Sheldon Creed, No. 2 LiftKits4Less Chevrolet Silverado
START: 4th
FINISH: 1st
POINTS: 2nd
Notes & Quotes:—
- Sheldon Creed started his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs bid in the best way possible by winning the first race of the Round of 10 at World Wide Technology Raceway. Creed, who entered the race as the defending winner, started 4th on the evening. It did not take him long to surge to the front, taking the lead on lap 4 of 160. From there on, the champ never looked back despite losing the lead to teammate Zane Smith for a brief period.
- Creed capitalized on points, securing wins in Stage 1 and Stage 2, in addition to leading the most laps, with 142. The No. 2 crew gained maximum points, boosting Sheldon up to second in the championship standings.
Back2Back: Defending NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Sheldon Creed has locked himself into the Round of 8, underlining his fight for the 2021 NCWTS championship. Driver No. 2 has one goal for the remaining two races of this round: Win.
Quote: “I am super happy with how my truck drove all night, I have been looking forward to coming back to Gateway for quite sometime now. To dominate how we did tonight, man it feels surreal. This was the first time I have ever won Stage 1 and 2 and have gone on to win, and I owe it all to my crew. It feels so great to be back in victory lane, I’m looking forward to continuing this momentum moving forward.”
Zane Smith, No. 21 Chevy Accessories Chevrolet Silverado
START: 5th
FINISH: 35th
POINTS: 9th
Notes & Quotes:—
- Zane Smith entered the first race of the Playoffs needing a solid run to build his gap to the cutline. Early on, it appeared that the No. 21 Silverado had the speed to contend for the win. Smith took the lead from teammate Sheldon Creed on lap 30 for a brief time before eventually getting passed for the win of Stage 1. The sophomore driver scored a fourth place finish in Stage 1, gaining valuable points.
- Stage 2 started off strong for Smith, who quickly passed his way up to second in the running order. Unfortunately for Zane, as fate would have it, he would suffer a transmission/rear gear failure on lap 99, ultimately bringing his race to an end. The No. 21 Chevrolet earned a disappointing 35th place finish.
21in21: Zane Smith finds himself below the cutline heading into the series’ next race at Darlington Raceway, ten points from eighth position. Smith and crew will need two solid finishes in the remaining races of the Round of 10 to advance to the Round of 8.
Quote: “Man, this one stings. Our truck showed good speed early on, and I felt confident that we made the right call on changes at the end of Stage 1. Ultimately, we just weren’t as fast as our teammate Sheldon, but I was sure that we would have a good points night. I hate that we were not able to capitalize on the first race, as it is going to put us in a difficult situation heading into Darlington. Luckily, my crew has my back and I am confident that we will be able to overcome tonight’s bad finish.”
Chase Purdy, No. 23 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado
START: 28th
FINISH: 6th
POINTS: 19th
Notes & Quotes:—
- After missing the last NCWTS race at Watkins Glen due to COVID-19 protocol, Chase Purdy returned to the No. 23 Bama Buggies Silverado eyeing an impressive comeback in his first NCWTS start at Gateway.
- Impress Purdy did, as he sliced his way through the pack in the beginning portion of the race. Despite starting all the way back in 28th position, the rookie passed much of his competition, finishing 17th in Stage 1. Crew Chief Jeff Hensley made adjustments to help the balance in Stage 2, elevating him even further through the pack. Great heads-up driving and wreck avoidance skills placed the No. 23 Chevy up inside the Top 10, where it stayed for the remainder of the race.
- Career-Best Run: Purdy earned his best-career finish of sixth place under the lights in St. Louis, overhauling his season-best finish of 15th by far. The race marked Purdy’s second ever Top 10 finish in NCWTS competition.
Quote: “Really solid finish tonight at Gateway! This team deserves these types of finishes so much! It’s been a crazy and unfortunate year, but tonight was fun! I am really proud of everyone on this No. 23 team that never gives up every weekend. What a race!”
Jack Wood, No. 24 Chevy Accessories Chevrolet Silverado
START: 21st
FINISH: 10th
POINTS: 30th
Notes & Quotes:—
- Jack Wood made his first ever start at World Wide Technology Raceway on Friday night in just his seventh-career NCWTS race.
- The rookie, who had never competed. on a flat track in a truck before, adapted early on to the unique-shaped speedway. Wood finished 24th in Stage 1, but began to advance his position as Stage 2 came around. Similar to teammate Chase Purdy, Jack Wood avoided calamity on the front stretch on lap 112, placing him near the Top 10 on the running order.
- Career-Best Run: Much like his teammate, Jack Wood earned his best-career finish on Friday night at World Wide Technology Raceway with an impressive tenth place effort. This is Wood’s first Top 10, elevating his previous best finish of 11th from earlier in the season.
Quote: “Awesome effort by everybody on this No. 24 team tonight, I am so proud to work with this group! I learned a lot about this place throughout the race, and was so happy to earn my first ever Top 10 finish. I am excited for the remaining tracks left on the schedule, because I feel that we might be able to continue this momentum for the rest of the season.”
Tyler Ankrum, No. 26 LiUNA! Chevrolet Silverado
START: 13th
FINISH: 32nd
POINTS: 13th
Notes & Quotes:—
- Tyler Ankrum looked to contend at World Wide Technology Raceway after being eliminated from Playoffs contention at Watkins Glen.
- Ankrum’s No. 26 LiUNA! Silverado started from the 13th position, and it hovered around the Top 10 in the running order early on. Tyler finished Stage 1 with a 12th place finish, and moved up four spots to finish 8th in Stage 2.
- As some GMS Racing teammates were fortunate to miss the big wreck on the front stretch, Ankrum’s misfortune continued as he was hooked into the inside wall on lap 112, effectively ending his race. The young Californian was credited with a disappointing 32nd place finish.
Quote: “Tough night here in St. Louis, which is a shame because I think that we had a really strong Chevy. I love racing at Gateway, it’s so much fun, and my Crew Chief Charles made some great changes to help my balance. I hate that we got collected in a wreck that put us out, but I am proud of the speed that we showed throughout the night. Onto Darlington.”
ABOUT GMS RACING:
GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with drivers Sheldon Creed, Zane Smith, Tyler Ankrum, Chase Purdy and Jack Wood. The team also competes in the ARCA Menards Series with Daniel Dye. Since the team began in 2014, GMS Racing won the 2016 and 2020 Camping World Trucks Championship, the 2015 ARCA Menards Series championship as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA East championship. GMS has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. The campus also includes operations for GMS Fabrication. More information can be found at https://gmsracing.net
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