Check out the fresh batch of paint schemes to take to the track for the first time during the 2023 season at the Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum this Sunday (8 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). (more…)
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Denny Hamlin – No. 11 Sport Clips Toyota Camry TRD Preview – Busch Light Clash at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
No. 11 Sport Clips Toyota Camry TRD News and Notes
- LA COLISEUM DEBUT: Denny Hamlin finished 23rd in last year’s inaugural trip to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum after a mechanical issue ended his race early. To advance to the main event, Hamlin had to battle his way in through a last-chance-qualifying race where he started first and led all 50 laps to secure his position in the 150-lap race.
- HAMLIN CLASH HISTORY: Hamlin is a three-time Busch Clash winner with all three victories coming at Daytona International Speedway. He won the annual exhibition race to kickstart his rookie season in 2006 and followed up by winning again in 2014 and 2016.
- 2022 SEASON RECAP: Last season marked the fourth consecutive season where Hamlin ended up in the top five in the series standings. While the final result was solid, the road there was a trying one for the No. 11 team. After finishing every race in 2021, various misfortunes saw Hamlin out of the race at the end of four of the first nine events in 2022. A win at Richmond Raceway in early April solidified his place in the playoffs and Hamlin added another crown jewel victory to his resume when he won the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May. Once the playoffs began, Hamlin turned in an impressive stretch with a series-best 6.6 average finish over the final 10 races.
- SPORT CLIPS: Sport Clips will be featured as the primary sponsor for Hamlin at the Busch Clash. The sports-themed haircutting franchise based in Georgetown, Texas is a longtime supporter of Joe Gibbs Racing dating back to 2009 and has more than 1,850 stores in the United States and Canada.
- JGR CLASH STATS: Joe Gibbs Racing has earned 10 victories in the Busch Clash. Kyle Busch (2012 and 2021), Denny Hamlin (2006, 2014, 2016), Erik Jones (2020), Matt Kenseth (2015) and Tony Stewart (2001, 2002, 2007) have all won the race while driving for JGR.
- TUNE IN: Coverage of the Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum begins Sunday, February 5, at 5 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN Radio, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The main event is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET.
Denny Hamlin, Driver of the No. 11 Sport Clips Toyota Camry TRD
What are your thoughts on returning to the LA Coliseum for the second time?
“I’m looking forward to going back. NASCAR has done a great job putting this event together and I know there has been a lot of effort put in when you look at the celebrities coming out and the musical acts. It’s a fun atmosphere and an exciting way to start the season. From a racing perspective, we definitely want to have a better showing than we did last year, and I think we will. We improved so much from the start of the season to the end and everyone has worked really hard this offseason, so it’s always fun to see where we stack up.”
Hamlin NASCAR Cup Series Stats at Los Angeles Memorial Stadium
| Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 | Poles | Laps Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish | ||||||||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17.0 | 23.0 |
Hamlin 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Season Stats
| Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 | Poles | Laps Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish | ||||||||
| 36 | 2 | 10 | 16 | 3 | 624 | 13.1 | 15.5 |
Hamlin NASCAR Cup Series Career Stats
| Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 | Poles | Laps Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish | ||||||||
| 614 | 48 | 208 | 321 | 36 | 13,354 | 12.0 | 13.2 |
About Sport Clips Haircuts
Sport Clips Haircuts is headquartered in Georgetown, Texas. It was established in 1993 and began franchising in 1995. The sports-themed haircutting franchise, which specializes in haircuts for men and boys, offers online check in for clients, and ranks #30 in the Entrepreneur “Franchise 500” for 2023 and is listed in Franchise Direct’s 2021 “Top 100 Global Franchises”. There are almost 1,900 Sport Clips stores open in the U.S. and Canada. Sport Clips is the “Official Haircutter” of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), offers veterans preferential pricing on haircuts and franchises, and was named a 2021 Top Franchise for Veterans by Entrepreneur. Sport Clips provides “Haircuts with Heart” through its annual Help A Hero fundraiser that has contributed $13 million to the VFW; national partnership with St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the largest private funder of childhood cancer research grants; and other national and local philanthropic outreach. Sport Clips is a proud sponsor of NASCAR’s Joe Gibbs Racing team and SRX Racing, and partners with other NCAA and professional sports teams. To learn more about Sport Clips, visit sportclips.com.
Ryan Preece’s Busch Clash Preview
Perseverance has paid off for Ryan Preece. SHR promoted the 32-year-old racer from Berlin, Connecticut, from his reserve driver role with the organization to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2023 where he will drive the team’s No. 41 Ford Mustang. Preece had spent 2022 performing simulator work while running a mix of races across each of NASCAR’s top-three national touring series – Cup, Xfinity and Truck – a schedule punctuated by a Truck Series win from the pole June 24 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, his second straight at the 1.333-mile oval near Music City. (more…)
Monster Energy SuperX Recap Round 3, Preview of Round 4
NOTE: The Monster Energy SuperX will be returning to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA in mid-April of this year. Click past the jump for the current graphic about round 4 of SuperX, and a recap of round 3 from San Diego… (more…)
Racing on TV Listings for April 28-May 2
Here’s where to find the major racing action on TV and online this week:
2021 Season Preview at Seekonk Speedway – Darling Looks To Grab Eighth Title In Pro Stocks
It’s David Darling’s world and we all seem to just be living in it.
After a year off due to COVID-19, Pro Stock drivers will begin their chase to try and beat Darling beginning on NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Opening Day on Sunday, May 2.
Experience the WRC’s first trip to Croatia with Red Bull TV
Eight weeks on from the season-opening winter rounds, the 2021 FIA World Rally Championship resumes with another brand-new event as the Croatia Rally makes its debut on the global stage. (more…)
Monster Energy Supercross From Atlanta Motor Speedway Presented This Saturday Live At 3 P.M. Et On NBC And Peacock
STAMFORD, Conn. – April 7, 2021 – The 2021 Monster Energy Supercross season continues this Saturday from Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga., live at 3 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock and NBC Sports digital platforms. The race marks Monster Energy Supercross’ debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and kicks off a tripleheader at the storied motorsports track over the next week. (more…)
Practice Notes: ACT Field Gets up to Speed Fast at Hickory
Hickory, NC — The American-Canadian Tour (ACT) got its first taste of the “Birthplace of the NASCAR Stars” on Thursday, April 1. Twenty-nine teams made the trip to North Carolina’s Hickory Motor Speedway a day early for an open practice session prior to the Hickory 125 on Friday, April 2 and the Easter Bunny 125 on Saturday, April 3. (more…)
RCR Event Preview – Charlotte Motor Speedway
Richard Childress Racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Richard Childress has earned a total of 17 race wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway, including eight points-paying victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, four non-points-paying All-Star race wins and five NASCAR Xfinity Series wins. The organization’s most recent victories came in 2019 when Tyler Reddick won the Alsco 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race during his championship run, and in 2017 when Austin Dillon captured the Coca-Cola 600 over Memorial Day weekend to earn his career-first Cup Series victory. 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/ Catch the Action … The Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway will be televised live Sunday, May 24, beginning at 6 p.m. ET on FOX and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The NASCAR Xfinity Series Alsco 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway will be televised live Monday, May 25, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The NASCAR Cup Series Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway will be televised live Wednesday, May 27, beginning at 8 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. |
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Austin Dillon at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Austin Dillon earned his career-first win in the NASCAR Cup Series with a victory in the Coca-Cola 600 in May 2017. A native of North Carolina, Dillon has competed in 10 NASCAR Cup Series races at his hometown track, earning two top-10 finishes. He is a two-time winner at the track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Dillon grew up watching races at Charlotte Motor Speedway from his grandfather’s condo, which overlooks the racetrack. Honoring Our Heroes With Coca-Cola … Every Memorial Day, Coca-Cola is proud to support America’s frontline heroes and their families, especially the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, at the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte. The No. 3 Coca-Cola Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 features a poignant quote from President James Garfield’s speech in Arlington Cemetery on the first-ever Memorial Day in 1868. This quote speaks to the courage and dedication all servicemen and service women have as they protect us each and every day. “We do not know one promise these men made, one pledge they gave, one word they spoke; but we do know they summed up and perfected, by one supreme act, the highest virtues of men and citizens. For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue.”- James A. Garfield With this car design, Coca-Cola is not only paying tribute to the long-standing traditions of Memorial Day, but also shining a spotlight on the true meaning of the holiday by honoring all the military men and women who died in service for their country and the families they left behind. The design of the car represents the strength and courage of America’s military heroes. From the red, white and blue color scheme, to the five stars around the car representing the branches of the military, to the bottle wrapped in a ribbon, to the future-President Garfield’s speech at the first Memorial Day remembrance at Arlington Cemetery, we wanted to pay homage with symbols of reverence for those service members who sacrificed their lives for our great nation. To support frontline heroes across the nation, The Coca-Cola Company is partnering with the USO and the American Red Cross by donating $500,000 to support frontline heroes battling COVID-19. While we can’t be together to celebrate Memorial Day, together we can honor America’s frontline heroes. For more information, visit https://www.coca-colacompany. Tracker Off Road … Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE prominently features TRACKER ATVs, a game-changing new line of all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides offering breakthrough performance, service and value in the off-road industry. TRACKER OFF ROAD was born out of a powerhouse partnership formed between Bass Pro Shops and TRACKER founder Johnny Morris and Textron Specialized Vehicles, bringing together the undisputed world leader in boating with a global leader in innovation and technology. Bass Pro Shops … Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.” Bass Pro Shops has a long relationship with NASCAR, dating back to 1998. For more information, visit http://www.basspro.com/. E-Z-GO …E-Z-GO is an iconic, world-renowned brand in golf cars and personal transportation vehicles. Products sold under the E-Z-GO brand include RXV® and TXT® fleet golf cars, Freedom® RXV and Freedom TXT personal golf cars, E-Z-GO Express™ personal utility vehicles, and the 2Five® street-legal low-speed vehicle. Known for innovation in electric-vehicle technology, E-Z-GO’s newest offerings include the ELiTE series of lithium-ion powered golf cars and PTVs, and the company’s exclusive 72-volt AC electric powertrain found in its latest Express series vehicles. Founded in 1954 in Augusta, Ga., E-Z-GO became part of Textron Inc. in 1960, and today operates as part of the company’s Textron Specialized Vehicles division. Austin Dillon Teams up with GM BuyPower Card to Help Local Community … Through his collaboration with the GM BuyPower Card, Austin Dillon is coming to the aid of his local community with a contribution to Pit Stops for Hope. Pit Stops for Hope is a charitable collaboration within the racing community focused on addressing educational and nutritional needs among the youth. Funds from the contribution will provide meals and educational materials to families struggling with various hardships associated with COVID-19 in the Piedmont-Triad and Charlotte areas. To learn more about Pit Stops for Hope or to make a contribution, visit www.pitstopsforhope.org. 600 Miles of Remembrance … Dillon and the No. 3 team will participate in 600 Miles of Remembrance on Memorial Day Weekend. Dillon’s name will be replaced on his race car windshield header with the name of a fallen military service member for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The No. 3 team will feature Chief Special Warfare Operator Navy SEAL Eric F. Shellenberger. AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES: Big weekend for you going to your hometown track with a special paint scheme … “It is really cool to have a brand like Coca-Cola behind you at the Coke 600. I’m really looking forward to the opportunity. This is special to me. It’s in my backyard. I have a lot of friends and family watching this race. A couple years back, winning the Coca-Cola 600, there was nothing like it. Being tied with Coca-Cola from the beginning of my Cup Series career and getting to represent Coca-Cola in a full paint out with a patriotic scheme, it’s special. We have an awesome looking car for the 600 that spotlights the true meaning of the holiday.” How hard is it to chase track conditions in the Coca-Cola 600? It’s the longest race of the season … “It is difficult. It’s a long day, and you’ve really got to stay up-to-date with your car and be ahead of the adjustments. Anything can happen in 600 miles, so you are always in the race. That is the good part of it. Stage racing is fun and interesting there also.” What does it mean to you to be able to race at Charlotte Motor Speedway? “I’ve been so fortunate to be able to have come here since I was a little kid and watch races right inside turn one from my grandfather’s condo. I’ve seen so many laps at Charlotte Motor Speedway and have seen a lot of guys from RCR run well at the track. I watched Jimmie Johnson dominate for years. It’s been a good track for me and I always enjoy coming to Charlotte Motor Speedway. This year, it’s even more special to have the opportunity to race and I have to commend NASCAR for all of the steps they’ve taken to put protocols into place that get us back racing safely.” |
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Tyler Reddick at Charlotte Motor Speedway … Tyler Reddick will be making his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway during this Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600. Reddick and his crew chief, Randall Burnett, found success at the 1.5-mile speedway last year in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and won the June race there together. The two-time Xfinity Series champion has two additional series starts and one additional top-10 finish at the track. Reddick also has two NASCAR Truck Series starts at Charlotte, both resulting in top-five finishes. NASCAR Salutes … During this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600, Reddick and his No. 8 team will be honoring fallen Army SGT Norman L. Tollett by carrying his name across Reddick’s windshield as part of NASCAR’s salute to our nation’s military during Memorial Day weekend. Tollett was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC, and died April 28, 2007, in Baghdad of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire during combat patrol operations. 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. Alsco and RCR Salute … Alsco and RCR have come together to design a paint scheme to help honor and salute our nation’s fallen soldiers. Reddick’s No. 8 Alsco Chevrolet will have a special patriotic paint scheme for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 that highlights fallen soldier, Norman L. Tollett, and his chosen branch of the military, the Army. The scheme highlights the Army’s desert digital camo pattern and includes the crests of each division of the army Tollett was in. About Okuma … America Corporation Okuma America Corporation is the U.S.-based sales and service affiliate of Okuma Corporation, a world leader in CNC (computer numeric control) machine tools, founded in 1898 in Nagoya, Japan. The company is the industry’s only single-source provider, with the CNC machine, drive, motors, encoders, and spindle all manufactured by Okuma. The company also designs their own CNC controls to integrate seamlessly with each machine tool’s functionality. In 2014 Okuma launched the Okuma App Store, the industry’s only centralized online marketplace for machine tool apps and related content. Along with its extensive distribution network (largest in the Americas), and Partners in THINC, Okuma is committed to helping users gain competitive advantage through the open possibilities of machine tools, today and into the future. For more information, visit https://www.okuma.com/ TYLER REDDICK QUOTES: This will be your first experience racing in the Coca-Cola 600, one of NASCAR’s longest races. How are you preparing for that? “I’m looking forward to my first attempt at the Coca-Cola 600 and the challenges it will bring. I’ve never experienced a race that long before, so it’s going to be a big learning experience for me, especially with how the track will change over the course of the race. Charlotte Motor Speedway is a temperature-sensitive track, so we need to be ready since the way the track is at the start of the night likely won’t be the same at the end of the night. We’ll need to be able to adjust our car for that. I’m excited to be part of the show. It’s an honor to be carrying SGT Norman L. Tollett’s name across my windshield for the race, and I hope we can make his family and friends proud.” You then turn around and race Charlotte again on Wednesday night. How have these mid-week races gone for you? “It has been really interesting and fun to have these mid-week races. They keep us on our toes, even though it’s the same track being raced so close together. Both Darlington and Charlotte are tracks affected by temperature and day versus night conditions, so it almost comes off as two different places. For this week, we should be able to pull some additional notes from the Coke 600 for Wednesday’s race since we will have a big portion of that race ran in the nighttime, as long as the temperature is close to the same on both nights.”
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This Week’s No. 21 TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaro at Charlotte Motor Speedway … This weekend will mark Myatt Snider’s return to the No. 21 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. Snider will be making his debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He has one career NASCAR Truck Series start at the track in 2018. About TaxSlayer … TaxSlayer makes online tax filing accessible for millions of Americans, with an easy-to-use platform and unlimited support at a fraction of the cost of the competition. Trusted for over 50 years, the Augusta-based tech company successfully completed more than 10 million state and federal e-filed tax returns in 2019 and processed $12 billion in refunds. TaxSlayer achieved a 4.5/5 TrustScore on consumer review site Trustpilot, with 87% of its customers rating the tax filing platform Great or Excellent. For more information, visit www.TaxSlayer.com. Tax Day … The IRS has extended the federal tax filing deadline for 2020. Tax Day is now July 15, 2020. This extension is automatic and applies to all taxpayers. For up-to-date information and advice, check out TaxSlayer.com/blog. Save Now … When you file with TaxSlayer, the savings are around every turn. All the deductions, all the credits, and all the money you deserve comes back to you in your refund. Start for free at TaxSlayer.com. Did You Know … Myatt Snider cut his teeth racing Legend cars in the Summer Shootout Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway. MYATT SNIDER QUOTE: This will be the first time you have raced an Xfinity Series car at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Being from Charlotte, how special will it be racing at your home track, especially for an iconic team like Richard Childress Racing? “It will be such an honor to compete under the Richard Childress banner at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day weekend. The Charlotte race has always been a marquee event to me. I love having a short commute to the racetrack and having my family close by. It will be a very exciting weekend all around. I’m super excited to have a strong performance for both TaxSlayer and Richard Childress Racing at my home track. It’s time to slay it.” |



