SS GreenLight Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series | Texas Motor Speedway | Andy’s Frozen Custard 335k Fast Facts

No. 07 SS GreenLight Racing Team:

Driver: Joe Graf Jr. (@JoeGrafJr)
Primary Partner(s): MARKET Racing
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro
Crew Chief: Joe Williams

Andy’s Frozen Custard 335k Starting Position: 38th (Event Formula)
Driver Points Position: 27th | Owner Points Position: 37th
Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines (ECR)

Notes of Interest:

Welcome Aboard: This weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, SS GreenLight Racing and Joe Graf Jr. welcome MARKET and their MARKET Racing brand as the primary partner of the team’s No. 07 Chevrolet Camaro for Saturday afternoon’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 335k.

About MARKET: MARKET is a lifestyle brand that moves at the speed of the internet to mash up pop culture and streetwear in a powerful combination made deadly with collaborations with some of the industry’s biggest players.

Its limited edition drops generate products and ideas that move from concept to sell-out in just a few hours by designing, producing and launching product in real time from its DTLA atelier.

MARKET removes the barriers between good ideas and successful business by blurring the line between collaborators and customers. It helps creatives, dreamers and misfits bring their ideas to market, providing entry into the exclusive worlds of design and streetwear with education, resources and mentoring.

MARKET was founded by Mike Cherman, who got his professional start with a guerilla campaign that caught the attention of sneaker industry god Jeff Staple. Today, MARKET has attracted top collaborators like Converse, Puma, Lacoste and Cole Haan and celebrity fans that include Erykah Badu, YG, Jay-z and LeBron James.

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 new 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.

Reelin’ in the Competition: This weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, Joe Graf Jr. and SS GreenLight Racing welcome back BassReaper Bait Co as a major associate marketing partner on the team’s No. 07 Chevrolet Camaro.

Born in 2019 from a family driven by professional fishing, BassReaper Bait Co. is a manufacturer of high quality soft plastic bass fishing lures and bass fishing tackle.

Whether you are a professional angler or new to the sport of fishing, BassReaper Bait Co. has fishing tackle to get the job done.

Their soft plastics are proudly made in the United States of America.

Last October, BassReaper Bait Co. served as the primary partner on the team’s No. 08 Chevrolet Camaro.

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 Texas Motor 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 Texas Motor Speedway Starts: Joe Graf Jr. will make his fourth NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday afternoon in the Andy’s Frozen Custard 335k.

In his three previous races, Graf Jr. finished 21st, 22nd and 31st respectively. In his most recent trip to the Fort Worth, Texas race track, Graf Jr. contended for a top-20 finish but developed power steering issues late in the race.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Career Intermediate Nuggets: At tracks greater than 1.0-mile in size, Graf has competed in 30 NASCAR Xfinity Series races. He holds an average starting position of 25.6 and an average result of 24.5.

Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL | Drive for the Cure 250 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Road Course, Graf Jr. fought hard in the final road course race of the 2021 season.

Despite starting the race last in 30th, he utilized patience throughout the race to contend for a top-25 finish. Unfortunately, a late race spin put Graf and the No. 17 Arrowhead Brass Chevrolet team out of contention.

Graf rebounded however and finished 28th – two positions better than where he started.

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 discipline behind the wheel of his No. 07 MARKET Racing 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 62nd NASCAR Xfinity Series race as crew chief on Saturday afternoon and his fourth at the 1.5-mile speedway.

In his previous 61 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 JJ Yeley will drive the No. 17 Chevrolet Camaro on Saturday afternoon for his 14th start of the 2021 season.

Yeley is set to make his 349th career NASCAR Xfinity Series start and 23rd at Texas Motor Speedway. His best Xfinity track finish occurred in the 2006 O’Reilly Challenge, where he finished sixth after starting 14th for Joe Gibbs 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 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 Texas Motor Speedway: “I’m extremely optimistic about heading to Texas Motor Speedway and a shot at redemption. I like Texas and we had two very solid runs there last year. Unfortunately, in the spring, we battled power steering issues and it hindered us from a better finish.

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

On MARKET Partnership: “I’m thrilled about this partnership with MARKET. They have become a bold brand in their respective arena and now they are branching out to NASCAR, particularly the Xfinity Series with myself and SS GreenLight Racing and we’re excited to showcase some of their epic apparel.

“Because of the potential growth and reach we feel we can activate together; discussions are already underway for them to be a part of our team beyond Texas and for next season.

“This is a relationship that I feel will explode on so many levels and cater to a lot of NASCAR fans. The car looks fantastic and I’m ready for a strong weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.”

On Xfinity Series Homestretch Run: “We have less than 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 remaining four tracks on the schedule the rest of the year. We are also starting to get focused on 2022 and cannot wait to announce those plans soon.”

Race Information:

The Andy’s Frozen Custard 335k (200 laps | 300 miles) is the 30th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2021 schedule. The 40-car field will take the green flag on Sat., Oct. 16, 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.