COTA NXS Race Preview
COTA RACE PREVIEW
DRIVER: Jade Buford
CAR: No. 48 Big Machine Spiked Coolers Chevrolet
TRACK: Circuit of the Americas
RACE: Pit Boss 250 (46 laps / 156 miles)
DATE: Saturday, May 22, 2021
QUOTES
JADE BUFORD, DRIVER
“I expect our team to run well at COTA. I have a lot of experience there and I’ve been fortunate enough to win there before. The team has been working hard to give me the best equipment they can possibly give me. We have a great shot of running towards the front and this is a place where I feel like we can finally get our first top-10 finish of the year, or even better! I know it’s going to be a great weekend for our Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers team.”
SCOTT BORCHETTA, TEAM OWNER
“Ironically, I first met Jade at COTA as he was the weekend's professional driver coach for a Chinn Track Day a couple years back. After he helped me improve my lap times, I discovered he was from Nashville. We’ve been racing together in one form or another ever since. So, this weekend, we’re closing the circle as I’ll be on the radio helping him navigate his way to the front.”
NOTES
COTA EXPERIENCE: This weekend Jade Buford heads to Circuit of the Americas, a track where he has plenty of experience having competed there multiple years. In 2018, he scored a victory at COTA in the Pirelli World Challenge Series event. While he’s new as a full-time competitor in the NXS, last season he raced a partial schedule on the road courses and drove to an eighth-place finish at the Charlotte Roval, one of the most challenging events of the year.
ROAD COURSE RINGER: Buford will be one of the most established road-course racers in the field when the Xfinity Series takes the green flag for Saturday’s inaugural NXS event at COTA. He started competing when he was 18 years old in Porsche Club Racing, which kickstarted a rapid climb into professional road racing. He’s competed in both the IMSA and Pirelli World Challenge Series, scoring multiple wins in each during his tenure. In addition, Buford has raced in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, the Rolex GT and the prestigious 24 Hours of Daytona.
SPIKED COOLERS MAKING A SPLASH: The demand for Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers continues to grow after first hitting shelves last month. The refreshing ready-to-drink vodka juice pouches are made with real fruit juice and are available in three flavors – Tropical, Lemonade and Cranberry. The eco-friendly pouches come eight to a box and can be served chilled or frozen. Find out more and visit the store locator at www.spikedcoolers.com.
AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR: Outside of racing, Buford is an avid climber and outdoor enthusiast. He recently put his skills to the test, returning to the challenging courses of NBC’s hit show American Ninja Warrior. This marks his third time the 33-year-old race car driver has competed on the show, which premieres on May 31. Tune in to see if he conquered the obstacles.
TUNE IN
TV: FS1 at 4 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. CT
RADIO: PRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90 at 3:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. CT