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CHEVROLET NCS AT POCONO: Carson Hocevar Media Availability Quotes

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Official Release
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The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono

NASCAR CUP SERIES
POCONO RACEWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES
JUNE 21, 2025

 Carson Hocevar, driver of the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, met with the media in advance of the NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying session at Pocono Raceway.

Media Availability Quotes:

This is now the seventh time you guys have seen this left-rear tire package. You guys made some growth at Texas, starting up in front and had the great run, as well, at Nashville. Has there been any difficulty for you kind of adapting to it? And also this week as well, a different right side than you guys saw at Indy last year. So how different do you expect this race to be as compared to your first or last year?

“Yeah, I’m not really sure how different it’s going to be. But, you know, we’ve had our, I don’t know, best races on this left-side tire. So, you know, Texas and Charlotte, I think has it… Nashville, Michigan, kind of all those places. Yeah, we’ve been really fast, so hopefully they don’t change it anytime soon so that we can keep taking advantage of it.

I thought this race was pretty good last year or puts on a decent show, so hopefully it’s not too different. But if it’s going to be, you know, it’s for the positive side of it.”

Any conversations with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. this week or this weekend?

“No, unfortunately. I’m not sure what I could what I would say, right? You know, there’s nothing that really would change it, right? We’ve already had that conversation.

I feel like we have a good relationship or, you know, had one. I was just running behind him, just kind of logging laps and, you know, just locked up in a very dumb spot. And it was just so dumb, really. Just a mistake that didn’t need to happen and didn’t want it to happen. But there’s nothing that I could do or say. You know, I can’t buy him a Hallmark card and, you know, really make things better. So, it sucks. It sucks for me because he’s the only NASCAR driver that owns a sprint car team, and I love sprint cars. So it sucks because I want to go talk to him about sprint cars. So, yeah, hopefully everything can be set, but I know that the scorecard has me ahead right now, unfortunately.”

There’s been a lot of conversation about you, about stuff outside the racetrack, whether it’s the incidents that happened on the racetrack that you carried off or your comments that you made on Twitch. From your perspective, is it getting to a point where it feels like those around you are kind of getting frustrated a little bit, like — hey, let’s just try to focus on what we’re doing instead of the extracurricular stuff?

“Well, I mean, there’s two ways to look at it. Number one, you know, I think everybody in my inner circle wants the best for me and our group. Number two, I feel like I put myself out there a lot more, right? The issue wasn’t for the team having their kind of frustrations that I’m giving my opinion and putting it out there. It’s just the fact that, you know, my opinion wasn’t my opinion. It was just based off everything else, you know, that I’ve heard or seen, right? I didn’t go do my own homework and voice my own opinion. You know, I didn’t give it a shot. I didn’t give it a chance. I didn’t go walk around. I didn’t go see it. When I did, you know, then hindsight’s 20/20, then I have my own opinion. But I’ve already put it out there. So I think that was the biggest thing was like — I wasn’t doing what I pride myself of doing. I was just having my own opinion, putting it out there and being me. You know, I just didn’t give it a fair shot, so I think that’s where it all stems from.”

Your name’s been out there for a couple of weeks in a row now… some good, like Michigan, despite the result, then obviously the Nashville and Mexico City stuff now. How do you put that behind you and keep your perspective and focus on the job at hand when you have to get behind the wheel?

“Yeah, I mean, number one, we’re here at a race track, so we just go racing, right? So, you know, I mean, the scorecard has it that I I’m getting something from the 47 at some point, right? And I think my team and everybody kind of knows that. But at the same time, it’s ideally just the 47, right? It’s not an open hunting season on the 77 because of these incidents. You know, it’s kind of oscillated to, you know, when the 47 has a moment that he wants to take at us or take a shot. It’s just like — OK, you know, that’s probably fair. But with everybody else, my team has reassured me that this isn’t open hunting season. We are going to race like we’ve raced, let’s just not create more enemies that we start getting shots back at us. But, you know, we’re still just going to go race, be aggressive and defend ourselves when we need to. But this is kind of, unfortunately, now a ‘two to nothing’ scorecard. I’ve been a fan of the sport for a long time. You know the game; you’ve seen it and everything. But we just go race.”

When you talk about the scorecard with the No. 47, does that mean if he does something in a race, that’s part of it and that’s, I don’t know if the word is ‘acceptable’ in this situation…

“Well, I’m hoping — I mean, we’re really fast here, so I’m hoping he’s artistic about it that I don’t hit anything. But yeah, I mean, just ultimately — like it could be tomorrow or it could be six months from now, right? It would be very hypocritical for me to then lose my mind and be frustrated. I’ve been a fan for a very long time. You’ve seen these stories before. It’s not, by no means, the first time. So, hopefully, for my sake, it doesn’t happen and we can race, and if I need to, you know, we can point it by whatever. But I know how frustrated I was that I brought this back up because I thought we were good. And I let him go because I was a lap down or whatever, and I was just riding behind him and then I locked up. You live in the world you make for yourself, and this is the world I’ve made.”

You reference that just you live in the world that you make. In the last year, you’ve had some great finishes and performances, but you’ve also drew $100,000 in fines for separate incidents, upset some drivers, which, you know, in some cases, that’s not always a bad thing… I understand that. How do you look at what you need to do moving forward to be, whether it’s a better you or a better driver, or if you feel like, hey, I’m doing the right things and I’m just kind of being misunderstood in some situations?

“Well, I mean, I think there’s a bigger thing or maybe the perception that, you know, you make these mistakes, and for me, like that I don’t care… like, I’m just like, oh, cool. You know, whatever. You know, what’s a fine or what’s this or what’s this? You know, I’ll never get anything back. It’s good. But I’m very hard on myself. When I qualified second, I’m just cussing myself out, basically. So when I do something really dumb or hit somebody, right, like, people just don’t see that because you just go to your hotel room and bang your head against the wall, basically. But, you know, just because I do something in the heat of the moment or maybe, you know, you do it two or three times, doesn’t mean I’m not hard on myself for those mistakes because they are mistakes. You know, it’s just trying not to make that a pattern. But when you’re constantly making aggressive moves like we’re doing, it’s balancing that fine line of, you know, you make a thousand moves a day. Just unfortunately, what people remember isn’t always the good ones. You always remember the negative ones. So that’s just trying to limit the negative ones a lot more.”

Do you feel like you’ve created a pattern for the garage or (inaudible)…

“I already have that image, right? Like it’ll never go away. I could go three years from now and it’s just like – oh, I’m back, per se. I think I’ve already made that image before I got in this garage, and I think it’s just trying to balance one thing of owning it and trying to change the narrative while still being like, yeah, I get it. Like I’m aware of this and knowing that.”

I hate to bring up another sore subject, but have you taken a look at the replay from the restart in yesterday’s truck race? What were your initial reactions, and what are your reactions now?

“Yeah… I mean, I looked at it, for sure. We all did. I know my team was on it. We were all on it. You know, obviously, I think we all — this instance kind of came up at the brickyard, right? We were in the race and studied it, so we instantly knew the No. 34 is the control car. I’m not sure he knew that or their team knew that, so it started slowing the field down a lot. I wish I just at least waited to the second line. But with me starting to get pushed and having Michigan truck restarts in my head, I just decided to go and see what they would have called considering the pace was a lot slower, and they called us. So, you know, I felt like I did the best to try to at least give ourselves a fighting shot, where if I kept backing the field down because he was kind of waiting on me to go, that we probably would have gotten spun anyways and the race is over. So, you know, I tried, what I thought in the moment, was try to keep our truck rolling and fight for another lap, and we just never got a yellow.”

Is there something that can be done to fix that confusion as to who the control truck is in the future?

“I mean, I’m sure. I thought NASCAR did a pretty good job, honestly, with it all. I mean, things just happen so fast. So, yeah, everything can always be better and avoided. And, you know, the circumstances are very unique. So now that it’s happened, you know, the second time around, everybody’s going to have it kind of figured out.”

And then you mentioned you’ve seen these scenarios play out before just as a fan. With everything going on for you on the track with good finishes, but also some off-track stuff making some guys in the garage maybe a little unhappy, do you see it as an example of a young driver kind of taking your legs as you try to grow and mature?

“Yeah, maybe so. I think the biggest thing for me, you know, I’ve just been a fan forever, right? And you always saw the rookie get pushed around and, you know, just kind of have to pay their dues. And I was just like — man, if I’m ever in that spot, I’m never going to get pushed around. That’s how you lose opportunities of races. You never know how long you’re going to be in the garage, for one. None of us have a shot clock waiting on us.

You never know. So for me, I want to take advantage of every opportunity I have out there and have no regrets of the effort I’ve put in. And maybe at times, instead of just not letting myself get pushed over, I’m trying to push other people over, and that was the wrong mindset or wrong decision at times.

But the biggest thing for me was just I didn’t want to leave anything on the racetrack that, you know, looking back long after, I could have won here, or I could have ran really good here. Maybe my career would have been differently if I, you know, came out of the gate as good as we did because I lost the opportunity. And, you know, who knows. But as long as I was just putting 100%, I wouldn’t have any regrets on how anything turned out. Just sometimes when you’re going 110%, that’s sometimes where you’re like — oh, I didn’t really need to do that part.”

You sit 60 points below the playoff cut line, and we’ve had three new winners in the last four races. Are you feeling more stressed to win a race and lock yourself in or do you think you can still point your way in?

“Yeah, I mean, I think by the third DNF, I think our mulligan was over for pointing in. We had already kind of been pointed in. That’s kind of why, you know, when we ran second at Nashville, we were frustrated. Even Atlanta, I was disappointed to run second because our stage points, I think were seventh or eighth highest stage points, but we were like 32nd in finish points. There’s just been a lot of, you know, freak issues or certain circumstances that took us out of races that we’d be in a lot better spot. But you’re just giving up points nonstop. We could find those 60 points really easily between like two or three races, unfortunately, But yeah, it’s not shell shock that we’re sitting here in a must-win kind of situation.”

About General Motors

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

Front Row Motorsports: Pocono Raceway NCTS Race Report- Layne Riggs / Chandler Smith

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Official Release
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Layne Riggs | Chandler Smith
Pocono Raceway NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race Report

MillerTech Battery 200
Date: Friday, June 20, 2025
Event: Race 14 of 25
Series: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Location: Pocono Raceway (2.5-miles)
Length of Race: 80 laps over one hour, 43 minutes, 18 seconds

FRM Finish:

  • Layne Riggs (Started 1st, Finished 1st / Running, completed 80 of 80 laps)
  • Chandler Smith (Started 15th, Finished 7th / Running, completed 80 of 80 laps)

FRM Points Standings:

  • Chandler Smith (2nd)
  • Layne Riggs (4th)

Layne Riggs Key Takeaways

Stage One: 1st / Stage Two: 3rd / Race Result: 1st

Layne Riggs earned his first win of the 2025 season in Friday’s 80 lap NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at the Pocono Raceway. In the series practice and qualifying session, Riggs also earned his first career Truck Series pole with a lap of 53.126 seconds, 169.409 mph. Riggs won the first stage and finished third in the second stage, earning 18 stage points before crossing the finish line in first. Riggs’ win marks the third career NCTS victory for Riggs and 13th for Front Row Motorsports.

“That’s just a testament to this team. That thing was bad fast, especially that last run right there. I really hate the 11 fell out. I’m not sure what the 7 was doing on the restart there, but I made sure to take advantage of it. I’m not really sure why we slowed down 30 miles an hour coming to the restart zone, but I’m a happy man right now. It’s great to have Bare Knuckle Boxing on the truck. They have a fight tomorrow tonight in Nashville. Make sure to tune in on Vice TV and see all the action after this race, but I’m on Cloud Nine. This is not one I had circled. Last year, we wrecked in practice and didn’t qualify and rode around dead last all day. Today, we were the best, so it’s amazing.”

YOU WERE 30TH LAST YEAR IN A BACKUP TRUCK HERE, BUT TODAY YOU’RE THE WINNER. “This is not the one I had circled to win. I said that earlier and I’ll take last year because it was all worth it in the end for this year’s performance. What a great truck. This one was gonna win in Nashville and it won today. This this is just so good. Our newest builds and I’m just so proud of everybody at Front Row Motorsports. They do a great job. Dylan, Jonathan. The whole pit crew has really stepped it up. I know we’ve had highlight montages of our bad pit stops and they got me some spots on pit road today, so I’m just super proud of everybody. It’s a great feeling. Dad actually won an ARCA race here back in the day and I was just now thinking about that, but it’s great to have Bare Knuckle Boxing on the truck. They have a fight tonight in Nashville. I’m excited to tune in on Vice TV to watch all the action after this and keep supporting, but this is a great feeling. It’s awesome.”

WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR MIND AS THE RACE UNFOLDS? “No cautions. It was very hectic coming to the line. The 11 asked if he had a flat. I didn’t see he had a flat. I’m not sure if he did or not, and then we weren’t sure if the 7 or me was the control truck, so I was going off the 7 assuming he was in the right lane, so he slowed way down. I don’t know if he was waiting for me or what, but they posted him. I hated that we didn’t get to really race it out with them, but I’ll take them how they come. It was a great day, a great truck, just didn’t quite have the track position early like we wanted, but we had track position at the end and that’s the only one that really pays.”

YOU ARE IN THE PLAYOFFS NOW. WHAT IS THE RELIEF FACTOR? “What’s the first playoff race? That’s the one we have to start working on right now. That’s the one that matters. We’ll just get through these next few and do the best we can through them, but we’re going playoff racing – finally. We didn’t get to do it last year, but we had the speed and the ability and the team to do it and I’m just so glad to get these guys there and try to go get a big trophy.”

IT’S DARLINGTON. “Darlington. I love that track. Perfect.”

Chandler Smith Key Takeaways

Stage One: 8th / Stage Two: 29th / Race Result: 7th

“Not a great day on the 38 side but I’m proud of my team and the way we fought all day to get that 7th place finish at the end,” said Smith. “Happy for Layne and the 34 guys, and I’m looking forward to seeing how we all gain speed the rest of the season and make some noise in the playoffs.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Craftsman Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 Craftsman Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 34 and No. 38 Craftsman Truck Series teams from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @teamfrm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

CHEVROLET NCS AT POCONO: Chase Elliott Media Availability Quotes

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Official Release
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The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono

NASCAR CUP SERIES
POCONO RACEWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES
JUNE 21, 2025

 Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet and the No. 17 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, met with the media in advance of running double duty in the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series at Pocono Raceway.

Media Availability Quotes:

“We would like to take some positive things that we had a year ago to this weekend. That would be great. So, we will just keep chipping away, and I thought we were doing some good things so we just have to do some of the things we are doing well and add some more to it.”

WILLIAM (BYRON) AND KYLE (LARSON) ARE 1-2 IN POINTS, LED A LOT OF LAPS AND WON RACES. YOU ARE NOT TOO FAR BEHIND THEM, BUT WHAT DO YOU FEEL YOU NEED TO DO TO LEAD MORE AND GET INTO VICTORY LANE?

“I think there are a lot of things that go into that. It’s a little bit of everything truthfully, but I think probably the biggest one, is qualifying. You know I think the qualifying thing is so important and an area that I have struggled in. No doubt. So, when I look at some of the races…I look at Michigan, I think Michigan is a good example. We got ourselves up front and when that happened, I thought we were super competitive. It was like night and day from running around 10th to 20th and just a lot of traffic, and starting runs in traffic and it can just really dictate what your car drives like. So, I think being up front, having a really good pit stall, keeping yourself up there, it can change the complexion of your day in such a large way that it can really be overlooked. So, I think that would be really top of mind for me as I look at what is one thing that we can do to help ourselves, and I think that is probably it.”

WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT TO RUN THE XFINITY RACE THIS WEEKEND?

“Well, I mean it’s an opportunity for me to get better. I don’t do a ton of Xfinity races or Truck races or whatever, so for me, it’s mainly the Cup thing. So, it’s an opportunity to race and I only had one on my schedule this year and when they talked about adding another one I was super open to it and wanted to get involved. Had a lot of fun in Darlington, thought we were really competitive and right in the mix. So, I think the car is in a really good spot and everybody on the Xfinity side of the shop has done a really good job of getting this thing really where it needs to be. So, yeah, it’s been fun to be a part of that process a little bit and hopefully we can keep it rolling and have some fun and also get some reps here today and kind of get myself up to speed. I hope that it will help us a little bit on the Cup side and just start the day off quick, get a good qualifying effort over there, and help us for tomorrow.”

YOU HAD THE UNIQUE POSITION OF BEING ON A PODIUM LAST WEEK. ARE YOU FOR THAT IN FUTURE RACES?

“Yeah, I am not really for it or against it. I am fine with it. I have no problem in giving Shane (Van Gisbergen) his congratulations and making sure he is celebrated properly. He won the race, and he deserved the right to that. Me being the second loser, I can get in there and make sure that I appreciate the job that he did. I guess that is what you are getting at, there is no doubt. Would I have rather that been me? Yeah, no question. It’s not normal for us, so I am okay with it, I am okay with doing it, I am okay with not doing it. If that is going to be a new thing, then it’s totally fine and we can start a new tradition. But that has not historically been us, so I just want to make sure our focus is being us, being NASCAR and that is okay. We are our own form of motorsports and we can stand on our own two feet and we can do our own thing. So, as long as we are not doing it to be like everyone else, I am fine. But if that is the case, I am also good not doing it.”

WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE SO FAR, HAS THIS BEEN A GOOD SEASON FOR YOU?

“That is a good question. Good? Sure, but it’s not where I want to be no doubt. I think for us there have been some high spots and to be honest, there have been weeks where we have run well where we have had a good finish, and there have been weeks where we have not had a good finish and I can go home and be like, ‘man, we were in the mix, and we had good pace today’. And those are the weeks where you just want to feel like you are in the ball game as it pertains to pace, doing the right things, and getting up in there and giving yourself a shot. Those days I can go home and have something to be proud of. It’s the days and weekends where we are just not even relevant that I think are the most frustrating to me. We have had more of those than I would want to have and that we would want to have as a team. So, I think it’s been good but not satisfactory for myself or to our team, but there is still a lot of racing left in the season and I think we have ourselves in a position to make a mediocre day alright. We can build from it, and we still have a chance.”

ARE YOU APPROACHING THESE NEXT FIVE RACES AS GETTING THE WIN, OR POINTS OR CASE BY CASE BASIS?

“I think it’s a little bit case by case and a lot of it comes back to my speed comments. It’s do you really have a legit shot at winning that day. I mean just based on your pace and so on and so forth. Its super circumstantial is the best way to answer that. The biggest circumstance that is going to dictate what you do in those moments is what kind of pace you have, and what kind of real shot you have to win the race when you just kind of sit back and look at the day so far and compare it to the guys that have had good air and are out front. I have a pretty good idea when that is the case and when that is not the case, but certainly Alan and everybody on the box on the team, they are the ones that are watching that much closer than I am able to. So, we will see, and I hope that we are fast, and I am down with giving up Stage points to give ourselves a shot to win, all day long for sure. But if you are struggling and you are not super-fast, then some days those points might be worth the risk to try and get them and put yourself in a deficit the next stage.”

HOW WILL YOU NAVIGATE THROUGH THE HIGHER WINDS, AND WHERE WILL IT AFFECT YOU THE MOST?

“It’s definitely been windy in general, I feel like across the country. It seems like….especially this late in the year. But I do think the wind died down yesterday and I don’t feel like its going to be as big of a deal today and tomorrow from what I saw. But, it just depends on what direction it’s blowing and which direction the wind is pushing you, and where it’s working. The wind can work against you, but it can also work with you, for car handling too. Having a head wind is a good thing, right? So, you have to kind of think about it both ways and making a lap, you are going to see all different directions of the wind. And it just depends on which way its going and which corner it’s going to help you and which one it’s going to hurt you. You have to think about that a little bit.”

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR DESIGN TO DRIVE INITIATIVE?

“Yeah, for those that don’t know, it’s been our foundation’s initiative over the last nine years. It’s just all in support of children’s health care of Atlanta. We have typically done something around the Atlanta race every year and it’s been a lot of fun to be a part of it and watch it grow. It started as a shoe initiative where we were designing shoes, and we were auctioning those off. Then NAPA got involved and really when NAPA got involved it kind of took it to the next step, because they have given up one of their races to let this happen. A young girl named Raylen has designed my car, my helmet, and all the things for next weekend in Atlanta. I am super excited to meet her and have her family out at the track and hopefully spread some joy with her and her family and also to help a good cause. They are a fantastic network of hospitals, and I have some close friends of mine that have gone through there and it’s an amazing place if you do have to do anything. And no one wants that, right? But an amazing place, amazing atmosphere, great doctors, so we are just really proud and it’s an honor for me to partner with them. I am sure it’s not as much help as a lot of people do, but we have tried to help where we can and to grow this deal and it’s been a really fun thing to be a part of. So, I am looking forward to it next weekend as well.”

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS GOING TO YOUR HOME TRACK?

“I would like to go win. Pretty simple.”

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN TAKE, EVEN WITHOUT WINNING, THAT YOU AND THE TEAM CAN TAKE FROM THE CONSISTENCY SO FAR INTO THE LATTER HALF OF THE SEASON?

“The consistency has been good, but this deal really rewards winning. It’s way more important to win and to get those Playoff points in fives than to have to wait till the end of the regular season and maybe get eight or ten, depending on where you finish in the points. So, you need to have some wins, and you need to finish good in the points and then kind of double down on that to get yourself in a really good spot. The consistency is nice, no question. I think our team has done a really good job taking some of those days where we were not having a good day, and digging in, and finding a way to just get something halfway decent out of it. Sometimes that can be a really hard thing to do, and I am really proud of them for that. Because it’s easy to throw in the towel on those days, just lose it and be done and go try again next week. But we as a whole, we don’t know any better and we just keep trying, keep pushing, and make the most out of whatever the day has brought us.”

About General Motors

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

RIGGS WINS NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES MILLERTECH BATTERY 200

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Official Release
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Front Row Motorsports driver Layne Riggs celebrates in Victory Lane after winning Friday’s MillerTech Battery 200 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Pocono Raceway.. Photo credit: Dan Ryan / Pocono Raceway.
  • Layne Riggs of Front Row Motorsports earns his first career NCTS pole earlier in the day en route to his first win of the season.
  • TRICON Garage’s Tanner Gray matches career-best performance by finishing second.

LONG POND, Pa. (June 20, 2025) – Front Row Motorsports driver Layne Riggs converted his first career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series pole into his first victory of the season in Friday’s MillerTech Battery 200 at Pocono Raceway.

Riggs, driving the No. 34 Bare Knuckle Brawl Ford, took advantage of a cut tire and scrape with the wall by defending race champion Corey Heim of TRICON Garage to secure his third career victory. Riggs took control on Lap 61 of 80 and went on to a 3.64-second margin of victory over runner-up Tanner Gray of TRICON Garage. Click HERE for the full results.

“That thing was bad fast, especially that last run right there,” Riggs said. “I am on cloud nine right now. This is not one I had circled (on my calendar). Last year, we wrecked in practice, didn’t qualify and ran around dead-last all day, and today we were the best, so man, this is amazing.”

It was somewhat amazing that Heim did not wind up in Victory Lane for the second year in a row. He was dominant until his mishap, leading three times for a race-high 48 of the first 60 laps. He was able to return to the race, but finished 23rd.

On the ensuing restart, the leader Riggs started on the inside and Cup Series regular Carson Hocevar of Spire Motorsports on the outside. Hocevar cleared for the lead entering Turn 1, but was black flagged for jumping the restart. Hocevar was then forced to come to pit road to serve his restart violation penalty and handed the lead back to Riggs. Hocevar would go on to finish 13th.

With Heim and Hocevar out of the way, Riggs took command of the race and quickly opened up a 1.124-second advantage over Gray. Riggs would lead the final 20 laps and was never threatened.

The runner-up, Toyota-powered performance by Gray matched his career-best finish while Niece Motorsports driver Kaden Honeycutt finished third. Joe Gibbs Racing Xfinity Series regular Brandon Jones, driving for TRICON Garage, took fourth and Daniel Hemric of McAnally-Hilgemann Racing was fifth.

“We hadn’t been able to put together any solid races as of lately, so to have a solid day like that is refreshing,” Gray said. “In the past I’ve struggled here. We just haven’t been able to put races together, so it feels good to be able to do that today. It’s refreshing to have a good run, but at the same time it’s tough because we have to win to get into the playoffs and we were one spot away from it there. All in all I’m proud of everybody, but really wanted to be one spot better.”

The weekend will feature a NASCAR national series race each day, with the Xfinity Series Explore the Pocono Mountains 250 up next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET. The weekend culminates with the sold-out Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA.COM on Sunday beginning at 2 p.m. ET.

For ticket information and news on the NASCAR race weekend, please visit www.poconoraceway.com.

About Pocono Raceway

Pocono Raceway, also known as ‘The Tricky Triangle,’ is family-owned and situated in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. In business for over 60 years, the Raceway hosts multiple, national motorsports events including the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events each year. The facility’s calendar also consists of over 300 events including Elements Music & Arts Festival and a wide range of entertainment events, car clubs and racing schools. Pocono Raceway is recognized as the world’s first, privately-owned solar-powered sports facility. Their 25-acre, three-megawatt solar farm provides the energy needs of the Raceway, as well as, adds electricity to the local power grid. Each member of our raceway staff is committed to creating exciting experiences and lifelong memories. For more information, please visit www.poconoraceway.com.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race Number 14
Race Results for the MillerTech Battery 200 – Friday, June 20, 2025
Pocono Raceway – Long Pond, PA – 2.5 – Mile Paved
Total Race Length – 80 Laps – 200. Miles

FinStNoDriverS1S2S3PtsStatus
1134Layne Riggs13059Running
2515Tanner Gray05041Running
3245Kaden Honeycutt26048Running
491Brandon Jones(i)7000Running
51919Daniel Hemric00032Running
61281Connor Mosack #310040Running
71538Chandler Smith80033Running
81352Stewart Friesen60034Running
91698Ty Majeski00028Running
10871Rajah Caruth00027Running
11617Giovanni Ruggiero #00026Running
121766Luke Baldwin00025Running
1347Carson Hocevar(i)0200Running
142491Jack Wood00023Running
15107Patrick Emerling00022Running
16777Andres Perez De Lara49030Running
17149Grant Enfinger00020Running
183499Ben Rhodes108023Running
192733Frankie Muniz #00018Running
202142Matt Mills00017Running
21232Nathan Byrd00016Running
22295Toni Breidinger #00015Running
23311Corey Heim01024Running
242869Tyler Tomassi(i)0000Running
252676Spencer Boyd00012Running
261818Tyler Ankrum97017Running
272088Matt Crafton00010Running
281113Jake Garcia54022Running
293526Dawson Sutton #0008DVP
303322Clayton Green0007Accident
312244Conner Jones0006Accident
323074Dawson Cram(i)0000Clutch
33252Cody Dennison0004Accident
34316Norm Benning0003Too Slow
353228Bryan Dauzat0002Too Slow

Niece Motorsports NCTS Race Recap: Pocono Raceway

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Official Release
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NIECE MOTORSPORTS
NCTS RACE RECAP: POCONO RACEWAY
Event: MillerTech Battery 200 (80 laps / 200 miles)
Round: 14 of 25 (Regular Season)
Track: Pocono Raceway
Location: Long Pond, Pennsylvania
Date & Time: Friday, June 20 | 5:00 PM ET

No. 42 J.F. Electric / Utilitra Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett

Start: 21st
Stage 1: 20th
Stage 2: 22nd
Finish: 20th
Driver Points: 19th
Owner Points: 24th

  • Key Takeaway: Matt Mills and the No. 42 team brought home a 20th-place finish at Pocono Raceway. Mills found it difficult to make up track position as he was mired in traffic, and picked up some slight damage in a mid-race incident. The J.F. Electric team made repairs and kept Mills on track to finish the race inside the top-20.
  • Matt Mills’ Post-Race Thoughts: “Overall, I think we just lacked some speed today. We tightened our truck up too much in practice, and I think that carried over to the race. We just built too tight and the adjustments we made weren’t enough to help us. I got some damage there in the wreck, and really couldn’t get any track position. I’m thankful to my guys for putting in the effort in making us better, and for the support of J.F. Electric, Utilitra, and all of our partners. We’ll move onto a new track in Lime Rock next week and I’ll be looking forward to racing there.”

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.

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.

No. 44 Niece Equipment / Jones Utilities Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Conner Jones | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers

Start: 22nd
Stage 1: 15th
Stage 2: 18th
Finish: 31st
Driver Points: 44th
Owner Points: 17th

  • Key Takeaway: Conner Jones and the No. 44 team were forced out in an early Pocono exit due to a crash on lap 47. After starting 22nd, Jones was moving forward before getting collected, but the damage proved to be too severe to continue. He was credited with a 31st-place finish in his second outing with the team.
  • Conner Jones’ Post-Race Thoughts: On the crash that sidelined him.

“I was honestly just trying to get through it. I saw smoke, tried checking up, and thought I had it cleared, and then I think the No. 26 [Dawson Sutton] just clipped me. I mean, really nothing any of us could have done. I just can’t thank my guys at Niece Motorsports enough. This Niece Equipment / Jones Utilities / Bill’s Appliance Center Chevy was really good today, and I’m just looking forward to the next race at New Hampshire.”

About Niece Equipment: For over 30 years, Niece Equipment has provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Our reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability.

Each of our water and fuel/lube trucks are engineered with quality and durability in mind. Our capability ranges from 2,000 gallon water trucks to 12,000 gallon water towers. The fuel/lube trucks we offer range from 600 to 4,000 gallons.

About Jones Utilities: Jones Utilities Construction, Inc. is a full service underground utility and fiber optic construction contractor. Founded in 1997 by company President Robert Jones and incorporated in 1999, we have successfully completed contracts with values ranging from $5,000 to $2.4 million. We are outfitted to complete any size project with accuracy, quality, safety, and timeliness.

No. 45 DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Kaden Honeycutt | Crew Chief: Phil Gould

Start: 2nd
Stage 1: 2nd
Stage 2: 6th
Finish: 3rd
Driver Points: 6th
Owner Points: 6th

  • Key Takeaway: Kaden Honeycutt and the No. 45 team matched their season-best showing with an impressive third-place finish. Honeycutt started off strong on the front row, and maintained track position through the first stage. With stage finishes of second and sixth, Honeycutt nabbed a total of 15 extra points on the day. The driver remains above the Playoffs cutline with a 45-point advantage, currently sixth overall.
  • Kaden Honeycutt’s Post-Race Thoughts:

Interviewer: Kaden Honeycutt matches his career-best finish with a third-place run. Kaden, just tell us, how did you?

“Yeah, just a great truck by these guys. This DQS Solutions & Staffing No. 45 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet was good today. We just lacked a little front turn, really. I just think we were too stiff in the front end and the ride quality wasn’t great. It’s good to be frustrated with a top-five; this team just wants to win, and I want to win just as bad as they do, if not more. I just want to thank everyone for supporting us. This was also in remembrance of Charlie Henderson. He was riding with us today, and he’s really going to be missed for sure in this garage.

Just want to thank our guys at the fab shop. We build our own trucks, and this is another good one they built. Just got to work on it a little bit more, but thanks to Precision Vehicle Logistics, J.F. Electric, and everyone that supports us in our deal. We’ll move onto Lime Rock now and see if we can win one in the next couple of weeks to lock us into the Playoffs.”

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, 200+ 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).

THREE-PEAT: POCONO RACEWAY SELLS OUT NASCAR CUP SERIES RACE FOR THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR

By
Official Release
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Photo credit: Pocono Raceway
  • Last three Cup Series races have produced the largest crowds at “The Tricky Triangle” since 2010.
  • Tickets still available for Saturday’s Xfinity Series Explore the Pocono Mountains 250 race.

LONG POND, Pa. (June 20, 2025) – Pocono Raceway has sold out The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA.COM NASCAR Cup Series race for the third consecutive year, track officials announced in advance of Sunday’s event.

The three sellouts have produced the largest crowds at “The Tricky Triangle” since 2010 and Sunday’s Cup Series race will exceed the previous marks as a result of a camping expansion. The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA.COM (2 p.m. ET, TV: Amazon Prime, Radio: MRN, SiriusXM) sold out all frontstretch seating, premium seating, suites, infield camping and the grandstand camping area. It also is the fifth consecutive year that the entire infield camping inventory has been sold out.

The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA.COM has attracted fans from 50 states and 13 international countries.

“A massive thank you to all of our fans, partners and elected officials for supporting Pocono Raceway and NASCAR,” Pocono Raceway President Ben May said. “Our team is honored to deliver a sold-out Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA.COM and can’t wait to see who hoists our cherished Eagle Trophy in front of this tremendous crowd.”

Fans still intent on attending Sunday’s race may be able to purchase resale tickets through SeatGeek, the Official Secondary Marketplace of Paciolan. Tickets are still available for Saturday’s Xfinity Series Explore the Pocono Mountains 250 (3:30 p.m.).

For additional information about The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA.COM please visit www.poconoraceway.com.

About Pocono Raceway

Pocono Raceway, also known as ‘The Tricky Triangle,’ is family-owned and situated in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. In business for over 60 years, the Raceway hosts multiple, national motorsports events including the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events each year. The facility’s calendar also consists of over 300 events including Elements Music & Arts Festival and a wide range of entertainment events, car clubs and racing schools. Pocono Raceway is recognized as the world’s first, privately-owned solar-powered sports facility. Their 25-acre, three-megawatt solar farm provides the energy needs of the Raceway, as well as, adds electricity to the local power grid. Each member of our raceway staff is committed to creating exciting experiences and lifelong memories. For more information, please visit www.poconoraceway.com.

Ribeiro Earns First-Career FR Americas Pole, Setting New Record at Mid-Ohio

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Official Release
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LEXINGTON, Ohio (June 20, 2025) – Rookie Bruno Ribeiro secured the Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas) pole at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Friday afternoon. Fresh off two back-to-back podiums at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), Ribeiro (No. 01 Alfa Cem / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) took his momentum east to set a new qualifying track record in FR Americas with a lap time of 1:18.638.

The Brazilian native turned heads as he finished qualifying only 0.087 seconds ahead of his Kiwi Motorsport teammate Nicolas Ambiado (No. 55 Velox USA / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3). Brady Golan (No. 80 Attire / Toney Driver Development Ligier JS F3) followed in third.

The winningest driver this season, Titus Sherlock (No. 31 Rayne Nutrition / Ronald McDonald House Charities / Crosslink Motorsports Ligier JS F3) will line up fourth for Round 9 tomorrow morning. Jett Bowling (No. 22 Bullhorn / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3), who earned his first-career win and finished on the podium in both IMS races, will line up fifth on the grid to kick off his second FR Americas race weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

FR Americas had one practice on Friday morning. In that session, Golan paced the field, while Ribeiro followed just 0.167 seconds behind. With much of the same quartet filling the top five, Bowling was third, while Ambiado ranked fourth. Rookie Nicolas Stati (No. 15 Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) rounded out the top five, after earning his first-career podium at IMS last weekend.

The lights go out for FR Americas Race 1 at Mid-Ohio tomorrow at 11:05 a.m. ET. All races from the Mid-Ohio SpeedTour will stream on SpeedTour.TV, with timing and scoring available on the Race Monitor app, and additional news and updates available on the series’ Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Toyota GAZOO Racing NCTS Post-Race Recap – Pocono – 06.20.25

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Official Release
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TANNER GREY BRINGS HOME BEST FINISH OF THE SEASON WITH RUNNER-UP RESULT AT POCONO
Brandon Jones earns fourth-place finish in his final Truck Series race of the season

POCONO, Pa. (June 20, 2025) – Tanner Gray matched his career-best finish with a runner-up result in Friday evening’s NASCAR Truck Series race at Pocono Raceway – also earning his best finish of the season. The driver of the No. 15 TRICON Garage Toyota Tundra TRD Pro notched his third top-five of 2025 and the 13th top-five of his Truck Series career.

TRICON Garage teammate Brandon Jones finished fourth, giving Toyota two Tundra TRD Pros in the top five.

Toyota development driver Corey Heim dominated much of the 80-lap race, leading a race-high 48 laps. But under caution on Lap 61, Heim radioed his team to report a tire going down. He was forced to pit just as the race returned to green, costing him a potential victory.

Joining Gray and Jones in the top-10 was Michigan race winner Stewart Friesen, who finished eighth.

Toyota GAZOO Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS)
Pocono Raceway
Race 14 of 23 – 80 Laps, 200 Miles

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

1st, Layne Riggs*
2nd, TANNER GRAY
3rd, Kaden Honeycutt*
4th, BRANDON JONES
5th, Daniel Hemric*
8th, STEWART FRIESEN
11th, GIO RUGGIERO
22nd, TONI BREIDINGER
32nd, DAWSON CRAM
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

TANNER GRAY, No. 15 Place of Hope Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON GARAGE

Finishing Position: 2nd

What More Could you have done to catch Layne Riggs?

“Really happy with the day that we had. Really proud of everyone with TRICON Garage, everyone works really hard on this No. 15 Place of Hope Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. We executed really well. We hadn’t been able to put together any solid races as of lately, so to have a solid day like that is refreshing. In the past I’ve struggled here. We just haven’t been able to put races together, so it feels good to be able to do that today. It’s refreshing to have a good run, but at the same time it’s tough because we have to win to get into the playoffs and we were one spot away from it there. All in all I’m proud of everybody, but really wanted to be one spot better.”

BRANDON JONES, No. 1 Spectracide Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

Finishing Position: 4th

You seemed to have a fast truck on the last run, but did you simply run out of time?

“I did a little bit. This is my last one of the year. I strategically picked out the races I did this year where I legitimately thought I had a shot to win. I tried to pick my best tracks and it was hard to put some of these races together. We had really fast Toyota Tundra’s all year long and got caught up in a lot of incidents not of our doing. It was nice to cap it off with a top-five for these guys. They’ve definitely done a lot of growing this year and I think they’ve got even more to grow. They’ve done a really good job of bringing fast race trucks to the track. Just need to get some luck on their side like they got today. It was a difficult race for sure. There was a lot of aero racing. You have to think five steps ahead of where you are going to position your truck to take advantage of guys. It takes a lot of discipline on these restarts, you want to fan out, but you end up getting freight trained if you do, so it’s tough.”

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.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Riggs Drives Ford His F-150 to Pocono Sweep With Pole and Race Win

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Official Release
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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
MillerTech 200 — Pocono Raceway
Friday, June 20, 2025

LAYNE RIGGS DRIVES HIS FORD F-150 TO POCONO SWEEP WITH POLE AND RACE WIN

  • Layne Riggs earned the first pole of his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career and then won his first race of the season today at Pocono Raceway.
  • This marks the third career NCTS victory for Riggs and 13th for Front Row Motorsports.
  • Ford now has three wins this season, all by FRM drivers as Chandler Smith has the other two.
  • The win is Ford’s 127th in the series with five of the last six being courtesy of FRM.

Ford Finishing Results:

1st – Layne Riggs
7th – Chandler Smith
9th – Ty Majeski
12th – Luke Baldwin
18th – Ben Rhodes
19th – Frankie Muniz
24th – Tyler Tomassi
27th – Matt Crafton
28th – Jake Garcia
30th – Clayton Green
33rd – Cody Dennison

VICTORY LANE INTERVIEWS

LAYNE RIGGS, No. 34 Bare Knuckle Brawl Ford F-150 – “That’s just a testament to this team. That thing was bad fast, especially that last run right there. I really hate the 11 fell out. I’m not sure what the 7 was doing on the restart there, but I made sure to take advantage of it. I’m not really sure why we slowed down 30 miles an hour coming to the restart zone, but I’m a happy man right now. It’s great to have Bare Knuckle Boxing on the truck. They have a fight tonight in Nashville. Make sure to tune in on Vice TV and see all the action after this race, but I’m on Cloud Nine. This is not one I had circled. Last year, we wrecked in practice and didn’t qualify and rode around dead last all day. Today, we were the best, so it’s amazing.”

YOU WERE 30TH LAST YEAR IN A BACKUP TRUCK HERE, BUT TODAY YOU’RE THE WINNER. “This is not the one I had circled to win. I said that earlier and I’ll take last year because it was all worth it in the end for this year’s performance. What a great truck. This one was gonna win in Nashville and it won today. This this is just so good. Our newest builds and I’m just so proud of everybody at Front Row Motorsports. They do a great job. Dillon, Jonathan. The whole pit crew has really stepped it up. I know we’ve had highlight montages of our bad pit stops and they got me some spots on pit road today, so I’m just super proud of everybody. It’s a great feeling. Dad actually won an ARCA race here back in the day and I was just now thinking about that, but it’s great to have Bare Knuckle Boxing on the truck. They have a fight tonight in Nashville. I’m excited to tune in on Vice TV to watch all the action after this and keep supporting, but this is a great feeling. It’s awesome.”

WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR MIND AS THE RACE UNFOLDS? “No cautions. It was very hectic coming to the line. The 11 asked if he had a flat. I didn’t see he had a flat. I’m not sure if he did or not, and then we weren’t sure if the 7 or me was the control truck, so I was going off the 7 assuming he was in the right lane, so he slowed way down. I don’t know if he was waiting for me or what, but they posted him. I hated that we didn’t get to really race it out with them, but I’ll take them how they come. It was a great day, a great truck, just didn’t quite have the track position early like we wanted, but we had track position at the end and that’s the only one that really pays.”

YOU ARE IN THE PLAYOFFS NOW. WHAT IS THE RELIEF FACTOR? “What’s the first playoff race? That’s the one we have to start working on right now. That’s the one that matters. We’ll just get through these next few and do the best we can through them, but we’re going playoff racing – finally. We didn’t get to do it last year, but we had the speed and the ability and the team to do it and I’m just so glad to get these guys there and try to go get a big trophy.”

IT’S DARLINGTON. “Darlington. I love that track. Perfect.”

Rest to Race Again: How the Right Mattress Size Supports Total Recovery

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SM
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Athletes and fitness enthusiasts know that training doesn’t end at the gym—it continues while you sleep. Recovery is a 24/7 process, and your mattress plays a more critical role than most people realize. From muscle repair to hormonal balance and mental reset, quality sleep is the secret weapon behind every strong performance. Want to fine-tune your setup? Be sure to use our bed size chart to sleep smarter and find the right fit for your lifestyle, space, and recovery goals.

The Recovery-Sleep Connection: Why It All Begins in Bed

After a high-intensity workout or competition, your body shifts into repair mode. This is when:

  • Muscles rebuild through protein synthesis
  • Growth hormone is released
  • Cortisol levels drop
  • Inflammation begins to subside

All of this happens most efficiently during deep sleep. But it’s hard to achieve true rest on a cramped or poorly sized mattress. Tossing and turning, limited movement space, or being forced into awkward positions due to inadequate mattress dimensions can interrupt the stages of sleep your body relies on most.

Mattress Size and Movement: Let Your Body Breathe

If you’re an active sleeper or share your bed with a partner, a larger mattress—such as a queen or king—can make a significant difference in recovery. Why? Because physical recovery demands freedom of movement. You need room to stretch sore legs, shift weight off pressure points, and rotate naturally throughout the night without restriction.

Recommended Sizes for Recovery-Focused Sleepers:

  • Twin XL: Ideal for solo athletes in small spaces. It offers extra legroom compared to a standard twin.
  • Queen: A balanced choice that provides enough space for one person to move freely—or for two if you don’t mind snuggling.
  • King / California King: Best for couples or taller individuals who need room to spread out without sacrificing comfort.

Pro tip: If you’re constantly waking up in the middle of the night because you feel cramped or hot, the problem may not be your mattress quality—it could be your mattress size.

Pressure Relief and Spinal Alignment

Athletes often suffer from tight hips, sore backs, or stiff shoulders. These pain points can worsen without a supportive surface that distributes weight properly. Larger mattresses allow manufacturers to engineer more responsive zones of support and relief—especially in hybrid and memory foam models. This helps keep your spine aligned, improves circulation, and reduces tossing due to discomfort.

And when your spine is in neutral alignment, your muscles can fully relax, enabling faster recovery from strain or overuse.

Mattress Sharing: When Recovery Is a Team Effort

If you share your bed with a partner, pet, or even a child, your recovery sleep can be easily disrupted by movement, snoring, or differing sleep styles. A larger mattress allows each sleeper to have their own “zone,” minimizing disturbances.

Consider this:

  • Queen: Works if you and your partner sleep similarly and don’t need much extra room.
  • King: Offers the most undisturbed space, especially if one of you tends to toss and turn or wake frequently.
  • California King: Adds extra legroom, ideal for taller athletes or those who sleep with pets at the foot of the bed.

Recovery isn’t just about getting sleep—it’s about getting undisturbed, quality sleep. The right mattress size helps ensure that.

Mental Recovery: Don’t Overlook the Brain

Physical performance is only part of the recovery puzzle. Your brain also needs restorative sleep to consolidate memories, process emotional stress, and support focus and reaction times. Studies show that fragmented sleep (often caused by a cramped bed or partner disturbance) leads to impaired cognitive function—even if you technically get “enough” sleep hours.

Upgrading to the correct mattress size doesn’t just benefit your body—it’s a mental health investment, too.

Real Athlete Experiences: Why Size Made the Difference

Case Study 1: Marathon Runner, Age 34
“When I switched from a full-size mattress to a king, I realized how much I was missing out on. I no longer woke up stiff, and my hip soreness disappeared within a month. Having room to stretch made a night-and-day difference.”

Case Study 2: CrossFit Athlete, Age 29
“My partner and I used to fight over space in bed after long workouts. We upgraded to a California King and suddenly we both slept through the night. I felt more recovered and less foggy the next morning.”

These real-world testimonials reinforce what sleep experts already know: mattress size isn’t a luxury—it’s part of a recovery strategy.

How to Choose the Right Size for Your Lifestyle

Choosing a mattress size goes beyond measuring your room. Ask yourself:

  • Do you sleep alone or with someone else?
  • Are you tall or do you sleep stretched out?
  • Do you move around a lot at night?
  • Do you share your bed with pets or kids?
  • Are you recovering from injury or intense training?

Still unsure what size fits your needs? Again, don’t forget to use our bed size chart to sleep smarter—it breaks down dimensions and best-use cases in a simple, visual format.

The Final Lap: Recovery Starts Where You Sleep

If you’ve been investing in recovery tools like massage guns, compression boots, or cryotherapy but still wake up sore, it’s time to look at where it all starts: your bed. A supportive, spacious mattress ensures your body has the space and structure it needs to truly rest, rebuild, and rise again stronger.

Remember, the journey to peak performance isn’t just paved with protein shakes and gym hours—it also includes silent hours in a properly sized sleep sanctuary.

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