Gates are now open for the second annual NASCAR Xfinity Series Pacific Office Automation 147 at Portland International Raceway (PIR). This year's race weekend will again feature stock car racing from ARCA Menards Series West and the NASCAR Xfinity Series, plus exciting new event features join the schedule - live concerts from Grammy-nominated country music stars Sam Hunt and Brothers Osborne.

Today fans can enjoy a jam-packed schedule both on and off the track including NASCAR Youth Series quarter midget and Spec Miata racing, an ARCA Menards Series West driver autograph session and other fan activities in the Speed Zone on the southside of the front straightaway. The green flag drops on Friday's feature race at 5:03 p.m. PT as ARCA Menards Series West drivers battle for 57 laps on the 1.97-mile, 12-turn track. After the checkered flag, festival goers can head to the infield to see Brothers Osborne and opening act Kendell Marvel perform.

Tomorrow (June 3) the NASCAR Xfinity Series takes to the circuit for the 147.75-mile feature race with the green flag waving at 1:46 p.m. PT. Following the celebration in victory lane, the Sam Hunt concert featuring opener Drew Green caps off Saturday's festivities.

Saturday's race will bring a number of interesting story lines to the permanent road course. Drivers at the top of the NASCAR Xfinity Series standings like first-place John Hunter Nemechek (477 points) and second-place Austin Hill (467) will continue to jockey for championship position. Other competitors are eager for a second chance at PIR, like Sam Mayer who finished last in the wet and wild 2022 Pacific Office Automation 147.

"Portland has varied characteristics to its racetrack, purely because of what the front stretch looks like with that first corner,” said Mayer, driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports. “Obviously, I got the short end of the stick last year, but we had a lot of speed in the wet weather conditions. So, maybe if it's dry this year, it'll be a little different for us. I'm looking forward to redemption either way." 

After qualifying fourth, Mayer crashed out of the race after completing only 12 laps in 2022. Despite a tough day in Portland, the now 20-year old finished seventh in the points standings in his first full NASCAR Xfinity Series. He enters the weekend at 11th in points for 2023.

The weekend will also feature two young local drivers making their ARCA Menards Series West debuts today. Caleb Shrader from Tigard, Ore. and Eric Johnson Jr. from La Center, Wash. will both pilot entries for Bill McAnally Racing on Friday.

"Racing locally in my hometown, just across the river in Washington, the support I feel from all the locals has been outstanding," Johnson Jr. said. "I'm really hoping to put our best foot forward and make a good impression. I couldn't be more excited."

Tickets are available in advance or at the Pacific Office Automation 147 gates. All race tickets provide access to the daily post-racing live concerts positioned behind Grandstand K in the infield. Children 12 and under receive free general admission when accompanied by a ticketed adult. All ticket options and pricing are posted online at NASCARPortland.com. 

PIR PR

Corey Heim will miss this weekend’s NASCAR Truck Series event at World Wide Technology Raceway due to illness. Jesse Love will fill in behind the wheel of the No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro in his series debut. Toni Breidinger will drive the No. 1 HomeSmiles Tundra that was originally slated to be piloted by Love. We will work with NASCAR to seek a medical waiver to retain playoff eligibility for Heim and the No. 11 team.

TRICON Garage PR

Actor Luis Da Silva Jr., one of the stars of the summer blockbuster film “Fast X,” will ride in the Fastest Seat in Sports at the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear on Sunday, June 4, leading the full field of drivers to the green flag of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES street circuit race.

Da Silva plays Diogo in “Fast X,” the 10th main installment in the wildly popular “The Fast and The Furious” series by Universal Pictures.

An elite high school basketball player in his native Elizabeth, New Jersey, Da Silva’s life changed forever at age 18 when he was spotted for his basketball talent when walking into an open audition for a Nike basketball commercial. He became the focal point of the now iconic “Nike Freestyle” campaign, leading to appearing on the cover of Time magazine and the front page of The Wall Street Journal.

Da Silva then set his sights on Hollywood. His natural acting talent drew almost immediate work, as he starred alongside Academy Award winner Jodie Foster and Academy Award nominee Terrence Howard in “The Brave One” in 2007.

That performance led to multiple projects over the next few years before landing the breakout role in 2011 of Diogo in “Fast Five,” the fifth installment of “The Fast and the Furious” series. He also performed alongside Johnny Depp in “21 Jump Street” in 2012.

Since then, Da Silva has appeared in films with many of Hollywood’s biggest stars, including Kate Winslet, Woody Harrelson, Ruby Rose, Casey Affleck, Aaron Paul and John Travolta.

INDYCAR’s Fastest Seat in Sports is a high-speed, high-octane, super-charged thrill ride in a custom INDYCAR SERIES car with a special back passenger seat. At almost every race on the schedule, the car advances the field of drivers to the start/finish line to signify the beginning of the race, with a special passenger in the guest seat. Previous participants in the Fastest Seat in Sports include Lady Gaga, NBA champions Steph Curry and Kawhi Leonard, Olympic gold medalists Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Lilly King, actors Simu Liu and Channing Tatum, and many others.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES represents the ultimate challenge in racing, with drivers competing at speeds of 200+ mph across a demanding set of ovals and road and street courses. The full schedule can be viewed here.

NTT IndyCar Series PR

FRM PR

World Wide Technology Raceway officials today announced several access upgrades to enable fans to easily enjoy the full NASCAR experience at the track on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Spectators are encouraged to arrive early for all events this weekend. WWTR has coordinated with the Illinois State Police and the Illinois Department of Transportation to recommend arrival times for the best race day experience. Fans should arrive by noon on Friday, 8 a.m. on Saturday, and 9:30 a.m. on Sunday.

All vehicular parking is adjacent to the speedway and is included with each ticket. Fans arriving early will have access to the best general parking. Patrons with ADA or dedicated parking will need to visibly display color-coded parking passes. (Parking managers will screen for ADA customers.) This information also may be found on the track’s website: https://wwtraceway.com/enjoyillinois300/ and will also be shared with multiple mapping applications (Google, HERE, Waze) to help guide motorists to WWTR.

To ensure the smoothest event access, fans are asked to follow the directions, observe all signage near the track, and follow the directions of on-site law enforcement officers. Even if you are a regular track patron, there have been many upgrades inside and around World Wide Technology Raceway this year which may change your route to or destination within the property.

Here are the highlights and notable changes:

SB IL 203 will be closed at Eagle Park-Bend Road to through traffic between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Only motorists with tickets will be allowed south of this intersection during these periods.

Additional pedestrian access has been provided within and adjacent to WWTR to shorten walks to the events.

Camping has been relocated to the western edge of WTTR property to enhance this experience and limit conflicts with pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

VIP/Suite and Gold Key Parking is located south of the main grandstand and reserved for event support and sponsors, as well as credentialed participants. A dedicated, color-coded parking pass will be required for entry into this area.

Westbound I-55/70 traffic with general admission parking is encouraged to use Exit 6 to SB IL 111 and westbound Collinsville Road (old Route 66). This will provide the best opportunity for quickest access-egress and the closest parking to the main grandstand.

Rideshare drop (Lyft, taxi, Uber): Will be located exclusively at 201 Madison Road, Madison, IL. Tram service to the northeast corner of WWTR will begin at 11 a.m. each day.

Patrons who arrive late, Confluence Music Festival concertgoers, and participants in the JJK 5k are encouraged to park at 201 Madison Road, Madison, IL and utilize the tram service to WWTR. (Please be advised: a large effort to switch traffic control will occur 30 minutes after the green flag each day – 1 p.m. on Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday -- which will impact traffic around WWTR).

Public transportation also is available on Saturday and Sunday. Both Madison and St. Clair County Transit Services will provide bus connections to the WWTR tram service on Sunday. Additional ADA accommodations are available for track access from the buses. A free shuttle also will be provided from the Emerson Park multi-modal facility with pedestrian, bus and MetroLink access in East St. Louis to WWTR on Saturday.

Access to all businesses located along Ohio Avenue will be available all weekend; however, motorists should expect delays and allow substantial extra time for trips through this area. When feasible, the use of alternate routes should be strongly considered. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to changing conditions and signs, obey the posted speed limits, and be alert for police, workers, pedestrians, and equipment. Additional updates will be provided as needed.

WWTR PR

Inaugural Journey: After spending the past several seasons as a full-time team in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, AM Racing will embark on its inaugural journey in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season with driver Brett Moffitt for the entire 33-race tour continuing with Saturday afternoon’s Pacific Automation 147 at Portland International Raceway.     Future Focused: With AM’s inaugural Xfinity journey set to continue at the track dubbed “America’s Home for Racing” in Concord, N.C., the team has chosen veteran driver Brett Moffitt to lead the team’s campaign from the driver’s seat aboard the No. 25 Ford Mustang.   Moffitt, a native of Grimes, Iowa hails numerous starts across all three of NASCAR’s National Series, including the 2018 Truck Series championship with Hattori Racing Enterprises.   Moffitt, 30, arrives on the scene at AM Racing after a stint at Our Motorsports.     Back For More: The Statesville, N.C.-based team will sport the signage of AM Technical Solutions on the No. 25 Ford Mustang for the 13th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races this season.   Headquartered in Austin, TX, AM Technical Solutions (AMTS) was founded in 1994.   AM Technical Solutions is a Global Architecture, Engineering & Construction firm specializing in the high-tech markets. AMTS has managed over $20B of global capital projects for over 170 different customers in 24 countries and across five continents.   AM Minute: Last weekend was a busy tripleheader weekend for AM Racing.   To kick off the Memorial Day weekend, AM Racing’s Christian Rose competed in the ARCA Menards Series General Tire 150 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.   After qualifying his No. 32 Secure Testing Services | West Virginia Tourism Ford Mustang 13th, the Martinsburg, West Virginia native raced into the top-10 and contend for the race win before finishing a respectable eighth.   The effort was Rose’s second consecutive top-10 finish in ARCA competition.   In the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Mason Maggio made his AM Racing debut aboard the No. 22 ACE Hardware Ford F-150 and carried himself to a top-25 finish.   Thanks For Your Support: With more than 36 percent of the 2023 season complete, AM Racing and Brett Moffitt would like to thank their associate marketing partners for their support: AIRBOX Air Purifier, CForce Bottling Company, Concrete Supply, Destiny Homes, Flying Circle, Kreuz Market, Lane Frost Brand, Mechanix Wear and Mobil 1.   AMerican Heroes: NASCAR and its fans have always put Patriotism and American Pride at the forefront of every race weekend. That same passion runs just as deep at AM Racing, a team whose family lineage is deeply rooted in the Armed Forces and First Responders workforce.   We're a team whose blood bleeds Red, White and Blue every day, which is why we are proud to launch, AMerican Heroes.   At AM Racing, it is our mission to recognize and highlight the men and women who continue to put their lives on the line every day, as well as honoring and paying respect to those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.   We are a nation that is united by one flag, which represents all the liberties and freedoms that we would not be able to enjoy without the sacrifices of those willing to answer the call.   Continuing with Portland this weekend, AM Racing will carry the AMerican Heroes livery, which will continue for the remainder of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series and ARCA Menards Series seasons.   The team will work to salute all the men and women, past and present, who truly deserve the title of Hero, every weekend.   Brett Moffitt Xfinity Series Portland International Raceway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Pacific Automation 147 will mark Moffitt’s second Xfinity start at the unique 1.967-mile road course.   In his Portland debut in 2022, Moffitt finished a respectable 20th in the rain-plagued 75-lap race after starting 12th in the No. 02 Chevrolet for Our Motorsports.   Brett Moffitt Xfinity Series Road Course Stats: At NASCAR Xfinity Series tracks classified as a road course, Moffitt has made 14 starts throughout his career earning one pole and one top-10 finish. He also holds an average finishing position of 26.1.   Brett Moffitt NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: In 96 career Xfinity Series starts, Moffitt has earned two top-five and 26 top-10 finishes, including a second-place outing at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February 2021. During that tenure, he also holds an average finishing position of 17.8.   He earned a career-best Xfinity Series qualifying effort of fourth earlier this year at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway with AM Racing.   In addition to 96 Xfinity Series starts, he has achieved 45 NASCAR Cup Series and 92 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts to his credit.   Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway | Alsco Uniforms 300 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, Brett Moffitt and the AM Racing team attempted to conquer “America’s Home for Racing.”   A rain-filled weekend saw Moffit qualify his No. 25 AMerican Heroes | AM Technical Solutions Ford Mustang a strong 12th but during the race – two days later than originally planned, the team’s attempt to score another top-10 was thwarted after encountering a flat tire.   The team’s efforts to recover from the misfortune were noteworthy but the lack of caution prevented Moffitt from contending for his fourth top-10 finish of the year. He finished 29th.   In 12 races this season, Moffit has delivered three top-10s, six top-15s, seven top-20s and an average finish of 18.3.   From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Joe Williams is Brett Moffit’s crew chief.   He will be crew chief for his 111th NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday and his second on the 12-turn road course.   In his previous 110 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected one win (Auto Club Speedway | February 2022), seven top-five and 24 top-10 finishes.   Follow on Social Media: For more on AM Racing, please visit AMRacingteam.com, like their Facebook page (AM Racing), or follow them on Instagram and Twitter @AMRacingNASCAR.    For more on Brett Moffitt, please visit BrettMoffitt.com, like his Facebook page (Brett Moffitt Racing) or follow him on Instagram (@brett_moffitt_racing) and Twitter (@brett_moffitt).

Race Information:   The Pacific Automation 147 (75 laps | 147.75 miles) is the 13th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2023 schedule. Practice begins on Saturday, June 3, 2023, from 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Qualifying immediately follows at 9:05 a.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag later in the day shortly after 1:30 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (Pacific).

AM Racing PR

World Wide Technology Raceway will host the second annual Enjoy Illinois 300 Presented By TicketSmarter NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, and again will again fill its grandstands to capacity with a repeat sellout.

“For the second year in a row our event has demonstrated we have a solid base of fans who love NASCAR,” said Curtis Francois, owner and CEO of World Wide Technology Raceway. “Corporate participation has been tremendous and demonstrates the business community realizes the significance of hosting a NASCAR event. Everyone is working together to take the momentum of that first event and build it into a happening that becomes a highlight on the series schedule for many years to come.”

World Wide Technology Raceway’s 57,000 grandstand seats, more than 1,200 campsites, and dozens of hospitality suite areas will be full for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 presented by TicketSmarter.

“As we celebrate NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season, fans continue to showcase their excitement and support for the sport with our third consecutive NASCAR Cup Series sellout and sixth of the season,” said Chip Wile, SVP & Chief Track Properties Officer, NASCAR. “Congratulations to our partners at World Wide Technology Raceway, who continue to have a tremendous impact for NASCAR in the greater St. Louis region. We look forward to the intense competition that will be on display before a capacity crowd on Sunday.”

Tickets still are available for Saturday’s NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Toyota 200. Saturday’s activities also includes NASCAR Cup Series qualifying and access to the on-site Confluence Music Festival.

Important notice to fans:

• There will be no walk-up ticket options or general admission. Tickets are not available onsite. Tickets may be available on TicketSmarter, the official resale marketplace of WWTR.
• Limited number of Saturday tickets still available. Friday is free.

For tickets and additional information, please call WWTR at (618) 215-8888 or visit www.wwtraceway.com. Follow @WWTRaceway on social media.

WWTR PR

Race of Champions Sportsman Modified Series racer, Don Pringle of Ontario, N.Y., Bob Heintzelman, owner of Heintzelman’s BBQ Pit and Jeff Deminck of Ontario, N.Y., helped organize a “Kick-Off” party for the 68^th Annual season of racing at Spencer Speedway in Williamson, N.Y.

The party will take place at Heintzelman’s BBQ Pit on Wednesday, June 7 from 5 until 8 pm. Heintzelman’s BBQ Pit is located at 6361 Knickerbocker Road in Ontario, N.Y., just a short drive from the speedway. There will be a car show including racecars on display along with folks from the Race of Champions Series, who are behind making sure racing continues at Spencer Speedway.

“I’m just excited to be able to go out to our home track and race,” stated Don Pringle, who races in the Race of Champions Sportsman division. “This is a great way to get out and see everyone and build up to Friday night’s Modified opener which kicks off the season at the track. Come on out and enjoy an even with racers, some great food and get ready for the season.”

The Race of Champions Modified Series will race for 40-laps and $4,000-to-win at Spencer on Friday, June 9 in a unique “sprint race” for the Series.

The Race of Champions Super Stock Series will also join the card for 25-laps and $1,000-to-win along the Race of Champions Rocket Performance 602 Sportsman Modifieds along with Wilbert’s U-Pull It Four Cylinders and Wilbert’s U-Pull It Six Cylinders.

The remaining dates at Spencer are Friday, June 23; Friday, July 21; Friday, August 4; Friday, August 18 and Friday, September 1 for the Maynard Troyer Classic IV when the Modifieds will race an unheard of 60-laps for $10,000-to-win.

Advanced discount tickets will be available online as well as at Wilbert’s U-Pull It locations and Billy Whittaker Ford in Williamson, with tickets going on sale next Tuesday, May 31. Skip the lines by purchasing tickets on the Ticket Hoss App and pit passes available on the PitPay App.

The gates for the 68^th Annual season opener will swing open for fans at 5:00pm with qualifying at 7:15pm. 

Where: Spencer Speedway, Williamson, N.Y.

When: Friday, June 3, 2022

Tickets: $27 General Admission; $22 Senior/Military (65-years and older. Military with proper identification); Children 15-10 years of age will be admitted for $17.  Children under the age of 10 will be admitted Free for this event.

Directions: The track is located just fifteen minutes east of Rochester, N.Y., at 3020 Route 104, Williamson, NY 14589

What: 68^th Annual Season Opener; Race of Champions Modified Series, Race of Champions Super Stock Series, Rocket Performance Race of Champions 602 Series; Wilbert’s Four Cylinders and Wilbert’s Super Six Division.

More Information: www.rocmodifiedseries.com 

ROC PR

This Sunday, Josef Newgarden drove the No. 2 Shell Powering Progress Chevrolet to his first Indianapolis 500 win in his 12th start in "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing”. The victory was a record-extending 19^th Indianapolis 500 win for Team Penske, and the 100^th win for Team Penske while carrying a Shell and/or Pennzoil primary livery in a points-paying event across a variety of professional racing series. The achievement marks another milestone for Shell as the winningest primary sponsor during Team Penske’s historic 57-year run in motorsport.

Together, Team Penske and Shell-Pennzoil will commemorate the milestone with a special scheme on NASCAR Cup Series driver Joey Logano’s No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang for the June 4 race at Gateway in Madison, Illinois. The design will feature a mosaic of each victory that led to the 100 triumphs.  

Shell’s 100^th win as a primary sponsor on a Team Penske race car, which dates back to the 1980s, puts them 23 wins ahead of long-time sponsor Miller Brewing Company. Shell, Shell-Pennzoil, Pennzoil and Shell V-Power have all carried primary liveries dating back to the first victory by Rick Mears in 1983 at Michigan International Speedway when Rick carried a Pennzoil livery in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Along the way, many of these wins were significant in their own ways including:

Shell Livery/Year/Location/Driver

Pennzoil – 1984 & 1988 Indianapolis 500, Rick Mears

Shell V-Power – 2012 Chevrolet’s return to INDYCAR at St. Petersburg, Helio Castroneves

Shell-Pennzoil – 2015 Daytona 500, Joey Logano

Shell-Pennzoil – 2018 Homestead-Miami Speedway securing NASCAR Cup Series title, Joey Logano

Shell V-Power – 2019 Bathurst 1000, known as “The Great Race” in Australian Supercar, Scott McLaughlin

Shell V-Power – 2018, 2019, 2020, Australian Supercar Championships, Scott McLaughlin

Shell-Pennzoil – 2022 Phoenix Raceway, securing a second NASCAR Cup Series title, Joey Logano

Shell – 2023 Indianapolis 500, Josef Newgarden

Just over a year ago, Shell announced a multi-year extension to the relationship with Penske Corporation, Team Penske, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, continuing a years-long motorsports, technical and business relationship.

“With Shell, we have experienced great success on and off the track, but its moments like this when you realize the magnitude of the triumphs we have enjoyed together,” said Roger Penske, Chairman of Penske Corporation.  “There are a lot of areas our companies are focusing on in the future in both competition and multiple business and sustainability initiatives that are key to our partnership.  It’s truly a business-wide relationship that we look forward to continuing well into the future.”

“Shell is very proud to celebrate such a milestone with Team Penske, especially in such a prestigious race and setting,” said Steve Reindl, Senior Vice President, Shell Lubricants Americas.  “For an organization that has been racing for over 55 years, it’s quite an accomplishment to become the first brand to hit that mark with such a legendary and winning race team. Shell just celebrated 100 years in the United States in 2022 and its long-lasting relationships like we have with Roger Penske, Team Penske and Penske Corporation that go beyond the brand and become the very fabric of the people and products the company produces.”

Shell and Team Penske reunited in 2011, as an extension of the Shell and Pennzoil racing legacy with the legendary motorsports team. Pennzoil first aligned with Team Penske as part of its INDYCAR program in 1983 and won two Indianapolis 500s (1984 & 1988) with driver Rick Mears. In 2022, Shell and Pennzoil announced a multi-year extension and expansion of their alliance with Penske Corporation, Team Penske and Penske Entertainment, which includes the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

Pennzoil became the Official Motor Oil and Lubricant supplier of INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in 2021 and Shell expanded and extended the agreement in 2022, including the announcement of becoming the Official Fuel of INDYCAR and NTT INDYCAR SERIES starting in 2023. The fuel developed and supplied by Shell made the NTT INDYCAR SERIES the first United States-based motorsports series to run on 100% renewable race fuel.

Josef Newgarden became one of eight legendary and iconic drivers to contribute to the 100 wins total. Scott McLaughlin leads the way with 48 wins collected during his time as a DJR Team Penske entry in the Australian Supercars Championship Series. Two-time and defending NASCAR Cup Series Champion Joey Logano runs second with 29 Cup Series victories in Shell livery.  Legendary driver and four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears started the tally with 10 wins, mostly in the 1980s.  DJR/Team Penske driver Fabian Coulthard scored eight wins in Supercars while former NASCAR Cup driver Kurt Busch contributed two victories. Amazingly, two more four-time Indianapolis 500 winners, Helio Castroneves (1) and Al Unser, Sr. (1) round out the 100 wins with one victory each in Shell colors.

Penske Racing PR