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Toyota Racing – Weekly Preview – 04.03.24

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Official Release
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This Week in Motorsports: April 1 – 7, 2024

  • NCS/NXS/NCTS: Martinsville Speedway – April 5-7
  • NHRA: Firebird Motorsports Park – April 5-7

PLANO, Texas (April 3, 2024) – NASCAR heads to Martinsville Speedway this weekend for the first of its two visits this season as all three national series are in action. NHRA goes to Firebird Motorsports Park near Phoenix for the Arizona Nationals, while also completing the Winternationals from Pomona two weeks ago.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS | NCTS

Truex leads strong Camry stable … Martin Truex Jr. comes to Martinsville Speedway still atop the NASCAR Cup Series points standings after a strong run at Richmond last weekend. The Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) driver finished fourth Sunday night and extended his points lead to 14 over Kyle Larson. Truex’s Toyota teammates Denny Hamlin (third), Ty Gibbs (fourth), Christopher Bell (sixth), Tyler Reddick (10th) and Bubba Wallace (14th) join him inside the top 16 in the standings.

Toyota aims to continue short track prowess … With Hamlin’s victory Sunday night at Richmond, Toyota Camry XSEs have won, and dominated, all three short track races so far in 2024. Hamlin captured victory at Bristol two weeks ago, along with his Richmond triumph, and his Toyota and JGR teammate, Bell, took the checkered flag at Phoenix in early March. This weekend offers another opportunity for Camry XSE drivers to showcase their short track performance at the half-mile Martinsville Speedway.

Hamlin seeking another strong Martinsville performance … Coming into this weekend fresh off his second win of the season, Hamlin is also going for another solid performance at Martinsville Speedway. The Virginia-native has three consecutive top-five finishes at Martinsville, in which another would bolster his rise up the Cup Series points standings. Hamlin will also go for his sixth career victory at the famed short track.

Smith reclaims Xfinity points lead … After his second win of 2024, and repeat win at Richmond Raceway, Chandler Smith is back atop the Xfinity Series points standings six races into the season. The Georgia native has finished inside the top-10 each race so far this season, with top-five finishes in all but one race. He makes his third start at Martinsville this weekend, where he claimed a top-10 finish in the first of two races last year.

Toyota seeks four wins in five races at Martinsville … A victory by a Toyota GR Supra this weekend would be the fourth in five Xfinity Series races at Martinsville Speedway. John Hunter Nemechek is the most recent winner for Toyota at the Virginia track, capturing victory in the spring race last season. A triumph for Team Toyota would also be the fourth in five races in 2024 following Smith’s two victories in three races and Nemechek’s win at Las Vegas in March.

Heim, Gray lead Toyotas in the Truck Series … Back in action this weekend, Corey Heim and Taylor Gray are the lead Toyota Tundra TRD Pros in the NASCAR CRAFSTMAN Truck Series points standings. Heim comes into Martinsville fresh off his dominant victory at COTA two weeks ago, the sixth of his career, and now leads the Truck Series standings by 10 points. Gray has had a stellar start to his 2024 season with four consecutive top-10s, including tying his career-best finish of second at COTA. Both drivers will also run the Xfinity Series race, with Heim again piloting the No. 26 GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing and Gray making his second career Xfinity Series start with JGR in the No. 19 GR Supra. Both are coming off top-five finishes last weekend at Richmond.

Heim seeks Martinsville repeat … Not only would a win this weekend be Heim’s second in a row so far in 2024, it would also mark his second straight at Martinsville Speedway as the Georgia native captured victory last April. This was the first of Heim’s three wins in 2023 that propelled him to the regular season championship.

NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car

Ashley goes for Winternationals three-peat … After a rainout of the Winternationals final round at Pomona two weekends ago, Justin Ashley takes on Tony Schumacher this weekend for the event victory – which would be his third in a row at the Winternationals. The Winternationals finals take place during the final qualifying session Saturday afternoon at Firebird Motorsports Park. Ashley’s final round appearance is also the 25th consecutive final round for Toyota in either Top Fuel or Funny Car.

Ashley also seeks Arizona repeat … This weekend could be a monumental one for Ashley as he will also race for a repeat win in the Arizona Nationals. The New York native captured victory in the desert last March, which was his seventh career Top Fuel win. He enters this weekend seeking his 12th, and possibly 13th, career wins with two event victories on the table.

Langdon, Todd continue atop points … Heading into the Arizona Nationals, Toyota and Kalitta Motorsports’ Shawn Langdon and J.R. Todd hold their leads atop the Top Fuel and Funny Car points standings. Langdon leads a Toyota-dominated Top Fuel category, where Toyota dragsters make up six of the top eight in the points standings. Todd leads a competitive Funny Car field where Toyota teammate, Ron Capps, sits third and only 47 points back.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 26 electrified options.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

NHRA AT PHOENIX: Team Chevy Race Advance | Notes & Quotes

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Official Release
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CHEVROLET IN NHRA
2024 NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS
FIREBIRD MOTORSPORTS PARK
CHANDLER, ARIZONA
TEAM CHEVY RACE ADVANCE | NOTES & QUOTES
APRIL 5-7, 2024

THE 39TH ANNUAL NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS COULD PROVE LUCRATIVE FOR JOHN FORCE RACING AND CHEVROLET

Arizona Nationals Will See Three Races in Play, Including the Weather Delayed Pomona Winternationals Finals, the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, and the Arizona Nationals

Notes:

  • Team Chevy next heads to Firebird Motorsports Park for the 39th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals, as well as the conclusion of the 2024 Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals Finals that were postponed due to weather from In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, April 5-7, 2024.
  • John Force, the 16-time NHRA World Champion, John Force Racing team owner, and driver of the PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, will face off against reigning champion Matt Hagan after the Winternationals Finals from Pomona were postponed due to weather. They will face off during the third round of qualifying on Saturday at Firebird Motorsports Park.
  • J. Force’s final round record of 155-111 shows favor to the veteran, and Pomona’s rain-delayed final will be the 267th final-round appearance of his career.
  • J. Force also rolls into Firebird Motorsports Park seeking his ninth event victory, the most in the Funny Car category as well as NHRA (Tony Schumacher, Top Fuel – five, and Bob Glidden, Pro Stock – five).
  • Additionally, J. Force also looks to Phoenix to capture his 156th career victory, as well as Chevrolet’s 160th win in the category since 1967 and 80th for the Camaro body. If John does race to victory, it will be his 25th win by him in a Chevrolet-bodied car.
  • Chevrolet claimed victory in two categories at the NHRA Arizona Nationals in 2023, with Camrie Caruso capturing the Wally trophy in Pro Stock and Robert Hight in Funny Car.
  • In addition to both completing the Winternationals Finals as well as the Arizona Nationals, Firebird Motorsports Park will also see the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, with Brittany Force facing off against Justin Ashley, and John Force paired up with JR Todd. The #2Fast2Tasty Challenge pits semifinalists from the previous race week in hopes of claiming both a bonus purse and bonus points on Saturday of race weekends.
  • Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster, enters Phoenix as Top Fuel track record holder of both elapsed time (E.T.) and speed, with her run of 3.643 seconds E.T. at 337.92 mph in February 2020. Force’s sister Courtney still holds the speed record in Funny Car from February 2018, coming from behind the wheel of a Chevrolet-bodied car at 337.16 mph.
  • After capturing his first victory in his first Funny Car race at the PRO Superstar Shootout, and then racing to the final round in Gainesville in the first race of the 2024 season, Austin Prock, driver of the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car looks to Phoenix with momentum to notch his fifth career victory (four in Top Fuel) with already having a strong start to his season.
  • In Pro Stock, Dallas Glenn and No. 1 Qualifier Erica Enders will face off against each other at the Arizona Nationals for completion of the weather-delayed Winternationals Finals.
  • Enders, driver of the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling/SCAG Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Stock, still holds the national record for both E.T. and speed, with her 6.450 seconds E.T. run in March 2022 at Gainesville and 215.55 mph run at Englishtown in May 2014.

BRITTANY FORCE, DRIVER OF THE MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET TOP FUEL DRAGSTER:

“After an improved race weekend in Pomona, this team is anxious to see what we can accomplish in Phoenix. Coming into this season we have taken everything we learned in the last few years and are using that for our new setup. I feel after a tough season last year, we are finally in that upward climb. We need to qualify in the top-five and focus on clean, consistent runs every time we go down the track. I’ve been to a couple of finals in the past at Firebird but have never landed in the winner’s circle. The goal is to get this Monster Energy team our first win of the season three races in.”

AUSTIN PROCK, DRIVER OF THE CORNWELL TOOLS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS FUNNY CAR:

“Personally, I’ve never had much luck (at Firebird Motorsports Park), but the car that I’m driving this year has had a lot of success there, and last year was my brother Thomas’s first win as an assistant crew chief. I think we’ll pick up right where we left off in Gainesville. I’m convinced the consistency we had in Gainesville and Bradenton is going to show in Phoenix.”

“Our team is definitely going to be strong this year. Last year, I don’t think anybody in the building was satisfied with the whole team’s performance overall. So we’re off to a good start in 2024 with one win, at least two runners-up and one of our cars has been low qualifier at all three events this year. So yeah, things are off to a good start. We definitely want to keep that train going.”

JOHN FORCE, DRIVER OF THE PEAK ANTIFREEZE & COOLANT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS FUNNY CAR:

“Like anybody, I want to win it all, we want to make the money, and we want to earn the points. So, I’m going after it with everything I’ve got. We’re excited to race Hagan. He’s a great champion and he wants to win, just like I do. There are basically three races to be won and you only get three qualifying attempts. But (Hagan’s) got the same problems I’ve got, so there’s no excuses, we just do it. That’s the rules that we play by … but I’m ready for it. We’re just going to do the best we can. I’m fired up.”

How to Watch:

The 2024 NHRA Arizona Nationals kick off Friday at Firebird Motorsports Park with qualifying, airing at 9:30 p.m. ET. Saturday’s qualifying session airs on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. ET, with Finals airing at 6:30 p.m. ET. All sessions from near Phoenix air with NHRA on FOX on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Coverage streams live throughout the weekend on NHRA.tv, and is available via AppleTV, Android TV, and Roku devices.

TEAM CHEVY BY THE NUMBERS:

1,446: Round wins for John Force (1st all-time).

626: Round wins for Robert Hight; 13th all-time. Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), sits 12th, with 628.

166: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for John Force (1st all-time).

159: Number of Chevrolet Racing Funny Car wins since 1967.

84: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for Robert Hight (6th all-time). Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel) is fifth with 88.

79: Number of Chevrolet Racing Funny Car wins with the Camaro SS body.

47: Number of career No. 1 qualifiers for Brittany Force.

28: Number of NHRA championships Chevrolet holds as a manufacturer since entering the first in 1966. This is the seventh-consecutive award and ninth in 11 seasons. No other manufacturer has won it more than Chevrolet.

24: Wins by John Force in a Chevrolet-bodied Funny Car.

20: Chevrolet career Top Fuel wins in NHRA.

16: Number of Chevrolet career wins by Brittany Force.

7: Number of Funny Car driver championships.

2: Number of Top Fuel driver championships.

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

GMG Racing Secures a P2 Overall, Two Podium Finishes and a Series-Debut Top-Five in Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West Season-Opener at Spring Mountain

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Official Release
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  • Kyle Washington P2 Overall in Race 1 and Secures a Pair of Porsche Sprint Challenge 992 Masters-Class Podium Results in the No. 232 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
  • Debuting Porsche Sprint Challenge Driver Patrick Mulcahy Top-Five Overall and Fourth in Pro-Am in Race 2 in Professional Competition Debut in the No. 254 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
  • Jay Barron in the Pro-Am No. 223 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup and Masters Class Competitor Glenn Kirkpatrick in the No. 252 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Improve Throughout Season-Opening Weekend at Spring Mountain

PAHRUMP, Nevada (April 3, 2024) – GMG Racing moved its 2024 Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West presented by Yokohama campaign off to a strong start this past weekend at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch where full-season team drivers Kyle Washington and Patrick Mulcahy combined for a top-two overall race result, a pair of podium finishes and a series-debut overall top-five showing in the weekend’s twin 35-minute races.

Longtime GMG Racing driver Washington drove his No. 232 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup to a second-place overall and runner-up Masters class finish in the first of Sunday’s doubleheader sprints. Washington later closed out the weekend with a third-place Masters Class finish in Sunday’s final race early that afternoon to leave Spring Mountain with a good haul of points to start his full-season Masters championship bid.

While Washington was GMG Racing’s top performer in Sunday’s opener, debuting driver Mulcahy was the highest finisher in Sunday’s finale. Shaking off a challenging first race, Mulcahy improved three class positions to finish fourth in the Pro-Am class and in the top-five overall in his No. 254 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in the weekend’s closing race.

Washington and Mulcahy were joined at Spring Mountain by Jay Barron in the No. 223 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in Pro-Am and Masters Class competitor Glenn Kirkpatrick in the No. 252 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. Both Barron and Kirkpatrick were running in their first event of a select schedule of races this year and each improved throughout the weekend while gaining a solid amount of racing knowledge and understanding of the Type 992 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup platform.

“It was a challenging but ultimately productive weekend for GMG Racing and our four car and driver entry for the Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West season opener,” said GMG Racing President and Founder James Sofronas. “Kyle made his intentions clear that he will be fighting for the Masters Class title all season with a pair of podiums, a second overall and an insane qualifying run to third place overall in a rain-drenched session Saturday morning. Patrick proved he has what it takes to compete in the Sprint Challenge Pro-Am championship with a fourth-place run Sunday afternoon in his first major race in a 992-spec Porsche. Jay and Glenn also learned a ton about their 992 cars in a variety of conditions and improved steadily throughout the weekend. It was a big jump for Glenn for sure who had never raced anywhere but at The Thermal Club until this weekend. All in all, some positives across the board and something to build on in the remainder of the season.”

All-day rain Saturday forced race officials to move that afternoon’s scheduled opening sprint race to early Sunday morning, creating an unplanned same-day doubleheader with only a few hours between races. While the Saturday race was scrubbed, that morning’s qualifying session ran as scheduled in the rain, and Washington shined. Calling on his off-road racing experience competing in mixed conditions, Washington qualified an impressive third overall in the Porsche Sprint Challenge field.

Even better, Washington was moved up to the outside front row starting position when the competitor that had posted the provisional pole winning time was sent to the rear of the field due to a penalty. That put Washington in the rare territory of starting on row one in what proved to be an important learning experience.

“It’s great to get off to a good start,” Washington said. “I wish we could have put it in P1, but with two races in one day like this with no real break in between, it was good to get some points on the board out of the box. I’m looking forward to watching a replay of the first race to see where I could have improved a little. We just got such a poor start and that’s just my lack of knowledge and experience being up there. I have rarely started up front, and I was looking at the acceleration cones and the polesitter next to me. I think I lost three or four spots right there, and I will never make that acceleration zone mistake again. There’s no question that cost us the race.”

Despite the early setback, Washington regrouped and worked his way back to the front to challenge eventual race winner and former Sprint West 991 Champion Laura Ely to the finish.

“I was looking for anything to get by Laura,” Washington said. “The most interesting part was the last lap coming out of Turn 5, which is a real heavy brake zone and a 90-degree right turn. We were in traffic, she didn’t get a good exit, but I got a pretty good exit. So, I got up alongside her left side and we raced up the hill, but she was far enough in front of me that she closed the door at Turn 6. It was the right thing to do for her and give her credit. She made no errors, and I followed her for a long time. That’s hard to do. I have had some amazing battles with Laura in the past.”

Mulcahy in turn rebounded from an early spin in unfamiliar conditions in Sunday’s first race to charge to the top five overall and fourth in Pro-Am in that afternoon’s final round.

“The race one start went well but then we had a full course yellow that stacked the field back up,” Mulcahy said. “After the restart, my game was off a little bit, maybe something to do with my first official race weekend, and I had some difficulty getting back in the groove. I wasn’t really familiar with the damp track conditions either because of my lack of experience driving in the wet. That was in my head a little bit too.”

Not happy with the eighth-place Pro-Am result in the opener, Mulcahy went into the second race determined to improve.

“Race two was definitely a time for redemption,” Mulcahy said. “I was very upset knowing I should have done better in race one, and I went into the final with as stronger game plan. I knew I had to do a lot of work to close the deal, but I went out there and executed a clean race.”

Barron and Kirkpatrick each honed their racecraft all weekend, ripping off laps despite the rain and some eye-opening encounters in both races. Barron finished sixth in Pro-Am in both rounds while Kirkpatrick hit the board eighth in Masters in the weekend’s doubleheader.

Next up for GMG Racing in Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West is Rounds 3 and 4 of the series at the Utah Motorsports Campus, May 10 – 12.

The more immediate on-track business for GMG Racing, however, is this weekend’s season-opening SRO Motorsports America where GMG Racing fields entries in Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS and GT America powered by AWS series races at Sonoma Raceway, April 5 – 7.

About GMG Racing: Founded in 2001, GMG Racing quickly established itself as North America’s premier performance tuning facility. What began as a small 1,200 sq. ft. shop, maintaining two race cars, has grown into a 30,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art performance tuning, racing and service facility located in Santa Ana, California in Orange County and with a trackside motorsports facility at 28,000 sq. ft. currently being built at The Thermal Club. The staff, attention to detail, and passion are what make GMG the choice of professionals and enthusiasts worldwide. GMG, in its early years, was located directly across the street from Porsche Motorsport North America (PMNA). This close proximity allowed GMG to build a strong relationship with the legendary racing brand which has helped us support our customers to the highest level possible. From club racing to Sebring, Daytona and Spa, GMG can take you as far as you want to go. More information can be found at www.gmgracing.com.

Mobil 1 Racing: Josh Berry Martinsville Advance

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Official Release
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JOSH BERRY
Martinsville Advance
No. 4 Mobil 1 50th Anniversary Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Cook Out 400 (Round 8 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 7
● Location: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway
● Layout: .526-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 400 laps/210.4 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Final Stage: 220 laps
● TV/Radio: FS1 / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Josh Berry heads to Sunday’s Cook Out 400 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway coming off his best points day of the season at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. He started last Sunday’s 400-lap event from the 30th position, just like he did in the 2023 spring Richmond race while subbing for the fourth of five races in a row for an injured Chase Elliott, in which he charged to a runner-up finish. Last weekend, Berry once again made a hard charge through the field, finishing ninth in the first stage and second in the second stage before taking the checkered flag 11th – his best finish of 2024. His determined run moved him to 23rd in the Cup Series standings and to the top spot in the rookie standings. He leads Carson Hocevar, the next-best rookie, by nine markers.

● Berry returns to Martinsville this Sunday poised to contend for a win. While it is his first race in the Cup Series at the .526-mile paperclip-shaped oval, the 33-year-old Cup Series rookie has one NASCAR Xfinity Series win there, which came in his first Xfinity Series start at the Virginia short track in the spring 2021 race. He’s totaled six Xfinity Series starts there, which have netted three top-fives and an average finish of 12.8.

● Berry first made a name for himself on short tracks, climbing the ranks to earn his seat in the Cup Series by dominating at the grassroots level. During his days driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr., as part of the JR Motorsports Late Model program, Berry amassed an impressive 95 victories in his 262 starts with the team, with 189 top-fives and 219 top-10s. He was also the NASCAR Weekly Series champion in 2020, finishing every race but one inside the top-10 that season.

● Crew chief Rodney Childers has a deep history at Martinsville in the Cup Series. In his previous 33 starts calling the shots, Childers’ drivers have notched two top-five finishes, 12 top-10s, an average starting position of 13.9 and an average finish of 15.6.

● The Mobil 1 branding on Berry’s No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse this weekend goes more than skin deep as the world’s leading synthetic motor oil brand gives Berry an added advantage. This weekend however, the No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse will don the 50th anniversary gold and black colors. Mobil 1 products are used throughout his racecar, and they extend beyond just engine oil. Power steering fluid, transmission fluid, gear oil and driveline lubricants from Mobil 1 give Berry a technical advantage over his counterparts by reducing friction, heat and rolling resistance. Mobil 1 is a sponsor whose technology makes Berry’s No. 4 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang Dark Horse faster.

Josh Berry, Driver of the No. 4 Mobil 1 50th Anniversary Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Coming off of your best Cup Series finish of the season at Richmond Raceway, what are your expectations this weekend at Martinsville – another short track?

“I think it should be another good opportunity for us to build on the success we’ve have had at the short tracks this year. Martinsville has been a good place for me in the past. I feel like if we can continue to carry the momentum we have had at some of the other short tracks this year, there’s no reason we can’t go contend for a win.”

Looking back at all of your racing across all series you’ve run with there, what were some of the biggest lessons you learned that led to your success at Martinsville?

“One of the things I learned really early on was just having patience. There are so many situations where you can get into trouble early in the race and just having the patience to keep the car clean and be smart because those races are just so long. This weekend will be the longest race I have run there by far, so having the patience and discipline to be smart early will help me and the No. 4 team work our way through the race and hopefully be there at the end.”

The race at Martinsville race is extremely taxing with how much you will shift, brake, and drive one-handed at some points – explain how psychical the race is.

“The short tracks are a touch harder with just how active we are behind the wheel – you honestly don’t get much time where you aren’t doing anything behind the wheel because the straightaways aren’t very long. There’s just a lot happening there over 400 laps and, add shifting a lot in the mix, the drivers stay busy. But I am prepared for it, and having a short-track background helps and I feel as prepared for this race as I can be.”

How challenging are the restarts at Martinsville, and how will your experience with the restarts at Richmond prepare you for this weekend?

“The restarts are really important there. A lot can happen and it’s easy to get in trouble there quickly and there might be varying strategies at play, so it makes it that much more chaotic at times. But I think the more races I get under my belt in the Cup Series, the better I feel about how I manage those restarts this season.”

Do you left-foot brake?

“Yeah, I have done that since the start of my racing career. It is just what feels natural. I think most guys, if not all, do it that way.”

No. 4 Mobil 1 50th Anniversary Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Josh Berry

Hometown: Hendersonville, Tennessee

Crew Chief: Rodney Childers

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Car Chief: Robert “Cheddar” Smith

Hometown: Whitewater, Wisconsin

Engineer: Dax Gerringer

Hometown: Gibsonville, North Carolina

Engineer: Billy Kuebler

Hometown: Saline, Michigan

Spotter: Eddie D’Hondt

Hometown: Levittown, New York

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Daniel Coffey

Hometown: Granite Falls, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Daniel Smith

Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Mason Flynt

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Jack Man: Brandon Banks

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Evan Marchal

Hometown: Westfield, Indiana

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Tyler Trosper

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Mechanic: Chris Capaldi

Hometown: Armada, Michigan

Tire Specialist: Zac Lupien

Hometown: Pine Bluff, Arkansas

Engine Tuner: Robert Brandt

Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Transporter Co-Driver: Jake Zierhoffer

Hometown: Billerica, Massachusetts

Transporter Co-Driver: Stephen Mitchell

Hometown: Woodville, Ohio

JR Motorsports — NXS Martinsville Preview

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Official Release
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JR Motorsports Team Preview
TRACK – Martinsville Speedway (.526 mile short track-oval)
NXS RACE – DUDE Wipes 250 (250 laps / 131.5 miles)
TUNE IN – FS1, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90 at 7:30 p.m. (EST)

Sam Mayer

No. 1 – 10X Health Chevrolet

Mayer 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 6

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 0

Top 10s: 1

Laps Led: 2

Avg. Finish: 26.3

Points: 20th

  • Sam Mayer heads back to the great state of Virginia this weekend for his sixth start at Martinsville Speedway in his NASCAR Xfinity Series career.
  • In five starts at the .526-mile short track, the young driver has amassed two top-five and three top-10 efforts. His best finish of fourth came in the Fall of 2021 after coming back from being three laps down to score the top-five result.
  • In his career as a crew chief at the paperclip-shaped Virginia track, atop the pit box, Mardy Lindley has a best finish of third in the Craftsman Truck series in the Spring of 2022 with Kyle Busch.

Sam Mayer

“We had an absolute rocket ship of a car in Richmond and although it is a shame we didn’t have the finish to show for it, I am pumped to bring that same short-track speed to Martinsville this weekend. This No. 1 JR Motorsports team puts so much hard work and effort into giving me the best car each and every week and I am confident that we can get the finish that we deserve at Martinsville. It is great to have 10X Health back on the car and I look forward to hopefully sending them to Victory Lane!”

Justin Allgaier

No. 7 Jarrett Chevrolet

Allgaier 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 6

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 0

Top 10s: 2

Laps Led: 98

Avg. Finish: 16.5

Points: 7th

  • Justin Allgaier returns to Martinsville as the most recent NXS winner at the famed Virginia short track.
  • Allgaier went to Victory Lane last fall in dramatic fashion, taking the checkered flag in a photo finish to punch his ticket to the Championship 4.
  • Overall, the Illinois native has scored one win, four top fives and six top 10s in seven career NXS starts at Martinsville.
  • Additionally, Allgaier has won on two of the last three short-track races in the NXS, with victories coming at Bristol Motor Speedway and Martinsville last fall.
  • This weekend marks the second race of the year for Jarrett Logistics on board the No. 7 Chevrolet.

Justin Allgaier

“It’s great to be returning to Martinsville this weekend. We showed last fall that we were capable of getting to Victory Lane there, and I feel just as confident that we will have a fast Jarrett Chevrolet when we hit the track on Friday. Jim (Pohlman, crew chief) and this entire No. 7 team has been fighting hard all year long and I know that we will give it everything we have to get a solid finish and be in position for the win come Saturday night.”

Sammy Smith

No. 8 TMC Chevrolet

Smith 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 6

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 0

Top 10s: 4

Laps Led: 6

Avg. Finish: 15.8

Points: 9th

  • Sammy Smith has three starts in the past two NXS seasons at Martinsville Speedway and he’s finished in the top-five twice.
  • Of Smith’s seven career NXS starts at tracks less than one mile over the past two seasons, he has amassed two top-five and four top-10 finishes as well as led 194 laps.
  • Smith has qualified in the top-10 each time he’s been at the half-mile short track and his best was earning the pole award in the Fall of 2023.
  • For the first time this season, the No. 8 Chevrolet will wear the orange and gold TMC Transportation colors.

Sammy Smith

“This weekend at Martinsville will be the first race with TMC as our primary and even more exciting is that they’ll be running with me on the truck Friday night as well. I’ve had good qualifying runs and solid finishes at this short track so I’m looking forward to getting back there. Hopefully I can help my team further by bringing them more information about the track from Friday night.”

Brandon Jones

No. 9 Menards / Scotts Chevrolet

Jones 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 6

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 0

Top 10s: 3

Laps Led: 1

Avg. Finish: 15.3

Points: 10th

  • Brandon Jones has one win, three top fives and five top 10s in seven starts at the .526-mile paperclip. Of those seven starts, Jones has only finished outside the top 10 twice.
  • At this race last year Jones earned his first top-five finish with JRM after starting in the 10th position.
  • The red Atlas Roofing logo will adorn the hood of the No. 9 Menards Chevrolet this weekend. This is both their second appearance of the season and their second time on the hood at the Spring Martinsville race.
  • The Atlanta, Ga., native has led 142 laps at Martinsville, which is the best among all tracks for Jones in the NXS.

Brandon Jones

“We had great speed in Richmond last weekend, but just had some bad luck come our way. Martinsville has always been a strong track for me, so I am ready to get there and try to turn our luck around. I trust this Menards/Atlas Roofing team will give me a fast car like they have all season, so it’s time to get it done.”

Carson Kvapil

No. 88 Chevy Truck Season Chevrolet

Kvapil 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 0

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 0

Top 10s: 0

Laps Led: 0

Avg. Finish: N/A

Points: N/A

  • Carson Kvapil will make his NXS debut on Saturday at the same track his father, Travis, made his first NASCAR Cup Series start in 2004.
  • The 20-year-old driver has competed twice at Martinsville in Late Models, finishing second (2022) and third (2023) in the Valley Star Credit Union 300, the biggest and most prestigious such race in the Southeast.
  • Kvapil’s crew chief, Andrew Overstreet, led Bubba Pollard to a sixth-place finish last week at Richmond. It was also Pollard’s maiden NXS start.
  • Kvapil is the two-time and defending champion in the zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car division, driving JRM’s No. 8 Bass Pro Shops Late Model to both championships.

Carson Kvapil

“Martinsville is a lot faster than it looks and I like the track, so it’s a good place for me to make my Xfinity Series debut. We’ve had some really solid runs in the Late Model here and been in the hunt at the end, so at least I have a little experience at running up front here. Big thanks to Chevrolet for supporting this and hopefully I’ll be there at the end with a solid finish.”

JRM Team Updates

JR Motorsports at Martinsville Speedway: JR Motorsports has competed at Martinsville Speedway a combined 30 times with the NXS since its first trip there in 2006. In those starts at the .526-mile-oval, the organization has recorded three wins, 15 top-fives and 20 top-10s, with an average finish of 10.5.

Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith, Brandon Jones and Carson Kvapil will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / Legacy MC souvenir rig on Saturday, April 6 from 5:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. EST.

RAFA Racing Team Makes Debut This Week In SRO GT4 European Series Powered by RAFA Racing Club

By
Official Release
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Jem Hepworth and Cameron Lawrence Compete in Silver, with Jon Lancaster and Rafael Martinez the Pro-Am Entry With RAFA Racing Team McLaren Artura GT4

Le Castellet, FRANCE (April 3, 2024) – RAFA Racing Team opens its 2024 SRO GT4 European Series Powered by RAFA Racing Club season this weekend in the South of France, with a doubleheader race weekend at Circuit Paul Ricard. The team will line up on the grid in a pair of McLaren Artura GT4 machines, with Jem Hepworth and Cameron Lawrence co-driving in the Silver class while Jon Lancaster and Rafael Martinez take on the Pro-Am class together.

RAFA Racing Club, who brings motorsports enthusiasts together under the “Race As Family Always” theme, is bringing each of the four drivers to the championship hunt for the first time. In addition, as the presenting sponsor of the series, each of the 50 GT4 cars on the grid will run RAFA Racing Club windshield banners throughout the season.

All four drivers will make their SRO GT4 European Series debut at Circuit Paul Ricard. The U.S.-based team recently completed a test at the track with technical advisors Greystone GT, setting the stage for this weekend’s race.

The first hour-long race of the weekend will begin at 4:40 p.m. local time (10:40 a.m. Eastern Time in the U.S.) on Saturday, April 6, with Sunday’s race beginning at 11:20 a.m. local time (5:20 a.m. ET). Each race can be seen live around the world through the SRO Youtube page at Youtube.com/GTWorld.

Hepworth and Lawrence will team in the No. 81 RAFA Racing Club McLaren Artura GT4. British driver Hepworth earned a pair of podiums last year at Paul Ricard, teamed with Martinez, in the McLaren Trophy Cup Europe season opener. Lawrence, the American racer whose resume includes a GTD class win at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, an IMSA North American Endurance Cup championship and a pair of Trans Am Championships, will make his European racing debut at Paul Ricard.

Martinez’ experience at the track mirrors Hepworth’s, though the two will not share a car during the 2024 season. Instead, Martinez and Lancaster will share the No. 812 McLaren Artura GT4 in the Pro-Am class. Last season was the first in a race car for Martinez, who will play the “Am” role in the car. Lancaster joined Martinez and Hepworth on the podium at the McLaren Trophy Cup event a season ago, albeit as a rival instead of a teammate. He’s also a Circuit Paul Ricard winner in LMP2 on his way to a European Le Mans Series championship in 2015.

In addition to on-track testing, the RAFA Racing teammates have been involved in a rigorous training regimen off the track. The RAFA Racing Club has provided drivers with sim training as well as nutrition guidance and an exercise program to stay fit.

The RAFA Racing Team and the entire SRO GT4 European Series Powered by RAFA Racing Club are on track for the first time this season on Friday, April 5 for free practice. Qualifying is at 11:10 a.m. local time on Saturday morning, followed by Saturday’s hour-long race at 4:40 p.m. (10:40 a.m. ET). The weekend concludes with Sunday’s 11:20 a.m. (5:20 a.m. ET) race.

RAFA Racing Team Quote Board

Jem Hepworth, Driver, No. 81 McLaren Artura GT4: “I’m looking forward to kicking off the season at Paul Ricard this week. I know the track quite well after racing in McLaren Trophy there last year, where we grabbed two second-place finishes. I’m feeling confident and excited to drive in the No. 81 RAFA Racing Club McLaren Artura alongside my new teammate Cameron Lawrence. We are looking to be a strong pairing together after a very successful pre-season test program.”

Jon Lancaster, Driver, No. 812 McLaren Artura GT4: “Paul Ricard is a circuit I’m always looking forward to. The technical layout is challenging but can be very rewarding. Having had previous success there and following a good pre-season, the No. 812 McLaren of RAFA Racing Team is heading to round one confident of bringing away a great result. I can’t wait to get started!”

Cameron Lawrence, Driver, No. 81 McLaren Artura GT4: “Preseason testing was a tremendous success, laying a solid foundation for the upcoming season. I have a new teammate and a new car, but it’s rooted in the familiar GT4 platform. I’m excited to get this season underway with Jem and the No. 81 RAFA Racing Club McLaren Artura at Paul Ricard.”

Rafael Martinez, Driver, No. 812 McLaren Artura GT4: “I’m excited to get this season started. The competitiveness of this series is incredible, so I’m going to have to bring out the confidence from lap one in practice. I usually take some time to build that up and get into the zone for the race, but I know I can’t afford to waste time on track in a Series like this. Paul Ricard is incredible, and between all of us here at the RAFA Racing family and especially driving with Jon I think we’ll be up to speed quickly.”

About RAFA Racing Club:

RAFA Racing, utilizing the motto “Race As Family Always,” is a motorsports club and race team founded by and made for high-performance auto drivers, supporters, and fans of all types. Started by Rafael Martinez, the Club aims to create a space for high-performance car enthusiasts to enjoy like-minded individuals, network and share ideas on and off the track, and bond as one team with a common interest. The RAFA Racing Team made its debut in 2023 with a runner-up finish in the McLaren Trophy Europe Series, and expands that footprint to include Porsche Sprint Challenge North America and SRO GT4 Europe in 2024. The Club’s off-track presence can be felt on social media and beyond, including YouTube, Instagram and Facebook and at RafaRacing.Club.

Cole Custer to make 150th Xfinity career start at Martinsville

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images.

Nearly five months after winning the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship, Cole Custer is within reach of achieving a milestone start. By taking the green flag in this weekend’s event at Martinsville Speedway, the driver of the No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang will make his 150th career start in the Xfinity circuit. 

A native of Ladera Ranch, California, Custer made his inaugural presence in the Xfinity Series at Richmond Raceway in April 2016. By then, he was competing in his first full-time season in the Craftsman Truck Series for JR Motorsports, where he had racked up two victories in the series, and accumulated a total of five victories within the ARCA regional series (ARCA Menards Series, East and West).

Driving the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports, Custer started 17th and rallied from being involved in a late multi-car wreck to notch a sixth-place finish. He would then achieve his first top-five finish in the series in the form of a fourth-place run at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May before making three additional starts in the series at Kentucky Speedway in July, Kansas Speedway in October and Homestead-Miami Speedway, all with JR Motorsports, where he finished no higher than 17th during the three-race span.  

The following season, Custer was promoted to the Xfinity Series on a full-time basis as he piloted the No. 00 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing. Despite commencing his rookie Xfinity season with a 37th-place finish at Daytona International Speedway in February, the Californian earned four top-five results and 13 top-10 results throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch as he qualified for the 2017 Xfinity Series Playoffs based on points.

He would then record three consecutive top-eight results throughout the Round of 12, enabling him to transfer into the Round of 8. After finishing 19th and fifth during the Round of 8’s first two events, Custer fell two spots short of transferring into the Championship 4 round after being outdueled by Playoff rival Daniel Hemric on the final lap and settling in seventh place during the Round of 8 finale at Phoenix Raceway in November.

Despite having his championship hopes evaporated for the season, Custer capped off the season in dominant fashion after scoring his first series victory during the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway while leading a race-high 182 laps and beating runner-up Sam Hornish Jr. by more than 15 seconds. The Homestead victory was enough for Custer to settle in fifth place in the final standings. 

Throughout the 2018 Xfinity season, Custer relied on consistency in the form of two runner-up results, 11 top-five results and 21 top-10 results throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch to make the Playoffs for a second consecutive season on points. By then, he had also racked up his first five career poles. Finishes of 15th, seventh and second throughout the Round of 12 allowed him to transfer into the Round of 8. Custer finished 26th during the Round of 8 opener at Kansas Speedway in October. But during the following event at Texas Motor Speedway, he capitalized on a two-lap shootout and overtook Playoff rival Tyler Reddick on the final lap to capture his first elusive victory of the season and the second of his Xfinity career.

The victory allowed Custer and the No. 00 SHR Ford team to transfer into the Championship 4 round and contend for the series championship at Homestead in November. Despite leading a race-high 95 laps during the finale, Custer ended up in the runner-up spot both on the track and in the final championship standings behind Reddick. Nonetheless, Custer doubled his top-five total results (14) and earned seven additional top-10 results (26) from his rookie season. He also boosted his average finishing result to a career-high 9.0 and secured the 2018 Xfinity owner’s title for SHR. 

Determined for redemption in 2019, Custer would embark on another stellar season. He notched three top-10 results during the first four-scheduled events before achieving his first victory of the season at Auto Club Speedway in March after leading 29 laps and outdueling Kyle Busch. Three races later, he steered his No. 00 Ford to a victory at Richmond Raceway in April and claimed his first Dash4Cash bonus after leading a race-high 122 laps. Custer proceeded to claim a final lap victory over Reddick at Pocono Raceway in June followed by dominant summer wins at Chicagoland Speedway and Kentucky Speedway. He was then awarded the victory at Darlington Raceway in September after the initial winner, Denny Hamlin, was disqualified due to his entry failing post-race inspection.

Custer secured his spot into the Xfinity Series Playoffs for a third consecutive season with a total of six victories and 18 top-10 results throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch. He finished third and eighth during the Round of 12’s first two events of the 2019 Xfinity Playoffs. He then secured a career-high seventh Xfinity victory of the season in October at Dover Motor Speedway in his 100th series start to race his way into the Round of 8.

After finishing 11th, eighth and second throughout the Round of 8, Custer secured a spot in the Championship 4 for a second consecutive season. During the finale at Homestead, Custer engaged in a late battle with title rival Reddick. He ended up in second place both on the track and in the final standings for a second consecutive season. Despite falling short of winning the championship, Custer achieved career-high stats with seven victories, 24 top-10 results, six poles, 922 laps and an average-finishing result of 9.0. 

Following 2019, Custer spent the next three seasons competing in the Cup Series for Stewart-Haas Racing, where he achieved his first series victory at Kentucky Speedway in July 2020, qualified for the 2020 Cup Playoffs and claimed the 2020 Rookie-of-the-Year title.

During the three-year span, he also made six starts on the Xfinity circuit, with his first occurring at Circuit of the Americas in May 2021 as he piloted SS-Green Light Racing’s No. 17 entry to a seventh-place finish. The following season, Custer achieved his second series victory at Auto Club Speedway and delivered the first NASCAR win for SS-Green Light Racing after leading a race-high 80 laps. He would back up the victory four races later by finishing third at Circuit of the Americas before competing at Road America, Pocono and Watkins Glen, where he earned an additional top-10 finish during the span.  

Returning to the Xfinity Series on a full-time basis and in SHR’s No. 00 Ford Mustang in 2023, Custer commenced the season by finishing ninth at Daytona in February before finishing no higher than 12th during the following five events. He then ignited a hot streak by finishing no lower than seventh amid five top-five results during his next six starts before grabbing a late, thrilling victory at Portland International Raceway in June. Three races later, he would achieve his second victory of the season in the series inaugural, rain-shortened Chicago Street Race in July and proceeded to finish in the top 10 in five of the final 10 regular-season events before the Playoffs commenced.

Making his fourth career appearance in the Playoffs in 2023, Custer finished fourth, sixth and second, respectively, throughout the Round of 12, which enabled him to transfer into the Round of 8. Despite finishing third, 13th and 19th, respectively, during the Round of 8, the Californian was able to claim the fourth and final transfer spot into the Championship 4 round. In his third bid to win the title, he sealed the deal on an overtime shootout after fending off title rivals Justin Allgaier, Sam Mayer and John Hunter Nemechek to win both the finale at Phoenix Raceway in November and score his first Xfinity Series championship. With his accomplishment, Custer became the 33rd competitor to win an Xfinity title and the seventh different Ford competitor to achieve the feat while also recording the first series title for Stewart-Haas Racing. 

Through 149 Xfinity starts, Custer has achieved one championship, 13 victories, 20 poles, 58 top-five results, 100 top-10 results, 2,359 laps led and an average-finishing result of 10.7. He is currently ranked in third place in the 2024 Xfinity Series regular-season standings and trails the points lead by 41 points on the strength of three top-five results through the first six scheduled events.

Cole Custer is scheduled to make his 150th Xfinity Series career start at Martinsville Speedway for the DUDE Wipes 250. The event is scheduled to occur this Saturday, April 6, and air at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1. 

Tanner Gray to make 100th Truck career start at Martinsville

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Chad Wells for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Tanner Gray is set to achieve a milestone start when he competes in his fifth full-time season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. By competing in this weekend’s event at Martinsville Speedway, the driver of the No. 15 TRICON Garage Toyota Tundra TRD Pro will reach 100 career starts in the Truck Series. 

A native of Artesia, New Mexico, and the 2018 NHRA Pro Stock champion, Gray made his inaugural start in the Truck Series at Martinsville Speedway in October 2019. By then, he had completed his first full-time campaign in the ARCA Menards Series East for DGR-Crosley, where he had notched a victory in South Boston Speedway, finished third in the final standings, and had made seven career starts in the ARCA Menards Series.

Driving the No. 15 Toyota Tundra for DGR-Crosley, Gray started 15th and finished 20th in his Truck debut despite being involved in a final lap incident. He returned in November to compete in the final two Truck Series events of the season for DGR-Crosley at Martinsville Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway where he piloted the team’s No. 7 entry to finishes of 17th and 16th, respectively.

The following season, Gray graduated to a full-time racing role in the No. 15 Ford F-150 for DGR-Crosley in the Truck Series, where he contended for the rookie title. Commencing the season with a 23rd-place finish at Daytona International Speedway despite being collected in a late multi-truck wreck, Gray would rally the following weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and collect his first top-10 career finish in eighth place. He would then finish in the top 12 in four of his next five starts.

After retiring at Texas Motor Speedway due to a transmission issue and finishing 18th in the first of a Kansas Speedway doubleheader feature during his next two starts, Gray notched two consecutive top-five results: a fourth-place finish in the second Kansas doubleheader event and a third-place run at Michigan International Speedway.

Despite managing four top-20 results in the final five regular-season events, Gray did not qualify for the 2020 Truck Series Playoffs. He would commence the Playoffs by posting back-to-back third-place finishes at Bristol Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway. After managing only a single top-10 result during the final five events on the schedule, Gray capped off his first full-time Truck season in 14th place in the final standings and in fifth place in the rookie standings. By then, he had notched a total of four top-five results, eight top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 16.1. 

In 2021, when DGR-Crosley changed names to David Gilliland Racing, Gray began the season with a 35th-place result at Daytona due to a drivetrain issue. He would finish no higher than 10th during his next nine starts before posting his first top-10 result of the season in ninth place at Texas Motor Speedway in June. Finishing no higher than 14th during the final four regular-season events, Gray did not make the 2021 Truck Series Playoffs. Despite managing a third-place result at Martinsville in October, Gray concluded his sophomore Truck season in 18th place in the final standings with an average-finishing result of 22.3. 

Gray commenced the 2022 Truck season on a high note with a fourth-place finish at Daytona. He finished fifth during the following event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and eighth at Atlanta Motor Speedway before finishing no higher than 15th in the next six consecutive events. Managing only two additional top-10 results during his next seven events, Gray fell short of making the Truck Series Playoffs. Throughout the Playoffs, he finished no higher than 16th twice before capping off the season in third place during the season-finale event at Phoenix Raceway and in 15th place in the final standings. By then, he had improved his average-finishing result to 18.0 compared to the 2021 season. 

This past season, when David Gilliland Racing was rebranded to TRICON Garage and returned to fielding Toyotas, Gray started the season by notching a career-best runner-up result at Daytona amid a rain-shortened event. He then posted four top-10 results during his next eight starts, including a third-place result at Darlington Raceway in May. After finishing 18th at North Wilkesboro Speedway, Gray notched his first Truck career pole position at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, where he would end up 27th.

Managing only one top-11 finish during the final four regular-season events, Gray fell short of making the Playoffs for a fourth consecutive season. With a ninth-place result in the season-finale event at Phoenix, Gray ended up in 14th place in the final standings. By then, he tied the number of top-10 results from his previous season to six, claimed an extra top-five result from his previous season to three, led a career-high 26 laps and posted an average-finishing result of 16.7. 

Through 99 previous Truck starts, Gray has achieved one pole, 10 top-five results, 23 top-10 results, 51 laps led and an average finishing result of 18.1. He recently recorded his first top-10 result of the season at Circuit of the Americas in late March by finishing in 10th place and is currently ranked in 10th place in the regular-season standings as he continues his pursuit for both his first series victory and Playoff berth. 

Tanner Gray is scheduled to make his 100th Craftsman Truck Series career start at Martinsville Speedway for the Long John Silver’s 200. The event is scheduled for Friday, April 5, and will air at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1. 

Induction Innovations Back with Faction46 at Martinsville

By
Official Release
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Thad Moffitt and Team Ready to Race Under the Lights Friday Night

 SALISBURY, N.C. (April 3, 2024) — It will be a homecoming for Thad Moffitt this Friday night at the Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Growing up in Trinity, N.C., Moffitt, and the Petty family have always thought of Martinsville Speedway as their home away from home. Moffitt grew up going to the paperclip-shaped oval since he can remember and is now ready to make his NASCAR debut at the track.

“It’s crazy that I’ve grown up so close to Martinsville and have been going there since I was really a baby, but have never raced there,” said Moffitt. “So, it’s going to be a pretty special day on Friday to join the family legacy at the track.”

Returning as the primary partner to the Faction46 Chevrolet is Induction Innovations. Induction Innovations is a manufacturer of high-performance induction heaters for the automotive industry. The company is the producer of the Mini-Ductor®.

Induction Innovations tools are designed to solve problems such as removing stuck or corroded parts and adhesives in a faster, safer, and more precise way than using an open flame torch.

“It’s great to have Induction Innovations back on the truck,” commented Moffitt. “We didn’t give them the finish we wanted at COTA, and we want to do that on Friday night.”

Moffitt and the team are hoping to have a weekend with no issues to optimize their performance and result.

“We just really need to have no issues on Friday,” continued Moffitt. “We have had small things happen to our truck and we just want to be out there racing. That is what Friday is all about because when we are out there gaining experience, we have really shown a lot of progress and speed. That is what is really showing our potential. So, a good solid finish will help us right now.”

Faction46 and Moffitt will race the Long John Silver’s 200 Friday night at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

How to Earn Money from Online Casinos?

By
SM
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Make money at online casinos
Make money at online casinos

Best Ways to Make Money at Online Casinos

There are many offers for quickly making money on the Internet. Our experts are confident that Australian players choose online casino games for this purpose. Entertainment with a minimum deposit allows you to replenish your wallet and recharge with adrenaline, excitement, and positive emotions for the next working day. You need to select a suitable casino on the website au.casinologin.mobi, go through a quick registration, and make a deposit to start playing.

Our specialists will try to understand the methods of earning money in $15 deposit casino or sites with a different minimum deposit limit. Our recommendations will help you win more money by reducing the cost of online pokies.

How to Increase Earnings at an Aussie Online Casino?

Active visitors to gambling establishments should understand that playing for money can significantly improve your financial situation. Even regular winnings help solve problems with purchases that you could not afford. What can we say about the progressive jackpot, which changes players’ lives toward enrichment? So, to answer about increasing earnings at casino games online, we studied hundreds of gaming houses and compiled a list of essential factors:

  1. Bonus potential

We recommend choosing clubs with many promotional offers and favorable wagering conditions for Australian players. Such offers significantly increase the player’s bankroll, allowing them to spend on pokies with free spins, respins, bonus games, and multipliers. The latter brings significant income even with bonus money. Every new player or regular customer has the right to take advantage of top online casino Australia promotions, among which we will highlight the main options:

Welcome BonusMost Australian gambling houses reward visitors for registering an account. The welcome bonus is often awarded for the first deposit of a minimum amount of $10 to $50. The variability of the starting package depends only on the operator’s preference, where you will find a 100% or more bonus for a deposit, a no-deposit bonus, free spins, or combined options. Such incentives will significantly increase the amount in your account, allowing you to earn larger winnings.
Free spinsIt is among the most popular bonuses available in almost all top online casinos in Australia. Free spins for a deposit or for free provide you with bonus rounds in pokies, allowing you to earn a certain amount of bonus money for further play. The promotion is perfect for beginners and experienced players who have been registered on the selected site for a long time.
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Site owners hold tournaments to increase the level of excitement and diversify the lives of players in real casinos online. Some sweepstakes are sponsored by software providers, presenting new products or drawing attention to their creations. Players receive visible benefits because the events offer a chance to compete for a prize pool of $1,000 or free spins up to 40,000,000 AUD. At the same time, you only need to continue playing your favorite pokies or table games, considering the list of available games and the minimum bet size to participate in the tournament.

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Active real money play should bring more loyalty benefits. This is a true statement because our experts have encountered more than once a real casino online with a developed VIP club. It exists to retain players who frequently play for real money and spend large sums. The loyalty program allows you to earn eternal points, increasing your VIP status. This leads to receiving impressive no-deposit bonuses, participating in exclusive tournaments, and exchanging earned points for real money.

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Based on extensive experience in the iGaming field, experts are confident that the above methods for increasing earnings at online casinos will help Australian players win more. Try different options and use top games from providers NetEnt, Playson, Novomatic, and Microgaming with fixed and progressive jackpots. If you are over 21 in Australia, this will help you win impressive sums.

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