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M&M’S Racing: Kyle Busch Las Vegas Advance

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Official Release
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KYLE BUSCH
Home is Where the Trophy Is

HUNTERSVILLE, North Carolina (Sept. 21, 2021) – Kyle Busch’s return to his hometown Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend could go a long way in determining his NASCAR Cup Series playoff chances when the Round of 12 kicks off Sunday.

The driver of the No. 18 M&M’S Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) heads to the 1.5-mile desert oval fifth in the playoff standings, and with the unpredictable Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval set to close out the Round of 12, the Las Vegas native wants to get off to a strong start to the round with a solid finish Sunday.

Aside from NASCAR’s biggest events like the Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a win at the hometown racetrack is always high on the priority list for most NASCAR Cup Series drivers. Busch crossed that all-important hometown win off his list when he won in just his fifth Las Vegas Cup Series start in 2009.

The 2002 honors graduate of Durango High School in Las Vegas qualified on the pole that weekend but was forced to start at the rear of the field because his team needed to change engines during Friday practice. Unfazed, Busch remained patient on race day as he and the M&M’S team worked their way to the front of the field by the 54th lap. He went on to lead three times for 51 laps en route to claiming what he called at the time the biggest win of his young career.

This weekend, he would like nothing more than to double his number of Cup Series wins at Las Vegas to go with that emotional first hometown win.

While Busch added 2016 and 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series wins at Las Vegas to go with three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series wins in a row there from 2018 to 2020, he already was no stranger to winning on Las Vegas Motor Speedway property. From 1999 to 2001, he earned more than 65 wins in Legends cars while racking up two track championships at the facility’s “Bullring,” which existed for several years before the NASCAR oval was built. When .Busch moved up to Late Model stock cars, his winning ways continued with 10 victories at the Bullring in 2001.

Along with the familiar primary colors of M&M’S, the Henderson, Nevada-based Ethel M Chocolates brand will have its logo on the No. 18 Toyota’s decklid and front quarterpanels this weekend. The brand was primary sponsor of a car for the first time ever during the March Las Vegas race. Ethel M Chocolates is a marquis offering, manufactured by Mars Wrigley North America and dedicated to creating premium chocolates with fresh ingredients and no artificial preservatives. This year marks the 40th Anniversary of Ethel M Chocolates, a momentous milestone for the brand.

So as Busch returns to Las Vegas this weekend, he hopes the he can turn a trip back home into a trip back to a victory lane. As the saying goes, “home is where the heart is.” And for Busch, home is where the trophy is, along with an automatic ticket into the Round of 8 of this year’s Cup Series playoffs.

KYLE BUSCH, Driver of the No. 18 M&M’S Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing:

Is there more pressure to go out there and win at your hometown track than anywhere else?

“I used to put more stress on myself to win there, no doubt. I never knew if winning there would happen for me and it’s neat I’ve been able to win in all three series at Vegas. There is stress going into those events. For myself, I was able to get that done in 2009 there at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, to get into victory lane. That felt good. To be able to go back there years after and go out there and race, and not have to worry about the stress of winning that race, you still want to win. We want to win every single one of them. That’s a fact. Overall, when you come into your hometown, and we watched this place get built from nothing, it means that extra more to you and it would be great if we could get back to victory lane this weekend with our M&M’S Camry.”

What was it like to bring home a Cup Series win in your hometown in 2009?

“It was cool. To go out there and to run a smooth race and to have a shot at winning at the end of the race, that’s what it’s all about. I watched Vegas being built from the ground up, and I remember when it wasn’t anything but a gleam in the eye of Richie Clyne (founder of Las Vegas Motor Speedway) – all those guys who made that place happen.”

What’s changed to make Las Vegas grow into a real sports town?

“I think it’s definitely grown into that more and more over the years. When I was a kid there, I always kind of wondered why we didn’t have a professional team of any kind. You know, whether it would be hockey or basketball or baseball or football, but it’s becoming a sports town more and more, which is good. There are a lot of stars in all kinds of sports who come from our town with (Bryce) Harper, myself and Kurt (Busch), some other, younger, up-and-coming drivers, as well, like Noah (Gragson), and such. It’s nice to have an opportunity to have that place to be able to go play if you can make it to the hometown team and be a star in that series, that league. The Golden Knights are really big in town, now, and I’m sure there’s a lot of buzz having the NFL there, now, with the Raiders, as well.”

With the Round of 12 having two wild-card races at Talladega and the Charlotte Roval, how important is it to get off to a good start in Las Vegas this weekend?

“I think everyone heads to Las Vegas putting a lot of pressure on themselves to make sure they run well in that event because they know what the next two race have in store for them. If you asked any crew chief what race are they are most focused on in that round, they would all tell you Vegas to try and have a good race. With having that much focus on that race, it’s going to make that one tough, as well. You just go out there and do the best you can do. We ended up throwing a bit of a Hail Mary at the Roval and it ended up costing us a bit, so that’s just the unfortunate nature of those two races being in the round together, and we certainly want to get off to a strong start at Vegas with our M&M’S Camry. We’ll have our friends at Ethel M with their logos on our car, as well. They are located right there in Henderson and we are hoping to give them a great run.”

What is your fondest racing memory of growing up in Las Vegas?

“My fondest racing memory is probably my first Late Model race. I started about eighth or 10th and ended up winning it. My first-ever start, I won. So that is definitely a great memory to have.”

Event Overview:

● Event: South Point 400
● Time/Date: 7 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Sept. 26
● Location: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 267 laps, 400.5 miles
● Format: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 80 laps / Final Stage: 107 laps
● TV/Radio: NBCSN/ MRN/ SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Meet the No. 18 M&M’S / Joe Gibbs Racing Team

Primary Team Members:

Driver: Kyle Busch
Hometown: Las Vegas

Crew Chief: Ben Beshore
Hometown: York, Pennsylvania

Car Chief: Nate Bellows
Hometown: Fairfax, Vermont

Spotter: Tony Hirschman
Hometown: Northampton, Pennsylvania

Over-The-Wall Crew Members:

Gas Man: Matt Tyrrell
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Front Tire Changer: Blake Houston
Hometown: Enochville, North Carolina

Jackman: T.J. Ford
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Joe Crossen
Hometown: Salisbury, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Jeff Cordero
Hometown: Salem, Connecticut

Road Crew Members:

Race Engineer: Seth Chavka
Hometown: Soldotna, Alaska

Truck Driver: Chris Miko
Hometown: Bronx, New York

Truck Driver: Tom McCrimmon
Hometown: Spicer, Minnesota

Mechanic/Tire Specialist: Justin Peiffer
Hometown: Lebanon, Pennsylvania

Mechanic: Scott Eldridge
Hometown: Warsaw, Indiana

Notes of Interest:

● Round of 12: Busch was able to survive and advance to the Round of 12 of the 2021 Cup Series playoffs, which starts Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Busch has racked up 22 important playoff points he can take with him through each round. He sits fifth on the playoff grid with 11 top-five finishes and 17 top-10s. He will start the Round of 12 sitting 37 points behind points leader Kyle Larson.
● All in the Stats:Busch has one win, eight top-five finishes and 11 top-10s and has led a total of 260 laps in 20 career Cup Series starts at Las Vegas. Busch’s average Las Vegas finish is 12.0.
● Alone in Ninth: With Busch’s win at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in June, the two-time Cup Series champion scored his 59th career win in NASCAR’s top series as he moved past Kevin Harvick into sole possession of ninth on the all-time win list. Next up on the win list is Dale Earnhardt, the seven-time Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer who won 76 races during his storied career.
● 222 and Counting: Busch will be aiming to add to his record 222 overall wins among NASCAR’s top three series this weekend at Las Vegas. In addition to his 59 Cup Series wins and 102 in the Xfinity Series, Busch has 61 wins in the Camping World Truck Series.

Chris Buescher – Las Vegas II Advance

By
Official Release
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Team: No. 17 Violet Defense Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Luke Lambert
Twitter: @17RoushTeam, @RoushFenway and @Chris_Buescher
Race Format: 400.5 miles, 267 laps, Stages: 80-80-107

South Point 400 – Saturday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Buescher at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

  • Buescher makes his 10th Cup start at Las Vegas this weekend, where he carries a 16.9 average finish with one top-10, which came last fall where he finished ninth.
  • Buescher has three-straight top-15s at the 1.5-mile track, including a 14th-place run this spring. He also finished 14th in the 2020 spring event.
  • Buescher had two Xfinity starts in Vegas with a best finish of ninth in 2014 under Scott Graves. A year later the duo went on to finish 14th in the 2015 race.

Luke Lambert at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

  • Lambert will call his 13th Cup race from Vegas on Sunday where he has four top-10s and a 13.6 average finish, statistically his best track on the circuit in his 10-year tenure as a crew chief.
  • Lambert’s best finish came with Ryan Newman in 2015 when the duo ran third. He led Buescher to the ninth-place finish last fall, and overall has finished outside the top-17 only twice.
  • Lambert called one Xfinity event with Elliott Sadler in 2012 where they finished third after starting on the pole.

QUOTE WORTHY
Buescher on Racing at Vegas:
“We had a good day last fall at Vegas, and outside of that have been pretty consistent in the other two races there lately. It’s a fast track and one that we feel good about going in. We’re proud to help welcome Violet Defense to the sport and look forward to kicking things off right with their team this weekend out West.”

Last Time Out
Buescher finished 23rd last weekend at Bristol.

On the Car
Violet Defense – an Orlando-based germ-killing company with patented UV technology – makes its debut into the sport this weekend in Vegas, where the brand will be the primary for the first of its four scheduled races in the remaining 2021 schedule. They will continue to serve as a partner through the 2023 season as part of the multi-year partnership.

About Violet Defense

Violet Defense uses UV disinfection to protect everyday spaces from harmful pathogens by killing up to 99.9% of E. coli, Salmonella, MRSA, C. diff., Norovirus, C. auris, and coronavirus. Violet Defense’s technology is the only known Pulsed Xenon solution that can be installed into a room full-time, creating a continuous way to address disinfection needs of all types of settings. For more information, visit www.violetdefense.com or follow us on Facebook (@violetdefense) or LinkedIn (@violetdefensetechnology).

Chris Hacker – Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 Race Advance

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Official Release
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Team: No. 45 Charred Flag Factory Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Chris Hacker
Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @chrishacker_

Hacker on Racing at Las Vegas: “I am really looking forward to my first intermediate race track in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, especially with Niece Motorsports.

“I just want to go out there and have a good run with our No. 45 Charred Flag Factory Chevrolet Silverado and earn the trust and respect of my teammates, colleagues and others in the Truck Series garage.

“A good run on Friday night will give us great momentum for Martinsville Speedway next month.”

Hacker at Las Vegas: Friday night’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway marks Hacker’s second start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. His first start came earlier this season at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.

On the Truck: Hacker and the No. 45 team will race with support from The Charred Flag Factory, which joined Hacker for his Truck Series debut last month at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.

The Charred Flag Factory was formed in Rochester, New York in 2017, by Paul Cummings after a cherry tree was cut down on his property.

After a few years of making flags around the holidays, he started customizing them and turned the Charred Flag Factory into his full-time passion.

The Charred Flag Factory only offers flags of the highest quality, using only solid hardwoods and hand picking each slab.

“I will forever be thankful to Paul and everyone at Charred Flag Factory for continuing to be a part of my journey and this incredible opportunity at Las Vegas,” offered Hacker.

About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2021, Niece Motorsports enters its sixth season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Ryan Truex – Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 Race Advance

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Official Release
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Team: No. 40 Marquis Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Ryan Truex
Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @Ryan_Truex

Truex on Racing at Las Vegas: “Our team is working hard to close out the season on a high note,” said Truex. “Everyone is doing all they can to build the best Marquis Spas Chevrolets possible. We’ll go to Las Vegas and give it our all.”

Truex at Las Vegas: Friday night’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway marks Truex’s fourth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at the 1.5-mile track. His best finish is 12th coming in 2017 and 2020.

Truex also has four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with his best finish of eighth coming in 2018.

The New Jersey native has one NASCAR Cup Series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, coming in 2014.

On the Truck: Truex will race with support from Marquis this week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Marquis, an employee-owned company founded in 1980, builds world-class hot tubs in the USA. Designed with cutting-edge features, Marquis hot tubs deliver the ultimate hydromassage experience, costing less to operate, and requiring the least amount of maintenance. Marquis is proud to craft spas designed to enhance health and well-being. For more information, visit: www.marquisspas.com.

About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2021, Niece Motorsports enters its sixth season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Carson Hocevar – Victoria’s Voice Foundation Race Advance

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Official Release
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Team: No. 42 Circle B Diecast Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Carson Hocevar
Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @CarsonHocevar

Hocevar on Racing Las Vegas: “We’re happy to prove that this team belongs in the playoffs,” said Hocevar. “We’re still racing with the mentality that we have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I’m excited to get back to Vegas for the second time. It’s always easier coming to a track that we’ve raced at before. Our CircleBDiecast.com Chevrolet looks great. We are ready for Friday night.”

Hocevar at Las Vegas: Hocevar returns to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the second time this season. In his previous start at the 1.5-mile track, he started 10th and finished 24th.

Hocevar has been impressive on intermediate tracks this season, with an average finish of 12th. In addition, the Rookie of the Year contender has been the model of consistency, completing all but two laps on the intermediate tracks thus far.

In the Points: After finishing sixth last week at Bristol Motor Speedway, Hocevar advanced to the second round of the NASCAR Truck Series playoffs. Entering the first race of the Round of Eight, Hocevar sits seventh in the standings, seven points out of fourth.

On the Truck: The No. 42 Chevrolet will race with support from CircleBDiecast.com this week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Plan B Sales was founded in 2010 with the goal of bringing service to dealers that carry licensed motorsports products. Plan B Sales started as a Lionel diecast and Chase Authentics apparel distributor. Over the last few years Plan B Sales has grown to be the largest account for Lionel, servicing the motorsports market and has expanded its product offerings.

Plan B Sales has quickly become the choice of dealers for a one-stop stocking distributor. Its product offering also includes Auto World, Greenlight Collectibles, BrandArt and are the exclusive distributor for University of Racing product lines.

In September of 2020, Plan B Sales decided to split its wholesale and retail business into two different websites to better serve each segment of customers, effectively launching CircleBDiecast.com.

About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2021, Niece Motorsports enters its sixth season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Ryan Newman – Las Vegas II Advance

By
Official Release
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Team: No. 6 Guaranteed Rate Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Twitter: @Roush6Team, @RoushFenway and @RyanJNewman
Race Format: 400.5 miles, 267 laps, Stages: 80-80-107
South Point 400 – Saturday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

Newman at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

  • Newman makes his 24th Cup start at Las Vegas this Sunday, where he has an average finish of 15.7 with 10 top-10s and four results inside the top five.
  • Seven of the last 10 starts at Las Vegas have netted a top-15 for Newman. He’s coming off a 15th-place run in this race a year ago, and he ran 10th a year prior.
  • Newman’s best overall finish at the 1.5-mile track came in 2015 when he finished third, one of his four top fives at the track dating back to 2001. He ran fourth twice – first in 2002 and again in 2012 – and also finished fifth in 2011.
  • He has an average starting position of 15.3 with one pole and nine top-10 starts.

Scott Graves at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

  • Graves will call his ninth Cup race at Las Vegas on Sunday, where he has an average finish of 18.3 with two top-10s. Most recently he and Newman finished 18th this spring.
  • Graves led Daniel Suarez to an eighth-place finish in 2018 and he also finished 10th in 2019 with Newman.
  • He called three Xfinity races – including two with Chris Buescher – and finished ninth in 2014.

QUOTE WORTHY
Newman on Racing at Vegas:
“Vegas has been a decent track for us the past few trips, and one we know we can build off with our success there and at other similar tracks. We’re putting our best foot forward these last group of races and hope to come away with a solid finish in the Guaranteed Rate Ford Sunday.”

Last Time Out
Newman was caught up in a multi-car incident in stage two of Saturday night’s race from Bristol to finish 38th.

On the Car

Guaranteed Rate is back on Newman’s Ford for its last race of the 2021 campaign.

About Guaranteed Rate

The Guaranteed Rate Companies, which includes Guaranteed Rate, Inc., Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC, and Proper Rate, LLC, has more than 9,000 employees in over 750 offices across the United States. Headquartered in Chicago, Guaranteed Rate Companies is one of the largest retail mortgage lenders in the United States, funding over $73 billion in 2020. Founded in 2000 and located in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., Guaranteed Rate Companies has helped homeowners nationwide with home purchase loans and refinances. The company has established itself as an industry leader by introducing innovative technology, offering low rates and delivering unparalleled customer service. 2017 marked the launch of Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC, a mortgage origination joint venture between Guaranteed Rate, Inc. and Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY), a global leader in residential real estate franchising and brokerage. In 2020, the company launched Proper Rate, LLC, a mortgage origination joint venture between Guaranteed Rate, Inc. and @properties, one of the nation’s largest residential brokerage firms. Collectively, the Guaranteed Rate Companies have earned honors and awards including: Top Lender for Online Service for 2018 by U.S. News & World Report; Best Mortgage Lender for Online Loans and Best Mortgage Lender for Refinancing by NerdWallet for 2021; HousingWire’s 2020 Tech100 award for the company’s industry-leading FlashCloseSM technology; No. 3 ranking in Scotsman Guide’s Top Retail Mortgage Lenders 2019; Chicago Agent Magazine’s Lender of the Year for five consecutive years; Chicago Tribune’s Top Workplaces list for seven consecutive years. Visit rate.com for more information.

DGR NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race Advance: Las Vegas II

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Official Release
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Friday, September 24
Track: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 1.5-mile oval
Race: 19 of 22
Event: Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 (134 laps, 201 miles)

Schedule
Race: 9:00 p.m. ET (FS1)

Hailie Deegan, No. 1 Craftsman Ford F-150

  • Deegan is making her 20th career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) start on Friday evening at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
  • For the first time this season, Deegan will drive the red-and-black Craftsman branded Ford F-150.
  • The California native is making her second Truck Series start at the 1.5-mile track. In her first start at the Nevada track earlier this year in March, Deegan started 30th and finished 28th after receiving damage in a multi-truck accident a little over halfway through the event.
  • In last week’s race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, the Ford driver started 23rd and finished 25th after her night was ended 12 laps prematurely due to an accident she was unable to avoid on the racing surface.
  • In addition to the 1.5-mile track in Las Vegas, Deegan has two starts at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track, located just outside the paved oval. In 2018, she started from the pole position and finished runner-up in the 102-lap event. In 2019, the young driver started eighth and led the final lap en route to earn her first of two K&N Pro Series West victories that season.
  • Veteran crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. has called the shots for 16 NCWTS events at Las Vegas, including two wins – Todd Bodine in September 2005 and Kyle Busch in March 2018.

Tanner Gray, No. 15 Ford Performance F-150

  • Gray makes his 19th start of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) season and 45th of his career on Friday evening.
  • The Ford Performance driver is eager to return to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 1.5-mile oval is the site of his second best finish of the season so far. In March, he guided the No. 15 F-150 from his 22nd-place starting position to a 12th-place finish.
  • The 22-year-old driver hasn’t been able to find any luck so far this season. Last Thursday night at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, he was moving forward in the field when he suffered a flat left rear tire that sent him spinning into the outside wall. Unfortunately, the damage was too extensive to continue and he was credited with a 38th-place finish.
  • With Marcus Richmond having obligations in Martinsville, Chad Johnston will step in and call the race for Gray. Johnston has called 11 career races at Las Vegas with three top-fives and six top-10s.
  • Although Richmond won’t be in Las Vegas, one interesting driver that Richmond has worked with at Las Vegas in the NCWTS is none other than Kevin Hamlin – the current spotter for the No. 15 team. The pair worked together on the No. 4 truck for Bobby Hamilton Racing in 2007.

Martin Auto Color Joins Jack Wood’s No. 24 Silverado at Las Vegas

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Official Release
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Martin Auto Color Joins Jack Wood’s No. 24 GMS Racing Chevrolet Silverado at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Las Vegas, NV — GMS Racing is proud to unveil a new partnership with Martin Auto Color and No. 24 driver Jack Wood at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway this Friday night.

Martin Auto Color, based in San Fernando, California, is the largest PPG™ Paint Distributor in its home state, operating out of twenty four central locations as well as two distribution centers in Nevada. Many of the team’s staff of representatives have over twenty years of expertise in the automotive finish industry.

Wood, who grew up in Northern California, will be competing in his first race out West in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, with the 1.5-mile oval in Las Vegas considered as his home track. The combination of a West Coast driver and sponsor is special to the twenty-one-year-old.

“I’m excited to welcome Martin Auto Color onboard our No. 24 GMS Racing Chevrolet at Las Vegas. They have made a big splash in the automotive industry on the West Coast, and it feels great to have the support of their leadership this weekend. I’m looking to deliver the entire Martin Auto Color group a solid finish under the lights in Sin City.”

In August, GMS Racing announced that Jack Wood was returning to the organization for a full-time effort in 2022, as he was signed to compete in the No. 24 Silverado for the entire season. With four races left to run this year, Wood is gaining experience in preparation for his first full-time season.

Fans can watch the GMS Racing No. 24 Martin Auto Color Chevrolet Silverado hit the track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway during the Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 at 6:00 PM PT (9:00 PM ET). Be sure to follow Jack Wood on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with the handle @DriverJackWood.

ABOUT MARTIN AUTO COLOR:

Martin Auto Color is the largest PPG™ Paint Distributor in California with over 20 locations in the state and two in Nevada. As a Platinum PPG™ Paint Distributor, Nevada and California, we are proud to distribute and support certified product lines including Shop-Line®, Delfleet Essential®, Deltron® and Concept®, as well as 3M and Carborundom® abrasives. For more information, please visit our website at www.martinautocolor.com.

ABOUT GMS RACING:

GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with drivers Sheldon Creed, Zane Smith, Tyler Ankrum, Chase Purdy and Jack Wood. The team also competes in the ARCA Menards Series with Daniel Dye. Since the team began in 2014, GMS Racing won the 2016 and 2020 Camping World Trucks Championship, the 2015 ARCA Menards Series championship as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA East championship. GMS has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. The campus also includes operations for GMS Fabrication. More information can be found at gmsracing.net.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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

Michael McDowell Has a Lot to Race For Heading into Las Vegas

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Official Release
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CarParts.com to Support Team’s Historical Push

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (September 21, 2021) – Although Michael McDowell and the No. 34 CarParts.com team may be out of the championship hunt, the team still has a lot to race for— which includes making history for Front Row Motorsports (FRM).

FRM has a season-best finish of 16th in 2016—the last season the organization competed in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. McDowell now wants to set a new high mark for FRM. The No. 34 team has been inside the top-20 in points all season, highlighted with five top-10 finishes, two top-five finishes, and a Daytona 500 championship. McDowell heads into Las Vegas 43 points out of 15th.

Supporting the end-of-season push will be CarParts.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRTS) this Sunday at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. CarParts.com will bring their familiar primary colors back to the No. 34.

CarParts.com offers an easy-to-navigate, mobile-friendly shopping platform, connecting drivers with the parts they need to get from point A to point B with confidence. With over 1 million square feet of warehouse space, the company stocks a variety of collision, repair, maintenance, tool, and accessory products, including premium brands such as MOOG®.

By constantly introducing design innovations that extend product life and simplify installation, MOOG® has earned its reputation as the chassis industry’s Problem Solver. The brand is committed to producing problem-solving suspension parts as well as award-winning technical support and training materials.

McDowell is proud to have CarParts.com on board to support his best season.

“We can’t do what we do without the support of all our partners, such as CarParts.com,” said McDowell. “We’ve had a great season, but it’s not over. There are seven more races left, and that means seven more opportunities to get better and break records at FRM. There’ve been many positives from this season and there’s still more to accomplish. We want to make history and we’re driven to have CarParts.com be a part of that.”

McDowell heads into the Las Vegas Motor Speedway with a best finish of 17th last year.

“There is no taking away from the tremendous season that Michael and the Front Row Motorsports team have had,” said Houman Akhavan, Chief Marketing Officer at CarParts.com. “We’re proud of Michael and his success, and we admire his drive to make even more of an impact for himself and his team. It’s the same philosophy we have at CarParts.com—striving to deliver the best parts and experience for our fellow drivers.”

Sunday’s race will be televised live on NBCSN at 7:00 p.m. ET. For more information, visit CarParts.com.

About CarParts.com
With over 25 years of experience, and more than 50 million parts delivered, we’ve streamlined our website and sourcing network to better serve the way drivers get the parts they need. Utilizing the latest technologies and design principles, we’ve created an easy-to-use, mobile-friendly shopping experience that, alongside our own nationwide distribution network, cuts out the brick-and-mortar supply chain costs and provides quality parts at a budget-friendly price.

CarParts.com (NASDAQ: PRTS) is headquartered in Torrance, California.

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.

CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: Southern California Street Fight

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Official Release
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· First race in southern California for mid-engine Corvette C8.R
· Milner, Tandy coming off GTLM victory at Laguna Seca
· All four Corvette Racing drivers with previous Long Beach victories

DETROIT (Sept. 21, 2021) – Corvette Racing’s mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette C8.R has been on a global tour since its debut in January 2020. It has raced at racetracks throughout North America, plus Belgium and France since then.

Now the Corvette Racing program is set to make its return to southern California this weekend for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach – postponed from its traditional spring date due to COVID-19.

Long Beach is the second street circuit event of the season for Corvette Racing, following the Chevrolet Sports Car Challenge in June at Detroit’s Belle Isle. Tommy Milner and Nick Tandy teamed for a GT Le Mans (GTLM) victory there in a non-points outing in the No. 4 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette C8.R, and the pair is coming off a win at Laguna Seca two weeks ago up the coast in Monterey.

Second went to GTLM Drivers Championship leaders Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor in the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette. The duo has four wins on the season and five pole positions, plus a runner-up finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The combined efforts have Chevrolet in the Manufacturers Championship lead.

All four drivers have previous victories at Long Beach. Milner and Taylor each of three while Garcia and Tandy have one each.

Chevrolet on Display at Long Beach
The return of Corvette Racing and Chevrolet to Long Beach will carry extra flare with the inclusion of the Chevrolet Motorsports Display to the event weekend. Located inside the Long Beach Expo Center, the Chevrolet Motorsports Display will be open to fans throughout the weekend and will be full of Chevrolet vehicles that spectators can learn more about during a busy event.

The Chevrolet Motorsports Display opens at 8 a.m. Friday through Sunday. Numerous Chevrolet vehicles and other highlights include:

• A 2022 Corvette Stingray IMSA GTLM Championship Edition coupe
• A 2022 Corvette Stingray convertible
• Additional Chevrolet products such as the 2020 Blazer, 2021 Camaro 1LE and 2021 Silverado Trail Boss
• A special display with various Corvette Racing artifacts
• An opportunity to receive a Corvette T-shirt

Corvette Racing will contest the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Sept. 24-25 from the Long Beach Street Circuit in Long Beach, Calif. Live television coverage will air live on NBCSN at 5 p.m. ET on Sept. 25 with live streaming coverage on TrackPass and NBC Sports Gold. Live audio coverage from IMSA Radio will be available on IMSA.com, XM 202 and SiriusXM Online 992.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “I think there are a few things we can transfer from Detroit to Long Beach. In a way, there are some similarities and those are mainly the walls! The track surface and the way the circuit is laid out is a little different. We need to work a little bit and look at some past race data. I’m sure we will come up with a good setup to start. It won’t be the first time for the C8.R on a street circuit, so that’s a good start. We can learn a lot from that.
“I’ve led in the Hairpin two years in a row and didn’t win either time! Those are memories that you sometimes have – which races you’ve won and which ones you’ve lost. Especially the way we lost those races will probably stick in my head for a long time! A win there would definitely help forgetting about those moments.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “Detroit was a good lesson for us to have that weekend and understand what the C8.R is going to be like on a street course. Long Beach is always a different animal. It’s always difficult there with how limited the track time is and keeping up with the track evolution. The Corvette guys have had so much history there that we can understand how the track will develop so focus on the car itself and what the drivers need. I have a lot of confidence. Long Beach is always super-intense. I’ve been there many times in a prototype but this is my first time in a GT class. It’s always looked like a proper street fight in the GT classes so I’m sure it will be like that again this year, as well.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “Both Detroit and Long Beach have track surfaces that are comparable. I think Long Beach is a little more difficult because it used more as a public road throughout the rest of the year, so it is quite dirty. As seems always the case, it’s very dirty and dusty, and we spend an hour of the first two-hour practice cleaning the track. With Detroit under our belt – the first street race for the C8.R – we can take some of those lessons, setup options and things we tried to see how they carry over to Long Beach. Hopefully we can make the most of an already compressed schedule and limited track time to get our Corvette in a place that is comfortable for Nick and I.”

NICK TANDY, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R: “Long Beach is always one of the events I look forward to most of the season. The actual race is different in that it’s a short race, a single stop and different to what we normally do. The track is what I personally look forward to most. It’s a street circuit, yes, but it’s quite different to some other street tracks I’ve raced on before. You have that long open blast down Shoreline Drive and some fast stuff in the middle sector as well. It’s an enjoyable track to try and get the car to the limit. We did have a good run at Detroit in the No. 4 Corvette. We know the cars work well in this configuration. It’s been something I’ve looked forward to since our success at Detroit.”

2021 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – GTLM (After Seven of 10 Events)
Driver Standings

  1. Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 2,562
  2. Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy – 2,375
  3. Cooper MacNeil – 2,314
  4. Matt Campbell – 1,702
  5. Augusto Farfus/Jesse Krohn/John Edwards – 1001

Team Standings

  1. No. 3 Corvette Racing – 2,562
  2. No. 4 Corvette Racing – 2,375
  3. No. 79 WeatherTech Racing – 2,314
  4. No. 24 BMW Team RLL – 1,001
  5. No. 25 BMW Team RLL – 966

Manufacturer Standings

  1. Chevrolet – 2,615
  2. Porsche – 2,460
  3. BMW – 1,052
  4. Ferrari – 330

CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: By the Numbers
• 1: As in one team, one manufacturer and one model of car for 13 appearances at Long Beach: Corvette Racing, Chevrolet and the Chevrolet Corvette.
• 2: Generations of Corvette Racing entries at Long Beach since 2007 –Corvette C6.R (2007-13) and Corvette C7.R (2014-2019). That number increases to three this year with the first Long Beach appearance for the mid-engine Corvette C8.R
• 3: Number of Long Beach race victories for Corvette Racing teammates Tommy Milner and Jordan Taylor.
• 6: Number of drivers who have competed at Long Beach for Corvette Racing – Olivier Beretta, Antonio Garcia, Gavin, Jan Magnussen, Johnny O’Connell and Tommy Milner. That number will grow to eight this week with the additions of Jordan Taylor and Nick Tandy
• 7: Number of Long Beach victories in 12 appearances for Corvette Racing – more than any other IMSA entrant at the circuit.
• 9: Number of Long Beach sports car victories for Chevrolet. Throw in 11 IndyCar wins, and Chevrolet has claimed 20 victories in the event’s two premier races.
• 13: Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001.
• 18: Number of street circuit victories for Corvette Racing – more than any other IMSA entrant at the circuit.
• 25: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Daytona, Detroit, Houston, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Miami, Mid-Ohio, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen.
• 27: Number of GT Le Mans wins in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for Corvette Racing since the start of 2014.
• 118: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 110 in North America and eight at Le Mans.
• 247: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999.
• 3,650.62: Number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing in its 12 previous trips to Long Beach. That represents 1,855 laps around the 1.968-mile street circuit.
• 330,966.34: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing since its inception. To put that in perspective Apollo 13 – the longest manned spaceflight in history – covered “just” 248,655 miles when it went it orbited the moon. Simply put, the program has raced to the moon… and then some.

Corvette Racing at Long Beach (wins in bold)
2007
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Johnny O’Connell – 2nd in GT1 (Magnussen fastest race lap)
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin – 1st in GT1 (Gavin pole)

2008
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Johnny O’Connell/Jan Magnussen – 1st in GT1 (Magnussen pole)
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin – 1st in GT1 (Gavin fastest race lap)

2009
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Johnny O’Connell – 2nd in GT1
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin – 1st in GT1 (Beretta pole, fastest race lap)

2010
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Johnny O’Connell – 2nd in GT2
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Jan Magnussen – 9th in GT2 (Gavin fastest race lap)

2011
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Tommy Milner – 5th in GT
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Jan Magnussen – 2nd in GT (Magnussen fastest race lap)

2012
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 4th in GT
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 1st in GT (Gavin fastest race lap)

2013
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 5th in GT
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 4th in GT (Gavin fastest race lap)

2014
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 1st in GTLM (Magnussen pole)
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 3rd in GTLM (Milner fastest race lap)

2015
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 3rd in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 7th in GTLM

2016
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 9th in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 2nd in GTLM

2017
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 5th in GTLM (Magnussen pole)
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 1st in GTLM

2018
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 4th in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 1st in GTLM

2019
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 2nd in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 3rd in GTLM
Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

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.

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