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Good Greek Moving and Storage Partners with StarCom Racing for Darlington Raceway and Announces New Location in Greensville

by Mike
Good Greek Moving and Storage Partners with StarCom Racing for Darlington Raceway and Announces New Location in Greensville

Salisbury, NC (5/19/2020—StarCom Racing and its 00 Driver Quin Houff team up with Good Greek Moving and Storage, headquartered in West Palm Beach, for the Toyota 500 on Wednesday, May 20, 2020 at 7:30 PM ET at Darlington Raceway. Tune in to watch the race live on FS1 and MRN.

Aligned with its partnership at Darlington Raceway, Greek Moving and Storage is excited to announce the opening of its newest location in Greenville, SC! Good Greek Moving and Storage will begin operations in Greenville on June 1, 2020 and will be providing local, long distance, and statewide moves. Good Greek is proud to carry on the tradition of providing The Best Move Ever in the Greenville, SC market and beyond.

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Richard Childress Racing at Darlington Raceway

by Mike
Richard Childress Racing at Darlington Raceway
Richard Childress is tied for third in all-time car owner victories with Holman-Moody and the Wood Brothers in NASCAR Cup Series competition at Darlington Raceway with eight wins each. RCR’s history at the South Carolina-based track began in 1976 with Richard Childress earning a top-10 finish behind the wheel of a No. 3 Chevrolet. Since that time, RCR has notched 125 collective Cup Series starts at the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval, accumulating 23 top-five and 40 top-10 finishes. RCR also has 58 starts at the track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, with 10 top-five finishes and 23 top-10 finishes, and three NASCAR Truck Series starts, with one top-five finish.

COVID-19 Relief … Own a piece of history by participating in a recently launched auction and sale of Richard Childress’ personal collection of memorabilia. All proceeds will assist COVID-19 relief efforts. Thousands of rare, hard-to-find and exclusive items from Richard Childress’ 50+ years in NASCAR are up for bid or sale, including an original No. 3 Chevrolet once raced by Dale Earnhardt, complete with engine. To bid or purchase items from Childress’ personal collection, visit https://www.ebay.com/str/RichardChildresscollection. Bidders interested in the Dale Earnhardt racecar should register here https://www.barrett-jackson.com/Events/Event/Home/OnlineMay-2020/4ac775c5-37d9-4906-800b-84478937ab2b.
Catch the Action … The Real Heroes 400 at Darlington Raceway will be televised live Sunday, May 17 beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series Race at Darlington Raceway will be televised live Tuesday, May 19 beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
The NASCAR Cup Series Race at Darlington Raceway will be televised live Wednesday, May 20 beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
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Austin Dillon at Darlington Raceway … Austin Dillon has made six career starts in the NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington Raceway, posting a career-best fourth-place finish in 2017. He has made three appearances at “The Lady in Black” in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, securing his best finish of fifth in 2012. The 2011 NASCAR Truck Series champion has two starts at the track in the Truck Series, earning his best finish of fifth in August 2010.
SYMBICORT Partners with the No. 3 at Darlington Raceway … SYMBICORT is an AstraZeneca product and the sponsor of the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Darlington Raceway with Austin Dillon. You can learn more at MySymbicort.com. AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide.
Dow brings a science and engineering crew who is driven by limitless curiosity to the RCR Team … Austin Dillon and the RCR team are again supported by Dow’s materials science expertise and technologies this season. Backed by the power of data analysis and virtual modeling, Dow develops and manufactures high-performance components and materials custom-made for the No. 3 car. Dow and RCR’s partnership has expedited innovation and shortened testing time in the automotive industry by recreating in the lab one of the most extreme environments – the racetrack. After 7 years of collaboration, Dow scientists and RCR engineers are continuing to work together to make the No. 3 car faster, safer and more precise. Stay up to date with Dow’s exciting developments at www.dow.com/sports and follow us on Twitter @DowSports & @DowNewsroom.
About Keep America Beautiful … Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s leading community improvement nonprofit organization, inspires and educates people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment. Established in 1953, Keep America Beautiful strives to End Littering, Improve Recycling and Beautify America’s Communities. We believe everyone has a right to live in a clean, green and beautiful community, and shares a responsibility to contribute to that vision. The organization is driven by the work and passion of more than 600 Keep America Beautiful affiliates, millions of volunteers, and the collaborative support of corporate partners, social and civic service organizations, academia, municipalities, elected officials, and individuals. Join us on
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Donate and take action at kab.org.
The Real Heroes … In support and appreciation of the frontline workers who have been improving our communities and contributing to our health and safety as we navigate COVID-19, Dillon and Richard Childress Racing are partnering with FOX and NASCAR to honor healthcare workers at Darlington Raceway. On Sunday, Dillon’s name above the door of the No. 3 Chevrolet will be replaced with the name of Elisa Bowman. Bowman has been a nurse for many years, but during the current crisis she’s volunteered to take on new responsibilities, working the makeshift ER for COVID patients that’s set up in the tent outside. She trains new nurses, not only on standard procedures, but the new COVID procedures as well. For Wednesday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway, RCR will honor Wake-Forest Baptist Health above the door on the No. 3 Chevrolet.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
If you run at Darlington Raceway and you don’t have a Darlington Stripe have you truly raced at that track?
“Yeah, I have actually made it through without a Darlington stripe, but I have wiped out two cars in first practice. It’s a place that will bite you quick and you just have to have the right mentality going into it of what you are racing against. It’s not necessarily the competition as much as yourself. Mentally it’s a challenging place, and I love that about it.”
Is Darlington Raceway a place where you feel like it’s more in your control versus some other tracks?
“For sure, it is. It’s a place where if you do your job and you have to have a good car, obviously, everybody that runs well there does, but doing your job rewards you at the end of the night.”
Tyler Reddick at Darlington Raceway … Tyler Reddick will be making his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Darlington Raceway this weekend. The two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion has three starts at “The Lady in Black” in the Xfinity Series, collecting two top-five finishes and leading 70 laps during last year’s race.
Caterpillar Gives Thanks … What does it mean when someone says, “thank you?” The global health crisis truly illustrates how critical many jobs are and how many of us took them for granted. While some of us are safely isolating from home, others bravely continue to do the work, risking their health and safety to keep their communities moving forward. Medical professionals putting the rest of us ahead of their own loved ones. Folks who are part of supply chains are doing more than just stocking shelves, they’re delivering inspiration. We’re all feeling the uncertainty, but we’re also feeling a profound sense of gratitude.
At Caterpillar, we want to say, “thank you.” Not just to our customers who continue to build towards a better tomorrow. But to people everywhere who are digging in, working hard and giving us hope as we struggle through.
We’re in a fight for the future. We’re in it together. And to those of you on the front lines… “thank you.” Learn more by visiting Cat.com/thanks or Caterpillar’s Facebook Page.
Real Heroes … Reddick and his No. 8 team are honored to take part in The Real Heroes Project in conjunction with NASCAR and FOX to highlight healthcare workers and systems that play a major role in the fight against COVID-19. On Sunday, Reddick’s name above his driver side door will be replaced with Dr. David Zich, an Internist specializing in Internal and Emergency Medicine. Dr. Zich, based out of Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized as a Fellow of both the American College of Physicians and the American College of Emergency Physicians, denoting high achievement and fulfillment of rigorous professional standards for both specialties. Dr. Zich has also been recognized for his ability to explain complex medical topics to the general public.
On Wednesday, Reddick’s name will be replaced with OSF Healthcare Systems, a healthcare system located in Peoria, Illinois, and the backyard of Caterpillar’s global headquarters. The staff at OSF has fought against COVID-19 both at their local hospital and locations across the country, with some of their staff traveling to New York and Chicago to provide further assistance where they can.
TYLER REDDICK QUOTE:
It looks like it’s going to be very warm on Sunday for the return to racing at Darlington Raceway, are you concerned about that for the first race back?
“I’m very excited about the possibility of hot weather at Darlington Raceway, and the slipping and sliding we’ll probably see during these two races there, especially the first one. We’ve seen that race run a lot at night, so I think we’ll see two different races between the ones on Sunday and Wednesday. They are both going to be tough races, but I’m really looking forward to the race on Sunday during the middle of the day. I love hot, slick racetracks when we’re hot in the car, which probably seems strange to people, but I love it. It just seems like the hotter it gets, the more fun I have in a race car. Granted, a lot of that experience is on the Xfinity side, so maybe I’ll think differently after this Cup race since most our races have been relatively cool this year. But I’m looking forward to being back at the track. I’ve been karting lately, trying to keep my instincts up for when I’m back in the No. 8 Caterpillar Chevrolet, and I think I’m ready to go on Sunday.”
The industry is doing a lot to recognize frontline workers across the country during these races. What have you seen stand out as we head into the race weekend?
“I really appreciate what everyone is doing to thank and honor frontline workers across the country and across multiple industries. Caterpillar has a great ‘Thank You’ campaign going on that focuses on those who are helping to keep moving our country forward during this time and is including everyone from healthcare workers to truck drivers and construction workers. As someone who has a couple friends that are truck drivers who’ve been working non-stop lately, it’s really cool to see them get some recognition. Then on top of that, we’re going to be part of the Real Heroes Project through NASCAR and honor healthcare workers and systems by putting their names over ours on the door. I think that’s a really special way that we’re able to show some gratitude towards everything these people have done for us during this time. All their hard work does not go unnoticed, and it is the reason we’re able to return to racing like this.”
This Week’s No. 21 iRacing Chevrolet Camaro at Darlington Raceway … This weekend will mark Anthony Alfredo’s return to the No. 21 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing and his debut at Darlington Raceway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. In preparation for the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ return to action on Tuesday night, Alfredo has been familiarizing himself with Darlington Raceway by practicing on iRacing.
Welcome iRacing … iRacing is the leading sim racing game for your PC. Developed as a centralized racing and competition service, iRacing organizes, hosts, and officiates online racing on virtual tracks all around the world. In the fast-paced world of eSports, iRacing is a one-stop-shop for online racing. We utilize the latest technologies to recreate our ever-expanding lineup of famed race cars and tracks from the comfort of your home. Simulate what a professional NASCAR driver experiences inside the seat of a stock car, or a Grand Prix driver sees over the dash. All of the details add up to a lineup of cars and tracks that are virtually indistinguishable from the real thing. This creates unmatched immersion when sim racers take the green flag in our online racing simulator. Although iRacing is an online racing simulator at heart, the value as a training tool is just as real. The best sim racers in the world compete on iRacing and you can watch the race broadcasts live on the iRacing eSports Network.
Sign up today and get 50% off all new memberships at iracing.com.
Did You Know … Anthony Alfredo established his own iRacing league called the ERL (eSports Racing League) that featured several talented iRacing drivers, including competitors from the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series.
ANTHONY ALFREDO QUOTES:
You are making your Darlington Raceway debut on Tuesday in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. What will it be like going into Turn 1 at Darlington with no practice or qualifying prior to the green flag?
“It will definitely be a bit nerve-racking heading into Turn 1 at one of the most difficult tracks on the circuit. Not only will we be without any practice or qualifying, but this is just my second NASCAR Xfinity Series start. It is definitely not ideal circumstances; however, I am confident in my Richard Childress Racing team. I know we will have great equipment, and the guys will make sure to get me comfortable quickly so I can figure out the racetrack. Hopefully, we can work together with our competitors to ensure we all make it through the first corner at the very least. After that, we can all settle in and get back into our rhythm. I am looking forward to getting back to racing and putting on a great show for our fans.”
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Erik Jones / No. 20 DEWALT ATOMIC Thank You Heroes Toyota Camry Preview Darlington 400 at Darlington Raceway

by Mike
Erik Jones / No. 20 DEWALT ATOMIC Thank You Heroes Toyota Camry Preview Darlington 400 at Darlington Raceway

No. 20 DEWALT ATOMIC Thank You Heroes Toyota Camry News and Notes:

  • JONES AT DARLINGTON RACEWAY: Erik Jones will make his fourth start in the Cup Series at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, May 17, when NASCAR returns to the track. In his most recent trip to “The Lady in Black,” Jones captured his first Southern 500 victory and his second Cup Series victory in just his 100th Cup Series start. In his other two starts at the track, Jones recorded a fifth-place and an eighth-place finish. In addition to his Cup Series starts, Jones has two starts at the South Carolina track in the Xfinity Series where he earned a sixth-place and fourth-place finish.
  • JGR AT DARLINGTON RACEWAY: Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has 88 total starts at Darlington Raceway in Cup Series competition. In those starts, the team has earned seven wins, 24 top-five finishes, 52 top-10 finishes and two pole starting positions. The team has led 1,595 laps, completed 29,735 of 30,465 attempted laps (97.6%) and earned an average start of 14.4 and an average finish of 11.7. Denny Hamlin leads the team with two wins followed by Bobby Labonte, Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards and Jones with one win each.
  • THIS WEEK ON THE NO. 20 CAMRY: For the return to racing this weekend, the No. 20 Toyota Camry will carry the familiar black and yellow DEWALT paint scheme featuring DEWALT ATOMIC. The No. 20 Camry will also feature a “Thank You Heroes” message on the car to honor those what have been fighting and continue to fight the Covid-19 pandemic around the United States and the world.
  • DEWALT ATOMIC:
    • The ATOMIC Compact Series ™ is an addition to the 20V MAX* system, which is DEWALT’s largest cordless platform with 200+ products.
    • Where Size Meets Power, the ATOMIC™ Compact Series combines performance and durability in a compact format for a variety of applications.
  • RACE INFO: The Darlington 400 at Darlington Raceway is scheduled for Sunday, May 17, 2020. Coverage will begin at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, Sirius XM Channel 90 and MRN Radio.

 

Jones Career NASCAR Cup Series Stats at Darlington Raceway:

StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
312307910.74.7

 

Jones 2020 Season NASCAR Cup Series Stats:

StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
40010017.519.8

 

Jones Career NASCAR Cup Series Stats:

StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
11522450258213.416.1

 

From the Driver’s Seat:

Erik Jones: “I’m looking forward to Darlington. It’s been a really good track to me in the past, over the last few years and especially last year getting the win there in the Southern 500. Hopefully I have another shot at a good run this weekend. It’s going to be a unique weekend with no practice or qualifying. We’re really going to have to hit it right off the truck and hopefully our car is where it needs to be when we start the race. I’m just excited to get back to the race track in general. The iRacing has been fun, but it’s nothing like really being in the car, really being at the track and working with your guys and having that team effort. It’s always a good feeling of everyone working toward one goal, it’s pretty cool. I’m just excited. Darlington has been a great track for me. It’s going to be a unique race and kind of knocking the rust off at first, and then hopefully getting in to a groove and being able to run up front and contend for a win. Really looking forward to it and getting back in the seat.

 

About DEWALT

DEWALT is obsessed with how users work in the real world and is relentlessly pursuing total jobsite solutions. By incorporating its latest technology and industry innovations, DEWALT is leading the charge for the jobsite of the future. DEWALT products. GUARANTEED TOUGH®. For more information, visit www.dewalt.com or follow DEWALT on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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Chris Buescher on Darlington: We’re definitely excited to get back to a real racetrack…

by Mike
Chris Buescher on Darlington: We’re definitely excited to get back to a real racetrack…

Team:                   No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang
Crew Chief:         Luke Lambert

Twitter:                @17RoushTeam, @RoushFenway and @Chris_Buescher
Race Format:     400.2 miles, 293 laps, Stage Lengths: 90-95-108


Darlington 400 – Sunday, May 17 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

                                                                                                                                                                 

ADVANCE NOTES

NASCAR Returns to Action

  • NASCAR makes its return to racing this weekend with a NASCAR Cup Series race that will serve as the first of seven national series races over an 11-day span at two different tracks throughout May.
  • The race at the historic South Carolina track will be held without fans in attendance and is slated to be NASCAR’s first on-track action in more than two months as the sport and world have been on pause during COVID-19.
  • Following the initial race back on Sunday, the NCS will again visit Darlington for a midweek race under the lights three days later. The May schedule also includes the crown jewel Coca-Cola 600 in its traditional Memorial Day Weekend home for the 60th consecutive season, plus other midweek races in prime time.
  • Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the outbreak before races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville were later postponed.

 

Buescher at Darlington Raceway

  • Buescher makes his fifth Cup Series start at Darlington on Sunday, where he carries an average finish of 14.8 – his best of any track on the circuit.
  • Buescher finished 12th last fall at ‘The Lady in Black,’ his best in four starts, and has finished no worse than 17th dating back to 2016.
  • After qualifying 31st and 27th in his first two events at Darlington, Buescher followed that with qualifying efforts of 19th and 12th in the last two events.
  • Buescher earned a Xfinity career-best fifth-place run at Darlington back in 2015 in the No. 60 RFR entry. He also finished 12th two years prior in the No. 16 for Jack Roush.

Luke Lambert at Darlington Raceway

  • Lambert will be atop the box for his eighth NCS race at Darlington on Sunday. In seven prior events, he has an average finish of 16.4 including three top-10 runs.
  • All three of those came with Newman in the No. 31, with a 10th-place result in 2014, an eighth-place finish in 2016 followed by seventh a year later.
  • Lambert also has one Xfinity Series race under his belt at Darlington with Elliott Sadler in 2012, finishing 24th.

QUOTE WORTHY
Buescher on racing at Darlington:
“We’re definitely excited to get back to a real racetrack. Darlington is probably my second-favorite racetrack, so I’m stoked about kicking it off there. It’s going to be tough with no practice and no fans, the atmosphere is going to be a lot different, but it’ll be great to be back to a racing routine.”

The Real Heroes Project Debuts at Darlington
NASCAR is collaborating with other professional sports properties across the country to embark on The Real Heroes Project. The goal is to motivate and inspire healthcare workers as sports only can, by turning its greatest heroes (the athletes) into their greatest fans. To that end, the name of a COVID-19 frontline worker will be displayed above the driver’s side door on each entry this weekend at Darlington.

For the first race back on May 17, NASCAR worked in partnership with FOX and their tune-in priority market affiliate program to select the COVID-19 worker being recognized. FOX affiliates from around the country were asked to nominate a local hero from their community to be recognized during the return. Buescher’s frontline worker will be Kimberly W. Ebb, MD, selected by WFXT Boston 25. Ebb is a Hospitalist, Medical Director, Division of Palliative Care, Home Health Hospice at the UMass Memorial Medical Center, hailing from Leominster, MA.

On the Car
Fastenal celebrates its 10th season with Roush Fenway Racing in 2020. The Minnesota company spent three years on the No. 99 before jumping to the No. 17 Cup Series entry, and were the primary partner on the No. 60 Xfinity team that captured the owner’s championship in 2011.

About Fastenal
Fastenal [Nasdaq: FAST] is North America’s largest fastener distributor and a ‘one-stop’ source for hundreds of thousands of OEM, MRO and Construction products. With more than 2,600 stores worldwide, the company supports B2B customers with tailored local inventory and dedicated personnel, who visit regularly, quickly respond to emergency needs, and provide efficient inventory management solutions. Fastenal’s service-oriented business network includes the world’s largest industrial vending program, 14 regional distribution centers, 8 custom manufacturing facilities, thousands of delivery vehicles, and industry-leading sourcing, quality and engineering resources.

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NASCAR Racing Returns with Live Coverage of Upcoming Races at Darlington Raceway on SiriusXM

by Mike
NASCAR Racing Returns with Live Coverage of Upcoming Races at Darlington Raceway on SiriusXM

SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will carry the NASCAR Cup Series races on May 17 and 20, and the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on May 19

 

Driver Kevin Harvick will take calls from listeners on a LIVE episode of his SiriusXM show, “Happy Hours,” on Wednesday, May 13

 

Fans continue to get NASCAR news and talk daily on SiriusXM channel 90 and on the SiriusXM app

NEW YORK – May 11, 2020 – With the welcome return of NASCAR racing this weekend, SiriusXM will offer fans live coverage of the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series races being run at Darlington Raceway.

The SiriusXM NASCAR Radio channel will carry the live broadcast of the NASCAR Cup Series race this Sunday, May 17 (pre-race starting at 2:30 pm ET).  This will be the first race run since the NASCAR schedule was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic in early March.  In the days that follow, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will also provide live coverage of the other races at Darlington, the NASCAR Xfinity Series race (Tuesday, May 19, 7:30 pm ET) and a second NASCAR Cup Series race (Wednesday, May 20, 6:30 pm ET).

SiriusXM NASCAR Radio airs every NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series race live throughout the season.  SiriusXM also offers additional Driver2Crew ChatterTM channels that carry the team communications for multiple drivers during NASCAR Cup Series races.  For Sunday’s race at Darlington, listeners can hear the in-car audio for Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott and Ryan Newman. Channel assignments can be found here: https://blog.siriusxm.com/nascar-racing-returns-with-live-coverage-of-upcoming-races-on-siriusxm

In addition to live race coverage fans continue to get daily news, analysis and interviews with drivers, owners and crew members on the exclusive 24/7 SiriusXM NASCAR Radio channel.

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing, will host a special live edition of his SiriusXM show, Happy Hours, on Wednesday, May 13 (1:00-3:00 pm ET), alongside co-host Matt Yocum.  Harvick will be competing in the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series races at Darlington.  He resumed hosting his SiriusXM show when racing was suspended in March and, on this episode, will be taking calls from NASCAR fans around the country, and sharing the excitement and preparation involved for drivers and teams who are headed back to the track.

SiriusXM NASCAR Radio is available to subscribers nationwide on SiriusXM radios (channel 90) and those subscribers with the SiriusXM All Access package can also tune in via the SiriusXM app and at home with Amazon Alexa, the Google Assistant or however they stream in their house.  Go to SiriusXM.com/NASCARonSXM for more info.

###

About SiriusXM

Sirius XM Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) is the leading audio entertainment company in the U.S., and the premier programmer and platform for subscription and digital advertising-supported audio products. Pandora, a subsidiary of SiriusXM, is the largest ad-supported audio entertainment streaming service in the U.S. SiriusXM and Pandora together reach more than 100 million people each month with their audio products. SiriusXM, through Sirius XM Canada Holdings, Inc., also offers satellite radio and audio entertainment in Canada. In addition to its audio entertainment businesses, SiriusXM offers connected vehicle services to automakers and directly to consumers through aftermarket devices. For more about SiriusXM, please go to: www.siriusxm.com.

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KYLE BUSCH eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Talladega Advance

by Mike
KYLE BUSCH eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Talladega Advance
Details:
 

• Event: GEICO 70 (Round 5)

• Series:  eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series
• Time/Date: 1 p.m. EDT on Sunday, March 29
• Location: Virtual Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (2.66-mile oval)
• Distance: 70 laps (186.2 miles)

 

Where to Watch:
 

• FOX network

•  Announcers: Jeff Gordon, Mike Joy and Larry McReynolds, with in-race commentary from Clint Bowyer.

• FS1 (DIRECTV Channel 219 and Dish Channel 150)

• FOX Sports Go app

• FOX Sports Racing for fans in Canada

 

DYK?:
• We Need a Bigger Podium: Last Sunday’s eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race from virtual Richmond Raceway had 971,000 viewers tune in to the simulcast on FOX and FS1, making it the third-most watched esports event in U.S. television history. The March 29 eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race from virtual Texas Motor Speedway remains on the podium’s top step with 1.34 million viewers. The April 5 eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race from virtual Bristol Motor Speedway takes the second step with 1.179 million viewers. The first eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race March 22 at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway earned 903,000 viewers on FS1 alone. And while the Texas race dwarfed that number by 47 percent, the Homestead race was, for at least one week, the most watched esports event in U.S. television history, having bested the previous record of 770,000 viewers when Mortal Kombat aired on The CW in 2016.

 

• iRacing’s Real-World Context: Last Sunday’s eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race from Richmond was the second-most watched sports event of the weekend. The most-watched sports event? Michael Jordan ‘The Last Dance’ documentary on ESPN.

 

• New Viewers Assimilate to Sim Racing: According to Nielsen, one million unique viewers who did not watch any of the four real-life NASCAR Cup Series races prior to the sports industry’s necessary hiatus to combat the spread of the coronavirus did tune in to one of the four eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series races held thus far.

 

• Kind of a Big Deal: A total of 5.4 million unique viewers have watched at least one eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race via FOX, FS1 and the FOX Sports app.

 

• Bet On It: The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series has been cleared and approved by the Nevada Gaming Control Board for wagering. Two types of bets are allowed for the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series: winner of the race and head-to-head winner between drivers. Provisions for licensing the event includes a posting of the official rules for the tournament organizer and that all bets must cease once a race has started. Additionally, each bookmaker is allowed to create its own odds.

 

KYLE BUSCH, Driver of the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry:
 

What are you expecting at virtual Talladega this weekend?

 

“I got a chance to run in the Replacements race on Tuesday night, so that was my first taste of Talladega in iRacing. It had a lot of the same factors that you deal with running the real thing. You just have to try and stay out of trouble and put yourself in a position to have a shot toward the end of the race. The biggest difference is, obviously, there’s a lot less consequences and no torn-up equipment like the real thing. Looking forward to running our green Lightning Interstate Batteries scheme this weekend. Also want to give a shout out to everyone in the Interstate Batteries family who are keeping vehicles moving with everything going on right now in the world.”

 

Is there anything you’ve picked up on that may help you when you get back to the track for the regular races?

 

“Anything is a tool. You can use a tool any way you want. It’s no different than running in the sim rig that Toyota and TRD and the other manufacturers have to simulate the real thing. This can be used in the same respect. You just have to know how to use it and how that tool can work for you. Trying to figure out and remember what I am used to doing on the real racetrack and then coming to the iRacing sim and vice versa. It’s all about reps and doing something repetitive to get better. Someone told me recently that one of the racers for the Pro League for NASCAR spent 2,000 laps of practice at a particular track and getting better lap by lap and figuring it out. That’s unheard of. Even when we go do a test in our real life racecar – let’s use Bristol as an example as a short track: I might have run 300 to 350 laps – that’s all you do in real life. So when you hear someone talk about 2,000, that’s just an astronomical number in real life.”

 

 

Busch Talladega Notes: 
 

• This will be Busch’s fifth-ever iRacing start in a virtual NASCAR Cup Series race.

 

• This is not Interstate Batteries first foray into the world of eNASCAR, as the company was the founding partner of Gibbs Gaming, in addition to being a founding partner of Joe Gibbs Racing back in 1992. For 2020, Interstate Batteries is a weekly sponsor on the No. 18 Toyota driven by Graham Bolin in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series.

 

• In addition to Interstate’s extensive involvement in iRacing, Busch’s Rowdy Energy Drink is a sponsor on the No. 51 Toyota driven by Malik Ray in the weekly eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series for JGR.

 

• William Hartman, Busch’s engineer on his regular No. 18 Toyota Camry Cup Series car, has been serving as crew chief for Busch each week. In addition to Hartman, Busch’s real-life spotter, Tony Hirschman, is spotting from his from his home in Pennsylvania.

 

• In actual NASCAR Cup Series racing at Talladega, Busch has one win, six top-five and eight top-10 finishes in 29 career starts.

 

Pro Invitational Background
 

• The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series is an exhibition esports series featuring a collection of past and present racecar drivers from the NASCAR Cup Series.

 

• The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series is a multi-week series emulating the original 2020 NASCAR Cup Series schedule.

 

• With the sports world on a necessary hiatus to combat the spread of the coronavirus, the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series exists in place of actual NASCAR events.

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KYLE BUSCH eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Talladega Advance Read More

William Byron goes back-to-back in eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series

by Mike
William Byron goes back-to-back in eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series

By Holly Cain
NASCAR Wire Service

William Byron became the first multi-time winner of the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series – holding off Timmy Hill by a mere .256-seconds at the virtual Richmond Raceway Sunday afternoon. It was Byron’s second consecutive win in the series – answering a victory at iRacing’s virtual Bristol Motor Speedway two weeks ago just before the Easter off-week. (more…)

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Richmond Preview: Harvick and Bowyer Similarly Locked In for Sunday’s Invitational

by Mike
Richmond Preview: Harvick and Bowyer Similarly Locked In for Sunday’s Invitational
Details:
 

• Race:  Toyota Owners 150 (Round 4)

• Series:  eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series

• Time/Date:  1 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 19

• Location:  Virtual Richmond Raceway (.75-mile oval)

• Distance:  150 laps (112.5 miles)

 

Where to Watch:
 

• FOX network

• Announcers: Jeff Gordon, Mike Joy and Larry McReynolds, with in-race commentary from Clint Bowyer.

• FS1 (DIRECTV Channel 219 and Dish Channel 150)

• FOX Sports app

• FOX Sports Racing for fans in Canada

• Twitch.tv/StewartHaaseSports

 

DYK?:
 

• Trivia Question: What are the three most-watched esports events on TV in United States history? Answer: The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series, the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series and the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series. The March 29 eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race at the virtual Texas Motor Speedway was the most-watched esports event on TV in United States history. Simulcast on FOX and FS1, 1.34 million viewers tuned in, breaking the previous record set by the first eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race March 22 at the virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway by 47 percent. That broadcast earned 903,000 viewers on FS1 alone, which bested the previous record of 770,000 viewers when Mortal Kombat aired on The CW in 2016.

 

• But Wait, There’s More!: The last eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race April 5 at the virtual Bristol Motor Speedway averaged 1.179 million viewers across FOX and FS1, making it the second most-watched sports telecast of the weekend and the No. 1 sport among adults age 18-49.

 

• Bet On It: The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series has been cleared and approved by the Nevada Gaming Control Board for wagering. Two types of bets are allowed for the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series: winner of the race and head-to-head winner between drivers. Provisions for licensing the event includes a posting of the official rules for the tournament organizer and that all bets must cease once a race has started. Additionally, each bookmaker is allowed to create its own odds.

 

Overview:
 

• The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series is an exhibition esports series featuring a collection of past and present racecar drivers from the NASCAR Cup Series.

 

• The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series is a multi-week series emulating the original 2020 NASCAR Cup Series schedule.

 

• With the sports world on a necessary hiatus to combat the spread of the coronavirus, the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series exists in place of actual NASCAR events.

 

• The iRacing undercard event the day prior to Sunday’s headlining eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race is the Saturday Night Thunder race where 43 drivers will compete in virtual NASCAR Xfinity Series cars. The Thunder event complements the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series, and NASCAR Cup Series drivers not competing in Sunday’s race are eligible for this race. Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer and Chase Briscoe will compete in Saturday Night Thunder.

 

• The livestream of Saturday Night Thunder begins at 8 p.m. EDT on eNASCAR.com/live. Single-car qualifying begins at 8:05 p.m., which sets the lineup for the four, 10-lap heat races, with each heat race including as many as 15 drivers. Six cars advance from each heat to the feature, with the final two spots in the 26-car field coming from the top-two finishers of a 15-lap consolation race, which takes place after the heat races and is comprised of drivers who have not yet qualified. The 125-lap feature race then follows.

 

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang:          
 

“I’ve been trying to practice one hour a day. I’ve got Busch Light on my Ford Mustang and I’m going to have fun with it. I did win a street stock race this week (on iRacing)…after I wrecked in the first four. I won a Legends race by default because the whole field crashed. But those are really my only two iRacing wins. They’re not pretty. I did wreck the whole field in a Legends race the other day after starting on the front row on lap one. So, that was high entertainment. I figure the whole iRacing thing is really something that’s supposed to be fun for everybody, supposed to be filler for a gap in time during this crazy pandemic. The whole iRacing thing has introduced me to a whole new network of people and it’s opened my eyes to a whole new group of racers. It’s a different culture, but it’s still a racing culture.”

 

 

• This is Harvick’s first eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race.

 

• In actual NASCAR Cup Series racing at Richmond, Harvick has three wins, 15 top-five and 25 top-10 finishes in 38 career starts.

 

• Harvick’s three wins came in September 2006, September 2011 and April 2013.

 

Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 14 PEAK Coolant & Antifreeze Ford Mustang:
 

“iRacing is extremely realistic. You’re using the same mechanics, the same forces, and the same movements you use in real life to make your car go fast, and that includes your hand-eye coordination and your feet. You drive these things so much with the pedals, with the gas, the brake, the steering input. All of those inputs in your mind are the exact same thing we use to put our car to the front of the field on any given Sunday. That being said, the only sense that you don’ t have in a simulator is the feel from the seat of your pants. We kind of call it the ‘butt dyno’. You balance a racecar kind of like if you put a plate on the end of an ink pen. That’s how you balance a racecar. That thing wants to go on all four different axis’, whether it’s the right-front, left-front, right-rear, left-rear, you can feel all those things, and that’s how you balance a car is through the seat of your pants. In iRacing, you don’t have that. All you have is your visuals, so once you have the hang of that and your mind finally catches on, it’s kind of like riding a bike. It’s a struggle for a little while, but once you catch on to that and realize what’s going on with the movements of your car and the movements of the track and things like that – when to pick up the gas, your timing – once you get all that set, it’s exactly like what we do in real life with our PEAK Coolant & Antifreeze Ford Mustang.”

 

 

• Bowyer started 32nd and finished 11th in the previous eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race at Bristol.

 

• Bowyer considers himself a hobby iRacer. Sunday’s race at Richmond will be just his fourth official iRacing start in a virtual NASCAR Cup Series race.

 

• Bowyer’s eponymous iRacing team competes in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series with drivers Brandon Kettelle and Brian Schoenberg, and Bowyer’s dirt late model team has been sponsored by iRacing for several years.

 

• In actual NASCAR Cup Series racing at Richmond, Bowyer has two wins, five top-five and 16 top-10 finishes in 28 career starts.

 

• Bowyer’s two wins came in May 2008 and September 2012.

 

Cole Custer, driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation/Ford Project Apollo Ford Mustang:
 

“My goal is to just finish the race clean in my Haas Automation/Ford Project Apollo Ford Mustang. I haven’t done much iRacing before, so it’s definitely a little hard to get used to, but hopefully I can get some laps under my belt and get better as I go. I’ll look at the format and figure out what type of strategy I want, and see how I’m running and go from there. There’s going to be some learning because I’ve never done it. I’m definitely going to have someone around me helping through the race. It will be hard keeping track of everything because it is new to me and there’s a lot to handle. I’ve been talking with Chase Briscoe a little about it. He’s had iRacing for a little while now and is pretty good at it, so just getting a general idea of what to look for is important. I’ve also asked Justin Bolton, SHR’s iRacing driver, some questions. I’ve worked with him in the past because he was an engineer on my Xfinity team last year and he obviously knows a lot about it.”

 

 

• This is Custer’s first Saturday Night Thunder race.

 

• In actual racing, Custer has made a total of eight starts at Richmond – one in the NASCAR Cup Series and seven in the Xfinity Series.

 

• Custer is a winner at Richmond, as he earned an Xfinity Series victory at the track in April 2019.

 

• Custer also has the opportunity to race his way into Sunday’s eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race. After the Saturday Night Thunder event, Custer will compete in a 25-lap race at 10:30 a.m. EDT on Sunday. Should he finish first or second in that race, he will earn a starting spot in the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race.

 

Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 98 HighPoint.com/Ford Performance Racing School Ford Mustang:  
 

“I’m ready to get back in my No. 98 HighPoint.com/Ford Performance Racing School Ford Mustang at Richmond. In the real world, Richmond is a track that I struggled at my first time there, but like anywhere else, I was able to improve with experience. The same things apply to sim racing. The more you do it, the more comfortable you get. Richmond is a tough track, so if you haven’t put in the time to test it out, it’s probably going to be a struggle. I enjoy short-track racing. It’s always exciting and I think we’ll see a lot of those same short-track racing characteristics in the iRacing event Saturday night. Hopefully, I’ll qualify well and have a good run in the heat race to lock into the main so we can put on a show.”

 

 

• This is Briscoe’s first Saturday Night Thunder race, but he is a regular iRacer, with most of his races coming in the Xfinity Series.

 

• In actual racing, Briscoe has never competed in the NASCAR Cup Series. He is currently in his second full season of Xfinity Series racing.

 

• Briscoe has three Xfinity Series starts at Richmond. He has two top-10s, with a best finish of fifth in September 2019.

 

About Stewart-Haas eSports:
 

NASCAR is the ultimate test of driver acumen and mechanical know-how, where teams scrutinize every detail in a never-ending quest for speed. Stewart-Haas Racing has thrived in this environment, winning races and championships to firmly establish its presence in NASCAR. Stewart-Haas eSports emulates these efforts in the virtual world, where sim technology provides a visceral experience that amplifies the grit and determination of NASCAR drivers in the real world. Stewart-Haas eSports is a natural extension of Stewart-Haas Racing, where competition and simulation are one. For more information, please visit us online at www.StewartHaasRacing.com/esports and follow on Twitter @SHR_eSports.

 

About Stewart-Haas Racing:
 

Stewart-Haas Racing is the title-winning NASCAR team co-owned by three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation – the largest CNC machine tool builder in North America. The Kannapolis, North Carolina-based organization has won two NASCAR Cup Series titles, one NASCAR Xfinity Series championship and more than 70 NASCAR races, including such crown-jewel events as the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and Southern 500. For more information, please visit us online at www.StewartHaasRacing.com, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/StewartHaasRacing, on Twitter @StewartHaasRcng and on Instagram @StewartHaasRacing.

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Richmond Preview: Harvick and Bowyer Similarly Locked In for Sunday’s Invitational Read More