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Press Release | DISCOUNT TIRE, AUSTIN CINDRIC PHOENIX, Jan. 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Discount Tire, a leading independent tire retailer and NASCAR sponsor, will launch a three-part docuseries, "Defending Daytona," beginning Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023 . The series will highlight Austin Cindric, driver of the No.2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang, and his experiences as he prepares to defend his title at the Daytona 500 race in Florida. Promotional teasers will air on https://discountti.re/daytona6 and Discount Tire's social media channels in the coming weeks, with part one of the docuseries airing Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023, with subsequent episodes released Saturday, Feb. 11, and Saturday, Feb. 18, prior to the Daytona 500 race Sunday, Feb. 19. "I am honored to race again for Discount Tire in the Daytona 500 and for the opportunity to chase another win in the Great American Race," said Cindric, driver of the No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang. 'Defending Daytona' puts a spotlight on the time and dedication this sport requires to succeed and my team's hard work that makes it all possible." The series features interviews from Cindric, his father, driver Joey Logano, and Team Penske executives as he prepares to race and defend this year's Daytona 500 title. Footage from Cindric's previous races, standout moments in his career, and Penske's training facility are showcased in each episode. "Discount Tire is excited for fans and viewers to get a behind-the-scenes look at the road to Daytona through our first-ever docuseries," said Kevin Fournier, director of marketing and advertising at Discount Tire. "We're honored to support Austin Cindric again this season with the opportunity to bring home a third win at the race for Team Penske and Discount Tire." To complement the series, Discount Tire is hosting a social media contest where the winner will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to a NASCAR race of their choosing for which Discount Tire is a primary sponsor. Additionally, the winner will receive a voucher for a free set of tires from Discount Tire. The contest opened Saturday, Jan. 21, and will run through Tuesday, Jan.31. The winner of the contest will be randomly selected and announced on Monday, Feb. 6. Once selected, the winner will be notified to the email used to enter the sweepstakes. For more information on the social media contest and how to enter, follow Discount Tire on Instagram: @discount_tire , Twitter: @DiscountTire and Facebook: @DiscountTire . To watch "Defending Daytona" and learn more about the docuseries, visit //www.discounttire.com/defendingdaytona .

Press Release | RICHARD PETTY, TRANS AM CHARLOTTE (January 23, 2023) — The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli is thrilled to announce that NASCAR legend Richard Petty will serve as grand marshal for the season-opening Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers TA2 race at Sebring International Raceway. Petty’s grandson, Thad Moffitt, will be making his first-career Trans Am start in that event, kicking off his full-time season in the feature race on Saturday, February 25. Petty has experience racing in Trans Am, competing in the series’ inaugural season. The winningest driver in NASCAR drove Team Starfish’s Plymouth Barracuda in the fourth ever Trans Am race in history at VIRginia International Raceway in July of 1966, starting fourth and finishing eighth in the Over 2.0 Liter class. Petty, who had one title under his belt at the time, went on to become a seven-time champion in the NASCAR Cup Series, amassing 200 race wins, including seven victories in the Daytona 500. Petty, who has been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, was inducted into the inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010. “We are very excited to have Richard Petty as grand marshal for our opening weekend at Sebring International Raceway,” said John Clagett, president of Trans Am. “Richard is a part of this series’ very beginnings, and we’re thrilled to make him a race dignitary. We are also really looking forward to having another member of the Petty family driving in Trans Am. Thad has a lot of promise, and young, talented drivers like him are a key part of the Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers TA2 class’s explosive growth in recent years.” “It will be an honor to serve as the grand marshal for the Trans Am Series at Sebring, especially being a part of Thad’s first start in the series,” said Petty. “It will be special for our family to see the No. 43 on the track in such a competitive road racing series.” Petty’s grandson Moffitt comes to the longest-running professional road racing series in North America following six seasons in the ARCA Menards Series, earning 10 top fives and 29 top-10 finishes in 49 starts between the National, East and West series. In 2022, Moffitt competed in a part-time effort in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The 22-year-old is also the 2016 Southeast Limited Late Model champion. This season, Moffitt will be behind the wheel of the No. 43 Safety-Kleen Chevrolet Camaro, driving full time in the TA2 class for TeamSLR. To prepare for his series debut, Moffitt will participate in the pre-season test at Sebring January 25-26.

Press Release | FIRE DEPARTMENT COFFEE, NHRA INDIANAPOLIS (Jan. 24, 2023) – NHRA announced today that Fire Department Coffee, a veteran-owned brand that is dedicated to handcrafting great-tasting coffee and supporting first responders, has been named the Official Coffee of NHRA as part of a multi-year agreement. As the Official Coffee of NHRA, Fire Dept. Coffee will see integrations across all NHRA marketing and social media, with a robust advertising campaign coupled with on-site activations at Pit Side Experiences at all NHRA National Events. Its first on-site presence will be at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals (March 9-12) at famed Gainesville Raceway. Fire Dept. Coffee will also spearhead the inaugural “NHRA Hero of the Day” program. The program will identify and honor a local Veteran, firefighter or first responder in the crowd at all 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season events. “We’re looking forward to the opportunity to introduce our brand, and our mission, and get out on the track to share Fire Dept. Coffee with NHRA fans across the country,” said Luke Schneider, Founder and CEO of Fire Department Coffee. “It’s especially exciting to use our new platform to honor a local hero at each event.” For 2023, Fire Dept. Coffee has set its sights on forging partnerships within the racing community, an opportunity to promote keeping drivers – and their fans – fueled on race day and beyond. One key partnership is with NHRA Top Fuel star Antron Brown, a three-time world champion with 71 career wins, and owner of AB Motorsports. Brown became a team owner for the first time during the 2022 season, and will work closely with Fire Department Coffee to introduce his dedicated fanbase and following to the brand throughout the year. “As we embark on this new venture with the AB Motorsports Pit Side Experience and operate the program internally at ABM, we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Fire Department Coffee as the presenting partner of the Pit Side Experience,” Brown said. “We host upwards of 6,000 guests each year amongst Matco Tools, FVP and the ABM roster of partners, and for Fire Dept. Coffee to see the NHRA and ABM as a prominent marketing platform makes us very proud. We’ll have a permanent coffee bar inside the Pit Side Experience for our guests and team to enjoy, and we’re ready to help introduce the NHRA fan base to a great coffee brand.” Schneider, a former firefighter/paramedic and U.S. Navy veteran, founded Fire Department Coffee in 2016. He was inspired by the role that coffee plays in helping firefighters stay alert and energized through long shifts. Today, the business continues to be run by active and retired firefighters, who work together to provide a variety of great-tasting coffees – including Fire Department Coffee’s proprietary Spirit Infused Coffee (developed in 2016) to consumers. Fire Department Coffee supports first responders through its Fire Department Coffee Foundation, which gives back to firefighters and first responders who have become sick or injured on the job, or who are facing other serious health challenges. “It’s exciting to welcome Fire Department Coffee as the Official Coffee of the NHRA, and we know their high-quality coffee is going to keep fans energized at each race this season,” said Brad Gerber, NHRA Vice President and Chief Development Officer. “Their commitment to first responders is equally impressive and it is great to partner with them on the ‘NHRA Hero of the Day’ program as well.” For more information about Fire Department Coffee, visit www.firedeptcoffee.com. For more information about NHRA, including the 2023 schedule, visit www.NHRA.com.

(Photo Source: James Gilbert/Getty Images) Press Release | Le Mans DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 28, 2023) – NASCAR today announced a prestigious driver lineup to pilot its Garage 56 entry in the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 100th anniversary of the legendary race. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, former 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller, and 2009 Formula One world champion Jenson Button will share the driver’s seat of the Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, which is anticipated to be approved for entry by l’Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) in the coming weeks. The Garage 56 project is a partnership between NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear – the winningest team, manufacturer and tire in the sport’s 75-year history. “Since the beginning of the Garage 56 project, it has been our goal to partner with the top racers in the world to represent us in Le Mans,” said Jim France, NASCAR chairman and CEO. “The lineup of Jimmie, ‘Rocky’ and Jenson is everything we could have dreamed of – three elite drivers who have won at the highest levels of motorsports worldwide. As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of NASCAR, we are honored to have these world-class champions help bring the sights and sounds of a NASCAR race car to fans in Le Mans, and across the world.” France was honored last year with the 2022 Spirit of Le Mans Award in recognition of his longtime impact in motorsports and his work securing a historic convergence agreement between IMSA and the ACO. The first chicane at Le Mans’ Mulsanne Straight is now called the “Daytona Chicane” and the chicane at Daytona International Speedway – once referred to as “The Bus Stop” – is now called the “Le Mans Chicane.” Johnson won a record-tying seven NASCAR Cup Series championships and 83 races for Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet in his illustrious career. He recently became part owner of NASCAR Cup Series team LEGACY MOTOR CLUB and will race in next month’s Daytona 500. Johnson helped test the Garage 56 car at Sebring in December. “I’m super thrilled – it’s been at the top of my bucket list to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans someday,” Johnson said. “To have this opportunity come – and to partner with everybody and this driver lineup – is truly an incredible opportunity and one that I am thankful to be a part of.” Rockenfeller, whose sports car accolades include winning the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 2005 24 Hours of Le Mans GT Class, the 2010 ROLEX 24 at Daytona and the 2013 German DTM championship, has served as the lead test driver for the Garage 56 project. He has driven the car at every on-track test and spent countless hours behind the wheel in the simulator. “It has been a great journey so far with the whole team and project,” Rockenfeller said. “To be involved as a driver from day one until now was already a great honor, and to now have Jimmie and Jenson alongside me as teammates in Le Mans is unbelievable.” Button had one of the most prolific careers in F1 history finishing with 15 wins and 50 podiums on top of his 2009 World Championship and is widely considered one of the top British drivers of all time. “As a lifelong racing fan, I have always dreamed of racing certain cars, with and against certain drivers and competing in certain events,” Button said. “In June, a number of those dreams will come true in one event when I get to bring NASCAR to the world stage alongside my pals Jimmie and ‘Rocky’ for the 100th anniversary of the most prestigious race in the world. I’m really looking forward to sharing this journey with NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear, and current and future NASCAR fans from around the world.” All three drivers will participate in next week’s two-day test at Daytona International Speedway. Jordan Taylor, who currently competes in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for Corvette Racing, will serve as the backup driver and help coach the drivers. Taylor won the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans GTE Pro Class and has finished on the podium four times. He is a four-time IMSA champion.

Press Release | CABO WABO TEQUILA, NASCAR Cabo Wabo Tequila: The First Official Tequila Sponsor of NASCAR Multiyear agreement cements the brand’s status as Official Tequila of Daytona International Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Michigan International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – (Jan. 24, 2023) – Cabo Wabo, an unquestionably Mexican tequila made with an undeniable American attitude, is now officially a NASCAR partner. NASCAR and Campari America announced today that Cabo Wabo Tequila is the first-ever “Official Tequila Sponsor of NASCAR.” As part of a wide-ranging, multiyear agreement, Cabo Wabo Tequila becomes the Official Tequila of Daytona International Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Michigan International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. “Cabo Wabo’s reputation for doing things bigger, bolder and better perfectly aligns with the spirit of our sport,” said NASCAR Senior Vice President and Chief Sales Officer Jeff Wohlschlaeger. “We welcome Cabo Wabo Tequila to the NASCAR family as we begin the celebration of our 75th Anniversary season.” For Cabo Wabo Tequila, celebration isn’t possible without its unmatched commitment to excellence. A super-premium tequila born in the agave fields of Mexico and praised in bars and backyard barbeques across America, Cabo Wabo is Thick Cut tequila made using 100% Blue Weber Agave. Each sip evokes full-on agave flavor thanks to the purposefully thicker cut distillate of agave used to deliver a more unfiltered, raw agave-forward taste. It’s this 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. “NASCAR fans are known for the same brand loyalty as our beloved Cabo Wabo Tequila fans,” said Campari America’s Vice President of Marketing Andrea Sengara. “Like our tequila, NASCAR fans live unapologetically and expect nothing but greatness from their race day, and their race day drinks. With this partnership, we’re delivering on both and giving fans a new way to bring the bold to their favorite sport.” Fans will quickly notice Cabo Wabo’s bold attitude at some of NASCAR's biggest events, including the DAYTONA 500. Throughout the season, the brand will activate via branded on-site experiences, presenting sponsorships of concerts, a consumer sweepstakes, racing-themed digital and social media content, and more. Cabo Wabo is all about living, working and playing hard. That’s why the brand is giving fans 21 and older a new way to level up their race watching experience either at the track, or from the comfort of their own home with a Cabo Wabo Smokeshow. The Cabo Wabo Smokeshow combines the bold flavors of Cabo Wabo Blanco Tequila with smokiness of Montelobos Espadin Mezcal and is served over ice with a lime wheel garnish. The NASCAR season begins Sunday, Feb. 5, with the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, an exhibition featuring the sport’s biggest stars and performances by international superstars Cypress Hill and Wiz Khalifa. Two weeks later, on Feb. 19, the regular season begins with the DAYTONA 500. Both races will air live on FOX. 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. It is encouraging fans to downshift every once in a while and hydrate in between drinks with a “Make the Pitstop” onsite experience featuring complimentary water and co-branded reusable water bottles. To learn more about Cabo Wabo Tequila, click here.

(Cover Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) By Adam Carabine In case you missed it, StatChat is counting down the days ‘til the 2023 Daytona 500. Every two days, we will have a new article featuring one of the 36 charters of 2022. 11th Place – Austin Dillon – 2,227 pts RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING – CHEVROLET 4th Best Full-Time Cup Series Season – It was a season of hits and misses for Austin Dillon in 2022. It featured the most Top 5s (5) he’s ever had in a single season – as well as the most DNFs (6). It also featured a win at the most crucial time: the last race of the regular season, which pushed him into the playoffs. All of this amounted to a middle-of-the-road season as far as Average Finish goes. His 16.56 was the 4th best of his career (out of 9 full-time Cup Series seasons). 24 Laps Led in 2022 – Austin Dillon’s 24 laps led in 2022 (which were three less than his 27 in 2021) were spread out throughout the season. Even in the one race that he won, the summer Daytona race, he only led 10 laps. He led a single lap of the Daytona 500, and various laps at Martinsville, Watkins Glen and Kansas. 36% Finishes Between 11th and 20th – Of the 36 races on the 2022 schedule, Austin Dillon’s preferred finishing position was between 11th and 20th. He finished between 11th and 20th 13 times over the course of the season, which really is nothing to scoff at. It may not have been Austin Dillon’s best season, and obviously the ultimate goal is Top 5s and wins, but finishing consistently within the top half of the field is important. RCR, while once a juggernaut in the Cup Series, has not been consistently among the top teams for a while, and so to have a driver like Dillon who can make the most of his opportunities is important. -263 Pass Differential in 2022 – One thing Austin Dillon can do to have a better showing in 2023 (while recognizing that there are many things that every driver wants to improve on year-to-year) is to work on his Pass Differential. Over the course of the season, Austin Dillon was passed 263 MORE times than he passed others. That ranks in the bottom-5 of all Cup Series charters. The No. 15 Rick Ware car had a better pass differential, and they had a season full of rotating drivers and inconsistency. What’s even more baffling is how this number got so bad for Dillon in ’22, when the year prior he scored +73 in this category. 23 Lead Lap Finishes in 2022 – Tied for 17th among all Cup Series charters, Austin Dillon finished on the lead lap 23 times in 2022. Despite career-high DNFs (6), when his car was still working by the end of a race, he more often than not was finishing on the lead lap. That’s certainly a number to be proud of, especially in the equipment that RCR gives him, which is admittedly not in the top tier of teams. Finishing on the lead lap may not sound all that important, but it is a good predictor of decent finishes – which is what everyone is after! Austin Dillon may be returning to Richard Childress Racing in 2023, but the team is going to look a whole lot different this upcoming season. With his previous teammate Tyler Reddick moving on to 23XI Racing, and Kyle Busch’s well-documented departure from Joe Gibbs Racing, Austin Dillon’s No. 3 will be paired with a new No. 8 in Busch. From a strictly competitive standpoint, Kyle Busch will likely bring a new flavour to the team that could help both Dillon and RCR as a whole. They’re definitely a team to watch in 2023. Coming up next in the Countdown to Daytona series – Daniel Suarez! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @RacingRefresh Or you can email directly: acarabine@racingrefresh.com Get all of your Racing Refresh Merch from our online store! Is there an error? Something missing that you’d like to see? Let us know!

(Cover Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) By Adam Carabine In case you missed it, StatChat is counting down the days ‘til the 2023 Daytona 500. Every two days, we will have a new article featuring one of the 36 charters of 2022. 12th Place – Austin Cindric – 2,225 pts TEAM PENSKE – FORD 1st Win in His 8th Start – Austin Cindric made quite a splash in his first race as a Rookie of the Year candidate when he won the 2022 Daytona 500. He had made seven Cup Series starts in 2021, with a best finish of 9th at the Indianapolis Road Course. However, his 8th ever Cup Series start also happened to be his first ever win. Of the current Cup Series drivers, only two others got their first win in less time – Kevin Harvick in 3, and Brad Keselowski in 5. -199 Pass Differential in 2022 – In any form of auto racing, it’s never good to be passed by anyone. When you’re averaging being passed 5.5 more times than you pass others in each race – that’s not exactly a recipe for success. It wasn’t the worst of the Cup Series charters, but it was definitely up there. Of 36 charters, Austin Cindric’s -199 was 30th. When you drive for Team Penske and Cody Ware has a better Pass Differential than you in a Rick Ware car, it might be time to take a long look in the mirror. Obviously winning the first race of the year and making it into the playoffs made Cindric’s year a success, but he can likely be even better if he tightens these things up. 9 Top 10s in 2022 – Not to shabby for a rookie! Austin Cindric’s Rookie of the Year crown was confirmed when he was the only rookie to make the playoffs. However, it wasn’t just a win at a track somewhat known for flukier winners (any Super Speedway, really) that sealed the deal. Even without his win at Daytona, his season was far better than other ROTY candidates Harrison Burton and Todd Gilliland. Compare Cinrdic’s 9 Top 10s to Burton and Gilliland each getting just 2. Top 15 Career Average Finish – With an admittedly small sample size (only 43 races), Austin Cindric’s career Cup Series Average Finish is 17.33, or 15th best among active drivers. Certainly he’ll have to show he can maintain that or even best it in the coming years, but it’s a good place to start. Throw in the fact that he’s starting his Cup Series career in good equipment with Team Penske, and he could be on a great trajectory. Keep an eye on Cindric! 13 ROTY Winners Have Gone On to Win a Championship – Winning Rookie of the Year is not necessarily a surefire way to eventually score a championship, but it’s certainly a good way to start. 13 previous drivers who won ROTY in their respective year went on to win a championship. Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Alan Kulwicki, Rusty Wallce, Dale Earnhardt, David Pearson, and “The King” Richard Petty all won both ROTY and at least one championship. For those drivers who never won ROTY, fear not – Jimmie Johnson didn’t win it (he lost to Ryan Newman), and he went on to win seven! Austin Cindric, who was originally slated to run 2022 in the Wood Brothers’ No. 21 (which has an alliance with Team Penske), was bumped up to the No. 2 to coincide with Brad Keselowski’s departure from the car. Cindric will return in ’23 to that same No. 2 Ford. Coming up next in the Countdown to Daytona series – Austin Dillon! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @RacingRefresh Or you can email directly: acarabine@racingrefresh.com Get all of your Racing Refresh Merch from our online store! Is there an error? Something missing that you’d like to see? Let us know!

(Photo Credit: Twitter.com/TheRichardPetty) By Logan Morris On January 11th, when Jimmie Johnson appeared on The Today Show, the world of NASCAR saw the official end of an era. Johnson announced that Petty GMS Motorsports would rebrand and become Legacy Motor Club. The name change itself didn’t come as a significant surprise. Team owner Maury Gallagher suggested a name change was possible back in November, when it was announced that Johnson had bought an ownership stake in the team. The name wasn’t the only thing to change. In December 2021, when Gallagher bought a controlling interest in what was then Richard Petty Motorsports, Richard Petty was given the title of “Chairman of the Board.” With the shift to Legacy Motor Club, Petty’s title has been changed to “Team Ambassador.” The rebranding is confirmation that Jimmie Johnson’s role in the organization will be significant, and that he’s looking to have his fingerprints on the team and sport as a whole for years to come. The prospect of that excites countless fans. However, there’s a section of fans that are less than pleased with the name change and the resulting fallout. Many of NASCAR’s long-time fans view these changes as disrespectful to Richard Petty and his legacy. 2023 will mark the first time that a team bearing the Petty name doesn’t exist in NASCAR history. To some, it’s a concept that once seemed inconceivable. The Petty name has been synonymous with NASCAR since its inception. Lee Petty was a three-time Cup champion, winning his first Cup Championship in 1954. He won the inaugural Daytona 500 in 1959. He would retire as the all-time wins leader with 54. The Petty legacy of course continued with his son Richard. There’s not much to say about the man known as “The King” that hasn’t already been said. 200 wins, 7 championships. He is without question the most decorated driver in NASCAR history. He’s been a constant figure in the sport since working on his father’s cars in the 50s. Kyle Petty would also continue that legacy as well with 8 wins of his own in a driving career that began in 1979 and ended in 2008. He continues to be part of the sport today broadcasting for NBC. Kyle’s son, Adam, felt destined to be the one to carry the Petty family legacy into the future, but sadly that wasn’t to be. Adam Petty was tragically killed in a crash at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The Petty name goes even further than that. Maurice Petty also drove for Petty Enterprises in the 60s, but he’s better known as the man who built the motors that would crown Richard Petty “The King.” It was understandably jarring for a lot of people who are familiar with the Petty family history. There’s a narrative out there that Jimmie Johnson is being propped up while Richard Petty is being pushed aside and shown the door. Quite simply, that’s jumping to a conclusion that isn’t the case. While it’s true that Jimmie Johnson will, like Richard Petty, be one of the faces of the organization, that doesn’t mean Petty is going away. We also have to remember that Petty will be 86 in July. At this stage, there are likely some things that Johnson is better equipped to handle. While the Petty family history is rich and should always be remembered, we have to be honest about the fact that for the better part of the last 3 decades, the Petty name has struggled to garner enough interest from sponsors to fully fund Richard Petty’s race team. That isn’t to say there haven’t been bright spots in that period, there certainly have been. But time and time again, Petty and his various business partners have had to scrape enough sponsorship together to keep his iconic No. 43 and other cars on the track. Now that there’s a completely new name, and with Jimmie Johnson playing a hands-on role in the organization, perhaps some sponsors that otherwise wouldn’t have been interested could be. Jimmie Johnson and Richard Petty being on the same team means that there is an incredible legacy that comes with this team, pardon the pun. The reality is, Johnson’s resume is worthy of being acknowledged as well, before you even factor in that he now owns a portion of the team. The word Legacy pays tribute to both Johnson and Petty - not one or the other. Seeing something so synonymous and iconic within the sport undergo such a major change is understandably difficult to embrace for some. But if Richard Petty himself is okay with it, then what more does anyone need to accept and support this change? After all, he is the living embodiment of that history and that iconic name. As long as he’s still a part of the team that history lives on. You can’t look at the 43 (and to a lesser extent the 42) and not think of Richard Petty. No disrespect to Erik Jones or any other former driver of the 43, but Petty is the 43. Whoever is behind the wheel of the 43 will always be in his indescribably large shadow. Both Maury Gallagher and Jimmie Johnson understand this. It’s impossible to separate 43 from Petty. Look no further than Jones’s win last season at Darlington. The narrative and topic of conversation were that Richard Petty’s No. 43 was finally back in victory lane. It’s a very safe assumption that if any of the three Legacy Motor Club cars find victory lane again this season, Richard Petty's continued involvement with the team will be a leading part of the conversation. Sure, perhaps Team Ambassador doesn’t feel like a title or role worthy of Petty’s influence and legacy, but in recent years there’s been a growing belief that he’s been little more than just that. However, even with that being his official role and title there’s no reason not to believe he won’t have a seat at the table and be able to give his input. The respect he commands guarantees that. If and when Legacy Motor Club finds victory lane, the team name won’t matter. This very well could be the best way to ensure Petty spends his final years being involved with a very competitive race team. He deserves that. Petty will still be at the track and in the garage, I’m sure. He’ll be there for the major sponsorship announcements as always. To put it bluntly, he’s still Richard Petty. Legacy Motor Club will absolutely take some getting used to. But, one thing that absolutely will not change this season is the fact that when you see a Legacy Motor Club car and that iconic Petty font, you will think of Richard Petty. Especially when you see the No. 43. People who never saw him race, let alone win, look at the 43 and they think of him. He is bigger than any team name or scheme on a car. He transcends all of that. The statement Petty released at the time of the announcement perfectly sums it up “When I see the No. 42 & 43 cars, no matter who the driver was, is currently, or could be in the future, I want our fans to remember the Petty history that comes with them, and that history will continue to be made with LEGACY M.C." Richard Petty is absolutely right. This isn’t the end of that incredible history, this is simply the continuation of it. For better or worse, everything changes. But one thing that will likely never change is the legacy we are reminded of when we see those two cars. “The King’s” legacy lives on and this move proves that it always will. They say the more things change the more things stay the same. I think it’s safe to say that drivers, team names, and official titles may change. But, the No. 43’s legacy will never change, and that is why we shouldn’t dismiss Legacy Motor Club as the end of the Petty legacy. It’s only the next chapter in the incredible book that is Richard Petty’s NASCAR career. Wouldn’t it be amazing if Jimmie Johnson’s No. 84 adds to the story?

The day after winning the 2022 NASCAR Championship in Phoenix, AZ, Joey Logano made a trip farther west to spend time sharing his passion and childhood dreams with elementary students at the Boys and Girls Club of Venice Beach. Logano held the Championship trophy in his arms, reminiscent of his ‘show-and-tell’ days as a kid when he would show off his race winning trophies to his classmates. He answered every question the children had with patience and a huge smile on his face. “Everybody has their thing that they’re passionate about and mine was that I just loved cars, I loved driving things and it made me unique in school but, it's what I loved. I’m glad I kept chasing that dream,” Logano said. “It's a cool thing to tell these kids here that whatever it is, try to be the best at it. Whatever you choose to be, if you’re really, really good at it, you can do really well in life.” The following morning, before heading back home for the off season he revisited The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum where he won the first trophy of the year. NASCAR has a partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of America and has developed strong relationships with the clubs of Venice, Los Angeles-Metro, and Carson. A likely answer to the conundrum of influencing diverse interest in NASCAR within city limits where the sport hasn’t physically been as accessible, especially amongst urban youth. Looking down at a grassy football field, it's almost hard to believe a NASCAR racetrack existed in that space less than a year ago and will reappear in February. In the centennial celebration of a hallowed ground of Los Angeles sports, NASCAR will return for a second Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum to kick off the 75th anniversary of the sanctioning body’s inception. Jeremy Casperson, Director of Civil Engineering at NASCAR, is overseeing the construction of the quarter-mile marvel. Paving began on January 4, followed by the installation of safer barriers borrowed from tracks in neighboring cities, Auto Club Speedway (Fontana) and the Long Beach Grand Prix. Final preparations for the track are expected to begin the first week of February as Cup car teams arrive. “We’re NASCAR. We don’t do anything slow.” he said. On Saturday Casperson took his time however, offering science, technology, engineering and mathematics education to a group of high schoolers from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Los Angeles and Carson, who are currently designing racetracks at their respective club locations. After he led them along an immersive tour through the stands and onto the track where painters applied fresh layers of paint to the safer barriers for February's race, Matt Humphrey, Director of Track Communications at NASCAR, acted as teacher's aid, taking the group on a track-walk atop of, as he put it, “asphalt as its curing beneath their feet.” Humphrey expressed that Saturday’s opportunity opened up a world of different disciplines and possibilities to explore so that the kids understand that they don’t just have to be a driver to participate in NASCAR. “We’re trying to open up their eyes on all the different careers that exist at NASCAR. Not just on the engineering side, the construction side or being a driver or a crew member, but what about marketing? What about communications? What about media? What about graphic design?” Humphrey said. “There are hundreds of different disciplines that are required in order to put one race car on a racetrack.” At the end of the tour, students asked NASCAR executives questions about the upcoming race and discussed their career goals before enjoying a lunch provided by NASCAR. The students were elated when surprised with a parting gift of free tickets for them to bring their families to the upcoming Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum on February 5. Without tangible history like a permanent track to race within the Los Angeles city limits, creativity and cultivating the right relationships with new stakeholders becomes imperative. Places like the L.A. Motordrome, Legion Ascot Speedway, Culver City Speedway, Mines Field Speedway, Riverside International Raceway, Ontario Motor Speedway, and Ascot Park (Los Angeles Speedway) are on the long list of what’s known amongst Angelenos as “Lost” Angeles. By making these impactful investments of time and attention to the next generation, NASCAR is demonstrating hope for longevity in a place where the trend to demolish architectural treasures acutely exists. With Auto Club Speedway at a distance in San Bernardino, NASCAR’s innovative Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum format might be its best – and last – hope to revive and preserve the sport in the heart of the city.

(Cover Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) By Adam Carabine In case you missed it, StatChat is counting down the days ‘til the 2023 Daytona 500. Every two days, we will have a new article featuring one of the 36 charters of 2022. 13th Place – Kevin Harvick – 2,225 pts STEWART-HAAS RACING – FORD 2 Wins in 2022 – 2020 saw Kevin Harvick win nine times. A year later, he went winless for the first time in 11 years. 2022 put him back in the winning column, with a modest two wins. Considering that ’22 saw 19 different winners, two wins is nothing to be ashamed of. It was certainly a year of parity. Harvick’s two wins came back-to-back at Michigan and Richmond, the 23rd and 24th races of the season. This punched his ticket to the playoffs at just the right moment, as it wound up being extremely difficult to make your way in on points alone. (Just ask Martin Truex Jr.) 38.9% Being the Best Stewart-Haas Finisher in 2022 – Kevin Harvick races for Stewart-Haas Racing, which has four Cup Series drivers in their stable. In 2022, Kevin Harvick finished best of the four 38.9% of the races. While it may not seem like a high number, it was the highest of the four drivers. If it had been an equal share amongst the four, they would have each finished with 25%. Harvick and teammate Chase Briscoe made up the majority of the best finishes for SHR, combining for over 65% together. 7 DNFs in 2022 – Harvick is obviously a veteran driver, and knows how to keep his equipment clean. In his miraculous 9-win season in 2020, Harvick had 0 DNFs. Whether this is he and his team adjusting to the new Next-Gen car, or signs of Harvick starting to slip in his consistency, it’s hard to tell. His 7 DNFs tied him with seven other Cup Series chartered cars for 26th, which is not great for a driver in the playoffs. Perhaps his 13th place standings finish actually shows what he is able to do when his car makes it to the end of the race. 14.36 Average Finish in 2022 – Despite the two wins, the season was statistically a bit of a step back for Kevin Harvick. Two years removed from his best season ever (where he scored an Average Finish of 7.33), Harvick nearly doubled that number. This amounted to his 5th worst season by Average Finish (out of 22 full-time Cup Series seasons). No one knows for sure, but that may be a contributing factor to Harvick’s decision to hang up the gloves after the upcoming season. 46 Years Old – As the current oldest of the Cup Series drivers, Kevin Harvick has been around the longest. In fact, 2022 Rookie of the Year candidates Harrison Burton and Todd Gilliland were each less than a year old when Harvick made his debut in 2001. To say he’s been around the block is an understatement. As mentioned above, it was announced not long ago that Kevin Harvick’s 2023 season will be his last full-time run in the Cup Series. He remains under contract with Stewart-Haas Racing and will finish his full-time career in the No. 4 Ford – a car that has been his home since 2014. Coming up next in the Countdown to Daytona series – Austin Cindric! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @RacingRefresh Or you can email directly: acarabine@racingrefresh.com Get all of your Racing Refresh Merch from our online store! Is there an error? Something missing that you’d like to see? Let us know!

I grew up first loving cars. I had large decal stickers in my bedroom plastered to the walls. A red Lamborghini Diablo and a black Countach. The four walls had a wallpaper near the ceiling that graced the rectangular perimeter of the room with a variety of open wheeled race cars in a draft line as if it were the Indianapolis 500. Depending on where you were looking as a young boy, you would easily be able to pretend another fictional cartoon race car was winning the world's greatest race. Hundreds, maybe a thousand 1:64th scale (commonly the Hot Wheel) replica vehicles filled totes, buckets, and bags in my parents home. Race cars, street cars, specialty vehicles, and more. A small town car rug was my favorite place to play. I've never wanted anything more than a fast car, and somewhere to drive it. In my earliest years, my bedroom was the definitive place for automotive joy. Automobiles were my first true love. At the age of nine I was regularly able to spend time with my uncle Matt. He introduced me to NASCAR, and specifically the Earnhardt family. We didn't typically have television growing up but I did have memories at that age of watching IROC and NHRA racing prior to learning about stock car racing. It didn't take much for me to learn to live for NASCAR. My first ever race as a fan was the 2001 Daytona 500. It changed my life forever. Heading into the event I was prepared to be an Earnhardt fan forever. I watched as NASCAR on Fox nearly predicted the most amazing event in history. That afternoon, the world of racing lost its greatest hero, Dale Earnhardt Sr. My youth in those emotional moments instead hung on to the lone positive from the race. Underdog Michael Waltrip was victorious. I fell in love with the lore of Waltrip's career. As I got older I learned to respect and appreciate the value and impact of Earnhardt's loss. Despite the challenging realization of a driver dying in the sport, I became a fan of Waltrip's forever. In the coming years, I remained loyal to Mr. Waltrip and NASCAR, but I learned to appreciate a complex variety of other forms of racing. Drag racing, dirt racing, rally racing, motocross, open wheel, monster truck. Auto racing was my second true love. I'd watch Dave Despain and Robin Miller each week to stay up to date with race results. My small library of books was almost entirely focused on racing. It was all I cared about. As my high school years took over I played in the marching band and celebrated as we put our name on Dale Earnhardt Jr's race car. "Groveport Madison High School Marching Band". I was assigned the duties of editing the website of our marching band and also took over marketing responsibilities for my local employer, the historic Drexel Theatre. In 2009 I started blogging for LiveStrong. Separately, Twitter became my own personal micro-blog. Writing became my third love. Through the next several years I combined my interests in racing, the automotive industry, and writing. Several versions of a podcast focused on racing. We organized an in-depth fantasy racing league, and video games on the regular were the focus of weekend entertainment for my friends and I. In the fall of 2020, I combined everything I had worked towards and created Racing Refresh. Our goal was to promote auto racing as a form of entertainment as well as diversity in the world of motorsports. We welcomed guests, new writers, and earned our NASCAR credential in only 5 months. By the end of 2021 our small team was attending races week after week. In 2022, Racing Refresh earned NHRA, Indycar, Formual E, and ARCA credentials. We attended races all over the country. I had the privilege to focus on mostly NHRA drag racing in 22' while the rest of our team covered their respective sports. The most unusual relationship started to form between myself and a true racing icon. 16x NHRA champion John Force welcomed me into his world in May of last year. I worked hard to make sure my coverage and articles promoted his company's best interests, but even when they had their struggles was honest. John and I stayed in touch and continued to cross paths many times. As we got to know one another, we recognized the value in our relationship and eventually it was determined that growth in my career could take place representing John Force Racing. Last week I announced to my friends and family that my new professional home is JFR. As excited as I am to make a permanent change in my auto racing career, it's time I tell our fans and readers. I'll be leaving Racing Refresh soon. Most of the transition has already started. Our managing editor Adam Carabine has been promoted to Administrator of our great brand and I'll ensure everyone he's as prepared as ever to take this blue blaze to even greater places. It's awkward and interesting to step away from something that means so much, but my time is now. The great Larry King said on his final live broadcast.. it isn't goodbye, but so long. I share his sentiment, because I'm always watching; but I'm never gone. I'll always love this brand and the people who gave me the chance to grow in the world. Each of the people mentioned below deserve as much, or more credit. I promise you, if you continue to follow their work, more emotionally charged letters celebrating wondermous careers are soon to follow. My most sincere thank you to the following people: Adam Carabine Crystal Clay Collin Best Matt Marr Tyler Lawler Matt Nicholson Tom Willoughby Logan Morris Peyton Lohr Justin Seger Daniel Foster Zachary Bell Our Readers Another final thank you to God, my late grandmother Donella Decker, my parents who push me to new challenges, my smart and special siblings, my extended family, the Turners, my friends, colleagues, and the wonderful partners at JFR. As I always say. Smile, Be Happy. And Until Then. Sea Amable Consigo Mismo. Sea Amable Con Otros. Sea Feliz. Hasta Entonces, Cuedese. Take Care.

(Cover Photo Credit: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) By Adam Carabine In case you missed it, StatChat is counting down the days ‘til the 2023 Daytona 500. Every two days, we will have a new article featuring one of the 36 charters of 2022. 14th Place – Kyle Busch – 2,223 pts JOE GIBBS RACING – TOYOTA 16.75 Average Finish in 2022 – Kyle Busch’s final year with JGR might have been one to forget. His 16.75 Average Finish was the 3rd worst in his 18-year full-time Cup Series career. It was a year of inconsistency, and a year of questions – at least until his 2023 plans were announced. Whether the circus that surrounded Busch for the first half of the season was a distraction or not, there was certainly some increased attention on his performance. 2,009 Quality Passes in 2022 – Whether you like his personality or not, it can’t be denied that Kyle Busch is a generational talent. His 2,009 Quality Passes (green flag passes while running in the top 15) were 6th best of all Cup Series charters, and he was only six Quality Passes behind eventual champion Joey Logano. In a year of transition, Kyle Busch was still a force to be reckoned with when he was in the Top 15. 88.91% Miles Completed in 2022 – The inconsistency that plagued Kyle Busch in 2022 is nowhere more evident than in this stat. That number of miles completed places him 24th of the Cup Series charters – literally just 35 miles ahead of the Rick Ware #15 Car. When he was good, he was good. But when things weren’t going well, he either had DNFs or finished laps down. Tied for 9th in All-Time Cup Series Wins – His 60 Cup Series wins are tied with Kevin Harvick for 9th on the all-time list. With Harvick having announced his retirement at the end of 2023, Kyle Busch looks like he could end up above him on the list when it’s all said and done. Next above them on the list is Dale Earnhardt (Sr.) with 76, which will be hard for him to catch. He’s likely going to finish 9th on the list, but that is certainly nothing to slouch at. 10.70 Career Races per Win – With the amount of winning that Kyle Busch has done throughout his Cup Series career, he leads all current drivers in this category. Essentially what it means that for every 10.7 races he has run in the Cup Series, he has won one of them. As he gets older, and his win frequency has gone down, this number has gone up. But nonetheless, it is impressive. As alluded to above, Kyle Busch will not be returning to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2023. In what was perhaps the most talked about story of ’22, Busch and JGR couldn’t iron out a new contract. After M&M’s decided they no longer wanted to sponsor the No. 18 Toyota, it became pretty clear that JGR wasn’t willing to give KB what he wanted financially. Enter Richard Childress, stage left! Kyle Busch signed a new deal with Richard Childress Racing, and will drive the No. 8 in ’23. Coming up next in the Countdown to Daytona series – Kevin Harvick! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @RacingRefresh Or you can email directly: acarabine@racingrefresh.com Get all of your Racing Refresh Merch from our online store! Is there an error? Something missing that you’d like to see? Let us know!

(Cover Photo Credit: Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) By Adam Carabine In case you missed it, StatChat is counting down the days ‘til the 2023 Daytona 500. Every two days, we will have a new article featuring one of the 36 charters of 2022. 15th Place – Tyler Reddick – 2,214 pts RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING – CHEVROLET 50% Highest Finish Among Teammates at RCR in 2022 – On the surface, without looking any deeper, you may find yourself thinking that of the two RCR drivers this year, Reddick was the more consistent performer over teammate Austin Dillon. However, when you look at the numbers, while Reddick has the edge in wins, they each finished ahead of the other exactly 18 times, or 50% of the time. 2 Points Shy of the Round of 12 – It was an impressive season for Reddick, as he scored his first three Cup Series wins, two of which were surprisingly at road courses. However, when the checkered flag flew at the Bristol Night Race, signalling the end of the first round of the playoffs, Reddick found himself on the outside looking in… by two points. To add insult to injury, he went on to win the next race in Texas, which, had he still been alive in the playoffs, would have guaranteed him a spot in the Round of 8. A disappointing DNF in the previous race, at Kansas likely sealed the deal. 8 DNFs in 2022 – It’s interesting to note that while the season, as a whole, was a success for Tyler Reddick, he still managed to have something take him out of the race eight times in 2022. That number is tied for 2nd worst of all the Cup Series charters. The fact that Reddick was able to make it to the playoffs, let alone nearly make it to the Round of 8 shows that there is definitely some promise there with the young driver. If he can keep his equipment clean, he may be even more of a force to be reckoned with. 503 Laps Led in 2022 – Tyler Reddick spent a good chunk of the season up at the front of the pack. His 503 laps accounted for just over 5% of all the laps run in 2022, which puts him just shy of the Top-10 of all Cup Series charters. If you’re a frequent reader of this series, you’ll recognize a theme in which I say it’s not always important to lead the most laps, just the final one! But it can be a good indicator of success, or at least of a car that has what it takes to lead when the checkered flag comes out. 17.58 – Average Finish in 2022 – In his 3rd full-time Cup Series season, it’s strange to think that Tyler Reddick’s average finish in 2022 was actually his worst of the three. Maybe it’s the bias we feel over seeing 3 wins on the season, but his consistency wasn’t there. His 8 DNFs in 2022 doubled his career total up to that point. His 2021 average finish was over 2.5 spots better (15.00), and he only had 2 DNFs that whole season. Some more consistency will help propel Reddick to the next level. In what was some of the strangest silly season news, Tyler Reddick was originally announced to be joining 23XI Racing in 2024 – an announcement that came a whole year early. However, once RCR nabbed star free agent Kyle Busch (more on that in two days) to take over the No. 8, Denny Hamlin and 23XI Racing opted to bring Reddick in a year early. Reddick will drive the No. 45 Toyota for 23XI in 2023. Coming up next in the Countdown to Daytona series – Kyle Busch! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @RacingRefresh Or you can email directly: acarabine@racingrefresh.com Get all of your Racing Refresh Merch from our online store! Is there an error? Something missing that you’d like to see? Let us know!

(Cover Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) By Adam Carabine In case you missed it, StatChat is counting down the days ‘til the 2023 Daytona 500. Every two days, we will have a new article featuring one of the 36 charters of 2022. 16th Place – Alex Bowman – 2,106 pts HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS – CHEVROLET 5 Races Missed due to Injury in 2022 – After a nasty crash at the Texas playoff race in September, a concussion sidelined Alex Bowman for the next five races. While the crash didn’t look all that bad compared to some of the spectacular wrecks we’ve seen in the past, it became clear that the back end of the Next-Gen car was maybe not as safe as had been previously thought. NASCAR promised to take a closer look and make changes for 2023, but the damage to Bowman’s season was done. He returned for the final race of the year at Phoenix. 137 Laps Led in 2022 – Despite missing five races, Bowman’s season wasn’t a complete wash. His 137 laps led were only a few less than he’d had in 2021, and he had five less races to do it. He surely was on pace to pass his 2021 total had he not been injured. 1,881 Quality Passes in 2022 – Another area that Bowman improved in 2022 was his Quality Passes (Green-flag passes while riding in the Top-15). That is 177 more Quality Passes than he had in 2021, and again with less races. The reason Quality Passes are a better metric than just passes, is that as you get closer to the front of the field, the competition gets harder. It would be easy to stay in the back and pass back-marker cars all the time and claim good passing numbers. Quality passes add the extra wrinkle of stiffer competition while under green. -16 Pass Differential in 2022 – It goes to show that you can be better at passing, but still be allowing others to pass you at a faster rate too, which is not great. This means that Alex Bowman had 19 more cars pass him than he passed. Certainly it wasn’t the worst number of all the Cup Series charters, but anything in the negative is bad news. Throw in the fact that Bowman’s 2021 differential was +176, that is a clear step back – and missing races wouldn’t even change this that drastically. Whether the new car made it easier for everyone to pass, or Bowman just had a tougher time holding off the competition, it’s hard to say. 202 – Fast Laps in 2022 – Another Top-15 stat in this category for Alex Bowman, again despite missing some races. The No. 48 might currently be the weakest of the Hendrick stable – Bowman only finished ahead of his teammates in 11% of the races – but being the weakest Hendrick car is still better than being the best in many other organizations. What’s clear is that Hendrick builds fast cars, and Bowman’s 48 was no exception this year. In June of 2022, Alex Bowman signed a contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports to continue driving the No. 48 Chevrolet into 2023. Bowman’s crew chief Greg Ives stepped down from the role, and was replaced by Michael McDowell’s former crew chief Blake Harris. Coming up next in the Countdown to Daytona series – Tyler Reddick! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @StatChatRefresh Or you can email directly: acarabine@racingrefresh.com Get all of your Racing Refresh Merch from our online store! Is there an error? Something missing that you’d like to see? Let us know!

Press Release: Taublieb Films The rave-reviewed, theatrically-released, hit documentary film “Blink of an Eye” produced by TAUBLIEB Films now has a completed script and and the feature film version will be produced by Paul Taublieb and Susan Cooper, working with iconic film producer Roger Birnbaum, who has produced over 120 major feature films (from “Rain Man” to the James Bond films, as well as “The Vow,” which Taublieb also produced). More details soon! “Blink” tells the story of friendship, honor, and sacrifice between NASCAR’s Dale Earnhardt and the driver he gave a special chance to, Michael Waltrip.