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Chandler Smith Grabs First NASCAR Xfinity Series Victory at Richmond Raceway

April 1, 2023
By Holly Cain
NASCAR Wire Service

Rookie Chandler Smith earned his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory Saturday afternoon at Richmond (Va.) Raceway holding off John Hunter Nemechek on a final race restart with six laps remaining to hoist the ToyotaCare 250 trophy.

Smith’s No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet led a race best 83 of the 250 laps – the bulk of that early in the race. But the 20-year year old Georgia native was able to run among the top five for most of the day and ultimately drive his Chevy around Nemechek’s No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota on that last restart, pulling away to a .298-second victory after some intense side-by-side action for the lead in the closing laps.

Smith has had three top-five finishes, including a gut-wrenching near miss at Las Vegas last month. After leading a dominant 118 laps and being out front with one lap to go at Vegas four races ago, he had to settle for third place. So this victory at Richmond was especially motivating for the young driver.

“Feels great,’’ a smiling Smith said. “This goes to testimony as to Vegas, dominated that race but didn’t win and said, it was all in God’s timing. … here we are in Richmond, my favorite race track and we’re sitting in victory lane.’’

It marks the third-consecutive runner-up finish for Nemechek at the 0.75-mile Richmond track; including a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race and the last two NASCAR Xfinity Series races there.

“We weren’t very good on the short run, we had a long-run speed car,’’ Nemechek said, “But we came from the back up there to battle for the win, put ourselves in position.’’

“Disappointed to run runner-up again, that’s the last three races I’ve run here, finished second. Frustrated but we’ll go back to work. The 16 (Smith) just had the best car on the short run.”

JR Motorsports driver Josh Berry finished third in the No. 8 JRM Chevrolet. He led 63 laps and was out front with 65 laps remaining until a series of caution flags and restarts that characterized the race ending.

Kaz Grala turned in a strong day with a fourth place showing in the No. 26 Sam Hunt Racing Toyota -equaling his career best effort in the Xfinity Series. And Cole Custer rallied to a fifth place finish in the No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford after a problem on pit road and some tight side-by-side racing late in the day.

Justin Allgaier – who started his No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet from pole position after qualifying was rained out Saturday morning – led laps early but had an up-and-down day. Ultimately, he finished 13th and was good enough to take the first $100,000 bonus in the Dash 4 Cash sweepstakes sponsored by Xfinity.

With his work, Allgaier now joins Saturday’s three new qualifiers – Chandler Smith, Berry and Nemechek to contend for the next $100,000 check at the series’ next race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway on April 15.

“Weird day today, we didn’t fire off quite as good as we hoped for but they kept working, great pit stops all day.’’ Allgaier said, adding, “It’s weird finishing 13th and still be standing here holding this check but the other guys had a rough day. This puts us in next week for the Dash 4 Cash so huge thanks to Xfinity for all they do for the sport.’’

Seven different drivers led at least 24 laps – and for much of the race there were at least three drivers ranked among the top 10 looking for their first career Xfinity Series win.

Sheldon Creed, Ryan Sieg, Parker Kligerman, the season’s three-race winner Austin Hill and Derek Kraus rounded out the top 10. It was the first series start for Kraus, who raced among the top 10 in his No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet for most of the day.

Riley Herbst, who led 27 laps and Brandon Jones, who led 24, were involved in an accident while contending for fourth place late in the race. Herbst finished 23rd while Jones was 21st.

The next race is the Call811.com Before You Dig. 250 at Martinsville Speedway on April 15 (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

NASCAR Xfinity Series Race – ToyotaCare 250
Richmond Raceway
Richmond, Virginia
Saturday, April 1, 2023
(8) Chandler Smith #, Chevrolet, 250.
(10) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 250.
(7) Josh Berry, Chevrolet, 250.
(21) Kaz Grala, Toyota, 250.
(22) Cole Custer, Ford, 250.
(6) Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, 250.
(17) Ryan Sieg, Ford, 250.
(20) Parker Kligerman, Chevrolet, 250.
(18) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, 250.
(11) Derek Kraus, Chevrolet, 250.
(32) Alex Labbe, Chevrolet, 250.
(16) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 250.
(1) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 250.
(29) Chris Hacker(i), Ford, 250.
(23) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 250.
(14) Parker Retzlaff #, Chevrolet, 250.
(3) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 250.
(34) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet, 250.
(2) Sammy Smith #, Toyota, 250.
(25) Kyle Sieg, Ford, 250.
(9) Brandon Jones, Chevrolet, 250.
(24) Brett Moffitt, Ford, 250.
(4) Riley Herbst, Ford, 250.
(5) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, 249.
(28) Leland Honeyman, Chevrolet, 249.
(27) Blaine Perkins #, Chevrolet, 248.
(35) Joey Gase, Toyota, 248.
(19) Connor Mosack, Toyota, 248.
(33) Patrick Emerling, Ford, 248.
(37) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 248.
(38) Mason Maggio(i), Toyota, 247.
(36) Stefan Parsons, Chevrolet, 247.
(26) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 247.
(30) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 247.
(31) Gray Gaulding, Ford, 245.
(12) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 243.
(15) Joe Graf Jr., Toyota, 236.
(13) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, Accident, 144.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 86.884 mph.

Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 9 Mins, 29 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.298 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 6 for 43 laps.

Lead Changes: 10 among 7 drivers.

Lap Leaders: J. Allgaier 1-2;S. Smith # 3-42;R. Herbst 43-44;C. Smith # 45-79;R. Herbst 80-104;C. Smith # 105-140;J. Berry 141-161;B. Jones 162-185;J. Berry 186-227;J. Nemechek 228-238;C. Smith # 239-250.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Chandler Smith # 3 times for 83 laps; Josh Berry 2 times for 63 laps; Sammy Smith # 1 time for 40 laps; Riley Herbst 2 times for 27 laps; Brandon Jones 1 time for 24 laps; John Hunter Nemechek 1 time for 11 laps; Justin Allgaier 1 time for 2 laps.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 16,98,9,8,00,7,11,2,39,1

Stage #2 Top Ten: 8,9,98,16,00,26,20,48,7,2

April 1, 2023
Suarez penalized amid Cup Series post-race run-in at COTA

Daniel Suarez was assessed a $50,000 fine from NASCAR following his post-race actions from this past weekend’s Cup Series’ EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. The penalty stems from the 31-year-old star from Monterrey, Mexico, bumping into the rear bumper of Alex Bowman’s No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports entry on pit road at the conclusion of the event in Austin.

The issue occurred during the second of three overtime attempts, when Bowman, who restarted on the fourth row and inside the top 10, made a move to the left side of Suarez’s No. 99 Trackhouse Racing entry for position entering the first turn’s braking zone. Through the braking zone, Suarez’s teammate, Ross Chastain, bumped and pushed Bowman into Suarez, which the contact carried forth into Suarez hitting Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. as Truex was sent for a spin while Suarez jammed on the brakes to avoid Truex. In doing so, he was relegated to the tail end of the lead lap field and limped his No. 99 entry back to pit road with a flat left-front tire.

At the conclusion of the event, which was extended to a third overtime restart before being won by 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick, Suarez, who was poised for a top-five run, finished in 27th place while Bowman and Chastain proceeded to finish third and fourth, respectively. During the cooldown lap, however, Suarez tracked both competitors and bumped into the rear of Chastain’s No. 1 Trackhouse entry prior to entering pit road, where he then proceeded to hit Bowman’s rear bumper three times before the latter jammed on the brakes with NASCAR officials present near the contact. Suarez would exchange brief words with Bowman before expressing his displeasure towards his teammate Chastain.

Despite being fined for violating Sections 4.4.B&D pertaining to NASCAR Member Conduct from the NASCAR Rule Book, Suarez was not issued any points penalty. He is currently situated in 17th place in the driver’s standings, 13 points below the top-16 Playoff cutline, on the strength of three top-10 results through the first six events on the 2023 Cup Series schedule.

Suarez’s next event on the 2023 Cup Series schedule is set to occur this Sunday, April 2, at Richmond Raceway, with the event’s broadcast time to commence at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

March 29, 2023
NTT, NTT DATA, INDYCAR Extend Entitlement Partnership with Multiyear Agreement
- Entitlement extension for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES officially commences in 2024 after completion of the current agreement.
- NTT and NTT DATA continue as the Official Technology Partner of INDYCAR, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR Brickyard weekend.
- Leading global technology and business solutions provider has benefited the sport through its Smart Venue application at IMS, enhanced mobile app and continued digital transformation of the sport.
DETROIT (Monday, March 27, 2023) – NTT, a leading global technology and business solutions provider, and NTT DATA have extended the entitlement partnership with INDYCAR, North America’s premier open-wheel motorsports series, through a multiyear agreement that also includes official technology partner status.

NTT has been the title sponsor of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES since 2019 and will continue in that capacity with this multiyear extension that goes into effect in 2024. NTT and NTT DATA will continue as the Official Technology Partner for INDYCAR, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR Brickyard weekend.

“NTT is an excellent partner across our enterprise with strong expertise and a deep commitment to our sport,” said Roger Penske, chairman, Penske Corporation. “From Smart Venue technology at the Racing Capital of the World to the reimagined series mobile application, NTT is transforming the fan experience in new and innovative ways. We look forward to a bright future together.”

NTT helps organizations like INDYCAR with its digital transformations and remains committed to accelerating the future of sports. Of note, NTT’s Smart Solutions use proprietary technology to consume, analyze and transform massive amounts of data and deliver valuable insights.

“INDYCAR is a great partner for NTT DATA because of our shared commitment to driving innovation, increasing sustainability and delivering amazing experiences,” said Kaz Nishihata, chief executive officer, NTT DATA, Inc. “We also appreciate how INDYCAR is so diverse, with drivers from 15 different countries, and races that range from short ovals and superspeedways to road and street courses. It’s both an incredible sport and a wonderful example for our world.”

Some of the highlights of NTT and NTT DATA’s commitment to accelerating the sport’s future include:
- Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a Smart Venue: The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled optical detection technologies, combined with real-time entry gate flow rate data, provide the IMS operations and security teams more insight into current and possible scenarios at the historic venue. The technology allows the staff to see a broader venue picture in real time ranging from visitor and traffic flow to congestion points and security. At-gate IMS personnel also have mobile point-of-sale capabilities at their fingertips for digital ticketing and parking transactions – all to help manage the event venue more safely and efficiently. It also provides fans attending one of the world’s largest-attended, single-day events with real-time entry gate wait times through the IMS app and website.
- INDYCAR App Enhancements and Growth: Powered by NTT DATA since 2019, the INDYCAR App has made dramatic gains in functionality, features and use. Over the last three years, downloads have grown by nearly 50 percent with users representing more than 200 countries and territories. A new version debuted for the start of this NTT INDYCAR SERIES season with a modernized look, upgraded navigation, and enhanced pre-race, live race and post-race experiences. It also returned fan favorite features such as driver-specific telemetry, live timing and scoring, multiple in-car cameras and driver-to-team radio communication. The INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA is free and available for download from the iOS App Store or Google Play.
- INDYCAR Data Experience: NTT is providing fans with more race and driver data than ever before through multiple channels, including the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA and NBC television broadcasts. Utilizing 140 different data points from each car in the field and also the track, NTT delivers real-time, data-driven racing insights for fans to better consume and understand how a race is unfolding. AI and predictive data analytics allow NTT to provide fans real-time access to key in race aspects such as head-to-head driver battles for position, pit stop performance impact, fuel strategies and tire wear, leaderboard predictions, weather impact and much more.
“The NTT INDYCAR SERIES will continue to be a hub for progress and discovery with the extension of this world-class partnership,” said Mark Miles, president & chief executive officer, Penske Entertainment. “NTT is fully invested in the development and growth of our sport and has already established a terrific track record in our industry with problem-solving capabilities and access to top talent and tools.”

INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES have also been important partners to NTT. The sanctioning body and series have provided NTT with valuable opportunities for brand awareness, client engagement and a range of business-to-business (B2B) initiatives while spearheading a digital transformation within the industry. NTT also values its Penske Corporation business partnership as an important B2B platform. Participation in INDYCAR’s ongoing sustainability initiatives remains important as the relationships extend.

“As INDYCAR’s Technology Partner, we’re thrilled to continue our collaborations that enhance and expand the fan experience for motorsports and serve as proof points for data analytics, AI and other innovative digital technologies,” said Bob Pryor, chief executive officer, NTT DATA Services. “For more than a century, this racing series has pioneered innovations making driving safer for everyone, and by continuing this relationship, we will accelerate the pace of innovations and new technologies, particularly related to sustainability that ultimately can benefit organizations, communities and individuals around the world.”

To learn more about the NTT INDYCAR SERIES visit: https://us.nttdata.com/en/about-us/content/ntt-indycar-series

About INDYCAR

INDYCAR is the Indianapolis-based governing body for North America’s premier open-wheel auto racing series, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, and its developmental series, INDY NXT by Firestone. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES features an international field of the world’s most versatile drivers – including two-time and reigning series champion Will Power, six-time series champion Scott Dixon, two-time series champion Josef Newgarden, four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves and reigning 500 winner Marcus Ericsson – who compete on superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road courses. The 2023 season consists of 17 races in the United States and Canada and is highlighted by the historic Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, INDY NXT by Firestone, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader. For more information on INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, please visit www.indycar.com. For more information on INDY NXT by Firestone, please visit www.indynxt.com.

About NTT

NTT contributes to a sustainable society through the power of innovation. We are a leading global technology company providing services to consumers and business as a mobile operator, technology infrastructure, consulting, and network provider. Our services include digital business consulting and managed services for applications, workplace, cloud, data center and networks, all supported by our deep global industry expertise. As a top 5 global technology and business solutions provider, our diverse teams operate in 80+ countries and regions and deliver services to over 190 of them. We serve over 80% of Fortune Global 100 companies and thousands of other clients and communities around the world.

About NTT DATA

NTT DATA is a $30 billion trusted global innovator of IT and business services. We help clients transform through business and technology consulting, industry and digital solutions, applications development and management, managed edge-to-cloud infrastructure services, BPO, systems integration and global data centers. We are committed to our clients’ long-term success and combine global reach with local client service in over 80 countries. Visit nttdata.com or LinkedIn to learn more.
March 27, 2023
Reddick-ulous: Tyler Reddick Survives Triple-Overtime Finish to Win EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix

AUSTIN, Texas (March 26, 2023) – Restart after restart, Tyler Reddick put up a monster performance under the hot Texas sun to earn his first win of the season and the first this year for 23XI Racing at Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas (COTA).

After leading only two laps in two previous EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix starts, Reddick had the dominant car Sunday, leading 41 circuits and outlasting the field in a raucous triple-overtime finish. Eight cautions bunched up the field, including three overtime attempts, but strong restarts kept Reddick out of the melee and in command of the race.

“It means the world,” Reddick said. “This whole 23XI team has been working all winter long to make the road course program better. The only thing that was really on my mind today was how to hang on. It was pretty warm in the car. Thankfully we didn’t have one more overtime; I might have been in trouble. I wouldn’t say I was nervous. I didn’t quite get every restart done perfectly, but we got the one that mattered – the last one.”

When the dust settled, Kyle Busch, who made the move to Reddick’s former Richard Childress Racing team during the offseason, finished second.

“Tyler obviously is a really good road racer,” said Busch. “He proved it driving this car last year. I was able to get in it and run right back to him. I’ve been trying to emulate the things he did in order to make this car fast last year, but not quite all the way there. They had a whale of a car.”

Alex Bowman finished third, with Ross Chastain’s battered Trackhouse Racing machine crossing the finish line fourth after contact with several cars in Turn One led to the final overtime caution. Polesitter William Byron was fifth.

“That’s just how this stuff goes; I’m mad at a bunch of people, and a bunch of people are mad at me,” Chastain said. “Nobody had anything for Tyler. We were all clawing. I love this place, and I love road course racing. The fight to get better never stops. We ended up with a good finish, but it wasn’t the prettiest.”

Reddick’s performance impressed his boss, team owner and fellow NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin, who finished 16th.

“We knew that they were fast, knew that it was a matter of time before they would march their way to the front,” Hamlin said. “Certainly, they’ve got a lot of opportunity to build a lot of Playoff points and hopefully make a run.

“It’s a big pressure situation for Tyler. You’ve been the dominant car all weekend. There’s not much to gain. It’s yours to lose. To be able to manage those pressure situations, it’s huge.”

Tickets:

Fans can lock in their seats for the 2024 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas online at www.nascaratcota.com/events/renewals.

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Keep track of all things NASCAR at COTA by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@NASCARatCOTA). Keep up with all the latest information on the NASCAR at COTA website and mobile app.

March 26, 2023
Tyler Reddick wins first race with 23XI Racing at Circuit of The Americas
By Holly Cain
NASCAR Wire Service

AUSTIN, Texas – Tyler Reddick prevailed in three overtime re-starts to claim his first trophy of the year – and first with his new team, 23XI Racing, with a 1.411-second victory over two-time series champion Kyle Busch in the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix – the NASCAR Cup Series’ first road course race of the season.

It was a field of international champions and NASCAR’s very best at the famed Circuit of The Americas course but for most of the race the outcome looked to be decided in a good ole Texas duel between the two fastest cars all weekend driven by Reddick and Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron. The pair exchanged the lead, lap after exciting lap for most of the afternoon.

And on the final two-lap restart Reddick was able to put his No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota out front exiting Turn 1 – a tight left-hander – and power forward to the lead; while Busch and third-place finisher Alex Bowman, fourth-place finisher – and defending race winner – Ross Chastain and fifth-place Byron fought door-to-door bumper-to-bumper as they chased after him.

“I’ve been wanting to win here in a Cup car for a long time,” the 27-year-old Californian Reddick said, who now has four NASCAR Cup Series wins, but noted this was his first as a Toyota driver and with his 23XI Racing Team – co-owned by fellow competitor Denny Hamlin and NBA superstar Michael Jordan.

“It means the world,” said Reddick, who sat down on the track and leaned against his car with a bag of ice after winning to cool down on the typically Texas-hot afternoon. “This whole 23XI team has been working hard all winter long to make the road course program better and was extremely motivated to come in here and improve performance. Just so proud of this Monster Energy team and TRD (Toyota Racing Development). All the resources they’ve put in to turn around the road course program means a lot.”

As often happens late in a road course race, patience lags and urgency increases. That was certainly the case Sunday with three different overtime restarts deciding the outcome. Reddick and Byron’s No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet combined to lead 69 of the race’s 75 laps with Reddick out front a race best 41 of those, most of them after hard-fought challenges and back-and-forth corner after corner with the race polesitter Byron.

“It feels good to get a top five, but we had a top-two race car really with the 45, he was really better than everybody, but I thought we were a close second,” said Byron, a two-race winner already in 2023, whose fifth-place finish at COTA was his career best on a road course. “We’ll keep building on it.”

Busch’s runner-up effort was an impressive comeback. He had been mid-pack for most of the afternoon but gambled on fuel strategy to move forward during some late race cautions in regulation.

“Even if we were on equal tires, they were lights out,” said Busch, driver of the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.

“Overall, for as much effort as we put into coming here and focusing on this place and all the testing we did in the offseason, we’re coming out of here with a good finish. Tyler’s obviously a really good road course racer.”

In addition to the NASCAR stars, the field that raced Sunday included four big names from other racing genres including IMSA champion Jordan Taylor, who drove the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for injured former COTA winner Chase Elliott; a pair of former Formula One champions in Jenson Button and Kimi Raikkonen and popular IndyCar Series regular Conor Daly.

Among these four, the Englishman Button – the 2009 Formula One champion – claimed the top finishing position, 18th in the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford. Taylor, a two-time winner at COTA in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Series finished 24th but made a huge impression in his debut after qualifying fourth.

Raikkonen, the 2007 F1 World Champion from Finland, finished 29th but ran as high as fourth place late in the race. Daly only got 16 laps into the race before his team had to take his No. 50 The Money Team Racing Chevrolet behind the wall for extended repairs. He finished 36th.

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson didn’t even get a full lap of green flag racing in only his second start of the 2023 season. The owner-driver of the No. 84 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Chevrolet was collected in a multi-car accident that eliminated his Chevrolet and left him 38th in the standings.

Team Penske’s Austin Cindric, 2023 DAYTONA 500 winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr., RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ty Gibbs and Front Row Motorsports’ Todd Gilliland rounded out the top-10.

Chastain takes over the championship lead by 19 points over Busch. Ty Gibbs, who finished ninth, continues to lead the Sunoco Rookie of the Year points standings.

The NASCAR Cup Series returns to competition next Sunday in the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway (3:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

NASCAR Cup Series Race – EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix

Circuit of The Americas

Austin, Texas

Sunday, March 26, 2023
```
            1. (2)  Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 75.

            2. (9)  Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 75.

            3. (6)  Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 75.

            4. (12)  Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 75.

            5. (1)  William Byron, Chevrolet, 75.

            6. (3)  Austin Cindric, Ford, 75.

            7. (18)  Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 75.

            8. (32)  Chris Buescher, Ford, 75.

            9. (17)  Ty Gibbs #, Toyota, 75.

            10. (36)  Todd Gilliland, Ford, 75.

            11. (27)  Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 75.

            12. (20)  Michael McDowell, Ford, 75.

            13. (29)  Kevin Harvick, Ford, 75.

            14. (13)  Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 75.

            15. (19)  Chase Briscoe, Ford, 75.

            16. (21)  Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 75.

            17. (25)  Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 75.

            18. (24)  Jenson Button, Ford, 75.

            19. (23)  Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 75.

            20. (10)  Noah Gragson #, Chevrolet, 75.

            21. (38)  Ryan Blaney, Ford, 75.

            22. (16)  Harrison Burton, Ford, 75.

            23. (8)  Erik Jones, Chevrolet, 75.

            24. (4)  Jordan Taylor, Chevrolet, 75.

            25. (37)  Cody Ware, Ford, 75.

            26. (33)  Josh Bilicki(i), Chevrolet, 75.

            27. (5)  Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 75.

            28. (15)  Joey Logano, Ford, 75.

            29. (22)  Kimi Raikkonen, Chevrolet, 75.

            30. (39)  Aric Almirola, Ford, 74.

            31. (14)  Christopher Bell, Toyota, Accident, 73.

            32. (26)  Ryan Preece, Ford, Accident, 68.

            33. (28)  Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, Accident, 62.

            34. (7)  AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, Accident, 60.

            35. (30)  Brad Keselowski, Ford, Driveshaft, 56.

            36. (35)  Conor Daly, Chevrolet, Transmission, 16.

            37. (11)  Bubba Wallace, Toyota, Accident, 10.

            38. (31)  Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, DVP, 0.

            39. (34)  Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, Accident, 0.
```
Average Speed of Race Winner: 72.886 mph.

Time of Race: 3 Hrs, 30 Mins, 32 Secs. Margin of Victory: 1.411 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 8 for 17 laps.

Lead Changes: 16 among 7 drivers.

Lap Leaders: W. Byron 1-5;A. Cindric 6-7;T. Reddick 8-12;W. Byron 13-23;T. Reddick 24-31;C. Buescher 32;W. Byron 33-38;T. Reddick 39-41;W. Byron 42;J. Logano 43;W. Byron 44-46;T. Reddick 47-57;D. Suarez 58;C. Bell 59;T. Reddick 60-61;W. Byron 62-63;T. Reddick 64-75.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Tyler Reddick 6 times for 41 laps; William Byron 6 times for 28 laps; Austin Cindric 1 time for 2 laps; Christopher Bell 1 time for 1 lap; Joey Logano 1 time for 1 lap; Chris Buescher 1 time for 1 lap; Daniel Suarez 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 24,2,16,48,1,99,8,9,20,41

Stage #2 Top Ten: 45,3,34,4,17,47,5,43,14,42
March 26, 2023
Allmendinger holds off Byron for second Xfinity win at Circuit of The Americas
By Holly Cain
NASCAR Wire Service

AUSTIN, Texas – A.J. Allmendinger started on pole position and won the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today on Saturday afternoon on the world-renowned Circuit of The Americas road course.

The 46 laps in between the green and checkered flags, however, were dramatic and full of emotional highs and lows for the veteran Allmendinger, who led 14 laps to start the race and the final 14 laps to close it out. The series’ all-time road course winner earned his 11th road course trophy (and 16th career Xfinity Series trophy) despite having to navigate through the field after falling back to 25th place during mid-race green flag pit stops.

It was a major league road course lesson for the rest of the field as the 41-year-old Californian diced and sliced his way forward in the No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet to win this race for the second consecutive year. He ultimately took a .853-second victory over relentless Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron in the No. 17 Chevrolet.

“William Byron put his best foot forward, you’ve seen all the Cup races he’s winning,” Allmendinger said of the season’s two-race winner Byron. “I knew it was going to be tough just trying to fight to get back up to the front there. Hate that I had contact with Sheldon [Creed], he got under me, I was trying to stay off him, so I hate that happened but so proud of everyone at Kaulig Racing. The Celsius Chevy was really hooked up and with all the damage we had it didn’t hurt the car.”

“I spent a lot of years not winning anything so I’m going to celebrate every one of them like it’s my last one,” Allmendinger said. “You never know. As much pressure as I put on myself, I’m always going to try to live up to it. The pit crew was awesome and I’m so proud of everyone.”

NASCAR Cup Series rookie Ty Gibbs – the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion – finished third in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Toyota, just ahead of his JGR teammate Sammy Smith and veteran JR Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier.

The 3.41-mile, 20-turn COTA track is regarded as one of the more challenging stops on the NASCAR schedule and Allmendinger certainly had his work cut out for him on Saturday. He led early, but was shuffled back after winning Stage 1 and gambling on a pit stop later than the other frontrunners.

Forced to lineup for a re-start toward the back of the field – and miscommunication from the team to driver regarding the exact position he should take – left him 25th near the race midpoint. He answered by reeling off one car after another and made his way into the top-10 with 15 laps remaining – making a dramatic push forward on that final restart to go from sixth to first with 14 laps remaining. He took the lead after a spirited battle with Sheldon Creed, who spun out after contact between the two.

Allmendinger then drove off to more than a 1-second gap on the field, but, was doggedly chased by Byron, who will start Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at COTA from the pole position.

“I was getting one final run at him, but obviously they were really good all day, just great at these road courses,” Byron said. “Just a little bit to gain and then made a mistake [navigating the esses].

“It was a great effort, just need to clean it up in the cars … but had a lot of fun racing,” Byron added.

Kaulig Racing’s Daniel Hemric, JR Motorsports teammates Sam Mayer and Josh Berry, Creed and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Riley Herbst rounded out the top-10.

Austin Hill, a three-race winner in 2023 that was leading the championship standings by nearly 50 points coming into Austin, suffered mechanical problems in his No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet and took a DNF. He still holds a 15-point advantage over Herbst atop the championship, however.

This was a Dash 4 Cash qualifying race with the four top-finishing fulltime NASCAR Xfinity Series competitors now eligible for a $100,000 bonus next week at Richmond (Va.) Raceway; the top finisher among the four will earn the big paycheck and is eligible for another the following race at Martinsville, Va. on April 15.

With their showings on Saturday: Sammy Smith, Justin Allgaier, Daniel Hemric and Sam Mayer are the four drivers who race for the Xfinity Dash 4 Cash $100,000 in next week’s Call811 Before You Dig 250 at Richmond Raceway (1 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

NASCAR Xfinity Series Race – Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today
Circuit of The Americas
Austin, Texas
Saturday, March 25, 2023
```
            1. (1)  AJ Allmendinger(i), Chevrolet, 46.

            2. (9)  William Byron(i), Chevrolet, 46.

            3. (3)  Ty Gibbs(i), Toyota, 46.

            4. (2)  Sammy Smith #, Toyota, 46.

            5. (8)  Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 46.

            6. (11)  Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, 46.

            7. (14)  Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 46.

            8. (15)  Josh Berry, Chevrolet, 46.

            9. (4)  Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, 46.

            10. (7)  Riley Herbst, Ford, 46.

            11. (26)  Brandon Jones, Chevrolet, 46.

            12. (27)  Chandler Smith #, Chevrolet, 46.

            13. (18)  Miguel Paludo, Chevrolet, 46.

            14. (25)  Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 46.

            15. (23)  Alex Labbe, Chevrolet, 46.

            16. (29)  Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 46.

            17. (34)  Parker Retzlaff #, Chevrolet, 46.

            18. (20)  Kaz Grala, Toyota, 46.

            19. (22)  Connor Mosack, Toyota, 46.

            20. (32)  Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 46.

            21. (21)  Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 46.

            22. (33)  Kyle Weatherman, Chevrolet, 46.

            23. (31)  Ryan Sieg, Ford, 46.

            24. (13)  Aric Almirola(i), Ford, 46.

            25. (36)  Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet, 46.

            26. (38)  Kyle Sieg, Ford, 46.

            27. (6)  John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 46.

            28. (24)  Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 46.

            29. (30)  Brad Perez, Chevrolet, 46.

            30. (35)  Joe Graf Jr., Ford, 46.

            31. (5)  Parker Kligerman, Chevrolet, 46.

            32. (10)  Cole Custer, Ford, 45.

            33. (37)  Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, Steering, 29.

            34. (28)  Brett Moffitt, Ford, Engine, 27.

            35. (16)  Sage Karam, Chevrolet, Engine, 23.

            36. (19)  Preston Pardus, Chevrolet, Suspension, 16.

            37. (12)  Austin Hill, Chevrolet, Engine, 13.

            38. (17)  Carson Hocevar(i), Chevrolet, Transmission, 7.
```
Average Speed of Race Winner: 75.263 mph.

Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 5 Mins, 3 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.853 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 5 for 7 laps.

Lead Changes: 6 among 4 drivers.

Lap Leaders: A. Allmendinger(i) 1-14;S. Creed 15-26;W. Byron(i) 27;S. Creed 28;P. Kligerman 29;S. Creed 30-32;A. Allmendinger(i) 33-46.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): AJ Allmendinger(i) 2 times for 28 laps; Sheldon Creed 3 times for 16 laps; Parker Kligerman 1 time for 1 lap; William Byron(i) 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 10,2,48,19,17,98,7,9,18,1

Stage #2 Top Ten: 2,39,20,08,8,10,17,19,18,27
March 25, 2023
Top Boss: Allmendinger Overcomes Adversity to Win Pit Boss 250 Presented by USA TODAY
- After early dominance, Kaulig Racing driver A.J. Allmendinger charges through the field, holds off William Byron to capture second straight Circuit of The Americas victory.
- Single-day tickets for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix are still available, starting at $70. Kids 12 and under get in for just $10. Further details can be found at NASCARatCOTA.com.
AUSTIN, Texas (March 25, 2023) – With a dash of luck and a heaping helping of talent, A.J. Allmendinger cooked up the perfect recipe for success at Saturday’s Pit Boss 250 presented by USA TODAY, returning to Victory Lane at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) for the second consecutive year.

Starting on the pole, Allmendinger led every lap in the opening stage before a caution in the middle of green flag pit stops shuffled the Kaulig Racing driver back in the field. The chance at a repeat appeared doomed after Allmendinger was collected in a pileup in the treacherous Turn One during the ensuing restart.

Undeterred, the Los Gatos, Calf. native navigated traffic from 25th position back to the lead to capture his 11th career road course win and the 20th overall victory for Kaulig Racing.

“I wasn’t sure how the race was going to play out with no stage breaks,” Allmendinger said. “I knew we had a really fast car, but it was about trying to get back up there. I knew we had one pit stop to go. When we first got out of the wreck, I was more worried about damage to the car. Once I calmed down and made sure the car was okay, it was just about getting back up there.”

Allmendinger made contact with Sheldon Creed on lap 33 to retake the lead, which he held for the final 14 laps. Closing in on the lead on the final circuit, Byron’s No. 17 machine got loose, giving Allmendinger enough of a cushion to secure the win. Ty Gibbs, Sammy Smith and Justin Allgaier rounded out the top five.

“I just messed the esses up,” Byron said after the race. “I was giving one final run at him. Obviously he’s great at these road courses. I didn’t want to get off and screw up second place, so I slowed way down to keep it on the track. A couple of times I probably had a shot at him, but just needed to be a little better.”

Byron won’t have to wait long for a chance at redemption as both drivers will be among the favorites in Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix NASCAR Cup Series showdown. Byron will start from the pole, while Allmendinger will start seventh.

Tickets:

Tickets for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix are on sale at NASCARatCOTA.com. Sunday tickets, which include the Darius Rucker pre-race concert, start at $70 for adults and just $10 for kids 12 and under. Further details can be found on the NASCAR at COTA website.

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Keep track of all things NASCAR at COTA by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@NASCARatCOTA). Keep up with all the latest information on the NASCAR at COTA website and mobile app.
March 25, 2023
Smith Scorches Competition at COTA, Wins at XPEL 225
- Zane Smith earns back-to-back wins in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at COTA, truck catches on fire in Victory Lane after celebratory burnout.
- Single-day tickets for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix are still available, starting at $70. Kids 12 and under get in for just $10. Further details can be found at NASCARatCOTA.com.
AUSTIN, Texas (March 25, 2023) – After scorching the competition en route to a win at the XPEL 225 at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), Zane Smith brought his fiery performance to Victory Lane, setting his truck ablaze in a memorable celebration that redefined “burnout.”

After short pitting and racing his way to the lead for the final 15 laps, Smith powered his No. 38 Front Row Motorsports machine to a 5.451-second victory over Kyle Busch.

“Obviously that pit call was everything. It’s a true testament to this team behind me,” Smith said. “Besides Victory Lane, today was pretty smooth for the most part.

“I feel like I didn’t leave a mark on it all race long. It didn’t catch on fire when I was in the truck, but I got out and there was white smoke, then all of a sudden there was black smoke all around. I’m probably in trouble after this one. I don’t know how many more burnouts I’m going to be able to do.”

The win marked back-to-back triumphs for Smith in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series at COTA. His Front Row Motorsports team is undefeated at the Austin, Texas circuit, with Todd Gilliland earning the win at the inaugural event in 2021.

While most of the field pitted before the final stage, Busch opted to stay out and take tires later in the race.

“You want the freshest tires at the end,” Busch said of his team’s decision. “We were playing the long game, but unfortunately the long game didn’t work. They got lucky today and got the win.”

Ben Rhodes was poised for a third-place finish before a parts failure on the final corner relegated him to 10th. Ty Majeski ultimately crossed the finish line in third, with Tyler Ankrum and Ross Chastain rounding out the top five.

Tickets:

Tickets for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix are on sale at NASCARatCOTA.com. Sunday tickets, which include the Darius Rucker pre-race concert, start at $70 for adults and just $10 for kids 12 and under. Further details can be found on the NASCAR at COTA website.

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Keep track of all things NASCAR at COTA by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@NASCARatCOTA). Keep up with all the latest information on the NASCAR at COTA website and mobile app.
March 25, 2023
Byron Rewrites Record Books With EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix Pole
- Hendrick Motorsports hot shoe William Byron earns distinction as only driver to ever win pole at four NASCAR Cup Series road courses, will lead the field to green Sunday.
- Single-day tickets for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix are still available, starting at $70. Kids 12 and under get in for just $10. Further details can be found at NASCARatCOTA.com.
AUSTIN, Texas (March 25, 2023) – William Byron continued his white-hot season and rewrote the history books in qualifying for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix, becoming NASCAR’s first Cup Series (NCS) driver to earn a pole at four different road courses. The 25-year-old has now won the pole at the Charlotte ROVAL™ (2019), Road America (2021), the Indianapolis Road Course (2021) and Circuit of The Americas (COTA).

The triumph capped an up-and-down 24 hours for the Hendrick Motorsports driver, whose final-round qualifying effort on Friday for the Pit Boss Grills 250 presented by USA TODAY was disqualified after officials determined he exceeded track limits.

“It’s been an up and down weekend,” he said. “It’s good to get the pole, but there’s lot of physical work to do. Hopefully we can prepare throughout the day today and get ready for tomorrow.”

The two-minute 10.76-second pole-winning lap adds to a recent hot streak for Byron, who’s notched two wins already this season.

“It’s great to see things come together as they are,” Byron said. “I’m not really surprised by what our team is capable of, but it’s a long season. We’ve got a lot of things still to do and accomplish.”

Byron held off a hard-charging Tyler Reddick, whose No. 45 Toyota will start on the outside pole when the green flag falls Sunday.

Austin Cindric qualified third. IMSA sports car star Jordan Taylor, making his NCS debut, will start fourth, filling in for the injured Chase Elliott. Taylor will be joined by two Formula One champions in the field. Kimi Raikkonen will start 22nd, with Jenson Button in 24th. Seven-time NCS champion Jimmie Johnson will make his first COTA start from the 31st position.

Tickets:

Tickets for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix are on sale at NASCARatCOTA.com. Sunday tickets, which include the Darius Rucker pre-race concert, start at $70 for adults and just $10 for kids 12 and under. Further details can be found on the NASCAR at COTA website.

Follow Us:

Keep track of all things NASCAR at COTA by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@NASCARatCOTA). Keep up with all the latest information on the NASCAR at COTA website and mobile app.
March 25, 2023
Allmen-Ringer: Defending Pit Boss 250 Winner Continues COTA Dominance with Xfinity Series Pole
- Ross Chastain will lead the field to green in Saturday’s XPEL 225 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series showdown following EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix Cup Series qualifying.
- Single-day tickets for NASCAR’s tripleheader weekend are still available, starting at $30 on Saturday and $70 on Sunday. Kids 12 and under get in free on Saturday and for just $10 on Sunday. Further details can be found at NASCARatCOTA.com.
AUSTIN, Texas (March 24, 2023) – A.J. Allmendinger’s NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) dominance at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) continued during FEVO Friday action, as the 2022 winner of the Pit Boss 250 presented by USA TODAY drove his way to the pole for Saturday’s main event, capturing the pole by 0.502 seconds over Sammy Smith.

“It feels great,” the 41-year-old Kaulig Racing driver said. “Winning the race last year was kind of a good baseline to come back to, but I felt like we needed a good amount of work. With the results that the organization has had this year, they’ve shown more speed everywhere. Qualifying is tough around here, especially in the esses. You can make up a lot of time if you push the edges and get through there.

“To me, it’s one of the most unique road courses in North America. If you look at the road courses we have, they’re a lot of the same thing. This is a racetrack that’s a combination. You’ve got long straightaways and tight sections. I enjoy it. In general, I have a lot of fun here.”

When the green flag falls, Allmendinger will be joined on the front row by the rookie, Smith, who matched his career-best NXS qualifying position. Ty Gibbs, Sheldon Creed and Parker Kligerman rounded out the top five.

In the final round of group qualifying, NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) veteran William Byron ran a 2:12-second lap that would have earned him a top starting position, but it was negated after NASCAR officials deemed that he exceeded track limits on the lap. By not registering a lap in the final qualifying round, he will start 10th.

Chastain Earns XPEL 225 Pole

Ross Chastain, who took the checkered flag for last year’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix the last time he strapped in at COTA, picked up right where he left off on FEVO Friday by capturing the pole for the XPEL 225 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) race with a 2:13.613-second lap on COTA’s 20-turn, 3.41-mile circuit.

After besting the field by more than half a second in qualifying, the watermelon man will start Saturday’s race alongside fellow NCS regular Kyle Busch. Ty Majeski and rookie Nick Sanchez will make up the second row. NCTS points leader Christian Eckes, Carson Hocevar, Zane Smith, Grant Enfinger, Tanner Gray and Kaz Grala rounded out the top 10 in qualifying.

With 39 cars making a qualifying attempt, Alex Bowman, driving for Spire Motorsports, failed to make the field after a flat tire cut his qualifying effort short.

The tripleheader weekend fun continues Saturday with a full slate on on-track action, including the XPEL 225 NCTS race, Pit Boss 250 presented by USA TODAY NXS race and NCS qualifying for Sunday’s third running of the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix.

Tickets:

Tickets for the March 24-26 NASCAR at COTA tripleheader weekend are on sale now at NASCARatCOTA.com. Three-day weekend packages for adults including the Darius Rucker pre-race concert start at just $99 and just $10 for kids 12 and under. Further details can be found on the NASCAR at COTA website.

Follow Us:

Keep track of all things NASCAR at COTA by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@NASCARatCOTA). Keep up with all the latest information on the NASCAR at COTA website and mobile app.
March 25, 2023