SS GreenLight Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway | EchoPark 250
Fast Facts
No. 07 SS GreenLight Racing Team:
Driver: Joe Graf Jr. (@JoeGrafJr)
Primary Partner(s): HAZHEART | Bucked Up Energy | Z Grills
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro
Crew Chief: Mike Tyska
EchoPark 250 Starting Position: 24th (Based on event formula)
2021 Driver Points Position: 17th | 2021 Owner Points Position: 20th
Chassis Intel: SSGLR Chassis No. 708; competed last at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway on Mar. 6, 2021. (Start: 26th | Finish: 18th).
Chassis No. 708 is also the same car that Graf Jr. raced in both NASCAR Xfinity Series races at Homestead-Miami Speedway in June 2020, at Texas Motor Speedway on October 24, 2020 and at Homestead Miami (Fla.) Speedway on Feb. 27, 2021.
Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines (ECR)
Notes of Interest:
Welcome Aboard: This weekend at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway, SS GreenLight Racing and Joe Graf Jr. welcome GRAMMY award-winning songwriter, rapper and singer Lil Aaron and his HAZHEART brand as the primary partner of the team’s No. 07 Chevrolet Camaro this weekend at AMS.
About HAZHEART: HAZHEART is the cultural embodiment of all things Lil Aaron and an expansion past just one artist into a lifestyle ideal style.
From the music side via record label(s) and music publishing to the physical trends and brands in clothing, collectibles, art and more.
HAZHEART is a stamp of approval on the things and people it associates with in the world built over the better part of the past seven years.
HAZHEART music represents artists including Ethel Cain, smrtdeath, Belis and more. The brand influence can be seen represented in the HAZHEART merchandise, music videos and artwork as well as the everyday lifestyle of those who claim it.
Saving You Some Money: A week after making their NASCAR Xfinity Series debut as the primary sponsor of Joe Graf Jr., at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway, Z Grills is still celebrating their partnership with Graf and the team. To celebrate the partnership, Z Grills Racing (ZGrillsRacing.com) is offering a 10 percent discount on every item online, using the code JoeGraf07 at checkout.
Year of the Underdogs: Heading to Homestead-Miami Speedway three weeks ago, Buffalo Bills running back Antonio Williams and a personal investor in Joe Graf Jr.’s racing career launched a video on Twitter offering an exclusive glimpse into his personal life and his reason for wanting to be a part of NASCAR – exclusively with Graf Jr.
Since its release on Feb. 25, 2021, the video has gone viral with over 125,000 views and feedback from some of the sports’ icons including retired NASCAR Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and current 23XI Racing driver Darrell Wallace Jr.
The video has since been uploaded on YouTube and can be seen clicking here.
Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Atlanta Motor Speedway Starts: Sophomore NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Joe Graf Jr. will make his second start at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway on Saturday, Mar. 20, 2021.
Last June, he finished 26th after starting 27th and completing all but one lap in last season’s EchoPark 250 aboard the No. 08 Core Development Group Chevrolet.
Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Career Intermediate Nuggets: At tracks greater than 1.0-mile in size, Graf has competed in 21 NASCAR Xfinity Series races. He holds an average starting position of 23.5 and an average result of 22.3.
Phoenix Raceway Race Recap: In last weekend’s Call 811 Before You Dig 200, Graf contended for a top-20 finish in his No. 07 Z Grills Chevrolet Camaro but a chaotic green-white-checkered restart to end the race shuffled him outside the top-20 and to a 25th place result.
Leaving Phoenix, Graf still sits comfortably in the top-20 in the point standings in 17th.
Last year after five races, he sat 26th in the championship standings.
Put Me In Coach: In an effort to strengthen his physique, Joe Graf Jr. began working with new trainer and former NASCAR Cup Series Josh Wise during the 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. 07 HAZHEART | Bucked Up Energy Chevrolet Camaro.
Sneaker Mania: Along with the adrenaline of Motorsports competition, Joe Graf Jr. also has a vogue for hype sneakers. In his current collection, he owns and wears at least 80 limited edition sneakers – and his collection continues to grow every month.
From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Mike Tyska is Joe Graf Jr.’s crew chief.
He will crew chief his sixth NASCAR Xfinity Series race as crew chief on Saturday afternoon.
Tyska joined SS GreenLight Racing in January after honing his skills in all three of NASCAR’s national divisions and working for teams like Germain Racing, GMS Racing and Rick Ware Racing.
Tyska was a part of Todd Bodine’s 2006 championship season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Germain Racing.
Hello From The Other Side: Graf Jr. has a teammate at SS GreenLight Racing. Veteran Cody Ware will drive the No. 17 Chevrolet on Saturday afternoon.
Ware, a veteran racer is poised to make his 24th career NASCAR Xfinity Series start, and third at Atlanta’s 1.54-mile quad oval.
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 Atlanta Motor Speedway: “I’m optimistic about Atlanta this weekend. We weren’t bad last year, it just was a very challenging and demanding race track to learn without practice or qualifying.
“I am hoping that my experience last year will be a benefit to us on Saturday and we can have another strong finish this season.”
On Lil Aaron’s HAZHEART Partnership: “What a great opportunity for myself and SS GreenLight Racing to have the support of Lil Aaron and HAZHEART this weekend at Atlanta.
“Our team has been extremely focused on bringing not only new partners but other public figures to the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2021 and our relationship with Lil Aaron is just another example of the great strides we are making. I’m looking forward to this weekend and a strong finish in our HAZHEART colors.”
On First Races Of 2021 Season: “The mentality around the team is good and we’re continuing to learn. Last weekend, we were much better at the end of the race than our result showed, so we are poised for a rebound on Saturday.
“We just need to keep making as little mistakes as possible and hope that everyone’s hard work will pay off with the finishing result on the race track.”
Race Information:
The EchoPark 250 (163 laps | 251.02 miles) is the sixth of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2021 schedule. The 40-car field will take the green flag on Sat., Mar. 20, 2021, shortly after 5:00 p.m. ET with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, 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.