JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Charlotte Motor Speedway
RACE: Alsco 300 (200 laps / 300 miles)
DATE: Saturday, May 25, 2019
Michael Annett
No. 1 Pilot Flying J Memorial Day Chevrolet
• This weekend, Annett will carry a patriotic Pilot Flying J paint scheme for the Memorial Day weekend event on the 1.5-mile oval.
• Michael Annett’s best NASCAR Xfinity Series finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway is 10th, achieved in 2012 and 2013.
• Annett ranks sixth in quality passes, green-flag passes and laps run in the top 15 at Charlotte, according to NASCAR’s Loop Data statistics.
• Annett and his No. 1 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet team are already qualified for the NXS Playoffs by virtue of the victory at Daytona to open the season.
Justin Allgaier
No. 7 Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise & Ketchup Chevrolet
• In 16 NXS starts at Charlotte, Justin Allgaier has three top five and eight top-10 finishes with 14 laps led. His best finish of third came in the fall of 2010.
• Two years ago, the Illinois native earned the pole in the spring event at the 1.5-mile track.
• This season on tracks measuring a mile-and-a-half in length, Allgaier has a best finish of third (Atlanta).
• The Illinois native earned four top-five and seven top-10 finishes on 1.5-mile tracks in 2018 and paced the field for 97 laps.
• The 32-year-old driver currently sits fifth in the NXS point standings, 114 points outside the lead.
Jeb Burton
No. 8 State Water Heaters Chevrolet
• Jeb Burton will get behind the wheel of JRM’s No. 8 Chevrolet for the second time in 2019 this weekend in Charlotte.
• In his first NXS start for JRM at Texas Motor Speedway, Burton started sixth and earned a fifth-place finish.
• In three previous NXS starts at Charlotte, Burton has recorded a best finish of 11th in this event in 2016.
• State Water Heaters, a leader in the water heating industry, will return to the hood of Burton’s Camaro for the second time this season in Charlotte.
Noah Gragson
No. 9 Cessna Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson will make his first NXS start at Charlotte this weekend.
• In three previous NXS starts on 1.5-mile tracks, Gragson has recorded one top-five and two top-10s with a best finish of third coming earlier this season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
• In two starts in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series at Charlotte, Gragson has earned two top-10 finishes.
• The Las Vegas native currently ranks ninth in the championship standings, 18 points ahead of the 12th and final cutoff position.
Driver Quotes
“We’ve had some really good speed in our No. 1 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet this season on 1.5-mile tracks, and I know Travis (crew chief Travis Mack) and the guys have some for us this weekend at Charlotte. We rebounded well from Talladega with another top-10 finish at Dover, and I want to get the summer run started with another solid finish close to home at Charlotte. Memorial Day is really important to all of us, honoring those who fought to keep us free, and the Pilot Flying J paint scheme we have this weekend honors those who gave all.” – Michael Annett
“This has been a season of ups and downs for this No. 7 team so far and it definitely hasn’t been from lack of effort. After a strong run at Dover we’re looking to build off of that and continue that positive momentum at Charlotte. JR Motorsports has built a solid mile-and-a-half program and we’ve had great speed on those tracks so far this year, so our goal is to get our Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise & Ketchup Chevrolet to Victory Lane this weekend.” – Justin Allgaier
“I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of this No. 8 State Water Heaters Chevrolet for JR Motorsports this weekend in Charlotte. We had a great run our first time out in Texas and I am extremely confident that Taylor (Moyer, crew chief) and I can back that up again on Saturday. It should be a really fun day for sure. I’m ready to get after it.” – Jeb Burton
“It’s going to be really cool to carry Cessna’s colors on the No. 9 Chevrolet for the first time this season and I really appreciate all of their support. We all know that Charlotte should be interesting with the temperatures being as hot as they are and with the compound they are laying down on the track. We’ve had some good runs so far this year on the mile and-a-half tracks with our JR Motorsports team and hopefully we can keep that going when we get to the track on Friday.” – Noah Gragson
JRM Team Updates
• JRM at Charlotte: In 60 NXS starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway, JR Motorsports has scored 11 top-five and 25 top-10 finishes. Chase Elliott and Justin Allgaier hold the organization’s two pole positions at the 1.5-mile quad-oval, earned in 2014 and 2017, respectively.
• JRM Autograph Session: JRM drivers Noah Gragson, Michael Annett, Justin Allgaier, Zane Smith, Jeb Burton (along with 2002 Daytona 500 Champion Ward Burton), Ryan Truex, Adam Lemke and Josh Berry will be participating in an autograph session on the JRM campus on Friday, May 24 from 1 – 2 p.m. ET. The session is open to the first 250 people in line.
• Gragson Media Availability: Noah Gragson, driver of the No. 9 Cessna Chevrolet, will have media availability on Friday, May 24 at 2:30 p.m. ET in the CMS media center.
