In The Know – Watkins Glen

NASCAR CUP SERIES OVERVIEW:

●  Event:  Go Bowling at The Glen (Round 25 of 36)

●  Time/Date:  3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 20

●  Location:  Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International

●  Layout:  2.45-mile, seven-turn road course

●  Laps/Miles:  90 laps / 220.5 miles

●  Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 20 laps / Stage 2: 20 laps / Final Stage: 50 laps

●  TV/Radio:  USA / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

SHR FAST FACTS:

Kevin Harvick:

When Harvick scored his first road-course victory at Watkins Glen in 2006, he had to beat his current team owner to do it. Tony Stewart – the “Stewart” in Stewart-Haas Racing – had won the previous two NASCAR Cup Series races at The Glen and was poised to capture a third straight win as he was leading Harvick with four laps to go in the 90-lap race. But Harvick, who had already led once for 24 laps, passed Stewart on lap 87 as the two drag-raced down the frontstretch and into turn one. Harvick held onto the lead despite Stewart in his rearview mirror, earning a margin of victory of .892 of a second.

Aric Almirola:

Almirola has 38 road-course starts in the NASCAR Cup Series with two top-10 finishes and a best of eighth at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway in 2018. His road-course results include five top-20s at Watkins Glen with a best finish of 12th in 2019, three top-20s on the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval with a best of 14th in 2019, and a 12th-place finish in the non-points Busch Clash in 2020 on the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway road course. While Almirola is seeking a victory in the NASCAR Cup Series to catapult him into the 2023 NASCAR Playoffs, he raced his way to victory lane June 10 in the Xfinity Series race at Sonoma.

Chase Briscoe:

Chase Briscoe and the Mahindra Tractors team for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) head to Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International looking for back-to-back top-10 road course results after earning a sixth-place finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last Sunday. It was Briscoe’s sixth top-10 of the season and first on a road course in the NextGen car.

Ryan Preece:

Sunday’s race will mark Preece’s third start at the road course in the heart of New York’s Finger Lakes Region. His first outing came in 2019 for JTG-Daugherty Racing. He started 29th but had to retire from the race early due to a rear-gear issue on his No. 47 racecar. He returned with JTG-Daugherty in 2021, when he started 23rd and finished 28th. This weekend will mark his first Cup Series start at the track for SHR and his first since the 2021 race. Preece has made three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Watkins Glen, the first in 2016 for JD Motorsports, when he started 21st but was relegated to a 27th-place finish by a suspension issue. He returned in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing entry in 2018, when he started eighth and finished fourth and led eight laps. His third Xfinity Series outing at The Glen came in 2019 with JR Motorsports. He started eighth and finished 10th in that event.

OUR WEEKLY WRAPS:

WHAT OUR DRIVERS ARE SAYING:

Kevin Harvick, Driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang:

You’re still looking for a win this season. Can Watkins Glen be the place to get that win?

“Watkins Glen is a place where we’ve been fortunate to have a lot of good runs, and I think going there and having a permanent road course and more of a traditional race, for me, is much easier to prepare for because I know the racetrack and I know the curbs and the bumps and the details of everything that goes on, so it makes me more comfortable prepping for the race. Watkins Glen is always a great place to go this time of year. The fans are always packed in there like sardines and it’s just a fun environment. We’re looking forward to it.”

Aric Almirola, Driver of the No. 10 GoBowling Mustang:

You just raced on the Indianapolis road course and now you’re headed to Watkins Glen to make it back-to-back road-course races. Does it seem like the competition is tougher as drivers have more opportunities than ever to hone their road-course skills?

“The Indianapolis road course is such a different feel, but we don’t typically race road courses back-to-back. You can bet the competition is going to be tight this weekend, both from a driver standpoint and teams honing in their road-course program. I think it will be a good weekend for us. I like Watkins Glen, where anything can happen. We had a new winner last weekend with Michael McDowell who is usually the underdog with a smaller team so, with the cars so close, you could see another new winner this weekend.”

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

Was the run at Indy a confidence boost for the No. 14 team?

“For sure. The road courses haven’t been very good to us ever since the NextGen car. We’d find something good – good speed or track position when we needed it – and then something would happen. This is the most competitive that I’ve been and the best feel I’ve had. It’s the closest we’ve been to what it used to feel like for me on the road courses when I ran really well, so I’m really hoping it carries over into this weekend.”

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 United Rentals Ford Mustang:

What are the challenges of racing at Watkins Glen, and what is the importance of practice and qualifying there?

Practice is really key for us. I didn’t necessarily grow up road racing, so it’s really important. I’ve logged laps at Watkins Glen before, most recently in 2021 in the Cup Series. But track position is always a topic, right? There are some things that we worked on in the Ford Performance sim to be able to prepare. But for a driver, it’s getting out there and doing it – the visuals and a lot of the braking marks that you tend to get. I mean, when you think about it, how many laps are we really going to get in practice? I think nine, 10 laps, maybe, which kind of reminds me of the SRX race when we got five laps. The only difference was that I’ve raced at Stafford all my life. So, it’s going to be extremely important to get everything we have out of the racecar and qualify really well.”

Post Race Report – Indianapolis

Date: Aug. 13, 2023
Event: Verizon 200 at the Brickyard (Round 24 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2.439-mile, 14-turn road course)
Format: 82 laps, broken into three stages (15 laps/20 laps/47 laps)

Race Winner: Michael McDowell of Front Row Motorsports (Ford)
Stage 1 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing
Stage 2 Winner: Michael McDowell of Front Row Motorsports (Ford)

SHR Race Finish:
● Chase Briscoe (Started 13th, Finished 6th / Running, completed 82 of 82 laps)
● Kevin Harvick (Started 38th, Finished 23rd / Running, completed 81 of 82 laps)
● Ryan Preece (Started 30th, Finished 31st / Running, completed 81 of 82 laps)
● Aric Almirola (Started 33rd, Finished 39th / Running, completed 79 of 82 laps)

SHR Points:
● Kevin Harvick (6th with 677 points, 153 out of first)
● Aric Almirola (24th with 406 points, 424 out of first)
● Ryan Preece (25th with 409 points, 427 out of first)
● Chase Briscoe (31st with 322 points, 508 out of first)

SHR Notes:
● Briscoe earned his sixth top-10 of the season and his first top-10 in three career NASCAR Cup Series starts on the road course at Indianapolis.
● Briscoe’s sixth-place result bettered his previous best finish on the road course at Indianapolis – 23rd, earned in last year’s race.
● Briscoe finished ninth in Stage 2 to earn two bonus points.

Race Notes:
● Michael McDowell won the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard to score his second career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his first on the road course at Indianapolis. His margin over second-place Chase Elliott was .937 of a second.
● McDowell was the 14th different winner in the 24 NASCAR Cup Series races run this season.
● This was Ford’s 725th all-time NASCAR Cup Series victory, its fourth of the season and its third straight. Chris Buescher drove his Ford to the win July 30 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway and last Monday at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.
● This was Ford’s first NASCAR Cup Series victory on the road course at Indianapolis.
● There was one caution period for a total of three laps.
● Only 22 of the 39 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
● Martin Truex Jr., remains the championship leader after Indianapolis with a 60-point advantage over second-place Denny Hamlin.

Sound Bites:
“Today was a solid day. From a speed standpoint, we had a top-three car. We just could never get the track position when it goes green like that. There are just no opportunities. I feel like we did everything right from a strategy standpoint, trying to play our cards right. Just a difference from starting 13th versus starting in the first two rows. I felt like that’s what cost us there. I knew yesterday when I didn’t make the final round that it was going to be very hard to win. It proved itself today. Just kicking myself knowing I had a great shot at it. But overall, I’m proud of our team. We really needed a good run like this. I feel like we really learned something.” – Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang

Next Up:
The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Go Bowling at The Glen on Sunday, Aug. 20 at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. The race begins at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by USA and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

In The Know – Indianapolis

NASCAR CUP SERIES OVERVIEW:

●  Event:  Verizon 200 at the Brickyard (Round 24 of 36)

●  Time/Date:  2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 13

●  Location:  Indianapolis Motor Speedway

●  Layout:  2.439-mile, 14-turn road course

●  Laps/Miles:  82 laps / 200 miles

●  Stage Lengths:  Stage 1: 15 laps / Stage 2: 20 laps / Final Stage: 47 laps

●  TV/Radio:  NBC / IMS Radio Network / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

SHR FAST FACTS:

Kevin Harvick:

Despite running the road course at Indianapolis, Indy is still an oval thing for Harvick. The venerable 2.5-mile rectangle hosted 27 NASCAR Cup Series races, and Harvick competed in 20 of them, putting up impressive numbers in the crown-jewel Brickyard 400 – three wins, three poles, eight top-fives and 14 top-10s with 389 laps led. The only other active Cup Series driver even close to those numbers is Kyle Busch with two wins, two poles, five top-fives and 12 top-10s with 324 laps led. Harvick also holds the title of reigning Brickyard 400 winner, a title he has held for four years. Harvick won the last two Brickyard 400s (2019-2020) before the Cup Series switched to the road course in 2021.

Aric Almirola:

Aric Almirola has 36 road-course starts in the NASCAR Cup Series with two top-10 finishes and a best of eighth at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway in 2018. His road-course results include five top-20s at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International with a best finish of 12th in 2019, three top-20s on the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval with a best of 14th in 2019, and 12th-place finish in the non-points Busch Clash in 2020 on the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway road course. While Almirola is seeking a victory in the NASCAR Cup Series to catapult him into the 2023 NASCAR Playoffs, he raced his way to victory lane June 10 in the Xfinity Series race at Sonoma.

Chase Briscoe:

As a child growing up in Mitchell, Indiana, Briscoe dreamed of going from the dirt track to the Indy oval, just like his hero and Indiana native Tony Stewart. Though the 2020 win didn’t come on the iconic 2.-5-mile oval, it was one for the record books as Briscoe became the first driver to win a NASCAR race on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn Indy road course. He had watched Stewart pilot his NASCAR Cup Series car on Sundays before he headed back to the bullrings to compete in his dirt car. Stewart, the Brickyard 400 winner in 2005 and 2007, ran several races against his father Kevin, giving the youngest Briscoe plenty of time to learn how best to emulate his hero. When Stewart won at Indy, he climbed the fence, so Chase Briscoe climbed it, too, in 2020. He kneeled in front of the Yard of Bricks in his HighPoint.com firesuit and finally took his turn to kiss the bricks as he had dreamed of doing as a kid growing up in Mitchell. The 2020 season continued with a playoff berth that carried all the way to the championship race in Phoenix. Briscoe didn’t earn the title that year, but the support from HighPoint.com allowed Briscoe to continue chasing his dream as the next driver of the No. 14 Ford Mustang in the Cup Series.

Ryan Preece:

unday’s race will mark Preece’s second start on the Indianapolis road course. His first race on the circuit came in 2021 for JTG-Daugherty Racing. He started 30th and was credited with a 35th-place finish after being involved in an incident on lap 77. In the season’s first road-course race March 26 at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, Preece started 26th and was vying for a solid top-10 finish before being spun during the final restart, leaving him with a 32nd-place finish. In the season’s second road-course race June 11 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, Preece started 22nd and finished 13th. Preece competed in the ARCA Menards West race at Sonoma to gain extra seat time on the road course. He started on the pole and won the race after leading 50 laps. When the series conducted its first-ever street race July 2 in downtown Chicago, Preece started 28th and finished 15th. The No. 41 team has shown improvements on road courses and hope that will continue this weekend in Indianapolis.

OUR WEEKLY WRAPS:

WHAT OUR DRIVERS ARE SAYING:


Kevin Harvick, Driver of the No. 4 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang:

You’ve got three Brickyard 400 wins, including the last two at the oval. What are your thoughts going into Indy one final time?

“Indy’s a special place, and obviously I’d rather race on the oval. But the good news is I won the last two on the oval, so I’ll always go out a winner on the oval. That feels good to me because Indy’s always been a pretty special place because of growing up a Rick Mears fan and wanting to race at the Indy 500 and all of the things that I wanted to do as a kid.”

Aric Almirola, Driver of the No. 10 Ford Mustang:

Did your Xfinity Series win at Sonoma give you more confidence on road courses?

“Well, Sonoma is by far my favorite road course because of the long flowing style of the course compared to these other road courses that are extremely technical. We had a really fast car and the team made some really good calls to put us in position to win. It’s definitely in the back of my mind that I have more confidence knowing I can win at road courses, but the Cup cars are so drastically different than the Xfintiy cars that it doesn’t really transfer.”

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang:

What are your earliest memories of racing at Indy, as a fan or driver?

“One of my first racing memories is going to get my first firesuit. It was across from the tunnel in turns one and two at Indy. The guy’s name was Jim Bob Luger and he would do embroidery on uniforms. I remember going there, getting my first uniform, driving up to the end to get our first Quarter Midget and racing in Indy, for my first-ever race. So, I just felt like every time you were going to Indy, it meant you’re going to get something racing-related. As a kid, I didn’t really go to Indy outside of that, so it was always about racing. The first time I ever saw the speedway, I remember just being blown away by how big it was.”

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 Purdue University Ford Mustang:

It seems like Indianapolis Motor Speedway is always really special for drivers because of its history. What are you most looking forward to this weekend?

“For me, I enjoy the road courses and I think they’re always another opportunity to win – for sure. I’ve always been a huge fan of the Brickyard and the oval, but I think the road racing can definitely kind of put a variable in there that maybe we can squeeze one out. But it’s really just a special place, there’s so much history there on the oval, it’s special to be able to look back and say you’ve raced at a track like Indy. I think there’s some added confidence, too, knowing that I’ve had some decent finishes at road courses, and they’re so unpredictable.”

 

Purdue University in Indianapolis Joins Stewart-Haas Racing for Verizon 200 at the Brickyard NASCAR Cup Series Race

Purdue Returns to Indianapolis Motor Speedway to Showcase New Urban Campus as Primary Partner for Driver Ryan Preece and No. 41 Ford Mustang

 

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (Aug. 9, 2023) – Speeding toward the official launch of  its first comprehensive urban campus in 2024, Purdue University has partnered with Stewart-Haas Racing and driver Ryan Preece for the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard NASCAR Cup Series race Aug. 13 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

 

The iconic Boilermaker gold and black will adorn Preece’s No. 41 Ford Mustang, with Purdue University in Indianapolis serving as the primary sponsor of Preece for the 82-lap race around the 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course.

 

The partnership is a natural extension of Purdue’s long-standing role with Indianapolis Motor Speedway – a more than century-long relationship that began in 1919 with the Purdue “All-American” Marching Band’s first performance at the Indianapolis 500.

 

The racing connection is a fitting one, as Purdue University boasts one of the country’s most unique and innovative motorsports engineering curriculums, with Purdue University in Indianapolis having the only ABET-accredited undergraduate motorsports engineering program in the United States. Between the campuses in Indianapolis and West Lafayette, Purdue University has propelled students and graduates to exciting motorsports careers at the highest levels of racing, including NASCAR, INDYCAR and IMSA, as well as with manufacturers, most notably Dallara, a prominent racecar builder, and Cummins, a global power technology leader.

 

“Purdue University’s persistent pursuit of innovation aligns well with the objectives of Stewart-Haas Racing, making this weekend’s partnership an ideal opportunity to showcase Purdue University in Indianapolis and the world-class engineering, computer science and technology degrees we will offer there from the start,” said R. Ethan Braden, executive vice president and chief marketing and communications officer for Purdue University and Purdue Global. “We look forward to serving as the primary sponsor and cheering on Ryan Preece as he goes full throttle this weekend at Indy. The iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway is just blocks away from the Purdue University in Indianapolis campus and multiple downtown locations, including our space at High Alpha in the burgeoning Bottleworks District, where weʼll bring the full force of Purdue to our stateʼs capital city.”

 

Preece was hand-picked by NASCAR legend and Indiana native Tony Stewart to drive the No. 41 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing. Preece is a proven winner, with victories across multiple divisions, including the NASCAR Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series. In June at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, Preece won his first ARCA Menards Series race in dominating fashion, winning the pole and leading a race-high 50 laps en route to the victory.

 

“It’s an honor to represent Purdue University in Indianapolis this weekend at the Brickyard,” said Preece, who first made a name for himself on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, winning the championship in 2013. “Indy is filled with history and prestige, and competing there is truly special. To have the gold-and-black colors of the Boilermakers on my car just adds to that prestige, as I’ve come to understand Purdue’s own history at Indianapolis.

 

“I’m impressed by the program Purdue University has for students looking to make a career in motorsports. Creative, hard-working people can thrive in racing. Knowledge is power, and the more you know, the better you are. To be able to showcase Purdue’s comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis makes me proud.”

 

Purdue’s partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing complements the university’s existing motorsport portfolio, which includes the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX), a six-race series co-founded by Stewart in 2021. Purdue University in Indianapolis is the primary sponsor of the car shared by INDYCAR legends Tony Kanaan and Helio Castroneves. Preece recently joined SRX for the series’ second race in July at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway, which serves as Preece’s hometown track as he hails from Berlin, Connecticut.

 

Purdue University has achieved excellence at scale, with agriculture, graduate engineering and invention counts all among the top four in the United States and across major American research universities, as it ranks first in undergrad STEM enrollment. Now, with ambitious plans for its new Indianapolis campus, Purdue University in Indianapolis will create new knowledge and establish a strong pipeline of Boilermaker talent to the capital city and beyond.

 

About Purdue University in Indianapolis

Purdue University in Indianapolis is a new, fully integrated extension of the West Lafayette flagship campus, expanding the academic rigor and accessible excellence that Purdue is known for to Indiana’s industrial and technological center. As the only public top-10 university, most trusted university, and most innovative university in the state of Indiana, Purdue is focused and committed to strengthening their presence in the capital city. Purdue in Indianapolis will reimagine a collaborative platform that connects students, faculty and local businesses to promote breakthrough discoveries and create a new and direct talent pipeline. Realignment of the existing IUPUI partnership is expected to be completed by the start of the fall semester in 2024. Learn more about Purdue’s latest giant leap at purdue.edu/campuses/indianapolis.

 

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 nearly 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, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Mahindra-Thon Official Rules

“#Old Goat Mahindra-thon” Sweepstakes 

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“A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS THAT THE CREDITOR OR RELEASING PARTY DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS OR HER FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE AND THAT, IF KNOWN BY HIM OR HER, WOULD HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR OR RELEASED PARTY.” 

 

DRAWING AND NOTIFICATION: The potential Winners (“Winner” or “Winners”) will be selected in eighteen (18) random drawings conducted by the Sponsor or Administrator. The Prize drawings will be conducted throughout the Sweepstakes Period. Odds of winning a Prize will depend on the total number of eligible entries at the time of each drawing. Each potential Prize Winner will be contacted by the Sponsor via X. 

 

PRIZES: There will be eighteen (18) Prizes available. Prizes are as follows (each of the following, a “Prize”): 

 

One (1) Tony Stewart Commercial-Worn Mahindra Robe (ARV – $50) 

 

One (1) Set of two Bone China Teacup and Saucer Sets + Tony Stewart Signed Photo (ARV – $74) 

 

One (1) Old Goat Prize Pack including a Chase Briscoe Old GOAT T-Shirt, a My Boss Is The OLD GOAT T-Shirt, a Mahindra Tractors Team Hat, a Chase Briscoe 3×5 Flag, and a Mahindra Chase Briscoe 1/64 Scale Diecast (ARV – $117) 

 

Five (5) Personalized Video Messages from Tony Stewart (ARV – $100) 

 

Five (5) Signed Tony & Chase Posters (ARV – $30) 

 

Five (5) “Old GOAT” Sticker Packs (ARV – $10) 

 

Total Prize Pool – $941. All other expenses associated with Prize acceptance or usage not specifically mentioned herein are the responsibility of the Winners. NOTE: No substitution, assignment or transfer of a Prize is permitted, except by Sponsor, who reserves the right to substitute a Prize with another of equal or greater value. 

 

ADDITIONAL PRIZE CONDITIONS: By accepting a Prize, the Winners agree to release and hold harmless the Released Parties from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Sweepstakes or receipt or use of a Prize. The Winners will be responsible for all local, state, and federal taxes associated with the receipt of their Prize. The Winners are solely responsible for all matters relating to their Prize after it is awarded. If a Prize or Prize notification is returned as unclaimed or undeliverable to the potential Winner, if a potential Winner cannot be reached or does not comply with notification instructions within three (3) calendar days from the first notification attempt, or if a potential Winner is not in compliance with these Official Rules, then such person shall be disqualified and, at Sponsor’s sole discretion, an alternate Winner may be selected. 

 

By accepting a Prize, where permitted by law, the Winners grant to the Released Parties and those acting pursuant to the authority of Sponsor and the Released Parties (which grant will be confirmed in writing upon Sponsor’s request), the right to print, publish, broadcast and use worldwide IN ALL MEDIA without limitation at any time their full name, portrait, picture, voice, likeness and/or biographical information for advertising, trade and promotional purposes without further payment or additional consideration, and without review, approval or notification. The Winners also acknowledge that Released Parties have neither made nor are in any manner responsible or liable for any warranty, representation, or guarantee, express or implied, in fact or in law, relative to the Prize. 

 

DISPUTES: All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules or the rights and obligations of Entrants, Administrator, and Sponsor in connection with the Sweepstakes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of North Carolina, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions that would cause the application of any other state’s or jurisdiction’s laws.  By participating in the Sweepstakes, Entrant agrees that: (i) any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or in connection with the Sweepstakes, shall be resolved individually without resort to any form of class action; (ii) any judicial proceeding shall take place in a court within the State of North Carolina; (iii) any and all claims, judgments , and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this Sweepstakes, but in no event will attorney fees be awarded or recoverable; (iv) under no circumstances will Entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and Entrant hereby waives all rights to seek, punitive, incidental, exemplary, consequential, special damages, lost profits, other damages, and/or any rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased; and (v) Entrant’s remedies are limited to a claim for money damages (if any) and he/she waives any right to seek injunctive or equitable relief.  

 

SEVERABILITY: The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these Official Rules will not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. If any provision of the Official Rules is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable, the other provisions will remain in effect and will be construed as if the invalid or unenforceable provision were not contained herein.  

 

MISCELLANEOUS: These Official Rules contain the full and complete understanding with respect to the Sweepstakes and supersede all prior and contemporaneous agreements, representations, and understandings, whether oral or written. The headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of these Official Rules, and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof. No amendment to, or waiver of, any provision of these Official Rules shall be effective unless in writing and signed by both Sponsor and Administrator. The waiver by Sponsor or Administrator of any provision of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of any other provision herein. The rights and obligations hereunder may not be assigned by Entrants, whether by operation of law or otherwise, without the prior written consent of Sponsor, and any attempted assignment in violation of the foregoing shall be null and void. These Official Rules shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the permitted successors and assigns of Sponsor, Administrator, and Entrant.   

 

WINNERS LIST REQUEST: To request confirmation of the first name, last initial, city, and state of residence of each Winner, please send a self-addressed, stamped business-size envelope, by September 30, 2023 to: ASC/SHR #OldGoat Sweepstakes Winners List Request, 300 State St. Suite 402, Rochester, NY 14614. 

 

Post Race Report – Richmond

Date:  July 30, 2023

Event:  Cook Out 400 (Round 22 of 36)

Series:  NASCAR Cup Series

Location:  Richmond (Va.) Raceway (.75-mile oval)

Format:  400 laps, broken into three stages (70 laps/160 laps/170 laps)

Race Winner:  Chris Buescher of RFK Racing (Ford)

Stage 1 Winner:  Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing

Stage 2 Winner:  Brad Keselowski of RFK Racing (Ford)

SHR Race Finish:            

●  Ryan Preece (Started 11th, Finished 5th / Running, completed 400 of 400 laps)

●  Aric Almirola (Started 24th, Finished 8th / Running, completed 400 of 400 laps)

●  Kevin Harvick (Started 8th, Finished 10th / Running, completed 400 of 400 laps)

●  Chase Briscoe (Started 20th, Finished 11th / Running, completed 400 of 400 laps)

SHR Points:

●  Kevin Harvick (6th with 634 points, 110 out of first)

●  Aric Almirola (24th with 384 points, 360 out of first)

●  Ryan Preece (25th with 382 points, 362 out of first)

●  Chase Briscoe (31st with 283 points, 461 out of first)

Preece Notes:     

●  Preece earned his first top-five as well as his first top-10 of the season. This was his first top-five and second top-10 in seven career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Richmond.

●  This was Preece’s best finish so far this season. His previous best was 12th March 12 at Phoenix Raceway.

●  Preece’s fifth-place result bettered his previous best finish at Richmond – 18th, earned in the series’ prior visit to the track in April.

●  Preece finished sixth in Stage 1 to earn five bonus points and seventh in Stage 2 to earn four more bonus points.

Almirola Notes: 

●  Almirola earned his second top-10 of the season and his fifth top-10 in 21 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Richmond.

●  This was Almirola’s second straight finish of 12th or better. He finished 12th last Sunday at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway.

●  This was Almirola’s second straight finish of 13th or better at Richmond. He finished 13th in the series’ prior visit to the track in April.

●  Almirola finished eighth in Stage 1 to earn three bonus points.

Harvick Notes:  

●  Harvick earned his 10th top-10 of the season and his 31st top-10 in 45 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Richmond.

●  This was Harvick’s third straight top-10. He earned back-to-back fourth-place finishes July 17 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon and last Sunday at Pocono.

●  This was Harvick’s fifth straight top-10 at Richmond. He finished eighth in September 2021, second in April 2022, first last August and fifth in his prior start in April.

●  Harvick’s 31 top-10s at Richmond are the most among active NASCAR Cup Series drivers. Kyle Busch is next best with 28 top-10s.

●  Since joining SHR in 2014, Harvick has only one finish outside the top-15 at Richmond.

●  Harvick finished fifth in Stage 1 to earn six bonus points.

Briscoe Notes:   

●  Briscoe’s 11th-place result equaled his previous best finish at Richmond. He finished 11th in April 2022.

●  This was Briscoe’s second straight finish of 12th or better at Richmond. He finished 12th in the series’ prior visit to the track in April.

Race Notes:       

●  Chris Buescher won the Cook Out 400 to score his third career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his first at Richmond. His margin over second-place Denny Hamlin was .549 of a second.

●  Buescher was the 13th different winner in the 22 NASCAR Cup Series races run this season.

●  This was Ford’s 723rd all-time NASCAR Cup Series victory and its third of the season.

●  This was Ford’s 35th all-time NASCAR Cup Series win at Richmond. It won its first race at the track on May 5, 1957 with Paul Goldsmith.

●  There were just three caution periods for a total of 21 laps.

●  Nineteen of the 36 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

●  Martin Truex Jr., remains the championship leader after Richmond with a 39-point advantage over second-place Hamlin.

Sound Bites:

“My confidence was I’ve seen what Chad (Johnston, crew chief) has given here in year’s past and we talked a lot about what we were gonna need and I said, ‘Man, if you can get me to roll the center, I’ll deal with loose in,’ so that’s what he gave me today and this United Rentals Ford Mustang was pretty stout. Fifth, we lined up in that second row at the end, but we run more like this, we’re gonna have more opportunities to challenge for wins.” Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 41 United Rentals Ford Mustang

“It was a strong day. I don’t know that we had anything for the 17 (Chris Buescher) or the 6 (Brad Keselowski). They were really good, but I could maintain and after about 55 laps, I think we were arguably the best car on the racetrack from that point on. The first run it went 70 laps and from like lap 50 to 70 I passed a ton of cars and, unfortunately, in those next few stages the runs aren’t as long. They’re only 45-50 laps when you break them up into three, and I didn’t have enough of a long run to pass a lot of cars like I did previous. I’m frustrated that I bottomed out getting onto the apron coming to pit road under the green flag there and kind of took off in a four-wheel slide and barely clipped the orange box there with my right side tires. I’m frustrated. That’s a silly mistake. You can’t make those mistakes, but, all in all, it was a great day. I had a great Smithfield Ford Mustang. I’m really proud of our guys. We’ve been bringing some really good racecars to the racetrack lately, so we’ll see. We’ve got a few more here to try and get one.” Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang

“Overall, it was a decent day. Our qualifying effort hurt us more than I thought it was going to. I thought our car was really good on a long run, but just could never get the track position to go with it. It seemed like toward the end of the run we would be better than a lot of guys, but were never better enough to pass them. Overall, I thought our car was good, but just needed a little bit more speed to finish it off. With how our last couple of months have gone it’s definitely nice to have another solid run. It seems like all the short tracks we can always run good, it’s just the big tracks that we kind of struggle on so, hopefully, we can apply something we learned today for Michigan and move on.” Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers Ford Mustang

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the FireKeepers Casino 400 on Sunday, Aug. 6 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn. The race begins at 2:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by USA and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

In The Know – Richmond

NASCAR CUP SERIES OVERVIEW:

●  Event:  Cook Out 400 (Round 22 of 36)

●  Time/Date:  3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 30

●  Location:  Richmond (Va.) Raceway

●  Layout:  .75-mile oval

●  Laps/Miles:  400 laps/300 miles

●  Stage Lengths:  Stage 1: 70 laps / Stage 2: 160 laps / Final Stage: 170 laps

●  TV/Radio:  USA / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

SHR FAST FACTS:

Kevin Harvick:

Harvick finished fifth in his return to Richmond in April. It was his 18th top-five and 30th top-10 in 44 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at the .75-mile oval, the most among active NASCAR Cup Series drivers. Next best is Kyle Busch with 27 top-10s. Who is the all-time leader in top-10s at Richmond? None other than “The King,” seven-time Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty. He earned 41 top-10s at Richmond in 63 career starts.

Aric Almirola:

In 22 starts, Aric Almirola has earned eight top-10 finishes and two top-fives on the .75-mile Richmond (Va.) Raceway oval. He’s qualified inside the top-10 in four of his last six appearances there with a best start of sixth in the September 2018 race. Almirola’s best Richmond finish of fifth came in September 2018, his first year driving for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR). In this year’s first Richmond event April 2, he ran in and around the top-10 throughout the race and earned a 13th-place finish.

Chase Briscoe:

Chase Briscoe makes his sixth NASCAR Cup Series start at Richmond (Va.) Raceway Sunday in the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers Ford Mustang. He has a best start of fourth and a best finish of 11th, both earned in April 2022. This past April, Briscoe started 19th and ran in the top-15 all race long en route to a 12th-place finish.

Ryan Preece:

The No. 41 SHR Ford Mustang team has showed streaks of improvement and consistency at various points this season. Preece had a career weekend at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in April, earning his first Cup Series pole and leading a career-high 135 laps. In 21 points-paying events this season, Preece has six top-15 finishes – March 12 at Phoenix Raceway, April 16 at Marinsville (Va.) Speedway, May 14 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, May 29 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, June 11 at Sonoma and July 2 at the Chicago Street Course.

OUR WEEKLY WRAPS:

 

WHAT OUR DRIVERS ARE SAYING:

Kevin Harvick, Driver of the No. 4 Rheem Ford Mustang:

When you won at Richmond last August, it was your second straight victory after winning the weekend before at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn. How satisfying was it to back up your Michigan win with an outright victory six days later at Richmond?

“Coming off of Michigan and being able to go there and just have the fastest car and win the race was really good for us to know, OK, we’ve got this figured out. It took us a while last year to get everything figured out, and really, the second half of the year, the cars really ran well and we had a lot of good races and we were able to get to victory lane a couple of times. So, that was definitely good for everybody’s mind at Richmond.”

Aric Almirola, Driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang:

You’re in a must-win situation to enter the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Where does Richmond rank in opportunities to win?

“If I could pick one out of the next handful of races to win, I will pick Richmond, hands down. That is the racetrack that I have excelled at the most and have not gone to victory lane, so I would love to do that in front of all of the Smithfield employees and their families.” 

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers Ford Mustang:

The short-track package appears to still deliver for the No. 14 team despite the struggles you’ve been faced with lately. Does that give you some confidence heading to Richmond?

“I think it gives us something positive to look forward to. It’s going to be really important to be up front and have that good track position if we want to finish there. We saw that at Loudon. We used pit strategy to put ourselves up front and we were able to stay there. We just have to keep making the most out of what we have.”

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 United Rentals Ford Mustang:

Do you enjoy racing at Richmond?

“I do. I’m a short-track racer, so that’s a really big part of it. It definitely doesn’t drive like a lot of other short tracks but, if you can compare it, it’s more like Phoenix. We had our best finish of the season at Phoenix earlier this season, too, so that’s in the back of my head. The corners aren’t as tight at Richmond and the track is so unique. Our team needs to unload and be fast right away so we can qualify up front and stay there. Track position is always the name of the game and we’ve had to fight for track position these last few weeks because we didn’t qualify as well as we hoped. I’m hoping this weekend is different and we can be up front to start things off.”

Post Race Report – Pocono

Date: July 23, 2023
Event: HighPoint.com 400 (Round 21 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Pocono (Pa.) Raceway (2.5-mile triangle)
Format: 160 laps, broken into three stages (30 laps/65 laps/65 laps)

Race Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing
Stage 1 Winner: Joey Logano of Team Penske
Stage 2 Winner: Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports

SHR Race Finish:
● Kevin Harvick (Started 4th, Finished 4th / Running, completed 160 of 160 laps)
● Aric Almirola (Started 27th, Finished 12th / Running, completed 160 of 160 laps)
● Chase Briscoe (Started 29th, Finished 29th / Running, completed 160 of 160 laps)
● Ryan Preece (Started 34th, Finished 31st / Running, completed 159 of 160 laps)

SHR Points:
● Kevin Harvick (8th with 601 points, 110 out of first)
● Aric Almirola (25th with 352 points, 359 out of first)
● Ryan Preece (27th with 341 points, 370 out of first)
● Chase Briscoe (31st with 257 points, 454 out of first)

SHR Notes:
● Harvick earned his sixth top-five and ninth top-10 of the season. It was his 16th top-five and 23rd top-10 in 44 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Pocono.
● Harvick’s 16 top-fives and 23 top-10s at Pocono are the most among active NASCAR Cup Series drivers. Denny Hamlin is next best with 15 top-fives and 22 top-10s.
● This was Harvick’s second straight top-five. He finished fourth last week at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon.
● Since joining SHR in 2014, Harvick has only four finishes outside of the top-10 at Pocono – a span of 18 races.
● Almirola earned his fifth top-15 of the season and his seventh top-15 in 21 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Pocono.
● This was Almirola’s eighth straight finish of 16th or better at Pocono.

Race Notes:
● Hamlin won the HighPoint.com 400 to score his milestone 50th career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his second of the season and his seventh at Pocono. Tyler Reddick crossed the finish line second as the race ended under caution.
● There were 11 caution periods for a total of 44 laps.
● Thirty of the 36 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
● Martin Truex Jr., remains the championship leader after Pocono with a 30-point advantage over second-place William Byron.

Sound Bites:

“I would’ve rather won, but I think we just have to keep ourselves in the mix, keep doing what we’re doing, and you just never know how these things are going to play out. We needed the front in clean air and we never really got that. Our car just struggled in traffic on that first lap of the restarts to get going with the front tires, but it was a strange race. I didn’t ever think that that strategy would play out like it did, running where we were and then have it cycle all through. You’ve just got to keep going every lap. They know what they’re doing up there and let it play out.” – Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Peach Ford Mustang

“Today was a tough day, but I’m glad we were able to finish on the lead lap. We’ve had success at Pocono with HighPoint.com and I really wanted to get them a good finish in their race. We still have a lot of work to do on the No. 14 team, but I have all the confidence in these guys and I know we’ll figure it out.” – Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang

Next Up:
The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Cook Out 400 on Sunday, July 30 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. The race begins at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by USA and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

In The Know – Pocono

NASCAR CUP SERIES OVERVIEW:

●  Event:  HighPoint.com 400 (Round 21 of 36)

●  Time/Date:  2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 23

●  Location:  Pocono (Pa.) Raceway

●  Layout:  2.5-mile triangle

●  Laps/Miles:  160 laps/400 miles

●  Stage Lengths:  Stage 1: 30 laps / Stage 2: 65 laps / Final Stage: 65 laps

●  TV/Radio:  USA / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

SHR FAST FACTS:

Kevin Harvick:

On June 27, 2020, in his 39th NASCAR Cup Series start at Pocono, Harvick finally nabbed a coveted victory at the “Tricky Triangle.” After starting ninth and methodically working his way toward the front, Harvick led the final 17 laps to take the checkered flag by .761 of a second over runner-up Hamlin in the first race of a doubleheader weekend. Harvick then followed up his win with a strong second-place finish Sunday, as Hamlin came home the victor.

Aric Almirola:

 The No. 10 Ford Mustang will sport a new Ford Motor Company livery this weekend at Pocono. Almirola has been a Ford driver for the entirety of his 12-year fulltime Cup Series career. Ford is one of the most successful global racing programs and is the only car manufacturer to win the world’s most prestigious races, including the Daytona 500, the Indianapolis 500, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Rolex 24 at Daytona, the NHRA’s U.S. Nationals, the Baja 1000, Rally Great Britain, the Bathurst 1,000, and even the Rallycross competition at the X Games. Ford has 722 all-time wins in the NASCAR Cup Series by 88 different drivers, including all three of Almirola’s career victories. Additionally, Ford has won 10 Cup series championships and 17 manufacturer titles.

Chase Briscoe:

Briscoe has visited Pocono’s victory lane twice – once in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and once in the ARCA Menards Series. In 2020, the native of Mitchell, Indiana, overcame a pit-road speeding penalty, a near-miss in a multicar accident and a late-race spin while leading to notch his fourth Xfinity Series win of the season and the first home-track win for HighPoint.com. He led 24 laps that day.

Ryan Preece:

Sunday’s HighPoint.com 400 will mark Preece’s seventh Cup Series start at Pocono. His previous six outings were with JTG-Daugherty Racing, beginning with the June 2019 race when he started 29th and finished 23rd. Preece started on the pole but finished 25th in the second race of the Pocono doubleheader weekend in 2020. In his most recent Pocono appearance, the second race of the June 2021 weekend doubleheader, Preece started 23rd and finished eighth, his best at the track. In two career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, Preece has a best finish of fourth, which came in 2019 with JR Motorsports after starting eighth. Preece has also made two NASCAR Truck Series starts at Pocono, both with David Gilliland Racing. The first was in 2021, when he started eighth and finished ninth, and the second last season, when he started 22nd and finished second after leading six laps.

OUR WEEKLY WRAPS:

 

W

WHAT OUR DRIVERS ARE SAYING:

Kevin Harvick, Driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Peach Ford Mustang:

You mentioned the Tunnel Turn – what makes it so difficult?

“The Tunnel Turn is difficult just because you try to carry so much speed through there. It’s not an extremely hard corner, but it’s an extremely hard corner to carry speed through there without having the front end push or the back slide out. It’s not an extremely hard corner until you try to go through there as fast as you can lap after lap. It’s an easy corner to make a mistake. You can give up a lot of time there, but you can also make a lot of time.”

Aric Almirola, Driver of the No. 10  Ford Mustang:

What is your best memory of Pocono over the years?

“My best memory of Pocono would be that doubleheader weekend we had in 2020 during the pandemic. I ran really well and led a lot of laps. We finished third in the first race, then we had to invert the field, which put me in the middle of the pack, and we ran really well that next race. It was my best weekend at Pocono. That weekend, I was like, ‘Yes I finally figured out Pocono.’”

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 HighPoint.com  Ford Mustang:

How do you keep your head in the right place for a track that challenging?

“I think some guys go in with the mindset or mentality where they’re already kind of defeated before they get there because it’s such a tough track. That’s half the battle and I’ve always loved racing there. But it is probably one of the most terrifying places we race. The front straightaway is so long, and you can’t see the end of the corner. You’re almost going into this 90-degree corner and, you know, hopefully you come out OK on the other side. The racing is tough but the track has a great atmosphere with all the fans camping, so if you can go in knowing you have challenges that you just have to manage, the success will come and then you get to go out and celebrate with all of those people that have stuck it out all weekend.”

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 Mohawk Northeast Ford Mustang:

You have a good amount of experience at Pocono and some really good results there in the Xfinity Series and Truck Series. What is it about Pocono that you like?

“It just really fits my style of racing. I really enjoy the racing that Pocono provides. Our team has been really emphasizing a handful of tracks and this is one of them, just like New Hampshire was. New Hampshire just didn’t go our way last weekend, which was a bummer because I really hoped for a better result. We’ve been working really hard on the simulator and making sure our car is just right when it comes off the truck. That’s important for our team, and then qualifying well is key. We’ve seen how important qualifying at the front is at these tracks because you don’t know if you’ll be able to maneuver the track and make those passes necessary to get up there and contend. We’re consistently moving in the right direction and this weekend will be no different.”

In The Know – New Hampshire

NASCAR CUP SERIES OVERVIEW:

●  Event:  Crayon 301 (Round 20 of 36)

●  Time/Date:  2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 16

●  Location:  New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon

●  Layout:  1.058-mile oval

●  Laps/Miles:  301 laps / 318.46 miles

●  Stage Lengths:  Stage 1: 70 laps / Stage 2: 115 laps / Final Stage: 116 laps

●  TV/Radio:  USA / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

SHR FAST FACTS:

Kevin Harvick:

As a 23-year veteran of the NASCAR Cup Series with 60 career wins, Kevin Harvick has a lot of good racetracks. New Hampshire Motor Speedway is one of them. The driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) has made 39 starts at the 1.058-mile oval and won four times – tied with retired driver Jeff Burton for the most all-time. And when he hasn’t ended his race in victory lane, Harvick has been well within the vicinity. He has 14 top-five and 23 top-10 finishes, both of which lead the series among active Cup Series drivers

Aric Almirola:

Aric Almirola won the July 2021 NASCAR Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. After a two-hour rain delay, he and the field battled daylight. With darkness closing in on the 1.058-mile oval, Almirola sprung to life late and pulled off the surprise victory. The win catapulted him from 27th in the standings to the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year and fifth time in his career. Almirola is in the exact same points position heading into this weekend’s race.

Chase Briscoe:

The 28-year-old driver has four top-10 finishes this season, three of which came on tracks measuring 1 mile or less. Briscoe finished seventh at Phoenix Raceway and fifth at the flat, paperclip-shaped Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. He also earned a fifth-place effort in the Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway dirt race.

Ryan Preece:

Ryan Preece and the No. 41 Mohawk Northeast Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) are heading home to New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, approximately two hours and 45 minutes from Preece’s hometown; Berlin, Connecticut. The Cup Series heads North for afternoon action at the 1.058-mile oval on Sunday, July 16 at 2:30 p.m. EDT on USA, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

OUR WEEKLY WRAPS:

WHAT OUR DRIVERS ARE SAYING:

Kevin Harvick, Driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang:

You get a giant lobster for winning at New Hampshire. Other than scaring your kids with it in victory lane, what do you do with it?

“My lobster, they mounted on a board. It sat in a closet and his claws fell off and some of his arms and legs fell off, so we took the lobster off the board and we used the board for a skateboard ramp. That was what happened to my first lobster because he just fell apart and we used the board for Keelan’s skateboard ramp.”

Aric Almirola, Driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang:

Does it give you a lot of confidence knowing you won at New Hampshire in 2021?

“It certainly does give me a lot of confidence going back to New Hampshire and to know that we are capable of winning. I get really excited about going to a place where I have notoriously run well at and, every time I show up to New Hampshire, I have just a tremendous amount of confidence. I know what I need out of my racecar. I know what I want it to feel like and so, because of those things, I just show up with the right mindset. And, if we have the car and we execute, I know we’re capable of winning. I do get excited and fired up about going to New Hampshire. It was an awesome day in 2021, and holding that lobster in victory lane and celebrating with all my team guys and knowing that that catapulted us into the playoffs gives me a lot of good memories as I get ready to go to New Hampshire this weekend, knowing that we can do that again.”

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Gen.G Mobil 1 Ford Mustang:

In the last three weeks, we’ve seen a change, even if a slight one, in the performance of the No. 14 team. Do you feel like anything has changed?

“There has definitely been a change in team dynamics – the way we communicate and prepare. I know I’ve been held way more accountable over the last two or three weeks. I feel like we’ve run some good races, like Chicago, where the strategy just didn’t really work out for us. We’ve been able to capitalize on better starting positions, which helps out in the race if maybe we don’t have the best speed. We’ve seen track position become so important, so that helps a little more, to have a starting spot that is 10 to 15 positions better. I do think that we’ve seen that light at the other end of the tunnel and it’s just a matter of getting there. I’ve heard some comments from people outside of the organization saying it’s not better, but it’s not going to be a quick change. It’s going to take time and that’s where you just have to keep believing and knowing what we’re working toward.”

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 Mohawk Northeast Ford Mustang:

Is this a race that you’ve been looking forward to and have circled on your calendar?

“Absolutely. I put in a lot of preparation at going over details with Chad (Johnston, crew chief) and amongst my team every week, but when you see places like this, you put in that extra little bit. That  little bit more to make sure because, you know at the end of the day, me going to New Hampshire versus me going to Kansas is my opportunity; my opportunity  to win at a place like New Hampshire is greater. Definitely, I have a really good idea and feel for what I need to get around New Hampshire Motor Speedway fast. We’ve been heading in that direction. I feel really confident with what we’re bringing that we can be a contender.”