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Corey LaJoie’s Amazon Prime gig may have put him on new NASCAR path

Dale Earnhardt Jr. debuts as NASCAR crew chief, turns to TNT on TV The guys break down Chase Briscoe’s win and Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s crew chief debut at Pocono. They also review the five-week Amazon Prime Video stint. Corey LaJoie, a NASCAR Cup Series driver, recently finished a stint as a broadcaster for Amazon Prime’s […]

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  • Corey LaJoie, a NASCAR Cup Series driver, recently finished a stint as a broadcaster for Amazon Prime’s NASCAR coverage.
  • He reflects on a near-win at Atlanta in 2022 and a missed opportunity driving for Hendrick Motorsports.
  • LaJoie is content with his broadcasting role and selectively pursuing racing opportunities in the Truck Series.

Corey LaJoie is a race-car driver again. 

For a while there, he traded in the firesuit for TV duds and joined the maiden NASCAR voyage of Amazon Prime Video, which ended its five-week midseason run last weekend at Pocono.

He’s a good talker and the camera likes him, so maybe his NASCAR destiny will include a microphone instead of a steering wheel. After some 25 years of sawing on that wheel and climbing the ladder, only to reach the upper rungs and stall, he seems fine with the possibility.

LaJoie started racing karts at age 5 and progressed through the normal types of cars and tracks, winning often enough along the way to keep the dream alive.

Unlike some young racers, LaJoie was always comfortable and familiar with the landscape atop the stock-car world. His dad, Randy, was a two-time champion (1996-97) in the Busch Series (now Xfinity) and a 15-time winner on that circuit. 

Ironically, the second-generation LaJoie spent almost no time in the Xfinity Series, instead landing a job at the Cup level in 2017. He spent four seasons with three different teams that were going nowhere fast, before moving to upstart Spire Motorsports in 2021 and seeing some glimmers of hope with that upstart team, particularly at Daytona and Talladega.

The closest he came to a breakthrough was the 2022 summer race at Atlanta, where he lost the lead to Chase Elliott on the next-to-last lap, then got into the wall while attempting to retake the lead on the final lap.

The Spire relationship ended late last season when the team basically “traded” LaJoie to Rick Ware Racing for Justin Haley. LaJoie played out the season and, along the way, started meeting with officials from Amazon Prime’s new NASCAR broadcast team. 

He was part of the pre-race and post-race shows alongside Carl Edwards and Danielle Trotta. But he hasn’t sold the helmet and has cobbled together a limited racing schedule this year, including several late-season Truck Series races.

LaJoie and wife Kelly live outside Charlotte, in Davidson, N.C. They have three sons, ages 1 to 5.

Here, LaJoie covers a lot of ground, particularly on the topic of reaching one goal (the Cup Series) but not another (doing well at that level), and how bittersweet it can be. Also, he tells us about the one phone call every driver wants to receive sometime in their career — the call that led to his very short-lived career on the other side of the tracks.

Corey LaJoie on his new NASCAR job with Amazon Prime Video

News-Journal: When and how did the deal come about with Amazon Prime Video?

Corey LaJoie: “I think it was around last October. My career was going through some transitions, and I wasn’t really happy with how things were shaping up. I was just kinda burned out on chasing the ghost and trying to be a race-car driver. They offered me a really enticing deal, and I think anything the Prime group touches … they do it at a high level. Getting in on the front side of that was important to me.

“Talking to my wife, she was the one forcing me into that open door when I was probably a little too stubborn to walk through it myself. But it’s ultimately become one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life.”

Corey LaJoie on what he remembers from his dad’s racing career

N-J: How much do you remember of your dad’s racing career?

LaJoie: “Some of my favorite memories were probably on the back side of my dad’s career — I was 9, 10, 11 — it was when dad’s good driving opportunities started to dry up. My favorite memories were going on motorhome trips, seeing the country. We’d just load up in the motorhome and be gone for two months.”

N-J: Were you old enough to remember your dad’s Buckshot Jones feud in the late-’90s?

LaJoie: “Oh yeah. I think it was around ’97 or ’98, I was about 6. They got into it at Bristol. I remember us being escorted out in a police golf cart, and fans were throwing beers at us. I was thinking, ‘Man, this is wild. Why are they throwing (stuff) at my dad.’

“People would send some Buckshot stuff to him every now and then, and my dad would throw it right in the trash. My dad isn’t one to hold a grudge, but there’s one person on Earth he does not like, nor does he ever care to put any work into a working relationship, and that’s Buckshot Jones.”

Corey LaJoie on his own NASCAR Cup Series career

N-J: During your Cup career, how difficult was it to keep showing up every week knowing your car was outclassed by the cars from Hendrick, Gibbs, Penske, etc.?

LaJoie: “Ah man, that’s a good question. I spent legitimately six years … I couldn’t make the amount of money that I made doing anything else. But you trade money for stress. When you dedicate your life to something … I had grown up and been successful and won races in every series I did, then you get to Sundays and you’re handicapped by what you’re driving. It eats away at your soul, because you’re apparently a competitive guy who wants to go run good. But on the contrary, you’re in a situation where you can’t, within reason.

“But I also feel the Lord shuts doors that are meant to be shut, and vice versa. There were two distinct opportunities I turned down to stay loyal to Spire and continue to build. And there’s this weird situation as a race-car driver, when you commit to build something, you commit to knowing you’re going to be a guinea pig. The cars aren’t gonna be any good, people are gonna be in and out leapfrogging for jobs. So the performance isn’t going to be there. 

“So you work … you’re starting to build this car to ultimately where you want it, then you run good enough to where it’s appealing for someone else to come buy your job.”

N-J: You ever consider how much that changed everything in your life?

LaJoie: “I haven’t lost a wink of sleep about it, because if that deal doesn’t dissolve, then this opportunity with Prime doesn’t come, you know, and doesn’t really open up what the next chapter of life might look like … More time at home with my kids, or just a little bit more peace and commitment, not banging your head against the wall, trying to chase whatever goal you have as a race-car driver that you’re never gonna be able to accomplish.” 

N-J: You ever wonder how your career might’ve changed if you had won that Atlanta race in 2022?

LaJoie: “Yeah, who knows? I probably spend more time thinking about that opportunity with the 9 car, when I got to fill in for Chase (Elliott). We went to a place where I wasn’t very confident, at Gateway. We’d blown up there the year before and didn’t get to run many laps. Hendrick (Motorsports) was off all weekend, and it was just a bad weekend, and we ran 20th or 21st.

“You legitimately work your entire life as a race-car driver to get a call from Rick Hendrick, and I got it. I actually missed the call, but he left a voicemail, and I still get to listen to that every now and then, which is cool. If we go to Dover or Bristol or somewhere where I have a lot of confidence, I have no doubt we could’ve contended for the win.

“I’m a pretty religious guy. Sometimes the answer of ‘no’ is for your own protection. Who knows what direction life would’ve gone after that.”

N-J: You’re keeping your foot in the gas with the few Cup races and several Truck races. What’s that future look like to you?

Lajoie: “I’m trying to take it slow. I think it’s important to take good opportunities and be selective with who you work with, this season more than ever, so that’s what I’m doing. I can work my fingers to the bone trying to figure out what’s next … I don’t think that’s where I’m supposed to be at the moment.”

N-J: Why did you do just a one-year deal with Prime? 

LaJoie: I wanted to see if I liked it, and I think they wanted to see if they like me. I think we checked both those boxes. I honestly enjoy it much more than I anticipated. I would love it if we could run it back next year.”



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What do the latest moves in the 23XI/Front Row lawsuit mean?

NASCAR has been granted until 5 p.m. ET Wednesday to respond to a new filing by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, which will push the charter status of the two organizations until late into the week. 23XI Racing and Front Row filed for a new restraining order and preliminary injunction on Monday. They are […]

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NASCAR has been granted until 5 p.m. ET Wednesday to respond to a new filing by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, which will push the charter status of the two organizations until late into the week.

23XI Racing and Front Row filed for a new restraining order and preliminary injunction on Monday. They are seeking to maintain their charter status for the 2025 season after the original injunction was vacated on June 5 by a three-judge panel.

The teams’ charter status was set to be vacated Wednesday. NASCAR being given until the close of business that day to respond means a decision on 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports being charter teams or not going into Dover Motor Speedway (Sunday, 2 p.m. ET) will not come until thereafter.

In its filing, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports hoped to be granted the restraining order by Tuesday, July 15. The argument is that “without the entry of a temporary restraining order before the mandate takes effect, Plaintiffs will lose their charter rights requiring them, among other things, to race as open teams, and will be forced to unwind their charter purchases before trial set for December 2025.” By not having the temporary restraining order, the teams argue they will be harmed with the loss of their drivers, sponsors, industry goodwill, irreplaceable competitive opportunities, and revenue.

In other words, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports want things to remain status quo before the December trial on the antitrust suit they filed against NASCAR in October. 23XI Racing and Front Row believe if they were to lose the charters now, they will never get them back.

“After the Fourth Circuits decision vacating the preliminary injunction, NASCAR’s counsel sent a letter on June 25, 2025, stating that NASCAR intended to ‘immediately undertake a process’ to sell or unwind the 23XI and Front Row charters that Plaintiffs purchased from Stewart-Haas Racing…” read Monday’s filing. “NASCAR stated that it is ‘aware of interest from multiple prospective buyers for Charters.’”

The teams remain steadfast in the belief they will be successful at the trial. Between the two, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, there are six charters hanging in the balance. Both organizations expanded to a third car with a purchase of a charter from Stewart-Haas Racing.

Jeffrey Kessler, the lead counsel for 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports issued a statement on Monday afternoon.

“Today we filed a motion in the district court for a renewed preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order to protect the teams’ ability to race chartered for the remainder of the 2025 Cup Series season and prevent irreparable business harm to 23XI and Front Row Motorsports until we can present our case at trial in December. New information surfaced through the discovery process that overwhelmingly supports our position that a preliminary injunction is legally warranted and necessary. The teams’ love of stock car racing and belief in a better future for the sport for all parties – teams, drivers, employees, sponsors, and fans – continues to motivate their efforts to pursue this antitrust case.”

NASCAR filed a counterclaim in March against the teams alleging they willfully violated antitrust laws and conspiracy. The counterclaim will go through the legal process alongside the antitrust lawsuit. However, NASCAR remains open to resolution with 23XI and Front Row, and has indicated it is open to hearing a proposal from the two teams, but one hasn’t materialized.

As it currently stands, NASCAR doesn’t believe that 23XI Racing and Front Row have a right to any of the charters because they did not sign the charter agreement. By not signing the agreement, they relinquished the charters. And that also means they don’t have a claim to the additional charter each team purchased from Stewart-Haas Racing. 

By this logic, NASCAR does intend to possibly sell the charters before the conclusion of the legal case. Additionally, if 23XI Racing and Front Row were to prevail in the end, NASCAR still doesn’t intend for them to have charters because they have not signed the charter agreement. Nor does NASCAR believe it can be ordered to give the other two sides the charters by being forced into business with someone they don’t want to be involved with, hence the charter agreement.

NASCAR appears eager to move on from the charter piece of the litigation by putting them back in play for any interested parties. It would ensure the field is solidified for the 2026 season. Additionally, it would allow NASCAR to refocus on the revenue pieces of the agreement for those who do have charters.

A statement from NASCAR was issued on Monday after the newest filing:

“It is unfortunate that instead of respecting the clear rulings of the Fourth Circuit, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are now burdening the District Court with a third motion for another unnecessary and inappropriate preliminary injunction. As both the Fourth Circuit and the District Court suggested, NASCAR has made multiple requests to 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports to present a proposal to resolve this litigation. We have yet to receive a proposal from 23XI or Front Row, as they have instead preferred to continue their damaging and distracting lawsuit.

“We will defend NASCAR’s integrity from this baseless lawsuit forced upon the sport that threatens to divide the stakeholders committed to serving race fans everywhere. We remain focused on collaborating with the 13 race teams that signed the 2025 charter agreements and share our mutual goal of delivering the best racing in the world each week, including this weekend in Dover.”



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Euro 2025: England captain Williamson wary of ‘fantastic’ Sweden

Tom HamiltonJul 14, 2025, 10:58 AM ET Close • Joined ESPN in 2011• Covered two Olympics, a pair of Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours• Previously rugby editor, and became senior writer in 2018 ZURICH, Switzerland — England captain Leah Williamson has said they are wary of a Sweden team flying under the radar […]

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ZURICH, Switzerland — England captain Leah Williamson has said they are wary of a Sweden team flying under the radar at Euro 2025 and believes the fact few are talking about their quarterfinal opponents as potential winners of the competition is “slightly disrespectful.”

England finished second in Group D and will face Sweden, who topped Group C, with a perfect nine points. That clean sweep of victories included a remarkable 4-1 dismantling of Germany last time out.

Williamson and England know Sweden well, and played each other in the semifinals of Euro 2022, a match England won 4-0. Since then, they’ve faced each other twice, with both matches ending in draws.

“Sweden are a fantastic team, they’re relentless in the way they go about their game,” Williamson said.

“I think they sort of avoid the expectation of every tournament, and nobody really talks about them, [which is] slightly disrespectful, I think, because they always show up and they always seem to pose a threat to most teams, and normally come out with a medal or [be] a semifinal team so, yes, they’re a strong team. We’re looking forward to the fixture.”

Williamson will come up against a few familiar faces, including her fellow Arsenal teammate Stina Blackstenius. When asked whether that familiarity may help her, Williamson answered: “Yes, I suppose so, but she knows me just as well so I think we’ll nullify each other’s threats there.”

– Women’s Euro 2025: Bracket, results and fixtures schedule
Women’s Euro 2025 kit ranking: Which team has the most style?
– Women’s Euro 2025: How every team qualified for the quarterfinals

For Georgia Stanway, she is wary of the physical threat Sweden pose.

“We’ve got a lot of experience against them,” she said. “Obviously they’re tough, they’re physical, they’re more direct. I’m not sure we’ve faced that so far in our group, but we do have a lot of experience against them. We review this game and we’ve got a few days’ rest and then we’ll do what we can to put ourselves in the best possible position.”

She added there’s little point drawing any comparisons between this match and the game back in Euro 2022.

“It’s a completely different tournament,” she said. “It’s really hard to compare anything that happens in other tournaments and yeah, our focus is on us, our focus is on making sure that we know our things going into the game.

“I think we just need to continue where we’ve been: have the intensity that we had against the Netherlands, press the way that we pressed, win the ball back as much as we did [against Wales]. We can only control what we can do.”



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Exhibitor Registration Now Open for the 2026 MPMC Media Trade ConferencePerformance Racing Industry

Registration for the 2026 SEMA Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) Media Trade Conference, the aftermarket industry’s premier conference for establishing connections between motorsports parts manufacturers and media professionals, is now open. The Media Trade Conference is open to PRI business members. Learn more and register at sema.org/mtc. Taking place January 27-29 in Anaheim, California, the conference will […]

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Registration for the 2026 SEMA Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) Media Trade Conference, the aftermarket industry’s premier conference for establishing connections between motorsports parts manufacturers and media professionals, is now open. The Media Trade Conference is open to PRI business members. Learn more and register at sema.org/mtc.

Taking place January 27-29 in Anaheim, California, the conference will unveil the latest news from top brands in the motorsports world, as they provide updates on new and innovative products spanning high-performance parts, safety equipment, fluids, maintenance, and more.  

Unlike a traditional trade show, where exhibitors meet with buyers and resellers, the Media Trade Conference focuses on private 30-minute meetings between manufacturers and media. Manufacturers participate in more than 40 meetings over the course of three days, gaining valuable, curated connections with journalists, editors, writers, podcasters, and content creators.  

“The Media Trade Conference is the only industry event where brands can meet one-on-one with both traditional media and established content creators that can help them promote their brands and products to mass audiences,” said MPMC Director Marcy Yanus. “Our goal is to not only help our member manufacturers save time and money prospecting new partnerships but also discover how the media landscape is changing and leverage those insights to advance their business.”  

Known for its speed-dating format, the MPMC Media Trade Conference makes it easy for exhibitors to share detailed information about their products, company updates, and plans for the racing season. Media publish the content they collect on their channels year-round. To help attendees further their connections beyond the meetings, networking breaks and a reception are scheduled throughout the week.  

 Attendees can maximize their ROI by registering early. Early-bird pricing for exhibitors is $850 until September 8 and will increase to $950 beginning September 9. Media registration will open in September. Learn more and register at sema.org/mtc. 



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NASCAR teams 23XI and Front Row seek urgent court order to retain charters

NASCAR teams 23XI and Front Row seek urgent court order to retain charters – myMotherLode.com   Link 0

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NASCAR teams 23XI and Front Row seek urgent court order to retain charters – myMotherLode.com

































































 




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Hendrick Motorsports Taps 20-Year-Old Rookie for Big Xfinity Debut at Dover

Jake Finch has never raced in the Xfinity Series before, but he’s about to get behind the wheel of one of NASCAR’s hottest cars. The 20-year-old ARCA driver will pilot Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 17 Chevrolet at Dover International Speedway, stepping into a ride that has already won twice in 2025 with prominent Cup Series drivers. […]

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Jake Finch has never raced in the Xfinity Series before, but he’s about to get behind the wheel of one of NASCAR’s hottest cars. The 20-year-old ARCA driver will pilot Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 17 Chevrolet at Dover International Speedway, stepping into a ride that has already won twice in 2025 with prominent Cup Series drivers.

Can Jake Finch Handle the Pressure of the No. 17 Car?

Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) has ramped up its Xfinity Series activity in 2025. The No. 17 car made only 10 starts in NASCAR’s second-tier series in 2024, but 19 races into this season, that number has already climbed to 11. Another race start is scheduled for the upcoming Dover International Speedway race.

After all the team’s Cup drivers have already piloted the No. 17 car this season, Mr. H has handed the keys to a debutant this time. The car has been a beast on the track so far, with Kyle Larson, William Byron, Alex Bowman, Chase Elliott, and Corey Day running it. Out of the 11 races, the car has visited victory lane twice: First with Larson at Bristol Motor Speedway and then with Byron at Charlotte. Beyond those wins, the car finished seven times in the top five, with three runner-up finishes.

You can imagine the pressure that its newest pilot faces, especially when he’s never even set foot in the Xfinity Series before. Part-time ARCA Menards series driver Finch will be taking on the car at the “Monster Mile.” HMS even released a teaser video on X, with the caption: “Next up in the No. 17! @jamessfinch will drive the No. 17 @HendrickCarsChevy at the @MonsterMile.”

Why Did Hendrick Motorsports Choose Dover for Finch’s Debut?

Finch making an Xfinity start was already known in the NASCAR community, thanks to Dale Earnhardt Jr. revealing it earlier in his podcast. However, few would have guessed that HMS would put him at Dover. The Dover track is called the Monster Mile for a reason. The track’s high banking challenges the most seasoned veterans, let alone a rookie.

Despite the challenge, the 20-year-old has shown promise in the ARCA series. He has made 18 race starts so far. As Sports Illustrated reported, Finch has accumulated two wins, 11 top-five finishes, and 28 top-10s in his ARCA career. Additionally, he is currently running for Venturini Motorsports. He already has three starts to his name this season. His best finish was a seventh-place run at Talladega.

Finch has been good at Talladega, where he even won in 2024. But the reason why HMS picked Dover for Finch was that he won there in 2023. Clearly, Finch has the talent. However, the race won’t be easy. Xfinity Series regulars will be pushing extra hard as the regular season will soon come to a close. Those who haven’t already secured a win would be desperate to get a victory and a playoff spot.

Still, Finch has some of that No. 17 car’s form on his side. After all, he isn’t the only debutant to run the car this year. Before him, Day drove it for four races and had decent runs. His best was an 11th-place finish at Nashville.

There is a chance that Finch could pull off something extraordinary at Dover, too. Only time will tell how he fares in the race.





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‘Nothing wrong’ for Ty Gibbs in NASCAR Cup top-10 finish at Sonoma

SONOMA, Calif. — Ty Gibbs continued to shine on road courses with “nothing wrong” in a seventh-place finish Sunday at Sonoma Raceway. Photo: Dominic Aragon/TRE “Nothing wrong” was the ruling from NASCAR after drama unfolded on pit road between Gibbs’ No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing team and Brad Keselowski’s No. 6 RFK Racing team. While […]

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SONOMA, Calif. — Ty Gibbs continued to shine on road courses with “nothing wrong” in a seventh-place finish Sunday at Sonoma Raceway.

Photo: Dominic Aragon/TRE

“Nothing wrong” was the ruling from NASCAR after drama unfolded on pit road between Gibbs’ No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing team and Brad Keselowski’s No. 6 RFK Racing team.

While coming into his pit box, Gibbs drove through Keselowski’s box where his crew prepared for a pit stop. Keselowski’s tire carrier, Telvin McClurkin, claimed Gibbs clipped his hand and twisted his wrist. After finishing the pit stop, McClurkin had a shoving match with Gibbs’ crew to express his displeasure.

RFK Racing posted video on social media showing the incident.

NASCAR ruled Gibbs did “nothing wrong,” according to the TNT broadcast, absolving of any penalties. In fact, NASCAR reportedly ruled Keselowski’s team should’ve given Gibbs more room to pull his car into his pit box.

All that to say, Gibbs and Keselowski had speed Sunday. While they didn’t have the pace to compete with Shane Van Gisbergen, both teams are headed in the right direction.

For Gibbs, he had another solid points day. He earned 32 points from finishing ninth in stage one and seventh in the race.

Still, leaving Sonoma at 60 points below the NASCAR Cup Series playoff cutline, a win may be what gets Gibbs into the playoffs. Luckily, the No. 54 team is improving as the season goes on.

Ty Gibbs Todd Gilliland Darlington 2025
Photo: Ethan Darling/TRE

In the 14 races before Michigan, Gibbs had only three top-15 finishes. In the six races since Michigan, Gibbs hasn’t finished outside of the top-15 and has picked up three top-10 finishes. Although he didn’t finish inside of the top-10 in Mexico City and EchoPark Speedway Atlanta, he led the second- and third-most laps in those races – leading 27 laps in Mexico City and 32 laps at EchoPark.

The next race for the NASCAR Cup Series is the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400, Sunday, July 20, at Dover Motor Speedway. In 2024, Gibbs finished 10th while teammate Denny Hamlin took home the checkered flag.

Gibbs is within striking distance of the playoff cutline but may need his teammate’s fortune to stave off another new winner knocking him down in points.

  • Tyler Reddick: 615 points (+149 points to the cutline)
  • Chris Buescher: 500 (+34)
  • Alex Bowman: 498 (+32)
  • Bubba Wallace: 469 (+3)
  • Ryan Preece: 466 (-3)
  • Kyle Busch: 432 (-37)
  • A.J. Allmendinger: 419 (-50)
  • Ty Gibbs: 409 (-60)
  • Erik Jones: 401 (-68)
  • Michael McDowell: 399 (-70)



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