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Johnny Morris & Entire Bass Pro Shops Family Pay Special Tribute to Longtime Friends Sherry Pollex and Martin Truex Jr. in the Fight Against Ovarian Cancer

By
Official Release
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The No. 19 car dedicated to SherryStrong.org at the Bass Pro Shops Great American Night Race at the Bristol Motor Speedway this Saturday night

BRISTOL, Tenn. – Johnny Morris and the entire Bass Pro Shops family proudly support longtime friends Martin Truex Jr. and Sherry Pollex in their efforts to raise awareness about ovarian cancer. Morris today announces the dedication space on the No. 19 Bass Pro Shops/SherryStrong.org Toyota Camry during Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Great American Night Race at the Bristol Motor Speedway to fight cancer. SherryStrong.org is a subsidiary of the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation. The Martin Truex Jr. Foundation is dedicated to creating awareness about childhood and ovarian cancer. SherryStrong.org is named in honor of Sherry Pollex, longtime partner of NASCAR driver Martin Truex Jr. and cancer survivor. It is an educational website that’s mission is to create awareness about ovarian cancer and provide resources to women battling the disease.

After being diagnosed in 2014 with stage 3c ovarian cancer, Sherry has undergone three major surgeries and over forty chemotherapy treatments. But through it all, she continues to give hope to other women battling this disease. Educating others about ovarian cancer symptoms and sharing her cancer journey has given her a greater purpose. Johnny Morris and Bass Pro Shops are humbled by the opportunity to support such a noble cause, led by such a strong and courageous person.

Truex Jr., Pollex and the Morris family have a long friendship that has involved time at the racetrack and time in the great outdoors. Bass Pro Shops has sponsored Martin Truex Jr. through three championships—the 2004 and 2005 Xfinity Series and the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series titles. The friendship they have built along the way has spanned not only the great times and championships, but difficult ones as well. In 2014, Sherry Pollex was diagnosed with stage 3C ovarian cancer.

“Johnny has been a part of our lives for over 15 years. He has always held a special place in my heart for the amazing work he does for wildlife conservation and the many different causes he supports, including mine,” Sherry explains. “Johnny, Jeanie and JP have been so supportive of everything we do on and off the track. We are so grateful for their friendship and to be part of this amazing night!” The dedication of the No. 19 car at Bristol Speedway on Saturday night to SherryStrong.org raises the profile of the organization and increases its capacity to fight cancer.

An extension of the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation, SherryStrong.org is a movement that was born in 2014 with Sherry Pollex’s diagnosis. “Fans started posting support on social media with the hashtag SherryStrong. My friends and family encouraged me to share the story and my cancer journey to help others,” Pollex recalls. “It’s taken on a life of its own.”

In November of last year Pollex and Truex Jr. opened the Sherry Strong Integrative Oncology Clinic at the Novant Health Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina. Sherry benefited greatly from integrative medicines during her treatment and wanted to make them available to others. Integrative medicines include therapies such as acupuncture, yoga, oncology massage and others designed to support the mental and spiritual wellness of those undergoing traditional cancer treatment programs. The clinic aims to make these therapies, which are not covered by insurance, available to patients who couldn’t otherwise afford them. “We wouldn’t have been able to do it without Johnny’s support,” Sherry describes.

Dedication of sponsorship on the No. 19 car during Saturday’s race at the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at the Bristol Motor Speedway—an event that will be nationally televised on NBC Sports—provides incredible exposure to the cause and the fight against childhood and ovarian cancer. “It’s a huge opportunity. Coverage on TV of the race at Bristol. It will help us spread our message of hope for kids and women. We are so, so grateful—especially during the month of September, which is childhood and ovarian cancer month,” Pollex says. In addition to dedication of space on the No. 19 car for SherryStrong.org, Pollex will also serve as the Grand Marshall and give the command to “Start Your Engines!” for the Bass Pro Shops Great American Night Race. All told it will be a big night for Pollex, SherryStrong.org and the battle against cancer.

As for Johnny Morris, he is humbled and honored for the opportunity. “Our entire Bass Pro Shops family thinks the world of Martin and Sherry. We are proud to support their remarkable efforts in the battle against ovarian cancer,” Morris explains. Jeanie Morris understands the importance of the foundation’s work intimately. She echoes this gratitude, “This terrible disease has affected my family, so I know firsthand how important Sherry’s passion is. Thank you, Sherry, for working for others while fighting your battle. You are amazing!”

To join in supporting Sherry Pollex, Martin Truex Jr. and their fight against childhood and ovarian cancer, please visit www.SherryStrong.org. Tune into NBC Sports on Saturday night to see Martin Truex Jr. drive the No. 19 Bass Pro Shops/SherryStrong.org Toyota Camry at the Bass Pro Shops Night Race.

About SherryStrong.org
SherryStrong.org is dedicated to improving awareness of early warning signs of ovarian cancer. Named for Sherry Pollex, cancer survivor and longtime partner of NASCAR driver Martin Truex Jr, SherryStrong.org is part of the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation. The foundation’s mission includes awareness and education on ovarian cancer. Early warning signs of the disease can include bloating, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, pelvic or abdominal pain, and urinary symptoms. Women who have persistent symptoms for more than a few weeks should consult a doctor. Other ovarian cancer facts include, that women are often diagnosed late stage due to lack of an early detection test. A woman’s risk of getting ovarian cancer during her lifetime is 1 in 78. More than 21,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer annually. For more information or to donate, please visit: www.SherryStrong.org

About Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.”

RCR Event Preview – Bristol Motor Speedway

By
Official Release
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Richard Childress Racing at Bristol Motor Speedway… In 179 NASCAR Cup Series starts at the concrete Bristol Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has scored nine wins, 35 top-five, and 71 top-10 finishes. The Welcome N.C. organization has also found success in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at the Tennessee short track, capturing nine wins, 37 top-five and 62 top-10 finishes.

Catch the Action… The NASCAR Xfinity Series’ at Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live Friday, September 17, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN and will be broadcast live on the Performance Radio Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

The NASCAR Cup Series’ Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live Saturday, September 18, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN and will be broadcast live on the Performance Radio Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Bristol Motor Speedway… In 14 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Dillon has one top-five and three top-10 finishes, including a career-best fourth-place finish in August 2016. He is a former winner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at the track (August 2016).

Winner, Winner… Dillon has won at Bristol Motor Speedway on both the paved and dirt configurations. In addition to winning a NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the track in August 2016 (paved), Dillon was among the first drivers to compete on the track’s dirt surface earlier this season. He won two features and a heat race in dominating fashion in a 604 Crate Late Model for Corey Hedgecock Racing.

About Tracker Off Road… Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE prominently features TRACKER ATVs, a game-changing new line of all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides offering breakthrough performance, service and value in the off-road industry. TRACKER OFF ROAD was born out of a powerhouse partnership formed between Bass Pro Shops and TRACKER founder Johnny Morris and Textron Specialized Vehicles, bringing together the undisputed world leader in boating with a global leader in innovation and technology.

About Bass Pro Shops… Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.” Bass Pro Shops has a long relationship with NASCAR, dating back to 1998. For more information, visit http://www.basspro.com/.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on Bristol Motor Speedway?
“Anything can happen at Bristol Motor Speedway. It’s a short track and you can get caught up in things fast. Our goal as a team is to be consistent and to try and win.”

What’s going to be your top priority for the Bristol race weekend? Just finishing or going for a win?
“I think you’ve got to keep going for wins. Darlington and Richmond were both good races for us, but we have just as much potential at Bristol. We had a solid run here back in May, and I really think this team has the capability to back that up.”

Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Food City/Childress Vineyards Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Bristol Motor Speedway… Reddick has two previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, earning his best finish of fourth at the track last year. Reddick also has five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the 0.533-mile track, collecting one top-five and four top-10 finishes there.

Winner, Winner… Reddick’s accolades at Bristol Motor Speedway include one win in five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts.

NASCAR Playoffs… Last week, Reddick survived an eventful race at Richmond Raceway with a 14th place finish. He’s still well in contention for a spot in the Round of 12 heading into this weekend’s cutoff race in the NASCAR Playoffs.

About Food City… Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, K-VA-T Food Stores (Food City’s parent company) operates 134 retail supermarkets throughout southeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, east Tennessee, Chattanooga and north Georgia, including 109 pharmacies and 108 fuel/convenience stores. The company also owns and operates their own 1.2 million square-foot distribution center in Abingdon, VA. Food City offers a wide variety of services and conveniences, including in-store bakery/delis, floral boutiques, full-service meat and seafood departments with in-house butchers, locally grown produce, full service pharmacies, fuel centers, GoCart curbside pick-up, and home delivery. The Food City name is also synonymous with NASCAR racing through their title sponsorship of two of the sport’s most popular events, the Food City 500 and Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, TN. Food City is Bristol Motor Speedway’s longest running sponsor and the second longest in NASCAR.Learn more by visiting FoodCity.com

About Childress Vineyards… Childress Vineyards is a premier winery located at the southern gateway of the Yadkin Valley in Lexington, North Carolina. Owned by Richard Childress, NASCAR team owner and Hall of Fame member, Childress Vineyards has been producing award-winning wines with the expertise of Winemaker Mark Frizsolowski. Open daily for tours, tastings, and lunch in the Bistro. Information about Childress Vineyards can be found on Facebook at facebook.com/childresswines/, on Twitter at @ChildressWines and on Instagram at Instagram.com/childresswines.

TYLER REDDICK QUOTE:
How do you view the points now? Is it any different from how you looked at it in the last race of the regular season?
“Oh no. Not at all. As we saw with Darlington and Richmond, so much can happen. The pressure is on not just us, it’s on everybody. Now a different kind of pressure is on. The pressure of not screwing it up is upon you. And it’s very easy to let that get to you more so than being in the hole. Wherever you’re at, I feel like it’s just important to have the same mindset, whether you’re in the hole or whether your plus 30 or minus 30, the same things need to happen. It’s just about running a clean race and getting the most out of your day. Without practice, and throwing darts at a board without even looking at it and hoping you’re going to get a bullseye. Nine times out of 10, it’s not going to work; especially in the Cup Series. So, to win these races, being consistent and being close to the front all day and hitting on all the details are important. And I don’t think running fifth and winning, there’s a bit difference in how you approach those things. It’s just a matter of did you do your homework perfectly, where all the little details add up. Was there a difference? Was there not? I don’t feel like we’re in a must win situation. We had a little bit of a stumble, a trip-up, if you will. But thankfully, our team is ready for the challenge on Saturday night.”

Myatt Snider and the No. 2 Crosley Brands Chevrolet Camaro at Bristol Motor Speedway… Snider has two career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, recording a fifth-place finish for Richard Childress Racing in June 2020. The 26-year-old has also competed in one NASCAR Truck Series race at the World’s Fastest Half Mile.

About Crosley Brands… For over 30 years, Crosley Brands has been a leader in the nostalgic electronics category. From their beginning in the premium incentive industry, Crosley Brands developed their own exclusive product lines and built solid relationships with some of the most well-known catalogers and retailers in the business. Today, Crosley Brands is known for two brands – Crosley Radio and Crosley Furniture. At the front lines of the Vinyl Revolution, Crosley Radio seeks to bring new life to a classic medium, with its revolutionary line of turntables to its new series of high-fidelity units. Building on a legacy of entrepreneurship, Crosley Furniture delivers quality products at competitive prices, without sacrificing style. From the patio to the kitchen, bath, entryway and beyond, Crosley Furniture offers over 1,800 indoor and outdoor furniture items in a variety of categories and designs. For more information, please visit www.crosleybrands.com.

MYATT SNIDER QUOTE:
There is one race left in the regular season for the NASCAR Xfinity Series. What do you hope to accomplish in Bristol to carry over to Vegas in Round 1 of the Playoffs?
“The main thing is to have a good, solid finish. I’m confident our Crosley Brands team has prepared a fast Chevrolet Camaro and we are going to give it everything we have as a team to finish the regular season on a high note. Every week when we show up to the track, our goal is to compete for the win, but if it’s not in the cards for that day, we need to get the best finish possible. If we do that on Friday night, our team will have a lot of momentum heading into Las Vegas. It’s always a blast racing under the lights at Bristol. I’m excited for the fast-paced action on the high banks and to be back at another short track.”

GMS Racing ARCA Bristol Motor Speedway Recap

By
Official Release
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Daniel Dye, No. 21 Heise LED, AFT Chevrolet

START: 3rd
FINISH: 12th

  • Daniel Dye made his first ARCA Menards Series start at Bristol Motor Speedway while in contention for the ARCA Menards Series East championship. Dye entered the East finale 24 points behind the championship points leader in the series finale.
  • Dye qualified an impressive third place to start the night at Bristol and drove a strong race all night, running a consistent third place in the first run of the race during the daytime.
  • The No. 21 Heise LED / American Flat Track Chevrolet fought handling issues through the middle of the race, prompting Dye to fight his way back through the field before the second scheduled race break on lap 125.
  • Crew Chief Chad Bryant went to work on fixing the adjustments to position Dye back inside the Top 5 for the final run of the 200 lap race, showing strength in Daniel’s ability to pass in traffic.
  • Towards the closing stages of the race, Dye found himself trapped on the high side of the track, losing track position as the competition drove by on the bottom lane. Ultimately, Daniel drove home with a disappointing 12th place finish after a solid night in Thunder Valley.

Quote: “Man, we had such a good race car there for most of the race, but just ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time on some late restarts. Getting stuck on the top and being shuffled back cost us a ton, but I have to thank everyone at GMS for bringing such a fast Chevrolet again. The result doesn’t show it but to qualify third and run at the front most all race is good. Thankful to have American Flat Track Charlotte Half-Mile, and Heise LED on our race car and represent them at one of the coolest tracks in racing. I can’t wait for Phoenix!”

Jack Wood, No. 22 Chevy Accessories Chevrolet

START: 8th
FINISH: 13th

  • Jack Wood also made his first ever laps around Bristol Motor Speedway in the No. 22 Chevy Accessories Chevrolet, running as Dye’s teammate in a second GMS Racing ARCA Menards Series entry.
  • Wood qualified in the eighth position and learned how to race in the PJ1 traction compound, something that he had not experienced in any of his previous ARCA races. The rookie raced inside the Top 10 for a large portion of the Bush’s Beans 200 and continued to gain speed throughout the night as Crew Chief Chad Walter made changes to help loosen his car up.
  • Nearing the end of the second run of the night, Wood’s left front tire began to lose air pressure rapidly, causing him to fade through the pack and eventually lose a lap before the second scheduled race break. Luckily for Wood, however, his car remained in one piece as he limped to the attention of the crew on pit road.
  • The No. 22 team fought hard to get back on the lead lap in the final run of the race, positioning himself just outside the Top 10 with less than 50 laps to go. As luck would have it, Wood’s right rear tire would be cut due to debris on the track, sending him to the back once again.
  • Without many laps left to run, Wood found himself running last on the lead lap, eyeing an opportunity to drive to the front once again. As the race came to a close, Wood maneuvered to a hard-fought 13th place finish.

Quote: “Wow, what a roller coaster of a race tonight. I’m proud of my No. 22 GMS Racing team and the fight that they put up as we overcame adversity towards the last half of the race. Racing at Bristol was a challenge no doubt, but I felt more confident as the night went on. I’m looking forward to returning to the Camping World Truck Series for the last four races of the season, hoping to continue to learn ahead of next year.”

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 and Jack Wood. 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 https://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.

GMS Racing NCWTS Bristol Motor Speedway II Recap

By
Official Release
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Sheldon Creed, No. 2 LiftKits4Less Chevrolet Silverado

START: 1st
FINISH: 19th
POINTS: 2nd

  • Having locked himself into the Round of 8 with two victories to open the Playoffs, Sheldon Creed raced into Bristol looking to grow his bonus points total with additional stage wins and a fourth win of the season.
  • Creed started on pole with his No. 2 Lift Kits 4 Less Silverado and ran away with the early lead, dominating and winning Stage 1 in Thunder Valley. Crew Chief Jeff Stankiewicz elected to keep Creed out on track for Stage 2, in which he led every single lap to win the stage.
  • It appeared as if Creed was able to cruise to his fourth win of the season, leading 189 laps of 200, but with five laps to go, contact from the No. 18 truck sent him to the wall, eventually cutting down a tire and forcing Sheldon to limp home with a disappointing 19th place finish. A heartbreaking loss, but thankfully the finish did not affect his Playoffs picture.

Back2Back: Sheldon Creed is moving on to the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs, a round that will feature Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, and Martinsville Speedway. After the points reset, Creed finds himself sitting second in the standings, 20 points above the cutline heading into Las Vegas.

Quote: “I knew I was going to get hit at some point, but it hurts nonetheless. We’ve had three really fast trucks to open up the Playoffs and and it’s been really fun to go out there and dominate races. I’m having a lot of fun right now and I’m looking forward to heading to Vegas and setting our team up to make it to Phoenix.”

Zane Smith, No. 21 Karl Chevrolet Chevrolet Silverado

START: 9th
FINISH: 8th
POINTS: 4th

  • Zane Smith had to fight his hardest under the lights in Tennessee, as the 22-year-old approached the final race of the Round of 10 below the cutline. Smith needed to rally back and earn as many points as possible, as he entered five points out with his No. 21 Karl Chevrolet Silverado.
  • Smith passed numerous trucks to gain valuable points with a fourth place finish in Stage 1, and backed it up with a fourth place finish in Stage 2 after staying out with teammate Sheldon Creed. These stage finishes were crucial to Smith’s points tally at the end of the night.
  • In a chaotic turn of events, NASCAR officials handed the No. 21 team a safety violation penalty during his pit stop at the end of Stage 2. This would force Smith into a corner where he would have to scratch and claw his way back through the field in order to advance. Zane was able to fight his way up through the field, narrowly advancing by two points.

21in21: Zane Smith enters the Round of 8 reseeded fourth in the championship standings. Though admittedly this first round was not the team’s best, don’t ever count out a group of fighters. Smith and the No. 21 team look to make a statement during the Round of 8 opener in Las Vegas, the track that is close to his hometown of Huntington Beach, CA.

Quote: “What a tough night having to go to the back. I wish I could have been up there to help my teammate, because man I hate it when other teammates do stuff like that. I can’t wait till we finally have one of these races without a penalty, it should be a whole lot easier.”

Chase Purdy, No. 23 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado

START: 19th
FINISH: 30th
POINTS: 19th

  • Chase Purdy was in his comfort zone at Bristol Motor Speedway as he returned to a much-anticipated short track. The rookie had competed on the half-mile in previous seasons with NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and Super Late Model competition, but Thursday night was his first start with a truck on the pavement at the facility.
  • Purdy stayed consistent in Stage 1 and Stage 2, both starting and finishing in the 19th position. As the race continued to play out however, the No. 23 Bama Buggies Silverado began to move up the leaderboard. A few key adjustments in the pits vaulted Purdy up inside the Top 15, where he began to gain more track position during the final stage of the race.
  • Just as it appeared that all was going right for Chase, he was collected in a crash with multiple trucks on lap 155. The sustained damage was enough to end Purdy’s night early, knocking him down to a disappointing 30th place finish.

Quote: “I thought we had a really fast truck tonight. We started off pretty loose, but Jeff Hensley made some great adjustments to tighten our truck up. We started to make our way through the field and I thought we were able to contend for a Top 10 run, but got involved with a mess on the front stretch and hated to see our night end like that. Onto Las Vegas.”

Doug Coby, No. 24 Mayhew Tools Chevrolet Silverado

START: 30th
FINISH: 12th

  • Doug Coby made his long-awaited NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway driving the GMS Racing No. 24 Mayhew Tools Silverado. This marked Coby’s first NASCAR National Series start as a twenty year veteran of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.
  • Due to the qualifying metric, Coby started all the way down in 30th at the Last Great Colosseum. With no previous laps in a truck before Thursday night, Doug knew that he needed to adapt quickly. Stage 1 scored the No. 24 in 29th as he learned the vehicle characteristics, but by the time Stage 2 rolled around it was evident that he was confident in his equipment, moving up to 20th.
  • Remarkable wreck avoidance on lap 155 kept Coby in the game, and from that point it was game on. The veteran put his previous Bristol experience to the test and began to pick his way through the Top 15 one truck at a time. At the end of the night, Coby was able to come home with a 12th place finish, very respectable for the Northeasterner’s first ever attempt in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Quote: “All of the people at GMS Racing, from top to bottom, were awesome to work with. It’s great exposure for Mayhew Tools and myself, as we are a team. The biggest thing was completing all 200 laps and getting the experience, doing the pit stops, and not getting sucked into a wreck. I think we had a truck that could have competed in the top-five or the top-10, if we were there. With the flow of the race, with all of the cautions, and a few mistakes on restarts… any time we lost spots, we were able to make them back up.”

Tyler Ankrum, No. 26 LiUNA! Chevrolet Silverado

START: 18th
FINISH: 32nd
POINTS: 14th

  • Tyler Ankrum looked to turn his luck around at Bristol Motor Speedway after the No. 26 LiUNA! team experienced two disappointing finishes in a row at Gateway and Darlington. Heading into Bristol, Crew Chief Charles Denike knew how to prepare a fast truck, as he was the defending race winner with the GMS Racing No. 24 team last season.
  • Ankrum’s speed was clearly shown early on, as he drove all the way from 18th to finish ninth in Stage 1. In Stage 2, The No. 26 continued to surprise many, as he pulled off an impressive second place finish. Without a doubt, Ankrum was running his best race of the season on an oval.
  • Just as it appeared that Ankrum would have a legitimate shot at contending for the race win, a costly speeding penalty heading into the final stage of the race dropped him back in the pack. On the ensuing restart, Ankrum was involved with a heavy crash, ending his night immediately. What looked to be a fairytale night resulted in a heartbreaking 32nd place finish.

Quote: “What an unfortunate way to end our night. We had a great truck with lots of speed, but that speeding penalty on pit road put us in the back where we shouldn’t have been. It sucks that we weren’t able to get a good finish after our awesome night, but we will race it out in Las Vegas.”

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 https://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.

Exclusive: First seasons with Angie Smith

By
Briar Starr
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Photo Credit: SR Driven Media

In this edition of Speedway Media’s first seasons’ column, we catch up with two-time NHRA Pro Stock winner Angie Smith. Smith has been competing on the NHRA tour since 2004 and currently drives the DENSO/Stockseth/Matt Smith Racing EBR machine in 2021.

During this interview, Smith discussed how she got into the sport of drag racing, why she chose the Pro Stock Motorcycle class and her introduction to George Bryce, Smith’s former team owner. She also spoke about making her debut at Gainesville in 2004 and scoring her first career victory against her husband Matt Smith.

SM: You entered the NHRA scene back in 2004 racing in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class when you were 25 years old. Briefly discuss what it was like debuting at that age and why you were interested in racing in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class? 

AS: “I was racing in the Outlaw Pro Street which was a no wheelie nitrous class before that and Pro Stock is the elite of Motorcycle drag racing, so that was the end goal,” Smith said. “Everybody that drag races motorcycles wants to go Pro Stock racing. That was my goal to go Pro Stock racing and at the age of 25, I debuted at Gainesville. I’m glad I did it then because I learned a lot since then. 

“I had a lot of nerves and emotions going into that race because when you never race in front of thousands of people you’re very nervous and you want to do well. There’s a lot of nerves that go into a race like that.”

SM: As you chose the Pro Stock Motorcycle class, you began racing for the Star Racing Team owned by George Bryce. How did you connect with Bryce and get your first opportunity in NHRA? I read that you went to a drag racing school and impressed him right out of the gate. 

AS: “I got connected with George (Bryce, former Team Owner of Star Racing Team) when I was racing Outlaw Pro Street,” she said. “We raced a series in Georgia that was called the Southeastern Motorcycle Drag Racing Association. I won a championship in Outlaw Pro Street and I was the only girl to ever race and win a championship in Outlaw Pro Street. I also used to buy one of my parts from Star Racing Team.” 

“He (George) invited me down to the Drag Racing School he had. I went down there and got my seat wet on a wheelie bar bike because I had never ridden one before. I did really well at the school and we talked about going to Pro Stock racing and we started racing at Gainesville.” 

SM: Through the first couple of years of your racing career, you competed off and on, only racing one to three races a year and even taking a year off in 2006. Was it hard managing expectations being a part-time racer through those early years, knowing you would only have a couple of races under your belt? What was going through your mind in the early stages of your career? 

AS: “It really was hard,” Smith said about managing expectations. “When you jump in Pro Stock racing, all you want to do is go Pro Stock racing. With being part-time, it was really hard, but what I had to do was look at my goals and figure out a plan to get those goals. If part-time was the only option I had at the time, then that’s what I was going to do.

“So, I raced part-time. After several years, Matt Smith (Angie’s husband) asked me if I wanted to come race his Pro Stock bike. Me and Matt were fierce rivals at the time because Matt used to race Outlaw Pro Street too. We really didn’t have a good connection so I didn’t think being a teammate to him would be a good idea.

“I finally took his offer up in 2007. I went in and tested at Rockingham Dragway and when I did that, I really knew that’s where I needed to be.”

SM: Eventually, your debut came at the famous Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida in 2004. You had a first-round matchup with Joe DeSantis. Before we get to that first-round matchup, what were the weeks like leading up to your debut at Gainesville? Were you starting to get anxious or nervous, or were you more like, ‘I’m ready to rock n roll. Let’s get this thing going? What were your emotions leading up to Gatornationals? 

AS: “I was really, really nervous,” she said. “I don’t think you’re ever prepared to go to the track if you’ve never made your debut because it is very overwhelming. From fans to expectations, to media, you always have a lot going on at your first race.

“I will say, the weeks leading up to that, I was very nervous. A lot of people talked me through it. However, when I put on my helmet for the first time, I thought I was going to throw up because that’s how bad your nerves are going into your first race.

“I think the only thing I could have done differently is not debut at that race (Gainesville 2004) or I should have got a little more seat time before that race,” Smith said. “I think seat time is the biggest thing in NHRA and if you don’t have enough seat time going into your first race, then with all the emotions going in your first race, you could never have enough laps, especially when your nerves take over.”

SM: Following the off-and-on seasons from 2004 to 2007, you entered the ‘08 season racing a career-high 14 races that year. By 2008, were you starting to get more comfortable with the bike, or was there still a learning curve process since you had never run a full season before then? 

AS: “There’s definitely a learning curve,” the two-time winner said. “I think I was learning all the way up until the last several years. You always continue to learn, like I am still learning today. How you have to be smooth on the bike, etc, everything is a learning curve.”

SM: What were you doing to stay actively involved in the sport despite being a part-time competitor? Did you want to run a full schedule? 

AS: “I did (want to run a full schedule),” Smith said. “I was racing with Matt (Smith) and I went to all the races with Matt, but unfortunately I didn’t have the funding to race and that’s part of the process too. Learning to deal with those emotions and that this thing is a money pit. You can’t spend every dollar you have in your name on it. You have to have sponsors to go do this.

“That’s part of the emotions, where you can race this race, but you can’t race this one and go out there and learn. I didn’t go to college for Marketing, I went to college for Computer Science. Learning the whole marketing aspect of what you need to and how to make yourself different from everyone else, that was a whole learning curve.”

SM: Your first-ever career round victory came in 2008 racing against Wesley Wells. What did that victory do in terms of momentum and confidence? Were you ecstatic you got your first-ever career round victory? 

AS: “Yes, you’re always ecstatic when you get your first-round victory in NHRA because it’s a tough crowd out there,” she said. “It’s so tough because all the riders out there are tough and you’re racing against the best of the best. When you make it to the next round these days, you can give yourself a pat on the back.”

SM: In 2008, you raced to two semifinals at Dallas and Memphis. Do those still somewhat sting knowing you were just one round away from getting your first elusive victory? 

AS: “It didn’t sting at the time, because I was proud of what I had accomplished in a small amount of time,” Smith said. “Everybody has a desire to win and you just have to take baby steps. It (winning) doesn’t come easy and it doesn’t come without a lot of hard work.

“I was proud of my semi-finals finish. Yes, I wanted to go to the finals and yes, there’s nothing more that a driver wants to do than hold a Wally (NHRA’s trophy) at the end of the day. Though you have to walk before you can run.”

SM: It wouldn’t be until 2014 at Epping when you would score your first career victory against your husband Matt Smith. What does that victory still mean to you to this day and have you ever had a chance to watch that race back? 

AS: “Actually that race gets watched a lot, only because we’re the only husband/wife that do this deal together,” she said. “For both of us to be successful and to be able to put both of our bikes in a winner circle, be a team effort, that’s all you want to do. If you can have your teammate in the final, then it’s a win-win for everybody no matter who wins.

“Your first victory is always a very special one for sure.”

SM: What was the conversation like following the victory? Was Matt giving you a hard time beating him in the finals or was he very supportive knowing it was your first victory? I’m sure it was a great moment between the two of you. 

AS: “No, he was proud, because when I win, he wins as a Team Owner,” Smith said. “He’s won a lot of races. He hasn’t shifted his focus, he still wants to win every weekend and win championships every weekend. But, for him to win it as a Team Owner/Crew Chief, those are the things where he’s the only driver to have ever done that.” 

“Matt is the type of person where he likes to do things that other people have not done. If I were to win a championship, or if Scotty (Pollacheck) was to win a championship, that would be something he’s never done before. He would be very proud of it.”

SM: When you look back on your early years of racing in Pro Stock Motorcycle, are there any races that come to your mind where you wish you had another chance to do it over again? If so, what races stand out the most? 

AS: “There’s a couple of races,” she said. “One of the races that stand out is where I helped people win a championship. When you’re a blocker for Matt, I think the Memphis race against Andrew Hines (stands out the most). Hines and I had a staging battle and when I beat Andrew, that helped Matt (Smith) end the championship hunt that year.

“He (Matt) didn’t win the championship that year. He lost the title by three points, but when I beat Andrew Hines, I took him out of contention because Memphis was one of those races where it’s late in the Countdown (NHRA’s version of the NASCAR Playoffs).”

SM: Continuing to reflect on your early career, what are some of your fondest memories of racing in NHRA and entering the sport? 

AS: “Racing early on, I really struggled in the beginning,” she said. “The fondest memory I have is me winning Epping (2014, Angie’s first career victory) and being in the Top 10 for the first time in my career. That was a big turning point in my career and it really helped me to know what it takes and know what to do to win races and finish the season off in a good position.”

SM: Some drivers keep their own memorabilia and some don’t. Are you a driver that collects your own merchandise and if so, is there anything in your collection that reminds you of your rookie years? 

AS: “I always get a different set of leathers every year and I have a lot of helmets,” she said. “Sometimes, I do two helmets a year, and potentially one helmet a year. I have never sold any of my helmets or leathers, I still have every single pair that I ever owned. One day, I probably will get rid of some of them, but at this point, I’ve never got rid of any. The last day I took them off (helmet and leather), they are all hanging in our shop.”

SM: Which wins mean the most to you? The 2014 Epping win against Matt, 2020 Vegas win against Steve Johnson, or your first-ever round victory? 

AS: “The one with Matt was special, because both of our bikes were in the finals,” Smith said. “I think the (victory) that means the most to me is the 2020 one (Las Vegas victory against Steve Johnson) because it was such a trying year with COVID and our team, with me winning. We won half the races that year and (winning) was special. 

“When I won in 2014, there were always the naysayers where they would say, well Matt laid down for her or he let her win and so I had to shut up all the naysayers when 2020 came because I beat Steve Johnson in the final. He had a better reaction time than me, but I drove around him and I drove a really good weekend. After that, nobody could say anything, because that (winning the 2020 Vegas race) was a legitimate win. My teammates weren’t in the other lane. Nobody could say anything except for, I got it done that day.” 

SM: It’s hard to believe your debut came 17 years ago. However, if time travel was available, what would a 42-year-old Angie Smith tell a 25-year-old Angie Smith? Is there anything you would do differently? 

AS: “Yes, I would do a lot of things differently,” Smith said reflecting back on her career. “I didn’t start working on the bike and learning how to assemble motors until about five years ago. I would tell my 25-year-old self that I needed to do all that because it made me a much better rider and I can give Matt much better feedback of what happened the following run. I wish I would have learned the mechanics a lot earlier because I would be that much further along at this point in the game now. Just being really involved, I wish I would have done that earlier.” 

In Smith’s career, the Winston-Salem, North Carolina native has amassed 191 career starts dating back to 2004, has made 103 first-round appearances, 49 career quarterfinals, and has 15 semi-final finishes. In addition, she has scored two career victories at Epping in 2014 and Las Vegas in 2020. Smith’s best career elapsed time came in 2021 at Sonoma, where she ran a time of 6.736 seconds and 203.06 mph. She has made the Countdown five times in her career. 

For the 2021 season, Smith has one No. 1 qualifier that came in Sonoma, three first rounds, has made six quarterfinal appearances and one semi-final in just 10 races. Her best career points finish was fifth that came last year. 

Fans of Angie can follow her on Twitter, Facebook and visit her Instagram.  

Special thanks to Angie Smith for taking the time out of her busy schedule to conduct the interview. 

Toyota driver Sammy Smith earns first ARCA Menards Series East Championship

By
Official Release
-

BRISTOL, Tenn. (September 16, 2021) – Camry driver Sammy Smith earned his first career ARCA Menards Series East Championship with second-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway on Thursday evening.

The 17-year-old Iowa native has been incredibly consistent in his debut season. He started the year with a runner-up finish at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida after leading 78 laps. Smith then went on a tear – winning three of the next four races – to jump out to a big advantage in the point standings. His consistent efforts continued in the final three races (combination races with the national ARCA Menards Series), including a top-five run at the Milwaukee Mile. This season the Toyota development driver has scored seven top-fives in eight starts.

“Watching Sammy drive to such success this early in his career has been exciting,” said Paul Doleshal, Group Manager, Motorsports and Assets, Toyota Motor North America (TMNA). “We are thrilled that he has scored his first championship in the ARCA Menards Series East, and we look forward to his continued growth as part of the Toyota driver development program.”

Smith drives a Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR). This is JGR’s third ARCA East driver’s championship (Joey Logano – 2007, Max Gresham – 2011). The No. 18 team also earned the national ARCA Menards Series owner’s championship last season. Smith is the sixth Toyota driver to win the ARCA East title and first since 2018. He joins a list that includes Ryan Truex (2009 and 2010), Max Gresham (2011), Kyle Larson (2012), Harrison Burton (2017) and Tyler Ankrum (2018).

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands plus our 1,800 dealerships.

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

Through its Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

Jordan Anderson Racing NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Overview- Bristol Motor Speedway

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Official Release
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Jordan Anderson Racing NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Overview-
Bristol Motor Speedway; September 17, 2021

Track: Bristol Motor Speedway – Oval (0.533-Miles)
Race: Food City 300; 300 Laps –85/85/130; 159.9 Miles
Date/Broadcast: Friday; September 17, 2021 7:30 PM ET
TV: NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) and the NBC Sports App
Radio: Performance Racing Network (PRN) – Check Local Listings for affiliate, and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90
Social Media: Jordan Anderson Racing; Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
Sage Karam; Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

Sage Karam – No. 31 Montage Mountain
Chevrolet Camaro SS Preview- Bristol Motor Speedway

News and Notes:

– Starting Position; Sage Karam will start the Food City 300 from the 32nd position on Friday night at Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS). Due to no practice or qualifying the starting lineup was calculated by the competition-based performance metrics system; fastest lap in the previous race 15 percent, driver finish from previous race 25 percent, owner points 25 percent, and driver points 35 percent.

– Bristol Motor Speedway Stats; Friday night’s Food City 300 will mark Karam’s NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) oval debut, and his second NXS start of the 2021 season. In his NXS debut at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in August, Karam would show strong signs of competing with the lead cars driving to a 5th place finish in Stage 1, then the No. 31 would pit early flipping Stage 2 resulting in a 26th place finish, and would ultimately get a speeding penalty coming onto pit road running in the 9th position late in the final stage resulting in a 26th place finish.

Featured Partners

– Montage Mountain; Montage Mountain is a locally-driven Ski Resort and Waterpark dedicated to delivering premier service and an excellent customer experience. Montage Mountain provides the steepest vertical drop ski resort in all of PA. With 27 trails, seven ski lifts, 15 lanes of tubing, and a full-service lodge equipped with Slocum Hollow Bar & Restaurant, Montage Mountain offers something for everyone! In the summer months, Montage Mountain transforms into an exhilarating water park. The resort is also home to the thrilling ZipRider, a 1/2-mile cable ride that lets you soar down the mountain reaching speeds over 50 mph. Guests can always find something fun happening at Montage Mountain, ranging from birthday parties and corporate outings to festivals, concerts, and much more.

You can learn more at www.montagemountainresorts.com.

– Chassis; Jordan Anderson Racing (JAR) will bring Chassis No. 103 for Karam to compete with in Friday night’s Food City 300 at BMS. Since being acquired from RCR in the off-season Friday night’s race will be the sixth event Chassis No. 103 has been entered in for JAR. Last seeing on track action at Michigan International Speedway, Jordan Anderson would drive Chassis No. 103 to a 15th place finish in the New Holland 250. Chassis No. 103 has an average finish of 21 with a best of 5th coming at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May with Tyler Reddick driving.

About Jordan Anderson Racing

Jordan Anderson Racing (JAR) is a NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) team, owned by owner/driver Jordan Anderson. Established in 2018, JAR has competed full-time in the last three NCWTS seasons claiming back-to-back runner-up finishes in the 2020 & 2021 season opening NextEra 250 at Daytona International Speedway. JAR fields a full-time entry in the NXS Series; the No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro SS driven by Jordan Anderson, Tyler Reddick, Josh Berry, Kaz Grala, Sage Karam, Erik Jones & Austin Dillon. JAR also fields the No. 3 Chevrolet Silverado for select drivers in the NCWTS.

LUCAS OIL POWRi SOUTHWEST LIGHTNING SPRINT CAR SERIES RETURNS TO THE BARONA SPEEDWAY THIS SATURDAY NIGHT

By
Official Release
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(Lakeside, CA, September 16, 2021) After what seems like an eternity – actually it has only been one month off – the Lucas Oil Southwest Lightning Sprint Car Series returns to the Barona Speedway this Saturday night, September 18th. The race will be a wingless affair and it will be the next to last event for the series on the San Diego County quarter-mile oval in 2021.

Lakeside teenager Grant Sexton, who has led the championship point standings most of the way this year, carries an 81-point advantage over teammate David Bezio going into Saturday’s race. Braden Chiaramonte of El Cajon and Matt Sotomayor of Alpine are not only fighting for third in the standings, but also for the “Rookie of the Year” title. Chiaramonte is currently 73-points up on Sotomayor and he is only 41-points behind Bezio. San Diego racer Parker Dumas is currently in fifth.

The last three SWLS races have produced three different winners. Point leader Sexton won on June 12th. Bezio took his lone win of the year on August 7th and Sexton’s father, Brent, won the last series race on August 28th. All told, through the first nine races of the year, there have been six different winners. As is the case in points, Grant Sexton leads the series in victories as well with three. Brent Sexton has two wins and is the only other driver in the series with more than a single victory. Indio’s James Turnbull, Dalton Sexton of Lakeside, Dumas and Bezio have one win each.

After the last SWLS race at Barona on October 2nd, the series will take two months off before returning to action in the “1st Annual Lettuce Bowl” at the Imperial Valley Raceway in Imperial, California. The races will be on Saturday night December 4th and Sunday afternoon December 5th. The club will combine with the WRA Midgets for two wingless shows. The races will bring down the curtain on the 2021 SWLS season.

Joining the SWLS at Barona this Saturday will be the Modifieds, Sport Mods, Street Stocks, Sport Compacts, Pure Stocks, 360/410 Sprint Cars, Mini Dwarfs and Junior Sprints. For fans who would like to attend Saturday’s race, the gates will open at noon with racing at 5:00 p.m. Fans can bring coolers and barbecues if they wish. The track is located at 1754 Wildcat Road in Lakeside (92040). The track website is https://baronaspeedway.com/ and the office phone number is (619) 749-8115.

The Lucas Oil POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprint Car Series would like to thank the following sponsors for making the 2021 season possible. Lucas Oil, Sexton Fire Protection, RTL Traffic Control & Equipment, Victory Graphix, United Cleaning Company, BK Wing, and A.M. Ortega Construction Inc. If you or your company would like to become part of the series, please contact Brent Sexton at (619) 454-6945 or mailto:sextonfire@cox.net

For up to the minute updates on the Lucas Oil POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprint Car Series, please visit the series website at raceswls.com or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Southwest-Lightning-Sprints-101419131399196

Lucas Oil POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprint Car Point Standings

  1. Grant Sexton – Lakeside, CA – 1060
  2. David Bezio – San Diego, CA – 979
  3. Brandon Chiaramonte ® – El Cajon, CA – 938
  4. Matt Sotomayor ® – Alpine, CA – 865
  5. Parker Dumas – San Diego, CA – 734
  6. Rudy Padilla – Norco, CA – 659
  7. D.J. Dumas – El Cajon, CA – 613
  8. Wyatt Boczanowski – San Diego, CA – 576
  9. Peter Benker – Alpine, CA – 568
  10. Dalton Sexton – Lakeside, CA – 530

2021 Lucas Oil POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprint Car Schedule

March 26 Mohave Valley Raceway (Winged) – James Turnbull

March 27 Mojave Valley Raceway (Winged) – Brent Sexton

April 3 Barona Speedway (Winged) – Parker Dumas

April 17 Barona Speedway (Winged) – Dalton Sexton

May 1 Barona Speedway (Winged) – Grant Sexton

May 15 Barona Speedway (Wingless) – Grant Sexton

June 12 Barona Speedway (Winged) – Grant Sexton

August 7 Barona Speedway (Winged) – David Bezio

August 21 Barona Speedway (Wingless) – Brent Sexton

September 18 Barona Speedway (Wingless)

October 2 Barona Speedway (Winged)

December 4 Imperial Valley Speedway w/WMR Midgets

December 5 Imperial Valley Speedway w/WMR Midgets

DGR NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race Recap: Bristol

By
Official Release
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Thursday, September 16
Track: Bristol Motor Speedway, .533-mile oval
Race: 18 of 22
Event: UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics (200 laps, 106 miles)

Hailie Deegan, No. 1 Toter Ford F-150

Start: 23rd

Finish: 25th

  • Deegan started the 200-lap event from the 23rd spot at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.
  • Under caution on lap 23, Deegan reported her truck was feeling pretty stable while in the 20th position.
  • During the lap-49 caution, the young driver reported her F-150 was tight in the center in the 17th position. She pitted for fuel, four tires and adjustments. A one-lap shootout ended Stage 1 with Deegan in 14th.
  • In Stage 2, Deegan maintained a top-15 position throughout multiple cautions and a red flag period. At the Stage 2 break, the Toter driver relayed her Ford was still on the tight side in 15th. She pitted for service and returned to the racing surface.
  • Another caution was displayed on lap 130 and the Toter driver reported her truck was free on entry. With 40 laps to go, Deegan pitted under caution from 20th for fuel, four tires and adjustments to help free up her F-150.
  • With 28 laps to go, Deegan radioed to her crew that her truck was handling better while in the 17th position. With under 20 laps remaining in the event, the California native was 16th. Shortly thereafter with 12 laps to go, Deegan was caught up in an accident that ended her night prematurely and relegated her to a 25th-place finish.

Tanner Gray, No. 15 Ford Performance F-150

Start: 21st

Finish: 38th

  • Tanner Gray was running in 19th when the caution flag waved on lap 3.
  • On lap 23, Gray had a left rear tire go flat, which sent him spinning into the wall in turn two. The damage ended his night early and he was credited with 38th.

Taylor Gray, No. 17 Ford Performance F-150

Start: 35th

Finish: 29th

  • Taylor Gray started his third NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race from the 35th position. He was up to 30th by lap three and 16th by lap 40.
  • A caution came out on lap 49 and the team opted to pit for four tires and fuel. Stage 1 ended in a one-lap shootout and Gray finished 17th.
  • The Ford Performance driver started Stage 2 in 14th and gained one position over the course of the stage and finished it in 13th.
  • After pitting for tires and fuel once again, Gray restarted 14th and had made it up to 12th when the caution came out with 70 laps to go.
  • On the ensuing restart, the No. 17 was stuck in the outside lane and fell to 14th. He was running there when a lapped truck spun in front of him and he had nowhere to go and made significant contact.
  • The damage ended his night early and he was credited with a 29th-place finish.

Next event: Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 24 at 9 p.m. ET.

Toyota Racing NCWTS Post-Race Recap — Bristol 9.16.21

By
Official Release
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CHANDLER SMITH CLAIMS CAREER FIRST TRUCK SERIES VICTORY
Tundra Drivers Transfer Five to the Round of Eight

BRISTOL, Tenn. (September 16, 2021) – Chandler Smith picked up his first career win in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Thursday night at Bristol Motor Speedway. Smith was in a must-win scenario in order to transfer into the Round of Eight and continue to battle for the Playoffs and was able to capture the victory.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Bristol Motor Speedway
Race 18 of 23 – 200 Laps, 106.6 Miles

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, CHANDLER SMITH
2nd, GRANT ENFINGER
3rd, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
4th, STEWART FRIESEN
5th, JOHNNY SAUTER
7th, MATT CRAFTON
9th, BEN RHODES
13th, DEREK KRAUS
21st, PARKER KLIGERMAN
23rd, CLAY GREENFIELD
24th, AUSTIN HILL
26th, CJ MCLAUGHLIN
33rd, DANNY BOHN
34th, DREW DOLLAR

*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

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

Finishing Position: 1st

How do you feel getting your first career Truck Series victory?

“God is good, God is so damn good. I’ve really been tested here in the last year or two. Tested my faith and I’ve kept it. This is unbelievable. I can’t thank everyone behind me. Safelite, Toyota, KBM, Kyle Busch (team owner) – everybody, Jack Irving (TRD). This is incredible, I’m speechless right now.”

Were you starting to wonder if you would get a win in this series?

“I feel like truck racing is definitely the hardest out of all three series right now. In 2019, I felt like I was really, really good. Nothing’s changed about me, the competition has just gotten harder. Had to go to work and do a lot more. More studying and it finally paid off. God is just so good and I’m just so happy. This is unbelievable.”

What was going through your mind when you knew you had to win to transfer in the Playoffs?

“2019. That’s all I’ve been talking about all weekend is what I would do different in 2019 on that restart because of how damn hard these truck races are to win. It came down to it and I’ve beeen preparing myself all week for it. Just got a good launch. I can’t thank everybody enough that’s on this Safelite Toyota. This has been a heck of a journey and my faith has definitely been tested. Just keep on digging.”

How do you approach the next round of the Playoffs?

“I think everybody’s confidence is really high now for sure. I definitely think we’re going to be pretty good going into the next round.”

STEWART FRIESEN, No. 52 Halmar International Toyota Tundra, Halmar Friesen Racing

Finishing Position: 4th

How has your race team been so consistent early in the Playoffs?

“Race to race for sure. Thanks to Chris Larson, Halmar and everybody at home watching in my living room, really appreciate you guys. We’re coming back this weekend for Fonda, big race weekend for us. We had a really good truck tonight, just didn’t have really good long run speed. Probably some stuff that I was doing that I need to clean up. Got a good restart at the end and just about had a pretty good catastrophe there and tried to get a little too much getting around the 42 on a restart. Thought we were going to get good and just tagged the wall and were probably a quarter-of-an-inch from a flat right front. We’ll take it. The Tundra was awesome again tonight and my guys are on point. Looking forward to keeping it rolling the rest of the season. Thanks to all of our Northeast Modified fans, we appreciate the support.”

MATT CRAFTON, No. 88 Great Lakes/Menards Toyota Tundra, ThorSport Racing

Finishing Position: 7th

What were you lacking at the end of the race to battle for the win?

“I don’t know. I just couldn’t take off like they were. There at the end I just tried to keep taking big runs and see what I could do about it. I don’t know if I was doing something wrong or didn’t have the acceleration. Just struggled on it for whatever reason, we were off tonight mainly on land. We would have to wait on land and if I backed the corner up then they would run me over on entry. Like I said, definitely not the night we wanted. The Menards Toyota Tundra will be ready in Vegas and it will be go time again.”

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

Finishing Position: 9th

How was the race tonight?

“I think this race shaved a few years off my life. That was stressful racing. You look at the 38 (Todd Gilliland) being on the outside now and I think we finished one or two spots ahead of him. With the 18 (Chandler Smith) winning the race, it made it to where we had to finish ahead of those guys. Just really close and not exactly how we wanted out race to go. We wanted to get some stage points and do all these things to make it easy on ourselves and we just weren’t as fast as we needed this Bombardier Tundra to be tonight. We have to go back and improve because right now how we’re running is not the way to win the championship and get to the final four. We have some work on our side, but the good news is that we’re on to bigger race tracks where teammates are an advantage and we’ve got strength in numbers at ThorSport with Talladega, Las Vegas and some big race tracks where it’s good to have friends. We just have to have a good meeting Monday morning and say what we need to work on and get better.”

AUSTIN HILL, No. 16 AISIN Toyota Tundra, Hattori Racing Enterprises

Finishing Position: 24th

What happened in the accident that took you out of the Playoffs?

“I was just trying to get in line and my spotter told me that he was coming and he was there. Kind of went down a little bit to see if I could spook him a little bit and maybe make him lift and I misjudged it. I came down too much and then as soon as he got into me, it just takes all the rear stability out of it and off we went. I hate that we tore up all those other race trucks and I hope everybody ended up alright. It’s all on me. I let my team down. They brought me a hot rod to Bristol, a place we’re not very good at. We sped on pit road and just choked it, what else do you say. We go on to next year. Don’t know what next year looks like yet, but hopefully I’m with these guys and I can redeem myself for them and this organization because they deserve better than what they got tonight. We’ll see.”

About Toyota

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

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

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