Month: July 2020

Go Bowling and Stewart-Haas Racing Gear Up for NASCAR Races at Daytona and Richmond

Championship-Winning NASCAR Team and Drivers Aric Almirola and Chase Briscoe Promote Go Bowling America League Program

Go Bowling, the consumer-facing brand of the bowling industry, is utilizing its longstanding partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) to promote its Go Bowling America league program to consumers across the United States during the Go Bowling 235 NASCAR Cup Series race Aug. 16 on the road course at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and the Go Bowling 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race Sept. 11 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway.

Go Bowling will leverage SHR’s presence in the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series by being the primary sponsor of driver Aric Almirola and the No. 10 Ford Mustang at Daytona before adorning the No. 98 Ford Mustang of Chase Briscoe four weeks later at Richmond.

The Go Bowling America league program focuses on bringing families, young adults and kids alike back to the lanes in a healthy and safe fashion, as centers around the country have implemented strict measures to ensure the wellness of its employees and customers who come to bowl. Go Bowling, in conjunction with its industry partners, has introduced detailed safety protocols to the thousands of U.S. bowling centers that include social distancing recommendations, use of PPE where required, and guidelines for sanitizing balls and shoes, as well as other equipment in the facility. Additionally, the Go Bowling America league program provides every bowler who joins at a participating bowling center with their very own, brand-new bowling ball to minimize shared contact.

“Our partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing has proven to be very effective at reinforcing the bowling brand among consumers, many of whom are also fans of NASCAR,” said John Harbuck, president of Strike Ten Entertainment, the marketing arm of the bowling industry. “Specifically amid this COVID-19 era, we’re highlighting the cleanliness of our bowling facilities and the safety protocols we have in place to ensure customers are able to stay healthy and safe while enjoying themselves in a fun and welcoming environment.”

Almirola is a two-time winner in the NASCAR Cup Series and is enjoying a career year, currently punctuated by a streak of eight straight top-10 finishes. Briscoe has already locked himself into the NASCAR Playoffs thanks to a series-best five wins.

“Bowling and racing line up well together,” said Almirola, who has represented Go Bowling since 2013. “It’s a great team-building sport that we’ve used at Stewart-Haas Racing, but it’s also something you can do with your family and friends, regardless of age or experience. Bowling has always been the crowd pleaser in the Almirola household.”

“When you’re pouring all your time, effort and money into racing, bowling has always been a nice, affordable way to sort of get away and hit the reset button,” Briscoe added. “If our race got rained out, we’d head to the local bowling alley and have some fun. That’s where we hung out with all our racing buddies when I was coming up through sprint cars, and it’s still where we go now that I’m in NASCAR. I’m always up for hitting the lanes and knocking down some pins.”  

About GoBowling.com:
GoBowling.com is the destination for bowling fans and enthusiasts seeking news and information about one of America’s favorite pastimes and the nation’s No. 1 participatory sport. With more than 67 million people taking to the lanes every year, GoBowling.com is a one-stop location where people of all ages can go to satisfy their love of bowling. Consumers turn to GoBowling.com every day to find bowling fun – discovering new bowling centers, tips and tricks to use on the lanes, event news, and great deals at more than 1,700 family-friendly bowling centers across the country. 

About Strike Ten Entertainment:
Headquartered in Arlington, Texas, Strike Ten Entertainment (STE) is the centralized sponsor-activation arm of the bowling industry. STE serves all of the organizations of bowling by coordinating the industry’s sales and marketing efforts. Its mission is to increase national awareness of bowling and to assist the bowling industry in developing new bowlers and increasing the frequency of existing bowlers each year through promotions, publicity and industry-wide marketing initiatives. For more information, visit www.stemarketing.com. 

About Stewart-Haas Racing:

Stewart-Haas Racing is the title-winning NASCAR team co-owned by three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation – the largest CNC machine tool builder in North America. The Kannapolis, North Carolina-based organization has won two NASCAR Cup Series titles, one NASCAR Xfinity Series championship and more than 80 NASCAR races, including such crown-jewel events as the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and Southern 500. For more information, please visit us online at www.StewartHaasRacing.com, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/StewartHaasRacing, on Twitter at @StewartHaasRcng, on Instagram at @StewartHaasRacing and on YouTube at www.YouTube.com/StewartHaasRacing.

 

COLE CUSTER – 2020 New Hampshire | Race Advance

After taking last weekend off, the NASCAR Cup Series season returns to action this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, where Cole Custer and the No. 41 HaasTooling.com team will race in Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 in his 23rd career Cup Series start.

The New England market has some of the most passionate motorsports fans, and the “The Magic Mile” is usually packed with racing each day from Modified cars to the Cup Series. Unfortunately, the schedule is abbreviated this weekend due to COVID-19 restrictions. However, with New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu’s approval, a limited number of fans will be allowed to watch Sunday’s 318-mile event live from the grandstands.

New Hampshire is the site of Custer’s first NASCAR national series win. He won the September 2014 Gander RV & Outdoor Truck Series race for not only his first big win, but a record-setting one as he became the youngest winner in the series at just 16 years, 7 months, and 28 days old. Custer started on the pole, led 148 laps and won the race by a 1.148-second margin while driving the No. 00 entry. In addition to his first win, Custer also has two other starts in the Truck Series at New Hampshire.

The HaasTooling.com driver also has three New Hampshire outings in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at New Hampshire, with one pole award and one runner-up finish, both in July of last year. All three ended with top-10 finishes.

With Custer’s Cup Series July 12 win at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, he became one of 10 drivers who have won in each of NASCAR’s top three national series, as well as in ARCA and NASCAR’s developmental K&N Pro Series.

Last Thursday night at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Custer started 24th and battled a loose-handling Mustang but ultimately finished seventh. The result marked his fourth top-10 of the season.

Team co-owner Gene Haas’ newest holding, Haas Tooling, was launched as a way for CNC machinists to purchase high quality cutting tools at great prices. Haas’ cutting tools are sold exclusively online at HaasTooling.com and shipped directly to end users. Beginning July 1, HaasTooling.com products became available nationally. The cutting tools available for purchase at HaasTooling.com are even more important during the current COVID-19 pandemic as CNC machines have become vital to producing personal protective equipment.

There are seven races left in the regular season before the playoffs start Sept. 6 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, and Custer’s win at Kentucky earned him one of the coveted playoff spots. He currently holds a playoff spot along with SHR teammate Kevin Harvick, who has multiple wins this season.

In 62 starts at New Hampshire, SHR has five victories – team co-owner Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman both in 2011, and Harvick with a trio of wins in 2016, 2018 and 2019. In total at the Granite State track, SHR has 15 top-fives, 27 top-10s and 1,166 laps led.

Haas Automation, founded by Haas in 1983, is America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools. The company manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers and rotary tables and indexers. All Haas products are constructed in the company’s 1.1-million-square-foot manufacturing facility in Oxnard, California, and distributed through a worldwide network of Haas Factory Outlets.

Even though Custer had a trio of starts in the Cup Series in 2018, 2020 officially marks his Rookie of the Year campaign in NASCAR’s most prestigious series. He’s competing for rookie honors with notables Christopher Bell and Tyler Reddick. The three have battled against each other in the Xfinity Series and are making the full-time transition to the Cup Series together. Custer is the first of the 2020 rookie class to earn a win this season.

Cole Custer: Driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

New Hampshire is the site of your first big win back in the Truck Series in 2014. What does it feel like to have come so far, now?

“It feels good to be where I am today. Back when I was 16 and won that race, I really had no clue what I was doing when it came to stuff outside of the truck, like media. I’m much more comfortable now. It’s almost hard for me to believe that this is where I’m at and how much has changed in the last few years.”

What do you think about the live lobster that New Hampshire gives the winner as a trophy?

“I think it’s a cool trophy because it’s so unique. I haven’t put a ton of thought into what I might do with it yet. I like to eat crustaceans but I’m not sure what I would do with that gigantic lobster. I hear the big lobsters don’t actually taste very good. If I win it, then I’ll have to decide.”

Now that we’re more than halfway through the season and you have one win under your belt, do you feel like you are where you want to be as part of the rookie class?

“At the start of the year, I felt a little bit behind. I don’t think I caught on to the car as quick as the other rookies. I feel much better now with where I’m at. It’s been fun to move up with this group of guys though. We’re all friendly and all good at different things. Tyler (Reddick) is really good at running the top line, and I’m good at a different things, so it has been neat to see how everyone has progressed.”

CLINT BOWYER – 2020 New Hampshire | Race Advance

It’s been a while since Clint Bowyer carried the Haas Automation decals on his No. 14 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), but he’ll get the chance once again Sunday when the NASCAR Cup Series races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon.

Both of Bowyer’s Cup Series victories since joining SHR in 2017 came driving the red-and-black Haas paint scheme. He led 215 laps on his way to dominating and winning the March 2018 race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, then led just eight laps in June 2018 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, posting his 10th career and most recent victory.

“Those Haas Automation decals must be pretty fast,” said Bowyer, who last raced a Haas liveried Ford in June last year.

Haas Automation, owned by SHR co-owner Gene Haas, is America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools. Founded by Haas in 1983, Haas Automation manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers and rotary tables and indexers. All Haas products are built in the company’s 1.1 million-square-foot manufacturing facility in Oxnard, California, and distributed through a worldwide network of Haas Factory Outlets.

“It’s nice to do well for the ‘Boss Man’s’ company,” Bowyer said. “Gene does so much for us at Stewart-Haas Racing and racing in general, whether it’s here in NASCAR or Formula One. I’d love nothing more than to get another trip to victory lane in one of his cars.”

Bowyer could use a victory. He arrives in New Hampshire 12th in the season’s point standing after a 14th-place finish at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City last Thursday night. He is 14th in the playoff standings with a 42-point cushion over the final transfer spot into the 16-driver playoff field. A win at New Hampshire secures a spot in NASCAR’s postseason, but a good run helps in padding his points cushion.

Few  places have shown Bowyer the hospitality like the “Magic Mile” has over his 16-year Cup Series career.

Two of Bowyer’s 10 career victories and one of his two poles have come on the flat mile oval, including his first Cup Series victory in 2007.

Bowyer affectionately calls the New Hampshire track that’s celebrating its 30th anniversary this season “a big Martinsville.”

“I love New Hampshire,” he said. “That place just fits my driving style. We don’t get up to that part of the country a lot, so it’s good to see the race fans there. They have so many tracks and they love their racing, from Modified to Late Models to our stuff.”

A look at Bowyer’s record makes it easy to understand why he likes racing in the Granite State.

At the September 2007 race weekend, he earned his second career pole Friday, then led 222 of 300 laps Sunday en route to his maiden Cup Series win. Attrition played no role in the victory as, for the first time in the sport’s modern era, the entire 43-car field finished the race.

Fast-forward to September 2010, when Bowyer started second and led the most laps before fading back. A series of caution periods put him behind now-boss Tony Stewart during the closing laps. With both drivers trying to nurse their sputtering fuel tanks to the finish, Bowyer found himself in position to pounce when Stewart’s tank ran dry a lap from the checkered flag.

It was Bowyer’s turn to run out of gas with two laps remaining in the September 2011 race at New Hampshire, giving the victory to – you guessed it – Tony Stewart.

“We still laugh about running out of gas and giving each other the victories,” Bowyer said, “whether it’s fuel mileage or those late restarts where everyone starts beating and banging. It seems like there is always an interesting finish there.”

Bowyer has made quite the impression on New Hampshire, as well.

Then-Gov. Maggie Hassan declared Sept. 5, 2013 “Rockin’ with Clint Day” in New Hampshire. Bowyer took her for a burnout, used a 250-foot crane to dig up a personalized, 7,500-pound piece of granite at a local quarry, and took part in a rock-climbing race.

“There aren’t many states where I’ve gotten to do burnouts with the governor,” Bowyer said with a laugh.

With approval from now-Gov. Chris Sununu, New Hampshire Motor Speedway plans to allow fans to attend Sunday’s race. The grandstands and suites at the Loudon track will be open to fans with social-distancing requirements and other health protocols in place. The number of fans will be limited, however the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 is still expected to be the largest fan event in New England since the onset of the pandemic.

“I hope we can put on a good show for the fans this Sunday,” Bowyer said. “These folks deserve a good race. I’d like to win and hold that big lobster up in victory lane.”

He’ll have the right paint scheme for the pictures.

CLINT BOWYER, Driver of the No. 14 Haas Automation Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

What is the secret to getting into the playoffs?

“It is all about the racecars and making them as fast as possible. That goes for aerodynamics, having the right setup underneath with (computer) simulation and everything. Everything has to be perfect. It is so much more competitive than when I came into this sport. You can’t have a down area. You can’t have a weak link. It is all across the board that you have to be 100-percent perfect.”

You were a commentator on FOX Xfinity broadcasts this season. Is that something you are interested in pursuing in the future?

“I’m a racecar driver man. I love doing the broadcasts and things like that but, you know, I think that time will come and I don’t know when that’ll be. I want to race and I want to be in a racecar. I love competing. I love being pissed off at the end of the race. I love being happy at the end of the race. I love that adrenaline of lining up next to that guy and wondering how in the hell you’re going to come off the turn two ahead of him and that’s a feeling that can’t be replaced.

“That being said, I feel like I really have appreciated the relationship with FOX this year. I feel like that’s something. It’s not up to me whether that happens or not. It’s a ton of fun, I can tell you that. I mean, it’s relatively easy for me. I mean, everybody’s always asked, ‘How do you get up and do that.’ I mean, I don’t know. Let me get this straight, you want me to go up there and bench race with a bunch of my buddies and talk racing about a race, like I’ve done since I was 4 years old at the dinner table? That’s what you want me to go do? Yeah, I got that, I can handle that. It is a ton of fun and I have a huge amount of respect for everybody who puts on the production of our sports. And then you start looking at production, when you watch a football game or a baseball game, differently. Once you know how that product comes to play and what we see on television, it’s a whole different respect for all the individuals who make that happen, from the cameraman to the producers. The lead guys, like Adam Alexander, and Mike Joy, those guys are just crazy talented. They keep these maniacs who grew up racing and talk racing and doing that bench racing like we do up there, for those guys to get up there and to control all of that and to make that go smooth as silk is just amazing. So, yeah, I appreciate that. And, hopefully, that opportunity will come someday. I don’t know when that day will be.”

ARIC ALMIROLA – 2020 New Hampshire | Race Advance

Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Hometown Original Heroes Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, where he nearly won in 2018.

On July 22, 2018, the Smithfield driver battled adversity from the beginning of the race at New Hampshire when an issue with the right-front tire demoted him to 28th place in Stage 1. He worked his way back into contention in the final stage, when he led 42 laps and battled his teammate Kevin Harvick for the top spot. A caution flag on lap 257 sent Almirola to the pits for four tires and fuel. He restarted third and that’s where he finished the race behind the winning Harvick and runner-up Kyle Busch.

“I was extremely disappointed,” he said. “Even though we earned a top-five, we had the fastest car, hands down. I’m excited to go back to Loudon because the Smithfield No. 10 team and I have looked forward to getting back where we had a chance to win in 2018. We’ve been running up front each weekend, so there’s no reason we can’t get it done on Sunday.”

The 36-year-old Tampa, Florida native has the highest average finish in the series in the last eight races at 5.4, yet he is without a victory. This is Almirola’s best season to date and the first time in his career he has earned consecutive top-five finishes. His five top-fives are the most he’s had in any single season during his nine-year full-time Cup Series career.

Almirola is riding a string of eight consecutive top-10 finishes, the best of his career. He finished fifth June 14 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, third June 22 at Talladega, third June 27 at Pocono, fifth June 28 at Pocono, third July 5 at Indianapolis, eighth July 12 at Kentucky, 10th July 19 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, and sixth last Thursday at Kansas Speedway. His previous best streak was a run of six consecutive top-10s in 2019 that began with the second race at Atlanta Motor Speedway and lasted through the series’ seventh race at Texas.

The No. 10 Ford driver sits eighth in the playoff standings for his career-best points position after 19 races. In his first two seasons at SHR in 2018 and 2019, Almirola was 11th and 10th in the standings, respectively, after 19 races.

Almirola has career totals of two wins, two poles, 23 top-five finishes, 72 top-10s and 790 laps led in 335 starts. He has led a total of 218 laps this year at six different venues.

Almirola continues to provide fans with content from his documentary series Beyond the 10, where they can get VIP, behind-the-scenes access by subscribing to his YouTube channel. Episodes showcase never-before-seen footage of the Smithfield driver at the racetrack, on family trips, and “A Day in the Life” during the week, as well as all that goes into a NASCAR Cup Series driver’s season. Click here to subscribe on YouTube and watch the latest episode.

Almirola and his longtime partner Smithfield Foods have collaborated to honor frontline hometown heroes by showcasing a special paint scheme on the No. 10 Ford this weekend.

Smithfield looks to honor those who are putting their own health and safety at risk in a selfless act to protect and nourish others around them. The Smithfield “Hometown Original Heroes” program provides the opportunity for fans to share the stories of their own “Hometown Hero.” Be it a nurse, doctor, food worker, public servant or anyone who is on the frontlines each and every day, Smithfield and Almirola want to hear their stories and give.

To nominate a hometown hero, visit www.SmithfieldHometownHeroes.com and submit a one-minute video nominating the “Hometown Hero”. Ten heroes will be chosen to have their stories told and will have their names riding onboard the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang at a race during the NASCAR playoffs this fall. The heroes will also receive a VIP race day experience and full-year supply of Smithfield “Hometown Original” bacon.

Almirola has had New Hampshire on his calendar as a race he should have a win. This weekend, he’ll look to finally get it done with a visit to victory lane.

 

Aric Almirola: Driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

 

What do you like about going to New Hampshire Motor Speedway?

“It kind of takes you back to Saturday-night, short-track racing. It’s a mile track but it races like a short track. You go there and see the Modified division there and it makes you feel like when you were a kid and racing Late Models. It’s a fun track to race at and I’ve had some success there and I’ve run well there in the past.”

Are you satisfied with the results in the last two months?

“This Smithfield team continues to bounce back every weekend. Years ago we would do anything for consistent top-10 and top-five finishes, but now it’s just not enough. I’m looking forward to the next round of races where we’ve been good in the past and we’ll be ready to get this win.”

KEVIN HARVICK – 2020 New Hampshire | Race Advance

Kevin Harvick won the NASCAR Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon on July 22, 2018. He then won the race there on July 21, 2019.

He is hoping to make it three wins in a row during Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire and lift his victory total at the mile oval to five. He also scored victories there in September 2006 and 2016.

Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), is tied with his former Richard Childers Racing teammate Jeff Burton for most wins at the track with four.

If Harvick adds a win Sunday, it would be his 54th in the Cup Series, which would put him tie him at 11th on the all-time list with NASCAR Hall of Famer Lee Petty.

In addition to his four wins at New Hampshire, Harvick has 12 top-five finishes, 20 top-10s, one pole and he’s led a total of 759 laps in his 36 career Cup Series starts there. His average New Hampshire start is 12.9, his average finish is 12.8 and he has completed 10,482 of 10,690 laps of competition.

In the NASCAR Xfinity Series at New Hampshire, Harvick has 12 career starts with one win, nine top-fives, 11 top-10s and three poles. He scored his victory from the pole in June 2007. And in six NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series outings at New Hampshire, Harvick has finished in top-15 each time with three top-threes.

This weekend, Harvick will again have the help of Mobil 1 on board as a sponsor and partner.

Mobil 1 isn’t just the world’s leading synthetic motor oil brand, it also provides the entire SHR team with leading lubricant technology, ensuring that all SHR Mustangs have a competitive edge over the competition on the track. In its 18th consecutive season as the “Official Motor Oil of NASCAR,” Mobil 1 is used by more than 50 percent of teams throughout NASCAR’s top three series.

Harvick arrives at New Hampshire first in the NASCAR Cup Series standings with 763 points, 97 markers ahead of second-place Brad Keselowski. He’s led the points since the conclusion of the March 8 race at Phoenix Raceway and will look to extend that with a solid performance in The Granite State.

KEVIN HARVICK, Driver of the No. 4 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

Could you comment on winning three of the last five at New Hampshire and tying Jeff Burton’s record?

“Yeah, this place has been really good to us, and I think Rodney (Childers, crew chief) and I probably feel like we should have – could have – won them all. But it’s been a racetrack that has been really good for us from a performance standpoint. And I think, from a confidence standpoint, being able to adjust on the car and know what we’re looking for, I think this is definitely a racetrack where a lot of those things came into play, and we used a lot of the same things that we’ve used in the past as far as tools of how we make our car go around the corner. I think obviously it’s been a great racetrack for us.”

On pit road after the race last year, Denny (Hamlin) said he didn’t want to “do you dirty,” and he could have dumped you. How much of that was going through your mind, that he could have dumped you?

“I mean, look, he took his shot. And I think at that point, it’s kind of, ‘Do whatever you have to do.’ It’s the last lap. And I think he thought he was going to move me up out of the groove, and I don’t think he expected for me to be in the middle of the racetrack and be on the brakes and all those things. There was just a lot of scenarios there. When you look at moving Kyle (Busch in 2018) up and out of the groove, I don’t think he expected to be up out of the groove at that particular point in time, and I think he did what he had to do. It’s just like 2018, like I didn’t want to dump Kyle, I wanted to move him out of the groove and try to win the race, and I think that’s what Denny was trying to do. We raced hard and tried to do each other as good as we could and still not sell our teams short. But I’ve been in position where I’ve dumped somebody, and it doesn’t work out well for you as you go through the end of the year.”

What does it take to be successful at Loudon?

“I’d say the most important thing at Loudon is track position, just because it’s hard to pass. You want to be up front and on the right strategy no matter what you do. If the caution flag falls in the wrong spot and you lose track position, it usually becomes a longer day than it could have been.”

Why do your prefer Mobil 1 synthetic?

“I’m a synthetic guy because, in 1993 when we were sitting in the engine shop, we dumped Mobil 1 synthetic in and that’s all we did and gained seven horsepower. From that day on, we would actually save our money and then go to the local auto parts store because, at that time, it was like $5.50 a quart and the conventional and other oils were like $3.50. At the big races, we would put the Mobil 1 in the car and the regular races would put the regular oil in there. You know I’m going to say synthetic.”

CHASE BRISCOE – 2020 Kansas I Race Report

Event:  Kansas Lottery 250 (Round 17 of 33)
Series:  NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location:  Kansas Speedway in Kansas City (1.5-mile oval)
Format:  167 laps, broken into three stages (40 laps/40 laps/87 laps)
Start/Finish:  6th/14th(Running, completed 175 of 175 laps)
Point Standing:  2nd (718 points, four out of first)
Note:  Race extended eight laps past its scheduled 167-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.

Race Winner:  Brandon Jones of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner:  Austin Cindric of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 2 Winner:  Austin Cindric of Team Penske (Ford)

Overview:

Despite a 14th-place finish Saturday at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Chase Briscoe proved to be a top-10 mainstay in the Kansas Lottery 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race. The driver of the No. 98 Ford Performance Racing School Mustang started sixth in the 37-car field and was well on his way to his 14th top-10 of the season until he brushed the wall on the penultimate lap while racing three-wide for sixth. Even with substantial damage to the right side of his No. 98 Ford Mustang, Briscoe was able to make it across the stripe as the last driver on the lead lap.

Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 98 Ford Performance Racing School Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:      

“On the last restart as we were three-wide, I just lost the nose of the Ford Performance Racing School Mustang and got in the wall. It’s unfortunate and it’s definitely not the day we wanted to have, but there are still plenty of races left. We learned a lot that we’ll be able to use when we come back during the playoffs in a few months.”

Notes:              

● Briscoe finished seventh in Stage 2 to earn four bonus points.
● Brandon Jones won the Kansas Lottery 250 to score his third career Xfinity Series victory, his second of the season and his second at Kansas. His margin of victory over second-place Austin Cindric was .405 of a second
● There were five caution periods for a total of 22 laps.
● Only 14 of the 37 drivers in the Kansas Lottery 250 finished on the lead lap.
● Cindric leaves Kansas as the championship leader with a four-point advantage over Briscoe.

Next Up:          

The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the Henry 180 Aug. 8 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The race begins at 12 p.m. EDT with coverage on NBCSN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

KEVIN HARVICK – 2020 Kansas I Race Report

Event: Super Start Batteries 400 (Round 19 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Kansas Speedway in Kansas City (1.5-mile oval)
Format: 267 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/80 laps/107 laps)
Start/Finish: 1st/4th (Running, completed 267 of 267 laps)
Point Standing: (1st with 763 points, 97 points ahead of Brad Keselowski)

Race Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Brad Keselowski of Team Penske (Ford)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-80):

● Kevin Harvick started first and finished seventh and earned four bonus points.
● The No. 4 Busch Light Apple Ford Mustang was very tight early on and Harvick pitted for four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment.
● Said car was just too tight the entire stage.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 81-160):

● Kevin Harvick started fifth and finished sixth and earned five bonus points.
● The No. 4 Busch Light Apple Ford Mustang pitted on lap 83 for four tires, fuel and a tire pressure adjustment. The team put tape on the grill.
● On lap 101, Harvick pitted for four tires and fuel. Was in sixth-place.
● The cars handling was still not all that good.
● On lap 144, Harvick pitted for four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment. The car was still loose.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 161-267):

● Kevin Harvick started seventh and finished fourth.
● The No. 4 Busch Light Apple Ford Mustang pitted on lap 167 for four tires, fuel and a tire pressure adjustment.
● On lap 197, Harvick pitted for four tires and fuel.
● Harvick pitted on lap 236 for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment. Came in eight, and left in fifth.
● Harvick took the lead with less than 20 laps to go, but his handling faded toward the end and he finished fourth.

Notes:

●  Denny Hamlin won the Super Start Batteries 400 to score his 42nd career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his fifth of the season and his third at Kansas. His margin of victory over second-place Brad Keselowski was .510 of a second.
●  There were 11 caution periods for a total of 47 laps.
●  Only 18 of the 40 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
●  Harvick remains the championship leader after Kansas with a 97-point advantage over second-place Keselowski.
●  Harvick earned his series-leading 12th top-five and 16th top-10 of the season, and his ninth top-five and 16th top-10 in 29 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas.
●  This was Harvick’s sixth straight top-five and his seventh consecutive top-10. He finished 10th June 22 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, won June 27 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, finished second on June 28 in the series’ return to Pocono, won the July 5 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, finished fourth July 12 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, and finished fifth last Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.
●  This was Harvick’s second straight top-10 at Kansas. He finished ninth in the series’ previous visit to the track last October.
●  Harvick has finished among the top-10 in 16 of the 19 races held this year. He has only one finish outside the top-15.
●  Since joining SHR in 2014, Harvick has only one finish outside the top-15 at Kansas, and it was a 16th-place finish in October 2015. It’s a run that includes two victories (October 2016 and May 2018).
●  Harvick’s nine top-fives at Kansas are tied with Jimmie Johnson for the most among active NASCAR Cup Series drivers.
●  Harvick finished seventh in Stage 1 to earn four bonus points and sixth in Stage 2 to earn five more bonus points.
●  Harvick led twice for nine laps to increase his laps-led total at Kansas to 864, the most among active NASCAR Cup Series drivers.
●  Harvick has now led 10,308 laps since joining SHR in 2014. He has led 14,734 laps in his entire NASCAR Cup Series career.

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Apple Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“We didn’t have a very good night with our Busch Light Apple Ford Mustang. It just wouldn’t turn in the corners and it was dead sideways on the exit of the corner and I was able to have a couple of good restarts there and we got to the lead, but we just went dead sideways there after about four or five laps. So we were just holding on and hoping for another restart because we could run for a couple laps, but that was about it.”

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 on Sunday, Aug. 2 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. The race starts at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

ARIC ALMIROLA – 2020 Kansas I Race Report

Event: Super Start Batteries 400 (Round 19 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Kansas Speedway in Kansas City (1.5-mile oval)
Format: 267 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/80 laps/107 laps)
Start/Finish: 3rd/6th (Running, completed 267 of 267 laps)
Point Standing: 8th (576 points, 187 out of first)

Race Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Brad Keselowski of Team Penske (Ford)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-80):

●  Aric Almirola started third and finished eighth to earn three bonus points.
●  The No. 10 Smithfield Ford driver said his car was tight to start the stage and became looser towards the end.
●  He pitted under the competition caution for four tires, fuel and adjustments to restart 10th.
●  Almirola gained two more positions and pitted at the end of the stage for four more tires and fuel.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 81-160):

●  Almirola started ninth and finished third to earn eight bonus points.
●  Almirola was caught in traffic on the restart and quickly raced his was back in the top-10.
●  On lap 141, he pitted from seventh place for four tires, fuel and adjustments to help the turn in the corners.
●  He restarted eighth and gained five spots on the restart.
●  Almirola pitted at the end of the stage for four tires, fuel and air pressure adjustments.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 161-267):

●  Almirola started eighth and finished sixth.
●  Almirola fell back to 15th after a pit stop for four tires and fuel on lap 196.
●  He ran in and around the top-10 until he pitted under caution on lap 233 for four tires, fuel and adjustments.
●  The No. 10 Smithfield Ford driver battled his way through the field to finish just outside the top-five before the checkered flag waved.

Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“We’ve got some work to do before we come back here in the playoffs, but another top-10 is great after we bounced back from running 16th. This Smithfield team continues to bounce back every weekend. Years ago we would do anything for consistent top-10 and top-five finishes, but now it’s just not enough. I’m looking forward to the next round of races where we’ve been good at in the past and we’ll be ready to get this win.”

Notes:

●  Almirola earned his 11th top-10 of the season and his seventh top-10 in 17 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas.
●  This was Almirola’s eighth straight top-10, and it is the longest top-10 streak of his career. He finished fifth June 14 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, third June 22 at Talladega, third June 27 at Pocono, fifth June 28 at Pocono, third July 5 at Indianapolis, eighth July 12 at Kentucky, and 10th last Sunday at Texas. His previous best streak was a run of six consecutive top-10s in 2019 that began with the second race at Atlanta Motor Speedway and lasted through the series’ seventh race at Texas.
●  Since joining SHR in 2018, Almirola has only one finish outside the top-15 at Kansas. He has finished in the top-10 three times.
●  Almirola’s sixth-place result bettered his previous best finish at Kansas – eighth, earned twice – April 2013 and May 2014.
●  Denny Hamlin won the Super Start Batteries 400 to score his 42nd career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his fifth of the season and his third at Kansas. His margin of victory over second-place Brad Keselowski was .510 of a second.
●  There were 11 caution periods for a total of 47 laps.
●  Only 18 of the 40 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
●  Kevin Harvick remains the championship leader after Kansas with a 97-point advantage over second-place Keselowski.

Next Up: 

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 on Sunday, Aug. 2 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. The race starts at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

CLINT BOWYER – 2020 Kansas I Race Report

Event: Super Start Batteries 400 (Round 19 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Kansas Speedway in Kansas City (1.5-mile oval)
Format: 267 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/80 laps/107 laps)
Start/Finish: 19th/14th (Running, completed 267 of 267 laps)
Point Standing: 12th with 484 points, 279 out of first

Race Winner:      Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner:  Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner:  Brad Keselowski of Team Penske (Ford)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-80):

● Clint Bowyer started 19th and finished 16th.
● Bowyer held his position until the lap-20 competition caution telling the crew his car was very loose.
● A quick pit stop by the One Cure Ford crew returned Bowyer to the track in 14th for the restart.
● Bowyer’s handling issues continued as he dropped to 16th when the stage ended.
● During the stage break, the crew continued to make handling adjustments.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 81-160):

● Bowyer started 13th and finished 21st.
● The One Cure No. 14 was “really loose” as Bowyer dropped to 24th by the lap-115 mark.
● Bowyer pitted during a caution on lap 140 for major handling changes and restarted 26th.
● Bowyer climbed back to 21st before the stage ended..

Final Stage Recap (Laps 161-267):

● Bowyer started 19th and finished 14th.
● The No. 14 escaped major damage in a five-car accident with 90 laps remaining.
● Bowyer pitted for right front fender repairs and restarted the race in 25th with 86 laps remaining.
● Bowyer dodged another multicar wreck on the restart. The race resumed with 82 to go and Bowyer in 18th.
● A third accident of the stage brought out the caution with 71 laps remaining. Bowyer pitted and restarted 14th.
● Bowyer broke into the top-10 with 67 laps remaining.
● A blown engine brought the field to pitlane where Bowyer took four tires and restarted the race in 10th with 28 to go.
● After another caution, Bowyer stayed on the track and restarted in 12th with 22 laps left.
● Bowyer fell to 14th in the final sprint to the finish.

Notes:

● By moving to 12th in the point standings, Bowyer will start in the top 12 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon on Aug. 2.
● This was Bowyer’s second consecutive top-15. He finished 11th last Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.
● This was Bowyer’s fifth straight top-15 at Kansas. He finished eighth last October and fifth in May 2019.
● Since joining SHR in 2017, Bowyer has only finished outside the top-15 once at Kansas.
● Denny Hamlin won the Super Start Batteries 400 to score his 42nd career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his fifth of the season and his third at Kansas. His margin of victory over second-place Brad Keselowski was .510 of a second.
● There were 11 caution periods for a total of 47 laps.
● Only 18 of the 40 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
● Kevin Harvick remains the championship leader after Kansas with a 97-point advantage over second-place Keselowski.

Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 14 One Cure Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“Man, we were so loose in the first two stages. We worked hard on it and got it better in the final stage. I don’t know how the heck I didn’t wreck in that (Lap 177) big wreck. We got some damage then we dodged a couple more (wrecks) after that. It was a tough race, but nobody on our One Cure team gave up and our pit crew helped us out a bunch tonight. It’s good to be back in the top-12 in points. That will help our qualifying spot in New Hampshire. It’s always good to be back home in Kansas. I just wish we could have had the fans here tonight. We really missed them and ready to get them back to the track.”

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 on Sunday, Aug. 2 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. The race starts at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

COLE CUSTER – 2020 Kansas I Race Report

Event: Super Start Batteries 400 (Round 19 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Kansas Speedway in Kansas City (1.5-mile oval)
Format: 267 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/80 laps/107 laps)
Start/Finish: 24th/7th (Running, completed 267 of 267 laps)
Point Standing: 19th with 352 points, 411 out of first

Race Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Brad Keselowski of Team Penske (Ford)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-80):             

● Cole Custer started 24th and finished 19th.
● On lap 20, Custer reported his HaasTooling.com Mustang was “too free on entry and exit,” while running 17th.
● During the lap-25 competition caution, Custer pitted from 16th for fuel, four tires and adjustments.
● Custer restarted 28th on lap 30, and on lap 48 he reported his Ford Mustang was still too loose in the 19th spot.
● During the Stage 1 break, Custer pitted from 19th for fuel, four tires and adjustments.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 81-160):

● Custer started in 16th and finished 24th.
● On lap 91, Custer was in the 13th position.
● Under caution on lap 99, the California native pitted from 12th for fuel, four tires and adjustments to help with his loose condition.
● On lap 110, Custer reported his HaasTooling.com Mustang was “too tight on the bottom,” and slipped back to 18th.
● Another caution on lap 144 and Custer pitted from 17th after reporting his Mustang’s handling got worse that run. Restarted 19th.
● As the handling went away in the final laps of Stage 2, Custer fell to 24th.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 161-267):

● Custer started 22nd, finished seventh.
● Custer was running 17th when the caution was displayed on lap 171.
● Despite several cautions, Custer continued to work his way forward and reached the ninth position on lap 183.
● Custer reported his Mustang was too tight on lap 194 while running 11th under caution. He pitted and restarted 13th on lap 199.
● Pitted on lap 234 from 13th for fuel, four tires and adjustments. Restarted 12th on lap 240.
● Another caution occured on lap 243 with Custer in the 10th position and he didn’t pit.
● As the laps clicked off, Custer continued to work his way forward and ultimately finished seventh.

Notes:

● Custer earned his fourth top-10 of the season and it came in his first career NASCAR Cup Series start at Kansas.
● Custer was the highest finishing NASCAR Cup Series rookie.
● Custer made four career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Kansas prior to moving to the NASCAR Cup Series this year. His best finish was 11th, earned last October.
● Denny Hamlin won the Super Start Batteries 400 to score his 42nd career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his fifth of the season and his third at Kansas. His margin of victory over second-place Brad Keselowski was .510 of a second.
● There were 11 caution periods for a total of 47 laps.
● Only 18 of the 40 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
● Kevin Harvick remains the championship leader after Kansas with a 97-point advantage over second-place Keselowski.

Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“Thanks to the guys for fighting all day. It definitely wasn’t the prettiest day, but we made something of it. Right there at the end was the best I had been in the top groove all day. It feels good to get another top-10 and take a few days off before we go to New Hampshire next weekend.”

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 on Sunday, Aug. 2 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. The race starts at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.