NASCAR XFINITY Series Johnsonville 180 Takes over Road America

NASCAR XFINITY Series championship contenders visit Road America next Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 25-27, looking to showcase their road course acumen in the final race of the series’ summer run of road contests.

The NASCAR XFINITY Series’ trek to the Wisconsin road course marks the third race with both left and right turns over a lengthy stretch for the series, including events at New York’s Watkins Glen International and the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

For the NASCAR XFINITY drivers, the Johnsonville 180 marks the final opportunity to showcase their road course skills this year. This marks the eighth consecutive NASCAR XFINITY appearance at America’s National Park of Speed.

Last year’s race winner was Michael McDowell driving a Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. McDowell earned his team’s victory from the #2 starting position behind Alex Tagliani. McDowell’s margin of victory was the closest in the seven-year history of NASCAR XFINITY Series racing at Road America, as he edged his closed competitor, Brendan Gaughan, by a half second at the wire.

For Childress Racing, the victory marked the hat trick, the third win for the owner in the seven NASCAR XFINITY Series races run at Road America, and its third consecutive win at Road America. Previous winners for Childress Racing in the NASCAR XFINITY Johnsonville 180 included Gaughan in 2014 and Paul Menard in 2015. All three of the wins for Richard Childress racing were in Chevrolet entries.

Seven different drivers have visited Victory Lane in each of the seven prior NASCAR XFINITY Series races at Elkhart Lake’s Road America. Who will be next? Make sure to show up on Sunday, August 27 when the engines fire at 2 p.m. for the Johnsonville 180.

Everything for the NASCAR XFINITY Series Johnsonville 180, ARCA and SCCA Pro Trans Am weekend begins on Friday, August 25, with test sessions for Trans Am and ARCA from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

On Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series team haulers will gather at a new location, Plymouth High School, in nearby Plymouth, Wis., prior to their convoy to Road America for the NASCAR XFINITY Johnsonville 180. Last year’s hauler parade drew hundreds of NASCAR fans and an impressive welcome was also extended between local residents.

The Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, City of Plymouth, Plymouth Joint School District, the Downtown Arts and Merchants Group and Road America expect even greater hauler participation and attendance this year and encourage all fans, residents and businesses along the route to participate in welcoming the return of the NASCAR XFINITY Series teams to Sheboygan County.

The haulers will gather for the party at Plymouth High School between 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Fans are invited to attend, free of charge and the event will be held rain or shine. The convoy to the track will be led by a Johnsonville semi and will depart around 5:30 p.m. following through Plymouth before proceeding north on Hwy 67 to Road America.

The new location of the hauler parade at Plymouth High School provides additional exposure for the new NASCAR Acceleration Nation program to nearby middle school and elementary students. The NASCAR Acceleration Nation Program is the sport’s first-ever national learning and entertainment platform created just for kids.

Practice for Trans Am takes up the majority of the day on Friday until the NASCAR XFINITY Haulers enter Road America to begin setting up for the big weekend. Saturday will be filled with practice and qualifying for both Trans Am and ARCA, the first NASCAR XFINITY Series practice gets underway at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Campers during the weekend are in for a special treat courtesy of Johnsonville. Any campsite decorated with the theme ‘Speedville’ will be automatically entered in Road America’s Most Awesome Campsite Contest. Winners receive a campsite of their choice for any 2018 event, event tickets, a Johnsonville Sizzling Sausage Grill and FREE Johnsonville Brats for LIFE!

Details are on the event webpage at www.roadamerica.com Additional rounds for the ARCA Series and SCCA Pro Trans-Am Series will fill up the action-packed weekend. There will be open karting all weekend at the CTECH Manufacturing Motorplex plus the Road America Zip Line will be open daily.

Tickets are available and additional event details; ticket pricing and camping information can be found at www.roadamerica.com or by calling 800-365-7223. Anyone 16-years-old and under are FREE with a paying adult at the gate. Racing runs rain or shine.

Road America PR