Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Category: XFINITY Series PR

NASCAR XFINITY Series Press Release

  • Ford Performance NASCAR – Texas Motor Speedway Advance

    Ford Performance NASCAR – Texas Motor Speedway Advance

    TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY NOTES

    Saturday, September 23 – NASCAR Xfinity Series, 3:30 p.m. ET (USA)
    Sunday, September 24 – NASCAR Cup Series, 3:30 p.m. ET (USA)

    Texas Motor Speedway will host the Round of 12 in both the NASCAR Cup and NASCAR Xfinity Series this weekend with single events on Saturday and Sunday. Ford has won 15 times in Cup with Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards leading the way with three each while Mark Martin’s three NXS triumphs is the most in Ford history.

    CURRENT CUP PLAYOFF STANDINGS

    The Round of 12 begins on Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway with three Ford drivers still in contention for this year’s championship. Here’s where they sit going into the weekend.

    5th – Chris Buescher (+10)
    10th – Brad Keselowski (-3)
    11th – Ryan Blaney (-6)
    NOTE: The top 8 drivers will advance after Charlotte

    HARVICK DOMINATION

    Nobody has had a better playoff run at Texas Motor Speedway than Kevin Harvick, who won three straight postseason races at the 1.5-mile facility from 2017-19. Harvick’s streak started in 2017 when he passed Martin Truex Jr. with 10 laps remaining to register his first Cup victory at the speedway in 30 starts. Domination was the word used to describe his next two victories as he led 177-of-334 laps to win in 2018 and then 119 more in his 2019 triumph. On each occasion, the win propelled Harvick to a spot in the Championship 4.

    LAST LAP PASS LEADS TO LOGANO VICTORY

    Joey Logano’s first Cup win at TMS came in 2014 in a race that was delayed until Monday because of rain. Logano dominated much of the second half, but a caution with two laps to go forced a green-white-checker finish. He started third on the restart after the leaders stopped on pit road and was able to get past Jeff Gordon on the final lap to claim victory. Logano led 108 of the final 116 laps to claim the first of five wins that season.

    A TEXAS TWO-FIRST

    A couple of firsts happened on April 6, 1997 as Texas Motor Speedway hosted its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series event and Jeff Burton took his first checkered flag. Burton, led by crew chief Buddy Parrott, passed Todd Bodine with 58 laps remaining and beat fellow Ford driver Dale Jarrett to the finish line by four seconds. The race was slowed by 10 cautions, which included a multi-car accident in first turn of the first lap. Burton went on to win 21 career series races with 17 of those coming in a Thunderbird or Taurus.

    CUSTER IN CONTENTION

    Cole Custer had a solid playoff opener as he won the pole and led 102 laps in finishing fourth last week at Bristol Motor Speedway. He comes into the Texas race ranked third in the standings, 39 points ahead of the cut line with two races remaining in the Round of 12. Custer, who won at Texas in 2018, currently ranks in a three-way tie for seventh on the all-time NXS Ford win list with 12 career victories, including two this season in Portland and Chicago.

    FORD’S NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS

    AT TEXAS

    1997 – Jeff Burton

    1998 – Mark Martin

    2001 – Dale Jarrett

    2002 – Matt Kenseth

    2004 – Elliott Sadler

    2005 – Greg Biffle (1) and Carl Edwards (2)

    2008 – Carl Edwards (Sweep)

    2011 – Matt Kenseth (1)

    2012 – Greg Biffle (1)

    2014 – Joey Logano (1)

    2017 – Kevin Harvick (2)

    2018 – Kevin Harvick (2)

    2019 – Kevin Harvick (2)

    FORD’S NASCAR Xfinity Series WINNERS

    AT TEXAS

    1997 – Mark Martin

    1999 – Mark Martin

    2000 – Mark Martin

    2004 – Matt Kenseth

    2007 – Matt Kenseth

    2010 – Carl Edwards (2)

    2011 – Carl Edwards (1) and Trevor Bayne (2)

    2012 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (1)

    2013 – Brad Keselowski (2)

    2015 – Brad Keselowski (2)

    2018 – Ryan Blaney (1) and Cole Custer (2)

    2020 – Austin Cindric (1)

  • Short Track Star Layne Riggs Joins Kaulig Racing’s Xfinity Series Program in Multi-Race Deal

    Short Track Star Layne Riggs Joins Kaulig Racing’s Xfinity Series Program in Multi-Race Deal

    Infinity Communications partners with Kaulig Racing beginning at Texas Motor Speedway

    Lexington, N.C. (September 18, 2023) – Kaulig Racing announced today that 2022 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series (NAAWS) champion, Layne Riggs, will drive the No. 11 Infinity Communications Chevrolet in a multi-race NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) deal. He will make his series debut at Texas Motor Speedway on September, 23 for the Andy’s Frozen Custard 300.

    Son of Scott Riggs, a NASCAR veteran who made 383 national series starts, Riggs became the youngest driver to win the NAAWS title, which is the combined national championship for all NASCAR-affiliated short tracks, at 20 years old in 2022. He won 16 races and recorded 30 top-five finishes in 43 starts across runs at Dominion Raceway, Hickory Motor Speedway, Motor Mile Speedway, South Boston Speedway and Wake County Speedway. Now age 21, Riggs will bring a unique background to his first start with Kaulig Racing.

    “I’m so excited to be making my first NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Texas Motor Speedway with a team that has had success in the Xfinity Series,” exclaimed Riggs. “I am super thankful to Jeff Coffey at Infinity Communications along with the whole Kaulig Racing organization for giving me this opportunity. I am so ready to get on track!”

    While this will be Riggs’ first start in the NXS, he has made six starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS), and earned one top five and two top-10 finishes.

    The Kaulig Racing All-Star Car, which has been piloted by the likes of AJ Allmendinger, Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, Justin Haley and Jordan Taylor, has so far yielded three wins in 2023. It has also provided up-and-coming drivers like Derek Kraus valuable seat time. Riggs will be the 11th driver to feature in the car this season.

    “I’ve been watching Layne (Riggs) on the short-track circuit for a couple of years now and I am impressed what he has earned so far in his young career,” said Chris Rice, president of Kaulig Racing. “He’s had a couple of starts in the truck series and I look forward to seeing what he can do in one of our cars.” Rice continued, “Infinity Communications has been a huge supporter of Layne’s career so far, so I’m happy that he is able to bring them along for the ride”.

    The Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at Texas Motor Speedway will air at 3:30 p.m. EDT on USA and will be the second race in the NXS Playoffs Round of 12.


    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 with Justin Haley piloting the No. 31 Camaro ZL1, and an all-star lineup featured in the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. Haley will continue to drive the No. 31 full-time in 2023, alongside AJ Allmendinger, who will drive the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. The team will continue to field three, full-time NXS entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Hemric, the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by an all-star lineup, and the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by Chandler Smith. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

    About Infinity Communications:

    Founded in 2012, Infinity Communications Group has leveraged a diversified portfolio of experience that began in the mid 80’s. Their experience includes, but is not limited to, erecting new towers, system upgrades, maintenance, power outages, generator support and storage, generator and fleet refueling, and disaster recovery. Infinity provides qualified and experienced professionals and crews with at least 10-15 years of experience. Infinity holds to the belief that customers deserve an immediate response from qualified personnel. As a primary provider of repair and maintenance services for major wireless carriers, Infinity stores, maintains, and deploys emergency generators from our strategically placed facilities around the United States. The Infinity Communications Group is a member of the National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE), which is a non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating safety, education and standards for the tower erection, service and maintenance industry. For over twenty years, NATE has been recognized as the industry leader in promoting safety, standards, education and uniform practices and procedures.wireless communication towers, managing large-scale power outages and assisting in disaster recovery. Infinity Communications partnered with Riggs for his previous starts in the NCTS this season.

  • Daniel Dye to compete in three NASCAR Xfinity Series races in 2023

    Daniel Dye to compete in three NASCAR Xfinity Series races in 2023

    Huntersville, NC (September 17, 2023) – Daniel Dye Racing, alongside Alpha Prime Racing, is pleased to announce that Daniel Dye will pilot the No. 44 Chevrolet Camaro in three NASCAR Xfinity Series events. The first event will occur this coming weekend at the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, along with races at Las Vegas and Phoenix to end the year.

    Champion Container, Dye’s primary truck sponsor, will continue their outstanding support as he transitions to the NASCAR Xfinity Series for three events, boasting a striking red, yellow, and white color scheme. The essential message of Race to Stop Suicide will also adorn Dye’s Camaro.

    Dye, a 19-year-old competitor and native of Daytona Beach, Florida, has raced full-time for GMS Racing in his inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season in 2023.

    Interestingly, this represents only the second instance in Dye’s professional career where he won’t be driving a car numbered 43; he previously raced the No. 21 for GMS Racing in a limited 2021 schedule, securing a win in the ARCA Menards Series at Berlin Raceway.

    “I’m really looking forward to making my Xfinity debut with Tommy Joe Martins and everyone at Alpha Prime,” remarked Daniel Dye. “It’s a great opportunity to compete at the next level and get a feel for what the Xfinity car is like before hopefully getting more opportunities in the future.”

    Champion Container has become the leading packaging container distributor in the Northeast, with seven strategic locations catering to both domestic and international customers across various industries, including chemical, food, and pharmaceutical. Their strength lies in timely deliveries via their own fleet and a vast inventory. With a knowledgeable team, they provide expert packaging guidance. Over the years, acquisitions such as Canpak Inc., AB Container, Jachts Columbia Can, Yankee Containers, and the recent addition of Harvey Lipsitz Co. in 2023, have expanded their reach and product offerings, solidifying their dedication to quality service and customer satisfaction.

    Associate sponsors ONE DAYTONA, B&L Construction, DME Academy, and Kevtron Media will be displayed on the No. 44. Additional sponsorship slots remain available.

    “Daniel is a really exciting prospect,” stated team owner Tommy Joe Martins. “We feel fortunate to be the team giving him his first shot in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and we’re really looking forward to seeing what he can do at Texas, Vegas, and Phoenix to close out the year.”

    Fans can keep up with Daniel’s various racing activities by searching for his accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and X. Daniel Dye merchandise can be found at www.shopdanieldye.com.

    All three Xfinity Series races air live on the USA Network, with additional coverage from MRN, PRN, and SiriusXM.

    Details pertaining to Dye’s 2024 NASCAR plans will be announced soon.

  • Kaulig Racing Post-Race Report | Bristol Motor Speedway

    Kaulig Racing Post-Race Report | Bristol Motor Speedway


    Bass Pro Shops Night Race

    AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Barger Precast Camaro ZL1

    • AJ Allmendinger qualified 22nd for the Bristol Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
    • In the early laps, Allmendinger fell back to 31st reporting he was plowing tight and lacking front turn. The No. 16 brought out the first caution on lap 70 after hitting the wall in the exit of turn three and making contact with the No. 2. The No. 16 team brought the car down pit road to assess and repair the damage before Allmendinger restarted in 36th on lap 75. On lap 107, the caution came out for rain, and the team came down pit road for air pressure and wedge adjustments to help with the handling of the car. Allmendinger restarted 35th on lap 113 and was racing the No. 78 for the lucky dog. The No. 16 went on to finish the opening stage in 34th and was awarded the lucky dog, putting Allmendinger back on the lead lap. The team came down pit road under the stage break for additional wedge adjustments before the red flag was displayed for weather.
    • The red flag was lifted, and the field restarted on lap 141. Early in this run, Allmendinger was tighter than he had been all night, but by lap 205, the No. 16 Barger Chevy had built free. Allmendinger held on to his loose race car and went on to finish the second stage in 34th.
    • The team came down pit road under the stage caution for tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. Allmendinger restarted 30th where we ran for the remainder of the Bass Pro Shops Night Race and finished 30th at Bristol Motor Speedway.

    “It was a long night for our No. 16 team. We struggled early with handling and definitely hurt the speed of the car after we hit the wall. I’m proud of my guys for their effort all night but we’re disappointed with the result.” – AJ Allmendinger

    Justin Haley, No. 31 Mountain Dew Camaro ZL1

    • Justin Haley qualified 19th for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
    • Haley fired off slightly free in the No. 31 Mountain Dew Chevy but gained three spots before the first caution came out on lap 70. Haley pitted for four tires and fuel and restarted 22nd on lap 77. The next caution came out on lap 107 for rain, as Haley gained four spots. He radioed that he was happy overall with his No. 31 Chevy but was slightly free on entry and exit. Haley restarted as the sixth car on the outside with 12 laps to go in stage one. He made it up to 11th before getting caught in multiple three-wide battles, ultimately falling to 20th where he finished the opening stage.
    • Haley pitted under caution for four tires and fuel and restarted 33rd on lap 141 after rain prolonged the first stage caution. By lap 214, Haley was caught by the leader and radioed that the No. 31 Chevy was plowing tight as he went down one lap. He went on to finish the second stage in 27th.
    • Haley pitted for tires, fuel and a right-rear air pressure adjustment to help free up the No. 31 Chevy. He started the final stage in 32nd before a wreck in front of Haley collected him on lap 263, ending his night early. He was scored 35th.

    “I was really happy with the No. 31 Mountain Dew Camaro ZL1 firing off tonight. We were just a touch free until our right front went away in the second stage. After that the car was plowing tight. Unfortunately, we got collected in someone else’s mess at the beginning of the final stage and broke something in the left front. Hopefully we can rebound in Texas, where we had one of our best finishes as a team last year.” – Justin Haley  

    Food City 300

    Daniel Hemric, No. 10 Cirkul Chevrolet Camaro

    • Daniel Hemric qualified fifth for the Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
    • Hemric’s No.10 Cirkul Chevrolet fired off extremely loose as soon as the race started. Similarly to practice and qualifying, he reported he was loose all around. Hemric was running 12th with 30 to go, where he went on to finish the opening stage.
    • Under the stage break, Hemric came down pit road for four tires, fuel and a major air pressure and track bar adjustment to help tighten the car up. He restarted 12th on lap 96 and would maintain his position inside the top-15 before the caution came out on lap 149. Hemric radioed that the previous adjustments had helped the handling of the car but he was still on the freer side. Still under caution, he came down pit road on lap 151 for four tires, fuel and another air pressure adjustment. After restarting 11th on lap 154 with fresh tires, Hemric was back up to seventh with 12 to go. He went on to finish seventh, following a stage-ending caution.
    • Hemric pitted again during the stage break for four tires and fuel, before starting the final stage in 10th. The caution came out on lap 221, and Hemric stayed out, while a majority of the field came down pit road. On the restart with 76 laps to go, Hemric restarted as the first car on the inside lane. Battling with the No. 7, Hemric held on to second as 69 laps remained. The caution came out again on lap 248, and the leader pitted, while Hemric stayed out. Hemric led the field to green from the outside on the restart with 44 to go. After leading a total of 33 laps, Hemric got caught up in lapped traffic and slid back to second with 12 to go. The race stayed green until the end and Hemric finished second, his third runner-up finish with Kaulig Racing this season.

    “There is always something you could have done better, or different. I really just wanted to keep him [No.7] on us to get that last little group of lapped traffic we were closed in on. When you catch those guys side by side, you have a slight chance, but I just could not stay far enough forward and keep the momentum from center exit enough to give me some leverage to get into lapped traffic. Ultimately, that prevailed for him [No.7] on the bottom to clear me. You hate to lose them that close to the end, but as a group, we know what we did today was special from how far we brought this race car throughout the race. I am proud of that.” – Daniel Hemric

    Chandler Smith, No. 16 Barger Precast Chevrolet Camaro

    • Chandler Smith qualified fourth for the Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
    • Smith jumped to second quickly at the start of the race but began falling back as the first stage progressed. He was passed for second by the No. 20 on lap 14. Six laps later, a group of three cars moved him off the bottom line, which was the preferred line early in the night, and he struggled to get back to the bottom before being shuffled back to fifth. Smith dropped two more positions by lap 65 but began running quicker lap times in the final laps of stage one. He finished sixth in the opening stage.
    • Smith said during the stage caution that he was too free and needed front grip. Crew chief, Bruce Schlicker, made a big swing with adjustments to tighten the car up as he pitted for tires and fuel. Smith started stage two as the fourth car on the inside but fell back to ninth overall on the restart. Over the next 52 laps, Smith shuffled between eighth and 10th, the latter of which he was running when the caution came out on lap 147. Smith came down pit road for tires and fuel, getting a left-rear air pressure adjustment as well. He started 14th on the lap-154 restart and moved up the ninth with four to go after battling cars on different tire strategies. Another yellow flew, ending the stage with Smith running ninth.
    • Smith stayed out during the stage break and restarted the final stage in third. He moved up to second quickly and battled the No. 88 for the lead before getting tight and falling to fourth. Another caution came out on lap 184, and Smith, who was still battling a loose car, restarted with 110 to go on the outside in the second row. After firing off well, the No. 16 Barger Precast Chevrolet got free mid-corner on lap 197, sending Smith up the track but avoiding the wall. He lost four spots, moving back to eighth. Another caution brought out the yellow again on lap 217 with Smith running 10th. Schlicker called him into the pits for tires and fuel for the final time. He restarted 13th with 76 to go and slowly made his way to seventh when the final caution came out on lap 248. He stayed out, restarting as the third car on the inside on lap 257. Moving up to fifth overall by the next lap, Smith fought to break into the four-car battle for the lead in the waning laps but couldn’t get by the No. 00 that was in fourth. Dealing with a loose-handling race car all night, Smith finished the race in fifth.

    “We put a lot of eggs in one basket coming here, and if we didn’t have our issues, I think we would have been a top-three car all night. We caught some breaks and recovered well. We’re leaving here 18 points above the cutline, and that’s not a bad buffer to have. We just have to maintain that through the next two races.” – Chandler Smith

    Derek Kraus, No. 11 Hardscape Construction/Crav’n Chevrolet Camaro

    • Derek Kraus qualified 18th for the Food City 300 but started at the rear, due to an unapproved adjustment.
    • Kraus fired off free in the No. 11 Hardscape Construction / Crav’n Chevrolet. He was passed by the leader to go one lap down on lap 33, but fought the other lapped cars to finish the opening stage in 22nd.
    • Kraus radioed that he was extremely free on entry and could not drive the No. 11 car as hard because of it. He pitted during the stage break for a big air pressure swing and a track bar adjustment, starting the second stage as the first car one lap down in 21st. The first caution came out on lap 147, and Kraus relayed that the adjustments made during the first pit stop helped his center exit, but the No. 11 Chevy was still free on entry. Crew chief, Jason Trinchere, made the call to pit under caution with the intention of taking the wave around at the end of the stage to put Kraus back on the lead lap. The field went green with 17 laps left in the stage, before a stage-ending caution came out with three laps to go. Kraus finished the second stage in 16th place.
    • Kraus was unable to take the wave around but started the final stage in 16th place. The caution flag came back out on lap 184, as Kraus sat in the lucky dog spot, allowing him back on the lead lap. He pitted under caution and restarted 16th on lap 191. By lap 208, Kraus made his way into the top 15 for the first time of the night. The next caution came out on lap 218, and Trinchere made the call to pit for the team’s last set of sticker tires. Kraus restarted 15th on lap 224. By lap 241, Kraus made his way into the top 10 before the caution came out on lap 249. Following the restart, Kraus made it as high as seventh before dropping back to 12th where he finished the race.

    “Overall, it was a fun night at Bristol. We got caught a lap down early, which hurt us throughout the race. We were fighting all night to get our lap back, and when we did, we were able to get going and stayed around the top 10. At the end, my tires started to go away on me. Thankfully, we kept our Hardscape Construction / Crav’n’ Chevy in one piece and had a solid finish.” – Derek Kraus  

     
    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 with Justin Haley piloting the No. 31 Camaro ZL1, and an all-star lineup featured in the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. Haley will continue to drive the No. 31 full-time in 2023, alongside AJ Allmendinger, who will drive the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. The team will continue to field three, full-time NXS entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Hemric, the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by an all-star lineup, and the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by Chandler Smith. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

  • JUSTIN ALLGAIER POWERS TO THRILLING FOOD CITY 300 VICTORYAT BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY

    JUSTIN ALLGAIER POWERS TO THRILLING FOOD CITY 300 VICTORYAT BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY

    BRISTOL, Tenn. (March 26, 2019) – – Justin Allgaier used bold strategy and fresh tires to top the field in the Food City 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway.

    Allgaier, driving the No. 7 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, gave up the lead under caution with less than 50 laps to go to put on four fresh tires while his main rivals remained on the track. Methodically picking his way through the field, Allgaier had a thrilling side-by-side battle with Daniel Hemric before pulling away and clinching postseason advancement after taking the checkered flag in the debut race of the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs.

    “I’m speechless – we won Bristol,” said Allgaier, who led a race-high 110 laps, collected his second Bristol victory, third win of the season and 22nd of his Xfinity Series career. “This team has done such an amazing job at this racetrack. The fans were unbelievable.

    “The pit strategy – coming down pit road all by myself was nerve-wracking.”
    Winning owner Dale Earnhardt Jr., making his first Bristol start since 2017, also had an eventful night, leading 47 laps and thrilling thousands of fans before a mechanical issue caused a fire under the hood and a hole in his firesuit.

    “Somehow or another the shifter caught on fire,” said the NASCAR Hall of Famer, who finished 30th. “I smelled it and said hopefully that’s not me. My uniform was burning up. We were going to finish top 5 or top 10.

    “I had a blast and Justin wins. Thanks to all the fans. We had a great crowd tonight. It makes me want to do it more.”

    Hemric was 1.695 seconds behind as the runner-up, followed by fellow championship contenders John Hunter Nemechek in third, Cole Custer (109 laps led) in fourth and rookie Chandler Smith in fifth.

    “Clean air was king,” Hemric said. “We had just enough race car there and once the top [groove] came in I had to live with it. [Allgaier’s] tires were just too much at the end. We came a long way from the drop of the green flag to the checkered flag.”

    Hot tempers flared throughout, as is typical at Bristol. What was unusual was they stemmed from not-so-friendly-fire incidents between teammates in championship contention, with JR Motorsports drivers Josh Berry and Sam Mayer bumping on Lap 166 and Richard Childress Racing’s Sheldon Creed tapping Austin Hill along the frontstretch on Lap 216.

    Hill finished 33rd while Mayer wound up 35th and Berry placed 36th.
    Among other playoff contenders, Sammy Smith finished ninth, Creed placed 11th and Parker Kligerman was 31st.

    Allgaier averaged 85.521 mph around the .533-mile concrete oval at The Last Great Colosseum, completing the 300 laps in 1 hour, 52 minutes and 11 seconds. Six caution periods took up 48 laps, with 14 drivers finishing on the lead lap and five drivers exchanging the lead eight times.

    “The pit stops were amazing,” Allgaier said. “I don’t know if this is shots fired for the playoffs but it feels good.”

    RACE SCHEDULE
    The remaining NASCAR Playoff Weekend schedule includes:

    Saturday, Sept. 16: Bass Pro Shops Night Race (6:30 p.m., USA Network, PRN Radio).

    FAN ACTIVITIES
    Off-track activities for the weekend include:
    Saturday, Sept. 16: Kenny Wallace and John Roberts host Trackside Live (Food City Fan Zone Stage, 3 p.m.)
    Saturday, Sept. 16: Midland concert (4:15 p.m.)
    Saturday, Sept. 16: BMS tradition-rich driver intros with host Michael Buffer (5:45 p.m.)
    See a full entertainment schedule on www.BristolMotorSpeedway.com.

    TICKETS
    To purchase tickets, visit www.BristolMotorSpeedway.com or call (866) 415-4158.

  • Stewart-Haas Racing: NXS Race Report from Bristol

    Stewart-Haas Racing: NXS Race Report from Bristol

    STEWART-HAAS RACING
    NASCAR Xfinity Series: Food City 300

    Date: Sept. 15, 2023
    Event: Food City 300 (Round 27 of 33)
    Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
    Location: Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (.533-mile, concrete oval)
    Format: 300 laps, broken into three stages (85 laps/85 laps/130 laps)
    Race Winner: Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)
    Stage 1 Winner: Cole Custer of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)
    Stage 2 Winner: Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)

    SHR Race Finish:

    ● Cole Custer (Started 1st / Finished 4th, Running, completed 300 of 300 laps)
    ● Riley Herbst (Started 16th/ Finished 8th, Running, completed 300 of 300 laps)

    SHR Points:

    ● Cole Custer (3rd with 2,069 points, 39 points above the top-eight cutoff)
    ● Riley Herbst (13th with 705 points)

    SHR Race Notes:

    ● Custer earned his 11th top-five of the season and his third top-five in seven career Xfinity Series starts at Bristol.
    ● Custer has only finished outside the top-10 twice at Bristol in the Xfinity Series.
    ● Custer won Stage 1 to earn 10 bonus points and one playoff point. He finished second in Stage 2 to earn nine more bonus points.
    ● Custer led two times for 109 laps to increase his laps-led total at Bristol to 140.
    ● Herbst earned his 12th top-10 of the season and his fourth top-10 in five career Xfinity Series starts at Bristol.
    ● Herbst has only finished outside the top-10 once at Bristol in the Xfinity Series.
    ● This is Herbst’s fourth straight top-10 at Bristol. He finished fifth last September, third in 2021, and 10th in 2020.
    ● Herbst finished eighth in Stage 2 to earn three bonus points.

    Race Notes:

    ● Justin Allgaier won the Food City 300 to score his 22nd career Xfinity Series victory, his third of the season and his second at Bristol. His margin over second-place Daniel Hemric was 1.695 seconds.
    ● There were six caution periods for a total of 48 laps.
    ● Only 14 of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

    Sound Bites:

    “It was a good points day for the No. 00 team. I can’t believe that there weren’t many wrecks. I mean honestly, it was a pretty clean race which is great for the series. Overall, we were close to perfect on that second run. I felt like we had a really good No. 00 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang, and then we used that last set of tires and for whatever reason we just got way too loose. It was a solid day and our guys did a great job. I wish we could’ve gotten Kevin (Harvick) a win with this throwback scheme, but you know, it’s definitely a good sign that we’re moving in the right direction. We definitely wanted to win at Bristol, but we’ll move on to Texas.” – Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang

    “I mean, it was a decent race for the No. 98 Monster Energy team. Last to eighth. I wish we hadn’t had to start in the back because I think we could’ve run up front and been able to make the adjustments needed to make the car better. Overall, proud of the team for that comeback. We’ll head to Texas and hopefully have another good day.” – Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

    Next Up:

    The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 on Saturday, Sept. 23 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. It is the second race of the Xfinity Series playoffs and the second race of the Round of 12. The race begins at 3:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by USA and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

  • Toyota Racing – NXS Bristol Post-Race Report – 09.15.23

    Toyota Racing – NXS Bristol Post-Race Report – 09.15.23

    FOUR TOYOTA TOP-10S IN BRISTOL
    Nemechek expands his points lead with third-place finish

    BRISTOL, Tenn. (September 15, 2023) – John Hunter Nemechek holds a 65-point advantage over the Playoff cutline leaving Bristol Motor Speedway after a third-place run. He was joined inside the top-10 by Trevor Bayne (seventh), fellow playoff contender Sammy Smith (ninth) and Kaz Grala (10th). Connor Mosack added a lead-lap 14th-place run as all five TRD-supported Toyota GR Supra teams scored top-15 runs.

    Nemechek and Smith are both above the Playoff cutline heading to Texas Motor Speedway, while Grala scored back-to-back top-10 finishes for the first time this season.

    Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
    NASCAR Xfinity Series
    Bristol Motor Speedway
    Race 27 of 33 – 159.9 miles, 300 laps

    TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
    1st, Justin Allgaier•
    2nd, Daniel Hemric*
    3rd, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
    4th, Cole Custer*
    5th, Chandler Smith*
    7th, TREVOR BAYNE
    9th, SAMMY SMITH
    10th, KAZ GRALA
    14th, CONNOR MOSACK
    38th, TIMMY HILL
    *non-Toyota driver

    TOYOTA QUOTES

    JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, No. 20 Pye Barker Fire & Safety Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

    Finishing Position: 3rd

    How would you describe your finish tonight?

    “We had a really fast Pye Barker Toyota GR Supra. We needed to be a little bit faster to be as fast as Xfinity 10 G, but overall, solid night. We raced smart. We have a 65-point lead, I think, to the cut off or something like that, so that’s good. Our goal coming into this first round was just to have solid finishes. If a win presented itself, a win presented itself. We have to race smart and keep advancing. That is all that matters.”

    What do you look forward to next?

    “We are going to Texas, one of my favorite race tracks. We just have to keep having really good runs. Our Pye Barker Toyota GR Supra – pbhiring.com, they are hiring technicians, so make sure you go to that website, but overall, solid night, and looking forward to next week.”

    TREVOR BAYNE, No. 19 He Gets Us Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

    Finishing Position: 7th

    Can you talk about your race as a whole?

    “Yeah, early in the race we were charging. We got up to fifth and had a really good He Gets Us Supra. We were one of the first people to go to the top, so that was our advantage. Once the top rubbered in, I lost side-bite and we could free it up and I would lose drive or we would tighten it up and I would lose center. The corner was just a little bit too broken up for us, but overall, a good day of execution. If we were in the points, it would be a good points day, but we are not. All we care about is winning, and we didn’t do that. We are just going to keep fighting for it.”

    SAMMY SMITH, No. 18 Pilot Flying J Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

    Finishing Position: 9th

    A top-10 to start the Playoffs. How was your race?

    “P9. Good points day, just frustrating because I feel like we missed a couple of opportunities to get some more points for this Pilot Flying J Toyota team, but good day and we will move on to Texas.”

    KAZ GRALA, No. 26 Island Coastal Lager Toyota GR Supra, Sam Hunt Racing

    Finishing Position: 10th

    Back-to-back top-10’s for the first time this season, and you came from 31st both times. How did you make it through the field?

    “We are making it harder on ourselves than we need. It was a really fun day here at Bristol. Our CRUSH Tropical Punch Supra was really good in the second half of the race. We took a little bit of time in the beginning to get it dialed in – we went a lap down in the process, but we fought back. We got back to the lead lap, and had the speed when it mattered. I’m really proud of everyone at Sam Hunt Racing to score back-to-back top-10s for the first time this year. That is really cool. We came a long way on this thing. That just shows the fight of everybody over here, so I’m definitely excited about it. Bristol is the most bad-ass place in the world, so to have a good finish here is really cool.”

    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.

  • Justin Allgaier, BRANDT Set to Return to JRM for 2024

    Justin Allgaier, BRANDT Set to Return to JRM for 2024

    Allgaier announces renewal in Victory Lane at Bristol Motor Speedway

    MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Sept. 15, 2023) – Following tonight’s victory at Bristol Motor Speedway, Justin Allgaier announced that both he and cornerstone partner BRANDT Professional Agriculture are returning to JR Motorsports in 2024 for the ninth season. As the second-longest tenured-partner for JRM, BRANDT will assume the role of primary partner for Allgaier and the No. 7 Chevrolet for 20 events during the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and receive associate placement on the remaining races.

    “I can’t say enough about this team, Rick Brandt and everyone at BRANDT Professional Agriculture,” Allgaier said from Victory Lane. “This seemed like the perfect time to break the news that we’ll be back in the No. 7 Chevrolet in 2024. I’m just so grateful for everyone at JR Motorsports.”

    Founded in central Illinois, BRANDT is a fast-growing, family-owned company and a leader in global agriculture. Specializing in innovative products and services to help growers get maximum crop yield, BRANDT supplies customers in 49 states and more than 80 countries.

    “What a year!” said Rick Brandt, president and CEO of BRANDT. “As we cause a party here in Victory Lane, we are celebrating our 70th anniversary as a company, our founder, Evelyn Brandt Thomas’ 100th birthday, and our return to JRM for 2024. Let’s add one more celebration to the list: let’s go get that NASCAR Xfinity Championship.”

    BRANDT has a long-standing presence in NASCAR, having first partnered with Allgaier in 2011. The pairing joined JRM for the 2016 NXS season, and Allgaier has been a consistent title contender, advancing to the Championship 4 in five of the last seven seasons and finishing a career-best second in the final standings in 2020.

    “This is the best way possible to announce that Justin and BRANDT are coming back next year,” said JRM CEO Kelley Earnhardt Miller. “I’m so proud of the relationship that we’ve built with Rick (Brandt) and to be able to extend both BRANDT and Justin is a testament to all the hard work of everyone at JR Motorsports.”

    With tonight’s victory in Bristol, Allgaier becomes the first driver to advance into the Round of 8 in the NXS Playoffs, doing so for the eighth consecutive season.

    ABOUT BRANDT:
    A leading agricultural company, BRANDT serves growers and farmers around the globe. Founded in 1953 by Glen Brandt and his sister Evelyn Brandt Thomas to help Illinois farmers adopt new and profitable technologies, the company has experienced aggressive growth under the leadership of President and CEO Rick Brandt. BRANDT’s focus is providing the products and services that give growers the best opportunity for maximum return while building a stronger, healthier and more abundant food supply. For more information, visit BRANDT on the web at www.brandt.co.

    ABOUT JR MOTORSPORTS:
    JR Motorsports is the racing operation co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Fame member and 15-time Most Popular Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kelley Earnhardt Miller and NASCAR Hall of Famer Rick Hendrick. Now in its 22nd year of overall competition, JR Motorsports competes in multiple divisions, including the NASCAR Xfinity Series where it currently fields four full-time teams and earned championships in 2014, 2017 and 2018. The company also races in Late Model competition and owns five championships in regional Late Model divisions and added a prized national title in 2020. To learn more about the organization, its drivers and its sponsorship opportunities, visit www.jrmracing.com.

  • Joe Graf Jr. | RSS Racing Bristol Motor Speedway September NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Preview

    Joe Graf Jr. | RSS Racing Bristol Motor Speedway September NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Preview

    RSS Racing with Lefcourt Brothers | NASCAR Xfinity Series
    Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway | Food City 300

    Fast Facts

    No. 38 RSS Racing with Lefcourt Brothers Team:

    Driver: Joe Graf Jr.

    Primary Partner(s): Food City | Bucked Up Miami Energy Drink

    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: RSS Racing with Lefcourt Brothers Racing and driver Joe Graf Jr. welcome race entitlement partner Food City as a co-primary partner for Friday night’s Food City 300 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

    Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, Food City is a local, family-owned company operating 152 retail outlets throughout southeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, east Tennessee, north Georgia and Alabama.

    The company serves as the title sponsor of the Spring Cup Series Food City Dirt Race and fall Food City 300 Xfinity race.

    Celebrating more than 30 years of racing, Food City is Bristol Motor Speedway’s longest-running sponsor and the second-longest in NASCAR Motorsports.

    Glad To Have You Back: Joining Food City as a co-primary partner this weekend at Bristol is Bucked Up Energy Drink.

    The team will promote Bucked Up’s Miami flavor for the first time this year and the second time in Graf’s Xfinity Series career.

    Party in the city where the heat is on, all night energy till the break of dawn. Welcome to Miami — Bienvenidos a Miami!

    Let the strawberry, mango, and pineapple whisk you away from daily drudgery and drop you off at your dream destinations.

    Sip that neon-berry bliss, feel the energy surging and listen.

    Because in Miami, the music never ends — pop the tab and taste vacation.

    More Than Just Energy: Did you know that Bucked Up has continued to expand its footprint since

    debuting its relationship with Joe Graf Jr. during the 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.

    Bucked Up is a sports nutrition and lifestyle brand focused on helping all athletes and individuals achieve their health and fitness goals. Offering over 500 different products ranging from supplements and energy drinks to apparel and accessories,

    Bucked Up is committed to providing customers with the best products available. Dedicated to using high-quality ingredients and non-proprietary blends, Bucked Up’s pre-workout is the No. 1 best-selling product in its class.

    The brand’s products are now offered in over 25,000 stores worldwide, including Walmart, Amazon, GNC and Vitamin Shoppe.

    Driven To Support: Graf will sport a unique pair of driving gloves this weekend at Bristol as part of the Driven to Give Glove Program in collaboration with the Dale Jr. Foundation.

    At the conclusion of Friday night’s race, Graf will autograph the two-toned gloves, featuring exclusive

    skeleton imagery, and they will be auctioned off to raise money for the foundation.

    From Friday night through Monday, September 18, 2023, the gloves will be up for bid at thedalejrfoundation.org.

    Thanks For Your Support: With a little more than 78 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 Bristol Motor Speedway Stats: Friday night’s Food City 300 will mark Graf’s fifth Xfinity Series start at the famed 0.533-mile track.

    In his previous four Bristol efforts, he delivered a track-best of 13th after starting 36th for SS GreenLight Racing in his Thunder Valley debut in June 2020, running of the Cheddar’s 300 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The Mahwah, New Jersey native also earned a respectable 17th place finish in the 2021 running of the Food City 300 at the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile.”

    Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Career Speedway Stats: At tracks classified as a short track, Graf has competed in 17 NASCAR Xfinity Series races. He holds an average starting position of 25.5 and an average result of 24.7.

    Joe Graf Jr. NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: In 119 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 25.7.

    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.

    Kansas Speedway | Kansas Lottery 300 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Kansas Speedway, Graf hunted for his second top-10 finish of the season.

    In his penultimate Xfinity Series race driving the No. 19 car for Joe Gibbs Racing, Graf was able to improve on his practice result and qualify his No. 19 RUT machine 11th and utilized that track position to maintain a strong presence inside the top-15 for a majority of the race.

    Graf and his car in the closing laps of Stage 3 were mounting lap times equal or better to eventual race winner John Hunter Nemechek, which allowed the former ARCA Menards Series winner to pick up five spots over the closing 30 laps of the race to net a ninth-place result at the checkered flag.

    The finish delivered Graf his second top-10 finish of the season and his best result for JGR, bettering his 11th-place effort at Auto Club (Calif.) Speedway in February.

    Late Model racer Nick Leitz drove RSS Racing with Lefcourt Brothers Racing No. 38 Ford Mustang to a 31st place finish after encountering some setbacks throughout the 200-lap race.

    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 290th NASCAR Xfinity Series race as crew chief on Friday night and his 18th at the historic track in Bristol, Tenn.

    In his previous 289 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 two 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. 28 Cooks Comfort Ford Mustang.

    Ryan Sieg is set to make his 328th career Xfinity Series start overall and 17th at Bristol.

    Kyle Sieg is poised to make his 44th career Xfinity Series start and first at Bristol.

    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 Bristol Motor Speedway: “I always enjoy going to Bristol. It is a fun short track, and I have learned a lot in my previous races. After a strong run at Kansas Speedway, I am feeling pretty good about climbing back behind the wheel of the No. 38 Food City | Bucked Up Miami Energy Drink Ford Mustang.

    “I hope to return that momentum with the RSS Racing with Lefcourt Brothers Racing team and contend for another top-10 on Friday night. In my previous four races, I learned that track position is everything, so we’ll work hard to start as close to the front as possible and let the race play out and hope for a strong showing at the checkered flag.”

    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 Food City 300 (300 laps | 159.9 miles) is the 26th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2023 schedule. Practice begins on Friday, September 15, from 2:35 p.m. – 3:10 p.m. Qualifying immediately follows at 3:10 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag shortly after 7:30 p.m. with live coverage on the USA Network, the Performance Racing Network (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are Eastern (ET).

    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.

  • Toyota Racing – NCTS Bristol Post-Race Report – 09.14.23

    Toyota Racing – NCTS Bristol Post-Race Report – 09.14.23

    COREY HEIM CLINCHES FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP 4 BERTH
    The Toyota development driver will run for the Truck Series championship in Phoenix

    BRISTOL, Tenn. (September 14, 2023) – Corey Heim made the final pass with six laps to go and drove to his third win of the season and fifth win of his career. Heim, the regular season champion, will now be one of the four drivers competing for the Truck Series championship in Phoenix. With the finish, Heim is the youngest driver in Truck Series history with 13 consecutive top-10 finishes. Heim has an incredible 17 top-10 finishes in 19 races this season.

    Heim’s teammate, Taylor Gray, finished fifth, which gives him consecutive top-five finishes for the first time in his Truck Series career.

    Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
    NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
    Bristol Motor Speedway
    Race 20 of 23 – 200 Laps, 106.6 Miles

    TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

    1st, COREY HEIM

    2nd, Christian Eckes *

    3rd, Grant Enfinger*

    4th, Carson Hocevar*

    5th, TAYLOR GRAY

    14th, STEWART FRIESEN

    20th, JAKE DREW

    23rd, TYLER ANKRUM

    26th, TIMMY HILL

    29th, TANNER GRAY

    30th, WILLIAM SAWALICH

    35th, DEAN THOMPSON

    *non-Toyota driver

    TOYOTA QUOTES

    COREY HEIM, No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

    Finishing Position: 1st

    How much teamwork went into making it happen?

    “Teamwork is everything. Huge thank you to TRICON Garage, Toyota Racing, Safelite – this is insane. I feel like I’ve given so many away this year and to win one at the end like that is so special. David Gilliland, Johnny Gray Kevin Ray (team owners) – everyone at TRICON Garage, Scott Zipadelli (crew chief) – thank you. To win one like that is unreal. I feel like I’ve given so many away, but I feel like I’ve got one back.”

    You said that you thought you had the best truck the last three races, how much thought to that did you give on that last pass?

    “I was in the zone. I was thinking about all of the races that we gave away, and didn’t give away, and I just focused forward and set my pass up right where I needed to. Tony Hirschman, my spotter, did an awesome job getting me through there. I’m out of breath. It’s just so awesome to know we are in Phoenix. It’s awesome.

    TAYLOR GRAY, No. 17 Dead On Tools Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

    Finishing Position: 5th

    How was your race tonight?

    “Yeah, overall just making strides with the 17 group – closing out the year here. Just the kind of momentum we needed to close out the year after a pretty rough start of the year. I can’t thank all of my guys enough – everybody involved. I feel like we had a pretty good Dead On Tools Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. Just needed some more track position.”

    WILLIAM SAWALICH, No. 1 Starkey/Soundgear Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

    Finishing Position: 30th

    Crazy day for you – winning the ARCA title to running the Truck race within the hour. Can you talk about how it was for you?

    “It was awesome celebrating with the guys with the ARCA championship and then we moved straight on to the Truck race. I didn’t really have any time between the two to collect my thoughts. I fired off pretty decent – lost some spots there early, before the first caution. We just blew a right front or had a right front going down within the last few laps. I think we were running inside top-15. All-in-all,we had a really fast Starkey/Soundgear Toyota Tundra TRD Pro.”

    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.