CONNOR MOSACK
Portland NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
No. 18 OpenEyes.net Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing

NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

• Event: Pacific Office Automation 147 (Round 14 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, June 4
• Location: Portland (Ore.) International Raceway
• Layout: 1.967-mile, 12-turn road course
• Time/TV/Radio: 4:30 p.m. EDT on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Connor Mosack Notes of Interest

• “Hello, My Name Is…”: Connor Mosack will make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in the Pacific Office Automation 147 Saturday at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway. The 23-year-old racer from Charlotte, North Carolina, comes to the Xfinity Series from the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli where he competes in the TA2 division. Mosack has made 22 starts in “America’s Road-Racing Series” and is currently in his second fulltime TA2 season. As a rookie in 2021, Mosack scored four podium finishes in his final eight races, including a breakthrough win Sept. 12 at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International to secure third in the championship standings. It was an impressive drive considering that all but two of the series’ 10 tracks were new to Mosack. In the six races run thus far in 2022, Mosack has scored two poles and earned a best finish of second March 19 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval. Mosack’s next TA2 race is June 26 at the Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course in Lexington, Ohio, site of his first career TA2 podium.

• How It All Started: Mosack played football and lacrosse in middle school and high school, and it wasn’t until he was 18 that his racing career began. He started in Legends cars and after winning five championships, he transitioned to Late Model stock cars in 2019. He ran the full Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour in 2020, winning the rookie-of-the-year title. Mosack augmented his Late Model schedule with four TA2 races in late 2020 before committing to TA2 fulltime in 2021 while also competing in select ARCA Menards Series races. “For me, seat time is really the most important thing, and experience in just about any car is really helpful,” Mosack said. “Knowing you can be fast in the Trans Am Series gives you the confidence that you can drive fast and be competitive in other series. That’s my biggest takeaway as I get ready for my Xfinity Series debut at Portland.”

• Oh, the Places You’ll Go!: Mosack balanced a burgeoning racing career with a college education. On May 8, 2021, Mosack walked across the stage at High Point (N.C.) University and accepted his diploma. In his four years at High Point, Mosack was very much like the athletes at his school, but instead of competing on a hardcourt or field of green like the High Point Panthers, Mosack made his mark on asphalt. With his degree in business entrepreneurship in one hand and his helmet in the other, Mosack continues to put his education to use, working at Interstate Foam & Supply, focusing on the company’s business development. “I had several very good professors at High Point, and lot of it for me was business advice that can be applied to racing, not really behind the wheel, per se, but as a driver trying to find sponsors or talking with teams,” Mosack said. “I think there were definitely helpful moments there. I feel that’s been the biggest help about going to a good university like High Point, understanding that side of the sport more. I think that will help me find and support sponsorships for later in my career and always be with good teams. It’s important to work well with them in addition to just being their driver.”

• Eyes Wide Open: Serving as the primary sponsor of Mosack’s No. 18 Toyota GR Supra is OpenEyes.net. Open Eyes is a global impact ministry co-founded by Frank Harrison, Chairman and CEO of Coca-Cola Consolidated, and his son James Harrison, who passed away while serving in Kenya in 2010. James’ mission to serve others selflessly continues today through the Open Eyes Mobile Messengers program and its relief and development efforts around the world, including Ukraine and the Middle East. Mosack has firsthand knowledge of Open Eyes’ mission, as he volunteered with the group in Africa during the summer of 2017, visiting Rwanda and Uganda. “The time I spent with Open Eyes in Africa was probably one of the most impactful moments of my life,” Mosack said. “Its name speaks for itself because it did open my eyes to how people live in other areas of the world and how having purpose, along with someone they can lean on for strength and support, can make a difference in their everyday lives.”

• The Art of Racing in the Rain: This 2008 novel by American author Gart Stein sat on the New York Times’ bestseller list for 156 weeks, and its film adaptation was released in 2019 with Kevin Costner providing the voice of Enzo. Beyond the title, racing in the rain is a real thing when it comes to road-course racing, and a very likely thing when it comes to racing on the 1.967-mile, 12-turn road course that is Portland International Raceway. The flat, clockwise circuit is located in the Pacific Northwest, an area prone to rain. On average, Portland sees rain 156 days a year, and that average will seemingly get bolstered this weekend during the Pacific Office Automation 147. Rain is in the forecast for Saturday’s inaugural Xfinity Series race, and the likelihood that rain tires and windshield wipers will be used is high. That’s no problem for Mosack, who has driven in the wet before. In fact, in Mosack’s first TA2 outing at Virginia International Raceway near Alton in September 2020, he qualified in the rain, earning an impressive fifth-place starting spot. And in last year’s Memorial Day weekend event at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut, Mosack again qualified in the rain, earning a third-place grid position. Most importantly, Mosack has recent experience at Portland in the rain. Three weeks ago, albeit in a much different kind of racecar – a “Late Model stock-type car” as Mosack described, but still a racecar – Mosack turned approximately 30 laps on a wet Portland layout. While Mosack will be making his first Xfinity Series start this weekend, it will not be his first time racing in the rain if that 97 percent chance of precipitation on Saturday holds true.

• “Let’s Play Two!”: Baseball great Ernie Banks would definitely be a Connor Mosack fan. The affable Hall of Famer who played for the Chicago Cubs is credited with the saying, “Let’s play two,” as he enjoyed the game so much that his serial belief was why play one game when you could play two? Mosack is of the same mindset. In addition to competing in the Xfinity Series race at Portland, Mosack is also competing in the ARCA Menards Series West race. It will be Mosack’s fourth ARCA race of the season and the seventh of his career between the West and East divisions. However, it will be his first ARCA race on a road course. Mosack has finished among the top-10 in all of his ARCA races this year, and among the top-five in his last two ARCA starts, the most recent of which came May 27 at the 1.5-mile Charlotte Motor Speedway oval where he finished a career-best fourth.

• Racing Rewind: Last weekend proved to be a busy one for Mosack. He competed in the ARCA race Friday night at Charlotte and after finishing fourth, jetted up to Lime Rock Saturday morning for the TA2 race. Competing in the two races meant that Mosack had to forgo practice and qualifying his TA2 car at Lime Rock to practice, qualify and race his ARCA car at Charlotte. As such, Mosack had to start last in the 32-car field Saturday at Lime Rock. With no prior seat time, Mosack picked off 17 cars to finish 15th in the 68-lap race around the 1.478-mile,seven-turn road course.

Connor Mosack, Driver of the No. 18 OpenEyes.net Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing

Portland seems like the ideal place to make your Xfinity Series debut – it’s a road course and it plays to your background in Trans Am; there aren’t any pit stops, so one less thing to learn on the fly; and it’s a standalone event so no NASCAR Cup Series drivers will be in the field. Were those the factors that led to Portland serving as your first Xfinity Series start?

“For sure. All those things were things we thought about going into it, but it ended up being the only one schedule-wise that I could do. I think it worked out well and it turned out probably being the best one I could’ve done.”

Have you competed at Portland at any point in your career?

“I got to run a Late Model stock-type car around there, obviously set up for a road course, but it rained the whole time I was there. We had some old rain tires, but it was really slick. Still, I got to see the place in-person, and if it rains while we’re out there for the Xfinity race, I feel like I’ll have a little bit of an advantage.”

As a TA2 rookie in 2021, all but two of the series’ 10 tracks were new to you. What did you do to learn those tracks before you arrived for the race?

“I think simulator time is really important going to a new road course. Learning the corners and at least knowing the place 80 to 90 percent of the way before you get there really helps speed up the learning curve. I feel like if you’re seeing it for the first time, you really waste the first session you’re out there because you don’t get to work on any speed, you’re just trying to find where to put the car. So you know that going in and, watching some in-car videos, even if it’s another kind of car from there – I’ve been able to watch some of the TA2 races there and I think it’s really helpful knowing the best lines and that sort of thing. I did the simulator with JGR and did some setup stuff so I feel like I’m pretty prepared going into it.”

While the Xfinity Series car is new to you, does the car itself feel somewhat familiar because of its similarities to a TA2 car and the ARCA Menards Series cars you’ve driven?

“At the end of the day, you’ve still got the steering wheel and the pedals and the shifter at your controls. You just have to apply those tools a little bit differently. Adapting to a new car and a new track is something I’m used to doing.”

Beyond the obvious fact that Trans Am is a series based on road courses, what are some of the key experiences you’ve picked up in Trans Am that you feel will benefit you at Portland?

“I think the most helpful things I’ve gotten from Trans Am, aside from laps on road courses, is just that the top guys in that series are really strong and have years of road-racing experience. They’ve schooled me a couple of times over the last few races and I’ve been able to learn from each of those things and learn to not repeat those mistakes. It’s made me a much better racer around those guys, and I think that will correlate going against guys who are really experienced in the Xfinity Series.”

You’ve been mentored in Trans Am by the father-and-son duo of Scott Lagasse Sr. and Scott Lagasse Jr. What is some of the best advice they’ve given you and is there anything specific they’ve told you about Portland?

“Both Scotty and Scott Sr., have been very helpful to me. I definitely wouldn’t be the road-course racer that I am without the two of them. They both have their own ways and their own experiences that they’ve been able to apply to me, and I think just overall, they’ve really helped me understand how to put a whole race together, a whole race weekend together. Even certain scenarios in the race, they’ve taught me how to approach them and be able to see these situations coming before they actually happen so I’m ready for them. Kind of when to be aggressive, when to let them go, those are things that I’ve made mistakes on in the past. So whenever stuff like that happens, they’ll sit down with me and be like, ‘Hey, this is what you did wrong, this is what you should do,’ and it makes it really easy to understand and apply going forward.”

Joe Gibbs Racing is one of the powerhouse teams in NASCAR with plenty of wins and championships in its more than 30-year history. Talk about the opportunity to make your Xfinity Series debut with this team and the resources that are available to you.

“It’s one of the best road-course cars in the field, so I know the speed will be there and the car will be there. That makes it easier to work on me and not have to worry about what I’m driving. I can just go out there and get up to speed at my pace knowing the car will be there and not worry about having to get every ounce of speed out of it right away.”

Jason Ratcliff is a very experienced crew chief, both in terms of preparing winning cars and calling winning race strategies, but also in developing young drivers. How helpful is it to have that experience in your ear now and throughout the Portland race weekend?

“Jason does a great job and he has a ton of experience, so I’ve been able to learn from him already, before we even go to the track. Even in the simulator, we’ve made some great changes, so I’m just really looking forward to working with him and the rest of those guys.”

You’ve only been racing for six years now, but you’ve accomplished a lot in those six years. Did the 18-year-old you think you’d ever be driving an Xfinity Series car for Joe Gibbs Racing?

“Absolutely not. The first year I ever drove something was really just a blur and I really didn’t know much of anything. Year two, we started to kind of get the hang of things and understand where we could go and what it would take. We’ve been kind of building on that ever since.”

You seem to constantly challenge and push yourself – Legends cars to Late Models to TA2 cars to ARCA and now, the Xfinity Series. Where does this drive come from?

“Growing up, I’ve always been into cars – racecars, street cars – but I never really thought racing was something realistic for me. I didn’t know anybody in the sport, and nobody in my family had ever raced. I didn’t know that anybody could just show up at a local racetrack and rent somebody’s car, or buy their own racecar and go out there and run it. So when that was introduced to me, I thought it was really cool, and I got to get a little taste of it, and that’s when I really fell in love with it. Once we kind of knew that was an option, we decided to pursue it to see where it could go.”

Portland will mean balancing your competiveness with your desire to learn. What do you want to get out of the race weekend, and what would you consider a successful outing?

“With it being my first race, I think success would be to run all the laps and be in the top-10 for most of the race. But I think the primary goal is to keep the car on the track and don’t do anything that’s too aggressive or try to overdrive the car, especially in my first race just getting up to speed. I think the plan is to stay in the race until the end, and if we have a shot, we’ll go for it.”

JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Portland International Raceway
RACE: Pacific Office Automation 147 (75 laps / 147.52 miles)
DATE: Saturday, June 4, 2022

Broadcast Information – TV: 4:30 p.m. ET on FS1 / Radio: 4 p.m. ET on MRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Sam Mayer
No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer will make his sixth start on a road course in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this weekend at Portland International Raceway. Mayer’s best finish of fifth on a road course came earlier this year at Circuit of the Americas.
• Mayer’s third-place finish last week at Charlotte Motor Speedway has extended the 18-year-old’s streak of top-five finishes to four in a row, dating back to Dover Motor Speedway.
• In Mayer’s last eight starts in the NXS, he has finished in the top five seven times and holds an average finish of 7.1 in those starts.

Josh Berry
No. 8 Tire Pros Chevrolet
• Josh Berry has made two starts in the NXS at road-course facilities with a best finish of eighth coming at Mid-Ohio last season.
• Berry paced the field for a race-high 89 laps last week in Charlotte en route to his second victory of the season. The 31-year-old’s margin of victory was a whopping 18 seconds over second-place.
• The Hendersonville, Tenn. native sits comfortably in fifth in the championship standings and has closed the gap to only 60 markers from the leader. Berry also holds the third-most playoff points with 14.

Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• In 16 career NXS starts on road courses, Noah Gragson has eight top-five and 13 top-10 finishes, with a best result of second at the Charlotte Roval in 2020.
• Gragson ranks second in series points following a fourthplace run last week at Charlotte. With two victories so far this season, he is solidly in the NXS Playoffs.
• Gragson has been a winner on road courses in his NASCAR career, earning victories in three NASCAR K&N Pro Series West races.
• In the lone road-course start this season, Gragson earned a fourth-place result at COTA in March.

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier has made 40 career NXS starts on roadcourses heading into this weekend’s inaugural event at Portland.
• In those 40 starts, Allgaier has amassed three wins, 11 top fives, 24 top 10s and an average finish of 12.9.
• Two of Allgaier’s three road-course victories came with JRM during the 2018 season at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Road America. The other came at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal in 2012.
• Allgaier enters this weekend on the strength of four consecutive top 10s, a victory at Darlington Raceway and a combined 239 laps led dating back to Dover in April.

Driver Quotes

“We’ve been putting together some really strong runs the last couple months and hopefully we can continue that this weekend in Portland. I really enjoy road course racing and have a lot of experience at these style of tracks with the TA2 car I ran for a few years, so hopefully I can use what I have learned and try to snag the first win for this Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions team.” – Sam Mayer

“Portland is going to be a unique challenge this weekend. Hopefully, our past experiences on the road courses will work out to our advantage when we unload for practice on Friday. I’m confident that we will have another fast BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet and if we can just avoid any potential trouble and keep the car on the track all day long, I feel like we will be up front and in contention for the win on Saturday.” – Justin Allgaier

“Road course races are ones that I have had circled on my calendar just because I have very little experience at these types of races and it’ll help show what I have learned in these cars. A few of us came out to Portland a few weeks ago to check out the track and to get familiar with the layout, so hopefully the little extra work will help in these Xfinity cars. I’m definitely excited for it.” – Josh Berry

“I’m excited to get to Portland and see what we can do with the Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet. I love racing on road courses and have had good success, so adding Portland to the schedule is another opportunity to earn points and maybe a victory. We’ve been on kind of a roll lately, and going someplace new like Portland means everyone will start from the same place. I’m looking forward to it.” – Noah Gragson

JRM Team Update

• JR Motorsports at Portland: The NASCAR Xfinity Series heads to Portland International Raceway for the inaugural event at the 1.98- mile facility located in the Pacific Northwest. JRM has made a total of 162 combined starts at road courses in the NXS and has earned four wins, 39 top fives and 84 top 10s. JRM’s most recent road course win came with Justin Allgaier wheeling the No. 7 to Victory Lane at Road America in 2018.
• 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.
• Tire Pros: How Do You Know When You Need New Tires? For those with the DIY spirit, here is what you need to know. Prefer to leave the tire evaluations to the experts? Stop into any Tire Pros location for a free tire condition consultation.
• Vote Now: A passion of Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris, Big Cedar Lodge, America’s premier wilderness resort located in the heart of Missouri’s Ozark Mountains, is thrilled to once again be included in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. Vote now for your favorite travel experiences and be entered to win the trip of a lifetime.

ClearCryptos and Alpha Prime Racing announce an associate partnership running through the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity racing season

San Juan, Puerto Rico., May 30th, 2022 /PRNewswire/” Alpha Prime Racing is proud to announce today that ClearCryptos has become an associate sponsor of Alpha Prime’s No.44 Chevy Camaro debuting at Portland International Raceway, Saturday, June 4th, 2022 with driver Andy Lally. The new partnership launches with a full primary sponsorship of Lally’s No.44 Camaro in Portland, displaying a sharp black and green scheme, with secondary sponsorship from Pavilion Construction. ClearCryptos’ goal is to create clarify, accountability, and success to the Cyrpto marketplace with their unique relationships in technology, government, and law enforcement. Fans can discover more about ClearCryptos at https://clearcryptos.com.

Joseph Gonzalez, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for ClearCryptos stated, “ClearCryptos leverages security, traditional finance, and trusted technology within the utility of blockchain. Our platform allows consumers to engage with established companies through ClearCryptos strategic partner matrix. Users can access resources to proactively manage a rapidly evolving market.” Mr. Gonzalez added, “ClearCryptos provides world-class support to investors to win their race to financial prosperity much in the same way pit crews support their drivers to win the race on the track. The synergy of our partnership with Alpha Prime Racing brings trust and confidence to this segment and we look forward to providing our users the ability to operate at elite levels”

Tommy Joe Martins, Team Manager of Alpha Prime Racing, said of the new partnership, “We’re extremely excited to have this partnership with ClearCryptos. To kick off this relationship at Portland [International Raceway] with a driver like Andy Lally behind the wheel is a big deal to our team. We know that Andy will be up there competing for a top-10 and we’re hopeful and confident that this will be a great partnership heading forward. Very thankful for Joseph, and everyone’s elses support at ClearCryptos and I hope we can build this relationship into 2023 and beyond.

Tune in information: Catch the ClearCryptos No.44 in Portland as it takes to the track for practice and qualifying Friday, June 3rd. Coverage begins at 8pm ET on FS1. Saturday’s race coverage begins at 4pm ET on FS1 and fans can follow Alpha Prime Racing and driver Andy Lally on social media for more information, coverage, and updates!

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, Ryan Ellis, Josh Bilicki, Rajah Caruth, Sage Karam, Howie DiSavino, Kaz Grala, Andy Lally, and others TBA.

GIBBS DRIVES THROUGH THE FIELD TO FINISH SECOND IN CHARLOTTE
Ty Gibbs earns his fifth top-five finish of the season

CHARLOTTE (May 28, 2022) – After starting 36th due to an incident in practice, Ty Gibbs (second) drove through the field to lead Toyota with a runner-up finish in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday afternoon.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Race 13 of 33 – 300 miles, 200 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Josh Berry*
2nd, TY GIBBS
3rd, Sam Mayer*
4th, Noah Gragson*
5th, Ryan Preece*
9th, TREVOR BAYNE
16th, BRANDON JONES
37th, JEFFREY EARNHARDT
38th, TIMMY HILL
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

TY GIBBS, No. 54 Reser’s Fine Foods Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 2nd

How close were you to having a perfect day after having to start in the back of the field?

“We were just a little slower than those guys and I was too tight center. Our guys worked really hard overnight to get this thing ready so I’m very thankful to my guys. Just need to be able to rotate the center of the corner, that’s where we were lacking the most and that’s where we got beat. But we held onto a second-place finish. We’ll take that – solid day.”

Is this a satisfying day with this finish?

“No, never satisfied unless you win and you can make mistakes and win too, but you have to fix those. If not, then you shouldn’t be here.”

How was passing on the race track and how did the resin come in on the top groove?

“I still think the resin, I just don’t really like it at race tracks like this to put on a good show. I really don’t think we need any, but we have to make it happen and we did. The resin was nice, better than the PJ1. It was cool to run the top, but three and four is just so rough with all the sealer that they put down. Just making sure your car is setup to get through there. If you lose the nose through the bumps then you’ll hit the wall and you don’t want to do that. Need to make sure your car is free enough to get through there.”

#

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

NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

• Event: Alsco Uniforms 300 (Round 13 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, May 28
• Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway
• Layout: 1.5-mile oval
• Time/TV/Radio: 1 p.m. EDT on FS1/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• While Riley Herbst is a Las Vegas native, the 23-year-old now calls Charlotte, North Carolina, home. The driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing moved to the Queen City when he was 17, taking his family name from the deserts of the southwest to the asphalt tracks of NASCAR. The third-generation racer began racing go-karts at age 5, competing in events up and down the West Coast. He soon followed in his family’s footsteps, transitioning to off-road racing in 2006 where his grandfather, Jerry, and uncles Tim and Ed, and father Troy, are all Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame inductees for being championship-winning off-road racers. But by age 10, Herbst sought a return to pavement. It began with Legends cars before moving up to Speed Trucks and Super Late Models, where in 2015 Herbst was a regular at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway, running both classes and winning the Speed Trucks track championship. That set the stage for Herbst’s NASCAR path as he competed in the K&N Pro Series beginning in 2016, a developmental league regionally split into two divisions – K&N Pro Series East and K&N Pro Series West. Herbst ran the full Pro Series West schedule, scoring seven top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. He made three Pro Series East starts and finished among the top-10 each time. Herbst advanced to the ARCA Menards Series in 2017 and won his first career ARCA race June 9 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. His scored his career-first pole a week prior at Elko (Minn.) Speedway, and his six top-fives and 10 top-10s on the year earned him the series’ rookie-of-the-year title. Another season of ARCA followed in 2018 with Herbst tallying eight top-fives and 15 top-10s. He complemented that ARCA campaign with a smattering of races across the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, K&N Series and CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour. Herbst even made his Xfinity Series debut June 17 at Iowa Speedway in Newton, qualifying ninth and finishing an impressive sixth.

• Herbst will make his 89th career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at his second home on Saturday in the Alsco Uniforms 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It will be his third Xfinity Series start at the 1.5-mile oval and he’ll look to improve upon the pair of 12th-place finishes he earned in 2020 and 2021. Herbst has earned 13 top-fives and 42 top-10s in the Xfinity Series. His best career finish is second, earned twice – in February 2020 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, and July 2020 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta.

• Herbst comes into Charlotte on a run of top-10 finishes. He has finished ninth or better in the last six Xfinity Series races, matching the longest top-10 streak of his career. In 2020, Herbst tallied six straight top-10s between August and September. Currently eighth in the championship standings with a total of nine top-10s in the 12 races this season – the second-most among all drivers – Herbst is enjoying his best start to the season.

• In Herbst’s first Xfinity Series race at Charlotte in 2020, it was under COVID restrictions, which meant no practice or qualifying. When Herbst returned to Charlotte a year later for his second start on the 1.5-mile oval, practice and qualifying were back. Herbst took full advantage, setting the fastest speed in practice before earning his first career Xfinity Series pole.

• Herbst has two ARCA starts at Charlotte. His best finish was second in May 2018, when he missed out on victory lane by just .293 of a second to fellow Xfinity Series regular Brandon Jones.

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

Has Charlotte been circled on your calendar after the success you had there last May?

“I’ve definitely had Charlotte circled on the schedule. We were strong there last year and I feel like this is a track where we could definitely win. This No. 98 Monster Energy team deserves to be in victory lane and we’ve been focused on finishing races, but also on growing each and every week. Our intermediate track program is strong and I know we can get it done this weekend.”

What is it about Charlotte that makes it such an enjoyable track for you?

“To be honest, I just love Charlotte. I don’t know what it is about it, but I enjoy racing on the oval there. It just suits my driving style and I’ve always been able to find speed there. Last year, the No. 98 team was in a slump and then we came to Charlotte. We were fastest in practice and won the pole. I really think that was our turning point last year. Since then, we’ve only grown and gotten better. Excited to see what kind of speed we’ll bring in 2022.”

Consistency has been the name of the game for the No. 98 team this season. Do you feel you’re close to getting that first career Xfinity Series win?

“We’re close. Honestly, we just have to keep being consistent and limit the mistakes. I know the No. 98 team can win, it’s just about finding the speed and minimizing the mistakes. I’m confident that we can compete at Charlotte and be there at the end with a shot to win.”

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: Josh Leslie
Hometown: Mount Clemens, Michigan

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons
Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Fueler: Corey Coppola
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Jackman: Brandon Banks
Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

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

Eyes Wide Open
Connor Mosack To Make NASCAR Xfinity Series
Debut in Portland with Joe Gibbs Racing;
23-Year-Old Trans Am Series Racer To Drive
No. 18 OpenEyes.net Toyota GR Supra in Pacific Office Automation 147

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (May 25, 2022) – With 21 starts in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli, Connor Mosack is ready to grab another rung on the racing ladder by stepping up to the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

The 23-year-old racer who is currently in his second year competing for TeamSLR in the TA2 division of “America’s Road-Racing Series” will make his Xfinity Series debut June 4 in the inaugural Pacific Office Automation 147 at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway. Mosack will drive the No. 18 OpenEyes.net Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing in the 75-lap race around the 1.964-mile, 12-turn road course.

“Our Xfinity Series program was designed to provide opportunities to racecar drivers like Connor who are looking to expand their careers by challenging themselves in a very competitive racing series,” said Steve deSouza, Executive Vice President, NASCAR Xfinity Series/Development, Joe Gibbs Racing. “Connor has accomplished quite a bit in a relatively short period of time in Trans Am and we’re proud to help further his development in NASCAR.”

Portland is an appropriate venue for Mosack to make his first Xfinity Series start. While the Charlotte, North Carolina-native doesn’t have any prior experience at the flat, clockwise circuit in the Pacific Northwest, Mosack has plenty of experience learning new racetracks quickly. As a TA2 rookie in 2021, all but two of the series’ 10 tracks were new to him. Nonetheless, Mosack was a fast study. He scored four podium finishes in his final eight races, including a breakthrough win Sept. 12 at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.

“Every race is a new opportunity to learn and apply the lessons from your last race,” said Mosack, who finished third in the 2021 TA2 championship standings and is already a two-time pole winner in 2022. “I feel like I’ve learned a lot in Trans Am thanks to the coaching I’ve gotten from Scott Lagasse Sr. and Jr., at TeamSLR, and I genuinely want to see how it all translates to the Xfinity Series. I’m looking forward to the experience of working with Joe Gibbs Racing and their veteran crew chief Jason Ratcliff in my debut at Portland, and we’re all grateful to represent OpenEyes.net.”

Open Eyes is a global impact ministry co-founded by Frank Harrison, Chairman and CEO of Coca-Cola Consolidated, and his son James Harrison, who passed away while serving in Kenya in 2010. James’ mission to serve others selflessly continues today through the Open Eyes Mobile Messengers program and its relief and development efforts around the world, including Ukraine and the Middle East.

“We are honored and thrilled that Connor and Joe Gibbs Racing chose to showcase Open Eyes by putting us on board as Connor makes his debut in the NASCAR Xfinity Series,” said Denny Matthews, President, Open Eyes. “Our purpose of accelerating the Gospel to the unreached and underserved is fast tracked as a result of our partnership with Connor. Our global team joins me in wishing Connor great success as he pursues his passion in the Xfinity Series.”

Mosack has firsthand knowledge of Open Eyes’ mission, as he volunteered with the group in Africa during the summer of 2017, visiting Rwanda and Uganda.

“The time I spent with Open Eyes in Africa was probably one of the most impactful moments of my life,” said Mosack, a 2021 graduate of High Point (N.C.) University with a degree in business entrepreneurship. “Its name speaks for itself because it did open my eyes to how people live in other areas of the world and how having purpose, along with someone they can lean on for strength and support, can make a difference in their everyday lives.”

Mosack’s experience with Open Eyes and his time at High Point has contributed to a well-rounded upbringing. Mosack played football and lacrosse in middle school and high school, and it wasn’t until he was 18 that his racing career began. He started in Legends cars and after winning five championships, he transitioned to Late Model stock cars in 2019. He ran the full Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour in 2020, winning the rookie-of-the-year title. Mosack augmented his Late Model schedule with four TA2 races in late 2020 before committing to TA2 fulltime in 2021 while also competing in select ARCA Menards Series races. In his most recent ARCA start May 14 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Mosack finished fifth.

“For me, seat time is really the most important thing, and experience in just about any car is really helpful,” Mosack said. “Knowing you can be fast in the Trans Am Series gives you the confidence that you can drive fast and be competitive in other series. That’s my biggest takeaway as I get ready for my Xfinity Series debut at Portland.”

The Pacific Office Automation 147 gets underway at 4:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday, June 4 with live coverage on FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Charlotte Motor Speedway
RACE: Alsco Uniforms 300 (200 laps / 300 miles)
DATE: Saturday, May 28, 2022

Broadcast Information – TV: 1 p.m. ET on FS1 / Radio: 12:30 p.m. ET on PRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Sam Mayer
No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer is set to make his first start at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s quad-oval this weekend.
• With Mayer’s third-place finish last week at Texas Motor Speedway, the 18-year-old has now finished inside of the top five in six of the last seven NASCAR Xfinity Series races dating back to Circuit of the Americas in March.
• Mayer has 13 starts on tracks measuring between 1-2 miles in length in the NXS with three top fives and five top 10s. He’s led 43 laps.
• The No. 1 team currently sits seventh in the championship standings with a 64 point margin over the 12th and final spot to qualify for the NXS Playoffs.

Josh Berry
No. 8 Harrison’s USA Chevrolet
• Josh Berry has made one NXS start at Charlotte, which came in 2021. Berry started 18th and finished 32nd after being involved in a multi-car incident on lap 150.
• Berry paced the field for 46 laps last week in Texas while taking his third stage win of the 2022 season. The 31-yearold went on to finish seventh to earn his sixth top-10 finish on the year.
• The Hendersonville, Tenn. native has made 22 starts at tracks measuring between 1-2 miles in length, earning two wins, seven top fives and 11 top 10s while leading 198 laps.
• The No. 8 team comfortably sits fifth in the championship standings, only 89 points from the series leader.

Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson seeks his first victory on a 1.5-mile oval in the NXS this weekend at Charlotte. The 23-year-old driver has earned 15 top-five finishes in 34 starts on such tracks in his career.
• In three career starts at Charlotte on the oval, Gragson has one top-five and one top-10 finish, the best coming in 2019 when he crossed the line in fourth place.
• Gragson continued his hot start in terms of laps led, running out front for 32 circuits last week at Texas. It was the ninth race he has led this season in 12 starts, and his total is now 348 laps led on the season.

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 Unilever Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier has earned a best finish of second in the NXS at Charlotte, coming in this event in 2019.
• Additionally, Allgaier has recorded three wins on tracks between 1-2 miles in length in the NXS (Chicagoland Speedway in 2011 and 2017 and Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2021).
• This Memorial Day weekend, Allgaier will be carrying the colors of the Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon on board his No. 7 Chevrolet. The Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon’s mission is to lift the morale and to support the welfare of active duty members of the military, their families and veterans who have previously served.

Driver Quotes

“This Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions team has really hit our stride and we want to keep that momentum rolling through this weekend at Charlotte. It’s my first start on the oval but I know this team is going to unload a fast car on Friday for practice and we should be contending for the win like we have been lately. We just need to continue to do what we have been doing and it won’t be long until we get this No. 1 team into Victory Lane. – Sam Mayer

“Charlotte is going to be interesting this weekend. We’ve had some strong finishes here over the past couple of seasons and hopefully we can back that up again this weekend. The momentum has been on our side as of late and it would be great to keep that going and come away with another solid day on Saturday, especially with it being Memorial Day weekend and the fact that we have the Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon on board our No. 7 Chevrolet. It would definitely mean a lot to give those guys a good run and be in contention for the win.” – Justin Allgaier

“We had a really good car last week in Texas, and at all the intermediates this year, so I know this weekend won’t be any different. I had a pretty good run going last year at Charlotte but got caught up in a late wreck, so the result doesn’t show. Bummy (Mike Bumgarner, crew chief) and this entire Harrison’s USA team are working hard to make sure we’re ready for this weekend.” – Josh Berry

“We had a really strong Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Camaro last year at Charlotte and we’ve been really strong almost everywhere we have been this year. I know Luke (Lambert, crew chief) and this entire No. 9 team are working hard back here in the shop to make sure we haven a car capable of battling for the win and that is exactly what we plan to do.” – Noah Gragson

JRM Team Updates:

• JR Motorsports at Charlotte: JR Motorsports has competed at Charlotte Motor Speedway a combined 72 times in the NXS. Over the course of those starts at the 1.5-mile facility, the organization has tallied 15 top fives and 32 top 10s. The company has finished in the runner-up position four times with the most recent coming in 2020 with Daniel Hemric behind the wheel of the No. 8 Chevrolet.
• Harrison’s USA Store Appearance: JRM driver Josh Berry will be signing autographs at the Harrison’s USA store located at 168 Norman Station Blvd, Mooresville, NC 28117 on Friday, May 27 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Souvenir Rig Appearance: JRM drivers Justin Allgaier and Josh Berry will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports/Hendrick Motorsports souvenir trailer at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 28 from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
• Adopt-a-Soldier: Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to lift the morale and support the welfare of active members and veterans of the United States Armed Forces, their immediate families, and the immediate families of deceased veterans. AaSP is constantly sending care packages downrange to our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines. These packages let our brave Americans know they are thought about and that their sacrifices far from home are not in vain. Please consider donating today.

TRUEX EARNS TOP-10 FOR TOYOTA IN TEXAS
Caution-Filled Race Relinquishes GR Supras to Top-15 Results

FORT WORTH (May 21, 2022) – Ryan Truex finished in the sixth position in Saturday afternoon’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Texas Motor Speedway to claim the top-finished GR Supra position. Fellow Joe Gibbs Racing GR Supra drivers Ty Gibbs (12th) and Brandon Jones (14th) finished in the top-15 after sustaining damage in a caution-filled 250-mile event.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Texas Motor Speedway
Race 12 of 33 – 250.5 miles, 167 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Tyler Reddick*
2nd, William Byron*
3rd, Sam Mayer*
4th, Justin Allgaier*
5th, Austin Hill*
6th, RYAN TRUEX
12th, TY GIBBS
14th, BRANDON JONES
19th, JEFFREY EARNHARDT
27th, TIMMY HILL
*non-Toyota drive

TOYOTA QUOTES

RYAN TRUEX, No. 18 Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 6th

How was your race today?

“I felt like stage two we really hit our stride and we were really fast. I feel like us and the 7 (Justin Allgaier) were the two strongest cars. I don’t know what happened that last stage, I don’t know if it was the set of tires or what, but we just gave up track position and never got it back. Sixth isn’t bad, but probably should have been top-two. It’s just tough to pass here and dirty air is really hard. The crew did really good. I really needed a green flag run and unfortunately everybody kept wrecking so we never really had those. I’ll take it, solid day.”

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

Finishing Position: 12th

How was your race overall?

“We finished 12th so not bad, but we got wrecked after the caution came out and got wrecked again. We never really got to show what we had it felt like. I felt like we were fast. Just with the traffic here. We made it to 17th really quick, but then everyone was all stretched out and this track is just tough because you’re riding around and hoping for another caution to get back together. Never really got back to where we needed to be or where we should have been. Just a chaotic event and a wreckfest.”

How challenging was it to come from the back of the field at the start of the race?

“It was challenging, but when we got wrecked after that caution came out and wrecked again, just ruins your day. Have to keep going, but I never gave up and my guys never gave up. Came home with a 12th place car and everyone around us looks better than us so that’s a good thing to say.”

BRANDON JONES, No. 19 Menards/Delta Faucets Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 14th

How was your car in the race even with the significant damage to the nose?

“The GR Supra doesn’t look as pretty as it did to start. I hate that we got damage there. I had pretty good track position all day. We got back a little bit early on, but started to make gains in the right direction. All in all, we just missed it a little bit. We will come back here stronger and we know have have another race here in Texas later in the year. This is a key one always to try some stuff for the Playoffs and see if we can’t hit on something, but I think we were definitely better than we were in the past. Still need a little bit of work.”

With the damage, were you surprised you were able to take the lead on the restart?

“I think so. I think clean air here is a really big deal. It would have been interesting if we would have stayed out. I see the 21 finished decent. Just maybe something we tried there to see if it would work for later in the year. I don’t think it did. We’ll rebound and continue to push. We’ve got some good tracks coming up.”

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About Toyota

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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.