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Front Row Motorsports: Watkins Glen International Competition Notes – Zane Smith

Zane Smith and the No. 38 Long John Silver’s Ford Team
Watkins Glen International Competition Notes
Go Bowling at The Glen

Date: Sunday, August 10, 2025
Event: Race 26 of 38
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Watkins Glen International (2.45-miles)
#of Laps: 90
Time/TV/Radio: 2:00 PM ET on USA/MRN/SiriusXM channel 90

Zane Smith Notes

The NASCAR Cup Series is back to road course racing this weekend with Zane Smith and the No. 38 facing Watkins Glen International. Smith has proven to be a strong competitor on road courses throughout his NASCAR career, earning back-to-back Truck Series wins at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas in 2022 and 2023. In his Cup Series rookie season in 2024, Smith finished fifth at the New York track.

“These last few races have definitely been frustrating, but there’s no quit in this No. 38 team,” said Smith. “We’ve shown we have the speed to compete — it’s just about putting together a complete race and avoiding trouble. I had a solid run at Watkins Glen last year, and with the speed in our car and my confidence on road courses, I believe we have a real shot to turn things around this weekend.”

Road Crew

Driver: Zane Smith

Hometown: Huntington Beach, California

Crew Chief: Ryan Bergenty

Hometown: Plainville, Connecticut

Car Chief: Will Norris

Hometown: Bells, Tennessee

Engineer: Jacob Clamme

Hometown: Hartford City, Indiana

Engineer: Chris Yerges

Hometown: Green Bay, Wisconsin

Mechanic: Steve Godfrey

Hometown: West Haven, Connecticut

Mechanic / Engine Tuner: Tyler Podlaski

Hometown: Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania

Interior Specialist: Matt Fowler

Hometown: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Spotter: Ryan Blanchard

Hometown: Bethlehem, Connecticut

Transport Co-Driver: Ernest Mullins

Hometown: Fayetteville, North Carolina

Transport Co-Driver: Rick Grissom

Hometown: Bakersfield, California

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Ryan Flores

Hometown: Manasquan, New Jersey

Rear Tire Changer: Austin Chrismon

Hometown: China Grove, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Drew Baum

Hometown: Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Jackman: Ryan Selig

Hometown: Lindenhurst, Illinois

Fueler: Chris Webb

Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

ABOUT LONG JOHN SILVER’S

Long John Silver’s was founded in 1969 and is on a mission to create treasured moments through high-quality food and bell-ringing service. With restaurants from sea to mouth-watering sea, Long John Silver’s continues building on a belief that the unique seafood experience from the coasts should be accessible to all. Learn more at ljsilvers.com or join the conversation via social media on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

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. 4, No. 34, and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 34 and No. 38 Craftsman Truck Series teams from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @teamfrm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

GRAND OLE OPRY MEMBER CHRIS JANSON TO PERFORM PRE-RACE CONCERT AT BASS PRO SHOPS NIGHT RACE

BRISTOL, Tenn. (Aug. 5, 2025) – Award-winning and multi-platinum selling artist and songwriter Chris Janson will perform the pre-race concert for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, it was announced today by track officials.

Janson is in the middle of his 2025 nationwide tour and his latest studio album, Wild Horses, dropped on August 1. The first release from the album and current radio single, “Me & A Beer,” has become a hit summertime anthem which is climbing the charts.

Janson, known for his five No. 1 hits, which include “Buy Me a Boat,” “Fix a Drink,” “Good Vibes,” “All I Need is You,” and “Done,” has been called one of the most electrifying live performers in Country music and is sure to have the crowd on their feet all night.

Janson will take the big stage in the BMS infield at 5 p.m. during the Crav’n Flavor Pre-Race Infield Experience presented by Food City, and his tunes will lead directly into the popular Bass Pro Shops Night Race Cup Series driver introductions, where each driver enters The Last Great Colosseum to their own selected music.

Fans who purchase the Crav’n Flavor Pre-Race Infield Experience presented by Food City ticket upgrade will receive a front-row seat to the Janson concert and the driver intros.

Crav’n Flavor and Food City were recently named sponsors of Bristol’s popular Pre-Race Infield Experience.

“We can’t wait to hear Chris Janson rock the Crav’n Flavor Pre-Race Infield, and we know the fans will love it too,” said Steve Smith, Food City President and CEO, who carries the Crav’n Flavor brand. “Fans at Bristol Motor Speedway have big cravings for events like this, and this is a great way to showcase the brand’s partnership with such an exciting talent.”

It will be the third NASCAR pre-race performance for the Grand Ole Opry member. Janson previously played at Nashville Superspeedway in 2021 and prior to the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2022.

“Looking forward to a rowdy good time at Bristol Motor Speedway for the Bass Pro Night Race pre-race concert brought to you by my friends at Crav’n Flavor,” Janson said. “It’s going to be an awesome night of fast driving and some good Country music. The energy is going to be off the charts and can’t wait to see y’all there!”

Janson is the latest country star to perform at Bristol Motor Speedway. The roster of past performances includes Tim McGraw, Jake Owen, Morgan Wallen, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Hank Williams Jr., Brooks & Dunn, Jelly Roll, Jason Aldean, Cody Johnson, HARDY, Megan Moroney, Baily Zimmerman, Midland, Randy Houser, Travis Tritt, Joe Nichols, The Band Perry, Old Dominion, Rodney Foster, Trace Adkins, Lonestar, Cody Jinks, Larry Fleet and ERNEST, among others.

“We are thrilled to have Grand Ole Opry member Chris Janson to rev up our fans in the pre-race concert before the Bass Pro Shops Night Race,” said Jerry Caldwell, president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway. “Chris is a crown jewel performer in the country music industry so it makes perfect sense to have him at The Last Great Colosseum to perform at one of NASCAR’s crown jewel events, America’s Night Race. He has so many memorable hits, and most of them have soared up the charts to number one. We are looking forward to enjoying plenty of good vibes when he takes the stage that Saturday evening in the Crav’n Flavor Pre-Race Infield Experience presented by Food City.”

Some of the most memorable moments in NASCAR history have taken place during the Bass Pro Shops Night Race on the super-challenging .533-mile high-banked concrete oval. NASCAR’s best drivers will go doorhandle to doorhandle – NASCAR Playoff style – and only the strongest will survive 500 laps of mayhem and chaos on the iconic short track.

In the NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race (Sept. 13, 7:30 p.m. USA Network and PRN Radio), you’ll get to see all of your favorite drivers racing hard to advance in the Playoffs, including recent Night Race winners Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson, fan-favorites Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney, as well as top contenders William Byron, Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell, Chase Briscoe and Ross Chastain, and veteran drivers Kyle Busch and Joey Logano.

Sparks are sure to fly in the Food City 300, as NASCAR Xfinity Series favorites Justin Allgaier, Austin Hill, Brandon Jones, Connor Zilisch, Jesse Love, Sam Mayer and Sheldon Creed will be trying to get off to a great start in the Round of 12 Playoffs (Sept. 12, 7:30 p.m., The CW and PRN Radio).

In the Craftsman Truck Series, Daniel Hemric, Corey Heim, Rajah Caruth, defending winner Layne Riggs, spring Bristol winner Chandler Smith and veteran challengers Ben Rhodes and Grant Enfinger will be among the talented drivers battling for the victory Thursday night in the UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics. The race is round two in the Round of 10 Playoffs (Sept. 11, 8 p.m., FS1 and PRN Radio). ARCA Menard Series rising stars, including fan-favorite Cleetus McFarland, also will take on the challenging half-mile bullring in the Bush’s Beans 200 as part of a Thursday night doubleheader (Sept. 11, 5:30 p.m., FS1).

To purchase tickets please visit the Bristol Motor Speedway website ticket page, or call the BMS Ticket Sales Center at (866) 415-4158. Tickets are also available for purchase at your local neighborhood Food City store through September 5.

About Chris Janson
Chris Janson is the real deal. An accomplished, award-winning artist, producer, and songwriter. Janson’s live shows and songwriting set him on a path of great success. The Grand Ole Opry Member has amassed billions of global streams, Gold and Multi-Platinum awards, more than 10M in sales as a solo artist, and excess of 15M in sales combined with hits recorded by other notable artists such as Tim McGraw “Truck Yeah”, LoCash “How I’ll Always Be”, Hank Williams Jr. “Love This Life”, and more. Janson is best Known for his true-to-self anthems, five of which are Number 1 hits including “Buy Me A Boat” (5xPlatinum), “Fix A Drink” (Platinum), “Good Vibes” (Platinum), “All I Need Is You” and “Done” (Gold). Additional certifications include “Drunk Girl” (Platinum), “Holdin’ Her” (Gold), and his Buy Me a Boat album (Gold). Janson has been awarded twice with the prestigious NSAI “Top 10 Songs I Wish I’d Written” award, received an ACM Award, iHeart Radio Country Song of The Year award, among numerous nominations from the ACM and CMA. He is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist, mastering more than 10 instruments. Aside from his music, Janson is a happily married husband and father. He is involved in many notable Conservation and Philanthropy efforts, alongside his long-time partnership with Bass Pro Shops and his official partnership with nationally branded, Crav’n Flavor. Chris Janson was a small-town kid who dreamed big, won big, and proudly lives the American Dream.

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. The venue recently transformed into a world class baseball stadium to host the MLB Speedway Classic where the Atlanta Braves defeated the Cincinnati Reds 4-2 in front of an MLB regular season game record crowd of 91,032. In 2020, the track served as host of the prestigious NASCAR All-Star Race, and from 2021-2023 the track converted 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 Super Grip 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. For more information, please visit www.bristolmotorspeedway.com.

About Crav’n Flavor®
Crav’n Flavor is a brand with a wide variety of craveable meal and snack solutions for on-the-go shoppers.
With more than 450 quality and convenient meal and snack solutions ranging from cookies, crackers, salty snacks, and snacks nuts and trail mixes to frozen appetizers, breakfasts, desserts, entrees, ice cream and pizza as well as refrigerated cookie dough and beef jerky, Crav’n Flavor has something to satisfy every craving. The brand – procured by Topco Associates, LLC to support member-owners – has products currently available to purchase in thousands of Topco member stores across the country. For more information on Crav’n Flavor or to see where Crav’n Flavor products are available for purchase, visit www.cravnflavor.com.

It’s Go Time for Tony Schumacher at RWR

10-Time U.S. Nationals Winner To Make NHRA Top Fuel Return at ‘Big Go’ in Indianapolis

Winningest Top Fuel Driver in NHRA History To Run Final Seven Events of 2025

American Communications Construction To Serve as Primary Partner

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Aug. 5, 2025) – Tony Schumacher, the winningest Top Fuel driver in the history of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, will make his return to the driver’s seat when he debuts the No. 15 American Communications Construction Top Fuel dragster for Rick Ware Racing (RWR) in the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals Aug. 29-Sept. 1 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Schumacher, a 10-time winner of the U.S. Nationals, holds the class record for victories in the “Big Go.” An 11th win would tie the all-time event mark held by Top Alcohol Funny Car driver Frank Manzo.

“The U.S. Nationals has always been special to me, and I’m grateful for the chance to return to Indy with Rick Ware Racing and American Communications Construction,” Schumacher said. “I’ve been fortunate to experience some incredible moments at this event over the years, and getting back behind the wheel of a Top Fuel dragster at the ‘Big Go’ in front of the most passionate fans in all of motorsports means a lot. It’s the biggest race of the season, and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”

American Communications Construction will serve as the primary partner for Schumacher and RWR’s No. 15 Top Fuel dragster. The Texas-based telecommunications company will debut with Schumacher at the U.S. Nationals and remain with the eight-time Top Fuel champion through the NHRA season finale Nov. 13-16 at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in California.

“The NHRA is a natural fit for American Communications Construction because it reflects the fast-moving, high-performance environment we operate in every day,” said Aven McBride, president, American Communications Construction. “We build the infrastructure that keeps people and businesses connected, and doing that well requires focus, teamwork and a commitment to excellence – qualities that Tony Schumacher and Rick Ware Racing embody. Launching our partnership at the U.S. Nationals is a proud moment for our company, and we’re excited to grow our presence with Tony and RWR.”

The final seven races of the 2025 NHRA season sets the stage for a full-season, Top Fuel assault in 2026. Schumacher will be paired with veteran tuner Rob Flynn, and together with American Communications Construction, they will be a mainstay in the NHRA paddock, teaming with RWR Top Fuel driver Clay Millican and his crew chief, Jim Oberhofer.

“These last seven races are a great opportunity for us to build something strong for 2026,” said Schumacher, winner of 88 Top Fuel events. “It’s about getting everyone dialed in – learning, improving and laying the foundation for next year. I’m proud to have American Communications Construction on board as we take these next steps together.”

Schumacher’s two most recent Top Fuel wins came last year in the Thunder Valley Nationals June 9 at Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway and the Midwest Nationals Sept. 29 at Worldwide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois. The Chicago native and resident of Austin, Texas, made it to last year’s Countdown to the Championship for the 15th time since its inception in 2007. He finished eighth in the final standings.

“The U.S. Nationals is the biggest race on the NHRA calendar, and we’re going into it with two of the best Top Fuel drivers in Clay Millican and Tony Schumacher,” said Rick Ware, RWR team owner. “Last year, Clay delivered RWR its first Indy win, and to come back as the defending winner with a lineup that now includes Tony Schumacher – who’s had more success at this event than anyone in Top Fuel history – is huge. We’ve got a lot of weight on our shoulders to deliver for Clay and Tony and all of our partners, but that’s how we like it.”

Millican delivered RWR its first U.S. Nationals win when he defeated four-time Top Fuel champion Steve Torrence in the 70th edition of the “Big Go.” It was Millican’s seventh NHRA Top Fuel event win, and the driver of the No. 51 machine nabbed his eighth career victory earlier this season at Pomona when he defeated Tony Stewart with an impressive .038 of-a-second reaction time.

“Winning the U.S. Nationals last year was one of the proudest moments of my career,” said Millican, the winningest driver in IHRA history and a six-time IHRA champion. “It’s the race every driver wants to win, and to go back to Indy as the defending champ is really special.

“Having Tony Schumacher join the team makes it even better. He’s a part of NHRA history, and to have someone with his knowledge and experience is a huge asset. Two sets of inputs, two perspectives – it makes RWR stronger, and I’m excited for what we can accomplish together.”

Before turning his attention to Indianapolis, Millican competes in the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals Aug. 15-17 at Brainerd (Minn.) International Raceway. Following Brainerd, NHRA competitors enjoy a weekend off before arriving in Indianapolis for the 71st U.S. Nationals.

About Rick Ware Racing:

Rick Ware has been a motorsports mainstay for more than 40 years. It began at age 6 when the third-generation racer began his driving career and has since spanned four wheels and two wheels on both asphalt and dirt. Competing in the SCCA Trans Am Series and other road-racing divisions led Ware to NASCAR in the early 1980s, where he finished third in his NASCAR debut – the 1983 Warner W. Hodgdon 300 NASCAR Grand American race at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway. More than a decade later, injuries would force Ware out of the driver’s seat and into full-time team ownership. In 1995, Rick Ware Racing was formed, and with his wife Lisa by his side, Ware has since built his eponymous organization into an entity that competes full-time in the elite NASCAR Cup Series while simultaneously campaigning successful teams in the Top Fuel class of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, Progressive American Flat Track, FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX) and zMAX CARS Tour.

Spire Motorsports Mission 176 at The Glen Race Advance

  • Spire Motorsports will field four entries in the team’s first CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. Connor Zilisch owns the team’s best finish on a road course, when he won the pole and finished fourth in his series debut last March at Circuit of the Americas. The Mooresville, N.C., organization fields the Nos. 07, 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolets full time in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The Nos. 07 and 7 entries will see a rotating roster of all-star caliber drivers throughout the season, while Rajah Caruth and Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Andres Perez de Lara will pilot the Nos. 71 and 77, respectively, for the full slate of races.
  • The Mission 176 at The Glen will be televised live on FS1 Friday, Aug. 8 beginning at 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The 17th of 25 races on the 2025 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series calendar will be broadcast live on the NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90.

Kyle Busch – Driver, No. 07 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

  • Kyle Busch will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 07 Gainbridge Chevrolet Silverado in Friday’s Mission 176 at Watkins Glen International.
  • While the 40-year-old has yet to make a CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at the famed circuit, he has made three series appearances on road courses, tallying one win, three top fives, 88 laps led in 163 laps contested (53.98 percent), while earning a 2.0 average finish. Aside from snagging third- and second-place finishes at Circuit of the Americas in 2022 and 2023, respectively, Busch secured the win in the division’s 2022 visit to Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway. Busch led 45 of the event’s 75 laps en route to the win. He took over the top spot for the final time on Lap 65 and survived multiple late race restarts to clinch his antepenultimate victory at Kyle Busch Motorsports.
  • One of the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ all-time winningest driver’s 102 checkered flags came at “The Glen.” Busch bested an all-star of 10 current full-time Cup Series drivers to win the 2017 event at Watkins Glen, leading 43 laps in the process. In addition to the victory, the 2010 Xfinity Series champion collected six top fives, seven top 10s, 155 laps led and an average starting position of 5.3 in 12 series appearances at the venue.
  • The two-time Cup Series champion owns a pair of Watkins Glen wins in NASCAR’s premier series. In both 2008 and 2013, Busch staved off road course aces Marcos Ambrose and Juan Pablo Montoya to reach Victory Lane. In 19 Cup appearances at the seven-turn, 2.45-mile course, he has accrued two poles, two wins, seven top fives, 13 top 10s, 249 laps led and an 11.7 average finish.
  • Busch has won across all three of NASCAR’s national series at 17 different tracks and looks to add Watkins Glen to the list with a win on Friday. He is one of three drivers to accomplish the feat at four or more venues, including Kevin Harvick (seven) and 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Mark Martin (four).
  • The Las Vegas native holds the record for most CRAFTSMAN Truck Series wins (67) and lowest average finish in series history (6.5), while ranking second on the series’ all-time laps led list (8,130).
  • In his past 15 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series appearances, Busch has finished first or second nine times, six of which resulted in trips to Victory Lane.
  • Founded in 2018, Gainbridge® is an insurtech subsidiary of Group 1001 that empowers consumers to take control of their financial future with solutions that are accessible to everyone, no matter their budget or financial knowledge. Its platform provides access to financial products that are simple, intuitive, and backed by smart technology with no complexity or hidden fees. Gainbridge® is headquartered in Zionsville, Ind. For more information, visit www.gainbridge.io or follow and connect with Gainbridge on X and LinkedIn.
  • Earlier this season, Busch defended his 2024 victory in the Fr8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, spending all 135 laps in the top 15, leading a race-high 80 laps and recording both a field-leading average running position (3.2) and driver rating (124.6).
  • Busch has made nine CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts for Spire Motorsports over the past two seasons and collected three wins, five top fives and six top 10s while pacing the field for 343 circuits.
  • “Rowdy” will race Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-076 this weekend. The truck saw action last month at Lime Rock Park with Thomas Annunziata at the wheel. Chase Purdy owns the prior three starts in the truck, including a chassis-best 13th-place result a Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 2023.

Kyle Busch Quote
What are your thoughts heading into your final CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race of the season?
“Appreciate everyone at Spire allowing me to compete in the Truck Series again this year and looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of the Gainbridge Chevy for the final time this weekend. I’ve only raced on a road course in trucks a few times and this will be my first time in a truck at Watkins Glen. You never know how the schedule falls each year with the trucks and which races I’m able to compete in and even which tracks are on the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series schedule, so it’d be cool to go out and add another track to the list where I’ve won in all three series across my career while I have the chance.”

Atop the No. 07 Box – Crew Chief Allen Hart

  • Allen Hart leads Spire Motorsports’ No. 07 team, an entry that has seen a rotating roster of drivers throughout the 2025 campaign.
  • As a race engineer at JR Motorsports, Hart played a key role in Justin Allgaier’s four consecutive (2017-2021) NASCAR Xfinity Series top fives at Watkins Glen.
  • Last time out at Indianapolis Raceway Park, the team and driver Brenden “Butterbean” Queen finished 16th.
  • The 43-year-old earned his first career win in a crew chief role in March’s Baptist Health 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. After a spin midway through the Final Stage, Kyle Larson made an impressive run through the field over the event’s final 40 circuits, chasing down the leaders with two laps remaining to make the winning move.
  • Through 16 races, No. 07 team sits 10th in the division’s owner’s championship point standings on the strength of one win, four top-five and five top-10 finishes.

Sammy Smith – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

  • Sammy Smith will drive Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 TMC Transportation Chevrolet Silverado in Friday’s Mission 176 at Watkins Glen International.
  • Smith will pull double duty this weekend, also piloting JR Motorsports’ No. 8 Pilot Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Mission 200 at The Glen on Saturday.
  • Last time out with the No. 7 team at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway, Smith battled day-long handling woes to secure a 10th-place finish in the No. 7 Silverado, his fourth such result in the series.
  • The 21-year-old has made six CRAFTSMAN Truck Series appearances for Spire Motorsports, registering one top five and four top 10s while recording a 10.3 average finishing position.
  • The two-time ARCA Menards Series East champion competed in the 2022 ARCA event at the Finger Lakes region circuit. He qualified on the pole by 0.361 seconds and dominated the event, leading 39 of 41 laps, in what had the makings of a winning day. Unfortunately, contact initiated by a competitor on a late-race restart shuffled him to fifth in the final rundown.
  • One day after the heartbreaking finish to the ARCA Menards Series race, Smith returned to the course for his fourth NASCAR Xfinity Series start. He capitalized on several late-race incidents to secure, at the time, a series-best third-place finish.
  • In total, Smith has tallied three top fives in three ARCA Menards Series road course appearances. He has earned three top fives and nine top 10s in 20 road and street course races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
  • In 96 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, Smith has earned three wins, 17 top fives and 45 top 10s. He secured wins at Phoenix Raceway (March 2023), Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (Oct. 2024) and Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway (April 2025).
  • TMC Transportation celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022 and is the nation’s largest employee-owned open deck transportation company. TMC provides expert transportation services and supply-chain management solutions throughout the 48 contiguous states. Founded in 1972, TMC is headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, and is known for its integrity, innovation, superior safety record, and dedication to quality and customer service. The company’s claim-free, on-time delivery record is the best in the business and is consistently recognized by its customers. Visit tmctrans.com.
  • Smith will race Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-071 Friday afternoon. While the truck was last on track in June at Lime Rock Park, it had previously seen action at Circuit of the Americas last March with Connor Zilisch at the controls. In his CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut, Zilisch set a track record while claiming the pole position by 0.714 seconds. Despite a pair of early-race miscues, Zilisch battled through the field twice to earn a spirited fourth-place finish.
  • Before it was property of Spire Motorsports, chassis SMT-071 saw continued success as the primary road course truck for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Busch drove it to victory at Sonoma Raceway in June 2022, leading 45 of the event’s 75 laps en route to the team’s 95th win in the series.
  • In eight appearances, SMT-071 has tallied two poles, one win and five top fives while maintaining a 3.6 average starting position and an 11.1 average finish. The truck has paced the field for 93 circuits and led laps in five of its eight starts.

Sammy Smith Quote
You have had speed at Watkins Glen in both the Xfinity and ARCA cars in the past. How will you parlay that experience with your preparation in order to run up front this weekend?
“These Silverados handle much different than the Xfinity car. The trucks have way more grip and on-throttle time, whereas you have to peddle the Xfinity car and you slide around quite a bit. I’ve been in the simulator a bunch with the team, and I’m really looking forward to hitting the track on Friday. I know Brian (Pattie) and the No. 7 team will bring a fast TMC Transportation Chevy Silverado, and believe we will be able to compete up front.”

Atop the No. 7 Box – Crew Chief Brian Pattie

  • Brian Pattie stands atop of the No. 7 pit box, an entry that has seen an abundance of all-star caliber drivers behind the wheel throughout the 2025 season.
  • The Zephyrhills, Fla., native has called 17 NASCAR Cup Series races at Watkins Glen. He led seven-time Formula One winner and two-time Indianapolis 500 champion, Juan Pablo Montoya, to his second and final victory in NASCAR’s premier series at Watkins Glen in 2010. He dominated the event, leading 74 of 90 laps and crossing the line 4.735 seconds ahead of the runner up.
  • During his time at NEMCO Motorsports, Pattie worked with Canadian road course ace Ron Fellows, and the duo saw unmatched success at Watkins Glen. In the 50-year-old’s first and only prior CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race atop the box at the seven-turn, 2.45-mile circuit, Fellows qualified on the pole and secured the victory in 1999.
  • The day after securing the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series victory, the Pattie-Fellows duo sat on the pole and led 52 of the 82 laps in the NASCAR Xfinity Series event. Despite taking the white flag in the top spot, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., slipped by Fellows in Turn 1, forcing Pattie and Fellows to settle for second. The pairing returned to the course in 2000 and 2001 where they earned back-to-back Xfinity Series victories.
  • Last time out at Indianapolis Raceway Park, Corey Day started 16th and drove the No. 7 HENDRICKCARS.COM Silverado to a career-best runner-up finish. It marked his second top five in his last two series appearances.
  • Through 16 races, the No. 7 team sits sixth in the division’s owner points standings on the strength of two wins, six top-five and seven top-10 finishes.
  • In May, the team and driver Carson Hocevar claimed victory in the Heart of Health Care 200 at Kansas Speedway. Hocevar led 75 of the event’s 134 laps and survived last-lap contact en route to his fifth victory in the series and first aboard a Spire Motorsports prepared Silverado.
  • The No. 7 team defended its 2024 victory in the Fr8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February with Kyle Busch behind the wheel. The Las Vegas driver spent all 135 laps in the top 15 while leading a race-high 80 laps and recording a field-leading average running position (3.2) and driver rating (124.6).
  • The 24-year industry veteran spent 14 seasons in NASCAR’s premier division. As a crew chief, he has amassed six wins in Cup Series competition, 11 in the Xfinity Series and seven in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. He stands as one of 11 crew chiefs to win races across all three of NASCAR’s national touring series.

Rajah Caruth – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

  • Rajah Caruth will handle the driving chores for Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Silverado in Friday’s Mission 176 at Watkins Glen International.
  • The third-year CRAFTSMAN Truck Series driver owns four series starts on road courses, highlighted by a 13th-place finish in 2023 at Circuit of the Americas. He includes two ARCA Menards Series road course races on his resume, including a 2022 Watkins Glen start, and a lone Xfinity Series appearance at the Charlotte ROVAL.
  • Last time out at Indianapolis Raceway Park, Caruth spent a majority of the day in the top 10, and after sustaining nose damage around the race’s halfway point, held on for the remainder of the evening to finish 10th.
  • In May’s Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville Superspeedway, Caruth held off hard-charging Corey Heim and Layne Riggs to earn his second-career CRAFTSMAN Truck Series victory and lock himself into the playoffs for the second-consecutive season. After hitting pit road for the final time in the third position, the No. 71 pit crew nailed the stop, putting their driver out front to start the Final Stage. He led the final 51 laps en route to the win.
  • Through the first 16 events on the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series calendar, the Washington, D.C., native has earned one win, three top fives and nine top 10s, while pacing the field for 189 circuits – tripling his 57 laps led entering the year.
  • HENDRICKCARS.COM is the online home for everything Hendrick Automotive Group. Visitors can shop more than 30,000 new or pre-owned vehicles, locate centers for service and collision repair, receive a value to sell or trade their car, chat online with customer service, discover career opportunities, learn more about vehicle protection programs, and explore how the company gives back to the community.
  • The 2024 season marked a career year for Caruth, tallying one win, a pair of Cometic Gasket Pole Awards and five top-five finishes, all of which were the first of his young career. The 12 top-10 finishes on the season tripled Caruth’s total of four in 2023, while his average starting position of 10.7 was four positions higher than 2023 and his 11.6 average finish was an impressive seven positions higher.
  • With his first career CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last season, Caruth became the third African-American driver to win a NASCAR National Touring Series race, joining 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Wendell Scott and current Cup Series star Bubba Wallace.
  • Caruth and the No. 71 team qualified for the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series playoffs in 2024, the first such appearance for the recent Winston-Salem (N.C.) State University graduate. Despite reaching the Round of 8, mechanical issues stalled his championship bid in the season’s penultimate event at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
  • The blue and white HENDRICKCARS.COM colors will wrap Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-072. Last on track at Lime Rock Park, the truck owns two top fives and five top 10s in its eight appearances.

Rajah Caruth Quotes
The 2022 ARCA Menards Series race was your only prior visit to Watkins Glen. From your understanding, how has the track changed in the three years since you last raced there?
“The track has only aged since I was last there in 2022. They have also done some work on various parts of the course. They updated the bus stop with less harsh curbing on entry, and added ripples to the exit of Turn 1 and ‘The Carousel.’ I feel extremely prepared to get up there. I have been spending a lot of time in the simulator with my crew chief (Kevin “Bono” Manion) and engineer (Aaron Volf), and have been utilizing all my resources through the Wise GM Driver Development Program.”

You will make your fifth road course start in a truck this weekend. How do you think you have grown as a road racer in that time?
“I feel like I have grown into a respectable road racer in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series field since my first road course race in 2023. Through my training, oversight and driver coaching over the years, I have developed the skills necessary to perform well at these kinds of tracks. I still have heights I want to reach, but considering I started from scratch, I feel like I am doing a good job. I expect to run further in the top 10 this weekend than we did last time out at Lime Rock.”

Atop the No. 71 Box – Crew Chief Kevin “Bono” Manion

  • Veteran crew chief Kevin “Bono” Manion has called 14 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series road course events, collecting three top 10 finishes. Zane Smith’s 2021 sixth-place result at Watkins Glen marked his best finish in CRAFTSMAN Truck Series competiton.
  • The Boylston, Mass., native stood atop the ‘war wagon’ in Martin Truex, Jr.’s victory in the inaugural Xfinity Series event at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. The win marked the first of six in the 2005 campaign for the Truex/Manion pairing. Just nine months later, the potent duo secured their second Xfinity Series title in as many seasons at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
  • Manion, a 31-year veteran of the sport, founded Spire Motorsports’ CRAFTSMAN Truck Series program alongside industry veteran Mike Greci in 2022. The team claimed its first victory in their second outing with William Byron behind the wheel at Martinsville Speedway.
  • The 53-year-old has racked up six Cup Series victories – including the 2010 Daytona 500 – 17 NASCAR Xfinity Series triumphs and 12 CRAFTSMAN Truck series wins. Manion is also one of 11 crew chiefs to have called wins across all three of NASCAR’s national touring series.
  • In 2023, Manion became one of few to call a race in all three of NASCAR’s national series in a single season, all of which came under the Spire Motorsports umbrella. He led the part-time effort on the No. 7 Silverado in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, helped in limited starts for Carson Hocevar in the Xfinity Series and took the reigns during the second half of the Cup Series season for Ty Dillon and the No. 77 team.

Andres Perez de Lara – Driver, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

  • Andres Perez de Lara will pilot the No. 77 Telcel Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports in the Mission 176 at Watkins Glen International.
  • The Mexico City native will be making his second-career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series road course start at Watkins Glen. In four road-course appearances in the ARCA Menards Series, Perez de Lara registered one top five and two top 10s, including a fourth-place finish in last September’s General Tire 100 at The Glen.
  • Perez de Lara cut his teeth on road courses in his home country, Mexico. During the 2020 North and Central American Formula 4 Championship, Perez de Lara tallied four wins, 15 top fives, and 20 top 10s in 20 starts to secure Rookie of the Year honors.
  • In six road course starts in the NASCAR Mexico Series, the 2023 series Rookie of the Year tallied one top five and four top 10s. He picked up two wins at Autodromo de Queretaro, a nine-turn 1.42-mile circuit in the FB-Bohn Mikel’s Truck Series, a feeder series for NASCAR Mexico.
  • Telcel is Mexico’s leading telecommunications company, providing nationwide coverage, cutting-edge mobile connectivity, and high-speed internet services to millions of users. With over 30 years of experience, Telcel continues to innovate in digital communication, offering solutions that keep people connected anytime, anywhere.
  • Beyond technology, Telcel is committed to supporting excellence in sports, particularly in motorsports. As a proud and long-time sponsor of Perez de Lara, Telcel fuels the passion for speed, precision and performance, driving success both on and off the track. Telcel will be a season-long partner with Perez de Lara and the No. 77 team.
  • The 20-year-old has made 18 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts, 17 of which were behind the wheel of a Spire Motorsports Chevy Silverado. He earned his first-career top 10 in his CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut last June at World Wide Technology Raceway via a ninth-place result. His career-best seventh-place finish at Martinsville Speedway in March marked his second top 10 in the series.
  • The 2024 ARCA Menards Series champion juggled his duties while also competing full time in the NASCAR Mexico Series. In 2023, he earned the Rookie of the Year award while finishing fourth in the division’s championship point standings and reaching the series’ version of the NASCAR playoffs.
  • Perez de Lara will pilot Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-061 on Friday. The chassis was last on track at Lime Rock Park, which was its’ first start since Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 2022 with John Hunter Nemechek at the controls. In seven starts, the chassis has picked two runner-up finishes with Alex Tagliani (Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, 2022) and John Hunter Nemechek (Circuit of the Americas, 2022).
  • Andres Perez de Lara Quotes
  • The CRAFTSMAN Truck Series has not visited Watkins Glen in a few years. How do you think the race will play out?
  • “Watkins Glen is the road course on the schedule with the most passing opportunities. There will be a lot of chances to gain spots and work your way to the front. Restarts will be chaotic, especially heading into Turn 1, comparable to what we saw on the final restart at Lime Rock. My goal is to be patiently aggressive and take my chances when available, but not press the issue. I do not want to put myself in a spot where I can hurt my chances at a good finish.”

How will your ARCA experience at Watkins Glen help you heading into the weekend?
“It will help a ton going into my first truck start there. I feel like I have a good handle on the track. I ran fairly well there the past two years in ARCA, so I am excited to get back. Watkins Glen is one of my favorite road courses I have ran. The team and I have put a lot of time in at the simulator to improve the road course program. We have found some things to get better for this weekend, and are focused on bringing home a good finish.”

Atop the No. 77 Box – Crew Chief Chad Walter

  • Chad Walter has called eight CRAFTSMAN Truck Series road course events. Driver Tyler Ankrum earned Walter’s best result on a road course, a sixth-place result Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway’s road course configuration in 2020.
  • Walter is a mechanical engineering graduate of Cornell University in Ithaca, located 30 miles from Watkins Glen. During his studies, he played defensive end for the Big Red football team. He hails from Albion, N.Y., positioned just west of Rochester.
  • In 19 road course events atop the NASCAR Xfinity Series box, the 54-year-old has tallied five top fives and seven top 10s. As a crew chief for the JR Motorsports’ No. 5 team, Walter reached Victory Lane at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with Ron Fellows in 2008. The duo elected to run long during a pit cycle as storms were approaching the circuit. When heavy rain descended upon the track on Lap 48, the race was deemed complete and Fellows was declared the winner.
  • During his time as a shop engineer at Dale Earnhardt, Inc., Walter was part of Steve Park’s 2000 triumph at Watkins Glen. Park led 53 laps en route to his maiden Cup Series victory.
  • Between NASCAR’s Xfinity Series and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Walter has racked up six wins, 52 top fives and 131 top 10s.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on May 30, 2025, when Rajah Caruth took the checkered flag in the Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville Superspeedway.

In 2025, Spire Motorsports campaigns the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolets in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team also fields the Nos. 07, 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and an ARCA Menards Series Chevrolet in select events.

Kaden Honeycutt named driver of Halmar Friesen Racing Truck Series entry

STATESVILLE, NC. (August 5, 2025) – Kaden Honeycutt will fill in for Stewart Friesen for the balance of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season in the No. 52 Halmar International Toyota Tundra TRD Pro starting with next weekend’s race at Richmond Raceway.

Friesen was injured while competing in a Super DIRTcar Series race at Canada’s Autrodrome Drummond on Monday, July 28. He was later transferred to a hospital in New York where he continues to make progress after undergoing several surgeries.

“While I continue to recover, it was important for us to put someone in our truck that can help us compete at the highest level,” said Friesen. “I know Kaden will deliver strong performance in our truck and allow us to continue to run for the owner’s championship.”

Honeycutt comes to Halmar Friesen Racing after achieving at a high level all season in his first full-time year in the NASCAR Truck Series. In 16 starts, the Texas-native has finished in the top-10 nine times, including two third-place finishes at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May and Pocono Raceway in June. He comes into the race at Watkins Glen sixth in the standings with a 73-point buffer on the cutline for a NASCAR Playoff berth, which will potentially allow the No. 52 Toyota team to compete for both a driver and owner’s title this year.

“It’s an honor to be able to fill in for Stewart for the rest of the season and help give his team a chance at the owner’s championship, which they earned. I’m excited to compete in contending, race-winning equipment as I pursue a title this season,” said Honeycutt. “We are going to work hard to have a solid final eight races of the season and continue to deliver great results for Stewart, his family and this organization.”

2017 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion Christopher Bell will drive the No. 52 Halmar International Toyota Tundra this weekend at Watkins Glen International before Honeycutt takes over. Honeycutt’s run with Halmar Friesen Racing will begin next Friday, August 15 at Richmond Raceway with television coverage on FS1 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

HFT Advance | Watkins Glen

Watkins Glen Event Info:
Date: Sunday, August 10
Time: 2 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Watkins Glen, New York
Format: 90 Laps, 220.5 Miles, Stages: 20-40-90
TV: USA
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 9:30 a.m. ET, Xfinity Practice (CW App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 10:35 a.m. ET, Xfinity Qualifying (CW App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 12:05 p.m. ET, Cup Practice (TruTV, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 1:10 p.m. ET, Cup Qualifying (TruTV, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 2 p.m. ET, Xfinity Race (CW, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 2 p.m. ET, Cup Race (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

  • NASCAR heads to New York as Watkins Glen’s 2.45-mile road course plays host to all three series this weekend.
  • Sam Mayer earned his second consecutive Iowa NXS victory, his first win of the season, and the eighth of his NASCAR Xfinity Series career last weekend. The victory marked the first for Haas Factory Team (HFT) and secured his spot in the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs.
  • Mayer (9.9) is now tied with Connor Zilisch (9.9) for the best average finish among full-time Xfinity drivers this season.
  • His 18 finishes inside the top 15 also lead all Xfinity drivers this season.
  • Mayer has started inside the top 10 in eight of his last nine starts dating back to Nashville Superspeedway in May, including a pole at Indianapolis Motor Speedway two weeks ago.
  • Sheldon Creed has recorded top-10 finishes in four of the last five starts dating back to the Chicago Street Course in early July.

Cole Custer Team Info:
Crew Chief: Aaron Kramer
Partner: HaasTooling.com

Sheldon Creed Team Info:
Crew Chief: Jonathan Toney
Partner: Road Ranger

Sam Mayer Team Info:
Crew Chief: Jason Trinchere
Partner: Audibel

Custer at Watkins Glen (Cup)
Starts: 3
Wins: —
Top-10s: —
Poles: —

  • Custer makes his fourth Cup start at Watkins Glen this weekend, where he has a 19.0 average finish. His best finish came in 2022 when he crossed the line in 11th and led seven laps.
  • His best start was 19th in 2021, and he boasts a 27.3 average starting position.
  • Custer makes his 20th NCS road course start this weekend, where he has a best finish of 8th in Mexico City earlier this season.
  • He also has two career NXS road course wins, coming at Portland (2023) and the Chicago Street Race (2023).

Creed at Watkins Glen (Xfinity)
Starts: 3
Wins: —
Top-10s: 3
Poles: —

  • Creed is set to make his fourth Xfinity start at WGI on Saturday, where he is coming off runner-up finishes in 2023 and 2024. He took home P8 in his only other start at the Glen in 2022.
  • He carries an 11.0 average starting position into the weekend, with a best start of ninth last season.
  • Creed has led 85 laps and has 10 career top-10 finishes across 23 career road course start in the Xfinity Series.

Mayer at Watkins Glen (Xfinity)
Starts: 4
Wins: 1 (2023)
Top-10s: 3
Poles: —

  • Mayer is in line for his fifth Xfinity start at Watkins Glen this weekend, a race the he won in 2023 while driving for JRM after passing Ty Gibbs on the overtime restart.
  • He has started inside the top 10 in three of his four and has an average starting position of 10.0.
  • He has NXS road-course victories at the Charlotte Road Course (2023 & 2024), Watkins Glen (2023), and Elkhart Lake (2023).

Where They Stand
Cup Points Standings (41: 33rd): Custer is 33rd in the Cup Series points standings with 291 points heading into Watkins Glen this Sunday.

Xfinity Points Standings (41: 4th, 00: 10th): Mayer sits fourth in the Xfinity points standings with 756 total points on the season, behind the three multi-winners, while Creed is in 10th place with 611 points.

RFK Advance | Watkins Glen

Watkins Glen Event Info:
Date: Sunday, August 10
Time: 2 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Watkins Glen, New York
Format: 90 Laps, 220.5 Miles, Stages: 20-40-90
TV: USA
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 12:05 p.m. ET, Cup Practice (TruTV, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 1:10 p.m. ET, Cup Qualifying (TruTV, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 2 p.m. ET, Cup Race (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

  • Chris Buescher earned his sixth career Cup Series win in last season’s Watkins Glen race, which marked the 143rd Cup win for Jack Roush and sixth under the RFK banner.
  • Buescher led 19 laps and passed Shane van Gisbergen on the final lap in the carousel to secure the dramatic victory last season.
  • Buescher is also making his first career Truck Series start this weekend for ThorSport Racing and will pilot the No. 66 FarmPaint.com Ford F-150 on Friday night.
  • Jack Roush has seven wins all-time at The Glen, with four coming in the NASCAR Cup Series.
  • RFK Racing has had multiple cars finish top five in back-to-back races (Indianapolis and Iowa) for the first time since Texas and Kansas in the spring of 2012
  • Buescher holds the third highest Cup Series this season with an average starting position of 11.1, anchored by 11 starts inside the top 10.
  • Buescher is also one of nine drivers with 11+ top-10 results this season, and has an average finish of 14.2 which is the seventh highest among Cup drivers.
  • Over his last seven races, Brad Keselowski has posted five top-10 finishes with an average finish of 11.0.
  • He has a trio of top-five finishes across his previous six races at Atlanta (2nd), Indianapolis (5th) and Iowa (3rd).
  • Ryan Preece (5,818) has completed the third most laps of any Cup Series driver this season, behind Tyler Reddick (5,851) and Chase Elliott (5,860).

6 Team Info:
Driver: Brad Keselowski
Crew Chief: Jeremy Bullins
Partner: Esperion

17 Team Info:
Driver: Chris Buescher
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: BuildSubmarines.com

60 Team Info:
Driver: Ryan Preece
Crew Chief: Derrick Finley
Partner: Mohawk

Keselowski at Watkins Glen
Starts: 13
Wins: —
Top-10s: 6
Poles: 1 (2021)

  • Watkins Glen stands as Keselowski’s best road course statistically with a 14.8 average finish in 14 starts.
  • He has six top-10 finishes, including four inside the top five, with three career runner-up results – all of which came in consecutive races from 2011-13. Most recently, he finished 26th a season ago after starting 28th.
  • Keselowski has an average starting position of 13.6 at The Glen with six starts inside the top-10, and one pole in 2021.
  • He also made 10 Xfinity Series starts at WGI with one win (2013) and nine top-10s.

Buescher at Watkins Glen
Starts: 9
Wins: 1 (2024)
Top-10s: 3
Poles: —

  • Buescher lines up for his 10th Cup start at The Glen this weekend and enters as the defending race winner following last season’s victory.
  • He has top-10 finishes in each of the last races at WGI, and carries an average finish of 16.1.
  • His best qualifying effort also came three summers ago (P7), as he has a 19.8 average starting position overall.
  • Buescher also made a pair of Xfinity starts at WGI in 2014-15, earning a third-place finish in 2015.

Preece at Watkins Glen
Starts: 4
Wins: —
Top-10s: 1
Poles: —

  • Preece is set for his fifth Cup start at Watkins Glen this weekend, where he posted a career-best finish of ninth at the track last season.
  • He holds a 25.8 average starting position at the Glen across his four starts.
  • Preece has also made three NXS starts at WGI, finishing fourth in 2018 while driving for JGR after starting eighth.

RFK Historically at Watkins Glen
Cup Wins: 4 (Mark Martin, 1993, 1994, 1995; Chris Buescher, 2024)

  • There’s Nothing You Can’t Do, Now, You’re in New York: In 113 NCS starts at WGI, RFK has four wins, 24 top-five and 44 top-10 finishes along with four poles. Three of the four RFK victories came with former driver and NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin (1993, 1994, 1995), while Buescher won the most recent event at Watkins Glen in 2024.
  • Top of the List, King of the Hill: Martin secured three-straight wins for RFK at the famed New York road course from 1993-95. He started on the pole for each of the three races and led a combined 183 laps during the three-year streak.
  • Tale of the Tape – Road Courses: In 272 road course starts all-time in the NCS, Jack Roush’s Fords have won six races and tallied 43 top-five and 94 top-10 finishes, along with six poles. In those 266 starts, an RFK Ford has led 645 laps for an average finish of 17.3.
  • Buescher, Graves Former Road Course Winners: In Buescher’s first full-time Xfinity season in 2014, he and Graves found victory lane at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in August, after leading 25 laps that day in the No. 60 entry for Roush. Last season, Buescher led 19 laps and fought off Shane van Gisbergen at Watkins Glen to secure the sixth victory under the RFK banner (since 2022) and 143rd overall for Jack Roush in NASCAR Cup Series action.

RFK Watkins Glen Wins

1993 Martin Cup

1994 Martin Cup

1995 Martin Cup

1998 Ruttman Truck

2000 Biffle Truck

2012 Edwards NXS
2024 Buescher Cup

Last Time Out & Where They Stand

Iowa: Keselowski 3rd; Preece 5th; Buescher 22nd.

Points Standings (17: 16th, 60: 17th, 6: 21st): Buescher sits 23 points above the playoff cutline, ahead of his teammate Preece for the final playoff spot. Keselowski moved up to 21st in the standings after sweeping the stages and finishing third at Iowa.

Spire Motorsports General Tire 100 at The Glen Race Advance

  • Spire Motorsports will field an ARCA Menards Series entry at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International for Tristan McKee, who will make his series debut in the No. 77 Gainbridge Chevrolet SS. The race will mark the team’s fourth start in an Automobile Racing Club of America sanctioned event.
  • The General Tire 100 at The Glen will be televised live on FS2 Friday, Aug. 8 beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The 13th of 20 events on the 2025 ARCA Menards Series calendar will broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and ARCARacing.com.

Tristan McKee – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet SS

  • Tristan McKee will make his ARCA Menards Series debut at the controls of Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Gainbridge Chevrolet SS in Friday’s General Tire 100 at The Glen.
  • McKee makes his series debut just five days after his 15th birthday, fulfilling ARCA’s minimum age requirement to compete. While Cup Series driver Todd Gilliland owns the record for the youngest ARCA winner at 15-years and two-days-old, McKee can become the youngest pole winner in series history, an honor held by Kelvin Benjamin at 15-years, nine-months and 22-days-old.
  • The Kannapolis, N.C., resident looks to become the 38th driver to win their ARCA Menards Series national tour debut, and first since Luke Fenhaus at Iowa Speedway in July 2023. A trip to Victory Lane would also make him the 367th unique winner in the 73-year history of the Automobile Racing Club of America and seventh first-time winner in 2025.
  • The talented teenager has refined his road-course racing skills as a full-time competitor in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series. Through eight-of-12 events, McKee leads the series’ championship point standings by a handsome 82 markers on the strength of one pole position, two wins and six-consecutive podium finishes. He earned his first TA2 Series victory in June at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
  • McKee made his first and only start at Watkins Glen in the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series’ June stop at “The Glen.” He tallied a perfect weekend, clocking the fastest lap in practice, setting a track record en route to his first-career pole position and leading the field from flag to flag to secure his second-career win.
  • Founded in 2018, Gainbridge® is an insurtech subsidiary of Group 1001 that empowers consumers to take control of their financial future with solutions that are accessible to everyone, no matter their budget or financial knowledge. Its platform provides access to financial products that are simple, intuitive, and backed by smart technology with no complexity or hidden fees. Gainbridge® is headquartered in Zionsville, Ind. For more information, visit www.gainbridge.io or follow and connect with Gainbridge on X and LinkedIn.
  • Last month, the versatile, young talent raced a pavement Super Late Model for the first time during the Summer Showdown 200 at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash. He battled the best of the Northwest Super Late Model Series to earn a runner-up finish at “The Superspeedway of the West.”
  • McKee began turning heads in 2023 when at just 12-years-old, he won a 100-lap CARS Pro Late Model Tour feature event at Dillon (S.C.) Motor Speedway to become the youngest winner in CARS Tour history. The upstart teenager has gone on to collect series wins at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway and Caraway (N.C.) Speedway. Most recently, McKee was the victor of the tour’s inaugural appearance at Cordele (Ga.) Motor Speedway in April.
  • In 2022, McKee claimed Orange County (N.C.) Speedway Limited Late Model Rookie of the Year and track championship honors at 11-years-old. Later that season, he captured the checkered flag during November’s Fall Brawl weekend at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
  • The inaugural signee to Spire Motorsports’ driver development program will return to the No. 77 Chevrolet in November for the ARCA Menards Series West season finale during NASCAR Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway.

Tristan McKee Quotes
Talk about making your debut and what it means to get the opportunity.
“I’m super excited for my debut to be on a road course. I’ve been doing a lot of road course stuff through the Trans Am Series. We were just at Watkins Glen a couple weeks ago with the series and got the win, so I feel comfortable with the track. I had the opportunity to do some testing in the ARCA car, so it helped get me up to speed with the car, but I still have a lot of preparation to do in the next week or two in the simulator and my pre-race routine. I’m super thankful to Spire Motorsports and Gainbridge for making this happen, and I’m really excited to get on track.”

Last time you were at Watkins Glen in the Trans Am car, you quite literally recorded a perfect weekend. How will that experience help you ease into your ARCA debut, given the differences between the two types of cars?
“It has definitely helped a lot. Every road course you spend a session or two learning your visuals, finding your shift and braking points, and seeing where you’re at. When we get there, I will be ready to rip as soon as we unload. In the higher ranks, you don’t have a lot of practice, whereas in Trans Am we have three to four testing and practice sessions across two days. While we aren’t running the configuration that utilizes ‘The Boot’ like in Trans Am, a majority of the course is the same. I’ll be able to use some different tricks I learned in the Trans Am car and apply it to the ARCA car.”

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on May 30, 2025, when Rajah Caruth took the checkered flag in the Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway.

In 2025, Spire Motorsports campaigns the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolets in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team also fields the Nos. 07, 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and an ARCA Menards Series Chevrolet in select events.

Sugarlands and Field & Stream Team with Ty Dillon and Kaulig Racing for NASCAR Las Vegas Race

No. 10 Chevrolet to celebrate the return of Sugarlands Field & Stream Honey Pecan Moonshine

GATLINBURG, Tenn. and WELCOME, N.C. – (August 5, 2025) – Sugarlands Distilling Company, in collaboration with Field & Stream, today announced a new strategic partnership with Kaulig Racing. As part of the announcement, Sugarlands and Field & Stream will appear on Ty Dillon’s No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet during the NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 12.

Field & Stream will collaborate with Mossy Oak on the paint scheme, fire suit, and helmet to celebrate Mossy Oak’s iconic, vintage Fall Foliage camouflage pattern, bringing the spirit of the great outdoors to the high banks and bright lights of Las Vegas. Dillon’s No. 10 will also highlight the return of Field & Stream Honey Pecan Moonshine, a fan-favorite produced by Sugarlands that blends the smooth sweetness of natural honey with the warm, nutty flavors of toasted pecans. An avid outdoorsman himself, Dillon is the ideal driver to pilot a car that celebrates the intersection of racing and outdoor traditions.

“Sugarland Shine is one of the coolest up-and-coming brands there is,” said Ty Dillon. “They have such a connection to my hometown and home state of North Carolina. As someone who grew up spending time in the outdoors with my grandfather and dad, it is incredible to be able to represent a brand like Field and Stream who is synonymous with the outdoors lifestyle. This partnership with Sugarland Shines and Field and Stream connects with my soul and the core of who I am. It is going to be a lot of fun to represent them in Las Vegas and I look forward to all of the unique collaborations we can create together.”

“Honored for Field & Stream to be alongside our great partners, Sugarlands, in this moment, placing our brand alongside NASCAR, Ty Dillion and Kaulig Racing,” said Doug McNamee, president of Field & Stream. “The NASCAR community is important to us and we are thrilled to be included in this weekend.”

Sugarlands Distilling Company is a family-owned craft distillery in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, welcoming over a million guests annually to its award-winning tasting room. Home to a growing house of brands—including Sugarlands Shine, Sugarlands Sippin’ Cream, Roaming Man Whiskey, and High Rock Vodka in collaboration with Dale and Amy Earnhardt—Sugarlands products have earned national acclaim. Roaming Man has won multiple top honors, including Best Whiskey at the 2019 American Craft Spirits Association Awards and four Double Gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. In 2023 and 2024, Sugarlands was named the top craft spirits distillery tasting room in America by USA TODAY 10Best.

“Our partnership with Field & Stream continues to evolve in meaningful ways and the response to our co-branded moonshines has been incredible,” said Patrick Sullivan, chief revenue officer at Sugarlands. “Teaming up with Ty Dillon and Kaulig Racing is a natural extension of the partnership, as Ty’s love for the outdoors and authenticity aligns perfectly with both brands, and NASCAR offers an unmatched platform to connect with fans who share those same passions.”

Field & Stream Honey Pecan Moonshine launches at retailers nationwide in the coming weeks, ahead of the inaugural Field & Stream Music Fest, which takes place October 3-5 in Winnsboro, South Carolina. This 60-proof (30% alcohol/volume) moonshine is perfect for enjoying by the campfire or mixing into cocktails that capture the essence of the outdoors. The jar label pays homage the Field & Stream’s return to print, closely resembling the cover of its latest edition.

To find a Sugarlands retailer near you, visit FindMoonshine.com.

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 earned 27 NXS wins, made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started, and won two regular-season championships. In 2021, the team competed in select NCS events, before expanding to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first NCS start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. Kaulig Racing is currently fielding two full-time entries in the NCS and continues to field three full-time NXS entries. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

About Field & Stream

For more than a century, Field & Stream has been the most-trusted voice of the outdoors. With origins dating back to 1871, F&S has taught a nation to hunt and fish, to camp and explore, to survive and thrive in the outdoors—all while leading the charge to conserve and fight for wildlife and wild places. The secret to our longevity is simple: Hunters and anglers love a great story—and nobody tells one better than Field & Stream. Acclaimed singer-songwriters Eric Church and Morgan Wallen, along with a group of experienced brand builders, acquired and relaunched Field & Stream in 2024, unifying this legacy brand for the first time in its history. Now embarking on a new chapter, the next generation of Field & Stream includes a best-in-class, outdoor-lifestyle media platform, a return to a print publication, a membership community, a wide variety of product launches, plus experiential brand extensions such as hunting and fishing excursions, a modern and affordable lifestyle lodge concept, and the Field & Stream Music Fest. For more information visit www.fieldandstream.com.

About Sugarlands Distilling Co.

Sugarlands Distilling Company is a family-owned craft distillery located in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Since opening its doors in 2014, Sugarlands has grown into a house of award-winning brands, including Sugarlands Shine, Sugarlands Sippin’ Cream, High Rock Vodka and Roaming Man Whiskey.

Launched in 2022 in collaboration with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his wife, Amy Earnhardt, High Rock Vodka is distilled seven times and then triple-filtered using the Lincoln County Process. Made famous by Tennessee whiskeys, the Lincoln County Process uses sugar maple charcoal to smooth and mellow the finish.

Roaming Man has received widespread industry acclaim, earning four Double Gold medals at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition over the past five years (2021, 2023, and two in 2025), and being named Best Whiskey in the 2019 American Craft Spirits Association Awards.

In 2023 and 2024, Sugarlands was voted the top craft spirits distillery tasting room in America by USA TODAY 10Best, and its downtown Gatlinburg distillery welcomes over one million visitors each year. A proud community supporter, Sugarlands Distilling Company has donated nearly $1 million to nonprofits nationwide through their giveback program, MoonShare.

For more information, please visit www.sugarlands.com and follow Sugarlands on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @SugarlandsShine.

Ford Performance NASCAR – Watkins Glen Advance

WATKINS GLEN

Friday, August 8 – NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 5 p.m. ET (FS1)
Saturday, August 9 – NASCAR Xfinity Series, 3 p.m. ET (CW)
Sunday, August 10 – NASCAR Cup Series, 2 p.m. ET (USA)

When NASCAR came to Watkins Glen International a year ago, it marked the second race of the Cup Series playoffs. That’s not the case this year as the event returns to the regular season with all three major touring series in action. Ford’s Chris Buescher is the defending winner after registering his first road course victory in the Cup Series a year ago at The Glen.

A GLEN REPEAT FOR BUESCHER?

Chris Buescher took advantage of a mistake by Shane Van Gisbergen on the final lap to pass him and win last year’s Go Bowling at the Glen, giving Ford its fourth straight NASCAR Cup Series victory. The race came down to an overtime restart that saw Van Gisbergen get past Buescher after a physical turn one. He held that advantage all the way until the two cars got to the track’s iconic “Bus Stop” corner on the final lap, but that’s when Van Gisbergen clipped the inside retaining barrier and slowed his momentum enough to allow Buescher to squeeze to his inside and make the decisive pass. For Buescher, it marked his first Cup Series triumph on a road course.

LOGANO AT THE GLEN

Joey Logano comes into this weekend with seven career top-10 NASCAR Cup Series finishes at Watkins Glen International, including a victory in 2015. That win made him the first driver to sweep a race weekend at the track after he won the NASCAR Xfinity Series race the day before. In addition, it marked Roger Penske’s first Cup victory at the historic track.

KESELOWSKI AND CINDRIC AT WGI

Brad Keselowski and Austin Cindric have also been to Victory Lane at Watkins Glen International with both getting their checkered flags in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Keselowski, who has three second-place finishes and one third on the Cup side, posted his victory in 2013 while Cindric passed AJ Allmendinger with two laps to go for his win in 2019. Keselowski will also have a chance to extend his 2025 top-five streak to three races.

BLANEY’S STRONG FORM

For the first time in 2025, Ryan Blaney has secured top-ten finishes in three consecutive races, scoring 8th and 7th place finishes at Dover and Indianapolis before improving further to a 4th place finish at Iowa last weekend. His top-five finish at Iowa marked his eighth of 2025, leading all Ford drivers. This run has also propelled him to seventh place in the points.

RYAN PREECE: “I think the road courses have been really good for us. I feel really confident in what we got there, and I think we’re going to be just fine. We’ve been just trying to find a good work ethic, and find what it takes to run well there. Going to Watkins Glen is always fun.”

CHRIS BUESCHER: “We had a really good car at Watkins Glen that took a while to get going. Our long run speed was really the perk there, and the way the race played out, our long run speed was very strong. We had some good strategies as well and with the handful of restarts we were still able to go toe for toe there. We’ve seen some separation between short and long run speed at some tracks, and The Glen was probably the largest offset last year. I don’t know if that’ll be the case this year, and also, we don’t really want it to be that large. We need to figure out how to fire off a little bit better, and that’s probably our bigger focus right now.”

ZANE SMITH: “I’m looking forward to Watkins Glen for sure and it’s just a really fun road course. I’m hoping for some good weather and we had a fast car that was able to run well last year.”

CLASSIC FINISH

One of the all-time classic finishes at Watkins Glen International came when Marcos Ambrose went slip sliding away on the final lap, but still resulted in him winning the NASCAR Cup Series race for the second straight time on August 12, 2012. In a race that had more twists and turns over the final three laps than many can remember in recent years, Ambrose was the one who survived a massive streak of oil that had been laid down on the track, allowing him to pass Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski for Ford’s third win of the season. Busch appeared to be headed toward victory, but as he came into turn one on the final lap, he slipped in some oil and got loose. Keselowski came up from behind and hit Busch, sending him spinning off the track. A battle between Ambrose and Keselowski ensued from that point with both drivers trying to avoid the slickness that had covered the course. Ambrose followed Keselowski through the grass at one point, but was able to get by in the treacherous carousel when Keselowski slid one final time.

THREE STRAIGHT

Mark Martin became the first driver to win three straight NASCAR Cup Series races at Watkins Glen International, and he capped that streak on Aug. 13, 1995 after passing Wally Dallenbach, Jr. on lap 84 of the 90-lap event. Martin, who led a race-high 61 circuits overall, held off the road racing specialist to win by one second. That victory completed a three-year run that saw him not only sit on the pole every time but lead 183-of-270 laps (68%).

MAYER GOING FOR SECOND GLEN WIN

After taking his first victory of the season last week at Iowa Speedway, Sam Mayer now has eight career NASCAR Xfinity Series victories and one of them came at Watkins Glen International in 2023. The overtime win was his second in four weeks after capturing the first victory of his career at Road America. Overall, Mayer has won four times on road courses with a pair of triumphs on the Charlotte Roval being his other two.

WELCOME BACK

This year will mark the seventh all-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at The Glen and the first since 2021. The track hosted one race per year from 1996-2000 and included Ford wins by Joe Ruttman (1998) and Greg Biffle (2000) before returning to the schedule four years ago. This weekend’s event comes at a particularly crucial time as it marks the next-to-last race in the regular season. The 10-driver field will be set next week at Daytona International Speedway.

LAST TIME OUT

Layne Riggs led 160 of 200 laps in the last NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race where he swept the stages and pulled off a commanding win at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Riggs took his second win of the season and finished in the top spot by nearly two seconds after leading most of the way from taking the lead on lap 21. Riggs’s win at IRP was his second of the season as he solidified his third-place position in the standings.

BUESCHER’S TRUCK DEBUT

Chris Buescher will make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut at Watkins Glen this weekend driving the No. 66 Ford F-150 for ThorSport Racing. Buescher is the reigning winner in the NASCAR Cup Series at Watkins Glen, and has top ten finishes in each of his last three appearances at the track. It is Buescher’s first appearance in NASCAR in a non-Cup Series division since 2015.

FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS

AT WATKINS GLEN

1965 – Marvin Panch

1993 – Mark Martin

1994 – Mark Martin

1995 – Mark Martin

1995 – Mark Martin

1996 – Geoffrey Bodine

2011 – Marcos Ambrose

2012 – Marcos Ambrose

2015 – Joey Logano

2024 – Chris Buescher

FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS

AT WATKINS GLEN

1993 – Bill Elliott

2008 – Marcos Ambrose

2012 – Carl Edwards

2013 – Brad Keselowski

2014 – Marcos Ambrose

2015 – Joey Logano

2016 – Joey Logano

2018 – Joey Logano

2019 – Austin Cindric

FORD NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES WINNERS AT WATKINS GLEN

1998 – Joe Ruttman

2000 – Greg Biffle

The Ford Mustang, celebrating its 61st anniversary in 2025, is the world’s best selling sports car. It is also one of the planet’s most popular race cars. With Mustang-based race cars competing in international sports car competition (GT3 and GT4), NASCAR, NHRA, Formula Drift, in Australian Supercars, at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and in its own bespoke one-make series – Mustang Cup and Mustang Challenge – the platform has an unprecedented global reach. This weekend, 29 Mustang race cars are scheduled to race across all disciplines. Learn more at FordPerformance.com.