Category: XFINITY Series PR

STEWART-HAAS RACING
NASCAR Xfinity Series: Daytona 250

Date: Aug. 25, 2023
Event: Daytona 250 (Round 24 of 33)
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (2.5-mile oval)
Format: 100 laps, broken into three stages (30 laps/30 laps/40 laps)
Note: Race extended 10 laps past its scheduled 100-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.
Race Winner: Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Austin Hill of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Sheldon Creed of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)

SHR Race Finish:

● Cole Custer (Started 11th / Finished 5th, completed 110 of 110 laps)
● Riley Herbst (Started 16th / Finished 24th, completed 108 of 110 laps)

SHR Points:

● Cole Custer (4th with 817 points, 102 out of first)
● Riley Herbst (11th with 623 points, 296 out of first)

SHR Notes:

● Custer earned his ninth top-five of the season and his first top-five in eight career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Daytona.
● This was Custer’s third straight top-10. He finished sixth Aug. 12 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and seventh last Saturday at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.
● This was Custer’s second straight top-10 at Daytona. He finished ninth in the season opener in February.
● Custer finished ninth in Stage 1 to earn two bonus points and third in Stage 2 to earn eight more bonus points.
● Custer led once for one lap to increase his laps-led total at Daytona to 10.
● This was Herbst’s fifth straight top-25 at Daytona. He has only finished outside the top-25 twice in nine Xfinity Series starts.

Race Notes:

● Justin Allgaier won the Daytona 250 to score his 21st career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, his second of the season and his first at Daytona. His margin over second-place Sheldon Creed was .005 of a second.
● There were six caution periods for a total of 32 laps.
● Only 19 of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
● Austin Hill remains the championship leader after Daytona with a 27-point advantage over second-place Justin Allgaier.

Sound Bites:

“You know, we didn’t have the fastest or the best-handling car out there today. Honestly, we didn’t really have a lot of help. Thankfully, we were able to dodge a lot of wrecks and use strategy to make a lot of impressive moves at the end. In Stage 2, we got our car handling better and a new set of tires so we could be aggressive. The last lap didn’t work out how I wanted it to, but we made some good moves to get up there. Proud of this No. 00 Haas Automation team for this top-five today.” – Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang

“To be honest, I hate what happened between last week and this week. We had a mechanical issue both weeks that took us out of contention to go for some good finishes. It really put us deep in the points battle for the playoffs, and now we’re on the outside looking in with two races to go. I know we can make it up with this No. 98 Monster Energy team, and I just hope that we can get a little luck thrown our way. We have speed at Darlington and Kansas, so hopefully we can put this all behind us as we head to those two tracks.” – Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 on Saturday, Sept. 2 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. The race begins at 3:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by USA and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

RSS Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway | Wawa 250

Fast Facts

No. 38 RSS Racing with Lefcourt Brothers Team:

Driver: Joe Graf Jr.

Primary Partner(s): Wawa Galaxy Recharger

Manufacturer: Ford Mustang

Crew Chief: Steve Addington

Spotter: Joe Campbell

Engine: Roush-Yates Engines

Driver Championship Point Standings: 23rd

Team Championship Point Standings: 27th

Notes of Interest:

Settling 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 Wawa on board as the primary partner for Friday night’s Wawa 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

As part of their relationship with RSS Racing with Lefcourt Brothers Racing, Wawa will promote its “Recharger” beverage with Graf promoting the Galaxy flavor.

Graf joins Xfinity Series drivers Natalie Decker, Brett Moffitt and J.J. Yeley, who will all promote various recharger flavors in the final superspeedway race of the season.

About Wawa: Wawa is a chain of more than 1000 convenience retail stores (over 750 offering gasoline), Wawa stores are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C.

The stores offer a large fresh food service selection, including Wawa brands such as built-to-order hoagies, freshly brewed coffee, handcrafted beverages, on-the-go express case meals, Sizzlis (Wawa’s take on a breakfast sandwich) and other everyday grocery and convenience items.

Wawa Rechargers are a new product line offering an alternative to an energy drink or coffee. Rechargers are naturally caffeinated with Guayana, green coffee extract, ginseng, and coffeeberry. Customers can choose from bold, delicious flavors and lower-sugar options and customize with added immunity for the energy they need.

The Galaxy flavor boasts Blue Raspberry and Dragonfruit Lemonade and is available iced or frozen.

Thanks For Your Support: With a little more than 69 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 Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway Stats: Friday night’s Wawa 250 will mark Graf’s ninth start at the “World Center of Racing.”

In his previous eight efforts, Graf delivered a track-best of seventh after starting 29th for RSS Racing with Lefcourt Brothers Racing during the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Speedway Stats: At NASCAR Xfinity Series tracks classified as a speedway 2.0-mile or larger in length, Graf has competed in 24 NASCAR Xfinity Series races with three top-10 finishes, an average starting position of 24.5 and an average result of 25.1.

Joe Graf Jr. ARCA Menards Series Career Superspeedway Nuggets: In three career ARCA superspeedway track races, Graf Jr. has two top-10 finishes. He has been running at the finish of all three races. He holds an average starting position of 15.3 and an average result of 11th with three (3) laps led.

In 2018, Graf Jr. was involved in the closest finish in ARCA Menards Series history at Talladega Superspeedway in a photo finish.

The margin was so narrow in the 69-year history of the series, it was a statistical dead heat, the margin of victory on the computerized scoring monitors showing 0.000 seconds. Only a video replay and the photo finish camera were able to determine Graf finished second by a matter of millimeters.

Joe Graf Jr. NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: In 116 career Xfinity Series starts, Graf has earned three top-10 finishes, including a seventh-place outing at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February 2023. During that tenure, he also holds an average finishing position of 25.6.

He earned a career-best Xfinity Series qualifying effort of 13th last year at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway with SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt.

Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International | Shriner Children’s 200 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen (N.Y) International, Graf hunted his second top-10 finish of the season.

After starting his No. 38 G-Coin® Ford Mustang from the 36th position, Graf made solid progress throughout the race, climbing solidly inside the top 25 and raced towards a top-20 finish before settling for a track-best 22nd place finish at the checkered flag in the penultimate road course race of the season.

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 287th NASCAR Xfinity Series race as crew chief on Friday and his 12th at Daytona.

In his previous 285 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 RSS Racing Ford Mustang, while younger brother Kyle Sieg will drive the No. 28 Night Owl National Contractors Inc. Ford Mustang.

Ryan Sieg is set to make his 325th career Xfinity Series start overall and 20th on the oval of Daytona International Speedway.

Kyle Sieg is poised to make his 41st career Xfinity Series start and fourth at Daytona.

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), Twitter (@JoeGrafJr) and Instagram (@joegrafjr).

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

Joe Graf Jr. Quoteboard:

On Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway: “Obviously, I am very excited to return to Daytona International Speedway with my RSS Racing with Lefcourt Brothers Racing team. We had an incredibly fast No. 38 Ford Mustang in February, and I feel we can duplicate or improve our performance on Friday night.

“I have always enjoyed racing on the superspeedways of Daytona and Talladega, but I am stoked about returning to Daytona in the Wawa Galaxy Recharger colors. The car looks great, the drink is fantastic, and I hope we can draft our performance out of the galaxy with maybe a win on Friday night.

“I appreciate the hard work of my RSS Racing with Lefcourt Brothers Racing team and the continued support of our great marketing partners.”

On The 2023 Season: “As we press on during the second half of the NASCAR Xfinity Series, it is essential for me to utilize what I have learned with the RSS Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing teams and apply that behind the wheel.

“August hasn’t necessarily been a good month for me in terms of results, but it has not come from the lack of effort from myself or my team. We will continue fighting hard and inch forward over the final 10 races.

“We started the year off strong but then fell a little bit. We’re slowly but steadily trying to put ourselves in a good position for the end of the summer and into the fall.

“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 have my best Xfinity Series season yet.”

Race Information:

The Wawa 250 (100 laps | 250 miles) is the 24th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2023 schedule. Qualifying is set for Friday, August 25th, 2023, beginning at 3:00 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag later that, shortly after 7:30 p.m. with live coverage on the USA Network, the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (Eastern).

About RSS Racing:

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

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

AM Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway | Wawa 250

Fast Facts

No. 25 AM Racing Team:

Driver: Brett Moffitt

Primary Partner(s): Wawa Dragon Burst Recharger

Manufacturer: Ford Mustang

Crew Chief: Joe Williams Jr.

Spotter: Tony Raines

Chassis Intel: AMR Chassis No. 718

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 Friday night’s Wawa 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

The race signifies the sixth 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 Finger Lakes region of New York, 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, arrives on the scene at AM Racing after a stint at Our Motorsports.

Welcome Aboard: AM Racing and driver Brett Moffit welcome Wawa as the primary partner for Friday night’s Wawa 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

As part of their relationship with AM Racing, Wawa will promote its “Recharger” beverages, with Moffitt promoting the Dragon Burst flavor.

Moffitt joins Xfinity Series drivers Natalie Decker, Joe Graf Jr., and J.J. Yeley who will all promote various recharger flavors in the final superspeedway race of the season.

About Wawa: Wawa is a chain of more than 1000 convenience retail stores (over 750 offering gasoline), Wawa stores are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C.

The stores offer a large fresh food service selection, including Wawa brands such as built-to-order hoagies, freshly brewed coffee, handcrafted beverages, on-the-go express case meals, Sizzlis (Wawa’s take on a breakfast sandwich) and other everyday grocery and convenience items.

Wawa Rechargers are a new product line offering an alternative to an energy drink or coffee. Rechargers are naturally caffeinated with Guayana, green coffee extract, ginseng, and coffeeberry. Customers can choose from bold, delicious flavors and lower-sugar options and customize with added immunity for the energy they need.

The Dragon Burst flavor boasts Dragonfruit Lemonade and is available iced or frozen.

Associate Partner Intel: The Statesville, N.C.-based team will sport the signage of AM Technical Solutions as a major associate partner on the No. 25 Ford Mustang for the 24th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races this season.

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

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

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

In addition to the NASCAR Xfinity Series team being in action at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, the ARCA Menards Series was taking on a doubleheader weekend at Watkins Glen and the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

Driver Christian Rose banked two top-12 finishes and his ARCA rookie season presses on with his second start at The Milwaukee Mile on Sunday, August 27, 2023.

Conversely, AM Racing’s Dirt Division was victorious again at Lake View Motor Speedway.

Overall, the Statesville, N.C.-based Dirt Division has nine victories thus far in 2023.

Thanks For Your Support: With more than 69 percent of the 2023 season complete, AM Racing and Brett Moffitt would like to thank their associate marketing partners for their support: AIRBOX Air Purifier, CForce Bottling Company, Flying Circle, Kreuz Market, Lane Frost Brand, Mechanix Wear and Mobil 1.

Brett Moffitt Xfinity Series Daytona International Speedway Stats: Friday night’s Wawa 250 will mark Moffitt’s seventh start at the “World Center of Racing.”

Moffitt delivered a track and career best of second in his previous six efforts after starting 15th for Our Motorsports during the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.

In addition to his Xfinity Series starts at Daytona, Moffitt also has one NASCAR Cup Series start during the 2015 season, driving for Front Row Motorsports. The Grimes, Iowa native also has five NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

Brett Moffitt Xfinity Series Superspeedway Stats: At NASCAR Xfinity Series tracks classified as a superspeedway, Moffitt has made 22 starts throughout his career earning two top-five and seven top-10 finishes. He also holds an average finishing position of 15.8.

Brett Moffitt NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: In 107 career Xfinity Series starts, Moffitt has earned three top-five and 30 top-10 finishes, including a second-place outing at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February 2021. During that tenure, he also holds an average finishing position of 17.5.

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

In addition to 104 Xfinity Series starts, he has achieved 45 NASCAR Cup Series and 92 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts to his credit.

Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International | Shriner Children’s 200 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International Brett Moffitt and the AM Racing team chased their seventh top-10 finish of the season.

With decent speed in practice, the team qualified 20th but utilized the race and strategy to propel them forward, but on their march to the front, Moffitt endured an axle issue, which sent them to the garage.

Moffitt and the team settled for a disappointing 29th-place finish.

In 23 races this season, Moffit has delivered one top-five, seven top-10s, 14 top-15s, 16 top-20s and an average finish of 16.6.

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

He will be crew chief for his 122nd NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Friday night and his eighth on the oval at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

In his previous 121 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 Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway: “Daytona is always a crapshoot. You never know what to expect. I have been fortunate to have fast race cars when I go to Daytona, but trying to capitalize on that speed doesn’t always turn out as I had hoped.

“I am really excited to bring the same No. 25 AM Racing Ford Mustang that we raced at Talladega Superspeedway in April. It was incredibly fast and we dominated the race before getting collected in a late-race incident.

“I am also proud to represent Wawa this weekend and promote their Dragon Burst recharger. They have a start within a few minutes of the track and with them being the title partner for the race, I am eager to deliver them a strong finish with our Ford Mustang.

“Our goal Friday night is to win and propel ourselves into the Xfinity Series Playoffs!”

On 2023 Season Outlook: “We are past the halfway point of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series, 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 right now, but that will end soon. We have some excellent tracks coming up for our AM Racing team. We are reenergized and ready to head to Daytona and fight for more than a top-10 finish.

“With the Playoffs on the horizon, we are doing everything in our power to fight our way into Victory Lane so we can take up one of the coveted 12 spots and bring some attention to our AM Racing team.”

Race Information:

The Wawa 250 (100 laps | 250 miles) is the 24th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2023 schedule. Qualifying is set for Friday, August 25th, 2023, beginning at 3:00 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag later that, shortly after 7:30 p.m. with live coverage on the USA Network, the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (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.

Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito Autosport
NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Overview-
Daytona International Speedway; August 25, 2023

Track; Daytona International Speedway– Superspeedway (2.5-Miles)
Race: WaWa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola; 100 Laps –30/30/40; 250 Miles
Date/Broadcast: Saturday; August 25, 2023 7:30 PM ET
TV: USA Network, and the NBC Sports App
Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN)- Check Local Listings for affiliate, and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90
Social Media: Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito AutoSport; Facebook, Instagram, and X

Jeb Burton – No. 22 State Water Heater/ Puryear Tank Lines
Chevrolet Camaro SS Preview- Daytona International Speedway

Social Media; Facebook, X, Instagram

News and Notes:

• Practice; In similar fashion to the races held at Talladega Superspeedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway during the 2023 season, the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) will receive no practice time for Friday night’s WaWa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway (DIS).

– Starting Position; After a full day of technical inspection on Thursday, with no practice scheduled teams will move directly into qualifying at 3:00 PM ET Friday afternoon to determine the starting order for Friday night’s WaWa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola. In 2023, superspeedway qualifying for the NXS would consist of a two rounds of single car single lap qualifying with the 10 fastest cars in Round 1 moving on to Round 2 to determine the starting order of the Top-10. With 38 cars entered, no one will miss the race. Driving the No. 22 this weekend in a tribute to his father (Ward Burton), and his 2002 Daytona 500 Win, Jeb would enter the race with no owner points and would be required to go out on track 1st for his qualifying lap. Qualifying will be shown in its entirety LIVE on USA Network (USA) and the NBC Sports App at 3:00 PM ET.

– Daytona International Speedway Stats; Friday night’s NXS WaWa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola will mark Burton’s ninth NXS start at DIS. In eight previous starts, Burton holds an average finish of 13.9 with an 98.6% lap completion rate finishing 916 laps of the possible 929. Collecting three Top-5 finishes, with 34 laps led, Burton’s best finish of 4th would come three times separate times in July of 2017, and both races of 2021.

Featured Partners

• State Water Heaters; State Water Heaters is a leading manufacturer of commercial and residential water heaters. For more than 60 years, State Water Heaters has built dependable, long-lasting water heaters for commercial and residential applications. State remains fixed on manufacturing durable products that last longer. For more information, visit StateWaterHeaters.com or follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Solid.State.
• Puryear Tank Lines; Puryear Tank Lines is a family-owned and operated business that dates back 3 generations. Specializing in bulk tank delivery of LPG, butane, liquid asphalt and bulk cement. At Puryear they make it their mission to treat both our clients and employees with respect and provide customers with the service they deserve. Puryear Tank Lines promises to provide high-quality transportation services in a safe and efficient way. Visit Puyear Tank Lines online and learn how to become a driver today. Drive4Puryear.com

Jordan Andesron– No. 27 Capital City Towing
Chevrolet Camaro SS Preview- Daytona International Speedway

Social Media; Facebook, X, Instagram

News and Notes:

• Practice; In similar fashion to the races held at Talladega Superspeedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway during the 2023 season, the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) will receive no practice time for Friday night’s WaWa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at DIS.

– Starting Position; After a full day of technical inspection on Thursday, and with no practice scheduled teams will move directly into qualifying at 3:00 PM ET Friday afternoon to determine the starting order for Friday night’s WaWa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola. In 2023, superspeedway qualifying for the NXS would consist of a two rounds of single car single lap qualifying with the 10 fastest cars in Round 1 moving on to Round 2 to determine the starting order of the Top-10. With 38 cars entered, no one will miss the race. Driving the No. 27 this weekend, Jordan Anderson is scheduled to go out on track 16th for his qualifying lap. Qualifying will be shown in its entirety LIVE on USA Network (USA) and the NBC Sports App at 3:00 PM ET.

– Daytona International Speedway Stats; Saturday’s NXS Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola will mark Anderson’s second NXS start at DIS. In his debut in August of 2021, Anderson would start in the 18th position and loose the lead draft early looking to avoid the early accidents. However, caution would never be displayed and Anderson would come away with a 22nd place finish. Anderson is no stranger of Daytona capturing two second place finishes in back-to-back years (2020, 2021) in the season opening NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS). In five starts in the truck series Anderson holds an average of 13.6.

Featured Partner

• Capital City Towing; Family owned and operated, Capital City Towing has been providing service to Columbia, South Carolina and the surrounding areas for years. With the owner’s professional business experience and knowledge that excels in the towing and equipment hauling industry allows Capital City to offer the best solutions to any problem. Offering heavy-duty towing, recovery, equipment hauling and much more at reasonable prices. The team at Capital City is dedicated to a quick response time, because they know how stressful situations can be when accidents or breakdowns happen. Capital City offers towing, equipment hauling and garage is fully equipped with a fleet of light, medium and heavy-duty trucks. Our employees are experienced professionals and certified to meet all your towing, recovery, hauling or service maintenance needs. Additional information on Capital City Towing can be found at CaptialCityTowingSC.com or reached 24/7 at 803-786-9994.

Parker Retzlaff– No. 31 FUNKAWAY
Chevrolet Camaro SS Preview- Daytona International Speedway

Social Media; Facebook, X, Instagram

News and Notes:

• Practice; In similar fashion to the races held at Talladega Superspeedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway during the 2023 season, the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) will receive no practice time for Friday night’s WaWa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at DIS.

– Starting Position; After a full day of technical inspection on Thursday, and no practice scheduled teams will move directly into qualifying at 3:00 PM ET Friday afternoon to determine the starting order for Friday night’s WaWa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola. In 2023, superspeedway qualifying for the NXS would consist of a two rounds of single car single lap qualifying with the 10 fastest cars in Round 1 moving on to Round 2 to determine the starting order of the Top-10. With 38 cars entered, no one will miss the race. Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Parker Retzlaff is scheduled to go out on track 19th for his qualifying lap. Qualifying will be shown in its entirety LIVE on USA Network (USA) and the NBC Sports App at 3:00 PM ET.

– Daytona International Speedway Stats; Saturday’s NXS Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola will mark Retzlaff’s second start at DIS. In his debut in February Retzlaff would qualify in the 16th position and would avoid multiple incidents over the course of the race to come home with a 4th place finish and his first NXS Top-Five.

Featured Partner

• FUNKAWAY; Headquartered in Waukegan, Illinois, FunkAway is a line of odor elimination products that removes the horrible effects of bad smells. Guaranteed to work on clothing, shoes, gear, pet products, car interiors and more, FunkAway allows customers to renew and refresh, rather than throw away. To learn more about FunkAway, visit Funkaway.com and connect on Instagram and Facebook

About Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito Autosport

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

JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Daytona International Speedway
RACE: Wawa 250 (100 laps / 250 miles)
DATE: Friday, Aug. 25, 2023

Broadcast Information – TV: 7:30 p.m. ET on USA / Radio: 7 p.m. ET on MRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Sam Mayer
No. 1 Tim McGraw “Standing Room Only” Chevrolet

• Sam Mayer heads to Daytona Beach for his fifth NASCAR Xfinity Series start on the 2.5-mile superspeedway.
• The Franklin, Wis. native will carry new colors to Daytona International Speedway as Tim McGraw’s new album ”Standing Room Only”, releasing Saturday, will ride with Mayer.
• The 20-year-old is on a hot streak of five consecutive topfive finishes, dating back to Pocono in July. Those top fives are comprised of two wins and a pair of runner-up efforts, which stand as Mayer’s career-best five-race average of 2.2.
• Mayer’s victory last weekend in the Finger Lakes bumped him up to fifth in the NXS championship point standings.

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

• Josh Berry’s No. 8 Chevrolet will carry the familiar colors of Bass Pro Shops and TRACKER Boats & ATVs again this weekend at Daytona.
• Berry’s best finish in four starts at Daytona is 16th, coming in the first race of the 2022 season. His best superspeedway finish overall is fifth at Talladega, coming in the fall race last season.
• Berry has started from the pole in the last two oval races on the schedule and finished second in the most recent one at Michigan International Speedway.
• Berry and the No. 8 team are currently sixth in the series standings, 118 points above the postseason cutline.

Brandon Jones
No. 9 Menards/Fisher Nuts Chevrolet

• Brandon Jones has made 15 NXS starts at Daytona and has compiled two top-five and four top-10 finishes. Jones finished 14th in Daytona to start the 2023 season with JRM.
• At the two superspeedways of Talladega and Daytona, Jones has a combined five top-five and eight top-10 finishes in 26 total starts at the two tracks.
• With three races remaining in the NXS regular season, Jones currently sits 13th in the standings, 61 points below the 12th and final position to secure a spot in the playoffs.
• On tracks measuring 2+ miles in length in the NXS, Jones has accumulated eight top fives and 23 top 10s in 52 total starts.

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 Hellmann’s Chevrolet

• Justin Allgaier returns to the high banks of Daytona looking to improve upon his third-place effort at “The World Center of Racing” in February.
• In 25 starts in the NXS at the hallowed superspeedway, Allgaier has scored seven top fives, 11 top 10s and a best finish of second coming in both this event in 2016 and the 2019 season-opening event.
• In 41 combined starts between Daytona and Talladega, the Illinois native has amassed 11 top fives and 18 top 10s.
• Allgaier currently sits third in the NXS standings, 34 markers out of the point lead with three races remaining in the regular season.

Driver Quotes

“Although these road courses have been a blast, I am super excited to get back to a superspeedway, especially Daytona. We ran strong here back in February and thought we really had it on the last lap there. It was a learning opportunity for me and I am ready to take all I have learned back to Daytona and hopefully be able to contend for the win and stay off my roof this time.” – Sam Mayer

“Daytona is a place where anything can, and usually does, happen. It will be intense right from the drop of the green flag and hopefully we will be able to avoid any potential trouble out there and be up front when it counts with our Hellmann’s Chevrolet. We had an unbelievably strong car here in February and I know that Jim (Pohlman, crew chief) and all the guys on this No. 7 team will have just as good a car for me on Friday night. JRM has always been extremely good on the superspeedways and hopefully all four of us will be able to work together all night long and be fighting for the win together in the end.” – Justin Allgaier

“It will be nice to get back to Daytona this weekend, making it a double with Bass Pro Shops on the car like we had in the spring. We’ve been running really well lately, but just can’t seem to catch a break in the late stages. JRM is usually really good at Daytona as a whole, so hopefully we can avoid any disaster this weekend and put ourselves in a position towards the end of the race to battle for a win.” – Josh Berry

“The JRM cars in Daytona to start the year were all really good. If we can all get with each other and work together, I think we will be the cars to beat. With only a few races left until the playoffs, we need to be a little more aggressive this weekend to put ourselves in a spot to potentially lock ourselves in. I know we will have a fast Menards/Fisher Nuts Chevrolet, we just need to avoid the carnage and give ourselves a shot at the end.” – Brandon Jones

JRM Team Updates

• JR Motorsports at Daytona: JR Motorsports has competed at the historic Daytona International Speedway a combined 104 times in the NXS. In those starts at the 2.5-mile superspeedway, the organization has recorded seven wins, 28 top fives and 42 top 10s. Daytona also ranks as the winningest track in the NXS for the organization with the last win coming during the 2020 season.
• Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Justin Allgaier, Sam Mayer and Brandon Jones will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / Legacy MC souvenir rig on Friday, Aug. 25 from 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Standing Room Only: Enjoy country music? JR Motorsports is excited to partner with Big Machine Records and McGraw Music to carry the new album by Tim McGraw “Standing Room Only” on the No. 1 Chevrolet with Sam Mayer this Saturday at Daytona International Speedway. The album is set to release on the day of the big event, Friday, Aug. 25th. The title track “Standing Room Only” is currently Top 15 on Country Radio and continues to climb the charts. This album will mark McGraw’s first new record since 2020’s “Here On Earth” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Chart.

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

• Event: Daytona 250 (Round 24 of 33)
• Date: Friday, Aug. 25
• Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway
• Layout: 2.5-mile oval
• Time/TV/Radio: 7:30 p.m. EDT on USA/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

• Cole Custer and the No. 00 Ford Mustang team for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) will be back in their Haas Automation colors this weekend at the track where this season’s journey started in February. Friday night’s Daytona 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway will mark the second time this season the Xfinity Series will make laps at the 2.5 mile oval. Having made the move back to the Xfinity Series, Custer was strong out of the gates in February, earning a third-place starting spot for the 125-lap race. He ran in the top-10 for a majority of the race and, despite being shuffled back on numerous occasions, he was able to recover for a ninth-place finish. It was his best Daytona finish in 15 total starts across NASCAR’s Cup Series, Xfinity Series, Truck Series, and the ARCA Menards Series. He would follow it up with strong performances at the next three superspeedway-style races, finishing 12th March 18 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, fourth April 22 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, and third July 8 at Atlanta.
• Friday’s Daytona 250 will mark Custer’s eighth Xfinity Series start at Daytona. Prior to his ninth-place finish in February, he scored a pair of top-15 finishes at the track. Of Custer’s eight starts outside of the Xfinity Series at Daytona, six came in the Cup Series, one in the Truck Series, and one in the ARCA Menards Series. He earned a best ARCA finish of 10th in February 2016 after starting on the pole and leading 42 laps. His best Cup Series finish was 11th, earned in his sophomore Cup Series season in the 2021 Daytona 500.
• In last weekend’s road-course race at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, Custer showed his perseverance and ability to rebound in tough situations. It was a roller coaster of a day that started with the No. 00 Ford Mustang being sent from its fourth spot on the starting grid to the rear of the field for unapproved adjustments. But Custer wasted little time in working his way toward the front, passing 25 cars by the 10th lap of the race. He was up to ninth when the first stage ended on lap 20, earning two stage points. He ran in the top-five for a majority of the race the rest of the way. While fighting for third with the No. 17 car of Alex Bowman on lap 63, the two made contact going into turn one. Both cars were able to continue, but Custer went off into the esses later that lap, forcing him to pit for four tires, fuel, and to clean the grille. He would rejoin the field 22nd, but on the lead lap with less than 20 laps to go to the scheduled 82-lap distance. With the prospects for a top-10 finish in jeopardy, the caution flag flew on lap 80, sending the race into overtime. Custer was able to stay out while the majority of cars ahead of him pitted for fuel and he found himself fourth on the ensuing restart. As the field approached turn one in overtime, the leaders made contact and Custer sustained damage in the melee but again was able to continue. He held on for a seventh-place finish.
• Three races remain before the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs begin Sept. 15 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. Custer has already locked in his spot in the 12-driver playoff field by virtue of his two wins this season, but he’s still on the hunt for more playoff points to help him advance through the postseason – all the way to the Championship 4 finale Nov. 4 at Phoenix Raceway. He and the team have this weekend’s race at Daytona, the Sept. 2 race at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway and the regular-season finale Sept. 9 at Kansas Speedway to perfect their performance and collect stage wins to gain points. Prior to the 2023 season, Custer was the Xfinity Series championship runner-up in both 2018 and 2019.

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• Riley Herbst heads to Daytona looking to change his luck at a place where he was extremely lucky earlier this year. After an early ending to his run last Saturday at Watkins Glen due to a mechanical issue, the driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang sees Friday night’s Daytona 250 as a chance to turn things around with the playoffs fast approaching. When the series last visited Daytona in February, Herbst looked to be a favorite to contend for the win. He started 10th but found himself struggling with the balance of his racecar. Adjustments by the No. 98 Monster Energy team improved the balance of the racecar throughout the race, and Herbst found himself starting third for both the final two stages. He held his position in the top-five for a majority of both stages before losing the draft and dropping back to 12th in the closing laps. Perseverence enabled him to work his way back up to sixth by the checkered flag. It would be his first of six consecutive top-10s to open the 2023 season.
• Friday night’s race under the lights will mark Herbst’s ninth Xfinity Series start at Daytona. In his prior eight starts, he earned a best finish of fourth twice – in the February 2022 season opener and the August 2020 race. He has finished in the top-15 in five of his eight Daytona starts. Herbst also has six starts outside of the Xfinity Series at Daytona – three in the ARCA Menards Series, two in the NASCAR Truck Series, and one in the NASCAR Cup Series. All resulted in top-12 finishes with his seventh-place finish in the February 2020 ARCA race best among them.
• Herbst will be pulling double duty this weekend in Daytona as he will pilot the No. 36 Monster Energy Zero Sugar Ford Mustang for Front Row Motorsports in Saturday’s Daytona 400 NASCAR Cup Series race. It will be his third career Cup Series start and his second at Daytona. His first came in February’s 65th running of the Daytona 500, when he survived mayhem in the final laps for a 10th-place finish, making him only the second driver in NASCAR history to record a top-10 in his Cup Series debut in the Daytona 500. He joined Terry Ryan, who made his debut in the 1976 edition of The Great American Race and finished sixth. In addition, Herbst became just the fourth driver in NASCAR history to earn a top-10 in each of his debut races in the Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Truck Series.
• With only three races remaining before the 12-driver NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs begin Sept. 15 at Bristol, Herbst is defending his 12th-place position in the playoff standings. Herbst now sits three points ahead of 13th-place Parker Kligerman, the first driver on the outside looking in, after his early exit at Watkins Glen last weekend. A win during the final three regular-season races would lock Herbst into the playoff field for the fourth time in his four seasons racing fulltime in the Xfinity Series.

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

You’re heading back to the track where the 2023 season started. How far do you think you and the No. 00 Haas Automation team have come since the first race in February at Daytona?

“The growth for this team has been huge. That first race of the season, especially that practice in Daytona, everybody kind of held their breath, you know. That whole practice was just used to make sure nothing went wrong and to see what you know as a team to start the year. We didn’t exactly start how we wanted, but through great communication and getting to know the team more, we’ve come a long way from that first time on track in Daytona. I’ve spent a ton of time with the guys and JT (Jonathan Toney, crew chief) since then, and that connection helps, at the end of the day. The guys have worked extremely hard to give me fast racecars. We found what we needed from that first race, and we’re really starting to hit our stride now. I think we’ll have a great playoff run because of the hard work we’ve put in.”

While the NASCAR Cup Series is wrapping up its regular season this weekend at Daytona, the Xfinity Series will still have two more races after this one before the playoffs begin Sept. 15 at Bristol. How does it feel to already have your spot locked into the playoffs via your two wins this season?

“It’s definitely huge to have the weight lifted off your shoulders. It can get nerve-racking when you’re on the bubble, or have to focus on points racing. With that being said, we have to make sure that we keep running as hard as we can to try and build up points as a cushion when they reset for the playoffs. You can do that by winning stages and winning races. It’ll help you out so much in the playoffs in case you have a bad race, so it’ll make life a little easier in those situations. We just have to keep at it. You can’t let your guard down or feel too secure because the playoffs reset everything.”

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

Daytona is a wild card, but you seem to have figured out superspeedway racing and seem to be a contender whenever you go to those tracks. What do you need to do this weekend to protect your spot in the NASCAR Playoffs, but also have a chance at the win?

“It’s a tough situation. You don’t want to put yourself in a bad situation in points, but you also don’t want to play it too safe and lose out on a chance to win. Daytona has been good to me in the past, so I’m hoping we can just have a strong weekend to help put us in a better position heading into Darlington and Kansas for the final races of the regular season. We have fast Ford Mustangs on the No. 98 Monster Energy team, so it’s just about turning our luck around at this point. In order to be there at the end, we have to have a fast car, fast pit stops, and make no mistakes. It’s easier said than done, but I know we can do it.”

You’ll also be making your third career NASCAR Cup Series start this weekend and your second at Daytona after an impressive 10th-place finish in the Daytona 500 in February. Talk about how you’re feeling and what you learn from your starts in the Cup Series that you can take to the Xfinity Series.

“I’m excited to make another start at Daytona. The Daytona 500 was a dream come true with just being able to drive a Cup car in that iconic race, and I’m thankful to have Monster Energy onboard with me in the No. 36 Monster Energy Zero Sugar Ford Mustang. These experiences really just help you with track time and experience. The Cup cars and Xfinity cars are so different now that there’s not much you can carry over, but track time is everything for a young driver like me. It helps you get comfortable in making moves and navigating a racetrack. Hopefully, we can have a good run in the No. 36 Ford Mustang this weekend, but I’m just excited for another chance to make a start in the Cup Series.”

GRALA LEADS TOYOTA IN INCIDENT-FILLED DAYTONA EVENT

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 25, 2023) – Kaz Grala (20th) led Toyota in an incident filled race at Daytona International Speedway on Friday evening. All five Toyota drivers in the race were involved in accidents at some point of tonight’s NASCAR Xfinity Series event.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Daytona International Speedway
Race 22 of 33 – 250 miles, 100 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

1st, Justin Allgaier*
2nd, Sheldon Creed*
3rd, Daniel Hemric*
4th, Parker Kligerman*
5th, Cole Custer*
20th, KAZ GRALA
21st, SAMMY SMITH
28th, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
29th, TREVOR BAYNE
37th, CONNOR MOSACK
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

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

Finishing Position: 20th

How was your race and what happened on that final lap?

“It was a good day. We did exactly what we were trying to do. It felt like we were pretty much in sync that whole race, and right where we wanted to be. At times, we that was safe, at times that was mixing it up. That had us in the right position there at the end when it mattered. We just got run over. Not really sure why, but unfortunately, that killed our finish, but we were going to have a good night. Proud of everyone at Sam Hunt Racing. Our superspeedway program hasn’t been very strong this year, but I felt like tonight was a massive step forward. I felt like we were competitive and could make the moves that we wanted to make there, so definitely a great job by everyone back at the team bringing a pretty good Supra. I wish we could have seen the checkered flag there instead of the white.”

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

Finishing Position: 21st

Can you talk about the day as a whole?

“Yeah, it was really fun. Great job to all of my Pilot Flying J Toyota guys, Frankie (Kimmel, spotter). The car was phenomenal. I feel like it was the best speedway race I’ve had. I’m comfortable with the car, and Frankie and I were working really good together. It’s the last one of the year, so we will move to next year and learn from it.”

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

Finishing Position: 28th

What happened?

“I was just a bystander at the top, and nothing I could do to miss it. I was committed to the top lane after the damage that we got. I had a really good run going. I don’t know where we were running at that time, but we had some good momentum, and I want to say it was the 92 (Josh Williams) got turned and then I hit him square – just t-boned him. Just nowhere to go. That’s Daytona racing for you.”

What do you do these next two races, points race?

“Try and go win races. That’s about it – win stages, win races, try and get some more Playoff points. That is what we are here to do. I definitely think we can accomplish that.”

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

Finishing Position: 29th

Strong run, but it didn’t end the way you wanted.

“No, it didn’t. I feel like it was great day for us. I feel like we were pretty calm and collected in the first two stage. I went up and led some laps in stage two to show those guys that we were there, get them thinking about us a little bit. Backed up, got with our teammates, drove back up to the front with all three cars and eventually got the lead. With 10 to go, I was just evaluating how to make that last lap block. When we chose lanes, I knew the 21 (Austin Hill) behind me was a worst case scenario. He’s really aggressive. I knew he was going to pull of out lane as soon as he had a chance. Of course, he did. He pushed me, and when he got to my bumper and turned out of line, it got me kind of loose and I went up for the block and just got hooked. I could have stayed down probably, maybe, could have done something different there, but definitely would have lost the race either way, once he got me loose like that. Had to go for it. Just thankful to be here. Thankful for the opportunity that He Gets Us gave me to run this race. Hopefully, we showed them that we mean business.”

CONNOR MOSACK, No. 24 Toyota Racing Development Toyota GR Supra, Sam Hunt Racing

Finishing Position: 37th

What happened from your perspective?

“I just saw the replay. It kind of looked like the 78 (Anthony Alfredo) might have got loose on the bottom and got in the 9 (Brandon Jones). I was hoping they were going to go low. I was kind of committed to the top there, and then they came up in front of me. It is unfortunate – just didn’t really have anywhere to go. It is kind of just part of racing here. Thank you to Toyota, Sam Hunt Racing. The guys worked really hard on these cars. A rough couple of weeks for us, but I feel good about the rest of the year. We will head to Kansas.”

It was your first time here in the Xfinity Series, did you feel like you learned anything?

“Yeah, for sure. We kind of just rode around in the first stage. We were kind of loose in, and we were just managing that to get to the end of the first stage, where we could get a stop and make an adjustment, and I feel like it definitely fired off better there in the second stage, and we were just working our way through the field and I thought we were in a pretty good spot, but wrong place, wrong time.”

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.