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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

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Justin Alexander returns as Austin Dillon’s Cup crew chief, beginning at Martinsville

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

Richard Childress Racing revealed that Justin Alexander, a competition director at RCR, will replace Keith Rodden and serve as Austin Dillon’s crew chief, beginning in this upcoming weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series event at Martinsville Speedway.

The announcement of Alexander’s move as Dillon’s crew chief is one of several personnel changes made to strengthen the organization’s competition and performance in the early stages and throughout the 2024 Cup Series season. In addition, Joel Keller has been named a lead engineer for Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 team in the Cup circuit. Rodden, the 2017 Brickyard 400 winning crew chief who first worked as Dillon’s crew chief last season, will assume a larger role within RCR and be involved in tasks including leadership, coordination and support to strengthen RCR’s entries.

“The organizational changes were made to help Richard Childress Racing’s overall NASCAR Cup Series program as we prepare for the rest of the season and locking two teams into the NASCAR Playoffs,” Andy Petree, executive vice president for Richard Childress Racing, said. “Justin Alexander and Austin Dillon share a unique chemistry that has proven effective in the past. We want to thank Keith Rodden for his leadership of the No. 3 team and know that the contributions he will continue to make to RCR in his new role will be valuable across the organization.”

The 2024 season will mark Alexander’s third time overall being named Austin Dillon’s crew chief in NASCAR’s premier series. A graduate of North Carolina State University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Alexander, who also previously worked at Hendrick Motorsports, first became Dillon’s crew chief prior to the 2017 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where the duo achieved their first career victory amid a late fuel-mileage battle. A year later, they won the 60th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway after leading only the final lap.

After being replaced by Danny Stockman Jr. in 2019, Alexander reunited with Dillon in 2020, where they won at Texas Motor Speedway. Two years later, Dillon and Alexander won the regular-season finale at Daytona enabling them to claim a Playoff berth.

Within all four of Dillon’s Cup Series victories, all occurring with Alexander, he made the Playoffs and settled in a career-best 11th place in the final driver’s standings three times (2017, 2020 and 2022). Alexander also led Paul Menard and the No. 27 RCR Chevrolet SS team to the 2015 Playoffs, where they placed 14th place in the final standings.

Through 242 appearances as a Cup Series crew chief, Alexander has accumulated four victories, 17 top-five results and 49 top-10 results while working with seven different competitors, among which include Austin Dillon, Menard, Ty Dillon, Daniel Hemric, Tyler Reddick and Kaz Grala. He recently served as Brodie Kostecki’s crew chief during his Cup debut at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course last August, where Kostecki finished 22nd. Alexander has also achieved two victories as a crew chief in 29 appearances as a crew chief in the Xfinity Series, both occurring in 2016 with Austin Dillon and Michael McDowell

Justin Alexander’s return as a NASCAR Cup Series crew chief with Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 team is set to occur this upcoming Sunday, April 7, at Martinsville Speedway for the Cook Out 400. The event’s broadcast time is slated to commence at 3 p.m. ET on FS1.

Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 Carson-Newman University Ford Mustang Dark Horse

By
Official Release
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Martinsville (Va.) Speedway Competition Notes

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (April 2, 2024) – Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 team head to the Martinsville (Va.) Speedway with a new partner on their Ford Mustang Dark Horse, Carson-Newman University.

Located in Jefferson City, Tennessee, at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Carson-Newman University was founded in 1851. With more than 2,700 students, Carson-Newman has more than 50 majors and 110 academic offerings including nationally-recognized Education and Nursing programs. The University also consists of 21 NCAA Division II athletic teams.

Notable alumni include Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and former University of North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell, former SEC commissioner and College Football Hall of Fame member, Bernie Moore, and the iconic Dolly Parton, who received an honorary doctorate from the university in 1990.

In four starts at Martinsville, Gilliland has an average finish of 19.5, two top-15 results, including a 10th-place finish in the fall race last season.

Track activity will begin with practice and qualifying on Saturday, April 6th at 4:30 p.m. ET. televised on FS2. The 400-lap event will take place Sunday, April 7th at 3:00 p.m. ET and will be televised live on FS1. Fans can also listen in on the action live from Sirius XM and the Motor Racing Network.

No. 38 Carson-Newman University Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

DRIVER TODD GILLILAND:

“Track position is important everywhere we go, but it’s especially important at Martinsville and to qualify upfront. That part is on my shoulders. I’ve won here in the trucks, so I know what it takes. We’re looking forward to a good finish this weekend.”

CREW CHIEF RYAN BERGENTY:

“We have really improved on our short-track program this year. Each time we go to Martinsville, I feel as if we are closing the gap between us and bigger teams. Todd (Gilliland) is a proven winner at Martinsville in the truck series and runs well there in Cup, so I expect us to be upfront.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Michael McDowell and the No. 34 Long John Silver’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse

By
Official Release
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Martinsville (Va.) Speedway Competition Notes

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (April 2, 2024) – Michael McDowell and the No. 34 Long John Silver’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse take on the “Paperclip”, Martinsville Speedway, this weekend.

Track activity will begin with practice and qualifying on Saturday, April 6th at 4:30 p.m. ET. televised on FS2. The 400-lap event will take place Sunday, April 7th at 3:00 p.m. ET and will be televised live on FS1. Fans can also listen in on the action live from Sirius XM and the Motor Racing Network.

No. 34 Long John Silver’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

DRIVER MICHAEL MCDOWELL:

“We have put effort into our short track program this year. We have seen the performance at tracks like Phoenix and Bristol with our Ford Mustang Dark Horse. Martinsville is a real tough track, but we’re up to the challenge this weekend.”

CREW CHIEF TRAVIS PETERSON:

“We’re looking to regain some momentum at Martinsville this week, Richmond did not go as planned and were hoping we got a lot of bad breaks out of the way. Martinsville is a very unique and exciting racetrack and were looking to forward to getting there. We have a lot of good notes from this track between our teammates and tech alliance that should lead to a solid weekend.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Layne Riggs and the No. 38 Infinity Communications Ford F-150

By
Official Release
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Martinsville (Va.) Speedway Competition Notes

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (April 2, 2024) – Layne Riggs returns to his grassroots heritage this weekend at one of NASCAR’s oldest tracks, the Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

Infinity Communications will make their Front Row Motorsports debut as they partner with Riggs for the 200-lap event. A longtime partner of Riggs, Infinity Communications is a recognized member of the National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE), Infinity Communications has built a diversified portfolio of experience including, but not limited to, erecting new cell towers, system upgrades, maintenance, power outages, generator support and storage, generator and fleet refueling, and disaster recovery.

After making his road course debut at the Circuit of the Americas, this weekend’s event is one that the 2022 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series champion has circled on his calendar. In 2023, Rigg’s finished 11th at the “Paperclip” after leading laps in the fall Xfinity Series event.

It’s a one day show for Riggs and the 38 team. Track activity will begin on Friday, April 5th with practice and qualifying at 3:00 p.m. ET. The Long John Silver’s 200 will take place Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcasted live on FS1. Fans can also listen in on the action from Sirius XM and the Motor Racing Network.

No. 38 Infinity Communications Ford F-150:

DRIVER LAYNE RIGGS:

“This weekend couldn’t have come any sooner. Words can’t describe how excited I am to race at Martinsville. Growing up in the late model scene, Martinsville was like the Daytona 500 for short-track racing. I know Dylan (Cappello) and the team will bring me a fast Infinity Communications Ford F-150, I just have to put it to the test and hone in on that grassroots mentality.”

CREW CHIEF DYLAN CAPPELLO:

“This is Layne’s (Riggs) bread and butter, there’s no other driver I would want behind the wheel. We’ve had been preparing for months to make sure we’re bringing him the best of the best and making sure we dot our “I’s” and cross our “T’s”. It’s go time!”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

BLAKE LOTHIAN PARTNERS WITH GGT ENERGY SOLUTIONS FOR MARTINSVILLE TRUCK RACE

By
Official Release
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MOORESVILLE, NC, April 2, 2024 – Blake Lothian announced today that he will be returning to Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for the Long John Silver’s 200. GGT Energy Solutions will join Lothian as primary marketing partner on the #20 Chevrolet Silverado of Young’s Motorsports.

“Martinsville holds a special place in my heart because I made my Truck Series debut there in 2022. I’ve been working really hard to return to the Truck Series, and it’s only fitting that my first race back is at Martinsville,” said Lothian. “I’m grateful to GGT Energy Solutions, the Wings and Wheels Foundation, Snow Belt MGMT and Young’s Motorsports for their support. This is just the beginning, and I can’t wait to get started this weekend!”

Founded in 2015, and with over 275 years of combined business experience, GGT Energy Solutions provides common sense energy-saving solutions built around an open-protocol, open-license integration framework that maximizes the capabilities of HVAC, electrical, lighting and other energy consumption systems. Whether it is excess energy usage from improper design, undefined operations and maintenance (O&M) programs, lack of temperature control, inadequate or inefficient lighting, a sub-par building envelope, GGT Energy Solutions helps organizations not only understand those issues but also develop a wide array of strategies to bring both problem resolution and sustainable, energy savings.

“We are thrilled to continue our collaboration and support with Blake Lothian,” said Sam Galbraith, Vice President of GGT Energy Solutions. “As a Driver Ambassador for Wings and Wheels Foundation, Blake exemplifies the Work Hard, Stay Humble attitude that we champion daily. Blake’s talent on the track is phenomenal but he also has been tremendous in bringing the racing community to the diverse children in our country. We’re excited to see what this opportunity will yield for our collaborative efforts as we bring racing to future generations.”

GGT Energy Solutions has long been committed to supporting drivers and racing teams at all levels, from grassroots to Cup. GGT Energy Solutions is actively working with multiple racing teams to identify savings opportunities which allows for further development in their performance on race day.

Lothian was named a Driver Ambassador for the Wings and Wheels Foundation in August. The Wings and Wheels Foundation strives to identify young talented drivers and help place them in a supportive environment led by professionals who have achieved a high level of success in the motor racing industry. As a Driver Ambassador, Lothian works closely with the foundation to promote and further its mission.

The Long John Silver’s 200 at Martinsville Speedway is on Friday, April 5. Coverage begins at 3:00 p.m. on FS1 for practice and qualifying, with the green flag dropping at 7:30 p.m. You can also catch the race on MRN and SiriusXM.

For more information on Blake Lothian, visit https://www.blakelothianracing.com or follow him on Facebook (Blake Lothian Motorsports), Twitter (@Blake_Lothian) or Instagram (@Blake_Lothian).

VIRGINIA NHRA NATIONALS TO FEATURE THREE QUALIFYING SESSIONS ON SATURDAY IN SHIFT TO TWO-DAY EVENT

By
Official Release
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DINWIDDIE, Va. (April 2, 2024) – NHRA officials announced today a schedule change for the upcoming Virginia NHRA Nationals, as all three qualifying sessions in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will now take place on Saturday, June 22, leading into eliminations the following day at Virginia Motorsports Park.

The two-day NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series event will feature three qualifying sessions on the same day in the professional categories (Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle) for the first time, giving fans an unbelievable day of action and excitement heading into Sunday eliminations at the ninth of 20 races during the 2024 season. Official times for Saturday’s three qualifying sessions and Sunday’s first round of eliminations will be released next week.

NHRA worked closely with the race teams to help offer a new experience for the fans at the Virginia event.

Racing action in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, featuring some of the sport’s top drivers, will begin on Friday, June 21.

This year’s Virginia NHRA Nationals marks the first NHRA race at the standout facility since 2022, as fans at Virginia Motorsports Park, regarded as one of the quickest and fastest tracks on the NHRA circuit, will also see the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge for the first time during the last two qualifying sessions on Saturday. The Challenge is a unique bonus event that brings competitive racing to Saturday and offers a bonus purse and bonus championship points.

Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) won during NHRA’s last appearance at Virginia Motorsports Park, capping off a record-setting weekend at the facility and giving fans a glimpse at what could happen in 2024. Racing on one of the smoothest surfaces on the NHRA tour, Force shattered the track record with a run of 3.654-seconds at a track-best 335.82 mph.

Reigning Funny Car world champion and Virginia native Matt Hagan of Tony Stewart Racing set both ends of the track record with an impressive blast of 3.853, also going 335.82, while Angie Smith broke track records in Pro Stock Motorcycle with a run of 6.756 at 201.37. Larry “Spiderman” McBride also captivated fans in Virginia in 2022 at his home track in Top Fuel Motorcycle, going 268.38 mph and making the fastest motorcycle pass in drag racing history.

Fans will also get a chance to see Pro Stock and defending world champion Erica Enders at VMP for the first time since 2019, as well as racing legend Tony Stewart, who is making his Top Fuel debut in 2024.

Along with action in all four NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series categories, fans can also enjoy racing in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock and Pingel Top Fuel Motorcycle, providing two days of non-stop entertainment.

To purchase tickets to the Virginia NHRA Nationals, visit www.nhra.com/tickets. For more information about the NHRA, including the 2024 schedule, visit www.NHRA.com.

About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

Headquartered in San Dimas, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 110 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

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