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NASCAR XFINITY Series Press Release

  • Kaulig Racing Weekly Advance | Michigan International Speedway

    Kaulig Racing Weekly Advance | Michigan International Speedway

    FireKeepers Casino 400
    Michigan International Speedway
    NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
    Sunday, August 6 at 2:30 p.m. EDT on USA

    • Kaulig Racing has made two NCS starts at Michigan International Speedway.
    • So far in the 2023 NCS season, Kaulig Racing has earned two top fives, nine top-10 finishes and led 30 laps.

    AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Nutrien Ag Solutions FARMSMART Camaro ZL1

    • AJ Allmendinger has made 21 NCS starts and has led one lap at Michigan International Speedway.
    • The FireKeepers Casino 400 will be Allmendinger’s first NCS start at Michigan since 2018.
    • So far in the 2023 season, Allmendinger has led seven laps and earned a best finish of third, four top 10 and seven top-15 finishes.

    “I’m looking forward to going to Michigan; we’ll have a lot of on-throttle time and it’s a racetrack I’m excited to go drive at. Last year, Noah [Gragson] had really good speed in the No. 16 car, and our big racetrack speed has been there this year, so I think it’s a track we can go to and do well at.” – AJ Allmendinger on Michigan International Speedway

    Justin Haley, No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1

    • Justin Haley has made two NCS starts at Michigan International Speedway.
    • So far in the 2023 NCS season, Haley has earned one top five and five top-10 finishes with a best qualifying effort of third.
    • Haley’s best finish of the season came from his runner-up finish in the first-ever race at the Chicago Street Course where he led 23 laps, the most he has led in a single race.
    • After completing the 2023 Coca-Cola 600 and Alsco Uniforms 300, Haley now holds the record for the most NASCAR National Series miles completed in a single day by any driver in NASCAR history.

    “I’m looking forward to going back to Michigan. Our No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1 has had a lot of speed on the larger tracks this year, so hopefully we can break our string of bad finishes and start gaining back momentum.” – Justin Haley on Michigan International Speedway

    Cabo Wabo 250
    Michigan International Speedway
    NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS)
    Saturday, August 5 at 3:30 p.m. EDT on NBC

    • Kaulig Racing has made 10 NXS starts at Michigan International Speedway and has earned one win, one top five, six top-10 finishes, and 100 laps led.
    • So far in the 2023 NXS season, Kaulig Racing has earned four wins, 15 top fives, 33 top-10 finishes and five pole awards.

    Ross Chastain, No. 10 Jockey Chevrolet Camaro

    • Ross Chastain has made six NXS starts at Michigan International Speedway and will make his 201st NXS start at the two-mile race track with Kaulig Racing.
    • Chastain earned Kaulig Racing its first-ever NXS win at Daytona International Speedway in the 2019 Circle K Firecracker 250. He went on to earn 19 top five and 34 top-10 finishes during his time at Kaulig Racing.

    “I’m pumped to be hopping back in a Kaulig Racing Chevy this week at Michigan and have some fun with a team I’ve had success with in the past. I appreciate the opportunity to be racing with old friends and teammates. It’s cool to have Jockey on board supporting me as well, just like they did in Chicago with Justin [Marks]!” – Ross Chastain on Michigan International Speedway

    Daniel Hemric, No. 11 Chevy Accessories Chevrolet Camaro

    • Daniel Hemric has made four NXS starts at Michigan International Speedway where he has earned one top five and two top-10 finishes.
    • Hemric currently sits eighth in the NXS standings and has earned four top five and 11 top-10 finishes so far in the 2023 season.

    “Michigan is a huge race for everyone on the schedule, especially from the manufacturer’s side. You always want to go there and run well. It is a racetrack that brings out all of your strengths and weaknesses. I feel like it takes execution and minimal mistakes to have a good day at Michigan. We look forward to building off of some things we have done within that style of package this year. I’m looking forward to going there and hopefully giving ourselves a good opportunity.” – Daniel Hemric on Michigan International Speedway

    Chandler Smith, No. 16 Quick Tie Products Chevrolet Camaro

    • Chandler Smith will make his first NXS start at Michigan International Speedway in the Cabo Wabo 250.
    • Smith qualified on the pole in his lone NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) start at Michigan in 2020.
    • Smith currently sits seventh in the NXS points standings with one win, five top five and eight top-10 finishes.

    “I feel like I’ve got a bit of unfinished business at Michigan, because I had some speed there a few years ago in Trucks but ended up wrecked early. It’s a pretty unique track; I don’t think we go to any other ovals that are two miles long anymore since Fontana is gone. It’s important to keep speed throughout the corner there, because it’s a big momentum track. The straightaways are pretty long, so we’ll be at a high speed on entry, and since it’s so wide in the corners, there’s going to be multiple lanes to choose from each time.” – Chandler Smith on Michigan International Speedway  
     
    About Kaulig Racing™

    Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and has won back-to-back regular-season championships. Before becoming a full-time NCS team, Kaulig Racing made multiple starts in the 2021 NCS season and won in its seventh-ever start with AJ Allmendinger’s victory at “The Brickyard” for the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The team expanded to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 with Justin Haley piloting the No. 31 Camaro ZL1, and an all-star lineup featured in the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. Haley will continue to drive the No. 31 full-time in 2023, alongside AJ Allmendinger, who will drive the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. The team will continue to field three, full-time NXS entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by an all-star lineup, the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Hemric, and the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by Chandler Smith. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

  • JR Motorsports — NXS Michigan Preview

    JR Motorsports — NXS Michigan Preview

    JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
    TRACK: Michigan International Speedway
    RACE: Cabo Wabo 250 (125 laps / 250 miles)
    DATE: Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023

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

    Sam Mayer
    No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet

    • Sam Mayer is coming off his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series win at his home track of Road America, in which he locked himself into the 2023 playoffs.
    • The Franklin, Wis. native heads to Michigan International Speedway for his third NXS start on the 2-mile oval.
    • In 15 starts on tracks 2 miles or greater in the NXS, Mayer has earned three top-five and five top-10 finishes, with a best finish of second at Auto Club Speedway earlier this season.
    • Mayer’s performance last weekend shot him up to sixth in the NXS Championship point standings.

    Josh Berry
    No. 8 LubeZone Chevrolet

    • In just two starts at Michigan, Josh Berry owns finishes of fourth and sixth and has led 27 laps. In 2021, Berry was in contention for the win driving JRM’s No. 1 Chevrolet.
    • On 2-mile tracks in his NXS career, Berry has finished fourth twice, fifth and sixth in his four starts. Combining Michigan and Fontana results, his average finish on such tracks is 4.7, with 30 laps led.
    • LubeZone Truck Lube Center makes its debut on the No. 8 Chevrolet this weekend at Michigan. A top-tier truck service company founded in 2017, the company operates from its headquarters in Bloomington, Minn.

    Brandon Jones
    No. 9 Menards/Criterion Chevrolet

    • Brandon Jones has made six starts at the 2-mile D-shaped oval of Michigan and has only one finish outside the top 10.
    • Jones holds a best finish of second that came during the 2021 season after starting from the 24th position.
    • Jones’ 8.2 average finish in the “Irish Hills” is tied with Martinsville Speedway for his personal best at active tracks in the NXS.
    • The 26-year-old owns three straight top-six efforts at Michigan (2019, 2021-22) and is coming off consecutive top10 runs at Pocono and Road America.
    • Jones currently sits 14th in the championship point standings, 61 points under the playoff cutline
    • Justin Allgaier
      No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
    • In 11 career NXS starts in the Irish Hills of Michigan, Justin Allgaier has scored three top fives and seven top 10s, with a best finish of second coming in this event last year.
    • Additionally, Allgaier has placed no worse than ninth at
      Michigan dating back to 2018.
    • By leading 42 laps last weekend at Road America, Allgaier (5,007 laps led) became just the eighth driver in NXS history to have paced the field for more than 5,000 career laps.
    • With six races remaining in the NXS regular season, Allgaier sits third in the playoff grid, just 40 points out of the series lead.

    Driver Quotes

    “Michigan has been a tough track for me in the past but I am looking forward to getting back up there this weekend especially coming off the thrill of my first career win. Road America was a dream come true and now that we finally got that first one out of the way, I am looking to keep this hot streak going and see what we can do in Michigan.” – Sam Mayer

    “Michigan has been a strong place for this BRANDT Professional Agriculture team, and really everyone at JR Motorsports for the last few seasons. We came close to getting the win here last year, and hopefully we can be that one spot better this weekend. We have had some unbelievable speed here lately and I know that Jim (Pohlman, crew chief) and everyone on this No. 7 team will give me just as strong a car again this weekend. Hopefully we can avoid any trouble out there and come away with the win when the checkered flag falls Saturday.” – Justin Allgaier

    “There’s something about the 2-mile tracks for me. We seem to run really well on those, and this No. 8 team is hitting its stride. After a good run at Road America, I feel like the momentum is trending toward the positive and I look forward to getting on track at Michigan. I know Taylor(Moyer, crew chief) and this team is working hard to give us a LubeZone Chevrolet capable of going to Victory Lane.” – Josh Berry

    “Michigan is always a track that I have run really well at in the past. This No. 9 team has been building fast racecars and we have been able to put races together as of late and it’s starting to show with our results. I’m ready to get to Michigan and hopefully be battling towards the front when it matters.” – Brandon Jones

    JRM Team Updates

    • JR Motorsports at Michigan: JR Motorsports has competed in the Irish Hills of Michigan 43 times in the NXS. In those starts at the 2-mile oval, the organization has recorded two wins, 17 top fives and 30 top 10s. Regan Smith is the most recent winner for JRM at Michigan after taking the checkered during the 2013 season.
    • Team Chevy Display: JRM drivers will take the stage at the Team Chevy display located in the MIS Fan Zone on Saturday, Aug. 5. at the following times:
    • Justin Allgaier: 12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
    • Brandon Jones: 12:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.
    • Josh Berry: 12:45 p.m. – 1 p.m.
    • Sam Mayer: 1 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
    • Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Justin Allgaier, Josh Berry and Brandon Jones will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / Legacy MC souvenir rig on Saturday, Aug. 5 from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sam Mayer will join the group beginning at 1:15 p.m.
  • Indianapolis-based Candy Dynamics and NASCAR Team JD Motorsports take on Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, August 12

    Indianapolis-based Candy Dynamics and NASCAR Team JD Motorsports take on Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, August 12

    GAFFNEY, SC – The stars of the NASCAR Xfinity Series will return to The Racing Capital of the World for a shot at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in the Pennzoil 150 presented by Advance Auto Parts on Saturday, August 12.

    JD Motorsports proudly announced today its new partnership with Candy Dynamics and its wildly popular brand, Toxic Waste Hazardously Sour Candy. The No. 6 Toxic Waste Hazardously Sour Candy Chevrolet will be driven by Brennan Poole, who is also a Toxic Waste Sour Candy superfan.

    The IMS Road Course is 2.439 miles and features 14 turns.The NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series will race on the course on Saturday, August 12 and Sunday, August 13.

    Candy Dynamics is the creator of Toxic Waste® Hazardously Sour Candy® as well as the Internet’s favorite candy: Slime Licker®. Coming about from a desire to create the most sour candy on the market, Toxic Waste® certainly lives up to its name! Kids love to test their limits by taking the Toxic Challenge and daring their friends and family to do the same. The Toxic Waste® brand expanded its product listing in 2015 with the introduction of the Slime Licker®. With the emergence of TikTok, Slime Lickers® trended across the platform and have garnered over 265 million views.

    “I’m excited to be behind the wheel of the No. 6 Toxic Waste Hazardously Sour Candy Chevy for the first time,” said the 32-year-old Poole, who celebrated his 100th Xfinity Series start earlier this year. “The paint scheme is simply amazing, and I know there will be more than 50 employees from Candy Dynamics at the race so it is going to be a lot of fun to spend time with them.”

    Candy Dynamics is equally excited to be a part of some hometown festivities at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “We at Candy Dynamics, being an Indianapolis-based company, have been race fans for a very long time. We are excited to team up with driver and sour-candy-connoisseur Brennan Poole. We have dreamed of sponsoring a car for years. Now to see that dream come true in our hometown is a huge thrill for all of us,” president of Candy Dynamics, Laura King, shared.

    The Pennzoil 150 presented by Advance Auto Parts is live on USA Network, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) on Saturday, August 12 at 5:30 p.m. EST.

    NEWS AND NOTES

    NASCAR Collectors Diecast Alert: The bright green and yellow paint scheme of the No. 6 Chevy will be made into a diecast that will go into production after the race on Saturday. The NASCAR collectors community and Toxic Waste Hazardously Sour Candy fans can pre-order their own diecast at https://dailydownforce.com/toxic-waste

    About Candy Dynamics

    Candy Dynamics was established in 2006 as a creator and marketer of sour candy products. Its flagship product, Toxic Waste® Hazardously Sour Candy® is an innovative and phenomenally popular, one-of-a-kind, double-action sour candy treat that has become a hit with candy lovers of all ages worldwide. Currently enjoying ample sales and brand awareness, future sales expectations are high as the company continues to support the brand with unique marketing campaigns.
    www.toxicwastecandy.com

    About JD Motorsports
    Team owner Johnny Davis first began fielding a team in what is now the Xfinity Series in 1983 with Joe Henry Thurman as the driver. From 1983-1985, Davis and Thurman competed in 41 races and put the JD Motorsports name on the map. Although JDM has seen a sharp rise in on-track performance in the past few years, success is nothing new to this team. Years of good drivers and excellent runs have paved the way for what JDM is today.
    www.teamjdmotorsports.com

    About A.E. Engine
    A.E. Engine is a full-service sports sales, marketing and content creation company. Founded in 2005 by sports publishing and marketing executives, A.E. Engine has earned a reputation for creating and delivering high-quality, premium content and programming for passionate fans.
    www.ae-engine.com

  • Ford Going For Ninth Straight Cup Victory at Michigan International Speedway

    Ford Going For Ninth Straight Cup Victory at Michigan International Speedway

    MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY NOTES

    Saturday, August 5 – NASCAR XFINITY Series, 3:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
    Sunday, August 6 – NASCAR Cup Series, 2:30 p.m. ET (USA)

    There is no track on the NASCAR circuit that Ford has been more successful at than Michigan International Speedway, which is where the NASCAR Cup and NASCAR Xfinity Series will be racing this weekend. Ford has won eight straight Cup races at the facility and 43 overall, which is the most for the manufacturer at any track.

    FORD ALL-TIME MICHIGAN WINS LEADER

    No manufacturer has had more success at Michigan International Speedway than Ford, which comes into this weekend looking to extend an eight-race winning streak. Since the track opened in 1969 there have been 105 NASCAR Cup Series races and Ford Motor Company has won more than half of them (52%). Overall, the company has 55 MIS victories with 43 being Ford and 12 Mercury. David Pearson is the track’s all-time leader in wins with nine (all Mercury) while Bill Elliott has the most Ford wins with seven.

    FORD LOOKS TO EXTEND MIS WIN STREAK TO NINE

    Ford comes into Sunday’s scheduled race having won the last eight series races at the two-mile facility with five of the last seven coming courtesy of Kevin Harvick. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver became the first driver in NASCAR history to win races on back-to-back days at the same track when he did it during the weekend doubleheader in 2020. Ryan Blaney continued the streak in 2021 when he held off William Byron and Kyle Larson while Harvick snapped a 65-race winless drought with last year’s win. Here’s a look at Ford’s current winning streak:

    YEAR – DRIVER
    2018 – Clint Bowyer (1) and Kevin Harvick (2)
    2019 – Joey Logano (1) and Kevin Harvick (2)
    2020 – Kevin Harvick (1 and 2)
    2021 – Ryan Blaney
    2022 – Kevin Harvick

    HERITAGE TROPHY SUCCESS

    Since Michigan International Speedway began handing out the Heritage Trophy to the winning manufacturer in August 2013, Ford has taken it back to World Headquarters in nearby Dearborn more times than any other manufacturer. Ford has won 10 races since the trophy came into existence while Chevrolet has won six and Toyota one.

    Kevin Harvick: “I know how much Edsel and everybody at Ford enjoys winning at Michigan, and I know the emphasis that comes from the car and I know that Doug and his group put a lot of emphasis on that and that comes straight from the top because when you go to Michigan you want to be able to take that manufacturer trophy home and put it in your facility until next year. Fortunately, for us, Michigan has just been a racetrack that we’ve had a lot of success at and with the emphasis that Ford has put on that and you add that to what Stewart-Haas Racing does with the race cars, it’s been a track that hasn’t been topped by many other tracks and it comes at an important racetrack for Ford and its brand.”

    Brad Keselowski: “Racing in Michigan is special because of the fact of how close it is to all the OEMs and all the people that work on the lines or work in the corporate offices and make things happen in the OEM world. That makes it really, really special and any success you have in front of them means the world.”

    Ryan Blaney: “When we won in Michigan in 2021 Edsel Ford was there, so that was super cool to have him there in Victory Lane with me and to keep the Heritage Trophy at Ford’s headquarters. That’s something we take a lot of pride in and that was a cool moment. I talked to Edsel a little bit before that day, and he told, ‘I’ll see you in victory lane.’ I think the first thing I said to him was, ‘Well, I guess you were right. You told me so.’ It was super cool. Obviously, Michigan is so important for Ford to win there right in Ford’s backyard, and then to have Edsel there was just like the cherry on top.”

    Aric Almirola: “I’m excited because I thought we had a good tire test there. Michigan has been a great racetrack for Ford over the years, so I’m looking forward to going to Michigan. I think we should have an opportunity there. Kevin won last year, so it’s not gonna be easy, but I think Ford has always figured out how to find a way to get to victory lane, so I would love for that to be our opportunity.”

    TEAM PENSKE REGISTERS 50TH WIN WITH FORD

    Joey Logano started and won from the pole for the second time in his career at Michigan International Speedway when he captured the June race in 2016. Logano finished ahead of Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson with Penske teammate Brad Keselowski ending up fourth. The new aerodynamic package, promising to produce lower downforce, didn’t disappoint as there were 14 lead changes with Logano leading six times for 138 total laps. The win gave Team Penske its 50th Cup win with Ford and produced the 100th victory for Roush Yates Engines in the NASCAR Cup Series.

    MERCURY AND FORD SWEEP MIS OPENING SEASON

    Ford Motor Co. swept the inaugural season of NASCAR Cup Series races at Michigan International Speedway in 1969 when Cale Yarborough (Mercury) and David Pearson (Ford) took turns going to victory lane. Yarborough won an intense battle in the track opener on June 15 after passing Lee Roy Yarbrough with three laps to go to take the Wood Brothers to victory lane. That capped a finish which saw Yarborough, Pearson and Yarbrough swap the lead 20 times over the final 146 laps. The second date took place on Aug. 17 and this time it was Pearson and Holman-Moody taking the checkered flag. Pearson sat on the pole and led 79 of the 165 laps completed. The race, which was originally scheduled to be a 600-mile event, was halted at that point and declared official due to rain. Pearson went on to win a record nine times at MIS, which puts him as the speedway’s all-time NCS winner.

    FOUR STRAIGHT FOR AWESOME BILL

    Bill Elliott is the only driver to win four straight NASCAR Cup Series races at Michigan International Speedway, sweeping both events in 1985 and ’86, and he capped that impressive streak in dominating fashion. Elliott led 125-of-200 laps on Aug. 17, 1986 to beat Tim Richmond to the finish line and win the Champion Spark Plug 400. Elliott went on to win seven career races at MIS and currently ranks third on the all-time list, trailing only David Pearson (9) and Cale Yarborough (8).

    JARRETT WINS FIRST CUP RACE

    Dale Jarrett registered his first NASCAR Cup Series victory in memorable fashion at Michigan International Speedway on Aug. 18, 1991. Jarrett, who was in his second season driving for the Wood Brothers, found himself in a furious battle with Davey Allison, who stalked him over the final dozen laps in his No. 28 Texaco Havoline Thunderbird. Allison made a move to the outside coming off turn four and got alongside Jarrett as the two took the white flag together. They took turns exchanging the lead, but never left each other’s side. As they came off turn four both Fords made contact, but it was Jarrett who ended up edging Allison by eight inches at the finish line.

    BIFFLE WINS FORD’S 1,000TH

    Greg Biffle posted Ford’s 1,000th NASCAR victory when he took the checkered flag on June 16, 2013 in the Quicken Loans 400. The milestone win, which included combined victories in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck, NASCAR XFINITY and NASCAR Cup Series, was Biffle’s second straight at MIS and fourth overall.

    HERITAGE TROPHY FIRST

    When Joey Logano won the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Aug. 18, 2013 it represented his first win with Ford and new car owner Roger Penske. But it also marked the first time the speedway awarded the Michigan Heritage trophy, which goes to the winning manufacturer of every NASCAR Cup Series race at MIS. Logano, who won the pole and led a race-high 51 laps, passed Mark Martin for the lead with four laps to go after Martin’s car ran out of gas.

    MEMORABLE WEEKEND FOR MARTIN

    NASCAR made its second trip of the 1993 season to Michigan in August and resulted in Mark Martin completing a sweep for Ford. Martin kicked off the weekend by leading 92-of-100 laps in his Jack Roush Ford Thunderbird to give Ford its first series win at MIS. He followed that up by leading 81 laps the following day to capture the Cup Series race as well.

    DOUBLE DUTY DOMINANCE

    Mark Martin and Carl Edwards are the only Ford drivers to win multiple series races at Michigan. Edwards was first victorious in 2008, and his 2011 performance gave Ford its most recent victory. Edwards completed the pass on fellow Ford racer Ricky Stenhouse Jr. during a long green-flag run with eight laps remaining. While Edwards held on for the win, Stenhouse Jr. leapt to the top of the leaderboard – ultimately helping Ford to its third series manufacturers’ championship. Both Martin (1993) and Edwards (2008) have another commonality – winning both series races on the same weekend.

    FORD’S NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS AT MICHIGAN
    1969 – David Pearson (2)
    1984 – Bill Elliott (1)
    1985 – Bill Elliott (Sweep)
    1986 – Bill Elliott (Sweep)
    1987 – Bill Elliott (2)
    1988 – Davey Allison (2)
    1989 – Bill Elliott (1)
    1990 – Mark Martin (2)
    1991 – Davey Allison and Dale Jarrett
    1992 – Davey Allison (1)
    1993 – Mark Martin (2)
    1994 – Rusty Wallace and Geoffrey Bodine
    1996 – Rusty Wallace and Dale Jarrett
    1997 – Ernie Irvan and Mark Martin
    1998 – Mark Martin (1)
    1999 – Dale Jarrett (1)
    2000 – Rusty Wallace (2)
    2002 – Matt Kenseth and Dale Jarrett
    2003 – Kurt Busch (1)
    2004 – Greg Biffle (2)
    2005 – Greg Biffle (1)
    2006 – Matt Kenseth (2)
    2007 – Carl Edwards (1)
    2008 – Carl Edwards (2)
    2012 – Greg Biffle (2)
    2013 – Greg Biffle and Joey Logano
    2016 – Joey Logano (1)
    2018 – Clint Bowyer (1) and Kevin Harvick (2)
    2019 – Joey Logano (1) and Kevin Harvick (2)
    2020 – Kevin Harvick (Sweep)
    2021 – Ryan Blaney
    2022 – Kevin Harvick

    FORD’S NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS AT MICHIGAN
    1993 – Mark Martin
    1995 – Mark Martin
    1998 – Jeff Burton
    2001 – Ryan Newman
    2008 – Carl Edwards
    2011 – Carl Edwards

  • Stewart-Haas Racing: NXS Race Report from Road America

    Stewart-Haas Racing: NXS Race Report from Road America

    STEWART-HAAS RACING
    NASCAR Xfinity Series: Henry 180

    Date: July 29, 2023
    Event: Henry 180 (Round 20 of 33)
    Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
    Location: Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin (4.048-mile, 14-turn road course)
    Format: 45 laps, broken into three stages (22 laps/12 laps/11 laps)
    Note: Race extended four laps past its scheduled 45-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.
    Race Winner: Sam Mayer of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)
    Stage 1 Winner: Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)
    Stage 2 Winner: Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)

    SHR Race Finish:

    ● Riley Herbst (Started 4th / Finished 5th, Running, completed 49 of 49 laps)
    ● Cole Custer (Started 2nd / Finished 30th, Accident, completed 41 of 49 laps)

    SHR Points:

    ● Cole Custer (4th with 691 points, 84 out of first)
    ● Riley Herbst (10th with 530 points, 245 out of first)

    SHR Notes:

    ● Herbst earned his fifth top-five of the season and his first top-five in four career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Road America.
    ● This was Herbst’s third straight top-10 at Road America. He finished seventh in the past two races there in July 2021 and 2022.
    ● This was Herbst’s second straight top-five. He finished fourth last weekend at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway.
    ● Herbst’s fifth-place result bettered his previous best finish at Road America – seventh, earned in July 2021 and 2022.
    ● Herbst finished sixth in Stage 1 to earn five bonus points.
    ● Custer finished second in Stage 1 to earn nine bonus points and second in Stage 2 to earn nine more bonus points.

    Race Notes:

    ● Sam Mayer won the Henry 180 to score his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory in 72 starts. His margin over second-place Parker Kligerman was .368 of a second.

    ● There were eight caution periods for a total of 15 laps.
    ● Twenty-seven of the 37 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
    ● Austin Hill is the championship leader after Road America with an 14-point advantage over second-place John Hunter Nemechek.

    Sound Bites:

    “I mean, we had a winning No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang. I hate it for my guys. We got into that incident there, and it put us farther back than we hoped to be. We ran in the top-five up until then, but luckily, we were able to stay on the lead lap. I’m thankful that we were able to recover for a fifth-place finish, but it’s just hard to think about what it could’ve been. Ultimately, we had a good points day. I’m excited to head to Michigan next week to see what we can do there.” – Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

    “Overall, we had a fast No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang. The crew guys did a great job. It’s just bad luck and being in the wrong place at the wrong time as someone was missing the corner. We’ve had top-three cars the past few weeks, and we arguably had the best car today. It just hasn’t worked out for us. When you keep bringing fast cars to the racetrack though, it’ll all work out eventually. Proud of my team, and I know we’ll get it back going because we have great speed.” – Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang

    Next Up:

    The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the Michigan 250 on Saturday, Aug. 5 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn. The race begins at 3:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBC and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

  • Rear Gear Foils Connor Mosack in Road America 180

    Rear Gear Foils Connor Mosack in Road America 180

    Mechanical Issue Derails Determined Comeback Bid and
    Leaves Driver of No. 19 Porter Pipe & Supply Toyota GR Supra 29th

    Date: Saturday, July 29

    Event: Road America 180

    Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series

    Location: Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin (4.048-mile, 14-turn road course)

    Format: 45 laps, broken into three stages (22 laps/12 laps/11 laps)

    Start/Finish: 7th / 29th (Rear gear, completed 44 of 49 laps)

    Race Winner: Sam Mayerof JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)

    Note: Race extended four laps past its scheduled 45-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.

    Overview:

    A determined, late-race rally fell by the wayside for Connor Mosack in Saturday’s Road America 180 NASCAR Xfinity Series race when a rear-gear issue forced the Charlotte, North Carolina, native to park his No. 19 Porter Pipe & Supply Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) during the race’s first of two attempts at a green-white-checkered finish. Mosack qualified seventh and maintained his position in the top-10 for most of the opening stage despite his battles with a loose condition in the high-speed corners of Road America’s 4.048-mile, 14-turn circuit, as well as a braking issue. He finished the stage 12th. After myriad adjustments by the JGR crew, Mosack jumped three positions on the opening lap of the second stage. He made his way up to seventh as the stage was coming to a close before he was spun off track in turn six as a result of contact with Josh Berry, which dropped him back to 30th. Undaunted, Mosack made up 16 positions over the next nine laps and lined up 14th for the fateful lap-44 restart, during which the rear-gear issue ended his bid.

    Connor Mosack driver of the No. 19 Porter Pipe & Supply Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing:

    “Struggled a little bit at the beginning. I feel like the balance wasn’t bad, we were just a little loose in the high-speed stuff, especially through the Carousel and the Kink. But I thought we could really maintain or be a little bit better everywhere else. The brakes were really good for a few laps in the run and then we started having issues with that. It might’ve been something I was doing, or they just might not have been getting cool enough, but something to look at, for sure. I feel like we were managing that through the whole race and seemed to get them better. We were working our way toward the front until we got turned around by the 8 (Josh Berry) in turn six. That kind of killed our progress, but I thought we still had enough time to come back and get a good finish. But with what happened on our last restart, we didn’t have a chance to race there at the end. I just hate it for our Porter Pipe & Supply guys. It’s two races in a row I feel like we had a good car and didn’t have a good finish to show for it. I think we probably had a top-five car, at least, the cars that ended up finishing in the top-five are the ones we were racing for the majority of the day. Especially with all the chaos there at the end, I think we would’ve at least had a shot at it, but we’ll never know, now.”

    Notes:

    ● This was Mosack’s 15th career NASCAR Xfinity Series start and his 13th of the season. It was his third start of 2023 with Joe Gibbs Racing.

    ● Mosack qualified seventh for the Road America 180 with a lap of 132.410 seconds at an average speed of 110.058 mph around the 4.048-mile, 14-turn road course. It was his second straight top-10 qualifying effort and his third top-10 qualifying performance in his last four Xfinity Series starts.

    Next Up:

    Mosack heads to Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, where he will pull double duty, competing in the ARCA Menards Series race on Friday and the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday. Mosack will drive the No. 18 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Henry Ford Health 200 ARCA race on Aug. 4 and the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing in the Cabo Wabo 250 Xfinity Series race on Aug. 5. The Henry Ford Health 200 gets underway at 6 p.m. EDT on Friday with live coverage on FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The Cabo Wabo 250 starts at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday with live coverage on NBC and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

  • Toyota Racing – NXS Road America Post-Race Report – 07.29.23

    Toyota Racing – NXS Road America Post-Race Report – 07.29.23

    SAM HUNT RACING EARNS BEST DAY IN TEAM HISTORY AT ROAD AMERICA
    Sage Karam finishes fourth in Toyota debut, Kaz Grala seventh

    RICHMOND, Va. (July 29, 2023) – Sage Karam earned a career-best fourth-place finish in his Toyota and Sam Hunt Racing debut, while his teammate Kaz Grala brought his Toyota GR Supra home in seventh. Those results completed the best weekend in Sam Hunt Racing history as Karam and Grala put the team’s two Supras in the top-10 in qualifying before the duo ran every lap inside the top-10 of the 49-lap event.

    Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
    NASCAR Xfinity Series
    Road America
    Race 19 of 33 – 182.16 miles, 45 laps

    TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

    1st, Sam Mayer*

    2nd, Parker Kligerman*

    3rd, Austin Hill*

    4th, SAGE KARAM

    5th, Riley Herbst*

    7th, KAZ GRALA

    24th, STANTON BARRETT

    25th, DEXTER STACEY

    29th, CONNOR MOSACK

    31st, SAMMY SMITH

    34th, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK

    *non-Toyota driver

    TOYOTA QUOTES

    SAGE KARAM, No. 24 Carousel Online Toyota GR Supra, Sam Hunt Racing

    Finishing Position: 4th

    Was it the speedy dry that got you there on the final laps?

    “Yeah, unfortunately. I was the first one to the speedy dry, and right when I hit it, it was like hitting rain. I couldn’t do anything. But I can’t thank Sam Hunt Racing enough, Toyota. It has been an absolute pleasure to drive this No. 24 Carousel Online Toyota GR Supra. It’s been an absolute blast all weekend. The car has been so fast, as fast as Xfinity 10 G. It’s been an absolute pleasure, and I hope this leads to some more opportunities down the road. It’s really fun when you can battle up front with those guys. Those guys are really good here in the Xfinity Series – they are the best out there – and when you can be doing aggressive restarts like that with Justin (Allgaier) and Sam (Mayer) and have a shot at it is a really good feeling.”

    What is the significance of running up front all day like you did today?

    “I’ve made the decision that I want to be here full-time. This is what I’ve been trying to do, and I’ve been chasing the stock car dream now. This is my 20th race in Xfinity, getting the experience under my belt. I feel like when things go right, we can have good results – today everything went right, and the team gave me a great car. Our Toyota was great. It makes the driver’s job really easy when that’s all in the cards for us and I can go out there and focus on driving. We didn’t have to worry about pit stop, anything like that. It was all just focus forward and driving. That was pure race. That is what I love to do. Went for it – just speedy dry.”

    KAZ GRALA, No. 26 Fire Department Coffee Toyota GR Supra, Sam Hunt Racing

    Finishing Position: 7th

    How was your race?

    “Really solid day here for Sam Hunt Racing. We brought a couple of really good Supras and had a clean day. That is what we needed to do with the speed that we had. Stage points in every stage, top-10 finish. Really good points day for us compared to who we are racing, so thrilled with the outcome. Cool to send Fire Department Coffee off with a really good run with their last primary race scheduled with us this year. I think we had the speed to contend up front for the win. If we had a couple of restarts go our way, that didn’t go our way, we absolutely would have been in contention for the win there. Definitely proud of everybody. We’ve made some massive gains on our road course stuff here as a company, and excited that we’ve got three more on the schedule that we will be able to race for the win at, like we did today.”

    SAM HUNT, team owner, Sam Hunt Racing

    Can you talk about the weekend as a whole?

    “It was an incredible weekend with one in the top-five and the other in the top-10. Earlier this year, we had our first double top-10, and now we have a top-five, top-10 combo. Really special day for us. I’m just excited to see the progress and the process that everybody is buying into. It is working. Kaz (Grala) and Sage (Karam) did a phenomenal job all weekend. We unloaded with speed, and we ran up front all day. I know the 24 guys have had some misfortune this year and I feel like they’ve done such a great job as a team. I’m just happy to see them get the result that they deserve, and the 26 guys too with a big points day. Just a really special one. We were so close to that first win. We are getting closer and closer. Just can’t thank everybody at Toyota, TRD, Fire Department Coffee, Carosuel Online for making this weekend happen. The future looks really good for us.”

    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.

  • The NASCAR Xfinity Series Will Have An Exclusive New Home On The CW Network

    The NASCAR Xfinity Series Will Have An Exclusive New Home On The CW Network

    The CW to Broadcast All NASCAR Xfinity Series Races Starting in 2025
    33 Race Weekends Per Year

    JULY 28, 2023 (Burbank, CA) – The CW Network will become the exclusive home to the NASCAR Xfinity Series beginning in 2025 and extending through the 2031 racing season. The CW will broadcast 33 live NASCAR Xfinity Series races annually, along with practice and qualifying events each weekend. Starting in 2025, for the first time in series history, every NASCAR Xfinity Series race will be available on free, over-the-air broadcast television with additional content available through The CW’s digital platforms. All NASCAR Xfinity Series races and ancillary content will be fully produced by the Emmy Award-winning NASCAR Productions group, in close collaboration with The CW Network.

    Comprised primarily of NASCAR’s younger, up-and-coming drivers, the NASCAR Xfinity Series features the sport’s future stars often competing side-by-side against NASCAR’s biggest names – many of whom earned their stripes and won championships in the Xfinity Series. NASCAR Xfinity Series races in some of the nation’s largest markets—from Chicago to Los Angeles to Miami—and at the sport’s most iconic tracks, including the Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and the series championship at Phoenix Raceway.

    NASCAR Xfinity Series races draw an average of approximately 1 million viewers per race each season, historically airing on a combination of cable and broadcast television, but will now be entirely and exclusively distributed on broadcast television. The NASCAR Xfinity Series agreement with The CW underscores recent trends in which major sports properties have prioritized broadcast television to ensure the widest reach for their fan base and industry.

    “Landing the NASCAR Xfinity Series is a game changer for The CW and our CW Sports division and represents another important building block in our programming strategy,” said Dennis Miller, President of The CW. “Live sports are the most watched television content and with The CW’s national reach, moving NASCAR Xfinity Series to The CW will transform and elevate the viewing experience for the series and its fans. The CW has quickly become a destination for sports, as the NASCAR Xfinity Series joins our growing slate of sports programming, including INSIDE THE NFL, ACC college football and basketball, LIV Golf, and the motorsports documentary series 100 DAYS TO INDY. Beginning in 2025, The CW will have 48 weekends per year of live sports programming. With ubiquitous distribution across one of the nation’s five major broadcast networks, NASCAR Xfinity Series races on The CW will deliver more access for fans and far more revenue opportunities for The CW and its affiliates.”

    Brian Herbst, Senior Vice President, Media and Productions for NASCAR commented, “CW’s leadership shared a compelling vision for cultivating the next generation of NASCAR talent by bringing the NASCAR Xfinity Series exclusively to broadcast television and we are thrilled for the opportunity to partner with them. With more than one million viewers tuning in each week to see NASCAR’s future stars battle some of its biggest names at our most legendary tracks, NASCAR Xfinity Series consistently delivers the moments that excite current fans and create new fans of our great sport.”

    Mr. Miller added, “Live sports are key to expanding broadcast audiences and are valuable to our network affiliates and cable, satellite, telco and streaming distribution partners as well as The CW and its parent company, Nexstar Media Group, Inc. Nexstar’s owned and operated stations and The CW’s nationwide affiliate network will allow us to create local excitement for the Xfinity Series as we expand its reach and drive viewership growth. This will deliver a larger audience for NASCAR Xfinity Series competitions, its major sponsors and CW advertisers looking for national brand awareness and local activation. In addition, by creating a singular home for NASCAR Xfinity Series races, fans will be able to quickly find their favorite racing entertainment each weekend. Ultimately, bringing NASCAR Xfinity Series racing to The CW is a win-win for everyone – fans, drivers, teams, sponsors and affiliates. We can’t wait for the green flag to begin flying on The CW in 2025.”

    Andy Alford, President of Nexstar’s Broadcasting Division said, “Nexstar is already NASCAR’s third-largest broadcast partner, carrying NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series races across its FOX and NBC affiliates and has a deep understanding of NASCAR’s value. NASCAR’s loyal and passionate fan base and adrenaline-fueled races will provide CW stations with highly valuable live sports content that can deliver big audiences. These exciting events resonate in our local markets and with a local Nexstar station within driving distance of each and every NASCAR market, we are uniquely suited to drive attendance, viewership and revenues through local coverage, fan engagement, promotion and value-added marketing solutions for advertisers and brands.”

    2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Highlights

    • NXS has produced 11 different winners this season – tied for the fifth-most through 18 races (all-time: 1982-Present)
    • The average age of the 11 winners this season is 29.
    • 6 of the 11 different winners are 30 years old or under. The youngest being is 18-years old.
    • 6 of the last 11 NASCAR Cup Series championships have been won by former NASCAR Xfinity Series champions
    • Chase Elliott (2020), Kyle Busch (2019, 2015), Martin Truex Jr. (2017), Kevin Harvick (2014) and Brad Keselowski (2012).
    • 13 former NASCAR Xfinity Series champions are currently active in the NASCAR Cup Series
    • Ty Gibbs (2022), Austin Cindric (2020), Tyler Reddick (2019, 2018), William Byron (2017), Daniel Suarez (2016), Chris Buescher (2015), Chase Elliott (2014), Austin Dillon (2013), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2012, 2011), Brad Keselowski (2010), Kyle Busch (2009), Kevin Harvick (2006, 2001), Martin Truex Jr. (2005, 2004).

    About The CW Network

    The CW Network, LLC is one of America’s major broadcast networks and reaches 100% of US television households. The CW delivers 14 hours of primetime programming per week in addition to sports and other entertainment programming and is the exclusive broadcast home to LIV Golf. The fully ad-supported CW App, with more than 96 million downloads to date, is available for free to consumers on all major platforms and is home to the latest episodes and seasons of The CW’s primetime programming, live streaming of its sports content, and a library of entertaining film and television content for on-demand viewing. The CW is 75%-owned by Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: NXST), a leading diversified media company and largest CW affiliate group with 37 CW and CW Plus affiliates, covering 32% of the population. For more information about The CW, please visit www.cwtv.com.

    About Nexstar Media Group, Inc.

    Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: NXST) is a leading diversified media company that produces and distributes engaging local and national news, sports and entertainment content across television, streaming and digital platforms, including more than 300,000 hours of news, sports, and entertainment programming each year. Nexstar owns America’s largest local broadcasting group comprised of top network affiliates, with 200 owned or partner stations in 116 U.S. markets reaching 212 million people. Nexstar’s national television properties include The CW, America’s fifth major broadcast network, NewsNation, America’s fastest-growing national news and entertainment cable network reaching 70 million television homes, popular entertainment multicast networks Antenna TV and Rewind TV, and a 31.3% ownership stake in TV Food Network. The Company’s portfolio of digital assets, including The Hill and BestReviews, are collectively a Top 10 U.S. digital news and information property. In addition to delivering exceptional content and service to our communities, Nexstar provides premium multiplatform and video-on-demand advertising opportunities at scale for businesses and brands seeking to leverage the strong consumer engagement of our compelling content offering. For more information, please visit nexstar.tv.

    About NASCAR

    Celebrating its 75th Anniversary in 2023, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Pinty’s Series (Canada), NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 12 countries and more than 30 U.S. states.

    For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

  • Katherine Legge Joins SS GreenLight Racing

    Katherine Legge Joins SS GreenLight Racing

    IndyCar & IMSA Star Returns to NASCAR for 2023 Races at Road America, IMS, WGI and Charlotte

    ELKHART LAKE, WI, July 27, 2023 – With one of the most diverse careers in motorsports, spanning everything from INDYCAR/Indy 500, IMSA sports cars and NASCAR to testing a Formula 1 car, Katherine Legge will return to the NASCAR Xfinity Series for four races this season, beginning with this weekend’s Henry 180 at Road America.

    She will also be entered in the upcoming Xfinity Series races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Watkins Glen International, and Charlotte Motor Speedway, all with SS Greenlight in the #07 Chevrolet.

    “The Indy 500 made me realize that life and racing careers are too short not to go for it,” said Legge. “My interest and passion is to continue to break new ground in motorsports. I’ve been proactive over the last year in thinking about what I want to do in my career and how I can accomplish those things. I’m so thankful to [SS Greenlight team owner] Bobby Dotter for the opportunity; and to Wayne Auton, Mike Helton, and Jim France, for welcoming me back to NASCAR, especially at one of my favourite tracks, Road America.”

    In May, Legge made history with her Indy 500 qualifying run, turning the fastest single lap and four-lap qualifying average by a female driver in the 107-year history of the Indianapolis 500. Her four-lap average of 231.070 eclipsed the mark of 229.439 set in 2002. Legge became the ninth woman to compete in the Indy 500 in 2012; and in 2023 was the only woman in the race, generating 50 million media impressions for her third start in the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

    “Female athletes are the rarest of birds because they are able to transcend audiences in a way that their male counterparts cannot, said Klint Briney, Legge’s agent. “At the Indy 500 this year, we saw unprecedented demand around Katherine from media outlets and major advertisers. It signals a sea change in our sport and highlights a new and emerging audience for figures like
    Katherine. We’re very optimistic about her future, as she’s racing now more than ever before and see great potential in maximizing her opportunities on and off the racetrack.”

    Legge currently competes full-time in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Series driving the #66 Gradient Racing Acura NSX GT3 Evo22. She has scored four top-10 finishes this season, including finishing fourth in the 24 Hours of Daytona. She also brought NSX its first ever win worldwide in Detroit in 2017.

    The springboard to her professional career was winning the Toyota Atlantic series season opener in Long Beach in 2005, in her first career start, to become the first woman to win a developmental open-wheel race in North America. She also won that season at Edmonton and San Jose, finishing the season 3rd in the points championship and subsequently turning pro and moving up to Champ Car. She spent three seasons in Europe driving for Audi in the premier DTM series, and was a key part of the DeltaWing project in the American Le Mans Series.

    Formula One offered her a test in 2005 at Vallelunga Circuit in Italy. In 2018, Legge competed in four NASCAR Xfinity Series races: at the Mid-Ohio SportsCar Course, Richmond Raceway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, and Road America, where she had her best finish of 14 th out of 40 entries. For her return this year, her #07 machine will carry sponsorship from ref-ology + Blast Equality Collab (BEQ), Team Schuler of Compass Real Estate and the Women’s Premier Basketball Association (WPBA).Blast Equality Collab, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, founded by Shelley Russi is a leadership collaboration taught through the lens of diverse sports experiences. Blast Equality Collab aims to help members and partners learn how to put people first while making decisions with a higher degree of integrity and accuracy by having to do it in real-world game/event situations. We partner with, and receive donations from, entities where our members are provided opportunities to put into practice Embodied Leadership at the intersection of Sports +Officiating, and beyond.

    “Katherine Legge and SS Greenlight Racing embody the Blast Equality Collab (BEQ) Mission,” said Russi. “This opportunity to collaborate with Katherine, who trail blazes throughout the world, makes her the perfect fit to drive the SS Greenlight 07 at Road America. Katherine is a powerful sports figure who aligns with the BEQ Embodied Leadership vision. Alongside Team Schuler, we are supporting the first Black Woman-owned, FIBA certified league in California
    where the WPBA is generating opportunity for WPBA players to land contracts
    internationally/domestically, in a playing capacity or in leadership roles impacting corporate culture.”

    Following this weekend’s Henry 180 NASCAR Xfinity Series Road America 180 on July 22 (televised on NBC at 3:00 PM ET), Legge’s remaining 2023 schedule will include:
    – Road America IMSA SportsCar Weekend August 6 (USA Network, 11:00 AM ET).
    – NASCAR Xfinity Pennzoil 150 presented by Advance Auto Parts on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course on August 12 (USA Network, 5:30 PM ET).
    – NASCAR Xfinity Shriners Children’s 200 at Watkins Glen International on August 19 (USA Network, 3:30 PM ET).
    – IMSA SportsCar Michelin GT Challenge at VIRginia International Raceway on August 27 (USA Network, 2:00 PM ET).
    -IMSA SportsCar Battle on The Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course on September 17 (NBC, 1:00 PM ET).
    – NASCAR Xfinity Drive for the Cure 250 presented by BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina on October 7 (NBC, 3:00 PM ET).
    – IMSA SportsCar Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on October 14 (USA Network, 6:30 PM ET).

    Practice for the NASCAR Xfinity Road America 180 will begin on Friday, July 28 at 5:05 PM, with qualifications following at 6:05 PM, and the race on Saturday, July 29 at 3:00 PM ET. All on-track action can be seen on NBC or NBC’s Peacock Premium streaming service.

    For more on Katherine Legge, please visit katherinelegge.com, and for more on ref-ology + Blast Equality Collab, please visit shelleyrussi.com. Join the Blast Quality Collab Team in our campaign with HundredX and give without spending. Every piece of feedback you share supports our mission to support embodied leadership education through diverse sports experiences. Text ‘Blast’ to 90412, join the NASCAR affiliation and have your voice heard!

    About Katherine Legge
    Legge, an Atlanta transplant but native of Haslemere, United Kingdom. She currently competes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series road course events in the #07 GS Greenlight Chevrolet; and in the #66 Gradient Racing Acura NSX GT3 in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Legge has appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, TODAY with Hoda & Jenna, 60 Minutes, The Tamron Hall Show, GMA, Modern Marvels, and Jay Leno’s Garage. Legge is represented by BRANDed Management and Klint Briney, who long oversaw the career of nine-time Indy 500 starter Sarah Fisher. For more on Katherine, please visit katherinelegge.com.

  • Alex Labbe, SS GreenLight Partner with ref-ology for Road America

    Alex Labbe, SS GreenLight Partner with ref-ology for Road America

    MOORESVILLE, N.C. (July 26, 2023): SS Greenlight Racing, with Canadian Alex Labbe behind the wheel, on Thursday announced a partnership with ref-ology + Blast Equality Collab as the primary sponsor with Team Schuler of Compass Real Estate and the Women’s Premier Basketball Association (WPBA) as associate sponsors on the #08 Ford Mustang in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this weekend for the Road America 180 at Elkhart Lake, WI.

    “Thanks to Shelley Russi and her team for the support – can’t wait to see what we can accomplish there this weekend. I am excited to drive for SS Greenlight with the ref-ology + Blast Equality Collab/Team Schuler/WPBA colors on board with me on this road course and it’s incredible to have the opportunity to run on a freshly paved Road America circuit this weekend!” says driver Labbe.

    This unique collaboration represents the embodiment of transformation at many levels. ref-ology + Blast Equality Collab brings together the WPBA and Team Schuler to partner with a race team whose driver embodies what it means to push hard, turns circumstances into the path and demonstrates a
    drive to win.

    Blast Equality Collab, (a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization) founded by Shelley Russi – is a leadership collaboration taught through the lens of diverse sports experiences. Blast Equality Collab aims to help members and partners learn how to put people first while making decisions with a higher degree of integrity and accuracy by having to do it in real-world game/event situations. We partner with, and receive donations from, entities where our members are provided opportunities to put into practice embodied leadership at the intersection of Sports + Officiating, and beyond. Join the Blast Quality Collab Team in our campaign with HundredX and give without spending. Every piece of feedback you share supports our mission to support embodied leadership education through diverse sports experiences. Text ‘Blast’ to 90412, join the NASCAR affiliation and have your voice heard!

    “We are thrilled to team up with SS Greenlight, driver Alex Labbe, Crew Chief Jason Miller and the entire 08 team at Road America,” said Russi. “This is an amazing opportunity to collaborate with Alex along with a proven, veteran team like SS GreenLight Racing and owner Bobby Dotter to represent the ref-ology + Blast Equality Collab brand on the track.”

    Don Vaden, a 30-year NBA Veteran, former Finals Referee, and Russi’s business partner, will serve as one of the #08’s spotters this weekend.

    “It’s an honor having ref-ology + Blast Equality Collab, Team Schuler and the WPBA teaming up with SS Greenlight and Alex in the #08. Looking forward to helping guide Alex toward the front,” says Vaden.

    The Women’s Premier Basketball Association founded by Faatimah A, is the first Black Woman-owned FIBA Certified league in California. The WPBA is a collaborative of professional athletes, community leaders, coaches, and staff dedicated to the vision of upholding the highest standard in Women’s Basketball. The current 8-team League plays its final regular season games Saturday July 29 and Championship weekend at the College of Alameda in the East Bay, California on August 4-6, 2023. All things WPBA found at Instagram (@womenspba) or online (womenspba.com).

    Team Schuler, Compass Real Estate’s mission is to transform the real estate experience by building and maintaining a diverse team. Team Schuler utilizes a holistic approach to benefit clients and continuously delivers BEST-IN-CLASS service – in an industry of sameness, ‘WE RISE ABOVE.’ We collaborate with Blast Equality Collab through our giving campaign (per transaction donation) and specifically with the WPBA to bring the Real Estate Agent opportunity to this group of talented Professional Basketball Players as they look to build a business alongside the playing brand. For more info visit us at: Team Schuler NorCal at teamschuler.com.

    For more on SS GreenLight Racing, visit SSGreenLight.com, or ‘like’ on Facebook (SS GreenLight Racing) and follow them on Twitter (@SSGLR0708) and Instagram (@ssgreenlightracing).

    For more on ref-ology + Blast Equality Collab, please visit ref-ology.com, shelleyrussi.com, blastequality.org, and follow them on Instagram (@ref.ology), and follow them on Twitter (@refology).

    Practice for the Xfinity Series will be shown live on USA Network on Friday July 28 at 5:00PM ET/2:00PM PT with Qualifying at 6:00PM ET/3:00PM PT.

    The Road America 180 (45 laps | 182.16 miles) at Road America Raceway will take the green flag Sat. July 29, 2023. Coverage begins at 3:00PM ET/12:00PM PT on NBC, the NBC Sports App, MRN Radio, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 and the Sirius XM app.