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RCR Post Race Report – Southern 500

By
Official Release
-

Austin Dillon And The No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Team Overcome Challenges to Earn Solid Top-10 Finish at Darlington Raceway

Finish: 10th
Start: 21st
Points: 17th

“I’m proud of everyone on the Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevy team tonight. To get a top-10 after all of the challenges we faced is a really good night and shows how hard this team works. We started off the race a little too free in the Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet, so we pitted during the first caution for adjustments, which really helped our handling issues. Even though we started from the rear, we were able to race our way into the top-10 before finishing the stage 13th. We lost a little something in Stage 2 after the 18 came down on us. We got some fender damage that affected our handling the rest of the night. We also had a bad vibration in the second half of the stage and it took all we had to stay on the lead lap. It was great get a top-10 after a rough few weeks. I just wish we could have seen what we could have done without that body damage because the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevy was fast tonight.”

-Austin Dillon

Tyler Reddick And The No. 8 Childress Vineyards Team Still In Solid Contention In The NASCAR Playoffs With Top-20 Finish at Darlington Raceway

Finish: 18th
Start: 7th
Points: 12th

“Our Childress Vineyards Chevrolet was pretty good at the start of the race, and it was great to battle competitively in the top-10 during much of the early half of the race. I could see the other Playoff drivers having problems around me and I was hoping it was going to push us over the edge to break through and get going in the right direction. Unfortunately, two different strategies came into play during the final stage and ours was not the strategy that prevailed. Once we lost our track position it was a downhill slide. Our Camaro was tight and loose in the same corner and I wasn’t sure how to help my team fix it. By the end of the race, handling was significantly better but we were trapped a lap down and didn’t get a timely caution to return to the lead lap. This Richard Childress Racing team is strong and we proved that by making the Playoffs. We will go to Richmond and Bristol these next two weeks and do what is needed to advance.”

-Tyler Reddick

No. 10 Smithfield Ford Racing: Aric Almirola Darlington Race Report

By
Official Release
-

Almirola Finishes 16th at Darlington
Smithfield Ford Driver’s Day Marred by Untimely Caution

Date: Sept. 5, 2021
Event: Cook Out Southern 500 (Round 27 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway(1.366-mile oval)
Format: 367 laps, broken into three stages (115 laps/115 laps/137 laps)
Start/Finish: 8th / 16th (Running, completed 366 of 367 laps)
Point Standing: 11th (2,029 points, 3 points ahead of top-12 cutoff)
Race Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-115):

● Aric Almirola started eighth and finished eighth, earning three bonus points.
● Almirola held his Smithfield Ford inside the top-10 before the competition caution waved.
● The Smithfield Ford driver pitted during the caution for four tires, fuel and air pressure adjustments.
● Almirola restarted eight after the caution and was scored ninth before another caution was called for a spin by playoff contender Michael McDowell just a few laps later.
● Another caution was called on lap 48. Almirola pitted for four fresh tires, fuel and adjustments to come off pit road in eighth.
● Almirola pitted under green for four fresh tires, fuel and more adjustments on lap 81.
● Crew chief Mike Bugarewicz radioed to Almirola that he was the fastest car on the track with 20 laps to go in the stage.
● Almirola held his position to the end of the stage, and then pitted for four tires, fuel and chassis adjustments.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 116-230):

● Almirola started ninth and finished 18th.
● The caution was called on lap 126 for a spin by the No. 18 car.
● On lap 152 as he ran in 16th, Almirola radioed to Bugarewicz: “I’ve just lost everything. Everything is worse.”
● Almirola pitted under green on lap 157 for four fresh tires, fuel and air pressure adjustments.
● A debris caution was called on lap 164. Almirola and multiple playoff drivers were forced to wave around to rejoin the lead lap.
● Almirola restarted 18th, drove to 15th, then pitted for four fresh tires, fuel and adjustments on lap 196.
● The caution was called again for a cut tire by the No. 24 car with Almirola in 12th.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 231-367):

● Almirola started 13th and finished 16th.
● Almirola raced to 11th on the restart and advanced to the top-10 on lap 255.
● While attempting to pass multiple cars, Almirola slid his Smithfield Ford into the wall, causing minimal damage. He lost one spot to the No. 19 car but passed the No. 8 car.
● The caution came out on lap 319 for a spin by the No. 12 car with Almirola in the 13th position.
● The No. 10 Smithfield driver pitted during the caution period for four fresh tires, fuel and adjustments, putting him one lap down.
● Almirola was forced to check up when the No. 17 car got loose coming off the turn. He escaped the incident with minimal damage to his No. 10, and the caution was called for a spin by the No. 9 shortly after.
● Almirola raced his was back to the Lucky Dog position, but the caution did not come out for the remainder of the race, leaving Almirola one lap down.

Notes:

● Denny Hamlin won the Cook Out Southern 500 to score his 45th career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his fourth at Darlington. His margin over second-place Kyle Larson was .212 of a second.
● There were 11 caution periods for a total of 52 laps.
● Only 15 of the 37 drivers in the Cook Out Southern 500 finished on the lead lap.

Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“We had a good car today, and we had good speed. We had a great day and our pit crew was on fire until the caution came out late in the race and put us a lap down. The strategy just didn’t play out for us there, but that’s how it goes. We controlled as much as we could control and showed we’re serious contenders.”

Playoff Standings (with two races to go before Round of 12):

  1. Denny Hamlin (2,072 points) 1 win
  2. Kyle Larson (2,106 points) +80 points
  3. Martin Truex Jr. (2,062 points) +36 points
  4. Kurt Busch (2,062 points) +26 points
  5. Ryan Blaney (2,048 points) +22 points
  6. Joey Logano (2,047 points) +21 points
  7. Kevin Harvick (2,046 points) +20 points
  8. Brad Keselowski (2,038 points) +12 points
  9. Christopher Bell (2,031 points) +6 points
  10. Chase Elliott (2,030 points) +4 points
  11. Aric Almirola (2,029 points) +3 points
  12. Alex Bowman (2,026 points) +0 points
  13. Tyler Reddick (2,026 points) -0 points
  14. Kyle Busch (2,024 points) -2 points
  15. William Byron (2,017 points) -9 points
  16. Michael McDowell (2,006 points) -20 points

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders on Saturday, Sept. 11, at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. The second race of the 10-race NASCAR Playoffs starts at 7:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

How to replace an Instrument Cluster

By
SM
-

Your car is a machine that has a lot of parts that work in harmony to give you the perfect ride. Just like everything else your car requires maintenance and repairs from time to time. It is possible that some parts of your car might start showing problems and need to be fixed or replaced. While some parts are easier to replace, others are not. 

An instrument cluster is one such part of the car which is not that easy to replace but in all honesty, it is not that hard either.

The instrument cluster is the module that has all the things like the speedometer, RPM meter, fuel gauge, temperature gauge, and so on. This is mostly placed directly behind the steering wheel. 

It is quite an important part and without it, you simply can’t imagine driving around in your car. So if your instrument cluster fails or shows a problem you can either have it repaired or replaced. If the only option left is to replace the cluster then you might have to follow a few steps as it is not exactly a walk in the park. Following these steps might make it a little easy for you.

Initiation of the process

Replacing the instrument cluster mostly gets people to back off and simply send it to a mechanic for auto instrument cluster repair but as we said, following a few steps will make it easier for you.

So the first step in the process is to make sure you park your car on level ground. Pull the handbrake and make sure your car is off. 

Since every car is built differently there would be a few things that you would need to do before you actually start removing the dashboard area. In some cars, you are supposed to put the car in a certain gear and in some, you are required to put the steering wheel in a certain position. You can find out such specifications in your car’s manual.

Removing the dashboard

To get to the instrument cluster you will first have to remove the dashboard of the car. Dashboards of all cars are different and hence there will be a difference in removing them. Mostly all dashboards use rivets and other locks to hold them in place. You can use a socket set to help you get the dashboard out easily. 

Once you figure out where all the clips are, simply start detaching the dashboard till the time your instrument cluster is not fully exposed. Next, have a good look at the cluster. There should be a number of bolts that attach it to the frame of the car. Take your time to carefully remove all the bolts without damaging the grooves.

Removing the instrument cluster

Once you’re done removing all the bolts remember to look out for a few clips that might need to be pushed before you can slide the cluster out. After locating the clips carefully pull out the cluster just a little bit so that you can have a clear look behind it.

The cluster receives all the information from the rest of the car through wires. The bunch of wires should not be very hard to detach. Look out for a connector that should have a clip on it. Usually, you can detach all the wires in one go if they are connected with a single clip and connector. There are some models where you have to individually unclip all the wires. This might take some time but do not rush this procedure. The wire clips are sometimes delicate and you might have to take the pain of getting a new clip from a store.

Installing the new cluster

Before you start installing the new cluster take a moment to compare the old piece to the new one. They should match in all dimensions otherwise they won’t fit properly and you will have to get the right one which will definitely take some time.

If you have an exactly identical cluster then you have the go-ahead. 

Start by attaching all the wires with clips and connectors to the cluster. Make sure you attach the right wires in the right place to avoid further instrument cluster problems that you might have to face. It’s best to take the help of the manual to avoid mistakes and waste more time.

Common wire hub connectors are much easier to connect as you don’t have to worry about fixing the right wires in the right socket.

Double-check the connections and move onto the next step which involves sliding the cluster back into the frame. If the cluster has clips make sure to properly clip it back in place. Then proceed to put the bolts back into place. 

Checking the new cluster

Once the bolts are tightened into place simply switch the car on once to see if it lights up. This will show that the cluster is receiving power. Before you fully check the functionality by taking the car out for a spin, fix the dashboard back on. Clip everything into place properly, you don’t want the dashboard to be shaky and unhinged while driving. 

While driving check the reaction and accuracy of the speedometer. Go to the fuel station and get some gas to check the working of the fuel gauge. The electronic displays and gauges can be checked easily too.

The instrument cluster is an important part of your vehicle so don’t hesitate to replace it if required. Replacing this can seem like a task but can be easily done from UpFix with better-than-original working conditions by using high-quality parts that last.

The Best Free Spins Offers in New Zealand in 2021

By
SM
-

Online casinos are a great way to spend time online and have fun. New Zealand players are often spoiled for choice when it comes to online gambling, with loads of exciting sites to choose from. Many of these sites offer different bonuses to new players, including free spins. If you’re interested in playing at an online casino in New Zealand, you’ll often be able to claim a free spins bonus when you sign up. 

If you want to claim the best free spins offers in 2021, we’ve made a list of some of the top deals below. Make sure you also read more about bonus free spins, including what they are and how to use them if you want to have the most fun while playing at a New Zealand online casino. 

Top Free Spins Offers

Here are a few of the best free spins bonuses for New Zealand players right now:

  • 21.com – 100 no deposit spins
  • LeoVegas – 50 no deposit spins
  • Jackpot City – 50 no deposit spins
  • Spin Casino – 50 free spins
  • Sky City – 20 no deposit spins
  • Lucky Days – 20 no deposit spins
  • PlayOJO Casino – 80 free spins
  • Twin Casino – 200 free spins
  • JustSpin – 600 free spins

What Are Free Spins?

Simply put, free spins give you a chance to play some of the most exciting slots for free. While you would normally need to select a real money wager, free spins give you a way of playing without risking real money. Even though there’s no risk, you can still win real cash with free spins, although the money you win will often come with wagering requirements. These are some of the most common types of online casino bonus, and they’re a lot of fun to use.

How to Use Free Spins

To use free spins at an online casino, you’ll first need to know how to claim them. Different casinos have different rules on unlocking your free spins, so be sure to read through all of the requirements before you get started. In most cases, you’ll need to sign up and make a deposit to unlock the spins. Once you have them, simply load up the game they’re available for and choose the free spins option when prompted. You’ll then be able to use up the spins, and any money you win will be added to your account as a bonus.

Types of Free Spins

Although free spins are very simple, there are a few different types available. Depending on which online casino you use, you can expect to come across some of the following:

  • No deposit free spins – No deposit free spins are the favourite for most players. These can be claimed simply by signing up and creating your new account with the casino, with no deposit required. You’ll be able to start playing straight away with no risk.
  • Wagerless free spins – Although most free spins require you to wager any winnings you make before you can withdraw them, the wagerless free spins are different. With these, any winnings you make, you’ll be able to keep and spend or withdraw no matter what. 
  • Deposit free spins – Deposit free spins are the most common type offered by casinos to new and returning players. When you make a qualifying deposit, the spins will be added to your account and will be ready to use straight away. 

Loyalty bonus spins – Some online casinos reward loyal players by allowing them to collect bonuses such as free spins. You can earn points each time you play, which you can then redeem for free spins bonuses.

Denny Hamlin wins opening race of Cup Series Playoffs at Darlington

By
Angie Campbell
-
Photo by Matt Beamer for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Denny Hamlin won the NASCAR Cup Series Southern 500 in a thrilling finish at Darlington Raceway to capture the first victory of the series Playoffs.

It was Hamlin’s first win of the year and his 45th career Cup Series victory. He led 146 laps in his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and held off a hard-charging Kyle Larson who put the pedal to the floor and didn’t back off.

“Yeah, it was a matter of time,” Hamlin said about finally being able to finish strong and get to victory lane. “We can’t just keep leading inside 10 laps to go every week and not get a win.

“He drove it in past the limit of the car and tires. I knew he was coming. I was a little conservative on that last lap because I had that four-car-length lead.”

Larson kept his foot on the gas, scrapping the wall and the side of his No. 5 Hendricks Motorsports Chevrolet. But he could not make the pass and had to settle for second place after leading a race-high 156 laps. It was his 19th top-10 finish this season.

Larson explained his final attempt to pass Hamlin.

“We got to the white (flag), and I was like, ‘Well, I haven’t been able to gain on him now, I’m going to try something.’

“Honestly, got to his bumper too quick. I was hoping he was going to run that diamond to kind of be safe and I could skirt to his outside but gave everything I had. I didn’t want to wreck him. I just wanted to try to get to his outside there, but he did a great job not really making any mistakes during the last run, and I was having to push really hard in second to try and just stay with him.”

Ross Chastain finished third, earning his first top-10 finish in five races at Darlington Raceway with Martin Truex Jr. in fourth and Kevin Harvick rounding out the top five

Harvick was pleased with the top-five and said, “I think it’s a good start. I think just a little bit of balance here and there to get ourselves to compete for the win, but I think as you look at the overall speed, it was fairly good.”

Chase Briscoe, in 19th, was the highest-finishing rookie.

There were no issues during the post-race inspection.

The next Cup Series race will be at Richmond Raceway on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET. and will be broadcast live on NBCSN.

Notable:

Kyle Busch – After contact with the No. 3 of Austin Dillon, Bush hit the wall and was unable to finish the race, relegating him to a 35th place finish. He placed the blame on his team, saying, “It wasn’t the 3’s (Dillon’s) fault. Just take our lumps, you know. We were running like (crap), and that’s what you get when you run like (crap). Shouldn’t be there.”

Alex Bowman – Bowman scraped the wall on Lap 14 and the team decided to wait and make repairs during the competition caution. But they waited too long and he hit the wall in Turn 4 and also made contact with his teammate William Byron. Bowman was able to recover but finished 26th.  

William Byron – Byron also recovered and ran in the top ten but on Lap 200 he cut a left front tire and crashed into the Turn 1 wall and was unable to finish the race, placing 34th.

Chase Elliott – Elliott finished in 31st place after he hit the outside wall on Lap 327 while racing Bubba Wallace and Christopher Bell.

Michael McDowell – McDowell hit the wall in Turn 2 on Lap 31 and then spun into the SAFER barrier, ending his day early.

GMS Racing Camping World Truck Series Darlington Raceway II Recap

By
Official Release
-

Sheldon Creed, No. 2 LiftKits4Less Chevrolet Silverado

START: 1st 

FINISH: 1st

POINTS: 1st

  • Sheldon Creed entered Darlington with one goal: earn Playoffs points and win. Having locked himself into the Round of 8 with a win in Gateway, the No. 2 team had no stress about Sunday’s In It To Win It 200.
  • Creed led the field to the green from the pole position, but had to overcome adversity early as his Silverado received heavy rear end damage on the lap 21 restart. The crew went to work on fixing as much of the damage as possible, and miraculously, the truck never skipped a beat.
  • Pure domination by the GMS Racing team resulted in Creed’s third win of the season. An incredible drive by Sheldon, as he led a total of 104 of 147 laps. Notably, Creed swept both of the Darlington races this season. Perfect momentum to start the Playoffs!

Back2Back: Sheldon Creed is the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship points leader after his win at Darlington Raceway. Creed looks to continue to build on his momentum and go for a clean sweep of the Round of 10 next time out at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Quote: “Gosh, what a tough race! We certainly earned that one, even though my truck wasn’t handling great early on, the crew kept working on it and we got better each time out. I drove super hard to stay in the clean air, that damage really hurt us early on. Pit crew was phenomenal all race long, best they have been all year. It feels so great to go back to back and open up the Playoffs with two wins!”

Zane Smith, No. 21 Chevy Accessories Chevrolet Silverado

START: 10th

FINISH: 9th

POINTS: 9th

  • Zane Smith entered Darlington on the outside looking in for the Playoffs picture, as a disappointing early end at Gateway put the No. 21 behind the eight ball. Early on, it was evident that Smith would stand a fighting chance at competing for the win at Darlington.
  • Smith finished an impressive third place in Stage 1, and backed it up with a sixth place finish in Stage 2. With bonus points at a premium, the two stage finishes assisted his Playoffs bid. The No. 21 team fought through adversity on pit road multiple times, forcing Smith to drive through the field twice.
  • Ultimately, Smith rebounded to a ninth place finish in the South Carolina heat. Though the results might not show the entire story, it is undeniable the fight that his team brought to the table.

21in21: Zane Smith continues to find himself below the cutline entering the final race of the Round of 10 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Smith needs to gain five points on his nearest competition to advance to the Round of 8, a task that is very doable.

Quote: “More mistakes today. Jack failed on the second stop, then I made a big mistake trying to maximize pit road trying to get around the 88 and spun myself. We came from the back three times to finish ninth. Just five points out heading into Bristol.”

Chase Purdy, No. 23 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado

START: 17th

FINISH: 15th

POINTS: 19th

  • Chase Purdy returned to Darlington with a vengeance after he did not receive the finish he deserved in May due to contact with a lapped truck. Riding the high of his best-career finish at Gateway, Purdy was eager to have two solid finishes in a row. A 17th place starting spot meant that Chase would have to dig deep from the drop of the green flag.
  • The No. 23 Bama Buggies Silverado fought hard from start to finish, running 17th in Stage 1 and 14th in Stage 2. Towards the end of the race, Purdy made up even more spots as he continued to tame the historic track, even breaking into the Top 10 at one point.
  • Purdy brought his Chevrolet home with a respectable 15th place finish at Darlington, and heading into the series’ next event at Bristol, the No. 23 team has some solid momentum behind them. Purdy is thirty points behind his nearest competitor in the standings.

Quote: “We had a fast Silverado today! I spun the tires on a late restart that cost our team some valuable track position, and ultimately, our chances at a solid Top 10 finish. Regardless, it was a great effort from my No. 23 guys today, onto Bristol in less than two weeks!”

Jack Wood, No. 24 Chevy Accessories Chevrolet Silverado

START: 15th

FINISH: 30th

POINTS: 29th

  • Jack Wood made his first ever start at Darlington Raceway in Sunday’s In It To Win It 200. As a rookie with no previous track time and minimal experience, Jack faced a tough battle ahead of himself with the Lady in Black.
  • Wood faded back early on as he learned the track layout, but kept his nose clean through Stage 1, where he finished 24th. In Stage 2, the No. 24 was on the move, as it began to pick up spots one by one. Unfortunately for Jack, however, disaster struck on lap 67, as he was forced into the wall by another competitor. With major front, rear, and side damage, Jack was knocked out of contention for the remainder of the race.
  • Wood and the No. 24 crew continued to fight and never gave up, but their day resulted in a disappointing 30th place finish. Jack will return to NCWTS competition in Las Vegas Motor Speedway on September 24th, as Doug Coby takes over the reigns next time out at Bristol for his series debut.

Quote: “Man, what a wild first race at Darlington. It was tough to get all of that damage in Stage 2, but it was still a good learning experience as we were able to run all the laps today. We will move onto the next one!”

Tyler Ankrum, No. 26 LiUNA! Chevrolet Silverado

START: 25th

FINISH: 18th

POINTS: 13th

  • Tyler Ankrum raced his heart out at Darlington, starting deep in the field in 25th. As the No. 26 LiUNA! Chevrolet passed several trucks through the pack, it appeared as if Ankrum was going to have a good finish.
  • Early on, Ankrum found out pretty quickly why the track is labeled “Too Tough to Tame”, as he made contact with the wall in turn 3 and earned his first Darlington stripe. The damage was enough to hinder Ankrum’s Silverado in a significant way, as he was not able to recover. Stage 1 had the No. 26 positioned in 16th, but by Stage 2, he had dropped to 19th.
  • Officially, Ankrum was scored with an 18th place finish. Not the finish that he was looking for, but with all things considered, it could have been worse. The team will try to rebound in the series’ next outing at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Quote: “We started off decently today, made up a good amount of spots in Stage 1, but that was unfortunately the highlight of my day. Our truck really never had the long run speed needed to contend up at the front. Definitely not the finish we were looking for, but we will move onto the next one and keep on working.”

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.

Sheldon Creed goes back to back with Truck Series playoff win at Darlington

By
Angie Campbell
-
Photo by Matt Beamer for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Sheldon Creed made it two for two, winning the second race in Round 1 of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs at Darlington Raceway Sunday afternoon.

Creed, the series’ current champion, started on the pole for the In It To Win It 200 and led 104 of the 147 laps to claim the checkered flag for his third victory and ninth top-10 finish of the year.

“We’ve had a tough season, but we’re finding it at the right time,” Creed said. “It feels so good to go back-to-back wins … Got to put the pressure on the other guys. I had really nothing to lose coming in, and we’ve got fast trucks.”

It was a repeat of the first race in the series Playoffs on August 31 at World Wide Technology of Racing, with the same result – Creed celebrating in victory lane.  

John Hunter Nemechek won Stage 1, led 39 laps and earned a second-place finish. It was his 13th top-10 result this season. He also scored enough points to lock him into the next round of the Playoffs.

“Overall, a solid performance, Nemechek said. “Our Toyota Tundra was fast. Just needed a little bit more. It definitely stings knowing we had the dominant truck here in the spring, gave that one away. Then to come back and run second, it hurts. We’ll take the momentum, not going to dwell on this. Just one race of the Playoffs and now we’re focused on the next round.”

Stewart Friesen, Todd Gilliland and Parker Kligerman rounded out the top-five finishers as Grant Enfinger placed sixth followed by Chandler Smith, Johnny Sauter, Zane Smith and Matt Crafton, in sixth – 10th.

“Great day for the Halmar team – thanks to Chris Larson for everything. He’s always been there for me in my career. It was cool –- our best run for HFR, proud of that. Another good day for us,” said Friesen.

The series heads to Bristol Motor Speedway on September 16th for the UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics at 9 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race Number 17
Race Results for the 2nd Annual In It To Win It 200 – Sunday, September 5, 2021
Darlington Raceway – Darlington, SC – 1.366 – Mile Paved
Total Race Length – 147 Laps – 200.802 Miles

FinStrNoDriverLapsS1PosS2PosS3PosPtsStatus
112Sheldon Creed (P)14741057Running
264John Hunter Nemechek (P)14713053Running
3452Stewart Friesen (P)14758043Running
4838Todd Gilliland (P)14767042Running
53475Parker Kligerman14799036Running
61298Grant Enfinger14700031Running
7918Chandler Smith # (P)14782042Running
81313Johnny Sauter14700029Running
91021Zane Smith (P)14736041Running
10288Matt Crafton (P)14724043Running
11542Carson Hocevar # (P)14775036Running
12716Austin Hill (P)14700025Running
13299Colby Howard(i)1470000Running
141622Austin Wayne Self14700023Running
151723Chase Purdy #14700022Running
161819Derek Kraus14700021Running
172025Josh Berry(i)1470000Running
182526Tyler Ankrum14700019Running
193868Clay Greenfield14600018Running
202730Danny Bohn14600017Running
212620Spencer Boyd14600016Running
223611Spencer Davis14600015Running
232841Dawson Cram14600014Running
242215Tanner Gray146010014Running
253034Josh Reaume14600012Running
26333Jordan Anderson14500011Running
273145Lawless Alan14500010Running
28232Kris Wright #1440009Running
29141Hailie Deegan #1440008Running
301524Jack Wood1430007Running
311151Dylan Lupton1430006Running
322156Tyler Hill1410005Accident
331940Ryan Truex1410004Running
34399Ben Rhodes (P)14010004Running
35376Norm Benning860002Too Slow
363510Jennifer Jo Cobb750001Too Slow
373233Ryan Ellis(i)280000Transmission
382412Tate Fogleman220001Rear Gear

DGR NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race Recap: Darlington II

By
Official Release
-

Sunday, September 5
Track: Darlington Raceway, 1.366-mile oval
Race: 17 of 22
Event: In It To Win It 200 (147 laps, 200 miles)

Hailie Deegan, No. 1 Built Ford Tough F-150

Start: 14th
Finish: 29th

  • During the competition caution on lap 15, Deegan reported her truck had no grip on the front tires. She stayed out during the caution and restarted 14th.
  • As the laps clicked off in the stage, Deegan reported her F-150 was snappy loose on exit and she closed the stage out in 21st. During the break she pitted for fuel, four tires and adjustments.
  • Deegan started Stage 2 from the 20th position. Another caution was displayed on lap 67 and the California native reported the balance of her truck was much better and she stayed on the racing surface. She restarted 15th.
  • Late in the second stage, Deegan made an incredible save in her F-150 and ultimately ended it in the 19th spot.
  • The Ford driver pitted during the break and restarted 17th for the final stage. On lap 106, the caution came out after a competitor spun and Deegan attempted to dodge the spinning truck, but was struck by it in the right-rear which resulted in damage forcing her to pit from 18th.
  • Another caution was displayed on lap 111 after another competitor made contact with Deegan which caused her left-rear tire to go down. She received service on pit road and restarted 27th.
  • With seven laps to go in the event, Deegan radioed that she thought she had a right-side tire going down and made an unexpected pit stop for service which sent her a multiple laps down. The team confirmed the tire was losing pressure and Deegan ended up finishing 29th.

Tanner Gray, No. 15 Ford Performance F-150

Start: 22nd
Finish: 24th

  • Tanner Gray started the event from the 22nd spot and was 14th when the competition caution came out on lap 15. Gray remained on the track and restarted eighth. Throughout two more quick cautions, Gray continued to stay on the racing surface and restarted 14th after the lap-27 caution.
  • The Ford Performance driver completed Stage 1 in 18th and reported his truck was too free on entry. He pitted for service and started the second stage from 15th.
  • A caution on lap 67 brought Gray down pit road for fuel, four tires and adjustments to help with his loose-handling issues. He restarted 25th.
  • With two laps to go in Stage 2, the New Mexico native took over the 10th position. At the stage break, he pitted for service and restarted the final stage from seventh.
  • On lap 104 in the final stage, Gray made contact with the outside wall while running in the top-10. The damage forced him to pit for repairs which sent him one lap down. Gray remained one lap down for the duration of the race and ended it 24th.

Next event: UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee on September 16 at 9 p.m. ET.

Toyota Racing NCWTS Post-Race Recap — Darlington 9.5.21

By
Official Release
-

RUNNER-UP FINISH FOR NEMECHEK LOCKS HIM INTO ROUND TWO OF PLAYOFFS
Tundras Tally Six Top-10 Finishes at Darlington

DARLINGTON, S.C. (September 5, 2021) – John Hunter Nemechek finished second in Sunday afternoon’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at South Carolina’s historic Darlington Raceway. The finish locked the Tundra driver into round two of the NASCAR Playoffs as he pursues the series championship. Fellow Tundra drivers Stewart Friesen (third), Grant Enfinger (sixth), Chandler Smith (seventh), Johnny Sauter (eighth) and Matt Crafton (10th) also claimed top-10 results.”

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Darlington Raceway
Race 17 of 23 – 147 Laps, 200.1 Miles

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Sheldon Creed*
2nd, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
3rd, STEWART FRIESEN
4th, Todd Gilliland*
5th, Parker Kligerman*
6th, GRANT ENFINGER
7th, CHANDLER SMITH
8th, JOHNNY SAUTER
10th, MATT CRAFTON
12th, AUSTIN HILL
16th, DEREK KRAUS
19th, CLAY GREENFIELD
20th, DANNY BOHN
22nd, SPENCER DAVIS
25th, JOSH REAUME
31st, DYLAN LUPTON
34th, BEN RHODES
37th, RYAN ELLIS
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, No. 4 Mobil 1 Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports

Finishing Position: 2nd

What more did you need to catch Sheldon Creed in the closing laps?

“Clean air. Just super hard to pass. Same thing as last fall, same thing we fight in the Truck Series every week. I don’t know, we have to do a little bit better – think we could have controlled the race. They weren’t going to get by us. We made a last ditch effort. Proud of all the KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports) guys – Mobil 1, Toyota, TRD and everyone who helps. Just have to say thank you. This one hurts. We had the dominant truck here in the spring and came back and ran second here today. On to Bristol. We should be starting first or second. Hopefully we can go get a win there. The only thing that matters is that we locked ourselves into the next round today. That’s all it is. The eyes are set on the prize. We want to win every single week, but there is a big trophy at the end of the year that means the most.”

What did you take away from this race?

“We just needed track position. We needed clean air. We addressed it, I felt like the right way and had a truck to contend. What mattered today if we couldn’t win was locking ourselves into the next round and advancing. We were able to do that by a pretty good margin I felt like. Overall, a solid performance. Our Toyota Tundra was fast. Just needed a little bit more. It definitely stings knowing we had the dominant truck here in the spring, gave that one away. Then to come back and run second, it hurts. We’ll take the momentum, not going to dwell on this. Just one race of the Playoffs and now we’re focused on the next round. Bristol doesn’t mean anything to us other than to go out there and try to win. Then the next round starts and all that focus is on those three races to make it to Phoenix. Eyes on the big trophy at the end of the year.”

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

Finishing Position: 3rd

Did you have anything for the lead two trucks in the closing laps?

“Great day for the Halmar team – thanks to Chris Larson for everything. He’s always been there for me in my career. It was cool –- our best run for HFR, proud of that. Another good day for us. We got off sequence and we just fought a loose condition all day. Got off sequence and got those tires and we thought we might have something. They just kind of equalized at the end and I could just chameleon the guys in front of me and not really do anything more with it. Proud of my guys, good momentum for us.”

CHANDLER SMITH, No. 18 JBL Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports

Finishing Position: 7th

How was the race today and how do you feel heading into the final race of this Playoff round?

“Overall, I felt like we had a really solid day. We were inside the top-10, top-five most of the day. Fell back there at the very end. Just started to lack a little lateral grip up the hill and I couldn’t really run the top due to just way too free right when I would touch the throttle. I couldn’t keep my momentum up at all. Overall, we had a really fast JBL Audio Toyota Tundra and I’m really happy heading to Bristol.”

How do you feel about your chances at Bristol?

“It’s Bristol, that’s the thing about it. You can be really good and then the lapped car can screw you, kind of like they were doing today a little bit and you’re out of it. I feel like we’ll be good, we just have to stay out of trouble.”

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

Finishing Position: 10th

How was your race today and how do you feel heading into Bristol next week?

“I don’t know where we are, but I think we should have a little bit of a cushion and be able to just go to Bristol and race and not have to worry about stage points and all that, just go there and win. I’m sure that’s what a lot of them are going to do. If you’re stuck in that box where you have to stay out and get stage points, that’s not ideal. All in all, we had a lot better truck than a 10th place truck. On the first pit stop, we broke a brake line and had no brakes the rest of the race. It wasn’t fun.”

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.

Verstappen wins the Dutch Grand Prix; reassumes championship lead

By
Andrew Kim
-

Max Verstappen launched himself back into the lead in the championship standings after claiming a dominating win in the Dutch Grand Prix at Circuit Zandvoort on Sunday, September 5, and to the delight of his home crowd.

Verstappen, who started on pole position and who won last weekend’s bizarre, rain-shortened Belgium Grand Prix at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, led all 72 scheduled laps and crossed the finish line by nearly 21 seconds ahead of Sir Lewis Hamilton to grab his seventh Grand Prix victory of the season and the 17th of his career at his home track, which sent the crowd overjoyed and lighting up orange smoke to celebrate with the Dutchman.

The 2021 Dutch Grand Prix was a first for the event since 1985, which was last won by the late three-time F1 champion Niki Lauda. Verstappen’s victory all but elevated him back to the lead in the drivers’ standings over Hamilton as he continues his pursuit for his first F1 championship.

“Incredible feeling, of course,” Verstappen said. “I know the fans expect a lot going into the weekend, but it’s never easy to fulfill that. This weekend has been great. Also the race, Lewis was putting on the pressure a lot. It was basically 72 laps of pushing to try and stay ahead. It was a good one with all the people and fans here supporting you. It was just an incredible sight.”

Hamilton, who pitted late for fresh tires, settled in second place for his ninth top-two result of this season as he claimed the fastest lap of the race followed by teammate Valtteri Bottas, who did not pursue the fastest lap on soft tyres in the final laps but moved up to third place in the drivers’ standings.

“Today was [a] killer,” Hamilton said. “[Verstappen and Red Bull] were so fast today. That’s the quickest, I think, they’ve been all year. But I gave it everything, anyways. I think today, being that we weren’t quick enough, we needed everything to really work out for us like traffic, which didn’t. We needed pit stops to be perfect, which wasn’t. We needed strategy to be on point, and it wasn’t quite perfect. Even then, if all that was perfect, it would’ve still been hard to get by [Verstappen]. We gave it everything. Long way to go.”

“I committed to one stop [pit stop] quite early on in the race,” Bottas said. “It meant I definitely had to more [tyre] management that Lewis and Max were doing. I think one stop was quite a way off of two stop today. The tyre wear and the vibrations were quite tricky. In the end, I still stopped just for safety. It was like a mix of one or two stop for me, not early.”

Pierre Gasly came home in a strong fourth place followed by Charles Leclerc. Fernando Alonso overtook fellow Spaniard Carlos Sainz on the final lap to place in sixth followed by Sergio “Checo” Perez. Esteban Ocon, winner of the Hungarian Grand Prix in early August, finished ninth while Lando Norris claimed the 10th and final points-paying result.

Daniel Ricciardo was the first competitor to finish outside of the points in 11th followed by Lance Stroll, Sebastian Vettel, Antonio Giovinazzi and Robert Kubica, who returned to F1 since 2019 and filled in for Kimi Räikkönen after the Finnish competitor tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the weekend.

Nicholas Latifi finished 16th while George Russell, who is coming off his maiden podium result at Spa, retired in 17th. Rookie Mick Schumacher concluded his race in 18th followed by Yuki Tsunoda and Nikita Mazepin, both of whom retired in 19th and 20th.

Results:

1. Max Verstappen, 25 points, 72 laps led

2. Lewis Hamilton, 19 points

3. Valtteri Bottas, 15 points

4. Pierre Gasly, 12 points, +1 lap

5. Charles Leclerc, 10 points, +1 lap

6. Fernando Alonso, eight points, +1 lap

7. Carlos Sainz, six points, +1 lap

8. Sergio Perez, four points, +1 lap

9. Esteban Ocon, two points, +1 lap

10. Lando Norris, one point, +1 lap

11. Daniel Ricciardo, +1 lap

12. Lance Stroll, +2 laps

13. Sebastian Vettel, +2 laps

14. Antonio Giovinazzi, +2 laps

15. Robert Kubica, +2 laps

16. Nicholas Latifi, +2 laps

17. George Russell – Retired

18. Mick Schumacher, +3 laps

19. Yuki Tsunoda – Retired

20. Nikita Mazepin – Retire

Verstappen leads the drivers’ standings by three points over Hamilton. Meanwhile, Mercedes leads the constructors’ standings by 12 points over Red Bull while Ferrari trails by 163 points.

Next on the 2021 Formula One schedule is Monza Circuit for the Italian Grand Prix, which will occur on Sunday, September 12.

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