Motorsport in the United States | The MotorSportsNews.Net(work)

REESE/Draw-Tite Ford Finish 31st at Bristol

by MikeJune 1, 2020

Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 REESE/Draw-Tite Ford team had some early success in Sunday’s Food City Presents the Supermarket Heroes 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway but were collected in a mid-race multi-car incident and wound up with a 31^st-place finish.

DiBenedetto started ninth after the line-up for the top 12 starting spots was set by a draw among the top 12 teams in car owner points.

He struggled with a loose handling condition in the opening laps but took the lead by staying on the track when the yellow flag flew at Lap 62 for the second of two competition caution periods.

He held the top spot for four laps, the third-straight race in which he paced the field, then finished seventh in the first 125-lap Stage despite riding on older tires than many of his competitors.

Entering pit road at the end of Stage One, DiBenedetto was nabbed for speeding and sent to the rear of the pack for the restart.

As he was working his way forward, he was swept up in a nine-car crash on Lap 231. He wound up spending 43 laps in the garage while the REESE/Draw-Tite team replaced a broken tie rod. He rejoined the race and ran until the finish, moving up to 31^st position but dropping two spots in the Cup Series standings to 13^th.

A frustrated DiBenedetto was able to find some bright spots on an otherwise disappointing day.

“We hung on with old tires to get stage points,” he said. “The car was plenty fast.

“Then we got a speeding penalty, and were driving back through the field and broke a tie rod.

“We had a fast car, but in the end it didn’t matter.”

DiBenedetto said what he needs most is simple – a change of racing luck, such as that being enjoyed by his fellow Team Ford driver Brad Keselowski, who has won two of the last three races by capitalizing on others’ misfortunes in the closing laps.

“We need to borrow his horseshoe,” DiBenedetto said.

DiBenedetto and the No. 21 team now head to Atlanta Motor Speedway next Sunday for the Folds of Honor/Quik Trip 500.
Horizon Global
Headquartered in Plymouth, MI, Horizon Global is the #1 designer, manufacturer and distributor of a wide variety of high-quality, custom-engineered towing, trailering, cargo management and other related accessory products in North America and Europe. The Company serves OEMs, retailers, dealer networks and the end consumer as the category leader in the automotive, leisure and agricultural market segments. Horizon provides its customers with outstanding products and services that reflect the Company’s commitment to market leadership, innovation and operational excellence. The Company’s mission is to utilize forward-thinking technology to develop and deliver best-in-class products for our customers, engage with our employees and realize value creation for our shareholders.

Horizon Global is home to some of the world’s most recognized brands in the towing and trailering industry, including: Draw-Tite, Reese, Westfalia, BULLDOG, Fulton and Tekonsha. Horizon Global has approximately 3,600 employees. For more information, please visit www.horizonglobal.com .

Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glen Wood. WoodBrothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glen’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Matt DiBenedetto in the famous No. 21 racer.

Clint Bowyer 2nd in Bristol

by MikeJune 1, 2020

Late Surge Propels No. 14 ‘Built Ford Proud’ Mustang

Date: May 31, 2020

Event: Food City presents the Supermarket Heroes 500 (Round 9 of 36)

Series: NASCAR Cup Series

Location: Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (.533-mile oval)

Format: 500 laps, broken into three stages (125 laps/125 laps/250 laps)

Start/Finish: 23rd/2nd (Running, completed 500 of 500 laps)

Point Standing: 12th with 232 points, 138 out of first

Race Winner: Brad Keselowski of Team Penske (Ford)

Stage 1 Winner: Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)

Stage 2 Winner: Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-125):

● Clint Bowyer started 23rd and finished 12th.

● The No. 14 “Built Ford Proud” Mustang held its position early in the race before stopping at the lap 20 competition caution.

● Bowyer moved from 29th to 19th before pitting during the second competition caution on lap 60.

● Bowyer began turning “crazy fast times” according to the crew driving from 17th to 12th before the end of the stage.

● During the stage break, Bowyer pitted for adjustments to help the car’s rotation in the turns.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 126-250):

● Bowyer started 10th and finished sixth to earn five bonus points.

● The No. 14 “Built Ford Proud” Mustang faded to 16th by lap 180 with Bowyer reporting the car was “really tight.”

● Bowyer pitted for major adjustments to fix the issue during a caution on lap 200.

● The changes helped as Bowyer clawed back to 10th by lap 230 when a nine-car accident stopped the race for 11 minutes.

● Bowyer restarted the race in 10th with just 15 laps left and moved to eighth before another caution slowed the field.

● Bowyer jumped from eighth to sixth in the seven-lap green flag run to end the stage.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 251-500):

● Bowyer started 14th, finished second.

● The No. 14 “Built Ford Proud” Mustang moved to eighth by the caution on lap 360.

● Over the next 70 laps, tight handling issues plus cars with fresher tires shuffled Bowyer back to 15th.

● Bowyer pitted for adjustments and restarted the race in 14th with 61 laps remaining.

● Things got worse as Brad Keselowski and Ryan Newman made contact sending Newman into Bowyer causing significant left-side damage to the No. 14.

● Bowyer restarted the race in 13th with 37 laps remaining. Immediately after the restart Bowyer deftly avoided a seven-car accident in front of him.

● Bowyer restarted ninth with 30 laps to go and used fresh tires to drive to fifth before the next caution flew with 10 to go.

● The race restarted with just five laps remaining and it didn’t take long for the leaders Joey Logano and Chase Elliott to start beating and banging.

● Bowyer never lifted as the pair collided and slid into the wall to claim second place.

● There weren’t enough laps to chase down Keselowski for the victory.

Notes:

● Bowyer earned his second top-five and third top-10 of the season, and his eighth top-five and 16th top-10 in 29 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol.

● This is Bowyer’s fifth straight top-10 at Bristol and his seventh top-10 in the last nine races at Bristol.

● Since joining SHR in 2017, Bowyer has only finished outside the top-10 once at Bristol.

● Keselowski won the Food City presents the Supermarket Heroes 500 to score his 32nd career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his second of the season and his third at Bristol. His margin of victory over second-place Bowyer was .471 of a second.

● This was Ford’s series-best fifth win of the season and its 691st all-time NASCAR Cup Series victory.

● This was Ford’s 38th NASCAR Cup Series victory at Bristol. The last Ford driver to win at Bristol was Kurt Busch in August 2018 while a member of SHR.

● There were 17 caution periods for a total of 102 laps.

● Only 22 of the 40 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

● Kevin Harvick remains the championship leader after Bristol with a 24-point advantage over second-place Joey Logano.

Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 14 ‘Built Ford Proud’ Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“Wow what a finish. That got wild. The boys hung in there and just kept digging. The old girl said “Built Ford Proud” when she probably should have said “Built Ford Tough” because she had all four corners knocked off it. We actually struggled pretty bad with our setup. I don’t know, it was floating the nose really bad up off the corner all day long. I could gain and make some ground up in the center of the corner in, and in the middle, but if I had to pass somebody and turn underneath of them I didn’t have the real estate. The outside was no man’s land for me. I couldn’t get my front end to turn at all.”

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Folds of Honor 500 on Sunday, June 7 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The race starts at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

John Hunter Nemechek Post-Race Report: Bristol

by MikeJune 1, 2020

Track: Bristol Motor Speedway, 0.5 Mile Oval

Race: 9 of 38

Event: Supermarket Heroes 500 (266.5 miles, 500 laps)

John Hunter Nemechek

No. 38 Scag Power Equipment Ford Mustang

Started: 18th

Finished: 13th

Stage One: 19th
Stage Two: 11th
Stage Three: 13th

John Hunter Nemechek started Sunday’s “Supermarket Heroes 500” at Bristol Motor Speedway in the 18th position. The balance of his No. 38 Scag Power Equipment Ford Mustang was decent, but Nemechek radioed multiple times that he needed to be freer, noting that track position was a challenge at Bristol. Crew Chief Seth Barbour and the team made adjustments to the track bar and tire pressure as Stage 1 progressed. Nemechek took the green- and white-checkered flag in 19th place.

Stage 2 was mired with caution after caution, including one on-track incident that briefly brought out the red flag for cleanup. Nemechek’s No. 38 Scag Power Equipment Ford was on both sides of balance at various points, namely free at the end of a run, but “still a tick snug center.” While running 13th towards the end of the stage, he told the team that he felt faster than the cars in front of him, but it was too difficult to pass. Nemechek would finish Stage 2 in the 11th position.

Nemechek drove inside the top 20 through the majority of the final stage, cracking the top 10 with a little over 120 laps remaining. An issue with the car overheating led Nemechek down pit road multiple times under caution late in the race, but he still managed to stay on the lead lap. The No. 38 team continued their battle at “The Last Great Colosseum,” never giving up. Nemechek’s Scag Power Equipment Mustang crossed the finish line in 13th place.

Nemechek on Bristol:

“It was a tough day, but we still fought to have a good finish under the circumstances. Seth and the crew put together a super fast Scag Power Equipment Ford Mustang. We started off the day a little tight, needing more turn. In that last stage though, we had some issues with overheating and that cost us some precious track position. It’s a challenge at Bristol to stay on the lead lap, let alone finish top-15 after the day we had. I’m so proud of my team for sticking with me and never giving up. We fought hard and still came out of it P13. Thanks to Scag Power Equipment for coming on board with us again. I’m looking forward to getting back after it at Atlanta next weekend.”

No. 10 Smithfield Ford Racing: Aric Almirola Bristol I Race Advance

by MikeMay 30, 2020

KANNAPOLIS, North Carolina (May 29, 2020) – Aric Almirola and the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang team for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) continue their return to racing after the COVID-19 postponements with a fan and driver favorite – short-track competition at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

Sunday, avid and new fans of the NASCAR Cup Series will get the chance to witness the typically action-packed, 500-lap race that will test the physical and mental stamina of its drivers.

“Bristol is the ultimate test of physical stamina mixed with finesse of how you position your racecar,” Almirola said. “You’re on the edge of your seat every lap and the slightest mistake can set you back. It helps to be in great shape for races like Bristol when you get toward the end of the long, green-flag run. During the break, I stayed busy with my workout regimen to prepare for races like this with heat training and cycling.”

After four races in 12 days, Almirola and the Smithfield Ford team are excited to mix up the racing styles and get back to short-track racing – something they think the fans will enjoy.

“NASCAR has done such an incredible job getting us back racing,” Almirola said. “We’re one of the only sports to watch right now and Sunday will be a prime time for new fans to see what NASCAR is all about. They’re going to see beating and banging the entire race, cars barely holding on, and frustration from a lot of us drivers. I think we’re going to gain a lot of new race fans Sunday and I hope the No. 10 Smithfield car is up front to gain some new fans for ourselves.”

Almirola’s 2019 outcomes at Bristol were not favorable for the 36-year-old – not of his own fault. After a solid sixth-place qualifying run in the April 2019 Bristol event, Almirola was struck by the No. 24 car and taken out of the race on lap three. Following another solid fifth-place qualifying effort in the August race, Almirola made contact with a lapped car that ultimately led him to finish 18 laps off the pace.

“Bristol is a track I always look forward to going to,” Almirola said. “We just haven’t had luck on our side the last few races there. I feel confident there, too. We just need some things to go our way to actually finish a solid race.”

Almirola and the Smithfield Ford team have restarted the season with one top-10 and have held their ninth-place position in the standings with 225 points – 106 behind leader Kevin Harvick.

He has one top-five and three top-10s in 20 starts at Bristol since 2007. His best finish there was third in the Food City 500 on March 16, 2004. In addition to his Cup Series experience at Bristol, Almirola has seven NASCAR Xfinity Series starts with four of those resulting in top-10 finishes.

Almirola will sport the iconic black, white and gold Smithfield Ford Mustang this weekend at Bristol. Smithfield Foods Inc., who will sponsor Almirola’s car at the majority of races this season, is an American food company with agricultural roots and a global reach. Its 40,000 U.S. employees are dedicated to producing “Good Food. Responsibly®,” and have made it one of the world’s leading vertically integrated protein companies.

The starting grid for Sunday’s race was determined Friday by random draw in order of owner points positions. Almirola will start the Food City Presents the Supermarket Heroes 500 from second.

Aric Almirola: Driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

How does Bristol’s track surface change during the race?

“Bristol is one of those places where the track changes throughout the run, especially in the last couple of years, when they put the (traction) compound down on the bottom groove. That has tended to get rubbered up and get really slick as the run moves on and the cars migrate to the top of the racetrack. The top of the racetrack is not very good when it’s clean but, when it starts to rubber up, it actually gains momentum and gets faster, so the groove moves around a lot from run to run and throughout the run, and that makes it fun and it makes it exciting. As a driver, it gives you the option to search around and look for speed.”

Sunday’s race honors Supermarket Heroes. How important is it to recognize these essential workers in the midst of the Coronavirus outbreak?

“The food workers are every bit as important as the front-line workers. We have to have food to survive as a nation and we have to have medical resources. You can’t have just one or the other. I think it’s so cool that we are acknowledging them this weekend because they are the heartbeat of our nation. We wake up every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Without them, we don’t have that.”

No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang Team Report
Round 8 of 36 – Food City Presents the Supermarket Heroes 500 – Bristol Motor Speedway

Car No. 10: Smithfield Ford Mustang Team Report

At Track PR Contact: Dakota Hunter with True Speed Communication (Dakota.Hunter@TrueSpeedCommunication.com)

Primary Team:

Driver: Aric Almirola

Hometown: Tampa, Florida

Crew Chief: Mike Bugarewicz

Hometown: Lehighton, Pennsylvania

Car Chief: Jerry Cook

Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Engine Builder: Roush Yates Racing

Headquarters: Mooresville, North Carolina

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Spotter: Joel Edmonds

Hometown: Dobson, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Crew:

Gas Man: James “Ace” Keener

Hometown: Fortuna, California

Front Tire Changer: Clay Robinson

Hometown: Simi Valley, Calif.

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard

Hometown: King, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Chris McMullen

Hometown: Canton, Michigan

Jackman: Corbin Martin

Hometown: Winston Salem, North Carolina

Notes of Interest:

● Almirola will make his 22nd Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway start in the NASCAR Cup Series Sunday to bring his total of career Cup Series starts to 325.

o The Smithfield driver is looking to capture his fourth top-10 finish of the season.

● In Almirola’s three NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series starts at “The Last Great Colosseum,” he finished second, sixth and 32nd, the latter due to an accident.

● The Smithfield driver has seven NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Bristol with one top-five finish and four top-10s.

● Career: Almirola has career totals of two wins, two poles, 18 top-five finishes, 64 top-10s and 543 laps led in 324 starts.

● Points: Almirola sits ninth in the driver standings with 225 points – 106 behind leader and SHR teammate Kevin Harvick.

● Last win: Almirola’s Oct. 14, 2018 win at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway was his most recent in the Cup Series.

● ‘Beyond the 10’ – Almirola is back with season two of his YouTube documentary series, where fans can get VIP, behind-the-scenes access by subscribing to his YouTube channel. Episodes showcase never-before-seen footage of Almirola at the racetrack, on iRacing, and “A Day in the Life” during the week, as well as all that goes into a NASCAR Cup Series driver’s season. Click here to subscribe on YouTube and watch the latest episode.

● Crew chief Mike Bugarewicz is in his fifth full-time season at SHR and his first with Almirola. To learn more click here.

RCR Event Preview – Bristol Motor Speedway

by MikeMay 30, 2020May 30, 2020

Richard Childress Racing at Bristol Motor Speedway … In 175 NASCAR Cup Series starts, Richard Childress Racing has earned a total of nine race wins at Bristol Motor Speedway, including seven with Dale Earnhardt, one with Kevin Harvick and one with Jeff Burton. The Welcome, N.C.-based organization also has nine NASCAR Xfinity Series wins at the World’s Fastest Half-Mile, including four with Kevin Harvick and one each with Jeff Green, Clint Bowyer, Elliott Sadler, Austin Dillon and Tyler Reddick.

COVID-19 Relief … Own a piece of history by participating in an 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. Visit https://www.ebay.com/str/RichardChildresscollection

Catch the Action … The Supermarket Heroes 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live Sunday, May 31, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series Cheddar’s 300 presented by Alsco at Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live Monday, June 1, beginning at 7 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Austin Dillon at Bristol Motor Speedway … In 12 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Dillon has one top-five and two top-10 finishes. He posted his best finish of fourth in August 2016. He is a former winner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at the track.

SYMBICORT Partners with the No. 3 at Bristol Motor Speedway … SYMBICORT is an AstraZeneca product and the sponsor of the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Bristol Motor Speedway 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.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:

What do you think about racing at Bristol Motor Speedway?
“Man, they can’t mess Bristol Motor Speedway up, truthfully. Bristol is Bristol, and it doesn’t matter what lane you are in, it is good racing. I enjoy going there. Bristol is just a hardcore track where you need some drivability that you have built into the car mechanically. I look forward to Bristol each year.”

Tyler Reddick at Bristol Motor Speedway … Tyler Reddick will be making his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway during this Sunday’s Supermarket Heroes 500. Reddick has five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track, winning last fall’s race there with crew chief Randall Burnett, along with two top-five and four top-10 finishes. Reddick also has two NASCAR Truck Series starts, with two top-five finishes at Bristol.

About Alsco … Alsco is a fourth-generation family owned and operated business, founded in 1889, that was recognized by the prestigious Hohenstein Institute for having invented the linen and uniform rental industry. Celebrating over 130 years of business, Alsco provides linen and workwear rental services to customers that include restaurants, healthcare, automotive industry and industrial facilities. With over 180 locations and more than 20,000 employees, Alsco provides world-class service to over 355,000 customers in 14 countries. Learn more at alsco.com.

Watch with Cheddar’s … Reddick and his No. 8 team are excited to tune in to the Cheddar’s 300 on Monday, June 1, and watch RCR’s Xfinity team try to capture the win. To celebrate the race, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is offering 15 percent off all online to go orders with the offer code RACEDAY placed on 6/1. With scratch-made favorites like Santa Fe Spinach Dip served with house-fried tortilla chips or Cheddar’s signature hand-breaded Chicken Tenders, fans can enjoy a taste of the race at their Cheddar’s 300 watch-parties. Or pick up one of Cheddar’s new Family Bundles and feed your whole pit-crew like a bundle of Slow-Smoked Baby Back Ribs that comes complete with 2 family-sized sides and 6 of your favorite Honey-Butter Croissants. Terms & conditions apply. Visit cheddars.com/offer/race-day for full offer details.

TYLER REDDICK QUOTES:

Bristol Motor Speedway is known for being a tough track. How do you feel entering your first Cup Series start there with no practice or qualifying?

“It’s going to be tough on Sunday. Bristol is one of the toughest tracks to go around when it doesn’t have rubber and heat on it. I’ve ran Truck races there through my career, and when we’re one of the first ones on the track, that first hour of practice, you can’t really learn much. The traction compound is slick – you go down in there to try to use it and you almost spin out. You run the middle, and that’s about it. Man, the first hour or so of practice you can’t get up in that either because it’s slick, and you almost wreck. I remember the first time they put traction compound down at Bristol, I went out for practice and I was in the middle of it, so we were OK. But I wanted to try the bottom, so I went down there, got loose and couldn’t go anywhere. I realized that wasn’t going to work, so I went up to try to use the top and I drove it straight into the fence. Given that experience, I’m worried that the start of Sunday’s race is going to be very chaotic. I don’t know how that’s going to go. There’s only one groove, and we’re going to be starting double-file, so that’s going to be very interesting.”

This Week’s No. 21 TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaro at Bristol Motor Speedway … Myatt Snider will look to back up a strong top-10 performance as the NASCAR Xfinity Series visits the half-mile of Bristol Motor Speedway. Snider will be making his Xfinity Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend. He has one career NASCAR Truck Series start at the track in 2018.

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MYATT SNIDER QUOTE:

After a strong top-10 performance at Charlotte, what kind of momentum can you and your team bring into a place like Bristol Motor Speedway?

“We had great speed in Charlotte and performed really well together as a team. I am thankful for all the hard work my crew chief Andy Street and our entire Richard Childress Racing team has put into producing these fast TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaros. The speed we’re bringing to the racetrack gives me that much more confidence heading into Bristol. This will be my last race with RCR until the end of the year, so I really want to go out and have our best performance yet this weekend. I can’t wait to slay it at the Last Great Colosseum with my No. 21 TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaro.”

Hunt Brothers Pizza Racing: Kevin Harvick Food City presents the Supermarket Heroes 500 Advance and Team Report

by MikeMay 30, 2020

KANNAPOLIS, North Carolina (May 29, 2020) – Kevin Harvick will compete in his fifth race in 15 days on Sunday, May 31 in the Food City presents the Supermarket Heroes 500 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. That’s a lot of races in 15 days, but not for someone like Harvick.

The driver of the No. 4 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) drove in four races in eight days back in 2007.

It was the year of the great rainout at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn. Harvick drove in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Michigan on Saturday, Aug. 18 and finished third. The Cup Series race ended up running on Tuesday, Aug. 21 after it was rained out Sunday and Monday.

Harvick then headed south to Bristol for the Xfinity Series race on Friday, Aug. 24 and finished 16th. Finally, on Saturday, Aug. 25, he finished 16th in the Bristol Cup Series race.

He raced a total of 1,055.7 miles during that 2007 stretch. By the end of this past Thursday night’s 500-kilometer race at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, he will have driven have driven 1,595.588 miles since the Cup Series resumed its suspended season April 17 with the first of two races at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. And he has another 250 miles coming up Sunday at Bristol.

So while the schedule has been odd, because of Harvick’s experience, he’s sort of been through this before. And he has been successful at Bristol before, as well.

Harvick has two wins, one pole, 12 top-five finishes, 19 top-10s and has led a total of 912 laps in his 38 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol. His average start is 16.7, his average finish is 13.8 and he has a lap-completion rate of 96.7 percent – 18,401 of the 19,027 laps available.

He has competed in 29 NASCAR Xfinity Series races there with five wins, 15 top-fives and 24 top-10 finishes with two pole positions. He has driven in five NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series events at Bristol and has one win and four top-10s.

Harvick will also have the support of longtime partner Hunt Brothers Pizza at Bristol Sunday.

With more than 7,800 locations in 30 states, Hunt Brothers Pizza is the nation’s largest brand of made-to-order pizza in the convenience store industry. Hunt Brothers Pizza offers original and thin crust pizzas available as a grab-and-go Hunk perfect for today’s on-the-go lifestyle, or as a customizable whole pizza that is an exceptional value with All Toppings No Extra Charge®. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Hunt Brothers Pizza is family owned and operated with more than 25 years of experience serving great pizza to convenience store shoppers through its store partners. To find a Hunt Brothers Pizza location, download the Hunt Brothers Pizza app by visiting www.huntbrotherspizza.com/app/

Hunt Brothers Pizza has partnered with Harvick for 11 years and last visited victory lane with him when he won the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In 2019, Hunt Brothers moved up to the Cup Series as a primary sponsor for three races and, in 2020, will be on Harvick’s car five times.

Harvick has also won two Truck Series races with Hunt Brothers as a sponsor at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, and at Bristol, both in 2011. The company also sponsored him in the non-points NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte in 2014 and 2015. Harvick finished second in both races.

Harvick is hoping he can heat up at Bristol and score his second victory of 2020. And if he leads just one more lap, he will have led 10,000 laps in his SHR career dating back to 2014.

KEVIN HARVICK, Driver of the No. 4 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

Is it hard to communicate inside the racecar at Bristol because everything happens so fast?

“It’s definitely loud and hard for the teams to hear. One of the hardest things at Bristol is just to see what’s going on. I have crashed at Bristol and gone back to watch it on TV and you’re like, ‘What in the hell were you doing? You just ran into four or five cars that have been sitting there for two seconds.’ But, Bristol is a very demanding racetrack. It’s very hard because things happen so fast, communication is hard. It’s easy to make a mistake or pile into a wreck. It’s easy to wreck somebody or to get into a fight. It’s easy to do a lot of things because there is just so much happening. It’s a tough place to race, to put it all together, and it’s mentally and physically exhausting.”

Can you talk about “the bounty” and Chase Elliott defeating Kyle Busch in the Truck Series race last Tuesday?

“I was sitting in my motorhome in Las Vegas and I woke up the next morning after Kyle (Busch) had won and saw a tweet from Kyle Larson that just had two cherries in it, which basically symbolizes cherry picking. When Delana (Harvick) and I used to own truck teams, that used to fly all over me, because I know how much time, effort and money it takes to get those trucks on the racetrack. I know how much work Kyle puts into putting those vehicles on the racetrack and I just thought, ‘What the heck, let’s put some money on the line and see if we can get some of these guys to come out and race in the Truck Series.’ You look at it the other night, with everything that has gone on in our sport with Chase (Elliott) and Kyle, to have them battling it out in the Truck Series and have Marcus Anthony Lemonis jump on board, it just wound up being a lot of fun. I really have a lot of respect for what Kyle Busch does and the effort he puts into putting those racetrucks on track and sometimes I think people forget the art of promoting. Sometimes you have to go out and give a little bit of nudge to create a little bit of excitement. As a fan, I love the Truck Series. I love to watch racing and, as a fan, I sat up with my son the other night watching and wondering what was going to happen. It was fun and exciting and it’s going to end up being a great donation once Chase decides where he wants take that $100,000 for charity during a time when there are so many things bigger than our sport right now. Our sport, once again, is going to step up just like we did during the first iRacing event at Homestead-Miami Speedway to donate some money to charity.”

Hunt Brothers Pizza Racing Team Report

Round 9 of 36 – Food City presents the Supermarket Heroes 500 – Bristol

Car No.: 4 – Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang

PR Contact: Joe Crowley, True Speed Communication (704) 875-3388 ext. 808 or Joe.Crowley@TrueSpeedCommunication.com)

Primary Team Members:

Driver: Kevin Harvick

Hometown: Bakersfield, California

Crew Chief: Rodney Childers

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Car Chief: Robert Smith

Hometown: Whitewater, Wisconsin

Engine Builder: Roush-Yates Engines

Headquarters: Mooresville, North Carolina

Engine Specialist: Robert Brandt

Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Spotter: Tim Fedewa

Hometown: Holt, Michigan

Over-The-Wall Crew Members:

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala

Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Daniel Smith

Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Mike “Shrek” Morneau

Hometown: Oxford, Maine

Gas Man: Evan Marchal

Hometown: Westfield, Indiana

Jackman: Stan Dolittle

Hometown: Ninety Six, South Carolina

Windshield: Shawn Hopkins (also serves as interior mechanic)

Hometown: Chesterfield, Virginia

Bristol Notes of Interest:

· Dynamic Duo: While this is Harvick’s 20th year in the NASCAR Cup Series, it’s his seventh with crew chief Rodney Childers, which is the longest pairing of any current driver-crew chief combination. Since joining forces at Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) in 2014, Harvick and Childers have combined to produce 27 points-paying victories, a victory in the non-points-paying 2018 NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, 25 Busch poles, 111 top-five finishes and 161 top-10s while leading 9,999 laps. They won the 2014 championship, finished runner-up in the 2015 title chase to champion Kyle Busch, finished eighth in 2016 and third in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

· Harvick has career totals of 50 wins, 31 poles, 211 top-fives, 370 top-10s and 14,425 laps led in 690 starts.

· His most recent Cup Series win came on May 17 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

· His most recent Busch Pole came in November 2019 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.

· Harvick’s 50 career NASCAR Cup Series victories puts him in a tie with NASCAR Hall of Famers Ned Jarrett and Junior Johnson for 12th on the all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins list. He is third on the active driver list behind Jimmie Johnson and Busch. Harvick is four wins behind Lee Petty for 11th on the all-time wins list.

· At the Homestead season finale in 2019, Harvick became just the 11th driver to have led 14,000 laps in his NASCAR career. He’s led 14,452 and trails 10th-place Busch, who has led 17,445, and Johnson, who is ninth with 18,862 laps led. Harvick has led 9,999 laps as an SHR driver.

· Points Position: Harvick arrives at Charlotte first in the NASCAR Cup Series standings with 331 points, 14 markers ahead of second-place Joey Logano.

· Harvick in the Monster Energy Cup Series at Bristol: Harvick has two wins, one pole, 12 top-five finishes, 19 top-10s and has led a total of 912 laps in his 38 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol. His average start is 16.7, his average finish is 13.8 and he has a lap-completion rate of 96.7 percent – 18,401 of the 19,027 laps available.

· Xfinity and Trucks at Bristol: Harvick has competed in 29 NASCAR Xfinity Series races with five wins, 15 top-fives and 24 top-10 finishes with two pole positions. He has driven in five NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series events and has one win and four top-10s.

· Already Playoff Bound – Harvick qualified for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs with his win May 17 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

· 111 and Counting – Harvick scored his 100th career win in NASCAR’s top three series with his March 2018 Las Vegas win. He now has 111 total victories – 50 in the Cup Series, 47 in the Xfinity Series and 14 in the Truck Series. Only three other drivers in NASCAR history have passed 100 wins in NASCAR’s top three series: Richard Petty, David Pearson and Busch.

FedEx Racing Express Facts – Bristol

by MikeMay 29, 2020

Race Info:

Race: Supermarket Heroes 500

Date/Time: Sunday, May 31/3:30 p.m. ET

Distance: 500 laps/266 miles

Track Length: 0.533 miles

Track Shape: Oval

2019 Winner: Kyle Busch

Charlotte Recap: Denny Hamlin finished second in Thursday night’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the #11 FedEx #SupportSmall Toyota, in the 312-mile event won by Chase Elliott. Hamlin was fifth with less than 30 laps to go, but moved toward the front in the closing laps, crossing the finish line just one spot short of his third victory of the season. Hamlin started 29th and battled in the first two segments trying to gain track position. The FedEx crew kept gaining spots on pit road and Hamlin picked off positions on the track to finish 12th in Stage 2. Once the final segment started, Hamlin was one of the fastest cars on the track. He lined up second alongside then-leader Kevin Harvick for the final restart, but fell back to fifth early in the run. Later in the run, Hamlin was able to work back to second by the time the checkered flag flew. The finish kept Hamlin in eighth in the point standings.

Bristol Preview: The series moves to Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday for the Supermarket Heroes 500. This action-packed track has favored Hamlin in the past with two wins, and nine top-five and 14 top-10 finishes, including a pole position and victory during the NASCAR Cup Series’ last visit to the half-mile track in August. He will look to secure his third career victory in Thunder Valley this weekend as the Cup Series stages its fifth return-to-racing event in 15 days.

Hamlin Statistics:

Track: Bristol Motor Speedway

Races: 28

Wins: 2

Poles: 4

Top-5: 9

Top-10: 14

Laps Led: 697

Avg. Start: 13.6

Avg. Finish: 14.4

Hamlin Conversation – Bristol:

With a victory in your last trip to Bristol, do you have extra confidence heading there this weekend?

“We have confidence in our team at every track. But, yes, we definitely know we can run well at Bristol, and we certainly proved that the last time we were here. Things will be a little different this time with no practice or qualifying, but we still feel like we can get our FedEx Camry to the front.”

How odd will it be racing at this stadium-style track with no crowd noise?

“It will definitely be weird. Bristol is synonymous with noise. But we know NASCAR is doing the right thing with all these safety protocols, and they’re trying to get fans back as soon as it’s safe to do so. I hope all the fans tune in on TV to watch what is sure to be a typically exciting Bristol race.”

FedEx Express – Along For The Ride at Bristol Motor Speedway: FedEx Express is pleased to recognize the team members at the HHHA station in Hilton Head Island, S.C., for their exceptional performance by featuring the letters HHHA on the B-post of the FedEx #11 at the Supermarket Heroes 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. HHHA ranks among the top 10 stations in the Southeast Region year-to-date and has been the top-ranking station three separate months since June, most recently in December during the busy Peak season. The dedicated team of employees consistently strive to deliver outstanding service and meet the FedEx on-time delivery commitments efficiently and safely as evidenced by a year-over-year reduction in vehicle accidents and worker injuries.

FedEx Office – Closest to Bristol Motor Speedway: 2116 N. Roan Street, Suite 1A, Johnson City, TN 37601, (423) 283-9503

2020 FedEx Racing Team Results
DATE	EVENT	LOCATION	START	FINISH	LAPS	STATUS	LED	PTS	TREND
Feb. 16	Daytona 500	Daytona	21	1	209/209	Running	79	*1^st*	▬
Feb. 23	Pennzoil 400 Presented by Jiffy Lube	Las Vegas	4	17	267/267	Running	0	*9^th*	▼
Mar. 1	Auto Club 400	Fontana	28	6	200/200	Running	0	*7^th*	▲
Mar. 8	Fan Shield 500	Phoenix	3	20	316/316	Running	0	*11^th*	▼
May 17	The Real Heroes 400	Darlington	10	5	293/293	Running	0	*6^th*	▲
May 20	Toyota 500	Darlington	16	1	208/208	Running	12	*4^th*	▲
May 24	Coca-Cola 600	Charlotte	13	29	398/405	Running	0	*8^th*	▼
May 28	Alsco Uniforms 500	Charlotte	29	2	208/208	Running	0	*8^th*	▬
*Averages/Totals*			*15.5*	*10.1*	*99.7%*		91

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

by MikeMay 29, 2020

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:

Starts	Wins	Top 5	Top 10	Poles	Laps Led	Avg. Start	Avg. Finish
6	0	2	2	1	293	9.2	16.0

Jones 2020 Season NASCAR Cup Series Stats:

Starts	Wins	Top 5	Top 10	Poles	Laps Led	Avg. Start	Avg. Finish
8	0	1	3	0	27	15.9	16.1

Jones Career NASCAR Cup Series Stats:

Starts	Wins	Top 5	Top 10	Poles	Laps Led	Avg. Start	Avg. Finish
119	2	25	52	2	609	13.4	16.0

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.

DiBenedetto Heads to Bristol with REESE and Draw-Tite

by MikeMay 29, 2020

Last fall at Bristol Motor Speedway, Matt DiBenedetto, having learned just days before that he would be a free agent in 2020, turned in a performance that won the hearts of fans both at the track and across the NASCAR nation.

Although he relinquished the lead after holding the top spot for 93 laps late in the race and wound up in second place, the crowd cheered loud and long as he was interviewed for the TV and radio broadcasts.

In those interviews, DiBenedetto, who finished second, vowed to remain in the Cup Series and said he had faith that some top-tier team would hire him and be glad to get him.

“I just want to stick around and keep doing this for a long time to come,” DiBenedetto said on that hot August night. “I love it. I love the opportunity. I’m not done yet.”

“Something will come open. It’s going to happen. I’m here to win. Something’s going to come open.”

Turns out he was right. The Wood Brothers hired him to drive their iconic No. 21 Ford Mustang.

“That Bristol race was the turning point in Matt’s career,” Eddie Wood said. “I remember how well he ran and how the fans were supporting him. When Paul [Menard] decided to retire and we talked with him about who would take over the car, Matt’s name was the first one that came up for us and Paul.”

Now DiBenedetto, who already has matched his Bristol finishing position with a second-place run at Las Vegas earlier this year, is returning to Bristol with a No. 21 REESE/Draw-Tite Mustang that is expected to be capable of once again contending for a win on the half-mile concrete oval.

Wood said he’s optimistic about the team’s prospects this weekend.

“Bristol is Matt’s best track,” he said. “And we’ve had some fast cars up there lately.”

“The biggest thing is getting to the end of the race without getting involved in someone else’s mess or your own mess.

“It’s the hardest race we run to survive to the finish. It’s so fast and the cars run so close. Things happen fast.”

Wood also said he and his family team are excited to have the No. 21 Mustang carry the universally known REESE and Draw-Tite brands, which have been providing heavy-duty and custom hitches and towing equipment since their inceptions in 1952 and 1946.

“We had REESE and Draw-Tite on the car for the iRacing event at Bristol a few weeks ago, and we were proud of that, but it’s a much bigger deal to represent them in a real Cup race,” he said. “We always enjoy working with companies like ours that have long histories.”

Sunday’s Food City presents the Supermarket Heroes 500, for which there will be no practice or qualifying, is set to start just after 3:30 p.m. with TV coverage on FOX Sports One.
Horizon Global
Headquartered in Plymouth, MI, Horizon Global is the #1 designer, manufacturer and distributor of a wide variety of high-quality, custom-engineered towing, trailering, cargo management and other related accessory products in North America and Europe. The Company serves OEMs, retailers, dealer networks and the end consumer as the category leader in the automotive, leisure and agricultural market segments. Horizon provides its customers with outstanding products and services that reflect the Company’s commitment to market leadership, innovation and operational excellence. The Company’s mission is to utilize forward-thinking technology to develop and deliver best-in-class products for our customers, engage with our employees and realize value creation for our shareholders.

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

by MikeMay 29, 2020

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 15^th 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

Starts		Wins		Top 5		Top 10		Poles		Laps Led		Avg. Start		Avg. Finish
28		0		2		3		0		282		16.0		20.6

Truex 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Season Stats

Starts		Wins		Top 5		Top 10		Poles		Laps Led		Avg. Start		Avg. Finish
8		0		0		4		0		118		15.0		16.1

Truex NASCAR Cup Series Career Stats

Starts		Wins		Top 5		Top 10		Poles		Laps Led		Avg. Start		Avg. Finish
521		26		102		209		19		9,024		14.4		15.7

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).