STEWART-HAAS RACING
NASCAR Xfinity Series: Ambetter Health 200

Date: July 15, 2023
Event: Ambetter Health 200 (Round 18 of 33)
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location: New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon (1.058-mile oval)
Format: 200 laps, broken into three stages (45 laps/45 laps/110 laps)
Note: Race extended six laps past its scheduled 200-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.
Race Winner: John Hunter Nemechek of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Sammy Smith of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

SHR Race Finish:

● Riley Herbst (Started 14th / Finished 20th, Running, completed 206 of 206 laps)

● Cole Custer (Started 6th / Finished 22nd, Running, completed 205 of 206 laps)

SHR Points:

● Cole Custer (4th with 656 points, 74 out of first)

● Riley Herbst (11th with 457 points, 273 out of first)

SHR Notes:

● Herbst earned his 10th top-20 of the season and his second top-20 in three career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at New Hampshire.

● Custer finished third in Stage 1 to earn eight bonus points.

Race Notes:

● John Hunter Nemechek won the Ambetter Health 200 under caution to score his sixth career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, his fourth of the season and his first at New Hampshire.

● There were 10 caution periods for a total of 60 laps.

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

● Nemechek remains the championship leader after New Hampshire with an 33-point advantage over second-place Austin Hill.

Sound Bites:

“I wouldn’t say the results of this race were a positive, even with gaining points. I don’t know what I was doing when I got into the No. 10 car there. I thought there was some room there, and I just wasn’t clear. That really ruined our top-three day, and now we’ll finish 20th. It’s super frustrating. I apologize to Austin Dillon, the No. 10 team, and my guys for that incident. We go to Pocono next week though, and that’s a track that I won at in the ARCA series. Hopefully, we can build on that and park this No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang in victory lane.” – Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

“I got a decent start there on the last restart, and I just got tight. Off of Turn Four, the No. 2 tried to clear himself on me, and I was still there. Got loose and then got into him. Ultimately, it wrecked both of us. It just didn’t work out right for either of us. It wasn’t the right move. The No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang was so good, but I think we just needed a little bit more. I thought we could compete with anyone today. We’re digging. We have really fast cars, it’s just a matter of getting that little bit more.” – Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the Pocono 225 on Saturday, July 22 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. The race begins at 5:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by USA and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

NEMECHEK DOMINATES NEW HAMPSHIRE, WINS SECOND STRAIGHT
John Hunter Nemechek adds to victory total with his series-leading fourth win of the year

LOUDON, NH (July 15, 2023) – John Hunter Nemechek dominated the day at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and won his second straight race on Saturday afternoon. It is the fourth win of the season for the North Carolina-native, who expands his points lead. For Toyota, Nemechek’s victory helps the manufacturer close in on major milestones as it was the 598th NASCAR national series win and 196th NASCAR Xfinity Series triumph. Sammy Smith (fifth) battled from the back after an unapproved adjustment to win the second stage and finish inside the top-five, while Kaz Grala (13th) started last in a backup Toyota GR Supra after a practice accident and drove through the field to earn his third straight top-15 finish.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Race 18 of 33 – 211.6 miles, 200 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
2nd, Chandler Smith*
3rd, Austin Hill*
4th, Daniel Hemric*
5th, SAMMY SMITH
13th, KAZ GRALA
26th, CONNOR MOSACK
29th, JOE GRAF JR.

*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

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

Finishing Position: 1st

How nerve-wracking is final restarts like that?

“It’s nerve-wracking for sure. Just hats off to this whole 20 team, and everyone that works on this Joe Gibbs Racing Persil Toyota GR Supra. It was as fast as Xfinity 10G today. Hats off to them. I appreciate it. They’ve had dominate Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota GR Supras up here the last few years. I had to hold up my end of the bargain.”

Do you feel like this team is clicking?

“For sure. We’ve clicked from almost day one. We’ve been consistent all year. Just time to keep clicking off all of these victories.”

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

Finishing Position: 5th

You had to drive through the field twice today and scored a top-five finish. Do you look at this as an accomplishment or a missed opportunity?

“A missed opportunity. We had an up-and-down day. We came from the back twice and worked our way back up there. Stage two kind of fell our way a little bit. We got some track position, just kind of fell off there compared to the 20 (John Hunter Nemechek). Good day overall. Thanks to TMC, Pilot Flying J, Allstate Peterbuilt Group, Golden Harvest, Renda Group, Toyota – everyone that helps us get here. Frustrating day, but a good day and glad we could capitalize on getting good stage points that we did. Just things to keep working on.”

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

Finishing Position: 13th

Can you talk about battling through the adversity to earn another strong finish?

“I’m really proud of everyone at SHR (Sam Hunt Racing) for the hustle. That was a massive task for them to get the backup Island Coastal Lager Supra ready. I hate it for them, because they brought such a good primary car, and it was certainly none of our doing – nothing of anyone’s doing that put us in the box that we were put in. Really cool to see everyone pitch in and pull together and put together as good of a race car as we had there. I was really pleased with it. We were able to drive through the field and get to the top-15, which is this year a really good place to run in this series. The field is super deep, so a top-15 day in a backup car no less I think is major accomplishment. I think we got a really good finish there. Happy to be able to end it on a good note. I know it was a tough weekend for everybody, but I feel like we are coming out of it pretty strong. It was cool to see. Excited for Pocono next weekend, hopefully, we will race our primary car there.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 22 electrified options.

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

Rocky’s Ace Hardware to Support Joe Graf Jr. at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

LOUDON, N.H.: Rocky’s Ace Hardware, your neighborhood store for paint, hardware, lawn and garden and grilling will support NASCAR Xfinity Series veteran Joe Graf Jr. in Saturday afternoon’s Ambetter Health 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS).

Founded in Springfield, MA in 1926, Rocky’s Ace Hardware has 48 locations throughout Connecticut, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, including 32 stores in New England.

Rocky′s has become one of the country’s largest Ace Hardware dealers, noted for its exceptional customer service and vast product selection.

Their pairing with Graf will be Rocky’s Ace Hardware’s first foray into the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Graf will drive the No. 19 Rocky’s Ace Hardware Toyota Supra for Saturday’s 200-lap race, his fourth race of the season for Joe Gibbs Racing and his first since Richmond (Va.) Raceway on April 1.

“I’m excited to grow our relationship with Rocky’s Ace Hardware to include a primary partnership role with Joe Gibbs Racing this weekend at New Hampshire,” said Graf.

“Our introduction with Rocky’s Ace Hardware came through another one of my current marketing partners CoverSeal and because of that great working relationship and the business-to-business opportunities that the NASCAR Xfinity Series offers, we are stoked that Rocky’s Ace Hardware wanted to be a part of my Xfinity Series return to Joe Gibbs Racing this weekend.”

Rocco J. Falcone, Rocky’s president and CEO is thrilled to be a part of Graf’s journey at New Hampshire.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for Rocky’s Ace Hardware to partner with Joe Gibbs Racing, CoverSeal and Joe Graf Jr, for the race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway,” said Rocco J. Falcone, Rocky’s president and CEO.

“We’re grateful to our partners at CoverSeal for helping to make this happen. Rocky’s is a locally owned business with 32 stores across New England, including three in New Hampshire, and this is a great way for us to bring our Brand to Joe Graf Jr and Joe Gibbs Racing fans for the biggest race in New England.”

Graf who turned 25 on Wednesday, July 12, will make his third start at the Loudon, New Hampshire track on Saturday and looks to improve on his 12th place finish last July.

In three previous Joe Gibbs Racing starts this season, Graf has collected two top-15 finishes, highlighted by an 11th-place finish in their debut together in the Production Alliance Group 300 at Auto Club (Calif.) Speedway in March.

Following Saturday’s race, Graf will visit the Rocky’s Ace Hardware in Concord, New Hampshire on Sunday, July 16, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. to meet and greet race fans ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series Crayon 301 race.

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).

The Ambetter Health 200 (200 laps | 211.6 miles) is the 18th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2023 schedule. Practice begins on Friday, July 14, 2023, from 5:05 p.m. – 5:35 p.m. Qualifying is set to follow practice beginning at 5:35 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag the next afternoon, Saturday, July 15, 2023, shortly after 3:00 p.m. with live coverage on the USA Network, the Performance Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (Eastern).

About Rocky’s Ace Hardware:

Rocky’s Ace Hardware, your neighborhood store for paint, hardware, lawn and garden, and grilling, has been in continuous operation, under the same family ownership, since opening its first location in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1926.

From one modest store to now 48 convenient locations throughout Connecticut, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, Rocky′s has become one of the country’s largest Ace Hardware dealers, noted for its exceptional customer service and vast product selection.

For more information, visit rockys.com.

AM Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
New Hampshire Motor Speedway | Ambetter Health 200

Fast Facts

No. 25 AM Racing Team:
Driver: Brett Moffitt
Primary Partner(s): AM Technical Solutions (AMTS)
Manufacturer: Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Joe Williams Jr.
Spotter: Tony Raines
Chassis Intel: AMR Chassis No. 1028
Engine: Roush-Yates Engines
Driver Championship Point Standings: 14th
Team Championship Point Standings: 16th

Notes of Interest:

Inaugural Journey Marches On: After spending the past several seasons as a full-time team in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series, AM Racing will embark on its inaugural journey in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season with driver Brett Moffitt for the entire 33-race tour continuing with Saturday afternoon’s Ambetter Health 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Saturday afternoon’s race signifies the start 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 at the track dubbed the New York of the South, 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.

Partner Intel: The Statesville, N.C.-based team will sport the signage of AM Technical Solutions on the No. 25 Ford Mustang for the 18th 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 a busy weekend for AM Racing.

In addition to the NASCAR Xfinity Series team competing at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway, AM Racing’s ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series program were in action on the road course at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

ARCA rookie Christian Rose kicked off the weekend with a solid showing in his No. 32 Department of West Virginia Tourism | Secure Testing Services Ford Mustang. After starting his first career road course from the 12th position, Rose methodically made gains throughout the race and maneuvered him inside the top-10 in the closing laps of the race.

Unfortunately, an electrical issue on the last lap spoiled the team’s top-10 finish and the team was credited with an 11th-place result.

Austin Wayne Self returned to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series tour aboard his No. 22 AIRBOX Air Purifier Ford F-150. Qualifying 27th, Self-impressed in the rain – quickly entering the top-10 in the early onset of the O’Reilly Auto Parts 150.

This weekend, Rose continues his ARCA season with a stop at Iowa Speedway on Saturday night.

Thanks For Your Support: With more than 51 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, Concrete Supply, Destiny Homes, Flying Circle, Kreuz Market, Lane Frost Brand, Mechanix Wear and Mobil 1.

AMerican Heroes: NASCAR and its fans have always put Patriotism and American Pride at the forefront of every race weekend. That same passion runs just as deep at AM Racing, a team whose family lineage is deeply rooted in the Armed Forces and First Responders workforce.

We’re a team whose blood bleeds Red, White and Blue every day, which is why we are proud to launch, AMerican Heroes.

At AM Racing, it is our mission to recognize and highlight the men and women who continue to put their lives on the line every day, as well as honoring and paying respect to those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.

We are a nation that is united by one flag, which represents all the liberties and freedoms that we would not be able to enjoy without the sacrifices of those willing to answer the call.

Continuing with New Hampshire this weekend, AM Racing will carry the AMerican Heroes livery, which will continue for the remainder of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series and ARCA Menards Series seasons.

The team will work to salute all the men and women, past and present, who truly deserve the title of Hero, every weekend.

Brett Moffitt Xfinity New Hampshire Motor Speedway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Ambetter Health 200 will mark Moffitt’s third start at the 1.054-mile speedway.

In his previous two efforts, Moffitt has delivered one top-10 and two top-15 finishes. His track-best result occurred during the 2021 Ambetter Get Vaccinated 200 when Moffitt steered to a ninth-place finish after starting seventh for Our Motorsports.

In addition to his previous two Xfinity Series races, the popular driver also has three NASCAR Cup Series starts at the New Hampshire race track to coincide with one NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series start in the Granite State.

Brett Moffitt Xfinity Series Speedway Stats: At NASCAR Xfinity Series tracks classified as a speedway 1.0-mile to 2.0-mile in length, Moffitt has made 51 starts throughout his career earning one pole and 16 top-10 finishes. He also holds an average finishing position of 15.7.

Brett Moffitt NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: In 101 career Xfinity Series starts, Moffitt has earned three top-five and 27 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 101 Xfinity Series starts, he has achieved 45 NASCAR Cup Series and 92 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts to his credit.

Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway | Alsco Uniforms 250 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway, Brett Moffitt and the AM Racing were hoping history would repeat itself.

In the spring at the hybrid superspeedway track, Moffitt and the AM Racing team earned their second career top-10 finish when they posted a then-season-high sixth-place finish in the RAPTOR King of Tough 250.

On the heels of a top-five finish the week prior at the Chicago Street Course, Moffitt and the Joe Williams Jr.-led team were hopeful to continue the momentum.

After a subpar qualifying effort of 27th in the No. 25 AM Technical Solutions Ford Mustang, Moffitt utilized the drat following the first stage to cleverly maneuver his race car inside the top-10 where he remained throughout the remainder of the race.

A late race caution threw the race into overtime and while battling inside the top-10 on the last lap of the race, Moffitt was running on fumes when his car began to fumble coming out of Turn 4.

The stumble cost the team their fifth top-10 finish of the season and instead delivered a respectable 11th-place finish.

In 17 races this season, Moffit has delivered one top-five, four top-10s, 11 top-15s, 12 top-20s and an average finish of 16.1.

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

He will be crew chief for his 116th NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday and his third at the 1.054-mile facility in Loudon, New Hampshire.

In his previous 115 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected one win (Auto Club Speedway | February 2022), eight top-five and 25 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 New Hampshire Motor Speedway: “New Hampshire has been relatively a good track for me and I’m hoping to continue that statistic with my AM Racing team on Saturday afternoon.

“I feel like we were robbed of a top-10 finish last weekend at Atlanta, so as a team, we’re going to New Hampshire looking for some redemption.

“Our AM Racing team is really in a good place right now and we just need to keep working hard and future focused and I believe we’ll have a good race result.”

On 2023 Season Outlook: “We’ve officially reached the halfway point of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series and I feel like we have a lot to be proud of.

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

Race Information:

The Ambetter Health 200 (200 laps | 211.6 miles) is the 18th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2023 schedule. Practice begins on Friday, July 14, 2023, from 5:05 p.m. – 5:35 p.m. Qualifying is set to follow practice beginning at 5:35 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag the next afternoon, Saturday, July 15, 2023, shortly after 3:00 p.m. with live coverage on the USA Network, the Performance Racing Network (Radio) 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.

COLE CUSTER | RILEY HERBST
New Hampshire NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

• Event: Ambetter Health 200 (Round 18 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, July 15
• Location: New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon
• Layout: 1.058-mile oval
• Time/TV/Radio: 3 p.m. EDT on USA/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

• Cole Custer and the No. 00 Haas Automation team look to keep the momentum rolling as they head into Saturday’s Ambetter Health 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. A solid third-place finish in last Saturday’s Alsco Uniforms 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway netted Custer his 11th consecutive top-10 finish and his second top-five in a row. Custer ran in the top-12 for a majority of the race and, in a fuel-saving call, was able to bypass his competitors on a NASCAR overtime restart to jump from 10th to third. It was his best finish on a superspeedway-style track and his best finish since the Atlanta repave and reconfiguration. Custer now has the longest top-10 streak of any driver in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
• Saturday’s Ambetter Health 200 will mark Custer’s fourth Xfinity Series start at New Hampshire. In his three prior starts from 2017 to 2019, he never finished outside the top-10. His best finish was a second-place run in his last Xfinity Series race there in July 2019, when he was bested only by race-winner Christopher Bell. Custer also has seven New Hampshire starts outside of the Xfinity Series – three in the NASCAR Cup Series, three in the NASCAR Truck Series, and one in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. Two of those were wins – the 2014 NASCAR Truck Series race and the 2013 K&N Pro Series race.
• Custer will be pulling double duty for the second weekend in a row as he’ll also be behind the wheel of the No. 51 BioHaven / Jacob Companies Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing in Sunday’s Crayon 301 Cup Series race.
• Custer has been on a roll for the past 11 weeks since the April 1 race at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. It’s a stretch that includes two race wins and three pole qualifying efforts, and most importantly has put him in a strong position for the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs. He’s jumped to third in the driver standings from the 10th position he held prior to Richmond. He is now 45 points behind John Hunter Nemechek, the regular-season championship leader. Custer’s streak of 11 top-10s in a row began with his fifth-place result at Richmond. With only nine races left before the playoffs begin Sept. 15 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, Custer is looking to close the points gap even further and take home not only more wins, but the regular-season championship trophy.

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• Riley Herbst and the No. 98 Monster Energy team are ready to show their resilience and ability to rebound in Saturday’s Ambetter Health 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Last Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Herbst experienced the high of passing Josh Berry to steal the win in the opening stage. Herbst and the No. 98 team felt they were in position to contend for the win looking forward, but an untimely flat left-rear tire put Herbst in a bad position on track, where he was caught up in an accident that forced him to retire to the garage on lap 88. While he may not have gotten the ending he had hoped for, Herbst’s stage win was the first of his Xfinity Series career, which began in 2019.
• Saturday’s race at New Hampshire will mark Herbst’s third at the 1.058-mile oval. In his prior two visits, he earned a best result of 10th in his first start there in July 2021. He also has two New Hampshire starts outside of the Xfinity Series, both in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2018 and 2019. He finished fourth and sixth, respectively.
• With only nine races to go before the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs begin on Aug. 15 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, Herbst is looking to secure his spot in the 12-driver playoff field. He is currently 11th in the driver standings but 12th in the playoff standings, with a six-point cushion ahead of 13th-place Parker Kligerman. Herbst and his team are looking to find the momentum they exhibited at the outset of the season in order to better protect their points buffer and work their way upward in the playoff standings by accumulating points at a greater rate. A race win, of course, would lock Herbst into the postseason.

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

Your statistics at New Hampshire are strong across all of the NASCAR national touring series, including wins in the Truck Series and K&N Pro Series East. How do you feel coming into this weekend’s race?

“I love going to New Hampshire. I love seeing the fans up there because of how hardcore they are. It’s a very technical and difficult racetrack for a driver, though. It can be very awkward, and it can be a challenge. But overall, that’s what makes it fun for us. I’m hoping that the No. 00 Haas Automation team can put a strong weekend together so we can park our Ford Mustang in victory lane again.”

After a strong race at Atlanta last weekend, what’s your plan heading to New Hampshire?

“The plan is always to compete for the win, but this track isn’t always the kindest to us drivers. New Hampshire’s just so hard because you have to roll the corners so long and modulate the brake pedal in order to do well at this track. It’s a very tricky race. You have to be patient so you don’t overdrive the cars and get yourself into trouble. It can honestly be a challenge for a driver, but I’m ready for it. Hopefully, I can keep calm and bring home a strong finish this weekend.”

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

Last Saturday’s race at Atlanta provided racing’s highs and lows for the No. 98 Monster Energy team after you won your first career stage, then ended up being collected in an accident. How do you get past those heartbreaking races and move on to the next?

“You just have to take it race-by-race. We’ve had some bad luck, and I hate it for this No. 98 Monster Energy team. We were so strong in the beginning of the year and, honestly, we were building a strong race in Atlanta. We were a top-three car, for sure, and I think we could’ve been a contender for the win. That cut tire caused so much trouble, and we had to end our day early. You can’t dwell on that, though. Each weekend is a new race and a new opportunity to show our speed and determination.”

You’ve had two prior starts at New Hampshire with a best finish of 10th. What’s the plan for this weekend?

“The plan is simple – survive and get back on track. We had some bad luck in both Chicago and Atlanta, so we want to get back to where we were at the beginning of the season. There have been a lot of ups and downs, so I really want to end these final races of the regular season strong. New Hampshire has always been a fun track for me, but we got involved in a wreck last year that wasn’t of our own doing. We have the speed to run well there, so hopefully you’ll see that this weekend.”

JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
RACE: Ambetter Health 200 (200 laps / 211.6 miles)
DATE: Saturday, July 15, 2023

Broadcast Information – TV: 3 p.m. ET on USA / Radio: 2:30 p.m. ET on PRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Sam Mayer
No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet

• Sam Mayer heads up the east coast to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for his third career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at the 1.058-mile oval.
• The Franklin, Wis. native is coming off a fifth-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway after a thrilling comeback following an on-track incident in the final stage.
• In 27 starts on tracks measuring 1 to 1.5 miles in length in his NXS career, the young driver carries eight top-five and 17 top-10 efforts.
• Last week’s run has kept Mayer seventh in the NXS Championship point standings with nine races remaining in the regular season.

Josh Berry
No. 8 JARRETT Chevrolet

• Josh Berry’s two starts at New Hampshire have resulted in one top-10 finish (eighth) in 2021 and a pole position in last year’s event, in which he led 11 laps on the day.
• At 1-mile tracks in the NXS, Berry has earned a victory (Dover Motor Speedway), four top-five and six top-10 finishes in nine career starts.
• In Berry’s first start at NHMS in 2021, he was subbing for an injured Michael Annett and logged an eighth-place finish.
• In two starts on 1-mile ovals this season in the NXS, Berry has one top-five and two top-10 finishes.
• JARRETT Logistics Systems will be on the No. 8 Chevrolet for the second straight week and the fifth race this season.

Brandon Jones
No. 9 Menards/Watts Chevrolet

• Brandon Jones has made six NXS starts at the “Magic Mile” and has scored two top-10 finishes. His best was a sixth place effort during the 2018 season.
• In 34 starts at 1-mile ovals in the NXS, Jones has recorded one win (Phoenix 2020), four top-five and 14 top-10 finishes, while leading the field for 176 laps in total.
• Crew chief Jason Burdett has called the shots for seven events at New Hampshire in the NXS and has recorded one win (2022), three top-five and six top-10 finishes.
• Jones currently sits 15th in the championship point standings, 81 points under the playoff cutline with nine races remaining in the regular season.
  
• Justin Allgaier
  No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier heads into this weekend’s NXS event at New Hampshire as the defending race winner on the “Magic Mile.”
• Allgaier started third and led 47 laps en route to his first victory at the New England track last season.
• In 11 NXS starts at Loudon, Allgaier has earned three top fives and eight top 10s to accompany the victory. Additionally, Allgaier has placed third or better in the last three races in The Granite State.
• In his NXS career on tracks between 1 and 2 miles in length, Allgaier has scored 12 wins, 74 top fives and 139 top 10s in 223 starts.

Driver Quotes

“New Hampshire is a track that we have not had the best luck at but I am looking forward to getting back there and capitalizing on all I have learned to have a good finish. My No. 1 team put together a solid car for me last week to fight back from that incident in the final stage and grab a solid fifth-place finish, so I hope we can continue on to another top-five effort while contending for the win.” – Sam Mayer

“New Hampshire has been a really strong track for us as of late, and it’s always a nice feeling coming back to a track as the defending race winner. Hopefully we can execute the same way we did here last year and come away with another victory with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet. I know that Jim (Pohlman, crew chief) and all the guys on this No. 7 team are ready to go, so we’ll see what we can do.” – Justin Allgaier

“We were pretty good at New Hampshire the last two seasons, getting a pole last year and running really well late into the race. It’s a tough place to race, as flat as it is, which puts a premium on how your car handles. We’ll take the JARRETT Chevrolet up there and give it our best shot this weekend, hopefully getting some consistency back to enter the playoffs with some momentum.” – Josh Berry

“New Hampshire races like a big short track with the long straightaways, tight turns and just how flat the track is overall. It’s a tough place to get around but Jason (Burdett, crew chief) and this team knows how to build a strong car for this place and I can’t wait to get there this weekend. We’re due for a good run and hopefully that starts this weekend.” – Brandon Jones

JRM Team Updates

• JR Motorsports at New Hampshire: JR Motorsports has competed at the “Magic Mile” 43 times in the NXS. In those starts at the 1.058-mile oval, the organization has recorded one win, seven top fives and 22 top 10s. JRM comes into this race as the defending race winner after Justin Allgaier took home the checkered last season.
• Jarrett: Is your supply chain partner real? Real people, real results, really responsive, really a partner? At Jarrett Companies, the difference is its real people. Fortune 500 companies and regional manufacturers trust Jarrett for their supply chain needs, covering: Logistics, Transportation, Warehousing, and Fleet Services across the globe. Jarrett can help you. Get on the fast track with Jarrett.
• Souvenir Rig Signing: JRM drivers Justin Allgaier, Josh Berry, Brandon Jones and Sam Mayer will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports/Legacy MC souvenir rig on Saturday, July 15 from 12:35 p.m. – 1:05 p.m.

STEWART-HAAS RACING
NASCAR Xfinity Series: Alsco Uniforms 250

Date: July 8, 2023
Event: Alsco Uniforms 250 (Round 17 of 33)
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia (1.54-mile oval)
Format: 163 laps, broken into three stages (40 laps/40 laps/83 laps)
Note: Race extended six laps past its scheduled 163-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.
Race Winner: John Hunter Nemechek of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Riley Herbst of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)
Stage 2 Winner: Sheldon Creed of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)

SHR Race Finish:

● Cole Custer (Started 7th / Finished 3rd, Running, completed 169 of 169 laps)

● Riley Herbst (Started 6th / Finished 36th, Accident, completed 88 of 169 laps)

SHR Points:

● Cole Custer (3rd with 633 points, 45 out of first)

● Riley Herbst (11th with 440 points, 238 out of first)

SHR Notes:

● Custer earned his eighth top-five of the season and his second top-five in five career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Atlanta.

● This was Custer’s 11th straight top-10. He finished fifth April 1 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway, third April 15 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, fourth April 22 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, seventh April 29 at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway, third May 13 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, third May 29 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, won June 3 at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway, sixth June 10 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, ninth June 24 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, and won last weekend at the inaugural Chicago Street Race.

● This was Custer’s third straight top-12 at Atlanta.

● Custer finished sixth in Stage 2 to earn five bonus points.

● Herbst won Stage 1 to earn 10 bonus points and one playoff point.

● Herbst led once for three laps to increase his laps-led total at Atlanta to 14.

Race Notes:

● John Hunter Nemechek won the Alsco Uniforms 250 to score his fifth career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, his third of the season and his first at Atlanta. His margin over second-place Daniel Hemric was .245 of a second.

● There were eight caution periods for a total of 50 laps.

● Only 17 of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

● Nemechek remains the championship leader after Atlanta with a 16-point advantage over second-place Austin Hill.

Sound Bites:

“Man, those final laps were chaos. We were all just wondering if we were close on fuel, so we were all running around the apron. You’re just praying that no one runs out of gas. Half the field did though. The No. 00 Haas Automation team did a great job on fuel mileage today. We just didn’t have a ton of help there at the end. You know how it is here, once you try to make a move, you get shuffled back. It was fun though, and we had a great Ford Mustang. Things just didn’t happen to play out right. I thought the seas might part there at the end when everyone was running out of gas. We got it up to third though. It was a good run, and we’ll try to keep it rolling.” – Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang

“We had a pretty good night going, obviously. The No. 98 Monster Energy team won the first stage, and I thought our Ford Mustang was good enough to run in the top-three. Then, I just rolled it into Turn 1 on the restart and I knew my tire was down. I tried to save it and probably got out of the gas too soon. It just lost it on me. I’m sorry to everyone else who got involved. I hate this for my Stewart-Haas Racing guys. I just wish we hadn’t blown a tire.” – Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the Ambetter Health 200 on Saturday, July 15 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The race begins at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by USA and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.