SRX – Page 2 – Syndication Server

SRX moves Thunder Road event to Stafford due to flooding

SRX has dropped next week’s scheduled event at Thunder Road Speedbowl in Barre, Vermont, due to the intense floods that have devastated central Vermont, and will run a second event at Stafford Motor Speedway in Connecticut instead. Thunder Road has …

“Throughout the last week, the state of Vermont and city of Barre, VT have been devastated by intense rain and catastrophic flooding, leading to a declaration of a State of Emergency by President Joe Biden,” said the series in a statement. “Our thoughts at SRX are with the people of Vermont.”

“After two days of conversations between SRX Chief Executive Officer, Don Hawk, Governor Phil Scott and Thunder Road track owner Chris Michaud, we have collectively made the difficult yet necessary decision to move the location of next week’s race from Thunder Road Speedbowl to Stafford Motor Speedway in Stafford Springs, CT.

“While we’re disappointed to not visit Thunder Road this summer, SRX has awarded Thunder Road a 2024 race date. Thunder Road will refund all tickets that were purchased for this year’s race.”

Purdue backs Castroneves and Kanaan in new SRX partnership

Purdue University has entered a partnership with the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) series to introduce its new urban campus in Indianapolis. Coming off the approval to dissolve IUPUI and launch Purdue University in Indianapolis in 2024, with …

Purdue University has entered a partnership with the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) series to introduce its new urban campus in Indianapolis.

Coming off the approval to dissolve IUPUI and launch Purdue University in Indianapolis in 2024, with multiple locations throughout the city and degrees from Purdue University West Lafayette, the iconic Boilermaker gold and black will adorn the race car shared by Helio Castroneves and Tony Kanaan in this season’s SRX series, which launches Thursday, July 13 and will air weekly on Thursday nights thereafter through Aug. 17, with all races airing live on ESPN.

Purdue has helped launch racing careers for many of its students and graduates with its unique motorsports engineering program. Created in 2008, it is the only accredited undergraduate program in the U.S. and one of three in the world that awards degrees with a concentration in motorsports. Purdue’s motorsports history also extends across its West Lafayette campus, where College of Engineering graduates Matt Kuebel and Mike Koenigs became Indianapolis 500 winners this past May as race engineers for Josef Newgarden and Team Penske, while fellow alumna and Chip Ganassi Racing engineer Angela Ashmore made history as the first female crew member to win the 500 in 2022 with Marcus Ericsson.

“I am very excited to be back at SRX and having Purdue University in Indianapolis on the car and sharing it with my brother T.K. is just perfect,” said Castroneves.

“This is my third year in SRX and I couldn’t be more excited to share the car with my brother Helio and now being sponsored by Purdue University in Indianapolis,” Kanaan said. “As an Indy resident, it’s a big deal. Purdue has long been a part of the Indianapolis 500, so I’m looking forward to carrying their livery during the SRX season.”

Ethan Braden, executive vice president and chief marketing and communications officer for Purdue University and Purdue Global, said the university’s deep ties to motorsports and commitment to expanding the university’s academic and research excellence with the launch of Purdue University in Indianapolis makes the SRX partnership with Indy icons Kanaan and Castroneves a natural fit.

“Purdue University is about the persistent pursuit of innovation, and our new urban campus in Indianapolis is one of our next great examples,” Braden said. “We are thrilled to introduce Purdue University in Indianapolis to millions of viewers on ESPN by partnering with the SRX Series. And we couldn’t team up with better symbols of excellence and determination than Helio Castroneves and Tony Kanaan. Boilermakers worldwide will be cheering them on as they lead Purdue University’s charge on some of America’s most iconic racetracks and into Indianapolis.”

Player Management International, and Doug Barnette, was the agency of record on the deal.

Kenseth set for SRX at Eldora

NASCAR Hall of Famer Matt Kenseth will rejoin the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) field at Eldora Speedway on Aug. 10, the series announced. Kenseth made three appearances last year in the series for identically prepared cars featuring racing …

“The first time I ever raced on dirt was Eldora, it was at Tony (Stewart)’s Prelude to the dream,” said Kenseth. “My background was all asphalt racing and I remember how much fun I had that night, and said if I could go back and do anything different it would have been to race dirt earlier in my career.”

Kenseth, a 2023 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee, has 39 NASCAR Cup Series wins, including two Daytona 500 victories. He was the 2003 Cup Series champion, and took the 2004 IROC crown.

“Welcome back to one of the very best short track racers and now a NASCAR Hall of Famer,” said SRX CEO Don Hawk. “Having you back at Eldora was a goal, each race on dirt you got better and better, and perhaps the best is yet to come. Matt’s humble, hungry and smart and were lucky to have him back with SRX this summer.”

SRX races will air on six consecutive Thursday nights at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN, starting July 13.

Biffle joins SRX for Thunder Road round

A day after announcing Kasey Kahne’s appearance in this season’s Superstar Racing Experience, the series revealed that Greg Biffle will join the SRX field at Thunder Road Speedbowl in Barre, Vermont on July 20. Biffle, who was recently named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers, has raced in each of the series’ first two seasons, making eight starts. He has 19 NASCAR Cup Series wins and was the 2000 NASCAR Truck Series champion.

“I am so excited to return to the SRX series for a third season,” said Biffle. “What I look forward to the most is getting to compete with 12 of the best drivers in the world and see new racetracks. I can’t wait to experience Thunder Road for the first time!”

“Greg Biffle on a short track like Thunder Road makes so much sense for SRX,” said series CEO Don Hawk. “He is a craftsman on short tracks, and he will be a threat to win there with his skill set. Welcome back Greg.”

SRX will air on six consecutive Thursday nights at 9pm ET on ESPN, starting July 13.

Kahne to join SRX field at Berlin Raceway

Kasey Kahne will join the SRX field at Berlin Raceway in Michigan on August 3rd. The 41-year-old comes to SRX with 18 career wins in the NASCAR Cup Series, including three Coca-Cola 600s (2006, 2008, 2012) and the 2017 Brickyard 400. He retired from …

Kasey Kahne will join the SRX field at Berlin Raceway in Michigan on August 3rd.

The 41-year-old comes to SRX with 18 career wins in the NASCAR Cup Series, including three Coca-Cola 600s (2006, 2008, 2012) and the 2017 Brickyard 400. He retired from NASCAR during the 2018 season for health reasons, but has since returned to full-time competition in World of Outlaws.

“Getting Kasey into SRX was a goal of mine from day one of last year,” said SRX Chief Executive Officer Don Hawk.

“He is an amazing talent, gone from the scene way too early for some to know just how really good he is. I am really happy and excited he is coming to Berlin Raceway, joining a field of Superstars up in Michigan. The fans are the real winners with this one.”

ESPN confirms SRX announcing team

SRX and ESPN have unveiled the broadcast team for the 2023 Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) season. Allen Bestwick and Matt Yocum will return as lead announcer and pit reporter respectively, with a number of current and former drivers set to serve as analysts. SRX will air on six consecutive Thursday nights at 9pm ET on ESPN and the ESPN App, bringing back the iconic “ESPN Thursday Night Thunder” branding.

Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano will serve as SRX’s lead analyst for three races — Stafford Motor Speedway on July 13, Berlin Raceway on August 3 and Eldora Speedway on August 10. Conor Daly will once again serve as a driver analyst for the series for two races — Motor Mile on July 27 and Lucas Oil on August 17. Retired NASCAR legend Darrell Waltrip will make his SRX commentary debut as an analyst at Thunder Road on July 20.

“We are thrilled to be on ESPN for season 3 of SRX and build off all of the success and growth we have had over the first two seasons,” said Pam Miller, SRX executive producer. “We are really excited about our broadcast team for 2023. We are thrilled to have Allen and Matt back with SRX, and couldn’t be more excited to have Joey Logano in the booth for three races this summer. Conor Daly will continue to provide the viewers unique insights given his experiencing racing across both NASCAR and IndyCar, and we are fired up to welcome Darrell Waltrip to the series and can’t wait for the fans to experience his passion, knowledge and love for racing.”

Additional talent may be announced before the start of the season.

2023 SRX schedule & broadcast teams (all times Eastern)

Date	Track	Time	Network
July 13	Stafford Motor Speedway (Stafford Springs, CT) Allen Bestwick, Matt Yocum, Joey Logano	9 p.m.	ESPN
July 20	Thunder Road Speedbowl (Barre, VT) Allen Bestwick, Matt Yocum, Darrell Waltrip	9 p.m.	ESPN
July 27	Motor Mile Speedway (Radford, VA) Allen Bestwick, Matt Yocum, Conor Daly	9 p.m.	ESPN
Aug. 3	Berlin Raceway (Grand Rapids, MI) Allen Bestwick, Matt Yocum, Joey Logano	9 p.m.	ESPN
Aug. 10	Eldora Speedway (New Weston, OH) Allen Bestwick, Matt Yocum, Joey Logano	9 p.m.	ESPN
Aug. 17	Lucas Oil Speedway (Wheatland, MO) Allen Bestwick, Matt Yocum, Conor Daly	9 p.m.	ESPN

Ron Capps joins SRX field for Eldora

Three-time NHRA Funny Car world champion Ron Capps will run the SRX race at Eldora Speedway in August. Capps will be the first NHRA driver to compete in the series. “Watching the best drivers in the world battle in identical racecars is a dream for …

Three-time NHRA Funny Car world champion Ron Capps will run the SRX race at Eldora Speedway in August.

Capps will be the first NHRA driver to compete in the series.

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“Watching the best drivers in the world battle in identical racecars is a dream for every race fan,” said Capps, “and now for me to get a chance to race with them at Eldora Speedway, which is one of the coolest dirt tracks in the world, live on a Thursday night is a dream come true.

“The coolest part is for our NHRA fans to know they can tune in and watch one of their own battle with the best on the high banks of Eldora Speedway. I’ll be a little out of my comfort zone, but I’m going try to make our fans proud.”

Eldora, owned by Tony Stewart, who will also compete in SRX, is the fifth race of the SRX season and the first of two dirt races on the six-event schedule. It is Thursday, August 10.

Although dirt is not in Capps’s background, he does have experience at Eldora. Capps ran the Prelude to the Dream, a dirt late model event, from 2005 through 2007.

“I’m really excited to announce Ron Capps will be racing in SRX at Eldora Speedway on August 10, 2023,” said SRX CEO Don Hawk. “He’s also the first NHRA driver in the history of SRX to join the ranks of the very best circle track drivers in the USA.

“With the addition of Ron Capps to the SRX starting lineup, it’s another historic moment for SRX, now in its third year as a start-up racing series. Putting world-class talent of all disciplines in equal cars was objective since day one. He’s another check off of the objective block at team SRX.

“I’ve seen Ron drive straight line in NHRA so many times I’ve lost count, he’s also a three-time world champion who’s not a total stranger to dirt racing. Ron is a great guy, he’s good for racing, good to and for his sponsors, and will be very good for SRX. When I called to ask him to join us officially, it was like, ‘Heck yes,’ and when do we start.”

Capps earned his third NHRA Funny Car championship and second straight in dramatic fashion last season. On the final weekend of the year, Capps trailed Robert Hight by more than 60 points but advanced to the final round to win the championship, while Hight was eliminated earlier in the day. He also won the 2016 NHRA Funny Car championship.

The third season of SRX will run on six consecutive Thursday nights beginning in July. ESPN will broadcast all six events at 9 p.m. ET.