Bristol Motor Speedway

Ryan Newman | Bristol I Advance

by Mike
Ryan Newman | Bristol I Advance

Food City presents the Supermarket Heroes 500 – Sunday, May 31 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

                                                                                                                                                                 

ADVANCE NOTES

NASCAR Returns to Action

  • Following four races in the Carolinas as part of NASCAR’s return to the track, the focus shifts to ‘The World’s Fastest Half Mile’ in Bristol, Tennessee, as the NASCAR Cup Series battles for 500 laps Sunday afternoon.
  • Following action at Bristol, the NCS will enjoy its first midweek off since the return before heading to Atlanta Motor Speedway on June 7 for the 10th points race of 2020.
  • Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the hiatus with races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville postponed.

 

Wednesday Recap, Sunday Preview

  • Ryan Newman found himself in the top-15 at the start of the final stage in Thursday night’s 208-lap event from Charlotte Motor Speedway, before crossing the line 17th in the Roush Performance Ford.
  • The starting lineup for Bristol will be determined by a random draw based on teams’ order in owner points. Newman and the No. 6 team are 21st in owner points, meaning he will be in the same group alongside teammate Chris Buescher to draw for starting spots 13-24.

 

Newman Historically at Bristol Motor Speedway

  • Newman makes his 37th start at Bristol on Sunday, where he carries an average finish of 15.4. He has 19 top-10 finishes overall including two top-fives.
  • Newman’s best finish at ‘The World’s Fastest Half Mile’ came in the fall of 2004 when he finished second after starting fourth. He also finished fifth in the 2015 spring event. In the last five events overall, Newman has three top-10s and an average result of 9.6.
  • The 19-year Cup Series veteran crossed the line ninth in last season’s spring event and followed that with an 11th-place run in the fall. He has an overall average starting spot of 12.2 with three career poles (2003, 2004, 2001).
  • Newman has an additional nine combined starts in the Xfinity and Truck series, winning in NXS action back in 2005. He earned the pole in the NXS in 2006 and finished 10th or better in five NXS starts overall. He recorded a fourth-place result in the No. 2 truck in 2009.

Scott Graves at Bristol Motor Speedway

  • Graves will call his ninth NCS race at Bristol on Sunday. With an overall average finish of 14.5, he led Newman to a ninth-place run in the 2019 spring race.
  • Graves also called seven Xfinity Series events at Bristol dating back to 2012, recording one top five with Chris Buescher (2015) and two additional top-10s with Buescher (2014) and Daniel Suarez (2016).

QUOTE WORTHY
Newman on racing at Bristol:
“I’m for one excited to get back to a short track and see what we’ve got at Bristol this weekend, one of my favorite tracks we go to. Our team put together a couple solid runs last year and proved we had some raw speed, so we are looking forward to improving on that this weekend. Glad to have Castrol on the car, my first race with them this season, and excited to put on a good run in our Castrol Ford.”

On the Car
Castrol returns to the No. 6 machine this weekend for its second race of 2020. The high-performance lubricant brand signed as the team’s official oil partner in January and will serve as the primary for select races in 2020.

About Castrol
Castrol, a global leader in lubricant technology, serves customers and consumers in over 140 countries in the automotive, marine, industrial and energy production sectors. Our branded products are recognized globally for innovation and high performance through our commitment to premium quality products, highly responsive services and cutting-edge technology. To find out more about Castrol products and programs, please visit www.castrol.com/us.

Views: 432
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Chris Buescher | Bristol I Advance

by Mike
Chris Buescher | Bristol I Advance

Food City presents the Supermarket Heroes 500 – Sunday, May 31 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

                                                                                                                                                                 

ADVANCE NOTES

NASCAR Returns to Action

  • Following four races in the Carolinas as part of NASCAR’s return to the track, the focus shifts to ‘The World’s Fastest Half Mile’ in Bristol, Tennessee, as the NASCAR Cup Series battles for 500 laps Sunday afternoon.
  • Following action at Bristol, the NCS will enjoy its first midweek off since the return before heading to Atlanta Motor Speedway on June 7 for the 10th points race of 2020.
  • Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the hiatus with races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville postponed.

 

Wednesday Recap, Sunday Preview

  • Track position proved to be key in Thursday’s 208-lap event at Charlotte Motor Speedway, as Chris Buescher crossed the line 22nd in his Fastenal Ford.
  • The starting lineup for Bristol will be determined by a random draw based on teams’ order in owner points. Buescher and the No. 17 team are 20th in owner points, meaning they will draw for a starting spot in positions 13-24.

 

Buescher Historically at Bristol Motor Speedway

  • Buescher will make his 10th Cup start at Bristol on Sunday. In nine prior starts, he has an average finish of 23.4 with one top-10, a fifth-place finish in the summer of 2016.
  • Buescher most recently finished 17th last summer in the No. 37 machine, and also finished top-20 a year prior (19th) in 2018.
  • He has an average starting position of 24.1, including a career-best 12th-place finish in 2016.
  • In five Xfinity Series starts at Bristol, Buescher has three top-10 runs, including a career-best third in 2015.

Luke Lambert at Bristol Motor Speedway

  • Lambert will be atop the box for his 16th NCS race at Bristol on Sunday. In 15 prior starts, he has five top-10s with a career-best fifth in the spring of 2015 with Ryan Newman. His average finish is 15th.
  • Dating back five events at ‘The World’s Fastest Half Mile,’ Lambert has finished 12th or better in all but one race, including a 12th-place run with Daniel Hemric last summer.
  • Lambert is a former winner at Bristol in the NXS, bringing home one of his four career Xfinity wins back in the 2012 spring race. He and Elliott Sadler started fourth in the No. 2 machine and led the final 36 laps for the victory.

QUOTE WORTHY
Buescher on racing at Bristol:
“I’m excited to get down to my favorite track in Bristol. The 17 crew and the guys at the shop have some good notes in years past at that track. We feel pretty good about our short track program and we’re looking forward to unloading on Sunday and proud to have SunnyD back on the car.”

On the Car
Iconic brand and thirst-quenching favorite SunnyD returns to the No. 17 machine this weekend at Buescher’s favorite track, Bristol Motor Speedway, in the brand’s second race of 2020.

About SunnyD
The iconic SunnyD® brand is owned by Harvest Hill Holdings, a Brynwood Partners owned beverage company.  The 54-year-old SunnyD® brand is a leading chilled juice drink in the U.S. In addition to the SunnyD® brand, the company markets the Juicy Juice®, Little HUG®, and Daily’s® beverage brands.  Harvest Hill’s products are widely distributed through leading retailers in the U.S. and Canada.

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Erik Jones – No. 20 STANLEY Toyota Camry Preview (NCS) – Food City Presents Supermarket Heroes 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway

by Mike
Erik Jones – No. 20 STANLEY Toyota Camry Preview (NCS) – Food City Presents Supermarket Heroes 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway

No. 20 STANLEY Toyota Camry News and Notes:

  • JONES AT BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY: Erik Jones will make his seventh NASCAR Cup Series start at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 31, 2020 for the ninth race of the 2020 season. In his previous six starts at the track, his best finish was in 2017 during his rookie season when he won his first Cup Series pole and led 260 laps before finishing second to Kyle Busch. In the Xfinity Series, Jones has six starts with two wins in 2016 and 2017. With one start at the Tennessee short track in the Truck Series, Jones has a sixth-place finish.
  • JGR AT BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY: Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has 138 total starts at Bristol Motor Speedway in Cup Series competition. In those starts, the team has earned 13 wins, 34 top-five finishes, 52 top-10 finishes and 11 pole starting positions. The team has led 5,833 laps, completed 64,391 of 68,934 attempted laps (93.4%) and earned an average start of 14.8 and an average finish of 17.3. Kyle Busch leads the team with seven wins, followed by Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth with two wins each and Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards with one win each.
  • STARTING LINEUP: With the starting lineup set by random draw, Jones will start Sunday’s race from the 15th position.
  • THIS WEEK ON THE NO. 20 CAMRY: This weekend, the No. 20 Toyota Camry will carry the STANLEY colors for the second time of the 2020 season.
  • POINTS UPDATE: With his 26th-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Jones remains in the 13th position in the Cup Series point standings.
  • ALSCO UNIFORMS 500 RECAP: By virtue of their finish in the Coca-Cola 600, Jones and the No. 20 Toyota team started the Alsco Uniforms 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway from the 10th position. Jones ran as high as sixth before a late-race pit road mishap forced the team to pit road for a one-lap penalty. Once the penalty was served, Jones returned to the track in the 35th position and was able to advance to 26th before the race ended.
  • RACE INFO: The Food City Presents Supermarket Heroes 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway is scheduled for Sunday, May 31, 2020. Coverage will begin at 3:30 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1, Sirius XM Channel 90 and PRN Radio.

 

Jones Career NASCAR Cup Series Stats at Bristol Motor Speedway:

StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
602212939.216.0

 

Jones 2020 Season NASCAR Cup Series Stats:

StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
801302715.916.1

 

Jones Career NASCAR Cup Series Stats:

StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
11922552260913.416.0

 

From the Driver’s Seat: Erik Jones 

Erik Jones: “I’m always excited to go to Bristol. It’s been a great track to me for a lot of years and I’ve been really close to a Cup win there the last few years. Hopefully this is the one where we can put it all together and end up in Victory Lane. We’ve always got really good speed and been fast and always feel like we are in contention for a win, so hopefully we can keep it clean all day and get ourselves in position to have a shot at the win late in the race. Excited to get there, definitely our first short track in a while and I think we’ll have a good shot to go out there and grab a win.”

 

About STANLEY:

STANLEY has set the precedent for quality tools and engineered solutions for professionals around the globe for more than 175 years. With a legacy of reliability, STANLEY is the No. 1 tapes manufacturer in the world and continues to drive the industry forward with innovations including the STANLEY FATMAX® product line as well as hand tools and accessories that make like easier. For more information visit www.STANLEYtools.com or follow STANLEY on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Views: 430
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Christopher Bell – No. 95 JBL Toyota Camry Preview – Bristol Motor Speedway

by Mike
Christopher Bell – No. 95 JBL Toyota Camry Preview – Bristol Motor Speedway

No. 95 JBL Toyota Camry News and Notes:

  • Bell at Bristol: Christopher Bell has four NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) starts at Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS) including one win a year ago in the spring race.  In addition to the victory, Bell has two top-five and two top-10 finishes in his four starts and has led 110 laps.  Bell also has three NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series (NGOTS) starts at the 0.533-mile speedway, earning one pole and two top-10 finishes.
  • Season Refresh: In the last four races Bell has increased his average finish to 16.2, over 13 positions higher than the start of the 2020 season.
  • On the Hood: JBL will be featured on the No. 95 at Bristol.  Bell and JBL have a winning history in the NGOTS, including a Championship in 2017.  For more information on JBL visit: www.jbl.com
  • Charlotte Recap: Bell had a fast No. 95 Toyota Camry Thursday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway, running consistently in the top 10 for most of the first two stages.  A slow pit-stop marred him back in track and the handling shifted to tight.  Despite the handling, Bell was able to salvage a lead-lap 21st-place finish.
  • RACE INFO: The Food City presents the Supermarket Heroes 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway begins at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 31, 2020. The race will be broadcast live on FS1, Sirius XM 90, and PRN Radio.

 

From the Cockpit:

Christopher Bell: “Bristol is one of my favorite tracks and I’m really anxious to get there this year.  The biggest transition for me going from Xfinity to Cup has been the rules package with the Cup car.  The rules package between the Xfinity cars and the Cup cars has been totally different, but now this year on the short tracks, we have a rules packages that is almost identical to what I raced in Xfinity.  At Phoenix it was really rewarding to get to drive this package, so going to Bristol with a rules package that is really similar to what I’ve been driving has the recipe to be a really good weekend for us.  We still have to be on our game, but it’s going to be a great race.”

 

Bell’s Career NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats at Bristol Motor Speedway:

StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
412201105.211.5

 

Bell’s 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Season Stats:

StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
80010019.422.6

 

Bell’s Career NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats:

StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
741641461229206.410.2

About Leavine Family Racing

Leavine Family Racing is an organization competing in the NASCAR Cup Series focused on growing competitively and providing results-driven partnerships for its sponsors. The single-car team was founded in 2011 by Bob and Sharon Leavine, two individuals who are passionate about NASCAR and started the team to make a positive impact on the sport and community. Christopher Bell will pilot the No. 95 Toyota Camry for the team starting with the 2020 season. In alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota Racing Development, the team operates out of their Concord, N.C.-based race shop with a veteran group of racing personnel driven by their desire for progress. For more information, please visit www.LFR95.com.

Views: 445
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Martin Truex Jr. ­– No. 19 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota Camry Preview – Food City Presents Supermarket Heroes 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway

by Mike
Martin Truex Jr. ­– No. 19 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota Camry Preview – Food City Presents Supermarket Heroes 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway

No. 19 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota Camry News and Notes

  • TRUEX AT BRISTOL: Martin Truex Jr. has earned two top-five finishes and three top-10s in NASCAR Cup Series competition at Bristol Motor Speedway. Most recently, Truex matched his career-best starting position (third) and led 52 laps when the Cup Series visited the ‘World’s Fastest Half-Mile’ last August. He posted finishes of 17th and 13th in two starts at Bristol in 2019 despite running in the top five during both events.
  • CHARLOTTE RECAP: Truex claimed a pair of top-10 finishes in two starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway earlier this week. In the Coca-Cola 600, he ran inside the top five throughout the race before ultimately finishing sixth. On Thursday night, Truex battled a loose handling condition throughout the race and ran as low as 28th before mounting a late charge to finish ninth.
  • BREAKTHROUGH MOMENT: In March 2004, Bristol Motor Speedway played host to Truex’s first NASCAR national series victory when he won the NASCAR Xfinity Series race. He led a race-high 134 laps that afternoon and fended off Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch for the first of six victories during his 2004 Xfinity Series championship season.
  • SINCE THE RETURN TO RACING: The No. 19 team is tied for the most points scored since NASCAR’s return to racing on May 17. Counting the two Darlington races and a pair of events at Charlotte, Truex and overall points leader Kevin Harvick have each earned 167 points. Over that stretch, Truex jumped from 15th to seventh in the series standings.
  • STRONG IN THE STAGES: Through eight races, Truex ranks second in stage points. His 92 stage points trail only Alex Bowman in that category.
  • NASCAR LOOP DATA: According to NASCAR’s Loop Data, Truex ranks seventh or better in multiple categories. He leads all drivers as being the fastest on restarts. The No. 19 driver is also fourth in fastest laps run and percentage of laps run on the lead lap. Additionally, he is fifth in fastest drivers early in a run and sixth in average running position, green flag speed, laps in the top 15, laps led and speed by segment. Truex currently has the seventh-best driver rating.
  • AUTO-OWNERS: Sunday marks the first race this season that Auto-Owners Insurance will be featured as primary sponsor of Truex’s No. 19 Camry. The Lansing, Michigan-based company offers multiple lines of insurance, including life, home, auto and business to customers in 26 states. In their first season with Joe Gibbs Racing, Auto-Owners was on board for monumental moments like Truex’s first victory for the team at Richmond in April, his 500th career start at Michigan in August and the No. 19 team’s dominant Martinsville win that propelled them to a Championship 4 appearance.
  • JGR AT BRISTOL: Joe Gibbs Racing owns 13 NASCAR Cup Series victories at Bristol Motor Speedway, including both races last season and four of the past five overall. In 138 combined starts, the organization has amassed 34 top-five finishes, 52 top-10s, 11 pole awards and 5,833 laps led the .533-mile concrete oval. Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart have each raced JGR entries to victory lane at Bristol.
  • TUNE IN: Coverage of this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway begins Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1, PRN Radio and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.

 

Martin Truex Jr., Driver of the No. 19 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota Camry

Talk about going to Bristol on Sunday and racing with no practice…

“Bristol is always wild, so you go in there expecting anything can and probably will happen. Going there without practice and running the low downforce package will be exciting and a challenge for everyone for sure. I feel like we’ve actually ran pretty well there the last few times and just crazy stuff happens to knock us out of contention. We just need to be able to put a full race together without any mistakes. If we can do that, I feel good about our chances to have a solid day.”

Truex NASCAR Cup Series Stats at Bristol Motor Speedway

StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
28023028216.020.6

Truex 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Season Stats

StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
8004011815.016.1

Truex NASCAR Cup Series Career Stats

StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
52126102209199,02414.415.7

About Auto-Owners Insurance

Established in 1916 and headquartered in Lansing, Michigan, Auto-Owners Insurance Group is the 15th-largest property/casualty insurance group in the nation, based on written premium of over $7.4 billion. The company also ranks 375th on the Fortune 500 list. Auto-Owners is one of nine insurance carrier groups in the U.S. to receive the highest rating possible, A++ Superior, by A.M. Best, which is a nationally recognized rating agency for insurance companies. Auto-Owners offers auto, home, business and life insurance through more than 44,000 licensed independent agents in its 26 operating states. Auto-Owners owns Atlantic Casualty Insurance Company which sells excess and surplus lines polices in 49 states and is affiliated with Concord General Mutual which sells property & casualty products in four states. Auto-Owners employs over 5,000 associates nationwide. Find your agent at auto-owners.com, and connect with Auto-Owners Insurance on Facebook and Twitter (@AutoOwnersIns).

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Harrison Burton/ No. 20 DEX Imaging/FIELDS Toyota Supra Preview- Bristol Motor Speedway

by Mike
Harrison Burton/ No. 20 DEX Imaging/FIELDS Toyota Supra Preview- Bristol Motor Speedway

No. 20 DEX Imaging/ FIELDS Toyota Supra News and Notes:

  • Last Great Coliseum: Harrison Burton and the NASCAR Xfinity Series return to the track Monday night at Bristol Motor Speedway for the Cheddar’s 300 and race number seven of the 2020 season. Despite being a rookie this season, Burton does have one NASCAR Xfinity Series start under his belt at the half-mile oval, starting fifth and finishing 10th in his DEX Imaging Supra last April. Monday will also serve as the first qualifying race for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash Program.
  • Racing for Military Heroes: During the race Monday night, Xfinity will salute a variety of military veteran frontline employees for their efforts in response to the COVID-19 crisis, including 23 employees across the company that are actively serving on the frontlines in the National Guard and reserve to keep communities safe and connected. The DEX Imaging/FIELDS Toyota Supra will carry the name of Johnathan Bogle on their windshield. Mr. Bogle works for Xfinity and is actively serving in response to the Covid-19 pandemic in the Army National Guard in Louisiana.
  • Charlotte Recap: Harrison Burton collected his sixth top-10 finish in as many races on Monday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Burton was a mainstay inside the top 10 for most of the race and crossed the finish line in ninth following a multitude of cautions to the end race. With his finish Monday night, Burton currently sits fourth in the Xfinity Series driver standings and continues to hold a commanding lead in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year battle.
  • JGR at Bristol: In combined 99 Xfinity Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, JGR has earned 13 wins, 32 top-five finishes, 47 top-10s and 10 pole starting positions. The team has led 3,177 laps, with an average start of 11.2 and an average finish of 14.5.
  • Welcome FIELDS: For the first time this season, FIELDS will adorn the hood of the No. 20 Toyota Supra this season. FIELDS is an award-winning sports general contractor whose projects include natural grass and synthetic turf sports field construction for professional sports teams, universities, and municipalities. Headed by principals with a combined 100+ years of industry experience, expertise and creativity is applied to every project that’s undertaken. FIELDS is part of the Sports Fields Inc. family of companies which also includes FIELDS Maintenance, The Sports Force and Sports Force Parks. Learn more at www.fields-inc.com.
  • DEX IMAGING: DEX Imaging returns as a full-time sponsor of Burton and the No. 20 team this season. DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEX sells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions in the industry, such as Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and HP. What makes DEX unique is its people, whose combined knowledge of cutting-edge business technologies and depth of service experience is unmatched. DEX Imaging’s success is directly tied to its mission: to help customers of all sizes drive down document-related expenses while improving productivity.
  • RACE INFO: The Cheddar’s 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway is scheduled for Monday, June 1st, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. ET. Watch and listen live on FoxSports 1, Sirius XM Channel 90 and PRN Radio.

 

Burton’s Career NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats at Bristol Motor Speedway:

StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
1001005.010.0

 

Burton’s 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats:

StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
61460496.54.7

 

Burton’s Career NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats:

StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
1515110498.111.9

 

From the Cockpit:

Harrison Burton:

You are heading back to the track you made you Xfinity Series debut – Bristol Motor Speedway. What have you learned since your debut?

“I’ve learned a lot. We had a good car last time we were at Bristol. A really fast race car – we made good moves towards the front. We were running top five and had some damage that held us back for the rest of the race after that. That was a good experience to have for me to be able to run there, get some laps. It will be nice to be able to go somewhere I know what to expect instead of going somewhere I’ve never been in Xfinity with no practice. Hopefully, we will get a better qualifying draw for there too. We will see what happens. I’m just excited to go racing again. It’s been so nice to be able to focus on racing and get back in the swing of things. Hopefully, we can put the Supra back in Victory Lane.”

About DEX IMAGING:

DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEX sells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions in the industry, such as Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and HP. What makes DEX unique is its people, whose combined knowledge of cutting-edge business technologies and depth of service experience is unmatched. DEX Imaging’s success is directly tied to its mission: to help customers of all sizes drive down document-related expenses while improving productivity.

About FIELDS

FIELDS is an award-winning sports general contractor whose projects include natural grass and synthetic turf sports field construction for professional sports teams, universities and municipalities. Headed by principals with a combined 100+ years of industry experience, expertise and creativity is applied to every project that’s undertaken. FIELDS is part of the Sports Fields Inc. family of companies which also includes FIELDS Maintenance, The Sports Force and Sports Force Parks. Learn more at www.fields-inc.com.

Views: 463
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Brandon Jones – No. 19 Menards/Pelonis Toyota Supra Race Advance – Bristol Motor Speedway (NXS)

by Mike
Brandon Jones – No. 19 Menards/Pelonis Toyota Supra Race Advance – Bristol Motor Speedway (NXS)

No. 19 Menards / PELONIS Toyota Supra News and Notes:

  • NASCAR UPDATE:  Due to travel and setup challenges, NASCAR announced that the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) Cheddar’s 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway has been moved to Monday, June 1 at 7 p.m. ET.

  • IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Jones and the 19 Menards/Pelonis team head to the last great colosseum, Bristol Motor Speedway. This will be Jones’ 10th NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) career-start on the 0.533-mile high-banked concrete oval. Jones is locked into the playoffs. He is coming off a strong run at Charlotte and Bristol is one of his strongest tracks. The team has had a couple of tough finishes in the first two races after the 10 week hiatus, but they have had a very strong Toyota Supra and they are focused on getting back to their early season form and are very motivated, confident and are focused on getting back in victory lane.  Bristol is the perfect track to make it happen.

  • XFINITY TO  SALUTE EMPLOYEE HEROS: On Monday, June 1 during the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Xfinity will salute a variety of military veteran frontline employees for their efforts in response to the crisis, including 23 employees across the company that are actively serving on the frontlines in the National Guard and reserve to keep communities safe and connected. These employee names will replace the Xfinity logo that typically adorns the windshield headers of each race car and be featured in a special patriotic red, white and blue design that showcases the support Xfinity provides to military veteran employees that are holding true to the company’s core service values.

  • “Our 19 team is honored to have Freddy Canales riding along with us at Bristol,” stated Brandon Jones. “He works for Xfinity and is actively serving in response to the pandemic through the Army National Guard.”

  • JGR AT BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY: JGR has 99 total starts at Bristol Motor Speedway in the NXS, earning 13 wins, 32 top-five finishes, 47 top-10 finishes and 10 pole-starting positions. The team has led 3,177 laps and earned an average start of 11.2 and an average finish of 14.5.

  • RACE INFO: Cheddar’s 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway (.533-mile) begins at 7:00 p.m.ET on Monday, June 1, 2020.  The race will be broadcast live on FS1, SiriusXM Channel 90 and PRN Radio.

 

 

Jones’ Career NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats at Bristol Motor Speedway:

StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
9002013610.114.8

 

Jones’ 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats:

StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
61231975.714.7

 

Jones’ Career NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats:

StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
14321153343712.615.8

 

 

From the Cockpit:

Brandon Jones: “We had a very strong Toyota at Charlotte Motor Speedway this past Monday. We certainly had a winning car but unfortunately were presented with a few challenges that prevented us from having the strong finish we were capable of having. Now it’s time to respond with a strong showing this weekend at Bristol.  I am really looking forward to racing on one of my favorite tracks.  It’s a unique short track with a concrete surface and very steep banking that can reach high speeds.  Bristol is one of my best tracks where I have a lot of confidence and have led several laps there, with multiple close wins.  I have had this race circled on my calendar all year. As drivers we are constantly weaving in and out to avoid lap traffic and competitors which I know makes for a good race to watch for fans. The track is constantly changing as rubber builds up. Lines will be alternating and trying to be the first to figure out which lane is the fastest will be a challenge; but a challenge we are highly capable of. Our team keeps bringing fast cars and everyone on the team is working extremely hard.  There is no better track to be going to this weekend and our Menards team is very motivated.

TRD has done a great job recreating the track on their simulator all the way down to the traction compound that gets put down on the surface. This week I put in another great amount of work and effort between the simulator, training and getting myself prepared for Bristol. Our No. 19 team will have Menards and Pelonis back on our Supra. We are focused on giving it a fight and getting our team back in victory lane to give Menards the strong finish that they deserve.”

About Menards:  A family owned company started in 1958, Menards is headquartered in Eau Claire, WI.  Menards has more than 300 retail stores located throughout the Midwest in the states of IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, SD, WI and WY.  Menards is known throughout the home improvement industry as the low price leader.  It’s famous slogan “Save Big Money at Menards” is widely known and easy to remember.  For more information, visit Menards.com, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.

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Brandon Jones – No. 19 Menards/Pelonis Toyota Supra Race Advance – Bristol Motor Speedway (NXS) Read More

Raphael Lessard – No. 4 CANAC Tundra Gander Trucks Atlanta Advance

by Mike
Raphael Lessard – No. 4 CANAC Tundra Gander Trucks Atlanta Advance
NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Overview
 
Event:                         N.C. Education Lottery 200, Race 3 of 23, 134 Laps – 30/30/74; 201 miles
Location:                    Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway (1.5-mile quad-oval)
Date/Broadcast:         May 26, 2020, at 8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90
 
Racing with Raphael
 
  • As the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series resumes action, Raphael Lessard will debut a new primary sponsor, Canac, a Quebec-based group specializing in the distribution and retail sale of building products and hardware. Lessard, a 19-year-old Canadian driver, has one career start on a 1.5-mile oval, earlier this season at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway. There he started eighth but finished 30th after a late-race incident. He is in his first full-time season in the Gander Trucks and is competing for Rookie of the Year honors with veteran crew chief Mike Hillman Jr.
  • So far in 2020, Lessard has two starts, with an average starting position of 8.0 and an average running position of 12.8, but due to bad luck near the end of both races has been relegated to an average finish of 25.0 despite running well. He is currently ranked 18th in the Gander Trucks driver points standings and fifth in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings.
  • Lessard made five Gander Trucks starts in 2019, three of those with Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM). Across his five starts he posted two top-10 finishes while recording an average starting position of 10.4 and average finish of 11.1.Lessard’s strongest run came in his final start of the season when he was running inside the top five with under 30 laps remaining before getting spun and relegated to a 12th-place finish. While Lessard may be a newcomer to the Gander Trucks, Hillman Jr. has plenty of experience. The veteran crew chief has 302 Gander Truck Series starts under his belt, with 22 wins, 115 top-five and 170 top-10 finishes with drivers including Todd Bodine, Jeb Burton, Kyle Busch and last season, Harrison Burton. At Charlotte Motor Speedway, Hillman has 13 Gander Trucks starts and his drivers have earned one pole, four top-five and four top-10 finishes, with an average start of 10.5 and an average finish of 13.7. His best result was a runner-up finish twice; in 2010 with Bodine and in 2018 with KBM owner-driver Busch.
  • Due to Lessard’s presence in the series, all 23 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Series races this season will be broadcast throughout Canada on RDS and RDS DIRECT.
  • CANAC is the first independent hardware and building materials store chain to open in Quebec City. Its expertise of over 145 years of experience allows CANAC to perpetuate the spirit of the hardware stores of yesteryear in a modern environment, with qualified personnel trained by its continuing education centre accredited by Emploi-Québec. CANAC serves both individual customers and contractors and offers aggressive prices that defy all competition. Since its acquisition by Groupe Laberge in 1985, the company’s expansion has focused on opening new modern hardware stores and on renovating existing branches to better adapt them to the needs and expectations of consumers. Today, CANAC has 30 branches and employs more than 3,400 part-time and full-time workers.
Raphael Lessard, Driver Q&A
 

 

Raphael Lessard Charlotte Q&A
Raphael Lessard Charlotte Q&A

What have you done to stay busy since the last NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series race?

“During these crazy times I just worked out as much as I could to be ready for the season and I also watched a lot of film –studied some videos of races in the past. Also, I played some iRacing — iRacing helped a lot, I think it’s the best tool we can use right now. Also, the Toyota Racing Development (TRD) sim once it opened up. I just spent a lot of time there — they have an awesome simulator and I think it is going to help me a lot for the Charlotte race.”
Are you preparing Charlotte any differently knowing that there will be no practice and no qualifying?
“I haven’t been prepping any different. It’s another new race track and another race that I’ve been studying a lot. I’ve just been watching film and asking questions. I have one of the best crew chiefs in the series, Mike Hillman Jr., he’s got a lot of experience, so I’m sure he’s going to bring me a really good CANAC Toyota Tundra for the race. It’s going to be on me, getting used to the race track and the line. I’m going to be able to pace myself to the guys around me for the first few laps and they were are going to tray and just go for it after that. I’m sure we are going to be really fast.”
Will it be different racing without fans? Once you get in your truck, do you notice the fans?
“Not having the fans in the stands is going to be very weird. The atmosphere is going to be different and the place is going to feel empty. Once we get in our trucks, we don’t really see the fans because we are so focused on what we are doing on the race track and trying to win the race. I would say normally we see them during the cautions, for sure. What’s going to feel weird is not having my family with me. I moved down to North Carolina at the beginning of the year, full time, and my parents I see them at every race usually, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen them and they won’t be at Charlotte. It’s going to feel a little bit weird, but it’s the same for everyone. I’m looking forward to the opportunity of having CANAC onboard with us for the first time as a primary sponsor. The truck is beautiful and I think we are going to have a very good day at Charlotte.”
 
Raphael Lessard Career Highlights 
  • Across seven career Truck Series starts, he has produced two top-10 finishes and an average finish of 15.1.
  • In 2019, Lessard posted 83 laps led, two top-five and three top-10 finishes across three ARCA Menards Series starts and one win, one top-five and two top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series. His Pinty’s Series victory came at his hometown track, Autodrome Chaudiere in Vallee-Jonction, Quebec, on June 29 when he led a race-high 153 laps en route to the sentimental win.
  • Won two marquee events driving KBM’s famed No. 51 Super Late Model in 2018; the Short Track U.S. Nationals at Bristol Motor Speedway in May and the Red Bud 400 ARCA/CRA Super Series race at Anderson Speedway in July.
  • Overall in 16 starts for KBM in 2018 split across the CARS Super Late Model Tour, the Southern Super Series and the ARCA/CRA Super Series, posted two wins, three poles, seven top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in 2018.
  • Started seventh and led 68 laps in the prestigious Snowball Derby at 5 Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla., in 2018
  • Captured the 2016 CARS Super Late Model Tour championship after recording four wins, one pole, 157 laps led, eight top-five and nine top-10 finishes across 10 races. 
Raphael Lessard’s No. 4 CANAC Tundra:
 
KBM-066: The No. 4 CANACteam will unload chassis number KBM-066, a brand new Tundra.
KBM Notes of Interest
  • Across 27 starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway, KBM drivers have earned six wins, three poles, six top-five and 12 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 8.6 and an average finish of 8.8.
  • KBM holds the NGROTS records for most career wins (76) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers; Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 4 Toyota Tundra 2020 NGOTS Box Score:
  
Date
Site
Driver
Start
Finish
Laps
Laps Led
Status
Driver Pts./Pos.
2/14
Daytona
Raphael Lessard
8
20
105/106
0
Running
24/14th
2/21
Las Vegas
Raphael Lessard
8
30
90/134
0
Accident
39/18th
5/26
Charlotte
Raphael Lessard
6/6
Atlanta
Raphael Lessard
 
 
 
 
 
 
6/13
Homestead-Miami
Raphael Lessard
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Raphael Lessard – No. 4 CANAC Tundra Gander Trucks Atlanta Advance Read More