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TPC Racing Back In Action With Vernon McClure For Inaugural Porsche Carrera Cup North America Doubleheader

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Official Release
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McClure Will Run the No. 10 Main Street Homes/TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup at Sebring International Raceway

SEBRING, Florida (March 17, 2021) – TPC Racing’s long history with Porsche Motorsports continues this weekend at Sebring International Raceway, where Vernon McClure will run the No. 10 Main Street Homes/TPC Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in the long-awaited Porsche Carrera Cup North America.

The IMSA-sanctioned series will run a doubleheader at the season opener, with the 45-minute Race One at 5:30 ET on Thursday, March 18 and Race Two at 10:10 a.m. ET on Friday, March 19. Both races can be seen on the live stream at IMSA.tv.

Porsche Carrera Cup North America brings the latest-generation Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars to the United States, matching the world-wide platform used in Regional Championships around the world. McClure will run in the Pro-Am class utilizing the same equipment as the Pro Class.

“It’s very cool to have Carrera Cup in the United States now,” Director of Race Operations Harris Levitas said. “It’s something everyone has been looking forward to. It’s still an IMSA-sanctioned event, but Porsche is stepping up a bit with support for the series. We’re really looking forward to it here at TPC Racing.”

McClure was a regular competitor for TPC Racing in the previous-generation of Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA and got his first taste of the new 992-generation car in a series-wide test at Sebring just a couple of weeks ago.

“We’re really looking forward to running the 992 with Vernon McClure,” Levitas said. “Vernon did a terrific job last week on the test days, and we’re looking for some pretty promising results in the Pro-Am class. I think he’ll do very well. The car was great for him to drive. He was so confident behind the wheel. Spencer Pumpelly is working with him, coaching in Carrera Cup. Between Spencer’s notes and Vernon’s approach to the year, I think he good get some very good results in the class.”

McClure had a successful outing at Sebring last November, earning the Hard Charger award and a top-five class finish. The confidence from that, coupled with a successful first test in the new car, should provide a boost for this upcoming weekend.

The No. 36 DSC Sport/Erin Levitas Foundation Porsche 911 GT3 Cup piloted by Mike Levitas was on the original entry list in the 991 Pro-Am Class for previous generation cars. That car was damaged in an incident a week ago at Sebring and, while repairable, will not be competing this weekend in Porsche Carrera Cup North America.

The race week gets underway on Wednesday, March 17 with a 30-minute practice at 3 p.m. ET. Porsche Carrera Cup returns with an 8:15 a.m. ET practice on Thursday, March 18, followed by qualifying at 12:25 p.m. ET and that afternoon’s race at 5:30 p.m. ET. The race week wraps with Friday morning’s race at 10:10 a.m. ET.

About TPC Racing:
TPC Racing is the Mid-Atlantic’s premier maintenance, service, tuning and modification center dedicated solely to Porsche sportscars. TPC Racing specializes in R&D and sales of high-performance modifications for Porsche sports cars and race cars, offering a wide range of vehicle upgrades. Best known for a line of forced induction solutions for the Porsche 911, Cayman and Boxster, a long-time focus on only one make, Porsche, has enabled TPC Racing to become experts in Porsche service, tuning, and racing. In 2000, TPC Racing began entering races under its own banner, scoring an SGS-class Championship in 2004 in the Grand-American Rolex Series and was a class winner in the 2006 Rolex 24 At Daytona, and captured the 2013 and 2016 IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA Gold Cup Championships. More information can be found at www.TPCRacing.com.

Kyle Larson Returns to the Truck Series for the Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt

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Official Release
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MOORESVILLE, N.C. (March 17, 2021) – Kyle Larson, a winner in all three of NASCAR’s top series, will return to NASCAR Camping World Truck Series action at Bristol Motor Speedway, as the Series makes its debut at the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt track.

Larson, who is no stranger to racing on dirt, won at Eldora Speedway in the Truck Series in 2016.  The Elk Grove, Calif. native will pilot the No. 44 Rich Mar Florist/CircleBDiecast.com Chevrolet Silverado.

“I really appreciate the opportunity given by Niece Motorsports,” said Larson.  “I’m excited to get back into a truck at one of my favorite race tracks.”

The 28-year-old driver has built an extensive and impressive racing resume with more than 250 career race wins.  Larson has won in every racing circuit he has competed in. Most notably, Larson has earned seven victories in the premier NASCAR Cup Series and won the prestigious Chili Bowl Midget Nationals twice in 2020 and 2021, the NASCAR All-Star Race in 2019, and the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2015.

He also won the 2011 4-Crown Nationals at Eldora Speedway, winning in all three types of USAC cars in a single night, only the second driver in history to accomplish the feat.

In 2020 Larson turned in one of the most impressive years in the history of dirt-track racing.  While primarily driving sprint cars, he racked up 46 victories in 97 attempts. Larson led the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series in victories with 12 despite competing in only 26 of its 54 events and he secured his first Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series win.

“Kyle is obviously one of the best drivers out there today,” said Niece Motorsports General Manager Cody Efaw.  “His resume on dirt speaks for itself.  We are looking forward to him joining the organization at Bristol and contending for a win.”

The No. 44 Chevrolet will carry the Rich Mar Florist and CircleBDiecast.com colors under the lights at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The Rich Mar Florist story began with the vision of Richard P. Morrissey, his wife, Dolores A. Morrissey, and his parents, Frieda and Vincent Morrissey.  Together, they founded the company in 1955 in Allentown, Pa.

Since its inception, Rich Mar is renowned for its service across Pennsylvania, as the award-winning floral provider has become a community staple in its Allentown and Bethlehem locations.  Building upon its already stellar reputation, the family-owned and operated business has blossomed into the trusted florist of Pocono Raceway, Dover International Speedway and both Lehigh Valley professional sports organizations.

“We’re looking forward to taking part in this historic event for the Truck Series and are excited to be alongside Kyle for what is sure to be a stellar performance,” said Jonathan Morrissey, co-owner of Rich Mar Florist.  “This is a huge announcement for Rich Mar Florist Racing Nation and those that support our involvement in NASCAR.  We are extremely thankful for this partnership with Niece Motorsports and are thrilled to share this historic moment together.”

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

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

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

The Truck Series will be on track Friday, March 26 for practice, and will race on Saturday, March 27 at 8:00 p.m. ET, airing live on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

About Niece Motorsports: 

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

Sean Creech Motosport Ready for Sebring 12 Hour

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Official Release
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JUPITER, Fla. (17 March 2021) – Sean Creech Motorsport (SCM) makes another run at the top spot on the podium in a “home” race this week, taking on the 69th annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s new LMP3 class (Saturday, NBCSN, 10:00am ET).

The team, and it’s No. 33 SCM Exelixis Ligier JS P320, served notice in January with an impressive second-place finish in its first WeatherTech series event. But the team, including drivers João Barbosa, Lance Willsey and Yann Clairay, are no strangers to IMSA.

Team principal Sean Creech estimates that 2021 marks somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 Sebring 12 Hour races for himself and several team members, dating back to the former IMSA GT Championship through the American Le Mans era until today.

“It was even harder back in the GTP era, since those were big downforce cars,” Creech remembers. “Racing in this series is always about survival, but even more so at Sebring.”

The LMP3 class is new to the WeatherTech series in 2021, though a version of the car competes in the IMSA Prototype Challenge (Creech won the 2018 championship title managing the ESM team before bringing the program in-house the following season). The team, like most of the LMP3 field, experienced its share of drama ahead of January’s Rolex 24 at Daytona as they came up to speed with the new car, but near-flawless execution by team and drivers brought the car home in second position. With a second straight home state race, the team is focused on reaching that top step.

“We didn’t have a super easy week leading up to the Rolex 24, but I could see how hard the team was working to fix the issues with the car, and how passionate they were,” said Barbosa. “This team is not interested in just competing, they’re here to win every race. I’ve known Sean for a long time, he’s always been a racer, and I knew that mentality was there. The way they approached the race was on par with any other top team I’ve raced with.”

Local knowledge comes in handy around Sebring’s historic, but notoriously tricky (and bumpy) 3.74-mile circuit. Creech’s experience combined with Barbosa’s (the Ormond Beach, Fla. resident has 13 races at Sebring, including two wins and seven podium finishes, on his CV) puts the team a step ahead – as does the return of a familiar face to the pit stand, legendary sports car team owner, mechanic and strategist Mike Colucci.

Colucci worked with the team last weekend at Sebring, as they competed in both the Masters Endurance Legends series and the IMSA Prototype Challenge in the LMP3-2 class. The team took a hard-fought victory in the IPC race, with the track time keeping the team in top form – as did a recent test at Sebring, which confirmed its baseline setup as they prepare for the challenges of race week.

“Sebring is a totally different animal from Daytona, so we worked on every part of the setup and the suspension at the test,” said Creech. “On paper, it looks like an easier race than Daytona, but in reality, it’s so hard on the car, like no other track in the world. Things that don’t break at Daytona, break at Sebring. If you want to survive, you’ve really got to test there, and we had a very productive two days.”

“The test was the first time I’d driven the LMP3 car at Sebring, but we accomplished a lot, testing a lot of different things, and we were very happy with the results,” Barbosa agreed. “It’s a track that changes a great deal, but hopefully it will just be a matter of tweaking things. Sebring puts a lot of stress on all the components, and with all the bumps, it’s even more challenging than Daytona. The class is limited on the number of adjustments a team can do so to find the right compromise is difficult, but we’re happy where we are now”.

“Several teams have moved up to WeatherTech from IPC and they all have a great deal of experience with the first generation LMP3 car at Sebring,” said Willsey, who contested the series with Creech the past three seasons. “We had a pretty good framework to start with, but we continued progressing through the two-day test and I feel that we ended up with a fast car that’s comfortable over the long haul. The wild card this weekend is the weather, and how the car handles it, both inside the cockpit and on the components. The demands at Sebring are radically different from Daytona, but we’ve looked at every point of potential concern. We have a good sense of the amount of abuse the platform will take in different areas: for example, there are profound differences in the car between low fuel load and older tires versus full fuel and new tires, especially on the bumps. It magnifies the importance of teamwork.”

Clairay, from Laval, France, heads to Sebring International Raceway for the first time this week, armed with videos and data from the team’s recent test. The veteran racer, who has extensive Ligier testing experience with the LMP3, knows well the task ahead.

“I know it’s a real challenge ahead of me, as the track is very physical and it doesn’t allow any mistakes,” said Clairay. “I feel as though I’m going to rediscover the spirit of street-type racing a bit, but with higher speeds! I’ve watched videos with on-board cameras and I’ve also been working on my simulator, so I’ll be ready. I am really very happy to race at another monument of American motorsport, and I want to thank Lance, Sean and João for their trust in me. We had a solid race at Daytona without any errors from the team and the drivers: that result has built confidence among all team members and will help us try to climb a step further.”

The 69th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Advance Auto Parts takes the green flag Saturday, March 20 at 10:10 a.m. Eastern. The race will be broadcast live in the U.S. on the NBC stations listed below and on NBC Sports Gold’s TRACKPASS, while international viewers can watch via IMSA.tv. IMSA Radio will also be available at IMSA.com.

USA:
NBCSN 10:00 a.m. – Noon
NBC Sports Gold Noon – 7:00 p.m.
NBCSN 7:00 – 10:30 p.m.
NBC Sports Gold’s TRACKPASS 10:10 a.m. – 10:10 p.m.

International:
IMSA.tv/IMSA Radio 10:05 a.m. – 10:10 p.m.

AUTOTRADER REACHES MULTI-YEAR EXTENSION WITH TEAM PENSKE

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Official Release
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Keselowski and Logano to Continue Racing in Autotrader Colors in NASCAR Cup Series

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (March 17, 2021) – Team Penske announced today that Autotrader has reached a multi-year extension of its agreement with the team, beginning with the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season and into the future. The partnership renewal includes an increase in races where the Autotrader brand will serve as primary sponsor for the Ford Mustangs driven by both 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Brad Keselowski and 2018 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Joey Logano. Keselowski and Logano will compete in the Autotrader orange and blue colors for a total of six races during the 2021 season, starting this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where Keselowski will race the No. 2 Autotrader Ford.

Autotrader’s and its parent company Cox Automotive began their relationship with Team Penske in 2014 and together celebrate their eight-year partnership this season.

“Following a strong 2020 season, we look forward to continuing our longstanding sponsorship with Team Penske,” said Steve Rowley, president of Cox Automotive. “Our relationships with Brad, Joey and everyone at Team Penske are so valuable to our business. This partnership allows us to elevate our brands by aligning with a world-class sport, racing team and drivers – not to mention, the ability to connect with some of the most passionate fans in sports. We share their enthusiasm for NASCAR, and these connections help us to build awareness for Autotrader’s efforts to make car buying easier.”

In addition to this weekend’s race in Atlanta, Keselowski will compete in the Autotrader Ford Mustang at Martinsville Speedway (April 10) and Las Vegas Motor Speedway (September 26) this season. Keselowski has enjoyed considerable success with Autotrader as a primary partner, with the No. 2 carrying the brand to Victory Lane three times dating back to 2017.

“It’s great to have Autotrader back on board for 2021,” said Keselowski. “They’ve been a great partner with us for several years and do a lot to activate with our fans, which is really cool. I think it’s so important to have partners in our sport that aren’t just on the side of the car, but actually have active programs and platforms to engage the fans.”

Logano will have Autotrader as the primary sponsor on the No. 22 Ford Mustang at three races in 2021: Talladega Superspeedway (April 25), Sonoma Raceway (June 6) and New Hampshire Motor Speedway (July 18). Autotrader will continue to be featured as an associate sponsor on both cars throughout the Cup Series season.

“As a driver, you always enjoy when a consumer facing brand is on the side of your car, because you instantly know that the fans know who you are representing,” said Logano. “As a huge fan of cars, and someone who likes to buy and sell, it’s great to be associated with Autotrader. I’ve been fortunate enough to represent them for the last several years – now I just need to get them to Victory Lane.”

Autotrader is one of the most recognized third-party car listings brand, with the most engaged audience of in-market car shoppers. Not only can you shop the widest variety of cars, Autotrader features the Kelley Blue Book® Price Advisor on car listings, giving car buyers the confidence to purchase with the most trusted pricing.

About Team Penske
Team Penske is one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports. Cars owned and prepared by Team Penske have produced more than 550 major race wins, over 650 pole positions and 40 Championships across open-wheel, stock car and sports car racing competition. Over the course of its 55-year history, the team has also earned 18 Indianapolis 500 victories, two Daytona 500 Championships, a Formula 1 win, overall victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring along with a win in Australia’s legendary Bathurst 1000 race. In 2021, Team Penske will compete in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. For more information about Team Penske, please visit www.teampenske.com.

About Autotrader
Autotrader is the most recognized third-party car listings brand, with the most engaged audience of in-market car shoppers. As the foremost authority on automotive consumer insights and expert in online and mobile marketing, Autotrader makes the car shopping experience easy and fun for today’s empowered car shopper looking to find or sell the perfect new, used or Certified Pre-Owned car. Using technology, shopper insights and local market guidance, Autotrader’s comprehensive marketing and retailing solutions allow consumers to build their deal online, and guide dealers to personalized digital marketing strategies that grow brand, drive traffic and connect the online and in-store shopping experience. Autotrader is a Cox Automotive™ brand. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. For more information, please visit http://press.autotrader.com.

About Cox Automotive
Cox Automotive Inc. makes buying, selling, owning and using vehicles easier for everyone. The global company’s more than 27,000 team members and family of brands, including Autotrader®, Clutch Technologies, Dealer.com®, Dealertrack®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, NextGear Capital®, VinSolutions®, vAuto® and Xtime®, are passionate about helping millions of car shoppers, 40,000 auto dealer clients across five continents and many others throughout the automotive industry thrive for generations to come. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with annual revenues of nearly $20 billion. www.coxautoinc.com.

GMS Racing Camping World Trucks Atlanta Preview

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Official Release
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Sheldon Creed, No. 2 Overton’s Chevrolet Silverado
Atlanta Motor Speedway Camping World Trucks Stats

  • Starts: 2, Best start: 4, Best finish: 12

2021 Camping World Trucks Stats

  • Starts: 3, Best start: 2, Best finish; 2, Top 10s: 2, Laps led: 25

Notes:

  • Sponsor spotlight: Sheldon Creed will sport Overton’s colors this Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Marcus Lemonis, CEO of Camping World and Good Sam Enterprises, has made an effort to support and cultivate B2B relationships throughout the Camping World Trucks field.
  • Chassis history: Creed and the No. 2 team will compete with chassis No. 302 this weekend in Atlanta. Creed scored two top-three finishes and led 182 laps in six starts with this chassis in 2020.
  • Crew chief corner: Jeff Stankiewicz returns to crew chief for the No. 2 team this season.The 2020 championship winning crew chief reunited with Creed mid-season in 2019 after winning the 2018 ARCA Menards Series championship together. Stankiewicz has seven Camping World Trucks wins as a crew chief including five in 2020 en route to the series championship.

Quote:

“I’m excited to get back to Atlanta and get back on track after a week off. We had a strong run last year, but didn’t have the finish to show for it. My guys bring fast trucks every single week and I’m looking forward to going out and better our run from last year.”

Zane Smith, No. 21 Overton’s Chevrolet Silverado
Atlanta Motor Speedway Camping World Trucks Stats

  • Starts: 1, Best start: 7, Best finish: 5, Top 5s: 1, Laps led: 5

2021 Camping World Truck Stats

  • Starts: 3, Best start: 8, Best finish: 6, Top 10s: 1

Notes:

  • Sponsor spotlight: Zane Smith will sport Overton’s colors this Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Marcus Lemonis, CEO of Camping World and Good Sam Enterprises, has made an effort to support and cultivate B2B relationships throughout the Camping World Trucks field.
  • Chassis history: Smith and the No. 21 team will compete with chassis No. 331 this Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Smith has three top-10 finishes in three starts with this chassis in 2020 including his win at Michigan in August.
  • Crew chief corner: Kevin “Bono” Manion returns for a second season with Smith and the No. 21 team. The pair racked up two wins and 13 top-10 finds in 2020 en route to a second-place finish in the championship standings. Manion has six Camping World Trucks wins, 17 NASCAR Xfinity Series wins and five NASCAR Cup Series wins in 19 years as a crew chief in the sport.

Quote:

“I like Atlanta, I love wore out tracks where you have to manage tires and manage your truck throughout the race. I feel like our team does that well and finds a way to be there at the end. We’re starting closer to the front than we have our first few races so hopefully it’s a smooth one. We need to score some stage points and be there at the end like we were last year.”

Chase Purdy, No. 23 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado
Atlanta Motor Speedway Camping World Trucks Stats

  • No prior Camping World Truck starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

2021 Camping World Trucks Stats

  • Starts: 3, Best start: 4

Notes:

  • New kid on the block: Chase Purdy is set to make his Atlanta Motor Speedway debut this Saturday in the Fr8Auctions 200.
  • Chassis history: Purdy and the No. 23 team will compete with chassis No. 306 in Saturday’s race. The 23 team earned a top-10 finish in six of the seven races with this chassis in 2020. This chassis has two victories for GMS at Kansas in October 2020 and Texas in June 2018.
  • Crew chief corner: Jeff Hensley rejoins GMS as crew chief for Purdy and the No. 23 team. Hensley has three Camping World Trucks wins at Atlanta Motor Speedway as crew chief. Hensley has 18 Camping World Truck wins in 395 races atop the pit box through 17 seasons in the series. Hensley was previously at GMS in 2016 and served as crew chief for Spencer Gallagher. Quote:

“I’m really excited to go to Atlanta. I’ve never been there before, but it seems like it’s a very multi-groove racetrack with a lot of action. It seems like a fun place to race and I’ve got a lot to learn my first time out on the track. I’ve been relying on a lot of film and what my teammates have to say to prepare.”

Raphael Lessard, No. 24 Richelieu Chevrolet Silverado
Atlanta Motor Speedway Camping World Trucks Stats

  • Starts: 1, Best start: 19, Best finish: 18

2021 Camping World Trucks Stats

  • Starts: 3, Best start: 5, Laps led: 17, Stage wins: 2

Notes:

  • Sponsor spotlight: Raphael Lessard welcomes Richelieu Hardware as primary sponsor for Saturday’s Fr8Auctions 200. Lessard and Richelieu previously partnered in 2020.
  • Chassis history: Lessard and the No. 24 team will compete with chassis No. 320 on Saturday in Atlanta. The No. 24 utilized this chassis eight times in 2020 and earned four top-10 finishes including Chase Elliott’s bounty win at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
  • Crew chief corner: Chad Walter shifts to the No. 24 Silverado to crew chief for Lessard in 2021. Walter has five wins in 208 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at crew chief and led Tyler Ankrum’s team to a playoff berth in 2020 in his first season as a Camping World Trucks crew chief.

Quote:

“I’m really excited about Atlanta. I had a lot of fun running there last year. As a driver you have some options, you can run the fence or the bottom. It’s really cool, but you’ve got to be careful with your tires. I’m really looking forward to it. We should have a lot of speed with our Richelieu Silverado and it should be a good race.”

Tyler Ankrum, No. 26 LiUNA! Chevrolet Silverado
Atlanta Motor Speedway Camping World Trucks Stats

  • Starts: 1, Best start: 2, Best finish: 15

2021 Camping World Truck Stats

  • Starts: 3, Best start: 11, Laps led: 6

Notes:

  • Chassis history: Tyler Ankrum and the No. 26 team will utilize chassis No. 311 on Saturday in Atlanta. Ankrum scored two top-10 finishes in three starts with this in 2020.
  • Sponsor spotlight: LiUNA returns as primary sponsor for Ankrum’s No. 26 Chevrolet for Saturday’s Fr8Auctions 200.
  • Crew chief corner: Charles Denike move to captain the No. 26 crew for Tyler Ankrum in the 2021 season. 2020 marked Denike’s first full-time season as crew chief and produced two memorable wins, with Chase Elliott at Charlotte in May 2020 as well as Sam Mayer’s commanding win of Bristol in September.

Quote:

“GMS has had speed at Atlanta in previous years so I’m excited to see what we can do this weekend. I’m ready to go with Charles (Denike, crew chief) and continue to build our relationship. I’m happy with what he’s been able to do so far with this team and he’s been carrying us through some bad luck the first few races. I’m ready to turn our luck around this weekend. I’ve got one race under my belt at Atlanta and have a better idea of what to expect during the race than I had going into last year’s race with no practice.”

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 Raphael Lessard. The team also competes in the ARCA Racing Series with Jack Wood. Since the team began in 2014, GMS Racing won the 2016 and 2020 Camping World Trucks Championship, the 2015 ARCA Racing Series championship as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA East championship and 2020 Sioux Chief Showdown 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.

Toyota Racing Weekly Preview – 03.17.21

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Official Release
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This Week in Motorsports: March 15-21, 2021

· NCS/NXS/NCWTS: Atlanta Motor Speedway – March 20-21

PLANO, Texas (March 17, 2021) – This weekend’s NASCAR racing activities include three races in two days at Atlanta Motor Speedway as the Xfinity and Truck Series compete in their first doubleheader of the season prior to Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series event.

NASCAR National Series – NCS| NXS

Truex Back in Victory Lane… Martin Truex Jr. drove back to victory lane for the first time this season and first time in his career at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday. Truex has driven to a total of 26 victories behind the wheel of a Camry and captured the 2018 Cup Series championship. Truex will compete in two races this weekend as the two-time Xfinity Series champion makes his first Xfinity Series start since 2010, driving the No. 54 Toyota Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Toyota history maker… Atlanta Motor Speedway is a special place for Kyle Busch and Toyota. Busch drove his Toyota Camry to victory lane in Atlanta on March 9, 2008, scoring Toyota’s first Cup Series win. Since then, the partnership has proven to be extremely successful for both parties with 52 additional Cup Series victories for the Las Vegas native. Busch will run the Cup and Truck Series races this weekend at Atlanta.

Hamlin continues strong early season performance… Denny Hamlin continued his strong start to the 2021 season with a third-place run in Phoenix last Sunday. Hamlin continues to lead the point standings and looks to score his second Atlanta win this weekend (September 2012).

Georgia-natives look for home state wins… Toyota drivers Brandon Jones, Austin Hill and Chandler Smith are all looking for their first victories in their home state of Georgia this weekend. Atlanta-native Jones is looking to best a fourth-place run from 2019, while Winston-native Hill wants to be one spot better after a runner-up finish last season. Talking Rock-native Smith is making his Atlanta Motor Speedway debut.

Hemric continues to sit near the top … Daniel Hemric continues to hold the second-place spot in the NASCAR Xfinity Series point standings after earning a stage victory in Phoenix. Prior to driving a Supra, Hemric finished inside the top-five last season at Atlanta Motor Speedway with a fourth-place result.

Toyota Top-Five Sweep… The Truck Series returns on track for the first time since Toyota swept the top-five positions at Las Vegas Motor Speedway two weeks ago. John Hunter Nemechek scored his first victory for Kyle Busch Motorsports with his boss directly behind him. Hill, Stewart Friesen and Matt Crafton completed the top-five. It was the fourth time in Toyota history that Tundra drivers swept the top-five finishing positions.

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.

JR Motorsports — NXS Atlanta Preview

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Official Release
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JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Atlanta Motor Speedway
RACE: EchoPark 250 (163 laps / 251.02 miles)
DATE: Saturday, March 20, 2021

Broadcast Information – TV: 5 p.m. ET on FS1 / Radio: 4:30 p.m. ET on PRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Michael Annett
No. 1 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet
• In last year’s NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Michael Annett started 21st and drove to an 11th-place finish, leading three laps in the process.
• On 1.5-mile tracks in 2020, Annett averaged an eighthplace finish over 12 events, with a pair of fifth-place runs at Kentucky and Texas tops among them. Annett finished 10 of the 12 races inside the top 10.
• At Atlanta, Annett has been consistent, completing 99.3 percent of the laps in his nine starts.
• Annett’s best finish of the season, sixth, came at the 1.5- mile Homestead-Miami Speedway last month.

Josh Berry
No. 8 Tire Pros Chevrolet
• Josh Berry will make his first NXS start at Atlanta on Saturday afternoon.
• In two 1.5-mile starts in the NXS in 2021, Berry has scored two top 10s, with a best finish of seventh coming at Las Vegas.
• In seven starts on tracks between 1 and 2 miles in length in the NXS, Berry has earned two top 10s, both coming earlier this season at Homestead and Las Vegas.
• This weekend in Atlanta marks the first race for primary partner Tire Pros, the nation’s largest franchise network of independent tire dealers, on board the No. 8 Chevrolet for JRM.

Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson has two starts in the NXS at Atlanta with a best finish of second coming in this race last season.
• In Gragson’s two starts in the Camping World Truck Series at the 1.5-mile quad-oval, he also has a best finish of second, coming during the 2018 campaign.
• Gragson’s second-place finish last season at Atlanta also netted the driver the $100k Dash 4 Cash payday.
• At tracks that are between 1 and 2 miles in length, Gragson has an average finish of 10.6 and has paced the field for 542 laps.

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 Axalta EchoPark Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier has finished sixth or better in his past three NXS starts at Atlanta, including a third-place effort in 2019. In 10 NXS starts on the 1.54-mile track, he has six top 10s.
• Last season on tracks measuring 1.5-miles in length, the veteran driver earned four top-five and eight top-10 finishes, and won three stages.
• After a tough start to 2021, last weekend Allgaier and the No. 7 team pulled together their first top 10 of the season at Phoenix Raceway.
• This weekend Allgaier has some new colors on his No. 7 Chevrolet, with Axalta and EchoPark on board for Atlanta.

Driver Quotes

“Getting back to Atlanta will be good for this Pilot Flying J team. We can’t be disappointed with our speed on the West Coast swing, but we need to put some solid finishes together and get back on track. After getting crashed out at Daytona, we were starting to earn those consistent finishes we need, and having the mechanical issue at Phoenix was unusual for us. A good solid run at Atlanta will set us up for the break and get us ready for the heart of the season.” – Michael Annett

“We were able to have a pretty good run last week at Phoenix and I think that will give us some positive momentum as we head to Atlanta this weekend with our Axalta/EchoPark Camaro. It’s been a bit of a tough start to the season, but it definitely hasn’t been for lack of effort. Jason (Burdett, crew chief) and this entire No. 7 team have been bringing fast cars each and every week. We want to continue to turn our luck around and get another solid finish. Atlanta has been a strong track for us, so I have no doubt we can go there and get it done.” – Justin Allgaier

“I feel like we’ve learned a lot through the first two mileand-a-half races this season and I am really looking forward to seeing how we can continue to build off of that this weekend in Atlanta. It’s going to be interesting for sure having never run there before, but I feel really confident in Taylor (Moyer, crew chief) and all the guys on this JR Motorsports team that we will unload with a great car on Saturday. I’m definitely looking forward to getting there, especially with us having a new partner with Tire Pros on board this No. 8. Hopefully we can give them a great day.” – Josh Berry

“We ran second in Atlanta last season and I thought we had a car capable of winning but we ran out of laps at the end. I know this Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee team is working hard throughout the week to prepare a fast Camaro so hopefully we can celebrate in Victory Lane Saturday evening and have something go our way for once this season.” – Noah Gragson

JRM Team Updates
• JRM at Atlanta: JR Motorsports has collected three wins, 13 top-fives and 26 top-10 finishes, along with two pole awards (2009 and 2014) in 39 NXS starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Jamie McMurray earned the organization its first victory at the track in 2010 and Kevin Harvick claimed back-to-back wins in 2014 and 2015. JRM’s average finish of 9.1 at Atlanta is the team’s second-best among all tracks in the NXS.
• Axalta “ElectroLight.“: ElectroLight is an expressively refreshing green-yellow hue with inspired bold, contemporary flavors that echo style, energy and flair. The unique personality of ElectroLight evokes a blend of sporty design elements with functional performance and offers great versatility when combined with two-tone charcoal color accents or matte finishes on a variety of mobility solutions. Further, ElectroLight is formulated with reflective properties that make it highly visible to light detection and ranging (LiDAR) systems, while its layer structure and pigment content are easily transmissible by radio detection and ranging (radar) systems. Visit axalta.com/color for more information.
• Positive Beauty : Unilever announced it will eliminate the word ‘normal’ from all beauty and personal care brands’ packaging and advertising, as part of the launch of their new Positive Beauty vision and strategy. Positive Beauty, which sets out several progressive commitments and actions for their beauty and personal care brands, including Dove and Axe will champion a new era of beauty which is equitable and inclusive, as well as sustainable for the planet. For more information, please visit www.unilever.com

Stewart Friesen to Pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 in Food City Dirt Race

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Official Release
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Two-Time Truck Series Winner, Dirt Modified Standout to Make NASCAR Cup Series Debut at Bristol Motor Speedway

CONCORD, N.C. (March 16, 2021) – Spire Motorsports announced today that Stewart Friesen will drive the team’s No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE in his NASCAR Cup Series debut in the Food City Dirt Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Stewart, a two-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series winner, will be supported by long-time partner Halmar International when he takes the green flag for the highly anticipated 250-lap race on the famed high-banked, half-mile oval.

The race will mark the first time NASCAR’s premiere series has raced on dirt dating back to 1970. NASCAR and Bristol Motor Speedway announced in September the legendary Tennessee oval would be covered in dirt to create a one-of-kind racing experience for the drivers, teams and fans.

Friesen, who has over 330 career wins in dirt modified racing, won the last time the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series raced on dirt at Eldora Speedway in 2019. The Ontario, Canada native is currently sixth in the Truck Series Championship point standings following a solid fourth-place finish in the division’s most recent stop at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“It’s a dream come true to compete in the Cup Series,” explained Friesen. “It’s the pinnacle of motorsports in North America. As a race fan myself, it has always been something I’ve dreamed about doing. I’m really excited to work with Kevin Bellicourt as our crew chief. I’ve known him for a few years now since we worked together at GMS Racing. In addition to Kevin, the whole Spire Motorsports group has been very welcoming. There’s some stuff we can take from our dirt experience with the truck at Eldora and apply to the Cup car, to hopefully be very competitive at Bristol. Thanks to Halmar International for coming on board as a partner for this whole deal, and thanks to (Spire Motorsports co-owners) T.J. Puchyr, Jeff Dickerson and the whole group at Spire Motorsports for the opportunity.”

Spire Motorsports jump started its 2021 campaign with a pair of top-10s in the Daytona 500 where Jamie McMurray (No. 77) and Corey LaJoie (No. 7) finished eighth and ninth, respectively. Justin Haley has handled the driving duties for the No. 77 team since the second race of the year but will yield the seat to Friesen for Round 7.

“Stewart Friesen is an outstanding race car driver and his pedigree on dirt speaks for itself,” said Puchyr. “I’ve watched Stewart with great interest over the last several years. He’s won on dirt and on pavement in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, so we feel like he’s the right driver to put in the No. 77 for the Food City Dirt Race. He’s a very talented driver, puts in the work and checks all the boxes. We’re thrilled for him make his NASCAR Cup Series debut in our car and I’m confident he’ll do a good job.”

The Food City Dirt Race from Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live on FOX Sunday, March 28 beginning at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The seventh of 36 races on the 2021 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

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

About Halmar International …
Halmar International was founded in 1963 and is one of the largest construction companies in the New York tri-state area, focusing on bridges, roads, airports, etc. Halmar is a name with a proud 50-year legacy of service, integrity, and performance. By placing clients’ needs first and managing its projects as if they were their own, Halmar has built a superlative record of service, exceeding owner expectations time and again, and establishing Halmar as a top name in the New York-area construction market.

John Hunter Nemechek – No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra Camping World Trucks Atlanta Preview

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Official Release
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John Hunter Nemechek Camping World Trucks Atlanta Preview (printable)
John Hunter Nemechek: Driver, No. 4 Mobil 1 Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: Fr8 Auctions 200, Race 4 of 22, 130 Laps – 30/30/70; 200.02 Miles
Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga. (1.54-mile quad-oval)
Date/Broadcast: March 20, 2021 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Neme’chek’ The Facts:

  • After capturing the checkered flag at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway, John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 4 Mobil 1 team return to action Saturday afternoon in the second1.5-mile race of the 2021 season at Atlanta Motor Speedway. After three races, Nemechek sits at the top of the Camping World Trucks championship standings, 14 tallies ahead of Ben Rhodes. The North Carolina native also leads the Camping World Truck Series in stage wins (three), average finish (3.7), laps led (122), driver rating (128) and fastest laps run (41).
  • The second-generation driver has made three starts in Camping World Truck Series action at Atlanta, including his victory in the 2016 event. Last season, Nemechek raced at Atlanta in the Camping World Truck Series, where he finished 24th and the NASCAR Cup Series, where he finished in the 23rd position.
  • Nemechek is a seven-time winner in Camping World Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports, and returning to victory lane this year with KBM. Across 105 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, the second-generation driver has compiled two poles, 731 laps led, 30 top-five and 53 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.9. The North Carolina native qualified for the Camping World Truck Series playoffs in each of his two full-time seasons, finishing eighth in the championship standings in both 2016 and 2017. He was voted the series most popular driver in 2015.
  • The 23-year-old driver produced three top-10 finishes and an average result of 22.4 while competing for rookie of the year honors in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020. He recorded a career-best eighth-place finish twice, both coming at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, earned the Sunoco Rookie of the Race award four times and finished 23rd in the championship standings.
  • Eric Phillips returns to KBM to lead the No. 4 team this season. Phillips led the No. 18 team at KBM in its debut season in 2010 and helped build the organization into one of the premier teams in all of NASCAR before departing at the end of the 2014 season. Under his guidance, the No. 18 team won eight races in its inaugural campaign and became the first team in Truck Series history to capture an owner’s championship in its first season of competition. In 2014, the Illinois native led the No. 51 team to an owner’s championship and his team’s 10 wins spearheaded KBM to a single-season Truck Series record of 14 wins. His 38 career Truck Series victories make him the winningest crew chief in Truck Series history, with 28 of those coming while at KBM. At Atlanta, Phillips has 12 starts in Camping World Trucks competition. In 2014, He has collected six top-fives, six top-10s, and an average finish of 11.7.
  • The world’s leading synthetic motor oil brand, Mobil 1, features anti-wear technology that provides performance beyond our conventional motor oils. This technology allows Mobil 1 to meet or exceed the toughest standards of car builders and to provide exceptional protection against engine wear, under normal or even some of the most extreme conditions. Mobil 1 flows quickly in extreme temperatures to protect critical engine parts and is designed to maximize engine performance and help extend engine life.

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver Q&A:

What did it mean for you to get back into victory lane at Las Vegas?
“It meant a lot to get back to victory lane. Leaving the Cup series to come back to the trucks. Overall, I felt like Kyle Busch Motorsports was a winning organization. It’s proven to be that way year after year. To be able to have speed like we’ve had and to be able to get to the point where we ended up in victory lane at Las Vegas for the first one of the year in just our third start with a new crew chief, myself getting back into the flow of the truck series, and with Kyle Busch Motorsports, it’s nice to be able to get back. It’s validating. Hopefully we can go check off more wins this year.”

With the victory and stage wins, how will that change the way you and Eric (Phillips) approach the remainder of the season?
“I don’t think we are going to change our plan of attack whatsoever. We are here to win races. #Here4Wins is what we’ve been using since the announcement of myself coming to Kyle Busch Motorsports. Eric and I are on the same page. Kyle, Toyota and all of our partners want to win, and that’s why we’re here. We are going to go try and win everything we can from poles to stages to practice to races. Anything and everything that we can win, we want to.

How does Atlanta compare to the other 1.5-mile tracks? What does it take to be successful there?
“I like Atlanta. Atlanta is a really fun racetrack. The surface is worn out. You slip and slide around. There are multiple grooves. There are multiple lines that you can run. I won there in a truck in 2016. I am looking forward to going back and being competitive. We start on the pole. That’s a good spot to start. I know Kyle starts on the outside in second. Hopefully, we can have a one-two duo again all race long and battle for the win at the end.”

John Hunter Nemechek Career Highlights:

  • Seven-time winner in Camping World Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports. Across 105 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, has compiled two poles, 731 laps led, 30 top-five and 53 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.9.
  • Qualified for the Camping World Truck Series playoffs in each of his two full-time seasons, finishing eighth in the championship standings in both 2016 and 2017.
  • Produced three top-10 finishes and an average result of 22.4 while competing for rookie of the year honors in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020. He recorded a career-best eighth-place finish twice, both coming at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, earned the Sunoco Rookie of the Race award four times and finished 23rd in the championship standings.
  • Across 51 career XFINITY Series starts, has totaled one win (Kansas Speedway, 10/20/18), one pole, 225 laps led, 12 top-five and 30 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 11.6.
  • John Hunter Nemechek’s No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra:
  • KBM-053: The No. 4 Mobil 1 team will unload KBM-053 Saturday in Atlanta. Christian Eckes ran the chassis at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in September 2020, where he finished in the eighth position.

KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have collected two wins, two poles, 566 laps led, eight top-five and 11 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.8 across 23 starts at Atlanta. Christopher Bell won the 2017 event while owner-driver Kyle Busch won in 2019.
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (81) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
  • The No. 4 has 12 career victories at KBM and was the number for both of the organization’s driver championships.

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

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

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: Fr8Auctions 200, Race 4 of 22, 130 Laps – 30/30/70; 200.02 Miles
Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga. (1.54-mile quad-oval)
Date/Broadcast: March 20, 2021 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Mr. Smith Goes Home:

  • Georgia native Chandler Smith will make his first career start on the 1.54-mile quad-oval at Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS) in Saturday’s Fr8Auctions 200. Smith, who grew up 90 miles north of the speedway in Jasper, Ga., made a name for himself racing Bandoleros on the flat quarter-mile track located on the frontstretch known as the “Thunder Ring.” Smith earned 21 career Bandits Division victories across 40 starts in Atlanta’s Thursday Thunder Series and won three consecutive Bandits Division championships from 2012-2014. In 2014, the racing prodigy won eight consecutive races in the Bandits Division, tying the record set by Joey Logano in 2000. The record has since been broken.
  • After three events on the Camping World Truck Series schedule, Smith sits fifth in the championship standings, 60 tallies behind his Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) teammate John Hunter Nemechek. His 22 laps led are third in the series and his driver rating of 92.1 ranks sixth. He earned a season-best ninth-place result in the season-opening event at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. The 18-year-old driver leads the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings by 22 points over Carson Hocevar and has won the rookie of the race award in two of the three events this season.
  • The Toyota Development Driver has finished inside the top five in eight of his 19 career Camping World Truck Series starts, including a career-best runner-up finish at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in 2019. Smith posted an average finish of 7.7 across his final seven of 12 total Truck Series starts in 2020, including third-place finishes in the series finale at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway and his first career superspeedway start at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in October.
  • The talented teenager recorded nine wins, 10 poles and an average finish of 5.3 across 33 ARCA Menards Series starts the last three seasons. He captured the pole in his series debut at Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville (Tenn.) in April of 2018 and set an ARCA Menards Series record by winning four consecutive poles to start his career. He earned his first victory at Madison (Wis.) International Speedway in just his fourth series start in June of 2018. Despite running a part-time schedule, he led the series in laps led in both 2018 and 2019.
  • Veteran crew chief Danny Stockman will call the shots for Smith and the No. 18 team this season. Stockman led the No. 51 team to four wins in his first season atop the pit box at KBM in 2020. He came to the organization with experience as a crew chief in all three national series, including a Truck Series championship with Austin Dillon in 2011 and an XFINITY Series championship with Dillon in 2013. Stockman’s XFINITY Series drivers totaled seven wins and 19 poles from 2012 to 2018 and after last season his Truck Series totals stand at eight wins and 13 poles. Stockman’s drivers have recorded two top-10 finishes in three Camping World Truck Series starts at Atlanta, with a best result of sixth with Dillon in 2011.
  • Safelite AutoGlass – the nation’s largest provider of vehicle glass repair, replacement, and recalibration services – will be the primary sponsor of Smith’s Tundra this weekend at Atlanta and for 15 races total this season. I.T. Consulting St Petersburg LLC, a total IT solutions company with a focus on network infrastructure, is serving as an associate partner on the bedtop of the No. 18 Toyota for Saturday’s 130-lap event.

Chandler Smith, Driver Q&A:

Have you attended a NASCAR race at Atlanta as a fan? If so, what is your favorite memory?
“I’ve attended probably every single NASCAR race at Atlanta ever since I was four years old except for last year due to COVID. I’m really excited to be racing on it. It’s going to be a big deal to me. I was telling my crew chief Danny Stockman about how excited I am to go to Atlanta. It’s going to be a big deal for us, but I don’t really have any favorite memories there.”

After racing on the quarter-mile track as a kid, how cool is it to finally get to race on the big track?
“I’m really excited to get back to Atlanta. The last time I was there was when I was about 12 years old racing on the quarter mile. I’m excited to get out there with my Safelite AutoGlass Toyota Tundra and compete for the win.”

What is your favorite memory of racing on the quarter-mile track?
“I would probably say when the Bandolero Nationals were there. I ended up winning them. It’s probably one of my favorite memories there.”

The surface at Atlanta is worn and tire wear is high. How will your background in super late models help this weekend?
“I think my background in super late model racing is going to help with the old, worn out places I’ve been to. Not only that, wore out, low grip places really fit my driving style. Not only because it is my home track that I’ve had it circled, but because of the track itself.”

Chandler Smith Career Highlights:

  • Across 19 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts has recorded 115 laps led, eight top-five and 10 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.5.
  • Posted an average finish of 7.7 across his final seven of 12 total Truck Series starts in 2020, including third-place finishes in the series finale at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway and his first career superspeedway start at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in October.
  • Produced three top-five and four top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 4.2 across his first four career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts in 2019. He led 55 laps and finished eighth in his Gander Trucks debut at Iowa Speedway last July and then posted top-five finishes in his final three starts, including a runner-up finish at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.
  • Has collected nine wins, 10 poles, 1761 laps led, 22 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes en route to an average finish of 5.2 across 33 career ARCA Menards Series starts. Set an ARCA Racing Series record by winning four consecutive poles to start his career and earned his first victory after leading a race-high 102 laps at Madison (Wis.) International Speedway in his fourth series start.

Chandler Smith’s No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Tundra:

KBM-067: The No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass team will unload chassis number KBM-067 for Saturday’s Fr8Auctions 200 at Atlanta. In its debut, Kyle Busch won last year’s July race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth with this Tundra. Smith piloted it three times in 2020 with a best result of fifth last October at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City.

KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have collected two wins, two poles, 566 laps led, eight top-five and 11 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.8 across 23 starts at Atlanta. Owner-driver Kyle Busch led a race-high 92 laps en route to victory in the 2019 event, while Christopher Bell became to the first driver under NASCAR’s new format to sweep all three stages of a race after leading 99 of 130 laps en route to victory from the pole in 2017.
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (81) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014.With his victory at Las Vegas, John Hunter Nemecheck became the 15th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
  • The No. 18, the number which was on the first Tundra that went to victory lane for KBM in 2010, has 21 career victories.
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