LOUDON, N.H.: NASCAR Xfinity Series rookie Howie DiSavino III has been waiting more than three months to seek redemption as he returns to competition with Alpha Prime Racing for Saturday afternoon’s Crayon 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

In his Xfinity Series debut at the tough and demanding Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in April, DiSavino III impressed the competition with a stout qualifying performance but was hindered during the Call 811 Before You Dig 250 by a mechanical failure.

Knowing he had the potential to contend for a top-10 finish with his Mooresville, N.C.-based team, he returns to the track aboard his No. 44 Chevrolet Camaro determined to finish what he started more than 90 days ago.

“I have been patiently waiting for my turn to get back behind the wheel,” offered DiSavino III.

“When you don’t compete full-time and you are as hungry as I am to showcase my potential, those days that you wait sometimes feel like years.

“However, the time to get back on track with my Alpha Prime Racing team is almost here and we are ready to finish what we started at Martinsville.”

DiSavino III, 21, has never been to New Hampshire’s “Magic Mile” but he has spent the last couple of months doing what he can to make sure when he climbs aboard his race car for practice on Friday afternoon, he’ll quickly fall in line with the rest of the field.

“Nothing beats actual seat time but taking the time to really improve your craft on iRacing has been important for me and my career,” he said. “I have spent a lot of time on iRacing, spent time watching old races, talking to other drivers, and even looking at photos of the track.

“I don’t want to do anything that is going to put us behind this weekend, so it’s super important to use the short practice to our benefit. If we have a good baseline from practice that should propel us forward for qualifying and the rest of the weekend.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been more ready to get back to the track and prove myself not only to my team but the partners that keep me on the race track.”

ClearCryptos will serve as the primary marketing partner of DiSavino III’s No. 44 Chevrolet Camaro for his second career Xfinity Series start.

ClearCryptos’ goal is to create clarify, accountability, and success to the Crypto marketplace with their unique relationships in technology, government and law enforcement.

In addition to ClearCryptos, Bangor Truck Equipment, Bryson’s 4-Wheel Auto Repair, Coop’s LLC., and The Inside Groove will serve as associate marketing partners on DiSavino’s No. 44 Chevrolet Camaro.

When it comes to the race on Saturday, DiSavino III knows patience will be his best friend, but also knows he has to push it when it comes to getting the best finish possible.

“Of course, there is some pressure on the line for myself on Saturday,” sounded DiSavino III. I want to do well not only for myself, but for the people that support me and my team, but I’m going to remember that I can’t push the envelope too far at New Hampshire because the corners are so flat.

“If our No. 44 ClearCryptos Chevrolet Camaro isn’t the best at the start of the race, I just have to be patient until we can make an adjustment. If I want to contend for a strong finish, I need to be around for the end of the race. If we can avoid any chaos and run a clean race, I think contending for a top-15 finish is certainly achievable and would feel like a win.”

Veteran Cup spotter Clayton Hughes will guide DiSavino from above this weekend as his spotter.

Following New Hampshire, the Chesterfield, Va. native will return to Alpha Prime Racing at Kansas Speedway on Sat., Sept. 10, 2022, followed by Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on Oct. 1, 2022, and the penultimate Xfinity Series race of the season at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway on Oct. 29, 2022.

For more on Howie DiSavino III, please visit howiedisavino.com, like him on Facebook (Howie DiSavino III Racing), follow him on Instagram (HowieDiSavino), TikTok (@howiedisavino3) and Twitter (@hdisavino).

The Crayon 200 (250 laps | 131.5 miles) is the 18th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2022 schedule. Practice begins on Friday, July 15 from 5:05 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Qualifying follows shortly after 5:35 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag on Saturday, July 16 shortly after 2:30 p.m. with live coverage on the USA Network, the Performance Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (ET).

About ClearCryptos:

Headquartered in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with all personnel globally positioned; ClearCryptos is a distributed company with unique relationships in technology, government, and law enforcement. The company is ushering in a new wave of clarity, accountability, and success to the emerging Crypto marketplace through innovation and reinvestment to benefit local and regional economies.

About Alpha Prime Racing:

Alpha Prime Racing is a NASCAR Xfinity Series team owned by Craig and Tommy Joe Martins as well as Alpha Prime Sports Founder and CEO Caesar Bacarella. The team was originally founded in 2009 under the name Martins Racing.

The team announced in 2022 that they will run the No. 44 and No. 45 Camaro’s full-time, with multiple drivers splitting driving duties including Martins, Bacarella, Josh Bilicki, Rajah Caruth, Howie DiSavino III, Ryan Ellis, Kaz Grala, Sage Karam, Andy Lally, Julia Landauer and others.

Herbst Claims Ninth at Atlanta
Monster Energy Driver Scores Third Straight Top-10 Finish

Date: Saturday, July 9
Event: Alsco Uniforms 250 (Round 17 of 33)
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia (1.54-mile oval)
Format: 163 laps, broken into three stages (40 laps/40 laps/83 laps)
Start/Finish: 8th / 9th (Running, completed 163 of 163 laps)
Point Standing: 9th (482 points, 187 out of first)
Race Winner: Austin Hill of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Josh Berry of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Austin Hill of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)

Overview:

Riley Herbst finished ninth in the Alsco Uniforms 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing started eighth in the 163-lap race around the 1.54-mile oval and battled for the lead with fellow Monster Energy driver Ty Gibbs at the start of the final stage on lap 87. Contact sent Gibbs scraping along the outside retaining wall while Herbst dropped back to eighth. Herbst maintained his spot among the top-10 until the race’s final restart on lap 116 when he got hung in the bottom lane and fell to 15th. Undeterred, Herbst used the remainder of the race to climb back into the top-10 where he ultimately finished ninth to score his second straight top-10 at Atlanta.

Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“It was a rough day. Mistakes were made, but I’m still happy that we brought home a ninth-place finish. We had a car that could run up front, but I just lost the lead pack after getting shuffled back. We’ll learn and move onto New Hampshire next weekend.”

Notes:

● Herbst earned his 12th top-10 of the season and his third top-10 in five career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Atlanta.

● This was Herbst’s third consecutive top-10. He finished third June 25 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway and seventh last Saturday at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

● Austin Hill won the Alsco Uniforms 250 to score his second career Xfinity Series victory, his second of the season, and his first at Atlanta. His margin over second-place Josh Berry was .111 of a second.

● There were six caution periods for a total of 28 laps.

● Twenty-two of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

● AJ Allmendinger remains the championship leader after Atlanta with a 29-point advantage over second-place Ty Gibbs.

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the Crayon 200 on Saturday, July 16 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. The race starts at 2:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by USA and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Sheldon Creed and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Team Lead Laps at Atlanta Motor Speedway

Finish: 12th
Start: 15th
Points: 14th

“Our Whelen Chevrolet had speed today. I spun out early but we stayed out at the end of Stage 1 and cycled into the lead. We were able to lead some laps and finished second when the stage ended. We were able to pit with the leaders and were in position to contend for a good finish, but I just didn’t have enough help there toward the end of the race to get to the front. Hopefully, we can bounce back next week at New Hampshire.” -Sheldon Creed

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet Team Take Home the Victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway

Finish: 1st
Start: 5th
Points: 6th

“I grew up racing here at Atlanta Motor Speedway. I raced on the quarter-mile track in bandoleros and legends cars and I have a lot of wins and a lot of memories there. To finally win on the big track means a lot. Back in the spring I ran second and the last two years prior to that I ran second as well. I felt like Atlanta Motor Speedway owed me a win and to finally get it done means a lot. Our Bennett Transportation and Logistics Camaro was as fast as Xfinity internet today, that’s for sure. That was probably one of the best cars I’ve ever had. It was probably a little bit better than the car I had at Daytona when I won. The things I could do with that car and the lines that I could run and whenever I wanted to get to the lead, I felt like I could. Right before that last caution my spotter, Derek Kneeland, said if you can get the lead, I’d like to see you get the lead and just control the race. Two laps later I got a big run coming off of Turn 2 and we set sail from there. I was able to control the lanes and the runs that were coming. My spotter and I were doing a good job controlling the lines. To win at Atlanta, a place that I grew up racing and I grew up an hour down the road, I can’t really put into words what it means. It’s so special. It’s top of the list for wins for me as of right now and something I’ll remember for the rest of my career.” -Austin Hill

TOP-THREE FOR TRUEX’S TOYOTA AT ATLANTA
Ryan Truex Claims Top-Toyota Finish

HAMPTON, Ga. (July 9, 2022) – Ryan Truex finished third in Saturday afternoon’s NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Truex piloted his GR Supra a the lone Toyota in the waning laps of the race behind eventual race-winner and former Toyota driver, Austin Hill.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Race 17 of 33 – 251 miles, 163 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Austin Hill*
2nd, Josh Berry*
3rd, RYAN TRUEX
4th, Tyler Reddick*
5th, Daniel Hemric*
11th, BRANDON JONES
19th, JEFFREY EARNHARDT
35th, TY GIBBS
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

RYAN TRUEX, No. 18 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 3rd

How was your race overall and how do you feel about the third-place finish?

“This place is crazy with this package. I’m just thankful to be in this car. This wasn’t on my schedule and JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing), Toyota and Auto Owners stepped up. To have them on the car with all the success Martin’s (Truex Jr.) had and everything they’ve done for him, it’s really special to me. I was trying to backup and get a run from the 11, but just didn’t have anything for those guys – the top few in front of us, I don’t know if they were more trimmed out or what, but I just could never get that run I needed. Just kind of had to hang out at the top> I was kind of hoping they would have a big jumble in three and four and I was just going to run the top and keep it wide open. Just thankful to be here and hopefully I’ll be back for more.”

What does it say for you as a driver that there isn’t a scratch on this race car?

“I guess I’m a little too patient sometimes. Here’s the thing, I slid through my box twice on pit road and I was so mad at myself. And it’s so hard when you don’t do this a lot. It’s so hard when you don’t do this a lot. I did it the first time and was like, ‘Okay, I’m not going to do it a second time.’ Then I did it the second time. So I was mad at myself and I feel like every time I’m out here in the Xfinity Series, I have something to prove. I know I deserve to be out here. Hopefully this helps and hopefully I’ll be back more with Gibbs.”

When were you hoping to make a move in the closing laps?

“I don’t know, the 21 (Austin Dillon) was so good. I got the lead at one point, but he was just looking for a way around me. He was so fast. I slipped up once off of two and he just turned under me and cleared me all by himself. I think that just shows how strong their car was. We had a good car, but we just didn’t quite have winning speed barring the seas parting on the last lap, which it almost did, it was close. Stevie Reeves (spotter) up top did a good job of just keeping me calm and keeping me disciplined. The big thing there was just don’t give up the top. We saw (Tyler) Reddick make up a lot of spots by going to the top and getting to people’s quarter panels. Really reminds me of truck racing at Michigan, you just can’t give up the top or you’re done and you’re going to the back. Really just a team effort. Spotter means a lot. Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) and these boys do a great job at making good changes. Starting the race I was actually pretty loose and I thought this was going to be a long day. But they fixed it up and got the Auto Owner’s Insurance GR Supra tuned up and rolling fast.”

TY GIBBS, No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 35th

What happened that took you out of the race?

“We had a very fast Monster Energy GR Supra. Honestly, I’m happy about that and thankful to my team for allowing me to be here. And thanks to Toyota for all the stuff they do and we’ll move onto New Hampshire. We had a fast car and just got a little contact and that’s part of it. We’ll just move on and go hammer down.”

From your standpoint, was it the push or just hard racing that ended your race?

“We had a very fast Monster Energy GR Supra. Thank you to Toyota for all the help. We had a good car and the 98 (Riley Herbst) just slid up and wasn’t clear and hooked us in the left front and got me in the wall. Just hard racing and came out on the bad side of it. Luckily, happy to walk out of this place on my feet.”

How disappointing is it to have this happen after winning this race last year?

“It’s disappointing, but you can’t really control speedway racing. Hopefully the fans enjoy it and we’ll get back at it next week at New Hampshire.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 43 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With the more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, more than a quarter of the company’s 2021 North American sales were electrified.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

RILEY HERBST
Atlanta NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

• Event: Alsco Uniforms 250 (Round 17 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, July 9
• Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway
• Layout: 1.54-mile oval
• Time/TV/Radio: 5 p.m. EDT on USA/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• Riley Herbst and the No. 98 Monster Energy team are bringing the heat to Atlanta Motor Speedway for Saturday’s Alsco Uniforms 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race. Fresh off a seventh-place finish last Saturday at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, Herbst has his eye on the trophy this weekend. In the series’ last race on an oval track June 25 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, Herbst earned his second career pole and his second top-three finish of the season.

• The Alsco Uniforms 250 will mark Herbst’s fifth career Xfinity Series start at Atlanta, but just his second on the new layout. The 1.54-mile oval was reconfigured over the winter. The banking was increased from 24 degrees to 28 degrees and the track was narrowed from 55-feet wide to 40-feet wide, and it was all covered in fresh asphalt. The goal of the reconstruction was to recreate the kind of pack-style racing seen at the behemoth, 2.5-mile Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and the even bigger 2.66-mile Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Xfinity Series drivers competed on the new layout for the first time back in March, and it suited Herbst well as he finished fourth – his best result in four Atlanta starts.

• The Alsco Uniforms 250 will mark Herbst’s 93rd career Xfinity Series start. In total, he has 14 top-fives and 45 top-10s dating back to his first career start on June 17, 2018, at Iowa Speedway in Newton, where he finished an impressive sixth as a 19-year-old. In four previous starts at Atlanta, Herbst has scored two top-10s and never finished outside the top-20. Herbst has completed all 662 of the laps available.

• With only 10 races remaining before the Xfinity Series playoffs begin Sept. 24 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Herbst is sitting in solid position to make the 12-driver field. He is currently ninth with 545 points, 136 ahead of Anthony Alfredo, who is the first driver below the cutoff line. So far this season, Herbst has earned five top-fives and 11 top-10s. He’s on track to have a career year, as he has already matched his season-high total of top-fives, first earned last year, and he is only six top-10s away from matching his career high in that category as well, which he accomplished in 2020 (17).

Riley Herbst, Driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

At the last oval track the NASCAR Xfinity Series visited – June 25 at Nashville Superspeedway – you had your strongest overall weekend so far this season. You earned your second career pole and tied your season-best finish of third. Does that help your confidence heading into Atlanta?

“Nashville was a great weekend for everyone on this No. 98 Monster Energy team. We just had a solid day, which is what we need to make it to the playoffs. Every track is different, so you still have to do everything you can to prepare for the weekend. With that said, I think we’re knocking on the door of our first win and, eventually, it’s going to open. We’re focused on improving in every area and I think it’s showing.”

You seemed to take to the new Atlanta configuration when last raced there in March. Not only did you get back on the lead lap after going two laps down, but you earned a top-five finish. What is it about the reconfiguration that suits your driving style?

“Honestly, I think just the sheer speed of the track now. It drives like a superspeedway, which I’ve always been able to perform well at in my career. When we raced there earlier this year, I honestly didn’t know what to expect. We didn’t have a strong qualifying effort and then had some issues with water temperatures. But, ultimately, I was able to race my way up to fourth. I think we’ve grown as a team since then, so I’m excited to head back.”

This is the first time in your career that you’ve raced with the exact same team for a second year. Has that helped your performance this year?

“It helps a lot. I don’t think I’ve had the same crew chief and team from year-to-year since I started in NASCAR, and it’s a struggle when you have to learn an entire new team each year. Richard (Boswell, crew chief), the team, and I were all still figuring each other out last year, but now we have a strong relationship and good communication. I think it shows with our strong performance this season.”

No. 98 Monster Energy Team Roster

Primary Team Members:

Driver: Riley Herbst

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell
Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Car Chief: Matt Noyce
Hometown: Oregon, Wisconsin

Engineer: DJ VanderLey
Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Spotter: Tim Fedewa
Hometown: Holt, Michigan

Over-The-Wall Crew:

Front Tire Changer: Kevin Teaf
Hometown: Tallahassee, Florida

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Davis Sampere
Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina

Fueler: Corey Coppola
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Jackman: Kapil Fletcher
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Road Crew Members:

Truck Driver: Steve Wood
Hometown: Eatontown, New Jersey

Engine Tuner: Willie Pelotte
Hometown: Oakland, Maine

Tire Specialist: Austin Quick
Hometown: Flagstaff, Arizona

JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Atlanta Motor Speedway
RACE: Alsco Uniforms 250 (163 laps / 251 miles)
DATE: Saturday, July 9, 2022

Broadcast Information – TV: 5 p.m. ET on USA / Radio: 4:30 p.m. ET on PRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Sam Mayer
No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer earned his first career top-10 finish in the NASCAR Xfinity Series during his first start at Atlanta Motor Speedway in July of 2021.
• In 15 starts at tracks measuring between 1-2 miles in length in the NXS, Mayer has five top fives and seven top 10s, with a best finish of third at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway earlier this season.
• Mayer raced as high as third during the first event at the newly paved and configured Atlanta before finishing 21st after a cut tire took him out of contention.
• With 10 races before the NXS Playoffs begin, Mayer currently sits 97 points above the playoff cutline.

Josh Berry
No. 8 HarrisonsUSA.com Chevrolet
• In Atlanta earlier this season, Josh Berry started second and led three laps before being involved in a multi-car incident on lap 153.
• Berry started from the back last week at Road America and drove to a third-place finish to earn his seventh top-five finish of the 2022 NXS season.
• In 24 starts on tracks measuring between 1-2 miles in length, Berry has recorded three wins (Charlotte, Dover, Las Vegas), eight top fives and 12 top 10s while leading the field for 288 laps.
• Berry currently sits fifth in the championship standings only 74 markers from first place.

Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• In the first Atlanta race this season, Noah Gragson started from the pole and led 38 laps prior to a pair of incidents that relegated him to a 26th-place finish. It was the first time in five AMS starts that Gragson had not finished in the top 10.
• The 23-year-old Las Vegas native has been stellar at Atlanta, earning finishes of second, third, fourth and ninth and leading 58 laps in his five starts.
• On 1.5-mile tracks in his career, Gragson has 16 top-five and
22 top-10 finishes in 35 starts and has led 470 laps.
• Gragson and the No. 9 team are currently second on the playoff grid and fourth in driver points after 16 races this season.

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier will make his 14th career NXS start at Atlanta this weekend.
• In 13 previous races at the 1.54-mile quad-oval, Allgaier has earned one win, three top fives and eight top 10s.
• Allgaier’s lone victory came in March of 2021, after the JRM driver led 47 of the final 50 laps.
• The Illinois native has finished seventh or better in five of the last six races at Atlanta dating back to 2018.
• In his NXS career, Allgaier has scored 10 wins, 65 top fives and 128 top 10s in 207 starts on tracks between 1 and 2 miles in length, with his most recent victory coming two weeks ago at Nashville Superspeedway

Driver Quotes

“We had a really good run going earlier this year in Atlanta but a cut tire really cost us a good finish. We were able to get back on the lead lap but it was just too late at that point. This Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions team never gave up. I know we will have another fast Camaro this weekend, we just need a little luck to go our way.” – Sam Mayer

“It’s going to be interesting heading back to Atlanta this weekend. It’s our second race on this new configuration and I feel like we learned a lot here back in March. This place definitely races more like a superspeedway now, so I know that we are going to have a ton of speed out of our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet. Hopefully we can find ourselves in the right position on Saturday afternoon and avoid any trouble out there to be in contention for the win when it counts.” – Justin Allgaier

“Atlanta is a track that hasn’t been good for me in the past. I don’t think I’ve had an uneventful race there yet but I know this HarrisonsUSA.com team is going to unload with a fast No. 8 Chevrolet on Friday. Hopefully I can stay out of anything that happens and be contending for the win at the end. With the new configuration really anything can happen and we saw that earlier this year.” – Josh Berry

“We were fast at Atlanta in the spring, and I have no doubt we’ll be fast again this weekend. Luke (Lambert, crew chief) and our team have given me great Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolets, and we were in strong position in the first race at Atlanta. We’re 10 races from the playoffs starting, and now is the time to build momentum.” – Noah Gragson

JRM Team Updates:

• JR Motorsports at Atlanta: JR Motorsports has competed at Atlanta Motor Speedway a combined 51 times in the NXS. Over the course of these 51 starts at the 1.54-mile facility, JRM has tallied four wins (two with Kevin Harvick, and one each with Justin Allgaier and Jamie McMurray), 16 top fives and 32 top 10s. JRM’s most recent win came with Allgaier during the 2021 season. The average finish for JRM at Atlanta is 10.7 which ranks as the fourth best single-track average for the organization.
• Harrison’s USA: When Josh Berry finishes inside of the top eight, head on over to harrisonsusa.com and use code “Josh8” to receive eight percent off your online order.
• Atlanta Fan Stage: JRM driver Sam Mayer will be at the Atlanta Fan Stage in the Fan Zone on Saturday, July 9 from 2:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
• Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Justin Allgaier and Josh Berry will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports/Hendrick Motorsports souvenir rig on Saturday, July 9 starting at 1 p.m.

GIBBS EARNS VICTORY IN OVERTIME DUEL AT ROAD AMERICA

Ty Gibbs gets past Kyle Larson on the final lap to earn his fourth win this season

ELKHART LAKE, Wisc. (July 2, 2022) – Ty Gibbs earned his series-leading fourth win of the season with an impressive and clean last lap pass on the reigning Cup Series champion Kyle Larson in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Road America on Saturday evening. Gibbs was joined in the top-five by his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Brandon Jones (fifth).

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Road America
Race 16 of 33 – 182.16 miles, 45 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, TY GIBBS
2nd, Kyle Larson*
3rd, Josh Berry*
4th, Austin Hill*
5th, BRANDON JONES
18th, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
24th, SAMMY SMITH
38th, WILL RODGERS
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

TY GIBBS, No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 1st

Can you walk me through the battle and the pass?

“First off all, all glory to God. My team is awesome. We have the best people. Thank you to my team. My pit crew did awesome – fantastic job today. Thank you to Monster Energy for being on our Supra, Interstate Batteries too. I had a fun times racing there, but I’m glad to take home a win. This is a cool place to win.”

What was going through your mind on the last lap?

“It’s part of it. We have to put on a good show for the fans – that’s what we are doing here. It was a great race with Kyle (Larson), so happy to be here with the win.”

How did you beat a Cup Series champion in a head-to-head battle?

“I don’t know. I just want to say all glory to Jesus Christ. Thank you to my team, Monster Energy. I had a fun time racing with Kyle (Larson). I thought it was going to get a little rough there, but he’s such a great competitor and a great person. We played golf the other day – I want to tell him thanks for the golf lessons. I still suck. This is awesome. I can’t believe it. It’s wonderful.”

How did you make that pass?

“I felt like we were a little bit faster in the first half of the track. The last two sectors, I felt like we were not as fast. I feel like right now I need to earn respect back and that’s what I’m doing. I feel like I’ve got my lessons – just got to learn and not make mistakes. I made plenty off them today, I could have lost the race on that one restart, so thankful to get this one back, but I still have to work on the restarts – the first initial and the next-to-last.”

Your crew chief put you in the right mindset going into that last restart. What did that mean?

“It’s awesome. I just stayed the same the whole time. Hopefully a lot of people were watching. It’s cool to be here, cool to race the Cup Series guys. Hopefully that says something. Thankful for where I’m at.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 43 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With the more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, more than a quarter of the company’s 2021 North American sales were electrified.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

RILEY HERBST
Road America NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
No. 98 Henry Repeating Arms Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

• Event: Henry 180 (Round 16 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, July 2
• Location: Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
• Layout: 4.048-mile, 14-turn road course
• Time/TV/Radio: 2:30 p.m. EDT on USA/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• At 4.048 miles in length, Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, is the longest track on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule. Momentum is key when navigating its 14 turns, and before he even turns a wheel on the road course located 65 miles north of Milwaukee, Riley Herbst comes into Saturday’s Henry 180 with plenty of momentum. In the series’ last race at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, Herbst won the pole and scored a strong third-place finish to tie his best result so far this season, as he also finished third five races ago at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. Herbst has five top-five finishes already this season to equal his top-five tally from all of last year.

• Herbst will represent Henry Repeating Arms in the Henry 180. The 2022 NASCAR season marks Henry Repeating Arms’ fourth year with Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) and its second with Herbst. The American manufacturer of classic rifles and shotguns is a world leader in the lever-action category and is a loyal customer of Haas Automation, whose founder, Gene Haas, co-owns SHR with Tony Stewart. With an array of Haas CNC equipment, Henry Repeating Arms makes more than 300,000 rifles and shotguns annually from its headquarters in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, and at its second manufacturing facility in Bayonne, New Jersey.

• While Road America is akin to having a road course inside a state park, last year’s Henry 180 was no walk in the park for Herbst. The Las Vegas-native was forced to start at the rear of the 36-car field after an accident in practice sent him to a backup racecar. Undaunted, Herbst wheeled his No. 98 Ford Mustang into the top-20 after only five laps and, by the end of the first stage, he was 10th. When the final stage got underway on lap 22, Herbst restarted in eighth and broke into the top-five just one lap later. When the 45th and final lap clicked off the board, Herbst crossed the stripe in seventh.

• The Henry 180 will mark Herbst’s 92nd career Xfinity Series start and his third at Road America. He started fifth and finished 23rd in his first Xfinity Series start at the track in 2020 before delivering a seventh-place drive last year. In total, Herbst has earned 14 top-fives and 44 top-10s. His best Xfinity Series finish is second, earned twice – February 2020 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, and July 2020 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta.

• Herbst has one start outside of the Xfinity Series at Road America – a lone ARCA Menards Series start in August 2017. The then 18-year-old driver earned a runner-up finish during his first season in the series where he scored a win along with six top-fives and 10 top-10s in 19 starts.

Riley Herbst, Driver of the No. 98 Henry Repeating Arms Ford Mustang

You’re welcoming back Henry Repeating Arms to your No. 98 Ford Mustang on Saturday for the Henry 180. Talk about what the support of different sponsors means to you and your career.

“Excited to have Henry Repeating Arms back on my Ford Mustang this weekend. We didn’t get them the finish that we wanted to at Darlington last year, so I’m ready to give them a better finish at Road America. I’m grateful for their support and that they’re letting me run their paint scheme during the Henry 180. A win would be the biggest ‘thank you’ that I could give them. Let’s get the job done.”

You scored a runner-up finish in the ARCA Menards Series race at Road America in 2017 and finished seventh in last year’s Henry 180. Do you feel like there’s some unfinished business there?

“Not really. You never want to finish second as a racecar driver, but we outperformed our car back in 2017 after making some mistakes at the beginning of the race. Last year, we had a rough start to the race weekend after wrecking in practice, but we were able to battle all the way from the back to get a top-10 finish. I think if we can make it through the weekend without any mistakes and stay out of trouble, we can be in contention for the win at the end. We have the speed.”

The last road-course race at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway didn’t end like you had hoped, but you showed speed and ran third for a majority of the first stage until an incident. Do you feel like the team as a whole has improved on road courses over the past year?

“I definitely think we’ve improved. I made a mistake in Portland that put us back in the pack and then got involved in an incident, but we had the speed before that. I was more frustrated with myself than anything. Overall, though, we’ve been working on our road-course races and I think we’ve been improving. We just need to put a whole race together without any mistakes and I feel like we can do that at Road America.”

No. 98 Henry Repeating Arms Team Roster

Primary Team Members:

Driver: Riley Herbst
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell
Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Car Chief: Matt Noyce
Hometown: Oregon, Wisconsin

Engineer: DJ VanderLey
Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Spotter: Tim Fedewa
Hometown: Holt, Michigan

Over-The-Wall Crew:

Front Tire Changer: Kevin Teaf
Hometown: Tallahassee, Florida

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Davis Sampere
Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina

Fueler: Corey Coppola
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Jackman: Kapil Fletcher
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Road Crew Members:

Truck Driver: Steve Wood
Hometown: Eatontown, New Jersey

Engine Tuner: Willie Pelotte
Hometown: Oakland, Maine

Tire Specialist: Austin Quick
Hometown: Flagstaff, Arizona

JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Road America
RACE: Henry 180 (45 laps / 182.16 miles)
DATE: Saturday, July 2, 2022

Broadcast Information – TV: 2:30 p.m. ET on USA / Radio: 2 p.m. ET on MRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Sam Mayer
No. 1 Jockey/Accelerate Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer, a native of Franklin, Wis., heads to his home track of Road America as he makes his second start at the 4.048-mile road course.
• Mayer continued his hot streak last week in Nashville as he has now finished in the top five in eight of the last 10 NASCAR Xfinity Series races dating back to COTA in March.
• With last week’s top-five finish, Mayer has the second-most top fives (8) in the NXS, one shy of teammate Noah Gragson’s series-leading nine.

Josh Berry
No. 8 Military Appreciation Chevrolet
• Josh Berry heads to Road America this weekend where he’ll make his first start at the 4.048-mile road course.
• In three starts on road courses in the NXS, Berry has one top five and two top 10s. His best finish of fourth came earlier this season at Portland International Raceway.
• Chevrolet is the primary partner this weekend as the No. 8 team runs a special red, white and blue patriotic military scheme to celebrate the July 4 weekend.
• Berry’s average finish of 13.0 on road courses is the best of any style track in the NXS for the 31-year-old.

Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson heads to Road America this weekend with a pair of top-10 road-course finishes on his resume this season. The Nevada native was fourth at COTA and ninth at Portland.
• Over his career on road courses in the NXS, Gragson has logged eight top-five and 14 top-10 finishes, including fourth-, sixth- and ninth-place efforts at Road America.
• Gragson has been a winner on road courses in his NASCAR career, earning victories in three NASCAR K&N Pro Series West races.

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier makes the return to Road America fresh off a trip to Victory Lane last weekend in Nashville.
• In 10 previous starts in Elkhart Lake, Allgaier has scored one win, two top fives and five top 10s.
• Allgaier’s lone victory at the 4.048-mile road course came in 2018 after the veteran driver started 11th and led 14 laps en route to the win.
• Overall, in 41 starts in his NXS career on road courses, Allgaier has earned three wins, 12 top fives and 25 top 10s.

Miguel Paludo
No. 88 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• Miguel Paludo, a native of Nova Prata, Brazil, returns to JRM and the No. 88 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet this weekend in Road America.
• Paludo scored a ninth-place finish in his first 2022 start for JRM at COTA earlier this season.
• In four previous starts for JRM in the NXS, the seven-time and defending Porsche Carrera Cup Champion has scored a best finish of seventh, coming at the road course at Daytona International Speedway in 2021.
• Paludo has made one previous start at Road America in the NXS, coming in 2012.

Driver Quotes

“It will be great to head home this week and see some family and friends I normally wouldn’t get to see. This race last year didn’t really go as planned but I know this Jockey team is going to unload a car on Friday that has a lot of speed and hopefully we can continue our streak of finishing towards the front.” – Sam Mayer

“Road America has always been a track that I’ve enjoyed being at and a place where JR Motorsports has had a lot of speed. We had a strong run in Portland and I feel like we can have that same speed again this weekend. It’s a big weekend for BRANDT with Miguel (Paludo) returning as well, so hopefully we can both be up front and battling for the win on Saturday.” – Justin Allgaier

“It’s my first time heading to Road America but we have been in the sim practicing this place so I am ready to go when we practice on Friday. Having that extra seat time during practice will help out big time for this Chevrolet team. We’ve put Nashville behind us and we’re heading into this weekend with a lot of confidence that we will have a good run.” – Josh Berry

“We’ve had good speed on road courses in our Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet, and we’ve always run well at Road America. It’s a big place, but it’s fast and it’s fun. As we get into the heat of the summer, this is where we can build for the playoff run, and we’re really clicking as a team thanks to Luke (Lambert, crew chief) and all the guys.” – Noah Gragson

“It feels great to get back behind the wheel of this No. 88 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet and I can’t thank everyone at BRANDT and JR Motorsports enough. Hopefully we can keep our car clean all race long and be in contention for the win in the end. I can’t wait to get there and see what we can do.” – Miguel Paludo

JRM Team Update:

• JR Motorsports at Road America: JR Motorsports has competed at Road America a combined 37 times in the NXS. Over the course of those starts at the 4.048-mile facility, the organization has tallied one win, 10 top fives and 20 top 10s. Justin Allgaier brought home the lone win for the organization during the 2018 season after leading 14 laps.
• Benefitting the Gary Sinise Foundation: During the Summer for Heroes Giving Campaign from June 1 – August 31, Tire Pros customers can donate an amount of their choice on the designated Gary Sinise Foundation donation page. Their goal is to raise $1.5 million to support our nation’s heroes. Donate now.
• Jockey: To support local communities and deliver the comfort you deserve, Jockey’s Made in America collection is 100 percent grown and
sewn right here at home. Shop the 4th of July Flash Deals now. Use code: Jockey20 for 20 percent off your entire order.
• Spicy Mayo: Hellmann’s Spicy Mayonnaise Dressing is proudly made with real, simple ingredients like real chili peppers, cage-free eggs, oil and vinegar. This spicy mayo is the ideal condiment for spicing up wraps, adding flavor to sandwiches, grilling juicy burgers, mixing creamy dips, and preparing fresh salads. Deliciously Spicy, 100% Hellmann’s. Try a new recipe today.