SS GreenLight Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL | Drive for the Cure 250
Fast Facts
No. 17 SS GreenLight Racing Team:
Driver: Joe Graf Jr. (@JoeGrafJr)
Primary Partner(s): Arrowhead Brass
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro
Crew Chief: Joe Williams
Drive for the Cure Starting Position: 30th (Event Formula)
Driver Points Position: 27th | Owner Points Position: 26th
Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines (ECR)
Notes of Interest:
Welcome Aboard: This weekend at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL, SS GreenLight Racing and Joe Graf Jr. welcome Arrowhead Brass as the primary partner of the team’s No. 17 Chevrolet Camaro for Saturday afternoon’s Drive for the Cure 250 presented by BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina.
About Arrowhead Brass: Arrowhead Brass is a U.S.-based manufacturer of plumbing valves and irrigation products with a rich history dating back to 1936. These 85 years of experience have allowed Arrowhead Brass to create long-lasting plumbing and irrigation valves that have been a staple in homes for generations.
Their mission is to be the North American premier provider of these products and to stay true to their seven core values; customer commitment, quality, integrity, teamwork, respect, personal accountability and good citizenship.
And they now have over 1,000 lead-free products to keep you and your family healthy. Our quality products can be found in national retail stores and plumbing supply wholesalers throughout the country.
For more information, visit arrowheadbrass.com.
Number Swap: For the 29th NASCAR Xfinity Series race of the season, Joe Graf Jr. will drive the No. 17 Chevrolet Camaro instead of his traditional No. 07 Chevrolet Camaro.
The Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL marks the second race where Graf has swapped numbers this season. Earlier this year, Graf drove the No. 17 Chevrolet at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway in June.
Graf will retain his same No. 07 team with the number swap for the Drive for the Cure 250 presented by BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina.
New Sponsor Announcement: SS GreenLight Racing and Joe Graf Jr. will announce a new marketing partner next week in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for two of the final five races of the 2021 season.
The new sponsor is also new to NASCAR and the Xfinity Series scene.
In Loving Memory: This weekend at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL and for the remainder of the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, Joe Graf Jr. and SS GreenLight Racing will carry the name of Bray Pemberton on the passenger side name rail of the team’s No. 17 Chevrolet Camaro.
Pemberton passed away on September 8, 2021, after a brief illness.
Pemberton was an instrumental figure in the everyday business and growth of Graf’s motorsports career. He will be deeply missed by all.
Saving You Some Money: As fall has officially fallen, Joe Graf Jr.’s other marketing partner Z Grills still wants to help the NASCAR community save money – but also enjoy the perfect fall barbecue dinner.
With the holidays on the horizon, Z Grills Racing (ZGrillsRacing.com) is offering a 10 percent discount off your TOTAL purchase, using the code NASCAR at checkout.
Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL Starts: Joe Graf Jr. will make his second career NASCAR Xfinity start at the 2.280 mile road course on Saturday.
Last fall, Graf started 31st in his No. 08 Watchonista Chevrolet Camaro and utilized patience throughout the 68-lap rain soaked race to finish 15th, a career-best for Graf on a road course.
Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Road Course Nuggets: In seven career NASCAR Xfinity Series road course races, has completed 440 of the 443 laps available. He holds an average starting position of 26.0 and an average result of 24.6 with a best finish of 15th at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Road Course in October 2020.
He has been running at the conclusion of all seven road course events in his career.
Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway | Sparks 300 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Graf Jr. enjoyed a career-best day.
Despite starting the race last in 40th, he utilized patience and the draft to maneuver a fast No. 07 G-Coin Chevrolet through the field when it counted most during Stage 3.
The sophomore Xfinity Series driver efforts were rewarded with a career-best 10th place finish after the event was called six laps short of its original distance due to darkness.
Graf’s 10th place finish eclipsed a previous best of 11th earned at the season-opening race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February 2021.
Put Me In Coach: To strengthen his physique, Joe Graf Jr. began working with new trainer and former NASCAR Cup Series Josh Wise during the 2020 offseason.
In addition to Wise, Graf has also been working with former NASCAR driver and open wheel driver Scott Speed on being more discipline behind the wheel of his No. 17 Arrowhead Brass Chevrolet Camaro.
Sneaker Mania: Along with the adrenaline of the Motorsports competition, Joe Graf Jr. also has a vogue for hype sneakers. In his current collection, he owns and wears at least 85 limited edition sneakers – and his collection continues to grow every month.
The current estimated value of his collection tops $90,000.
From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Joe Williams is Joe Graf Jr.’s crew chief.
He will crew chief his 61st NASCAR Xfinity Series race as crew chief on Saturday afternoon and his second at the 17-turn Charlotte ROVAL.
In his previous 60 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected four top-five and 15 top-10 finishes.
Hello From The Other Side: Graf Jr. has a teammate at SS GreenLight Racing. Veteran Josh Bilicki will drive the No. 07 Chevrolet Camaro on Saturday afternoon for his fourth start of the 2021 season.
Bilicki, 26, is set to make his 72nd career NASCAR Xfinity Series start and second at the Charlotte ROVAL. Last year he finished 13th after starting 32nd driving the No. 78 Insurance King Toyota for B.J. McLeod Motorsports.
Follow on Social Media: For more on Joe Graf Jr. visit JoeGrafRacing.com, like him on Facebook (Joe Graf Jr.), follow him on Twitter (@JoeGrafJr) and Instagram (@joegrafjr).
For more on SS GreenLight Racing, please like them on Facebook (SS GreenLight Racing) and follow them on Twitter (@SSGLR0717) and visit their website at SSGreenLight.com.
Joe Graf Jr. Pre-Race Quotes:
On Charlotte ROVAL: “I’m very optimistic about heading to the Charlotte ROVAL this weekend. Last year was crazy with the torrential rain we experienced throughout the race, but we played a very conservative approach to the event and it paid off with a top-15 finish.
“The weather may be different this weekend, so we’ll see what happens and hope for the best. I believe I have improved my road course skills throughout the years and hopefully that will be showcased in our No. 17 Arrowhead Brass Chevrolet Camaro.”
On Talladega: “I am so proud of everyone on this No. 07 G-Coin team. Joe (Williams) really brought me a fast No. 07 G-Coin Chevrolet Camaro.
“We were patient for most of the race but when we knew that the race might get cut short because of darkness, we really played our strategy and with the help of a good car in the draft, we were able to put ourselves in the top-10.
“This finish is huge for us, our partners and everyone on the SS GreenLight Racing team. Hopefully, we can utilize this finish to propel us forward for the rest of the year.”
On Approaching Homestretch: “We have about a month left in the 2021 schedule. Our season has not gone the way we planned, but it has not been from a lack of effort, just a variety of circumstances – most beyond our control.
“I really look forward to the rest of the tracks on the schedule the rest of the year and we’re already focused on 2022 and cannot wait to announce those plans soon.”
Race Information:
The Drive for the Cure 250 presented by BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina (67 laps | 155.44 miles) is the 29th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2021 schedule. The 40-car field will take the green flag on Sat., Oct. 9, 2021, shortly after 3:00 p.m. ET with live coverage on NBC, the Performance Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90.
About SS Green Light Racing:
As one of the most tenured teams in all of NASCAR, SS GreenLight Racing led by team owner and former driver Bobby Dotter has been a mainstay in the sport fielding entries in either the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series or the Xfinity Series competition since 2001.
SS GreenLight Racing will continue with a two-car program in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2021.