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Gilliland, Boot Barn, and FRM to Honor Staff Sgt. Conrad A. Robinson

Boot Barn Debuts Patriotic Scheme for 600 Weekend

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 24, 2022) – This Sunday evening, NASCAR Cup Series rookie Todd Gilliland will compete in his first Coca-Cola 600 at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. He will do so honoring the life of Staff Sgt. Conrad A. Robinson of the United States Army this Memorial Day weekend.

Staff Sgt. Conrad A. Robinson

Known as “Big Rob” while serving in the Army, Staff Sgt. Robinson was a decorated medical officer with 17 years of service until his untimely death serving his country in 2018. Gilliland, Front Row Motorsports, and Boot Barn will welcome the Robinson family to the track this weekend with Staff Sgt. Robinson’s name featured on the windshield of the Boot Barn Ford Mustang. Gilliland is both humbled and honored to carry Staff Sgt. Robinson’s name on the No. 38 car this weekend.

“This weekend is about honoring those who have served and sacrificed so we can go out and do cool things like race,” said Gilliland. “It is special for me to honor Staff Sgt. Robinson and have his family with us. It puts things in perspective, and I expect it to be a humbling experience. I want to thank my team and Boot Barn for making this honor happen.”

Gilliland is excited for the challenges of the Coca-Cola 600 – the first 600-mile race of his career.

“I have run really well in the past at Charlotte in both the NASCAR Truck Series and the ARCA Series,” stated Gilliland. “But nothing really prepares you for a 600-mile race. I just need that experience, but we have talked about it all season. We want to finish the race, be on the lead lap, and get as much as we can at the end of these races. I will be patient; we will work on the car all night and then give Boot Barn the best I have at the end.”

The green flag will wave for the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day Sunday at 6:00 p.m. ET on FOX.

ABOUT BOOT BARN

Boot Barn is the nation’s leading lifestyle retailer of western and work-related footwear, apparel, and accessories for men, women, and children. The Company offers its loyal customer base a wide selection of work, western, country, and lifestyle brands. As of the date of this release, Boot Barn operates 281 stores in 36 states, in addition to an e-commerce channel, www.bootbarn.com. The company also operates www.sheplers.com, the nation’s leading pure play online western and work retailer and www.countryoutfitter.com, an e-commerce site selling to customers who live in a country lifestyle. For more information, call 1-888-BOOT-BARN or visit www.bootbarn.com.

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.

Ford Performance NASCAR: Charlotte Advance

FORD PERFORMANCE NASCAR: CHARLOTTE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND ADVANCE

The annual Memorial Day Weekend will once again feature a number of major NASCAR races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, highlighted by the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday night. Prior to that, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (Friday night) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (Saturday afternoon) will be in action.

This Week’s Schedule:

Friday, May 27 – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, 8:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
Saturday, May 28 – NASCAR XFINITY Series, 1 p.m. ET (FS1)
Sunday, May 29 – NASCAR Cup Series, 6 p.m. ET (FOX)

FORD IN THE NASCAR CUP SERIES AT CMS

· Ford has 32 all-time series wins at CMS.
· Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski have oval wins at CMS with Ford while Ryan Blaney won the inaugural Roval event in 2018.
· Keselowski is the last Ford driver to win the Coca-Cola 600 (2020).

FORD IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT CMS

· Ford has 22 series wins at CMS.
· Riley Herbst sat on the pole for this race a year ago.
· Brad Keselowski was the last Ford winner at CMS (2018).

FORD IN THE NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES AT CMS

· Ford is still looking for its first series win at CMS.
· Zane Smith has a pair of top 10 finishes in two career starts at CMS.
· Tanner Gray has two starts and Hailie Deegan one at CMS.

BLANEY HOPING TO KEEP MOMENTUM GOING

Ryan Blaney’s win in Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race wasn’t a surprise to many considering the fact he has been among the fastest drivers all season. Blaney, who is second in the point standings, is first among all drivers in poles (3) and stage wins (4) while ranking second in laps led (371). His best finish in the Coca-Cola 600 came two years ago when he finished third.

HERBST CONTINUING IMPROVEMENT

Riley Herbst is still looking for his first NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, but the improvement he has made this season is evident. After 12 races this season, Herbst is sitting eighth in the point standings with nine top-10 finishes in 12 starts. A year ago at this time, he had managed only three top-10 runs and was 14th in the standings.

ZANE SMITH LOOKS FOR FOURTH TRUCK SERIES WIN OF 2022

Zane Smith leads the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with three wins this season and heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway looking to add one more. This marks his first appearance in a Ford F-150 at the 1.5-mile track, but in two previous career starts he has finished third and 10th. Smith, who is fifth in the regular-season point standings, leads all drivers with seven top-10 finishes in nine starts while ranking second with four others in top-5 runs with four.

COCA-COLA 600 HIGHLIGHTS

HOLMAN & MOODY CONQUER THE WORLD

Ford won the Coca-Cola 600 for the first time on May 27, 1962 when the race was still referred to as the World 600. This marked the third running of NASCAR’s longest race and in the end it was Nelson Stacy, behind the wheel of a 1962 Holman & Moody Ford, that ended up in victory lane. Stacy passed David Pearson, who developed engine trouble with eight laps to go, and went on to beat Joe Weatherly to the finish line by 32 seconds in posting the third of his four career victories. Fellow Holman & Moody teammate Fred Lorenzen finished third. The win was Stacy’s second straight after he took the checkered flag two weeks earlier in Darlington.

THREE MAJORS FOR DJ IN ONE SEASON

Dale Jarrett won his share of major races during a sterling career in the NASCAR Cup Series, but no season may have been better than his first year driving at Robert Yates Racing in 1996. After winning the season-opening Daytona 500, his second of three triumphs in that event, Jarrett came to Charlotte in search of winning the Coca-Cola 600 for the first time. Jarrett, who qualified 15th, wasn’t much of a factor when the race started, but when the sun went down his No. 88 Quality Care Service/Ford Credit Ford Taurus came to life. He took the lead for the first time on lap 175 and ended up leading 199 of the final 226 laps for RYR to win going away. Jarrett eventually went on to win the Brickyard 400 a couple of months later to give him three of the sports biggest victories in one season.

FIRST-TIME WINNER

Matt Kenseth joined an exclusive club when he made the Coca-Cola 600 his first NASCAR Cup Series victory in 2000. Kenseth, who was in his rookie season driving for car owner Jack Roush, joined David Pearson (1961), Jeff Gordon (1994) and Bobby Labonte (1995) as drivers who made the marquee event their first series win. Kenseth, who nearly won in Fontana (CA) a couple weeks earlier before settling for third, left no doubt on this night as he led the final 26 laps and beat Bobby Labonte to the finish line by half-a-second.

KESELOWSKI ADDS ANOTHER JEWEL

Brad Keselowski became the first Ford driver since Mark Martin in 2002 to win the Coca-Cola 600 when he held off Jimmie Johnson in an overtime finish to take the checkered flag in 2020. The race ended up going five laps past the advertised distance and ended with Keselowski adding another crown jewel victory with Ford to go with his wins in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis (2018) and Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway (2018).

FORD COCA-COLA 600 WINNERS

1962 – Nelson Stacy

1963 – Fred Lorenzen

1965 – Fred Lorenzen

1970 – Donnie Allison

1982 – Neil Bonnett

1987 – Kyle Petty

1991 – Davey Allison

1996 – Dale Jarrett

1999 – Jeff Burton

2000 – Matt Kenseth

2001 – Jeff Burton

2002 – Mark Martin

2020 – Brad Keselowski

FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS AT CHARLOTTE

1992 – Jeff Gordon (Sweep)

1993 – Mark Martin (2)

1995 – Chad Little (1) and Mark Martin (2)

1996 – Mark Martin (Sweep)

1998 – Mark Martin (1)

1999 – Mark Martin (1)

2000 – Jeff Burton (1)

2001 – Jeff Green (1) and Greg Biffle (2)

2002 – Jeff Burton (2)

2003 – Matt Kenseth (1)

2006 – Carl Edwards (1)

2011 – Matt Kenseth (1) and Carl Edwards (2)

2014 – Brad Keselowski (2)

2016 – Joey Logano (2)

2017 – Ryan Blaney (1)

2018 – Brad Keselowski and Chase Briscoe (Roval)

RTA’s gigFAST INTERNET to Support Smith and Troops at Charlotte

RTA Reminds Fans “Got Freedom!, Thank a Soldier?” This Memorial Day Weekend

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 24, 2022) – Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports (FRM) and RTA will partner this Memorial Day weekend at the Charlotte Motor Speedway to thank our men and women who are serving and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.

Smith and the No. 38 RTA gigFAST INTERNET™ Ford F-150 team will race with the “Got Freedom?, Thank a Soldier!” message during Friday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. RTA’s gigFAST INTERNET will also debut a stars and bars patriotic paint scheme during their first primary race with FRM. Smith is honored to carry the brand and message this weekend.

“As a veteran myself, we selected Memorial Day weekend to do something special with Zane and FRM to honor those who served and are currently serving in the military protecting our great nation,” said RTA Chairman Donald Workman.

“Memorial Day weekend is always really special to me,” Smith stated. “Partnering with RTA to promote the ‘Got Freedom?, Thank a Soldier!’ message is appropriate and the right thing to do. To be able to show my appreciation to all our service members is very humbling.”

Smith is also excited to hit the track at Charlotte Motor Speedway- a track he feels the team is well prepared for.

“Charlotte has always been fun,” said Smith. “You really have to get into a rhythm there and it suits my driving style very well. We have been fast at the mile-and-a-half racetracks this season and we want to have another great run for RTA.”

Smith’s RTA’s gigFAST INTERNET No. 38 takes the green flag on Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET on FS1 and gigFAST™ TV Channel 83.

About Rural Telecommunications of America, Inc.

RTA’s nationwide gigFAST NETWORK™ provides affordable gigFAST INTERNET, VOICE, and TV to rural America. Having access to quality internet enhances how people live, work and play every day in our rural communities. RTA is hiring veterans and offers everyday discounts to veterans, first responders and teachers. Visit RTA at www.rtatel.com.

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.

Acclaimed Actor Miles Teller To Serve as Indianapolis 500 Honorary Starter

INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, May 24, 2022) – Miles Teller, star of blockbuster action movies and character-driven independent films, will serve as honorary starter for the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, waving the green flag Sunday, May 29 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Teller stars as Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, son of the beloved “Goose,” in Paramount’s “Top Gun: Maverick” with Tom Cruise, the sequel to “Top Gun.” The film will be released nationwide May 27. He also can be seen in the making of “The Godfather” series, “The Offer,” for Paramount+.

“Miles is no stranger to action-packed roles, and waving the green flag for the 33 drivers racing for history will provide him with a similar adrenaline-fueled experience,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “We’re happy to welcome him to ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ for a day he’ll never forget.”

This summer, Teller will also appear in the science-fiction thriller “Spiderhead,” an adaptation of a George Saunders short story that first was published in The New Yorker and was later included in the author’s book “Tenth of December.”

In 2014, Teller starred opposite JK Simmons in the Sony Pictures Classics critically acclaimed and Oscar-nominated drama, “Whiplash.” The hit film received the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at Sundance and the Deauville Film Festival, and landed Teller a Best Actor nomination at the 2014 Gotham Awards.

Teller began reaching critical success after starring in the James Ponsoldt film, “The Spectacular Now,” for which he won the Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. He made his feature film debut in 2010 in “Rabbit Hole,” after being picked for the role by co-star Nicole Kidman.

Live coverage of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge starts at 11 a.m. (ET) Sunday, May 29 on NBC, Telemundo Deportes on Universo and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Visit ims.com to purchase tickets for the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and for more information on the complete Month of May schedule at IMS.

COREY LAJOIE, SPIRE MOTORSPORTS PARTNER WITH USO, COCA-COLA FOR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND 600-MILER AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY

U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Rylee McCollum honored as part of NASCAR’s 600 Miles of Remembrance Program

CONCORD, N.C. (May 24, 2022) – Spire Motorsports and Corey LaJoie will partner with the USO and The Coca-Cola Company for the 63rd running of the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway as NASCAR, its drivers and teams, pay tribute to the men and women who sacrificed their lives while serving in the United States Military.

The USO strengthens America’s military service members by keeping them connected to family, home, and country, throughout their service to the nation.

“This Memorial Day weekend, we’re proud to partner with The Coca-Cola Company, as well as Corey LaJoie and Spire Motorsports, to honor our military service members and pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives protecting our freedoms,” said Brian Cowart, Chief Development and Marketing Officer of the USO, the nation’s leading military nonprofit organization. “Together, we’re driving support and building connections between the public and the military community to keep our heroes in uniform strong and resilient.”

“Coca-Cola is incredibly proud of our 81-year partnership with the USO and our shared values of honoring our military service men and women,” said Alba Baylin, Vice President of Community and Stakeholder Relations for Coca-Cola North America. “The Coca-Cola 600 which is held on Memorial Day weekend, is a special time to bring racing fans together to recognize and honor our nation’s Armed Forces while bringing awareness to the USO’s mission of supporting those who have sacrificed and served our country.”

Meanwhile, LaJoie will pay tribute to Lance Corporal Rylee McCollum, a United States Marine, who was killed in action on August 26, 2021 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Lance Cpl. McCollum was manning a checkpoint at the Kabul airport when a bomb went off, killing him, 12 other American troops, and more than 100 Afghans.

McCollum’s name will be displayed on the windshield of LaJoie’s USO Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 throughout the weekend as part of NASCAR’s 600 Miles of Remembrance program.

“Representing the USO on Memorial Day weekend is a dream come true,” said LaJoie. “The Coca-Cola 600 is one of my favorite races on the schedule, as well as my home race. The opportunity to partner with the USO and Coca-Cola allows us to really show the service members and their families a great time at the track while remembering the brave men and women who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.”

LaJoie has logged eight previous NCS starts at the legendary 1.5-mile Concord, N.C. oval and earned a venue/race-best 12th-place finish in the 2019 running of NASCAR’s longest race.

“Spire Motorsports is proud to partner with the USO and Coca-Cola for this initiative to honor and support the servicemen and servicewomen of the United States,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner T.J. Puchyr. “At the same time, we’re humbled to have Corey LaJoie carry Lance Corporal McCollum’s name on the windshield of the No. 7. We can’t ever let the bravery of those who make the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of the United States to be forgotten. NASCAR does a tremendous job every Memorial Day weekend of making sure we recognize those who deserve the highest of honors. Spire is privileged to play a small part.”

The Coca-Cola 600 from Charlotte Motor Speedway will be televised live on FOX Sunday, May 29 beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 14th of 36 races on the 2022 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

About the USO …
The USO strengthens America’s military service members by keeping them connected to family, home, and country, throughout their service to the nation. At hundreds of locations worldwide, we are united in our commitment to connect our service members and their families through countless acts of caring, comfort, and support. The USO is a private nonprofit organization, not a government agency. Our programs, services, and entertainment tours are made possible by the American people, the support of our corporate partners, and the dedication of our volunteers and staff. To join us in this important mission and learn more about the USO, please visit USO.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About The Coca-Cola Company …
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our hydration, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, BODYARMOR, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Gold Peak, Honest and Ayataka. Our nutrition, juice, dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and AdeS. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us
on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports was established in 2018 and is co-owned by Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2022, Spire Motorsports will field two full-time NASCAR Cup Series entries. Corey LaJoie will drive the team’s No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in NASCAR’s premier series for the entire 2022 campaign while Josh Bilicki and Landon Cassill will split time in the team’s No. 77 entry. The team also fields a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team in select events.

Spire Motorsports earned an upset victory for the ages in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019.

John Hunter Nemechek – No. 4 Pye-Barker Fire & Safety Tundra Camping World Trucks Charlotte Preview

John Hunter Nemechek: Driver, No. 4 Pye-Barker Fire & Safety Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Defending North Carolina Education Lottery 200 winner John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 4 Pye-Barker Fire & Safety team roll into Charlotte Motor Speedway with momentum on their side after posting yet another top-10 finish at Texas last weekend. With a sixth-place finish at Texas, Nemechek has now finished sixth or better in six straight races, tying his longest streak of top-10 finishes since 2018. The second-generation driver moved into the top spot in the Camping World Truck Series championship standings after Texas and currently claims a four-point lead ahead of reigning champion Ben Rhodes.

Nemechek has made just five starts in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competition at Charlotte. In 2021, Nemechek led a race high 79 laps in route to his third win of the season. Through his first five starts, he has tallied one win, 92 laps led, one top-five and three top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 10.0. The second-generation driver led a race-high 71 laps en route to victory in last year’s event picking up his third victory of 2021. In two NASCAR Cup Series starts at Charlotte, Nemechek has an average finish of 14.5 and earned a best finish of 13th in the second race there in 2020. In his lone Xfinity Series start at Charlotte, he finished 12th in 2019.

Pye-Barker Fire & Safety, an industry leader in commercial fire protection since 1946, will serve as the primary sponsor for Nemechek at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Pye-Barker, who acquired Nemechek’s long-term partner Fire Alarm Services in 2021, will also serve as the primary sponsor of the No. 4 Tundra TRD Pro at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (9/15) and the season finale at Phoenix Raceway (11/4).

The 24-year-old driver continues his strong run in 2022, leading all Camping World Truck Series regulars in poles (four), average starting position (5.8), average running position (6.765) and driver rating (105.9). Nemechek is also second in laps led (171) and has led at least one lap in seven out of the nine events this season.

Nemechek 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 133 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, he has compiled six poles, 1,352 laps led, 44 top-five and 72 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.4.

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. Phillips has called the shots for 10 starts at Charlotte in Camping World Truck Series action. In those 10 starts, his drivers have tallied two poles, four wins (Kyle Busch – ’10, ’11, & ’14 and John Hunter Nemechek – 2021), 304 laps led, five top-five and nine top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 6.8.

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver Q&A:
John Hunter Nemechek | Charlotte Motor Speedway Preview
Talk about the effort it’s taken to rebound from the start of the season to now being in the points lead.
“It’s kind of crazy that we’re the points leader now. I feel like with the season that we’ve had with not so strong of runs at the beginning of the season and now we’re into our sixth consecutive top-six finish and we’ve got a win underneath our belt, so we’re gaining momentum. We’ve still got to get better for the rest of the year but we’re getting up there. So, to become the points leader it’s nice to see the front side again and hopefully we can continue this on and gain some more valuable points, some more wins and the regular season championship for the second year in a row. Playoff points are huge and being the points leader at the end of the regular season is huge for the points you gain for the playoffs.”

How does Charlotte compare to the other mile-and-a-half tracks you’ve been to in recent weeks?
“I really enjoy Charlotte. It’s a little bite different than Texas and different than Kansas as well. They’re three different unique mile-and-a-half racetracks. Charlotte is worn out and pretty bumpy, you can run multiple grooves, you can run up against the fence and you can run the bottom kind of like you can for Kansas. Texas is a little bit of a different animal in its own. I don’t know if they’re going to be using the PJ1 again this week or not but that has played a factor in the past at Charlotte, so we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Is Charlotte one of the bigger races of the year?
“I think the Charlotte race is always a big one, with Memorial Day weekend and racing for the veterans who have served and those that have passed serving our country. As well as everyone from KBM, family, friends, it’s a home racetrack for us, this is where we live so it’s a pretty big deal to have everybody there and perform well.”

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 133 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, has compiled six poles, 1,352 laps led, 44 top-five and 72 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.4. Registered a career-high and series-leading five victories in 2021 and earned the NCWTS Regular Season championship and 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 Pye-Barker Tundra TRD Pro:
KBM-73: The No. 4 Pye-Barker Fire & Safety team will unload KBM-73 for the first time this Friday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In his 2021 victory at Charlotte, Nemechek piloted KBM-58 and led a race-high 71 laps.

KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have collected seven wins, three poles, 744 laps led, 14 top-five and 23 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 9.0 across 33 starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
  • John Hunter Nemechek picked up the organization’s most recent win at Charlotte in 2021. Owner-driver Kyle Busch has earned the other six victories for KBM coming in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017 and 2019.
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (93) 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.

MBS MOTORSPORTS MAKES BIG IMPRESSION IN PINTY’S DEBUT

Driver Daniel Bois racing the #31 MBS Motorsports Chevrolet at CTMP. Credit: Matthew Manor

(May 24, 2022) The first ever race by MBS Motorsports in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) this past weekend presented a few challenges. But when driver Daniel Bois crossed the finish line in the #31 MBS Chevrolet Sunday afternoon, the new outfit had met them all head on and turned many heads while establishing themselves as a group capable of competing with the best.

During Saturday practice an overheating issue limited Bois to only a single hot lap during the session but it was a good one. The water pump issue was solved and when qualifying was cancelled due to a weather event, the Sunday grid was set by practice times. Bois lined up 11th for the race.

A wet track to begin the 51-lap event was to the driver’s liking and Bois took advantage of conditions to quickly move the #31 MBS Chevrolet into the top ten. Steadily making progress as the track dried, Bois found himself running fourth, challenging for a podium finish in the late going. The race would go into overtime due to a couple of late caution periods, and unfortunately the #31 MBS Chevy ran out of fuel stranding Bois out on course for the final laps. Despite the tough break the MBS Motorsports team’s strong effort earned them a 12th place finish in their first ever Pinty’s race.

Quotes:
“I think we can say we experienced a bit of everything in our first race weekend. Faced adversity during practice and solved the issue. Lining up for the race 11th we improved our position in the early going and with a handful of laps left we were contending for a podium finish”.
“Unfortunately, you can’t predict how the race will end and I feel bad for everyone with MBS Motorsports that worked so hard this weekend that we didn’t get that podium”.
“Huge thanks to everyone on the team for all their hard work. I think we earned a lot of respect from everyone and showed we’re here to compete”.
“We want to thank everyone at CTMP as well for working so hard dealing with the serious weather conditions. And we can’t wait to get back in action here again on the Labour Day weekend”.
-Daniel Bois, Driver #31 MBS Motorsports Chevrolet

TV & Live Streaming
The CTMP race will be broadcast Saturday May 28th at 4PM TSN and Saturday June 4th at 7PM on RDS2. All races are live streamed on TSN.ca and the TSN app in Canada and FloRacing in the US.

Race fans are encouraged to follow the progress of MBS Motorsports channels during the off season.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbs.motorsports/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mbs.motorsports

About MBS Motorsports
Owned by Don Beatty, Jeff Murphy and Dominic Scrivo, the team will compete in select events in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series in 2022. Away from the track Don Beatty operates a successful Automotive Service company. Jeff Murphy is an executive with Celestica. Dominic Scrivo is the owner of Sierra Excavating Enterprises. Driver of the #31 Chevrolet Daniel Bois is a high-performance driving instructor.

Kyle Busch – No. 51 Safelite Tundra Camping World Trucks Charlotte Preview

Kyle Busch: Driver, No. 51 Safelite® Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: North Carolina Education Lottery 200, Race 10 of 23, 134 Laps –30/30/74; 201 Miles
Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway (1.5-mile, quad-oval)
Date/Broadcast: May 27, 2022, at 8:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

The Report on ‘Rowdy’:

Owner-driver Kyle Busch gets behind the wheel of the No. 51 Safelite Tundra TRD Pro Saturday at Charlotte for his fourth of five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts in 2022. Busch, the winningest driver in series history, enters Charlotte having won 37.4% (61/163) of the Truck Series races he has entered and finished first or second in 56.4% (92/163). In addition to his Truck Series leading 61 wins, ‘Rowdy’ also ranks first all-time among Truck Series drivers in driver rating (123.6), average finish (6.6) and is second in laps led (7,591).

Over his last 22 Truck Series starts, the talented wheelman has an average finish of 2.4 while recording 12 wins and seven runner-up finishes. This year in the Truck Series, he has an average finish of 2.7 with 63 laps led across his three starts with a runner-up finish at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway being his best result to date. He finished third in each of the last two events he entered: COTA and Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

The No. 51 Tundra TRD Pro that ‘Rowdy’ will be piloting at Charlotte will carry the same flat white Safelite scheme that adorned it at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Tex. earlier this year, which is a reciprocal of Chandler Smith’s black No. 18 Safelite Tundra TRD Pro. At COTA the two engaged in a friendly challenge where the lower finished would clean all the windshields at KBM the following week. Busch’s third-place result was two spots better than Smith, but accepted Smith’s double or nothing bet for this week’s race.

Finishing ahead of Busch at Charlotte will be a tough task for Smith. Across 14 Truck Series starts at the 1.5-mile track Busch has eight wins, 12 top-five and 13 top-10 finishes. He has led 789 laps and has an average finish of 2.5. He picked up his first career Truck Series victory driving for Billy Ballew Motorsports at Charlotte in 2005.Over his last 10 Truck Series starts at the North Carolina track, he has won six times and in the other four events he finished in the runner-up position. In addition to his eight Truck Series wins, the Las Vegas native has nine Xfinity Series wins and one Cup Series victory in the Queen City.

Mardy Lindley returns to KBM for his second season atop the pit box of the No. 51 team. In addition to this year’s win with Corey Heim at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the No. 51 team produced three victories in Lindley’s first season as a crew chief at KBM, two with Busch and one with Martin Truex Jr. Before arriving at KBM, Lindley guided his drivers to 32 wins and four ARCA Menards Series East championships since 2013, including back-to-back titles with Sam Mayer the last two seasons. Additionally, he earned the ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief Showdown championship with Mayer in 2020. Lindley’s one race atop the pit box at Charlotte resulted in an 20th-place finish with Drew Dollar last year.

Rowdy Energy, the enhanced hydration formula energy drink created by Busch and vendor partner Harris Teeter, a regional grocery chain, will adorn the bedtop of the No. 51 Tundra for Friday’s 134-lap race. Rowdy Energy Drink is currently available in 10 flavors, including seven sugar free options that are KETO certified. Use Rowdy Energy’s store locator at https://rowdyenergy.com/pages/store-locator to find where you can pick up a can today, or order online at www.rowdyenergy.com.

Busch will make his fifth and final Truck Series start of 2022 June 4 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway. Yahoo, a global media and tech company that connects people to their passions, will serve as the primary sponsor on his No. 51 Tundra TRD Pro.

Kyle Busch, Driver Q&A:
Are you looking forward to this week’s Truck Series race at Charlotte?
“I love racing Charlotte in the trucks because there is a lot of throttle on time and the enjoyment of diving into the corners and feeling the load that you feel. Turns 1 and 2 are different than 3 and 4, so you have to attack them differently. I think knowing those differences helps me as a driver versus maybe some of the other drivers that try do drive both ends the same – you just can’t do it. Charlotte has always been a race that I like to run on my Truck Series schedule because it’s always cool to have a lot of the employees from KBM and their families out at the track and when you are able to win and have those people there to celebrate with you in victory lane it makes it extra special.”

Kyle Busch Camping World Truck Series Career Highlights:

  • Busch has a total of 163 Camping World Trucks starts and is ranked first all-time in wins (61), driver rating (123.6) and average finish (6.6).
  • The 37-year-old driver has won 37.4% (61/163) of the NCWTS races he has entered and finished first or second in 56.4% (92/163).
  • Busch stands alone as the leader in all-time career wins in NASCAR’s national touring series with 223 total victories. He has earned 60 NASCAR Cup Series wins, 102 NASCAR Xfinity Series wins, and 61 NCWTS wins.
  • In August of 2010, Busch made history when he won the NCWTS, NXS and NCS races at Bristol Motor Speedway, becoming the only driver to sweep all three of NASCAR’s top three series at one track on the same weekend. He then repeated the feat in August of 2017.
  • Kyle Busch’s No. 51 Safelite Tundra:

KBM-69: The No. 51 Safelite team will race KBM-69 for Friday’s race at Charlotte. Busch has finished runner-up each time he has gotten behind the wheel of this Tundra TRD Pro; earlier this year at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway and last year at Las Vegas. In its most recent outing, Corey Heim finished 22nd with it at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway earlier this month.

KBM Notes of Interest:

  • Across 33 starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway, KBM drivers have earned seven wins, three poles, 14 top-five and 23 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 9.7 and an average finish of 9.0.
  • John Hunter Nemechek picked up the victory in last year’s Charlotte race. Prior to that, owner-driver Kyle Busch had collected all six of his organization’s wins (2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017 and 2018).
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (93) 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).
  • With 38 victories, the No. 51 is the winningest number in KBM’s Truck Series fleet.

MARS CONTINUES FINAL YEAR OF RACING CELEBRATIONS WITH M&M’S® TITLE SPONSORSHIP AT POCONO RACEWAY

M&M’S® Fan Appreciation 400 Will Celebrate NASCAR Fans and Mars Associates at the Company’s Hometown Track

NEWARK, NJ (May 24, 2022) – Today, M&M’S® ‘The Official Chocolate of NASCAR,’ announced the iconic brand will be the title sponsor at this year’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway on Sunday, July 24. The brand will continue the season-long celebration of its more than three decades in the sport by using the race to pay special tribute to NASCAR fans and Mars Associates who have made the journey so memorable.

To kick off the celebrations, Mars will embark on a nationwide search on social media to identify some of the most active and passionate M&M’S Racing fans, who will be invited as VIP guests to the M&M’S Pocono race weekend. The fans selected will not only serve as M&M’S ambassadors throughout race weekend but will also have the chance to meet NASCAR legends and receive signed merchandise. One lucky M&M’S Mars fan will have the ultimate honor of serving as the Grand Marshal for the race.

“For more than 30 years, Mars has inspired moments of happiness through the colorful fun of the M&M’S brand for NASCAR fans all over the country,” said Anton Vincent, President of Mars Wrigley North America. “During our final year and, in our backyard race, Mars wants to celebrate one of the best fan bases in the world with a Mars-sized ‘thank you.’ The M&M’S brand has celebrated many NASCAR successes and we are grateful for the NASCAR fans.

For fans attending the M&M’S Fan Appreciation 400, M&M’S will conduct a special discussion moderated by NASCAR pit reporter, Jamie Little, in the Pocono Raceway Fan Zone on the morning of the race. Current and former M&M’S drivers including Kyle Busch, David Gilliland, Ernie Irvan and Ken Schrader will cruise down memory lane, sharing stories of their time driving for the Mars’ brands. Fans at home will have the opportunity to tune into this special conversation on social media, where they can submit questions in advance and win signed merchandise from the panel of legends.

“The entire Mars organization is incredibly special to me, and we want to commemorate all of our history together with the fan celebrations during the M&M’S Fan Appreciation 400,” said Busch. “From the M&M’S Pocono Raceway festivities to the fans and Mars Associates we’ll be bringing to the track, we couldn’t be more excited to honor those that have made this partnership so fun. I can’t wait to see everyone there!”

“We are honored to celebrate alongside M&M’S after 32 years of supporting NASCAR, by partnering together to show our appreciation for the greatest fan base in sport” said Ben May, President Pocono Raceway. “Creating lifelong memories and exciting experiences for Pocono Raceway and NASCAR fans is a passion for our team and to do it alongside one of the worlds iconic brands is a tremendous joy.”

To keep up to date with the M&M’S Fan Appreciation 400, be sure to check out M&M’S social media channels in the lead up to and throughout the race weekend.

ABOUT MARS, INCORPORATED

For more than a century, Mars, Incorporated has been driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. This idea is at the center of who we have always been as a global, family-owned business. Today, Mars is transforming, innovating and evolving in ways that affirm our commitment to making a positive impact on the world around us

Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food, and petcare products and services, we employ 125,000 dedicated Associates who are all moving in the same direction: forward. With $40 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M’S®, MILKY WAY®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, ORBIT®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, SKITTLES®, BEN’S ORIGINAL™, WHISKAS®, COCOAVIA®, and 5™; and take care of half of the world’s pets through our nutrition, health and services businesses, including AniCura, Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, and VCA™.

We know we can only be truly successful if our partners and the communities in which we operate prosper as well. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our Associates to take action every day to help create a world tomorrow in which the planet, its people and pets can thrive. The Mars Compass, inspired by the Economics of Mutuality, is used to measure the company’s progress in service of its purpose; The world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today.

For more information about Mars, please visit mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

ABOUT POCONO RACEWAY

Pocono Raceway, also known as ‘The Tricky Triangle,’ is family-owned and situated in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. In business for over 50 years, the Raceway hosts multiple, national motorsports events including the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series events each year. The facility’s calendar also consists of over 200 events including Tough Mudder and a wide range of car clubs and racing schools. Pocono Raceway is recognized as the world’s first, privately-owned solar-powered sports facility. Their 25-acre, three-megawatt solar farm provides the energy needs of the Raceway, as well as adds electricity to the local power grid. Each member of our raceway staff is committed to creating exciting experiences and lifelong memories. For more information, please visit www.poconoraceway.com.

KRIS WRIGHT: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News and Notes: Charlotte Motor Speedway

KRIS WRIGHT
No. 44 F.N.B. Corporation Chevrolet Silverado
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News and Notes
Event: North Carolina Education Lottery 200
Date: Friday, May 27, 2022
Venue: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway
Location: Concord, North Carolina
Track Description: 1.5 mile(s)
Race: 134 laps / 201 miles

F.N.B. Corporation Returns … F.N.B. Corporation (NYSE: FNB), one of the 50 largest bank holding companies in the United States, returns to the track with Kris Wright on the No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado for Niece Motorsports. This is the second consecutive year of partnering with Wright, in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS), at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa., FNB first partnered with Wright in 2020 at the DAYTONA Road Course in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for his debut in NASCAR national series competition. The Beast of the Southeast Statistics … This weekend marks Kris Wright’s second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series appearance at the 1.5-mile quad-oval track, located on the outskirts of the Queen City of Charlotte. The Wexford, Pa., – native has one start at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, with a 23rd-place finish on May 28, 2021. Speedway Stats: Kris Wright has 15 combined NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts on speedways (tracks 1 to 2-miles in length).

KRIS WRIGHT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY PERFORMANCE PROFILE
Date Event Start Finish Laps Status Led
May 28, 2021 North Carolina Education Lottery 200 21 23 132/134 Running 0

KRIS WRIGHT STATISTICS

QUOTE WORTHY

Kris Wright, driver of the No. 44 F.N.B. Corporation Chevrolet Silverado for Niece Motorsports

On the Charlotte Motor Speedway:

“I am pumped to race in my hometown over Memorial Day weekend. I always find myself enjoying this week in Charlotte. “F.N.B. Corporation is returning this weekend for this race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway – in one of their biggest markets. It is always rewarding to race in front of our partners and their friends and family. The No. 44 Niece Motorsports team has been hard at work to put on a good show this week.”

Community Support … In support of the Erik Jones Foundation, founded by NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) driver Erik Jones, Kris Wright and the Team Hornaday Development drivers participated in a Melanoma awareness campaign at the Charlotte Motor Speedway on Monday, May 23. Together, the drivers assembled 3,500 bags filled with sunscreen samples and materials for fans checking-in at the Charlotte Motor Speedway campgrounds in preparation for the Coca-Cola 600 weekend.

In the Rearview Mirror: Texas Motor Speedway … Kris Wright, driver of the No. 44 America’s Auto Auction Chevrolet
Silverado for Niece Motorsports, finished in the 35th-place in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 220 on Friday, May 20, at the Texas Motor Speedway, located in Fort Worth. Wright started in the 16th-place in the 36-truck field. At the end of Stage 1 on Lap 35 he was in the 32nd-place. By the end of Stage 2 on Lap 70, Wright held the 31st-place.

On Lap 106, in Turn 2, Wright’s tire was cut and he hit the Turn 3 wall while in the 29th-place. Wright was scored as high as the 16th-place at the Texas Motor Speedway.

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 320 starts with 40 drivers, including NASCAR Cup Series drivers Trevor Bayne, Ross Chastain, and Kyle Larson. Niece Motorsports has collected three victories (Ross Chastain, 2019: Kansas, Gateway, and Pocono), 22 top-five finishes and 59 top-10 finishes, and has logged an average starting position of 19.7 and an average finishing position of 19.1.

NIECE MOTORSPORTS STATISTICS

Niece Motorsports’ NASCAR Camping World Truck Series History at the Charlotte Motor Speedway … The organization posted a team best finish of second-place at the track on May 28, 2021, with driver Carson Hocevar. The 12 previous starts at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, the first modern superspeedway to host night racing in 1992, have earned Niece Motorsports one top-five finish and three top-10 finishes, with an overall average starting position of 18.5 and an average finish of 18.3.

Catch the Action … The North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway will be broadcast live on FS1 on Friday, May 27, starting with NASCAR RaceDay: NCWTS Charlotte at 8:00 p.m. (ET). It will also broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 8:00 p.m. (ET). Practice and qualifying for the tenth event of the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule will air on Friday at 1:30 p.m. (ET) on FS1.

About F.N.B. Corporation
F.N.B. Corporation (NYSE: FNB), headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a diversified financial services company operating in seven states and the District of Columbia. FNB’s market coverage spans several major metropolitan areas including: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Baltimore, Maryland; Cleveland, Ohio; Washington, D.C.; and Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham and the Piedmont Triad (Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point) in North Carolina. The Company has total assets of approximately $42 billion and nearly 340 banking offices throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, D.C. and Virginia.

FNB provides a full range of commercial banking, consumer banking and wealth management solutions through its subsidiary network which is led by its largest affiliate, First National Bank of Pennsylvania, founded in 1864. Commercial banking solutions include corporate banking, small business banking, investment real estate financing, government banking, business credit, capital markets and lease financing. The consumer banking segment provides a full line of consumer banking products and services, including deposit products, mortgage lending, consumer lending and a complete suite of mobile and online banking services. FNB’s wealth management services include asset management, private banking and insurance.

The common stock of F.N.B. Corporation trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “FNB” and is included in Standard & Poor’s MidCap 400 Index with the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) Regional Banks SubIndustry Index. Customers, shareholders and investors can learn more about this regional financial institution by visiting the F.N.B. Corporation website at www.fnbcorporation.com.