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NIRA Dynamics sets its sights on Electric Vehicles with new garage opening

By
Official Release
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Linköping, Sweden, February 14th 2023 – NIRA Dynamics, leading provider of sensor fusion software services for the automotive industry, is proud to announce the opening of its new garage that will focus on supporting electric vehicle manufacturers. The garage will help support a comprehensive suite of services that are tailored to meet the needs of electric vehicle manufacturers.

As the automotive industry continues to shift towards more environmentally friendly solutions, NIRA Dynamics recognizes the need to develop cutting-edge software services that can help accelerate this transition. The new garage will enable NIRA Dynamics to provide unparalleled support to electric vehicle manufacturers and help drive innovation in this rapidly evolving market.

“At NIRA Dynamics, we are committed to providing our customers with the latest technology and supporting their need to succeed in the fast-paced automotive industry,” said Lisa Åbom, CEO of NIRA Dynamics. “The new garage is an important step towards achieving this goal and we are proud to be making a positive impact on the future of transportation.”

The new garage will provide support to a range of software services that will help electric vehicle manufacturers improve safety, battery regeneration, battery management and sustainability. These services will be complemented by NIRA Dynamics’ existing suite of software solutions, including tire pressure monitoring, wheel safety services and advanced driver assistance systems improvements.

“The opening of our new garage is a testament to our commitment to innovation and supporting the transition to a more sustainable future.” said Lisa Åbom.

About NIRA Dynamics: NIRA Dynamics, established 2001 with main office in Linköping/Sweden, is specialized in sensor fusion and vehicle data cloud services. NIRA develops cost efficient safety and navigation solutions for the global vehicle industry, as well as big data services for the road maintenance industry. Among the customers are Audi, Volkswagen, Honda, Volvo, Stellantis, Renault, and Geely. To learn more about NIRA, visit: www.niradynamics.se

Hamilton and Russell are on a collision course at Mercedes: How will 2023 play out?

By
SM
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As the new Formula One season draws ever nearer, there is an interesting dynamic brewing in the Mercedes garage. This particular relationship involves the most successful driver in the team’s history and the man that Mercedes hope will emulate him.

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell will both use 2023 as the season to establish themselves as the team’s number one which means that racing fans are likely to see the pair get their elbows out as they’ve never done before.

Who will prevail and what is likely to happen in the quest to be the driver that Mercedes throw their weight behind? 

2022 – the calm before the storm

When the curtain fell on the 2022 season following the final race which was held at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on November 20th, the drivers’ standings for the year listed Russell on 275 points whilst Hamilton was left on 240.

A difference of 35 points separated the two and even if Hamilton didn’t necessarily show it, the 38-year-old would have been disappointed after being upstaged by the team’s emerging starlet.

This is, after all, a man who has won seven world titles; playing second fiddle has never been something he has had to deal with in his career.

It’s worth saying however, that despite Hamilton’s feverish competitiveness, his publicly toned-down reaction to being outscored by Russell may have come down to Mercedes’ faltering car in 2022 which helped cause a distraction by shifting the conversation from the competing drivers to the team’s reliability woes instead.

In other words, not much was expected from Mercedes when it became apparent that their car – which would wildly porpoise – was not going to regularly help their drivers onto the podium. 

Yes, you could argue that Russell was able to get more out of a car with profound design flaws, but Mercedes’ uncharacteristically slack season on the pit wall and indeed in the garage created enough noise around the pair which allowed Hamiton the benefit of the doubt.

Hamilton, who has over 100 Grand Prix wins to his name, will only be afforded this charitable narrative once, and he knows as much which is why 2023 promises to see the stakes raised in the Mercedes garage.

There can only be one 

With Hamilton just having turned 38, it would be natural to assume that a deteriorating dynamic between himself and Russell would not be a long-term problem for team principal Toto Wolff to deal with.

Put differently, Hamilton wouldn’t be around long enough for any bad blood to significantly affect the team. That, however, would be forgetting that Hamilton has stated his intentions to carry on even after his contract expires in 2023. Presumably, Hamilton will carry on indefinitely in an effort to win his eighth world title after Max Verstappen snatched it from him in 2021.

Notably, if Hamilton were to win another title, it would see him surpass Michael Schumacher’s record of seven which he is currently tied on.

It goes without saying but Hamilton, arguably the best ever, would have to be driving a car that has a realistic chance of winning a world championship and couldn’t move to a team like Aston Martin or Alpine and expect to make history.

With this in mind, extending his contract with Mercedes seems the easiest route to an eight-world title, especially if you take into account that as of the 3rd of February, Hamilton has been priced by Betway at just +275 to win the 2023 Drivers Championship while driving a Mercedes. Those are revealing odds as only Verstappen is priced better to go all the way in 2023.

There could be problems closer to home though as Russell will be standing in Hamilton’s way, determined to begin building a legacy of his own. 

Who will Toto Wolff back?

As things stand, Hamilton probably still enjoys a position of slightly more seniority than Russell does at Mercedes but Wolff has already confessed that he wants the pair to win on merit. The 51-year-old executive, when speaking about Hamiton and Russell’s relationship, said: “They are both alpha drivers and this is good. We don’t want a puppy in the car. We manage that as well as we can.”

What this suggests is that the duo will, in all likelihood, be allowed to go racing by Wolff during the early part of 2023 and whoever is able to establish a lead will then enjoy the privileges that come with being higher up in the Drivers’ Championship. 

Essentially, it is going to be a tooth-and-nail fight as two of the sport’s biggest names try and claw their way to the top. Could Hamilton’s experience prove all too much for Russell or will Russell’s drive to be the best on the grid be enough to send Hamilton into retirement? All may be well in the Mercedes garage now but it will soon turn into a ruthless battle for supremacy.

The Basics And Psychologies Of Slot Machines

By
SM
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You’re reading this tutorial because you want to learn how slot machines work, what goes into making games that slot players like, and how to have the finest playing experience possible. You’ve come to the right place because my more than 30 years of experience as a player and more than 20 years as a gaming writer in books, newspapers, and magazines, as well as a teacher and seminar speaker, have led me to investigate the games, their history, design and programming, and the odds of winning.

Slot Machines are Enjoyable:

The introduction of computerized video slots (or online slots) has liberated game designers’ imaginations, and slot makers invest enormous amounts of time and money in building dynamic, fascinating slot games that will keep you entertained even if you don’t win. You’re taking an active role whether you’re driving a video racecar to try to get to the front of the pack for extra rewards in NASCAR, picking gift boxes at party time to collect awards in the longtime player favorite Jackpot Party, or having your picture taken and becoming a reel symbol in TMZ.

Slot with the Lowest Wager:

Minimum stakes of less than $5 per hand are uncommon in Las Vegas casinos, and even $5 tables can be hard to come by. Minimum bets of $25 and higher may get required at peak hours at premium venues. Slot machines allow low rollers to play for considerably less. Some 1-cent video slots, for example, offer 30 pay lines, which are lines across the video reels that pay out if matching symbols line up. If you stake one penny on each payline, your wager is 30 cents for every spin of the reels, which is significantly less than any casino table minimum.

The Slot Machine’s Psychology:

When most people think of a casino, they see excited poker games, spinning roulette wheels, and packed blackjack tables. In terms of money and popularity, all three traditional casino games pale in comparison to the gleaming, whirring slot machines that dominate the floor area.

Cognitive Dissonance – A Psychological Phenomenon That Aids Gambling:

According to World Health Organization estimates, there are around 1 billion smokers on the earth, with half dying hence their habit. Despite all of the available information, these smokers continue to puff away on cigarettes, fully aware that they are reducing their life expectancy. It is due to a psychological condition known as cognitive dissonance, which allows smokers to disconnect from the well-known evidence that their smoking is killing them. Because of this cognitive dissonance, people can smoke without experiencing panic attacks or powerful waves of anxiety every time they light up.

Dopamine – The Brain’s Reward System:

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is released in our brains whenever we accomplish anything that our primitive brain considers to be desirable or useful, such as eating, reproducing, and exercising. This chemical messenger is associated with pleasure, and when it is released, we frequently experience euphoria. Video games, particularly slot machines, have been developed to provide players with extreme highs and waves of ecstasy.

Zane Smith and No. 36 Wellcare Ford Team Daytona 500 Competition Notes

By
Official Release
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TEAM AND RACE NOTES:

All the focus for Zane Smith is on making his first Daytona 500.

Wellcare (www.wellcare.com) will ride along with Smith during his first attempt at NASCAR’s most prestigious event. A subsidiary of Centene Corporation, Wellcare offers a wide range of Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (PDP).

Smith will pilot the No. 36 Wellcare Ford Mustang for Front Row Motorsports (FRM). This will be a third entry for the organization and be one of currently six open cars attempting to qualify for the race.

The Wellcare team will have two opportunities to lock themselves into the prestigious Daytona 500. The first will come during Daytona 500 qualifying on Wednesday night at 8:00 p.m. ET on FS1. Smith can lock in by being one of the two fastest open cars to qualify on speed.

If Smith does not advance by his qualifying speed, he can do what he does best. Smith can race in by being the best finisher of open cars in his qualifying race on Thursday night.

COMPETITION NOTES:

Smith will have a familiar face leading the No. 36 Wellcare Ford team this week. Chris Lawson will serve as the crew chief of the team. Lawson will work with Seth Barbour, an experienced crew chief and race engineer during the week. Several FRM shop members and the truck team will also assist Smith in his attempt.

Lawson and Barbour have spent countless hours working with the FRM team members to prepare the car.

CREW CHIEF CHRIS LAWSON:

“We have one job to focus on right now and that’s to put Zane into the Daytona 500. At FRM, we’re leaning on the resources we have and the staff we have to put the car together. We also know strategy going into Wednesday and Thursday.

“I think we’re looking to give Zane the best driving car, the best handling car. We’ve seen what he can do when he needs to race under pressure. We just want to give him the best Mustang to do that on Thursday night. We can then focus on the 500 after that. But right now, it’s one step at a time.”

DRIVER ZANE SMITH:

“I’m just focused right now on getting into the race. I want to take each situation and each day as it comes. I’ve always been like that and it seems to work.

“I have a great team around me with Chris and some of the truck guys working with me. That makes me feel comfortable. I have a great partner with Wellcare, so we have the backing to do this the right way.

“I’ve been working with the guys on getting the car setup the way I want it at the shop. We can set the steering, the pedals, the seat, and feel comfortable inside the car. The rest is getting speed and then going out and racing it. I take it as a big challenge and I’m ready for it.”

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.

Kaulig Racing Weekly Advance | Daytona International Speedway

By
Official Release
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Daytona 500
Daytona International Speedway
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Sunday, February 19 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX

Kaulig Racing has made seven starts at Daytona International Speedway in the NCS, led 18 laps and has earned two top-15 finishes.

Chandler Smith, No. 13 Quick Tie Camaro ZL1

  • Chandler Smith will be making his NCS debut this week at Daytona International Speedway, as he attempts to qualify his way into the 65th running of the Daytona 500

“I keep having to pinch myself thinking about the possibility of racing in the Daytona 500. I’m thankful that my longtime partner Quick Tie will be with me all Speedweek as well, and we will do our best in our duel to hopefully lock ourselves into the big show! I remember growing up and watching guys like Jimmie Johnson win the 500, and now I’m racing against him for a spot in the race. It’s surreal.” – Chandler Smith on Daytona International Speedway

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Nutrien Ag Solutions Camaro ZL1

  • The Daytona 500 will mark AJ Allmendinger’s first time back at the World Center of Racing in the NCS since 2018.
  • In his last four NCS starts at Daytona International Speedway, Allmendinger finished in the top-10, including two third-place finishes.

“I’m pumped to get back to the Daytona 500. It’s a race that I’ve missed being a part of over the last five years, and there was a part of me that always wanted to be there. I’m the first to say superspeedway racing isn’t my favorite type of racing, but it’s the Daytona 500. It’s our race, it’s one of the biggest races in the world and as a race car driver, you want to be a part of that. Knowing our superspeedway program, we’re going to have a lot of fast cars out there and at least give ourselves an opportunity to run up front and hopefully put our No. 16 Nutrien Ag Solutions Camaro ZL1 in position to win the race. ” – AJ Allmendinger on Daytona International Speedway

Justin Haley, No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1

  • Justin Haley cemented himself in NASCAR history by winning the rain-shortened Coke Zero Sugar 400 in 2019 at Daytona International Speedway
  • Additionally at Daytona, Haley has led nine laps, eight of which came at the 2022 Coke Zero Sugar 400 with Kaulig Racing

“After a really good showing at the Clash in LA, I’m looking forward to getting to Daytona. This NextGen car is definitely more difficult on the speedways and requires just a whole different style of drafting and bump drafting that you need to do in order to be good. Speedways take a lot of luck, but also a lot of discipline to stay running up front at the very end when it matters the most. Hopefully my teammate AJ (Allmendinger) and I can help get Chandler (Smith) in during the duels to be able to work together during the big show and be there at the end.” – Justin Haley on Daytona International Speedway  

Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. 300
Daytona International Speedway
NASCAR Xfinity (NXS)
Saturday, February 18 at 5p.m. ET on FS1

Kaulig Racing’s first ever NXS win came at Daytona International Speedway during the 2019 Circle K Firecracker 250.
The team has earned three total wins at Daytona, 10 top fives, 14 top-10 finishes and has led a total of 321 laps.

Justin Haley, No. 10 DaaBIN Store Chevrolet

  • Justin Haley holds the record at Kaulig Racing for most NXS wins at a superspeedway, two of which came at Daytona International Speedway in the 2020 and 2021 WaWa 250
  • Haley has led a total of 29 laps at Daytona in the NXS and has recorded two wins, three top fives, and four top-10 finishes

“I’m excited to have the opportunity to run the Xfinity race on Saturday before the 500, along with our partners at DaaBIN Store. We had a great run together during the summer Xfinity race last year before our night ended early. Hopefully we can get some redemption and work together with my teammates Daniel (Hemric) and Chandler (Smith). Kaulig Racing has always worked so well together at the superspeedway races, so I’m excited to have some fun before the Daytona 500.” – Justin Haley on Daytona International Speedway

Daniel Hemric, No. 11 Cirkul Chevrolet

  • Daniel Hemric has earned one top five, three top 10s, and has an average finish of 20.2 at Daytona across nine starts
  • Hemric has led 46 laps at Daytona in the NXS

“The time is here again! I’m looking forward to kicking off another Xfinity Series quest for a Championship. To do it here, with everyone at Kaulig Racing, is truly an honor. With Daytona being our biggest event of the year, it is a great opportunity for Cirkul and all of our great partners. I am looking forward to a big weekend for them in our No.11 Cirkul Chevrolet. We will be putting all the things that we have all collectively worked on over the off season into play and making a run at what hopefully is a very special year for all of us.” – Daniel Hemric on Daytona International Speedway

Chandler Smith, No. 16 Quick Tie Chevrolet

  • Chandler Smith will begin his rookie campaign in the NXS when he makes his start in the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. 300
  • Smith has made three NXS race starts, all in 2022
  • His best finish was at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he finished seventh

“I feel like, based on the experience I gained last year in my Xfinity starts, I quickly understood how the car felt. At the test at Charlotte in January, it was like re-learning the car, riding on the edge. It felt great once I got it under control and we came close to topping the test leaderboard as a team with my teammate, Daniel (Hemric). With Quick Tie behind me for a big number of races starting with the Xfinity race at Daytona on Saturday, I think we’ll make some noise. Kaulig always works so well together on superspeedways, and I’m excited to be a part of it.” – Chandler Smith on Daytona International Speedway  
 
About Kaulig Racing™

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and has won back-to-back regular-season championships. Before becoming a full-time NCS team, Kaulig Racing made multiple starts in the 2021 NCS season and won in its seventh-ever start with AJ Allmendinger’s victory at “The Brickyard” for the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The team expanded to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 with Justin Haley piloting the No. 31 Camaro ZL1, and an all-star lineup featured in the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. Haley will continue to drive the No. 31 full-time in 2023, alongside AJ Allmendinger, who will drive the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. The team will continue to field three, full-time NXS entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by an all-star lineup that will be announced at a later date, the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Hemric, and the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by Chandler Smith. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

Beard Motorsports: Austin Hill Daytona 500 Advance

By
Official Release
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AUSTIN HILL
Daytona Speedweek
Pole Qualifying | Duel | Daytona 500
No. 62 Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet Camaro

Event Overview

Wednesday, Feb. 15: Daytona 500 qualifying (single-lap qualifying to determine pole for the Daytona 500)

● Time/TV/Radio: 8 p.m. ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Thursday, Feb. 16: Bluegreen Vacations Duel (twin 150-mile qualifying races that set the field for the Daytona 500)

● Time/TV/Radio: 7 p.m. ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Sunday, Feb. 19: 65th annual Daytona 500 (first of 36 points-paying NASCAR Cup Series races in 2023)

● Time/TV/Radio: 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Beard Motorsports is back for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season and will be increasing its presence in the NASCAR garage with an expanded schedule. It all begins this Sunday’s 65th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. The Beard Motorsports team is aiming to make its sixth start in The Great American Race and will be doing so with a new face behind the wheel of the No. 62 Chevrolet in driver Austin Hill.

● With a Chevrolet Camaro powered by an ECR-built engine, Beard Motorsports is accustomed to racing at the front, proven by its recent performances that include a top-five finish in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona last August with former driver Noah Gragson. Prior to 2022, Beard boasted a pair of top-10 finishes during the 2020 season at the hands of former driver Brendan Gaughan. With Gaughan behind the wheel, the Beard team finished seventh in the Daytona 500 in February and eighth in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 in August.

● Beard’s Daytona 500 campaign will be boosted by a partnership with Bennett Family of Companies. The Bennett Transportation and Logistics brand will adorn the No. 62 Chevrolet. Headquartered in McDonough, Georgia, Bennett Family of Companies provides logistics and transportation services for companies across American. Bennett offers a suite of trucking and specialized logistic services, from flatbed and step deck trucking and manufactured housing transport to RV delivery, customs brokerage, and warehousing. With more than 46 years of experience in the industry, Bennett’s network provides the safest and best possible service to all of its business partners.

● Honoring the passion and desire of the late Mark Beard Sr., the founder of Beard Motorsports, is what drives the team. Linda Beard sits atop the organization as the owner with strong support from daughter Amie and son Mark Jr., as well as crew chief Darren Shaw and Gaughan who, upon retiring from racing at the end of 2020, made the transition from driver to vice president of competition for the team. Historically, the No. 62 Beard Chevrolet has only run the races at Daytona and its sister track, Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. This season, Beard will expand that schedule with appearances at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval in October, as well as the August race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, which will serve as a homecoming for the Michigan-based Beard family and Beard Oil Distributing Company.

● Hill may be new to the No. 62 Beard Motorsports team but he arrives at Daytona having made one start in NASCAR’s top touring series. The native of Winston, Georgia, made his NASCAR Cup Series debut last season at Michigan driving the No. 33 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing (RCR). He finished a respectable 18th after starting the race 31st. In addition to his previous Cup Series experience, Hill goes into Daytona knowing what it takes to be successful at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. Driving for RCR in 2022, he raced his way to a win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series season-opening race at Daytona. Hill led a total of 23 laps en route to the victory. It was one of two wins he scored in the series last season – the other coming at Atlanta Motor Speedway in July.

● While Hill will be competing in the NASCAR Cup Series on a limited basis in 2023, he will be competing fulltime in the Xfinity Series, where he aims to race for a series championship with RCR. The 2022 NASCAR season was his first racing fulltime in the Xfinity Series. In addition to two wins, Hill scored 11 top-five finishes and 21 top-10s and finished the year sixth in the driver standings. Before joining the Xfinity Series fulltime in 2022, Hill competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He was a fulltime competitor in the series from 2018 to 2021 but made his first start in the Truck Series at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in 2014 at the tender age of 20. The now 28-year-old scored his first Truck Series win in 2019 in the season-opening race at Daytona – an event in which he started 10th and led 39 of the 111 laps run. Hill has made at least one start in the series for nine seasons and has 121 starts in all, netting eight wins, 27 top-fives and 54 top-10s.

● Qualifying for the Daytona 500 is unlike any other NASCAR Cup Series race. Before drivers compete in Thursday’s Duel qualifying event, they race the clock in single-lap qualifying Wednesday night, during which the two fastest cars are locked into the Daytona 500 field while the rest field is set by the results of the Duel. Drivers in odd-numbered qualifying positions race in the first Duel, and those in even-numbered qualifying positions race in the second Duel. Only 40 spots are available in the Daytona 500 and, for drivers like Hill, earning one of those coveted spots in the Daytona 500 comes one of two ways – by being one of the two fastest independent teams in single-car qualifying, or by racing his way into the Daytona 500 by way of the Duel. There are only four open spots in the Daytona 500 for independent teams, with the chartered NASCAR teams guaranteed one of the other 36 positions, as they are for each race on the 2023 schedule. Hill obviously wants to outperform 39 other drivers but, more specifically, any driver racing for the other independent teams looking to make the Daytona 500.

Austin Hill, Driver of the No. 62 Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet Camaro

Ready or not, the 2023 NASCAR season is upon us. How does it feel to be heading back to Daytona and getting the season started at the World Center of Racing?

“I’m super excited to get the year kicked off at Daytona. We had a really good season last year in the Xfinity Series, running consistently inside the top-five and starting the season off with a win at Daytona. Being the defending race winner on the Xfinity side is going to be cool to see if we can repeat. We seem to have a lot of success on the superspeedways, so hopefully we can use that momentum to our benefit. Then, having the opportunity to run the Cup car adds to the level of excitement I have going into this Speedweek in Daytona. I’ve never driven a Cup car on a superspeedway, so that is going to be a challenge – a good challenge – and one that I look forward to. Our Beard Motorsports Camaro has to make the show, whether that’s on time in qualifying or racing my way in through the Duel. The first step is to see how qualifying goes on Wednesday night, and then if we have to go into the Duel not being locked in, we will see how that unfolds. I’m going to approach it with the same mindset I have on the Xfinity side – to stay aggressive all race long and see where we end up.”

What does it mean to you to have the opportunity to run these six races with Beard Motorsports in the NASCAR Cup Series this season?

“As a kid growing up in this sport, getting the chance to run a NASCAR Cup Series car is the ultimate dream. Obviously I had the opportunity last year at Michigan to make my first start and I was so thankful to Richard Childress for giving me that chance. And now I have an even bigger opportunity with the Beard family and the Beard Motorsports team. I’ve gotten to talk over the phone with Amie Beard, and we’ve talked about her mom Linda and the men and women at Beard. We haven’t been able to meet face-to-face yet, and we will do that this week in Daytona, but I feel like I know them pretty well already. You can tell they’re super excited and stoked to be trying to make it into the Daytona 500. I think they may even be more excited than I am if that’s even possible. They seem like they really love superspeedway racing. And although it’s something that I didn’t necessarily enjoy until last year, I’ve really started to enjoy it more. And it’s just an honor to be able to race for Beard Motorsports and try to make it into the Daytona 500.”

How did this partnership with Beard Motorsports come about?

“Once we saw that Noah (Gragson) was moving on to another seat in the Cup Series and not going to be with Beard in 2023, we saw an open door. We started having talks and really just put our name out there. We said, ‘Hey, if you need someone and you don’t have anyone in mind, I would love to do it.’ We kicked it off with Beard and it’s been a really cool deal so far. I’m really excited to get to Daytona and see what we can do for Beard Motorsports. Hopefully it’s successful.”

Before you can run in the Daytona 500, you have to run the Duel. If you get to Thursday and the No. 62 team isn’t locked in from qualifying, how aggressive do you think you will need to be?

“As long as I don’t destroy a car and only mess up a fender or something that can be easily fixed, I’m going to do whatever it takes to make the Daytona 500. It’s something that as a little kid you always dream of, racing in the Cup level, and then also racing in the Daytona 500. It’s our Super Bowl. I’m going to do whatever it takes to make it in. I will hang it all out on the line. And if it comes down to the last lap and we are racing another guy to make it in, I’m going to be as aggressive as I can possibly be to make sure that we get our No. 62 Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet in the show. That’s the goal. We want to make it into the 500, and from there it’s going to be a really fun Sunday. I’ll be learning all day and trying to make it to the end of the race by missing the big one. First and foremost, we have to make it in.”

While you are going into Daytona Speedweek as a Cup Series rookie, you are armed with not only superspeedway experience, but also with superspeedway success. You won the season-opening Xfinity race at Daytona last February and you have a Daytona win in the Craftsman Truck Series. How did you adapt to superspeedway racing so quickly?

“I think one of the things that has helped me be successful on the superspeedways is RCR. We have really fast superspeedway Chevrolets. Anytime we go to a superspeedway, we just have that raw speed and we’re up front. When you do have that raw speed and you are fast, it makes it a little bit easier, but the driver still plays a role and the spotter plays a huge role. The spotter plays a crucial role, and you have to have that trust and that bond with each other. That’s something that we were able to do early in the Xfinity race at Daytona last February. It seemed like during the first stage we were just trying to figure each other out – the lingo and the things he’s saying and how quick I have to make a move when he tells me I’m clear. We worked through that during the first stage, and then the second and third stages obviously we started trusting each other more. That goes a long way and I think that’s one reason why we saw success throughout the superspeedway races. The only thing I can say I do on superspeedways is I just react. I don’t put too much thought in it. If I see I’m making a run on somebody, I make the move and I react. I have learned throughout the first stage of every superspeedway race what I can and can’t do with the car that day. I truly believe every superspeedway race is different from the next and you have to drive them a little bit differently. But to sit here and say I have some ability that other guys don’t have on superspeedways – I can’t say that. I just think I have a good understanding of where the runs are going and things like that. That just clicks for me.”

Locking yourself into the Daytona 500 is obviously priority number one this week. But looking ahead, this is just the first of a handful of Cup Series races you are planning to run in 2023. Can you talk about what the rest of the season looks like for you?

“I plan on running six Cup races this season – the two races at Daytona, the two at Talladega and then Michigan. We had the new road course race at Chicago circled, but then we found out about the new rule that keeps Xfinity drivers from running the Cup race and vice versa. So, we switched that one and will run at the Charlotte road course in October instead. I’m actually really excited about that one because I love road-course racing. I think that’s something that’s going to be really cool that I get to do. I’ll be doing all of these races with Beard Motorsports and I’m really thankful for that. Last year was really cool to be able to have my first-ever start in the Cup Series at Michigan. We had a good, clean day there and finished in the top-20. I’m going to try to take the things I learned in that race and apply it to this season with these six races that I have.”

No. 62 Beard Motorsports Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Austin Hill
Hometown: Winston, Georgia

Crew Chief: Darren Shaw
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Car Chief: Drew Mickey
Hometown: Walkerton, North Carolina

Spotter: Chris Osborne
Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

President: Linda Beard
Hometown: Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

VP of Racing Ops: Brendan Gaughan
Hometown: Las Vegas

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Tim Sheets
Hometown: Carmel, Indiana

Rear Tire Changer: David Mayo
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Damien Wermes
Hometown: Huntersville, North Carolina

Jack Man: Ethan Hindman
Hometown: fork Union, Virginia

Fuel Man: Bobby Grant
Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Jack Gagnon
Hometown: Quebec, Canada

Mechanic: Mark Sanders
Hometown: Springfield, Ohio

Mechanic: Nic Hill
Hometown: Fort Myers, Florida

Tire Technician: Mike Harrold
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Engine Tuner: Jason Watkins
Hometown: Ridgeway, Virginia

Transporter Driver: Terry Burger
Hometown: Lexington, North Carolina

BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY AND WEATHER GUARD PARTNER FOR 2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES ENTITLEMENT FOR APRIL DIRT RACE

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WEATHER GUARD® also becomes the Official Truck Tool Box of Bristol Motor Speedway as well as the Official WEATHER GUARD® Work Crew for BMS and eight additional Speedway Motorsports properties: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dover Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Sonoma Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway

BRISTOL, Tenn. (Feb. 13, 2023) – In a multi-tiered partnership, WEATHER GUARD®, an industry leader in heavy-duty equipment for work trucks and vans, has been named the title sponsor of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at the dirt-transformed Bristol Motor Speedway in April and the Official Truck Tool Box for Bristol Motor Speedway, it was announced today by speedway officials.

In the entitlement portion of the partnership, The WEATHER GUARD® Truck Race on Dirt is scheduled to take the green flag at 8 p.m. on April 8 at Bristol Motor Speedway and will air live on FS1 and MRN Radio. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series regular season race is the circuit’s only race on a dirt surface during the season. In addition to official naming rights, WEATHER GUARD® also will receive premium signage displays, feature activations in the Fan Midway, hospitality privileges and the opportunity to select VIP dignitaries.

In the Official designation, WEATHER GUARD® was named the Official Truck Tool Box of Bristol Motor Speedway. Per the agreement, a designated group of BMS owned vehicles will be equipped with WEATHER GUARD® truck tool boxes. The WEATHER GUARD® truck tool boxes attach to the vehicles and are perfect for carrying tools and gear and keeping all of the contents safe from the elements.

“We are pleased to welcome WEATHER GUARD® into the Bristol Motor Speedway family of sponsors as the entitlement for the WEATHER GUARD® Truck Race on Dirt during our April NASCAR weekend as well as the Official Truck Tool Box of Bristol Motor Speedway,” said Jerry Caldwell, president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway. “It’s always exciting to bring a new partner into the fold, especially one like WEATHER GUARD® who is a trusted American brand that makes such a significant impact throughout the world with its signature products. I know our fleet of BMS work vehicles will greatly benefit from the WEATHER GUARD® tool boxes.”

In addition to the Truck Series race entitlement and Official Truck Tool Box sponsorship at BMS, WEATHER GUARD® also will become the Official WEATHER GUARD® Work Crew for BMS and eight additional Speedway Motorsports properties: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dover Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Sonoma Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway.

As part of the expanded Speedway Motorsports Official partnership, WEATHER GUARD® will receive signage, activation, hospitality and marketing opportunities at those premier entertainment venues during their NASCAR Cup Series race weekends. As the Official WEATHER GUARD® Work Crew, WEATHER GUARD® creates truck and van organization systems that offer safety and security by providing superior protection against break-ins and inclement weather conditions. These hardworking men and women ensure continued safe operations at Speedway Motorsports tracks.

“We are thrilled to not only provide WEATHER GUARD® with an amazing platform at Bristol Motor Speedway through the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series entitlement in April and the Official Truck Tool Box partnership, but also through an additional Official Work Crew sponsorship at other Speedway Motorsports facilities,” said Speedway Motorsports Chief Sales Officer Kevin Camper. “Through the Official Work Crew partnership we will be able to provide unique opportunities for WEATHER GUARD® to showcase their unique safety products to potential customers in markets from coast-to-coast.”

This multi-year sponsorship is the first for WEATHER GUARD® with Bristol Motor Speedway and Speedway Motorsports.

“This new partnership with Bristol Motor Speedway and Speedway Motorsports aligns perfectly with the WEATHER GUARD® brand and the focus on our product solutions for trucks and vans,” said Stacy Gardella, head of global marketing technology and operations at WernerCo Professional Brands. “In addition, the new WEATHER GUARD® Work Crew gives us the opportunity to celebrate all of the hardworking men and women who use WEATHER GUARD® products to tackle their demanding jobs every day.”

The Bristol race weekend also will feature action in the NASCAR Cup Series with the Food City Dirt Race on Sunday evening, April 9 (FOX and PRN Radio). The WEATHER GUARD® Truck Race on Dirt will be preceded on Saturday by Bush’s Beans Qualifying. On Friday, teams in both the Cup Series and Craftsman Truck Series will be able to fine-tune their machines during Bush’s Beans Practice Day.

To purchase tickets for the Weather Guard Truck Race on Dirt or any of the events during Food City Dirt Race weekend, please visit the BMS website, or call the BMS Ticket Sales Center at (866) 415-4158.

About WEATHER GUARD®
WEATHER GUARD®, a WernerCo brand, is an industry leader in truck and van equipment, including truck boxes, drawer units, shelving, cabinets, and racks for trucks, vans and utility vehicles. WEATHER GUARD® organizes trucks and vans for greater productivity and provides tools and valuable superior protection against break-ins and weather. WEATHER GUARD® products are manufactured in Crystal Lake, Illinois. For more information, visit www.weatherguard.com.

About Speedway Motorsports
Speedway Motorsports is a leading marketer, promoter and sponsor of motorsports entertainment in the United States. The company, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates the following premier facilities: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dover Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Sonoma Raceway, Texas Motor Speedway, North Wilkesboro Speedway and Kentucky Speedway. Speedway Motorsports provides souvenir merchandising services through its SMI Properties subsidiaries; manufactures and distributes smaller-scale, modified racing cars and parts through its U.S. Legend Cars International subsidiary; and produces and broadcasts syndicated motorsports programming to radio stations nationwide through its Performance Racing Network subsidiary.

About Bristol Motor Speedway
Forged amid the scenic mountains of Northeast Tennessee near the Virginia state line, Bristol Motor Speedway is The Last Great Colosseum, a versatile multi-use venue that hosts major auto races, football games, concerts and many other captivating events. The facility features a 0.533-mile concrete oval race track with 28-degree corner banking and 650-feet straightaways that offers racing in several NASCAR touring series, highlighted by two major Cup Series weekends each year. In 2020, the track also served as host of the prestigious NASCAR All-Star Race, and in 2021 began converting to a temporary dirt track each spring to take the Cup Series back to its racing roots. While at the track, fans are offered a unique viewing experience courtesy of Colossus TV, the world’s largest outdoor center-hung four-sided video screen with a 540,000-watt audio system. The adjacent quarter-mile dragstrip, Bristol Dragway, offers more than 50 events annually, including the marquee NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. The Thunder Valley Amphitheatre presented by Ballad Health transforms Bristol Dragway into a premier outdoor concert venue for the world’s greatest music performers. Three football games have kicked-off inside the oval, most notably the 2016 Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol, where border rivals the University of Tennessee and Virginia Tech met before an NCAA-record crowd of 156,990. In existence since 1961, Bristol Motor Speedway was purchased in 1996 by Speedway Motorsports, a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States.

Todd Gilliland and No. 38 Ford Team Daytona 500 Competition Notes

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Official Release
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TEAM AND RACE NOTES:

From the purpose-built short track of the L.A Coliseum, gener8tor Skills (www.gener8tor.com/Skills) now heads to the “World Center of Racing” the Daytona International Speedway with Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 gener8tor Skills Ford Mustang team.

gener8tor Skills Accelerator will be partnering with Gilliland and Front Row Motorsports (FRM) throughout the season to introduce fans to their service- a free virtual skill-training program where participants receive one-on-one support to achieve their goals. gener8tor Skills Accelerator was founded in the summer of 2020 to help those who have lost jobs or are struggling to find employment because of the COVID crisis. The program builds confidence with coaching and support to achieve your desired goals.

Gilliland will pilot the No. 38 gener8tor Skills Ford Mustang in his second Daytona 500.

The week will begin with qualifying for the Daytona 500 on Wednesday, February 15 at 8:15 p.m. ET on FS1. The Duels will air Thursday, February 16 at 7:00 p.m. ET.

The 65th running of the Daytona 500 will take place Sunday, February 19 at 2:30 p.m. ET and will be televised live on FOX.

COMPETITION NOTES:

Under the new leadership of crew chief Ryan Bergenty, Gilliland, and the No.38 team head to Daytona with high hopes of a strong performance at the legendary 2.5-mile track.

Bergenty has been working diligently in the off-season with fellow crew chief, Travis Peterson, on strategy and performance for the prestigious race.

CREW CHIEF RYAN BERGENTY:

“I have a lot of confidence in Todd and our team. We have been hard at work for weeks getting ready for this race. We’ve been to the dyno, the hawkeye, the simulator, and more it seems. Todd has put the work in and the crew has been working hard on the car. We have what we have at this point and we feel it’s going to be a car that Todd can win with.

“We did work collectively as a group on our Daytona program. It wasn’t just the ‘34’ team or the ‘36’ or ‘38’ teams, it was all of us in one engineering room and one shop working on what we think is best for all three guys. Now, it’s time for each of them to go racing and I can’t wait.”

DRIVER TODD GILLILAND:

“I am really excited for my second Daytona 500. Daytona is just awesome and there is no other race with this type of atmosphere. I’d really say this is my favorite race all season. You can feel the energy at Daytona for sure.

“The race itself is all about surviving, but you can make sure that you survive, too. You can’t make bad moves, you need to put yourself in a good position, and you need to know when to make a move and when not to. I think I just go into this Daytona 500 with a little more experience at all of that. So, it’s just making it count and try and win it.”

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.

Mahindra Tractors Racing: Chase Briscoe Daytona 500 Advance

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CHASE BRISCOE
Pole Qualifying | Duel | Daytona 500
No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

Wednesday, Feb. 15: Daytona 500 qualifying (single-lap qualifying to determine pole for the Daytona 500)

● Time/TV/Radio: 8 p.m. ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Thursday, Feb. 16: Bluegreen Vacations Duel (twin 150-mile qualifying races that set the field for the Daytona 500)

● Time/TV/Radio: 7 p.m. ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Sunday, Feb. 19: 64th annual Daytona 500 (first of 36 points-paying NASCAR Cup Series races in 2021)

● Time/TV/Radio: 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Sunday’s 65th annual Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway marks Chase Briscoe’s third start in the prestigious NASCAR Cup Series event. In last year’s race, Briscoe drove his No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) to a third-place finish, his best at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. His Daytona 500 debut in 2021 resulted in a 19th-place finish.

● Briscoe begins his third fulltime points-paying season in the Cup Series with the same team but with new stability as the 28-year-old was signed to a multi-year contract extension during the offseason. He and the Mahindra Tractors team also began 2023 at the non-points Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum two weekends ago with a performance reminiscent of their 2022 outing in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Briscoe was consistently fastest in his practice group and in the top-five overall throughout Saturday’s two-hour practice session on the tight, quarter-mile paved oval. Damage sustained late in practice hindered the No. 14 team’s qualifying effort, but Briscoe still turned the 11th-quickest lap and went on to finish second in his heat race Sunday to earn a seventh-place starting position for the 150-lap feature. Unlike last year’s feature, when Briscoe retired early with a mechanical issue, he completed every lap this year and was strongest on the long run. However, a string of cautions in the latter stages of the race slowed his ability to advance higher than 15th.

● On-track action at Daytona begins with single-lap qualifying Wednesday night, when the front row for the Daytona 500 will be set. The Bluegreen Vacations Duel – twin 150-mile qualifying races that set the 40-car field for Sunday’s race follows on Thursday. Drivers in odd-numbered qualifying positions compete in the first Duel and those in even-numbered qualifying positions battle in the second Duel to fill out the rest of the starting grid for Sunday’s race.

● In his two August outings at Daytona, which marks the end of the Cup Series regular season, Briscoe finished 21st in 2021 and was scored 31st last year after getting caught up in an accident on lap 124.

● Briscoe made six previous starts at Daytona prior to joining the Cup Series – four in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and one apiece in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and in the ARCA Racing Series. He started inside the top-10 for five of those races, with his best being a third-place qualifying effort in the 2016 ARCA season opener. His best finish was third, earned twice – August 2020 in the Xfinity Series and February 2017 in the Truck Series.

● Mahindra Tractors adorns the No. 14 Ford Mustang for The Great American Race for the second straight year. Houston-based Mahindra Ag North America joined SHR prior to the 2022 season with Mahindra Tractors as the anchor sponsor for Briscoe and the No. 14 team. Following a successful year that included a top-three in last year’s Daytona 500, a career-first win at Phoenix Raceway and a tenacious run through the playoffs, the No. 14 team’s cheering section in Daytona will include an international contingent as executives from Mahindra Tractors will host Mahindra Group leadership from India and other U.S. Mahindra companies and their customers.

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

We’re going into the second season with the NextGen car and the No. 14 team did a lot of experimenting with the setups in the middle of the 2022 season. Do you feel like you are in a better place to start this season in terms of knowing what to expect and how to prepare?

“I think so. Some things have changed but, overall, it’s still the car we ran last year. I feel like we’re always learning. If we aren’t learning, we’re going backwards. So, there are still some things that we’ve got to figure out that take time but, yeah, we’re definitely starting off with more than we knew last year and we’ll just keep learning.”

You’ve had two very different Daytona 500 experiences. Does this race set the tone for how you approach the season?

“Not necessarily. The Daytona 500 is such a unique race. You never know how the race will play out. No one is really thinking about points, you’re so focused on being in the right position at the right time, so the intensity of the race is a little more than what we see at some other places. Everybody is just trying to get to the end and you see a lot of different strategies. You definitely want to start the season off on a strong note, but at the same time it’s not the end of the world if you don’t have a great run at Daytona. I’ve been on both sides of it. One where we didn’t finish great and then last year finishing up front. It’s definitely a lot nicer when you can have that good points finish to start the year off and kind of build that momentum early. So we’ll see what we can do.”

The schedule for this year looks different than it has in the past. Is it more important now to qualify well?

“Unless you’re good enough to get on the front row, qualifying still doesn’t really matter. You’re not getting any idea of how your car performs in the race, so the Duel is going to be the focus. It’s always been important, but with no practice before, it almost gets treated as a practice session to make sure we’ve got everything close to where it needs to be. But, you also need to do what you can to finish well or you’re already starting off on the wrong foot for the 500. We’re all in the same position going in so it’ll be interesting to see how everyone races the Duel and whether it’s a race with a lot of excitement or everyone just taking it easy to make it to Sunday.”

No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe
Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: John Klausmeier
Hometown: Perry Hall, Maryland

Car Chief: J.D. Frey
Hometown: Ferndale, California

Engineer: Mike Cook
Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Spotter: Joey Campbell
Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala
Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Jack Man: Dylan Moser

Hometown: Monroe, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams
Hometown: Naples, Florida

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads
Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips
Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

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

Transporter Co-Driver: Rob Fink
Hometown: Mocksville, North Carolina

GMS Racing NCTS Race Preview: Daytona International Speedway

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Race Information

  • Round: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race No. 1 of 23
  • Track Location: Daytona International Speedway – Daytona Beach, Florida
  • Race Name: NextEra Energy 250
  • Broadcast: Friday, Feb. 17th at 7:30 PM ET live on FS1 (TV) and MRN (Radio)
  • 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 & Travis Sharpe – Giuseppe’s Steel City Pizza Chevrolet

Grant Enfinger, No. 23 Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet Silverado RST
Daytona International Speedway Stats

  • NCTS Starts: 8, Wins: 1 (2020), Poles: 1 (2016), Top 5s: 2, Top 10s: 3, Laps led: 60
  • ARCA Starts: 5, Wins: 2 (2014 & 2015), Best start: 2nd, Top 5s: 2, Top 10s: 3, Laps led: 78

2022 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

  • Starts: 23, Wins: 1 (IRP), Best start: 3rd, Top 5s: 7, Top 10s: 12, Laps led: 44, Points finish: 7th
  • 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.
  • Season Outlook: The saying of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” seems to be the mantra surrounding Grant Enfinger and the No. 23 GMS Racing team. Entering his seventh full-time season competing in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Enfinger looks to be a threat to win the championship once again in his second year back with the team.

Calling the shots atop the pit box this year will once again be the well-respected crew chief in Jeff Hensley, who’s relationship with Grant dates back to 2017. Hensley’s ability to work well with Enfinger has been proven time and time again, and after rejoining the team midway through last season, the two were able to hit the ground running and contend for top-fives and wins on a weekly basis.

Enfinger’s truck will look familiar to last year, as Champion Power Equipment will serve as Enfinger’s anchor partner for the majority of the 2023 season once again. The driver/partner pairing has been unmistakeable for years, showcasing one of the longest lasting partnerships in the tour. Champion Power Equipment has been associated with Enfinger since 2014, increasingly growing their partnership immensely over the years.

  • Chassis History/Info: For the second straight year, Grant Enfinger and the No. 23 team will debut a new Chevrolet Silverado RST in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. The event marks the first time that GMS Racing chassis no. 146 will hit the track.
  • Previous Daytona Winner: Enfinger knows a thing or two about finding victory lane at the World Center of Racing. Throughout his career, he has been fortunate to win multiple races at the storied facility – including two ARCA Menards Series wins (2014 & 2015) as well as a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win in 2020. Grant also has a Truck Series win at Talladega Superspeedway, Daytona’s sister track, which came in 2016, driving for GMS Racing.
  • GE Appearances: Fans attending the NextEra Energy 250 will have an opportunity to meet Grant Enfinger on Friday, February 17th:

Team Chevy Stage: All three GMS Racing teammates will be hosting a Q&A session at the Team Chevy stage in the Daytona International Speedway fan zone from 12:15 PM to 12:30 PM local time, where they will sign autographs following shortly after.
- From The Drivers Seat: The new season brings upon a new set of opportunities. You’ve got some new teammates at GMS Racing, but for the most your core group will stay the same. Talk about some of your goals for 2023.

“I’ve got a couple new teammates this year with Rajah and Daniel. I’ve know both of them for about a year now and we all respect each other. I know we will work well together. The core group on our No. 23 Chevy stayed the same, and I feel we are in the best shape we’ve ever been in entering the season.

Super speedway racing is something I always look forward to, and our GMS guys have put in the time to build us a very nice truck for this year. It is especially great to continue the long relationship with Champion Power Equipment and we are all pumped to get the season started. I can’t thank GMS Racing and Chevrolet enough for putting in the hard work over the off season, and having confidence in our team. As a team we are looking to take advantage of the great opportunity that we have this year, and not leave anything on the table. It all starts Friday night.”

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

Daytona International Speedway Stats

  • Rajah Caruth will be making his first Truck Series start at Daytona International Speedway on Friday.
  • ARCA Starts: 1, Best start: 21st, Best finish: 11th (2022)

2022 ARCA Menards Series Season Stats

  • Starts: 20, Best start: 4th, Best finish: 2nd (Kansas), Top 5s: 8, Top 10s: 14, Laps led: 34, Points finish: 3rd
  • 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 compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 129 in Daytona. This purpose-built super speedway truck has been driven 10 times since its debut in 2017, and visited victory lane at the World Center of Racing in 2018 with Johnny Sauter. Grant Enfinger most recently drove this Silverado RST at Talladega Superspeedway last fall, where it finished 29th after a crash caused by a cut tire ended his day early.
  • Season Outlook: Moving up the ranks from the ARCA Menards Series, Rajah Caruth was tapped in October to compete in his first full-time NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season driving the No. 24 Chevrolet Silverado RST for GMS Racing. Caruth will be competing for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in 2023, challenging teammate Daniel Dye and several others for the rookie title.

Guiding Caruth through his first season will be veteran crew chief Chad Walter, who returns to GMS Racing after spending a year in the NASCAR Xfinity Series garage. Walter has spent decades in the sport, and will be a mentor that Rajah will heavily lean on as the season gets underway. Recently, it was announced that Caruth himself will be spending time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as well, running a partial schedule for Alpha Prime Racing.

Rajah’s primary partner for the 2023 race season will be the Wendell Scott Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes education and job skills to underprivileged youth. The Foundation bears the name of the historic NASCAR trailblazer, Wendell Scott, who was the first African-American driver to compete in the sport.

  • RC Appearances: Fans attending the NextEra Energy 250 will have a couple of opportunities to meet Rajah Caruth throughout the weekend:

Friday, Feb. 17th | Team Chevy Stage: All three GMS Racing teammates will be hosting a Q&A session at the Team Chevy stage in the Daytona International Speedway fan zone from 12:15 PM to 12:30 PM local time, where they will sign autographs following shortly after.
Saturday, Feb. 18th | Fresh From Florida Stage: Rajah Caruth will host a Q&A session at the Fresh From Florida stage from 10:00 AM to 10:15 AM in the Daytona International Speedway fan zone.

  • From The Driver’s Seat: Over the off season, you made a big move over to GMS Racing to compete in your first full-time season in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. You have some previous truck races under your belt, but never at a super speedway, so what have you done to prepare yourself for Friday?

“I’ve done a lot of preparation over the winter getting ready for my first super speedway start in a truck. From watching a previous race broadcasts to relying on past experience from not only some members on my team, but even other drivers and individuals that I’ve gotten to know in the racing industry. Honestly, spending time on iRacing has helped me a lot; with the updated aerodynamic model that the Cup Series cars just received, they share a lot of similar characteristics to how these trucks work together in the draft, so I’ve been practicing a lot on there. I’ve been trying to keep up with the repetition just so I can be as plugged in as possible, so when it comes time to head to Daytona I’ll be ready to go so I don’t feel like as much of a rookie. I’m looking forward to a great year with my No. 24 Wendell Scott Foundation team and know we will have some fast GMS Racing Chevrolet teammates to work with the entire race.”

Daniel Dye, No. 43 GMS Racing Chevrolet Silverado RST

Daytona International Speedway Stats

  • Daniel Dye will be making his first Truck Series start at Daytona International Speedway on Friday.
  • ARCA Starts: 1, Best start: 14th, Best finish: 3rd (2022), Top 5s: 1, Top 10s: 1

2022 ARCA Menards Series Season Stats

  • Starts: 20, Poles: 1 (Berlin), Best finish: 2nd (Phoenix), Top 5s: 13, Top 10s: 17, Laps led: 226, Points finish: 2nd
  • About Giuseppe’s Steel City Pizza: Giuseppe’s has been proudly serving the Daytona Beach and Port Orange areas since 1982 when our family relocated here from Freeport, Pennsylvania, a small town just outside of Pittsburgh. We aren’t a chain, we are a family operation. You will always find one or more family members in the kitchen cooking up your order every hour of every day. We use only the highest quality, freshest ingredients, serving generous portion sizes, and offer it all at a reasonable price. Everything is homemade fresh daily, including our pizza dough, sauces, garlic bread, lasagna, pastas, soups, wing sauce, and our “to-die-for” creamy Italian dressing. Making our dishes from scratch has always been, and always will be, our promise to you. For more information, please visit www.giuseppessteelcitypizza.com.
  • Season Outlook: After spending a year and a half driving for GMS Racing in the ARCA Menards Series, Daniel Dye was promoted to drive in his first full-time season with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Carrying over his signature No. 43, which he has carried for the majority of his career, Dye looks to impress in his freshman campaign as he vies for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors.

Joining Daniel on the No. 43 team as his crew chief will be Travis Sharpe, who has plenty of experience working in several different series from the late model ranks all the way up to the NASCAR Cup Series. The two were paired together in a one-off ARCA Menards Series West event last June at Portland International Raceway, and hit on some chemistry right off the bat, winning the pole together in their first outing.

Dye’s No. 43 Chevrolet will feature a wide varieties of primary partners which will be showcased throughout the season, and fans across the country will be excited to see the return of the iconic Petty blue colors adorning his truck on a weekly basis.

  • Chassis History/Info: Dye and the No. 43 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 127 in the season opener at Daytona. This Chevrolet has a proven track record on the super speedway tracks, earning three top-fives and four top-10 finishes in 10 races. Specifically at Daytona, it has a second place finish on its rep sheet, scored by Justin Haley in 2018. Most recently, Jack Wood drove this truck to a 19th place finish at Talladega Superspeedway last fall.
  • Hometown Hero: Born and raised in the heart of Daytona Beach, Florida, Daniel Dye will have the chance to race in front of his hometown crowd on Friday night. As a kid growing up in the area, Daniel began his racing career just a few miles away at New Smyrna Speedway, so it’s only fitting that he makes the next step up racing at Daytona International Speedway. Keeping with the hometown feel, DD’s No. 43 Chevrolet will feature numerous local partners highlighted from the area, including Giuseppe’s Steel City Pizza, Main Street Tattoo, and Arrow Wrecker Services.
  • NCTS Debut Race: Welcome aboard, rookie! Not only will Daniel be racing at his home track, but he will also make his very first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start on Friday. Running alongside his teammates in Grant Enfinger and Rajah Caruth, Dye hopes to work together and have a solid plan in place to contend throughout the evening.
  • DD Appearances: Fans attending the NextEra Energy 250 will have a bunch of opportunities to meet Daniel Dye throughout the Daytona race weekend:

Wednesday, Feb. 15th | Main Street Tattoo: Located at 405 Main St., Daytona Beach, FL 32118, fans will have an early chance to see Daniel Dye and his No. 43 show truck as it will be placed out in front of Main Street Tattoo. Stop by for a photo with Daniel and the truck from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM local time!
Wednesday, Feb. 15th | Giuseppe’s Steel City Pizza: Located at 3658 S. Nova Rd. 4204, Port Orange, FL 32129, Daniel Dye will be appearing at Giuseppe’s Steel City Pizza alongside his No. 43 show truck from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM local time. Come to meet Daniel and get some autographs, stay for some great food from one of his race partners.
Thursday, Feb. 16th | Halifax Health: Located at 303 N. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32114, Daniel Dye will sign autographs at one of his longest standing partners in Halifax Health alongside the No. 43 show truck from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM local time.
Thursday, Feb. 16th | Daytona’s Garage (Show Truck only): Located at 1450 N. Tomoka Farms Rd., Daytona Beach, FL 32124, fans can stop by Daytona’s Garage from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM to get a photo with Daniel Dye’s No. 43 show truck.
Friday, Feb. 17th | Team Chevy Stage: All three GMS Racing teammates will be hosting a Q&A session at the Team Chevy stage in the Daytona International Speedway fan zone from 12:15 PM to 12:30 PM local time, where they will sign autographs following shortly after.

  • From the Driver’s Seat: This is a special weekend for you as you get to make your NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut in front of your home town crowd, what does this race mean to you personally?

“This race is going to be super cool to get started in Daytona in front of the home crowd. You know, racing at Daytona is just one of those things that I’ve always wanted to do, and I got to do it last year in the ARCA Menards Series, but to come back and do it in the NASCAR Truck Series this year is going to be really cool. I don’t think there’s any better place to start than at Daytona, and getting to run in front of my friends and family is going to be really special. We’ve been putting in a lot of work to make sure that I can make those guys proud down there, and I’m thankful to have the support of everyone that has come on board with our GMS Racing team this week and for the entire year as a whole. I’ll do everything I can to keep the No. 43 Chevy up front throughout the race and have a good time doing it.”

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.

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