Saturday, Jun 03
Speedway Digest Staff

Speedway Digest Staff

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No. 99 Freeway Insurance Chevrolet driver Daniel Suárez is looking for just a little bit of luck Sunday when the NASCAR Cup Series races at World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis.

The No. 99 Trackhouse Racing team arrives in St. Louis after a 23rd-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte on Monday.

But the result only tells part of the story.

Suárez raced from 24th into the top four and appeared to be one of the cars destined to battle for the victory.

But a lap 177 spin by Kyle Busch collected Suárez and the damage caused to the front and underneath of his car was too extensive to keep up the earlier pace.

Suárez stayed on the lead lap and finished a respectable 22nd, certainly not what he expected in the race's early going.

He hopes that luck will change Sunday at the 1.25-mile track in Madison, Illinois - just five minutes from downtown St. Louis. Last year, Suárez drove from the back of the field to the top five, but saw his chances for victory go away with a broken jack on a pit stop with just over 50 laps remaining in the race.

It's going to be a busy week for Suárez.

He's visiting the street circuit in Detroit on Thursday and Friday logging some practice laps in the TeamSLR Trans Am car in preparation for the Cup Series Chicago Street race on July 2.

He'll fly to St. Louis Friday night then practice and qualify the Cup Series car on Saturday.

At 3 p.m. CDT Saturday he'll visit the Freeway Insurance store at 3431 Nameoki Road in Granite City, Illinois for an autograph session and to meet fans. He and Freeway Insurance have been holding autograph sessions whenever Suárez is racing its No. 99 paint scheme.

FS1 will broadcast Sunday’s race at 3:30 p.m. EDT.

 

Meet Suarez in St. Louis

 

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.

Career Statistics

 

 

This Weekend Will Be A St. Louis Homecoming

For Trackhouse Racing Founder and Owner Justin Marks

Sunday’s race at World Wide Technology Raceway is a sort of homecoming for Trackhouse Racing founder Justin Marks who spent the first eight years of his life in St. Louis.

“If it weren’t for St. Louis, I am not sure I would be at Trackhouse Racing or that I would have ever fallen in love with racing,” said Marks, who showed he retains his driving skills when he started seventh and drove through the field Monday to earn his first win of the 2023 season in the Trans Am Series at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut.

St. Louis is where Marks first caught the racing bug thanks to his grandfather.

The 41-year-old Marks, whose team will field Chevrolet Camaros for No. 1 Ross Chastain and No. 99 Daniel Suárez in Sunday’s second NASCAR Cup Series race at the 1.25-mile track, was born at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and grew up in the Webster Groves/Kirkwood area.

He still has family in the area and credits his grandfather Albert Wyrick from Keokuk, Iowa who first took the youngster to area dirt tracks. The two watched Midwestern racers like the Wallace brothers, Ken Schrader, Dick Trickle, and scores of others careen around the local tracks.

He saw the passion of the fans, the commitment from the drivers and the sheer enjoyment of speed. Marks’s father Michael moved the family to Silicon Valley, California when Justin was eight.

Although he left the Midwest, racing never left him.

Marks decided to be a driver, hopping in a variety of sports cars with great success even reaching the pinnacle in 2009 when he joined four co-drivers winning the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Marks ventured into NASCAR where he competed in 38 races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series posting four top-10s and capturing two pole awards. He made 35 starts in the Xfinity Series posting a win, three top-five and seven top-10s. He won the Xfinity Series race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Aug. 13, 2016, driving for Chip Ganassi Racing.

He even entered the ultra-competitive Cup Series where he competed in six Cup Series races with a best finish of 12th-place in the 2018 Daytona 500.           

“I started to look around and realized if I wanted to accomplish what I wanted to accomplish in NASCAR it wasn’t going to be as a driver,” said Marks. “Deep down, I think I always felt that if I was going to forge a career in racing, it was going to be with an initiative like Trackhouse.”

He made the decision to retire from full time competition and devote his energies to the business of motorsports and entertainment. He moved to Nashville in 2020 and created the Trackhouse Entertainment Group and its Trackhouse Racing division. 

Timing his race team’s entry into NASCAR as the sport moved toward a new more economical model, Marks’ Trackhouse team began competition in 2021 as a single car race team with Mexican driver Daniel Suárez behind the wheel and international entertainment superstar Pitbull as a partner.

The team achieved success on and off the track in 2021 running competitively and reaching out to non-traditional NASCAR audiences. It’s multicultural pit crews, new sponsors and fresh openness were pillars of the Trackhouse philosophy.

Trackhouse Racing won the 2021 NASCAR Diversity Team Award and quickly became a fan favorite. The Trackhouse logo appeared on sports stars like the PGA’s James Hahn, UFC matches and Miesha Tate.

In June of 2021 Marks shocked the racing world when Trackhouse announced the acquisition of Chip Ganassi Racing’s NASCAR assets, a move that secured two full-time NASCAR Cup Series entries and cleared the path for expansion.

In its first season as a multicar team in 2022 working out of its Concord, North Carolina race shop, Suárez and Ross Chastain won three races and both finished in the top-10 in the standings - both are career bests.

Chastain’s “Hail Melon” move on the final lap at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway to earn his way into the final round of the NASCAR Playoffs went viral with hundreds of millions of viewers around the world.

Marks won the 2022 National Motorsports Press Association’s (NMPA) Myers Brothers Award during the 2022 NASCAR Awards in Nashville. The award recognizes individuals and/or groups that have provided outstanding contributions to stock car racing.

Marks won the 2022 "Byrnsie Award" from Fox. The award was established to celebrate an individual in the NASCAR Cup Series who showcases the same principles as the late Steve Byrnes embodied — preparation, teamwork and family within the garage area.

Marks pursuits are manyfold.

He is a co-manager of Marks Family Foundation, with several different philanthropic endeavors. The family, led by father Michael Marks, has been a highly successful private equity leader in the Silicon Valley for years.

Justin owns the Trackhouse Motorplex (go kart) racing facility near Charlotte, is an investor in the CARS Tour and the Music City Grand Prix Indycar race in Nashville to name just a few. 

Marks now splits time between the NASCAR team’s North Carolina race shop and his home near Nashville where he and wife Erin are raising two daughters. 

Marks Business Career

  • Marks, 41, is the founder and team owner of Trackhouse Entertainment Group and Trackhouse Racing.
  • He is a co-manager of Marks Family Foundation, with several different philanthropic endeavors. The family, led by father Michael Marks, has been a highly successful private equity leader in the Silicon Valley for years.
  • Before Trackhouse Racing, Marks opened the GoPro Motorplex (go kart) racing facility near Charlotte in late 2012. He entered race team ownership at lower levels, including a venture with late owner Harry Scott in NASCAR’s lower rungs, as well as a World of Outlaws team.
  • Marks moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 2020 to set up the corporate headquarters for Trackhouse Racing.
  • The team competed as a single car team with Daniel Suárez in 2021 with its cars housed at Richard Childress Racing in Welcome, North Carolina. 
  • The Trackhouse team won the 2021 NASCAR Diversity Team Award for its diversity in the sport and reaching out to new audiences. 
  • In June of 2021, Trackhouse announced the acquisition of Chip Ganassi Racing’s NASCAR assets, a move that secured two full-time NASCAR Cup Series entries and cleared the path for expansion.
  • In its first season as a multicar team in 2022 working out of its Concord, North Carolina race shop, Suárez and Ross Chastain won three races in 2022. Chastain finished second and Suárez 10th in the standings - both are career bests.
  • Marks won the 2022 National Motorsports Press Association’s (NMPA) Myers Brothers Award during the 2022 NASCAR Awards in Nashville. The award recognizes individuals and/or groups that have provided outstanding contributions to stock car racing.
  • Marks won the 2022 "Byrnsie Award" from Fox. The award was established to celebrate an individual in the NASCAR Cup Series who showcases the same principles as the late Steve Byrnes embodied — preparation, teamwork and family within the garage area.
  • He is an investor in the Music City (Nashville) Grand Prix Indycar race.
  • Marks along with Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton, purchased the Championship Auto Racing Series (CARS) Tour in January. The professional Late Model and Late Model stock car grassroots series competes at local short tracks throughout the Southeast United States.
  • Marks now splits time between the North Carolina race shop and his home near Nashville where he and wife Erin are raising two daughters.

Racing Career

  • Marks has been a driver for nearly 20 years enjoying sports car success, including factory rides with Porsche, Acura and BMW.
  • Marks competed in six NASCAR Cup Series races with a best finish of 12th-place in the 2018 Daytona 500. He made 35 starts in the Xfinity Series posting a win, three top-five and seven top-10s.
  • Marks won the Xfinity Series race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Aug. 13, 2016 driving for Chip Ganassi Racing.
  • Marks competed in 39 races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series posting four top-10s and capturing two pole awards.
  • Marks joined four co-drivers in winning the 2009 Rolex 24 in the GT division.

Career statistics as a driver

Career statistics as a Cup owner

 

Pitbull To Name Upcoming Album “Trackhouse”

Concord, North Carolina – Tens of millions of people all over the world are about to say the word “Trackhouse.”

In a remarkable next step for the Trackhouse brand promise of merging the worlds of motorsports and entertainment, multi-platinum Grammy-award winning artist Pitbull will release his 12th internationally distributed album on July 7, under the title “Trackhouse." 

Pitbull, aka “Mr. Worldwide,” joined Trackhouse Racing in 2021 in a partnership with Trackhouse Entertainment Group founder Justin Marks, with a mission to promote positivity through the unifying love of music and sports.  

Pitbull, aka “Mr. Worldwide,” joined Trackhouse Racing in 2021 in a partnership with Trackhouse Entertainment Group founder Justin Marks, with a mission to promote positivity through the unifying love of music and sports.  

Pitbull was intimately involved with the album cover artwork created by Trackhouse which includes the familiar Trackhouse blue, a cityscape of his hometown of Miami, the historic landmark Freedom Tower overlayed in a form of street art as a reminder of his rise from the streets of Miami.  

“When I joined Trackhouse in 2021, I told the team, we wanted to make history,” said Pitbull who became a fan of NASCAR after watching the movie Days of Thunder as a kid and is now a business partner with Trackhouse Racing.

“Music is the universal language and music is culture. Our mission has been to build a culture at Trackhouse. We want to share it with the world. This is just the beginning of all we are going to do together not only in racing but music and more importantly education. Want to say Justin, Ty (Norris), Daniel, Ross (Chastain) and the entire Trackhouse team it’s an honor to make history together… now let’s step on the gas, Dale!”

The bilingual Trackhouse album features new singles "Me Pone Mal" with Omar Courtz and "Jumpin" with Lil Jon.

Trackhouse Racing PR

Michigan International Speedway (M.I.S.) announced today that Cabo Wabo® Tequila will serve as the race entitlement partner for the upcoming NASCAR Xfinity Series race. The race is now called the Cabo Wabo® 250 and will take place on Saturday, August 5.

In addition, the partnership includes naming rights to the Turn 4 Club Presented by Cabo Wabo® Tequila, an all-inclusive club, located trackside in Turn 4. For more information and to purchase tickets to the Turn 4 Club Presented by Cabo Wabo® Tequila, click here.

This comes on the heels of Cabo Wabo® Tequila being named the first-ever “Official Tequila Sponsor of NASCAR” and the “Official Tequila Sponsor of Michigan International Speedway” in January 2023.

“The entitlement of the Cabo Wabo® 250 and the Turn 4 Club Presented by Cabo Wabo® Tequila are the next steps in a fun partnership with Cabo Wabo® Tequila at M.I.S.,” said Michigan International Speedway President Joe Fowler. “We definitely share their passion for doing things with full-on flavor and know our fans will, too.”

The Mexican-born 100% Blue Weber Agave tequila has an unmistakable taste that goes with an unmistakable American attitude – one that cuts no corners and makes no apologies, inspiring all to revel in the good life. Bigger, bolder, and better represents Cabo Wabo® Tequila, and the brand is bringing that to life with concerts, on-site activations, and racing-themed social content in partnership with NASCAR.

“Our sponsorship of the Cabo Wabo® 250 is the natural next step in what we see as a long and prosperous future with the sport and with Michigan International Speedway,” said Campari America’s Vice President of Marketing Andrea Sengara. “It’s amazing to see how seamlessly Cabo Wabo® has become part of the NASCAR family, and we look forward to continue going all in for racing fans on and off the track.”

The August race weekend at M.I.S. begins with the ARCA Menards Series Henry Ford Health 200 on Friday, Aug. 4, followed by the NASCAR Xfinity Series Cabo Wabo® 250 on Saturday, Aug. 5. The NASCAR Cup Series will cap off the weekend’s action with the FireKeepers Casino 400 on Sunday, Aug. 6.

Whether watching a race on T.V., or live at the track, Cabo Wabo® reminds you to always drink responsibly. The brand recognizes that sometimes the boldest thing we can do is take our foot off the gas.

Tickets are available for purchase via phone at 888-905-7223 or online at mispeedway.com. Fans can view the full 2023 NASCAR Cup Series schedule and purchase tickets at nascar.com/tickets, and can stay connected to Michigan International Speedway on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

MIS PR

There are Toyotas racing across the country this weekend as the NASCAR Cup and Truck Series run nearby the Arch in St. Louis, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and ARCA Menards Series West taken on the road course at Portland International Raceway, while the NHRA teams compete in the first of back-to-back races in Epping, New Hampshire.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS | NCTS

Truex moves up in the standings… After a third-place finish in Charlotte, Martin Truex Jr. sits in fifth in the Cup Series standings – just 13 points out of the points lead. Truex was part of the first Cup Series race at Gateway last season. The New Jersey-native finished sixth after leading 42 laps.

Wallace on a career-best streak… Bubba Wallace is on a career-best top-five streak after adding a fourth-place finish at the 600-mile race at Charlotte on Monday – a career-best finish in Charlotte. Adding the runner-up finish in the All-Star Race, Wallace has earned four straight top-five finishes. Wallace won at Gateway in the NASCAR Truck Series in 2014.

Nemechek adds to his lead… John Hunter Nemechek added to his Xfinity Series championship lead with a runner-up finish in Charlotte on Monday evening. Nemechek holds a 10-point advantage over Austin Hill on the strength of 10 top-10 finishes in 12 races this season. Nemechek is making his Portland debut, but has seen success on the road courses, including a Truck Series road course victory in 2016.

Mosack back at Xfinity debut… Connor Mosack is back at the site of his Xfinity Series debut this weekend. The North Carolina-native started eighth in Portland last year and got up as high as second before getting involved in an on-track incident. Mosack is six races into a 24-race Xfinity Series schedule with Toyota’s two teams – Sam Hunt Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing. Back aboard the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra, Mosack will try to better his top-20 finish from the first road course race this season at Circuit of the Americas.

Heim continues to impress… In his first full-time Truck Series season, Corey Heim continues to impress with his consistency. After a runner-up finish at Charlotte, the Toyota development driver extended his points lead to 26. It was the reigning Truck Series Rookie of the Year’s ninth top-10 finish in 11 races this season, which leads all drivers. Heim also boasts a series-best 8.5 average finish and is the reigning pole and race winner at the Toyota 200 this weekend at Gateway.

Gray, Friesen battling to earn Playoff glory… Tanner Gray and Stewart Friesen are both near the Playoff cutline as the Truck Series has five races remaining in the regular season. Gray sits in ninth, seven points to the good, while Friesen is in 11th and is a single marker out of a Playoff berth. Gateway has been a great track for Friesen as the Canadian driver comes in with three consecutive top-five finishes, while Gray holds a single top-10 finish, earning a 10th-place result in 2020.

Love makes his debut… Jesse Love makes his long-awaited Truck Series debut this weekend in the No. 1 TRICON Garage Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. It is the first of three scheduled Truck Series races for the 18-year-old, who is coming off three consecutive ARCA national series wins and holds a 13-point lead. The Toyota development driver has one ARCA start at Gateway in 2020, where he scored his first career national ARCA top-five finish.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA

Hingorani plans to continue winning streak… Sean Hingorani comes into racing action at Portland International Raceway this weekend on a two-race winning streak with his Venturini Motorsport team to close within nine points of the championship lead. The 16-year-old made his track debut at Portland last fall and scored a 12th-place finish.

NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car

Capps closing in on the points lead… Defending Funny Car champion Ron Capps comes into Epping looking for his first race win of the season, but he continues to run strong. After yet another final round appearance in Chicago, Capps has moved up to a season-best second in the standings, just 13 points out of the lead. The three-time champion has multiple wins at Epping, most recently in 2016.

Torrence continues to lead… Similarly, to his Toyota teammate Capps, Steve Torrence is looking for his first race win of the season but sits strong in the point standings as he leads by 17 markers over Brittany Force. The Torrence family has seen much success at Epping with Steve scoring multiple victories, most recently in 2019, while Steve’s father, Billy, claimed victory in 2021.

Toyota Racing PR

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver, Spencer Boyd, will have the familiar colors of Hans Wiemann on his No. 12 Chevrolet Silverado at World Wide Technology Raceway this weekend but with a new name, Hans HairClub®.  In January of 2023 Hans Wiemann joined forces with HairClub and will be the primary sponsor for Boyd at the Toyota 200 on June 3, 2023. 
 
“I always love coming back to St. Louis,” noted Boyd of his hometown. “It obviously has a special place in my heart growing up there, but what the track has done to make the NASCAR weekend even better is super exciting.  I love that I get to represent two long term brands at my home track.”
 
In April of 2023 Boyd had FUE surgery at the St. Louis Hans HairClub Center.
 
Boyd continued, “As a 27-year-old that is losing his hair, it might seem, for me, that I’d have difficulty talking about it…it’s thankfully not the case.  I’ve been working with HairClub for years to keep the hair I have, but working with them has also given me the confidence to talk about it publicly.  The procedure I had at Hans HairClub led to a lot of people reaching out to me to talk about it.  There are a lot of people out there that want to talk about it with someone so I’m happy to be that guy for them.”
 
Internationally-certified hair loss specialist Jeff ElZenny assisted Boyd with his surgical choices.  “I’ve followed Spencer’s hair loss case for a few years now.  His use of EXT Extreme Hair Therapy has helped but to get his hair where he wanted, he needed to take the next step.  We’re happy he decided for the surgery and Hans HairClub will definitely be to blame for his racing helmet hair when it all grows in!”
 
Follow Hans HairClub (@hanshairclub) and Spencer Boyd (@spencerboydpr) on Instagram for scheduling and special offers.

Spencer Boyd PR

Notes of Interest

 

● Truex and the No. 19 team for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) set the tone for the season right out of the gate by winning the 150-lap feature in the non-points Clash at the Coliseum on Feb. 5 in Los Angeles. Truex won his heat race, then went on to lead the final 25 laps of the feature en route to a victory that gave him and the team much-needed momentum heading into the 2023 season. While the team was knocking on the door over the next 10 races, the breakthrough points-paying win finally came at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway in April.
 

32 and Counting: Truex’s win at Dover was the 32nd of his Cup Series career, putting him 29th on the series’ all-time wins list.

 

● During last year’s debut of the NASCAR Cup Series at World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) in Madison, Illinois,  Truex and the No. 19 team ran well, leading 42 laps and bringing home a sixth-place finish.

 

Dazzling Debut: While last year’s race was the first time the Cup Series competed at WWTR, Truex has competed at the 1.25-mile, egg-shaped oval twice before in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, qualifying on the pole for both the May 2004 and 2005 races. He went on to win the 2004 race, leading 109 laps along the way.

 

Ahead at this Stage: Truex leads the NASCAR Cup Series with 57 stage wins since the beginning of the stage racing era in 2017. He is the only driver with 10 or more stage sweeps, as well. Truex added to his haul of stage wins by taking the opening stage last month at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, a track similar in shape to WWTR.

 

● With his third-place finish at Charlotte Monday, Truex heads to WWTR fifth in the standings with 433 points, 13 points out of the lead. The top six in the Cup Series standings are separated by just 17 points as things start to heat up in the chase for the regular-season championship. The regular-season champion will receive 15 important playoff points when the playoffs start on Labor Day weekend in September. Twelve races remaining in the regular season.

 

Martin Truex Jr., Driver of the No. 19 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota Camry TRD

 

What are your expectations heading into the second Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway?

 

“Last year, we were one of the best cars out there, along with Joey (Logano) and Kyle (Busch). We were up there and fighting for the lead a ton. It’s a place I’ve always liked, so we were able to get our car where we needed to fairly quickly with a full practice session and time to work on the car during the weekend. Hoping we can pick back up where we left off there. St. Louis is flat like Phoenix, but it’s a lot more worn out. Hoping we can have another strong effort there with our Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota Camry TRD and be up front toward the end and have a shot to win there.”

 

With another strong run at Charlotte Monday, what are your expectations going forward with this team?

 

“We had a great run at Charlotte, just had too many issues that we’ll need to keep working on as a team. We’ve got a couple of good places for us before we get to the off week, with St. Louis this weekend with our Auto-Owners Insurance Camry, and the then Sonoma the following weekend. James (Small, crew chief) has been bringing good cars to the racetrack. It’s still a ways off, but we have that win under our belt and are right there in the standings, so hoping we can put it all together and get some more wins and playoff points and put ourselves in a position to have a shot at the regular-season championship.”

 

You’ve been in this sport for a long time, now. What does it mean to now be an elder statesman in the sport, and has it changed your job at all in recent years?

 

“I don’t know if it’s changed a whole lot. It definitely feels like it kind of happened quickly as guys have exited the sport the last five or six years and I have another year under my belt. It’s kind of crazy that once (Kevin) Harvick retires, I’m going to be the oldest guy. Definitely pretty wild to think about, but I definitely feel young and feel like I can do this for a while, if that’s what I decide to do. I’ve always kind of been laid back. The way I’m perceived is that if I’m speaking out and saying something, they should probably listen because I don’t say a whole lot. I think I feel that way, especially around our team at Joe Gibbs Racing. They know if I’m vocal about something, then it’s probably pretty important. I try not to just say things just to say them. Generally, you can believe what I’m saying and take it to the bank.”

 

TSC PR

NASCAR announced today its 22nd NASCAR Diversity Internship Program (NDIP) class welcoming undergraduate and graduate students to NASCAR. The class of 37 students completed orientation during the Coca-Cola 600 race weekend in Charlotte. Many in the group had the opportunity to experience their first NASCAR race, visit the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Hendrick Motorsports and the Motor Racing Network facilities.

The NASCAR Diversity Internship Program is a 10-week program that offers hands-on experience across various roles in the motorsports industry. NDIP provides practical, unique, hands-on experience in a variety of fields vital to the sport and business operations. Throughout the summer interns will receive mentorship, network with industry leaders and engage in a case study competition.

“This year we’re welcoming another exceptional class of college students eager to learn about our sport,” said Brandon Thompson, NASCAR’s Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion. “As a graduate of NDIP,

I know firsthand how crucial it is for students to have exposure to professional sports opportunities. We’re excited to welcome this year’s class and look forward to seeing them grow this summer.”

The industry’s longest-running diversity initiative, NDIP has played an important role in NASCAR as the sport celebrates its 75th year. Launched in 2000, the highly competitive career development program has introduced over 500 college students to the NASCAR industry, and has grown to include several industry partners, providing a variety of career exposure opportunities. 2023 partners include Rev Racing, World Wide Express, 23XI Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, Sonoma Raceway, Team Penske, Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing.

NDIP is open to college students who are sophomores or above with a minimum 3.0 GPA representing the following races/ethnic minority classifications: Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Latino or Hispanic, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.

The 2023 NASCAR Diversity Internship Class includes:

 

Intern

Department

School

     

Abhishek Cherukara

NASCAR Aerodynamics

Cranfield University

     

Alexandria Samuel

Sonoma Raceway

Columbia University

     

Angelina Davila

NASCAR Communications

DePaul University

     

Aniya Misher

Joe Gibbs Racing

North Carolina A&T State University

     

Ava Hartsell

Hendrick Motorsports

Virginia Tech

     

Brisia Briones

NASCAR Sourcing and Procurement

University of Houston

     

Chandler Love

NASCAR Human Resource

University of Miami

     

Daniel Zakhary

NASCAR Public & Govt. Affairs

University of Florida

     

Darren Henderson

NASCAR Multicultural & Youth Marketing 

Temple University

     

DeNashia Robinson

NASCAR Legal

Howard University School of Law

     

Didier Attipou

NASCAR Corporate Accounting

Morehouse College

     

D'Vante Siler

NASCAR Sales Academy

Fort Valley State University

     

Elijah Patterson

NASCAR Marketing Services

Johnson C. Smith University

     

Elizabeth Yaboni

NASCAR Social Responsibility

Columbia University

     

Ester Ferreira

NASCAR International

Nova Southeastern University

     

Gift Pendleton

Chicago Street Race

University of Central Florida

     

Haley King

Worldwide Express

Prairie View A&M University

     

India Martin

NASCAR Consumer Strategy

Oglethorpe University

     

Jayden Carrillo

NASCAR Brand Marketing

University of South Carolina

     

Juliana Ashrifeh 

NASCAR Social Media

Wayne State University

     

Juliet Campbell

NASCAR Productions

The Ohio State University

     

Lauren Allsbrook

23XI Racing

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

     

Lauryn Carlton

NASCAR Partnership Marketing

Elon University

     

Leticia De Freitas

Rev Racing

Savannah College of Art & Design

     

Maya Ellison

Motor Racing Network

Florida A&M University

     

Meg Cabras

NASCAR Licensing & Consumer

Florida State University Products

     

Miranda Romero

The NASCAR Foundation

New Mexico State University

     

Nicolas Caldwell

NASCAR National Sales

West Virginia University

     

Niraj Panthi

NASCAR Media and Event Technology

Wingate University

     

Oscar Casasola

NASCAR Gaming and Esports

University of Maryland

     

Phalgunmihir Eyunni

Hendrick Motorsports

Florida State University

     

Phillip Hall

NASCAR Weekly Racing Operations

St. John's University

     

Salaah Khan

NASCAR Sports Betting

The George Washington University

     

Sidney Brown

Team Penske

Bethune-Cookman University

     

Syeda Ghazal Qadri

NASCAR Research and Insights

Boston University

     

Tyra Blue

NASCAR Diversity & Inclusion

Briar Cliff University

     

Victor Jackson

Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing

Florida State College at Jacksonville 

 NASCAR PR

The official entry blank for the Father’s Day 100 Presented By Hunt Brothers Pizza on Sunday, June 18 has been released by ASA STARS National Tour and ASA Midwest Tour officials.

The ASA STARS National Tour will be joined by the Midwest Truck Series, Mid-American Racing Series, Vores Compact Touring Series, and the Upper Midwest Vintage Series.

Saturday, June 17 will include inspection and practice for all divisions, plus Go Fas Pole Qualifying for the ASA STARS National Tour.

Sunday, June 18 will be highlighted by the Super Late Model, Father’s Day 100, which will be race five of the 2023 ASA STARS National Tour. A last chance qualifying race, if needed, will also be run on Sunday. Feature races for the Truck Series, Mid-Am Series, Vores and Vintage cars are also scheduled.

The Father’s Day 100 is a co-sanctioned event between the ASA STARS National Tour and the ASA Midwest Tour, marking the return of ASA to the Mile for the first time since August 2004.

Milwaukee Entry: https://slms.info/23MMef
Driver Profile Form: https://slms.info/23PRO

The ASA STARS National Tour opened the 10-race, six-state schedule at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL on March 11. Gio Ruggiero is the most recent winner, capturing his first-career Super Late Model race victory in the Tar Heel 250 at Hickory Motor Speedway on May 25.

For the full ASA STARS National Tour schedule, plus Super Late Model rules and other information, please visit the series website at starsnationaltour.com, or be sure to follow the series on social media (Facebook: STARS National Series | Twitter: @racewithstars | IG: @starsnational).

ASA STARS PR

No. 20 DEWALT Construction Technology Toyota Camry TRD News and Notes:

  • BELL AT WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY: The NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) will compete for the second time at World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) this weekend. Last year in the inaugural WWTR race Bell qualified third and crossed the finish line ninth.
  • WWTR HISTORY: Bell knows his way around the 1.250-mile oval. In 2016, while competing in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS), Bell took home the checkered flag. In two career NCTS starts at WWTR Bell has led 45 laps, earned one win, one top-five and two top-10 finishes. 
  • DEWALT CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY: The No. 20 has a new look this weekend featuring DEWALT Construction Technology. DEWALT is bringing new products to the market in software, advanced hardware and robotics to address changes in the construction industry impacting their customers. To learn more about DEWALT Construction Technology visit: https://www.dewalt.com/construction-technology  
  • DEWALT HOOD: DEWALT will feature Mainscape on the lower hood of the No. 20 Toyota Camry TRD this weekend at WWTR. For more information visit: https://www.mainscape.com/
  • DEWALT DECKLID: DEWALT will feature icon Mechanical on the decklid this weekend in St. Louis. For more information visit: https://www.iconmech.com/
  • CHARLOTTE RECAP: Bell lined up ninth for the Coca-Cola 600 after rain washed out practice and qualifying for the field at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The No. 20 Toyota Camry TRD was fast and Bell raced his way to the front, leading the field for 48 laps. He had to drop to the tail end of the field following an unapproved adjustment during the red flag delay for weather, but he worked his way back through the field and almost salvaged a top-10 finish until getting caught up in a late race accident. 
  • JGR IN ST. LOUIS: JGR has four NCS starts at WWTR, earning one top-five and three top-10 finishes.
  • RACE INFO: The Enjoy Illinois 300 presented by TicketSmarter at WWTR begins at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 4, 2023. The race will be broadcast live on FS1, Sirius XM 90, and MRN Radio.

 

From the Cockpit:

Christopher Bell: “Gateway is a very unique track the way turns one and two are very sharp, and three and four being more sweeping. It takes a car that is very versatile to be good on both ends of the track, It makes it really fun.”

JGR PR

Headed West … Tyler Ankrum rolls into the “Gateway to the West” as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series invades the St. Louis area at World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR). As five races remain before the playoffs begin, Saturday afternoon’s contest at WWTR marks a pivotal moment for the driver of the No. 16 LiUNA! Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. Ankrum currently resides 15th in the championship standings and hopes WWTR is the gateway to his third-career playoff berth.
 
HRE at WWTR … The San Bernardino, Calif. driver has four appearances under his belt at the St. Louis-area 1.25-mile egg-shaped oval. Ankrum made his debut at WWTR in 2019 and scored a best finish of 12th in 2020. The No. 16 team has had a steady track record in the St. Louis region since debuting there in 2017 with Ryan Truex. The HRE squad has put up one top-five, two top-10’s, and led laps in three of the five events, which included a third-place result in 2020.
 
Season to Date … Through 11 of 16 regular season events, Ankrum and the No. 16 team occupy the 15th position in the championship standings, 63 markers behind the cut line. Ankrum’s season-best result came eight races ago at Circuit of the Americas and he has posted three finishes of tenth or better in the 2023 season.
 
Chassis Selection … Chassis No. 008 will make it’s third start of the season at World Wide Technology Raceway. This Toyota Tundra TRD Pro made its last start at Darlington Raceway, where Ankrum would run around the top-10 most of the day, settling for a 15th place finish at the track too tough to tame.
 
Tune In … Fox Sports 1 has complete coverage of the Toyota 200 at World Wide Technology Raceway, beginning with practice and qualifying on Friday at 6:00 pm ET (FS1), followed by the green flag on Saturday at 1:30 pm ET (FS1). Stay connected with the No. 16 LiUNA! team by following @Hattori_Racing on Twitter, @hattoriracing on Instagram, and Hattori Racing Enterprises on Facebook. 
 
Tyler Ankrum Quote on World Wide Technology Raceway:
Gateway is such a unique racetrack from where we’ve been racing the last month or so. It’s like a big short track with flat corners, a lot of braking, and we’ll for sure need our LiUNA! Toyota Tundra TRD Pro to turn in the center of the corners. It races similar to Phoenix, but Turns one and two are really tight while (turns) three and four are kind of wide and sweeping. Pit road is extremely narrow and how you get in and out of your box could be critical. Hopefully we can start to regain some points as we get closer to the playoffs.”
 
HRE PR

Kaulig Racing and Gabriel Glas form partnership as NASCAR heads west to Sonoma, California.

Gabriel Glas, an Austrian brand created by a Swiss wine critic in 2010, provides customers a true-universal wine glass that is flattering to all types of wine; white, red, rosè and sparkling. This universal wine glass will be featured on Allmendinger’s No. 16 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) entry and No. 10 NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) entry.

“Kaulig Racing has always had a certain synergy on and off the track just as Gabriel Glas creates a synergy that yields the best wine experience,” Kaulig Racing president, Chris Rice says. “It’s a perfect fit as we go to wine country for AJ’s doubleheader weekend in Sonoma. We know AJ puts on a good show at these road courses and we’re looking forward to having Gabriel Glas be a part of it.”

In addition to competing in the first-ever NXS race at Sonoma Raceway, Allmendinger looks to improve on his best NCS finish (seventh) at Sonoma Raceway where he has earned one pole award and two top-10 finishes.

“I’m excited to get back to Sonoma and run double duty,” says AJ Allmendinger. “I’m not quite happy with my on-track success at Sonoma yet. We ran there last year and just didn’t have the result we were looking for. Being my home track, it’s a special place for me. It’s always fun to see family and friends there and I’m excited to have Gabriel Glas onboard for both races. I’m hopeful we can have a good showing for them.”

The No. 10 Gabriel Glas Chevrolet will be on track for the DoorDash 250 on June 10 at 8:00 pm with coverage on FS1. The No. 16 Gabriel Glas Camaro ZL1 will be on track for the Toyota / Save Mart 350 on June 11 at 3:30 pm with coverage on FOX.

Kaulig Racing PR

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