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GMS Racing NCTS Race Preview: Kansas Speedway II

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Official Release
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Race Information

  • Round: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race No. 19 of 23 (Playoffs Round of 10)
  • Track Location: Kansas Speedway – Kansas City, Kansas
  • Race Name: Kansas Lottery 200
  • Broadcast: Friday, September 8th at 9:00 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 – Race To Stop Suicide Chevrolet

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

Kansas Speedway Stats

  • NCTS Starts: 10; Wins: 1 (Spring, 2023); Best start: 3rd; Top 5s: 6; Top 10s: 8; Laps led: 128
  • ARCA Starts: 7; Best start: 2nd; Best finish: 3rd (four times); Top 5s: 4; Top 10s: 4; Laps led: 28

2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

  • Starts: 18; Wins: 3 (Kansas I, WWT Raceway, Milwaukee); Poles: 1 (Milwaukee); Stage wins: 3; Top 5s: 7; Top 10s: 10; Laps led: 228; Current points position: 3rd (Locked-in to Round of 8)
  • 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 Kansas, which was the same truck that he used to win with back in the spring. The team has raced this Chevrolet four times this year, earning top-10s every time it was ran. Grant finished ninth at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, won at Kansas, and finished fifth at both Charlotte Motor Speedway and Pocono Raceway.
  • Milwaukee Winner: Last time the Truck Series held a race, it was all Grant Enfinger who stole the show. Starting off out front, Enfinger earned his sixth career NCTS pole award, adding to the tally of 28 NCTS pole awards for the team, and first since 2021. He would lead every lap in stage one on his way to his second stage win of the year. Grant would have his work cut out for him in stage two after losing the lead on pit road, but would mount a charge and snatch away his third stage win of the season in a late pass. Pit road mishaps hindered the No. 23 team again late in the race, but there was no denying Enfinger the race win. He would go on to take the lead (for the final time) on lap 159, securing his third race win of the year.
  • Kansas Winner: Back in May, Grant Enfinger proved that his No. 23 team was putting in the work to become weekly contenders. The hours put in back at the shop had finally paid off, as he displayed pure dominance at Kansas. Though Enfinger qualified 11th, it didn’t take him long at all to maneuver his way to the front of the pack. Once he was able to clear himself away from the field in clean air, his speed became unmatched. In total that race, the veteran led a race-high of 65 laps on his way to victory lane.
  • Hensley at Kansas: Jeff Hensley has a long list of races in his notebook for Kansas Speedway, making 23 Truck Series starts along with one Xfinity start. Hensley won back-to-back pole awards in 2006 and 2007 with Mike Skinner, and his drivers have made four total front row qualifying efforts. Enfinger’s win earlier this year was Hensley’s first at the track, but he’s been close on several other occasions as well. Since 2004, Hensley’s trucks have finished inside the top-five 12 times in addition to 17 top-10 results.
  • Not Done Yet: Just days after the announcement was made that GMS Racing will be shuttering its Truck Series operations at the conclusion of the season, Enfinger silenced the critics by making a statement in Milwaukee. There’s no laying down here. “None of these guys, including me, have a job next year, but I feel like we proved that we deserve one,” was his response in victory lane. The team is more focused than ever to close out in a historic way, and everyone is pushing hard to make a run at the championship.
  • FearTheFinger Playoffs Profile: Grant’s win in Milwaukee officially locks him into the Round of 8, which will start next weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. Entering Kansas, the driver of the No. 23 team is sitting on 24 total playoffs points, which is second highest out of the 10 drivers competing for the championship. He is currently third in points, 12 markers back from the overall series leader, Corey Heim.
  • From The Drivers Seat: How big of a relief was it to lock yourself into the Round of 8 following the win at Milwaukee last race?

“Being able to lock into the next round allows our team to be more aggressive for Kansas. We had a great Chevy there earlier this year, and we are able to bring back that same truck. I’m proud of our GMS Racing / Champion Power Equipment team, and feel confident that we can go to Kansas and grab another win.”

  • From The Pit Box (Jeff Hensley): Since you’re locked in now, how do you approach this weekend’s race at Kansas from a strategy perspective?

“Anything short of a win doesn’t do us any good. We need to score as many stage points was we possibly can. I mean our goal is obviously to win both stages and win the race like we did in Milwaukee, but we need to carry points with us from Kansas into the next round and the easiest way to do that is to win stages and the race. So, we maybe need to be more aggressive, maybe take a chance with taking tires before the end of the stage and getting track position. It does change your outlook being locked in, but we will see what happens.”

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

Kansas Speedway Stats

  • NXS Starts: 1; Best start: 27th; Best finish: 25th (Fall, 2022)
  • NCTS Starts: 1; Best start: 13th; Best finish: 34th (Spring, 2023)
  • ARCA Starts: 3; Best start: 5th; Best finish: 2nd (Spring, 2022); Top 5s: 1; Top 10s: 2; Laps led: 1

2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

  • Starts: 18; Best start: 3rd (Nashville); Best finish: 6th (Darlington); Top 10s: 2; 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. 323. This chassis last competed back in July at Pocono Raceway, where Rajah finished 16th. Rajah has driven this chassis four times this season, and his best finish was 11th place at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
  • Milwaukee Recap: Two weeks ago, Caruth made his third-career start at the Milwaukee Mile, but first in the Truck Series. Starting in 15th, the No. 24 Chevy struggled with grip throughout the day, and hovered around 20th place for most of the race. Changes were made on the stops later on in the race, and Caruth managed to salvage a top-15 finish with the help of his crew’s determination. He would be credited with a 14th place finish when it was all said and done.
  • Kansas Experience: This will be Caruth’s second NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway. He made his first Truck Series start earlier this year, starting the race in the 13th, and quickly passed his way up inside the top-10. Unfortunately, he was swept up in a wreck that ended his night early on lap 72, resulting in a 34th place finish. Caruth has four other starts at Kansas on his resume, including three ARCA Menards Series races and one NASCAR Xfinity Series race.
  • Walter at Kansas: Chad Walter has a plethora of experience at Kansas Speedway, spanning all three national series. Calling five Truck Series races, Walter’s best finish at this track came working with Rafael Lessard, who finished eighth back in 2021. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Walter has gone to battle nine times, finishing a best of third (in ’06 with Kyle Busch and in ’07 with Casey Mears), amassing two top-fives and six top-10s. Back in 2012, Walter called his first NASCAR Cup Series race of his career at Kansas with Sam Hornish, who finished 19th.
  • Busy “Off” Weekend: This past weekend, Caruth dusted off his Late Model gear and raced in the Locked In 150 at Florence Motor Speedway, a prelude race to the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. This was Caruth’s first time racing on the 0.40-mile asphalt oval track, finishing 19th. He then would go on to race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Darlington Raceway on Saturday afternoon, where he would earn his best NXS finish of the season with a 16th place result.
  • Double Duty: Rajah will take on two vehicles again this weekend, starting off with his familiar No. 24 Wendell Scott Foundation Silverado RST on Friday night. He also plans to run the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday afternoon driving the No. 45 Camaro for Alpha Prime Racing.
  • From The Driver’s Seat: In May, you were able to run up front and contend for the race win. What were you able to learn in that race that you can use to your advantage in our second time at Kansas?

“I’ve had Kansas circled all year. I learned so many valuable lessons in the spring race, but none more important than not letting emotions cloud my decision-making. I took myself out of a potential race-winning run by racing too hard early on, and I’ve thought about that race every day since then. Not only have I developed largely over the summer, but my team has as well; so redemption in Kansas City has a nice ring to it.”

Daniel Dye, No. 43 Race To Stop Suicide Chevrolet Silverado RST

Kansas Speedway Stats

  • NCTS Starts: 1; Best start: 10th; Best finish: 13th (Spring, 2023)
  • ARCA Starts: 2; Best start: 2nd; Best finish: 3rd (Spring, 2022); Top 5s: 2; Top 10s: 2

2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

  • Starts: 18; Best start: 5th (Milwaukee); Best finish: 11th (Gateway); Laps led: 5; Current points position: 18th
  • About Race To Stop Suicide: Race to Stop Suicide was co-founded by Daniel and Randy Dye. The nationally trademarked 501(c)3 non-profit works to create awareness, normalize the conversation, and remove the stigma surrounding suicide. Additionally, provide an entry-level amount of education, what to look for, symptoms, and a plan to check in and check up on family and friends. Race to Stop Suicide prioritizes ensuring folks have easy access to helpful resources, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and 988. For more information, please visit www.racetostopsuicide.com.
  • Chassis History/Info: Dye and the No. 43 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 348 at Kansas Speedway, the same track that it made its debut at earlier this year. It has been raced three times this year, posting finishes of 13th at Kansas, 19th at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and 22nd at Nashville Superspeedway.
  • Milwaukee Recap: Daniel showed strength in qualifying at Milwaukee, starting in fifth position. To date, this was his best qualifying attempt in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. From there, however, the No. 43 Chevrolet would struggle with finding grip, and the rookie would eventually go two laps off the pace, finishing in 28th position.
  • Kansas in the Spring: Dye made his first NCTS start at Kansas back in May, and in his first race working with Blake Bainbridge, the No. 43 Race To Stop Suicide Silverado RST was fast. Qualifying up inside the top-10 for the first time in his career, Dye was promising, and nearly earned his first stage points of his career. He was credited with a 13th place finish, which is his best result on a mile-and-a-half track this year.
  • Bainbridge at Kansas: The May race was also Blake Bainbridge’s first NCTS race at Kansas as well, but he has also called two ARCA Menards Series races in 2019 and 2020. Both of those races were top-10 runs by his ARCA drivers, and the most recent one was his best result at the track when Taylor Gray finished fifth.
  • From the Driver’s Seat: As the season winds down with only five races left, what are some of the goals that you actively want to accomplish before it’s all said and done?

“I think it would be great to get a top-10 finish before we round out the year with our No. 43 team. We’ve been close so many times this season, but have had trouble finishing off the races. That’s something that we all really want to do, especially as I finish out my rookie year and begin to prepare for another season in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series next year. I’ve learned a lot, but would really like to get a top-10 before the year is over. We should have a good shot this weekend in Kansas, because our truck had plenty of speed here in the spring. I had a lot of fun in that race, and feel like I can take some of that into this weekend.”

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.

Fr8Auctions.com Proud to Race with McDowell in NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs

By
Official Release
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Committed Partner Ready to Make Primary Playoff Debut with Front Row Motorsports

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (September 5, 2023) – In its eighth consecutive season as a partner of Front Row Motorsports (FRM), Fr8Auctions.com will now be the primary partner of its NASCAR Cup Series Playoff entry. The black, red, and white company colors and logos will ride with Michael McDowell and the No. 34 Ford Mustang team this weekend at the Kansas Speedway. It will be the second race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

Fr8Auctions.com, the Atlanta, Georgia-based asset recovery business has been one of the longest-tenured and loyal partners to FRM. It has supported the team’s growth into a winning and championship organization. This weekend, however, will be the first weekend that Fr8 Auctions will be a primary during a playoff race.

“Michael and his team deserve to be in the playoffs and we are so proud to support him and Front Row Motorsports,” said Marcus Barela, Founder, Fr8 Auctions. “We admire Michael as a person and his values. They align with our Fr8 Auctions family and Michael has always gone above and beyond for us. We wish him nothing but the best this weekend.”

McDowell and the No. 34 team come into Kansas Speedway ranked 16th in the playoffs. McDowell is ready to make his 25th start at the track. He has a best start of third and best finish of 13th which has happened twice and most recently in 2021.

“I really have to thank Marcus, Matt and his team for all their support and effort they have put into our program,” commented McDowell. “It feels good to get them into the playoffs and we want to give them a good race on Sunday.”

“For us, Kansas has been a lot better. This team, this season, we can be better than our first race at Kansas and we’re going to have to be. Every race is important in this format and we just need to bring our best car and execute with no mistakes.”

In addition, Fr8Auctions also supports the Brave Like Wyatt Foundation.

The Foundation was established in 2019 to honor the memory of Wyatt Hatcher, who loved life and loved superheroes. He was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and had a heart transplant before his second birthday. The transplant allowed Hatcher to enjoy nine more years of life and even had beat cancer. However, the chemotherapy medication had damaged the donor heart and Hatcher passed in January of 2022. The Brave Like Wyatt mission was then born to help ease the burden of families dealing with similar circumstances by contributing to community resources, providing financial assistance for household bills, travel and when needed, funeral expenses.

“It is always special to support the Brave Like Wyatt Foundation,” added McDowell. “This is a big stage this weekend and hopefully fans can learn more about Wyatt’s story and support the Foundation.”

You can learn more at www.bravelikewyatt.com.

For more information about Fr8 Auctions, visit www.Fr8Auctions.com and follow Fr8 Auctions on Twitter at @fr8auctions and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Fr8Auctions.

Track activity will begin on Saturday with practice and qualifying at 12:00 p.m. ET. Sunday’s 400-mile race is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET on the USA Network.

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.

SUNNYD Racing: Kevin Harvick Kansas Advance

By
Official Release
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KEVIN HARVICK
Kansas Advance
No. 4 SUNNYD Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Hollywood Casino 400 (Round 28 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Sept. 10
● Location: Kansas Speedway in Kansas City
● 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: USA / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Dorothy was right. There’s no place like home. And for Harvick, home is an intermediate racetrack. With apologies to those in Harvick’s hometown of Bakersfield, California, the veteran racer has made the intermediate tracks that comprise the majority of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule his home. Of Harvick’s 60 career NASCAR Cup Series wins, 24 have come at intermediate-style racetracks. Kansas Speedway – a sweeping, D-shaped oval that has produced high speeds and daring, side-by-side racing since its debut in 2001 – is where Harvick has earned three of those victories. Harvick has competed at the track for every one of its Cup Series races – the only driver to do so – and has amassed quite the history in his 35 career starts there. In addition to his three wins, Harvick has five second-place finishes, 11 top-threes, 12 top-fives, 19 top-10s and has led 949 laps, making the driver of the No. 4 SUNNYD Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing one of the most successful drivers in Kansas’ relatively young history. His average start there is 13.4, his average finish is 9.9 and he has a lap completion rate of 96.3 percent.

● Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas serves as the second race of the 10-race playoffs. Harvick is a part of the 16-driver playoff field, and he comes into the race 14th among his playoff counterparts. Harvick finished 19th in the playoff opener last Sunday night at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway where he went from prince to pauper in just a few seconds. Running second and on the back bumper of race-leader Tyler Reddick, Harvick ducked onto pit road on lap 310 for a scheduled, four-tire stop that would have taken him to the finish. But as Harvick was committed to pit road, Ryan Newman spun to bring out the caution. And just before Harvick crossed the stripe to enter pit road, NASCAR closed the pits. Harvick had nowhere to go but to continue down pit road, so he was hit with a penalty. Upon completing his pit stop, Harvick had to restart at the tail-end of the longest line. After being second and poised to take the lead from Reddick, Harvick was now buried in the rundown of the 36-car field when the race returned to green on lap 317. He used the final 50 laps to claw his back to 19th when the checkered flag waved. It put Harvick two points below the top-12 cutline, as only the 12 highest drivers in points after the third playoff race next Saturday night at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway will advance to the second round of the playoffs. A win at either Kansas or Bristol will punch Harvick’s ticket to the Round of 12.

● Kansas is one of the 10 tracks that make up the NASCAR Playoffs, and of Harvick’s 60 career NASCAR Cup Series victories, 23 have come at the remaining playoff venues. Three of those wins have been at Kansas, while Harvick also has three wins apiece at Bristol and Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. He has two wins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and one win each at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The remaining nine wins were earned at the most valuable playoff venue – Phoenix Raceway, home to the championship-deciding race. The only playoff track where Harvick doesn’t have a win is the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval.

● Harvick scored his first NASCAR Cup Series win at Kansas in the 2013 Hollywood Casino 400 with a massive 1.14-second margin over runner-up Kurt Busch. Harvick scored his next Kansas win in the 2016 Hollywood Casino 400 with another impressive performance, crossing the stripe 1.183 seconds ahead of next-best Carl Edwards. Harvick’s most recent Kansas victory came in May 2018, when he beat Martin Truex, Jr., by .39 of a second.

● Harvick is tied for the second-most wins at Kansas with Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon, all of whom have three victories apiece. Denny Hamlin leads with the most victories at Kansas, as his win in the series’ previous race at the 1.5-mile oval in May gave him four triumphs to break what had been a five-way tie. Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 marks the 36th Cup Series race at Kansas.

● Harvick’s 12 top-fives at Kansas are the most among active drivers, as are his 19 top-10s. Next best in top-fives is Hamlin with 12, and when it comes to top-10s, Truex is next-best with 17.

● No one has led more laps at Kansas than Harvick. His 949 laps led are 43 more laps than Truex, his nearest pursuer in this category.

● Harvick is good at Kansas even outside of the NASCAR Cup Series. He has six top-fives across 11 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track, with the highlight being a victory in September 2006 when he beat Matt Kenseth for the win by .423 of a second. Kenseth retired from NASCAR upon the conclusion of the 2020 season and was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame earlier this year.

Kevin Harvick, Driver of the No. 4 SUNNYD Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

What will make this year’s playoffs a success for you?

“My goal was to be competitive, and we’ve been fortunate to do that, for the most part. There were a couple of weeks where we weren’t very competitive, but it seems that’s kind of the norm with this particular car. You just want to go as far as you can and do everything that you can to maximize each and every week, and that’s what we’re good it.”

Nine races left in your NASCAR Cup Series career. Is it becoming more and more surreal that you’re seeing these tracks for the last time?

“I’ve had that question a lot, and every time I go to a track for the last time, it doesn’t feel that bad. For me, it was really important to be at this point of where I am in my driving career. Coming back this year and running this last season and making it as public as it’s been, to have a plan for logos and racetracks and fans and people to come the last time, and to go back and look at all the old pictures and hear the fans’ stories and racetrack stories, or whatever the scenario is, it’s put really good closure to whatever event it is. We’ve had a lot of success at Kansas, but there’s really not anything that has happened so far where I was like, ‘Oh man, I’m not so sure that I’m happy about it being the last time.’ I’m so far into planning for next year, and everything is already lined up with the television and the management company, and you’ve already moved on to making a new plan and you’re living out the rest of the plan that you’d already laid out at this time last year. The closure to me has just been the fact that it is what it is. That points to us doing a really good job of planning it all out, and I feel like we’re good at just moving on to the next task.”

Do you need to win a championship this year for closure on your NASCAR Cup Series career?

“For me, I don’t really need anything. I feel like we’re at this point of where we are because we’ve been fortunate to be successful and all the things that come with that. We’ve been close to winning races this year and haven’t had it all work out. I can feel that from the fans on a weekly basis. You feel the fans’ want for you to be successful, and I think they’re really understanding that this season is a lot for them to come to the racetrack and let them celebrate and do the things they do, go to the races they want to and celebrate things, whatever they want to celebrate because, when you talk to people, it’s just different for each person. Some you’re helping through a hard time. For some it’s, ‘I became a fan when Dale (Earnhardt) died.’ Some of it’s, ‘I like you because of Keelan.’ Some of it’s, ‘I like you this year because it’s your last year.’ It just depends. So that part to me has been very motivating because they want you to be successful as bad as you want to be successful. I think I definitely appreciate and feel that from the fans. We’ve just got to put it together, it’s just got to come together. If you look back at Phoenix, or Daytona two weeks ago and even Darlington last week, it’s just those two or three little scenarios, or one scenario that just has to work out, because when you look at the rest of it, or look at it from a stat standpoint, the only thing that’s wrong with everything we’ve been able to work through this year is we just haven’t won.”

Your history at intermediate tracks has been really strong, particularly at Kansas. Can you pull anything from past years to where if you have to play defense, you can because you know every nook and cranny of the racetrack?

“There aren’t a lot of things that you can relate to with the car, but there are a lot of things you can relate to with the racetrack. There are a lot of races that I’ve gone back and watched from 2010, 2011, where the cars had different characteristics, and things that happen because the way you drive it and where you would drive it on the racetrack are a little bit different with this car than it was with the older cars. But you keep that playbook as open as possible in order to have some options because you can’t just say it won’t work, you can only drive it in one spot on the racetrack, especially at a place like Kansas, where you have options. So you have to be ready to create some options if you need them.”

In an ideal situation, where do you want to run at Kansas?

“You have to be good middle to the top of the racetrack in order to make good time at Kansas and be able to survive on the long run and make enough speed, so that’s what we’ll concentrate on.”

Middle to the top of the racetrack is where you want to run at Kansas, but when do you adjust that line in the event you’re getting beat?

“I’m going to always want my car to be versatile just because if you’re married to that top lane and your car won’t work anywhere else, you don’t have a really good chance of making time and passing people. If you get married to that top lane and catch 15th, 16th place in the field and they’re also married to that top lane, it becomes difficult to pass and then your gaps shrink rapidly as you’re trying to make your way through the field. You need to have some versatility. If your car’s decent up top, you can make good lap times up there, regardless, and park yourself in front of the guys who are also wanting to run up the top. But if your car’s a little more versatile than others, you can kind of swing down through the middle, especially in turns three and four.”

Your history at Kansas is impressive. Three wins, five second-place finishes, 11 top-threes, 12 top-fives, 19 top-10s and 949 laps led across 35 career NASCAR Cup Series starts. What makes you so good there?

“I think Kansas has been a great racetrack and, really, from a driver’s standpoint, a fun racetrack because of the fact that it’s worn in so well. You can race at the top of the racetrack, which is the preferred groove as the tires wear out. It’s faster at the bottom of the racetrack on new tires. But as a driver, having options is something that is a lot of fun. With Atlanta having been repaved along with some of the other racetracks, Kansas has become one of the more unique racetracks because of the fact the asphalt and the shape of the racetrack are so driver-friendly, as far as where you can drive on the racetrack. You can literally drive from the wall to the apron all the way around the racetrack. So, it’s a fun racetrack. It’s been good to us and, hopefully, we can continue that trend on Sunday.”

Race strategy, particularly at Kansas, has come into play in recent races. While strategy is more in the realm of your crew chief, Rodney Childers, when it dictates a race outcome instead of sheer performance, do you have to sort of switch your mindset, perhaps by finding some patience even when you want to just go as hard as you can?

“These cars, in certain situations, have worn the tires a lot more than what they’ve done in the past. Kansas can be a high-wear racetrack just because of the way that the surface has aged, which is a great thing. So, I think for a lot of that, you’ll just have to see what the pit windows are and what the tire wear is when we go there. But it’s definitely a racey track. Those guys can see a lot more on the pit box than I can see in the car, so I usually just go with what they tell me and kind of roll from there.”

No. 4 SUNNYD Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Kevin Harvick

Hometown: Bakersfield, California

Crew Chief: Rodney Childers

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Car Chief: Robert “Cheddar” Smith

Hometown: Whitewater, Wisconsin

Engineer: Stephen Doran

Hometown: Butler, Pennsylvania

Engineer: Dax Gerringer

Hometown: Gibsonville, North Carolina

Spotter: Tim Fedewa

Hometown: Holt, Michigan

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Daniel Coffey

Hometown: Granite Falls, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Daniel Smith

Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Jeremy Howard

Hometown: Delhart, Texas

Jack Man: Brandon Banks

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Evan Marchal

Hometown: Westfield, Indiana

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Tyler Trosper

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Mechanic: Nick DeFazio

Hometown: Orange, California

Tire Specialist: Jamie Turski

Hometown: Trumbull, Connecticut

Engine Tuner: Robert Brandt

Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Transporter Co-Driver: Rick Hodges

Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Stephen Mitchell

Hometown: Woodville, Ohio

No. 10 Smithfield/Whataburger Ford Racing: Aric Almirola Kansas Advance

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ARIC ALMIROLA
Kansas Advance
No. 10 Smithfield/Whataburger Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Hollywood Casino 400 (Round 28 of 36)

● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Sept. 10

● Location: Kansas Speedway in Kansas City

● 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: USA / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● History at Kansas: In 22 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Almirola has seven top-10 finishes and has led 69 laps. He finished 13th at Kansas earlier this year.

● Driver Standings: Almirola arrives at Kansas 23rd in the driver standings.

● Almirola’s career: In 451 career NASCAR Cup Series starts, Almirola has three wins, 28 top-five finishes, 93 top-10s, five poles, and has led 1,068 laps.

● Last weekend at Darlington, Almirola ran in and around the top-10 for the majority of the race. A multicar stack-up during the Stage 2 restart caused unrepairable nose damage to his racecar, causing poor handling conditions for the remainder of the race. He finished 14th.

● Whataburger Appearance: At 2 PM CDT, on Saturday Sept. 9, Almirola will appear for a 15-minute Q&A followed by a 15-minute autograph session at the Whataburger location at 10780 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, KS 66109 – just across the street from Kansas Speedway.

● 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.

● Whataburger is the hometown hamburger place that hasn’t compromised. Whataburger serves bold flavors and original recipes made to order, just like customers like it, and prides itself on extraordinary hospitality and meaningful connections in the communities. That’s what’s led fans to Whataburger since Harmon Dobson served its first customer in 1950. Headquartered in San Antonio, Whataburger stayed close to its roots while building sales of more than $3 billion annually across its 14-state footprint and more than 930 locations.

● 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/Whataburger Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

Your 13th-place finish in the May race at Kansas is your best intermediate-track finish this year. Why is that?

“You know there’s something about Kansas that I have always enjoyed and brought a lot of confidence at. It’s statistically one of my best intermediate tracks and we always seem to find ourselves with speed even though the results don’t always show it. It will be great to improve on our top-15 finish earlier this year because we still have Texas and Miami coming up to work off of.”

Do you feel like you made a statement as a team after your solid run at Darlington?

“Absolutely. I know we finished 14th, but that was with damage to the nose and splitter we couldn’t fix. All of our cars showed speed. Kevin (Harvick) had one of the fastest cars up there in clean air, too, and Chase (Briscoe) ran around the top-10, too. Our organization hit on something and I think you’re going to see more of that for the rest of the season.”

What are your thoughts about racing at Kansas?

“I know that I did have a really bad accident there, but in my mind I just view that as a bad accident. It just happened at a place. It just so happened to be at Kansas. It could have happened anywhere. I don’t really put that on Kansas and so, every time I’ve been back since then, it’s never really been a thought that’s crossed my mind. I actually enjoy going to Kansas. I have friends in Kansas City who I enjoy spending time with that makes it even more enjoyable to be there and, on top of that, I love the racetrack. The racetrack is a really fun racetrack to run at for me and I’ve had a lot of success there and had a lot of really good runs there.”

No. 10 Smithfield/Whataburger 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

In a Season Full of Firsts, Connor Mosack’s ARCA Schedule Culminates at Familiar Venue

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Official Release
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24-Year-Old Racer Eyes Victory at Kansas After Near Win at Michigan

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Sept. 5, 2023) – When the 2023 season began, Connor Mosack’s racing schedule was his most aggressive since he began driving Legends Cars in 2017. Twenty-three NASCAR Xfinity Series races augmented by a six-race slate of ARCA Menards Series races with Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) were on tap for the 24-year-old from Charlotte, North Carolina.

For a driver who didn’t start racing competitively until he was 18, the 2023 calendar served notice that Mosack was committed to his racing career. More was indeed better, as the packed schedule gave Mosack the seat time needed to better bridge the gap between him and his similarly-aged counterparts, nearly all of whom began racing a decade or more before Mosack turned his first lap.

“It’s definitely been a learning experience,” said Mosack in the lead up to Friday night’s Sioux Chief Fast Track 150 ARCA race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City. “I feel like I’ve got a decent feel for everything, but there are still some things in the Xfinity car that are different just because you’ve got way more cars in that series and those guys are so dialed in on where they need to be.

“I feel like I’ve got a pretty good handle on the ARCA races and where those cars need to be. In those first few races, it took me a little bit to get used to how much you have to lean on the air in those cars. You almost feel like you’re spinning out, but then the air will catch you, so it’s just kind of getting comfortable with how sideways you can get the car.”

The learning curve has been especially steep in the Xfinity Series – the stepping-stone division to the elite NASCAR Cup Series – but Mosack has still found success. After securing his first career top-10 with an eighth-place finish June 3 at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway, Mosack bettered that result with a fifth-place drive Aug. 19 at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.

In ARCA, Mosack has been a model of front-running consistency with a run of top-10 qualifying and race results going back to last season. Coming into Kansas, Mosack has qualified fifth or better in his last seven ARCA starts, a streak that began more than year ago at Watkins Glen when he qualified third. When it comes to race finishes, Mosack is on a stretch of six straight top-10s, a run that dates back to last September at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. Even more impressive is that in his last two races – July 21 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway and Aug. 4 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn – he has finished second and third, respectively.

That Michigan race was bittersweet. Mosack was leading and well in command before a late caution sent the race into overtime. A frantic, green-white-checkered finish ultimately left him third.

“Michigan was the first race where I felt like we had the car to beat – by quite a bit, actually,” Mosack said. “We got the lead, we were poised to win, just had to turn a couple more laps, but then the caution came out and we had that last restart.

“ARCA has a different restart rule than in the other NASCAR series where you normally have a full restart box and the leader can fire off any time he wants. But after that race, I found out ARCA just has a restart line and there’s no box. That’s something I obviously should’ve known, so when I tried to go later than that line, that’s what got me. If the leader doesn’t fire by then, then anybody can go, and that’s what happened. We got our rear tires picked up. That’s something that won’t happen again.”

With that heartbreak in his rearview mirror, Mosack enters Kansas wiser than he was in May when he last competed at the 1.5-mile oval, finishing fourth in just his second ARCA start of the year.

“Kansas is one of the few places where I’ve run before, and I think every time you go, you get to add to your notebook,” Mosack said. “You have things you can look back on, especially having the race earlier this year with JGR and being able to go back with the same team. I know that sounds simple, but it really is a big deal.

“I don’t feel like Kansas was our strongest race, speed-wise, but I do feel like we’ve made a lot of progress as a team on the car, and just going back to the same track will help a lot.”

Since making his first ARCA start at Kansas with an 11th-place drive on Oct. 23, 2021, Mosack has improved his finishing position each time he has returned. He finished fifth in May 2022 and bettered that effort with a fourth-place result this past May.

“There’s a good amount of tire fall-off at Kansas, so as the run goes on, you definitely have to manage your tires and start moving around,” Mosack said. “It’s a place that’s pretty wide, and with the ARCA car the track really opens up. You kind of start at the bottom of the racetrack and work your way up to the fence.”

The Sioux Chief Fast Track 150 will be Mosack’s 19th career ARCA start and his sixth of the season. It culminates his 2023 campaign with JGR, but Mosack still has plenty of racing left. He is pulling double duty at Kansas, running the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race after driving his No. 18 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry for JGR in Friday night’s ARCA race.

“Running both the ARCA race and the Xfinity race on the same weekend gives me a lot of good experience, and I can apply a lot of it to the Xfinity race since it’s always after the ARCA race,” Mosack said. “I’ve run double duty at Charlotte and Pocono, and at both places it really helped me.

“The cars are a little bit different and it sometimes takes a lap to get used to the Xfinity car, but after that you kind of get back into the groove. The cars certainly do drive differently and there are things you can’t apply from the ARCA car, but there are a lot of things you can, from the line and where the grip is. All that stuff is important and it’s why I’m looking forward to Kansas.”

With a runner-up result and a near win in his last two ARCA starts, Mosack is eager to nab that coveted victory.

“We’ve been so close so many times that I think it’ll feel that much more special once we finally get it. We’ll know that we earned it,” Mosack said.

Mosack’s Friday begins at 12:40 p.m. CDT/1:40 p.m. EDT with a 45-minute ARCA practice session followed by ARCA qualifying at 1:40 p.m. CDT/2:40 p.m. EDT. The Sioux Chief Fast Track 150 gets underway at 5 p.m. CDT/6 p.m. EDT with live coverage on FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. His Saturday starts with Xfinity Series practice at 9:05 a.m. CDT/10:05 a.m. EDT with qualifying immediately afterward at 9:35 a.m. CDT/10:35 a.m. EDT. The Kansas Lottery 300 goes green at 2 p.m. CDT/3 p.m. EDT with live coverage on NBC and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 Boot Barn Ford Mustang Team Kansas Speedway Competition Notes

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Official Release
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TEAM AND RACE NOTES:

Todd Gilliland is back in the Boot Barn Ford Mustang as the NASCAR Cup Series heads to the Kansas Speedway.

For Gilliland and the Boot Barn team, it is all about playing the spoiler role during the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs and continuing to improve on their 2023 season.

Track activity will begin on Saturday with practice and qualifying at 12:00 p.m. ET. Sunday’s 267-lap race is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET on the USA Network.

COMPETITION NOTES:

Gilliland comes into the Kansas Speedway ready to make his fourth NASCAR Cup Series start at the track.

He has three top-10 finishes at the track in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and a best finish of 23rd in the NASCAR Cup Series at the track.

CREW CHIEF RYAN BERGENTY:

“We know what we need to do to be better at Kansas. It is just more speed in the car and I think FRM has really improved on our mile-and-a-half program. We’re working closely with the 34 team, and I think our organization will have fast cars in Kansas.”

DRIVER TODD GILLILAND:

“We might not be in the playoffs, but there is still a lot of fight left in the 38 team. We are keeping our foot on the gas and going for more top-10 finishes. It is all about improvement for us and getting better each race at a time.

“It’s super cool to see Boot Barn on the car again. They have been a big reason we’ve better this season. They have put a lot into the program and it is showing.”

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_frmand Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Bass Pro Shops Racing: Martin Truex Jr. Kansas Advance

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

Event Overview

● Event: Hollywood Casino 400 (Round 28 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Sept. 10
● Location: Kansas Speedway in Kansas City
● 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: USA Network / 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.

● Playoff Time: Truex started the playoffs with an 18th-place finish last weekend at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway and now sits sixth in the standings, 25 points above the 12th-place cutline with two races remaining in the opening Round of 16.

● 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.

● Truex has two wins, 10 top-five finishes, 17 top-10s and has led a total of 906 laps in 30 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City. Truex’s average Kansas finish is 12.1.

● Strong in the Heartland: Truex’s two Kansas wins came by way of a season sweep of the spring and fall races there in 2017. The feat kicked off a 13-race stretch on the 1.5-mile oval during which he earned six top-fives and finished inside the top-10 all but once.

● While he doesn’t like to play favorites, Truex certainly excels at tracks with worn-out surfaces, where driver skill is key to managing the tires and the racecar over the course of a long race. At four such tracks, Kansas, Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, Darlington, and Homestead-Miami Speedway, Truex has six career wins, 23 top-five finishes and 45 top-10s. He’s also led 2,433 laps at three of this year’s 10 playoff tracks. So it should be no surprise that Truex is looking forward to Sunday’s race at Kansas, along with Homestead, site of the third-to-last race of the season and the next-to-last race of the Round of 8.

● So far this season, Truex has scored three points-paying wins, nine top-five finishes, 15 top-10s and has led an impressive 832 laps through 27 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 is racing at Kansas like, and what other track is most similar?

“I would say Kansas is a lot like Homestead but with a tri-oval. Similar corners and little bit of progressive banking. The wall has really come into play the last couple of years there since the asphalt has worn out. So, running high is very important there, and also momentum is very important at Kansas. You have a big, wide front straightaway that gives you the option to make big bold moves on the restarts where it can get pretty wild there. Kansas is definitely high on my list of places I like to race and we are hoping for a great weekend there with our Bass Pro Shops Camry.”

Is your toughest competition within Joe Gibbs Racing?

“I think it is too early to tell. A lot can happen in the playoffs, which we have seen in the past, we just have to worry about ourselves and be consistent and try to execute and we will be fine. The other guys – the 11 (Denny Hamlin) and 20 (Christopher Bell) – are fast. It is always tough to race with your teammates because you all have the same thing and you share everything during the week, so how do you find that extra little bit? I think James (Small, crew chief) has done a really good job of that this year, and we will look to keep it going.”

How do you handle that?

“You just go race hard, and obviously fair. We don’t hold anything back as far as meetings and sharing things, but just once you get to the track on Saturdays, it’s every team for itself. I feel like we do a good job working together and keeping it professional and racing well with each other on the racetrack, as well, so it’s nice to have great teammates.”

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

Meyer Shank Racing Signs Felix Rosenqvist

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Race-winning veteran joins expanded INDYCAR effort in multi-year program

Pataskala, Ohio (5 September 2023) – Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) will expand its NTT INDYCAR SERIES program in 2024, and has signed Felix Rosenqvist to a multi-year agreement with the team. Rosenqvist will bring his pace and experience as he teams up with Tom Blomqvist for MSR’s full-season two-car INDYCAR campaign. MSR is also growing its program to support a third entry for the 2024 Indianapolis 500 for Helio Castroneves.

In addition to Castroneves’ Indianapolis 500-only effort, the team recently announced that the four-time Indianapolis 500 winner has joined the MSR ownership group as a minority partner, serving as driver coach and team ambassador.

Since joining the INDYCAR SERIES in 2019, Rosenqvist has established himself as a proven race winner who will look to continue to build his racing resume with MSR starting in 2024.

“I’m super excited to start the next chapter of my INDYCAR career together with MSR,” said Rosenqvist. “This will be a great opportunity for myself and MSR to elevate and get to the next level together. I’m also pretty excited to get to work with my old friend Tom (Blomqvist) again. I’m ready to start working together and getting the next season started.”

Next year’s INDYCAR season will see MSR have a complete reset with an all-new driver lineup as the Ohio-based team sets its sights on a successful 2024 season and beyond.

“We’re very excited to have our 2024 INDYCAR plans finalized and to welcome Felix (Rosenqvist) to the team,” said Mike Shank. “Felix has been someone that has been on our radar for quite some time now and everything lined up this year to work something out with him. It’s no secret that we’ve had a difficult season, with some things out of our control and some things in our control. I think we are all looking forward to resetting completely, starting over and getting to work. I think Tom and Felix will work great together and really feed off of each other. We will also have Helio with us at every race to provide his feedback and advice which will be an added bonus, so I think we’re in for a solid year ahead.”

Meyer Shank Racing will close out its NTT INDYCAR SERIES campaign this coming weekend with the series finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Blomqvist will make his third INDYCAR start this weekend onboard the No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda in place of Simon Pagenaud at Laguna with Castroneves finishing out his final full-season INDYCAR race in the No. 06 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda.

Zane Smith and the No. 38 RTA gigFAST INTERNET Ford F-150 Team Kansas Speedway Competition Notes

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TEAM AND RACE NOTES

Zane Smith and the No. 38 Ford F-150 team travel to Kansas City, Kansas and to the Kansas Speedway for the first elimination race of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs this week.

Rural Telecommunications of America, Inc. (RTA) will join Smith and the No. 38 team at the Kansas Speedway as the team continues their championship push.

RTA – Rural Telecommunications of America, Inc. provides gigFAST® INTERNET, VOICE and TV to America’s rural communities. The company was founded in 2018 by Jim Edwards and Don Workman to bring gigFAST INTERNET to America’s rural communities, solving the “digital divide”. The company is veteran owned as Workman served in the United States Air Force.

While many internet providers mention gig speeds, RTA created the gigometer to measure your internet speed. You can check yours at gigometer.net.

RTA now has customers in 22 states and has been involved in NASCAR since 2020 with Smith.

It will be a one-day show for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Track activity will begin with practice and qualifying on Friday at 3:35 p.m. ET. The race is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. ET on FS1.

COMPETITION NOTES:

Smith and the No. 38 RTA Ford F-150 team are back in action at one of the team’s favorite tracks, the Kansas Speedway.

In seven NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Serie starts at the track, Smith has one win, three top-five and five top-10 finishes at the mile-and-a-half oval. Smith most recently finished third at the track in May.

Smith enters the race sixth in the standings with the top eight advancing in the playoffs after Friday night.

CREW CHIEF CHRIS LAWSON:

“We had speed here in the Spring, it just comes down to executing. I see no reason why we can’t do that and win the race. Zane has the results to prove he can get it done.”

DRIVER ZANE SMITH:

“I love the Kansas Speedway. Having an elimination race here just adds an extra bit of pressure and I love it.

“It’s cool to have the RTA and the gigometer back on the truck. They have been huge supporters of mine and I can’t thank them enough for their partnership.”

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.

JD Motorsports and Brennan Poole teaming up with BeOne Sports, Mass St. Collective and student-athletes from the Kansas Athletics at Kansas Speedway

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Gaffney, SC – BeONE Sports, a pioneering entity in the realm of sports technology, announced a groundbreaking partnership that showcases its innovative platform in tandem with Mass St. Collective and the distinguished Kansas Athletics department.

This unique collaboration marks a significant stride as BeONE Sports merges its expertise with the university’s prowess to introduce a pioneering Collegiate NIL NASCAR Xfinity race car. The debut of this initiative will take place at the Kansas Lottery 300 NASCAR Xfinity race on September 9th at Kansas Speedway.

Integral to this milestone collaboration is JD Motorsports, a prominent player in the racing arena. Additionally, this endeavor encompasses the prominent participation of eleven (11) student-athletes from the University of Kansas who will grace the race car, under the aegis of Mass St. Collective.

For collectors, this project has special significance as BeOne Sports and Mass St. Collective recently announced the release of a limited edition die-cast bookshelf version of the exact car that will drive on the track. This 1/24 diecast model of the car is available now for pre-order at www.dailydownforce.com/shop/kansas. Only 500 of these model cars will be made available to commemorate this unique collaboration.

Click here to learn how to purchase the BeOne Sports – Mass St. Collective – Kansas Athletics NASCAR Diecast Car Model

Established in 2021, Mass St. Collective is an entity dedicated to empowering Jayhawk student-athletes by cultivating their personal brands and leveraging their name, image, and likeness.

Dan Beckler, President of Mass St. Collective, said, “Our commitment at Mass St. Collective is to unearth novel avenues that enable the expansion of our KU student-athletes’ brands through the strategic utilization of their name, image, and likeness. Partnering with BeONE Sports to feature 11 Jayhawks on a NASCAR Xfinity Series Race car is an unprecedented feat, infusing the racing industry with the essence of NIL and college athletes. The profound loyalty exhibited by NASCAR fans towards their favored brands accentuates the significance of this endeavor. The fact that this momentous debut takes place in our very own home state at Kansas Speedway adds an extra layer of significance.”

Brennan Poole, the accomplished driver of the #6 JD Motorsports Chevrolet, exuberantly conveyed, “I’m so excited to be a part of something that’s never been done before! I love Kansas and it’s going to be so cool to have the college athletes on the car and give them a ride in our fast race car!”

Beyond the realm of collaboration, BeONE Sports is committed to elevating the racing experience through pioneering technology aimed at optimizing the racetrack. Leveraging the advanced capabilities of BeONE Sports, JD Motorsports aspires to heighten its competitive edge within the NASCAR Xfinity Series by adopting comparative training methodologies across the team.

Johnny Davis, owner of JD Motorsports, asserted, “JD Motorsports is excited to partner with BeOne Sports, the Mass St. Collective and these highly-regarded male and female student-athletes. The return of BeONE Sports to our team is a testament to our dedicated efforts in helping shape this groundbreaking NIL collaboration that ushers in a new era for NASCAR.”

“We believe athletes are everywhere, and we are very excited to bring new and interesting NIL opportunities to student-athletes. The Kansas Athletics and NIL NASCAR program is a great example of collaboration and driving innovation…literally,” says Scott Deans, BeONE Sports Founder and CEO.

BeONE Sports, Mass St. Collective and the student-athletes plan on being present at Kansas Speedway on September 9. For comprehensive insights, please visit beonesports.com.

The Kansas Lottery 300 will take place at 3 pm EST on Saturday, September 9 and will be broadcast live on NBC.

About BeONE Sports:

BeONE Sports stands as a vanguard in sports training technology, rooted in the principles of biomechanics across various sports. The revolutionary “Comparative Training” methodology, integral to BeONE Sports, involves the digitization of accomplished athletes’ movements into a cutting-edge technology platform, thereby creating a repository of invaluable learning potential. This patent-pending AI-driven mobile technology empowers aspiring athletes worldwide to train alongside their heroes. Prompt feedback on technique and bodily positioning, facilitated by BeONE Sports, is redefining the nexus of NIL, enabling athletes and coaches to derive value while nurturing the next generation of talent. To delve further into this innovative narrative, visit www.beonesports.com.

About Mass St. Collective:

Mass St. Collective emerges as a pioneering force in the domain of name, image, and likeness, serving the entirety of student-athletes at the University of Kansas. Orchestrating a symphony of possibilities through generous contributions from patrons, Mass St. Collective orchestrates avenues for student-athletes to harness the potential of their NIL. These opportunities manifest as strategic collaborations with businesses and charitable entities aligned with their ethos and passions. The core mission is to instigate generational transformations for these student-athletes, while concurrently fostering personal brand development within the context of one of the nation’s most recognizable collegiate athletic programs. For comprehensive insights, explore www.MassStrategies.com.

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