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David Gilliland Snaps winless streak, Jesse Love Jr. collects 2020 ARCA Menards Series West Championship

By
Briar Starr
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Photo Courtesy of Dominic Valente/ARCA Racing

On the final race day of the year for the 2020 ARCA Menards Series West, just 100 laps separated championship contenders Blaine Perkins and Jesse Love Jr. for the title. There were multiple championship scenarios in play, but the end goal was simple. Love Jr. had to finish eighth or better than Perkins, no matter what Perkins did.

Love Jr. prevailed as the Bill McAnally Racing driver had already collected the ARCA West title with 30 laps to go.

Perkins, in the No. 9 Ford was, out of the race early due to engine issues that relegated him to a 25th place outing and ultimately giving Love Jr. the title for the first time in his career. The title was a huge accomplishment for the 15-year-old Californian as he replaced Hailie Deegan’s old No. 19 ride coming into the 2020 season.

“I just knew when the race started I had to control everything I could control,” said Love. “Kind of put my pride aside and just try to race the nine car and not put myself in any situations. If I could find a gap, I would drive forward to get to that gap, or I would just back off to get to that gap so I could just be by myself and not have to get in any dog fights or anything like that.

“Had to be smart about it. It was killing me. I wish I could have been more aggressive, been able to race really hard. But one of those deals, but obviously it’s cool. Paid off in a championship.”

Despite there being a championship on the line, a race winner was also to be decided. David Gilliland, the 44-year-old team owner of DGR-Crosley earned his first checkered flag since 2012 at Sonoma in what was then called the 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series.

Gilliland qualified on the pole with a time of 27.452 seconds and 131.138 mph to set his No. 4 Ford on the front row.

The race wasn’t all that easy for the former Cup Series driver, as three cautions occurred during the first 12 laps. Gilliland kept himself in contention by staying up front but unfortunate circumstances came at the Lap 54 restart following the halfway break. The Riverside, California native was penalized for a restart violation, changing lanes too soon by diving to the bottom of the track. Gilliland had to serve a pass-through penalty and was mired deep in the 27-car field.

Meanwhile, Ty Gibbs in the No. 18 Monster Energy Toyota, was dominating the race but things began to go south with cautions late in the race. The opportunity for Gilliland came with nine laps to go when race leader Gibbs slid up the track and was slightly into the Turn 1 wall. Gilliland’s car was like a rocket and it didn’t take him long to grab the top spot with his son Todd and competitor Sam Mayer, following in suit. However, Gilliland had to wait one more time due to a caution coming out for Mayer when the GMS driver suffered a left-rear flat after contact with Todd.

The final restart came with three to go, and surprisingly, after the contact a few laps earlier, Ty Gibbs was back on the front row with Gilliland. Fortunately for (David) Gilliland, he was able to keep Gibbs at a distance and win for the fifth time in his West Series career, the first checkered flag for him under the ARCA Series banner.

“It’s always fun racing with Todd, and to be able to race with your son is actually a dream come true for me,” said Gilliland. “[It] tops anything. Tops sitting here in victory lane and winning, winning as an owner or a championship — it tops everything, racing with him.

“And to be able to do that today was very special.”

There were seven cautions for 29 laps, and six lead changes among two different leaders.

The 2020 ARCA West Series champion, Jesse Love Jr., ends the season with three West Series victories, nine top fives and 10 top-10 finishes along with four poles. The other two victories for Love Jr. came at Irwindale and Utah Motorsports Campus.

Official Results following the Arizona Lottery 100 at Phoenix International Raceway.

  1. David Gilliland
  2. Ty Gibbs
  3. Taylor Gray
  4. Todd Gilliland
  5. Drew Dollar
  6. Justin Lofton
  7. Trevor Huddleston
  8. Corey Heim
  9. Gracie Trotter
  10. Keith Rocco
  11. Howie DiSavino III
  12. Joey Iest
  13. Alex Sedgwick, 1 lap down
  14. Jesse Love, 2020 ARCA West Series Champion, 1 lap down
  15. Chris Hacker, 2 laps down
  16. Devin Dodson, 2 laps down
  17. Todd Souza, 3 laps down
  18. Kris Wright, 4 laps down
  19. Cody Erickson, 5 laps down
  20. Bobby Hillis Jr, 5 laps down
  21. Sam Mayer, OUT, Crash
  22. Bridget Burgess, 9 laps down
  23. Tauma Koga, 22 laps down
  24. Jack Wood, OUT, Crash
  25. Blaine Perkins, OUT, Engine
  26. Zane Smith, OUT, Crash
  27. Gio Scelzi, OUT, Crash

Up Next: The 2020 ARCA Menards West Series season is now complete. Next for the series is the end of the year award banquet for the ARCA brand, which is currently slated for Tuesday night on Nov. 17. The event can be seen live on arcaracing.com and the ARCA Racing’s Facebook page.

Jesse Love earns first ARCA Menards Series West Championship with Toyota

By
Official Release
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Photo courtesy of arcaracing.com

AVONDALE, Ariz. (November 7, 2020) – Camry driver Jesse Love earned his first career ARCA Menards Series West Championship with a 14th-place finish at Phoenix Raceway on Saturday afternoon after completing an impressive rookie season. The championship marks the fourth ARCA West title for a Toyota driver in the past five seasons.

The 15-year-old California native has been incredibly consistent in his debut season. He scored his first victory in his second series start on the road course at Utah Motorsports Campus and has since added wins at Irwindale Speedway and Colorado National Speedway. Love has earned four pole awards, nine top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in 11 starts.

“It has been thrilling to cheer on Jesse this season and we are very pleased with all that he has achieved at such a young age,” said Paul Doleshal, Group Manager, Motorsports and Assets, Toyota Motor North America (TMNA). “Jesse has driven to incredible success and we cannot wait to see how he continues to grow as part of the Toyota Racing Driver Development program.”

Love drives the No. 19 Toyota Camry for longtime Toyota team, Bill McAnally Racing (BMR), which scored their 100th victory earlier this season. Love is the fifth driver to win the ARCA West title with BMR and Toyota with a list that includes Eric Holmes (2008 and 2010), Chris Eggleston (2015), Todd Gilliland (2016 and 2017) and current Toyota Truck Series driver Derek Kraus (2019).

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks in North America, where we have 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama (10 in the U.S.), and directly employ more than 47,000 people (over 36,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold nearly 2.8 million cars and trucks (nearly 2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2019.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

CHEVY AT PHOENIX 2: Chevrolet Wins Truck Series Mfg. Championship

By
Official Release
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AVONDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 06: Sheldon Creed, driver of the #2 Chevy Accessories/Trench Shoring Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Lucas Oil 150 and the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 06, 2020 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

NASCAR TRUCK SERIES
LUCAS OIL 150
PHOENIX RACEWAY
TEAM CHEVY RACE NOTES & QUOTES
NOVEMBER 6, 2020

Chevrolet Earns 10th NASCAR Truck Series Manufacturer Championship

AVONDALE, Ariz. – (November 6, 2020) – With the wave of the checkered flag at the Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix Raceway, Chevrolet earned the 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series (NGROTS) manufacturer championship award. This marks the 10th time in NASCAR Truck Series competition history that Chevrolet has captured this prestigious honor.

Silverado has powered Team Chevy drivers in the NASCAR Truck Series division since the inception of the series in 1995 and has now earned the Bowtie Brand 10 manufacturer championships and 252 victories.

“Chevrolet is honored to win the manufacturer championship in the NASCAR Truck Series for the tenth time,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President of Performance and Motorsports. “This championship is the result of hard work, persistence and dedication of all the Chevrolet teams that contributed valuable manufacturer points all season.”

The journey to earning the 2020 NGROTS honor consisted of 10 Chevy Silverado trips to Victory Lane with Chevrolet drivers Sheldon Creed (5 wins), Zane Smith (2 wins), Sam Mayer (1 win), Brett Moffitt (1 win), Chase Elliott (1 win); along with points-paying finishes by many other Team Chevy competitors that contributed to this title throughout the 23-race season.
Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 100 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

CHEVY AT PHOENIX 2: Sheldon Creed Wins NASCAR Truck Series Championship

By
Official Release
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AVONDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 06: Sheldon Creed, driver of the #2 Chevy Accessories/Trench Shoring Chevrolet, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix Raceway on November 06, 2020 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

NASCAR TRUCK SERIES
LUCAS OIL 150
PHOENIX RACEWAY
TEAM CHEVY RACE NOTES & QUOTES
NOVEMBER 6, 2020

SILVERADO POWERS SHELDON CREED TO CHAMPIONSHIP VICTORY
Wins First Truck Series Title

AVONDALE, Ariz. (November 6, 2020) – Sheldon Creed, driver of the No. 2 Chevy Accessories Silverado, claimed the 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series (NGROTS) championship with a victory in the season-finale Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix Raceway. The title is the first NGROTS career title for Creed, and second in the division for GMS Racing. It also marks Chevrolet’s 14th Driver’s Championship, and 252nd Chevy Silverado win since the inception of the series in 1995.

“Congratulations to Sheldon Creed, Jeff Stankiewicz, and the entire No. 2 Silverado team for winning the NASCAR Truck Series championship,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President of Performance and Motorsports. “Sheldon had an incredible final restart and drove to the front on four-fresh tires to bring home his first championship. What a spectacular season!”

Creed joins Johnny Sauter, who won the NGROTS championship in 2016, as the second GMS driver to win in the division.

“Also, congratulations to Maury Gallagher Jr., Spencer Gallagher and Mike Beam on earning a second NASCAR Truck Series championship,” added Campbell. “GMS Racing is recognized as one of the leading organizations in the division, and we are proud to be associated with them.”

During the 2020 NGROTS season of 23 races, the 23-year old Alpine, CA native piloted his Chevy Accessories Silverado to five victories.

“I thought my teammate was going to win the championship and we were going to run third,” Creed said as he exited his title-winning No. 2 Silverado. “We were just too loose there as we went on. The caution came out and Jeff (Stankiewicz, crew chief) and I were talking, and we had nothing to lose. The worst we’re going to run is fourth, here. Let’s put tires on it. I pride myself on my re-starts week-in and week-out, and just nailed that restart right there. They were racing really hard. I was driving as hard as I could. I want this so bad. I was just driving as hard as I could and I knew if I did, I’d have a shot. My guys and Chevy Accessories and everyone who helps us; and my grandfather is the one that makes this deal happen.”

Creed is now the eighth Team Chevy driver to record this achievement. In addition to Sauter (2016), those include: James Buescher (2012), Austin Dillon (2011) Ron Hornaday, Jr. (1996, 1998, ‘07, & ‘09), Travis Kvapil (2003), Mike Bliss (2002), Jack Sprague (1997, ’99, & ‘01), and Mike Skinner (1995).

Chevrolet returns to competition in the NASCAR Truck Series with the NextEra Energy 250 season-opener at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, February 12, 2021.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 100 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Joe Graf Jr., Bucked Up Energy surpass 80 thousand entries in contest with less than 24 hours remaining

By
Official Release
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Win a One year Supply of BUCKED UP ENERGY DRINK OR $1,095.00 cash from BUCKED UP Racing

AVONDALE, Ariz: With less than 24 hours remaining, NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Joe Graf Jr. and marketing partner Bucked Up Energy recently reached over 80,000 entries in their ongoing contest which closes shortly before Saturday afternoon’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 200 season finale at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway.

The contest, which offers entries an opportunity to win either a year’s supply of Bucked Up Energy or over $1,000 in cash will close at 2:00 p.m. ET., on Sat., Nov. 7, 2020.

“It’s amazing how many entries we received with this contest,” said NASCAR Xfinity Series rookie Joe Graf Jr. “Without the support of Bucked Up Energy, this would not have been possible. While over 80,000 entries is fantastic, we would be thrilled to pass the 100,000 mark before the contest ends tomorrow afternoon.

“We don’t know what the winner will choose, but to have an option of free drinks for one year or over $1,000 in cash will prove to be useful for whoever given the current pandemic and the approaching Holiday season.”

To view contest rules, enter and see how you can increase your chances, click here.

For more on Joe Graf Jr. visit JoeGrafJr.com, like him on Facebook (Joe Graf Jr.), follow him on Twitter (@JoeGrafJr) and Instagram (@joegrafjr).

For more on SS GreenLight Racing, please like them on Facebook (SS GreenLight Racing) and follow them on Twitter (@SSGLR0708) and visit their website at SSGreenLight.com.

The Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 200 (200 laps | 200 miles) is the 33rd of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2020 schedule. The 37-car field will take the green flag shortly after 3:00 p.m. on Sat., Nov. 7, 2020, with live coverage on NBCSN, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Satellite Radio, Channel 90). All times are local (Mountain).

About SS Green Light Racing:

As one of the most tenured teams in all of NASCAR, SS GreenLight Racing has been a developmental hub for drivers looking to climb the ranks. Led by owner and former driver Bobby Dotter, the team has fielded entries in either the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series or the Xfinity Series competition since 2001.

Coming off a successful 2019 Xfinity campaign, SS GreenLight Racing looks to build further momentum with their two-car program in 2020.

Toyota Racing – Phoenix NGROTS Post-Race Report – 11.06.20

By
Official Release
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FOUR TUNDRAS IN THE TOP-SIX IN TRUCK SERIES SEASON FINALE IN PHOENIX
Chandler Smith closes season with five top-five finishes in his last six starts

AVONDALE, Arizona (November 6, 2020) – Chandler Smith (third) led four Toyotas in the top six finishers in the Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix Raceway on Friday evening. Smith’s Kyle Busch Motorsports teammates Christian Eckes (fourth) and Raphael Lessard (fifth) joined him in the top-five, while Stewart Friesen (sixth) completed Toyota’s top-10 finishers at Phoenix.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series
Phoenix Raceway
Race 23 of 23 – 150 Laps, 150 Miles

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Sheldon Creed*
2nd, Zane Smith*
3rd, CHANDLER SMITH
4th, CHRISTIAN ECKES
5th, RAPHAËL LESSARD
6th, STEWART FRIESEN
12th, AUSTIN HILL
23rd, SPENCER DAVIS
24th, DEREK KRAUS
26th, DANNY BOHN
30th, AKINORI OGATA
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

CHANDLER SMITH, No. 51 JBL Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports
Finishing Position: 3rd

How did you get to the podium on that final restart?

“Overall, we had a really good finish in our No. 51 JBL Toyota Tundra. We just missed it on our splitter heights this weekend and ultimately it killed us, especially with how deep we started in the pack. We stayed out on that late race caution, got some track position and executed.”

CHRISTIAN ECKES, No. 18 Safelite Auto Glass Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports
Finishing Position: 4th

Solid top-five finish after a wild final restart. How was the finish from your seat?

“I chose the bottom. On those last restarts, I saw that you can make moves, go low and go really wherever you need to. That played in our favor, pretty well overall. I wish we would have been a little bit lower, maybe, we would have been in front of the 2 (Sheldon Creed). Not sure if we had the speed to beat him, but the track position definitely could have helped. Overall, pretty proud of my team. We were able to get Chandler (Smith) up there to get a top-five too, and I think all three of our Tundras were in the top-five too. It was a good day for KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports).”

RAPHAËL LESSARD, No. 4 Mobil1 Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports
Finishing Position: 5th

It was a good day and you made some moves on that final restart to get a top-five. How was your day?

“It was pretty good. It was my first time here at Phoenix. I have never seen the track before so it was a little bit of learning at first. I think I got used to it really quick. We stayed in the top-10 most of the race. We got both sides. We were pretty good and couldn’t really make moves because it was so hard to pass, and I was still learning the racetrack. Then we got to the last stage, we got way too free. We were super loose, but we kept fighting and trying to pass people. Then the caution came out and we had the green-white-checkered. We came in and put on two right side tires, and we fired off on the last restart and we got everything we could get. We finished with a good top-five I feel like that is pretty good for my first time here. I’m just glad we got to run this year with everybody at Kyle Busch Motorsports, Toyota,TRD. It’s been an awesome year and CANAC, they’ve been a huge help for me this year. I’m just proud to have driven a full season and have a win in the Truck Series.”

STEWART FRIESEN, No. 52 Halmar ‘Racing to Beat Hunger’ Toyota Tundra, Halmar Friesen Racing
Finishing Position: 6th

It was a really strong run all night Stewart. How was it from your seat?

“It was really good. We just made adjustments on it – had a good long run truck in the end. We decided to come down pit road on that green-white-checkered deal and put on two tires, tried to get some track position. We just got jammed up on the restart and couldn’t really use it. We ended up with a sixth. We needed to get to the bottom on (turns) one and two and kind of got jammed in the top. It is what it is. We will take it and move on. It’s a good end to the season. We made some changes the last four or five races and we really picked up some speed and really showed the potential of this team. We will take that momentum and go into next year with that. A top-10, so another $5,000 to another local food bank for the Halmar ‘Race to Beat Hunger.’ To keep that going is pretty awesome as well.”

Does Monday begin 2021 planning for you? It was an up-and-down year, but you ended the season strong.
“Yeah, just getting the right people in the right places. 2021 starts Monday. The guys in the shop have a good gameplan on how to spend the next couple months getting prepared and we know the areas we need to work on and approve on. It was a big building year for us. We look forward to being in contention for the championship next year.”

# # #

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks in North America, where we have 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama (10 in the U.S.), and directly employ more than 47,000 people (over 36,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold nearly 2.8 million cars and trucks (nearly 2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2019.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

Ford Performance NASCAR: Enfinger Truck Championship Bid Comes Up Short in OT

By
Official Release
-

Ford Performance Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series
Phoenix Raceway | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2020

FORD FINISHING RESULTS:
7th — Ben Rhodes
9th — Todd Gilliland
11th — Johnny Sauter
13th — Grant Enfinger
14th — Matt Crafton
15th — Tanner Gray
16th — Dylan Lupton

FORD PERFORMANCE QUOTES

GRANT ENFINGER, No. 98 Champion Power Equipment/Curb Records Ford F-150 — TAKE US THROUGH THE FINAL RESTART? “Before that Hensley made a good call to just get off sequence. We just couldn’t go on a short run. We had good speed on a long run, but just couldn’t pass after that. So we got off sequence. That worked. Hensley was leaning towards tires at the end. I was leaning against it just to do something different, and we ended up staying out. That cost us. It just is what it is. We didn’t have quite the short run speed to legitimately contend tonight, but, man, a great season by these guys. I’m gonna try not to be too sad leaving here because it’s been a great year. It’s just unfortunate the way it turned out tonight.”

YOU WERE ON THE FRONT ROW FOR THE FINAL RESTART, BUT ON OLDER TIRES. WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE? “Tires, like you said. Hensley made a good call earlier on in that deal to get off sequence because we just couldn’t fire off. We had good long run speed, but once we’d cycle five laps or so we were a lot better than those guys, but it was really hard to pass. So we got off sequence and that worked. Then at the end those guys took tires and we didn’t. I was voting to stay out and Hensley was kind of voting to come in and I talked him into staying out and that cost us a shot. Anyway, we’ll try not to hold our head too low leaving here. It’s been a great year. I’m proud of these guys, it just didn’t work out tonight.”

HSR Classic Daytona Presented by IMSA and HSR Daytona Historics Hit High Gear Friday at Daytona International Speedway

By
Official Release
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  • Sixth Running of Classic 24 Hour HSR Race and HSR Daytona Historics Headline Full Weekend of Competition at “World Center of Racing”
  • Pierce Marshall and Eric Foss Co-Drive Matador Motorsports ex-ESM Tequila Patron 2014 No. 31 Ligier JSP2 to Prototype and Overall B.R.M. Chronographes Endurance Challenge Victory
  • Kody Swanson and Brad Jaeger Score B.R.M. GT Win in Doran Racing 2008 No. 12* Ford GT; Kenneth Greenberg B.R.M. Historic Winner in 1996 No. 836 Porsche 993 RSR

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (November 6, 2020) – The 2020 Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) Classic Daytona presented by IMSA and HSR Daytona Historics hit high gear Friday at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) where the Classic 24 race will be run for the sixth time this Saturday and Sunday at the “World Center of Racing.”

The main order of business Friday, however, was the featured B.R.M. Chronographes Endurance Challenge for the Prototype, Historic and GT Modern (GTM) divisions. The one-hour race served as the perfect primer for this weekend’s Classic Daytona, which is run around the clock in a series of 24 hour-long races Saturday and Sunday.

The overall and Prototype class B.R.M. Challenge victories went to Pierce Marshall and Eric Foss who co-drove the Matador Motorsports ex-ESM Tequila Patron 2014 No. 31 Ligier JSP2 to a convincing win.

Marshall and Foss shared the overall and Prototype podium with the Hudson Historics Daytona Prototypes entries of John Reisman and William Hubbell.

Reisman finished second in his 2014 No. 33 Coyote Corvette Daytona Prototype while Hubbell crossed the line third in his similar 2009 No. 230 Corvette Daytona Prototype.

Fourth overall went to co-drivers Kody Swanson and Brad Jaeger who scored the B.R.M. GTM win in the Doran Racing 2008 No. 12* Ford GT. The victory made up for a narrow loss in Thursday’s Stoner Car Care Global GT Challenge race when Jaeger settled for runner-up honors just 0.539 of a second behind the winner.

Les Long and Lonnie Pechnik completed the overall top five and took second in B.R.M. GTM in Long’s Air Power Racing 2007 No. 496 Porsche 997 GT3 Cup.

Price Ford and Cody Ellsworth finished third in B.R.M. GTM in the 2015 No. 12 Autometrics/Team Racerink Porsche GT3 Cup. The top-three showing put Ford on the podium for the second day in a row after scoring a third-place finish in Thursday’s Stoner Car Care Global GT sprint.

The B.R.M. Historic class win was secured by Kenneth Greenberg in his Air Power Racing 1996 No. 836 Porsche 993 RSR. The victory was the second straight B.R.M. Historics win for Greenberg in “HSR Classics” competition. Greenberg also took B.R.M. Historics honors at last December’s HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour.

Hartmut Von Seelen and Kevin Wheeler finished second to Greenberg in the 1973 No. 51 Porsche 911 prepared by KMW Motorsports.

Bill Glavin and his son Billy Glavin were classified third in B.R.M. Historic in their JRIII Racing 1979 No. 99 BMW M1 Pro Car. The immaculately restored mid-engine BMW is being driven in competition for the first time in more than 40 years this weekend.

This weekend’s sixth running of HSR Classic Daytona starts this Saturday, November 7, at 1 p.m. EST straight through to the final checkered flag 24 hours later on Sunday, November 8.

Information on the 2020 HSR Classic Daytona and HSR Daytona Historics, including the event schedule and much more, can be found by clicking here.

Spectator tickets for the HSR Classic Daytona can be purchased at DIS Gate 40, off of Williamson Boulevard, starting Saturday at 7 a.m. and straight through Sunday at 11 a.m. EST. Learn more at www.HSRTickets.com.

The 2020 HSR Classic Daytona presented by IMSA entry list can be found by clicking here.

About HSR: Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) was formed in the mid-1970s with an event at Road Atlanta. There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate the race cars from the past. As a “time machine” of sights and sounds, HSR provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at race tracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions eight vintage and historic racing events at some of the world’s most renowned race tracks, including Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and more. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR’s website at www.HSRRace.com. Look for the HSR Channel on YouTube and follow HSR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HSRrace/ and on Twitter and Instagram at @HSR_race. A dedicated website for the Classic 24 Hour at Daytona presented by IMSA is available at www.Classic24hour.com.

Sheldon Creed wins 2020 Truck Series Championship after a wild restart

By
Briar Starr
-
Sheldon Creed celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix Raceway on November 06, 2020. Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images.

After a quiet first two stages, a late-race caution gave Sheldon Creed the opportunity to drive from eighth place to the front and take the lead to win the Truck Series championship.

“I can’t believe it, thank you so much,” the 23-year-old Californian, Creed, screamed into his team radio as he crossed the finish line. “The caution came out and we were like, ‘we’ve got nothing to lose’,” Creed said of the decision to pit for tires. “I pride myself on my restarts week in and week out and just nailed the restart right there. I was just driving as hard as I can, I wanted this thing so bad.”

Stages 45-45-60 laps made up the scheduled 150 lap race, but an overtime restart extended the race to 156 laps. No Trucks were sent to the rear and Championship 4 driver Grant Enfinger was on the pole based on the metric system. Brett Moffit, Zane Smith, Grant Enfinger and Sheldon Creed made up the Championship 4 contenders.

Stage 1: Laps 1 – 45

Early on in the stage, rookie Zane Smith had the lead over teammates Creed and Moffitt with no challenge from either driver until late in the stage. Surprisingly, no cautions fell in the stage and with a dominant truck, Zane Smith grabbed the stage victory with Creed in second, Moffitt third and Enfinger fourth.

After the stage break, it was Creed who would win the race off pit road and maintain his top position.

Stage 2: Laps 53 – 90

Stage 2 was a carbon copy of the first stage with 8 green-flag laps of racing with no yellows in sight. However, multiple battles for the lead would pursue in the middle of this stage. Creed led from laps 50 – 74 for 25 total laps. His teammate Brett Moffitt came into the picture and made a pass on Lap 75 with just 19 laps to go in the stage. After making the pass for the lead, the Iowan native held on and took home the Stage 2 win. Zane Smith finished second, Creed was third and Enfinger managed fifth.

Under the yellow, Niece Motorsports driver Trevor Bayne was penalized for being too fast on pit road and Moffitt held on to the lead.

Stage 3: Laps 98 – 156

With Enfinger battling a tight truck, GMS Racing made up the top three spots. However, their effort was slowed at Lap 104 when a caution flew for the No. 42 of Carson Hocevar who backed his Niece Motorsports Chevrolet into the Turn 2 wall. In the middle of the caution cycle, Enfinger came down to pit road and took four tires to help with the handling of the truck. Meanwhile, the No. 19 of Derek Kraus stalled, having no power in his Toyota Tundra.

When the green flag flew again at Lap 119, Enfinger made the most of his pit stop by climbing to fifth in the running order. However, the four-tire call for Enfinger wouldn’t come into play until late in the race. The Alabaman started making moves with 19 to go, passing Smith for fourth and moving up as high as second with 12 to go.

As the race started to wind down, race leader Moffitt held off Enfinger with a 4.340-second advantage. Getting closer to the checkered flag, the race looked as though it would go to the 2018 Truck Series Champion, Moffitt. Unfortunately for Moffitt, a late yellow flew for the No. 41 of Dawson Cram, setting up an overtime restart with seven laps to go.

The caution would prove costly for Moffitt, as Champ 4 drivers Creed and Zane Smith came to pit road and took four fresh tires. Moffitt and Enfinger stayed out to assume the lead with hopes of holding off the field for a classic finish.

The restart on Lap 154 with 2 laps to go would look like this for the championship drivers; Moffitt was in first, Enfinger was second, Creed restarted in eighth with Smith in ninth.

Following the green flag, Enfinger, on the outside, spun his tires and both Creed and Smith made dive bomb moves to the bottom of the track in Turns 1 and 2. Moffitt ended up sliding up the track and falling back in the running order. As the checkered flag flew, the victory and championship went to Creed who won his fifth race of the 2020 season.

Zane Smith finished second with Moffitt 10th and Enfinger rounding out the Championship 4 in 13th position.

After leading the most laps (78) and winning Stage 2, Moffitt was understandably disappointed after finishing 10th.

“It’s frustrating losing like that,” Moffitt said. “It would have been an honor to win with this paint scheme in honor of (seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion) Jimmie Johnson,” said Moffitt, adding, “I guess if broken legs isn’t enough of a handicap, race strategy is.”

There were four cautions for 28 laps and seven lead changes among five different drivers.

Items to note – Chevrolet won the Truck Series Manufacturers Championship, while GMS Racing’s Maury Gallagher won his first ever Truck Series Owners title. Champion Sheldon Creed ends the season with the most stage victories of 11, while he and Austin Hill end up in a tie with the most playoff points of 28 each.

Final Championship 4 Standings

  1. Sheldon Creed
  2. Zane Smith
  3. Brett Moffitt
  4. Grant Enfinger

Final Championship 4 Owner Standings

  1. GMS Racing No. 2
  2. GMS Racing No. 21
  3. GMS Racing No. 23
  4. ThorSport Racing No. 98

Official Results following the Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway.

  1. Sheldon Creed, led twice for 27 laps
  2. Zane Smith
  3. Chandler Smith
  4. Christian Eckes
  5. Raphael Lessard
  6. Stewart Friesen
  7. Ben Rhodes
  8. Tyler Ankrum
  9. Todd Gilliland
  10. Brett Moffitt, won Stage 2, led 78 laps
  11. Johnny Sauter
  12. Austin Hill
  13. Grant Enfinger, led two laps
  14. Matt Crafton
  15. Tanner Gray
  16. Dylan Lupton
  17. Sam Mayer
  18. Trevor Bayne
  19. Tate Fogleman
  20. Austin Wayne Self
  21. Ryan Truex, 1 lap down
  22. Jordan Anderson, 2 laps down
  23. Spencer Davis, 2 laps down
  24. Derek Kraus, 3 laps down
  25. Tyler Hill, 3 laps down
  26. Danny Bohn, 3 laps down
  27. Spencer Boyd, 4 laps down
  28. Dawson Cram, 4 laps down
  29. Robby Lyons, 4 laps down
  30. Akinori Ogata, 6 laps down
  31. Jennifer Jo Cobb, 9 laps down
  32. Carson Hocevar, OUT, Accident
  33. Josh Reaume, OUT, Brakes

Up Next: The NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series will now enjoy their much deserved offseason and start focusing on the 2021 schedule. The 2021 Truck Series season begins Friday night, Feb. 12 at Daytona International Speedway with the annual NextEra Energy Resources 250.

Joe Graf Jr. | SS GreenLight Racing | Phoenix Raceway II NASCAR Xfinity Series Event Preview

By
Official Release
-

SS GreenLight Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series

Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway | Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 200

Fast Facts
No. 08 SS GreenLight Racing Team:

Driver: Joe Graf Jr. (@JoeGrafJr)

Primary Partner(s): Bucked Up Energy | EAT SLEEP RACE | myFace

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro

Crew Chief: Patrick Donahue

Starting Position for Desert Diamond Casino 200: 23rd (Event Formula)

Driver Points Position: 21st

Owner Points Position: 29th

Chassis Intel: SSGLR Chassis No. 709; competed last at Kansas Speedway on October 17, 2020 (Start: 19th | Finish: 32nd)

SSGLR Chassis No. 709; also competed at Phoenix Raceway on March 7, 2020 (Start: 19th | Finish: 31st)

Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines (ECR)

Notes of Interest:

Full of Energy: Bucked Up Energy and its sister products will continue its role as the primary partner of Graf’s No. 08 Chevrolet Camaro. Phoenix Raceway is the 21st race in a multi-year, multi-race deal with the former ARCA Menards Series winner.

Bucked Up is the everyman (or woman) energy drink. We don’t care about the color of your collar; whether blue or white, we all require energy to power our days. We want something that tastes like success, enhances mood and focus, and most of all delivers long-lasting energy.

myFace Returns: myFace, an organization that helps kids and families living with craniofacial differences will return to the No. 08 Chevrolet Camaro as an associate partner for the Xfinity Series return at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway.

myFace, is a leading nonprofit focused on providing the comprehensive care, education and information to help people with craniofacial differences lead full and productive lives.

Stay Tuned: Even during the offseason, Joe Graf Jr. isn’t going anywhere! Be sure to check in with him on his social media page on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter for the latest news, giveaways, videos, iRacing competition and much more!

Martinsville Speedway Recap: NASCAR Xfinity Series rookie Joe Graf Jr. had a solid outing in his Martinsville (Va.) Speedway debut. Starting 25th without a prior lap at the famed 0.526-mile paperclip, Graf Jr. kept his No. 08 EAT SLEEP RACE Chevrolet Camaro on the lead lap throughout the entire 250 laps and earned a respectable 21st place finish in the penultimate race of the season.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Phoenix Raceway Starts: Joe Graf Jr. will make his second trip to Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway for Saturday afternoon’s season finale.

In March 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic, Graf Jr. qualified an impressive 19th and was competing for a top-20 finish before being an innocent victim in a late race accident regulating the team to a 32nd place finish.

Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Career Intermediate Nuggets: At tracks greater than 1.0-mile in size, Graf has competed in 17 NASCAR Xfinity Series races. He holds an average starting position of 24.2 and an average result of 21.8.

Joe Graf Jr. ARCA Menards Series Career Intermediate Nuggets: At tracks greater than 1.0-mile in size, Graf has competed in eight ARCA Menards Series races. He holds an average starting position of 11.8 and an average result of 12.9.

Say Whaaat?: For the next TWO days, Joe Graf Jr. and partner Bucked Up Energy are allowing one lucky fan the opportunity to win a year’s supply of Bucked Up Energy or over $1,000 in cash!

Winner’s choice!

Plus, the more you promote the contest yourself, the more entries you receive!

To view contest rules and enter, click here.

Vote For Me: Voting is open for the 2020 edition of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Most Popular Driver.

Approved voters are allowed to vote for their favorite NASCAR Xfinity Series driver at least one time per day through Mon., Nov. 9, 2020.

To cast your vote for Joe Graf Jr. visit, nascar.com/xfinitymostpopulardriver.

TikTok, TikTok: Continuing to increase his social media presence, Joe Graf Jr. recently joined TikTok. Search “Joe Graf Jr.” and follow the NASCAR Xfinity Series rookie for a glimpse of his entertaining life on and off the track.

School Back In Session: While juggling a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule with SS GreenLight Racing, college life has resumed for Joe Graf Jr.

With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Graf Jr. has resorted to online classes at the University of New York, where he is pursuing a degree in business, media and sports management.

The Second Half: Despite the coronavirus pandemic which shuttered NASCAR Xfinity Series races for more than two months, the series recently reached the halfway point of their season at Kansas Speedway in late July.

Now, 32 races down, one race to go, Graf Jr. is ranked 21st in the Xfinity Series championship standings and looks to improve his average finish of 24th in the final race weekend of the season.

Sneaker Mania: Along with the adrenaline of Motorsports competition, Joe Graf Jr. also has a vogue for hype sneakers. In his current collection, he owns and wears at least 80 limited edition sneakers – and his collection continues to grow every month.

From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Patrick Donahue is Joe Graf Jr.’s crew chief. He will crew chief his 186th NASCAR Xfinity Series races on Saturday. In his previous 185 races, he has two wins, eight top-five and 14 top-10 finishes to his resume.

He has nine prior Xfinity races as crew chief at Phoenix Raceway with a victory in November 1999 with NASCAR Hall of Famer and four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon.

This Is 2020: Entering Phoenix, Graf Jr. has 35 career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts to his credit with five top-15, 11 top-20 and 20 top-25 finishes. After 32 races in 2020, he stands 21st in the championship standings with one race remaining.

Hello From The Other Side: Graf Jr. has a teammate at SS GreenLight Racing. NASCAR veteran David Starr drives the No. 07 SS GreenLight Racing Chevrolet Camaro. The 52-year-old will make his 12th Xfinity start of 2020 on Saturday and eighth for SS GreenLight Racing.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Joe Graf Jr. visit JoeGrafJr.com, like him on Facebook (Joe Graf Jr.), follow him on Twitter (@JoeGrafJr) and Instagram (@joegrafjr).

For more on SS GreenLight Racing, please like them on Facebook (SS GreenLight Racing) and follow them on Twitter (@SSGLR0708) and visit their website at SSGreenLight.com.

Joe Graf Jr. Pre-Race Quotes:

On Martinsville (Va.) Speedway: “A solid outing for our No. 08 EAT SLEEP RACE, SS GreenLight Racing team. Martinsville is a difficult track without any practice. We made gains with the car throughout the whole race though and to finish on the lead lap was a huge positive for us.

“We’ll head to Phoenix next weekend and hope to end the season on a high note.”

On Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway: “I’m extremely optimistic about my Phoenix Raceway return with SS GreenLight Racing. We had a solid showing in the spring but unfortunately we did not get the finish we deserved because of circumstances beyond our control.

“We’re bringing the same No. 08 Bucked Up Energy Chevrolet that was so fast at Kansas before we had a mechanical failure and I hope we’re able to have that same speed on Saturday that will propel us to a great season finale and some momentum to take into 2021.”

Race Information:

The Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 200 (200 laps | 200 miles) is the 33rd of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2020 schedule. The 37-car field will take the green flag shortly after 3:00 p.m. on Sat., Nov. 7, 2020, with live coverage on NBCSN, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Satellite Radio, Channel 90). All times are local (Mountain).

About SS Green Light Racing:

As one of the most tenured teams in all of NASCAR, SS GreenLight Racing has been a developmental hub for drivers looking to climb the ranks. Led by owner and former driver Bobby Dotter, the team has fielded entries in either the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series or the Xfinity Series competition since 2001.

Coming off a successful 2019 Xfinity campaign, SS GreenLight Racing looks to build further momentum with their two-car program in 2020.

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