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Ryan Truex – Bucked Up 200 Race Advance

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Bucked Up 200 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway Race Advance

Team: No. 40 Jacob Companies Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Ryan Truex
Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @Ryan_Truex

Truex on Racing at Las Vegas: “We’ve had two great trucks to start the season and I’m confident that will continue this week at Las Vegas,” said Truex. “Wally, myself and the whole team are working well together. Our Jacob Companies Chevrolet looks great, and we are looking forward to getting it on track on Friday.”

Truex at Las Vegas: Friday night’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway marks Truex’s third Truck Series start at the track. In his two previous starts, Truex has one pole and two 12th-place finishes.

In addition, Truex has four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the 1.5-mile track, with his best finish of eighth coming in 2018.

Truex also has one NASCAR Cup Series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, coming in 2014.

On the Truck: The No. 40 Chevrolet will carry the Jacob Companies at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

JACOB is a nationally certified, WBENC, woman owned, multifaceted construction firm with a focus on construction, design-build services, structural concrete, and technology. Jacob specializes in hotels, stadiums & athletic facilities, parking garages, hospital & healthcare facilities, assisted living facilities, automotive dealerships and high-rise structures.

As a full-service organization, JACOB provides clients with a wide range of design and technical support services for architecture, engineering, technology, land planning and development.

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.

DiBenedetto Excited About Return to Las Vegas

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With a mostly disappointing month of February behind them, Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team are anxious to move into the month of March, beginning with this weekend’s Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“Even before the season started I was looking forward to March,” DiBenedetto said. “This is the start of a good stretch of tracks for us.”

The 1.5-mile Las Vegas track has been particularly good for DiBenedetto and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team in recent seasons. Last year, he was runner-up in both races at Vegas, and in the six races before he joined the No. 21 team, the Wood Brothers posted four top-10s and no finishes outside the top 15.

“We had a shot to win both races at Las Vegas last year and we still had room for improvement,” DiBenedetto said. “I can’t wait to get there and see how we stack up against the competition. We were strong there last year, and I’m hoping we have the same speed this year.”

But he cautioned that past results are no guarantee of future performance.

“There are a lot of tough teams out there right now,” he said. “A lot of folks are running good.”

DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Mustang will be starting 30th on Sunday. With no qualifying scheduled, the line-up will be set based on recent performances, which have been disappointing for his team. And that’s a big disadvantage, he said.

“It hurts,” he said. “It really does. It messes up your early-race strategy as far as going for Stage points.

“Sometimes it’s well into the second or even the third Stage before you can work your way to the front.

“The [line-up] system puts you behind the Eight Ball, so you just have to go to work and overcome it.”

The 267-lap Pennzoil 400, which will have Stage breaks at Laps 80 and 160, is set to get the green flag just after 12:30 p.m. on Sunday (3:30 p.m. Eastern Time). FOX will carry the TV broadcast.

About Motorcraft:

Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln Dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.

About Omnicraft:

Omnicraft is part of the Ford lineup of parts brands: Ford Parts, Motorcraft and Omnicraft. Omnicraft is the exclusive non-Ford/Lincoln parts brand of premium aftermarket parts. With over a century of parts heritage to build upon, Omnicraft provides excellent quality and fit and is a preferred choice of professional automotive technicians. To find out more about Omnicraft, visit www.omnicraftautoparts.com or contact your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership.

About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center

Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine vehicle maintenance including tire repair and replacement with a Low Tire Price Guarantee and a full menu of automotive services including oil and filter, brakes, alignments, batteries, and shocks and struts on all vehicle makes and models. Service is performed by certified technicians at more than 1,000 locations worldwide while you wait, and no appointment is necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

Wood Brothers Racing

Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glen Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glen’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Matt DiBenedetto in the famous No. 21 racer.

John Force ready to get back to work

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16-time NHRA champion aiming for more milestones in Chevrolet Funny Car

DETROIT (March 3, 2021) — As John Force waits in the comfortable cab of his Chevrolet Silverado for his appointment to receive the second round of COVID-19 vaccination, the staging area at Gainesville Raceway comes into his mind’s eye.

“I can sit here, feel the throttle of a fuel car, feel the pressure on my body, ready to cut a quick light,” the 16-time National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Funny Car champion says. “That will be the easy part. I’ve done it for so many years it’s just built into me. I’m ready to go drag racing. I’m just ready to get back to work.”

Force will check in at the Florida dragstrip March 12-14, returning from a self-imposed 12-month furlough primarily driven by the economic effects of the novel coronavirus pandemic, to compete in the season-opening Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals.

Teammates Robert Hight, whose shot at defending his Funny Car championship was curtailed after two races in 2020, and Top Fuel driver Brittany Force will also represent John Force Racing at Gainesville Raceway.

“I’m excited because I’m ready; we’re all going to be ready,” says Force, driver of the familiar blue and white PEAK/BlueDEF Chevrolet Camaro SS. “At the end of the day, drag racing is what we do. I need to get back. Like kids need to get back in school, I need to get back to work. I’m going to fight to win another championship; so is Robert and so is Brittany.”

Force, whose NHRA-record 151 Funny Car victories include 20 in a Chevrolet and 53 in other General Motors brands, will reach more career milestones this season. Qualifying for the 16-car Gatornationals field will mark his 200th race day appearance in a Chevrolet.

“I’ve come a long way with Chevy in my career and in my life,” says Force, 71. “My first road car was a ’54 Chevy sedan – six-cylinder and an automatic – and my parents both drove GM products as long as I can remember. My mother drove a Buick Bobcat and my father drove a ’55 Chevy and had Chevy pickup trucks when I was a kid. I’m what you could call a General Motors buff. I now own two of the new mid-engine Corvettes.”

The Bowtie Brand played an important role on the dragstrip, too, early on for the Southern California native. “My first race car was a Chevrolet; it was a Vega that I went to Australia in ’74,” he says.

Back in the U.S., the first 60 starts of Force’s career were behind the wheel of a Chevrolet. From 1978-80 he raced a Corvette before switching to a Citation (1981-82), Camaro (1983-84), Corvette (1985), and then a Cavalier (1986).
“My first (NHRA) start (1977, Pomona1), final (1979, losing to Kenny Bernstein), my first No. 1 (1986) were in a Chevy,” he says. “They stood beside me.”

Force qualified for 64 NHRA Funny Car races before earning his first victory on June 28, 1987, at Montreal in an Oldsmobile. His wins by model — Oldsmobile Cutlass (31), Pontiac Firebird (21), Chevrolet Lumina (10), Chevrolet Camaro (10), Oldsmobile Firenza (1).

Force captured his first win in a Chevrolet in 1994 when he raced a Lumina on the way to his fourth NHRA Funny Car championship with a 50-8 record, 10 wins in 11 finals and 12 No. 1 qualifiers.

After a long hiatus, John Force Racing returned to the Chevrolet fold in 2015. The renewed partnership has produced three championships – by Hight (Funny Car) in 2017 and 2019 and Brittany Force (Top Fuel) in 2017 – along with 43 victories.

Last season, Force was runner-up in the opener at Pomona, California, and was the No. 2 qualifier and semifinalist at Phoenix before the team sat out the final nine races.

“We had a good start to the season. The new Chevrolet Funny Car is so awesome. It will stick to the ground yet it’s slippery. And Brittany was the top qualifier in both races,” Force says. “I can’t wait to get back in my Chevrolet Funny Car.”

Other milestones in view:

  • 800 career races (he is at 788).
  • 1,400 round wins (he is at 1,356).

“I’ve lost 25 pounds and built muscle during the downtime. I worked out nearly every day. I’ve got all my (top personnel) in my machine and chassis shops, I’ve got my crew chiefs (Dan Hood and Tim Fabrisi) and we’re ready to go racing,” Force says.

Toyota Racing – Weekly Preview – 03.03.21

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This Week in Motorsports: March 1-7, 2021

· NCS/NXS/NCWTS: Las Vegas Motor Speedway – March 5-7

PLANO, Texas (March 3, 2021) – It’s time to roll the dice in Las Vegas as the NASCAR series make their first West Coast stop of the season.

NASCAR National Series – NCS| NXS| NCWTS

Hamlin continues to lead the points… After an 11th-place finish in Homestead, Denny Hamlin continues to lead the overall point standings in the NASCAR Cup Series. Despite 44 career victories, Hamlin is looking for his first win in Las Vegas. The Virginia-native drove to one of his best results at the track, a third-place finish, last fall in the No. 11 Camry.

Busch returns home… Kyle Busch is back at his home track this weekend where he will compete in two events. The Las Vegas native scored Toyota’s first NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) (2009) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) (2016) wins at the track. Busch is scheduled to run the NCS and Truck Series events this weekend. He has won three of the past six Truck Series races at Las Vegas.

Truex leads Toyota at Vegas… Martin Truex Jr. is the only multi-time winner for Toyota in the NCS at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Truex, who is coming off a season-best third-place finish at Homestead, has two wins at the track (2017, 2019).

Hemric off to a strong start… Daniel Hemric has had a strong run in his first three starts in a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Supra with two top-fives and three top-10 finishes. Hemric was also strong in his last outing in Las Vegas, scoring a third-place finish in September.

Rhodes looking for three straight… Ben Rhodes and ThorSport Racing have gone two-for-two since rejoining Toyota this offseason. The Kentucky-native looks for three straight at a track he already has fond memories at. Rhodes drove to his first career Truck Series win at Las Vegas aboard a Tundra in 2017.

100 for Hill… Austin Hill is making his 100th career Truck Series start at Las Vegas on Friday. It is a perfect track for last year’s regular season champion to be making a milestone start as Hill has won two of the last three races at the track.

Stay Connected

https://www.toyota.com/racing @ToyotaRacing.com @ToyotaRacing

facebook.com/ToyotaRacing Camera With Flash on Apple iOS 11.3 ToyotaRacingMedia.com

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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 Las Vegas Preview

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JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
RACE: Alsco Uniforms 300 (200 laps / 300 miles)
DATE: Saturday, March 6, 2021

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

Michael Annett
No. 1 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet
• In the two NASCAR Xfinity Series events at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2020, Michael Annett drove to a pair of seventh-place finishes. His best career finish at LVMS, fifth, came in the spring of 2019.
• On 1.5-mile tracks in 2020, Annett averaged an eighthplace finish over 12 events, with a pair of fifth-place runs. Annett finished 10 of the 12 races inside the top 10.
• Annett’s No. 1 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet will debut its 2021 paint scheme after having honored the American Heart Association for the opening three events.
• The last time Annett raced west of the Mississippi River, he earned a season-best fourth-place finish at Phoenix.

Josh Berry
No. 8 FilterTime Chevrolet
• Josh Berry will make his first NXS start at Las Vegas on Saturday afternoon.
• In five previous starts in the NXS on tracks between 1 and 2 miles in length, Berry has scored a best finish of 10th, coming last weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
• In nine career starts in the NXS, Berry has recorded three top 10s with a best result of seventh coming at Richmond Raceway in September 2015.
• Ahead of Las Vegas, new customers who sign up for FilterTime’s subscription-based custom air-filter service can get 20 percent off their first order by using the discount code JRM when visiting FilterTime.com/JRM.

Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson returns to his home track in Las Vegas having never finished worse than sixth in the NXS at the 1.5-mile facility.
• In two starts at Las Vegas in 2020, Gragson scored finishes of fourth and second.
• At tracks that are between 1 and 2 miles in length, Gragson holds an average finish of 9.9 and has led 75 percent of his career total laps at these facilities.
• Gragson’s average finish of 3.8 at LVMS is the second-best during his NXS career at tracks that he has raced at more than once. The only track with a better average finish is the Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway (3.5).

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• In 13 NXS starts at Las Vegas, Justin Allgaier has an impressive six top fives and 11 top 10s. His average finish there is 8.2, his best on 1.5-mile tracks.
• Since joining JRM in 2016, the veteran driver has only one finish outside the top 10 at the Las Vegas oval. In this event last year, Allgaier led 63 laps and won the second stage on his way to an eighth-place result. He followed that up with a fourth-place showing in the fall event at the speedway.
• Last season on 1.5-mile tracks, Allgaier had eight top-10 efforts, led for 197 laps and earned three stage wins. His best finish was third at Texas Motor Speedway.

Driver Quotes

“The last two seasons at Las Vegas, our Pilot Flying J Chevrolet has been solid. We led eight laps in the fall there in our last start and were in contention. We’ve had some bum luck so far this season, getting caught in a crash at Daytona, but Mike Bumgarner and the team are giving me great Camaros every week and we’re starting to build some momentum. I always look forward to the West Coast swing.” – Michael Annett

“This season has definitely not gotten off to the start our No. 7 team wanted, but Las Vegas is the perfect place for us to turn things around. Our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Camaro has a history of showing a lot of speed there and it’s just a track that I really enjoy racing on. Last year we were able to pick up a stage win and lead some laps and I’m confident that we can go there and have success this weekend.” – Justin Allgaier

“I’m really looking forward to getting to Las Vegas this weekend with this FilterTime team. It felt good getting that first mile-and-a-half race under my belt last weekend in Homestead and hopefully some of the things we learned there can transfer over to Vegas. There are still things that we can work on and I feel really confident that we will continue to build and get better and have a strong run on Saturday.” – Josh Berry

“We’ve had really fast race cars this year but we unfortunately don’t have the finishes to show for it. We’ve had a car to win each week, we just need to be able to put a complete race together. There’s no better time for that than this weekend when I return back home to Las Vegas. Hopefully we can put this Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Camaro back into Victory Lane to turn our season around.” – Noah Gragson

JRM Team Updates:
• JRM at Las Vegas: In 52 NXS starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, JR Motorsports has one win, 20 top-five and 32 top-10 finishes. NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin scored the organization’s lone victory at the 1.5-mile speedway in March of 2008. This victory was the first of 51 for JRM as an NXS team.
• hellowater: JRM partner hellowater recently launched their brand new line of hellowater alkaline, an ionized alkaline bottled water infused with electrolytes for better taste and hydration. In honor of the launch, hellowater is offering JRM fans a 10 percent discount when they place their first order online at www.hellowater.com and use code JRM10.
• SPRING TURKEY SEASON IS CALLING AGAIN: Offering a broad range of high-quality gear for the turkey hunter, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s helps hunters increase their odds of nailing a trophy gobbler. Their hunting experts and pros understand the unique demands of spring turkey hunting, bringing you the products and expert outdoor tips and videos to help make your hunt more successful. Bursting with field-proven gear from the top brands, basspro.com and cabelas.com bring hunters the turkey calls, hunting clothing, hunting boots, ground blinds, turkey decoys, turkey shotguns and ammo, choke tubes, turkey vests, and other gear they want on opening morning! Click here for more info.
• #HellmannsHacks: The best mornings start with mayonnaise. Just a touch of Hellmann’s in your scrambled eggs instead of milk helps make for lighter and fluffier eggs. Give it a try and share the unique ways you use mayonnaise to make delicious meals. For additional info, please click here.

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

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John Hunter Nemechek: Driver, No. 4 Mobil 1 Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: Bucked Up 200, Race 3 of 22, 134 Laps – 30/30/74; 201 Miles
Location: Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway (1.5-mile tri-oval)
Date/Broadcast: March 5, 2021 at 9 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Neme’chek’ The Facts:

  • John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 4 Mobil 1 team return to action Friday night in the first 1.5-mile race of the 2021 season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. After two races, Nemechek sits second in the Camping World Trucks championship standings, nine tallies behind points leader Ben Rhodes. He leads the series in laps led (28), is tied for number of fastest laps run (8), has captured a stage win in each of the first two events and recorded an average finish of 5.0 in his first two starts for Kyle Busch Motorsports.
  • The second-generation driver has made six starts in Camping World Truck Series action at Las Vegas, with a best result of fourth coming in the 2015 event. Last season, Nemechek raced at Las Vegas twice in the NASCAR Cup Series with a best finish of 20th in the September event.
  • Nemechek is a six-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 104 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, the second-generation driver has compiled two poles, 637 laps led, 29 top-five and 52 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 13.0. 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 37 career Truck Series victories make him the winningest crew chief in Truck Series history, with 27 of those coming while at KBM. At Las Vegas, Phillips has nine starts in Camping World Trucks competition. In 2014, Phillips captured victory with Erik Jones at the 1.5-mile facility. He has collected one top-five, six top-10s, and an average finish of 12.6.
  • 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:

How important is it for you to come out this week and have a strong run on a 1.5-mile track to show that you are capable of competing for the win no matter the track style?
“Having strong runs on a superspeedway to start out the year at Daytona and then going to a road course and leading a bunch of laps with another strong run there to now a mile-and-a-half, I definitely feel like being able to show up to every different style racetrack is only going to help us know that we are going to be competitive every single week when we show up no matter what style track. With it being the first 1.5-mile race, I’m super excited about it. I really like Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Hopefully we can go get the job done.”

How does the racing at Vegas in trucks compare to the other 1.5-mile tracks?
“I feel like the racing at Las Vegas is very interesting. It almost races like a superspeedway with how big the runs are in the draft and everything else. Overall, it is still your typical 1.5-mile racetrack. It’s something that I really enjoy. I love being able to manipulate the air and move around. Vegas is another place where you can move from the bottom all the way to the top to run the fence. Hopefully we can get up there Friday night.”

Is it going to be any different this week racing against Kyle now having him as a teammate and also being your boss?
“Racing against Kyle has definitely been a lot of fun. Growing up racing against him, he is always the guy to beat when you show up Super Late Model racing or in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series or the NASCAR XFINITY Series. Being able to race against him for so many years, he is up on me for beating me so many times, but I’ve still been able to beat him a couple of times. Hopefully we will be able to go out there and have a really good weekend and bring home the KBM trucks 1-2-3. Hopefully it is us in victory lane instead of him.”

John Hunter Nemechek Career Highlights:

  • Six-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 104 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, has compiled two poles, 637 laps led, 29 top-five and 52 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 13.0.
  • 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-058: The No. 4 Mobil 1 team will unload KBM-058 Friday in Las Vegas. Christian Eckes last ran the chassis at Kansas Speedway, where he finished in the sixth position. The chassis scored one win at Charlotte in 2019 with Kyle Busch.

KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have collected four wins, four poles, 545 laps led, 12 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.2 across 36 starts at Las Vegas. Erik Jones won the 2014 event while owner-driver Kyle Busch won in the spring of 2018, 2019 and 2020.
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (80) 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 11 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 Las Vegas Preview

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

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: Bucked Up 200, Race 3 of 22, 134 Laps – 30/30/74; 201 Miles
Location: Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway (1.5-mile tri-oval)
Date/Broadcast: March 5, 2021 at 9 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Mr. Smith Goes to Vegas:

  • Chandler Smith and the No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass team head to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the first mile-and-a-half race on the Camping World Truck Series schedule this season. Running a partial schedule last season, Smith made four starts on 1.5-mile tracks, earning a best result of fifth twice, including the September event at Las Vegas.
  • Smith is off to a solid start in his rookie Camping World Trucks Campaign. He sits fourth in the championship standings, 30 tallies behind points leader Ben Rhodes, after finishing ninth at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and 12th at the Daytona Road Course. His average finish of 10.5 is not indicative of his performance in the first two events, his average running position so far this season is 8.31 and he has scored points in three of the four stages.
  • The 18-year-old Georgia native will compete for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award in 2021 after competing in a part-time schedule for KBM each of the last two seasons. Smith earned the Sunoco Rookie of the Race Award at the Daytona Road Course and after two events leads the rookie standings by 30 points over Carson Hocevar.
  • The Toyota Development Driver has finished inside the top five in eight of his 18 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 guided KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch to a dominant victory in last year’s Camping World Trucks event at Las Vegas. He also was victorious with Dillon in 2010 at the Nevada track.
  • Safelite AutoGlass – the nation’s largest provider of vehicle glass repair, replacement, and recalibration services – will be the primary sponsor of Smith’s Tundra for 15 races this season. Safelite will be back on the No. 18 Toyota when the Camping World Truck Series resumes action March 20 at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway.

Chandler Smith, Driver Q&A:

How much of a challenge was it last year learning to race on the mile-and-a-half tracks?
“It’s definitely a learning curve and something new to learn. I feel like myself as a driver that I have gotten better at them, but there is still room for improvement. Overall, as an organization, I feel like our entire 1.5-mile program has gotten stronger. I’m looking forward to it.”

Las Vegas is the first mile-and-a-half track that you are going to for a second time. Does that boost your confidence?
“I’ve raced at Las Vegas once and we had a strong finish at the end coming out fifth. We’re going back with a similar package, so I’m ready for it. It’s going to be a little cooler. It’s my second time going back, so I’m expecting good results in our Safelite Tundra and hopefully we can bring home the trophy.”

Are you looking forward to racing against Kyle for the first time in the Camping World Truck Series?
“I’ve raced against Kyle in Super Late Models and learned a tremendous amount from racing against him there. I feel like I am going to get the same results when it comes to truck racing. Obviously, the bigger picture is to come out and beat him. I would love nothing more than that, so that is the goal.”

Chandler Smith Career Highlights:

  • Across 18 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 12.1.
  • 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-070: The No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass team will unload chassis number KBM-070, a brand new Tundra, for Friday night’s Bucked up 200 at Las Vegas.

KBM Notes of Interest:

  • KBM drivers have collected four wins, four poles, 12 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes across 36 starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. They have earned a collective average starting position of 7.9 an average finish of 12.2 and have led 540 laps.
  • Erik Jones won the 2014 event while owner-driver Kyle Busch won in the spring of 2018, 2019 and 2020.
  • KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (80) 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. 18, the number which was on the first Tundra that went to victory lane for KBM in 2010, has 21 career victories.

FedEx Racing Express Facts – Las Vegas Motor Speedway

By
Official Release
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Denny Hamlin
#11 FedEx Ground Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing

Race Info:
Race: Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube
Date/Time: March 7/3:30 p.m. ET
Distance: 267 laps/400.5 miles
Track Length: 1.5 miles
Track Shape: Tri-Oval
Banking: 20 degrees
2020 Winner: Joey Logano

Express Notes:

Homestead-Miami Recap: Hamlin lined up on the pole in the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest Toyota for the start of the 400-mile event, but pre-race adjustments deemed “unapproved” by NASCAR sent him to the rear for the green flag. Despite some difficult handling, Hamlin’s Camry was able to climb back into the top five. A quick pit stop by the FedEx pit crew in the closing laps of Stage 2 put Hamlin in position to finish the segment in second, and he held that second spot for the start of Stage 3. The final segment of the race brought another challenge. A speeding penalty on a Lap 200 green-flag stop sent Hamlin to the back of the pack once again. The team took the ensuing restart in 28th, and Hamlin used the remaining 60 laps to claw his way to a spot just outside the top 10. He finished 11th, allowing him to maintain the series points lead. William Byron won the race.

Las Vegas Outlook: The 2021 NASCAR series heads out to the desert this weekend to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for Sunday’s 400-mile event. Hamlin continues his pursuit of his first career win at the 1.5-mile tri-oval. Hamlin and the #FedEx11 team are currently atop the points standings and look to expand their lead and capture their first win of the season this weekend in Las Vegas.

Hamlin Statistics:

Track: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Races: 18
Wins: 0
Top-5: 3
Top-10: 8
Laps Led: 139
Avg. Start: 15.7
Avg. Finish: 9.9

Hamlin Conversation – Las Vegas:

What are you looking forward to as the series heads to Las Vegas this weekend?

“Our team is continuing to work each week to improve. I’m happy with our performance this season, but we still have a lot of work to do and a lot more challenges coming our way. We’ll be ready to get back at it this weekend in Las Vegas and hopefully take home the checkered flag.”

You’ve yet to win in Las Vegas in your career. What will be your approach this weekend to try to change that?

“Las Vegas, for whatever reason, has always been a tough track for us. We’ve had some success in previous races but haven’t ever been able to get to Victory Lane. But I enjoy the challenge of trying to get better at places like that. Our team is going to put a fast car out there and I’m going to do everything I can to bring home that win for our team.”

FedEx Ground Along for the Ride at Las Vegas: The FedEx Ground Southwest District will be featured on the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota race car on March 7 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The four-letter alpha code “SWST” will appear on the B-post of the car, recognizing the district for being top in the company for safety priority metrics.

FedEx Office – Closest to Las Vegas Motor Speedway: 228 S Nellis Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89104 (702) 431-5076

John Allen Announces Formation of Capstone Motorsports Sports Car Racing Team

By
Official Release
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New Parker, Colorado-Based Racing Team Set for Full 2021 Pirelli GT4 America SprintX Season Beginning this Weekend at Sonoma Raceway

Capstone to Support University of Alabama College of Engineering Sports Car Racing Internship Program in 2021 and Beyond

PARKER, Colorado (March 3, 2021) — Capstone Motorsports, a new sports car racing and motorsports company based in Parker, Colorado, makes its professional racing debut this weekend at Sonoma Raceway in California where team principal and driver John Allen teams with co-driver Kris Wilson in the Pirelli GT4 America SprintX season-opening doubleheader on the Napa Valley road course.

Allen and Wilson compete in the “Am” class in the twin 60-minute races Saturday and Sunday at Sonoma at the wheel of the No. 16 Capstone Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4. Capstone continues Allen’s longtime support of his alma mater, the University of Alabama College of Engineering, with a trackside sports car racing internship program designed specifically to immerse UA Engineering students in the data-driven and technology aspects of modern-day sports car racing.

The establishment of Capstone Motorsports continues an evolution for Allen and the UA Engineering internship program which has been an at-track technical curriculum the last couple of years.

Allen, a 1979 UA College of Engineering graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, was named in 2018 a UA Distinguished Engineering Fellow in acknowledgement of his vast professional, military and philanthropic achievements. It was at that year’s Distinguished Engineering Fellows induction celebration that Allen shared his vision for an engineering-based internship program in the high-tech world of modern-day sports car racing.

Active in the sport since 2013, Allen is quick to see the connection between sports car racing and the educational programs offered in the UA College of Engineering.

“Sports car racing today is about so much more than just driving fast and flat out,” Allen said. “Along with driver ability, engineering is the most important aspect of success in today’s high-tech arena of sports car racing. We established the internship program a couple of years ago to open this world to UA Engineering students that might not be aware this incredible opportunity exists. Establishing Capstone Motorsports is another key step in the growth of both our racing team and the internship program. We can’t wait for the season to get started this weekend.”

The Capstone Motorsports name was chosen to reflect the team’s close ties to the University of Alabama. “The Capstone” is a nickname for The University of Alabama coined by former UA President G. H. Denny when he used the reference, meaning “the top stone or high point,” to describe the University as the “capstone of the public school system of the state” in 1913.

The establishment of the team also marks a high point for Allen and Wilson who have been competing successfully together in Pirelli GT4 America SprintX the last two seasons with independent teams. The 2020 season saw Allen and Wilson put together a solid record of six podium finishes in a shortened schedule of nine races, including four class wins at Road America, Sonoma Raceway and a pair of victories at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR). The duo also earned runner-up honors in the Am class in the 2019 Pirelli GT4 America SprintX championship.

Racing for more than 30 years, Wilson won a 2016 Pirelli World Challenge driver championship and has competed on every major racetrack in North America over the past few decades.

“Starting Capstone Motorsports allows us the freedom to really make the University of Alabama engineering internship program an integral part of the team,” Wilson said. “We just had a test at Sonoma two weeks ago to make sure we have all our processes in place. Everybody seems to be working well together. Most of the guys on the team were with us last year running the Mercedes-AMG, so we have built a pretty good notebook of setups for the car. You never know how you’re going to stack up against the competition until you get out there and start racing them, but we have a good foundation, and the Mercedes-AMG GT4 seems to do everything well. Only two goals for the year: to win races and the championship. Anything less will be a disappointment.”

A familiar group of experienced and race-winning motorsports professionals joined the Capstone team at its inception. In addition to Allen and Wilson, lead Capstone personnel includes Engineer Grant Barclay, Team Manager Kelly Brown and Crew Chief Eric Madsen. Rick Cameron is another key part of the engineering department and will serve as the main technical interface with the UA engineering interns on race weekends. Jon Berry, who was Allen’s initial driving coach and adviser, has also joined Capstone as Vice President of Finance.

Following practice and qualifying earlier in the weekend, Sonoma’s pair of 60 minute Pirelli GT4 America SprintX races stream live for free via SRO’s GT World YouTube Channel. Saturday’s opening race goes green at 4:05 p.m. PST with Sunday’s second and final one-hour race of the weekend scheduled to start at 10:55 a.m. PST.

About Capstone Motorsports: A professional sports car racing team headquartered in Parker, Colorado, Capstone Motorsports competes with the support of the University of Alabama College of Engineering, Class VI Partners, K3 Energizing Beverages, Long Game Financial, NuCalm, Pocono Outdoor Adventure Tours and Dr. Sanjay Jatana.

What Do You Need to Know About Wheel Offset?

By
SM
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When you enter a shop to buy new wheels for your car, the first question the salesperson will ask is what the wheel offset is. It refers to the distance between the hub mounting surface and the centerline of the wheel. The offset is measured in millimeters. Here are a few things you should know about the offset. 

Types of Offset

There are three types of offset, which include negative offset, positive offset, and zero offsets. Backspacing is an essential factor in offset. It refers to the space between the mounting surface of the wheel and the backside of the wheel. Now, let’s take a closer look at different types of offset in detail. 

  • Negative Offset– The wheel’s mounting surface is closer to the inner edge of the wheel. The wheel with negative offset offers less backspacing, and the wheel looks more dished out. This type of offset is popular in trucks and show cars.
  • Positive Offset– In this offset design, the wheel’s mounting surface protrudes towards the street side. Most OEM car wheels have a positive offset. One advantage of positive offset is it offers maximum backspacing. 
  • Zero Offset– In a zero-offset wheel design, the wheel’s mounting surface is aligned with the centerline. The centerline refers to the centermost point of your wheel. If you have to cut the wheel half vertically, the knife will pass through the centerline. 

How to Measure Offset?

The wheel offset is not mentioned on wheels. Even though some wheels have some specifications imprinted on the wheel, the information presented in digits is hard to decode. However, that should not be a reason to worry as you can always measure it manually.

Since it is difficult to measure the distance between mounting beads and the wheel’s centerline with the tire on, you can measure from the tire sidewall. 

Do You Need to Change the Offset?

The decision to change the offset depends on your individual preference. Most people change wheel offset to give their car an aggressive look; for example, adding a 10mm wheel spacer would give your car a wider stance. 

Which Offset Is Better for Your Car?

Most front-wheel-drive cars have a positive offset. If you want to install wider wheels than your OEM wheel, you have to reduce offset. When you reduce the offset, it brings the wheel towards the inner side. 

If you put wider wheels without reducing the offset, the wheels will bump and scrap things you would not want. If you change the offset of a front-wheel-drive car, it will change the scrub radius. You will also experience differences in braking, acceleration, and steering. 

Rear-drive vehicles have a negative offset. Changing the offset in a rear-drive vehicle will change the scrub radius and also affect steering. Unless you mess up with brake calipers while changing the offset, you will not notice any acceleration or braking change. 

What Will Happen If You Choose the Wrong Offset for Your Vehicle?

If your backspacing or offset measurement is wrong while purchasing new wheels, you will have the risk of the wheel sitting too much inside the wheel well. It can lead to tire and wheel rub against the suspension. 

Should You Go With a Different Offset in Winter?

If you have a positive offset, you can continue with the same offset while fitting winter tires. If you change to a lower offset, it will mean the wheels will stick out. It will spray salt, chemicals, and sand on your car as well as other cars passing by. 

To sum up, the wheel offset determines how the wheel fits in your car. If you go wrong with your offset calculations, you run the risk of damaging your car suspensions or other parts that can lead to heavy repairs. If you are not sure about what offset is right for your car, you can always consult a professional who would give you the right advice.

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