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Press Release Daytona Beach, Florida – AdventHealth and Trackhouse Entertainment Group are joining forces in 2022 to field the No. 1 AdventHealth Chevrolet Camaro for driver Ross Chastain in six NASCAR Cup Series races including the season-opening DAYTONA 500 – the sport’s premier event. The 64th annual race is the highlight of DAYTONA Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth. The blue and green AdventHealth paint scheme will appear on Chastain’s No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro at the DAYTONA 500 on Feb. 20, Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 20, Bristol Motor Speedway on April 17, Kansas Speedway on May 15, Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 29 and Road America on July 3. The announcement came Tuesday in Daytona Beach as the Cup Series drivers tested the sport’s new Next Gen cars at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the DAYTONA 500. With 50 hospitals in almost a dozen states, racetracks like Daytona, Charlotte, Kansas and Atlanta are all located within an AdventHealth market and nearby facility. “As a Florida native, I couldn’t be happier to have AdventHealth join us at Trackhouse Racing,” said Chastain who has worked with AdventHealth the past two seasons. “I have gotten to know the AdventHealth people over the last few years and learned about the important work they are doing for my home state as well as many of the race markets we visit.” In addition to the race team sponsorship, AdventHealth has enjoyed a relationship Daytona International Speedway since 2014. As the Official Healthcare Provider of Daytona International Speedway, AdventHealth cares for more than 1,000 patients each year on-site. In the event of an emergency, there are 11 AdventHealth ambulances, two care centers and nine first aid stations standing ready to care for drivers and fans. “We’re very proud to continue our support of NASCAR and Ross Chastain by partnering with Trackhouse Racing for the 2022 season,” said David Banks, chief strategy and organizational transformation officer for AdventHealth. “Our team members are also excited to once again care for drivers and fans at Daytona International Speedway during Speedweeks and all season long.” The AdventHealth injector – or gate entrance – at the track is a 20,000-square-foot-oasis. The hospital system’s injector features messages of health, well-being and wholeness, as well as interactive games that naturally tie the sport of racing to health and wellness, testing race fans’ hand-eye coordination – a vital skill on the racetrack.

Press Release KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (Jan. 11, 2022) – As Kevin Harvick embarks on his 22nd year in the NASCAR Cup Series, a familiar brand rejoins the driver of the No. 4 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) in 2022. Rheem, America’s No. 1 water heating brand and major air conditioning and heating manufacturer, is commemorating its 15th anniversary in racing, and as a part of the celebration, Rheem will partner with Harvick and the No. 4 team for three NASCAR Cup Series races. Harvick will drive the No. 4 Rheem Ford Mustang March 6 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, May 8 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway and Sept. 11 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City. The pairing reunites Rheem with Harvick, a relationship that began in 2007 when Harvick won the Daytona 500 in dramatic fashion, beating NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin for the victory by .02 of a second in a frantic green-white-checkered finish. It led to Rheem serving as a primary partner for Harvick’s NASCAR Xfinity Series team, Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI), in 2008. “Kevin Harvick helped launch Rheem Racing and through KHI, Kevin played a prominent role in Rheem realizing value in the sport and progressively moving up to the NASCAR Cup Series,” said Ed Raniszeski, executive director, Rheem motorsports. “Kevin’s long history with Rheem and his great rapport with Rheem customers makes this a very welcome homecoming. NASCAR has been an increasingly valuable platform for Rheem and we hope this reunion serves as our way of thanking racing fans for supporting Rheem and all sponsors who showcase their brands and believe in the power and future of NASCAR.” Rheem’s debut with KHI came on May 2, 2008 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway where Harvick finished second in the Lipton Tea 250. Harvick delivered Rheem its first victory as a primary sponsor on Feb. 27, 2010 when he won the Sam’s Town 300 at Las Vegas. Rheem aligned as a primary partner with Harvick in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2011 and stayed with him through the 2013 season before Harvick joined SHR in 2014. “It’s been 15 years since we first started working with Rheem and it’s great to be back with them,” Harvick said. “The NASCAR fan is their customer, and we’ve worked really hard to understand that relationship to ensure Rheem gets a good return on its investment. This year kind of throws it back to how it all began with Rheem being a primary sponsor on one of my racecars. I’m proud to carry their colors again in 2022.” Harvick is the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion and he is also a two-time Xfinity Series champion (2001 and 2006). He has 119 points-paying victories across NASCAR’s top-three national touring series – Cup (58 wins), Xfinity (47 wins) and Camping World Truck (14 wins). Harvick’s season kicks off with the non-points Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum Feb. 5-6 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before the official start of the 2022 campaign with the 64th annual Daytona 500 Feb. 20 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

Press Release - Photo Source : Richard Childress Racing DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 11, 2022) – 3CHI, a company focused on innovation within hemp-based consumer products, is teaming up for a groundbreaking partnership with Richard Childress Racing, Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 NASCAR Cup Series team in 2022, the two organizations announced today. This is a significant partnership for both organizations as it marks the first category-specific team partnership in NASCAR and first hemp-based consumer brand sponsorship across all major professional sports. The partnership will kick off with the DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, February 20 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Tyler Reddick will drive the No. 8 3CHI Chevrolet Camaro in the Great American Race, as well as a significant number of races during the 2022 season as part of the multi-race, multi-year partnership. “This is a unique opportunity to leverage a team partnership with one of the most iconic and innovative teams in NASCAR to help introduce 3CHI’s vast array of products to a passionate and dedicated fan base,” said Justin Journay, founder and chief executive officer of 3CHI. “We’re looking forward to working with Richard Childress Racing to tap into the excitement of the sport and new Next Gen car, unique activation opportunities and technology involved.” 3CHI focuses on bringing natural science and new innovation to the hemp industry and has earned thousands of consumer testimonials to their benefit and enjoyment of 3CHI products. 3CHI produces products made by the industry’s best scientists, using the highest quality natural and organic hemp. Everything produced by 3CHI follows all federal requirements for full legal compliance. 3CHI’s production and distribution of its products strictly adhere to a policy of safety above all else and sales are for responsible adult use only to consumers aged 21 and older. “This is a first-of-its kind partnership, both within motorsports and within the sports industry as a whole,” said Torrey Galida, president of Richard Childress Racing. “We’re proud of our role as industry leaders in this category and look forward to introducing a pioneer in hemp-based consumer products to NASCAR, as well as educating fans about 3CHI’s innovative, science-based products.”

ROSEVILLE, Calif. (Jan. 11, 2022) – McAnally-Hilgemann Racing is launching into 2022 with major changes, as the team advances its NASCAR Camping World Truck Series program. MHR, entering its third full season in the series, is expanding to a two-truck operation and is aligning with Chevrolet as it fields Chevrolet Silverados beginning this season. The team has moved into a 57,000-square-foot shop that is part of the GMS Racing operation in Statesville, North Carolina – as part of an alliance that has been formed between the two teams. “This is a great opportunity to be part of Chevrolet’s racing program in the Camping World Truck Series and to work with a team the caliber of GMS Racing,” said team co-owner Bill McAnally. “We’re excited to make these advances as we build and expand our operation with a second full-time truck.” Derek Kraus – a 20-year-old from Stratford, Wisconsin – will continue with the team, driving the No. 19 MHR Chevrolet Silverado. Colby Howard, also 20, of Simpsonville, South Carolina, has joined the team and will drive the No. 91 MHR Chevrolet Silverado. MHR announced that Gates Corporation is coming on board and will serve as the primary sponsor on that entry. Mark Hillman, who joined the team last year and served as crew chief with Kraus on the No. 19, becomes the team manager and will also be Howard’s crew chief on the No. 91. Champion NASCAR crew chief Shane Wilson has come on board at MHR to serve as the crew chief for Kraus in the No. 19. Wilson first worked for McAnally as a crew chief just over 20 years ago, on a team that won back-to-back championships with driver Brendan Gaughan in what was then the NASCAR Winston West Series. The team advanced to the truck series – with Gaughan scoring two victories and winning the rookie title in 2002 and adding six more wins in 2003, while finishing fourth in the championship standings. The new MHR shop is located on the GMS campus; in close proximity to facilities such as the chassis dyno, fabrication shop and body and paint shop – providing easy access to key resources, as part of the new alliance. Engineers from the two teams are working together in that relationship, as well. The GMS Racing campus includes the operations for Petty GMS Motorsports, a two-car, full-time NASCAR Cup Series team formed in 2021. “This is an amazing opportunity for us,” McAnally said. “We were confident going into this alliance that it would be very beneficial for MHR. A meeting we had with GMS owner Maury Gallagher bolstered that confidence even more. “We look forward to working with Mike Beam, Tom Ackerman and Bill Wheeler, along with Summer English,” McAnally said. “They have made this a great move for MHR to have our own facility at the GMS complex.” McAnally noted the success GMS Racing has had since it was formed in 2012. GMS Racing has won five titles across multiple series, including the 2016 and 2020 Camping World Truck Series championship. “We have great respect for what GMS Racing has accomplished,” McAnally said. “We’re working hard to achieve that kind of success, as we contend for wins and championships in the Camping World Truck Series.” In making the expansion to a two-truck operation, MHR has purchased equipment from GMS – including 13 Chevrolet Silverados that were raced in competition last year. McAnally’s history with Chevrolet can be traced back to the start of Bill McAnally Racing, when McAnally raced in local divisions at All American Speedway in Roseville, California. He captured his first NASCAR championship in a Chevrolet – winning the late model division title in NASCAR’s Weekly Racing Series at Roseville in 1990. McAnally moved up to the NASCAR Winston West Series, which became the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West and later came under the ARCA banner. Overall, BMR has won 11 NASCAR K&N West/ARCA West championships – a record for the series and for NASCAR Regional Touring overall – and scored 106 overall wins in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series/ARCA Menards Series. McAnally-Hilgemann Racing was formed at the beginning of 2020, when McAnally partnered with Bill and Mona Hilgemann to field an entry in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on a full-time basis, with Kraus as the driver. Prior to that, Kraus had raced for BMR three seasons in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West – winning the series championship in 2019.

By AJ Appeal An emotional, but confident driver sat in the bleachers of his most successful track to announce what many fans had debated over the last few seasons. Tampa Florida's Aric Almirola announced in a recent youtube video (seen below) that after nearly two decades competing as a nationally sanctioned stock-car racer, he now feels that it is time to be with his family. “I want to be present. I want to be the best husband and father, and that to me means more than being a racecar driver. So, it’s one more year where I’m all in on racing, where we’ll do whatever it takes to compete at the highest level. But when the season is over, I’ll be ready to wave goodbye. I’ve loved every minute of it, but it’s time for the next chapter of my life.”, said Almirola. Almirola is currently entering his 5th career season with premiere organization Stewart-Haas Racing, a team where he was the only racer to win the previous 2021 campaign. Almirola has led most of his personal best statistic categories while driving for SHR. He finished a career-high fifth in points in 2018 and scored a career-best 18 top-10 finishes in 2020.It's feats like that that make him remember his roots. He continued in his video to emphasize that the start of his career he wasn't the driver...but the fan. “I made it to the highest level of American motorsports as a professional racecar driver. It’s been amazing, with a lot of ups and downs and everything in between. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. But I’m ready to go back to being a fan.” Almirola will once again drive the #10 Ford Mustang with large sponsorship anchoring from Smithfield foods in 2022. Smithfield has announced they will continue to support the program after his departure in the 2023 season.

(Daytona Beach Florida - Photos Submitted by Daniel Foster - RacingRefresh.com)

HARRISBURG, N.C. (January 6, 2022) - - It’s a new year, a new body and a sweet new sponsor for JTG Daugherty Racing’s No. 47 Camaro ZL1. It’s a natural fit that Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will be sponsored by the award-winning and all-natural sweetener SweetLeaf® during the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series as the stevia company continues to bring healthier choices to the world. “JTG Daugherty Racing is bringing new sponsors to our sport this season and we are very happy to add SweetLeaf to our Kroger Racing family of brands,” said Stenhouse, who has two victories, three pole awards, 19 top-five and 40 top-10 career finishes in the NASCAR Cup Series. “My fiancé Madyson and I are health conscious, and this is a perfect brand to represent as we continue to make good choices that benefit our overall well-being. We look forward to amplifying their brand message and seeing them on the car for the first time at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March.” As JTG Daugherty Racing celebrates the new partnership, SweetLeaf Sweetener Brand is celebrating 40 years in business. SweetLeaf has a list of accolades that include winning 38 awards for taste and innovation. Now, they want to add a NASCAR trophy to their award’s case with Stenhouse and his team. “NASCAR and JTG Daugherty Racing are an excellent addition to our marketing partnerships in 2022 that will continue to bring awareness of our award-winning line of stevia and monk fruit SweetLeaf products, additionally, Stenhouse will be a wonderful brand ambassador for SweetLeaf®,” said Brian Jensen, Director, Marketing & E-Commerce for Wisdom Natural Brands®, maker of SweetLeaf Sweeteners. As SweetLeaf spotlights their 40th anniversary, Stenhouse begins his third season with JTG Daugherty Racing. The two-time NASCAR Cup Series winner looks to add to his 40 top-10s and earn a spot in the playoffs for SweetLeaf’s anniversary. “This season is going to be the sweetest one,” said Stenhouse. “We’ve got a lot of tracks circled and feel good about our chances to make the playoffs this season. We couldn’t do it without great partners like SweetLeaf. We are proud that they chose us to deliver their brand messaging to 70 million brand loyal fans! It’s also an honor to bring a new brand like SweetLeaf into NASCAR. It’s really sweet.” About WISDOM NATURAL BRANDS®, maker of SweetLeaf® Sweetener and SweetLeaf® Organic Monk Fruit Sweetener Wisdom Natural Brands®, based in Gilbert, Arizona, has been the leading stevia expert and industry pioneer with its plant-based SweetLeaf® Sweetener brand celebrating 40 years in business. SweetLeaf has won 38 awards for taste and innovation. SweetLeaf products are available in granular and liquid forms, in many flavors. SweetLeaf Sweeteners have zero calories, zero sugars, a non-glycemic response, and no artificial ingredients. SweetLeaf Sweeteners and Wisdom of the Ancients' products are available at: SweetLeaf.com, health food stores, natural groceries, supermarkets, and online retailers.

Many of you have been asking about Matt Dibenedetto's future, and we can officially report his newest announcement. Centerville TN is where Rackley W.A.R Racing calls home, and in 2022, Dibenedetto will as well. He has agreed to drive under a full-time contract with the racing team in their number 5 Chevrolet Silverado. “I may be telling my age, I don’t know. I forget that I’ve been doing this stuff so long,” said DiBenedetto, upon being announced as the full-time driver of Rackley W.A.R.’s No. 25 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chevrolet Silverado for the 2022 racing season. “We are honored to have Matt DiBenedetto join Rackley W.A.R. full-time for the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season driving the number 25 Chevrolet. We feel that by teaming Matt up with experienced crew chief Chad Kendrick, we will be competing for multiple wins and be competitive at all race tracks. I truly believe that the NASCAR Truck Series is the most exciting, and I am looking forward to getting the season started.” Dibenedetto provided comments on his excitement as he enters a new chapter in his racing career. “We are honored to have Matt DiBenedetto join Rackley W.A.R. full-time for the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season driving the number 25 Chevrolet. We feel that by teaming Matt up with experienced crew chief Chad Kendrick, we will be competing for multiple wins and be competitive at all race tracks. I truly believe that the NASCAR Truck Series is the most exciting, and I am looking forward to getting the season started.” NASCAR has never won a race in NASCAR's top 3 series, but that doesn't mean he won't find success in the new ride, he earned 9 top 5's in the Cup Series over the last three years and we have found several examples of other drivers earning their way back up in recent years. His first race will take place at Daytona in February.

As we continue to celebrate our relaunch and new look, Racing Refresh has committed to promoting not only motorsports themed content, but events and campaigns within the automotive industry in general. During the winter it can be hard to find interactive and entertaining online content, but we think we have you covered with this new feature. Introducing 'Barrett-Jackson: Off The Block". This will be linked throughout our site all week long during the upcoming Scottsdale Arizona auction. We will provide links to highlight coverage from History Channel, a live docket for you to review the sale price of every single car that passes for sale, and more! Stay tuned for our upcoming 'unofficial' collector car media. It's gonna be a blast!

One of the final pieces of the 2022 NASCAR roster puzzle has been placed. 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion Ryan Preece and Stewart-Haas Racing announced this morning that he would be representing the team as a reserve driver throughout the 2022 season. “Ryan is a versatile wheelman with a racer’s mentality who fits extremely well within our culture at Stewart-Haas Racing,” said Greg Zipadelli, vice president of competition, SHR. “Between the amount of testing and development work we’re doing with the NextGen car this year, his added insights and time in the simulator will make us better by allowing us to learn faster. It should be noted that Preece is represented by Kevin Harvick's management team and won a race in David Gilliland Racing's Ford F-150 in 2021. According to the press release, Preece will run a total of 12 races – two in Cup, three in Xfinity and seven in Truck. His Cup and Xfinity Series races will be in coordination with SHR and its technical alliance partners. His Truck Series starts will come with David Gilliland Racing. His Cup starts will take place at Dover on May 1st and Charlotte on May 29th. “This is a unique setup, but I feel like it provides me with the best opportunity to win races and contribute to a championship-caliber team while expanding my racing experience,” said Preece, who spent the last three seasons (2019-2021) competing fulltime in Cup. “I’m a racer, and Stewart-Haas Racing is a team built by racers. They measure success by wins. Whether I’m in the simulator, in one of their cars, or in a Ford Mustang or Ford F-150 for another team, I’m here to help SHR and Ford win.”

(Press Release) Oka, (Quebec, Canada) - January 5, 2022. Thomas Nepveu is eager to get back behind the wheel over the two coming weekend aboard top-level karts where he is aiming for podium results every time out. The new season, his 10th in karting, will be a reprise of his 2021 season, when he took part in 18 top-level SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) and ROK Cup USA (ROK) kart races even while changing support teams, kart manufacturer and engine supplier midway through the season. “I'm super excited to get back to racing so quickly after our excellent result at the last race of the 2021 season and I expect that we will be competitive right from the start of the season. I know that the kart is quick at Homestead as that machine has already won there. We have some work to do for Pompano Beach to find one or two tenths of a second in order to move up to the lead pack and go for a solid top-5 finish or better. We know the kart will be good, we just need to work harder and find that extra speed in a very competitive field,” said the young professional driver ready to apply 2021’s lessons and learn new one in this coming season. Thomas Nepveu and his Sporting Manager, Coy Arbour, worked hard in practice sessions and in races to make the team into a competitive entity in the latter part of the season after discovering the characteristics of their new Kart Republic machine and engines in the X30 Senior class, the most competitive one in top level kart racing in America. The team closed out the season on a promising note, as Thomas Nepveu won two qualifying Heat races and finished 5th in his last kart race of the season, against an entry of more than 80 kart in his class. The young driver plans to participate in at least 11 kart races over the coming season, starting over the next two weekends with the SuperKarts! USA “Winter Series” in the X30 Senior class (January 8 to 10, two rounds - SKUSA) and followed with the ROK Cup USA “Florida Winter Tour” in the ROK Senior class (January 15 to 17). His program in the USF2000 series has already been announced separately.

(Press Release) MOORESVILLE, N.C.: Rette Jones Racing (RJR) announced today that professional race car driver Amber Balcaen has joined the organization to campaign a full season ARCA Menards Series championship effort beginning at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on Feb. 19, 2022. Canadian-based ICON Direct will continue its support of Balcaen and join her at Rette Jones Racing for the 20-race schedule from February to October 2022. Balcaen, also a Canadian native is a third-generation race car driver who made history in 2016 when she became the first Canadian female to win a NASCAR-sanctioned race in the United States of America. The Winnipeger’s new endeavor at Rette Jones Racing will also be supported by Glenn McLeod and Sons – cementing a full Canadian roster of partners for her ARCA Menards Series rookie season. “It is really special for me as a Canadian competing in the United States to be representing all Canadian companies on my car with Rette Jones Racing,” said Balcaen. “To have the hometown support is amazing. I couldn’t do this without them.” ICON Direct is a manufacturer of high-quality plastic component parts for the RV industry, located in Manitoba, Canada. ICON aftermarket replacement parts are available through RV Dealers and Distributors across North America and directly through their website IconDirect.com. “We are excited to be a returning sponsor of Amber Balcaen in NASCAR’s ARCA Menards Series,” added John Loewen, CEO of ICON Technologies Limited. “I resonate with Amber’s underdog story. She has a really bright future as a professional race car driver and is a great brand ambassador for ICON.” Balcaen expands her ARCA Menards Series footprint after competing in a limited ARCA Menards Series West schedule last season upon her successful and impressive participation in Bill McAnally Racing’s Drivers Academy, a driver development program. She earned a career-best 11th place finish at Irwindale Speedway in Irwindale, Calif. This season, Balcaen with the leadership of former ARCA championship crew chief and co-owner Mark Rette has huge ambitions to not only continue the team’s winning ways in 2022 but captative the series with her determination to contend for the series championship. “Racing in NASCAR’s national ARCA Menards Series has always been my dream,” she said. “To compete at historic tracks like Daytona and Talladega is something I have visualized for years. I have dedicated the last eight years, working hard to make this dream become reality and I cannot be more excited to live it.” Rette is looking forward to having another female competitor under the Rette Jones Racing umbrella. From 2016 to 2020, Canadian Dominique Van Wieringen piloted a Rette Jones Racing entry in the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series East, including a championship East season in 2016. “Everyone at Rette Jones Racing is excited about the 2022 ARCA Menards Series season,” he said. “As a company, we are thrilled to return to the premier ARCA Menards Series on a full-time basis and we look forward to the opportunity to strengthen Amber’s craft as a driver in a series that has always provided a lot of diversity. “Our goals for the season are obtainable and we look forward to producing the results we know that we are capable of and giving Amber a shot at the ARCA Menards Series championship.” Longtime RJR partners Ford Performance, Goodridge Fluid Transfer Systems , Jones Group Demolition and Abatement and JRi Shocks will continue their relationship with the team in 2022 and serve as associate partners on Balcaen’s No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion. Balcaen, 29, will make her Rette Jones Racing debut by participating in the ARCA Menards Series annual pre-season test at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway from January 14 – 15, 2022. RJR is co-owned by Canadian entrepreneur and former race car driver Terry Jones. Additional details on Rette Jones Racing’s 2022 season, including an announcement for development driver and ARCA Menards Series East winner Max Gutiérrez, is forthcoming. For more on Amber Balcaen, please visit amberbalcaenracing.com, like her on Facebook (AmberBalcaenRacing) and follow her on Instagram (@amberbalcaen10) and Twitter (@amberbalcaen10). For more on Rette Jones Racing, please visit RetteJonesRacing.com , like them on Facebook (Rette Jones Racing) or follow them on Twitter (@RetteJones30).

PRESS RELEASE Mike Bugarewicz Promoted to Performance Director; Drew Blickensderfer Named Crew Chief for Aric Almirola and No. 10 Team KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (Jan. 4, 2022) – Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) has bolstered its competition leadership by promoting Mike “Buga” Bugarewicz to the newly formed role of performance director and by adding Drew Blickensderfer to its crew chief lineup. Bugarewicz is an eight-year SHR veteran who has spent the past six seasons as a NASCAR Cup Series crew chief, most recently with driver Aric Almirola and the No. 10 team. Bugarewicz has won with every driver he has been paired with, including SHR co-owner Tony Stewart. His promotion to performance director merges Bugarewicz’s hands-on experience as a crew chief with his engineering mindset, as the 39-year-old from Lehighton, Pennsylvania, holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Penn State University. “With the NextGen car being brand new, there will be continuous development on it every time it turns a wheel. Going into it, we knew we needed to shore up our resources and really bolster our competitive approach. Buga is the right guy to tackle all the newness that’s coming at us pretty fast,” said Greg Zipadelli, vice president of competition, SHR. “He’s an engineer and he’s also a racer. He will be that glue between simulation, at-track reality, engineering and our race teams, and his laser-like focus in this new role of performance director will be a huge asset to our team.” With Bugarewicz’s promotion, Blickensderfer takes over as crew chief for Almirola and the No. 10 team. Blickensderfer is a NASCAR veteran who already has a history with Almirola. He served as his crew chief while together at Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) for the last few races of 2016 and then all of 2017 before Almirola departed RPM for SHR in 2018. Blickensderfer comes to SHR from Front Row Motorsports where the 45-year-old from Decatur, Illinois, won the 2021 Daytona 500 with driver Michael McDowell. It was Blickensderfer’s fourth NASCAR Cup Series victory as a crew chief. He previously guided David Ragan to a win and Matt Kenseth to two victories. “Drew has been in the sport a long time and knows how to get the best out of the people around him, and that’s really what the job of crew chief has become,” Zipadelli said. “We have the same parts and pieces, but what we do with those parts and pieces will make the difference. Drew has worked with a lot of drivers and managed a lot of people. He already has a rapport with Aric, and that will make the learning curve in a season full of learning a little less steep.” The rest of SHR’s crew chief lineup remains intact across both its NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series teams. Rodney Childers, crew chief for the No. 4 team, will begin his ninth year atop the pit box for driver Kevin Harvick. The Harvick/Childers duo is the longest-tenured active driver-crew chief pairing in the NASCAR Cup Series garage, a partnership that has netted 35 points-paying wins and the 2014 championship. John Klausmeier remains the crew chief for the No. 14 team and driver Chase Briscoe. Klausmeier helped Briscoe secure the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series rookie-of-the-year title. The 2022 season will mark Klausmeier’s fifth season as a crew chief. Similarly, Mike Shiplett remains the crew chief for the No. 41 team and driver Cole Custer. The 2022 season will be the fourth straight year Custer and Shiplett have been paired together. The duo first joined in the Xfinity Series in 2019 where Shiplett oversaw a seven-win season and a runner-up finish in the championship standings. Custer and Shiplett moved to Cup as one in 2020, with Custer handily securing the rookie-of-the-year award via his win at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta. Richard Boswell has been the main steward of SHR’s Xfinity Series program since its inception in 2017 and he will continue in that capacity in 2022. He will again serve as crew chief for driver Riley Herbst and the No. 98 team. Boswell has been the crew chief for nine of SHR’s 21 Xfinity Series wins. -SHR-

STATESVILLE, N.C. (December 7, 2021) – Maury Gallagher, owner of GMS Racing and majority owner of Richard Petty Motorsports, along with motorsports icon Richard Petty announced today the creation of Petty GMS Motorsports. The organization will field two full-time NASCAR Cup Series entries in 2022 with drivers Ty Dillon and Erik Jones and be housed at GMS Racing’s current multi-building complex in Statesville, North Carolina. “I’m very excited about this opportunity to work with Richard (Petty), arguably the greatest driver in NASCAR history, and form Petty GMS Motorsports,” Gallagher said. “Petty GMS will have a sole focus of winning. Both teams have a track record of winning and we have a strong desire to continue this legacy in a new chapter. Ty (Dillon) and Erik (Jones) have proven themselves through the years and we are looking forward to the success they will have as teammates.” Richard Petty, a member of the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame class of 2010, will serve as Chairman of the newly formed organization and remain a face of the team at the racetrack. Affectionally known as “The King,” Petty has accumulated over 200 wins, 123 poles, the most wins in a single season (27), the most Daytona 500 victories (seven), most consecutive wins (10) and was the first of three drivers to win seven championships in the NASCAR Cup Series. “Maury (Gallagher) and Mike (Beam) have built a really solid organization at GMS,” said Petty. “They’ve won a lot of races and a couple of championships in the Truck Series, and I really look forward to doing the same in the Cup Series. Maury’s commitment to competing and winning is obvious in everything he does, that’s something we really needed. The opportunity to combine our two organizations on the Cup front makes a lot of sense for all of us for a number of reasons, one of which is the talent we have between the two organizations; this will make us a lot stronger together.” To further the Petty tradition, Dillon will now drive the No. 42 – the original number Lee Petty sported from 1949-1961. The eldest Petty earned three championships and 54 wins in the No. 42. In addition, Kyle Petty raced the number from 1979-1982 and 1989-1996, with Beam as the crew chief of the No. 42 in 1981-1982. Jones will continue to pilot the iconic No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Previously announced partnerships and crew chief pairings for both Dillon and Jones will remain in place. “As for the car number for the second car, I don’t know that I can express how special it is to me personally to have the No. 42 number racing alongside the No. 43 again,” Petty continued. “I grew up watching my dad race that car, I worked on cars with that number way before I started racing. Dad had a lot of success winning races and championships with that number. Kyle drove cars and won races with the No. 42 as well. It’s really special to me that Petty GMS will be racing that car number.” Petty GMS Motorsports will be led by President Mike Beam, who will oversee the day-to-day operations. Brian Moffitt will assume the role of Executive Vice President of Sales. “Mike (Beam) will lead the effort as President of Petty GMS,” said Gallagher. “During the seven years we have been together, he has won at all levels, producing hall-of-fame numbers – five championships, 65 wins, and 41 second-place finishes. We look forward to competing at the highest level of motorsports in the NASCAR Cup Series.” GMS Racing will continue to compete full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series. Since forming in 2012, Gallagher’s organization has captured two NASCAR Truck Series championships, one ARCA Menards Series title, and two ARCA Menards Series East championships, as well as 65 wins, 235 top-five, and 427 top-10 finishes across six series. “The legacy of GMS Racing has been focused on winning and achieving high success, no matter the series,” added Beam. “Our 25-acre, three-building complex in Statesville has roughly 150,000 square feet and is equal to many current Cup shops in size and sophistication. We are ahead of most of the new Cup entrants this year because of our infrastructure. This highly functioning race shop will allow us to hit the ground running. This facility combined with our race-winning personnel gives me confidence that we can make an impact as soon as this season. I have competed in the Cup Series before and understand how things should work.” The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season kicks off at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the annual exhibition race on Sunday, February 6.

CONCORD, N.C. (Nov. 16, 2021) – Roush Fenway Racing announced today a robust rebranding strategy that will see the organization change its official name to Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing (going by RFK Racing). The team unveiled a new branding campaign and all new marks at a media luncheon at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Tuesday. The branding includes a new organizational logo structure, as well as a rebranding of the team’s iconic No. 6 mark. “We are excited about this next chapter in our team’s history,” said team president Steve Newmark. “For our whole team, it has been vitally important to spend time and energy around this process to capture the right message about who we are as we move forward as an organization.” For the rebranding, the team enlisted the services of the award-winning marketing firm RARE Design, who has handled rebranding for several major league stick and ball sports, as well as the NASCAR league rebranding. RARE conducted interviews with over 40 Roush Fenway employees, ranging from drivers, owners, board members and executives to crew members and shop employees with years of service ranging from a few months to 35-plus years. In addition, the change to the No. 6 Cup imagery is the first in two decades, signifying the team’s launch into a new era of success and performance. “After all of the interviews and evaluation of our legacy, what stood out was that our ownership group represents three fundamental pillars, and each will contribute to our success going forward,” said Newmark. “The heritage and innovation of Jack Roush, the championship swagger of Fenway Sports Group and the passion for racing of Brad Keselowski are what merges together to create RFK Racing,” added Newmark. “These principles form and drive the fundamentals of our team and the new brand, as we lay out the roadmap that will lead us into the future.” “Today’s announcement is more than a fancy new logo,” said Keselowski. “It’s an acknowledgment to our heritage, a renewed commitment to our people and a stake in the ground that says we are here to operate top-tier race teams in the sport of NASCAR for decades to come. I’m thrilled to be a part of this next chapter with Jack Roush and John Henry.” RFK Racing will field two NASCAR Cup teams in 2022, with NASCAR and perennial Cup contender Brad Keselowski taking part ownership in the team, while piloting the team’s No. 6 Ford Mustang. Chris Buescher returns to pilot the No. 17 Ford. The team announced earlier this month that veteran crew chief Matt McCall will call the shots for Keselowski and the No. 6 Team. Scott Graves will lead the No. 17 team and Buescher in 2022. The duo of Buescher and Graves combined to win the 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship and were paired together again with five races remaining in the 2021 season, scoring three finishes of 12th or better, including a pair of top 10s and a third-place finish at the Charlotte ROVAL.