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No. 10 Mobil 1 Ford Racing: Aric Almirola Las Vegas Advance

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Official Release
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ARIC ALMIROLA
Las Vegas Advance
No. 10 Mobil 1 Ford Racing for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Las Vegas 400 (Round 3 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, March 6
● Location: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 267 laps/400 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 85 laps / Stage 2: 80 laps / Final Stage: 102 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Best Career Start: In the first two races of the 2022 season, 19 different drivers have earned a top-10 finish. Almirola is the only driver who has finished inside the top-10 consecutively. With his fifth- and sixth-place finishes in the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and last Sunday at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, Almirola’s average finish of 5.5 tops all drivers. This also marks the first time in his career that he has earned consecutive top-10s in the first two races of a season.

● For the love of driving:This weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Mobil 1 will adorn the No. 10 Ford as the primary sponsor. When Almirola announced his fulltime racing retirement plans, he said he was excited to race like he did when he was young – for the love of it. As a leading synthetic motor oil, Mobil 1 gives Almirola the competitive advantage so his car performs the best and so he can have the freedom to race for the love of it. Mobil 1 delivers exceptional engine performance and protection under some of the most extreme conditions. From lubricant technology to gear oil, and so much more, today’s drivers can get more out of their engine, their car, and most importantly, the road, with Mobil 1.

● Points: Almirola arrives at Las Vegas seventh in the driver standings with 66 points, 19 out of first.

● Almirola’s career: In 390 NASCAR Cup Series starts, Almirola has earned three wins, 27 top-five finishes, 86 top-10s, three poles, and has led 893 laps.

● Las Vegas: In 17 starts at the desert oval, Almirola has earned three top-10s, all coming in his first three starts since joining SHR in 2018. This year’s new NextGen car, however, has proven that prior stats aren’t indicative of a driver’s performance. Last weekend was only the fourth top-10 in 14 starts at Fontana for Almirola.

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

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

Aric Almirola, Driver of the No. 10 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

You mentioned you get to race for the pure joy of it this year. What does that mean to you?

“Yes, it has made me reminiscent of just my love for the sport, my love for racing, and I felt like I talked about it in the video that we put out on YouTube, that I fell in love with this sport sitting in the grandstands as a fan as I’m sure most every other racecar driver did, right? And I watched my grandfather race and he was wildly successful on a local level, and I loved it. I loved being at the racetrack, and then I got the opportunity to get in a go-kart and feel what that felt like. When I was sitting in the grandstands, I could just dream about it and imagine how awesome it must be to drive a racecar and go as fast as you possibly can, but then I got to experience it and I fell even more in love with racing, and just the pureness of it as a kid is so cool. Like, I’m doing it for a hobby. I’m doing it because I love it and there’s no real pressure at all. When I was go-kart racing, the only goal was to do as best as I could and to learn and to get better each and every time I went back to the racetrack. I eventually was fortunate enough to take a hobby and turn it into a profession so, yeah, I am super grateful for what racing has meant to me and where it’s taken me in my life, both professionally and personally. And, yeah, I have reminisced quite a bit about it knowing that this year will be it.”

What was your first impression of the NextGen car at a 2-mile racetrack?

“We sure had our hands full. It was a crazy day. These cars are certainly a handful and we worked on it all day and made it to where it was driving better. Then we got some damage and the guys worked on it and got it fixed. It was a solid day for us to come out and have a good start to the West Coast swing and keep our cars in one piece.”

Las Vegas hasn’t statistically been one of your stronger tracks. How do you flip the script?

“I think this new car offers that opportunity. I’ve always struggled a bit at Vegas and moving around on the racetrack. It’s a very unique track so, for me, going there with new everything gives us plenty of opportunities to perform at a high level and keep this momentum going. We also have to be patient and understand that these cars are going to behave differently and we have to take every single data point we have to make it better and be there at the end.”

No. 10 Mobil 1 Ford Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Aric Almirola
Hometown: Tampa, Florida

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer
Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Jerry Cook
Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Engineer: Davin Restivo
Hometown: Asheboro, North Carolina

Engineer: James Kimbrough
Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

Spotter: Joel Edmonds
Hometown: Dobson, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

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

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White
Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard
Hometown: King, North Carolina

Jack Man: Sean Cotton
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

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

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Tony Silvestri
Hometown: Sylvania, Ohio

Mechanic: Robbie Fairweather
Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller
Hometown: Monroe, New York

Tire Specialist: Russel Simpson
Hometown: Medford, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Dale Lackey
Hometown: Taylorsville, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Wayne Smith
Hometown: Melbourne, Australia

Toyota Racing – NXS/NCWTS Vegas Quotes – John Hunter Nemechek – 03.02.22

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Official Release
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Toyota Racing – John Hunter Nemechek
NASCAR Xfinity Series Quotes

LAS VEGAS (March 2, 2022) – Sam Hunt Racing and Kyle Busch Motorsports driver John Hunter Nemechek was made available to media prior to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway race this Wednesday:

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, No. 26 Berry’s Bullets Toyota GR Supra, Sam Hunt Racing

No. 4 Mobil 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, Kyle Busch Motorsports

How do you feel about your title chances as you progress through the year?

“I think looking back at last year we were pretty much the favorite all year to win the title. I think coming into this year we definitely had some great momentum on our side from 2021. I feel like we added a lot of value to our notebook last year. I became familiar with my crew chief and my engineer talking on the radio and communicating. What’s going to be different is the practice and qualifying – we’ve got to figure that out again. We didn’t qualify so great in Phoenix and one thing led to another. I definitely think we have a little work to do there, but I feel good. We just have to go out here and continue to do our job. We were able to win both stages at Daytona. We got caught up in the last lap accident there coming to the white, but that’s Daytona. I’m looking forward to Vegas. I got my first win here last year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports). Hopefully we can go out and repeat and beat the boss again.”

Where do you see things going beyond the season?

“I don’t know. I’m focused on this year at this point. Only time will tell. I just have to go out there and perform and do my job and that is to win races and perform to the best of my ability. Hopefully we can go out there and win this championship. That is the number one goals, as well as win races. Hopefully we can do that. #Here4Wins.”

I saw your dad (Joe Nemechek) won at Sebring, was that one of your old late models?

“I believe it was one of my old K&N cars that we used to go and test. It was a road race car. I think he ended up putting it back together. He’s having a blast going and running some of those races with some guys and taking care of other people’s cars as well.”

Is getting back in a super late model something that you would look to do in the next year?

“I would definitely get back behind the wheel of a Super Late Model. I’m going to be doing some other racing this year outside the Truck and Xfinity stuff that will be announced at a later date. Looking forward to having some fun this year. The more time that I can spend behind the wheel, the better. Of course, being able to work with Gere (Kennon) and all of the guys at Donnie Wilson’s with Bond (Suss) and all of them would be a great opportunity. They do really well with the Toyota TD2/TRD program. Everyone that has gotten behind the wheel has definitely been fast in their supers and have been able to win races. I would love to do it. Don’t know if would be with them or with our NEMCO Motorsports team. We still have some late models there. I think there is one or two that we haven’t converted to a road race car, so who knows.”

What can you bring into this year’s race from last year and what can you bring from the Truck race to the Xfinity race?

“I do think there will be some things that can transfer from lines and laps and how the track rubbers up. Definitely cars on track this weekend, as far as the 20-minute practice deal and then qualifying and then the Truck race going into the Xfinity race. I think there is some value with that. I think just being out there on Friday night could definitely help for Saturday. I also definitely think after only 20-minutes of practice and Truck qualifying, being able to go and practice the Xfinity car and qualify the Xfinity car right before the Truck race will definitely help me as well. Vegas has been really good to me. I’ve been runner-up there I think once or twice in the Xfinity car, so I’m looking forward to getting behind the wheel for Sam Hunt (Racing) and everyone at Toyota this weekend. We have Berry Bullets on board, so look forward to trying to make them proud, local company there. They are a long-time supporter of mine, so hopefully we can get them the victory on Saturday and get Mobil 1 a victory on Friday night.”

Do you utilize the Toyota Performance Center?

“I train every day at the Toyota Performance Center. It’s a really neat facility that Toyota and TRD have been able to put together for us. It’s up to us drivers that are underneath the Toyota banner and underneath the TRD banner on how we want to utilize that program and how we want to make the most of it. I definitely feel like being there – I’ve learned a lot from being there. I feel like I’ve also brought some other things I’ve learned over the years from being with Josh Wise, kind of being his little protégé for a couple of years before that deal took off and then some other things I’ve done on my own. I feel like it’s a really good facility and it just continues to get better and better every single week and every year.”

What keeps you going back to the Performance Center when you are training with younger drivers?

“I think there is two ways to look at that question. Yes, you can have the attitude that I don’t want to be around younger kids or whatever it may be, but when I’m at the gym – I’m focused on my task at hand and training to my absolute top ability. I feel like I tend to push those younger kids when they are at the gym. When they may be complaining, I’m over there sweating my head off and just continuing to push through whatever it may be and working really hard. Being 24 and being able to be in the KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports) stable, I’m kind of that veteran driver as well underneath that banner right now at 24, which is kind of crazy. Being able to have Chandler (Smith) and Corey (Heim) there and them being younger, I feel like we can have dialogue and different things of that sort. It’s pretty unique in the sense of training with some of the kids. Sometimes I’m on my own, sometimes they are there. It just depends on the day and the schedule and how everything is going on. Everyone gets along really well I feel like in the Toyota camp and we just push each other. You have to continue to push each other to be the best that you can be on and off the racetrack.”

How do you utilize mental support versus the physical support that they have there for you?

“I think that I learned that mindset and everything about the brain from my time when I was with Josh Wise. We focused a lot on that. Being able to train the brain is just like training the body. Your brain can tell you one thing and your body can go past what it’s telling you and you pass that. I think you see a lot of that in the endurance world from running triathlons, Ironmans, whatever it may be. You are just continuing to push until your body basically shuts down. I like being able to train the brain. I like exercising it – doing different things. At the end of the day, when I get done with a workout and training, I want to be mentally, physically, everything exhausted. If you are not, it’s hard to say that you pushed yourself that day. I think there is a lot of benefit to training the brain as well as the body. Our races, they are physically demanding, but at the same time, they are mentally demanding as well. You have to focus and try to hit the same line for two hours, three hours, four hours and you can’t mess up. When you are running at Daytona and you’re running within a couple of feet of cars all day, you don’t want to make a mental mistake and end up wrecking the whole field. The answer is yes. Utilizing that is very beneficial.”

Did you send Bernard Pollard diecast after your Twitter conversation?

“Yes, he dm’ed me. I got some information, and there was a diecast that went out this week. He will receive it soon.”

Are you expecting any aerodynamic changes with the new Toyota body?

“I haven’t been involved in a lot of the technical side of the different body. I know that the Toyota Tundra TRD Pro looks really good. It looks mean on the racetrack and with the production vehicle as well. Not really sure on what to expect if there will be a huge difference aerodynamically from them being at the wind tunnel, and having it blown in the wind tunnel, I haven’t seen numbers. I figure if there would have been a big difference, we probably would have talked about it as far as crew chief, driver. Who knows? Hopefully it is better. Anytime they come out with a body change I feel like Toyota and all of the other manufacturers put a lot of work in to try to make the trucks better and more aerodynamic and try to figure out how to get more downforce in them. I’m excited. Hopefully we can take the Toyota Tundra TRD Pro to victory lane for the first time this weekend.”

Is there any extra motivation when you are racing against Kyle Busch?

“I don’t think there is extra motivation. Him and I actually had a conversation about this a few weeks ago. I don’t think there is any extra motivation. When you look at last year, we won three of the five races he was on and then all of the races that he wasn’t in we won two out of 18 of them. It’s a little bit different mindset I would say for us going into this year but looking forward in having the opportunity to race against Kyle (Busch). Anytime that you are able to race against him or any of the other Cup guys, you are always learning something. They always have a lot of knowledge, and they have a really big notebook that they can pull from different moves and information. I think one of the best things is when he races, we are able to sit down and debrief after the race and I can pick his brain and he can pick my brain and figure out who was better where, what was different set-up wise in our trucks, what we both fought all night, looking at pit road statistics. There is a lot of different things we can look at and bounce off each other. You know you have a gauge when he comes down and runs. He’s going to maximize everything he possibly can.”

Have you thought about how you are going to approach the new practice format?

“Not really, approach it the same as last year – as if you didn’t have practice. You’ve got to be really close, set-up and balance wise, unloading right off the truck. If you are not, there is not much you can change anyway to try to fix it. Hopefully your set up is good. Hopefully your simulation tools were really good going to the racetrack. Hopefully the notebook has been good from the past and you didn’t make any mistakes. Hopefully we played everything right and we brought a fast truck to Vegas and for the rest of the year where we have practice like that and qualifying. I think the qualifying adjustments compared to where you are in practice and race balance is going to be interesting to see who hits it right off the bat and who struggles with it. I know we struggled with it last year at Nashville and Phoenix, really the only two places that we qualified. I feel like we have a better grasp on that now of what we did and what we did wrong, so hopefully we can continue to build on that and go and qualify better than we have.”

#

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 43 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With the more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, more than a quarter of the company’s 2021 North American sales were electrified.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

SUNNYD® Boldly Comes Back to Take Over the No. 47 Camaro ZL1

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Official Release
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The legendary brand will sponsor Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in multiple NASCAR Cup Series races during the 2022 season.

Harrisburg, N.C. (March 2, 2022) – – JTG Daugherty Racing revealed SUNNYD® (part of Harvest Hill Beverage Company) has branded Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s No. 47 Camaro ZL1 this weekend for the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Today, the team announced SUNNYD will also be the primary sponsor at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) on Sunday, March 27th and Richmond Raceway on Sunday, April 3rd.

“SUNNYD has been a longstanding partner during my racing career, and I’ve developed some great friendships along the way,” said Ricky Stenhouse Jr. “We’re proud to have them back at JTG Daugherty Racing and we’re looking forward to keeping the momentum going with SUNNYD at Las Vegas on Sunday.”

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Ricky and JTG Daugherty Racing,” said Henk Hartong, chairman & CEO of Brynwood Partners. “NASCAR is a cornerstone of our marketing efforts and we’re excited to see our paint scheme back on the track.”

Strong support from brands like SUNNYD will give the team a momentum boost following their 10th-place finish at Auto Club Speedway and a strong showing in the Daytona 500 (16 laps led) at Daytona International Speedway.

“We had a shot at winning at Daytona until we got crashed and at Fontana (Auto Club Speedway) we were solid from the time we unloaded to the time we put the race car back on the hauler,” said crew chief Brian Pattie. “That energizes us for Las Vegas with the SUNNYD Camaro.

“Weather is going to be cool at Vegas,” Pattie continued. “The track should have more grip. You will see cars wrapping the white line, cars against the fence and everybody in between. It’s going to be a good race. So, tune in.”

Live coverage of the Pennzoil 400 (267 Laps / 400 Miles) presented by Jiffy Lube at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, March 6th begins at 3:30 PM ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM Satellite NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90).

For more information about SUNNYD, visit www.sunnyd.com.

About Harvest Hill Beverage Company:

Harvest Hill Beverage Company, based in Stamford, CT, is owned by private equity firm Brynwood Partners, and acquired the SUNNYD brand from J.W. Childs in February 2016. Harvest Hill markets some of America’s most beloved beverage brands, including SUNNYD, JUICY JUICE, LITTLE HUG, and DAILY’S Cocktails. SUNNYD products are widely distributed through leading retailers in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. For complete nutrition facts, recipe and activity ideas, and other helpful information, visit SunnyD.com. For more information on Harvest Hill, please visit HarvestHill.com.

Chandler Smith Camping World Trucks Daytona Preview

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Official Release
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Chandler Smith: Driver, No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass® Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200, Race 2 of 23, 134 Laps –30/30/74; 201 Miles
Location: Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway at (1.5-mile tri-oval)
Date/Broadcast: March 4, 2022, at 9 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Mr. Smith Season 2:
Chandler Smith and the No. 18 Safelite team head to Las Vegas Motor Speedway this week for the second race on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule. Smith had a strong run in the season opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, finishing second in Stage One and Third in Stage Two, before being relegated to a 21st-place finish after getting caught up in accident in the Final Stage. Despite the finish, the stage points that Smith accumulated allowed him to leave Daytona sixth in the point standings, just 13 tallies behind points leader Zane Smith.

The 19-year-old driver will be making his fourth career start at Las Vegas. His best result was in his track debut at the 1.5-mile tri-oval in September of 2020 when he started fifth and finished fifth. In last year’s March race, he finished ninth in the opening stage and 11th in Stage Two before getting spun in the Final Stage and ending the event with a 19th-place finish. Last September, he finished third in the opening stanza and 10th in Stage Two but was relegated to a 35th-place finish after getting caught up in an accident early in the Final Stage.

Smith earned NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year honors in 2021 and finished eighth in the championship standings after producing two victories, one pole, 213 laps led, six top-five and nine top-10 finishes in his first full-time season. He earned his first career Truck Series victory at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in September and in the series finale at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway earned his first career pole and swept all three stages en route to his second victory. Across 38 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, the Toyota Racing Development product has collected two wins, 14 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes. Additionally, Smith has produced nine ARCA Menards Series victories, 10 poles, 22 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes across 34 career starts.

Since the Truck Series was last in action last November, Smith has had two newsworthy moments. In December, he executed a late-race bump-and-run- pass to bring home the victory in the Snowball Derby at 5 Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla., the most prestigious Super Late Model race in the country. Earlier this month, he and his wife, Kenzie, announced on social media that they are expecting their first child later this year.

Veteran crew chief Danny Stockman will once again call the shots for Smith and the No. 18 team in 2022. Stockman’s drivers have produced six victories at KBM across his first two seasons, including two with Smith behind the wheel in 2021. The veteran crew chief captured a Truck Series championship with Austin Dillon in 2011 and also won an Xfinity Series championship with Dillon in 2013. Stockman has two Truck Series victories at Las Vegas. He guided KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch to a dominant victory in the 2020 spring event and was also victorious with Dillon in 2010 at the Nevada track.

Safelite, the nation’s largest provider of vehicle glass repair, replacement and recalibration services, returns to KBM for a fifth season and will be the primary sponsor on Smith’s Tundra TRD Pro Tundra for 16 races this year, including Friday night’s race at Las Vegas. Charge Me will serve as an associate sponsor on the bedtop of Smith’s No. 18 Tundra TRD Pro for 15 races this season, including Friday night at Las Vegas. Charge Me was founded on the principle that the electric vehicle (EV) revolution will require robust infrastructure support at all levels.

Chandler Smith, Driver Q&A:

You’ve raced Las Vegas three times already in your career. Does that help your confidence going into Friday?
“Yes and no. I had a run that I was really bad there and two runs where we were really good but didn’t have the finish to show for it – well I had one finish to show for it but last fall we didn’t have the finish to show for it. With practice that builds a level of confidence, regardless of if we have had success there in the past or not. Just being able to know what I have right off the truck, instead of going out there and drop the green flag and not knowing what I was going to have going into Turn 1 with 40 other trucks, definitely raises my confidence level. I’m happy to be back with Safelite going to Las Vegas and looking forward to it.”

Have you and Danny (Stockman, crew chief) talked about how you will approach this new, limited practice format?
“Yeah, for sure. We only have a few things that we can do adjustment wise, so the biggest thing for us is showing up close enough to where we have the adjustability in the truck that allows us to change little things here and there based on the adjustments that NASCAR allows us to make. We have a gameplan for it and we’re both really excited. We think its good for our Safelite team overall.”

You earned wins last year at Bristol and Phoenix, is getting a win at a mile-and-a-half track on your bucket list this year?
“Definitely, but with that being said having practice was big for the Phoenix win honestly. Without practice it could’ve been a different scenario for us. I have a goal of how many wins I want this year, regardless, and to also get the championship — three at least is what the goal is for us, but definitely a mile-and-a-half would be big for myself.”

Chandler Smith Career Highlights:

  • Across 39 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts has recorded two wins, 306 laps led, 14 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 15.1.
  • Led 55 laps and finished eighth in his Gander Trucks debut at Iowa Speedway in July of 2019. Drove a limited schedule for KBM in 2019 (four races) and 2020 (12 races), before going full-time in 2021.
  • Has collected nine wins, 10 poles, 1783 laps led, 22 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes en route to an average finish of 5.4 across 34 career ARCA Menards Series starts. Set an ARCA Racing Series record by winning four consecutive poles to start his career and earned his first victory after leading a race-high 102 laps at Madison (Wis.) International Speedway in his fourth series start.
  • Has numerous Super Late Model victories across his career, including two marquee wins: the Snowball Derby at 5 Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla. (2021) and SpeedFest at Watermelon Capital Speedway in Cordele, Georgia (2018). Will compete in several Super Late Model events around his Truck Series schedule in 2022.

Chandler Smith’s No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Tundra:
KBM-70: The No. 18 Safelite team will unload KBM-70 for Friday night’s Truck Series race at Las Vegas. It is the same Toyota that Smith was victorious with in the 2021 Truck Series season finale at Phoenix Raceway. In five total starts last year, Smith posted two top-five and four top-10 finishes with KBM-70.

KBM-70 Performance Profile
KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have collected five wins, four poles, 688 laps led, 14 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 13.1 across 42 starts at Las Vegas.
  • Nemechek collected a victory at the spring Las Vegas race in 2021, while owner-driver Kyle Busch won in the spring of 2018, 2019 and 2020 and Erik Jones was victorious in the fall of 2014.
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (90) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Bristol Motor Speedway last September, Smith became the 17th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
  • The No. 18, the number which was on the first Tundra that went to victory lane for KBM in 2010, has 23 career victories.

NASCAR CUP SERIES RETURNS TO ROAD AMERICA JUNE 30 – JULY 3

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Official Release
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-Fans Encouraged to Buy Tickets, Parking and Camping Early –

ELKHART LAKE, Wis., March 2, 2022 – The NASCAR Cup Series will return to America’s National Park of Speed on Sunday, July 3, over the Fourth of July holiday weekend for the Kwik Trip 250 presented by JOCKEY Made in America. Fans are encouraged to get their tickets and reserve camping early as Road America officials expect another incredible crowd. The green flag drops at 2 p.m. Central, and NASCAR’s top stars will battle 62 laps / 250 miles on the storied 4-mile, 14-turn road circuit.

“NASCAR has already seen tremendous crowds at the first few events in ’22, and our weekend, June 30 through July 3, is already is already showing strong sales,” said Mike Kertscher, Road America’s President and General Manager. “The on-track intensity is going to ramp up even more for this year’s race as NASCAR’s Next-Gen cars will battle on America’s favorite road course for the first time. If you’re planning to enjoy the weekend, get your tickets and camping soon as spots are filling up fast.”

Road America also wants to remind fans that off-site parking will be FREE, and a shuttle will be available both to and from the track on race day. Anyone expecting to park on the grounds should get their tickets and parking early as parking on race day (Sunday Only) will sell out.

Before Road America’s season is in full swing, several NASCAR Cup Watch Parties are already planned. Fans are encouraged to join Road America at local NASCAR bars to watch select NASCAR Cup Series races for a chance at winning (2) weekend passes for the NASCAR Cup Series Kwik Trip 250 Presented by JOCKEY Made in America & NASCAR Xfinity Series Henry 180. The first NASCAR Cup Watch Party is on March 6, and additional details and dates for each NASCAR Cup Watch Party are available at www.roadamerica.com

Race day, July 3, will feature NASCAR Cup’s incredible wheel-to-wheel racing when the green flag drops for the Kwik Trip 250 presented by JOCKEY Made in America. The NASCAR Cup Series features thrilling door-to-door and wheel-to-wheel action through stage racing, which ensures more highlight-reel moments during a race, increases the sense of urgency, and emphasizes aggressive racing strategy. Fans will have the opportunity to watch NASCAR’s future stars, such as Cole Custer, Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell, and Erik Jones, battle it out with superstars such as Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., and 2021 Road America Winner, Chase Elliott.

The NASCAR Cup Series Kwik Trip 250 presented by JOCKEY Made in America on July 3 will be joined by the NASCAR XFINITY Series Henry 180 on July 2. The event will also be bolstered by the Trans Am Series by Pirelli and the Mazda MX-5 Cup, which will host multiple races during the weekend.

Bring the entire family to Road America to celebrate the July 4th weekend! Kids 16 and under get free general admission to all Road America season racing events with a paying adult at the gate, even for the NASCAR Cup Series!

Ticket prices vary by day, starting at just $30! Additional VIP experiences are also available at the Turn 14 Experience and the Tufte Center.

All campers are also encouraged to decorate their sites according to a pre-determined theme to enter the Kunes RV Most Awesome Camping Contest!

There will be karting all weekend at the Briggs & Stratton Motorplex, Pace Car Rides, a Family Fun Zone in Turn 1, and Road America’s Disc Golf Course will be open all weekend.

Fans have two quick, convenient methods to buy tickets, camping, golf carts, VIP experiences, and more:

Online: Visit www.roadamerica.com Tickets are available 24 hours a day, seven days per week. Print your tickets to save time and enjoy a contactless experience at the gates.

Phone: Call 800-365-RACE or 920-892-4576 between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (CT) Monday through Friday.

Races run rain or shine. For more information, call 800-365-RACE (7223) or visit www.roadamerica.com.

About Road America: Established in 1955, Road America is located midway between Milwaukee and Green Bay in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The world’s best racers have competed at this legendary four-mile, 14-turn road circuit for over 65 years. The 640-acre, park-like grounds offer unique viewing opportunities, fantastic concessions, and high-speed excitement to hundreds of thousands of spectators each year. In addition to public race weekends, Road America offers a variety of group event programs, the Briggs & Stratton Motorplex for karting and supermoto, and the Road America Motorcycle and Advanced Driving Schools. For more information, follow Road America on www.facebook.com/RoadAmerica and on Twitter: @roadamerica or call 800-365-7223.

Goettl Partners with Ty Dillon and Petty GMS for Las Vegas Motor Speedway

By
Official Release
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Will Adorn the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for the Las Vegas 400

STATESVILLE, North Carolina (March 2, 2022) – Goettl (gEHt-uhl), a leading provider of HVAC and plumbing maintenance, repair and replacement services in the residential market, and Petty GMS today announced a partnership for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Goettl will serve as primary partner of Ty Dillon and the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

“I’m excited to welcome Goettl on board the No. 42 Chevrolet for this weekend in Las Vegas,” said Dillon. “To be partnered with another company from Las Vegas is special not only for myself but for Petty GMS. Goettl is no stranger to our sport, but what I appreciate most about their company is their desire to do things the right way even if it’s not the easy way. In order to sustain success in any business, you must have that outlook. The goal is to have the Goettl colors up front on Sunday.”

Headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Goettl brand is one of the original cooling system pioneers in the United States. Goettl, a company doing things the right way not the easy way since 1939, has grown to become one of the premier home services providers in the Southwest, servicing homeowners throughout Arizona, California, Nevada and Texas.

“Team Goettl’s decision to partner with Petty GMS was easy, because just like us, they do things ‘the right way, not the easy way!,” said Goettl CEO Ken Goodrich.

Dillon and the No. 42 Goettl Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will take to Las Vegas Motor Speedway this Sunday, March 6 for the Las Vegas 400, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET. FOX will carry live television coverage, while Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will carry the live radio broadcast.

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About Goettl:

Goettl is a leading provider of HVAC and plumbing maintenance, repair and replacement services to the residential market. Founded in 1939, Goettl has established a reputation for customer service, quality and innovation and today services the Southwestern U.S. through nine branches across Arizona, California, Nevada and Texas. Additional information about Goettl can be found at www.goettl.com.

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 over 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.

Kaulig Racing and Daniel Hemric Go All-in with South Point Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas

By
Official Release
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LEXINGTON, N.C. (March 2, 2022) – Kaulig Racing and Daniel Hemric will team up with Las Vegas-based South Point Hotel & Casino for both the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend.

South Point Hotel & Casino, a longtime partner of Hemric’s, will be the primary partner on his No. 11 Chevrolet this weekend for the Alsco Uniforms 300, as well as the primary partner on his No. 16 Camaro ZL1 the following day for the Pennzoil 400.

Hemric, who has seven starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the NXS, has earned three top five-finishes at the track, one of which came with partner, South Point Hotel & Casino in 2020.

“South Point Hotel and Casino, as well as the Gaughan family, have been loyal partners of mine for quite a few years,” said Hemric. “I’m super thankful to them for wanting to continue our friendship and partnership and share with me the vision we have at Kaulig Racing.”

With a rich history spanning over two decades throughout NASCAR, South Point Hotel & Casino is thrilled to team up with Kaulig Racing and the reigning NXS champion, Daniel Hemric.

“We are excited to grow our partnership with Daniel Hemric and Kaulig Racing for both Las Vegas races this 2022 NASCAR season, said Ryan Growney, General Manager of South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa. “The entire South Point family is looking forward to cheering on Hemric and his team.”

In the NXS alone, Kaulig Racing has earned one win, two top five and 11 top-10 finishes at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This weekend’s Pennzoil 400 will mark Kaulig Racing’s first start at the track in the NCS.

“We’re thrilled to have South Point Hotel & Casino onboard in Las Vegas this weekend for both races,” said team president, Chris Rice. “We have been loyal customers of theirs for the past few of years, and they have displayed industry-wide hospitality that is unmatched. We are excited to be able to continue our great relationship with South Point this year for our first, full-season in the NASCAR Cup Series.”

The Alsco Uniforms 300 will start at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 5 on FS1, followed by the Pennzoil 400 on Sunday March 6 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX.


About Kaulig Racing™

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and made the Championship 4 round in both the 2020 and 2021 seasons. They will continue fielding three, full-time NXS entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by Landon Cassill, the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Hemric, and the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by AJ Allmendinger. With multiple wins, Kaulig Racing has come to be one of the top competitors on track each weekend. The team made multiple starts in the NCS in 2021 and won in its seventh-ever start with AJ Allmendinger’s victory at “The Brickyard” for the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The young team has acquired two charters for the 2022 NCS season, with Justin Haley competing as its first, full-time driver in the series. The team’s second entry will be shared by part-time teammates AJ Allmendinger, Daniel Hemric and Noah Gragson. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: California

By
Jeffrey Boswell
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Photo by David Myers for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kyle Larson: Larson took the lead with two laps remaining and held on for his second career win at California.

“Racing in clean air was key,” Larson said. “And that might be the only time ‘clean air’ is used in connection with California.

“I’m sure Chase Elliott is not happy with me. I unintentionally sent him into the wall late in the race. It was an honest mistake. Using the word ‘unintentionally’ was not an honest mistake, because it was a lie.”

2. Austin Cindric: Cindric started on the pole at California and finished 12th.

“I think I’ve proved that I’m a force to be reckoned with,” Cindric said. “Brad Keselowski has proven that he’s a force to be wrecked with.”

3. Joey Logano: Logano finished fifth in the Wise Power 400.

“Matt Kenseth radioed me from the Fox broadcast booth,” Logano said. “As was the case after he wrecked me at Martinsville in 2015, my words to him were, ‘I get the message loud and clear.'”

4. Aric Almirola: Almirola survived a late spin and came home sixth at California.

“Mine wasn’t the only spin,” Almirola said. “There were several drivers that lost it with no help from anyone. I guess spinning out on your own is one way a driver can emulate Jimmie Johnson. Unfortunately, they’re emulating Jimmie Johnson the Indy Car driver, and not Jimmie Johnson the seven-time Cup champion.”

5. Ryan Blaney: Blaney faded late and finished 18th in the Wise Power 400.

“The race winner at California gets a surfboard trophy,” Blaney said. “It used to be that the fans at California were the only ones that got ‘bored.’

“But things have changed, it appears. Sunday’s race saw a lot of close racing, blown tires, cautions, etc. All it lacked were punches thrown. Maybe that will come in the Hendrick team meeting when Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott discuss their on-track incident. I can’t think of a better place to be a fly on the wall. I can think of worse places to be a fly on the wall, and that’s any public restroom used by NASCAR fans.”

6. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex started 12th and finished 13th at California, scoring the best result for Joe Gibbs Racing.

“I think we put on a great show for the fans in Fontana,” Truex said. “And they showed their appreciation. If the fans in Sonoma are the ‘wine and cheese’ crowd, then the fans in Fontana are the ‘fortified win and macaroni and cheese’ crowd.”

7. Austin Dillon: Dillon finished second at California after battling late in the race with Kyle Larson and Danie Suarez.

“I had a really good view of the Larson-Chase Elliott dustup,” Dillon said. “I can see why Chase was irate. His radio communication was quite colorful, to say the least. Depending on who you ask, Chase either blew a fuse or dropped a bunch of ‘FU’s,’ or both.”

8. Kyle Busch: Busch fell five laps down early due to an overheating issue, but methodically worked his way back to the lead lap and salvaged a 14th-place finish.

“Credit goes to my crew for their efforts,” Busch said, “as well as all the drivers responsible for the wreck and spins that resulted in 12 cautions. And that, my friend, is the extent to which I’m able to give a fellow driver credit for anything.

“It looks like Kyle Larson is back to his winning ways. When all is said and done this year, Kyle might be called a ‘repeat champion.’ That’s assuming he can distinguish what to repeat and what not to repeat.”

9. Kevin Harvick: Harvick took seventh at California.

“The No. 4 Subway Ford was strong,” Harvick said. “And speaking of Subway, they’ve been a partner of mine for less than a year. That doesn’t even compare to Busch Light, with whom I’ve had a partnership with for over five years. Eventually, I hope my partnership with Busch beer lasts longer than that of most alcoholics.”

10. (tie): Daniel Suarez: Suarez took the lead with about three laps to go at California, but couldn’t hold off Kyle Larson, who zipped past Suarez after a big run and held on for the win. Suarez finished fourth.

“The name ‘Kid Rock’ was emblazoned on the hood of my car in connection with my sponsor deal with Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge,” Suarez said. “That tells you two things: Kid Rock doesn’t know where I’m from, and I don’t know anything about Kid Rock.”

10. (tie): Chase Elliott: Elliott was battling for the lead with Kyle Larson and Daniel Suarez late when Larson inadvertently ran Elliott into the wall and out of contention. Elliott limped home with a 26th-place finish.

“Kyle Larson needs to watch where he’s going,” Elliott said, “which is, in fact, to the playoffs.”

Crafton to make 500th Camping World Truck Series career start at Las Vegas

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images.

A record-setting milestone start is in the making from Matt Crafton, three-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion and driver of the No. 88 ThorSport Racing Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. By taking the green flag in this weekend’s event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Crafton, who enters his 22nd consecutive season of Truck competition, will achieve his 500th consecutive career start in the Truck circuit.

A native of Tulare, California, Crafton made his inaugural presence in the Truck Series during the season finale at California Speedway in October 2000. By then, he had achieved the 2000 Featherlite Southwest Series championship. Driving the No. 88 Chevrolet for SealMaster Racing, Crafton started 17th and finished ninth. 

The following season, Crafton took over the No. 88 Chevrolet for SealMaster Racing as a full-time Truck Series competitor. He commenced his first full-time season with a 27th-place result in the season-opening event at Daytona after retiring midway into the event due to an engine failure. He then went on to record 11 top-10 results throughout the 24-race schedule, including two season-best sixth-place results at Martinsville Speedway in April and at Pikes Peak International Raceway in May, before settling in 12th place in the final standings.

After recording a total of 17 top-10 results between 2002 and 2003, with his best points result being 11th place in 2003, Crafton joined Kevin Harvick Inc. as driver of the No. 6 Chevrolet Silverado. He finished 19th during the season-opening event at Daytona, but proceeded to finish in the top five for the first six times in his career. His best results were a pair of third-place finishes at Bristol Motor Speedway in August and at Phoenix Raceway in November. To go along with a total of 17 top-10 results throughout the 25-race schedule, Crafton finished in fifth place in the final standings. By then, he surpassed 100 career starts in the Truck Series.

Crafton, who was released by KHI at season’s end, rejoined ThorSport Racing for the 2005 Truck Series season as the team rebranded from SealMaster Racing during the previous season. In his return to ThorSport, he started on pole position for the first time in his career at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September. He also recorded two top-five results, a season-best fourth-place result at the Indianapolis Raceway Park in August and a total of 10 top-10 results before finishing in ninth place in the final standings. 

From 2006 to 2007, Crafton achieved a total of five top-five results and 20 top-10 results, including three third-place results, as he notched an eighth-place result in the final standings in 2007. Four races into the 2008 Truck season, Crafton dodged a last lap collision between Kyle Busch and Johnny Benson Jr. to earn a career-best second-place result at Martinsville Speedway in March. Then two races later at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, he fended off the field during a two-lap shootout to score his first NASCAR Truck Series career victory in his 178th series start, which marks the most starts for a competitor prior to a first victory in the Truck circuit. In a season where he etched himself as a first-time NASCAR winner, Crafton also earned a total of nine top-five results and 12 top-10 results throughout the 25-race schedule before finishing in fifth place in the final standings.

Despite going winless in 2009, Crafton endured a successful, consistent season, where he earned two poles, five runner-up results, 11 top-five results, 21 top-10 results, an average-finishing result of 6.7 and a career-best runner-up result in the final standings behind four-time champion Ron Hornaday Jr. By then, Crafton surpassed 200 career starts in the Truck Series. 

After finishing in fourth place in the final standings during the 2010 season, where he also earned a pole, 10 top-five results and 20 top-10 results, Crafton snapped a two-year winless drought at Iowa Speedway in July 2011 and claimed his second Truck Series career victory after leading the final 12 laps while fending off Austin Dillon. While he earned an additional pole from the previous season, Crafton, however, earned less top-five and top-10 results from 2010 (five and 13), as he settled in eighth place in the final standings in 2011.

The 2012 season featured a manufacturer change from Chevrolet to Toyota for Crafton and ThorSport Racing as the California veteran recorded a pole, eight top-five results, 14 top-10 results, an average-finishing result of 9.8 and a sixth-place result in the final standings. At Las Vegas Motor Speedway in September, Crafton had the lead late in the event until he was overtaken by Nelson Piquet Jr. on the final lap and settled in a close runner-up result.

Crafton commenced the 2013 season, his 13th as a full-time Truck competitor, with three consecutive top-10 results, including a runner-up result behind teammate Johnny Sauter at Martinsville in March. Then at Kansas Speedway in April, Crafton notched his third career win in the Truck Series after leading the final 30 laps and holding off Joey Coulter. The victory vaulted Crafton to the top of the driver’s standings. From there, Crafton and the No. 88 ThorSport Racing Toyota Tundra team displayed a superb consistent season by finishing in the top 10 during the following 12 scheduled events. By then, he surpassed 300 consecutive career starts in the Truck Series. He then finished no lower than 17th during the following five events as he maintained the points lead. Entering the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November with a 46-point advantage over Ty Dillon, Crafton clinched his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship by starting his engine and rolling his truck out on the track for the pace laps. Despite being involved in a late incident and settling in 21st place in the final running order while on the lead lap, Crafton locked up his first title by 40 points over Dillon and became the first competitor to complete every lap of a Truck Series season. To go along with a first NASCAR title for himself and for ThorSport Racing, Crafton recorded seven top-five results, 19 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 7.9 throughout the 22-race schedule.

The 2014 Truck Series season was an historic season for Crafton, who earned multiple victories in a season for the first time in his career and repeated as a champion. After finishing 13th during the season-opening event at Daytona, he persevered during a two-lap shootout to claim his fourth career victory at Martinsville in March. Four races later, he utilized fuel strategy to claim his fifth career win at Texas Motor Speedway in June. By September, Crafton was leading the driver’s standings and went on to claim his second consecutive Camping World Truck Series championship on a strength of 13 top-five results, 17 top-10 results and a career-best average-finishing result of 7.0. Overall, Crafton became the first NASCAR competitor to win back-to-back Truck Series championships.

Crafton began his quest for a record-setting third consecutive Truck title during the 2015 season, which marked his 15th consecutive full-time season in the series, by finishing eighth at Daytona before notching his sixth career win at Atlanta Motor Speedway in late February. During the following eight scheduled events, he collected three additional victories at Kansas, Texas and Kentucky Speedway as he remained as the points leader. Over the next 12 events, Crafton won at Martinsville in late October and earned seven results in the top 10 as he remained in the championship battle between himself, Erik Jones and Tyler Reddick. Two late accidents and finishes outside of the top 20 at Talladega in October and at Phoenix Raceway in November, however, were enough to prevent Crafton’s opportunity in making history with a third consecutive title as he slipped into third place in the final standings. Nonetheless, Crafton went on to record his sixth victory of the season (a career best) during the finale at Homestead as he walked away from the 2015 season with four poles, 13 top-five results, 18 top-10 results, and an average-finishing result of 7.7 in 23 races.

In 2016, Crafton earned back-to-back victories for the first time in his career after winning at Dover Motor Speedway and at Charlotte Motor Speedway in back-to-back weekends in May. He also earned an additional nine top-10 results throughout the 16-race regular season stretch as he emerged as one of eight competitors to qualify for the inaugural 2016 Truck Playoffs. Throughout the Playoffs, Crafton utilized consistency, including four results in the top 10 to transfer all the way to the Championship Round and contend for the title at Homestead in November. During the finale, however, Crafton finished seventh on the track, four spots behind title rival Johnny Sauter, as Sauter claimed the championship while Crafton settled in second place in the final standings. Overall, Crafton earned two victories, a pole, eight top-five results, 16 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 10.9 throughout the 23-race schedule.

Crafton commenced the 2017 Truck Series season on a harrowing note after he was involved in a multi-truck wreck while leading on the final lap at Daytona, where he was clipped by teammate Ben Rhodes on the backstraightaway as Crafton’s No. 88 Toyota went airborne and barrel-rolled in the air before landing back down on all four wheels and coming to rest against the infield wall. He rallied from the incident by finishing second at Atlanta. Nine races later, Crafton snapped a 27-race winless drought by claiming his first victory of the season and the 14th of his career at Eldora Speedway in July. The Eldora win along with nine results in the top 10 throughout the 16-race regular season stretch were enough for the two-time champion to qualify for the 2017 Truck Playoffs. Despite earning five top-10 results throughout the Playoffs and reaching the Championship Round for a second consecutive season, Crafton ended up in sixth place during the finale at Homestead and in fourth place in the final standings behind Christopher Bell, Sauter and Austin Cindric. Crafton, though, was able to achieve a victory, a pole, five top-five results, 16 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 9.3 throughout the 23-race schedule as he even surpassed 400 consecutive career starts in the Truck Series. 

Swapping to a new manufacturer from Toyota to Ford, Crafton endured an up-and-down season in 2018, where he earned a season-best runner-up result at Dover in May along with seven top-five results, 13 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 11.2 throughout the 23-race schedule. Despite making the 2018 Truck Playoffs, he was eliminated from championship contention following the Round of 6 and settled in sixth place in the final standings.

Commencing the 2019 Truck season with a fifth-place result at Daytona, Crafton produced a consistent regular season stretch that included 14 results in the top 10 to secure the eighth and final spot to the Playoffs. He then returned to the Championship Round at Homestead in November after finishing in the top 10 in all but two Playoff events. Then at Homestead, Crafton finished in second place behind race winner Austin Hill, but managed to finish ahead of title rivals Ross Chastain, Brett Moffitt and Stewart Friesen to score his third Camping World Truck Series championship. With the result, Crafton, who recorded three poles, seven top-five results, 18 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 8.8 in 2019, became the first competitor to achieve a championship in a winless season since Austin Dillon made the last accomplishment during the 2013 Xfinity Series season. His three championships moved him into a tie with Jack Sprague for the second-most championships in the history of the Truck Series and one shy behind four-time champion Ron Hornaday Jr. 

Campaigning in his 20th consecutive full-time season as a NASCAR Truck competitor, Crafton achieved four top-five results during the first nine scheduled events before snapping a 67-race winless drought and collecting his 15th career victory at Kansas Speedway in July. He went on to earn three additional results in the top five before the 2020 Truck Playoffs commenced. From the Round of 10 to 8, Crafton recorded six consecutive results in the top 10, but missed the cutoff to the Championship Round by three points as he settled in fifth place in the final standings.

Reuniting with Toyota as his manufacturer in 2021, Crafton initiated the season with a 15th-place result at Daytona despite being involved in a multi-truck wreck on the final lap. He rallied with four top-10 results during the following seven races before finishing no higher than 15th during the next three. Crafton, nonetheless, was able to claim three consecutive top-six results before qualifying for the Playoffs. Finishing no lower than 14th throughout the Playoffs, he managed to return to the Championship Round at Phoenix Raceway in November. During the finale, however, Crafton finished 12th on the track and in fourth place in the final standings.

The 2022 Truck Series season marks Crafton’s 22nd consecutive season of competition, where he is coming off a 27th-place result at Daytona after being involved in a late multi-truck wreck.

Through 499 previous Truck starts, Crafton has achieved three championships, 15 victories, 16 poles, 130 top-five results, 300 top-10 results, nearly 2,700 laps led and an average-finishing result of 11.2.

Crafton is schedule to make his 500th Camping World Truck Series consecutive career start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Friday, March 4, with the event scheduled to occur at 9 p.m. ET on FS1.

Rheem Racing: Kevin Harvick Las Vegas Advance

By
Official Release
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KEVIN HARVICK
Las Vegas Advance
No. 4 Rheem/Smurfit Kappa Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Las Vegas 400 (Round 3 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 6
● Location: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 267 laps/400.5 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 80 laps / Final Stage: 107 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● With Kevin Harvick now in his 22nd year of NASCAR Cup Series competition, a familiar name has rejoined the driver of the No. 4 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR). Rheem, America’s No. 1 water heating brand and major air conditioning and heating manufacturer, is commemorating its 15th year in racing, and as a part of the celebration, Rheem has partnered with Harvick and the No. 4 team for three Cup Series races in 2022, beginning with Sunday’s Las Vegas 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The pairing reunites Rheem with Harvick, a relationship that began in 2007 when Harvick won the Daytona 500 in dramatic fashion, beating NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin for the victory by .02 of a second in a frantic, green-white-checkered finish. It led to Rheem serving as a primary partner for Harvick’s NASCAR Xfinity Series team, Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI), in 2008. Rheem’s debut with KHI came on May 2, 2008 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway where Harvick finished second in the Lipton Tea 250. Harvick delivered Rheem its first victory as a primary sponsor on Feb. 27, 2010 when he won the Sam’s Town 300 at Las Vegas. Rheem aligned as a primary partner with Harvick in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2011 and stayed with him through the 2013 season before Harvick joined SHR in 2014. Harvick will drive the No. 4 Rheem Ford Mustang again May 8 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway and Sept. 11 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City.

● Harvick’s red-and-black No. 4 Rheem/Smurfit Kappa Ford Mustang will carry a touch of purple this weekend at Las Vegas. A purple heart embossed with the letters “SK” is featured over the car’s doorsill next to Harvick’s name. The decal is in memory of Sue Karli, a founding member of the Rheem Racing program who first began working with Harvick and his wife, DeLana, in 2001 as a representative of Hershey’s, which sponsored Harvick in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Karli joined Rheem in 2007 and helped launch its hospitality program. She hosted hundreds of Rheem Racing events at NASCAR races before waging a courageous fight with pancreatic cancer. Karli ultimately succumbed to the disease in July 2019. Purple was her favorite color, and it also symbolizes pancreatic cancer awareness. To learn more, please visit the Pancreatic Action Network, or PanCAN at www.pancan.org.

● Since joining SHR in 2014, Harvick has finished among the top-10 in eight of the 12 NASCAR Cup Series races contested at Las Vegas. In that span, Harvick has led 621 laps and won twice – March 2015 and March 2018

● Harvick’s win at Las Vegas in March 2018 was his 100th career victory across NASCAR’s top-three national touring series – Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck. He has since scored 19 more Cup wins to bring his tally to 119 total victories – 58 in Cup, 47 in Xfinity and 14 in Truck. Only three other drivers in NASCAR history have surpassed 100 wins across NASCAR’s top-three series: Kyle Busch (222 wins), Richard Petty (200 wins) and David Pearson (106 wins).

● Harvick has a total of 13 top-10s at Las Vegas, the most of any active NASCAR Cup Series driver. Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski are next best with 12 top-10s apiece.

● Harvick has made 11 starts in the Xfinity Series at Las Vegas. He has two wins, six top-fives and seven top-10s. His first Xfinity Series win came in 2004 when he started 11th and led 14 laps. His second triumph came in 2010 when he started second and led 82 laps.

● Harvick has made three Truck Series starts at Las Vegas, earning two top-10s with a best finish of eighth in 1997.

Kevin Harvick, Driver of the No. 4 Rheem/Smurfit Kappa Ford Mustang

Las Vegas marks a reunion with Rheem, who you ushered into the sport in spectacular fashion by winning their first race – the 2007 Daytona 500. What’s it like to be back with Rheem 15 years later?

“It’s been 15 years since we first started working with Rheem and it’s great to be back with them. The NASCAR fan is their customer, and we’ve worked really hard to understand that relationship to ensure Rheem gets a good return on its investment. This year kind of throws it back to how it all began with Rheem being a primary sponsor on one of my racecars. I’m proud to carry their colors again in 2022.”

This is your 22nd year in the NASCAR Cup Series. How valuable is that kind of experience in this sport?

“Today’s sport is so engineering-minded that the simple, everyday things sometimes get forgotten. It’s very important to do all the little things right, and you have to execute the simple things right, too. Don’t overcomplicate it, because sometimes overcomplicating results in a worse result than just say, ‘OK, today we finished fifth and next week we’re going to try to do two or three things to finish first, not 20 or 30 things and finish 30th.’ Keeping the simplicity of our process in the middle of our engineering-minded process is very important. It used to be trial and error when you tested. Nowadays, it’s try it and, prove it or debunk it, so that it’s either right or wrong. But there are going to be a lot of decisions that we’re going to have to make this year that are just going to be simple-minded, common-sense decisions in order to just get the best out of what you have.”

How helpful is that experience in adapting and developing this NextGen car?

“I think that simplicity also goes with helping guide us down this path that we’re going down with the NextGen car. You have to say, when you’re two steps into the process, ‘This isn’t right, I made a bad decision and we need to go back two steps,’ before you get 20 steps down the road and have to backtrack so far that it takes you weeks upon weeks to figure out how far back you need to go. So, one step forward is good, two steps forward and taking two steps back is OK, and being able to understand that, admit that, talk with the team like that, and taking two steps back is way better than getting half a season down the road and saying, ‘Man, this just isn’t working because we’ve piled everything into something that doesn’t work.’”

It used to be that the West Coast swing was a good barometer to see where teams stacked up against one another. Is that still the case?

“There’s a lot of low-hanging fruit, and the unique thing about this car is that word travels fast as to what the fast guys are doing. The suspension settings only have so many points that they will go to, so if you’re off and the guy next to you is six feet away, it’s not hard to look over and see where his upper A-arms are bolted in, or his lower A-arm, or whatever the case is. So, those gaps should be filled pretty quickly.”

Will your top-10 performance last Sunday at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, give you an indication as to how you’ll run this Sunday at Las Vegas?

“I don’t think so. I think there’s just such a wide range of where it could be that you don’t really know. Is it a team thing? There’s still a very big possibility it could be a manufacturer thing, like we could be the manufacturer that’s head-over-heels better than the other manufacturers. Or it could be the other way around, so there are just so many things that nobody knows about that will unfold because these racetracks are drastically different. You’re going to racetracks that really don’t have a lot in common other than you’re racing the same car.”

Can you at least take what you learned at Fontana and apply it to Las Vegas and even the races thereafter?

“Of course, and we’re learning how to work on the car efficiently, at the track and at the shop, and that’s what I like about where we are as a group. Our group is filled with hardcore racers, and this first six weeks of racing is going to be really hardcore.”

Practice and qualifying are back, albeit in a different form from what we knew two years ago. How valuable is that track time as you figure out the NextGen car?

“Fontana was our second race of the year, and that’s a very unique racetrack – from a surface and tire wear standpoint and bumps down the back straightaway. It’s not a racetrack that’s common with anywhere that we’ve tested. And for us, our only track time came in real time during the race. So, that warmup – I don’t even know that you can call it practice – before qualifying is going to be very interesting because, if you’re not close right out of the box, there’s only so much that you can do in order to get it close to being competitive. It’s going to be more important to make laps and know the tire wear and know the cambers and be in a good rhythm with your car from a driving standpoint. You want to maximize the session and say, ‘OK, we need to go a long way on this change, or we need to go just a little bit on this change, based on how our speed is relative to the fastest cars.’ If you’re the fastest car, the slowest car, whatever it is, there’s just a lot that you have to unbox there in a pretty short amount of time. So, I think the important part of the process is going to be when you go from qualifying to the race and the changes that we make to our Rheem Ford Mustang in order to be where we want to be to start the race.”

How important is that time between qualifying and the race to understand what you’ll have for 400 miles?

“I’ve always felt like being able to manage the car and adjust your driving style to whatever the situation is, is as effective as almost anything that they can change with the car. If you can figure out what you need to do from a driving standpoint and be comfortable in getting that last tenth-and-a-half out of the racecar, I think that’s as important as anything they can do to the car in a short amount of time on Saturday.”

You’ve won at Las Vegas twice and have finished among the top-10 five times in your last six races at the track. What do you need to be quick there?

“Las Vegas has a lot of tire fall off, so it’s important to have a good-handling racecar. It’s also a track where you’re constantly moving around trying to find the right grip.”

No. 4 Rheem/Smurfit Kappa Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Kevin Harvick
Hometown: Bakersfield, California

Crew Chief: Rodney Childers
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Car Chief: Robert “Cheddar” Smith
Hometown: Whitewater, Wisconsin

Engineer: Dax Gerringer
Hometown: Gibsonville, North Carolina

Engineer: Stephen Doran
Hometown: Butler, Pennsylvania

Spotter: Tim Fedewa
Hometown: Holt, Michigan

Over-The-Wall Members

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

Rear Tire Changer: Daniel Smith
Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Jeremy Howard
Hometown: Delhart, Texas

Jack Man: Stan Doolittle
Hometown: Ninety Six, South Carolina

Fuel Man: Evan Marchal
Hometown: Westfield, Indiana

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Richie Bean
Hometown: Bradford, Vermont

Mechanic: Nick DeFazio
Hometown: Orange, California

Tire Specialist: Jamie Turski
Hometown: Trumbull, Connecticut

Engine Tuner: Robert Brandt
Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Transporter Co-Driver: Rick Hodges
Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Stephen Mitchell
Hometown: Woodville, Ohio

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