Toyota Racing – Denny Hamlin NASCAR Cup Series Quotes
MARTINSVILLE, Va. (November 2, 2024) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin was made available to the media on Saturday prior to practice for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway.
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx One Rate Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing
Is it difficult to not think about the points you lost for the engine penalty?
“It’s a factor, certainly at this point, but nothing you can do about it. You have to race where the ball lies, so we have to go here and win, so that is what we will try to do.”
Do you want to know tomorrow about where you sit in the points?
“No, not really – especially in the spot that we are in. I think that it is all straight forward. I don’t think that – unless someone stubs their toe, I just don’t think that there is an opportunity to gain that many points. There is – some strategies can get flipped on restarts and things like that, so you never know, but for the last handful of races, I have not wanted to know anything about the points – just let me get the best finish that I can, and that is what we will do this week.”
How neat is it to see the growth of 23XI, with Tyler being in the Championship 4?
“Certainly, from the standpoint of where we are at – this is the fourth year for the 23 car. This is the third year for the 45 car. It is a fantastic accomplishment by them to be in the position that they are and I’m proud of the effort that I’ve put in to that team to help them get to where they are at. It is gratifying, and certainly, more of a long-term play for me to be part of the sport long after I’m driving and still have the competitive juices flowing on how I can feel competitive watching a NASCAR race on Sunday, and that is rooting on the team that I own. I’m still a fan of theirs on Sundays – if I don’t get a win, I’m certainly rooting for them. It is awesome to see that they are going to be racing for a championship, and I think having a great shot at it.”
How do you expect the tires to react today and do you think you can take things from practice today to tomorrow?
“I do. I think with all of the cars on track today, and especially for an extended period of time, I think the track will get rubbered in, very similar to what it will be like tomorrow, so I do think it will be a valuable practice session from that standpoint – something that, usually you are trying to offset – here we are Saturday morning, there is not as much rubber on the track, conditions will be different tomorrow, but I think overall, this will be about the best 45 minutes straight that we can have to draw conclusions, but typically what happens in extended practice like this is the field gets closer together, usually starts out pretty dispersed and then everyone gets to essentially the same speed. You better qualify well.”
What did you think about the Truck Series finish?
“I thought that certainly, the 17 (Taylor Gray) did a great job putting himself in position to win. The 19 (Christian Eckes) didn’t want to give up the win. Sometimes you play that game of – you want to win, but you don’t want to have anyone drive you hard the following week win you are trying to win a championship, but you can’t fault them for thinking the win in that given moment was the most important thing. Certainly, from what we’ve seen in the past, I thought it was relatively tame compared to – we’ve seen some crashes, and he certainly moved the guy out of the way and didn’t give him an opportunity to make the corner, but that was a decision that he made and he probably feels okay with it.”
Do we have a system that is unfair to drivers that want to have a recourse when they’ve been wronged?
“Yeah, it is certainly a balance. I’m probably the worst person you can ask for that because I retaliated and got penalized. It is a self-policing sport until it is not. It is very difficult to know when is the right time because you would think you could just do it on the race track and those words self-policing have been used for decades and decades and still used today, NASCAR never wants to get in the middle of officiating contact, although they do at times, but then you open yourself up to what is too blatant and that is a very murky line.”
If the tires aren’t the answer this weekend, what is the answer?
“I’m not really sure, short, again, giving the horsepower back that the cars had a couple of years ago. That would be a good first step – I don’t know. I think Goodyear had a softer version than this, and they said they couldn’t manufacture it very well in their facilities. Their racing manufacturing facility is far different than their street tire manufacturing facility, so maybe need to explore how we can make that process better.”
How long did it take you to get over Sunday night? Was it harder than getting over Phoenix in 2010?
“I guess it felt somewhat similar, in the moment, but truthfully, when you said what happened last week, for like five seconds, I had forgotten about last week. Truthfully. I feel as though, like last year, I just let it linger throughout the week. It had me down – I just turn the page pretty quickly after a race, because I know I can’t change that result no matter how much I really, really want to. I will learn from it. I feel like replaying things – what could have I done differently. I will always be able to do that, but at some point during the week, and it is Monday night, into to Tuesday, I turn the page, and I’m done with last week and it’s time to focus on the next task at hand to get me to the goal I want.”
Has that come with maturity that you are able to turn the page or because you have so much going on?
“That is probably factual. In the sense, that there is just more going off the race track, running the race team and the processes that me and Chris (Gabehart, crew chief) have preparing for races. All of that is very different than it used to be. It makes it harder to dwell on something, and certainly, way less productive to do that.”
What has Michael Jordan brought to the team to make you better as a team?
“I think there has been one specific competition meeting that he said he wanted to participate in. He listened to it and listened to it, and at the end, he gave his opinion on what he heard, and he didn’t like what he heard and he gave some pointed remarks on what championship teams sound like and what winning teams sound like and how we need to change the way we are communicating and the way we are shifting blame all over the place. That was kind of a pivotal moment for our team and our drivers to hear and taking responsibility for each person’s shortcomings and how you are going to get better, and that was a big moment in shifting our team’s mentality.”
When was this?
“It was last year.”
Has the point system evolved so many times that you know you have to win in the situation you are in versus looking at points in the past?
“A lot of it is when you look at how manufacturer teammates have changed the game. It has become easier for those who are fighting for something really big to make their way to the front because they’ve got more teammates in play and everyone is trying to help everyone out, so they find their way there. Most of it is all authentic, but some of it is – they get help, so certainly you don’t have to fight the same guys that you do week-in and week-out. I think you have to – especially when you look at the group that is below, and even the group that is right above. It is probably your six best at this race track. You just have to figure someone is going to setup and win – and you just hope that it’s you. You do everything you can to make sure that it is you.”
Do you believe that you have to win here at some point with Chris Gabehart with all of the success you have had here in the past?
“I mean – nothing from the past is guaranteed in the future, but yeah, I like that the fall race, it seems like, everyone brings their best, and we have had some unfortunate circumstances at the end of the races here that have kept us out of victory lane. Those are – that is just part of it. You just hope that the law of averages work themselves out. It is like anything with data and analytics, one at-bat – anything can happen. You just never know. You just hope you are on the good end of fortune, right? Or at least not have bad fortune, and if we don’t have bad fortune, I think we can compete and compete for a win.”
What is your reaction to see how Michael Jordan celebrates the wins with 23XI?
“The racing side of it brings out more emotion and passion than I’ve seen outside of his own career in sport. I’ve seen him on golf courses; I’ve seen him play cards, things like that – I’ve seen all of that, but nothing matches the emotion that winning a NASCAR race has shown in him. I think he’s spoke quite a bit about how this fills his cup – this fills his competition cup that he has been missing for such a long time. That’s good for everyone and certainly, great for our team to have Michael (Jordan) support them the way that he has.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 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 47 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 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 30 electrified options.
AUSTIN, Texas (November 1, 2024) – Alex Popow has two race starts and two race wins in Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.) after taking the victory in Race 2 at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) on Friday afternoon. Leading from flag to flag, Popow crossed the line with a 1.373 advantage to claim his second checkered flag of the weekend.
Notes of Interest:
Alex Popow has only made two F4 U.S. starts, but he already has two wins in the series.
Championship contender Daniel Quimby finished second in today’s race. Closing the gap on points leader Nicolas Stati, Quimby will enter the final round just three and a half points out of the lead.
Connor Roberts finished third, marking his sixth consecutive podium result.
Three teams were represented on today’s podium with MLT Motorsports winning the race, Atlantic Racing finishing second and Team Roberts Racing in third.
From the wave of the green flag there was no stopping Alex Popow (No. 55 MLT Motorsports Ligier JS F422). The 18-year-old Venezuelan American secured the pole for Race 2 after setting the fastest lap—and a new track record—during Thursday’s Race 1, and immediately pulled to the point position. Points leader Nicolas Stati (No. 15 AGI Sport Ligier JS F422) started in second, but found himself under immediate pressure from championship rival Daniel Quimby (No. 24 Cruise America / MIR Raceline / FIJI Airways / GalvanizeIns Ligier JS F422), who had started the race in the fourth position. By the time they exited Turn 1, Quimby had worked his way up to second, staying close to Popow’s rear wing. Another driver with a great start was fifth-place starter Connor Roberts (No. 46 ApexSpeed.com / Entropy Cellars Ligier JS F422), who pulled into third by the time the field completed the first lap.
With the front three pulling away, Stati slotted into fourth while some of the most exciting racing took place behind him as Alex Crosbie (No. 41 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) and Lincoln Day (No. 54 MLT Motorsports Ligier JS F422) fought for the fifth position. Crosbie took the spot just in time, as a full-course caution brought out the safety car.
When the race restarted, Popow once again jumped to the point position. Right on Quimby’s gearbox, Stati was able to make a move into Turn 1 to claim the runner-up spot, but Quimby made his way back around his rival before the field reached the esses. With nearly nine minutes left on the clock, the front three drivers settled in nose to tail, while Crosbie looked for a way around Roberts. Within two laps, the New Zealander had made his way around Roberts to claim fourth, and the field raced toward the checkered flag.
Popow was first to take the checkered flag, followed by Quimby in second and Stati in third.
After the race, a series of Stewards’ Decisions resulted in penalties that adjusted the finishing order. Drivers receiving a penalty, included:
Nicolas Stati: two five-second time penalties, moving him to sixth on the official results
Alex Crosbie: five-second time penalty, moving him to fifth on the official results
Lincoln Day: five-second time penalty
Seth Gilmore: five-second time penalty
“It’s just been incredible,” said Popow. “I’m so happy to be here once again—thank you to all the guys at MLT and everyone who’s helped me get into this position. It’s just incredible the amount of work we’ve put in over the last couple weeks coming from [Carolina Motorsports Park], where we did our first testing. It’s great. I have to thank my dad—without him, I wouldn’t be here. He’s the one that got me into racing, and showed me what I love to do.”
F4 U.S. will contest their final race of the 2024 season tomorrow at 8:50 a.m. CT. After the race, find the drivers of JS F4 and F4 U.S. at the SpeedTour Town Center where they’ll be participating in an autograph session from 11:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Tickets for the event are available at the gate or online at SpeedTour.net/Austin. Fans at home can stream the race live on SpeedTour.TV, or follow live timing and scoring on the Race Monitor app. Additional news and updates will be posted on the series’ Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
AUSTIN, Texas (November 1, 2024) – Winning Race 2 at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), Teddy Musella clinched the Ligier JS F4 Series (JS F4) 2024 Championship. The Scuderia Buell driver has been the one to beat all weekend, topping the speed chart in every session, and now winning both races en route to locking in the title.
Notes of Interest:
Teddy Musella leads the Ligier JS F4 Series drivers with five wins and 11 podiums this season.
Leonardo Escorpioni earned his second podium of the weekend with another runner-up finish. The Champagne Racing driver also finished second in yesterday’s Race 1.
After three fourth-place finishes this season, Drew Szuch finally broke through to earn his first-career podium with a third-place result in Friday’s event.
Three teams were represented on the podium with Scuderia Buell earning their fifth win of the season, Champagne Racing finishing second, and family-owned Szuch Racing taking third.
Setting the fastest lap in Race 1, Sacha van’t Pad Bosch (No. 27 Scuderia Buell Ligier JS F4) led the field toward the waving green flag to start the race. Teddy Musella (No. 25 Scuderia Buell Ligier JS F4) started second, but going a bit too wide into Turn 1, he settled into fourth place for the first lap. Up front, van’t Pad Bosch was challenged by third-place starter Leonardo Escorpioni (No. 26 Champagne Racing Ligier JS F4). The two ran side by side while Musella and Maite Cáceres (No. 6 Abitab / Supermatch Ligier JS F4) battled for third behind them. Musella eventually won the battle against Cáceres as they raced through Turn 1 and then turned his focus to the front of the field as van’t Pad Bosch and Escorpioni continued to race wheel to wheel. A few turns later, Musella reached Escorpioni’s gearbox. Easily completing the pass, he pulled up to van’t Pad Bosch’s gearbox seconds later, making his way around his teammate to take the race lead.
Once in control of the event, Musella was unstoppable. A safety car period briefly slowed his pace as contact further back in the field sent Brad Majman (No. 95 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F4) into the tire barrier. With cleanup work complete, the race resumed with approximately nine minutes left on the clock. Musella once again jumped ahead of the pack and kept his sights forward. Behind him, Escorpioni settled into second and van’t Pad Bosch in third. Championship contender Kekai Hauanio (No. 29 N.E.Where Transportation / New’T Racing Ligier JS F4) had to start the race from pit lane after a penalty was assessed following Race 1. The Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport driver took advantage of the restart to jump up to sixth, and made his way around Cáceres to overtake fifth during the closing minutes. Racing three wide into Turn 12 on the final lap, van’t Pad Bosch and Drew Szuch (No. 28 Szuch Racing Ligier JS F4) both pulled wheel to wheel with Escorpioni. Szuch initially pulled ahead, but van’t Pad Bosch and Escorpioni pulled off an over-under move for both to overtake Szuch.
As they crossed the finish line, Musella led the field, followed by van’t Pad Bosch in second and Escorpioni in third. Szuch crossed the line in fourth, followed by Hauanio in fifth.
During post-race inspection, officials found a technical infraction on the No. 27 driven by van’t Pad Bosch, which the Stewards determined was in breach of the sporting regulations. As a result, van’t Pad Bosch was dropped to last place in the classification and lost all lap times.
“We had quite an unlucky start falling back to fourth, but I knew to just focus on the championship—take your positions when you can and don’t make any risky moves,” said Musella. “I ended up taking P1 at the end of it, so it was just a great result for our entire team. What a high it’s been—to come back from [a tough weekend at] Road America to win a championship is just an amazing feeling. Honestly, I’m at a loss for words with the amount of emotion I’m feeling. I want to thank my dad, my team at Scuderia Buell and everyone else that’s helped me throughout this journey.”
JS F4 will contest their final race of the 2024 season tomorrow at 8:50 a.m. CT. After the race, find the drivers of JS F4 and F4 U.S. at the SpeedTour Town Center where they’ll be participating in an autograph session from 11:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Tickets for the event are available at the gate or online at SpeedTour.net/Austin. Fans at home can stream the race live on SpeedTour.TV, or follow live timing and scoring on the Race Monitor app. Additional news and updates will be posted on the series’ Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
AUSTIN, Texas (November 1, 2024) – Titus Sherlock returned to Victory Lane for the fourth time this season in Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas) competition. In the opening race of the COTA SpeedTour at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), Sherlock led from lights to flag to take the victory in dominating fashion.
Notes of Interest:
Titus Sherlock earned his fourth win of the 2024 season when he took the checkered flag in Round 18 at COTA on Friday afternoon.
Jett Bowling tied his career-best finish with a second-place result on Friday afternoon. The finish marked his eighth podium in 18 races this season.
Cole Kleck returned to FR Americas for the first time since the opening race weekend at NOLA. In four starts this season, Kleck has finished on the podium in each one, including today’s third-place result.
It was an all-Texan podium with Prospect, Texas native, Titus Sherlock, taking the win, Dallas’ Jett Bowling finishing second and San Antonian Cole Kleck finishing third.
In his FR Americas debut, Bruno Ribeiro finished fourth at Circuit of The Americas.
Competing in her first open-wheel race, Hailie Deegan finished 10th in FR Americas on Friday afternoon. The former NASCAR and off-road star will be racing in INDY NXT during the 2025 season.
For the eighth time this season, Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport swept the podium with Sherlock, Bowling and Kleck all racing under their banner.
Winning the pole during yesterday’s qualifying session, Titus Sherlock (No. 31 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) led the field down the grid to start Race 1. As the lights went out, Sherlock immediately jumped ahead of the field, while they spread out two and three wide behind him. Jett Bowling (No. 02 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) and Bruno Ribeiro (No. 3 IGY6 Motorsports / Save22 Ligier JS F3) started second and third, but by the time they reached Turn 1, both were under pressure from Cole Kleck (No. 11 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) and Brady Golan (No. 80 Toney Driver Development Ligier JS F3), who had started in fourth and fifth. Bowling was forced wide through Turn 1, relegating him to fifth as the field raced toward the esses. Golan initially fell in line behind Sherlock, but Kleck continued to apply pressure, overtaking second as they entered Turn 1 on the second lap.
Opening up a 1.408-second gap during the first 10 minutes, Sherlock’s advantage was erased by a full-course caution as Jake Pollack (No. 1 JENSEN Ligier JS F3) came to a rest in Turn 1 after suffering a mechanical issue. Just before the caution flag waved, Golan ducked behind the wall as he suffered a mechanical failure racing through the esses. As safety crews worked to clear the circuit, Sherlock continued to circle around behind the safety car with his mirrors filled with Kleck, Ribeiro, Bowling and Hayden Bowlsbey (No. 22 IGY6 Motorsports / Save22 Ligier JS F3), who completed the top five.
When the race resumed, Sherlock was under intense pressure, with Kleck pulling side by side as they entered Turn 1. Sherlock locked the brakes, which should have given Kleck the advantage, but the NOLA winner went wide on exit, instead allowing Bowling to sneak by for second. The pressure didn’t stop there as Bowling and Kleck swapped the runner up position at least two more times.
As the checkered flag waved, Sherlock was the first one across the finish line with a 3.442-second advantage. Bowling followed in second, and Kleck crossed the line in third.
“The safety car made it a little tough with that close restart, but I still got it done in the end,” said Sherlock after climbing from the car. “We had a good restart, and I had a fun battle with Cole—it was pretty intense. I was able to get away and get the win, so I’m super happy with that. I just want to thank the team at Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport, Oscar, my engineer, my mechanic, Frenchie, and my whole family watching at home.”
FR Americas will contest their final race of the 2024 season tomorrow at 1:15 p.m. CT. The race will be preceded by a fan walk, where fans are invited to join the cars and stars of FR Americas on COTA’s Pit Lane at 12:40 p.m. CT. Fans at home can stream the race live on SpeedTour.TV, or follow live timing and scoring on the Race Monitor app. Additional news and updates will be posted on the series’ Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
NIECE MOTORSPORTS NCTS RACE RECAP: MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY Race: Zip Buy Now Pay Later 200 (200 laps / 105.2 miles) | Race 22 of 23 Track: Martinsville Speedway Location: Ridgeway, Virginia Date & Time: Friday, November 1st | 6:00 PM ET
Key Takeaway: Bayley Currey and the No. 41 team nearly secured a top-15 finish after a long night at Martinsville Speedway. Currey qualified 25th, but the DQS Solutions & Staffing team continued to make adjustments which helped the handling on his truck. They climbed to 18th in stage one, dropped to 21st in stage two, but ultimately came out on top for Niece Motorsports with a 16th-place finish.
Bayley Currey’s Post-Race Thoughts: “I’m really proud of the effort from everyone at Niece Motorsports on our No. 41 team. We struggled early, but we stuck with it. We got our DQS / Masked Owl Technologies / AutoVentive / Precision Chevy pretty good, I think. We were way better than we were in the beginning and to finish where we did, I’m pretty happy. Obviously, it’s not great – just one spot out of the top-15, but these guys stuck with it all race and kept digging and kept fighting. We ended up making a decent night out of it, but we’ll go onto Phoenix and try to get it a little bit better next week.” DQS Solutions & Staffing Mission Statement: The core mission of DQS Solutions & Staffing is to attain unparalleled excellence in our specialized domains, specifically staffing and security. Simultaneously, we maintain the flexibility required to collaborate closely with our clients in the creation of innovative products and services within the framework of DQS.
No. 42 J.F. Electric / Utilitra Chevrolet Silverado RST Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett Matt Mills Racing @MattMillsRacing @MattMillsRacing Website Start: 21st Stage 1: 22nd Stage 2: 24th Finish: 19th Driver Points: 23rd Owner Points: 26th
Key Takeaway: Matt Mills and the No. 42 team checked off an important box by running all of the laps and finishing all 200 laps at Martinsville Speedway. Mills, who started the week off in the hospital, went back to work and had no issues behind the wheel. After qualifying 21st, Mills finished 22nd and 24th in both stages, and was able to take advantage of the free pass to drive into a top-20 result. The J.F. Electric / Utilitra team was credited with a 19th-place run.
Matt Mills’ Post-Race Thoughts: “It was good to be back out there, feel normal again, and do my job driving a race truck. It wasn’t the best night as far as us lacking a little bit of speed. We didn’t really carry that long run speed that we had in practice that we thought we had, but overall, we brought home a clean race truck. I’m very fortunate for everyone at Niece Motorsports for all of the hard work that they put into me and the race truck this weekend. We’ll continue to try and find a little bit of momentum to head into Phoenix, but we’ll take today. Thanks to J.F. Electric and Utilitra for everything they do for us.”
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 Chevrolet Silverado RST Driver: Matt Gould | Crew Chief: Jon Leonard Matt Gould Racing @ItsMattGould @MatthewGould_ Website Start: 22nd Stage 1: 34th Stage 2: 34th Finish: 27th Driver Points: 63rd Owner Points: 34th
Key Takeaway: Matt Gould, in just his second-career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start, showed signs of legitimate pace at Martinsville Speedway. The No. 44 Niece Equipment team was in position to have a solid night, however, a faulty kill switch issue dropped them multiple laps behind the leaders. From a 22nd-place start to a 27th-place race finish, Gould improved on his personal-best in both categories but was left with more to desire.
Matt Gould’s Post-Race Thoughts: “Well, we obviously had a good truck today. We were really fast in practice, just a little too free in qualifying. That put us in a small hole to start the race off, but I knew we had speed in our No. 44 Chevy tonight. We were the 10th-fastest truck on the track up until the kill switch button broke and engaged which caused the engine to shut off. We got it to work again, but went a lot of laps down. Still had a lot of speed, but we were offset on older tires. But we definitely had a fast Niece Equipment Chevrolet, so hopefully I get another chance. Thank you to Al (Niece), Cody (Efaw), and all the guys at the shop for believing in me to get this opportunity tonight.”
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.
Key Takeaway: Kaden Honeycutt and the No. 45 team had their promising night cut short due to a tire failure at Martinsville Speedway. Honeycutt qualified ninth and secured two top-10 stage finishes (seventh and ninth, respectively). However, during the closing laps of the race, the right front tire’s bead melted resulting in a hard crash in turn one. The Moore’s Venture Foods team finished 33rd in the penultimate race of the season.
Kaden Honeycutt’s Post-Race Thoughts: “Just an unfortunate way to end a good night for us. We had decent speed all night, but just couldn’t do anything to prevent the right front tire from going down. I wish I could have caught it sooner, but that’s just how it goes sometimes. I’m thankful to all of these No. 45 guys for bringing me a fast truck tonight and to Moore’s Venture Foods for their support. We have one more race to end the year with another good run and that is everyone’s goal for next week at Phoenix.” About Moore’s Venture Foods: Moore’s Venture Foods is a family-owned grocery store chain located in Oklahoma. The chain has brick-and-mortar stores in Alva, Fairfax, Shattuck, and Tonkawa, Oklahoma, and has been operated by the Moore family for three generations. To learn more, please visit www.MooresVentureFoods.com.
About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2024, Niece Motorsports enters its ninth season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as X @NieceMotorsport.
LAS VEGAS (Nov. 1, 2024) – With John Force returning to the track on Friday for the first time since his crash in June, team drivers Brittany Force and Austin Prock both went to the top in Top Fuel and Funny Car, respectively, securing the provisional No. 1 spots at the 24th annual Ford Performance NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 19th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the fifth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
B. Force powered to an impressive run of 3.675-seconds at 336.74 mph in her 11,000-horsepower Chevrolet Accessories dragster, putting the two-time world champion in line for her fifth No. 1 qualifier of the season and 51st in her career. Las Vegas has treated the standout driver well over the years and a win this weekend would certainly be a memorable one.
“Coming into this weekend, we knew it was going to be special, because my dad had planned to come out, and I think everyone was really looking forward to seeing him, especially me,” B. Force said. “I’m so excited for him. I think it’s great for him. This is just the best medicine for him.
“We’re always excited to come back to Las Vegas where we’ve had so much success in the past. We’re really looking to close out the season strong and get into the winner’s circle for our sponsors.”
Shawn Langdon is currently second after going 3.706 at 333.74 and reigning world champ Doug Kalitta is third with a pass of 3.707 at 330.96.
In Funny Car, Prock delivered a standout run of 3.843 at 333.33 in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS, as John Force Racing teammate Jack Beckman ran a stellar 3.859 at 332.43 in the lane next to him. With J. Force looking on, the two drivers put on a thrilling side-by-side show, with Prock going to the top.
Should Prock, who held a commanding 147-point lead over Beckman heading into the weekend, qualify No. 1, he would break J. Force’s single-season record with his 14th No. 1 spot.
“That was a great way to welcome him back,” Prock said. “All three John Force Racing cars made tremendous runs and it was a good way to say, ‘Welcome back, boss.’ It’s just nice to have John back at the racetrack for the first time since Richmond. I’m glad that he’s back. I wanted to cry when I saw him this morning.
“That first run was really stout, obviously low of the session. We’ve got two more shots at it tomorrow, and conditions are going to be probably better. I don’t believe that 3.84 will hold. I think we’re going to have to improve on that”
Following Beckman in third is Ron Capps, who went 3.860 at 330.96.
Calling it a must-win weekend in Las Vegas, Pro Stock veteran Greg Anderson enjoyed a strong start in qualifying, taking over the No. 1 spot in the second session with a run of 6.597 at 207.02 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. That would give Anderson seven No. 1 qualifiers this season if it holds and 131 in his career, but Anderson knows he needs a victory to stay in championship contention.
He entered the weekend third overall and 90 points back of KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn. Anderson, a five-time world champ, picked up a handful of points on Glenn on Friday, but knows he’ll need much more this weekend to stay alive.
“Without a doubt I need to win this race,” Anderson said. “That’s all I can do at this point. Even if I do win the last two races that might not be enough to get [the championship] done. Our plan is to set the ladder up so it’s favorable but there is no happy spot on a Pro Stock ladder. At least I still have a shot and that’s all you can ask for.
“Things could change if I drop the ball. If that happens, I’ll do everything I can to help Dallas with the championship. I’ll do what’s best for the KB Titan team. That pole is not safe. The conditions figure to be a little better tomorrow and it’s supposed to be overcast so it’s not safe.”
David Cuadra’s 6.605 has him second, while Aaron Stanfield’s 6.609 at 205.66 puts him third. Glenn is in fourth after running 6.615 at 205.29.
Need a big result to stay in the championship hunt, Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Matt Smith couldn’t have asked for a better Friday, making the best run in both sessions on his Denso Auto Parts/Matt Smith Racing Buell, including a run of 6.822 at 198.70 in the second session. It would be Smith’s sixth No. 1 qualifier this season, but more importantly, he gained four points on leader and defending world champ Gaige Herrera.
That puts him 58 points back of Herrera heading into Saturday and the six-time world champ will look to make another move before a likely must-win situation on Sunday in Las Vegas.
“Our mindset this weekend is to just have no bad luck because we’ve had a lot of it lately,” Smith said. “In Reading I had a bad fuel pump and then in St. Louis we lost a crank trigger and in Dallas the bike wouldn’t shift. Those are three races we should have won and that would have been 60 points. We should be leading right now so I’m not asking for good luck. I just don’t want any more bad luck.
“We never quit. I know that I’m No. 2 and we’ve got the second best bike but we’re still in this. I do see this race as must win unless Gaige has some bad luck, which hasn’t happened yet.”
Herrera, the defending event winner in Vegas, is currently second after going 6.846 at 196.99 and Angie Smith took third with a run of 6.850 at 197.59.
Qualifying continues at 12:30 p.m. PT on Saturday at the Ford Performance NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
LAS VEGAS — Friday’s results after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the 24th annual Ford Performance NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 19th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday’s final eliminations.
The Dirt Track at Charlotte will draw fans from 48 states and four foreign countries, all packing the stands for the World of Outlaws World Finals Nov. 6-9, where champions in dirt racing’s top three series will be crowned after four action-packed days of racing. (CMS Photo)
Nov. 6-9 the World of Outlaws World Finals hits The Dirt Track at Charlotte where fans will witness a four-day racing showdown featuring dirt racing’s top three series
Nearly 800 campsites will be filled, with fans eager for 295 green flag laps and a weekend packed with dirt-slinging action and fan-friendly fun
Single-day tickets start at just $45; Tickets, schedules, upgrades and more can be found online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com
CONCORD, NC (Nov. 1, 2024)- Buckle up for this year’s World of Outlaws World Finals, Nov.6-9 as The Dirt Track at Charlotte is set to deliver adrenaline-pumping action like never before with exhilarating events both on and off the track. Prepare for edge-of-your-seat excitement as the biggest names in dirt racing’s three premier series battle it out on the clay four-tenths-mile oval for a championship-deciding season finale.
With prestigious titles on the line, here’s what makes this year’s World of Outlaws World Finals a must-see experience – by the numbers:
3: Gear up for an unforgettable spectacle as three premier series come together for an epic four-day showdown. The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, World of Outlaws Case Construction Late Models and the Super DIRTcar Series will all hit the track for a heart-pounding championship-deciding season finale. With all three series taking the track each night, there will be no shortage of excitement, thrills and fun.
200: In the season-ending series, nearly 200 of the biggest stars in dirt racing will rev their engines and kick up some dirt on the infamous oval. With 29 states and three countries represented through competitors, drivers are gearing up for an intense battle vying for their shot at victory lane.
295: Over the course of nine heart-pounding A-main features across four action-packed days, fans will witness a thrilling total of 295 laps – or 118 miles – of win-or-go-home racing and hundreds more laps for heat races and last-chance qualifiers.
74: With 14 wins leading into the World Finals, World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series driver David Gravel is on the brink of securing his first series title, holding a lively 74-point lead over competitor Carson Macedo. As the season reaches a thrilling conclusion, all eyes will be on Gravel to see if he can take the title back home to Connecticut.
44: The World of Outlaws Case Construction Late Model Series battle is heating up as last year’s champion, Bobby Pierce trails series leader Brandon Sheppard by a mere 44 points heading into the weekend. Watch to see if Pierce can close the gap and reclaim his title.
15: Headed into the final three races of the season, ten-time winner and defending Super DIRTcar Series Champion is determined to keep the title in his name. Currently holding a slim 15-point lead over Mat Williamson, fans won’t want to miss the intense final showdown as the title fight reaches its peak.
48: Known as America’s Home for Racing, The Dirt Track at Charlotte will welcome fans from 48 states for an action-packed weekend of unforgettable memories.
4: From Canada to Australia, racing fans from four countries will converge at The Dirt Track, marking World Finals as a bucket list event around the world.
800: The Dirt Track at Charlotte will be buzzing with excitement as nearly 800 campsites are booked for the fast-approaching race weekend. Fans from around the country are eager to pack the Charlotte stands for four days of high-octane action.
1: Clear your calendars Nov. 6-9, as there is only one place to be: The Dirt Track at Charlotte. From thrilling non-stop battles to championship-defending moments, the World of Outlaws World Finals is a must-see event for fans of all ages.
TICKETS:
Advance single-day tickets start at $45. Fans can catch all of the action on track with four-day tickets, starting at $139. Tickets are available online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/tickets.
KEEP TRACK:
Follow all the World of Outlaws Final action through the hashtag #WorldFinals. Connect with The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway on X, Facebook and Instagram.
Christian Eckes capped off a dominant run by pulling a late bump-and-run move on Playoff rival Taylor Gray that enabled him to clinch a Championship 4 berth after winning the Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 200 at Martinsville Speedway on Friday, November 1.
The 23-year-old Eckes from Greenville, New York, led all but 13 of 200-scheduled laps in an event where he started on the pole position. He captured the event’s first two stage periods before he pitted for the first and only time before the start of the final stage period with 90 laps remaining. After reassuming the lead from Ben Rhodes with 84 laps remaining, Eckes would retain the top spot through three caution periods and two restart periods.
Then, during the event’s final restart period with five laps remaining, Eckes was caught in a controversial incident with Taylor Gray. It resulted in Eckes bumping and sending Gray up the racetrack and out of the lead after Gray had taken it from Eckes at the start of the restart. Eckes would then duel, swap spots and bump Rhodes for the top spot during the following two laps before he moved Rhodes out of the racing groove in the same turn as he moved Gray. With the late clean air to his advantage, Eckes retained the lead for the final two laps and cruised to his fourth NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory of the 2024 season and secured his first-ever berth to the Championship 4 round.
With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Friday, Playoff contender Christian Eckes notched the pole position with a lap at 96.830 mph in 19.556 seconds. Joining him on the front row was Playoff contender Ty Majeski, who clocked in his best qualifying lap at 96.805 mph in 19.561 seconds.
Before the event, the following names including Playoff contender Tyler Ankrum, Justin Carroll, Tanner Gray and Clayton Green dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments made to their respective trucks.
When the green flag waved and the race started, Christian Eckes motored his No. 19 Gates Hydraulics Chevrolet Silverado RST ahead of Ty Majeski, who struggled to launch at the start, and the field through the frontstretch as he had both lanes to his control through the first two turns and the backstretch. As the field behind jostled for early spots, Eckes led the first lap while Majeski fended off Playoff contenders Nick Sanchez and Taylor Gray for the runner-up spot as rookie Layne Riggs followed suit.
Over the next four laps, Eckes stretched his early advantage to as high as seven-tenths of a second over Majeski while Sanchez followed suit in third place as the field behind bumped and jostled amongst one another for early spots. Behind, Riggs was in fourth place ahead of Taylor Gray while Ben Rhodes, Playoff contender Corey Heim, Chase Purdy, Kaden Honeycutt and Playoff contender Rajah Caruth were in the top 10.
Through the first 10 scheduled laps, Eckes was leading by nine-tenths of a second over Majeski while Sanchez, Riggs and Taylor Gray were racing in the top five ahead of Rhodes, Heim, Purdy, Honeycutt and Caruth. Behind, Jack Wood, Johnny Sauter, William Sawalich, Dean Thompson and Matt Crafton were in the top 15 while Timmy Hill, Stewart Friesen, Daniel Dye, Landen Lewis and Matt Mills pursued in the top 20. Meanwhile, Playoff contender Grant Enfinger was up to 24th place while Playoff contender Tyler Ankrum was mired in 31st place.
Ten laps later, Eckes extended his advantage to more than a second over Majeski while third-place Sanchez trailed by two seconds. Behind, Riggs and Taylor Gray remained in the top five ahead of Rhodes, Heim, Purdy, Honeycutt and Caruth as Enfinger and Ankrum were mired in 22nd and 31st, respectively.
Another 10 laps later, Eckes stabilized his advantage to more than a second over runner-up Majeski and by more than three seconds over third-place Sanchez while Riggs and Taylor Gray remained racing in the top five. Meanwhile, Enfinger cracked the top 20 as he was up to 20th place while Ankrum gained four spots to 27th place. By then, Heim retained seventh place behind Rhodes while Caruth continued to race in 10th place behind Purdy and Honeycutt.
Then on Lap 35, the event’s first caution period flew due to Matthew Gould slowly coming to a halt in the backstretch after he fell off the pace through the frontstretch earlier. During the caution period, some led by Rhodes and including Enfinger and Ankrum, the latter of whom was spared from losing a lap, pitted while the rest led by Eckes remained on the track. Following the pit stops, Matt Crafton and Landen Lewis were both penalized for speeding on pit road.
When the race restarted under green on Lap 42, Eckes fended off Majeski to retain the lead through the first two turns while 10th-place Caruth tried to throw a three-wide move beneath teammate Purdy for more positions towards the front. The following lap, Purdy and Dean Thompson made contact entering Turn 1 as Thompson tried to make a tight move beneath Purdy for position. With a bevy of competitors continuing to bump, fan out and jostle for spots, Eckes proceeded to drive away with the lead as he retained the top spot by the Lap 45 mark.
When the first stage period concluded on Lap 50, Eckes, who came into Martinsville 38 points above the top-four cutline in his pursuit to make the Championship 4 round, captured his 10th Truck stage victory of the 2024 season. Majeski followed suit in second as he was followed by Sanchez, Taylor Gray and Riggs while Heim, Honeycutt, Purdy, Sawalich and Connor Zilisch were scored in the top 10. Meanwhile, Caruth plummeted to 28th place after he went up the racetrack in Turn 3 on Lap 49 while Enfinger and Ankrum settled in 14th and 17, respectively.
Under the stage break, some led by Taylor Gray and including Caruth pitted while the rest led by Eckes remained on the track. By then, the top seven competitors including Eckes, Majeski, Sanchez, Heim, Honeycutt, Purdy and Sawalich were the only ones who had yet to pit. During the pit stops, Jake Garcia was penalized for pitting outside his pit box.
The second stage period started on Lap 60 as Eckes and Majeski occupied the front row. At the start, Eckes fended off Majeski and Sanchez to retain the lead through the first two turns and the backstretch. Eckes retained the lead for the following lap while Majeski was racing in second place ahead of Sanchez and Heim. Towards the Lap 65 mark, Honeycutt was in fifth place and he was followed by Sawalich while Purdy, who was trapped on the outside lane, was dueling with Friesen and Rhodes for seventh place.
Just past Lap 70, Eckes extended his lead to more than a second over Majeski while Sanchez and Heim continued to trail in third and fourth, respectively. As Honeycutt retained fifth place in front of Sawalich, Friesen, Rhodes and Zilisch, Purdy dropped to 10th place as he was racing ahead of Enfinger while Ankrum, Taylor Gray and Caruth were mired in 14th, 16th and 22nd, respectively.
At the Lap 80 mark, Eckes’ advantage stood to nearly two seconds over runner-up Majeski while third-place Sanchez trailed by three seconds. With fourth-place Heim trailing by four seconds, Enfinger and Ankrum were mired in 10th and 11th, respectively, Taylor Gray was up to 15th place and Caruth was mired in 22nd place.
Ten laps later, Eckes extended his advantage to more than three seconds over Majeski as Sanchez and Heim trailed as far back as six seconds. Behind, Sawalich was up into fifth place and trailing the lead by seven seconds while Friesen, Rhodes, Honeycutt, Enfinger and Ankrum were in the top 10 ahead of Zilisch, Riggs, Taylor Gray, Daniel Dye and Purdy.
Another four laps later, Eckes lapped Caruth, who was the lowest-running Playoff contender on the track in 25th place and placed in a “must-win” situation to keep his Playoff hopes alive. Eckes would proceed to stretch his lead to four seconds over Majeski just past the Lap 95 mark as both Sanchez and Heim trailed by seven seconds.
Then on Lap 97, the caution flew as Dylan Lupton slid and wrecked his No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST hard against the Turn 2 outside wall. Lupton’s incident was enough for the second stage period scheduled to conclude on Lap 100 to officially conclude under caution as Eckes captured his second Truck stage victory of the event and the 11th of the 2024 season. Majeski followed suit in second ahead of Sanchez, Heim and Sawalich while Friesen, Rhodes, Honeycutt, Ankrum and Enfinger were scored in the top 10. With seven of eight Playoff contenders racking up the event’s second round of stage points, Caruth, the only Playoff contender to not score stage points, was mired in 25th place.
Under the stage break, nearly the entire lead lap field led by Eckes pitted while Ben Rhodes remained on the track. Amid the pit stops, the following names that include Justin Carroll, Daniel Dye and Dean Thompson were all penalized for their respective pit crews jumping over the pit wall too soon. Soon after, Caruth, who pitted twice under the caution period, took his No. 71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado RST behind the wall and the pit crew went under the hood of Caruth’s truck to address a potential left-front braking issue. The issue was enough to knock Caruth both out of the lead lap category and in contention to advance into the Championship 4 round.
With 90 laps remaining, the final stage period commenced under green as Rhodes and Eckes occupied the front row. At the start, the field fanned out through the frontstretch as Rhodes retained the lead ahead of Eckes through the first two turns and the backstretch. Rhodes would proceed to lead the following lap ahead of Eckes while Majeski and Sanchez battled for third place in front of Heim. Behind, Taylor Gray, Ankrum and Enfinger were strapped from seventh to ninth, respectively, as Eckes closed in on Rhodes for the lead with 85 laps remaining.
Then with 84 laps remaining, Eckes gave Rhodes a slight bump in Turn 3, which allowed Eckes to draw himself even with Rhodes’ No. 99 Kubota Ford F-150 through the frontstretch before he muscled back ahead and reassumed the lead. As Eckes proceeded to lead with 80 laps remaining, Sanchez started to close in on Rhodes for the runner-up spot while Majeski and Heim trailed in the top five.
With 70 laps remaining, Eckes stretched his advantage to more than three seconds over Sanchez and Majeski while Rhodes dropped to fourth place. Meanwhile, Heim retained fifth place ahead of Friesen, Taylor Gray, Ankrum, Enfinger and Sawalich while Caruth, who had his left-front brakes addressed, returned to the track despite being strapped 20 laps down in 33rd place.
Fifteen laps later, Eckes’ advantage grew to five seconds over runner-up Sanchez while third-place Majeski also trailed by five seconds. In the process, Heim retained fifth place while trying to fend off Friesen and both Taylor Gray and Ankrum battled for seventh place while Enfinger was in 10th place.
Another 15 laps later, Eckes retained the lead by six seconds over Sanchez while Majeski trailed the latter by nearly a second in third place. Behind, Friesen moved up to fifth place as he trailed Rhodes on the track while Ankrum, Taylor Gray, Sawalich, Enfinger and Riggs occupied the top 10 in front of Heim, Corey Day, Honeycutt, Crafton and Zilisch.
Then with 38 laps remaining, the caution flew when Honeycutt, who was racing in the top 15, made contact with the outside wall in between Turns 1 and 2 after he blew a right-front tire. During the caution period, some led by Rhodes and including Taylor Gray, Enfinger and Heim pitted while the rest led by Eckes and including Sanchez, Majeski and Ankrum remained on the track.
The start of the ensuing restart period with 29 laps remaining featured Eckes muscling ahead and leading the field with both lanes under his control through the first two turns while Sanchez and Majeski dueled for the runner-up spot. As Eckes muscled away with a reasonable lead for the following lap, Sanchez, who was placed in a “must-win” situation to maintain his Playoff hopes, muscled his No. 2 Gainbridge Chevrolet Silverado RST away with the runner-up spot ahead of Majeski, who got bumped by Friesen in Turn 1.
With Friesen settling in fourth behind Majeski, a three-wide action then ensued between Riggs, Rhodes and Taylor Gray during the next lap while Purdy almost got turned by Corey Day through the backstretch. As more bumping and jostling for late spots ensued within the field, Eckes was ahead by more than a second with the lead with 25 laps remaining.
Then with 19 laps remaining, the caution returned when Dean Thompson bumped and sent teammate Tanner Gray into Brett Moffitt as both went up the track and wrecked against the Turn 3 outside wall while Corey Day slid sideways and spun past both to avoid the carnage. During the caution period, some including Riggs, Crafton, Sawalich and Ankrum pitted while the rest led by Eckes remained on the track.
Down to the final 12 laps of the event, the race restarted under green. At the start, Eckes fended off Taylor Gray, whom Eckes shared on the front row, through the first two turns and the backstretch to retain the lead. With Gray settling behind Eckes and in front of a stacked field, Sanchez tried to pursue both from third place as Eckes led the following lap. Then in Turn 1, Gray, who was placed in a “must-win” situation to advance to the Championship 4 round, bumped Eckes through the first two turns. Seconds later, the caution returned when Friesen, who was racing in sixth place, got bumped by Enfinger as the latter was hit by Purdy, which sent Friesen for a spin in Turn 2 as Sauter limped his No. 66 TSPORT Ford F-150 to pit road with damage and sparks flying out of the truck.
The start of the next restart period with five laps remaining featured Eckes and Taylor Gray sharing the front row for a second time, where Gray dueled with Eckes through the first two turns until Gray used the outside lane to muscle his No. 17 JBL Toyota Tundra TRD Pro ahead with the lead through the backstretch. Then entering Turn 3, Eckes bumped and sent Gray up the racetrack, which allowed Eckes to reassume the lead while Gray dropped to fifth place.
During the following lap, Rhodes bumped and drew himself into a side-by-side with Eckes through the first two turns and the backstretch before Rhodes muscled his way into the lead through Turns 3 and 4. Rhodes proceeded to lead the next lap before Eckes bumped and drew himself back beneath Rhodes through the first two turns and the backstretch. Eckes would then slip up and cause Rhodes to go up the track, which allowed Eckes to muscle back away with the lead as Purdy came storming in his No. 77 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado RST into the runner-up spot. Purdy and Rhodes would both bump and jostle for the runner-up spot during the following lap as Eckes motored away.
When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Eckes remained in the lead ahead of a tight side-by-side battle between Purdy and Rhodes for the runner-up spot. With the latter two battling amongst one another and not closing the gap to the lead, Eckes would smoothly cycle his No. 19 Chevrolet around the Martinsville circuit for a final time before he returned to the frontstretch and claimed the checkered flag by more than a second over Rhodes, who edged Purdy at the finish line for the runner-up spot.
With the victory and the Martinsville sweep of the season, Eckes notched his ninth career win in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series division, his fourth of the 2024 season and his first since winning at Nashville Superspeedway in late June. He also recorded the fourth Truck victory of the season for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing and the 12th for the Chevrolet nameplate.
Above all, Eckes, who is in his fourth and final campaign in the Truck Series before he graduates to the Xfinity Series in 2025, officially clinched his spot into this year’s Championship 4 round for the first time in his career as he will contend for his first Craftsman Truck Series championship next weekend at Phoenix Raceway.
Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com.
“[Contending for the championship] feels great,” Eckes, who was met with mixed reactions from the crowd, said on FS1.” Like I told everybody, I wasn’t gonna let us lose this race. The truck was too good. [Racing with Taylor Gray], it was just hard racing. I feel bad about [Rhodes]. I just got way too loose entering the corner, but everybody’s really happy with me. I don’t really care. Proud of everybody for working hard. We’ll go on to Phoenix.”
Not long after, Eckes, who was bumped into the rear by Taylor Gray during the cooldown lap, was met with Gray on the frontstretch as the latter vented his verbal frustration over the late bump and contact caused by Eckes that took Gray out of contention for both the victory and a spot to the Championship 4 round. With both competitors exchanging words while being surrounded by crew members and officials, Gray would give Eckes a light shove to the chest after issuing his warning before he stormed away.
“[Am I happy] With the exchange? No,” Gray, who finished fourth at Martinsville but missed the Championship 4 cutline by 28 points, said. “I got shipped to the fence whenever I raced him perfectly clean in [Turns] 1 and 2. What comes around goes around. I have to race him next year all year long. I guess he’s got that one for him.”
Overall, Gray joins Nick Sanchez, Tyler Ankrum and Rajah Caruth as the bottom four Playoff contenders in the standings to not transfer into the Championship 4 round. On the contrary, Corey Heim and Ty Majeski, who finished seventh and 11th at Martinsville, respectively, claimed the final two berths to the Championship 4 round as both join Eckes and Grant Enfinger in the final Playoff round to contend for their first Truck Series championship.
Rhodes and Purdy finished second and third on the track at Martinsville while Taylor Gray and Nick Sanchez finished in the top five. Layne Riggs, Corey Heim, Tyler Ankrum, Grant Enfinger and Stewart Friesen completed the top-10 final running order.
There were six lead changes for three different leaders. The race featured six cautions for 46 laps. In addition, 19 of 36 starters finished on the lead lap.
Results.
1. Christian Eckes, 187 laps led, Stages 1 & 2 winner
2. Ben Rhodes, 12 laps led
3. Chase Purdy
4. Taylor Gray, one lap led
5. Nick Sanchez
6. Layne Riggs
7. Corey Heim
8. Tyler Ankrum
9. Grant Enfinger
10. Stewart Friesen
11. Ty Majeski
12. Connor Zilisch
13. Matt Crafton
14. William Sawalich
15. Dawson Sutton
16. Bayley Currey
17. Dean Thompson
18. Corey Day
19. Matt Mills
20. Jake Garcia, one lap down
21. Timmy Hill, two laps down
22. Spencer Body, two laps down
23. Lawless Alan, two laps down
24. Clayton Green, three laps down
25. Justin Carroll, three laps down
26. Jack Wood, four laps down
27. Matthew Gould, five laps down
28. Johnny Sauter – OUT, Accident
29. Tanner Gray – OUT, Accident
30. Brett Moffitt – OUT, Accident
31. Rajah Caruth, 21 laps down
32. Daniel Dye – OUT, Brakes
33. Kaden Honeycutt – OUT, Accident
34. Dylan Lupton – OUT, Accident
35. Landen Lewis – OUT, Brakes
36. Norm Benning – OUT, Brakes
*Bold indicates Playoff competitors
Playoff standings
1. Grant Enfinger – Advanced
2. Christian Eckes – Advanced
3. Corey Heim – Advanced
4. Ty Majeski – Advanced
5. Taylor Gray – Eliminated
6. Nick Sanchez – Eliminated
7. Tyler Ankrum – Eliminated
8. Rajah Caruth – Eliminated
The 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season is set to conclude at Phoenix Raceway, where a champion will be crowned. The finale is scheduled to occur next Friday, November 8, and air at 8 p.m. ET on FS1.
HEIM ADVANCES TO SECOND STRAIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP 4 Taylor Gray battles for victory late before contact with race winner
MARTINSVILLE, Va. (November 1, 2024) – Corey Heim advanced to the NASCAR Truck Series Championship 4 for the second straight season on the strength of a top-10 finish at Martinsville Speedway on Friday night. The Toyota Development Driver leads the series overall with six victories and clinched his spot at the checkered flag with a seventh-place finish.
Fellow Toyota Playoff driver Taylor Gray was battling for the win in the final 10 laps after a great pit strategy call. He had taken the lead before eventual race winner Christian Eckes moved Gray’s Tundra. Gray finished fourth to lead Toyota in the evening’s race. With the finish, Gray finished the round of 8 in fifth position – one spot out of advancing to the Championship 4.
Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Homestead-Miami Speedway Race 22 of 23 – 200 Laps, 105.2 Miles
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Christian Eckes* 2nd, Ben Rhodes* 3rd, Chase Purdy* 4th, TAYLOR GRAY 5th, Nick Sanchez 7th, COREY HEIM 10th, STEWART FRIESEN 14th, WILLIAM SAWALICH 17th, DEAN THOMPSON 21st, TIMMY HILL 25th, JUSTIN CARROLL 29th, TANNER GRAY 35th, LANDEN LEWIS *non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
TAYLOR GRAY, No. 17 JBL Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage
Finishing Position: 4th
What happened?
“Raced 19 (Christian Eckes) clean into (turns) one and two on the restart and times before that. I was on tires. I barely even touched him. Drove underneath him, and the caution came out. So clean for Martinsville, especially for the tire advantage. I could have drove into (turn) one and shipped him completely out of the way and not be worried about it. I raced him clean. I didn’t want to be that guy at Martinsville. We go on the restart, and raced him clean through (turns) one and two. Clear him off of (turn) two, and he goes into (turn) three and completely ships me to the fence. Now granted, it is Martinsville, I was expecting to get moved – I wasn’t expecting to get moved to the fence. Especially, with how I raced him, and he is locked into the final four, so I don’t know. The only thing he did was put a target on his back, and unfortunately, and this day and age I can’t go to Phoenix and do anything about to him, because I’m going to go get a $20,000 fine, so he gets away with that crap and doesn’t get any repercussion.”
Is there anything more you could have done besides running him into the fence?
“I don’t know. The 19 (Christian Eckes) was the class of the field, right? But it is not my fault we had better strategy than he did. We came out on tires, we drove through the field and we drove to him. I raced him clean, and he drove me in the fence. I guess the only thing I could have done is wreck him like he wrecked me.”
“Really thankful for everyone at Safelite, TRICON Garage and Toyota Racing. Our regular season bonus points really propelled us to an easy, kind of under the radar day here at Martinsville. We had such a great regular season, and that led us to kind of have a relaxing last round here. It is still so stressful at times with the possibilty of a new winner and the headache of math that goes on there. Just didn’t quite have the speed. Rode around in the top-10 most of the day, but winning here last year, kind of had our expectations high to come back and do the same thing, and fell short of that day today, but the ultimate goal is to win a championship next week and that is what we are going to try and go do.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 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 47 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 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 30 electrified options.
Ford Performance Notes and Quotes NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 200 | Friday, November 1, 2024 Martinsville Speedway
TY MAJESKI QUALIFIES FOR CHAMPIONSHIP 4
Ty Majeski qualified for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship 4 after his 11th place finish Friday night at Martinsville Speedway.
This will mark Majeski’s second career series appearance in the Championship 4
Ford will be going for its third straight series championship next week at Phoenix after Zane Smith and Ben Rhodes won in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
FORD FINISHING UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
2nd – Ben Rhodes 6th – Layne Riggs 11th – Ty Majeski 13th – Matt Crafton 20th – Jake Garcia 23rd – Lawless Alan 24th – Clayton Green 28th – Johnny Sauter
TY MAJESKI, No. 98 Road Ranger Ford F-150 – HOW DOES IT FEEL GOING TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP 4? “It feels good. It was drama-filled, for sure. Pretty much all of the scenarios were working out exactly how we didn’t need them to at the end of the race, but Ben did a great job racing those guys hard. Christian, too, obviously wanted to win the race really bad, so we needed him to win that.”
TAKE US THROUGH THE CLOSING LAPS. HOW INTENSE WAS IT? “I’m just excited to be in the Championship 4. Everyone knew I didn’t need a yellow at the end. They were racing me really hard and I just kind of had to yield. I didn’t need a yellow. The 19 was leading, so some days you just have to accept being the ball and not the pin and today was one of those days.”
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR CHANCES AT PHOENIX? “I feel good. I’ve been good there the last couple of years and I’m excited to have a shot.”
HOW HARD WAS IT TO LET YOUR TEAMMATE GO UP THERE AND RACE WHILE YOU OBVIOUSLY WANT TO BE THERE YOURSELF? “I knew I had no shot at really even playing defense. It would have taken a really dirty move for me to play defense and that’s just not how I race, so that was my best play at the time and it worked out.”
BEN RHODES, No. 99 Kubota Ford F-150 – YOU WERE RIGHT THERE. IT WAS YOUR RACE TO WIN. “Yeah, it was definitely our race to win. Unfortunately, it was our race to lose, too. We were leading the laps. I drove in five truck lengths deeper than I had all night and thought, ‘Man, if he gets me, there was no way he was gonna make the corner,’ and, sure enough, he got to the bumper. We made it all the way up to the asphalt and I’m on the outside. We raced him again for another corner and we get him back, and then finally he just runs us straight up to the asphalt and once we’re in the asphalt it allowed the 77 – we lost so much time there. That lap would have been two seconds slower. He wasn’t worried about winning the race at that point, it was just more or less not losing to me, and then that allowed the 77 to almost pass us both, so then I was racing side-by-side with the 77 all the way to the checkered flag. He lucked out on that one, really. If he held us up just a little bit more with that dirty move, then he would have lost the race, too. It was one of those deals where if he couldn’t win it, I couldn’t either. That’s kind of the way that was approached.”
YOUR STRATEGY OF PITTING FOR TIRES WORKED AT THE END. “Yeah. The race played out. We were going all night for the win and I guess that’s the beauty of not being in the playoffs – you can go for wins, which set us up for a night like tonight – a chance for the win and almost having it. If we were in the playoffs, we would have played it completely different. We’d have been working on points and hopefully you would get a top 10, but there’s a lot of playoff guys that weren’t running too well there at the end with the new tires versus the old. It’s bittersweet to be here at Martinsville and not run for the championship, but, all in all, I’m glad we’re able to go into Phoenix with some momentum.”
HOW DID YOU VIEW YOUR ROLE AS A TEAMMATE KNOWING IF THE 2 OR 17 WON, TY WOULD GET KNOCKED OUT? “That was very important. We were talking on the radio before the end and it’s like, I don’t know what the points were. They quit showing them on the big screen. I don’t know if they did that on purpose or not, but I know before stage one or two it was like 46 to the good for him, and then I just knew how it was gonna work out if those guys won – he’d be out – so I knew I had to win. It was more or less, ‘You know what? See you later, Ty. You’ve got to take care of yourself. I’ve got to go win this race. You’ll win and I’ll win a race and it’s a win-win for both of us.’ It played out OK. I just wish we were able to bring home the grandfather clock.”
