SS GreenLight Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Circuit of the Americas (COTA) | COTA 250

Fast Facts
No. 07 SS GreenLight Racing Team:
Driver: Joe Graf Jr. (@JoeGrafJr)
Primary Partner(s): G-Coin
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro
Crew Chief: Mike Tyska
Driver Points Position: 25th | Owner Points Position: 35th
Chassis Intel: SSGLR Chassis No. 720; competed last at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway Road Course on Feb. 20, 2021 (Start: Ninth | Finish: 20th)
Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines (ECR)

Notes of Interest:

Welcome Aboard: This weekend at Circuit of the Americas (COTA), SS GreenLight Racing and Joe Graf Jr. welcome G-Coin as the primary partner of the team’s No. 07 Chevrolet Camaro for Saturday afternoon’s COTA 250.

COTA marks the first of a multi-race deal where G-Coin, a product that brings gold into the digital age, making it accessible and giving it true utility will be the primary partner.

About G-Coin: Unlike cryptocurrencies, G-Coin is a digital title to a real asset: 1 G-Coin token equals 1 gram of Responsible GoldTM.

G-Coin combines the best qualities of traditional gold – stability, security, value, confidence, and social status – with the benefits of digital innovation, allowing users to easily save, send, and spend gold.

Tech-savvy investors keen to avoid cryptocurrency volatility, or physical storage burden and costs, are now able to purchase G-Coin digital gold tokens. G-Coin tokens can be purchased in increments of 0.01gram, giving individual investors better access to the gold market and the ability to use gold for day-to-day purchases.

G-Coin Wallets give users the freedom to send and receive value instantly, securely, and at no cost from the convenience of your mobile phone.

You can watch the official wrapping of the No. 07 G-Coin car here.

G-Coin Tip of the Week: Gold is historically stable and maintains its value over the long term. It has successfully preserved wealth over thousands of generations.

Soon, G-Coin can instantly be used as cash with a swipe of the G-Coin debit card. It will also be available to transfer or used for payment.

Saving You Some Money: As summer approaches, Joe Graf Jr.’s other marketing partner Z Grills wants to help the NASCAR community save money – but also enjoy the perfect barbecue.

On the heels of their third race partnership of the season last weekend at Dover (Del.) International Speedway, Z Grills Racing (ZGrillsRacing.com) is offering a 10 percent discount off your TOTAL purchase, using the code NASCAR at checkout.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Circuit of the America Stats: Joe Graf Jr. joins the rest of the NASCAR Xfinity Series field by making his first start at Circuit of the Americas on Saturday afternoon in the inaugural COTA 250.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Career Road Course Nuggets: At tracks classified as a road course, Graf has competed in five NASCAR Xfinity Series races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Road America (Wisc.), the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway Road Course twice and the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL, respectively.

He holds an average starting position of 24.0 (per rule book) and an average result of 22.4 with 99 percent of the laps complete.

Dover (Del.) International Speedway | Drydene 200 Race Recap: In the series’ most recent race at Dover, the 22-year-old battled back from being one lap down to getting his No. 07 Z Grills Chevrolet back on the lead lap and slicing and dicing his way through the field before an unscheduled pit stop under green for a loose wheel ruined any hopes of a satisfying finish.

Instead, he finished 29th in his third Monster Mile start.

Put Me In Coach: In an effort to strengthen his physique, Joe Graf Jr. began working with a new trainer and former NASCAR Cup Series Josh Wise during the offseason.

In addition to Wise, Graf has also been working with former NASCAR driver and open-wheel driver Scott Speed on being more discipline behind the wheel of his No. 07 G-Coin Chevrolet Camaro.

From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Mike Tyska is Joe Graf Jr.’s crew chief.

He will crew chief his 11th NASCAR Xfinity Series race as crew chief on Saturday afternoon.

Tyska joined SS GreenLight Racing in January after honing his skills in all three of NASCAR’s national divisions and working for teams like Germain Racing, GMS Racing and Rick Ware Racing.

Tyska was a part of Todd Bodine’s 2006 championship season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Germain Racing.

Hello From The Other Side: Graf Jr. has a teammate at SS GreenLight Racing. Cole Custer will drive the No. 17 Production Alliance Group Ford Mustang on Saturday afternoon.

Custer, a full-time competition in the NASCAR Cup Series is poised to make his 105th career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at COTA. In 11 previous Xfinity road course starts, the Stewart-Haas Racing driver has one top-five and nine top-10 finishes overall.

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

For more on SS GreenLight Racing, please like them on Facebook (SS GreenLight Racing) and follow them on Twitter (@SSGLR0708) and visit their website at SSGreenLight.com.
Joe Graf Jr. Pre-Race Quotes:

On Circuit of the Americas: “I am optimistic about Circuit of the Americas this weekend. This is going to be a tough race because it is incredibly stacked, especially with several drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series planning to compete.

“I’ve done a lot to prepare myself for this weekend and I hope that pays off throughout the weekend. Hopefully, we will have a solid debut for G-Coin and have some momentum for next weekend at Charlotte.”

On New G-Coin Partnership: “This is a unique partnership, and I am excited to officially welcome G-Coin to NASCAR and our SS GreenLight Racing team. G-Coin is building an amazing ecosystem and we believe the NASCAR community will put G-Coin on the global map. Plus, we will strike gold in our No. 07 Chevrolet Camaro with some strong finishes on the track.”

On Recent Performances: “The last several races have been tough; however, it is during times like this that all your mental discipline and training really come to the forefront.

“I can’t stress enough the importance of mental toughness in overcoming obstacles you don’t control. We have an amazing pit crew, but two weeks in a row they have suffered late-race problems that ruined our day.

“When I look at the speed and balance of our cars this year they are much better than last year. That isn’t from luck. That is from the hard work and grind it out mental toughness of this team.

“It’s such a shame that we have had such a rough month or so, but this is no different from life. We all experience highs and lows in life. Like anyone at a low point, we are going to remain mentally tough and keep moving forward. We embrace the suck. We
know it can’t last.

“Going forward we are going to focus on what we can control and continue to execute at our highest level. There are a ton of races left in the season and hopefully, we have shaken the bad luck. I would be worried if our cars lacked competitiveness, but they don’t. We have a lot of racing left and we are due for some good luck.”
Race Information:

The COTA 250 (46 laps | 156 miles) is the 11th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2021 schedule. Practice is set for Fri., May 21 from 3:00 p.m. – 3:55 p.m. Qualifying is set for race day, Sat., May 22 beginning at 10:05 a.m. The inaugural race will take the green flag later in the day shortly after 3:00 p.m. (4:00 p.m. ET) with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Performance Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (CT).
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 will continue with a two-car program in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2021.

AUSTIN, Texas (May 20, 2021) – Since he started competing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2013 on a part-time basis, A.J. Allmendinger has proven that he is one of the best road course racers in the series. Of his six victories, four have come on road courses, including last year’s wild finish on the Charlotte ROVAL™ in the rain.

Allmendinger, who is now full-time in the Xfinity Series at the controls of the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevy, will be one of the pre-race favorites to win Saturday’s Pit Boss 250 at Circuit of The Americas’ challenging 3.41-mile, 20-turn layout. The race will air live on FS1 and PRN Radio starting at 3 p.m. CT.

Allmendinger has a victory this season, but it didn’t come on a road course. Rather, it came on the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In his only road course start this year, at the Daytona Road Course in February, he led four laps before being involved in an early race scuffle with series rival and defending champ Austin Cindric that ultimately took Allmendinger out of contention. Allmendinger spun through the grass and suffered damage to the front of his machine but was able to eventually get back on track and finish 43 of the 56 laps for a 35th place finish.

Despite the downer on Daytona’s road course, he rallied after that and has posted a win and six top-five finishes, including a fourth-place finish last weekend in Dover, putting Allmendinger fourth in points as the series heads to Austin.

In addition to the ROVAL™, Allmendinger has earned Xfinity road course victories at Road America and Mid-Ohio. His lone Cup Series win came at another road course, Watkins Glen, in 2014. Like the majority of his competitors, this will be his first-ever run at COTA. Allmendinger will have a busy weekend at COTA as he will pull double duty by racing in Sunday’s Cup Series race as well.

“It’s always fun going to a new race track, so I’m looking forward to something new,” Allmendinger said. “It’s a double-header weekend for us, so it’s going to be busy. I’m excited to be back in the Cup car after a really fun race at the Daytona road course earlier this year. Overall, I think it’s a technical race track – weather is going to be a factor, so there will be a lot of challenges that we will have to face. I’m confident that Kaulig Racing will have a solid weekend.”

Cindric, meanwhile, finished second in the Daytona Road Course race, and said he hoped he and Allmendinger could “learn from it and figure out how do to better going forward” following their tangle.

With wins at Daytona, Phoenix and Dover last weekend, and seven top-five finishes, Cindric is riding a wave of momentum into COTA and is currently first in the Xfinity Series points standings. He will look to increase his margin with another strong road course run behind the wheel of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford. Like Allmendinger, Cindric also will compete in the Cup race in the Team Penske No. 33 Ford.

“I think the restarts are gonna be wild,” Cindric said. “You have a very wide inviting front straightaway. You even see it in the F1 races there. I mean, guys will drive it off in there and collect three or four cars, so I think restarts are definitely going to be pretty crazy in all three series — a lot of opportunities to pass at this racetrack, a lot of tire fall off, which obviously provides a bit of a dynamic to the race, whether if it’s on strategy or on the racetrack, so, otherwise, you kind of have every type of corner at this racetrack. There’s a lot to look forward to, I think for the NASCAR fans and a lot of unknowns for us as drivers.”

Close behind Cindric, and also a threat to win on road courses, is veteran Justin Allgaier, driver of the No. 7 Chevy for JR Motorsports. Allgaier, who has three career road course wins on his resume, has scored two victories this season, at Atlanta and Darlington. After a third-place finish at Dover this past weekend, he sits sixth in the series standings.

In addition to the trio of full-time favorites, the Pit Boss 250 will have five Cup Series regulars and several road course specialists gunning for the victory as well.

The five Cup stars entered in the race are Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, Tyler Reddick and Cole Custer. Harvick will drive the No. 5 Chevy for BJ McLeod Motorsports, Busch will be in the No. 54 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, Dillon will drive the No. 77 Chevy for Bassett Racing, Reddick will drive the No. 31 Chevy for Jordan Anderson Racing and Custer will pilot the No. 17 Chevy for SS Green Light Racing.

One of the most talented road racers in stock car history, Boris Said, is among a group of road racing specialists entered in the Xfinity race. Said, who has earned one Xfinity and one Truck win in his career, will drive the No. 13 Toyota Supra for MBM Racing as he makes a return to NASCAR for the first time in more than six years. Unlike many of his Xfinity rivals, Said has quite a bit of experience on the COTA layout as he scored a dominant victory in the Trans-Am Series race here last November.

Other notable road racing specialists in the field are Miguel Paludo, a six-time Porsche GT3 Carrera Cup champion from Brazil who will drive the No. 8 Chevy for JR Motorsports, and Spencer Pumpelly, known as one of the most talented drivers in the sports car racing scene. The Arlington, Va. racer will make his first career Xfinity Series start behind the wheel of the No. 6 Chevy for JD Motorsports. Others listed on the roster are Andy Lally, Preston Pardus and Kris Wright.

Among the full-time Xfinity Series drivers to watch in the Pit Boss 250 are Joe Gibbs Racing’s Daniel Hemric and Harrison Burton, who currently sit second and third in points respectively, JR Motorsports standouts Noah Gragson and Michael Annett, Kaulig Racing’s Justin Haley and Jeb Burton, Richard Childress Racing’s Myatt Snider and another Gibbs Racing driver, Brandon Jones, currently 12th in the series standings.

Should rain fall on COTA this weekend, all races will go on as scheduled as Goodyear will provide wet weather tires to the teams if necessary. NASCAR Cup and Xfinity teams were challenged by racing in the rain most recently last November during the Charlotte ROVAL™ Playoff events. Wet-weather racing in NASCAR has happened quite a few times in history, most often in the Xfinity Series. Including the Roval™ last year, there have been nine Xfinity road course races impacted by rain, including Montreal in 2008 and ’09, Road America in ’13, ’14 and ’20, Mid-Ohio in ’16, Watkins Glen in ’18 and Daytona in ’20. NASCAR’s road course rain rule does not allow competition during thunderstorms with lighting in the area or really heavy downpours.

Race weekend action gets underway on Friday with practice sessions scheduled for the NASCAR Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series. On Saturday, qualifying will be held for both Xfinity and Truck teams to set the starting lineups for their races later that day. The Pit Boss 250 Xfinity Series race will be preceded by the Toyota Tundra 225 Camping World Truck Series race starts at noon CT (FS1, MRN Radio). On Sunday, the NASCAR Cup Series teams will qualify at 10 a.m. to set the field for the EchoPark Automotive Texas Grand Prix, which takes the green flag at 1:30 p.m. (FS1, PRN Radio).

To obtain more information about the NASCAR weekend, download facility and parking maps and check out a list of FAQs about the event, please click here.

Tickets are still available for the NASCAR at COTA weekend and can be purchased by visiting www.NASCARatCOTA.com.

STATESVILLE, N.C. (May 19, 2021) – Jordan Anderson Racing (JAR) and Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que announced today a partnership that will make Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que Austin the official hospitality partner of JAR throughout NASCAR’s Inaugural visit to Austin, Texas.

As a part of the new partnership, Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que Austin will serve as an associate sponsor on the No. 31 Bommarito Automotive Group Chevrolet Camaro SS during the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) Pit Boss 250, and on the I Heart Mac & Cheese No. 3 Chevrolet Silverado during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Toyota Tundra 225 on May 22nd at Circuit of the Americas (COTA).

Since 1965, the Wootan & Cooper Families have provided its World-Famous Pit Barbecue to hundreds of thousands of hungry diners over the years at its family-owned and operated restaurant in Llano, Texas.

Expanding to the Texas State Capital in 2016, Cooper’s Old Time Pit-Bar-B-Que celebrates the history of Congress Avenue in the early 20th century, by bringing Texas Hill Country BBQ, live music and local flare to downtown Austin.

Cooper’s serves brisket, ribs, sausage, chicken and cabrito, but is most well-known for its two-inch-thick pork chop, sold as “The Big Chop”. Smoking its meats in large rectangular pits, Cooper’s uses fast-burning mesquite wood to provide a more subtle smoky flavor opposed to slow-smoked barbecue.

Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que has six restaurants throughout Texas including Austin. Other locations include Llano, Fort Worth (Stockyards), College Station, Katy, and New Braunfels.

“Being team owner and driver, it is crucial to keep the crew and myself fed properly throughout a race weekend, just like the racecar we need premium fuel,” stated Jordan Anderson.

“Texas is famous for outstanding BBQ, and Cooper’s Old-Time Pit Bar-B-Que is the best of the best. I would like to welcome them to the team. It is going to be an exciting weekend in Austin, and we have an excellent opportunity of bringing home a pair of great finishes in both the Camping World Truck and Xfinity Car.”

For more information on Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que Austin, visit them online at CoopersBBQAustin.com, and stay updated with concerts and comedy shows by following Cooper’s Austin on social media; Facebook, Twitter, YouTube.

Tickets for the Pit Boss 250 & Toyota Tundra 250 are still available for purchase by visiting Circuit of the Americas online at NascarAtCOTA.com/Tickets/

If you are unable to make it to Austin for the NCWTS Toyota Tundra 225 or the NXS Pit Boss 250, both races will be broadcast LIVE on Fox Sports 1 and the Fox Sports App starting at 1:00 PM EST. The pair will also be aired LIVE on radio with the Toyota Tundra 225 being heard on the Motor Racing Network (MRN), while the Pit Boss 250 can be heard on the Performance Radio Network (PRN), and both found on SIRIUS/XM NASCAR radio Channel 90.

For more information on JAR, visit JordanAndersonRacing.com, and be sure to follow the team all season on the JAR social channels on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Jordan Anderson Racing
Jordan Anderson Racing (JAR) is a NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) team, owned by owner/driver Jordan Anderson. Established in 2018, JAR has competed full-time in the last three NCWTS seasons earning multiple top ten finishes and scoring a career best second place finish in the 2020 season opening NextEra 250 at Daytona International Speedway. JAR fields a full-time entry in the NXS Series; the No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro SS driven by Jordan Anderson. JAR also fields the No. 3 Chevrolet Silverado for select drivers in the NCWTS.

JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Circuit of the Americas
RACE: Pit Boss 250 (46 laps / 156 miles)
DATE: Saturday, May 22, 2021

Broadcast Information – TV: 4 p.m. ET on FS1 / Radio: 3:30 p.m. ET on PRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Michael Annett
No. 1 No. 1 Pilot Flying J/myRewards Plus™ Chevrolet
• Michael Annett will be going for his third straight top-10 finish this weekend as the NASCAR Xfinity Series visits Circuit of the Americas for the first time. The Iowa driver has five such finishes in 10 races this season, including three of the last five events.
• On road courses in 2020, Annett logged three top-10 finishes in four starts, with a pair of ninth-place results at Indianapolis and the Charlotte Roval as his best.
• The Iowa native’s best road-course finish is second, at Road America in 2017 during his first season as driver of the Pilot Flying J Chevrolet for JR Motorsports.

Miguel Paludo
No. 8 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• Miguel Paludo will make his second NXS start with JRM at Circuit of the Americas this weekend in the No. 8 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet.
• Paludo’s first race with JRM came at the Daytona Road Course. He started 35th and finished eighth in his first NXS start since 2012.
• In three road course starts in the NXS, Paludo has an average finish of 16.3 and has paced the field for eight laps. Paludo has also competed in one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on a road course where he started fifth and finished third at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park during the 2013 season.

Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson will enter this weekend’s inaugural race at Circuit of the Americas having only one finish outside of the top 10 on road courses. Last season he finished second, third (twice) and sixth in the road circuit events.
• In 2019, his first full season in the NXS, Gragson had three
top-five and four top-10 finishes on road courses.
• In the two inaugural road courses that were added onto the 2020 schedule at Daytona and Indianapolis, Gragson scored respective finishes of fifth and third.

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• In 33 previous starts on road courses in the NXS, Justin Allgaier has scored three wins, nine top fives and 21 top 10s.
• Two of Allgaier’s three road course victories came in 2018 with JRM at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Road America. Allgaier had previously gone to Victory Lane at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal in 2012.
• Allgaier’s No. 7 Camaro will have a different look for this weekend. As one of two BRANDT Chevrolets on the road course at COTA, the Illinois native’s paint scheme will have a white base with the familiar bright red accents.

Driver Quotes

“Going to Circuit of the Americas for the first time will be interesting, never having raced there before. Our road course program has been very strong over the years here at JR Motorsports, and I don’t expect anything different this weekend. The key to success on a road course in a stock car is to keep it on the pavement, and that is what we’ll do. Our No. 1 team has had a couple of good runs in a row and we want to keep that momentum building.” – Michael Annett

“COTA is going to be very interesting this weekend for sure. With it being a new track, I’m really looking forward to seeing what we can learn during practice on Friday. It’s such a unique road course that has a lot of variables to it, but I feel extremely confident that we will unload with not one, but two fast BRANDT Professional Agriculture Camaros as we have Miguel (Paludo) back this weekend as my teammate in the No. 8 car. Hopefully we can both have smooth days and be in contention at the end to get BRANDT back to Victory Lane.” – Justin Allgaier

“I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of this No. 8 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet this weekend at COTA. We had a really fast car earlier this year at Daytona and I know that we will have that same kind of speed when we get to the track on Friday. I just can’t say thank you enough to BRANDT and JRM for this opportunity. It’s really special to get the chance to do this and to have the opportunity to race with my teammate Justin (Allgaier) and everyone in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. I’m ready to go.” – Miguel Paludo

“Going to COTA is going to be tough since we’ve never been to this track but luckily we will have a full round of practice in order to learn the place. Road course racing really fits my style of driving so I am looking forward to getting out there and seeing what this Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Camaro can do. Dave (Elenz, crew chief) and the No. 9 team will bring a fast car like usual, so that has our confidence at a high level as we head into this weekend.” – Noah Gragson

JRM Team Updates:

• JRM on Road Courses: JRM has competed on road courses a total of 133 times and has totaled four wins, 32 top fives and 69 top 10s. The most recent winner for JRM on a road course was Justin Allgaier, who won at Road America during the 2018 NXS season.
• Circuit of the Americas: For the first time in NASCAR history, all three National Touring Series will make an appearance at the 20-turn, 3.41-mile long road course in Austin, Texas. Opened in October of 2012, COTA hosted its first Formula 1 race that same year, and has since hosted IndyCar, MotoGPm and Endurance Races. Now, the facility welcomes the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Xfinity Series and Cup Series.
• Pilot Flying J myRewards Plus™ App: Save time and money on the road at Pilot Flying J Travel Centers and One9 Fuel Network locations with the myRewards Plus™ app, the rewards program made for drivers™. The app offers more of what matters on the road: more savings, more convenience and more time-saving features to plus-up your next stop. Professional drivers can earn up to four points per gallon only in the myRewards Plus™ app by activating the tiered points program every month. It has a trip planner, which has exclusive offers to find the best places to stop and save along the road with clean, fast and friendly service at Pilot Flying J Travel Centers.

MOORESVILLE, N.C.: After a blazing fast start to his sophomore NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) season with SS GreenLight Racing (SSGL), Joe Graf Jr. heads to Circuit of the Americas (COTA) hoping to shake off a month-long stretch of freakishly bad luck.

“It is during times like this that all your mental discipline and training really come to the forefront,” said Graf. “I can’t stress enough the importance of mental toughness in overcoming obstacles you don’t control.

“We have an amazing pit crew, but two weeks in a row they have suffered late-race problems that ruined our day.

“SSGL team builds great cars and never have had a parts failure, but when we were running seventh at Talladega, we have a front-end component break with only a few laps left in the race. At Martinsville, we brought a completely new car setup and were running very strong when a competitor intentionally wrecked us.

“Those were actually four really solid performances by the SSGL team that were tainted by a dash of bad luck.”

While the performances may not back it up recently, Graf said his program at SSGL is stronger than his rookie season in 2020.

“When I look at the speed and balance of our cars this year they are much better than last year,” added Graf who started the season with a career-high 11th at Daytona International Speedway. “That isn’t from luck. That is from the hard work and grind it out mental toughness of this team.

“It’s such a shame that we have had such a rough month or so, but this is no different from life. We all experience highs and lows in life. Like anyone at a low point, we are going to remain mentally tough and keep moving forward. We embrace the suck. We know it can’t last.

“The SS GreenLight Racing team led by Bobby (Dotter), Mike (Tyska, crew chief), and the rest of the team have been super troopers getting our cars prepared and staying positive even through this rut.”

The bad luck began at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway last month, where Graf was wiped out of the rain-delayed Cook-Out 250 by Gray Gaulding. Graf, who was running inside the top-20 at the time of the incident, entered the race being the only driver in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2021 without being involved in an accident.

In the following race, a superb run at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway which saw his No. 07 Z Grills Chevrolet Camaro draft from the rear of the field to post one of the fastest laps of the race, as well as spending numerous laps inside the top-10 was foiled by a front suspension failure with just a few laps remaining in the race – resulting in a disappointing 33rd place finish.

Two weeks ago, during NASCAR throwback weekend at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, Graf raced smart and carefully maneuvered himself into the top-20 until a late-race caution sent teams to pit road for service. An unfortunate error during the pitstop left Graf’s wheel with only three lug-nuts. On the restart, a tire issue forced Graf to lose control of his race car and end the race with a dejecting 37th place finish.

This past weekend at Dover (Del.) International Speedway, the 22-year-old battled back from being one lap down to getting his No. 07 Z Grills Chevrolet back on the lead lap and slicing and dicing his way through the field before an unscheduled pit stop under green for a loose wheel ruined any hopes of a satisfying finish. Instead, he finished 29th in his third Monster Mile start.

Because of the unfortunate setbacks, the team has dropped to 35th in the Xfinity Series owner points and 26th in the driver standings with the current New York University student determined to climb his team out of this hole and forge ahead with an upbeat, realistic approach.

With just 10 races in the book thus far in 2021, Graf said he and his team are prepared to leave nothing on the table looking ahead.

“Going forward we are going to focus on what we can control and continue to execute at our highest level,” he said. There are a ton of races left in the season and hopefully, we have shaken the bad luck. I would be worried if our cars lacked competitiveness, but they don’t. We have a lot of racing left and we are due for some good luck.”

The former ARCA Menards Series winner marketing partner support throughout the 2021 season has been amazing despite the bad luck the team has endured. However, the interest in Graf, SSGLR and the NASCAR Xfinity Series continues to be favorable for the distant future.

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

The COTA 250 (46 laps | 156 miles) is the 11th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2021 schedule. Practice is set for Fri., May 21 from 3:00 p.m. – 3:55 p.m. Qualifying is set for race day, Sat., May 22 beginning at 10:05 a.m. The inaugural race will take the green flag later in the day shortly after 3:00 p.m. (4:00 p.m. ET) with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Performance Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (CT).
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 will continue with a two-car program in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2021.

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Ford Zoom Media Availability | Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Austin Cindric will be pulling double duty this weekend as he drives Team Penske Ford Mustangs in the NASCAR Cup and NASCAR XFINITY Series races at Circuit of the Americas. Cindric, who won his third race of the NXS season last week at Dover International Speedway, was this week’s guest on the Ford Zoom media call.

AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 33 Pirtek Ford Mustang (NCS) and No. 22 Menards/Richmond Ford Mustang (NXS) — WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS THIS WEEKEND? “I think on the personal side of things I’ve got to eat my Wheaties. My braking foot is gonna be worn out after this weekend, I can promise you that. There’s a lot of long brake zones at that place and a lot of sustained braking because these things don’t stop very well. I think that’s probably on the personal side, but there are a lot of challenges to understand the cars and understand the track. It’s great to have practice for the first time since the Daytona 500 weekend that we’ve had practice, so kind of getting to talk about a practice plan seems a little normal. It’s going good so far, but a lot left in the weekend for sure.”

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE TURNS AT COTA? WHAT WILL BE THE MOST CHALLENGING? “I think the restarts are gonna be wild. You have a very wide inviting front straightaway. You even see it in the F1 races there. I mean, guys will drive it off in there and collect three or four cars, so I think restarts are definitely going to pretty crazy in all three series — a lot of opportunities to pass at this racetrack, a lot of tire fall off, which obviously provides a bit of a dynamic to the race, whether if it’s on strategy or on the racetrack, so, otherwise, you kind of have every type of corner at this racetrack. There’s a lot to look forward to, I think for the NASCAR fans and a lot of unknowns for us as drivers.”

HOW DO YOU DIGEST WHAT HAPPENS IN THE NXS RACE SO YOU CAN TURN IT AROUND FOR THE RACE ON SUNDAY? HOW WILL YOU DO THAT? “I think the first thing I’ve got to understand is what’s relatable between the two cars, whether if that’s the setups that we have in the cars or the on track time in what’s relevant and what’s not, so, obviously, anything from the race flow to how the tires wear is probably the biggest thing for us.”

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THE XFINITY SERIES IS PLAYING OUT? “I don’t think there are any clear favorites. In year’s past by this time you’ve kind of had four or five guys that have separated themselves and I think any given week you can’t really predict the top five, so, to me, that means there’s a lot of parity in this series and a lot of great drivers fighting for a lot, so that’s made racing on Saturdays a lot of fun and definitely maybe a different challenge than in year’s past, kind of knowing who is gonna be strong and basically studying their strengths and weaknesses. You kind of have to just go out and do your own thing, which I like, so it makes every weekend different, whether that’s from the driver’s seat or the couch, so it’s been a fun year so far.”

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO WIN A RACE AFTER MAKING SUCH A GREAT SAVE LIKE YOU DID? “I’m sure a lot of those guys didn’t have any idea that it happened, but at least from my end I don’t know if you feel like you’ve got a new lease on life, but you feel like if you overcome that, you can overcome everything else. It definitely could have ended our day very quickly, so glad we were able to recognize that situation and obviously prevent a lot from happening there, but, either way, definitely great to be able to recover from that and obviously go on and win the race.”

IS COTA AN AGGRESSIVE TRACK OR WHERE DOES PATIENCE PLAY A ROLE THIS WEEKEND? “That’s a great question. The first thing I think of is tire wear. That’s probably where patience is gonna pay off, but how much does track position matter or not? I feel like you can lose a lot of time by trying to pass someone, especially in the hairpins, so I think that really opens up the opportunity for a two-car breakaway to be very challenging, whether it be the first or second place guy or the two guys you’re racing, so I feel like the smarter you are about that, the more you can prevent getting passed while trying to make a pass. That’s kind of the worst thing possible is trying to do one and lose a spot because of it. Past that, there’s a lot of run off. It’s funny, we’ve got a 50-minute practice session and you think about cautions and red flags, if you’re hitting the wall at COTA, you’re doing something or something is broke or you’ve hit another car. It’s a lot easier to hit another car before you hit a wall at COTA, so I definitely expect a very low attrition rate unless there are just guys piling into each other. A lot of cars will be staying on the lead lap, a long lap on the racetrack, so track position will be important.”

WHY CAN YOU LOSE A LOT OF TIME IN THE HAIRPIN TURNS? “Stock cars aren’t very good at making sharp turns and not good at braking very well, so when you try and make two of them going into the same corner you have to go a lot slower, so it gives an opportunity to the guy behind you to either get a really great run on the straightaway, have a drafting opportunity down the back straightaway or just completely clear them at the same time. I think that’s what you saw at Indy last year in the XFINITY race. You saw AJ and I were able to breakaway from Briscoe when we started racing really hard and then all of a sudden we’re three-wide going down the front straightaway with two to go, all because we were racing each other really hard. So, I think there’s something to be said for being smart about that. Obviously, if you’re racing for a win, it’s the win, but there’s probably more opportunities at COTA to lose time doing that than anywhere else.”

HOW MUCH MIGHT THE COMPOSITE BODY CHANGE THINGS IN CUP NEXT YEAR? “I don’t know if it’s a game-changer, but it saves you from disaster, I think. There’s plenty of times, obviously, you’ve got guys get into the wall and they can keep on going, whereas in a Cup race you’d fold up a fender and you’d have to pit immediately. But there are also other times I’ve scraped the wall in an XFINITY car and had a right-rear tire go down immediately, so there’s no guarantee that you’re not gonna cause damage by hitting things, but it also makes crash repair probably a little bit easier for the teams because you’re not manipulating metal. It’s more removing the fiberglass, so it definitely changes some things, but I’m not sure. As a driver, to win the race you still have to be as clean as possible, but probably saving you from disaster is the best way to put it.”

THERE ARE A LOT OF DRIVERS FROM DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES COMPETING THIS WEEKEND. HAVE YOU CONTACTED ANY OF THOSE PEOPLE FOR ADVICE? “I wouldn’t be doing my job if I wasn’t using every resource I have. Our Indy Car guys have raced at COTA before. I’ve talked to some of them. Obviously, we have the Ford Performance simulator, which is always a great tool, especially for new events like this. Brad got to be part of the Goodyear tire test as well as Chase Elliott and Martin Truex, so leaning on those guys, whether it’s crew chiefs, engineers, the run logs, whatever else to try to get ready for the race, so every resource I have I promise I’m using it, so past that there’s not a whole bunch to study off of, so definitely going in a little bit blind, but we do have practice so plenty of resources and definitely important to use them all.”

WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT HOW YOUR TEAM HAS SET YOU UP WITH THEIR ROAD COURSE PACKAGE? “It’s always been a strength for the 22 team. It’s been a strength for me, so I don’t see a reason why we can’t be competitive. It’s just figuring out how to use that practice session to figure out the most competitive package.”

YOU TALKED ABOUT LISTENING TO JAZZ AFTER THE INCIDENT WITH GIBBS ON SATURDAY. WHAT WAS THAT IN REFERENCE TO? “It was more of a Talladega Nights reference because when they go to Jean Girard and everything is happening behind him they just pan to his in-car camera and there is jazz music playing. I was not in a healthy frame of mind after we about got cleaned out, so the jazz music was definitely the influence for calming myself down. I will say that I actually do listen to jazz music. I played jazz music in high school band class, so I do like jazz music. I don’t listen to it very often, but it just so happened that I listened to it on race morning at Dover, so that’s all I’ve got.”

WHAT INSTRUMENT DID YOU PLAY? “I played the tuba.”

DO YOU THINK WITH YOUR ROAD COURSE EXPERIENCE THIS COULD BE A GOOD CHANCE FOR YOUR FIRST CUP WIN? “I think there’s a great opportunity. Anytime there’s a new challenge for everyone with this weekend being a new racetrack and limited track time, I’ll definitely look to do my prep work and set myself upon it that way. Past that, I have very little expectation. I think I’ve learned a lot in the Cup races that I’ve done. I’ve definitely understood the talent level and what that means for how I need to approach the race weekends racing on Sundays, so I’m definitely interested to see how it transfers over as far as the road courses always seem to be a little bit of an anomaly. I think they’re becoming less and less so the more of them we have on the schedule, whether if that’s on Saturdays or Sundays, so I’m excited for it. Like I said, it’s a new challenge and we’ll just try to take it head-on.”

DID YOU HAVE ANY TAKEAWAYS FROM YOUR LAST EXPERIENCE RACING AT COTA? “The last time I raced there was 2016 racing GT3 cars, so that would have been my last track experience there. I do feel like that track has definitely changed a lot from everyone I’ve talked to. The track surface itself has sunk. The track surface is worn. There’s a lot of patches in new areas, a lot of changes, so it’s definitely not the same racetrack I’ve raced on before past the layout, but that’s my past experience. From what I understand there are a lot of guys, I know from firsthand there are a lot of guys that have gone out there and done track days and tried to do the best they can to prepare for the weekend.”

WHAT’S THE FIRST THING YOU’RE LOOKING FOR WHEN YOU GET ON THE TRACK FOR PRACTICE? “It’s a 50-minute practice session on a really long track, so the laps are going to be at a premium. The faster I can get up to speed, the sooner we can make adjustments and the sooner we can make adjustments, the quicker we’re gonna be able to differentiate ourselves from the competition.”

WHO DO YOU LOOK UP TO IN RACING? “When I was younger I spent a lot of time at Indy Car races, so hanging around Helio Castroneves, Gil de Ferran, Sam Hornish Jr., Ryan Briscoe. Those guys were really influential to me growing up and it wasn’t really until Penske merged their Indy Car and NASCAR operations all under one roof that I really got exposed to NASCAR, and when I started racing Bandoleros, the only guy that I knew raced Cup was Sam Hornish Jr., so when I raced Bandoleros and Legend’s cars I was number 77. So, I’ve had a lot of cool guys to really look up to and interact with on a personal level and I’ve really enjoyed those experiences and to obviously kind of grow into an adult and know those guys — a lot of them are still teammates or, if anything, friends, so it’s cool to grow up around guys of that caliber.”

HOW WERE THEY INFLUENTIAL? “I mean it’s just the guys you look up to. You see these guys doing amazing things on the racetrack and then they come back into the Penske bus and they’re taking the hat off your head and talking with you and hanging around. You guys know how it is and it’s definitely affected how I interact with race fans because the smallest thing makes the biggest difference for someone that’s there and absolutely loves what’s going on.”

DO YOU EXPECT PEOPLE TO PIT BEFORE THE END OF THE STAGE OR WILL TIRE WEAR BE ENOUGH THAT YOU DON’T WANT TO HAVE EVEN TWO LAPS ON THEM BEFORE THE START OF THE NEXT STAGE? “That’s the magic question. I’m not sure, but that’s definitely on everyone’s mind. The road course races you have that option as far as pitting before the stages. I would say COTA has a shorter pit road than most tracks, so I think if you’re able to stretch it out far enough, you still have the option to still get stage points if you’re one of the front runners, so it’s definitely something to look at strategy-wise.”

HOW HAS STAYING IN XFINITY AN EXTRA YEAR HELPED YOU? “I think it’s yet to be seen. There’s no right or wrong way for driver development, whereas other sports there’s a set pathway that everybody follows. This is how you optimize it. This is how your future stands if you’re able to do your job. In racing, as everybody knows, it’s not that cut-and-dried. There’s a lot of different pathways and some guys don’t get the opportunity to pick and choose when their opportunities are and I’m kind of in the same boat. I didn’t necessarily choose the path. I think the path I’m on is really great and I look to make the most of it, and I think next year will be a good gauge to see how I’ve been able to take advantage of the opportunity to run another year and obviously have some exposure for a couple races during the season.”

ARE YOU PLEASED WITH HOW YOUR CUP PATH HAS DEVELOPED? “As a team we’ve grown a ton. It’s a group of guys. My crew chief is the engineer on the 12 car. My car chief is the underneath mechanic on the 12 car. We’ve got shop guys that come to the racetrack. My race engineer on the XFINITY side is my race engineer on the Cup side, so he’s double-duty this weekend. He’s just as busy as I am on these weekends. My pit crew guys, they don’t get to do too many events out of the year, so they’re pretty low on the rep counts, so there’s a lot of guys that aren’t used to working together and Kansas was probably our best race just as far as establishing ourselves inside the top 15, racing against good cars and giving ourselves a shot. Obviously, we got smoked in the race and didn’t get to finish it off, but I’m happy with the progress and I’ve learned a lot, especially starting last, and continue to try and carry that trend onto this weekend.”

WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER FROM WATCHING MONACO, INDY AND CHARLOTTE AS A KID, AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR WHEN YOU WILL BE PART OF THAT DAY AS A COMPETITOR IN CUP? “I would say my memories as a kid, with the exception of last year because we were racing at Dover, I’ve been to every Indy 500 since I was two years old, so it’s definitely a family tradition for us to do that and show up at the racetrack at 6 a.m. Before anything starts off everyone is kind of standing around drinking their coffee trying not to be nervous watching the Monaco Grand Prix in the engineering room and getting to see some of the Indy Car guys’ reaction to what’s going on is pretty hysterical, especially given our group of drivers, and then obviously watching the Indy 500, the flair that surrounds that, and then usually at the end of the race if we’ve won the race or not it’s usually somebody does a trip to McDonald’s and you watch the Coke 600 from the infield, so that will hopefully be the same experience this year — probably the last time in a little while that I’ll get to do that — so definitely will plan on making the most out of getting to go there again this year.”

ANY CONSIDERATION TO MAYBE DOING A INDY-CHARLOTTE DOUBLE IN THE FUTURE? “I’d certainly love to. I think it definitely depends on my talent level as a driver in a couple years. My focus is obviously on NASCAR, but I fully plan on going to Indy this year with the mindset that it’ll be the last time I stand on that grid on race day until I’m either in the race or out of a job, so that’s my perspective.”

AJ Allmendinger to Pilot the No. 16 Pit Boss Chevrolet for Pit Boss 250 at Circuit of the Americas

LEXINGTON, N.C. (May 17, 2021) – Kaulig Racing is proud to announce that it has partnered with Pit Boss® Grills, the fastest growing brand in the grilling industry, for the inaugural NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) race, the Pit Boss® 250 at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas.

“We are blessed to partner with A.J. Allmendinger and the entire No. 16 team for the Pit Boss 250,” said Dansons President Jeff Thiessen. “AJ is arguably the best road course driver on the Xfinity Series circuit, so we are thrilled to have someone of his caliber wheeling the No. 16 Pit Boss Chevy in the inaugural Pit Boss 250. We are very excited for a great day of racing at the iconic Circuit of the Americas in the heart of barbecue country in Austin, Texas.”

Allmendinger, nicknamed a “road-course ringer,” has four road-course wins and nine top-five finishes in the NXS to date.

“I’m pumped to have such a big brand like Pit Boss Grills come on board for our race at COTA,” said Allmendinger. “I’m excited to join the Pit Boss team and I’m thankful for the opportunity to hopefully put on a good show for them at COTA.”

The Pit Boss 250 will be part of the inaugural NASCAR at COTA weekend, as the nation’s top racing circuit visits Austin for the first time. The NXS showdown will feature NASCAR’s rising stars battling on the 3.41-mile long course at the world-renowned, 20-turn counterclockwise circuit. COTA is America’s only facility that annually hosts both Formula 1 and MotoGP races, and is also the only FIA-certified Grade 1 track in the United States.

“We couldn’t be more excited to have Pit Boss Grills with us at COTA!” said Kaulig Racing team president, Chris Rice. “This is a track we have circled on our calendars at Kaulig Racing, and we are confident AJ will be able to put on a good show for everyone at Pit Boss.”

Allmendinger’s No. 16 Pit Boss Chevy will hit the track on Saturday, May 22 at 4:00PM EST to kick off the first-ever NASCAR weekend at COTA.


About Kaulig Racing™
Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and made the Championship 4 round for the first time in 2020. Kaulig Racing fields three full-time entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by Jeb Burton, the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by Justin Haley, and the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by AJ Allmendinger. Kaulig Racing™ earned five wins in 2020 and have come to be one of the top competitors on track each weekend. The team also made its second NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) start in the 2021 Daytona 500 with Kaz Grala, as well as a limited NCS schedule this season. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

About Pit Boss® Grills
Pit Boss® Grills, the fastest growing brand in the grilling industry, offers the best value per square inch in the pellet grill market, doing so with innovation, excellence and a distinctly customer-driven approach. Pit Boss® takes pride in delivering the best possible products, at an affordable price, crafting grills that are Bigger. Hotter. Heavier.® than the competition. For more information, please visit us online at PitBoss-Grills.com, on Facebook, on Twitter, on Instagram, on Pinterest and on YouTube.

DOVER, DE – May 17, 2021 – Austin Cindric worked his way through the field to win at Dover International Speedway, marking his third NASCAR Xfinity Series win of the 2021 season and extended his championship lead to 62 points over second place.

“Congratulations to Austin, Brian, Roger, and the entire No. 22 crew,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Austin and Brian showcased their maturity and patience as they worked their race strategy and drove to the front of the field for the win. Dover is a unique and challenging track, but Austin was able to conquer the Monster Mile.”

Cindric started the race in 16th position, but was able to maneuver the No. 22 Team Penske Ford Mustang through the field to finish Stage 1 in eighth, after a remarkable save on lap 44. After four fresh tires, at the Stage 1 caution, he continued moving forward to finish Stage 2 in third place. On lap 150, Cindric passed the race leader and never looked back while finishing 3.786 in front of second place.

“There are just very few places that really have the same intensity throughout a lap,” commented Cindric. “It is quite challenging to race here. We were able to make it back from 16th starting position today which I knew would be our biggest challenge throughout the course of the race.”

Ford Performance teammates Ryan Sieg with RSS Racing finished P8 and Riley Herbst with Stewart-Haas Racing in P17.

The NASCAR Cup Series raced on Sunday while Ford Performance teammates Joey Logano with Team Penske finished P5, Kevin Harvick with Stewart-Haas Racing in P6, and Cole Custer with Stewart-Haas Racing finished in P10.

The NASCAR Cup & Xfinity Series is headed for the inaugural Circuit of the Americas (COTA) race in Austin, Texas this weekend.

33 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 419 WINS – 380 POLES!

About Roush Yates Engines
Roush Yates Engines is a leading-edge engine development company based in Mooresville, NC consisting of two state-of-the-art facilities – Roush Yates Engines and Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions, a world class ISO 9001 / AS9100 certified CNC manufacturing facility. The company’s core business includes designing, building and testing purpose-built race engines.

Ford Performance in partnership with Roush Yates Engines is the exclusive engine builder of the NASCAR FR9 Ford V8 engine and Ford Mustang 5.2L V8 engine, used in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series.

With an unparalleled culture of winning and steeped in rich racing history, Roush Yates Engines continues to follow the company’s vision to lead performance engine innovation and staying true to the company’s mission, provide race winning engines through demonstrated power and performance.

Team Penske NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Report
Track: Dover International Speedway
Race: Drydene 200
Date: May 15, 2021

No. 22 CarShop Ford Mustang – Austin Cindric
Start: 16th
Stage 1: 8th
Stage 2: 3rd
Finish: 1st – Third Victory of 2021 Season
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 200/200
Laps Led: 51
Driver Point Standings (ahead of second): 1st (+62)

Notes:

• Austin Cindric took the lead with 51 laps to go and never looked back, crossing the finish line 3.79 seconds ahead of Josh Berry. Cindric won his third race of the 2021 season and claimed his first victory in eight races at Dover International Speedway. The driver of the CarShop Ford gave Team Penske its fifth win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Dover. He remains the leader in the series driver standings, stretching his lead to 62 points ahead of Daniel Hemric.
• Cindric started 16th and steadily worked his way to the front during Stage 1. He was up to ninth position at the time of the competition caution on lap 20. Cindric was running seventh when he had a close call racing Ty Gibbs for seventh position on lap 44. The No. 22 Ford Mustang slipped sideways off Turn 4 but Cindric made an impressive save to claim an eighth-place finish when the segment concluded one lap later. Crew chief Brian Wilson made the call to pit for four tires during the stage caution on lap 49 and Cindric restarted 10th on lap 54.
• The second stage of the race was hampered by three cautions and one brief red flag for track cleanup. Once again Cindric methodically worked his way through traffic, climbing up to third-place when Stage 2 concluded on lap 90. Cindric pitted during the stage caution, getting four tires, and lining up sixth when the race went green on lap 96. During the next run, Cindric said the No. 22 CarShop Ford was just a little bit free. The seventh and final caution on lap 140 set up a round of stops one lap later. Wilson made the call for an air pressure adjustment in the right-side tires. Nice work by the CarShop crew put Cindric third for the restart on lap 144. Two laps later he passed Josh Berry for second position and on lap 150 he took the lead from Justin Allgaier and never looked back. .

Quote: “We just kept at it the whole time. We made the right adjustments on pit stops and I feel like I have learned a lot about this race track, enough to get the Car Shop Ford Mustang into victory lane.

We have had a Dover race twice on the Xfinity schedule since I started racing Xfinity and we took one off the schedule and I really wanted to win here so bad. I had to not let that desire cloud my judgment today because I knew we had a tough task ahead of us. To get the opportunity on the restart and showcase our car in clean air means the world to me.