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Daniel Suarez won the 2022 Sonoma Toyota Save Mart 350. This is his first career win at Sonoma, and first of his career in 195 races. The win shined big through the television lense as team owner Justin Marks celebrated a day of competitive speed and his third win as an owner in 2022. Rounding out the top five were Chris Buescher, Michael McDowell, Kevin Harvick, and 2022 Daytona 500 winner and rookie Austin Cindric.

By Adam Carabine The Cup Series wrapped up their practice and qualifying at Sonoma Raceway Saturday. Some of the drivers were available to the media afterward, here’s what they had to say: Todd Gilliland on his first time driving at Sonoma with the Cup Series: “We always prepare with the simulator, watching film, [SMT data]. That’s a really big tool that’s new to me this year. I’m just trying to take it all in. There’s still so many things that can prepare you for what’s going to actually happen in real life. All this stuff is either in the past with a whole different car, or the simulator which is kind of our best guess at it. I’m excited, I love road course racing in general, so Sonoma should be a lot of fun. The area’s beautiful. Overall I’m really excited for it but definitely a little nervous here to make some laps.” Alex Bowman on what he can learn from also running the Camping World Truck Series Race: “[The Truck vs. the Cup car, they're] pretty different, especially these days with the new car. But I think just getting extra laps on track is always good, never a bad thing. On top of that, with practice being so short at 20 minutes, I think being ahead of things, already having a practice and qualifying on the track with the Truck is a big positive for a Cup driver." Chase Briscoe on what makes him one of the better road course racers: “I don’t know, I feel like for me, going and running the IMSA stuff in 2018, when Ford had me go do that, was a huge learning thing for me to go do and understand road courses better, the mentality that it takes. Totally opposite of NASCAR stuff, there you have teammates that are driving the exact same car that has data on it. So I was always paired up with Austin Cindric so that allowed me to see what does really well and he’s obviously one of the best road racers, so being able to be with him and be teammates with him, and him just being an open book was really what kind of got me closer on the road course side of things.” Martin Truex Jr. talks about his car and the conditions out on track: “It was really slick at the start of the session I was in. It’s not optimum conditions, of course, but I guess it’s always slick here. Right now, we won’t be starting too close to the front, so I think some strategy [will be important]. We feel like we came here better prepared [than we did at COTA], and I completely screwed up my qualifying lap. So, the car feels decent and it’ll be alright tomorrow.” Kevin Harvick talks about expectations for the Next-Gen Cup car at tracks where we haven't seen it yet: “Every time I think something’s going to go a particular way, it just goes the opposite way, so there’s no rhyme or reason to what happens with this car. Until we go there, I don’t know. You go there with low expectations with what to expect. We went to Texas – [it was a] total bomb. Then we went to Charlotte, it looked like the most spectacular thing you’ve ever seen. If anybody can tell me why, let me know, because I have no idea.” Ryan Blaney talks about his favourite section of the track, and on whether a win is coming soon: “I’ve always liked the transition from [turn] 3 to [turn] 4.That kind of blind, over the hill type of thing, I’ve always enjoyed that corner, kind of guessing where you’re going, so that makes it fun. Hopefully we get to Victory Lane soon. I’d give the all-star win away for a normal win just to lock into the playoffs. I think we’re close, we just have to keep fighting because things change every week and other teams find stuff, and you’ve got to capitalize on moments when your cars are fast.” Chase Elliott explained what he said to Ross Chastain after some drama together last week at WWT Gateway: “I just told him that he’s fast, and they have a lot of pace, and he’s going to be just as successful with that pace that he has, if he’s a little more mindful of the positions he puts himself and others in at points of the race that don’t matter as much […] I tried to take the high road on it and tell him my opinion.He can take it and do with it what he wants, or not, and I’m fine either way.” Joey Logano discusses whether there might be more than 16 different winners this season: “There’s not going to be more than 16 drivers.I don’t see it happening.I could see a few more winners, especially at tracks like this, where you can just pop in there.There’s a few drivers that probably should have wins right now that don’t but they’re also kind of up there in points.We never have since we started this.It ain’t gonna happen… maybe I’m wrong though.” The Cup Series tackles Sonoma on Sunday June 12th at 4:00pm EST, 1:00pm PST.

Photo - Atlanta Motor Speedway Press Release | HAMPTON, Ga. (June 9, 2022) – Atlanta Motor Speedway, Pit Boss, and Walmart are kicking off Atlanta’s summer NASCAR weekend with a big party for fans camping at the speedway. The Pit Boss Camper Appreciation Party Presented by Walmart will bring free food, drinks, games, special guest appearances and live music to The Gathering Place in the speedway’s Legends Campground on Friday, July 8. Fans at the event will be joined by 3-time NASCAR Cup Series winner Aric Almirola and “America’s Crew Chief” Larry McReynolds while enjoying complimentary burgers, hot dogs, and Coca-Cola products. After food is served, fans will enjoy the music of Garrett Collins Project - the first act of the Revs & Riffs NASCAR Weekend Music Festival. The bocce and cornhole courts at The Gathering Place will also be open as they are throughout race weekends at AMS. “Our fans fuel everything we do and this is one way we show our gratitude during the Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart race weekend,” said AMS Executive Vice President and General Manager Brandon Hutchison. “This party is a new tradition we started last year and it was a huge success. Pit Boss and Walmart are helping add to the experience this year in a big way so our fans are going to have a great time kicking off race weekend.” The Pit Boss Camper Appreciation Party Presented by Walmart starts at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, July 8, with food served and guest appearances until 7:30 p.m. Garrett Collins Project then starts their show immediately after. The party is just part of the opening night festivities for the Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart weekend. Fans can also check out Legends and Bandolero racing on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s ¼ mile from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. for free. Speedway Children’s Charities Atlanta then hosts “Laps for Charity” – offering participants the opportunity to drive around the speedway in their own vehicles – starting at 8 p.m. It’s all part of a weekend packed full of racing, music, and entertainment. For more information on the Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart weekend July 8-10 or to purchase tickets, visit www.AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com . About the Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart weekend: The Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart headlines the summer slate of NASCAR racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 10. As NASCAR’s best make a push for the looming NASCAR playoffs, this challenging 400-mile race will play a pivotal role in deciding who’s in and who’s out. Accompanying the Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart is the Alsco Uniforms 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday, July 9. The summer race will challenge the rising stars of the sport to stand out and succeed on one of the circuit’s most challenging tracks. More information on the July 8-10, 2022, Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart and ticket availability can be found online at AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com. Follow Atlanta Motor Speedway: Keep track of all of Atlanta Motor Speedway’s events by following on Twitter , Instagram , and become a Facebook fan . Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Atlanta Motor Speedway mobile app.

By Adam Carabine

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!

by Crystal Clay Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum track update Image courtesy USC Annenberg School of Communication NASCAR’s decision to construct a temporary $1 million dollar asphalt track on USC’s Trojan field is perplexing but, not just to the tune of the sport’s tone-deaf omniscient rabble-rousers. As a post-Brian France era fanatic of the sanctioning body that developed as an outgrowth of the bootlegging subculture in the South, I welcome its pseudo-expansion to the sprawling metropolis that I call home. To a BIPOC 90’s kid from Los Angeles, NASCAR for decades, might have been as relevant as the random fact found under the lid of a Snapple. Our inexplicable ability to recall Jeff Gordon’s name is as inherent to us as the long-held resentment some of us distinctly have towards the Raiders NFL franchise. My interest in motorsports began with X-Games, video games, and following AMA Supercross along the southwest region of the United States. As absurd as the idea is, The Busch Light Clash coming to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is simply a key to understanding the disposition & ethos of the prospective ‘hard to reach’ fanbase that NASCAR has been lost on long before its expansion to the west coast and serves the greater good of preserving the culture of American stock car racing. For the first time in its history, NASCAR is hosting a race traditionally hosted at Daytona International Speedway Sunday Feb. 6th at 3p.m. PST in Los Angeles, a week before Super Bowl LVI arrives at the neighboring So-Fi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. This exhibition is also the competitive debut of the highly anticipated NextGen cars (Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Mustang, Toyota Camry). On track, spectators will see the diversified teams that expanded in the off-season: 23XI (Owners-Denny Hamlin & Michael Jordan, Drivers--Bubba Wallace #23 Toyota Camry, Kurt Busch #45 Toyota Camry) Trackhouse (Owners—Justin Marks & Armando Christian “Pitbull” Pérez, Drivers—Daniel Suárez #99 Chevrolet Camaro, Ross Chastain #1 Chevrolet Camaro). FOX will have complete coverage of the event with Sunday’s broadcast starting at 12p.m. PST. A slate of four 25-lap heat races and two 50-lap Last Chance Qualifiers (LCQ) will round out the field of 23 drivers in a “winner takes all '' main event with mid-race performances by DJ Skee, Pitbull and L.A. native Ice Cube. NASCAR has laid the groundwork for a seismic night of sports entertainment. The race format for The Clash is digestible to any newcomer and followed by most local short tracks that avid race fans know as the bullring, for the action-packed close-quartered racing it produces. At the outcry of NASCAR’s loyal core fanbase, a ‘short track revival’ is expected soon to resurrect the ghost of NASCAR’s golden age that neglected to include superstar cities like Los Angeles. Auto Club Speedway has plans for a reconfiguration after the 2022 season from a two-mile, low banked D-shaped superspeedway to a short track. In its modern quest to expand to the western region, NASCAR settled in suburban areas like Riverside, Ontario, and Fontana. The Clash at The L.A. Colosseum, make no mistake, is in South Central Los Angeles—one of the most talked about places in the West Coast gangsta rap genre of the 90’s. In order to understand the music, its imperative to understand the socioeconomic background & ethnography of the inner city. It makes perfect sense to have Ice Cube represent Los Angeles on what will be a historic & memorable afternoon. Representation matters, especially when the goal is to make an entity more inclusive. With a sport that has been so tightly intertwined with its southern roots, this is a huge step forward in the right direction. It is NASCAR's greatest display of self awareness and consideration of how marketing of the sport might appeal to those who aren't of Scots-Irish heritage. The entertainment at the many races I’ve attended have always been Country, something I didn't grow up with much of. With NASCAR’s past of laying host to remnants of Southern strategy and the aesthetics of the treasonous confederacy, I’ve always had an aversion to anything south of the Mason-Dixon line. As a minority that was baptized by and grew up around leaders of the Civil Rights movement, the last place I’ve wanted to be is anywhere that associates admiration for 'dixie' with anything other than a jazzed paper cup. That may be the region that popularized stock racing on ovals, but that isn’t the complete history of American stock car racing. For anyone flying into LAX on the weekend of Feb. 6th, you might be landing on what used to be Mines Field Speedway where one of the earliest stock car races took place. I implore you to go down that rabbit hole and see what you find.

by Crystal Clay NASCAR went the extra-mile in its production of premier sports entertainment in the city of Los Angeles one week shy of Super Bowl LVI. The inaugural exhibition of The Busch Light Clash, hosted on a 0.25-mile purpose built asphalt oval inside of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum continues to make false prophets out of anyone calling for the sanctioning body’s end of days. With an estimated 70% of tickets sold to first-time race attendees, The Clash trended over the NFL Pro Bowl on Twitter, had 4.283 million viewers (168% up from 2021), an event best since the 2016 season. NASCAR EVP of Strategy & Innovation-Ben Kennedy and NASCAR EVP Chief and Racing Development Officer-Steve O’Donnell in the post-race press conference, gave praise to The Clash’s immediate success. The success of this event is attributed to the focus on identity within the city of Los Angeles, something that Dave Allen, Auto Club Speedway President is highly perceptive of. His connection to the fanbase, deep knowledge of the motorsports industry in Los Angeles, and familiarity with both the Inland Empire/L.A. markets is not only paramount to his strategy at Auto Club but also took center-stage over this past weekend in reaching the Los Angeles audience. That L.A. audience often excludes the city of Fontana and San Bernardino County as the Inland Empire, recognizing it as a separate market of its own. Kyle Busch, Las Vegas native and driver of the #18 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing, offered his commendations. However, he was critical of a question on NASCAR’s entry into the market by emphasizing Auto Club Speedway’s presence in the greater L.A. area since 1997. His response showed that although The Clash at The Coliseum was a triumph, there is still quite a way to go in embracing Los Angeles and other non-traditional markets. Asked what he thought about NASCAR coming into the L.A. market, Busch pushed back “I’m going to argue the question here. We’ve been in L.A. since 1997. I think that gets forgotten about. I love California Speedway. Fontana is a great racetrack. It’s a little outside of town, a little spread out with the two-mile racetrack. Us drivers enjoy going out there and racing at higher speeds like that. Let’s not forget that, please. Coming into L.A., if that’s how you want to term it, I felt like it was a huge success. I thought it was a huge chance, Ben Kennedy and the guys at NASCAR, if this didn’t work, it was going to be ugly. I’m sure they’re taking a huge sigh of relief and a big high-five because it was a big success." In a pre-race news conference on the update of Auto Club’s planned reconstruction to a short track, Allen answered a similar question on his thoughts of coming into The Coliseum. “Obviously I think over the years we’ve done a good job of talking to Los Angeles but, let’s face it: sometimes it’s difficult for people to get from here to Fontana. So, bringing this sport to fans and exposing this sport in an exhibition way like this, is something that I couldn’t have thought we would—actually, I didn’t think we would get to that point. I would have never thought this a couple of years ago.” The sanctioning body is currently within a 90-day period to reach an agreement that will allow The Clash to be hosted through 2024 at The L.A. Memorial Coliseum. Ben Kennedy emphasized how significant the Los Angeles market is for NASCAR while acknowledging the two year hiatus from holding competitions in Southern California. While no further information has been released by NASCAR or its affiliates, Kennedy did express his optimism in consideration of a return to the historic venue. "I think we'll have a lot of data coming out of this. I think there is certainly potentially a future here. We'll probably try to make a decision on that sooner than later." Old thinking dies hard, whether it’s Fontana not being L.A. or NASCAR being open to an audience it hasn’t traditionally courted. We can’t expect one event to fix everything but, the positive feedback from those who watched and experienced this season's Clash validates the belief that we can remain hopeful for the future of the sport at the dawning of a new era.

by Crystal Clay We have finally made it to the Daytona 500. While the wait couldn’t have been any longer, The Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was more than enough entertainment to hold a NASCAR fan over for another week. Dylan “Mamba” Smith, late model wheelman and co-host of NASCAR’s Backseat Drivers could be seen moving around all parts of the Coliseum with the contagious positive attitude he is popular for. We reached out for his thoughts on what he saw in Los Angeles and what that means for NASCAR's modern era. Dylan "Mamba" Smith watching The Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Can you describe the energy at the Coliseum before, during & after the race weekend? I really can't haha. it was a whole vibe so many people were excited to be there. After, no one left without a smile on their faces it was amazing. I told people the clash wasn't a NASCAR race; it was a NASCAR Event and I want more like it. What would you like to see during the regular season that you saw at The Clash? It needs to be a party. I hope other tracks see what we did here and try to grab some of the energy and atmosphere. Having a student section is a great idea, partnering with local colleges to get that college game day vibe would be great. I like the Halftime show I think it got everyone reenergized for the second half of the race. While nothing can truly compare to The Daytona 500, do you see The Clash now serving it’s purpose to promote the upcoming Daytona season opener? Why/why not? It did everything it was supposed to. I think it did more to promote our fan base than anything. I've thought for years that we have one of the most diverse fan bases in sports. We just haven't gone to diverse markets before. Because, well, we need so much space for a track. You can just put one in the middle of Denver but, now I just need 120yrds and i can put a race at Mile High Stadium. That's huge. What should a fan be on the lookout for when it comes to watching The Daytona 500 for the first time this Sunday? It's going to be a lot different than The Clash obviously, what I would pay attention to is how much the cars are dancing around on the track. Daytona is very bumpy. With this new car and the package they run, it seems to throw the cars around more which will be fun to watch the drivers control it. Any bold predictions for the 2022 season? Hmm, Harrison Burton as a rookie makes the playoffs.

Minutes prior to Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice for the Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, full time competitor of the No. 23 Chevrolet for GMS Racing, Grant Enfinger discussed his expectations with consideration for track conditions, equipment and his recent transition from Thor Sport Racing. When it comes to his thoughts walking into LVMS for practice Friday morning, Enfinger had this to say: “With the cooler temperatures I feel like the trucks will be packed up a bit more. Normally, more grip here in the spring race. Don’t know 100% about this tire, what it’ll allow us to do--but, the track I feel like, will feel a little more grouped up than the other mile and a halves we go to. Obviously, it’s a bumpy place. I’ve just found out that they’ve ground the bump in the tunnel turn so I feel like that will affect us some. Hopefully for the better. Just an enjoyable place. Like I said, I don’t feel like we get quite as stretched out here as we do at some of the mile and a halves on the circuit." Enfinger, who in his tenth season in the truck series has returned to GMS after driving the No.98 Ford F-150 for Thor Sport racing this year. When asked about the start of the 2022 season and his transition back to GMS, he said: “The transition for me has been really good so, you know…Very soon after Phoenix, I was able to go over to the shop, and get acclimated really quickly. I’ve never worked with Charles Denike, my crew chief before but, I do know him from being at GMS the first time. Really thankful to be working with him. Really, really smart engineering-type crew chief which I’ve never worked with before. Looking forward to that and overall, the transition has been very, very good. Biggest thing I could say so far is just, there’s been a lot of effort in our #23 Champion Power Equipment Chevy. A lot of people find great things here at GMS but also at Chevrolet--that they are invested heavily in this so, for that I am extremely thankful. So, that’s been the biggest change for me at this point. I really don’t know how we’re going to stack up, you know, that’s why I’m really anxious for this practice here in a couple of hours and I guess not even that. Pretty soon here." Practice was less than 30minutes away from the NCWTS final practice however, with anxiety time-blindness is to be expected. Enfinger continued, "I’m really anxious to see where our program is at.” Practice and qualifying are now complete at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. John Hunter Nemecheck of the No.4 Mobile 1Toyota for Kyle Busch (KBM) won the Pole Award for the 5th Annual Victoria's Voice 200 presented by Westgate Resorts with a lap of 30.238 seconds, 178.583 mph. This is his third pole in 126 Camping World Truck Series starts, second top-10 start in 2022, and his first pole in 9 races at LVMS. Las Vegas local and 2-time Cup Series Champion, Kyle Busch will lead the field in 1-2-3 with Chandler Smith to the green flag for KBM tonight. Although finishing 5th in final practice, a qualifying lap of 30.643 put the No. 23 Champion Power Equipment for GMS in the 6th row in 11th position on the starting grid for tonight's race with Grant Enfinger as its wheelman. As the old adage goes; its not where you start, it's where you finish. Enfinger reached a victory at LVMS in 2018 for Thor Sport Racing after race leader Brett Moffitt lost his footing on the final restart in a 2-lap NASCAR overtime shootout. Will Grant find his way to the Neon Garage tonight for the Victory Lane celebration? Find out tonight on FS1 at 6p PST/ 9p EST.

NASCAR Hall of Famer, Wendell Scott was honored this past weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway during the 25th Annual Pennzoil 400. March 4th, 1961 is the date of Wendell Scott’s first start in NASCAR’s Grand National Series. All competitors and pace cars in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and NASCAR Cup Series displayed a decal of the artwork commissioned by NASCAR to honor the legacy of the first African American to win in NASCAR’s premier series. Philadelphia area artist, Chuck Styles worked closely with the Scott family with NASCAR’s trust in his abilities, giving him complete creative freedom to customize the decal. He captured the revolutionary figure’s character in ways that William Franklin “Frank” Scott Sr., Wendell’s son said “depicted a lot of my father that he didn’t even realize. When you look at his caricature, his hair, his face, his determination; he got it all, and I want to commend him on all the work he's done.” Frank also commended NASCAR on their efforts in cultivating diversity and inclusion saying that “We support Bubba, Rajah and other aspiring drivers. We encourage diversity and we’re so proud of NASCAR for doing such an incredible job with diversity. They get better each year, doing great things to include everyone. We love racing, we’re a racing family”. Warrick Scott Sr. grandson to the late Wendell Scott, acknowledged that his grandfather had a passion to serve the under-acknowledged and “built the ultimate bridge for diversity and we can see that manifesting right here today”. Initially, Styles admitted to a regimented graphic design approach but, NASCAR inspired him to be loose and free with the design, inspiring an impactful expression of who Wendell Scott was. Something, Styles said he aims to portray in each of his works. “I’m thankful that it translated well. I just want to continue to work with the Scott family to expand on this legacy because it is important to let everybody know we can do incredible things together. Positivity and determination can change the trajectory of many people’s lives,” said the artist. He was grateful to have NASCAR reach out to him for the great opportunity and trusting in his authentic artistic expression. The Wendell Scott Foundation and family work diligently to keep telling the story of his legacy as a global sports icon so the generations to come will understand that space for minorities in NASCAR was created through resilience, fearlessness, and hope for the future. The story has been passed on through film, television, written publications, staying current with the times and further exploring new mediums. In the spirit of evolution, Wendell Scott Ventures partnered CMG Worldwide, WorldwideXR and VueXR to honor Scott’s legacy with an exclusive NFT collection that drops Monday March 6th, 2022 with the NFT marketplace Nifty Gateway. Authentik Studios recently hosted an in-person NFT auction at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, propelling Scott’s legacy into blockchain and the metaverse, Big Tech’s newest frontier. Reflecting on his father's hopes for the future, Frank said “My father predicted so much of this. He told me so many times ‘I’m going to get my trophy’ and there’s going to be more minorities involved in racing on the highest level. It makes me shutter to think of all the times we were riding down a bumpy narrow road down in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, whatever. He would just talk about his visions of the future.” More information on Chuck Styles, artist of the NASCAR commissioned Wendell Scott decal featured on all of the cars at the 2022 Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway visit www.artofchuckstyles.com and for more on Wendell Scott and the NFT collectibles, information can be found at www.wendellscott.org

Two-time defending NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Funny Car world champion driver and team owner Ron Capps stood out as the quintessential hometown hero after he won the first Wally trophy as owner of the new Ron Capps Motorsports team at The Strip of Las Vegas Motor Speedway during the 2022 Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals on April 3. The fact that he’s never lived in Las Vegas is a non-issue. “(The NHRA Camping World Four-Wide Nationals),is obviously a destination event, right?” Capps said. “You can give anybody a reason to come to Las Vegas. Then, they made it four-wide for this race that we have at the first part of the year.” Capps is from San Luis Obispo and lives along the Pacific Ocean in Carlsbad. Californians, though, seemingly outpopulate Nevada natives in the valley and are in large part responsible for Las Vegas’ rapid growth. The “hometown hero” idea generally alludes to a homegrown star whose success honors a geographic location and social systems within it for fostering its elite talent. Yet to the local crowd that filled the grandstands and campgrounds, Capps seemed to fit the concept. “Las Vegas has turned into sort-of a home race for me” said the SLO-CAL supersonic. His earnest and unassuming declaration of “home race” seems questionable to anyone who missed the 2022 Four Wide Nationals in early April. He’s found success at all drag strips on the NHRA schedule during his 28-year career and holds the record as second-winningest NHRA Funny Car pilot, including a victory at the NHRA’s only other four-wide drag strip located in Charlotte, NC. With three races under his belt as a new team owner this year, he was amongst the likes of heavy hitters John Force, J.R. Todd, Robert Hight and Matt Hagan as Funny Car favorites looking into the Vegas Four-Wide weekend. At Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, where the NHRA kicks off its year, Capps kicked off his year with a runner-up finish, semifinal finish, and clinched a No. 1 qualifier award before boiling rubber down The Strip to his second Camping World yellow qualifier hat. When he competes at LVMS, his mother and father make the road trip down from San Luis Obispo for the weekend-long event. He has a myriad of cousins that live across the United States who migrate to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, camp out, take over the grandstands and suites at a capacity that he half-joked wouldn’t please the fire marshal. NHRA Nitro Driver Jon Capps, younger brother to Ron, is a 27-year resident in the Summerlin area of Las Vegas. Jon returned to Las Vegas from being on-set in New York to support Ron in the desert oasis. “My brother still races part time and does stunt work for different movies and TV shows both here, L.A. and in New York.” “We always come out and make this an event and it’s become more of a home race than Pomona which is an hour away from me, and if you look up there at the last two suites, it’s a company called Palmer Electric.” Palmer Electric is a Las Vegas based family-owned/operated business that Capps has had a relationship with since his rookie year of 1995 as a driver for “The Snake” Don Prudhomme. He pointed to the two suites at the far end of the grandstands. “They have my family up there. There’s about 50 of them and whenever we’re towing back after a run, they’re out there cheering me on. They’ve become part of our family so, when you throw all that together, it’s just a great race to have family at. I get cousins that I don’t even hear from asking me for tickets to these races.” On Saturday, April 2, Capps closed out the day of qualifying rounds by charging the NAPA AUTOPARTS Funny Car to the top of the speed charts with an elapsed time of 3.883 at 331.45mph in the final qualifying run, earning his second No. 1 qualifier of the year. Ahead of praising the NAPA AutoCare team for early-season momentum, Ron Capps made himself at home in the media center, taking on the role of press by turning a question over to his guest Ronnie Mund of The Howard Stern Show. “It’s been a long time coming to get him out here. Then, to have Ronnie at the starting line and have Guido throw down a 3.88 at over 330 in that heat was stunning. I haven’t even asked you so, what did you think?” Mund is a recent Las Vegas transplant from New York who has been to an NHRA event, but not in the capacity of being nitro-baptized by the blue and yellow NAPA AUTOPARTS steed of Ron Capps at the start line of a heat like he was that afternoon. The awe and wonderment in Mund’s account was genuine and childlike, in how he narrowly caught his breath through the soft eastern “r”s of his full-bodied New York accent. “It was amazing! My teeth were chattering, my liver was like—it ran to the back of my body somewhere. I don’t even know where it was at the time. It was amazing to see you run like that. The way that car dug in and just went straight down there. No wobbles or nothin’. It was an amazing, AMAZING run.” Mund’s narrative was a visceral reminder that NHRA drag racing is the shared experience of Americana’s overindulgence of tangible horsepower. Capps understands how commonplace it is to get wrapped up in the minutiae of datasets that not every fan, especially new ones, can connect with. “We were throwing numbers out like we do all our fans and it’s neat to see somebody’s eyes light up.” The confidence that Capps has in his team, led by crew chiefs Dean “Guido” Antonelli and John Medlen, is unwavering. If anyone told him that he was the driver to beat going into the race Sunday, despite his new yellow hat, he graciously took the premature sentiment with a grain of salt. He knew that if it should happen that he won on Sunday, the outstanding support of family and friends would be there to create a memorable and meaningful experience like no other. “I’ve said how great our fans are. It sounds cliché but to have them pack the grandstands. You know, some people like four-wide and some don’t but there’s no denying the fact that people love to come out here.” Ron Capps hit the jackpot in Las Vegas by winning all three elimination rounds. As Lady Luck would have it, he raced to his 69th career win with a stupendous run of 3.914 at 331.20mph in his 12,000-horsepower NAPA AUTOPARTS Funny Car as a new team owner. After his race day and victory materialized, he said, “Did you see ‘em up there?! Oh my God. I hope those seats out in front of the suites are very strong because there was literally, like 80 people out there and I was waving at them like we always do.” He gave a touching tribute to long time supporters who were in attendance. “This trophy, I said in the interview, that I was going to give it to Tony and Gayle Wilson who are NAPA owners that own a lot of stores in Oregon. Fantastic people. He’s been fighting throat cancer; he can’t even eat, and he wanted to be here for this race. “They were at my first banquet when we finished 8th or something and they were at the banquet when I finally won a championship. They keep coming out and supporting us. So that trophy, as special as it is … and I could cut it up into a million pieces and send it to NAPA headquarters and all these jobbers and all these NAPA AutoCares, [but] it’s going to go them.” As he held back emotion, he said, “It hasn’t even sunk in. I can’t even believe that I’m standing here as a NHRA owner, holding a Wally at a four-wide race. It's beyond comprehension for me right now.” Ron later joined his family and supporters in victory circle where there were celebratory champagne showers, beer and an entire cooler of ice water dumped on him as he embraced his trophy with fans looking on, hoping to get his autograph. As the sun set behind the Spring Mountains, it was apparent that a hometown hero emerged out of a town full of transients at the NHRA Camping World Las Vegas Four Wide Nationals.

Press Release | ARCA Menard's Series Tradition is important to the ARCA Menards Series, and there are few races more laden with tradition and connection to the sport’s roots than the two races on the one-mile dirt tracks at the Illinois State Fairgrounds and the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds. Both of those races date back to before ARCA’s founding in 1953, and both have been a staple of the schedule since 1983. For 2022, a new twist has been added with the Performance Seed Dirt Double, which will offer a $50,000 prize to any driver who can drive to victory in both events. Should that bonus go unclaimed, the driver with the best combined average finish at Springfield and DuQuoin will claim a $5,000 bonus. “The two races at Springfield and DuQuoin are the direct connection to the foundation of the sport,” said ARCA president Ron Drager. “There are thousands of race fans in the heartland of the country who attend those races, and many have been coming to them for decades. Having dirt races has kept us connected to the grassroots of the sport and it has meant a driver who can win the ARCA Menards Series championship has to succeed on a wide variety of racetracks. Added Bob Sargent, president of Track Enterprises and promoter of both events: “We’re always looking at adding another layer of excitement to our two traditional ARCA Menards Series dirt races, and the Performance Seed Dirt Double will do that. A $50,000 bonus to any driver who can win both of those races will give those drivers a pretty big carrot to chase after. And if that bonus goes unclaimed, the driver who performs the best in both races and has the best average finish will still come away with a $5,000 bonus. “Either way, someone is going to carry away some bonus money.” The ARCA Menards Series will visit the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield for the 40th time Sunday, Aug. 21, and the 42nd visit to the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds is slated for Saturday, Sept. 4. Recent NASCAR Camping World Truck Series winner Corey Heim scored the victory at Springfield in 2021, and 15-year-old rookie standout Landen Lewis won at DuQuoin in just his second series start. Ticket information for both races is available at TrackEnterprises.com.

PRESS RELEASE: Joe Gibbs Racing HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (June 9, 2022) – Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) announced Thursday that Sammy Smith will run eight NASCAR Xfinity Series races behind the wheel of the No. 18 Toyota GR Supra in 2022. Road America on July 2, 2022 will serve as Smith’s Xfinity Series debut with Allstate Peterbilt Group on the hood as the primary partner for the race. Smith will also race in seven other Xfinity Series races this year jumping behind the wheel of the No. 18 at Pocono on July 23, Michigan on August 6, Watkins Glen on August 20, Kansas on September 10, Bristol on September 16, Martinsville on October 29, and in the season finale at Phoenix on November 5. “Sammy has impressed at every level of his racing career,” said Steve DeSouza, Executive Vice President/Xfinity Series for Joe Gibbs Racing. “We believe Sammy will continue to excel and look forward to supporting him as he expands his 2022 schedule to include eight races in the Xfinity Series with the Joe Gibbs Racing No.18 team led by crew chief Jason Ratcliff.” Pilot Flying J, TMC, Allstate Peterbilt Group, Renda Group, and Sinclair Tractor will all support Smith and the No. 18 GR Supra throughout his eight races with JGR with Pilot Flying J and Allstate Peterbilt Group serving as primary partners. Smith is currently at the top of the 2022 ARCA Menards Series East standings after earning three wins – New Smyrna, Pensacola, and Nashville – in the first four races of the season. Smith won the 2021 ARCA Menards Series East championship as well as Rookie of the Year honors while driving for JGR. He won three races, earned seven top-5s, seven top-10s, averaged a 4.3 finishing place, and earned one pole position. The Toyota Racing Development driver has competed in four ARCA Menards Series races over the past two seasons earning three top-5s, one pole, and 601 laps led. “I’m excited for the opportunity to run the No. 18 Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing,” Smith said. “Making the jump to this level is huge for me and my career, and I’m thankful for all of my partners and supporters that have helped me get here.” Sammy Smith/No. 18 Toyota GR Supra Schedule July 2 – Road America July 23 – Pocono August 6 – Michigan August 20 – Watkins Glen September 10 – Kansas September 16 – Bristol October 29 – Martinsville November 5 – Phoenix

Regarded as one of the most powerful women in motorsports, Jill Gregory, looks like what it means to be perfectly aligned with the universe. Her journey through sports marketing and innovative leadership brought Gregory, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Sonoma Raceway, back to her Northern California origins in 2021. In the brief moments she takes to fix her gaze upon the hillsides of wine country from her office, it is apparent Gregory deeply senses where she fits in NASCAR’s continuum. It is evident in the self control she has to just be. With Sunday’s Toyota/SaveMart 350 at full capacity on the horizon, Racing Refresh sat down for a one-on-one chat with her to see what she’s been up to, also what fans can expect this weekend and beyond at Sonoma Raceway. RR: AdWeek has you listed as one of the most powerful women in motorsports not once, but twice. How did you get to this point when growing up, NASCAR wasn't even really your thing other than a time to bond with your family? Gregory: I think if you would map out the path that I thought I would take, you know, having a long career in NASCAR probably wasn't the prediction. But I was really lucky to be able to get into sports marketing, in general, after I got out of college, and just kind of continued to follow a path of opportunity. I was willing to jump around and move to new cities to follow different career paths, and I was able to work for a lot of really great companies like Sprint and Bank of America, and it just led me to NASCAR. NASCAR was on a really strong path and the opportunity kind of presented itself. Fourteen years later, I woke up and I was still in the industry. That was because of the great people and the momentum that the sport had. So waking up in Sonoma, I had been on the east coast for quite some time and, during COVID, I kind of thought a lot about coming back to California at some point. Then kind of out of the blue, there was an opening at Sonoma Raceway to run the track out here. So it kind of seemed like a dream come true to marry up my previous NASCAR experience with this new opportunity. RR: As far as your sports marketing career goes, what is it that brought you into that? Gregory: You know, I always liked sports growing up. We were a really athletic family: I play tennis, my sisters played, and my dad and uncles were really into sports. And I thought, wow, this would be really fun to have a career in, and I wasn't quite sure how to go about it. So I ended up finding an entry-level job in an agency in San Francisco. And just networked and built relationships, one opportunity led to another. Those agency jobs early on in your career kind of give you a little bit of a taste of everything so I knew that sports was a place I wanted to stay. Once I got in, I kind of just tried to build my network. You keep building strong relationships, then you can kind of fall back on those when you want to make your next leap and I was able to do that when I joined NASCAR. RR: Knowing that there's no place like home, you said you wanted to return at some point - was this a long-term goal of yours that you'd always wanted? To come back home and stay for a long time? Or maybe retire at home? Gregory: I honestly don't know if I put as much thought into it. I'm the type to set goals, but not that far. I think honestly, COVID, like it did for many people, kind of made me look at the lifestyle, which is amazing at NASCAR, but you're always on the road and we weren't able to do a lot of that in 2020. So, usually in a typical year working at NASCAR, we would be in California for the Sonoma race, in California for the Auto Club race and out to Phoenix, where I was always able to kind of tack on some days here and there to visit with my family, interact with my college roommates, go on girls’ weekends, and all of that. It just allowed for that. When COVID hit, it was like wow, some of that flexibility kind of seems counterintuitive but was taken away because we were really locked in Charlotte and Daytona Beach, trying to figure out if we were going to continue racing and kind of keep the sport afloat. It brought it to the forefront a little bit more prominently that, hey, this might be a chance and a time to go back to California. I always love coming back here but you would have had to bid for the right opportunity and this was the right opportunity. RR: Going back to what you said about not planning so far in advance, your predecessor stayed at Sonoma for three decades. Are we to somewhat expect you to be there that long, or just until the work is done? Gregory: I don't know about that. I think that was probably a different time. You know, he was here for quite some time. And look, I am looking out on the track right now. The hills are starting to turn from green to gold. I live in the town of Sonoma, where I can kind of ride my bike around. I mean, it's a beautiful setting. Right now, I'm just getting my feet wet, just getting started. So, not sure I can commit to being here in 30 years but, I'm enjoying it while I'm doing it right now, and it's everything I hoped it would be. RR: I'm going to move on to talking a little bit about you coming in during 2021, dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and some of those restrictions. What improvements and accommodations were made to prepare for the 2021 return, given the restrictions and limitations that you did have? Gregory: It was down to the wire at a couple of points whether Sonoma County was going to allow us to have a race at all with fans. So we were doing at this point last year, a ton of contingency planning. Planning for no fans, planning for reduced capacity. Even at one point, talked to NASCAR about, if California says we can't have the race at all, what would we do? That was never really on the table, but you had to plan for it. I think it made, although we had a reduced capacity, it made the planning probably a little more challenging just because we didn't know which way it was going to go. When we did get the nod that we were going to have a reduced capacity, we needed to work on all the protocols. All the protocols that NASCAR had put in place to make sure an event is safe, all the state of California protocols: entries, exits, screening for fans, mask policy, social distancing. It seems like such a long time ago, but, decals, stickers and signage, and all the things that we had to do to make sure that we were in compliance. So there was a level of complexity probably to it that we don't have this year but on the flip side, we have full capacity for the first time in four years. So that's a different set of circumstances, that's us going to all the different areas of the property that don't get used all the time. You know, we're busy at this track almost 365 days a year, but not all of the areas of the track are in use. We need to make sure that all of the areas that fans are going to interact with, where the competitors are going to be, that we're ready, that we've blown the dust off, that we're ready to host people. So that's really what we're in the thick of right now. RR: Now that you are welcoming fans back at full capacity, what is the fan expected to see? Gregory: Well, there's gonna be a couple of things that we want to make sure that fans can see. One is, a lot of on-track action. Sonoma is one of the premier road courses on the NASCAR circuit. There's always an exciting race here. On Sunday with our NASCAR Cup Series drivers, there's a ton of action. So that's a given. But on Saturday's events, we have a full jam-packed day full of racing. Not only did we have reduced capacity last year, but for NASCAR, none of the series had practice and qualifying so that will be back. Fans will be able to see the cup drivers on-track on Saturday and we also have an ARCA Menards series race in the morning starting at 11:30. That's our local series where we have a ton of local stars that participate ,and then to cap off the day, we have the Camping World Truck Series here for the first time since 1998. The race fans in California love the truck series. We have a lot of history here but we haven't had that series in quite some time. Saturday will be an amazing day of racing but we also kind of owe our fans the best experience possible. Do they have all of the activities? Entertainment? We're doing a camper appreciation party, we're having concerts each night or afternoon, different fan amenities sprinkled throughout the facility rather than just in one area of the paddock. Fans are going to see activity across the entire spectrum of the facility, which I think will be something different than in years past. RR: Last year, there were the TransAm races that Mike Joy participated in and that was really fun but will we ever see that again in the same weekend? Is that something that you might consider bringing back on the same weekend? Gregory: We definitely would look at that. It didn't quite work out, just the way the scheduling worked but we talked to the organizers of that and the fans love it, seeing the cars out there, Mike Joy in a driver suit instead of a suit in the booth is always fun, it was a huge fan favorite. We just couldn't work it out with all of the on-track activity this year but we may look at tacking it onto an early part of the weekend and kind of keeping that going. Nothing's off the table in terms of bringing them back. We loved having them here. RR: As an outsider looking in, Sonoma isn't exactly synonymous with NASCAR,… so is Sonoma a stop on the schedule to entertain a specific demographic or reach out to a newer demographic that maybe people aren't thinking about? There's this idea of the generalized fan base, but people don't typically think of Sonoma, wine country and then, that idea of who the NASCAR fan is. So who is the target market for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 weekend in Sonoma and what does this fanbase want? Gregory: Yeah, so it's really great. It's not completely unique to us, but our setting makes us - it's probably more acute or more of a focus - but I think what NASCAR and all tracks are doing is trying to get as many people to enjoy NASCAR as possible. That's always going to be a great mix between your core fans who love you and come to every race, and we've got our fan database where we know that certain fans have bought tickets for the last 20 years, we love them. We want to keep them engaged but we also have the opportunity to build a bigger, larger, more diverse, younger fan base. San Francisco and the Bay Area market is a great place to do that. What we have to do from a marketing standpoint is cater our communications to both audiences. The great thing about the rise of social media and digital is that it really gives us the tools to do that. While NASCAR and Sonoma might not be synonymous, we're actually a great beneficiary of the fact that it's a destination where you can get your racing fix, and enjoy that if you're a core fan. You can also have an amazing dinner or a great wine tasting tour on the front or back end of your weekend, like you said. It's a place where a fan in the Bay Area, maybe San Jose or in a market north of here might not be as familiar, and it gives them a chance to try it in a market where, hey, I'm gonna go to the race, but I'm also going to tie in some wine tasting too. I think it kind of gives us a little bit of a leg up because we've got the ability to offer a little something different to each of the segments of fans we want to reach. I think that's really what we're going to be focusing on. RR: What does the emerging new era of NASCAR look like to you? Gregory: Well, it's a great question because it's something that we worked on and I know are still being worked on at NASCAR over the past several years and it was definitely a stated goal: o get the fan base younger, more diverse again, and like I said, to expose as many fans to NASCAR that we all love and show how great it is. I think you mentioned being at this race last year. When you see it, it's very hard to describe if you're not here in person. S, it's just how do we continue to expose NASCAR to as many fans as possible? I think there's been some really good progress in that area. NASCAR launched the NextGen car, which has put the team ownership and the competitiveness of the sport at the forefront. You've got new teams and established teams competing week in and week out, which adds to the excitement. You've got different levels of talent on the racetrack, which is fantastic. You've got diverse drivers that are running up front that are winning. I was involved in a group called driver services. It was driver star power at that time, but we did a ton of research on what makes a fan attracted to a driver. And yes, it's hometown, or geography, or hey, I like their personality, but almost always it was winning. If more drivers win, then there's more chances and opportunities for a fan to start following them. I think what NASCAR has been doing the past couple years has expanded the field, the competitiveness, and the younger drivers are making their move. This core of talent that NASCAR has is really positioning everybody for success. That is bringing new eyeballs to the sport and when you have Bubba Wallace running a race or Daniel Suárez in on a competitive team, and there's a chance for drivers to look like the rest of the population that's just going to be great for NASCAR's growth. It's really fun for me to see the fruits of all of that labor come to bear this year, because the momentum is really high, the racing is the best it's ever been. All of these different drivers are running up front and have a chance to win. So I think everything is aligned for a great year for NASCAR. RR: There's been much talk about demand for short tracks in the past amongst a lot of most loyal fans, and it looks like it's been remedied for the most part, along with a host of other aspects. With what we've witnessed during The Clash at The Coliseumall went well, but the popularity of road courses seems to have emerged too. First off, what are your thoughts on the success of the Clash and can you tell me more about the emergence of road courses on the schedule? Gregory: That was another great thing, to see it move from a bullet point and a PowerPoint deck on here's an idea to transform that facility. I was there and saw, talk about fans that had never experienced NASCAR before. There were so many new fans that were 'eyes wide open' looking at the spectacle of NASCAR and trying it for the first time, and understanding kind of how cool it is. And hey, this is such a great event, and yes, the racing was good and it was different, it was just a great buzz. That's what people are looking for. They're looking for an experience and something that they haven't done before. I think that kind of flows in a little bit to the second part of your question, which is road courses and variety. I think that some years back, there was kind of a thought that the schedule should be very similar and very predictable. And there should be these set days, or dates for each track and the fans wanted to rely on that. I think that, with the rise of social media and short attention spans, your fans want variety and excitement. That's what a road course provides, it's different from what they see. Week in and week out, it's different physically at the track, because every turn is not the same. There's more chances for action in different areas of the track. I think what you're seeing with the resurgence of the road courses is the drivers have gotten better at it, they embrace it. If they like it, then fans like it. I think the road course, where it used to be a track that a driver didn't want to come to, is now one that many drivers look forward to. I think we saw some great racing earlier this year at COTA in Austin, which really bodes well for the action that we're going to see here at Sonoma. RR: The Clash was the first time that I had seen a hip-hop artist perform at a racetrack. Even coming to Las Vegas, it's pretty consistent with the entertainment that they have. There are names that I'm completely unfamiliar with because I don't necessarily listen to country. I've just wondered if you were part of having Ice Cube perform because I heard that you were also a huge fan of old school hip-hop and was that old-school enough for you? Gregory: Oh, no. I can't say that I had a say in the final decision because I was already here by then. But I will say that the team at NASCAR better give me some credit for even considering it because I had said many times like, "Guys, let's bring in - let's just jazz this thing up a bit. Let's shake it up.” The fact that when one of my buddies that's still at NASCAR called and told me that told me,"We got Cube for The Clash!" and I'm like, "Oh, my God, finally!"I think that everything needs to work for that marketplace that they're in but I couldn't think of a better fit. It just was so fun to be there and see that come to life. Yes, I am an old-school hip hop fan and that was a proud day for me. RR: We were talking about the road courses and COTA, and NASCAR visits World Wide Technology Raceway the weekend before Sonoma. Keeping in mind that they're adding all these new tracks, how do you maintain the presence of being in the hierarchy of road courses throughout the NASCAR schedule? Gregory: A couple of guys here have said that on our team, and I said, well, look, here's the deal. We're in Sonoma, so I think we get a leg up no matter what. I mean, obviously, Austin's a fun town, Watkins Glen. I love that track and that area. But we have wine country, we have these activities, the setting. I mean, the view out of my window never disappoints. Every day, the sheep are grazing on the hillside. We have a highly technical race track too, so you've got a lot of elevation in the turns. So I think that sets us apart but the fact that we're kind of sitting here, right in the gateway of Sonoma Valley and San Francisco and I see the Golden Gate Bridge in your photo, we're just uniquely positioned location-wise that even if we didn't have the best road course, I think we would be the best location. I think we'll continue to leverage that and make sure that we get to the best of both worlds, which is Sonoma Valley and San Francisco combined with NASCAR racing, which doesn't seem like an obvious pairing, but when you're out here, it makes all the sense in the world. RR: Are there any plans for an official wine for the NASCAR race at Sonoma? If not, and if it were up to you, what varietal would it be? What taste notes are you expecting and what would it pair well with? Gregory: Ah, very good question. So there are no plans for an official line. I'll tell you the reason behind that is a couple of things. One, there are some vineyards right outside the office here but, for whatever reason, this particular plot of land on these hills is the only one within eyeshot where my eyes can see that doesn't have vineyards on it. So we are kind of in a unique position where grapes don't grow very well on our side of the hill. So one, if we wanted an official wine that was produced here, we just don't have the luck in order to do that, and two, if we wanted to, probably go to a partner and do that. What we can do here, is go to a partner with all of the big-name wineries and even the small boutique wineries, and have all different wines served out here. I think we'll probably try to stay a little agnostic so we can have different winemakers and different varietals. If I had to pick a wine as my personal favorite, I like California sparkling. There's a really nice Rose at Domaine Carneros. I do enjoy the bubbles. If I had to choose a more traditional varietal, I would go with a Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. And there's so many good ones to choose from here that I probably get myself into trouble every weekend if I do a tasting tour. So, so many different ones. But you know, if I had to make one choice, it's going to be Rose bubbles with a great wine and cheese plate of Sonoma County cheeses.

PRESS RELEASE | - Photo Courtesy, NASCARplates.com DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - (June 9, 2022) – NASCAR fans in California will soon have an opportunity to purchase specialty license plates that proclaim their love of the sport. Even better, proceeds from those plates will be put to good use. In partnership with the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA), NASCAR has created specialty license plates that will generate important funds for California’s Outdoors for All initiative and The NASCAR Foundation. Outdoors for All expands outdoor access for all Californians, while The NASCAR Foundation works tirelessly to improve lives of children in NASCAR communities. And given NASCAR’s vast involvement from Los Angeles to the Bay Area, the new NASCAR California license plates will do a lot of good in the Golden State. “This is a wonderful way for NASCAR fans in California to not only show their love of NASCAR, but also make a tremendous impact,” said Nichole Krieger, executive director of The NASCAR Foundation. “This initiative aligns with The NASCAR Foundation’s mission, and we’re excited to provide opportunities for greater access for Californians to the natural wonders of their state.” The new NASCAR license plates can be personalized and ordered online at nascarplates.com . Californians can also sign up for the new plates this weekend at Sonoma Raceway, where the NASAR Cup Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will be in action. Fans will also notice the new plates on the Toyota TRD Camry pace car this weekend at Sonoma Raceway as it leads the field to green for Sunday’s Toyota / Save Mart 350, live on FS1. “Putting the new NASCAR license plates on cars will help kids and adults from all our communities get outdoors and improve their physical, emotional, and mental health,” said California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “Launching these specialty plates gives NASCAR fans a way to support racing, outdoor activities, and California parks.” To learn more about the California Natural Resources Agency, visit resources.ca.gov . To learn more about the NASCAR Foundation, please visit www.nascarfoundation.org/ .