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Rajah Caruth notches hard-earned Truck victory at Nashville

By
Andrew Kim
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LEBANON, TENNESSEE - MAY 30: Rajah Caruth, driver of the #71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville Superspeedway on May 30, 2025 in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images).

Rajah Caruth capitalized on flawless pit services that got him the lead before he outdueled Corey Heim and Layne Riggs through a 47-lap dash to win the Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville Superspeedway on Friday, May 30.

The 22-year-old Caruth from Washington, D.C. led twice for a race-high 61 of 150 scheduled laps. He rolled off the starting grid in 10th place and raced up front from start to finish.

Despite falling short of capturing the event’s first two stage victories on the track to Riggs and Heim, respectively, Caruth’s key move to the overall race victory occurred on pit road. During the first two stage break periods, Caruth’s No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet team executed flawless pit stops that enabled the driver to exit pit road first.

With the lead in his possession at the start of the final stage period with 47 laps remaining, Caruth would use both clean air and strong defensive driving through every turn and corner to fend off both Heim and Riggs for the remainder of the event. In addition to weaving his way through lapped traffic, these factors allowed Caruth to emerge victorious for his first elusive NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory of the 2025 season

On-track qualifying was canceled due to inclement weather. The starting lineup was determined by a metric formula per the NASCAR rulebook. As a result, Corey Heim, winner of last weekend’s event at Charlotte Motor Speedway, was awarded the pole position. Joining Heim on the front row was Kaden Honeycutt. Before the event, Stewart Friesen dropped to the rear of the field due to an engine change.

When the green flag waved, Corey Heim jumped ahead of Kaden Honeycutt and the field through the frontstretch. Heim led through the first two turns. Layne Riggs, who was racing underneath Honeycutt in an early bid for the runner-up spot, got loose as both he and Honeycutt briefly went up the track amid light contact from Riggs. Despite keeping their respective trucks racing straight, both Riggs and Honeycutt would then be mixed in a bevy of battles as the field fanned out the backstretch. Amid the early jostles within the field, Heim led the first lap while Corey Day moved into second place.

During the second lap, the event’s first caution flew due to fluid reported on the track. At the time of caution, rookie Frankie Muniz took his No. 33 Buy American Veteran Ford F-150 entry to the garage due to an engine issue.

The event restarted on the 10th lap following an extensive caution period. Corey Day received a draft from teammate Rajah Caruth to challenge Heim from the outside lane through the frontstretch. Despite Day’s effort to muscle ahead, Heim gained a slight advantage from the inside lane through the first two turns, though Day fought back from the outside lane. Caruth then executed a bold three-wide move beneath both Heim and Day. This allowed the HendrickCars.com duo of Caruth and Day to overtake Heim exiting the backstretch as Day proceeded to lead the next lap.

During the following lap (Lap 12), Heim wasted no time bolting his way back to the front. He used the outside lane to overtake Day through the first two turns. With the lead back in Heim’s possession, Riggs muscled his No. 34 Love’s Ford F-150 entry into the runner-up spot. Day and Caruth dropped to third and fourth, respectively, in front of Honeycutt. As both Caruth and Day fended off Honeycutt for third and fourth on the track, Heim retained the lead by four-tenths of a second over Riggs by Lap 15.

Just past the Lap 20 mark, Riggs, who assumed the lead from Heim following a duel through the frontstretch on Lap 19, was leading by four-tenths of a second over Heim. Behind, Caruth, Day and Honeycutt followed suit in the top five ahead of Daniel Hemric, Grant Enfinger, Bayley Currey, Tyler Ankrum and Ben Rhodes while Jake Garcia, rookie Giovanni Ruggiero, William Sawalich, Matt Mills, rookie Connor Mosack, Chandler Smith, rookie Andres Perez de Lara, Tanner Gray, Matt Crafton and Luke Fenhaus trailed in the top 20, respectively.

Through the first 30 scheduled laps, Riggs extended his early advantage to more than a second over Heim while Caruth, Honeycutt and Day continued to pursue in the top five. Riggs would proceed to stabilize his advantage to nine-tenths of a second over Heim at the Lap 35 mark while Hemric, Enfinger, Currey, Ankrum and Rhodes all continued to race in the top 10, respectively.

When the first stage period concluded on Lap 45, Riggs, who spent the previous few laps encountering issues navigating through lapped traffic, among which included Kyle Busch and Matt Crafton, fended off a hard-charging Heim by two-tenths of a second to capture his third Truck stage victory of the 2025 season. Heim settled in second ahead of Caruth, Hemric and Honeycutt. Day, Ankrum, Enfinger, Currey and Rhodes were scored in the top 10, respectively.

By then, Busch, who was mired back in 25th place after he served an early pass-through penalty through pit road due to a restart violation on the 10th lap, managed to fend off Riggs to remain on the lead lap. Crafton, who was mired in 24th place, also managed to remain on the lead lap.

Under the stage break, the lead lap field led by Riggs pitted for a first round of pit service. Following the pit stops, Caruth exited pit road first ahead of Heim, Riggs (who had a slow pit service on the right-front tire area), Honeycutt and Hemric while Day, Currey, Ankrum, Ruggiero and Rhodes followed suit, respectively.

The second stage period started on Lap 53 as Caruth and Heim occupied the front row. At the start, Caruth used the inside lane to rocket ahead of Heim and the field through the first two turns and the backstretch. With the field fanning out, Honeycutt pursued Heim for the runner-up spot as Caruth led the following lap.

Then on Lap 55, the caution returned when Jack Wood, who was racing within the top-20 mark and trying to get underneath Ty Majeski, spun his No. 91 Adaptive One Calipers Chevrolet Silverado RST entry through the middle of Turns 3 and 4. While Wood avoided catastrophe as the field dodged him, Akinori Ogata spun and made rear-end contact with the outside wall. At the moment of caution, Caruth had reassumed the lead from a hard-charging Heim despite the latter’s move to lead the previous lap.

The start of the following restart on Lap 60 featured the field fanning out through the frontstretch. Heim used the outside lane and a strong push from Riggs to muscle his No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro entry ahead of Caruth through the first two turns. Heim proceeded to lead the following lap while Riggs closed in on Caruth for the runner-up spot.

Behind, Day would retain fifth place ahead of Enfinger, Currey, Ankrum, Hemric and Garcia while Honeycutt retained fourth place. Amid the battles around the field, Heim stretched his lead to nine-tenths of a second over Caruth by Lap 65.

At the halfway mark on Lap 75, Heim was leading by seven-tenths of a second over runner-up Caruth and by a second over third-place Riggs while Honeycutt and Day pursued in the top five. Behind, Enfinger, Currey, Ankrum, Hemric and Jake Garcia raced in the top 10. By then, Dawson Sutton was up in 11th place ahead of Rhodes, Ty Majeski, Stewart Friesen and Ruggiero while Perez de Lara, Kyle Busch, Mosack, Tanner Gray and William Sawalich occupied the top-20 spots ahead of Luke Fenhaus, Chandler Smith, Jack Wood, Matt Mills and Matt Crafton, respectively.

By Lap 80, Riggs, who overtook Caruth for the runner-up spot two laps earlier, trailed Heim for the lead by nearly eight-tenths of a second. Heim, however, would stretch his lead to more than a second another five laps later as Caruth, Honeycutt and Day all trailed the lead by in the top-five mark.

When the second stage period concluded on Lap 95, Heim, who extended his lead to more than two seconds, captured his ninth Truck stage victory of the 2025 season. Riggs followed suit in second ahead of Caruth, Day and Honeycutt while Enfinger, Currey, Hemric, Garcia and Ankrum were scored in the top 10, respectively,

During the stage break, the lead lap field led by Heim returned to pit road for service. Following the pit stops, Caruth exited pit road first and he was followed by Heim, Enfinger, Day, Honeycutt, Hemric and Currey. Meanwhile, Riggs, who encountered a slow pit service due to issues having his right-front tire removed for a second consecutive time, plummeted to eighth place ahead of Majeski and Ruggiero.

With 47 laps remaining, the final stage period commenced as Caruth and Heim occupied the front row. At the start, Caruth steadily jumped ahead from the inside lane before he muscled ahead of both Heim and the field that had fanned out to lead through the first two turns. Caruth would lead both Heim and Day through the backstretch as Hemric battled and overtook Enfinger for fourth place. As Riggs battled both Enfinger and Honeycutt for fifth place in his late efforts to charge back to the front, Caruth led the following lap over Heim and he would stabilize his lead to four-tenths of a second with 45 laps remaining.

Down to the final 40 laps of the event, Caruth was leading by seven-tenths of a second over Heim while third-place Hemric trailed by two seconds. With Day racing in fourth place, Riggs carved his way back up to fifth place, where he trailed the lead by three seconds, while Honeycutt, Enfinger, Currey, Majeski and Chandler Smith were in the top 10, respectively.

Ten laps later, Caruth slightly stretched his advantage to eight-tenths of a second over Heim while Riggs, who moved into third place a lap earlier, trailed the lead by more than two seconds. Meanwhile, Hemric dropped to fourth place while Day occupied fifth place. With Honeycutt, Enfinger, Currey, Majeski and Chandler Smith racing in the top 10, Caruth, who led by a second a few laps earlier, had his advantage shrink to half a second over Heim with 20 laps remaining.

With 15 laps remaining, Caruth, who was navigating his way through lapped traffic, among which included Matt Crafton, maintained the lead by seven-tenths of a second over a hard-charging Heim. Behind, Riggs continued to trail in third place by more than a second while both Hemric and Day retained fourth and fifth, respectively, on the track. Meanwhile, Caruth, who managed to navigate his way through a bevy of lapped traffic, had his lead decreased to four-tenths of a second as Heim reeled Caruth back in with 10 laps remaining.

Down to the final five laps of the event, a three-truck battle for the lead ensued as Caruth held a one-tenth-of-a-second lead over Heim. Third-place Riggs joined the battle as the latter trailed by four-tenths of a second.

Through the turns, Heim used the outside lane to try and get to Caruth’s right-rear quarter panel. But Caruth would transition to the outside lane to briefly stall Heim’s momentum. Caruth would then have enough muscle to power his No. 71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado RST entry ahead entering the straightaways. Amid Caruth’s defensive driving on Heim, this allowed Riggs to start making attempts on getting alongside Heim for the runner-up spot.

Over the final four laps, Riggs would try and use the corners to get alongside Heim in his bid for the runner-up spot. Heim, however, would have enough horsepower to fend off Riggs to maintain the spot, all while trying to pursue and reel back Caruth in for the lead. Caruth would then use the straightaways to break the draft and not allow both Heim and Riggs to gain any draft. To go along with Riggs’ repeated attempts to claim the runner-up spot over Heim, Caruth slightly stretched his advantage back up to over half a second as time was slowly running out for both Heim and Riggs.

When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Caruth remained in the lead by within half a second over both Heim and Riggs. As Caruth retained the lead through the first two turns, Heim would then start to gain a draft on the latter through the backstretch. Heim then tried to peddle his truck as hard as he could to get to Caruth’s rear bumper, but he was not within reach as Caruth managed to cycle back to the frontstretch and claim the checkered flag to win by half a second.

With the victory, Caruth, who entered Nashville situated in 13th place in the driver’s standings with two top-five results through 11 events, notched his second career win in the Craftsman Truck Series division and his first since he won his first series’ event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March 2024. Caruth, who became the fifth series’ regular to be guaranteed a 2025 Truck Series Playoff berth by winning, also achieved his first victory with his new veteran crew chief Kevin “Bono” Manion. The victory was also the fourth of the year for Spire Motorsports and the sixth of the 2025 campaign for the Chevrolet nameplate.

“I didn’t expect that at all,” Caruth, who credited his pit crew for the victory, said on the frontstretch on FS1. “[Heim and Riggs] were breathing down my neck the whole run. My pit crew won that race. [They] Got us off pit road twice. Thanks to them. We’ve been off this year, but good to get it done tonight. I’m out of breath, but that was a lot of fun.

He continued, “I just asked myself, ‘How bad you wanted it?’ I don’t know. I just tried my best. We had clean air and their stuff was better, but I just did my best. That was it.”

Corey Heim, who led 58 laps compared to Caruth’s high of 61, settled in second place for his fifth top-two result of the year while Layne Riggs, who led 30 laps and had to rally from two slow pit services, ended up in third place for his fifth top-five result of the year. Despite falling short of winning, both Heim and Riggs were left satisfied with their runs and praised Caruth’s defensive driving for the victory.

“[Caruth] did an awesome job managing from the lead,” Heim said. “I was really free behind him and he made pretty much the right choice every time as far as where I was gonna go. It’s nice racing against people that aren’t going to wreck you racing for the lead, so that was cool and big congrats to him. I would have loved to get my first [Gibson] guitar, but [there’s] always next time.”

“That was unfortunate,” Riggs said. “[My pit crew] just couldn’t get the [right-front] tire back on. We lost spots in the first stop and I got’em back mostly. I just feel like I gave [the race] away on pit road tonight, but overall, the truck has no damage on it. Good racing with [Caruth and Heim] there at the end. We had a good time. I’m leaving here with a smile. Good points day for everybody.”

Daniel Hemric came home in fourth place while Corey Day achieved his first top-five result in the series in fifth place. Kaden Honeycutt, Chandler Smith, Ty Majeski, Bayley Currey and Grant Enfinger completed the top 10 in the final running order.

There were seven lead changes for four different leaders. The race featured four cautions for 27 laps. In addition, 23 of 32 starters finished on the lead lap.

Following the 12th event of the 2025 Craftsman Truck Series season, Corey Heim leads the regular-season standings by 122 points over Daniel Hemric, 125 over Chandler Smith and 160 over both Tyler Ankrum and Grant Enfinger.

Results:

1. Rajah Caruth, 61 laps led
2. Corey Heim, 58 laps led, Stage 2 winner
3. Layne Riggs, 30 laps led, Stage 1 winner
4. Daniel Hemric
5. Corey Day, one lap led
6. Kaden Honeycutt
7. Chandler Smith
8. Ty Majeski
9. Bayley Currey
10. Grant Enfinger
11. Dawson Sutton
12. Jake Garcia
13. Giovanni Ruggiero
14. Ben Rhodes
15. Kyle Busch
16. Tanner Gray
17. Tyler Ankrum
18. Luke Fenhaus
19. Andres Perez de Lara
20. Jack Wood
21. Stewart Friesen
22. Matt Mills
23. Connor Mosack
24. William Sawalich, one lap down
25. Matt Crafton, one lap down
26. Spencer Boyd, two laps down
27. Clayton Green, two laps down
28. Nathan Byrd, three laps down
29. Tyler Tomassi, three laps down
30. Toni Breidinger, six laps down
31. Akinori Ogata, six laps down
32. Frankie Muniz – OUT, Engine

Next on the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule is the series’ return to Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan, for the DQS Solutions & Staffing 200. The event is scheduled to occur next Saturday, June 7, and air at noon ET on FOX.

CHEVROLET IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Detroit – Friday Practice Recap

By
Official Release
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CHEVROLET IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
CHEVROLET DETROIT GRAND PRIX
STREETS OF DETROIT
DETROIT, MICHIGAN
TEAM CHEVY FRIDAY PRACTICE

MAY 30, 2025

  • Chevrolet-powered drivers Scott McLaughlin in the No. 3 TireRack.com Team Penske Chevrolet, Will Power in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet and Christian Lundgaard in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet held spots in the top five of Friday’s first practice on the tight 1.645-mile, 10-turn, downtown Detroit street circuit, in the shadow of General Motors global headquarters.
  • David Malukas, in No. 4 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet (A.J. Foyt Racing), was the quickest driver in the full field session, where the drivers utilized the harder Firestone primary tires (Blacks) with a lap at 62.819 seconds, with McLaughlin and Newgarden were also in the top four.
  • To decrease traffic during the driver’s runs on the softer Firestone alternate tires (Greens), the field was split into two and given 12 minutes to complete a quick lap. Power, Newgarden and Lundgaard were the fastest in the first portion, while the second portion saw McLaughlin and Pato O’Ward in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet second and third quickest.

Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear Friday Practice Results:

Tune-In Alert

Saturday

NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice #2 – 9am (ET)/8am (CT)/7am (MT)/6am (PT) – FS1/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying – noon (ET)/11am (CT)/10am (MT)/9am (PT) – FS1/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218

Sunday

NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warm Up – 9:30am (ET)/8:30am (CT)/7:30am (MT)/6:30am (PT) – FS1/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218
Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix (85 laps) – 12:30pm (ET)/11:30am (CT)/10:30am (MT)/9:30am (PT) – FOX/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING (QUOTES):

A.J. FOYT RACING

David Malukas, No. 4 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet:

“It seems that the momentum from the five hundred and indy, the whole month of may, i think we did a good job building the chemistry with the team, and it seems like we’re carrying that momentum here in detroit. We had a good session, obviously, very tough to get track time and try to put it all together. but overall, i thought we were fast. Kind of hard to tell roughly where we’re at, since I think a lot of guys are struggling to get laps in but that’s just the characteristic of Detroit, so very happy to start off this weekend and we’ll carry it into tomorrow.”

Santino Ferrucci, No. 14 Sexton Properties / A.J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet:

“Okay. Honestly, nice to be back in Detroit, you know, we were just very locked down with the Chevy. Other than that, I’m pretty happy with a bunch of other changes we made, I think we know what the big thing is coming into free practice two tomorrow. Should be fun.”

ARROW MCLAREN

Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:

“Back in bumpy Detroit, and we need to make the car a little bit better in the window for Qualifying. We’ll see what we can make better overnight.”

Nolan Siegel, No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:

“Practice 1 was a bit hectic. We’re back in the swing of things on the street course. I don’t think our pace is bad. I didn’t really do a lap on the Firestone Alternates, at least not a lap that I was happy with. No concerns for the rest of the weekend. I think we’ll figure it out. There is pace in the car. I just need to put it altogether. It’s my first time in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES here, so I’ll give myself a learning session, and we’ll be back at it tomorrow.”

Christian Lundgaard, No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:

“At the end of the day, we have a really good package. We’ve had a good package all year. We’ve scored very good points. We’re third in the championship, coming off a career best Indy (500). We’re here to be competitive once again and that’s our main goal. I think my Chevy feels great. We had a good morning session here. I think that’s the first time this year we’ve rolled off relatively competitive, so I think there is a lot of positives to come for the rest of the weekend.”

PREMA

Robert Shwartzman, No. 83 PREMA Racing Chevrolet:

“I have completed the first free practice here in Detroit. The first free practice for me at this track. I had quite a bit of fun. I finally managed to do a full practice session, which was the first achievement. Later on, we tried a few things. Getting used to the bumps, the turns. Overall, we’re not as bad as I would expect. I think we can have some good potential. Obviously, not with the top, top guys, but to battle in the mid (pack), we can have a chance. Overall, it went pretty decent. We need to have a look at the data. Overall the car and engine felt really good. Thanks Chevy for that. The car overall feels quite good, we just need to find the way to tune it a bit better for the bumps. Hopefully, the car will be a bit faster tomorrow.”

Callum Ilott, No, 90 PREMA Racing Chevrolet:

“Overall, a good start to the weekend. The car felt good straightaway and we were able to make quick improvements with the car on the damper side and some other little things. Over the bumps, that is the main thing to get right. I think the team has done a good job and the Chevy engine pulls quite well down the straight. Let’s see what we can do tomorrow.”

TEAM PENSKE

Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 TireRack.com Team Penske Chevrolet:

“Pretty solid day for us in the TireRack.com Chevy. We went through our paces and went through our laps and we’ve got a pretty good car. I really want to do this for Chevy on their home ground.”

Will Power, No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet:

“The Verizon Chevy was very good on the softer tire. Struggled a bit on blacks to get it exactly right. Yeah. Big, big difference. The soft tires are not bad. They lasted three, four laps, like, pushing really hard. So maybe that bodes well for the race. You can actually use them. The first two street courses we’ve done, they’ve degraded a lot, but that didn’t feel terrible. That may be okay. But my car is certainly better on reds. We just have to work out what to do for blacks. There’s always a lot of traffic here, a lot of chaos.”

David Malukas
Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: David Malukas, driver of the No. 4 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet for AJ Foyt Enterprises. Sunday will mark his third Detroit GP, P1 in that alt car session to lead things off here this weekend. Car acting well, are you happy so far?

DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, I’m really happy. We managed to get some laps in the beginning. It’s a bit tough to kind of judge where we are compared to everybody else because I think everybody is struggling to get laps. But we got a good lap in, and the lap time was there at the start.

Second time around, we were struggling, but I also kind of flew off the track a couple times and didn’t myself.

But I think we’re in a happy spot and very comfortable with the car.

Q. Can you elaborate on that a little bit more? Seemed like Turn 1 got you twice.

DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, so actually it was kind of just driver error. I started losing the rears on the primaries, so ended up having a moment initially there, so I moved the bias more to the rear because I locked the fronts on the primaries, but then we put the alternates on and then i locked the rears because I never put it back.

Yeah, learned my lesson. I think I’ve done that too many times now, so that was kind of the issue we won.

Overall, yeah, we’re kind of trying to judge the movement going from primaries to alternates. Didn’t really get that right. We were looking at that first group, seemed like people were taking a little bit of time to get it up to temp and get that peak tire, but for us it kind of came in immediately and we weren’t really expecting that, so caught us off guard.

Q. Is it frustrating when you can only get one lap in during that session? Maybe it’s your fault, maybe it’s other people’s fault, but is it frustrating to only have that one lap on those tires?

DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, but it’s kind of just how it’s going to be for qualifying and how it’s kind of been for the street courses.

Yeah, it’s frustrating, but it’s kind of been like that so far this season, so…

Q. They went back to the original tire rules. There was that change for Indy Grand Prix. Does it matter to you?

DAVID MALUKAS: I think it’s just I prefer the way it is now because I feel like in Indy GP they were kind of cutting us a little bit from options when it comes to race strategy, forcing those rules.

But I think here having the option to choose what we want for the race is preferable.

Q. In recent years, this track has been known to create some mayhem. Do you see more or less happening this Sunday?

DAVID MALUKAS: Well, with this season, it seems like everything has been a lot less when it comes to yellows. But I’ll be surprised if there’s not going to be a yellow for this race. It’s very — with the way it’s set up, Turn 1, it’s very wide on entry and it looks inviting and then all of a sudden it gets very, very tight on the exit, and it happens a lot around this track.

It’s going to be — we’ll see. I’m not going to say anything because I’ve been saying and looking at data and the data says 100 percent chance that it’s not going to be a yellow, and we do setups for it and then there isn’t a yellow and then there is a yellow, and then the data has been incorrect with how it’s been this year. So I don’t know what to say.

Q. Also they’ve changed the start zone. What do you think of that?

DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, I think it’s better. Kyle reached out to me, and I think all the drivers have got to give some feedback beforehand. I think it’s a good change, and obviously we’ll see how it goes when we get on track.

Q. Can you just kind of elaborate on that and describe the challenge of this track, how you manage the bumps, obviously the narrowness of it? How hard is this place to drive around, especially coming from Indy to here and the reset that you’ve got to make?

DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, it’s very difficult. Thankfully I went on the simulator before coming here and did over 100 laps to kind of prepare for it just because I know that transition is very tough from previous years, going for a whole month on an oval and now coming to I think one of the most technical courses for us.

I had a little bit of preparation beforehand but it’s just so tough because the way this track is, all the bumps tend to be mid to out when you’re trying to accelerate, and those bumps throw you what is a wall.

It gets very tough, especially entering 8 where the alt start line is. That bump is a big one and it’s very aggressive, so I think it’s catching a lot of people off guard. That’s kind of the one that we’re heavily focused on, but that’s just the general layout of this entire track is all the exits are a little bit more those bumps.

But yeah, I enjoy it. The margin for error is very small.

Q. Obviously a really strong 500, but the season before that maybe hadn’t been where we’d seen the team last year on the Santino side. What are the improvements that maybe had to be made from those first five rounds of the season, and are you confident now, especially with the momentum coming from the 500 that a bit of an upswing can be seen?

DAVID MALUKAS: I’ve kind of said throughout the start of the entire season that we really are looking forward to the month of May because we’re with the team for the entire month. We can really build on the car and work on the chemistry of each other and really understand what we want and start building some momentum for the second half of the season.

I feel like that’s kind of what’s happened, and it’s something that I’ve experienced on my first year in INDYCAR where really things didn’t turn around for me until the month of May. That’s just kind of being with a new team, how it is. We’ve made really good improvements with the setup and different things that we wanted throughout the month of May, and I think it’s going to be shown for us this week.

Q. I’m pretty sure you were the car that Power and Kirkwood went past during their little incident?

DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, that was really cool.

Q. What was your view of that?

DAVID MALUKAS: I mean, for a second, getting back in the car, for me it just felt like I was back playing iRacing or rFactor. I was like, yeah, I’d totally do that in a video game. It was pretty cool to see him just push Ericsson, and actually in my peripheral vision, because Ericsson went off and Power just blasted through, and I just drove by and I just see Ericsson’s hand like going in the air, like, what the hell is going on.

But it was interesting to see. I couldn’t believe it. I was very confused at the start. I thought something was wrong with Ericsson and Power was towing him across like the “Cars” movie. It was interesting at first but then I realized it was not that, so…

Q. Can you elaborate maybe on the dust issue? Is that kind of the nature of street circuits, or is it maybe the time of day —

DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, I keep coughing right now because there’s a bunch of dust inside of me. Yeah, it’s always the first session just with the air tube coming in. There’s just a lot of dust and cleaning that we have to do. Unfortunately that dust comes off of that car and goes straight into that tube and straight into my face. That’s the one downside to having the Darth Vader mask, but I only have that issue for the first practice session, and then the rest I just look really cool.

Q. David, at St. Pete the tires for the alternates were the ones that the drivers said were one-lap wonders, and in terms of getting up to speed and then the speed falling off after one lap in qualifying, what do you think they’re going to be like here? Is it a similar situation?

DAVID MALUKAS: I think so. We were thinking it was maybe going to take a little bit longer, but it seemed for us it was coming in pretty fast, so I think it’s going to be something very similar.

Q. David, to go back to the whole dust thing, is it exacerbated here because you have IMSA and INDY NXT? At St. Pete you have all different Road to Indy series, MX-5 Cup, limited running here from everybody else to help clean up the track beforehand, quote-unquote?

DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, I mean, that could probably be it, yeah. But I don’t really know. All I know is there’s a lot of dust going in my face, so…

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General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.

Kirkwood Recovers from Nudge To Lead First Detroit Practice

By
Official Release
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DETROIT (Friday, May 30, 2025) – In an interesting twist to the racing euphemism “bump and run,” Kyle Kirkwood got the bump and then made a superb run to lead practice Friday for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear.

Kirkwood topped the 80-minute session, separated into groups, with a lap of 1 minute, 1.7509 seconds in the No. 27 Siemens AWS Honda of Andretti Global. That quick trip around the nine-turn, 1.645-mile street circuit in downtown Detroit came after Kirkwood spent considerable time in the pits for repairs to the rear of his car after being nudged from behind through a short section of the circuit amid slower traffic by the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet of two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Will Power.

“I don’t know,” Kirkwood said. “Everyone goes slow around here. The track’s not big enough to fit all the cars, and he got frustrated. Whatever, I guess. I’m not upset. I don’t care. We’re P1.”

Said Power: “I came around, and he slowed up in the middle and made contact. So, I thought, ‘Well, I may as well get a gap now,’ so I just pushed him past the car in front, just moved him out of the way and got a really nice gap.”

Scott McLaughlin began his recovery from crashing out of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on the pace lap last Sunday by ending up second today at 1:02.0301 in the No. 3 TireRack.com Team Penske Chevrolet. Power was third at 1:02.3862.

Two-time series champion Josef Newgarden was the third Team Penske driver in the top four with his best lap of 1:02.4819 in the No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet. Christian Lundgaard rounded out the top five at 1:02.6047 in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.

Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Alex Palou, the runaway series points leader with five wins in the first six races this season, looked mortal in this session. Three-time series champion Palou ended up 15th out of 27 cars at 1:03.0381 in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Palou locked up his front Firestone Firehawk tires entering a braking zone during the session and rolled past the corner but made no contact in the run-off area.

Defending Detroit winner and six-time series champion Scott Dixon was 18th at 1:03.0985 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Up next is practice at 9 a.m. ET Saturday, followed by NTT P1 Award qualifying at noon (both sessions FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). The 100-lap race starts at 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday (FOX, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).

Hauger Sets Quick Early Pace in First Detroit Practice

By
Official Release
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DETROIT (Friday, May 30, 2025) – Just when it appeared Dennis Hauger might be mortal, he sent a message Friday afternoon to the rest of the INDY NXT by Firestone field during the final moments of the first practice for the Detroit Grand Prix.

Series points leader Hauger turned the quickest lap of the opening session of the weekend, 1 minute, 6.8158 seconds, in the No. 28 Rental Group car fielded by Andretti Global on his final trip around the nine-turn, 1.645-mile street circuit in downtown Detroit.

“Good run,” Hauger said. “We were having some issue in the middle of practice, which wasn’t ideal, and we didn’t get to do as many laps as the others. But we still found good pace. Getting laps was the most important thing with a new track (for me), and a track like this, it’s not easy to get on with quickly.

“A good start. We have to keep improving for tomorrow.”

Those are ominous words for Hauger’s rivals. He has won three of the first four races this season in the INDYCAR development series and is 15 points ahead of fellow Andretti Global series rookie Lochie Hughes atop the standings.

Up next is practice at 8 a.m. ET Saturday, followed by qualifying at 11:30 a.m. (both sessions FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). The 45-lap race starts at 10:30 a.m. ET Sunday (FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).

2024 series Rookie of the Year Caio Collet ended up second at 1:07.1961 in the No. 76 HMD Motorsports machine, also ripping off his quickest lap late in the 45-minute session.

Rookie Max Taylor, just 17 years old, sat atop the time sheets with one minute to go but ended up still an impressive third at 1:07.2210 in the No. 18 HMD Motorsports car. Series veteran Myles Rowe was fourth at 1:07.3022 in the No. 99 Abel/Force Indy machine.

Veteran Salvador de Alba rounded out the top five at 1:07.3826 in the No. 27 Grupo Indi car of Andretti Global. That team put three drivers in the top six as Hughes’ best lap was 1:07.4375 in the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship car.

The unforgiving concrete walls around tight, bumpy street circuit in downtown Detroit collected their share of cars during the session.

Andretti Global’s James Roe brought out a red flag with heavy left-side contact in Turn 7 in his No. 29 Topcon machine, while Liam Sceats later made contact in Turn 4 in his No. 30 HMD Motorsports car shortly after the track opened following Roe’s incident.

Also making light contact without causing a red flag were rookie Tommy Smith in the No. 16 HMD Motorsports machine and veteran Niels Koolen in the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing car.

None of the drivers involved in the incidents was hurt.

Chase Rice Named Honorary Pace Car Driver for Cracker Barrel 400

By
Official Release
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LEBANON, Tenn. – Country music star and former NASCAR pit crew member Chase Rice will take the wheel as the honorary pace car driver for the Cracker Barrel 400 this Sunday at Nashville Superspeedway.

“A show like the Cracker Barrel 400 with this much horsepower deserves plenty of star power, too,” said Nashville Superspeedway general manager Matt Greci. “We are looking forward to welcoming Chase as our honorary pace car driver. His high-energy style and connection with fans make him the perfect fit to lead the field and kick off our celebration of ‘Guitars and Fast Cars.’”

With more than 2.8 million albums sold and over 2.9 billion total streams, plus a legion of passionate fans at his high-energy concerts across the globe, Rice has established himself as a powerful force in Nashville and beyond. With independent album Go Down Singin’ available everywhere now as the follow-up to the critically acclaimed I Hate Cowboys & All Dogs Go To Hell, and both brought together on the songwriter-focused Fireside Sessions, Rice’s sound continues to evolve to reflect the realities of his life; from emotional reckoning to an admiration of the American West. The new music serves as a follow up to his three-part project, The Album, which featured his latest Platinum-certified No. 1 hit, “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen.” and the Platinum-certified Top 10 hit “Lonely If You Are.”

This is the same gravelly-voiced Rice fans first fell in love with years ago – but better, freer; unbeholden and uninhibited. The new music builds upon the success of his sophomore album, Lambs & Lions, which featured the three-time Platinum, two-week chart topper “Eyes On You” – Rice’s first No. 1 as an artist and the most-streamed song of his career. Lambs & Lions followed Platinum-certified Ignite the Night, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums and No. 3 on the all-genre chart, producing a pair of Top 5 hits; Platinum-certified “Gonna Wanna Tonight” and double Platinum “Ready Set Roll.”

In addition to guesting on sold-out stadium shows with Kenny Chesney and Garth Brooks, Rice consistently sells out venues on his own headlining tours across the U.S. and beyond, with the Go Down Singin’ International Tour underway now.

Serving in Sunday’s role of honorary starter will be Cracker Barrel chief marketing officer Sarah Moore.

Moore joined Cracker Barrel, Nashville Superspeedway’s NASCAR Cup Series race entitlement partner, in 2024 and is responsible for leading all activities in the company’s marketing function including culinary innovation, menu strategy, advertising and digital media, loyalty, creative development, marketing communications and guest relations.

For more information, visit ChaseRice.com and follow Rice on Facebook, X and TikTok @ChaseRiceMusic and on Instagram @ChaseRice.

The Cracker Barrel 400 anchors a triple-header race weekend at Nashville Superspeedway, featuring NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series races from May 30 to June 1. A limited number of tickets are on sale now at nashvillesuperspeedway.com or by calling 866.RACE.TIX.

— nashvillesuperspeedway.com —

2025 Race Schedule and Tickets

Friday, May 30
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Rackley Roofing 200
(7 p.m. CT, FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Saturday, May 31
Wilson County Convention and Visitors Bureau Qualifying
(2:10 p.m. Xfinity Series, The CW, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
(4:40 p.m. Cup Series, Amazon Prime Video, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

NASCAR Xfinity Series Tennessee Lottery 250
(6:30 p.m. CT, The CW, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Sunday, June 1

NASCAR Cup Series Cracker Barrel 400
(6 p.m. CT, Amazon Prime Video, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Sunday, Aug. 31

NTT INDYCAR SERIES Big Machine Music City Grand Prix
(2:30 p.m. CT, FOX, INDYCAR Live, SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation)
Call 866.RACE.TIX to discuss your options with an account representative, or visit nashvillesuperspeedway.com.

Keep track of all of Nashville Superspeedway’s events by following on X and Instagram or becoming a Facebook fan.

About Nashville Superspeedway

Nashville Superspeedway stands as Middle Tennessee’s premier racing destination, nestled in one of America’s most dynamic and rapidly expanding regions. Our 1.33-mile D-shaped concrete track, featuring 14 degrees of banking, holds the distinction of being NASCAR’s largest all-concrete venue. Nashville Superspeedway’s rich racing heritage includes four NASCAR Cup Series races, 25 NASCAR Xfinity Series events, 17 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competitions and nine INDYCAR SERIES battles — including the 2024 INDYCAR SERIES championship finale. As a Speedway Motorsports property, Nashville Superspeedway serves as a year-round entertainment venue welcoming families and race fans from across the nation.

Robert Shwartzman: The highs and lows of his Indy 500

By
Tucker White
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INDIANAPOLIS - MAY 25: Robert Shwartzman's crew services his car during the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 of the NTT IndyCar Series at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 25, 2025. Photo: Paul Hurley/Penske Entertainment

DETROIT — Robert Shwartzman experienced both an incredible high and a low point of his Indianapolis 500.

Two weeks ago, he topped the charts to win the pole for the NTT IndyCar Series’ crown jewel. The first rookie to do so since Teo Fabi in 1983, and the first INDYCAR pole for Prema Racing.

“That’s the most crazy thing that we’ve done,” he said. “It was just so happy and so excited. I mean, it’s a history. It’s awesome.”

Then came the race itself, where it all fell apart.

First was brake issues that his team couldn’t fix.

“So it was, it would be, you know, starting already the race with those brakes was already a game over,” he said. “Let’s call this way, because there was actual mechanical issue in them. So it’s very unfortunate.”

Then Shwartzman came into his pit stall too fast, hit some crew members, and damaged the front wing of his car.

“Obviously, I had no rear brakes anymore, coming with the old front tires,” he said. “Obviously, with the weight of the car, you just cannot stop. So I just barely touched the brakes, both front wheels and by inertia, which is going straight in the wall.”

Thankfully, nobody was seriously injured. Just some bruises and a toe injury to his fueler.

“I’m very happy, and luckily nobody got seriously injured, because that’s the most important thing,” he said. “And I’m happy that my first main impact was actually with the wall and not with someone’s legs. That was the main thing, because all of the damage they guys had, it was sort of a collateral. So they just had my side bolts and, you know, front wing. So there is just only one guy that had the injury to his toe, but all of the other guys just had bruises and, like, just some. Obviously, they need to also recover. But luckily, they’re all walking all fine and happy.”

Shwartzman visited his fueler, Spencer, in the hospital, and he was laughing about it.

“He’s such an awesome guy,” he said. “Is like, he was the one that had the engineer with the toe, and he was like, ‘I still fueled your car?’ Like the guy with a broken toe sort of still managed to fuel my car. And it’s just awesome to see the mentality of the guy. And he will recover. He’s going to be back where, you know, he’s going to take a bit of, couple of weeks to take back, and he’s also having a kid coming, so yeah, so he’s gonna be a dead and then when he’s gonna have all that, he’s gonna come back stronger, I’m sure, and we’re gonna get back to him.”

He finished the Indy 500 26th and left 23rd in points.

AFTER MONTH OFF, PRO STOCK RETURNS TO NHRA SCHEDULE AT NHRA NEW ENGLAND NATIONALS

By
Official Release
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EPPING, N.H. (May 30, 2025) – As the NHRA Pro Stock class returns to competition at this weekend’s 12th annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway, reigning winner Troy Coughlin Jr. hopes the added time off helps him return to the winner’s circle with his Elite Motorsports team.

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series’ Pro Stock division last took the track in Charlotte in late April, giving the Elite Motorsports added time to make progress. After the extended chance to work on things in the shop, Coughlin in his JEGS.com car and the rest of the Pro Stock drivers are excited take to the race track to compete for a coveted NHRA Wally trophy in Epping.

“Winning in Epping last year was definitely a great moment, but what truly sets us apart is our consistent team morale and positive attitude,” Coughlin said. “Even when things aren’t going our way, the spirit within this group never wavers.”

The sold-out crowd at last year’s race in Epping saw John Force (Funny Car), Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Coughlin (Pro Stock) claim race wins. It was Force, Steve Torrence (Top Fuel) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) who picked up Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge wins. Eliminations on FOX will be broadcast on Sunday, June 1 at 6 p.m. ET.

It is the seventh of 20 races during the 2025 season and Coughlin will also compete for the “No. 1 Clawifier Award presented by NAPA.” It will be on the line during Friday’s second session and a special chair made of lobster pots will await drivers on the top end, with the evening’s No. 1 qualifier sitting in the chair until they are replaced by a new No. 1 qualifier or claim the award. The driver will receive a large lobster, while the teams will be given lobster dinners.

It’s an added incentive for Coughlin, who won his first NHRA New England Nationals last year when he defeated his Elite Motorsports teammate and six-time champion Erica Enders in the finals. This season the Elite camp has struggled to match the performance of their long-time rivals at KB Titan Racing, with Dallas Glenn and reigning world champ Greg Anderson winning the first five races of 2025. But Coughlin believes New England will be the turning point in their season.

“The team at Elite Motorsports has been working tirelessly since we left Charlotte,” Coughlin said. “From long hours in the engine shop to the detailed maintenance on each car, every member of this group is fully committed to excellence. It’s truly impressive to witness the dedication and effort that goes into chasing a Mission Foods championship. Their relentless drive pushes me to bring my absolute best every time I strap in and let the clutch out.”

Former Top Fuel champion Kalitta is after his first victory of the season, taking on the likes of points leader and racing legend Tony Stewart, teammate Shawn Langdon, two-time champ Brittany Force, four-time champ Torrence, Josh Hart and reigning world champ Antron Brown.

Jack Beckman took over driving duties for Force after the legend’s crash in Richmond, and has won four times, including twice this year. He’s second in points with John Force Racing teammate and reigning champ Austin Prock sitting in first. Other standouts include Ron Capps, Matt Hagan, Paul Lee and local native Bob Tasca III.

Fans will be invited to the Nitro Alley Stage, which is the main entertainment hub in the pits. The stage hosts Nitro School, meet and greets, autograph sessions and much more. Race fans in Epping can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce each driver and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. Fans are also invited to congratulate the event winners at the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday.

As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their cars, get autographs and more. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and vendors create an exciting atmosphere.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features two rounds at 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. ET on Friday, May 30 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, May 31 at 12:30 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, June 1. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, 7 p.m. on Saturday, and then eliminations action from 6-9 p.m. ET on Sunday on FOX.

To purchase tickets to the NHRA New England Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. For more information about NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.

About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Promoting Cars Through Automotive Marketing

By
SM
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Photo by Antartis at https://depositphotos.com/

In today’s competitive automotive landscape, the success of car sales relies heavily on strategic promotion and brand visibility. The auto industry has evolved from traditional showrooms and newspaper advertisements to dynamic digital experiences and data-driven marketing. Whether a company is launching a new model or looking to sustain interest in existing vehicles, effective automotive marketing plays a pivotal role.

An experienced automotive marketing company can help bridge the gap between car manufacturers and consumers, ensuring that the right message reaches the right audience at the right time. This article explores the various facets of promoting cars through automotive marketing, highlighting essential strategies and modern tools that help brands stand out in a crowded market.

Understanding the Automotive Market Landscape

Before diving into specific strategies, it’s crucial to understand the current landscape of the automotive market. Modern consumers are more informed than ever, using online platforms to research car models, read reviews, and compare prices before stepping into a dealership. This shift has made it imperative for car brands to establish a strong online presence and engage customers at multiple touchpoints throughout their buying journey. 

Moreover, environmental concerns, economic factors, and technological advancements like electric vehicles (EVs) and autonomous driving are reshaping consumer preferences, requiring brands to stay agile and innovative in their marketing efforts.

Building a Strong Brand Identity

A compelling brand identity is the foundation of any successful marketing campaign. For automotive companies, this means clearly defining what their brand stands for—whether it’s performance, luxury, sustainability, affordability, or innovation. The brand message must be consistent across all marketing channels, from social media and email campaigns to television commercials and showroom displays. 

Elements such as logo design, color schemes, slogans, and tone of voice all contribute to building a recognizable and trustworthy brand. A strong identity not only attracts potential customers but also fosters loyalty among existing ones.

Leveraging Digital Marketing Channels

Digital marketing has revolutionized the way cars are promoted. From SEO and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising to influencer collaborations and social media campaigns, automotive brands now have an arsenal of tools to reach prospective buyers. SEO strategies help improve a brand’s visibility on search engines, ensuring that car shoppers find their website when looking for specific models or services. PPC campaigns can be highly targeted, displaying ads to users based on demographics, search history, and location. Social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok are ideal for showcasing vehicle features through engaging video content and customer testimonials.

Influencer and Content Marketing

Influencer marketing has emerged as a powerful strategy in the automotive space. Collaborating with car enthusiasts, tech reviewers, or lifestyle influencers can generate authentic content and reach niche audiences. When influencers share real-life experiences with a vehicle—whether it’s a test drive, unboxing, or a road trip vlog—it creates social proof and builds credibility. In parallel, content marketing in the form of blogs, videos, and downloadable guides educates potential buyers and keeps them engaged. High-quality, informative content helps build trust, answer common questions, and guide users through the purchasing process.

Experiential Marketing and Test Drives

Despite the rise of digital, physical experiences remain crucial in automotive marketing. Experiential marketing allows potential customers to interact with the vehicle firsthand. This could include setting up pop-up events in high-traffic areas, organizing roadshows, or hosting track days for performance models. Offering test drives is one of the most effective ways to convert interest into sales, as it gives buyers a tangible sense of the car’s performance, comfort, and features. These experiences can be enhanced with virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies, allowing customers to explore car models in immersive environments even before stepping into a dealership.

The Role of Dealership Marketing

Dealerships are still a critical touchpoint in the car buying journey. A robust marketing strategy at the dealership level ensures a cohesive experience for the customer. This includes localized digital advertising, community engagement, special promotions, and maintaining a user-friendly website with inventory updates. Effective customer relationship management (CRM) systems can help dealerships nurture leads, follow up on inquiries, and personalize the sales process. Training dealership staff to align with brand values and offer superior customer service is equally important in reinforcing a positive brand image.

Harnessing Data and Analytics

Data-driven marketing is becoming the norm across industries, and automotive is no exception. Analytics tools can track user behavior, campaign performance, and lead conversions in real time. By analyzing this data, marketers can identify what’s working and what isn’t, enabling them to make informed decisions and adjust strategies accordingly. For example, tracking which keywords lead to the most test drive bookings or analyzing drop-off points on a website can uncover valuable insights. Marketing automation platforms also allow for personalized messaging, drip campaigns, and retargeting, improving both efficiency and effectiveness.

Email Marketing and Customer Retention

Email remains one of the most cost-effective tools for nurturing leads and maintaining customer relationships. Automotive brands can use email campaigns to follow up with leads, share new model announcements, offer service reminders, and provide personalized promotions. Segmenting the email list by customer interests, behavior, or stage in the buying cycle allows for more relevant communication. Post-sale engagement is equally important—offering service discounts, loyalty rewards, and satisfaction surveys can help turn one-time buyers into lifelong customers.

Search Engine Optimization for Local Reach

Local SEO is especially important for car dealerships and regional auto brands. Most people looking for a car will search terms like “dealership near me” or “best SUV in [city].” Ensuring your website is optimized for local searches—including location-based keywords, Google Business Profile updates, and local citations—can significantly increase visibility in your target market. Positive customer reviews and ratings also enhance local SEO performance, helping build trust and authority online.

Video Marketing and Visual Storytelling

Cars are visual products, and video marketing is one of the most impactful ways to showcase them. High-quality videos can highlight features, demonstrate performance, and evoke emotion. Whether it’s a cinematic advertisement, a walkaround video, or a behind-the-scenes look at vehicle production, visual content can greatly influence a buyer’s perception. Live streaming events such as new model unveilings or Q&A sessions with designers and engineers can further humanize the brand and create real-time engagement with the audience.

Social Proof and Customer Testimonials

Buyers trust other buyers. Incorporating customer reviews, testimonials, and case studies into marketing materials adds authenticity to a brand’s messaging. Video testimonials, Google reviews, and social media shoutouts from satisfied customers provide reassurance to potential buyers. Encouraging customers to share their car experiences using branded hashtags or user-generated content campaigns not only builds community but also extends the brand’s organic reach.

Eco-Friendly and Purpose-Driven Marketing

Today’s consumers—especially younger ones—are more environmentally conscious and purpose-driven. Highlighting a brand’s commitment to sustainability, whether through electric vehicles, carbon-neutral production processes, or community initiatives, can resonate strongly with this demographic. Campaigns focused on social impact, diversity, and environmental responsibility not only enhance brand image but also differentiate the brand in a meaningful way.

Conclusion

Promoting cars through automotive marketing is a multi-faceted endeavor that blends creativity, data, and strategy. As consumer behavior continues to shift toward digital experiences, automotive brands must adapt their marketing efforts to remain relevant and competitive. From digital campaigns and influencer partnerships to dealership experiences and data analytics, each component plays a vital role in connecting with potential buyers. Collaborating with a skilled automotive marketing company can streamline these efforts, ensuring that your brand drives attention, engagement, and ultimately, sales. In a market where visibility and trust are everything, smart automotive marketing is not just an advantage—it’s a necessity.

RCR Race Preview: Nashville Superspeedway

By
Official Release
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Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Nashville Superspeedway… Nashville Superspeedway opened for business in 2001 and hosted its first NASCAR Cup Series event in 2021. Richard Childress Racing has eight starts in Cup Series competition at the concrete track, and has completed 98.5 percent of the laps attempted there (2,424 of 2,462 laps) with 12 laps led. Kyle Busch earned RCR its lone top-10 finish at Nashville in 2023 and is a former winner at the track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (2009 and 2021), NASCAR Truck Series (2010 and 2011) and ARCA Racing Series (2003). Austin Dillon owns a victory in the NASCAR Truck Series at Nashville in 2011.

Racing in Music City… NASCAR has a rich tradition in Nashville with the Cup Series competing at Fairgrounds Speedway dating back to 1958. Car owner Richard Childress made 20 starts at the .596-mile oval as a driver from 1971-1981 with a career best finish of third in the summer of 1978. Childress had six starts there as an owner with drivers Ricky Rudd and Dale Earnhardt from 1982-1984. The duo combined to score three top-five finishes, led by Earnhardt’s third-place effort in July 1984.

RCR In the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Nashville Superspeedway… Richard Childress Racing has 44 starts in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition at Nashville Superspeedway, most recently posting a pair of top-five finishes with Jesse Love (third) and Austin Hill (fourth) in 2024. The organization has three wins at the 1.33-mile track with three different drivers: Clint Bowyer (2005), Kevin Harvick (2006), and Scott Wimmer (2008). RCR owns two 1-2 finishes at Nashville: Harvick and Bowyer in 2006 and Wimmer and Bowyer in 2008. The Welcome, N.C.,based organization has 19 top-five and 26 top-10 finishes entering Saturday’s race.

Tickets to the 2025 Carolina Cowboys Home Stand Are Available Now… Driven by the same passion for performance that guides his race team, Richard Childress’ latest endeavor brings Professional Bull Riding to the Carolinas. The Carolina Cowboys represent the Carolinas in the PBR Team Series, an elite league featuring the world’s top bull riders competing in games throughout the country. The team is owned by Richard Childress and Jeff Broin with 2018 Daytona 500 Champion Dillon serving as General Manager. Don’t miss the Carolina Cowboys 2025 “Cowboy Days” Home Stand September 12-14 at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. Tickets are on sale at PBR.com and Ticketmaster.

Catch the Action on Saturday… The NASCAR Xfinity Series Tennessee Lottery 300 at Nashville Superspeedway will be televised live Saturday, May 31, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on The CW. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Saturday afternoon’s practice and qualifying sessions will be shown for free on The CW App.

Watch Us on Amazon Prime… The NASCAR Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway will be televised live on Sunday, June 1, beginning at 7 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime, the second of five consecutive races this season that will air on the streaming service. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. NASCAR Cup Series Practice & Qualifying at Nashville Superspeedway will also be broadcast on Amazon Prime. Ride shotgun all season long with live, in-car camera feeds and scanner audio with a paid subscription to Max as part of their NASCAR driver cam experience during the race.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Toys for Tots Chevrolet at Nashville Superspeedway… Austin Dillon has competed in all four previous NASCAR Cup Series races at Nashville Superspeedway, earning top 15 finishes in his first three Cup Series appearances at the track. He was in position for a top 10 finish at the 1.33-mile concrete track last year when a car got turned around directly in front of the No. 3 Chevrolet on a restart in Stage 3 and Dillon had nowhere to go, ending the team’s race early. Dillon also has experience at the track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Truck Series. He made two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts for Kevin Harvick, Inc. at the track in 2011, earning a pair of top 10 finishes (seventh in April and third in July). In four NASCAR Truck Series races at the track, Dillon has not finished worse than 14th, earning one win and two pole awards among two top-five finishes.

Winner, Winner… Dillon is a former winner at Nashville Superspeedway in the NASCAR Truck Series. In 2011, he started on the pole and led 56 of 150 laps enroute to his second Truck Series win of the year

Delivering Hope Year-Round: Toys for Tots Brings Joy to Millions of Children in Need… Toys for Tots, a 78-year-old National charitable Program run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, provides year-round joy, comfort, and hope to economically disadvantaged children across the Nation through the gift of a new toy or book. Providing toys, books, and other gifts to disadvantaged children offers recognition, confidence, and a positive memory for a lifetime. It is such experiences that help children become responsible citizens and caring members of their community. Since 1947, the Program has evolved and grown exponentially, having delivered hope and the magic of Christmas to over 314 million children in need. Because the need isn’t just at Christmastime, the Marine Toys for Tots Program also provides support year-round to families experiencing challenges and exceptional circumstances, thus fulfilling the hopes and dreams of millions of disadvantaged children beyond the holidays. The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is a not-for-profit organization authorized by the U.S. Marine Corps and the Department of Defense to provide fundraising and other necessary support for the annual Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. For more information, visit www.toysfortots.org.

Nashville to Host Marine Week 2025 in Honor of Marine Corps’ 250th Birthday… Marine Week Nashville 2025 will be held from June 1-7, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee. It’s a celebration of the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday and offers the public the chance to interact with Marines, see military equipment, and experience Marine Corps traditions.

Meet Dillon… Dillon is scheduled to make several public-facing appearances on race day at Nashville Superspeedway. The driver of the No. 3 Toys for Tots Chevrolet is scheduled to participate in a Q&A session on the Trackside Live Stage at 2:15 p.m. Local Time on Sunday on behalf of Coca-Cola. He is also scheduled to visit the Toys for Tots display in the Fan Zone on Sunday at 2:40 p.m. Local Time before making a stop at the RCR Merchandise at 3 p.m. Local Time. Stop by and get your new RCR gear.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:

What are your thoughts on Nashville Superspeedway?

“Nashville is a very awesome town. The racetrack is concrete, which makes it unique from some of the other tracks we race at. It’s become a good race on our schedule. I’ve won a truck race there, so I’m looking forward to trying to win another guitar. The track surface is one of those surfaces that really chews up a little bit of tire, so you definitely have to do a very good job at putting heat in the car.”

The No. 3 team seems to be figuring things out lately. What has changed over the past several weeks? And what do you still need to improve on?

“We’re starting to click as a team. We do a good job adjusting on our Chevy during the race, but if we can hit the setup earlier in the weekend, we can have better track position, which will help a lot during the race. We had a top 10 streak going and I really thought we were going to have another top 10 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but we unexpectedly ran out of fuel at the end of the race. Our finish doesn’t reflect how well we ran. Nashville is another track that has been good to us in the past, and I think with the way this team is performing right now we should be able to continue our positive momentum.”

What has Kyle Busch been like as a teammate? Specifically, this year as RCR continues to restructure things and move forward. What has he brought to the organization?

“I feel like Kyle Busch gives you what you expect, which is that he’s a hard worker. He’s fiery. He wants the best for the cars. He wants to get to victory lane constantly and will push everyone to figure out how to make that happen, even himself on the track. But as far as being in the meetings with him after practice and on Mondays in our team debriefs, he’s very helpful. He asks good questions at the right time about what your car is doing, and he provides information that you can make your car better off of. From that standpoint, you couldn’t ask for a more helpful teammate when it comes to his knowledge of the game and what he is providing from an informational standpoint.”

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 zone Chevrolet at Nashville Superspeedway… Sunday’s 400-mile race at Nashville Superspeedway will mark Kyle Busch’s fifth career NASCAR Cup Series start at the 1.33 mile racetrack. His best finish of ninth came driving the No. 8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing in 2023. Additionally at Nashville, the 40-year-old driver has led 76 laps, and has completed 99 percent (1,219 of 1,231) of the laps he’s contested there.

A Winning Tradition… Busch has found Victory Lane five times at Nashville Superspeedway. He claimed his first victory at the track in the ARCA Menards Series in 2003. He has two NASCAR Xfinity Series wins at the track, including a race in 2009 and his milestone 100th victory in NASCAR’s second-tier series in 2021. Busch owns two NASCAR Truck Series wins in two career starts at the track, earning dominant wins from the pole position in 2010 and 2011. Each of Busch’s five Nashville Superspeedway wins were earned from the pole position.

Get to the Points… Busch enters Nashville 18th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings. He is 14 points below the playoff cutline with 13 races remaining in the regular season.

Double Duty… In addition to his driving duties in Sunday’s Cup Series race, Busch will pilot the No. 07 Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports in Friday’s Truck Series race.

About zone… zone™, the latest innovation from ITG Brands, is the next generation of nicotine pouches that delivers a superior tobacco-free experience and outperforms competitive products where it matters most. Available in 6mg and 9mg strengths and 7 flavors, zone™ pouches are made with top shelf ingredients and high-quality materials to provide extra soft comfort, longer-lasting flavor, and immediate nicotine intensity. zone™ pouches are carefully crafted and designed to meet the needs of adult nicotine consumers, providing the best experience from the first pouch to the last. For more information, visit zonepouches.com

KYLE BUSCH QUOTE:

How do you think the racing has evolved at Nashville Superspeedway since we started going in 2021? “I think the racing in Nashville has been really good. I remember years ago, a long time back in the Xfinity days, it was a one-groove racetrack around the bottom. It wasn’t conducive to a whole lot of side-by-side racing and whatnot. But the last few years it’s really been good there. The track really widens out. There are guys that are running all the way up at the top groove. It’s been a good show. So hopefully the fans enjoy it.”

Jesse Love and the No. 2 Titan Risk Solutions Chevrolet at Nashville Superspeedway… Jesse Love has made one career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Nashville Superspeedway. Piloting the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet one year ago, Love started from the rear after sustaining a problem prior to qualifying, drove through the field twice, and brought home a strong third-place effort.

Halfway in the Regular Season… At the halfway mark of the Xfinity Series regular season, Love’s sophomore success continues to shine in the opening 13 events. Under Danny Stockman’s guidance for the second consecutive season, Love and the No. 2 team have claimed one win, two poles, three top-five, and eight top-10 finishes. Love has also led a total of 156 laps, ranked fourth in the series of full-time competitors.

Did You Know? This season, Love has recorded an average starting position of 8.5 and an average finishing position of 11.8 – both improvements from his rookie campaign.

Points Check… With 13 races complete, Love remains in the fourth position in the Xfinity Series driver championship point standings – 26 points behind third-place Sam Mayer. Love is currently tied for fourth for the most Playoff points earned, with six total to his credit.

Welcome Back, Titan Risk Solutions… Continuing their multi-year, multi-car partnership in 2025, Titan Risk Solutions will make their primary partner season debut at Nashville Superspeedway. The relationship, that currently spans across the NASCAR Cup Series with Austin Dillon and the Xfinity Series with Love and teammate Austin Hill, kicked off in 2024 with a successful outing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

About Titan Risk Solutions… Titan Risk Solutions is your one-stop shop for everything related to the trucking industry. Founded by dedicated insurance professionals that understand the frustrations of today’s marketplace, Titan was built to eliminate many of the stresses America’s truck drivers face every day. Whether you are needing help with insurance, safety compliance, or driver training, Titan is here to help. With representatives located across the U.S. and a 24/7 service hotline, there is always a live person to assist you. For more information or to contact Titan, please visit titantruckins.com.

JESSE LOVE QUOTE:

What is the biggest challenge with racing at Nashville Superspeedway?

“I love racing at Nashville Superspeedway. Concrete tracks are my favorite surface to race on, next to dirt. I love places where you can search around for grip. With how I came up through the dirt world, we were always searching around, and if you weren’t searching around, you were probably going to end up being passed quickly. Being able to find clean, cold racetrack that is out of the rubber is key there. Honestly, it rewards the guys who do the opposite of what the field does. Our No. 2 team ran well there last year, so I’m looking forward to having another shot at it. It could be another great opportunity for our group.”

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet at Nashville Superspeedway… Austin Hill has made four career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Nashville Superspeedway, all since NASCAR’s return to the Lebanon, Tennessee track in 2021. The Winston, Georgia native has qualified inside the top-10 three times and earned two top-five and four top-10 results. In addition, Hill has participated in one NASCAR Truck Series race, posting a ninth-place finish.

Top-10 Streaking in Music City… Hill is the only active driver to finish inside the top-10 in the last four Xfinity Series races at the 1.333-mile concrete oval (ninth in 2021, eighth in 2022, fourth in 2023, fourth in 2024).

Did You Know? Hill has led a total of 288 laps in Xfinity Series competition this season – second-best in the series of full-time competitors and over 100 laps more than third.

First Half of Regular Season… As the Xfinity Series reached the halfway mark of the regular season at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Hill and the No. 21 team have posted impressive marks in the first 13 events. Under Chad Haney’s leadership, the team has captured three victories, one pole, seven top-five and nine top-10 finishes. Hill has led a total of 287 laps, surpassing his entire total during the 2024 campaign.

Holding Steady in Second… Through 13 races, Hill continues to hold second-place in the Xfinity Series driver championship point standings – 72 points behind leader Justin Allgaier. Hill has secured a series-leading 21 Playoff points.

About Bennett Family of Companies… McDonough-Ga. based Bennett Family of Companies provides industry-leading logistics solutions that help businesses thrive. Whether you need specialized trucking, warehousing, 3PL, exporting, importing, or crane services, Bennett has the expertise to handle your most complex and time-sensitive freight. From LTL to over-dimensional truckloads, Bennett ensures safe, reliable, and on-time deliveries around the world. With a legacy of excellence since 1974, their family and woman-owned company is dedicated to providing personalized, flexible solutions that meet your unique business needs. Trust Bennett to deliver when it matters most – discover how we can help your business grow at www.bennettig.com. Together we can move anything.

Brokerage & 4PL… Bennett Family of Companies specializes in handling logistics from start to finish. As part of its broad range of services, Bennett offers Third-Party Logistics (3PL) solutions, including transportation and brokerage, to help customers move freight efficiently and cost-effectively. Brokerage is a function within 3PL that connects shippers with carriers, coordinates shipments, and manages paperwork. Simply put, brokers are the matchmakers of logistics, finding the right truck for the right freight.

4PL, or Fourth-Party Logistics, is a fully integrated solution that oversees the entire supply chain. A 4PL provider manages multiple partners and serves as a single point of contact, ensuring every detail from pickup to delivery runs smoothly. Bennett’s brokerage and 4PL services save time, reduce headaches, and keep freight on schedule, even when things don’t go as planned.

Meet Hill… On Saturday, May 31 at 3:45 p.m. Local Time, Hill is scheduled to participate in a question-and-answer session at the Fan Zone Stage at Nashville Superspeedway. Stop by to hear from the 31-year-old before the green flag waves.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:

Does a concrete surface race different than the traditional asphalt surface?

“The biggest difference is how the rubber lays down. Once the rubber lays down over a run, the surface starts to turn darker and somewhat looks like asphalt. When a caution comes out, we pick up all the pieces so it’s important to clean your tires before the restart. No matter if you are on old or new tires, but especially when you are on old tires, it feels like you are on a brand-new track until the rubber gets laid down again. As we get later into the race, we will pick the rubber back up under caution, but it seems to lay back down quicker. Staying ahead of the rubber buildup and anticipating the changes in the track will be keys during the race.”

AM Racing | Harrison Burton Nashville Superspeedway Xfinity Race Preview

By
Official Release
-

AM Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway | Tennessee Lottery 250

Fast Facts

No. 25 AM Racing Team:
Driver: Harrison Burton
Primary Partner(s): DEX Imaging
Manufacturer: Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Danny Efland
Spotter: Kevin Hamlin
Chassis Intel: AMR Chassis No. 077
Engine: Roush-Yates Engines
2025 Driver Points Position: 12th | 2025 Owner Points Position: 14th

Notes of Interest:

● Junior Journey: AM Racing will embark on its junior year journey in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025 with driver Harrison Burton for the entire 33-race tour, continuing with Saturday night’s running of the Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway.

● Future Focused: In September 2024, AM Racing announced that NASCAR Cup Series winner Harrison Burton would join the family-owned operation to pilot the team’s No. 25 Ford Mustang, beginning with the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season-opener from Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on February 15, 2025.

Burton, a native of Huntersville, N.C., has been a staple in the NASCAR Cup Series for the past three seasons but will embrace a return to the NASCAR Xfinity Series and continue his relationship as a driver of the Ford blue oval.

Burton, 24, arrives on the scene at AM Racing after a 108-race stint driving for the historic Wood Brothers Racing team.

● Best with DEX: DEX (DEX Imaging) will continue its long-standing partnership with Harrison Burton and join AM Racing for several races this season, including Saturday night’s 188-lap challenge at Nashville Superspeedway.

DEX Imaging is the largest independent dealer of document imaging technology in the United States. DEX sells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions in the industry, such as Konica Minolta, Canon, Sharp, Ricoh, Xerox, and Kyocera, with annual revenue exceeding $500 Million.

What makes DEX unique is its people, whose combined knowledge of cutting-edge business technologies and depth of service experience are unmatched. DEX Imaging’s success is directly tied to its mission: to help customers of all sizes drive down document-related expenses while improving productivity.

● Quenching Our Thirst: For the third time this season, AM Racing marketing partner NO DAYS OFF Premium Water will expand its presence on Harrison Burton’s No. 25 Ford Mustang.

NO DAYS OFF Premium Water is more than just a can of water; it’s a symbol of dedication and commitment. It represents the idea that success is not achieved overnight but through consistent effort and hard work.

By drinking NO DAYS OFF Premium Water, you make a statement that you are serious about your goals and are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve them.

NO DAYS OFF Premium Water will be featured in a prominent location for the 14th Xfinity Series race of the season.

● Game On: The Ford Driving for a Difference presented by the Gene Haas Foundation is a five-week competition among the five full-time Ford teams competing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Teams from AM Racing, the Haas Factory Team, and RSS Racing will go head-to-head for the highest cumulative finishing position across a stretch of select races.

The team with the most points at the end of the challenge will earn a generous donation to their designated charity courtesy of the Gene Haas Foundation. In contrast, all participating teams will receive a contribution in recognition of their efforts.

AM Racing has selected All Within My Hands, the charitable foundation founded by the legendary rock band Metallica, as its charity of choice.

The program not only fuels on-track competition but also drives meaningful impact off the track through charitable giving.

● Harrison Burton NASCAR Xfinity Series Nashville Superspeedway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Tennessee Lottery 250 will mark Burton’s second NASCAR Xfinity Series start at the 1.33-mile speedway.

Burton has delivered one top-five and one top-10 finish in his previous Xfinity Series effort.

He earned a track-best of third after starting third in the 2021 edition of the Tennessee Lottery 250, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Additionally, Burton carries an average Xfinity track finish of 3.0.

Also, the Huntersville, N.C. native has three NASCAR Cup Series starts at Nashville Superspeedway, with a track-best 21st-place finish after starting 31st in the 2023 edition of the Ally 400, while driving for Wood Brothers Racing.

● Harrison Burton NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: Entering Nashville, Burton has 88 career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts to his credit with four wins, 27 top-five and 55 top-10 finishes, and a championship-best result of eighth, twice in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

Burton’s four wins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series occurred during the 2020 season. Burton, the son of former NASCAR driver and current television analyst Jeff Burton, captured the checkered flag at Auto Club (Calif.) Speedway, Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, respectively.

Burton maintains a solid Xfinity Series average finishing position of 12.4 in four years of competition.

In addition to the 88 Xfinity Series starts, he has achieved 109 NASCAR Cup Series starts, 40 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts and 52 career starts across the ARCA Menards Series platforms.

● Charlotte Motor Speedway | BetMGM 300 Race Recap: The NASCAR Xfinity Series returned from a much-needed two-week break with a hometown stop at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.

Harrison Burton showed promising speed in practice behind the wheel of his No. 25 Dead On Tools | DEX Imaging Ford Mustang, ultimately qualifying 25th.

From the drop of the green flag, Burton steadily moved forward, settling into the top 20 and maintaining a competitive pace.

The turning point came during a round of green flag pit stops in Stage 3, when a timely caution played into the hands of the AM Racing team.

Taking advantage of the shakeup, Burton cycled into the top-five and held strong inside the top-10 as the race wound down. However, his momentum was halted after being collected in a late-race accident.

Despite the setback, the team executed quick repairs, and Burton rallied to a respectable 21st-place finish at the checkered flag.

● Thanks For Your Support: With 39 percent of the 2025 Xfinity season complete, AM Racing and Harrison Burton would like to thank their partners for their continued support: AIRBOX Air Purifier, Blue Wolf Cleaner & Degreasers, Dead On Tools, DEX Imaging, Eagle Rentals, Flying Circle, Mechanix Wear, Morton Buildings, Racing Radios, Volt Batteries and WIX Filters.

● From the Pit Box: Veteran race engineer and former NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Danny Efland is Harrison Burton’s crew chief.

He will be the crew chief for his 18th career NASCAR Xfinity Series race, his first at Nashville Superspeedway, on Saturday afternoon.

In his previous 17 Xfinity Series starts, he has collected one pole (Daytona International Speedway | February 2016), two top-five and seven top-10 finishes.

● Follow on Social Media: For more on AM Racing, please visit AMRacingteam.com, like their Facebook page (AM Racing), or follow them on Instagram and X | Twitter @AMRacingNASCAR.

For more on Harrison Burton, please visit theharrisonburton.com, like his Facebook page (Official Harrison Burton), or follow him on Instagram (@harrisonburton12) and X | Twitter (@hburtonracing).

Harrison Burton Quoteboard:

On Nashville Superspeedway: “Nashville Superspeedway is such a unique racetrack — it blends the feel of both a short track and an intermediate. The last time I raced there in an Xfinity Series car, we had a strong run and came away with a solid finish.

“I’d love nothing more than to repeat that performance and bring home a great result for our No. 25 DEX Imaging Ford Mustang.”

On Keys to Success at Nashville Superspeedway: “I believe the biggest keys to success on Saturday night will be track position and tire management.

“Tires really seem to make a difference at Nashville Superspeedway. If you can maintain good track position, you put yourself in a great spot to capitalize and make the most of the opportunity.”

On Racing Under the Lights: “There’s just something special about racing under the lights.

The atmosphere is electric, and the track tends to change significantly as the sun sets. It puts more in the driver’s hands, which I love.

“You’ve got to be on top of adjustments and stay ahead of the track. It’s a fun challenge and one I’m really looking forward to this weekend.”

On Charlotte Motor Speedway Finish: “We had a really solid run going in our No. 25 Dead On Tools | DEX Imaging Ford Mustang.

“The guys brought a fast car, and we were able to work our way into the top-10 with some good strategy.

“Unfortunately, we got caught up in someone else’s mess late in the race, but I’m proud of how the team rallied to get us back out there. We salvaged a decent finish, and we’ll take what we learned and build on it heading to Nashville.”

On 2025 Season Outlook: “I truly believe we can turn some heads in 2025. The goals we’ve set for ourselves aren’t just realistic—they’re within reach, and I know this AM Racing team has what it takes to execute and get into the Playoffs.”

“We’ve got a great group of people and partners who are fully behind what we’re building this season. Nothing would mean more to me than delivering AM Racing its first Xfinity Series win, locking into the Playoffs, and making a run at the championship.”

“It’s shaping up to be a really fun and exciting year.”

Race Information:

The Tennessee Lottery 250 (188 laps | 250.4 miles) is the 14th of thirty-three (33) NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2025 schedule. A pair of 25-minute practices will take place on Saturday, May 31, 2025, from 1:05 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Qualifying will immediately follow at 2:10 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag shortly after 6:30 p.m., with live coverage on The CW Network, the Performance Racing Network (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (CT).

About AM Racing:

AM Racing is a multi-tiered, multi-faceted Motorsports program headquartered in Statesville, N.C.

Established in December 2015, AM Racing is prided on faith, honesty and intelligent performance.

In its ninth year of competition, the family-owned team will compete in the ARCA Menards Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and various Dirt Modified events.

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