I was able to do the race advance preview last month and I was told for sure they were dragging tires all the way across the racetrack, which should widen the groove and make for exciting racing. Kentucky Speedway has a lot of characteristics that could lend itself to a great race. That’s what we need as drivers, we need to have options, and as Kentucky has been aging and it is getting more and more characteristics, more of those options are developing for us. That’s a great place, regardless of the package you’re using. From the ton of throttle that you carry through Turns 1 and 2, all the way through the flat entry into Turn 3, it is a huge challenge.”

Kentucky Speedway is always a big weekend for Caterpillar as well. What does it mean to have so much support from them heading into the weekend?
“It is a huge, huge race for Caterpillar – probably one of their biggest of the year for our group. We know going to Kentucky that we need to run well with all of the Caterpillar guests in attendance. They have a ton of vendors and customers in the Kentucky and Ohio area, and because of that we want to give them a good show. It’s going to be a fun weekend. My schedule is jam-packed with hospitality visits and suite visits to spend as much time with these partners as possible. Word on the street is that I will get to drive one of Caterpillar’s UTVs throughout the weekend, so I am really looking forward to that as well.”
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Kentucky Speedway … In 68 Series starts at the 1.5-mile speedway, RCR has captured four victories with drivers Kevin Harvick (2001), Austin Dillon (2012 sweep) and Brendan Gaughan (2014). The Welcome, North Carolina, organization has accumulated four pole awards, 24 top-five finishes, 42 top-10 finishes, led 981 laps and averages a starting position of 10.2 and finishing position of 10.4. RCR has completed 12,903 laps of the 13,518 (95.5 percent) that they have competed.

Daytona Review … Tyler Reddick and the No. 2 team captured their third pole of the season at Daytona International Speedway, but a late-race incident relegated the team to a 17th-place finish. Joe Graf Jr. qualified the No. 21 Camaro in the sixth spot, but a late-race wreck pushed him back to a 24th-place finish.

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 Alsco 300 at Kentucky Speedway will be televised live on Friday, July 12, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time on NBCSN. It will also be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network (PRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.
Tyler Reddick and the No. 2 Alsco Camaro at Kentucky Speedway … In three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Kentucky Speedway, Tyler Reddick has one win (2017) and three top-10 finishes. Reddick also has two NASCAR Truck Series starts and two top-10 finishes at the 1.5-mile speedway. The current points leader has never started outside the top-10 for any of his five races at Kentucky Speedway and has a 100 percent lap completion rate at the track.

About Alsco … Alsco is a fourth-generation family owned and operated business, founded in 1889, that was recognized by the prestigious Hohenstein Institute for having invented the linen and uniform rental industry. Celebrating 130 years of business, Alsco provides linen and workwear rental services to customers that include restaurants, healthcare, automotive industry and industrial facilities. With over 180 locations and more than 20,000 employees, Alsco provides world-class service to over 355,000 customers in 14 countries. Learn more at www.alsco.com.

Meet Reddick … Campers at Kentucky Speedway can meet Reddick when he visits the track’s Camper Welcome Party for a Q&A on Wednesday, July 10, at 7 p.m. local time. Later that weekend, Reddick will also stop by the RCR merchandise hauler beginning at 1:30 p.m. local time on Friday, July 12. Reddick will also take part in the Xfinity Series autograph session located in the fan midway that afternoon, beginning at 2 p.m. local time.

TYLER REDDICK QUOTES:
We just came from a hot, slick Daytona and now head to what will likely be a hot and slick Kentucky Speedway. What do you think about the racing there?
“Well, the racing at Kentucky Speedway has changed over the last couple years. Obviously, the biggest thing to change has been the track surface with the repave a few years ago, but we’re starting to see the racing widen back out. Kentucky Speedway is a very tough track where we are on the edge of having any grip all day long. It’s going to be one of those weekends where it will be tough to get our No. 2 Alsco Chevrolet Camaro dialed in exactly how we want it with the change in track temperatures from when we practice to when we race. I’ve had success at Kentucky Speedway before, so hopefully that’ll be helpful in figuring out exactly what we want in our car for the race.”

You won the Alsco 300 in Charlotte with the longtime RCR partner on the Camaro as an associate earlier this season. Is there added pressure this weekend with you driving the No. 2 Alsco Chevrolet during the Alsco 300 at Kentucky?
“Now that we’ve won the Alsco 300 in Charlotte, we definitely are going to be doing everything we can to win the Alsco 300 at Kentucky Speedway in the No. 2 Alsco Chevrolet Camaro. I joked a little bit about it before, but it felt great winning that race with all the pressure I was feeling after visiting the Alsco suite earlier that day and having everyone there tell me that they hadn’t won a race they’ve sponsored with one of their drivers before but that the Charlotte weekend felt like the best chance they had at it. I expect the pressure to be back this weekend, but I know my team will give it everything they’ve got to repeat for them this weekend.”

FORD PERFORMANCE NASCAR: KENTUCKY NOTES

A Kentucky Speedway triple-header is on tap as NASCAR’s top three touring series head to the 1.5-mile facility for feature events on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. The weekend kicks off with the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series on Thursday with the NASCAR XFINITY and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series running Friday and Saturday, respectively.

FORD IN THE MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES AT KENTUCKY
· Ford has 2 all-time series wins at Kentucky.
· Brad Keselowski has both Ford victories and three overall at Kentucky.
· Keselowski has 3 wins, 4 Top-5s, 6 Top-10s and 1 pole in 8 career Kentucky starts.

FORD IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT KENTUCKY
· Ford has 7 series wins at Kentucky.
· Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney have two each with Ford.
· Cole Custer won the pole for this event last season.

FORD IN THE CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES AT KENTUCKY

· Ford has 3 series victories at Kentucky.

· Greg Biffle won the inaugural race at the track in 2000 with Roush Fenway Racing.

· ThorSport’s Ben Rhodes is the defending champion of this event.

KESELOWSKI LOVES KENTUCKY

There’s no denying that Kentucky Speedway has been one of the best tracks for Brad Keselowski, who has three MENCS wins, including two in the last five years with Ford. Included in that streak is a win in his championship season of 2012, and a track-record 199 laps led in his 2014 victory. The only place where Keselowski has won more is Talladega Superspeedway, where he has five career triumphs.

FUSION FUEL MILEAGE

Keselowski stretched his fuel the final 72 laps and held off Carl Edwards to win the Quaker State 400 in 2016. After grabbing the lead on lap 200 of the 267-lap event, Keselowski went into full conservation mode 20 laps from the finish and briefly lost the lead to Matt Kenseth with seven laps to go. Kenseth, however, was forced to pit road one lap later after running out of gas, and Keselowski regained the lead. With Carl Edwards bearing down on him, Keselowski radioed to crew chief Paul Wolfe that he was out of gas with two laps remaining, but his No. 2 Miller Lite Fusion continued plugging along and made it across the finish line 0.175 seconds ahead of Edwards. The win was Keselowski’s fourth of the season and second straight after taking the checkered flag at Daytona International Speedway.

BATTLING BACK IN 2014

Ford got its first MENCS victory at Kentucky Speedway in 2014 when Keselowski dominated most of the event. After he and teammate Joey Logano combined to lead the first 216 laps, Keselowski found himself with some ground to make up thanks to an ill-timed caution. Kyle Busch inherited the lead with 49 laps to go after being on pit road when Aric Almirola hit the wall. He stayed out while Keselowski and the other leaders pitted a couple of laps later. Keselowski came out of the pits sixth and immediately began moving toward the front. He eventually passed Busch with 20 laps to go and was never threatened from that point forward. As dominating as he was on the track, Keselowski created just as much buzz afterwards when he cut his hand shaking a champagne bottle in victory lane. The incident resulted in a delay of post-race photos as he went to the care center for what ended up being four stitches.

JACK BACK IN KENTUCKY

Jack Roush graduated in 1964 from Berea College in Berea, KY, which is approximately 100 miles south of Kentucky Speedway. Roush, who earned a degree in mathematics, immediately took a job with Ford after graduating and has been associated with the company ever since. Roush Fenway Racing has 137 all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins, but Kentucky Speedway is one of only three tracks where he has yet to reach Victory Lane (Chicagoland, Indianapolis).

FORD MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP WINNERS AT KENTUCKY
2014 – Brad Keselowski
2016 – Brad Keselowski

FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS AT KENTUCKY
2003 – Bobby Hamilton Jr.
2005 – Carl Edwards
2007 – Stephen Leicht
2013 – Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney
2015 – Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney

FORD NASCAR GANDER OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES WINNERS AT KENTUCKY
2000 – Greg Biffle
2003 – Carl Edwards
2018 – Ben Rhodes

Matt DiBenedetto – No. 95 Anest Iawata Toyota Camry Preview
Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway

No. 95 Anest Iawata Toyota Camry Notes:

·       DIBENEDETTO BY THE NUMBERS: In four Monster Energy Open career starts at Kentucky Speedway, Matt DiBenedetto has an average start of 35.2 and an average finish of 35.5 and has completed 694 of 1,075 (64.6 percent) career laps.  DiBenedetto’s best finish at the 1.5-mile track in Sparta, Kentucky is 25th in 2017.

·       ANEST IWATA, LEADING THE WAY IN PAINTING AND FINISHING EQUPIMENT:  Anest Iwata is a leading manufacturer specializing in painting equipment, turnkey coating systems, air compressors and high-end dry vacuum pumps.  The company is the leading producer of spray guns in the world and they continue to introduce and produce the most effective finishing equipment in the world.  Anest Iwata first partnered with DiBenedetto during the 2015 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season as a primary sponsor at Kentucky Speedway.

·       RACE INFO: The Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway (1.5-mile) begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 13th. The race will be broadcast live on NBCSN, Sirius XM Channel 90 and PRN Radio.

DiBenedetto’s Career Monster Energy Monster Energy Open Stats:

Date                Event:                                     S          F         Laps                 Status

07/11/15          Quaker State 400                    39        42        145/267            Crash

07/09/16          Quaker State 400                    35        38        79/267              Crash

07/08/17          Quaker State 400                    30        25        270/274            Running

07/14/18          Quaker State 400                    37        37        200/267            Vibration

Races     Wins     Top 5s    Top 10s       Poles

Cumulative         4            0              0               0                0

DiBenedetto’s 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Season Stats:

Starts         Wins        Top-5’s     Top-10’s         Poles        Laps Led            Avg. Start       Avg. Finish

18               0                 1                2                    0                 50                       22.6                 22.6

DiBenedetto’s Career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Stats:

Starts         Wins        Top-5’s     Top-10’s         Poles        Laps Led            Avg. Start       Avg. Finish

158                0                 1                 6                   0                 73                       30.1                 28.2

From the Driver’s Seat:

Matt DiBenedetto: “The main challenge of racing at Kentucky is getting your car through Turns 3 and 4 well because that end of the track is a lot flatter than (Turns) 1 and 2.  Turns 3 and 4 are also your passing corners since 1 and 2 aren’t generally a good place to pass.  This year we’ve really had a hard time being able to follow in dirty wake from the car in front of you, so that’s been a challenging aspect when it comes to trying to gain track position.  The bottom line at Kentucky is the preferred line ever since the repave a few years ago, but by NASCAR putting down the PJ1 this weekend, they’re working to be able to give us lane options to be able to pass.  The goal will be able to go into the corner and be able to run a few grooves higher where we should be able to find clean air.  I think this weekend we’ll see a lot of pit strategy possibly come into play where teams take fuel only or two tires since the tire we’re running this weekend is the same as a few other tracks from earlier this year where we didn’t see much falloff.  Since it will be difficult to pass, restarts and pit strategies will be the main ways that people will be able to gain track position, so it’ll be interesting to see what everyone chooses to do to gain an advantage.  We have Anest Iwata back aboard our No. 95 this weekend and they’ve been with me since the start of my Cup career.  It’s special to me because they’ve been a partner of mine for every year of my Cup career so far and I’m fortunate that they’ve followed me for these last several years.”

From the Pit Box:

Mike Wheeler: “Kentucky is a relatively recently paved track which is one of the different characteristics that we’ll be working with this weekend.  Obviously, Chicago was just the opposite where it’s an older and worn out surface with bumps, Kentucky is more like Texas in the sense where it has two distinct corners.  Turns 1 and 2 are banked, while Turns 3 and 4 are fairly flat, so that variance provides its own unique challenge.  In regard to roughness there, it allows for fairly aggressive setups when it comes to ride heights.  The biggest thing will be seeing how much grip we have in the flatter corner, and how much off-throttle time we’ll have.  Turns 1 and 2 might be fairly wide-open through there similar to Texas in Turns 3 and 4.  Having the PJ1 added this weekend might allow for a couple different grooves to come in which would be really good for this package since it could let us get some runs on the straightaways and possible pass in the corners.  This weekend we’re running the same tire we ran at Vegas, Texas, and Michigan which we’ve seen very low falloff with, and since Kentucky is a newer repave, we anticipate we’ll see similar wears.  That will allow us some opportunities on pit road to be able to stay out, take fuel only, or do rights or lefts as needed since we think falloff will be on the lower side.  The lower falloff will let teams vary pit strategies in order to try and gain track position as well.”

No. 95 Anest Iwata Toyota Camry Team:
Driver: Matt DiBenedetto                   Crew Chief: Mike Wheeler
Car Chief: Greg Emmer                     Spotter: Doug Campbell
Engineer: J.R. Houston                     Engineer: Etienne Cliche
Mechanic: Bill Mares                         Mechanic: Matt Kimball
Shock Specialist: Sean Studer         Mechanic: Zach Marquardt
Tire Specialist: Tony Ramirez          Jackman: Charles Thacker
Fueler: Brian Eastland                       Rear Changer: Dakota Ratcliff
Front Changer: Adam Hartman        Tire Carrier: Chris Hall
Hauler Driver: Damon Lopez

About Anest Iwata:

Anest Iwata USA, Inc. is the North American Spray Equipment & Systems Headquarters of Anest Iwata Corporation based in Yokohama, Japan. Our high-end finishing solutions include manual and automatic spray guns, airbrushes, robotic systems, pressure pots, fluid delivery systems, and mold release applicators. Anest Iwata spray equipment is used around the world for precise coating applications such as automotive refinish, woodworking, fine art, transportation, military, firearms, textiles, electronics, furniture, novelty goods, and much more.

We are the coating experts. From automotive paint to industrial adhesives, Anest Iwata’s technology and innovative design help you create the most reliable and consistent finish in the industry.

To learn more about Anest Iwata and its community of painters, applicators, and artists join the conversation using #TeamIwata on Facebook (@AnestIwataUSA), Instagram (@anest_iwata), or Twitter (@anestiwatausa).

Team:                   No. 6 Acorns Ford Mustang
Crew Chief:         Scott Graves
Twitter:                @Roush6Team, @RoushFenway and @RyanJNewman

Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart – Saturday, July 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Newman at Kentucky Speedway

·         Newman will make his ninth MENCS start at Kentucky Speedway on Saturday. In eight prior races, Newman has an average finish of 15.1 with three top-five finishes.

·         Newman has two third-place results at Kentucky, the first in 2014 after starting seventh, and the second in 2016 after lining up 14th. He also crossed the line fourth in the first-ever Cup series race at the 1.5-mile track back in 2011.

·         Newman’s average qualifying effort at Kentucky is 14.5 with four top-10 starts, the most recent coming last season where he turned the 10th-quickest time.

Scott Graves at Kentucky Speedway

·         Graves has three MENCS starts at Kentucky as a crew chief – one with Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and two with Daniel Suarez.

·         His best finish of 15th came with Suarez just last season. His best qualifying effort at the 1.5-mile track of ninth occurred back in 2017.

·         Graves also called six Xfinity Series events at Kentucky – four with Chris Buescher and two with Suarez – recording four top-10s, two of which were top-five results. He finished runner-up with Suarez in the second race at the track in 2016 and third in the first race that year.

QUOTE WORTHY

Newman on racing at Kentucky:

“Kentucky is another track with a lot of character and one that is unique to me having won one of the first races there back in 2000 in ARCA. Our 1.5-mile program has continued to improve this season and we’re hoping that is the case this weekend as we head down the stretch in the playoff battle. Our team has been working hard to simply get more raw speed in the cars, so we’re looking forward to the weekend in our Acorns Ford Mustang.”

Tracking the Playoff Hunt

·         Newman’s 32 total points in Daytona and fifth-place result catapulted him back inside the cut line for the playoffs, sitting 16th in the driver standings with eight races until the playoffs begin in Las Vegas.

·         The battle for the coveted top-16 continues to remain close as just 14 points separate the 15th-18th place drivers. Newman is 31 points out of 14th (Kyle Larson), and just 32 points from 13th (Jimmie Johnson).

On the Car
Acorns makes its fifth appearance of the season as the primary partner aboard Newman’s No. 6 Ford Mustang this weekend at Kentucky.

About Acorns
The Acorns app automatically invests your spare change from everyday purchases into your future! And that’s just the start. For just $1, $2, or $3 per month, you get the nation’s first financial wellness system at your fingertips. Set automatic Recurring Investments of just $5 a day, week or month, seamlessly save for retirement, earn money for your future from 350+ top brands, spend smarter with the only debit card that saves and invests for you and grow your knowledge with money tips on the go! With bank-level security and fraud protection built in, Acorns makes it easy to turn spare change into more for your future. Download Acorns now and get started in under 5 minutes!

Acorns is accessed simply and easily via the app for iPhone, Android or Desktop. Visit Acorns.com for more.

Recapping Daytona
Newman found himself in the right place at the right time in Sunday’s postponed race at Daytona, sitting fifth when inclement weather forced NASCAR to call the race 33 laps short.

Team:                          No. 17 Fifth Third Bank Ford Mustang
Crew Chief:                 Brian Pattie
Twitter:                        @Stenhouse17team @StenhouseJr @FifthThird and @roushfenway

ADVANCE NOTES

·         Stenhouse Jr. at Kentucky Speedway.

The two-time Xfinity champion has six career MENCS starts at Kentucky with an average starting position of 17.3 and average finishing position of 22.2.

·         Last year at Kentucky

After contact in the first 20 laps cut a tire forcing the Fifth Third Ford to pit-road, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. rebounded earning a 26th-place finish in Saturday night’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) race at Kentucky Speedway.

·         Leading into Race Weekend

The Olive Branch, Miss. native will stop by Fifth Third’s headquarter Thursday to visit with some employees and fans. During the event at Fountain Square, Stenhouse will compete against fans and media members on Mario Kart as well as visit with some of the local food trucks that will attend.

·         About Fifth Third

Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the parent company of Fifth Third Bank, an Ohio-chartered bank. As of March 31, 2019, Fifth Third had $168 billion in assets and operated 1,207 full-service banking centers and 2,559 ATMs with Fifth Third branding in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina. In total, Fifth Third provides its customers with access to approximately 52,000 fee-free ATMs across the United States. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending and Wealth & Asset Management. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of March 31, 2019, had $394 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $44 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations through its Trust and Registered Investment Advisory businesses. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Fifth Third’s common stock is traded on the Nasdaq® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Fifth Third Bank was established in 1858. Deposit and Credit products are offered by Fifth Third Bank. Member FDIC.

Stenhouse Jr. on racing at Kentucky:

“I’m looking forward to Kentucky this weekend. I feel like we have made gains this year to our intermediate program. Hopefully we can run similar to what we have at Chicago, Kansas, Charlotte and Vegas and even Atlanta. This is a big weekend for Fifth Third with their headquarters being so close so hopefully we can leave Kentucky with another strong finish and keep cutting into our point deficit.”

Denny Hamlin
#11 FedEx Freight Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing

Race Info:
Race: Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart
Date/Time: July 13/7:30 p.m. ET
Distance: 267 laps/400.5 miles
Track Length: 1.5 miles
Track Shape: Tri-Oval
2018 Winner: Martin Truex Jr.

Express Notes:

Daytona Recap: Denny Hamlin finished 26th in the #11 FedEx Office Toyota after being collected in a late-race multi-car wreck in Sunday’s rain-postponed race at Daytona International Speedway. Following a lengthy weather delay, 20-year-old Justin Haley was declared the race winner, 33 laps short of the scheduled 160-lap distance. Hamlin started sixth and tried various drafting lines to try to improve his position, eventually finishing eighth in Stage 1. Stage 2 was much of the same, although the #11 fell back as far as 20th in the field before making a comeback, crossing the line 11th at the conclusion of the segment. Lining up 14th for the final segment, Hamlin began his charge through the field, taking the #11 car three-wide in traffic, bold moves by Hamlin propelled the FedEx car to the lead after just 17 laps of racing in the stage. After leading five laps, Hamlin was at the front of the bottom line of cars when Austin Dillon and Clint Bowyer made a run on the outside. As the two drivers jockeyed for position, they tangled in front of Hamlin who had nowhere to go and was collected in the ensuing melee that claimed a total of 18 cars. The FedEx team worked on the damaged car during multiple pit stops but lost two laps in the process. During the caution, NASCAR was forced to red-flag the race due to lightning in the area. Following two hours and 12 minutes of lightning and rain, the race was declared official.

Kentucky Preview: The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series will be heading to Kentucky Speedway next weekend for a 400-mile event on Saturday, July 13.Having faced some adversity the past couple races, Hamlin and team will be seeking a strong finish and Denny’s first-career victory at Kentucky.

Hamlin Kentucky Statistics:
Track: Kentucky Speedway
Races: 8
Wins: 0
Poles: 0
Top-5: 3
Top-10: 3
Laps Led: 76
Avg. Start: 12.2
Avg. Finish 16.1

Hamlin Conversation:

How does your team stay focused and composed despite facing some adversity this season?

“It can be difficult sometimes, like in Daytona where we got caught up in someone else’s mess. Despite facing numerous challenges this season, our team believes in what we are doing and what we are capable of, and I always do what I can to make the right moves to get our FedEx Toyota to the front.”

With only a handful of races at Kentucky, what excites you about competing there and what are you hoping to learn about this track?

“This will only be our ninth race at Kentucky, so we do not have as much prior experience and results, but any team can win on any given day so we are confident in our abilities to take a win at Kentucky. Every race is an opportunity to learn more about the track and your team, and Kentucky will be no different.”

FedEx Louisville Service Center Along for the Ride at Kentucky Speedway: For the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway, FedEx Freight recognizes the company’s Louisville service center by featuring the call letters LOU on the FedEx #11. The Louisville service center has approximately 305 team members who are committed to making every FedEx experience outstanding.

The 9^th annual Quaker State 400 throws it way back, giving race fans all the feels with activities and memorabilia that showcase Quaker State’s long-standing motorsports history

Houston – July 9, 2019. Quaker State is proud to host the 9^th annual Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart, part of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS), at Kentucky Speedway. The triple-header motorsports weekend is headlined by the Quaker State 400, the final race on the 1.5-mile tri-oval speedway taking place on Saturday, July 13, 2019 at 7:30PM EST and will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network.

“The Quaker State 400 is the longest running race entitlement partnership in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, as we currently enter our ninth year,” said Carlos Maurer, President of Pennzoil-Quaker State Company. “To celebrate Quaker States’ more than 100 years in motorsports, we decided to get the fans involved by allowing them to vote on, and ultimately decide which of three throwback paint schemes Paul Menard would sport during Saturday evening’s race. Keeping on the throwback theme, throughout the weekend, fans can visit the Quaker State Pit Stop Fan Zone outside the track to check out some truly historic Quaker State race cars and priceless memorabilia!”

2019 Race Fan Experiences:

• The Quaker State Pit Stop Fan Zone will be buzzing with nostalgic motorsports racing history, including Quaker State memorabilia (signage, race team gear, advertisements) and vintage race cars from Quaker State driving legends:
  • Tony Pedregon’s 2004 Chevy Camaro Funny Car
  • Brett Bodine’s 1992 Ford Thunderbird driven in the 1992-93 season
  • Steve Kinser’s 2004 Popeye 75^th Anniversary Sprint Car

• To celebrate Kentucky Speedway’s 20^th anniversary and honor the brand’s over 100-year history, Quaker State designed three throwback paint schemes inspired by famous Quaker State drivers and their cars. Leading up to the race, fans had the chance to bring back a piece of racing history by voting online for their favorite paint scheme of years past. The winning design, Steve Kinser’s 2005 Quaker State Sprint Car that earned his record-setting 20^th World of Outlaws championship, won fans’ hearts all over again, and the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford Mustang, driven by Paul Menard, will don the design during the Quaker State 400. 

• In the center of the display will be a replica Quaker State 400 trophy where fans can capture the feeling of being in victory lane with family and friends and take the perfect photo using #QS400.

• Fans in the area can spin the prize wheel for a chance to win Quaker State branded swag or enter for a chance to win a custom Quaker State racing helmet signed by Paul Menard.

• Fans attending the race will receive a Quaker State-green rally towel as they enter the gates, while supplies last. Race-goers will be encouraged to show their support for their favorite drivers by waving their towel from the time they approach the starting line until they take the checkered flag.

Quaker State ‘VIPs’:

• Tommy Pike Customs will have four of its custom builds on display, including: a 1969 Ford F100 aka “The Quaker State Truck”, a 1971 Ford Bronco, a 2017 Toyota Tundra and a 2019 Jeep Wrangler JL.

• Lowrider Magazine will have a presence in the footprint to showcase some low rider vehicles. Fans will have the opportunity to meet and take photographs with Lowrider Magazine’s editor in chief, Joe Ray. Additionally, Lowrider Magazine will be teasing a custom build they’ll be working on with Quaker State before debuting the vehicle at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas in November 2019.

• On Saturday, Quaker State Fishing League Worldwide pro-angler Jimmy Houston will host an open fishing hour onsite at the track demonstrating how to cast a line like a pro, sign autographs and answer fan questions.

In addition to the Quaker State footprint, on Thursday, July 11, Quaker State and Hagerty will host a car show which is expected to feature about 100 vehicles! Enthusiasts and fans are encouraged to showcase their vehicles and enter into the car show to be judged and awarded recognition from some of Quaker State’s celebrity judges including Tom Cotter from Barn Find Hunters, Tommy Pike of Tommy Pike Customs and Joe Ray, Editor in Chief of Lowrider Magazine.

Quaker State makes it its mission to provide motorists with products that offer the value that they desire and expect. To stay up-to-date on the latest Quaker State activities, be sure to ‘Like’ the official Quaker State Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/QuakerState) and follow Quaker State on Twitter (www.twitter.com/QuakerState).

About Quaker State^®

Quaker State^® motor oil has a 100-year history as a leader in consumer automotive products and vehicle care.  Quaker State is among the industry’s most innovative motor oil brands and offers a full line of products to meet vehicle engine needs.  Quaker State is one of the first brands to develop high mileage engine motor oil. For more information about the full line of Quaker State products, visit www.quakerstate.com.

About Shell Motorsports

Shell Oil Company is an affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell plc, a global group of energy and petrochemical companies with operations in more than 70 countries. In the U.S., Shell operates in 50 states and employs more than 20,000 people working to help tackle the challenges of the new energy future. The Shell downstream organization manages a portfolio of top-quality brands, including the No. 1 selling premium gasoline, Shell V-Power^® NiTRO+ Premium Gasoline, No. 1 selling gasoline, Shell Nitrogen Enriched Gasolines, and Pennzoil^®, the No. 1 selling motor oil brand in America.

Shell’s motorsports technical alliances around the world provide a testing ground for fuel and lubricant technologies and products in demanding road conditions. The knowledge Shell and Pennzoil gain through these alliances helps address tomorrow’s world mobility energy challenge with efficient solutions that power and protect motorists around the globe. http://www.shell.com http://www.quakerstate.com

About Kentucky Speedway

Owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (SMI), Kentucky Speedway is a 1.5-mile tri-oval located in Sparta, Kentucky just 35 miles south of Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky. The track attracts fans from the Tri-State area of Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and beyond. Entering its 20^th season of racing, the speedway hosts all three national NASCAR series.    

In July, the venue will present the ninth running of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart. Prior to 2011, Kentucky Speedway hosted stand-alone NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series races. Currently, all three races take place in a July NASCAR tripleheader weekend.

The venue also is home to many other special events throughout the year including concerts, driving schools, car shows, and fitness runs. 

Michael McDowell on Kentucky
5 Starts
Best Finish: 23rd
“At Kentucky, it’s all about restarts, pit strategy and being aggressive. But you have to be really precise in your execution, as well. You see a lot of guys spin out when they get just outside the groove and that’s because you’re pushing so hard to get as much throttle time as possible, but it ends up backfiring. They’re applying PJ1 to the upper grooves at Kentucky this weekend, which I think will help widen out the racing and make restarts even more exciting. I’m ready to go out and get a good finish in our Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang and I’m excited to have Ark Encounter on the car this weekend, as well. My family and I have enjoyed going there when we’re in Kentucky so it’s great to have them aboard the No. 34.”

Matt Tifft on Kentucky
(Xfinity Series) 5 Starts | 1 Top-5 | 3 Top-10
Best Finish: 5th
“Kentucky used to be a completely different track before the repave and now it’s smooth as glass. We’re using a harder tire compound this weekend, which means that, because of the smooth racetrack, there’s not a whole lot of tire falloff but there’s a lot of speed. Essentially, what we’re looking for is a car that can run wide open, but you’re always trying to play with that last edge of grip, which is where the final amount of speed is. I’m excited to have Southwestern Trucking on the No. 36 Ford this weekend. We couldn’t do what we do every weekend without the kind of services their company provides, so I’m looking forward to getting a good result for our partners there.”

David Ragan on Kentucky
8 Starts | 1 Top-10
Best Finish: 8th
“Kentucky is a very similar track to Texas Motor Speedway, where we saw some good speed in our No. 38 Ford Mustang earlier this year. We’ll be able to use a lot of our notes from there and apply it to this weekend to get an even better result. It’s hard to be able to race outside of the groove at Kentucky, so hopefully we’ll be able to see multiple lanes open up in the later part of the race with the PJ1 compound. It’s really neat to have Long John Silver’s and their “Fish Yeah” campaign back on an FRM car this weekend. I’m looking forward to seeing the No. 38 flying the blue and yellow colors on track for a Saturday night race.”

Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart
Kentucky Speedway
(Sparta, KY)
Saturday, July 13
7:30 p.m. ET NBCSN, PRN

Qualifying
Friday, July 12
6:00 p.m. ET NBCSN