Category: XFINITY Series PR

NASCAR XFINITY Series Press Release

  • Monster Energy Racing: Riley Herbst Michigan NXS Advance

    Monster Energy Racing: Riley Herbst Michigan NXS Advance

    RILEY HERBST
    Michigan NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
    No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

    NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

    • Event: Michigan 250 (Round 21 of 33)
    • Date: Saturday, Aug. 6
    • Location: Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn
    • Layout: 2-mile oval
    • Time/TV/Radio: 3:30 p.m. EDT on USA/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

    • While Riley Herbst is still on the hunt for his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, the 23-year-old racer is already a winner at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn. Herbst scored his second career ARCA Menards Series win in August 2020 at Michigan. He started from the pole and led four times for 39 laps to take the victory by 1.456 seconds over runner-up Bret Holmes. In a prelude to that win, Herbst finished second in his second career ARCA start at Michigan in June 2018, starting eighth and leading seven laps.

    • The Michigan 250 will mark Herbst’s 97th career Xfinity Series start and his third at Michigan. He came home seventh in last year’s race, threading his way through a multicar accident and three attempts at a green-white-checkered finish. In total, Herbst has 14 top-fives and 47 top-10s dating back to his first career Xfinity Series start on June 17, 2018, at Iowa Speedway in Newton, where he finished an impressive sixth as a 19-year-old.

    • Herbst scored his most recent top-10 last Saturday on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was an impressive effort, as Herbst battled back from a late-race spin to finish sixth. It was his best result at Indianapolis and his 13th top-10 of the season. In fact, in the 20 races run this year, Herbst has equaled or bettered his best finish at a track nine times, and he has already matched his season-best result of five top-fives (2021) and is four top-10s away from meeting his career-best tally of 17 top-10s, earned in 2020.

    • With only six races remaining before the playoffs begin Sept. 24 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Herbst is fighting to protect his spot in the 12-driver playoff field. He is currently ninth in the driver standings with 555 points, 134 ahead of Sheldon Creed, the first driver below the playoff cutoff line. A win would clinch a playoff spot for Herbst, but he can defend his playoff position by continuing to collect top-fives and top-10s through the regular-season finale Sept. 16 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

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

    Michigan has been a successful track for you in the ARCA Menards Series. In August 2020, you started on the pole and led four times en route to your second career ARCA win. Talk about that win and what it meant to you.

    “It was so cool to win in ARCA at Michigan. It’s such a fun and fast track, but it’s also difficult and you can get into trouble really fast. I had the opportunity to get behind the wheel in ARCA when Xfinity didn’t race there in 2020 and I started on the pole. We ended up in victory lane by the end of the 100 laps, leading laps along the way. It was a good day. Hopefully, I can repeat that this weekend. This No. 98 Monster Energy team deserves to be in victory lane.”

    Only six races remain until the playoffs begin at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. What’s the plan in these final regular-season races?

    “We need to protect our spot, but also we’re still in it to win races. A win would put all the worry of points racing aside. Michigan is a track that I had circled on my calendar, but there are a few tracks before the playoffs where I think we could get it done. Richard (Boswell, crew chief) is always keeping an eye on that point advantage. We work together to make sure we know when to take a risk and when to play it safe. There has to be a good balance between the two, but we’re here to win.”

    The No. 98 team has shown improvement and speed in practice and qualifying over the past few months, a fact highlighted by your second career pole in June at Nashville. How have you worked to improve in these areas?

    “We’ve had to dial in and really take advantage of these sessions. It’s important where you start these races, and we want to start up front and stay there. This is an area where we struggled at the start of the season, and I think you can see that we’ve improved overall. There’s still work that we need to do, but we’re unloading fast Monster Energy Ford Mustangs and that’s what’s important.”

    No. 98 Monster Energy Team Roster

    Primary Team Members:

    Driver: Riley Herbst
    Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

    Crew Chief: Richard Boswell
    Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

    Car Chief: Matt Noyce
    Hometown: Oregon, Wisconsin

    Engineer: DJ VanderLey
    Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

    Spotter: Tim Fedewa
    Hometown: Holt, Michigan

    Over-The-Wall Crew:

    Front Tire Changer: Kevin Teaf
    Hometown: Tallahassee, Florida

    Rear Tire Changer: Chris Jackson
    Hometown: Rock Hill, South Carolina

    Tire Carrier: Davis Sampere
    Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina

    Fueler: Corey Coppola
    Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

    Jackman: Kapil Fletcher
    Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

    Road Crew Members:

    Truck Driver: Steve Wood
    Hometown: Eatontown, New Jersey

    Engine Tuner: Willie Pelotte
    Hometown: Oakland, Maine

    Tire Specialist: Austin Quick
    Hometown: Flagstaff, Arizona

  • JR Motorsports — NXS Michigan Preview

    JR Motorsports — NXS Michigan Preview

    JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
    TRACK: Michigan International Speedway
    RACE: New Holland 250 (125 laps / 250 miles)
    DATE: Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022

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

    Sam Mayer
    No. 1 BUSDX Chevrolet
    • Sam Mayer has one start at Michigan International Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Mayer started 16th and raced inside of the top 10 before being involved in a multi-car incident on lap 114.
    • Mayer welcomes BUSDX aboard the No. 1 this weekend. BUSDX is a digital staking and rewards token built on the BNB Chain.
    • In 17 starts at tracks measuring between 1-2 miles in length in the NXS, Mayer has five top fives and seven top 10s, with a best finish of third at Charlotte and Texas earlier this season.
    • The No. 1 team battled to a seventh-place finish last week to earn their 11th top-10 finish this season.

    Josh Berry
    No. 8 HarrisonsUSA.com Chevrolet
    • Josh Berry has one start at Michigan as a fill-in driver for the injured Michael Annett last season. Berry started 17th, led 24 laps and finished fourth.
    • The No. 8 team won their sixth stage of the season by virtue of a Stage Two win at Indianapolis last week and ran inside the top five for most of the day before finishing 14th after being spun out on the final lap.
    • In 26 starts on tracks measuring between 1-2 miles in length, Berry has recorded three wins (Charlotte, Dover, Las Vegas), nine top fives and 13 top 10s while leading the field for 312 laps.

    Noah Gragson
    No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
    • Noah Gragson has made two starts at Michigan with finishes of second and third to post an average result of 2.5.
    • Over his career on 2-mile ovals in the NXS, Gragson has five starts at MIS and Auto Club Speedway, with a pair of runnerup finishes and a third on his ledger.
    • Gragson continues to run at the front of the field, winning a stage last week at Indianapolis to improve his series-best total in that category to eight.
    • Through 20 races, Gragson has compiled three wins, 10 topfive and 14 top-10 finishes. Gragson has also led the thirdPR Manager: Kristen Bauer most laps in the series this season.

    Justin Allgaier
    No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
    • In 10 previous starts in the NXS in the Irish Hills, Justin Allgaier has scored a best finish of fourth, coming in 2010.
    • In this event last year, Allgaier led for nine laps before coming home with a sixth-place finish.
    • Overall, the Illinois native has earned two top fives and six top 10s, including three in a row, at Michigan.
    • Through 73 starts in his NXS career on tracks 2 miles or greater, Allgaier has amassed one win (Indianapolis – 2018), 18 top fives and 37 top 10s.
    • With six races remaining in the regular season, Allgaier currently sits second in the NXS Playoff Grid, just 17 points off of the series lead.

    Driver Quotes

    “Last year at Michigan it was my first time on a track like this, so it was a huge learning curve for me. We ran inside of the top 10 for a good bit and then got caught up in a wreck that ended our day. It’ll be nice to have practice and qualifying to get a little more seat time but I know this BUSDX team is ready to go. We have been fast off the trailer lately and I know this weekend won’t be any different.” – Sam Mayer

    “Michigan is going to be a fun challenge this weekend. We had a really good car here last year and I see no reason why that won’t be the case again this weekend with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet. Hopefully we can have a good, solid day and execute the way we have been all summer long and contend for the win at the end. I’m ready to go.” – Justin Allgaier

    “Michigan is the one that really got away from us last year. We had a fast car and were able to race up into the lead with the speed we had but a late caution got us. We’re going back with the same team and I know we are going to have a fast Harrison’s USA Chevrolet this weekend. Hopefully we can go out and have that same speed and get it done this year.” – Josh Berry

    “Michigan is a track that suits this Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee team. It’s wide and fast and I like that. We’ve had a couple of great runs there, second and third, and we are in the thick of the playoff battle, so a good performance is what we need. Our whole team is performing well every week and I’m looking forward to getting to MIS.” – Noah Gragson

    JRM Team Updates:

    • JR Motorsports at Michigan: JR Motorsports has competed in the Irish Hills a combined 39 times in the NXS. Over the course of these 39 starts at the 2-mile facility, JRM has tallied two wins (Brad Keselowski and Regan Smith), 15 top fives and 27 top 10s. The average finish for JRM at Michigan is 9.6 which ranks as the best single-track average for the organization.
    • BUSDX: BUSDX is a rewards token that was created on the BNB Chain, and is owned and operated by a registered United States business entity. BUSDX has a built in (X = 10%) mechanism that distributes 10% rewards in BUSD to holders automatically, while also distributing a 10% APY in BUSDX dividends when tokens are staked. Learn more here.
    • Chevrolet Stage: JRM drivers Noah Gragson, Justin Allgaier, Sam Mayer and Josh Berry will be at the Team Chevy display in the Michigan International Speedway fan zone on Saturday, Aug. 6. Gragson will start at 11:15 a.m. local time, followed by Allgaier at 1:15 p.m., and ending with Mayer and Berry at 1:30 p.m.
    • Souvenir Rig: JRM driver Justin Allgaier will be at the JR Motorsports/Hendrick Motorsports souvenir rig on Saturday, Aug. 6 from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. local time.

  • Jeremy Clements Racing turning back the clock at Watkins Glen with Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet

    Jeremy Clements Racing turning back the clock at Watkins Glen with Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet

    Spartanburg, SC – Jeremy Clements Racing is excited to step back in time with Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet in a Dale Earnhardt inspired Pink #51 machine at Watkins Glen on Saturday, August 20th. It will be the second consecutive year Kevin Whitaker Chevy will be the primary sponsor for JCR at The Glen and 10th season overall that Whitaker has supported JCR. Additionally, Circle B Diecast will make their 2nd appearance in 2022 as associate sponsor. Plus, The Runner’s Roost out of Orchard Park, NY, will make their XFINITY Series debut as associate sponsor as well.

    “How cool is this car! Our partners have really brought it with the paint schemes this year. Kevin and Ryan Whitaker just added another historic one to the mix with Earnhardt’s first race car!” Clements said. “It’s always great to have Whitaker on board. They have been a tremendous supporter of ours over the years and I can’t thank them enough for their partnership” Clements finished saying.

    Joining Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet as associate sponsors will be: Circle B Diecast, The Runner’s Roost, Whitetail Smokeless, Chalew, ELITE Towing & Recovery LLC, Upstate Body and Detail, Mechanix Wear, Wix Filters, Carolina Driveline, Dynamic Paint Paintware, Cometic, E3 Spark Plugs and ZMAX.

    RACE PREVIEW

    Track: Watkins Glen International
    Date: Saturday, August 20th, 2022
    Broadcast Information: TV: 3:00 pm EST on USA

    FAST FACTS:

    Best Start 11th – 2019
    Best Finish 11th – 2019
    11th career start at Watkins Glen

    JCR TEAM

    Team: No. 51
    Crew Chief: Mark Setzer
    Manufacturer: Chevrolet
    Engine: Clements Racing Engines
    Twitter: @JClement51 @JCR_Clements51
    Instagram: @jclements51 @jeremyclementsracing
    Facebook: Jeremy Clements Racing

    ABOUT KEVIN WHITAKER CHEVROLET

    Chevrolet has an all-American image that’s helped them earn their way to the top of the totem pole of vehicle manufacturers. Fostering a diverse vehicle lineup including compact cars, mid-size cars, sports cars, trucks, and SUVs, Chevrolet is a name drivers trust when they’ve set high expectations in their vehicle.

    Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet carries an extensive selection of new and pre-owned cars, trucks, vans, crossovers, and SUVs in Greenville, SC. No matter what vehicle you might have in mind, they have the perfect fit for you. If you’re looking to lease your next vehicle, at Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet in Greenville, SC, they have competitive lease specials on new Chevrolet vehicles. Their staff will make sure that your car-buying experience is pleasant and hassle-free. Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet in Greenville, SC also has an extensive collection of quality pre-owned and certified vehicles at affordable prices. Browse their online showroom at www.kevinwhitaker.net.

    ABOUT RUNNER’S ROOST

    For more than 4 decades, Runner’s Roost has prided themselves on outstanding customer service and a well-known reputation throughout Western New York. Whether you need a new pair of running shoes or want to check out a pair of UGGs for that special someone in your life (or even yourself), be sure to stop into Runner’s Roost for our vast selection of footwear for the entire family! Visit www.therunnersroost.com for more information.

  • Keen Parts Races for Autism Awareness at Michigan

    Keen Parts Races for Autism Awareness at Michigan

    MOORESVILLE, N.C- (August 3rd, 2022) – Tom and TJ Keen of Keen Parts (CorvetteParts.net) are proud to announce that they will run a special Autism Awareness paint scheme in this Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series New Holland 250 at Michigan International Speedway with driver Ryan Ellis and Alpha Prime Racing. The scheme was designed by the children of former NHL Player and Stanley Cup Champion Chris Thorburn and his wife Sara. Their three children, Bennett, Mary, and Oscar created the hand-drawn colorful scheme aimed at raising autism awareness.

    Bennett, the Thorburn’s oldest child, is a 12-year-old avid-NASCAR fan and was diagnosed with autism at the age of four. Earlier in life, he learned number recognition and counting using toy race cars. Since seeing the effect that racecars had on him, the Thorburn family has been attending NASCAR races at Michigan International Speedway every year. Mary (5) and Oscar (2), as always, were by Bennett’s side, assisting him with the coloring of the scheme – adding, “Be a Friend”, words that will be represented on the lower quarter panel and bumper of the No.44 Keen Parts Chevy.

    “We want to sincerely thank Tom and TJ Keen of Keen Parts, Alpha Prime Racing, and NASCAR Driver and friend, Ryan Ellis for this amazing opportunity. NASCAR has been a big part of our family’s life ever since we realized that Bennett was using diecast cars to recognize, learn and count numbers. We were very fortunate years ago to get introduced to the NASCAR family and have been huge fans ever since. The people throughout the sport are so caring, understanding, and willing to help no matter the cause. It truly has a family feel to it. We visited MIS 4 years ago and, with the help of Chris Biby, we were introduced to Ryan Ellis. This guy is the epitome of what we feel NASCAR is. Not only is he a great driver but he is so caring, loving, and giving. We can not thank him enough for the opportunity he and his team afforded our family. Not only was it a fun family project, but the kids will see the car that they designed run the race and hopefully bring some smiles to the families that can relate to our situation but also raise awareness for the Autism community,” said Sara and Chris Thorburn.

    CorvetteParts.net, the primary sponsor of the No.44 Chevy, is a business owned by Tom and TJ Keen, sells parts and accessories for Corvette owners of all generations. They have used their sponsorship for many charitable causes and have been loyal NASCAR sponsors for over 10 years. The Keen’s graciously elected to donate much of their sponsorship space to raise awareness and support great causes.
    “We’re very proud to be able to support such a great cause,” said TJ Keen of Keen Parts. “Bennett, Mary, and Oscar did such a great job designing this scheme, and Tom and I are very excited to be able to have CorvetteParts.net / Keen Parts represented on their design! We’re really looking forward to seeing it on track this Saturday and we hope that the whole family is able to enjoy this weekend and hope that this assists with Autism awareness.”

    “I’m so proud to be running this scheme and so thankful that Tom and TJ Keen made this a reality for the Thorburn family. They have done so much with their sponsorships to do far more than promote their company. They’ve truly used it as a platform to help other people and put smiles on people’s faces. I met the Thorburn’s a few years back at Michigan International Speedway while I was working for Go Fas Racing, ironically on a Keen-sponsored race weekend. The Thorburns could not be nicer people – you meet them and immediately feel like you’ve known them for years and we feel so lucky to just be able to do something for Bennett and their family and hope that this brings some awareness to autism. My wife [Allison] works in the mental health space and this does mean a ton to our family as well,” said Ellis, driver of the No. 44 Keen Parts Chevy.

    Tune In Information:

    The CorvetteParts.net / Keen Parts No. 44 Chevy Camaro will make its on-track debut at 9:00 am ET Saturday, August 5th, for a 30-minute practice session. Single-lap qualifying will take place just after practice on Saturday morning, and coverage of Saturday’s New Holland 250 will begin at 3:30 pm ET on the USA Network.

    About Keen Parts:

    Keen Parts is a leading manufacturer and retailer of Corvette parts and accessories. We have over thirty years of happy customers all over the world and look forward to helping you with your Corvette needs. We are not an anonymous Corvette website. Our retail shop and warehouses are located in Cleves, Ohio just north of Cincinnati. We are right off Interstate Highway I-74 and only six minutes from Cincinnati. We stock parts available for Corvettes from 1953 to the present. If you own a Corvette, we have the Corvette parts and accessories that you need! Visit www.CorvetteParts.net or call 1-800-757-KEEN (5336).

  • Toyota Racing – NXS Indianapolis Post-Race Report – 07.30.22

    Toyota Racing – NXS Indianapolis Post-Race Report – 07.30.22

    SOLID RECOVERY FOR GIBBS IN INDY
    Ty Gibbs recovers from a mid-race spin to earn a top-10 finish

    INDIANAPOLIS (July 30, 2022) – Ty Gibbs (eighth) led Toyota with a top-10 finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course on Saturday afternoon.

    Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
    NASCAR Xfinity Series
    Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course
    Race 20 of 33 – 151.2 miles, 62 laps

    TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
    1st, AJ Allmendinger*
    2nd, Alex Bowman*
    3rd, Justin Allgaier*
    4th, Ross Chastain*
    5th, Chase Briscoe*
    8th, TY GIBBS
    15th, BRANDON JONES
    17th, SANTINO FERRUCCI
    35th, BUBBA WALLACE
    37th, PARKER KLIGERMAN
    *non-Toyota driver

    TOYOTA QUOTES

    TY GIBBS, No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

    Finishing Position: 2nd

    Came from the back twice and scored a solid finish. How was the race from your seat?

    “We had a fast Monster Energy Toyota GR Supra. I just made some mistakes that didn’t help us out. It’s just frustrating and something I shouldn’t be doing.”

    SANTINO FERRUCCI, No. 26 Screamin’ Sicilian/Kroger Toyota GR Supra, Sam Hunt Racing

    Finishing Position: 17th

    Solid NASCAR road course debut, Santino. How was your first NASCAR road course experience?

    “It was honestly a great day for the Screamin’ Sicilian Toyota GR Supra. It was tough out there. There was not a lot of yellows. Everybody was really on their game today. It was definitely not like we’ve seen in the past here. Hats off to the whole crew. We had great stops on pit road. Everyone from Sam Hunt Racing did a great job. We just had a fuel issue once we got past half tank. Nothing we can do – we just fought through it. I had a blast. I’d be glad to do it anytime.”

    About Toyota

    Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 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 43 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 the more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, more than a quarter of the company’s 2021 North American sales were electrified.

    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.

  • Monster Energy Racing: Riley Herbst Indianapolis NXS Advance

    Monster Energy Racing: Riley Herbst Indianapolis NXS Advance

    RILEY HERBST
    Indianapolis NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
    No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

    NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

    • Event: Indianapolis 150 at the Brickyard (Round 20 of 33)
    • Date: Saturday, July 30
    • Location: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
    • Layout: 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course
    • Time/TV/Radio: 3:30 p.m. EDT on NBC/IMS Radio Network/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

    • Riley Herbst is hungry for a win. The driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) in the NASCAR Xfinity Series is heading into Saturday’s Indianapolis 150 at the Brickyard with his eyes on the prize. Last Saturday at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, Herbst got a taste of leading the field when the No. 98 team used strategy to put him in first place with 32 laps to go. The Las Vegas native held off Josh Berry for four laps – his first laps led at Pocono – before a tight handling condition forced him to give up the position. Herbst intends to build on that run with another front-running performance on Indy’s 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course.

    • The Indianapolis 150 will mark Herbst’s 96th career Xfinity Series start and his third on the road course at Indianapolis. In total, he has 14 top-fives and 46 top-10s dating back to his first career start on June 17, 2018, at Iowa Speedway in Newton, where he finished an impressive sixth as a 19-year-old. The 2022 season is shaping up to be Herbst’s best in the series. He has already matched his career-best total of top-fives (five) and is only five top-10s away from matching his career-best total in that category (17). His best finish so far this season is third, earned twice – May 7 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway and June 25 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway.

    • While Herbst is still on the hunt for his first Xfinity Series victory, he’s driving for the team that won the inaugural race on the road course at Indianapolis. With Chase Briscoe behind the wheel of the No. 98 in 2020, SHR scored the win in dramatic fashion. Briscoe powered past second-place Austin Cindric and leader AJ Allmendinger on the penultimate lap to score the victory 1.717 seconds over runner-up Justin Haley.

    • Herbst shined in his most recent outing at Indianapolis. Driving the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang in last year’s Indianapolis 150, Herbst led his first laps at Indy en route to an eighth-place finish. It was part of a strong summer run that helped him erase a 54-point deficit to earn spot in the 2021 NASCAR Playoffs.

    • Only seven races remain before this year’s playoffs begin Sept. 24 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. Thanks to his strong runs this year, Herbst is in a much better position to make the 12-driver field than he was a year ago. He is currently ninth with 518 points, 114 ahead of Sheldon Creed, the first driver below the cutoff line. While a win would clinch a playoff spot for Herbst, he can continue to point his way into the playoffs by continuing his string of strong finishes through the regular-season finale Sept. 16 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

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

    You made your first career NASCAR Xfinity Series start on the road course at Indianapolis in 2020. How much have you learned about road-course racing since?

    “I’ve learned a lot since 2020. The inaugural race at Indianapolis wasn’t my best start, but I’ve grown as a driver since then. We finished seventh at Road America earlier this year, so I think we can grow from that to perform well this weekend in Indy. The No. 98 team has won there before, too. We just have to stay out of trouble and make it to the end for a chance to bring home the trophy.”

    What can you take away from your last road-course race July 2 at Road America that might help you this weekend?

    “Road America and the Indianapolis road course are two completely different tracks, but I’m always learning each time we go to a road course. Some stuff can transfer over but, ultimately, you have to handle each track differently. I was pretty good last year at both tracks, so hopefully we’ll see that again this weekend.”

    Last week at Pocono, you were up front and leading laps, all while battling a tight-handling racecar. Still, this season is shaping up to be your career-best in the Xfinity Series. Talk about your development this season and what you want to achieve next.

    “We have to be perfect in every area – fast pit stops, no mistakes, and speed in the car. I know that this No. 98 Monster Energy team can get it done and they deserve to be in victory lane. Some things this season have been out of our hands, but we have to be the best that we can be. We’re continuing to get better each week, and I think if we keep knocking on the door, it’ll open.”

    No. 98 Monster Energy Team Roster

    Primary Team Members:

    Driver: Riley Herbst
    Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

    Crew Chief: Richard Boswell
    Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

    Car Chief: Matt Noyce
    Hometown: Oregon, Wisconsin

    Engineer: DJ VanderLey
    Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

    Spotter: Tim Fedewa
    Hometown: Holt, Michigan

    Over-The-Wall Crew:

    Front Tire Changer: Kevin Teaf
    Hometown: Tallahassee, Florida

    Rear Tire Changer: Chris Jackson
    Hometown: Rock Hill, South Carolina

    Tire Carrier: Davis Sampere
    Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina

    Fueler: Corey Coppola
    Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

    Jackman: Kapil Fletcher
    Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

    Road Crew Members:

    Truck Driver: Steve Wood
    Hometown: Eatontown, New Jersey

    Engine Tuner: Willie Pelotte
    Hometown: Oakland, Maine

    Tire Specialist: Austin Quick
    Hometown: Flagstaff, Arizona

  • JR Motorsports — NXS Indianapolis Road Course Preview

    JR Motorsports — NXS Indianapolis Road Course Preview

    JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
    TRACK: Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course
    RACE: Pennzoil 150 (62 laps / 151.2 miles)
    DATE: Saturday, July 30, 2022

    Broadcast Information – TV: 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC / Radio: 3 p.m. ET on IMS Radio Network and Sirius XM Ch. 90

    Sam Mayer
    No. 1 Huck’s Market Chevrolet
    • Sam Mayer started 24th and raced as high as fourth during this event last year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course before an off-track excursion ended his day shy of the scheduled distance.
    • Mayer has seven starts on road courses in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and has tallied one top-five and three top-10 finishes.
    • Mayer raced to his 10th top-10 finish of the 2022 season by virtue of his sixth-place finish last week at Pocono Raceway.

    Josh Berry
    No. 8 JARRETT Chevrolet
    • Josh Berry heads to Indianapolis this weekend where he’ll make his first start at the 2.439-mile road course.
    • In four starts on road courses in the NXS, Berry has two top fives and three top 10s. His best finish of third came earlier this season at Road America.
    • The red and black colors of Jarrett Logistics return for the second of three races this season.
    • Berry’s average finish of 10.5 on road courses is the best of any style track in the NXS for the 31-year-old.

    Noah Gragson
    No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
    • Noah Gragson has made two starts on the road course at Indianapolis, each of which resulted in a top-five finish. His average finish there is 4.0, the best such mark among road courses for the Nevada native.
    • Over his career on road courses in the NXS, Gragson has logged eight top-five and 15 top-10 finishes, including fourth-, eighth- and ninth-place efforts this season.
    • Through 19 races, Gragson and the Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet team have compiled three wins, including last week at Pocono, 10 topfive and 13 top-10 finishes.

    Justin Allgaier
    No. 7 BRANDT/Precision Build Chevrolet
    • Justin Allgaier will make his third NXS start on the road course at Indianapolis on Saturday afternoon. In two previous starts, the Illinois native has earned a best finish of seventh, coming in the inaugural event in 2020.
    • Allgaier has previously visited Victory Lane at Indianapolis, earning the win in 2018 on the 2.5-mile oval.
    • In 42 career starts in the NXS on road courses, Allgaier has recorded three wins (Montreal, Mid-Ohio and Road America), 12 top fives and 25 top 10s.

    Miguel Paludo
    No. 88 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
    • Nova Prata, Brazil native Miguel Paludo returns to the No. 88 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet for the final time in 2022 this weekend in Indianapolis.
    • In two previous starts this year for JRM, Paludo has earned a best finish of ninth, coming at COTA in March.
    • In five previous starts for JRM in the NXS, the seven-time and defending Porsche Carrera Cup Champion has scored a best finish of seventh, scored at the road course at Daytona International Speedway in 2021.
    • Saturday will mark the first time that Paludo will compete at Indianapolis.

    Driver Quotes

    “We had a really fast car last year at Indianapolis but the result doesn’t show it. I’ve learned a lot since then and I know Taylor (Moyer, crew chief) and this entire Huck’s Market team will have a fast car when we unload. We just need to go out and put it all together.” – Sam Mayer

    “I’m really looking forward to getting to Indianapolis this weekend with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet. Any time you get a chance to race at a place with as much history as Indy, it’s special. Hopefully we can have a smooth day and be up front fighting for the win. It’s a big weekend for BRANDT with Miguel (Paludo) coming back, so I can’t wait to get there and see what we can do.”– Justin Allgaier

    “Going to Indianapolis for the first time is going to be really special. Watching the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400 growing up, I always wanted to race here and this year I am in this Jarrett Chevrolet. We’ve been practicing this track in the sim so hopefully we can go out and have another strong run at a road course.” – Josh Berry

    “After winning last week at Pocono, this Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet is ready to get another one at Indianapolis. We’ve been good on the road course there, finishing top five in both our starts. I love the history of Indy, and we’re definitely on a roll as the playoffs approach. Luke Lambert and the No. 9 team have been awesome all year, and we’re in a good spot.”– Noah Gragson

    “It’s a great feeling knowing I’m about to get back behind the wheel of the No. 88 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet this weekend in Indy. I can’t thank JR Motorsports and everyone at BRANDT enough for this opportunity. This is such a historic and special trackand I can’t wait to get out there and see what we can learn in practice to apply to the race.”– Miguel Paludo

    JRM Team Updates:

    • JR Motorsports at Indianapolis Road Course: JR Motorsports has competed at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course a combined eight times in the NXS. Over the course of those starts at the 2.439-mile facility, the organization has tallied three top fives and five top 10s. Noah Gragson holds the best finish for the organization after finishing third during the inaugural race at the road course in 2020.
    • Jarrett Race Rally: JR Motorsports driver Josh Berry and team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be making an appearance at Jarrett Logistics headquarters located in Orrville, Ohio on Thursday, July 28 to promote Jarrett’s upcoming race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on the No. 8 Chevrolet. A fan-facing Q&A will take place from 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. The event is free to the public.
    • Spicy Mayo: Hellmann’s Spicy Mayonnaise Dressing is proudly made with real, simple ingredients like real chili peppers, cage-free eggs, oil and vinegar. This spicy mayo is the ideal condiment for spicing up wraps, adding flavor to sandwiches, grilling juicy burgers, mixing creamy dips, and preparing fresh salads. Deliciously Spicy, 100% Hellmann’s. Try a new recipe today.
    • Huck’s: Huck’s operates 125 convenience store locations in five Midwest states. Huck’s most recent new-to-industry store opened last month in Hannibal, Mo., the hometown of Mark Twain, who wrote “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” for which Huck’s is named. Twain published the renowned book on Feb. 18, 1885. By coincidence, the Huck’s team planned the store opening Feb. 17, just one day shy of the publication’s anniversary. Check here for a location near you.

  • Monster Energy Racing: Riley Herbst NXS Race Report from Pocono

    Monster Energy Racing: Riley Herbst NXS Race Report from Pocono

    Herbst Finishes 12th at Pocono
    Monster Energy Driver Earns 14th Top-15 of 2022 Season

    Date: Saturday, July 23
    Event: Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 (Round 19 of 33)
    Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
    Location: Pocono (Pa.) Raceway (2.5-mile triangle)
    Format: 90 laps, broken into three stages (20 laps/20 laps/50 laps)
    Start/Finish: 14th / 12th (Running, completed 90 of 90 laps)
    Point Standing: 9th (518 points, 229 out of first)

    Race Winner: Noah Gragson of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)
    Stage 1 Winner: Justin Allgaier of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)
    Stage 2 Winner: Noah Gragson of JR Motorsports (Chevrolet)

    Overview:

    Riley Herbst and the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford team persevered through an up-and-down race to finish 12th in Saturday’s Explore The Pocono Mountains 225 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. The Las Vegas native started 14th and was moving up in the field when he reported an issue with the right front on lap 12. He stayed on track to the end of Stage 1 and brought his Mustang to the attention of his No. 98 Monster Energy pit crew. He restarted 29th on the lead lap and was back in the top-20 just five laps later. Herbst made his way up to 15th by the end of Stage 2 and restart 14th in the final stage. After he successfully avoided several incidents in the early going, crew chief Richard Boswell opted to take advantage of the cautions and brought his driver down pit road during the caution on lap 48 to top off on fuel. When the rest of the field pitted under a lap-53 caution, the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang was able to stay on track and restart on the front row. Herbst led four laps after the restart but, as the remainder of the race went green, he began struggling with a tight-handling racecar that made it particularly difficult to negotiate the “tunnel turn.” He would ultimately earn his 14th top-15 of the season.

    Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

    “We had a chance there, but my Ford Mustang was just too tight in the end. I’m glad we got to lead some laps, but ultimately we want to get a win. I’m proud of my No. 98 Monster Energy team and we’ll continue to work toward the playoffs.”

    Notes:

    ● Herbst led one time for four laps – his first laps led at Pocono.

    ● Noah Gragson won the Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 to score his eighth career Xfinity Series victory, his third of the season, and his first at Pocono. His margin over second-place Ty Gibbs was .281 of a second.

    ● There were five caution periods for a total of 18 laps.

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

    ● AJ Allmendinger remains the championship leader after Pocono with a 16-point advantage over second-place Justin Allgaier.

    Next Up:

    The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the Indianapolis 150 on July 30 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. The race starts at 3:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBC and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

  • RCR NXS Post Race Report: Pocono

    RCR NXS Post Race Report: Pocono

    Sheldon Creed Showcases Fast No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet at Pocono Raceway

    Finish: 5th
    Start: 6th
    Points: 13th

    “This top-five finish in the Whelen Chevrolet at Pocono Raceway gives us a lot of confidence. Our Chevy was fast all day. We qualified well and we’re racing closer to the front. We earned Stage Points in every stage. We were having a good time out there today. I expected a lot out of myself coming into the NASCAR Xfinity Series this year with Richard Childress Racing and I haven’t done my job. We’ve run well all season, but the finishes aren’t there. During a lot of these races, I have made mistakes. We showed up and just haven’t had the results we needed on the racetracks, so I’m really happy to get the Whelen Chevrolet running well and to finish in the top five today. I feel like we’re closing the bubble between us and some of the other cars we need to battle in order to make it into the NASCAR Playoffs on points. Thankful for this forward motion and we’re going to do what we can to try and win before the Playoffs begin.” -Sheldon Creed

    Austin Hill and the No. 21 Global Industrial Team Grind Out 12th Top-10 Finish of the Season with Eighth-Place Effort at Pocono Raceway

    Finish: 8th
    Start: 8th
    Points: 6th

    “That was a solid effort today by everyone on the Global Industrial team. We’re knocking out top-10s left and right. We want to do better and win some more races. We’ve got to keep working, keeping digging, and bring some faster Chevrolet Camaros to the racetrack. I think being a rookie has some challenges. In practice we were free and we get in the race and we were really tight. I don’t know if that’s just a rookie thing and trying to figure out how free I need to be in practice to be better to start the race or what the case is there. We worked on it all day and got it better. The pit stops were great and we made the balance on the car better every stop. During that last run, I thought we were really good. We were working up through the field and all of a sudden it started getting tight on me. I tried to move my line around and do some different things but just struggled on the long run trying to get it to turn and we lost a few spots at the end. If we can just fix a few things here and there I think we can be battling for wins.” -Austin Hill

  • Toyota Racing NXS Post-Race Recap — Pocono 7.23.22

    Toyota Racing NXS Post-Race Recap — Pocono 7.23.22

    Second-Place Finish for Gibbs at Pocono
    No. 54 Toyota GR Supra Comes Up Just Short at the Tricky Triangle

    LONG POND, Pa. (July 23, 2022) – Ty Gibbs finished runner-up in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway. Gibbs challenged race-winner Noah Gragson in the closing laps of Saturday’s race but came up just short to earn a second-place result in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 54 Toyota GR Supra.

    Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
    NASCAR Xfinity Series
    Pocono Raceway
    Race 19 of 33 – 225 miles, 90 laps

    TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
    1st, Noah Gragson*
    2nd, TY GIBBS
    3rd, Josh Berry*
    4th, AJ Allmendinger*
    5th, Sheldon Creed*
    17th, BRANDON JONES
    30th, TIMMY HILL
    31st, SAMMY SMITH
    35th, SANTINO FERRUCCI
    *non-Toyota driver

    TOYOTA QUOTES

    TY GIBBS, No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

    Finishing Position: 2nd

    You seemed upset when you got out of the car. Were you mad at something you did or maybe didn’t do in the final laps racing Noah Gragson?

    “It definitely hurt us being on a tire disadvantage. I was so surprised to hang with the 9 (Noah Gragson) when he was on rights. I had a great car, just didn’t put it together. I want to say I felt like on my part I just made some mistakes, but we’ll come back at it next weekend. Thank you to Monster Energy, Sport Clips, Interstate Batteries, our Lord Jesus Christ and thank you to all of the fans for being here.”

    How determined were you to keep it clean racing Noah Gragson for the win?

    “I just put myself in a bad position there, but I always love racing out here and congratulations to the 9 team.”

    Did you get too loose going into the tunnel turn?

    “Yeah, you know we both went in there side-by-side and I just lost my side force and got loose under him, but that’s racing. I put myself in that position, but I feel like I definitely have to look back and see what other options I had. I just want to say thank you to my team and everybody who is a part of this deal. I had a great time.”

    Did you feel like you had a car that could get the win today?

    “We had a very fast Monster Energy Toyota Supra. Just made some mistakes there and I felt like that was my fault. We were on a tire disadvantage, which was kind of unbelievable that we still hung with the 9 (Noah Gragson). That shows how fast our Toyota Supra was. Thank you to Monster Energy, Sport Clips and Interstate Batteries.”

    SANTINO FERRUCCI, No. 26 Freedom Alliance Toyota GR Supra, Sam Hunt Racing

    Finishing Position: 35th

    What happened to take you out of the race early?

    “I don’t know. We were just restarting. We had a really fast car. Sam Hunt and Toyota and our Freedom Alliance car was just really, really good. I got really up close to Cole (Custer) just trying to understand – being part-time it’s so hard to judge the air off the side of the cars. I just made a mistake, man. I just got a little off the bottom and I got really close to him and the side force kind of went and I started to lose the rear. Our car actually hasn’t been loose all day. It’s just a shame for everybody else because there were a lot of cars caught up in that just because we were not spaced out yet. I’m really, really bummed for the Freedom Alliance boys and Toyota and all of our crew. We qualified 11th in my first-ever qualifying and we’ve been racing right there all day. Just not how I wanted my home race to go.”

    #

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