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Eckes wins thrilling CRAFTSMAN Truck race at Phoenix, Rhodes banks second career championship
By Holly Cain
NASCAR Wire Service

AVONDALE, Ariz. – Cautions, re-starts, retribution, extra laps and high-action marked Friday night’s NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway. And that was just the final 50 laps.

In the end, ThorSport Racing’s Ben Rhodes claimed his second series championship in the last three years with a hard-earned fifth-place finish in the No. 99 Ford while McAnally Hilgemann Racing’s Christian Eckes raced to his fourth win of the season by a slight .421-seconds over rookie teammate Jake Garcia in four dramatic overtime periods.

That’s the conclusion to an evening that featured 12 caution periods, 29 laps of overtime competition and plenty of high-stakes racing – especially among the four championship contenders that earned a chance to settle the season title.

Perhaps indicative of the night, Rhodes’ finish and ultimate trophy haul wasn’t secure until the checkered flag with championship runner-up Grant Enfinger giving it his all in the No. 23 GMS Racing Chevrolet coming off Turn 4 in an all-out pursuit to the very end.

Both Rhodes and Enfinger had survived close calls in the overtime laps. Rhodes collided with Zane Smith racing for the lead – hitting Smith’s truck when it appeared Smith missed a shift out front in the second overtime restart. Enfinger had close calls in two of the four extra-lap periods and still was able to pull off that final push forward; ultimately finishing one position behind Rhodes in the standings.

The Regular Season Champion and race polesitter Corey Heim finished 18th after contact from fellow Championship 4 driver Carson Hocevar with 30 laps of regulation remaining in the scheduled 150-lap race.

“I can’t even believe it,” the 26-year-old Kentucky native Rhodes said of his dramatic title win. “It’s just so awesome, man. To go 25 laps into overtime, do you know what that feels like? It’s crazy. I didn’t think we were going to make it. I thought we were going to pop a tire, that anything that could have gone wrong was going to go wrong.

“Grant [Enfinger] almost got me. But hats off to him, he ran a great race. I wouldn’t’ want to race against anybody else for the championship. He raced me clean and I respect the heck out of him for it.”

“I saw him,” Rhodes said of Enfinger’s final push forward in the last corner. “He went for everything, but he ran me clean and I thank him for that. That’s what these championships are all about.”

Enfinger, whose GMS Racing team is closing shop at the end of the season, was especially gutted to come so very close to his first championship.

“I don’t know,” Enfinger said of doing anything differently on that last lap.

“Obviously we got loose there at the end,” he continued. “Maybe if he didn’t have such a good run down the backstretch, we’d be able to make that pass. It’s a shame the championship came down to a race like that with 15 green-white-checkers or whatever it was. I feel like we did everything we could to win this and just got used up.”

The other two championship contenders, Heim and Hocevar had a more contentious situation on-track. Heim, whose 47 laps out front in the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota were second most laps led on the night, was actually leading the championship-eligible drivers when Hocevar hit him going into Turn 2 with 30 laps remaining. The contact sent Heim’s Toyota into Stewart Friesen’s Toyota which hit the wall and brought out a caution. Hocevar continued on and Heim had to pit for repairs and went down a lap.

Heim viewed the hit as intentional and later in the race, collided with Hocevar bringing out another caution period. Heim insisted his car just wasn’t steering properly at the time, while Hocevar said he had fully expected the payback. It was enough to sideline Hocevar’s No. 42 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet which was credited with a 29th-place finish from the garage.

“My only goal was to try slow him down,” Hocevar said. “I didn’t want to do that at all. With my track record, I can’t sit here and say I didn’t mean to. I just messed up. I was trying really hard to slow him up and just messed it up.

“I feel bad I robbed him of that and feel sorry for that,” an apologetic Hocevar added of Heim’s championship chances. “I just messed up.”

The 21-year-old Heim had a streak of 15 consecutive top-10 finishes coming into the race and was considered the favorite by many. He had three wins on the season in only his first fulltime year of competition.

“It was a great year, a phenomenal year for us and our worst finish in like six months,” a disappointed Heim said. “Really put together a good race and really hoped the guys would race clean, I have a lot of respect for everybody in the field. But clearly, I don’t anymore. It is what it is, it’s part of racing.

As for the later contact with Hocevar, Heim said it was purely coincidental, “It wasn’t retaliation. I had no side force, he put it on my door and I wrecked [into him].”

“I’ve been racing Carson for a long time, racing since I was eight or nine years-old,” Heim said later. “That’s kind of just what he does. He’ll wreck you and apologize and do it again the next week. So that’s not going to be the last time he does it and certainly the first time he’d done it. I’ve known him for a long time. … it is what it is. I completely expected it.”

As for his victory, the 22-year-old Eckes tried to reconcile the championship race win with having just been eliminated from Playoff contention. He had a win (at Kansas) and a pair of runner-up finishes (Indianapolis Raceway Park and Bristol, Tenn.) during the Playoff stretch but was eliminated after finished of 19th and 20th in the two races leading into the championship finale.

“Those two races that killed the whole Playoffs pretty much and that’s just kind of the nature of it,” Eckes said. “I didn’t do my job last week and really the week before either.

“That gets us out and that puts us in this situation, but it’s motivating for next year and it was motivating for this race too.

“This one kind of stings, I know it’s a win, but the stupid mistakes the last two weeks of a near perfect Playoffs cost us a championship,” Eckes added.

“It’s kind of hard to be happy right now, but overall, just super proud of everybody for the year that we’ve had and just ready for 2024.

Chase Purdy, Jesse Love and Rhodes rounded out the top five. Enfinger, Dean Thompson, Kaden Honeycutt, Tanner Gray and Nick Sanchez completed the top 10. It was a career best finish for the runner-up Garcia as well as Love and Honeycutt.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race – NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship

Phoenix Raceway
Avondale, Arizona
Friday, November 3, 2023
```
            1. (8)  Christian Eckes, Chevrolet, 179.

            2. (14)  Jake Garcia #, Chevrolet, 179.

            3. (5)  Chase Purdy, Chevrolet, 179.

            4. (10)  Jesse Love, Toyota, 179.

            5. (6)  Ben Rhodes (P), Ford, 179.

            6. (17)  Grant Enfinger (P), Chevrolet, 179.

            7. (15)  Dean Thompson, Toyota, 179.

            8. (27)  Kaden Honeycutt, Chevrolet, 179.

            9. (25)  Tanner Gray, Toyota, 179.

            10. (3)  Nick Sanchez #, Chevrolet, 179.

            11. (28)  Matt Crafton, Ford, 179.

            12. (9)  Rajah Caruth #, Chevrolet, 179.

            13. (31)  Lawless Alan, Chevrolet, 179.

            14. (2)  Ty Majeski, Ford, 179.

            15. (23)  Hailie Deegan, Ford, 179.

            16. (32)  Christian Rose, Ford, 179.

            17. (34)  Spencer Davis, Ford, 179.

            18. (1)  Corey Heim (P), Toyota, 179.

            19. (35)  Nick Leitz, Chevrolet, 179.

            20. (36)  Tyler Hill, Toyota, 179.

            21. (26)  Colby Howard, Chevrolet, 179.

            22. (19)  Tyler Ankrum, Toyota, 178.

            23. (12)  Taylor Gray #, Toyota, 177.

            24. (20)  Stewart Friesen, Toyota, 175.

            25. (4)  Zane Smith, Ford, Accident, 172.

            26. (21)  Sean Hingorani, Chevrolet, Accident, 167.

            27. (7)  Jack Wood, Chevrolet, Accident, 162.

            28. (16)  Derek Kraus, Chevrolet, Accident, 156.

            29. (13)  Carson Hocevar (P), Chevrolet, Accident, 146.

            30. (24)  Stefan Parsons, Chevrolet, Accident, 128.

            31. (11)  Bayley Currey, Chevrolet, Accident, 128.

            32. (22)  Daniel Dye #, Chevrolet, Accident, 128.

            33. (18)  Jake Drew, Toyota, Accident, 100.

            34. (29)  Conner Jones, Ford, Accident, 100.

            35. (33)  Marco Andretti, Chevrolet, Accident, 54.

            36. (30)  Chris Hacker, Toyota, Accident, 53.
```
Average Speed of Race Winner: 72.797 mph.

Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 27 Mins, 32 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.421 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 12 for 77 laps.

Lead Changes: 10 among 6 drivers.

Lap Leaders: T. Majeski 1-48;C. Heim (P) 49-95;C. Eckes 96-121;N. Sanchez # 122-126;Z. Smith 127-154;C. Eckes 155;Z. Smith 156-162;C. Eckes 163-168;C. Purdy 169-176;C. Eckes 177-179.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Ty Majeski 1 time for 48 laps; Corey Heim (P) 1 time for 47 laps; Christian Eckes 4 times for 36 laps; Zane Smith 2 times for 35 laps; Chase Purdy 1 time for 8 laps; Nick Sanchez # 1 time for 5 laps.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 98,11,38,99,2,4,19,42,23,17

Stage #2 Top Ten: 11,38,98,19,17,99,4,23,35,42
November 4, 2023
Past Champions, Aspiring Racers to Give Command Ahead of NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race as 75th Anniversary Tribute
“Diamond Anniversary Dignitaries” will join NASCAR and Premier Partner executives at Phoenix Raceway in special pre-race moment airing live on NBC

Daytona Beach, Fla. (Nov. 2, 2023) – Moments before the final green flag of NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season flies, a distinguished group of past Cup Series champions will pair with four young racers to deliver the most famous words in motorsports ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, Nov. 5.

Representing nearly every decade of NASCAR racing history are four Cup Series champions who were each named to NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers list earlier this year: Richard Petty, Rusty Wallace, Bobby Labonte and Kurt Busch.

With the current Cup Series Championship 4 drivers emblematic of NASCAR’s present, four aspiring youth racers will serve as a representation of NASCAR’s future: 8-year-old Brexton Busch of Mooresville, N.C.; 7-year-old Easton Cambensy of Tucson, Ariz.; 9-year-old Giselle Hicks of Mooresville, N.C.; and 10-year-old Grayson Walcott of Chicago, Ill.

These “Diamond Anniversary Dignitaries” will deliver the command for drivers to start their engines alongside executives from NASCAR’s Premier Partners, who are serving as the official Grand Marshals for the championship race.

“The entire 75th anniversary season has been a celebration of not only where NASCAR has been, but where the sport stands today and the bright future that lies ahead,” said Pete Jung, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at NASCAR. “Seeing young racers who dream of becoming NASCAR stars side-by-side with some of the most legendary drivers in history as we prepare to crown a new Cup Series champion will be a powerful manifestation of that spirit. We hope it serves as a moment of recognition for all those who contributed to NASCAR’s rise and inspires anyone eager to join the ride from here.”

Furthering the fusion of past, present and future, in partnership with the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the first-ever NASCAR premier series championship trophy will be displayed along with the current Bill France Cup championship trophy during this anniversary tribute.

Fans watching at home can catch the special anniversary moment live on NBC prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday Nov. 5 (NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

More details about the four NASCAR Cup Series champions representing the sport’s past:
1. Richard Petty: Richard Petty is called “The King” for good reason. A member of the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame class of 2010, Petty has racked up the most wins (200), most poles (123), tied for most championships (seven), most wins in a season (27), most Daytona 500 wins (seven), most consecutive wins (10) and most starts (1,185) in NASCAR premier series history.
2. Rusty Wallace: A member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame class of 2013, Wallace’s first NASCAR Cup race resulted in his first top-five finish: second at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1980. He came to the series full time in 1984 and won Rookie of the Year honors, embarking on a full-time Cup career in which he won the 1989 series championship and 55 total races (11th all time).
3. Bobby Labonte: A member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame class of 2020, Labonte captured the 2000 Cup Series championship and 21 total Cup Series wins in his career. That portfolio includes three crown-jewel triumphs – a Coca-Cola 600, a Southern 500 and a Brickyard 400. He is also a 10-time winner in the Xfinity Series, claiming that tour’s championship in 1991.
4. Kurt Busch: The first champion of the Cup Series’ Playoff era, the recently retired Busch established a long and impressive career with wins in 19 of his 22 seasons as a Cup regular. Among those 34 victories were a Daytona 500 triumph (2017) and a Coca-Cola 600 win (2010). Busch also added nine victories combined in the Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series.
More details about the four youth racers representing NASCAR’s future:
1. Brexton Busch – 8-year-old Brexton is following the racing path forged by his grandfather Tom, his uncle Kurt, a NASCAR champion, and his dad Kyle, a two-time NASCAR champion and the winningest driver in NASCAR history. The third-generation driver began his racing career in 2020 at the age of five in the Beginner Box Stock division at Millbridge Speedway and Mountain Creek Speedway. Brexton picked up his first-ever victory at Mountain Creek Speedway just a month into his career and hasn’t slowed down since, racking up the Saturday Millbridge Beginner Box championship (2022), the Mountain Creek Beginner Box championship (2022) and the Tuesday night Beginner Box Millbridge championship (2023).
2. Easton Cambensy – 7-year-old Easton Cambensy is a second-generation race car driver from Tucson, Arizona and a current driver in the NASCAR Youth Series. At the young age of seven, he claimed his first quarter-midget track championship at his home club of Tucson QMA. He has since won two more, including the prestigious Triple Crown that includes track championships in the Junior 160, Junior Animal and Junior Honda divisions.
3. Giselle Hicks – 9-year-old Giselle Hicks is a fourth-generation race car driver eager to carry on her family’s legacy in NASCAR. Her great grandfather is the late Glenn Wood and her dad, Michael Hicks, is a rear tire changer on Christopher Bell’s No. 20 pit crew closing out his 19th year of changing tires in the sport. This year marks Giselle’s third year in wing kart racing, in which she took home 10 wins and finished fourth in the 2023 points standings at Millbridge Speedway.
4. Grayson Walcott – 10-year-old Grayson Walcott, of Grayson Dean Racing, is a fast-rising go-kart racer from Chicago who just completed his rookie year on the pro circuit with Pole Position Motorsports. Grayson has raced all over the United States and was nominated for Rookie of the Year in Mexico. He starred in the limited run television show on Discovery+, “Baby Drivers,” which followed his journey in the world of motorsports. Grayson made his debut as a junior sports commentator this summer at the NASCAR Chicago Street Race weekend.
About NASCAR

Celebrating its 75th Anniversary in 2023, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Pinty’s Series (Canada), NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 12 countries and more than 30 U.S. states. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).
November 2, 2023
ACE Championship, the all-electric racing concept, announces its rebranding as Formula G

With a powerful new brand and format, Formula G is poised to bring affordable, accessible, and competitive green energy racing to motorsport fans around the world.

Dilbagh Gill, the former Mahindra Racing Formula E Team Principal, along with former racer Nick Heidfeld, today announced the rebranding of ACE Championship to Formula G. The visionaries behind Formula G have revealed initial details behind the world’s first dual-power, all-electric racing series, set to race as a support series in four regions across the globe starting in 2024.

While retaining the original vision of creating opportunity through affordability at all levels of the sport, Gill and his organisation have uniquely positioned Formula G as the only professional motorsports series capable of delivering a “green racing” solution to all existing formats of the sport. Formula G will compete as a support series on the same tracks, on the same weekends, as existing combustion engine, alternative fuel, and all-electric powered racing events.

Gill further divulged that Formula G has secured all contracts and suppliers necessary to begin competition. This includes the building of a brand new revolutionary open-wheel all-electric race car, the “FG-ETwin”.

Featuring the unique technical ability to be raced at reduced power by a junior driver, and then at full power by a professional driver, the FG-ETwin allows the creation of a two-race format series using a single car. This dual-power technology also reduces all costs of competition, enabling teams to run two races with the budget and crew required for a one car entry.

This innovative set-up allows for double the entertainment value for fans, while giving sponsors twice the branding opportunities, and providing exposure for both emerging and established drivers as they compete in front of larger crowds.

Formula G’s inaugural season, commencing in late 2024, will feature independent championships in four regions (these are to be announced soon), each with 10 team franchises, and 40 drivers, 20 of which will compete in the reduced-power championship “F-G2”, and 20 professional drivers competing in the full powered “F-G1 Championship”.

“When Nick Heidfeld and I created ACE, we always envisioned two series with the same teams competing around the world at its own events” said Dilbagh Gill, Founder and CEO of Formula G. “As we listened to team owners, promoters, owners of other motorsports series, and various stakeholders, it became clear that each region had its own economic and sustainability challenges and goals that we needed to address if Formula G was to become the leading support series in the fastest growing and underserved sector of motorsports. I am proud that after receiving support at every level of the sport, Formula G, by launching as a support series in multiple regions, is the first global series to create affordability and accessibility, unique by region, that will enable Formula G to attract more diversity in team owners, drivers, mechanics and engineers, while creating significantly more career opportunities on and off the track.”

“This is a championship I am extremely passionate about, and I wanted to be involved since the moment Dilbagh presented his vision” said Nick Heidfeld, legendary Formula 1 driver, and co-founder of Formula G. “As a driver, I recognise the barriers that stand in the way of the opportunity to race competitively and progress through different levels. I believe Formula G is a truly unique racing platform that breaks down many of these, and will create previously unavailable opportunities. At the same time, Formula G will also fill a green racing void that everyone in the sport, from teams, to drivers, sponsors, and promoters, and most importantly race fans around the world, have all been waiting for. I cannot wait for the first races and helping the next generations of drivers become the stars of the future.”

As a part of the rebrand, the Formula G launch website is now at www.formulag.com, and you can follow them on the following social media platforms:

Facebook: Formula G Series
Instagram: @formulagseries
LinkedIn: Formula G Series
TikTok: @formulagseries_
X: @formulagseries
YouTube: @formulagseries

More announcements regarding strategic partnerships and details of the Formula G Championship will be announced soon.

November 2, 2023
Ford Performance Debuts New Mustang For 2024 NASCAR Cup Series
- Ford Performance announces a new Mustang for the NASCAR Cup Series starting in 2024
- The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Mustang Dark Horse continues to build on the Ford plan to have a family of Mustang cars that compete around the world in all forms of motorsports
- The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Mustang Dark Horse will make its on-track debut on Feb. 4, 2024, as part of the Clash at the Coliseum exhibition race inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
DEARBORN, MI, 12:00pm, Nov. 1, 2023 – Ford Performance has today unveiled the new Mustang for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series based on the Mustang Dark Horse®. After a busy year of Mustang racing news, this 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Mustang is the icing on the cake for the full family of performance Mustang cars.

Based on the seventh-generation Mustang, this Dark Horse version adds to the impressive lineup of racing Mustangs, and means that starting in 2024, Mustang will be eligible to race on six continents.

“What a crazy year it has been revealing our new global Mustangs for racing. The positive response from our fans around the world has been amazing, and we’re confident that this Mustang Dark Horse Cup car will be no different and that NASCAR fans will be excited to cheer us on next year,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports. “Our Ford Performance staff, together with our NASCAR race teams, have worked tirelessly in the wind tunnel developing this car, and I can’t wait to finally see it race on the track next season.”

Ford unveiled the all-new Mustang Dark Horse just over a year ago, marking the first new performance nameplate for Mustang since 2001. It is the most track-capable 5.0-liter V8 street-legal Mustang ever and has inspired the current roster of Mustang cars that started racing this year in the Repco Supercars Championship in Australia and Formula Drift series.

In the months ahead, Mustang Dark Horse racing variants will be eligible to compete in GT3 and GT4 classes globally and in addition, Dark Horse R will compete in the Mustang Challenge Series and many grassroots racing events.

“If she gallops as fast as she looks, it’s going to be a good year,” said Brad Keselowski, driver and co-owner of Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing after seeing the new NASCAR Cup model. “Mustang is an iconic American car made famous around the world. I think of how Mustang has evolved over the years and how NASCAR has evolved along with it and they’re just two brands that go together. I’m proud to get to drive it and proud to be able to compete for the win in this car.”

Mustang has been a fixture in NASCAR since coming to the Xfinity Series full-time in 2011 and immediately produced consecutive championships. Overall, Mustang has won a driver’s or owner’s championship in nine of 12 seasons in that series and captured manufacturer’s titles in 2011 and 2013.

“We’re excited to debut this new Mustang Dark Horse next year. I’m really pumped because Ford did an amazing job with it,” said Ryan Blaney of Team Penske. “I can’t wait for this to debut and drive it next year at the Coliseum and, hopefully, I can be the one to get the first win. That would be a cool accomplishment.”

Stewart-Haas driver Chase Briscoe echoed that sentiment saying, “I feel like we already have the best-looking Cup car out of the three manufacturers, but I’m definitely excited for the new body. I feel like the Ford Performance team does a great job of making our car to where it can still perform on the racetrack, but also tie into that look of the street car.”

Since coming to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2019, Mustang has won a manufacturer’s championship and series-best 18 races in 2020, and a driver’s championship with Joey Logano in 2022. Additionally, Mustang has won several marquee events, including the Daytona 500 twice, Southern 500 and Brickyard 400 once while also capturing the inaugural Clash at the Coliseum in the debut of the current Next Gen era.

In fact, Logano may have summed it up best when he saw the new car recently and said, “What I’ve learned over the years is every car looks good in Victory Lane, but if it looks this mean just sitting here, it’ll look even better in Victory Lane.”

The NASCAR Cup Series Mustang Dark Horse will debut on Feb. 4, 2024, as part of the Clash at the Coliseum exhibition race inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company does that through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough EVs along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford is pursuing mobility solutions through Ford Next, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 177,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.

About Ford Performance

Ford Performance is based in Dearborn, Mich. It is responsible for Ford’s performance vehicle development and major racing operations globally, including NASCAR, IMSA, SRO British GT, FIA World Rally Championship, Supercars Championship, World of Outlaws, Ultra4, SCORE-International, FIA Rally-Raid, Formula Drift, NHRA, Rebelle Rally, Thailand Super Series and our latest commitment in Formula 1 with Red Bull Ford Powertrains. Ford Performance also maintains a constantly evolving fleet of electric performance demonstrators to showcase the limits of electrification technology. In addition, the organization also oversees the development of Ford’s racing engines, as well as the outreach programs with all Ford Clubs and Ford enthusiasts. For more information regarding Ford racing’s activities, please visit Performance.Ford.com or follow @FordPerformance on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube.
November 1, 2023
RYAN BLANEY WINS AT MARTINSVILLE, ADVANCES TO ROUND OF 4

RIDGEWAY, VA – October 30, 2023 – Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney won Sunday’s Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway, earning a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Round of 4. This past weekend’s win marked Blaney’s third win of the season and 10th of his career.

“Congratulations to Roger, Tim, Jonathan, Ryan, and everyone at Team Penske on the race win at Martinsville,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Jonathan and Ryan have worked well together throughout the regular season and earned the opportunity to race for Ryan’s first NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Championship”.

“I thought we put together a really strong playoffs, especially the Round of 8. We had a good Round of 8, so just really proud of the whole effort. Proud to have Discount Tire on the car, Menards, Ford, Advance Auto Parts, Body Armor. RP couldn’t be here unfortunately, but I know he’s watching and this is awesome stuff. I can’t wait to get to Phoenix next week,” commented Blaney.

Four Ford Performance drivers qualified and started Sunday’s race in the top 10: Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe in P3, Kevin Harvick in P8, Ryan Preece in P9, and Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing’s Brad Keselowski in P10. Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney qualified in P11 and was fourth in the standings at the beginning of the race; 10 points ahead of Tyler Reddick, 17 points ahead of Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr, and 43 points ahead of RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher.

At the end of Stage 1, Blaney had worked his way to the front of the field to finish in P2. After a back-and-forth battle with Denny Hamlin, Blaney took the lead to win the second stage. The race featured a total of seven cautions, the most of any race at Martinsville since the introduction of the Next Gen car. During a 168-lap green-flag run to the finish, Blaney passed Stewart-Haas Racing’s Aric Almirola on Lap 478 of 500. Twenty-two laps later, Blaney took the checkered flag 0.899 seconds ahead of Almirola and advanced to the Championship 4. Blaney joins fellow Round of 8 winners Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell along with William Byron in the race for the 2023 NCS title.

A total of seven Ford Performance drivers finished in the top-10: Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney in P1, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Aric Almirola and Chase Briscoe in P2 and P4, Team Penske’s Joey Logano in P5, RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher in P8, Team Penske’s Austin Cindric in P9, and Front Row Motorsports’ Todd Gilliland in P10.

The Xfinity Series also raced at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday where Stewart-Haas Racing’s Riley Herbst finished in P4 and Cole Custer finished in P19. Cole advances on to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Round of 4 and races for the championship this upcoming weekend.

Both the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series head to Phoenix Raceway for the final race of the 2023 season.
35 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 457 WINS – 420 POLES

About Roush Yates Engines
Roush Yates Engines is a leading-edge engine development company based in Mooresville, NC consisting of two state-of-the-art facilities – Roush Yates Engines and Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions, a world class AS9100 Rev D/ISO 13485 certified CNC manufacturing facility. The company’s core business includes designing, building and testing purpose-built race engines.

Ford Performance in partnership with Roush Yates Engines is the exclusive engine builder of the NASCAR FR9 Ford V8 engine and Ford Mustang 5.2L V8 engine, used in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series.

With an unparalleled culture of winning and steeped in rich racing history, Roush Yates Engines continues to follow the company’s vision to lead performance engine innovation and staying true to the company’s mission, provide race winning engines through demonstrated power and performance.

October 30, 2023
Aric Almirola Leaving Full-Time NASCAR Racing After 2023 Season

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Aric Almirola Media Availability | Saturday, October 28, 2023

Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing, announced earlier today that he would not be coming back next season and is stepping back from full-time NASCAR racing. He spoke about that decision before today’s Cup Series practice at Martinsville Speedway.

ARIC ALMIROLA, No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang – WHY WAS THIS THE RIGHT TIME TO ANNOUNCE THIS? “It was not just about my timing. There were a lot of factors and a lot of key players, so it’s not just about me. It’s about making sure that we did it the right way and tried to do the best thing for all of our partners, make sure we do the best thing for the organization. So it wasn’t just about me. If it was just about me I think I would have made the announcement a lot earlier just to make it to where you guys didn’t have to ask me every week, so there’s a lot of factors and there are a lot of things that happened behind closed doors that you just have to work through.”

HOW DO YOU REFLECT ON YOUR SHR TENURE? “It’s been great. Obviously, as a race car driver and as a competitor you always want more. I would have loved to have won more races and won a championship. That’s what I went over there for. I have won some races, so I’m proud of that and we’ve had a lot of success, but I think at the end of the day that’s temporary. The friendships that I’ve made. The relationships that I’ve made, all of that will last forever and I’m grateful for that. I really am. I’ve very grateful for the six years that I’ve showed up to work every day there and they treat me like family. I feel extremely close to all of the employees over there and they brought me in with welcoming arms when I showed up in 2018 and it has been a really fun ride ever since.”

ARE YOU HOPING TO STILL RACE NEXT YEAR? “I hope so. I’d like to not quit cold turkey. I think there are some opportunities, but it’s hard. It’s challenging to figure out things that make sense for race teams to do it part time. Most race teams want somebody to run full-time and race for a championship, so we’ll see if we can get it worked out. I’d love to still scratch the itch, but just don’t want to do it like I have been doing it for the last 12 years, where it’s 38 weeks and it’s a grind. I’m not complaining that it’s a grind because I’ve loved it and I signed up for it, but I think, for me, as I look toward the future and what my life looks like, I would like to find a better work-life balance than what I have currently.”

COULD THAT BE XFINITY RACES? “Potentially. I’m excited just about having some weekends off, so go back to doing some late model racing like I used to do when I was a kid. If there’s an opportunity to run a handful of truck races here and there or something like that, or run some Xfinity races, I think the door is open. I’ve had a lot of just amazing conversations over the last four to six months about different opportunities, so I want to stay involved in the industry. I love this industry. I love the people in the industry. This industry has afforded me and my family a wonderful life and I don’t want to just walk away from it. When I originally announced that I was gonna retire over a year ago, that was the vision that I had. I had a vision of just walking away from the sport and starting a new chapter of my life and really going to explore something completely different, and I just feel like God has me here for a reason. I really do. I feel like the people and the relationships and everything, and, honestly, the opportunities to stay involved in the sport and continue to work with TV partners or different race teams. Even with drivers there are opportunities to help some young drivers speed up their learning curve and coach them along, so there are several different opportunities out there that I’m excited about and we’ll see how it all works out.”

ARE YOU DISAPPOINTED SMITHFIELD ISN’T RETURNING AT ALL? THERE WAS SOME TALK YOU COULD MOVE WITH THEM TO AN XFINITY RIDE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? “No, honestly that was never the talk. All through the summer I worked really diligently with SHR and we worked really hard to put a program together. I expressed my desire to step back and not continue full-time and they took that and digested it and we worked really, really hard as a collective group to figure out what that would look like going forward without me in the race car and, unfortunately, it didn’t work out. It was something that they decided they didn’t want to continue to do and so I respect that, but, at the end of the day, I made the decision on what was best for me and for my family and I was hopeful that it would work out and they would stay with SHR.”

HOW DO YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED? “Just as a genuine person, honestly. The wins and all of that stuff, that’s all temporary, it really is. I had to learn this the hard way, but you don’t gain happiness and satisfaction from going to victory lane. You gain momentary joy, but it’s not long lasting. As soon as that weekend is over, you immediately are focused on the next week and wanting to go do it again and if you don’t, the next week if you finish 25th you’re mad and you’re bummed out and you’re disappointed and so that cycle of emotions I’ve come to realize is very temporary. But what is lasting is friendships and people you care about and doing things that you enjoy with people you enjoy and so, for me, that’s what I want to keep doing. I want to keep working. I want to get up in the morning with a purpose. I want to go do something. I want to try and make somebody else better. For 40 years of my life I’ve focused on just me. I’ve served myself and worried about what’s best for me and what’s best for my career and all of those things, so as I look to the future, I want to make sure that I’m focusing on trying to help others achieve their goals. From what I’ve heard in talking to a lot of people and reading a lot of books about people’s next chapter in life, that’s typically how you get the most satisfaction is trying to figure out how to serve others.”

WHO DID YOU TALK TO ABOUT THIS DECISION? “The list is too long to go over it here. I talked to a lot of family because that means a lot to me. Obviously, I’ve prayed a lot about it. I talked to my wife. I talked to my kids. Alex was not super pumped about me retiring, but he also realizes that there’s a lot of sacrifices that he makes and that Abby makes as well and Janice, my wife, so we had a lot of conversations and a lot of talks with people that we care about, people that are close to us. I didn’t really seek a lot of outside counsel from people that I didn’t know or didn’t care about. I just really wanted the opinions of people that were really close to me.”

WHAT WERE THE CONVERSATIONS LIKE WITH SMITHFIELD WHEN YOU WANTED TO STEP BACK? “I think they were mixed. They’ve been a wonderful partner. We’ve worked together for 12 years and not only have they been great for me, they’ve been great for our sport. They’ve been a mainstay for our sport for 12 years. They’ve been one of the highest-paying and longest-standing sponsors of our sport at the level that they’ve been at. They’ve taken a lion’s share of the season on my race car for over 12 years. They’ve been sponsoring anywhere from 26-30 races a year for 12 years, so that’s been phenomenal and, honestly, in this day and age kind of unheard of. They had mixed emotions. They looked at it as an opportunity to try and step back and see what other ways they could get creative with marketing and doing what they do, but at the same time they were disappointed to see the end of a relationship.”

DO YOU REGRET COMING BACK THIS PAST YEAR? “Not one bit. I have zero regrets because I know that it was the right decision. It was the right decision for the race team. It was the right decision for Smithfield and it was right decision for me and my family. We’ve gotten to experience some things. Obviously, do I want more success? Would I wish we could have run better this year? Absolutely – like 100 percent – but, man, we have gotten to do some awesome things as a family. We’ve gotten to do some cool trips and going to experience different things. Honestly, the race win at Sonoma, that wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t come back for this year. That win, I want to say silly but that’s not a great term for it, but as insignificant as it would seem to many people, winning that Xfinity race at Sonoma, the fact that it happened and my family was there with me and the next week was our off week and we got to really just enjoy it and celebrate it, and my wife and kids were in victory lane, we really cherished it. We soaked it all in. That moment, several other moments throughout the year like that, we would have never had that and I do not regret one minute of this season. There’s been trials. Absolutely. But who doesn’t go through trials in life? I didn’t expect this year to be easy. I didn’t expect it to be all rainbows and kittens. I knew it would be a challenge. I knew that there would be ups and downs, but I signed up for it and I don’t regret one minute.”

WHY DOESN’T ALEX WANT YOU TO RETIRE? “Because he likes going on the trips and he just likes the lifestyle, and plus he has a lot of friends. We have a close group of friends that we travel with and on the circuit and he’s got a bunch of the other driver’s kids that he hangs out with at MRO, so he thinks that when we don’t race anymore that he’s not gonna get to see those kids, but that’s not true. We’ll still see them. We’ll still be around. We’ll still be involved in the industry, so I think he’s just sad about the potential of losing a friend group and not being able to travel and go a day early to go see baseball stadiums and games and other places. He thinks that once we decide to not race anymore full-time that it’s just gonna end completely and he’s gonna be stuck at home with mom and sister.”

October 28, 2023
Bayley Currey Joins Niece Motorsports Full-Time in 2024

Salisbury, N.C. (Oct. 26, 2023) – Bayley Currey will return to Niece Motorsports in 2024 – this time for a full season effort – piloting the No. 41 Chevrolet in the Craftsman Truck Series. The news comes on the heels of a strong top-five finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway for Currey in the No. 41 Unishippers Silverado.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to race for Niece Motorsports full-time next season,” said Currey. “Al [Niece] and everyone at Niece Motorsports have always been good to me, so it means a lot to get to race for them next year. I’ve been working in the shop for the majority of this season, so I’ve seen firsthand the preparation that goes into bringing quality Chevrolets to the track every week. I’m looking forward to running up front and contending for wins.”

In 2023, Currey impressed while running a partial schedule in the No. 41 Chevrolet. In 10 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts, Currey has earned three top-five finishes and four top-10 finishes. His best finish of the season was a fourth-place result at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

“Bayley is incredibly talented and we are excited to have him on board fulltime next year,” said Niece Motorsports General Manger Cody Efaw. “Bayley has been in the shop this season working alongside everyone here. He puts in the work on and off the track, and it continues to show in his performance. We have high expectations next season across the board at Niece Motorsports.”

Though next season will mark Currey’s first fulltime effort in the Truck Series, he is not short on experience. The Driftwood, Texas native has 43 Truck Series starts to his credit, along with 111 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts and 12 NASCAR Cup Series starts.

Sponsorship details for the No. 41 will be announced in early December.

Currey returns to the track for the Craftsman 150 at Phoenix Raceway on Friday, November 3. The season-finale will air live on FS1, The Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 10:00 p.m. ET.

About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2023, Niece Motorsports enters its eighth season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as X @NieceMotorsport.

Media Inquiries: media@niecemotorsports.com | www.niecemotorsports.com

October 26, 2023
NASCAR to Celebrate Champion’s Week in Music City

Annual postseason celebration will honor NASCAR champions in Nashville during 2023 Awards

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (October 25, 2023) – NASCAR’s Diamond Anniversary culminates with the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series returning to Nashville on Nov. 29 and 30 to close out the 75th anniversary season and honor each series champion.

The 2023 NASCAR Awards will be held on Thursday, Nov. 30, at the Music City Center to formally honor the 2023 champions from all three NASCAR National Series. After a momentous season, drivers and industry personalities will embrace the city of Nashville to celebrate the 75th anniversary one final time. For the first time in Nashville, NASCAR will also recognize the champions from the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West and NASCAR International Series on Tuesday, Nov. 28.

“As we continue to commemorate our diamond anniversary, there is no other place we’d rather return for our end of the year celebration than Music City,” said Pete Jung, SVP, Chief Marketing Officer at NASCAR. “We are ecstatic to bring Champion’s Week back to Nashville for a fourth year. The energy of this city never goes unnoticed and the fans’ dedication for our sport never fails.”

On Wednesday, Nov. 29 NASCAR will initiate two new fan activations, NASCAR House and NASCAR Champion Car Parade. NASCAR House will take place in the city center on 5th and Broadway from 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. CT. The NASCAR Champion Car Parade will take to the street of Broadway from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. CT. More details will become available on both activations in the coming weeks.

Last year, NASCAR honored Cup Series champion, Joey Logano, Xfinity Series champion, Ty Gibbs, and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion, Zane Smith. The formal postseason Awards is a tradition that stretches back to 1981, when the event was held in New York City. It relocated to Las Vegas in 2009 and then called Nashville its home for the first time in 2019. Over the last three years NASCAR has seen an astounding turnout from the Nashville fans not only at the racetrack, but for the celebration of Champion’s Week. NASCAR looks to continue the tradition and conclude the season at one of the most iconic cities in the country.

About NASCAR

Celebrating its 75th Anniversary in 2023, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Pinty’s Series (Canada), NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 12 countries and more than 30 U.S. states. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

October 25, 2023
Kaulig Racing to Part Ways with Chandler Smith in 2024

LEXINGTON, N.C. (October 22, 2023) – Kaulig Racing announced today that Chandler Smith will not return to the organization’s NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) program next season.

Smith, who is seventh in the series Playoffs standing, has earned one win, three pole awards, eight top five and 12 top-10 finishes this season. The November 4th event at Phoenix Raceway will serve as Smith’s final race with Kaulig Racing.

The 2024 driver lineup will be announced in the coming weeks.

About Kaulig Racing™

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and has won back-to-back regular-season championships. Before becoming a full-time NCS team, Kaulig Racing made multiple starts in the 2021 NCS season and won in its seventh-ever start with AJ Allmendinger’s victory at “The Brickyard” for the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The team expanded to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 with Justin Haley piloting the No. 31 Camaro ZL1, and an all-star lineup featured in the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. Haley will continue to drive the No. 31 full-time in 2023, alongside AJ Allmendinger, who will drive the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. The team will continue to field three, full-time NXS entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Hemric, the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by an all-star lineup, and the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by Chandler Smith. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

October 22, 2023
Chevrolet Clinches 25th Bill France Performance Cup in NASCAR Xfinity Series

Seventh Consecutive Title for Camaro SS

DETROIT (October 21, 2023) – With two races remaining, Chevrolet has clinched the 2023 Bill France Performance Cup in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. JRM Motorsports’ Sam Mayer’s win in the series’ second race of the Round of Eight at Homestead-Miami Speedway delivered the Bowtie Brand the Bill France Performance Cup for a series-leading 25th time.

The Chevrolet Camaro made its debut as the automaker’s flagship vehicle in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2013, and has since earned nine titles in the series with 2023 marking its seventh consecutive title-winning season.

“It is a tremendous honor earning the Bill France Performance Cup in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the seventh consecutive year,” said Jim Campbell, General Motors U.S. Vice President of Performance and Motorsports. “Thank you to the Chevrolet drivers, crew chiefs and teams for all of their hard work to contribute valuable points toward this special championship.”

Seven drivers have recorded a combined 16 wins in the Camaro SS this season, led by Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill and JR Motorsports’ Sam Mayer with four wins each. Mayer’s teammate and fellow playoff contender Justin Allgaier has collected three wins. Kaulig Racing has four wins with three different drivers, including series rookie Chandler Smith (one) and Team Chevy NASCAR Cup Series drivers AJ Allmendinger (two) and Kyle Larson (one). Jordan Anderson Racing also collected its first-ever NASCAR Xfinity Series win with Jeb Burton. Team Chevy’s Sheldon Creed, Josh Berry, Daniel Hemric, Brandon Jones and Parker Kligerman also contributed to the title with valuable points throughout the season.

“Thank you to all of the Chevrolet teams who work hard each and every week to make this Manufacturer Championship possible,” said Shane Martin, GM Racing Program Manager for the NASCAR Xfinity Series. “Every point matters during the season to reach this accomplishment. I’m very proud of the team effort and contributions made by everyone involved in this program, and look forward to racing for a Driver Championship.”

The end of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series regular-season saw Austin Hill take the title, leading Chevrolet to a manufacturer-leading nine playoff contenders. Now reaching the Round of Eight, five Team Chevy drivers remain in title contention with Mayer’s win at the 1.5-mile South Florida oval punching his ticket into the Championship Four and the opportunity to compete for the Chevrolet’s 22nd NASCAR Xfinity Series Driver Championship title.

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

October 21, 2023