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Michael McDowell and the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops / Fleetguard Ford Mustang Team Homestead-Miami Speedway Competition Notes

TEAM AND RACE NOTES:

Michael McDowell and the No. 34 team return to the state of Florida, this time, visiting the Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway.

Fleetguard, a valuable partner of Love’s and Speedco, returns to McDowell’s Ford Mustang after last riding with the team at the Nashville Superspeedway.

Fleetguard offers a full suite of filtration products for nearly all makes of vehicles and equipment across the truck, bus, agriculture, construction, mining, marine and power generation vehicle, and equipment markets.

With a focus on advanced design and high-quality performance, Fleetguard heavy-duty filters give customers the ultimate protection for all their equipment. With availability in more than 45,000 independent aftermarket retail outlets globally, including approximately 5,800 locations in North America, Fleetguard products are available where customers need them and are backed by the competitive Fleetguard warranty.

Track activity will begin on Saturday with practice and qualifying at 9:00 a.m. ET. Sunday’s 267-lap race is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

COMPETITION NOTES:

After competing at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, McDowell and the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops/Fleetguard team sit 15th in points. McDowell is still fighting for the team’s best finish in a season.

McDowell has a career best finish of sixth at the 1.5-mile Homestead track.

CREW CHIEF TRAVIS PETERSON:

“I’m looking forward to this weekend. With only a few races left in the season, it’s really a tight fight for 14th, 15th and 16th in points. So, a lot to race for.”

DRIVER MICHAEL MCDOWELL:

“Our ultimate goal for this weekend is to win, but we also want to go for as many stage points as possible so we can end the season on a high note. We want to keep getting our team better.

“It’s awesome to see Fleetguard back on our Ford Mustang. It’s great that Love’s includes their partners in the race program. Hopefully I can make them proud.”

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.

Crowe Equipment Adds Pink to Sponsorship with Spencer Boyd

Mooresville, NC (October 17, 2023) – Crowe Equipment of Jasonville, Indiana has extended their partnership with Spencer Boyd adding to their years of sponsorship. The iconic yellow and black design that has been prevalent through the years will return with the addition of some pink recognizing breast cancer awareness month.

“The Crowe family has supported my racing career for a number of years and I’m so pleased to have their company back on board at Homestead-Miami,” said Spencer Boyd. “There are so many construction industry companies in and around our sport that it makes sense for Crowe Equipment to stay involved and relevant.”

Crowe Equipment has been serving a great need in the heavy equipment industry since 1991. Crowe Equipment sells new Cat surplus parts, used and rebuilt Cat parts, and whole equipment. Shipping worldwide, their inventory is unmatched and their turnaround times will have your job back on track quickly. Call 1-800-741-8792 for all of your heavy equipment needs.

The addition of pink comes along with a special passenger added to the name rail of Boyd’s No. 12 Chevrolet Silverado. Kay Crowe’s name has been printed above the driver door honoring the mother of Crowe Equipment’s owner, Scott Crowe, who lost her battle with breast cancer.

“Our family is so happy to continue our relationship with Spencer,” stated Scott Crowe. “He embodies our Midwest attitude of hard-working people that are the backbone of this great country. It is extra special that Mom is riding along!”

Crowe Equipment will be the primary sponsor of Young’s Motorsports No. 12 entry into The Baptist Health Cancer Center 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race is on October 21, 2023 at 12pm ET.

No. 10 Smithfield Ford Racing: Aric Almirola Homestead Advance

ARIC ALMIROLA
Homestead Advance
No. 10 Smithfield 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

● History at Homestead-Miami Speedway: In 13 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Homestead, Almirola has earned two top-fives and four top-10s.

● Almirola also has five Homestead starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with two top-10s and a best finish of eighth in November 2011, and three starts in the NASCAR Truck Series with a best finish of fifth in November 2010.

● Driver Standings: Almirola arrives at Homestead 22nd in the driver standings.

● Almirola’s career: In 457 career NASCAR Cup Series starts, Almirola has three wins, 28 top-five finishes, 93 top-10s, five poles, and has led 1,081 laps.

● Last weekend at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Almirola ran in and around the top-10 for the majority of the race and crossed the finish line 13th.

● Smithfield has been a sponsor of Almirola’s for the entirety of his fulltime NASCAR Cup Series career – making it one of the longest-lasting partnerships in NASCAR. Smithfield is an American food company with agricultural roots and a global reach. Its 63,000 team members are dedicated to producing “Good food. Responsibly.®” Smithfield is one of the world’s leading vertically integrated protein companies. The company has pioneered sustainability standards for more than two decades, including its industry-leading commitments to become carbon negative in U.S. company-owned operations and reduce GHG emissions 30 percent across its entire U.S. value chain by 2030. Smithfield believes in the power of protein to end food insecurity and has donated hundreds of millions of food servings to local communities.

● Beyond the 10 YouTube Series: In 2023, Almirola is continuing to share his life beyond the No. 10 Ford with season five of his award-winning YouTube series. Fans and media can subscribe on YouTube to see Almirola’s personality on and off the track. Episodes have already featured life as a dad, a husband and an athlete, and the show gives fans a unique perspective on what goes on in the life of a professional NASCAR driver. Fans can also follow Almirola’s social media channels: @Aric_Almirola on Twitter and Instagram, and @AricAlmirola on Facebook.

Aric Almirola, Driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

What has racing at Homestead over the years meant to you?

“Homestead for me has been a great racetrack. It’s really how I got my start to go Cup racing. I filled in for Richard Petty Motorsports back in 2010 and I finished fourth after running up front. That opened some people’s eyes. Sure enough, I got my first start in the Cup Series because of it. I do think about that when I go there. It’s got a special place in my heart. It’s also a race in my home state and the Miami area has a lot of Cuban heritage that I’ve enjoyed over the years. The food scene in Miami is always good. We usually venture downtown and find a good Cuban sandwich and coffee. Going to Miami in October to race is always fun because you get a tropic feel before heading to Martinsville, where it’s usually cold. Hopefully, we can unload with balance to run the top well and bring home another top-five finish and get the momentum going for the last two races of the season. These last few races are some of my favorite.”

No. 10 Smithfield Ford Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Aric Almirola

Hometown: Tampa, Florida

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer

Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Jerry Cook

Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Lead Engineer: Lee Deese

Hometown: Rockingham, North Carolina

Engineer: James Kimbrough

Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

Spotter: Joel Edmonds

Hometown: Dobson, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Ryan Mulder

Hometown: Sioux Center, Iowa

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White

Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard

Hometown: King, North Carolina

Jack Man: Sean Cotton

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Fuel Man: James “Ace” Keener

Hometown: Fortuna, California

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Chris Trickett

Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Jacob Cooksey

Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Tire Specialist: Russel Simpson

Hometown: Medford, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Steven Casper

Hometown: Salisbury, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

Zane Smith Debuts New Ambetter Health Scheme

Smith Heads to Homestead in Style with Miami Vice Scheme on No. 38 Ford F-150

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (October 17, 2023) – All the chips are in for Zane Smith and the No. 38 Ambetter Health Ford F-150 team heading to the Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway. Smith, the defending NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion, is facing a must-win situation to advance to the playoff’s Championship 4 season finale at the Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway

Going into the pressure packed event, Smith will be racing in South Florida style. Ambetter Health has designed a “Miami Vice” themed scheme that will debut on the track this weekend. The scheme has quickly become a favorite of Smith’s and has him feeling positive vibes going to the track.

“This scheme is really cool,” said Smith. “I want to thank everyone at Ambetter Health for giving us the best-looking truck at Homestead. The colors and style just feeds off the energy of Miami and I feel like we’re winning already.”

Ambetter Health is a health insurance offering that is available on the Health Insurance Marketplace, or exchange, established by the Affordable Care Act.

It is one of the healthcare programs provided by Centene Corporation, a leading healthcare enterprise. Ambetter Health is made available through local health plans and covers a wide variety of healthcare services, including preventive and wellness services, maternity and newborn care, pediatric services, mental health and substance misuse services, prescription drug coverage, and more.

Smith has been in a must-win situation to advance to the final four as recently as 2021 when he won at the Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in the final laps. His experience, combined with a win-only strategy, gives the team a focused goal on Saturday.

“It’s never easy to win these races, but it does make our strategy clear when you’re just going for the win,” said crew chief Chris Lawson. “Zane is the best out there when you put him on offense and that’s our mindset for this weekend.”

Track activity will begin with practice and qualifying on Friday at 4:00 p.m. ET. Saturday’s 201-mile race is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. ET on FS1.

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.

Ford Performance NASCAR – Homestead-Miami Speedway Advance

HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY NOTES

Saturday, October 21 – NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 12 p.m. ET (FS1)
Saturday, October 21 – NASCAR XFINITY Series, 3 p.m. ET (USA)
Sunday, October 22 – NASCAR Cup Series, 2:30 p.m. ET (NBC)

A Saturday playoff doubleheader featuring the NASCAR Craftsman Truck and NASCAR Xfinity Series highlights this weekend’s action at Homestead-Miami Speedway. That will be followed on Sunday by the middle race in the Round of 8 for the NASCAR Cup Series.

CURRENT CUP PLAYOFF STANDINGS

The Round of 8 continues this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway with Ford drivers Ryan Blaney and Chris Buescher both below the cut line. Here’s where they stand with two races remaining in the elimination round.

7th – Ryan Blaney (-17)
8th – Chris Buescher (-23)

NOTE: The Championship 4 field will be determined after Martinsville

CUSTER AND BRISCOE RETURN TO SCENE OF FIRST VICTORIES

Homestead-Miami Speedway is sure to bring back good memories for Cole Custer and Chase Briscoe, who both earned victories on back-to-back days at the track in 2017. Briscoe won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race to kickoff the weekend, marking the first national series victory in his rookie season while Custer dominated the NASCAR Xfinity Series race the following day, leading 182-of-200 laps to post his first career series triumph.

HOMESTEAD-MIAMI IS TOPS FOR HARVICK

Kevin Harvick is good everywhere on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit, but statistically Homestead-Miami Speedway is his best. Harvick has finished fifth or better in seven of the last nine events on the 1.5-mile track. In 22 career starts at HMS, Harvick has completed all but two of the 5,880 laps run during that time and has an average finishing position of 7.3. That includes 19 top-10 and 12 top-5 efforts.

FIVE-YEAR WIN STREAK HIGHLIGHTS ROUSH HISTORY AT HMS

Car owner Jack Roush has had his share of success on intermediate speedways, but his streak of winning seven times in nine years at Homestead-Miami is arguably one of the best. Kurt Busch won the organization’s first Cup race at the track in 2002 before Greg Biffle won three straight from 2004-06. That was part of a five-year winning streak that saw Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards go to victory lane in ’07 and ’08, respectively. Edwards eventually capped the run by winning for a second time in 2010. Since then, Roush has celebrated NASCAR Xfinity Series championships at the track, twice with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in 2011 and 2012, and once with Chris Buescher in 2015.

CUSTER OFF TO GOOD START

Cole Custer was strong in the Round of 8 opener last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway as he won Stage 1, finished second in Stage 2 and ended up third in the race. His 53 points were the most accumulated by any driver in the field and enabled him to go above the cut line where he now sits firmly in fourth place with a 15-point advantage over fifth-place Chandler Smith. Additionally, Custer closed the gap on those in front of him and now trails third-place Austin Hill by four points and second-place Justin Allgaier by six.

CURRENT NCTS PLAYOFF STANDINGS

The Championship 4 for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will be determined this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway with Ford’s three championship contenders needing a good day to advance. Here’s where they stand going into the elimination race.

6th – Ben Rhodes (-5)
7th – Ty Majeski (-19)
8th – Zane Smith (-36)

NOTE: The top 4 drivers will advance after Homestead

MAJESKI GOING FOR REPEAT

ThorSport’s Ty Majeski goes into this weekend 19 points out of a transfer spot for the Championship 4, but he heads to Homestead-Miami with a good feeling after winning last year’s race. Majeski led 67 laps in winning for the second time in his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career. That victory automatically put him in the Championship 4, along with Ben Rhodes and Zane Smith. Rhodes, who won the title in 2021, made the cut by one point after a sixth-place finish while Smith advanced for the third straight season and eventually won the title.

FORD’S NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS

AT HOMESTEAD-MIAMI

2002 – Kurt Busch

2004 – Greg Biffle

2005 – Greg Biffle

2006 – Greg Biffle

2007 – Matt Kenseth

2008 – Carl Edwards

2010 – Carl Edwards

2018 – Joey Logano

FORD’S NASCAR Xfinity Series WINNERS

AT HOMESTEAD-MIAMI

1995 – Dale Jarrett

1998 – Jeff Burton

2003 – Kasey Kahne

2006 – Matt Kenseth

2008 – Carl Edwards

2013 – Brad Keselowski

2017 – Cole Custer

2020 – Chase Briscoe (2)

FORD’S NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES WINNERS AT HOMESTEAD-MIAMI

1996 – Dave Rezendes

1997 – Kenny Irwin Jr.

1998 – Rick Crawford

1999 – Mike Wallace

2006 – Mark Martin

2017 – Chase Briscoe

Bass Pro Shops Racing: Martin Truex Jr. Homestead-Miami Advance

Martin Truex Jr.
Homestead-Miami Advance
No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry TRD for Joe Gibbs Racing

Event Overview

● Event: 4EVER 400 (Round 34 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 22
● Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 267 laps/400 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

● Martin Truex Jr., and the No. 19 team for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) set the tone for the season right out of the gate by winning the 150-lap feature in the non-points Clash at the Coliseum on Feb. 5 in Los Angeles. Truex won his heat race, then went on to lead the final 25 laps of the feature en route to a victory that gave him and the team much-needed momentum heading into the 2023 season. While the team was knocking on the door over the first 10 points-paying races, the breakthrough win finally came at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway on May 1, and Truex has added two more points-paying victories and four overall this season – June 11 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway and July 17 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon.

● Round of 8: Heading to the second race in the Round of 8 of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, Truex sits fourth in the standings with 4,071 points, three above the top-four cutline.

● Truex has one win, seven top-five finishes and 12 top-10s and has led a total of 377 laps in 18 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Homestead Truex’s average Homestead finish is a strong 8.4. His average finish there is second best among active drivers behind Kevin Harvick, who has a 6.8 average.

● Truex notched his Homestead victory in November 2017, when he led 78 laps and clinched his first Cup Series championship.

● 34 and Counting: Truex’s win at New Hampshire was the 34th of his Cup Series career, putting him in a tie with 2004 Cup Series champion Kurt Busch for 25th on the all-time win list in NASCAR’s top series.

● So far this season, Truex has scored three points-paying wins, nine top-five finishes, 16 top-10s and has led an impressive 841 laps through 33 races. To put the laps-led number in perspective, Truex led just 572 during the entire 36-race season in 2022.

Martin Truex Jr., Driver of the No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry TRD

What kind of comfort level do you have at Homestead?

“It’s a track I feel good about. Recent success is always important. Now (we’re back) racing with the NextGen car we got to race there for the first time (last year). That went really well and we were in position to win that race late and we had issues getting spun on pit road that took us out of it. Definitely have a lot of confidence going there with our Bass Pro Shops Camry. I feel like we have a good notebook from last year to go off of. It’s a place where I think we can make something happen.”

What do you like most about Homestead-Miami Speedway?

“Everything. That’s the kind of track I really like. You can run all over and it’s really low-grip and it wears tires out. You really have to manage your car and your tires throughout runs. Be able to move around the track and find lines that work for you. It’s a big challenge and I enjoy tracks like that. I love South Florida and love going down there. A lot of great fans. It doesn’t feel like fall when you go down there, it feels like summer, so that’s an added bonus.”

You are in your 18th fulltime Cup Series season and will be back next year for your 19th. What keeps you going and keeps you motivated with not many other drivers with your longevity currently left in the sport?

“The craziest part is just how fast it’s all gone by. Our seasons are so long and they feel like they drag on forever, but when you look back, so much has happened and I can’t believe I’ve been doing it for this long. I’ve been lucky to have some great teams and a lot of great success, and winning a championship was more than I ever expected when I started doing this. Still feeling like we are capable of doing more, so that’s what I’m still here for more. Just having a great team, and knowing we can win every weekend, keeps me going and keeps me hungry and continuing to work hard to be better every single weekend. It’s a difficult sport and you can have a bad year one year and then be better the next. You just have to stay focused. I’ve been able to do that and have a good team behind me, so I’m always ready to go to work each week.”

No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Martin Truex Jr.

Hometown: Mayetta, New Jersey

Crew Chief: James Small

Hometown: Melbourne, Australia

Car Chief: Chris Jones

Hometown: Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia

Engineer: Nick Burton

Hometown: Arvada, California

Engineer: Jeff Curtis

Hometown: Fairfax Station, Virginia

Spotter: Drew Herring

Hometown: Benson, North Carolina

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Ryan Martin

Hometown: Mechanicsburg, Virgina

Mechanic: Todd Carmichael

Hometown: Redding, California

Interior/Tire Specialist: Tommy DiBlasi

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Engine Tuner: Gregg Huls

Hometown: Beatrice, Nebraska

Transporter Driver: Kyle Bazzell

Hometown: Fairbury, Illinois

Transporter Driver: Eddie DeGroot

Hometown: Baldwinsville, New York

Over-The-Wall Crew Members

Gas Man: Matt Tyrrell

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Jackman: Kellen Mills

Hometown: Mesa, Arizona

Tire Carrier: CJ Bailey

Hometown: Outer Banks, North Carolina

Front Tire Changer: Lee Cunningham

Hometown: Leaf River, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Danny Olszowy

Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky

GMS Racing NCTS Race Preview: Homestead-Miami Speedway

Race Information

  • Round: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race no. 22 of 23 (Playoffs Round of 8)
  • Track Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway – Homestead, Florida
  • Race Name: Baptist Health 200
  • Broadcast: Saturday, October 21st at 12:00 PM ET live on FS1 (TV), MRN (Radio), and Sirius XM NASCAR Channel 90
  • Team Entrants:

No. 23 | Grant Enfinger & Jeff Hensley – Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet
No. 24 | Rajah Caruth & Chad Walter – Wendell Scott Foundation Chevrolet
No. 43 | Daniel Dye & Blake Bainbridge – Bull & Boar Barbecue Shop Chevrolet

Grant Enfinger, No. 23 Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet Silverado RST

Homestead-Miami Speedway Stats

  • NCTS Starts: 6; Poles: 1 (2018); Best finish: 2nd (2018); Top 5s: 1; Top 10s: 3; Laps led: 33

2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

  • Starts: 21; Wins: 3 (Kansas I, WWT Raceway, Milwaukee); Poles: 1 (Milwaukee); Stage wins: 3; Top-5s: 8; Top-10s: 11; Laps led: 232; Current points position: 5th (-3 to the cutline)
  • About Champion Power Equipment: Since 2003, Champion Power Equipment has earned a reputation for designing and producing the market’s finest power equipment. From our original headquarters in Santa Fe Springs, California, Champion has expanded its North American footprint to include facilities in Jackson, Tennessee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Toronto Canada. Today, Champion’s product line has expanded to include portable generators, home standby generators, inverter generators, engines, winches and log splitters. With over 2.5 million generators sold in North America, Champion is a market leader in the power equipment field. Visit ChampionPowerEquipment.com for more information.
  • Chassis History/Info: Enfinger and the No. 23 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 346 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This Silverado RST debuted at the beginning of the season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and has finished inside the top-10 in four of the five races that it has been raced. Enfinger took this truck to victory lane at Kansas Speedway for his first win of the year back in May.
  • Talladega Recap: Talladega was undeniably a difficult race for Enfinger and the Champion Power Equipment team. Grant was involved in numerous accidents on the day, wounding his No. 23 Silverado. The team fought feverishly to keep Enfinger in the race, and he was able to nurse it to the finish with a 13th-place result. With no stage points, this places the veteran fifth in the championship standings heading into Homestead-Miami Speedway.
  • Hensley at Homestead-Miami: Jeff Hensley has competed in a total of 18 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races at Homestead-Miami Speedway since 2004. Though he has not yet visited victory lane at the 1.5-mile track, his trucks have won two poles with Mike Skinner in 2006 and Grant Enfinger in 2018. He’s finished in the top-10 on eight occasions, including two runner-up results with Brian Scott in 2008 and with Enfinger in 2018, accounting for 87 total laps led. Hensley has also called four NASCAR Xfinity Series races from atop the box at Homestead, earning one top-10 finish at the first race ever held back in 1995.
  • GMS at Homestead: GMS Racing is still looking for its first win at Homestead-Miami, but the team’s drivers have had plenty of successful runs in the past. The team has seven top-fives and ten top-10 results in Miami, including a runner-up finish delivered by Tyler Ankrum in 2020. John Hunter Nemechek also finished sixth for GMS in the Xfinity Series race in 2019. The team has led for 83 laps in Truck Series competition, including a dominant showing with Kyle Larson back in 2016. Johnny Sauter was crowned the series champion in that race after posting a third-place finish, securing the first NCTS title for Team Owner, Maury Gallagher.
  • FearTheFinger Playoffs Profile: Entering the penultimate race of the season, Enfinger finds himself a mere three points below the playoffs cutline behind Nick Sanchez. He will look to punch his ticket to his second Championship 4 appearance on Saturday, with highlights of the year including three race wins at Kansas Speedway, WWT Raceway, and the Milwaukee Mile, where he most recently walked away victorious from the pole position.
  • Got a Copy?: Grant Enfinger will serve as this weekend’s “In-Race Reporter” for the FOX Sports 1 race broadcast, and will take viewers around the Homestead-Miami Speedway with several on-board camera angles from his Champion Power Equipment Chevy.
  • From The Drivers Seat: Homestead-Miami is one of the more unique intermediate tracks on the schedule, so what is the key to making speed here?

“I feel like everything at Homestead revolves around tire management. You have to have a vehicle that can still be aggressive though. All of our truck races, you have to push it hard on restarts, but the harder you push it early on in a run, the more you’re going to pay the price at the end of the run. It’s still a place where you’ve got to have track position, but there are multiple grooves there. There’s guys that have had a lot of success running up against the wall, but there’s also guys that have been able to win the race by just wrapping the bottom. But normally, the truck that’s able to win the race is one that can move around a little bit.”

Simple question. What will it take to move onto Phoenix this weekend?

“For our team in the situation that we’re in, I think we have to be a little bit more on the aggressive side. A little more aggressive than smart. I think we’ve got four of us within 12 or so points there. It’s going to be critical that we all get some stage points, and hopefully we can put ourselves in a position to win. We’re racing the same truck that we won Kansas with earlier this year, and Jeff and I like Homestead. I feel like it’s been good to us in the past. We’ve never won there; but we’ve had good trucks in the past. We had a good truck there last year, maybe not one that could contend for the win with, but definitely a solid truck nonetheless. We’re going to try to build off of last year and make it even better this year.”

  • From The Pit Box (Jeff Hensley): Three points is the gap heading into this weekend. How confident are you in your team to find these three points and advance to the Championship 4?

“Homestead has always been a pretty decent track for myself and Grant as a pair, so I feel like if we were going anywhere else, we might be a little bit nervous. But I feel like if we go down there and run in the top-five like we’ve done in the past; we’ve even won a stage or two there in the past; if we could go down and do that then we can control what we do. I’d rather be in the situation that we’re in now with only being three points out compared to last year going there 30 points out because of the crash in Talladega. You know, I feel good about it. If we were going to Phoenix trying to advance to Homestead, I might not be quite as confident because Phoenix has been a bit of a struggle for us.

Homestead in the past has always been a race that we could have won, maybe should have won, but have never won. But, we’ve always managed to come out of there with a good finish if we didn’t have any issues. I think we go do the best we can. You can’t control what everyone else does but we can certainly control what we do. We’ve just got to stick to our game plan and run our race and at the end of the day, we’ll count the points and see where we land, but Homestead has always been one of our better tracks.”

Rajah Caruth, No. 24 Wendell Scott Foundation Chevrolet Silverado RST

Homestead-Miami Speedway Stats

  • Rajah Caruth will compete in his first race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday.

2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

  • Starts: 21; Best start: 3rd (Nashville); Best finish: 6th (Darlington & Bristol); Top 10s: 3; Laps led: 1; Current points position: 17th
  • About the Wendell Scott Foundation: Founded in 2011, The Wendell Scott Foundation, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization inspired by Wendell Scott, Sr. and provides services such as job-skill training, STEM education opportunities, mentoring, and other supportive services to at-risk, underserved youth between the ages of 8-18 years in Danville, Virginia and surrounding areas.

The Foundation’s mission of using educational attainment to end racial disparities in education and health is vital in addressing economic inequality and improving future success in African-American communities. For more information, please visit www.wendellscott.org.

  • Chassis History/Info: Caruth and the No. 24 team will race with GMS chassis no. 302 in Homestead. Rajah has driven this chassis on several occasions this season, and has earned all three of his top-10 finishes while driving it. Finishes of sixth (Darlington), seventh (IRP), and sixth (Bristol) have been the chassis’ highlights in 2023, and it has one once before at Darlington with Sheldon Creed back in 2021. In two Homestead races, this truck has finished ninth both times (2017 with Justin Haley and 2019 with Creed).
  • Talladega Recap: Rajah and company had a fast Wendell Scott Foundation Silverado RST in the last outing at Talladega, but became victims of circumstance late in the race. An ill-timed push in the tri-oval sent the No. 24 spinning with less than 20 laps to go, hindering the speed with some front-end damage. The pit crew was able to thrash on making repairs to it, aiding Caruth to stay tucked up in the draft. They would be left with a 12th-place finish at the end of the day, salvaging the most they could with a battered truck.
  • Pretty in Pink: For the series’ only race held in the month of October, Rajah Caruth will pilot a specially-colored pink version of his Wendell Scott Foundation paint scheme. This is to align with the Breast Cancer Awareness initiative throughout the month. Riding along with Caruth as well as both of his teammates’ trucks will be several pink ribbons with names of the respective crew’s family members affected by breast cancer. GMS Racing has ran numerous “pink” schemes throughout the years, and has became part of a tradition for the race team.
  • Xfinity Series Las Vegas Recap: It was quite an eventful race weekend for Rajah Caruth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Starting from the back of the grid after a big moment in qualifying, Caruth would go to work from the 35th position. When another driver’s engine blew right in front of him, Rajah was sent careening sideways into the another car, but his Alpha Prime Racing crew was able to make repairs and keep him in the race. In his 10th NXS start of the season, Caruth brought the No. 45 Camaro home in 23rd. He will run the last two races of the season at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday, October 28th for Alpha Prime Racing, as well as the finale in Phoenix Raceway on Saturday, November 4th for Hendrick Motorsports.
  • Walter at Homestead-Miami: Chad Walter has made one CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at Homestead-Miami Speedway, producing a great result with Tyler Ankrum, who drove his GMS Racing truck to a second place finish. In nine Xfinity Series starts, Walter’s drivers have finished inside the top-10 three times, including a fourth-place finish by Sam Hornish, Jr. in 2012, a seventh with Hornish, Jr. in 2011, and an eighth-place result with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in 2008. His Xfinity drivers have led for a total of 10 laps.
  • Close Points Battle: The battle for 15th place in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series standings is heating up heading into the final two races of the year. Since IRP, Rajah Caruth has been clawing away at his points deficit, and now finds himself only one point behind Tyler Ankrum in 16th, and 18 points behind Tayor Gray in 15th. It will be an interesting race-within-the-race to see these three drivers battle for a top-15 points finish at the end of the season.
  • From The Driver’s Seat: You’ve been looking forward to racing at Homestead-Miami for a while now, so what about this track excites you?

“I’m pretty excited for Homestead because I’ve put a lot of emphasis on being able to run the fence this year – not only in a truck, but also in my Xfinity starts this year and even for the races that I’ve ran at Millbridge Speedway in a non-wing micro sprint car. I’d say that it’s safe to say that my confidence is high going to Homestead for sure, especially because we will take our same truck that we raced with earlier at Darlington, and we will also be on the same tire compound. With this facility known for having very low grip, I think that should fall into my wheelhouse. The expectations for our No. 24 Wendell Scott Foundation team are high, and hopefully we can capitalize on this opportunity to run well on Saturday.”

Daniel Dye, No. 43 Bull & Boar Barbecue Shop Chevrolet Silverado RST

Homestead-Miami Speedway Stats

  • Daniel Dye will compete in his first race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday.

2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

  • Starts: 21; Best start: 5th (Milwaukee); Best finish: 6th (Talladega); Top-10s: 1; Laps led: 5; Current points position: 18th
  • About Bull & Boar Barbecue Shop: Bull and Boar Barbecue Shop is your one-stop shop for BBQ grills, smokers, pizza ovens, rubs, sauces, charcoal, pellets, and grilling accessories. So what makes us unique? First, we will let you sample 99.9% of the rubs and sauces we sell to ensure you get the flavor you are looking to achieve. Everyone’s tastes and definitions of flavors are unique, so instead of just taking our word for it, we want you to try them yourself. We also carry as many local Florida flavors and Veteran-Owned products as possible. For more information, please visit BullAndBoarShop.com.
  • Chassis History/Info: Dye and the No. 43 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 348 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This chassis made its debut at Kansas Speedway in May, and Daniel has driven it in four races this season, finishing 13th at Kansas, 19th at Charlotte, 22nd at Nashville, and 23rd in the most recent race at Kansas.
  • First Top-10 Finish: Daniel Dye secured his maiden Truck Series top-10 finish in the last outing at Talladega Superspeedway, where he brought the No. 43 Chevrolet home in the sixth position. Elated with the result, Dye has found a new shot of confidence heading into the final two races of the season.
  • Home Race: The 2022 ARCA Menards Series Rookie of the Year has never raced at Homestead-Miami before, but this weekend feels like a homecoming of sorts for Daniel Dye. Growing up only a few hours away in Deland, Florida, Dye spent his childhood attending short track races that his father, Randy, competed in throughout the state. Ironically, last year was the first time that Daniel had been to Homestead, where he sat on top of Grant Enfinger’s pit box and studied the team. This weekend, Daniel will have a large contingent of family and friends who will make the trip south to Saturday’s race.
  • Bainbridge at Homestead-Miami: Blake Bainbridge has only made one start in his career as a crew chief at Homestead, but he made the most of it. Hosting Jamie McMurray as his driver in the 2004 NASCAR Xfinity Series race, Bainbridge’s team was able to finish in second-place. This weekend will see Bainbridge’s first Truck Series race at the facility.
  • Xfinity Series Las Vegas Recap: Over the off weekend in the Truck Series, Daniel Dye flew out west to make the second NASCAR Xfinity Series start of his career at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Driving the No. 44 Camaro for Alpha Prime Racing, Daniel would roll off from the 23rd starting spot. Midway through the event, Dye had a brilliant save as another car’s engine let go directly in front of him. Narrowly able to hang on, Daniel would continue to bring home a 21st place finish. His next Xfinity Series race will be at the season finale in Phoenix Raceway on Saturday, November 4th.
  • 2024 Plans Set: Announced prior to the series’ last race at Talladega Superspeedway, Daniel Dye has found a home for the 2024 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season. Dye will continue to drive his familiar No. 43 Silverado RST, but will make the transition over to McAnally-Hilgemann Racing following the conclusion of this year. His daily commute won’t have to change all that much however, as MHR’s race shop is housed on the GMS Racing / LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ campus in Statesville, North Carolina.
  • From The Driver’s Seat: How much of a weight off your shoulders did you feel when you were able to score your first top-10 finish last race, and how eager are you to return to Florida?

“I’m really looking forward to getting to Homestead. First and foremost, to race in front of my friends and family, as well as having Danny from Bull & Boar Barbecue Shop bringing along his family will be super cool. But yeah, finally being able to get a top-10 was definitely a weight off my shoulders. It was good to finally get that out of the way, and we’ve also been having some good runs in the Xfinity Series car the last few weeks. So, it will be nice to carry some added momentum from Talladega as well as the two Xfinity races I’ve made now into Homestead. On that note, I think that the Xfinity races that I’ve had will make me a better driver when I’m in the truck, so I’m looking forward to see what I can do now that I’ve ran a couple of mile-and-a-half tracks in a different car to see how it translates to our truck.”

ABOUT GMS RACING:

GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Truck Series operating the No. 23, No. 24, and No. 43 Chevrolet Silverado RSTs for drivers Grant Enfinger, Rajah Caruth, and Daniel Dye. Since the team was formed in 2012, GMS Racing has won five titles across multiple series, including the 2016 and 2020 NASCAR Truck Series championship, the 2015 ARCA Racing Series championship, as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA East championships. GMS has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. including operations for GMS Fabrication. The GMS Racing campus also houses operations for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, a team that competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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

United Rentals Racing: Ryan Preece Homestead Advance

RYAN PREECE
Homestead Advance
No. 41 United Rentals 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 / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Miami Vibes: With only three races left in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season, Ryan Preece and the No. 41 United Rentals Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) are traveling to the South Florida sunshine for Sunday’s 4EVER 400 presented by Mobil 1 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The 400.5-mile, 267-lap event begins at 2:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

● By the Numbers: Sunday’s race will be Preece’s fifth on the 1.5-mile Homestead oval, his most recent coming in 2021 when he started eighth and finished 21st for JTG-Daugherty Racing. Outside the Cup Series, Preece has four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Homestead with one top-five, two top-10s and an average finish of 15. In the 2017 Xfinity Series race, he started and finished fifth, and the following year he started 12th and finished sixth, driving both years for Joe Gibbs Racing. In his lone career Truck Series start at Homestead, Preece started on the pole and finished fourth driving for David Gilliland Racing last year. Sunday’s race will be his first at Homestead behind the wheel of NextGen car.

● About United Rentals: United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE: URI), the largest equipment rental company in the world, is back on the No. 41 SHR Ford Mustang, serving as the primary sponsor for the remainder of the 2023 season. The partnership began with the non-points Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum, Feb. 4-5 in Los Angeles. United Rentals has an integrated network of 1,449 rental locations in North America, 13 in Europe, 27 in Australia and 19 in New Zealand. In North America, the company operates in 49 states and every Canadian province. The company’s approximately 24,700 employees serve construction and industrial customers, utilities, municipalities, homeowners and others. The company offers approximately 4,700 classes of equipment for rent with a total original cost of $19.3 billion. United Rentals is a member of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, the Barron’s 400 Index and the Russell 3000 Index®. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. Additional information about United Rentals is available at UnitedRentals.com.

● Turns for Troops – Making Every Lap a Lap of Honor: Join United Rentals in supporting military veterans and families through the Turns for Troops program. United Rentals will donate $50 for each lap that one of its three sponsored drivers completes for specific races throughout the season. So far this season, Turns for Troops has raised $141,150. Preece has completed all 602 laps possible during the campaign in 2023, raising $30,100. This weekend, Preece has the opportunity to raise $13,350 if he completes every lap of the race. This weekend at Homestead, next weekend at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway and Championship 4 weekend at Phoenix Raceway are all Turns for Troops events. Funds from the Turns for Troops program go to SoldierStrong or Operation Homefront. Click here to learn more.

● Last Weekend: The Cup Series competed at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last weekend for 400 miles in the desert. Preece qualified 32nd and struggled with the handling of his car throughout Sunday’s race. He was credited with a 26th-place finish.

● Where He Stands: Preece heads to Homestead 24th in the driver standings with 566 points.

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 United Rentals Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

This is your first trip to Homestead since 2021. What’s on your mind as you prepare for your return to South Florida?
“Yeah, I’m looking forward to getting to Homestead. I haven’t been there in the NextGen car, yet, but I’ve had some really good runs at the track in other series, so I feel like I have a good understanding of the track. It’s a unique mile-and-a-half, so it’s hard to even compare it to the others we go to. The surface of the track is really worn, so you have to run that wall as best you can because that will be the sweet spot. The tire wear will be pretty substantial, so our team will focus on the tire strategy and taking care of our stuff. As always, we’ll want to qualify well so we can be upfront with track position just being everything.”

After Homestead, you head to Martinsville and Phoenix to close out the season. Would you consider Martinsville your best chance to make a statement after qualifying on the pole there in April?
“I think we have a chance every weekend and we have made statements throughout the entire season. Yeah, not every finish has shown that, but this team has worked really hard to get those positive finishes. It’s all coming together and that’s a product of the work we’ve done. From a track standpoint, Martinsville is one that I’ve always got my eye on. I’m a short-track guy and Martinsville earlier this season was really good for us. We won the pole and then just made a mistake on pit road. But we led a ton of laps and, if it weren’t for that mistake, I think we would have taken home that win. If we go there and do the same thing, we’ll be in victory lane and I’m super confident at that track. But, Phoenix was also good to us earlier this year, so we have a chance to end the season on a high note and we’re going to do everything we can to do that.”

As a proud United Rentals athlete, you’ve had the opportunity to make a difference with the Turns for Troops program. United Rentals donates $50 per lap completed to the program and, so far, you’ve helped raise $30,100. What does being involved in an initiative like this mean to you?
“It’s really special to be a United Rentals athlete and being part of all the things they do for military veterans and families. These races that are part of the program are even more special knowing that completing laps is also making a difference. United Rentals does a lot of work like this in the community and I’m really proud to be part of their team and have them on my No. 41 Ford Mustang. I’m looking forward to getting out there these last three races and representing them and all they do for SoldierStrong and Operation Homefront.”

No. 41 United Rentals Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Ryan Preece
Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Crew Chief: Chad Johnston

Hometown: Cayuga, Indiana

Car Chief: Tony Cardamone

Hometown: Bristol, Virginia

Engineer: Marc Hendricksen

Hometown: Clinton, New Jersey

Engineer: Scott Bingham

Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia

Spotter: Andy Houston

Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Devin Lester

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Rear Tire Changer: Kevin Teaf

Hometown: Tallahassee, Florida

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons

Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Jack Man: Kapil Fletcher

Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Fuel Man: Dwayne Moore

Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Joe Zanolini

Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Underneath & Interior Mechanic: Clint Leatherwood

Hometown: Rockmart, Georgia

Shock Specialist: Aaron Kuehn

Hometown: Kensington, Connecticut

Tire Specialist: Matt Ridgway

Hometown: Carrollton, Georgia

Engine Tuner: Jimmy Fife

Hometown: Orange County, California

Transporter Co-Driver: David Rodrigues

Hometown: Santa Clarita, California

Transporter Co-Driver: Charlie Schleyer

Hometown: Youngsville, Pennsylvania

All-female F1® Academy to race at 2024 Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix

  • South Florida Motorsports confirm all-female championship will support 2024 event
  • Miami International Autodrome to host round two of next year’s F1® Academy series
  • Miami unveils fan-focused Grand Tour Experience offering three different grandstand options

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – South Florida Motorsports (SFM), the organizers of the FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX, welcome the news the all-female F1 Academy series will visit the Miami International Autodrome, as a support event for next year’s race on May 5-7, 2024. The announcement was made following the confirmation of the F1 Academy calendar, with Miami set to host round two of the junior category next year.

Created in early 2023, F1 Academy is designed to develop and prepare female drivers to progress to higher levels of motorsport competition. Currently, five teams participate in the series featuring three racers in each, between the ages of 16 and 25. The drivers compete in Formula 4-spec Tatuus chassis powered by a 1.4-litre engine capable of 150mph. With performance figures of 0-60mph in 3.6 seconds the 15 identical cars offer the perfect proving ground for up-and-coming talent.

Now entering its third edition, the addition of F1 Academy reinforces the FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX as one of the must-visit races on the Formula 1 schedule, with over 240,000 fans descending on the Miami International Autodrome in the past two events — and next year spectators will get a new way to enjoy all the action with the launch of the Grand Tour Experience.

For the first time, three different perspectives on the exciting track action will be available to purchase via the one ticketing option. Spectators will be able to choose the grandstand they would like to watch Sunday’s race from and there will be an option to experience two different amazing views of the circuit from alternative grandstands on both Friday and Saturday.

The three options available for the Grand Tour Experience will be the action at the start at Turn 1 Grandstand, the high-speed challenging left-hander at the Marina Grandstands and the exciting overtaking zone at the end of the back straight, visible from the AutoNation Grandstand at Turn 18. Ticket holders also get to experience the general admission Miami Campus, which includes access to the 300 level of Hard Rock Stadium, to be able to view the F1 paddock Team Village, while also experiencing the incredible food and beverage options available in different areas such as Race Street, the F1 Fan Zone and the Marina.

“We are delighted to host F1 Academy in 2024 in addition to launching our Grand Tour Experience,” said Tyler Epp, President of the FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX. “We have been watching F1 Academy closely and are eager to support the initiative to develop the next generation of talent. Series such as this are extremely important in inspiring female participation in motorsport and we can’t wait to see how they perform next May. Plus we’re delighted that fans will get the opportunity to enjoy three different perspectives of the Miami International Autodrome next year with the launch of our Grand Tour Experience for 2024.”

“We’re thrilled that F1 Academy will be racing at the Miami International Autodrome next year as we expand our calendar and race alongside Formula 1 in 2024,” said Susie Wolff, Managing Director of F1 Academy. “The announcement of next year’s calendar demonstrates the depth of support for the series as we look to inspire a new generation of young girls to get involved in motorsport, both on and off track. Having a presence in the United States is extremely important to us, and Miami has established itself as one of the biggest events on the F1 calendar. I want to thank the team at Miami for their support and for sharing our vision to create a positive impact not just in our sport, but also in all the communities in which we race.”

For more information on next year’s event and to keep up-to-date with all the press announcements for the FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX, please visit the media site where you’ll find a selection of up-to-date stories and information about Formula 1, news about the 2024 race, and hi-res photography for rights-free usage.

Isuzu and Honda to Hold First Public Exhibit of Fuel Cell-Powered Heavy-duty Truck at JAPAN MOBILITY SHOW 2023

GIGA FUEL CELL being co-developed by Isuzu and Honda

Zero-emission, heavy-duty truck realizes range of more than 800 km/500 miles

TOKYO, Oct 17, 2023 – (JCN Newswire) – Isuzu Motors Limited and Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced that they will exhibit the GIGA FUEL CELL, a fuel cell (FC)-powered heavy-duty truck currently being co-developed by the two companies, at the Isuzu Group booth at the JAPAN MOBILITY SHOW 2023. This will be the first time the GIGA FUEL CELL will be shown to the general public. The Japan Mobility Show will be held from Saturday, October 28 to Sunday, November 5, 2023 at Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo Japan.

Isuzu and Honda believe that FC technology, utilizing hydrogen as fuel resulting in no CO2 emissions, will be effective to achieve carbon neutrality of heavy-duty trucks which are required to achieve high-efficiency transportation (with the capability for long-distance driving, large load capacity, quick refueling).

Since the signing of an agreement in January 2020 to conduct joint research on FC-powered heavy-duty trucks, the two companies have been working on the verification of the compatibility of the FC system and heavy-duty trucks and the establishment of a foundation for basic technologies such as vehicle control technologies.

The two companies are currently planning to start demonstration testing of a prototype model on public roads before the end of the current fiscal year (ending March 31, 2024) and introduce the production model to the market in 2027 by fully leveraging the technology, experience and knowledge gained through the joint research.

The GIGA FUEL CELL model on display at the Japan Mobility Show adopts the Lowdeck 8×4 rigid truck configuration, which is a typical configuration for trucks used for intercity transportation. Its range of more than 800 km/500 miles (Isuzu validation mode) makes the GIGA FUEL CELL a zero-emission heavy-duty truck with true practicality. Moreover, the GIGA FUEL CELL is equipped with an external power output function, so that it can leverage its large energy capacity unique only to FC vehicles, that use hydrogen as a fuel, and serve as “mobile power station” as needed, such as in times of a disaster.

Working toward the planned market launch of a FC-powered heavy-duty truck in 2027, the two companies will continue making progress in the development of product that fulfills the performance and conditions required for a heavy-duty truck and satisfies customers.

For more information, visit https://global.honda/en/newsroom/news/2023/c231017beng.html.