Category: Pre-Race Reports

In The Know – Phoenix

NASCAR CUP SERIES OVERVIEW:

●  Event:  NASCAR Cup Series Season Finale (Round 36 of 36)

●  Time/Date:  3 p.m. EST on Sunday, Nov. 5

●  Location:  Phoenix Raceway

●  Layout:  1-mile oval

●  Laps/Miles:  312 laps/312 miles (502 kilometers)

●  Stage Lengths:  Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 125 laps / Final Stage: 127 laps

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

SHR FAST FACTS:

Kevin Harvick:

Who owns Phoenix Raceway? NASCAR or Kevin Harvick? NASCAR owns the facility, at least on paper, but Harvick owns the track. The driver of the No. 4 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) has won a record nine Cup Series races at the desert mile. No other active Cup Series driver has won more than three races at Phoenix. Former fulltime Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson is the closest to Harvick with four wins at the track.

Aric Almirola:

This weekend’s season finale at Phoenix Raceway will be a bittersweet one for Aric Almirola. Last weekend, the 39-year-old announced via social media that he would officially step away from the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang Cup Series entry at Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) and is excited for his next adventure. More than a year ago, Almirola announced he would retire from fulltime cup series racing to spend more time with family. Through the course of the year, he discovered a new balance between his passion for racing and dedication to his family. His wife Janice, and kids Alex and Abby, joined him on most race weekends, oftentimes enjoying once-in-a-lifetime experiences together as they traveled the country. When SHR and sponsor Smithfield Foods asked him to reconsider, he did. This time around, the Almirola family is ready for the next adventure.

Chase Briscoe:

Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), returns to Phoenix Raceway for the final race of the 2023 season. Phoenix is the site of Briscoe’s first Cup Series win, earned in the March 2022 event, which was the first at Phoenix in the NextGen car. Since then, the 28-year-old driver has finished no worse than seventh at the 1-mile oval.

Ryan Preece:

Sunday’s race will mark Preece’s ninth Cup Series start at the Arizona track. His first came in 2015 and his 12th-place finish in March, after starting 25th, is his best Phoenix finish. In his eight previous Cup Series starts at Phoenix, Preece has completed 95.6 percent of laps attempted. He has also made three starts at Phoenix in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with a best result of fifth from the fifth starting position in the No. 18 for Joe Gibbs Racing in November 2018

 

OUR WEEKLY WRAPS:

WHAT OUR DRIVERS ARE SAYING:

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

Phoenix marks your final race as a NASCAR Cup Series driver. What’s it like to leave while still at the top of your game?

“That’s really one of the things I’m most proud of. Somebody asked me when did I ever feel like I’ve made it. This is really the only time that I’ve ever felt like I’ve made it because I got to choose how I ended it. I know that that’s rare, and as you look at it, I got to plan my last year and say this was it, and then we were still competitive, and then we went out and did what we were supposed to do. It’s really the first time I felt comfortable saying that I’ve made it.”

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

This is the last race of your fulltime Cup Series career. How do you want to be remembered in the series?

“Just as a genuine person, honestly. The wins and all of that stuff, that’s all temporary, it really is. I had to learn this the hard way, but you don’t gain happiness and satisfaction from going to victory lane. You gain momentary joy, but it’s not long-lasting. As soon as that weekend is over, you immediately are focused on the next week and wanting to go do it again and, if you don’t, the next week if you finish 25th you’re mad and you’re bummed out and you’re disappointed and so that cycle of emotions I’ve come to realize is very temporary. But what is lasting is friendships and people you care about and doing things that you enjoy with people you enjoy. And so, for me, that’s what I want to keep doing. I want to keep working. I want to get up in the morning with a purpose. I want to go do something. I want to try and make somebody else better. For 40 years of my life, I’ve focused on just me. I’ve served myself and worried about what’s best for me and what’s best for my career and all of those things, so as I look to the future, I want to make sure that I’m focusing on trying to help others achieve their goals. From what I’ve heard in talking to a lot of people and reading a lot of books about people’s next chapter in life, that’s typically how you get the most satisfaction, trying to figure out how to serve others.”

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

Sum up the 2023 season for the No. 14 team.

“This year has been really trying for the No. 14 team. We had some really low moments and we’ve come back from that. I think we’re a lot stronger for it and, even if the results don’t show it, we are on the right track to finding the success that’s expected of us. There is still a long way to go. Everyone in this sport is always pushing and looking for new ways to find speed. We have to keep working to match that and eventually get ahead. It’s a never-ending fight to get better and we’ll keep working until we’re back to running up front every week and getting wins.”

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

What is one thing you can take from your first fulltime season in the Cup Series with SHR and implement heading into next season?

“Our short-track program has been our bread and butter. We’ve been really strong at those tracks and that’s where I feel like we’ve really shown progress. The exciting thing is that we have really improved all around this season. Our mile-and-a-half program got so much better throughout the season and we worked hard on that. We’ve always emphasized the short tracks on the schedule because that’s where I have a lot of confidence, but the mile-and-a-halves and the superspeedways and those 2-mile tracks, we’ve seen improvement. We’ve been in position to have solid days and we have had solid days, just always needed a little more. A lot of times, by the time we made the adjustments that worked best for me as a driver, we just needed some more laps in the race to get into those top-10 and top-five positions. Those improvements are what make next season really exciting for us. We have all worked so hard. This is about the whole team, it’s not just me. It’s about the people, I’ve always said that. We really are a team and we have busted our butts every week and it’s going to pay off.”

In The Know – Martinsville

NASCAR CUP SERIES OVERVIEW:

●  Event:  Xfinity 500 (Round 35 of 36)

●  Time/Date:  2 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 29

●  Location:  Martinsville (Va.) Speedway

●  Layout:  .526-mile oval

●  Laps/Miles:  500 laps/263 miles

●  Stage Lengths:  Stage 1: 130 laps / Stage 2: 130 laps / Final Stage: 240 laps

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

SHR FAST FACTS:

Kevin Harvick:

  Baseball’s postseason has reached its homestretch with the World Series beginning this Friday. And the same way hitters crack the bat and put the ball in play, Kevin Harvick has proven to be a heckuva cleanup hitter at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, site of Sunday’s Xfinity 500 NASCAR Cup Series race. Harvick is batting well over .400 when it comes to finishing among the top-10 at Martinsville. The driver of the No. 4 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) has made 44 career Cup Series starts at the .526-mile oval and recorded 20 top-10s, the third-highest tally among active Cup Series drivers. Only Denny Hamlin (24 top-10s) and Kyle Busch (21 top-10s) have more.

Aric Almirola:

 In April, Almirola and all of Stewart-Haas Racing executed their best Cup Series race as a team at Martinsville. After Ryan Preece earned the pole in the No. 41 Ford, Almirola, Chase Briscoe and Kevin Harvick ran inside the top-five during the race and three of the four cars led laps. Almirola started third and crossed the finish line sixth – his second-best finish of the year.

Chase Briscoe:

Briscoe has earned three straight top-10 finishes at Martinsville dating back to the March 2022 race. He scored ninth-place results in both 2022 events, the second one in the October race, the third and final race of the Round of 8 of the Cup Series Playoffs in which he was eliminated from championship contention. This past April at Martinsville, Briscoe finished fifth in the first stage and second in the second stage, and led twice for a total of 109 laps en route to a fifth-place result.

Ryan Preece:

Sunday’s race will mark Preece’s eighth Cup Series career start on the .526-mile, paperclip-shaped oval. When the series last visited Martinsville in April, Preece had a career-best weekend. He won his first career Cup Series pole and led a race-high and career-high 135 laps. A mishap on pit road forced Preece and his No. 41 Ford Mustang to restart from the rear and he ultimately finished 15th. Aside from Preece’s experience at the track in the Cup Series, he also has quite the resume there in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. Preece has six Modified Tour starts at the track, the first coming in 2007. He has one win (2008), two top-fives, two top-10s, 423 total laps led, an average start of 7.8 and an average finish of 13.5 in those six races.

 

OUR WEEKLY WRAPS:

WHAT OUR DRIVERS ARE SAYING:

Kevin Harvick, Driver of the No. 4 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang:

Are you compartmentalizing your emotions as your final season winds down?

“I feel like that’s something that, throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to be pretty good at. You just go and do what you’re supposed to do no matter what the surrounding situation is, whether it’s chaotic, or you’re running good, you’re running bad, you ran into somebody, last year, first year, it’s just been one of those things that I’ve been fortunate to be able to do – just climb in the car, put the window net up, and it’s just what you do. No matter the magnitude of the scenario, it’s just part of the next step to get to where you want to be. Going into the year, obviously we knew that we’d planned out the last season of what we wanted to do and it’s just part of the plan. For me, we’re definitely structured planners, so you just execute that plan and then you go to the next one. I know at the end of the year it’ll obviously look different but, on the flip side, I’ve been very fortunate to be successful at what I do. I’ve basically lived out my childhood dream to do what I wanted to do, and now it’s time to move on. It’s time to do something different after we go to Phoenix and race there for the last time, and for me, that’s exciting.”

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

You drove from 30th to ninth last weekend. How good did it feel to have something go your way after such an up-and-down season?

In The Know – Homestead

NASCAR CUP SERIES OVERVIEW:

●  Event:  4EVER 400 presented by Mobil 1 (Round 34 of 36)

●  Time/Date:  2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 22

●  Location:  Homestead-Miami 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:  NBC / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

SHR FAST FACTS:

Kevin Harvick:

With 2023 being Kevin Harvick’s final season as a NASCAR Cup Series driver, “The Closer” has enjoyed a number of heartfelt tributes to his illustrious career. Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway will serve as another tribute, and it will leave everyone seeing red. Budweiser, the brand Harvick took to the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series championship when he clinched the title at Homestead by winning the race, will be back on his racecar for the 4EVER 400 presented by Mobil 1. The eye-catching red Budweiser paint scheme that Harvick drove to victory on Nov. 16, 2014 will be back at Homestead as Budweiser, Busch Light and Stewart-Haas Racing came together to surprise Harvick with the throwback Budweiser paint scheme and firesuit for his final race at the South Florida oval. Harvick has been an Anheuser-Busch partner since 2011, with Budweiser serving as a sponsor before Busch Light took the wheel in 2016. “Kevin Harvick has been an iconic Anheuser-Busch partner and cornerstone of our sports portfolio since we first started working together in 2011,” said Matt Davis, Vice-President of Partnerships at Anheuser-Busch. “Through our partnership with Kevin, we have been able to connect with 21+ NASCAR fans across the country, giving them unparalleled access to the sport. This surprise paint scheme is just another way we are celebrating Kevin, his loyal fans and his storied career on the track.” This special moment with Harvick is the latest program in Anheuser-Busch’s long-standing commitment to NASCAR. With driver partnerships, key event sponsorships and investments in the sport, Anheuser-Busch has proudly supported and elevated NASCAR through Budweiser and Busch Light for more than 40 years.

Aric Almirola:

 In 457 career NASCAR Cup Series starts, Almirola has three wins, 28 top-five finishes, 93 top-10s, five poles, and has led 1,081 laps.

Chase Briscoe:

There’s only one track on the NASCAR schedule where Briscoe has visited victory lane in both a truck and a car – Homestead. When he was driving fulltime for Brad Keselowski Racing in the NASCAR Truck Series in 2017, he finished the season on a high note at the track, leading four times for a race-high 81 laps en route to his first win in a NASCAR national series. The win elevated him to sixth in the Truck Series championship standings and earned him Rookie of the Year honors to go with that year’s Most Popular Driver award.

Ryan Preece:

Sunday’s race will be Preece’s fifth on the 1.5-mile Homestead oval, his most recent coming in 2021 when he started eighth and finished 21st for JTG-Daugherty Racing. Outside the Cup Series, Preece has four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Homestead with one top-five, two top-10s and an average finish of 15. In the 2017 Xfinity Series race, he started and finished fifth, and the following year he started 12th and finished sixth, driving both years for Joe Gibbs Racing. In his lone career Truck Series start at Homestead, Preece started on the pole and finished fourth driving for David Gilliland Racing last year. Sunday’s race will be his first at Homestead behind the wheel of NextGen car.

OUR WEEKLY WRAPS:

 

WHAT OUR DRIVERS ARE SAYING:

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

What was your greatest race?

“I think the single best race has to be Homestead of 2014, just with the way everything went and the great call and the race at the end and everything that happened with coming to Stewart-Haas Racing that first year. All the adversity that we had at the beginning of the year, how fast the cars were, and then putting it all together in one day to win the championship, I think that single race is probably the one that I would circle just because of everything that happened and everything that it summarized and wound up, ultimately, with a championship at the end.”

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

What has racing at Homestead over the years meant to you? 

“Homestead for me has been a great racetrack. It’s really how I got my start to go Cup racing. I filled in for Richard Petty Motorsports back in 2010 and I finished fourth after running up front. That opened some people’s eyes. Sure enough, I got my first start in the Cup Series because of it. I do think about that when I go there. It’s got a special place in my heart. It’s also a race in my home state and the Miami area has a lot of Cuban heritage that I’ve enjoyed over the years. The food scene in Miami is always good. We usually venture downtown and find a good Cuban sandwich and coffee. Going to Miami in October to race is always fun because you get a tropic feel before heading to Martinsville, where it’s usually cold. Hopefully, we can unload with balance to run the top well and bring home another top-five finish and get the momentum going for the last two races of the season. These last few races are some of my favorite.” 

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Magical Vacation Planner Ford Mustang:

You are one of four drivers to have won in the Truck and Xfinity series at Homestead, and there are only two drivers — Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick – who have won races at Homestead in all three of NASCAR’s top series. Is there something to be said for being one of just a few drivers who were able to find success in a truck, and Xfinity and Cup Series cars at one track?

“Homestead is a place where I feel like, as a driver, you can carry your car a little bit more, you can move around and figure out how to make more out of a car that maybe isn’t handling the best. It’s one of my favorite places to race. It’s where I got my first win in NASCAR. It’s a challenge but such a fun place to race, and to be on a short list with guys like Kyle and Kevin would be really cool.”

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

This is your first trip to Homestead since 2021. What’s on your mind as you prepare for your return to South Florida?

“Yeah, I’m looking forward to getting to Homestead. I haven’t been there in the NextGen car, yet, but I’ve had some really good runs at the track in other series, so I feel like I have a good understanding of the track. It’s a unique mile-and-a-half, so it’s hard to even compare it to the others we go to. The surface of the track is really worn, so you have to run that wall as best you can because that will be the sweet spot. The tire wear will be pretty substantial, so our team will focus on the tire strategy and taking care of our stuff. As always, we’ll want to qualify well so we can be upfront with track position just being everything.”

In The Know – Kansas

NASCAR CUP SERIES OVERVIEW:

●  Event:  Hollywood Casino 400 (Round 28 of 36)

●  Time/Date:  3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Sept. 10

●  Location:  Kansas Speedway in Kansas City

●  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:  USA / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

SHR FAST FACTS:

Kevin Harvick:

Harvick is tied for the second-most wins at Kansas with Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon, all of whom have three victories apiece. Denny Hamlin leads with the most victories at Kansas, as his win in the series’ previous race at the 1.5-mile oval in May gave him four triumphs to break what had been a five-way tie. Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 marks the 36th Cup Series race at Kansas.

Aric Almirola:

In 22 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Almirola has seven top-10 finishes and has led 69 laps. He finished 13th at Kansas earlier this year.

Chase Briscoe:

Prior to Briscoe’s Cup Series debut, he had only competed on pavement in 133 races across the ARCA Menards Series, the former K&N West Series, the NASCAR Truck Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Briscoe jumped straight from dirt cars to ARCA and, just last weekend at Florence (S.C.) Motor Speedway, he competed in his second pavement Late Model race. Briscoe drove his Mahindra Tractors-sponsored Chad Bryant Racing entry to a second-place finish.

Ryan Preece:

Sunday’s race at the 1.5-mile Kansas oval will mark Preece’s eighth career Cup Series start at the track. He has a best finish of 12th after starting 28th in the October 2019 race with JTG-Daugherty Racing. In this year’s first Kansas event in May, Preece and the No. 41 team had a tough weekend, qualifying 28th and finishing 27th. Preece has two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Kansas (2016 and 2018) and one in the NASCAR Truck Series, when he started seventh and finished third in September 2022.

OUR WEEKLY WRAPS:

WHAT OUR DRIVERS ARE SAYING:

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

What will make this year’s playoffs a success for you?

“My goal was to be competitive, and we’ve been fortunate to do that, for the most part. There were a couple of weeks where we weren’t very competitive, but it seems that’s kind of the norm with this particular car. You just want to go as far as you can and do everything that you can to maximize each and every week, and that’s what we’re good it.”

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

Do you feel like you made a statement as a team after your solid run at Darlington? 

“Absolutely. I know we finished 14th, but that was with damage to the nose and splitter we couldn’t fix. All of our cars showed speed. Kevin (Harvick) had one of the fastest cars up there in clean air, too, and Chase (Briscoe) ran around the top-10, too. Our organization hit on something and I think you’re going to see more of that for the rest of the season.” 

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

We’ve seen a lot of speed out of the No. 14 team the last few weeks before something gets in the way of a finish that reflects that. Do you feel encouraged by the progress that’s been made?

“Yeah, we’re definitely seeing improvement. I wish we had the results to reflect that, but we can look back and see that we are making progress and things are coming together. We just have to figure out how to close it out. We’ve had some weird things happen, like the lugnut at Watkins Glen, and some cautions that haven’t gone our way, but overall, it’s definitely encouraging to see we’re headed in the right direction toward the end of the season.”

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

What do you see as the biggest challenge at Kansas Speedway?

“Typically, Kansas is a track where you fight being loose and each corner can be so different. It’s going to be important to find a good balance between being too loose and too free. We’ve fought that battle before and me and my crew chief, Chad Johnston, know what to expect. We’ve been working really hard every week to put focus into certain things that we can control. And like I said, track position, it’s going to be the biggest thing.”

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.”

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.”

 

In The Know – Atlanta

NASCAR Cup Series Overview:

●  Event:  Atlanta 400 (Round 19 of 36)

●  Time/Date:  7 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 9

●  Location:  Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia

●  Layout:  1.54-mile oval

●  Laps/Miles:  260 laps/400 miles

●  Stage Lengths:  Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Final Stage: 100 laps

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

SHR FAST FACTS:

Kevin Harvick:

Sunday’s Atlanta 400 will mark Harvick’s 36th career NASCAR Cup Series start at Atlanta – the most of any active driver – but only his fourth on the new configuration. In his 32 starts on the old layout, Harvick led the way with a series-high nine top-fives, 16 top-10s (tied with Kurt Busch), 1,348 laps led and 10,127 laps completed. Who is the all-time leader at Atlanta? That’s none other than Richard Petty. They call him “The King” for a reason: 65 career Cup Series starts at Atlanta with six wins, 22 top-fives, 33 top-10s and 1,827 laps led with 17,513 laps completed.

Aric Almirola:

Almirola has a solid record at superspeedways with two wins, six top-fives, 12 top-10s and 84 laps led. In June 2020, he scored his eighth-consecutive top-10 at Talladega to tie the track record for most consecutive top-10s – a mark first set by Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr., from April 2001 to October 2004.

Chase Briscoe:

In three starts at the superspeedway-style intermediate track in Hampton, Georgia, Briscoe has a best finish of 15th, earned in March 2022. He came home 24th in the first visit to Atlanta earlier this year.

Ryan Preece:

The No. 41 SHR Ford Mustang team has continued to improve in recent weeks and has seen more and more consistency, providing a heightened sense of motivation. 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 18 points-paying events this season, Preece has six top-15 finishes, four of which came in the last six points-paying races – May 14 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, May 29 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, June 11 at Sonoma, and Sunday’s race in Chicago.

Our Weekly Wraps:

 

What Our Drivers Are Saying:

Kevin Harvick Driver of the No. 4 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang:

With three NASCAR Cup Series races on the reconfigured Atlanta Motor Speedway, the new Atlanta really isn’t all that new anymore. How would you describe the current track?

“It’s just a superspeedway race on a mile-and-a-half racetrack. Things just happen a lot faster, so the decisions have to happen faster, the cars move around a lot more, the corners come up a lot quicker. A lot more seat-of-your-pants, just, ‘Go here, go there, do this, do that.’”

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

With your successful superspeedway career, do you look forward to Atlanta?

“I have always enjoyed going to Atlanta. It has been a place that we are so fast as a race team. It’s been a place where we have led a lot of laps recently and I look forward to going there knowing we can put ourselves in a position to win. Unfortunately, both times we have led laps we have been wrecked out or cut a tire from the lead toward the end of the race. Things have to go our way, eventually, and I know we can put ourselves back in that position again this weekend.”

Chase Briscoe Driver of the No. 14 Magical Vacation Planner Ford Mustang:

How important is track position at Atlanta where you don’t have a chance to practice before the field is set in qualifying?

“With this new car, track position has become very important, but you really have to have your balance figured out at Atlanta compared to some of the other big tracks we race at. As much as we like to say it races like a superspeedway, we’re more reliant on the handling at Atlanta than we would be at Daytona or Talladega. It’s always a good thing to start up front but, if the car isn’t set up right, we’re going to the back quickly and it’ll be hard to make that up.”

Ryan Preece Driver of the No. 41 Sony Mobile ES Ford Mustang:

Does the fact that this weekend’s race is a night race change anything from a driver perspective?

“As a driver, I just hope the track loses some grip for us. With the track being superspeedway-style racing, evertything is happening so fast and it’s a unique track layout. The track is just going to continue to change throughout the race. It’s definitely a superspeedway and we can really capitalize on that, but we have to be smart, too. We didn’t get the opportunity to do some of the drafting because of losing the cylinder earlier this season but we know we will have options with the different lanes at this track. It’ll be interesting but I’m looking forward to it.”

In The Know – Chicago Street Course

NASCAR CUP SERIES OVERVIEW:

SHR FAST FACTS:

Kevin Harvick:

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 GEARWRENCH Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), comes into the Grant Park 220 with some street-race experience, albeit 24 years ago when he drove on the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Tour. In 1998 and again in 1999, Harvick competed on a 1.1-mile street course layout around the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. He completed 116 of the 215 laps available, thwarted by mechanical issues in both races. But his 23rd-place finish in the 1999 race doesn’t tell the whole story. Harvick started fourth in that race and took the lead on lap 19 and paced the field for 34 laps before suffering a mechanical failure.

Aric Almirola:

In Almirola’s 12-year fulltime NASCAR career, he never considered himself to be a road-course racer – until three weeks ago. While a Cup Series win remains the ultimate goal for Almirola, the 39-year-old veteran on June 10 made his way to victory lane in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, driving the No. 28 RSS Racing Ford Mustang. It was the first road-course victory of his career. Almirola’s best road-course outing in the Cup Series also came at Sonoma in 2018, when he finished eighth. He made it back-to-back top-10 finishes at the track when he returned for a ninth-place result in 2019.

Chase Briscoe:

Though it will be the first time racing on a street course in the NextGen, Cup Series drivers are familiar with the left and right turns it will take to maneuver through the streets of Chicago. In his time in the Cup Series, Briscoe has made 15 road-course starts resulting in four top-10 finishes and six inside the top-15

Ryan Preece:

Prior to the sole open date on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule on Father’s Day weekend June 17-18, competitors took on Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway for the season’s second road-course race. Preece kicked off the weekend on the West Coast with a victory in the ARCA Menards Series West race on Friday afternoon. He qualified his No. 9 Bonanza Ford on the pole. From there, he dominated the Friday race by leading 55 of 64 laps and crossed the finish line 9.675 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Sammy Smith. Preece qualified 22nd for Sunday’s 110-lap Cup Series race and finished 13th

OUR WEEKLY WRAPS:

WHAT OUR DRIVERS ARE SAYING:

Kevin Harvick Driver of the No. 4 GEARWRENCH Ford Mustang:

When you’re preparing to race on a track you’ve never been to before, you get acclimated by using a simulator. How helpful is the simulator when you don’t have that seat-of-the-pants feel?

“For the most part, the simulator is basically for reference points and things that come with that particular racetrack. You’re able to sit in your own seat and have your own steering wheel and you’re just in a more realistic surrounding. It’s good for me just to get visuals of everything and be able to have everything memorized with the shift points before we get there.”

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

Are you excited to race on the streets of downtown Chicago?

“I’m excited, nervous, anxious all of the above. I’m excited to do something we have never done, but there is always anxiousness about the unknown and not knowing what to expect. It’s going to be such a fantastic event for the fans. There is so much to do around the course and it’s going to be a lot of fun for them not only during the race but before and after. As a driver, I’m looking forward to saying that I got to race on the streets of Chicago.”

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

What do you expect in the first NASCAR street race?

“I truthfully have no idea. I think we’ve seen a lot of attrition on the restarts at road course races this year and with the NextGen car, so I’d expect some of that. Maybe there will be some guys that take it easy, but I would guess you’ll have some ruffled feathers at some point and that could lead to excitement.”

Ryan Preece Driver of the No. 41 Operating Engineers Ford Mustang:

What kind of expectations do you and your team have this weekend?

“I believe our team can capitalize on moments like this. I embrace new and different and I look forward to it, so I don’t get nervous or worried about it. It’s going to be really challenging but that motivates me. The racetrack is so narrow and it’s going to continually change throughout the weekend. There’s going to be a lot of beating and banging on these cars. You’ve got long straightaways that abruptly turn into 90-degree corners. I think knowing when to press on the brake and knowing when it’s safe to make a move will be important. But, the most important thing will be where you qualify. Starting position is going to be crucial, those who qualify up front will likely stay up front and it’s going to be so hard to pass. We’ve seen how hard it is to pass this season as it is, and now being on a new street course, it’s going to be even harder. There’s also going to be a lot of things taking place on the track around you, so you’ve got to listen to all the spotters and be alert about those things, too.”

In The Know – Nashville

NASCAR CUP SERIES OVERVIEW:

●  Event:  Ally 400 (Round 17 of 36)

●  Time/Date:  7 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 25

●  Location:  Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway

●  Layout:  1.333-mile, concrete oval

●  Laps/Miles:  300 laps/399.9 miles

●  Stage Lengths:  Stages 1: 90 laps / Stage 2: 95 laps / Final Stage: 115 laps

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

SHR FAST FACTS:

Kevin Harvick:

Consistency has been a hallmark of Harvick’s career, and Nashville is yet another example of how he is a top-10 stalwart. In his two NASCAR Cup Series starts at the track, Harvick has finished fifth and 10th, respectively, to earn an average finish of 7.5. The result is emblematic of Harvick’s overall record at tracks that are between a mile and 1.49 miles in length, as he has an average finish of 11.9 in a career that dates back to his Cup Series debut on Feb. 26, 2001 at the 1.017-mile North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham where Harvick finished a respectable 14th.

Aric Almirola:

2021 marked the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, which was new for most everyone involved. This weekend, Almirola and the No. 10 team will head back to the 1.333-mile concrete oval with a little extra confidence. Not only did he earn inaugural Cup Series pole at Nashville in 2021, he piloted the No. 10 to a fourth place finish. Last year, Almirola qualified 11th and finished 17th.

Chase Briscoe:

Chase Briscoe and the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang team for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) will arrive at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway with a renewed effort under new leadership. Richard Boswell steps into the role of NASCAR Cup Series crew chief with the No. 14 team, replacing Johnny Klausmeier, who transitioned to SHR’s vehicle performance group.

Ryan Preece:

The NASCAR Truck Series added Nashville back to its schedule in 2021 for the first time since 2011. Preece ran for David Gilliland Racing in the Truck Series events in 2021 and 2022 and took home the victory in both. In 2021, he qualified sixth and led eight laps en route to his first Truck Series win. In 2022, he qualified on the pole and led 74 laps.

OUR WEEKLY WRAPS:

WHAT OUR DRIVERS ARE SAYING:

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

Last year when you competed at Nashville, you said after the race that you had found some things regarding your car’s setup that proved to be a turning point in your season, and it seemed to lay the groundwork for better performances that ultimately showed up via wins at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn and Richmond (Va.) Raceway. What was it that you learned?

“For us, it was really just a turning point in thought processes and (chassis) setups and kind of validating the things that we knew we could do with the car, but it just took different approaches to make the car do those types of things. From that point on in the season, we were really able to be competitive. It just took a little bit to get everything going, but it was definitely the turning point in the season, for sure.”

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

You won a pole and ran in the top-five at Nashville two years ago, but didn’t have the same speed last year. Do you look forward to going back there?

“I do think we learned some things last year at Nashville, where we missed the setup and where we felt like we were off, so I do look forward to going back there. I really enjoy that racetrack. It’s a track that I liked a lot when I ran Trucks and Xfinity races there, and then the first time there in a Cup car qualified on the pole and ran top-five, so it’s a place that I really enjoy running at and I hope that we learn from some of the things we felt like we did wrong last year with this new car that will make us better.”

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

Halfway through what has been a challenging third season in the Cup Series, you’re coming back from the midseason break in the schedule with a new crew chief. What does that do for the team in terms of a reset?

“Coming back from the off weekend is always a reset and a good chance for us to finish out the season with a fresh strategy. I’m excited to reunite with (Richard) Boswell. I’ve always enjoyed working with him and we have a good relationship that we worked on for many years in the Xfinity Series. He’s done a lot for me in my career and we had a lot of success together in the Xfinity Series, so I feel confident that he’ll know how to push me to be a better driver while he’s trying to figure out this side of things.”

Ryan Preece Driver of the No. 41 Morton Buildings Ford Mustang:

Back-to-back Nashville wins in the Truck Series in 2021 and 2022, and now you’re heading there for the Cup Series race. Your thoughts?

“Yeah, I’m really looking forward to Nashville this weekend. It’s another one of those tracks that I’ve had circled on my calendar. I don’t know what made me perform so well in the Trucks, but the track has been really good to me. I’ve got a lot of confidence heading into the weekend and it’s a track that I’ve really emphasized with my team. I won with (crew chief) Chad Johnston in the 2021 Truck Series race, so we’ve worked together at the track already.  These types of tracks have been stronger for us this season than our other programs, andI think this weekend will be strong for our 41 team.”