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Natalie Decker – SpeedyCash.com 400 Race Advance

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Official Release
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SpeedyCash.com 400 | Texas Motor Speedway Race Advance

Team: No. 44 Ruedebusch Development & Construction Chevrolet Silverado

Driver: Natalie Decker

Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @NatalieRacing

Natalie Decker on Racing at Texas: “It’s been so tough to be out of the truck the last few weeks,” said Decker. “I’m thankful to be medically cleared to get back into the truck. I feel great and am so excited to go racing in Texas this weekend.”

Decker at Texas: Sunday’s Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway marks Decker’s third start at the 1.5-mile track.

On the Truck: Decker’s No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado will race with support from Ruedebusch Development & Construction and REMarkable Pillow.

Ruedebusch Development & Construction, Inc. is a highly qualified, vertically integrated full service commercial construction, and real estate development company located in Madison, Wisconsin which offers: Commercial Real Estate Development Design Build Construction Commercial Real Estate Brokerage Economic Development, Commercial Real Estate, and Facility Consulting.

REMarkable Pillow is the recognized industry leader in innovation, state-of-the-art product design, U.S. Manufacturing, and an uncompromising commitment to total customer satisfaction. REMarkable Pillow prides itself with an ever-growing portfolio in design and manufacturing of advanced molded foam solutions for a wide variety of industrial sectors including but not limited to Aviation, Automotive, Bedding and Office Furniture.

About Niece Motorsports:

Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2020, Niece Motorsports enters its fifth season in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel / lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Jeffrey Earnhardt to make 100th Xfinity start at Texas

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Bruce Nuttleman for SpeedwayMedia.com.

A significant milestone is in the making for Jeffrey Earnhardt, driver of the No. 0 Chevrolet Camaro for JD Motorsports with Gary Keller in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. By taking the green flag in this weekend’s event at Texas Motor Speedway, Earnhardt will achieve his 100th career start in the Xfinity Series.

A fourth-generation competitor from Mooresville, North Carolina, and grandson of the late NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt, Jeffrey made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Watkins Glen International in August 2009. By then, he had competed in the NASCAR Busch East Series and what is now the ARCA Menards Series East for the last two seasons for Dale Earnhardt Inc. before being released. 

Driving the No. 40 Key Motorsports Chevrolet at Watkins Glen, Earnhardt started 36th and finished 24th in his series debut. He ended up competing in another Xfinity race in 2009 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, where he finished 31st. 

After competing in select NASCAR Truck Series races for Rick Ware Racing in 2010, Earnhardt was set to compete in the series on a full-time basis with RWR as a rookie contender. Following the first four races of the season, however, Earnhardt’s full-time ride was cut and he ended up competing in one additional Truck race and two Xfinity races for the remainder of the season. In the Xfinity Series, he drove for RWR in two races at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May and at Daytona International Speedway in July, where he notched a 19th-place result.

In 2012, Earnhardt competed on a full-time basis in the Grand Am Series in the Rolex GT Class for Rick Ware Racing. He also competed in a total of six Xfinity races, four with RWR while making one with Go Green Racing and one with Randy Hill Racing. His best result during his six-race slate in 2012 was 21st at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July.

Earnhardt’s racing schedule in 2013 expanded as he made 17 starts throughout the 33-race Xfinity Series schedule. During the season, all but one of his 17-race Xfinity schedule occurred with Go Green Racing, where he finished no higher than 16th place. His lone start outside of Go Green Racing was with JR Motorsports and for his nephew, Dale Earnhardt Jr., at Richmond Raceway in April. Driving the No. 5 Keen Parts/CorvetteParts.net Chevrolet Camaro for JRM, Earnhardt started 22nd and finished 17th.

In 2014, Earnhardt competed on a full-time basis in the Xfinity Series with JD Motorsports and in the No. 4 Chevrolet Camaro. Throughout the season, his best result was 12th place at Bristol Motor Speedway in August. He was able to capture six top-20 results and an average result of 26.3 throughout the 33-race schedule before finishing in 18th place in the final standings.

Throughout the 2015 season, Earnhardt made a total of six Xfinity starts in the No. 55 Chevrolet Camaro for Viva Motorsports. His best on-track results were 15th at Bristol in April and 12th at Talladega in May.

From 2016 to 2018, Earnhardt competed in a total of 73 races in the NASCAR Cup Series as he drove for teams that included Go Fas Racing, BK Racing, Circle Sport-The Motorsports Group, StarCom Racing, Premium Motorsports and Gaunt Brothers Racing. His best result in NASCAR’s premier series during the three-year span was 11th place at Daytona in July 2018.

A week before the 2018 season concluded, it was announced that Earnhardt will be returning to the Xfinity Series and join Joe Gibbs Racing to drive the No. 18 Toyota Supra sponsored by Xtreme Concepts/iK9 for nine races in 2019. A few days before the 2019 Xfinity Series commenced, Earnhardt’s part-time 2019 schedule expanded when Xtreme Concepts Inc. formed Xtreme Concepts Racing (XCI Racing) with intentions of competing in five Xfinity races and two Cup races with Earnhardt driving throughout the season. 

Earnhardt made his first start with JGR in the 2019 season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway. During the event, Earnhardt finished in the top five in both stages and led 29 laps before being shuffled back to a 15th-place result. The following race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Earnhardt restarted on the front row alongside teammate Christopher Bell on a three-lap shootout and was in position to win his first NASCAR career race. His chances of winning, however, evaporated when he struggled to pick up speed on the outside lane and was shuffled back. Nonetheless, he was able to finish in sixth place and achieve his career-best result within NASCAR’s top three major division series. 

Four races later, Earnhardt made his first start with XCI Racing at Texas Motor Speedway, where he finished in eighth place. Another five races later, Earnhardt rallied from a spin with 58 laps remaining to make a late charge and notch a career-best third-place result at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The result marked Earnhardt’s first top-five career result across NASCAR’s top three major division series and it was also meaningful for Earnhardt, who sported a special patriotic scheme to his No. 18 Toyota during the Charlotte race while paying tribute to Mooresville, North Carolina, Officer Jordan Sheldon, who died in the line of duty during a traffic stop earlier in May. 

In August, Earnhardt announced that he and XCI have parted ways, which ended Earnhardt’s 2019 season early and the end of his partnership with XCI and Joe Gibbs Racing. By then, he had made five Xfinity starts with JGR, two Xfinity starts with XCI Racing and one Cup start with XCI, which occurred at Talladega Superspeedway in April.

In February 2020, Earnhardt rejoined JD Motorsports with Gary Keller and started the season with plans on competing in 12 Xfinity Series races. He made his first start of the season at Darlington Raceway in May, where he finished 23rd. He went on to finish 25th the following week at Charlotte before he notched a 15th-place result the next week at Bristol.

Since Darlington in May, Earnhardt ended up competing on a full-time basis with JDM and he has driven the No. 0 Chevrolet Camaro in all but two races, where he drove the No. 15 Chevrolet for JDM. Through last weekend’s event at Kansas Speedway, Earnhardt has achieved 13 top-20 results, a best result of 11th place at Charlotte in October and an average result of 22.3.

Catch Earnhardt’s milestone start at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday, October 24, at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Almirola to reach 350 Cup starts at Texas

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Kathryn Gaskill for SpeedwayMedia.com.

A significant milestone is in the making for Aric Almirola, a two-time NASCAR Cup Series winner and driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing. By taking the green flag in this weekend’s Cup event at Texas Motor Speedway, Almirola will achieve his 350th career start in NASCAR’s premier series.

A native of Tampa, Florida, Almirola’s debut in NASCAR’s premier series occurred at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March 2007. By then, he made 10 career starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and 29 starts in the Truck Series. Driving the No. 80 Joe Gibbs Driven Chevrolet for Joe Gibbs Racing, Almirola started 31st and finished 41st in his Cup debut after being involved in an early accident.

Later in the 2007 season, Almirola transitioned from Joe Gibbs Racing to Dale Earnhardt Inc. and he piloted the No. 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet in five of the remaining 13 scheduled Cup races. His best result during his five-race stretch with DEI was 30th place, which occurred at Talladega Superspeedway in October.

In 2008, Almirola remained with Dale Earnhardt Inc. and served as a co-primary driver of the No. 8 U.S. Army Chevrolet Impala along with veteran Mark Martin. Following the first four races of the season, Almirola made his first Cup start of the season at Bristol Motor Speedway in March, where he collected his first top-10 career finish in eighth place. He made 11 additional starts throughout the 2008 Cup season, where he collected two 13th-place results in the fall and led 53 laps at Martinsville Speedway in October before being shuffled back to a 20th-place result. He capped off the season by finishing in 35th place in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November.

Almirola started the 2009 season as a full-time Cup Series competitor of the No. 8 Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt Inc. He started the season by finishing in 30th place in the Daytona 500 after being involved in two separate incidents. Following the first seven races of the season, however, Almirola’s full-time Cup ride with DEI came to an end due to sponsorship issues. He, ultimately, went on to compete in four Xfinity and 16 Truck Series races throughout the 2009 season.

For the 2010 season, Almirola started the season with plans of competing on a full-time basis in the Cup Series with Phoenix Racing while also racing in the Truck Series for Billy Ballew Motorsports. Following the first seven races of the season, where he failed to qualify for three and finished no higher than 39th, he parted ways with Phoenix Racing and competed the remainder of the season with Billy Ballew Motorsports in the Truck Series, where he went on to win his first two Truck career races and finish in second place in the final standings. He also competed in eight Xfinity races with JR Motorsports. In October, Almirola served as an interim competitor of the No. 9 Budweiser Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports at Martinsville after Kasey Kahne left RPM for Red Bull Racing. Almirola ended up competing in the final five Cup races of the season with RPM, where he notched a career-best fourth-place result in the season finale at Homestead in November.

After spending the 2011 season in the Xfinity Series with JR Motorsports, where he finished in fourth place in the final standings, Almirola returned to the Cup Series for the 2012 season as a full-time competitor of the iconic No. 43 Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports. Almirola started the 2012 season by finishing in 33rd place in the season-opening Daytona 500 after being involved in a late multi-car accident. His best result during the first nine races was an eighth-place result at Martinsville in April.

For the next scheduled race at Talladega Superspeedway, Almirola was paired with veteran Mike Ford, who replaced Greg Erwin. Finishing in 12th place at Talladega and in 19th place the following week at Darlington Raceway, Almirola captured his first Cup career pole for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Despite finishing in 16th place in the Coke 600, Almirola rebounded the following week at Dover International Speedway by finishing in sixth place. 

From Pocono Raceway in June through Richmond Raceway in September, Almirola finished no higher than 17th place on the track. After missing the Playoffs, he was paired with veteran Todd Parrott for the upcoming race at Chicagoland Speedway. For the remaining 10 Cup races of the season, Almirola captured one top-five result, two top-10 results, a total of 72 laps led and a 20th-place result in the final standings.

Remaining with Richard Petty Motorsports for the 2013 Cup season, Almirola started the season by finishing 13th in the Daytona 500 before finishing 15th the following race at Phoenix Raceway. Following the first 10 Cup races of the season, he was coming off four consecutive top-10 results and was in eighth place in the regular-season standings. The consistency for Almirola and the No. 43 team, however, did not last for the remainder of the regular-season stretch, as he achieved only one top-five result and failed to make the Playoffs. He went on to conclude the 2013 season in 18th place in the final standings along with six top-10 results and a career-best average result of 18.8. Following the 2013 season, Almirola surpassed 100 career starts in NASCAR’s premier series. 

Prior to the 2014 season, which marked Almirola’s third season with Richard Petty Motorsports, RPM announced a three-year contract extension for Almirola to remain as driver of the No. 43 Ford with Smithfield Foods and its brands serving as key primary sponsors. Almirola was also paired with crew chief Trent Owens.

Almirola started the 2014 season with a 39th-place result in the Daytona 500 after being involved in a late multi-car accident. Three races later, he captured his first top-three result in the Cup circuit after finishing in third place at Bristol Motor Speedway behind Roush Fenway Racing’s Carl Edwards and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 

Entering Daytona International Speedway in July, Almirola achieved one top-five result and three top-10 results, with an opportunity grab an upset victory and race his way into the 2014 Cup Playoffs. During the race, Almirola dodged two multi-car accidents and outlasted the field, including late challenges from Brian Vickers, Kurt Busch and Casey Mears, to retain the lead when the race was red-flagged and deemed official on Lap 112 due to rain, thus giving Almirola his first Cup career victory in his 125th series start. Almirola’s first Cup win marked the first win for the Richard Petty Motorsports’ No. 43 car since 1999, which was last made by the late John Andretti. The victory also occurred 30 years to the day where Richard Petty recorded his unprecedented 200th and final NASCAR win at Daytona. With his victory, Almirola clinched a spot for the 2014 Cup Playoffs.

Following his upset victory at Daytona, Almirola recorded two top-10 results for the remaining eight regular-season races before entering the Playoffs and as one of 16 competitors with an opportunity to win the championship. Following finishes of 41st, sixth and 28th in the first three races of the Playoffs, Almirola was one of four competitors who were eliminated from title contention. Despite the early exit from title contention, he went on to finish the season in 16th place in the final standings and with a career-high seven top-10 results.

Determined to return to the Playoffs, Almirola started the 2015 Cup season with a 15th-place result in the Daytona 500 followed by an 11th-place run at Atlanta. Through 25 of the 26-race regular-season stretch, he achieved only one top-five result and 13 top-15 results. During the regular-season finale at Richmond in September, Almirola recorded a strong fourth-place result, but he missed the Playoffs by 17 points. He went on to record one additional top-five run and four top-10 results for the remaining 10 Playoff races before finishing in 17th place in the final standings. In addition, he achieved a career-best result of 17.9, compared to his average result of 21.4 in 2014 when he won a race and made the Playoffs.

Remaining with Richard Petty Motorsports for a fifth consecutive season, Almirola started the 2016 season with a 12th-place result in the Daytona 500. He finished in 15th place the following race at Atlanta despite being involved in a four-car wreck during overtime. Compared to his previous two seasons, the 2016 season was a down season for Almirola, who achieved only one top-10 result and an average result of 23.3 before concluding the season in 26th place in the final standings. Following the 2016 season, Almirola surpassed 200 Cup career starts.

Returning for a sixth full-time Cup season with RPM and with new full-time crew chief Drew Blickensderfer, Almirola started the season on a high note by finishing in fourth place in the Daytona 500. For the first 10 races of the season, he achieved three top-10 results, despite being penalized 35 points following the recent event at Talladega for a post-race infraction. 

For the following race at Kansas Speedway, Almirola was involved in a late harrowing accident involving Danica Patrick and Joey Logano, where he could not slow his No. 43 Smithfield Ford in time and rammed into Logano at full speed as the rear end of Almirola’s car came off the ground amid a shower of sparks. Following the incident, where Logano and Patrick were able to emerge uninjured, Almirola had to be extricated from his car and placed on a stretcher, where he was airlifted to the University of Kansas Hospital. It was later determined that he had suffered a compression fracture of his T5 vertebrae. While Almirola spent time recovering from his injuries, he was absent for eight races, including the All-Star Open/Race weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. During his absence, Regan Smith, Bubba Wallace and Billy Johnson each took turns piloting the No. 43 Smithfield Ford.

In July at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Almirola returned to the track and finished in 24th place. Despite missing the Playoffs, he remained in the No. 43 seat for the remaining 18 races of the season, where he collected three top-10 results and finished in 29th place in the final standings. He also recorded an average result of 18.8.

In September, two months before the season’s conclusion, Almirola and Smithfield Foods announced their departure from RPM at season’s end. Two months later, both announced that they will be joining Stewart-Haas Racing and the No. 10 Ford team led by Johnny Klausmeier for the 2018 Cup Series season.

Three months later, Almirola made his first Cup start with SHR in the 60th running of the Daytona 500. During the event, he ran consistently and was able to move into the lead over Denny Hamlin at the start of the final lap. Entering the backstretch, Almirola continued to lead, though he had Austin Dillon and Bubba Wallace closing in on him for the lead and the win. Entering Turn 3, however, Dillon made contact and turned Almirola, which sent Almirola’s No. 10 Ford into the outside wall and out of contention while Dillon went on to win. Instead of a possible trip to Victory Lane in one of NASCAR’s crown-jewel events, Almirola ended his race in 11th place and with a wrecked race car. 

For the first 16 Cup races of the season, Almirola recorded seven top-10 results and 14 top-15 results, as he was also ranked in 10th place in the regular-season standings. He went on to record three additional top-10 results and secure a spot in the 2018 Playoffs based on points and following a strong consistent regular-season stretch with no victories. 

Almirola opened his second appearance in the Playoffs as a title contender by finishing sixth at Las Vegas and in fifth at Richmond. Despite finishing in 19th place at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, he was able to transfer into the Round of 12 in the Playoffs on a three-way tie-breaker along with Kyle Larson and over Jimmie Johnson.

After leading 64 laps and finishing 13th the following week at Dover due to being involved in a late multi-car incident, Almirola came into the following race at Talladega Superspeedway with a “Checkers or Wreckers” mindset. After spending the majority of the race running towards the front with his Stewart-Haas Racing teammates, he capitalized on a late restart and with teammate Kurt Busch running out of fuel on the final lap to hold off teammate Clint Bowyer and capture his first elusive victory of the season. With his second Cup career win and first with SHR, Almirola transferred into the Round of 8 in the 2018 Cup Playoffs.

After finishing 10th the following week at Kansas, Almirola finished 11th, eighth and fourth in the Round of 8. Despite the results, he failed to advance to the Championship 4 round at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he finished ninth. Though he missed an opportunity to contend for his first Cup title, Almirola capped off a successful and productive 2018 season with SHR with a win, a career-high four top-five result, a career-high 17 top-10 results, a career-high 181 laps led and a career-best points result of fifth place.

With the 2018 season complete, Almirola approached the 2019 season with high aspirations of being a title threat and contending for wins, beginning with the 61st running of the Daytona 500. His season, however, started off on a low note when he was involved in a late multi-car accident and ended his run in 29th place. He rebounded the following six weeks by finishing in the top 10 in all of them. 

Throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch, Almirola and the No. 10 Smithfield/SHR team achieved 10 top-10 results, as Almirola qualified for his third Cup Playoffs as a title contender. After finishing 13th, 16th and 14th through the first three races of the Playoffs, however, he was eliminated from title contention. Unable to produce a late rally for this year’s title run, he went on to capture two top-five results, including a season-best second place behind teammate Kevin Harvick at Texas Motor Speedway in November, and conclude the season in 14th place in the final standings despite not winning once throughout the season. Following the 2019 season, Almirola surpassed 300 Cup career starts.

Almirola remained with SHR for the 2020 season, but was paired with crew chief Mike Bugarewicz while Johnny Klausmeier was reassigned. For the third consecutive year, Almirola’s season started off on a down note after he was involved in a late multi-car accident that took him out of contention of winning his first 500 title.

Following the first 11 Cup races of this season, Almirola achieved three top-10 results and was in 14th place in the regular-season standings. For the next scheduled race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Almirola and the No. 10 team began to turn the tide as they went on a nine-race stretch of finishing in the top five or top 10 on the track. After finishing in seventh place at New Hampshire in July, he was ranked in eighth place in the regular-season standings. Ultimately, he went on to record two additional top-10 results and secure a spot in this year’s Playoffs, which marked his fourth career appearance in the Playoffs as a title contender.

Entering the 2020 Cup Playoffs with momentum and high expectations, Almirola advanced into the Round of 12 after finishing ninth, eighth and fifth in the first round of the Playoffs spanning three races. His momentum, however, came to an end during the second round, where he finished 17th, 37th and 16th during the following three races and failed to advance to the Round of 8. He went on to finish in 13th place in last weekend’s event at Kansas.

Through October 2020, Almirola has achieved two Cup career victories, two poles, 24 top-five results and 78 top-10 results in 349 previous starts in the Cup circuit. He is set to remain with Stewart-Haas Racing for the 2021 Cup Series season.

Catch Almirola’s milestone start at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, October 25, at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Harvick to start on pole position at Texas

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images.

Kevin Harvick, the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion, was awarded the pole position for the upcoming Cup Series Playoff race at Texas Motor Speedway, the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500, on Sunday, October 25.

Harvick, who led a race-high 85 laps and finished in second place in last weekend’s Playoff race at Kansas Speedway, earned the pole based on four stats: current owner’s standings, the driver’s results from a previous Cup race, the owner’s results from a previous Cup race and the fastest lap established from a previous Cup race.

The pole award marks the sixth time of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, third in the Playoffs, where Harvick and his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang team will lead the field to the start of an event. Currently, Harvick is 41 points above the top-four cutline in his efforts to make the Championship 4 round and contend for his second Cup title. In addition, Harvick enters this weekend’s event at Texas with extra momentum as he has won the last three fall Texas races.

Joey Logano, winner of last weekend’s Playoff race at Kansas and a 2020 NASCAR Cup Series championship contender, will start alongside Harvick on the front row. Teammate Brad Keselowski will start in third place followed by Hendrick Motorsports teammates Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman, all of whom produced strong results at Kansas.

Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin will start in sixth and seventh followed by Kurt Busch, who looks to rebound following his late engine failure at Kansas.

Kyle Busch will start in ninth place and as the highest non-title contender on the starting grid alongside Ryan Blaney and followed by William Byron and Austin Dillon.

Rounding out positions 13-26 are Aric Almirola, Matt DiBenedetto, Christopher Bell, Cole Custer, Erik Jones, Bubba Wallace, Tyler Reddick, Chris Buescher, Clint Bowyer, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Michael McDowell, John Hunter Nemechek, Ryan Newman and Jimmie Johnson.

Rounding out positions 27-40 are Ty Dillon, Corey LaJoie, Ryan Preece, Daniel Suarez, Brennan Poole, Matt Kenseth, J.J. Yeley, Quin Houff, Reed Sorenson, Timmy Hill, Josh Bilicki, Garrett Smithley, Joey Gase and Chad Finchum.

The Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 at Texas Motor Speedway will occur on Sunday, October 25, at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

DECARLO PREPARING TO COMPETE IN HORNETS DIVISION AT SOUTH BOSTON SPEEDWAY IN 2021

By
Official Release
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Photo Courtesy South Boston Speedway

South Boston, Va…..Over the past 15 years Jason DeCarlo has developed a love for racing. He worked with Limited Sportsman Division and Late Model Stock Car Division driver Charles Barnes while Barnes was racing at South Boston Speedway. More recently he has worked with South Boston Speedway Hornets Division champion Kevin Currin.

“It (working with Barnes) got me down here in the pits with him, and I learned a lot helping him,” DeCarlo explained.

“I got to spotting for him and spotting for Kevin Currin in the Hornets Division. I had wanted to drive, but I just haven’t had the time, the opportunity or the money to build a car. I finally had a chance to build a car and come out racing. Of course, we haven’t been able to race here at South Boston this season, but I’ve been here at South Boston Speedway practicing.”

It took the Chase City, Virginia resident some time to build his Hornets Division car and reach the point where he could take his car to the track for the first time.

“I started on the car in September last year and got it buttoned up to where we were planning to come to Open Practice in March,” he explained.

“I think we practiced once at the end of February to check over the car.”

When asked about being behind the wheel he said “it’s an absolute blast” while acknowledging the car is somewhat hard to drive.

“Considering this is the only racecar I have ever driven, it’s a handful,” he remarked.

“They are not made to do what we do with them.”

The opportunities to test his car at South Boston Speedway this season will pay dividends for DeCarlo in 2021.

“Seat time is the biggest thing,” DeCarlo pointed out, “getting into a routine, learning the lines, feeling what changes we can make to the car. It helps a lot.”

DeCarlo has found a couple of opportunities to race this season as he continues his learning process.

“I have plans to maybe race another time or two before the year ends,” he noted.

“With the circumstances the way they are this year I’m trying to find something to do a little racing.”

For DeCarlo, racing is all about having fun.

“I come up here (to South Boston Speedway) to have a good time,” DeCarlo explained.

“What I really enjoy about the Hornets Division is the people we are racing with. You don’t win anything racing in the Hornets Division. It’s about the good time, having fun racing, and having fun racing with the people you race with.”

DeCarlo says South Boston Speedway will be his home track in 2021. His goals for next season are modest.

“My main goal is to just finish some races,” he said.

“I want to try to stay out of trouble and do the best we can. I want to win some races, but we will see how things go.”

South Boston Speedway is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. for teams wishing to schedule testing sessions. The track is available for testing from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. each day. Teams wishing to schedule testing sessions should contact the speedway office at 434-572-4947 at least a day ahead to schedule a testing date.

JR Motorsports — NXS Texas II Preview

By
Official Release
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JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Texas Motor Speedway
RACE: O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 (200 laps / 300 miles)
DATE: Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020

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

Michael Annett
No. 1 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet
• Michael Annett returns to Texas Motor Speedway following a career-best finish on the 1.5-mile quad-oval in July. Annett earned a fifth-place finish in the first TMS race earlier this season and also has three top-10 finishes there.
• On 1.5-mile tracks this season, Annett has posted a pair of fifth-place finishes and nine top 10s over his 11 starts, earning an average finish of 8.2 in those races.
• At Kansas last week, Annett equaled his career-best total of 19 top-10 finishes set last year.
• Annett’s No. 1 Chevrolet will return to the familiar colors of Pilot Flying J this weekend.

Jeb Burton
No. 8 State Water Heaters Chevrolet
• Jeb Burton and the No. 8 team enter the second race in the Round of 8 seventh in the playoff grid for the owner’s championship, 23 points behind fourth.
• In five previous NXS starts at Texas, Burton has scored one top five and three top 10s with a best finish of fifth coming in the spring of 2019. All three of Burton’s top-10 results at Texas have come while driving for JRM.
• Burton earned a sixth-place finish at the 1.5-mile oval earlier this season.
• Texas is also the site of Burton’s first career victory in the Truck Series, coming in June of 2013. Burton started third and led 25 laps en route to the victory.

Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson currently sits eighth in the playoff standings and is 33 points below the final cutoff position to make it into the Championship 4 with two races remaining in the Round of 8.
• Gragson has three previous starts in the NXS at Texas with a best finish of 13th coming in the spring of 2019.
• At tracks that are between 1-2 miles in length, Gragson has scored 10 top fives, 23 top 10s, an average finish of 9.7 and 464 laps led in NXS competition.
• In his last 10 NXS starts, Gragson has tallied four top fives, eight top 10s and has led 58 laps.

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 Sam’s Club / Hellmann’s Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier heads to Texas this weekend second in the NXS Playoff standings, 11 points above the cutoff line with two races left in the Round of 8.
• The Illinois native has two top fives and 10 top 10s at the 1.5-mile oval in NXS competition. His best finish of third came earlier this year after he led 98 laps and swept the first two stages.
• Allgaier has two wins on tracks measuring 1.5-miles in length, both coming at Chicagoland Speedway. This season, he has four top fives and eight top 10s on mileand-a-half tracks, with three stage wins.

Driver Quotes

“We had a really good run at Texas in July and were able to move forward all day. The last adjustment we made at Kansas showed us something, and I am looking forward to this weekend to keep moving the needle. Our No. 1 team has been pretty sharp on 1.5-mile ovals this year, and Texas is a fast one. Continuing to make gains is important and it sets us up for future success on these tracks.” – Michael Annett

“Last time we visited Texas, I felt like we had the car to beat and that gives me confidence as we head back there this weekend with our Sam’s Club/Hellmann’s Camaro. There are only two races left until Phoenix and right now we’re on the good side of that cutoff line, but the points are tight and things can easily change. Our focus is on the execution of staying on top of the things we can control. We plan on getting as many stage points as we can and being there at the end fighting for the win.” – Justin Allgaier

“I always love getting the opportunity to race in Texas. This track is definitely a special one for me and my career, especially since this is where I got my first Truck Series win. We had a lot of speed here last time out in July and I feel really confident that we will unload with that same speed this weekend with our State Water Heaters Chevrolet. This whole No. 8 team has done a great job and we know what our goal is on Saturday and that is to do everything we can to advance into the next round of the playoffs and fight for that owner’s championship. I can’t wait to get back on the track and see what we can do.” – Jeb Burton

“Texas has not treated us well in the past. We were really strong here in the spring and just got bit by the bad luck bug. We’re coming off a rough weekend in Kansas but my Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee team has their heads held high and we know we can go in this weekend and win. We just have to put it all together and be there at the end which I know we are capable of doing.” – Noah Gragson

JRM Team Updates

• JRM at Texas: In 77 NXS starts at Texas Motor Speedway, JRM has one win, 20 top fives and 47 top 10s, along with one pole award (2014). The organization’s lone victory came in 2014 with Chase Elliott. JRM drivers Justin Allgaier, Michael Annett and Jeb Burton had respective finishes of third, fifth and sixth in the first event at Texas earlier this season.
• JRM in the Round of 8: Since the elimination format began for the NASCAR playoffs in 2016, JR Motorsports has claimed two wins, 15 top fives and 26 top 10s in the Round of 8. Both of JRM’s victories in the Round of 8 came at Phoenix Raceway in 2017 and 2019 with William Byron and Justin Allgaier, respectively.
• Bass Pro Shops Blaze Craze: Blaze Craze is back at Bass Pro Shops and they’ve got all the gear in your favorite fall color. Stop by and get everything you will need before heading into the woods this fall. Head over to basspro.com now and check it out!
• Hellmann’s Sam’s Club Ultimate Race Fan Experience Sweepstakes: Don’t forget to enter for a chance to win the Hellmann’s Sam’s Club Ultimate Race Fan Experience Sweepstakes, and get a $5.00 Sam’s Club eGift card when you upload your receipt. The Grand Prize consists of the opportunity to meet Justin Allgaier, two VIP passes to see him race, a tour of JR Motorsports, autographed memorabilia and more! Click here to enter!

ARCA Menards Series West Advance: All American Speedway & Kern County Raceway Park

By
Official Release
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Track: All American Speedway, half-mile oval
Event: NAPA Auto Parts 125 (62.5 miles, 125 laps)

Schedule:
Friday, Oct. 23
6:00 p.m……………Practice/Qualifying
10:00 p.m…………Race (Trackpass on NBC Gold)
(all times ET)

Track: Kern County Raceway Park, half-mile oval
Event: NAPA ENEOS 125 (62.5 miles, 125 laps)

Schedule:
Sunday, Oct. 25
1:10 p.m……………Practice/Qualifying
5:00 p.m…………Race (Trackpass on NBC Gold)
(all times ET)

Taylor Gray, No. 17 Ford Performance Fusion

Taylor Gray will pull double duty this weekend in California in the ARCA Menards Series West. Gray will start his racing weekend Friday at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif., for the 125-lap race. Then he’ll head south to Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield, Calif., for Sunday’s 125 lapper in his No. 17 Ford Performance Fusion.

This will be Gray’s third and fourth ARCA West starts this season. He ran the doubleheader races at Utah Motorsports Campus in June where he finished fourth in the first race and 11th in the second race after having to change a battery. In addition to those, he has also made 12 ARCA Menards Series starts with eight top-five and 11 top-10 finishes. He has also run five ARCA East races earning two top-five and five top-10 finishes.

Gray has no prior experience at either track, but has been studying film from previous races there and learning as much as he can about the technical elements of each place. Seth Smith, who was Hailie Deegan’s crew chief in the ARCA Menards Series this season, will be on the pit box calling the shots for Gray at both races.

Both races will stream live on Trackpass on NBC Gold. The races will be 125 laps (62.5 miles) with no race breaks. All American will start at 10pm ET on Friday and Kern at 5pm ET on Sunday.

Gray on All American & Kern: “I’m looking forward to going out west for both races. I’ve never raced at either track, but they both look like a lot of fun. My spotter, Brandon McReynolds, has raced at both of these tracks in the past, so he’s been a big help coaching me and telling me what to expect from each track. It’s nice to have someone in the spotter’s stand who knows the tracks and can help me navigate my first races there.”

Erik Jones Joins Richard Petty Motorsports to Drive the Iconic No. 43

By
Official Release
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WELCOME, N.C. (October 21, 2020) – Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) announces today that Erik Jones will join the organization in 2021 as the driver of the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS), made famous by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty.

“Erik is an exceptionally talented driver, and we are excited to have him join our team,” Brian Moffitt, chief executive officer at Richard Petty Motorsports, said. “At only 24-years old, Erik is part of NASCAR’s next generation of stars. He has won races at every level in NASCAR he has competed in – including in the NASCAR Cup Series. Erik is a proven winner and we look forward to providing him with the opportunity to add more wins to this already impressive resume.”

Jones has signed a multi-year driver agreement with the team.

The most successful drivers are inseparably linked to the car numbers they have had the most success with. No number has any stronger recognition in NASCAR history than the legendary No. 43 with Richard Petty.

Richard Petty collected 200 career premier series race victories, and for 192 of those, the race car was adorned with the iconic No. 43 on either side. Lee Petty also placed the No. 43 in victory lane. Jim Paschal was the first to collect a victory in the No. 43 without the famous last name of Petty.

Following the Richard Petty 1992 Fan Appreciation Tour, the number was retired for two years before returning to the track with Wally Dallenbach Jr., and later John Andretti. In 1995, Bobby Hamilton added his name to the history of the No. 43, and captured two wins for the team. In addition, Andretti (1999) and Aric Almirola (2014) each added their names to the list of winners in the No. 43.

“It is an incredible honor to have Richard Petty want you to drive for his race team and with the car number he made famous,” Jones said. “Richard Petty Motorsports has a rich history in the sport, but they are not resting on that history. They still have something to prove, and I have something to prove. We are both motivated to write a new chapter. I am proud to be a part of Richard Petty Motorsports.”

Now, Jones and the No. 43 will go together.

In his fourth full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series, Jones has two wins, 33 top-five finishes and 62 top-10 finishes in 144 career starts in the series. In addition, the Byron, Mich., native collected two pole awards (Bristol, Las Vegas), and has led 645 laps throughout five years in the NASCAR Cup Series. Jones captured his first-career NASCAR Cup Series win at the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on July 7, 2018, and collected his second-career win on September 1, 2019 in the historic Southern 500 at the Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. This year, he kicked-off the NASCAR Cup Series season with a win in the Busch Clash, an annual invitation-only 75-lap exhibition race at the Daytona International Speedway.

The 24-year old was the first driver ever to win Rookie of the Year honors in all of NASCAR’s top-three national touring series. In 2015 Jones captured the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series (NGROTS) championship. The next year, he finished fourth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) championship driver points standings.

Crew chief Jerry Baxter will continue to lead the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE team in 2021 with Jones. It will be a reunion of sorts for Baxter and Jones, who have their connection through Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series for three seasons.

About Richard Petty Motorsports
A performance and marketing driven company, Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM), co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and successful business entrepreneur Andrew Murstein, is one of the most recognized brands in all of motorsports. RPM is the winningest team in NASCAR Cup history with 273 wins and has business partnerships with national and global leaders. Today the race operation fields the famed No. 43 in the NASCAR Cup Series with driver Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. The team is headquartered in Welcome, N.C., and is supported by primary partners Cash App, Coca-Cola, Columbia Sportswear, DoorDash, McDonald’s, United States Air Force, and World Wide Technology (WWT).

For additional information, news and the latest updates, please visit www.richardpettymotorsports.com or connect with RPM on Facebook (Richard Petty Motorsports), Twitter (@RPMotorsports) or Instagram (@richardpettymotorsports).

Ford Performance NASCAR: Harvick Going for Fourth Straight Texas Playoff Win

By
Official Release
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FORD PERFORMANCE NASCAR: TEXAS PLAYOFF NOTES

The middle race in the Round of 8 takes place this weekend after Ford drivers captured two of the three openers in Kansas. Chase Briscoe took the NASCAR XFINITY Series race and Joey Logano followed that up in the NASCAR Cup Series to clinch Championship 4 berths for both drivers. Here’s a look at where all Ford drivers stand going into Saturday and Sunday’s action at Texas Motor Speedway.

This Week’s Schedule:

Saturday, Oct. 24 – NASCAR XFINITY Series, 4:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
Sunday, Oct. 25 – NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoor Truck Series, 12 Noon ET (FS1)
Sunday, Oct. 25 – NASCAR Cup Series, 3:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN)

LOGANO POSTS 18TH CUP WIN FOR FORD

Joey Logano’s victory on Sunday at Kansas Speedway clinched his spot in the Championship 4 and gave Ford it’s 18th win of the season. That is not only the most among manufacturers in 2020 but is the third-highest single-season total in Ford’s NASCAR history during the modern era (1972-present). With three races remaining, the Blue Oval still has a shot to equal or pass the 20 wins it recorded in 1994. Here is a look at Ford’s best seasons since 1972:

YEAR-WINS
1994 – 20
2018 – 19
1997 – 19
2020 – 18
2005 – 16
1992 – 16
1998 – 15

FORD WINNING AT 55% RATE IN 2020

Joey Logano’s first playoff win of the season last weekend continued Ford’s string of success in 2020, and particularly since NASCAR returned to action. Overall, Ford drivers have combined to win 18-of-33 NASCAR Cup Series races (55%) and 16-of-29 points events (55%) since Kevin Harvick won the first race back at Darlington on May 17. Ford also holds a 68-point lead in the series manufacturers’ standings with three races remaining.

BRISCOE SETS FORD RECORD; ADVANCES TO CHAMPIONSHIP 4

Chase Briscoe set a Ford record for most wins in a NASCAR XFINITY Series season when he registered his ninth on Saturday at Kansas Speedway. The previous mark of eight had been held by Carl Edwards in 2011. Briscoe’s victory automatically advances him into the Championship 4, where he’ll have a chance to win the series title at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 7.

MOST FORD NXS DRIVER WINS (Single Season)
9 – Chase Briscoe (2020)
8 – Carl Edwards (2011)
7 – Cole Custer (2019)
7 – Brad Keselowski (2013)
7 – Carl Edwards (2008)
7 – Mark Martin (1993)

ROUND OF 8 NCS PLAYOFF STANDINGS (Top 4 Advance After Martinsville)

Joey Logano (Clinched: Kansas win)
Kevin Harvick (+41 ahead of transfer spot)
Brad Keselowski (+8 ahead of transfer spot)

FORD IN THE NASCAR CUP SERIES AT TMS

· Ford has the most all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins at TMS with 15.
· Kevin Harvick is the three-time defending champion of the Playoff race at TMS.
· Jack Roush is tied for the most wins among car owners at TMS with nine.

ROUND OF 8 NXS PLAYOFF STANDINGS (Top 4 Advance After Martinsville)

Chase Briscoe (Clinched: Kansas win)
Austin Cindric (+2 ahead of transfer spot)

FORD IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT TMS

· Ford has 13 NASCAR XFINITY Series wins at TMS.
· Austin Cindric won the first NXS race at Texas this year, capping a three-race winning streak.
· Mark Martin won the first NXS race at Texas and leads Ford with three series victories overall.

ROUND OF 8 NGROTS PLAYOFF STANDINGS (Top 4 Advance After Martinsville)

Grant Enfinger (-7 from final transfer spot)
Matt Crafton (-15 from final transfer spot)
Ben Rhodes (-33 from final transfer spot)

FORD IN THE NASCAR GANDER RV & OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES AT KANSAS

· Ford has three series victories at Texas.
· Kenny Irwin, Jr. won the inaugural Texas event in 1997.
· Johnny Sauter leads all active drivers with five Texas wins.

HARVICK GOING FOR FOURTH STRAIGHT TEXAS PLAYOFF WIN

The last three times the NASCAR Cup Series has come to Texas Motor Speedway in the playoffs, Kevin Harvick has come away with the victory and a spot in the Championship 4. Last season, Harvick started from the pole and led a race-high 119 of the 334 laps, backing up his dominating performance from 2018 when he led 177 laps and won all three stages. That was much different than 2017 when he passed Martin Truex Jr. with 10 laps remaining to win, marking his first Cup victory at the speedway in 30 starts.

LAST LAP PASS LEADS LOGANO TO VICTORY

Joey Logano’s first Cup win at TMS came in 2014 in a race that was delayed until Monday because of rain. Logano dominated much of the second half, but a caution with two laps to go forced a green-white-checker finish. He started third on the restart after the leaders stopped on pit road and was able to get past Jeff Gordon on the final lap to claim victory. Logano led 108 of the final 116 laps to claim the first of five wins that season.

A TEXAS TWO-FIRST

A couple of firsts happened on April 6, 1997 as Texas Motor Speedway hosted its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series event and Jeff Burton took his first checkered flag. Burton, led by crew chief Buddy Parrott, passed Todd Bodine with 58 laps remaining and beat fellow Ford driver Dale Jarrett to the finish line by four seconds. The race was slowed by 10 cautions, which included a multi-car accident in first turn of the first lap. Burton went on to win 21 career series races with 17 of those coming in a Thunderbird or Taurus.

SADLER WINS FIRST RACE WITH RYR

Elliott Sadler passed Jeff Gordon with 27 laps remaining and then held off Kasey Kahne in the closing laps to win the Samsung/Radio Shack 500 on April 4, 2004. Sadler, in his second season with Robert Yates Racing, hugged the inside lane over the final three laps as Kahne worked the outside. When the two cars came off turn four for the final time, Sadler had a lapped car in front of him and that allowed Kahne to make one last charge. Despite gaining crucial ground through the tri-oval, Kahne came up half-a-car length short as Sadler crossed the line first to gain his second of three career series wins.

FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS AT TEXAS
1997 – Jeff Burton
1998 – Mark Martin
2001 – Dale Jarrett
2002 – Matt Kenseth
2004 – Elliott Sadler
2005 – Greg Biffle (1) and Carl Edwards (2)
2008 – Carl Edwards (Sweep)
2011 – Matt Kenseth (1)
2012 – Greg Biffle (1)
2014 – Joey Logano (1)
2017 – Kevin Harvick (2)
2018 – Kevin Harvick (2)
2019 – Kevin Harvick (2)

FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS AT TEXAS
1997 – Mark Martin
1999 – Mark Martin
2000 – Mark Martin
2004 – Matt Kenseth
2007 – Matt Kenseth
2010 – Carl Edwards (2)
2011 – Carl Edwards (1) and Trevor Bayne (2)
2012 – Ricky Stenhouse (1)
2013 – Brad Keselowski (2)
2015 – Brad Keselowski (2)
2018 – Ryan Blaney (1) and Cole Custer (2)
2020 – Austin Cindric (1)

FORD NASCAR GANDER RV & OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES WINNERS AT TEXAS
1997 – Kenny Irwin Jr.
1998 – Tony Raines
2000 – Greg Biffle (1)

Love’s Travel Stops and Speedco Return to Fuel McDowell at Texas

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Official Release
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McDowell on Texas:

“We’re headed back to Texas this weekend in the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops | Speedco Ford Mustang. Love’s (Travel Stops) has been on board with us for the past seven races and Speedco, which is part of the Love’s family of companies, was last on with us at the Charlotte ROVAL. I’m really excited to have them both on the car this Sunday and I’m thankful for their continued support of our race program.

“Texas Motor Speedway has always been high on my list of favorite race tracks and I know that the folks at Love’s feel the same way as their headquarters is only a few hours down the road in Oklahoma City, (Okla.), making this somewhat of a hometown race for them.

“I’m really looking forward to building on our solid run at Kansas and hopefully we can show even more speed on Sunday. We have quite the battle going on right now in the Owner’s Points Standings and just a few more points will gain us a couple of positions, so we’re ready to race hard and hopefully bring home a great result.”

About Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores

Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores is the nation’s industry-leading travel stop network with 530 locations in 41 states. Founded in 1964 and headquartered in Oklahoma City, the company remains family-owned and operated and employs more than 27,000 people. Love’s provides professional truck drivers and motorists with 24-hour access to clean and safe places to purchase gasoline, diesel fuel, fresh coffee, restaurant offerings and more. Love’s has more than 390 truck service centers, which include on-site and stand-alone Speedco and Love’s Truck Tire Care locations. Love’s and Speedco combined is the largest oil change, preventive maintenance and total truck care nationwide network. Love’s is committed to providing customers with “Clean Places, Friendly Faces” at every stop. To learn more, visit loves.com.

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