Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Tag: Germain Racing

  • Ty Dillon to make 200th Cup career start at Homestead

    Ty Dillon to make 200th Cup career start at Homestead

    Competing in his fifth full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series, Ty Dillon is bound to achieve a milestone start. By taking the green flag in this weekend’s Playoff event at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the driver of the No. 42 Petty GMS Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will reach career start No. 200 in NASCAR’s premier series.

    A native of Welcome, North Carolina, and the grandson of NASCAR championship-winning team owner Richard Childress, Dillon made his inaugural presence in the Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway in August 2014. By then, he had campaigned in two Camping World Truck Series seasons for Richard Childress Racing, where he accumulated three victories and a runner-up result in the championship standings in 2013 during the two seasons, and was competing in his first full-time season in the Xfinity Series for RCR, where he claimed his first career victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July. Driving the No. 33 Chevrolet SS for RCR, Dillon started 29th and finished 25th in his series debut. He returned to the Cup circuit at Phoenix Raceway in November, where he finished 27th on the track.

    In 2015, Dillon, who continued to run in the Xfinity Series on a full-time basis while part time in the Cup Series, qualified for his first Daytona 500 start in February after piloting the No. 33 RCR Chevrolet SS to a 16th-place result in the first Daytona Duel qualifying race and earning the final transfer spot to the main event. Starting 31st, Dillon finished 28th in his first 500 attempt after being involved in a late incident. He then competed in four additional Cup races in the No. 33 Chevrolet throughout the 2015 season, where he achieved his season-best result of 14th place at Michigan International Speedway in June.

    The following season, Dillon remained as a full-time Xfinity competitor for RCR and as a part-time Cup Series competitor for two organizations. His first Cup start of the season was the 58th running of the Daytona 500, where he finished 25th while driving the No. 95 Chevrolet SS for Leavine Family Racing. The following race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Dillon served as an interim competitor for three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, who was recovering from injuries from a dune buggy accident in January. Driving the No. 14 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing in three races, Dillon recorded finishes of 17th, 15th and 25th at Atlanta, Phoenix and at Bristol, respectively. He also relieved for Stewart for the remainder of the Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway in May, where he finished sixth despite the points being awarded to Stewart since Stewart started the race. Along with his interim role at SHR, he made six additional starts in Leavine Family Racing’s No. 95 Chevrolet. His best results were a 20th-place run at Texas Motor Speedway in April and a 21st-place run at Pocono Raceway in June.

    After three full-time seasons in the Xfinity Series, Dillon was promoted to the Cup Series in 2017 to drive the No. 13 Chevrolet SS for Germain Racing on a full-time basis. In Dillon’s first Cup season, he recorded eight top-15 results, 40 laps led and an average-finishing result of 20.7 throughout the 36-race schedule as he concluded the season in 24th place in the final standings and in third place in the Rookie-of-the-Year standings behind Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez. His best results throughout the season were a pair of 11th-place results at Talladega in October and at Phoenix in November.

    Remaining at Germain Racing for a second full-time Cup season in 2018, Dillon achieved his first top-10 career result in NASCAR’s premier series after finishing sixth at Daytona in July. Throughout his sophomore campaign, he recorded four additional top-15 results and an average-finishing result of 24.1. When the final checkered flag of the 2018 season flew, he concluded the season in 27th place in the final standings.

    Dillon commenced the 2019 Cup season by finishing in sixth place during the 61st running of the Daytona 500 in February. After finishing no higher than 15th over the next six races, he finished 15th at Bristol in April after winning the first stage in a photo finish over Clint Bowyer. Two races later, Dillon made his 100th Cup career start at Talladega in April, where he won the first stage before being shuffled back to 17th place in the final running order. He would then achieve his first top-five career finish (fourth place) at Daytona in July during a rain-shortened event. For the remainder of the season, he achieved an additional top 10 and four additional top-15 results before he concluded the season in 24th place in the final standings. Throughout his junior Cup season, he earned an average result of 20.6 and led a total of 14 laps.

    Throughout the 2020 season, which marked his fourth season at Germain Racing, Dillon recorded an average-finishing result of 22.0 as he also achieved two results in the top 10 throughout the 36-race schedule. His lone highlight of the season was achieving a career-best third-place finish at Talladega in October following a two-lap shootout to the finish. In spite of the result, he settled back in 26th place in the final standings.

    Two months prior to the conclusion of the 2020 season, Germain Racing announced plans to cease all operations in NASCAR at season’s end due to longtime sponsor GEICO not renewing with the team for the future, which left Dillon without a full-time ride for the 2021 season. A month prior to the 2021 season, he managed to secure a part-time ride with Gaunt Brothers Racing, where he attempted to qualify for the 63rd running of the Daytona 500. Prior to the 500, he competed in the newly-formed No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota Camry for the Busch Clash at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course in February, where he started 14th and finished 18th. Despite finishing sixth during the first of two Bluegreen Vacations Duel event at Daytona, Dillon did not qualify for the 500 and waited a week until he made his first Cup start with Gaunt Brothers Racing at the Daytona Road Course, where he finished 19th. His other Cup starts of the season with Gaunt Brothers Racing occurred at the Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt Course in April, Circuit of the Americas in May and at Road America in July, where he finished 26th, 21st and 26th, respectively.

    After spending the 2021 season as a part-time competitor with starts across all three NASCAR national touring series, Dillon returned to the Cup Series as a full-time competitor, where he joined forces with the newly-merged Petty GMS Motorsports to pilot the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. He commenced the season with an 11th-place result during the 64th running of the Daytona 500 followed by four additional top-20 results through the first six scheduled events before he collected his first top-10 result of the season at the Bristol Dirt Course in April, where he finished 10th. Despite earning an additional eight top-20 results and an average-finishing result of 21.7 throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch, Dillon did not qualify for the 2022 Cup Playoffs. Coming off five top-25 results during the previous seven Playoff events, including a 16th-place result at Texas Motor Speedway in September, he is currently ranked in 29th place in the driver’s standings.

    Through 199 previous Cup starts, Dillon has achieved two top-five results, seven top-10 results, 76 laps led and an average-finishing result of 22.1. While he is set to depart Petty GMS Motorsports at the conclusion of the 2022 season, he is set to join Spire Motorsports as a full-time driver of the No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for the 2023 Cup Series season.

    Dillon is scheduled to make his 200th Cup Series career start at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, October 23, with the event’s coverage to start at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

  • Annett to make 300th Xfinity start at Phoenix

    Annett to make 300th Xfinity start at Phoenix

    A significant milestone start is in the making for Michael Annett, driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. By taking the green flag in this weekend’s event at Phoenix Raceway, Annett will achieve 300 starts in the Xfinity circuit.

    A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Annett made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in the 2008 season-finale event at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November. Driving the No. 03 Toyota Camry for Germain Racing, Annett started 29th and finished 36th in his series debut.

    The following season, Annett entered the Xfinity Series as a full-time competitor in Germain Racing’s No. 15 Toyota Camry and as a rookie contender. Throughout the 35-race schedule, Annett achieved a season-best sixth-place result at Auto Club Speedway in October, a total of four top-10 results and a 10th-place result in the final standings.

    Throughout the 2010 season, Annett only managed two top-10 results (ninth at Nashville Superspeedway in April and seventh at Iowa Speedway in July) and a 13th-place result in the final standings. 

    After two seasons with Germain Racing, Annett joined forces with Rusty Wallace Racing for the 2011 season as he piloted the No. 62 Toyota Camry. Throughout the 34-race schedule, Annett achieved two season-best sixth-place results, a total of seven top-10 results and a ninth-place result in the final standings. By then, he surpassed 100 career starts in the Xfinity Series.

    When Rusty Wallace Racing shut down due to a lack of sponsorship, Annett joined Richard Petty Motorsports and drove the iconic No. 43 Ford Mustang. While Annett did not record a single victory throughout the season, he achieved his first six top-five career results, including a pair of career-best third-place results (Daytona International Speedway in July and Dover International Speedway in September). He also took home the Dash 4 Cash bonus following a sixth-place result at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July and a total of 17 top-10 results. When the 2012 Xfinity season concluded, he ended up in a career-best fifth place in the final standings.

    During the 2013 Xfinity Series season-opening event at Daytona, Annett was involved in a late multi-car accident and ended up dislocating and fracturing his sternum. He ended up missing the following eight Xfinity events as he recovered while Aric Almirola and Reed Sorenson filled in as interim competitors. Returning for the final 24 events of the 2013 season, Annett managed to earn a season-best fifth-place result at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July, a total of four top-10 results and a 15th-place result in the final standings.

    After spending the following three seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series, where he competed for Tommy Baldwin Racing and HScott Motorsports, Annett returned to the Xfinity Series as he teamed up with JR Motorsports as driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro. Throughout the 2017 season, Annett notched a career-best runner-up result at Road America in August. He also achieved a total of seven top-10 results and qualified for the Playoffs based on points before settling in ninth place in the final standings.

    Returning for a second full-time season with JRM in the Xfinity Series, Annett struggled with on-track consistency as he only managed a total of three top-10 results throughout the 33-race schedule, including a season-best seventh-place result at Bristol Motor Speedway in August. He ended up missing the Playoffs and finishing in 14th place in the final standings. By then, he surpassed 200 Xfinity career starts.

    Despite the struggles from the previous season, Annett remained at JRM for a third full-time season in the Xfinity Series. Only this time, he sported the number 1 alongside his Chevrolet Camaro. In his first race in the No. 1 car, Annett claimed his first elusive victory in NASCAR in the season-opening event at Daytona after leading a race-high 45 of 120 laps and holding off teammate Justin Allgaier in the final laps. Annett’s first career victory in the Xfinity circuit came in career start No. 230.

    Along with his maiden victory in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the 2019 season was a successful one for Annett, who went on to achieve a total of six top-five results and 19 top-10 results. He also made the Playoffs for the second time in three seasons and remained in title contention through the Round of 8, where he was eliminated prior to the finale. Nonetheless, he concluded the season in ninth place in the final standings.

    Annett opened the 2020 Xfinity season with an 11th-place result in the season-opening event at Daytona after being involved in a multi-car wreck on the final lap. While he did not record a single victory throughout the season, he achieved four top-five results and a career-high 22 top-10 results. He made the Playoffs for the third time in four seasons, but was eliminated from title contention early. He settled in ninth place in the final standings for a second consecutive season and for the third time in four seasons.

    This season, which marks his fifth with JRM, Annett has recorded results of 36th, 15th, 13th and sixth through the first four Xfinity scheduled races. He and his No. 1 JRM Chevrolet team are ranked in 11th place in the regular-season standings.

    Through 299 previous starts in the Xfinity level, Annett has achieved a victory, a pole, 18 top-five results, 86 top-10 results and an average result of 15.8.

    Catch Annett’s milestone start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 13, at 5:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

  • Ty Dillon joins Joe Gibbs Racing for select Xfinity events

    Ty Dillon joins Joe Gibbs Racing for select Xfinity events

    Another name has been added to Joe Gibbs Racing’s lineup for the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season after it was announced that Ty Dillon will be joining the organization and pilot the No. 54 Toyota Supra on a part-time basis.

    The 28-year-old native from Lewisville, North Carolina, will make his first start with JGR in the Xfinity Series season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway on February 13. He is also scheduled to compete at Homestead-Miami Speedway on February 27, Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 6 and at Talladega Superspeedway on April 24.

    Dillon is coming off his fourth full-time season with Germain Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series. With Germain Racing ceasing operations due to sponsor GEICO parting ways from the team, Dillon was initially left without a ride heading into the 2021 season. Currently, he has joined forces with Gaunt Brothers Racing to drive the No. 96 Toyota Camry as he attempts to qualify for the 63rd annual running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 14.

    The 2021 Xfinity Series season will mark Dillon’s first appearance in the series since he made select starts in 2018 with Richard Childress Racing. In 146 previous starts, he has recorded one victory, which occurred at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July 2014. He has also recorded four poles, 33 top-five results, 88 top-10 results, 586 laps led, an average result of 10.5 and a best points result of third place in 2015.

    “I am so thankful and excited for the opportunity to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota,” Dillon said. “They have been on top of the sport for a long time and this is a great opportunity for me to go prove that I am a winner and show what I know I can do in a race car.”

    Dillon will serve as one of multiple competitors to pilot JGR’s No. 54 “all-star” car throughout the 2021 Xfinity Series season, including Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. and Ty Gibbs. Busch, the all-time winningest driver in the Xfinity circuit with 97 career victories, will compete at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 20, Circuit of the Americas on May 22, Texas Motor Speedway on June 12, Nashville Superspeedway on June 19 and at Road America on July 3. Truex, a two-time Xfinity champion who has not competed in series since 2010, will drive the No. 54 Toyota Supra at Atlanta Motor Speedway on July 10 while Hamlin, the reigning three-time Daytona 500 champion, will make his series’ one-race appearance at Darlington Raceway on September 4 during Labor Day Weekend. Gibbs, a full-time ARCA Menards Series competitor for JGR and a newcomer to the Xfinity Series, will compete in select events, beginning at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course on February 20. Chris Gayle will be serving as crew chief for the No. 54 team.

    “Ty Dillon is going to be a great addition to our Xfinity lineup,” Steve de Souza, Executive Vice President of Xfinity Series and Development for Joe Gibbs Racing, added. “Ty has a lot of experience across the board and that will definitely be an asset to our whole group as we get going this season.”

    A full schedule of Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 54 Toyota team for the 2021 Xfinity Series season will be announced at a later date.

  • Jones and Dillon notch season-best results following eventful runs at Talladega

    Jones and Dillon notch season-best results following eventful runs at Talladega

    While Denny Hamlin emerged victorious in a wild, eventful and controversial finish to the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, October 4, Erik Jones and Ty Dillon survived a late charge to the finish as both collected strong podium results while competing with uncertainty for next season.

    Coming into Talladega, the site of the fifth NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race of this season, Jones’ goal was to receive another opportunity to win at a track where he nearly won at in April as the Byron, Michigan, native was entering the tri-oval with a run until late contact with eventual winner Ryan Blaney ended his bid for the victory.

    Starting in 16th place in his No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota Camry, Jones was able to carve his way to the front and link up with his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. along with Toyota teammate Daniel Suarez in the draft. Battling towards the front, he was able to collect a handful of stage points following the first stage after finishing in fifth place while also leading a total of seven laps within the first stage.

    Restarting in fourth place for the second stage, Jones went on to lead a total of six laps and continue to battle towards the front against competitors battling or not battling for the title in the Playoffs before he settled in 13th place. Lining up in third place prior to the final stage and with an opportunity to win, Jones remained in contention within the lead pack and with an opportunity to strike for the win.

    During the race’s third overtime attempt to the finish, Jones was battling Chris Buescher, Matt DiBenedetto and William Byron for the lead and the win when he made contact with Buescher in Turns 3 and 4 while working together for the lead. Their contact allowed Jones’ teammate Denny Hamlin to make a bold move below the apron to pass both as he went on to battle and overtake DiBenedetto and Byron for the win. At the finish line, Jones was scored in third place, but with DiBenedetto being assessed a penalty for forcing Byron below the double yellow line, Jones was promoted into second place.

    The runner-up result marked Jones’ eighth top-five result and best result since winning the 2019 Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway in September. The finish was much needed for Jones, who failed to make this year’s Playoffs and has yet to secure a ride for next season with the Michigan native set to depart Joe Gibbs Racing and the No. 20 Toyota team following this season while Christopher Bell will replace him in 2021.

    “[The race] was good,” Jones said. “Obviously, wish we could have won it there at the end. We had to throw a big block and got in the wall, but still came back and finished second there. Good day. The car was strong. The Sport Clips Camry had good speed and we led a lot of laps. Just didn’t totally play out at the end. You can’t ask for a lot more. We were there and coming to the line with a shot to win.”

    “I’m still working for 2021,” Jones added. “There’s still some things I’m trying to work out and get locked in for next year. But, I don’t know that it really changes my hand at all with them, the teams that I’m in discussion with, I’ve been in discussion with for a while. I told teams in the last few month that I know I can do it. I’ve won a couple of these races and feel like we could’ve won more along with way and just haven’t had the things work out for us. I’ve enjoyed my time at JGR, but definitely wished we could’ve won more races along the way. This last month has been awesome. As a driver, you’re running strong, you’re running upfront, but I don’t know that it changes too much with what I’ve got going.”

    For Ty Dillon, Sunday’s race at Talladega produced an opportunity for the Welcome, North Carolina, native to notch a strong result in a season where his highest finish through last weekend’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was 10th place, which occurred at Vegas in February.

    Starting in 28th place, Dillon methodically worked his way to the front before he settled in 17th place when the first stage concluded. Throughout the second stage, Dillon worked his way up into the top 10 on the track. Running as high as fifth place near the Lap 100 mark, Dillon remained inside the top 10 throughout the run and he rallied from sustaining nose damage to the front of his No. 13 GEICO For Your RV Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE to settle in ninth place when the second stage concluded.

    Restarting in 13th place for the final stage, Dillon was scored in third place on Lap 148 while he continued to battle towards the front and inside the top 10 against a bevy of title and non-title contenders. Through three overtime attempts and entering Turns 3 and 4, Dillon was scored in sixth place while the top-five competitors duked it out with contact ensuing. At the finish line, Dillon streaked across in fourth place. With DiBenedetto being penalized from second place due to forcing Byron below the double yellow line, however, Dillon was promoted into third place on the final scoreboard in front of Byron and Chase Elliott.

    The third-place result marked Dillon’s career-best result in his 157th start in NASCAR’s premier series and his first top-five result since finishing in fourth place at Daytona International Speedway in July. Like Jones, the result was much needed for Dillon, whose team, Germain Racing, will be ceasing operations due to sponsor GEICO opting to not remain with the team for next season and with the North Carolina native currently out of a ride for 2021.

    Photo by Tim Jarrold for SpeedwayMedia.com.

    “I’m so proud of the effort for Germain Racing and GEICO,” Dillon said. “We are all fighting for jobs next year, including myself, so that’s the foot you want to put forward at one of these races winding down. It’s been a great run with this team and hopefully we can all work together in the future. I knew it was going to be hard to push anybody in front of me with these noses having a little too much point, but our GEICO For Your RV Chevrolet had enough speed to hang in there. I fell back to sixth in line, but when they all started to get into each other, I knew my outlet was to the bottom to have a chance to win and that’s what we are here for. I stayed on the bottom to hopefully be in position to win low if something were to happen. But to finish third – my personal career-best Cup finish and Germain’s best Cup finish as a team – is something I’m really proud of. It was a fun day and a long day. Thanks to all the fans who came out today too. It was good to have them here with us. I’m just extremely grateful to GEICO and Bob Germain for everything they have done for me the last four years.”

    “I absolutely want to be in the Cup Series,” Dillon added. “I feel like in the right situation over the right time, [I] can win races and be a championship contender. My time is not up here and I definitely have a lot to prove still. I’m starting to reach a pinnacle of my life physically and mentally as far as a Cup driver. I’m so eager for the next opportunity, but as far as the opportunity, I have nothing yet. Hopefully, this inspires some more talks and more sponsorship opportunity. It’s getting to a tough place in this sport where you have to bring money with you as far as sponsorship and a little bit goes a long way right now. If I have to take an opportunity to go down the Xfinity Series and try to win races there and reprove myself, I’ll absolutely take it. But, I’m a hungry driver right now and I want an opportunity next year to continue to prove what I can do and start fresh.”

    Both Jones and Dillon, along with their fellow NASCAR Cup Series competitors, will return for the next scheduled race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval on Sunday, October 11, at 2:30 pm. ET on NBC.

  • Annett to reach 400 starts across NASCAR at Darlington

    Annett to reach 400 starts across NASCAR at Darlington

    A significant milestone is in the making for Michael Annett, driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. When Annett takes the green flag this weekend at Darlington Raceway, he will achieve 400 starts across NASCAR’s three major division series (Truck, Xfinity and Cup Series).

    A native of Des Moines, Iowa, who achieved two ARCA career victories from 2007 and 2008, Annett made his debut within NASCAR’s top three division series at the Milwaukee Mile in June 2008, where he piloted the No. 22 Toyota Tundra for Bill Davis Racing in the NASCAR Truck Series. He finished in sixth place in his series debut and two races later, he earned a career-best runner-up result at Kentucky Speedway. He made a total of eight starts in the Truck Series in 2008 (seven with Bill Davis Racing and one with Germain Racing). He also made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November, where he drove the No. 03 Toyota for Germain Racing and finished 36th.

    In 2009, Annett campaigned on a full-time basis in the Xfinity Series as a rookie candidate and in the No. 15 Toyota Camry led by crew chief Bruce Cook for Germain Racing. Throughout his rookie season, Annett achieved four top-10 results (best result of sixth place at Auto Club Speedway in October) and he concluded the season in 10th place in the final standings. He remained with Germain Racing for the 2010 Xfinity season, where he achieved two top-10 results and concluded the season in 13th place in the final standings and with crew chief Ryan “Rudy” Fugle.

    In 2011, Annett moved to Rusty Wallace Racing to pilot the No. 62 Toyota Camry with primary sponsorship from Pilot Flying J and led by crew chief Rick Viers in the Xfinity Series. For the first 13 races of the season, he finished no higher than 13th place. For five of the next six races, however, he achieved five top-10 results. He nearly won at Daytona International Speedway in July after taking the lead on the final lap with two corners remaining. He, however, lost the draft with teammate Steve Wallace and settled in sixth place. For the final 15 races of the season, he achieved two additional top-10 results and he concluded the season in ninth place in the final standings. By then, he surpassed 100 career starts across NASCAR’s three major division series.

    For the 2012 season and after Rusty Wallace Racing ceased operations due to lack of sponsorship, Annett made the move to Richard Petty Motorsports to drive the No. 43 Ford Mustang sponsored by Pilot Flying J and led by crew chief Philippe Lopez. Annett had a successful run in the series, where he achieved his first six top-five career results, led by a pair of third-place results at Daytona International Speedway in July and at Dover International Speedway in September. He also earned a total of 17 top-10 results and he claimed the Dash 4 Cash $100,000 bonus at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July following a sixth-place result. When the season concluded, he ended up with a career-best fifth place in the final standings.

    Annett started off the 2013 Xfinity season on a rough note, when he was involved in a late multi-car accident in the season opener at Daytona and had dislocated and fractured his sternum. Missing the first eight races of the season and while Aric Almirola and Reed Sorenson filled in for Annett, he returned at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, where he finished 17th. For the remainder of the season, he achieved one top-five result and a total of four top-10 results before he concluded the season in 15th place in the final standings.

    Following a five-year run in the Xfinity Series, Annett moved up to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2014 and he entered the series as a rookie candidate in the No. 7 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet SS for Tommy Baldwin Racing led by veteran Kevin “Bono” Manion. Making his series debut at the Daytona 500, Annett was involved in a late multi-car wreck and finished in 37th place. Throughout the 36-race stretch, Annett only achieved four top-20 results and he concluded the season in 33rd place in the final standings. He also competed in the NASCAR Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway for NTS Motorsports, where he raced his way into the main event following a final qualifying race and finished 25th. By then, he surpassed 200 career starts across NASCAR.

    The following season, Annett remained in the Cup Series, but he made the move to HScott Motorsports to pilot the team’s second car, the No. 46 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet SS, led by crew chief Jay Guy. Annett achieved a career-best result of 13th place in the Daytona 500. The following week, however, Annett initially failed to qualify for the upcoming race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Nonetheless, Annett still got to race at Atlanta when Brian Scott relinquished his seat, the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet SS, since Annett was competing for Cup points. Driving under the Hillman-Circle Sport LLC banner, Annett finished 29th. The remaining 34 races of the season, however, was a disappointing one as Annett finished no higher than 23rd place and he concluded the season in 36th place in the final standings. He also failed to qualify at Talladega Superspeedway in October.

    Returning for a third season in the Cup circuit with Hscott Motorsports in 2016, Annett’s best result throughout the 36-race schedule was 20th, which occurred at Daytona in July. At Bristol Motor Speedway in August, Justin Allgaier filled in as an interim competitor when Annett suffered from flu-like symptoms. Prior to the season concluding, Annett declared himself a free agent for the 2017 season.

    After three seasons in the Cup Series, Annett scaled back down to the Xfinity Series for the 2017 season and joined forces with JR Motorsports to pilot the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro sponsored by Pilot Flying J, TMC Transportation and Allstate Parts & Service Group, and led by crew chief Jason Stockert. Annett started the season with a 14th-place run at Daytona followed by a 15th-place run at Atlanta. Two races later, he achieved his first top-10 result of the season at Phoenix (ninth place). Through the first 22 races of the season, Annett recorded a total of five top-10 results. At Road America in August, Annett achieved a career-best runner-up result behind Jeremy Clements. Following his result, Annett dedicated his run to Adam Wright, a mechanic at JR Motorsports who died in a car accident a week prior to Road America. Annett went on to make the 2017 Xfinity Series Playoffs before he was eliminated from title contention at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October. He wrapped up the season in ninth place in the final standings and with seven top-10 results. By then, he surpassed 300 career starts across NASCAR.

    Returning for a second full-time season with JRM in 2018, Annett struggled with on-track consistency. For the first 21 races of the season, he finished no higher than 11th. A week later, he recorded his first top-10 result at Bristol in August. By then, he was paired with new crew chief Travis Mack. He only achieved one additional top-10 result (10th place at Darlington Raceway) throughout the regular-season stretch while he also recorded five DNFs. Following the regular-season finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in September, Annett failed to make the Playoffs. He went on to conclude the season in 14th place in the final standings.

    For the 2019 Xfinity season, Annett remained at JRM, but assumed driving responsibilities of the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro with crew chief Travis Mack remaining with Annett. To start the season and with American Heart Association co-sponsoring the No. 1 car along with Pilot Flying J, Annett responded back to all of his past struggles throughout his career by winning the season opener at Daytona and achieving his first victory across NASCAR’s three major series in his 230th Xfinity career start. The victory guaranteed Annett’s No. 1 team a spot in the Playoffs. His early success did not stop there as he recorded a total of five top-five results and 15 top-10 results throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch. He also achieved his first career pole at Talladega in April. During the Playoffs, Annett earned finishes of ninth, 15th and sixth in the first round, spanning three races, to advance to the Round of 8. He finished fourth, 11th and ninth in the second round, but he failed to transfer to the Championship Round at Homestead. He concluded the season with an 11th-place run at Homestead and a ninth-place result in the final standings. Though he fell short of the 2019 Xfinity title, Annett achieved a career-high six top-five results, 19 top-10 results and 94 laps led throughout the season.

    This season, his fourth consecutive season with JRM, Annett started off the season with an 11th-place run at Daytona and after being involved in a multi-car accident on the final lap. Through the first 22 races of this season, he has recorded three top-five results and 13 top-10 results, and he is in eighth place in the regular-season standings. He has also started on pole position for three consecutive races in the summer (Texas, Kansas and Road America) by virtue of a random draw amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

    In addition to making his ninth Xfinity career start at Darlington this weekend and while he continues to secure one of 12 spots for this year’s Xfinity Playoffs, Annett is set to sport a special Oreo scheme to his No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro that his boss and former NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove to an Xfinity win at Daytona in February 2002.

    Catch Annett’s milestone start at Darlington Raceway on Saturday, September 5, at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

  • Ty Dillon to surpass 150 Cup starts at Dover

    Ty Dillon to surpass 150 Cup starts at Dover

    A unique milestone is in the making for Ty Dillon entering this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series doubleheader races at Dover International Speedway on August 22 and 23. By the time Dillon completes both Cup races at Dover, he will reach and surpass 150 starts in NASCAR’s premier series.

    A native of Lewisville, North Carolina, the grandson of championship team owner Richard Childress and the younger brother of the 2018 Daytona 500 champion Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon was already a rising star in NASCAR, having won the 2011 ARCA championship, three Truck Series career races, the 2012 Truck Rookie-of-the-Year title and his first Xfinity Series career victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway when he made his Cup debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway in August 2014. Driving the No. 33 Realtree/Rheem Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing and led by the late Nick Harrison, Dillon started 29th and finished 25th in his series debut. He competed in one additional Cup race at Phoenix in November, where he finished 27th, before he went on to conclude his first full-time stint in the Xfinity Series in fifth place in the final standings.

    The following season, Dillon qualified for his first Daytona 500 start in February after finishing 16th in the first Duel qualifying race at Daytona and earning a final transfer spot to the main event. Starting 31st, Dillon finished 28th in his first 500 attempt. He competed in four additional Cup races throughout the 2015 season while he competed on a full-time basis in the Xfinity Series for RCR. His best result during his four-race Cup span was a 14th-place result at Michigan International Speedway in June. He went on to conclude the 2015 Xfinity Series season in a career-best third place in the final standings.

    In 2016, Dillon returned as a full-time Xfinity Series for RCR and a part-time Cup Series competitor for two organizations. His first start of the season was the Daytona 500, where he finished 25th while driving the No. 95 Cheerios/Kroger Chevrolet for Leavine Family Racing. The following race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Dillon served as an interim competitor for three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, who was recovering from injuries from a dune buggy accident in January and was able to compete in the opening races of the 2016 season. Driving the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing in three races, Dillon recorded finishes of 17th, 15th and 25th at Atlanta, Phoenix and at Bristol. He also relieved for Stewart for the remainder of the Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway in May, where he finished sixth despite the points being awarded to Stewart since Stewart started the race. He also made six additional starts in Leavine Family Racing’s No. 95 Chevrolet. His best results were 20th-place at Texas in April and 21st at Pocono in June.

    Following three full-time seasons in the Xfinity Series, Dillon was promoted to the Cup Series in 2017 and as driver of the No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet for Germain Racing led by crew chief Robert “Bootie” Barker. In Dillon’s first full-time season in the Cup Series as a rookie candidate, he recorded eight top-15 results, 40 laps led and an average result of 20.7 as he concluded the season in 24th place in the final standings, third place in the rookie standings behind Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez. His best results throughout the season were a pair of 11th-place results at Talladega in October and at Phoenix in November.

    In 2018, Dillon remained with Germain Racing and was paired with veteran crew chief Matt Borland. In July at Daytona International Speedway, Dillon achieved his first top-10 career result in the Cup Series after finishing in sixth place. Throughout his sophomore season in the Cup circuit, Dillon recorded four additional top-15 results. When the season concluded, his average result was 24.1 and he concluded the season in 27th place in the final standings.

    Dillon started the 2019 Cup season by finishing in sixth place in the Daytona 500 in February. After finishing no higher than 15th over the next six races, he finished 15th at Bristol in April after winning the first stage in a photo finish over Clint Bowyer. Two races later, at Talladega in April 2019, Dillon made his 100th Cup career start. During the main event, he won the first stage and finished in 17th place. In July at Daytona International Speedway, he achieved his first top-five career finish (fourth place) in a rain-shortened event. For the remainder of the season, Dillon achieved one additional top-10 result and four additional top-15 results before he concluded the season in 24th place in the final standings. He earned an average result of 20.6 and led 14 laps throughout his junior season in the Cup Series.

    This season, through the first 23 Cup races, Dillon has achieved one top-10 result, five top-15 results and an average result of 22.3. He is in 27th place in the regular-season standings and is 235 points below the top-16 cutline to make this year’s Cup Playoffs with three regular-season races remaining.

    Catch Dillon’s milestone start at Dover International Speedway on August 22 at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

  • Ty Dillon Wants to Grow in the Sport on His Own Terms

    Ty Dillon Wants to Grow in the Sport on His Own Terms

    CHARLOTTE, NC – Ty Dillon, grandson of Richard Childress, enters his second season in Monster Energy Cup ready to go. Dillon was frustrated with the way 2017 went since he had never struggled in a rookie season in the past. He has great confidence going into 2018 in his second season with Germain Racing and is looking forward to running Bristol, his favorite track. He took questions from the media gathered at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour.

    Dillon admitted he was excited about the coming season and his new daughter, recently born.

    “Having my little girl in the off-season helped put some things in perspective in my life and I have been trying to change my approach on some things. I let the sport get me a little down, which sounds ridiculous in your rookie season because I never really struggled in any of my previous rookie’s seasons, whether it was trucks, XFINITY. I won races in my rookie season in both those series and was battling for championships all the way down to the end. Last year that wasn’t really the case. We had a couple of close calls to win a race. I feel relieved that at the end of my rookie season I really learned some things that are going to help me this year. Also, kind of changed my outlook. Everything is an opportunity.”

    Dillon finished 13th in the Spring race at Bristol but crashed in the night race and finished 36th. Even so, Dillon likes Bristol.

    “Bristol has been a good track for me. In all my careers, I probably have one of the best average finishes at that racetrack,” Dillon said. “I look forward going back. The second race in the Cup series wasn’t really strong for us but look forward to capitalizing on it as it is one of my favorite tracks to go to.”

    One would have expected that Dillon would join his brother at RCR, but he went to Germain instead because his grandfather already had Ryan Newman and Paul Menard in addition to his brother already, Dillon likes the opportunity.

    “I think the fact that I have my own identity at Germain Racing and the more we grow as a team, the more I grow as a driver, the more I grow as a person we feel comfortable,” Dillon said.

    If Richard Childres calls, will you drive there?

    “I think there was something inside of me that wanted to break out of that a little bit. As much as I love having a brother in the sport and my family in the sport and my grandfather is an owner and how much I would love to win races and championships for him, I think I needed to break out of that grandson-brother shadow that I had.” Dillon said. “Not that it was a negative shadow. I just want people to see me for me. Austin and I can do some great things together, and we do on and off the racetrack, but for me to grow as a person off the racetrack is just as important. So, Bo taking the opportunity on me and Geico to bring me in, I can’t wait to make the most of this opportunity and grow with both of them.

    “I want to be my own self, but I think there are a lot of things my brother and I can do that are great and I still want to work with my grandfather. But I want people to know me for me and know my life and know who I am. At the young parts of my career and the beginning stages, we needed to be grouped together to get the full impact and now that I feel like I’m at this top level I can start branching off and let people know me. I want to race for Germain Racing and Geico my whole career and win races and championships and build my own brand like Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.”

  • Ty Dillon Driving Geico No. 13 IN 2017

    Ty Dillon Driving Geico No. 13 IN 2017

    Ty Dillon to Pilot Germain Racing’s No. 13 Entry in the Nascar Sprint Cup Series

     Mooresville, NC (November 28, 2016) – Beginning in 2017, Ty Dillon will take over full-time driving duties of the No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet SS in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Germain Racing. Dillon follows Casey Mears, a seasoned veteran who, over the last six years, has helped build Germain Racing’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series program into a viable organization that has garnered the respect and attention of NASCAR’s elite.

    The 24-year old Dillon has made 17 starts in the Sprint Cup Series for several different teams, including Circle Sport/Leavine Family Racing and Stewart-Haas Racing. He scored a career-best sixth-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway in May 2016 while serving as a relief driver for Tony Stewart.

    “I have been preparing for this next step in my career for several years,” Dillon said. “With my experience in the Camping World Truck Series and XFINITY Series, I am ready to drive full-time in the Sprint Cup Series. I want to thank Bob Germain and the entire Germain Racing organization for giving me this opportunity. It will be an honor to represent a brand and sponsor like GEICO which has played such a significant role in the sport for so many years.”

    Germain Racing notched two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championships and two top-10 points finishes in the NASCAR XFINITY Series before making the jump to the nation’s top racing series. Since the inception of their Sprint Cup Series program in 2009, the team has established itself as an accomplished restrictor-plate program, while also achieving success at the series’ road course events. With the switch to Chevrolet and the addition of Richard Childress Racing as a technical partner in 2014, they have experienced improvement at the challenging intermediate tracks. Team owner, Bob Germain, aims to continue making progress in the coming years.

    “First of all, I want to thank Casey Mears for everything he’s done for our race team over the past six years,” Germain said. “He’s been an integral part of our growth and a great representative for GEICO and our many partners. Bringing Ty onboard is an exciting opportunity for us and we are committed to giving him all the resources he needs to reach his full potential. He’s a very talented driver and first class young man. I’m looking forward to working with him, as well as expanding our relationship with RCR.”

    RCR’s partnership with Germain Racing includes technology sharing, research and development, and engineering under the Chevrolet banner. Germain Racing will also continue to utilize the highly reliable and powerful engines from ECR Engines.

    “Ty has done an exceptional job for us at RCR in every series he has raced in,” said RCR Chairman and CEO, Richard Childress. “He has won races at each level and competed for championships every year. Ty is a passionate driver and has shown that he is ready for the highest level of stock car racing. I’m proud of him and I am confident he will succeed. I have a lot of respect for Bob Germain and the organization he has built, and I know he and Ty will be successful together. I also look forward to Ty’s continued involvement in RCR’s XFINITY Series program.”

    Please visit www.GEICO.com to learn about how you can save money on more than just auto insurance.

    To learn more about the GEICO Racing program, please visit: www.caseymearsracing.com

    You can also follow GEICO Racing on Twitter: www.twitter.com/geicoracing

    To learn more about Duracell, please visit: www.duracell.com

    To learn more about Germain Racing, please visit: www.germainracing.com

  • Hot 20 – Indianapolis, It is no Wetaskiwin, but it will do

    Hot 20 – Indianapolis, It is no Wetaskiwin, but it will do

    I am just another foreigner. Sure, I’ve been to Daytona. I spent Christmas a couple of years ago on a beach near Malibu. I have been in the Empire State Building, walked the boardwalk in Atlantic City, toured Gettysburg, been to Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and drove the strip in Las Vegas. I have walked the Little Bighorn Battlefield more than once, seen Devil’s Tower and visited Mount Rushmore. I have watched the Red Sox play in Seattle, and I believe the scenery in Wyoming is second to none. I’ve been there, but I do not live there.

    I am reminded of that fact as I write this. You see, the big dirt race at Eldora Speedway was slated for this week. Sadly, as a Canadian, that American-based program was not be broadcast on this side of the border, or any truck race for that matter. All was not lost. TSN, our version of ESPN, was slated to run a NASCAR event the same night. It was the Canadian Tire series, from Wetaskiwin, Alberta. A race run nearly two weeks ago and won by 43-year old Scott Steckly from Milverton, Ontario. It was his second win in the six races run to date and he leads the season standings. You might not care. You might not even be Canadian. You might have been stuck having to watch that dirt race broadcast on live television from Iowa. Oh, well, such are the trials and tribulations of being American, I guess.

    This Sunday, NASCAR is back on my television, but not from Wetaskiwin, a place where I understand cars cost less than in, say, Edmonton. No, this Sunday the event is something called the Brickyard 400, from a place called Indianapolis. You might have heard of it.

    In the meantime, as a Canadian, please allow me to politely submit this week’s Hot 20…

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4 WINS (646 Points)
    He and Chad are free agents at the end of the season. Could anyone tempt them?

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (734 Points)
    Disaster struck in the pits…so the best he could do was third. Third. Oh, the humanity!

    3. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2 WINS (655 Points)
    Junior was hot last week. Okay, more like p.o.’d, to use the vernacular.

    4. KURT BUSCH – 2 WINS (576 Points)
    The forgotten Busch? Little brothers can be so attention getting.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (665 Points)
    It is so good to be a Penske guy right now.

    6. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (628 Points)
    Some guys got the breaks in New Hampshire, other guys were named Truex.

    7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN (603 Points)
    Best damn driver in recent weeks not named Kyle Busch.

    8. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (578 Points)
    It is a good thing they do not hand out demerits for speeding…on pit road.

    9. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (552 Points)
    Hamlin wins Saturday, upsets Austin, but why in hell were either racing in the minor league?

    10. CARL EDWARDS – 1 WIN (487 Points)
    The big difference between Clint and Carl is a single checkered flag.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 574 POINTS
    Jamie had a lousy day. Still, Bowyer’s was even worse.

    12. JEFF GORDON – 573 POINTS
    Five Indianapolis wins, including just one year ago. Why not six?

    13. KASEY KAHNE – 538 POINTS
    Presently a Chase contender, but best title comes in October…a new dad.

    14. RYAN NEWMAN – 530 POINTS
    Eleventh at New Hampshire means some breathing room heading to Indianapolis.

    15. PAUL MENARD – 528 POINTS
    Fail inspection once, you get a letter. If it happens again this week, they get penalized.

    16. ARIC ALMIROLA – 502 POINTS
    Thanks, Clint!

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 500 POINTS
    Failed inspection, runs into Gordon outside the garage, then car fades to irrelevance in the race.

    18. GREG BIFFLE – 437 POINTS
    If NASCAR had the same rules as MLB, Biffle should demand to be traded by the deadline.

    19. AUSTIN DILLON – 434 POINTS
    Has an idea as to where he would love to shove the XFINITY checkered flag after last Saturday.

    20. CASEY MEARS – 427 POINTS
    #13 proves to be a good number as Casey signs up for another season with Germain Racing.

  • Casey Mears Undertakes Different Mission at Dover Air Force Base

    Casey Mears Undertakes Different Mission at Dover Air Force Base

    Instead of his usual mission to make it to Victory Lane, Casey Mears and his entire No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet Germain Racing team went on a different kind of mission aboard a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III.

    The group accompanied members of the US Air Force from Dover Air Force base on a complex refueling mission that also included an assault landing as well as a cargo drop.

    Mears became interested in the Air Force mission after his race crew went in the spring for a tour of the Dover Air Force base.

    “Last year in the spring, the guys had a good opportunity to go there to the base and really enjoyed the tour of the C-5s and the C-17s,” Mears said. “They all came back with a huge impression and really enjoyed it.”

    “So, going back when we had an opportunity to do this, it was something that I wanted to go try,” Mears continued. “It was more on a whim than anything, but what a great opportunity. I think anytime you do something like that it allows you to appreciate even more what those men and women in the Air Force do for us.”

    “Just seeing how they prepare to do what they do and to be on an actual training flight with them was pretty interesting,” Mears said. “They made good use of everything that was going on in the cockpit. You could tell that they were learning and keeping up to speed on their task as well. It was fun to see them in the heat of the moment really performing something that seemed pretty difficult.”

    Mears acknowledged that his mission in his Sprint Cup car bore some similarities to the mission of the US Air Force 436th Airlift Wing group.

    “I would just say that the technical aspect is similar,” Mears said. “The mindset and the approach to what they do is very diligent, which is what we have to do as far as being very prepared. They have checklists like we have checklists. It was way more detailed than ours and longer.”

    “There were a lot of procedures that they had to go through,” Mears continued. “Watching them fly the plane, how they worked the throttle, looking at the tools they have to have the best possible outcome, we do a lot of the same things.”

    “We are constantly fine-tuning what we do just like them, making small adjustments that make a big difference,” Mears said. “To watch their hands on the controls as they were trying to get up to the fueling tanker, it was very, very small movements. Then when they were done, you could see how stressful it really was. They made it look seamless but you could tell that it was a very, very difficult maneuver to do. When they got done, they were relaxing their hands and wiping a little sweat from their brows. It was because they were very focused and not nervous and I could definitely relate to that. Everything we do, like them, is under the gun.”

    While many maneuvers were practiced and observed on the Air Force mission, Mears was most taken with the refueling procedure.

    “I think for sure the act of accomplishing the mid-air refueling was the most impressive thing. The plane, the tools, the stuff that they utilize are all stuff that is of interest to us,” Mears said. “We are after the same thing as lighter is faster. The way they built that aircraft, there was nothing extra on it and it was as light as they could make it to be as efficient as they can and carry the biggest loads that they can. We’re pretty versed on what it takes to do that because we’re always trying to make our race cars lighter. For sure, the actual act of trying to plug in and receive the fuel was pretty intense and impressive for sure.”

    Mears was also impressed with the team aspect of the Air Force mission and, in fact, held a bit of his own team meeting aboard the C-17 to debrief with his crew.

    “What happened was that it was pretty loud in the base of the plane so as everyone was getting ready to cycle up and watch the refueling, we took the opportunity to get together and share what they just saw,” Mears said. “We were talking about the details of it, how close it was, the turbulence you felt as you got closer to the other plane.”

    “We were impressed with how technical that was and how difficult that is and the teamwork that it took on our plane as well as on the other plane,” Mears continued. “The collective team that it took was amazing. There was a lot of strategy and communication back and forth, which we can relate to that because that is how we live is on the radio at the race track.”

    Mears did take away some lessons from his Air Force mission that he intends to apply to his race team.

    “The one thing that I think you can always learn from the military is how organized they are,” Mears said. “There isn’t really a check list that is too long. You can’t double and triple check too much. I think that very many times in our sport, when there is a mistake with the car or something procedurally with what we do, it is simply something that was overlooked.”

    “Whether it was a part that wasn’t tightened down going into the race or a tape that wasn’t studied well enough before we went into the next event, there is no replacing being prepared,” Mears continued. “I think that is one thing the military does a good job of.”

    “They are also very clear on the radio,” Mears said. “There wasn’t one time on the radio where I second-guessed what somebody was saying. You knew this guy meant this.”

    “I think a lot of times in our sport, as clear as we are, there can be a lot of slang, personality that comes out over the radio. And at times that can cause confusion and you kind of go ‘did he mean this or did he mean that?’ Mears continued. “On the radio, the things they did and said were very, very clear. I guess organization, being precise and being clear are all things that I took away from that that were important.”

    Mears summarized his Air Force mission with just one word, impressive.

    “It was just impressive,” Mears said. “It’s easy to be on the ground and say we’re going to go up on this plane to do a mid-air refueling and you think that sounds like a lot of fun. And in your mind, you think those planes must have to get pretty close and that must be pretty difficult but when you witness it first-hand like we did and having the fueling plane be as close as it was, you realize just how technical it was.”

    “It was so impressive to see them do their job as efficiently as they did.”