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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

By
Official Release
-

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
-

(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
-

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
-

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.

NASCAR Bass Pro Shop Night Race Preview

By
SM
-
Photo by Ted Seminara for Speedwaymedia.com

Saturday will bring racing fans the last NASCAR Series Playoffs race of the Round of 16, with the Bristol Motor Speedway to play host to the 60th annual running of the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race. 

The event will be the first time NASCAR will have a race happen on the concrete surface inside the “Last Great Colosseum” this season –  the spring race at the Tennessee track took place on dirt.

This race is expected to be a very exciting one, given that drivers are desperate for playoff points, and it will be as crucial as it will be exciting due to track position being of great importance in any short race.

Race Details

Date: Saturday, September 18, 2021
Start Time: 7:30pm. EST
Track: Bristol Motor Speedway — Bristol, TN
Coverage: NBCSN
Pole Sitter: Martin Truex Jr.
Defending Champion: Kevin Harvick
Distance: 266.5 miles
Laps: 500
Lap Length: 0.533 miles
Stages: Three (Laps 1-125; 126-250; 251-500)
Surface: Concrete
Turns: 4

Kyle Busch is the favorite going into the event at +400 and the Android betting app will be offering odds. Busch has won the race on three occasions, the most for any active racer, and has two wins this season. 

Kyle Larson follows at +450 while Denny Hamlin is +600 and Chase Elliot at +800. Joey Logano is +1000 with Kevin Karvic at +1100.

You could find a full list of odds right below.

Kyle Busch – +400
Kyle Larson – +450
Denny Hamlin – +600
Chase Elliott – +800
Joey Logano – +1000
Kevin Harvick – +1100
Ryan Blaney – +1500
Kurt Busch – +1500
Brad Keselowski – +1600
Martin Truex Jr. – +1800
Christopher Bell – +2200
William Byron – +2500
Alex Bowman – +2500
Tyler Reddick – +3000
Aric Almirola – +3000
Ross Chastain – +3000
Austin Dillon – +4500
Matt DiBenedetto – +5000
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – +8000
Bubba Wallace – +8000
Daniel Suarez – +10000
Cole Custer – +10000
Ryan Newman – +13000
Chris Buescher – +13000
Erik Jones – +15000
Chase Briscoe – +15000
Ryan Preece – +20000
Michael McDowell – +25000
Corey Lajoie – +25000
Anthony Alfredo – +50000
Justin Haley – +60000
Quin Houff – +100000
B.J. McLeod – +100000
J.J. Yeley – +100000
David Starr – +100000
Garrett Smithley – +100000
James Davison – +100000
Josh Bilicki – +100000

NASCAR has ditched the practice and qualifying runs for most races following the interruption on the calendar last season due to COVID-19. Group draws and a formula involving performance metrics were used to make up the starting grids. The formula has been kept for most of the races in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season and Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race will be no different.

The performance-metrics formula takes several factors into account,  including individual race performances and results over the course of the season. 

You could check the breakdown out right here:

35 percent: Team owner points ranking
25 percent: Driver’s finishing position from the previous race
25 percent: Car owner’s finishing position from the previous race
15 percent: Fastest lap from the previous race

The starting lineup is also below:

1 – #19 – Martin Truex Jr.
2 – #11 – Denny Hamlin
3 – #22 – Joey Logano
4 – #9 – Chase Elliott
5 – #5 – Kyle Larson
6 – #20 – Christopher Bell
7 – #12 – Ryan Blaney
8 – #4 – Kevin Harvick
9 – #18 – Kyle Busch
10 – #2 – Brad Keselowski
11 – #48 – Alex Bowman
12 – #10 – Aric Almirola
13 – #8 – Tyler Reddick
14 – #24 – William Byron
15 – #1 – Kurt Busch
16 – #34 – Michael McDowell
17 – #42 – Ross Chastain
18 – #3 – Austin Dillon
19 – #21 – Matt DiBenedetto
20 – #14 – Chase Briscoe (R)
21 – #99 – Daniel Suarez
22 – #43 – Erik Jones
23 – #47 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
24 – #6 – Ryan Newman
25 – #17 – Chris Buescher
26 – #41 – Cole Custer
27 – #37 – Ryan Preece
28 – #23 – Bubba Wallace
29 – #77 – Justin Haley
30 – #38 – Anthony Alfredo (R)
31 – #7 – Corey LaJoie
32 – #78 – B.J. McLeod
33 – #52 – Josh Bilicki
34 – #00 – Quin Houff
35 – #51 – J.J. Yeley
36 – #53 – Garrett Smithley
37 – #15 – James Davison
38 – #66 – David Starr

Martin Truex Jr. was awarded the pole for the event on Wednesday as a result of the aforementioned metric. He earned an automatic spot in the Playoffs’ Round of 12 by winning at Richmond last weekend and has joined Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson in automatic qualification. Alex Bowman, who will need to have a strong run in Saturday’s race to advance to the Round of 12 has the highest starting position at 11th.

The four drivers, Tyler Reddick, William Byron, Kurt Busch, and Michael McDowell,  placed below the cutoff line will all start in a cluster in Rows 7 and 8.

Only Truex, Hamlin, and Larson will be guaranteed to continue chasing the championship no matter what happens.

IPL 2021: Most Successful Captains in IPL History

By
SM
-

In this article, we have tried to establish who is the best captain in IPL history. We have considered only those skippers who have led their franchises in at least 10 matches. 

                                                    Most Successful Captains in IPL History
CaptainIPL Matches LedMatches WonMatches LostSuccess Percentage
Rohit Sharma116704560.34
Steve Smith42251759.52
MS Dhoni1881107758.82
Sachin Tendulkar51302158.82
Cameron White127558.33

Who Is the Most Successful Captain in the IPL?

1. Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma’s IPL captaincy record speaks for itself. He has won 70 out of 116 matches as captain, registering the highest win percentage amongst IPL captains of 60.34. Sharma is inarguably the best captain of IPL, having led Mumbai Indians to five titles in eight years at the helm.

2. Steve Smith

Former Australian skipper Steve Smith has had enough experience of captaincy at the international level as well as league level. In 2017 he was appointed skipper of Rising Pune Supergiant, in place of Dhoni. Smith led the franchise to the final where they lost to MI by a solitary run. Smith has also skippered Rajasthan Royals in a few seasons. With 25 wins registered in 42 matches on his watch, Smith has a win percentage of 59.52, second only to that of Rohit Sharma.

3. MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni has been considered one of the world’s best captains. Dhoni is the only player to have captained a side in the inaugural IPL 2008 edition who is still leading a team in the league. CSK has won three IPL titles on Dhoni’s watch. The former India skipper has led IPL franchises in 188 matches, winning 110 to establish a winning percentage of 58.82.

4. Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar compensated for his lack of success leading India in international cricket by captaining Mumbai Indians with a high degree of success in the IPL. Though MI did not win any IPL trophy on Tendulkar’s watch, they won 30 out of 51 matches in which they were led by Sachin, which translated into a win percentage of 58.82.

5. Cameron White

Former Australian player Cameron White featured for RCB, Deccan Chargers, and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL. In 2012, he took over the captaincy of DC mid-season from Kumar Sangakkara. He also captained the SRH side in the following season. In the 12 matches White captained, 7 were won by his team, giving Cameron a success percentage of 58.33 in the tournament.

Captains Who Have Led Their Teams to IPL Titles

The question, “who is the most successful captain in IPL?” can also be decided by finding out who has won the most IPL titles for his franchise.

Rohit Sharma

The current Mumbai Indians skipper, Rohit Sharma, has led his franchise to the most IPL titles. MI has won five IPL trophies with Sharma at the helm. In 2013, MI won their maiden IPL trophy beating CSK led by Dhoni in the final. MI batted first and made 148/9 before keeping CSK down to 125/9. In 2015, MI became IPL champions for the 2nd time, again beating the Dhoni-led CSK in the title match. Batting first, MI scored 202/5 before restricting CSK to 161/8. MI’s 3rd IPL trophy came in the 2017 season when they beat Rising Pune Supergiant led by Steve Smith in the final. Batting first, MI scored 129/8. In reply, RPS scored 128/6 handing MI a one-run win. MI won their 4th title in 2019, beating Dhoni’s CSK in the final. Batting first they made 149/8 before restricting CSK to 148/7 for another one-run victory. In 2020, Sharma led MI to their 5th IPL trophy, beating the Shreyas Iyer-led Delhi Capitals in the final match. DC batted first and scored 156/7 before MI chased down the target with 5 wickets and 8 balls to spare.

MS Dhoni

Dhoni who leads Chennai Super Kings in the ongoing IPL season has led his franchise to three IPL titles. CSK won their first IPL title on Dhoni’s watch in 2010 when they beat MI Indians by 22 runs in the final. Batting first in the game, CSK scored 168/5. In reply, MI could manage no more than 146/9. In 2011, Dhoni led CSK to a successful defense of their title, when they beat RCB, led by Daniel Vettori, in the final. Batting first, CSK made 205/5 before restricting RCB to 147/8 in their 20-over innings. In 2018, CSK won their 3rd IPL trophy under Dhoni. In the final, they faced Sunrisers Hyderabad who was led by Kane Williamson. Batting first SRH scored 178/6.

Gautam Gambhir

Gambhir, the former skipper of Kolkata Knight Riders, who led his franchise to two IPL trophies in 2012 and 2014 was once considered the best captain in IPL. In 2012, KKR chased down a target of 191 set by the Dhoni-led CSK with 5 wickets to spare. In 2014, KKR faced Kings XI Punjab led by George Bailey in the title match. Batting first, KXIP scored 199/4. In reply, KKR scored 200/3 in 19.3 overs.

David Warner

In 2016, Warner led SRH to their only IPL title. SRH batted first and scored 208/7. In reply, RCB led by Virat Kohli fell tantalizingly short of the target, managing to score only 200/7.

Shane Warne

Warne led Rajasthan Royals to their only IPL title in the inaugural season of the league in 2008. In the final, Royals clashed with CSK. Batting first in that game, CSK scored 163/5 before Royals chased down the target with three wickets to spare, on the last ball.

Adam Gilchrist

Gilchrist skippered the now-defunct Deccan Chargers franchise in their successful title run in IPL 2009. In the final of that edition, Chargers were challenged for the title by Royal Challengers Bangalore led by Anil Kumble. Batting first in the game, DC scored 143/6 before restricting RCB to 137/9 in their allotted overs.

Conclusion

 At cric-life.com, we believe that Rohit Sharma is inarguably the best IPL team captain.

Chandler Smith powers through to next round of Playoffs with Bristol victory

By
Briar Starr
-
Photo Credit: Christian Gardner for Speedway Media

In a must-win situation, 19-year-old Chandler Smith made a power move on Sheldon Creed with three laps to go, moving Creed out of the way. He hung on to win the Camping World Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway and locked the No. 18 team into the Playoffs Round of 6.

“All week, I’ve been talking about 2019 when I finished second to Brett Moffitt and what I would have done different to win that race and these things are so hard now to win,” Smith said about the victory. “I haven’t done anything different since 2019. I’ve been doing a lot of sim time and watching film to get this win. My faith has been tested plenty of times.”

Creed, who was dominant most of the night, led a race-high 189 laps before spinning with three laps to go due to a left-rear tire. He finished in the 19th spot, two laps down.

“I knew I was going to get hit at some point, but it hurts nonetheless,” Creed said. “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.”

Bristol Motor Speedway served as the final race in the Round of 8 Thursday night. Already a two-time winner in the playoffs, Creed was on the pole due to the qualifying metric system. Stages of 55/55/90 made up the 200-lap race in what would be a wild night of action.

In the first stage, the caution was flown as early as Lap 3 for the No. 32 of Sam Mayer and the No. 3 of Howie DiSavino III for spinning in Turns 1 and 2. Following the accident, there were two more yellow flags, one at Lap 22 for Tanner Gray and on Lap 49 for Spencer Boyd. Prior to the Lap 49 caution, Smith was concerned as he had a left-front tire rub after making contact with another playoff driver, Todd Gilliland.

With a one-lap dash set up for the first stage, Creed and Matt Crafton were on the front row, but Creed took off first with the faster truck and went on to take the first stage win. Austin Hill, Crafton, Zane Smith, Grant Enfinger, Carson Hocevar, Stewart Friesen, Todd Gilliland, Tyler Ankrum and Johnny Sauter rounded out the Top 10.

Stage 2 began on Lap 66 and was one of the calmer stages of the night. There was only one yellow flag that slowed the field on Lap 70 when the No. 51 of Drew Dollar spun on the backstretch and collected Tate Fogleman, Dawson Cram, Howie DiSavino and Danny Bohn. The caution prompted the first red flag of the night, lasting six minutes and 23 seconds in length.

Despite the red flag stoppage, Creed was once again dominant, and collected another stage victory. Ankrum, Austin Hill, Zane Smith, Chandler Smith, Nemechek, Friesen, Enfinger, Parker Kligerman and Crafton completed the Top 10. During the stage break caution, Zane Smith was penalized for throwing a fuel can, while Ankrum and Austin Hill were penalized for being too fast on pit road.

The third and final stage had five cautions and the second red flag of the night. Most notably, when the fourth yellow came out with 11 to go, playoff contender, Austin Hill, came down on the No. 25 of Josh Berry on the frontstretch and wrecked in Turn 1. Hill then went up the track and collected Hailie Deegan, Derek Kraus, Lawless Alan and Austin Wayne Self.

The major accident brought out the second red flag of the race and the field was halted for seven minutes and 37 seconds. Unfortunately, for the Georgia native Austin Hill, his playoff chances came to a close as he was eliminated from the next round.

The final restart came with five laps to go with Creed and Chandler Smith on the front row. Smith’s teammate Nemechek was close behind in third. As both Creed and Smith fired off, the two raced side-by-side before Smith got the better of Creed by moving him up the track.

Creed went high on the outside and fell back in the running order and eventually made contact with another driver and spun due to a left-rear flat tire.

Even though Creed spun, no caution was called and Chandler Smith drove away with the victory. Enfinger, John Hunter Nemechek, Friesen, Sauter, Hocevar, Crafton, Zane Smith, Ben Rhodes, and Gilliland completed the top 10 finishers.

Despite their best efforts, Austin Hill and Gilliland were eliminated from the Playoffs. Gilliland missed the next round by just two points.

Smith led one time for five laps and gained five playoff points.

There were 11 cautions for 85 laps and three lead changes among three different leaders.

Playoff Standings for the Round of 8 beginning at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

  1. John Hunter Nemechek, +44
  2. Sheldon Creed, +20
  3. Ben Rhodes, +13
  4. Zane Smith, +3
    Below the cut line
  5. Chandler Smith, -3
  6. Matt Crafton, -5
  7. Carson Hocevar, -7
  8. Stewart Friesen, -8

Official Results following the UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway:

  1. Chandler Smith, led five laps
  2. Grant Enfinger
  3. John Hunter Nemechek
  4. Stewart Friesen
  5. Johnny Sauter
  6. Carson Hocevar, led six laps
  7. Matt Crafton
  8. Zane Smith
  9. Ben Rhodes
  10. Todd Gilliland
  11. Josh Berry
  12. Doug Coby
  13. Derek Kraus
  14. Austin Wayne Self
  15. Colby Howard
  16. Ryan Truex
  17. Timmy Hill
  18. Lawless Alan
  19. Sheldon Creed, won both stages, led 189 laps, 2 laps down
  20. Cory Roper, 2 laps down
  21. Parker Kligerman, 3 laps down
  22. Sam Mayer, 7 laps down
  23. Clay Greenfield, 7 laps down
  24. Austin Hill, OUT, Accident
  25. Hailie Deegan, OUT, Accident
  26. CJ McLaughlin, 12 laps down
  27. Jennifer Jo Cobb, 12 laps down
  28. Howie DiSavino III, OUT, Electrical
  29. Taylor Gray, OUT, Accident
  30. Chase Purdy, OUT, Accident
  31. Spencer Boyd, OUT, Overheating
  32. Tyler Ankrum, OUT, Accident
  33. Danny Bohn, OUT, Accident
  34. Drew Dollar, OUT, Accident
  35. Dawson Cram, OUT, Accident
  36. Kris Wright, OUT, Engine
  37. Tate Fogleman, OUT, Accident
  38. Tanner Gray, OUT, Accident
  39. Ray Ciccarelli, OUT, Rear Gear
  40. Josh Reaume, OUT, Accident

Up Next: The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will head west to begin the Round of 8 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Friday night, September 24, live on Fox Sports 1 at 9 p.m. ET with radio coverage on MRN Radio.

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