Month: February 2024

Las Vegas 400 Pre-Race Report

Event: Las Vegas 400 (Round 3 of 36)

Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EST on Sunday, March 3

Location: Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Layout: 1.5-mile oval

Laps/Miles: 267 laps/400.5 miles

Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 85 laps / Final Stage: 102 laps

TV/Radio: FOX / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

SHR FAST FACTS

Josh Berry heads west to the Nevada Desert to take on the first true intermediate track on the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series schedule for Sunday’s Las Vegas 400. The 33-year-old Cup Series rookie is no stranger to speed at the 1.5-mile oval, hitting the jackpot and visiting victory lane twice in his six NASCAR Xfinity Series starts there. In September 2021, Berry started 15th, led 38 circuits, and took the checkered flag 4.398 seconds ahead of runner-up Justin Algaier. Berry’s second victory came in October 2021, when he started 12th, led 65 laps and beat now-Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) Cup Series teammate Noah Gragson by 1.125 seconds.

Noah Gragson is a Las Vegas native and the Las Vegas 400 NASCAR Cup Series race this Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway serves as a homecoming for the 25-year-old racer. After beginning his 2024 campaign with a strong ninth-place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500, where he was the highest-finishing Ford driver, Gragson is seeking a rebound at Las Vegas. In the series’ prior race last Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Gragson was caught up in a 16-car accident on just the second lap of the 260-lap contest, leaving him with an undeserved 36th-place finish and dropping the Stewart-Haas Racing pilot from 15th in the championship standings to 27th.

After finishing 10th in the season-opening Daytona 500, Chase Briscoe had momentum rolling into the year’s second race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver was on the cusp of his second career NASCAR Cup Series win last Sunday at Atlanta, consistently running among the top-five, oftentimes running side-by-side for the lead. But Briscoe’s bid for victory came undone 21 laps short of the finish when a struggling racecar ahead of him bunched up the cars around Briscoe’s No. 14 Ford Mustang, sending Briscoe spinning into the outside retaining wall. After qualifying ninth and running strong throughout the race, Briscoe was left with just a 31st-place finish.

Preece overcame an incident-filled race during last Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway to bring home a 16th-place finish, exceeding his previous best Atlanta finish of 24th achieved last July. In a display of resilience reminiscent of his performance in the season-opening Daytona 500, Preece confronted early adversity once again. He was collected in a multicar incident on just the second lap, emerging with significant damage to the nose of his racecar. Preece pitted for repairs and returned to the race and soldiered to the finish, avoiding numerous accidents along the way to score the best result for Stewart-Haas.

Our Weekly Wraps:

WHAT OUR DRIVERS ARE SAYING:

Josh Berry, Driver of the No. 4 Mobil1/Take 5 Ford Mustang

Since you’ve raced in the NextGen car and the Xfinity car at Las Vegas in the same weekend, can you talk about the difference in the level of competition between the two series?

“The Xfinity car just handles different than the NextGen Cup cars, and the competition is a lot tighter. You have the best of the best racing every weekend and that is something that is an adjustment. These guys are really good at what they do, and we all have a spot at NASCAR’s top series for a reason, so adjusting to that is also something that will take time to get used to.”

Noah Gragson, Driver of the No. 10 Fanttik Ford Mustang

What does it mean to race in your hometown of Las Vegas?

“It’s exciting to go back to Vegas. It feels different. For me, it’s always been special and I feel like it’s a different special because it’s home for me. I probably don’t get excited about the things that other people who aren’t from there get excited about just because it’s normal, but I get excited just because I get a ton of support from the hometown crowd and a lot of friends and family come out to the race. I try to go out there a couple of days ahead of time and spend time with my friends and family before it’s time to get to work. And I enjoy the Vegas track, regardless of it being in Vegas, and have always run well there, which is a good thing. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to get to our true test of where we’re at in speed on the kind of track that we’re going to race on the majority of the year.”

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang

Will Las Vegas be the first true test as to where teams stack up in relation to one another?

“For sure. Vegas is going to be where you finally figure out, not only as a manufacturer but certainly as a race team, where you’re going to stack up for the next couple of months and where you’ve got to get better. I would say Vegas is certainly the racetrack where 90 percent of the garage has circled as the one they’re most looking forward to in order to see if what they did in the offseason will come to fruition.”

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang

What does it take to have a good day at Las Vegas?

“Speed. You can’t drive a slow car fast. That’s something that I feel like we’ve all been working toward by communicating with the crew chiefs about what we need out of the car, and the crew chiefs communicating to the aero department on what we need in order to optimize everything to get the car to go faster on mile-and-a-half tracks. This is what the two-and-half months of work during the off-season has been building toward. When we left Phoenix last year and began working toward 2024, we circled all the mile-and-a-half tracks and said, ‘If we’re going to compete this year, we need to be better here.’”

 

Ambetter Health 400 Post-Race Report

Date: Feb. 25, 2024

Event: Ambetter Health 400 (Round 2 of 36)

Series: NASCAR Cup Series

Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia (1.54-mile oval)

Format: 260 laps, broken into three stages (60 laps/100 laps/100 laps)

SHR Finish:
– Ryan Preece (Started 20th, Finished 16th / Running, completed 260 of 260 laps)
– Josh Berry (Started 14th, Finished 29th / Accident, completed 250 of 260 laps)
– Chase Briscoe (Started 9th, Finished 31st / Accident, completed 239 of 260 laps)
– Noah Gragson (Started 15th, Finished 36th / Accident, completed 66 of 260 laps)

SHR Points:
– Chase Briscoe (22nd with 37 points, 40 out of first)
– Ryan Preece (24th with 35 points, 42 out of first)
– Noah Gragson (27th with 29 points, 48 out of first)
– Josh Berry (31st with 20 points, 57 out of first)

SHR Notes:
– This was Preece’s best finish so far this year. His previous best was 23rd, earned in the season-opening Daytona 500.
– Preece’s 16th-place finish bettered his previous best finish at Atlanta – 24th, earned last July.
– Briscoe finished ninth in Stage 2 to earn two bonus points.

Sound Bites:

“Our day was ruined right from the start, so to really end up 16th is a gift. For the half a lap that I felt like my car made it through, it felt like it was going to be really fast, so it gives me a lot of hope moving toward Vegas next week.” – Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang

“The guys did a really good job to get us back in position. We obviously made some mistakes there and have to clean that up, but the car was kind of weird. It was really strong on the bottom but struggled on the top. There were several times I got put in a bad spot in the third lane and kind of had a moment there, and ultimately that’s what did us in at the end. I was trying to stay out of the top lane. I kind of got forced up there and I just got loose and unfortunately wrecked. I’m glad we battled back and raced well and got back in position, but unfortunately we didn’t finish.” – Josh Berry, driver of the No. 4 Harrison’s Ford Mustang

“I got put in a bad spot down the back straightaway. Somebody was on my right-rear and it kind of shuffled me to the left. I think we were three- or four-wide and it felt like somebody hit me in the left-rear getting into (turn) three, but I could’ve just gotten loose from the air, I’m not really sure. It sucks with how good our car was. We were able to be up front all day and be super aggressive making moves. I thought we were going to be in a really good spot there, but that’s part of it when you’re racing that tight and everybody is going for it at the end. We were just on the unfortunate side of it today. (The racing) was fun. That was the most fun I’ve ever had here, and I think some of that is just our guys did a really good job of bringing a car that we could be aggressive with and make moves. I’m actually looking forward to coming back here. That was a lot of fun. Guys were just making huge moves and big runs, but we were able to not get close to crashing a lot of times, like we would at Daytona or Talladega. I had a lot of fun. I wish our finish would’ve reflected how good we were today, but we’ll go on to Las Vegas and see if we can improve on it. I don’t know if it’s just the speed feels a little bit slower here or what, but I think, for us, our car was just extremely good. I definitely saw a lot of other guys struggling. I felt like we had easily a top-five car out there. I’m sure my opinion is probably a little bit different than others just because of how easy our car drove, and that’s the part that stings the most, I would say, knowing how good our car was and we don’t get the finish to show that.” – Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang

“It’s definitely a bummer. They started stacking up on the top and I thought we were going to miss the 3 (Austin Dillon) and then got tagged in the right-rear by someone. I just got hit from behind and the car was pretty torn up. We tried to keep it going, but then the rack started falling out of it, so we started losing steering and had to bring it in. It’s just a bummer, but we’re going to go to Vegas and rebound. There’s a lot of fight in these guys with the Ranger Boats team. This 10 group is really tight together and I’m grateful to be a part of it. It still sucks not being able to collect points. We were looking to have a good day, and to only really get one lap in at speed and then we’re limping around with a wrecked racecar for the next 60 laps, so that was a bummer. Overall, I’m just really grateful. This kind of hurts us in the points. I know it’s still early, but the way the qualifying and practice algorithm goes, being higher up in the points is really beneficial, so it’s definitely a bummer. But we’re going to keep our heads down and keep working hard.” – Noah Gragson, driver of the No. 10 Black Rifle Coffee/Ranger Boats Ford Mustang

Next Up:
The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Las Vegas 400 on Sunday, March 3 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race begins at 3:30 p.m. EST with live coverage provided by FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

2024 Daytona 500 Post-Race Report

Date: Feb. 19, 2024
Event: 66th Running of the Daytona 500 (Round 1 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (2.5-mile oval)
Format: 200 laps, broken into three stages (65 laps/65 laps/70 laps)

SHR Finish:
– Noah Gragson (Started 38th, Finished 9th / Running, completed 200 of 200 laps)
– Chase Briscoe (Started 20th, Finished 10th / Running, completed 200 of 200 laps)
– Ryan Preece (Started 25th, Finished 23rd / Running, completed 199 of 200 laps)
– Josh Berry (Started 30th, Finished 25th / Running, completed 199 of 200 laps)

SHR Points:
– Chase Briscoe (13th with 29 points)
– Noah Gragson (15th with 28 points)
– Ryan Preece (25th with 14 points)
– Josh Berry (26th with 12 points)

SHR Notes:
– Gragson earned his second top-10 in four career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Daytona.
– This was Gragson’s third career start in the Daytona 500 and it resulted in his best Daytona 500 finish. His previous best result in The Great American Race was 24th, earned last year.
– Gragson led once for five laps – his first laps led at Daytona.
-Briscoe earned his second top-10 in seven career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Daytona.
– This was Briscoe’s fourth career start in the Daytona 500. His best Daytona 500 finish remains third, earned in 2022.
– This was Preece’s fifth career start in the Daytona 500. His best Daytona 500 finish remains sixth, earned in 2021.
– This was Berry’s first career start in the Daytona 500, but his second career NASCAR Cup Series start at Daytona. He finished 22nd in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 last August.
– Berry led one lap to score his first lap led at Daytona.

Sound Bites:

“We led some laps early, but we came down there at the end to fix some damage right before the final restart. We didn’t have a whole lot of area to go, but I guess it’s better than being wrecked. Overall, we’ll take a top-10. We kind of got pinned on the bottom and didn’t have a lot of room to go and then the race ended. I feel so good being behind the wheel. This whole Stewart-Haas team did a great job, especially getting the backup car going.” – Noah Gragson, driver of the No. 10 Black Rifle Coffee/Ranger Boats Ford Mustang

“Anytime you can finish this race in one piece is nice. It was hard to get track position. It seemed like wherever you kind of fell in after two or three laps of green-flag pit stops, you just kind of ran there the whole time. That was a weird race. It seems like every time we run these superspeedways it turns into more and more of a fuel-mileage race. I thought we would be OK there at the end and we had to start 12th or 13th on the restart and it was hard to do anything. We were all kind of bottled up. Coming out of here with a 10th-place finish and missing the wrecks and not being in a huge points whole is nice. We have to play the same game next week at Atlanta and, hopefully, we can do it again, but a couple of spots better.” – Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang

“Speeding on pit road screwed us, and then ending it was not getting the Lucky Dog when we should’ve gotten the Lucky Dog. I felt like we earned our right with seven to go to get the Lucky Dog and to at least compete for a top-five or a top-10, or put ourselves in position there, but we had it taken away for no reason. Frustrated is definitely the word right now.” – Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang

“I feel like I learned a lot and raced well. There were a couple moves I wish I could have back maybe here or there but, overall, I was pretty happy we could work toward the front and maintain it. I thought the car was really good. I just hate we got turned on pit road. That got us behind. We were able to get in the Lucky Dog position but it just didn’t work out there at the end. Overall, it was a good night to learn. I just hate we didn’t get the finish we deserved.” – Josh Berry, driver of the No. 4 SUNNYD Ford Mustang

Next Up:
The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Ambetter Health 400 on Sunday, Feb. 25 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The race begins at 3 p.m. EST with live coverage provided by FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Caymus Vineyards Renews Partnership With Stewart-Haas

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 16, 2024) – Iconic wine producer Caymus Vineyards has renewed its partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing, the championship-winning NASCAR team co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart and Haas Automation founder Gene Haas.

After serving as an associate partner last year, the family-owned and operated winery has expanded its role with Stewart-Haas in 2024. Caymus Vineyards will have a yearlong presence on the lower-rear quarter panel of the No. 41 Ford Mustang driven by Ryan Preece, along with branding on Preece’s firesuit. Additionally, CaymusVineyards will have heightened signage on all four Stewart-Haas cars – the Nos. 4, 10, 14 and 41 of Josh Berry, Noah Gragson, Chase Briscoe and Preece, respectively – at select NASCAR Cup Series races. And at all Cup Series races, guests of Stewart-Haas can enjoy Caymus Vineyards’ lineup of wines, most notably, its renowned Cabernet Sauvignon, at the team’s trackside VIP hospitality area.

Last June at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, guests toasted with Preece in victory lane, raising glasses of CaymusVineyards’ Bonanza Cabernet Sauvignon after he won the ARCA Menards Series West race. Preece dominated in his Bonanza Cabernet Ford Mustang by winning the pole and leading twice for a race-high 50 laps, including the final 32 tours around the 1.99-mile, 10-turn road course, securing the victory with a commanding 9.675-second margin over his nearest pursuer. It was Preece’s first ARCA win and the first race victory for Caymus Vineyards.

“We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing and we’re proud to have the Caymusname grace the No. 41 Ford Mustang of Ryan Preece, who memorably put our Bonanza Cabernet car in victory lane last year at Sonoma,” said Karen Perry, Executive Vice President, Caymus Vineyards. “Much like Chuck Wagner and his family, Tony Stewart and Gene Haas have worked incredibly hard to build a championship organization. Whether it’s on the track or in the vineyards and cellar, what we have in common is a drive to be the very best through a commitment to excellence.”

Chuck Wagner and his late parents, Lorna and Charlie Sr., opened Caymus Vineyards in 1972, starting off with 240 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon. Based at its original “home ranch” in Rutherford, California – deep in the heart of Napa Valley Wine Country and just a 45-minute drive north of Sonoma Raceway – Caymus Vineyards remains a hands-on family affair. In addition to their famed Cabernet Sauvignon, Chuck, Charlie and Jenny Wagner make a range of white and red wines, each with a character all its own.

“Representing Caymus Vineyards and Bonanza last year at Sonoma allowed me to see just how hands-on the Wagner family is when it comes to their wine-making,” Preece said. “It’s impressive, and it’s something I can really appreciate. I’m hands-on with my racecars because I want them to be the very best. They have the same mindset at Caymus. That’s why they’re a great partner for our race team.”

The partnership with Stewart-Haas complements Caymus Vineyards’ portfolio of championship teams and iconic drivers the company has partnered with in the last decade. In 2024, Caymus Vineyards is also a full-season sponsor of Meyer Shank Racing driver Felix Rosenqvist in the NTT INDYCAR Series.

About Caymus Vineyards:
The Wagner Family has a long history in Napa Valley dating back to the 1850s. Through the years, they have embraced a hands-on work ethic and are constantly trying out new ideas in pursuit of making exceptional wines. Whether it’s venturing to different regions to find diverse sources of top-quality grapes or experimenting with new farming techniques, the result is a pairing of tradition with innovation, a respect for the old and the promise of the new. The Wagners’ dedication to agriculture will be celebrated in June of 2024 when the family will proudly release their 50th vintage of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Chuck Wagner and his late parents, Lorna and Charlie, started Caymus Vineyards in 1972. They were a family of farmers who worked together for decades to create a signature style of Cabernet Sauvignon. Today, the family’s Napa Valley Cabernet and Special Selection are among Napa Valley’s most celebrated wines. Chuck now works alongside two of his children, Charlie and Jenny, and the family produces diverse wines from Napa Valley, other parts of California and beyond. Continually pursuing new ideas, they feel extremely fortunate to spend their days farming grapes and making wine. For more information, please visit us online at caymus.comor wagnerfamilyofwine.com, and on social at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.

Superior Essex Communications Partners With SHR

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 15, 2024) – Superior Essex Communications, the leading manufacturer and supplier of communications cable and accessory products in North America, has partnered with Stewart-Haas Racing, the championship-winning NASCAR team co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart and Haas Automation founder Gene Haas.

The agreement allows Superior Essex Communications to leverage Stewart-Haas and its NASCAR platform to generate B2B relationships while simultaneously building brand awareness. Highlighting the initiative will be Superior Essex Communications adorning the No. 10 Ford Mustang of driver Noah Gragson during the March 31 NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. It’s a strategic venue for Superior Essex Communications, as the company played a large part in the track’s recent modernization, with its optical fiber cables sending data, graphics and video to the track’s massive infield scoreboard in addition to a host of other communications needs throughout the venerable facility.

“Pushing the boundaries of what’s possible to where we can help our customers deliver information, technology and creativity is what we’re all about at Superior Essex Communications,” said Brian Ensign, vice president of marketing, Superior Essex Communications. “If you can dream it, we can help bring it to reality. We’ve demonstrated that for more than 90 years. Racing embodies what we do every day – finding efficiencies in a million little things to make big progress. There’s no better way to make that point and create inroads with new customers than with Stewart-Haas in NASCAR.”

Superior Essex Communications is focused on creating the future of smart and sustainable communications by developing technology that connects and respects the world. Government initiatives supported by the company to increase U.S. high-speed internet access for all Americans include the White House’s Internet for All program and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA’s) Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program.

Beginning this week at Daytona International Speedway, Superior Essex Communications will have branding on the lower-rear quarter panel of Gragson’s No. 10 Ford Mustang.

“Racing is a people business as much as it is a sport, and you can’t be successful without good people,” said Gragson, who begins his first season with Stewart-Haas in 2024. “Superior Essex Communications is filled with people who have a never-ending drive and determination to make technology more accessible, more efficient and, more than anything, fast. It’s why they’re with Stewart-Haas and why I’m proud to represent them.”

Gragson will start eighth in tonight’s Bluegreen Vacations Duel – twin 150-mile heat races that will set the field for the 66th Daytona 500. The Duel gets underway at 7 p.m. with live coverage on FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The week then culminates with the Daytona 500 at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday with live coverage provided by FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

About Superior Essex Communications:
Superior Essex Communications is the leading manufacturer and supplier of communications cable in North America. It is on the forefront of innovation through Power over Ethernet, Intelligent Buildings and Cities, 5G Fiber infrastructure including Hybrid and Composite solutions, as well as technological advancements being made at its Product Development Center. Superior Essex Communications is also setting the pace on sustainability by being the first and only company with a Zero Waste to Landfill Certification at its Hoisington, Kansas, plant, the first wire and cable producer to contribute points to LEED certification, and the first to offer verified sustainable cables in over 50 products. Superior Essex Communications is Everywhere You Live and Work®. Additional information is available at SuperiorEssex.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, two NASCAR Xfinity Series championships and 100 NASCAR races, including such crown-jewel events as the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and Southern 500. For more information, please visit us online at StewartHaasRacing.com and on social at Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn.