Category: XFINITY Series PR

AVONDALE, AZ – March 15, 2021 – Austin Cindric backed up his 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Championship win in Phoenix, scoring his second win at Phoenix Raceway and recording his 10th career win. Cindric took the Ford Mustang to victory lane for the second time in the 2021 season for Team Penske and Ford Performance.

“Congratulations to Austin, Brian, Roger and the No. 22 team,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Austin raced like a champion, smooth and confident throughout the entire race. We are proud to be part of powering Austin to his 10th Xfinity win with Ford Performance.”

Cindric was in a class of his own, winning Stage 1 and leading a race high 119 laps out of the 200 lap Call 811 Before You Dig 200 race, including the last 54 consecutive laps.

In a late race restart with 2-laps remaining, Cindric led the field back to green from the outside lane. The No. 22 Ford Mustang was able to hold off the hard charging field, crossing the finish line .360 seconds in front of Ty Gibbs. Cindric leads the driver points standings with 248 points, 47 points ahead of second place.

“You have to work hard the rest of the year to get here,” said Cindric in post-race interview. “That is where my focus is. I have my name on the wall there and the goal is to be back here with a shot to do it again.”

Stewart-Haas Racing captured a top-5 finish with No. 98, Riley Herbst finishing fourth.

The Ford Mustangs ran strong in the NASCAR Cup Series, on Sunday, leading a manufacturer’s high 197 laps in the 312 lap Instacart 500. Four Ford teammates finished in the top-10 led by Stage 2 winner, Joey Logano in P2, Brad Keselowski in P4, Kevin Harvick in P6, and rounding out the top-10 was Stage 1 winner, Ryan Blaney in P10.

The NASCAR Series is headed to ‘Hotlanta’ to race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway and the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Series will strap in to run the second race of the season in Sebring, Florida this weekend.

33 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 415 WINS – 375 POLES!

*Photos courtesy of NASCAR Media & Getty Images

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.

3 Series – 17 Teams – 81 Races

Ford Performance Post-Race Recap
NASCAR XFINITY Series – Call 811 Before You Dig 200
Phoenix Raceway | Saturday, March 13, 2021

FORD FINISHING RESULTS:
1st — Austin Cindric
4th — Riley Herbst
37th — Ryan Sieg

FORD PERFORMANCE QUOTES

AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 22 Car Shop Ford Mustang — WHAT WERE YOU THINKING WHEN ALLGAIER GOT TO YOUR OUTSIDE? “I think it was role-reversal from the last time here. He got a really great restart and stuck it on top of three there and we were fighting for track position. We came away with a win in the Car Shop Ford Mustang. It is awesome to have them on board for this season and get the pink and white colors in victory lane.”

TWO STRAIGHT WINS AT PHOENIX FOR YOU, ARE YOU SENDING A MESSAGE FOR LATER IN THE SEASON? “It is data points. You have to work hard the rest of the year to get here. That is where my focus is. I have my name on the wall there and the goal is to be back here with a shot to do it again.”

YOU HAD TO WORK FOR THIS ONE TODAY: “They never come easy. This is a really important track this season and I am pumped for this team. Hopefully we put ona great show there. We were ruining each other there at the end. I am proud to get the Car Shop Ford Mustang into victory lane and hopefully we can carry it over to the fall here.”

DESCRIBE THAT LAST RESTART: “He just got a really great launch. I think he anticipated the restart really well and got to my outside. He faked low and went high and had the momentum that was hard to block. I was trying to defend the bottom, middle and top. I got the air sucked off my door a little bit. it was just hard racing a little bit there. It sucks that he got into the wall there because I think we were going to have a good race to the end there. I don’t think our lap one to two speed was our strength so I definitely got a little fortunate there.”

THE PINK RACE CAR LOOKS EVEN BETTER NOW WITH ALL THE CONFETTI ON IT IN VICTORY LANE: “That is what the boss said. I sent him pictures of the race car and he said it would look great in victory lane.”

RILEY HERBST, No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang — DESCRIBE YOUR RACE HERE TODAY: “I was talking with Richard after the race. The last three weeks we have been running third and fourth and finishing in the 30’s. We jokingly said we ran in the 30’s today but finished fourth. We will take it any way we can get it. This Monster Energy Ford Mustang was fun to drive, just so hard in traffic. We will have to make some adjustments come fall time.”

AUSTIN CINDRIC POST RACE PRESS CONFERENCE

AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 22 Car Shop Ford Mustang — “I ran up to them and got one of their phones and was able to take a selfie and give it back to them through the fence. I feel like it is the little things like that. If I was a little kid out here watching the race I would want to get a picture with the guy that won the race. They took their time out of their day today to come watch some Xfinity Series racing. It is the little things I can do that can make people come back because it is cool to get to do what I do and if there are people that appreciate it, it makes it that much cooler.”

YOU WERE COMPLAINING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RACE THAT YOUR CAR GOT REALLY LOOSE ON THE RESTARTS. DID YOU EVER FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT WAS? “Yeah, after we came in for our last set of tires, there were still 70 laps to go and we were kind of anticipating a long run there. I think we made the wrong adjustments and it put us on the splitter. I was on the splitter for the first five laps of the run and that made the car pretty difficult to drive. That is something we usually don’t have to fight on the Xfinity side. When you have these types of tires on these types of track and low air, it makes it really easy. I had to deal with that on that final restart. I thought it would get better with age on tires and it actually got worse with age on tires. I was actually quite glad to have a buffer there for the last two laps. I think that definitely played out in our favor. It is definitely nice to be able to find the limit of where something like that is and be able to bring the notebook a little thicker the next time we come here.”

WAS THE TRACTION COMPOUND DIFFERENT TODAY THAN LAST NOVEMBER AND LAST SPRING? “It was definitely different. Probably a little less usable today. The track was a little narrower. Whether that has to do with the amount of races that have run before us. Granted in the fall we had a Truck race before our race and the temperature was a little warmer. There are a few factors. Like everyone, I think we are all learning what this traction compound does and how it comes on and how it fades and where your strengths and weaknesses have to be. I feel like I was a little bit handicapped by that today. It is just good notes for the time we come back.”

DO YOU SEE A WEAKNESS IN YOUR PROGRAM RIGHT NOW? “Yes and no. I think there are always areas to improve. Today I think if I am being honest we got over a hurdle and we have had some opportunities to pit from the lead in the majority of the races this season and we have lost it. We did that today and my guys rallied and came back and got me the lead back on pit road. I am really proud of that effort. Those guys work really hard and do a lot of great work on Sundays. I am proud that we were able to overcome a flaw and make it a strength. It is a great group of guys. I get to go to the gym with them and we have had a lot of different types of racetracks here at the beginning of the season and get a great baseline on our program and keep trying to get better.”

STRAIGHT UP, HEAD TO HEAD, IF YOU DON’T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS IS THERE ANYONE THAT CAN CONSISTENTLY BEAT YOU RIGHT NOW? “I feel like that is really an opinionated question. Right now we are strong at a lot of different types of race tracks but we have to keep raising our game. Those guys have made definite gains in the offseason and in some places they have surpassed us. I am pretty motivated to keep matching that effort and try to figure out where the next edge can be.”

WHEN THE LAST CAUTION CAME OUT, DID YOU HAVE A SENSE OF DEJA VU WITH THE CHAMPIONSHIP RACE LAST NOVEMBER? “Yeah, definitely. A bit of a role reversal there. Instead of me picking the line right behind Allgaier to keep the enemy close, he did the same thing to me today. It was interesting to see the role reversal and he did a great job on the restart with his launch there. I definitely want to go back and study that. Those caution laps, the caution did not play into my hands but the caution laps definitely did because I felt like we were really bad on the splitter for the first five laps and were really vulnerable. I was worried I was going to get eaten up there and obviously we had the buffer to manage it.”

HOW DO YOU ASSESS HOW YOUR TEAM HAS PERFORMED SO FAR WITH TWO WINS ALREADY COMING INTO THIS SEASON WITH SUCH HIGH EXPECTATIONS AFTER THE CHAMPIONSHIP A YEAR AGO? “We expect a lot of ourselves. I think our partners expect it and I know the people back home expect it. We want to be the best every signal weekend, at every single type of race track. That is obviously a blanket goal for the entire field but I think we are at the point where we leave with a top five and we are a little disappointed. I have to remind myself sometimes that there was a time that all I wanted to do was finish in the top-five in this series. I understand the climb and I understand the guys I am racing around that either haven’t won this year or at all or are fighting for wins every weekend. I know that feeling and I feel like it helps me race better, race smarter and be able to maybe understand what is happening around me. I think that is a strength for us. We have almost all the same people on this 22 team that we had last year and I think they expect it as well. I love what I see out of my team. They are stepping their game up every week and it is my job to equal that effort and do my job.”

LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME THE SEASON WAS SHUTTING DOWN FOR AWHILE AND YOUR SEASON WAS POSTPONED. WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER FROM THAT? “I think the position I am in right now is not something that I could have imagined, especially during our COVID break there. I think we have touched on it quite a bit that there is a very strong likelihood of our program getting shut down the longer that break took and obviously I have found myself in a position not only to continue to run that season in 2020 but to also win the championship and also come back and do it again, something that I didn’t think was possible no matter how the championship went. Also for me to have my future somewhat more certain with my plans for 2022 and beyond. I feel really blessed and I feel like I have a really great opportunity that not too many people get and I wake up with that every day knowing that it is my job to make the most of it. It doesn’t make me special, it just is a wider window for me to work in and I want to fill that window up with as much as I can do during the week and during the races and carry as much as I can into the following year and also try to have the championship effort.”

LAST YEAR WHEN IT ALL SHUT DOWN, DID YOU THINK IT MIGHT BE OVER FOR YOU? “That was the question I didn’t want to ask because you don’t want the answer. Things worked out for the better and I give a lot of credit to NASCAR for getting us back up and running and that saved us and a lot of other race teams as well. It is something you don’t want to think about as a racer. I have had friends and colleagues, teammates and rivals that have fallen and not been able to continue their careers for whatever reason. I have enough perspective on that from other people to know how lucky I have it. It is my job to make the most of it.”

WHO DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGERS ARE IN THE XFINITY SERIES? “I think at this time last year I would have told you there were three or four guys and right now I could probably name six or seven. I think the guys at Kaulig have stepped up and the guys at Gibbs are bringing more race cars to the race track and Daniel (Hemric) has been running up front which you would probably expect and I feel like Noah and Justin have been good as well. It is hard to pinpoint one group which makes you focus on yourself because if there are too many people out there doing too many different things, you just have to get better. I am motivated by that. Obviously it is a long year. Larry Mac told me on Sirius XM that there are 280-some days until we are back at Phoenix. That is my Mac nugget for the week. That gave me more perspective than I thought. It is a long year. With my schedule I have about four off weekends planned out and I am looking forward to nailing down the rest of our schedule and trying to get more days off after that.”

DOES IT FEEL LIKE EVERYONE IS CHASING YOU AND THE 22 TEAM AT THIS POINT? “Based off the numbers, yes. Otherwise, it is hard to speculate. I have been the guy looking up and trying to chase somebody. The shoe has never been on the other foot in NASCAR. If it is, that is great, but you can’t change your focus.”

WERE YOU ABLE TO TAKE SOMETHING FROM THAT CHAMPIONSHIP RACE HERE LAST YEAR THAT HELPED YOU TODAY? “Certainly. We took a great race car and tried to make it better and we learned some things for the fall. I think there are some things we did today that were better and some that were worse. We are building that notebook and got a win and got some playoff points today. That is big, really big. It is the most important track on the schedule. I am very happy to be able to knock that out. We have been contenders every week this year and that feels good. That feels really good. It is a good way to start, but it is just a start. There is a long season ahead, just the regular season itself. I am motivated to keep it going.”

THE PINK FIRE SUIT AND CAR CLEARLY WORKED. IS THE VERDICT OFFICIALLY A POSITIVE ONE ON THE PINK? “It is easy to find. The pink panther is obviously fast and getting in victory lane makes the boss happy. It is great to get Car Shop in victory lane in our first race. Hopefully it is the first of many.”

WHEN YOU HAVE A SPONSOR THAT IS ALSO AN AFFILIATE OF PENSKE AUTOMOTIVE, DOES IT PUT ANY EXTRA PRESSURE TO PERFORM ON YOU? “Yeah, without a doubt. I think it is a great opportunity for our program in the Xfinity Series to try to build the brand of Car Shop. It is affiliated with the Penske Automotive group and obviously Roger (Penske) has a lot of different businesses outside of racing and for us to have the opportunity to try to build one of those is pretty cool. Me just speculating, it is almost a vote of confidence that he has put in us that we can be the one to waive the flag for Car Shop and hopefully put that car in victory lane. That is the best way to promote a sponsor, to win races. So far we are one-for-one.”

YOU SEEM AS RELAXED AS EVER THIS SEASON. DO YOU FEEL AS COMFORTABLE IN YOUR ROLE AND WERE YOU ARE IN YOUR CAREER AS YOU HAVE EVER BEEN? “I think for me, there are a lot of normal things going on. I have been in the series for – this is my fourth year. That is hard to believe. Before that the longest I had stayed in the same car for consecutive years was Legends cars. I have learned a lot at a very fast pace. My sports car days, I would go up and ask people, whether it was different manufacturers or race teams and obviously introduced myself and I would ask them what I could do to make myself a better driver for them. What could make me more attractive for that team or manufacturer. The consistent answer I would get was to stay in something for a little while. I stand out because I had done all these different things but I never stayed in something for a while. That was consistent feedback for me. This is the first time I have been able to do that and I have had a lot of good opportunities in a lot of different race cars and I have had the chance to be with a really great team and really great group of people and perfect my craft. It matters. It matters a lot. These guys on Sundays that have been doing it for 10-15 years, that is why they are so good and that is why it is going to be so hard for me to go on Sunday and expect to do the same thing I am doing right now. That is why it is hard for guys like Chase Briscoe and Christopher Bell and Tyler Reddick and Cole Custer, guys that have dominated in this series. That is why it is difficult. It is experience. Today I fired off into turn one because I knew how deep I could drive it in and the adjustments I had to make to go three wide and take the lead. That is experience. It is nice to have that but I am only going to have it for so long and i might as well take advantage of it. I appreciate what I have learned and I am trying to give myself the best head start I can for 2022.”

YOU NOW HAVE 10 WINS IN THE XFINITY SERIES. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON TYING GUYS LIKE BOBBY LABONTE ON THE XFINITY WINS LIST? “I didn’t realize I tied Robert Presley, his son Coleman spots for me. That is pretty cool. I think I have done almost all of them with Coleman. I think only Mid-Ohio I wouldn’t have done with Coleman so that is a pretty cool stat. It is great and it is great to be able to be in this series. There have been some really great drivers in this series. You look at guys winning races and championships on Sundays and they are champions of this series. I am proud to have that on my fire suit and I hope to be able to continue that effort.”

YOU CALLED THE ARCA RACE LAST NIGHT. HAVING THAT VIEW, DID IT HELP YOU TODAY AT ALL? “I am not sure if it would have helped me anymore than just watching like I normally do at home or on the couch. It is definitely great to get some perspective. That was a cool experience for me. Obviously Menards is one of our partners and the ARCA Menards Series does a lot for young drivers trying to move up and that is where I started. It is cool to kind of have a roll reversal a little bit and call the race. Those guys were really good with getting me integrated. I hope to get to do something like that again. I think it would be fun to get in here with another driver. Chase did one of the races at Daytona earlier this year. It is a great perspective to look back and remember what you were like back when you were racing those cars. It is a cool series and I am glad to have a small part in it.”

WHAT CLICKED FOR YOU TONIGHT AFTER AN UP AND DOWN SECOND STAGE BEFORE YOU GOT THE CAR DIALED IN THERE IN THE FINAL RUN? “We lost track position there after the stage break on pit road and we were able to overcome a couple spots but not enough. As the restarts played out, that final pit stop my guys did a great job. I am proud of that effort like I said before. They got us in a position to be able to execute and for me to do my job. We only had three sets of tires this race and I knew it would bea challenging third stage no matter what. Trying to figure out how to manage that run and the last set of tires was a challenge but it was fun. It was a good day and it was executed well on many fronts and there are things we can improve as well.”

DID YOU FEEL AT ANY POINT THAT CLEAN AIR WAS A FACTOR OR WAS IT THE IMPROVEMENTS? “I felt like in the final stage I needed clean air. I didn’t know how much better I was than the 7 car, if any. I felt like he was really good on the short run and I was good on the long run. Having track position on the short run was critical for me because I think it would be difficult to pass. I think with the PJ1 it has been more racey and you can control the race and we were able to do that from start to finish.”

Team Penske NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Report
Track: Phoenix Raceway
Race: Call 811 Before You Dig 200 presented by Arizona 811
Date: March 13, 2021

No. 22 CarShop Ford Mustang – Austin Cindric
Start: 3rd
Stage 1: 1st (Fourth Stage Win of 2021)
Stage 2: 4th
Finish: 1st (Second Win of the 2021 Season)
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 200/200
Laps Led: 119
Point Standings (ahead of second): 1st (+47)

Notes:

• Austin Cindric and the No. 22 CarShop team dominated Saturday at Phoenix Raceway, leading 119 laps, and securing the race victory in the Call 811 Before You Dig 200 presented by Arizona 811. The victory is Cindric’s second consecutive victory at the Phoenix track and extends his NASCAR Xfinity Series driver standings points lead to 47 markers over second place.
• Cindric started the 200-lap event from the third position before grabbing the lead and dominating Stage 1, capturing his fourth stage win of the 2021 season. Crew chief Brian Wilson elected to pit during the stage caution four tires, fuel, and a slight adjustment to aid Cindric’s loose CarShop Ford Mustang and restarted Stage 2 fourth.
• Shortly after the restart, Cindric maintained position in the uneventful stage two, capturing the fourth position at the conclusion of the second stage on lap 90. Wilson once again called his driver to pit road for adjustments to make his CarShop Ford handle better.
• Cindric started the final stage second, snagging the race lead before the ninth caution with less than 50 laps remaining. Cindric maintained the lead, surviving a fury of late race restarts and fierce challenges to capture his 10th NXS career victory and his second win of the 2021 season and Team Penske’s 18th victory at Phoenix Raceway.
• The NASCAR Xfinity Series is back in action at Atlanta Motor Speedway Saturday, March 20th, for the EchoPark 250. Live coverage will begin at 5:00 p.m. ET on FS1. PRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.

Quote: “I think it was role-reversal from the last time here. He got a really great restart and stuck it on top of three there and we were fighting for track position. We came away with a win in the Car Shop Ford Mustang. It is awesome to have them on board for this season and get the pink and white colors in victory lane.”

Myatt Snider And The TaxSlayer Chevrolet Team Earn 11th-Place Finish in Eventful Day at Phoenix Raceway

Finish: 11th
Start: 19th
Points: 7th

“Today was an eventful day for our TaxSlayer team. There was a lot of beating and banging out there and no one wanted to give an inch. After solidly running inside the top-10 for most the day, I was sent into the wall and we were forced to pit under caution with 25 laps to go. We didn’t have any sticker tires left, so my Crew Chief Andy Street gave me a set of scuffs and I went to work in the final laps. To rebound and finish 11th after all that is a huge accomplishment for our Richard Childress Racing team. Phoenix Raceway has been one of my tougher tracks personally and Andy and I had conversations this week about how we wanted and needed to be better after our races here last season. We did that and learned a lot for our trip back here in the fall.” -Myatt Snider

GIBBS EARNS ANOTHER SOLID RESULT IN SECOND XFINITY RACE
Gibbs scores runner-up finish in Phoenix

PHOENIX (March 13, 2021) – Ty Gibbs drove his Toyota Supra to the runner-up finish in the Call 811 Before You Dig 200 at Phoenix Raceway on Saturday evening.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Phoenix Raceway
Race 5 of 33 – 200 miles, 200 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Austin Cindric*
2nd, TY GIBBS
3rd, Brandon Brown*
4th, Riley Herbst*
5th, AJ Allmendinger*
12th, HARRISON BURTON
14th, TIMMY HILL
15th, SANTINO FERRUCCI
18th, STEFAN PARSONS
23rd, DANIEL HEMRIC
28th, DAVID STARR
33rd, BRANDON JONES
40th, JESSE LITTLE
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

TY GIBBS, No. 54 Pristine Auction.com Toyota Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 2nd

Describe your race, another great finish at Phoenix.

“It was really hard with the PJ1 and how it was sprayed, a little bit higher than last year, so it was more of a one lane track. (I learned) lane position, kind of letting people go and move some people out of the way. (I) definitely figured it out and helped me at the end of the race. I was too far to kind of bump the 22 (Austin Cindric), but it was a fun time. It was a learning experience more than anything. I’m just learning how these things race on the ovals, but I’m very thankful to be here. I can’t thank Pristine Auction enough. Just one spot short.”

BRANDON JONES, No. 19 Toyota Racing Toyota Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 33rd

What happened between you and AJ Allmendinger?

“It’s such a tough deal. I know the sun was in our eyes pretty bad off of turn two, but I just got ran over. I’ll look to rebound next weekend. I thought we had a really phenomonal run going. It was still a little bit off balance for that final stage, but all-in-all, we had a really good Toyota Supra. I hate it for everybody who puts effort into it, but it looks like I just got ran over by AJ (Allmendinger). I’ll keep a notebook of all of this stuff and use it in the future.”

# # #

About Toyota

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

Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly employs more than 47,000 in North America. The company has contributed world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama that begins production in 2021.

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

Our Motorsports is headed west for the second week in a row as they bring the duo of Brett Moffitt and Xfinity Series newcomer Blaine Perkins to Phoenix Raceway. The “Call 811 Before You Dig 200 presented by Arizona 811” will be a 200 lap, 200-mile race around the 1-mile tri-oval based in Avondale, Arizona for the NASCAR Xfinity Series competitors.

Saturday, Blaine Perkins straps into the No.23 Chevy for his first Xfinity Series start representing Raceline Wheels, Team Chevy, and the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation on his Chevy Camaro racecar. Raceline Wheels is a market leader in the design and manufacturing of wheels for off-road, street, and track use. The Martin Truex Jr. Foundation focuses on programs to generate awareness and funding for childhood and ovarian cancers. Perkins will start from the 28^th starting position on Saturday for his series debut.

Meanwhile, Brett Moffitt and the No.02 Our Motorsports Chevy will start from the 20^th starting position when the green flag drops. The No.02 team enters the weekend ninth in owners’ points standings and will be representing #TeamChevy on their Chevy Camaro.

Driver Brett Moffit: 

“We’ve had a really strong start to the year at Our Motorsports. We struggled a little bit at Phoenix last year but the amount of speed we’ve shown all year is very promising heading into this weekend. I know our guys have worked really hard at continuing to improve our program over the offseason and I think this weekend will be representative of that.”

Driver Blaine Perkins:

I’m excited to make my debut this weekend at Phoenix with Our Motorsports. I’ve been training, mentally, and physically over the past few months to prepare me for this opportunity, and now I’m ready! I have to thank Our Motorsports for this opportunity, along with Team Chevy, but also Raceline Wheels and the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation for their support.

Past Results at Las Vegas for Our Motorsports: 

Last year, Moffit piloted the No.02 for both races in Phoenix. The team earned a 19^th place finish in the spring race and repeated the result with another 19^th place finish in the fall event.

Tune in: 

Tune in for the “Call 811 Before You Dig 200 presented by Arizona 811” at Phoenix Raceway this Saturday to watch the Our Motorsports team compete. Fans can catch the action on FS1, MRN/Sirius XM NASCAR, and other local radio affiliates at 5:30pm ET and by following Our Motorsports on social media. 

SS GreenLight Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway | Call 811 Before You Dig 200

Fast Facts
No. 07 SS GreenLight Racing Team:
Driver: Joe Graf Jr. (@JoeGrafJr)
Primary Partner(s): Z Grills
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro
Crew Chief: Mike Tyska
Call 811 Before You Dig 200 Starting Position: 16th (Based on event formula)
2021 Driver Points Position: 14th | 2021 Owner Points Position: 18th
Chassis Intel: SSGLR Chassis No. 709; competed last at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway on Nov. 7, 2020 (Start: 23rd | Finish: 27th).
Chassis No. 709 also competed in the spring 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway on March 7, 2020 (Start: 19th | Finish: 31st).
Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines (ECR)

Notes of Interest:

It’s Your Turn: This weekend at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway, SS GreenLight Racing and Joe Graf Jr. welcome Z Grills as the primary partner of the team’s No. 07 Chevrolet Camaro for Saturday afternoon’s Call 811 Before You Dig 200.

Phoenix marks the first of a multi-race deal where Z Grills, one of the most respected names in pellet grills will be the primary partner.

About Z Grills: As an industry-leading manufacture for more than 30 years, Z Grills manufactured grills, kitchen equipment and outdoor products for several top brands in the industry.

Five years ago, Z Grills launched its own brand. With more than 500% yearly sales growth, Z Grills has quickly become the best pellet grills in the market and received tons of great reviews among mass media sites, BBQ influencers and Z Grills customers.

Now, Z Grills has grew into one of the most respected brands in the pellet grill industry.

Z Grills 8 in 1 pellet grills can grill, smoke, bake, roast, sear, braise, barbecue or char-grill.

See how Joe Graf Jr. cooks with Z Grills by clicking here.

Saving You Some Money: To celebrate the partnership, Z Grills Racing (ZGrillsRacing.com) is offering a 10 percent discount on every item online, using the code JoeGraf07 at checkout.

Year of the Underdogs: Heading to Homestead-Miami Speedway two weeks ago, Buffalo Bills running back Antonio Williams and a personal investor in Joe Graf Jr.’s racing career launched a video on Twitter offering an exclusive glimpse into his personal life and his reason for wanting to be a part of NASCAR – exclusively with Graf Jr.

Since its release on Feb. 25, 2021, the video has gone viral with over 125,000 views and feedback from some of the sports’ icons including retired NASCAR Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and current 23XI Racing driver Darrell Wallace Jr.

The video has since been uploaded on YouTube and can be seen clicking here.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Phoenix Raceway Starts: Sophomore NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Joe Graf Jr. will make his third start at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway on Saturday, Mar. 13, 2021.

Having to qualify his No. 08 Chevrolet Camaro on-time last March, Graf Jr. impressed with a 19th-place qualifying effort but was collected in a late-race accident.

In the season finale last November, Graf Jr. contented for a top-20 finish until gremlins late in the race resulted in a 27th place result.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Career Intermediate Nuggets: At tracks greater than 1.0-mile in size, Graf has competed in 20 NASCAR Xfinity Series races. He holds an average starting position of 23.9 and an average result of 22.1.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Race Recap: In last weekend’s Alsco Uniforms 300 at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway, Graf was able to overcome a loose No. 07 Bucked Up Chevrolet to bolt towards the top-20 in Stage 3 and quickly maneuvered himself inside the top-20 in the closing laps, claiming 18th at the checkered flag.

The result was the team’s third top-20 finish of 2021 and moved Graf Jr. up one position in the Xfinity Series standings to 14th.

Last year after four races, he sat a distant 29th in the championship standings.

Put Me In Coach: In an effort to strengthen his physique, Joe Graf Jr. began working with 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 Z Grills | Bucked Up Energy Chevrolet Camaro.

Sneaker Mania: Along with the adrenaline of Motorsports competition, Joe Graf Jr. also has a vogue for hype sneakers. In his current collection, he owns and wears at least 80 limited edition sneakers – and his collection continues to grow every month.

From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Mike Tyska is Joe Graf Jr.’s crew chief.
He will crew chief his fifth 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. Veteran JJ Yeley will drive the No. 17 Ford Mustang on Saturday afternoon.

Yeley is set to make his 337th career NASCAR Xfinity Series start and 21st at the 1.0-mile speedway. At his hometown race track, Yeley has earned three top-10 finishes, including a track best of sixth in 2006 driving for Joe Gibbs Racing.

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 Phoenix Raceway: “I’m looking for redemption this weekend at Phoenix Raceway. I particularly like the race track, but do not have the results to show for it.

“We had a fast car last November but unfortunately cut down a tire and didn’t get the finish we deserved.

“Hopefully, we can continue our momentum of a solid start to the 2021 season and deliver Z Grills a hot finish in their debut.”

On First Races Of 2021 Season: “The mentality around the team is good and we’re continuing to learn. We had a strong recovery from Homestead with a top-20 at Las Vegas and the race last weekend proved that we were able to overcome adversity early in the race and contend for a solid finish when it counted most.

“We’re heading in the right direction and we hope we can end the west coast swing on another positive.”

On New Z Grills Partnership: “I am thrilled to welcome Z Grills to NASCAR and to our SS GreenLight Racing team. Grilling at race tracks has always been a staple of the environment whether you are up close and personal with the race team or race fans bonding in the infield talking about their race track experience.

“I’m excited about all the levels we can make the partnership grow throughout the season.”
Race Information:

The Call Before You Dig 200 (200 laps | 200 miles) is the fifth of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2021 schedule. The 40-car field will take the green flag on Sat., Mar. 13, 2021, shortly after 3:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m. ET) with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90.
About SS Green Light Racing:

As one of the most tenured teams in all of NASCAR, SS GreenLight Racing has been a developmental hub for drivers looking to climb the ranks. Led by owner and former driver Bobby Dotter, the team has fielded 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 XFINITY Series
Phoenix Media Availability | Wednesday, March 10, 2021

NASCAR XFINITY Series Champion Austin Cindric, driver of the No. 22 CarShop Ford Mustang, has posted four straight top-five finishes to start the 2021 season, including a victory in the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway. He was a guest earlier today on a NASCAR Zoom call, where he talked about this weekend’s race at Phoenix Raceway.

AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 22 CarShop Ford Mustang — IT’S BEEN A YEAR SINCE THINGS SHUT DOWN. CAN YOU TAKE ME THROUGH WHAT WAS GOING ON FOR YOU? “I actually thought about that a little bit this week just knowing that this week was the week last year that everything changed for everyone. Obviously, every week that we had off was a week that we needed to be on the racetrack. In a lot of ways, and obviously Roger touched on that after winning the championship. I think we all kind of knew in the back of our minds that there were some challenges for us to continue the year if we didn’t get races early on, so I give a ton of credit to NASCAR. We say a lot that NASCAR was the first professional sports league to get back on track, but that was a huge catalyst for me to be able to continue the year last year and my team to be able to show what we were capable of, so I’m pretty grateful for those efforts. I know it probably helped a lot of other people out too, but definitely a big deal for us.”

ANY UPDATE ON YOUR CUP SCHEDULE? “No, no updates. I think we’re doing a little bit more clarity as you get more races in and see the guys that enter races and don’t enter races — the challenges, as I’ve said before, are who enters the races and if we have enough points. I think the 33 car is like 36th in Cup owner’s points, so I would say a lot of the races we’re looking at that don’t have practice or qualifying are looking good so far, and hopefully some updates soon.”

IS IT ACCURATE TO SAY YOU RACED TY GIBBS AND CHALLENGED HIM AS MUCH AS YOU COULD THE LAST TIME HE RACED? “Yeah, absolutely. At Daytona, I said it after the race as well, I thought Ty did an incredible job. I put him in some really tough spots trying to hang onto the lead. Obviously, we had some damage and that made my life really difficult and I knew if I got behind my shot of winning was a lot less, so he handled everything really well and was in a position on those restarts and made some decisions and won the race because of it, so I thought they did a great job. Oval racing, for me, was the next. I feel like he’s showcased that he has the pace and he has the talent and it’s for everyone else to observe and for him to decide how the next couple races are gonna go, so it’s cool for him. It’s a great opportunity and I’m sure he’ll do well with it.”

SHOULD PEOPLE EXPECT HIM TO BE VERY GOOD AGAIN AT PHOENIX? “He’ll obviously have capable equipment, but I think to have an anomaly you have to have more of a data set, so he’s only done one race. I think he’ll do just fine.”

WHAT CHANGES DO YOU EXPECT AT PHOENIX THIS TIME AROUND? “The time of the day is obviously a bit of a factor, but we had a really great package, a really great race and we were able to just execute and put ourselves in a position to win the championship. All in all, that was a perfect day and we’ll try to push this weekend on little things and try to improve on that package. I don’t think we need to do anything crazy and reinvent the wheel because we brought an incredibly good race car and we plan on bringing the same equipment this weekend. I’m excited for that. I’m excited to see that translate over and excited to see how other guys have stepped up throughout the offseason, especially at that track given it’s the most important throughout the year. It will be a great baseline for us heading into hopefully running to the Championship 4.”

ARE YOU IMPRESSED WITH HOW COMPETITIVE THE SERIES HAS BEEN SO FAR AND IS IT THE MOST COMPETITIVE SINCE YOU STARTED RACING FULL-TIME? “Yeah, I think when we get a couple more races I’ll probably have a better idea. I think Vegas was probably the first race you could sit down in all three series and recognize who has done the work in the offseason and who has come more prepared and who has speed. I think you saw that on Sunday as well. I think the guys at Kaulig have definitely stepped up and AJ has brought that program forward as well, so it’s cool to see him win, but I want to beat him. At the same time, we’ve got to keep getting better. I think everyone around us is getting better, so there’s no reason to stop trying, that’s for sure. It’ll be interesting to see how competitive it stays. I felt like there’s a lot of guys that ran up front at Vegas and were able to have some speed in their cars and a lot of it came down to track position by the end of the race, so something we didn’t have. I look forward to doing more races and probably come up with more opinions.”

WHAT FACTORS INTO THE DECISION OF MOVING FROM THE LOW TO HIGH GROOVE WHERE THE PJ1 IS ON THE TRACK? “I think it all depends on what’s happened before you race. For us, there’s the ARCA race and I don’t believe there’s anything else. We had the truck race last year and there was a whole weekend of practice and qualifying before we did it in the spring, so I think the factors will maybe be a little bit different for our race versus the championship weekend, so it’s a good opportunity to learn more about that traction compound. I think everyone is constantly learning about what gets it activated, what makes it fall off, so I think it’ll be another good example of that for us.”

DO YOU THINK ABOUT EVER TRYING TO GET AWAY WITH BRINGING OUT A CAUTION YOURSELF OR IS THAT NOT SOMETHING YOU WANT IN YOUR PLAYBOOK? LAST WEEK YOU GOT A FLAT TIRE AND LIMPED IT AROUND WHEN THE CAUTION CAME OUT. “I definitely feel like we got almost as lucky as we got unlucky. Obviously, having a tire puncture is never fun and on the restart when everyone’s got new tires, so you’re not even at a tire advantage but putting on tires and missing the pit entry, I was pretty much in a position where I was gonna go two to three laps down. I had accepted that was going to be my reality and past that I was on the apron in one and two and saw a car spinning and we got a new lease on life. That’s pretty much all there is to it on my end. Past that, it was a fight to get back up through the field all day and we still had a bit of a tire deficit at the end of the race even for the final restarts, but, all in all, like you said, got a little bit lucky.”

HOW GOOD IS IT TO HAVE ANOTHER PARTNERSHIP ON YOUR CAR THIS WEEKEND? “The car is obviously pretty striking. It’s bright. It’s gonna be easy to spot and easy to read. It’s great to have CarShop on board. I’m excited about that. They’re part of Penske Automotive Group, so definitely in-house there and I’m excited to represent them and help them grow that brand and honestly pretty proud to have them on our car and have the support of those guys on our program. I’m looking forward to having that car in a lot of races this year and hopefully they have some success as well.”

THE DEAL WITH HARRISON BURTON LAST WEEK. IS THAT JUST SOMETHING YOU MOVE ON FROM? “Yeah, I honestly don’t even know what comments he made. I just went up and talked to him after the race behind the hauler. We had a good conversation. Harrison and I have raced really well. He’s honestly one of the few guys in the field that I know I can race really hard. He’s very race smart. He’s grown up around racing and he and I can usually race pretty close and pretty hard and not have any issues, so I think we both surprised each other there on the front straightaway and there’s some things to learn from it, but, past that, yeah, I think it’s behind us as far as I’m concerned.”

WHAT’S THE SECRET TO BEING STRONG AT PHOENIX? “I think there’s a few factors. Obviously, the tires they’ve brought the last couple of years have seemed to fall off a little bit and depending on short runs versus long runs your car’s balance is very dependent on that, so trying to match that up correctly and trying to have overall speed is important, but then when you throw in the traction compound that obviously plays a lot of factors. There are probably more factors at Phoenix than what there was a couple years ago. I will say I’ve done more NASCAR races at Phoenix than any other racetrack, so there’s a certain comfort level with that knowing where you’re at. Obviously, I’ve been to enough of these places enough times in my career, but it’s definitely somewhere where I feel really comfortable.”

HOW MUCH HAS THE PJ1 CHANGED THE RACING AT PHOENIX? “I definitely think it’s changed more than we realize. It’s still somewhat of a track position race. It’s difficult to pass. You’re pretty handling limited at those racetracks, but if you go back and watch past Phoenix races and the lines that we use and the speed that we’re carrying into the corners, especially later in a run or side-by-side, a lot of normal laps with the traction compound we would have spun out and hit the wall, like especially in turns one and two with as flat as that is and there’s no grip. It’s pretty incredible, honestly. It would be bad if they took it away and you tried to do a lap immediately because you kind of have to reel it back in and get reacclimated because it makes a huge difference and you’re able to actually do some slide jobs and make moves if you have speed.”

YOU WILL BE IN THE BOOTH FOR THE ARCA RACE. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT? “I’ve spent my entire life watching races and listening to broadcasters and even my weekly prep before races I listen to broadcasters from the prior race. I’ve heard it a lot, so I’m excited to get some perspective. It’ll be cool. In another sense, from a performance side, it gives me an opportunity to watch the race maybe a little closer with a few more angles and try to read up on what to expect for Saturday’s race, but the ARCA Menards Series usually puts on a great show there. I remember watching the race there during championship weekend. I think it was Gilliland, Ty Gibbs and those guys were racing really hard, so hopefully it’s a good race. I looked over the entry list doing a little bit of homework and there are quite a few good cars entered, so it should be fun. It’s definitely a new experience for me. It was a little bit last-minute, but definitely cool to get some time and some new perspective in the ARCA Menards stuff.”

JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Phoenix Raceway
RACE: Call 811 Before You Dig 200 (200 laps / 200 miles)
DATE: Saturday, March 13, 2021

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

Michael Annett
No. 1 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet
• The last time Michael Annett raced at Phoenix Raceway, he came away with a fourth-place finish in the 2020 season finale. It was his best finish at the 1-mile oval in 17 starts.
• Tracks measuring 1 mile in the NASCAR Xfinity Series have been good for Annett. In three of his last four races on such tracks, Annett has finished in the top 10.
• At Phoenix, Annett has been fast and consistent, completing 98.6 percent of the laps in his 17 starts with the top-five in 2020 and seven finishes inside the top 10.
• Racing out West agrees with Annett. In his last seven starts west of the Mississippi, Annett has averaged a finish of 6.2 with a pair of top-five finishes and seven top-10s.

Josh Berry
No. 8 Chevrolet Accessories Chevrolet
• Josh Berry will make his first NXS start at Phoenix on Saturday afternoon.
• Berry enters this weekend fresh off a seventh-place result last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which tied his career best.
• In three previous starts in the NXS on short tracks, the 2020 NASCAR Weekly Series National Champion has scored two top 10s with a best finish of seventh coming at Richmond Raceway in September 2015.
• In 10 career starts in the NXS, Berry has recorded four top 10s, including two in three starts this season.

Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson has four starts in the NXS at Phoenix Raceway with a best finish of second coming in the 2020 season finale.
• During the 2020 spring Phoenix race, Gragson led 27 laps en route to a seventh-place finish.
• At tracks that are 1 mile in length, Gragson has an average finish of 8.3 and has paced the field for 67 laps.
• After four races in the 2021 season, Gragson sits 12th in the standings with one top five, one top 10 and 34 laps led.

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier is a two-time winner at Phoenix in the NXS. It’s the site of his first of 11 victories since joining JRM in 2016. He took the checkered flag there in the spring of 2017 and most recently in the fall of 2019.
• The veteran driver holds an impressive 8.7 average finish in 21 starts at the track. He’s led 461 laps on the desert oval, including 127 across two starts in 2020.
• Of his 14 career NXS victories, eight have come on tracks measuring 1-mile in length or less. Three of those came in 2020 with a victory at Dover International Speedway and a weekend sweep at Richmond Raceway.

Driver Quotes

“We were pretty good at Las Vegas and got our first top 10 of the season after some pretty awful luck so far. The Pilot Flying J Chevrolet was fast when it counted, the same way it was last year at Phoenix, and we scored points in both segments for the first time this year. That’s a good track for us and we need to do well to keep the momentum building. I’m proud of Mike Bumgarner (crew chief) and all the No. 1 guys for giving me great Chevrolets every week. It’s all about momentum now.” – Michael Annett

“I’m really looking forward to getting to Phoenix. It’s a track that just really suits my driving style and we’ve had a lot of success there as a team. We’ve been fortunate enough to visit Victory Lane twice there and lead a lot of laps with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Camaro. I have confidence we can go there and have a good, solid weekend and continue our climb up in the points.” – Justin Allgaier

“Phoenix will be interesting this weekend. This is a track that is definitely closer to my background of racing on the short tracks. Hopefully we can continue to build off of everything we have learned over these last couple of weeks and come away with another strong run with our Chevrolet Accessories Camaro. I know that Taylor (Moyer, crew chief) and all the guys on this No. 8 team have been working their tails off this week and I’m ready to go.” – Josh Berry

“Our No. 9 Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Camaro has been fast all year but we haven’t had the finishes to show. We finally had a race go our way last weekend in Vegas and hopefully we can continue the momentum this weekend in Phoenix. We almost walked away with the win last year in the season finale, so hoping to be one position better this time around.” – Noah Gragson

JRM Team Updates”
• JRM in the Valley of the Sun: JR Motorsports has collected three victories, 20 top fives and 42 top 10s in 76 NXS starts at Phoenix Raceway. Justin Allgaier earned the most recent victory at the 1-mile oval, scoring the win after starting fifth and leading 85 laps in the November 2019 event. The organization’s additional two victories came in 2017 when JRM swept both events at the desert track with Allgaier and William Byron.
• Virtual Coffee with Noah: Black Rifle Coffee is offering a special discount for all JR Motorsports fans. Add the code COFFEEDATE20 when purchasing your coffee order March 6th through April 3rd for 20% off at blackriflecoffee.com. It also enters you a chance for a virtual coffee meet-and-greet with Noah Gragson!
• Walmart+: Meet Walmart+ – the membership that helps you save more time and money. Free shipping, no order minimum and free delivery from your store at the low prices you love. Stock up on all your race day favorites like Hellmann’s, Klondike, Good Humor and more at https://www.walmart.com/plus. Give it a try and cancel at any time.
• GREAT OUTDOORS SALE: Save up to 40 percent at Bass Pro Shops now during their GREAT OUTDOORS SALE: now through March 10. Stock up on all your outdoor needs from lures to apparel to rods and reels.

Leading-Edge Used Car Retailer to Sponsor Defending Series Championship Team in 2021

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (March 10, 2021) – CarShop, an easy and fun way to buy like-new vehicles in-store or online, will partner with Team Penske’s reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) Champion Austin Cindric and the No. 22 Ford Mustang team for the 2021 season. Beginning with this weekend’s NXS race at Phoenix Raceway, CarShop will be featured as the primary sponsor of the No. 22 Ford at several events this season, as Cindric and the team look to defend their series title.

CarShop, a wholly owned subsidiary of Penske Automotive Group, offers high-quality used vehicles with upfront, no-haggle pricing and a money-back guarantee. Originating in the United Kingdom, CarShop became a global brand on March 1, 2021 after adopting the successful CarSense used-car buying experience in the United States.  Online customers can use the innovative digital tools available at www.carshop.com and www.carshop.co.uk to choose from thousands of vehicles, obtain customized, personalized payments and schedule a home delivery. 

“We are excited to partner with Team Penske as we expand the CarShop brand globally and transform the used-car buying experience into something fun, easy and exciting,” said Tracy Cassady, Executive Vice President of Marketing for Penske Automotive Group. “Whether shopping hassle-free in our stores, or online with our innovative online buying tools, customers can confidently and comfortably buy their dream car from virtually anywhere. We look forward to a great season with Austin (Cindric) racing the No. 22 CarShop Ford in 2021.”

Cindric has enjoyed a strong start to the 2021 NXS season following last year’s championship performance. The 22-year-old driver won the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway on February 13, as he secured a spot in the NXS Playoffs and became the first defending series champion since 1997 to open the following season with a victory. Cindric currently leads the Xfinity Series point standings with four-consecutive top-five finishes to start the season. The talented young racer also made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in February at the Daytona 500, where he led laps and was in position for a top-10 result before a multi-car accident on the final lap took him out of contention.

“It’s a great opportunity to welcome a new brand to our sport and I’m excited to represent Penske Automotive Group and carry the CarShop colors on our No. 22 Ford for some of our biggest races this season,” said Cindric. “CarShop offers a unique car buying experience and we hope to deliver some strong results in the CarShop Mustang in 2021.”

About Team Penske
Team Penske is one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports. Cars owned and prepared by Team Penske have produced more than 580 major race wins, over 650 pole positions and 40 Championships across open-wheel, stock car and sports car racing competition. Over the course of its 55-year history, the team has also earned 18 Indianapolis 500 victories, two Daytona 500 Championships, a Formula 1 win, overall victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring, along with a win in Australia’s legendary Bathurst 1000 race. In 2021, Team Penske will compete in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

About CarShop

CarShop offers high-quality used vehicles with upfront, no-haggle pricing and a money-back guarantee.  Customers shopping online can use the innovative digital tools available on www.carshop.com and www.carshop.co.uk to choose from thousands of vehicles, obtain customized, personalized payments on every vehicle, and schedule a home delivery.  Whether purchasing in-store at one of our 17 worldwide SuperCenters or completely online, CarShop offers a seamless car buying experience. CarShop is a wholly owned subsidiary of Penske Automotive Group (NYSE: PAG).

The CarShop logo is a trademark of Penske Automotive Group, Inc.