Martin Doubek cannot get enough of turning laps in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series. The Czech will return to powerhouse Hendriks Motorsport to do double duty in both championships – EuroNASCAR PRO and EuroNASCAR 2. The 2021 EuroNASCAR 2 Champion will once again be behind the wheel of the Dutch team's #7 Ford Mustang and compete for the Challenger Trophy in EuroNASCAR PRO and the overall win in EuroNASCAR 2. Since joining the series in 2015, Doubek has enjoyed the pure and close racing of Europe's official NASCAR championship. 

The native of Litomysl has competed in more than 100 NWES races in his career to date, earning a total of seven EuroNASCAR 2 race wins. The 28-year-old is eager to add more race and Trophy wins to his tally and is spending the winter preparing to be in perfect shape to take on six of the best tracks in Europe. With Hendriks Motorsport again at his side, Doubek has a well-rehearsed top team behind him. As a result, Doubek has set a lofty goal: "I want to compete for the win in every race of the 2023 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series season." 

"I enjoy the great atmosphere in EuroNASCAR and I'm looking forward to racing at my home track in Most again," said Doubek, who is still in search of his first win on home soil. "I've been competing in EuroNASCAR for seven years and I've been karting since I was a teenager. Experience will be key as I chase more race wins and climb back to the top of the standings in the 2023 season. I'm ready to fight for the top spots and I'm hungry for more visits to Victory Lane.”

Racing runs through the veins of the Czech, who is responsible for running a company in his home country. The edgy driver, who showed his potential especially in his championship-winning season in 2021, will remain "not straight" in his approach and try to leave another mark in the history books of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series. With the team of Roy and Joep Hendriks, the 28-year-old will certainly be in one of the top cars in the 2023 NWES season. 

The 2023 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series season will kick off May 6-7 at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain. All qualifying and race sessions will be streamed live on EuroNASCAR's YouTube channel, Motorsport.tv and various television services around the world. The No. 7 Ford Mustang has to be on the list of potential winners this year, and with double duty, Doubek is sure to have a lot of fun with a total of 24 EuroNASCAR races.

NWES PR

No. 20 Safeway / ACME Toyota GR Supra News and Notes

• RICHMOND REDEMPTION: John Hunter Nemechek heads to Richmond Raceway eyeing his first NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at the .75-mile track. Last season, Nemechek started second, won stage one, and led a race-high 135 laps. In the closing laps, he and teammate Ty Gibbs waged a fierce back-and-forth battle for the lead before Gibbs eventually bumped Nemechek out of the way in turns 3 and 4 on the final lap to win the race with Nemechek finishing second. For Nemechek, it was his second consecutive top-three result at Richmond after finishing third in September 2021.
• RICHMOND WINNER: Nemechek is a former Richmond winner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. In 2021, he led 114 of 250 laps and won a stage on the way to a victory at the Virginia short track. Last season, he started seventh and finished second in both stages before ultimately ending up second in the Truck Series race at Richmond.
• STARTING UP FRONT: Nemechek leads all Xfinity Series regulars with a 4.7-average starting position so far this season.
• COTA RECAP: Nemechek ran solidly inside the top 10 for most of last weekend’s race at Circuit of the Americas before being spun out in the closing laps. Prior to the misfortune that left him with a 27th-place finish, Nemechek was running sixth and in position to qualify for the Dash 4 Cash.
• SAFEWAY / ACME: Nemechek’s No. 20 Toyota GR Supra will feature Safeway and ACME as the primary sponsors this weekend at Richmond Raceway. Both companies are supermarket chains operating as banners of Albertsons Companies, one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States and the District of Columbia.
• JGR AT RICHMOND: Joe Gibbs Racing owns 11 Xfinity Series victories at Richmond Raceway. In 116 combined starts at the track, the organization has racked up 31 top-five finishes, 60 top-10s, nine pole awards, and 2,539 laps led. Christopher Bell, Kyle Busch, Ty Gibbs, and Denny Hamlin have all driven JGR entries to victory lane in Richmond.
• TUNE IN: Coverage of this weekend’s Xfinity Series race at Richmond Raceway is scheduled for Saturday, April 1, at 1 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver of the No. 20 Safeway / ACME Toyota GR Supra

What makes you so good at Richmond?

“I think it’s a place that fits my style. It’s a short track, but with the worn out surface, you also have to take care of your stuff because we typically see some long runs at Richmond. I’ve also been very fortunate to have driven for some great teams the past few years with JGR, KBM and also Sam Hunt Racing. It’s definitely a place that allows the driver to come into play, so I like that aspect to be able to manage the car and the tires. This is a race I really want to win. After how last year ended, there’s definitely a redemption factor and I want to make the most of the opportunity we have this weekend.”

Nemechek NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats at Richmond Raceway

Nemechek 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Season Stats

Nemechek NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats

JGR PR

After joining the CARS Tour as a contingency sponsor for the 2023 season, Swift Springs has elected to expand their involvement with pavement short track racing.

Swift Springs has formed a partnership with Lee Faulk Racing & Development, which will see the company sponsor all of the team’s drivers as they pursue victories in the CARS LMSC Tour or in weekly events across the southeast.

The decision to team up with LFR was an easy one for Swift Springs Motorsports Director Frank Simonetti, who shares the vision of the Faulk family to put in a tremendous number of resources towards shaping the next generation of drivers.

“I can’t thank MPM Marketing enough for connecting me with the Faulks,” Simonetti said. “It’s a great thing for us to be involved with because Lee Faulk Racing is one of the premier teams out there. This is just another way for Swift to put their name out there and work with some great race teams.”

Simonetti added the history of LFR highlights the success of their driver development program, with some of the team’s notable alumni including 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson, 2023 Daytona 500 winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Daniel Suarez.

With LFR having used Swift Springs products for many years, Simonetti saw an ideal 

opportunity to bolster his already sturdy relationship with the Faulks and believes the program put together between will prove to be beneficial for everyone involved, especially when it comes to driver development.

Michael Faulk, who serves as a co-owner of LFR alongside his father Lee, is proud to be aligned with a respected and successful company like Swift Springs and fully expects to see the partnership flourish in numerous ways both on and off the track.

“We want to represent Swift to the best of our ability and take them to victory lane as much as possible,” Michael said. “We hope to build on this partnership and see it grow in the future by not only promoting Swift products but also exploring B2B opportunities between ourselves, Swift and other partners.”

For Simonetti, one aspect of LFR’s driver development that separates them from other organizations is their commitment to helping aspiring women drivers.

Along with fielding cars for Isabella Robusto in the CARS Tour, drivers like Toni Breidinger and dirt track standout Kaylee Bryson have competed for LFR over the past few years. By providing women chances to race, Simonetti believes LFR is providing them all the essentials to one day have great careers in the top levels of NASCAR.

“We like the idea of being able to promote the young drivers,” Simonetti said. “It’s always an amazing opportunity to work with young women and we need more of them in our sport. There are a lot of talented women that are finally getting those chances because of people like [the Faulks] and Toyota.”

Like Michael, Simonetti is confident the expanded relationship between the two sides will only lead to more positive development in the future, but he is currently focused on helping LFR find on-track success with their current group of drivers.

Simonetti stressed Swift Springs always has high expectations with any partnership they form in motorsports and believes their first year aligned with LFR will be one dominated by growth and efficiency.

“I’d love to see some of these women make it to victory lane,” Simonetti said. “It’s exciting to see young, talented drivers go to victory lane and [the Faulks] have plenty of talented people driving for them. This is a great opportunity for us to move forward and help develop the future of our sport.”

LFR PR

Country music superstar Brad Paisley will headline the Firestone Legends Day Concert on Saturday, May 27 at the TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park in Indianapolis.

Special guests Russell Dickerson and Jackson Dean will open the show at 7 p.m. ET with individual performances.

The concert expands the celebration of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” into downtown Indianapolis the night before the 107th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.

“Concerts build tremendous energy and excitement in the lead-up to the green flag on Race Day,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “As fans enjoy country hits at the Firestone Legends Day Concert under the lights of downtown in a fantastic venue, we’ll have IMS ready to welcome more than 300,000 people beginning at 6 a.m. the following morning.”

Tickets will be available for purchase starting at 10 a.m. ET Friday, March 31 at LiveNation.com.

Fans can celebrate Legends Day presented by Firestone at both Indianapolis Motor Speedway and throughout downtown Indianapolis. Legends Day kicks off with the 107th Indianapolis 500 Public Drivers’ Meeting and driver autograph sessions at IMS. Fans then can make their way downtown for the AES 500 Festival Parade and the Firestone Legends Day Concert.

Paisley has earned his place in country music history as one of the genre’s most talented and decorated male solo artists.

For more than 20 years, Paisley’s songwriting and unmatched showmanship have won him numerous awards, including three Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, 15 Academy of Country Music Awards and 14 Country Music Association Awards, including a highly coveted Entertainer of the Year honor and recognition as the most successful CMA Award co-host in history, alongside Carrie Underwood, for 11 consecutive years. A member of the Grand Ole Opry since 2001, Paisley has written 21 of his 25 No. 1 hits, and in 2008 became the first artist to achieve 10 consecutive Billboard Country Airplay No. 1 singles. The superstar's past works have amassed nearly 5 billion career streams.

It was recently announced that Paisley will release his first album with Universal Music Group Nashville later this year, titled “Son of the Mountains.” The first new song off the forthcoming project, “Same Here,” with a special appearance by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was released Feb. 24, marking the first anniversary since the war in Ukraine began. “Same Here” was written by Paisley, Lee Thomas Miller and Taylor Goldsmith and produced by Luke Wooten.

Paisley's additional endeavors include his new “American Highway” bourbon, his collaborations with Peyton Manning on the national Nationwide insurance ad campaigns and his partnership with Boot Barn® to develop “Moonshine Spirit by Brad Paisley,” an exclusive line of jeans, hats, T-shirts, jewelry, belts and woven shirts.

Dickerson, who is one of country’s hottest new talents and recently released his third album, wraps soul-mate symphonies with epic country devotion. His hits include R&B bangers with the swagger of a free spirit, plus the steady hand of a family man. With stadium-sized small-town anthems, he is a superstar on the rise who’s already been rewarded for opening up his soul and is now giving fans the full picture. Dickerson’s first hit and now a three-time-Platinum No. 1, “Yours” was a creative breakthrough and was followed by three more Platinum chart-toppers in the same vivid, personal vein – “Blue Tacoma,” “Every Little Thing” and “Love You Like I Used To.”

Dean is quickly earning a reputation for his old school, gritty, lyric-driven, outlaw style of country. Mature beyond his years, the 22-year-old multi-instrumentalist is also an old soul and skilled artisan whose pastimes include making leather goods, wood-burned art and disappearing into the woods to sleep under the stars. Dean’s single, “Don’t Come Lookin’,” was the fastest debut to reach No. 1 in 2022 and cemented him as the youngest solo male country artist to reach the top of the charts with a debut. Landing spots on the Billboard Hot 100, the soundtrack for Netflix’s “The Ice Road” and a John Dutton scene in “Yellowstone,” the song has more than 80 million streams.

As the Official Tire of Country Music and the Official Tire of the Indianapolis 500, Firestone has served as the presenting sponsor of Legends Day since it debuted in 2014. The partnership brings together two platforms – racing and music – that have played significant roles in the rich history of the time-tested Firestone brand.

The 107th Indianapolis 500 by Gainbridge is scheduled for Sunday, May 28. Race Day tickets are on sale now at IMS.com or by calling or visiting the IMS Ticket Office. General admission tickets for Legends Day presented by Firestone start at $10. This ticket does not include concert admission. IMS gates will open at 8 a.m. and will close at 3 p.m.

IMS PR

Greg Nolen, owner of Nolen Racing, is pleased to announce his team will again enter asphalt sprint cars for Shane Hollingsworth, 38, of Lafayette, Ind., and Emerson Axsom, 18, of Franklin, Ind., to drive in the Lucas Oil Little 500 presented by UAW in 2023. The 75th edition of the world’s greatest asphalt sprint car race is slated for Saturday night, May 27 at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway. It is part of the 500 Sprint Car Tour, and it will be broadcast on MAVTV by Flo Racing.

In addition, the Whiteland, Ind.-based team will field a USAC Silver Crown car for Axsom at that series’ season opener April 16 at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track and its races on 1-mile dirt tracks: Aug. 19 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield and Sept. 2 at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds in Du Quoin, Ill. One or two other USAC Silver Crown races on asphalt tracks will be added to the mix as scheduling permits. The USAC Silver Crown races are broadcast on Flo Racing.

Nolen Racing won the Little 500 in 2018 and 2019 with driver Kody Swanson. Swanson and Hollingsworth led an unprecedented 499 of the 500 laps of that race in 2019. Hollingsworth finished second in the Little 500 in 2020.

The team also won the USAC Silver Crown championship with Swanson in 2019, winning half of the events that year. It finished second in the point standings in 2020.

Hollingsworth and Axsom were Nolen Racing teammates at the Little 500 for the first time in 2022. Both were involved in on-track incidents but still finished in the top 10. Hollingsworth was as high as fourth and finished eighth. Axsom ran as high as second and finished tenth in his rookie appearance in that event.

Hollingsworth also finished third in the inaugural Gene Nolen Classic last July at Anderson Speedway in the famous bright yellow Nolen Racing No. 20. Axsom finished third in the Tony Elliott Classic driving for Nolen Racing at the same track in October.

Nolen Racing fielded a car for Axsom for his first USAC Silver Crown race ever, which was last year’s Sumar Classic at Terre Haute. His drive was the talk of the event, as he came from dead last to finish fifth.

The team is sponsored in part by KECO Coatings. It uses Tranter-prepared Chevrolet engines.

For more information see NolenRacing.com and follow the team on Facebook and Twitter @NolenRacing.

Nolen Racing PR

Today, NASCAR welcomed Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) as a founding partner of the first-ever Chicago Street Race Weekend. The partnership was unveiled as part of a press conference at the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois headquarters in downtown Chicago which overlooks the footprint of the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series street course.

As a founding partner, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois will have official presenting, marketing and promotional rights for the Chicago Street Race Weekend including the Cup Series’ Grant Park 220 and NASCAR Xfinity Series’ The Loop 121 races in downtown Chicago over Fourth of July Weekend, July 1-2. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois joins McDonald’s as the first two founding partners of NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race Weekend.

“Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is part of the fabric of Chicago and Illinois. The NASCAR Chicago Street Race Weekend is taking place on the doorstep of our headquarters building and we expect it to be an exciting addition to Chicago’s sports legacy,” said Stephen Harris, president of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. “NASCAR has demonstrated its commitment to Chicago beyond the races – which aligns with our commitment to help improve the health and wellness of people across Illinois. We ‘DRIVE ACCESS’ to care and will work to drive access and opportunities for people from around Chicago to be part of the excitement surrounding the event.”

This builds on the legacy of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois supporting the city and its people. BCBSIL was the first and remains the only insurer to consistently offer individual and family coverage in every county across Illinois. The company opened three Blue Door Neighborhood Centers on Chicago’s South and West Sides to help improve the health of those communities and opened a service center in Morgan Park that created nearly 500 jobs. Those investments represent a force multiplier - showing others the benefit of what can happen when people come together to invest in and support our neighborhoods and provide opportunities for residents.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois brand will have a visible presence throughout the Chicago Street Race Weekend with on-course branding in a dedicated founding partner section as well as the historic start-finish line near Buckingham Fountain, fan entrances, concert stages, wayfinding, and additional locations throughout the event’s footprint. 

“Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois has been making a positive influence in the health and wellness of families for generations, so we are proud to partner on the NASCAR Chicago Street Race to expand our united impact in the community,” said Julie Giese, Chicago Street Race President. “Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois’s downtown Chicago headquarters overlooking the footprint of the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series street course, so we welcome them as a new NASCAR partner.”

“The Chicago Street Race is one of the most anticipated events in NASCAR’s 75-year history and we are grateful to partner with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois as a Founding Partner,” said Matt Lawson, Vice President, National Sales, NASCAR.  “Like NASCAR, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is an organization that is committed to making a positive impact on the community.  We look forward to introducing NASCAR to new fans and communities through partner activation that drives access and opportunities for all.”

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois and the Chicago Street Race have committed to share future announcements on the organizations’ collaborative support for programs that will have a positive and lasting impact in the Chicago community.  

NASCAR PR

FRM PR

NASCAR this week is launching a new marketing campaign in conjunction with one of its Premier Partners as the sport continues celebrating its 75th anniversary. “NASCAR Legends Presented by GEICO” centers on telling stories of notable traditions and prominent pieces of NASCAR history across multiple touchpoints, from drivers and tracks to fans, moments and more.

The four-week window kicked off with a new television spot called “Mean It” that aired during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Circuit of The Americas. The spot showcases examples of legendary drivers, tracks and fans in the sport. The media plan also includes a radio spot and digital advertising.

The campaign will come to an exciting conclusion during the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 23 with the launch of a sweepstakes offering fans the chance to be the Honorary Starter as part of a legendary VIP experience of their own at the 2024 GEICO 500 at Talladega.

“You don’t grow from backroads and beaches to become the No. 1 motorsport in America without amassing plenty of legendary figures and memories along the way,” said Pete Jung, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at NASCAR. “We’re ecstatic about teaming up with our partners at GEICO to celebrate more of those stories with our fans and continue connecting NASCAR’s past, present and future through this campaign.”

Throughout its run, NASCAR Legends Presented by GEICO will be anchored by original social and digital content produced by NASCAR Studios, including the series: Photo Memories, Untold Stories, NASCAR Classics and NASCAR Rewind. Multiple pieces of content will roll out across NASCAR platforms each week, offering fans unparalleled perspective on some of their favorite moments and others they may be hearing about for the first time.

Fans can visit www.nascar.com/legends to see it all in one dedicated digital hub.

Content and additional campaign elements will be part of the NASCAR Experience midway activation at Richmond Raceway, Martinsville Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, including branded giveaway items for fans and on-stage interviews with legendary NASCAR personalities.

GEICO will incorporate the campaign into their own at-track activations during the GEICO 500 weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, and there will be official integrations with the NASCAR Hall of Fame as well.

The NASCAR season rolls into Richmond Raceway this weekend. Fans can tune in to the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 this Sunday, April 2, at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Tickets are available for purchase at www.nascar.com/tickets.

NASCAR PR

Daniel Suárez recalls one of his earliest racing memories of watching Mexican racing star Adrian Fernandez driving in the CART INDYCAR Series in the 1990s - 2000s. Fernandez sported the green, white and red Mexican national colors on his uniform and helmet during an 11-year career that saw him win eight races.

Notably, Fernandez wore Quaker State colors for years, a brand Suárez says is associated with Mexican race car drivers “As a young kid from Monterrey, Mexico I remember my very first professional race that I actually attended I was watching my, now good friend, Adrian Fernandez in the Indycar Series," recalled Suárez. "He was sponsored by Quaker State for a very long part of his career. I remember thinking what a cool brand Quaker State is. If you have ever been in Mexico, you know just about everything connected with cars and car shops and stuff like that has a Quaker State sign or decal somewhere."

Adrian Fernandez Suárez not only became friends with Fernandez, who drove in 10 NASCAR Xfinity Series races for Hendrick Motorsports in the mid-2000s, but will now join the Quaker State club this weekend when the NASCAR Cup Series races at Richmond Raceway.

For the first time this season, Suárez will sport the Quaker State colors on on his No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet when he races at Richmond and again July 9 at the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Quaker State will have branding on both Suárez and Trackhouse Racing teammate Ross Chastain's cars and driver uniforms throughout the 2023 season. Quaker State is also embarking on a technical alliance with Trackhouse Racing. "Quaker State is everywhere in Mexico and is the brand everyone in Mexico trusts," Suárez said. "I feel so blessed now to be able to carry those Quaker State colors just like Adrian used to do.” The Quaker State brand also has a long history with NASCAR and has enjoyed unprecedented success with some of its top race teams. Quaker State motor oil has been in NASCAR drivers’ engines for more than 7 million on-track miles, and more than 170 victories by some of the most-recognized drivers. Quaker State motor oils have helped deliver championships at each of the three levels of NASCAR, including 10 NASCAR Cup Series Championships. Suárez hopes he can add his name to that list beginning Sunday in Richmond. He needs a good finish after the last two weeks at Atlanta and Circuit of the Americas saw accidents end top 10 runs. Fox Sports 1 will air Sunday's race at 3:30 p.m. EDT.

Meet Daniel Suárez & See the No. 99 Quaker State Chevrolet Saturday 5 p.m. Walmart Supercenter #1525 7430 Bell Creek Rd  Mechanicsville, Virginia 23111

2023 Standings

Daniel Suárez, Driver of the No. 99 Quaker State Chevrolet

How do you stay positive in times of frustration? "I try to remind myself why I’m here. I’m here because I love racing. I’m here because I love to compete and I like to win. Everything else comes as a consequence. I feel grateful to be here. When you’re in a rhythm, like I was talking about not long ago, it’s easy to take it for granted what we do every single weekend. We are very lucky individuals that we get to do every single weekend what we love to do – drive racecars and compete. Every single driver here is very, very competitive. It’s something we just love. Just because of that we are very fortunate to be in this position. I try to remind myself all these things – to know that I’m in a very good position and go out there and have fun… prepare myself as good as possible mentally and physically and go out there and compete at the highest level that I could possibly do.”

Suárez Notes Suárez, 31, became the first driver from Mexico (Monterrey) to win in the NASCAR Cup Series on June 12, 2022 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway. He became the fifth different driver all-time not from the United States to win a NASCAR Cup Series race; joining Marcos Ambrose (Australia), Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) Earl Ross (Canada) and Mario Andretti (Italy). Suárez drives for the third-year team Trackhouse Racing – a team owned by former racer Justin Marks and partner Pitbull. Trackhouse Racing won three races in 2022 and placed both Suárez and teammate Ross Chastain in the 2022 playoffs. Suárez finished a career-best 10th in points. Suárez, came to America to race. He did not speak English when he arrived in Buffalo, New York. He is the only Spanish-speaking driver in the NASCAR Cup Series. Suárez became the first Latin American, as well as the first NASCAR Drive for Diversity graduate, to win a NASCAR national series title when he won the 2016 Xfinity Series championship. In 2016, he became the first Mexican driver to win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, claiming three victories at Michigan, Dover and the championship finale at Homestead-Miami. He was the 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year - the first Mexican driver to win the award. In 2013, Suárez finished third in the ARCA Menards Series East final championship standings, the highest finish for an international driver in series history. Suárez and fiancé Julia Piquet were engaged in November 2022. Suárez received the National Series Driver Award during the NASCAR Diversity Awards in Los Angeles in February. Suárez is a fan of the Mexican Soccer team Tigres UANL - he grew up playing soccer.

Trackhouse Racing PR