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Circa Sports Racing: Riley Herbst Las Vegas NXS Advance

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Official Release
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RILEY HERBST
Las Vegas NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
No. 98 Circa Sports Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

• Event: Alsco Uniforms 300 (Round 3 of 33)
• Date: Saturday, March 5
• Location: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
• Layout: 1.5-mile oval
• Time/TV/Radio: 4:30 p.m. EST on FS1/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

• NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Riley Herbst is heading home. The Alsco Uniforms 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a hometown race for the 23-year-old driver as Herbst is a Las Vegas native, having grown up in the Entertainment Capital of the World. The Herbst name is well known in Vegas’ motorsports circles. Riley’s grandfather Jerry, uncles Tim and Ed, and father Troy, are all Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame inductees as championship-winning off-road racers. Now, the youngest Herbst intends to keep the family’s motorsports legacy going in the NASCAR world.

• Amplifying Herbst’s hometown connection is Circa Sports, which will be the primary sponsor of Herbst’s No. 98 Ford Mustang in the Alsco Uniforms 300. Circa Sports operates within the World’s Largest Sportsbook at Circa Resort & Casino. It boasts three stories, has a 1,000-person viewing capacity and a seating capacity of 350, where all can watch their favorite sports on a massive, 78-megapixel screen. There are two sister properties as well – Golden Gate Hotel & Casino and the D Las Vegas. Helmed by casino owner and downtown Las Vegas developer Derek Stevens, Circa Sports is blazing a new trail in the gaming industry by combining a customer-first approach to business with a team of the country’s top oddsmakers. Circa Sports has one of the most competitive wagering menus in Las Vegas and is a leader in the city for sports futures.

• Herbst has a bright sports future as well. The driver of the No. 98 Circa Sports Ford Mustang comes into Las Vegas in a three-way tie for fourth in the Xfinity Series championship standings. Herbst, Ryan Sieg and Ty Gibbs have 71 points apiece two races into the 2022 season. Herbst, however, has a slight advantage over the other two drivers as he has the best average finish among the trio. A strong fourth-place effort in the season-opening race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway followed by a ninth-place drive last Saturday at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, gives Herbst an average finish of 6.5 compared with Sieg’s 9.0 and Gibbs’ 12.0.

• The Alsco Uniforms 300 will mark Herbst’s sixth career Xfinity Series start at Las Vegas. He has a pair of top-10s in his five previous starts at the 1.5-mile oval, both of which were ninth-place runs in September 2019 and February 2020, respectively.

• Herbst is an avid sports fan, particularly of those teams that call Las Vegas home and, specifically, the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). This Thursday, the Golden Knights host the Boston Bruins at 6 p.m. PST and before the puck drops, Herbst will crank the siren and hype the crowd. Herbst has experience in getting the home crowd ready for a game. Before the Xfinity Series’ last race at Las Vegas back in September, Herbst threw out the first pitch for a Thursday night game of the Las Vegas Aviators – the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball’s Oakland Athletics.

• As Herbst seeks victory lane at Las Vegas, his No. 98 team at Stewart-Haas Racing already knows the way. The No. 98 team swept both races in 2020 via Chase Briscoe. In February, he beat Austin Cindric by 2.874 seconds. Briscoe then defended that victory with another win just seven months later, beating Noah Gragson by 1.370 seconds.

Riley Herbst, Driver of the No. 98 Circa Sports Ford Mustang

What are your goals heading into your hometown race?

“The goal is always to win, but I know this team can run well at every track. We just have to stay out of trouble. I have confidence in this team and know that we can perform. We have to finish and avoid wrecks, but we have the speed to put our Circa Sports Ford Mustang in victory lane at my home track. Never count this No. 98 team out.”

Circa Sports joins you this weekend, maximizing your hometown connection to Las Vegas. What does it mean to have a new, Las Vegas-based partner on your No. 98 Ford Mustang for your home race?

“I’m pumped to have Circa Sports on the car at Vegas. It’s a hometown business and to have their support in my racing means a lot. Hopefully, we can have a good weekend for their first outing on our Ford Mustang and win big at home. That would be the best welcome-to-the-team moment we could give them.”

You’re cranking the siren Thursday night for the Vegas Golden Knights’ game against the Boston Bruins. Talk about supporting Las Vegas’ NHL team and having this opportunity.

“I’m a big sports fan, but especially when it comes to Vegas teams. I came out here early last September to throw the first pitch at the Las Vegas Aviators game, and now I’m getting to experience this unreal opportunity with the Vegas Golden Knights. I watch the games and support these teams, so it’s great to collaborate with them when NASCAR comes to town. Definitely excited for Thursday night’s game.”

No. 98 Circa Sports Team Roster

Primary Team Members:

Driver: Riley Herbst
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell
Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Car Chief: Matt Noyce
Hometown: Oregon, Wisconsin

Engineer: Justin Bolton
Hometown: Latrobe, Pennsylvania

Engineer: DJ VanderLey
Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Spotter: Tim Fedewa
Hometown: Holt, Michigan

Over-The-Wall Crew:

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

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White
Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons
Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Fueler: Corey Coppola
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Jackman: Brandon Banks
Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Road Crew Members:

Truck Driver: Steve Wood
Hometown: Eatontown, New Jersey

Engine Tuner: Willie Pelotte
Hometown: Oakland, Maine

Kyle Busch Camping World Trucks Las Vegas Preview

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Official Release
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Kyle Busch: Driver, No. 51 JBL® 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

The Report on ‘Rowdy’:
Owner-driver Kyle Busch gets behind the wheel of the No. 51 JBL Tundra TRD Pro Friday night for his first of five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts in 2022. Busch will also pilot the No. 51 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Tex. (March 19), Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (April 7), Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway (May 1) and Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway (June 11). JBL, the authority in engineering superior sound, will adorn Busch’s Toyota for Friday night’s 134-lap event. The remainder of the sponsor lineup for Busch’s four remaining events will be announced at a later date.

Busch, the winningest driver in series history, enters Friday’s event having won 38.1% (61/160) of the Truck Series races he has entered and finished first or second in 55.5% (91/160). Over his last 21 Truck Series starts, the talented wheelman has finished first or second in 19 of his last 21 starts, including 13 victories dating back to his triumph at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in August of 2018 that was part of his second career weekend sweep of the famed track.

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 (7,528).

The Las Vegas native has won three of the last four spring Camping World Truck Series events at his hometown track (2018-2020), leading a combined 35.6% (191/536) of the total laps in those races. More impressively, Busch has won each of those races with a different crew chief. Mike Hillman Jr. was atop the pit box for his first Truck Series win at Las Vegas in 2018, Rudy Fugle called the shots in 2019 and Danny Stockman led the No. 51 team to victory in 2020. Last year Busch finished second to his KBM teammate John Hunter Nemechek with first-year crew chief Mardy Lindley.

Lindley returns to KBM for his second season atop the pit box of the No. 51 team. 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. Behind the wheel, the second-generation driver won 11 races on the Pro Cup Series from 2000 to 2006 and was crowned the series champion in 2001.

In addition to his three truck wins at Las Vegas, Busch has two XFINITY Series triumphs (2016 and 2019), and a Cup Series win (2009) at the 1.5-mile tri-oval.

Rowdy Energy, the enhanced hydration formula energy drink created by Busch, and vendor partner Amazon will adorn the bedtop of the No. 51 Tundra for Friday’s race at Las Vegas. 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.

Kyle Busch, Driver Q&A:
Are you looking forward to your five races in the Camping World Truck Series this year?
“Competing in the Camping World Truck Series in my own equipment is something I really enjoy doing, and as long as I’m allowed to race and my name is on the door, I’ll be running as many as I possibly can. I know everyone at KBM worked hard alongside the folks at Toyota and TRD on this new Tundra TRD Pro. It’s really sharp looking and I’m looking forward to hitting the track in Vegas for my first race with it. JBL will be onboard for this race in Vegas, they’ve been a long-time partner at KBM back to when (Christopher) Bell first got started back in 2015, and it’s been a little while since we’ve got them to victory lane, so hopefully we can accomplish that on Friday night, we’ve been really good in the trucks there. JBL has been a great sponsor for us, a fun one to have as well, I use their wireless headphones to work out with and their Quantum gaming headphones when I’m iRacing.”

You’ve been able to finish first or second in 19 of your last 21 Truck Series starts. How tough is that to accomplish?
“Good numbers are good numbers and bad numbers are bad numbers. It feels good. Obviously, it’s a testament to what we’re doing at KBM. How many of those slipped through our fingers and could’ve, would’ve, should’ve been wins? Obviously the goal every year is to go five for five like we were able to do in 2019. Last year we came up a little bit short and were only able to get two wins and we finished second in the other three. The good thing for Kyle Busch the owner is the three that I didn’t win last year John Hunter (Nemechek) was able to get the win and keep the trophy at KBM, but Kyle Busch the driver doesn’t like finishing second so we are going to have to step our game up a little bit this year. Chandler (Smith) looked really strong at the end of last year and we were finally able to be able to achieve the goal of having all three teams running well and winning races. Hopefully this year some of those KBM one-two finishes that John Hunter and myself were able to achieve last year will now turn into one-two-three finishes this year — with the 51 coming out on top of course.”

Kyle Busch Career Highlights:

  • Busch has a total of 160 Camping World Trucks starts and is ranked first all-time in wins (61), driver rating (123.6) and average finish (6.6).
  • The 36-year-old driver has won 38.1% (61/160) of the NCWTS races he has entered and finished first or second in 56.9% (91/160).
  • Busch stands alone as the leader in all-time career wins in NASCAR’s national touring series with 222 total victories. He has earned 59 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 JBL Tundra TRD Pro:

KBM-69: The No. 51 JBL team will race KBM-69 for Friday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It is the same Tundra TRD Pro that Busch led 16 laps with en route to a runner-up finish in last year’s March race at Las Vegas.
Click here to see KBM-69 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.
  • John Hunter Nemechek collected a victory at the spring Las Vegas race in 2021, while 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, Chandler 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).
  • With 37 victories, the No. 51 is the winningest number in KBM’s Truck Series fleet.

Brad Keselowski – Las Vegas I Advance

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Official Release
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Team: No. 6 Fastenal Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Matt McCall
Twitter: @RFK6Team, @RFKRacing and @keselowski
Race Format: 400 miles, 267 laps, Stages: 65-65-70
Practice – Saturday, March 5 at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS2, SiriusXM Channel 90
Qualifying – Saturday, March 5 at 2:05 p.m. ET on FS1, SiriusXM Channel 90
Race – Sunday, March 6 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Weekend Format

· With practice and qualifying back on the horizon for the NASCAR Cup Series, with it comes a unique format. For Las Vegas, the field will be separated into two groups who will each have a 15-minute warm-up/practice.

· Immediately following that brief session, qualifying will begin, also split into two groups, with the top five fastest cars in each group transferring to the final round. The final round of qualifying to determine the pole sitter will feature 10 cars, as all qualifying this weekend will include just one lap per car.

Keselowski at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

· Keselowski is a three-time winner at LVMS, one of 11 tracks he has multiple wins at on the circuit. Overall he has a 10.6 average finish with 12 top-10s and eight finishes inside the top five in 17 starts.

· Keselowski first won in Las Vegas in 2014 after starting from the second position and leading 53 laps. He followed that with wins two years apart in 2016 and 2018. Dating back to 2013, the 2012 Cup Champion has finished outside the top-10 at Vegas just once (13th – 2020 fall).

· Since the Cup series added two visits to the 1.5-mile track, Keselowski has finished sixth, second, seventh and second in the spring events.

· The Michigan native has an average starting position of 10.8 with two poles (2013, 2017). Overall he has eight top-10 qualifying efforts.

· Keselowski also has a win at Vegas in the Xfinity Series (2014) with four overall top-10s in 10 NXS starts. He also made one truck start back in 2005.

Matt McCall at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

· McCall enters the weekend in his 12th Cup start at LVMS. Overall he has an 18.5 average result with four top-10s, including a win with Kurt Busch in 2020.

· McCall and the No. 1 team led 29 laps in the fall race two years ago, one of his three Cup wins overall. Last fall they ran eighth, and last spring finished 19th.

· In the last five races in Vegas, McCall has led his team and driver to three top-10 qualifying efforts, including a career-best fifth with Kurt Busch in 2019.

QUOTE WORTHY
Keselowski on racing at Las Vegas:
“I know we didn’t have the finishing position to show for it in Fontana, but I felt good about where we unloaded in terms of speed. We definitely have something to build from coming out of there, and Vegas for me is a place I feel confident at, and one I’ve had some great success at over the years. As I have said all along, this will be a slow grind to get to where we want to be, and this weekend is yet another opportunity to continue that. We’re proud to have Fastenal on board our No. 6, the first for their brand that’s been with RFK for a very long time.”

Last Time Out

Keselowski was strong throughout the weekend and at spots in Sunday’s 400-mile race running inside the top-10, but a pair of mishaps turned his effort south. Keselowski was knocking on the door of the top-five in the second half of the race when he was spun, which ultimately put him laps down to the leaders, something he was unable to overcome with only a couple of cautions late, to finish 27th.

On the Car

Fastenal, in its 12th season with RFK in 2022, makes its first-ever appearance with the No. 6 team this weekend. Fastenal originally was a partner with the No. 99 team before moving over to the No. 17 team since. They were also the primary partner on the No. 60 Xfinity Series entry that captured the owner’s championship in 2011.

Fastenal will feature top suppliers Ansell, Master Lock, Walter Surface Technologies, Norton, ACS/Motorola Inc. and Mechanix Wear on Keselowski’s Mustang as he competes this weekend. For more information on these suppliers, visit Fastenal.com, and stay up-do-date on social @FastenalCompany.

About Fastenal
Fastenal [Nasdaq: FAST] is North America’s largest fastener distributor and a ‘one-stop’ source for hundreds of thousands of OEM, MRO and Construction products. With more than 2,600 stores worldwide, the company supports B2B customers with tailored local inventory and dedicated personnel, who visit regularly, quickly respond to emergency needs, and provide efficient inventory management solutions. Fastenal’s service-oriented business network includes the world’s largest industrial vending program, 14 regional distribution centers, 8 custom manufacturing facilities, thousands of delivery vehicles, and industry-leading sourcing, quality and engineering resources.

John Hunter Nemechek Camping World Trucks Las Vegas Preview

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Official Release
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John Hunter Nemechek: Driver, No. 4 Mobil 1 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

Nemechek #Back4More in 2022:
John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 4 Mobil 1 team head to Las Vegas for the first 1.5-mile race of the 2022 season. After two stage wins and a 24th-place finish at Daytona in the season opener, Nemechek is currently tied for sixth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings with his Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) teammate Chandler Smith. In the 2021 spring event at Las Vegas, Nemechek beat out driver-owner Kyle Busch for his first win with KBM. In the five events that Busch competed in last season, Nemechek won three of them and Busch won twice. In all three of Nemechek’s victories, Busch finished in the runner-up position.

The second-generation driver will be making his ninth career start at Las Vegas in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He has tallied one win, two top-five and three top-10 finishes with average finish of 17.1 in his first eight starts at the 1.5-mile oval. In two NASCAR Cup Series starts at the Nevada track, Nemechek has a best finish of 20th in the fall event. He has also produced an average finish of 5.0 across two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Las Vegas, including a runner-up finish in the spring of 2019.

In addition to competing in the Camping World Truck series race Friday, Nemechek will be making his first NASCAR Xfinity Series start of the season at Las Vegas behind the wheel of No. 26 Toyota Supra for Sam Hunt Racing. In 56 Xfinity Series starts, he has tallied two wins, one pole, 364 laps led, 14 top-five and 33 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 11.7.

The world’s leading synthetic motor oil, Mobil 1, will be the primary sponsor onboard Nemechek’s No. 4 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for 10 races in 2022 starting Friday night in Las Vegas. Mobil 1 returns to the hood of Nemechek’s Toyota April 7 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

Nemechek is an 11-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 with KBM. Across 125 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, he has compiled two poles, 1,231 laps led, 40 top-five and 66 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.7.

Eric Phillips returns to lead the No. 4 team in 2022. His 41 career Truck Series victories make him the winningest crew chief in Truck Series history, with 32 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. At Las Vegas, Phillip’s drivers have collected two wins, two top-five, and seven top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 13.4 across 11 starts. He won with Nemechek in the spring of 2021 and with Erik Jones in the fall of 2014.

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver Q&A:
John Hunter Nemechek | Las Vegas Motor Speedway Preview
You won this race last year, are you looking forward to getting back to Las Vegas?
“Yeah, I am, we won in the spring Vegas and led most of the fall Vegas race until we had a mechanical issue. Vegas has been a really strong racetrack for me with the KBM Toyota Tundra TRD Pro that we have and hopefully we can go there again and grab our first win of the year. It’s a special place and suits me very well as a driver and I feel like the setups and trucks that we have here at Kyle Busch Motorsports.”

Have you and the team thought about how you will approach practice at Vegas?
“We haven’t really thought about how we’re going to approach it yet. It’s 20 minutes so you can’t really change much setup wise. It will be close to the same as last year as far as going out there and going out there right off the truck and hoping your truck is fast. If not, you can make minor adjustments to it but can’t change springs or shocks. Just have to go out there and hope that we unload the right way and be fast right off of the truck.”

Kyle (Busch) will be in the race again and you beat him three out of five times last year, are you looking forward to battling head-to-head against him again?
“Yeah, for sure. I think anytime Kyle is in the field it is definitely challenging but it is also very rewarding when you are able to beat him. Kyle is strong every time he gets into a truck, and I think he has finished first or second in the last 19 out of 21 races he’s run in a truck. He’s very consistent and always up front when he races, so hopefully we can continue to duel it out with him.

John Hunter Nemechek Career Highlights:

  • Eleven-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 125 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, has compiled two poles, 1,231 laps led, 40 top-five and 66 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.7. Registered a career-high and series-leading five victories in 2021 and earned the NCWTS Regular Season championship while finishing 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 56 career XFINITY Series starts, has totaled two wins, one pole, 364 laps led, 14 top-five and 33 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 11.7.

John Hunter Nemechek’s No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra:
KBM-56: The No. 4 Mobil 1 team will unload KBM-56 for Friday night’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Nemechek piloted this Tundra TRD Pro three times last season, including at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa., where he was victorious. It is the same Toyota he raced at Las Vegas last fall and was out front for 33 laps before being relegated to a 33rd-place finish after experiencing mechanical issues.

KBM-56 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, Chandler 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. 4 has 16 career victories at KBM and was the number for both of the organization’s driver championships.

Chris Buescher – Las Vegas I Advance

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Official Release
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Team: No. 17 Wyndham Rewards Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Twitter: @RFK17Team, @RFKRacing and @Chris_Buescher
Race Format: 400 miles, 267 laps, Stages: 65-65-70
Practice – Saturday, March 5 at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS2, SiriusXM Channel 90
Qualifying – Saturday, March 5 at 2:05 p.m. ET on FS1, SiriusXM Channel 90
Race – Sunday, March 6 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Weekend Format

· With practice and qualifying back on the horizon for the NASCAR Cup Series, with it comes a unique format. For Las Vegas, the field will be separated into two groups who will each have a 15-minute warm-up/practice.

· Immediately following that brief session, qualifying will begin, also split into two groups, with the top five fastest cars in each group transferring to the final round. The final round of qualifying to determine the pole sitter will feature 10 cars, as all qualifying this weekend will include just one lap per car.

Buescher at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

· Buescher makes his 11th Cup start at Las Vegas this weekend, where he carries an average finish of 17.7 with one top-10 (ninth – 2020).
· Most recently Buescher ran 14th in last season’s spring race and finished 25th last fall.
· His best qualifying effort of 16th came in the 2020 fall race, and overall he has a 24.3 average starting position.
· Buescher made two Xfinity Series starts at Las Vegas and recorded a best finish of ninth (2014) in the No. 60 entry for Jack Roush.

Scott Graves at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

· Graves will be on the box for his 10th Cup race Sunday at Las Vegas where he has two top-10s and an average finish of 18.4.
· Graves led Daniel Suarez to an eighth-place run in 2018 fall race, and followed that with a P10 finish with Ryan Newman a year later. Last spring in this race the duo finished 18th.
· Graves also called three Xfinity Series events from LVMS, earning a second-place finish with Suarez in 2016, and a ninth-place run with Buescher in 2014.

QUOTE WORTHY
Buescher on racing at Las Vegas:
“Coming out of Fontana we are confident in the speed we showed early on, and we need a good run this weekend given our finishes the last two weeks. Vegas carries a ton of speed at all points and is a fun track to drive. We’re proud to carry Wyndham Rewards with us on the No. 17 this weekend and look forward to putting their sharp, new scheme on track Saturday.”

Last Time Out
Buescher was well inside the top-15 and improving in Sunday’s race from Fontana, but a cut tire entering the turn sent him spinning into the outside wall, which ultimately caused damage too severe ending his day early in 35th.

On the Car
Wyndham Rewards – who initially joined the RFK family of partners in 2018 – will be aboard the No. 17 with Chris Buescher this weekend in Las Vegas. The brand has served as a primary partner for the No. 6 team the last five years, and this year will be a primary on both RFK entries at select races.

About Wyndham Rewards
Wyndham Rewards® is the world’s most generous rewards program with more than 50,000 hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals worldwide. Designed for the everyday traveler, members earn a guaranteed 1,000 points with every qualified stay and may redeem points for a wide range of rewards, including free nights at over 8,900 hotels or thousands of vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally through affiliation with Wyndham Destinations and others. Wyndham Rewards has 86 million enrolled members around the globe. Join for free today at www.wyndhamrewards.com. You’ve earned this.®

Smith Heads into Vegas with Momentum After Truck Win at Daytona

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Official Release
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MRC joins No.38 for First of Six Races in 2022

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (March 1, 2022) – The Michael Roberts Construction (MRC) orange and black Ford F-150 will hit the track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with a big target on its back. Zane Smith leads the truck series after picking up the season-opening victory at the Daytona International Speedway.

Las Vegas marks the first of six races for MRC with the No. 38 team in 2022. Coming off of a thrilling victory, Smith is focused on more and hoping to do it again Friday night with MRC.

“It’s great having the support of MRC over the last few seasons of my career,” Smith said. “I’m thankful that they have stuck by me and I can’t wait to have their truck hit the track this weekend in Las Vegas.”

Smith is excited about how the year has started, clicking with the team has made the No. 38 team strong out of the gate.

“There’s no better way to start off the season than with a win,” Smith stated. “Since the beginning, I’ve felt really comfortable around my guys and we have really clicked. I’m excited to be in the playoffs and now we’re able to focus on winning more.”

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race will air on Friday at 8:00 p.m. ET on FS1.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Camping World Truck Series and the 2021 Daytona 500 champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team– from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Ford Performance NASCAR: Las Vegas Advance

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Official Release
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FORD PERFORMANCE NASCAR: LAS VEGAS ADVANCE

NASCAR’s western swing continues this weekend as all three top series will be in action, beginning with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Friday night. That will be followed by the NASCAR Xfinity and NASCAR Cup Series events on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

This Week’s Schedule:

Friday, March 4 – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, 9 p.m. (FS1)
Saturday, March 5 – NASCAR XFINITY Series, 4:30 p.m. (FS1)
Sunday, March 6 – NASCAR Cup Series, 3:30 p.m. (FOX)

FORD IN THE NASCAR CUP SERIES AT LVMS

· Ford leads all manufacturers with 13 series wins in 28 all-time events.
· Roush Fenway Racing tops all organizations with 7 victories, including the first three.
· Ford has won four of the last eight at LVMS (Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano twice).

FORD IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT LVMS

· Ford has 11 NASCAR XFINITY Series wins at LVMS.
· Chase Briscoe won both races in 2020.
· Jack Roush leads all car owner with 6 series victories at LVMS.

FORD IN THE NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES AT LVMS

· Ford has 5 series wins at LVMS.
· Ford’s last win came by Grant Enfinger, who won the 2018 playoff race.
· Joe Ruttman, Greg Biffle, Travis Kvapil and Tyler Reddick also have one Ford win each.

THE ONE AND ONLY

One example of NASCAR Cup Series parity can be found in the fact that Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang, is the only one to post top-10 finishes in each of the first two races. Almirola finished fifth in the season-opening Daytona 500 and backed that up with a sixth-place run last week at Auto Club Speedway. Almirola, who is in his final year of full-time competition, has three top-10 finishes in 17 career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

FORD AND TEAM PENSKE ON TOP OF CUP STANDINGS

It’s been a good start to 2022 for Team Penske, which has all three of its drivers in the top 5 of the point standings after two events. Daytona 500 champion Austin Cindric tops everyone in first place while teammate Joey Logano is eight points behind in second place. Ryan Blaney rounds out the trio in fourth.

SHR AND RFK ALSO IN TOP 10

Stewart-Haas Racing drivers Chase Briscoe and Aric Almirola also sit comfortably in the top 10 of the point standings after two races. Briscoe, on the strength of a third-place finish in the Daytona 500, is fifth while Almirola is seventh. Brad Keselowski, who is in his debut season as co-owner and driver of the No. 6 Ford Mustang for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, is 10th overall and rounds out a group of six Ford drivers in the top 10.

FORD’S LAS VEGAS HIGHLIGHTS

BRISCOE COMPLETES VEGAS FIRST

Chase Briscoe became the first driver to win both NASCAR XFINITY Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway since the track began hosting two events a year in 2018. Briscoe, who achieved the feat in 2020, won the spring event, which had to be run over the course of two days due to rain, after leading a race-high 89 laps. The key to his victory, however, was the pit crew, which got Briscoe off pit road first and allowed him to lead the final 36 circuits to post his first win of the season. He followed that up in the 2020 playoff opener with a dominating performance that saw him lead 164-of-200 laps. Briscoe won all three stages and left the track with the points lead and a guaranteed spot in the Round of 8.

VEGAS PROVES TO BE LOGANO’S BEST TRACK

Joey Logano has two career victories at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and those wins have helped make the track his best statistically on the circuit. Logano sports an 8.8 average finish in 17 career starts, including 9th and 11th-place finishes last season. In fact, it’s the only track in which he’s made more than 10 career starts where his average finish is in single digits. Besides his two victories, Logano has 6 top-5 and 11 top-10 finishes at LVMS since joining the circuit in 2009.

ROUSH RULES

There have been two Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing drivers who have posted consecutive NASCAR Cup Series victories at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Jeff Burton won in 1999 and 2000 while Matt Kenseth did it in his championship season of 2003 and 2004. In fact, RFK has been a force in both the NASCAR Cup and NASCAR XFINITY Series at the 1.5-mile facility. The organization has posted seven NCS wins and six NXS victories for a total of 13 overall, which includes back-to-back weekend sweeps in 1999 and 2000. In addition, RFK has three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series triumphs.

SWEEP DELIGHT FOR KESELOWSKI

Brad Keselowski completed a weekend sweep in 2014 after taking the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series events on consecutive days. Even though Keselowski led the most laps in the NCS race, he needed a little bit of luck and got it on the final lap when Dale Earnhardt Jr., who was in conservation mode, ran out of gas on the back straightaway. That enabled Keselowski to win going away and post the first of his six victories that season.

MARTIN LEADS FORD CHARGE IN INAUGURAL VEGAS CUP EVENT

Ford took the checkered flag at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the inaugural race at the 1.5-mile facility on March 1, 1998 as Mark Martin led a manufacturer runaway that saw 13 of the top 14 finishers driving a Taurus. The win was the first for Taurus, which became the first full-time four-door entry in NASCAR, after Ford decided to use it in the NASCAR Cup Series starting with the 1998 season. Martin bested Roush teammate Jeff Burton by 1.605 seconds to win the Las Vegas 400 with Rusty Wallace, Johnny Benson and Jeremy Mayfield rounding out the top-five. The only non-Ford to finish in the top-10 was the late Dale Earnhardt, who was eighth.

FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS AT LAS VEGAS

1998 – Mark Martin

1999 – Jeff Burton

2000 – Jeff Burton

2003 – Matt Kenseth

2004 – Matt Kenseth

2008 – Carl Edwards

2011 – Carl Edwards

2014 – Brad Keselowski

2016 – Brad Keselowski

2018 – Kevin Harvick (1) and Brad Keselowski (2)

2019 – Joey Logano (1)

2020 – Joey Logano (1)

FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS AT LAS VEGAS

1999 – Mark Martin

2000 – Jeff Burton

2002 – Jeff Burton

2005 – Mark Martin

2009 – Greg Biffle

2012 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

2013 – Sam Hornish Jr.

2014 – Brad Keselowski

2017 – Joey Logano

2020 – Chase Briscoe (Sweep)

FORD NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES WINNERS AT LAS VEGAS

1997 – Joe Ruttman

1999 – Greg Biffle

2007 – Travis Kvapil

2016 – Tyler Reddick

2018 – Grant Enfinger (2)

KRIS WRIGHT: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News and Notes – Las Vegas

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Official Release
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KRIS WRIGHT
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News and Notes
Event: Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200
Date: Friday, March 4, 2022
Venue: Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway
Track Description: 1.5-mile tri-oval
Race: 134 laps, 201 miles

Niece Motorsports’ NASCAR Camping World Truck Series History … Since entering the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) in 2016, the Mooresville, N.C.,-based organization has logged 285 starts with 40 drivers, including NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) drivers Trevor Bayne, Ross Chastain and Kyle Larson. Niece Motorsports has collected three victories (Ross Chastain, 2019: Kansas, Gateway and Pocono), 19 top-five finishes and 55 top-10 finishes and has an average starting position of 19.6 and an average finishing position of 18.9.

NIECE MOTORSPORTS STATISTICS
Niece Motorsports’ NASCAR Camping World Truck Series History at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway … This weekend will mark Niece Motorsports’ 26th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at the Las Vegas, Nev.,-facility. The organization posted a team best second-place finish at the track in September 2019 with Ross Chastain. The 25 previous starts at the ‘Diamond in the Desert’, a 1.5-mile oval with 20-degree graduated banking, have earned Niece Motorsports an average starting position of 21.1 and an average finish of 17.8.

Welcome Shocker Hitch … Shocker Hitch, a cushion and airbag towing hitches company, will adorn the side of the No. 44 Chevrolet driven by Kris Wright at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway as an associate partner. Manufactured in Arthur, N.D., Shocker Hitch is on a mission to make towing smoother and safer with a variety of products including bumper air hitches, gooseneck air hitch couplers, bolt-on air trailer tongue couplers, cushion ball mounts, and air equalizers for W-D hitches.

“As a long-time dirt track driver, I was tired of the bangs, bumps, and jerks while towing trailers and started inventing air hitches and couplers to smooth-out my ride,” Bob Sagen, founder of Shocker Hitch, said. “I am thrilled to get our growing brand teamed-up with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team Niece Motorsports”.

Catch the Action … The Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be broadcast live on FS1 on Friday, March 4 at 9:00 p.m. (ET). It will also broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 8:30 p.m. (ET).

The practice session and qualifying for the second event of the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule will air on Friday at 4:30 p.m. (ET) on FS1.

Kris Wright
No. 44 iHeartRadio Chevrolet Silverado
Under the Neon Lights Experience … This weekend marks Kris Wright’s third Las Vegas Motor Speedway appearance with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The Wexford, Pa.,- native has two starts at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, collecting an average finish of 20.5 with a career-best finish of 16th-place (2021). Wright made his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series track debut at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 5, 2021.

Speedway Stats: Kris Wright has 10 combined NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts on speedways (tracks 1 to 2-miles in
length).

Renewed Partnership with iHeartRadio … iHeartRadio, the number one audio company in the United States, will renew its partnership
with Kris Wright. A long-standing relationship, iHeartRadio joined Wright as a sponsor in 2017 in the IMSA Prototype Challenge.
iHeartRadio will be featured on the hood of Wright’s No. 44 iHeartRadio Chevrolet Silverado as he competes at the Las Vegas Motor
Speedway.

In the Rearview Mirror: Daytona International Speedway … Kris Wright, driver of the No. 44 F.N.B. Corporation Chevrolet Silverado for Niece Motorsports, finished in the 19th-place in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series NextEra Energy 250 at the Daytona International Speedway, located in Daytona Beach, Fla., on Friday, February 18. Wright started in the 12th-place in the 36-truck field, and at the end of Stage 1 on Lap 20 he was in the 29th-place. By the end of Stage 2 on Lap 40, Wright was scored in the 22nd-place. In the extended 106 lap event, Wright was involved in a last lap incident. He was scored as high as the seventh-place at the Daytona International Speedway.

QUOTE WORTHY
Kris Wright, driver of the No. 44 iHeartRadio Chevrolet Silverado for Niece Motorsports
On the Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

“I am really excited for the Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The first intermediate track with a new team is always exciting – not to mention the single-car qualifying at a 1.5-mile track. As a driver, you really get a sense for what the truck is going to do for a lot of the races this season. Our Niece Motorsports team has been working hard at the shop and with Chevy to bring a good package out west.
“We are all excited and have high hopes.”

KRIS WRIGHT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY PERFORMANCE PROFILE
Date Event Start Finish Laps Status Led
Friday, March 5, 2021 Bucked Up 200 15 25 132/134 running 0
Friday, Sept. 24, 2021 Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 26 16 134/134 running 0

KRIS WRIGHT STATISTICS
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).

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iHeartMedia (NASDAQ: IHRT) is the number one audio company in the United States, reaching nine out of 10 Americans every month.
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Gilliland Looks to Continue Strong Performance Heading into Las Vegas

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Official Release
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MOORESVILLE, N.C. (March 1, 2022) – Frontline Enterprises will continue their support of Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 Ford Mustang team this weekend at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Gilliland comes into Las Vegas looking to capitalize on a strong performance the week previous at Auto Club Speedway where he finished 20th.

“Auto Club was a really good learning experience for me and my guys,” said Gilliland. “I think it gives a great opportunity this weekend to go into Las Vegas with a positive outlook and really make some improvements.”

Gilliland is ready to climb behind the wheel heading into Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at a track that’s been good to him in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

“I can’t wait to get to Vegas in this Cup car,” Gilliland stated. “These cars have been fun to race and I’m more comfortable going back to a track where I have experience. California was all new to me, but I’ve been to Las Vegas Motor Speedway and I like the track. I am pretty excited about getting more laps under my belt.”

The green flag will drop this Sunday at 3:30 PM ET on FOX.

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.

Stage Front and McDowell Looking for the Las Vegas Jackpot

By
Official Release
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MOORESVILLE, N.C. (March 1, 2022) – Last weekend showed the might of the No. 34 team, driver Michael McDowell, and crew chief Blake Harris. With Stage Front Tickets on the car again this weekend at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the team is looking to hit the jackpot after a second top-10 finish was taken away by electrical issues late Fontana.

With the top-10 at Daytona, and a strong showing in California, momentum is on the side of the No. 34 team. They are poised for another strong run in Las Vegas, where McDowell has a string of top-15 qualifying positions.

“Las Vegas is a venue that the team has always ran well at in the past, and with the preparation the everyone has put in the last month with getting these new cars built, we’re hopeful for another great race. We have a lot of momentum on our side, and with the strong run we had going in California, we feel we can be running inside the top-15 right now- maybe even better if we really hit on it.”

McDowell and his Stage Front Ford Mustang team will see the track Saturday afternoon for practice, followed by qualifying, and finally the race on Sunday afternoon.

“Like we (the team) discussed after our result in California, it is disappointing that we didn’t come out of the race with a top-10 like we deserved. But, the performance is there, and that makes us feel good. We just want to keep the momentum going.”

Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race from Las Vegas begins at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX.
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.

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