TRACK: Circuit of the Americas
RACE: Pit Boss 250 (46 laps / 156 miles)
DATE: Saturday, March 25, 2023
TV: 5 p.m. ET on FS1
RADIO: 4:30 p.m. ET on PRN Radio Network and SiriusXM Ch. 90

Quotes:

Sam Mayer: "I am pretty excited to get back to COTA this weekend. We had a really good run there last year that qualified us for the Dash 4 Cash that we were able to win the following week. I am confident that my No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions team will bring a fast car to our first road course of the year and hopefully we will be able to contend for the win."

Justin Allgaier: "This is a big weekend at COTA for us and BRANDT Professional Agriculture. To be able to welcome Miguel (Paludo) back in the No. 88 with BRANDT is really special. Hopefully we can give Rick (Brandt) a good show and come away with a one-two finish. The last couple weeks didn’t go as we had hoped, but this No. 7 group is resilient and I know that we will be strong this weekend."

Josh Berry: "Road courses were very important to our team last season, points-wise. I’ve had solid runs at most of the ones we’ve run on. Last year at COTA, we got into trouble on the first lap and did some damage to the Tire Pros Chevrolet, but we rallied and earned stage points despite that. I’m looking for good things this weekend with Taylor (Moyer, crew chief) and the team."

Brandon Jones: "This Menards/Char-Broil Grills team has had speed all season, we just don’t have the results to show for it. These guys have built great cars in the past for COTA and we have been in the sim working hard preparing for this weekend. Hopefully we can go out and have a good run and be there when it matters."

Miguel Paludo: "I can’t thank Rick (Brandt), and everyone at JR Motorsports enough for the opportunity to come back this year and drive this No. 88 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet. We were able to get a top-10 finish here last year, and I know that we can improve on that once we hit the track this weekend. I can’t wait to get out there and contend for the win, especially with our BRANDT teammate Justin (Allgaier)."

Notes:

• Sam Mayer returns to Circuit of the Americas for only his second start at the 3.41-mile road-course. In this event last season, Mayer finished fifth, which qualified him for his first career Dash 4 Cash race.

• Crew chief Mardy Lindley has achieved three career road-course wins, most recently as crew chief for Kyle Busch last season at Sonoma Raceway in the Truck Series.

• In two previous starts at COTA in the NXS, Justin Allgaier has scored a best finish of third, coming in this event in 2021.

• In 44 career starts on road courses in the NXS, the Illinois native has earned three wins, 13 top fives and 26 top 10s.

• Two of Allgaier’s three road course victories in the NXS have come with JRM (Mid-Ohio and Road America – 2018).

• Allgaier’s No. 7 Camaro will have a different look for this weekend. As one of two BRANDT Chevrolets on the road course at COTA, the JRM driver’s paint scheme will have a white base with the familiar bright red accents.

• Josh Berry’s lone start at COTA came last year, and the Tennessee native finished 27th after being involved in an opening-lap incident.

• In seven starts on road courses in his NXS career, Berry has a pair of top-five finishes and five top 10s.

• Berry’s top-five results came in the NXS debut at Portland (fourth) and at Road America (third) last season.

• This weekend’s event is the qualifier for the opening round of the Xfinity Dash 4 Cash. Berry won the bonus in 2021 at Dover Motor Speedway.

• Brandon Jones has made 31 career starts on road courses in the NXS and has recorded five top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. His best finish of second came at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course in 2020.

• Jones has a victory on a road course in his career. The 26-year-old won at Watkins Glen International during an ARCA Menards Series race last season. He started second and led the most important lap – the last one - to claim the victory.

• Jones has made two starts at the 3.41-mile Austin road course, with a best finish of 17th coming in the inaugural race in 2021.

• For the third consecutive season, Miguel Paludo makes his return to JRM behind the wheel of the No. 88 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet.

• This marks the first of three starts this season for the Nova Prata, Brazil native in the No. 88. Paludo will also be running at the inaugural street course event in Chicago and the road course at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

• In six previous starts for JRM, Paludo has scored two top 10s, with a best finish of seventh coming at the Daytona Road Course in 2021.