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Toyota Racing – NCS Bristol Post-Race Report – 03.17.24

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Official Release
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HAMLIN GOES BACK-TO-BACK AT BRISTOL
Joe Gibbs Racing delivers another dominating performance

BRISTOL, Tenn. (March 17, 2024) – Denny Hamlin and crew chief Chris Gabehart proved to be the master of the tire strategy at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday evening. In a race dominated by tire wear, Hamlin led 13 times for 163 laps and defeated his Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) teammate Martin Truex Jr. by just over one second on his way to his 52nd career victory and 49th with Toyota.

JGR dominated the laps led category for the second consecutive weekend – leading 383 of 500 laps, while Toyota drivers led 402 of 500 laps. All four JGR drivers – Hamlin, Truex, Gibbs (ninth) and Bell (10th) – finished inside the top-10, with Gibbs earning the first two stage wins of his career.

John Hunter Nemechek had a strong day throughout the evening in his LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota Camry XSE – with top-five finishes in both stages and a sixth-place finish – which gives the North Carolina-native a new career-best NASCAR Cup Series finish.

Toyota Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Bristol Motor Speedway
Race 5 of 36 – 266.5 miles, 500 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, DENNY HAMLIN
2nd, MARTIN TRUEX, JR.
3rd, Brad Keselowski*
4th, Alex Bowman*
5th, Kyle Larson*
6th, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
9th, TY GIBBS
10th, CHRISTOPHER BELL
20th, ERIK JONES
29th, BUBBA WALLACE
30th, TYLER REDDICK
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 Express Oil Change Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 1st

How did you wheel your car to victory today?

“Yeah, experience was a big part of it for sure. I was trying not to get pushed so much by Ty (Gibbs). I knew he was going to push a little too hard. Obviously, I knew Martin (Truex Jr.) was going to be the next guy in line that had the experience to challenge. Really proud of the team. Obviously, a really great job on the pit sequence there. Being able to hang on longer than others was the key to us being able to stop later and have some tires at the end.”

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 19 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 2nd

What would’ve you wanted to differently there at the end?

“You know, we just came out too far behind him (Denny Hamlin) there on the green flag stop. I was right on his bumper when he pitted and when I came out, he was a straightaway ahead of us and just used my stuff up too much to try to get there. The last five laps, my right rear was corded. It was close. A great run for our Auto-Owners Camry. Great job by everybody on our team all weekend to put us in this position. I was an interesting race, that’s for sure. Just came up a little bit short there.”

How did you manage your tires today?

“Early in the race, went way too hard and realized your tires were gone. And then, it’s like ‘alright, we can’t run as hard as we can.’ Just had to figure out how hard you could push it and what kind of lap times you could run throughout the run. Then kind of manage it from there. It was tricky, honestly, I barely pushed harder there on that last run for 10 laps and you know, at the end, I was right rear corded. There’s a fine line and fortunately for us, we had a lot of speed in our Toyotas today and we were able to save tires and stay up front. That was the key.”

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, No. 42 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB

Finishing Position: 6th

Strong run all day, and finished in the top-10. How was your race?

“The car is in one piece, and finished p6. Solid day. Definitely needed that. Finished top-five in both stages. I was joking with the guys that it’s just an oversized Pensacola with tire wear. I grew up short track late model racing – places that you had to manage tire wear till the end of the run. We were able to do so. My guys gave me a great Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE all day, and everyone at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB worked hard. We were able to finish top-five in both stages and finish sixth overall. Great points day. We definitely needed that as a team.”

TY GIBBS, No. 54 SiriusXM Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 9th

Can you explain this race from your perspective?

“That’s just what we had today with our SiriusXM Camry. I felt like we were great all day, just that last run, the right rear just came apart. We were just two laps late of coming in. When we had that tire come apart, I think I was like four laps down at one point. Just frustrating but you have to work for it here.”

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.

Wright Motorsports Demonstrates Tenacity with Sebring 12 Hour Podium Finish

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Official Release
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SEBRING, Fla. (March 17, 2024) — On Saturday evening at Sebring International Raceway, Wright Motorsports secured a well-deserved spot on the GTD class podium in the Twelve Hours of Sebring, clinching third place with the No. 120 Porsche 911 GT3 R driven by Adam Adelson, Elliott Skeer, and Jan Heylen.

Despite facing high temperatures in the 80s throughout the week, the drivers and crew exhibited remarkable resilience to deliver a strong performance in this challenging race. The classic endurance event marked only the second IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race for Adelson and Skeer, who relied on veteran Heylen’s expertise and familiarity with his home track’s marquee event.

Adelson qualified the team in 13th place out of 22 cars, and shortly after the green flag waved, an incident near the Wright Motorsports Porsche resulted in contact with another car, necessitating an early pit stop to repair the front bumper and temporarily putting them a lap down in the GTD field. However, they swiftly recovered during the first full-course caution, regaining their lost lap and rejoining the rear of the field from 19th position.

Despite facing further setbacks due to untimely full-course cautions, the team persevered. Hour by hour, Adelson, Skeer, and Heylen executed flawless driving duties, steadily advancing the Porsche up the ranks. By the halfway mark, they had reclaimed a position in the top three, maintaining consistent lap times and benefiting from quick pit stops by the determined crew.

They encountered another obstacle in the early dusk hours, as the No. 120 Porsche was in the middle of a three-wide battle for position coming to a restart. As the field went to green, the Porsche was stranded after a spin in turn 17, and came straight into pit lane for fresh tires and a splash of fuel. Undeterred, the team pushed through the final two hours of night racing with unwavering determination.

The closing stages of the race were marked by intense competition and numerous full-course cautions, totaling 13 over the 12-hour duration. Skeer showcased his skills during the final stints, relishing his first experience of night racing at Sebring International Raceway and holding his ground with the lead pack, ultimately securing a third-place finish for Wright Motorsports.

This impressive result not only marks the team’s first podium of the 2024 season but also represents Adelson and Skeer’s inaugural WeatherTech podium. Looking ahead, the young duo will return next month for the Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 19-20 before continuing with their six-race Michelin Endurance Cup Championship effort alongside Jan Heylen at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen from June 20-23.

DRIVER QUOTES

Adam Adelson

I genuinely am at a loss for words. I can’t believe we just podiumed at both Elliott’s and my Sebring debut. Obviously, we got all the experience from Jan and we definitely leaned on that when we needed to. This is an unbelievable feeling, and it just makes me hungry for more with the team. The team did an absolutely incredible job. The strategy calls were on point. We had so many unfortunate occurrences out there that put us a lap down on multiple occasions, and they just got us back right where we needed to be. The car was unbelievable. Porsche makes an incredible race car and a big thanks goes to Porsche, Wright Motorsports, my co drivers, and to John Wright because this was just an incredible experience.

Elliott Skeer

The Twelve Hours of Sebring to me, is my favorite race in the world outside of Le Mans. So not only to do it as a rookie, but then to do it with my favorite team in a Porsche 911, alongside my best friend, and alongside one of the best in the business, that’s a dream in itself. To be in it at the end is otherworldly, and with a chance to fight for the win was just the coolest experience in my life. It’s an entire career’s worth of effort and patience, all coming down to those final 45 minutes, and realizing you can do it. It’s truly unbelievable. The amount of preparation that this team has put into the car over the last year, in addition to the work Adam has put in alongside of his natural talent, really shows that you can bring people in and achieve these higher levels. We had issues here at Sebring, but I think the most important thing is how we bounced back from all of them. This entire team did an unbelievable job.

Jan Heylen

I’m super excited for the team after we’ve had a couple of near misses for our last couple of races.

I’m excited for Elliott and Adam to achieve their first result on the podium, and to have it at Sebring is just awesome. Anytime you can finish on the podium here is a good thing.

Wright Motorsports
Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series and international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy, and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013, and 2015, and went on to win the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team, and Manufacturer’s titles in 2017. In 2020, the team captured the GT World Challenge America Am championship. In 2021, Wright Motorsports had a wildly successful season, capturing nine championships across their five racing efforts.

Brad Keselowski Tops Ford with Third Place Bristol Finish (NCS Post Race Quotes)

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Official Release
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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Food City 500 | Sunday, March 17, 2024

Unofficial Ford Performance Results:
3rd – Brad Keselowski
7th – Chris Buescher
11th – Michael McDowell
12th – Josh Berry
13th – Chase Briscoe
14th – Ryan Preece
16th – Ryan Blaney
17th – Justin Haley
19th – Kaz Grala
22nd – Joey Logano
26th – Todd Gilliland
31st – Austin Cindric
32nd – Harrison Burton
34th – Noah Gragson

BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 6 King’s Hawaiian Ford Mustang Dark Horse – YOU WERE UNDER THE HOOD AFTER THE RACE. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? “I just wanted to make sure the car wasn’t gonna burn down. That’s happened before and it’s real expensive. They came and put the fire out, so it’s fine. It was a pretty good day for us with RFK and the 6 car here We just kind of ran top five pretty much the whole race and kept them honest. I got ran into on one of those pit caution cycles. That did a little damage to the front end, otherwise I think I could have had a shot to win it today, but still solid to come home third. It was a really good week.”

WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR YOU WITH THE TRACK CONDITIONS? “It was an interesting day. There was a lot of discipline required and it was a fun race, to be honest, because you just had to be so smart behind the wheel. It would bite you in a heartbeat and you had to have a good setup. I think we had a good setup and tried to run the smartest race I could.”

IT LOOKED LIKE PARADE LAPS IN STAGE 2 RUNNING SIDE-BY-SIDE. “It ain’t no parade lap. You’re still hauling the mail. It’s different, but you’re just managing.”

HOW HARD WAS IT TO MAINTAIN DISCIPLINE IN THE CAR WHEN YOU PROBABLY WANT TO CHASE GUYS DOWN? “It’s hard. I just wish the whole race would have been like the end where we just ran and we didn’t throw yellows because we were in a really good spot for that, but, either way, we had a good car. We ran really solid and came away with a great finish and a ton of points. It’s the kind of weekend where we feel like we can come back here in the fall and win.”

HAVE YOU BEEN IN A RACE LIKE THIS BEFORE WHERE TIRE CONSERVATION WAS SUCH A BIG DEAL? “It’s been a while, yes.”

WOULD YOU LIKE MORE OF THESE? “I thought it was fun. It’s different. Variety is the spice of life.”

JOSH BERRY, No. 4 SunnyD Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “That was a good weekend. We had good speed. I was really pretty happy with the car. Obviously, there were a number of issues going on. I’m really kind of speechless on that part, but I thought we did a good job of managing everything. We made some adjustments at the end which seemed to cause the cording a little bit sooner and that kind of tied our hands a little bit towards the end, but, all in all, it was a great effort. I hate that we didn’t get a top 10, but it was a positive day and, honestly, with everything going on it was a lot of fun.”

CHASE BRISCOE, No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “What a crazy race. This is by far the most bizarre race I’ve probably ever been a part of just with trying to not go hard at all and trying to save your tires. You’d feel good and then they would all just go at once and they’d be blowing. It was definitely weird just how you had to run the race. It was a cat-and-mouse game, which I think would be really fun if you didn’t have to worry about the tires blowing and coming apart. Thirteenth for us, we were definitely way better than 13th. There at the end, my tire just went down, so I was trying to make it to the end without having to pit again. To be frustrated with a 13th from where we were last year says a lot about where we’re at this year. We’ll try to move on and just continue to get better.”

WHAT KIND OF RACE WAS THAT? “That was definitely the craziest race I feel like I’ve ever been a part of in the Cup Series. We normally just run every lap as a qualifying lap and you might save a little bit, but you’re never going that slow to save tires. It was definitely bizarre how it all played out and green flag pit stops, and it was like you had 1000 more horsepower than the field when you were on new tires. It was nuts. It was unfortunate circumstances from a racing standpoint, but, for us, to end up 13th for as crazy of a race as it was, we were definitely way better than 13th.”

DO YOU LIKE THAT STRATEGY? “I don’t mind trying to save tires, but we can’t have the tires just coming apart like that. It would be fun if we fell off two or three seconds and you didn’t have to worry about tires coming apart. I think that would be really fun, but when you’re trying to not make them blow up, that’s not very fun.”

RYAN PREECE, No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse – THIS WAS EXTREME HAVING TO MANAGE TIRE WEAR. “Yeah, I’d rather that than getting beat by somebody with a faster car that day. Now, I think that obviously they’ve got some work to do. The wear was excessive, but we maximized our day. I think if we didn’t have that tire come apart there at the end, we could have maybe finished top 10, but it is what it is.”

JUSTIN HALEY, No. 51 Ohanafy Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “We were fast. At the end the tires just fell off, but we ran in the top 10 all day and that’s awesome to establish that because it put a lot of smiles on a lot of people’s faces. I’m excited to keep digging. I feel like the cars have speed, we just need to keep running like that and we’ll be OK.’

HOW DID YOU LIKE THAT KIND OF RACE? “I loved it. I don’t know what social media says, but as a driver I thought it was fun because you had to manage it. You weren’t all-out the whole time, so it was fun to have a major part in how the car ran.”

NOAH GRAGSON, No. 10 Bass Pro Shops Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “We put ourselves in a box early. We started making a lot of speed the first run and got up to 13th running the outside and then wore the right-front all the way down to the cords. We came down pit road and got trapped a lap down. We just didn’t execute today, especially myself. I hit the wall later in the race getting up in the marbles. There’s a ton of tire rubber up there, but there’s no excuses other than I need to get it together for the Bass Pro Shops team. I just didn’t run a good race. I appreciate all the hard work by everyone. We’ll keep it going. It was a tough weekend and a tough result and we’ve got to rebound next weekend.”

KAZ GRALA, No. 15 N29 Capital Partners Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “We had great speed in our Ford Mustang Dark Horse. I’m proud of everyone at Rick Ware Racing. Both of our cars were fast. We were just straight-up top 15, top 12 cars today, which was really cool. Unfortunately, we got behind on the very last run there tire cycling-wise. I got shoved to the top and that wore out our right-front a little early, so we ended up 19th, but we had a strong day. That’s cool to see. It gives us a lot of encouragement going forward. We’re upset with 19th because we ran better than that today, but it’s not a bad position to be in when you’re mad about that.”

CHEVROLET NCS AT BRISTOL 1: Post-Race Report

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Official Release
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NASCAR CUP SERIES
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
FOOD CITY 500
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORT
MARCH 17, 2024

 Bowman, Larson Lead Chevrolet with Top-Five Finishes at Bristol

TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-20:
POS. DRIVER
4th Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1
5th Kyle Larson, No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Camaro ZL1
8th Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1
15th Ross Chastain, No. 1 Busch Light Fishing Camaro ZL1
18th Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Jockey Outdoors by Luke Byran Camaro ZL1

 TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE QUOTES:
Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1

Finished: 4th

Bowman on his fourth-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway:

“We just made our left-front tire last a little longer than some others there. I think it was a good, solid day for the No. 48 Ally Chevy team. I feel like we had a pretty good Chevy, but we just had to go roll around half-speed and try to make it last. It kind of reminded me of Greenville Pickens (Speedway), short-track racing in the East Series, or something like that. Just had to be really, really, really patient. Obviously that long green-flag run where we all pitted, I think our right-front probably lasted the longest. It got us some track position and we ended up with a fourth-place finish. I don’t really know where my race car could have ended up, straight-up, because we were never able to run hard, but it was pretty good.”

Kyle Larson, No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Camaro ZL1

Finished: 5th

How difficult was it to get into a rhythm in today’s race?

“Yeah, it was tough.. tough to get a rhythm. I felt like I was kind of in a rhythm when I could run around fourth to sixth behind the Gibbs cars and kind of pace myself. I felt like I was doing a good job of managing my stuff, we just never got a long run. And then the one time we get a long run is when we had the penalty and we had to go to the back, and abuse my tire to get back to the top-five.

It all just kind of weirdly worked out. I still don’t really know how we ended fifth, but we will take it and move on.

You’ll take a fifth. You don’t care how you got there, as long as you get to fifth, right?

“Yeah, for sure. Obviously, I would have loved to not get that penalty because I felt like I could pace the 11 (Denny Hamlin) well, and I thought I could manage my tires good. He would have been hard to beat, but we could have ended up a little bit better and we could have ended up worse. So, yeah, I think I will take the fifth and be happy with it.”

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Mountain Dew/Doritos Camaro ZL1

Finished: 23rd

“We initially struggled to find balance in our No. 16 Mtn Dew Cheetos Chevy. Combined with the tire issues the field faced, we had our hands full. I’m proud of our team and Travis [Mack] on the pit box. The way our day started, it wasn’t looking good, but we refocused as a team and made the most out of our day.”

Austin Dillon, No. 3 BREZTRI Camaro ZL1

Finished: 24th

“We fought hard with the No. 3 BREZTRI Chevy. It didn’t matter what we did, we just kept losing tires. We were kind of in a box there trying to save and trying to go. Man, it was a weird race. Hate it that we couldn’t hold on because that would have been good run if we would have gotten ourselves into a better position. It was a good fight. We’ll go get a little bit more next week at COTA.”

Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1

Finished: 28th

“Lots of highs and lows during this long race. We had a solid second stage, but after making some contact with the wall, we just fought a really tight-handling No. 31 Cirkul Chevy. The right front would wear quickly, and the rear would start going away not long after. Hopefully we can come back in the fall for some redemption.”

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.

Kaulig Racing Race Recap | Food City 500

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Official Release
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AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 16 Mtn Dew Cheetos Camaro ZL1

  • AJ Allmendinger qualified 30th for the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
  • Allmendinger reported early he lacked grip in his No. 16 Mtn Dew Cheetos Chevy. The team made adjustments under the caution flag and restarted on lap 31. When the caution came out on lap 32, Allmendinger slid while trying to avoid the wreck, resulting in four flat tires. The team pit early and restarted at the tail end of the longest line. Allmendinger went on to finish 26th in the opening stage.
  • The No. 16 restarted in 26th for the second stage. Allmendinger continued to lean on the right side tires, searching for grip. The team came down pit road for adjustments to help the loose handling car. Allmendinger continued to battle handling and went on to finish the stage in 26th place.
  • In the final stage, Allmendinger reported the car was the best it had been all day. He asked for no adjustments on the pit stop and continued to make laps while taking care of his tires. On lap 426, Allmendinger took over 19th, the highest he had been all day. He continued to move up as other cars began having tire issues, forcing them to pit. After having to pit one final time, Allmendinger went on to finish 23rd in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

“We initially struggled to find balance in our No. 16 Mtn Dew Cheetos Chevy. Combined with the tire issues the field faced, we had our hands full. I’m proud of our team and Travis [Mack] on the pit box. The way our day started, it wasn’t looking good, but we refocused as a team and made the most out of our day.” – AJ Allmendinger  

DANIEL HEMRIC
No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1

  • Daniel Hemric qualified 20th for the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
  • The first caution of the day came out on lap 23, as Hemric relayed his No. 31 Cirkul Chevy was free handling. He pitted for adjustments and restarted 35th before another caution immediately came out, collecting him in the process. Hemric made it through unscathed and pitted for new tires. When the next caution came out on lap 70, Hemric noted improvement but wanted more security. The final caution of the stage ended it early, and Hemric was scored 24th.
  • Hemric pitted for fresh tires under the stage break and took the green from 27th place. He made it as high as 22nd before the caution came out. Hemric was hit in the right rear but did not receive significant damage. He pitted for tires and fuel and took the green on lap 188. The final caution of the stage fell on lap 228. Hemric restarted 27th and made it as high as 17th, before finishing the second stage in 18th.
  • During the second stage break, Hemric pitted for sticker tires and started the final stage from 19thplace. The first caution of the stage came out on lap 310. Hemric relayed his No. 31 Chevy was tight and pitted for four tires. Just before the final caution came out on lap 368, Hemric fell one lap down to the leaders. After restarting on lap 379, Hemric made his final pit stop on lap 446 before going on to finish 28th.

“Lots of highs and lows during this long race. We had a solid second stage, but after making some contact with the wall, we just fought a really tight-handling No. 31 Cirkul Chevy. The right front would wear quickly, and the rear would start going away not long after. Hopefully we can come back in the fall for some redemption.” – Daniel Hemric  

 
About Kaulig Racing

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and has won back-to-back regular-season championships. Before becoming a full-time NCS team, Kaulig Racing made multiple starts in the 2021 NCS season and won in its seventh-ever start with AJ Allmendinger’s victory at “The Brickyard” for the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The team expanded to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and added a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. In 2024, the team will once again field two, full-time entries in the NCS and continue to field three, full-time NXS entries. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

Matt Mills – Weather Guard Truck Race Recap

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Official Release
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Weather Guard Truck Race | Bristol Motor Speedway

Team: No. 42 J.F. Electric/Utilitra Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Matt Mills (New Philadelphia, Ohio) | Crew Chief: Jon Leonard
Follow the Team: Twitter: @NieceMotorsport | Instagram: @NieceMotorsports | Facebook: /NieceMotorsports | Web: www.niecemotorsports.com
Follow Matt Mills: Twitter: @MattMillsRacing | Instagram: @MattMillsRacing | Facebook: /OfficialMattMillsRacing | Web: mattmillsracing.com

Start: 18th | Finish: 25th | Driver Point Standings: 28th

Matt Mills on Saturday’s Race at Bristol Motor Speedway: “Tonight I made a costly mistake early on in the race,” said Mills. “We fixed it as well as we could, and proved to run top-five lap times. Ultimately, we couldn’t make too much forward progress being laps down. We’ll continue on and look to run a smart race at COTA.”

Race Recap: Mills lined up 18th for Saturday night’s race after the afternoon’s practice and qualifying session. Unfortunately, an early spin and contact with the wall put Mills and the No. 42 team behind the eight ball for the remainder of the race. The J.F. Electric Chevrolet showed speed, but was unable to make up the lost laps, ultimately finishing the day In 25th.

About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2024, Niece Motorsports enters its ninth season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as X @NieceMotorsport.

About J.F. Electric
J.F. Electric is an electrical contractor that provides engineering expertise, backed by construction and installation know-how in a diverse range of service offerings, from utilities and commercial projects, to industrial and telecommunications customers. When having a long family history in an industry, a company not only builds on its knowledge and experience, it takes pride in cultivating a solid understanding of client needs, all the while nurturing strong relationships with its employees. Evolving through five generations of the Fowler family, J.F. Electric has matured into a well-managed and thoughtfully diversified electrical contractor which is poised to continue its growth and expansion into the future.

About Utilitra:
Utilitra is a woman-owned firm specializing in utility and technology solutions with a diverse team of specialized professionals. Utilitra is committed to solving their client’s unique challenges, whether one expert or a team of experts is needed. By adapting to the needs of their respective industries, Utilitra has built a range of services for their utility and technology partners.

Kaden Honeycutt – Weather Guard Truck Race Recap

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Official Release
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Weather Guard Truck Race | Bristol Motor Speedway

Team: No. 45 Chevy Accessories Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Kaden Honeycutt (Willow Park, Texas) | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Follow the Team: Twitter: @NieceMotorsport | Instagram: @NieceMotorsports | Facebook: /NieceMotorsports | Web: www.niecemotorsports.com
Follow Kaden: Twitter: @KadenWHoneycutt | Instagram: @kadenhoneycutt10 | Facebook: /KadenHoneycuttRacing | Web: kadenhoneycuttracing.com

Start: 8th | Finish: 12th | Owner Point Standings: 13th

Kaden Honeycutt on Saturday’s Race at Bristol Motor Speedway: “We got stage points there which is great, and ran around the top-10 all night,” said Honeycutt. “We got a little burned on the second stage with a long run on the tires. It was tough to make up positions, but when we could capitalize, we did. Thank you to Chevy Accessories, Phil [Gould], Niece Motorsports and my entire 45 crew for bringing me another great truck.”

Race Recap: Honeycutt showed speed in practice and qualifying, lining up eighth in the No. 45 Chevy Accessories Silverado. Honeycutt and team ran in the top-10 for the majority of the night, running a clean race. The No. 45 Chevrolet would ultimately end the night in 12th.

About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2024, Niece Motorsports enters its ninth season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as X @NieceMotorsport.

Bayley Currey – Weather Guard Truck Race Recap

By
Official Release
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Weather Guard Truck Race | Bristol Motor Speedway

Team: No. 41 Niece Equipment Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Bayley Currey (Driftwood, Texas) | Crew Chief: Mike Hillman Jr.
Follow the Team: Twitter: @NieceMotorsport | Instagram: @NieceMotorsports | Facebook: /NieceMotorsports | Web: www.niecemotorsports.com
Follow Bayley Currey: Twitter: @BayleyCurrey | Instagram: @bayleycurrey05 | Facebook: /bayleycurrey05 | Web: www.bcurrey.com/

Start: 12th | Finish: 11th | Driver Point Standings: 16th

Bayley Currey on Saturday’s Race at Bristol Motor Speedway: “After the last three races, I’m pretty happy about finishing 11th today,” said Currey. “Niece Motorsports and my No. 41 team brought another great truck. This place is tough to pass right now and I think we can go back to the drawing board and improve for fall but I am ready for COTA next week.”

Race Recap: Currey and the No. 41 team lined up 12th to start Saturday night’s first short track race of the season. Track position proved crucial, as moving through the field was tough. Currey ran a clean race in the top-15 for most of the day, before crossing the finish line in 11th.

About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2024, Niece Motorsports enters its ninth season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as X @NieceMotorsport.

Jett Lawrence Wins Three in a Row with Indianapolis Supercross Victory

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Official Release
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Cameron McAdoo Takes 250SX Class Win and Points Lead

Indianapolis, Ind., (March 17, 2024) Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence took the win, his fifth victory of the season, at Round 10 the 17-round 2024 Monster Energy Supercross season inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Lawrence became the second 450SX Class racer to sweep a Triple Crown event, which uses the results from three 12-minute plus one lap races to determine an overall winner.

Lucas Oil Stadium hosted its first Triple Crown event. For the sixth-consecutive race, strong attendance was on display as over 62,000 fans packed the house in Indy. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen took second place in Indy with (2-2-3) Race scores on a soft and rutted track that challenged the racers throughout the night. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton put in a strong charge in Race 3 and finished in third place overall with (3-3-2) Race scores. In the Eastern Regional 250SX Class, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Cameron McAdoo earned his first win of the season with (1-2-3) Race finishes.

“It was pretty cool, and Lars [Lindstrom] told me after the race that the last person [to sweep a Triple Crown] was Kenny and it was on a Honda, too. So it’s kind of cool to keep that ritual going with the Honda, going 1-1-1… That track was gnarly, it can kind of catch you at any moment. It was scary riding next to someone in the rhythm, because you’re just – you’re trying to stay as straight as possible and it just kind of, it could catch you off guard pretty quickly… The track was gnarly but I think it creates some good racing.” – Jett Lawrence, when asked about the track and about being the second rider ever to sweep a Triple Crown.

“You kind of just play things by ear… Every time I jump a jump or whatever [the obstacle], I try to look ahead and make sure that I’m picking a good rut to do it. But that’s what makes it so tough – you just don’t know what you’re getting on the take-offs. And then the sand made it tough because it’s hard underneath, so it’s not like you can just blast the sand berm… Those are some tricky, tricky, tricky conditions, you know? And physically, also, because this dirt is so grabby, you’re just muscling the whole time… You’ve got so much traction, and it pulls you all sorts of directions, so that’s what made it just incredibly tough. But my starts were on point tonight and that helped me out big time.” – Ken Roczen, when asked about balancing speed vs. risk on the rutted, changing track.

“I feel like tonight was overall a better result for me. My riding’s getting better and better every weekend. Didn’t have the hottest qualifying [times], but I showed up [at race time]. I mean, didn’t obviously get the win, but I feel like I rode pretty well tonight with my starts. [I] got a better start in the third Main, made it work somewhat, and overall [we’re] just trying to build every weekend. We’re still not where we want to be, we still have some adjustments we need to make, but overall [we’re] heading in the right direction and looking forward to these next couple rounds – another Triple Crown in St. Louis, [and] Seattle next weekend, so [we’re] looking forward to these next seven rounds and trying to build every one of them.” – Chase Sexton

The Eastern Regional 250SX Class held its Round 5 and Cameron McAdoo took his third career Supercross win; it was his second Triple Crown overall victory. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle grabbed a second-place overall finish with (4-3-1) race scores in the 10-minute plus one lap Races. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan battled back from a first turn crash in Race 3 to capture third place overall in Indianapolis with (2-1-6) finishes. McAdoo takes over the points lead and therefore the red plate as the Eastern Regional 250SX Class takes three weekends off before returning to racing at the Foxborough Supercross on April 13th.

“It’s been a while since I got a win. They all feel so good… I’m just so grateful to be in this position, to be this healthy, to fight for this, and just to race my dirt bike. Like, that was what I live for, going into that third race tied on points and just that lock-in [of focus]. And like I’ve been saying all night, just [focusing on] being present where my feet are, and gosh, I’m just so proud of that one. I’ve had a long road, just as all of us have. Dirt bikes are tough, and they’re so rewarding, but I’m just so grateful for my family who’ve been with me. They love me just as much every time, whether I come home and win or [get] 15th or whatever it is. And this is just so special to get to do it in front of you guys. I’ve said it before, this is my dream. Shout out to my dad. He had to work today; he’s in construction and he’s only like an hour and a half away from here but he couldn’t make it so – love you, Pops. Shout out to all my people behind me, every time… This is so special. And a quote that I’ve really tried to live by lately is – my wife has a sign in our room that says, ‘These are the good old days,’ and I truly believe that, so I’m grateful for this. Thank you to Indy fans. I love this city… This one felt really good and these aren’t easy to come by so I’m gonna soak it in. [When McAdoo was told his race bike will run the red plate the next time he rides it] That gives me chills. That’s surreal to me, still. I’ve had it twice and, yeah, I’m just gonna keep working for this, and keep doing our best; Can’t wait to get home to my pup.” – Cameron McAdoo

“Actually, it felt really good in the first moto, and then I had the crash in the whoops, so I was kind of frustrated. And I didn’t ride really good [in the] second one. I rode the best all day, I think, in the third one, and I’m pretty happy… The track was tough tonight, that’s for sure. I had a good start in the last [Race] and grabbed the win. After the crash [in the first Race] I was kind of frustrated, and I [said to myself that] I really wanna win the last one, and I was pretty happy with that one. I mean, we lost the red plate, and a couple of points, but [there are] still a lot of races to go; so we are still there in the fight and that’s what mattered tonight. And I’m really happy. I want to thank everyone here tonight who came to watch the race, and my team, sponsors, parents, family, everyone around me; thank you so much.” – Tom Vialle

“It’s a little unfortunate but it’s racing, it happens… I’m not exactly sure how I hit it and just got spit in a 180… It’s unfortunate but you know we have three weeks off now. We’re going to work hard and I’m gonna come back swinging. We’ve got a lot of rounds left, we’ve got an East/West shootout, which I’m excited for, and the pace is getting there, man. It’s my first full week of training back and the pace is getting there; we’ve just got to keep improving… [I’m] just grateful to get on the podium and, you know [we’ll] keep pushing forward on these weeks off.” – Haiden Deegan, regarding his crash in Race 3 when his bike caught a Tuff Blox going into the first turn.

The racers line up and do it again next Saturday, March 23rd inside Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington for Round 11 of the 450SX Class and Round 6 of the Western Regional 250SX Class. The Seattle Supercross will pay points toward both the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship.

Every Supercross and SuperMotocross round is available live and on-demand through PeacockTV. Select rounds will also be broadcast or streamed on NBC, USA Network, CNBC, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app. International coverage is available through the SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv) live and on-demand, in both English and Spanish.

The 2024 season continues the partnership between the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. To join the great Love Moto Stop Cancer effort, please donate by going to supercrossLIVE.com/St-Jude or text “SUPER” to 785-833.

Tickets are available for each remaining Monster Energy Supercross event. For tickets, video highlights, event information, and more please visit SupercrossLIVE.com.

Facebook: facebook.com/supercrosslive
X: twitter.com/supercrosslive
Instagram: instagram.com/supercrosslive
YouTube: youtube.com/supercrosslive
TikTok: tiktok.com/supercrossliveofficial
Official Merch: SupercrossSuperstore.com

About Feld Motor Sports:

Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting specialized arena and stadium-based motorsports entertainment. Properties include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy AMA Supercross, and the SuperMotocross World Championship. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a subsidiary of Feld Entertainment, Inc. Visit monsterjam.com, SupercrossLIVE.com, and feldentertainment.com for more information.

About Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship:

Monster Energy AMA Supercross is the most competitive and highest-profile off-road motorcycle racing championship on the planet. Founded in America and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) since 1974. Over 17 weeks, Supercross attracts some of the largest and most impressive crowds inside the most recognizable and prestigious stadiums in North America to race in front of nearly one million live fans and broadcast to millions more worldwide. For more information, visit SupercrossLIVE.com.

About the SuperMotocross World Championship:

The SuperMotocross World Championship™ is the premier off-road motorcycle racing series that combines the technical precision of stadium racing with the all-out speed and endurance of outdoor racing. Created in 2022, the SuperMotocross World Championship combines the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the AMA Pro Motocross Championship into a 31-event series that culminates in a season-ending two round playoff and SuperMotocross World Championship Final. Visit SuperMotocross.com for more information.

About the American Motorcyclist Association:

Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit americanmotorcyclist.com.

ECKES OUTDUELS FORMER BOSS KYLE BUSCH TO WIN SATURDAY’S THRILLING WEATHER GUARD TRUCK RACE AT BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY

By
Official Release
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Christian Eckes (19) battled against his former boss Kyle Busch (7) for the victory Saturday night in the WEATHER GUARD Truck Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

BRISTOL, Tenn. (March 17, 2024) — Christian Eckes held off Bristol-dominator Kyle Busch in the final 25 laps on Saturday night to win the 250-lap WEATHER GUARD Truck Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Eckes led a race-best 144 laps at the controls of his No. 19 Chevy and ultimately finished .141-of-a-second in front of his former team owner Busch, a 22-time Bristol winner, including five previous Craftsman Truck Series victories.

The only other Cup Series regular in the field, former Truck champ Zane Smith, finished third in his No. 91 Chevy. Busch and Smith will both compete in Sunday’s Food City 500 NASCAR Cup Series race (3:30 p.m., FOX, PRN Radio).

The win was the sixth of his career and first ever at Bristol and it was super sweet for Eckes for a variety of reasons.

“There’s a lot behind this win,” Eckes said. “The fans here are crazy, I love it. We got off to a tough start this season and missing out on the championship last year after we got caught up in a wreck here with four laps to go, this is a big redemption race for us, and one we had circled most on the calendar.”

Eckes, 23, started from the pole and led for most of the race. Busch led 105 laps but as the race clicked off the closing laps down the stretch, Busch ultimately needed some track position to get the job done.

Battling like they were longtime rivals, Busch and Eckes made contact while neck and neck for the lead on lap 154. Busch’s No. 7 truck got sideways and Eckes’ machine took some minor damage to the front right in the incident but both rolled on and stayed out front.

“We definitely race each other like there’s some kind of history,” Eckes said. “Hopefully there’s no hard feelings. I’ve never beat him before and I enjoy racing against him.”

Eckes said to hold off Kyle here at The Last Great Colosseum is especially gratifying.

“It’s always huge to win against Kyle and especially at Bristol this is his home, to beat him here is pretty awesome,” Eckes said. “He had a hell of a save there when we were battling, it was just hard racing. I had a lot of fun. I was a little concerned about the right front damage and I slid pretty hard and had to gather it up. After that I just had to cool the tires down and it was OK.”

Busch tried to reel in Eckes in the final 20 laps but he ran out of time.

“The crazy part of it is we fought loose and then we put on the newer tires and it was instantly tight,” Busch said. “I don’t think we were as tight as the 19 at the end. I let him go early in that run to just go burn his stuff off and track position at the end, just aero effects… Didn’t have enough rubber on the road to outduel him. Thanks to everyone on this team for letting me come out here. It’s definitely frustrating not running as good as I’m accustomed to, but we’ve got some work to do.”

Eckes said he was going to give the coveted BMS Gladiator Sword to his crew chief, Charles Denike. He said he will keep the trophy though.

“The trophies are cool, but the wins mean the most to me,” Eckes said. “As many points as we can stockpile is our number one goal right now.”

Matt Crafton, Tyler Ankrum, Corey Heim, Taylor Gray, rising star Rajah Caruth, Grant Enfinger and Layne Riggs completed the top 10 finishers.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race
Weather Guard Truck Race
Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway
Saturday, March 16, 2024

            1. (1)  Christian Eckes, Chevrolet, 250. 
            2. (4)  Kyle Busch(i), Chevrolet, 250. 
            3. (7)  Zane Smith(i), Chevrolet, 250. 
            4. (20)  Matt Crafton, Ford, 250. 
            5. (9)  Tyler Ankrum, Chevrolet, 250. 
            6. (15)  Corey Heim, Toyota, 250. 
            7. (3)  Taylor Gray, Toyota, 250. 
            8. (6)  Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, 250. 
            9. (13)  Grant Enfinger, Chevrolet, 250. 
            10. (28)  Layne Riggs #, Ford, 250. 
            11. (12)  Bayley Currey, Chevrolet, 250. 
            12. (8)  Kaden Honeycutt, Chevrolet, 250. 
            13. (10)  Daniel Dye, Chevrolet, 250. 
            14. (17)  Jake Garcia, Ford, 250. 
            15. (21)  Tanner Gray, Toyota, 250. 
            16. (16)  Ben Rhodes, Ford, 250. 
            17. (2)  Nick Sanchez, Chevrolet, 250. 
            18. (25)  Stefan Parsons, Chevrolet, 249. 
            19. (14)  Conner Jones #, Ford, 249. 
            20. (26)  Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 249. 
            21. (19)  William Sawalich, Toyota, 248. 
            22. (23)  Stewart Friesen, Toyota, 248. 
            23. (22)  Dean Thompson, Toyota, 247. 
            24. (27)  Timmy Hill, Toyota, 247. 
            25. (18)  Matt Mills, Chevrolet, 247. 
            26. (33)  Thad Moffitt #, Chevrolet, 246. 
            27. (29)  Lawless Alan, Ford, 246. 
            28. (31)  Mason Massey, Chevrolet, 245. 
            29. (36)  Mason Maggio, Ford, 244. 
            30. (30)  Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 242. 
            31. (24)  Bret Holmes, Chevrolet, 242. 
            32. (34)  Keith McGee, Ford, 238. 
            33. (11)  Chase Purdy, Chevrolet, 228. 
            34. (5)  Ty Majeski, Ford, Engine, 170. 
            35. (35)  Trey Hutchens, Chevrolet, Suspension, 113. 
            36. (32)  Justin Carroll, Toyota, Brakes, 57.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 80.017 mph.
Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 39 Mins, 55 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.141 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 6 for 50 laps.
Lead Changes: 4 among 3 drivers.
Lap Leaders: C. Eckes 1-52;K. Busch(i) 53-135;Z. Smith(i) 136;K. Busch(i) 137-158;C. Eckes 159-250.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Christian Eckes 2 times for 144 laps; Kyle Busch(i) 2 times for 105 laps; Zane Smith(i) 1 time for 1 lap.
Stage #1 Top Ten: 7,19,2,98,91,17,18,99,45,9
Stage #2 Top Ten: 7,2,19,98,91,18,52,88,99,38

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