Category: XFINITY Series PR

Clements’ friendship with Wings Etc. franchisee fuels winning partnership

FORT WAYNE, Ind.—Wings Etc. is thrilled to power NASCAR® Xfinity® Series driver Jeremy Clements and his #51 Chevy Camaro SS again this year at the Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis on July 20, and the Cabo Wabo 250 at Michigan International Speedway on August 17.

This marks the fourth year that #51 has sported the Wings Etc. logo as it takes to the track.

The dynamic partnership sprang from a real-life connection between Spartanburg, S.C., native Clements and Boiling Springs, S.C., franchisee Scott McFalls.

McFalls says Clements and his brother would often dine at his restaurant. One night the pair was there listening to a band; McFalls went up to the front of the packed room to watch, and the Clements brothers offered him a seat. During intermission, talk turned to sponsorship opportunities.

McFalls wasn’t sure that he could participate as a single-store franchisee. “I said, you know, I don’t know that I want to pay X amount of dollars and get this little three-inch sticker put right behind the tire,” McFalls said.

But Clements is as driven off the track as he is behind the wheel. “I said, let’s just talk. I feel like it’s not as bad as you think it is.

“It didn’t take much, to be honest,” Clements said of persuading McFalls. “In the store he’s got pictures of all the baseball teams and all the different people he’s helped. So he loves to help people. He’s a good guy. It made a good-looking race car too, for sure.”

Clements is grateful to have a national brand like the 80-unit Wings Etc. on #51. “It means the world — that’s how I make a living and how that 51 goes fast,” he says. “It’s very special to me. So I want to make it special for them.”

The feeling is mutual. Now the Indianapolis and Michigan race days are a regular celebration at McFalls’ Wings Etc. location. At the start of the season, they even served a custom beer, 51 Racing Fuel, a lager brewed by Spartanburg, South Carolina-based RJ Rockers Brewing Company, before it sold out.

And while the Wings Etc. corporate brand backs Clements at the Indy and Michigan tracks, McFalls also sponsors a third race, this year kicking off the Jeremy Clements Racing Xfinity® Series season at Phoenix Raceway. Without a track nearby to provide an influx of fans at his restaurant on race day, McFalls hosts a watch party for all the hometown fans.

When he’s in town, Clements still frequents the Boiling Springs Wings Etc. “I like the wrap for lunch,” he says. “And if I’m gonna go in there for dinner, watch the game or something with the boys, we’re going to drink some ice cold beer and eat some wings. I like spicy!”

Jeremy Clements Racing is a small, family run team carrying on the tradition established by Jeremy’s grandfather, famed NASCAR owner and renowned engine builder Crawford Clements. Jeremy’s uncle, Louis Clements, was a Championship Crew Chief with Rex White. And Jeremy’s dad, Tony Clements, continues to run Clements Automotive, a leader in racing and performance engine building. Jeremy’s sister books the hotels and travel, and his mom cleans the pit crew suits every week.

“We’re all digging away to make it work for 33 weeks out of the year,” Clements says. “It’s a long, grueling season for sure.”
Wings Etc. is happy to back the effort. “We’re very excited to be on board with Jeremy Clements for a fourth year,” says Wings Etc. CEO Rob Hensmann. “Supporting the people in our communities is an important value for Wings Etc., and we love sharing our fans’ enthusiasm for the energy that Jeremy brings to NASCAR Xfinity races.”

“Being a part of the Wings Etc. family is special,” Clements says. “They work their tails off and do a phenomenal job of bringing a fun atmosphere to a great restaurant. I just love them, and they love racing. So it’s a win-win for everybody. It’s way more than just a sponsorship. It’s a friendship.”

Wings cookout raises funds for St. Jude

Fans are invited to join Wings Etc. in the infield of Michigan International Speedway on August 16–17 where, starting around 7 p.m., Wings Etc. leadership will be cooking the brand’s famous award-winning boneless wings. The wings are free; fans can make a donation for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in return. The event continues each evening until the wings are gone.

About Wings Etc. Grill & Pub

Wings Etc. is proud to celebrate 30 years of growth and good times this year. Founded in 1994 by Jim Weaver in northern Indiana, Wings Etc. is a family-friendly grill and pub featuring award-winning jumbo Buffalo wings, 21 signature sauces and rubs, dozens of TVs tuned to sports programming and a casual, non-corporate-y, laid-back vibe that makes people want to just come in and hang out. See wingsetc.com.
With 80 corporate and franchise locations, Wings Etc. has been listed among Entrepreneur magazine’s “Top 500 Franchises” every year since 2021 and was included in the magazine’s “Top Five Best Sports Bars” in 2021. It has been named one of Franchise Business Review’s “Top Food Franchises” every year since 2020 and a “Top 200 Franchise” every year since 2019. Wings Etc. has been included in Franchise Gator’s “Top 100 Franchises” seven times since 2014 and its “Fastest Growing Franchises” seven times since 2016; it was among the “Top Emerging Franchises” in 2023. It has been named a “Top 400 Franchise” by Franchise Times every year since 2021 and a “Top 500 Franchise” by Nation’s Restaurant News every year since 2021. See www.wingsetcfranchise.com.

The Wings Etc. Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization committed to improving children’s lives. See www.wingsetcfoundation.com.
©2024 Wings Etc., Inc. Franchises independently owned and operated.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 22, 2024): SS-GreenLight Racing, with Brad Perez behind the wheel, announce the return of ref-ology + Blast Equality Collab teaming up with Weiss Sand and Clay as the primary sponsor with APEX Coffee Roasters, Team Schuler – Compass Real Estate, Ticket Smarter, Chubby Noodle Restaurant and the Women’s Premier Basketball Association as associate sponsors on the #14 Ford Mustang in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this weekend for the Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 250 at Sonoma Raceway Saturday, June 8 .

“I’m very excited to work with Shelley Russi and her team over at ref-ology & Blast Equality Collab non-profit, who I had the pleasure to meet over a year ago at this very event. I’ve been a fan of Bobby Dotter’s program at SS-GreenLight Racing for years and the opportunity to work with Jason Miller and the 14 team is a privilege. I thank them for the opportunity along with my longtime partners at Weiss Sand & Clay and Apex Coffee Roasters for making this possible. Going to the Bay Area is something I look forward to every year, I love the team at Sonoma Raceway and SMI, and I am happy to give it my best effort at one of the most beautiful racetracks in the country,” says Perez.

“We are excited to have Brad join SS-GreenLight Racing for our race at Sonoma. Brad works incredibly hard at every opportunity he gets and constantly overperforms in the equipment he races in! Can’t wait to see what he is able to do behind the wheel of the ref-ology & Weiss #14 at Sonoma,” says Bob Dotter.

“Weiss Sand and Clay is honored to support Brad. As a smaller Texas business, we appreciate who he is and what he brings to the track every day. Brad’s the kind of guy who’ll put everything he has into what he does, and we fully support him,” says Eric Weiss, manager at Weiss.

ref-ology + Blast Equality Collab (BEQ), joined by Team Schuler – Compass Real Estate, Chubby Noodle Restaurant and TicketSmarter, team up with Brad, his partners, alongside SS- GreenLight in recognizing the incredible opportunity that exists for referees to help our youth develop resilience, leadership skills, compassion, and much more through the BEQ Mission while our referees serve the game from the youth to professional levels. The #14 car colors for Sonoma share ref-ology’s 2024 Embodied Referee Jersey worn by Officials serving the Women’s Premier Basketball Association, playing its 3rd Season in 2024 here the San Francisco Bay Area.

“Annually, referees interact with more youth lives than any other demographic in American society, given the positive youth sports explosion.” says Russi. “Most who start officiating- quit. It takes consistency (represented by the color pink) and awareness toward self-mastery (represented by the color purple) to retain referees in the profession. We view Brad, a

consistent competitor, with a high degree of self-awareness, as a true partner to stand up for those who facilitate fairness – including ref-ology’s Embodied Referees.”, say Russi. Blast Equality Collab, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, founded by Shelley Russi – is a leadership collaboration taught through the lens of diverse sports experiences.

Apex Coffee Roasters is a craft specialty coffee roastery established in 2014 in Waco, Texas. “Each of us at Apex remember a cup of coffee in the past which redefined our perspective of what coffee could be. We started this company with hopes of recreating that experience for as many people as possible,” stated Founder/Owner Brett Jameson. For more on SS-GreenLight Racing, visit SSGreenLight.com, or ‘like’ on Facebook (SS GreenLight Racing) and follow them on X (@SSGLR0708) and Instagram (@ssgreenlightracing). For more on ref-ology + Blast Equality Collab, please follow them on Instagram (@ref.ology), and reach out to Shelley Russi.

For more on Weiss, follow them on Facebook: Weiss Sand & Clay LP, on X (@weiss48), and on Instagram (@ericweiss7).

Follow APEX on Facebook: Apex Coffee Roasters, on X (@apexroasters) and on Instagram @apexcoffeeroasters. For more on Apex visit them apexcoffeeroasters.com and with the promo code BREAD you can get 15% off any coffee order on their site.

Follow Brad on Facebook: Brad Perez Racing, on X (@bradperez) and on Instagram (@uhbrad). For more on Brad visit bradperez.com.

Practice for the Xfinity Series will be shown live on FS1 on Friday July 7 at 4:05PM ET/1:05PM PT with Qualifying Saturday at 3:30PM ET/12:30PM PT.

The Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 250 (20/45/79 laps) at Sonoma Raceway Saturday, June 8, will take the green flag at 8:00PM ET/5:00PM PT. Catch the race on FS1, PRN Radio, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90, and the Sirius XM App.

COLE CUSTER | RILEY HERBST
Charlotte NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

• Event: BetMGM 300 (Round 12 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, May 25
• Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway
• Layout: 1.5-mile oval
• Time/TV/Radio: 1 p.m. EDT on FOX/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

• Cole Custer is ready to get back in action after the third off weekend of the season as the NASCAR Xfinity Series takes on its latest intermediate track during Saturday’s BetMGM 300 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. Joining Custer for the first time at Charlotte is Fanttik, the trailblazing and award-winning brand in the automotive accessories industry. Fanttik made its debut with the Stewart-Haas in the March 3 NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, serving as primary sponsor on Noah Gragson’s No. 10 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. Fanttik is following up that appearance by supporting the 2023 Xfinity Series Champion at a track where he’s run well in the past.
• Saturday’s BetMGM 300 will mark Custer’s seventh Xfinity Series start at the 1.5-mile Charlotte oval. He has excelled at the track, with all but one of his five previous visits resulted in top-10 finishes. Best of those was his runner-up finish to Brad Keselowski in May 2018 after qualifying second and leading 29 laps. In last year’s May’s visit to the Charlotte oval, Custer qualified an impressive fourth and finished third, one of only seven drivers to finish on the lead lap. Custer’s Xfinity Series debut at the track in May 2016 resulted in a fourth-place finish. He then finished seventh and sixth, respectively, in the spring and fall 2017 races. Custer has made four Charlotte starts in the NASCAR Cup Series with a best result of 12th in May 2020, and one in the NASCAR Truck Series that resulted in a 13th-place finish in May 2016.
• Custer arrives at Charlotte riding a nine-race streak of top-10 finishes, the longest streak in the Xfinity Series this season. It started with his runner-up finish March 2 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The nine consecutive top-10s this season surpassed Chandler Smith’s seven consecutive top-10s that began at the season opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway through the March 30 race at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. While Custer has yet to find victory lane this season, he has earned six top-fives in the first 11 races, has led 222 laps, has yet to record a DNF, and hasn’t finished worse than 16th.
• Fanttik is a youthful, dynamic brand dedicated to outdoor, household, sports and automotive products that cater to every need for the perfect adventure. In a short span of time, Fanttik has garnered extreme acclaim from enthusiasts, social media influencers, digital media and consumers. It has earned the internationally revered Red Dot Design Award multiple times, along with the prestigious IF Design Award. Fostering the motto, “We explore, we innovate and we make it happen,” Fanttik has brought trailblazing experiences in the automotive arena to the most diverse audience.

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• At just 17 years old in 2016, Riley Herbst packed his things and moved by himself more than 2,200 miles from his hometown of Las Vegas to chase his racing dreams in the heart of NASCAR Country – Charlotte, North Carolina. Fast forward eight years and Herbst is now a NASCAR Xfinity Series winner who is making a name for himself in the series as he continues his chase for a championship. A win in Saturday’s BetMGM 300 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway would set the tone for the remainder of the season and lock him into the 2024 Xfinity Series Playoffs. While his season has seen highs and lows thus far, Herbst has earned two top-10s in the past three races. On April 20 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, the driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse pulled off a late dash to earn a runner-up finish behind race-winner Jesse Love. He followed that up with a 16th-place finish at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway. In the series’ most recent race May 11 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, Herbst put his bad luck behind him at the 1.366-mile, egg-shaped oval and finished seventh, his second straight top-10 at the track. He hopes to keep the momentum rolling as he heads to an intermediate track that is similar to his hometown Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
• The BetMGM 300 will mark Herbst’s fifth Xfinity Series start on the Charlotte oval. After his 12th-place finishes there in May 2020 and 2021, Herbst was plagued in May 2022 by cut tires in both qualifying and the race, which he finished in 25th. In last year’s rain-delayed May race, he struggled with the handling of his racecar and ultimately finished 14th. Herbst has two starts in the ARCA Menards Series at Charlotte with a best finish of second in May 2018, when he missed going to victory lane by just .293 of a second behind his now fellow Xfinity Series regular Brandon Jones.
• Herbst has found speed in past Xfinity Series races at Charlotte. He earned his first career pole at the track when the team visited the oval layout in May 2021 after finishing 12th in his first start at the track in the previous May’s race. The latter accomplishment came without the benefit of practice or qualifying due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The May 2021 race weekend was his first at the track with practice and qualifying, and the No. 98 Monster Energy team rolled off the truck with a fast racecar. Herbst topped the speed charts in practice on Friday, then followed it up setting the fastest lap in qualifying on Saturday. he showed similar speed in his past two races at Charlotte prior to some bad luck.
• Herbst enjoyed success on intermediate tracks in the second-half of last season, highlighted by his first career Xfinity Series victory last October on Charlotte’s sister track of Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Not only did the 25-year-old driver park his Ford Mustang in victory lane, he bested the field by more than 14 seconds. He followed that up with a strong second-place run the next weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he chased down the leader in the closing laps. He finished just .227 of a second behind race winner Sam Mayer. Currently, Stewart-Haas Racing holds 17 Xfinity Series wins on NASCAR’s intermediate tracks, nine of which have come with the No. 98 team.

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

Charlotte must feel like another one of the racetracks where you’re due a win. You’ve only finished outside the top-10 once on the 1.5-mile layout and you’ve earned a best finish of second. What more do you need to get the job done and park the No. 00 Fanttik Ford Mustang Dark Horse in victory lane?

“I mean, it’s just like this season, we just need that little bit more to find victory lane. We just haven’t put together a perfect race, which needs to happen if we want to get there. I feel like Charlotte has been similar in my career. Our cars have been fast, but stuff happens during the race and I feel like we just can’t recover. I’m excited to get there this weekend, though, with the momentum we’ve been having in the series right now. Charlotte Motor Speedway is getting better and better as the years go on, too, mostly because it’s starting to age. It’s getting to that point where the tires are starting to wear more, and you’re having to move around the track a lot to find speed. You’re slipping and sliding all around. Charlotte can be a lot of fun for a driver, but it can also bite you if you aren’t careful. In my opinion, it’s becoming one of the better mile-and-a-half racetracks on the NASCAR circuit.”

You’re welcoming a new partner to the No. 00 team this weekend with Fanttik on the hood of your Ford. What does it mean to have all of this support from new and old partners after your 2023 Xfinity Series championship?

“As a driver, no matter what point you’re at in your career, it’s always exciting to have new sponsors on your racecar. It means that people want to support you and your career. This season, we’ve been lucky to have quite a few new partners on the No. 00 team, but also to keep a lot that have been with me in the past. These are companies who believe in you and believe that you can go out there and get them wins. With that said, Fanttik was a new partnership for us this year and I’m excited to see them on my Ford at Charlotte. I can’t thank them enough for their support this season. Charlotte has been a great track for me in the past, so hopefully I can get them to victory lane on Saturday.”

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

Charlotte has been a track where you’ve struggled in the past, but you’ve also called it one of your favorite racetracks on the circuit. Your home track of Las Vegas Motor Speedway used to be the same way until you scored your first career victory last October. What do you need this weekend to not only earn your first top-10 finish at Charlotte, but also go for the win?

“I’ll back up what I said last year, Charlotte is one of the most underrated races on the schedule. No one actually realizes how difficult it can be to drive a daytime race at this track – it’s one where you’re slipping and sliding all over it, but you can also find a lot of speed. Just like any other track, it can bite you, but it can also be one of the best races of the year for a driver. We had a lot of speed there when we qualified on the pole in 2021, so I’m hoping we can see that again. There’s been some bad luck, but I think just like with my history at Las Vegas, I can turn it around. You can’t count the No. 98 team out any weekend, so I’m excited to head there and see what we can do.”

You’re heading into a long stretch of summer races without a break in the schedule. From now until the July 20 race at Indianapolis, the team will be on a summer grind with no breaks. How do you stay focused during this long portion of the schedule?

“This summer stretch can be long and tedious. You not only have a lot of weekends without a break, but you’re also going to so many different types of tracks. We’ve got intermediates, short tracks, road courses, and street courses. It really tests a driver because you’re having to prepare for so many different types of races. You can get in your head very easily if you don’t pace yourself. This is where you have to take it one race at a time. If you have a bad race, you just have to keep looking forward because there’s another coming just days later. It can be a challenge, especially when you have multiple races where things don’t go your way. I’m excited for this stretch of races, and hopefully we can get a win at one of these tracks.”

JR Motorsports Team Preview
TRACK – Charlotte Motor Speedway (1.5 mile quad-oval)
NXS RACE – BetMGM 300 (200 laps / 300 miles)
TUNE IN – FOX, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90 at 1:00 p.m. (ET)

Sam Mayer

No. 1 Tire Pros Chevrolet

Mayer 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 11

Wins: 1

Top 5s: 4

Top 10s: 5

Laps Led: 18

Avg. Finish: 18.5

Points: 12th

• Sam Mayer heads down the road to Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend coming off a thrilling fourth-place finish at Darlington Raceway in the last NASCAR Xfinity Series event.
• Mayer has two NXS starts in this event at the 1.5-mile quad-oval with his best finish of third coming in the Spring of 2022.
• In tracks measuring 1.5 miles in length, the Franklin, Wis. native has tallied 18 career starts in which he earned two victories (Texas 2024, Homestead-Miami 2023), seven top-five and 12 top- 10 finishes.
• Tire Pros is back on board the No. 1 Chevrolet with Sam Mayer for the second time this season.

Sam Mayer

“I am really itching to get back to the track this weekend in Charlotte after another off-weekend. Mile-and-a-half tracks have been super good to us in the past and I know with the speed my guys at the shop have given me the past few weeks, we can make this weekend another great finish. Pumped to have Tire Pros back on board and I am ready to take them to Victory Lane.”

Justin Allgaier

No. 7 Hellmann’s / Round Canopy Parachuting Team D-Day Chevrolet

Allgaier 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 11

Wins: 1

Top 5s: 3

Top 10s: 5

Laps Led: 387

Avg. Finish: 14.8

Points: 5th

• Justin Allgaier heads to Charlotte this weekend as the most recent winner in the NXS, having scored the win in dominating fashion two weeks ago at Darlington. Allgaier led for 119 out of 147 laps and swept both stages en route to his first victory of the season.
• Allgaier additionally is the defending winner at the oval in Charlotte, having captured the victory in this event last year after leading a race-high 83 laps.
• Overall, the JRM driver has scored six top fives and 12 top 10s to accompany last season’s win at the North Carolina quad-oval.
• This weekend, Allgaier’s familiar Hellmann’s No. 7 will instead once again carry the logo of the Round Canopy Parachuting Team in a scheme that pays tribute to the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Normandy during World War II.

Justin Allgaier

“Racing at Charlotte on Memorial Day weekend is always such a special time, and to have this scheme this year commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day with the Round Canopy Parachuting Team and Hellmann’s, just makes it even more special. We have had a lot of speed here the last couple of years and were fortunate enough to get to Victory Lane here last year. So hopefully we can have that same speed once again this weekend and keep this momentum going. I know that Jim (Pohlman, crew chief) and all the guys on this No. 7 team are ready to go.”

Sammy Smith

No. 8 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet

Smith 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 11

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 0

Top 10s: 6

Laps Led: 50

Avg. Finish: 18

Points: 13th

• Sammy Smith’s only race at Charlotte took place in 2023 in the NXS, and he brought home a 10th place finish on the 1.5 mile quad-oval.
• Smith has nine starts on tracks measuring 1.5 miles in length. In those, he has earned one top-five and six top-10 finishes.
• Currently ranked 13th in the series points, Smith sits just 12 points out of playoff contention.
• This past weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway, Smith drove the No. 7 Pilot Flying J in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series to a strong fifth-place finish.

Sammy Smith

“I’m excited to get back to the track with my No. 8 JR Motorsports crew. I ran at North Wilkesboro in the Truck Series during our off-week and we were able to get Pilot Flying J a top-five finish. It was a long week at the track with weather so, it made it all worth it to fight back for that strong finish. I’m looking to taking our No. 8 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet even farther this week in Charlotte and get these guys where they belong in Victory Lane.”

Brandon Jones

No. 9 Menards / CharBroil Chevrolet

Jones 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 11

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 0

Top 10s: 4

Laps Led: 20

Avg. Finish: 17.6

Points: 11th

• Brandon Jones has made 10 starts at Charlotte and has recorded four top-10 finishes, with a best of seventh coming during the 2016 season.
• In 138 starts on tracks measuring between 1-2 miles in length in the NXS, Jones has recorded four wins, 19 top fives and 62 top 10s, along with seven pole awards.
• The 27-year-old Georgia native currently sits 11th in the NXS championship point standings, 168 markers behind the leader.
• Char-Broil will adorn the hood of Jones’ No. 9 Chevrolet this weekend. This will be the first appearance of this brand on the hood at Charlotte.

Brandon Jones

“We had a really fast car last year at Charlotte and this team has been working hard to make sure we have that same speed this weekend. After our top 10 at Darlington, I hope our luck is starting to turn around. I know we have what it takes to put this Menards/Char-Broil Chevrolet in Victory Lane, so I am ready to go out and execute.”

JRM Team Updates

JR Motorsports at Charlotte Motor Speedway: JR Motorsports has competed at Charlotte Motor Speedway a combined 80 times with the NXS since its first trip there in 2006. In those starts at the 1.5-mile quad-oval, the organization has recorded two wins, 19 top-fives and 38 top-10s, with an average finish of 13.9.

Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith, Brandon Jones and Carson Kvapil will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / Legacy MC souvenir rig on Saturday, May 25 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. ET.

SHANE van GISBERGEN
No. 97 Quad Lock Chevrolet Camaro

• Shane van Gisbergen started 17th, as per the rule book, after qualifying for the Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 was canceled due to weather.
• Sporting a Quad Lock throwback scheme honoring Marcos Ambrose, Van Gisbergen slipped to 22nd by the competition caution on lap 20. Battling a loose car during the remaining portion of the run, Van Gisbergen ended stage one in 22nd on lap 45.
• Following a pit stop for four tires, fuel and adjustments during the stage break, Van Gisbergen started stage two in 18th on lap 53. After a completely-green second stage, Van Gisbergen finished in 19th on lap 90. The Quad Lock team hit pit road for four tires, fuel and another round of adjustments under the stage yellow. Following the stop, Van Gisbergen began the final stage in 15th.
• Van Gisbergen slipped to 21st on lap 100, where he’d run when the caution flag waved once again on lap 103. After staying out under the caution, the Quad Lock team restarted 22nd on lap 109. Van Gisbergen finished in 15th following a day of learning at the “Lady in Black.”

“Overall I had a really good time. I wasn’t as good on the restarts, but once we got going, the car was really fast. I enjoyed my first race here at Darlington and came home with a pretty straight car, just a little stripe on this Quad Lock throwback.” – Shane van Gisbergen  

JOSH WILLIAMS
No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Chevrolet Camaro

• Josh Williams started 25th, as per the rule book, after qualifying for the Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 was canceled due to weather.
• Williams gained one spot before the lap-20 competition caution came out. He came down pit road during the yellow for tires, fuel, and air pressure and wedge adjustments, restarting in 21st on lap 26. Williams, battling a tight-handling race car, dropped positions to finish stage one in 25th.
• The No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Chevy was brought down pit road for tires, fuel and a set of adjustments intended to free the car up. Williams started stage two in 29th on lap 53 and passed three cars to finish it on lap 90 in 26th.
• Williams pitted for tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment during the stage caution. He started the final stage in 23rd with 49 laps to go, and four laps later, the race’s first natural caution occurred with Williams running in 26th. Williams drove the No. 11 Chevy Camaro down pit road for tires and fuel under yellow and restarted in 28th with 39 to go. He climbed to 24th before a wreck brought out the yellow flag on lap 124. Williams pitted for tires and fuel and restarted with 16 laps remaining in 21st, where he’d take the checkered flag.

“We started off super tight and were never really able to get it freed up. Without any practice, and with it being such a short race, it was hard to make adjustments and gain the positions we needed.” – Josh Williams  

AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 16 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet Camaro

• AJ Allmendinger started fourth, as per the rule book, after qualifying for the Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 was canceled due to weather.
• On the first lap, Allmendinger took over second place. On lap seven, still maintaining second place, Allmendinger reported he was building free. The competition caution came out on lap 20, and Allmendinger told the team he was most free in the center and laterally through the corner. The team came to pit road for adjustments and restarted in fifth place on lap 26. By lap 27, Allmendinger was running fourth and reported he was more free this run. The No. 16 finished the first stage in fourth place.
• Allmendinger came to pit road during the stage break for four tires, fuel and adjustments to tighten up the No. 16. Allmendinger restarted in fourth place on lap 80 and remained quiet on the radio for the majority of the stage. He finished the second stage in sixth place and reported he had no lateral grip. The team came to pit road to make adjustments for the final stage. Under the caution laps, the car shut off before coming to the choose. Allmendinger fell back and restarted in 28th.
• With 45 laps to go, the caution came out, and the No. 16 team planned to come down pit road for tires and fuel. When Allmendinger attempted to refire the car under caution, the key switch broke. During the pit stop, the No. 16 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevy shut off again. The team restarted the car, but following the green flag, the car once again turned off. Crew chief, Alex Yontz, called Allmendinger behind the wall to repair the issue. Allmendinger rejoined the field on lap 128, 20 laps down. Allmendinger went on to finish 35th.

“Really disappointing end to the day. I thought the race was going fairly well; I felt like we had a top-five car there, just fighting being too loose as the run went on. Definitely didn’t have the speed to go win the race but felt like we could run third-to-fifth depending on where we restarted and the pace of the race. Some positives to take is what we’re learning, definitely need to clean up a lot to get where we need to be. At the end of the day, it’s frustrating to finish where we did, but at least we had speed most of the day to run up front.” – AJ Allmendinger  

 
About Kaulig Racing

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

STEWART-HAAS RACING
Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200

Date: May 11, 2024
Event: Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 (Round 11 of 33)
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway (1.366-mile oval)
Format: 147 laps, broken into three stages (45 laps/45 laps/57 laps)
Race Winner: Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)

SHR Race Finish:

● Cole Custer (Started 1st / Finished 3rd, Running, completed 147 of 147 laps)
● Riley Herbst (Started 9th / Finished 7th, Running, completed 147 of 147 laps)

SHR Points:

● Cole Custer (2nd with 427 points, three out of first)
● Riley Herbst (6th with 337 points, 93 out of first)

SHR Notes:

● Custer earned his sixth top-five of the season and his fifth top-five in six career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Darlington.
● Custer has never finished outside the top-10 at Darlington in his Xfinity Series career.
● This was Custer’s fifth straight top-five at Darlington. He finished third and fourth, respectively in 2023.
● This was Custer’s ninth straight top-10. He finished second March 2 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, fifth March 9 at Phoenix Raceway, fourth March 23 at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin Texas, 10th March 30 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway, eighth April 6 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, fifth April 13 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, 10th April 20 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, and fifth April 27 at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway.
● Custer led once for 21 laps – his first laps led at Darlington.
● Herbst earned his fourth top-10 of the season and his fourth top-10 in nine career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Darlington.
● This was Herbst’s second straight top-10 at Darlington. He finished sixth last September.
● Herbst finished ninth in Stage 1 to earn two bonus points and ninth in Stage 2 to earn two more bonus points.

Race Notes:

● Justin Allgaier won the Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 to score his 24th career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, his first of the season, and his third at Darlington. His margin over second-place Austin Hill was 3.407 seconds.

● There were five caution periods for a total of 31 laps.

● Twenty-eight of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

● Austin Hill leaves Darlington as the championship leader with a three-point advantage over second-place Cole Custer.

Sound Bites:

“It was really tough to keep the tires under our car today. You had to really be patient the first few laps, but I’m just frustrated. We had such a fast car with a three-second lead before that competition yellow and just lost our track position on that pit stop. That happens on pit road. That’s part of it, but it’s frustrating. We’ve been so fast and just haven’t had everything go right. Our guys are doing such a great job bringing fast cars to the racetrack. Our pit stops are awesome, but we just need everything to go right because once we got back in traffic, we just didn’t adjust on it probably how we needed to. It took us until the end of the race to get it back to where we needed it to be, but I can’t thank Haas Automation and Gene Haas and everybody at SHR for bringing such fast cars. I’m just so frustrated we’re not in victory lane yet, but we’ll keep fighting.” –Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Throwback Ford Mustang Dark Horse

“At the end of the day, I just don’t think our car was the best it could have been. We were probably about a seventh-place race car and ended up seventh. It’s just frustrating when you can’t get your car to drive how you want it to. It just felt flat, tight, bound up, but we’ll move to one of my favorite tracks at Charlotte.” –Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Terrible Herbst Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the BetMGM 300 on Saturday, May 25 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. The race begins at 1 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

ALMIROLA TOP TOYOTA IN DARLINGTON
Creed places his Ivan Stewart tribute Supra inside the top-10 finishers

DARLINGTON, S.C. (May 11, 2024) – Aric Almirola led Toyota with a fifth-place finish in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway on Saturday afternoon.

Sheldon Creed scored his third straight top-10 with a ninth-place run. It is his seventh top-10 finish in the first 11 races of the season.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Darlington Raceway
Race 11 of 33 – 200.802 miles, 147 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Justin Allgaier*
2nd, Austin Hill*
3rd, Cole Custer*
4th, Sam Mayer*
5th, ARIC ALMIROLA
9th, SHELDON CREED
12th, CHANDLER SMITH
18th, TAYLOR GRAY
23rd, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

ARIC ALMIROLA, No. 20 He Gets Us Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 5th

Can you tell me about that run?

“It was a great run. Track position was tough today. The cars are so evenly matched. The 7 (Justin Allgaier) was certainly the class of the field, but I felt like – at given times – I could match his pace, and then when I finally got to second there – it was what I needed to figure out where we stacked up against them. Just didn’t execute perfectly on pit road – some of mine doing as well – but still a good run. Every time I get in this car, I plan to win and expect to win. Fifth is great, but I want to win – but Justin was so fast. Proud of everyone on this He Gets Us Toyota GR Supra. They’ve been working hard. They’ve been bringing great race cars to the race track. We will go to Charlotte.”

SHELDON CREED, No. 18 Ivan Stewart Tribute Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 9th

Solid top-10, and a great livery that I know means a lot to you. Can you talk about your race?

“Overall, I love throwback weekend at Darlington. To be able to throwback to an off-road legend like Ivan Stewart was really cool for us. A great looking Supra today. Certainly, wish it would have gone a little better and we could have been faster to start – just was really, really tight at the beginning of the race, and pretty much the start of every run. I would just build slowly freer, so that I could drive against the fence and move around a little more, but ultimately, just battled too tight all day – it was a little frustrating, but good to get another top-10. Just want to run better at this place.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 49,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 34 million cars and trucks at our nine manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 10th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 28 electrified options.

Through its Driving Possibilities initiative, the Toyota USA Foundation has committed to creating innovative educational programs within, and in partnership with, historically underserved and diverse communities near the company’s U.S. operating sites.

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

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 at Darlington Raceway
NASCAR XFINITY Series Post Race Quotes

Ford Performance Results:
3rd – Cole Custer
7th – Riley Herbst
13th – Ryan Sieg
24th – David Starr
25th – Matt DiBenedetto
27th – Blaine Perkins
32nd – Kyle Sieg
36th – Hailie Deegan

COLE CUSTER, No. 00 Haas Automation Throwback Ford Mustang Dark Horse Mustang – “It was really tough to keep the tires under it. You had to really be patient the first few laps, but I’m just frustrated. We had such a fast car with a three second lead before that comp yellow and just lost our track position. That happens on pit road. That’s part of it, but it’s frustrating. We’ve been so fast and just haven’t had everything go right. Our guys are doing such a great job bringing fast cars to the racetrack. Our pit stops are awesome, but we just need everything to go right because once we got back in traffic we just didn’t adjust on it probably how we needed to. It took us until the end of the race to get it back to where we needed it to be, but I can’t thank Haas Automation and Gene Haas and everybody at SHR for bringing such fast cars. I’m just so frustrated we’re not in victory lane yet, but we’ll keep fighting.”

RILEY HERBST, No. 98 Terrible Herbst Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “I don’t think we were very good at all. We were probably about a seventh-place race car and ended up seventh. It just felt flat, tight, bound up, but we’ll move to one of my favorite tracks next week.”

HAILIE DEEGAN, No. 15 AIrBox Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “We literally were going out for the restart and I guess the 07 just cleared high on me and cut my tire. There’s really not much more than that, but it ripped out all of the foam that was in the side of the car so we can’t keep going. Honestly, I thought we were having a decent day until that considering how far back we had to start. I didn’t get any practice. We had no clue how we were going to fire off and I’d never been here before with this team, so they tried a few different things from the setup they had last year and I thought it was fine. We were having a clean race on the lead lap, so I thought we were doing just fine battling with some quality cars.

AM Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Darlington (S.C.) Raceway | Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200

Fast Facts

No. 15 AM Racing Team:
Driver: Hailie Deegan
Primary Partner(s): Airbox
Manufacturer: Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Joe Williams Jr.
Spotter: Michael Fisher
Chassis Intel: AMR Chassis No. X-077
Engine: Roush-Yates Engines

Notes of Interest:

Sophomore Journey: After a successful rookie campaign in the NASCAR Xfinity Series last season with driver Brett Moffitt, AM Racing will embark on its sophomore journey in 2024 with driver Hailie Deegan for the entire 33-race tour, continuing with Saturday afternoon’s Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

The Statesville, N.C.-based team hopes to expand its footprint in the NASCAR Xfinity Series by running two cars throughout the season with its partial No. 25 AM Racing entry.

Future Focused: Last October, AM Racing announced that Hailie Deegan joined the family-owned operation to pilot the team’s No. 15 Ford Mustang in a multiyear agreement.

Deegan, a native of Temecula, Calif. has been a staple in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series for the past three seasons but will embrace her rookie season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as part of the Ford Performance program.

Deegan grew up racing off-road and on dirt but transitioned to competing on asphalt in 2016 to pursue a career in stock car racing. She began that transition in 2018 in the ARCA Menards Series West (previously NASCAR K&N Pro Series West), She became the first female driver to have won races in the West Series, doing so in the 2018 and 2019 seasons, respectively.

Deegan, 22, arrives at AM Racing after a stint driving for ThorSport Racing in 2023.

Giving You Peace of Air: For the ninth time in 2024, AirBox will serve as the primary marketing partner of Deegan’s No. 15 Ford Mustang in Saturday afternoon’s Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

In 2017, AirBox was established to focus on building the world’s best air purifiers for indoor occupied spaces. This coincided with people starting to wake up to issues with indoor air quality. With new challenges to air cleanliness, such as COVID-19 and wildfire smoke, people are looking for effective and proven solutions to ensure they receive cleaner air, at last.

Their history in delivering clean air systems and services gives them an expertise that is unmatched. AirBox uses some of the most effective air filtration technologies that exist with Certified HEPA and Advanced Molecular Adsorption. Coupled with their Indoor Air Quality Assessment, AirBox is the total solution for all indoor air quality needs, ensuring their customers meet and exceed current and future ventilation standards.

Today, AirBox filtration systems are used across the country, purifying the air and capturing harmful irritants to create healthier, safer spaces. They’ve become the trusted choice for hospitals, educational centers, offices, warehouses, construction zones, public assembly, sports facilities, and more.

They’re proud to build all products to the highest standards in the USA at their North Carolina production facility. Every day, AirBox is working hard to give the American people the safer learning, working, and living environments they deserve—helping people breathe easy and live better.

Throwback Alert: Traditionally, the spring NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway has served as the official “NASCAR Throwback” weekend allowing teams to flaunt their favorite “throwback” paint scheme from all forms of Motorsports.

This year, AM Racing and Deegan have chosen the famed “Wrangler” paint scheme driven by Dale Earnhardt Sr. during the 1982 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Ironically, like Deegan – Earnhardt drove the No. 15 Ford for Bud Moore Engineering during the season, which included one win, seven top-five, and 12 top-10 finishes for the seven-time Cup Series champion.

42 years ago, Earnhardt, the Randleman, N.C. native piloted a blue oval race car for the only season during his storied racing career.

Deegan is in her rookie season aboard the No. 15 Ford Mustang for AM Racing.

Clean Air in ‘The House’: This weekend at Darlington, AM Racing will also promote its partnership with the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Charleston.

The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Charleston provides a “Home-away-from-home” for families of seriously ill or injured children receiving medical treatment in Charleston area hospitals.

Since 1983, RMHC Charleston has served as a beacon of hope and support for families facing the challenges of pediatric illness. RMHC Charleston offers a comforting environment where families can find strength, support, and resources during difficult times.

Recently, Deegan and members of AM Racing visited the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Charleston, where she spent time with families and children battling pediatric illnesses.

Deegan’s partner AirBox also donated 26 state-of-the-art air purifiers to the Ronald McDonald House of Charleston.

Hailie Deegan NASCAR Xfinity Series Darlington (S.C.) Raceway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 will mark Deegan’s inaugural Xfinity Series start at the 1.33-mile speedway, one of the most unique tracks on the Xfinity Series tour.

Deegan, however, does own four prior NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts at the famed South Carolina race track from 2021 – 2023.

Her track-best result occurred twice during the 2021 LiftKits4Less.com 200 and 2023 Buckle Up South Carolina 200, when she steered to a 20th-place finish after starting 10th for David Gilliland Racing (now TRICON Garage) and 26th, respectively, for ThorSport Racing.

Hailie Deegan NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: In 11 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, Deegan has a career-best 12th-place finish after starting 31st for AM Racing at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in April 2024.

In addition to her 10 Xfinity Series starts, she has achieved 70 ARCA Menards Series starts, including three wins and 69 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts to her credit.

Thanks For Your Support: With 30 percent of the 2024 Xfinity Series season complete, AM Racing and Hailie Deegan would like to thank their marketing partners for their support: AirBox, Flying Circle, Klutch Vodka, Mechanix Wear, Monster Energy Drink, Mobil 1, Viva Tequila Seltzer and WIX Filters.

Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway | BetRivers 200 Race Recap: The 10th race of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season kicked off in Dover, Del. on Saturday, April 27.

Flying the AirBox colors for the fifth consecutive weekend, Deegan, in her Monster Mile debut, qualified on speed in the 29th position.

Unfortunately, on her charge to the top 20, Deegan was collected in an early race accident that significantly damaged the front end of her No. 15 AirBox Ford Mustang.

Despite the team’s best efforts, the front-end damage proved to be a handling nightmare. However, the rookie driver persevered through the race’s 208 laps to finish 31st at the checkered flag.

From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Joe Williams Jr. is Hailie Deegan’s crew chief.

He will be crew chief for his 142nd NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday and his ninth at Darlington Raceway.

In his previous 141 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected one win (Auto Club Speedway | February 2022), eight top-five and 30 top-10 finishes.

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

For more on Hailie Deegan, please visit hailiedeegan.com, like her Facebook page (HailieDeegan4), or follow her on Instagram (@hailiedeegan), YouTube and X | Twitter (@hailiedeegan).

Hailie Deegan Quoteboard:

On Darlington Raceway: “I am looking forward to Darlington Raceway this weekend. It is a unique track that provides a different element of racing. Momentum is crucial, especially coming out of Turns 2 and Turns 4, where you can keep riding the wall and get that boost of energy.

“Our No. 15 Airbox Ford Mustang throwback looks awesome, and I’m honored to represent the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Charleston. It is a very meaningful charitable foundation, and it encourages us all at AM Racing to have a good race not only for ourselves and our partners but also for the kids!”

Race Information:

The Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 (147 laps | 200.8 miles) is the 11th of thirty-three (33) NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2024 schedule. Practice will occur on Fri., May 10, 2024, from 5:05 p.m. to 5:25 p.m. Qualifying will immediately follow, beginning at 5:35 p.m. The field will take the green flag on Sat., May 11, 2024, shortly after 1:30 p.m., with live coverage on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (Eastern).

About AM Racing:

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

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

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

The team has named Hailie Deegan, Christian Rose, and Austin Wayne Self as their primary drivers for the 2024 Xfinity, ARCA Menards Series, and Dirt Modified seasons, respectively.

TRACK – Darlington Raceway (1.366 mile oval)
NXS RACE – Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 (147 laps / 200.802 miles)
TUNE IN – FS1, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90 at 1:30 p.m. (ET)

Sam Mayer
No. 1 RTIC Outdoors Chevrolet

Mayer 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 10

Wins: 1

Top 5s: 3

Top 10s: 4

Laps Led: 18

Avg. Finish: 20

Points: 14th

• Sam Mayer heads to Darlington Raceway fresh off a solid third-place effort in the NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Dover Motor Speedway two weeks ago.
• In five NXS starts at the 1.366-mile asphalt oval, the Wisconsin native has scored one top-five and two top-10 efforts with his best of fifth coming at this event in the spring of 2022.
• The young driver has tallied two wins on tracks measuring 1.5 miles or less in length, with his most recent win coming in April in a photo finish at Texas Motor Speedway.
• Mayer will carry the exciting new blue colors of RTIC Outdoors as the new partner will ride along for its first race with the 20-year-old driver and JR Motorsports.

Sam Mayer

“I am ready to get back in the drivers seat after a relaxing off-week, especially heading to Darlington. We have had great runs there in the past but just have not been able to execute and get that finish we deserve and know we can achieve. I am also super-excited to have RTIC Outdoors with us this weekend for their first run with our No. 1 Chevrolet. I am confident that we can battle for a great finish and hopefully get this No. 1 RTIC Outdoors Chevy to Victory Lane.”

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 Brandt Professional Agriculture Heritage Chevrolet

Allgaier 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 10

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 2

Top 10s: 4

Laps Led: 268

Avg. Finish: 16.2

Points: 5th

• Justin Allgaier is a two-time winner at “The Lady in Black,” having gone to Victory Lane in this event in both 2021 and 2022.
• Overall, in 17 career starts at Darlington, Allgaier has amassed seven top fives and 13 top 10s to accompany the two victories.
• Additionally, the Illinois native has placed no worse than seventh at the hallowed speedway dating back to his win in 2021.
• This weekend marks the second consecutive year that Allgaier’s No. 7 Chevrolet will be paying homage to the heritage of BRANDT Professional Agriculture. Last year, Allgaier finished in the runner-up position in the platinum-and-red BRANDT Chevrolet.

Justin Allgaier

“Darlington has always been a really strong place for us and I feel extremely confident that we will be just as quick again this weekend. The last couple weeks didn’t go quite as we had planned, but I know that Jim(Pohlman, crew chief) and all the guys on this BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet are ready to go and get back to the track. Hopefully we can have a nice, smooth day and be up front when it matters at the end. We’re ready.”

Sammy Smith
No. 8 TMC Throwback Chevrolet

Smith 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 10

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 0

Top 10s: 6

Laps Led: 50

Avg. Finish: 16.4

Points: 11th

• Sammy Smith has two races under his belt at Darlington, with a best finish of 11th coming in the Spring of 2023.
• Smith has 18 starts on tracks measuring 1.366 miles in length or shorter with, 11 of those being top-10 finishes.
• The No. 8 TMC Chevrolet is a throwback to honor the history of TMC’s first sponsorship in racing on Harold Annett’s “Mickow Sprinter” sprint car with the late Mike Brooks behind the wheel.

Sammy Smith

“After a rough time in Dover, I’m glad my No. 8 team and I had a week to relax but also dive into what we can do to turn our luck around. We’ve gone back to the drawing board with a few ideas and I know we’ll come out on top soon. I would love to be able to get our throwback No. 8 TMC Chevrolet in the winner’s circle this Saturday for such a special longtime partner.”

Brandon Jones
No. 9 Menards / Bali Blinds and Shades Throwback Chevrolet

Jones 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 10

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 0

Top 10s: 3

Laps Led: 20

Avg. Finish: 18.4

Points: 12th

• Brandon Jones has made 12 starts in the NXS at “The Lady in Black” and has compiled one win, two top-five and five top-10 finishes. Jones’ win came during the 2020 season after taking the lead with two laps remaining.
• In 137 career starts, on tracks measuring 1-2 miles in length, the 27-year-old has recorded four wins, 19 top fives and 61 top 10s.
• This weekend, Jones’ No. 9 machine will be paying homage to Dale Earnhardt Jr’s 2018 Hellman’s paint scheme, that he ran to a fourth-place finish at Richmond Raceway.

Brandon Jones

“It was nice having a weekend off to reset, but now I am ready to get back on track at Darlington. I have had some success here in the past and this No. 9 team is committed to giving me a fast car every week, so I am hoping we can be in contention for the win at the end. Our results so far this season don’t reflect the hard work this team has been putting in every day so I am ready to give them the finish they deserve.”

Carson Kvapil
No. 88 Clarience Chevrolet

Kvapil 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 2

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 2

Top 10s: 2

Laps Led: 14

Avg. Finish: 3

Points: 31st

• Carson Kvapil will travel to Darlington for his third NXS start this weekend, seeking a third straight finish in the top four. The 20-year-old driver was fourth at Martinsville Speedway in his debut and second at Dover last month.
• Kvapil will make his maiden start at “The Track Too Tough to Tame” in the No. 88 Clarience Chevrolet. Saturday’s race will be his first in the NXS on a track measuring more than a mile in length.
• The No. 88 team, led by crew chief Andrew Overstreet, is on a roll, posting sixth-, fourth- and second-place finishes in three starts this season. That’s an average finish of 4.0.

Carson Kvapil

“After Dover, I’m looking forward to making this start at Darlington. It’s one of NASCAR’s most historic tracks. This has been a whirlwind lately, with Martinsville and Dover, and I know that Andrew (Overstreet) and the No. 88 team will have our Clarience Chevrolet ready for me. It’s a big step up for me, and thanks to JR Motorsports, Clarience and Chevrolet for this opportunity.”

JRM Team Updates

JR Motorsports at Darlington Raceway: JR Motorsports has competed at Darlington Raceway a combined 67 times with the NXS since its first trip there in 2006. In those starts at the 1.366-mile-oval, the organization has recorded six wins, 21 top-fives and 42 top-10s, with an average finish of 11.5.

Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith, Brandon Jones and Carson Kvapil will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / Legacy MC souvenir rig on Saturday, May 11 from 10:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. ET.