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Cornwell® Quality Tools Extends Partnership With John Force

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Continues As the ‘Official Tool of John Force Racing’

WADSWORTH, Ohio, October 26, 2021 (Newswire.com) – Cornwell Quality Tools announced they have extended their partnership as the Official Tool of John Force Racing for an additional three years. The new contract begins in 2022 and will run through the 2024 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing season.

The Cornwell Quality Tools name/logo will continue to be seen on the wings of both the John Force and Robert Hight Funny Cars, as well as on the canopy of the Top Fuel Dragster driven by Brittany Force. The Cornwell brand will continue to be visible throughout the Force race pit at all NHRA races, with the teams utilizing Cornwell toolboxes and tools when working on the cars, as well as branding on car haulers, signage, hospitality canopies, and more.

Cornwell has been the Official Tool of the 21-time NHRA world championship John Force Racing team since 2019.

“We are excited to extend our partnership with a high-caliber team in John Force Racing,” said Bob Studenic, President and CEO of Cornwell Quality Tools. “As we have seen over the past few years, supporting and working with John Force Racing has been a blast. John and his family know the importance of loyalty, hard work, and dedication. We value those same principles. We look forward to continuing to grow our partnership with the team, as they race towards additional NHRA championships.”

“I treat sponsors like family, and I always want to be treated the same. I’ve built long-range relationships that we have turned into 16 championship for myself and 21 as a team owner. Our relationship with Cornwell Tools has grown but it’s getting better as we extend out years into the future,” said John Force, owner, CEO and driver of the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevy Camaro for John Force Racing. “We’re making new plans as we speak. Not just bigger signs on a race car but being able to ride along on the tool trucks, bringing Cornwell Tools trucks to races, more hospitality and meeting more of their Franchisees. This is how you win championships and grow sales. What makes it easy is we’re working with a great product. We use Cornwell Tools, not only at the races, but at our shops and at home.”

About: Cornwell Quality Tools is the oldest mobile tool company with a market presence since 1919. Cornwell is committed to the pride that accompanies the sale of quality materials. With the use of high-grade alloy steel, combined with modern heat-treating methods, Cornwell has continued to produce the finest tools in the world that have truly been “The Choice of Professionals®” for over 100 years. Products are sold via independent mobile tool dealers across the country. Cornwell has distribution centers located in Utah and Ohio, along with manufacturing facilities in Pennsylvania (Forging), Mogadore, Ohio (Hand Tool Manufacturing), and Van Wert, Ohio (Toolbox Manufacturing). For more information: www.cornwelltools.com.

Gilliland Looks to Martinsville as Opportunity to Lead Owners Championship

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Official Release
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Speedco Joins as Primary Partner with Luber-finer as Major Associate

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (October 26, 2021) – After a four-week hiatus, the NASCAR Truck Series is back in action this weekend at the Martinsville Speedway. On Saturday, Todd Gilliland will carry the blue and gold livery of Speedco aboard his No. 38 Ford F-150 along with major associate partner, Luber-finer.

With only two races remaining in the 2021 season, Gilliland heads to Martinsville only four points out of leading the NASCAR Truck Series Owners Championship and knows that a victory on Saturday would propel his No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford into the lead for next weekend’s season-finale at the Phoenix Raceway.

“Martinsville (Speedway) has been a great track for me over the last few years,” said Gilliland. “It’s definitely one of those races that our team has had circled on the calendar as a place where we feel a little bit more confident about showing up to contend for the win.”

As a previous Truck Series winner at Martinsville, Gilliland knows what it takes to win on the short tracks and looks to capture his second grandfather clock on Saturday.

“Short track racing is a lot of fun, but it’s also a lot of work. When you have a truck that handles well, you can really get into a rhythm of knocking out consistent lap times, which makes for a great day,” Gilliland added. “But what really makes a half-mile track like Martinsville so tough is that you don’t really get a chance to rest unless it’s under caution. At most mile-and-a-half tracks, you can loosen your grip on the wheel and re-adjust down the straightaways, but at a track like Martinsville, you’re constantly on the wheel because of how short it is.”

Gilliland elaborated on the toughness of Martinsville by saying, “another crucial component to short track racing is learning how to manage your brakes as they can only handle so much before wanting to give out on you. If you’re continuously overdriving the entry of each corner for multiple laps, your brakes are eventually going to over heat and fail, which can definitely put you out of the race early.”

The green flag for Saturday’s NASCAR Truck Series race at the Martinsville Speedway is scheduled to drop at 1 p.m. ET with race coverage airing live on FS1.

ABOUT SPEEDCO
Speedco is a member of the Love’s Family of Companies. Love’s is the nation’s industry leading travel stop network with more than 560 locations in 41 states. Love’s has more than 415 truck service centers, which include Speedco and Love’s Truck Care locations. Love’s and Speedco combined is the largest oil change, preventative maintenance and total truck care nationwide network. Love’s is committed to providing customers with “Clean Places, Friendly Faces” at every stop.

To learn more about Speedco, visit www.loves.com.

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

Chris Buescher – Martinsville II Advance

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Official Release
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Team: No. 17 Fifth Third Bank Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Twitter: @17RoushTeam, @RoushFenway and @Chris_Buescher
Race Format: 263 miles, 500 laps, Stages: 130-130-240
Xfinity 500 – Sunday, Oct. 31 at 2 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Buescher at Martinsville Speedway

· Buescher makes his 13th Cup start at Martinsville on Sunday where he carries a 20.8 average finish. His best finish at ‘The Paperclip’ came in 2017 when he ran 11th in the spring race. But, he’s fresh off a 13th-place finish there this spring, and also finished 13th last spring.

· Of his overall five top-15s at the track, four have come in the last six races.

Scott Graves at Martinsville Speedway

· Graves will be on the box for his 11th Cup race from Martinsville, where he has an average finish of 20.3 with a best finish of 10th (Ryan Newman, 2019).

· Most recently, he and Newman ran 12th, 18th and 19th in races since the top-10.

QUOTE WORTHY
Buescher on racing at Martinsville:
“Martinsville is a challenging place, as it’s very tight all the way around, and even on pit road, and a place that you’ll find yourself pretty exhausted at after 500 laps. We’ve been decent there minus an unfortunate incident last fall, and we only have two left to finish this campaign strong, so we’re looking forward to doing just that come Sunday with Fifth Third back on board.”

Last Time Out
Buescher was one of only 15 cars to finish on the lead lap last weekend at Kansas and ultimately ran 12th in the Fastenal Ford.

On the Car

Fifth Third Bank makes its sixth and final appearance on board Buescher’s No. 17 Ford this season. The company is celebrating its 10th season as a partner with Roush Fenway in 2021 as the partnership began back in 2012 with Matt Kenseth.

Fifth Third will feature Colony Tire on the decklid of the No. 17 machine on Sunday as part of the Fueled by Fifth Third pass-through program.

· Colony started with a single location in 1976 and has grown to over 30 locations and more than 700 employees across VA, NC, and SC.

· GO SAFER! At Colony Tire, your family’s safety always comes first. Let our experts recommend the best tires for your family’s car, truck or SUV. Find the location nearest you at colonytire.com.

· When it comes to making shopping for tires an auto service a lot less painful, Colony Tire is not your typical tire store. It’s … A BETTER WAY TO GO.

About Fifth Third Bank
Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio and the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank, National Association, a federally chartered institution. As of June 30, 2020, Fifth Third had $203 billion in assets and operated 1,122 full-service banking centers and 2,456 ATMs with Fifth Third branding in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina. In total, Fifth Third provides its customers with access to approximately 53,000 fee-free ATMs across the United States. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending and Wealth & Asset Management. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of June 30, 2020, had $405 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $49 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations through its Trust and Registered Investment Advisory businesses. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Fifth Third’s common stock is traded on the Nasdaq® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Fifth Third Bank was established in 1858. Deposit and Credit products are offered by Fifth Third Bank, National Association. Member FDIC.

AmericanTrucks Reviews the 2021 F250 Tremor

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Official Release
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New Video Includes Walkaround and Dyno | The Haul

PAOLI, Pa. (October 25th, 2021) – Is the 2021 F250 Tremor the working man’s Raptor? AmericanTrucks (AT) weighs in during its latest episode of their ongoing “The Haul” YouTube series. AT host, Justin Dugan leaves no stone unturned as he conducts a full walkaround and review, including a dyno and drive test of the new rig. The video aims to help viewers with honest feedback on a truck package that claims to do it all.

“There’s no denying that Ford’s diesel F-250 with the Tremor package is still going to be a work truck first, off-road toy second…” Justin Dugan

Justin begins his review at the front end of the truck, discussing its recent refresh, the traditional super duty badging, and unique grille. Next, he moves onto the side, underside, and engine offering his thoughts on what Ford got right and what they did not. The Tremor package kicks in a high-capacity tow package allowing it to pull about 15,000 pounds with the bumper, and 18,000+ pounds when using the fifth-wheel or gooseneck hitch. Justin runs through the result of the dyno then jumps in the truck for a chat about the interior and ride quality. “There’s no denying that Ford’s diesel F-250 with the Tremor package is still going to be a work truck first, off-road toy second…” says Justin.

AT’s new episode of “The Haul” brings viewers up to speed on all the pros and cons explaining how Ford has done a decent job of blurring the more traditional lines of needing a dedicated rig for work and off-road adventures. AT plans to continue its mission to keep its community of Ford owners and enthusiasts informed with truck reviews, customer builds, install videos, and more.

View it here: https://www.americantrucks.com/thehaul-f250-october-2021.html

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About AmericanTrucks

AmericanTrucks is regarded as one of the best, most dependable online aftermarket retailers providing parts and accessories for F150, F250, Ranger, Silverado, Sierra, and RAM. Catering to the needs and demands of late-model truck owners and enthusiasts, AmericanTrucks provides the best parts with support from genuine truck experts. Located just outside of Philadelphia, AmericanTrucks is dedicated to offering the truck community with the highest quality of parts and customer service. Please visit https://www.americantrucks.com for more information.

Carson Kvapil Joins JRM Late Model Team for 2022 in No. 8 Chevrolet

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Official Release
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MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Oct. 26, 2021) – JR Motorsports announced today that 18-year-old Carson Kvapil, son of former NASCAR Cup Series driver and 2003 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Travis Kvapil, will take over the team’s iconic No. 8 Late Model for 2022. Josh Berry, the linchpin of the team’s Late Model success over the past 11 years, will embark on a full-season effort with JRM’s NASCAR Xfinity Series team next season.

Kvapil learned of his new opportunity by surprise, as team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. delivered the news Monday afternoon. “I thought I was coming here to JRM to sign some papers or something, and they surprised me by saying I was running the No. 8 next season,” he said.

In the coming weeks, Kvapil will drive the No. 8 in the Fall Brawl at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway on Nov. 6 before ending the season on Nov. 20 at Florence (S.C.) Motor Speedway in the Florence 400.

“It’s really exciting,” said the younger Kvapil, fresh off his championship in the CARS Racing Tour’s Super Late Model division earlier this month. “I ran the Florence race for JRM, came out with a really good finish after leading 113 of the 125 laps and just came up a little short in the end. I’m really thankful for this opportunity. These kinds of chances don’t come up that often.

“I just need to be able to be consistent, try to stay out of the wrecks and contend for wins every week in the CARS Racing Tour’s Late Model Stock Car Series.”

On Oct. 16, Kvapil overcame an eight-point deficit to Matt Craig to win the CARS Tour’s Super Late Model crown with a win in the season finale at Virginia’s South Boston Speedway.

“The Late Model program is the foundation on which JR Motorsports was built,” said L.W. Miller, JRM’s director of motorsports. “It has always been very important to Dale, Kelley and myself. Josh won a lot of races and championships for us, and looking to the future, we see Carson as the kind of driver we can continue to build our program around.

“He knows how to race and win, and he has a bright future ahead of him. I can see him taking the same kind of path to the upper levels of NASCAR, just like Josh has done, and I’m very excited for his future and for the future of our Late Model program.”
Additional details on sponsorship and the 2022 schedule will be announced at a later date.

ABOUT JR MOTORSPORTS:
JR Motorsports is the racing operation co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Fame member and 15-time Most Popular Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kelley Earnhardt Miller and NASCAR Hall of Famer Rick Hendrick. Now in its 20th year of overall competition, JR Motorsports competes in multiple divisions, including the NASCAR Xfinity Series where it currently fields four full-time teams and earned championships in 2014, 2017 and 2018. The company also races in Late Model competition and owns four championships in regional Late Model divisions and added a prized national title in 2020. To learn more about the organization, its drivers and its sponsorship opportunities, visit www.jrmracing.com.

Corey Heim – No. 51 HYTE Tundra Camping World Trucks Martinsville Preview

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Official Release
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Corey Heim: Driver, No. 51 HYTE Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: United Rentals 200, Race 21 of 22, 200 Laps – 50/50/100; 105.2 Miles
Location: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (0.526-mile oval)
Date/Broadcast: Oct. 30, 2021, at 1 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

The Story on Corey:

  • Corey Heim will make the third start of his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career behind the wheel of the No. 51 HYTE Tundra in Saturday’s Camping World Truck Series event at Martinsville. The 19-year-old driver was impressive in his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway May 7 where he finished the opening stage eighth and by the end of the second stage had moved into the runner-up position behind his KBM teammate John Hunter Nemechek. With just under 30 laps remaining, he restarted on the front row next to Nemechek, but as the field exited the restart zone another competitor tapped the bumper of the JBL Tundra sending Heim into Nemechek and a 17-truck pileup ensued. With major damage all around his Toyota, the over-the-wall crew threw feverishly attempted repairs but ended up with a 23rd-place finish when the six-minute clock expired under NASCAR’s damaged vehicle policy. Heim’s second start of the season came at Watkins Glen International, where he was plagued by issues that kept him mired mid-pack and relegated him to an 18th-place finish.
  • While it will be the talented teenager’s first Truck Series start at “The Paperclip,” he has made two starts there in a Late Model Stock. He qualified third, finished second in his heat and started the feature from the seventh position in this year’s event on Sept. 25. In the feature a flat tire caused him to go multiple laps down and relegated him to a 32nd-place finish. He finished runner-up in a controversial finish to the 2018 event, when he took the lead on the third and final attempt at a green-white-checkered but after another yellow came out the scoring was reverted to the running order on the prior lap due to not using scoring loops for a Late Model Stock event.
  • The Toyota Racing Development product finished second to Ty Gibbs in the 2021 ARCA Menards Series championship standings. Heim collected six wins, three poles, 406 laps led, 16 top-five and 20 top-10 finishes and produced an average finish of 3.1 across 20 starts. Across 36 career ARCA Menards Series starts has seven wins, 503 laps led, 26 top-five and 35 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 4.2. Heim Picked up his first career ARCA Menards Series victory at Kansas Speedway Oct. 16, 2020.
  • Heim has also found his way to victory lane in the Late Model Ranks the last few seasons. Most recently, the Georgia driver brought home a victory March 27 in the Super Late Model Georgia Spring Nationals at Crip Motorsports Park in Cordele, Ga. It was his second Super Late Model win at his home state track, where he also won CRA SpeedFest at the 3/8-mile track in 2020. On the CARS Tour, Heim has one Super Late Model win at South Boston (Va.) Speedway in 2018 and one Late Model Stock victory at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway in 2020.
  • The No. 51 team has produced three victories in Mardy Lindley’s first season as a crew chief at KBM, two with owner-driver Kyle 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 Lindley’s lone visit to Martinsville in the Truck Series, Mayer led 33 laps before being caught up in a multi-truck wreck that relegated him to a 28th-place finish. Lindley’s father, Butch, finished second to Harry Gant in the Cup Series race at Martinsville on April 25, 1982.
  • HYTE, a subsidiary brand of iBUYPOWER, will serve as the primary sponsor for Saturday’s race with Heim. HYTE is a lifestyle-centered brand which focuses on enhancing play with its fresh and innovative PC components and accessories. Designed to fuel passions in gaming, music, the arts, and entertainment, all HYTE products are rigorously researched and tested before they are brought to fruition. HYTE, as a company and its products, are inspired by the needs and behaviors of its community and the many ways people play. HYTE is committed to designing products to help people experience play throughout their lifestyle, no matter what that may be.
  • As part of the second annual Honor a Cancer Hero Campaign which raised over $100,000 for the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation and The NASCAR Foundation, two organizations recognized as champions for the health and well-being of others, Heim’s No. 51 Toyota will carry the name of Nicole Mancini over the driver door on Saturday. Mancini is a breast cancer survivor who has kicked cancers butt as well as completed multiple full Ironman events. She is also an integral, long-term board member of The Mohawk Foundation, a small charity that uses triathlons and running to raise funds for breast cancer research.

Drew Dollar, Driver Q&A:

Are you looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of a Tundra this weekend?
“Absolutely, I think in our first two starts we had really good speed both times at Watkins Glen and Darlington. Going to a track that I’ve been to before, unlike the other two, I think is a big advantage for me. Just being in a late model a couple times there is going to give me a really good head start on it.”

How do you think driving a truck at Martinsville will compare to what you are used to with a Late Model Stock?
“I think the basics are pretty similar, as far as race dynamic and line, and everything are pretty similar. I definitely have to be mindful that it’s a heavier race vehicle and it has more power than the late model. We’ve been doing a lot of sim to prepare for it. I think I’m pretty well prepared but without having practice it might be tough.”

Have you set a goal for your final start of 2021?
“I think the main thing is to try and get a top five with our HYTE Toyota Tundra this weekend. We’ve had a good year; had a lot of speed and I think just putting ourselves in the top five would be our goal.”

Corey Heim’s Career Highlights:
Finished runner-up in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings in 2021 after collecting six wins, three poles, 406 laps led, 16 top-five and 20 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 3.1 across 20 starts.
Across 36 career ARCA Menards Series starts has seven wins, 503 laps led, 26 top-five and 35 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 4.2. Picked up his first career ARCA Menards Series victory at Kansas Speedway Oct. 16, 2020.
Brought home a victory March 27, 2020, in the Super Late Model Georgia Spring Nationals at Crip Motorsports Park in Cordele, Ga. It was his second Super Late Model win at his home state track, where he also won CRA SpeedFest at the 3/8-mile track in 2020.
On the CARS Tour, has collected one Super Late Model win at South Boston (Va.) Speedway in 2018 and one Late Model Stock victory at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway in 2020
Captured the 2017 Atlanta Motor Speedway Thursday Thunder Pro Series championship and the 2016 Atlanta Motor Speedway Young Lions Legends Car championship

Corey Heim’s No. 51 HYTE Tundra:
KBM-62: The No. 51 HYTE team will unload KBM-62 for Saturday’s race at Martinsville. KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch produced the career-best finish with this Tundra when he led 26 laps and finished second to KBM driver John Hunter Nemechek at Richmond (Va.) Raceway in April. In its most recent outing, Derek Griffith finished 26th with it at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.
Click Here for KBM-62 Performance Profile:

KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have collected two wins, two poles, 68 laps led, nine top-five and 17 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 10.6 across 28 starts at Talladega.
  • Raphael Lessard collected the first victory of his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career last year at the 2.66-mile tri-oval. Owner-driver Kyle Busch was victorious in the 2010 event when he finished 0.002 seconds ahead of Aric Almirola in the closest finish in Truck Series history since electronic scoring was instituted.
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (89) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Bristol Motor Speedway 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.

Chandler Smith – No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Tundra Camping World Trucks Martinsville Preview

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

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: United Rentals 200, Race 21 of 22 (Race 3 in the Round of 8), 200 Laps – 50/50/100; 105.2 Miles
Location: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (0.526-mile oval)
Date/Broadcast: Oct. 30, 2021, at 1 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Mr. Smith Ready to Rip at “The Paperclip”:

  • Chandler Smith and the No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass team head to Martinsville Speedway for the final race in the Round of 8 of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoffs. Smith enters Saturday’s elimination race sixth on the playoff grid but finds himself 34 points below the cutoff line for advancing to the Championship 4 and basically in a must-win situation. Smith was put in a hole by being involved in accidents in each of the first two races in the round which relegated him to finishes of 35th and 19th, respectively at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway and Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.
  • Despite having 36 career Truck Series starts under his belt since making his debut in June of 2019, the 19-year-old driver will be making his first career start in any series at “The Paperclip.”
  • Being in a must-win situation is nothing new to Smith, he fended off elimination in the Round of 10 when he collected his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory Sept. 16 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in the final race of the round. Smith muscled his way past reigning Truck Series champion Shelden Creed on a restart with five laps remaining and then held off his KBM teammate John Hunter Nemechek to collect the victory in his 34th career start in NASCAR’s third division.
  • Smith finished the regular season 10th on the Camping World Truck Series playoff grid, 10 points above the cutoff line for qualifying for the post season, after posting three top-five and five top-10 finishes across 15 races. Smith and fellow Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Carson Hocevar are the only two drivers in the playoffs who are competing for a driver’s championship for the first time. Overall, across 20 starts in 2021, Smith has recorded one win, four top-five and seven top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 18.3.
  • The Toyota Racing Development driver has one win, 12 top-five, and 16 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 15.6 across 36 career Camping World Truck Series starts. In addition to his Bristol win, he has posted two runner-up finishes; at Knoxville Raceway earlier this season and at Bristol in 2019.
  • Veteran crew chief Danny Stockman calls the shots for Smith and the No. 18 team in 2021. Stockman led the No. 51 team to four wins in his first season atop the pit box at KBM in 2020 and has earned one with Smith this season. He came to the organization with experience as a crew chief in all three national series, including a Truck Series championship with Austin Dillon in 2011 and an Xfinity Series championship with Dillon in 2013. Across four starts at Martinsville, Stockman’s drivers have collected one top-five and two top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 10.5. His best result was a third-place finish with Dillon in 2011.
  • Safelite AutoGlass – the nation’s largest provider of vehicle glass repair, replacement, and recalibration services – will serve as the primary sponsor on Smith’s Tundra at Martinsville and for 16 races total this season. Smith General Contracting and QuickTie – a proprietary, patented hold down system for high wind and seismic construction – will be associate partners on the bedtop of the No. 18 Toyota for Saturday’s 200-lap event.
  • As part of the second annual Honor a Cancer Hero Campaign which raised over $100,000 for the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation and The NASCAR Foundation, two organizations recognized as champions for the health and well-being of others, Smith’s No. 18 Toyota will carry the name of Rene Neff over the driver door on Saturday. Neff is a Stage 4 breast cancer survivor who has been an advocate for cancer research and volunteering; as well as support system for those going through the same.

Chandler Smith, Driver Q&A:

With being 34 points below the cutoff line for advancing to the Championship 4, how will you approach Saturday’s race?
“We just have to go out there and win. Every weekend our goal is to go out there and win races, so nothing has really changed. When it comes push to shove, we are definitely going to give the shove probably a little more than give and take. It’s no different than Bristol, we had to win at Bristol. We had a really good Safelite AuotoGlass Toyota Tundra at Bristol and I expect the same at Martinsville.”

How are you preparing for your first start in any series at Martinsville?
“I’ve had a lot of sim time for sure and I’ve talked to a few guys that have been there – talked to Kyle a little bit. I’ve watched a lot of film, to say the least. At the end of the day, it’s a short track and that’s kind of my background and I don’t think there’s going to be much different from short track to short track. At the end of the day, they are all circle tracks and it’s The Paperclip, I’m looking forward to it for sure.”

What’s it going to take to win on Saturday?
“I think its all about being there at the end. For us to even be able to win the race, we have to make sure we survive all the way to the end. I believe in my team, I believe in everybody behind me and know that we’ll have that Safelite AutoGlass Tundra out front by the end of the race.”

Chandler Smith Career Highlights:

  • Across 36 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts has recorded one win (Bristol Motor Speedway, 9/16/2021), 267 laps led, 12 top-five and 16 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 15.6.
  • Posted an average finish of 7.7 across his final seven of 12 total Truck Series starts in 2020, including third-place finishes in the series finale at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway and his first career superspeedway start at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in October.
  • Produced three top-five and four top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 4.2 across his first four career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts in 2019. He led 55 laps and finished eighth in his Gander Trucks debut at Iowa Speedway last July and then posted top-five finishes in his final three starts, including a runner-up finish at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.
  • Has collected nine wins, 10 poles, 1783 laps led, 22 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes en route to an average finish of 5.4 across 34 career ARCA Menards Series starts. Set an ARCA Racing Series record by winning four consecutive poles to start his career and earned his first victory after leading a race-high 102 laps at Madison (Wis.) International Speedway in his fourth series start.

Chandler Smith’s No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Tundra:
KBM-25: The No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass team will unload KBM-25 for Saturday’s race at Martinsville Speedway. Smith led a race-high 71 laps and finished second with this Tundra in its most recent outing in July at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway. KBM-25 has three career wins, Todd Gilliland (Oct. 2019) and Noah Gragson (Oct. 2017) both were victorious with it at Martinsville and Christopher Bell went to victory lane with it at World Wide Technology Raceway (2016).
KBM-25 Performance Profile

KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have collected eight wins, five poles, 985 laps led, 23 top-five and 37 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 8.9 across 57 starts at Martinsville.
  • Todd Gilliland picked up the organization’s most recent victory at the 0.526-mile oval in October of 2019. Kyle Busch (2017 & 2019). Denny Hamlin (2011 & 2012) and Darrell Wallace Jr. (2013 & 2014) have all collected two victories at the Virginia track while Noah Gragson (2017) has one win.
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (89) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Bristol Motor Speedway 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. 18, the number which was on the first Tundra that went to victory lane for KBM in 2010, has 22 career victories.

Ford Performance NASCAR: Martinsville

By
Official Release
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FORD PERFORMANCE NASCAR: MARTINSVILLE

All three major NASCAR series will be holding elimination races this weekend at Martinsville Speedway as the NASCAR Cup, NASCAR XFINITY and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series set their respective Championship 4 fields.

This Week’s Schedule:
Saturday, Oct. 30 – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, 1 p.m. ET (FS1)
Saturday, Oct. 30 – NASCAR XFINITY Series, 6 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
Sunday, Oct. 31 – NASCAR Cup Series, 2 p.m. ET (NBC)

FORD IN THE NASCAR CUP SERIES AT MARTINSVILLE
· Ford has 30 series wins at Martinsville Speedway.
· Ford has won four of the last nine series events at Martinsville.
· Brad Keselowski has two of those wins while Joey Logano has one.

ROUND OF 8 NCS PLAYOFF STANDINGS (Top 4 Advance After Martinsville)
5th — Ryan Blaney (-1 below final transfer spot)
7th – Brad Keselowski (-6)
8th — Joey Logano (-26)

FORD IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT MARTINSVILLE
· Ford has 1 series win at Martinsville Speedway.
· Kenny Wallace has that lone series win (1994).
· Austin Cindric has finished in the top 10 in both of his series starts.

ROUND OF 8 NXS PLAYOFF STANDINGS (Top 4 Advance After Martinsville)

1st — Austin Cindric (+47 above final transfer spot)

FORD IN THE NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES AT MARTINSVILLE
· Ford has five all-time NCWTS wins at Martinsville Speedway.
· Todd Gilliland recorded his first series victory at Martinsville Speedway.
· Hailie Deegan will be making her Martinsville Speedway debut this weekend.

BLANEY ON THE BUBBLE

Ryan Blaney goes into this weekend’s elimination race at Martinsville one point behind Kyle Busch for the final Championship 4 spot. He figures to be a contender at the half-mile track based on recent performances that included four straight finishes of fifth or better until an 11th-place run earlier this year ended that streak. Overall, Blaney has five top-5 finishes at Martinsville in 11 career Cup starts and an average finish of 10.7, which ranks second personally among all tracks in which he has 10 or more starts. The only track where he has a better average finish is Las Vegas (8.8 in 11 starts).

KESELOWSKI STILL IN CONTENTION

Brad Keselowski is six points behind Kyle Busch for the final position in the Championship 4, but Martinsville Speedway has been a good place for the Rochester, Michigan native. He comes into Sunday’s scheduled race with two career Cup wins and finishes of fifth or better in 9 of the last 11 races at the track known as the paper clip. Martinsville also ranks fifth in terms of Keselowski’s best average finish, which is 11.2 in 23 starts. His streak of 10 straight top 10 Cup finishes at the track came to an end earlier this year when he was involved in a 12-car accident in the final stage and finished 33rd.

LOGANO LOOKING FOR WIN TO ADVANCE

Joey Logano enters Sunday’s Round of 8 elimination race 26 points below the cutline and in need of a win to make the Championship 4 for a second consecutive season. Logano has also had his share of success at Martinsville Speedway, sitting on the pole three straight times (2015-16) and winning the playoff race in 2018. He has a streak of four straight top 10 Cup finishes at the track, including a sixth place run earlier this season. Logano’s average finish of 12.1 in 24 starts is his fourth best among all active tracks in which he’s had at least 10 starts with only Las Vegas (8.6), Richmond (10.2) and Indianapolis (10.8) being better.

CINDRIC IN GOOD POSITION TO ADVANCE

Austin Cindric finds himself in the best place possible going into Saturday’s NASCAR XFINITY Series elimination race, sitting first in the playoff standings and holding a 47-point cushion over fifth-place Justin Haley. Cindric has been a model of consistency in the postseason as he goes for his second straight championship. He has started first or second in all five races to date and has an average finish of 4.2. As noted above, Cindric has two NXS starts at Martinsville and has finished 10th or better on both occasions. He was 10th in his track debut last season and followed that up with a sixth place run earlier this year.

FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS AT MARTINSVILLE

1961 – Fred Lorenzen (1)

1962 – Nelson Stacy (2)

1963 – Fred Lorenzen (2)

1964 – Fred Lorenzen (Sweep)

1965 – Fred Lorenzen and Junior Johnson

1966 – Fred Lorenzen (2)

1969 – Richard Petty (Sweep)

1986 – Ricky Rudd (1)

1990 – Geoffrey Bodine (Sweep)

1992 – Mark Martin and Geoffrey Bodine

1993 – Ernie Irvan (2)

1994 – Rusty Wallace (Sweep)

1995 – Rusty Wallace (1)

1996 – Rusty Wallace (1)

1997 – Jeff Burton (1)

1998 – Ricky Rudd (2)

2000 – Mark Martin (1)

2001 – Dale Jarrett and Ricky Craven

2002 – Kurt Busch (2)

2017 – Brad Keselowski (1)

2018 – Clint Bowyer and Joey Logano

2019 – Brad Keselowski (1)

FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS AT MARTINSVILLE

1994 – Kenny Wallace

FORD NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES WINNERS AT MARTINSVILLE

1995 – Joe Ruttman

2003 – Jon Wood

2004 – Rick Crawford

2005 – Ricky Craven (2)

2015 – Joey Logano (1)

2020 – Grant Enfinger

Wayne Taylor Racing in Misano, Italy for Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Finals this Weekend

By
Official Release
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Brownsburg, Ind. (October 26, 2021) – The Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing stable of Lamborghini Super Trofeos will compete in Misano, Italy at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli this weekend for Round six of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America championship and the two-race World Finals event. The team’s five drivers split amongst three classes in PRO, PRO|AM, and AM will race against the best LST drivers in Europe and North America.

Over 60 drivers from around the word will take to the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli circuit, a 2.262-mile, 16 turn track most known for hosting MotoGP. The Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor team, which Is sitting third and fourth In the Dealer and Team Championships respectively, will look to make their mark here as they enter the final race weekend of the season with 7 wins and 18 podiums.

Kyle Marcelli and Daniel Formal will co-drive the No. 101 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Super Trofeo. The co-drivers have overcome adversity to win three of the last four races in the 2021 season and currently sit fourth in the championship just three points out of third place and 24 points out of first.

Driver of the No. 125 Harrison Contracting with Wayne Taylor Racing LST, Ashton Harrison, is currently third in the AM Championship with only a 4-point deficit from second position and 17-point deficit to first position. The American’s 2021 season has been productive and impressive in her first year as a solo AM driver with two wins and seven podiums. Harrison’s last World Finals run ended with great success as she became the first woman to win a Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Finals race.

Jordan Missig, driver of the No. 153 Wayne Taylor Racing LST, has shown fantastic growth as a driver in the PRO|AM class where the Illinois native is in third place in the championship after missing Round 3 at Watkins Glen International due to a scheduling conflict with his other racing series. Missig has captured two wins and seven podiums in his first year in Lamborghini Super Trofeo. He will compete in the PRO|AM class for the final rounds of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Championship and switch to PRO for the two World Finals races later in the weekend.

Randy Sellari, the 2020 LB Cup champion, driver of the No. 103 JG Wentworth with Wayne Taylor Racing LST, having moved up to the AM Class this season, enters the final round of the LST NA championship tied for fourth position. Sellari is looking forward to showcasing his consistent growth this year on the world stage.

Practice for the final Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America round begins on Thursday, October 28th at 3:00 a.m. ET/9:00 a.m. CET with Qualifying following at 10:20 a.m. ET/4:20 p.m. CET. Race 1 will start at 3:25 a.m. ET/9:25 a.m. CET with Race 2 starting at 8:45 a.m. ET/2: 45 p.m. CET on Friday. Saturday begins the World Finals festivities as green flag for AM & LB Cup at 10:30 a.m. ET/4:30 p.m. CET and 11:55 a.m. ET/5:55 p.m. CET for the PRO & PRO|AM race. World Finals Race 2 will start on Sunday at 6:05 a.m. ET/12:05 p.m. CET for the AM & LB Cup and 9:25 a.m. ET/2:25 p.m. CET for the PRO and PRO|AM. All race coverage will be available on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/nhy_zaDQ0dQ.

Kyle Marcelli, No. 101 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo (PRO)
“Our 2021 Lamborghini Super Trofeo campaign has been quite successful. We started the season with two podiums in the first four races at COTA and VIR. Then, had the wind knocked out of our sails at Watkins Glen. But as the saying goes “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” could not have been truer. We rebounded with three wins in the last four races at Road America and Laguna Seca. Every member of the Wayne Taylor Racing team has been operating at the top of their game and have played a key role in our success. As I look forward to the World Finals, I am excited. This will be my first world final event. I’m told the schedule is busy and the competition will be tough. That said, Danny and I have been working well together and I expect us to have the No. 101 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini at the front of the grid.”

Daniel Formal, No. 101 Prestige Performance with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo (PRO)
“This is the last event of the season and it’s been a great season so far, especially the second half with three wins in four races and my first pole position. I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity with Wayne Taylor Racing and Prestige Performance. They have become a part of my family and I want to give them the best result possible in Misano. Hopefully we can build on that and have a relationship for 2022 and keep on trying to win the championship in Lamborghini Super Trofeo. We still have a chance to win the championship mathematically and we are going to give it our all. Kyle and I are ready, we’ve been working together better than I ever expected. He’s become like a brother to me. I’m just super excited for the final event and ready to give it 100%.”

Ashton Harrison, No. 125 Harrison Contracting with Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Super Trofeo (AM)
“I can’t believe we are at the end of the 2021 season. It’s hard to believe I’m closing out on my junior year of Lamborghini Super Trofeo. It has been a rewarding year and I’m looking forward to closing out the season with success at Misano. I expect the entire Wayne Taylor Racing team to be a strong group as we have been all year going into worlds. We were strong in 2019 and I’d like to imagine we are even better now. I am so thankful to my team; especially Travis, Shawn and Shishir for all the hard work they’ve put into our program. The 2019 Worlds Finals were good to me, and I have high expectations for myself leading into this year’s worlds event. I want that Lamborghini Worlds Title.”

Jordan Missig, No. 153 Wayne Taylor Racing (PRO|AM)
“The 2021 season is sure one I will remember for a long time. Basically, has been a season full of trial by fire, but the good news is I really haven’t been burned badly. In other words, it has been a really good first season for not being in the car until this year. I was able to capture my first podium in my first race out at COTA, then later collect two wins up at one of my favorite tracks in Road America, and most recently get another podium out west at Laguna Seca. So, to collect two wins and four podiums in eight races is something that I am really proud of how this season has turned out so far. But we are still not done, now the focus turns overseas to Italy to take part in the World Finals event where I will finish up the North America Season in Pro-Am before making the jump to the Pro Class for the world Finals event. I am beyond excited to finally get the opportunity to go race in Europe with some of the best Sports Car Drivers in the world, and I can’t wait to take the fight to them. I have been putting a lot of hours and sim time to the Misano World Circuit and I hope it will help me get up to speed quickly when we get on track for the very first time. As always, I want to thank Wayne Taylor Racing for their outstanding efforts and support throughout the whole season and getting us all ready for the final race of the 2021 season.”

Randy Sellari, No. 103 JG Wentworth with Wayne Taylor Racing (AM)
“The season so far has been full of ups and downs. I am really thankful for a successful return to Wayne Taylor Racing during the 2021 season which has allowed me to continue my growth and ultimately make my debut in the AM category. Things haven’t been without hiccups or upsets but I’m proud of how I was able to jump back at different moments throughout the year. Ultimately, as a competitor you always go out wanting to achieve more but I can look back on this year and be proud of my improved pace in such an extremely competitive field. With this year being my 4th trip to a Super Trofeo World Finals (one year as a spectator and three years participating), I realize that anything can happen. It will be interesting to see where I stack up against the other competitors from around the world and as always, my sights are set on a podium. I’ve done quite a lot of sim work, so I feel ready for this challenge.”

Mystery Designer to Debut Artisanship Aboard Spire Motorsports No. 77 Chevrolet in Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway

By
Official Release
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CONCORD, N.C. (October 26, 2021) – Spire+, in partnership with Spire Motorsports, announced today that it has entered into an agreement with a contemporary artist to design the team’s No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

The yet to be named artisan has been contracted by Spire+ and given full creative license to fashion a paint scheme to make a splash in the agency’s first Cup Series venture.

Spire+, a division of Spire Holdings, is a full-service marketing and advertising division dedicated to providing the automotive industry with innovative strategies, inspiring content development, impactful design, and unwavering customer service.

Spire Holdings is the parent organization of Spire+, Spire Motorsports, Spire Sports + Entertainment (SS+E), Spire Hockey, and Track Enterprises.

“It’s very cool that our brand will be on a billboard going 120 mph and NASCAR is such a great place to showcase our agency,” explained Spire+ president John Marsh. “To be honest, we’ve been so busy after announcing our launch in September that we had to bring in a trusted freelancer to do our car design. It’s putting it lightly that we took a chance but I’m sure the designer will nail it.

“We’re going to release a three-part series on our Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages this week documenting the process and identifying the artist, so we’d love to have everyone visit those channels leading up to the race at Martinsville this weekend and learn more about what Spire+ is all about.”

Spire+ boasts a marquee lineup of strategists, marketers, promoters, advertising professionals, and brand builders with impeccable industry credentials and a unique business acumen, guiding its clients from a position of experience and integrity.

“We’re thrilled to introduce Spire+ to the NASCAR Cup Series community,” said Spire Holdings co-owner Jeff Dickerson. “We’ve got an incredible group of brand builders who thrive on thinking outside the box. To that point, we’ve enlisted a talented new artist to design the car, so we’re waiting with bated breath to see how it turns out. I’ve seen this individual’s artwork firsthand and it’s always an inspired finished product. I have no doubt this particular paint scheme will make a big splash on the race track for both Spire+ and Spire Motorsports.”

The Xfinity 500 from Martinsville Speedway will be televised live on NBC Sunday, October 31 beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The penultimate race on the 2021 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

About Spire+ …
The Spire+ vision is seen through the lens of success and founded on an impeccable reputation in motorsports. With a storied history written by countless checkered flags and marketing victories, extending its current client roster within the automotive industry is a natural extension of Spire Holdings.

Spire+ creates and consistently adds value, while continually striving to advance its clients initiatives and market share. Each day, Spire+ endeavors to be best-in-class and take its clients and itself higher. For more information about Spire+ please log on to Spire-Plus.com or visit us on Instagram, twitter, and LinkedIn.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports was established in 2018 and is co-owned by longtime NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. Spire Motorsports earned an upset victory for the ages in its first full season when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019.

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