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Author: Official Release

  • Spire Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race Advance

    Spire Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race Advance

    • In 19 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway, Spire Motorsports has logged two top-20 and three top-25 finishes with nine different drivers. Carson Hocevar earned a team-best 15th-place finish in this season’s first stop for the Cup Series at the famed one-mile paved oval. The Mooresville, N.C., organization fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s on NASCAR’s senior circuit with Justin Haley, Zane Smith and Hocevar, respectively.
    • The NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race from Phoenix Raceway will be televised live on NBC Sunday, Nov. 10 beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). The 2024 season finale will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Countdown to Green on NBC will take the green flag at 2 p.m. EST.

    Justin Haley – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

    • Justin Haley will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Parity Week by Gainbridge® Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway.
    • The Winamac, Ind., racer has recorded seven Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway and secured a Cup Series/venue best 17th-place finish in March 2022 at the iconic one-mile suburban-Phoenix oval. In NASCAR Xfinity Series competition, Haley has earned a pair of top-five and four top-10 finishes. In three NASCAR CRAFTSMAN starts, he has notched two top threes, including a runner-up finish in the 2018 season finale. Sunday’s race at Phoenix will mark Haley’s 144th career start in NASCAR’s premier division.
    • Gainbridge® created Parity Week in 2023 to celebrate women’s sports. The namesake for the initiative is Gainbridge®’s sister company, Parity, a brand sponsorship platform dedicated to closing the gender income and opportunity gap in professional sports. Parity Week by Gainbridge® was inspired by Billie Jean King, who 50 years ago used a $5,000 check to start the Women’s Sports Foundation®. To learn more, visit paritynow.co/parityweek and follow #ParityWeek on social media.
    • This year, Gainbridge® partnered with Parity and the Women’s Sports Foundation® to award 21 grants totaling $150,000 to organizations and athletes nationwide that support girls and women in sports and education. The grant recipients are from 13 states and Washington, D.C.  This November, grant recipients will execute their projects, and other Gainbridge®-sponsored professional events will take place— The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican from November 14 – 17, 2024, and the Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge from November 13 – 20, 2024.
    • In total, Parity Week by Gainbridge®  has awarded 21 grants and $150,000 in total funding. There are 13 states represented amongst the grant recipients. Parity Week by Gainbridge was inspired by King, who, 50 years ago, used a $5,000 check to start the Women’s Sports Foundation.
    • Spire Motorsports will host four Parity athletes at this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race Weekend. Ashleigh Johnson and Whitney Dosty will be in attendance on Friday while Sam Bosco and Emily Sisson will be guests of the team on Sunday. Johnson – considered to be the best goalie in the world – is a three-time Olympian and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist. She is the first African American woman to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic Water Polo Team. Dosty is a two-time Paralympian Gold Medalist in sitting volleyball and a two-time World Championship medalist. Bosco is a 2024 Paralympian Cycling Gold-Medal winner and World Champion. Sisson is a two-time Olympian who set the American Marathon Record in Chicago in 2022.
    • Gainbridge® has sponsored an LPGA event since 2017 and over the last three years, the company has focused on increasing its investment in women’s sports. Gainbridge® is aligned with elite women athletes Annika Sorenstam, Billie Jean King, and Caitlin Clark. Gainbridge® is the title sponsor of The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, the Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge and signed Clark to a multi-year brand ambassador deal in February 2024. Gainbridge® is also the naming rights sponsor of Gainbridge Fieldhouse, which is home to the WNBA’s Indiana Fever. Both Gainbridge® and Parity are subsidiaries of Group 1001.
    • Founded in 2018, Gainbridge® is an insurtech subsidiary of Group 1001 that empowers consumers to take control of their financial future with solutions that are accessible to everyone, no matter their budget or financial knowledge. Its platform provides access to financial products that are simple, intuitive, and backed by smart technology with no complexity or hidden fees. Gainbridge® is headquartered in Zionsville, Ind. For more information, visit www.gainbridge.io or follow and connect with us on X and LinkedIn. 
    • Haley has collected one NASCAR Cup Series victory, four NASCAR Xfinity Series checkered flags and three NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series wins, making him one of just 41 drivers in history to have earned victories across all three of NASCAR’s National Touring Series.
    • The 25-year-old is a veteran of 143 Cup Series starts and has notched one win, five top fives, 16 top 10s and led 103 laps in NASCAR’s premier division.
    • In last weekend’s Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway, Haley started 30th, but handling difficulties left him a lap down and 29th in the final rundown.
    • In total, Haley has made 41 Cup Series starts for Spire Motorsports, with the bulk of races coming during the 2021 season behind the wheel of the team’s No. 77 machine. He made his first Cup Series start at Phoenix Raceway March 14, 2021 where he started 29th and finished 24th.
    • Haley has signed a multi-year agreement with Spire Motorsports and will pursue NASCAR Cup Series championship honors behind the wheel of the No. 7 Chevy in 2025.
    • The veteran racer recorded top 10s at Darlington Raceway (May), Worldwide Technology Raceway (June) at Talladega Superspeedway (Oct.) this season. He has paced the field for 30 laps and completed 99.3 percent of the laps contested in 2024.
    • The four-time Xfinity Series race winner made his NCS debut for Spire Motorsports on April 28, 2019 at Talladega Superspeedway on his 20th birthday. He picked up both his and the team’s first win – an upset of practically unprecedented proportions – less than three months later in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway behind the wheel of the No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro.

    Justin Haley Quotes
    What are your thoughts heading to Phoenix?
    “I enjoy going out to Phoenix. It is definitely a one-of-a-kind race track, and I have always felt comfortable there. I’m excited to see the speed our No. 7 team unloads on Friday. We’ve had speed since I came back to Spire, but something has prevented us from getting the finish we deserved. Hopefully we will get the run we have been looking for heading into the offseason.”
    What do you take away from these final six races of the season, and what have you learned going into next year?
    “There has been a learning curve for sure, especially in familiarizing myself in the processes and how they execute. Things will obviously be different with Rodney (Childers) and other guys coming in at the end of the year, but it is still good to get inside the building and start to familiarize myself.”

    Zane Smith – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

    • Zane Smith will make his final NASCAR Cup Series start of the season Sunday at Phoenix Raceway driving the No. 71 Focused Health Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports. This weekend marks Smith’s third Cup Series start at the one-mile oval.
    • So far in Smith’s rookie season, he has secured two top-five, four top-10 and 14 top-20 finishes.
    • Smith is no stranger to Phoenix Raceway where he logged a victory and three top fives in four NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts, and a fifth-place finish in his only Xfinity start at the legendary raceway. Smith clinched the 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series title with a win at Phoenix.
    • Smith will carry the No. 71 primary sponsor, Focused Health, Sunday at Phoenix Raceway. Focused Health is a National Health Insurance agency founded by industry veterans with over 60 years combined industry experience. Primarily focused on the government programs space, Focused Health partners with payors and employers to deliver health insurance solutions for individuals and families. For more information visit AtFocusedHealth.com.
    • Crew Chief Stephen Doran has won five Cup Series races at Phoenix Raceway with Kevin Harvick at Stewart-Haas Racing. During his time at Stewart-Haas, Doran recorded 20 top 10s with Harvick at the track.

    Zane Smith Quotes
    Last race of the season this weekend, how are you feeling as you head to Phoenix for one last ride with your No. 71 Spire Motorsports Team?
    “This track (Phoenix Raceway) is such a special place to me and it’s definitely going to be a bittersweet weekend. I’m proud of my No. 71 Spire Motorsports team for all the hard work they put in this season, especially the second half of the season. We’ve all fought hard to prove what this team is capable of. Huge thanks to Focused Health for all their support this year and I hope that we can get a great result and finish on a high note.”

    Carson Hocevar – Driver, No.77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

    • Carson Hocevar will pilot the No. 77 Delaware Life Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Spire Motorsports in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway.
    • Last weekend at Martinsville Speedway, the Cup Series Rookie-of-the-Year contender qualified 27th. After racing his way to the 13th position, contact with another car sent him spinning, ultimately leaving him a lap down, and 25th at the race’s conclusion.
    • In the Cup Series March trip to the Arizona desert, Hocevar reached the second round of qualifying for the first time in his young career and rolled off the starting grid 10th. He converted the fifth-most quality passes in the field (103) en route to a 15th-place finish.
    • Hocevar has five CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts under his belt at Phoenix. He collected two top 10s, highlighted by a ninth-place finish in the 2022 season finale.
    • The youngest Cup Series driver in the field ranks 21st in the division’s championship point standings, leading the Sunoco Rookie of The Year standings by 101 points. Over the course of the season’s first 35 races, he’s notched one top-five, six top-10 and 13 top-15 finishes.
    • Delaware Life Insurance Company (“Delaware Life”) has made its mission to deliver pure value to its network of financial professionals with a set of tools and products that help them empower their clients to plan for retirement with confidence. Delaware Life’s focus is delivering a seamless experience that gives clients exactly what they’re looking for: the comfort of understanding, the confidence of transparency, and streamlined products without needless features. Learn more at www.delawarelife.com
    • Crew chief Luke Lambert is quite familiar with Victory Lane at Phoenix Raceway. He earned his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory with Ryan Newman in the spring of 2017. He also called Noah Gragson’s triumph in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition at Phoenix in the spring of 2022.
    • The No. 77 crew clocked an 8.29 second pit stop two weeks ago at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It stands as the fastest four-tire pit stop in series history.
    • Fans can see Carson Hocevar at the NASCAR Experience Stage in the fan zone on Sunday at 8:45 a.m.
    • Hocevar will be participating in a 15-minute Q&A at the Chevrolet Display in the fan zone on Sunday at 9 a.m.

    Carson Hocevar Quotes
    You’ve put together some of your best races of the year at tracks like Gateway and New Hampshire, which are similar to Phoenix. How do you expect the weekend to go?
    “I like Phoenix. We ran well in the spring, and made the second round of qualifying for the first time in my career. We’ve ran well at some similar tracks to it, so we have a little bit of a notebook all around heading in. Phoenix is one of the first races next year, so running well is going to be important in getting the momentum rolling to carry into next season.”

    The No. 77 team has made significant strides from last season. The team finished 33rd in owner points a year ago, and it looks like the team will finish 21st this year with a nearly identical crew. What will be your key takeaways from the season?
    “It’s cool to be the leading rookie contender, and to be where we are in points. We are one spot behind Kyle Busch, who won three races last season and has two championships to his name. Every car ahead of us has had a deep playoff run in recent seasons, so it is cool to be where we are. I’m proud of the work Luke (Lambert) and all the No. 77 crew has done this year, and how far we’ve come this season. We put together the results very quickly. But, we are all still hungry and know we can do even better next year. The goal now is to compete for wins and earn a spot in the playoffs.”
    From the Top of the Box

    Ryan Sparks – Crew Chief, No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

    • Ryan Sparks serves in a dual role as both Spire Motorsports competition director and crew chief for driver Justin Haley and the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro in the NCS.
    • Sparks has led the efforts for Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 team since 2021.
    • Sparks will focus solely on Competition Director’s duties following the 2024 season.

    Stephen Doran – Crew Chief, No. 71 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

    • Stephen Doran is in his first full season as a Cup Series crew chief leading Zane Smith and the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet team.
    • In 2006, Doran got his start in NASCAR at Petty Enterprises.
    • Prior to his arrival at Spire Motorsports, Doran worked at Stewart-Haas Racing as an engineer, most recently on the No. 4 car driven by Kevin Harvick.

    Luke Lambert – Crew Chief, No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

    • Luke Lambert is the crew chief for Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 team with 2024 NCS Rookie of the Year candidate Carson Hocevar.
    • The 2005 North Carolina State graduate has led the competition efforts for some of the sport’s most notable names including Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman, Elliott Sadler and Chris Buescher.
    • In 2014, Lambert led Newman to a berth in the Championship 4, and ultimately a runner-up finish in the NCS championship point standings.

    About Spire Motorsports …
    Spire Motorsports is a NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race team co-owned by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2024, Spire Motorsports campaigns the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Justin Haley, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively. The team also fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth drives the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Silverados in the No. 77.

    Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on April 12, 2024, when Kyle Busch took the checkered flag in the SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway.

  • Michael McDowell and the No. 34 Love’s / Fleetguard Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    Michael McDowell and the No. 34 Love’s / Fleetguard Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    Phoenix Raceway Competition Notes

    MOORESVILLE, N.C. (November 6, 2024) – The NASCAR Cup Series returns to Phoenix Raceway, for the final race of the 2024 season for Michael McDowell and the No. 34 team.

    This will be the Glendale, AZ native’s 28th start at the track as he looks to improve on his 8th-place finish in the spring, his best at Phoenix. In his last two starts, McDowell has two consecutive Top-10 finishes (9th in 2023, 8th in 2024).

    McDowell and the No. 34 team will have Love’s Travel Stops and their truck care partner, Fleetguard, on the car this weekend. A global leading filtration brand within the Atmus Filtration Technologies portfolio, Fleetguard offers a full suite of filtration products for nearly all makes of vehicles and equipment across the truck, bus, agriculture, construction, mining, marine and power generation vehicle, and equipment markets.

    Fleetguard heavy-duty filters give customers the ultimate protection for all their equipment. With availability in more than 45,000 independent aftermarket retail outlets globally, including approximately 5,800 locations in North America, Fleetguard products are available where customers need them and are backed by the competitive Fleetguard warranty.

    The NASCAR Cup Series track activity will begin Friday, November 8th with practice at 6:00 pm ET with qualifying on Saturday, November 9th at 5:00 pm ET, both on the USA Network. The Championship Race will be Sunday, November 10th at 3:00 pm ET. Fans can watch the action live on NBC or listen via the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.

    No. 34 Love’s / Fleetguard Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

    DRIVER MICHAEL MCDOWELL:

    “It’s always great to race at Phoenix in front of so many family members and friends. This season, the improvements we’ve made have really been a team effort from everyone at Front Row Motorsports. We ran well here in the spring, so I’m confident we can put our Love’s Travel Stops / Fleetguard Ford Mustang Dark Horse up front.”

    CREW CHIEF TRAVIS PETERSON:

    “I’m looking forward to getting to Phoenix this weekend, we’ve had some good results there the past few races. I’m proud of what we have accomplished at Front Row Motorsports this season. I am proud of this team and Michael. We really grew together and showed that we can be competitive every weekend. Hopefully we can find more speed and get a good result to end the season on a high note.”

    ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

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

  • Spire Motorsports NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship Race Advance

    Spire Motorsports NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship Race Advance

    • Spire Motorsports has three previous NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at Phoenix Raceway, all of which came in a part-time capacity. Rajah Caruth, driver of the No. 71 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Silverado, ran his fourth and final race aboard the team’s No. 7 entry in the 2022 event. Last year, both Marco Andretti and Derek Kraus participated in the season finale under the Spire banner. Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolets full time in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. An all-star driver lineup has rotated throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Caruth drives the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Chevrolet Silverados in the No. 77.
    • The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship Race from Phoenix Raceway will be televised live on FS1 Friday, Nov. 8, beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The 23rd and final CRAFTSMAN Truck Series event on the 2024 calendar will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

    Connor Mosack – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

    • Connor Mosack will make his sixth and final appearance of the season aboard a Spire Motorsports entry, piloting the No. 7 Friends of Jaclyn Chevrolet Silverado in Friday’s 150-miler at Phoenix Raceway.
    • In his most recent CRAFTSMAN Truck Series appearance at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the Charlotte, N.C., native started 10th, and thanks to a gutsy fuel strategy by crew chief Brian Pattie, crossed the finish line in the third position. Mosack converted the second-highest average running position in the field (6.11) while spending all but four of the event’s 134 circuits racing in the top 15.
    • The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation will adorn the hood of the No. 7 Silverado Friday night. The Foundation aims to improve the quality of life for children battling pediatric brain tumors and other childhood cancers by pairing them with local teams, clubs and community groups. For more information, please log on to Friendsofjaclyn.org.
    • In his five previous starts aboard the No. 7 Chevy, Mosack has earned one top-five and three top-10 finishes, in addition to four top-five starting positions.
    • Mosack has two previous ARCA Menards Series starts at the one-mile oval, highlighted by a fourth-place finish last March with Pinnacle Racing Group. He also participated in last year’s NASCAR Xfinity Series’ finale with Sam Hunt Racing.
    • The 25-year-old has made 28 starts in the Xfinity Series with his best finishes coming at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International (fifth), the Chicago Street Course (sixth) and Portland (Ore.) International Raceway (eighth).
    • Mosack competes part-time in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli, piloting the No. 57 Pinnacle Racing Group Chevrolet Camaro for Silver Hare Racing in the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Class. The two-time class winner has six poles and 17 top-five finishes in 38 starts, while finishing third and fourth in points in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Mosack races alongside teammates Jake Drew, Boris Said, Jr. and Connor Zilisch.
    • Through the first 22 races of the 2024 season, the No. 7 has compiled two wins with an average starting position of 10.8 and an average finish of 13.4. Kyle Busch led 33 laps en route the team’s first victory of 2024 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and led a dominant 112 laps in the team’s April triumph at Texas Motor Speedway. Last weekend at Martinsville, Connor Zilisch qualified 27th and drove through the field to finish 12th in his fifth and final appearance with the team.
    • In his first season at Spire Motorsports, crew chief Brian Pattie led the No. 7 team to two victories across the first seven events this season, both with Kyle Busch. The duo also won twice across five races last year with Kyle Busch Motorsports.
    • The 2023 event marked Pattie’s one and only prior CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race atop the box at Phoenix. Jack Wood qualified seventh and finished 27th after he was involved in a late-race incident. Pattie visited Xfinity Series Victory Lane in 2004 with Jamie McMurray during his time at Chip Ganassi Racing.
    • Mosack will pilot Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-081 on Friday. Kyle Buch parked the truck in Victory Lane at Texas Motor Speedway in April. The chassis was last on track at the Milwaukee Mile with Sammy Smith at the controls.
    • Mosack will sign autographs in Mobil1 Victory Lane Friday at 10:30 a.m.

    Connor Mosack Quotes
    You are running your sixth and final race aboard the No. 7 this weekend. What will you take away from the opportunity to run for the team under a veteran crew chief like Brian Pattie.
    “Phoenix will be another opportunity to improve on the races we’ve run this year. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to race with Brian (Pattie) and the whole No. 7 team. We all want to end the year as strong as we can. Homestead was our best run yet, and I think we can have an even better day on Friday.”
    You have a pair of ARCA starts and an Xfinity race under your belt at Phoenix. How will that translate to your first truck race on a short, flat oval?
    “Having multiple starts under my best at Phoenix definitely helps my confidence. The trucks feel a lot different compared to the ARCA and Xfinity cars, we’ve had solid speed every time I’ve been there. I think the experience will carry over well and set me up for success.”

    Rajah Caruth – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

    • Rajah Caruth will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Silverado in Friday’s 150-mile race at Phoenix Raceway.
    • Caruth and the No. 71 team qualified for the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs via their win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and ending the regular season fifth in points.
    • In the third and final race in the Round of 8 at Martinsville Speedway, the Washington D.C., native started 11th, but a left front brake issue forced the team behind the wall. He ended the night two laps down and landed 31st in the final rundown.
    • Caruth has made two CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at Phoenix, highlighted by a 12th-place finish last November.
    • In his only ARCA Menards Series start at Phoenix, Caruth started seventh and finished fourth.
    • The 22-year-old owns a pair of NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Phoenix Raceway. He collected a 17th-place finish in 2022 and came home 17th in Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 17 Camaro last November.
    • HENDRICKCARS.COM is the online home for everything Hendrick Automotive Group. Visitors can shop thousands of new or pre-owned vehicles, locate centers for service and collision repair, receive a value to sell or trade their car, chat online with customer service, discover career opportunities, learn more about vehicle protections programs, and explore how the company gives back to the community.
    • The 2024 season has marked a career year for Caruth. He’s tallied one win, a pair of Cometic Gasket Pole Awards and five top-five finishes, all of which are the first of his young career. The 12 top-10 finishes on the season triples Caruth’s total of four in 2023, while his average starting position of 10.3 is nearly five positions better than last season and his 11.5 average finish is an impressive seven positions higher.
    • With his first career CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win and pole position earlier this season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Caruth became the third African American driver, alongside NASCAR Hall of Famer, Wendell Scott and current NASCAR Cup Series regular Bubba Wallace, to win a NASCAR National Touring Series race.
    • Caruth raced his first full CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season in 2023, earning four top-10 finishes while closing the year 16th in points.
    • Crew chief Chad Walter has seen his share of success atop the box at Phoenix Raceway in Xfinity Series competition. He led Sam Hornish Jr., to a NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at the D-shaped oval in fall of 2011. He returned to the venue four months later to call Brad Keselowski’s runner-up finish in March 2012.
    • The HENDRICKCARS.COM colors will wrap Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-007 on Friday. The truck was raced this season in Caruth’s first career victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March 1), was featured in a strong day at Texas Motor Speedway (April 12), posted a top-five qualifying effort at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway (May 24), collected a top-five finish at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway (June 28) and earned a stage win in a career-night at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (Sept. 19).
    • The Winston-Salem (N.C.) State senior will sign autographs in Mobil1 Victory Lane Friday at 10:30 a.m.
    • Caruth will participate in a 15-minute Q&A at the Chevrolet Display in the fan zone Friday at 11:15 a.m.
    • Fans can visit Caruth at the NASCAR Classics merchandise hauler in the fan zone Friday at 11:30 a.m.
    • Caruth will be on SiriusXM’s ‘The Skinner Round Up,’ live from the NASCAR Experience Stage, Friday at 12:15 p.m.

    Rajah Caruth Quotes
    You’ve ran nearly everything at Phoenix. What are you doing to prepare for the weekend and snag one more checkered flag before the season comes to a close?
    “Phoenix is among Kansas, Charlotte and Bristol, in terms of places I have a lot of experience at. I feel as confident going there as anywhere else. It is business as usual. I’m confident in the truck we will bring to the track and I am preparing like any other week. Unfortunately, we are not a part of the Championship 4, but we have one more chance to get a checkered flag.”
    As the season comes to a close, what are you going to take from this season in working with Chad (Walter) and everyone at Spire?
    “I’m proud of the growth our team has made throughout the year. We’ve carried a sense of relentlessness and tenacity through all the high and low points of the year. We won a race, made the playoffs and were in contention for a Championship 4 spot. No matter how we run, the guys are at the shop at 6 a.m. on Monday morning tearing down the truck. I’m proud to call them my teammates and I’m thankful for their sacrifice. I’m proud of where I’ve come, personally, especially when I think about where I was at this time last year. I didn’t even start racing until five years ago. We were competitive all season, and can’t think of one time I felt like we showed up to the track without a chance to win.”

    Chase Purdy – Driver, No.77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

    • Chase Purdy will drive Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado in Friday’s CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway.
    • The Meridian, Miss., native has made four CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at Phoenix. Last November, Purdy navigated a late-race melee to claim a venue-best third-place finish.
    • The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship Race will mark Purdy’s 98th CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start and 23rd behind the wheel of the No. 77 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports.
    • While racing for Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2023, Purdy had the best statistical season of his career. He earned three top-five, 11 top-10 and 14 top-15 finishes while notching a career-best finish of second at Texas Motor Speedway (April 1) and claiming his first career Cometic Gasket Pole Award at Kansas Speedway (Sept. 8). He snagged his second career pole two races later at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (Sept. 30), a race where he led a career-high 11 laps.
    • Crew chief Jason Trinchere has called the shots for six NASCAR Xfinity Series races at Phoenix Raceway, highlighted by a fifth-place finish in March of 2021 with A.J. Allmendinger. Trinchere collected four top-10 finishes over six events.
    • Purdy will race Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-073 on Saturday. He piloted the truck to a sixth-place finish at Darlington Raceway in May.
    • Purdy will sign autographs in Mobil1 Victory Lane Friday at 10:30 a.m.

    Chase Purdy Quotes
    You are coming off a third-place finish at Martinsville, and heading to Phoenix where you finished third last year. What do you need to replicate that success this weekend?
    “This weekend is all about finishing strong and executing all around. We’ve generated some momentum recently, and we just have to feed off that to finish the year strong. If we control the controllables and are around at the end, it will be a good night for us.”
    What will you take from your first season with Spire Motorsports?
    “It has been a polarizing year for sure. We’ve had great runs, but struggled at times. I’m proud of the effort Jason (Trinchere) and all the guys on this No. 77 team have given all year. When times were tough, they could have given up. We have one more chance this season to snag a checkered flag, and that is what we are setting out to do.”

    From the Top of the Box

    Brian Pattie – Crew Chief, No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado

    • In his first season at Spire Motorsports, Brian Pattie has led the No. 7 team to two victories, both with Kyle Busch. The duo also won twice across five races last year at KBM.
    • Pattie also collected a victory with Ron Fellows at Watkins Glen International in 1999 to give him five career NCTS wins.
    • Pattie was atop the pit box for six wins across 14 seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series and has 11 career victories as a crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

    Chad Walter – Crew Chief, No. 71 Chevrolet Silverado

    • Chad Walter has over two decades of experience and began his career with Hendrick Motorsports in 1996.
    • Walter guided Caruth to his first NCTS win March 1, 2024 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
    • Some of his most notable accomplishments include a pair of Daytona 500 victories (2001 & 2003) as a crew member for Michael Waltrip, along with Cup Series wins with Steve Park and Terry Labonte.

    Jason Trinchere – Crew Chief, No. 77 Chevrolet Silverado

    • Jason Trinchere earned his Bachelor of Science from Penn State University and began his professional career in 2005 as the race engineer for the iconic No. 75 Spears Manufacturing NCTS team, owned by series’ pioneers Wayne and Connie Spears.
    • Notable accomplishments include Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 wins with both Ganassi Racing and Penske Racing as a design engineer. He was a key member of the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series Championship team with driver Joey Logano.

    About Spire Motorsports …
    Spire Motorsports is a NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race team co-owned by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2024, Spire Motorsports campaigns the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Justin Haley, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively. The team also fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth drives the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Silverados in the No. 77.

    Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on April 12, 2024, when Kyle Busch took the checkered flag in the SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway.

  • Texas A&M University Racing: Josh Berry Phoenix Season Finale Advance

    Texas A&M University Racing: Josh Berry Phoenix Season Finale Advance

    JOSH BERRY
    Phoenix Season Finale Advance
    No. 4 Texas A&M University Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    Event Overview

    ● Event: NASCAR Cup Series Season Finale (Round 36 of 36)
    ● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EST on Sunday, Nov. 10
    ● Location: Phoenix Raceway
    ● Layout: 1-mile oval
    ● Laps/Miles: 312 laps/312 miles (502 kilometers)
    ● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 125 laps / Final Stage: 127 laps
    ● TV/Radio: NBC / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    Notes of Interest

    ● Phoenix Raceway marks the end of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season, with four drivers duking it out for the title of NASCAR Cup Series champion. But for the four Stewart-Haas Racing drivers, it is the end of an era. Josh Berry, who joined the team ahead of the 2024 season to make his fulltime premier series debut, will drive the No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for the final time. It was announced May 28 that Stewart-Haas would shut its doors for good at season’s end. Berry, who will drive another Ford next season, has just one more opportunity at the 1-mile desert oval this weekend to etch his name in the Stewart-Haas history books. Earlier this season, in this year’s March race at Phoenix, Berry started at the rear of the field after spinning during his qualifying run and the subsequent repairs to his No. 4 Ford Mustang. He maneuvered his way forward during the 312-lap race and picked up 10 positions on the tricky, low-banked tri-oval, taking the checkered flag in 26th.

    ● Berry had one other start at Phoenix behind the wheel of a NextGen car when he filled in for an injured Chase Elliott for Hendrick Motorsports in the March 2023 race. He started 17th and finished 10th.

    ● Outside the Cup Series, Berry has five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts racing the No. 8 entry for JR Motorsports. Best of those was his third-place finish from the eighth starting position in March 2022. His current Stewart-Haas teammate Noah Gragson won that race.

    ● Crew chief Rodney Childers will call his final race for Stewart-Haas Sunday. It marks a bittersweet end to Childers’ run with the team that was punctuated by his previous driver Kevin Harvick’s 2014 NASCAR Cup Series championship. Since joining Stewart-Haas in 2014, Childers collaborated on 37 victories, 150 top-five finishes, 234 top-10s, and 24 pole awards. His record at Phoenix is particularly impressive as he and Harvick amassed five wins, 12 top-fives, 23 top-10s, three pole awards, and 1,238 laps led from 2014 through 2023.

    ● This weekend, the No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse dons the maroon and digital camouflage colors of Texas A&M University. Texas A&M is driven by a tradition of excellence and passion to continually improve. It is a destination of choice for those who serve or have served to pursue higher education. The link with NASCAR is an appropriate one as the sanctioning body has long honored its nation’s service members, most notably with its annual NASCAR Salutes program, a tenured initiative featuring important associations with Honor and Remember, which recognizes fallen service members and their families, and Sound Off, a nonprofit organization that works to reduce veteran suicide through free and anonymous mental health for veterans and service members.

    ● Recently named the top university in Texas and the No. 11 public university in the nation by The Wall Street Journal, Texas A&M’s forward momentum is evidenced by a number of recent recognitions. In a testament to its dedication to academic excellence and innovation, the College of Engineering was named a top-10 public engineering school by U.S. News & World Report, with the Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering ranked best in the nation. The college also secured the top spot for engineering research expenditures in fiscal year 2023, with $444.7 million in spending. The Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering – part of both the College of Engineering and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences – is also ranked No. 1 in the nation.

    ● In addition to providing an exemplary student experience, the university is also educating the next generation of leaders who will put Texas A&M’s Core Values into practice, as reflected by the remarkable number of Aggies leading America’s companies. Texas A&M is tied for No. 1 among the nation’s public universities and No. 5 overall for the number of graduates serving as CEOs of Fortune 500 companies today.

    Josh Berry, Driver of the No. 4 Texas A&M University Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    It was nearly a five months ago, May 28 to be exact, when SHR announced it would be closing down. That moment is nearly upon us with Phoenix Raceway serving as the season finale. What is your takeaway from your time at SHR?

    “Well, I mean, it’s most definitely been a whirlwind over the past, really, two years just taking it all in. But honestly, I’m just really grateful for my time at SHR and the opportunity I got to drive the 4 car and race in the Cup Series. It was just such a life-changing opportunity for me, and I think it’s been a challenge at times, and it’s been a challenge navigating through all the change and what our futures are and everything that’s been going on. But the reality of this is it’s still sad because there are a lot of great people, great men and women at Stewart-Haas Racing, tons and tons of great people all across the board that made that place what it is and made it great. So I’m just thankful for the opportunity to get to race with those guys and learn from them and get to compete with them. Obviously, I’m looking forward to next year and thankful I got an opportunity, but still I’m going to look back very fondly on this year.”​

    The restarts at Phoenix can get a little crazy – how do you manage your level of aggression and your positioning on the track, especially late in the race?

    “It’s hard and so much can happen that is out of your control. The biggest thing for me is to study those restarts and see which moves are good and which aren’t. Not every restart is going to be perfect, especially if you’re in the pack, but it’s just important to have the right mentality about making those moves and also keeping your car clean, especially early in the race.”​

    No. 4 Texas A&M University Team Roster

    Primary Team Members

    Driver: Josh Berry

    Hometown: Hendersonville, Tennessee

    Crew Chief: Rodney Childers

    Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

    Car Chief: Robert “Cheddar” Smith

    Hometown: Whitewater, Wisconsin

    Engineer: Dax Gerringer

    Hometown: Gibsonville, North Carolina

    Engineer: Billy Kuebler

    Hometown: Saline, Michigan

    Spotter: Eddie D’Hondt

    Hometown: Levittown, New York

    Over-The-Wall Members

    Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala

    Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

    Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff

    Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

    Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal

    Hometown: Holland, Michigan

    Jack Man: Kapil Fletcher

    Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

    Fuel Man: Corey Coppola

    Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

    Road Crew Members

    Mechanic: Tyler Trosper

    Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

    Mechanic: Chris Capaldi

    Hometown: Armada, Michigan

    Tire Specialist: Zac Lupien

    Hometown: Pine Bluff, Arkansas

    Engine Tuner: Robert Brandt

    Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

    Transporter Co-Driver: Jake Zierhoffer

    Hometown: Billerica, Massachusetts

    Transporter Co-Driver: Stephen Mitchell

    Hometown: Woodville, Ohio

  • Stewart-Haas Racing: Phoenix NXS Advance (Cole Custer | Riley Herbst)

    Stewart-Haas Racing: Phoenix NXS Advance (Cole Custer | Riley Herbst)

    COLE CUSTER | RILEY HERBST
    Phoenix NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
    NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

    • Event: NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship (Round 33 of 33)
    • Date: Saturday, Nov. 9
    • Location: Phoenix Raceway
    • Layout: 1-mile oval
    • Time/TV/Radio: 7:30 p.m. EDT on CW/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    Cole Custer Notes of Interest

    • Cole Custer is making his final start behind the wheel of the No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway – a track where the Ladera Ranch, California, native has enjoyed considerable success. This race will be a bittersweet one for the team as it takes place during the final weekend for Stewart-Haas. It was announced May 28 that Stewart-Haas would close its doors at the end of the season. Custer hasn’t known a life outside of Stewart-Haas. He debuted with the team running a partial NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule in 2014, when he became NASCAR’s youngest national series winner that September at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon at just 16 years, seven months, and 28 days old. He ran another partial Truck Series schedule in 2015 and added a victory in the June race at Gateway Raceway near St. Louis. After a fulltime Truck Series campaign in 2016, Custer graduated to the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2017 as driver of the No. 00 entry. His Xfinity Seires career with Stewart-Haas has been solid, with 14 victories (excluding his Feb. 22, 2022 win at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, with Bobby Dotter Racing), 21 poles, scored 114 top-10 finishes, and 3,057 laps led, all highlighted by drives to the 2019 owners championship and 2023 drivers championship. Custer also finished second in the drivers championship in 2018 and 2019. Custer then moved up to the NASCAR Cup Series with Stewart-Haas from 2020 to 2022. He won his first Cup Series race during his rookie season in the July race at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, passing his now-retired teammate Kevin Harvick for the lead on a late-race restart.
    • Phoenix marks the site of Custer’s first NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship last November. He once again joins the Championship 4 field for a shot to secure back-to-back championships. The feat of back-to-back championships with the same team has not been accomplished since Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in 2011 and 2012 with Roush Fenway Racing. This year, Justin Allgaier, AJ Allmendinger and Austin Hill join Custer to round out the Championship 4 field. In his five fulltime Xfinity Series seasons, Custer has made the championship race in all but his rookie season in 2017, when he finished fifth in the standings. Since then, he has scored two back-to-back runner up finishes in 2018 and 2019 before winning the championship last season in dramatic fashion. After dominating the championship race last November, Custer seemed to lose all his title hopes as the field stacked up on a final green-white-checkered restart. Custer found himself shuffled backward with John Hunter Nemechek leading the Championship 4 field. In a final “Hail Mary,” Custer blasted through the middle to make a four-wide pass of the other Championship 4 competitors and claim the victory and the title.
    • Saturday’s season finale will be Custer’s 10th Xfinity Series start at Phoenix after five fulltime seasons. After a 21st-place finish in his debut at the track in March 2017, he never finished worse than 12th in his next six Xfinity Series starts there, highlighted by a second-place result in the November 2019 race and his victory last November. Custer also has 12 NASCAR starts outside of the Xfinity Series at Phoenix – six in the Cup Series with a best finish of ninth in March 2020, three in the Truck Series with a best of third in November 2014, and three in the K&N Pro Series West. His victory from the pole in March 2014, when he led a race-high 62 of 80 laps, was the best of his three K&N Pro Series West outings, with finishes of third and sixth in the other two.
    • Custer is bringing back the bright and vibrant colors of Andy’s Frozen Custard for the championship race in an alpha-bravo paint scheme with Haas Automation. Founded in 1986 in Osage Beach, Missouri, by Andy Kuntz’s parents John and Carol Kuntz, Andy’s Frozen Custard has been providing the freshest frozen custard in the business for 38 years, giving ice cream the “cold shoulder” by scooping, mixing and presenting handcrafted frozen custard treats with speed and a smile. Since the beginning, the family members have had one dream: to share what makes them happiest with everyone else, and to warm hearts one scoop of frozen custard at a time. With a focus on product quality, customer service and community involvement, Andy’s has grown into the nation’s largest frozen custard-only business, with 150 stores across 15 states proudly serving the World’s Finest Frozen Custard. Andy’s has been committed to supporting developing drivers of all ages from their first race throughout their racing career for more than 30 years, an extension of the family’s lifelong commitment to motorsports. Andy’s is the “Official Frozen Treat” of Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, where fans can enjoy Andy’s on-site through branded kiosks, treat trucks and in suites.
    • Following Saturday’s race, Custer will move back to the NASCAR Cup Series for the 2025 season. On July 20 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it was announced he will return to NASCAR’s elite series in the No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for the newly formed Haas Factory Team under owner Gene Haas. Supporting Custer will be new crew chief Aaron Kramer, who comes to Haas Factory Team from RFK Racing, where he served as a lead engineer for Chris Buescher. The team will have a technical alliance with RFK and will run two NASCAR Xfinity Series entries with Sheldon Creed in the No. 00 entry and Sam Mayer in the No. 41.

    Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

    • Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway will not only mark the end of the 2024 season, but also the end of an era for Riley Herbst and the No. 98 Monster Energy team. With Stewart-Haas Racing closing its doors at the end of the 2024 season and the No. 98 no longer being used by the newly created Haas Factory Team, this will be the final race for the iconic number. Herbst’s racecars have sported the No. 98 since he joined Stewart-Haas for his first of four fulltime seasons 2021. The Las Vegas native has seen the highest of highs and the lowest of lows with the team, but he says it’s ultimately made him into the driver he is today – an Xfinity Series winner who made a name for himself in the sport. From his first career pole in May 2021 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, to “flat out” beating the field by 14.959 seconds for his first career victory in October 2023 at his hometown Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Herbst has enjoyed success during his time in the car. He’s won two races and two poles, led more than 300 laps, and scored a total of 64 top-10s in his 131 starts with the team. In their final ride together, Herbst visits a track where he’s had numerous strong runs in his 10 previous starts. While he’s not in championship contention, he looks to steal the spotlight and go out on a high with his No. 98 crew one final time.
    • Herbst’s first fulltime Xfinity Series season came in 2020 with Joe Gibbs Racing. He posted 17 top-10s during that chaotic season with a best finish of second in the February race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. He went on to join Stewart-Haas in 2021 and continued to post solid numbers, including 20 top-10s in 2022 and 17 top-10s in 2023. He earned a career-best 10 top-fives during his 2023 season with the team, which included his first win and Round of 8 playoff spoiler role, scoring the most points of any driver in the round despite not being a member of the playoff field. Herbst made the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs in three of his four fulltime seasons with SHR with a best points finish of 10th, earned in 2022. Herbst also has eight NASCAR Cup Series starts that have not taken place under the Stewart-Haas banner, but did include crew members from the team on his cars as part of technical alliances. Herbst’s Cup Series debut in the 2023 Daytona 500 resulted in a 10th-place finish.
    • Saturday’s race will mark Herbst’s 11th career Xfinity Series start at Phoenix. After an early race accident ruined his series debut there in November 2019, Herbst finished 11th or better in his next four Phoenix outings, highlighted by four fourth-place finishes in March 2021, November 2021, March 2023, and November 2023. He earned a seventh-place finish in last November’s season finale to go with his aforementioned fourth-place finishes. Outside the Xfinity Series at Phoenix, Herbst finished 10th in his lone NASCAR K&N Pro Series West start at the track in November 2019, and 15th in his lone NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start there in November 2018.
    • It’s fitting that Herbst ends his run as a Stewart-Haas driver at a place similar to the desert facilities on which his racing career began. Being a third-generation racer from Las Vegas, he’s taken his family name from the Desert Southwest to the asphalt tracks of NASCAR. Herbst began racing go-karts up and down the West Coast at age 5. He soon followed in his family’s footsteps in 2006 when he transitioned to off-road racing, where his grandfather Jerry, his dad Troy, and his uncles Tim and Ed, all became Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame inductees after their numerous championship-winning campaigns. By age 10, Herbst sought a return to pavement, which began with Legend cars before transitioning to Speed Trucks, Super Late Models, the K&N Series, NASCAR Trucks, and now the Xfinity Series. During the past several offseasons, he’s had a chance to step back to his family roots to pilot a Terrible Herbst Motorsports entry in the iconic Baja 1000. He won last year’s race in the Trophy Truck Spec class as a co-driver with his father.

    Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 00 Andy’s Frozen Custard/Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    You earned your first Xfinity Series championship at Phoenix last November. Is there an extra boost of confidence after that four-wide pass for the win?

    “There’s always a boost of confidence coming into Phoenix as a champion, but I’m also the reigning champion who’s trying to go back-to-back with the same team. That hasn’t been done in years and it’s one for the history books if I can make it happen. I still don’t know how I made it through that wild pass last November, but obviously the guys gave me a fast car that I was able to do that with. It still feels like a dream even though I’ve been the champion all year. With all that said, it’s still a new season and we’ve got three other competitors vying for this title. Anything can happen, and you have to make sure you’re prepared for whatever comes your way. We just have to finish the best of the four drivers. We’re always working to be better, no matter what. That’s been our goal the past two years. I’m confident in my team, though. I think we’ve got a good shot this weekend to be the champions once again. It would make this bittersweet weekend end on the highest note possible.”

    Talk about the pressure of going back-to-back and ending your time in the No. 00 Ford Mustang Dark Horse on a high note with another championship.

    “You definitely put a little more emphasis on Phoenix when you go to the first race of the year there, so that it can help you in this November race. We tried to do that and, while it wasn’t a win, it was a top-five finish in March. I’m excited to head back there and go for the championship once again with this team. I got the chance to do this last year and we made the most of it. Last year, we didn’t have a great race in March but brought a rocket ship in November, so hopefully we can build on that fifth-place finish from March. You’re always going to bring the best when you go to this final race of the season. On top of the championship, it’s also our final race as Stewart-Haas Racing. I want to win this for my guys, their families, and everyone who has been a part of this organization. It would mean that much more for all of us.”

    Riley Herbst, Driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse

    One last race behind the wheel of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse under the Stewart-Haas Racing banner. How are you approaching this bittersweet weekend?

    “This weekend is tough. We’re all obviously excited for the offseason and the future, but the sport is losing such a big entity and it’s sad to see. Stewart-Haas Racing has been a big part of NASCAR’s history, so it’s sad to see it shutting down after so many years. It was a home for me when no one else believed in me. They gave me a shot in a car that has historically won and watched me grow into the driver that I am today. I wouldn’t trade those memories and learning curves for the world. I can’t thank everyone at Stewart-Haas enough for all the support over the years and for the guidance. This weekend, there will be a lot of goodbyes, but I’m hoping we can end on a high note.”

    Phoenix is such a unique racetrack and you have a strong history there. How do you tackle it as a driver?

    “I’m excited to get to Phoenix for the final race of the year. It’s one of my favorite tracks on the circuit – probably in the top two. For a driver, it’s one of the more unique tracks because of how different each end of the track is. You have to approach both so differently, but there are a lot of opportunities to show a lot of speed and get an advantage on your competitors. We talk about the dogleg a lot, but you see a lot of guys go down there to pass, including myself. It’s always a fun race when we go there, so hopefully that continues and we can end the season on a high note with another strong finish.”

  • VP RACING FUELS NAMED OFFICIAL RACING FUEL OF NHRA STARTING IN 2025 SEASON

    VP RACING FUELS NAMED OFFICIAL RACING FUEL OF NHRA STARTING IN 2025 SEASON

    INDIANAPOLIS (Nov. 6, 2024) – NHRA officials announced today that VP Racing Fuels, Inc., the global leader in performance fuels, lubricants and additives, has been named the exclusive “Official Racing Fuel of NHRA” starting during the 2025 NHRA season as part of an exciting long-term agreement.

    As part of a multi-year partnership, VP Racing Fuels, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025, will be the official supplier of nitromethane to Top Fuel and Funny Car teams in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. VP’s standout C-25 Racing Fuel will also be the official spec fuel for Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle teams in the professional ranks, while multiple VP fuels will be used in Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown and the new Holley EFI Factory X category.

    “VP Racing is thrilled to be the Official Racing Fuel of the National Hot Rod Association,” said Bruce Hendel, Senior Vice President of Global Sales for VP Racing. “VP was founded on making better fuel for drag racing, and the NHRA has been part of VP’s heritage for over 40 years. Being named Official Racing Fuel starting in 2025, VP Racing’s 50th Anniversary year makes our association all the more exciting. Over the next decade, the NHRA and VP Racing’s fuel will together again make history.”

    For nearly five decades, VP Racing has been Makin’ Power® and has fueled some of the fastest racing on land, water, and air since 1975, and will now help power 11,000-horsepower nitro machines to speeds of more than 330 mph.

    The 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season is set to open March 6-9 with the legendary NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway as part of a thrilling 20-race schedule.

    As part of the official partnerships, VP Racing Fuels will enjoy exclusive sales onsite at every NHRA national event, as well as in-venue marketing items like top-end inflatables, signage at every national event, display space, in-venue media, and digital, social media and racer marketing opportunities.

    “It has been an absolute pleasure working with VP Racing Fuels and we’re so excited to introduce them as the Official Racing Fuel of NHRA,” NHRA Vice President and Chief Development Officer Brad Gerber said. “VP has a long and storied history within the NHRA and racing, and they have been a tremendous partner for so many years. It’s a huge thrill to see this partnership grow in this capacity with a long-term program as we look towards an incredible 2025 season, as well as the NHRA’s 75th anniversary season in 2026.”

    For more information about VP Racing Fuels, visit www.VPRacingFuels.com. For more information on NHRA, including the 2025 schedule, visit www.NHRA.com.

    About VP Racing Fuels

    VP Racing is best known as the World Leader in Racing and Performance Fluids, powering champions in virtually every form of motorsport on land, sea, and air since 1975. VP powers the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, MotoAmerica, World Racing Group, World of Outlaws, Fanatec GT World Challenge America, AMA Supercross, American Flat Track, SCORE, USAC, NMCA/NMRA, and more than 60 sponsored series and sanctioning bodies. VP is also the official performance coolant of IMSA, American Flat Track, and ATVMX.

    VP also sells a full line of consumer products, including ethanol-free VP outdoor equipment fluids formulated for 2 and 4-cycle outdoor power equipment, lubricants, VP Madditive® automotive performance additives, Stay Frosty® performance coolants, car appearance products, and accessories through national home improvement, automotive parts, and online retailers. The company also offers a program to independent operators of convenience stores and gas stations, car wash, quick lube, and marinas to brand as VP Racing and resell the company’s full range of automotive performance and outdoor small engine products. For more information, visit VPRacingFuels.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.

  • Toyota Racing Weekly Preview 11.06.24

    Toyota Racing Weekly Preview 11.06.24

    This Week in Motorsports: November 4 – 10, 2024
    NCS/NXS/NCTS/ARCA WEST: Phoenix Raceway – Nov. 8-10

    PLANO, Texas (Nov. 6, 2024) – Championship weekend is finally here for NASCAR’s Cup, Xfinity and Truck Series as all three descend upon Phoenix Raceway to crown new champions and close out the 2024 season. The ARCA Menards Series West also competes at Phoenix to conclude its season.

    NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS | NCTS

    Toyota drivers to battle for titles at Phoenix … Toyota drivers will be present in each of the three national series championship battles this weekend in Phoenix. Tyler Reddick, who clinched his way into the Championship 4 with a victory in Homestead, makes his first appearance in the Cup Series title race on Sunday and the maiden appearance for 23XI Racing. In the Truck Series, Corey Heim is back in the championship race for the second straight season in his quest to win his first title with TRICON Garage. Toyota will also be represented in the owner’s championship race in the Xfinity Series by the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) team who’s coming off a victory by Aric Almirola in Martinsville last weekend.

    One last time for Truex … For the final time this Sunday, Martin Truex Jr. will pilot the No. 19 Camry XSE with JGR as he closes his full-time Cup Series career. Truex will make his 469th Cup Series start with Toyota this weekend, 215 of those with JGR, at Phoenix where he’s made 37 previous starts in his Cup Series career, including a victory in 2021. Entering the weekend, Truex has 34 career wins, 147 top-fives and 291 top-10s to go along with 24 career poles in the Cup Series.

    Bell seeks Phoenix sweep … The Phoenix Spring race was a strong one for Team Toyota, ending with a victory by Christopher Bell. The Oklahoma native led 50 laps, including the final 41, on his way to the win, which was his first of three so far in the 2024 season. A win this weekend would give Bell the season sweep at Phoenix and his 10th career Cup Series victory.

    Toyota continues pole streak … Team Toyota has had the pace in Cup Series qualifying over the last several weeks with the Camry XSE race car, earning the last three pole positions heading to Phoenix this weekend. Bell started the streak at Las Vegas, Reddick followed at Homestead and Truex got last week’s pole at Martinsville Speedway, which was the 14th for Toyota so far this season.

    Johnson back in No. 84 to close 2024 … Jimmie Johnson returns to the No. 84 Camry XSE with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB this weekend in Phoenix for his ninth and final start of 2024. Johnson makes his 698th career Cup Series start this weekend and his 36th career start at Phoenix, where he as scored four wins, 16 top-fives and 22 top-10s in those starts.

    Smith also goes for Phoenix sweep … Like Bell, Chandler Smith heads to Phoenix this weekend aiming for a season sweep at the one-mile short oval in the Xfinity Series. Smith led 88 of the 205 laps on his way to victory in March for his second career Xfinity Series win. Phoenix Raceway has been a strong track for Smith in his career, with top-10 finishes in each of his three starts there.

    Earnhardt back in No. 26 … To close the Xfinity Series season, Jeffrey Earnhardt is back behind the wheel of the No. 26 GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing this weekend in Phoenix. This will be the sixth start of the season for Earnhardt in the Xfinity Series this season, with a best finish of eighth at Atlanta. He’s also made 10 previous starts at Phoenix in the Xfinity Series entering this weekend.

    Creed continues hot streak … Sheldon Creed has had a strong finish to the 2024 Xfinity Series season after another top-10 finish at Martinsville last weekend. Creed comes into the weekend with at least a top-10 finish in 12 of the last 14 Xfinity Series races, with top-five finishes in six of the last 10 races. That streak could continue as Creed has routinely been strong at Phoenix Raceway, with four consecutive top-10 finishes there as well.

    Sawalich does triple duty … It’s been a busy run for William Sawalich since he turned 18-years-old in October, which continues this weekend in Phoenix as he’ll run the ARCA Menards Series West, Truck Series and Xfinity Series races – three races in two days. The Minnesotan will make his debut at Phoenix in the Tundra TRD Pro and GR Supra but will make his third start in an ARCA Toyota Camry, coming off a dominating win at Phoenix in the spring where he led all 115 laps.

    Friesen returns to favorable Phoenix … Stewart Friesen comes back to Phoenix Raceway where he’s found success over the course of his Truck Series career. The Canadian has made eight starts at the one-mile short track, where he’s finished inside the top-10 in six of those, which includes his 2019 victory.

    NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA Menards Series West

    Crews back in Toyota Camry … Toyota Development Driver Brent Crews returns behind the wheel of a Venturini Motorsports Toyota Camry this weekend in Phoenix for the ARCA Menards Series West finale. Crews has made four starts so far this season in ARCA competition, coming into the weekend with three straight top-fives, which includes his win at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in September.

    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.

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

  • JR Motorsports — NXS Phoenix Raceway Preview

    JR Motorsports — NXS Phoenix Raceway Preview

    JR Motorsports Team Preview
    TRACK – Phoenix Raceway (1-mile oval)
    NXS RACE – NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship (200 laps / 200 miles)
    TUNE IN – CW, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90 at 5:30 p.m. (MT)

    Sam Mayer

    No. 1 – 10X Health Chevrolet

    Mayer 2024 NXS Stats

    Starts: 32

    Wins: 3

    Top 5s: 8

    Top 10s: 13

    Laps Led: 224

    Avg. Finish: 18.2

    Points: 9th

    • Sam Mayer heads out west for the final race of the NASCAR Xfinity Series 2024 season at Phoenix Raceway.
    • Mayer will be making his seventh start at the one-mile oval where his best finish of fifth came at this event last season.
    • With one race remaining in the season, the young driver has tallied three wins (Texas, Iowa and Charlotte Roval), eight top-five and 13 top-10 finishes this 2024 season.
    • 10X Health will ride along side the No. 1 Chevrolet for the final time this season as primary partner.

    Sam Mayer

    “It has been a super fun season with this No. 1 JR Motorsports team and I am ready to ride one last time with these guys at Phoenix this weekend. Although this will be my last race at JRM, I am very grateful for all Dale, Kelley, LW, and everyone at JRM for what they have done for me over the years. This team has helped me grow tremendously in my career and it is truly bitter-sweet. I know Mardy (Lindley, crew chief) and the guys have worked up a great car for this weekend and hopefully we can park it in Victory Lane one last time for JRM.”

    Justin Allgaier

    No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet

    Allgaier 2024 NXS Stats

    Starts: 32

    Wins: 2

    Top 5s: 9

    Top 10s: 19

    Laps Led: 705

    Avg. Finish: 13.9

    Points: 4th

    • Justin Allgaier heads to Phoenix this weekend as one of four drivers fighting for the NXS Championship. This marks the seventh time that Allgaier has entered the season-finale event as a Championship 4 contender.
    • Allgaier is a two-time winner in “The Valley of the Sun” in the NXS, taking the checkered flag in the spring of 2017 and in this event in 2019.
    • In addition to his two victories, the Illinois native has amassed 10 top-fives and 18 top-10s in 28 career NXS starts at the one-mile oval.
    • According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Allgaier currently ranks first in quality passes (673), laps run inside the top 15 (5,170), green flag passes (903) and second in laps led (596) at Phoenix.

    Justin Allgaier

    “It’s an unbelievable feeling knowing that we are heading to Phoenix with a chance at the championship this weekend. Everyone on this BRANDT Professional Agriculture team has worked their tails off all season long to get to this point and I know that they are all ready to go. Jim (Pohlman, crew chief) built us a great car here in the spring that had us in contention for the win and I know that is going to be the case again when we unload for practice. If we can just go out and execute like we did throughout the Round of 8, I feel like we will be in position to have a great night on Saturday.”

    Sammy Smith

    No. 8 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet

    Smith 2024 NXS Stats

    Starts: 32

    Wins: 1

    Top 5s: 7

    Top 10s: 16

    Laps Led: 65

    Avg. Finish: 15.2

    Points: 11th

    • Sammy Smith heads back to Phoenix where he earned his first NXS victory in the spring of 2023.
    • Accompanying Smith’s victory, the JRM driver has finished inside the top 10 in each of his four career starts at the one-mile oval.
    • Throughout the Iowa native’s ARCA Menards Series career, he tallied one win and five top fives in “The Valley of the Sun.”
    • Smith has 31 NXS starts on tracks measuring one-two miles in length. In those he has amassed one win, five top-five and 17 top-10 finishes.

    Sammy Smith

    “I’m bummed that we aren’t heading to Phoenix as part of the Championship 4, but the track is special to me since I got my first Xfinity Series win there so I’m looking forward to it. This season has thrown a lot of challenges at this No. 8 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet team, but no one ever gave up and we fought until the very last lap at Martinsville to earn our spot in the top four, but it wasn’t meant to be this year. We’re still going to give it our all this weekend to get back to Victory Lane and finish the year on a positive note.”

    Brandon Jones

    No. 9 Menards / Klearvue Cabinetry Chevrolet

    Jones 2024 NXS Stats

    Starts: 32

    Wins: 0

    Top 5s: 1

    Top 10s: 8

    Laps Led: 45

    Avg. Finish: 19.4

    Points: 14th

    • Brandon Jones will return to Phoenix for the final race of the season after earning a top-10 finish there in the spring.
    • Since his first start at “The Valley of the Sun” in 2016, Jones has earned one win, three top-five and seven top-10 finishes at the one-mile track.
    • In 49 starts on tracks one mile or less, the 27-year-old Georgia native has one win, seven top-five and 18 top-10 results.
    • Klearvue Cabinetry, a leading manufacturer of cabinets that can do more, will be the final partner displayed on the hood of Jones’ Camaro this season.

    Brandon Jones

    “This season may have had its ups and downs, but I am proud of all the hard work this team has put in every week. We plan to keep up the intensity for Phoenix and hopefully can avoid the mess and end the year on a high note. I would love to give these guys the finish they deserve.”

    Connor Zilisch

    No. 88 Jarrett Chevrolet

    Zilisch 2024 NXS Stats

    Starts: 3

    Wins: 1

    Top 5s: 2

    Top 10s: 2

    Laps Led: 45

    Avg. Finish: 5.7

    Points: 37

    • Connor Zilisch will make his fourth start for JRM this weekend at Phoenix in the NXS season finale.
    • In his first three starts this season, Zilisch has one victory (Watkins Glen), a fourth-place finish (Kansas Speedway) and a 12th-place result at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
    • Zilisch will carry the red, black and silver colors of Jarrett Logistics at Phoenix, his first appearance for the Ohio-based company.
    • The 18-year-old Charlotte, N.C. native enters his first race on a short oval with a stellar 5.7 average finish to his credit in the NXS.

    Connor Zilisch

    “It will be interesting to see what we can do this weekend at Phoenix, since it’s a short 1-mile oval with kind of a different layout. This is the third different type of track I’ve raced on this year, and we’ve managed to do pretty well on the others. Looking forward to seeing what Phoenix has in store for the Jarrett Camaro on Saturday.”

    JRM Team Updates

    JR Motorsports at Phoenix Raceway: JR Motorsports has competed at Phoenix Raceway a combined 104 times in the NXS. In those starts at the 1-mile oval, the organization has recorded four wins, 26 top-fives and 55 top-10s. The average finish is 13.2. The most recent trip to Victory Lane at Phoenix was in March 2022 with Noah Gragson.

    Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith, Brandon Jones and Connor Zilisch will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / Legacy MC souvenir rig on Saturday, Nov. 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. MT.

  • Young’s Motorsports Phoenix Raceway November Team Preview

    Young’s Motorsports Phoenix Raceway November Team Preview

    Young’s Motorsports | NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series
    Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway | Championship 150

    Fast Facts
    No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Team:
    Driver: Nathan Byrd
    Primary Partner(s): Sonesta Travel Pass
    Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST
    2024 Driver Points Position: N/A
    2024 Owner Points Position: 30th
    Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

    Notes of Interest:

    Welcome Back To The Team: For Friday night’s Championship 150 at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway, Young’s Motorsports welcomes back Nathan Byrd to command the team’s flagship No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado RST for his inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series track debut in Avondale, Ariz.

    Byrd is poised to make his third Truck Series start of the season in the Truck Series season finale.

    About Nathan: Byrd, 24, began racing go-karts in 2018, just after graduating High School, and he entered his first car race in February 2020.

    Since then, the Goodyear, Ariz. native has raced over 30 types of cars in 348 total races at 67 different race tracks, effectively becoming one of the most diverse and interesting race car drivers in the world.

    Completing more than 300 races in the first four years of his career, Byrd is no stranger to piloting race cars.

    Earlier this year, the Indianapolis, Ind. resident made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Portland International Raceway, delivering a respectable 21st-place finish for DGM Racing.

    Last month, Byrd made his NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series debut at Kansas Speedway, earning a respectable 19th-place finish after starting 32nd.

    All-Aboard!: For the 23rd of 23 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races this season, Sonesta Travel Pass will serve as the primary marketing partner on the No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado RST for the 150-lap race on Friday night.

    Sonesta International Hotels is an American hotel company with an ever-growing portfolio of hotel brands in eight countries and three continents.

    As the eighth largest hotel company in the world with 1100+ properties, they have a room or suite perfect for every individual and occasion.

    Byrd partners with Sonesta to deliver quality hospitality through their Sonesta Hotels franchise, the Red Lion Inn & Suites Goodyear Phoenix.

    Nathan Byrd Truck Series Phoenix Raceway Stats: Friday night’s Championship 150 will mark Byrd’s first career Truck Series start at the iconic 1.0-mile oval nestled in Avondale, Ariz.

    The Championship 150 race kicks off NASCAR Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway as part of a tripleheader weekend with the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Cup Series.

    The Truck Series set the tone for a huge weekend of racing in The Grand Canyon State with 150 laps under the lights for a Friday night Championship 4 fight.

    The Xfinity Series will have their opportunity the following afternoon for a whopping 200 laps to determine this year’s champion after 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races in the Xfinity Series Championship Race.

    On Sunday, November 10, the NASCAR Cup Series will have their shot at naming the 2024 series champion after 312 laps with the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race.

    Phoenix Raceway marks the 12th race of the second half of the 2024 Truck Series season.

    Nathan Byrd Truck Series Career Stats: Entering Phoenix, Byrd, since 2024, has two career Truck Series starts with an average finish of 24.0.

    The popular driver made his Truck Series debut for the family-owned team at Kansas Speedway in September, finishing an impressive 19th. He returned to the team last month at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

    Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series at Phoenix Raceway: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ 20th and 21st NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts at Phoenix Raceway.

    The organization posted a team-best finish at the track of eighth in the 2023 edition of the CRAFTSMAN 150 on November 3, 2023, with Truck Series contender Kaden Honeycutt at the wheel.

    Since 2014, the Mooresville, N.C.-based Young’s Motorsports team has had an average starting position of 24.9 and an average finish of 23.9 in 19 Phoenix Raceway starts overall.

    Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series History: Since entering the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series in 2012, the Mooresville, N.C., – based organization has logged 507 starts from 70 drivers, resulting in solid performances that include two victories (Talladega Superspeedway 2019 and 2021), seven top-five finishes and 33 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 23.2 and an average finishing position of 22.2.

    Follow on Social Media: For more on Nathan Byrd, please visit byrdracing.com, like him on Facebook (Nathan Byrd), and follow him on Instagram (@nathanjbyrd) and X |Twitter (@nathanjbyrd).

    For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (@youngsmotorsports) and X |Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

    Nathan Byrd Pre-Race Quote:

    On Phoenix Raceway: “I’m grateful to be able to drive the No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet once again, and this time with our long-time and biggest Byrd Racing partner, Sonesta Hotels!

    “They’ve been an integral part of my racing journey for years now, and I’m extremely pleased to have them on board with us at Phoenix Raceway!

    “Phoenix is effectively my home track and brand new to me, so I’m excited to do my best to learn it and execute in the race with Young’s Motorsports. I look forward to seeing what kind of a show we can bring to the fans and end the season on a high note!”

    No. 46 Young’s Motorsports Team:

    Driver: Thad Moffitt

    Primary Partner(s): Pristine Auction

    Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST

    2024 Driver Points Position: 32nd

    2024 Owner Points Position: 33rd

    Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

    Notes of Interest:

    Welcome Back: Just past the half point of the 2024 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series season, Young’s Motorsports welcomed Thad Moffitt to the organization to compete in the team’s second entry for a limited schedule, including Friday night’s Championship 150 at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway.

    Moffitt returns to the Truck Series tour for the first time since The Milwaukee Mile in August.

    About Thad: Moffitt, 23, just finished his first full season in the Trans Am Series TA2 class. Racing for TeamSLR, he finished seventh in the championship standings and second in the rookie standings. He had six top-10 finishes.

    Moffitt, the grandson of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Richard Petty, returned to the NASCAR ranks this season after having success in the ARCA Menard Series, finishing fourth in the series championship standings in 2021.

    Entering the season, Moffitt has four starts in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series with a best finish of 18th at the Daytona International Speedway in 2022.

    In 2024, Moffitt participated in 16 Truck Series races overall, matching a career-best 18th-place finish at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway in May.

    All-Aboard!: For the 23rd of 23 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races this season, Pristine Auction will serve as the primary marketing partner on the No. 46 Chevrolet Silverado RST for the 150-lap race on Friday night.

    Pristine Auction is a family-owned and operated online auction specializing in autographed memorabilia, sports cards, coins, art, and collectibles. Since our founding in 2010, we have grown from a spare bedroom to 2 facilities in Phoenix, Arizona, totaling over 60,000 square feet.

    We have an incredible staff of over 100 team members serving our customers. By putting our customers and consignors first, Pristine has become one of the largest and most trusted auction houses in the world.

    We work directly with the leading authentication companies to ensure all items are 100% authentic. In addition, we have leading third-party authenticators who regularly travel to Pristine Auction to provide authentication services on-site.

    Pristine Auction strives to operate its business in a way that is honoring to God, our families, and our customers. With a strong focus on speed, quality, and premier customer service, our mission is to be the leading online auction for every level of collector and fan.

    Pristine Auction offers several online auction formats with thousands of auctions ending each day.

    Thad Moffitt Truck Series Phoenix Raceway Stats: Friday night’s Championship 150 will mark Moffitt’s inaugural Truck Series start at the 1.0-mile race track nestled in Avondale, Ariz.

    However, Moffitt does own one ARCA Menards Series West start in the desert finishing third after starting ninth during the 2021 General Tire 150 at Phoenix on March 12, 2021, driving for TRICON Garage.

    The Championship 150 race kicks off NASCAR Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway as part of a tripleheader weekend with the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Cup Series.

    The Truck Series set the tone for a huge weekend of racing in The Grand Canyon State with 150 laps under the lights for a Friday night Championship 4 fight.

    The Xfinity Series will have their opportunity the following afternoon for a whopping 200 laps to determine this year’s champion after 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races in the Xfinity Series Championship Race.

    On Sunday, November 10, the NASCAR Cup Series will have their shot at naming the 2024 series champion with the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race.

    Phoenix Raceway marks the 12th race of the second half of the 2024 Truck Series season.

    Thad Moffitt Truck Series Career Stats: Entering Phoenix, Moffitt has 20 career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races to his credit. He has earned a career-best 18th-place finish twice, most recently at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway after starting 32nd in the Buckle Up South Carolina 200 for Faction46.

    Since 2022, he has carried an average finish of 28.7.

    Moffitt is poised to make his Young’s Motorsports NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series Phoenix Raceway track debut as part of a two-truck team for Young’s Motorsports.

    Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series at Phoenix Raceway: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ 20th and 21st NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts at Phoenix Raceway.

    The organization posted a team-best finish at the track of eighth in the 2023 edition of the CRAFTSMAN 150 on November 3, 2023, with Truck Series contender Kaden Honeycutt at the wheel.

    Since 2014, the Mooresville, N.C.-based Young’s Motorsports team has had an average starting position of 24.9 and an average finish of 23.9 in 19 Phoenix Raceway starts overall.

    Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series History: Since entering the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series in 2012, the Mooresville, N.C., – based organization has logged 507 starts from 70 drivers, resulting in solid performances that include two victories (Talladega Superspeedway 2019 and 2021), seven top-five finishes and 33 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 23.2 and an average finishing position of 22.2.

    Follow on Social Media: For more on Thad Moffitt, please visit thadmoffitt.com like him on Facebook, (Thad Moffitt Racing) and follow him on Instagram (@thadmoffitt46) and X |Twitter (@thadmoffitt).

    For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (@youngsmotorsports) and X |Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

    Thad Moffitt Pre-Race Quote:

    On Phoenix Raceway: “I’m excited to get back in the seat for the final time in 2024 with the Young’s Motorsports team. It’s a big weekend for me having hometown company Pristine Auction on the hood this week.

    “I am looking forward to capping off the year with a solid run in the No. 46 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado truck and hopefully focusing on getting everything secure for next year!”

    Race Information:

    The Championship 150 (150 laps | 150 miles) is the 23rd of 23 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races on the 2024 schedule. Practice begins on Thursday, November 7, 2024, from 5:00 p.m. to 5:50 p.m. Qualifying will follow on race day, Friday, November 8, from 2:05 p.m. to 2:50 p.m. The 36-truck field will take the green flag later that night shortly after 6:00 p.m. MT (8:00 p.m. ET) with live coverage on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (MT).

    Young’s Motorsports | NASCAR Xfinity Series

    Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway | NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race

    Fast Facts

    No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Team:

    Driver: Leland Honeyman Jr.

    Primary Partner(s): Distributor Wire & Cable

    Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro

    Crew Chief: Andrew Abbott

    2024 Driver Points Position: 22nd

    2024 Owner Points Position: 27th

    Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing

    Notes of Interest:

    Season Finale: In January, Young’s Motorsports announced they would graduate from the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series to the NASCAR Xfinity Series full-time in 2024 with rising star Leland Honeyman Jr. behind the wheel of the team’s No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro for the entire 33-race season completing with Saturday afternoon’s season finale Xfinity Series Championship Race at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway.

    About Leland: The Phoenix, Ariz. native began honing his racing skills at the tender age of two racing Quads. By four years old, he moved into Trophy Karts and then collected three series championships in off-road racing Trophy Karts.

    After an instrumental tenure in Go Karts, he moved into the Bandolero competition in 2015 and was crowned a Bandolero National Champion two years later. From there, he moved into Limited Late Models before graduating to the Carolina Pro Late Model Series division in 2021, where he earned championship-runner-up honors and picked up an astounding victory in the annual Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway Fall Brawl.

    Honeyman, 19, returns to the Mooresville, N.C.-based organization, where he ran an impressive ARCA Menards Series East Series campaign, finishing third in the 2022 championship standings.

    During the 2023 season, he made eight NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, highlighted by a 21st-place finish at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Road Course.

    All-Aboard!: For the 33rd of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races this season, Young’s Motorsports welcomes back Distributor Wire & Cable who will partner with the Mooresville, N.C.-based team as the primary partner on the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro for the 200-lap race on Saturday afternoon.

    Distributor Wire & Cable is a leading master distributor of wire and cable products for industrial, commercial, residential and utility industries.

    Distributor Wire & Cable is focused on making your specialty wire and cable transactions seamless and successful. Throughout the life cycle of each order, we’re laser-focused on providing great service and ensuring everything we do for you is accurate, on time, and easy to manage.

    From your initial quote to the final delivery, DWC maximizes efficiencies that save you time, increase your profits, and eliminate hassles.

    Phoenix marks the second race this season where DWC has supported the Young’s Motorsports team. They also supported Honeyman and his team earlier this year at Texas Motor Speedway.

    Leland Honeyman Jr. NASCAR Xfinity Series Phoenix Raceway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Xfinity Series Championship Race will mark Honeyman’s third Xfinity start at the 1.0-mile track located in Avondale, Ariz.

    Honeyman earned a track best 11th after starting 24th in the 2024 edition of the Call 811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200 for Young’s Motorsports. He also has a Phoenix start for Alpha Prime Racing in the spring of 2023, respectively.

    This weekend is part of NASCAR Championship Weekend for the Championship 4 in the NASCAR Playoffs for all three national series.

    Honeyman and the Young’s Motorsports team join the non-Playoff Xfinity Series teams looking to spoil the Playoff parade which concludes on Saturday afternoon with the final race of the 2024 season.

    On Sunday, Nov. 2, the NASCAR Cup Series will take the green flag in their Championship 4 for an expected tense afternoon of racing in the Cup Series Championship Race.

    The Xfinity Series rookie driver will look to improve his overall speedway average Xfinity finish of 25.0.

    Leland Honeyman Jr. NASCAR Xfinity Career Stats: Entering Phoenix, Honeyman has 40 career NASCAR Xfinity Series races to his credit, earning a career-best fourth-place finish at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway after starting 33rd in the Ag-Pro 300 for Young’s Motorsports in April 2024.

    Since 2023, he has carried an average finish of 23.7.

    Martinsville (Va.) Speedway | National Debt Relief 250 Race Recap: In the 32nd race of the 2024 Xfinity Series season, Young’s Motorsports and Honeyman searched for another solid finish in the team’s Xfinity Series fall trip to Martinsville Speedway.

    Once again showcasing speed in practice, Honeyman immediately moved forward from his 25th-place qualifying and was heading toward the top 20 until he was collected in an incident in Turn 2 on Lap 48.

    The team made a tremendous effort to repair the No. 42 Quix Rx Chevrolet Camaro but fell victim to the sport’s damaged vehicle policy sending them to the garage and out of the race after 56 laps.

    Honeyman and the No. 42 Young’s Motorsports team were credited with a frustrating 35th-place finish.

    Calling the Shots: Guiding Honeyman Jr. as crew chief of the No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro is longtime crew chief Andrew Abbott.

    On Saturday, he will be crew chief in his 130th NASCAR Xfinity Series race. In his previous 129 races, he has four top-five and 13 top-10 finishes.

    The season’s 33rd race will be his eighth tango at Phoenix Raceway as crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

    Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR Xfinity Series at Phoenix Raceway: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ second NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Phoenix Raceway.

    In March, the team started 24th but soared to a then career-best 11th place finish with rookie Leland Honeyman Jr. at the wheel.

    While the family-owned team has limited NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Phoenix, the team, since 2014,

    has had an average starting position of 24.9 and an average finish of 23.9 in 19 Phoenix Raceway Truck Series starts overall.

    The organization posted a team-best finish at the track of eighth in the 2023 edition of the CRAFTSMAN 150 on November 3, 2023, with Truck Series contender Kaden Honeycutt at the wheel.

    Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR Xfinity Series History: Since entering the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2024, the family-owned organization has logged 32 starts and maintains an average starting position of 27.3 and an average finish of 23.2.

    Follow on Social Media: For more on Leland Honeyman Jr., please visit LelandHoneymanRacing.com, like him on Facebook (Leland Honeyman Racing), and follow on Instagram (@lelandhoneymanjr) and X |Twitter (@lelandhoneyman3).

    For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (@youngsmotorsports) and X |Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

    Leland Honeyman Jr. Pre-Race Quote:

    On Phoenix Raceway: “As we head into the last race at Phoenix Raceway, I’m excited to be back in my backyard. Phoenix has always been good to us. The last time we were there, we almost scored out with the top-10, finishing 11th.

    “I’m excited to get back there and see if we can pick up with the momentum we left off in the spring and turn around this stretch of races where it seems we’ve been plagued by bad luck.”

    Race Information:

    The Xfinity Series Championship Race (200 laps | 200 miles) is the 33rd of thirty-three (33) NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2024 schedule. Practice will occur on Friday, November 8, 2024, from 3:05 p.m. to 3:55 p.m. Qualifying will follow on race day, Saturday, November 9, beginning at 2:00 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag later in the day shortly after 5:30 p.m. MT (7:30 p.m. ET), with live coverage on the CW Network, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (Mountain).

  • AM Racing | Dylan Lupton Phoenix Raceway Xfinity Series Race Preview

    AM Racing | Dylan Lupton Phoenix Raceway Xfinity Series Race Preview

    AM Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
    Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway | Xfinity Series Championship Race

    Fast Facts
    No. 15 AM Racing Team:
    Driver: Dylan Lupton
    Primary Partner(s): Lupton Excavation | AirBox
    Manufacturer: Ford Mustang
    Crew Chief: Ryan “Pickle” London
    Spotter: Michael Fisher
    Chassis Intel: AMR Chassis No. X-1058
    Engine: Roush-Yates Engines

    Notes of Interest:

    Season Finale: Veteran race car driver Dylan Lupton will pilot AM Racing’s No. 15 Ford Mustang for the final race of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season in Saturday’s Xfinity Series Championship 4 Race at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway.

    The season finale will mark Lupton, a graduate of the NASCAR Next Initiative, sixth consecutive race as the pilot of the team’s No. 15 AM Racing Ford Mustang.

    Last month, the former ARCA Menards Series West winner returned to NASCAR Xfinity Series competition for the first time since Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway last year on Oct. 5, 2024, at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Driving the No. 15 Sentinel Foundation | Nine Line Apparel Ford Mustang for AM Racing, Lupton contended for a top-10 finish before being collected in the “Big One” with three laps to go.

    To jumpstart his stock car racing career this year, Lupton returned to the ARCA Menards Series at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International in mid-September when he piloted the No. 30 Lupton Excavation | Rette Jones Racing Ford Mustang to a top-10 finish in the General Tire 100 at The Glen.

    The Wilton, Calif. native has spent most of 2024 competing in select Late-Model events on the West Coast and in a limited Trans Am Series XGT Class schedule.

    The Californian has five career starts for AM Racing at Talladega, the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Road Course, Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway (Fla.) and Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, respectively.

    Lupton has 66 starts across all three of NASCAR’s national divisions, with one top-five and five top-10 finishes.

    Welcome Aboard: For the 33rd of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races this season, AM Racing and Lupton welcome Lupton Excavation to the team as the primary partner on the No. 15 Ford Mustang for the 200-lap race on Saturday afternoon.

    Lupton Excavation Inc. was founded in 1987. The company provides excavation work and digs foundations.

    Serving Sacramento, Calif., and surrounding areas, Lupton Excavation Inc. also specializes in Earthwork and plumbing.

    Giving You Peace of Air: For the final race of the season, AirBox will serve in an associate partnership role on Lupton’s No. 15 Ford Mustang in Saturday afternoon’s Xfinity Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway.

    In 2017, AirBox was established to focus on building the world’s best air purifiers for indoor occupied spaces. This coincided with people starting to wake up to issues with indoor air quality. With new challenges to air cleanliness, such as COVID-19 and wildfire smoke, people are looking for effective and proven solutions to ensure they receive cleaner air, at last.

    Their history in delivering clean air systems and services gives them an expertise that is unmatched. AirBox uses some of the most effective air filtration technologies that exist with Certified HEPA and Advanced Molecular Adsorption. Coupled with their Indoor Air Quality Assessment, AirBox is the total solution for all indoor air quality needs, ensuring their customers meet and exceed current and future ventilation standards.

    Today, AirBox filtration systems are used across the country, purifying the air and capturing harmful irritants to create healthier, safer spaces. They’ve become the trusted choice for hospitals, educational centers, offices, warehouses, construction zones, public assembly, sports facilities, and more.

    They’re proud to build all products to the highest standards in the USA at their North Carolina production facility. Every day, AirBox is working hard to give the American people the safer learning, working, and living environments they deserve — helping people breathe easy and live better.

    Dylan Lupton NASCAR Xfinity Series Phoenix Raceway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Xfinity Series Championship 4 Race will mark Lupton’s fifth start at the 1.0-mile oval.

    In his four previous efforts, Lupton earned a track-best of 15th after starting 32nd in the 2021 edition of the Xfinity Series Championship Race on Nov. 6, 2021.

    Additionally, Lupton has earned two additional top-20 Xfinity Series finishes with Athenian Motorsports and RSS Racing, respectively.

    In addition to Xfinity Series competition, Lupton also has three NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at Phoenix with a track-best of 16th, twice, both with TRICON Garage during the 2019 and 2020 season finale races, respectively.

    He also finished 19th in 2016 driving for Athenian Motorsports, giving the Californian an average Phoenix Truck Series finish of 17.0.

    He will look to improve his overall speedway average Xfinity finish of 26.3.

    Dylan Lupton NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: In 46 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, Lupton has a career-best ninth-place finish after starting 16th for Athenian Motorsports at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in August 2015.

    In addition to his Xfinity Series starts, he has achieved four NASCAR Cup Series starts and 16 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts to his credit.

    Thanks For Your Support: With 96 percent of the 2024 Xfinity Series season complete, AM Racing and Dylan Lupton would like to thank their marketing partners for their support: AirBox, Flying Circle, Mechanix Wear, Mobil 1 and WIX Filters.

    Martinsville (Va.) Speedway | National Debt Relief 250 Race Recap: The 32nd race of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season kicked off with a fall trip to Martinsville (Va.) Speedway on Saturday, November 2, 2024.

    In his Martinsville return, Lupton and the AM Racing team led by crew chief Ryan “Pickle” London worked hard to improve the balance of their race car from practice to qualifying.

    Picking up the pace, despite battling a loose No. 15 Lupton Excavation | AirBox Ford Mustang in qualifying, Lupton qualified on speed and started the 250-lap penultimate race of the season from the 31st starting position.

    Throughout the race, Lupton was on the move, inching forward; Lupton had worked inside the top 20 when the car fell off the jack during a pit stop. Because of the miscue, Lupton lost his lead lap status.

    Luckily, Lupton got the free pass quickly and began his march back through the field. Over the final sprint to the finish, he hustled from 30th and contended for a top-15 finish before settling for a 20th-place result at the checkered flag.

    The finish bested Lupton’s 24th-place run with AM Racing in his team debut at Talladega Superspeedway in October.

    From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Ryan “Pickle” London is Dylan Lupton’s crew chief.

    He will be crew chief for his 33rd NASCAR Xfinity Series race and his third at Phoenix Raceway.

    In his previous 32 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected two top-10 finishes, including a career-best ninth at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International with Joey Logano in September 2024 for AM Racing.

    Follow on Social Media: 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 Dylan Lupton like him on Facebook (Lupton Racing) and follow him on Instagram (@luptondylan) and X | Twitter (@LuptonDylan).

    Dylan Lupton Quoteboard:

    On Phoenix Raceway: “I’m optimistic about heading to Phoenix Raceway this weekend. We’re riding some momentum after a strong run at Martinsville, and I’d love nothing more than to bring AM Racing home a top-15 finish to end this year’s NASCAR Xfinity Series season.

    “I am very thankful that we have an extended practice this weekend. It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been to Phoenix, but between ARCA, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, and the Xfinity Series, I have turned a lot of laps there.

    “Track position is going to be important, so we will continue to work on the balance of our No. 15 Lupton Excavation | AirBox Ford Mustang to ensure we stay in the hunt for all 200 laps.”

    Race Information:

    The Xfinity Series Championship Race (200 laps | 200 miles) is the 33rd of thirty-three (33) NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2024 schedule. Practice will occur on Friday, November 8, 2024, from 3:05 p.m. to 3:55 p.m. Qualifying will follow on race day, Saturday, November 9, beginning at 2:00 p.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag later in the day shortly after 5:30 p.m. MT (7:30 p.m. ET), with live coverage on the CW Network, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (Mountain).

    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.