Category: XFINITY Series PR

Jesse Love Claims His First Career NASCAR Xfinity Series Win in the No. 2 WAT Chevrolet at Talladega Superspeedway

Finish: 1st
Start: 2nd
Points: 4th

“I have a great team of guys on my No. 2 Whelen/WAT Chevrolet. Man, this has been a long journey to get here. I have so many people to thank. First off, thank you and give all glory to God. An enormous thank you to Whelen Engineering and WAT for their support. Richard Childress, Danny Stockman, Danny Lawrence, and Torrey Galida – thank you guys so much for believing in me to drive this No. 2 Chevrolet. I experienced flashbacks from Atlanta when we ran out of fuel late while leading. ECR brought me a rocket today. To win a race with this team is awesome. We fought hard for this one though. I made some moves earlier and then questioned why I did those. My spotter, Brandon Benesch, did an amazing job and kept my focus on what lines I had to work with. Talladega Superspeedway is my favorite plate track, so to get my first NASCAR Xfinity Series win here is special. We made it to the Playoffs! I’m pumped and excited to celebrate this win.” – -Jesse Love

Multi-Car Wreck Collects Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet at Talladega Superspeedway

Finish: 14th
Start: 1st
Points: 3rd

“Our Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet was super fast all day. We could get up into the lead whenever we wanted to. My spotter, Derek Kneeland, did an incredible job. He and I work great together. It’s superspeedway racing at the end of the day. No one is giving an inch, which I wouldn’t either. From the replay, it looks like the No. 48 slid across my nose. It was fine when he was pushing me on the right side when we were getting into the corner, but then as he slid across my nose, I couldn’t turn my steering wheel. That’s why I went up towards the wall. It was one of those racing deals that happens on these superspeedway tracks. You come here with the mindset of if you can be inside the top-five at the end of the race when the white flag flies, you have a chance at winning the race. There have been many times where I should have ended up in a wreck and haven’t. I seem to find the big ones when they happen here at Talladega Superspeedway though. Proud of everyone at Richard Childress Racing for the hard work. Congratulations to Jesse Love on his first career win in the Xfinity Series. It’s cool to see him get the first one and have both of our cars locked into the Playoffs this early into the season.” -Austin Hill

AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 16 Celsius Chevrolet Camaro

• AJ Allmendinger qualified 14th for the Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway.
• Allmendinger was quiet on the radio during the opening stage as he ran the third lane. When the first caution came out on the last lap of the stage, Allmendinger reported that the balance of his No. 16 Celsius Chevy was good, but he needed more rear security. Allmendinger finished the opening stage in fifth place and came to pit road for four tires, fuel and adjustments.
• Allmendinger restarted the second stage in seventh place as the fourth car on the outside line. The No. 16 maintained position in the top lane until lap 49 when Allmendinger jumped from running eighth place, single file to build the second lane. Running two wide, Allmendinger led the middle lane and drove up to finish the second stage in third place.
• Under the stage break, Allmendinger reported his car was free, but he was still able to make moves. The No. 16 came to pit road for tires, fuel and adjustments and went on to restart in 11th. On lap 67, Allmendinger was caught up in an incident and suffered damage to the nose, splitter and right rear. The team pitted multiple times under caution to make repairs and restarted in 32nd on lap 72. Debris that came off the No. 16 brought out the next caution, and the team came to pit road to make additional repairs. Allmendinger restarted in 30th place and was able to clear the Damaged Vehicle Policy on lap 80. Allmendinger battled to the end and finished in 19th place.

“The first two stages went really well today. We had good speed in the race car, and we made the right moves to get good stage points. Unfortunately, the third stage got shuffled there on the restart, which put us in the back when the wreck happened, and we got a lot of damage. I’m proud of my guys for piecing it back together to get us back out there. I thought we might steal the Dash 4 Cash, but it wasn’t meant to be. It’s part of racing here but I’m happy we were able to get stage points and make the day okay points wise.” – AJ Allmendinger

JOSH WILLIAMS
No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Chevrolet Camaro

• Josh Williams qualified ninth for the Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway.
• Williams attempted to run on the inside line at the start of the first stage, but most of the field ran against the wall, and Williams couldn’t find a hole before dropping back to the end of the lead pack. He finished stage one in 25th.
• Williams took the stage two green flag in 20th on lap 31. He linked up on the high line with his Kaulig Racing teammates, Shane van Gisbergen and AJ Allmendinger, near the end of the middle stage on the cusp of the top 10. Williams peeled off the throttle coming to the line, finishing stage two in 17th.
• Williams pitted for tires and fuel during the stage break and restarted in 35th on lap 56. With 48 laps to go, Williams avoided a big wreck at the front of the field, rolling through the grass in turn three to go mostly unscathed. Williams pitted under yellow for tires and fuel, and the Alloy Employer Services pit crew removed grass from the grille and applied bear bond to the nose of the No. 11 Chevy Camaro. Williams restarted in 19th with 41 laps to go. He quickly jumped into 11th, but the yellow flag flew for debris on lap 75. The No. 11 took the restart from 12th in the outside line and continued marching to the front, taking second place with three laps remaining. A wreck triggered a yellow flag that extended the race into overtime, but on the restart, Van Gisbergen, Williams’ pusher in the second row, ran out of fuel at the green. A crash ensued, bringing out the caution and collecting the No. 11 with it. Williams came down pit road for tires and fuel but had no damage, and he restarted 21st for the second overtime restart. Williams finished the race in 20th.

“I’m super excited because we have speed, but I’m just upset because we wanted to go to victory lane and had a shot. We’ll get there, and this will definitely keep our momentum flowing.” – Josh Williams  

SHANE van GISBERGEN
 No. 97 Wendy’s Chevrolet Camaro

• Shane van Gisbergen qualified 18th for the Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway.
• By lap seven, the field formed a single-file line on top of the 2.66-mile Speedway with Van Gisbergen scored in seventh. Stage one ended under caution on lap 25 with Van Gisbergen taking the green/white/checkered flag in seventh. Under the stage one caution, the Wendy’s team hit pit road for four tires, fuel and adjustments. Following the stop, SVG rejoined the field in ninth.
• Van Gisbergen and the Wendy’s team started stage two from ninth on lap 31. Stage two would go green for its entire run with Van Gisbergen ending the stage in 13th on lap 50. Under the stage two caution, Van Gisbergen brought the Wendy’s Chevrolet down pit road for four tires, fuel and adjustments. Following the stop, the Wendy’s team was scored in 20th.
• Van Gisbergen started the final stage in 20th on lap 56. After leading lap 63, Van Gisbergen was scored in eighth when the caution flag waved once again on lap 67. Hitting pit road once again for a quick splash of fuel under caution, SVG rejoined the field in sixth following the stop. Following a lap-75 caution, SVG restarted fourth on lap 79 and continued to run inside the top 10 through lap 90. Unfortunately, Van Gisbergen ran out of fuel on the first overtime attempt while running in fourth and crossed the finish line in 22nd.

“It was a pretty awesome day. The Wendy’s Camaro was good. It was pretty exciting, and battling up front was cool. I felt more comfortable today and I’m looking forward to another crack at it tomorrow in the Cup car.” – Shane van Gisbergen
 

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
Talladega 300

Date: April 20, 2024
Event: Talladega 300 (Round 9 of 33)
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (2.66-mile oval)
Format: 113 laps, broken into three stages (25 laps/25 laps/63 laps)
Note: Race extended 11 laps past its scheduled 113-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.
Race Winner: Jesse Love of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Jesse Love of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Austin Hill of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)

SHR Race Finish:

● Riley Herbst (Started 8th / Finished 2nd, Running, completed 124 of 124 laps)
● Cole Custer (Started 4th / Finished 10th, Running, completed 124 of 124 laps)

SHR Points:

● Cole Custer (2nd with 343 points, 14 out of first)
● Riley Herbst (6th with 272 points, 85 out of first)

SHR Notes:

● Herbst earned his second top-five of the season and his second top-five in eight career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Talladega.

● Herbst has only finished outside the top-15 twice at Talladega since joining SHR in 2021.

● Herbst’s runner-up finish bettered his previous best finish at Talladega – fourth, earned in April 2021.

● Herbst finished ninth in Stage 1 to earn two bonus points and eighth in Stage 2 to earn three more bonus points.

● Herbst led three times for 13 laps to increase his laps-led total at Talladega to 39.

● Custer earned his seventh top-10 of the season and his third top-10 in five career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Talladega.

● This was Custer’s second straight top-10 at Talladega. He finished fifth last April.

● This was Custer’s seventh 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, and fifth last Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.

● Custer finished 10th in Stage 1 to earn one bonus point and 10th in Stage 2 to earn one more bonus point.

● Custer led two times for four laps – his first laps led at Talladega.

Race Notes:

● Jesse Love won the Talladega 300 to score his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory in nine starts. His margin over second-place Herbst was .141 of a second.

● There were six caution periods for a total of 28 laps.

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

● Chandler Smith remains the championship leader after Talladega with a 14-point advantage over second-place Custer.

Sound Bites:

“It was hectic, for sure, with a lot of people battling fuel mileage. I’m just really, really proud of everybody at Stewart-Haas Racing and Monster Energy. We kind of know that we have lacked a little bit on the superspeedways to the RCR cars, but I felt like we’re as good as them now. I felt like we could beat them, but it was a weird race. It’s kind of been an up and down start to the year, but I’m proud of everybody on this No. 98 team for sticking with me. I’m ready to go win $100,000 at Dover.” –Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse

“It was a solid day. We led some laps and I think the Fords worked pretty well together. That’s one of the fastest speedway cars I’ve ever had, so that was a lot to hang our hats on. We just need to find that last little bit. It was going to be within our reach to try and win, but we just started stumbling on gas. Overall, it was a really solid day, but it didn’t pan out how we needed it to. It was stumbling on gas and at that point you know you’re probably going to run out in the next two or three laps and we had to pit.” –Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the BetRivers 200 on Saturday, April 27 at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway. The race begins at 1:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

CREED TOP TOYOTA AT TALLADEGA
Earns Fifth Top-10 Finish of 2024 Season

TALLADEGA, Ala. (April 20, 2024) – Sheldon Creed led Toyota with a sixth-place finish in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. Creed overcame a late-race spin with his Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 GR Supra to earn his fifth top-10 finish this season.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Talladega Superspeedway
Race 8 of 33 – 300.58 miles, 113 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Jesse Love*
2nd, Riley Herbst*
3rd, Anthony Alfredo*
4th, Leland Honeyman*
5th, Brennan Poole*
6th, SHELDON CREED
15th, TAYLOR GRAY
25th, CHANDLER SMITH
34th, RYAN TRUEX
37th, JEFFREY EARNHARDT
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

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

Finishing Position: 6th

Can you talk about the final two restarts and how you were able to finish sixth?

“The 48 (Parker Kligerman) ran out of fuel right when we got to the line. I checked up a little bit for the 2 (Jesse Love) just to push him through there. I don’t know what happened, but we all stacked up and it turned me. I had to come to pit road and get tires and I think I restarted 16th or 17th. I was 13th entering turn 3 so to finish sixth after the day we had with our GR Supra, I’ll take that all day.”

RYAN TRUEX, No. 20 The Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 34th

What happened in the incident that took you out of the race early?

“The pushes were getting more aggressive, the blocks were getting more aggressive. The whole field was three-wide I think, and everybody was just trying to shuffle to the front before green flag stops started. I couldn’t tell if somebody tried to throw a block or if somebody got hooked or what. I saw the 9 (Brandon Jones) backwards and smoke and I tried to avoid him, and I just barely got him. It must have hit him perfectly with my right front tire to just break the right front upper and cut the tire. I was hoping it was just a flat tire, but we brought it down pit road and the right front was broken. It sucks because we really didn’t have much damage. I think I just hit him in the perfect angle to kill our car. It’s a bummer. Our GR Supra was really, really good. I think all four of us were really good. Shoutout to JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) for building fast cars. We’ve struggled a little bit (at superspeedways) over the years and that was for sure the best car I’ve had at a superspeedway.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 26 electrified options.

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

Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito Autosport
NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Overview-
Talladega Superspeedway; April 20, 2024

Track; Talladega Superspeedway– Oval (2.66-Miles)
Race: Ag-Pro 300; 113 Laps –25/25/63; 300.58 Miles
Date/Broadcast: Saturday; April 13, 2024 12:30 PM/CT (1:30 PM/ET)
TV: FOX and the Fox Sports App
Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN) – Check Local Listings for affiliate, and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90
Social Media: Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito AutoSport; Facebook, Instagram, and X

Jeb Burton – No. 27 Puryear Tank Lines
Chevrolet Camaro SS Preview- Talladega Superspeedway

News and Notes:

• Practice; Similar to 2023 the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) will receive no practice time for Saturday’s Ag-Pro 300.

– Starting Position; With no practice scheduled teams would move directly into qualifying Friday afternoon after technical inspection to determine the starting order for Saturday’s Ag-Pro 300. In 2024, Superspeedway qualifying for the NXS would consist of a two rounds of single car single lap qualifying with the 10 fastest cars in Round 1 moving on to Round 2 to determine the starting order of the Top-10. Rolling onto the racetrack 10th in Round 1, Burton would record a lap of 53.970 at 177.432 mph ranking 37th overall in Round 1 failing to qualify for Round 2. Taking a Owner’s Professional Burton will start the Puryear Tank Lines No. 27 35th inside Row 18 for Saturday afternoon’s Ag-Pro 300.

– Talladega Superspeedway Stats; Burton is defending champion of the Ag-Pro 300, visiting victory lane the last time NXS visit Talladega in April of 2023. Saturday afternoons NXS Ag-Pro 300 will mark Burton’s eighth NXS start at Talladega Superspeedway. In seven previous races, Burton holds an average finish of 8.7 with a 100% lap completion rate with 784 laps completed of the possible 784. Burton has found a true liking to the 2.5-mile Alabama Superspeedway in his NXS career capturing two wins, three Top-Fives, and four Top-10.

Featured Partner

• Puryear Tank Lines; Puryear Tank Lines is a family-owned and operated business that dates back 3 generations. Specializing in bulk tank delivery of LPG, butane, liquid asphalt and bulk cement. At Puryear they make it their mission to treat both our clients and employees with respect and provide customers with the service they deserve. Puryear Tank Lines promises to provide high-quality transportation services in a safe and efficient way. Visit Puyear Tank Lines online at PuryearTankLines.com

Parker Retzlaff – No. 31 FUNKAWAY
Chevrolet Camaro SS Preview- Talladega Superspeedway

• Practice; Similar to 2023 the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) will receive no practice time for Saturday’s Ag-Pro 300.

– Starting Position; With no practice scheduled teams would move directly into qualifying Friday afternoon after technical inspection to determine the starting order for Saturday’s Ag-Pro 300. In 2024, Superspeedway qualifying for the NXS would consist of a two rounds of single car single lap qualifying with the 10 fastest cars in Round 1 moving on to Round 2 to determine the starting order of the Top-10. Taking his qualification run 19th in Round 1, Retzlaff would record a lap of 53.450 at 179.158 mph ranking 21st overall in Round 1 failing to qualify the EasyCare Chevrolet into the Fast 10 of Round 2. Retzlaff will start the EasyCare No. 31 from the 21st position inside of Row 11 for Saturday afternoon’s Ag-Pro 300.

• Talladega Superspeedway Stats; Saturday afternoons NXS Ag-Pro 300 will mark Retzlaff’s second NXS start at Talladega Superspeedway. Last April in his lone start, Retzlaff would have an adventure of a day starting in the fourth position would be involved in an early accident where he would spin backwards down the back straight almost flipping over. From there he would lead two laps and be involved in three more accidents before crossing the finish line in the seventh position after the completion of 121 laps.

Featured Partner

• EasyCare; Since 1984, EasyCare has been helping some of the most successful dealerships in the nation drive results in their stores with a full suite of F&I products, forward-thinking training, dealership development, dealer wealth building, and a best-in-class claims experience. EasyCare has the only F&I products named a “MotorTrend Recommended Best Buy” for franchised dealers and has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. EasyCare is part of the APCO Holdings family of brands, which has protected over 23 million customers, paid over $3.7 billion in claims, supports over 8,000 dealers, and has over $1B in dealer wealth under management. For more information about EasyCare, please visit Easycare.com.

Jordan Anderson – No. 32 Bommarito.com
Chevrolet Camaro SS Preview- Talladega Superspeedway

News and Notes:

• Practice; Similar to 2023 the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) will receive no practice time for Saturday’s Ag-Pro 300.

– Starting Position; With no practice scheduled teams would move directly into qualifying Friday afternoon after technical inspection to determine the starting order for Saturday’s Ag-Pro 300. In 2024, Superspeedway qualifying for the NXS would consist of a two rounds of single car single lap qualifying with the 10 fastest cars in Round 1 moving on to Round 2 to determine the starting order of the Top-10. Qualifying 3rd on track in Round 1, Anderson in his return to Talladega would record a lap of 53.771 at 178.089 mph ranking 32nd overall in Round 1 failing to qualify the Bommarito.com Chevrolet into the Fast 10 of Round 2. Anderson will start the Bommarito.com No. 32 from the 32nd position outside of Row 16 for Saturday afternoon’s Ag-Pro 300.

– Talladega Superspeedway Stats; Saturday afternoons NXS Ag-Pro 300 will mark Anderson’s second NXS start at Talladega Superspeedway. In his lone start in October of 2021, Anderson would start in the 29th position and stay out of trouble the entire day on his way to 5th place finish.

Featured Partner

• Bommarito Automotive Group; A primary supporter of Jordan Anderson Racing, Bommarito Automotive Group is celebrating over 50 years in the St. Louis marketplace, the Bommarito Automotive Group currently operates 20 automotive franchises throughout every St. Louis neighborhood led by president John Bommarito and the over 900 dedicated team members. Bommarito is recognized by the St. Louis Business Journal as Missouri’s No. 1 selling automotive group and is currently ranked 52nd in the nation. What once started as a vision to have one Bommarito vehicle in every driveway, is today a reality thanks to the ‘Where Price Sells Cars” mission.

For more information on the Bommarito Automotive Group, visit them online at Bommarito.com, and follow their social channels on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

About Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito Autosport

Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito AutoSport is a NASCAR team, owned by owner/driver Jordan Anderson and Bommarito Automotive Group President, John Bommarito. Established in 2017 the organization is fueled by an incredible, close-knit team of employees, fans, and sponsors with a focus on integrity in the pursuit of excellence. Our goal is to embrace the journey we’re on and to never give up – whether on the track, in the pits, or in life. Every single team partner, and fan of ours, is what keeps our race cars running strong and our team performing at the highest level.

Young’s Motorsports | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway | Ag-Pro 300

Fast Facts
No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Team:
Driver: Leland Honeyman Jr.
Primary Partner(s): Mezrano Law Firm
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro
Crew Chief: Andrew Abbott
2024 Driver Points Position: 21st
2024 Owner Points Position: 23rd
Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing

Notes of Interest:

Movin’ on Up!: In January, Young’s Motorsports announced it would graduate from the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series to the NASCAR Xfinity Series full-time in 2024 with rising star Leland Honeyman Jr. behind the wheel of the team’s No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro for the entire 33-race season continuing with Saturday afternoon’s Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

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

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

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

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

All-Aboard!: For the ninth of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races this season, Mezrano Law Firm will join the Mooresville, N.C.-based team as the primary partner on the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro for the 113-lap race on Saturday afternoon.

In times of crisis, we lean on the people and institutions which give us strength: our family, our friends, our places of worship, and our community. As attorneys, we find strength in another institution, the justice system.

At Mezrano Law Firm, we believe in the power of the Constitution and are called to uphold the rights granted to us by that document. That is why we take our responsibility as your Alabama injury law firm so seriously.

When you are hurt and need help, we do more than just assert those rights: we lend you our strength so you can begin to heal. Let our family take care of you!

Leland Honeyman Jr. NASCAR Xfinity Series Talladega Superspeedway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Ag-Pro 300 will mark Honeyman’s inaugural Xfinity Series start at the 2.66-mile superspeedway, the largest oval on the 2024 Xfinity Series schedule.

Leland Honeyman Jr. NASCAR Xfinity Career Stats: Entering Talladega, Honeyman has 16 career NASCAR Xfinity Series races to his credit, earning a career-best 11th place finish at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway after starting 24th in the Call811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200 for Young’s Motorsports in March 2024.

Since 2023, he has carried an average finish of 24.1.

Texas Motor Speedway | Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 Race Recap: In the eighth race of the 2024 Xfinity Series season, Young’s Motorsports and Honeyman searched for another solid finish in the Lone Star State.

After starting his No. 42 Distributor Wire & Cable Co. Chevrolet Camaro 31st, Honeyman’s steady approach forward would be derailed with a spin in Turn 2 on Lap 80.

Attempting to muscle back through the field, Honeyman would be collected in a Lap 173 incident when the leader of the race broke loose underneath Honeyman and sent the No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro into the Turn 2 and backstretch wall.

The Young’s Motorsports team diligently repaired his race car, allowing the NASCAR Xfinity Series rookie to return to the track and take the checkered flag in the 31st position.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Honeyman Jr. as crew chief of the No. 42 Mezrano Law Firm Chevrolet Camaro is longtime crew chief Andrew Abbott.

On Saturday, he will be crew chief in his 106th NASCAR Xfinity Series race. In his previous 105 races, he has three top-five and 11 top-10 finishes.

The season’s ninth race will be his sixth tango in the Cotton State as crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega Superspeedway: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ first NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Talladega Superspeedway.

However, the Mooresville, N.C.-based team has 19 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts at “Dega.”

The organization posted a team-best first-place finish twice at the track, most recently on Saturday, October 2, 2021, with rookie Tate Fogleman at the wheel in the 2021 Chevy Silverado 250.

Truck Series mainstay Spencer Boyd delivered the team’s inaugural Truck Series victory at the famed Alabama superspeedway on October 12, 2019, during the 2019 Sugarland Shines 250 contest.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR Xfinity Series History: Since entering the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2024, the Mooresville, N.C. – based organization has logged eight starts and maintains an average starting position of 27.1 and an average finish of 22.8.

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

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

Leland Honeyman Jr. Pre-Race Quote:

On Talladega Superspeedway: “I’m excited to get back to superspeedway racing with my Young’s Motorsports crew. After two rough weeks, it’s time to get back into a rhythm and knock out top-20 finishes or better starting on Saturday afternoon with our No. 42 Mezrano Law Firm Chevrolet!”

Race Information:

The Ag-Pro 300 (113 laps | 202 miles) is the ninth of thirty-three (33) NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2024 schedule. Qualifying will occur on Friday, April 19, 2024, beginning at 4:30 p.m. The field will take the green flag on Saturday, April 20, 2024, shortly after 3:00 p.m. (4:00 p.m. ET), with live coverage on FOX, the Motor Racing Network (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (CT).

MOORESVILLE, NC, April 19, 2024 – NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Patrick Emerling announced today that BiG Studio Group, based in Tennessee, will join him as primary marketing partner for this weekend’s Ag-Pro 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Talladega Superspeedway.

“BiG Studio Group is so thankful and proud to be involved in the Talladega NASCAR weekend,” said BiG Studio Group founder Michael Shah. “We are tremendously honored and excited to be a part such a rich history and heart of what America is.”

BiG Studio Group was founded with the mission to be a Film & TV production company that produces entertainment with integrity. The Partners and staff bring years of experience in the industry and provide the highest quality in everything they do.

Faxon Firearms, a family-owned and operated manufacturer of firearms, parts and accessories, will join BiG Studio Group as a marketing partner this weekend.

“I’m excited to get back to Talladega this weekend. I was able to drive from the back last and earn a solid finish there last year. The guys at SS-GreenLight built a fast car that I plan to race to a top 15 finish,” said Emerling. “I appreciate BiG Studio Group, Faxon Firearms and all of my other partners for their support.”

Additionally, Emerling will welcome back season-long partners SimForge (https://simforge.in/), which sells sim racing equipment and accessories; and Frontline Optics, a San Diego sunglasses brand owned by a retired firefighter.

The green flag drops for the Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway at 4:00 p.m. EST. You can catch the race on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM

For more information on Patrick Emerling, visit https://www.patrickemerlingracing.com/ or follow him on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/PatrickEmerling07), X (https://twitter.com/PatrickEmerling) or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/patrickemerling/).

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

• Event: Talladega 300 (Round 9 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, April 20
• Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway
• Layout: 2.66-mile oval
• Time/TV/Radio: 4 p.m. EDT on FOX/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

• Cole Custer heads to Saturday’s Talladega 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway riding a six-race streak of top-10 finishes, with four of the six resulting in top-fives. It started with his second-place run from his pole starting position March 2 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In the five races since, he finished fifth from the pole at Phoenix Raceway, fourth at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, 10th at Richmond (Va.) Raceway, eighth at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, and fifth at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. In addition to the two poles, Custer led 96 laps combined in the six races, scored 81 stage points and one playoff point by virtue of his stage finishes. He arrives at Talladega second in the driver standings, just 19 points behind leader Chandler Smith. The No. 00 Haas Automation driver and defending Xfinity Series champion who’s still seeking his first victory of the season looks to tie Smith this weekend for the longest top-10 streak in the series this season. Smith opened 2024 with seven consecutive top-10s, but saw his streak come to an end with last weekend’s 15th-place finish at Texas. Austin Hill also opened the season on a top-10 streak, but his ended at six with a 34th-place result at Martinsville.
• Saturday’s Talladega 300 will be Custer’s fifth career Xfinity Series start at Talladega. In his four prior starts, he earned a best finish of fourth last April in the series’ only visit to the superspeedway in 2023. In this year’s prior two superspeedway-style races at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway, Custer ran in the top-10 for the majority of both races. He finished 13th at Daytona and 16th at Atlanta. In addition to his four prior Xfinity Series starts at Talladega, Custer has seven starts outside the series – six in the NASCAR Cup Series with a best finish of 10th in April 2021, and one in the NASCAR Truck Series in October 2016, when he started on the pole and led two laps before a midrace accident ended his day. He’s led 10 laps in his six Cup Series at the track.
• Custer’s history at superspeedways has been a roller-coaster ride throughout his career, but when he returned to the Xfinity Series in 2023, he proved that he was back and better than ever on every kind of track. There’s no hiding that Custer had struggled at the superspeedways during his previous stint in the Xfinity Series from 2017-2019, but when he came back to the series in 2023, he saw significant improvement. He finished ninth in February 2023 at Daytona, fourth in April 2023 at Talladega, and then fifth in the August race at Daytona. Custer bested his career-best finish at both tracks last year. While he had a strong run building in this year’s season opener at Daytona, he was unable to hold the top-10 position he held for a majority of the day on his way to his 13th-place finish.

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• Riley Herbst has had nothing but speed in 2024. While the finishes haven’t shown it, his consistency from race to race has helped him collect 85 stage points and one playoff point during the first eight races to put him sixth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series standings. He scored a total of 21 points in the first two superspeedway-style races this season at Daytona and Atlanta. The driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse hopes to put it all together this weekend by staying out of trouble and finding his way to victory lane in Saturday’s Talladega 300 at Talladega. In last Saturday’s race at Texas, Herbst not only was racing for the lead in the final stage after starting fifth, but he also finished third in the opening two stages to earn a total of 16 bonus points. A win this weekend would automatically clinch his spot in the playoffs, which begin Sept. 28 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City. Talladega might just be the place he can get it done. In his Xfinity Series career, Herbst has been a strong contender on superspeedways. In his 22 superspeedway-style races in the Xfinity Series, including the last five at the reconfigured Atlanta oval, Herbst has five top-five finishes and 10 top-10s and has led 75 laps.
• Saturday’s race at Talladega will mark Herbst’s eighth career Xfinity Series start at Talladega. He earned a best finish of fourth in the April 2021 race and returned that October to lead his first laps on the 2.66-mile oval, 26 in total, before an accident ended his bid six laps from the finish. Herbst has an additional seven Talladega starts outside the Xfinity Series – two in the Cup Series, four in the ARCA Menards Series and one in the NASCAR Truck Series. He drove to a runner-up finish in the April 2019 ARCA race, then followed that up with a fourth-place finish with 36 laps led in the June 2020 ARCA race.
• When Herbst competed in his fourth and final Cup Series race of 2023 last October at Talladega, he qualified an impressive sixth and ran with the leaders, some of the best in the Cup Series, for a majority of the race. He led five times for a total of 10 laps and, in the latter stages of the race, he was pushing his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick, who was leading. Although he was caught up in an accident coming to the checkered flag, Herbst was able to cross the finish line ninth, his best Cup Series finish of the season that started with his 10th-place finish in the Daytona 500.

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

You’re headed to Talladega after a strong showing at Texas that resulted in a fifth-place finish, and you’re riding a six-race top-10 streak. What more do you need to put your No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse in victory lane?

“Man, we just need that little bit more. We’ve had the speed. We’ve run up front. It just hasn’t worked out for us in the first few races of the season. We’re not off to a slow start by any means. We’re on a six-race top-10 streak and have led laps in several races. Still, it’s just about finding out what we’re missing to go out and win a race. I think we’re close. The No. 00 team has been working hard each and every week to give me the fastest cars possible. There’s a lot of good competition in the Xfinity Series field, though. We just have to figure out how we can be the best of the best.”

Superspeedway racing is a game requiring a good bit of luck. How do you approach this race, which is always so unpredictable?

“Every driver knows this – superspeedway racing is always a challenge. It’s a game of luck, at the end of the day. There are things that you can control in the race, like having a fast car, being able to make aggressive moves when needed, and how well you can work the draft. That’s something that we can focus on as a team heading into this race. There’s also just so much you cannot prepare for with superspeedways. Anything can happen and an accident can happen at any time. I feel like we were solid at Daytona and at Talladega last season, but it’s just a matter of controlling your destiny in these races and staying out of trouble. You always have that luck factor at superspeedways and, in the end, you just hope it’s your lucky day to park it in victory lane.”

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

You performed well at Talladega when you last visited with the NASCAR Cup Series in October 2023. You started sixth and looked to be well on your way to a top-five finish on the final lap. Despite a wreck coming to the checkered flag, you still managed to secure a ninth-place finish. What did you learn in that race that you can carry over to the Xfinity Series?

“To be honest, the cars are so different now between the Cup Series and Xfinity Series that you can’t really carry much over. Those starts are more about the experience than anything. My last start at Talladega was in the Cup Series, and it gave me so much confidence heading into that final stretch of the season. It worked out. I not only ran in the top-five during the remaining races but also got my first career Xfinity Series win at Las Vegas after that great run. With that said, my Cup Series start at Talladega last year helped people notice me. It turned a few heads. I not only ran up front, but also led laps and learned how to manage the field. I’m excited to try to do the same in the Xfinity Series this weekend.”

Given this is the biggest superspeedway on the NASCAR circuit, where anything can happen, how do you prepare for this style of racing?

“You can’t really prepare as much for a superspeedway-style race. While you can try to figure out the handling, a lot of these races are up to luck. They’re a wild card on our schedule. You could be having the best day of your racing career and be taken out by a wreck not of your own doing due to the pack-style racing. We come up with plans for how we hope the race weekend will run, but you also have to be ready to change plans at a moment’s notice. The No. 98 Monster Energy team has brought fast cars not only to superspeedways, but every race this season. We know we can do the same this weekend. Hopefully we’ll stay out of trouble and be there at the end.”

JR Motorsports Team Preview

TRACK – Talladega Superspeedway (2.66 mile superspeedway)
NXS RACE – Ag-Pro 300 (113 laps / 300.58 miles)
TUNE IN – FOX, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90 at 4:00 p.m. (EST)

Sam Mayer
No. 1 First Bank of Alabama Chevrolet
Mayer 2024 NXS Stats
Starts: 8
Wins: 1
Top 5s: 2
Top 10s: 3
Laps Led: 18
Avg. Finish: 20.1
Points: 14th

• Sam Mayer enters this weekend’s event at Talladega Superspeedway as the most recent winner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, having scored the win in a dramatic photo finish last week at Texas Motor Speedway.
• In four previous starts at Talladega in the NXS, Mayer has earned a best finish of second, coming in the fall of 2022.
• Overall, on tracks greater than two miles in length, Mayer has recorded a combined total of four top-fives and six top-10s in 18 career starts.
• This weekend at Talladega marks the first race of the year for First Bank of Alabama on board the No. 1 Chevrolet.

Sam Mayer

“It’s definitely a relief heading to Talladega with a win in our pocket. The momentum is on our side right now and hopefully we can keep that going this weekend. Talladega is for sure a challenging track, but I know that Mardy (Lindley, crew chief) and all the guys on this team will give me a really strong car capable of running up front. I’m ready to go to work with my teammates and see what we can do. It’s going to be a fun weekend for sure.”

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture
Allgaier 2024 NXS Stats
Starts: 8
Wins: 0
Top 5s: 2
Top 10s: 4
Laps Led: 229
Avg. Finish: 13.4
Points: 4th

• Justin Allgaier heads to Talladega this weekend on the cusp of history, as the JRM driver looks to claim sole possession of first in the NXS record books in career top-10 finishes. Allgaier is currently tied with Kyle Busch for the top spot as the pair each have 266 career top-10s in the NXS.
• In 16 career NXS starts at the high-banked superspeedway, Allgaier has scored four top-fives and seven top-10s, with a best finish of second coming in this event in 2016.
• Allgaier is a previous winner on a drafting track in the NXS, having gone to Victory Lane in a photo finish last fall at Daytona International Speedway.
• Overall, on tracks two miles or greater in the NXS, Allgaier has amassed two wins, 22 top-fives and 42 top-10s in 83 starts.

Justin Allgaier

“Talladega is such a unique, unpredictable place. You have to be on your toes every lap and be ready to expect the unexpected at every turn. JR Motorsports has always had a really strong superspeedway program and I know that that will be the case once again this weekend with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet. Hopefully we can run a smooth, clean race and work well with our JRM teammates to be up front and fighting for the win in the end.”

Sammy Smith
No. 8 Pilot Flying J Salted Caramel / Toffee Cold Brew Chevrolet
Smith 2024 NXS Stats
Starts: 8
Wins: 0
Top 5s: 0
Top 10s: 6
Laps Led: 48
Avg. Finish: 13.8
Points: 8th

• On tracks measuring 2 miles or greater in length, Smith has scored a best finish of sixth, coming last season at Pocono Raceway.
• Sammy Smith has seven NXS races under his belt at the drafting tracks of Daytona, Talladega and Atlanta where he has tallied one pole award and two top-ten finishes.
• The No. 8 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet will be promoting the company’s Salted Caramel and Toffee Cold Brew flavors at the NXS Talladega event on April 20th which is National Cold Brew Day.

Sammy Smith

“Once again we added to our top-10 finish stat this past Saturday in Texas. It’s making me even more hungry for that first win with my No. 8 JR Motorsports team. I’m happy to showcase Pilot Flying J’s Cold Brew flavors on National Cold Brew Day and hopefully further celebrate with a win.”

Brandon Jones
No. 9 Menards / Criterion Appliances Chevrolet
Jones 2024 NXS Stats
Starts: 8
Wins: 0
Top 5s: 0
Top 10s: 3
Laps Led: 3
Avg. Finish: 16.5
Points: 12th

• Brandon Jones has made 11 starts at NASCAR’s largest oval track, Talladega, and has recorded three top-five and four top-10 finishes. The 27-year-old’s best finish of second came during the 2018 and 2021 seasons.
• A speedways greater than 2 miles, Jones has recorded 54 starts which includes eight top- fives and 24 top-10s.
• Atlanta, Ga., native currently sits 12th in the NXS driver standings, 141 markers behind the series leader.
• Criterion Appliances will adorn the hood of Jones’ No. 9 Chevrolet this weekend. This will be the first appearance for the brand on the hood at Talladega.

Brandon Jones

“JR Motorsports always brings fast cars to super speedways and this No. 9 team has been working hard to make sure we keep up that standard. I am so thankful to have Menards and Criterion Appliances on my car this weekend and I hope we are able to avoid the mess and put ourselves in contention for the win when it is all said and done.”

JRM Team Updates

JR Motorsports at Talladega Superspeedway: JR Motorsports has competed at Talladega Superspeedway a combined 65 times with the NXS. In those starts at the 2.66-mile superspeedway, the organization has recorded three wins, 18 top-fives and 32 top-10s, with an average finish of 14.8.

Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith and Brandon Jones will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / Legacy MC souvenir rig on Saturday, April 20 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. CT.