Category: XFINITY Series PR

Toyota scores 200th NASCAR Xfinity Series victory

KANSAS CITY (September 9, 2023) – With John Hunter Nemechek’s victory in NASCAR Xfinity Series action at Kansas Speedway today, Toyota has earned its 200th NASCAR Xfinity Series win.

“In a season filled with big moments, we are honored to celebrate another accomplishment,” said David Wilson, president, TRD. “From the special first victory in Indianapolis in 2007 to the recent championship success achieved, we are proud to celebrate our 200th Xfinity Series victory. The collaboration between our teams and TRD has been exceptional. Although we will take a moment to celebrate this incredible achievement, we remain focused on our goals this season, which include our third consecutive driver’s title.”

The late Jason Leffler drove a Toyota Camry to victory at Indianapolis Raceway Park on July 28, 2007, to earn the first victory for the Camry nameplate and first NASCAR Xfinity Series win for Toyota, while Christopher Bell earned the first Toyota GR Supra win at Atlanta Motor Speedway on February 23, 2019.

Toyota has won 149 NASCAR Xfinity Series races in the Toyota Camry and 51 in the Toyota GR Supra. Twenty-two drivers have won in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Toyota led by Kyle Busch’s 91 victories. Joey Logano (18), Bell (17), Denny Hamlin (13) and Ty Gibbs (12) have also won more than 10 races in a Toyota, while Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has won 193 of the 200 races for Toyota in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Toyota and TRD currently provide support for two teams – JGR and Sam Hunt Racing – in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, with five Toyota GR Supras on track each weekend. Toyota has won four driver championships, including the last two with Daniel Hemric (2021) and Ty Gibbs (2022).

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 48,000 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 22 electrified options.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

STEWART-HAAS RACING
NASCAR Xfinity Series: Kansas Lottery 300

Date: Sept. 9, 2023

Event: Kansas Lottery 300 (Round 26 of 33)

Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series

Location: Kansas Speedway (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: John Hunter Nemechek of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

Stage 2 Winner: John Hunter Nemechek of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

SHR Race Finish:

● Riley Herbst (Started 8th / Finished 23rd, Running, completed 198 of 200 laps)

● Cole Custer (Started 3rd / Finished 36th, Accident, completed 60 of 200 laps)

SHR Points:

● Cole Custer (4th with 2,017 points, IN THE PLAYOFFS)

● Riley Herbst (13th with 673 points)

SHR Notes:

● This is Custer’s fourth NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs appearance. His best finish in the standings is second, earned in the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

● Custer finished second in Stage 1 to earn nine bonus points.

● Custer led once for three laps to increase his laps-led total at Kansas to 88.

● Herbst finished ninth in Stage 1 to earn two bonus points.

Race Notes:

● John Hunter Nemechek won the Kansas Lottery 300 to score his eighth career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, his sixth of the season and his second at Kansas. His margin over second-place Brandon Jones was 7.521 seconds.

● There were 10 caution periods for a total of 49 laps.

● Only 11 of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

● Austin Hill is the Xfinity Series Regular Season Champion after Kansas. He won the regular season championship by five points over second-place John Hunter Nemechek and Hill will receive 15 bonus playoff points when the Xfinity Series playoffs kick off next weekend at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

Sound Bites:

“I don’t know. I don’t want to put blame on anybody. I don’t know if it’s just dumb luck or what. I don’t know how long [the tire] was sitting up there, but it just sucks. I was committed into the corner to try to carry a bunch of speed in there, wash up into the corner and that tire was sitting right where I was washing up into. So, it just sucks. I saw it, you know, two car lengths before and then I was into it. It was just too late; I couldn’t miss it. We had a fast car, though. Our guys have been working all year trying to find that little bit of speed that we need and I think we had it today. We just needed to get our balance a little bit better. Honestly, I see this as a momentum gain. I’m looking forward to the playoffs, I think we’re going to have a good run.” – Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang

“I’ve had this mindset for the last few weeks. I went into Daytona with the mindset to become a better race car driver and hopefully to win races this year. I wasn’t looking too far ahead to the playoffs and points racing. Obviously, every driver starts in Daytona setting out to win a championship, but I was looking at it at a more personal level and being a better race car driver. We still have opportunities to go win races, and I honestly felt like today we had a really good opportunity to win this race even after the damage to our Monster Energy Ford Mustang on the early restart, but we’ll move onto Bristol and see what we’ve got.” – Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the Food City 300 on Friday, Sept. 15 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. It is the first race of the Xfinity Series playoffs and the first race of the Round of 12. The race begins at 7:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by USA and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

NEMECHEK SCORES TOYOTA’S 200TH NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WIN
The Toyota development driver scores series-best sixth victory in Kansas

KANSAS CITY (September 9, 2023) – John Hunter Nemechek earned his series-best sixth victory of the season and delivered a milestone for Toyota – 200 victories in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Joe Graf Jr. (ninth) and Kaz Grala (10th) joined Nemechek inside the top-10. For Grala and his team, Sam Hunt Racing, it is a season-best sixth top-10 run.

Nemechek will be the No. 1 seed in the Playoffs with the win. He will be joined in the Playoffs by his Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Sammy Smith.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Kansas Speedway
Race 26 of 33 – 300 miles, 200 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

1st, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK

2nd, Brandon Jones*

3rd, Sheldon Creed*

4th, Parker Kligerman*

5th, Austin Hill*

9th, JOE GRAF JR.

10th, KAZ GRALA

14th, CONNOR MOSACK

24th, JOEY GASE

34th, SAMMY SMITH

*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

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

Finishing Position: 1st

You earned the 200th Xfinity Series win for Joe Gibbs Racing, and now you have earned the 200th Xfinity Series win for Toyota. What does that mean to you?

“With us being able to get 200 wins for Toyota on the Xfinity side is something special. I think is what makes it even more special is after my year in Cup in 2020, the opportunity I had to go Truck racing with Kyle Busch – it wouldn’t have happened without KB or Toyota, TRD. To go Xfinity Series racing, it wouldn’t have happened without Coach (Joe Gibbs), Coy (Gibbs), and a lot of others that were involved, as well as Toyota, TRD. They mean a lot to me, I’m glad to continue my relationship with them in the future. Hopefully, we can win a lot more races together.”

Can you talk about how great your race car was today?

“Our Pye Barker Toyota GR Supra was really, really good. Hats off to this whole 20 crew, Toyota, TRD, everybody at Joe Gibbs Racing. We finally got the Pye Barker colors back in victory lane. That’s really special. I have to say hello to (wife) Taylor, (daughters) Aspen and Penelope back home as well. We will celebrate when we get home. Overall, amazing day, amazing car. We came in here with a goal to get a 60-point day to try maximize Playoff points and we were able to do so. It’s a huge step going into the Playoffs. We definitely have momentum on our side. Looking forward to get started next weekend in Bristol.”

What does a win like this cap off a great week for you?

“It means a lot – but everything this week went as fast as Xfinity 10G, so I haven’t really been able to sit in, and really think about the future. I’m glad that the announcement came out, but once it came out – I haven’t thought about next year at all. It’s all about 2023 and going to win a championship for this 20 team. We set a lot of goals coming into this year and we still have a lot to achieve, so that is what we are going to do.”

KAZ GRALA, No. 26 Island Coastal Lager Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 10th

How was your race?

“Pretty good say for our Island Coastal Lager Supra. We started pretty deep in the field, but I was impressed – we were on the move pretty much immediately. We worked right up to the top-12 after the first couple of restarts, and settled in there. We were a solid probably eight-to-12th place car all day, which for us on a big track like this, is really, really solid. Proud of everybody. The pit crew did a great job. That was a lot of fun, we had this thing pretty dialed in – in the third stage. Glad we can get a top-10 finish. I feel like we needed this for momentum, we haven’t had the best luck lately, so this was a good step in the right direction.”

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.

AM Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Kansas Speedway | Kansas Lottery 300

Fast Facts
No. 25 AM Racing Team:
Driver: Brett Moffitt
Primary Partner(s): Concrete Supply | Destiny Homes
Manufacturer: Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Joe Williams Jr.
Spotter: Tony Raines
Chassis Intel: AMR Chassis No. 006
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 Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway.

The race signifies the eighth 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 Sunflower 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 welcomes The Rasmussen Group as a co-primary partner for Saturday afternoon’s race.

The Rasmussen Group is an Iowa-based company with over a century of construction experience and expertise. Based in Des Moines, Iowa, the Rasmussen Group represents a variety of multi-faceted construction companies. With companies specializing in bridge construction, marine contracts, concrete and asphalt supply, paving, heavy hauling, dump trucks, crane operations, and fabricating steel, the Rasmussen Group can provide excellent, complete customer service with one phone call.

The Rasmussen Group’s Concrete Supply will be the anchor co-primary partner this weekend.

Right At Home: Joining Concrete Supply as a co-primary partner for the Kansas Lottery 300 is Destiny Homes.

At Destiny Homes, there is no shortage of dedicated and experienced professionals ready to serve the families who put their trust in them to build a new home. The hard-working staff at Destiny Homes has over 150 years of combined experience in helping families achieve homeownership.

Destiny Homes’ passion is that every essential worker in the current economy has the opportunity to own a new home. It goes beyond sticks and bricks; it’s about helping customers achieve homeownership which in turn keeps the economy strong.

Destiny Homes is proud of their focused effort in helping families achieve affordable homeownership and how that process strengthens the communities where we live, work and play.

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

In addition to the NASCAR Xfinity Series team being in action at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, the ARCA Menards Series, was competing in their 16th race of the season from the DuQuoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds.

Driver Christian Rose banked his ninth top-10 finish of the 2023 season with a competitive seventh-place finish in the Southern Illinois 100 on Sunday, September 3, 2023.

This weekend, the ARCA Menards Series joins the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Kansas Speedway for their final intermediate race of the 2023 season.

Thanks For Your Support: With more than 78 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.

Honoring Cancer Heroes: Moffitt will have David L’Heureux riding with him Saturday afternoon in Kansas through the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation “Honor a Cancer Hero” fundraiser with The NASCAR Foundation.

L’Heureux of Browns Mills, N.J., has been battling squamous cell carcinoma for the past five years and recently completed six weeks of proton radiation in hopes of becoming cancer-free.

Jennifer Haas recently nominated him to ride along with Moffitt for the 26th Xfinity Series race of the season.

Catch Him On The Dial: Before Brett Moffitt straps into his No. 25 Concrete Supply | Destiny Homes Ford Mustang on Saturday, the AM Racing driver will be featured on “The Frontstretch” on SiriusXM Satellite Radio Channel 90 with host Pat Patterson on Saturday morning, September 9, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. ET.

Brett Moffitt Xfinity Series Kansas Speedway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Kansas Lottery 300 will mark Moffitt’s fifth Xfinity Series start at the Midwest 1.5-mile speedway.

Moffitt is aiming for his fourth consecutive top-10 finish at Kansas Speedway since the 2020 Xfinity Series season.

In his previous four efforts, he has delivered three top-10 finishes. His track-best result occurred during the 2021 Kansas Lottery 300 when Moffitt steered to a sixth-place finish after starting 16th for Our Motorsports.

In addition to Xfinity, Moffitt also has three NASCAR Cup Series and seven NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts, including a popular 2020 Truck Series win at Kansas.

Brett Moffitt Xfinity Series Speedway Stats: At NASCAR Xfinity Series tracks classified as a speedway, Moffitt has made 53 starts throughout his career, earning one pole and 17 top-10 finishes. He also holds an average finishing position of 15.7.

Brett Moffitt NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: In 109 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 17.6.

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

Darlington (S.C.) Raceway | Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway, Brett Moffitt and the AM Racing team chased their seventh top-10 finish of the season.

Following practice, Moffitt and the No. 25 AM Technical Solutions Ford Mustang qualified 18th in the 38-car field, and despite the team’s best effort, they struggled with the balance of their race car and finished 25th at the track dubbed Too Tough To Tame.

In 25 races this season, Moffit has delivered one top-five, seven top-10s, 14 top-15s, 17 top-20s and an average finish of 17.0.

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

He will be crew chief for his 124th NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday afternoon and his fifth race at Kansas Speedway.

In his previous 123 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected one win (Auto Club Speedway | February 2022), eight top-five and 28 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 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 Twitter (@brett_moffitt).

Brett Moffitt Quoteboard:

On Kansas Speedway: “Overall, Kansas Speedway has been a good track for me, and I look forward to the opportunity to continue to showcase that with my AM Racing team on Saturday afternoon.

“This weekend is our last opportunity to make it into the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs, and believe me, we are not going down without a fight.

“I know that we are coming to Kansas prepared to the best of our ability and hoping to deliver in a big way on Saturday afternoon.

“I’ve won at Kansas Speedway before, and I’m eager to do it again and bring AM Racing home their first career win!

“I cannot thank my longtime partners, The Rasmussen Group, Concrete Supply and Destiny Homes, for their support of partnering with us this weekend. The car looks great, and I am ready to get after it.”

On 2023 Season: “We are quickly approaching the homestretch of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, and I feel we have much to be proud of. Our team has strengthened as the season has marched on, and I believe the results have showcased that.

“We have been on a little bit of a roller coaster, but that will end soon. We have some excellent tracks coming up for our AM Racing team. Despite our tough finish at Darlington, we are focused as ever and ready to go to Kansas and put our team back in the top-10.

“With the Playoffs on deck starting next weekend at Bristol, Kansas, is our one shot to throw a Hail Mary and take up one of the coveted 12 spots and bring some attention to our AM Racing team.”

Race Information:

The Kansas Lottery 300 (200 laps | 300 miles) is the 26th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2023 schedule. Practice begins on Saturday, September 9, from 10:05 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Qualifying immediately follows at 10:35 a.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag shortly after 3:00 p.m. with live coverage on NBC, the Motor Racing Network (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are Eastern.

About AM Racing:

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

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

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

Bristol, Tennessee, September 5, 2023 – With great excitement, Ryan Ellis and Alpha Prime Racing are proud to unveil Diamond Door as the premier sponsor for Ryan Ellis and the No.43 Alpha Prime Racing Chevy Camaro, making its debut appearance at the upcoming Food City 300. Set to hit the track at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 15th, this race marks the inaugural event of the highly anticipated 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs.

Diamond Door, an ASSA ABLOY company, is your one-stop shop for panel overhead doors and coiling aluminum shutter doors. Diamond Door has the most extensive range of roll-up door products in the United States. With such a diverse range of products and an outstanding design and engineering staff, Diamond Door can design and manufacture a roll-up door for almost any requirement.
While the primary focus of products is for the work truck industry, Diamond Door also designs and manufactures roll-up doors for many special applications such as point-of-purchase displays, counter shutters, military containers and pit carts, special medical equipment, pull-behind trailers, and many more. Call us with your idea, and we will help you design a solution. We use 3D SolidWorks to design your door.
“I’m really excited to welcome Diamond Door to NASCAR, especially at a venue as prestigious as Bristol,” said Ryan Ellis, driver of the No.43 Diamond Door Chevy Camaro. “The partnership is a phenomenal fit with so many NASCAR fans working in the transportation industry. I’m really looking forward to meeting the Diamond Door team at the upcoming race. The racecar looks amazing, and I know it’ll shine under the lights of the “The Last Great Colosseum”! We’re really hoping to deliver a great event on and off the track for the Diamond Door group, with hopes to grow this partnership into 2024.”

“Exciting times ahead!” said Stephanie Correa, Business Director at Diamond Door. “This partnership is a testament to the shared vision and commitment to excellence. A clear demonstration of how working together can create opportunities. It is a win-win for everyone involved. Honored to support #43!”

The No.43 Diamond Door Chevy will also be sponsored by Heartbeat Hot Sauce – who has sponsored Ellis in many events throughout 2022 and 2023. Fans of Heartbeat Hot Sauce can order their products online – including a limited edition “NASCAR No.44 Red Habanero” flavor – commemorating their first race in NASCAR at Talladega last year.

BRISTOL TUNE-IN INFORMATION:
A busy day at Bristol starts at 2:35 pm ET Friday, with two practice groups hitting the track until 3:10 pm. Single-car qualifying kicks off at 3:10 pm ET, with each vehicle making two laps to set the stage for Friday night’s 300-lap event. The Food City 300 starts at 7:30 pm ET with coverage on the USA Network and radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR.
ABOUT DIAMOND DOOR:
Diamond Door, an ASSA ABLOY company, has pioneered roll-up door solutions since its inception in 1991, situated in the heart of Upper Sandusky, Ohio. What began as the production hub for dry freight roll-up doors swiftly evolved, showcasing its spirit of innovation by seamlessly integrating aluminum shutter door products into its repertoire in January 1996.
The convergence of two exceptional offerings – the robust dry freight doors (panel overhead doors) and the sleek aluminum shutter doors (coiling doors) – positions Diamond Door as the ultimate destination for all your vehicle roll-up door requisites. Beyond this, Diamond Door stands ready to craft bespoke solutions tailored precisely to your needs, employing cutting-edge design and advanced 3D modeling techniques.
Diamond Door’s influence has transcended traditional bounds in recent years, gaining a formidable presence in diverse markets through its exceptional aluminum shutter products. Today, Diamond Door is the preferred supplier for many sectors, including the work truck domain, fire and rescue services, architectural ventures, captivating point-of-purchase displays, versatile kiosks, and the toolbox and pit cart realm. The ascendancy of shutter and coiling door usage in the United States is unmistakable, underscored by the realization of their myriad advantages: elevated safety standards, streamlined installation procedures, unwavering reliability, and a holistic reduction in operational costs.
2020 marked a significant milestone for Diamond Door, as it was seamlessly integrated into the industrial door division of ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems, a globally acclaimed titan in the realm of opening solutions. This transformative union catapulted Diamond Door into a league of its own, bolstered by the comprehensive suite of world-class products and services offered by ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems. A world of cutting-edge solutions is now available, from innovative vertical lifting fabric doors to specialized food service delivery doors.

ABOUT ALPHA PRIME RACING:
Alpha Prime Racing is a NASCAR Xfinity Series team co-owned by NASCAR driver Tommy Joe Martins and Alpha Prime Sports Founder and CEO Caesar Bacarella. The team was initially founded in 2009 under the name Martins Racing and has since grown into a three-car Chevrolet team, adding the No. 43 Chevrolet in 2023, primarily piloted by Ryan Ellis.

It was just announced on August 4th, 2023, that Ellis will compete full-time in the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season in his first-ever full-time NASCAR season.

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

• Event: Kansas Lottery 300 (Round 26 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, Sept. 9
• Location: Kansas Speedway in Kansas City
• Layout: 1.5-mile oval
• Time/TV/Radio: 3 p.m. EDT on NBC/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

• Cole Custer heads to Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series regular-season finale at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City ready to chase a win and gain more playoffs points before the No. 00 Haas Automation driver kicks off his championship run in the playoffs. Two weeks after the NASCAR Cup Series concluded its regular season Aug. 26 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, the Xfinity Series will wrap up its regular season at the 1.5-mile intermediate track in the Heartland. Custer has had a strong two weeks with a fifth-place finish at Daytona and a fourth-place result last weekend at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, and he looks to continue the strong run this weekend. While his history at Kansas has been a bit of a roller coaster, Custer has been a contender on intermediate tracks this season. Of the 11 intermediate-track starts, he has finished in the top-10 five times with a best finish of third earned May 13 at Darlington and May 29 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
• Heading to the final race before the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs commence Sept. 15 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, Custer sits fourth in the driver standings and is locked into the postseason via his two victories this season – June 3 at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway and July 2 in the Inaugural Chicago Street Race. He’s accumulated 17 playoffs points thus far, courtesy of his race wins and stage wins this season.
• Saturday’s Kansas Lottery 300 will mark Custer’s fifth career Xfinity Series start at Kansas. His best Kansas finish is 11th, earned in the October 2019 race when he led 85 laps before ultimately falling back. He has an additional seven starts outside of the Xfinity Series at Kansas – one in the NASCAR Truck Series and six in the NASCAR Cup Series. He finished seventh in his lone Truck Series start in May 2016, and a best finish of 18th in the September 2021 Cup Series race at the track.
• Custer will be pulling double duty once again this weekend as he’ll also be back behind the wheel of the No. 51 Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing (RWR) in Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400. It will be his sixth Cup Series start of the season with RWR, the previous five coming July 9 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, July 17 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, July 23 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, Aug. 7 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, and Aug. 20 at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• Riley Herbst is defending his spot in the 12-driver 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs as the series heads to its regular-season finale in the Kansas Lottery 300 Saturday at Kansas. After two weeks of bad luck and mechanical issues Aug. 19 at Watkins Glen and Aug. 25 at Daytona, the driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) dropped from 11th to 13th and was on the outside looking in for the playoff standings. But his sixth-place finish last Saturday at Darlington eliminated his 20-point deficit to 12th-place Parker Kligerman to a one-point advantage over Kligerman for the final playoff position. Herbst ran in the top-10 for a majority of the day at Darlington before his sixth-place finish and looks to lock himself into the playoffs for the fourth year in a row with another strong run Saturday at Kansas.
• Saturday’s race will mark Herbst’s fifth career start at Kansas. In his four prior starts, Herbst earned a best finish of ninth in his rookie 2020 season after starting eighth. He has finished outside of the top-16 just once in his Xfinity Series career at the 1.5-mile track. The Las Vegas native has an additional six starts outside of the Xfinity Series at Kansas – four in the ARCA Menards Series, all top-10 finishes, and two in the NASCAR Truck Series. He has a best finish of third in his July 2020 ARCA start after starting on the pole. Best of his two Truck Series starts was a ninth-place run in May 2019.
• While Herbst is seeking his first career Xfinity Series win, the No. 98 team has already earned a victory at Kansas, when Chase Briscoe led a race-high 159 laps and beat runner-up Daniel Hemric by 1.199 seconds in the October 2019 race. In the NASCAR Cup Series, SHR owns three Kansas wins – one by Tony Stewart in October 2009, and two by Kevin Harvick in October 2016 and May 2018.

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

The Xfinity Series is heading to Kansas for the first time in 2023 as you had an off weekend when the Cup and Truck Series visited the track in May. How are you preparing for the final race of the regular season?

“Overall, there are going to be guys who are a little bit desperate going into the Kansas race. It’s the final race of the regular season and the final playoff spots are so close in points. They’ll be racing extremely hard, and we want to play it smart as to not put ourselves in a bad situation. At the same time, though, we have to go out there and try to win. It will help make us more solidified in the playoffs and give us more playoff points. We can’t back down and ride around just because we’re locked into the playoffs. Every weekend we show up ready to race for a win, and that’s just what we’ll do this weekend.”

We’re one race away from the NASCAR Playoffs where the real race for the championship begins. What do you need to win a championship this season?

“I think it’s a lot about not making mistakes in the playoffs. You’re going to have a few teams that take themselves out with mistakes and you never want to be that team. We have to be able to put some solid races together to make it through each round. There are only three races per round, so a mistake could cost you a chance to advance. From there, you still have to have solid speed and a smart strategy. The entire field resets and you’re all kind of on equal ground. It’s why those playoff points are so important. We have to be smart and fast. I know that this No. 00 Haas Automation team can get it done, though.”

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

You’re heading to the regular-season finale at Kansas this weekend and, after a strong effort at Darlington, you’re back above the cutline in the 12th and final playoff spot. What do you have to do this weekend to not only defend your spot in the playoffs but also be competitive enough to go for the win?

“At the end of the day, we show up at the racetrack each and every weekend to contend for the win. It’s cool to be back in the playoffs at the moment, and I’m hoping we can keep ourselves in contention. We never wanted to be in this position with how solid we were at the beginning of the year, but I know that we can bounce back from this. My hope is that we can go out, contend for the win and lock ourselves in the playoffs with a victory, but we’re also going to be conscious of the points. We’re in the better position right now above the cutline, so it’s about finding that balance.”

Kansas has been a solid track for you in the past – especially in the Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series. What do you like about the track?

“I love this track. Kansas is probably one of my favorite intermediate tracks just because I have some solid history there in Trucks and ARCA. Even in the Xfinity Series, we’ve been decent there. There’s a lot that can transfer over from those starts to the Xfinity Series, but ultimately seat time helps you learn the track. We’ve had fast Ford Mustangs each and every week, so now it’s just about leaving the bad luck behind us and making no mistakes. I want to be able to park the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang in victory lane, and Kansas seems like a good place to do it.”

JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Kansas Speedway
RACE: Kansas Lottery 300 (200 laps / 300 miles)
DATE: Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023

Broadcast Information – TV: 3 p.m. ET on NBC / Radio: 3 p.m. ET on MRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Sam Mayer
No. 1 Huck’s Market / Accelerate Chevrolet

• Sam Mayer and the No. 1 team head back to Kansas Speedway for his third career start there. Huck’s Market will be on board Mayer’s Chevrolet for their fourth race of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.
• The young driver has tallied a pair of top-10 finishes at the tri-oval and holds an average finish of 8.5.
• In 12 starts on tracks measuring 1.5 miles in length, Mayer has raced to four top-five and nine top- 10 efforts in his NXS career.
• The Franklin, Wis. native scored his first career pole at a 1.5 mile surface (Charlotte Motor Speedway) in the spring of 2022.
• With his fifth-place finish last week at Darlington, Berry clinched his spot in the NXS Playoffs for the second straight season.

Josh Berry
No. 8 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats & ATV’s Chevrolet

• Berry’s best finish in two starts at Kansas Speedway is seventh, coming in 2022.
• On 1.5-mile speedways in his NXS career, Berry has made 20 starts, winning three of them and adding eight top-five and 15 top-10 finishes while leading 301 laps. His wins came at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (2) and Charlotte.
• The familiar colors of Bass Pro Shops and TRACKER Boats & ATVs will be on Berry’s Chevrolet again this weekend.

Brandon Jones
No. 9 Menards/NIBCO Chevrolet

• Kansas has been good to Brandon Jones in the past as he has secured two wins that came in back-to-back fashion during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Jones has also recorded three top-five and five top-10 finishes in eight starts there.
• With one race remaining in the NXS regular season, Jones sits 14th in the driver’s standings, two spots behind the 12th and final playoff spot.
• In this race last season, Jones qualified on the pole and led four laps before finishing in the fourth position.
• Crew chief Jason Burdett has called the shots for nine career NXS races at the 1.5-mile Kansas and has recorded four topfive and seven top-10 finishes.

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet

• Justin Allgaier returns to Kansas looking to be just one spot better after having finished in the runner-up position in this event last year.
• Heading into the final race of the NXS regular season, Allgaier currently sits third in the playoff standings, just 33 markers out of the series lead.
• In 13 career NXS starts in Kansas, Allgaier has amassed four top fives and 10 top 10s, including five consecutive top 10s dating back to this event in 2019.
• Allgaier owns one victory this season on a track 1.5-miles in length, coming at Charlotte back in May

Driver Quotes

“Kansas has been a fun track for me in the past and I really excel on mile-and-a-half tracks so I am really looking forward to getting back there and hopefully can put our No. 1 Huck’s Market Chevrolet in contention for a good finish. Last weekend did not go as we hoped or planned but I know we can capitalize on everything and move forward to Kansas.” – Sam Mayer

“We’ve been really fast all season long on the mile-and-a-half tracks and I feel really confident we will have that same speed again this weekend with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet. We came really close to getting the win here last year, so hopefully we can be that one spot better and head into these playoffs.” – Justin Allgaier

“It’s good to get to Kansas knowing we’re in the playoffs, and we can start pushing for the championship. This No. 8 Bass Pro Shops team has been coming on lately, and with a good run this weekend we can set the tone for the run to Phoenix and the championship. Kansas is a different challenge than we’ve had so far this season, and I’m looking forward to competing for the victory.” – Josh Berry

“Kansas has been really good to me, and it’s one of the better tracks for me that we go to. We have one last chance to get our team into the playoffs and I have all the confidence that we can do that this weekend. I’m ready to get there and to get this weekend going. This Menards/NIBCO team is doing everything they can to make sure we unload with the speed we know we are capable of, and I know we will be good to start.” – Brandon Jones

JRM Team Updates:

• JR Motorsports at Kansas: JR Motorsports heads to Kansas Speedway as the defending race winner at the 1.5-mile trioval, having gone to Victory Lane in this event last season with Noah Gragson. Overall, in 52 career starts in the NXS at Kansas, JRM has accumulated a combined total of 15 top fives and 32 top 10s to accompany the victory last season.
• Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Justin Allgaier, Sam Mayer and Josh Berry will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / Legacy MC souvenir rig on Saturday, Sept. 9 from 11:30 a.m.-noon local time.
• Sam Mayer Super Bigg Club Subb: Lunch is on Huck’s Market! If Mayer finishes third or better this weekend at Kansas Speedway, fans can sign up via the Huck’s Bucks Bigg Rewards app to get one free Sam Mayer Super Bigg Subb Club at participating Huck’s Markets.

Gaffney, SC – BeONE Sports, a pioneering entity in the realm of sports technology, announced a groundbreaking partnership that showcases its innovative platform in tandem with Mass St. Collective and the distinguished Kansas Athletics department.

This unique collaboration marks a significant stride as BeONE Sports merges its expertise with the university’s prowess to introduce a pioneering Collegiate NIL NASCAR Xfinity race car. The debut of this initiative will take place at the Kansas Lottery 300 NASCAR Xfinity race on September 9th at Kansas Speedway.

Integral to this milestone collaboration is JD Motorsports, a prominent player in the racing arena. Additionally, this endeavor encompasses the prominent participation of eleven (11) student-athletes from the University of Kansas who will grace the race car, under the aegis of Mass St. Collective.

For collectors, this project has special significance as BeOne Sports and Mass St. Collective recently announced the release of a limited edition die-cast bookshelf version of the exact car that will drive on the track. This 1/24 diecast model of the car is available now for pre-order at www.dailydownforce.com/shop/kansas. Only 500 of these model cars will be made available to commemorate this unique collaboration.

Click here to learn how to purchase the BeOne Sports – Mass St. Collective – Kansas Athletics NASCAR Diecast Car Model

Established in 2021, Mass St. Collective is an entity dedicated to empowering Jayhawk student-athletes by cultivating their personal brands and leveraging their name, image, and likeness.

Dan Beckler, President of Mass St. Collective, said, “Our commitment at Mass St. Collective is to unearth novel avenues that enable the expansion of our KU student-athletes’ brands through the strategic utilization of their name, image, and likeness. Partnering with BeONE Sports to feature 11 Jayhawks on a NASCAR Xfinity Series Race car is an unprecedented feat, infusing the racing industry with the essence of NIL and college athletes. The profound loyalty exhibited by NASCAR fans towards their favored brands accentuates the significance of this endeavor. The fact that this momentous debut takes place in our very own home state at Kansas Speedway adds an extra layer of significance.”

Brennan Poole, the accomplished driver of the #6 JD Motorsports Chevrolet, exuberantly conveyed, “I’m so excited to be a part of something that’s never been done before! I love Kansas and it’s going to be so cool to have the college athletes on the car and give them a ride in our fast race car!”

Beyond the realm of collaboration, BeONE Sports is committed to elevating the racing experience through pioneering technology aimed at optimizing the racetrack. Leveraging the advanced capabilities of BeONE Sports, JD Motorsports aspires to heighten its competitive edge within the NASCAR Xfinity Series by adopting comparative training methodologies across the team.

Johnny Davis, owner of JD Motorsports, asserted, “JD Motorsports is excited to partner with BeOne Sports, the Mass St. Collective and these highly-regarded male and female student-athletes. The return of BeONE Sports to our team is a testament to our dedicated efforts in helping shape this groundbreaking NIL collaboration that ushers in a new era for NASCAR.”

“We believe athletes are everywhere, and we are very excited to bring new and interesting NIL opportunities to student-athletes. The Kansas Athletics and NIL NASCAR program is a great example of collaboration and driving innovation…literally,” says Scott Deans, BeONE Sports Founder and CEO.

BeONE Sports, Mass St. Collective and the student-athletes plan on being present at Kansas Speedway on September 9. For comprehensive insights, please visit beonesports.com.

The Kansas Lottery 300 will take place at 3 pm EST on Saturday, September 9 and will be broadcast live on NBC.

About BeONE Sports:

BeONE Sports stands as a vanguard in sports training technology, rooted in the principles of biomechanics across various sports. The revolutionary “Comparative Training” methodology, integral to BeONE Sports, involves the digitization of accomplished athletes’ movements into a cutting-edge technology platform, thereby creating a repository of invaluable learning potential. This patent-pending AI-driven mobile technology empowers aspiring athletes worldwide to train alongside their heroes. Prompt feedback on technique and bodily positioning, facilitated by BeONE Sports, is redefining the nexus of NIL, enabling athletes and coaches to derive value while nurturing the next generation of talent. To delve further into this innovative narrative, visit www.beonesports.com.

About Mass St. Collective:

Mass St. Collective emerges as a pioneering force in the domain of name, image, and likeness, serving the entirety of student-athletes at the University of Kansas. Orchestrating a symphony of possibilities through generous contributions from patrons, Mass St. Collective orchestrates avenues for student-athletes to harness the potential of their NIL. These opportunities manifest as strategic collaborations with businesses and charitable entities aligned with their ethos and passions. The core mission is to instigate generational transformations for these student-athletes, while concurrently fostering personal brand development within the context of one of the nation’s most recognizable collegiate athletic programs. For comprehensive insights, explore www.MassStrategies.com.