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  • Toyota NXS Playoff Media Day Quotes – Sheldon Creed – 09.24.24

    Toyota NXS Playoff Media Day Quotes – Sheldon Creed – 09.24.24

    Toyota Racing – Sheldon Creed
    NASCAR Xfinity Series Quotes

    CHARLOTTE (September 24, 2024) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Sheldon Creed was made available to the media today as part of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff Media Day.

    SHELDON CREED, No. 18 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

    Toyota has won nine of the last 12 Xfinity Series races at Kansas. How does that bode for your team this weekend?

    “It is, yeah. I didn’t know it was that many. Nine out of 12? That’s a really good rate there. I don’t what we are in the points, minus three right now? Yeah, I mean, obviously our guys are confident. We have a really good notebook, obviously with John Hunter (Nemechek) winning there last year. We honestly based our sim session off the No. 20 from last year and worked around it from there. Yeah, I feel good about the notebook that we have. Obviously, we’ve been pretty consistent lately and unloading pretty good. So, I think all of that is going to be really important this weekend. Having a good practice session. Qualifying is going to be very important as stage points are going to be even more important now as we get into these first couple of rounds. Obviously, if we can’t win the race, we want to point our way in (to the next round). Yeah, I mean for me, I’m going to keep doing what we’ve been doing the last few weeks. Just trying to be consistent and be towards the front and obviously, you want to want to win the stages and win the race, so going to be going for that.”

    What are the emotions still looking for your first career win as the Playoffs start?

    “Yeah, obviously Daniel (Hemric) and others have proved you can point your way in there (Championship 4) and win the championship. I think Matt Crafton did it in 2019. So, it is possible. You have to be really consistent, really good to do that, which I think we do have the consistency and speed which we’ve shown in the last two-to-three months. I don’t want to back on that, I guess? I want to be consistent the next seven races, but I would really love to win in this first round, win stages so our points are up and would love to go win (Las) Vegas or Homestead and have an ‘off weekend’ in Martinsville.”

    How will the lack of Playoff points impact your approach to the Playoffs?

    “Yeah, we’ve won like one stage and the 7 car (Justin Allgaier) has won 14? So that’s 14 more points that he’s starting with. Stages pay a lot. I think I finished fifth in the regular season points and some of the cars in front of us just scored way more stage points than we did, and we probably had higher finishes than them. They just pay a lot, maybe too much in some scenarios. Yeah, that’s definitely a main focus – stage wins and top-five stage points to continue to the next round. Like you said, we’re negative three which is three spots in a stage. It’s definitely doable. Everyone’s going to be good. What do we start with, 12? So, two guys won’t be getting points in the stages, so it’s going to be really important in this first round to capitalize on that.”

    Has this season provided more confidence for you and your career?

    “Yeah, I think it certainly has. I think I came to JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) pretty low on confidence and yeah, I’m not sure I was having fun with it anymore. And yeah, I think that’s all turned around. I think my confidence grows every week. We’ve been leading laps more recently. Don’t want to say we should’ve won Darlington but were in position to win Darlington. So yeah, confidence has been up, and our team has a lot of fun. Running top-five every week is fun, right? It’s better than running sixth, seventh or eighth, or 12th-15th. Yeah, I think everyone’s in a good mood right now and working really hard at it. I’d say the No. 18 team is in a good place.”

    How do you view the narrative about your second-place finishes and coming so close to your first win?

    “Yeah, I think each situation has been unique. This weekend (at Bristol), we straight up ran second. I slid, same thing that the No. 00 (Cole Custer) did the restart before and then he just out-ran me that whole last run. But I’ll pull up New Hampshire for instance. I got in position to get the lead into (turn) one, and I thought I did a good job in (turn) one and (turn) two, but looking back, watching the replays and race back, there’s just things you can do differently in every situation. So, I try to learn from all of them. In that instance, I thought I diamonded the corner too much and I fed the No. 00 air and I didn’t hold the No. 20 (Christopher Bell) tight enough and the No. 00 was able to get back to me. Yeah, each situation has been different. I don’t think I’ve done the same mistake twice, right? I just try to learn and be better every single week. I mean, for a second there, it was getting annoying. I got annoyed with myself and why do I keep running second, right? But lately, I’ve just haven’t cared and have been having a lot of fun being fast and consistent and in the picture of winning.”

    This was around the time last year of your ending with Richard Childress Racing. Have you closed the door fully on that chapter?

    “I mean, it was rough there after Martinsville, obviously. I don’t know, Austin (Hill) and I didn’t talk for about four-to-five months. And then, yeah, we’ve hung out a couple times away from the track and we’ve not talked about it at all. Yeah, I think that’s in a much better place now. I was good friends with a lot of people who are at RCR (Richard Childress Racing). All the engine guys and guys in the shop, the guys on the road. All of those relationships stayed the same. I don’t think the No. 21 group was really a huge fan of me for a while. Yeah, it’s been all good all year for what it’s seemed like.”

    What do you think the feeling will be when you get your first win? And where do you see your career going after that?

    “Yeah, I feel like it’ll be a huge weight off my shoulders. Obviously, this has been riding on me for three years now. Yeah, I don’t know, I’ll for sure be relieved. And it’s going to happen, one of these days. I thought it was going to happen just a couple weeks ago at Darlington. Yeah, once we win, I have a feeling they’ll come a little easier and hopefully more often. Yeah, I think at this point, where everything is at, you have to win races if you want to go to Cup (Series) and have a paid-for ride and not have to bring money to a Cup team. That’s the goal. Obviously, I think I’m consistent enough to maybe have Cup teams interested, but they want to see winners and I have to do that more often.”

    About Toyota

    Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

    Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 47 million cars and trucks at our 12 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 13th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 29 electrified options.

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

  • Layne Riggs Returns to the Kansas Speedway with Infinity Communications

    Layne Riggs Returns to the Kansas Speedway with Infinity Communications

    Layne Riggs and the No. 38 Infinity Communications Ford F-150
    Kansas Speedway Competition Notes

    MOORESVILLE, N.C. (September 24, 2024) – Layne Riggs returns to the Kansas Speedway this weekend with Infinity Communications in search of his third straight win.

    In the last four races, Riggs has earned two 5th-place finishes and two wins, most recently at the Bristol Motor Speedway last Thursday. Riggs and the No. 38 Ford F-150 team look to continue their streak of Top-5 finishes this weekend at the Kansas Speedway and best their May finish at the 1.5-mile track.

    The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will kick off the weekend with practice and qualifying at 3:30 pm ET on Friday, September 27th. The 134-lap event is schedule for 8:30 pm ET later that evening. Fans can watch the action live on FS1 or listen in via the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM channel 90.

    No. 38 Infinity Communications Ford F-150:

    DRIVER LAYNE RIGGS:

    “It’s an unbelievable feeling of what this team and I have accomplished these past two races. It stings a little that we’re not in the playoffs, but that pushes us even more. I’m a rookie driver with a rookie crew chief, it wasn’t going to be easy, but things are starting to click and I’m proud of the progression we have made as a group.”

    CREW CHIEF DYLAN CAPPELLO:

    “Having won the past two races is such a rewarding feeling. Like Layne (Riggs) said, things are just clicking for us right now and I think that will continue at Kansas. We want to continue our Top-5 streak and hopefully take another trip to Victory Lane. I have a good feeling we can do that this weekend.”

    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.

  • Toyota Racing – NXS Playoff Media Day Quotes – Chandler Smith – 09.24.24

    Toyota Racing – NXS Playoff Media Day Quotes – Chandler Smith – 09.24.24

    Toyota Racing – Chandler Smith
    NASCAR Xfinity Series Quotes

    CHARLOTTE (September 24, 2024) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Chandler Smith was made available to the media on today as part of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff Media Day.

    CHANDLER SMITH, No. 81 QuickTie Products Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

    What are the ultimate expectations for your Playoffs?

    “I feel like the sky is the limit for our 81 group. As you said, we’ve showed up with speed – week-in and week-out. Some weekends, we miss it, and still have speed – just the balance isn’t quite right, but we still have speed, which is good. It is just how do we fine tune the balance – some weekends, we haven’t been able to hit on the balance right, but some weekends we do, like we did this past weekend at Bristol. We got the pole, still was able to lead a good bit of laps, finished third. Those are all really good positives. We’ve been on a good streak these last few weeks, leading into the Playoffs. Every team goes through somewhat of a drought in their season – it doesn’t matter if it is Kyle Larson, Chandler Smith – everyone goes through somewhat of a drought, and we were going through ours about midway through the summer and it was just, when was it going to stop. It is one of those things that – what is it? What is causing it? Nobody can ever pinpoint, well that is what it is, business as usual, shit just happens. Luckily, slowly ours started turning around, we started picking up good finishes and started bringing better race cars, and what not. I feel like we are in a pretty solid spot heading into the Playoffs.”

    What have you learned as you have gone through many Playoffs?

    “It is all about understanding your situation. If you are in a situation where you are, when the Playoffs start, and you had a good regular season and had good bonus points – it is what it is – as much as I would like to say that we are going to go out every week and try to win, we say that on Monday, all the way to Friday and then we get in a situation that we might not be good enough to win, and the situation changes and it’s like, well, we have a good buffer, let’s try to maximize our day and get a good finish and get points and stay around till the end, and I feel like – for the most part – this year is very similar to two years ago when I got to the Championship 4 in the Trucks. Came out of the regular season with a bunch of points – we were really good through the Playoffs, don’t get me wrong, we just weren’t as aggressive as we could have been for sure, and it was because of the situation at hand. We knew what the task was at hand, and that was to get to Phoenix. Last year, for instance, with Kaulig Racing was able to make the Playoffs with them in our rookie season – was a little different. Didn’t come out with as many Playoff points as I did this year, but still had a good bit – just had problems in the first race at Kansas and that kind of put us on offense going into Talladega and we had a really good points day where we could go to the ROVAL and just have a solid day and advance to the second round. It is all about understanding your situation, where you exited the regular season, how many points you have from the get-go and where that reset puts you on points, and understanding where you are at.”

    What have you learned about Austin Hill as you have spent many years racing him?

    “Austin (Hill) will race you with respect, if you have respect for him, and I feel like we have a lot of respect for each other just with the process and the way we grew up racing, and last year, being with Kaulig Racing and being on the RCR (Richard Childress Racing) campus, we were essentially teammates, and grew a tighter knit relationship then, then we did in Trucks and we had a good relationship in Trucks as well. That plays into how we race each other compared to a person I may not have as much respect for just because we’ve raced the crap out of each other every time we race. Austin is one that I feel like – if we go to a Talladega, he is going to push me for a while, but I know that he’s not going to be the guy that will leave me out to dry and he’s not going to be the guy that will try to wreck me halfway through stage two at Kansas. That’s just not him.”

    Have you started having talks with Joe Gibbs Racing for next year?

    “Honestly, right now, we are just making sure that we show up week-in and week-out with fast Toyota Supras and doing everything we can do to make it to Phoenix, and we will sort the rest out later.”

    What has it been like working with your teammates?

    “It’s just like any other organization – you are going to have run-ins. We have good race cars, and we are all pretty much running the same speed. Good race car drivers are going to have run-ins, unfortunately, it’s just a matter of how it all gets handled.”

    How have you felt about your gains with Joe Gibbs Racing this season?

    “It has been great being with Joe Gibbs Racing and all of the personnel. I’m back with Toyota as well. People forget that last year when I went to Kaulig Racing, I jumped ship from Toyota to go to Kaulig Racing, which is a Chevy team. When I was with Toyota for seven plus years, whatever it was, before then. Being back home in the Toyota camp with all of my Toyota family and being in depth at Joe Gibbs Racing and all of the personnel has been great.”

    Can you compare your run last year and this year?

    “Joe Gibbs Racing, from where I was last year, is night and day different in its own different ways and aspects. It is hard to compare the two, because Joe Gibbs Racing has been around before the 2000’s, and Kaulig Racing has been around, I don’t know, since 2018 – whenever it has been, so obviously the notebook and depth is night and day difference. The experience at the shop is night and day difference. The wins – night and day difference. Everything is different – you can’t compare the two. I think I’m more at home at Joe Gibbs Racing, than I was at Kaulig – just because being with Toyota and how many years I was with them and how tight knit Joe Gibbs Racing is with Toyota – it obviously is a really big deal to me and that is pretty much the reason I came to Joe Gibbs Racing was because of the Toyota tie. I think that is the biggest thing – being back with a manufacturer that I’m familiar with, the one that has been behind me for seven plus years and put me in situations where I can go out and win. That’s what they did this year.”

    Do you think you will make the Championship 4?

    “I think if it is meant to be it will happen. Regardless of, if we are performing well. I think if we are meant to make it to Phoenix, we will find a way to Phoenix, if we are not, we will find a way not to make it to Phoenix.”

    About Toyota

    Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

    Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 47 million cars and trucks at our 12 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 13th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 29 electrified options.

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

  • ARCA Menards Series at Kansas Speedway: Reese’s 150 Pre-race Notes & Stats Update

    ARCA Menards Series at Kansas Speedway: Reese’s 150 Pre-race Notes & Stats Update

    ARCA Menards Series
    The Race: Reese’s 150
    The Place: Kansas Speedway
    The Date: Friday, September 27, 2024
    The Time: 5:30 pm ET / 4:30 pm CT
    TV: Live, FS1
    Radio: Live, MRN Radio
    Distance: 100 Laps / 150 Miles

    • The Reese’s 150 will be the 19th race of 20 for the ARCA Menards Series in 2024; it will be the 29th ARCA Menards Series race at Kansas Speedway since 2001.
    • Andres Perez (No. 2 Max Siegel Inc. Chevrolet) leads the ARCA Menards Series championship standings by 53 points headed into the Reese’s 150; Perez will be searching for his first career ARCA Menards Series victory at Kansas Speedway, a track where his Rev Racing team has won twice before with 2022 ARCA Menards Series champion Nick Sanchez driving. Perez has two top-ten finishes in three Kansas Speedway starts, including a best of sixth in May 2023; he finished seventh earlier this season.
    • Lavar Scott (No. 6 Max Siegel Inc. Chevrolet) sits second in the series standings behind his teammate. Scott finished fourth in his first start at Kansas Speedway in 2023 and was challenging for the victory in May when he scrubbed the wall and was forced to make an unscheduled stop for repairs resulting in a 14th-place finish.
    • Tanner Gray (No. 18 A Place of Hope Toyota) finished second at Kansas Speedway in May after leading a race-high 84 laps. Gray rebounded from that disappointment to score his first career ARCA Menards Series victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway three weeks later. He finished third at Michigan International Speedway in his only ARCA Menards Series start since his Charlotte win.
    • Isabella Robusto (No. 55 Mobil 1 Toyota) will make her fourth career ARCA Menards Series start and her first since finishing second in her dirt track debut at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in August. Robusto has finished second in all three series across the ARCA Menards Series platform; in addition to her runner-up finish at Springfield, she finished second in the East race at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and the July 4 West race at Irwindale Speedway. The Kansas race will be her first on a track longer than a mile in length.
    • Pinnacle Racing Group will field two entries for the second consecutive ARCA Menards Series race; five-time ARCA Menards Series winner Connor Zilisch (No. 28 Silver Hare Development / Chevrolet Performance Chevrolet) will be teamed with sprint car standout Corey Day (No. 82 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet). Zilisch won in his superspeedway debut at Michigan International Speedway in August; Day finished seventh at Bristol Motor Speedway in his second career series start and will be making his first start on an intermediate track.
    • Nagoya, Japan resident Takuma Koga (No. 12 IKEDO Toyota) will make his second ARCA Menards Series start and his first since he finished 23rd in the combination race with the ARCA Menards Series West at Phoenix Raceway in March. Koga will race at Kansas Speedway on Friday then travel to California to race in Saturday night’s ARCA Menards Series West race at Madera Speedway.
    • Kris Wright (No. 15 FNB Corporation Toyota) is third in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings, but will be looking to break a two-race streak of finishing outside the top ten. Wright, who has six top-five finishes this season including a career-best second at Talladega Superspeedway, finished 12th at Watkins Glen International and 13th at Bristol Motor Speedway.
    • Toni Breidinger (No. 25 BoozyJerky Toyota) is fourth in the ARCA Menards Series standings and is returning to the site of her career best finish, third, which she scored last September. Breidinger is 42 points behind her teammate Kris Wright in the battle for third in the standings; should he finish third, she would tie Hailie Deegan, who was third in 2020, as the best finishing female driver in driver point standings in series history.
    • The Reese’s 150 will be run under the Modified Live pit stop format. Every caution is an opportunity for teams to make a pit stop. Drivers who pit cannot lose positions relative to other drivers who pit as long as they do not lose a lap on pit road; the restart order will consist of lead lap cars that didn’t pit, lead lap cars that did pit, lap down cars that didn’t pit, lap down cars that did pit, the free pass car, cars that took a wave around, and cars under penalty. There will be a scheduled caution at or near lap 50.
    • Should the race need to be extended into overtime, there will be unlimited attempts at a two-lap “green followed by white followed by checkered” finish. If the yellow flag is displayed after the white flag, there will be unlimited attempts at a one-lap “green-and-white-together followed by checkered” finish.

    About ARCA
    The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio, and acquired by NASCAR in April 2018, is the leading grassroots stock car sanctioning body in the United States. Bridging the gap between NASCAR’s top three national touring series and weekly and regional tour racing all across the country, the organization sanctions over 100 races per year in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, ASA STARS National Tour, ASA CRA Super Series, ASA Midwest Tour, ASA Southern Super Series plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways. For more information about ARCA visit www.arcaracing.com, or follow ARCA on Facebook (@ARCARacing) and Twitter (@ARCA_Racing).

    About Menards
    A family-owned and run company started in 1958, Menards is recognized as the retail home center leader of the Midwest with 341 stores in 15 states. Menards is truly a one-stop shop for all of your home improvement needs featuring a full-service lumberyard and everything you need to plan a renovation or build a home, garage, cabin, shed, deck, fence or post frame building. You’ll find a large selection of lumber, roofing, siding, construction blocks, trusses, doors and windows, plus cabinets, appliances, countertops, flooring, lighting, paint, plumbing supplies and more. To complete the job, Menards has quality hand tools, power tools, fasteners, electrical tools plus storage options and supplies for everyone from the weekend warrior to the pro!

    Menards has what you need to complete your outdoor projects and keep your yard in tip-top shape including mowers, trimmers, blowers, pressure washers and more, plus a beautiful garden center stocked with plants, shrubs, trees, landscaping tools, grass seed, fertilizer options, outdoor décor and patio furniture. Menards also has everyday essentials like health & beauty products, housewares, pet and wildlife supplies, automotive items and even groceries. And at Christmas, an Enchanted Forest display area with impressive trees, lighting, decorations, ornaments, inflatables and more.
    Menards is known for friendly Customer Service and as the place to “Save Big Money” with low prices every day, and sales too! For more information, please visit Menards.com to learn about our store locations, offerings and services.

  • Mandy Chick Ready to Get Back to ARCA Competition at Kansas Speedway

    Mandy Chick Ready to Get Back to ARCA Competition at Kansas Speedway

    Sunflower State native has scored three top-15 finishes at the track

    DE SOTO, Kan. (09/24/24) – After a second consecutive summer spent interning at General Motors in Michigan, Mandy Chick is set to return to the ARCA Menards Series in the Reese’s 150 at Kansas Speedway on Friday. She’ll be behind the wheel of her family-owned Chick Engineering No. 74 Chevrolet SS at the 1.5-mile D-shaped oval.

    Chick, a native of De Soto, Kansas, has been attending races at the track her entire life. She has also found the most success in her ARCA career at the facility in Kansas City, Kansas, having posted top-15 finishes in all three of her starts there. Since early last year, she and her team have had the input of North Carolina-based Cook Racing Technologies as well, helping Chick achieve continued strong results.

    “Kansas Speedway is the type of track I always have loved due to the speed and banking,” Chick said. “I have a ton of people around me investked in my success and I’m so thankful for the support and advice of Cook Racing Technologies as we work to develop a good setup for our team.”

    Shortly after finishing 15th at Kansas in early May, Chick graduated from Terre Haute, Indiana’s Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. She then served as an engineering design intern at GM in the Strategic Vehicle Integration division on the Bumper, Fascia, Grille team.

    “During my internship, I engaged in a diverse range of projects and gained valuable insights into how specific regulations influence vehicle designs,” she said. “I particularly enjoyed learning not just what we do, but also understanding why we do certain things, which is crucial for design and innovation. That kept me busy this summer and I loved it.”

    The spirit of innovation and the culture at the historic automaker drove her to complete an engineering design internship for a second summer. Plus, she can transfer a variety of lessons learned at GM to her racing endeavors.

    This week at Kansas Speedway, Chick will make her third and final ARCA Menards Series start of 2024 (she also raced at Daytona in February). She and her team will then begin preparing for next year with 2025 plans to be announced at a later date.

    In the meantime, Chick has a variety of professional and personal milestones on the horizon.

    “I am finishing my master’s in engineering management this fall at Rose-Hulman, getting married in December, and starting a full-time position as an engineer in the General Motors TRACK program in January,” she said. “Lots of exciting things are coming up and I’m thankful for the support of the amazing people around me.”

    On Friday, fans can support Chick in the ARCA Menards Series Reese’s 150 and also take in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kubota Tractor 200 for a discounted rate. Tickets for the Kansas doubleheader are available for just $25 per person at https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/Mandychick3. A FanWalk ticket is available for an additional $15. All tickets are digital and ready for race day.

    The Reese’s 150 will start at 5:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. CT on Friday, September 27. FOX Sports 1 and the FOX Sports App will provide live television coverage, with the radio broadcast set for the Motor Racing Network (MRN).

    Chick’s marketing partners for the weekend include JRC, FK Rod Ends, Fragola Performance Systems, Dynamic Drivelines, Aero Race Wheels, Day Construction, Pro Fab Headers & Exhaust, Whirlwind Ranch, Victory 23 Designs and Midwest Utility Lineman Training, LLC.

    More information on Mandy Chick is available at www.mandychick.com.

  • Ford Performance NASCAR – 2024 Kansas Playoff Advance

    Ford Performance NASCAR – 2024 Kansas Playoff Advance

    KANSAS 2

    Friday, September 27 — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 8:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
    Saturday, September 28 — NASCAR Xfinity Series, 4 p.m. ET (CW)
    Sunday, September 29 — NASCAR Cup Series, 3 p.m. ET (USA)

    For the first time this season, all three of NASCAR’s top touring series will be conducting playoff races and Kansas Speedway is the venue. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series kicks things off with the final race in the Round of 10 in which two drivers will be eliminated on Friday night. The next afternoon will feature the initial postseason event for the NASCAR Xfinity Series while the NASCAR Cup drivers compete in the first race in their Round of 12.

    FORD DRIVERS IN THE CUP PLAYOFFS

    Ryan Blaney – 5th (+11 above cut line)
    Joey Logano – 8th (+4)
    Austin Cindric – 9th (-4 below cut line)
    Chase Briscoe – 12th (-7)
    Note: Top 8 advance after Charlotte

    FORD PLAYOFF DRIVERS AT KANSAS

    Joey Logano: 30 starts, 3 wins, 9 top-10, 12 top-10
    Ryan Blaney: 19 starts, 0 wins, 3 top-5, 7 top-10
    Chase Briscoe: 7 starts, 0 wins, 0 top-5, 0 top-10
    Austin Cindric: 6 starts, 0 wins, 0 top-5, 0 top-10

    RYAN BLANEY: “As you move through the rounds there’s just no room for error. It’s just less wiggle room. The Round of 16 you have more of a chance of more guys having problems and if you do, you can kind of make up for it, but as you cut guys those odds kind of go up. If you have a bad day, it’s gonna be hard to recover, so we just have to execute our job, have fast cars, and do a good job on the track and on pit road and execute well, and we’ll see if we can make it to the next one.”

    JOEY LOGANO: “It’s just the same stuff. You’ve got to get some points to survive. Kansas will be important. You’ve still got Talladega in there, which is quite the wild card, and then the Roval. It’s a fairly similar round to what we just went through, so you’ve got to be able to score some points. We just have to go back to Kansas this weekend and run good. We need to go up there and run in the top five and score stage points and position ourselves solid into the next two races after that.”

    AUSTIN CINDRIC: “That’s what we need to do as a team and it’s something we had challenges putting together, but the potential is there. The team did an awesome job this round and I’m proud of that, but everything resets so no reason why we can’t replicate that performance. I’m happy to be moving on. It’s one step closer to racing for a championship.”

    CHASE BRISCOE: “I think our backs are up against the wall. No other team in this sport can relate to what we’re going through and just how hungry we all are, so I think we all want to go out as winners and we just know that we’re capable of doing it when we put it together. I think, for us, when we finally did win at Darlington we kind of proved that to ourselves and just the confidence that has come with that over the last three weeks has been a lot, so looking forward to the next however many races we’ve got left.”

    LOGANO’S KANSAS PLAYOFF SUCCESS

    Joey Logano will be looking for his fourth career win at Kansas Speedway this weekend, which would be a personal best. Logano currently has three career wins at five series tracks, including Kansas, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, Phoenix Raceway and Talladega Superspeedway. He won for the first time at Kansas in 2014, and then did it again one year later in a well-documented battle with Matt Kenseth that resulted in contact as the two entered turn one with five laps to go. That controversial finish marked Logano’s second straight playoff win and led to a sweep of the round as he took the checkered flag the following week at Talladega. His last Kansas win came in 2020 when he led the final 45 laps to beat Kevin Harvick across the finish line and clinch a spot in the Championship 4.

    CUSTER AND HERBST SET FOR PLAYOFF OPENER

    Defending NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Cole Custer comes into Saturday’s playoff opener riding high after winning last week’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway and claiming the regular season championship. Custer’s second win of the season enabled him to earn the second seed and grab a 21-point cushion on the cut line to open the round. Riley Herbst finds himself back in the playoffs as the eighth seed, three points above the cut line. This will be his sixth career series start at Kansas with his best finish coming in 2020 when he was ninth.

    FORD AND RIGGS LOOK TO CONTINUE WINNING STREAK

    Ford and Front Row Motorsports driver Layne Riggs come into this weekend’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race looking to extend winning streaks. Ford has won the last four in a row with Ty Majeski and Riggs winning twice each. The last time the Blue Oval captured five consecutive series races was in 2000 when Greg Biffle won three straight (Texas, Kentucky and Watkins Glen) and Kurt Busch followed with two in a row (Road America and New Hampshire). Coincidentally, Biffle’s three-race win streak is the last time a Ford driver won three consecutive series events.

    MAJESKI IN GOOD POSITION TO ADVANCE

    Championship contender Ty Majeski, enters this weekend’s elimination race solidly in fourth place and 58 points above the cut line. Majeski has a streak of four straight top-10 finishes, including a pair of wins in Indianapolis and Richmond. In seven career series starts at Kansas, Majeski has recorded a pair of top-10 finishes with a second-place run in 2022 being his top performance.

    RHODES ON THE BUBBLE IN ELIMINATION RACE

    Defending NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Ben Rhodes finds himself on the outside looking in as the final race of Round 1 prepares to take place Friday night at Kansas Speedway. Rhodes, who has won two titles in the past three years, is 10th in the standings and 12 points out of the final transfer position as two drivers will be eliminated. This will mark the 14th series start for Rhodes at Kansas, who has a pair of top-5 and 5 top-10 finishes, including a runner-up effort in 2019.

    FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS

    AT KANSAS

    2005 – Mark Martin

    2007 – Greg Biffle

    2010 – Greg Biffle

    2012 – Matt Kenseth (2)

    2014 – Joey Logano (2)

    2015 – Joey Logano (2)

    2018 – Kevin Harvick (1)

    2019 – Brad Keselowski (1)

    2020 – Joey Logano (2)

    FORD NASCAR Xfinity Series WINNERS

    AT KANSAS

    2001 – Jeff Green

    2002 – Jeff Burton

    2012 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

    2020 – Chase Briscoe

    FORD NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES WINNERS AT KANSAS

    2003 – Jon Wood

    2004 – Carl Edwards

    2006 – Terry Cook

    2007 – Erik Darnell

    2020 – Matt Crafton (2)

    2022 – Zane Smith (1)

  • Connor Hall Again Reigns Supreme to Capture Back-to-Back NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series National Championships

    Connor Hall Again Reigns Supreme to Capture Back-to-Back NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series National Championships

    DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (September 24, 2024) – The path to the title may have been different this year versus last, but at the end the results were the same, as Langley Speedway-based Connor Hall captured his second consecutive NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series championship.

    A year after Hall became the first Langley driver to win the championship in the top division of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series in the 74-year history of the track, he became the first to repeat. The feeling was just as sweet the second time around.

    “It’s something that I never thought I would ever hear once, let alone twice,” Hall said when asked what it meant to now be called a two-time NASCAR champion. “It feels great. It feels a little different this year than last year because last year I was stumbling upon the opportunity to get close to charge after the championship. This year there was a lot more planning involved, and we did so much work on the front end of the season to get ready for it.”

    His approach to the 2024 title was planned out and methodical, as the 27-year old driver now knew what it took to win a NASCAR championship. Hall won 18 total races this year, and finished second in five of his other eight races in the series, finishing in the top 10 in every race he ran.

    Two of the highlights of Hall’s season came in Virginia Triple Crown races. After having to start from the rear following a flat tire in qualifying, Hall charged through a highly competitive field to take the win in the Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 at South Boston Speedway. He then went on to finish second in the Hampton Heat 200 at his home track of Langley Speedway against another tough lineup.

    With success comes opportunity, and it was one of those opportunities that created the need for planning out the 2024 Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series championship battle when Hall joined Nelson Motorsports to also make a CARS Tour championship run this year.

    “I knew how everything worked, I knew how the points system worked and I knew what I needed to do better than last year,” said Hall. “I knew I couldn’t withdraw from any CARS Tour events because of my commitment with Nelson so I knew it was going to take more planning. Luckily all of that paid off.

    “It all sounds great on paper, but everyone forgets one little point – you can do all the planning you want, but if you’re not winning the races, your efforts are wasted. I was glad to continue to see our cars perform how they did last year and continue to make them better.”

    Hall began racing out of a small family-owned team out of his dad’s garage with a team comprised of friends and family. And he once again ran most of the Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series championship season out of that same small garage, with the exception of a select few races – including the Virginia Triple Crown races at South Boston Speedway and Langley Speedway. Those races were run with Nelson Motorsports.

    A year ago, after winning his first NASCAR championship, Hall said, “I started Late Model racing in my dad’s garage, and we won a national championship out of the same garage.”

    And now he’s won two out of that family-owned operation.

    “Connor exemplifies what our goal is with the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series and that’s to showcase rising talent in our grassroots programs,” said Joseph Dennewitz, Managing Director of NASCAR Regional. “He grew as a racer both on and off the track and has been an excellent ambassador for the Weekly Series as he chased back-to-back titles.”

    In addition to winning the Weekly Series national championship, Hall also won the Southeast Region and Virginia state titles.

    “Connor has made a name for himself as a consistent winner on NASCAR’s home tracks,” said Bruce Starnes, Advance Auto Parts’ executive vice president and chief merchant. “He is a tremendous driver and someone who has a bright future in the sport. We congratulate Connor and his family on another incredible season and capturing back-to-back NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series championships.”

    Advance Auto Parts, a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider, will mark five years as the entitlement partner with the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series next season.

    The complete list of regional and state Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series champions and Jostens Rookie of the Year awards, as well as the champions of the other national divisions, will be released in the coming days.

    The Late Model Stock Car season isn’t over, yet, for Hall. He heads to the track this weekend for the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway – the nation’s biggest, richest and most prestigious NASCAR Late Model Stock Car race and the final race in the Virginia Triple Crown finale, on Saturday, Sept. 28 at 7:00 p.m. Practice and qualifying begin at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27.

    Hall leads the standings in the Virginia Triple Crown with a 1.5 average finish in the first two races after winning at South Boston and finishing second at his home track of Langley.

    Two-time Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national champion (2005, 2021) Peyton Sellers currently sits in second in the Virginia Triple Crown standings after finishing fourth and third at South Boston and Langley, respectively.

    Hall is also still chasing the CARS Tour championship with two races to go in that season, in which he holds a one-point lead over Brenden “Butterbean” Queen.

    About NASCAR 

    The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 14 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Series, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 11 countries and more than 30 U.S. states. 

    For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X and Snapchat. 

    About Advance Auto Parts

    Advance Auto Parts, Inc. is a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider that serves both professional installers and do-it-yourself customers. As of July 13, 2024, Advance operated 4,776 stores and 321 Worldpac branches primarily within the United States, with additional locations in Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The company also served 1,138 independently owned Carquest branded stores across these locations in addition to Mexico and various Caribbean islands. Additional information about Advance, including employment opportunities, customer services, and online shopping for parts, accessories and other offerings can be found at www.AdvanceAutoParts.com.

  • Matt Mills Returns to Niece Motorsports for Full-Time NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season in 2025

    Matt Mills Returns to Niece Motorsports for Full-Time NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season in 2025

    Mills will continue to drive the No. 42 J.F. Electric / Utilitra Chevrolet full-time for a second season.

    Salisbury, NC (Sept. 24, 2024) – Niece Motorsports officials announced today that New Philadelphia, Ohio’s Matt Mills will return for a full-time NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season in 2025. Mills has been re-signed for a second year behind the wheel of the No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST.

    Mills, who is amidst his first full-time effort in the Truck Series, was signed onto the team last October. He recalled the original announcement as “a great opportunity to get into top-tier equipment”, and is eager to continue his career with the nine-time race winning team.

    “I’m extremely fortunate to have people like J.F. Electric and Utilitra coming on board and supporting me on this journey again,” said Mills. “It’s been a really fun time with everyone at Niece Motorsports with what we’ve been able to build on throughout the year. I’m hoping to carry that on through the next few races and into the 2025 season. Every opportunity I get, I’m very fortunate, and that wouldn’t be possible without my partners. I appreciate Niece Motorsports for believing in me; it’s a dream come true to race for an operation like theirs and race for Al Niece. I’m excited to finish off the year strong and ready to keep working into next year.”

    Longtime partners, J.F. Electric and Utilitra, will continue to support Mills’ efforts in 2025 as they have done for the past several years. The two companies’ involvements will include a full 25-race primary sponsorship – one of only a handful of such partnerships of that caliber in the Truck Series. Their support acts as a pillar of the race team’s success.

    “We are excited about returning for the 2025 NASCAR Truck Series with Matt Mills and Niece Motorsports in the No. 42 truck,” said Greg Fowler, CEO & Chairman of the Board for J.F. Electric. “Although we have been supporting Matt for many years, mainly in the Xfinity Series, this year was our first full season commitment with him and Niece Motorsports. We chose to work with Niece Motorsports this season based on their past performance and based on their GM, Cody Efaw, who we felt could help Matt the most on his journey to move up the ladder within NASCAR.”

    “I have known Matt personally for many years and know how hard he works and how dedicated he is to be the best he can every time he gets behind the wheel. We are looking forward to the rest of this season and have high hopes for Matt in the 2025 season!”

    The 2024 season was viewed as a transitional year for the driver who spent the majority of his career competing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Now having a full season of Truck Series racing under his belt, Mills looks to make a run for the Playoffs.

    In May, the 27-year-old secured his best-career NCTS finish with a fourth-place showing at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He quickly followed up the result with an eighth-place run at Nashville Superspeedway, and to-date has accounted for a total of four top-15 finishes.

    Niece Motorsports General Manager, Cody Efaw, has been pleased to see the growth out of Mills in his first year with the team. He anticipates 2025 to be a big step forward as he returns to the tracks raced this year.

    “Matt has been a great add to our team this year,” said Efaw. “Even though he’s been racing in NASCAR for a long time, he entered this season with a fresh mindset. The Truck Series is a completely different animal compared to what he’s been used to racing, and he’ll be the first to tell you how much he’s learned. He knows the feel he needs out of his truck now, and I think we’ll have a chance to go out there and have a great year with him.”

    “Of course, none of this would be possible without the support of great partners,” Efaw continued. “I’ve spent a lot of time with Greg Fowler and the entire J.F. Electric / Utilitra family, and they have been great to everyone at the team. Matt has done a great job off the track maintaining their relationship, and I know they’re excited to see him go out and try and get his first win.”

    NASCAR will kick off its CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season opener at the iconic Daytona International Speedway on Friday, February 14th. Live coverage of the event will be aired on FOX Sports 1, the Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

    Additional team announcements, including the remainder of the driver lineup, partnerships, and personnel will be released as the season progresses. Visit niecemotorsports.com for all the latest news.

    About J.F. Electric: J.F. Electric is an electrical contractor that provides engineering expertise, backed by construction and installation know-how in a diverse range of service offerings, from utilities and commercial projects, to industrial and telecommunications customers. When having a long family history in an industry, a company not only builds on its knowledge and experience, it takes pride in cultivating a solid understanding of client needs, all the while nurturing strong relationships with its employees. Evolving through five generations of the Fowler family, J.F. Electric has matured into a well-managed and thoughtfully diversified electrical contractor which is poised to continue its growth and expansion into the future.

    About Utilitra: Utilitra is a woman-owned firm specializing in utility and technology solutions with a diverse team of specialized professionals. Utilitra is committed to solving their client’s unique challenges, whether one expert or a team of experts is needed. By adapting to the needs of their respective industries, Utilitra has built a range of services for their utility and technology partners.
    About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2024, Niece Motorsports enters its ninth season in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as X @NieceMotorsport.

  • The 2024 Mazda MX-5 Cup Season is a Baptism by Fire for Rookies

    The 2024 Mazda MX-5 Cup Season is a Baptism by Fire for Rookies

    Tight Battle for $80,000 Mazda MX-5 Cup Rookie title

    It’s not just the 2024 Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin Champion who will be crowned at the season finale, this year’s Rookie of the Year will be determined as well. The Rookie of the Year takes home an $80,000 check from Mazda, and maybe equally as important is the knowledge that many MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Year winners go on to become series champion.

    With just one race weekend and two races to go, the points are very tight. Three freshman drivers are looking to make the most of the season finale at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta to claim the rookie title.

    Three drivers have swapped spots in the point standings, vying for Rookie of the Year honors: Westin Workman (No. 13 BSI Racing), Nathan Nicholson (No. 56 MBM Racing) and Julian DaCosta (No. 78 JTR Motorsports Engineering).

    Both Workman and Nicholson were recipients of Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout scholarships. Workman took home the big prize of $110,000, while Nicholson came in second, scoring $75,000.

    Workman came out of the gate swinging, leading laps in his very first race at Daytona International Speedway. He wasn’t able to convert his pace into podiums, but by Round Four at Sebring International Raceway, he could call himself a MX-5 Cup race winner.

    “The hardest part has been staying consistent,” Workman said of his debut season. “I think I’ve proven to be capable of winning races and be a championship contender, but we just had a pretty bad middle season with our finishes at Laguna, and then we had an okay weekend in Mid-Ohio. I’ve had some good finishes here and there, but I’ve also had some really bad finishes, so just trying to be at least top five, every single race would have been very important for me to be more of a championship contender, outside of the rookie championship.”

    Nicholson echoed Workman’s comments about consistency in his rookie season.

    “Jumping up to this level of professional racing, it’s so close, especially with how equal the cars are,” Nicholson said. “You know, there’s eight people every race that can win, so just being mistake free and putting yourself in the right position to get a good result is super tough.”

    In MX-5 Cup, new drivers learn very quickly that they need to work together to be successful, and not just with their teammates.

    “It’s the most competitive series that you’ll find,” DaCosta said. “I would say that’s the hardest part is getting respect from everybody else. And truth is, to be fast in these cars is difficult. It’s not easy to just jump in and be super-fast.”

    DaCosta had a slow start to his rookie campaign, but after a mid-season team switch, he’s been on an upward trajectory that includes a podium finish at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

    The importance of the draft was a big learning curve for the rookies. They’ve learned that patience and respect are crucial.

    “This series relies on drafting, and if you don’t have the respect from the other drivers, nobody’s going to want to work with you,” Workman explained. “Respect is a big thing in this series because your teammates won’t always be around. You want to have people who respect you on the track and off the track, that are still willing to work with you during a race even if they aren’t on your team.”

    “Positioning and patience with the draft and how these cars race is kind of unlike anything I’ve done before,” reflected Nicholson. “Even though I’ve done a lot of Miata racing, I think that part of it, the patience and awareness of where you are in the race and when you need to be aggressive and when you don’t need to be, is one of the biggest things I’ve learned this year.”

    Naturally, the race craft needed to run up front is something MX-5 Cup teaches drivers better than any other series. It is a skill that will carry them far in their careers. The parity of the cars puts the emphasis on driver talent.

    “It definitely teaches me race craft,” DaCosta said. “No doubt, every time I’m on track, it teaches me how to become a better racer.”

    Coming into the final event at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Workman leads DaCosta by 690 points. Nicholson is third of the rookies, a further 60 points back.

    “Winning it would mean a lot,” Workman smiled. “It would prove that among the rookies, I was the most consistent throughout the year and put up good finishes. Also, the prize money is big. The $80,000 would make us feel a lot better after the season as well. It would make our efforts worth it to win the Rookie of the Year championship.”

    Should he win the MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Year title, Workman would follow in many other scholarship winners’ shoes, including Nate Cicero and Connor Zilisch.

    DaCosta did not win a MX-5 Cup Shootout scholarship, but that would make winning Rookie of the Year mean that much more.

    “Considering we were very far back after Sebring, it would mean a lot,” DaCosta said. “I think it would mean a lot to everybody, not just myself. We’ve worked extremely hard just to get back up to where we are now, so I think if we were able to do that, it would be a really big game changer for all of us.”

    The quest of the 2024 Mazda MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Year crown comes down to the final two races of the year at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, October 9 – 11. Both races will be streamed live on the RACER and IMSA YouTube channels.

    About: The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin is the signature spec series for Mazda Motorsports. The series has been operated by Andersen Promotions since 2017 and is currently sanctioned by IMSA. Mazda-powered grassroots champions can earn Mazda scholarships for this pro-level series. The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup awards more than $1 million in prizes and scholarships.

    Find out more at http://www.mx-5cup.com.

  • Bass Pro Shops Racing: Martin Truex Jr. Kansas Advance

    Bass Pro Shops Racing: Martin Truex Jr. Kansas Advance

    Martin Truex Jr.
    Kansas Advance
    No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing

    Event Overview

    ● Event: Hollywood Casino 400 (Round 30 of 36)
    ● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Sept. 29
    ● Location: Kansas Speedway in Kansas City
    ● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
    ● Format: 267 laps, 400 miles
    ● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 85 laps / Final Stage: 102 laps
    ● TV/Radio: USA Network / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    Notes of Interest

    ● Seven to Go: Truex failed to make it to the Round of 12 of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Truex sits 14th in the reset driver standings with 2,064 points after last Saturday night’s Round of 16 finale at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

    ● Honor a Cancer Hero: Truex has not one but two cancer heroes riding along with him on his No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Camry this weekend in the Hollywood Casino 400. It’s part of the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation’s and the NASCAR Foundation’s annual Honor a Cancer Hero program event. Via a decal over the driver-side door will be the name of Michele Broadley. Broadley fought a three-and-a-half-year battle with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS). During her fight, she continued college and graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelors degree in Psychology with a minor in Women’s Studies. She held a 3.74 grade-point average earned Magna Cum Laude honors. She even started Graduate School for her Master’s Degree in Social Work at Southern Connecticut State University. Broadley passed away on Sept. 28, 2016. Truex is honored to have her name ride along with him this weekend.

    ● Honor a Cancer Hero, Part 2: Truex also has the honor of having cancer survivor Claire Kochenower ride along above the passenger-side window of his No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Camry XSE this weekend. Kochenower is a seven-and-a-half-year medulloblastoma survivor. Kochenower continues to have yearly checkups with her long-term survivor doctor as they monitor her for complications from her treatment. Truex is her favorite driver, and she is excited to have her name on his car this year during his final fulltime season.

    ● Truex has two wins, 11 top-five finishes, 18 top-10s and has led a total of 906 laps in 32 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas. Truex’s average Kansas finish is 12.6. Truex finished fourth at Kansas in May and had a chance to win prior to a late caution flag.

    ● Strong in the Heartland: Truex’s two Kansas wins came by way of a season sweep of the spring and fall races there in 2017. The feat kicked off a 13-race stretch on the 1.5-mile oval during which he earned six top-fives and finished inside the top-10 all but once.

    ● While he doesn’t like to play favorites, Truex certainly excels at tracks with worn-out surfaces, where driver skill is key to managing the tires and the racecar over the course of a long race. At four such tracks – Kansas Speedway, the now defunct 2-mile oval at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, Homestead-Miami Speedway, and Darlington (S.C.) Raceway – Truex has six wins, 25 top-five finishes and 47 top-10s, and has led 2,209 laps.

    ● Looking for 35: Truex’s July 2023 win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon was his most recent Cup Series win, the 34th of his career, tying him with 2004 champion Kurt Busch for 25th on the all-time Cup Series win list.

    Martin Truex Jr., Driver of the No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE

    You have had success at Kansas Speedway over the years, but a year ago you had a fast car but had a cut tire at the start of the race. Can you talk a little bit about what it takes to have a solid day there?

    “Yeah, for sure. I felt really good about our car there last year, but it didn’t last very long with the tire issue last fall, and we had a really good run going there in the spring and the caution came out at the end and we ended up fourth instead of a chance at the win. Kansas is a really fun racetrack. It’s a place where you can move around. The tires wear out and it gets slippery. It’s just a fun place to race and we’re looking forward to it with our Bass Pro Shops Camry. A

    thing to get around there. You have to have horsepower and downforce, a good setup with a lot of tire grip and things like that. It’s a big challenge and usually the guys that have the fastest cars are up front there, so hopefully we’ll be one of those guys.”

    You are trying to get a win this year before you are done racing fulltime. Is Kansas a place where you feel like you could get it done?

    “I feel like Kansas is one of those places that has always suited my style. It’s a place you can move around, it gets really slick and there’s a lot of tire falloff. I really enjoy that. As good as our cars have been lately, I feel good about our chances that we’ll go there and have race-winning speed. And then it’s all about execution, which we are working on right now. If we can have a straightforward strategy race and good pit stops, I think we are going to be in the mix at Kansas, for sure.”

    What is racing at Kansas like, and what other track is most similar?

    “I would say Kansas is a lot like Homestead but with a tri-oval. Similar corners and a little bit of progressive banking. The wall has really come into play the last couple of years there since the asphalt has worn out. So, running high is very important there, and also momentum is very important at Kansas. You have a big, wide, front straightaway that gives you the option to make big, bold moves on the restarts where it can get pretty wild there. Kansas is definitely high on my list of places I like to race, and we are hoping for a great weekend there with our Bass Pro Shops Camry.”

    Did you ever think you’d accomplished all you have?

    “I always dreamed I could. Always thought I could. But you know, in this sport and in life in general, that’s all just talk. So, it’s been fun to get it done a few times.”

    No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Team Roster

    Primary Team Members

    Driver: Martin Truex Jr.

    Hometown: Mayetta, New Jersey

    Crew Chief: James Small

    Hometown: Melbourne, Australia

    Car Chief: Chris Jones

    Hometown: Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia

    Race Engineer: Jaik Halpainy

    Hometown: Blockville, New York

    Spotter: Drew Herring

    Hometown: Benson, North Carolina

    Road Crew Members

    Underneath Mechanic: Ryan Martin

    Hometown: Mechanicsburg, Virgina

    Mechanic: Todd Carmichael

    Hometown: Redding, California

    Interior/Tire Specialist: Tommy DiBlasi

    Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

    Engine Tuner: Beau Morton

    Hometown: Lake Havasu City, Arizona

    Transporter Driver: Kyle Bazzell

    Hometown: Fairbury, Illinois

    Transporter Driver: Eddie DeGroot

    Hometown: Baldwinsville, New York

    Over-The-Wall Crew Members

    Gas Man: Matt Tyrrell

    Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

    Jackman: Caleb Dirks

    Hometown: Riverside, California

    Tire Carrier: CJ Bailey

    Hometown: Outer Banks, North Carolina

    Front Tire Changer: Thomas Hatcher

    Hometown: Middleburg, Florida

    Rear Tire Changer: Lee Cunningham

    Hometown: Leaf River, Illinois