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Weekend schedule for Homestead

By
Angie Campbell
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NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 23, 2022 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

NASCAR travels to Homestead-Miami Speedway this week as the Playoffs continue. It will be the second race in the Round of 8 for the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series. With the win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last weekend, Kyle Larson claimed his spot in the Championship 4 round and will compete for the 2023 championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 5, leaving three spots up for grabs.

Xfinity Series driver Riley Herbst is also locked into the Championship 4 after winning last week at Las Vegas.
It will be the final race in the Round of 8 for the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series with winners Corey Heim (Bristol) and Brett Moffitt (Talladega) already locked into the Playoffs.

All times are Eastern.

NASCAR PressPass will be available throughout the weekend.

Friday, October 20

4:05 p.m.: Truck Series Practice (All Entries) No TV
4:35 p.m.: Truck Series Qualifying (Single Vehicle/1Lap/All Entries) No TV

6:05 p.n.: Xfinity Series Practice (All Entries) USA/NBC Sports App
6:35 p.m.: Xfinity Series Qualifying (Impound) Single Vehicle/1 Lap/All Entries – USA/NBC Sports App

Saturday, October 21

9:05 a.m.: Cup Series Practice (Group A & B) NBC Sports App/MRN/SiriusXM
9:50 a.m.: Cup Series Qualifying (Impound)
Group A & B – Single Vehicle/1 Lap/2 Rounds
NBC Sports App/MRN/SiriusXM

Noon: Truck Series Baptist Health Cancer Care 200
Stages 30/60/134 Laps = 201 Miles
FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
Purse: $689,963

3 p.m.: Xfinity Series Contender Boats 300
Stages 45/90/200 Laps = 300 Miles
USA/MRN/ SiriusXM/NBC Sports App
Purse: $1,433,590

Sunday, October 22

2:30 p.m. Cup Series 4EVER 400 Presented by Mobil 1Race
Stages 80/165/267 Laps = 400.5 Miles
NBC/MRN/SiriusXM/NBC Sports App
Purse: $7,634,143

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Race Preview: Homestead-Miami Speedway

By
Official Release
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Race Information
Round: NASCAR Cup Series Race No. 34 of 36 (Playoffs Round of 8)
Track Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway – Homestead, Florida
Race Name: 4Ever 400 Presented by Mobil 1
Broadcast: Sunday, October 22nd at 2:30 PM ET live on NBC (TV), MRN (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90

Team Entrants:

No. 42 | John Hunter Nemechek & Luke Lambert – Sunseeker Resort Team
No. 43 | Erik Jones & Dave Elenz – Allegiant Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Sunseeker Resort Team

Homestead-Miami Speedway Stats

-NCS: Starts: 3; Best Start: 4th (2022); Best Finish: 19th (2020)

-NXS: Starts: 2; Best Start: 3rd (2018); Best Finish: 3rd (2018); Top-5s: 1; Top-10s: 2; Laps Led: 52

-NCTS: Starts: 5; Best Start: 2nd (2015); Best Finish: 2nd (2015); Top-5s: 1; Top-10s: 2; Laps Led: 24

2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Season Stats

-Starts: 30; Wins: 7 (Auto Club, Martinsville I, Atlanta I, New Hampshire, Michigan, Kansas II, Texas); Poles: 2 (Darlington I & Darlington II); Top-5s: 16, Top-10s: 23; Current Points Position: 1st (+47)

About Sunseeker Resort: Opening in 2023, Florida’s newest luxury resort located in Charlotte Harbor is the first resort property of Sunseeker Resorts, a wholly owned subsidiary of Allegiant Travel Company. Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor occupies over 22 waterfront acres with 785 guest rooms, including 189 Signature Sunsuites™. Set upon the Peace River and Florida Gulf Coast, this premier resort offers 20 original food and beverage concepts; including seven stand-alone restaurants, eleven bars and lounges, two poolside offerings and a 25,000-square-foot multi-dining experience. Additional hotel amenities include a waterfront promenade, two unique rooftop and waterfront pool experiences, 60,000-square-feet of combined convention space, full-service spa and salon, a 7,100-square-foot state-of-the-art fitness center with four group exercise studios with specialty instructor lead classes, three retail and market shops, and an 18-hole championship level golf club exclusive to hotel guests only. The resort is conveniently located within a short drive of Punta Gorda, Fort Myers, Sarasota, St. Petersburg-Clearwater, and Tampa airports. For more information, visit www.sunseekerresorts.com. Follow us on Instagram: @sunseekerresorts and like us on Facebook: @sunseekerresorts.

Starting Early: Through a collaborative effort with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s current manufacturer partner, Chevrolet, and the team’s future partners at Toyota, a one-race deal was struck to place John Hunter Nemechek in the No. 42 entry at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Nemechek was signed to drive the No. 42 full-time in 2024 last month, and will now be able to gain some much-needed track time in the NextGen car before he assumes his role within the team next season. This will be his first Cup start of 2023, and Nemechek will run double duty as he continues his NASCAR Xfinity Series championship bid on Saturday.

Hocevar To Finish Season: Carson Hocevar, who has driven the No. 42 Chevrolet in six races, will return to the seat for the final two NASCAR Cup Series events held at Martinsville Speedway on October 29th as well as the season finale at Phoenix Raceway on November 5th. Hocevar is vying for his first Championship 4 berth in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series this weekend, where he enters Homestead-Miami 23 points above the cutline. His three Truck Series race wins at Texas Motor Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, and Richmond Raceway are tied for the most of any driver in the series. Hocevar will join Luke Lambert on top of the No. 42 pit box on Sunday as he continues to study for his upcoming full-time Cup debut in 2024.

Xfinity Series Points Leader: Nemechek has excelled in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season. Posting series-high totals of wins (seven), top-fives (16), and top-10 finishes (23), his Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 team has solidified themselves as one of the top championship favorites. Entering the 31st race of the year at Homestead-Miami, Nemechek has a 47 point gap to the cutline, and leads the overall standings by 26 over Justin Allgaier.

Homestead Experience: Nemechek has competed in 10 races across NASCAR’s three national series at Homestead-Miami Speedway, including three Cup Series starts, two Xfinity Series starts, and five Truck Series starts. Last year, he drove in a one-off Cup race with 23XI Racing, marking his only start to date with the NextGen car. He took to the car quickly, qualifying in fourth and driving in the top-five throughout the day. An early spin relegated Nemechek to a 27th-place finish, but the added track time was certainly a positive note. Prior to that race, he attended an organizational test session at the track, where he made laps for two full days which helped lay the groundwork for a solid weekend.

Luke at Homestead: Luke Lambert has worked 10 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Homestead-Miami Speedway in his career. He has had three top-10 finishes, including a second-place result with Ryan Newman, who would finish second in the championship standings in 2014. In his most recent Cup start at Homestead in 2021, Lambert’s driver Chris Buescher led for 57 laps. Two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts yielded two top-10 finishes for Luke, and last year, his No. 9 JR Motorsports team dominated, leading 127 laps en route to their eighth race win of the season.

Carson Appearances: Fans attending the 4Ever 400 Presented by Mobil 1 will have a few opportunities to meet Carson Hocevar:

LEGACY M.C. Merchandise Hauler Autograph Session | Sunday, Oct. 22nd: Carson will sign autographs at the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB merchandise hauler in the Homestead-Miami Speedway Fan Zone from 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM on race day.
Team Chevy Stage Q&A Session | Sunday, Oct. 22nd: Following immediately from his autograph session at the merchandise hauler, Hocevar will join fans at the Team Chevy stage and partake in a Q&A session from 12:00 PM to 12:15 PM.
Breast Cancer Awareness: As we enter the month of October, a team tradition that has taken place for many years will continue for the next two races at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Martinsville Speedway. Both LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ cars will carry pink ribbons onboard to honor family members of the respective car’s crew members that have been affected by breast cancer.

Quoting John Hunter Nemechek: How valuable will this race be to prepare you for next season, when you make your return to Cup full-time?

“I think having this opportunity will be huge for us. When I raced in the Cup Series before, it was with the older-style Gen 6 car, so I don’t have all that much experience with the NextGen car. There’s been so much cooperation to be able to pull this off, whether that be from between the manufacturers and both of the teams, and I’m really thankful that everyone was able to work together to make this possible. We’re not going to put much pressure on ourselves this weekend, but I’ll look at it more as a great opportunity to learn and prepare. I had a chance to run this race last year, but a lot has changed since then that I’ll likely still need to get acclimated. With the small amount of practice that I’ll have, I’ll definitely lean on Luke (Lambert)’s experience and talk in-depth with Erik (Jones). We still have a championship to fight for on Saturday, so I don’t want to take anything away from my No. 20 guys, but I am really looking forward to stepping in the No. 42 car for the first time this weekend.”

Erik Jones, No. 43 Allegiant Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Homestead-Miami Speedway Stats

NCS Starts: 6; Best start: 7th (2018) Best finish: 3rd (2019); Top-5s: 1; Top-10s: 1

NXS Starts: 2; Best start: 3rd (2016) Best finish: 3rd (2015); Top-5s: 1; Top-10s: 2; Laps led: 4

NCTS Starts: 1; Best start: 5th (2015) Best finish: 6th (2015); Top-10s: 1

2023 NASCAR Cup Series Season Stats

Starts: 33; Best start: 8th (COTA); Best finish: 3rd (Kansas II); Top-5s: 1; Top-10s: 7; Laps led: 24; Points position: 27th

About Allegiant: Las Vegas-based Allegiant (NASDAQ: ALGT) is an integrated travel company with an airline at its heart, focused on connecting customers with the people, places and experiences that matter most. Since 1999, Allegiant Air has linked travelers in small-to-medium cities to world-class vacation destinations with all-nonstop flights and industry-low average fares. Today, Allegiant’s fleet serves communities across the nation, with base airfares less than half the cost of the average domestic roundtrip ticket. For more information, visit us at Allegiant.com.

Vegas in the Rearview: Erik Jones started his day at Las Vegas Motor Speedway from 25th position. A cut tire during the opening stage posed a significant setback as Jones was running 15th at the time. Despite the repairs, Jones and the No. 43 team struggled to find competitive speed in the later stages, which resulted in Jones falling a lap down while the crew made repairs. Jones got the “Lucky Dog”, reclaiming his position on the lead lap, managing to work his way back into the top-20 as the race progressed. Ultimately, the No. 43 Allegiant Chevrolet concluded the day in the 28th position.

Truck Champ: Jones made history by becoming the youngest champion in the NASCAR Truck Series, securing the title at just 19 years, five months, and 20 days old with a sixth-place finish for Kyle Busch Motorsports at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2015. As of today, Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) holds an impressive seven owners championships and has produced two championship-winning drivers, Jones being one of them.

Best finish in Miami: During his most notable performance at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2019, Jones qualified 16th for the final race of the season. However, Jones faced a challenge in the first stage, coming close to falling a lap down. In the second stage, Jones made a remarkable comeback, surging into the top-10 and concluding the stage in the eighth position. In the race’s final leg, Jones continued his momentum, finishing third.

Dave at Homestead: Crew chief Dave Elenz boasts an impressive record in the NASCAR Xfinity Series during his tenure with JR Motorsports. In eight starts, Elenz coached five different drivers to one victory, five top-five, and five top-10 finishes. Notably, his win was with Tyler Reddick during the 2018 championship race, securing the title by a margin of over six seconds. Elenz worked alongside LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s 42 team Spotter, Earl Barban, during the race. This victory marked Elenz’s second Xfinity Series title, as he had previously coached William Byron to a championship with a third-place finish at Homestead to win the 2017 title.

Air Force Reserve: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB will host guests from Homestead Air Reserve Base and Robins Air Force Base at Homestead Miami Speedway this weekend. Erik Jones and the No. 43 team will honor the United States Air Force Reserve with a unique decal on the Allegiant Chevrolet for the upcoming race weekend.

Meet Erik: Fans will have the opportunity to meet Erik Jones as he will join Chevrolet Racing in the Fan Zone for a Q&A from 10:45-11:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 22nd, Jones will then head over to sign autographs for approximately 100 fans at the United States Air Force activation display starting at 11:10 a.m.

Quoting Erik Jones: “Homestead is a good place. It’s a track that we struggled at a bit last year, but I feel like our 1.5-mile stuff has gotten a good chunk better than our last trip. It is a tricky place. It is tough. It is slick and worn out, and you run against the fence, so there are a lot of things that you must do right in order to have a good day there. I like racing there, and I am hoping we can put together a good day to keep our momentum going.”

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB:

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (NCS) Jimmie Johnson. The club competes full-time in the NCS fielding the Nos. 42 and 43 Chevrolet Camaro entries, respectively, along with the No. 84 part-time entry for Johnson in 2023. Richard Petty “The King” serves as team ambassador.

In 2021, Gallagher acquired Richard Petty Motorsports and renamed the team to Petty GMS. With the addition of Johnson to the ownership structure in 2023, the organization rebranded to LEGACY MOTOR CLUB (LEGACY M.C.). With a unique title signifying a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for all motorsport enthusiasts to celebrate the past and future legacies of its members, while competing for wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level.

Based in Statesville, N.C., LEGACY M.C. operates alongside GMS Racing (GMS), which currently fields three full-time entries in the NASCAR Truck Series. Since the formation of GMS in 2012, Gallagher and Mike Beam, team president, have shared incredible success. GMS Racing captured the 2015 ARCA Racing Series championship, the 2016 and 2020 NASCAR Truck Series championships and the 2019 and 2020 ARCA East championships, accumulating over 65 wins across six national racing circuits.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Magical Vacation Planner Racing: Chase Briscoe Homestead Advance

By
Official Release
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CHASE BRISCOE
Homestead Advance
No. 14 Magical Vacation Planner Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: 4EVER 400 Presented by Mobil 1 (Round 34 of 36)

● Time/Date: 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 22

● Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway

● Layout: 1.5-mile oval

● Laps/Miles: 267 laps/400.5 miles

● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 85 laps / Final Stage: 102 laps

● TV/Radio: NBC / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 Magical Vacation Planner (MVP) Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), is set to make his third Homestead-Miami Speedway start in the NASCAR Cup Series during this Sunday’s 4EVER 400 Presented by Mobil 1. His best finish at the 1.5-mile South Florida oval was 19th, earned in 2021.

● There’s only one track on the NASCAR schedule where Briscoe has visited victory lane in both a truck and a car – Homestead. When he was driving fulltime for Brad Keselowski Racing in the NASCAR Truck Series in 2017, he finished the season on a high note at the track, leading four times for a race-high 81 laps en route to his first win in a NASCAR national series. The win elevated him to sixth in the Truck Series championship standings and earned him Rookie of the Year honors to go with that year’s Most Popular Driver award.

● The Mitchell, Indiana, native moved on to the Xfinity Series in a part-time capacity in 2018 before joining SHR fulltime in 2019. He totaled 11 victories in SHR’s No. 98 Ford Mustang in 2019 and 2020, eight of those coming with crew chief Richard Boswell. The pair spent the 2020 season making headlines with remarkable performances, and Homestead was the setting for one that won’t be forgotten. During a Saturday-Sunday doubleheader there in June, Briscoe overcame a tremendous amount of adversity in the Saturday race to score a solid seventh-place finish. He drove from nearly last in the 37-car field, having been forced to the pits before the green flag even waved for the 167-lap race after a piece of equipment fell off his racecar during the pace laps. He was five laps down to start the event, but drove through the field twice in the first 70 laps and used pit strategy to get back onto the lead lap for the seventh-place finish. Though Boswell was suspended for the Sunday event as a result the equipment issue on Saturday, the No. 98 team returned strong with Greg Zipadelli atop the pit box. Briscoe outdueled Brandon Jones in a two-lap dash to the finish to earn his third Xfinity Series win of 2020 by just .072 of a second.

● The 2020 win made Briscoe only the fourth driver to have won a Truck Series and Xfinity Series race at Homestead, joining Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne. If Briscoe can make his way to victory lane driving the No. 14 Ford Mustang this weekend, he would join Busch and Harvick as the third driver in history to win in all three of NASCAR’s national series at Homestead.

● Magical Vacation Planner (MVP), the primary partner for NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Briscoe and the No. 14 Ford Mustang this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, is offering the chance to win a four-day, three night Disney Resort package to one lucky winner and up to three of their guests. To enter, fans just need to follow three easy steps…

  1. Subscribe to MVP’s YouTube channel.
  2. Like and engage with MVP’s Facebook page.
  3. Follow MVP on Instagram.

After all three are completed prior to midnight on Saturday, Oct. 21, a winner will be chosen via a random draw on Sunday, Oct. 22. To learn more, click HERE.

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Magical Vacation Planner Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

We’ve seen guys who are really good at running the high line at Homestead. There was a time when if you could race the high line and stay up there, you were going to have a good shot at winning. Does that still ring true in the NextGen car?

“Oh yeah, it’s still typical Homestead. You’ll see guys right up at the wall and pushing that line. That’s what makes it such a fun track.”

You are one of four drivers to have won in the Truck and Xfinity series at Homestead, and there are only two drivers — Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick – who have won races at Homestead in all three of NASCAR’s top series. Is there something to be said for being one of just a few drivers who were able to find success in a truck, and Xfinity and Cup Series cars at one track?

“Homestead is a place where I feel like, as a driver, you can carry your car a little bit more, you can move around and figure out how to make more out of a car that maybe isn’t handling the best. It’s one of my favorite places to race. It’s where I got my first win in NASCAR. It’s a challenge but such a fun place to race, and to be on a short list with guys like Kyle and Kevin would be really cool.”

Sunday’s race is the 4Ever 400. What kind of impact has it had on your career to be a teammate to Kevin Harvick?

“Kevin’s had a huge impact. He’s always the guy I go to when I need an answer or advice, whether it’s a question about what to do in a racecar, or just in life, in general. I never thought, even five or six years ago, that I would ever be able to say I could call on guys like Tony (Stewart) and Kevin. I feel like not only can I count on them, but I am respected by them and they value my opinions. I don’t think I would have ever believed someone telling me that I would be at that point in my career. I actually would love to win this weekend, win the race that is named in Kevin’s honor. He’s only got three races left and I’m sad to see him go, but I wouldn’t mind having the chance to beat him in his own race.”

No. 14 Magical Vacation Planner Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe

Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell

Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Car Chief: J.D. Frey

Hometown: Ferndale, California

Engineer: Mike Cook

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Spotter: Joey Campbell

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala

Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Jack Man: Dylan Moser

Hometown: Monroe, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams
Hometown: Naples, Florida

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads
Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips
Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

Transporter Co-Driver: Todd Cable
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Rob Fink

Hometown: Mocksville, North Carolina

Kaulig Racing Weekly Advance | Homestead-Miami Speedway

By
Official Release
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4EVER 400 Presented by Mobil 1
Homestead-Miami Speedway
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Sunday, October 22 at 2:30 p.m. EDT on NBC

  • Kaulig Racing has made two NCS starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway and earned a third-place finish in the 2022 Dixie Vodka 400 with AJ Allmendinger.
  • So far in the 2023 NCS season, Kaulig Racing has earned one win at the Bank of America ROVAL 400, four top five and 12 top-10 finishes.
  • After earning a race-high of 46 laps-led in the Bank of America ROVAL 400, the team has led a total of 88 laps in the 2023 season.

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Campers Inn RV Camaro ZL1

  • AJ Allmendinger has made 11 NCS starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway and has earned two top five and four top-10 finishes.
  • Allmendinger’s best finish NCS finish on an oval in the 2022 season came at Homestead-Miami where he finished third.
  • So far in the 2023 NCS season, Allmendinger has earned one win, three top five, six top-10 finishes and has led 64 laps.

“We have really good memories from last year at Homestead-Miami; it was probably one of the most fun races in the Cup car. I think with this car, you don’t necessarily have to rip the fence the whole time. You’re able to maneuver to use the bottom, middle, and top of the racetrack. It was really cool to have a shot at the win last year and get my best mile and a half finish. I’m looking forward to going back. I gained a lot of confidence last year at this track and I think we can have a solid run again this year.” – AJ Allmendinger on Homestead-Miami Speedway

Justin Haley, No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1

  • Justin Haley has made two NCS starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
  • So far in the 2023 NCS season, Haley has earned one top five and five top-10 finishes, with a best qualifying effort of third.
  • Haley’s best finish of the season came from his runner-up finish in the first-ever race at the Chicago Street Course where he led 23 laps, the most he has led in a single race.
  • After completing the 2023 Coca-Cola 600 and Alsco Uniforms 300, Haley now holds the record for the most NASCAR National Series miles completed in a single day by any driver in NASCAR history.

“I feel really comfortable where our mile-and-a-half-track program is at right now. We have a good package to build off of, and we were really fast here last year. Hopefully we can execute and maintain a solid day.” – Justin Haley on Homestead-Miami Speedway

Contender Boats 300
Homestead-Miami Speedway
NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS)
Saturday, October 21 at 3:00 p.m. EDT on USA

  • Kaulig Racing has made 15 starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway and has earned five top fives, eight top-10 finishes and has led 91 laps.
  • So far in the 2023 NXS season, Kaulig Racing has earned four wins, six pole awards, 21 top fives, 48 top-10 finishes and has led 610 laps.

Daniel Hemric, No. 10 Cirkul Chevrolet Camaro

  • Daniel Hemric has made five NXS starts at Homestead Miami Speedway and has earned three top fives and three top-10 finishes.
  • Hemric has earned six top five and 16 top-10 finishes so far in the 2023 season.
  • The No.10 car currently sits seventh in the Owner’s Championship.

“The Homestead day race is one of my favorite places to run as a driver. Our car ran well on the bottom last year, and we have continued to work on running the top well. If we are able to, we will be up on the fence at some point, if not, we will play catfish all day around the bottom. I’m excited to have Cirkul back on the car and have another shot to get a win in the Xfinity Series.” – Daniel Hemric on Homestead-Miami Speedway

Derek Kraus, No. 11 Celsius Chevrolet Camaro

  • Derek Kraus will make his first start at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the NXS in the Contender Boats 300.
  • Out of his six NXS starts with Kaulig Racing, Kraus has earned three top-10 finishes in the 2023 season.

“I’m looking forward to Homestead this weekend; it will be really cool to have Celsius onboard for my first start there. I’m hoping we can have a solid day and get some momentum going for our final race at Phoenix.” – Derek Kraus on Homestead-Miami Speedway

Chandler Smith, No. 16 Quick Tie Products Chevrolet Camaro

  • Chandler Smith will make his second start at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the NXS in the Contender Boats 300.
  • Smith finished seventh in the 2022 race at Homstead-Miami after starting in ninth.
  • Smith currently sits 15 points below the cutline for the Championship 4 with one win, eight top fives and 12 top-10 finishes.

“Homestead-Miami Speedway was the first non-superspeedway track I ever ran in my NXS career, and it’s where I got my first top-10 finish, so it’s pretty special to me. We’re going to head down there with the same goal we have every week, which is to win and advance. We can only control what we do. If we can put in another performance like last weekend in Las Vegas, I think we have a decent shot to advance on points as well if someone in front of us struggles.” – Chandler Smith on Homestead-Miami Speedway  

 
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 with Justin Haley piloting the No. 31 Camaro ZL1, and an all-star lineup featured in the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. Haley will continue to drive the No. 31 full-time in 2023, alongside AJ Allmendinger, who will drive the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. The team will continue to field three, full-time NXS entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Hemric, the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by an all-star lineup, and the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by Chandler Smith. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

Stewart-Haas Racing: Homestead NXS Advance (Cole Custer | Riley Herbst)

By
Official Release
-

COLE CUSTER | RILEY HERBST
Homestead NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

  • Event: Contender Boats 300 (Round 31 of 33)
  • Date: Saturday, Oct. 21
  • Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway
  • Layout: 1.5-mile oval
  • Time/TV/Radio: 3 p.m. EDT on USA/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

  • Cole Custer heads to Saturday’s Contender Boats 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on a mission, first and foremost, to protect his position in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs. But the driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) also would love nothing better than to score a victory that would lock him into the Championship 4 two weeks early for Phoenix Raceway. Custer entered last weekend’s Round of 8 playoff opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway two points below the top-four cutline but drove to a strong, third-place finish and emerged in the top-four with a 15-point buffer ahead of fifth-place Chandler Smith. Custer qualified second at Las Vegas, won the opening stage of the race, and finished second in Stage 2 to accumulate 19 bonus points. He arrives at Homestead, a track where he’s excelled in his three previous visits, four points behind third-place Austin Hill and eight points behind second-place Justin Allgaier in the playoff standings. Current points leader John Hunter Nemechek is 32 points ahead of Custer.
  • Saturday’s Contender Boats 300 marks Custer’s fifth Xfinity Series start at Homestead. He finished first, second and second in his most recent three outings at the 1.5-mile oval after finishing 17th in his Xfinity Series debut there. His win, from the second starting position, came in November 2017 after leading 182 of the 200 race laps. It was his milestone first in the Xfinity Series driving the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang. Custer followed with back-to-back runner-up finishes in the November 2018 and 2019 season finales. Both results placed him second in the final championship standings. Custer has led a total of 292 laps at Homestead in his Xfinity Series career and has completed every lap he’s run there. He has an additional four starts at Homestead outside of the Xfinity Series – three in the NASCAR Cup Series and one in the NASCAR Truck Series. His best Cup Series finish of 22nd came in June 2020. In his lone Truck Series start there, he started second and finished 10th.
  • Custer isn’t the only member of the No. 00 Ford team who knows how to win at Homestead. His crew chief Jonathan Toney was lead engineer of team co-owner Tony Stewart’s drive there to the 2011 NASCAR Cup Series championship. Toney also served as an engineer for Custer during his 2017 Xfinity Series victory at Homestead.
  • Custer’s drive to championship contention came after a slow start to the season. He and the No. 00 team began their turnaround with their fifth-place finish April 1 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. That was the beginning of their streak of 11 consecutive top-10 finishes. Custer scored his first victory of the season June 3 at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway and added his second July 1 in the Inaugural Chicago Street Race, solidifying his spot in the 12-driver NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs. He opened his playoff run with finishes of fourth at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, seventh at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, and second on the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval. Those strong runs easily advanced Custer to the Round of 8, which he opened with last weekend’s third-place finish at Las Vegas.

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

  • Riley Herbst is now a NASCAR Xfinity Series winner as he heads to Saturday’s Contender Boats 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway after scoring his long-awaited victory in last weekend’s Alsco Uniforms 302 at his home track of Las Vegas Motor Speedway. After qualifying eighth, Herbst was sent to the rear of the starting grid for unapproved adjustments made to his No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang prior to the race. From there, a determined Herbst mounted a charge toward the front, finishing Stage 1 in 10th place, then passing teammate Cole Custer on the final lap of Stage 2 on his way to his second career stage win. Herbst then dominated the final stage, leading 102 of the final 111 laps of the race and crossing the finish line 14.959 seconds ahead of runner-up John Hunter Nemechek. Herbst’s margin of victory was the third largest in the Xfinity Series since Ford driver Jeff Burton bested Michael Waltrip by 10.493 seconds in the October 2002 race on the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway oval. Herbst’s margin of victory was also the largest by a first-time Xfinity Series winner since Mike McLaughlin beat Mike Wallace by 23.280 seconds in the June 1995 race at Dover (Del.) International Speedway.
  • With his first career Xfinity Series win checked off his to-do list, Herbst is focused on adding more as the season winds down at three of his better tracks on the NASCAR circuit. Consistency has been key for the No. 98 Monster Energy driver at Homestead. He has never finished outside the top-11 in four career starts on the 1.5-mile South Florida oval. The next race Oct. 28 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway comes at a track where Herbst has finished outside the top-10 just twice in six starts, with a best finish of third last October. And the season concludes Nov. 4 at Phoenix Raceway, where Herbst drove to best finishes of fourth in both 2021 races and again this past March, and has finished outside the top-11 just twice in eight career starts.
  • The Contender Boats 300 will mark Herbst’s fifth career start at Homestead, where his best finish of eighth came last October in the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang. He was 11th in the February 2021 race after back-to-back top-10s there in the June 2020 weekend doubleheader – 10th in the Saturday race and ninth in the Sunday race.
  • Herbst is driving for a team that knows how to win at Homestead. The previous driver of the No. 98 Ford Mustang, Chase Briscoe, won the second race of the 2020 doubleheader after a seventh-place finish in the Saturday race, and runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2019.

Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang

You’re heading to the second race of the Round of 8 and you’ve successfully put yourself into the top-four with your third-place finish last Saturday at Las Vegas. Do you feel like you have to win to make it to the next round?

“I don’t think we’re in a place where we have to win. The No. 00 Haas Automation team has had a ton of speed in the playoffs. I think if we keep managing our races, having good races, and doing what we need to do, then we can make it to the next round. There’s no reason why we can’t be in a good position on points to make it to the Championship 4. You saw that at Las Vegas last weekend, and I think after Homestead that we could be in an even better position. You obviously want to win, but you also want to look at the bigger picture.”

You scored your first career Xfinity Series victory in November 2017 at Homestead after just missing the Championship 4. Talk about your career at Homestead and if there’s any extra confidence because of your history there.

“Homestead has always been a strong place for the Stewart-Haas Racing Xfinity Series team. Having my first win there was big, but also we’ve been consistently racing for the win at this track. We’re always in the fight to win. I think we just have a good package for this track and on mile-and-a-halves, in general. Hopefully we continue that this weekend. It’s a place that I’ve always been comfortable with and somewhere where you really have to search around the track to find grip and figure out what line works best for your car. It’s a lot of fun for myself as a driver.”

Riley Herbst, Driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

You’re officially a NASCAR Xfinity Series winner. From the beginning of the season, you’ve said that winning was your goal for the 2023 season. How does it feel to finally park your No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang in victory lane?

“It feels great. To get my first victory is more than I could even imagine. On top of that, to get my first win in my hometown just meant that much more. I was in front of all the family and friends who supported me throughout the years, on top of the team that helped me keep my head up when I was down. Everybody said I can’t do it, I wouldn’t do it, that I won’t win in the Xfintiy Series, that I wasn’t good enough. I proved them wrong. I just flat out beat them. I’m proud of myself and how far I’ve come as a driver. I can’t thank Monster Energy, Stewart-Haas Racing, and the No. 98 team enough for never giving up on me. They were there for me when no one else was.”

Homestead has been a strong track for you. Coming off your win at Las Vegas, another intermediate track, does that boost your and the team’s confidence for what can come from this weekend’s race?

“It definitely gives us a confidence boost, but at the same time we take it one race at a time. Homestead is an intermediate track like Las Vegas, but it’s still different. I’ve run well at Homestead in my career, but it’s a good track for a lot of people in the Xfinity Series. I’m hoping that we can take the notes from last week and the notes from the team’s history there to run up front. I have no doubt in my mind that we can contend for the win. We just have to put another great race together.”

Lawless Alan – Baptist Health Cancer Care 200 Race Advance

By
Official Release
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Baptist Health Cancer Care 200 | Homestead-Miami Speedway (134 laps / 201 miles)
Saturday, October 21 | Homestead, Fla. | 12:00 p.m. ET
TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Team: No. 45 AUTODockit Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Lawless Alan (Los Angeles, California) | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
Follow the Team: Twitter: @NieceMotorsport | Instagram: @NieceMotorsports | Facebook: /NieceMotorsports | Web: www.niecemotorsports.com
Follow Lawless Alan: Twitter: @lawlessalan25 | Instagram: @lawless_alan | Facebook: /LawlessAlanRacing | Web: www.lawlessalanracing.com

Talladega Recap: With no practice before qualifying, Lawless Alan’s first laps of the weekend were turned during qualifying. Alan and the No. 45 team qualified the AUTOParkit Chevrolet in the 21st-position for the afternoon race at Talladega Superspeedway. Alan ran a clean race and avoided the accidents, bringing home a career-best 10th-place finish.

Alan on Last Race at Talladega Superspeedway: “I’m really proud of this whole AUTOParkit team,” said Alan. “We ran a clean race and avoided the chaos. We knew it would be a matter of keeping our nose clean to be around at the end. We stuck to our plan and had a solid result to show for it.”

Alan on Saturday’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway: “I’m excited to get to Homestead this weekend,” said Alan. “We’re coming off a solid finish at Talladega, and I’d love to continue to build on that momentum this weekend. I know we’ll have a strong AUTODockit Chevrolet. I’m hopeful that we’ll get some laps under our belt in practice and have a solid qualifying lap to put us in a good spot on Saturday afternoon.”

By the Numbers: Alan will make his second NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday.

On the Truck: The No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado will carry the AUTODockit colors this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. AUTODockit delivers fully automated boat storage. Boats are safely stored indoors in a rack and rail system, protected within a site-specific hurricane-protected structure.

About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2023, Niece Motorsports enters its eighth 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.

Media Inquiries: media@niecemotorsports.com | www.niecemotorsports.com

About AUTODockit:
AUTODockit delivers fully automated boat storage. Boats are safely stored indoors in a rack and rail system, protected within a site-specific hurricane-protected structure. Vessels are placed in Rack Storage structures of unoccupied space driven by industrial automation technology. AUTODockit uses the same trusted and proven modular scalable architecture from AUTOParkit™ a market leader in Autonomous Parking Systems. AUTODockit uses all electric motors and does NOT use forklifts, overhead cranes, robotics, hydraulics, or pneumatics. Travel lanes are significantly reduced in AUTODockit sites allowing increased storage capacity and maximizing revenue.

AUTODockit provides two solutions: Coastal and Inland. AUTODockit Costal lifts boats directly from the water while AUTODockit Inland is for trailered boats.

About AUTOParkit:
AUTOParkit™ designs, manufactures, and constructs fully automated parking systems for new and existing buildings. AUTOParkit system structural steel and modular design can provide double the capacity of a traditional parking garage, providing up to 17 LEED points and drastically reducing construction time.

AUTOParkit automated systems are 40 percent less expensive to operate, safer for the user and reduces carbon emissions associated with parking by more than 80 percent. AUTOParkit’s charging pallets provided by AUTOChargit, are a fast and convenient way of charging EVs and Hybrids. AUTOChargit’s patented technology allows for shuffling charged vehicles cutting infrastructure costs by up to 80 percent.

For more information on AUTOParkit, visit www.autoparkit.com

About AUTOChargit:
AUTOChargit designs, manufactures and installs EV charging systems for automated and conventional parking applications. AUTOChargit can decrease capital expenditures by up to 75 percent by providing automated coupling and decoupling of EV charging stalls from the power source. For conventional parking applications, a single 40-AMP circuit coupled with a single AUTOChargit System can be multiplexed to four, eight, or 12 stalls. Each charging stall is individually metered for the exact tracking of electricity usage. The AUTOParkit Mobile APP provides a touchless experience for the user.

Bayley Currey – Baptist Health Cancer Care 200 Race Advance

By
Official Release
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Baptist Health Cancer Care 200 | Homestead-Miami Speedway (134 laps / 201 miles)
Saturday, October 21 | Homestead, Fla. | 12:00 p.m. ET
TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Team: No. 41 Unishippers 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/

Talladega Recap: Bayley Currey and the No. 41 Unishippers Chevrolet took to the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway for the first time on Saturday morning for qualifying. The No. 41 lined up 27th to start the afternoon’s race. Currey battled for position in the pack until an accident on Lap 60 ended his day early. The No. 41 was credited with a 31st-place finish.

Currey on Last Race at Talladega Superspeedway: “That was a disappointing way to end our day,” said Currey. “I know we had a fast Unishippers Chevrolet, but unfortunately we didn’t get the result to show for it. I’m looking forward to rebounding in Homestead.”

Currey on Saturday’s Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway: “Homestead is a fun track to race at,” said Currey. “Things are definitely a little more in the driver’s hands than at a track like Talladega. I know we’ll have a fast Unishippers Chevrolet on Saturday. I’m looking forward to putting together a solid day with this 41 team.”

By The Numbers: Currey will make his second NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday afternoon. His most recent Truck Series start at the Florida track came in 2017. Currey also has four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Homestead, with his best finish of 13th coming last season.

On the Truck: Currey’s No. 41 Unishippers Chevrolet Silverado will race with support from the WWEX Group of brands, which comprises Worldwide Express, Unishippers and GlobalTranz, and offers full-service logistics expertise to more than 115,000 customers across the country.

About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2023, Niece Motorsports enters its eighth 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.

Media Inquiries: media@niecemotorsports.com | www.niecemotorsports.com

About WWEX Group:
The WWEX Group of brands, which comprises Worldwide Express, GlobalTranz and Unishippers, offers full-service logistics expertise to more than 121,000 customers across the country. With access to industry-leading small package, truckload, less-than-truckload and managed transportation solutions, its customers benefit from enhanced visibility and value for their supply chains. The company is the second-largest privately held freight brokerage and largest non-retail UPS Authorized Reseller® in the U.S., with an annual systemwide revenue nearing $5 billion through a network of company-owned, franchise and agent locations. A highly selective carrier portfolio, proprietary technology, unique data assets and business intelligence capabilities provide clients with unmatched options and flexibility to meet their shipping needs. To learn more about WWEX Group, visit www.wwexgroup.com.

Carson Hocevar – Baptist Health Cancer Care 200 Race Advance

By
Official Release
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Baptist Health Cancer Care 200 | Homestead-Miami Speedway (134 laps / 201 miles)
Saturday, October 21 | Homestead, Fla. | 12:00 p.m. ET
TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Team: No. 42 Worldwide Express Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Carson Hocevar (Portage, Michigan) | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Follow the Team: Twitter: @NieceMotorsport | Instagram: @NieceMotorsports | Facebook: /NieceMotorsports | Web: www.niecemotorsports.com
Follow Carson Hocevar: Twitter: @CarsonHocevar | Instagram: @CarsonHocevar | Facebook: /carsonhocevarracing | Web: www.CarsonHocevar.com

Talladega Recap: Carson Hocevar and the No. 42 Worldwide Express team advanced to the second round of qualifying at Talladega Superspeedway, ultimately ending with a seventh-place starting position for the afternoon’s race. Hocevar battled toward the front of the pack early, taking the lead for the first time on Lap 32. Hocevar ran a clean race, until being collected in the ‘Big One’ with just a handful of laps left. With minimal damage and four fresh tires, Hocevar rebounded to 11th.

Hocevar on Last Race at Talladega Superspeedway: “After the last two seasons at Talladega, I’m relieved to come out of there with an 11th-place finish in our Worldwide Express Chevrolet,” said Hocevar. “It was a wild one out there, but this finish puts us in a good spot heading to Homestead.”

The ‘Round of 8’: Saturday’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway marks the final race in the ‘Round of 8’ in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series playoffs. The top four drivers will advance to the ‘Championship 4’ in the final race of the season at Phoenix Raceway. Hocevar and the No. 42 Worldwide Express team currently rank second in the playoff standings, 23 points above the cutline.

Hocevar on Saturday’s Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway: “I’m pumped to get to Homestead with our Worldwide Express Chevrolet and this Niece Motorsports group,” said Hocevar. “We’ve battled hard all season long and I feel like we are in a good spot heading into the last race of this round. We need to be smart and run a clean race. I know this group has been working hard on our Chevrolet, so I know we’ll have a strong piece this weekend.”

By The Numbers: In one previous Truck Series start at Homestead-Miami Speedway, which came last season, Hocevar started 22nd and finished the day in 12th.

On the Truck: Hocevar’s No. 42 Worldwide Express Chevrolet Silverado will race with support from the WWEX Group of brands, which comprises Worldwide Express, Unishippers and GlobalTranz, and offers full-service logistics expertise to more than 115,000 customers across the country.

About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2023, Niece Motorsports enters its eighth 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.

Media Inquiries: media@niecemotorsports.com | www.niecemotorsports.com

About WWEX Group:
The WWEX Group of brands, which comprises Worldwide Express, GlobalTranz and Unishippers, offers full-service logistics expertise to more than 121,000 customers across the country. With access to industry-leading small package, truckload, less-than-truckload and managed transportation solutions, its customers benefit from enhanced visibility and value for their supply chains. The company is the second-largest privately held freight brokerage and largest non-retail UPS Authorized Reseller® in the U.S., with an annual systemwide revenue nearing $5 billion through a network of company-owned, franchise and agent locations. A highly selective carrier portfolio, proprietary technology, unique data assets and business intelligence capabilities provide clients with unmatched options and flexibility to meet their shipping needs. To learn more about WWEX Group, visit www.wwexgroup.com.

Eckes returns to McAnally-Hilgemann Racing for 2024 Truck Series season

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Mitchell Pavel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Christian Eckes will retain full-time driving responsibilities of the No. 19 Chevrolet Silverado RST for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for the 2024 season.

The news comes as the 22-year-old Eckes from Greenville, New York, is currently embarking in his third full-time campaign in the Truck circuit and first with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. Embarking on a career year, he has notched a career-high three victories, three poles, nine top-five results, 12 top-10 results, 315 laps led and an average-finishing result of 11.2 through 21-scheduled starts. He is also one of eight competitors currently contending for one of four Championship 4 round spots in this year’s Truck Series Playoffs as he is nine points above the top-four cutline approaching this weekend’s Round of 8 finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

In addition to Eckes, Charles Denike, who joined McAnally-Hilgemann Racing midway into the 2022 season, will remain as the crew chief of the No. 19 entry that will continue to be sponsored by NAPA Auto Care.

“I’m very excited to return to the No. 19 Silverado next season with Charles [Denike] and our entire NAPA Auto Care team,” Eckes said. “Our current main priority is trying to cap 2023 off with a championship, but having the opportunity to build upon our successes and continue growing MHR is something I’m really looking forward to in 2024. It’s been a pleasure to work with the NAPA store owners, NAPA shop owners, suppliers, and everyone in the NAPA Network. I’m thrilled to continue that relationship, and ready for another great year with all our amazing partners.”

Eckes, the 2019 ARCA Menards Series champion and winners of the 2016 Snowball Derby and Myrtle Beach 400 events, made his inaugural presence in the Truck Series at Iowa Speedway in June 2018, where he piloted the No. 46 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota Tundra to an impressive eighth-place finish in his debut. He proceeded to make three additional Truck starts for KBM throughout the 2018 season, where he earned two additional top-10 results, before making eight starts in the No. 51 KBM entry in 2019. After notching three poles, three top-five results, four top-10 results and playing a key hand in delivering the owner’s championship for KBM in 2019, Eckes graduated to a full-time Truck role in KBM’s No. 18 entry for the 2020 season.

Despite making the 2020 Truck Playoffs and finishing in eighth place in the final standings in a season where he accumulated seven top-five results, 11 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 12.3, Eckes was released by KBM at season’s end. He ended up joining ThorSport Racing on a part-time basis in 2021, where he recorded two top-10 results in his first eight starts. Then at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in September 2021, Eckes led the final four laps en route to his first Truck Series career victory as part of a historic 1-2-3-4 finish for ThorSport Racing. He remained with ThorSport as a full-time competitor in 2022, where he achieved eight top-five results, 15 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 10.9. He also made the 2022 Truck Playoffs before settling in eighth place in the final standings.

This season, Eckes, who transitioned from ThorSport to McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, claimed his first Truck victory of 2023 and the second of his career at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March. He proceeded to win at Darlington Raceway in May before achieving his third and latest victory to date at Kansas Speedway in September. He is coming off a runner-up result at Bristol Motor Speedway and a 19th-place run at Talladega Superspeedway throughout the Playoffs Round of 8 as he aims to make the Championship 4 round and contend for his first Truck Series title.

Through 89 current starts in the Truck Series, Eckes has achieved four victories, six poles, 29 top-five results, 50 top-10 results, 735 laps led and an average-finishing result of 11.7.

“Christian coming in has been a major boost to elevate our race team to another level,” Bill McAnally, owner of McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, added. “To have the success we’ve had this season is even sweeter when you can share it with long-time partners like NAPA and all the owners, customers, and suppliers nationwide. We’re excited and looking forward to keeping the No. 19 group together next season, but we want to finish the job this season in Phoenix for everyone in the NAPA Network.”

Eckes’ confirmation of returning to McAnally-Hilgemann Racing completes another missing piece to the team’s lineup for the 2024 season and it comes nearly a month after Daniel Dye announced his move to the team for the upcoming Truck season. It also comes two days after current competitor Jake Garcia took to social media to announce his plans of leaving the team at this season’s conclusion.

With his plans for the 2024 season set, Eckes’ next Truck Series scheduled start is set to occur this Saturday, October 21, at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the Round of 8 finale. The event’s broadcast time is slated to occur at noon ET on FS1.

Toyota Racing – Weekly Preview – 10.18.23

By
Official Release
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This Week in Motorsports: October 16 – 22, 2023

· NCS/NXS/NCTS: Homestead-Miami Speedway – October 20-22
· ARCA WEST: Madera Speedway – October 21

PLANO, Texas (October 18, 2023) – NASCAR’s three national series head to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the final intermediate track of the season. All three series continue their Playoffs’ Round of 8, with this weekend serving as the cutoff race for the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series before the Championship 4. ARCA West heads to Madera Speedway in the penultimate race of its season.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS | NCTS

Toyota drivers right around Playoff cutline … After Sunday’s race in Las Vegas, the four remaining Toyota Playoff drivers are slightly above or below the points cutline as the Cup Series Round of 8 continues. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. are on the right side of the line, both two points above. Their teammate, Christopher Bell, and 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick come into Miami with ground to gain, as Bell is two points below the cutline and Reddick 16 under.

One more to 500 … After Bell’s blistering pole at Las Vegas last weekend, Toyota now stands one pole position away from 500 in NASCAR competition. The first Toyota pole came at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2004 in the Truck Series from David Reutimann. Last weekend’s pole was also Bell’s sixth of the season and the 10th of his career. The Norman, Oklahoma, native has the most poles in the Cup Series this season, and Toyota added another to its manufacturer-leading total (14) on the season.

A second HOMEstead for Toyota drivers … Homestead-Miami Speedway is a favorable circuit for the Toyota Cup Series drivers. Of the notable statistics at the South Florida track, Truex Jr. has finished in the top-10 in six of the last seven races; Hamlin has six of the last eight poles to go along with three career wins; Reddick has two top-fives in three Cup starts, along with two Xfinity Series wins (2018 and 2019); and Bubba Wallace won the 2014 Truck Series race.

Xfinity Series Playoff drivers in the thick of championship hunt … With a second-place finish last weekend, John Hunter Nemechek extended his buffer over the points cutline to 47 with two races remaining in the Xfinity Series Round of 8. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver still stands atop the points standings, 26 points in front of second place. His teammate, Sammy Smith, is currently seventh in the standings, 35 points below the cutline.

Nemechek continues impressive Playoff run … Having solid, consistent finishes is key to advancing in the Playoffs, which is exactly what Nemechek is doing in the 2023 Xfinity Series Playoffs. The 26-year-old has six consecutive top-10s heading into Homestead this weekend, which includes his Kansas and Texas victories. A win this week or next in Martinsville clinches him into the Championship 4 at Phoenix.

Truck Series Playoffs resume … After a three-week break, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series continues its Round of 8 at Homestead. Toyota driver, Corey Heim, has already clinched his way to the Championship 4 with his win at Bristol in September. The TRICON Garage driver, who announced on Monday that he will return to the team in 2024, has this week to get through before the championship race in Phoenix in two weeks.

Favorable circuit for Friesen … Halmar-Friesen’s Stewart Friesen has performed well over the years at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The 40-year-old Canadian has three career top-10s at the South Florida speedway to go along with a pole in 2019. Another top-10 at this track would be Friesen’s seventh of the 2023 season.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA West

Hingorani continues points lead with two races remaining … Ahead of this weekend’s ARCA Menards Series West race at Madera Speedway, Sean Hingorani has the championship lead. This will be Hingorani’s first start at Madera Speedway as he seeks his fifth win of the season.

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 24 electrified options.

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