Patrick Connell was signed to MC Motorsports the recent week to the #46. Connell was excited once he saw the schedule for NR Night in America on Tuesday, November 21st, 2023. It featured Gen-6 Cup Cars at Talladega Superspeedway, a car and track in which he had.

Cmejla told him to race and he agreed. Cmejla built the #46 Weier Wealth Management/MC Motorsports Toyota Camry for him to race. Patrick Connell was ready to go for the race with his new ride.

Upon joining the race session, it was founded that there would be 2 Duel races to decide the 40 car field. 64 total entires - 32 per duel, 20 advance to the main. The problem was that Connell hadn't ever qualified based off duels in 6 attempts. Would that change for his MC Motorsports debut?

Connell qualified 49th with Cmejla qualifying 21st. This means they would both be in Duel 1, with Connell starting 25th and Cmejla 11th. The green flag waved. Cmejla was able to get up close to the Top 5. Patrick Connell had dropped back off the pack.

"I dropped back too much to the point where I lost the draft," Connell said.

This was true. Now the concern was that if the race were to green the entire way, Connell would be stuck outside of the pack. But it was on Lap 3/10 when Justin Williams pushed Spencer Burns too hard and wrecked the entire pack. Cmejla almost made it through but got turned by Josh Kenyon and others at the last second. Cmejla suffered 36 seconds of optional repairs. Meanwhile, Patrick Connell, who was way out back, easily made it through the crash.

The amount of damaged cars from the wreck made it easy for Cmejla and Connell to make it into the Top 20, enough to make the race. Cmejla on the last lap sat 2nd entering the backstretch. In Turn 3 he got moved to 4th. He gave the #49 the big push. The #49 was squirly all race, so he couldn't take the push. Cmejla ended up turning him and would finish 11th. Connell, taking it easy, finished 13th. Connell would make the transfer for the first time.

Cmejla would start 21st, with Connell 25th for the main event. The two elected to miss the start so they would miss the chaos. The first 10 laps went green.

"At this point we were getting concerned there would be no wreck. We had 15 laps until we would get lapped," Cmejla said.

Then, on Lap 11/50, the first crash happened where Justin Champagne turned Davis Lewis on the exit of Turn 4. Cmejla and Connell would catch up to the pack and pit for 4 Tires and fuel.

Ultimately, they would decide to stay in the main pack. There were numerous wrecks and cautions, but Cmejla was making progress. Connell was content to staying on the bottom in the pack. It was a restart then when on the backstretch Jacob Malone wasn't paying attention and missed the checkup, turning Kevin Champagne into Marty Cmejla's right door, giving Cmejla 46 seconds of optional repairs. Cmejla's car would be fine. Patrick Connell would now be in the Top 10.

Cmejla didn't lose the draft and was still pretty competitive. It was then another caution when Patrick Connell went to the grass to avoid, but Chad Jeffreys hit his door, giving him 26 seconds of optional repairs. Connell would end up fine.

At this point there was only 22 competitive cars left with 4-to-go restart. Patrick Connell was making progress but got passed. Nolan Drake turned Gavin Austin into his front end. Then the following turn, Joseph Armstrong got turned in front of the main pack, giving Cmejla more side damage. Connell, not paying attention, hadn't slowed down for the wreck and slammed into crashing cars. Connell had 40 minutes of required repairs but got it cleared for the overtime restart.

Cmejla would restart in the Top 10, where now only 14 competitive cars were left. Cmejla was trying to make moves. On the last lap, Cmejla had great wreck avoidance to make it through. He would then push Gavin Austin as with his damage he couldn't do anything. Cmejla got 4th. Connell, was just chugging along with his destroyed car and was able to get a 16th-place finish.

"It was a fun race, and I am happy with my result for my first race with MC Motorsports," Connell said.

We will see what Connell does in the future with MC Motorsports! 

MC Motorsports © 2023 Press Release
Article Created at 6:46 PM 11/22/2023