Sheldon Creed and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Team Show Long-Run Speed at Auto Club Speedway Before Late-Race Incident

Finish: 32nd
Start: 8th
Points: 16th

“The No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet was bad fast today at Auto Club Speedway. We started the race with a loose-handling machine, but we knew we would be good if we could get the handling right. Crew chief Jeff Stankiewicz and all of the guys never gave up. They did a great job making adjustments all race long, and our pit crew had fast stops today, too. By the time we got to Stage 3, our Whelen Chevrolet really came to life. We fired off fast on a restart with 74 laps remaining, and that allowed us to work our way into the top 10. I felt like our car was definitely best up high against the wall. Everywhere else our Chevy was sideways. Our biggest issue was that we weren’t great on the short run. It took a good 10, 15 or 20 laps to get going and then once it got going it was really fast, but then you’re in traffic. So those late-race restarts really didn’t help us much. Unfortunately, we had a lot of those. It just wasn’t our day, because another car hammered us during one of the restarts and we ended up with major right-side damage that ended our day. The unfortunate thing is we now have to pull another car out, and we didn’t want to do that. I certainly didn’t want to make it harder on our guys. I’m learning a lot about how these NASCAR Xfinity Series cars race and what their limits are, and it can be so frustrating at times but it’s been fun to race with all of the support of RCR and ECR. We have speed. We just need to get a little short-run speed and I think we’ll be strong. Our Whelen team will bounce back next week and hopefully we’ll have speed with our backup.” -Sheldon Creed

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet Team Showcase Never-Give-Up Attitude Following Early Race Incident at Auto Club Speedway

Finish: 27th
Start: 9th
Points: 11th

“We thought we were going to have a pretty good Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet today. Our car was good, even with the damage that we had throughout the day from another car deciding to stuff us into the wall on lap two of the race. We had to pit for repairs and ended up four laps down. I thought that we could still run up there and run within the top-12, and who knows we easily could have had a top-10 out of the day if we could have ever gotten back on the lead lap. Finishing 27th is not ideal or what we expected, but we never gave up and that just shows the whole fight this No. 21 team has. We never quit, so I can’t thank my crew chief, Andy Street, and all of the guys enough for everything they did. We’ll get them next week.” – Austin Hill

Herbst Finishes Ninth at Auto Club Speedway
Monster Energy Driver Kicks Off 2022 with Consecutive Top-10s

Date: Saturday, Feb. 26
Event: Production Alliance 300 (Round 2 of 33)
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location: Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California (2-mile oval)
Format: 150 laps, broken into three stages (35 laps/35 laps/80 laps)
Start/Finish: 16th / 9th (Running, completed 165 of 165 laps)
Point Standing: 4th (71 points, 19 out of first)
Note: Race extended 15 laps past its scheduled 150-lap distance due to multiple attempts at a green-white-checkered finish.
Race Winner: Cole Custer of SS Green Light Racing (Ford)
Stage 1 Winner: Trevor Bayne of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Cole Custer of SS Green Light Racing (Ford)

Overview:

Riley Herbst scored a hard-earned top-10 finish in the Production Alliance 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race Saturday at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. The driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing started 16th in the 38-car field and worked diligently to break into the top-10. Herbst fought a loose-handling racecar for much of the race around the two-mile oval, but the 23-year-old racer from Las Vegas persevered, finishing 10th in the penultimate stage and then coming home ninth when the checkered flag dropped. The result, coupled with Herbst’s fourth-place drive last week in the season-opening race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, has him fourth in the championship standings.

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

“I felt like we were really fast on long runs, but we just couldn’t really fire off. Once we got about 20 laps into a run, I felt like we were a top-three car, for sure. It’s good to get top-10s and that was our goal at the beginning of the year, so we’ll keep stacking them. Our first two races last year were DNFs and this year the first two races are top-10s, so I think that kind of speaks for itself. We gotta go get another one in Vegas.”

Notes:

● Herbst finished 10th in the second stage to earn a bonus point.

● In his two career Xfinity Series starts at Auto Club, Herbst has finished in the top-10 each time. He finished second when the series last raced at the two-mile oval in February 2020.

● Cole Custer won the Production Alliance 300 to score his 10th career Xfinity Series victory, his second at Auto Club and his first of the season. His margin over second-place Noah Gragson was .565 of a second.

● There were 12 caution periods for a total of 58 laps.

● Twenty-four of the 38 drivers in the Production Alliance 300 finished on the lead lap.

● AJ Allmendinger maintained his lead in the championship standings, but barely. He holds a one-point advantage over his nearest pursuer, Gragson.

Next Up:

The next event on the Xfinity Series schedule is the Alsco Uniforms 300 on Saturday, March 5 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race starts at 4:30 p.m. EST with live coverage provided by FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

February 26, 2022
By Reid Spencer

NASCAR Wire Service

Californian Cole Custer was the only former Auto Club Speedway winner in the field for Saturday’s Production Alliance 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race in Fontana, Calif.

Three overtimes, 12 cautions and more than three hours of official race time later, Custer was still the only former winner in the Fontana field, having beaten runner-up Noah Gragson to the finish line by .565 seconds.

It was a long day’s journey into night, a race that started in mid-afternoon and unexpectedly ended under the lights in temperatures that dropped appreciably between the start and the finish. The three overtimes extended the event 15 laps beyond its scheduled distance of 150 circuits at the 2-mile track.

But Custer was the clear class of the field, leading 80 of the 165 laps and twice charging like a rocket from the outside of the fourth row to the lead after slower-than-usual late pit stops.

He got his second victory at Fontana in a No. 07 Ford that was a partnership entry between Stewart-Haas Racing and Bobby Dotter-owned SS Green Light Racing.

Custer was moonlighting—literally, as it turned out—from his Sunday ride in the No. 41 SHR Ford Mustang, which he’ll be racing in the WISE Power 400 (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

“Man, it was just an awesome car,” Custer said during his post-race frontstretch interview. “That thing was just a rocket ship all day. I can’t thank Bobby Dotter enough—everybody that was involved on this car.

“It was unbelievable how fast we were… It’s awesome to win at home—can’t wait for tomorrow.”

Gragson was competitive all day, leading 25 laps. Despite sliding though his pit stall during a pit stop under the eighth caution on Lap 125, he surged back to the front from 14th, retaking the top spot on the second lap after a restart on Lap 129.

Five laps later, however, Custer regained the lead and held it for all but one of the last 31 laps, through four more cautions and three overtime restarts.

“I felt like the car was really close all day, just struggled with the cloud cover and the temperature change—too loose or too tight,” Gragson said. “Hats off to all the guys on the 07 car and Cole Custer. He was really fast today.”

Trevor Bayne, the 2011 Daytona 500 winner, ran third in his first Xfinity Series start since a one-off in 2016. Josh Berry was fourth, as JR Motorsports drivers claimed four of the top eight finishing positions, with Gragson second, Sam Mayer sixth and Justin Allgaier eighth.

Anthony Alfredo parlayed tire strategy into a fifth-place finish. Pole winner AJ Allmendinger recovered from an unscheduled pit stop for a loose wheel to come home seventh. Riley Herbst and Ryan Sieg were ninth and 10th, respectively.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series’ next stop is Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the Alsco Uniforms 300 on Saturday, March 5 (4:30 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

NASCAR Xfinity Series Race – 23rd Production Alliance Group 300

Auto Club Speedway

Fontana, California

Saturday, February 26, 2022

           1. (2)  Cole Custer(i), Ford, 165.

           2. (6)  Noah Gragson, Chevrolet, 165.

           3. (4)  Trevor Bayne, Toyota, 165.

           4. (11)  Josh Berry, Chevrolet, 165.

           5. (28)  Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 165.

           6. (13)  Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 165.

           7. (1)  AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 165.

           8. (20)  Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 165.

           9. (16)  Riley Herbst, Ford, 165.

           10. (14)  Ryan Sieg, Ford, 165.

           11. (30)  Brandon Brown, Chevrolet, 165.

           12. (5)  Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, 165.

           13. (12)  Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 165.

           14. (21)  Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 165.

           15. (18)  Joe Graf Jr., Ford, 165.

           16. (22)  Kyle Weatherman, Chevrolet, 165.

           17. (10)  Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 165.

           18. (38)  Kyle Sieg, Ford, 165.

           19. (17)  Brett Moffitt, Chevrolet, 165.

           20. (36)  Joey Gase, Toyota, 165.

           21. (34)  Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 165.

           22. (24)  JJ Yeley, Toyota, 165.

           23. (25)  Matt Mills, Chevrolet, 165.

           24. (19)  Alex Labbe, Chevrolet, 165.

           25. (29)  Kaz Grala(i), Chevrolet, 163.

           26. (31)  Myatt Snider, Chevrolet, 163.

           27. (8)  Austin Hill #, Chevrolet, 162.

           28. (33)  Mason Massey, Chevrolet, 162.

           29. (37)  Jeffrey Earnhardt, Toyota, 161.

           30. (23)  Stefan Parsons, Chevrolet, Accident, 159.

           31. (27)  Tommy Joe Martins, Chevrolet, 158.

           32. (9)  Sheldon Creed #, Chevrolet, Accident, 156.

           33. (3)  Brandon Jones, Toyota, Accident, 155.

           34. (26)  Bayley Currey, Chevrolet, 154.

           35. (32)  Ryan Vargas, Chevrolet, Accident, 150.

           36. (35)  Jesse Iwuji #, Chevrolet, 131.

           37. (15)  Jade Buford, Chevrolet, Accident, 123.

           38. (7)  Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, Engine, 6.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 105.682 mph.

Time of Race: 3 Hrs, 5 Mins, 5 Secs. Margin of Victory: .565 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 12 for 58 laps.

Lead Changes: 19 among 8 drivers.

Lap Leaders: A. Allmendinger 1-13;T. Bayne 14-23;N. Gragson 24;T. Bayne 25-38;D. Hemric 39-48;C. Custer(i) 49-59;N. Gragson 60;C. Custer(i) 61-72;J. Allgaier 73;B. Jones 74-76;C. Custer(i) 77-103;N. Gragson 104;J. Allgaier 105-108;N. Gragson 109-124;T. Gibbs 125-127;J. Allgaier 128-129;N. Gragson 130-134;C. Custer(i) 135-143;N. Gragson 144;C. Custer(i) 145-165.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Cole Custer(i) 5 times for 80 laps; Noah Gragson 6 times for 25 laps; Trevor Bayne 2 times for 24 laps; AJ Allmendinger 1 time for 13 laps; Daniel Hemric 1 time for 10 laps; Justin Allgaier 3 times for 7 laps; Brandon Jones 1 time for 3 laps; Ty Gibbs 1 time for 3 laps.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 18,07,7,9,54,16,8,39,11,1

Stage #2 Top Ten: 07,19,7,9,54,11,16,1,8,98

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Auto Club Speedway | Production Alliance 300
Saturday, February 19, 2022

FORD FINISHING RESULTS
1st – Cole Custer
9th – Riley Herbst
10th – Ryan Sieg
15th – Joe Graf Jr.
18th – Kyle Sieg

COLE CUSTER, No. 07 Production Alliance Group Ford Mustang — FINISHED 1st

START/FINISH LINE INTERVIEW

“Man, that was just an awesome car. That thing was a rocket ship all day. I can’t thank Bobby Dotter enough and everybody who was involved on this car. It was unreal how fast we were. Production Alliance Group, this is awesome. It is his race, the Production Alliance Group 300 and we got him in victory lane. I can’t thank Dale Sahlin enough. It is awesome to win at home and I can’t wait for tomorrow.”

VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW

WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND WHEN YOU HAD THE THIRD GREEN-WHITE-CHECKER TO GO THROUGH? “I just knew we needed a good push and we were starting to get the timing of it but the last one we kind of got separated a little bit and I was a little nervous because the 23 had new tires. This thing was a rocket ship all day. I can’t thank Production Alliance Group enough and everyone that worked on this car. It was an honor to drive it today and it is awesome to win at home.”

IT SEEMED LIKE YOU HAD A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN THIS CAR ALL DAY: “Yeah, it was awesome. I could move around how I wanted to and we got a little too loose one of those runs but we put it back and it was a rocket ship again. It is an honor to drive that kind of race car because you don’t get them too often.”

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO WIN IN YOUR HOME STATE LIKE THIS? “It is huge. Getting my second win here, I came to this track when I was five years old, so it is pretty amazing to come here and win at your home track. I have always loved coming to this place and I hope we keep coming here in the future.”

RILEY HERBST, No. 98 Monster Energy Ford — Finished 9th

IS THAT ONE OF THE HARDER EARNED TOP-TEN FINISHES YOU’VE HAD? “Yeah, it is just frustrating because I feel like we were really fast on long runs but we just couldn’t really fire off. Once we got about 20 laps into a run I felt like we were a top-three car for sure. It is good to get top-10’s and that was our goal at the beginning of the year so we will keep stacking them.”

YOU HAVE HAD BACK TO BACK GOOD RUNS AT TWO VERY DIFFERENT TRACKS: “Yeah, last year our first two races were DNF’s and this year the first two races are top-10’s so I think that kind of speaks for itself on that matter and we gotta go get another one in Vegas.”

COLE CUSTER POST RACE PRESS CONFERENCE

START US OFF BY TAKING US THROUGH THE RACE FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE: “We had a super-fast car all race. The guys did a great job. For me, I was a little rusty and it had been like two and a half years since I have been in an Xfinity car on an oval. I had to get my bearings in practice and they made great adjustments. When you have that great of a car you are just trying not to mess it up. To win in your hometown is just really special.”

WHY DID YOU RUN THIS RACE? WAS IT PART OF THE ALLIANCE OR JUST AS A CONFIDENCE BOOSTER? “A little bit of everything I guess. It definitely helps SHR a little bit and gives them another data point of things to look at. Also, it is my home track and also a big part of it was Production Alliance Group. This is his home race also and he really wanted to win at his race and that was really cool to make that happen. It was awesome to have that all come about with Bobby Dotter and I am just really stoked to be back in here.”

DID YOU LEARN ANYTHING TODAY THAT YOU CAN APPLY FOR TOMORROW? “Yeah, I think a little bit. You can look at the lines and which ones worked and didn’t and which lines are worked in. At the end of the day, they are really different race cars though. The package has gotten closer with the horsepower and downforce amount, so it isn’t a huge jump back to back. Those Cup cars are on the edge as we saw today so it will be an interesting race tomorrow.”

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO GET BOBBY DOTTER HIS FIRST WIN? “It was awesome. Bobby is obviously a racer through and through and has been doing it a really long time. To get him in victory lane was awesome. He is the greatest guy to see around the garage and he was stoked in victory lane. It is really cool to have that all work out.”

THIS IS YOUR SECOND WIN HERE, WHAT HAS ALLOWED YOU TO BE SO SUCCESSFUL AT THIS TRACK? “First, it takes fast race cars. That car I drove today and the car I drove in 2019 were amazing to drive. But at the end of the day, I think I have always had a good comfort level here and have always liked the worn-out faster tracks which unfortunately we don’t go to many of those anymore. It is awesome to be back here and I hope they keep this track the way that it is.”

BAYNE STRONG IN XFINITY RETURN
Bayne wins stage, finishes in top-five at Fontana

FONTANA, Calif. (February 26, 2022) – Trevor Bayne (third) led Toyota in the NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Auto Club Speedway on Saturday evening.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Auto Club Speedway
Race 2 of 33 – 300 miles, 150 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Cole Custer*
2nd, Noah Gragson*
3rd, TREVOR BAYNE
4th, Josh Berry*
5th, Anthony Alfredo*
13th, TY GIBBS
20th, JOEY GASE
22nd, JJ YELEY
29th, JEFFREY EARNHARDT
33rd, BRANDON JONES
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

TREVOR BAYNE, No. 18 Devotion Nutrition Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 3rd

What was it like racing for wins today?

“I got to race for wins today. Didn’t get it done unfortunately, but I’m not going to get greedy with our first one back. We won the first stage, had a pit stop that got us behind and it just drove different in traffic. Once I got back to the front, it was pretty racy – really just too tight to have a shot to run with the 07 (Cole Custer). He could get through the corner really good, but I’m back in a race car, battling for wins. I was talking with Noah (Gragson) about which lane I ran in (turns) one and two there. To me, second or third don’t matter, I’ve got to win races, so I tried to go below the 07, didn’t work out, but super pumped to be here with Devotion, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing.”

How challenging are those restarts?

“They were tough, but I felt really good about them. The bottom worked really good and that was my plan – to run the bottom on the last restart until the speedy dry went to the bottom. When the speedy dry went to the bottom, I knew I had to try the top. The 23 (Anthony Alfredo) had tires behind us, so there was a lot of scenarios there that dictated that. Ultimately, I would have liked to run the bottom, but with the speedy dry, no way.”

A strong run all day long. What happened out there?

“This is so much fun. We won that first stage and I was kind of shook – this is crazy to be back driving this No. 18 having a good run, but then we had a bad pit stop. It got us back in traffic and that’s when it got real. These guys are really racy – all of these young kids – they race hard. I really needed to get track position back, and finally got back at the end battling for those restarts. I wanted the bottom really bad in (turns) one or two and they put speedy dry down, so I had to go to the top – had a shot to run the middle there, and it didn’t work out. We are here to win races, second or third, oh well, but Devotion Nutrition made this possible. Without them, I wouldn’t be in that No. 18 car. Super thankful to be here.”

BRANDON JONES, No. 19 Menards/Patriot Lighting Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 33rd

What happened out there Brandon?

“I think that was the worst part of all of this – when you go spinning, you look to see what’s coming up. I got halfway caught on the grass and halfway on the pavement and the rear tires were in the grass so I could not get anything to grip up for me to get out of that grass. I saw it coming. I never have hit the sand before. A ton of impact there, and I really didn’t feel much of anything, which is surprising, so good job by those guys. Up-and-down day for this Menards Supra. I feel like I truthfully ran a sloppy race today, so I need to go back to the drawing board and get back going. We had speed at times, and at other times we struggled a little bit, so we will pick our feet up. We’ve got some good stuff coming up. We love this West Coast swing – there are some really good tracks in it.”

#

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.

SS Greenlight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Auto Club (Calif.) Speedway | Production Alliance Group 300

Fast Facts
No. 08 SS GreenLight Racing Team:
Driver: Joe Graf Jr. (@JoeGrafJr)
Primary Partner(s): Bucked Up Energy Drink
Manufacturer: Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Jason Miller
Spotter: TJ Bell
2022 Driver Points Position: 30th | 2021 Owner Points Position: 33rd

Engine: Roush Yates Engines (RYE)

Notes of Interest:

Full of Energy: Bucked Up Energy and its sister products will continue their role as the primary partner of Graf’s No. 08 Ford Mustang this weekend. Auto Club (Calif.) Speedway is the second race of 2022 but is the 33rd race overall in a multi-year, multi-race deal with the former ARCA Menards Series winner.

Bucked Up Energy Drink is the every man (or woman) energy drink. We don’t care about the color of your collar; whether blue or white, we all require energy to power our days.

We want something that tastes like success, enhances mood and focus, and most of all delivers long-lasting energy.

Bucked Up started in 2013 when twin brothers Ryan and Jeff Gardner started marketing a product called Deer Antler Spray. After selling thousands of bottles to GNCs nationwide, the company morphed into what is now Bucked Up, a full-fledged vitamins and supplements manufacturer.

The company has gone from its humble beginnings to becoming the No. 1 best-selling pre-workout brand that’s available on their website and in over 10,000 stores worldwide, including GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, Walmart and many other stores nationwide.

Check Out The New Flavor: Bucked Up Energy Drink now offers more than 10 quenching options, but this weekend at Auto Club, SS GreenLight Racing and Joe Graf Jr. will feature its Strawberry Kiwi flavor with Graf’s No. 08 Ford Mustang infused with a pink and green livery.

Inspired by nuclear fusion, Bucked Up Strawberry Kiwi is an unparalleled source of energy and refreshment. We won’t get deep into the science, but in nuclear fusion, you get energy when two atoms join together to form one — the same reaction that powers the sun.

Conceptually, harnessing nuclear fusion in a reactor is a no-brainer. Except scientists have yet to concoct a controllable, non-destructive way of doing it. But we’re not scientists. We don’t think in reactors. We think in cans and flavors.

With Bucked Up Energy Strawberry-Kiwi, we fused two delicious flavors to form one. The result — a zero sugar, solar-sweet source of energy so abundant the world might actually start revolving around you.

New Year, But New Look: In January, SS GreenLight Racing announced the organization would switch from Chevrolet to Ford and have a technical alliance with Stewart-Haas Racing.

SHR will supply the organization with race cars while Roush Yates Engines will provide the legendary Ford horsepower.

In addition to providing race cars to SSGLR, SHR will also provide technical support for the entire 33-race season.

Additionally, Graf will have NASCAR Cup Series and Stewart-Haas Racing drivers Cole Custer and Chase Briscoe as teammates for select events throughout the 2022 season – including this weekend at Auto Club Speedway.

Surprise Awaits: Joe Graf Jr., SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt and Bucked Up Energy will showcase a new product for the organization next weekend at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway for the Alsco Uniforms 300, the third race of the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.

Bucked Up started in 2013 when twin brothers Ryan and Jeff Gardner started marketing a product called Deer Antler Spray. After selling thousands of bottles to GNCs nationwide, the company morphed into what is now Bucked Up, a full-fledged vitamins and supplements manufacturer.

The company has gone from its humble beginnings to becoming the No. 1 best-selling pre-workout brand that’s available in over 10,000 stores worldwide.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Auto Club Starts: Joe Graf Jr. will make his second career start at Auto Club (Calif.) Speedway in Saturday afternoon’s race.

In his rookie season before the pandemic, Graf qualified 22nd – but suffered mechanical issues during the race that relegated him to a 31st place finish aboard his No. 08 Core Development Group Chevrolet Camaro.

Auto Club is the sister track to Michigan International Speedway, another 2.0-mile circuit where Graf also has one Xfinity Series start in 2021.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Speedway Nuggets: At tracks greater than 2.0-mile in size, Graf has competed in 15 NASCAR Xfinity Series races with one top-10 finish. He holds an average starting position of 25.7 and an average result of 29.5.

Sneaker Mania: Along with the adrenaline of the Motorsports competition, Joe Graf Jr. also has a vogue for hype sneakers. In his current collection, he owns and wears at least 90 limited edition sneakers – and his collection continues to grow every month.

The current estimated value of his collection tops $100,000.

From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Jason Miller is Joe Graf Jr.’s crew chief this weekend.

He will crew chief his 253rd NASCAR Xfinity Series race as crew chief on Saturday and his seventh at the 2.0-mile speedway.

In his previous 252 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected two top-five and eight top-10 finishes.

Hello From The Other Side: Graf Jr. has a teammate at SS GreenLight Racing. Veteran Cole Custer will drive the No. 07 Production Alliance Group | Bucked Up Energy Drink Ford Mustang on Saturday evening for his first Xfinity start of the 2022 season.

Custer is set to make his 106th career NASCAR Xfinity Series start and fourth at Auto Club (Calif.) Speedway – Fontana. His best Xfinity track finished occurred in the 2019 Production Alliance Group 200 where he won the race after starting third for Stewart-Haas Racing.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Joe Graf Jr. visit JoeGrafRacing.com, like him on Facebook (Joe Graf Jr.), follow him on Twitter (@JoeGrafJr) and Instagram (@joegrafjr).

For more on SS GreenLight Racing, please visit SSGreenLight.com, like them on Facebook (SS GreenLight Racing) and follow them on Twitter (@SSGLR0708).

Joe Graf Jr. Pre-Race Quotes:

On Auto Club Speedway: “It’s hard to believe that it has been two years since I’ve been to Auto Club Speedway, but I am looking forward to getting on the track Saturday morning.

“I remember the track being very fast but the seams definitely can make negotiating the two-mile track somewhat treacherous. We must capitalize on practice and get ourselves a solid starting spot that will put us in a good position for the race.

“I’m proud of our team for showcasing speed during the race last weekend at Daytona and hope we can continue that not only in Fontana this weekend but the entire west coast swing.”

On Teammate Cole Custer: “I’m excited to have Cole (Custer) a part of the SS GreenLight Racing team. Obviously, he is a former winner at Auto Club, so I think he could put the team in a position to do that again.

“I believe Cole not only can bring a lot of good communication, ideas and strategy but also help us accelerate the continued transition from Chevrolet to Ford.”

On 2022 Season Outlook: “We have made a lot of changes during the offseason. From switching manufacturers to bringing in new personnel, it’s all for the better. Honestly, I would be disappointed if we weren’t able to showcase ourselves a strong capable team throughout the season.

“Top-10 finishes should not be out of the question and hopefully by Phoenix in November, we will be racing near the front on a consistent basis.”

Race Information:

The Production Alliance Group 300 (150 laps | 200 miles) is the second of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2022 schedule. Practice begins on Sat., Feb 26 from 9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Qualifying begins at 9:30 a.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag shortly after 2:00 p.m. (5:00 p.m. ET) with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90.

About SS Green Light Racing:

As one of the most tenured teams in all of NASCAR, SS GreenLight Racing led by team owner and former driver Bobby Dotter has been a mainstay in the sport fielding entries in either the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series or the Xfinity Series competition since 2001.

SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt will continue with a two-car program in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2022.

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

• Event: Production Alliance 300 (Round 2 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, Feb. 26
• Location: Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California
• Layout: 2-mile oval
• Time/TV/Radio: 5 p.m. EST on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• Riley Herbst is a freshly minted 23-year-old who comes into Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, riding plenty of momentum after a strong fourth-place finish last Saturday in the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ season opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Herbst turned 23 on Feb. 24, and the driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) sits third in the championship point standings thanks to his fourth-place drive at Daytona. In addition to being a year wiser, Herbst comes into the second race of the season in a much more advantageous position than he did last year when in his SHR debut at Daytona he was collected in a multicar accident with less than 20 laps remaining to finish an undeserved 26th.

• Herbst’s strong run at Daytona follows him to one of his stronger tracks. Fontana is the site of his career-best Xfinity Series finish – second, earned when the series last raced at the track in 2020. Herbst later equaled that result a little less than five months later when he finished second at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta.

• Herbst has made only one Xfinity Series start at Fontana. He was a rookie in 2020 and when he finished second on Feb. 29, he and most everyone else had no indication that it would be two years before NASCAR returned to the 2-mile oval in Southern California. COVID-19 had just started to get people’s attention, but two weeks after Herbst’s career-best finish, COVID shut racing and the sports world down. California was especially hard hit, jettisoning Auto Club Speedway from the NASCAR schedule in 2021. Thankfully, progress has been made in the fight against COVID, and this weekend marks the triumphant return of Fontana to the NASCAR calendar, just in time to celebrate the track’s 25th anniversary.

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

You’re coming off a top-five finish in the season opener at Daytona. How helpful is it for this No. 98 Monster Energy team to come out of the gate strong?

“That finish at Daytona was huge. Last year, I think we had three DNFs in a row and that just put us in a hole, and then we battled back all year long. To start the season off with a fourth, all of these 98 guys deserve to be in victory lane and we’re working really hard to get there.”

Last time you were in Fontana you earned a career-best second-place finish. Does that help boost your confidence as you head back to Auto Club Speedway this weekend?

“It does, but you also have to think that it’s been two years since we raced here. I know that I can run well there, and I’m hoping that carries over and I can put our Monster Energy Ford Mustang in victory lane on Saturday. We had speed last week. This No. 98 team can get it done, and hopefully I can finish one spot better at Auto Club this year.”

Talk about what it would mean to put yourself and Monster Energy in victory lane this weekend.

“We’re all racing to win. We had a great run at Daytona but, ultimately, the goal is to knock down some victories early on and secure our spot in the playoffs. I’ve come close to a win several times, but could never quite close the deal. Hopefully, this season will bring a change of luck and I can go to victory lane with the No. 98 team and Monster Energy. Their support means everything, so it would feel great to get them there.”

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: Justin Bolton
Hometown: Latrobe, Pennsylvania

Engineer: DJ VanderLey
Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Spotter: Tim Fedewa
Hometown: Holt, Michigan

Over-The-Wall Crew:

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala
Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White
Hometown: Arlington, Texas

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

Toyota Racing – Trevor Bayne
NASCAR Xfinity Series Quotes

FONTANA, Calif. (February 23, 2022) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Trevor Bayne was made available to media prior to the Auto Club Speedway race this Wednesday:

TREVOR BAYNE, No. 18 Devotion Nutrition Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

What have you done to prepare since you have been out of the seat?

“It’s about like it was when I had my first opportunity. You used to be able to go and test and practice and do all of those things. Fortunately, I have some experience to lean on having been to Auto Club before. It’s been four years since I’ve been there, and then technology has changed a lot since my last time getting started in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. It looks a little bit different this time. For me it’s a lot about watching in-car video of Kyle Busch when he ran there. We have a tool called SMT and its just data. You can watch – almost like a video game – all of the throttle and steering traces from every car in the race, so a lot of studying that data and some simulator work at TRD. They have a really good simulator system there that’s accessible to their Truck, Xfinity and Cup drivers – but it’s not the real thing. I know that. It’s going to be just a little bit of getting used to how fast it is again and getting used to some things. The handling will be different, but the tools that are available, I’ve been using, and you can see where I’m sitting – I’m in my gym right now. As soon as we get done, I will be getting my workout in today to try to just physically be ready to go.”

Can you give a sense of the impact of winning the Daytona 500 early in your career?

“I think the difference between Austin (Cindric) and I is they are already planning on a full schedule. When I won at Daytona, it was like holy smokes – how can we run more races? We just started throwing things at it. We went to Phoenix kind of unprepared, and it was really just piecemealed together for the rest of the season. Austin’s got a championship contending team behind him now. I think they are a little bit more prepared than we were. I don’t think we expected that being a part-time team and me being so young. Penske expects to win. I think they’ve got that infrastructure there to kind of carry that through and build on this momentum, which is huge for Austin, but Austin has had a lot off success already. He’s won championships. He’s won a lot of races. I know that he was probably pretty upset leaving Phoenix in second place, so for him to come out of Daytona and just to carry that momentum right into the Cup Series, I really think he’s in a great situation right now. He’s with a fast team with new cars. Everybody’s kind of on the same learning level now, where everybody has to reset and relearn. He’s got a sports car history, so it kind of drives like this with the steering rack and the independent suspension in the rear. I really think that he’s not at a disadvantage at all being a rookie. The thing I would tell Austin is just to enjoy where you are at right now. I think as race car drivers, as competitors, we are already looking to that next thing. It’s Wednesday, so he’s probably already thinking about the next win, which is great and that’s what you want to do, but you also need to enjoy the moment a little bit because you don’t know when or if you are going to get that opportunity again. Be hungry to win, but also enjoy where you are at.”

Has Austin’s win helped you remember certain parts of your win?

“Just seeing the pure excitement, which anybody that wins at Daytona is going to have that level of excitement, whether it’s Kyle Busch or Austin Cindric, but to see somebody so young coming in, doesn’t know what he doesn’t know, they don’t understand how hard it is to win these races – same as me when I was in that race, and just watching him in victory lane, watching him on doing the interviews, it took me right back to that feeling of what is even happening right now. I’m sure he felt that. There’s really no way to put it into words or explain to anyone else who hasn’t experienced that of how much that feeling is of this has to be a dream. This can’t be real. I don’t know. Your heartrate is up. You’re so excited in Victory Lane. You’re looking around – there’s nothing like it. It really did put that same emotion kind of right back into me when I watched him on TV winning and I don’t know how else to say it – pure celebration and enjoyment when you see a young guy like that win.”

How did you get the opportunity to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing this season?

“I fought for another opportunity for the last three years as most of you guys know. I did not want to be done in the race car. I still wanted to drive. I still wanted to be at the track, I just didn’t have the right opportunity. I didn’t have a chance to go and drive for another team where I felt like we could win or really any chance for that matter. I came back home and started a coffee business and really in a way tried to run from racing. I felt a little burnt out in 2018, so I just said, ‘we’re going to do something different.’ Every time I would turn on a race or something like that – that draw back into racing was so strong. In 2020, I had the opportunity to drive a truck for a few races and kind of help out Niece Motorsports, and that was fine, but it didn’t feel like another rebuilding – another shot to get back at it like I was before. Last year, I built a dirt late model. I ran five or six races. I came to Charlotte and ran the big race there. I ran fourth or fifth, so I’ve been in a race car, but I still miss it. But this opportunity feels different. It really didn’t come around till about mid-December. I was in a conversation with the owners of Devotion Nutrition. I’ve been talking to my dad, and we were all just talking about what would it take to get back in a race car and go racing. I called Steve DeSouza. I’ve known him for a long time, and said, ‘hey Steve, is there any opportunity at Joe Gibbs Racing because I know you have the best Xfinity program and I want to come back to win. I want to come back and make a statement and show what I can do as a driver, and if I can’t get it done, I want to know that I was in the best ride possible, and it just didn’t work out.’ We started having those initial conversations around December. Devotion – Dana (Lynn Kaye) is her name that owns Devotion Nutrition – and Mickey is her mom, so they are a female owned company, made in the USA. They have nutritional products, proteins, sleep recovery, all kinds of great products that I have been using to get me back in shape to go race. We took them to Joe Gibbs Racing. We had the first talks. Coach (Joe Gibbs) came into the office and talked with us for a while, and really for them, this is a huge risk because they are a small business, so spending what they are spending to go racing is a huge risk, but they believe in me and want to give me another shot to go back and do it. I think the fit for me at Joe Gibbs Racing as a Christian with Coach’s background and his ministry aspect. I think the competitive nature, just the whole thing, it really feels like one of those best opportunities I’ve ever had outside of getting in that Wood Brothers car in Daytona. To me, this feels like the reset. I don’t know what comes of this. I don’t know if I end up back in a Cup car full-time or a Xfinity car contending for championships. That’s what I would love to see happen, but I feel like in seven races, I need to go win three to five races if I’m going to have a shot at a comeback. That’s my goal. That’s what I told Jason Ratcliff (crew chief). We’ve got seven – let’s go win five. Maybe it only takes one or two, I don’t know, but to have a shot in the 18 car, that’s my goal.”

Does this whole thing, joining Toyota again, make you feel like a kid again?

“This whole thing makes me feel like a kid again. I think if I had got this chance in 2019, right after being in the Cup car, it would be like Matt D (DiBenedetto) going back to Truck racing. It’s like I’m excited to be here, but I would like to be in the Cup car, but for me this feels like first shot all over again. I feel like I’m going to Michael Waltrip Racing. I’ve got that same giddiness and fresh perspective that this is my first show all over again. It’s really similar. It’s with Toyota like you said. It’s seven races, which is where I started out at MWR. It was five to seven races, and we ran really good, so Michael (Waltrip) let me have more races, and I ended up doing 12 or 13. This really feels like that first shot again, which is so cool because my perspective and appreciation for that is right back to where I was when I was 18.”

How has it been getting to know your teammates and crew chief?

“I’m really excited about the whole group. Brandon Jones has done a good job. He’s learning a ton. Every year, he seems to mature as a driver. Ty Gibbs comes out swinging. He wins his first Xfinity race, so working with those two guys is going to be a lot of fun. Hopefully I can bring something to the table to help them with some experience. Maybe not so much in the driving, but just in life and how to handle things. Brandon has, but Ty has never been to Auto Club. Even though I’m just now getting there, and it’s like my first show, I feel a little like the veteran guy in that way. But both of those guys have unbelievable talent. As far as crew chief is concerned, Jason Ratcliff and I have known each other for a very long time and if I had to say I had to pick a crew chief to go race, it would have been Jason Ratcliff. We’ve gone on hunting trips together. We’ve just got a really good relationship, and he can get it done. I believe in him as a crew chief making the calls. When I heard about resin going down on the racetrack at California, it kind of freaked me out and then I remembered Jason is my crew chief and that I’m at JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) and they will have it all figured out by time we get there.”

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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.

JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Auto Club Speedway
RACE: Production Alliance Group 300 (150 laps / 300 miles)
DATE: Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022

Broadcast Information – TV: 5 p.m. ET on FS1 / Radio: 4:30 p.m. ET on MRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Sam Mayer
No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer will make his first NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Auto Club Speedway this weekend.
• In one start on a track measuring 2 miles in length (Michigan International Speedway), Mayer ran inside the top 10 until a mechanical problem prematurely ended his day toward the end of Stage One.
• Mayer currently sits 23rd in the NXS point standings, 35 points behind the leader and 12 points behind the playoff cutline, after an eventful weekend at Daytona International Speedway.

Josh Berry
No. 8 PUBG MOBILE Chevrolet
• Josh Berry and the No. 8 team welcome PUBG MOBILE aboard the JRM Chevrolet for four races in 2022, starting this weekend at Auto Club.
• The 31-year-old will make his first start at the 2-mile speedway in Fontana. In one start on a 2-mile oval, Berry held a commanding lead until a late-race yellow handed him a fourth-place finish at Michigan.
• The Hendersonville, Tenn. native currently sits 15th in the NXS driver standings after the opening race at Daytona.
• During Berry’s part-time season in 2021 he recorded two wins, six top fives and 12 top 10s while pacing the field for 216 circuits.

Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson seeks his first victory in Fontana this weekend after coming off a third-place finish in the season opener at Daytona.
• In two previous starts on the 2-mile oval, Gragson owns a best result of 12th in 2019.
• On NASCAR’s 2-mile ovals at Auto Club and Michigan, Gragson has an average finish of 10.8, with a best result of second at the latter in 2019.
• Gragson’s Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber®/Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet led 12 laps in the season opener and battled for

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• In 12 starts at Fontana in the NXS, Justin Allgaier has earned a best finish of second, coming in this event in 2018.
• Overall, Allgaier has tallied six top 10s at the Southern California oval, including four in his last five races.
• In his NXS career on tracks 2 miles or greater in length, Allgaier has earned one win (Indianapolis – 2018), 18 top fives and 36 top 10s in 71 career starts.
• According to NASCAR’s loop data statistics, Allgaier currently ranks first in quality passes (494), green-flag passes (707) and laps run inside the top 15 (1,527) at Fontana.

Driver Quotes

“This is my first time at Auto Club but I have been watching a lot of film on the track from the past races to see how it races. The worn out surface and the way the track has multiple grooves should give us a great race. I’m ready to get there in our Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet and see what we have when we unload. This is one track our team has circled with how much preparation we have put in at the sim the last few weeks.” – Sam Mayer

“It’s going to be interesting going back to Fontana this weekend after having not raced there since 2020. We’ve had some really strong runs there in the past and I feel really confident that we will have that same speed again on Saturday. Fontana is such a wide track that really lets you race all over, which makes it a lot of fun. Hopefully we can have a smooth day with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet and be in contention for the win in the end.” – Justin Allgaier

“I raced with this team at Michigan, the other 2-mile track on the schedule, and we had the win until a late yellow came out. The tracks are different, but the speed we had at Michigan and the time I’ve spent in the sim for Auto Club has me ready for this weekend. This PUBG MOBILE Camaro looks great and it would be fitting to be in Victory Lane with winner winner chicken dinner on the side of the car.” – Josh Berry

“The last time we were at Auto Club in 2020, we had a really strong run going but ended up getting some damage in a wreck off of Turn 2. We’re able to run up against the wall which is where I am at my best, so hopefully we can get this Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Camaro on the boards and be there at the end.” – Noah Gragson

JRM Team Updates:

• JR Motorsports at Auto Club: JR Motorsports has competed at Auto Club Speedway a combined 45 times in the NXS. Over the course of these 45 starts at the 2-mile facility, JRM has tallied one win, nine top fives and 25 top 10s. JRM’s only win came during the 2015 season when Kevin Harvick drove the No. 88 to Victory Lane.
• Fourth Anniversary: Celebrating its fourth anniversary, PUBG MOBILE is a battle royale mobile game developed by Lightspeed and Quantum Studios of Tencent Games and KRAFTON, Inc. and is based on PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS. The game focuses on visual quality, maps, fast-paced action, and other aspects, providing an all-rounded surreal battle royale experience to players. For more information, visit pubgmobile.com and download the game for free on the App Store or Google Play Store.
• Celebrating 50 Years: Join us in celebrating the 50th anniversary of Bass Pro Shops by checking out the latest from country music star Chris Janson. This is our kind of song! It’s a touching tribute to Bass Pro Shops’ founder’s dad, John A. Morris and Dale Sr., and a salute to all those who love spending time in the great outdoors! Click here to watch the full music video.