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GMS Racing NCWTS Race Preview: Nashville

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

Nashville Superspeedway Stats

  • NCWTS Starts: 1, Best start: 4th, Best finish: 3rd (2021), Top 5s: 1, Top 10s: 1

2022 NCWTS Season Stats

  • Starts: 13, Best start: 3rd, Best finish: 2nd (Charlotte), Top 5s: 3, Top 10s: 7, Laps led: 30, Current points position: 9th
  • About Champion Power Equipment: Since 2003 Champion Power Equipment has earned a reputation for designing and producing the market’s finest power equipment. From our original headquarters in Santa Fe Springs, California, Champion has expanded its North American footprint to include facilities in Jackson, Tennessee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Toronto Canada. Today, Champion’s product line has expanded to include portable generators, home standby generators, inverter generators, engines, winches and log splitters. With over 2.5 million generators sold in North America, Champion is a market leader in the power equipment field. Visit ChampionPowerEquipment.com for more information.
  • Chassis History/Info: Grant Enfinger will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 331 in “The Music City”. This chassis has ran three times this season and has earned two top-five finishes, with a third place run at Darlington Raceway and a second place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It has visited victory lane once in its tenure, winning at Michigan International Speedway with Zane Smith in 2020.
  • When It Counts: Throughout the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series campaign, Grant Enfinger and the No. 23 Champion Power Equipment team have been models of consistency. Though the group is still searching for their first win of the year, their overall performance has continued to show a steady rise as they put themselves in contention on a regular basis. With seven top-10 finishes highlighted by a second place run at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Enfinger is knocking on the door of success. Last year, the veteran finished in third at Nashville, so this week, he is entering the race with a lot of added confidence.
  • Playoffs Outlook: There remains only three races left in the NCWTS regular season, so all focus is on the horizon with the playoffs coming up soon. Solid stage points followed up by an eighth place finish at Knoxville Raceway resulted in Grant Enfinger gaining a slight point advantage on the final playoffs spot. Currently, “The Finger” sits ninth in the overall points standings, only three points behind eighth place, and 58 points ahead of 11th. At the start of the season, Enfinger was scored as low as 26th in the standings, but ever since then, he has trended upward. Additionally, the No. 23 truck holds down the final playoffs spot in the owners’ points standings, with a 14 point gap to the final advancing playoffs position. – GE Quote: “Nashville races similar to a mile and a half track, and I feel like we have made steady progress with our program this year. It took a while for the track to widen out for our race last year, so track position and qualifying will be very important. We’ve got a lot of guests from Champion Power Equipment that will be with us in Nashville so I’m hoping we can give them a reason to celebrate.”

Jack Wood, No. 24 ChevyLiners.com Chevrolet Silverado RST

Nashville Superspeedway Stats

  • NCWTS Starts: 1, Best start: 2nd, Best finish: 11th (2021)

2022 NCWTS Season Stats

  • Starts: 13, Best start: 11th, Best finish: 13th (Atlanta), Current points position: 21st
  • About ChevyLiners.com: For ultimate interior protection, Premium All-Weather Floor Liners by Chevrolet Accessories are the solution. Offering precision coverage around interior trim, driver pedals, seat tracks, and door sills, they’re constructed of quality materials that provide optimum carpet and interior trim protection, isolating debris and moisture while remaining removable for cleaning. Visit www.ChevyLiners.com to order yours today.
  • Chassis History/Info: Jack Wood will drive GMS Racing chassis no. 335 in the Rackley 200 at Nashville Superspeedway. This chassis has a best-career finish of third place, which came at Pocono Raceway in 2021. Wood most recently competed with this Silverado RST at Las Vegas Motor Speedway where he was involved in a late race incident.
  • Rockin’ Out in NASH: What better city is there to cross promote music and racing than Nashville? This week, Jack Wood will run a special helmet design featuring the punk rock band, Underoath. Additionally, GMS Racing will be hosting two Underoath band members, Aaron Gillespie (drummer), and Riley Anglen (sound technician), as they attend their first ever NASCAR race weekend experience.
  • Sunoco ROTY Update: A 21st place finish at Knoxville Raceway bumped Jack Wood up to second place in the chase for Rookie Of The Year honors. Entering Friday’s race at Nashville Superspeedway, the driver of the No. 24 Chevy is only nine points behind Lawless Alan in the rookie standings. A solid run in “The Music City” could potentially propel Wood to the rookie point lead for the first time this season.
  • JW Quote: “I’m really looking forward to returning to Nashville; the race there last year was by far my best race that I had all year and I love this track layout. We were able to stay in contention all race long last time we raced here, which served as a big confidence boost for me. The way our season has gone this year has definitely been tough, but this track has been one that we’ve had circled on our calendars for quite a while now. I know how to get around this place as a driver, and I know that we are going to have a good setup to base ourselves off of, so we’re just going to stick with it all day. Hopefully we can put together another good practice and qualifying run to give ourselves an opportunity to succeed. If there’s been any race that I’ve had high hopes for, Nashville would definitely be the one on the top of my list, so I can’t wait to see what my No. 24 ChevyLiners.com team and I have in store for Friday as we return to one of my favorite cities in the country.”

ABOUT GMS RACING:

GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series operating the No. 23 and the No. 24 Chevrolet Silverado RSTs, as well as the ARCA Menards Series with the No. 43 Chevrolet SS. Since the team was formed in 2012, GMS Racing has won five titles across multiple series, including the 2016 and 2020 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship, the 2015 ARCA Menards Series championship, as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA Menards Series 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 Petty GMS, a two car full-time NASCAR Cup Series team formed in 2021.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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

No. 10 Haas Automation Ford Racing: Nashville Race Advance

ARIC ALMIROLA
Nashville Advance
No. 10 Haas Automation Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Ally 400 (Round 17 of 36)
● Time/Date: 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 26
● Location: Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway
● Layout: 1.333-mile concrete oval
● Laps/Miles: 300 laps/399 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 90 laps / Stage 2: 95 laps / Final Stage: 115 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● After 16 races this season, Almirola is the only driver in the NASCAR Cup Series without a DNF (Did Not Finish). He has completed all but five laps of the 4,350 run this year – a 99.9 percent completion rate.

● 2021 marked the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway, which was new for most everyone involved. This weekend, Almirola and the No. 10 team will head back to the 1.333-mile concrete oval with a little extra confidence. Not only did Almirola earn the inaugural Cup Series pole at Nashville a year ago, but he piloted his No. 10 machine to a fourth-place finish after a string of terrible luck to kickstart his season at its midpoint.

● Almirola is one of the few drivers in this weekend’s Ally 400 field who has raced at Nashville Superspeedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series. In four Xfinity Series starts at the track, Almirola has three top-10 finishes and one top-five with a best finish of fifth. In four Truck Series starts, Almirola has earned two top-10s and a top-five with a best finish of third.

● Points: Almirola arrives at Nashville 11th in the driver standings with 423 points, 113 out of first.

● Haas Automation, founded by Gene Haas in 1983, is America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools. The company manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers and rotary tables and indexers. All Haas products are constructed in the company’s 1.1-million-square-foot manufacturing facility in Oxnard, California, and distributed through a worldwide network of Haas Factory Outlets.

● Almirola’s career: In 404 NASCAR Cup Series starts, Almirola has earned three wins, 28 top-five finishes, 89 top-10s, three poles, and has led 899 laps.

● One More Time: On Jan. 10, Almirola released a video on his YouTube channel announcing his retirement from fulltime NASCAR Cup Series racing after the 2022 season to spend more time with his family. His opening remarks were attributed to his grandfather’s mentorship. This year marks Almirola’s 11th fulltime Cup Series season. The official press release can be viewed here.

● Beyond the 10 YouTube Series: In 2022, Almirola is once again sharing his life beyond the No. 10 Smithfield Ford with season three of his award-winning YouTube series. Fans and media can subscribe on YouTube to see Almirola’s personality on and off the track. Episodes have already featured life as a dad, a husband and an athlete, and it gives fans a unique perspective on what goes on in the life of a professional NASCAR driver. Fans can also follow Almirola’s social media channels: @Aric_Almirola on Twitter and Instagram, and @AricAlmirola on Facebook.

● Almirola was the only NASCAR Cup Series driver to finish in the top-10 in this year’s opening three races. He finished fifth in the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, sixth at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, and sixth at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Almirola’s top-10 streak ended with a 12th-place finish at Phoenix Raceway despite running inside the top-10 throughout the race.

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

What is your outlook heading to a track for just the second time, and first in the NextGen car?

“Yeah I’m excited to get back to Nashville. Last year, Nashville was a big turning point for us. We went to a track that was new in the Cup Series for everyone and ended up getting the pole and a top-five. That gave us so much momentum because it was a terrible season up to that point. I have always felt good at Nashville. We’ve already shown what we can do at a new track in this NextGen car this year at St. Louis. This team is resilient and works their tails off to get the car where it needs to be when we show up at a new venue. On top of that, we’re going to get a full day of practice and qualifying, so we’ll have even more time to adjust.”

Where would you evaluate your season so far?

“We’ve had ups and downs, but there are a lot of positives to take away. Even last race at Sonoma, we had a plan and executed it. We finished 14th, but gained a ton of points and kept ourselves ahead of the playoff bubble. Drew (Blickensderfer, crew chief) and I have really connected and I hope we’re in the beginning of a hot streak heading into the summer.”

No. 10 Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Aric Almirola
Hometown: Tampa, Florida

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer
Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Jerry Cook
Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Engineer: Davin Restivo
Hometown: Asheboro, North Carolina

Engineer: James Kimbrough
Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

Spotter: Joel Edmonds
Hometown: Dobson, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Ryan Mulder
Hometown: Sioux Center, Iowa

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White
Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard
Hometown: King, North Carolina

Jack Man: Sean Cotton
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Fuel Man: James “Ace” Keener
Hometown: Fortuna, California

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Chris Trickett
Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Robbie Fairweather
Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller
Hometown: Monroe, New York

Tire Specialist: Rusty Davidson
Hometown: Mount Juliet, Tennessee

Transporter Co-Driver: Steven Casper
Hometown: Salisbury, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy
Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

Smith Heads to Music City Eyeing Regular Season Championship

Speedco Team has Plenty to Race for at Nashville Superspeedway

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (June 21, 2022) – There is no time for Zane Smith and the No. 38 Speedco Ford F-150 team to let off the gas. The three-time winners this season are second in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular season points as they roll into the Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway for Friday night’s 150-lap race.

The team is five points back on the points leader and are looking to secure the regular season championship and the 15 additional playoff points that comes with the title. Only three races remain before the regular season ends- this weekend at Nashville, July 9 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and July 23 at the Pocono Raceway.

Smith knows this weekend is an opportunity to get the points lead.

“I think we have the momentum, but it’s a real battle for that regular season title,” said Smith. “It can go either way between the top four of us. We want those points and Nashville can be a good race for us.”

The Nashville Superspeedway is unique to the NASCAR tour. It is a 1.3-mile, concrete-surfaced track.

“We’ve unloaded fast at every track, but Nashville is something different,” continued Smith. “I think we will be good. It is a fast track and we have had fast trucks. I am confident that we will have a good chance at it.”

Speedco, combined with Love’s Truck Care, the nation’s largest over the road preventative maintenance and total truck care network returns to the No. 38 Ford F-150 this weekend. The company has been the primary partner on the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports (FRM) Ford F-150 for all three of Smith’s previous wins this year.

Smith and the No.38 Speedco team will race on Friday at 8:00 p.m. ET live on FS1.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Camping World Truck Series and the 2021 Daytona 500 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 NASCAR Camping World 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.

Chandler Smith – No. 18 Safelite Tundra TRD Pro Camping World Trucks Nashville Preview

Chandler Smith: Driver, No. 18 Safelite® Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: Rackley Roofing 200, Race 14 of 23, 150 Laps – 45/50/55; 199.5 Miles
Location: Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway (1.33-mile D-shaped oval)
Date/Broadcast: June 24, 2022, at 8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Chandler Chatter:

Chandler Smith and the No. 18 Safelite team head to Nashville Superspeedway for Friday’s Rackley Roofing 200 in the middle of a four-truck battle for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular season championship. Smith held the top spot heading into last week’s race at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway but slid to the fourth position after registering a 13th-place finish. With three races remaining before the playoffs start, he finds himself 14 points behind his KBM teammate John Hunter Nemechek, with Zane Smith five points behind Nemechek in second and Ben Rhodes 10 points behind in third.

In last year’s Truck Series race at Nashville, Smith led a race-high 46 laps and won Stage Two before getting shuffled back on a restart late in the race and finishing 13th.

Through the first 13 events of the season Smith ranks first among Truck Series regulars in average finish (9.1), laps completed (1735) and quality passes (509), third in driver rating (100.3), and average running position (9.007) and fourth in average starting position (8.0) and fastest laps run (70). He has produced one win, 96 laps led, six top-five and nine top-10 finishes in his sophomore campaign. With 10 races remaining this season, Smith has already matched the number of top-five and top-10 finishes he had in 2021.

The Georgia driver earned NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year honors in 2021 and finished eighth in the championship standings after producing two victories, one pole, 213 laps led, six top-five and nine top-10 finishes in his first full-time season. He earned his first career Truck Series victory at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in September and in the series finale at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway earned his first career pole and swept all three stages en route to his second victory.

Across 51 career Truck Series starts, the Toyota Racing Development driver had recorded three wins, one pole, 402 laps led, 20 top-five and 27 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 13.4.

In addition to his Truck Series schedule in 2022, Smith is competing in a three-race schedule with Sam Hunt Racing (SHR). Smith finished 38th in his series debut at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway after a mid-race wreck and finished 21st at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway. His final race with SHR will come Oct. 22 at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway.

Veteran crew chief Danny Stockman will once again call the shots for Smith and the No. 18 team in 2022. Stockman’s drivers have produced six victories at KBM across his first two seasons, including two with Smith behind the wheel in 2021. The veteran crew chief captured a Truck Series championship with Austin Dillon in 2011 and also won an Xfinity Series championship with Dillon in 2013. Stockman’s drivers have collected one win, one pole, 104 laps led, two top-five and two top-10 finishes across five starts at Nashville. Dillon won the pole and the race in July of 2011.

Safelite, the nation’s largest provider of vehicle glass repair, replacement and recalibration services, returns to KBM for a fifth season and will be the primary sponsor on Smith’s Tundra TRD Pro Tundra for 16 races this year, including Friday’s race at Nashville. Charge Me will serve as an associate sponsor on the bedtop of Smith’s No. 18 Tundra TRD Pro this weekend. Charge Me was founded on the principle that the electric vehicle (EV) revolution will require robust infrastructure support at all levels.

Chandler Smith, Driver Q&A:

You led a bunch of laps and won a stage at Nashville last year. What do you have to do this year to have a better finish in the end?
“Last year at Nashville we were really strong and had a lot of speed but with that being said I wasn’t really happy with my Safelite Tundra. We were fighting a little bit of tight on exit and once I got back in dirty air with Nashville being a concrete track and being a one to two groove track it reminded me of Dover with dirty air and how tight it makes you. Once we got back in dirty air we were just as tight as I was up front in clean air, and I wasn’t able to go anywhere. Thinking about that, going back we want to be able to have maneuverability and in the back of my mind and Stockman’s mind (Danny, crew chief) we have to think about we need to do better if we get in dirty air. That’s the mentality we are going with and we’re going to win.”

Is there a track that you’ve raced at this season that is similar to Nashville that you can take notes from?
“Not really, it’s close to a mile-and-a-half in length, but as far as the approach with setup and mentality, it’s a short-track mentality from my perspective. With that being said, we’ve been really strong at the short tracks and setup wise that is what we’re going with is kind of a short-track package to an extent with little things here and there to make up for how big the track is. I’m really confident in the speed we’ve had at short tracks and mile-and-a-halves, so going to a track that is a little smaller and where we have good experience at in the past, I’m really confident.”

Does it give you extra motivation to have an extra $50,000 on the line with the Triple Truck Challenge?
“That would help a lot, especially with the diaper bill that is going to start coming along here in the next few months. Bigger picture for us is the regular season championship. That’s what we are all eyes on and that’s what we are trying to get.”

Chandler Smith Career Highlights:

  • Across 51 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts has recorded three wins, 402 laps led, 20 top-five and 27 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 13.4.
  • Earned NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year honors in 2021 and finished eighth in the championship standings after producing two victories, one pole, 213 laps led, six top-five and nine top-10 finishes in his first full-time season. He earned his first career Truck Series victory at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in September and in the series finale at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway earned his first career pole and swept all three stages en route to his second victory.
  • Has posted an average finish of 29.5 across two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts in 2022, with a best result of 22nd coming at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway.
  • Has collected nine wins, 10 poles, 1783 laps led, 22 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes en route to an average finish of 5.4 across 34 career ARCA Menards Series starts.

Chandler Smith’s No. 18 Safelite Tundra:
KBM-68: The No. 18 Safelite team will unload KBM-68 for Friday’s race at the Nashville. In its lone start this season, Smith brought home an eighth-place finish with this Tundra TRD Pro at Texas Motor Speedway in May. John Hunter Nemechek’s third-place result at Bristol last year has been KBM-68’s best result across six career starts.
KBM-68 Performance Profile

KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have collected two wins, two poles, 319 laps led, two top-five and four top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.0 across eight starts at Nashville.
  • Owner-driver Kyle Busch picked up the organization’s first ever victory at the 1.33-mile oval in 2010 and won again in 2011.
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (95) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway, Corey Heim became the 18th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
  • The No. 18, the number which was on the first Tundra that went to victory lane for KBM in 2010, has 24 career victories.

John Hunter Nemechek – No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra TRD Pro Camping World Trucks Nashville Preview

John Hunter Nemechek: Driver, No. 4 Mobil 1 Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: Rackley Roofing 200, Race 14 of 23, 150 Laps – 45/50/55; 199.5 Miles
Location: Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway (1.33-mile D-shaped oval)
Date/Broadcast: June 24, 2022, at 8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Neme’chek’ the Facts:

With a runner-up finish at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway this past weekend, John Hunter Nemechek and the No.4 Mobil 1 team jumped to the top of the board in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship standings. Nemechek now enters Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway with a five-point lead with just three races remaining in the regular season. In his lone NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Nashville in 2021, Nemechek started 34th and drove his way up to a 10th-place finish.

Nemechek has accumulated a series high 88 points over the past two races to catapult to the top of the leaderboard. The talented wheelman has also finished in the top-10 in nine out of the last 10 events and leads the NASCAR Truck Series regulars in poles (four), average starting position (6.6), and average running position (8.431).

Friday’s race will be the second of three races in the Truck Series Triple Truck Challenge, with an extra $50,000 on the line for the winner. The final race of the Triple Truck Challenge will be July 9 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. If a driver can win two of the three races, they will be awarded an extra $50,000 totaling $150,000 and if the same driver wins all three races, they earn a $300,000 bonus bringing the total to $500,000. KBM’s Corey Heim collected the extra money with his win at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway on the first leg of the Triple Truck Challenge.

The 25-year-old driver is a 12-time winner in Camping World Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports, and returning to victory lane in 2021 and 2022 with KBM. Across 137 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, he has compiled six poles, 1,369 laps led, 46 top-five and 75 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.4.

While the Camping World Truck series will be off next week, Nemechek is slated to make his sixth Xfinity Series start of the season at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. piloting the No. 26 GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing. In his first five Xfinity Series starts this season; the second-generation driver has led 146 laps and has three top-five and three top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.0.

Eric Phillips returned to lead the No. 4 team in 2022. His 42 career Truck Series victories make him the winningest crew chief in Truck Series history, with 33 of those coming while at KBM including five last year. Phillips led the No. 18 team at KBM in its debut season in 2010 and helped build the organization into one of the premier teams in all of NASCAR before departing at the end of the 2014 season. Under his guidance, the No. 18 team won eight races in its inaugural campaign and became the first team in Truck Series history to capture an owner’s championship in its first season of competition. In 2014, the Illinois native led the No. 51 team to an owner’s championship and his team’s 10 wins spearheaded KBM to a single-season Truck Series record of 14 wins. Phillip’s has called the shots for 11 starts at Nashville Superspeedway. In those 11 starts, his drivers have tallied two wins (Kyle Busch – 2010 & 2011), two poles, 271 laps led, two top-five and four top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 15.3. Busch’s win in 2010 was the first career Truck Series win for KBM.

The world’s leading synthetic motor oil, Mobil 1, will adorn the hood of the No. 4 Tundra TRD Pro this Saturday at Knoxville Raceway. Mobil 1 returns as the primary sponsor of Nemechek’s Toyota for two more races in 2022; July 9 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Oct. 1 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver Q&A:

Is there another track on the schedule that you would compare to Nashville or is it unique?
“I think Nashville itself is unique; concrete racetrack, over a mile, kind of races like a superspeedway a little bit with a little bit of short track corners where you use break. There’s a lot of off throttle time compared to our normal mile-and-a-half racetracks that we go to. It’s a little bit different for us, I struggled there last year, I feel like we struggled a little bit as a team there last year, so we have our work cut out for us this weekend but looking forward to going there and trying to get KBM another victory at Nashville.”

It’s the second race of the Triple Truck Challenge, do you look forward to competing for the extra cash?
“Yeah, for sure. I can’t thank Camping World and everyone enough that helps put together the Triple Truck Challenge to put a little bonus incentive of cash there. It’s $5ok if you win the race and even more if you win the Triple Truck Challenge so huge shoutout to Camping World, Marcus Lemonis, and everyone involved that puts together this amazing program.”

You reclaimed the points lead after Knoxville. What do you have to do over the next three races to bring home the regular season championship?
“I think for us, we just need to have consistent runs and not make mistakes. We’ve got to be fast, and we know we have trucks capable of doing that, so not dialing ourselves out during practice, putting good races together, finishing up high in the stages and having good results at the end of the race. Just have to put everything together, execute, and not beat ourselves and not make any mistakes.”

John Hunter Nemechek Career Highlights:

  • Twelve-time winner in Camping World Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports. Across 137 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, has compiled six poles, 1,369 laps led, 46 top-five and 75 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.4. Registered a career-high and series-leading five victories in 2021, earned the NCWTS Regular Season championship and finished third in the final standings after qualifying for the Championship Four for the first time in his career.
  • Produced three top-10 finishes and an average result of 22.4 while competing for rookie of the year honors in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020. He recorded a career-best eighth-place finish twice, both coming at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.
  • Across 61 career XFINITY Series starts, has totaled two wins, one pole, 510 laps led, 17 top-five and 36 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 11.8.

John Hunter Nemechek’s No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra TRD Pro:

KBM-38: The No. 4 Mobil 1 team will unload KBM-38 for Friday’s race at Nashville. Nemechek raced this Tundra once earlier in the season at Kansas where he earned the pole award and went on to finish sixth. Overall, “38 special” has collected seven wins across 23 career starts. Three with Christopher Bell and one each with Kyle Busch, William Byron, Noah Gragson, and John Hunter Nemechek.
KBM-38 Performance Profile

KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have collected two wins, two poles, 319 laps led, two top-five and four top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.0 across eight starts at Nashville.
  • Owner-driver Kyle Busch picked up the organization’s first ever victory at the 1.33-mile oval in 2010 and won again in 2011.
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (95) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 19, Corey Heim became the 18th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
  • The No. 4 has 17 career victories at KBM and was the number for both of the organization’s driver championships.

Lifted and Tuned 2014 5.3L Silverado 1500

AmericanTrucks’ Customer Spotlight Video Release

PAOLI, Pa. (June 20th, 2022) – Parts authority, AmericanTrucks (AT) inspires truck owners with the release of its newest “Customer Spotlight” video. The popular YouTube series features customer builds from across the country. In its latest episode, AT highlights a lifted and tuned, 2014 Silverado with a front and rear bumper courtesy of AT’s exclusive brand, Barricade. Viewers can head to AT’s website to see additional photos and a complete list of mods for this build.

Lifted trucks are modified with the body an extra 1-3 inches off the ground. Truck owners like this and will need jack stands for lifted trucks instead of using the standard-size ones.

AT host, Eric Donaldson heads up the interview with owner Theresa S. from Washington. Theresa’s truck is “tough” with a “good mix of appearance, performance, and utility” mods, says Eric. The Barricade front and rear bumpers are a favorite mod delivering a unique, aggressive look and function. Moving on, Eric digs in a little deeper to find out more about the Factory Style V2 Headlights, S&B Cold Air Intake, Diablosport Tuner, JMS PedalMAX Throttle Controller, and J&L Oil Separator. Viewers will learn more about the purple theme Theresa has going on, and what’s on her wish list for the future.

AT’s “Customer Spotlight” video helps Silverado owners get a risk-free look at some upgrades for their own ride at home. From practical installs like the Weathertech floor liners to extras like the train horn and underglow lighting, Theresa’s build offers something for everyone. AT invites viewers to subscribe to its YouTube channel to stay up to date on all the latest products, installation videos, and other Silverado news.

View it here: https://www.americantrucks.com/profiles/147044

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About AmericanTrucks

AmericanTrucks is regarded as one of the best, most reliable online aftermarket retailers providing parts and accessories for F150, F250, Ranger, Silverado, Sierra, and RAM. Catering to the needs and demands of late-model truck owners and enthusiasts, AmericanTrucks provides the best parts with support from genuine truck experts. Located just outside of Philadelphia, AmericanTrucks is dedicated to offering the truck community with the highest quality of parts and customer service. Please visit https://www.americantrucks.com for more information.

Mahindra Tractors Racing: Chase Briscoe Nashville Advance

CHASE BRISCOE
Nashville Advance
No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Ally 400 (Round 17 of 36)
● Time/Date: 5 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 26
● Location: Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway
● Layout: 1.333-mile, concrete oval
● Laps/Miles: 300 laps/399 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 90 laps / Stage 2: 95 laps / Final Stage: 115 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● With 16 of 36 races complete, Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) is 13th in the driver championship. He currently holds a spot in the 16-driver playoff field by virtue of his March 13 win at Phoenix Raceway.

● After the season’s only off weekend, the NASCAR Cup Series returns to action at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway for the Ally 400. Sunday’s race marks Briscoe’s second start at the 1.333-mile, concrete oval. In last year’s inaugural Cup Series event there, Briscoe started 16th and ran inside the top-10 for a majority of the race before a loss of brakes sent him into the outside wall on lap 228. The No. 14 was scored 31st despite a strong run to that point.

● While Briscoe only has one start at Nashville, the No. 14 team has shown great improvement in the last two races at intermediate tracks. The Mahindra Tractors driver finished fourth in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway on May 29, then won his career-first pole at Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Illinois near St. Louis on June 5. He led the first 27 laps before a flat left-rear tire forced him to make an unscheduled pit stop.

● Mahindra Tractors, a brand of Houston-based Mahindra Ag North America, returns to the No. 14 at Nashville. A part of Mahindra Group’s Automotive and Farm Sector, Mahindra is the No. 1-selling farm tractor company in the world, based on volumes across all company brands. Mahindra farm equipment is engineered to be easy to operate by first-time tractor or side-by-side owners, and heavy duty to tackle the tough jobs of rural living, farming and ranching. Steel-framed Mahindra tractors and side-by-sides are ideal for customers who demand performance, reliability and comfort at a great value. Mahindra dealers are independent, family-owned businesses located throughout the U.S. and Canada.

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

We’re nearly halfway through the season with only 10 races left before the playoffs begin. Performance has improved the last few weeks, so do you feel like things are back on track and you could be a championship favorite?

“Well, you still have to get to Phoenix. If you don’t get to Phoenix, it doesn’t matter how good you are. If you had asked me that four or five weeks ago, I would have said no way. But we got back to what we were doing at the beginning of the year and I feel like we have our speed back. Hopefully, we can continue this. But, I don’t think there is a championship favorite. There are a lot of guys who are capable. This NextGen car, it is so weird how it is. One week you can be really good and the next week you can be way, way off. We just have to continue to get better and put ourselves in a position to keep trying to run up front. If we do that and get to Phoenix, I am confident we can go there and battle. It is just a matter of getting there. If you aren’t one of the final four guys, it doesn’t matter how good you are there.”

Is there anything about this new car that has made you rewire how you drive a car and has challenged you in that way?

“I haven’t felt like it’s a lot different, to be honest. I feel like it’s still a racecar. It still does a lot of the same things. I felt like maybe when I got decent on the road courses is when I started maximizing the brake zones in the old car, and with this car you can do that a lot better, so I guess just how you drive with the brake pedal on the road courses would be the biggest thing that I kind of have to retrain myself on. But truthfully, with the IMSA stuff I’ve done, it’s kind of similar to that feel, so I wouldn’t say that I’ve had as much muscle memory to relearn or forget about switching from the old car. I haven’t had any issues – knock on wood – but it is different, I think, for the guys who have done it for a long time and are trying to retrain themselves with a lot of those things.”

How does the Next Gen car change what a driver now does on a restart?

“This car doesn’t create as big of a hole on restarts from an aero standpoint. The old car, with that 500 package, it would just create such a huge hole that you’d get such big runs on restarts and you could gain six, seven spots on a straightaway. It was just different how it responded down the straightaway, where this car doesn’t necessarily seem to have that as much. I feel like, with the old car, you would maybe sometimes gain two or three rows on lane choice even on some of these mile-and-a-halves because guys didn’t want to be on the bottom on the straightaway. With this new car, it seems like everybody takes inside out, it’s back and forth and you don’t really get that huge row gain like you used to be able to with the old car. So, I feel like you have to be a little more aggressive in this car just because it seems like obviously restarts is the easiest time to get the positions, and then after that it gets pretty aero-sensitive.”

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

Engineer: Marc Hendricksen
Hometown: Clinton, New Jersey

Spotter: Joey Campbell
Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Daniel Coffey
Hometown: Granite Falls, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Jack Man: Brandon Banks
Hometown: High Point, 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

Shock Specialist: Brian Holshouser
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

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

Gilliland Goes Country in Nashville with Boot Barn

Talks Music, NASCAR Fans, Racing and Where to Meet Him This Weekend

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (June 21, 2022) – Boot Barn, the largest western and workwear retailer in the United States, continues its partnership with Todd Gilliland this weekend in Music City. Boot Barn will once again adorn the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports (FRM) team as they will race at the Nashville Superspeedway. For Gilliland, it’s a fun weekend for which he is ready.

“Who doesn’t love NASCAR, a little country music, and Nashville?” asked Gilliland. “This is one of the most fun weekends of the season. Everyone loves to come to Nashville, dress up, go down Broadway Street and take in the sights and sounds. NASCAR and Nashville just go together. It’s an awesome time.”

Gilliland, who recently took in a Morgan Wallen concert, loves the common music interests of Nashville and NASCAR fans.

“I love all types of music, from hip hop to country music, but when you come to Nashville you have to go out and take in the country music – it’s everywhere. You see so many fans in the city having a good time and NASCAR fans really turn out for this race. You get excited to see that and you want to go in, take in the music and meet the fans.”

Looking good is also a big part of the electric atmosphere in Nashville. For Gilliland, he has Boot Barn ready to take care of that for him.

“You can’t go out in Nashville without looking your best,” continued Gilliland. “I am lucky because Boot Barn has me hooked up. Nashville has its own fashion vibe and it’s cool to relax, look good, and have fun.”

But Gilliland knows there is work to do in Nashville, too. His rookie season continues as does his learning experiences. Gilliland, who finished second in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Nashville in 2021, is excited to return for the first time in a Cup car.

“It’s always a lot better when I come into a track where I have laps there,” Gilliland stated. “We finished great here last year when we were in the Truck Series. Hopefully, I can use that knowledge this weekend and give Boot Barn a great result on the track.”

Fans will have the opportunity to meet Gilliland on Saturday, June 25, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Boot Barn store located at 318 Broadway, Nashville, Tenn. 37201. Gilliland will sign autographs, take photos, and fans can browse the Boot Barn showroom floor in downtown Nashville.

Gilliland and the No. 38 Boot Barn Mustang will then take to the track at Nashville Speedway on Sunday, June 26, at 5:00 p.m. ET on NBC.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Camping World Truck Series and the 2021 Daytona 500 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 NASCAR Camping World 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.

KRIS WRIGHT: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News and Notes: Nashville Superspeedway

KRIS WRIGHT
No. 44 Big Dog Energy Chevrolet Silverado
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News and Notes
Event: Rackley Roofing 200
Date: Friday, June 24, 2022
Venue: Nashville Superspeedway
Location: Lebanon, Tennessee
Track Description: 1.33 mile(s)
Race: 150 laps / 199.5 miles

Returning Big Dog Energy … Big Dog Energy, a family-owned natural gas company, has partnered with Kris Wright, driver of the Niece Motorsports No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado, for multiple NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events including this weekend at the Nashville Superspeedway. The multiple-race partnership with Wright commenced with the Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and continued at the Kansas Speedway. For more information on Big Dog Energy, LLC, headquartered in Wexford, Pa., visit Instagram (@bigdogenergyllc).

Music City Duet … This weekend marks Kris Wright’s second start at the Nashville Superspeedway with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In his debut at Music City’s home for NASCAR on June 18, 2021, Wright started the 150-lap event from the 29th-place and finished in the 32nd-place.

Speedway Stats: The Wexford, Pa., -native has 17 combined NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts on speedways (tracks 1 to 2-miles in length).

KRIS WRIGHT STATISTICS

QUOTE WORTHY

Kris Wright, driver of the No. 44 Big Dog Energy Chevrolet Silverado for Niece Motorsports
On the Nashville Superspeedway:
“Country music, and great food. I cannot wait to get my boots on the ground in “Smashville.” The Rackley Roofing 200 is going to be electric. Our oval package has shown speed at the past few NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events – so, let us get to line dancing at 170 mph.

“It is the last race of the eight-week stretch. I am excited for the No. 44 Big Dog Energy Chevrolet Silverado team to end it on a high note in the country music capital.”

Kris Wright on Social Media … To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, visit KrisWrightMotorsports.com or connect with Kris Wright on Facebook (/KrisWrightRacing), Twitter (@KrisOnNASCAR) or Instagram (@krisonnascar).

Niece Motorsports’ NASCAR Camping World Truck Series History … Since entering the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2016, the Mooresville, N.C., -based organization has logged 339 starts with 40 drivers, including NASCAR Cup Series drivers Trevor Bayne, Ross Chastain, and Kyle Larson. Niece Motorsports has collected four victories (Ross Chastain, 2019: Kansas, Gateway, and Pocono, 2022: Charlotte), 24 top-five finishes and 62 top-10 finishes and has logged an average starting position of 19.6 and an average finishing position of 19.2.

NIECE MOTORSPORTS STATISTICS

Niece Motorsports’ NASCAR Camping World Truck Series History at the Nashville Superspeedway … The organization posted a team best finish of 16th-place at the track on June 18, 2021 with driver Carson Hocevar. The three previous starts at the Nashville Superspeedway have earned Niece Motorsports an overall average starting position of 17.7 and an average finish of 21.3.

Catch the Action … The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rackley Roofing 200 at the Nashville Superspeedway will be broadcast live on FS1 on Friday, June 24, starting with NASCAR RaceDay: NCWTS at Nashville Superspeedway at 7:30 p.m. (ET). It will also broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 7:30 p.m. (ET). Qualifying for the 14th event of the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule will air on Friday at 4:00 p.m. (ET) on FS1.

DGR NCWTS Advance: Nashville Superspeedway

Friday, June 24
Track: Nashville Superspeedway, 1.33-mile concrete oval
Race: 14 of 23
Event: Rackley Roofing 200 (150 laps, 200 miles)

Schedule
Friday, June 24
Practice: 4:00 p.m. ET
Qualifying: 4:30 p.m. ET
Race: 8:00 p.m. ET (FOX Sports 1)

Hailie Deegan, No. 1 Wastequip Ford F-150 

  • Hailie Deegan will be making her 37th career NCWTS start this Saturday as the series takes on the Rackley Roofing 200.
  • Deegan tied her highest finish of the season at Knoxville Raceway last weekend, scoring a dominating heat race victory en route to a 15th-place finish.
  • Deegan will be making her second career appearance at Nashville Superspeedway. The 20-year-old finished 21st in last year’s contest following a strong top-15 qualifying effort.
  • Veteran Crew Chief Mike Hillman Jr. has made 10 career NCWTS starts at the 1.33 mile oval. The two-time series champion has totaled five top-fives, seven top-10’s and netted a 2011 victory with Todd Bodine.

Tanner Gray, No. 15 Ford Performance F-150

  • Tanner Gray will make his 62nd career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start when the series rolls into Nashville Superspeedway on Friday.
  • Last season at the 1.33-mile concrete oval, the Ford driver started from the tail after inspection issues and rallied to finish 18th.
  • Gray had just entered the top-10 at Knoxville last race before a flat right front tire forced the No. 15 pitside. He was trapped one lap down and finished 22nd.
  • Jerry Baxter has 11 starts at Nashville in the Xfinity Series with one victory (Michael Waltrip – 2004), three top-fives and six top-10s.

Ryan Preece, No. 17 Hunt Brothers Pizza F-150

  • Ryan Preece and Hunt Brothers Pizza reunite this Friday looking to defend last year’s triumph at Nashville Superspeedway.
  • In five starts this season, Preece has two top-fives and four top-10s and narrowly missed out on extending his top-10 streak with an 11th-place finish in his most recent start at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
  • Not only will the veteran driver be looking to repeat his Nashville victory from one season ago, but he will be looking for back-to-back wins for the No. 17 F-150 as Todd Gilliland led 58 laps and scored pay dirt at Knoxville Raceway last Saturday night.
  • Seth Smith will pair up with Preece for the second time this season. The duo finished seventh together at Darlington Raceway on May 6.