Category: XFINITY Series PR

AM Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Texas Motor Speedway | Andy’s Frozen Custard 300

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-006
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 Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at Texas Motor Speedway.

The Statesville, N.C.-based team plans to expand its footprint in the NASCAR Xfinity Series to also run two cars throughout the season with its 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, 21, arrives at AM Racing after a stint driving for ThorSport Racing in 2023.

Giving You Piece of Air: For the sixth time in 2024, AirBox will serve as the primary marketing partner of Deegan’s No. 15 Ford Mustang in Saturday afternoon’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at Texas Motor Speedway.

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 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 and manufactures products that meet the stringent new ventilation standard, ASHRAE Standard 241.

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.

Hailie Deegan NASCAR Xfinity Series Texas Motor Speedway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 will mark Deegan’s Xfinity Series debut at the 1.5-mile speedway just outside Fort Worth, Texas.

Deegan, however, does own three NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway from 2021 – 2023.

Her track-best result occurred during the 2023 SpeedyCash.com 250 when she steered to a sixth-place finish after starting 25th for ThorSport Racing.

Hailie Deegan NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: In eight NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, Deegan has a career-best 13th-place finish after starting 20th for SS-GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway in October 2022.

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

AM Minute: While the ARCA Menards Series was enjoying another spring off-weekend, the AM Racing Dirt Division was back in action with drivers Christian Rose and Austin Wayne Self at Farmer City Raceway.

The ARCA Menards Series resumes action next weekend at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on Saturday, April 20.

Thanks For Your Support: With 21 percent of the 2024 Xfinity Series season complete, AM Racing and Hailie Deegan would like to thank their associate marketing partners for their support: AirBox, Flying Circle, Klutch Vodka, Mechanix Wear, Monster Energy Drink, Mobil 1, Viva Tequila Seltzer and WIX Filters.

Martinsville (Va.) Speedway | DUDE WIPES 250 Race Recap: The seventh race of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season kicked off in Martinsville, Virginia on Saturday, April 6.

Flying the AirBox colors for the second consecutive weekend, Deegan continued to progress from practice to qualifying and made the 250-lap race on speed with her 28th-place qualifying result.

Moving forward from the drop of the green flag, Deegan would be heading toward the top 20 when she was spun by another competitor and suffered heavy front-end damage to her race car.

After repairs from her AM Racing team allowed her to continue in the race, Deegan would later return to the lead lap, begin an impressive climb through the remaining 100 laps of the race, and avoid the late race chaos to earn a respectable 18th-place finish at the checkered flag.

The effort was Deegan’s second top-20 finish of the 2024 Xfinity Series season and her best on a short track for AM Racing this season.

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

He will be crew chief for Saturday’s 139th NASCAR Xfinity Series race, his eighth at Texas Motor Speedway.

In his previous 138 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 Texas Motor Speedway: “After some much-needed good luck at Martinsville Speedway last Saturday night, I’m optimistic about heading to Texas Motor Speedway with my AM Racing team.

“The last time I raced there, I had a strong top-10 finish and I’d like nothing more than to take the little momentum we have and leave Texas Motor Speedway with another top-15 finish or better with our No. 15 AirBox Ford Mustang.

“We are working hard to climb out of the hole we’ve been in since Daytona.”

Race Information:

The Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 (200 laps | 300 miles) is the eighth of thirty-three (33) NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2024 schedule. Practice will occur on Fri., April 12, 2024, from 5:00 p.m. to 5:20 p.m. Qualifying will immediately follow, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The field will take the green flag on Sat., April 13, 2024, shortly after 12:30 p.m., with live coverage on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), the Performance Racing Network (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (CT).

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.

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

• Event: Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 (Round 8 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, April 13
• Location: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth
• Layout: 1.5-mile oval
• Time/TV/Radio: 1:30 p.m. EDT on FS1/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

• Cole Custer is ready to head back to an intermediate track with a new look for Saturday’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. After extending his top-10 streak to five consecutive races with his strong showing in last Saturday’s race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, the 26-year-old driver is ready to head back to a track where he knows how to park his No. 00 Andy’s Frozen Custard Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing in victory lane. Custer previously won at Texas in November 2018 and, with how things are shaping up, Custer appears poised for his first victory of this season. His top-10 streak started with his runner-up finish on March 2 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. During this stretch, he’s also scored two poles – one at Las Vegas and one at Phoenix Raceway. While he had to work hard for his finishes of 10th and eighth, respectively, on the short tracks at Richmond (Va.) Raceway and Martinsville the past two weekends, he’s now heading back to a track that is akin to the 1.5-mile Las Vegas oval. In his 88 career intermediate-track starts, Custer has scored nine wins, 38 top-fives, and led 1,810 laps.
• Saturday’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 will mark Custer’s eighth Xfinity Series start at Texas. In his prior seven visits to the track, he has earned five top-fives, including his November 2018 victory when he bested runner-up Tyler Reddick by .162 of a second. Custer earned back-to-back fifth-place finishes in his first two Texas starts in April and November 2017, and a fourth-place finish in April 2018. He finished eighth from the fourth starting position there in November 2019, then added another fifth-place finish in his most recent race at Texas last September in the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs.
• Custer will sport a bright new paint scheme this weekend as Andy’s Frozen Custard premieres in its first of three races as primary partner in 2024. Founded in 1986 in Osage Beach, Missouri, by Andy Kuntz’s parents John and Carol Kuntz, Andy’s Frozen Custard has been providing the freshest frozen custard in the business for 38 years, giving ice cream the “cold shoulder” by scooping, mixing and presenting handcrafted frozen custard treats with speed and a smile. Since the beginning, the family members have had one dream: to share what makes them happiest with everyone else, and to warm hearts one scoop of frozen custard at a time. With a focus on product quality, customer service and community involvement, Andy’s has grown into the nation’s largest frozen custard-only business, with 150 stores across 15 states proudly serving the World’s Finest Frozen Custard. Andy’s has been committed to supporting developing drivers of all ages from their first race throughout their racing career for more than 30 years, an extension of the family’s lifelong commitment to motorsports. Andy’s is the “Official Frozen Treat” of Texas Motor Speedway, where fans can enjoy Andy’s on-site through branded kiosks, treat trucks and in suites.

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• Riley Herbst is ready for a change of scenery after a string of bad luck in the past three races, the first on a road course, followed by two on short tracks. In the back-to-back short-track races at Martinsville and Richmond, Herbst had strong, top-10 runs ruined by incidents not of his doing. Last weekend at Martinsville, the driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse qualified 22nd but wasted no time in his drive forward, climbing to just outside the top-10 by the end of Stage 1 on a track where it’s difficult to pass. He restarted the second stage in 10th, but contact with a car in front of him when the driver leading their line missed a shift caused front end damage to the No. 98 Ford. The Monster Energy team went right to work on the damage and put Herbst back on track in 26th, from there he was able to fight his way into the top-10 and looked to be on his way to salvaging a strong finish until the race’s overtime restart. A wheel hop sent Herbst for a spin and relegated him to a 25th-place finish.
• Saturday’s race will mark Herbst’s eighth Xfinity Series start at the 1.5-mile Texas oval. Of his seven prior appearances, he’s finished in the top-12 four times with a best of fifth earned in September 2022. Since joining Stewart-Haas in 2021, he’s only finished outside the top-12 at Texas once. He scored an eighth-place finish and a fifth-place finish, respectively, in the two events there in 2022. Custer’s November 2018 triumph is the team’s lone Xfinity Series win at Texas.
• Herbst knows how to win on intermediate tracks. His first career Xfinity Series victory came last October on a sister track to Texas – 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, the second largest margin of victories in the series. Stewart-Haas has excelled on intermediate tracks in the Xfinity Series, having scored 17 wins on intermediate tracks, nine of which were earned by the No. 98 team.

Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 00 Andy’s Frozen Custard Ford Mustang Dark Horse

The No. 00 team is premiering Andy’s Frozen Custard as primary partner this weekend for the first of three races this season. And you helped create your own flavor that’s for sale at Andy’s Frozen Custard locations. What does it mean to welcome this new partner, especially in light of your social media series called “Cole Custer’s Custard Review?”

“It means a lot to welcome new partners onto the No. 00 team. These are partners that myself, my management team, and the Stewart-Haas Racing sales team work hard to put together. I coincidentally met Andy Kuntz during the 2023 championship banquet week on the street in Nashville. I introduced myself and, a couple of months later, we’re racing his paint scheme at his primary race in Texas. It was the perfect partnership given my love for custard and the social video series I used to do. I’m excited to work with them in the 2024 season and try to get them some wins. I have big hopes for this weekend at Texas.”

You’ve mentioned that Texas is unlike other intermediate tracks because of how difficult it is for a driver. What about it makes it so difficult?

“The two ends of Texas Motor Speedway are just so different. It’s an intermediate track like many on the schedule, but there’s a lot of variation in the track. You’ve got some big bumps, which makes the handling pretty hard. Then you’ve got a daytime race in the Texas heat – even if it is only April. Texas is hot, which makes the track super slick. All of that, in addition to the high speeds we run there, make it really tough to get your racecar’s setup just right for an entire race. Still, I’m excited to head back to Texas with Andy’s Frozen Custard on my car this weekend. You just have to be preprared for anything. I trust that my No. 00 team will bring me a fast Ford Mustang Dark Horse like they do every week, though, so hopefully we can be up front when the checkered flag flies.”

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

The Xfinity Series only goes to Texas once a season now, but you’ve had some strong runs there in the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang in prior seasons. In addition, you scored your first Xfinity Series win on the intermediate oval at your hometown Las Vegas Motor Speedway last October. How confident are you heading into this weekend, given all of that?

“I think you can’t ever be super confident. Las Vegas and Texas, while similar in length and size, can still be two very different tracks. Texas is a track that can get very slick and make it very difficult for the handling of a racecar, unlike Vegas. We had some bad luck there last year, but we still showed speed despite the finish. Just like with any other race, it’s all about being smart and putting yourself in the right position at the end of the race. I’ve learned a lot at Texas in my career, and I’m hoping to have a better finish than last year. Winning at Las Vegas last season gave me a lot of confidence and SHR has consistently shown speed on intermediate tracks. Hopefully, that translates over to this weekend. My No. 98 Monster Energy team is working hard to give me the best cars each and every week.”

How do you approach Texas as a driver, given how difficult it can be?

“Honestly, Texas is a beast of its own. It’s a super-fast, 1.5-mile track that you’re probably going to be racing in the Texas heat, no matter what time of year the race is in. No matter what, it’s going to be a challenge. In addition, it’s a day race with the sun beating down on the racetrack. With that said, Texas should be a lot of fun, and I’m always excited to go back there. I performed well there in 2022, so I’m hoping to leave last year’s race behind us and continue that trend this weekend. The key to being up front and competing for a win will be having a fast Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse and staying out of trouble. It’s your typical intermediate track, but it’s also not. We just have to keep our focus and we can be up front. We haven’t lacked speed this season, just luck.”

Partnership Highlights Nicotine Pouch Launch at Buc-ees

MOORESVILLE, NC, April 10, 2024 – NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Patrick Emerling announced today that Sesh Products, a manufacturer of tobacco-free nicotine pouches, will join him as primary marketing partner for this weekend’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.

“I am thrilled to announce our partnership with NASCAR driver Patrick Emerling for the upcoming Xfinity race at Texas Motor Speedway,” said Sesh Products CEO and founder Max Cunningham. “This exciting collaboration underscores our commitment to empowering adult nicotine users with innovative smoke-free alternatives, while also amplifying our brand presence on a national stage.”

Sesh Products US Inc. (Sesh) is a next-generation smoke-free nicotine product company that aims to transform the way adult nicotine users enjoy smoke-free alternatives. All Sesh products contain non-tobacco nicotine and are both smoke-free and spit-free. The company’s products are currently carried in thousands of retailers across the United States, and their distribution continues to expand rapidly.

Sesh Products can be purchased in convenience stores across the US and Canada. They recently launched in Buc-ee’s.

To celebrate their latest retail partnership, a replica Sesh Products race car will be at the Buc-ee’s across the street from Texas Motor Speedway (at 15901 N Fwy in Fort Worth) for the entire race weekend. Emerling will be at the store for an autograph session on Friday, April 12 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

“I’m excited to partner with Sesh Products,” said Emerling. “Their nicotine pouches are truly a step above the competition. I’m thrilled to help elevate their product as I elevate my own racing.”

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 Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at 1:30 p.m. EST on Saturday, April 13. You can watch the race on FS1 or listen live on PRN or SiriusXM.

Learn more about Sesh Products on their website (http://seshproducts.com/) or follow them on Instagram (@seshproductsusa).

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/).

JR Motorsports Team Preview
TRACK – Texas Motor Speedway (1.5 mile quad-oval)
NXS RACE – Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 (200 laps / 300 miles)
TUNE IN – FS1, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90 at 1:30 p.m. (EST)

Sam Mayer

No. 1 Carolina Carports Chevrolet

Mayer 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 7

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 1

Top 10s: 2

Laps Led: 13

Avg. Finish: 22.9

Points: 16th

Sam Mayer heads back to the “Lone Star State” after coming off a hard-fought second-place finish at Martinsville Speedway Saturday night where he amassed his first top-five effort of the season and qualified to be a contender in the Dash4Cash event this weekend.

The young driver will be making his fifth start at Texas Motor Speedway where he has tallied one top-five and two top-10 finishes, with a best of third coming at this event in the Spring of 2022.

In 17 starts on tracks measuring 1.5 miles in length, the Wisconsin native has earned six top-five and 11 top-10 efforts along with one victory, coming at Homestead-Miami Speedway last fall.

Mayer and the No. 1 Chevrolet welcome back Carolina Carports as the primary partner at Texas.

Sam Mayer

“Looking forward to heading to Texas this weekend, especially coming off the momentum we have from Martinsville. We have run really well at Texas in the past and I know these guys are continuing to build fast race cars, so we just need to have a finish to show for that. Hopefully we can gain one more spot on last week’s finish and put this No. 1 Carolina Carports Chevrolet in Victory Lane.”

Justin Allgaier

No. 7 BRANDT – Professional Agriculture / TradeMark Nitrogen Chevrolet

Allgaier 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 7

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 1

Top 10s: 3

Laps Led: 112

Avg. Finish: 14.9

Points: 5th

In 26 starts in the NXS at Texas, Justin Allgaier has scored six top fives and 14 top 10s, with a best finish of second coming in this event in 2021.

Allgaier qualified on the pole and led a race-high 133 laps in the most recent event at Texas last fall before coming home with a fifth-place finish.

Allgaier enters this weekend as one of four drivers competing for the NXS Dash4Cash $100,000 prize.

This weekend also marks the second co-branded scheme for primary partner BRANDT Professional Agriculture as TradeMark Nitrogen comes onboard for Saturday afternoon’s NXS matinee.

Justin Allgaier

“Texas has been a really strong track for us since the repave. We came so close here in the fall of bringing home the win and I know that we will have that same speed again this weekend. Jim (Pohlman, crew chief)and all the guys on this BRANDT Professional Agriculture team are ready to go and we will give it all we have to bring home that Dash4Cash prize and the checkered flag.”

Sammy Smith

No. 8 Pilot Flying J Salted Caramel / Toffee Cold Brew Chevrolet

Smith 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 7

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 0

Top 10s: 5

Laps Led: 48

Avg. Finish: 14.6

Points: 9th

Sammy Smith has earned a best finish of third at Texas, coming in this event last season.

On tracks measuring 1-2 miles in length, Smith has 20 races under his belt with one win, three top-fives, and 13 top-10’s.

Smith’s five top-10 finishes racks tied for third among all NXS competitors through the opening seven events.

The No. 8 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet will be promoting their new Salted Caramel and Toffee Cold Brew flavors at the NXS Texas event.

Sammy Smith

“We got another top-10 finish this past weekend at our first short track race of the year and I really felt like we had a top-five competitive car or better. We’ll keep digging and take our No. 8 Pilot Flying J Salted Caramel Toffee Cold Brew Chevrolet to Texas to try and bring home the checkered flag and cowboy hat.”

Brandon Jones

No. 9 Menards / Atlas Roofing Chevrolet

Jones 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 7

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 0

Top 10s: 3

Laps Led: 1

Avg. Finish: 17

Points: 14th

Over the course of his NXS career Brandon Jones has qualified on the pole nine times. One of which came during the 2022 Spring event at Texas Motor Speedway.

In 15 starts in the “Lone Star State”, Jones has two top-fives, seven top-10s and has led the field for 49 laps.

At tracks measuring 1-2 miles in length in the NXS, Jones has recorded four wins, 19 top-fives and 61 top-10s, while leading the field for a total of 377 laps.

The red Atlas Roofing logo will adorn the hood of the No. 9 Menards Chevrolet this weekend. This is their second appearance of the season, but their first time on the hood at Texas Motor Speedway.

Brandon Jones

“We had the speed last weekend, but we weren’t able to get the finish we wanted. This No. 9 team is working hard to make sure we continue bringing fast cars to the track and I believe we will be able to run up front this weekend and battle for the win.”

JRM Team Updates

JR Motorsports at Texas Motor Speedway: JR Motorsports has competed at Texas Motor Speedway a combined 102 times with the NXS since its first trip there in 2006. In those starts at the 1.5-mile speedway, the organization has recorded two wins, 29 top-fives and 64 top-10s, with an average finish of 11.2.

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 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. CT.

STEWART-HAAS RACING
DUDE Wipes 250

Date: April 6, 2024
Event: DUDE Wipes 250 (Round 7 of 33)
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (.526-mile oval)
Format: 250 laps, broken into three stages (60 laps/60 laps/130 laps)
Note: Race extended one lap past its scheduled 250-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.

Race Winner: Aric Almirola of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Aric Almirola of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)

SHR Race Finish:

● Cole Custer (Started 2nd / Finished 8th, Running, completed 251 of 251 laps)
● Riley Herbst (Started 22nd / Finished 25th, Accident, completed 250 of 251 laps)

SHR Points:

● Cole Custer (2nd with 267 points, 35 out of first)
● Riley Herbst (6th with 206 points, 96 out of first)

SHR Notes:

● Custer earned his fifth straight top-10 of the season and his second top-10 in three career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Martinsville.
● Custer has never finished outside of the top-20 at Martinsville.
● Custer finished third in Stage 1 to earn eight bonus points and fifth in Stage 2 to earn six more bonus points.
● Custer led once for 27 laps to increase his laps-led total at Martinsville to 33.
● Herbst earned his sixth top-25 of the season and his sixth top-25 in eight career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Martinsville.

Race Notes:

● Aric Almirola won the DUDE Wipes 250 under caution to score his fifth career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, his first of the season, and his first at Martinsville.
● There were 11 caution periods for a total of 68 laps.
● Twenty-four of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
● Chandler Smith leaves Martinsville as the championship leader with a 35-point advantage over second-place Cole Custer.

Sound Bites:

“We had a solid short-run car, but we just didn’t have the long-run speed today. We tried to make the most of the day though and got a top-10 out of it. Still, it wasn’t the Martinsville race that we had wanted. Our No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse had the speed, but it was definitely still tough. We have some things that we need to work on, and we’ll look at it before the next race.” –Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse

“Such a long day for our No. 98 Monster Energy team. We qualified deep in the field and then just had to fight our way up through the crowd. We got all the way up to forth and then got some nose damage and a pit road penalty in the second stage. Honestly, we recovered and looked like we could get a top-10 finish during the green-white-checkered. I just overstepped my entry and wheel hopped. It’s a tough ending, but we’ll look ahead to Texas.” –Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 on Saturday, April 13 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. The race begins at 1:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

• Josh Williams qualified 23rd for the Dude Wipes 250 at Martinsville Speedway.
• Williams cracked the top 20 by the first caution of the night on lap 10, running 19th. The race restarted on lap 14, and the No. 11 Call811.com Chevy Camaro moved into 18th on the ensuing green-flag stretch that lasted until a wreck on lap 36 brought out the yellow flag. Restarting from 17th with 18 laps remaining in stage one, Williams gained one spot to finish 16th.
• Williams restarted 17th after pitting for tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment. By picking the inside line for the stage-two green flag, he avoided a massive pileup after the No. 9 missed a shift getting up to speed. Williams restarted on lap 81 in 13th after a short red flag, and following multiple additional yellows and restarts, Williams gained two more spots to finish stage two in 11th.
• A slow full-service pit stop during the stage break cost the No. 11 four spots, leading to a 15th-place restart on lap 130. Williams passed the No. 2 to move into 14th on lap 163, eight laps before another caution came out. He brought the Call811.com Chevy onto pit road for tires and fuel during the yellow and restarted on lap 178 in 17th. After moving forward one spot, the caution once again displayed on lap 197. Restarting with 46 to go as the ninth car on the inside, Williams passed the No. 27 for 16th on lap 217. With 16 laps left, another caution came out, and the No. 11 stayed out to restart in 15th with 11 laps remaining. Avoiding more carnage on the initial restart, Williams took 14th place before the yellow flag was once again shown with six laps remaining to set up overtime. Williams reached 10th on the final lap, earning his first top 10 of the season.

“We had to overcome multiple issues tonight, but the No. 11 Call811.com team never quit. We still have work in front of us, but to come away with our first top 10 is a really rewarding feeling.” – Josh Williams  

SHANE van GISBERGEN
 No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet Camaro

• Shane van Gisbergen qualified 19th for the Dude Wipes 250 at Martinsville Speedway.
• Starting in 19th, the first yellow flag of the night waved on lap 10 with Van Gisbergen scored in 17th. Staying out, he restarted 17th on lap 14. Battling a loose WeatherTech Chevrolet, Van Gisbergen was scored in 23rd when the second caution flag of the night waved on lap 37. Staying out once again, Van Gisbergen restarted in 19th on lap 43. He ended stage one in 19th on lap 60. Under the stage one caution break, Van Gisbergen hit pit road for four tires, fuel and adjustments.
• A quick caution flag waved on the stage-two restart with Van Gisbergen scored in 19th. Following a lengthy clean up, SVG restarted in 13th on lap 81. Learning his way around the Martinsville short track and having fun, Van Gisbergen ended stage two in 15th on lap 120. Under the stage-two break, Van Gisbergen hit pit road for four tires, fuel and adjustments. Following a lighting-quick stop, Van Gisbergen picked up five spots on pit road.
• Van Gisbergen started the final stage in 10th on lap 131. On lap 137, Van Gisbergen reported there was a possible issue on his WeatherTech Chevrolet and was scored in 20th with the caution flag waving on lap 171. During the caution, Van Gisbergen hit pit road for four tires, fuel and adjustments. Following the stop, Van Gisbergen rejoined the field in 19th. Continuing to learn his way around the iconic NASCAR track, Van Gisbergen was scored in 14th when the caution flag waved once again on lap 235. Staying out, Van Gisbergen maintained his position for the lap 240 restart. Following a green-white-checkered finish, Van Gisbergen crossed the finish line in 11th.
• “I had a lot of fun today. Once I got the rhythm of the track, we started moving forward. We had some great pit stops tonight, so all in all it was a good night!” – Shane van Gisbergen

AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 16 Action Industries Chevrolet Camaro

• AJ Allmendinger qualified 15th for the Dude Wipes 250 at Martinsville Speedway.
• When the caution came out on lap 10, Allmendinger was running in 10th and was quiet on the radio. After the restart on lap 14, the No. 16 drove up to seventh before the next caution came out on lap 37. Allmendinger reported he was a tick tight in the center of the corner, especially in traffic. The team stayed out under caution to restart in sixth place on lap 43. Allmendinger gained an additional spot after the field took the green to finish the opening stage in fifth place.
• Under the stage break, Allmendinger told his crew chief, Alex Yontz, he needed a little more center turn to finish the corner. The team came down pit road for adjustments, and Allmendinger restarted 16th after a slow pit stop on pit road. When the field took the green on lap 72, the outside line stacked up, resulting in significant damage to the No. 16 Action Industries Chevy, ultimately ending Allmendinger’s night. The No. 16 was scored 36th in the Dude Wipes 250 at Martinsville Speedway.

“Really disappointing end to the night but nothing that we could control, just unfortunate. I’m really proud of the speed that we had; I feel like that is the best we have been at Martinsville in several years. That makes it more disappointing that we didn’t have a chance to finish the night. At the end of the day, at least the race car had speed and that’s what we are trying to make better.” – 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 made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and has won back-to-back regular-season championships. Before becoming a full-time NCS team, Kaulig Racing made multiple starts in the 2021 NCS season and won in its seventh-ever start with AJ Allmendinger’s victory at “The Brickyard” for the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The team expanded to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and added a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. In 2024, the team will once again field two, full-time entries in the NCS and continue to field three, full-time NXS entries. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Team Capture Fourth Consecutive Top-10 Finish with Eighth-Place Result at Martinsville Speedway

Finish: 9th
Start: 11th
Points: 4th

“We were not how we wanted to be here tonight at Martinsville Speedway, but it’s good to leave the track with another top-10 finish in the Whelen Chevrolet. We all wanted to be better, especially on the back end of runs. I gave it all I could on the entry to the corners, but other cars could drive in deeper than I could. I’m not sure what we really needed to be able to do the same. We will just go to work. I have so much faith in this No. 2 Richard Childress Racing team, and I know when we come back here in the fall, we will be stronger. It was a hard night of racing, but it was still a lot of fun. I knocked guys out of the way, had guys move me, and just hoped I would be on the better end of it. What you can’t take away from this Whelen Chevrolet team is that we fight hard. We want to get better. I need to do better things in the car and the team wants to be better as well. Once we do that, I think we will be able to win races.” -Jesse Love

Restart Pile-Up Forces an Early Exit for Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet Team at Martinsville Speedway

Finish: 34th
Start: 10th
Points: 3rd

“I had a fast Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet tonight. The cycles on tires seemed to be good for our Camaro, and I was excited to come in to pit and work on our car. We made it up to eighth place and I thought we had a top-five car. Man, I haven’t seen the replay yet, but it seemed like someone missed a shift on the restart and stacked us up. At the end of the day, I maybe could have seen it coming sooner or checked up earlier. I will go back and watch it to see if there was anything that I could have done differently inside the car. It was a bummer of a day, but I’m really proud to have the Bennett Truck Driver of the Year award recipients here at the track with us and their names on the decklid. Wish we could have put on a better show for them, but that’s good ole Martinsville Speedway. Short track racing at its finest.” -Austin Hill