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Photo Credit : Racing Refresh A 102 mile drive from Columbus, Summit Motorsports Park, located in Norwalk has been home to the lone stop on the NHRA schedule in the Buckeye State for the last 15 seasons. Owned by the Bader family, close friend of John Force, Bill Bader Jr. has operated the track for many years growing his relationship with racers of both the nitromethane classes, and amateur and semi-professional drag racers in the Midwest. Prior to Norwalk, National Trails Raceway was home to the Pontiac Nationals for decades, what some fans locally felt to be a prestigious, almost a crown-jewel weekend on the NHRA calendar. When the Norwalk stop replaced National Trails, the upgraded facility and large camping grounds only emphasized the luxury status of the event. Racers nationwide have prided themselves in bringing their sponsors, friends, and special fans to Summit Motorsports Park. In response to the Covid-19 epidemic, the Bader family announced that the speedway would not continue operation until the 2021 season. It left a black mark on what had been known as an annual event since the 1970s. Even in 2021 as the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series returned to Norwalk, the State of Ohio was still following relatively strict protocols for fan and driver safety including mask recommendations and stern social distancing. The peace and love of Norwalk has been missed. A full sellout hasn't been experienced at the racing facility since prior to Covid, but this year, Heaven's gates are open. Dry skies promised through the forecast on Friday and Saturday, and only a partial chance of interruption on Sunday's finals. Fans are traveling hundreds of miles to see their favourite race drivers and teams, and several of the best groups and celebrated drivers will be participating in the action: Top-Fuel Dragster Brittany Force, Mike Salinas, Justin Ashley, Steve Torrence. Funny Car Matt Hagan, Robert Hight, Ron Capps, John Force, Cruz Pedregon Pro-Stock Erica Enders, Aaron Stanfield, Kyle Koretsky, Greg Anderson Pro-Stock Motorcycle Steve Johnson, Karen Stoffer, Matt Smith, Angie Smith It's going to be one of the hottest events in 2022 for motorsports, and we will be there reporting all weekend long! Stay tuned to Racing Refresh for more on NHRA and all of your favourite motorsports racing brands.

Bruton Smith was one of few people in the motorsports industry to have been a mainstay through various investors, automotive generations, economic circumstances. His never-say-no attitude allowed racing fans and teams alike to be able to enjoy the track through the use of innovation and entertainment. His social home, Charlotte Motor Speedway was what he was best known for via his Speedway Motorsports brand, but his character should be remembered as an ornery-but-loving figure. A report from SMI earlier today quoted him in saying "“My parents taught us what work was all about, as I look back, that was a gift, even though I certainly didn’t think so at the time. A lot of people don’t have that gift because they didn’t grow up working. But if you are on a family farm, that’s what you do. Everything is hard work.” Since his adulthood, the gift was far more commonly FROM him, than to him. Smith was also involved as executive chair of Sonic Automotive and Speedway Children's Charities. He was 95.

Press Release | Fox Sports | NASCAR DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. and CHARLOTTE, N.C. (June 22, 2022) – Beginning Thursday on NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports and NASCAR Productions bring fans the latest edition of the three-time Sports Emmy-Award-winning short-form documentary series “Beyond the Wheel.” The three-part short film series takes viewers inside the sport’s most compelling stories and pivotal moments through the eyes of influential NASCAR legends and characters – both past and present. The first film, titled “Vintage to Vogue,” dives into the evolution of NASCAR fashion from mere appeal to an iconic statement. It premieres Thursday, June 23, during NASCAR Race Hub on FS1 at 6 p.m. ET. The following documentaries comprise the sixth season of “Beyond the Wheel:” Vintage to Vogue – Host Quincy takes viewers on a journey through NASCAR style, showing how NASCAR fashion has moved beyond mere appeal to become an iconic statement, from gearheads to fashionistas. The film illustrates how NASCAR touches all areas of the style industry from shoe customizations to branded apparel. Evolution – Stock Car to Racecar – The film tells the 75-year history of NASCAR, told through the evolution of its most important asset. It highlights the numerous changes and groundbreaking advancements the NASCAR Cup Series vehicle has undergone over the last 75 years, shining the spotlight on all seven generations of the NASCAR racecar. The NASCAR racecars in the 1950s and 60s were truly stock cars. Evolution – Stock Car to Racecar journeys viewers through the years to show how the earliest forms of racecars evolved into the sophisticated, ultra-safe Next Gen car. Beating the Odds – The Ernie Irvan Story - Ernie Irvan overcame adversity in his career to find success in NASCAR. From starting his career as a California outsider in a traditionally southern sport to almost losing his life in a crash at Michigan, Irvan’s perseverance is truly inspirational. Beating the Odds displays how a never-give-up attitude, and a naturally talented racecar driver can tackle all obstacles and win at the sport’s highest level. “Evolution – Stock Car to Racecar” premieres Thursday, June 30, followed by “Beating the Odds – The Ernie Irvan Story” Thursday, July 7. Both will air at 6 p.m. ET on FS1’s NASCAR Race Hub simultaneously live streaming on the FOX Sports App. Emmy-nominated NASCAR Race Hub is averaging 131,000 viewers, up +32% over 2021 (99,000). It continues on FS1 through the remainder of the 2022 NASCAR season.

HONDA PR MARYSVILLE, Ohio, June 22, 2022 Honda's commitment to building* products in America was on display in the Cars.com 2022 American-Made Index® — with four Honda models in the top 10 and seven Honda and Acura models ranking among the top 20. Honda vehicles in the top 10 are the Alabama-made Honda Passport SUV, Ridgeline pickup, Odyssey minivan and Pilot SUV. Three Ohio-made Acura models — the Acura flagship, fourth generation MDX SUV, RDX premium sport crossover and TLX premium sport sedan — placed 14th, 15th and 16th respectively. All four of the Honda models in the top 10 —Passport, Ridgeline, Odyssey and Pilot — also were designed and developed by Honda engineers in the U.S. and are produced exclusively in Lincoln, Alabama. Moreover, the engines that power these vehicles also are built at Honda's Alabama Auto Plant, with the transmissions produced nearby at Honda's transmission plant in Tallapoosa, Georgia. "Honda began auto production in Ohio 40 years ago based on our commitment to build products close to our U.S. customers," said Rick Schostek, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "We're proud of the team of nearly 30,000 Honda associates in the U.S., particularly those who produce quality Honda and Acura vehicles at our five auto manufacturing plants in America, including our development and purchasing associates who work together to realize our high level of local production." More than two-thirds of the Honda vehicles sold in the U.S. in 2021 were made in America at Honda plants in Ohio, Indiana and Alabama, the second-highest percentage of any full-line automaker for the share of vehicles that were built and sold in America. Honda operates five automobile plants in the U.S. – more than any other international automaker. All Acura models sold in the U.S. are built in Ohio. The Acura MDX, RDX and TLX built in Ohio, also were designed and developed by Honda engineers in the U.S. Honda has produced more than 29 million cars and light trucks in the U.S. over the last 40 years and has purchased $470 billion in parts and materials from U.S. mass production suppliers during that same time period. Cars.com assesses several factors for the American-Made Index: location of final assembly; percentage of U.S. and Canadian parts; country of origin for available engines; country of origin for available transmissions; U.S. manufacturing employees relative to the automaker's footprint. More information about the "Cars.com 2022 American-Made Index" can be found at www.cars.com/american-made-index . Top Ranked Honda Vehicles 2022 Honda Passport (Lincoln, Ala.) — 4th place 2022 Honda Ridgeline (Lincoln, Ala.) — 8th place 2022 Honda Odyssey (Lincoln, Ala.) — 9th place 2022 Honda Pilot (Lincoln, Ala.) — 10th place Top Ranked Acura Vehicles 2022 Acura MDX (East Liberty, Ohio) – 14th place 2022 Acura RDX (East Liberty, Ohio) — 15th place 2022 Acura TLX (Marysville, Ohio) — 16th place Honda Manufacturing in America Honda has been producing automobiles in America for 40 years, beginning in November 1982 with the start of automobile production at the Marysville Auto Plant. In 2021, two-thirds of all Honda and Acura automobiles sold in the U.S. were made in America, using domestic and globally sourced parts. Honda's cumulative auto production in America now exceeds 29 million vehicles. Honda established manufacturing operations in America in 1979 with the start of motorcycle production in Marysville, Ohio, and today has one of the largest and most diverse U.S. manufacturing footprints of any international company. The company's 12 plants employ more than 22,000 associates in America, supporting operations that have an annual capacity of more than 1.27 million automobiles, 1.52 million engines, 500,000 power equipment products and 300,000 powersports products, as well as the HondaJet advanced light jet and GE Honda HF120 turbofan engines. Cumulatively, Honda has invested $19 billion in its U.S. manufacturing operations, including more than $3.2 billion over the past five years alone. The company also works with over 600 U.S. original equipment suppliers, with U.S.-sourced parts purchases of $23.1 billion in 2021 and approximately $470 billion since 1979. Learn more at https://hondainamerica.com/ . More information about Honda is available in the Digital Fact Book . * Using domestic and globally sourced parts

Press Release | 23XI Racing | MoneyLion Inc. NEW YORK, NY (June 21, 2022) — MoneyLion Inc. (“MoneyLion”) (NYSE:ML), a leading digital financial services and lifestyle content platform, announced today its “Get Pumped Tuesday” sweepstakes aimed at relieving pain at the pump for hard-working Americans during a time when gas prices are at historic highs. In partnership with 23XI Racing, a top NASCAR Cup Series race team co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, MoneyLion is giving two MoneyLion users the chance at a month’s worth of gas – and then some – every Tuesday through the end of the NASCAR season (November 6). Starting today, MoneyLion users can comment on the weekly “Get Pumped Tuesday” MoneyLion Twitter post with their $RoarTag, their unique MoneyLion handle, to enter for a chance to win $500 for a month of gas. The two weekly winners will also get their $RoarTag featured on either of 23XI’s two cars, driven by Bubba Wallace and Kurt Busch respectively, during that week’s NASCAR race. Better yet, if Bubba or Kurt wins, the MoneyLion user will win an additional $10,000. “We know better than anyone what Americans are experiencing at the pump right now and this program with 23XI lets us support our community which is what our brand is all about,” said Jeff Frommer, Chief Content Officer at MoneyLion. “We want MoneyLion to be your go-to money app and you’ll see us constantly be turning the camera around to show how we can win together with our customers in every partnership we establish.” Earlier this year, MoneyLion was announced as the Official Digital Banking and Cryptocurrency Partner of 23XI, signaling a commitment to connect with, engage and motivate hard-working Americans to build their financial power. “Our inaugural season with MoneyLion has unlocked new ways for us to not only connect with fans, but also support them with programs like this,” said 23XI Racing President, Steve Lauletta. “Giving our fans the chance to have their ‘name’ on one of our cars for a race weekend is a new level of driver/fan interaction with 23XI and MoneyLion, and we’re looking forward to including the two weekly winners on our cars for each race.” “Every week, we have hard-working Americans at home and in the stands cheering us on, and this gives us a new reason to hustle harder for the fans who give us their time and energy,” said Bubba Wallace, driver of the No. 23 Toyota Camry TRD. “I can’t wait to drive in pursuit of $10,000 for MoneyLion users.” Consumers can create a $RoarTag for free by downloading the MoneyLion app on their mobile device and creating a new account – there is no need to set up a bank account. Existing MoneyLion users need to simply comment their $RoarTag on the weekly Twitter post each Tuesday and follow MoneyLion’s Twitter account to be entered to win the weekly $500 gas cash prize. Full terms and conditions can be found HERE. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. The MoneyLion 23XI Sweepstakes begins at approximately 12:00 AM EDT on 6/21/2022 and ends at 7:00 PM EST on 11/6/2022. Sweepstakes open only to legal residents of the (50) United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older. (40) Weekly Prizes each valued at $500 and up to (20) Grand Prizes each valued at $10,000 will be awarded. Total value of all prizes to be awarded: up to $220,000. Odds of winning depend upon the number of entries received. Void where prohibited. See Official Rules for Entry requirements, prize descriptions and details at https://mlion.info/3y8xcg5.

Saturday, June 25 on FloRacing and MavTV. Check local listings. 250 Laps on 3/8th mile asphalt raceway in Elko, MN

Richmond Raceway Names Longtime Virginia Executive Lori Collier Waran Track President Waran will be Fourth Track President & First Female President in the 76-Year History of America’s Premier Short Track RICHMOND, Va. (June 17, 2022) – Richmond Raceway announces Lori Collier Waran, a longtime successful media executive with deep Virginia roots, as the organization’s fourth track president and the first female president in the 76-year history of America’s Premier Short Track. In her previous role as Chief Revenue Officer and Associate Publisher at Virginia Business Magazine + Media, Waran oversaw all media sales, production, circulation and audience development for the monthly print and daily digital publication. Prior to her role at Virginia Business Magazine + Media, Waran spent more than a decade as the general manager and publisher for Tribune Publishing and Landmark Media Enterprises’ Richmond-based Style Weekly, where she managed the sales team and developed digital strategies for the media company’s publications and websites. She also oversaw event strategy for all major area events in support of several areas of business. “Lori is a proven executive with a track record of connecting with consumers through strategic planning and execution of events at every stop along her decorated career,” said Chip Wile, NASCAR senior vice president and chief track properties officer. “Lori has deep roots in the state of Virginia and has a great passion to deliver the best experience possible for fans when they enter the gates at Richmond Raceway. We look forward to an exciting next chapter at Richmond under Lori’s leadership.” To download headshots of Lori Collier Waran, click here . “The Commonwealth of Virginia is my home, so as a member of the greater Richmond community and lifelong fan of NASCAR, I am honored to take on the leadership of Richmond Raceway,” said Waran. “Richmond Raceway is one of the most historic tracks in motorsports, and the fans in RVA are some of the most passionate in the entire country. I look forward to building on the iconic fan experience already in place and continue to demonstrate to current and future fans why Richmond truly is America’s Premier Short Track.” Waran will assume her new role next month, starting on Monday, July 11. 2022 NASCAR Season NASCAR returns to Richmond Raceway for its first-ever summer race weekend on Aug. 13-14, featuring the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs on Saturday, Aug. 13 at 8:00 p.m. and the Federated Auto Parts 400 NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, Aug. 14 at 3:00 p.m. NASCAR tickets are available for purchase via phone at 866-455-7223 or online at richmondraceway.com . Stay connected to Richmond Raceway on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and the all-new NASCAR Tracks App .

Press Release | NashvilleRace.com | Jesse Little Several Middle Tennessee business owners have come together to support racing in the Nashville community by sponsoring Jesse Little and his Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet for the upcoming NASCAR Camping World Truck race at Nashville Superspeedway. The goal of the sponsorship is to help create awareness and support the efforts being made to bring the sport back to Music City for years to come, while also raising funds for one of its most important organizations, Motor Racing Outreach. Check out all the details at NASHVILLERACE.COM Racing has always been about family and building relationships. We don’t know if it was by chance or fate, but this whole idea started around a campfire in February at Daytona. This is where Travis Wright, partner at CS&A Insurance based in Nashville, TN and owners of Young’s Motorsports, Randy and Tyler Young found themselves as neighbors in the infield. After coming off a 6th place finish, Jesse and the rest of the race team were celebrating their strong showing by hanging out in the motor coach neighborhood with Travis, Tyler, and Randy. As the evening turned to night, the group found themselves talking about Nashville and all the excitement about NASCAR being back for 2 years in a row. On a whim, Travis posed the idea of collaborating with local Nashville businesses to sponsor Jesse for the race at the Nashville Superspeedway. “How neat would it be if we can bring folks together and create more awareness for the sport in the Nashville community?”, Travis said. Randy, Tyler and Jesse all looked at each other and said, “Well then, let’s make it happen!” and the rest is history! The other component of the sponsorship was, how can we also “give back” through this partnership? Travis has worked locally in Nashville with Motor Racing Outreach for several years and the Waltrip Brothers Charity Championship (WBCC). This is the annual golf tournament and concert hosted by Darrell and Michael Waltrip to raise funds for MRO every year. MRO has been an instrumental organization for drivers, crews and their families for close to three decades. Jesse grew up as one of the MRO kids as he spent most of his childhood at the racetrack when his dad Chad Little raced in the 90’s. The plan would be that any funds raised over what is needed for the sponsorship would be donated to MRO. We are thrilled to announce that over $20K has been donated to MRO because of this sponsorship! Jesse will be honoring his dad Chad Little with a throwback paint scheme and retro driver suit that resembles the suit Chad wore in the 90’s. The primary sponsor is Nashville based business Catchin’ Deers. Business owner and former Nashville Predator Mike Fisher is excited about this partnership. “We are really looking forward to the race and the opportunity to partner with such a great group of people”. The other local business sponsors include CS&A Insurance, Nashville K-9, Pella Windows & Doors of Nashville, Gary Ashton RE/MAX Advantage, Granite Garage Floors, Southern Shine, Southern Events, Puckett’s Restaurant, Outdoor LED Rentals, Velocity Motorcars, and Cool Hand Speedco. Be sure to tune in Friday, June 24th at 8:00 EST/7:00 CST on FS1 for the Rackley Roofing 200. You won’t want to miss it!

(Photo Credit: INDYCAR) In this new series brought to you by Racing Refresh will be a weekly, in-depth review of the engineering and technological advancements in auto racing. From the leading edges of performance and innovation in Formula One, IndyCar, and NASCAR. Each Tuesday will be something new for new fans to understand more about the cars they see on their televisions, so they have a deeper understanding of the things they see on a weekly basis. In our first installment of Tech Tuesday, we will be looking in the world of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES is the Push-to-Pass system that was brought to IndyCar in the 2009 season. To start, there are many forms of this system in open-wheel racing that is used. In Formula One it was originally called the Kinetic Energy Reserve System and now just the Energy Reserve System. In Formula E it is called Attack Mode, and in the former Champ Car days it was called "The Button." Each of these features preforms in the same way. To add a boost of power for a limited time to help facilitate passing or help with defending a position. In INDYCAR, all cars in the field use a 2.2 liter, V6 turbo-charged engine that is supplied by both Chevrolet and Honda respectfully. Each engine puts out 700 hp and can rev up to 12,000 RPM. What sets IndyCar and Formula One apart is the fact that the former has no restrictions on how much fuel could go through the engine to create power. Much like Formula One; IndyCar had a problem. The problem was with how powerful the engines are, there is a significant power loss from an internal combustion engine in the form of exhaust and heat transfer. (If we remember the Law of Conservation of Energy that energy cannot be created nor destroyed, only transferred to one form or another.) Unlike the MGU-H in F1 (which we will talk about in next Tuesday's article), IndyCar does not have that component on the car which means some energy is lost at low revs. To counteract this in IndyCar is the use of push-to-pass. In the instant the driver pushes the button, the exhaust air is pushed through a turbine and into a compressor which is then passed through back towards the engine. For each road and street course race on the IndyCar schedule, each driver has the ability to use the push-to-pass system for 200 seconds per race and is accessed by a button on the drivers steering wheel. With each press, the driver has 10 seconds of use with a brief 10 second cool-down period between uses. Once activated it gives the driver 50 additional horsepower and 200 additional revs to either attack a driver for position or defend himself from people behind. As of writing this, there is no push-to-pass at ovals. (But that might change with the new power units being delivered in 2024.) In our next installment of Tech Tuesday, we will be looking at components of the Formula One power unit called the MGU-H and MGU-K.

Press Release | Hendrick Motorsports CONCORD, N.C. (June 21, 2022) – Hendrick Motorsports has extended its partnership with Valvoline Inc. (NYSE: VVV), a global leader in vehicle care and supplier of premium branded lubricants and automotive services, through 2027. The new five-year agreement maintains Valvoline’s status as the Official Lubricants Partner of Hendrick Motorsports and as a major associate sponsor of the team’s full stable of Chevrolet race cars. America’s first motor oil brand will also continue as a primary sponsor of 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson (three races) and teammate William Byron (two races). In addition, Valvoline will remain the presenting sponsor of the annual Randy Dorton Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown, a competition that brings together Hendrick Motorsports engine builders and Hendrick Automotive Group master technicians. “We are tremendously proud of our partnership with Valvoline,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman and CEO of Hendrick Automotive Group. “Because of Valvoline’s commitment to quality and innovation, we’ve enjoyed great success together both at the track and in our dealerships. Extending the relationship will allow us to continue putting the very best products in our race cars and in the vehicles of our customers across the country.” Since 2014, Hendrick Motorsports has earned a NASCAR-best three Cup Series championships (2016, 2020 and 2021) with Valvoline products in its Chevrolet racing engines. Off the track, Valvoline is the preferred lubricant of Hendrick Automotive Group, which operates 94 car dealerships across the United States. It is the largest privately held dealership group in the nation. “The Valvoline team is thrilled to continue our partnership with Hendrick Motorsports and Hendrick Automotive Group,” said Heidi Matheys, senior vice president and chief marketing and transformation officer at Valvoline Inc. “Our decade-long relationship has driven success both on and off the track.  We look forward to driving more wins with the amazing Hendrick organization in the future.” Last year, Valvoline expanded its Hendrick Motorsports program to add primary sponsorship of Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and Byron’s No. 24 team. The five annual primary races represented an increase of three over the three previous seasons (2018-2020). For 2022, the company has also added a sixth primary race and will be featured on the No. 24 Chevrolet for this weekend’s Cup Series event at Nashville Superspeedway. ABOUT HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS : Founded by Rick Hendrick in 1984, Hendrick Motorsports is the winningest team in NASCAR Cup Series history. At the sport’s premier level, the organization holds the all-time records in every major statistical category, including championships (14), points-paying race victories (285) and laps led (more than 76,000). It has earned at least one race win in a record 38 different seasons, including an active streak of 37 in a row (1986-2022). The team fields four full-time Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 entries in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Alex Bowman, William Byron, Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson. Headquartered on more than 100 acres in Concord, North Carolina, Hendrick Motorsports employs approximately 600 people. For more information, please visit HendrickMotorsports.com or interact on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram . ABOUT HENDRICK AUTOMOTIVE GROUP : Representing 131 franchises and 25 manufacturer nameplates from the Carolinas to California, Hendrick Automotive Group is the largest privately held automotive retail organization in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the company employs more than 10,000 people in its 94 dealership locations, 21 collision centers and four accessories distributor installers in 13 states. For more information, please visit HendrickCars.com . ABOUT VALVOLINETM : Valvoline Inc. (NYSE: VVV) is a global leader in vehicle care powering the future of mobility through innovative services and products for vehicles with electric, hybrid and internal combustion powertrains. Established in 1866, the Company introduced the world’s first branded motor oil and developed strong brand recognition and customer satisfaction ratings over the years across multiple service and product channels. The Company operates and franchises approximately 1,600 service center locations and is the No. 2 and No. 3 largest chain in the U.S. and Canada, respectively, by number of stores. With sales in more than 140 countries and territories, Valvoline’s solutions are available for every engine and drivetrain, including high-mileage and heavy-duty vehicles, and are offered at more than 80,000 locations worldwide. Creating the next generation of advanced automotive solutions, Valvoline has established itself as the world’s leading supplier of battery fluids to electric vehicle manufacturers, offering tailored products to help extend vehicle range and efficiency. To learn more, or to find a Valvoline service center near you, visit valvoline.com .

Press Release | STAMFORD, Conn. – June 21, 2022 – NBC Sports kicks into gear its portion of the 2022 NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series this weekend at Nashville Superspeedway. Over three days, NBC Sports will present nearly 15 hours of practice, qualifying and race coverage for the Cup and Xfinity Series across NBC, Peacock and USA Network. NASCAR Cup Series Countdown to Green pre-race coverage will get underway in Nashville Sunday at 4 p.m. ET exclusively on Peacock leading into Ally 400 race coverage beginning at 5 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. Peacock will present post-race coverage immediately following the checkered flag at 9 p.m. ET. Countdown to Green ahead of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Tennessee Lottery 250 gets underway Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network, leading into race coverage at 3:30 p.m. ET. Post-race coverage will begin at 6 p.m. ET on USA Network. Live coverage from Nashville begins on Friday with a pair of hour-long practice sessions, getting underway with the Xfinity Series at 5:30 p.m. ET and Cup Series at 6:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. Xfinity Series qualifying is presented on Saturday at noon ET, followed by Cup Series qualifying at 1 p.m. ET on USA Network. Two-time Daytona 500 Champion and NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. , 21-time Cup Series race winner and “The Mayor” of NASCAR Jeff Burton , and Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte will serve as analysts for both the Cup and Xfinity Series races this weekend from Nashville Superspeedway with lead NASCAR race announcer Rick Allen . Marty Snider , Dave Burns and Parker Kligerman will serve as pit reporters. NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Dale Jarrett , auto racing icon Kyle Petty and JTG Daugherty Racing team owner Brad Daugherty will anchor studio coverage with Snider from the Peacock Pit Box during pre- and post-race coverage on Saturday and Sunday. NBC Sports’ Rutledge Wood will serve as a “CityView” reporter and share stories from Nashville’s famous Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge to highlight the atmosphere and excitement around the race on Broadway in Music City. Last week, NBC Sports announced its NASCAR commentary team ahead of the season. Peacock will present coverage of three NASCAR Cup Series (Nashville, Daytona, Phoenix) and four NASCAR Xfinity Series races (Indianapolis, Charlotte ROVAL, Las Vegas, Martinsville) throughout the season in addition to pre- and post-race coverage. Click here for more details. The official home of the NASCAR Championship and Playoffs, NBC Sports will once again present the final 20 NASCAR Cup Series races and 19 NASCAR Xfinity Series races in 2022 across NBC, Peacock and USA Network, culminating with the Championship at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 5-6. Click here for more information on NBC Sports’ 2022 NASCAR coverage. BROADCAST NOTES Keith Urban : Throughout the past month, four-time GRAMMY© Award winner Keith Urban helped kick off NBC Sports’ NASCAR promotional campaign featuring music inspired by his hit single Wild Hearts filmed at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge. Click here for more details. NASCAR Pick ‘Em : NBC Sports’ free-to-play game, NASCAR Pick ‘Em , features a weekly contest for each NASCAR Cup Series race throughout the season. NASCAR Pick ‘Em is available for download now on the NBC Sports Predictor app powered by PointsBet (available in the App Store and Google Play Store). BROADCAST TEAM Analysts : Dale Earnhardt Jr. , Jeff Burton , Steve Letarte Play by Play : Rick Allen Pit Reporters : Marty Snider, Dave Burns, Parker Kligerman “CityView” Reporter : Rutledge Wood STUDIO COVERAGE TEAM Host : Marty Snider Analysts: Dale Jarrett , Kyle Petty , Brad Daugherty HOW TO WATCH TV – NBC, USA Network Streaming – Peacock, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app TRANSCRIPT – NBC SPORTS 2022 NASCAR CONFERENCE CALL Tuesday, June 21, 2022 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jeff Burton Steve Letarte Dale Jarrett Sam Flood THE MODERATOR : Thank you so much, everyone, for joining us today. In just a moment, we’re going to be joined by NBC Sports executive producer Sam Flood, and our NASCAR analysts Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte, and Dale Jarrett. NBC Sports takes over the second half of the NASCAR season this weekend and returns to Nashville. Coverage of the Cup Series begins at 5 p.m. Eastern Sunday on NBC and Peacock. Let’s get our call started right now. We’ll take opening remarks, beginning with Sam Flood. SAM FLOOD : Thanks everyone for joining us. We are really excited to get going with our half of the NASCAR season. It was fun to watch the Fox team put on the first half of the season, including having Junior join their group for Talladega. Great to see the audiences. I went out to the race in Los Angeles before our Super Bowl and really loved the scene there and the idea of bringing NASCAR out to the fans in new ways, which is one of the things we’re going to be doing this year. We’re going to be really reaching into the fans. Rutledge has a new CityView camera where he’s going to be able to go around to new places. For this race he’ll be down on Broadway in Nashville telling stories and getting a different view of the race world and welcoming the audience to the various cities and locations in and around the tracks that makes NASCAR so special. We’re glad we have the playoffs. We’re glad we’ve got the race to the playoffs. Excited about that. Going to have some more fun with drones and Bat Cam. We’re going to have a new robotic camera on the pace car that’s going to be a part of every Cup race where we’ve got a new home on USA, and can’t wait to be a part of the USA/NBC world. A lot of excitement and energy coming to USA, and they’ve already rolled out some shoulder programming, which we’re thrilled that they’re doing. It’s part of making USA the home of NASCAR for the second half of the season with a great plan and a great partnership there. I think most of you want to hear from the next guy up on this call, who’s just back from his wild European adventure. So Mr. World Traveler, Dale Jr., take it away. DALE EARNHARDT JR. : Thanks. Definitely excited to be on our way back to the racetrack. We’ve seen a pretty incredible season play out so far. This first half of the year has been, I think, some of the most compelling story lines and some really positive momentum with the Next Gen car. It’s been a lot to absorb for everyone, and I feel like we’ve got a great understanding of what kind of product that Fox is handing off to us as we begin our part of the season. I’m looking forward to getting back in the booth and talking about racing. It’s a very, very fun job. I’ve certainly missed it. So getting to do that one off with Fox earlier this year was a great experience. I think there’s a lot to understand about the Next Gen car across the board for everybody in the industry, and to be able to actually go into the booth and work a race was a really nice thing for me. So I really appreciate that opportunity and got me even more excited to once again be with my boothmates for this part of the year. The year is pretty compelling because we have this new crop of drivers coming in, a lot of new names that are rising up the board, and this is pushing some of those veterans down the board. I think there’s a compelling story line there in how those new drivers are starting to take some root in the sport, gaining some real traction. Also, some of the driver etiquette, the way that guys expect to be raced, the way that some of these younger guys are racing some of the veterans, is certainly creating a lot of conversation every week. This has been going on all year long, and I think it will continue to rise in intensity as we go to the playoffs and into the playoffs when there’s more on the line. The playoffs always seem to bring — I wouldn’t say the worst out in the drivers, but it certainly makes them do things that make them uncomfortable — and I feel like this year will be no different, and it will maybe even be more significant than we’ve ever seen. It’s going to be a fun ride. I’m going to pass it on to probably absolutely, without question, my favorite of the three guys I get to work with in the booth, Jeff Burton. JEFF BURTON : You’re making my life hard. I think the one thing that you’ll hear from all of us is the excitement to get back. We genuinely have a great time doing this. It’s a privilege to do it. We all work really hard, we all try really hard to do a good job. We all love our job. It’s just so much fun. The quality of racing makes it even better. If you quite simply think about NBC this weekend, we’re going to immediately start talking about the playoffs because it’s real. If you look — Blaney, Truex, Almirola, Harvick, Reddick — it is a heavyweight fight to see who can make these playoffs. Every stage matters, every race finish matters, and it’s all happening at the same time you have this incredible change in the sport with this new car and the quality of racing through the roof. The intensity and aggressiveness that Junior just talked about is through the roof, and it just makes everything that much more important. So I can’t wait to get there. We went to Nashville last year. There were a ton of questions. This is going to be a single-groove track. There’s not going to be any passing. That’s all we heard, and we had an unbelievable race. NASCAR this year is doing the same thing to the track. They’re even actually widening it out a little bit with the resin, so that’s encouraging to see even better races. Just a lot of excitement on our side. Can’t wait to get going. I’m going to roll it over to Mr. Letarte. STEVE LETARTE : Thanks, Jeff. There’s zero doubt the drivers are going to have everything on the track covered. I’m just really excited, and I’ve been working hard the first half of the year to understand the car and the nuances that makes one fast and one slow; what mechanical gremlins the crew chiefs are concerned about; what’s keeping them up at night. The story lines that everyone said are just truly abundant with all of the variety, the new teams, the success on and off the racetrack. Pit stops look different, sound different. There’s just so many different aspects, both technical and personal, that I think are making this year fascinating. I agree with everyone. I think Fox did us a nice job getting us going, but now it’s time to run to the playoffs. I can’t think of a better ten weeks to kick off with than 12 winners and the seats at the table slowly dwindling for everyone else, not to mention some of the biggest names with former champions Truex and Harvick without wins. Truly to go to Nashville, I’m not sure if anything would surprise us at this point. We could get new winners. We could get a dominant veteran. There’s just so many possibilities. I think the unknown and the endless possibilities make any live sporting event exciting. That’s what we’re going to see. Not to mention going to a town that loves NASCAR. The fans came out last year in droves. We spent some time with the track president on NASCAR America Motormouths this week, and Erik (Moses) told is about all the upgrades to the facility from lessons learned in year one. He got me truly excited to visit it a second time because it was great in year one, and just the list of upgrades and accommodations they plan for the fans really got me excited to see another great crowd and another great event. Excited to see the season get kicked off. I’ll hand it over to our buddy, D.J. DALE JARRETT : Thanks. I think as a group at NBC Sports, we couldn’t ask for a better handoff and better scenario to be literally put there right in front of us with everything, the excitement about the sport right now, the new car which has far exceeded any expectations I may have had of the car. So I applaud NASCAR and everyone who helped design and make this car what it is. It’s just incredible, the racing we’ve seen. The new drivers that we see up front, the teams that are having success that we haven’t seen as much in the past, and others trying to find their way to basically keep up with what’s going on. I think that’s going to make these next 10 races very compelling for us to see who is actually going to make the playoffs and get themselves in a position to do that. So I’m really excited about this. The amount of commitment and how these drivers have to really, by what they’re telling me, force themselves to overdrive these race cars to get the speed and make the cars actually work properly, it’s just incredible to me. You can tell I’m excited about it. I’m looking forward to it, and no better place to kick it off than Nashville. So I’m really looking forward to the weekend. THE MODERATOR : Thank you everybody for your opening remarks. We can now open it up for questions from the press. Q: This is for Dale Jr. and Jeff Burton or really anybody who’d like to answer it. I just wondered, you all mentioned it, but I just wondered what your take is on the competition and quality of racing with the Next Gen car that you’ve seen so far this season compared to maybe what, if any, expectations you had entering the year? DALE EARNHARDT JR: Well, I’ll go first. I think that the car has been a positive, pleasant surprise for me in how it’s raced and how some of the races have looked. There were some moments where there’s some concern or some intrigue. Certainly we know at the tire tests at Martinsville now and the short track and that package at Martinsville and getting it right so it puts on the race we anticipate or expect is important, and I think they’re putting a lot of effort in to try to make sure they can improve there. I’ll be honest, it’s been a way more entertaining car than I expected at the mile and a halfs, and there have just been some really awesome moments. The way the drivers are able to race around each other, I think, is much better than I anticipated. I expected with this new car and so many new variables with the way the underbody is and the way the car — the way the tail is more centered up, I expected this to have — you know, come with a steep learning curve and a lot of continued collaboration with NASCAR and the teams to continue to evolve this car, but it’s actually been really good right out of the gate. So we hope that continues. I think also what plays into that is there’s some new names in the mix, so that’s also helping the story lines a little bit and keeping interest high. You know, TrackHouse and what they’re doing this year is pretty incredible. That’s compelling for viewers, I think. That’s got people excited about it. There’s never going to be the perfect scenario. There’s always going to be things that we want to change or people have opinions about how they want this to look or that to look or what race was good or bad. We’re always going to have that, but I think that NASCAR and the sport in general is more open-minded now towards making adjustments and changes than they’ve ever been. So I don’t feel like there’s going to be any roadblocks to gaining what we’re wanting to gain in situations like we had at Martinsville and so forth. JEFF BURTON: I think that — when I go back and think about all of the preseason testing and all the work that was going on, there were so many unknowns. I don’t know at any point in this sport that I was involved there were so many unknowns going into a year. Looking back to see where we are now and the quality of races that we’ve seen is amazing. D.J. mentioned it a minute ago, we’re seeing guys spinout all by themselves. We’re seeing that you’re rewarded for really pushing the limit of this car. If you’re not willing to push the limit of the car, you probably can’t go fast enough. And if you are willing to push the limit of the car, you’re probably going to wreck every now and then. It reminds me a little bit of how it was in the late ’90s. I remember giving myself three or four wrecks a year where it was okay. If I drive in the corner and just overstepped my bounds I was going to wreck, and I knew I had to do that if I was going to make enough pace, and we’re back to that. That had gone away from the sport. Not that we want to see drivers just wrecking. We want to see drivers put in a situation where it’s really difficult. There’s no possible way that anybody could look at this car and say that we’re not there. There’s certainly some things that could be better, as Junior mentioned, on the short tracks, and I know that NASCAR is working hard on that. To bring a brand new car in this sport — when I say brand new, it’s all brand new, and to have the racing that we’ve had and the competition we’ve had, I just don’t know how it’s anything but a success. It’s been so much fun to watch. I’ve been to most every race watching from the grandstands, and I’m telling you, man, they are racing all over the place. It’s thrilling to watch, and I know talking to the drivers, they’re all tested and it’s pushing their limits as far as crossing that line and getting in wrecks and stuff, but ultimately that’s what racing is. You have to take that vehicle and put it on its edge, and we’re seeing that every week. Q: This question is for anyone. As the first Mexican-born driver to win a Cup race, what does Danny Suarez’s victory mean for the sport? DALE EARNHARDT JR: So I think that for me personally, I’ve always wanted the sport to be more appreciated globally. So for it to have a global following, we have to have a more diverse group of drivers competing from all over the world. So I always get real excited — like when Pablo Montoya came to race with us, that was a huge — not only for me as a driver to be able to compete with him, but that was a massive thing for our sport to have his following, his fan base tune in, learn about our sport, and create new fans and create new interest outside the U.S. I think that you could see there was a lot of excitement, a lot of interest, and a lot of support for Daniel as he’s trying to win that race, as he’s closing in on the final laps. You could see that emotion in his voice in his post-race interview about the difficult, challenging journey that he’s had, and we all are aware of that as it’s happened over the last several years. Aside from the fact that he’s just a great guy and a really nice guy and a person to be around, but he’s just got a really amazing story. So he’s a great person to cheer for and a good dude to support, but just globally the sport needs international flair and different drivers from different parts of the world competing and being successful. For me, it was a great day for Daniel for sure, but it was also a big step forward in trying to kind of grow the popularity and awareness of our sport outside of its current bubble. STEVE LETARTE: I’ll add to Dale. What Dale is saying is exactly right. As I’ve always said, I feel like NASCAR is the best stockcar drivers in the world, much like Formula One is the best open-wheel drivers in the world. And NASCAR’s international efforts in the Mexican Series, they have had a Pinty’s Series up in Canada, the European Series. Hopefully Daniel’s win is — like we’ve seen Juan Pablo come back, but he had so much success in other series. Daniel, his path here was through stockcars, and now we see an internationally born driver find success, I truly hope that pathway and that dream just becomes brighter and brighter and brighter to every other stockcar driver around the world who feels they can compete on this level. I think NASCAR is a spectacular sport, and when I look out the window of the booth and watch the race, I want to believe I’m watching the best 40 in the world compete in the stockcar. I think Daniel just gives me even more belief that we have seen that for a long time, but now we’re going to see, as Dale put it, that international flair. I think we’re going to see a wider array of drivers in the next years and decades, and I think we’ll come back and see that Daniel’s success is going to be a big opportunity presented to a lot of other drivers. Q: I have a couple first for Dale, Jr. Following up on Suarez, I think he was a guy who missed the Daytona 500 driving for an underfunded team, and then kind of has this new life with TrackHouse. Just speaking from perspective, just how — when you see guys driving for Gaunt Brothers, an underfunded team, doesn’t make the Daytona 500, is it hard to envision him where he is now? I would say maybe the only other guy you might look at is like a Bowman who is driving for underfunded teams and kind of found his way back into the Cup Series and an elite ride. DALE EARNHARDT JR: I think that Daniel’s — it’s hard to find any real comparisons because that’s — I think a lot of us thought that his career was nearly over. There’s a point in a driver’s career where they are relegated down into lesser equipment. Once that happens, not many of them turn the corner and go back the other way and find their way back into competitive cars. So Daniel’s story is descriptive of a Hollywood movie. It really is a compelling thing that he was able to not only get — he ends up going to TrackHouse, which none of us thought was going to work right out of the gate. Nobody expected — basically TrackHouse was purchasing all the assets of Ganassi, which was a team that was somewhat in a struggle to perform. So a lot of uncertainty around just that whole program. So Daniel just going to that team wasn’t — didn’t raise any flags to me like, “oh, well, this is the opportunity he’s been looking for.” I didn’t see what Daniel saw or what Justin Marks knew. I don’t think any of us expected that performance out of that team across the board with both cars, with Ross and Daniel. It’s amazing. It’s really been quite fascinating, to be honest with you, about just how much pace they’ve had. Daniel should have won at COTA. I mean, he had the fastest car. There’s been other opportunities where he’s been quick. I think, even though he’s been a champion in our Xfinity Series, I think that when you move up to the Cup Series you have to have those fast cars several times before you figure out how to get them to victory lane. I think the more TrackHouse shows up with pace and speed, the more potential for Daniel, and obviously Ross, to go to victory lane. That gets better and better because they’re going to start to get confidence in themselves, they belong up front, they know how to get to victory lane, they know how to finish these races out. So the results should continue to improve and the story will remain fascinating on through the rest of the year. Q: And for Steve, with the extreme heat predicted for this weekend, what parts of the car will you be looking at, or what mechanically would you be looking at to be potential areas that could be impacted the most? STEVE LETARTE: That’s a good question. The heat is going to be a big story both for the competitors and the vehicles, specifically the car. It has been relatively solid. A few minor issues early in the season, but it seems those have been resolved. If I have my crew chief, I have a concern over things that temperature can easily affect, so that would be the drive lines specifically, the gear box. Xtrac has done a nice job. I’m having no issues, but cooling it is a concern when the ambient is so high, and especially when drivers are shifting more than they ever have, the gear box is being utilized. Nashville also is a very awkward track when it comes to braking, how much brake coolant you need. At the track we have seen brake issues at, kind of like Kentucky. You wouldn’t think of those as short tracks, but when you approach a short track, sometimes you know that brakes are going to be used, so therefore you’re on the defense and you are cooling them appropriately. So when you go to a place like Nashville, the big concerns are your gear box and your braking, and those would be the two. Engine temperature, it’s hard to adjust throughout the course of the day. So while you’re not allowed to add tape to the grille, you can restrict some air flow downstream, and it will be interesting to see if all of the teams and manufacturers understand the efficiencies they have in actually cooling the engine. So I do, I have a lot of question marks. Now, this is what has become a unique weekend, because we’ll have more practice than what we have had on most weekends, so I think that will help combat some of the temperature issues. I think teams will be proactively monitoring those and adjusting as needed. Q: Dale, you kind of talked about TrackHouse’s success this year and obviously Ross and Daniel and what they’re doing. I’m curious to get your take on Ross’ situation a few weeks ago with Denny and Chase. Obviously, just kind of curious if you remember when you were a young driver trying to make your name in the sport and coming up and if you can remember anything like that unfolding with you where you got into somebody once or twice or three times and then they kind of gave it to you back on the track. Just was kind of curious, you’ve kind of been on both sides of that, been in the sport for so long. Have you ever had anything like that happen to you when you were young? And kind of what you thought of Ross’ apology afterwards. DALE EARNHARDT JR: There’s a lot there. Ross is — this is not a new thing to see Ross experience. We’ve raced against him and watched him race in the Xfinity Series, and he ran hard and aggressive with no apology, and that was always fun to watch, unless he was running hard and aggressive with the cars that you owned. There was an interesting thing for me. I would have weekends where I was frustrated with Ross. Now, Ross used to rent from me. I own some rental properties in town, so I always felt like Ross and I had this good friendship. He was close by in proximity as he was trying to get some traction in the sport, so I always kind of felt like I’ve known him for a really long time. There would be weekends when I would be so frustrated with him, but then the very following weekend he would drive the same way but at least it wasn’t against my cars and I would love it. I thought, man, that’s exactly what we need. I need some Ross drama in this race, and he would often deliver. So watching what’s going on with him throughout the year, and especially at St. Louis, I thought — now, he made some mistakes. I don’t want Ross going out there and wandering into the side of every car on the racetrack. But honestly, man, I think that story line dominated a majority of that race, and it made it very compelling, fun to watch what was going to happen. It was comical at times what was going on with Ross and Denny. So I hope that Ross doesn’t change, and I hope that Ross — now, he’s going to polish and improve his craft, but I hope that he doesn’t lose that raw ambition that he has when he goes down into the corner on the inside of somebody. It doesn’t seem like it’s going anywhere because it’s kind of been that way, and I think as he gets higher up in status as he’s gotten to the point to where he is in his career, he seems to gain more ambition, more confidence. No one’s going to push me around. I’m going to show you. The apology, I don’t know whether I buy it or not. I don’t know, to be honest with you. He laid it on pretty thick after the race. But I know he understands that he’s got to clean it up a little bit, but I still think that there’s a part of him that’s like, I’m not going to back down and I’m not dialing it back. I’m not changing my effort or the amount of risk I’m willing to take. So hopefully for us as viewers going forward he continues to put on a show. He’s one of the best things going right now for the sport in terms of entertainment. He’s got a little personality to him, which is always important. I hope for our sake that he continues all of his ambitious moments going forward, and especially once we get into the playoffs and it really starts to count and matter. I can’t wait to see what he’s willing to try or what he’s willing to try to accomplish and do in those moments when his season is on the line, when it’s now or never and this next corner he has to make something happen. I think it will be compelling for sure. Q: This question is for either Jeff or Junior. The first time drivers went to Atlanta this year; it was a gigantic question mark; no one knew what was going to happen. But what is your outlook now that they’ve had multiple Superspeedway races and they’ve had more experience in the Next Gen cars overall? JEFF BURTON: When I talk to the drivers and crew chiefs they feel like Atlanta is going to look the same as it looked in the spring. I question that. It’s going to be really hot, and I know that it’s new asphalt and I know that it’s all those things, but I still question with that extreme heat we will probably see if we don’t end up with some handling issues ultimately at the end of the day. The drivers are drinking through a funnel, as far as the information with this new car, and they and the teams are learning like so rapidly. It’s going to be interesting to see going back to racing the second time if the same people have success. I mean, we’ll go to a race and we’ll see the Fords run just incredibly well, and the next week they don’t run well at all. That’s fair to say about every manufacturer and every team. It’s just such an unknown year and it changes every week. I do think they’re learning quickly, but they’ve gotten better and better understanding these cars at Daytona and Talladega, and they’re trying to lump all that into Atlanta. But I can’t get away from thinking the more they feel like it’s going to be another race like it was in the spring, the more they’re going to compromise the cars to try to make them low drag, low downforce. Then you add that heat to that, I just think panelling could become an issue. I hope it is. I think it will make the race that much even more compelling. You get a guy who’s running 10th in row 5, and he’s having to lift because his stuff’s not handling well, that’s going to completely change the fabric of that race, and I think it would actually even make it better. Yeah, I know what they’re telling me, but my experience tells me that we could see something different than they’re expecting. DALE EARNHARDT JR: I think just right on. We have an NBC fantasy group of all of the talent, and I completely dominated them last year, and this year I can’t seem to make any right picks because you can’t — it’s so hard to tell like who’s going it run well each week. To Jeff’s point, what they’ve learned in this time frame since the last time they raced Atlanta or any racetrack, there’s been so much new information and new understanding about how this car works that I think the race and the contenders in the race will look completely different at most, if not every racetrack we go to. There’s going to be a lot of shift and ebb and flow of teams in terms of performance over the next couple of years, just because this car is so new and they’re still really trying to figure out what makes it work. And I think that that track, that was the very first race on that new surface. I know that we haven’t seen tracks age very quickly and lose a lot of grip in a very short period of time. Over the last several years we’ve had many repaves that seemed to be so durable, but they paved this track in such a way that they’re hoping that it quickly advances that aging of the track and that loss of grip or lack of grip. With Jeff talking about the heat, I think there will be a little less grip in the track itself, and the heat as well is going to take the grip out. I just don’t think these guys are going to have the same experience from inside the cockpit in terms of comfort and stability when they go back to Atlanta. Q: This one is for Dale Jarrett. There was a lot of fanfare about NASCAR returning to Nashville last year. Did last year’s race meet your expectations? DALE JARRETT: Yeah, I would have to say that, when you look at the whole scope of everything involved with the outside activities that were available, the race itself, I think, was a good barometer of what this track can do. I really expect the racing to be even better on the track with these Next Gen cars this year, but the level of excitement was almost unmatched from the fan side of it, and even from the competitors, for being able to go to a new venue. And I think what the drivers learned throughout that race will only help to make this weekend’s race even better yet. So I think the full experience is something that we have to look at, and the racing will take care of itself. It hasn’t disappointed anywhere this year, and I don’t think it will this weekend either. I believe everything they know about the cars and the track now will provide us with another great race.

By Adam Carabine Being the daughter of driver and IndyCar owner John Della Penna, Michelle Della Penna might have grown up with some big shoes to fill. But being the ‘next generation’ of her family name and forging her own path was important to her. In 2021, Michelle started the Della Penna Motorsports Next-Gen Foundation, a not-for-profit organization aimed at creating opportunities for young women in motorsports. In a conversation with Racing Refresh at Sonoma Raceway last weekend, she said “Our whole goal is just to expose young women to motorsports initiatives, and to be that liaison between exposing, cultivating talent and passion, and then helping bridge them with the people in organizations that can create the opportunities.” The roots of the Next-Gen Foundation started from a simple observation. “I have three boys, and my middle son go-karts. I was at the track with him and out of a grid of 20 kids, there were two girls. I thought, why aren’t there more girls in motorsports? And I realized that there were just not enough women across the board.” Her first idea was to just create a scholarship for girls that would cover the costs for a season of karting – something that can be upwards of $50,000 per season. However, the idea blossomed even further. “As I started digging deeper and talking to friends and colleagues, it sort of bloomed into this foundation. And so we are the Della Penna Foundation, in honour of my father.” The foundation is in its infancy, having only started in late 2021. The current goal is to have the scholarship and fellowship programs roll out in 2023. For the rest of 2022, the focus is mainly on fundraising, though the foundation is still active in other ways as well. Before giving Racing Refresh her time, Michelle Della Penna was busy touring the NASCAR garage at Sonoma Raceway with a group of young women. She said, “This is our second VIP Invitational. We had one in September [2021] at [Weathertech Raceway] Laguna Seca, which is our pilot event. We brought a group of troops from Oakland, and we gave them a day at the races. We had hospitality, we had food, we had garage tours, meet and greets with drivers, and they got to watch the practice and qualifying. It’s really for them to be up front and see what happens here.” “We partnered with Sonoma for a karting day about a month ago, where we brought this same group of girls out and they got to go to the karting school here and have a day of go-karting. As we continued our discussions with Sonoma, they said ‘Hey, we’re having this NASCAR race and we’d love to do an invitational!’ So we invited the same group of girls out.” Other than a garage tour, these young women were able to speak with some female racing professionals, as well as watching qualifying. As Michelle puts it, “Once you experience motorsports up front, it’s hard not to be a fan. It’s just really fun to be in the thick of it. Once you’re at the track it’s incredibly infectious.” So, are you a young female motorsports fan? Or do you know one? Or maybe someone with an interest in engineering, STEM, or robotics? Maybe you’re just interested in supporting a worthy cause. Make sure to check out the foundation’s website, www.nextgenfoundation.org . There you’ll be able to donate (no minimum donation required), sign up for email notifications, and keep up-to-date with the foundation’s latest initiatives. Michelle believes that the best way to initiate change is at the grassroots level. “As you grow up and you start to pick things that you’re interested in, that’s sort of when the seed is planted. If we can get girls interested at 5, 6, 7 years old, and have them start moving in that direction, I think the next generation will be peppered with a little more diversity and equality, […] it’s going to be more women, more people of colour that are going to be occupying these spaces and representing how the world actually looks.”

Film Review 'Rowdy' (2022) Director, Richard Valenzuela 2nd Director JJ Terry Documentary ROWDY chronicles the career of bad-boy and two-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kyle Busch. Commonly referred to by his fans as 'Rowdy', a nickname he was given in his first several years in NASCAR's truck series, Busch was compared regularly to Michael Rooker's Rowdy Burns character from the 1990 film Days of Thunder. The world of the motorsports documentaries is currently thriving as auto racing continues to return to a place of dominance in weekly television and sports ratings as they once had in the 1990's. With the success of other projects such as ' Race: Bubba Wallace' , and ' Formula 1: Drive to Survive ' having success as mini series, and Michael Waltrip's ' Blink of an Eye ' being successful at the box office, it makes sense that a passionate driver such as Busch would feel an urge to share his story. "The Thing you want to be able to do is to be well-liked when you retire. I know right now I'm not close to retiring, and I'm not close to being liked." - Kyle Busch The film begins with Kyle's wife Samantha Busch, going through the dramatic details, from her memory on a day that changed the entire future of the Busch family's life. "..you know, I remember everything from the day. I remember what I had on. I was like 27 weeks pregnant at the time. I could hear the spotter and Kyle, and the crew chief.." The buildup continued, with action shots, and monstrous sound of both quality b-reel and Fox Sports footage of the 2015 Alert Today Florida 300 at Daytona International Speedway. The race occurred the day before the premier Daytona 500, which Kyle Busch was an annual favourite for despite winless in the crown jewel up to that point. Kyle's brother, 2004 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kurt Busch and Fox Sports veteran analyst Jamie Little are introduced into the film as more action build-up sequences rise to a boiling stop. Viewers are suddenly stimulated with action shots of the crash that becomes the priority topic of the remainder of the feature. We hope the audience has had their final pit stops and Coca-Cola refills, they're not gonna wanna get up from their seats the rest of the feature. Kyle Busch is the most polarizing driver in NASCAR. - Jamie Little We the fan learn and watch in the second act as the story covers Kyle's youth, his relationship with his older brother, and his younger experiences in the world of NASCAR. The addition of several other opinioned figures in the world of motorsports continue, including Hall-of-Famer's in Rick Hendrick (Owner) and Jeff Gordon (former driver and executive). It's explained that Kyle's Rowdy persona isn't necessarily all his fault. Upon his entering the national tour, older brother Kurt was invested in an accelerated motorsports career. Kurt both helped and hurt Kyle's early growth with fans. He himself, later nicknamed 'The Outlaw', was a vocal 'bad guy' in the Cup Series. Kurt had multiple rivalries with other drivers, but defended them on track winning the series championship in 2004. Kyle would enter as a rookie contender the following season. While infamous Kurt didn't help Kyle earn any fans from the gate, name recognition and networking definitely assisted Kyle land opportunities through the ranks. "I'd never seen anybody with more talent than Kyle had.." -Rick Hendrick As Kyle's career continues, the chronicle 'Rowdy', shows exactly that. He was Rowdy ! One of his earliest rivals and NASCAR's all-time most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr. shares in the movie distinctly that he didn't always appreciate various times in Kyle's career path, even stating that the industry 'enabled' Kyle's sometimes frustrating actions. One of the things that makes the movie so genuine is that everybody's thoughts weren't always praising of Kyle. Often times it promotes him as a good, hard-working, and honest man...because Kyle Busch is each of those labels. He is good, he is hard-working, he is an honest man. However, he'd be the first person to admit that he can lose his cool, he hates to lose, and he wants to represent his family, fans, and sponsors by WINNING. The final portion of the movie shows a less intimate side of documentary interviewing, almost a behind the scenes, as they show Kyle sitting down, clipping on his microphones, and you can hear the filmmaker asking him questions. Kyle is given a platform to finally and transparently clarify various lows, and emphasize the significance of his outstanding highs of his racing career. The film reclaims the intro topic as it closes and provides wonderful closure to what eventually led (and if you're reading this on our site it isn't a spoiler) to his 2015 NASCAR Cup Series championship. One critique I would have liked selfishly would have been content about Kyle's fill in drivers who helped support the #18 team when he was injured, but their omission did not sour anything. This thing is well put together. Other contributors to the movie include NASCAR Hall-of-Fame car owner Joe Gibbs, highly respected motorsports writer Marty Smith from ESPN and Kyle's parents. From graphic, but not uncomfortable images and videos of Kyle's rehab, to a full tour of the Busch family and Kyle Busch's upcoming, to a brief preview of his son Brexton's start to racing, this is a film that should be appreciated and engaged upon by his biggest fans and haters alike. The motorsports world is thriving in new cinema, and this is a wonderful piece of racing movie media that we will be able to learn from for many years to come. I recommend it to our entire Racing Refresh audience. In short, it was informative, exciting, and authentic. Rowdy will play in most cities, one night only on June 29th. Click HERE for ticket availability in your area.

(Photo Credit: iRacing) For the second year in a row, iRacing is hosting a special event on it's service July 14th and 15th for a special fundraiser benefitting the National MS Society. The Peachtree Three Benefiting the National MS Society will be a three-hour fundraising event at the virtual Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Teams and drivers can race in a multitude of cars such as the Chevrolet Corvette C8R GTE, Global Mazda MX-5, and the five GT4 cars that are available on the service. Last year, iRacing and the National MS Society held the first event in it's history at the virtual Charlotte Motor Speedway roval and raised $57,000 for the charity. Not only will some of the best of the best in iRacing be participating, the event is headlined by a trio of some of the most reputable members of the sim racing community. On the team is Executive Vice President of iRacing Steve Meyers, 7x NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief Chad Knaus, and 2020 eNASCAR Coca Cola iRacing Series champion Nick Ottinger. Racing Refresh will enter a two-man team for the event with Matt Nicholson and Collin Best sharing duties in the car each for one, 90 minute stint in order to finish in the highest possible position at the end of three grueling hours in one of the most challenging road courses provided on the service. Our donation goal for the event is $200. Streaming details for the event will be made closer to the event so stay tuned to @RacingRefresh or @TheCollinBest on Twitter for more information leading up to the event. For more information about the event, head to www.iRacing.com. For more information about the National MS Society, head to www.nationalmssociety.com.

(Photo Credit:@JosefNewgarden) In 2021, Josef Newgarden looked to be sailing away with a win at one the most entertaining races in the INDYCAR schedule, but due to a late caution and gearbox issues the win went to the eventual INDYCAR Champion Alex Palou. In 2022, after late cautions and close racing, Newgarden captured the win at the Grand Prix of Road America. Alexander Rossi led the field to green at the start of the race with Newgarden in hot pursuit for the first fifteen laps until the first scheduled pit stop of the day and both of them made stops at the same time. Newgarden had a better stop and was aided by Scott McLauglin pitting ahead of Rossi as he was on pit road which made Newgarden vault ahead of Rossi to take the lead. We have to fast-forward as Newgarden has set sail but after the final pit stop of the day on Lap 42, Rossi began to close on Newgarden and was doing so until eight to go as the Arrow McLaren SP of Pato O'Ward began to lose power and stopped at Turn Eleven. The race restarted with five laps to go and Newgarden timed his start perfectly and he jumped out to a five car length advantage over Rossi but a caution flew again on the same lap as Helio Castroneves spun his car and stalled. The final start came three laps later as Newgarden again set sail over the field as Marcus Ericsson passed Rossi for a second place finish. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES has four weeks off as the series returns Independence Day weekend for the Honda 200 at Mid-Ohio on July 3rd on NBC.