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GMS Racing NCWTS Atlanta Motor Speedway Race Preview

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

Atlanta Motor Speedway Stats

  • NCWTS Starts: 6, Wins: 1 (2020), Best start: 4th, Top 5s: 3, Top 10s: 5, Laps led: 15

2022 NCWTS Season Stats

  • Starts: 2, Best start: 7th, Best finish: 23rd (Las Vegas), Current points position: 27th
  • About Champion Power Equipment: Since 2003 Champion Power Equipment has earned a reputation for designing and producing the market’s finest power equipment. From our original headquarters in Santa Fe Springs, California, Champion has expanded its North American footprint to include facilities in Jackson, Tennessee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Toronto Canada. Today, Champion’s product line has expanded to include portable generators, home standby generators, inverter generators, engines, winches and log splitters. With over 2.5 million generators sold in North America, Champion is a market leader in the power equipment field. Visit ChampionPowerEquipment.com for more information.
  • Champions In Life: Over the course of the last week, Champion Power Equipment has pledged to donate over 100 generators to those affected by the war in Ukraine. With many of the country’s citizens left without power, water, heat or gas, Champion Power Equipment hopes that their contribution will be able to help some of those in true need.
  • Chassis History/Info: Grant Enfinger will drive GMS Racing chassis no. 331 in the ATL on Saturday. This chassis has been raced seven times before, and has visited victory lane once in 2020 at Michigan International Speedway with Zane Smith behind the wheel. Most recently, this truck raced at Darlington Raceway, where it finished ninth with Smith.
  • Testing, Testing, 1-2-3: In January, Grant Enfinger was one of only three NCWTS drivers that participated in a Goodyear tire test at the newly repaved Atlanta Motor Speedway. With so many variables ahead of the new track configuration, Enfinger’s veteran driving ability was relied on to help develop the tire that will be used in the first race ever held on the repave. – Previous Race Winner: For the third straight weekend in a row, Grant Enfinger will head to the track as a previous race winner. Enfinger won his first race at Atlanta Motor Speedway back in 2020, leading only seven laps en route to his lone victory on the old pavement. – Meet Grant: Fans can meet Grant Enfinger along with his GMS Racing teammate Jack Wood at the Team Chevy display in the fan midway at Atlanta Motor Speedway prior to the race on Saturday from 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM local time. Enfinger and Wood will be participating in a Q&A followed by a quick autograph session for all fans in attendance. – GE Quote: “I’m not quite sure what to expect for the reconfigured Atlanta surface this weekend. There will definitely be a lot of wide open racing where we will utilize the draft. My crew chief Charles Denike has some adjustability built into our Champion Power Equipment Silverado, so we can adapt our package if we need to. As a team, we are focused on getting a strong finish this week and building some momentum.”

Jack Wood, No. 24 Chevy Truck Month Chevrolet Silverado RST

Atlanta Motor Speedway Stats

  • Jack Wood will make his first ever start at Atlanta Motor Speedway in any series on Saturday afternoon.

2022 NCWTS Season Stats

  • Starts: 2, Best start: 11th, Best finish: 32nd (Las Vegas), Current points position: 33rd
  • About Chevy Truck Month: The month of March celebrates Chevrolet’s annual “Chevy Truck Month”, where customers have the opportunity to purchase new Chevrolet Silverados, Colorados, and other models with steep discounts. Explore all of Chevrolet’s wide range of trucks and accessories to customize them with by visiting Chevrolet.com/trucks, and be sure to visit a Chevrolet dealer near you to learn more information about the promotion.
  • Chassis History/Info: Jack Wood will drive GMS Racing chassis no. 330 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, another truck that was a part of the No. 21 team’s fleet from 2020-2021. This Silverado RST was victorious at Dover Motor Speedway with Zane Smith in 2020, and was last raced at Bristol Motor Speedway where it finished eighth last September.
  • First Atlanta Start: Wood will make his first start at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, and heads into the weekend with six prior intermediate track starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He expects this newly paved track, however, to not be like any track he’s ever raced at before. – Meet Jack: Fans can meet Jack Wood along with his GMS Racing teammate Grant Enfinger at the Team Chevy display in the fan midway at Atlanta Motor Speedway prior to the race on Saturday from 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM local time. Wood and Enfinger will be participating in a Q&A followed by a quick autograph session for all fans in attendance.
  • JW Quote: “I’m looking forward to racing in Atlanta for the first time. It’s a track that I haven’t been to before, but with the new reconfiguration, we are all in the same boat as far as experience goes. I think that every one of these drivers will have to have an open mindset of how to attack this new challenge. The seat time that I’ve been able to have on the Chevy simulator has been interesting, and it leads me to believe that it is going to be a tough race. Our No. 24 team is ready to get our start to the season turned around, we really are in need of a good finish and I think Atlanta will be a great opportunity to do just that.”

ABOUT GMS RACING:

GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series operating the No. 23 and the No. 24 Chevrolet Silverado RSTs, as well as the ARCA Menards Series with the No. 43 Chevrolet SS. Since the team was formed in 2012, GMS Racing has won five titles across multiple series, including the 2016 and 2020 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship, the 2015 ARCA Menards Series championship, as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA Menards Series East championships. GMS has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. including operations for GMS Fabrication. The GMS Racing campus also houses operations for Petty GMS, a two car full-time NASCAR Cup Series team formed in 2021.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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

Todd Gilliland Has Full Support of Georgia Peanuts Behind Him at Atlanta

Rookie Wants to Continue to Improve on Previous Races

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (March 16, 2022) – Todd Gilliland will continue his learning process this weekend at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Gilliland had a strong performance at the Phoenix Raceway with a 19th-place finish and was the highest finishing rookie.

Gilliland now climbs behind the No. 38 Ford Mustang to head to the newly outfitted Atlanta Motor Speedway. He will do so with support from Georgia Peanuts.

“Phoenix was a really good testament to just how great my guys are,” Gilliland said. We finished that weekend as strong as we possibly could, my pit crew did amazing all day, and we continued to fight forward.”

Gilliland is optimistic about heading to Atlanta with the new track configuration, while still learning the new car.

“I believe this weekend will be just as good, if not better, than previous races at Atlanta,” stated Gilliland. “These new cars are fun to drive and I think this new configuration is going to bring the cars closer together. That give us more opportunities for our Georgia Peanuts Mustang to make moves to the front.”

“I’m proud to be racing for all the peanut farmers in Georgia and for their great products. The car is awesome and it’s cool to race for Georgia Peanuts this weekend.”

Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race from Atlanta begins at 3:00 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.

Smith Looks for Second Win Heading into Atlanta

Hopes to Bring Fr8 Auctions to Victory Lane in Titled Race

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (March 16, 2022) – Zane Smith heads into Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway looking for his second win of the season.

FR8Auctions will dawn the No. 38 Ford F-150 for the first time this weekend, at a track where they also hold the title sponsorship for the truck series event.

“There is the age-old saying, ‘what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,’ and that’s what our mindset is heading into this weekend,” Smith stated. “We are really focused on coming out of the gate strong at this new Atlanta.”

Smith is happy to be carrying the FR8Auctions brand at the track where they hold the title sponsorship.

“It’s great to have FR8Auctions partnered with us this season”, said Smith. “This one is a little more special, we want to really go out and have a strong showing and compete for the win in the FR8 208.”

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series FR8 208 will air on Saturday at 2:30 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.

Fr8 Auctions to Make Season Debut with McDowell

McDowell Ready to Tackle New Atlanta Track

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (March 16, 2022) – This weekend features FR8Auctions returning to the No. 34 Ford Mustang with Michael McDowell for the first time in 2022. The loyal supporter to Front Row Motorsports, this track is Fr8Auctions hometown and McDowell wants nothing more that a great run on Sunday.

But, there are many unknowns going into this weekend’s race. There is much optimism for McDowell and the team after showing speed in the opening weekends and a top-10 in the Daytona 500.

“The races the last few weeks, we’ve had speed, but we didn’t get the finishes. It wasn’t for a lack of preparation or effort, but we’re still working to make our races perfect. We just need to keep doing what we’re doing.” says McDowell.

Entering into the unknown with the newly repaved and reconfigured track, it is unclear what will be seen when cars hit the track on Friday for first practice, but Michael is confident in his Fr8auctions.com team and their hard work.

“We have had good runs at Atlanta in the past, but it’s interesting what will happen this weekend. It’s hard to say what exactly that will be, especially not having been or driven the new surface. We’re all working hard and our engineers have been running models to see what may be best.

“I really want to have a great weekend for Fr8Auctions. Marcus (Barela, owner, Fr8 Auctions) has been so loyal to FRM and our teams. It’s been a great partnership and we want to have a great race at his home track.

Michael McDowell and his FR8auctions, #BraveLikeWyatt Ford Mustang will race at Atlanta this Sunday, March 20th, at 3pm 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.

DIXON CONTINUES PURSUIT OF INDYCAR LEGENDS HEADING INTO SUNDAY’S XPEL 375 NTT INDYCAR SERIES RACE WEEKEND

Six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Scott Dixon needs one more win to tie Mario Andretti for second on the all-time victory list and another series title to tie A.J. Foyt’s record of seven.

FORT WORTH, Texas (March 16, 2022) – Scott Dixon always has looked up to legends Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt, but he soon may find himself firmly entrenched beside them.

With the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season underway, the Chip Ganassi Racing superstar continues to inch closer to the once seemingly untouchable INDYCAR career statistical records of two of the greatest drivers in motorsports.

Given Dixon’s success at Texas Motor Speedway, one of those marks could be matched in Sunday’s XPEL 375 NTT INDYCAR SERIES race (TV – NBC. Radio – INDYCAR Radio Network, SiriusXM Radio INDYCAR Nation Ch. 160 and 95.9 The Ranch) as the Fort Worth venue opens its 26th season with the second event on the 17-race INDYCAR calendar.

With 51 career victories, Dixon is one shy of tying Andretti for the second-most wins in INDYCAR history. He also owns six NTT INDYCAR SERIES championships and needs one more to tie Foyt for the all-time mark. To put his success into greater perspective, no current fulltime driver has more than 40 wins (Will Power) and or more than two series titles (Josef Newgarden).

The 41-year-old New Zealander is not showing any signs of slowing down, either. He has won two of the last four series titles, capturing one in 2018 and another in ’20, and has finished among the top four in the championship 15 of the last 16 years. He finished fourth in last year’s title race that was won by his 24-year-old Chip Ganassi Racing teammate, Alex Palou.

Dixon has earned at least one win in 17 consecutive seasons and 19 overall, both INDYCAR records. His win at Texas last season allowed him to extend those records, but it turned out to be his only one and ended a run of four consecutive multiple-win seasons.

“The motivation is strong, for sure,”,” said Dixon, who includes the 2008 Indianapolis 500 among his wins. “We worked hard in the offseason to figure the areas that we needed to work on, and I think we laid that out pretty well. I’m excited for the season. I love racing, I love the INDYCAR SERIES, everything about the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and what they do. Hopefully, it’s a good season. We’ll see how it goes.”

Dixon opened the season with an eighth-place finish in the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on Feb. 27 and now arrives at a track where he and Chip Ganassi Racing have enjoyed a ton of success.

He became the all-time leader for career INDYCAR victories at TMS when he won the opening race of last season’s doubleheader for his fifth, breaking a tie with Helio Castroneves of Meyer Shank Racing. It also was the seventh win overall for Chip Ganassi Racing, which ranks second only to Team Penske’s 10. However, Chip Ganassi Racing is trending upward thanks to Dixon, who has won three of the last five races at Texas Motor Speedway, while Team Penske has just one since 2018 (Newgarden, 2019).

“It’s a place I feel comfortable at, it’s a place where we have run at and done well, and the team has always been fast here from pole positions to having very fast cars,” Dixon said. “It’s an interesting place; you don’t always get it right and when it does go wrong it can be pretty bad. But I like having the situation of being on the limit, quite unlike a lot of these new road courses that we go to where there’s parking lots of run-off space. You’ve got to have the risk versus reward, and I think this place sums it up well.”

With five career wins at Texas, he has enjoyed his share of cowboy hats, six shooters and flames in the SpeedyCash.com Victory Lane and the post-race celebration has made an indelible impression on him as has the high-banked, 1.5-mile oval.

“It’s a tough track, it’s a fun track, there’s no winner’s circle like it in the world,” Dixon said. “I know for me it’s been one of the most fun places I’ve ever won anything.”

· The XPEL 375 weekend opens Saturday featuring NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifying (1-2 p.m.) and a pair of practices (10-11 a.m., 4-5 p.m.). On Sunday, the Fan Zone opens at 8 a.m. and the gates at 9 a.m. for the XPEL 375 that takes the green flag at 11:45 a.m. TV – NBC. Radio – INDYCAR Radio Network, SiriusXM Radio INDYCAR Nation Ch. 160 and 95.9 The Ranch (local).

The XPEL 375 weekend opens Saturday, March 19, featuring NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifying (1-2 p.m.) and a pair of practices (10-11 a.m., 4-5 p.m.). On Sunday, March 20, the Fan Zone opens at 8 a.m. and the gates at 9 a.m. for the XPEL 375 that takes the green flag at 11:45 a.m.

TICKETS:
Texas Motor Speedway is offering a $48 special promotion for two tickets to the race. Tickets for children 12 and under are only $10. For more information on tickets and the race, please visit www.texasmotorspeedway.com.

Tickets for Texas Motor Speedway’s 2022 major event season, including the March 20 NTT INDYCAR SEREIS XPEL 375/American Flat Track races and, May 22 NASCAR All-Star Race, are on sale now at https://www.texasmotorspeedway.com/events/season-tickets/.

MORE INFO:
Keep track of all of Texas Motor Speedway’s busy schedule by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Keep up with all the latest news and information on the speedway website and TMS mobile app.

Ross Chastain – Fr8 208 Race Advance

Race Advance – Fr8 208 (135 Laps/208 Miles) | Atlanta Motor Speedway
Saturday, March 19 | Hampton, Ga. | 2:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN), Sirius XM Ch. 90
Team: No. 41 Eat Florida Watermelon Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Ross Chastain (Alva, Fla.) | Crew Chief: Cody Efaw
Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @RossChastain

Chastain on making his 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at Atlanta: “Thanks to Al Niece and everyone at Niece Motorsports who make it possible for me to compete in the Truck Series. It’s always exciting to get behind the wheel of a Niece Chevrolet and to be able to represent the Florida Watermelon Association is an added bonus this week. Although there are plenty of unknowns heading into Atlanta with the recent repave, I’m confident that the people of Niece Motorsports have a truck prepared that’s capable of running up front.”

Chastain at Atlanta Motor Speedway (NCWTS): Chastain makes his sixth career start at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Saturday and his fourth with Niece Motorsports. He owns an average finish of 9.8 with four-consecutive top-10 finishes at the 1.5-mile track. Chastain produced finishes of sixth (2019), sixth (2020), and seventh (2021) in his three previous truck starts with Niece Motorsports and led 17 laps in the 2020 event.

Chastain has also made four starts in the NASCAR Cup Series and six starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Saturday’s Fr8 208 at Atlanta marks Chastain’s 96th career start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, a career that includes three wins (Kansas 2019, Gateway 2019, Pocono 2019), 17 top-fives, and 42 top-10s.

On the Truck: Chastain and the No. 41 Chevrolet Silverado will carry the Eat Florida Watermelon paint scheme in Saturday’s Fr8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

About Niece Motorsports:

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

Media Inquiries: media@niecemotorsports.com www.niecemotorsports.com

About the Florida Watermelon Association

The Florida Watermelon Association (FWA) was formed to enable growers and marketers of the Florida watermelon industry to unite. Organized membership allows the association to promote the consumption of watermelons grown in Florida. The FWA assists its members in the growing and marketing of watermelons by providing a forum through this Corporation’s meetings. The Florida Watermelon Queen scholarship program was established in 1968 to assist the association in promotional efforts. The queen helps boost sales of Florida grown watermelon by engaging the public at numerous events, from grocery stores to Nascar races. The Florida Watermelon queen will compete for the National Watermelon Queen title at the National Watermelon Association annual convention.

Follow Ross Chastain on Instagram and on the web: @rosschastain / rosschastain.com

XPEL 375 Fast Facts

Race weekend: Saturday, March 19 and Sunday, March 20
Track: Texas Motor Speedway, a 1.5-mile oval
Race distance: 248 laps/372 miles
Firestone tire allotment: Eleven sets primary to be used during practice, qualifying and the race.
Twitter: @TXMotorSpeedway @INDYCAR, #XPEL375, #INDYCAR
Event website: www.TexasMotorSpeedway.com
INDYCAR website: www.indycar.com

2021 race winners: Race 1: Scott Dixon, 1:45:51.3417, 173.036 mph (212 laps/318 miles); Race 2: Pato O’Ward, 2:06:31.1155, 169.360 mph (248 laps/372 miles)

2021 NTT P1 Award winner: Race 1: Alex Palou (Points); Race 2: Scott Dixon (Points)

Qualifying record (based on track distance of 1.44 miles)

One lap: Charlie Kimball, 23.2730, 222.747 mph, June 9, 2017

Two laps: Charlie Kimball, 46.5861, 222.556 mph, June 9, 2017

NBC Sports race telecast: 12:30 p.m. (ET) Sunday, NBC (live). Leigh Diffey is the play-by-play announcer for NBC’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Marty Snider and Kevin Lee are the pit reporters.

Peacock Premium Live Streaming: All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions and qualifying will stream live on Peacock Premium, NBC’s direct-to-consumer livestreaming product. NBC’s XPEL 375 race telecast will be simulcast on the streaming service, while Peacock Premium’s exclusive post-race show – featuring driver interviews, podium ceremonies and post-race analysis – will debut following the race.

INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the chief announcer alongside analyst Davey Hamilton and turn announcer Nick Yeoman. Jake Query and Michael Young are the pit reporters. The XPEL 375 race and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 160, racecontrol.indycar.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

At-track schedule (All times local/Central Time):

Saturday, March 19

9:45-9:55 a.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES two-stage pit speed limiter practice
10-11 a.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice, Peacock Premium
1 p.m. Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (Single car, cumulative time of two laps), Peacock Premium (Live)
4-5 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES final practice, Peacock Premium

Sunday, March 20

11:30 a.m. NBC on air
11:40 a.m. “Drivers, start your engines”
11:45 a.m. XPEL 375 (248 laps / 372 miles), NBC (Live)

Race Notes:

  • Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin kicked off the 2022 season with a bang, claiming his first career NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory Feb. 27 on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. The 27-year-old New Zealander outdueled series champions Alex Palou and Will Power to claim the championship point lead for the first time.
  • The XPEL 375 will be the 35th INDYCAR SERIES race at Texas Motor Speedway, dating to Arie Luyendyk winning the INDYCAR SERIES event in 1997. No driver has competed in every INDYCAR SERIES race at TMS, but Scott Dixon has started 22 races.
  • Scott Dixon has won five times at Texas Motor Speedway, the most wins by an INDYCAR SERIES driver at the track. Dixon won in 2008, 2015, 2018, 2020 and 2021 Race 1. Seven past TMS winners are entered in this year’s XPEL 375: Dixon, Helio Castroneves (2004 Race 2, 2006, 2009 and 2013), Will Power (2011 Race 2 and 2017), Ed Carpenter (2014), Graham Rahal (2016), Josef Newgarden (2019) and Pato O’Ward (2021 Race 2).
  • Will Power has won the pole for three of the past 10 Texas Motor Speedway races (2013, 2014 and 2015). Other past pole winners entered this year are Scott Dixon (2008), Josef Newgarden (2018 and 2020) and Takuma Sato (2019). Dixon and Alex Palou were awarded the pole based on entrant points after qualifying was rained out in 2021.
  • Six drivers have won the Texas race from the pole: Sam Hornish Jr. (2001 Race 2), Gil de Ferran (2003 Race 2), Helio Castroneves (2004 Race 2), Tomas Scheckter (2005), Scott Dixon (2008) and Ryan Briscoe (2010).
  • Drivers who have won at Texas have gone on to win the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship nine times, including in three of the last four seasons. Champions who won at Texas are Sam Hornish Jr. (2001 Race 2 and 2002 Race 2), Tony Kanaan (2004 Race 1), Scott Dixon (2008, 2015, 2018 and 2020), Dario Franchitti (2011 Race 1) and Josef Newgarden (2019).
  • Twenty drivers entered this weekend have competed in past NTT INDYCAR SERIES events at Texas Motor Speedway. Twelve drivers have led laps at the track: Scott Dixon 1,043, Will Power 433, Josef Newgarden 187, Ed Carpenter 93, Simon Pagenaud 85, Takuma Sato 72, Graham Rahal 49, Pato O’Ward 25, Alexander Rossi 10, Alex Palou 9, Rinus VeeKay 5 and Marcus Ericsson
  • Five rookies – Devlin DeFrancesco, Callum Ilott, Kyle Kirkwood, Christian Lundgaard and David Malukas – are entered. All five, plus seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and seven-time Texas race winner Jimmie Johnson, will attempt to make their first NTT INDYCAR SERIES start on an oval this weekend at Texas. Ed Carpenter and JR Hildebrand are slated to make their 2022 season debut this weekend.
  • Milestones: Colton Herta will attempt to make his 50th NTT INDYCAR SERIES start … Takuma Sato will attempt to make his 200th NTT INDYCAR SERIES start … Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 290th consecutive start, the second-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history.

Braves World Series trophy to be displayed at Atlanta NASCAR race

HAMPTON, Ga. (March 16, 2022) – Before NASCAR’s stars race for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 trophy, race fans at Atlanta Motor Speedway will have a chance to get a close look at The Commissioner’s Trophy won by the Atlanta Braves in 2021.

The 2021 World Series Champions will display their championship trophy near the pre-race stage on the frontstretch starting at 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 20. There fans with pre-race pit passes will be able to see the two-foot tall trophy from up close until the Travis Denning pre-race concert begins at 1 p.m.

“There’s so many cool things to see and do during a race weekend in Atlanta, and as a Braves fan myself seeing the championship trophy is absolutely at the top of the list this year,” said AMS Executive Vice President and General Manager Brandon Hutchison.

Later in the pre-race festivities during driver introductions, the Braves’ World Series trophy will move to the starting grid, sitting alongside the field of NASCAR Cup Series cars before they fire their engines for 500 miles of racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The historic speedway has been revamped for 2022 with steeper banking in its turns and fresh asphalt that will provide a style of racing Atlanta race fans have never seen before.

To get more information or purchase tickets to the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 NASCAR weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway March 18-20, visit AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com or call 877-9-AMS-TIX.

About the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend:

Since 2015 the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 has been the main event in Atlanta Motor Speedway’s spring NASCAR weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. This storied race brings awareness to Folds of Honor and its mission to help families of military servicemen and women who have fallen or been disabled while on active duty in the United States Armed Forces.

On Sunday, March 20, 2022, this 500-mile race will be the first for the NASCAR Cup Series on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s revamped racing surface, with NASCAR’s best taking to the reconfigured 28-degree banked corners for the first time.

The race weekend also features Atlanta’s same-day NASCAR doubleheader on Saturday, March 19, 2022. The thrills of the Fr8 208 Camping World Truck Series race and the Nalley Cars 250 Xfinity Series race all happen in one action-packed day that race fans look forward to every year.

More information on the March 18-20, 2022, Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 weekend and ticket availability can be found online at AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

Follow Atlanta Motor Speedway:

Keep track of all of Atlanta Motor Speedway’s events by following on Twitter, Instagram, and become a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Atlanta Motor Speedway mobile app.

Carson Hocevar – Fr8 208 Race Advance

Race Advance – Fr8 208 (135 Laps/208 Miles) | Atlanta Motor Speedway
Saturday, March 19 | Hampton, Ga. | 2:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN), Sirius XM Ch. 90
Team: No. 42 Premier Security Solutions Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Carson Hocevar (Portage, Mich.) | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @CarsonHocevar

Hocevar on Atlanta Motor Speedway: “While there are a lot of question marks and unknowns going into Atlanta this weekend, we’re certain that we have a solid No. 42 Premier Security Solutions Chevrolet to bring to the race track. Having the ability to run the same truck that we ran at Las Vegas gives us the confidence that we’re putting our best foot forward to run up front at Atlanta.”

Hocevar at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Hocevar readies for his second career start at Atlanta Motor Speedway Saturday. The Michigan native produced a 12th-place finish last year in his rookie season after starting 17th.

On the Truck: Hocevar and the No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado will carry the Premier Security Solutions paint scheme for Saturday’s Fr8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Last time out (Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 – Start: 12th / Finish: 13th): Hocevar made his way into the top-five just seven laps in and opted to pit under the first caution on lap 21 to make one final push to the front before the end of stage one. He went on to earn five stage points with a fifth-place finish in stage one and started on the inside line of the front row for stage two, setting himself up to take the lead on the backstretch – the first of nine laps led on the night for the 19 year-old.

Hocevar battled Kyle Busch for the top spot in the ensuing laps before giving way to the NASCAR Cup Series Champion and crossed the line 11th in stage two. On lap 98, Hocevar got loose off of turn four and spun, sliding through the infield grass to bring out the caution. He rebounded to pick his way through the field in the closing laps before settling for a 13th-place finish.

About Niece Motorsports:

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

Media Inquiries: media@niecemotorsports.com www.niecemotorsports.com

About Premier Security Solutions:

​​Founded in 2013 by a retired Flint Michigan Police Officer, Premier Security Solutions is committed to deflect and deter unlawful activity for their clients, create a safe campus, and provide a secure environment. A company fully committed to community involvement and protection. Premier partners with many community organizations like Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson and his G.H.O.S.T. team combatting human trafficking. Premier provides an array of security services, including K-12 school campus, industrial logistics, corporate and event security in addition to a state-of-the-art monitoring center and all types of security training for both law enforcement and civilian trainees. For more information, please visit www.premiersecurity.solutions/

Follow Carson Hocevar on Instagram and on the web: @CarsonHocevar / CarsonHocevar.com

Lawless Alan – Fr8 208 Race Advance

Race Advance – Fr8 208 (135 Laps/208 Miles) | Atlanta Motor Speedway
Saturday, March 19 | Hampton, Ga. | 2:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN), Sirius XM Ch. 90
Team: No. 45 AUTOParkit™ Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Lawless Alan (Los Angeles, Calif.) | Crew Chief: Darren Fraley
Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @lawlessalan25

Alan on making his first start at Atlanta Motor Speedway: “I’m really looking forward to my first trip to Atlanta Motor Speedway with Niece Motorsports and my AUTOParkit Chevrolet. It should be a really interesting weekend with the repave the track underwent this offseason – we don’t know how everyone is going to fare handling-wise. There’s a lot to learn for all of the teams from the top down. It’s one of the few tracks on the schedule where I have just as much experience as everyone else in the field, which is none.”

Alan at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Alan makes his first-career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Saturday’s Fr8 208.

On the Truck: Alan and the No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado will run the AUTOParkit™ colors for Saturday’s Fr8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Last time out (Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 – Start: 26th / Finish: 19th): Alan suffered nose damage on his No. 45 AUTOParkit Chevrolet as a result of the race’s first caution on lap 12 – an issue that the No. 45 team worked to remedy throughout the duration of the Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200. Despite falling a lap down due to a number of trips down pit road to make repairs, Alan was the recipient of the free pass at the end of stage two to rejoin the field on the lead lap and rebounded to post a top-20 finish in his first-career start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

About Niece Motorsports:

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

Media Inquiries: media@niecemotorsports.com www.niecemotorsports.com

About AUTOParkit:

AUTOParkit™ designs, manufactures, and constructs fully automated parking systems for new and existing buildings. AUTOParkit system structural steel and modular design can provide double the capacity of a traditional parking garage, providing up to 17 LEED points and drastically reducing construction time. AUTOParkit automated systems are 40 percent less expensive to operate, safer for the user and reduces carbon emissions associated with parking by more than 80 percent. AUTOParkit’s charging pallets provided by AUTOChargit, are a fast and convenient way of charging EVs and Hybrids. AUTOChargit’s patented technology allows for shuffling charged vehicles cutting infrastructure costs by up to 80 percent.

For more information on AUTOParkit, visit www.autoparkit.com

Follow Lawless Alan on Instagram and on the web: @lawless_alan / www.lawlessalanracing.com