Archive for October, 2020

Podcast: Doug Yates Talks Engines, Talladega and the Alabama Gang

Posted on: October 1st, 2020
Location: post

MOORESVILLE, NC – October 1, 2020 – Doug Yates , CEO of Roush Yates Engines, joins Nook and Ryan Barry from Stewart-Haas Radio’s podcast this week. The trio talk about heading into Doug’s favorite track, Talladega, this weekend, growing up in the sport of NASCAR, the evolution of engineering in the last 20 years, the Alabama Gang and many stories in between!

Click HERE and turn it up!

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

*Courtesy Stewart-Haas Radio

Shaping the Regions’ Automotive Industry with a Regional Pipeline of CNC Machinists

Posted on: October 5th, 2020
Location: post

How Universal Technical Institute, Roush Yates Engines and Mitsubishi Materials USA shaped the regions’ automotive industry with their CNC Machining Program and partnerships

MOORESVILLE, NC – October 5, 2020 – In 2016, Universal Technical Institute (UTI), the leading provider for post-secondary education for students seeking careers as automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians, partnered with Roush Yates Engines to create and offer a Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) Machining program in Mooresville, North Carolina. Nicknamed “Race City USA,” Mooresville is home to UTI’s NASCAR Technical Institute (NASCAR Tech) and Roush Yates Engines, a leading manufacturer of performance engines in the motorsports industry. Their vision for a CNC program came to fruition and was launched the following year in 2017.
UTI has over 50 years of experience training professional technicians. UTI’s NASCAR Tech is the exclusive educational partner of NASCAR and is the country’s first technical training school to combine a complete automotive technology program and a NASCAR-specific motorsports program. The campus also offers automotive programs and manufacturer-specific advanced training programs for students seeking a career with NASCAR or with international automotive manufacturers such as Ford, MOPAR, and Nissan.
The Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machining and Manufacturing Technology program offered at UTI’s NASCAR Tech prepares students to succeed as entry-level CNC machinists while allowing UTI to meet a growing industry demand for skilled machinists and technicians. CNC machinists produce precision parts used in high-performance engines for a wide variety of trucks, motorcycles, cars, and boats, as well as in industrial applications, aerospace components, and medical and surgical equipment.
Over the years, Roush Yates Engines has hired over 120 of UTI’s CNC and Automotive graduates. Shortly after the launch of the CNC Machining program, Mitsubishi Materials U.S.A. Corporation announced a partnership with NASCAR Tech to provide cutting tools for students in the CNC Machining program. This partnership allows students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience working with professional cutting tools. Mitsubishi Materials has hired three graduates of the CNC Machining program so far. Additionally, both Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions (a division of Roush Yates Engines) and Mitsubishi Materials offer internships for CNC Machining students, giving them an opportunity to gain hands-on, real-world experience while continuing their education.
“UTI has provided highly skilled graduates since 2003. We firmly believe that the education and training these students receive at UTI prepare them for a successful career at Roush Yates Engines or other employers. UTI has been a long-standing partner of Roush Yates Engines, providing elite technicians that drive our success on and off the track,” said Todd English, VP of Strategic Partnerships and Marketing at Roush Yates Engines. “Mitsubishi Materials has provided training, technical assistance, and premier tooling to expedite our machining of race engine components and diversification of our manufacturing facility into the aerospace, defense, and medical industries.”
To further educate the community about the automotive industry and the opportunities in the region, NASCAR Tech and Roush Yates Engines are working with Iredell County middle schools and high schools to provide education surrounding automotive and CNC Machining programs. This alliance exposes young students to the idea of a career in the automotive industry and the educational opportunities available in the region.
The growing demand for trained CNC Machinists and the launch of NASCAR Tech’s CNC Machining program has sparked a pipeline of development and has inspired universities and colleges in the region to offer similar programs. There are 17 schools across the region that offer CNC Machining or automotive programs, allowing students an abundance of opportunities to enter the automotive industry or manufacturing industry. Colleges offering motorsports programs across North Carolina include Belmont Abbey College, NC State University, NC A&T University, Winston-Salem State University and UNC Charlotte. Community colleges offering motorsports courses include: Catawba Valley, Forsyth Technical, Mitchell, Rowan-Cabarrus, Surry, Western Piedmont, Central Piedmont, Cleveland, Gaston, Stanly, Northeastern Technical, and York Technical.
Currently, there are about 1,500 employed CNC Tool Operators and Programmers in the region. Since the launch of the program in 2017, there have been a total of 220 graduates of NASCAR Tech’s CNC Machining program. After graduating from a UTI program, 4 out 5 graduates successfully move into full-time roles in the automotive industry or manufacturing industry. Students come from across the United States to study at NASCAR Tech and most graduates remain in the region due to the opportunities available to them. In fact, 37 graduates of NASCAR Tech’s CNC Machining program have stayed in Iredell County thanks to the abundance of career opportunities.
Due to its location in Mooresville and proximity to NASCAR, NASCAR Tech is one of UTI’s premier campuses and the biggest hub for fostering partnerships and business alliances. Over 40 companies in the region have hired graduates of NASCAR Tech and the CNC Machining program. UTI has quickly become the “go-to” educator for all motorsport companies in the region as well as many companies in the U.S. These regional companies include Carolina Precision Technologies, JTG Daugherty Motorsports, Structure Medical, Stewart-HAAS Racing, and Team Penske, to name a few.
CNC manufacturers can serve most industries that require precision manufacturing and machining, with some of the most common industries in the region being automotive, aerospace, and industrial. NASCAR Tech’s CNC Machining program has been so successful in the region due in large part to many partnerships with various motorsports, automotive, aerospace, and industrial companies. Every year, UTI facilitates a Program Advisory Council meeting where employers are invited to review UTI’s courses and facilities, which is extremely impactful to keep the programs up to date with latest trends and technologies. This also allows the employers to advise UTI on future needs and skills they are looking for in candidates, allowing UTI to provide the proper training and skillset needed to excel in these positions.
There are over 35 motorsports companies in Iredell County and the surrounding area, and over 90 companies in the region that use CNC machines. Some of the top motorsports companies in the area include NASCAR Research & Development Center, Roush Yates Engines, Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Team Penske, and Chip Ganassi Racing. In North Carolina, more than 25,000 jobs are related to the motorsports industry and the industry has a $6 billion economic impact to the state. Transportation is the fourth largest sector in the nation and today comprises over 16 million jobs in total, with the demand projected to increase as more vehicles hit the roads.
Iredell County continues to provide an abundance of opportunities for economic development, business recruitment and talent attraction for local, regional, and national businesses located in the area. The opportunities and possibilities for partnerships and collaborations with the local and regional community are endless.
*Courtesy Iredell Economic Development Corp.

CHARLOTTE ROVAL, FINAL RACE IN ROUND OF 12

Posted on: October 8th, 2020
Location: post

CHARLOTTE, NC – October 8, 2020 – The NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series will run their final races in the Round of 12 this weekend on the Charlotte Roval.  Ford has recorded one Roval victory in each series since the course began hosting races in 2018.  Here’s a look at where Ford’s playoff drivers stand in their respective series.

This Week’s Schedule:
Saturday, Oct. 10 – NASCAR XFINITY Series, 3:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
Sunday, Oct. 11 – NASCAR Cup Series, 2:30 p.m. ET (NBC)

ROUND OF 12 NCS PLAYOFF STANDINGS (Top 8 Advance After Charlotte)
2nd – Kevin Harvick (+68 ahead of cutoff)
4th – Brad Keselowski (+41)
7th – Joey Logano (+21)                                         
11th – Clint Bowyer (-38 behind final transfer spot)
12th – Aric Almirola (-48)

FORD IN THE NASCAR CUP SERIES AT CMS
· Ford has 32 all-time series points wins at Charlotte
· Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, and Clint Bowyer all have at least one series win at CMS.
· Blaney won the inaugural Cup Roval race in 2018.

ROUND OF 12 NXS PLAYOFF STANDINGS (Top 8 Advance After Charlotte)
1st – Chase Briscoe (Clinched: Las Vegas winner)
2nd – Austin Cindric (+50)

FORD IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT CMS
· Ford has 22 series wins at CMS.
· Chase Briscoe won the first Roval race in 2018.
· Austin Cindric has finished 3rd in the two previous Roval races.

BLANEY WINS INAUGURAL CUP ROVAL RACE
The debut of the Charlotte Roval didn’t disappoint as Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. wrecked each other in the final chicane heading to the checkered flag, allowing Ryan Blaney to sneak past both and win the inaugural Bank of America Roval 400.  Blaney put himself in position to win thanks to some sound strategy that enabled him to stretch his fuel mileage and win Stage 2.  He round himself in 25th place with 38 laps to go after a trip to pit road, but cycled his way back up to the front before being in the right place at the right time.  That capped a weekend in which Ford won the pole and race in the NASCAR XFINITY and NASCAR Cup Series.

BRISCOE WINS FIRST NXS RACE ON ROVAL
Chase Briscoe led the final 24 laps and became the first driver to win a race on the new Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval course by taking the checkered flag in the Drive for the Cure 200.  The win was Briscoe’s first in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and he was able to do it thanks to a good restart with 11 laps to go.  Briscoe, who had been locked in a tight battle with Daniel Hemric throughout the final stage, got the jump after the race’s fifth caution and when Hemric missed the frontstrech chicane, it gave Briscoe some extra breathing room to take the checkered flag.

KESELOWSKI GETS FIRST FORD VICTORY
When Brad Keselowski captured the Bank of America 500 five years ago it snapped a 37-race winless drought, and marked his first win with Ford after Team Penske switched from Dodge following the 2012 season.  Keselowski won the race after a back-and-forth battle with Kasey Kahne.  He took the lead with nine laps remaining and held on for his first NASCAR Cup Series win on the 1.5-mile track.

SPEEDY WINS INAUGURAL FALL RACE
The first time Ford went to victory lane at Charlotte Motor Speedway was on Oct. 16, 1960 when Speedy Thompson won the first NASCAR Cup Series fall race in track history.  The race, which was the second event overall at CMS, was called the National 400 and featured Thompson making his first start for the Wood Brothers in the No. 21 Ford.  He qualified third behind pole-winner Fireball Roberts, who quickly grabbed the lead and was the dominant car.  Roberts led 197 of the first 232 laps, but blew a tire that took him out of the race and handed the lead over to Thompson.  That was the break he needed and the result was Thompson winning the race by one lap over second-place Richard Petty.  The win was the first on a superspeedway for the Wood Brothers and the first of two straight for Thompson, who also won a week later at Richmond.

LOGANO STARTS PLAYOFF STREAK
After a dominant day that saw him lead 227-of-334 laps, Joey Logano earned an automatic berth into the Round of 8 with a victory in the rain-delayed Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2015.  The win was Logano’s first at the speedway and fourth of the season, but also started a streak that saw him win all three races in the segment.  It also marked the second straight year Logano won the first race of the second round and while Kevin Harvick threatened, Logano dominated as the final 89 laps went green.

FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS AT CHARLOTTE
1960 – Speedy Thompson (2)
1962 – Nelson Stacy (1)
1963 – Fred Lorenzen (1)
1964 – Fred Lorenzen (2)
1965 – Fred Lorenzen (Sweep)
1969 – Donnie Allison (2)
1970 – Donnie Allison (1)
1978 – Bobby Allison (2)
1982 – Neil Bonnett (1)
1984 – Bill Elliott (2)
1985 – Cale Yarborough (2)
1987 – Kyle Petty and Bill Elliott
1990 – Davey Allison (2)
1991 – Davey Allison and Geoffrey Bodine
1992 – Mark Martin (2)
1993 – Ernie Irvan (2)
1995 – Mark Martin (2)
1996 – Dale Jarrett (1)
1997 – Dale Jarrett (2)
1998 – Mark Martin (2)
1999 – Jeff Burton (1)
2000 – Matt Kenseth (1)
2001 – Jeff Burton (1)
2002 – Mark Martin (1)
2011 – Matt Kenseth (2)
2013 – Brad Keselowski (2)
2015 – Joey Logano (2)
2018 – Ryan Blaney (2-Roval)
2020 – Brad Keselowski (1)

FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS AT CHARLOTTE
1992 – Jeff Gordon (Sweep)
1993 – Mark Martin (2)
1995 – Chad Little (1) and Mark Martin (2)
1996 – Mark Martin (Sweep)
1998 – Mark Martin (1)
1999 – Mark Martin (1)
2000 – Jeff Burton (1)
2001 – Jeff Green (1) and Greg Biffle (2)
2002 – Jeff Burton (2)
2003 – Matt Kenseth (1)
2006 – Carl Edwards (1)
2011 – Matt Kenseth (1) and Carl Edwards (2)
2014 – Brad Keselowski (2)
2016 – Joey Logano (2)
2017 – Ryan Blaney (1)
2018 – Brad Keselowski and Chase Briscoe (Roval)

*Courtesy of Ford Performance

LOGANO AND BRISCOE WIN AND ADVANCE TO CHAMPIONSHIP 4

Posted on: October 19th, 2020
Location: post

KANSAS CITY, KS – October 19, 2020 – Joey Logano, won the Hollywood Casino 400 on Sunday, securing a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 for Team Penske and Ford Performance. Chase Briscoe, from Stewart-Haas Racing, also secured a spot in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship 4 by winning the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway on Saturday.
“A great weekend for Ford Performance, Team Penske, and Stewart-Haas Racing. Congratulations to Joey, Paul, Chase and Richard for their wins at Kansas. To be locked into the Championship 4 for both series at the beginning of the Round of 8 is awesome,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Joey was able to take advantage of his experience and fast pit crew!  And to see Chase mature as driver, collect his ninth win in a single season, is a testament to his passion and character for our great sport.”
Kevin Harvick in the No. 4 Ford Mustang led three times for a race high 85-laps, but a late race caution shuffled up the field. It was the quick work of the No. 22 Team Penske pit crew, that provided the lead for Logano during the restart on lap 223. Logano led a total of 47 laps and was able to hold off a hard charging Harvick to win by .312 of a second.
“What an amazing team this Shell Pennzoil team is,” Logano commented. “Pit stops put us in position and got us the lead. We are going to Phoenix and racing for a championship again. Heck Yeah!”
Harvick finished P2 while Team Penske teammates Brad Keselowski finished P4 and Ryan Blaney P7 and Wood Brothers Racing’s, Matt DiBenedetto finished P12. With two races to go before the Championship, all three Ford Performance Playoff drivers are currently in the top four by wins or points.
Briscoe, driving the No. 98 Ford Performance Racing School Mustang, dominated the Xfinity Series race by sweeping both stages and leading 159 laps out of the 200-lap race. During a late race caution, Briscoe re-started mid-pack and muscled his way through the field to finish 1.199 seconds ahead of second place. Briscoe’s ninth win of the year is the highest numbers of wins for a Ford driver in the Xfinity Series.
During his victory lane interview, Briscoe commented, “I am super happy to be locked into Phoenix. It is going to be a lot less stressful the next two weeks. I can’t say enough to everybody at Stewart-Haas Racing. This Ford Performance Racing School Mustang was lights out. It has been an unbelievable year, but we have three more to go.”
Both Chase and Ford Performance teammate, Austin Cindric are currently in position to advance to the final Championship 4.
The Ford Mustangs of Multimatic Motorsports and PF Racing raced at Road Atlanta on Friday in the Fox Factory 120 in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Series. PF Racing finished P8 while Multimatic finished P18 due to an early race incident.
The NASCAR Playoffs head to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend for the second race in the Round of 8. The next race for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenges Series is at Laguna Seca.

 27 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 411 WINS – 367 POLES!

*Photos courtesy of NASCAR Media & Getty Images