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Press Release | NASCAR, Phoenix Raceway Phoenix Raceway hits jackpot again with Desert Diamond Casino West Valley Casino extends partnership through 2024, adds name to ARCA Menards Series West race PHOENIX (July 14, 2022) – Phoenix Raceway and Desert Diamond Casino West Valley are extending their winning partnership. The racetrack announced today that Desert Diamond Casino West Valley will remain the Official Casino of Phoenix Raceway through 2024. In addition, the ARCA Menards Series West championship race on Nov. 4 will now be called the Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100. Moreover, Canyon 2 at Phoenix Raceway will remain the Desert Diamond Casino Canyon, an integral part of the one-mile, championship racetrack that boasts two NASCAR weekends each year, including NASCAR Championship Weekend. “Desert Diamond Casino West Valley is a tremendous partner,” said Phoenix Raceway President Julie Giese. “We’re thrilled they will continue to help us shine as a premier, world-class sports and entertainment destination for years to come.” “The NASCAR Championships is one of the most exciting sporting events in America and we are proud of our Phoenix Raceway partnership,” said Mike Bean, CEO of Desert Diamond Casinos. “Our first-class gaming experience is the perfect complement and we look forward to seeing everyone at the ‘Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100’ this November.” Desert Diamond Casino West Valley boasts a reputation as a top attraction in the heart of Glendale’s Sports and Entertainment District. With more than 75,000 square feet of wall-to-wall entertainment space, the casino features all the newest, hottest games with over 1,400 slot machines. It also includes the latest electronic and live table games, along with a sportsbook, two restaurants, a Food Court, and two bars offering craft beers and cocktails. It will certainly be abuzz during the upcoming NASCAR Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway, Nov. 4-6. The weekend will feature four championship races in three days, beginning with a Friday doubleheader that includes the Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100 and the Lucas Oil 150 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title test. The following day, the action doubles down with Busch Light Pole Award qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship and the power-packed NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race. That ups the ante for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race on Sunday, Nov. 6, as the sport’s top drivers compete for the Bill France Cup. Tickets are going fast, and fans are encouraged to visit www.phoenixraceway.com to secure them before they are gone.

Holly Cain - NASCAR Wire Service New Hampshire Motor Speedway falls in the thick of the race to the Playoffs The Ambetter 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Sunday (3 p.m. ET on USA Network, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) falls during a distinct and unique portion of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule – a time when several drivers have claimed stake as championship favorites and several drivers typically carrying that torch still need to lock in for a title run. The top of the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings illustrates that point. The 2020 series champion Chase Elliott became the first three-race winner of the 2022 season with a maiden victory at his “home track” the Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday. The driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet continues to lead the championship standings for the 15th week – and is currently up 47 points on Ryan Blaney in second place. Elliott has won two of the last three races – at Nashville and Atlanta – but no driver has won back-to-back races this year. Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney would like to continue that streak and break into the win column himself, a trophy to accentuate the season of high performance. He has four top-10 finishes in nine New Hampshire races with a best of fourth place in 2019. The driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford has finished in the top-10 in four of the last five races leading into New Hampshire, including a season-best third-place finish at Nashville Superspeedway. Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell would surely like to transfer some of his Xfinity Series good juju to his NASCAR Cup Series work at New Hampshire. He’s won the last three Xfinity races at the New England-mile, and he was runner-up to race winner Aric Almirola in last year’s NASCAR Cup Series race. Kevin Harvick (4 wins), Kyle Busch (3), Kurt Busch (3), Denny Hamlin (3), Brad Keselowski (2), Joey Logano (2) and defending race winner Almirola have all earned giant lobsters in New Hampshire Victory Lane. Of the seven former active New Hampshire winners, Almirola, Keselowski and Harvick are still racing for a win and what could be an automatic Playoff berth. None of the three are currently ranked in the top-16 of the points standings to earn that Playoff position. Harvick, who currently has a 62-race winless streak (dating back to Bristol, Tenn., 2020) has four wins at New Hampshire - most among active drivers. He sits 17th in the standings – 19 points behind Christopher Bell. He has made the Playoffs for the last 12 consecutive years -also a high mark among active drivers. And, the 2014 series champ has been particularly successful at New Hampshire, finishing in the top-10, 22 times, nearly 60 percent of his starts. Of those 13 are top-five finishes. Counting Harvick’s back-to-back wins in 2018-19 and Almirola’s victory last year, Stewart-Haas Racing has won three of the last four New Hampshire races. However, SHR has only a single win in 2022 – Chase Briscoe’s trophy at Phoenix in March - also a one-mile track. Keselowski is also a multi-time New Hampshire Cup winner, hoisting a pair of trophies (2014 and 2020). And that solid resume must be encouraging for the new team owner, who has only two top-10 finishes in 2022 – a best of ninth-place in the season-opening Daytona 500 – since becoming a partial owner in the RFK Racing operation. A major early season penalty has left him playing catch-up and he is ranked 30th in points, essentially needing a win in one of the remaining seven regular season races to get in to the Playoffs. He’s qualified for the Playoffs every year of his career, winning the championship in 2012. Qualifying is set for Saturday at 12:20 p.m. ET. There will be two rounds of single car time trials televised beginning at noon on USA Network. New Magic Mile winner guaranteed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Judging by recent precedent, there is one important key to earning a victory in Saturday’s Crayon 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (2:30 p.m. ET on USA Network, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Beat Christopher Bell. The now third-year NASCAR Cup Series driver Bell has won the last three New Hampshire Xfinity races and been so dominant that his combined margin of victory in the last two races is more than 10-seconds. He led 151 of the 200 laps in 2021 and 186 laps in his 2019 win (there was no race in 2020 because of COVID-19). The good news for the rest of the field is that Bell is not entered this year and it certainly presents an interesting competitive situation. There are no former New Hampshire winners among the fulltime NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers. Current championship leader A.J. Allmendinger has only a single start at New Hampshire (12th place last year) and Ty Gibbs, who is second place in the standings, has never previously competed in a Xfinity Series race at the one-mile New England oval. Both Allmendinger and Gibbs are looking to regain championship form after a challenging race in Atlanta last Saturday. Allmendinger, went down two laps early at Atlanta but came back to salvage a 10th-place finish in the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet. Gibbs, driver of the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, was involved in an accident and finished 35th at Atlanta – which equaled his worst showing of the season (at Talladega, Ala.). The differential between points leader Allmendinger and second place Gibbs atop the championship, widened from 9-points before Atlanta to 29 points entering the New Hampshire race. Veteran Justin Allgaier, driver of the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, has the most New Hampshire starts among the championship contenders. In 10 starts, he’s earned a pair of top-fives and seven top-10 finishes. And he is coming off his career-best finish of runner-up last year. Allgaier’s JR Motorsports teammate Noah Gragson is certainly aiming to turn in a good showing this week. The driver of the No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet was penalized 30 driver points (and fined $35,000) for aggressive driving at the Elkhart Lake, Wisc. road course two weeks ago. The penalty and a sixth-place finish at Atlanta has put him fifth in the standings, 67 points behind Allmendinger. Seven drivers have secured a Playoff berth with wins – Allmendinger, Gibbs, Allgaier, Josh Berry, Gragson, Austin Hill and Brandon Jones. Landon Cassill holds an 80-point advantage over Anthony Alfredo for the 12th and final Playoff spot with nine races remaining in the regular season. Practice for the race is Friday at 5:05 p.m. ET followed by qualifying at 5:35 p.m. ET and will be televised on USA Network and streamed on the NBC Sports app. NASCAR Cup Series Next Race: Ambetter 301 The Place: New Hampshire Motor Speedway The Date: Sunday, July 17 The Time: 3 p.m. ET The Purse: $7,102,088 TV: USA Network, 2 p.m. ET Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Distance: 318.46 miles (301 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 70), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 185), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 301) NASCAR Xfinity Series Next Race: Crayon 200 The Place: New Hampshire Motor Speedway The Date: Saturday, July 16 The Time: 2:30 p.m. ET The Purse: $1,175,214 TV: USA Network, 2 p.m. ET Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Distance: 211.6 miles (200 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 45), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 200)

Press Release | INDYCAR Vaizer To Become First Woman To Take Top Medical Role INDIANAPOLIS (Sunday, July 17, 2022) – Dr. Geoffrey Billows announced during the NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers’ meeting Friday, July 15 at the Honda Indy Toronto that he will step down as director of medical services for INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway after the 2022 season. Dr. Julia Vaizer will succeed Billows as the director of medical services for INDYCAR and IMS, becoming the first female medical chief in the history of the sanctioning body and the track. Vaizer, who has served as the assistant medical director for INDYCAR and IMS since 2021, also served as acting medical director when Billows was on a short medical leave of absence earlier this spring. Billows plans to continue contributing to INDYCAR and IMS medical services in a part-time capacity starting in 2023. He has undergone treatment for parotid salivary cancer since November 2020. “It’s no secret that the last 20 months have been quite challenging for me,” Billows said. “After a lot of consideration and discussion with my wife, I have decided to retire at the end of this season. This is something I plan to battle and live for many years, and I thought, ‘I should enjoy whatever time I have left.’ But I’m staying on so I can help part time because I enjoy it so much. “The opportunity to work with INDYCAR and IMS has been an opportunity of a lifetime. It’s been a career unlike none other. I think it’s quite rewarding. It not only gives me a chance to help take care of the drivers but to also have the chance to promote safety in the motorsports industry.” Billows began working at IMS during his residency in 1993, volunteering at the IU Health Emergency Medical Center in the infield during race events. He served as an AMR INDYCAR Safety Team physician and deputy medical director and became IMS director of medical services in 2006. Billows assumed the role of INDYCAR director of medical services in 2016. Besides providing medical care to drivers and spectators at IMS and on INDYCAR race weekends, Billows worked tirelessly with INDYCAR officials and the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team to enhance driver safety in motorsports, becoming a respected global leader in the field. Throughout his career with IMS and INDYCAR, Billows also served an assistant professor of clinical emergency medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine. “Dr. Billows has been an integral part of INDYCAR’s success both on and off the track,” INDYCAR President Jay Frye said. “His guidance and expertise have been tremendous assets to the series, the drivers and all our stakeholders. We are excited for him to spend more time with his family and grateful that we’ll still get to see him around the racetrack. “Dr. Billows and Dr. Vaizer have been working very closely together over the last few years, so we know this will be a seamless transition. We look forward to continuing to work with Dr. Vaizer as she trailblazes into her new leadership position as INDYCAR’s first female medical director.” Said IMS President J. Douglas Boles: “There aren’t enough words to express our full sense of gratitude and respect for Dr. Billows and his service to our racing community. We’re so appreciative of his contributions and so glad we’ll still see him at the IU Health Infield Care Center during the Month of May and more. We also know Dr. Vaizer is extremely well prepared for this new role and congratulate her on this exciting opportunity.” Vaizer has worked under Billows with the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team since 2020 and became the first person to complete the IU School of Medicine Motorsports Fellowship in July 2021. She has been associated with motorsports medicine since 2017 and began her involvement with INDYCAR and IMS the following year while attending a motorsports medicine elective training program. Vaizer also serves as an assistant professor of clinical emergency medicine at the IU School of Medicine and as the assistant medical director for IU Health LifeLine. She received her undergraduate degree in 2011 from the University of Florida and received her medical degree in 2016 from the University of Central Florida. She completed her emergency residency training at Detroit Receiving Hospital in 2019 and completed a dual EMS/motorsports medicine fellowship at IU School of Medicine in 2021. “Dr. Billows has been a friend, a mentor, a teacher and like family to me,” Vaizer said. “There are a lot of emotions of excitement for him to take a new stage in his life and spend more time with his family. It’s wonderful that he’s going to stay on as an INDYCAR physician. “It’s a huge honor to be chosen to carry on his legacy. It fills me with inspiration. I know I will work really hard to continue doing what he established as one of the most successful medical teams in the world of motorsports. I cannot wait for the next chapter and see how we can continue to improve the field of motorsports medicine for the next generation to come.” Said Billows: “Dr. Vaizer is not only a very skilled and talented emergency medicine physician but a gifted educator. She’s the only physician on the face of this planet to who has completed a formal, post-graduate, university-based motorsports medicine fellowship. I have 100% confidence in turning the position of medical director over to her.”

Videos Courtesy of NHRA Matt Hagan Funny Car No. 1 Qualifier Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat 3.908 seconds, 323.12 mph NOTE: Can history repeat itself in Denver for Matt Hagan? The Funny Car veteran started the 2021 event as the No. 1 qualifier and went on to win the race. This year, Hagan powered his way to a 3.908-second pass at 323.12 mph. He and his team will look to defend their Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals title from the top spot on Sunday. Brittany Force Top Fuel No. 1 Qualifier Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy Top Fuel Dragster 3.758 seconds, 325.61 mph NOTE: Brittany Force impressed on the Bandimere Speedway mountain as she picked up her fourth Top Fuel No. 1 qualifier of the season when she went 3.758-seconds at 325.61 mph on Saturday at the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals. Aaron Stanfield Pro Stock No. 1 Qualifier Janac Brothers Chevrolet Camaro 6.934 seconds, 196.82 mph NOTE: Pro Stock’s Aaron Stanfield continued his solid qualifying effort on Saturday at the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals. Stanfield’s 6.934-second pass at 196.82 mph was good enough for top marks and his fourth No. 1 qualifier of the 2022 season. Matt Smith Pro Stock Motorcycle No. 1 Qualifier Denso Auto Parts Buell 7.090 seconds, 189.79 mph NOTE: Matt Smith reset both ends of the Bandimere Speedway track record when he went 7.090-seconds at 189.79 mph to close out qualifying at the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals.

MORRISON, Colo. (July 16, 2022) – Brittany Force made the most of her final qualifying pass on Saturday at Bandimere Speedway, powering to the No. 1 position in Top Fuel at the 42nd annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway. Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the 11th of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season. The stop in Denver marks the first event in the three-race NHRA Western Swing. Force picked up her fourth No. 1 qualifier of the season and 36th in her career by going 3.758-seconds at 325.61 mph in her 11,000-horsepower Flav-R-Pac dragster to close out qualifying on Thunder Mountain. She’ll meet Terry Totten to open eliminations and was thrilled with how her team bounced back after struggling during qualifying on Friday. It was a different story on Saturday, as Force made two quality runs, going to No. 1 to close out the day. The former world champ will now try to win for the first time in Denver and jump back into the points lead in the process. “We turned it around with two solid passes today, so we’re feeling good and in a great position for tomorrow,” Force said. “It’s game on tomorrow and we’re trying to get back on top as the points leader. I’ve struggled here in the past, so we’re looking to turn it around here. I believe in this team, but it’s tough out here. There’s no other track like this one. After Friday, our focus wasn’t going to No. 1. We wanted two solid passes, but lucky for us we went to the top.” Justin Ashley jumped to second during the final session thanks to his standout run of 3.765 at 327.51, while provisional No. 1 qualifier Leah Pruett improved on her Friday run to qualify third with a 3.771 at 322.50. In Funny Car, Hagan held onto the No. 1 spot by improving on his run from Friday with an impressive pass of 3.908 at 323.12 in his 11,000-horsepower Dodge Power Brokers Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. It gives the three-time world champion his fourth top position during the 2022 season and the 47th in his career. After two great days of qualifying, Hagan will try to win for a second straight year on Thunder Mountain at his sponsor’s race and possibly take the points lead in the process. “All in all, the car is running great,” Hagan said. “We were able to stay No. 1 and I’m pretty happy with the performance. I think we’ll have a great car on Sunday and the fans got a great show here today. It was a packed house and for us, seeing so many fans here, it’s really cool. On raceday, it’s always crazy here. If the sun is out, it can be tricky, and it could turn into a driver’s race. But for me, I feel confident in what Dickie’s done here and the car he’s given us, so we’re excited.” Points leader Robert Hight qualified right behind Hagan with a 3.929 at 323.58, while his teammate, John Force, took third going 3.930 at 325.14 in what was the quickest pass of the final session. After watching Elite Motorsports teammate and points leader Erica Enders go to the top to open the final round of Pro Stock qualifying, Stanfield delivered a superb run to close out the session, jumping back on top with a 6.934 at 196.82 in his Janac Brothers Chevrolet Camaro. It gives Stanfield his fourth No. 1 spot this season and fifth in his career as the young standout continues to impress in his first appearance on Thunder Mountain. He’ll now look for his first Denver win as he aims to advance to his fourth straight final round in what has been a banner 2022 season. “I knew we were capable of running a little better, and it was really cool for all of us,” Stanfield said. “To have Elite Motorsports qualify in the top three spots, that’s extremely hard to do, especially when the fields are so tight. I can’t thank all the guys enough and I’m having a blast up here. The stands are jam-packed and it’s always a great show here. It’s something different behind the wheel as far as driving goes, but I’m having fun. I definitely cleaned up my shifts a bit and I felt like I did a much better job driving today.” Enders secured the second spot with her 6.938 at 197.02 in the final qualifying session, put the four-time world champ in a good position after struggling during the first three qualifying runs. Cristian Cuadra took the third spot after going 6.940 at 195.59. Smith lowered the boom on Saturday in Pro Stock Motorcycle, setting both ends of the Bandimere Speedway track record with an impressive blast of 7.090 at 189.79 on his Denso Auto Parts Buell. The defending world champ and event winner set the track record on Friday but delivered in an even bigger way to close out qualifying, becoming the first motorcycle to go in the 7.00s on Thunder Mountain. It gives Smith his second No. 1 this season and 49th in his career, and plenty of confidence heading into eliminations after a stellar two days of qualifying. “The Suzuki bikes were stepping up (today), so I tried a tune-up and obviously it worked,” Smith said. “It’s awesome (to set a record). I’ve always loved coming here and we come here to win the race. That was the whole reason why we brought out the (EBR) for this race. There might be a little more, but we definitely learned something today. As long as you ride the bike well and hit the light well, you can do well here, but we’ve got the bike on kill every time up here.” Smith’s wife, Angie, qualified second thanks to her 7.151 at 188.25 in the final qualifying session, while Eddie Krawiec’s 7.164 at 186.56 gives him the third spot heading into eliminations. Eliminations for the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday. Television coverage of the race begins at 4 p.m. ET on the FOX broadcast network. *** MORRISON, Colo. -- Sunday's first-round pairings for eliminations for the 42nd annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway, the 11th of 22 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings. Top Fuel -- 1. Brittany Force, 3.758 seconds, 325.61 mph vs. 16. Terry Totten, 4.144, 256.94; 2. Justin Ashley, 3.765, 327.51 vs. 15. Cameron Ferre, 4.125, 297.02; 3. Leah Pruett, 3.771, 322.50 vs. 14. Antron Brown, 4.069, 302.41; 4. Mike Salinas, 3.783, 322.34 vs. 13. Alex Laughlin, 3.923, 284.62; 5. Greg Carrillo, 3.794, 315.12 vs. 12. Shawn Langdon, 3.901, 312.93; 6. Clay Millican, 3.811, 320.05 vs. 11. Tony Schumacher, 3.885, 302.96; 7. Austin Prock, 3.818, 314.46 vs. 10. Steve Torrence, 3.845, 316.30; 8. Doug Kalitta, 3.827, 319.37 vs. 9. Josh Hart, 3.843, 314.17. Did Not Qualify: 17. Rob Passey, 4.201, 279.32. Funny Car -- 1. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.908, 323.12 vs. 14. Jack Wyatt, Charger, 4.206, 260.31; 2. Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 3.929, 323.58 vs. 13. Terry Haddock, Ford Mustang, 4.188, 290.94; 3. John Force, Camaro, 3.930, 325.14 vs. 12. Jim Campbell, Charger, 4.131, 299.66; 4. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.946, 316.75 vs. 11. Chad Green, Mustang, 4.082, 301.60; 5. Ron Capps, Toyota Supra, 3.961, 326.32 vs. 10. Paul Lee, Charger, 4.059, 288.03; 6. J.R. Todd, Supra, 3.964, 325.37 vs. 9. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.038, 306.74; 7. Alexis DeJoria, Supra, 3.964, 290.94 vs. 8. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.966, 329.18. Pro Stock -- 1. Aaron Stanfield, Chevy Camaro, 6.934, 196.82 vs. Bye; 2. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.938, 197.02 vs. 15. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.996, 195.87; 3. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.940, 195.59 vs. 14. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.991, 195.31; 4. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.947, 196.33 vs. 13. Fernando Cuadra, Mustang, 6.988, 196.07; 5. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.950, 197.02 vs. 12. Kyle Koretsky, Camaro, 6.980, 194.80; 6. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Mustang, 6.953, 196.47 vs. 11. Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 6.976, 192.80; 7. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.957, 196.87 vs. 10. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.973, 195.87; 8. Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.960, 195.34 vs. 9. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.965, 194.58. Pro Stock Motorcycle -- 1. Matt Smith, EBR, 7.090, 189.79 vs. Bye; 2. Angie Smith, EBR, 7.150, 187.34 vs. 13. Jianna Evaristo, Suzuki, 7.382, 178.95; 3. Eddie Krawiec, Suzuki, 7.164, 186.56 vs. 12. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 7.334, 181.20; 4. Angelle Sampey, Suzuki, 7.171, 186.95 vs. 11. Jim Underdahl, Suzuki, 7.334, 182.30; 5. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.180, 183.67 vs. 10. Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 7.286, 184.88; 6. Joey Gladstone, Suzuki, 7.183, 185.28 vs. 9. Ryan Oehler, EBR, 7.276, 184.90; 7. Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 7.215, 184.95 vs. 8. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 7.240, 184.52. -NHRA-

INDYCAR Wire TORONTO (Saturday, July 16, 2022) – Colton Herta became the first two-time pole winner this season in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, earning the NTT P1 Award for the Honda Indy Toronto on Saturday. Herta’s top time was 59.2698 seconds on his last flying lap in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda, as he added this pole to his No. 1 spot at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach in April. The first nine races of this season featured a different pole winner, and Herta was happy to spoil a chance for the INDYCAR SERIES to tie a record of 10 different pole winners to start a season set in 1952. “That was an intense session,” Herta said. “We hadn’t really found that time until right at the end. I was really happy with that lap. It all kind of came together. The car was working brilliantly. You don’t see that usually, guys going faster on the used reds (alternate Firestone tires) instead of the new. Something to think about for tomorrow, but I’m happy with my Gainbridge Honda.” The 85-lap race is scheduled for Sunday. Live, exclusive coverage of the race starts at 3 p.m. (ET) on Peacock Premium – with limited commercial interruptions – and the INDYCAR Radio Network. Both outlets also will cover live the morning warmup session at 10:55 a.m. Six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Scott Dixon will join Herta – who also led the morning practice – on the front row after a best qualifying lap of 59.3592 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. It was the best non-oval qualifying performance this season for Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge pole winner Dixon, whose previous best road/street qualifying effort was fifth at the last race, The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the All-New 2023 Civic Type R on July 3 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Two-time series champion Josef Newgarden, who leads the series this season with three wins, qualified third at 59.5257 in the No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet. He will share Row 2 with Alexander Rossi, who qualified fourth at 59.5544 in the No. 27 NAPA AUTO PARTS/AutoNation Honda. David Malukas was the top-qualifying rookie with a career-best starting spot of fifth after a lap of 59.6140 in the No. 18 HMD Honda. Scott McLaughlin rounded out the Firestone Fast Six at 59.9558 in the No. 3 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet. NTT P1 Award qualifying provided a mixed bag of results for contenders for the Astor Challenge Cup as series champion on the 11-turn, 1.786-mile temporary circuit on the streets of Exhibition Place in Canada’s largest city. Points leader and 2021 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Marcus Ericsson qualified ninth in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Ericsson’s closest pursuer, 2014 series champion Will Power, endured a third consecutive event with a frustrating qualifying result. He will start 16th in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet after his final hot lap in the first qualifying session was halted when Kyle Kirkwood crashed his No. 14 Sexton Properties Chevrolet in Turn 8, triggering a red flag and ending the group’s session. Power has qualified 15th or lower in the last three road course races on the schedule yet has rallied to finish first and third in two of them, at Belle Isle and Mid-Ohio, respectively. “I should know that you must stay in the top six every time because this can happen,” Power said of losing his lap to Kirkwood’s incident. “I had a really fast car again. It is crazy. That’s three races in a row we’ve been like P2 in practice before qualifying and then between 15th and 19th. Frustrating, man. Frustrating. I got to Turn 6 and was up four-tenths. That would have got us through.” Newgarden, third in points, is in good shape to possibly gain ground on Ericsson and Power with the third starting spot Sunday. But the next two drivers in the standings, fourth-place Alex Palou and fifth-place Pato O’Ward, have a lot of work to do. Reigning series champion Palou slowed on track and stopped in his qualifying group in the first session and will start 22nd in the 25-car field in the No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. O’Ward clipped the wall with his No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet during his first group, didn’t advance and will start 15th. There was bright spot for the enthusiastic crowd of Canadian fans, back in droves under sunny skies after this event was put on hold in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Toronto area native and series rookie Devlin DeFrancesco qualified a career-best 12th in the No. 29 PowerTap Honda.

Click HERE to view and download the official qualifying results of the Honda Indy Toronto. TORONTO - Qualifying Saturday for the Honda Indy Toronto NTT INDYCAR SERIES event on the 1.786-mile Streets of Toronto, with qualifying position, car number in parentheses, driver, chassis-engine, time and speed in parentheses: 1. (26) Colton Herta, Honda, 59.2698 (108.480) 2. (9) Scott Dixon, Honda, 59.3592 (108.317) 3. (2) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 59.5257 (108.014) 4. (27) Alexander Rossi, Honda, 59.5544 (107.962) 5. (18) David Malukas, Honda, 59.6140 (107.854) 6. (3) Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet, 59.9558 (107.239) 7. (77) Callum Ilott, Chevrolet, 59.6352 (107.816) 8. (7) Felix Rosenqvist, Chevrolet, 59.6630 (107.765) 9. (8) Marcus Ericsson, Honda, 59.8527 (107.424) 10. (30) Christian Lundgaard, Honda, 59.9151 (107.312) 11. (28) Romain Grosjean, Honda, 01:00.0819 (107.014) 12. (29) Devlin DeFrancesco, Honda, 01:14.8882 (85.856) 13. (45) Jack Harvey, Honda, 01:00.0212 (107.122) 14. (15) Graham Rahal, Honda, 01:00.6805 (105.958) 15. (5) Pato O'Ward, Chevrolet, 01:00.1193 (106.947) 16. (12) Will Power, Chevrolet, 01:00.7974 (105.755) 17. (06) Helio Castroneves, Honda, 01:00.2712 (106.678) 18. (60) Simon Pagenaud, Honda, 01:00.7974 (105.755) 19. (51) Takuma Sato, Honda, 01:00.5324 (106.217) 20. (21) Rinus VeeKay, Chevrolet, 01:01.0870 (105.253) 21. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Honda, 01:00.9817 (105.435) 22. (10) Alex Palou, Honda, 01:03.0514 (101.974) 23. (4) Dalton Kellett, Chevrolet, No Time (No Speed) 24. (14) Kyle Kirkwood, Chevrolet, 01:03.2511 (101.652) 25. (20) Conor Daly, Chevrolet, 01:05.2593 (98.524)

Videos Courtesy of NHRA A wonderful start to the Mile High Nationals presented by Dodge Power Brokers, and the sponsor's drivers meant business as Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan showed speed in their early runs. Videos of the provisional qualifying runs for all four classes can be seen below courtesy of NHRA TV. Leah Pruett Top Fuel Provisional No. 1 Qualifier Dodge Power Brokers Top Fuel Dragster 3.788 seconds, 326.79 mph NOTE: Top Fuel’s Leah Pruett started the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals on a high note as she rocketed to the provisional No. 1 qualifier spot thanks to her 3.788-second pass at 326.79 mph. If it holds, it will mark Pruett first No. 1 of the 2022 season. Matt Hagan Funny Car Provisional No. 1 Qualifier Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat 3.927 seconds, 319.07 mph NOTE: Defending Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals winner Matt Hagan powered his way to the Provisional No. 1 qualifier spot when he took his Funny Car to for a 3.927-second pass at 319.07 mph on Friday at Bandimere Speedway. Aaron Stanfield Pro Stock Provisional No. 1 Qualifier Janac Brothers Chevrolet Camaro 6.946 seconds, 196.73 mph NOTE: Aaron Stanfield impressed Colorado fans at Bandimere Speedway when he cruised to a 6.946-second pass at 196.73 mph to seed himself in the provisional No. 1 spot at the 42nd annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals. Matt Smith Pro Stock Motorcycle Provisional No. 1 Qualifier Denso Auto Parts Buell 7.107 seconds, 189.31 mph NOTE: Reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Matt Smith kicked off qualifying with a provisional No. 1 qualifier position thanks to his 7.107-second effort at 189.31 mph on Friday night at the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals.

NHRA WIRE MORRISON, Colo. (July 15, 2022) – Tony Stewart Racing teammates Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan raced to the provisional No. 1 spots in Top Fuel and Funny Car on Friday, powering to the top positions at the 42nd annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway. Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 11th of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season. It is also the first event in the three-race NHRA Western Swing. After struggling in her first run of the day, Top Fuel’s Pruett and her team rebounded with a run of 3.788-seconds at 326.79 mph in her 11,000-horsepower Dodge Power Brokers dragster. If it holds up, Pruett would earn her first No. 1 qualifier of the season, while the first-year TSR team of Pruett and Hagan look to qualify No. 1 together for the first time as well. Pruett, who has one Denver win, was also thrilled with the work her team put in on Friday that led to the strong pass. “This is extremely cool. I mean, you always believe it can happen,” Pruett said. Matt and I said it all week. You have to be positive, and we talk about simultaneously parking our cars in winner’s circle and then we came out in Q1 and that was a gut punch. We were not trying to go No. 1. We were trying to establish a baseline. (But) for us both to hold on to our No. 1 is a cool feeling, especially at our Dodge race. I’m so incredibly happy right now.” Greg Carillo posted a solid 3.824 at 318.24, putting him in second, while Clay Millican’s run of 3.826 at 312.93 gave him the third spot after two qualifying sessions on Thunder Mountain. Hagan went 3.927-seconds at 319.07 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Dodge Power Brokers Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat to close out qualifying in a thrilling side-by-side session with Robert Hight, putting the three-time world champ in line for fourth No. 1 qualifier of 2022 and 47th in his career. Hagan, who is currently second in points, won in Denver for the first time in his career last year, and he’s off to a great start at his sponsor’s race as he looks to jump back into the points lead. “This mountain air is hard on these motors,” Hagan said. “It takes me a while to get acclimated to this place. With the race car, we have to stay ahead of it. We have a good combination from last year and we just brought it off the shelf and made two strong runs in a row. We didn’t just come out and back into it into for one run. For everything we’ve done this year with TSR, I had a good feeling coming into this deal. I don’t know about weather for tomorrow, but if conditions are the same, we could go better. Nothing is said and done until tomorrow.” Hight, who took over the points lead in Funny Car with his win in Norwalk, made a strong run next to Hagan, going 3.936 at 324.51. Tim Wilkerson went 3.973 at 321.50, putting the veteran in third. Stanfield made a strong first impression in his Pro Stock debut on Thunder Mountain, making the quickest run in each of the two qualifying sessions, including an impressive pass of 6.946 at 196.73 in his Janac Brothers Chevrolet Camaro to close out the day. Stanfield is after his fourth No. 1 spot of the season and his third victory during a great 2022 campaign. Despite the challenges that await for every driver at Bandimere Speedway, Stanfield looked strong on Friday in his first race at Denver. “This is definitely a confidence booster,” Stanfield said. “I know I’ve got a fast hot rod. This is the first time I’ve raced Pro Stock on the mountain and those gear changes come really quick. I can’t thank my guys enough. We’re having a ball. The first three gears come up so quickly, this is different than anywhere else we race. Thankfully, our crew chiefs have a lot of data here and that just helps all of us. Tomorrow, the goal is to clean up my shift points. They are not perfect yet. There’s always room for improvement.” Fernando Cuadra Jr. went to second with his run of 6.953 at 196.47, while Matt Hartford sits third after two sessions thanks to his 6.957 at 196.87. Smith, the defending world champ and event winner, made a strong statement to open qualifying on Friday in Pro Stock Motorcycle, setting the track record with his run of 7.107 at 189.31 on his Denso Auto Parts Buell. If it holds, Smith would pick up his second top spot this season and 49th in his career. The five-time world champ opted to go back to his Buell for the weekend on Thunder Mountain and after the first day of qualifying, it looks to be a strong decision for the standout. “I guess we’ll see what Sunday brings but a lot of factors went into that decision to race a Buell,” Smith said. “I’ve never run a Suzuki up here and I didn’t want to take a chance to hurt it. I want to be able to race it next week in Sonoma if I decide to. Last year, I was No. 1 and won the race on my Buell. This is basically the same package, and this Denso Buell is hateful.” Angelle Sampey, who won the most recent event in Norwalk, made the best run of the second session and currently sits second with a 7.171 at 186.95. Points leader Steve Johnson is right behind after going 7.180 at 183.54. Qualifying continues at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday at the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway. MORRISON, Colo. -- Friday's results after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the 42nd annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway, 11th of 22 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday's final eliminations. Top Fuel -- 1. Leah Pruett, 3.788 seconds, 326.79 mph; 2. Greg Carrillo, 3.824, 318.24; 3. Clay Millican, 3.826, 312.93; 4. Josh Hart, 3.843, 314.17; 5. Steve Torrence, 3.850, 320.97; 6. Shawn Langdon, 3.901, 312.93; 7. Austin Prock, 3.904, 312.86; 8. Mike Salinas, 3.910, 299.06; 9. Doug Kalitta, 3.915, 310.27; 10. Alex Laughlin, 3.923, 284.62; 11. Justin Ashley, 4.016, 294.95; 12. Tony Schumacher, 4.036, 249.21; 13. Cameron Ferre, 4.194, 289.82; 14. Brittany Force, 4.198, 201.52; 15. Terry Totten, 4.304, 227.31; 16. Rob Passey, 4.464, 240.38. Not Qualified: 17. Antron Brown, 5.415, 160.79. Funny Car -- 1. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.927, 319.07; 2. Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 3.936, 324.51; 3. Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 3.973, 321.50; 4. John Force, Camaro, 3.978, 325.06; 5. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.987, 323.43; 6. Alexis DeJoria, Toyota Supra, 4.005, 315.64; 7. J.R. Todd, Supra, 4.051, 323.04; 8. Paul Lee, Charger, 4.059, 288.03; 9. Ron Capps, Supra, 4.075, 280.66; 10. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.081, 308.14; 11. Chad Green, Mustang, 4.082, 301.60; 12. Jim Campbell, Charger, 4.149, 300.26; 13. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 4.383, 226.16; 14. Jack Wyatt, Charger, 4.850, 176.47. Pro Stock -- 1. Aaron Stanfield, Chevy Camaro, 6.946, 196.73; 2. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Ford Mustang, 6.953, 196.47; 3. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.957, 196.87; 4. Cristian Cuadra, Mustang, 6.957, 196.13; 5. Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.960, 195.34; 6. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.962, 196.70; 7. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.965, 194.58; 8. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.973, 194.94; 9. Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 6.976, 192.80; 10. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.982, 196.27; 11. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.991, 195.31; 12. Kyle Koretsky, Camaro, 6.992, 194.77; 13. Fernando Cuadra, Mustang, 6.998, 196.27; 14. Erica Enders, Camaro, 7.008, 196.10; 15. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 7.026, 194.80. Pro Stock Motorcycle -- 1. Matt Smith, EBR, 7.107, 189.31; 2. Angelle Sampey, Suzuki, 7.171, 186.95; 3. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.180, 183.54; 4. Angie Smith, EBR, 7.184, 187.50; 5. Eddie Krawiec, Suzuki, 7.203, 186.69; 6. Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 7.215, 184.95; 7. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 7.240, 184.52; 8. Joey Gladstone, Suzuki, 7.240, 183.69; 9. Ryan Oehler, EBR, 7.276, 184.90; 10. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 7.334, 181.20; 11. Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 7.336, 183.87; 12. Jianna Evaristo, Suzuki, 7.462, 176.26; 13. Jim Underdahl, Suzuki, 8.877, 107.09.

By Adam Carabine

Written By: Matt Marr Photo by Nigel Kinrade Photography Chase Elliott won the pole for Sunday's Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor speedway and led Ross Chastain and the rest of the field to the green flag to start stage 1. Because practice and qualifying were rained out, a competition caution was thrown at lap 25 with Elliott still in the lead. Alex Bowman had a huge run off of turn 4 on the last lap of stage 1 but Chase Elliott blocked him to hang on to the stage win. Tyler Reddick led the start of stage 2 on lap 66. A caution came out on lap 31 of stage 2. Martin Truex Jr. was turned by Chastain and collected multiple cars for the 'Big One'. Opting not to pit during the caution, Harrison Burton and Ricky Stenhouse restarted on the front row on lap with 61 to go in Stage 2. Chase Elliott retook the lead with 7 laps to go in stage 2. Bowman brought out a caution in the final lap of stage 2, and Chase Elliott won the stage. Again, due to differing pit strategies, Austin Cindric and Aric Almirola led the pack to the start of the final stage. Christopher Bell lost a wheel after exiting the pits under caution with 22 laps to go. Chastain got into the back of Denny Hamlin which brought out the caution with 15 laps to go. On a restart with 3 laps to go, Corey Lajoie took the lead away from Martin Truex Jr. Elliott retook the lead with 2 laps remaining, and put a huge block on Lajoie which ultimately caused another caution. As the White flag had already flown, the race was considered official, and Chase Elliott was declared the winner! Quaker State 400 Top 5: 1. Chase Elliott 2. Ross Chastain 3. Austin Cindric 4. Erik Jones 5. Ryan Blaney

By Adam Carabine Welcome to the 2nd annual Playoff Forecast project. Projections are calculated by simulating the 2022 Cup Series schedule 125,000 times, using a top-secret predictive formula that is based on 3 important factors: Driver History @ Each Track, Driver Recent Overall History, and Team Performance. How to read it: The numbers in brackets show that driver’s position last week. The percentages in each column refer to the probability of that driver making it to that round. We have also simulated the week's Cup Series race. Check back each week to see who's favoured to win. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @StatChatRefresh Or you can email directly: acarabine@racingrefresh.com Get all your StatChat Merch from the Racing Refresh online store!

SS Greenlight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt | NASCAR Xfinity Series Driver: Joe Graf Jr. (@JoeGrafJr) Primary Partner(s): G-Coin Manufacturer: Ford Mustang Crew Chief: Joe Williams 2022 Driver Points Position: 28th | 2022 Owner Points Position: 24th Engine: Roush Yates Engines (RYE) Notes of Interest: Welcome Back: This weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt and Joe Graf Jr. welcome back G-Coin as the primary partner of the team’s No. 07 Ford Mustang for Saturday afternoon’s Crayon 200. New Hampshire marks the 18th race of the 2022 Xfinity Series season and 12th race overall between 2021 and 2022 where G-Coin, a product that brings gold into the digital age, making it accessible and giving it true utility will be the primary partner. Download the G-Coin app on iTunes or Google Play and use referral code FHY 6D3 AHT and Joe Graf Jr. will send you $5 worth of G-Coin. About G-Coin: Unlike cryptocurrencies, G-Coin is a digital title to a real asset: 1 G-Coin token equals 1 gram of Responsible GoldTM. G-Coin combines the best qualities of traditional gold – stability, security, value, confidence, and social status – with the benefits of digital innovation, allowing users to easily save, send, and spend gold. Tech-savvy investors keen to avoid cryptocurrency volatility, or physical storage burden and costs, are now able to purchase G-Coin digital gold tokens. G-Coin tokens can be purchased in increments of 0.01gram, giving individual investors better access to the gold market and the ability to use gold for day-to-day purchases. G-Coin Wallets give users the freedom to send and receive value instantly, securely, and at no cost from the convenience of your mobile phone. G-Coin Tip of the Week: Responsible Gold is institutional grade 99.99% pure gold that has been responsibly sourced. Responsible Gold can be traced back to its origin giving the owner or G-Coin token holder knowledge that it has been responsibly mined and sourced throughout the supply chain. Same Day Settlements With MoneyGram: G-Coin customers with Tier 3 access can use cash to buy or sell G-Coin tokens at participating MoneyGram locations. To place a buy or sell order using cash, Tier 3 customers need to select the 'MoneyGram' option from 'Pay With' that appears on the buy | sell screen. Once the order is placed, customers will receive an email with detailed instructions to follow at participating MoneyGram locations. For buy orders, customers will have 24 hours to make the payment in cash, which is when the balance on the G-Coin wallet is updated. Buy orders expire after 24 hours so customers will need to place a new order after that time. For sell orders, customers are responsible for collecting the proceeds of the sale in cash at participating MoneyGram locations. The G-Coin balance will be updated when the sell order has been placed, which is irreversible. Catch Him On The Dial: Before Joe Graf Jr. straps into his No. 07 G-Coin Ford Mustang on Saturday afternoon, the SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt driver will be featured on “The Frontstretch” on SiriusXM Satellite Radio Channel 90 with host Jack Arute LIVE on Saturday morning, July 16, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. ET. Graf will also spotlight G-Coin in several commercial spots during the four-hour program from 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Plugging Along: New Hampshire Motor Speedway marks the 18th race that the SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt (SSGLRwJL) team embraces their manufacturer switch from Chevrolet to Ford while incorporating its technical alliance with Stewart-Haas Racing. SHR will supply the organization with race cars while Roush Yates Engines will provide the legendary Ford horsepower. In addition to providing race cars to SSGLRwJL, SHR will also provide technical support for the entire 33-race season. Additionally, Graf will have NASCAR Cup Series and Stewart-Haas Racing drivers Cole Custer and Chase Briscoe as teammates for select events throughout the 2022 season. Don’t Forget The New Co-Owner Too: SS GreenLight Racing has added Jeff Lefcourt as a new co-owner of the Mooresville, N.C.-based team, as well as director of business development for the organization. Lefcourt, a native of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. joins SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt (SSGLRwJL) with a long history of racing endeavors including owning Bethel (N.Y.) Motor Speedway in upstate New York, a current-NASCAR sanctioned race track. The noted philanthropist, entrepreneur and real estate developer has deep ties to grassroots racing and was instrumental in helping secure the Stewart-Haas Racing alliance with SSGLRwJL in 2022. Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series New Hampshire Motor Speedway Stats: Joe Graf Jr. will make his second NASCAR Xfinity Series start at the “Magic Mile” on Saturday afternoon. In his track debut last July, Graf Jr. drove his No. 07 Bucked Up Energy Drink car to a 24th-place finish after starting the AmBetter Get Vaccinated 200 in the 30th. Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Career Speedway Stats: At tracks classified as a speedway, Graf has competed in 42 NASCAR Xfinity Series races. He holds an average starting position of 26.1 and an average result of 26.2. Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway | Alsco Uniforms 250 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Graf returned to the cockpit of the No. 07 CoverSeal Ford Mustang. After mother nature washed out qualifying, Graf started the summer race from the 1.5-mile speedway in the 31st position. Unfortunately, an ill-handling race car plagued the driver throughout the race. The handling improved considerably during Stage 3 but left the driver and team with a disappointing 30th-place finish. Sneaker Mania: Along with the adrenaline of the Motorsports competition, Joe Graf Jr. also has a vogue for hype sneakers. In his current collection, he owns and wears at least 90 limited edition sneakers – and his collection continues to grow every month. The current estimated value of his collection tops $100,000. Learn how Joe Graf Jr. became a sneakerhead and an inside look at his collection by clicking here. From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Joe Williams is Joe Graf Jr.’s crew chief. He will crew chief his 83rd NASCAR Xfinity Series race as crew chief on Saturday afternoon and his first at the track nestled in Loudon, New Hampshire. In his previous 82 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected one win (Auto Club Speedway | February 2022), six top-five and 18 top-10 finishes. Hello From The Other Side: Graf Jr. has a teammate at SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt. Veteran David Starr will drive the No. 08 Special Report with Brett Baier | TicketSmarter Ford Mustang on Saturday afternoon for his ninth Xfinity start of the 2022 season. Starr is set to make his 243rd career NASCAR Xfinity Series start and seventh at New Hampshire. His best Xfinity track finish occurred in the 2021 AmBetter Get Vaccinated 200, where he finished 20th after starting 38th for Motorsports Business Management (MBM) Motorsports. On New Hampshire Motor Speedway: “After the frustrating race last Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, our team heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway hoping to turn the tide and have a good finish with our No. 07 G-Coin Ford Mustang. “New Hampshire is a very flat race track where passing can be difficult, especially if you do not have a well-balanced race car. I know Joe (Williams, crew chief) has worked hard on getting our car ready for the race and I believe we can have a productive practice and qualifying session and with a little luck we can contend for a top-20 finish or better on Saturday afternoon.” On Goals For Second Half of 2022: “We made some strides during the first half of the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season but there is certainly room for improvement. “We have showcased a lot of speed throughout the season so far, but our second half of the year is focused on execution. If we can continue to carry that speed and follow through with the execution – we should be able to turn some heads with some strong and solid finishes.” Race Information: The Crayon 200 (250 laps | 131.5 miles) is the 18th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2022 schedule. Practice begins on Friday, July 15 from 5:05 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Qualifying follows shortly after 5:35 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag on Saturday, July 16 shortly after 2:30 p.m. with live coverage on the USA Network, the Performance Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (ET). About SS Green Light Racing with Jeff Lefcourt: As one of the most tenured teams in all of NASCAR, SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt led by team owner and former driver Bobby Dotter and new partner Jeff Lefcourt has been a mainstay entry in the sport fielding entries in either the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series or Xfinity Series competition since 2001. SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt will continue with a two-car program in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2022.

INDYCAR Wire TORONTO (Friday, July 15, 2022) – Alexander Rossi was the fastest driver in the first laps turned by the NTT INDYCAR SERIES on the streets of Toronto in three years, pacing the first practice Friday for the Honda Indy Toronto. Rossi turned a top lap of 1 minute, 0.6090 seconds in the No. 27 NAPA AUTO PARTS/AutoNation Honda on the 11-turn, 1.786-mile temporary street circuit around Exhibition Place in Canada’s largest city. This annual event was put on hold for 2020 and 2021 due to restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. SEE: Practice Results 2016 series champion Simon Pagenaud ended up second, less than a tenth of a second behind fellow Indianapolis 500 winner Rossi. Pagenaud’s best lap in the No. 60 AutoNation/SiriusXM Honda was 1:00.6991. Pagenaud was the last winner of the Honda Indy Toronto, in 2019. “We still have some work to do,” Pagenaud said. “I would like to take the car to another level. That lap took a lot of energy out of me. We have to figure out how to improve the rear end, mostly. “I love this track. This section in front of the pits is just … for a driver, you need precision, and you have to be on it and so intense. It’s a lot of fun.” Graham Rahal ended up third at 1:00.7031 in the No. 15 United Rentals Honda, a bright spot in a tough season so far marked by a best finish of seventh. “After the Sebring test, I thought it would translate OK to here,” Rahal said. “The setup that we went there and came out of there with is what we started here. She was quite good from the get-go. To see the guys smiling again is very rewarding.” NTT INDYCAR SERIES points leader Marcus Ericsson was fourth at 1:00.7262 in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Two-time series champion and two-time Toronto winner Josef Newgarden rounded out the top five and was the quickest Chevrolet-powered driver at 1:00.7650 in the No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet. Three drivers – rookie Callum Ilott and veterans Jimmie Johnson and Helio Castroneves – made light contact with the concrete barriers lining the circuit during practice. Their cars suffered minor damage, and all three drivers were unhurt. Still, the 75-minute session was remarkably clean and competitive considering only 12 of the 25 drivers competing this weekend have raced in an INDYCAR SERIES event on this tight, challenging circuit that features varying grip levels due to different pavement surfaces. Less than one second separated the top 17 drivers in practice today. Practice will continue at 10 a.m. (ET) Saturday, followed by three rounds of NTT P1 Award qualifying at 2 p.m. Peacock Premium and the INDYCAR Radio Network will provide live coverage of both sessions. A warmup session and the 85-lap race are scheduled for Sunday. Live, exclusive coverage of the race starts at 3 p.m. on Peacock Premium – with limited commercial interruptions – and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

BEARDEN RACING - July 15th, 2022 ANDERSON, Ind: Texas’s Logan Bearden will trade in his wrenches for a steering wheel this weekend as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series rookie eyes a statement performance in Saturday’s 56th annual Greg Hubler Automotive Group Redbud 400 presented by Mitch Smith Auto Service and Perfecto at the famed Anderson (Ind.) Speedway. Bearden who now calls Mooresville, N.C. home and is a full-time employee at AM Racing returns to the Super Late Model scene for the first time since early June when he produced a competitive fourth-place finish in the CRA Super Series event at Jennerstown (Pa.) Speedway. Excited to get back behind the wheel of his Bearden Motorsports No. 66 Ford Mustang, Bearden hopes the staple Midwest Super Late Model event this weekend will allow him to continue to showcase his talent while delivering his team and supporters a satisfying finish. “I’m looking forward to competing in the Red Bud 400 this weekend,” said Bearden. “Jennerstown was a great boost for my team and myself. We had a competitive race with a fast car but this weekend’s race is night and day compared to the race that awaits on Saturday night. With a minimum of 22 cars entered for the race that includes Late Model standouts Casey Johnson, Jesse Love, Sammy Smith, Casey Roderick, Bubba Pollard and Steven Nasse – the 26-year-old believes he is more than ready to tango with the best of the best. Bearden has also learned a lot throughout his Super Late Model career – including competing in events earlier this season at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway and Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville along with new leadership led by crew chief Marc Metz – Bearden is ready to put his experience to the test and win Saturday night’s highly anticipated race. “I’m proud of my Bearden Motorsports team,” sounded Bearden. “We made some changes earlier in the year and I think Jennerstown was a step in the right direction and just the start of what I think we can accomplish together. “I believe in my team and I know they have the confidence in me as a driver, we just need to keep the balance under our race car and stay out of trouble and I think we can find ourselves knocking on the door for that win on Saturday night.” To help prepare himself for this weekend, Bearden participated in an open-test session at the historic quarter-mile short track on Thursday night allowing his Bearden Motorsports team to dial in his No. 66 Bearden Automotive | Parker Electric Ford Mustang for the 400-lap slugfest on Saturday night. Following the Red Bud 400, Bearden will return to North Carolina and continue his leadership role as a lead mechanic for the Statesville, N.C.-based AM Racing team. Behind the scenes, Bearden is working with his management team along with AM Racing to put him back in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series field this season with an expanded schedule in 2023. “I’m very thankful for the opportunities that AM Racing has presented me,” added Bearden. “I am learning a lot about myself, as well as about the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The team and I have a plan and I believe in that plan; we just have to stay focused and hope the future is what we all want it to be.” The 56th annual Redbud 400 will be 400 laps counting yellows and will pay the winner $15,000. The event will also feature cost savings-controlled cautions. When a yellow comes out teams will have three laps to service their race car without losing laps or positions on pit road. Those cars will then line up behind the cars that did not pit at that yellow. Teams not getting out of the pits in the three laps will have to fall to the tail of the field and will risk losing laps. A special autograph session, featuring the Redbud 400 starting field plus the ASA Reunion drivers will take place at 5:30 p.m. The 56th Annual Greg Hubler Automotive Group Redbud 400 presented by Mitch Smith Auto Service and Perfecto will take the green flag at 7:30 p.m. Anderson Speedway is located at 1311 Martin Luther King Blvd. in Anderson, IN. For more on Logan Bearden, please visit LoganBearden.com, like his Facebook page (Logan Bearden Racing) or follow him on Twitter @LoganBearden66.