Category: XFINITY Series PR

AM Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Auto Club (Calif.) Speedway | Production Alliance Group 300

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. 77
Engine: Roush-Yates Engines
Driver Championship Point Standings: 25th
Team Championship Point Standings: 26th

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 Production Alliance Group 300 at Auto Club (Calif.) Speedway.

Future Focused: With AM’s inaugural Xfinity journey set to continue at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., 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 second 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.

Thanks For Your Support: With the start of the 2023 season underway, 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.

Congratulations Team: Earlier this week, AM Racing went to Victory Lane at Fayetteville Motor Speedway during Carolina Speedweek in their No. 23 AM Racing 602 Dirt Modified.

The recent expansion of the organization to dirt is part of the team’s vision for their Future Focused initiative with additional details to be unveiled soon.

Brett Moffitt Xfinity Auto Club Speedway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Production Alliance Group 300 will mark Moffitt’s third start at the 2.0-mile speedway.

In his previous two efforts, he has delivered two top-20 finishes. His track-best result occurred during the 2020 spring edition of the Production Alliance Group 300 when Moffitt steered to a

Track best of 14th after starting 29th for Our Motorsports.

In addition to his previous two Xfinity Series races, the popular driver also has a lone NASCAR Cup Series start at the Southern California race track in 2015 driving for Michael Waltrip Racing.

After starting 30th, Moffitt earned a lead-lap 22nd place finish.

Brett Moffitt NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: In 85 career Xfinity Series starts, Moffitt has earned two top-five and 23 top-10 finishes, including a second-place outing at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February 2021.

In addition to 84 Xfinity Series starts, he has achieved 45 NASCAR Cup Series and 92 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts to his credit.

Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway | Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. 300 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, AM Racing successfully made their series’ debut with Moffitt at the “World Center of Racing”

After qualifying on speed in the 32nd position, Moffitt maneuvered his No. 25 AM Technical Solutions Ford Mustang through the field and drafted inside the top five where he hovered for a majority of the race until late-race contact from another driver caused a flat tire sending Moffitt to pit road for an unscheduled stop.

The setback left few laps for the Statesville, N.C.-based team to recover leaving the team with a 29th-place finish.

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

He will crew chief his 100th NASCAR Xfinity Series race as crew chief on Saturday afternoon and his third race at the 2.0-mile speedway.

Williams is the defending race-winning crew chief after steering Cole Custer to victory last February for SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt first career victory in the sport.

In his previous 99 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected one win (Auto Club Speedway | February 2022), seven top-five and 21 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 Auto Club Speedway: “Auto Club has been a decent track for me over the years but I have high hopes for this weekend’s race. Joe (Williams Jr.) has been working hard on our No. 25 AM Technical Solutions Ford Mustang and knowing he won that race last year brings some excitement to our AM Racing team.

“We ran strong at Daytona but did not get the finish we deserved. I hope we are able to earn the finish I know our team deserves.”

On 2023 Season Outlook: “There has been so much effort put into the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and honestly, I am so excited about it. I cannot thank everyone on the AM Racing team enough for the opportunity and for taking a chance on me to lead them in the inaugural year.

“I believe we will exceed everyone’s expectations and not only will we challenge for race wins, but we will achieve them and contend for the 2023 Xfinity Series championship.”

Race Information:

The Production Alliance Group 300 (150 laps | 200 miles) is the second of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2023 schedule. Practice begins on Sat., Feb 25 from 9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Qualifying begins at 9:30 a.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag shortly after 2:00 p.m. (5:00 p.m. ET) with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90.

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 and the NASCAR Xfinity Series 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.

Track; Auto Club Speedway– D-Shaped Oval (2.0-mile)
Race: Production Alliance Group 300; 150 Laps –35/35/80; 300 Miles
Date/Broadcast: Saturday; February 25, 2023 5:00 PM ET (2:00 PM PT)
TV: Fox Sports 1 (FS1), and the FOX Sports App
Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN)- Check Local Listings for affiliate, and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90
Social Media: Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito AutoSport; Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

Parker Retzlaff – No. 31 FUNKAWAY Chevrolet Camaro SS Preview-
Auto Club Speedway

News and Notes:

• Practice; After the completion of a rain-soaked technical inspection on Friday afternoon, Parker Retzlaff is scheduled to hit the 2.0-mile Auto Club Speedway for the first time in his career at 9:05 AM PT (12:05 PM ET) Saturday morning weather pending for a 30-minute practice session.

– Starting Position; Immediately after Practice, qualifying for the Production Alliance Group 300 will take to the track at 9:35 AM PT (12:35 PM ET) Saturday morning weather pending to set the 36-car starting field. In 2023, intermediate-track qualifying would consist of a single round of single car qualifying for one lap to determine the starting order. From the results of qualifying the lineup will be set by the fastest 31 competitors on speed and five provisional starters with two cars failing to make the starting field. Retzlaff is scheduled to roll off 37th to make his qualifying lap. For those not able to attend in Southern California, Qualifying will be shown LIVE on Fox Sports 1 (FS1) and the Fox Sports App.

– Auto Club Speedway Stats; Saturday’s Production Alliance Group 300 will mark Retzlaff’s debut at the Southern California 2.0-mile oval.

Featured Partners

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

Jeb Burton– No. 27 Contractor Rewards / State Water Heaters Chevrolet Camaro SS Preview-
Auto Club Speedway

Social Media; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

News and Notes:

• Practice; After the completion of the technical inspection on Friday afternoon, Jeb Burton and the No. 27 team is scheduled to hit the 2.0-mile Auto Club Speedway for the first time at 9:05 AM PT (12:05 PM ET) Saturday morning weather pending for a 30-minute practice session.

– Starting Position; Immediately after Practice, qualifying for the Production Alliance Group 300 will take to the track Saturday morning at 9:35 AM PT (12:35 PM ET) weather pending to set the 36-car starting field. In 2023, intermediate-track qualifying would consist of a single round of single car qualifying for one lap to determine the starting order. The lineup up will then be set by the fastest 31 competitors on speed and five provisional starters with two cars failing to make the starting field. Burton is scheduled to make his qualification lap 34th. Qualifying will be shown LIVE on Fox Sports 1 (FS1) and the Fox Sports App.

– Auto Club Speedway Stats; Saturday’s NXS Production Alliance Group 300 will mark Burton’s third career start at Southern California’s Auto Club Speedway. In two previous starts (2016, 2022) in NXS competition Burton holds an average finish of 15.0 with a best of 14th coming in 2022.

Featured Partners

• Contractor Rewards; Get rewarded for your business! Earn points for doing business with top-brand manufacturers of building products. It’s simple, it’s free — and it’s rewarding! ContractorRewards.com
• State Water Heaters; State Water Heaters is a leading manufacturer of commercial and residential water heaters. For more than 60 years, State Water Heaters has built dependable, long-lasting water heaters for commercial and residential applications. State remains fixed on manufacturing durable products that last longer. For more information, visit StateWaterHeaters.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Solid.State.
• Power Plus; For more than 30 years, Power Plus has been designing and installing industrial temporary power systems for the construction industry. Whether you’re building residential homes, commercial developments or civil engineering projects, we are the power experts and our crews have the experience, resources and construction generators to provide you with the temporary power system you need. For more information on Power Plus visit PowerPlus.com

About Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito Autosport

Jordan Anderson Racing (JAR) Bommarito Autosport is a NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) team, owned by owner/driver Jordan Anderson and Bommarito Automotive Group President, John Bommarito.

Established in 2018, JAR Bommarito Autosport has competed full-time in the NCTS four times earning a team best back-to-back runner-up finishes in the 2020 & 2021 NextEra 250 season opener at Daytona International Speedway with driver Jordan Anderson.

Expanding to the NXS in 2021 the No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro SS would drive to five Top-Five and six Top-10 finishes with various drivers behind the wheel in its first season. 2022 would see the No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro SS claim the team’s first stage win and a runner-up finish while claiming four Top-10’s with driver Myatt Snider.

In 2023, JAR Bommarito Autosport will continue to grow fielding two full-time entries in the NXS; No. 31 for Parker Retzlaff, and No. 27 for Jeb Burton. JAR Bommarito Autosport will also compete in the NCTS with the No. 3 Chevrolet Silverado various drivers in select races.

Gaffney, SC- JD Motorsports is proud to announce that KSDT CPA has renewed its contract with the team and will be a primary partner on Bayley Currey’s No. 4 Chevrolet for multiple races this season. In addition to the primary races, the Miami-based firm will serve as the Official CPA of JDM.

This season marks the seventh year of partnership between KSDT CPA and JD Motorsports. Each season, the partnership has seen notable growth, and in 2022, KSDT CPA was a primary partner for several races with Bayley and looks forward to continuing the momentum this year. The goal has always been to build solid relationships in the NASCAR community. KSDT CPA will also have associate sponsorship on all the team’s cars throughout the entire season.

“We are proud to continue our relationship with Bayley and JD Motorsports. Entering our seventh year, we feel that we have built some strong relationships and have been able to leverage our brand to do more for the sport and provide opportunities for the next generation of drivers.” said Jeffrey Taraboulos, Managing Partner for KSDT CPA.

“I’m excited to have KSDT back on the car for multiple races this season starting this weekend at Auto Club Speedway. Jeff Taraboulos and everyone at KSDT have always been a great partner with JD Motorsports.” said Bayley Currey.

About JDM:

Team Owner Johnny Davis first began fielding the No. 4 car in what is now the Xfinity Series in 1983 with Joe Henry Thurman as the driver. From 1983-1985, Davis and Thurman competed in 41 races and put the JD Motorsports name on the map. Although JDM has seen a sharp rise in on-track performance in the past few years, success is nothing new to this team. Years of good drivers and excellent runs have paved the way for what JDM is today. www.teamjdmotorsports.com

About KSDT CPA:

KSDT CPA is one of South Florida’s largest and one of the country’s fastest-growing accounting firms. Annually recognized as a Gulf Coast Regional Leader by Accounting Today and once again recognized by Forbes as one of the ‘Top Tax and Accounting Firms’ for 2023. KSDT CPA is a full-service firm with 18 partners, 190+ staff, and over 10,000 clients, providing tax, accounting, audit, and advisory services to a broad range of individuals and business clients in almost every industry.

In addition to our ability to handle complex domestic and international clients, KSDT CPA is proud to be a Member Firm of the Integra-International global CPA alliance which extends our service reach to every major business center of the world through its 5,000 members. KSDT CPA was named Best Place to Work for 2023 by the South Florida Business Journal.

For more about KSDT CPA visit www.ksdtcpa.com or call (305) 670-3370

Blaine Perkins
No. 07 Chevrolet Camaro
NASCAR Xfinity Series News and Notes
Event: Production Alliance Group 300
Date: Saturday, February 25, 2023
Venue: Auto Club Speedway
Location: Fontana, California
Track Description: 2.0 mile(s)
Race: 150 Laps/300 Miles

Home Cookin: Bakersfield native Blaine Perkins will make his first career start at Auto Club Speedway. This race will mark the final race weekend on the current 2 mile oval configuration.

Left Coast Kid: After being caught up in an early incident at Daytona, Perkins currently sits fourth in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award standings. Headed to California, the 07 team will look to rebound going into the second race of 2023.

Quote Worthy

Blaine Perkins, driver of the No. 07 Chevrolet Camaro for SS GreenLight Racing: “”

On the Auto Club Speedway:

On racing at Fontana: “Having the chance to race at my home track is a pretty cool experience. Every kid in racing hopes to have that chance one day,. When you look at some of the guys from California who have won here, it makes it that much more special. It is cool to look at guys like Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, and Kyle Larson who found success here. Knowing we have a chance to add our names to it, and being the last race on the big track, it definitely adds prestige.

Follow Blaine Perkins’ on Social Media … To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, visit www.BlainePerkins.com or connect with Blaine Perkins on Facebook (OfficialBlainePerkins), Twitter (@BlainePerkins21) or Instagram (@blaineperkins21).

Blaine Perkins Statistics

SS GreenLight Racing’s NASCAR Xfinity Series History…Since entering the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2015, the Mooresville, N.C. ,-based team has made more than 350 starts with multiple drivers. These include Cole Custer, Ross Chastain and Ross Chastain. SS GreenLight Racing has collected one win (Fontana 2022), eight top-fives, and 23 top-10 finishes.

Follow SS GreenLight Racing on Social Media: Keep up with SS GreenLight Racing news, notes, information, exclusive content and much more! visit www.ssgreenlight.com or connect on our social media channels. Follow along on Facebook (SSGreenLightRacing), Twitter (@SSGLR0708), Instagram (@ssgreenlightracing) and TikTok (SS GreenLight Racing)

SS GreenLight Racing Statistics

About AUTOParkIt.com: AUTOParkit™ offers a viable alternative to new or existing sites that normally doubles the number of cars parked in the same volume of traditional parking and provides it approximately the same cost than a conventional approach. It is more sustainable, faster to build, less expensive to operate, safer for the community and provides a necessary, convenient, alternative to an escalating global problem.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: Perkins and SS GreenLight Racing teammate Gray Gaulding head to Auto Club Speedway looking to build on the chemistry the duo created thus far. Gaulding will be behind the wheel of the 08 machine for team owner Bobby Dotter.

Card Collector: Blaine Perkins Racing has partnered with Panini America as a Brand Ambassador. Perkins joins SS GreenLight Racing and Panini sponsored teammate Gray Gaulding as a Panini athlete. To start your collection, visit Panini. #whodoyoucollect

Catch the Action … The NASCAR Xfinity Series Production Alliance Group 300 at Auto Club Speedway will be broadcast live on FS1 on Saturday, February 25, starting with NASCAR RaceDay: NXS at California live at 4:30 p.m. (ET). It will also broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 5:00 p.m. (ET). Qualifying for the second event event of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule will air on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. (ET) on FS1.

Brea, CALIFORNIA (February 23, 2023) – North South Machinery, a 40-year staple in the West Coast Manufacturing Industry, has announced its first foray into NASCAR after striking a partnership with Standout Management Group (SMG) and NASCAR Xfinity driver Gray Gaulding ahead of this weekend’s Production Alliance Group 300 race at Auto Club Speedway in sunny Southern California. The No. 08 car will debut with an all new Black and Blue livery design inspired by the Machine Tool supplier as it takes to the two mile Super Speedway following last weekend’s Top 20 finish in Daytona.

Gaulding, who celebrated his 25th birthday earlier this month, is looking forward to kicking off the 3-race West Coast swing with his first stop in Fontana, California on Saturday. “I am so proud to be partnering with a company like North South Machinery and introduce them to our great sport and fans of NASCAR. The team at North South Machinery are the kind of brand that inspires others like myself as they represent the true American dream of building high quality products in order to help others be more successful”, stated Gaulding.

Manufacturing Solutions since 1985, North South Machinery (NSM) has been a proud supplier of precision Machine Tool and Fabrication Equipment to manufacturers big and small throughout the Western United States for nearly four decades. From Milling &Turning to Bending & Forming, and even Robotic Automation, North South Machinery supports American makers with the most cutting edge technology paired with decades of experience and hard earned know how.

When asked about the decision to make its debut on the NASCAR stage as a Car Sponsor, North South Machinery President and CEO Jim Swartzbaugh had this to say, “North South and NASCAR may be the most natural marriage I can imagine. Our business was built by supporting American Manufacturers in their quest to create and produce the highest quality and most innovative American products on the market today. There is a strong thread of both ingenuity and patriotism that runs deep in that pursuit for us… and that’s exactly what NASCAR was built on as well.”

Make sure to catch all the race action on FS1 starting at 2:00pm PST Saturday, February 25th, 2023.

About North South Machinery

North South Machinery, established in Southern California in 1985, supplies manufacturers across the Western United States with premier Machine Tools & Fabrication Equipment. Vertical & Horizontal Milling, 5-Axis Machining, Precision Turning, Sheet Metal Cutting & Forming, 3D Printing and Robotic Automation – North South brings world renown technology and unparalleled experience to its customers across a range of industries including Aerospace, Automotive, Medical, Energy and Defense. For more information about North South please visit us at www.northsouthmachinery.com.

About SMG
Standout Management Group is a sports and entertainment talent management and activation agency headquartered at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. SMG is considered as an “outside the box” agency that works with brand partners and celebrities to help brands “stand out” from the rest by leveraging motorsports, music and other professional sports platforms. Additionally, SMG uses advanced technology solutions and data capture methods to maximize activation results. For more information, visit www.standoutmg.com.

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

• Event: Production Alliance Group 300 (Round 2 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, Feb. 25
• Location: Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California
• Layout: 2-mile oval
• Time/TV/Radio: 5 p.m. ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

• Cole Custer is going home. The Ladera Ranch, California, native is looking his third NASCAR Xfinity Series win in a row at Auto Club Speedway Fontana, California, during Saturday’s Production Alliance Group 300. He was victorious in his previous two Xfinity Series outings on the 2-mile oval in 2019 and 2022. In 2019, he qualified his No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) Ford third, then beat runner-up Kyle Busch by 1.927 seconds, leading 29 laps along the way. Last year, Custer piloted in the No. 07 Ford Mustang for SS GreenLight Racing to the victory by a .565-of-a-second margin over runner-up Noah Gragson.

• Returning to Custer’s No. 00 SHR Mustang this weekend is Production Alliance Group (PAG). Tustin, California-based PAG is a premium live-event and creative development company. Its creative works can been seen at concerts, award shows, sporting events, and corporate events. From the lights to the sound and everything in-between, PAG is the creativity and execution behind it all. Coincidentally, it was in victory lane after the 2019 Xfinity Series race that the PAG-SHR relationship began. Custer first met company president and CEO Dale Sahlin. The two kept in touch, and PAG ultimately decided to increase its presence within NASCAR via SHR’s Xfinity Series program.

• The Production Alliance Group 300 will be Custer’s fifth Xfinity Series start at Fontana and his seventh overall. He has two NASCAR Cup Series starts at the track. Prior to his back-to-back wins in the Xfinity Series, Custer had a sixth-place finish in the March 2018 race after an accident ended his Fontana Xfinity Series debut in 2017. He’s got his eye on victory lane once again after a strong ninth-place outing in last Saturday’s season opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

• On Friday night at Fontana, Custer will participate in the track’s annual Pedal Party. The event kicks off the race weekend with a bike ride around the track, during which fans get a chance to take their wheels onto the asphalt joined by drivers. Custer will ride on the Burgeon’s Heating & A/C party trailer that will roam the infield to signal the beginning of the bike ride and the race weekend. The party starts at 5 p.m. PT.

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• Riley Herbst will be a newly minted 24-year-old when he rolls into Auto Club Speedway for Saturday’s Production Alliance Group 300. His birthday is Friday (Feb. 24) and he’s hoping to celebrate by parking his No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for SHR in victory lane. Last Saturday, Herbst picked up right where he left off in 2022 by scoring a sixth-place finish in the season opener at Daytona, where the No. 98 team showcased its speed and fortitude by running in the top-three for a majority of the race. It was the first race with Herbst’s new teammate, the ninth-place-finishing Custer.

• Herbst also made his first NASCAR Cup Series start in last Sunday’s Daytona 500, driving the No. 15 Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing. While the Las Vegas native struggled in the initial laps, he rebounded by avoiding mayhem on his way to a 10th-place finish, his second of the weekend. Herbst became only the second driver in NASCAR history to record a top-10 in his Cup Series debut in the Daytona 500, joining Terry Ryan, who made his debut in the 1976 edition of The Great American Race and finished sixth. He is also the fourth driver in NASCAR history to score a top-10 in his first career start in the Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Truck Series.

• Herbst’s strong run at Daytona sets the stage for his arrival at one of his stronger tracks. Fontana is the site of his career-best Xfinity Series finish of second, earned in his first start at the track in 2020. He equaled that result a little less than five months later with another runner-up finish at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta. Herbst’s next Xfinity Series outing at Fontana also resulted in a top-10 finish. After a one-year hiatus in 2021, the series returned to the track for last year’s race, which he finished ninth.

• Monster Energy has supported Herbst throughout a majority of his career and continues its support of him in the No. 98 Ford Mustang. Fontana will be a hometown race for the brand as its headquarters are located in Corona, California. On Friday, Herbst will visit the facility to meet and thank employees for their support of his career. Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, the company supports the scene and sport. Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports partnerships, athletes and musicians represent. More than a drink, it’s the way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers and fans.

Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 00 Production Alliance Group Ford Mustang

You’re returning to Fontana, where you’ve won in your past two Xfinity Series starts. What is it about the track that appeals to your driving style?

“I love Fontana. It’s probably my favorite racetrack on the circuit. It’s a great track because you’re moving around so much, slipping and sliding, and there are so many different racing lines you can use depending on what your car wants. We’ve won there in the Xfinity Series twice and it’s where we first met our sponsors from PAG, so that was all very cool. I’d love to bring them another win there this weekend.”

After a strong outing last weekend at Daytona that ended in a top-10 finish, what are your expectations for the No. 00 team this season?

“I think some people could look at it and assume that I’m thinking, ‘Poor me, I’ve gone back to the Xfinity Series.’ For me, there’s not really any ‘poor me’ in it. I’m excited to go out and compete for wins. There’s always some emotion but, at the end of the day, once you really think about it, I’m excited about the thought of going to win races in the Xfinity Series this season. It’s no secret that we want to go out and win races and compete for a championship. If we’re not, it’s a disappointment. We can talk as much as we want about it, but now we have to go and do it.”

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

Back to Fontana – you scored top-10 finishes in your previous two visits to the track with the Xfinity Series. Talk about your expectations for the weekend.

“I’m excited to go back to Fontana. It’s one of my favorite tracks. I think we have shown that we have the speed to compete, so now we just need to perform. We have a secret weapon with Cole Custer on our team. He’s really good there and I’m hoping to learn from him as we go through the weekend. The goal is to put an SHR car in victory lane and I’m hoping we can turn that second from 2020 to a first this weekend. It would mean the world to get a win in Monster’s hometown.”

One race into this NASCAR Xfinity Series season, how competitive do you think the series is this year?

“The Xfinity Series is as competitive as it’s ever been in its history. In 2023, we have a lot of good drivers in the series and that makes it more special when you do well and win races. There are also a lot of drivers from last year that have moved up to Cup and it’s a new playing field. I think you saw it last week at Daytona, but people seem to be more patient and willing to work together. I’m excited to race this group of drivers and, hopefully, we can make it to victory lane.”

JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Auto Club Speedway
RACE: Production Alliance Group 300 (150 laps / 300 miles)
DATE: Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023

Broadcast Information – TV: 5 p.m. ET on FS1 / Radio: 4:30 p.m. ET on MRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Sam Mayer
No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer heads to Fontana for only his second start at Auto Club Speedway. He earned a sixth-place finish last year in his inaugural run at the 2-mile oval.
• The young driver is coming off a thriving run at Daytona International Speedway where he made a late move for the lead but ended up in a multi-car incident, relegating him to a 27th-place finish in the season-opener.
• In 23 starts on tracks measuring between 1-2 miles in the NXS, the Franklin, Wis. native has recorded six top fives, 11 top 10s and has led 45 laps, the second most of any size track.

Josh Berry
No. 8 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats & ATVs Chevrolet
• Josh Berry will make his second career start at Auto Club on Saturday. In his only other start on the 2-mile oval, Berry finished fourth last season.
• On 2-mile tracks in his NXS career, Berry has three total starts (two at Michigan and one at Auto Club). In those three events, Berry earned a pair of fourth-place results and one sixth-place effort for an average finish of 4.7.
• In his first start in the No. 8 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats & ATVs Chevrolet, Berry was vying for the victory at Daytona before running out of fuel in the late going. He finished 26th after leading 17 laps.

Brandon Jones
No. 9 Menards / Patriot Lighting Chevrolet
• Brandon Jones has made six starts at the 2-mile California oval with a best finish of seventh during the 2019 season.
• The 26-year-old Georgian started third and led three laps in this race last season before being involved in a multi-car incident on lap 155, which handed him a 33rd-place finish.
• On NASCAR’s 2-mile ovals at Auto Club and Michigan, Jones has recorded two top fives and seven top 10s.
• Jones was solidly inside the top five last week at Daytona before going for a spin down the backstretch with two laps remaining. The No. 9 battled back to a 14th-place finish in the season-opening race.

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier’s third-place finish last weekend at Daytona
was the 100th top-five of his JRM career dating back to 2016.
• In 13 NXS starts at Fontana, the driver of the BRANDT
Professional Agriculture Chevrolet has scored a best finish of
second, coming in this event in 2018.
• To accompany the runner-up result, Allgaier has amassed seven top 10s, including in five of the last six races at the Southern California oval.
• In his NXS career on tracks 2 miles or larger, the Illinois native has recorded one win (Indianapolis – 2018), 21 top fives and 40 top 10s in 78 career starts.

Driver Quotes

“I have really been looking forward to getting back to Auto Club. We had a super fast Chevrolet there last year that allowed us to run up front and ended with a sixth-place finish. Coming off of Daytona, Mardy (Lindley, crew chief)and the No. 1 team gave me an awesome race car and we were really shooting for the win. Unfortunately, landing on our lid on the final lap was not in our plans but we’re learning from it and ready to get to California. “ – Sam Mayer

“Fontana is such a fun track to race on. With its worn out surface and multi-grooves, you can really race anywhere around the track. I can’t wait to get there this weekend and see what we can do with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet. Jim (Pohlman, crew chief) and all the guys on this No. 7 team have done a great job to start the year. We’re sure to have the same speed we showed last week in Daytona when we hit the track Saturday morning.” – Justin Allgaier

“We had a really fast Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats & ATVs Chevrolet last week at Daytona and I’ve been pretty comfortable at 2-mile tracks, so I’m ready to see how we do at Auto Club this weekend. We had a real shot at winning Daytona, and Taylor (Moyer, crew chief) and our No. 8 team are prepped and ready to get it done this weekend in California.” – Josh Berry

“We had a lot of speed last week at Daytona, which gives this Menards/Patriot Lighting team confidence as we head to Auto Club. JR Motorsports was fast here last year and I’ve had speed here in the past, so hopefully, we can get momentum moving our way and be battling for the win at the end of the race.” – Brandon Jones

JRM Team Updates:

• JR Motorsports at Auto Club: JR Motorsports has competed at Auto Club Speedway a combined 49 times in the NXS. Over the course of these 49 starts at the 2-mile facility, JRM has tallied one win, 11 top fives and 29 top 10s. JRM’s only win came during the 2015 season when Kevin Harvick drove the No. 88 to Victory Lane.
• Bass Pro Shops CLUB Card: Earn two percent back in CLUB Points on Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s purchases and at participating Cenex locations. Earn one percent back everywhere else Mastercard is accepted. You can earn unlimited CLUB Points that never expire for open accounts. Redeem points for merchandise at Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s or at Bass Pro Shops restaurants and resorts through the mobile app. Apply now.
• Souvenir Rig: All four JRM drivers will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports/LEGACY M.C. souvenir rig on Saturday, Feb. 25 from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. local time

NASCAR Driver Ryan Ellis and Alpha Prime Racing are proud to announce today that COSTA OIL™ will be the primary sponsor for Ellis in an increased number of races in the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. The COSTA OIL™ No.43 Chevy will first hit the track this weekend at Auto Club Speedway, the 2-mile oval D-shaped superspeedway in Fontana, CA, for the Production Alliance Group 300.

Costa Kapothanasis, founder and owner of COSTA OIL™, first sponsored Ellis in 2022 at Dover Motor Speedway, a “home race” for both Costa and Ellis. The Costa-sponsored No.45 Chevy team fought to a 20th-place result that day.

COSTA OIL™’s sponsorship of Ellis and the No.43 Alpha Prime Chevy will promote the brand’s wide range of automotive motor oils, oil filters, and additives. The COSTA OIL™ performance auto products are premium products designed for European luxury and sports vehicles. Through its distribution website https://oilq.com, COSTA OIL™ products can be purchased for commercial pricing for the retail consumer.

The COSTA OIL™ No.43 Chevy Camaro is currently scheduled for at least four races in the 2023 season:
● February 18th – Production Alliance Group 300 at Auto Club Speedway
● April 15th – Call 811 Before You Dig 250 at Martinsville Speedway
● April 29th – A-Game 200 at Dover Motor Speedway
● July 15th – Crayon 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

COSTA OIL™ is widely known for its 10 Minute Oil Change service centers. They are your family-owned option. CEO Costa Kapothanasis founded COSTA OIL™ in 2014 with the vision of creating a model that would allow for sophisticated investors as well as owner-operators to participate in the benefits of the quick lube market. Costa is “the alternative to the traditional cold shoulder quick lube” that is more concerned with upselling you into products you don’t need. The brand prides itself on doing the right thing because it’s the right thing, not for PR purposes. Every quick lube makes the claims Costa makes; however, Costa’s reviews indicate they follow through. Find the nearest location to you at https://costaoils.com/stores/.

IN THEIR WORDS:
QUOTES FROM RYAN ELLIS, BRANDON CORNELIUS, AND DAVID SCHILDHOUSE

“I’m so thankful that Costa returned to our team in 2023. I met him at the beginning of the 2022 season, and he was a motorsports fan but hadn’t been involved in racing with his brand. Working with Costa, his franchisees, and other partners has been an absolute pleasure. He’s become a friend above all else, and his support of my career means a lot to my family and me. To have him come back and increase his amount of races shows his commitment to supporting motorsports, and I hope that fans support COSTA OIL™ so we can continue to work together for years to come,” said Ellis, driver of the No.43 COSTA OIL™ Chevy.

“Being a part of Ryan Ellis’s career and the No.43 car from Alpha Prime Racing has been such an honor for us. The automotive industry and NASCAR go hand in hand, and we believe Ryan is not only a great driver but also a great steward of our brand. His passion for racing and the partnerships with sponsors make every race feel like we are family. It’s a great feeling watching him drive with the Costa Oil logo around the track,” said Brandon Cornelius, Head of Franchise Development at COSTA OIL™.

“We are really pleased to have Costa Oil back with us this season,” said David Schildhouse, Vice President of Alpha Prime Racing. “Seeing a company return for more races as a primary sponsor on our racecars speaks volumes about the progress we’ve made as a team but, more importantly, the value a business can find in supporting motorsports. Costa has stepped up to support Ryan Ellis’ journey towards competing full-time in 2023, and we’re proud to be a part of it.”

About COSTA OIL™:
COSTA OIL™s vision is an oil change with no hard selling or feeling like you must prepare for battle before coming in for an oil change. We pride ourselves in our friendly customer service approach to the normally feared task of bringing your vehicle in for an oil change. Our long line of private-label Oils, Filters, and Additives are also available for the DIY vehicle owner. For more information, visit https://costaoils.com.

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.