Ellis to race in Flexcar-sponsored car at Charlotte Uniforms 300 in Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 22, 2023 — Flexcar, the smart alternative to car ownership, today announced that it is sponsoring race car driver Ryan Ellis in the NASCAR Xfinity Series event, Alsco Uniforms 300. The race will be held on Saturday, May 27, at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Ellis is a third-generation race car driver from Northern Virginia. He has raced since the age of four, when he began racing quarter midgets. He’s won national championships and races in major series’ such as Grand-Am/IMSA, Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup, and many more. Since 2012, Ellis has competed in the top levels of NASCAR and he made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2015.

“For my whole life I’ve been passionate about innovations in the car industry, and I was fascinated to learn about Flexcar’s approach to letting people get all the benefits of having a car, without all the work that comes with owning or taking care of a car,” said Ellis. “I look forward to seeing Flexcar continue to grow in Charlotte, and am honored to represent them at this year’s Alsco Uniforms 300.”

With Flexcar, Charlotte-area residents can choose their car on the Flexcar website or mobile app, specify where they’d like to pick up the car, and drive the car for as long as they’d like. The entire process is 100% self-service through the Flexcar app. Flexcar offers all-inclusive monthly pricing, which includes miles, insurance, maintenance, roadside assistance, title, inspection, the ability to swap cars, and more.

“When you go to a NASCAR race, you’ll see that the driver gets to focus on driving, while an extraordinarily talented pit crew team takes care of the rest,” said Corey Lewis, CMO at Flexcar. “At Flexcar, we hope to be that ‘pit crew’ — taking care of the many hassles associated with maintaining a car, and allowing our customers to simply enjoy driving.”

Since Flexcar launched in 2021, customers have driven more than 70 million miles in Flexcars. Flexcar opened an office in Charlotte in 2022, and currently employs more than 10 people in Charlotte. Additionally, Flexcar has a presence in Atlanta, Boston, and Nashville.

ABOUT ALPHA PRIME RACING:

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

Taylor to Make First Start for Kaulig Racing at Portland International Raceway

Lexington, N.C. (May 17, 2023) – As NASCAR heads back to the west coast in June, Kaulig Racing is excited to announce the addition of road-racing expert, Jordan Taylor, to its All-Star driver line-up. Taylor will be at the helm of the No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro for his first NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) start at Portland International Raceway.

The 32-year-old is a seasoned veteran when it comes to road and street courses world-wide, currently competing full-time as a Corvette factory driver in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Taylor made his first-ever NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) start earlier this year at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) while filling in for an injured Chase Elliott.

“I am really pumped to make my first Xfinity series start with Kaulig Racing, a team that has shown it can dominate at road courses,” said Taylor. “I’ve been fortunate in my racing career to compete at so many different tracks, and I’m looking forward to checking Portland off my list.”

Taylor has earned seven wins in the NASCAR Grand-Am Sports Car Series and 24 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship wins, and has competed in numerous prestigious events, such as 24 Hours of Le Mans and American Le Mans Series races.

“Matt Kaulig and I are super excited to have Jordan [Taylor] in the No. 10 car for Portland”, said team president, Chris Rice. “Adding another driver with this much road-course expertise will be a lot of fun. Jordan impressed a lot of people in his first NASCAR start at COTA, and I can’t wait to see what he will do in his first Xfinity Series start.”

Kaulig Racing will look to defend its title in the Pacific Office Automation 147 on June 3rd with Taylor and the No. 10 team, alongside teammates Chandler Smith and Daniel Hemric. Partnership announcement will come at later date.
 
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 that will be announced at a later date, 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.

Ryan Ellis and Alpha Prime Racing are proud to announce that Spider Energy Drink will be the primary sponsor for Ryan Ellis and the No.43 Chevrolet for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway on Saturday, November 4th. Additionally, Spider Energy will be the secondary sponsor of the No.43 Chevy in the August race at Daytona International Speedway.

Spider Energy Drink is packed with serious energy. This formula is the perfect balance of electrolytes, energy-boosting B vitamins, Taurine, Guarana, Ginseng, and 240 mg of caffeine. Spider Energy is “THE ENERGY DRINK WITH A BITE!”. Spider Energy is known as one of the best-tasting energy drinks on the market, with a fresh-citrus, smooth and refreshing flavor, without the medicinal aftertaste associated with most energy drinks. Spider Energy Drink is created by Golden Grail Technology, doing business as Golden Grail Beverages (OTC: GOGY).

Each 16-ounce can of Spider Energy is packed with 240 mg of caffeine, 50 mg of Panax Ginseng, 50 mg of Guarana extract, and 300 mg of Taurine. Additionally, it is fortified with B-Vitamins and electrolytes.

Spider Energy offers four tantalizing flavors, Original Citrus Bite, Zero Citrus Bite, Strawberry Lemonade, and WidowMaker “Red, White, and Bite.” For more information on Spider Energy, head to https://spiderenergydrink.com/.

“I’m really pumped to work with Spider Energy,” said Ryan Ellis, driver of the No.43 Spider Energy Chevy Camaro. “As a father to a young child and someone who considers themselves to be pretty busy, Spider Energy is a great drink to grab on the way out to have a successful day. It’s got a great taste to it and doesn’t have that lingering aftertaste that most energy drinks have. I know once NASCAR fans discover it, they’ll be longtime customers!”

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Ryan Ellis and Alpha Prime Racing for the upcoming NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race,” said Steven Hoffman, CEO of Golden Grail. “This collaboration aligns perfectly with our brand ethos of promoting relentless energy and unparalleled performance. We’re confident that our support will fuel Ellis and the No.43 Chevrolet team to success.”

TUNE-IN INFORMATION:

The NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race will be broadcasted live on the USA Network beginning at 7:00 pm ET Saturday, November 4th. Practice will take place Friday at 4:05 pm local time, with single-car qualifying taking place Saturday at 1:00 pm local time.
Radio coverage will be on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM.

ABOUT GOLDEN GRAIL BEVERAGES:

Golden Grail Beverages (OTC: GOGY) www.GoldenGrailBeverages.com is a fast-growing company with a strategic mission to innovate, build and streamline the growth of its beverage portfolio through fiscally responsible investing. The company targets brands with a proven sales history, loyal consumer following, retail presence, and strong value proposition who need assistance to get to the next few levels. Golden Grail has been actively acquiring brands within emerging and growing beverage categories. Our robust product offerings include Sway Energy Drink, Spider Energy Drink, Trevi Fruit Essence Water, Tickle Water, Sketch Can for Tweens, Cause Water & KOZ Water helping reduce global plastic pollution, and Scorpion Energy Hemp/CBD.

Follow Golden Grail Beverages on social media:
● https://goldengrailbeverages.com/
● https://www.facebook.com/GoldenGrailBeverages
● https://www.instagram.com/goldengrailbeverages/
● https://twitter.com/goldengrailbev

ABOUT ALPHA PRIME RACING:

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

STEWART-HAAS RACING
NASCAR Xfinity Series: Shriners Children’s 200

Date: May 13, 2023
Event: Shriners Children’s 200 (Round 11 of 33)
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway (1.366-mile oval)
Format: 147 laps, broken into three stages (45 laps/45 laps/57 laps)
Race Winner: Kyle Larson of Kaulig Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Kyle Larson of Kaulig Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: John Hunter Nemechek of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

SHR Race Finish:

● Cole Custer (Started 5th / Finished 3rd, Running, completed 147 of 147 laps)
● Riley Herbst (Started 18th / Finished 38th, Accident, completed 29 of 147 laps)

SHR Points:

● Cole Custer (5th with 365 points, 59 out of first)
● Riley Herbst (9th with 313 points, 111 out of first)

SHR Notes:

● Custer earned his fourth top-five of the season and his third top-five in four career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Darlington.
● Custer has never finished outside the top-10 at Darlington in his Xfinity Series career.
● This was Custer’s fifth consecutive top-10 of the season. He finished fifth April 1 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway, third April 15 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, fourth April 22 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, and seventh April 29 at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway.
● This was Custer’s third straight top-three at Darlington. He finished second in September 2018 and won in August 2019.
● Custer finished fourth in Stage 1 to earn seven bonus points and fifth in Stage 2 to earn six more bonus points.

Race Notes:

● Kyle Larson won the Shriners Children’s 200 to score his 14th career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, his first of the season and his first at Darlington. His margin over second-place Justin Allgaier was 1.337 seconds.

● There were 10 caution periods for a total of 51 laps.

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

● John Hunter Nemechek leaves Darlington as the championship leader with a one-point advantage over second-place Austin Hill.

Sound Bites:

“I’m proud of this No. 00 Haas Automation team. You always want to go out there and win races. That’s every driver’s dream. But, being able to compete with guys like Kyle Larson and John Hunter Nemechek says a lot. There’s a lot of good competition in this Xfinity Series field. It means a lot to win these races, so it means a good bit to be able to run up front and compete for wins on a weekly basis. I couldn’t have asked for a better team to do it with either.” – Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang

“It’s not the result we wanted with this special No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang, and I hate it for my team. I just want to thank Monster Energy and the Block family again for letting me run this iconic livery at Darlington to honor Ken Block. It meant a lot, and I wish we could’ve gotten a better finish.” – Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the Alsco Uniforms 300 on Saturday, May 27 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. The race begins at 1 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

NEMECHEK BATTLES THROUGH TURN FOUR AT DARLINGTON, BUT CLAIMS FIFTH-PLACE RESULT
Sam Hunt Racing Earns Two Top-10 Finishes

DARLINGTON, S.C. (May 13, 2023) – John Hunter Nemechek claimed a fifth-place result in Saturday afternoon’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race Darlington Raceway. Nemechek was leading when the white flag was displayed, but was battling with eventual race-winner Kyle Larson off of turn four when Nemechek spun to the inside wall and ultimately finished fifth. Sam Hunt Racing GR Supras of Kaz Grala (ninth) and Corey Heim (10th) earned the first pair of top-10 finishes for the organization.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Darlington Raceway
Race 10 of 33 – 200.1 miles, 147 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Kyle Larson*
2nd, Justin Allgaier*
3rd, Cole Custer*
4th, Austin Hill*
5th, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
9th, KAZ GRALA
10th, COREY HEIM
11th, SAMMY SMITH
35th, RYAN TRUEX
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

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

Finishing Position: 5th

What happened at the end of the race battling with Kyle Larson for the win and how was your car overall?

“We had a really fast GR Supra all day. The pit crew was awesome, executed well on pit road all day. The strategy was great. Had a really fast race car and battling with one of the best in the sport in my opinion, Kyle Larson. It was a really great day. We will continue to work hard and continue to bring fast cars to the race track. Just disappointed a little bit from the standpoint of how that ended up there. Overall, we gave it a shot and still had a shot to win off of turn four. Fast car, top-five to show for it when it probably should have been victory lane or second. Hats off to all the guys at Toyota, TRD, Pye Barker Fire and Safety for what they do and this opportunity at Joe Gibbs Racing. We will win a lot more races, I guarantee you that.”

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

Finishing Position: 9th

How was your race overall today?

“A bit of a slow start for us today, but we got our Fire Department Coffee Supra sorted out after the first stage and got it pretty good moving forward. I’m sure a little bit of attrition helped us, but we ran right with and ahead of some of the most competitive cars in the series from some of the big teams. We just had a solid day, did what we needed to do, executed well just like we did at Dover all day. We made the most of it. Proud of everybody at Sam Hunt Racing. This was a fun first time at Darlington. This place is wild and I can’t wait to come back to this place later on.”

COREY HEIM, No. 24 GEARWRENCH Toyota GR Supra, Sam Hunt Racing

Finishing Position: 10th

How was your race today?

“I think we had an up and down day. We avoided a lot of carnage there in the early portion of the race. We just kind of played in conservative. I feel like this 24 group just needed kind of a base hit today. I feel like we had the potential to run better than we did, but we kind of jumped the fence early on and got caught up in a couple things. Then we made it back at the end there. Big thanks to Sam Hunt Racing, Toyota Racing, Gearwrench and everyone on this GR Supra for all they do.”

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.

RSS Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Darlington (S.C.) Raceway | Shriners Children’s 200

Fast Facts

No. 38 RSS Racing Team:
Driver: Joe Graf Jr.
Primary Partner(s): Bethel Motor Speedway | Lefcourt Brothers Racing
Manufacturer: Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Steve Addington
Spotter: Joe Campbell
Engine: Roush-Yates Engines
Driver Championship Point Standings: 23rd
Team Championship Point Standings: 23rd

Notes of Interest:

Settling In: After spending the last three seasons with SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt (2020 – 2022), Joe Graf Jr. moved to RSS Racing during the offseason where he’ll spend the majority of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season competing for the Sugar Hill, Ga.-based team.

In addition to RSS Racing, Graf will also compete in a limited NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule driving the No. 19 Toyota Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing.

NASCAR Throwback: Joe Graf Jr. and RSS Racing join most of the NASCAR Xfinity Series field by participating in this year’s NASCAR Throwback weekend at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

For Saturday afternoon’s 147-lap race, Graf Jr. will pay homage to a popular paint scheme ran at Bethel Motor Speedway.

Bethel Motor Speedway is a quarter-mile asphalt oval race track, located near the site of the original Woodstock Music Festival in White Lake, New York. The track located in Swan Lake, NY is also sanctioned by NASCAR as part of its Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series.

The track is promoted by Jeff Lefcourt, one of the two owners of Lefcourt Brothers Racing.

Lefcourt Brothers Racing was created by brothers Jeff and Jonathan Lefcourt to support up-and-coming drivers in the top three tiers of NASCAR. A lifelong fan of motorsports, Jeff has been involved in motorsports for many years as both a driver and a track owner.

After having an ownership stake in SS GreenLight Racing during the 2022 NASCAR season, Jeff wanted to expand his involvement. He and Jonathan decided to combine their love of motorsports with their business expertise to create a platform to help aspiring racers get more seat time and exposure to potential partners.

And thus, Lefcourt Brothers Racing was born.

Thanks For Your Support: With a little more than 30 percent of the 2023 Xfinity Series season complete, Joe Graf Jr. and RSS Racing would like to thank their associate marketing partners: AVOID, Bass Reaper Bait Company, Bucked Up Energy Drink, CoverSeal, EAT SLEEP RACE Apparel, fgrACCEL, G-Coin®, GTECHNIQ, JACOB Companies, Lefcourt Brothers Racing, Love Motorsports, Model Electronics and ShopRite for their continued support.

Catch Him On The Dial: Before Joe Graf Jr. straps into his No. 38 Bethel Motor Speedway | Leftcourt Brothers Racing Throwback Ford Mustang on Saturday, the RSS Racing driver will be featured on “The Frontstretch” on SiriusXM Satellite Radio Channel 90 with host Pat Patterson on Saturday morning, May 13, 2023, at approximately 10:00 a.m. ET.

Graf will also spotlight a commercial featuring GTECHNIQ in several spots throughout the weekend, including the full four-hour program on Sunday, May 14, 2023.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Darlington (S.C.) Raceway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Shriners Children’s 200 will mark Graf’s seventh start at the track dubbed “Too Tough To Tame.”

In his previous six Darlington efforts, he delivered a track-best of 19th twice, most recently during the fall edition of the 2021 Sport Clips VFW Help a Hero 200 after starting 32nd for SS GreenLight Racing.

The Mahwah, New Jersey native earned a respectable 19th place finish in his Darlington Raceway debut in May 2020 when NASCAR returned to competition during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Career Speedway Stats: At tracks classified as a speedway, Graf has competed in 51 NASCAR Xfinity Series races. He holds an average starting position of 25.6 and an average result of 25.8.

Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway | A-Game 200 Race Recap: In his most recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway, Graf competed in his seventh race of the season with the organization but the 10th Xfinity Series race overall of the season.

Without practice or qualifying due to inclement weather, Graf started his No. 38 JACOB Companies Ford Mustang from the 21st starting position.

Throughout the 200-lap race, Graf hovered inside the top-20 but dropped to 22nd in Stage 3 where he encountered green flag pit stops. Picking up a few positions in the waning laps of the race, the former ARCA Menards Series winner earned his best Dover finish since 2020.

Sneaker Mania: Along with the adrenaline of the Motorsports competition, Joe Graf Jr. also has a vogue for hype sneakers. In his current collection, he owns and wears at least 90 limited edition sneakers – and his collection continues to grow monthly.

The current estimated value of his collection tops $100,000.

From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Steve Addington is Joe Graf Jr.’s crew chief.

He will be crew chief for his 274th NASCAR Xfinity Series race as crew chief on Saturday and his 19th race at the historic track in Darlington, S.C.

In his previous 273 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected 11 wins, 10 poles, 68 top-five and 118 top-10 finishes.

Hello From The Other Side: Graf Jr. has two teammates at RSS Racing.

Veteran Ryan Sieg will drive the No. 39 CMRroofing.com Ford Mustang, while younger brother Kyle Sieg will drive the No. 28 RSS Racing Ford Mustang.

Ryan Sieg is set to make his 312th career Xfinity Series start overall and 13th at Darlington. His best Xfinity Darlington track finish occurred in the 2020 edition of the Sport Clips VFW Help a Hero 200, where he finished third after starting 11th for his family-owned RSS Racing team.

Kyle Sieg is set to make his 30th career Xfinity Series start overall and third at Darlington. His best Xfinity Darlington track finish occurred in the 2022 edition of the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200, where he finished 23rd after starting 38th also driving for his family-owned RSS Racing team.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Joe Graf Jr. visit JoeGrafRacing.com, like him on Facebook (Joe Graf Jr.), follow him on TikTok (@JoeGrafJr), Twitter (@JoeGrafJr), Instagram (@joegrafjr) and YouTube.

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

Joe Graf Jr. Quoteboard:

On Darlington Raceway: “I am pumped up about Darlington. It definitely is one of my favorite race tracks on the schedule. I haven’t always had the best finishes at Darlington, but I always have had speed.

“I think our No. 38 Bethel Motor Speedway | Lefcourt Brothers Racing throwback car looks great and I feel confident we can build off the last two races and earn ourselves another solid finish on Saturday afternoon.

“It is going to be a hot weekend at Darlington which should provide a weekend of great racing for the fans because the cars will slip around and lack grip.

“That gets me excited because I feel like I can really excel in those types of races. Hopefully, we have a good afternoon and build more momentum towards Charlotte Motor Speedway at the end of the month.”

On The 2023 Season: “We started the year off really strong between RSS Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing, but unfortunately we’ve had a few setbacks the last couple of weeks that has broken up the momentum.

“We were able to turn Talladega from a bad race into an OK race. We had another decent race at Dover. Hopefully Darlington will continue the righting of our year and putting our season back on track. We are definitely capable of it; we just need everything to come together.

“I just need to continue to stay focused, communicate with my team and utilize the knowledge that I’ve gained over the past three years to recover and have my best Xfinity Series season yet.”

Race Information:

The Shriners Children’s 200 (147 laps | 200.8 miles) is the 11th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2023 schedule. Practice begins on Friday, May 12 from 5:05 p.m. – 5:35 p.m. Qualifying immediately follows at 5:35 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag the following afternoon, Saturday, May 13 shortly after 1:30 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (Eastern).

About RSS Racing:

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

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

AM Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Darlington (S.C.) Raceway | Shriners Children’s 200

Fast Facts

No. 25 AM Racing Team:

Driver: Brett Moffitt

Primary Partner(s): AM Technical Solutions

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: 16th

Team Championship Point Standings: 18th

Notes of Interest:

Inaugural Journey: 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 Shriners Children’s 200 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

Future Focused: With AM’s inaugural Xfinity journey set to continue at the track dubbed Too Tough To Tame in Darlington, S.C., 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.

Back For More: The Statesville, N.C.-based team will sport the signage of AM Technical Solutions on the No. 25 Ford Mustang for the 11th 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.

Throwback Weekend!: AM Racing will be one of several teams participating in the official Throwback Weekend in NASCAR at Darlington Raceway.

Moffitt’s No. 25 Ford Mustang is “throwing” back to the mid-1980s and honoring 13-time NASCAR Cup Series winner Tim Richmond and specifically his 1986 No. 25 Folgers Chevrolet livery at Hendrick Motorsports.

Richmond, a native of Ashland, Ohio made 185 NASCAR Cup Series starts between 1980 and 1987, 12 of them at Darlington Raceway.

AM Minute: AM Racing’s ARCA Menards Series program was back in action this past weekend at Kansas Speedway.

Rookie driver Christian Rose had a season-high weekend. After producing competitive results during the open ARCA test on Friday afternoon, the AM Racing development driver qualified a career-best seventh on Saturday morning and ran competitively inside the top-10 throughout most of the race.

The team encountered hiccups on pit road which put them one lap down, but a fast No. 32 West Virginia Tourism | Secure Testing Services Ford Mustang allowed Rose to get back on the lead lap and race back to a ninth-place lead lap finish.

Thanks For Your Support: With more than 30 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.

Brett Moffitt Xfinity Series Darlington Raceway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Shriners Children’s 200 will mark Moffitt’s fifth Xfinity start at the iconic 1.33-mile speedway.

In his previous four efforts, he has delivered one top-10 and three top-15 finishes. His track-best result occurred during the 2021 Steakhouse Elite 200 when Moffitt steered to an eight-place finish after starting 13th for Our Motorsports.

In addition to Xfinity, Moffitt also has one NASCAR Cup Series and one NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series start at Darlington.

Brett Moffitt Xfinity Series Speedway Stats: At NASCAR Xfinity Series tracks classified as a speedway, Moffitt has made 4 starts throughout his career earning 16 top-10 finishes. He also holds an average finishing position of 15.4.

Brett Moffitt NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: In 94 career Xfinity Series starts, Moffitt has earned two top-five and 26 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 17.7.

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

Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway | A-Game 200 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway, Brett Moffitt and the AM Racing team tackled Miles’ Monster Mile.

Without the benefit of practice or qualifying, Moffitt lined up his black and white No. 25 AM Technical Solutions Ford Mustang 14th on the grid.

A solid start to the race was disconnected after Moffitt was tagged for a speeding penalty on pit road. Under tough racing conditions and passing at a premium, Moffitt fought hard to drive back through the field for a 15th place finish at the checkered flag.

In 10 races this season, Moffit has delivered three top-10s, six top-15s and an average finish of 17.1.

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

He will be crew chief for his 109th NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday and his seventh race at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

In his previous 108 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected one win (Auto Club Speedway | February 2022), seven top-five and 24 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 Darlington Raceway: “Darlington Raceway is definitely one of the more challenging race tracks on the schedule. Despite the challenge, I embrace the track characteristics and look forward to the opportunity to collect another top-10 finish this weekend for everyone at AM Racing.

“I think our throwback scheme is perfect for our car number and honoring a driver that many people had respect for. Hopefully, we can honor Tim and his fans with a strong finish Saturday afternoon.”

On 2023 Season Outlook: “Through the first 10 races, we have definitely showcased speed, but we know we have to turn that speed into performances.

“We are approaching a crucial summer stretch for the NASCAR Xfinity Series and we are doing everything we can to make sure we are prepared to attack and put ourselves in the Playoffs.”

Race Information:

The Shriners Children’s 200 (147 laps | 200.8 miles) is the 11th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2023 schedule. Practice begins on Friday, May 12 from 5:05 p.m. – 5:35 p.m. Qualifying immediately follows at 5:35 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag the following afternoon, Saturday, May 13 shortly after 1:30 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Motor 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 and Christian Rose as their primary drivers for the 2023 Xfinity and ARCA Menards Series seasons.

COLE CUSTER | RILEY HERBST
Darlington NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance

NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

• Event: Shriners Children’s 200 (Round 11 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, May 13
• Location: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway
• Layout: 1.366-mile oval
• Time/TV/Radio: 1:30 p.m. EDT on FOX/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

• After a refreshing off weekend following his back-to-back NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash victories, Cole Custer will pay tribute to his childhood hero, the late Jason Leffler, during NASCAR’s Official Throwback Weekend at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. Custer’s No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) will mimic the one that adorned Leffler’s No. 00 racecar for Haas CNC Racing when he drove to that team’s first NASCAR victory at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway in June 2004. Furthering the connection, Custer’s crew chief Jonathan Toney worked as an engineer on Leffler’s No. 00 car back in 2004. It was his first job with a NASCAR team.
• Saturday’s Shriners Children’s 200 at Darlington will mark Custer’s fourth career Xfinity Series start at the track nicknamed “Too Tough to Tame.” The Ladera Ranch, California, native was credited with the victory in his most recent Xfinity Series race at Darlington in August 2019 after finishing second the previous year and ninth in 2017, all behind the wheel of the No. 00 SHR Ford. In the 2019 race, he crossed the finish line .602 of a second behind apparent race-winner Denny Hamlin. But Hamlin’s racecar was disqualified after a ride-height violation was discovered in postrace inspection, giving Custer his eighth of 10 career Xfinity series victories. In the September 2018 race at Darlington, Custer was runner-up to Brad Keselowski by .738 of a second.
• Custer seems to have found his rhythm. After a challenging opening to the 2023 season, Custer has now driven his No. 00 Haas Automation Ford to four consecutive top-10 finishes – fifth April 1 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway, third April 15 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, fourth April 22 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, and seventh in the series’ most recent race April 29 at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway. He has elevated himself from 12th to sixth in the driver standings over the last four races.
• Custer has an additional seven starts outside of the Xfinity Series at Darlington, all in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2020 to 2022. His best outing was an 11th-place effort in the September 2021 Southern 500. He scored two other Darlington top-15s in the Cup Series – a 12th-place finish in September 2020 and a 14th-place finish in his most recent Cup Series start last September.

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• In a weekend meant to honor motorsports legends, Riley Herbst and Monster Energy will pay tribute to the late, great Ken Block on the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for SHR in Saturday’s Shriners Children’s 200 at Darlington. Herbst’s racecar will pay homage to the iconic Gymkhana 3 “Drip” livery that adorned Block’s Ford in the third video of his popular Gymkhana YouTube series. Block piloted this scheme around the high-banked, 1.58-mile oval of l’Autodrome de Linas –Montlhéry, just south of Paris, France in the 2010 video. The veteran rally competitor developed a worldwide following with his popular video series, which has drawn billions of views worldwide and helped launch car culture into the mainstream media.
• This weekend’s Ken Block tribute is more than skin deep. As a fellow Monster Energy athlete, Herbst sought to continue Block’s legacy. Available for purchase at store.stewarthaasracing.com will be a No. 98 “Drip” hat and t-shirt, with 100% of the proceeds benefitting the 43 Institute Ken Block Foundation. The organization was created to carry on Block’s greatest legacy: creating paths of opportunity for the exceptionally driven who lack the proper support. To learn more about the foundation, visit www.43i.org. Select merchandise will also be available at the SHR’s merchandise hauler at Darlington, where Herbst and his teammate Custer will sign autographs at 11 a.m. EDT Saturday.
• Saturday’s race will mark Herbst’s seventh career Xfinity Series start at Darlington. While his past starts there have been a roller coaster ride for the No. 98 Monster Energy driver, he has also had some of his career-best races at the “Lady in Black.” Last May, he finished third on the 1.366-mile, egg-shaped oval, and he finished fourth there in September 2020. While Herbst is still seeking his first Xfinity Series win, SHR has been victorious twice at Darlington in the Xfinity Series – August 2019 with Custer and May 2020 with Chase Briscoe.
• After starting the season with six consecutive top-10 finishes, Herbst and the No. 98 Monster Energy team are looking to get back on track this weekend after a recent run of bad luck. He arrives at Darlington eighth in the driver standings, 65 points behind leader Austin Hill.

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

This weekend, you’re running Jason Leffler’s 2004 paint scheme from when he ran for Haas CNC Racing. What does it mean to you to bring back the livery of one of your heroes this weekend?

“This means a lot to me, especially since I was able to be around this team growing up. I think Jason Leffler was huge for Haas to get that first win. That first win for Haas CNC Racing was huge, and I think it was a perfect combination for Jason to be a part of it. He helped grow the team to another level. On top of that, he was a guy who just wasn’t going to take anything from others. He was a legend and one of my heroes growing up. We came from similar open-wheel and dirt-racing backgrounds, so I think it was just easy for me to look up to him. It’s also cool to be here all the years later and still have JT (Jonathan Toney, crew chief) working with this paint scheme and the No. 00 car. I’m happy to be able to bring another one of his schemes back at Darlington.”

You’ve had some success at Darlington in the past, including your win in August 2019. What is it about this track that makes it a driver favorite?

“There’s so much you can do as a driver at Darlington. You can move your line around, and you can play with how you work the throttle and the brake. You can also experiment with how you run the wall. There’s just a ton that you can do, but the tires fall off so much. You’re just slipping and sliding around. It’s such a unique racetrack with how it’s shaped. There’s a lot that drivers can control at Darlington that you can’t necessarily do at other tracks.”

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

Monster Energy and you are running a special scheme this weekend to pay tribute to a motorsports legend, Ken Block. What does it mean to be able to run this iconic tribute to someone who made such an impact on racing?

“I’m really excited to run this tribute to Ken Block’s Gymkhana 3 ‘Drip’ livery. I can’t thank the Block family and Monster Energy enough for allowing us to run the paint scheme. It’s not only special to me, but to a lot of different race fans around the world who Ken made an impact on through his career. It’ll be cool on the high banks of Darlington. This was a unique scenario. I just hope it doesn’t get lost because people think we’re running it because it’s a ‘cool’ livery. We wanted to pay tribute to a man who changed the world of motorsports and had such a hand in getting it into mainstream media. This paint scheme means a lot to Monster Energy and to me, so I cannot be more grateful and honored to be the one to run it at Darlington.”

Darlington is a difficult track, but it’s been one of your favorites. What do you have to do to get back on track and score a top finish this weekend?

“Darlington is tough. Track position is pretty critical from the drop of the green flag, just with how short this May race is at Darlington. It’s only 147 laps. At the same time, I love this racetrack. It’s definitely grown on me these past few years as I’ve learned and gotten more experience. I’m excited to go back there. The No. 98 Monster Energy team has had speed there in the past. Hopefully, we can have that same speed, if not a little more, this year. We’ve had a rough few weeks, and I think everyone noticed. Hopefully, we can get our season back on track and be like we were at the start of the season so we can stack those points for the playoffs.”