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Harvick & Bowyer to Sport Dual Paint Schemes #ForTheFarmers At Atlanta Race

by MikeMay 26, 2020

NEW YORK, MAY 26, 2020: Busch, the beer brewed for America’s heartland and a long-time supporter of agricultural communities, announced today that it will provide funds for the nonprofit Farm Rescue to expand its operations into Kansas. Farm Rescue will begin harvest assistance operations in Kansas immediately, with Busch marking this milestone with the release of limited-edition Corn Cans across the country*. Busch is raising further awareness to the cause with NASCAR drivers Kevin Harvick and Kansas-native Clint Bowyer at the June 7 NASCAR Cup Series race in Atlanta. Kansas is the first new state to be added to Farm Rescue’s support network since 2017 and will be the seventh state supported overall.

The expansion into Kansas will allow Farm Rescue to provide free harvest assistance to farm families throughout the state experiencing a major illness, injury or natural disaster. Since its inception in 2005, Farm Rescue has helped nearly 700 family farms sustain operations in times of crisis. These efforts are made possible through a network of volunteers from across the United States. Busch has been a partner of Farm Rescue since early 2019 and played an instrumental role in facilitating Farm Rescue’s entry to Kansas with a mix of financial support, public affairs assistance, and more.

“Farm Rescue is an incredible organization that has not only helped, but saved, hundreds of family farms throughout the Midwest,” said Daniel Blake, VP of Value Brands at Anheuser-Busch “What originally started off as a small partnership has grown into something really special, and as unexpected injuries, illnesses and natural disasters continue to strike, we’re honored to take our partnership with Farm Rescue to the next level so they can keep providing critical assistance to more family farms across the country.”

Busch recently teased the news of this partnership with the release of their special-edition Busch Light Corn Cans, a remixed edition of the classic Busch Light can and packaging. Consumers nationwide can support Farm Rescue with every purchase of the new limited-edition Busch Light corn packs in select states**. For each pack purchased in these states between May 18 and July 5, 2020 $1 will be donated by Busch, up to $100,000 to benefit Farm Rescue’s ongoing efforts.

“We are very grateful for the unwavering support Busch has provided toward our mission of helping America’s farmers,” said Bill Gross, President of Farm Rescue. “Thanks to their generosity, we are mobilizing equipment and volunteers throughout Kansas to help farm families in times of crisis.”

Busch will raise additional awareness for Farm Rescue and farmers across America at the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series race in Atlanta on June 7, with Busch-sponsored driver Kevin Harvick teaming up with Kansas-native Clint Bowyer to race in the same corn-themed paint scheme. Throughout the race fans will have the chance to win a suite of farm-related prizes, and can check out @BuschBeer on Twitter ahead of June 7 to find out more information.

Fans can head to ForTheFarmers.org to learn more, and stay informed as race day approaches. Fans can also check out the Busch social accounts (@BuschBeer) to shop exclusive Busch/Farm Rescue merchandise including apparel and corn hole games.

Christian Eckes – No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Tundra Gander Trucks Charlotte Preview

by MikeMay 22, 2020

NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Overview:

Event: N.C. Education Lottery 200, Race 3 of 23, 134 Laps – 30/30/74; 201 Miles

Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway (1.5-mile quad-oval)

Date/Broadcast: May 26, 2020 at 8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

What You Need to Know:

Nineteen-year-old Christian Eckes will make his first NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series start at Charlotte Motor Speedway driving the No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) in Tuesday night’s N.C. Education Lottery 200. While he has no prior Gander Trucks experience at Charlotte, Eckes started fifth and finished seventh in last year’s ARCA Menards Series event at the 1.5-mile quad-oval.

Eckes has proven to be fast in the first two events of the 2020 season, but accidents in the final stage at both Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway have relegated him to an average finish of 22.5. While the first two events haven’t ended the way Eckes would like, the talented teenager has posted an average finish of 5.0 across the opening two stages of the first two events, including runner-up finishes to KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch in the first two stages at Las Vegas.

As part of being able to collect stage points in three of the six stages of the opening two events, Eckes currently sits eighth in the Gander Trucks driver point standings despite not having strong finishes. He currently sits second in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings, two points behind Zane Smith.

Across 14 career Gander Trucks starts, the New York native has produced three poles, three top-five and seven top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 13.1. Eckes earned a career-best third-place finish twice last season, at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway in Sept. and again at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway in Nov., where he clinched KBM’s record-extending seventh owner’s championship.

The talented teenager captured the 2019 ARCA Menards Series championship after recording four wins, two poles, 400 laps led, 13 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes, resulting in an average finish of 4.8 across 19 starts. Across 46 career ARCA Menards Series starts overall, Eckes has collected seven wins, four poles, 1094 laps led, 23 top-five and 35 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 6.9.

Eckes is paired with champion crew chief Ryan “Rudy” Fugle. Fugle has guided his team to five owner’s championships (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019) as a crew chief at KBM, including combined owner’s/driver’s championships with Erik Jones in 2015 and Christopher Bell in 2017. The New York native’s drivers have combined for 28 wins, 24 poles, 71 top-five and 107 top-10 finishes across his 138 races calling the shots for the organization.

Fugle’s drivers have two wins, one pole, four top-five and six top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 5.4 at Charlotte. Owner-driver Kyle Busch led a race-high 102 laps en route to victory in last year’s event and was also victorious with Fugle calling the shots in 2013. The 2013 victory was Fugle’s first of 28 career victories as a Gander Trucks crew chief.

Safelite AutoGlass, the nation’s largest provider of vehicle glass repair and replacement services, will adorn the hood of Eckes’ No. 18 Tundra for all 23 events on NASCAR Gander RV& Outdoors schedule in 2020.

Christian Eckes, Driver Q&A

Christian Eckes Charlotte Q&A

Are you preparing Charlotte any differently knowing that there will be no practice and no qualifying?

“Honestly not too much. Most of these races that we go to in the Truck Series I haven’t been to in a truck, so I’m always preparing to be better and get ready for that race track. We’ve done a lot of time in the simulator now that it’s opened back up. I think we’ve done a good job with that and that we should be prepared when we unload at Charlotte.”

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

“It’s definitely been different, but luckily we’ve had a lot of race preparation. Me and Rudy (Fugle, crew chief), have been on zoom conference calls pretty much every week. We’ve done a great job of getting ahead and kind of preparing for whatever comes next. I’d definitely say we are prepared. That’s what I’ve done over this little break.”

Will it be different racing without fans? Once you get in your truck, do you notice the fans?

“It will definitely be different without fans. Our Safelite supporters that come out mean a lot to me and in the meantime not having them there it’s definitely going to be different. The great fans throughout auto racing that come to the race track – it’s going to be different. I’ve kind of grown up racing and always having fans in the stands. It’s definitely different for sure, but hopefully we put on a good show for the fans watching on the couch instead of at the race track.”

Christian Eckes Career Highlights:

Across 14 career Truck Series starts has produced three poles, three top-five and seven top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 13.1. Earned a career-best third-place finish twice last season, at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway in Sept. and again at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway in Nov., where he clinched KBM’s record-extending seventh owner’s championship.
Captured the 2019 ARCA Menards Series championship after recording four wins, two poles, 400 laps led, 13 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes, resulting in an average finish of 4.8 across 19 starts. Has seven career ARCA Racing Series victories across 46 starts to go along with four poles, 1094 laps led, 23 top-five and 35 top-10 finishes.
Eckes put his name on the motorsports map when he won the prestigious Snowball Derby Super Late Model race in 2016 at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla. The then 15-year-old battled side-by-side with John Hunter Nemechek for the final two laps before narrowly edging him to the finish line.

Christian Eckes’ No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Tundra:

KBM-58: The Safelite AutoGlass team will unload KBM-58 for Tuesday’s N.C. Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte. The Tundra has five previous starts, including a win with owner-driver Kyle Busch last May at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. Eckes led 10 laps and finished second in both stages of this year’s Las Vegas event before being forced into the wall early in the third stage and limping home to a 23^rd-place finish.

KBM-58 Performance Profile:

Starts	Wins	Average Start	Average Finish	Laps Led
5	1	6.6	6.6	152

KBM Notes of Interest:

Across 27 starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway, KBM drivers have earned six wins, three poles, six top-five and 12 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 8.6 and an average finish of 8.8.
Owner-driver Kyle Busch has collected all six of his organization’s wins (2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017 and 2018).
KBM holds the NGROTS records for most career wins (76) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers; Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
The No. 18, the number which was on the first Tundra that went to victory lane for KBM in 2010, has 21 career victories.

No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Tundra 2020 Box Score:

Date	Site	Driver	Start	Finish	Laps	Laps Led	Status	Driver Pts. /Pos.
14-Feb	Daytona	Eckes	3	22	106/107	0	Running	23/16th
21-Feb	Las Vegas	Eckes	4	23	130/134	10	Running	55/8th
25-May	Charlotte	Eckes
6-June	Atlanta	Eckes
13-June	Homestead	Eckes

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

by MikeMay 12, 2020

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 Chatter^TM 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.

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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.

Kevin Harvick Returns to SiriusXM Airwaves March 25

by MikeMarch 24, 2020

Will host new episodes of his show “Happy Hours” on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio during postponement of racing season

NEW YORK – March 23, 2020 – Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing and one of the sport’s most popular drivers, is returning to the SiriusXM airwaves to host weekly episodes of his show, Happy Hours, while fans await the resumption of racing season.

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No. 41 Haas Automation Ford Mustang: Cole Custer Folds of Honor 500 Race Advance

by MikeMarch 12, 2020

KANNAPOLIS, North Carolina (March 11, 2020) – Cole Custer and the No. 41 Haas Automation Ford Mustang team for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) will compete at Atlanta Motor Speedway Sunday in this season’s second event at an intermediate track. Custer will make his first career NASCAR Cup Series start at the 1.54-mile track in Sunday’s Folds of Honor 500.

Custer heads to Atlanta coming off of his best career Cup Series finish, ninth, earned at Phoenix Raceway. The young driver was also the highest finishing 2020 Rookie of the Year contender. The Haas Automation driver started 16th and battled an intermittent power steering problem along with a tight-handling Mustang and finished ninth in the 316-lap event. It was a solid day for the four-car SHR organization with all four entries finishing in the top-10 in the season’s fourth race.
For the last five seasons, Atlanta was the second race of the season. The track is significant because it’s a 1.5-mile layout and a majority of the tracks on the Cup Series circuit are that length and similarly shaped. If things go well this weekend at Atlanta for Custer and the SHR organization, it bodes well for the team’s competitiveness on the same style of track for the rest of the season.
SHR has two wins at the Georgia track – Kevin Harvick in 2018 and team co-owner Tony Stewart in September 2010. Additionally, the Kannapolis, North Carolina team has amassed four pole awards and a total of nine top-fives and nine top-10s, in 39 starts there.
Custer has three starts at Atlanta in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with two top-10 finishes in three starts. Last year, he captured the pole position and finished second to Christopher Bell. He has one Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series start at Atlanta. He started sixth in 2016 and finished 17th.
In his last nine Xfinity Series starts at 1.5-mile tracks, Custer earned two wins, four top-fives, six top-10s and one pole award. The victories were captured at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois, and Kentucky Speedway in Sparta. He led a total of 410 laps in the nine starts on his way to an average finishing position of 10.4 and an average starting position of 3.2.
The 22-year-old has made two starts at intermediate tracks behind the wheel of a Cup Series car, both at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The first occurred in March 2018, when he started 30th and finished 25th for the No. 51 Rick Ware Racing team. The second was in his No. 41 Mustang last month, when he started 17th and finished 19th.
“The Xfinity cars have more horsepower than the Cup cars at the bigger tracks, but the Cup cars have a lot more downforce and drag,” Custer said. “The Cup cars are going slower down the straightaways, but much faster in the corners. For me, the biggest difference is getting used to how much speed I can actually carry into the corner with the Cup car, when I’ve been doing something different for three years.”
Haas Automation, founded in 1983 by SHR co-owner Gene Haas, is America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools. The company manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers and rotary tables and indexers. All Haas products are constructed in the company’s 1.1 million-square-foot Oxnard manufacturing facility and distributed through a worldwide network of Haas Factory Outlets.
Even though Custer had a trio of starts in the Cup Series in 2018, 2020 officially marks his Rookie of the Year campaign in NASCAR’s most prestigious series. He’s competing for the honor with notables Christopher Bell and Tyler Reddick. The three have battled against each other in the Xfinity Series and are making the full-time transition to the Cup Series together.

Cole Custer: Driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

What do you do to decompress after a race?
“It’s hard to decompress because all we think about is racing. I try and hang out with friends. We have a lake near the house in North Carolina and I like to go out on the boat with friends as a way to relax. I golf a little here and there, too.”
What is the biggest difference for you between the Xfinity and Cup Series?
“I think, for me, it is getting used to the cars. They are a lot different, especially with the 550 package, and how you work the throttle and everything. How you are going to do that is a lot different than Xfinity. At the same time, you make one little mistake and are a little off in one area, you will lose a ton of spots. Everybody here is pushing it to the limit. Everyone in the top-25 in the Cup Series is probably capable of winning races. It is a matter of trying to perfect every part of it.”
Have you had any pranks pulled on you as a Cup Series rookie?
“Nothing yet, but I’m waiting for it. I feel a guy like (Clint) Bowyer is probably going to be the first one to pull a prank on me. Who wouldn’t pick Bowyer as the first person to do it?”

No. 41 Haas Automation Ford Mustang Team Report
Race 5 of 36 – Folds of Honor 500 – Atlanta

Car No. 41: Haas Automation Ford Mustang Team Report

At Track PR Contact: Mike Arning with True Speed Communication (Mike.Arning@TrueSpeedCommunication.com)

Primary Team:

Driver: Cole Custer

Hometown: Ladera Ranch, California

Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett

Hometown: Amherst, Ohio

Engine Specialist: Evan Cupples

Hometown: Hudson, Illinois

Car Chief: Tony Cardamone

Hometown: Bristol, Virginia

Engine Builder: Roush Yates Engines

Headquarters: Mooresville, North Carolina

Spotter: Andy Houston

Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Crew:

Fuelman: Chad Emmons

Hometown: Tyler, Texas
Carrier: Dwayne Moore

Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Jackman: Brett Morrell

Hometown: Windham, Maine

Front Changer: Josh Leslie

Hometown: Mount Clemens, Michigan

Rear Changer: Coleman Dollarhide
Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Road Crew:

Transporter Driver: Eddie DeGroot and Scott Robbins

Hometown: Baldwinsville, New York and Woodfield, New Hampshire, respectively
Shock Specialist: Aaron Kuehn

Hometown: Kensington, Connecticut
Mechanic: Nick McIntosh

Hometown: Havre, Montana
Tire Technician: Thomas Gagliano

Hometown: East Hampton, Connecticut
Engineers: Scott Bingham and Davin Restivo

Hometowns: Lawrenceville, Georgia and Ashboro, North Carolina, respectively
Mechanic: Joe Zanolini

Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Atlanta Motor Speedway Notes of Interest:

Cole Custer will make his first Atlanta Motor Speedway Cup Series start on Sunday to bring his total of career Cup Series starts to eight.
The Haas Automation driver finished ninth last weekend at Phoenix Raceway. Custer was the highest finishing Rookie of the Year contender at the suburban Phoenix track.
2020 marks Custer’s first fulltime season in the Cup Series and he will contend for Rookie of the Year honors along with four other Cup Series competitors.
The Ladera Ranch, California native has three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Atlanta. In last year’s race he started from the pole position and finished runner-up in the 163-lap event. He also has one NASCAR Truck Series starts at the intermediate oval.
Custer will sign autographs at the SHR merchandise hauler in the fan midway on Sunday, March 15 beginning at 10:55 a.m.

2020 Formula 1® Season Airs on SiriusXM

by MikeMarch 11, 2020March 11, 2020

NEW YORK – March 11, 2020 – SiriusXM begins its coverage of the 2020 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP with this week’s season-opening event, the FORMULA 1 ROLEX AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2020 in Melbourne, on Sunday, March 15 (1:10 am ET). The event will air live from start to finish on SiriusXM radios (channel 211) and on the SiriusXM app. It will also be rebroadcast in its entirety later that morning (8:00 am ET) on channel 211. (more…)

Christian Eckes – No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Tundra Gander Trucks Atlanta Preview

by MikeMarch 11, 2020March 11, 2020

Nineteen-year-old Christian Eckes will make his first career start in any series at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga., driving the No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) in Saturday’s Vet Tix Camping World 200.

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Denny Hamlin Defends DAYTONA 500 Championship in NASCAR Double-Overtime Finish

by MikeFebruary 18, 2020

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 17, 2020) – Denny Hamlin became the fourth driver to win back-to-back DAYTONA 500s on Monday night, winning the 62nd running of “The Great American Race” in a NASCAR Overtime finish at Daytona International Speedway. (more…)

BUSCH ANNOUNCES THE FASTEST SWEEPSTAKES IN NASCAR HISTORY

by MikeFebruary 13, 2020

Every time Kevin Harvick’s #4 Busch Car pit stops at this year’s Daytona 500, fans have seconds to act fast for a chance to win a new sports car

NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 6, 2020: The Daytona 500 is NASCAR’s biggest race, with fans hanging on to their favorite driver’s every turn, pass and pit stop in the hope he’ll take the checkered flag. At Daytona 2020, Busch Light is giving fans another reason to keep their eyes glued to the track with the announcement of #Pit4Busch—the fastest sweepstakes in NASCAR history that gives fans across the U.S. the chance to take home a brand-new sports car. (more…)

NASCAR HALL OF FAMER DALE JARRETT WILL BE PART OF PPB MOTORSPORTS RACECAR & TRADE SHOW

by MikeDecember 27, 2019

OAKS, PA December 26, 2019 . . . Three time NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 winner Dale Jarrett, now an NBC Sports broadcast team member, will be making his first visit to the Pioneer Pole Buildings Motorsports 2020 fueled by Sunoco distributed by Insinger Performance Racecar & Trade Show on Saturday, January 18th. (more…)