Category: XFINITY Series PR

STEWART-HAAS RACING
NASCAR Xfinity Series: Andy’s Frozen Custard 300

Date: Sept. 23, 2023
Event: Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 (Round 28 of 33)
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth (1.5-mile oval)
Format: 200 laps, broken into three stages (45 laps/45 laps/110 laps)
Race Winner: John Hunter Nemechek of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)

SHR Race Finish:

● Cole Custer (Started 3rd / Finished 6th; Running, completed 200 of 200 laps)
● Riley Herbst (Started 10th / Finished 37th; Accident, completed 2 of 200 laps)

SHR Points:

● Cole Custer (3rd with 2,117 points)
● Riley Herbst (13th with 706 points)

SHR Notes:

● Custer’s sixth-place finish locked him in to the Round of 8 of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs.

● Custer earned his 18th top-10 of the season and his sixth top-10 in seven career Xfinity Series starts at Texas.

● This was Custer’s second straight top-10 at Texas. He finished eighth in his prior Xfinity Series start at the track in November 2019.

● This was Custer’s second straight top-10. He finished fourth last Friday night at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

● Custer finished third in Stage 1 to earn eight bonus points and second in Stage 2 to earn nine more bonus points.

● Custer led three times for 28 laps to increase his laps-led total at Texas to 44.

Race Notes:

● John Hunter Nemechek won the Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 to score his ninth career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, his seventh of the season and his second at Texas. His margin over second-place Parker Kligerman was 1.005 seconds.

● There were 12 caution periods for a total of 65 laps.

● Only 15 of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

Sound Bites:

“We maximized our day really well with stage points and I’m really proud of our team. That’s not easy and now we can go into the Roval with less stress. We didn’t have the best car today or quite the speed we wanted. On that last restart, we were trying to go for the win and the 48 (Parker Kligerman) just drove through me. I couldn’t really do anything else there and then it made me lose a bunch of momentum. We did a great job as a team and now we’re locked into the next round so we can go to the Roval and fight for a win.” – Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang

“On the pace laps, I was warming up the tires pretty aggressively and I just felt like we were starting on super low pressures. I felt like that because of how much flop I had in the sidewalls and the tires. I landed in turn three, and it just went down on the right front tire. I tried to chase it up and I thought I saved it and slowed it down enough, but when I continued to chase it, I obviously ran out of real estate, so I’m truly disappointed. I should’ve learned from the pace laps and probably pitted before green so I could’ve had a chance to race, so we’ll see what happens. I don’t know, this is just a frustrating year, for sure. We’ll go to the Roval and try to go compete for a win.” – Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the Drive for the Cure 250 presented by BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina on Saturday, Oct. 7 at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval. It is the third race of the Xfinity Series Playoffs and the final race of the Round of 12. The race begins at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBC and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

NEMECHEK DELIVERS WITH SEVENTH WIN OF THE SEASON
John Hunter Nemechek is on to the round of 8 after second Texas Xfinity Series victory

FORT WORTH (September 22, 2023) – John Hunter Nemechek took the lead with seven laps to go and drove away to earn his seventh win of the season and lock himself into the Round of 8 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs. It is the second win for Nemechek at Texas Motor Speedway with Joe Gibbs Racing (2021).

Sammy Smith continued his strong early Playoff run with a third-place finish. Going into the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL cut off race, Smith holds an 18-point advantage over the cutline.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Texas Motor Speedway
Race 28 of 33 – 300 miles, 200 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

1st, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK

2nd, Parker Kligerman*

3rd, SAMMY SMITH

4th, Chandler Smith*

5th, Justin Allgaier*

16th, PARKER CHASE

26th, JOEY GASE

29th, KAZ GRALA

33rd, TREVOR BAYNE

*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, No. 20 Romco Equipment Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 1st

Can you talk about the final restart?

“Well, I messed up that final restart. It bounced out of third gear. That one was on me. I knew that I had to push hard and try to recover right there, but hats off to the 20 team, Joe Gibbs Racing. It is absolutely amazing what we’ve been able to accomplish so far this year and I don’t think we are done yet. We set a lot of goals with this 20 team coming into this year and still yet to accomplish all of those, but win number seven – Romco back in victory lane here in Texas. Thank you to Toyota, TRD, Pye-Barker – all of our great sponsors that help us out. This thing at the end was as fast as Xfinity 10 G – that’s for sure. The best thing is there is some great fans here – and thank you, every single one of you for coming out and supporting us. Penelope (Nemechek’s daughter) is here. One of the first times that she has travelled to the race track with Taylor (Nemechek’s wife), Aspen (Nemechek’s daughter) and me. First victory lane for her – let’s go.”

What does the next two weeks look like for you and this team as you look forward to the Round of 8?

“Preparing for the Round of 8. My goal coming into today was to lock ourselves in to the next round. Our road courses haven’t been very great with me this year. Joe Gibbs Racing as an organization has been really good on road courses, but going into the ROVAL and not having to worry about that is definitely a relief. We are still going to go there and try to play strategy, try to win the race and get some more Playoff points, but focus on Vegas, Miami and Martinsville and then on to Phoenix.”

SAMMY SMITH, No. 18 Allstate Peterbilt Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 3rd

How was your race?

“My cool shirt broke at the end of stage one, and it was just miserable. I had a good Allstate Peterbilt Toyota GR Supra all day I thought, equally as good as the 48 (Parker Kligerman) or John Hunter (Nemechek) there, needed to be a little cooler I guess.”

TREVOR BAYNE, No. 19 Interstate Batteries Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 33rd

Can you tell us what happened?

“I was so loose in all day in turn three that I backed the corner up. If I could drive it deep, I could get it to be tight on the right front. On the restart with Josh (Berry) on the outside, I just had to lift a little early and when I did to unlock the rear end, I got loose. He gave me room, and I hate it for him, because he did. He moved up a lane. Still slid up and got his left rear, and when we made contact, we were both going around. It’s pretty unfortunate. I love being at these races – love running up front. I don’t know if we had anything for the 7 early in that race, but we definitely had a top-three, top-five Interstate Batteries Supra. Track position is so important, that is what makes these restarts so wild. Everyone knows you’ve got to get those spots in the first couple of laps, or you are going to ride behind them for the next 20. Had to go for it but hate that it affected the 8 (Josh Berry), 21 (Austin Hill) and those guys. Thankful to be here.”

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 24 electrified options.

RSS Racing with Lefcourt Brothers | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Texas Motor Speedway | Andy’s Frozen Custard 300

Fast Facts
No. 38 RSS Racing with Lefcourt Brothers Team:
Driver: Joe Graf Jr.
Primary Partner(s): Tarpon River Brewing’s Honey Love | Lefcourt Brothers Racing
Manufacturer: Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Steve Addington
Spotter: Joe Campbell
Engine: Roush-Yates Engines
Driver Championship Point Standings: 23rd
Team Championship Point Standings: 28th

Notes of Interest:

Settled In: After spending the last three seasons with SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt (2020 – 2022), Joe Graf Jr. moved to RSS Racing during the offseason, where he’ll spend the majority of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season competing for the Sugar Hill, Ga.-based team.

In addition to RSS Racing, Graf will also compete in a limited NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule, driving the No. 19 Toyota Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Welcome Aboard: Joe Graf Jr. and RSS Racing with Lefcourt Brothers welcome Fort Lauderdale’s Tarpon River Brewing’s Honey Love as the primary partner on the team’s No. 38 Ford Mustang for Saturday afternoon’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 300.

Tarpon River Brewing is nestled between the Tarpon River and the New River, which have served as the lifeline of our local community for generations.

Tarpon River Brewing was born four years ago as a partnership between Julian and Lisa Siegel of the Riverside Market and Adam and Jill Fine, owners of Native Brewing and Fresh Beer.

The brewery will promote its popular Honey Love Imperial Cream Ale at Texas.

Honey Love Imperial Cream Ale is crisp with a lightly sweet finish and aromas of honey. Drinks easy, but beware; this one goes down hard. 9.5% ABV.

Please drink responsibly.

Co-Primary: Lefcourt Brothers Racing will also serve as a co-primary partner of the team’s No. 38 Ford Mustang for Saturday afternoon’s 200-lap contest.

Saturday afternoon’s race will mark the second Xfinity Series race of 2023 that Lefcourt Brothers Racing has been showcased as a primary partner. Earlier this year, they held the title partnership role at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in April.

Lefcourt Brothers Racing Sponsor Intel: Lefcourt Brothers Racing was created by brothers Jeff and Jonathan Lefcourt to support up-and-coming drivers in the top three tiers of NASCAR. A lifelong fan of motorsports, Jeff has been involved in motorsports for many years as both a driver and a track owner.

After having an ownership stake in SS GreenLight Racing during the 2022 NASCAR season, Jeff wanted to expand his involvement. He and Jonathan decided to combine their love of motorsports with their business expertise to create a platform to help aspiring racers get more seat time and exposure to potential partners.

And thus, Lefcourt Brothers Racing was born.

Thanks For Your Support: With a little more than 81 percent of the 2023 Xfinity Series season complete, Joe Graf Jr. and RSS Racing would like to thank their associate marketing partners: ArmsList.com, AVOID, Bass Reaper Bait Company, Bucked Up Energy Drink, CoverSeal, EAT SLEEP RACE Apparel, fgrACCEL, G-Coin®, GTECHNIQ, JACOB Companies, Lefcourt Brothers Racing, Love Motorsports, Model Electronics and ShopRite for their continued support.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Texas Motor Speedway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 will mark Graf’s seventh Xfinity Series start at the famed 1.5-mile speedway.

In his previous six efforts, he has delivered a track-best of 18th during the 2022 Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 after starting 19th for SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt.

Since 2020, Graf has an average Texas finish of 23.5 and has been running at the finish of his six previous starts.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Career Speedway Stats: At tracks classified as a speedway, Graf has competed in 58 NASCAR Xfinity Series races with one top-10 finish. He holds an average starting position of 25.4 and an average result of 25.4.

Joe Graf Jr. NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: In 120 career Xfinity Series starts, Graf has earned four top-10 finishes, including a seventh-place outing at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February 2023. During that tenure, he also holds an average finishing position of 25.6.

He earned a career-best Xfinity Series qualifying effort of fifth in 2020 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway with SS GreenLight Racing.

With Joe Gibbs Racing, he earned his non-superspeedway career-best qualifying effort of 11th at Kansas Speedway in September 2023.

Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway | Food City 300 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, Graf hunted for his third top-10 finish of the season.

On the strength of a top-10 finish at Kansas Speedway, Graf continued to showcase speed on the track but back behind the wheel of the No. 39 Food City | Bucked Up Miami Energy Drink Ford Mustang.

Building on a successful practice session, Graf qualified a track-best 19th but during the race, he was turned by another competitor which cost his several laps on the track and ultimately took him out of contention for a strong finish.

Graf persevered through a relatively calm race to finish 26th.

Sneaker Mania: Along with the adrenaline of the Motorsports competition, Joe Graf Jr. also has a vogue for hype sneakers. In his current collection, he owns and wears at least 90 limited edition sneakers – and his collection continues to grow monthly.

The current estimated value of his collection tops $100,000.

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

He will be crew chief for his 291st NASCAR Xfinity Series race as crew chief on Saturday afternoon and his ninth at Texas Motor Speedway.

In his previous 290 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected 11 wins, 10 poles, 68 top-five and 118 top-10 finishes.

Hello From The Other Side: Graf Jr. has three teammates at RSS Racing.

Veteran Ryan Sieg will drive the No. 39 Sci Apps Ford Mustang, while younger brother Kyle Sieg will drive the No. 29 RSS Racing Ford Mustang and CJ McLaughlin returns to steer the No. 28 RSS Racing Ford Mustang.

Ryan Sieg is set to make his 329th career Xfinity Series start overall and 19th at Texas.

Kyle Sieg is poised to make his 45th career Xfinity Series start and first at Texas.

CJ McLaughlin is set to make his 37th career Xfinity Series start and sixth at Texas.

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

For more on RSS Racing, please like them on Facebook (RSS283839) and follow them on Instagram (@rss283839) and X | Twitter (@RSS283839).

Joe Graf Jr. Quoteboard:

On Texas Motor Speedway: “I feel good about returning to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. Overall, it has been a pretty decent track for me, but I really felt like I found my groove there last fall.

“We continue to have speed in our No. 38 RSS Racing with Lefcourt Brothers Racing Ford Mustangs, we just need a little luck in the finishing department. I feel good that we can unload at Texas with speed in our race car and we can continue to tweak on it throughout the day and contend for a solid finish.

“It’s going to be the hottest I can ever remember for a fall race at Texas and I think that will be pivotal for the race because the track should be very slick. That should produce a great race for the fans.”

On The 2023 Season: “The end of the season is on the horizon, and I am working hard between my responsibilities with RSS Racing with Lefcourt Brothers Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing to ensure I can give 100 percent the wheel.

“I want to make the most of these last two months and deliver some strong results.

“I just need to stay focused, communicate with my team, and utilize the knowledge I’ve gained over the past three years to recover and end the season on a high.”

Race Information:

The Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 (200 laps | 300 miles) is the 27th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2023 schedule. Practice begins on Saturday, September 23, from 9:35 a.m. – 10:05 a.m. Qualifying immediately follows at 10:05 a.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag shortly after 2:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. ET) with live coverage on the USA Network, the Performance Racing Network (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (CT).

About RSS Racing:

RSS Racing fields multiple entries in the NASCAR Xfinity Series led by mainstay driver Ryan Sieg.

RSS Racing has competed in NASCAR events since 2009 from its headquarters in Sugar Hill, Ga.

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

Fast Facts
No. 25 AM Racing Team:
Driver: Brett Moffitt
Primary Partner(s): AM Technical Solutions (AMTS)
Manufacturer: Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Joe Williams Jr.
Spotter: Tony Raines
Chassis Intel: AMR Chassis No. 1058
Engine: Roush-Yates Engines
Driver Championship Point Standings: 15th
Team Championship Point Standings: 17th

Notes of Interest:

Fitting In: After spending the past several seasons as a full-time team in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series, AM Racing will embark on its inaugural journey in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season with driver Brett Moffitt for the entire 33-race tour continuing with Saturday afternoon’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at Texas Motor Speedway.

The race signifies the 10th race of the second half of the 2023 Xfinity Series season for the Statesville, N.C.-based organization.

Future Focused: With AM’s inaugural Xfinity journey set to continue in The Lone Star State, the team has chosen veteran driver Brett Moffitt to lead the team’s campaign from the driver’s seat aboard the No. 25 Ford Mustang.

Moffitt, a native of Grimes, Iowa, hails numerous starts across all three of NASCAR’s National Series, including the 2018 Truck Series championship with Hattori Racing Enterprises.

Moffitt, 30, arrived on the scene at AM Racing after a stint at Our Motorsports.

Partner Intel: The Statesville, N.C.-based team will sport the signage of AM Technical Solutions on the No. 25 Ford Mustang for the 28th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races this season.

Headquartered in Austin, TX, AM Technical Solutions (AMTS) was founded in 1994.

AM Technical Solutions is a Global Architecture, Engineering & Construction firm specializing in the high-tech markets. AMTS has managed over $20B of global capital projects for over 170 different customers in 24 countries and across five continents.

AM Minute: Last weekend was another busy summer weekend for AM Racing.

In addition to the NASCAR Xfinity Series team being in action at Bristol Motor Speedway, the ARCA Menards Series, was competing in their 18th race of the season – also from Bristol Motor Speedway.

Driver Christian Rose banked his 11th top-10 finish of the 2023 season with an eighth-place finish in the Bush’s Beans 200 on Thursday, September 14, 2023.

The ARCA Menards Series is off from competition this weekend before returning for their penultimate race of the season from Salem (Ind.) Speedway on September 30, 2023.

Looking Ahead: Following the NASCAR Xfinity Series race of the season at Texas Motor Speedway, AM Racing will showcase two new primary marketing partners in at least two of the final five Xfinity Series races at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL and Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway, respectively.

Thanks For Your Support: With more than 81 percent of the 2023 season complete, AM Racing and Brett Moffitt would like to thank their associate marketing partners for their support: AIRBOX Air Purifier, CForce Bottling Company, Flying Circle, Kreuz Market, Lane Frost Brand, Mechanix Wear and Mobil 1.

Brett Moffitt Xfinity Series Texas Motor Speedway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 will mark Moffitt’s sixth Xfinity Series start at the famed 1.5-mile speedway.

In his previous five efforts, he has delivered a track-best of eighth during the 2021 Alsco Uniforms 250 after starting 19th for Our Motorsports.

Since 2020, Moffitt has an average Texas finish of 16.6.

In addition to Xfinity, Moffitt also has three NASCAR Cup Series and six NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts.

Brett Moffitt Xfinity Series Speedway Stats: At NASCAR Xfinity Series tracks classified as a speedway, Moffitt has made 54 starts throughout his career, earning one pole and 18 top-10 finishes. He also holds an average finishing position of 15.6.

Brett Moffitt NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: In 111 career Xfinity Series starts, Moffitt has earned three top-five and 30 top-10 finishes, including a second-place outing at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February 2021. During that tenure, he also holds an average finishing position of 17.5.

He earned a career-best Xfinity Series qualifying effort of fourth earlier this year at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway with AM Racing.

In addition to 111 Xfinity Series starts, he has achieved 45 NASCAR Cup Series and 92 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts to his credit.

Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway | Food City 300 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Brett Moffitt and the AM Racing team chased their ninth top-10 finish of the season.

Following a mediocre practice, Moffitt struggled in qualifying and started his No. 25 AM Technical Solutions Ford Mustang from 36th. Throughout the 300-lap race, Moffitt diligently worked throughout the race to climb the running order.

Overcoming an ill-handling car in Stage 1, Moffitt fought hard despite the lack of cautions to gain a 16th-place finish at the checkered flag.

In 27 races this season, Moffit has delivered one top-five, eight top-10s, 15 top-15s, 19 top-20s, and an average finish of 16.6.

From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Joe Williams is Brett Moffit’s crew chief.

He will be crew chief for his 126th NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday afternoon and his seventh race at Texas Motor Speedway.

In his previous 125 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected one win (Auto Club Speedway | February 2022), eight top-five and 29 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 Brett Moffitt, please visit BrettMoffitt.com, like his Facebook page (Brett Moffitt Racing), or follow him on Instagram (@brett_moffitt_racing) and X | Twitter @brett_moffitt.

Brett Moffitt Quoteboard:

On Texas Motor Speedway: “After our strong performance at Kansas Speedway a couple of weeks ago, I am definitely looking forward to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend with my AM Racing team.

“I feel like we took a step in the right direction with our intermediate program at Kansas and look forward to continuing to build on that this weekend. It will be hotter than usual in Texas on Saturday, so that should make for a slick race track and plenty of action.

“Hopefully, we can put a good balance underneath our No. 25 AM Technical Solutions Ford Mustang and contend for a top-10 finish or better.”

On 2023 Season: “It is a bummer that our AM Racing team is not a part of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs. We gave it our all; we just came up a little short.

“Still, we are very encouraged about our recent speed at Kansas Speedway and hope to continue to showcase that speed and strong finishes the rest of the season.

“It’s important for us to go to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend and have a good finish before taking our final off weekend of the season next weekend and setting us up for the homestretch and final five races of the season beginning at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL in early October.”

Race Information:

The Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 (200 laps | 300 miles) is the 27th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2023 schedule. Practice begins on Saturday, September 23, from 9:35 a.m. – 10:05 a.m. Qualifying immediately follows at 10:05 a.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag shortly after 2:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. ET) with live coverage on the USA Network, 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 seventh year of competition.

The team has named Brett Moffitt, Christian Rose and Austin Wayne Self as their primary drivers for the 2023 Xfinity, ARCA Menards Series and Dirt Modified seasons respectively.

TREVOR BAYNE
Texas NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

● Event: Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 (Round 28 of 33)
● Date: Saturday, Sept. 23
● Location: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● Time/TV/Radio: 3:30 p.m. EDT on USA/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Trevor Bayne, Driver of the No. 19 Interstate Batteries Toyota GR Supra

● Back in the Saddle. Trevor Bayne will make his third start of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season in this weekend’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. Bayne previously drove in last month’s Xfinity Series event at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, where he led 26 laps before getting caught up in a race-ending accident. His most recent outing came last weekend at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, where he finished seventh.

● Texas Tamed. Bayne made his first career Xfinity Series start in 2009. He’s totaled 163 Xfinity Series starts in the nine seasons since. It was during the 2011 season the Tennessee native picked up his first series win at none other than the 1.5-mile oval at which the series races this weekend. Bayne qualified 10th for that year’s November event at Texas and ran a steady race. He took the lead for good with six laps to go.

● In Good Company. The 2023 NASCAR season is Bayne’s second racing on a part-time basis for Joe Gibbs Racing. He competed in nine Xfinty Series races in 2022, scoring five top-five finishes and seven top-10s. Driving the No. 18 JGR Toyota, Bayne qualified on the pole and led 46 laps at Homestead-Miami Speedway in October, and led in six of his nine races last year for a total of 176 laps. This weekend at Texas, Bayne adds another item of note to his resume by racing the iconic Interstate Batteries paint scheme. When he jumps into the No. 19 Interstate Batteries Toyota GR Supra on Saturday, he officially joins the exclusive Team Interstate brotherhood, which includes Hall of Fame drivers Dale Jarrett, Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin and Matt Kenseth.

Trevor Bayne, Driver Q&A

You go into the race weekend as a former winner at Texas. How much does that help when you go to a track where you are a former winner? How does it impact your confidence?

“It’s always a good confidence boost when you’re racing at a track you’ve won at before. It just brings this added level of ‘I can do this’ to your mentality that you can’t get from anywhere else. I think it showed a lot in my first start this season in Daytona, where I hopped in the car for the first time in almost a year and ended up getting to the front and fighting for the win before the night was over. I know Joe Gibbs Racing is going to bring me a fast Interstate Batteries Toyota GR Supra, so I’m excited to get out there and compete for my second Texas win.”

You have nine Xfinity Series starts and 17 Cup Series starts at Texas. What have you learned a little about what it takes to be successful at Texas?

“Texas is a unique track because you’d expect it to race like a traditional mile-and-a-half, but the surface makes it one-of-a-kind from the rest. You really have to understand what you want out of your car and work to have a setup that reflects it. With track position being so important, it becomes a battle of finding speed for qualifying and then, once the green flag drops, it becomes an all-out battle for track position. You have to be physical, know when it’s the time to give or to take, and you have to stay consistent as the race wears on.”

How exciting is it to be racing an Interstate Batteries car this weekend at Texas?

“It’s always exciting to race a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in their Xfinity program. I’ve won a couple of poles and led laps in those cars, so I’m going into the weekend knowing that we will have what we need to be successful. The Interstate Batteries car is legendary in our sport and it’s kind of surreal for me to say I’m getting to drive that car. It’s certainly an honor, and to be able to run that scheme at Texas – their home track – is even more special.”

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

• Event: Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 (Round 28 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, Sept. 23
• Location: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth
• Layout: 1.5-mile oval
• Time/TV/Radio: 3:30 p.m. EDT on USA/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

• Cole Custer is looking to continue his strong start to his 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series playoff run in Saturday’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. The driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang opened his playoff run last Friday night at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway by qualifying on the pole, winning Stage 1 of the race and finishing second in Stage 2, then continuing to be a fixture in the top-three before taking the checkered flag fourth. He arrives at Texas third in the playoff standings, 39 points above the top-eight cutoff heading in to the second of three races in the Round of 12. While Texas has proven to be a difficult track for many competitors, Custer had solid runs there during his prior stint in the Xfinity Series from 2017 to 2019. His November 2018 victory locked him into that year’s Championship 4, and his eighth-place finish in 2019 helped vault him into the Championship 4 for the second year in a row. He scored runner up finishes in the final standings both years.
• Saturday’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 will mark Custer’s seventh Xfinity Series start at Texas. In his prior six visits to 1.5-mile oval, he has earned four top-fives, including his November 2018 victory, where 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, then a fourth-place finish in April 2018. His eighth-place finish from the fourth starting position in the November 2019 race was his most recent in the Xfinity Series at the track.
• While the Cup Series playoff contenders will be beginning their Round of 12 this weekend at Texas, Custer and his 11 other Xfinity Series playoffs drivers will be in the middle race of their Round of 12. After his fourth-place finish last weekend at Bristol, Custer is looking forward to finishing the round at two of his best tracks – the Texas oval, and the 2.28-mile, 17-turn Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval. He’s finished outside the top-eight just once at Texas, and in his two prior starts on the Roval, he posted finishes of seventh in 2017 and eighth in 2018.

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• After racing from last to eighth in last Friday’s Food City 300 at Bristol, Riley Herbst hopes to keep the momentum rolling at Texas Motor Speedway this Saturday. He’s ready to showcase the speed of his No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang at the fast, 1.5-mile oval in the Texas heat. While Herbst isn’t competing for a championship this year, he’s still focused on his main goal of the season – earning his first career Xfinity Series victory. He’s come close on several occasions this season, but bad luck seemed to find him on track and take him out of contention. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, Herbst and the No. 98 team have six more chances to showcase their competitiveness as they race among the playoff drivers and hope to post what they feel is a long-overdue victory.
• Saturday’s race will mark Herbst’s seventh Xfinity Series start at Texas. Of his six prior appearances, Herbst has finished in the top-12 four times with a best of fifth earned in his last start there in September 2022. Since joining SHR in 2021, he’s never finished outside the top-12 at Texas. He scored an eighth-place finish and a fifth-place finish, respectively, in last year’s two events at the track. SHR has one Xfinity Series win at Texas – Custer’s November 2018 triumph.
• In last November’s race at Texas, Herbst and the No. 98 team proved to be resilient in the Texas heat. The Las Vegas native started the 200-lap race 11th and struggled with a loose-handling racecar in the initial laps. After dropping to the rear for a penalty during the day’s first round of pit stops, Herbst made quick work of his drive back toward the front. By the end of Stage 2, he was sitting 12th, then restarted ninth for the final stage. Chaos ensued on multiple occasions during the last 100 laps, and Herbst used his savvy driving skills to maneuver his way around two accidents, working his way to fourth on a lap-126 restart. He stayed in the top-five until his final scheduled green-flag pit stop on lap 169 and resumed in 15th. The race went caution-free until the checkered flag and Herbst was able to work his way into the top-10 by lap 182 and ultimately to fifth by the checkered flag on lap 200. It was his seventh top-five of the season.

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

You’re heading to Texas Motor Speedway for the first time this season. You’ve been honest about how it may not be your best track on the circuit, but you’ve had some solid runs there – including your November 2018 win that advanced you to the Championship 4. What is your team doing to prepare for this middle race of the Round of 12 to help you advance?

“We’re just going over a lot of details, you know. It’s about trying to go over every single year that we’ve been to Texas and trying to understand what we need to bring to the racetrack to compete for a win. I feel like we’ve had a good mile-and-a-half package this year, especially at Kansas a few weeks ago. It’s just trying to make sure we’re good for Texas. It’s kind of an oddball in the intermediate tracks because it is so difficult, so we’re trying to go through all the details so we can get our car just right for the weekend.”

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 the racetrack are just so different. It’s an intermediate track, but there is just so much variation in the track. You’ve got big bumps, which makes the handling pretty hard. Then you’ve got a daytime race in the Texas heat, which makes the track super slick. All of that, in addition to the high speeds that we run there, make it really tough to get your racecar’s setup just right. I’m still excited to head to Texas, but this is definitely the one track in the first round that we had some concern with just because it’s been all over the place for us. I trust that the No. 00 team will bring me a fast Ford Mustang 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

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 your prior two seasons. In addition, you’re coming off a top-10 run at Bristol where you started last and finished eighth. How confident are you heading into this weekend?

“I think you can’t be too confident, but there is confidence that we’re finding our stride again as a team. We’ve had some bad luck this season, but we’ve never lacked in speed. It’s just about being smart and putting yourself in the right position. I’ve learned a lot at Texas in my career, and I’m hoping that we can continue that success this weekend. Bristol was such a strong race and really showed the speed we bring to track. Not many drivers can go from last to eighth and run in the top-five at one point. I’m proud of how this No. 98 team never gave up, even in the rough times. I’m hoping we can use these final races to focus on finding victory lane, which was our original goal this season.”

How do you approach Texas, and what have you learned since your first start at the track in 2020?

“Texas is a beast of its own. It’s a super-fast, 1.5-mile track in the Texas heat, so you know it’s going to be a challenge. It’s a day race, too, which makes it even more challenging. With that said, it should be a lot of fun, and I’m excited to go back this weekend. I performed well there in 2022, so I’m hoping to continue that trend. The key is having a fast No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang, which we always bring, and staying out of trouble. It seems like your typical intermediate track, but it’s crazy how fast it is. We just have to keep our focus, and we can get a good finish there.”

JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Texas Motor Speedway
RACE: Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 (200 laps / 300 miles)
DATE: Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023

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

Sam Mayer
No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet

• Sam Mayer heads west to Texas Motor Speedway for his fourth start at the 1.5-mile track and the second race of the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs.
• The Franklin, Wis. native has scored one top-five and two top-10 efforts at the quad-oval with his best of third coming in the spring of 2022.
• Mayer’s average finish at the Fort Worth facility is 8.0. He currently sits 10th in points, a mere 14 markers out of the cutoff spot with two races remaining.
• Mayer’s Chevrolet will be carrying the blue and black colors of Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions on the No. 1 entry.

Josh Berry
No. 8 JARRETT Chevrolet

• Josh Berry heads to Texas needing to gain 24 points on the line for advancement with two races yet to run in the Round of 12.
• In three previous starts on the 1.5-mile quad-oval, Berry’s best finish is sixth, coming in this race last season. He has a pair of top-10 results in three starts and has led 46 laps there.
• On race tracks measuring 1.5 miles in NXS competition, Berry has three of his five victories, six top-five and 13 top10 finishes and has led a combined 293 laps in 23 total starts. He is a previous winner at Las Vegas (twice) and Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Brandon Jones
No. 9 Menards/Pelonis Chevrolet

• Brandon Jones qualified on the pole in this event at Texas last season. The effort marked his seventh of eight career poles in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
• At tracks measuring 1-2 miles in length in the NXS, Jones has recorded four wins, 19 top fives and 56 top 10s, while leading the field for a total of 377 laps .
• Jones has notched a pair of top 10s and an average finish of 7.5 when carrying Pelonis branding on the hood of the Menards Chevrolet in 2023.
• JRM’s No. 9 team is the defending winner of this event. Last year the team qualified second and led 85 laps en route to its second overall victory in the Lonestar State.

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 Reese’s Ice Cream/Sam’s Club Chevrolet

• By virtue of last weekend’s victory at Bristol Motor Speedway, Justin Allgaier has advanced into the Round of 8 in the NXS Playoffs for the eighth consecutive season.
• The Illinois native has gone to Victory Lane in two of the last four races (Daytona and Bristol).
• In 25 NXS starts at Texas, Allgaier has scored five top fives and 13 top 10s.
• Allgaier has placed fourth or better in three of the last four starts at the 1.5-mile quad-oval, equating to a 3.3 average finish in those three events. His best effort was a runner-up finish in 2021.

Driver Quotes

“Texas is another one of my better tracks and I’m looking forward to having a chance to get our momentum going in the right direction. We have had really fast cars these past few weeks but not a whole lot of luck, so hopefully we can turn that around this weekend in Texas and make some gains.” – Sam Mayer

“We have been really strong at Texas the past couple of seasons, and I know that we will have that same speed again this weekend. Having already advanced into the next round of the playoffs is a great feeling and it really gives us an opportunity to take some chances that some of the other guys are not able to. Hopefully we will be able to execute the same way we have been and be up front going for the win and those extra playoff points when it counts on Saturday with our Reese’s Ice Cream / Sam’s Club Chevrolet.” – Justin Allgaier

“We’ve run well at Texas in the past and there’s no reason we can’t continue that this weekend. This JARRETT team isworking hard to make sure we unload with the speed we are capable of having. With the resin on the track, the line is going to change and we need to be ready for that to happen in order to put ourselves in a situation to score stage points throughout the day. I’m confident that we will be in contention Saturday as long as we put it all together.” – Josh Berry

“We have had a lot of speed as of late and I know this team is making sure that speed carries over to this weekend. I thought we had a car capable of winning last week and this No. 9 bunch has run up front at Texas more than not, so I’m confident that we will be near the front this weekend and hopefully battling for the win.” – Brandon Jones

JRM Team Updates’

• JR Motorsports at Texas: JR Motorsports heads to Texas Motor Speedway as the defending race winner and will make its 100th start at the 1.5-mile quad-oval. Over the course of the previous 98 starts at the 1.5-mile track in Fort Worth, the organization has tallied two wins, 28 top fives and 62 top 10s. Texas stands as the second track where JRM has surpassed the century mark in starts; the other being Daytona Int’l Speedway.
• Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Justin Allgaier, Brandon Jones and Sam Mayer will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / Legacy MC souvenir rig on Saturday, Sept. 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. local time.