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Gravel, Davenport, Yankowski Kick Off NGK NTK World of Outlaws World Finals In Style

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Official Release
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November 05, 2021: at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in Concord, North Carolina. (HHP/Chris Owens)
  • David Gravel (World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars), Jonathan Davenport (World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models) and Alex Yankowski (Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds) won Friday’s feature races in the NGK NTK World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte
  • Fans can buy tickets and pit passes to Saturday’s finale to the NGK NTK World of Outlaws World Finals by visiting https://www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/

CONCORD, N.C. (Nov. 5, 2021) – While David Gravel didn’t win the war this season, he claimed another important battle on Friday night. Out of championship contention, Gravel nonetheless continued his dominance at The Dirt Track at Charlotte by winning the 30-lap feature for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars on the penultimate night of the NGK NTK World of Outlaws World Finals.

Gravel has won four of the last five feature races at The Dirt Track and will go for the weekend sweep on Saturday. Gates open at 12 p.m. ET, with Opening Ceremonies at 1 p.m.

Jonathan Davenport and teenager Alex Yankowski joined Gravel as winners on Friday night. Davenport won the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models feature, while Yankowski, 17, earned his first career win in the Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds.

Gravel, who led every lap and won the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash to earn the pole for the 30-lap sprint car feature, took the lead for good after dueling slide jobs with Brian Brown with 12 laps to go.

“Feels really good to get a win,” Gravel said. “I didn’t seal up second place in points and wanted to do good tonight and seal it up. I think we did that tonight. So, we go into tomorrow to just have some fun and try and get another one.”

Gravel and the rest of the Outlaw sprint car field chased Logan Schuchart for the first half of the race, but Schuchart had a flat left-rear tire after a restart and lost the lead.

“It was just all track positioning,” Gravel said. “I think if I got the lead on Logan, I don’t think he would’ve passed me. It was just all about where you were at and being in the right place at the right time. Luckily, we were there.

“Brownie kept throwing sliders on me. I was running as hard as I could trying to clear him, and finally I was able to clear him. I had to run a torrid pace for those last 12 laps, and it took a damn long time. I got up to lapped traffic sooner than I wanted to. I saw there were seven to go. And I’m like, ‘Man, I have to try something here.’ It started cleaning up off the cushion, almost like it was taking rubber a little bit, so I moved down, and it worked out.”

Brown ended up losing second to Kerry Madsen off Turn 4 on the final lap. Madsen recovered from an incident on the second lap to rally through the field.

“Can’t complain,” Madsen said. “I messed up pretty bad on the second lap. We were back at 10th at one stage, and fortunately those last couple double-file restarts helped me out. I needed really clean air to keep my car locked down. The last five laps, I started pushing really hard, and it came to me. That’s racing, and I’m pretty happy with P2.”

Brown finished third, with Carson Macedo fourth and Donny Schatz fifth. Brad Sweet, who clinched the 2021 championship by qualifying Friday, finished eighth.

“Maybe I conceded second to Kerry, maybe chasing a little bit of rubber a lane off the top and thinking I might have something for David,” Brown said. “He got a little balled up off (Turn) 4 one time and let me get a little bit of a run. I was almost laying to try and snooker him and probably should have ran a little bit harder and see what I could do.”

Davenport earned his ninth career Outlaw Late Models victory by passing 2021 series champion Brandon Sheppard with 19 laps to go and pulling away to a four-second win. Sheppard was second with Dennis Erb Jr. third.

“(The car) was really good,” Davenport said. “I thought I was a little bit better than Brandon when he was behind the 7 car (of Ricky Weiss), but I knew he had a little bit of dirty air and I could run a lane lower than he could. Once (Brown) he got into the lead, I thought, ‘Oh, crap, he’s going to be in clean air.’ But we got to lapped cars and it slowed him up a little bit. It gave me just enough where I could get a run on him.”

Yankowski took advantage of a late caution to erase a deficit to Larry Wight and then passed Wight with nine laps to go to take the Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds win. Wight was second, with Mat Williamson third. Series champion Matt Sheppard finished 15th.

Yankowski was the fastest qualifier and won one of the four heat races.

“It was just one of those days, it just seemed like everything went our way,” Yankowski said. “I don’t know if I could ever have a day like that again. We’ve got a great group of guys. This was awesome.”

The other heat-race winners were Brett Hearn, Mike Trautschold and Peter Britten.

Brown, Madsen, Spencer Bayston and Kasey Kahne were the heat-race winners in sprint cars. Gravel earned his series-leading 19th quick time of the season with a lap of 12.579 seconds.

In Late Models, Tim McCreadie, Davenport, Sheppard and Ricky Weiss won the heat races, with McCreadie earning the 19th fast qualifier of his career.

TICKETS:
Fans can renew their tickets and lock in their seats for next year’s World of Outlaws World Finals on-site this weekend or by visiting www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.

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Erik Jones Revs Up Reading with Phoenix-Area Students

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Official Release
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AVONDALE, Ariz., (Nov. 5, 2021) – Erik Jones brought new meaning to the phrase “read the room” Friday morning at Estrella Vista STEM Academy for Engineering. The NASCAR Cup Series driver whose charitable foundation, the Erik Jones Foundation, champions childhood reading, turned pages with students before turning laps around nearby Phoenix Raceway.

Jones read Dragons Love Tacos by the author/illustrator team of Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri to each of the school’s third-grade classes. Every student walked away with a copy of the book, and the school’s library was gifted with 10 more books, all thanks to a collaboration between Jones’ eponymous foundation and Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company.

Jones then participated in a question-and-answer session with fifth-grade students before departing for the racetrack, where the 25-year-old racer from Byron, Michigan, will drive the iconic No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro for Richard Petty Motorsports in the season-ending NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix.

“We’re still in the very early stages of building our foundation, but today was a proud moment because the Erik Jones Foundation is now an official Scholastic Literacy Partner,” said Jones, who launched his foundation back in August before his home race at Michigan International Speedway. “I’m passionate about reading. It’s a great escape, but it also makes you smarter. The more you read, the more you learn, and the best part about all of it is that once you have it, no one can ever take it away. It’s yours, and you can apply it to whatever you want to do in life.”

Jones’ appearance at the Estrella Vista STEM Academy for Engineering was done in collaboration with Valley of the Sun United Way, which supports community causes that ensure children and their families have a safe place to live with every opportunity to succeed in school, life and work.

“Our goal is to increase third-grade reading proficiency by 25 percent before 2016, and there’s no better way to do that than by showing students tangible reasons why reading is so important,” said Dr. Melissa Boydston, Vice President of Community Development and Engagement for Education, Valley of the Sun United Way. “Erik Jones is walking and talking proof of how reading helped make his dream of driving racecars for a living a reality. The kids got to see him and hear from him, and seeing is believing. Erik’s time at the school today really made an impact, and the work he is doing with his foundation is incredibly valuable. When we reach our goal, we can thank the Erik Jones Foundation for its help.”

Friday’s school visit was an extension of Jones’ #READwithErik series, which began last spring when COVID-19 forced NASCAR to take a 10-week break and schools transitioned to remote learning. Jones saw an opportunity to share his passion for reading, and the first #READwithErik event took place on April 21, 2020 when he sat down in front of a camera and read Dr. Seuss’ iconic Oh, The Places You’ll Go via his Facebook page. Since its debut, #READwithErik has featured 38 books with more than 200,000 views.

“COVID made life tough for everyone, but kids especially. They couldn’t go to school and see their friends, and normal things like getting together at the cafeteria table all of a sudden just went away. I wanted to do something to try and make that a little bit better, and that’s how our virtual reading circle came together,” said Jones.

“It was back at Michigan when we launched our foundation that I was able to do our first in-person reading. It was at a campground just outside the racetrack. Today was only our second in-person reading, but our first in a school. It was awesome. In-person is so much better than virtual. It was real and we got to interact with kids. It was a great way for me to kick off my race weekend and I’d like to think the kids enjoyed doing something a little bit different from their regular school day.”

Dr. Boydston agreed, citing the impact of COVID-19 on children’s reading skills.

“Results of the most recent state English language arts assessment confirm the implications of the pandemic on third grade reading proficiency,” Boydston said. “Less than half of Arizona’s third-grade readers passed the assessment, with our youngest students experiencing significant unfinished learning. That’s why opportunities like this, having Erik Jones ignite children’s passion for reading, is so very important. We know that reading books aloud to children stimulates their imagination. It expands their understanding of the world and helps develop their language and listening skills.”

Supporting the Erik Jones Foundation and initiatives like the one at Estrella Vista STEM Academy for Engineering is easy during the upcoming season of giving. When shopping online, choose smile.amazon.com. Simply designate the Erik Jones Foundation as your charity of choice and Amazon will donate a portion of the sale from your purchases to the Foundation.

About the Erik Jones Foundation:

The Erik Jones Foundation changes lives by igniting children’s passion for reading, encouraging early cancer detection and care, and promoting animal welfare. Those wishing to make tax-deductible contributions to the Erik Jones Foundation can do so via the following address or online at www.ErikJonesRacing/Foundation.

Erik Jones Foundation

370 E. Maple Road, 4th Floor

Birmingham, Michigan 48009

About Valley of the Sun United Way:

Valley of the Sun United Way envisions a community where every child, family and individual is healthy, has a safe place to live, and has every opportunity to succeed in school, in life and in work. As we work with our community, corporate and nonprofit partners to implement MC2026, our five-year plan for Mighty Change, we will put all of our efforts toward reaching bold goals for Maricopa County in Health, Housing and Homelessness, Education and Workforce Development. We invite you to join us. www.vsuw.org

About Scholastic:

For more than 100 years, Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) has been encouraging the personal and intellectual growth of all children, beginning with literacy. Having earned a reputation as a trusted partner to educators and families, Scholastic is the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books, a leading provider of literacy curriculum, professional services, and classroom magazines, and a producer of educational and entertaining children’s media. The Company creates and distributes bestselling books and e-books, print and technology-based learning programs for pre-K to grade 12, and other products and services that support children’s learning and literacy, both in school and at home. With 15 international operations and exports to 165 countries, Scholastic makes quality, affordable books available to all children around the world through school-based book clubs and book fairs, classroom libraries, school and public libraries, retail, and online. Learn more at www.scholastic.com.

SILVERADO POWERS ZANE SMITH TO CHAMPIONSHIP RUNNER-UP

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Official Release
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AVONDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 05: Zane Smith, driver of the #21 MRC Construction Chevrolet, practices for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix Raceway on November 05, 2021 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

AVONDALE, Ariz. (November 5, 2021) – Zane Smith, driver of the No. 21 MRC Construction Silverado, is the 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) championship runner-up following his fifth-place finish in the season-ending Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix Raceway.

Smith, by reaching the Championship 4 for the second consecutive year, was looking to join Johnny Sauter (2016) and Sheldon Creed (2020) as GMS drivers to earn a championship in the NASCAR Truck Series.

“I just needed for my truck to turn,” said Smith. “We struggled with that since we unloaded. But still an insane year, really. We were eight laps away from winning the championship. I’ve had so much support from Maury Gallagher, Mike Beam, MRC Construction, RTA gigFAST INTERNET; all the people that have helped me get to this point. Team Chevy – I almost got Chevy another one. I tried using all my tools from my side of things, but just couldn’t get the truck to turn and we fought that all night.”

The 22-year-old 2020 Sunoco Rookie of the Year has piloted his Chevy Silverado to victory lane three times in 46 career starts; and has captured 11 top-five and 28 top-10 finishes.

Chevrolet returns to competition in the NASCAR Truck Series with the NextEra Energy 250 season-opener at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, February 18, 2022.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Toyota Racing – NCWTS Phoenix Post-Race Report – 11.05.21

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Official Release
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RHODES EARNS FIRST TITLE
Ben Rhodes wins Truck Series championship with a third-place finish, Chandler Smith scores victory

PHOENIX (November 5, 2021) – Ben Rhodes finished third and earned his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship at Phoenix Raceway on Friday evening. It is the fourth championship for ThorSport Racing. Rhodes is the seventh different Truck Series champion for Toyota and ninth driver’s championship overall.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Phoenix Raceway
Race 22 of 22 – 150 Laps, 150 Miles

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, CHANDLER SMITH
2nd, STEWART FRIESEN
3rd, BEN RHODES
4th, Sheldon Creed*
5th, Zane Smith*
6th, CHRISTIAN ECKES
7th, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
10th, AUSTIN HILL
11th, JOHNNY SAUTER
12th, MATT CRAFTON
15th, DEREK KRAUS
18th, DREW DOLLAR
22nd, WILL RODGERS
27th, CHRIS HACKER
28th, DANNY BOHN
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

CHANDLER SMITH, No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports

Finishing Position: 1st

The other Kyle Busch Motorsports team in Victory Lane with Chandler Smith. Second win of the year for Chandler as well as Rookie of the Year. How was your race?

“Yeah, for sure, first and foremost, All Glory to the Man Upstairs, without him, none of this would be possible. I wouldn’t have all these awesome relationships with all these guys, my racing family. This is my family. Also, he’s blessed me with a great family and being around great people and being able to come out to Phoenix Raceway in front of these fans tonight and be able to compete in high tier equipment. I’m just really blessed right now. Can’t thank Safelite, Toyota Racing, Danny (Stockman), KBM, Kyle (Busch), everybody that goes down the line to make this happen.”

BEN RHODES, No. 99 Bombardier LearJet 75 Toyota Tundra, ThorSport Racing

Finishing Position: 3rd

You see the emotion out of Ben Rhodes. Ben, you started the season with a win at Daytona and you finish the season winning the Championship at Phoenix. You sir are the Camping World Truck Series Champion.

“That was the hardest last 40 laps I think I have ever driven in my life. I was doing things to the race car I probably shouldn’t have been doing, it was dumb, but I had everything to lose. And we brought it home and won it. I don’t even know what to say. This is crazy. Bookends for the season, I am so proud of my ThorSport Racing group. This wasn’t like a vision we had, right, everyone wants to win it, but you just don’t know, it’s so hard. I just can’t thank Duke and Rhonda (Thorson) enough. They are the reason I’m here tonight, Bombardier, Toyota, Menards, WileyX, we have so many people that help us, I can’t even talk right now I’m so excited.“

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, No. 4 Pye-Barker Fire & Safety Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports

Finishing Position: 7th

It’s amazing John Hunter Nemecheck finished seventh given everything you went through tonight. I know you were short on the championship and that’s what mattered. Can you bring me through everything you had to battle out there tonight?

“Yeah, I got run in to the first corner, got in to the fence, somebody else ran in to us on the left side and this thing is killed pretty much, but had a left front tire go flat, went down two laps, got both of our laps back, but just needed more laps I guess. After all, felt we had the best truck tonight Playoff wise for sure. Drove from pretty much last to seventh there and running down Ben (Rhodes) and Zane (Smith) for the championship, just not enough. That’s what’s frustrating. A huge shout out to all of our partners. I’m disappointed, frustrated. Thank you Pye-Barker Fire Alarm Services, Toyota, Kyle (Busch), everyone. Thankful for the opportunity. We came here to win races this year, we succeeded, came up short of the championship. I’ll be #BackForMore next year.”

MATT CRAFTON, No. 88 Ideal Door/Menards Toyota Tundra, ThorSport Racing

Finishing Position: 12th

What were you fighting tonight?

“We really fought free off all night. Really free off, center off. Never really could get ahold of it for whatever reason. I’m excited for Ben (Rhodes), Duke and Rhonda (Thorson), everybody over there. This Menards Toyota Tundra – we qualified well, I mean, decent. I was really worried about that because every time we qualify decent here, we don’t race good. All-in-all, regroup, head to Daytona – go to 2022.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks in North America, where we have 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama (10 in the U.S.), and directly employ more than 47,000 people (over 36,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold nearly 2.8 million cars and trucks (nearly 2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2019.

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.

Ben Rhodes Wins First NASCAR Truck Series Championship

By
Official Release
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AVONDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 05: Ben Rhodes, driver of the #99 Bombardier LearJet 75 Chevrolet, practices for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix Raceway on November 05, 2021 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Earns Toyota’s Ninth Truck Series Driver’s Title

AVONDALE, Ariz. (November 5, 2021) – Tundra driver Ben Rhodes won his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) championship on Friday night with a third-place finish at Phoenix Raceway. Rhodes’ championship marks the ninth Truck Series driver title for Toyota.

TOYOTA FAST FACTS

• Rhodes won two races, claimed eight top-five results and 16 top-10 finishes over 22 races to claim the 2021 NCWTS Driver’s Championship.

• The title is Rhodes’ first NASCAR championship in his sixth full-time season competing in the Truck Series and the third year racing a Tundra for ThorSport Racing.

• Rhodes won Toyota’s 200th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at the Daytona International Speedway road course on February 19, 2021

• It is the fourth driver’s championship for ThorSport Racing (Matt Crafton – 2013, 2014, 2019).

• The 24-year-old Louisville, Kentucky native is the seventh Tundra racer to capture a driver’s championship. In addition to Rhodes, Brett Moffitt (2018), Christopher Bell (2017), Erik Jones (2015), Matt Crafton (2013 and 2014), Todd Bodine (2006, 2010) and Johnny Benson (2008) have also captured Truck Series titles for Toyota.

• Toyota also clinched its series-high 12th NCWTS Manufacturer’s Championship (2006-2010, 2013-2017, 2019, 2021) earlier this season at Martinsville Speedway with Tundra drivers winning 15 races during the 2021 season. Toyota has scored a total of 213 victories since joining NCWTS competition in 2004.

TOYOTA QUOTES

BEN RHODES, No. 99 Toyota Tundra, ThorSport Racing

“That was the hardest last 40 laps I think I have ever driven in my life. I was doing things to the race car I probably shouldn’t have been doing, it was dumb, but I had everything to lose. And we brought it home and won it. I don’t even know what to say. This is crazy. Bookends for the season, I am so proud of my ThorSport Racing group. This wasn’t like a vision we had, right, everyone wants to win it, but you just don’t know, it’s so hard. I just can’t thank Duke and Rhonda (Thorson) enough. They are the reason I’m here tonight, Bombardier, Toyota, Menards, WileyX, we have so many people that help us, I can’t even talk right now I’m so excited.“

PAUL DOLESHAL, group manager, motorsports and asset management, Toyota Motor North America

“To see Ben’s excitement in winning his first career NASCAR championship has been really special. We couldn’t be more thrilled to a part of this championship journey for Ben and help add his name to a remarkable list of Tundra drivers who have won Truck Series championships. Additionally, we are excited to celebrate this title with everyone at ThorSport Racing after their return to the Toyota family this season. Congratulations to Ben, Duke & Rhonda Thorson and all of ThorSport Racing on this accomplishment.”

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 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly employs more than 47,000 in North America. The company has contributed world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama that begins production in 2021.

Through its 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.

Chandler Smith wins race, Rhodes captures Truck Series title at Phoenix

By
Briar Starr
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Photo by David Myers for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Phoenix Raceway was the site of the Championship 4 race for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for the second straight year. John Hunter Nemechek, Zane Smith, Matt Crafton, and Ben Rhodes each had a shot at the title. Three of them were looking for their first Truck Series title.

Out of those four, Ben Rhodes was able to capture the Truck Series championship for the first time in his career in only 141 starts. The Kentucky native made the winning move by passing Zane Smith with eight laps to go and never looked back to claim the 2021 Truck Series championship.

“I wouldn’t even be here today if it wasn’t for Duke and Rhonda (Thorson, ThorSport team owners),” Rhodes said. “They gave me my opportunity in this sport. They were my very first full-time national team that I raced for and I’ve been with them ever since. They’re so amazing and I can’t even begin to thank them enough. This has just been a ride of a lifetime. I hope it’s not over. I want to keep going now. This is amazing.”

While there was a Championship 4 race out on the track, there was also a race winner to be decided as well. Chandler Smith qualified on the pole with qualifying back for the first time this year. Stages of 45/45/60 laps made up the 150 lap event.

One of the Championship 4 contenders, Nemechek, got in the wall early on Lap 1. As a result of the contact with the wall, his left-front tire went down and he lost two laps in the process after bringing the truck to pit road. The first yellow flew shortly thereafter on Lap 11 for the No. 45 of Lawless Alan who crashed on the frontstretch. The caution allowed Nemechek to gain one of his laps back.

Despite Smith starting on the pole, the Georgia native lost the lead to the No. 2 of Sheldon Creed but was able to grab the lead back with 10 laps left in the stage and collect the first stage win. Rhodes finished fifth, Crafton seventh, Zane Smith ninth and Nemechek was 30th, 1 lap down.

During Stage 2, there were no cautions and it was a relatively calm stage. There was one newsworthy item though as Sheldon Creed clinched the most laps led of the season on Lap 80 and won the $50,000 bonus from Marcus Lemonis of Camping World. Even though Creed dominated the stage, the California native was passed again for the stage win, this time on the last lap of the stage when Smith made the move on the start/finish line. Rhodes was third, Zane Smith sixth, Crafton eighth and Nemechek finished 27th, still one lap down.

The final stage began with 51 laps to go but didn’t stay green for long. The fourth and final yellow flag flew on Lap 102 for the No. 12 of Tate Fogleman who stalled on the track. The caution allowed Nemechek to regain his lap and get back in contention for the title.

Following the restart with 45 to go, Zane Smith passed Rhodes for third and became the highest-ranked Championship 4 driver. As for Nemechek, the North Carolina native continued his rally up toward the front and got as high as ninth with 10 laps to go. Nemechek’s run stalled out to seventh and Zane Smith looked comfortable in fourth. Unfortunately for Smith, he was passed by Rhodes with eight to go and fell to runner-up in the Championship 4. Rhodes, however, ended the season with the championship title after opening the season up with two victories at Daytona.

Chandler Smith passed Creed for the lead and the eventual race win with 17 laps to go for his second win of the 2021 season. The Georgia native also won the Rookie of the Year title as well.

Photo by David Myers for SpeedwayMedia.com

“Overall, we unloaded today and got out on the track really good,” Chandler Smith said about the win. “Our Safelite Toyota Tundra topped off P2 right off the bat and was really comfortable, but was here in 2019, kind of thought the same thing and had a little experience under my belt and good news to base off of.”

“We didn’t get a mock run in and I told my crew chief Danny Stockman how many numbers freer we needed to be from the end of practice to qualifying. We were solid in qualifying and that gave us a good adjustment to where we needed to be tonight.”

Zane Smith finished fifth and fell short once again for the second consecutive year.

“It’s been a wild of a year,” Zane Smith said. “I don’t know which one hurt more, last year or this one. We fired off good, honestly too good, and just got way too tight. We tried everything from inside the truck and all the tools I had and didn’t really help. Couldn’t hold them off.”

There were four cautions for 25 laps and 12 lead changes among three different leaders. Smith led six times for 39 laps en route to victory.

Championship 4 Results:

(3rd) Ben Rhodes, 2021 Truck Series Champion
(5th) Zane Smith
(7th) John Hunter Nemechek
(12th) Matt Crafton

Stage 1: Chandler Smith, Creed, Gilliland, Friesen, Rhodes, Hocevar, Crafton, Eckes, Zane Smith, Kraus

Stage 2: C. Smith, Creed, Rhodes, Friesen, Gilliland, Z. Smith, Hocevar, Crafton, Enfinger, Eckes

Official Race Results of the Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix Raceway:

  1. Chandler Smith, won both stages, led 39 laps
  2. Stewart Friesen, led five laps
  3. Ben Rhodes
  4. Sheldon Creed, led 106 laps
  5. Zane Smith
  6. Christian Eckes
  7. John Hunter Nemechek
  8. Todd Gilliland
  9. Carson Hocevar
  10. Austin Hill
  11. Johnny Sauter
  12. Matt Crafton
  13. Grant Enfinger
  14. Tyler Ankrum
  15. Derek Kraus
  16. Chase Purdy
  17. Hailie Deegan
  18. Drew Dollar
  19. Ryan Truex
  20. Jack Wood
  21. Dean Thompson, 1 lap down
  22. Will Rodgers, 1 lap down
  23. Jordan Anderson, 1 lap down
  24. Willie Allen, 1 lap down
  25. Ty Dillon, 1 lap down
  26. Austin Wayne Self, 3 laps down
  27. Chris Hacker, 3 laps down
  28. Danny Bohn, 3 laps down
  29. Taylor Gray, 4 laps down
  30. Cory Roper, 4 laps down
  31. Spencer Boyd, 4 laps down
  32. Kris Wright, 7 laps down
  33. Tyler Hill, OUT, Alternator
  34. Tate Fogleman, OUT, Electrical
  35. Tanner Gray, OUT, Rear Gear
  36. Lawless Alan, OUT, Crash

Up Next: With the 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season now complete, teams will start prepping for the 2022 season that begins February 18, 2022, at Daytona International Speedway. It will air live on Fox Sports 1 and MRN Radio at 7:30 p.m.

World of Outlaws World Finals Adds Fourth Day Of Mud-Slinging Excitement for 2022

By
Official Release
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The top three series in dirt racing will finish the 2022 season with three straight nights of feature racing at The Dirt Track at Charlotte after officials announced an additional day of racing for next season's schedule. (CMS/HHP photo)
  • The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars, the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models and the Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Series will cap their season and crown champions after four full days of racing for the first time ever at The Dirt Track at Charlotte
  • Fans can renew their tickets, including pit passes, to the World of Outlaws World Finals on-site this weekend or online at charlottemotorspeedway.com

CONCORD, N.C. (Nov. 5, 2021) – Buckle up, race fans: the World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte promises to deliver the biggest show ever when the best wheelmen in dirt racing’s top three series return in 2022. On the penultimate night of racing this season, officials announced a fourth day of mud-slinging action will be added when the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars, the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models and the Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Series converge on Charlotte Nov. 2-5, 2022, in a season finale for the ages.

“Next season marks the 15th anniversary of World Finals and we wanted to do something big to mark the occasion for the fans who travel from across the country and around the world to make this event truly special,” said Greg Walter, executive vice president and general manager at Charlotte Motor Speedway. “What better way to say ‘thanks’ than giving them more of what they love – an extra night of dirt-flying fun as drivers battle for a coveted World Finals trophy and season-ending championship.”

The expanded show will kick off with qualifying on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022, followed by three consecutive nights of action-packed feature racing, culminating in the crowing of season champions for all three divisions.

“Each year we’ve looked at ways to increase the excitement to the fans during World Finals week,” said World of Outlaws CEO Brian Carter. “Since the beginning of the event in 2007 we’ve brought the Super DIRTcar Series to join the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars and Late Models, we’ve had unprecedented fan access, we’ve created the signature three division four-wide, we’ve added pre-event shows with drivers, concerts, parades and now adding another day to the event will only give us more opportunity to enhance the experience for the fans. We can’t wait for a four-day World Finals in 2022 and beyond.”

Complete schedules and details will be announced at a later date.

TICKETS:

Fans can renew their tickets and lock in their seats for next year’s World of Outlaws World Finals on-site this weekend or by visiting www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.

FOLLOW US:

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

52 Trans Am TA2® Cars Descend on the Lone Star State

By
Official Release
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The National and West Coast TA2 classes combine at Circuit of The Americas to create record-breaking field

AUSTIN, TEXAS (5 November 2021)- The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli National Series and West Coast Championship fields will unite for a weekend of intense action for the Heacock Classic at Circuit of The Americas (Nov. 5-7).
Fifty-two entries are now slated for the TA2® season-finale, officially resetting the single-event record for the class and upping the mark from the Nashville round, which featured 38 cars.

With the 2021 TA2 titles on both coasts settled, Rafa Matos (National) and Carl Rydquist (West Coast) can rest easy this weekend as the remainder of the record-breaking TA2 field fight for championship positions.

In the National series, Matos clinched his second career TA2 championship title at Virginia after securing his fifth win of the season. Matos is set to defend his 2020 CoTA victory and add additional hardware to his collection behind the wheel of the No. 88 3 Dimensional Services Group Ford Mustang. However, Matos will have his work cut out for him as a familiar past rivalry will reignite this weekend between former TA2 champions and Austin hometown drivers as Gar Robinson and Cameron Lawrence return to the Trans Am TA2 lineup.

Robinson, a two-time TA2 champion, will replace Mike Skeen on the Stevens-Miller Racing roster with Skeen already having locked up second in the 2021 championship to follow on his 2020 TA2 title.

Robinson won the TA2 championship his rookie season in 2015 and followed it up with another title-run in 2017, amassing 11 wins during his time with the series.

Lawrence will pilot the No. 6 Franklin Road Apparel Chevrolet Camaro for Showtime Motorsports. Team owner Ken Thwaits debuted the new Camaro earlier this season at the Big Machine Nashville Grand Prix where he placed first in the TA2 Masters class.

Lawrence competed in TA2 from 2012-2015, where he clinched two back-to-back class championships. Lawrence returned in 2017 and 2020 for a full-season campaign and still holds the record for all-time TA2 class wins with 20 class victories.

“I’m excited to return to the Trans Am Series at my home track, Circuit of the Americas, with Showtime Motorsports,” said Lawrence. “I’m very appreciative of Ken Thwaits and Franklin Road Apparel for this opportunity. Ken has assembled a strong team at Showtime Motorsports. I am looking forward to showcasing the capabilities of the team and their equipment.”

The final step on the TA2 championship podium will be determined on Sunday in a 100-mile showdown between Connor Mosack and Thomas Merrill.

Mosack (No. 28 NicTailor/IFS M1-SLR/Fields Chevrolet Camaro) leads Merrill in the championship by a mere three points. Both drivers have a win on the board for the season. While Merrill has driven the No. 81 HPTuners/MikeCopeRaceCars Ford Mustang to more podium finishes, Mosack’s consistent top-five drives have put him ahead of Merrill in points.

Both drivers agreed that with such a large field, qualifying will be extremely important on Saturday in their pursuit for not only the win but championship position.

“With the points gap for third only being three points, we’ll have to work hard to make sure we qualify and race well,” said Merrill. “Trans Am pays out points for qualifying in the top three and leading laps, so we need to make sure we spend as much time up front as possible.”

This weekend will be Mosack’s first time at CoTA with TA2.

“This weekend is definitely 100-percent focused on just trying to win the race,” explained Mosack. “As far as qualifying, it’s tough to pass at a lot of these places. At CoTA, there are more passing opportunities than other places, but obviously the less you have to pass to get to the front, the better. We’re going to focus on qualifying in the top-five and being there at the front by the end of the race.”

If former champions and class winners returning weren’t threatening enough, the TA2 West Coast drivers will also be inserted in the mix vying for the overall race victory.

With the 2021 TA2 West Coast title already decided, five drivers will battle for the remaining two spots in the championship: Tim Lynn, Darrell Anderson, Mitch Marvosh, Michele Abbate and Brad McAllister.

Lynn, Anderson and Marvosh are separated by seven points entering the final round.

Lynn is the only driver in the group to put wins on the board (WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Portland International Raceway) this season. Anderson is the top scoring rookie in the class, earning two podium finishes so far this season in the No. 45 Park Place Constructors Chevrolet Camaro. While Marvosh is the top Masters Class driver, fourth overall in points driving the No. 29 Wolf Entertainment Ford Mustang.

Abbate is the only female among the 52-car field. The No. 30 Lucas Oil Products Chevrolet Camaro driver has faced her share of challenges this season but has pulled through with five top-10 finishes, slotting Abbate just nine points behind Marvosh in fifth.

Thirty points separate second-place Lynn from sixth-place McAllister, but with 35-points still available, McAllister is still mathematically viable for second place.

“I missed the CoTA race last year while leading in the points, so I got some redemption in mind going into this years race,” said Lynn. “It’s really exciting to have the final race decide the overall finishing position for the West Coast. Darrell (Anderson) and I are good friends and we will definitely have a good competitive race. I just hope he’s not to upset standing below me on the podium! The No. 17 RoofOptions Ford Mustang prepared by CHR is ready!”

After capturing the 2021 Trans Am West Coast SGT championship early at Utah Motorsports Campus, driver John Schweitzer will join the TA2 West Coast class at Circuit of the Americas.

“Earning the West Coast SGT Championship in our rookie season was a dream come true,” said Schweitzer. “When our team outlined our goals for this season, the SGT championship was at the top of our list, and we knew everything would have to go perfectly. To achieve that objective with one round to go in the 2021 season has given us the opportunity to move up our plans for next season and join the TA2 class for the final round at Texas. The fact that my first race in TA2 is a national event at a world-class circuit, with the largest TA2 field in Trans Am history, I don’t know how it could be any better than that.”

Along with Robinson and Lawrence, Marc Austin, Brad Gross, Elias Anderson, Barry Boes, Edward Sevadjian and John Atwell will represent the Lone Star State this weekend.

The Trans Am Series takes Circuit of The Americas on Friday for testing before the official weekend starts on Saturday with the Trans Am practice block starting at 11:20 a.m. Central. The drivers will take a break before the 15-minute split qualifying sessions start at 5:20 p.m. Central. The enormous field of TA2 American Muscle cars will take the green Sunday at 10:50 a.m. Central followed by the TA/XGT/SGT/GT season finale at 1:50 p.m. Central. Live timing and scoring will be available at www.gotransam.com/livetiming

RCR Event Preview – Phoenix Raceway

By
Official Release
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Richard Childress Racing at Phoenix Raceway… In 129 starts at Phoenix Raceway, Richard Childress Racing has scored six NASCAR Cup Series victories with drivers Ryan Newman (2017), Kevin Harvick (2013, 2012, Mar. 2006, Nov. 2006) and Dale Earnhardt (1990). The Welcome, N.C. organization has also found success in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with three wins by drivers Elliott Sadler (2012), Clint Bowyer (2007) and Kevin Harvick (2006).

Catch the Action… The NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship race will be televised live Saturday, November 6, beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

The NASCAR Cup Series Championship race will be televised live Sunday, November 7, beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET on NBC and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Dow Coatings Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Phoenix Raceway… Dillon has 15 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway to his credit, earning two top-10 finishes. He earned his best finish of eighth at the track in November 2018.

Dow brings a science and engineering crew who is driven by limitless curiosity to the RCR Team… Dillon and the RCR team are again supported by Dow’s materials science expertise and technologies this season. Backed by the power of data analysis and virtual modeling, Dow develops and manufactures high-performance components and materials custom-made for the No. 3 car. Dow and RCR’s partnership has expedited innovation and shortened testing time in the automotive industry by recreating in the lab one of the most extreme environments – the racetrack. After eight years of collaboration, Dow scientists and RCR engineers are continuing to work together to make the No. 3 car faster, safer and more precise. Stay up to date with Dow’s exciting developments at www.dow.com/sports and follow us on Twitter @DowSports & @DowNewsroom.

Welcome, Dow Coating Materials… Dow Coating Materials is the most innovative coatings raw material supplier in the world; driving fundamental shifts in the coatings industry and moving the market as the expert’s expert in coatings solutions. Through its mission of collaboration, inspiration, innovation and growth, the business provides material products, science, technology, and manufacturing solutions to the architectural and industrial coatings industry worldwide. Dow Coating Materials manufacturing and R&D footprint spans across all major geographic markets where Dow does business. For more information, please visit https://www.dow.com/en-us/industries/consumer/paints-and-coatings.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
What are your thoughts on Phoenix Raceway?
“Phoenix Raceway is a tough short-track and one of those places that you hit it or you don’t. I’m thankful that we have practice this weekend because this track is challenging, especially with no practice. I’m looking forward to Phoenix, because it’s such a fun track for drivers. It can be a really good place for the No. 3 Dow Coatings Camaro ZL1 1LE team. We’re planning to end the season on a high note.”

Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 BetMGM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Phoenix Raceway… Reddick has three NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway. The Corning, California native was on track for a strong finish during the 2020 spring event at the desert one-mile oval, racing as high as second and mainly in the top-five before a tire issue took him out of the race early during the final stage. Reddick also has five previous NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the milelong track, finishing third in both races last year and collecting two top-10 finishes in 2018. He also has three NASCAR Truck Series starts and two top-10 finishes at the Avondale, Arizona track.

About BetMGM… BetMGM is a market leading sports betting and gaming entertainment company, pioneering the online gaming industry. Born out of a partnership between MGM Resorts International and Entain (formerly GVC), BetMGM has exclusive access to all of MGM Resorts’ U.S. land-based and online sports betting, major tournament poker, and online gaming businesses. Utilizing Entain’s U.S.-licensed, state of the art technology, BetMGM offers sports betting and online gaming via market leading brands including BetMGM, Borgata Casino, Party Casino and Party Poker. Founded in 2018, BetMGM is headquartered in New Jersey.

Meet Reddick and Dillon… As part of the Grand Opening of the first permanent in-casino Sports Book in the state of Arizona, Gila River Hotels & Casinos joins with their partners at BetMGM to welcome drivers Tyler Reddick and Austin Dillon for the kick-off celebration. The drivers will take part in the weekend of events with a special Q & A with Fans on Friday, November 5 from 5 – 7 p.m. local time to help christen the new room located at Vee Quiva Hotel & Casino in Laveen, Arizona. Fans in town for NASCAR’s Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway will get to spend time hearing from and asking questions of both drivers and can take photos with the BetMGM show car which will be located in the casino. The new BetMGM Sportsbook at Vee Quiva features seating for over 100 guests inside and outside on the patio, with 25 large screen displays including a 12×12 foot media wall, self-betting kiosks and a sports wagering counter. All located just off the new Loop 202 highway and a short drive from the track.

TYLER REDDICK QUOTE:
What are your thoughts heading to the final race of the season at Phoenix Raceway?
“I’m looking forward to closing out the season on a high note at Phoenix Raceway. It’s obviously a big weekend for not only the championship four, but for every team to have a good memory to head into the offseason with. Phoenix has been one of those tracks where we have had speed at times and then other times we have missed it a little bit. I’m going to do everything I can to put 110% effort into the car and preparation to close this year out on a positive note. I’m really motivated to get that done for our BetMGM team. One last hoorah in this Gen 6 car before we put them up on a shelf and go play with a new car.”

Myatt Snider and the No. 2 TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaro at Phoenix Raceway… Snider has three career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Phoenix Raceway, earning a best finish of 11th earlier this season. The Charlotte, N.C. native has also competed in two NASCAR Truck Series race at the one-mile, D-shaped oval.

About TaxSlayer… TaxSlayer makes online tax filing accessible for millions of Americans, with an easy-to-use platform and unlimited support at a fraction of the cost of the competition. Trusted for over 50 years, the Augusta-based tech company successfully completed more than 10 million federal and state e-filed tax returns in 2020 and processed $15 billion in refunds. TaxSlayer achieved a 4.5/5 TrustScore on consumer review site Trustpilot, with 87% of its customers rating the tax filing platform Great or Excellent. For more information, visit www.TaxSlayer.com.

MYATT SNIDER QUOTE:
What are you looking for at Phoenix Raceway this weekend?
“I definitely want to finish out the season strong for TaxSlayer and this Richard Childress Racing team. It has been a pleasure driving the No. 2 Chevrolet this year and while I’m looking forward to a new adventure next season, me, Andy Street and all of the guys on this team still have one more race to get the best finish possible. Phoenix Raceway can be a handful at times, but I enjoy the challenge. To end the year with a full weekend of practice and qualifying will only make our performance stronger during the race.”

Grant Enfinger to wheel CR7 Motorsports truck one last time at Phoenix Raceway

By
Official Release
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AVONDALE, Ariz.: For the ninth time this season, Grant Enfinger will return to CR7 Motorsports set to drive the No. 9 Grant County Mulch Chevrolet Silverado in Friday night’s season finale NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at the famed Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway.

Enfinger returns to the Statesville, N.C.-based team since competing at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway in September where he finished seventh in the No. 9 B’Laster Lubricants Chevrolet Silverado.

The finish in Sin City was the Fairhope, Alabama’s third top-10 of the year with CR7 Motorsports and second consecutive seventh-place finish at Las Vegas with the Doug George-led team.

With back-to-back finishes of 21st at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and Martinsville (Va.) Speedway respectively, the six-time Truck Series returns to the seat of the No. 9 Grant County Mulch Chevrolet Silverado hoping to pick up right where he left off leaving Las Vegas.

“I’m looking forward to getting to Phoenix and ending this season on a high note,” said Enfinger. “It’s been a huge blessing that Codie and all the guys at CR7 have allowed me to race with them this year. We finished seventh in our last outing together at Vegas and I’m hopeful we can better that finish on Friday night.

“Crew chief Doug George and I are excited about being able to find some more gains with having practice and qualifying this week. “I also just want to thank Grant County Mulch and everyone that is a part of this team for allowing me to be a part of their journey in 2021.”

Enfinger, a former ARCA Menards Series champion will make his fifth start at Phoenix’s 1.0-mile oval and while he started last year’s race on the pole, his 13th place finish in the Lucas Oil 150 left more to be desired.

In 2018 and 2019, he delivered back-to-back top-five finishes and has led 12 laps over the course of his career at Phoenix but with practice and qualifying back on the schedule this weekend in Avondale, everyone from Enfinger to general manager and mainstay driver Codie Rohrbaugh are hopeful the extra track time will put the family-owned team in a position to record their second top-five finish of the season.

“Grant has done a wonderful job for our team this season,” added Rohrbaugh. “He jumped on board with our team at Las Vegas in March and since then has brought great feedback and results to our organization.

“We’ve had fast trucks this year – even if we haven’t had the opportunity to showcase that in our results, but when Grant has been the wheel, he hasn’t left anything on the table. The chemistry behind him and Doug (George) is solid and I’m eager to see how Enfinger’s feedback from his prior races at Phoenix can be a benefit for our team throughout the day on Friday.”

While Enfinger has plenty of laps around Phoenix, CR7 Motorsports will make its debut in the desert on Friday night.

“This is one of the final tracks on the schedule that we are crossing off our list,” added Rohrbaugh. “Luckily, Doug has experience at Phoenix before and Grant has plenty of laps too, so I’m hoping that the two of them combined will bring our fifth top-10 of the season and some momentum to head into the off-season.”

While the Grant County Mulch colors will shine under the Friday night lights of Phoenix Raceway, Enfinger’s hood will adorn a decal remembering CR7 Motorsports general manager Mark Huff who passed away in February after a brief illness.

Huff was responsible for launching CR7 Motorsports’ Truck Series program in 2018.

Enfinger sits 11th in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings, 84 points ahead of 12th place runner Johnny Sauter. Enfinger is the highest driver that has not been a part of the Truck Series Playoff format this season.

Entering Phoenix, CR7 Motorsports holds 25th in the championship owner standings participating in 19 of the 21 races this season.

CR7 Motorsports has 45 NCWTS starts to their credit with a career-best finish of third at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (February 2020). Additionally, the team owns seven other top-10 finishes including three this season at Circuit of the Americas (fourth | Grant Enfinger) in May 2021 and Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway (seventh | Grant Enfinger) in March and September 2021. An 11th place qualifying effort at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (Oct. 2019) is the team’s best time trials effort to date.

Marketing partnership(s) opportunities are also available for the No. 9 Grant County Mulch Chevrolet in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, as well as the team’s ARCA Menards Series No. 97 A.L.L. Construction | Grant County Mulch Chevrolet program with driver Jason Kitzmiller for the 2022 seasons and beyond. Interested inquiries are encouraged to contact tonya@gcmulch.com or 304.257.8783.

The Lucas Oil 150 (150 laps | 150 miles) is the 22nd of 22 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races on the 2021 schedule. Practice begins on Fri., Nov. 5, 2021, from 8:05 a.m. – 8:55 a.m. Qualifying is set for later in the day at 2:05 p.m. The 36-truck field will take the green flag that night shortly after 5:00 p.m. (8:00 p.m. ET) with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM Satellite Radio NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (MT).

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