Category: XFINITY Series PR

STATESVILLE, N.C.: Officials from AM Racing confirmed today that Logan Bearden will drive the team’s No. 15 Ford Mustang in Friday night’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Food City 300 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on September 20, 2024.

The final race of the regular NASCAR Xfinity Series season will be Bearden’s first driving for the Statesville, N.C.-based team, but his sixth Xfinity start of the season and first since Michigan International Speedway last month.

During the week, Bearden, a veteran Late Model competitor, can be found as an underneath mechanic at the AM Racing shop.

This week, Bearden will trade his wrenches for a steering wheel and hopes to deliver the organization their third Xfinity Series top-10 finish of the season.

“I’m incredibly grateful to everyone at AM Racing for this opportunity,” said Bearden. “It’s been a lot of hard work to get this opportunity, but I look forward to making the most of it.

“My goal will be like it is for every NASCAR Xfinity Series race I’ve competed in this year to make gains from practice to the race and race for the best finish possible.

“The team is coming off a top-10 finish last weekend at Watkins Glen, and I’d like to continue to add to the team’s momentum with another strong run on Friday night.”

For Bearden’s AM Racing debut, Mullis Construction Group will serve as the primary partner for the highly anticipated 300-lap race in Thunder Valley.

Mullis Construction Group has the expertise, resources, and experience to provide exceptional construction services for all types of projects. We approach each job with attention to detail and a focus on customer satisfaction.

Jami and Angie Mullis, the proud owners of Mullis Construction Group, are driven by their passion for construction to provide top-quality services, including renovations, custom designs, commercial makeovers, multifamily construction, and more to their clients.

They take pride in their attention to detail, expertise, and commitment to customer satisfaction.

“It’s always great to bring a new partner like Mullis Construction Group to the sport and, especially for a race that is super important to me,” added Bearden. “Without a doubt, there is some pressure this weekend, but I’m staying focused and ready to get to Bristol and get to work.”

The Leander, Texas native is known for his short track skills in Late Model competition, but with his Bristol Motor Speedway Xfinity debut on deck, Bearden is keeping his goals realistic.

“I really want to bring the AM Racing team another top-10 finish,” added Bearden. “That could happen if everything goes our way, but the goal is just to keep our No. 15 AM Racing Ford Mustang on the lead lap and be in a position to finish inside the top 15 when the checkered flag waves.”

The Texan made his Xfinity Series debut this spring at Richmond (Va.) Raceway followed by Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, Portland International Raceway, Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway and Michigan.

Four of his five previous Xfinity starts have returned with Bobby Dotter’s SS-GreenLight Racing team while he drove for Joey Gase Motorsports in his Nashville track debut in June.

In addition to NASCAR competition, Bearden will also compete in select late-model races throughout the country aboard his family-owned No. 66 Bearden Automotive team.

For more on AM Racing, please visit AMRacingteam.com, like their Facebook page (AM Racing), or follow them on Instagram and X | Twitter @AMRacingNASCAR.

For more on Logan Bearden, please visit LoganBearden.com, like his Facebook page (Logan Bearden Racing) or follow him on Twitter | X @LoganBearden66.

The Food City 300 (300 laps | 159.9 miles) is the 26th of thirty-three (33) NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2024 schedule. Practice will occur on Friday, September 20, from 2:00 to 2:35 p.m. Qualifying will immediately follow, beginning at 2:40 p.m. The field will take the green flag shortly after 7:30 p.m., with live coverage on the CW Network, the Performance Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (Eastern).

About AM Racing:

AM Racing is a multi-tiered, multi-faceted Motorsports program headquartered in Statesville, N.C.

Established in December 2015, AM Racing is prided on faith, honesty and intelligent performance.

The family-owned team will compete in the ARCA Menards Series, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and various Dirt Modified events in its eighth year of competition.

AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 16 Celsius Chevrolet Camaro

• AJ Allmendinger qualified third for the Mission 200 at the Glen at Watkins Glen International.
• Falling back one position on the initial start, Allmendinger maintained the fourth position, before short-pitting the stage on lap 16. The team took four tires, fuel and made an air pressure adjustment on the No. 16 Celsius Chevrolet, before Allmendinger finished the stage in 24th.
• Allmendinger started the second stage from second place and quickly took over the lead, following a solid restart. He led a total of five laps, before falling to second place on lap 30. Allmendinger eventually slipped to third, before short-pitting the stage once again on lap 37 for four tires and fuel. The race remained caution-free, and Allmendinger finish the second stage in 28th place.
• During the second stage stage break, Allmendinger radioed that the left-front tire on the No. 16 Chevy felt flat. After the spotter confirmed a left-front flat, Allmendinger pitted under yellow for four fresh tires and started the final stage from 30th place. The first caution of the day came out on lap 45, and Allmendinger was called to pit road for what the team hoped would be his final stop for tires and fuel. He restarted from 29th place on lap 49 and quickly made it back into the top 10 by lap 54. Allmendinger cracked the top five with 18 laps remaining, conserving fuel where he could. The second caution of the day came out with six laps remaining, as Allmendinger sat third. He stayed out under caution and chose the inside lane for the first overtime attempt. The caution came back out as chaos ensued in turn one on the restart, but not before Allmendinger cleared the second-place car. Following a short red flag, Allmendinger chose to restart in the inside lane behind the leader. Another caution came out after the restart, sending the field into a third overtime attempt. Allmendinger restarted third and fought off teammate, Shane van Gisbergen, ultimately finishing third.

“Overall, I felt like we maximized our day. Definitely struggled being lose all day; we could never get the extra speed I needed and comfort of the race car. I felt like we were a fourth or fifth place car all day. We did everything we could on the restarts; Alex [Yontz] did a really good job with the strategy after getting a flat tire and being able to fight back from that. Wish we could have more speed to contend for the win. At the end of the day, we ran our race, clinched our playoff spot and did everything that we needed to do.” – AJ Allmendinger  

SHANE van GISBERGEN
No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet Camaro

• Shane van Gisbergen qualified 14th but started at the rear after making unapproved adjustments after qualifying for the Mission 200 at the Glen at Watkins Glen International.
• Van Gisbergen steadily worked his way up through the field and entered the top 20, nine laps into the race. Running in the 15th position with three laps remaining, Van Gisbergen came to pit road for fresh tires and fuel. He returned to the field to complete the stage in the 36th position.
• The No. 97 team opted to stay out at the stage break caution and Van Gisbergen started the second stage, 7th. He battled a loose handling condition but continued to consistently maintain position. With four laps remaining in the stage, Van Gisbergen and his team opted to pit for fuel, fresh tires and an adjustment. He rejoined the field, 31st with three laps remaining. Van Gisbergen would complete the caution free stage and take the green and white checkered flag, 31st.
• The No. 97 team stayed out at the stage break caution and started the final stage 10th. Van Gisbergen quickly made his way to 6th before the first caution of the race came out, 3 laps into the stage. Van Gisbergen restarted the stage, 3rd. He gained the lead position on lap 54. The No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet led 13 laps before being forced to pit for fuel and fresh tires with 16 laps remaining in the race. On the last pit stop, Van Gisbergen was issued a pass through penalty with 14 laps remaining in the race. Van Gisbergen rejoined the field 24th and battled to work his way forward. A caution came out with six laps remaining and Van Gisbergen restarted the final stage 14th. Another caution occurred on the restart, resulting in a red flag to clean up debris. Van Gisbergen would try for another restart in 8th with two laps remaining in the race. After another caution flag flew on the first attempt of overtime, Van Gisbergen and the No. 97 stayed out and restarted the second attempt of overtime, 5th. Van Gisbergen took the checkered flag, 5th in overtime.

“It was a tough race for our 97 WeatherTech Chevy. Was hoping for a better day, but just didn’t have much speed and then ended up getting a speeding penalty there in the final stage. Going to continue to learn from this and hopefully get another shot at the win tomorrow in our WeatherTech 16 Cup car.” – Shane van Gisbergen

JOSH WILLIAMS
No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Chevrolet Camaro

• Josh Williams started 38th, as per the rulebook, after the No. 11 Alloy Employer Services team changed the Chevy’s transmission and did not participate in qualifying.
• Williams spent all of Stage 1 methodically picking up positions, rolling into 30th before end-of-stage pit stops occurred. He finished Stage 1 in 24th, benefiting from the leaders’ short-pitting.
• Williams pitted during the stage caution for tired, fuel, and an air pressure adjustment. He restarted from 24th on lap 25 but fell four places on the restart. Gaining off of leading drivers’ short-pitting strategy once again, Williams took the Stage 2 finish in 19th.
• Williams rolled off for Stage 3 after pitting for four tires and fuel in 23rd on lap 45. After moving into 22nd, the caution came out, and Williams pitted for fuel only, restarting in 21st with 33 laps to go with the hopes of making it to the checkered flag without having to pit again. He began inheriting positions because of other teams’ decisions to top off on fuel, and by lap 58, he was in 17th. He continued charting fast lap times, and after moving into 16th, spotter Reed Sorenson told Williams that he was “faster than the next four cars in front.” On lap 68, Williams drove the No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Camaro into 11th. Drivers who stopped for fresher tires in Stage 3 caught up to Williams on lap 73, and Williams dropped to 15th on lap 76. The yellow flag displayed that same lap for a stalled car, and crew chief Eddie Pardue elected to keep the No. 11 out of the pits for the restart. Williams restarted in 12th with two laps to go, and upon entering turn one, Williams was hit from behind, and the caution and a subsequent red flag came out. Williams was disqualified for driving the Chevy during the red flag, resulting in a 32nd-place finishing and ending his day prematurely.

“I thought we were going to get to have a successful day. I felt like we should’ve pitted when we stayed out, and that’s what led to us getting hit into [turn] one, but it’s part of it. Hopefully, we go on and run well at Bristol.” – Josh Williams  
 
About Kaulig Racing

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time, multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has earned 23 NXS wins, made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started, and won two regular-season championships. In 2021, the team competed in select NCS events, before expanding to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first NCS start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. Kaulig Racing is currently fielding two full-time entries in the NCS and continues to field three full-time NXS entries, with a part-time fourth entry at select events. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

STEWART-HAAS RACING
Mission 200 at The Glen
Date: Sept. 14, 2024
Event: Mission 200 at The Glen (Round 25 of 33)
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location: Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International (2.450-mile, seven-turn road course)
Format: 82 laps, broken into three stages (20 laps/20 laps/42 laps)
Note: Race extended eight laps past its scheduled 82-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.

Race Winner: Connor Zilisch of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Connor Zilisch of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)

SHR Race Finish:

● Riley Herbst (Started 12th / Finished 13th, Running, completed 90 of 90 laps)
● Cole Custer (Started 15th / Finished 21st, Running, completed 90 of 90 laps)

SHR Points:

● Cole Custer (2nd with 858 points, 43 out of first)
● Riley Herbst (8th with 724 points, 177 out of first)

SHR Notes:

● Herbst earned his 15th top-15 of the season and his third top-15 in four career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Watkins Glen.
● Herbst finished eighth in Stage 1 to earn three bonus points and seventh in Stage 2 to earn four more bonus points.
● Custer finished sixth in Stage 1 to earn five bonus points and sixth in Stage 2 to earn five more bonus points.
● Custer led once for six laps increasing his laps led total at Watkins Glen to seven.

Race Notes:

● Connor Zilisch won the Mission 200 at The Glen under caution to score his first career Xfinity Series victory in his series debut. He is the seventh different driver to win in their Xfinity Series debut.

● There were seven caution periods for a total of 19 laps.
● Twenty-one of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
● Justin Allgaier remains the championship leader after Watkins Glen with a 43-point advantage over second-place Cole Custer.

Sound Bites:

“It’s so frustrating. We were set up to get a great finish and on the last lap, we got wrecked. Road courses haven’t always been our strongest tracks so to come out of here with a top-10 would’ve been a great day for us. I hate it for my guys and Monster Energy. We’ve been building such strong runs just to have a bad finish because of something not of our own doing. Hopefully we can head to my favorite track next weekend and bring home a win at Bristol.​” –Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse

“Road courses are just anyone’s game. We had a strong day building with stage points and being up there at the end. We got spun on one of the restarts, and I feel like it was just too late to recover from that. These kinds of days are tough as a driver, but I’m proud of my No. 00 team for hanging in there to the checkered flag. I hate that we couldn’t get a better finish for HighPoint.com but we have another shot to get them a win next weekend in Bristol.” –Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the Food City 300 on Friday, Sept. 20 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. The race begins at 7:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by CW and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Jesse Love Pilots the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet to an Eighth-Place Result at Watkins Glen International

Finish: 8th
Start: 11th
Points: 7th

“I’m proud of the effort our No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet team showed today at Watkins Glen International. We earned stage points in Stage 1, but our Camaro was just tight all day. Danny Stockman (crew chief) made good adjustments to get the balance better and it definitely helped towards the end. We missed a few big crashes and salvaged an eighth-place finish. Our road course program has been strong this season, but today it was a grind. We have one more road course race in the Playoffs, and I’m confident we will have a strong showing there. Time to go finish the regular season on a high note at Bristol Motor Speedway next Friday night.” -Jesse Love

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Global Industrial Chevrolet Battle Until the End at Watkins Glen International

Finish: 33rd
Start: 10th
Points: 4th

“It was a battle for our Global Industrial team today at Watkins Glen International. We were able to advance to the second round of qualifying earlier this morning and get a top 10 starting spot. Once the green flag flew though, the car was extremely loose in both directions and the fronts chattered really bad. It felt like the rubber being laid down changed the car’s balance. Overall, we just struggled with finding the right handling for our Chevrolet. When the caution flew towards the end of the race, we came to pit road for fresh tires to give us the best chance of getting a decent finish. Unfortunately, we got caught up in a wreck which ended our race early. We have one final race in the regular season before the Playoffs start and every race matters. The No. 21 team will keep fighting to gain momentum.” -Austin Hill

CREED, SMITH SCORE STRONG FINISHES AT THE GLEN
Creed clinches a Playoff berth with his series-leading 12th top-five finish

WATKINS GLEN, NY (September 14, 2024) – Sheldon Creed battled through the pack to lead Toyota with a runner-up finish in a wild ending to the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen International. Creed’s runner-up finish was his series-leading 12th top-five of the season and clinched the California-native a Playoff berth. Creed was joined inside the top-five by his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chandler Smith, who was scored in fourth.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Watkins Glen International
Race 24 of 33 – 200.9 Miles, 82 Laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

1st, Connor Zilisch*
2nd, SHELDON CREED
3rd, AJ Allmendinger*
4th, CHANDLER SMITH
5th, Shane van Gisbergen*
24th, ED JONES
25th, TY GIBBS
26th, ARIC ALMIROLA
29th, THOMAS ANNUZIATA
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

SHELDON CREED, No. 18 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 2nd

Are you happy with second after what you went through today?

“Yeah, we ran in the top-10 all day, so that was fun. Strategy got weird there at the end. Cars running out fuel and this and that, and our battle for second was crazy between the four of us. I think we all knew that might have been the battle for the win if the 88 (Connor Zilisch) ran out. To get clear there in second, I was just waiting for the 88 to run out of fuel there and the caution came out before we finished it. I don’t know if he makes it or not, but I’m not mad at the second today because I thought we overachieved a bit for how we ran, so days like that are always really good. Just another top-five. We will keep clicking away. It is a great time to be starting to get consistent for the Playoffs.”

CHANDLER SMITH, No. 81 Smith General Contracting Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 4th

You came back from an overheating issue to finish in the top-five. What can you say about this team?

“I’m just really proud of everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing. The No. 81 Smith General Contracting Toyota GR Supra was as fast as Xfinity internet. Obviously, those overheating issues didn’t do us any good. We had to come in and go to the back and play a little strategy. We lost a little stage points in stage two to get somewhat of our track position back, but we clawed back through there before all of that happened, and Jeff Meendering (crew chief) made a really good change when we had to come in and do all of that service, and it made us better than we were in stage one. There was a bunch of times that we were the fastest car on the track, and it would have been really cool to see what would have happened if we didn’t have to go to the back, but still can’t be too disappointed with how today went.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 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 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 47 million cars and trucks at our 12 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 13th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 29 electrified options.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Young’s Motorsports | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International | Mission 200

Fast Facts
No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Team:
Driver: Leland Honeyman Jr.
Primary Partner(s): Young’s Building Systems | Randco Industries Inc.
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro
Crew Chief: Andrew Abbott
2024 Driver Points Position: 18th
2024 Owner Points Position: 21st
Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing

Stretch Drive: In January, Young’s Motorsports announced it would graduate from the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series to the NASCAR Xfinity Series full-time in 2024 with rising star Leland Honeyman Jr. behind the wheel of the team’s No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro for the entire 33-race season continuing with Saturday afternoon’s Mission 200 at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.

About Leland: The Phoenix, Ariz. native began honing his racing skills at the tender age of two racing Quads. By four years old, he moved into Trophy Karts and then collected three series championships in off-road racing Trophy Karts.

After an instrumental tenure in Go Karts, he moved into the Bandolero competition in 2015 and was crowned a Bandolero National Champion two years later. From there, he moved into Limited Late Models before graduating to the Carolina Pro Late Model Series division in 2021, where he earned championship-runner-up honors and picked up an astounding victory in the annual Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway Fall Brawl.

Honeyman, 19, returns to the Mooresville, N.C.-based organization, where he ran an impressive ARCA Menards Series East Series campaign, finishing third in the 2022 championship standings.

During the 2023 season, he made eight NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, highlighted by a 21st-place finish at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Road Course.

All-Aboard!: For the 25th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races this season, Young’s Motorsports welcomes back Texas-based Young’s Building Systems and Randco will partner with the Mooresville, N.C.-based team as the primary partners on the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro for the 82-lap race on Saturday afternoon.

Since 1981, Young’s Building Systems has been providing West Texas with all their metal building needs.

This family-owned and operated business has become an industry favorite due to the experience gained and the professional results completed. Young’s Building System is a division of Randco Industries, Inc. We have expanded into a company that has the ability to erect any type of building, from a small single story to a city high-rise.

Our customers have multiple uses for our buildings, including commercial, residential, agricultural, industrial, skid-mounted buildings and compressor station buildings.

We also have a team that specializes in stairs and railings of all shapes and sizes. Young’s Building Systems is fully insured for your peace of mind, so we carry workmen’s compensation and general liability coverage that goes above and beyond State requirements.

Our company is fully equipped with moving and lifting equipment along with compressors, generators and welding equipment. We have the tools and equipment needed to support large, demanding projects.

Our work ethic is based on the principles of quality, promptness, and customer experience.

Young’s Building Systems continuously raises our standard of excellence and works hard to make sure that each and every one of your needs are met.

Leland Honeyman Jr. NASCAR Xfinity Series Watkins Glen International Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Mission 200 at Watkins Glen International will mark Honeyman’s inaugural Xfinity Series start in the Finger Lakes of New York.

This weekend is part of a triple-header with the ARCA Menards Series and the NASCAR Cup Series, which will host their second race of the Round of 16 in the Cup Series Playoffs in Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen.

The Xfinity Series rookie driver will look to improve his overall road course racing average Xfinity finish of 24.3.

Leland Honeyman Jr. NASCAR Xfinity Career Stats: Entering Watkins Glen, Honeyman has 32 career NASCAR Xfinity Series races to his credit, earning a career-best fourth-place finish at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway after starting 33rd in the Ag-Pro 300 for Young’s Motorsports in April 2024.

Since 2023, he has carried an average finish of 26.1.

Atlanta Motor Speedway | Focused Health 250 Race Recap: In the 24th race of the 2024 Xfinity Series season, Young’s Motorsports and Honeyman searched for another solid finish in the team’s inaugural Xfinity Series summer trip to the hybrid superspeedway track of Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Without the benefit of practice, Honeyman started his No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro from the 35th position and methodically began patiently working his way forward in a very chaotic and mentally draining race.

By Stage 3, Honeyman and crew chief Andrew Abbott had improved the handling of the No. 42 Young’s Building Systems | Randco Industries Inc. Chevrolet Camaro, allowing the rookie driver to cling to the main pack.

Avoiding a major melee at the front of the field late in the race, Honeyman contended for his third top-10 finish of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series but slid back to a respectable 17th-place finish at the checkered flag.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Honeyman Jr. as crew chief of the No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro is longtime crew chief Andrew Abbott.

On Saturday, he will be crew chief in his 122nd NASCAR Xfinity Series race. In his previous 121 races, he has four top-five and 13 top-10 finishes.

The season’s 25th race will be his fourth tango at Watkins Glen as crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR Xfinity Series at Watkins Glen International: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ inaugural NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR Xfinity Series History: Since entering the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2024, the family-owned organization has logged 24 starts and maintains an average starting position of 26.9 and an average finish of 22.0.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Leland Honeyman Jr., please visit LelandHoneymanRacing.com, like him on Facebook (Leland Honeyman Racing) and follow on Instagram (@lelandhoneymanjr) and X |Twitter (@lelandhoneyman3).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (@youngsmotorsports) and X |Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Leland Honeyman Jr. Pre-Race Quote:

On Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International: “I am very optimistic ahead of my NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Watkins Glen International on Saturday. Race after race, I believe we have exceeded our expectations as a rookie team, and I believe we can continue to do that in the Finger Lakes of New York this weekend.

“I’m appreciative of the hard work of my No. 42 Young’s Motorsports team and hope for a productive race on Saturday that will propel us forward to Bristol Motor Speedway next weekend.”

Race Information:

The Mission 200 (82 laps | 200.9 miles) is the 25th of thirty-three (33) NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2024 schedule. Practice will occur on Saturday, September 14, from 9:30 to 9:50 a.m. Qualifying will immediately follow, beginning at 10:00 a.m. The field will take the green flag shortly after 3:00 p.m., with live coverage on the USA Network, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (Eastern).

JR Motorsports Team Preview
TRACK – Watkins Glen International (2.45-mile road course)
NXS RACE – Mission 200 at the Glen (82 laps / 200.9 miles)
TUNE IN – USA, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90 at 3:00 p.m. (ET)

Sam Mayer

No. 1 – 10X Health Chevrolet

Mayer 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 24

Wins: 2

Top 5s: 7

Top 10s: 10

Laps Led: 136

Avg. Finish: 18.7

Points: 13th

• Sam Mayer heads north to Upstate New York this weekend as the defending NASCAR Xfinity Series winner at Watkins Glen International.
• In his previous three NXS starts at Watkins Glen, the 21-year-old driver has finished inside the top 10 each time, including the victory last season.
• In 22 starts on road courses in the NXS, the young driver has tallied three wins, seven top-five and 14 top-10 efforts.
• With just two races remaining in the NXS regular season, Mayer sits locked into the playoffs by virtue of his two victories earlier this season at Texas Motor Speedway and Iowa Speedway.

Sam Mayer

“I’m really looking forward to get back to a road course this weekend. Mardy (Lindley, crew chief) and the guys have always built such great road course cars for me in the past, so I have no doubt that we will be strong again this weekend at Watkins Glen. Last year we were up front when it mattered the most and were able to grab the win, so I am looking forward to being up front again and hopefully can take home another trophy at The Glen.”

Justin Allgaier

No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet

Allgaier 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 24

Wins: 2

Top 5s: 7

Top 10s: 15

Laps Led: 589

Avg. Finish: 13.1

Points: 1st

• Justin Allgaier has earned four top fives and seven top 10s in 12 career NXS starts at Watkins Glen, with a best finish of third coming in 2018 and 2019 at the famed New York road course.
• Allgaier is a three-time winner on the road courses in the NXS, with two of them coming behind the wheel of a JRM Chevrolet in 2018 (Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Road America).
• Through four road course events in 2024, Allgaier has scored two top fives, three top 10s and a best finish of second coming at Portland in June.
• Allgaier currently holds a 34-point lead in the championship standings with just two races remaining in the NXS regular season.

Justin Allgaier

“Watkins Glen has always been a fun and challenging road course. I feel extremely confident that Jim (Pohlman crew chief) and everyone on this BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet will give me a great car that will have us in contention for the win. We know what we need to do out there and if we execute the way we have been, I see no reason why we won’t be up front at the end.”

Sammy Smith

No. 8 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet

Smith 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 24

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 5

Top 10s: 13

Laps Led: 55

Avg. Finish: 15.1

Points: 10th

• Sammy Smith has 14 NXS starts on road courses, earning three top-five and five top-10 finishes.
• Smith scored his best finish at The Glen in 2022 when he took the checkers in the third position.
• Smith earned his third top-10 in the last four NXS events last weekend in Atlanta, crossing the finish line in seventh.
• Pilot Flying J will share the TV panel with Leonard’s Express. It is a family-owned asset-based transportation provider located in Farmington, N.Y. with a nationwide footprint. They are committed to providing unparalleled solutions, fostering lasting partnerships and driving innovation in the industry.

Sammy Smith

“I’m looking forward to getting this Pilot Flying J Chevrolet back on track this weekend and building on the speed we had last week in Atlanta. We gave ourselves a bigger cushion in the playoff standings and Phillip (Bell, crew chief), the team and I are planning on continuing that as we head into the last two races of the regular season.”

Brandon Jones

No. 9 Menards / Pelonis Chevrolet

Jones 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 24

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 1

Top 10s: 6

Laps Led: 30

Avg. Finish: 19.9

Points: 14th

• Brandon Jones has made seven starts at Watkins Glen, with a best finish of sixth coming during the 2021 season.
• Additionally, Jones will be making his third ARCA Menards Series start in the Empire State. He has previously gone to Victory Lane in ARCA at Watkins Glen, capturing the checkered flag in 2022.
• Pelonis, a trusted brand in home comfort for over 25 years, will be making its second of four appearances on the hood of Jones’ Camaro this weekend.

Brandon Jones

“We had a strong run last weekend in Atlanta, so I am hoping we can continue that momentum into this weekend. We’ve been preparing in the sim to make sure I am ready when we unload and I feel confident as we get closer. Adam (Wall, crew chief) and this entire Menards/Pelonis team have been hard at work, hopefully we can put it all together this weekend and come home with a solid finish.”

Connor Zilisch

No. 88 Carolina Carports Chevrolet

Zilisch 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 0

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 0

Top 10s: 0

Laps Led: 0

Avg. Finish: N/A

Points: N/A

• Connor Zilisch will make his first start for JRM this weekend at a place he knows well. The young driver competed at WGI earlier this season in the sports-car ranks and also previously, led 34 of 42 laps there in the 2023 ARCA Menards East Series event on the 2.45-mile course.
• Zilisch will have Carolina Carports on the side of his No. 88 Chevrolet this weekend at The Glen.
• Earlier this season, Zilisch qualified first and finished fourth at Circuit of the Americas in his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut.
• Crew chief Andrew Overstreet will guide Zilisch this weekend, as the young driver joins Carson Kvapil, Connor Mosack and Bubba Pollard on the list of drivers for the team this season.

Connor Zilisch

“It feels great to make my debut for JR Motorsports at Watkins Glen. I’m fortunate to have raced here before and I can’t wait to get out there in the Carolina Carports Chevrolet and make a good impression. This track is very technical and very fast, and after watching what Andrew (Overstreet, crew chief) and the team has been able to do so far this season, I’m looking forward to Saturday’s race.”

JRM Team Updates

JR Motorsports at Watkins Glen International: JR Motorsports has competed at Watkins Glen International a combined 50 times in the NXS since its first trip there in 2006. In those starts at the 2.45-mile road course, the organization has recorded two wins,11 top-fives and 29 top-10s, with an average finish of 12.0.

Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith, Brandon Jones and Connor Zilisch will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / Legacy MC souvenir rig on Saturday, Sept. 14 from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET.

COLE CUSTER | RILEY HERBST
Watkins Glen NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

• Event: Mission 200 at The Glen (Round 25 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, Sept. 14
• Location: Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International
• Layout: 2.45-mile, seven-turn road course
• Time/TV/Radio: 3 p.m. EDT on USA/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

• Cole Custer is ready to trade in the high banks and unpredictability of superspeedway-style racing for the high-speed, left-and-right turns of Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International in Saturday’s Mission 200 at The Glen. Custer’s strength on road courses has been prevalent throughout his career. In his 27 Xfinity Series starts on road courses, Custer has scored two wins, 20 top-10s and led 26 laps. Last season, he scored two of his three wins on a road course and a street course – June 3 at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway and July 1 on the Chicago Street Course. The series has visited three road courses – Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, Portland, and Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway – and the Chicago Street Course so far this season. Custer scored top-10 finishes in three of these four starts with a best finish of fourth on March 23 at COTA. In fact, Custer hasn’t finished outside the top-10 at a traditional road course in the Xfinity Series since an accident cut his race short on July 29, 2023, at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Custer and the No. 00 HighPoint.com team look to be contenders to win this weekend as he attempts to continue to close the gap on Justin Allgaier’s regular-season points lead with just two races to go before the Xfinity Series Playoffs begin Sept. 28 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City.
• Saturday’s Mission 200 at The Glen will mark Custer’s sixth Xfinity Series start at the 2.45-mile, seven-turn circuit. His five prior starts feature back-to-back top-10 finishes in 2018 (sixth) and 2019 (seventh), and a seventh-place result in August 2023. He’s never finished outside the top-12 in his Xfinity Series starts at the track. Custer also has six starts outside of the Xfinity Series at Watkins Glen – three in the NASCAR Cup Series and three in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. He earned a best K&N Pro Series East finish of third in August 2016, and a best Cup Series finish of 11th in August 2022.
• HighPoint.com is a leading provider of technology infrastructure solutions that is headquartered in Sparta, New Jersey. HighPoint has been a partner of Stewart-Haas Racing since 2020, when the company supported Chase Briscoe’s NASCAR Xfinity Series campaign, a collaboration that netted a series-best nine victories. HighPoint has climbed the NASCAR ladder with Briscoe and has helped Stewart-Haas maximize its IT investments. As an IT Solutions Integrator focused on all things that connect, HighPoint helps its customers with the selection and supply of network infrastructure, mobility, collaboration, data center, security solutions and the risk-mitigated implementation and management of their technology. The company, founded in 1996, is a minority-owned business that serves markets in its nearby Tri-State Region (New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware) and the Southeastern United States via its presence in Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as globally with offices in Amsterdam and London. To learn more about HighPoint’s solutions, visit HighPoint.com.

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• Riley Herbst is looking for a change of scenery in Saturday’s Mission 200 at The Glen at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. After being caught up in an accident with just a handful of laps to go in last Saturday’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Herbst was able to limp to the finish after an otherwise solid day of running in the top-10 at Atlanta. With that heartbreak behind him, Herbst is hoping that the No. 98 Monster Energy team can rebound to earn a top finish at Watkins Glen, the track where his playoff bid last year took a critical hit when Herbst ran inside the top-10 all day, but a mechanical issue forced him to retire early with a 35th-place result. This weekend, Herbst finds himself already locked into the seven-race postseason thanks to his July 20 win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. With two races to go until the playoffs kick off Sept. 28 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Herbst is sitting seventh in the regular-season points standings and eighth in the playoff standings with seven playoff points.
• Saturday’s race at Watkins Glen will mark Herbst’s fourth Xfinity Series start at the track. Best among his three prior starts was a seventh-place finish in August 2022. He finished 13th in his first start at the track in August 2021 with the No. 98 Monster Energy team. He also has two starts at The Glen outside of the Xfinity Series – one in the ARCA Menards Series in August 2021, which resulted in a sixth-place finish, and one in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, which resulted in a 12th-place finish.
• Herbst has proven his resilience on road courses in the last year, bouncing back from several tough runs at the start of the year to nab top-15 finishes in five of the eight road-course races last season. He earned a 10th-place finish in last year’s first road-course race at COTA on March 25, 2023. He then finished 15th when the series visited Sonoma for the first time on June 10. In his fifth-place finish July 29 at Road America, Herbst rebounded from incidents during the race to work his way from the back of the pack. He followed that up with a 12th-place result after starting 10th at the Aug. 12 Indianapolis Grand Prix. He closed the season with his strongest run of the year at a track that has troubled him in the past, the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval. Herbst finished fourth in that Oct. 7 race, his best Roval finish after back-to-back DNFs in 2021 and 2022. While his road-course starts in 2024 have been riddled with bad luck, Herbst has proven it’s never too late in the season to turn luck around. His fourth-place finish at Charlotte was his first of five straight top-fives to close out the 2023 season, which included his first career Xfinity Series victory Oct. 14 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 00 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

You’re welcoming HighPoint.com to your car this weekend at Watkins Glen for the second year in a row. It’s been an SHR partner for several years and made the move last year to sponsor you in the Xfinity Series for a race. You earned a sixth-place finish. What does it mean to have the company’s support?

“HighPoint’s support means a lot to me and Stewart-Haas. The whole family and all the people over there are extremely caring and really on the ground floor with things. Mike (Mendiburu, owner) has always been a big supporter of my career. We met years ago and it’s nice to finally be able to work with them on my own car. It’s really cool to see just how much effort they put into their business and seeing how invested they are in NASCAR. It’s hard to come by these days. I think you’ve seen it with their investment in the Stewart-Haas team all these years. I’m excited to have them back as primary partner at Watkins Glen. Overall, just seeing how invested they are in the sport and how much they love racing is pretty awesome. I can’t thank them enough for also investing in me. Hopefully, we can give them another good run and park their Ford Mustang in victory lane.”

You’re heading to the fourth traditional road course of the 2024 season. In the three prior starts, you scored top-10 finishes. Talk about your expectations for the weekend at Watkins Glen, given your success on road courses.

“Watkins Glen is a fun track for me. I’ve never finished outside the top-12 there, but it’s honestly just a high-speed, fast road course. It’s difficult for sure, but I think that’s what makes it more fun as a driver. You have to be careful not to overstep or lose your temper too quickly. Road courses are all about patience so you can stay out of trouble and be there at the end. You’ve seen that countless times – including my win at Portland when I passed the leaders who got tangled up on a restart. If you’re too aggressive, you can put yourself in a worse position. I think the No. 00 team will be one of the ones to watch this weekend.”

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

The No. 98 Monster Energy team has shown so much speed at road courses, but bad luck has taken you out of contention for some potentially great finishes. What do you need this weekend to get the job done and park your Ford Mustang in victory lane at The Glen?

“Our No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang has been fast all year on any style of track. It’s just a testament to the hard work that this team is putting in each and every week to make us better. The only one I will say that we were truly slow is COTA earlier this year, but every other race has been great. We’ve had some bad luck. We’ve had some work cut out for us. But, we never gave up. I think that mentality has only helped us get better. I’m thankful for these guys for sticking by me and giving me fast cars each week. Last year was tough at Watkins Glen, but now we’re not focused on making it into the playoffs. We’re already in. Now, we can focus on winning and preparing for these final races. There isn’t any other team I would rather head to a road course with.”

Watkins Glen seems to be a favorite road course among the drivers. Describe what goes through your mind as you’re making your way around it.

“Watkins Glen is a fun track as a driver, for sure. It’s such a fast road course, and you really have to think about each turn so you’re not getting yourself into trouble. Each of the turns on this course is unique, so you just have to be on top of your game every time you go there. I’m excited to head back there to hopefully compete for a win, and given the speed we’ve had on road courses, I think we’re in a good spot this weekend. We’ve had top-five speed almost every week, it seems, so now it’s just about avoiding mistakes and having another perfect race. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that it’s never too late to turn your luck around.”

WELCOME, N.C. (September 9th, 2024) – Starting at Talladega Superspeedway on October 5th, Dead On Tools will serve as the primary sponsor of Anthony Alfredo and the number 5 NASCAR Xfinity Series car in four of the final six races of the 2024 season. In addition to Talladega, the Dead On Tools Chevrolet Camaro will be seen on track in action at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 19th, Martinsville Speedway on November 2nd, and the season-finale at Phoenix Raceway on November 9th.

Dead On Tools and Anthony Alfredo first partnered in 2022 during his first full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series campaign, and again for one race primary sponsorship in 2023.

Dead On Tools has been seen on the number 5 Chevrolet Camaro as an associate sponsor throughout the 2024 season so far, but in regards to bringing Dead On Tools onboard as a primary for multiple races, Anthony said “Dead On Tools has been a great partner over the last few years and I am so excited to take our relationship to the next level. We have been having a great season and I am looking forward to having even more success with the Dead On Tools brand on our race car in multiple events before the completion of 2024 season. My team in the shop have been building fast race cars using an array of their products and even utilizing them on race weekend at the track!”

Dead On Tools is one of the world’s fastest-growing brands of hardware and storage gear today. From its humble beginnings, Dead On Tools has grown to be a household name within the trade. If you enter any job site, chances are you will find Dead On Tools. Our cornerstone products, such as our investment cast hammers, helped build the way for the brand. Today, Dead On Tools still carries its namesake hand tools, but has focused intently on mastering professional tool belts and other styles of gear. The latest installation of tool belts includes serious upgrades like the professional suspension system and belt that boasts a maximum width of 52″ around. These innovations have helped keep Dead On Tools at the front of the pack.

“Anthony is not only a phenomenal driver on the track, but he has been a cornerstone for us while representing the brand over the past few years.” said Brian Ranallo, Director of Sales & Marketing for Dead On Tools. “We are all excited to see him captain the Dead On Tools Chevy Camaro this season, and continue our growth together. We will see you in Victory Lane!”

Catch the Dead On Tools Chevrolet Camaro on track for the first time in 2024 during the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Talladega Superspeedway on October 5th, 2024, at 4:00 PM ET. Fans can watch the race live on The CW or listen to the radio broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90.