No. 08 SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt Team:
Driver: Joe Graf Jr. (@JoeGrafJr)
Primary Partner(s): Bucked Up Energy Drink
Manufacturer: Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Jason Miller
Spotter: TJ Bell
2022 Driver Points Position: 30th | 2021 Owner Points Position: 33rd
Engine: Roush Yates Engines (RYE)
Notes of Interest:
Full of Energy: Bucked Up Energy and its sister products will continue their role as the primary partner of Graf’s No. 08 Ford Mustang this weekend. Auto Club (Calif.) Speedway is the second race of 2022 but is the 33rd race overall in a multi-year, multi-race deal with the former ARCA Menards Series winner.
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Bucked Up started in 2013 when twin brothers Ryan and Jeff Gardner started marketing a product called Deer Antler Spray. After selling thousands of bottles to GNCs nationwide, the company morphed into what is now Bucked Up, a full-fledged vitamins and supplements manufacturer.
The company has gone from its humble beginnings to becoming the No. 1 best-selling pre-workout brand that’s available on their website and in over 10,000 stores worldwide, including GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, Walmart and many other stores nationwide.
Check Out The New Flavor: Bucked Up Energy Drink now offers more than 10 quenching options, but this weekend at Auto Club, SS GreenLight Racing and Joe Graf Jr. will feature its Strawberry Kiwi flavor with Graf’s No. 08 Ford Mustang infused with a pink and green livery.
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New Year, But New Look: In January, SS GreenLight Racing announced the organization would switch from Chevrolet to Ford and have a technical alliance with Stewart-Haas Racing.
SHR will supply the organization with race cars while Roush Yates Engines will provide the legendary Ford horsepower.
In addition to providing race cars to SSGLR, SHR will also provide technical support for the entire 33-race season.
Additionally, Graf will have NASCAR Cup Series and Stewart-Haas Racing drivers Cole Custer and Chase Briscoe as teammates for select events throughout the 2022 season – including this weekend at Auto Club Speedway.
Surprise Awaits: Joe Graf Jr., SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt and Bucked Up Energy will showcase a new product for the organization next weekend at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway for the Alsco Uniforms 300, the third race of the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.
Bucked Up started in 2013 when twin brothers Ryan and Jeff Gardner started marketing a product called Deer Antler Spray. After selling thousands of bottles to GNCs nationwide, the company morphed into what is now Bucked Up, a full-fledged vitamins and supplements manufacturer.
The company has gone from its humble beginnings to becoming the No. 1 best-selling pre-workout brand that’s available in over 10,000 stores worldwide.
Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Auto Club Starts: Joe Graf Jr. will make his second career start at Auto Club (Calif.) Speedway in Saturday afternoon’s race.
In his rookie season before the pandemic, Graf qualified 22nd – but suffered mechanical issues during the race that relegated him to a 31st place finish aboard his No. 08 Core Development Group Chevrolet Camaro.
Auto Club is the sister track to Michigan International Speedway, another 2.0-mile circuit where Graf also has one Xfinity Series start in 2021.
Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Speedway Nuggets: At tracks greater than 2.0-mile in size, Graf has competed in 15 NASCAR Xfinity Series races with one top-10 finish. He holds an average starting position of 25.7 and an average result of 29.5.
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 90 limited edition sneakers – and his collection continues to grow every month.
The current estimated value of his collection tops $100,000.
From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Jason Miller is Joe Graf Jr.’s crew chief this weekend.
He will crew chief his 253rd NASCAR Xfinity Series race as crew chief on Saturday and his seventh at the 2.0-mile speedway.
In his previous 252 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected two top-five and eight top-10 finishes.
Hello From The Other Side: Graf Jr. has a teammate at SS GreenLight Racing. Veteran Cole Custer will drive the No. 07 Production Alliance Group | Bucked Up Energy Drink Ford Mustang on Saturday evening for his first Xfinity start of the 2022 season.
Custer is set to make his 106th career NASCAR Xfinity Series start and fourth at Auto Club (Calif.) Speedway – Fontana. His best Xfinity track finished occurred in the 2019 Production Alliance Group 200 where he won the race after starting third for Stewart-Haas Racing.
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 visit SSGreenLight.com, like them on Facebook (SS GreenLight Racing) and follow them on Twitter (@SSGLR0708).
Joe Graf Jr. Pre-Race Quotes:
On Auto Club Speedway: “It’s hard to believe that it has been two years since I’ve been to Auto Club Speedway, but I am looking forward to getting on the track Saturday morning.
“I remember the track being very fast but the seams definitely can make negotiating the two-mile track somewhat treacherous. We must capitalize on practice and get ourselves a solid starting spot that will put us in a good position for the race.
“I’m proud of our team for showcasing speed during the race last weekend at Daytona and hope we can continue that not only in Fontana this weekend but the entire west coast swing.”
On Teammate Cole Custer: “I’m excited to have Cole (Custer) a part of the SS GreenLight Racing team. Obviously, he is a former winner at Auto Club, so I think he could put the team in a position to do that again.
“I believe Cole not only can bring a lot of good communication, ideas and strategy but also help us accelerate the continued transition from Chevrolet to Ford.”
On 2022 Season Outlook: “We have made a lot of changes during the offseason. From switching manufacturers to bringing in new personnel, it’s all for the better. Honestly, I would be disappointed if we weren’t able to showcase ourselves a strong capable team throughout the season.
“Top-10 finishes should not be out of the question and hopefully by Phoenix in November, we will be racing near the front on a consistent basis.”
Race Information:
The Production Alliance Group 300 (150 laps | 200 miles) is the second of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2022 schedule. Practice begins on Sat., Feb 26 from 9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Qualifying begins at 9:30 a.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag shortly after 2:00 p.m. (5:00 p.m. ET) with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Motor 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 2022.