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Category: XFINITY Series PR

NASCAR XFINITY Series Press Release

  • Stewart-Haas Racing: Richmond NXS Advance (Cole Custer | Riley Herbst)

    Stewart-Haas Racing: Richmond NXS Advance (Cole Custer | Riley Herbst)

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

    • Event: Richmond 250 (Round 7 of 33)
    • Date: Saturday, April 1
    • Location: Richmond (Va.) Raceway
    • Layout: .75-mile oval
    • Time/TV/Radio: 1 p.m. EDT on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    Cole Custer Notes of Interest

    • The NASCAR Xfinity Series heads to Richmond (Va.) Raceway for Saturday’s Richmond 250 and Cole Custer couldn’t be happier to be racing at a short track. After racing from the back of the field into a top-three position during last Saturday’s race at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, the No. 00 Haas Automation driver looked to be in contention to fight for the win with AJ Allmendinger and Sheldon Creed. Contact with another car derailed those plans, however, as Custer fell off the lead lap and had to settle for a 32nd-place finish. He’s looking to turn his luck around at Richmond and hopes to continue to show speed as he heads to one of his best tracks on the schedule.

    • The Richmond 250 will be Custer’s eighth Xfinity Series start at Richmond. Since his first start at the track in 2016, he has never finished outside of the top-15. In his last fulltime season in the Xfinity Series in 2019, Custer led a race-high 122 laps in the April race at Richmond and scored the win in his No. 00 Ford Mustang. He beat runner-up Austin Cindric by 2.639 seconds. He followed up that victory with a third-place finish when the series returned to Richmond in September. Custer and his SHR Ford also started on the pole and led 43 laps en route to a sixth-place finish in the April 2018 race there. In his first Xfinity Series start at the track in April 2016, he scored a sixth-place finish driving the No. 5 JR Motorsports entry.

    • In addition to his Xfinity Series starts, Custer has six NASCAR Cup Series starts and two NASCAR K&N Pro Series East starts at Richmond. His best outing was his 14th-place finish in his second Cup Series race there in September 2020. Custer’s first two Richmond starts came in the K&N Pro Series East in 2013 and 2014. The first year, he started and finished third after leading 24 of 100 laps, then qualified second and led a race-high 52 of 100 laps the following year en route to his fourth of four career victories in that series.

    Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

    • Riley Herbst isn’t slowing down. As the only fulltime Xfinity Series driver to finish in the top-10 every race this season, the No. 98 Monster Energy driver hopes to keep the momentum going during Saturday’s Richmond 250. After weeks of running in the top-three and contending for wins, Herbst is looking forward to his return to his favorite track on the circuit – Richmond Raceway. He has come to excel on the short tracks in the Xfinity Series, as was evident last season. In the four races at the tracks less than a mile in length, Herbst scored three top-fives last season, including a fifth-place finish in April on the .75-mile Richmond oval. He was third in November at the half-mile Martinsville (Va.) Raceway paperclip, and fifth at the half-mile Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in September. He just missed a fourth short-track top-five last year when he finished sixth in the April race at Martinsville. Saturday’s race at Richmond will mark Herbst’s 16th on a short track. After finishing an impressive sixth in his first career start in June 2018 at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Herbst has gone on to earn 11 more top-10s, including his last six short-track starts dating back to a third-place finish in September 2021 at Bristol.

    • Saturday’s Richmond 250 will mark Herbst’s sixth at Richmond. In addition to last April’s fifth-place finish, he earned a fifth-place finish there in April 2021. In his five Richmond starts since debuting at the track in April 2019, Herbst has only finished outside the top-10 once. Strategy calls by crew chief Richard Boswell and Herbst’s savvy driving led to the 24-year-old driver’s top-fives in his last two visits to the track. Both came as a result of late-race calls to take tires and good restarts by Herbst.

    • Herbst’s top-10s in each of the first six Xfinity Series races is his best career start to a season, elevating him to second in the points standings, just 15 points behind the championship leader Austin Hill. Dating back to his eighth-place result last October at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he’s posted nine consecutive top-10s. In the midst of that Xfinity Series top-10 streak, Herbst also scored another pair of top-10s outside the series. He co-drove to a third-place finish in November’s Baja 1000 in the family’s Herbst Motorsports trophy truck, and his NASCAR Cup Series debut in the 65th running of the Daytona 500 in February resulted in a 10th-place finish behind the wheel of the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford Mustang.

    • Monster Energy will once again adorn the hood of Herbst’s No. 98 Ford Mustang this weekend at Richmond, but he won’t be the only Herbst in a vehicle sporting the iconic green monster claw. Across the country, Monster Energy will also be on the Herbst Motorsports trophy trucks in the San Felipe 250. Just before Herbst takes the green flag in Saturday’s race at Richmond, his younger cousins, Pierce, Thor, and EJ Herbst, and his uncle Tim will take over the reins of the family’s Monster Energy trophy trucks for a 9 a.m. PDT race start in San Felipe, Mexico. NASCAR on FOX featured the Herbst off-road racing legacy in a segment on the March 4 Las Vegas Motor Speedway pre-race show. Watch the full feature HERE, and follow the Herbst family entries in the San Felipe 250 via live tracking on SCORE International Saturday morning prior to the Xfinity Series race.

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

    Time to put COTA behind you and move on to a track where you’ve won in the past. How excited are you to head to Richmond in search of another victory?

    “I’m ready for Richmond. It’s a track that I’ve won at before, so I’m hoping we can find a little magic there this weekend. It’s going to be hard, though. Unlike the race I won, this is a day race. The track’s going to be hot and slick. Honestly, it can be a really frustrating racetrack. I feel like you go there and fight the same thing every single time. The difference is just how emphasized your problems are, so hopefully we can get into the corner how we want to and go for the win.”

    The SHR short-track program has been strong in the past, but even more so the past few years. What are your goals, both as a driver and a team, in these short-track races?

    “I mean we want to go and win every race that we’re in, both myself as a driver and the overall team. Obviously, Riley (Herbst) has had some good runs on short tracks in his career and with SHR. I’m hoping to kind of lean on him with this new package and get us both up there to compete for the win at the end. We want both cars to be as competitive as possible, so we’ll continue to work together as one team.”

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

    We’re heading to Richmond Raceway for the first true short-track race of the season. How do you think the new rules and package on the Xfinity Series cars will affect the racing there?

    “I don’t think anyone knows how this package will affect the short-track races. It’s going to be different, for sure. We’ve put some simulator time in to try and figure it out, but I don’t think we’ll know until we hit the track on Saturday for practice. I could definitely see it forcing the drivers to come off the corners a little straighter but, again, there are things you just have to figure out by getting behind the wheel of the car. I’m excited to get to Richmond, though. It’s one of my favorite racetracks on the circuit. I feel like if we can do everything right, we’ll be a contender at the end of the race.”

    You came out of the gate strong in 2023, now the only driver to finish in the top-10 in every race so far, and you’re contending for wins. How close do you think you are to scoring that first career Xfinity Series win?

    “I think we’re close, but we’re always coming into a race competing to win. That’s never not been the plan. I could see us winning one of these next few races, though, and that’s exciting. There’s a new confidence on this team, and it’s honestly just showing how much hard work we’ve put in these past few years. I’m proud of how much I’ve matured as a driver, and I couldn’t have asked for a better team to grow with. I’m hoping to put them and my biggest supporters at Monster Energy in victory lane soon.”

  • Kaulig Racing Weekly Advance | Richmond Raceway

    Kaulig Racing Weekly Advance | Richmond Raceway

    Kaulig Racing Weekly Advance | Richmond Raceway
    Toyota Owners 400
    Richmond Raceway
    NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
    Sunday, April 2 at 3:30 p.m. EST on FS1

    • Kaulig Racing has made four starts at Richmond Raceway, all in the 2022 NCS season.

    Chandler Smith, No. 13 Quick Tie Products Camaro ZL1

    • Chandler Smith will be making his NCS debut Sunday at Richmond Raceway in the Toyota Owners 400.
    • Smith previously attempted to qualify for the Daytona 500.

    “I’m extremely excited to make my first Cup start on Sunday at Richmond. It’s honestly a dream come true, and I can’t thank Matt Kaulig and Chris Rice enough for putting their faith in me. Richmond is one of those tracks I picked to race at in Cup this year because I feel like we have a solid shot to make an impact there. I love short track racing. It’s what I grew up around, and I feel like it’s my best type of track.” – Chandler Smith on Richmond Raceway

    AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Action Industries Camaro ZL1

    • AJ Allmendinger has 24 NCS starts at Richmond Raceway, earning three top-10 finishes.
    • Allmendinger’s first NCS start with Kaulig Racing at Richmond Raceway was 2022 Federated Auto Parts 400, where he finished 27th.

    “Richmond is a challenging short track. It’s very slick and hard on tires. We are working hard to make our short track program better and this will be a good test to see what we have.” – AJ Allmendinger on Richmond Raceway

    Justin Haley, No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1

    • Justin Haley has made four starts at Richmond Raceway in the NCS.
    • Haley’s best finish came last year in the 2022 Federated Auto Parts 400, where he finished 21st.

    “Richmond is a challenging racetrack. There’s a lot of racing grooves on the track, which makes it fun. It was one of my best tracks in the Xfinity Series, but we have struggled a bit in the Cup Series with our short track program. Hopefully we can take some of the stuff we learned at Phoenix and apply it here.” – Justin Haley on Richmond Raceway  

    ToyotaCare 250
    Richmond Raceway
    NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS)
    Saturday, April 1 at 1:00 p.m. EST on FS1

    • Kaulig Racing has made 19 starts at Richmond Raceway in the NXS.
    • The team has earned five top fives, 11 top-10 finishes and led 187 laps at Richmond.

    Derek Kraus, No. 10 International Order of T. Roosevelt Chevrolet Camaro

    • Kraus will make his NXS debut with Kaulig Racing at Richmond Raceway for the ToyotaCare 250.

    “I am really looking forward to making my Xfinity debut this weekend at Richmond with Kaulig Racing. It’s one of my favorite tracks on the schedule, so I am excited to put all of the things I’ve learned from studying and sim to work. I can’t thank Matt Kaulig and Chris Rice enough for the opportunity to make my first start in the series with them.” – Derek Kraus on Richmond Raceway

    Daniel Hemric, No. 11 Cirkul Chevrolet Camaro

    • Daniel Hemric has earned three top fives, five top-10 finishes and has an average finish of 8.5 in his six NXS starts at Richmond Raceway.
    • He has led 102 laps at Richmond Raceway.
    • Hemric will be one of four drivers competing for Dash4Cash

    “Richmond is without a doubt one of my favorite race tracks on our schedule! I love all the character this track has, and the opportunity that comes with a worn out surface like Richmond. Being a day race only amplifies these opportunities. Everyone going there is going to be slipping and sliding around all day, and hopefully we can do all of that just a little bit better than everyone else and give ourselves a chance at a race win and a 100k bonus thanks to Xfinity and the Dash4Cash program.” – Daniel Hemric on Richmond Raceway

    Chandler Smith, No. 16 Quick Tie Products Chevrolet Camaro

    • Chandler Smith recorded one win and two top-fives in three starts at Richmond Raceway in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS).
    • He will make his first NXS start at the short track this weekend in the ToyotaCare 250.

    “I’m really excited to get back to short track racing this weekend at Richmond. Finishing 12th on the road course at COTA was a decent result after a hard day’s work, but it’s nice to know we’re heading back to ovals for a bit now. I’ve had a lot of success in the past few years at Richmond, and I hope we can get some momentum rolling again before our off-weekend.” – Chandler Smith on Richmond Raceway  
     
    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.

  • JR Motorsports — NXS Richmond Preview

    JR Motorsports — NXS Richmond Preview

    JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
    TRACK: Richmond Raceway
    RACE: ToyotaCare 250 (250 laps / 187.5 miles)
    DATE: Saturday, April 1, 2023

    Broadcast Information – TV: 1 p.m. ET on FS1 / Radio: 12:30 p.m. ET on MRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

    Sam Mayer
    No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet
    • Sam Mayer will once again compete for the $100,000 prize as a Dash 4 Cash contender at Richmond Raceway this weekend.
    • The Franklin, Wis. native previously won the Dash 4 Cash bonus during this race last season, driving the No. 1 Chevrolet to a third-place finish.
    • At tracks measuring under one mile in length, the young driver has tallied four top-five and six top-10 finishes with his best effort being the third-place finish here last season.
    • After a seventh-place finish at COTA, Mayer currently sits sixth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series point standings, 62 markers behind the leader.

    Josh Berry
    No. 8 JARRETT Chevrolet
    • Josh Berry has one win, one top-five and five top-10 results in 11 starts on tracks measuring under one mile in the NXS. The victory came in 2021 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
    • In three starts at Richmond, Berry has earned a pair of seventh-place finishes as his best efforts on the .75-mile speedway.
    • Berry has been on a roll of late, notching five consecutive top-10 finishes in the first six races, including two in the top five this season.
    • Berry’s No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro will carry the colors of JARRETT this weekend for the second time this season. In the first race with JARRETT at Phoenix Raceway, Berry drove to an eighth-place result.

    Brandon Jones
    No. 9 Menards/NIBCO Chevrolet
    • Brandon Jones has made 12 starts at the .75-mile D-shaped oval and has recorded three top-10 finishes, with his best being an eighth-place finish (2018 and 2020).
    • Jones has made 40 starts on short tracks in the NXS and has scored one win (Martinsville – 2022), six top-five and 16 top-10 finishes, while leading the field for 299 laps in total.
    • Jones’ 13.9 average finish on short tracks is the best on any style track for the Atlanta native.
    • The 26-year-old Jones comes off a strong finish last week at Circuit of the Americas where he suffered a flat tire, but battled back to an 11th-place finish.

    Justin Allgaier
    No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
    • Justin Allgaier has two prior NXS victories at Richmond, coming during the 2020 season in a historic weekend sweep. Allgaier led a combined 213 out of 500 laps en route to the pair of wins.
    • Allgaier enters this weekend as one of four drivers with the chance to compete for the $100,000 NXS Dash 4 Cash bonus.
    • In his NXS career on short tracks, the Illinois native has scored a combined four wins (including his first career win at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2010), 25 top fives and 42 top 10s in 69 starts.

    Driver Quotes

    “After last week’s race, I feel more than confident in my team that we are going to have a great finish this week at Richmond and contend for that $100,000 prize in the Dash 4 Cash. We won it last year so I am hopeful we can swoop in and take the win and race for it again in Martinsville. I’m happy to have Mardy (Lindley, crew chief) back calling the shots and really excited to get back to short-track racing.” – Sam Mayer

    “I’m really looking forward to Richmond this weekend. It’s one of my favorite tracks on the schedule and it’s a place where we have always run really well. Plus, we have the added incentive this weekend with the chance to go after $100,000 in the Dash 4 Cash. Hopefully we can keep our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet clean all day long and be fighting for that checkered flag in the end and come away with that Dash 4 Cash bonus. I know that Jim (Pohlman, crew chief) and all the guys are ready, we just need to go out and execute and see what happens.” – Justin Allgaier

    “Richmond is a good track for this JARRETT Chevrolet and for me. It’s tight and racy and very much a short track that races like a bigger oval. We’ve been really consistent so far this year, and we’re solid in the points, but I’m looking to get a victory before the Easter break. Taylor (Moyer, crew chief) and the rest of the No. 8 team give me fast Chevrolets every time out and we’re looking for Victory Lane this weekend.” – Josh Berry

    “I can’t wait for Richmond this weekend and to run a short track with this team. Jason (Burdett, crew chief) swept the weekend with Justin a couple of years ago, so I know this team is capable of bringing a fast Menards/NIBCO Chevrolet. Hopefully we can put the entire race together and be there at the end of it. This team deserves a good run and there’s no better time than this weekend.” – Brandon Jones

    JRM Team Updates

    • JR Motorsports at Richmond: JR Motorsports has competed at Richmond Raceway a combined 89 times in the NXS. Over the course of those starts at the .75-mile facility, JRM has tallied six wins, 29 top fives – the third most it has at any facility – and 54 top 10s. JRM’s most recent win came with Noah Gragson during the 2021 season.
    • Dash 4 Cash: Since the beginning of the program in 2009, JR Motorsports has collected 19 Dash 4 Cash wins. Sam Mayer won his first $100k payday at this race last season and will compete next to teammate Justin Allgaier, who has four D4C wins himself, for the prize this weekend.
    • Jarrett: Whether you’re a P&L Owner or Logistics Manager, take the Jarrett Supply Chain Challenge to check if there are needlemoving improvement opportunities in your supply chain. 90 percent of people who’ve taken the challenge have found huge opportunities. Will you take the challenge?
    • Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier and Brandon Jones will be at the JR Motorsports / Legacy M.C. souvenir rig in the Richmond Raceway Fan Zone on Saturday, April 1 from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

  • Richmond Raceway 1 / Texas Motor Speedway Advance

    Richmond Raceway 1 / Texas Motor Speedway Advance

    RICHMOND RACEWAY / TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY NOTES

    Saturday, April 1 – NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series @ Texas, 4:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
    Saturday, April 1 – NASCAR Xfinity Series @ Richmond, 1 p.m. ET (FS1)
    Sunday, April 2 – NASCAR Cup Series @ Richmond, 3:30 p.m. ET (FS1)

    NASCAR’s top three series will split states this weekend, as the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series will share driving duties at Richmond Raceway. The Craftsman Truck Series will make a jaunt up I-35 from Austin to Fort Worth for Saturday’s race to Texas Motor Speedway.

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    Joey Logano: “Not much different than what we’ve had in the past. Tires are going to wear out there a lot. Smart racers will prevail. We’ll have some interesting setup decisions to make, to make sure we’re good in the long-haul, as well as the short run. We’ll try to adjust to that. I don’t think it’ll be different from the Richmonds we’ve seen – it may widen-out some — but, like usual, the smart racers will be strong.”

    Ryan Blaney: “Going there with the new package… hopefully it’s a step in the right direction for the traffic side of it. The tire fall-off there is already pretty large, and I think it’s going to be even bigger this year with the low spoiler. You’re going to have your hands a little more full, I feel like, than what it was in the past. That’s going to make it more difficult to kind of save your tires – it may make the race even better. It’ll be a challenge, that’s for sure, but hopefully we hit it right.”

    Austin Cindric: “I certainly expect, talking about the package, it’ll probably be the most extreme example of how much downforce we took off the cars. I think as far as race tracks that are knife-edge and you pay a penalty for having weaknesses, Richmond there is certainly nowhere to hide.”

    Brad Keselowski: “I’m excited about Richmond. It’ll be nice to have the cars really difficult to drive. You’re going to see the cars move around a lot. Last year, we saw the cars race all the way up against the wall, and all into the bottom of the track – it’s a really exciting race, to me personally, inside the car. I thought it was thrilling. I would expect it to another degree.”

    RICHMOND ONE OF LOGANO’S BEST

    It would be easy to look at Joey Logano’s two career wins at Richmond and say it’s got to be one of his best tracks on the circuit, but the statistics provide further proof. In 27 career starts, Logano has 12 top 5 and 16 top 10 finishes, which gives him an average finish of 10.3. That’s his second-best average finish on tracks where he’s run more than five races. The only track where Logano has a better average finish is Las Vegas, where his three wins and 12 top-10 finishes in 20 starts works out to a 9.9 average finish.

    HARVICK A CAREER TOP-10 FINISHER AT RICHMOND

    Another Ford driver who has experienced consistent success at Richmond is Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kevin Harvick. This weekend will mark his 44th career Cup Series start at the track in which his 9.7 average finish is fourth-best among tracks currently on the circuit in which he has more than five starts. The other three tracks that statistically are Harvick’s best include: Homestead (7.3), Phoenix (8.6), and Indianapolis (8.6).

    KESELOWSKI SOLE RICHMOND WINNER IN 2020

    Richmond Raceway hosted two NASCAR Cup Series events a year from 1959-2019, but in 2020 the track had only one event due to COVID and Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski took the checkered flag in dominating fashion. Keselowski led 192-of-400 laps in recording his second career Cup win at the Virginia short track, and automatically advanced to the Round of 12. Overall, Ford led 297 laps on the night and had five drivers finish in the top 10, including Joey Logano (3rd), Kevin Harvick (7th), Aric Almirola (8th) and Clint Bowyer (10th).

    RILEY RIVALING FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP

    The consistency of Riley Herbst has been in the spotlight since the latter part of the 2022 season. Herbst earned his sixth consecutive top-10 finish to start the 2023 campaign after a 10th-place run at Circuit of The Americas last weekend – his ninth since October 2022 (Homestead). The streak this season has helped Herbst climb to second in the driver rankings (234), trailing by only 15 points for the lead into Richmond.

    RICHMOND RAPPORT

    Mark Martin climbed 16 spots and led 16 laps to give Ford its first series victory at Richmond in 1987. Martin, who has five career series wins there, is one of three Ford drivers to win consecutive races at the track after sweeping both events in 1993. The others are Kenny Wallace (1994-1995) and Brad Keselowski (2013 Sweep).

    FOLLOW THE LEADER

    Zane Smith earned his second win of the season last weekend at Circuit of The Americas – his second-consecutive victory at the road course and a series-leading second of the season. The returning series champion currently leads this year’s points (168). Two Ford F-150s round-out the top-three spots, with Ty Majeski (166) and Ben Rhodes (150) closely behind.

    BACK TO BACK

    Ford made its early impressions in the Truck Series at Texas Motor Speedway, which made its debut on the NASCAR schedule in 1997. Kenny Irwin Jr. led 55 of the 167 laps in 1997, to score the win in the track’s inaugural season as Ford swept the top five spots. Tony Raines and Ford followed up the strong performance the following season, not only winning the race, but also placing three F-150 trucks in the top-five.

    SHARING SUCCESS

    Greg Biffle started the 2000 race on pole, leading 120 laps en route to a dominating victory. Mike Wallace, who finished runner-up, led 29 – giving Ford the top-spot for 149 of the 167 total laps of the race.

    FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS

    AT RICHMOND

    1957 – Paul Goldsmith

    1959 – Tom Pistone and Cotton Owens

    1960 – Speedy Thompson (2)

    1963 – Ned Jarrett (2)

    1965 – Junior Johnson (1)

    1968 – David Pearson (1)

    1969 – David Pearson (1)

    1970 – James Hylton (1)

    1979 – Bobby Allison (2)

    1980 – Bobby Allison (2)

    1981 – Benny Parsons (2)

    1984 – Ricky Rudd (1)

    1986 – Kyle Petty (1)

    1988 – Davey Allison (2)

    1990 – Mark Martin (1)

    1992 – Bill Elliott (1)

    1993 – Davey Allison (1)

    1994 – Ernie Irvan (1)

    1995 – Rusty Wallace (2)

    1996 – Ernie Irvan (2)

    1997 – Rusty Wallace and Dale Jarrett

    1998 – Jeff Burton (2)

    1999 – Dale Jarrett (1)

    2001 – Ricky Rudd (2)

    2002 – Matt Kenseth (2)

    2005 – Kurt Busch (2)

    2013 – Carl Edwards (2)

    2014 – Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski

    2017 – Joey Logano (1)

    2020 – Brad Keselowski

    2022 – Kevin Harvick (2)

    FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS AT RICHMOND

    1987 – Mark Martin

    1993 – Mark Martin (Sweep)

    1994 – Kenny Wallace

    1995 – Kenny Wallace and Dale Jarrett

    1996 – Kenny Wallace (2)

    1997 – Mark Martin (1)

    1998 – Jeff Burton (1)

    1999 – Mark Martin (1)

    2000 – Jeff Burton (1)

    2002 – Jason Keller (1)

    2005 – Carl Edwards (1)

    2008 – Carl Edwards (2)

    2009 – Carl Edwards (2)

    2013 – Brad Keselowski (Sweep)

    2017 – Brad Keselowski (2)

    2019 – Cole Custer (1)

    FORD NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES WINNERS AT TEXAS

    1997 – Kenny Irwin, Jr.

    1998 – Tony Raines

    2000 – Greg Biffle (1)

  • Kaulig Racing Post-Race Report | Circuit of the Americas (COTA)

    Kaulig Racing Post-Race Report | Circuit of the Americas (COTA)

    Allmendinger Wins Back-to-Back NASCAR Xfinity Series Races at COTA

     Pit Boss 250 Presented by USA Today

    AJ Allmendinger, No. 10 Celsius Chevrolet

    • AJ Allmendinger qualified on the pole for the Pit Boss 250 Presented by USA Today.
    • Allmendinger dominated the first stage in the No. 10 Celsius Chevrolet leading all 14 laps until the stage break. This was Allmendinger’s 12th NXS road course stage win, making him the series-leader for road course stage wins.
    • Allmendinger restarted on the 11th row in stage two and sustained right side damage when the field went five-wide going into turn one on the start. The No. 10 Celsius Chevy did not have a tire rub after this contact, so the team stayed out during the caution and restarted in 25th on lap 22. Charging through the field quickly, Allmendinger came back from over nine seconds back to finish sixth in stage two.
    • Restarting on the third row for the third stage, Allmendinger made his way to the front and battled with the No. 17 for the lead.
    • He went on to earn Kaulig Racing’s first NXS win of the 2023 season in the Pit Boss 250 Presented by USA Today.

    “William Byron is one of the best ones in the sport right now, seeing all Cup races he’s winning. I knew it was going to be tough, I was just trying to fight to get back up to the front there. I’m so proud of everyone at Kaulig Racing. The Celsius Chevy was really hooked up, and with all the damage we had, it didn’t hurt the car. I spent a lot of years not winning anything, so I’m going to celebrate every one of them like it’s my last one. You never know. As much pressure as I put on myself, I’m always going to try to live up to it. The pit crew was awesome, and I’m so proud of everyone on this team.” – AJ Allmendinger

    Daniel Hemric, No. 11 Chevy Accessories Chevrolet

    • Daniel Hemric qualified 11th for the Pit Boss 250 Presented by USA Today.
    • In the opening stage, Hemric had contact early on with the No. 20 car. With minimal damage on the right side, he was able to rebound and finish 13th in stage one.
    • After pitting under caution, Hemric gained 12 spots on a restart on lap 22 in the second stage, and went on to finish stage two in 16th.
    • In the final stage, Hemric maintained his track position and recorded his career best finish at COTA, coming home sixth.
    • Hemric was one of four drivers who qualified for Dash 4 Cash taking place at Richmond next weekend.

    “What a battle this weekend was. I put us behind by not getting up to speed quick enough and didn’t do a great job putting together a lap in qualifying. Looking back, had I qualified better I could have been a little ahead of the carnage at the beginning of the race. I have a lot to clean up, but I had a really fast Kaulig Racing Chevy Accessories Camaro. I look forward to going to Richmond and being a part of the Dash 4 Cash.” – Daniel Hemric

    Chandler Smith, No. 16 Quick Tie Chevrolet

    • Chandler Smith qualified 27th for the Pit Boss 250 Presented by USA Today but would start at the rear due to an unapproved adjustment prior to the start of the race.
    • Smith battled through contact with multiple cars and dealt with minor damage during the first two stages.
    • Spotter Freddie Kraft noted that Smith’s biggest area to work on going forward from stage one was to drive through the esses in a straighter line.
    • At the end of the second stage, Smith restarted in 18th and was told to save his tires instead of racing for stage points to save his car for the end.
    • He finished 12th in his NXS road course debut after adjusting his driving style all 46 laps.

    “Our team dealt with a lot throughout the race today. We made contact with a few other cars just trying to learn the track. It was a hard day’s work, and I really appreciate my crew chief, Bruce (Schlicker), guiding me all day while making adjustments to better my understanding of the track. Honestly, 12th is not a bad result, but it’s time to get back in the top five next week at Richmond.” – Chandler Smith  

    EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix

    Justin Haley, No. 31 Celsius Camaro ZL1

    • Justin Haley qualified 23rd for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix
    • The first caution flag fell early on lap one, with Haley moving up three spots. Following his first pit stop of the day, Haley was forced to come back down pit road to cut a piece of the splitter that was rubbing his right front tire. He finished the first stage in 35th.
    • Haley made it back up to as high as 22nd before the green flag pit stops cycled through, putting him 25th at the end of the second stage.
    • During the final stage, the No. 31 car suffered power issues, but was repaired during a pit stop. Haley made it as far as 12th on one of three overtime restarts, was spun, and went on to finish 19th.

    “We fought adversity throughout the entire weekend in our No. 31 Celsius Camaro ZL1. We lacked some speed in practice but were pretty decent in qualifying. We had to pit twice during our first stop and then had a battery issue. We just couldn’t get the track position back until the very end. We made it back up to 12th before we got spun on one of the restarts. With all the issues we fought, a top 20 was not bad for the day.” – Justin Haley

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

    • AJ Allmendinger qualified seventh for his 400th NCS start in the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix.
    • Allmendinger quickly moved through the field to finish third in stage one.
    • With the pit strategy, Allmendinger finished 13th in the second stage.
    • In the final stage, Allmendinger made it as high as second in the No. 16 Nutrien Ag Solutions FARMSMART Camaro. Two laps short on fuel, the team pitted under caution and restarted on the seventh row. On the restart, Allmendinger got a push from behind resulting in damage that ultimately ended his day with eight laps to go. He was scored 34th.

    “Obviously the finish was not what we wanted but I’m really proud of the effort from the start of the weekend. To go from Friday where we were not good at all to being better Saturday. Not sure if our car was race winning, but thought we had a top three, top four call all day. Really disappointed to get caught up in the wreck and not really score any points but trying to take the positives out of it. We know that we can struggle early and find speed in the race car. We definitely had speed the whole race and ran up front. We’ve got to clean up some other stuff, but other than that, just taking the positives to get ready for the next road course and build on that.” – AJ Allmendinger  

     
    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.

  • Allmendinger holds off Byron for second Xfinity win at Circuit of The Americas

    Allmendinger holds off Byron for second Xfinity win at Circuit of The Americas

    By Holly Cain
    NASCAR Wire Service

    AUSTIN, Texas – A.J. Allmendinger started on pole position and won the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today on Saturday afternoon on the world-renowned Circuit of The Americas road course.

    The 46 laps in between the green and checkered flags, however, were dramatic and full of emotional highs and lows for the veteran Allmendinger, who led 14 laps to start the race and the final 14 laps to close it out. The series’ all-time road course winner earned his 11th road course trophy (and 16th career Xfinity Series trophy) despite having to navigate through the field after falling back to 25th place during mid-race green flag pit stops.

    It was a major league road course lesson for the rest of the field as the 41-year-old Californian diced and sliced his way forward in the No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet to win this race for the second consecutive year. He ultimately took a .853-second victory over relentless Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron in the No. 17 Chevrolet.

    “William Byron put his best foot forward, you’ve seen all the Cup races he’s winning,” Allmendinger said of the season’s two-race winner Byron. “I knew it was going to be tough just trying to fight to get back up to the front there. Hate that I had contact with Sheldon [Creed], he got under me, I was trying to stay off him, so I hate that happened but so proud of everyone at Kaulig Racing. The Celsius Chevy was really hooked up and with all the damage we had it didn’t hurt the car.”

    “I spent a lot of years not winning anything so I’m going to celebrate every one of them like it’s my last one,” Allmendinger said. “You never know. As much pressure as I put on myself, I’m always going to try to live up to it. The pit crew was awesome and I’m so proud of everyone.”

    NASCAR Cup Series rookie Ty Gibbs – the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion – finished third in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Toyota, just ahead of his JGR teammate Sammy Smith and veteran JR Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier.

    The 3.41-mile, 20-turn COTA track is regarded as one of the more challenging stops on the NASCAR schedule and Allmendinger certainly had his work cut out for him on Saturday. He led early, but was shuffled back after winning Stage 1 and gambling on a pit stop later than the other frontrunners.

    Forced to lineup for a re-start toward the back of the field – and miscommunication from the team to driver regarding the exact position he should take – left him 25th near the race midpoint. He answered by reeling off one car after another and made his way into the top-10 with 15 laps remaining – making a dramatic push forward on that final restart to go from sixth to first with 14 laps remaining. He took the lead after a spirited battle with Sheldon Creed, who spun out after contact between the two.

    Allmendinger then drove off to more than a 1-second gap on the field, but, was doggedly chased by Byron, who will start Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at COTA from the pole position.

    “I was getting one final run at him, but obviously they were really good all day, just great at these road courses,” Byron said. “Just a little bit to gain and then made a mistake [navigating the esses].

    “It was a great effort, just need to clean it up in the cars … but had a lot of fun racing,” Byron added.

    Kaulig Racing’s Daniel Hemric, JR Motorsports teammates Sam Mayer and Josh Berry, Creed and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Riley Herbst rounded out the top-10.

    Austin Hill, a three-race winner in 2023 that was leading the championship standings by nearly 50 points coming into Austin, suffered mechanical problems in his No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet and took a DNF. He still holds a 15-point advantage over Herbst atop the championship, however.

    This was a Dash 4 Cash qualifying race with the four top-finishing fulltime NASCAR Xfinity Series competitors now eligible for a $100,000 bonus next week at Richmond (Va.) Raceway; the top finisher among the four will earn the big paycheck and is eligible for another the following race at Martinsville, Va. on April 15.

    With their showings on Saturday: Sammy Smith, Justin Allgaier, Daniel Hemric and Sam Mayer are the four drivers who race for the Xfinity Dash 4 Cash $100,000 in next week’s Call811 Before You Dig 250 at Richmond Raceway (1 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

    NASCAR Xfinity Series Race – Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today
    Circuit of The Americas
    Austin, Texas
    Saturday, March 25, 2023

                1. (1)  AJ Allmendinger(i), Chevrolet, 46.

            2. (9)  William Byron(i), Chevrolet, 46.

            3. (3)  Ty Gibbs(i), Toyota, 46.

            4. (2)  Sammy Smith #, Toyota, 46.

            5. (8)  Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 46.

            6. (11)  Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, 46.

            7. (14)  Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 46.

            8. (15)  Josh Berry, Chevrolet, 46.

            9. (4)  Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, 46.

            10. (7)  Riley Herbst, Ford, 46.

            11. (26)  Brandon Jones, Chevrolet, 46.

            12. (27)  Chandler Smith #, Chevrolet, 46.

            13. (18)  Miguel Paludo, Chevrolet, 46.

            14. (25)  Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 46.

            15. (23)  Alex Labbe, Chevrolet, 46.

            16. (29)  Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 46.

            17. (34)  Parker Retzlaff #, Chevrolet, 46.

            18. (20)  Kaz Grala, Toyota, 46.

            19. (22)  Connor Mosack, Toyota, 46.

            20. (32)  Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 46.

            21. (21)  Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 46.

            22. (33)  Kyle Weatherman, Chevrolet, 46.

            23. (31)  Ryan Sieg, Ford, 46.

            24. (13)  Aric Almirola(i), Ford, 46.

            25. (36)  Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet, 46.

            26. (38)  Kyle Sieg, Ford, 46.

            27. (6)  John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 46.

            28. (24)  Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 46.

            29. (30)  Brad Perez, Chevrolet, 46.

            30. (35)  Joe Graf Jr., Ford, 46.

            31. (5)  Parker Kligerman, Chevrolet, 46.

            32. (10)  Cole Custer, Ford, 45.

            33. (37)  Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, Steering, 29.

            34. (28)  Brett Moffitt, Ford, Engine, 27.

            35. (16)  Sage Karam, Chevrolet, Engine, 23.

            36. (19)  Preston Pardus, Chevrolet, Suspension, 16.

            37. (12)  Austin Hill, Chevrolet, Engine, 13.

            38. (17)  Carson Hocevar(i), Chevrolet, Transmission, 7.

    Average Speed of Race Winner: 75.263 mph.

    Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 5 Mins, 3 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.853 Seconds.

    Caution Flags: 5 for 7 laps.

    Lead Changes: 6 among 4 drivers.

    Lap Leaders: A. Allmendinger(i) 1-14;S. Creed 15-26;W. Byron(i) 27;S. Creed 28;P. Kligerman 29;S. Creed 30-32;A. Allmendinger(i) 33-46.

    Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): AJ Allmendinger(i) 2 times for 28 laps; Sheldon Creed 3 times for 16 laps; Parker Kligerman 1 time for 1 lap; William Byron(i) 1 time for 1 lap.

    Stage #1 Top Ten: 10,2,48,19,17,98,7,9,18,1

    Stage #2 Top Ten: 2,39,20,08,8,10,17,19,18,27

  • Stewart-Haas Racing: NXS Race Report from COTA

    Stewart-Haas Racing: NXS Race Report from COTA

    STEWART-HAAS RACING
    NASCAR Xfinity Series: Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today

    Date: March 25, 2023
    Event: Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today (Round 6 of 33)
    Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
    Location: Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas (3.426-mile, 20-turn road course)
    Format: 46 laps, broken into three stages (14 laps/16 laps/16 laps)
    Race Winner: AJ Allmendinger of Kaulig Racing (Chevrolet)
    Stage 1 Winner: AJ Allmendinger of Kaulig Racing (Chevrolet)
    Stage 2 Winner: Sheldon Creed of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)

    SHR Race Finish:

    ● Riley Herbst (Started 7th / Finished 10th, completed 46 of 46 laps)

    ● Cole Custer (Started 10th / Finished 32nd, completed 45 of 46 laps)

    SHR Points:

    ● Riley Herbst (2nd with 234 points, 15 out of first)

    ● Cole Custer (12th with 152 points, 97 out of first)

    SHR Notes:

    ● Herbst earned his sixth straight top-10 of the season and his first top-10 in three career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at COTA.

    ● Since an eighth-place finish on Oct. 22, 2022 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Herbst has scored nine straight top-10 finishes in the Xfinity Series.

    ● Herbst is the only Xfinity Series driver to finish in the top-10 in every race so far this season.

    ● Herbst’s 10th-place finish bettered his previous best finish at COTA – 16th, earned in the inaugural Xfinity Series race at COTA in 2021.

    ● Herbst finished sixth in Stage 1 to earn five bonus points.

    Race Notes:

    ● AJ Allmendinger won the Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today to score his 16th career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, his first of the season and his second at COTA. His margin over second-place William Byron was .853 of a second.

    ● There were five caution periods for a total of seven laps.

    ● Thirty-one of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

    ● Austin Hill remains the championship leader after COTA with a 15-point advantage over second-place Riley Herbst.

    Sound Bites:

    “Man, that was a wild ride. I still feel like we struggled today trying to figure out COTA, but there’s improvement. We’re just continuing to build on our program and this team. It’s exciting to see the progress, and I’m proud that we were able to come back up through the field to finish in the top-10. It’s a testament to how this team never gives up. Now, I’m excited to change it up and head to one of my favorite tracks, Richmond.” – Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

    “I feel like we started off so strong, and we just got into trouble there. Our No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang was fast, and we ran up near the front during that second stage. I hate it for this team, but that’s road course racing. We’ll learn from this weekend and move on to Richmond, where we’ve had success in the past.” – Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang

    Next Up:

    The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the Richmond 250 on Saturday, April 1 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. The race begins at 1 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

  • Top Boss: Allmendinger Overcomes Adversity to Win Pit Boss 250 Presented by USA TODAY

    Top Boss: Allmendinger Overcomes Adversity to Win Pit Boss 250 Presented by USA TODAY

    • After early dominance, Kaulig Racing driver A.J. Allmendinger charges through the field, holds off William Byron to capture second straight Circuit of The Americas victory.
    • Single-day tickets for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix are still available, starting at $70. Kids 12 and under get in for just $10. Further details can be found at NASCARatCOTA.com.

    AUSTIN, Texas (March 25, 2023) – With a dash of luck and a heaping helping of talent, A.J. Allmendinger cooked up the perfect recipe for success at Saturday’s Pit Boss 250 presented by USA TODAY, returning to Victory Lane at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) for the second consecutive year.

    Starting on the pole, Allmendinger led every lap in the opening stage before a caution in the middle of green flag pit stops shuffled the Kaulig Racing driver back in the field. The chance at a repeat appeared doomed after Allmendinger was collected in a pileup in the treacherous Turn One during the ensuing restart.

    Undeterred, the Los Gatos, Calf. native navigated traffic from 25th position back to the lead to capture his 11th career road course win and the 20th overall victory for Kaulig Racing.

    “I wasn’t sure how the race was going to play out with no stage breaks,” Allmendinger said. “I knew we had a really fast car, but it was about trying to get back up there. I knew we had one pit stop to go. When we first got out of the wreck, I was more worried about damage to the car. Once I calmed down and made sure the car was okay, it was just about getting back up there.”

    Allmendinger made contact with Sheldon Creed on lap 33 to retake the lead, which he held for the final 14 laps. Closing in on the lead on the final circuit, Byron’s No. 17 machine got loose, giving Allmendinger enough of a cushion to secure the win. Ty Gibbs, Sammy Smith and Justin Allgaier rounded out the top five.

    “I just messed the esses up,” Byron said after the race. “I was giving one final run at him. Obviously he’s great at these road courses. I didn’t want to get off and screw up second place, so I slowed way down to keep it on the track. A couple of times I probably had a shot at him, but just needed to be a little better.”

    Byron won’t have to wait long for a chance at redemption as both drivers will be among the favorites in Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix NASCAR Cup Series showdown. Byron will start from the pole, while Allmendinger will start seventh.

    Tickets:

    Tickets for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix are on sale at NASCARatCOTA.com. Sunday tickets, which include the Darius Rucker pre-race concert, start at $70 for adults and just $10 for kids 12 and under. Further details can be found on the NASCAR at COTA website.

    Follow Us:

    Keep track of all things NASCAR at COTA by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@NASCARatCOTA). Keep up with all the latest information on the NASCAR at COTA website and mobile app.

  • Toyota Racing – NXS COTA Post-Race Report – 03.25.23

    Toyota Racing – NXS COTA Post-Race Report – 03.25.23

    GIBBS STRONG IN XFINITY SERIES RETURN
    Sammy Smith top finishing Xfinity Series regular

    AUSTIN (March 25, 2023) – Ty Gibbs made it three straight top-three finishes for the No. 19 Toyota GR Supra as the reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series champion finished third today in Austin. His teammate, Sammy Smith, crossed the line in fourth – his second top-five finish of the season to lead all Xfinity Series drivers. With the result, the Iowa-native qualifies for the first Dash 4 Cash event in Richmond.

    Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
    NASCAR Xfinity Series
    Circuit of the Americas
    Race 6 of 33 – 151.86 miles, 46 laps

    TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
    1st, AJ Allmendinger*
    2nd, William Bryon*
    3rd, TY GIBBS
    4th, SAMMY SMITH
    5th, Justin Allgaier*
    18th, KAZ GRALA
    19th, CONNOR MOSACK
    27th, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
    *non-Toyota driver

    TOYOTA QUOTES

    TY GIBBS, No. 19 Monster Energy Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

    Finishing Position: 3rd

    How was your race?

    We had a really fast Monster Energy Toyota GR Supra. It was about as fast as Xfinity 10G. We were just a little bit too loose all day. It was an okay finish – we will take it. I’m happy to be back racing in Xfinity Series – it’s a fun time. Hopefully we can go get them tomorrow.”

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

    Finishing Position: 4th

    Fourth-place; how do you describe a day like this?

    “it was a good day. I feel like we have lot of room for improvement – car-wise and driver-wise. But it was a good day for our Pilot Flying J Toyota GR Supra. Thanks to Pilot Flying J, TMC, Allstate Peterbuilt Group, Golden Harvest, Renda Group, Toyota, JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) – everybody that helps get us here and gives us fast racecars.”

    You get to race for $100,000 next week. How cool is that?

    “Yeah, that’s cool! I feel good about Richmond next week, but today we fought a little bit of car balance. I’ve got to clean some things up and work a little bit on the car. Thanks to Pilot Flying J, Toyota, TMC, Allstate Peterbuilt Group, Golden Harvest, Renda Group, JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) – everybody that brings fast racecars. We had a good showing today, just have to continue to work on our road course stuff!”

    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.

  • Allmen-Ringer: Defending Pit Boss 250 Winner Continues COTA Dominance with Xfinity Series Pole

    Allmen-Ringer: Defending Pit Boss 250 Winner Continues COTA Dominance with Xfinity Series Pole

    • Ross Chastain will lead the field to green in Saturday’s XPEL 225 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series showdown following EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix Cup Series qualifying.
    • Single-day tickets for NASCAR’s tripleheader weekend are still available, starting at $30 on Saturday and $70 on Sunday. Kids 12 and under get in free on Saturday and for just $10 on Sunday. Further details can be found at NASCARatCOTA.com.

    AUSTIN, Texas (March 24, 2023) – A.J. Allmendinger’s NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) dominance at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) continued during FEVO Friday action, as the 2022 winner of the Pit Boss 250 presented by USA TODAY drove his way to the pole for Saturday’s main event, capturing the pole by 0.502 seconds over Sammy Smith.

    “It feels great,” the 41-year-old Kaulig Racing driver said. “Winning the race last year was kind of a good baseline to come back to, but I felt like we needed a good amount of work. With the results that the organization has had this year, they’ve shown more speed everywhere. Qualifying is tough around here, especially in the esses. You can make up a lot of time if you push the edges and get through there.

    “To me, it’s one of the most unique road courses in North America. If you look at the road courses we have, they’re a lot of the same thing. This is a racetrack that’s a combination. You’ve got long straightaways and tight sections. I enjoy it. In general, I have a lot of fun here.”

    When the green flag falls, Allmendinger will be joined on the front row by the rookie, Smith, who matched his career-best NXS qualifying position. Ty Gibbs, Sheldon Creed and Parker Kligerman rounded out the top five.

    In the final round of group qualifying, NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) veteran William Byron ran a 2:12-second lap that would have earned him a top starting position, but it was negated after NASCAR officials deemed that he exceeded track limits on the lap. By not registering a lap in the final qualifying round, he will start 10th.

    Chastain Earns XPEL 225 Pole

    Ross Chastain, who took the checkered flag for last year’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix the last time he strapped in at COTA, picked up right where he left off on FEVO Friday by capturing the pole for the XPEL 225 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) race with a 2:13.613-second lap on COTA’s 20-turn, 3.41-mile circuit.

    After besting the field by more than half a second in qualifying, the watermelon man will start Saturday’s race alongside fellow NCS regular Kyle Busch. Ty Majeski and rookie Nick Sanchez will make up the second row. NCTS points leader Christian Eckes, Carson Hocevar, Zane Smith, Grant Enfinger, Tanner Gray and Kaz Grala rounded out the top 10 in qualifying.

    With 39 cars making a qualifying attempt, Alex Bowman, driving for Spire Motorsports, failed to make the field after a flat tire cut his qualifying effort short.

    The tripleheader weekend fun continues Saturday with a full slate on on-track action, including the XPEL 225 NCTS race, Pit Boss 250 presented by USA TODAY NXS race and NCS qualifying for Sunday’s third running of the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix.

    Tickets:

    Tickets for the March 24-26 NASCAR at COTA tripleheader weekend are on sale now at NASCARatCOTA.com. Three-day weekend packages for adults including the Darius Rucker pre-race concert start at just $99 and just $10 for kids 12 and under. Further details can be found on the NASCAR at COTA website.

    Follow Us:

    Keep track of all things NASCAR at COTA by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@NASCARatCOTA). Keep up with all the latest information on the NASCAR at COTA website and mobile app.