SS GreenLight Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series Kansas Speedway | Kansas Lottery 300 Fast Facts

No. 07 SS GreenLight Racing Team:

Driver: Joe Graf Jr. (@JoeGrafJr)
Primary Partner(s): EAT SLEEP RACE
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro
Crew Chief: Joe Williams
Kansas Lottery 300 Starting Position: 30th (Event Formula)
Driver Points Position: 27th | Owner Points Position: 38th
Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines (ECR)

Notes of Interest:

New Colors: This weekend at Kansas Speedway, Joe Graf Jr. and the No. 07 SS GreenLight Racing Chevrolet Camaro will highlight the EAT SLEEP RACE colors.

EAT SLEEP RACE (eatsleeprace.com) is a racing lifestyle apparel company based out of New Jersey. Since 2001 the brand has offered a full product line including accessories and apparel for men and ladies. As one of the pioneers of motorsports apparel, the brand has deep roots in the racing industry and was created to offer fresh designs for all racing enthusiasts.

The company has expanded to now offer a dedicated children’s product line of apparel and accessories branded as the Fast Kids Club (fastkidsclub.com) with its hot-selling ABC book for future race car drivers.

Honoring A Hero: Most of the drivers in the field for Saturday afternoon’s Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway will sport the names of cancer heroes on the signature panels of their cars, including sophomore Xfinity driver Joe Graf Jr. and the SS GreenLight Racing team.

Names were nominated by the cancer heroes’ family members or friends as part of the Martin Truex Jr. and The NASCAR Foundation Honor a Cancer Hero Auction presented by AdventHealth.

In September, NASCAR fans had the opportunity to bid for a chance to honor their cancer heroes’ names on race cars in the NASCAR Cup Series (at Kansas), the NASCAR Xfinity Series (at Kansas), the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (at Martinsville) or the ARCA Menards Series (at Kansas).

Featured cancer heroes could be people who personally battled cancer, medical providers, nurses, caregivers or members of a cancer warrior’s support system.

Proceeds from the auction benefit the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation and The NASCAR Foundation, two non-profit organizations that are champions for the health and well-being of others.

Cheryl Yungkurth will ride with Graf’s No. 07 EAT SLEEP RACE Chevrolet Camaro for the 31st Xfinity Series race of the season as the winning bid. Yungkurth was nominated by her son, Derek.

“I nominated my mom (Cheryl Yungkurth) because she has been my role model and someone I have always looked up to. Back when I was in high school my mom was diagnosed with an aggressive late-stage breast cancer,” said Derek Yungkurth.

“It was hard to watch my mom suffer physically and mentally through those years. I felt helpless as I wanted to do whatever I could to help her, but she always told me to focus on school. Her display of resilience and tenacious attitude through all of her treatments reassured me that she would survive.

“Being cancer-free for 6+ years now, she enjoys experiencing new things whether its traveling or going to her first NASCAR race! Creating memories is what it’s all about.

Nominating her is a way to celebrate her achievements for her defeating cancer, and the impact she has had on me and the entire family!”

The Yungkurth family has been following Graf’s movement in the Xfinity Series since his graduation from the ARCA Menards Series in 2020. Earlier this season, the Yungkurth family had the opportunity to meet Graf Jr. and the SSGLR team courtesy of partner G-Coin.

myFace Returns: myFace, an organization that helps kids and families living with craniofacial differences will return to the No. 07 Chevrolet Camaro as an associate partner for the Xfinity Series return at Kansas Speedway.

myFace, is a leading nonprofit focused on providing the comprehensive care, education and information to help people with craniofacial differences lead full and productive lives.

Another New Sponsor Announcement: Before the curtain is drawn on the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, SS GreenLight Racing and Joe Graf Jr. will announce again another innovative marketing partner for the final race of the year at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway next month.

The new sponsor is also new to NASCAR and the Xfinity Series scene.

School Back In Session: While juggling a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule with SS GreenLight Racing, college life has resumed for Joe Graf Jr.

With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Graf Jr. has resorted to online classes at the University of New York, where he is pursuing a degree in business, media and sports management.

In Loving Memory: This weekend at Kansas Speedway 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. 07 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 Kansas Speedway Starts: Joe Graf Jr. will make his third NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Kansas Speedway in Saturday afternoon’s Kansas Lottery 300.

In his two previous races, Graf Jr. finished 28th and 32nd respectively. In his most recent trip to the Kansas City, Kansas race track, Graf Jr. contended for a top-20 finish but developed a rear gear issue less than 40 laps from the finish.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Career Intermediate Nuggets: At tracks greater than 1.0-mile in size, Graf has competed in 31 NASCAR Xfinity Series races. He holds an average starting position of 26.0 and an average result of 24.6.

Joe Graf Jr. ARCA Menards Series Career Intermediate Nuggets: At tracks greater than 1.0-mile in size, Graf has competed in eight ARCA Menards Series races. He holds an average starting position of 11.8 and an average result of 12.9.

He also has two ARCA starts at Kansas Speedway, including a track-best last October where he finished ninth after starting 21st. The Kansas ARCA 150 was Graf’s last race in the ARCA Menards Series.

Texas Motor Speedway | Andy’s Frozen Custard 335k Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Texas Motor Speedway, Graf Jr. fought hard in the penultimate intermediate race of the season.

After starting deep in the field, Graf was able to march forward in his No. 07 MARKET Racing Chevrolet Camaro. The team elected to gamble on pit strategy but fell one lap short when the caution waved a lap after the team made a green-flag pit stop.

From there, Graf Jr. soldiered on to a 26th place finish in his fourth Xfinity start at Texas Motor Speedway.

Put Me In Coach: To strengthen his physique, Joe Graf Jr. began collaborating 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 disciplined behind the wheel of his No. 07 EAT SLEEP RACE 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 63rd NASCAR Xfinity Series race as crew chief on Saturday afternoon and his third at the 1.5-mile speedway.

In his previous 62 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 Garrett Smithley will drive the No. 17 JACOB Companies Chevrolet on Saturday afternoon for his fourth Xfinity start of the 2021 season.

Smithley, 29, is set to make his 141st career NASCAR Xfinity Series start and fifth at Kansas. His best Xfinity Kansas finish occurred in the 2018 Kansas Lottery 300, where he finished 13th after starting 23rd for JD Motorsports with Gary Keller.

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 Kansas Speedway: “Kansas has always been one of my better intermediate race tracks, even if we don’t have the finishes to go with it. We had speed in our No. 07 MARKET Racing Chevrolet last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, unfortunately, the strategy worked against us, and we left the track wanting more.

“I think with some luck and patience we can capture a strong finish in our No. 07 EAT SLEEP RACE Chevrolet Camaro.”

On Cancer Hero Cheryl Yungkurth: “Everyone on the SS GreenLight Racing team is proud to carry Cheryl’s name on our No. 07 EAT SLEEP RACE Chevrolet Camaro this weekend at Kansas.

“Everyone is battling something in their life, but Cheryl and the others who have fought Breast Cancer and those who continue to fight through this awful disease are the real heroes on the race track this weekend.

“I had the pleasure to meet the family earlier this summer, so when I found out she was going to be on the car this weekend, it brought me a lot of joy. Hopefully, we can give her and all those fighting Breast Cancer a finish they can be proud of.”

On Xfinity Series Homestretch Run: “Hard to believe there is just three races left in the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. Three weekends. 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 Kansas, Martinsville and Phoenix though. We see those races as opportunities. Not only an opportunity to deliver strong finishes but build some momentum for the offseason. We are also starting to get focused on 2022 and cannot wait to announce those plans soon.”

Race Information:

The Kansas Lottery 300 (200 laps | 300 miles) is the 31st of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2021 schedule. The 40-car field will take the green flag on Sat., Oct. 23, 2021, shortly after 3:00 p.m. ET with live coverage on NBC, 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 2021.