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Chastain survives double overtime for a Truck Series victory at Charlotte

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Andrew Boyd for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Ross Chastain capitalized through two overtime attempts and a late incident involving teammate Carson Hocevar and Ryan Preece to fend off the field and win the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday, May 27.

The 29-year-old Chastain from Alva, Florida, led twice for four out of 143 over-scheduled laps as he overtook Christian Eckes on the final lap during the second of two overtime attempts before fending off Grant Enfinger to win in his fourth scheduled NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start of the season with Niece Motorsports as he also claimed his first triumph at Charlotte.

With on-track qualifying to determine the starting lineup occurring on Friday, Ty Majeski earned his second career pole after posting a pole-winning lap at 178.312 mph in 30.284 seconds. Joining him on the front row was Zane Smith, who posted a fast qualifying lap at 178.277 mph in 30.290 seconds.

Prior to the event, Hailie Deegan and Austin Wayne Self started at the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments to their respective trucks.

When the green flag waved and the race started, Majeski received a huge push from Kyle Busch to assume command ahead of Zane Smith before being locked in a side-by-side battle against Busch for a full lap. When the field returned to the start/finish line, Majeski edged Kyle Busch to lead the first lap before Busch pulled ahead entering the backstretch. Not long after, Kyle Busch came under pressure from Zane Smith through Turns 3 and 4 as he challenged Busch for the lead, which he prevailed as the field behind jostled for positions.

By the fifth lap, Zane Smith was leading by four-tenths of a second over Majeski and Kyle Busch while teammates Carson Hocevar and Ross Chastain battled in the top five. 

Through the first 10 scheduled laps, the top-five competitors were separated by a second as Zane Smith continued to lead ahead of Majeski, Kyle Busch, Hocevar and Chastain. Ryan Preece was in sixth place, trailing by nearly two seconds, followed by Christian Eckes, Matt Crafton, Matt DiBenedetto, and Tanner Gray while Chandler Smith, Grant Enfinger, Stewart Friesen, John Hunter Nemechek, and Ben Rhodes were in the top 15.

Ten laps later, Zane Smith continued to lead by nearly a second over Majeski while Kyle Busch, Hocevar, and Chastain remained in the top five.

Five laps later and as the leaders approached lapped traffic, Majeski narrowed his deficit to Zane Smith to three-tenths of a second. Smith, however, was able to navigate his way through the traffic that included Hailie Deegan to maintain the lead. Behind, Ryan Preece, Hocevar, and Chastain overtook Kyle Busch for positions as Busch was back in sixth in front of Christian Eckes.

Despite being pressured by Majeski in the closing laps of the first stage, Zane Smith was able to fend off Majeski to claim his fifth stage victory on Lap 30. Majeski settled in second followed by Preece, Hocevar, Chastain, Kyle Busch, DiBenedetto, Eckes, Matt Crafton, and Enfinger.

Under the stage break, the leaders pitted for adjustments and Zane Smith managed to retain the lead after exiting pit road first ahead of Majeski, Preece, Hocevar, Eckes, and DiBenedetto. During the pit stops, Stewart Friesen and Brennan Poole were penalized for speeding on pit road along with Dean Thompson and Kyle Busch, both of whom were penalized for having a crew member jump over the wall too soon.

When the second stage started on Lap 36, Zane Smith managed to retain the lead while Preece made his move into the runner-up spot as the field jostled for positions. Behind, Chastain got loose while battling DiBenedetto entering Turns 3 and 4, but he managed to straighten his truck as he remained in seventh ahead of Chandler Smith.

By Lap 40, Zane Smith was ahead by more than three-tenths of a second over Majeski, who moved back into the runner-up spot a lap prior, followed by Preece, Eckes, and Hocevar while DiBenedetto, Chastain, Nemechek, Tanner Gray, and Chandler Smith were scored in the top 10.

Ten laps later, Zane Smith continued to lead by four-tenths of a second over Majeski, who continued to pressure the former for the top spot. Preece, Hocevar, and Eckes were in the top five followed by Nemechek, Chastain, DiBenedetto, Gray, and Enfinger while Chandler Smith, Colby Howard, Derek Kraus, Crafton, Kyle Busch, Tyler Ankrum, rookie Jack Wood, Chase Purdy, Kris Wright, and Ben Rhodes were in the top 20.

Another two laps later, the caution flew when Tate Fogleman made contact with the outside wall in Turn 4 before sliding his truck down towards the pit road entrance. During the caution period, nearly the entire field led by Zane Smith pitted while Derek Kraus, Rhodes, and Timmy Hill remained on the track.

With three laps remaining in the second stage, the race restarted under green. At the start, Rhodes took off with the lead on the inside lane followed by Preece and Eckes while Kraus spun the tires on the outside lane. As the field stacked up and fanned out entering Turn 1, the caution returned when Jack Wood and Matt Mills collided against the outside wall in Turn 1. 

The incident involving Wood and Mills concluded the second stage scheduled for Lap 60 under caution and at the moment of caution, Rhodes was scored the leader and he managed to claim his sixth stage victory of the season. Teammate Eckes settled in second followed by Preece, Hocevar, Nemechek, Zane Smith, DiBenedetto, Chastain, Majeski, and Kraus.

Under the stage break, some like Rhodes, Kraus, Timmy Hill, and Spencer Boyd pitted while the rest led by Eckes remained on the track.

With 69 laps remaining, the final stage commenced under green. At the start, Eckes retained the lead through the backstretch until Preece received a push from John Hunter Nemechek to muscle his Ford F-150 on the outside lane to take the lead through Turns 3 and 4. 

Then with 62 laps remaining, Hocevar, who spent the previous five laps overtaking Eckes and Nemechek, overtook Preece, who got loose, to assume the lead while Nemechek was in third.

With 55 laps remaining, Hocevar was out in front by more than a second over Preece followed by Nemechek, Eckes, DiBenedetto, Chastain, Majeski, Kyle Busch, Zane Smith, and Chandler Smith while Enfinger, Friesen, Gray, Kraus, Purdy, Crafton, Rhodes, Colby Howard, Ankrum, and Kris Wright occupied the top 20.

Fifteen laps later, Hocevar extended his advantage to more than four seconds over Preece while Nemechek, Eckes, and Majeski were in the top five. 

Not long after, green flag pit stops commenced as Chandler Smith, who dealt with power issues throughout the event, pitted. Soon after, names like Chastain, Rhodes, Preece, Nemechek, DiBenedetto, Eckes, Friesen, and the race leader Hocevar also went in to pit. 

As the cycles of green-flag pit stops ensued, names like Majeski, Kyle Busch, and Kraus pitted while Crafton, who had yet to pit, assumed the lead.

When the green flag pit stops concluded, Hocevar, who despite enduring a slow pit stop under green, cycled his way back to the lead with 27 laps remaining. Trailing Hocevar by more than three seconds was Preece along with Chastain, Nemechek, and Eckes.

Down to the final 20 laps of the event, Hocevar extended his advantage to more than four seconds over Preece while Chastain, Nemechek, and Eckes remained in the top five. Chandler Smith was up in sixth followed by Enfinger, DiBenedetto, Zane Smith, and Majeski while Rhodes, Kraus, Kyle Busch, Friesen, and Tanner Gray were in the top 15.

Soon after, DiBenedetto surrendered eighth place to pit due to a flat tire as the race remained under green. 

Down to the final 10 laps of the event, Hocevar continued to lead by nearly six seconds over Preece followed by Chastain, Nemechek, and Eckes. By then, Majeski carved his way back to sixth ahead of Chandler Smith, Enfinger, Zane Smith, and Kraus while Kyle Busch was mired in 11th.

With five laps remaining, Hocevar remained as the leader by more than six seconds over Preece while third-place Nemechek trailed by nearly 11 seconds.

Then a lap later, the caution flew when Jesse Little and Ankrum collided entering Turn 3, sending Little against the outside wall while Ankrum was slipping sideways towards the wall. The caution and the incident all but evaporated Hocevar’s advantage over Preece and the field.

Under caution, some like Rhodes, Friesen, Chandler Smith, Tanner Gray, and Colby Howard pitted while the rest led by Hocevar remained on the track.

With the event sent into overtime, Hocevar and Preece led the field to the start of the first overtime attempt. At the start, Hocevar and Preece engaged in a heated side-by-side battle for the lead through the backstretch while Chastain, Eckes, and Nemechek battled for third place. Entering the backstretch, Hocevar and Preece made contact with one another as Hocevar squeezed Preece into the outside wall. Despite the contact, both competitors continued to duel for the lead. Then in Turn 3, Hocevar’s truck slipped up the track against Preece’s and the contact sent Hocevar’s truck around as he backed his truck against the outside wall and damaged the rear deck lid while Preece scraped the wall after getting hit by Hocevar. The incident spoiled Hocevar’s opportunity of winning his first NASCAR race as the field was sent into a second overtime attempt. During the caution period, Preece, who was briefly out in front, pitted to have the damage to his truck repaired as Chastain assumed the lead.

At the start of the second overtime attempt, Chastain and Eckes dueled for the lead entering Turn 1 through the backstretch before the former received a push from Nemechek to briefly move ahead of the field. Eckes, however, fought back on the inside lane through Turns 3 and 4. 

When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Eckes was out in front by a narrow margin over Chastain while Nemechek made a bold three-wide move on both to try and take the lead through Turn 1. Nemechek briefly gained an advantage entering the backstretch until Chastain gained a draft from Enfinger to pull ahead entering Turn 3. Having the clean air and the advantage to his favor through the final two turns, Chastain was able to fend off Enfinger by a tenth of a second to grab the victory amid the late turn of events.

With the victory, Chastain recorded his fourth career victory in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and his first in the series since winning at Pocono Raceway in July 2019, which also marked the last scheduled victory for Niece Motorsports. The victory was also a first for crew chief Cody Efaw.

During his post-race interview on the frontstretch, Chastain took the time to acknowledge teammate Hocevar’s dominant run and sympathize with Hocevar’s late incident that cost him the victory. 

“You know, Carson Hocevar and that No. 42 team, they dominated tonight,” Chastain said on FS1. “[Team owner] Al Niece has given us trucks to come out here and fight for wins. I hate it so much for Carson. If I had chosen the bottom [lane] right there [during the first overtime attempt] like he did, I would’ve done the same thing. It’s just you’re in a bad spot. I didn’t give him the push he needed to win. Man, I’m so proud of Carson Hocevar. I just want to say that over and over. That guy’s a future star. He’s such a goofy kid and I love him. He learns so quick and he’s in the program all of us Chevy guys are in. We learn together and we lose together.” 

Enfinger came home in second place followed by Nemechek and Eckes while Zane Smith finished in the top five. Tanner Gray, Kyle Busch, Chandler Smith, Friesen, and Rhodes completed the top 10 on the track. 

Meanwhile, Preece settled in 11th while Hocevar, who led a race-high 57 laps compared to Chastain’s four, concluded his night in a disappointing 16th place. While Hocevar was left heartbroken and in tears of frustration, Preece was left fuming at Hocevar over the contact and the incident

“A dumbass move by myself,” Hocevar said. “That’s it. It sucks. I tried really hard and tried too hard. I didn’t get a good restart and just tried too hard. I tried to wash [Preece] up and I just crashed myself. I feel like a sis crying, but it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

“All you kids watching right now, wanting to get to this level, don’t do that,” Preece said. “Race with respect, don’t wreck the guy on the outside of you trying to win your first race. It doesn’t get you anywhere…I’m pissed right now. We got two more races to try and go have some good runs, but that’s just stupid. Just really stupid. Don’t be like that.”

There were 15 lead changes for nine different leaders. The race featured five cautions for 25 laps.

With six races remaining in the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular season, John Hunter Nemechek leads the standings by seven points over Ben Rhodes, 25 over Zane Smith, 29 over Chandler Smith, 33 over Stewart Friesen 38 over Ty Majeski, and 40 over Christian Eckes. 

Zane Smith, John Hunter Nemechek. Ben Rhodes, Chandler Smith, and Stewart Friesen are currently guaranteed spots for the 2022 Truck Playoffs based on winning at least once throughout the season while Ty Majeski, Christian Eckes, Carson Hocevar, Grant Enfinger, and Matt Crafton are above the top-10 cutline based on points. Tanner Gray trails the top-10 cutline by 25 points, Derek Kraus trails by 52, Matt DiBenedetto trails by 60, and Tyler Ankrum trails by 72.

Results.

1. Ross Chastain, four laps led

2. Grant Enfinger

3. John Hunter Nemechek

4. Christian Eckes, five laps led

5. Zane Smith, 52 laps led, Stage 1 winner

6. Tanner Gray

7. Kyle Busch

8. Chandler Smith

9. Stewart Friesen

10. Ben Rhodes, five laps led, Stage 2 winner

11. Ryan Preece, nine laps led

12. Derek Kraus, two laps led

13. Ty Majeski, four laps led

14. Colby Howard

15. Chase Purdy

16. Carson Hocevar, 57 laps led

17. Matt DiBenedetto, one lap down

18. Matt Crafton, one lap down, five laps led

19. Kris Wright, one lap down

20. Tyler Ankrum, one lap down

21. Timmy Hill, two laps down

22. Lawless Alan, two laps down

23. Jack Wood, two laps down

24. Spencer Boyd, two laps down

25. Austin Wayne Self, two laps down

26. Max Gutierrez, three laps down

27. Hailie Deegan, three laps down

28. Dean Thompson, four laps down

29. Tate Fogleman, four laps down

30. Blaine Perkins, four łaps down

31. Josh Reaume, five laps down

32. Jesse Little – OUT, Accident

33. Keith McGee – OUT, Suspension

34. Matt Mills – OUT, Accident

35. Brennan Poole – OUT, Driveshaft

Next on the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule is the series’ annual event at Gateway’s World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, which will mark the series’ first of three Triple Truck Challenge events. The event is scheduled to occur on Saturday, June 4, at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

Jones Turns Up The Heat, Claims General Tire 150 Victory

By
Official Release
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Brandon Jones celebrates after winning Friday's General Tire 150 ARCA Menards Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. (HHP/Harold Hinson photo)


CONCORD, N.C. (May 27, 2022) – There was no stopping Brandon Jones on Friday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver turned his second ARCA Menards Series start at America’s Home for Racing into his second win on the 1.5-mile superspeedway, dominating the second half of the General Tire 150 en route to a victory by an astounding 8.68 seconds over Corey Heim.

A championship contender in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Jones’ first foray into ARCA action this year saw the driver of the No. 81 Tide/Menards/Bounty Toyota lap all but the top five cars in the field over 100 circuits around Charlotte’s 1.5-mile oval.

Rajah Caruth followed Jones and Heim with a third-place finish. Connor Mosack and Greg Van Alst completed the top five with Daniel Dye sixth, Amber Balcaen seventh and Nick Sanchez eighth.

Tony Cosentino and Sean Corr rounded out the top 10.

Jones’ victory was his sixth in 26 career ARCA starts. He’ll start fifth in Saturday’s Alsco Uniforms 300 Xfinity Series race, which goes green at 1 p.m. ET.

BRANDON JONES, No. 81 Tide/Menards/Bounty Toyota (Race Winner): “Tonight, I certainly learned everything I needed to learn going into (Saturday). That was our main focus. I wanted to get a really good read on the PJ1 they sprayed down.

The crew did a phenomenal job of making adjustments. I also think the sun going down played into our favor. I think the track just gained a little more grip. It was really a successful day, thanks to Menards and Tide for letting me come down and play. We learned for (Saturday) and that was main goal.”

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O’Ward inks new contract extension with Arrow McLaren SP

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by John Cote (Penske Entertainment).

Pato O’Ward has signed a new contract extension with Arrow McLaren SP to remain with the organization in the NTT IndyCar Series through the 2025 season.

The 23-year-old O’Ward from Monterrey, Mexico, is currently in his third full-time IndyCar season driving the No. 5 Dallara-Chevrolet with AMSP, where he is ranked in seventh place in the championship standings. He notched his first victory of the season at Barber Motorsports Park during the Honda Grand Prix of Alabama in early May.

The news of O’Ward’s extension with AMSP comes after the Mexican competitor initially commenced this season testing himself on the free agency list. Following his victory at Barber Motorsports Park, O’Ward expressed high confidence of his intentions to remain with the organization as he continues his pursuit for his first IndyCar title.

“I am incredibly happy to have locked in my future with Arrow McLaren SP,” O’Ward said. “This team has truly felt like home for me over the past three years, and I can’t wait to build on our success as we compete for wins and championships. I want to thank the whole team for this opportunity. This is exactly where I want to be.”

O’Ward, who won the 2018 Indy Lights championship while driving for Andretti Autosport, made his IndyCar debut at Sonoma Raceway in September 2018, where he drove the No. 8 Harding Racing Dallara-Chevrolet to an impressive ninth-place finish. He then campaigned on a part-time basis for Carlin in 2019 before joining Arrow McLaren SP as a full-time competitor in 2020. After notching his first four podiums and finishing in fourth place in the 2020 standings, it only took the first four scheduled events of the 2021 season for O’Ward to claim his first IndyCar victory in the first of a Texas Motor Speedway doubleheader feature in May. Another four races later, he won for the second time in his career at The Raceway on Belle Isle during the second of a Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix doubleheader feature in June. Throughout the 2021 season, he contended for the championship against Alex Palou and Josef Newgarden before late misfortunes dropped and settled O’Ward in a career-best third place in the final standings.

Through May 2022, O’Ward has achieved three victories, four poles, 10 podiums and 354 laps led all with Arrow McLaren SP. He has also achieved an average-finishing result of 9.2 in 43 IndyCar career starts.

“The entire team is excited that Pato is onboard for the long haul,” Taylor Kiel, President of Arrow McLaren SP, said. “He is an important part of our plan here at Arrow McLaren SP; his energy and work ethic is infectious. Having watched him develop since he joined the team, I look forward to building on these foundations to increase our performance and achieve our common goals in the years to come.”

“Pato is an important part of McLaren’s future in INDYCAR, and we are happy that he will be a key part of Arrow McLaren SP for years to come,” Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, added. “He is an incredibly talented driver who has already shown what he is capable of in INDYCAR, and I look forward to watching him take the next step in his promising career.”

The remainder of Arrow McLaren SP’s driver lineup for the 2023 season, which will see the team expand to three cars, will be announced at a later date.

With his future set, O’Ward’s next scheduled event is the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he will start in seventh place as he pursues his first Indy 500 title. The event is scheduled to occur on Sunday, May 29, at 11 a.m. ET on NBC.

Petty GMS Event Preview: Charlotte Motor Speedway

By
Official Release
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Ty Dillon, No. 42 Black Rifle Coffee Company Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

  • Dillon at Charlotte Motor Speedway: Ty Dillon has competed in six NASCAR Cup Series events, including four Coca-Cola 600 races, at Charlotte Motor Speedway, posting four top-25 results. Running a limited schedule in 2021, the North Carolina native has not raced in a Cup Series vehicle on the 1.5-mile oval since May 2020. However, Dillon did participate in one NASCAR Xfinity Series event at his homestate track last season, earning a seventh-place finish. Dillon has driven in 10 Xfinity Series races at the intermediate, earning one top-five and six top-10 results. In two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events, Dillon collected one pole, one top-five, and two top-10 finishes.
  • Coffee Tyme: Black Rifle Coffee Company (BRCC) will serve as primary partner on Dillon’s Chevrolet Camaro for Sunday’s 600-mile race. Founded by veterans and operated by principaled men and women who honor those who protect, defend, and support our country, BRCC stands for more than high-quality coffee.
  • Honor and Remember: On this Memorial Day weekend, Dillon will carry the name of a fallen soldier on the front windshield of his No. 42 Black Rifle Coffee Company Chevrolet. While serving in the United States Army, Sgt. Maj. Christopher Nelms died from injuries sustained during a military training accident in North Carolina.

Nelms was twice awarded the Silver Star, the military’s third-highest award for valor, during a 28-year Army career that began as an infantryman before moving to the Army National Guard’s 19th Special Forces Group. Nelms returned to active duty in 2008 and was selected for Delta, with whom he deployed six times to Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.

This selection was made by Black Rifle Coffee Company Founder and CEO Evan Hafer. Prior to founding BRCC, Hafer served in the United States Army for 20 years, including 15 in special forces, where he was a Green Beret with the 19th Special Forces Group.

  • 10,000 Veterans: A large part of Black Rifle Coffee Company’s success is due to the outstanding work ethic and discipline of their veteran employees. The company is committed to hiring 10,000 veterans to provide opportunities to the military community. BRCC strives to help other service-members successfully transition from the military into entrepreneurship, providing assistance to veterans who seek to launch a business of their own. - About Black Rifle Coffee Company: Black Rifle Coffee Company is a Veteran-founded coffee company serving premium coffee to people who love America. Founded in 2014 by Green Beret Evan Hafer, Black Rifle develops their explosive roast profiles with the same mission focus they learned while serving in the military. BRCC is committed to supporting Veterans, active-duty military, first responders and the American way of life. With every purchase made, they give back.

To learn more about BRCC, visit www.blackriflecoffee.com, follow BRCC on social media, or subscribe to Coffee or Die Magazine’s daily newsletter at https://coffeeordie.com/presscheck-signup.

  • From the Drivers Seat: What are your thoughts heading into Charlotte Motor Speedway and this next stretch of upcoming races?

“I’m excited for this weekend at Charlotte. We’ve been building momentum the last couple of weeks and having solid runs, so I’m happy with the direction we are moving with our No. 42 team. This next stretch of races are ones that I’m looking forward to – Charlotte, Gateway, and Sonoma. One is our longest race of the season (Charlotte), one I’ve never been too before (Gateway) and the other I haven’t been to in a couple of years (Sonoma). I’m looking forward to those challenges and going into the summer months strong.”

Overall as a team, you are running better compared to others. How does that make you feel as a competitor?

“Our focus as a competitor is to always get better. Our teammate, Erik Jones, has had some really strong runs this year, so our focus is to get our performance to where they are which is extremely good. I’m always pushing to that point, but from a full perspective, we have had a solid start to our year and accomplished a lot of the expectations that we’ve had week in and week out in general. With that said, our nose is very much down to the grindstone of digging to get better.”

What does it mean to race on Memorial Day weekend and to carry the Black Rifle Coffee Company colors?

“It’s always an honor and privilege to represent Black Rifle Coffee Company and all of the veterans they have within their company, but this weekend, to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country is something that I don’t take lightly. Because of the men and women in our armed forces, we are able to race every week and live in a free country. To have Sgt. Maj. Christopher Nelms riding with me this weekend is so cool. He lived a life of service from serving in our military for 28 years to also serving in his local community as a firefighter. Honoring his ultimate sacrifice is the least we can do to say thank you and to allow his family to know that he isn’t forgotten.”

Erik Jones, No. 43 FOCUSfactor Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

  • Jones at Charlotte Motor Speedway: Erik Jones will make his eighth-career NASCAR Cup Series start at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend for the Coca-Cola 600. In his previous seven Cup Series starts at the 1.5-mile track, Jones has a career-best finish of seventh in his first Coca-Cola 600 appearance in 2017.

In addition to his Cup Series starts, Jones has five starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with a best finish of second in the Fall of 2015. In his lone NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start, Jones started the race from the second position and led 88 of 139 laps before narrowly missing the win late in the race, a finish that is still in the record books as one of the closest finishes in Truck Series history.

  • Honoring America’s Heroes: This weekend Jones and the No. 43 FOCUSfactor team will honor Lt Col Kenneth Stonebraker who was a member of the United States Air Force. Lt Col Stonebraker was a member of the 11th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing and was killed in active duty on October 28, 1968. As of today, Lt Col Stonebraker’s remains have not been recovered and he is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Cemetery of the Pacific.
  • Melanoma Awareness Month: With the month of May being Melanoma Awareness month, Jones and the Erik Jones Foundation have been busy spreading information and raising money for Melanoma research and various causes associated with Melanoma. Recently, the Erik Jones Foundation hosted a fundraising event at Birch Run Speedway in Michigan, the Foundation’s first fundraising event, to raise funds and awareness about Melanoma. This weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Erik Jones Foundation and its partners will hand out more than 20,000 sunscreen samples and materials on Melanoma to race fans in the campgrounds and around the racetrack.
  • Hometown Help: One week ago, on May 20, Crew Chief Dave Elenz’s hometown of Gaylord, Michigan, was hit by a destructive tornado. Gaylord is known for its sense of community, especially when faced with hardships. Together the town is coming together to support their neighbors and businesses.

A fund has been established to focus on immediate relief, short term recovery, and long term rebuilding. Donations can be made here to help ensure the basics are met, gaps are filled, and resources are available to pick up the pieces and rebuild brick by brick.

  • Focused on Winning: FOCUSfactor will serve as the primary partner on Jones’s Chevrolet Camaro for Sunday’s All-Star race at Texas Motor Speedway.
  • About FOCUSfactor: FOCUSfactor is sold at America’s leading retailers such as Costco, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, CVS, The Vitamin Shoppe and Amazon.com. FOCUSfactor, America’s leading brain health supplement, is a nutritional supplement that includes a proprietary blend of brain supporting vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients. In December 2012, the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued US Patent 8,329,227 covering FOCUSfactor’s proprietary formulation “for enhanced mental function”. The issuance of the patent marked one of the few times a patent has been issued for a nationally branded nutritional supplement. FOCUSfactor is clinically tested with results demonstrating improvements in focus, concentration and memory in healthy adults
  • From the Driver’s Seat: Talk about racing at Charlotte.

“Charlotte has been a pretty good track for me in the past. With this weekend being one of our longest races of the year, it’s important to prepare for not only the race, but the endurance of the day. Dave and the team have been working hard all season and bringing great cars to the track and I know this weekend will be no different. This is a special weekend as we honor Lt Col Kenneth Stonebraker on our FOCUSfactor Chevy and recognize all the men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice. We’ve also got the Erik Jones Foundation and some of our partners canvasing the track property handing out sunscreen samples and helping educate race fans on the importance of sun protection. With May being Melanoma Awareness month, this was important for me and to be a part of helping spread the message for fans to protect themselves and get checked. There’s a lot going on this weekend with many great causes. Should be a good weekend all around.”

Do you have any concerns on the new car and equipment with the 600 being considered one of NASCAR’s endurance races?

“I’m not too worried about the endurance. As for the parts and pieces wise, these cars have been pretty good. The issues we’ve had have been somewhat self-inflicted by the teams. You know, when the parts and pieces are left alone for the most part, they are happy and haven’t seen issues. I don’t think we will have any issues for the race.”

ABOUT PETTY GMS:

Petty GMS competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, operating the No. 42 Chevrolet for Ty Dillon and the No. 43 Chevrolet for Erik Jones. The newly formed team brought together two storied organizations in December 2021. Over the last decade, owner Maury Gallagher built a victorious team, capturing two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championships, one ARCA Menards Series title, and two ARCA Menards Series East championships, as well as 65 wins and 235 top-five finishes across six series. Richard Petty, a member of the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2010, serves as Chairman of Petty GMS. Petty, known as “The King,” accumulated 200 wins and was the first of three drivers to win seven championships in the Cup Series. For more information, visit www.pettygms.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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

NASCAR Technical Institute and NAPA AUTO PARTS Launch New Collaboration Hosted by Former Cup Series Champion Chase Elliot and Two-Time NHRA Funny Car Champion Ron Capps

By
Official Release
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NAPA Auto Parts' Sr. VP of Commercial Sales Bret Robyck (L), celebrates NASCAR Technical Institute's new NAPA-branded classroom with NASCAR Cup Driver Chase Elliott, NHRA Funny Car Driver Ron Capps and NASCAR Tech's VP of Business Alliances and NASCAR John Dodson (R)

Pair unveils new NAPA-branded classroom to students, staff and suppliers

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 27, 2022) – Universal Technical Institute’s (NYSE: UTI) Mooresville, N.C. campus, NASCAR Technical Institute (NASCAR Tech), welcomed 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott and two-time NHRA Funny Car Champion Ron Capps to the campus on Thursday, May 26 to celebrate UTI’s collaboration with NAPA AUTO PARTS, which recently became UTI’s preferred auto parts supplier. Students, staff, NAPA employees and suppliers were welcomed in the auditorium, where they heard more about the onging need for automotive technicians, and NAPA’s investments in the future of the aftermarket, ensuring the next generation of skilled automotive technicians receive state-of-the-industry training. They later joined an unveiling of the campus’ new NAPA-branded transmission classroom.

Elliott and Capps met students and staff, posing for photos and signing autographs, while students were treated to ice cream and NAPA giveaways. The collaboration between UTI, one of the nation’s leading providers of automotive technicians training, and NAPA is a strategic one, as NAPA works to bring attention to the estimated 112,000 job openings for automotive, diesel and collision repair technicians annually through 2030.[1]

“There is no better way to celebrate the opening of our new NAPA classroom than to welcome former Cup Champion Chase Elliot onto our campus to help us really kick off this collaboration,” said John Dodson, UTI’s vice president of business alliance and NASCAR. “NAPA is providing our students, staff and alumni with greater access to quality auto parts, and we welcome their support in spreading the word about the country’s skilled labor shortage and the quality technical education UTI provides to high school graduates, career changers, veterans and many others.”

NAPA provides all 13 UTI, MMI and NTI-branded campuses with equipment such as brake kits, rotors, bulbs, bearing kits, wheel weights and more.

“With America’s largest network of parts and care, the success of the next generation of skilled automotive technicians is core to our business,” said Bret Robyck, senior vice president of commercial sales, NAPA AUTO PARTS. “We are proud of the new alliance with UTI and are committed to supporting the talented UTI staff, students and graduates now and into the future.”

For more information on NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, N.C., visit https://www.uti.edu/locations/north-carolina/mooresville.

1 The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the national average annual job openings in each of the following occupations between 2020 and 2030 will be: Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics, 69,000; Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists, 28,100; and Automotive Body and Related Repairers, 15,200. Job openings include openings due to net employment changes and net replacements. See Table 1.10 Occupational separations and openings, projected 2020–30, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, viewed May 16, 2022. UTI is an educational institution and cannot guarantee employment or salary

About Universal Technical Institute, Inc.
Founded in 1965 and headquartered in Phoenix, Universal Technical Institute’s (NYSE: UTI) mission is to serve our students, partners, and communities by providing quality education and support services for in-demand careers. Approximately 250,000 students have graduated from one of UTI’s 15 campuses located across Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Texas. UTI’s campuses are accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), while its employer-aligned technical training programs are offered under four brands: Universal Technical Institute, Motorcycle Mechanics Institute / Marine Mechanics Institute, NASCAR Technical Institute, and MIAT College of Technology. For more information and a complete list of all programs offered, please visit www.uti.edu or follow on LinkedIn @UniversalTechnicalInstitute and Twitter @news_UTI.

About NASCAR Technical Institute
NASCAR Tech’s Mooresville, N.C. campus offers the Universal Technical Institute core automotive training program, CNC Machining Technology, Welding Technology Training and Manufacturer-Specific Advanced Training with Ford and Mopar, along with an optional 15-week elective to train students for a career in motorsports. Through NASCAR Tech’s elite Spec Engine program, select students have the opportunity to build engines that will compete in NASCAR-sanctioned races.

About NAPA AUTO PARTS
There are nearly 6,000 NAPA AUTO PARTS stores in the U.S. supported by a nationwide network of distribution centers and more than 560,000 available parts, accessories and supplies. The NAPA network extends to more than 17,000 NAPA AutoCare and AutoCare Collision Centers across the U.S. With a reputation for quality parts, rapid availability and knowledgeable people, NAPA AUTO PARTS stores serve automotive service professionals, do-it-yourselfers and everyday drivers with quality parts, accessories and supplies to keep cars, trucks and equipment performing safely and efficiently. For more information, visit www.napaonline.com.

Parker Chase Carries IMSA Victory Momentum to ARCA Return at Charlotte

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Official Release
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CONCORD, N.C.: Parker Chase returns to the ARCA Menards Series scene with Venturini Motorsports (VMS) this weekend at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway and does so with momentum on his side capturing a recent IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge victory for Bryan Herta Autosport (BHA) at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course two weeks ago.

With his second career Touring Car victory in the books, Chase returns to the ultra-fast 1.5-mile speedway of Charlotte looking to continue his winning pace in Friday night’s General Tire 150.

Chase, driver of the No. 15 Vertical Bridge Toyota Camry will make his fourth start of the season this weekend and despite missing the series’ most recent race at Kansas Speedway – the same weekend as Mid-Ohio, Chase remains secured in the top-10 in the championship standings while eyeing to better his fourth-place run from Charlotte last May.

“I am excited to get back in an ARCA car this weekend at Charlotte,” said Chase. “I am definitely still riding the momentum of our IMSA win at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and everyone knows that momentum is everything in any form of racing, so I hope to be able to carry the torch over to the ARCA side and earn my first series win on Friday night.”

Outside of an incident in the second race of the season at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway in March, Chase has maintained an excellent pace in ARCA competition which not only makes him a viable sleeper for Friday night’s race but with the potent support of Venturini Motorsports, Chase is hopeful to deliver the organization their second ARCA win of the season.

“We had a really good car in my most recent ARCA race at Talladega and just got shuffled when it counted the most,” Chase explained. “I was disappointed because I knew our car was capable of winning – but I still learned a lot. We had a decent top-10 finish. But I will continue to take everything I’ve learned from Talladega and the prior races before and apply it not only to Charlotte this week but likely utilize it down the road in other events later this season.”

After sitting on the outside pole last May in his first tango with Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, Chase quickly found himself adapting to the track’s unique driving style. He hopes that will prove to be a benefit in his ninth career ARCA Menards Series start and second at the Concord, N.C.-race facility.

“I learned a lot about Charlotte last May,” offered Chase. “It is completely different from the Kansas race track I competed at last October but the rhythm of the track seemed to suit my driving style as well as having an extremely fast race car prepared for Venturini Motorsports.

“The competition is going to be just as stiff as last year if not stiffer on Friday night, but that gives me motivation to apply what I have learned over the past eight races and deliver the best finish possible for my team, my partners and my family.”

In addition to Charlotte, Chase will pilot a Venturini Motorsports Toyota Camry at a variety of race tracks in 2022, including Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, Kansas Speedway and Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

Following the General Tire 150, Chase will return to the NASCAR Xfinity Series where he’ll join the tour for their first-ever trip to Portland International Raceway for the Pacific Automation 147 on Saturday, June 4, 2022, driving the No. 26 Tower Family Foundation Toyota GR Supra entry for Sam Hunt Racing (SHR).

Earlier this year, Chase made his Xfinity debut at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) with SHR, where he finished 19th after starting 23rd in the Pit Boss 250 aboard the No. 26 Bahnbrecker Toyota GR Supra.

“I’m really excited to expand my program with Sam Hunt Racing in the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra.,” added Chase. “We have been working hard to put together something for this race as it is a new venue for the Xfinity Series and one that I have experience at. I’ve won at Portland in GT World Challenge America in the GT3 class and really like the layout.

“It will be exciting in the Xfinity cars, that is for sure. We will have the Tower Family Foundation on board for the event and Tower industry companies Legacy Towers, Talley, Ontivity and Vertical Bridge providing support. I think the livery looks amazing, and we are going to do our best to build on a solid run at Circuit of the Americas.”

For more on Parker Chase, please visit ParkerChase.com, like him on Facebook (Parker Chase), Instagram (@parkerchase) and follow him on Twitter (@parker_chase19).

The General Tire 150 (100 laps | 150 miles) is the fifth of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. A combined practice and qualifying session begins on Friday, May 27, 2022, from 12:00 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM channel 391, online channel 981 managing the radio waves beginning at 6:00 p.m. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (ET).

Young’s Motorsports Charlotte Motor Speedway May Truck Series Team Preview

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Official Release
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Young’s Motorsports | NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Charlotte Motor Speedway | N.C. Education Lottery 200
Fast Facts

No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Team:
02 JL – 05.25.22.jpg

Driver: Jesse Little
Primary Partner(s): Race City Sports Memorabilia
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST
Crew Chief: Steven Dawson
2022 Driver Points Position: 24th
2022 Owner Points Position: 18th
Chassis Intel: YMS Chassis No. 012
Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

Little’s Back: This weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Young’s Motorsports welcomes back Jesse Little as the driver of the No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado RST. Little returns to the organization for his seventh of 12 confirmed races aboard the team’s flagship entry.

Just Past Halfway: Friday night’s N.C. Education Lottery 200 indicates Jesse Little is just past halfway through his 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series program with the veteran team.

Little kicked off his partial schedule with the Mooresville, N.C.-based team with an impressive sixth-place finish aboard the No. 02 Shriners Children’s Hospitals Chevrolet Silverado RST after starting a season-high ninth in the season-opening race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February.

Overall, he has captured one top-10, three top-15s, four top-20s and holds an average finish of 17.5 entering the lone race of the 2022 Truck Series season from the Concord, N.C. race track.

Welcome Aboard: For the 10th Truck Series race of 2022, Young’s Motorsports welcomes Race City Sports Memorabilia as the primary sponsor on Little’s No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado RST for the 201-mile event this weekend.

Cody DeForge and Race City Sports Memorabilia help you show off your devotion to that driver by providing you with a large collection of racing memorabilia to help you start or complete your collection.

Also, Race City Sports Memorabilia was created to help race fans grow their collection of top-notch memorabilia.

Check out Racing City Sports Memorabilia’s Facebook group to find the perfect piece of memorabilia to add to your collection and to learn more about the collaboration with Little and their Facebook Page to read about all things NASCAR.

Happy Anniversary: Earlier this month, Young’s Motorsports and Jesse Little celebrated the Shriners Children’s® in helping to kick off its 100th Anniversary of providing life-changing care to children with the introduction of its new logo during the Dead On Tools 200.

Little and Shriners Children’s are beginning a new campaign, commemorating the momentous occasion with a special paint scheme and die-cast depicting the 100th Anniversary logo.

The 2022 #givealittle campaign offers fans a chance to be a part of the occasion with a $250 donation which will not only give you the opportunity to virtually ride along with Jesse at a future race but you will receive a commemorative Shriner’s Children’s Young’s Motorsports No. 02 Jesse Little die-cast truck.

The campaign trail continues with Little and the team this weekend at Charlotte in a smaller role.

Jesse Little Truck Series Charlotte Motor Speedway Track Stats: Friday night’s N.C. Education Lottery 200 will mark Little’s fourth Truck Series start at the 1.5-mile speedway.

In his three previous efforts, he has earned a track-best of 14th after starting 22nd in the 2019 North Carolina Education Lottery 200 for his family-owned JJL Motorsports team.

He also hasn’t finished worse than 21st in his three starts between 2018 to 2020.

Additionally, Little also has two previous NASCAR Xfinity Series starts to his credit with a track-best of 15th after starting 34th in the 2020 Alsco 300 driving for JD Motorsports with Gary Keller.

Jesse Little Truck Series Speedway Stats: At NASCAR Camping World Truck Series tracks classified as a speedway, Little has made 30 starts throughout his career with five top-10 finishes, while also carrying an average finishing position of 18.1.

Texas Motor Speedway | SpeedyCash.com 220 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway, Little made his 40th career Truck Series start.

After starting the race 22nd aboard his No. 02 RANDCO Industries | Young’s Building Systems Chevrolet Silverado RST, Little and the team worked diligently to improve the handling of his race truck, including Stage 3 where Little was able to muscle into the top-20.

Little finished 19th in No Limits, Texas earning his fourth top-20 finish of the 2022 season.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Little as crew chief of the No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST is crew chief Steven Dawson.

A long-time Young’s Motorsports employee, Dawson will serve as crew chief for just his 11th Truck Series race. The North Carolina Education Lottery will be his first race as crew chief at the 1.5-mile oval.

Dawson, 34, is a native of Concord, N.C.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Jesse Little, please like him on Facebook (Jesse Little Racing) and follow on Instagram (@JesseLittle97) and Twitter (@JesseLittle97).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports) and follow on Instagram (@youngsmotorsports) and Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Jesse Little Pre-Race Quote:

On Charlotte Motor Speedway: “Charlotte has become one of my favorite races of the year. It is the one everyone is excited about all week long, friends and family all get to come, and that added pressure makes it that much more special when you do well.

“I’m looking forward to building on the momentum we gained in Texas and with a little bit of help on track position we’re not far from knocking off the top 10.”

No. 12 Young’s Motorsports Team:
SB 12.jpg

Driver: Spencer Boyd

Primary Partner(s): Derm Dude™

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST

Crew Chief: Ryan “Pickle” London

2022 Driver Points Position: 27th

2022 Owner Points Position: 29th

Chassis Intel: YMS Chassis No. 020

Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

Back To Familiar Territory: Fan favorite Spencer Boyd returns to Charlotte Motor Speedway settled in aboard his new Truck number and leadership eyeing his second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win of his career.

No. 129: This weekend at Charlotte, Boyd will make his 129th career NASCAR start. Boyd has three starts in the NASCAR Cup Series, 50 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and will make his 76th start in Trucks when the green flag waves Friday night.

The highlight of his NASCAR career is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in October 2019 driving for Young’s Motorsports.

Welcome Aboard: This weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Spencer Boyd and Young’s Motorsports welcome back Derm Dude™ as the primary marketing partner for the 10th race of the 2022 Truck Series season.

Derm Dude™, the disruptive men’s grooming brand redefining the marketplace for all things ‘Beard, Body, and Tattoo’ will make its debut with Boyd in the fourth Truck Series race of the season.

Derm Dude™ is a disruptor in the men’s grooming industry. With a strong focus on all things beard, body, and tattoo, Derm Dude™ is committed to developing products with power-packed performance ingredients that deliver mega results every time.

Charlotte marks the second of three Truck Series races in 2022, where Derm Dude™ will serve as the anchor partner on the No. 12 Chevrolet Silverado RST.

Spencer Boyd Truck Series Charlotte Motor Speedway Track Stats: Friday night’s North Carolina Education Lottery 200 will mark Boyd’s fifth start at the 1.5-mile speedway.

In his four previous efforts, he has earned a track-best of 20th after starting 27th in the 2017 North Carolina Education Lottery 200 for MAKE Motorsports.

Spencer Boyd Truck Series Speedway Stats: At NASCAR Camping World Truck Series tracks classified as a speedway, Boyd has 45 starts throughout his career carrying an average finishing position of 24.0.

Texas Motor Speedway | SpeedyCash.com 220 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway, Boyd made his 75th career Truck Series start.

After starting 28th for the 149-lap race, the handling of Boyd’s No. 12 Montucky Cold Snacks Chevrolet Silverado RST hindered his on-track performance as the driver lacked the grip he needed to make a serious charge forward during the race.

Boyd, however, managed to stay out of trouble and collect a 28th-place finish.

To The Point(s): Entering Charlotte, Boyd sits 27th in the championship standings.

21 points separate Boyd from 20th in the championship standings currently held by Colby Howard with 14 races remaining this season.

148 points separate Boyd from 10th in the championship standings occupied by Matt Crafton.

Young’s Motorsports’ No. 12 team secures 29th in the Truck Series owner standings.

Chasing That W: Boyd is eyeing his second career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory for himself and Young’s Motorsports.

In 2019 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Boyd pulled an upset during the Truck Series Playoffs by winning the Sugarland Shines 250 at the 2.66-mile superspeedway edging Todd Gilliland by 0.027 seconds.

Truck Series Rundown: In five years of Truck Series competition, Boyd has 75 career Truck Series starts with one win, two top-five and three top-10 finishes and a championship best of 17th in 2019 and carries an average finish of 22.9.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Boyd as crew chief of the No. 12 Derm Dude™ Chevrolet Silverado RST is veteran crew chief Ryan “Pickle” London.

He will crew chief his 55th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Friday night. In his previous 54 races, he has one win, two top-five and four top-10 finishes to his resume.

This weekend marks his third race as crew chief at the track nestled in Concord, North Carolina.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Spencer Boyd, please like him on Facebook (Spencer Boyd Racing) and follow him on Instagram (SpencerBoydpr) and Twitter (@SpencerBoyd).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports) and follow on Instagram (youngsmotorsports) and Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Spencer Boyd Pre-Race Quotes:

On Charlotte Motor Speedway: “Excited to have Derm Dude™ back on board our No. 12 Chevrolet Silverado RST at America’s Home for Racing on Friday night.

“Charlotte is a very technical intermediate race track, but I’m hoping that we can find a good balance during practice and qualifying that will allow us to contend for a solid finish for everyone at Young’s Motorsports.”

No. 20 Young’s Motorsports Team:
MM 20.jpg

Driver: Matt Mills

Primary Partner(s): J.F. Electric

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST

Crew Chief: Andrew Abbott

2022 Driver Points Position: N|A

2022 Owner Points Position: 32nd

Chassis Intel: YMS Chassis No. 017

Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

Welcome Back: This weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Young’s Motorsports welcomes back veteran NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Matt Mills to pilot the No. 20 J.F. Electric Chevrolet Silverado RST for the first time since competing at Kansas Speedway earlier this month.

Sponsor Intel: Mills will pilot the No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado with support from J.F. Electric.

J.F. Electric is a leading electrical construction company specializing in the Commercial, Industrial, Telcom and Utility segments. J.F. Electric has been in business for over 50 years with the goal of delivering quality and value to every project.

Glad To Have You Back: Utilitra, a women-owned utility and technology solutions provider will serve in an associate role on the No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado RST for the 10th Truck Series race of 2022.

Double Duty: In addition to Friday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Charlotte, Mills will also compete in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Alsco Uniforms 300 driving for B.J. McLeod Motorsports on Saturday afternoon.

Mills will make his fourth Xfinity Series start in Charlotte aboard the No. 55 J.F. Electric Chevrolet Camaro.

He’ll Be Back For More: Following Charlotte, The New Philadelphia, Ohio native will also return to the No. 20 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST driving duties at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway (June 4) and Richmond (Va.) Raceway (Aug. 13).

Matt Mills Truck Series Charlotte Motor Speedway Track Stats: Friday night’s contest will mark Mills’ second Truck Series start at the 1.5-mile speedway.

In 2017, Mills finished 24th after starting 24th in the No. 44 SparrowRanch.org Chevrolet Silverado fielded by Faith Motorsports in the North Carolina Education Lottery 200.

Additionally, Mills has three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts with a best finish of 26th in the 2019 edition of the Alsco 300.

Matt Mills Truck Series Stats: From 2016 to 2022, Mills has 14 starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, highlighted by a career-best 15th place finish at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway in March 2022 driving the No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado for Young’s Motorsports.

In addition to Young’s Motorsports, Mills also has also made Truck Series starts for David Gilliland Racing, Faith Motorsports, Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing, Martins Motorsports and SS GreenLight Racing with Jeff Lefcourt.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Mills as crew chief of the No. 20 J.F. Electric Chevrolet Silverado RST is veteran crew chief Andrew Abbott.

He will crew chief his 91st NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Friday night.

In his previous 90 races, he has one pole, two top-five and seven top-10 finishes

to his resume.

This weekend marks his fifth race as crew chief at the track nestled in Concord, North Carolina.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Matt Mills, please like him on Facebook (Official Matt Mills Racing) and follow him on Instagram (@mattmillsracing) and Twitter (@mattmillsracing).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports) and follow on Instagram (youngsmotorsports) and Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Matt Mills Pre-Race Quote:

On Charlotte Motor Speedway: “I’m always excited for when Charlotte week comes around, meeting all the fans coming in the shop during the week and feeling the intensity pick up as we get closer to the weekend.

“We’ve had some bad luck past couple races with some failures but we’ve shown speed and that’s what I’m excited for this weekend knowing Tyler (Young, team principal) and Young’s Motorsports has prepared another great No. 20 J.F. Electric Chevrolet Silverado RST for me this weekend to go have some fun.”

Race Information:

The North Carolina Education Lottery 200 (134 laps | 201 miles) is the 10th of 23 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races on the 2022 schedule. Practice begins on Friday, May 27, 2022, from 1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Qualifying will soon follow from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The 36-truck field will take the green flag later that night shortly after 8:30 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (ET).

Monster Energy Racing: Riley Herbst Charlotte NXS Advance

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Official Release
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RILEY HERBST
Charlotte NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

• Event: Alsco Uniforms 300 (Round 13 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, May 28
• Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway
• Layout: 1.5-mile oval
• Time/TV/Radio: 1 p.m. EDT on FS1/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• While Riley Herbst is a Las Vegas native, the 23-year-old now calls Charlotte, North Carolina, home. The driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing moved to the Queen City when he was 17, taking his family name from the deserts of the southwest to the asphalt tracks of NASCAR. The third-generation racer began racing go-karts at age 5, competing in events up and down the West Coast. He soon followed in his family’s footsteps, transitioning to off-road racing in 2006 where his grandfather, Jerry, and uncles Tim and Ed, and father Troy, are all Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame inductees for being championship-winning off-road racers. But by age 10, Herbst sought a return to pavement. It began with Legends cars before moving up to Speed Trucks and Super Late Models, where in 2015 Herbst was a regular at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway, running both classes and winning the Speed Trucks track championship. That set the stage for Herbst’s NASCAR path as he competed in the K&N Pro Series beginning in 2016, a developmental league regionally split into two divisions – K&N Pro Series East and K&N Pro Series West. Herbst ran the full Pro Series West schedule, scoring seven top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. He made three Pro Series East starts and finished among the top-10 each time. Herbst advanced to the ARCA Menards Series in 2017 and won his first career ARCA race June 9 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. His scored his career-first pole a week prior at Elko (Minn.) Speedway, and his six top-fives and 10 top-10s on the year earned him the series’ rookie-of-the-year title. Another season of ARCA followed in 2018 with Herbst tallying eight top-fives and 15 top-10s. He complemented that ARCA campaign with a smattering of races across the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, K&N Series and CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour. Herbst even made his Xfinity Series debut June 17 at Iowa Speedway in Newton, qualifying ninth and finishing an impressive sixth.

• Herbst will make his 89th career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at his second home on Saturday in the Alsco Uniforms 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It will be his third Xfinity Series start at the 1.5-mile oval and he’ll look to improve upon the pair of 12th-place finishes he earned in 2020 and 2021. Herbst has earned 13 top-fives and 42 top-10s in the Xfinity Series. His best career finish is second, earned twice – in February 2020 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, and July 2020 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta.

• Herbst comes into Charlotte on a run of top-10 finishes. He has finished ninth or better in the last six Xfinity Series races, matching the longest top-10 streak of his career. In 2020, Herbst tallied six straight top-10s between August and September. Currently eighth in the championship standings with a total of nine top-10s in the 12 races this season – the second-most among all drivers – Herbst is enjoying his best start to the season.

• In Herbst’s first Xfinity Series race at Charlotte in 2020, it was under COVID restrictions, which meant no practice or qualifying. When Herbst returned to Charlotte a year later for his second start on the 1.5-mile oval, practice and qualifying were back. Herbst took full advantage, setting the fastest speed in practice before earning his first career Xfinity Series pole.

• Herbst has two ARCA starts at Charlotte. His best finish was second in May 2018, when he missed out on victory lane by just .293 of a second to fellow Xfinity Series regular Brandon Jones.

Riley Herbst, Driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

Has Charlotte been circled on your calendar after the success you had there last May?

“I’ve definitely had Charlotte circled on the schedule. We were strong there last year and I feel like this is a track where we could definitely win. This No. 98 Monster Energy team deserves to be in victory lane and we’ve been focused on finishing races, but also on growing each and every week. Our intermediate track program is strong and I know we can get it done this weekend.”

What is it about Charlotte that makes it such an enjoyable track for you?

“To be honest, I just love Charlotte. I don’t know what it is about it, but I enjoy racing on the oval there. It just suits my driving style and I’ve always been able to find speed there. Last year, the No. 98 team was in a slump and then we came to Charlotte. We were fastest in practice and won the pole. I really think that was our turning point last year. Since then, we’ve only grown and gotten better. Excited to see what kind of speed we’ll bring in 2022.”

Consistency has been the name of the game for the No. 98 team this season. Do you feel you’re close to getting that first career Xfinity Series win?

“We’re close. Honestly, we just have to keep being consistent and limit the mistakes. I know the No. 98 team can win, it’s just about finding the speed and minimizing the mistakes. I’m confident that we can compete at Charlotte and be there at the end with a shot to win.”

No. 98 Monster Energy Team Roster

Primary Team Members:

Driver: Riley Herbst
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell
Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Car Chief: Matt Noyce
Hometown: Oregon, Wisconsin

Engineer: DJ VanderLey
Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Spotter: Tim Fedewa
Hometown: Holt, Michigan

Over-The-Wall Crew:

Front Tire Changer: Josh Leslie
Hometown: Mount Clemens, Michigan

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons
Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Fueler: Corey Coppola
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Jackman: Brandon Banks
Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Road Crew Members:

Truck Driver: Steve Wood
Hometown: Eatontown, New Jersey

Engine Tuner: Willie Pelotte
Hometown: Oakland, Maine

Tire Specialist: Austin Quick
Hometown: Flagstaff, Arizona

Worldwide Express Expands Partnership with Niece Motorsports, Carson Hocevar

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Official Release
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MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 26, 2022) – Building on recent growth to its WWEX Racing program, Worldwide Express is expanding its partnership with Niece Motorsports and will serve as primary sponsor for Carson Hocevar and the No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado for eight NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) races this season.

Coming off three top-five finishes in the last four weeks, Hocevar will run with associate sponsorship from Worldwide Express in Friday night’s North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. His debut in a Worldwide Express-branded truck will come June 18 for the Clean Harbors 150 at Knoxville Raceway and will continue at NCWTS events at Nashville, Pocono, Indianapolis Raceway Park, Richmond, Bristol, Homestead and Phoenix.

“I’m very excited to be a part of Worldwide Express’ driver lineup spanning both the NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series,” Hocevar said. “Worldwide Express’ continual and rapid growth in NASCAR, both in the Cup Series and Truck Series, proves its dedication and commitment to the sport, and I cannot wait to get behind the wheel of the No. 42 Worldwide Express Chevrolet Silverado.

“I’m looking forward to representing a nationally-recognized organization like Worldwide Express both on and off the track, and the extension of their support within Niece Motorsports is unparalleled in the Truck Series.”

Worldwide Express, along with its sister brands of GlobalTranz and Unishippers, currently serve as the full-season, primary partners of Niece Motorsports’ No. 40 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Dean Thompson. Worldwide Express is also the primary partner for four 2022 NCWTS races of the No. 41 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado piloted by two-time NASCAR Cup Series winner Ross Chastain, including upcoming races in Charlotte and Sonoma.

“We’re excited to expand our partnership with Niece Motorsports and add Carson to our growing WWEX Racing portfolio, which has amplified our brand visibility and delivered tangible benefits to our business,” said Rob Rose, President of Worldwide Express. “Carson is poised for victory as one of the hottest drivers in the Truck Series, and we look forward to supporting him and the Niece Motorsports team as they race for the championship.”

The Dallas-based Worldwide Express, GlobalTranz and Unishippers teams bring together three brands offering market-leading solutions for parcel, less-than-truckload (LTL), truckload and managed transportation services, all delivered through proprietary technology. Their unique data assets and business intelligence capabilities provide customers with visibility and analytics to deliver a competitive advantage.

“We’re really proud of the partnership that we are building with Worldwide Express and are excited to continue that with Carson and the 42 team,” said Niece Motorsports General Manager Cody Efaw. “The support they’ve shown our team with Dean [Thompson], Ross [Chastain] and now Carson is really tremendous. We’re looking forward to continuing that partnership as the season goes on.”

“It means a lot to us as an organization to have a company like Worldwide Express believe in us and to continue to grow their involvement with our team,” said team owner Al Niece. “It really is amazing to see how this organization has grown in the last five years. We have a lot of great people on board that are working hard to get Worldwide Express in victory lane.”

The 19-year-old Hocevar’s NCWTS career spans 40 starts over four seasons and he is currently competing in his second full-time season in the series – both of which have been with Niece Motorsports. Hocevar has six career top-fives and 13 top-10s to his credit, with an average finishing position of 14.2.

In 2021, at the age of 18, Hocevar made the move to full-time Truck Series competition for his rookie campaign in the series and clinched a playoff spot before advancing to the Round of 8, narrowly missing a chance at the Championship 4.

Through nine races this season, Hocevar has logged three top-fives and five top-10s while leading a career-high 78 laps. He matched his career-best finish of second place twice this season at Bristol Dirt (Apr. 6) and Darlington (May 6). Hocevar led a career-best 55 laps and picked up his first-career stage win at Darlington en route to the runner-up finish.

Worldwide Express also recently announced a multi-year partnership with Trackhouse Racing that spans 21 NASCAR Cup Series races during the 2022 and 2023 seasons for Chastain’s No. 1 Chevrolet and Daniel Suárez’s No. 99 Chevrolet.

About Worldwide Express

Worldwide Express, LLC is a full-service, non-asset-based logistics provider offering more than 115,000 customers access to industry-leading small package, truckload and less-than-truckload shipping solutions. With an annual systemwide revenue approaching $5 billion through a network of company-owned, franchise and agent locations, Worldwide Express, combined with its sister brands GlobalTranz and Unishippers, is the second-largest privately held freight brokerage in the country. As the largest non-retail UPS® Authorized Reseller in the US, the company is a local partner for the global supply chains for shippers of all sizes, from small- to medium-sized businesses to enterprise organizations. This, coupled with a selective portfolio of more than 65 LTL and tens of thousands of truckload carriers, provides clients with an unmatched range of options and flexibility to meet their shipping needs. To learn more about the WWEX Racing program, visit www.wwexracing.com. For media inquiries, contact racing@wwex.com.

About Niece Motorsports

Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2022, Niece Motorsports enters its seventh season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Wise Local SEO Investments for Realtor trying to Grow their Business in 2022

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Photo by fauxels

When it comes to approaching the unique problem of how you should advertise in the digital age, one of the most unique solutions to the problem is Search Engine Optimization (SEO). SEO focuses on organically building traffic and attention to your website through carefully selected words that help bring clients to you. The scale of SEO can also be fine-tuned to fit a variety of targets from something small as the locals or something as grand as the global demographic.

Many industries stand to benefit greatly from SEO and chances are you would too. For real estate companies getting to pick a top rate real estate digital marketing agency to grow your company through investments towards SEO makes for the best long-term results. SEO is a worthwhile investment despite the time it would take for your results to show, but with the right help, it stands to give you several benefits from the results it produces. Here are several of those benefits and what you can expect from investing in search engine optimization.

Grow your Business Credibility and Reputation

When someone has a problem or wants to know more about something, they often turn to the internet for research. What people often find on the internet would be articles or blog posts that would contain the information they are looking for. The way how people stumble across these articles is through the use of search keywords that redirect them to the webpage in question.

SEO uses this to your advantage as you not only get to grow your webpage with its primary purpose but also promote your credibility and reputation. Having your website contain these posts and articles or getting linked to them makes it easier to associate your brand with something credible and reputable. This allows your company to grow its credibility and reputation through helpful articles and website content.

Creates Long Term Value to your Website/Company

Content made with SEO shouldn’t be seen as something you do one time, but it should be seen as something that you continue to do and invest in for the long term. One of the biggest benefits of investing in SEO is the long-term value you get from it. Similar to how any investments work, investing in SEO will only become valuable as time passes.

In the world of SEO, content that has them integrated rarely goes out of style and trend. This leads to a unique situation as time progresses, the value of your SEO content will only continue to grow, which in turn improves your company’s business. Considering strategic approaches like Buying Real Estate Leads can further supplement your SEO efforts, expanding your reach and enhancing the potential for increased business opportunities in the real estate market.

Organic Growth with Website Traffic

We briefly touched on this topic, but to expand even further, SEO is perhaps the most natural way for your website and company to grow as a direct result of people visiting it. Compared to services that offer the promise to grow your platform, albeit in a single instance, SEO is generally safer and more natural.

This organic growth puts your website in a much better light than other websites while also assuring that traffic will continue to grow and develop as time passes rather than your website traffic slowing down into an eventually stop. Furthermore, it helps you keep up with your competitors as you will be placed in a higher search result position compared to them.

Improve Client Experience

When it comes to attracting and dealing with clients online, you shouldn’t only limit yourself to just directing them towards your website. The best way to keep clients’ interest and have them return to you is to continue improving your client experience in various ways.

SEO has an additional benefit of not only growing your website and company but also improving the client experience through the information it gives them access to.

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