Ford Performance Notes and Quotes NASCAR Xfinity Series Bristol Media Availability Saturday, April 12, 2025
Sheldon Creed, driver of the No. 00 Friends of Jaclyn Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Haas Factory Team, is fourth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series standings heading into today’s scheduled race. He answered questions from the media about his season to date and thoughts on racing at Bristol Motor Speedway.
SHELDON CREED, No. 00 Friends of Jaclyn Ford Mustang Dark Horse – WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN THIS SEASON IN THOSE BUILDING BLOCKS THAT MAKE YOU CONFIDENT YOU’RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION? “I think it starts with our crew chief, Jonathan Toney. I think that says a lot because I’ve been with some really fun and great groups. Just the way that he keeps the team together and kind of rallies the troops, just trying to build on what we’ve been doing. We’ve had some good runs. We’ve also fought really hard to run 10th like last week, so I feel like we’re consistently a top 10 car, but just trying to build a little bit more and run top five more consistently and then from there run top three more consistently. We’re just building and trying to figure out what I want, what they’ve been fast with in the past and kind of combine that.”
CAN YOU PAINT THE PICTURE OF THE TOUGHEST PART ABOUT FINDING THOSE LAST SCRAPS OF SPEED TO GO FROM TOP 10 OR TOP 5 TO WINNING RACES ON A REGULAR BASIS? “I think it has a lot to do with what the driver being able to relay to the guys, not just at the track, but when we get back home to the shop, like what you had that past weekend and what you think you need going forward and just having that certain feeling in the car that you’re looking for every week. I don’t know. It’s really difficult. Everyone is really good, so being able to do that more consistently is probably the key to running in the top three every week.”
IT SEEMS LIKE THE TRANSITION HAS BEEN SEAMLESS AS YOU’VE ADAPTED TO HAAS. HOW HAS IT HELPED BEING WITH THE GUYS OFF THE TRACK? “Honestly, it felt seamless. I felt like my transition from RCR to Gibbs was harder. They just did things a lot different, so that was a little more challenging, and then rolling into Haas Factory Team, I don’t know. Going back to my crew chief, he just made it super easy for me and he’s super easy to get along with and we just have great conversations with him and the guys, having dinners or whatever away from the track. We all get along really well and I don’t think just our team. We have our 00 team, but then the 41 guys and the group of guys that are at the shop that don’t come to the track, everyone just works really well together and everyone is just working on the same goal.”
DID YOU ANTICIPATE BEING IN THE TOP FIVE OF THE STANDINGS WITH SAM AT THIS POINT? “It’s always the goal coming in and you try to play your first few races right. Daytona is obviously tough. You don’t know what way it’s gonna go for you, but it’s been really good for both cars to be able to score stage points and have good finishes. I think that’s always the goal. You just don’t quite know how your season is gonna go. There are some new kids that are really fast that are just learning and figuring it out, just like the way I did in my first season. You’re learning these little things and how to play your race differently to get finishes and at the end of the day if you know you’re not a winning race car, what can you do pit strategy-wise and what can you do behind the wheel to get yourself if you’re a 10th-place car, get yourself to be a fifth-place car.”
WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR WHEN YOU’RE LOOKING FOR THAT NEXT OPPORTUNITY? “There’s a ton behind the scenes. All of them are unique in their own way and so different and I’ve been with each manufacturer, too. They all have different programs, whether you’re working out or behind the wheel during the week. I’m definitely looking for more opportunities to drive different race cars during the week, whether it’s go karts or micros more. I just think being behind the wheel during the week is big, so I’m still trying to figure all of that out, but I hope Haas Factory Team is a home for me for a while and it is through at least 2026, so hopefully we can go win races and run well and make Papa Joe happy and we can keep this thing going. At RCR, I knew I had two years and then obviously last year I didn’t know what was gonna happen, so just knowing you have two years to build with the same team and then if Cup is my future, I don’t know. Winning helps. I need to win to have that opportunity or get a call possibly, but stability is a nice thing to have in the back of your mind.”
DO YOU FEEL HAVING TWO CARS IN XFINITY IS A BENEFIT TO YOUR PROGRAM? “Yeah, probably. Maybe not a benefit, but it doesn’t hurt it. I’ve been at teams that have 300-400 employees to I think we have around 100, so it makes getting around the shop nice and you kind of know everybody by name and, honestly, I like the smaller group. It reminds me a lot of GMS when I was truck racing. Everyone just knows each other, gets along well, it’s easy to get things done, so I really enjoy that part of it.”
DO YOU FEEL YOU’VE CAUGHT PEOPLE BY SURPRISE THIS YEAR WITH HOW WELL YOU’RE RUNNING? “No, I think I finished fifth last year in the regular season points, and it’s not like we’re a start up team. It kind of just rolled over from Stewart-Haas, so Cole and Riley did a really good job last year, but I don’t think so.”
WHAT IS IT YOU’RE TRYING TO DO DURING THE WEEK? IS IT TRYING TO FIND SPONSORSHIP OR WHAT KIND OF RACING IS BEST FOR YOU? “It’s definitely financial, so sponsors always help – PSA deals, whatever. I don’t know, you probably hear it a lot. Money is just not what it was 20 years ago, so being able to afford to do it on your own is challenging. I have my own micro, I just don’t run it as much because I just keep making less money. I’m just trying to balance that and then put all your effort into this deal on the NASCAR side. I don’t want to take away putting my focus somewhere else. Other manufacturers provide it for their drivers, so we’re kind of working through that to see how we can help everyone.”
ROCKINGHAM IS NEXT WEEK AND YOU GOT TO DO THE TEST. WHAT DOES THAT PLACE MEAN TO SOMEBODY AS YOUNG AS YOU AND DOESN’T HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE AT THE TRACK? “I think for someone that’s been a NASCAR fan for a long time, it’s probably really cool to see NASCAR go back there. For me, my first time driving in when we went to go test I felt like I was driving into this scene of Days of Thunder. That’s literally what it feels like. There wasn’t a lot of grandstands. There’s like nothing, but I think we’ll see what kind of race it puts on. Obviously, it’s a repave so it’s extremely fast, like really fast for the Xfinity cars, so passing might be difficult. I would say at least the first time we go. It could widen out. I think one and two will widen out, but it’s probably gonna be a track position game most of the day.”
Toyota GAZOO Racing – Brandon Jones NASCAR Cup Series Quotes
BRISTOL, Tenn. (April 12, 2025) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Brandon Jones was made available to the media on Saturday prior to practice for the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
BRANDON JONES, No. 20 Menards/Pelonis Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Is the pressure off with a win in the pocket?
“Yeah, it is, I think. I was getting asked earlier in the week if there is more pressure to go win more, and I don’t think that is the case. I think momentum is infectious and I think once you open the valve, they start flowing pretty easy. It is funny how that typically works. I have been a receiver on that end as well, right? So, you just start racing a little differently – you put yourself in, I guess from the outside, riskier situations, but the end result – those are the moves that result in wins. I think if you come to these races, and you think I’ve got to win, so you start doing all of these little things, like ‘well, let’s not race this guy too hard, or let’s not push the limit on pit road too hard – like you are trying to minimize all of these little mistakes, but all you are doing is hurting yourself and putting yourself behind the eight-ball, so now, what is there to lose? We can go try to get a bunch of points – I think that is our agenda now is trying to rack up some stages, try to get a lot of points and continue to get further along in the point standings that we can in the first round here. It is still really early, which is nice, so there is a lot of time to continue to make ground up and maybe become a contender for this regular season. I think that this group is jelling super well right now. Sam McAuley is a really, really good crew chief and we are starting to really click with each other and really make the right adjustments during the race and even unloading with better speed than we started the season with as well. It is all starting to come together and we are doing it as a group, which is why I think it is working. I don’t think there is one person overpowering the other. We all sit down together all week long and do this together. We prepare together, so that is kind of my mentality. I take this – kind of like you would run a military unit – you get everybody in a room. You all brief before you go out there and then you do it as a group. That is kind of the way I’ve been trying to run my race team, and I think we are doing a really good job of it.”
What has it been like coming home per say to Joe Gibbs Racing?
“I’m glad because there are the little unknowns – you go over to an organization that – it does have speed every week, and you can’t get it done there, so you are like – what is that going to look like if I come back and don’t get success or don’t have success, so there was a little bit in the back of my mind of the concern of that, but at the same time, I believed in this organization as well. I believed in Joe Gibbs Racing. I think Joe (Gibbs, owner and founder, Joe Gibbs Racing) believed in me and kind of welcomed us with open arms. They said there was a spot if we wanted to try to make it work. That just felt right. I think that is all you have to do in life in these decisions – sometimes they aren’t always the right move and the right path for you. If it feels right in the moment, take it – don’t worry about all of the repercussions of the move, just go with what your heart is telling you to do. It felt right to go to JR Motorsports, and it felt right to come back to Joe Gibbs Racing.”
What was the feeling like on the last lap at Darlington? “What I do after all of these races is I sit down – and if I have a bad week, I will be like, what was causing the bad week? If I didn’t have the result I expected going into it, what was the things mentally going on in my head and what was the circumstances and situations. Every time that I win a race, I sit down and look at it – and nothing really intimidated me the entire race. You had some of the best Cup races in the field – and I would get around Christopher Bell and Chase (Elliott) and all of those guys. I didn’t really care who it was. I thought they were another competitor. I raced them really aggressively and really hard at the same time. I don’t know – I just felt like everything was just turned on, everything flowed properly. Everything flowed really well. There was never a bad pit stop. We never really had a bad restart. If we did, I was really resourceful and found solutions on how to make it better. The whole day seemed elevated. I think we all came into it with a strong mindset. I think we came into Darlington with momentum too. I know the finishes from Martinsville and some of those places didn’t really show it, but we started to tap into a lot of speed and really had the speed the entire race – not just at the very end, so I felt that momentum had shifted – I was like I don’t know when it is going to happen, but I felt like we were getting a lot closer.”
How do you see Justin Allgaier as a fellow competitor?
“Justin (Allgaier) is my buddy. I think we have raced together as long as anybody has out here. We have been in the Xfinity Series a long time together. We have raced around each other for a long time. Justin is one of those guys – there is a lot of people you can go to from advice in this garage, and you are not quite confident that you are getting the truth, and all of the answers that you are really looking for but with Justin, you can go to him with a question and he is going to give you the right one. He is going to lay it out there and tell you exactly what you need to hear, so that is pretty cool from a driver – there are not many people that want to give secrets out and give things that they learned out because that is their advantages, so they’ve taken plenty of years to try to figure this out themselves, so you have to now go and earn it and figure it out yourself. Justin does a good job of that. We always had a good time at JR Motorsports together. We went to plenty of meetings with him and talked through things. We were doing the Josh Wise program together at one point – working out together. I’ve known Justin for a long time. It was cool to hear those remarks from him, and kind of nice to be solidified again as a contender to win races by some of the better ones in the field.”
What is your push right now?
“I think that ironically with the failures the last couple of years I had to dig deep into myself because when I came to Joe Gibbs Racing it was all on the table. I was more of the person coming into a lot of knowledge, data and a lot of things that the crew chief was just really advanced at doing. I walked in kind of big eyed – this is a lot of information to take in, so I had four years, or whatever that was to go over all of that data and all of the stuff we were looking at. When it came to JR Motorsports, the people were really smart there, but they didn’t quite have that level of notebooks and things that I think that Joe Gibbs Racing had. They did it more old school racer way – not engineering data driven way. I almost was bringing all of that and trying to elevate that game over there, and throughout that process, it kind of made me more of a team leader. I don’t think before I knew how to do that. I was kind of like coming in as the new guy at Joe Gibbs Racing and letting them teach me. Not saying that I went over there and taught them anything, right, but I felt like the driver where ‘we were doing this over here a little bit differently, let’s trying to bring this into this program and try to make this better.’ So, through all of that, I was learning a lot about myself and trying to figure out – do I speak up, how can I insert myself to make this program even better than it is. That just kind of helped my get more to the team leader side of stuff – one thing, if you talk to all of the really, really good Cup racers – they talk about leadership and being the main guy that everyone kind of goes to for answers and looks up to. I think that right now, I’m doing a really good job of that. I think I’m finally figuring out how to stand up, be the guy that needs to speak when you need to speak, and say the hard things, when we have to say the hard things. That wasn’t easy. That is not my personality. Everybody that knows me in the garage knows I’m not the guy that is mouthy or is going to talk back to people, but it is not about that. It is about trying to make the whole group better. I think that is the big difference, really, I’m starting to figure out how to be the leader of the team and not being the one looking at the crew chief for answers.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In spring 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 31 electrified options.
HEIM OVERCOMES ADVERSITY TO LEAD TOYOTA AT BRISTOL The Georgia-native continues to lead the standings after his fourth top-three finish in the first six races of the season
BRISTOL, Tenn. (April 11, 2025) – Corey Heim battled for the win late before finishing third in the NASCAR Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday evening. Heim, who is the only Truck Series driver to lead in every race this year, overcame a right rear tire going down in the early portion of the race and stormed back through the field. The Toyota Development Driver continues to lead the point standings after his fourth top-five and fifth top-10 run in the first six races of the season.
Fellow Toyota Development Driver Gio Ruggiero extended his lead in the Rookie of the Year battle as the 18-year-old’s 10th-place run put two Tundras in the top-10 finishers.
Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) Bristol Motor Speedway Race 6 of 23 – 133.25 Miles, 250 Laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Chandler Smith* 2nd, Kyle Larson* 3rd, COREY HEIM 4th, Tyler Ankrum* 5th, Ben Rhodes* 10th, GIO RUGGIERO 18th, TANNER GRAY 25th, TONI BREIDINGER 26th, JUSTIN CARROLL 27th, STEWART FRIESEN 29th, PATRICK STAROPOLI 32nd, BRANDON JONES *non-Toyota driver
Can you talk about the issues you faced and how you rebounded?
“Yeah, it just got us behind from the start. I thought we fired off really free there but ended up having a right rear going down and adjusted based on that thinking it was the balance of the truck. We made it way too tight there – not knowing that the right rear was down, no fault to my guys. Just kind of part of it – and we never had a chance to come down and adjust again. Just got behind there in the beginning, but really proud of the rally. I thought once we got down there to 17th or 18th, it was going to be really tough to come back through the field, but we were able to do it. Almost had a shot at it – just lit the tires there on the last restart. Definitely unfortunate, but thankful for TRICON Garage, Toyota and Safelite for everything they do.”
BRANDON JONES, No. 1 University of Arkansas College of Engineering Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage
Finishing Position: 32nd
What happened there from your perspective?
“I was hauling butt until I wasn’t. These guys did a really good job bringing a really fast No. 1 TRICON Toyota truck to the race track. I had my Razorbacks on the hood – I wanted to give them a good finish, and I thought I was going to. We had a really fast race truck. We started 13th and drove to the top-five pretty easily there in the first stage. We caught lap traffic early – I figured, this place is notorious for that, catching lap traffic and being diligent passing them. It kind of looked like Frankie (Muniz) was undecided where he was going to go. You have to commit man. (Ty) Majeski just had to commit to a lane, and it looked like Frankie did really prepare for it and turned across his nose. It is unfortunate – it took out three really nice good trucks that were going to compete for the win. I hate that, but we got some laps at least. That was my goal. Really needed all of them. I wanted to see how this track was going to trend tonight – how it was going to migrate. People looked kind of unsure of what that compound was going to do at the start of the race, and I just drove in it and committed to it, and found a lot of grip, and a lot of speed. I think that was some of the reason we had some success there towards the beginning of the race, just committed to the grip really early there and found some lap time. I wanted to get these guys a good finish – they really worked hard on this race truck all week long. I keep telling David Gilliland (partner, TRICON Garage) that I’m going to get him a win in this truck. This was going to be a shot tonight, but sometimes this stuff happens and it doesn’t work out.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In spring 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 31 electrified options.
Key Takeaway: Matt Mills earned his personal-best NCTS finish at Bristol Motor Speedway. With qualifying cancelled due to weather, Mills started highest out of all the Niece Motorsports teammates in 15th. A costly pit road speeding penalty resulted in a loss of track position which put the team to the rear of the field. The Utilitra team made several adjustments to help free the No. 42 Silverado in traffic, and Mills went on to finish 20th.
Matt Mills’ Post-Race Thoughts: “I’m proud of our team tonight for bringing us three strong trucks. I felt like we were able to make some ground up in the first stage before we got that speeding penalty, but once we got in the dirty air our truck struggled to turn. Overall though, we know what we need to work on to come back with in the fall, and I think if we can find a way to get closer to the front of the pack, we should have a better night. I’m thankful to Utilitra and J.F. Electric for their support and look forward to going to Rockingham next week.”
About Utilitra: Utilitra is a woman-owned firm specializing in utility and technology solutions with a diverse team of specialized professionals. Utilitra is committed to solving their client’s unique challenges, whether one expert or a team of experts is needed. By adapting to the needs of their respective industries, Utilitra has built a range of services for their utility and technology partners.
About J.F. Electric: J.F. Electric is an electrical contractor that provides engineering expertise, backed by construction and installation know-how in a diverse range of service offerings, from utilities and commercial projects, to industrial and telecommunications customers. When having a long family history in an industry, a company not only builds on its knowledge and experience, it takes pride in cultivating a solid understanding of client needs, all the while nurturing strong relationships with its employees. Evolving through five generations of the Fowler family, J.F. Electric has matured into a well-managed and thoughtfully diversified electrical contractor which is poised to continue its growth and expansion into the future.
Key Takeaway: Bayley Currey and the No. 44 team were on top of their game in Bristol. Currey’s Silverado had pace in it throughout the 200-lap event, and a great strategy call helped the driver earn his first-career stage win in stage two. In total, Currey led for 14 laps, and ran inside the top-five for the majority of the race. On a late restart however, the truck suffered a catastrophic driveshaft failure which took him out of the race in 23rd. The results might not show it, but Currey was a sure contender for the victory.
Bayley Currey’s Post-Race Thoughts:
Interviewer: Obviously not the finish you wanted, but a great run driving up through the field. What are your overall takeaways from tonight?
“Niece Motorsports brought me a great Masked Owl / DQS Solutions & Staffing / Precision Vehicle Logistics Chevrolet Silverado. We’ve had some good runs this year, we’ve had some decent finishes, and we’ve had some that just haven’t gone our way. This one stings a little bit. I couldn’t be happier; we got our first stage win and went out there and led laps, and felt like we had a really fast truck that could win the race. To have the driveshaft break ultimately sucks, but I’m really proud of this group. Proud of what they’ve done. We struggled a lot last year and over the offseason we felt like we really came together, and it’s showing.”
About Masked Owl Technologies: Masked Owl Technologies (MOT) is an industrial solutions integrator specializing in developing customized automation and controls processes. They take a consulting-based approach to identify the root cause of system challenges and incorporate tested, emerging technology into industrial solutions that mitigate risk and solve complex problems, the first time.
About DQS Solutions & Staffing: Guided by a mission to achieve excellence and adaptability, DQS partners with clients to create custom solutions that address unique business challenges. Recognized as Michigan’s fastest-growing company and #22 in the nation on the Inc. 5000 list, DQS drives industry growth while giving back through its nonprofit, Foundation for Pops, and partnerships like the River Rouge School District.
Key Takeaway: Kaden Honeycutt and the No. 45 team secured their third top-10 finish of the season at Bristol. Honeycutt was quick in traffic despite starting 22nd, and shined on long-run speed. The team grabbed eight stage points by finishing third in stage two, and were well on their way to a top-five finish late in the going. Unfortunately, Honeycutt lost track position with Currey’s late-race issues, but rebounded to finish a strong eighth.
Kaden Honeycutt’s Post-Race Thoughts: “Everyone at Niece Motorsports did a fantastic job on this DQS Solutions & Staffing / Masked Owl Technologies No. 45 Chevrolet tonight. We just needed some short-run speed; that’s all we lacked tonight. Our long-run speed was awesome, and I thought we were a top-two truck right there at the end. I wished the late caution never came out because I struggled on the restarts. I hated that our teammates on the No. 44 had those driveshaft issues. That pushed us back a couple of rows, but there’s nothing they could have done. Still a solid night for us in P8, and we’ll keep on trucking with this momentum onto Rockingham next week.”
About Masked Owl Technologies: Masked Owl Technologies (MOT) is an industrial solutions integrator specializing in developing customized automation and controls processes. They take a consulting-based approach to identify the root cause of system challenges and incorporate tested, emerging technology into industrial solutions that mitigate risk and solve complex problems, the first time.
About DQS Solutions & Staffing: Guided by a mission to achieve excellence and adaptability, DQS partners with clients to create custom solutions that address unique business challenges. Recognized as Michigan’s fastest-growing company and #22 in the nation on the Inc. 5000 list, DQS drives industry growth while giving back through its nonprofit, Foundation for Pops, and partnerships like the River Rouge School District.
About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is a professional auto racing team founded by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2025, the team celebrates its 10th consecutive season competing in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) where it fields the Nos. 41, 42, 44 and 45. Since its founding in 2016, Niece Motorsports has garnered nine wins, 50+ top-fives, 100+ top-10s, 190+ top-15 finishes and made five playoff appearances. At its 80,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Salisbury, NC, Niece Motorsports is a trusted build shop for the Chevrolet Silverados of multiple NCTS teams as well as a customizable fabrication shop for any manufacturing needs.
Follow the Team: To keep up to date with the latest team news, visit niecemotorsports.com or connect on Facebook and Instagram (@NieceMotorsports) as well as X (@NieceMotorsport).
Ford Performance Notes and Quotes NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Friday, April 11, 2025
Weather Guard Truck Race — Bristol Motor Speedway
CHANDLER SMITH WINS FIRST RACE WITH FORD
Chandler Smith won his first race with Ford by capturing tonight’s race.
Smith, who also won the first stage, kept his streak alive of finishing in the top 10 of every race this season.
The win is Ford’s 125th all-time win in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Smith becomes the 38th different driver to win a series race with Ford.
VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW:
CHANDLER SMITH, No. 38 QuickTie Ford F-150 – “I’m more excited for this team than I am for myself. This group came together. We hired my crew chief three weeks before Daytona. Take that in for a second. This group just got assembled literally in January. The Good Lord works in mysterious ways. My life has been really, really crazy here recently and there were a lot of unknowns about my future going into this season. We kind of had our backs against the wall about just putting a group together at the last minute, but I wouldn’t want any different group than I’ve got behind me. This No. 38 QuickTie Parts Ford F-150 was on a rail tonight.”
YOU ALSO GET $50,000 FOR THE TRIPLE TRUCK CHALLENGE. “I forgot about that. That puts the topping on the cake.”
Chandler Smith capitalized on two late-race restarts and capped off a dominant run at the front to win the Weather Guard Truck Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday, April 11.
The 22-year-old Smith from Talking Rock, Georgia, led a race-high 127 of 250-scheduled laps in an event where he started in third place and quickly made his presence in front of the field known after he overtook Daniel Hemric to lead for the first time on the ninth lap. Smith would proceed to win the first stage period on Lap 60 and lead through Lap 121 before he settled in the runner-up spot at the conclusion of the second stage period on Lap 130.
After making his lone pit stop of the event prior to the final stage period, Smith, who spent a majority of the stage period racing towards the front, managed to reassume the lead from Corey Heim during a brief restart period with 14 laps remaining. With the caution returning a lap later and the field jumbled up for another late-race restart with seven laps remaining, Smith managed to rocket away from Heim and fend of Kyle Larson to cruise to his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory of the 2025 season and notch a $50,000 bonus from the series’ Triple Truck Challenge program.
With on-track qualifying that was scheduled to occur on Friday canceled due to inclement weather, the starting lineup was determined by a metric system. As a result, Daniel Hemric, the series’ recent winner at Martinsville Speedway in late March, was awarded the pole position. Hemric shared the front row with teammate Tyler Ankrum, the latter of whom finished in the runner-up spot behind Hemric at Martinsville.
When the green flag waved and the event commenced, Daniel Hemric launched his No. 19 NAPA Chevrolet Silverado RST entry ahead from the outside lane and Corey Heim followed suit while Tyler Ankrum struggled to launch from the inside lane. As Ben Rhodes and Ty Majeski challenged Ankrum for third place, Hemric proceeded to fend off Heim and lead the first lap. With Hemric leading to the fifth lap mark, Rhodes and Chandler Smith navigated their way into second and third place on the track. Ankrum would also climb his way up to fourth place while Heim, who was racing on the outside lane, fell back to fifth place.
Through the first 10-scheduled laps and with a bevy of on-track battles ensuing around the Last Great Colosseum, Chandler Smith, who overtook Hemric for the lead two laps earlier, was leading by six-tenths of a second over Hemric while Ankrum and Rhodes battled for third place. Behind, Heim retained fifth place ahead of Majeski, Stewart Friesen, Brandon Jones, Layne Riggs and rookie Andres Perez de Lara. Meanwhile, Kyle Larson occupied 11th place ahead of Jake Garcia, Bayley Currey, Matt Mills and Matt Crafton while Kaden Honeycutt, rookie Giovanni Ruggiero, rookie Connor Mosack, Corey Day and Tanner Gray followed suit in the top 20, respectively.
Six laps later, the event’s first caution flew when Mosack, who was racing within the top-20 mark, got loose underneath Tanner Gray, slipped sideways and spun his No. 81 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Chevrolet Silverado RST entry in between Turns 3 and 4. The caution for Mosack’s incident served as the event’s competition caution period that was scheduled for Lap 20.
During the caution period, select names including Rajah Caruth, Grant Enfinger, Spencer Boyd, rookie Frankie Muniz, Mosack and Nathan Byrd pitted their respective entries while the rest led by Chandler Smith and including the front-runners remained on the track.
The start of the next restart period on Lap 24 featured Smith using the outside lane to muscle his No. 38 QuickTie Ford F-150 entry ahead of Hemric through the first two turns. Smith would proceed to lead the following lap while Ankrum used the outside lane to overtake teammate Hemric for the runner-up spot. Hemric would then fend off Heim and Majeski for third place over the Lap 25 mark as Freisen joined the battle for fourth place that involved Heim and Majeski. Majeski and Friesen would overtake Heim for top-five spots over the proceeding laps and both Brandon Jones and Riggs also overtook Heim, which dropped the latter to ninth place. Amid the battles within the field, Smith led the Lap 30 mark.
At the Lap 40 mark, Smith, who was navigating his way through lapped traffic, was leading by seven-tenths of a second over Ankrum while Majeski, Friesen and Jones climbed their way into the top five. Behind, Riggs and Heim trailed in sixth and seventh, respectively, while Hemric fell back to eighth place. Rhodes and Matt Crafton rounded out the top 10 ahead of Day, Garcia, Larson, Honeycutt and Currey.
Towards the Lap 50 mark and with the lead-lap competitors navigating their way through a bevy of lapped competitors, Smith extended his advantage to more than a second over Ankrum while Majeski, Friesen and Jones continued to follow suit in the top five. Behind, Riggs, Rhodes, Hemric, Larson and Day were in the top 10 while Crafton, Currey and Honeycutt followed suit. Meanwhile, Heim, who was battling handling issues, was mired back in 14th place ahead of Garcia and teammate Ruggiero.
Then on Lap 52, the event’s second caution flew when Majeski, Jones and Friesen, the trio of whom were racing in the top five, wrecked in between Turns 3 and 4 after they collided into the lapped competitor of Frankie Muniz. The incident first occurred after Muniz was hit in the rear end by Majeski and spun through the turns before he slid up the track and was collided into by Majeski, Jones and Friesen.
During the caution period, some including Bayley Currey, Kaden Honeycutt, Tanner Gray, Heim, Ruggiero, Perez de Lara, Parker Kligerman, Dawson Sutton, Matt Mills, rookie Toni Breidinger, Luke Fenhaus and Mosack pitted while the rest led by Smith remained on the track.
With two laps remaining in the first stage period, the event returned to green flag racing. At the start, Smith launched ahead from the outside lane for a second time as he led the field through the first two turns and the backstretch. Behind, Ankrum and Rhodes battled for the runner-up spot in front of Riggs, Hemric and Larson as Smith led the following lap.
When the first stage period concluded on Lap 65, Smith captured his first Truck stage victory of the 2025 season. Rhodes followed suit in second ahead of Ankrum, Riggs and Hemric while Larson, Crafton, Corey Day, Garcia and Caruth were scored in the top 10, respectively.
Under the stage break, select names that included Hemric, Garcia and Tyler Tomassi pitted their respective entries while the rest led by Smith remained on the track.
The second stage period started on Lap 77 as Smith and Rhodes occupied the front row. At the start, Smith rocketed ahead from the outside lane and Ankrum followed suit while Rhodes struggled to launch from the inside lane. Ankrum and Rhodes then made slight contact entering Turn 2, but they kept their trucks racing straight in front of Riggs, Larson, Day and Crafton as Smith led the following lap.
Shortly after, the caution flew when Caruth, who was racing in the top-10 mark, was bumped by Honeycutt. The contact caused Caruth to slip to the bottom of the track and he would spin in Turn 1. Amid his incident, Caruth managed to keep his truck below the apron and avoid sliding back into the field as he continued with little damage to his No. 71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado RST entry.
As the event restarted under green on Lap 85, Smith launched ahead from the outside lane as Ankrum battled Rhodes for the runner-up spot through the first two turns. Rhodes then nearly got loose underneath Ankrum entering the backstretch, but he managed to keep his No. 99 Bommarito Ford F-150 entry racing straight in front of Riggs and Larson. Rhodes’ slip, however, allowed Riggs to overtake him along with Currey.
Rhodes then tried to throw a three-wide move beneath both Riggs and Currey in an effort to reclaim third place through the backstretch on Lap 86, but Currey capitalized on the battle to muscle ahead of both and claim the spot. Not long after, Rhodes used the inside lane to muscle ahead of Riggs with fourth place in between the first two turns. With Riggs being intimidated by Larson, Heim and Crafton for a top-five spot, Chandler Smith led to the Lap 90 mark.
Through the Lap 100 mark, Smith maintained a strong advantage over both Ankrum and Currey while Rhodes and Larson were scored in the top five. Behind, Crafton, Riggs, Tanner Gray, Heim and Honeycutt pursued in the top 10 while Enfinger, Garcia, Perez, Ruggiero and Jack Wood occupied the top-15 spots ahead of Dawson Sutton, Day, Parker Kligerman, Hemric and Caruth.
Ten laps later, Smith was leading by more than two seconds over Currey while Ankrum, Rhodes and Larson pursued in the top five. Smith’s advantage, however, decreased to within one-and-a-half seconds at the Lap 115 mark and to two-tenths of a second by Lap 120 over a hard-charging Currey, the latter of whom pitted his No. 44 Masked Owl Technologies/DQS Chevrolet Silverado RST entry on Lap 60 and had fresher tires than Smith.
Then on Lap 121 and with the leaders mired behind a bevy of lapped traffic, Currey used the outside lane and his fresh tires entering Turns 3 and 4 to overtake Smith for the lead. With multiple names that included Matt Mills, Toni Breidinger, Mosack and Riggs losing a lap while mixing it up with the leaders, Currey proceeded to lead the event’s halfway mark on Lap 125 while Smith was struggling to keep pace within the lapped traffic.
When the second stage period concluded on Lap 130, Currey, who was still navigating his way through a bevy of lapped traffic, captured his first Truck stage victory of the 2025 season. Smith followed suit in second ahead of Honeycutt, Heim and Tanner Gray while Ankrum, Crafton, Garcia, Rhodes and Corey Day were scored in the top 10, respectively.
During the stage break, nearly the entire lead lap field led by Currey pitted for fresh tires and fuel while Caruth remained on the track. Following the pit stops, Currey exited pit road first ahead of Heim and Honeycutt while Gray and Smith followed suit in the top five. Amid the pit stops, Larson and Perez were sent to the tail end of the field for speeding on pit road.
With 109 laps remaining, the final stage period commenced as Caruth and Currey occupied the front row. At the start, both Caruth and Currey dueled for a full lap as Caruth, who was racing on older tires than the field, managed to use the outside lane to lead the following lap. Caruth then managed to muscle ahead and clear Currey through the first two turns, which allowed Heim to get underneath and challenge Currey for the runner-up spot. With Gray and Honeycutt following suit in the top five, Caruth continued to lead with 105 laps remaining. As a series of on-track battles ensued, Caruth maintained the lead by nearly half a second over Currey with 100 laps remaining.
Down to the final 91 laps of the event, the caution returned when Breidinger, who was racing in the top 20, was hit in the left rear by Friesen. The contact then caused Breidinger to spin as she then backed her No. 5 TRICON Toyota Tundra TRD Pro entry into the outside wall in between Turns 3 and 4. By then, Caruth was leading by three-tenths of a second over a hard-charging Currey while Heim, Honeycutt and Chandler Smith all trailed by more than a second in the top-five mark. During the caution period, some including Rhodes, Jack Wood, Larson, Mosack, Kligerman and Breidinger pitted while the rest led by Caruth remained on the track.
The start of the next restart with 83 laps remaining featured Caruth fending off Currey for half a lap as he motored his No. 71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado RST entry ahead entering Turns 3 and 4. In the process, Heim came charging behind Caruth and he would overtake Currey during the following lap that was led by Caruth. With Heim reeling in Caruth, the latter led with 80 laps remaining while Honeycutt, Enfinger, Smith, Hemric, Ankrum, Garcia and Gray were jostling within the top-10 mark. Meanwhile, Larson, who was trying to rally from his late pit road speeding penalty, trailed in 11th place as Crafton, Day, Ruggiero and Perez followed suit.
Down to the final 70 laps of the event, Caruth, who continued to hold strong on his worn tires, was leading by four-tenths of a second over a hard-charging Heim while Currey, Enfinger and Smith were racing in the top five ahead of Honeycutt, Hemric, Ankrum, Larson and Garcia.
Fifteen laps later, Caruth stabilized his steady advantage to three-tenths of a second over Heim while Currey, Enfinger and Chandler Smith trailed in the top five. Heim and Currey, both of whom were within striking distance of Caruth, would trail Caruth by two-tenths and half a second, respectively, with 50 laps remaining.
With 35 laps remaining, Caruth, who has yet to pit due to not having enough fuel to reach the event’s scheduled distance, continued to lead by two-tenths of a second over runner-up Heim and by six-tenths of a second over third-place Currey while Smith and Honeycutt trailed in the top five. Meanwhile, Larson navigated his way into seventh place behind Hemric while Ankrum, Enfinger and Garcia were in the top 10 ahead of Crafton, Riggs, Day, Gray and Ruggiero, respectively.
Then with 28 laps remaining, Heim muscled his No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro entry into the lead over Caruth, where the former overtook the latter with a strong launch from the outside lane through the frontstretch. Smith, who was posting fast lap times to catch the top-three competitors, would charge his way into the runner-up spot behind while Caruth retained third place over Currey and Honeycutt.
As Caruth was trying to fend off Currey for third place, Smith ignited his challenge for the lead on Heim. Amid Smith’s charge and challenge through every turn and lane, Heim used the lapped competitor of Matt Mills to briefly stall Smith’s momentum and maintain the lead with 26 laps remaining, but Smith kept the pressure on Heim for the top spot during the next lap.
Then with 24 laps remaining, the caution flew due to weather and reports of mist falling on the track. During the caution period, some led by Caruth and including Hemric, Day, Enfinger, Gray, Perez de Lara, Sutton, Kligerman, Crafton and Matt Mills pitted their respective entries while the rest led by Heim remained on the track.
The start of the ensuing restart with 14 laps remaining did not last long as Currey, who restarted in third place, quickly dropped off the pace due to a gearing issue through the first two turns. With Currey remaining on the track, the field scattered as both Rhodes and Caruth made contact with Currey while trying to navigate past the latter. The caution would then fly as Perez de Lara had an incident in the backstretch, where he sustained significant left-side damage to his No. 77 Telcel Chevrolet Silverado RST entry. At the moment of caution, Smith, who launched ahead of Heim during the previous restart, had managed to assume the lead. In addition, Larson was up into third place ahead of Riggs, Ankrum and Honeycutt while Currey’s strong event concluded with his truck being pushed behind the wall and unable to finish.
Down to the final seven laps of the event, the event restarted under green. At the start, Smith used the outside lane to rocket ahead and quickly transition back to the inside lane while Heim, who restarted on the inside lane, struggled to launch through the first two turns. In the process, Larson used the outside lane to move into the runner-up spot and he pursued Smith while the latter led with six laps remaining.
With five laps remaining, Smith maintained a steady lead over a hard-charging Larson and Heim while Ankrum, Riggs and Rhodes followed suit. Despite Larson’s efforts to keep Smith close within his sights, Smith, who was racing towards the inside lane, retained the lead and was creating a reasonable gap between himself and Larson.
When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Smith remained in the lead over Larson. With both Larson and Heim unable to reel in Smith for a final lap, Smith was able to cycle his Ford around the Last Great Colosseum for a final time before he returned to the frontstretch to claim his first checkered flag of the year by nine-tenths of a second.
With the victory, Smith, who returned to full-time Truck Series competition for the first time since 2022, notched his sixth career win in the Craftsman Truck Series division, his second at Bristol and his first since he won at Richmond Raceway in August 2022. The victory was also his first driving for Front Row Motorsports (FRM) as he delivered the second win for crew chief Jon Leonard, the first of the year for the Ford nameplate and the 11th series victory for FRM.
As an added bonus, Smith, who became the sixth winner through the first six-scheduled events of the 2025 season, pocketed the second Triple Truck Challenge bonus of $50,000 to the 2025 campaign, with Smith notching the bonus for himself for the first time ever.
Photo by Chad Wells for SpeedwayMedia.com.
“I’m more excited for this team than I am for myself.” Smith said on the frontstretch on FS1. “This group came together. We hired my crew chief [Jon Leonard] like three weeks before Daytona. Take that in for a second. This group just got assembled literally in January. The Good Lord works in mysterious ways. My life has been really, really crazy here recently and there were a lot of unknowns about my future going into this season. We kind of had our backs against the wall about just putting a group together last minute, but I wouldn’t want any different group than I’ve got behind me. This No. 38 QuickTie Parts Ford F-150 was on a rail tonight…[The Triple Truck Challenge bonus] puts the topping on the cake.”
Larson, who was striving for a triple-header weekend sweep at Bristol and who won two races ago at Homestead-Miami Speedway, settled in second place in his second start driving the No. 07 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado RST entry for Spire Motorsports.
“We fell back there on that long run to end the second stage,” Larson said. “I got super tight and then I speed on pit road. Honestly, I think that probably helped us because we were still kind of buried for the next caution and we pitted, so we had a little bit of an advantage to get towards the front. I thought it would be more of an advantage than it was, but still I think it was a benefit to our race…To get to second is good.”
Corey Heim, who led 16 laps, settled in third place for his fourth top-three result of the year while Tyler Ankrum and Ben Rhodes finished in the top five on the track.
Layne Riggs, Jake Garcia, Kaden Honeycutt, Rajah Caruth and rookie Giovanni Ruggiero completed the top 10 in the final running order.
There were six lead changes for five different leaders. The race featured eight cautions for 66 laps. In addition, 19 of 35 starters finished on the lead lap.
Following the sixth event of the 2025 Craftsman Truck Series season, Corey Heim leads the regular-season standings by 18 points over Chandler Smith, 57 over Ty Majeski, 60 over Tyler Ankrum and 65 over Daniel Hemric.
Results:
1. Chandler Smith, 127 laps led, Stage 1 winner 2. Kyle Larson 3. Corey Heim, 16 laps led 4. Tyler Ankrum 5. Ben Rhodes 6. Layne Riggs 7. Jake Garcia 8. Kaden Honeycutt 9. Rajah Caruth, 85 laps led 10. Giovanni Ruggiero 11. Jack Wood 12. Grant Enfinger 13. Daniel Hemric, eight laps led 14. Parker Kligerman 15. Corey Day 16. Matt Crafton 17. Dawson Sutton 18. Tanner Gray 19. Andres Perez de Lara 20. Matt Mills, one lap down 21. Tyler Tomassi, four laps down 22. Luke Fenhaus, seven laps down 23. Bayley Currey – OUT, Suspension, 14 laps led, Stage 2 winner 24. Connor Mosack, 16 laps down 25. Toni Breidinger, 23 laps down 26. Justin Carroll, 28 laps down 27. Stewart Friesen – OUT, Suspension 28. Nathan Byrd – OUT, Brakes 29. Patrick Staropoli – OUT, Transmission 30. Spencer Boyd – OUT, Handling 31. Frankie Muniz – OUT, DVP 32. Brandon Jones – OUT, Accident 33. Ty Majeski – OUT, Accident 34. Norm Benning – OUT, Handling 35. Stephen Mallozzi – OUT, Electrical
Next on the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season is the series’ return to Rockingham Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina, for the Black’s Tire 200 and where the third and final Triple Truck Challenge event of this season will occur. The event is scheduled to occur next Friday, April 18, and air at 5 p.m. ET on FS1.
Ford Performance Notes and Quotes NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Bristol Media Availability Friday, April 11, 2025
Layne Riggs, driver of the No. 38 Love’s Travel Stops Ford F-150, won the last time the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series ran at Bristol Motor Speedway. He stopped by the infield media center this afternoon to talk about going for consecutive victories and what lies ahead in tonight’s scheduled race.
LAYNE RIGGS, No. 38 Love’s Travel Stops Ford F-150 – YOU DID THE LATE MODEL TEST AT ROCKINGHAM. WHAT DID YOU DISCOVER ABOUT THE TRACK? “When I ran the late model there it was pretty fast even with the old asphalt. That was back in 2021. I remember holding it wide-open in the late model stock around Rockingham. That was pretty sketchy. With the old asphalt, the best tire they could make only held up 10 laps without wearing out, so it was time for the repave, for sure. I think they did a good job with it during the test. I thought it was cool they still had some character in it They still had some bumps and dips, so it still had some of the characteristics that the old track did. I’d say in 10 years time it’ll be just like it used to be, so I’m looking forward to that. I’m looking forward to going there. It’s close to home. Dad raced there. There’s a lot of history at that racetrack. I hate that it was even off the schedule in the first place, so I’m glad we’re going back.”
WHAT WILL BE THE KEY TO CONSISTENCY THERE AT ROCKINGHAM? “At Rockingham, I think it’s gonna be a typical repave. I think it’s gonna be the same kind of way that you ran North Wilkesboro – everybody runs the bottom all day long, all practice, all qualifying. One person is gonna find speed on the top and then everybody is gonna migrate to the top and just kind of build a cushion and everybody is gonna run the top. I mean, every place finally has to be repaved. We don’t really like to see it. Drivers like to see characteristics in a track and tire wear, but sometimes it just gets a little too egregious, so it’s gonna struggle a little bit to start, but that’s any repave on a racetrack. I think it will be a little one-grooved, either one-grooved on the bottom or one-grooved on the top and hoping we qualify good and stay in front of everybody. That’s the plan.”
WHAT ARE THE EMOTIONS COMING BACK AS THE LAST DRIVER TO WIN A RACE HERE? IS THERE A LITTLE MORE SWAGGER COMING BACK AS A WINNER “Yeah, I think so. A lot of people are like, ‘Make sure you don’t try harder. You don’t have to win again. Just because you won here doesn’t mean you have to win again.’ I fully believe in that. Every race is its own chance and opportunity. Coming back, we brought the same exact chassis, truck, setup and everything as we did last year. It’s looking like we’re not gonna get any practice or qualifying, so I think it’s gonna be in our favor in that aspect, so I’m looking forward to it. I love this place. I’ve had good success here. I even ran a late model race here when they had the short track nationals here years ago. It’s definitely a place that has an aura when you walk into it.”
LARSON IS BACK IN THE FIELD, JUST LIKE HOMESTEAD. DID YOU LEARN ANYTHING BATTLING HIM IN THAT RACE? “Luckily, nobody really runs the fence here, so I think I’ll be OK in that aspect. He did teach me a lot at Homestead, just running behind him and being able to just scrape the wall with his right-rear on the track. I went back and listened to his radio, the adjustments that he needed to make, that he called out, running the fence, stuff like that. My notebook was pretty long after that race and just to even be in contention to race up there for the win and to have a shot to win the thing at the end, I was really happy with our performance. That was a brand new truck from the Front Row Motorsports stable – chassis, body, finish, fab, everything was done in-house. They pretty much took that on over the offseason moving race shops, so I’m really proud of our team. In the short amount of time we’ve grown a lot doing everything in-house. When you go to a mile and a half track like that and you can just have raw race speed at a place that I don’t even have that much experience at, it just shows how good of a piece we’re bringing to the racetrack.”
WHAT GOES INTO BEING ABLE TO WORK THROUGH THE FIELD ON A GREEN TRACK WHEN YOU HAVE NO LAPS ON THE TRACK PRIOR TO THE RACE STARTING? “I’ve actually never started a race and not had a single lap on the track. Obviously, we’ve had the superspeedways where you get one lap of qualifying, but that’s a little different. It’s gonna be new. My first lap barreling into the corner has never been side-by-side with somebody, so I just think it’s gonna be a little tip-toe for everybody, but running plenty of laps in the sim. Bristol being a clean place, I mean, you go to some places and when the track is clean it’s really slick or with no rubber on it, it’s kind of dusty. Here, it’s gonna have pretty good grip no matter what, so I feel confident in that. I know they laid some PJ1 down on the bottom. Hopefully, it washed every single bit of that away. I’m not a fan of it. I thought the race here in the fall last year, not just because I won, but I thought it was a great race. I could run the very bottom. I could run the top and had really good speed in both lines, so I like the maneuverability that’s here. I feel like that takes away a little bit of it, so hopefully it’s gone. I’m not gonna be starting on the pole or the front row, so hopefully I can just move up higher and pass people on the top early in the race. That’s the plan.”
HOW HAVE YOU AND CHANDLER SMITH WORKED TOGETHER THIS YEAR? “I think at the short track races you really can’t work together that much. You go to the speedways and obviously you can. Mile and a halves, we’ll try to help each other on restarts when we’re all packed up together when you need a little bit of help with some push, so I feel like we’ve been really connected with each other and helping each other on the racetrack in that aspect. Just having two notebooks every week to look at, post racing with two notebooks, two drivers, two crew chiefs. We’re getting double the information we used to get and it’s really helpful with what we’ve got. We both have our own ideas. We can try different things to see which we thought did better, and you look at the other teams that have four and five trucks, they’re getting four and five times more of the information we used to get. So even to be a single truck team to run as well as we did, I was amazed at how we could do that and now just having double the information for us is helping a lot. Chandler being a good driver, he’s been great for me and helped me at some of the places pre-race that I didn’t really have experience at before, so it’s all been good so far. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season and building more with him.”
DO YOU NORMALLY GO BACK AND LISTEN TO RADIO TRANSMISSIONS? WHAT WERE YOU HOPING TO LEARN? “You’d run out of time if you listened to everybody’s stuff, but if it’s certain situations – I remember they made a pretty big adjustment after the first stop and I was like, ‘What was he calling out?’ And he went on the radio and said, ‘When I run against the fence, I’m this many numbers freer. I’ve got to be tighter if I’m gonna run the fence.’ Well, I didn’t ever get up there early in the race, so I never really knew what I needed. Just him having the experience and being able to do it quick and call out what he needed – stuff like that – just getting an understanding of what his mindset was. Anytime that something stands out, I always put a star on it and try to go figure out why somebody did the thing they did and that’s any aspect on the racetrack. We’ve got a lot of tools that we can pretty much spy on anybody at any point during the race. I kind of wish it was more private for sure. You see the Cup guys have code words and stuff like that, but if the resource is there, I’m gonna try to use it all I can.”
WHAT DOES ROCKINGHAM MEAN TO YOU? “I think going to do the late model test, like I talked about. Obviously, going there with dad. I think it’s an hour and 30 minutes from my home, so it’s a home track for a lot of people. We don’t have a lot of tracks in North Carolina anymore, so it’s pretty cool we’re adding another one back. Everybody has seen the great races there that they’ve had. I hate that the track got taken off the schedule in the first place, but glad that everybody collectively made the right decision to bring it back. I think it’s good for everybody. Hopefully, we see the revival like Wilkesboro. We see how big the grandstands were, how packed they were and now it’s almost starting to fizzle a little bit. I hope that the people that were really pushing to have it back do come in person, show up, support. You can’t talk on social media and say you need to bring it back and then when it does come back, don’t support it. So, hopefully it’s supported for a long time and not just for a one race or two race hype that it’s back.”
HOW HAS THE SIM HELPED YOU THIS WEEK FOR BRISTOL? “I think the sim is a tool we use everywhere. The sim is only as good as we can make it. Obviously, Ford Performance gives us a good baseline, good tools to use, but your tire error model, your setup model is all based off of what our team puts together. At Ford, they give us a great tool to use, but we’ve got to make sure the tools are all how we want them to be, so every race we go in, we post race it. We put in the race model we ran, put in our error map and then we adjust the tires to kind of feel what I feel in real life, and it depends how good I hit it in the postrace scaling is how good it is the next time. Usually, the tracks we run well at I’m able to get it better and then the tracks we kind of struggle at, which is kind of the snowball effect. The tracks you’re not as good at, you can’t really get it as close, so it’s hard to get that edge and get better at those places. I feel like the places you’re good, you get only better. The places you struggle at, it’s hard to get any better than you were the time before, so it’s a game and a gamble of how good you can get it on there, but it’s definitely a good tool to use.”
THE CARS TOUR ANNOUNCED THEY’RE DOING A THROWBACK RACE AT HICKORY IN AUGUST. HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL TO SEE HOW THAT TOUR IS GROWING? “I haven’t really locked down any races. I plan on running three or four. Hopefully, my home track Orange County. I know we’re off that weekend. I’m trying to put a deal together to run there here in a couple weeks. I just heard about Hickory today. I haven’t really ran that great at Hickory, but I always enjoy that racetrack. We’ll probably be making an appearance there for sure now to go for the big money. They announced the Wilkesboro race is gonna be Friday night before our truck race. It’s gonna be on Fox. That’s huge for the late model stock community. With the new ownership with the CARS Tour, Dale and everybody having that pull and push and the popularity to get behind it, it’s been good. It is making it tougher though for somebody like myself that had our own race team, it’s just getting really expensive. It’s almost growing a little too big. It’s great to have the eyes on it, but anything that grows is naturally gonna get tougher and more expensive because people are gonna be putting more into it to win, so it’s not quite a backyard short track series anymore like it used to be when I ran it. It’s definitely grown into a level of its own. There are pros and cons to all of it. If you win one, it means a lot more, but it’s a whole lot tougher and more expensive to do it now. There’s always that fine balance, but I’m excited to run some more this year on our off weekends and when we have a little free time, dabble in it when we can. Like I said, I’m not really locked down exactly on which ones I’m gonna run yet, but it’s great for the community for sure.”
The Largest Combined Muscle Car, Jeep & Truck Show in America Returns to Maple Grove Raceway Saturday, April 26th
Philadelphia, PA – March X, 2025 – Turn5, a leading provider of aftermarket automotive parts, is proud to present the Driven to Serve Muscle Car, Jeep & Truck Show, an action-packed event benefiting Travis Manion Foundation (TMF). Taking place on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at Maple Grove Raceway, this high-octane event brings together automotive enthusiasts and the veteran community for a day of horsepower, camaraderie, and philanthropy.
Now in its 15th year, the Driven to Serve Muscle Car, Jeep & Truck Show has grown into the largest combined Muscle Car, Jeep & Truck Show in America, drawing over 1,000 modded vehicles and thousands of spectators. The event features a Monster Truck Car Crush, racing, raffles, a dedicated kids’ area, and exclusive VIP experiences.
Proceeds from the event will support Travis Manion Foundation, one of the nation’s leading veteran service organizations. TMF unites and strengthens communities by training, developing, and highlighting the role models that lead them. Through programming, training opportunities, and events designed to empower veterans and families of the fallen, TMF inspires our nation’s heroes to pass on their values to their community and the next generation. To date, the event has raised over $500,000 for various charities, with 2025 marking the first year of partnership with TMF.
“Driven to Serve is more than just a car show—it’s a powerful gathering of automotive enthusiasts whose attendance will directly benefit military communities, uniting to make a significant impact,” said Steve Voudouris, CEO & Co-Founder at Turn5. “We’re honored to support Travis Manion Foundation and their mission to inspire and empower veterans and family members of fallen heroes”
One of the event’s most anticipated moments is the Military Dream Build Giveaway, where Turn5 will reveal a fully modded vehicle for a deserving veteran. Selected through a special nomination process, the veteran’s dream ride will be revealed live on April 26.
Military members, veterans, and their families receive FREE admission. Spectator tickets are $10, standard vehicle registration is $25, and VIP vehicle registration is $65, which includes premium parking and event perks. Car enthusiasts and supporters can register their vehicles or purchase tickets online by clicking HERE.
Turn5 is a leading e-commerce retailer specializing in aftermarket automotive parts and accessories. With a strong connection to the military and veteran community, Turn5 is committed to giving back through initiatives like the Driven to Serve Muscle Car, Jeep & Truck Show.
ABOUT TRAVIS MANION FOUNDATION Travis Manion Foundation empowers veterans and families of fallen heroes to develop character in future generations. Named in honor of 1st Lt. Travis Manion, and guided by the mantra of “If Not Me, Then Who?”, TMF allows veterans and family members of fallen heroes to create legacies of service, develop strong relationships with their communities, and thrive by serving as character role models to youth. Learn more at www.travismanion.org.
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway… In 189 overall NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, drivers in Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolets have earned nine wins, 35 top-five and 71 top-10 finishes, completed 93.4% of the laps contested (87,733 of 93,887) and led 3,685 laps entering Sunday afternoon’s race. Seven of those victories were scored by Dale Earnhardt: both races in 1985 and 1987, plus victories in 1988 (fall), 1994 (spring), and 1999 (spring). Kevin Harvick won the 2005 spring event while Jeff Burton won the spring race at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2008.
RCR in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Bristol Motor Speedway… Richard Childress Racing has nine NASCAR Xfinity Series victories at Bristol Motor Speedway, led by Kevin Harvick’s four wins (2000, 2001, 2003, and 2005). Other drivers who have posted wins at the Tennessee short track include Jeff Green (2002), Clint Bowyer (2008), Elliott Sadler (2012), Austin Dillon (2016), and Tyler Reddick (2019). The storied organization has racked up 39 top-five and 65 top-10 finishes at the high-banked oval. Jesse Love is the most recent RCR driver to score a top-five result at Bristol Motor Speedway (fourth in 2024).
Did You Know? Richard Childress raced at Bristol Motor Speedway during the height of his driving career in the 1970s and early 1980s. While Childress didn’t win at Bristol, he did manage several top-10 finishes between 1977-1980 driving the famed No. 3, showing he could hold his own on the high-banked, bullring-style track.
Three Times the Fun… Jesse Love is making his NASCAR Cup Series debut for Richard Childress Racing this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, driving the No. 33 C4 Ultimate Energy Chevrolet on Sunday. The double-duty driver will also compete in the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race. Bristol is one of several racetracks in which RCR will enter a third Cup Series entry this season. Veteran RCR employee Andy Street will serve as crew chief.
Catch the Action… The NASCAR Xfinity Series SciAps 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, April 12, beginning at 5 p.m. ET on The CW. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Check out the CW App for practice and qualifying coverage, along with access to in-car driver cams during the race.
The Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live on Sunday, April 13, beginning at 3 p.m. ET on FS1. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Practice and qualifying will air on Prime Video. NASCAR Driver Cam on Max will offer users comprehensive access inside each driver’s car during the race, including a layered audio mix of scanner team radios and ambient car noise, synced with a Driver Cam feed on supported devices.
Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Get Bioethanol Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway… Austin Dillon has made a total of 22 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, 19 of which have been on the track’s paved configuration. Dillon has three top-10 results at the track in the paved format, including a best finish of fourth in the fall of 2016. His best finish on the dirt format is a third-place finish in 2023. Dillon has made nine starts at Bristol in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, earning one win among four top-five and five top-10 finishes. He’s also made three NASCAR Truck Series starts at the track.
Winner, Winner… Dillon has won at Bristol Motor Speedway on both the paved and dirt configurations. In addition to winning a NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the Tennessee track in August 2016 (paved), Dillon was among the first drivers to compete on the track’s dirt surface in 2021. The veteran racer won two features and a heat race in dominating fashion in a 604 Crate Late Model for Corey Hedgecock Racing.
Play Ball! Dillon visited Truist Park, the home ballpark of the Atlanta Braves, this past March to promote the upcoming MLB Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 2, 2025, in which the Atlanta Braves will play the Cincinnati Reds at The Last Great Colosseum, marking the first time a MLB game will be played at the track. Dillon took a stock car for a spin in the middle of Truist Park’s outfield to help promote the MLB Classic. Dillon, a life-long Braves fan, grew up attending Braves games with his family, including his grandfather, Richard Childress, and his father, Mike Dillon.
Delivering Performance on the Track and For the Planet… Dillon will race the Get Bioethanol Chevrolet this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway showcasing the benefits of racing with earth-kind and engine-smart bioethanol blended fuel, Sunoco Green E15. Whether it’s delivering cleaner and cooler high-octane on the track or on your drive to the grocery store, plant-based bioethanol makes a positive impact on our planet and for future generations. NASCAR drivers have now officially raced 25 million NASCAR miles on Sunoco E15, a notable milestone since NASCAR introduced the fuel in 2011. Learn more about what fueling up with bioethanol means for you here.
Meet Dillon… Dillon is scheduled to appear at the RCR Merchandise Hauler at the Fan Midway at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday, April 13, at 11 a.m. Local Time. Stop by to meet the driver of the No. 3 Get Bioethanol Chevrolet and get new merchandise to wear on race day. Dillon is also scheduled to make a Trackside Live appearance at the Food City Fan Zone Stage in the Fan Midway on Sunday, April 13, at Noon Local Time.
Making Moves… Dillon, who in addition to racing serves as the general manager of the Carolina Cowboys in the PBR Teams Series, has been busy making moves and building his team in anticipation for the start of the season in July. The team acquired 19-year-old Clay Guiton in a trade made last Friday with the Oklahoma Wildcatters. Guiton, who hails from Cherryville, North Carolina, gives the Cowboys a home state rider and a promising young talent. Shortly after the trade, Guiton became the only man to go a perfect 4-for-4 at the PBR Unlease The Beast (UTB) event in Sioux Falls, topping two massive 90-point rides in the championship round to earn his very first win at the sport’s premier level.
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on this weekend’s race compared to last year’s at Bristol Motor Speedway?
“I always love going to Bristol Motor Speedway. We’ve had good runs there in the past, and I feel confident that our Richard Childress Racing team will bring a fast Chevrolet. The temperature is going to be cool this weekend, and the PJ1 is going to be applied to the bottom of the track. Qualifying on Saturday is going to be important because the leaders are coming so quickly, and staying on the lead lap is extremely important to have a shot at a win later. I think since going away from the resin, the tire life has been better. I thought the race last year was solid. You could move around on different parts of the track where, in past years, you couldn’t. I do like tire wear races, so last year was fun. The teams will have a better handle on this race, and we shouldn’t have any surprises.”
What is your favorite part about racing at Bristol Motor Speedway?
“The intensity of the close quarters racing, on top of the speed we’re running at a half-mile racetrack. You have to race the track and the rubber that’s getting laid down. Things happen fast, and you have to be on your game for 500 laps. I want one of those Cup swords the winners get. I have one on dirt, but winning a NASCAR Cup race in the No. 3 Get Bioethanol Chevrolet at a track as famous as Bristol Motor Speedway would be special.”
How would you explain Bristol Motor Speedway to a new fan?
“I would say adrenaline pumping, horsepower, loud and America.”
Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway… Sunday’s Food City 500 will mark Kyle Busch’s 37th career NASCAR Cup Series start on the concrete at Bristol Motor Speedway. Busch has eight wins there, in 2007 (spring), both races in 2009, 2010 (fall), 2011 (spring), 2017 (fall), 2018 (spring), and most recently in 2019 (spring). Additionally, the 39-year-old driver has 14 top-five finishes and 19 top-10s at the .533-mile oval. He has also led 2,598 laps, has an average starting position of 15.4, an average finish of 14.5, and has completed 94.4 percent (17,005 of 18,016) of the laps he’s contested there.
Wins Not Limited to Concrete… Busch won the 2022 Dirt Race at Bristol Motor Speedway from a distant third place when, in the late stages, second-place Chase Briscoe slid up the high-banked dirt track and into the Chevrolet of leader Tyler Reddick in the final corner, getting both cars out of shape. Busch’s momentum coming off Turn 4 carried him past Reddick by 0.330 seconds to claim victory.
A Place of Firsts… Busch’s first win at Bristol came on March 25, 2007, a date forever etched in NASCAR history. Driving the No. 5 Chevrolet, Busch earned the honor of becoming the first winner in “The Car of Tomorrow.” He was able to hold off RCR’s Jeff Burton in a side-by-side overtime finish. The victory also secured his place as the youngest winner in Bristol history at the age of 21 years, 10 months, and 23 days old.
Success Not Limited to the Cup Series… In addition to his Cup Series success at Bristol, the veteran racer also has nine NASCAR Xfinity Series wins and five NASCAR Truck Series wins at “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile.”
The NASCAR Hat Trick, Twice… In 2010, Busch made history at Bristol, becoming the first driver to win all three NASCAR national series races in the same weekend. Seven years later, in 2017, Busch repeated the accomplishment – again at the Last Great Colosseum – when he secured victories in the Truck, Xfinity, and Cup Series races.
Busch has career totals of 63 wins, 34 poles, 252 top-five finishes, 386 top-10s and 19,437 laps led in 722 career Cup Series starts.
About Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen… Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is the homestyle casual dining restaurant where guests always Get a lot. For not a lot™. The restaurant offers a variety of homemade meals and generous portions served up in a warm, welcoming atmosphere – all at an unbelievable price. After being welcomed with a signature Honey Butter Croissant on the house, guests can enjoy signature entrées like hand-breaded Chicken Tenders, homemade Chicken Pot Pie and slow-smoked Baby Back Ribs. Cheddar’s operates more than 180 restaurants in 28 states. For more information or to locate the nearest restaurant, visit Cheddars.com. Fans can like or follow Cheddar’s on Facebook, X and Instagram.
KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:
Bristol Motor Speedway. The Last Great Coliseum. You’ve had so much success there. What is it like to race at Bristol?
“Bristol’s one of my favorite tracks, if not my favorite. I love going there. It’s obviously a great place. It reminds me of the local short track atmosphere that you get on Saturday nights, growing up racing late models. It’s a lot of fun. I love the banking. I love the concrete and just the nature of that place. It’s gotten a little bit tougher over the years to be as good as I once was there. Everybody’s kind of picked up on it. It’s definitely one of the coolest tracks that we get a chance to go run on. And obviously, the speed that you carry there and the close nature of the action, whether you run the bottom or whether you run the top, there’s just a lot of options.”
What is it like having to navigate the top and the bottom? Selecting a line multiple times, you may run the top, you may run the bottom, each lap. What’s it like to just navigate through all of that, every lap at that track?
“Every scenario is different at Bristol. The biggest thing is restarts. You’ve got to be ready to get down to the bottom. It seems like the bottom really fires off and takes off early, and then as the pace progresses and falls off, you’ve got to get to the top. You want to be one of the first ones up to the top so that people don’t get up in front of you and block you and not allow you through traffic. It’s just really a challenging race. It’s more of a chess game a lot of times, too, rather than just trying to figure out all raw speeds.”
Pit road there can be tricky. Green flag stops only going down once or yellow flag stops you’re going through the whole pit road. What is it like managing your lights there with the multi-speed zones in that pit road?
“Bristol’s really tough with pit road speeds. You’re up and down on your speeds and managing your lights as you go through the turns and on the straights. We’ve found over the years the hot sections are the sections that read a little bit faster than you think you’re going. You try to pick you pit stalls in those sections to help eliminate the chances of speeding. But also for me, the multiple pit lane thing can be confusing determining which one to come in during the race. I always like picking a pit stall on the back stretch so that we always enter off of Turn Two. Whether you have to run the full pit road under yellow or you can exit into Turn Three on a green flag scenario, it just makes it so much simpler.”
Sometimes people say the first time you go there, you kind of forget to breathe for a couple of laps. What are the G-loads and the forces like going into those corners with such steep banking?
“Bristol is tough when you get there for practice. The first time you get there and you’re in practice, it’s kind of like a cardio session. You’re trying to breathe and you’re trying to work through your breathing and everything, but you kind of hold your breath a little so you become out of breath. But it’s just a cool place. Being able to race somewhere that gives you those G-loads and that feeling is cool.”
Jesse Love and the No. 33 C4 Ultimate Energy Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway… Jesse Love will make his first career NASCAR Cup Series start at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday. The Menlo Park, California native has competed in one NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the Tennessee short track, earning a fourth-place result. Love has also made three ARCA Menards Series starts at the World’s Fastest Half Mile, recording a best finish of second-place in 2023.
Career Background… Love has quickly climbed the motorsports ranks and continues to add to an impressive resume. Already in 2025, Love captured the checkered flag in the season-opening Xfinity Series event at Daytona International Speedway, locking his No. 2 team into the Playoffs. During his Xfinity Series rookie campaign in 2024, the 20-year-old claimed his first series win, a series-leading five poles, and Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. Love became the youngest champion in NASCAR history by clinching his first ARCA Menards Series West title at the age of 16 in 2020. Love then posted a dominating performance by winning half the races and the championship in the 2023 ARCA season.
Bringing the Frost… Making its C4 Ultimate Energy® product line-up more delicious and even cooler, Nutrabolt recently introduced the Frost collection – a product extension available in three flavors that will also unveil a unique can technology that transitions from silver to blue when the can is cold and ready to drink. Love’s No. 33 machine will carry the Frost Bitten Citrus flavor at Bristol Motor Speedway.
About Nutrabolt… Nutrabolt is a fast-growing, global active health and wellness company with a portfolio of market leading performance-oriented brands that energize and fuel active lifestyles. The company’s disruptive and innovative products compete in the Functional Beverage and Active Nutrition segments, under three consumer-loved brands: C4® (one of the fastest-growing energy drink brands in the United States and the #1 selling global pre-workout brand), XTEND® (America’s #1 BCAA brand), and Cellucor® (an award-winning sports nutrition brand created in 2002).
Since their founding 20 years ago, their goal has been to meet the discerning needs of performance athletes and fitness enthusiasts, while appealing beyond this core group to include consumers and communities around the globe who are making healthy, active living a daily priority.
Nutrabolt’s portfolio, which is distributed in over 125 countries, is sold through company-owned DTC platforms, Amazon, and other third-party marketplaces, and is available at leading retailers across the U.S., including Walmart, Target, 7-Eleven, Walgreens, Kroger, H-E-B, Wawa, Publix, GNC, and the Vitamin Shoppe. For more information about Nutrabolt, please visit nutrabolt.com.
JESSE LOVE QUOTES:
What is your excitement level with making your NASCAR Cup Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway?
“A lot of people have asked me if I’m excited. I have worked my whole life towards this opportunity, so it’s going to be high pressure situation and environment. I don’t feel like going into it overly excited and ambitious is probably the best way to go about it. I’m trying to keep a level head going into the whole weekend. I have 500 laps to stay disciplined with my marks, rhythm, and how I drive. I want to go perform the best that I can, so I can achieve my bigger goal of doing it every weekend on Sunday.”
How are you preparing for your NASCAR Cup Series debut? Simulator? Talking to other drivers?
“You could list off a lot of things and I would probably have the same answer – all of the above. Obviously, the simulation stuff is important, but even more so than that, it’s about building my relationship with my new crew chief, Andy Street. He and I have a good friendship even before we knew we would work together this season. Continuing to build on that relationship and figuring out the questions I have will be important. I try to come into these weekends with an idea of what to do and what not to do, and I feel like I have accomplished that. This week has been a lot of prep, and that work will go all the way up to Friday. I want to keep the pressure on myself to find out more answers, talk to more people, and get tidbits from different drivers that I trust. I think I’ll be able to go to the track with a clear and open mind.”
Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway… Love has made one career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Bristol Motor Speedway, earning a fourth-place result in 2024 while piloting the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet. The Menlo Park, California native has also competed in three career ARCA Menards Series events (2021-2023) at the Last Great Colosseum, where Love started inside the top-five for all three races and recorded a best finish of second-place in 2023.
Points Check… Through eight races, Love currently holds the fifth position in the Xfinity Series driver championship point standings – only four points behind fourth-place Sheldon Creed.
Double Duty… Love will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut this Sunday, April 13 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Driving the No. 33 C4 Ultimate Energy Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, the 20-year-old will take to the high banks of the concrete oval for 500 laps in the premier series.
About Whelen Engineering… Whelen Engineering is a family-owned company with a pioneering spirit and a passion to protect the lives of those who protect and serve others. The company mission is to provide industry-defining safety solutions around the world, while creating a community of problem-solvers who are inspired to push boundaries and continue our legacy of delivering ground-breaking innovation. As a global leader in the emergency warning industry, Whelen has been trusted to perform since 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon. Whelen now encompasses two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space and the largest design staff in the industry. Every part of every Whelen product is proudly designed and manufactured in America. We embrace quality as our foundation, we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.
NFFF Returns in 2025… For the fourth consecutive year, the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet will feature a special National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) scheme – a powerful tribute to honor 140 firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice in 2024 and years past. More than just a car, it’s become a powerful symbol of respect and remembrance. Each firefighter, whose name is riding with Love on the decklid, will also be commemorated at the NFFF Memorial during the annual ceremony on May 4. This year’s NFFF design will be unveiled in Whelen’s Booth #3229 at FDIC in Indianapolis, Indiana on Thursday, April 10 at Noon local time. The special design will take to the track at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL on October 4.
JESSE LOVE QUOTES:
What was your initial impression of Bristol Motor Speedway when you walked into the stadium for the first time?
“I was 15 years old, running ARCA for Venturini Motorsports, and I remember being super excited. I’ve come a long way since then, but I ran a car length off the wall because the track was so fast. Things happen very quickly there. It was definitely intimidating the first time, but since then, I’ve become more comfortable with the place and took some detailed notes. I have a knack for the race track itself. It is my favorite short track on the schedule for a multitude of reasons. I love concrete, the fact that you can run multiple lanes, and the steep banking. I’ve come to love going to Bristol and look forward to it when it’s on the schedule.”
How has the start of the 2025 season been for the No. 2 team?
“We have been really good this year. We are leading laps, running up front, contending, and putting ourselves in position to win most weeks. There is a lot of confidence that comes with that. Obviously, we are building fast race cars and we are in contention most races. Bristol is probably my best race track on the schedule and a place I know really well, so I definitely have high hopes for this weekend on the Xfinity side. We had a good package there last year and had a shot to win. I’ve been able to figure some things out since the last time I was there too. Hopefully, we can continue to progress and show that this weekend. It would a good place for us to get another win and keep ourselves good for the rest of the season.”
Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway… Hill has made three career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, capturing a best finish of third in 2022 while driving the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet. The Winston, Georgia native has also competed in six NASCAR Truck Series events (best finish of 10th) and three ARCA Menards Series East races (best finish of fifth) at the World’s Fastest Half Mile.
Chasing Another $100K… After winning at Martinsville Speedway and claiming an extra $100,000 for the first time in his career, Hill has another shot at the Xfinity Dash 4 Cash bonus. On Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway, the 30-year-old will battle with Justin Allgaier, Sheldon Creed, and Brennan Poole, with the highest finisher earning the Dash 4 Cash title. This marks Hill’s fifth career Dash 4 Cash appearance.
Points Check… With eight races complete, Hill currently sits in the third position in the Xfinity Series driver championship point standings – only eight points behind second-place Sam Mayer.
Did You Know? Hill attended Bristol Motor Speedway’s Season Preview event in March, where the driver gave pace car rides to 2018 Atlanta Braves Hall of Famer Tim Hudson and 2023 Cincinnati Reds Hall of Famer Danny Graves. Hill grew up an Atlanta Braves fan.
About Bennett Family of Companies… McDonough-Ga. based Bennett Family of Companies provides industry-leading logistics solutions that help businesses thrive. Whether you need specialized trucking, warehousing, 3PL, exporting, importing, or crane services, Bennett has the expertise to handle your most complex and time-sensitive freight. From LTL to over-dimensional truckloads, Bennett ensures safe, reliable, and on-time deliveries around the world. With a legacy of excellence since 1974, their family and woman-owned company is dedicated to providing personalized, flexible solutions that meet your unique business needs. Trust Bennett to deliver when it matters most – discover how we can help your business grow at www.bennettig.com. Together we can move anything.
AUSTIN HILL QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on Bristol Motor Speedway?
“We’ve had success at Bristol but never won there. Hopefully that changes this year. Bristol is a place where the line you need to run will change throughout the race depending on how your car is handling. You may be at the bottom to start the race, and then you work your way up and run the fence at the end. I’ve actually found success at Bristol while running the wall, and I’ve never been one that is great at running the wall. I’ll be the first one to say that. A few years back, I had a shot to win this race and ended up having a little damage towards the end before finishing third. I’ve definitely been close to winning there.”
Describe racing at Bristol Motor Speedway.
“Things happen so fast at Bristol. It’s a track where you have to be mentally sharp, just like at a superspeedway. Sometimes you don’t know if you are in Turns 1 and 2 or Turns 3 and 4, simply because things are happening so fast in a 15 second lap. You catch lap cars fast, so you have to know right when you get to them if they are going bottom or top to get around them as quickly as possible. Every tenth of a second adds up at a track like Bristol. It’s a tough place to get around, but I enjoy going there and trying to conquer it.”
You know how some things just belong together? Like vintage benches at a racing track — a little unexpected, but somehow they fit. That’s the vibe you get when fast cars and out-of-home (OOH) advertising meet. Both are about grabbing attention in a flash. Whether it’s the speed of the car or the instant impact of a billboard, it’s all about creating a moment you can’t ignore.
Let’s break it down using real life examples.
Why Out of Home (OOH) Advertising and Fast Cars are an Awesome Match
When you want to sell speed, you can’t just talk about it—you have to make people feel it. OOH advertising means you’re catching people on the move: drivers, commuters, pedestrians. That’s the same energy fast car brands are trying to tap into. Huge highway billboards, digital screens in city centers, even wraps on buses all become part of the thrill.
The thing is, fast cars aren’t just about going from zero to sixty. They’re about emotion: freedom, adrenaline, luxury. OOH lets brands project that emotion into the real world, where people aren’t expecting it but totally appreciate it. It’s a shortcut straight to the gut—and when you’re talking about sports cars or luxury SUVs, that gut reaction means everything.
Creative Campaigns That Nailed It
Of course, some brands have nailed this strategy. Notably:
In Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Umhlanga, Audi launched a series of innovative 3D anamorphic billboards, showcasing the Audi grandsphere concept vehicle. These billboards aimed to captivate audiences with optical motion graphics and visual animations, creating a fascinating experience for viewers.
Porsche created a pop-up brand experience center at Leeds’ Victoria Gate shopping center, allowing visitors to engage with the brand and its vehicles in a unique environment. This initiative was part of a series of ten planned pop-ups across the UK.
Jaguar launched an innovative OOH campaign at Heathrow Airport in 2016 to promote the global debut of its first high-performance SUV, the F-PACE. They installed a 7m x 2.1m lenticular display in Terminal 5’s departure lounge, showcasing life-size images of the F-PACE.
How Brands Can Steer into the Fast Lane
If you’re thinking of combining fast cars and OOH, you want to be bold and a little clever. Use motion whenever you can—dynamic screens, changing visuals, or even live events. Play with location too: airports, busy city roads, and even unexpected places like shopping malls or parks can work if you bring enough energy.
And don’t forget the emotional hook. Fast cars are a dream purchase for most people. OOH needs to make that dream feel just a little bit closer. Whether it’s the rush of speed, the sleek design, or just the promise of freedom, a great OOH campaign doesn’t just show the car—it lets you feel it.
