Speedway Digest Staff

Team Penske announced today that it will not return to compete in the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship for the 2021 season. The team’s exit concludes an incredibly successful six-year run in Supercars competition. Since joining forces with Dick Johnson Racing to form DJR Team Penske (DJRTP) in 2015, the team has earned 56 wins, 62 poles and six championships, including three-consecutive driver’s titles with Scott McLaughlin. Fabian Coulthard produced the team’s first pole position in 2016 and its first race win in 2017.

Team Penske will assist team co-owners Dick Johnson and Ryan Story with the transition as they prepare for the 2021 Supercars season. The team is expected to announce its plans for next season, including a 2021 driver lineup, in the near future.

Team Penske also announced that McLaughlin will transition from Supercars racing to begin the next phase of his career. McLaughlin will race for Team Penske to complete the team’s four-car, full-season lineup in the 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The 27-year-old McLaughlin will make his INDYCAR SERIES debut this weekend at the 2020 season finale on the Streets of St. Petersburg.

“We have enjoyed an incredible six seasons competing in the Supercars series with DJR Team Penske,” said Roger Penske. “Partnering with Dick Johnson and Ryan Story to form DJR Team Penske was an incredible experience that produced success on the track and in the boardroom. We have built so many lasting partnerships and friendships, and competing in Supercars has certainly helped strengthen our brand and our business in Australia and New Zealand. Unfortunately, with the challenges we have faced in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have had to readjust our business initiatives for 2021 and beyond. We want to thank Dick Johnson, Ryan Story, Fabian Coulthard and all of our team members for their hard work and dedication as we reestablished a championship organization together over the last six years. I know that Dick, Ryan and the team will continue to build on that success moving forward.”

DJR Team Penske quickly became one of the top teams competing in the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship. With McLaughlin and Coulthard racing their Shell V-Power Fords, DJRTP won the prestigious Supercars team title in 2017, just three years after entering the series. McLaughlin captured his first driver’s championship in 2018 and he established a new single-season record with 18 wins on his way repeating as champion in 2019. McLaughlin and co-driver Alex Premat also produced a victory in the legendary Bathurst 1000 endurance race in 2019. This past season, DJRTP secured its third team title with 14 combined victories between Coulthard and McLaughlin, who won his third-consecutive driver’s championship.

“I want to thank Roger and the entire Penske organization for all they’ve done for our team over the last six years,” said Johnson. “While we hate to see them go, we understand the tough business decisions that have to be made. We’ve worked together over the last six years to build a team that has become the benchmark for performance both on and off the track. With the assistance of Roger and Team Penske we will be in position to build on that success. With the full support of Ford Australia, Ford Performance, Shell V-Power and all of our great partners, our team will continue to be a leader in Supercars racing.”

Considered one of the greatest Supercars drivers in series history, McLaughlin ranks fourth on the all-time wins list with 56 career victories and second on the all-time list with 76 career poles in just eight full seasons of racing. After four seasons competing for Team Penske, McLaughlin already ranks third on the organization’s all-time wins list, trailing only Brad Keselowski and Mark Donohue. He will get the opportunity to add to that total next season in the INDYCAR SERIES racing alongside three former series champions in Josef Newgarden (2017 & 2019), Will Power (2014) and Simon Pagenaud (2016) to form a powerful four-car program for Team Penske.

“I’m so excited for the opportunity to take the next step in my career and compete against some of the best drivers in the world in the INDYCAR SERIES,” said McLaughlin. “The last four years racing for DJR Team Penske has been amazing. I want to thank every single person on the team, and everyone that has helped me reach this point in my career. I wouldn’t be in position to continue to chase my dream without the hard work of so many people along the way. I’m looking forward to the challenge of joining one of the most iconic motorsports programs of all time – Team Penske’s INDYCAR team. I wish the 2021 season would begin tomorrow.”

The 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season is set to begin at St. Petersburg on March 7.

Team Penske PR

GMS Racing officials announced today that Sheldon Creed and Tyler Ankrum will return to GMS Racing to compete full-time in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Series in 2021.

Creed is currently in his second full-time season with GMS Racing. Creed currently has three wins, seven top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in 20 starts this season. The Alpine, CA native has led 364 laps and has completed 99.1 percent of the total laps run in 2020.

“I’m excited to be coming back for another year with GMS,” said Creed. “I feel like we’ve made a ton of improvements in so many ways this year compared to my rookie year. I’m thankful to Chevy and everybody at GMS for the opportunity to come back next season to show what we’re really capable of and continue to improve and compete for wins and a championship.”

Ankrum, the 2019 Gander Trucks Sunoco Rookie of the Year, is currently in his first full-time season with GMS. The sophomore driver has three top-five and nine top-10 finishes with 54 laps led in 2020.

“I’m thankful for another full-time year in the trucks with GMS next season,” said Ankrum. “This has been a learning year for our team, but I know we’ve got what it takes to go out and compete for wins. This is my first full-time season in trucks and to have the security and support from Maury (Gallagher) and Mike (Beam) to be back for another year is awesome. We still have a lot to prove and we’re in the perfect spot to do that for the rest of the season and next year as well.”

“GMS is excited to have these talented drivers back for 2021,” said Mike Beam, president of GMS Racing. “We’ve been blessed with a great deal of success this season and these young men have represented our organization well on and off the track. I have no doubt their determination and success will continue to grow in 2021."

GMS Racing PR

With the most recent restrictions to contrast the spreading of the COVID-19 pandemic, NWES and Autodrom Most were forced to postpone the upcoming November 14-15 NASCAR GP Czech Republic to 2021. The Czech track will rejoin the NWES calendar in 2021 with a bigger and better Autodrom Most NASCAR Show, strong of a very successful first edition in 2019. The event will be replaced on the same dates by the first ever NASCAR GP Croazia at Automotodrom Grobnik, on the Croatian riviera.

“In such a challenging and uncertain situation, we all have to be responsible and put safety as the top priority. Having to postpone the NASCAR GP Czech Republic is really sad, but it’s the best decision for everybody. We are already at work with our great partner Autodrom Most to offer our Central Europe fans an even better show next year,” said NWES President CEO Jerome Galpin.

“Due to epidemic restrictions issued by the Czech government for, we were forced to close the race track to the public. In this situation, and due to uncertainty of the length of the restrictions, the event cannot be organized. However, we have at least one good message for the fans. The race at Grobnik will be streamed live and we will provide the link at our Autodrom Most Facebook page,” said Autodrom Most Marketing and Business Director Jana Svobodová.

Located in one of the most attractive touristic areas of the charming Adriatic coast of Croatia, a few minutes away from cities of Rijeka and Opatija, Automotodrom Grobnik will host Round 5 and 6 of the 2020 NWES season on November 14-15. The 4.168 Km road course will offer drivers and teams a whole new challenge with its sweeping 18-turn layout and its many elevation changes.

“We all have to adapt to this fast changing situation and we are very happy to develop a new event in Croatia with a very motivated partner at Automotodrom Grobnik,” declared Galpin after visiting the track. “The Croatian riviera is just wonderful in this season, Rijeka is a perfect location and Automotodrom Grobnik is a fast, technical and fascinating track. We’re enthusiastic to offer this new challenge to NWES teams and drivers and we very much look forward to the first ever NASCAR GP Croatia.”

“Automotodrom Grobnik could not imagine a better end of season and this is for sure the first step for our track to have more attractive car events for our public. It is a proof that NWES President CEO Jerome Galpin recognized all the improvements we did in last years on the track itself but also on the facility. One of our goals is to give support to auto sport in Croatia and in the region. We have great cooperation with HAKS (Croatian Automobile and Karting Federation), and its president Mr. Davorin Štetner believes that working together with us is inevitable for the future of national motorsport and for our drivers to participate in higher level competitions. All of this makes us happy no matter of this crazy year giving us a right to believe that next season will bring new sporting challenges,” said Board Member of Automotodrom Grobnik Mr.Robert Žiković.

Grobnik will become the 17th different track to host a NASCAR GP in Europe, while Croatia will be the 9th different country to welcome a NWES event. Inaugurated in 1978, the track hosted MotoGP races until 1990 and with the most recent updates, plays a key role in the touristic development of the Rijeka area.

The first ever NASCAR GP of Croatia will be streamed live on the EuroNASCAR social media profiles as well as on Motorsport.tv and Kreator TV on November 14-15.

NWES PR

JD Motorsports with Gary Keller is pleased to announce Jesse Little has partnered with iMercata for this weekend’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway. iMercata is a supply chain technology platform which streamlines planning and delivery of Energy Industry development projects.

Founded in 2019, iMercata brings together over 75 years of collective Energy Industry data, projects and experience. Its Founding Partners, led by Board Chairman and CEO Jason Holland, include key members of the Energy Industry supply chain of Line Pipe Coating Solutions, Project Development Services, Logistics, and Technology Platform Strategy.

Little, who is currently positioned in 20th place in the NASCAR Xfinity Series points standings, will make his second career start at Texas on Saturday. In July, when the tour last visited the Fort Worth track, he earned an impressive 14th place finish. With three races left in the season, Jesse looks to back the finish up with another strong run.

“The iMercata team is excited about the opportunity to partner with JD Motorsports, and appreciates the opportunity to introduce our product to the market in such a grand fashion. A winning race team is not simply a driver and vehicle coming together the day of the event, but a detailed evolution of planning, supply chain management, and support across multiple stakeholders. iMercata prides itself in providing technology supporting the same evolutions across energy projects, and looks forward to working with the winning team in JD Motorsports.” Jason Holland, Chairman and CEO.

Jesse Little returns to the seat of his familiar No. 4 after spending the past two weeks driving the team’s No. 15 Chevrolet. Calling the shots for Little on top of the pit box will be Wayne Carroll for the first time this season.

The O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway is set to go green at 4:30 PM ET and can be viewed live on NBC Sports Network. Learn more about iMercata at www.iMercata.com. Follow Jesse Little on social media with his handle @JesseLittle97. For all things JD Motorsports, follow along on the social media channels @JDMotorsports01. #TeamJDM

JDM PR

Sefton Steel, a Houston, Texas-based A.I.S.C certified fabricator, specializing in the petrochemical, refining, power, pulp and paper, industrial, and mining industries, has partnered with Jordan Anderson Racing for this weekend’s SpeedyCash.com 400 at Texas Motor Speedway. 
 
Serving as the primary sponsor on Anderson’s No. 3 Chevrolet Silverado, the Sefton Steel brand will be prominently displayed on the hood and sides for the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series race Sunday, October 25.
 
Since 1985, Sefton Steel has been committed to providing an error-free product to the industrial, commercial, and governmental construction industries all while continuing to meet or exceed the contract specifications, and the customer’s expectations on each project. From pipe racks to major structures like platforms, bulk material handling systems and cable trays, Sefton Steel has fabricated and delivered quality structural steel to virtually all points around the world.

"At Sefton Steel we are super excited to partner with Jordan Anderson again at the Texas Motor Speedway for the third straight year," said Patrick Collier President of Sefton Steel. "As a Texas company we are proud of our Texas roots, and could not think of a better race to be the primary sponsor on Jordan’s truck. We are looking forward to seeing the Sefton Steel logo on the side of the beautiful No. 3 in our home state."

“It’s going to be an honor to carry the Sefton Steel banner on our truck for this weekend’s race in Texas.” Said driver Jordan Anderson. “Patrick and Lisa Collier, and the entire Sefton Steel family have been a part of our team from Day 1 when we decided to embark on this journey. Their belief and support in what we are doing means the world. We will forever be grateful for their friendship, and the opportunity to represent such a great company, along with all of their amazing employees and their families. Texas is a special race for them being based out of Houston, so we hope to make everyone proud and finish the season strong.”
 
The No. 3 Sefton Steel/ Bommarito.com Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet Silverado will take the green flag in the SpeedyCash.com 400 Texas Motor Speedway Sunday, October 25, at 12:00 p.m. ET. All the action from the mile and half speedway will be broadcast live starting at 12 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90.

For more information on Sefton Steel, please visit Seftonsteel.com. 

Jordan Anderson Racing PR

Root Insurance, a company driven to make insurance more fair, is announcing a partnership with Bubba Wallace, an athlete unapologetically driven to make positive change. The partnership kicks off today with the launch of the Unapologetic campaign, celebrating the progress Bubba is leading in NASCAR and the growth it is creating for the sport.

“Getting to know Bubba Wallace and what he stands for made this partnership one that we couldn’t pass up,” said Alex Timm, Root Co-Founder and CEO. “He is dedicated to standing up for what is right, even when it involves facing adversity. Root was created to make car insurance more fair—standing up against the established industry that priced more on demographics than driving behavior. We are proud to support Bubba Wallace.”

“Root Insurance is doing what is right and making insurance more fair, and I am proud to partner with a company making a difference,” said Wallace. “I stand firmly with the goal of eliminating bias from insurance, and I truly believe we can work together to help make the world a better place.”

This is Root’s first national athletic sponsorship, and the company’s first foray into sports marketing.

23XI Racing PR

Below is a statement from team owner Archie St. Hilaire:

"It has been a lot of fun over the years but with the evolution of life, your priorities change. With my son [and GM of Go Fas] Mason moving on to start his own business in a different industry and myself getting ready to spend time with my daughter having my first grandchild, I feel its time to reevaluate the next chapter of my life. It definitely has been great working with Ford and all of our great marketing partners over the last 10 years and we look forward to continuing with them on a smaller scale going forward.

I can't say enough about how NASCAR has built and maintained their business model during the current pandemic and how exciting the schedule looks for 2021! We will keep 4-5 cars and anticipate running 5-6 races in 2021 at tracks we enjoy and make financial sense.

Joe Falk of Circle Sport will continue to own half of the charter we currently run and we will be transferring our ownership in our half of the charter at the end of the season to Joe's new partner, who will be announced in the coming days. We will continue our partnership with the Wood Brothers Racing team on our other charter moving forward into the future. We look forward to the 2021 season. Driver update will come forward after the remaining full time teams announce their 2021 driver line-ups!"