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Harrison Burton Joins AM Racing Xfinity Series Program Beginning in 2025

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Official Release
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STATESVILLE, N.C.: AM Racing proudly announced today that recent Daytona Cup Series winner Harrison Burton will join the organization to pilot the team’s flagship Ford Mustang entry full-time in the Xfinity Series beginning with the season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on February 15, 2025.

Burton will join the Statesville, N.C. team following a three-year stint in the Cup Series, driving the famed No. 21 Ford Mustang for the iconic Wood Brothers Racing team.

The son of former Cup Series driver and current NBC television analyst Jeff Burton, missiled his way into the 2024 Cup Series Playoffs with a dramatic last-lap pass in the penultimate Cup Series race of the regular season at Daytona International Speedway to deliver the Stuart, Virginia team its 100th victory in the Cup Series and Burton’s first-career win at the sports pinnacle level.

The Huntersville, N.C.-native will join AM Racing for its third year of full-time competition in the Xfinity Series. After several years as a mainstay in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, the family-owned team graduated to the Xfinity Series in 2023.

“I’m excited to join AM Racing and help build it into the race-winning race team I believe it can and will be,” said Burton. “I think this will be a great opportunity for me to take the things I’ve learned in the Cup Series, bring those to the Xfinity Series and be the best driver I can be.

“It’s a blessing to continue my NASCAR journey, and I intend to make the most of this opportunity.”

AM Racing has also renewed its agreement with Roush Yates Engines to continue to provide the legendary Ford horsepower for the 33-race schedule next season.

The team will continue its technical alliance with the soon-to-be-rebranded HAAS Factory Team for a third consecutive Xfinity Series season.

“AM Racing is proud to welcome Harrison Burton on board,” offered Wade Moore, president of AM Racing. “He is a first-class individual and has already proven that he will immediately impact each team member here at AM in a positive manner. His experiences across NASCAR’s National Series will position him to be a leader and a catalyst in our pursuit of Victory Lane and the goals we ultimately envision for this program.

“We are equally proud to continue our strong partnerships with Ford Performance, Roush Yates Engines and HAAS Factory Team. These collaborations have been instrumental in supporting our team’s growth and success, and we look forward to building upon these relationships in the upcoming season. We will continue to invest in this team, our employees and ultimately, our future.”

Additional details on Burton’s Xfinity Series program with AM Racing will be announced in due course.

For more on AM Racing, please visit AMRacingteam.com, like their Facebook page (AM Racing), or follow them on Instagram and X | Twitter @AMRacingNASCAR.

For more on Harrison Burton, please visit theharrisonburton.com, like his Facebook page (Official Harrison Burton), or follow him on Instagram (@harrisonburton12) and X | Twitter (@hburtonracing).

About AM Racing:

AM Racing is a multi-tiered, multi-faceted Motorsports program headquartered in Statesville, N.C.

Established in December 2015, AM Racing is prided on faith, honesty and intelligent performance.

The family-owned team will compete in the ARCA Menards Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and various Dirt Modified events in its eighth year of competition.

JDX Racing Descends On Brickyard Looking For Porsche Carrera Cup Wins

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Official Release
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Alex Sedgwick, Zachary Vanier and Elias De La Torre All Sit Top 10 in Point Standings, With Madeline Stewart Closing Fast in Impressive Showing for Four Car Effort

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (September 20, 2024) – With just six races left in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America season, JDX Racing enters the stretch run with two drivers in the top four of the point standings, another inside the top 10, and a fourth showing significant improvement in recent rounds – giving the four-car effort momentum heading into this weekend’s doubleheader at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Alex Sedgwick currently leads the way for JDX Racing, sitting second in the Pro Class point standings on the strength of four podium finishes. Sedgwick is 57 points from the lead, with teammate Zachary Vanier just 15 points and two positions behind Sedgwick. Elias De La Torre sits eighth in the points, with Madeline Stewart 16th.

All four will be in action this week, with doubleheader races on the 2.4-mile “Brickyard” road course. Friday’s 40-minte race takes the green flag at 3 p.m. EDT, with Saturday’s race at 11:10 a.m. EDT. Both races can be seen live Races air live at PorscheCarreraCup.us, on the IMSA YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@imsaofficial, for subscribers on the Peacock streaming app and at IMSA.TV.

JDX Racing Pre-Race News and Notes

  • Sedgwick’s No. 98 PT Autosport/Byers Imports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup enters the weekend with a four-event podium streak. Outside of the opener at Sebring, Sedgwick has been on the podium at least once at each doubleheader this season.
  • The streak may well continue this weekend, as Sedgwick was a podium finisher in each race at Indianapolis a season ago. His race two podium last year for JDX Racing came after starting 11th.
  • It’s a bit of a homecoming for Sedgwick, despite his British heritage. His first race with backers PT Autosport came in Porsche Sprint Challenge at Indianapolis, which led to the opportunity to partner with JDX Racing for Carrera Cup the past two seasons.
  • The consistent finishes have pushed him to second in the championship. Though he trails leader Loek Hartog by 57 points entering the Indianapolis weekend, he has a 14 point cushion on third place, and 19 points to his teammate Vanier in fourth.
  • Vanier and his No. 9 Technica Mining/Byers Imports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup finished as the runner-up the last time out at Road America. It was a strong bounce back from Saturday’s race, where he was collected in a lap one incident that likely cost him significant points.
  • Though it’s Vanier’s rookie season in Carrera Cup North America, he swept the weekend at Indianapolis a year ago in Porsche Sprint Challenge on his way to that championship. Both single-make series run by Porsche Motorsport North America utilize the same 992 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars, giving the young Canadian extended experience in the car.
  • De La Torre continues to show improvement from his rookie season in Carrera Cup. His 76 championship points put him eighth on the grid and are almost three times the number he scored a year ago – still with six races to go.
  • The 18-year-old matched his season best at Road America with a fifth-place finish in Saturday’s race there.
  • Stewart scored points in both races on a weekend for the first time at Road America, boosting herself to 16th in the point standings. Stewart drove her No. 82 Spool Imports/Byers Imports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup to a seventh and 11th place finish at Road America, with both runs topping her previous season best.
  • Like Vanier, Stewart was a participant in the Porsche Sprint Challenge a season ago. She finished just off the podium at Indianapolis in that championship during its season finale with a fourth-place finish.
  • The New Zealand native is currently calling Indianapolis home as she pursues her racing career, making this week’s event the closest to a “home” race on the North American schedule for Stewart.
  • JDX Racing has run successful tests at both Indianapolis and Circuit of the Americas in the time since the last rounds at Road America.
  • The Indianapolis event began with practice on Thursday morning. Sedgwick opened with the fourth-quickest time to lead all JDX Racing drivers in the 30-car field, just 0.253-second off the best time in the session. Vanier was eighth on the timing charts, followed by Stewart in 11th and De La Torre in 15th. Sedgwick jumped to the top in the much warmer Practice 2, with Vanier and De La Torre improving their times from the morning session.
  • Prior to the racing, qualifying takes place at 9:35 EDT on Friday morning. The 20-minute session will set the grid for Friday’s race one.

JDX Racing Quote Board

Jeremy Dale, Team Principal, JDX Racing: “We’re really excited to get back on the track after a number of weeks off post-Road America. We’ve done a test at Indy and we’ve done a test of COTA and all the drivers and team are feeling quite tuned up so it should be a fun weekend for us. We’ve had reasonable success here over the years so we’ll be looking to build on that and solidify our places in the point standings as the season continues to progress.”

Alex Sedgwick, Driver, No. 98 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: “It’s always special to come to Indy and to be able to say that you’ve raced here. Last year went really, really well. With a year of additional experience, we have very high expectations and I think it should be a very good weekend. We’re looking to maximize our points haul and gather as many as we can as we continue to claw back into the championship. We obviously need a little bit of luck on our side as well but I’m feeling very positive that it can be a good one for us. Indianapolis was where it all started with PT Autosport. The first PT Autosport race was Sprint Challenge at the Porsche Together Fest in a 991.2 Porsche. It was my first race in a Porsche, PT Autosport’s first race as an organization, and really what gave me the opportunity to move onto Carrera Cup and start this partnership between PT and JDX. There’s a lot of history here, and a track I love to race around as well.”

Zachary Vanier, Driver, No. 9 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: “I’m really looking forward to being back at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Porsche Carrera Cup North America. It’s a track with such a strong legacy and one that treated me really good las season by giving me two wins. It’s a track that’s very difficult since it’s always changing and requiring different things each lap, making it really important to adapt and maximize each session. Coming off a strong weekend Road America, we’re going to continue pushing for strong points toward the championship with the goal of leaving Indianapolis again with two wins. We’ve just got to stay focused and continue developing our platform into something competitive which gives me a great amount of confidence that we’ll be a front-running contender this weekend. I can’t thank all of my partners and family enough for giving me this opportunity and I hope to make them proud this week.”

Elias De La Torre, Driver, No.4 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: “Heading into the weekend at the historic ‘Brickyard,” we hope to have a better weekend than last year where a mechanical issue in qualifying had us starting from the back. We’re trying to carry the good parts of the Road America weekend over and continue progressing toward the front end of the grid once again. Although Indy isn’t a circuit that suits by style, we will maximize the car and the track time to go as far forward as possible.”

Madeline Stewart, Driver, No. 82 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup: “I’m really looking forward to racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend. Having been based in Indianapolis for the 2024 season, it feels like a home race for me. We’re coming off our best Carrera Cup round to date, so I’m focused on building on that momentum and continuing to progress.”

About JDX Racing:

Founded in 2008 and based outside of Denver, CO, JDX Racing represents the very best in professional motorsports. Competing in the IMSA sports car series, JDX Racing campaigns cars in events throughout North America. JDX Racing features world-class drivers, outstanding crew members and dynamic marketers from Champ Car, IndyCar, NASCAR, ALMS and the Champ Car Atlantic Championship series. For more information, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/jdxracing, on Twitter @JDXRACING and on Instagram @jdxracing.

Lane Riggs earns second Truck Series victory by racing to UNOH 200 title at Bristol Motor Speedway

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Official Release
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 BRISTOL, Tenn.—Layne Riggs relished his role as spoiler so much that he returned for an encore Thursday night at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Riggs isn’t competing for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship, but that didn’t prevent him from winning the Playoff opener Aug. 25 at the Milwaukee Mile.

On Thursday, Riggs passed runner-up Corey Heim for the lead on Lap 121 of 200 in the UNOH 200 Presented by Ohio Logistics and held it the rest of the way to score his second career victory and his fourth straight top five.

“Oh, my gosh, we’ve just learned so much with the trucks,” said the driver of the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford. “My team, Dylan (Cappello), he’s bad-ass…

“To be running fifth, 10th and all of a sudden to go back-to-back in the Playoffs—man, I wish I was in the Playoffs so bad. I think we’d be a real threat to win the championship.”

Heim had to settle for second place, but there was a silver lining for the driver of the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota. Heim scored enough points on Thursday to advance to Round of 8, as did fourth-place finisher Christian Eckes and fifth-place Nick Sanchez.

“Every time we got a heat cycle on the tires, it seemed like we got tighter and tighter,” said Heim, who fell one spot short in his defense of last year’s victory at Thunder Valley. “Just didn’t quite have it, but solid points day in the Playoffs—that’s what you need, so I will keep moving forward…

“I’m looking forward to my favorite place (Kansas Speedway) next week.”

Heim won a drag race for the runner-up spot over Rajah Caruth, who elevated his standing in the Playoffs with a win in the first stage and a solid run the rest of the way.

Caruth vaulted from 10th to fifth in the standings with the third-place run and now stands 35 points above the current cut line with next Friday’s elimination race at Kansas left to determine which eight drivers advance to the next round.

“We executed the race—just two spots short,” said Caruth, who glanced toward Riggs’ truck doing celebratory burnouts on the frontstretch. “Man, I wish that was us,” Caruth added wistfully.

Reigning series champion Ben Rhodes fought an ill-handling truck and finished 27th, two laps down, and fell to 10th in the standings, 12 points behind Grant Enfinger in eighth.

Daniel Dye tangled with Kaden Honeycutt on the frontstretch on Lap 157 and finished 37th, six laps down. Dye heads for Kansas seven points behind Enfinger.

Eighteen-year-old Sprint Car star Corey Day finished 18th in his Truck Series debut. After winning his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut last Saturday at Watkins Glen, polesitter Connor Zilisch spun in Turn 4 on Lap 109 and came home 19th.

Matt Crafton ran sixth, followed by Chase Purdy and Playoff driver Ty Majeski, who started from the rear after his team made unapproved adjustments to the No. 98 Ford. Stewart Friesen and Playoff driver Tyler Ankrum completed the top 10.

  • Story by NASCAR Newswire

William Sawalich raced to the win in the Bush’s Beans 200 ARCA Menards Series race and in the process claimed his second ARCA Menards East Series title. It was Sawalich’s second straight Bristol Motor Speedway victory.

Sawalich powered past his challengers at the controls of his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing machine to take the checkered flag in front of Landen Lewis, Lavar Scott, Andres Perez and Dean Thompson.

Connor Zilisch, who entered the race as the ARCA East points leader got caught up in a crash early in the race and it ended his championship chances. His No. 28 machine collided with Logan Misuraca’s No. 9 Chevy, which spun out and hit the wall. As her car drifted back down track, Zilich’s machine slammed into it at full speed. The damage to Zilisch’s car was too much to overcome. Zilisch finished 26th and dropped to second in the East standings.

Other notable finishers included heralded dirt track racer Corey Day, who finished seventh and former Indy Car racer Marco Andretti, who finished 22nd.

Bush’s Beans 200 Final Results
ARCA Menards Series
Bristol Motor Speedway
Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024

  1. William Sawalich
  2. Landen Lewis
  3. Lavar Scott
  4. Andres Perez
  5. Dean Thompson
  6. Tyler Reif
  7. Corey Day
  8. Jake Finch
  9. Lawless Alan
  10. Andy Jankowiak
  11. Zachary Tinkle
  12. Toni Breidinger
  13. Kris Wright
  14. Eric Caudell
  15. Gio Ruggiero
  16. Tim Richmond
  17. Cody Dennison
  18. Andrew Patterson
  19. Alex Clubb
  20. Christian Rose
  21. Greg VanAlst
  22. Marco Andretti
  23. D.L. Wilson
  24. Michael Maples
  25. Amber Balcaen
  26. Connor Zilisch
  27. Logan Misuraca
  28. Tim Goulet
  29. Dale Shearer
  30. Nate Moeller
  31. Brian Clubb
  32. Brad Smith
  33. Dawson Sutton

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race – UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol, Tennessee
Thursday, September 19, 2024

1. (18) Layne Riggs #, Ford, 200.
2. (2) Corey Heim (P), Toyota, 200.
3. (3) Rajah Caruth (P), Chevrolet, 200.
4. (8) Christian Eckes (P), Chevrolet, 200.
5. (6) Nick Sanchez (P), Chevrolet, 200.
6. (11) Matt Crafton, Ford, 200.
7. (9) Chase Purdy, Chevrolet, 200.
8. (19) Ty Majeski (P), Ford, 200.
9. (5) Stewart Friesen, Toyota, 200.
10. (14) Tyler Ankrum (P), Chevrolet, 200.
11. (4) William Sawalich, Toyota, 200.
12. (16) Taylor Gray (P), Toyota, 200.
13. (28) Bret Holmes, Chevrolet, 200.
14. (17) Dean Thompson, Toyota, 200.
15. (26) Bayley Currey, Chevrolet, 200.
16. (13) Stefan Parsons, Chevrolet, 200.
17. (15) Grant Enfinger (P), Chevrolet, 200.
18. (22) Corey Day, Chevrolet, 200.
19. (1) Connor Zilisch(i) (P), Chevrolet, 200.
20. (20) Connor Mosack, Chevrolet, 200.
21. (21) Jake Garcia, Ford, 200.
22. (27) Timmy Hill, Toyota, 200.
23. (10) Tanner Gray, Toyota, 200.
24. (29) Lawless Alan, Ford, 199.
25. (30) Matt Mills, Chevrolet, 199.
26. (24) Jack Wood, Chevrolet, 199.
27. (25) Ben Rhodes (P), Ford, 198.
28. (35) Justin Mondeik, Chevrolet, 198.
29. (31) Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 198.
30. (12) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 198.
31. (32) Mason Maggio, Ford, 196.
32. (7) Daniel Dye (P), Chevrolet, 194.
33. (34) Keith McGee, Ford, 194.
34. (33) Tyler Tomassi, Chevrolet, 192.
35. (36) Kaden Honeycutt (P), Chevrolet, Accident, 157.
36. (23) Conner Jones #, Ford, Overheating, 126.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 79.552 mph.

Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 20 Mins, 24 Secs. Margin of Victory: 1.096 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 4 for 39 laps.

Lead Changes: 8 among 5 drivers.

Lap Leaders: C. Zilisch(i) (P) 1-41;C. Heim (P) 42-51;R. Caruth (P) 52-59;C. Heim (P) 60;T. Hill 61-65;C. Heim (P) 66-99;R. Caruth (P) 100;C. Heim (P) 101-120;L. Riggs # 121-200.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Layne Riggs # 1 time for 80 laps; Corey Heim (P) 4 times for 65 laps; Connor Zilisch(i) (P) 1 time for 41 laps; Rajah Caruth (P) 2 times for 9 laps; Timmy Hill 1 time for 5 laps.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 71,11,19,7,2,52,1,38,77,43

Stage #2 Top Ten: 11,19,71,38,2,52,1,88,5,77

Layne Riggs (38) held off defending winner Corey Heim (11) to take the victory Thursday at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Layne Riggs takes the checkered flag Thursday at Bristol Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

UNOH representatives congratulate Layne Riggs in Victory Lane Thursday after winning the UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics.

William Sawalich (18) edged out his season long rival Connor Zilisch (28) for the ARCA East championship after winning the Bush’s Beans 200 Thursday at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Layne Riggs Drives F-150 to Fourth Straight NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Victory

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Official Release
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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
UNOH 200 | Bristol Motor Speedway
Thursday, September 19, 2024

LAYNE RIGGS CONTINUES HOT STREAK WITH SECOND STRAIGHT VICTORY

  • Layne Riggs drove his No. 38 Love’s Travel Stops Ford F-150 to his second straight NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory tonight at Bristol Motor Speedway.
  • He’s the second Ford driver to win back-to-back series races this season after Ty Majeski did it at Indianapolis and Richmond.
  • The last time Ford won four straight NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races was 2000 when Greg Biffle (3) and Kurt Busch (2) combined to win five straight.

LAYNE RIGGS, No. 38 Love’s Travel Stops Ford F-150 – VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW

YOU WANTED TO BE A PLAYOFF SPOILER AND THAT’S WHAT YOU’RE DOING. WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THIS BREAKOUT TO? “We have just learned so much with the trucks and my team. Dillon, my crew chief, he’s bad ass. He works so hard at night and we as a team, we’re a young team. I think the average age is in the twenties, so it’s so amazing. To be running fifth, 10th and then all of a sudden go back-to-back in the playoffs? Man, I wish I was in the playoffs so bad. I think we’d be a real threat to win this championship.”

WHAT DOES YOUR TEAM’S CONVICTION DO FOR YOU AS A DRIVER? “I’m a bad mug. That’s what they said over the radio. I wasn’t scared to throw it against the fence tonight and, man, the track was so fun. I’m so glad they didn’t put the PJ1 on the track. It was so much fun. Even at the very end you could run the bottom or the top and make equal lap times. I know this Cup race on Saturday night is gonna be really awesome. I hope everybody tunes in, but what a shout out to Love’s for being on the truck. You can’t miss the big yellow truck. Xfinity Communications, that’s two in a row. Man, everybody has helped me so much to get here.”

Unofficial Ford Finishing Order:

1st – Layne Riggs
6th – Matt Crafton
8th – Ty Majeski
21st – Jake Garcia
24th – Lawless Alan
27th – Ben Rhodes
31st – Mason Maggio
33rd – Keith McGee
36th – Conner Jones

TY MAJESKI, No. 98 Road Ranger/Grinds Coffee Pouches Ford F-150 – “We did what we needed to do tonight. Obviously, we fought some adversity. I was proud of the team. When you have a little mishap like that, this is the kind of comeback we needed tonight. It’s what we needed. Of course, we always come to the racetrack wanting to win. We have good, fast Ford F-150s every week. We made the most out of it tonight and did exactly what we needed to do. That will put us in a really comfortable spot going to Kansas and we’ll try to capitalize there and move on to Talladega.”

BEN RHODES, No. 99 Bommarito Automotive Group Ford F-150 – “It was tough from the get-go. The moment we unloaded from the transporter we had some issues in practice. It’s kind of the story with this Next Gen practice. If you have issues, you can’t really fix them. You can only really tune on the truck and we needed more than fine-tuning today. We tried to fix one thing, but it would hurt another so we were kind of stuck in the middle of No man’s land and not really able to fix the truck. That made myself more less comfortable at times. All in all, I wish we had a better outing for this Bommarito Ford F-150, but we’re just gonna have to go get it at Kansas now and work really hard to get our points back. I don’t know where we’re at in points, but I know it’s not good. You kind of do mental math as the race is unfolding and know that you’re losing it, so now we’re in a clutch moment where we have to come through at Kansas.”

MATT CRAFTON, No. 88 Planters/Menards Ford F-150 – “All in all, we made something there at the end. We were OK. On long runs, the first run we were off just a little bit and made some good adjustments on the one pit stop we made and made it better. We still didn’t quite have the longer run speed that we needed, but, all in all, not a terrible night.”

COREY HEIM LOCKS SPOT IN ROUND OF 8 WITH RUNNER-UP FINISH

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Taylor Gray in solid positioning heading into Kansas

BRISTOL, Tenn. (September 19, 2024) – With a stage win and a second-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway on Thursday evening, Corey Heim has officially clinched his spot in the Truck Series Playoffs Round of 8, regardless of his performance next weekend at Kansas Speedway. His TRICON Garage teammate, Taylor Gray, is also looking good to advance as he sits in seventh – 23 points above the cutline.

William Sawalich also had a day to remember as the 17-year-old claimed his second consecutive ARCA Menards Series East championship with a race win. He followed that performance with a strong run in the Truck race as he battled amongst the top-10 drivers most of the night before finishing 11th.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Bristol Motor Speedway
Race 17 of 23 – 200 Laps, 106.6 Miles

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

1st, Layne Riggs*
2nd, COREY HEIM
3rd, Rajah Caruth*
4th, Christian Eckes*
5th, Nick Sanchez*
9th, STEWART FRIESEN
11th, WILLIAM SAWALICH
12th, TAYLOR GRAY
14th, DEAN THOMPSON
22nd, TIMMY HILL
23rd, TANNER GRAY
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

COREY HEIM, No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

Finishing Position: 2nd

I know you wanted to get another Bristol win under your belt, but can you talk about this good points day?

“Yeah, congrats to Layne (Riggs). Those guys were on it all night long. Everyone at our TRICON camp did such a good job. They gave me a great Tundra. They had great pit stops – they did their job to keep me out front, just didn’t quite have it when the groove started to move around there. Every time we got a heat cycle on the tires, it felt like it got tighter and tighter. Just didn’t quite have it, but solid points day in the Playoffs – that’s what you need, so I will keep moving forward with TRICON Garage, Toyota Racing, Safelite – huge thank you to all of those guys. I’m looking forward to my favorite place next week.”

WILLIAM SAWALICH, No. 1 Starkey/SoundGear Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

Finishing Position: 11th

Great day for you – championship and win in the ARCA race and in the top-10 most of the night in the Truck. Can you talk about your day?

“Both races were really good. The ARCA race went in our favor. We had a really fast Starkey, SoundGear Toyota Camry there and led a bunch of laps and had a lot of speed. Lots of restarts so I had plenty of time to work on that, but ultimately ended up with the win and the championship – for the second year in a row, which is really cool. In the Truck race, we had a really fast Starkey, SoundGear Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. Really thankful for the TRICON guys for giving me a good truck here tonight. Ran inside the top-10 and had a lot of speed.”

TAYLOR GRAY, No. 17 A Place of Hope Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

Finishing Position: 12th

12th place finish, can you talk about your race?

“Just not the night we wanted. Our TRICON guys worked really hard. We brought a decent A Place of Hope Toyota Tundra – just needed some different stuff to be able to contend up front. If we had cleaner air and track position, it would have been different. Just struggled being able to get back through traffic and fight for somewhat of a good finish – just looking at good points getting out of here, and putting it behind us.”

How do you feel about Kansas?

“I feel good. In the past, it has been a really good track for the organization. It has been a really good track for me. I’m really excited – it has also been a really good track for Jeff (Hensley, crew chief). Just have to go as execute – unload good, qualify good and be able to run up front.”

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 more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 47 million cars and trucks at our 12 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 13th 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 29 electrified options.

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

Toyota Driver William Sawalich Repeats as ARCA Menards Series East Champion

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Official Release
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BRISTOL, Tenn. (September 19, 2024) – Camry driver William Sawalich won his second-consecutive ARCA Menards Series East championship with a win at Bristol Motor Speedway Thursday evening. Sawalich’s back-to-back title is the fourth consecutive ARCA Menards Series East title for a Toyota driver.

Coming off an impressive season last year that ended in a championship, Sawalich upped the ante in 2024, with incredibly consistent performances across all ARCA Menards Series racing. In ARCA East races, the Minnesotan captured three victories and seven top-fives in eight starts this season. He was also dominant on the national ARCA tour, winning eight races, including four in a row (Salem, Elko, Springfield and Milwaukee), and only finishing outside the top-five once.

“Winning consecutive championships is a tremendous accomplishment no matter what form of motorsports it is in, and we are thrilled for William, his family and our great partners at Joe Gibbs Racing,” said Paul Doleshal, Group Manager, Motorsports, Toyota Motor North America (TMNA). “William’s talent cannot be overstated, and we’re fortunate to have him within our development program. We look forward to William’s continued progression and are excited to be a part of the future successes he’s bound to garner.”

Alongside his ARCA success, Sawalich is also improving his race craft by making appearances in NASCAR’s Truck and Xfinity Series. The 17-year-old has already made 11 career starts in the Truck Series with TRICON Garage with a career-best finish of sixth at the Indianapolis Raceway Park in 2023. Sawalich will also compete in the Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway this evening, and he’ll make his Xfinity Series debut later this season at Homestead-Miami Speedway after turning 18.

Sawalich drives the No. 18 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) in ARCA competition. This is the third ARCA Menards Series East title for the team, going along with Sammy Smith’s championship in 2021. Sawalich is the seventh Toyota driver to win the ARCA East title and the third to win the championship in consecutive years. He joins a list that includes Ryan Truex (2009 and 2010), Max Gresham (2011), Kyle Larson (2012), Harrison Burton (2017), Tyler Ankrum (2018) and Smith (2021 and 2022).

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 more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 47 million cars and trucks at our 12 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 13th 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 29 electrified options.

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

PRO STOCK STANDOUT AARON STANFIELD LOOKS TO CONTINUE COUNTDOWN MOMENTUM IN CHARLOTTE

By
Official Release
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In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Hector Arana Jr. aims to make late-season charge

CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 19, 2024) – Following the first race of the 2024 NHRA Countdown to the Championship, the Pro Stock division has a new points leader in Aaron Stanfield. As teams head south to zMAX Dragway for this weekend’s 16th annual NHRA Carolina Nationals, Stanfield will look to increase his lead as he continues to enjoy a career-best season.

Stanfield, driver of the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance /Janac Brothers Racing Pro Stock car, is the most recent winner on the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series tour after his win in Reading, continuing what was a red-hot summer.

He has collected five wins for Elite Motorsports so far during the NHRA season – with all five victories coming in the last seven races – and as the series returns to Charlotte, Stanfield is aiming for his second career win at zMAX Dragway. Stanfield previously won the fall race in 2022 and was also the runner-up at the 4-Wide race in Charlotte in April.

“Momentum is real and things have been rolling our way,” said Stanfield, who has advanced to seven finals in 2024. “We’ve been getting the round wins when we need them. When you start second in points, you know you definitely have a shot to win. I know the equipment I’m in and how hungry my guys are to win. We definitely have a shot to win and we just need to keep our momentum rolling.”

Last season, Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all picked up wins at the fall race in Charlotte and this year’s race will again be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations coverage starting at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday.

The NHRA Carolina Nationals is the 16th event of the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and second stop of the NHRA Countdown. As the playoffs marches on, competition in the loaded Pro Stock category continues to ramp up, especially in the top four.

Dallas Glenn of KB Titan Racing led the points for the majority of the season and is now second but is only nine points back of Stanfield. With three wins under his belt, he will also be aiming for his first NHRA Pro Stock championship.

Erica Enders is third following her runner-up finish in Reading to Stanfield, 35 points behind the leader, while five-time champion and NHRA 4-Wide Nationals winner Anderson is fourth, followed by the five-time champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. Anderson has ruled Charlotte as of late, winning the last two races at the track, but Stanfield is enjoying a special run heading to zMAX Dragway.

“I think I just need to go out there and try to do the same thing,” said Stanfield, who has 13 career Pro Stock wins. “It’s going to be a dogfight to the end. Dallas is a great driver and he’s got a great car. Obviously we have Erica and Greg is in there, too, and you can’t count out Jeg. There’s a bunch of us who are capable of winning it all.”

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Hector Arana Jr. appears to be getting hot at the perfect time, winning last weekend on his GETTRX Buell. It was the veteran’s first victory of the year, but he vaulted all the way to fourth in points, now trailing leader and reigning world champion Herrera by 60 points.

Richard Gadson and Matt Smith are also above him, but Arana impressed in Reading, defeating Herrera in the semifinals and then Gadson in the championship round. That positions him well for a furious finish and Arana is ready for the challenge this weekend at zMAX Dragway, where Herrera has won the last three races.

“I believe we have a chance (to win a championship),” said Arana Jr., who won at zMAX Dragway in 2013. “Here we are, flying under the radar and now that it’s the Countdown, it’s time to shine. We have some more power to make and we still have some catching up to do, but I like the improvements we’ve made. You’ve got to have a good, consistent bike to win the race.”

In Top Fuel, Kalitta will look to turn things around after a first-round upset in Reading. It helped send Justin Ashley into the points lead, while Antron Brown is just a point back and Shawn Langdon is only six points out of first.

In Funny Car, Tasca will try to win his second straight fall race at zMAX Dragway following last year’s success. Currently second in points, Tasca is trying to chase down leader Austin Prock, who has six wins in 2024. Others to watch include defending world champ and 4-Wide winner Matt Hagan, Ron Capps, J.R. Todd and Alexis DeJoria.

Top Fuel
1. Justin Ashley, 2,1812. Antron Brown, 2,1803. Shawn Langdon, 2,1754. Doug Kalitta, 2,1485. Steve Torrence, 2,1236. Clay Millican, 2,1027. Tony Stewart, 2,0878. Tony Schumacher, 2,0859. Brittany Force, 2,04810. Billy Torrence, 2,031		Funny Car
1. Austin Prock, 2,2502. Bob Tasca III, 2,1643. John Force / Jack Beckman, 2,1514. J.R. Todd, 2,1235. Matt Hagan, 2,1136. Ron Capps, 2,1087. Alexis DeJoria, 2,0828. Blake Alexander, 2,0689.Chad Green, 2,06710. Daniel Wilkerson, 2,056
Pro Stock
1. Aaron Stanfield, 2,2092. Dallas Glenn, 2,2003. Erica Enders, 2,1744. Greg Anderson, 2,1635. Jeg Coughlin, 2,0956. Troy Coughlin Jr., 2,0787. Cristian Cuadra, 2,0728. Jerry Tucker, 2,0669. Eric Latino, 2,04210. Mason McGaha, 2,037		Pro Stock Motorcycle
1. Gaige Herrera, 2,1982. Matt Smith, 2,1813. Richard Gadson, 2,1794. Hector Arana Jr, 2,1385. Chase Van Sant, 2,1026. John Hall, 2,0997. Angie Smith, 2,0968. (tie) Jianna Evaristo, 2,0638. (tie) Steve Johnson, 2,06310. Chris Bostick, 2,033

The NHRA Carolina Nationals also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, which includes some of the sport’s top drivers, as well as the fan-favorite Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ and Pingel NHRA Top Fuel Motorcycle Series, which wraps up its four-race 2024 schedule in Charlotte.

Fans won’t want to miss the thrilling and highly-entertaining KSFMX freestyle motocross show in the midway as well, which takes place before each round of pro qualifying on Friday and Saturday in the midway.

They are also invited the Nitro Alley Stage, which is the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, meet and greets, music and much more. Race fans at zMAX Dragway can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the NHRA Carolina Nationals event winners.

As always, fans also get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet in Charlotte. This unique opportunity gives fans a chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. Fans can also visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food, and fun for the entire family.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will feature two qualifying rounds at 4:00 and 6:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 20, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 12:30 and 3:00 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 12:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 22. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 6:30 p.m. ET on Friday, 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, and then eliminations on FS1 at 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday.

To purchase tickets to the NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway, please visit www.zmaxdragway.com or call 800-455-FANS (3267). For more information about NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.

About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 110 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

The Importance of Professional Dirt Removal: Why You Should Hire Experts

By
SM
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Photo by Feverpitch at https://depositphotos.com/

When embarking on any construction, landscaping, or renovation project, dirt removal is a crucial step that often gets overlooked. Whether you’re excavating for a new foundation, leveling a yard, or clearing land for a garden, the importance of professional dirt removal cannot be overstated. Here are some compelling reasons why hiring experts for los angeles dirt removal is essential for your project’s success.

1. Safety First

One of the most critical reasons to hire professional los angeles dirt removal services is safety. Handling large quantities of dirt, debris, or hazardous materials can pose significant risks. Professionals are trained to operate heavy machinery and navigate tricky terrains safely. They understand the proper protocols for handling potentially dangerous situations, ensuring the safety of both workers and the surrounding community.

2. Efficiency and Time-Saving

Professional dirt removal teams bring expertise and efficiency to the job. They have the right equipment and manpower to complete the task quickly and effectively. Attempting to remove dirt on your own can be a time-consuming process, especially if you lack the necessary tools. Hiring experts allows you to focus on other important aspects of your project while they handle the heavy lifting.

3. Proper Equipment

Dirt removal often requires specialized equipment, such as excavators, dump trucks, and compactors. Professionals come equipped with the right tools for the job, which not only speeds up the process but also ensures that the work is done correctly. Using the wrong tools can lead to inadequate removal and potentially costly mistakes, making professional equipment a worthwhile investment.

4. Environmental Considerations

Improper dirt removal can lead to environmental issues, such as erosion, pollution, or damage to local ecosystems. Professional dirt removal services understand the importance of adhering to environmental regulations. They know how to dispose of dirt and debris responsibly, ensuring that your project complies with local laws and minimizes environmental impact.

5. Site Preparation

Effective dirt removal is essential for proper site preparation. Whether you’re laying a foundation or creating a garden bed, removing excess dirt ensures a level surface, which is crucial for the integrity of any construction or landscaping project. Professionals will assess your site’s needs and provide thorough and precise removal, setting the stage for a successful build or design.

6. Cost-Effectiveness

While some may view hiring professionals as an added expense, it can actually save you money in the long run. Mistakes made during DIY dirt removal can lead to costly repairs or rework. Additionally, professionals often have established relationships with waste disposal facilities, potentially reducing disposal fees. By investing in professional services, you can avoid unforeseen costs and ensure that the job is done right the first time.

Final Words 

In summary, professional dirt removal is a vital component of any construction or landscaping endeavor. From safety and efficiency to environmental responsibility and cost-effectiveness, the benefits of hiring experts far outweigh the challenges of tackling the job yourself. By choosing professional dirt removal services, you can ensure a smooth, successful project that meets your expectations and adheres to local regulations. Investing in professional help will not only save you time and stress but also contribute to the long-term success of your project.

Best Real Money Slots Casinos for Canadians

By
SM
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Photo by welcomia at https://depositphotos.com/

To win real money on the finest online slots games at top-ranked Canadian-friendly online casinos, you’re in the right place. We only list premier real money Canadian online slot casinos loaded with bold features and big pay outs you can play 24/7 on your favourite computer, laptop, smart phone or tablet.

We only test, review and showcase the best online slot sites for Canadians. Our reviewers rigorously vet every online casino to ensure only those powered by top software vendors are posted on our directory of Canada slot casinos. Read on to learn how to play games online for real money and win large.

What Are Canadian Real Money Slots Casinos?

These are online casinos that welcome players from Canada that have a vast and varied range of slots playable for real money 24/7, 365. We guarantee that only casinos with games that have the highest RTP from the best globally renowned casino software developers make it onto this site.

RTP (return to player) is key to the very best play slots for real money Canada sites because the higher a slot’s RTP, the more it pays out as winnings over time as an average. For example, a slot with a 97% RTP means that 97c of every dollar (or any other currency) bet is paid out as winnings.

That’s not to say you’ll win back 97% of every dollar you wager, but that this slot is more generous than one with a 96% RTP (or lower) and less generous than a slot with a 98% RTP (or higher). We’ve got Canadian real money casinos with highest paying classic, video, bonus and progressive slots.

Most real money slot casinos we feature are instant play sites. This means you just have to ‘click to play’ slots (or any other type of game) as they’re browser-based and don’t need to be downloaded or installed. Some casinos still have downloadable games for Windows computers.

What are the Types of Real Money Online Slots?

If you’re new to online slots but are no stranger to Canadian land casino slots you’re in for a pleasant surprise.

You’ll encounter the same type of slots online that you’re used to playing at your favourite brick and mortar casinos, and even more. These include classic, video and jackpot slots. Here’s a brief description of each:

Benefits of Real Money Slots Online

There are many benefits of playing real money slots games on the internet such as convenience and flexibility. This means you can play when you like and for how long you like as you literally never have to leave your environment to logon and play slots for real money on your favourite casinos online.

You don’t have to waste a second getting to a land casino, parking your bike / car and even more time queuing to play your favourite slot machine. There are no queues at on online casinos. As long as you have an account and the necessary funds you can play any game you like any time you want.

How Can I Play Real Money Slots for Free?

Easily, if you join any of our no deposit free spins online casinos with generous ‘play slots for real money’ bonuses offered – no payment method required.

No deposit bonuses are only for first time players. So if you’ve never played at a casino before and are of legal gambling age you can redeem its free spins offer – 100% free, no obligation.

We list online slots real money Canada casinos with large new player no deposit free spins bonus features where you can cash out winnings without depositing.

Follow these steps so you can play real money slots and hopefully cash out on the house using your free casino bonuses:

  • Visit any of our recommended real money slots Canada sites
  • Click any Register, Sign Up or similar button
  • Fill out the casino’s new account registration form (remember to opt-in for your free bonus)
  • Login to the casino using your new username and password
  • Redeem your free spins in the casino games lobby (on the slot or
  • slots specified in the bonus offer) and rack up as much as
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If you manage to rack up winnings before your free spins run out, you’re in with a chance to cash out. Your winnings will be converted into regular bonus cash that are subject to regular bonus terms and conditions (T&Cs;).

Important Real Money Free Spins Slots T&Cs;

Most virtual casinos have some kind of free spins offer where you can play real money games – no deposit required – and come with various bonus T&Cs; you have to follow in full en route to cashing out your winnings.

The two most important are wagering requirement + maximum withdrawal limit.

Wagering requirement

This is the minimum number of times you must play through your free spins winnings before you can cash out. For example, let’s say you rack up $25 in winnings from 10 free spins on Starburst slots.

If the bonus has a 20x wagering requirement, you’d have to make at least $500 in bets ($25 x 20) before you could make a withdrawal.

Maximum withdrawal limit

This is the maximum bonus winnings you can cash out once you fulfilled the wagering requirement.

In the example above, if you win $32 and the bonus has a $15 maximum withdrawal limit, $15 is all you could withdraw. (The extra $17 is automatically removed from your account).

Layne Riggs doubles down with second consecutive Truck victory at Bristol

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Three weeks after winning the 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoff opener as a non-Playoff contender, rookie Layne Riggs spoiled the Playoffs for a second consecutive race by grabbing a late dominant victory in the UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway on Thursday, September 19.

Riggs, a second-generation racer from Bahama, North Carolina, led the final 80 of 200-scheduled laps in an event where he qualified 18th and methodically carved his way up the leaderboard, where he would finish in the top 10 at the conclusion of the first stage period before he moved up into the top-five by the end of the second stage period.

Then at the start of the final restart period with 80 laps remaining, Riggs overtook Playoff contender Corey Heim to lead for the first time. Despite having his momentum stalled twice due to a pair of late-race caution periods, starting with 44 laps remaining before occurring again with 19 laps remaining, Riggs, who prevailed during the proceeding restarts, capitalized on the final one with 13 laps remaining to muscle his Ford away from a bevy of Playoff contenders and cruise to his second Truck Series career victory in back-to-back races and of his career at Thunder Valley.

With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Thursday, Connor Zilisch scored his second pole position in three Truck Series starts after he posted a pole-winning lap at 125.207 mph in 15.325 seconds. Joining him on the front row was Playoff contender Corey Heim, who clocked in the second-fastest qualifying lap at 124.186 mph in 15.451 seconds.

Prior to the event, Kaden Honeycutt and Playoff contender Ty Majeski dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments made to their respective entries. As a result of Majeski’s penalty, his truck chief Tyler Shullick was ejected for the event and the driver was revoked a pit selection for next weekend’s event at Kansas Speedway.

When the green flag waved and the race started, Connor Zilisch gained an early advantage from the outside lane and proceeded to fend off Corey Heim through the first two turns. As the field jostled for early spots through the backstretch before navigating back to Turns 3 and 4, Zilisch led the first lap in his No. 7 Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Silverado RST.

Over the proceeding four laps, Zilisch maintained a steady advantage over Heim and William Sawalich while Playoff contenders Rajah Caruth, Christian Eckes and Nick Sanchez followed suit in the top six ahead of Stewart Friesen and Tanner Gray. Behind, Playoff contender Daniel Dye started to battle Tanner Gray for eighth place as Chase Purdy overtook Ty Dillon for 10th place.

Through the first 10-scheduled laps, Zilisch was leading by half a second over Heim as Sawalich, Caruth, Eckes and Sanchez continued to follow suit in the top six. Meanwhile, Friesen, Dye, Tanner Gray and Purdy also followed suit in the top 10 while Matt Crafton, Playoff contender Tyler Ankrum, Ty Dillon, Dean Thompson, Layne Riggs, Playoff contender Grant Enfinger, Stefan Parsons, Jake Garcia, Playoff contender Taylor Gray and Connor Mosack all occupied the top-20 spots. Behind, Playoff contender Ben Rhodes was mired in 23rd place and teammate Ty Majeski was back in 32nd place behind Bret Holmes and Matt Mills.

Fifteen laps later, Zilisch stabilized his advantage to two-tenths of a second over Heim while third-place Sawalich and fourth-place Caruth both trailed by a second. With Eckes and Sanchez continuing to follow suit in fifth and sixth, respectively, ahead of Friesen, Dye, Purdy and Matt Crafton, Majeski was still mired in 28th place and in jeopardy of being lapped by Zilisch while the remaining Playoff contenders that included Ankrum, Enfinger, Taylor Gray and Ben Rhodes were racing within the top-21 mark.

Another 10 laps later, Zilisch retained the lead by a tenth of a second over Heim, who started to close in to Zilisch’s rear bumper as the latter was getting mired in lapped traffic. Behind, Caruth overtook Sawalich for third place while Eckes, who was radioing brake issues to his truck, was trying to fend off Sanchez for fifth place.

On Lap 42, Heim made his move beneath Zilisch through the backstretch before he assumed the lead for the first time through Turns 3 and 4. As Heim started to muscle away with a steady advantage by the Lap 45 mark, Caruth started to challenge Zilisch for the runner-up spot while Sawalich, Sanchez and Eckes trailed by more than a second in the top-six mark.

By Lap 50, Caruth managed to fend his way through lapped traffic to overtake teammate Zilisch for the runner-up spot. While Eckes and Friesen pinned the lapped competitor of Keith McGee in a three-wide battle for sixth place ahead of Riggs, Caruth would then overtake Heim for the lead from the outside lane and through the frontstretch on Lap 52.

When the first stage period concluded on Lap 55, Caruth, who came into the event four points below the top-eight cutline in the Playoff standings, fended off Heim amid a bevy of lapped traffic to notch his first Truck stage victory of the 2024 season. Heim settled in second ahead of Eckes, Zilisch and Sanchez while Friesen, Sawalich, Riggs, Purdy and Daniel Dye were scored in the top 10. Meanwhile, Playoff contenders Taylor Gray, Majeski, Ankrum, Rhodes and Enfinger were mired in 17th, 20th, 21st, 22nd and 24th, respectively, while 30 of 36 starters were scored on the lead lap.

Under the stage break, nearly the entire lead lap field led by Caruth pitted for a first round of pit service while Timmy Hill remained on the track. Following the pit stops, Heim exited pit road first ahead of Caruth, Eckes, Zilisch and Sanchez while Sawalich, Riggs, Tanner Gray, Friesen and Dye followed suit in the top 10, respectively.

The second stage period started on Lap 65 as Timmy Hill and Heim occupied the front row. At the start, Heim used the four fresh tires on the inside lane to rocket his No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro away from Hill with the lead entering the backstretch. With Heim pulling away, Caruth and Eckes overtook Hill for second and third, respectively, as the field behind scrambled for positions. With Zilisch making his way up to fourth place and a series of on-track battles ensuing, Heim proceeded to lead just past the Lap 70 mark.

At the Lap 75 mark, Heim was leading by nearly half a second over Caruth while third-place Eckes trailed by nearly a second. Behind, Zilisch and Riggs were in the top five ahead of Sanchez, Friesen, Sawalich, Crafton and Timmy Hill as Dean Thompson, Purdy, Daniel Dye, Tanner Gray and Majeski trailed in the top 15 ahead of Taylor Gray, Enfinger, Conner Jones, Mosack and newcomer Corey Day. With Playoff contenders Rhodes and Ankrum mired within the top-30 mark, Heim maintained the lead by half a second by Lap 80.

Just past the Lap 90 mark, Heim’s advantage stabilized to four-tenths of a second over Caruth, with both approaching lapped traffic, as Eckes trailed in third place by a second. As Zilisch and Riggs continued to trail in the top five ahead of Sanchez on the track, Caruth started to issue his challenge on Heim for the lead from the inside lane and he would emerge ahead to lead the Lap 100 mark before Heim fought back from the outside lane. Eckes then joined the battle a few laps later and he would overtake Caruth for the runner-up spot while Heim maintained the lead. Heim would then lap Rhodes, who was mired in 29th place, another lap later.

Then on the final lap of the second stage period, the caution flew due to Zilisch spinning in Turn 4 from the top five after he got a bump from Sanchez’s No. 2 Gainbridge Chevrolet Silverado RST exiting the backstretch. The incident involving Zilisch, who lost a lap while trying to straighten his truck, was enough for the second stage period scheduled to conclude on Lap 110 to officially conclude under caution as Heim, who came into the event 41 points above the cutline, claimed his seventh Truck stage victory of the 2024 season. Eckes, Caruth, Riggs and Sanchez followed suit in the top five while Friesen, Sawalich, Crafton, Thompson and Purdy were scored in the top 10. By then, Playoff contenders Dye, Taylor Gray, Majeski, Enfinger, Ankrum and Rhodes were mired in 11th, 12th, 13th, 16th, 24th and 30th, respectively, while 27 of 36 starters were scored on the lead lap.

During the stage break, select names led by Nick Sanchez pitted for service while the rest led by Heim, including a majority of the front-runners, remained on the track. Amid the pit stops, newcomer Corey Day was penalized for an uncontrolled tire violation.

With 80 laps remaining, the final stage commenced under green as Heim and Eckes occupied the front row. At the start, Heim gained a strong launch from the outside lane to retain the lead through the first two turns. Then as Heim transitioned to the inside lane in front of Eckes, Riggs, who restarted behind Heim, remained on the outside lane to challenge and overtake Heim for the lead through the frontstretch. With Riggs leading the following lap by a hair, he then cleared Heim while remaining on the outside lane and proceeded to lead the next lap mark. With Riggs continuing to lead with 75 laps remaining, Heim and Eckes followed suit in second and third, respectively, while Friesen and Caruth battled for fourth place in front of Sawalich and Crafton.

With 65 laps remaining, Riggs stretched his advantage to seven-tenths of a second over Heim as Eckes, Caruth and Friesen followed suit in the top five. As non-Playoff contenders Sawalich, Crafton, Purdy and Thompson followed suit in the top nine, Playoff contenders Sanchez, Majeski, Taylor Gray, Daniel Dye, Ankrum and Enfinger followed suit from 10th to 15th, while Rhodes was mired in 30th and trapped a lap down.

Fifteen laps later, Riggs stabilized his steady advantage to half a second over Heim as both Caruth and Eckes trailed by a second in third and fourth, respectively. With Friesen retaining fifth place ahead of Sawalich, Crafton and a hard-charging Sanchez, Playoff contenders Majeski, Taylor Gray, Dye, Ankrum and Enfinger were all mired in the top 15 as Rhodes, who was lapped for a second time, was back in 30th place.

Six laps later, the caution flew when Playoff contender Daniel Dye, who was running in 14th place and had a flat tire to his No. 43 Champion Container Chevrolet Silverado RST, slipped sideways entering the frontstretch and was hit by Kaden Honeycutt as the latter sustained significant damage to his No. 45 Moore’s Venture Foods Chevrolet Silverado RST. With Honeycutt being taken out of contention, Dye would drop out of the lead lap category as his truck was being repaired.

During the caution period, select names including Bayley Currey, Ty Dillon, Enfinger, Tanner Gray, Stefan Parsons, Matt Mills, Lawless Alan and Rhodes pitted while the rest led by Riggs remained on the track.

The start of the following restart period with 29 laps remaining featured Riggs and Heim dueling for the lead through the first two turns until Heim got loose underneath Riggs entering the backstretch. Heim’s slip allowed Riggs to muscle his No. 38 Love’s Travel Stops Ford F-150 ahead with two clear lanes to his advantage as he led the following lap. Riggs would proceed to lead with 25 laps remaining while Playoff contenders Heim, Eckes and Caruth followed suit in the top four ahead of Crafton, Friesen, Sanchez, Sawalich, Purdy and Taylor Gray.

Down to the final 20 laps of the event, Riggs extended his advantage to nine-tenths of a second over Heim as Eckes, Caruth and Crafton trailed in the top five by within two seconds. Another lap later, however, Riggs’ momentum was stalled due to the caution returning as Jack Wood, who was running within the top-20 mark, spun his No. 91 Mongoose Chevrolet Silverado RST due to contact from Ben Rhodes that started when they exited the backstretch before the incident concluded with Wood sliding to a halt below the apron in Turn 4. By then, Dye lost more laps after he pitted under green earlier.

With the race restarted under green with 13 laps remaining, Riggs and Heim again dueled for the lead as Caruth tried to make the battle fanned out to three lanes entering the first two turns. Amid the battle, Riggs used the outside lane to muscle ahead with the lead through the backstretch as Heim, Caruth and Eckes battled for second place in front of the field. With Heim, Caruth and Eckes fiercely battling for the runner-up spot, Riggs continued to lead with 10 laps remaining.

Down to the final five laps of the event, Riggs extended his advantage to over a second over a three-truck battle involving Heim, Caruth and Eckes as Sanchez was up to fifth place ahead of Crafton, Purdy, Majeski, Friesen, Ankrum and Sawalich.

When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Riggs remained as the leader by a second over Heim and Caruth while Eckes was losing ground and trailing by two seconds in fourth place. With a comfortable advantage and no challengers closing in from behind, Riggs was able to smoothly cruise his way around the Bristol circuit for a final time before he cycled back to the frontstretch and zipped back across the finish line for his second consecutive checkered flag of the 2024 Truck Series season.

With the victory, Riggs, who celebrated his first career win at the Milwaukee Mile three races ago in late August, became the first competitor to back up a first career victory with a second in back-to-back Truck Series starts since Chase Briscoe made the last accomplishment between winning his first career race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November 2017 and winning in his one-race series’ return at Eldora Speedway in July 2018. Riggs also became the 26th competitor overall to win a Truck race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Riggs’ victory was the fourth of the season and in recent weeks for the Ford nameplate and the 10th overall for Front Row Motorsports in the Truck Series. While this season marks the first time a competitor won the first two Truck races of the Playoffs since Sheldon Creed made the previous accomplishment in 2021, Riggs became the first non-Playoff competitor to commence the Playoffs with back-to-back victories.

“Oh my gosh,” Riggs said on FS1. “We have just learned so much with the cars and trucks. My team, Dylan [Cappello], my crew chief, he’s badass. He works so hard at night. We as a team, we’re a young team. I think the average age [of the No. 38 team] is like in the 20s. It’s so amazing. To be running fifth, 10th and all of sudden, go back to back [with victories] in the Playoffs. Man, I wish I was in the Playoffs so bad. I think we’d be a real threat to win this championship.”

Behind Riggs, Corey Heim edged a hard-charging Rajah Caruth to claim his third runner-up result of the 2024 season. The result was enough for Heim to clinch a spot by points into the Playoff’s Round of 8 as he continues his pursuit for his first series’ championship.

“[I] Didn’t quite have it when the grooves started to move around there,” Heim said. “Every time we got a heat cycle on the tires, it seemed like it got tighter and tighter. Just didn’t quite have it, but solid points day in the Playoffs. That’s what you need. I’ll keep moving forward with TRICON Garage, Safelite, Toyota Racing. Huge thanks to all those guys and looking forward to my favorite place next week [at Kansas].”

In addition to Heim, Christian Eckes and Nick Sanchez have also secured their spots into the Round of 8 by finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.

“It’s a great turnaround for us because I felt like we were maybe a 10th to 12th-place race car in practice,” Eckes said. “Kudos to [crew chief] Charles [Denike] and the [No. 19] guys for getting [the truck] tuned up to run top five. We weren’t race-winning capable, but still a decent run. Just proud of everybody. It’s cool to be locked in the next [Playoff] round, but I got to go take care of business at Kansas first.”

“[I’m] Happy to recover to fifth,” Sanchez added. “Obviously, I show up to win, so [I] need to be a little better than fifth on my end on some things, but yeah, good night. We locked in the Rev Racing Gainbridge Chevrolet [into the Round of 8]. We go to Kansas and just focus on winning.”

Matt Crafton, Chase Purdy, Ty Majeski, Stewart Friesen and Tyler Ankrum finished in the top 10 on the track while the remaining Playoff contenders that included Taylor Gray, Grant Enfinger and Ben Rhodes ended up 12th, 17th and 30th, respectively.

As a result, Daniel Dye and Ben Rhodes are the two Playoff contenders who enter next weekend’s Round of 10 finale below the cutline in the Playoff standings while Enfinger holds sole possession of the eighth and final transfer spot above the cutline by seven points.

There were eight lead changes for five different leaders. The race featured four cautions for 39 laps. In addition, 23 of 36 starters finished on the lead lap.

Results.

1. Layne Riggs, 80 laps led

2. Corey Heim, 65 laps led, Stage 2 winner

3. Rajah Caruth, nine laps led, Stage 1 winner

4. Christian Eckes

5. Nick Sanchez

6. Matt Crafton

7. Chase Purdy

8. Ty Majeski

9. Stewart Friesen

10. Tyler Ankrum

11. William Sawalich

12. Taylor Gray

13. Bret Holmes

14. Dean Thompson

15. Bayley Currey

16. Stefan Parsons

17. Grant Enfinger

18. Corey Day

19. Connor Zilisch, 41 laps led

20. Connor Mosack

21. Jake Garcia

22. Timmy Hill, five laps led

23. Tanner Gray

24. Lawless Alan, one lap down

25. Matt Mills, one lap down

26. Jack Wood, one lap down

27. Ben Rhodes, two laps down

28. Justin Mondeik, two laps down

29. Spencer Boyd, two laps down

30. Ty Dillon, two laps down

31. Mason Maggio, four laps down

32. Daniel Dye, six laps down

33. Keith McGee, six laps down

34. Tyler Tomassi, eight laps down

35. Kaden Honeycutt – OUT, Accident

36. Conner Jones – OUT, Overheating

*Bold indicates Playoff competitors

Playoff standings

1. Christian Eckes – Advanced

2. Corey Heim – Advanced

3. Nick Sanchez – Advanced

4. Ty Majeski +58

5. Rajah Caruth +35

6. Tyler Ankrum +25

7. Taylor Gray +23

8. Grant Enfinger +7

9. Daniel Dye -7

10. Ben Rhodes -12

The Round of 10 in the 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs is set to conclude at Kansas Speedway for the Kubota Tractor 200, where the first of two elimination processes will occur. The event is scheduled to occur next Friday, September 27, and air at 8:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

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