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  • John Hunter Nemechek Goes Back To Back In 2017

    John Hunter Nemechek Goes Back To Back In 2017

    John Hunter Nemechek won the M&MS 200 at Iowa Speedway Friday night, capturing his second straight victory.

    Noah Gragson set the pole in qualifying, alongside him was Kyle Busch Motorsports teammate Christopher Bell, who has won twice this season. Sixty laps each made up Stages 1 and 2, while 80 laps made up the final laps.

    When Stage 1 began, Gragson led early, but it was Bell who took the lead on Lap 17 and never looked back. Bell would go on to win the first stage, which was incident free.

    Stage 2 took place on lap 69; Bell and Chase Briscoe were on the front row after pit stops. While it looked like the stage would remain incident free once again, problems began on Lap 95 for Ben Rhodes, who had a vibration and had to pit from fifth place. The second caution came out on Lap 108 when Mike Senica spun off Turn 2.

    This caution brought many varying pit strategies. The race leader Bell stayed out while the rest of the field pitted.

    Stage 2 went back to green on Lap 113 and Johnny Sauter took the lead away from Bell three laps later. Toward the end of the stage, Kaz Grala and Cody Coughlin made contact on the backstretch to bring out another caution. Rhodes was also involved, getting a flat tire due to contact. NASCAR made the decision to end the stage under caution, to allow clean up due to extensive fluid laid down the track. Sauter ended up winning the second stage.

    Stage 3 got underway with 68 laps to go. Sauter was setting the pace until Briscoe took the lead with 17 laps to go. It looked like the race was going to remain green but Matt Crafton wrecked and hit the wall hard in Turns 3 and 4, due to a bump by his teammate Grant Enfinger. Under this caution, we saw the race-winning call. Sauter stayed out, while others pitted. This also saw eventual race winner, Nemechek, take four tires and restart in the fourth position.

    With seven to go for the restart, Sauter was on old tires as Briscoe made a pass for the lead and held on for one lap. Nemechek made the winning pass with six to go on the backstretch. When he took the checkered flag, there was a wreck involving Harrison Burton and Justin Haley. Both drivers were uninjured.

    “That’s definitely special,” Nemechek said. “All year, we felt really good about this whole stretch, Gateway, Iowa and Kentucky. So hopefully, we can go to Kentucky and make it three in a row.”

    “I can’t say enough,” Nemechek said. “Thank you to all my guys. They’re so determined. They work as many hours as needed. This is fun getting to victory lane.”

    Sauter, Brandon Jones, Enfinger and Bell rounded out the top five. Current Truck Series champion Sauter is the points leader by 42 over second place Bell.

    This was Nemechek’s second win of the year and his fifth career win. He led once for six laps.

    There were five leaders among six lead changes, with four cautions for 34 laps.

    Next Up: The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series takes next weekend off, before heading to Kentucky Speedway Thursday, July 6.

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Iowa-NCWTS-result-6-23-17T1709_UNOFFRES.pdf” title=”Iowa NCWTS result 6-23-17T1709_UNOFFRES”]

     

     

  • KEVIN DONAHUE EXCITED FOR IOWA SPEEDWAY DEBUT; KANSAS CITY BREWERIES CO., BLUE LIVES MATTER RETURN

    KEVIN DONAHUE EXCITED FOR IOWA SPEEDWAY DEBUT; KANSAS CITY BREWERIES CO., BLUE LIVES MATTER RETURN

    Driver: Kevin Donahue, donahue-motorsports.com, @kevinDonahue07
    Team Info: mbracing.net, @MBMotorsports

    WRIGHT CITY, MO- 2017 is turning into a year of firsts for Kevin Donahue, as the Missouri native gears up for the Iowa 200, which will mark his debut at Iowa Speedway on Friday night.  Donahue will once again pilot the #36 Mittler Brothers Machine & Tool / KC Breweries Co. Chevy Silverado.

    “Kevin’s done a great job for us, both at Kansas and Gateway,” notes team owner Mike Mittler.  “He’s smooth and he doesn’t over drive the equipment, so it looks as good going back on the hauler as it does rolling off, which, as any team owner will tell you, is a great skill to have.”

    “Kansas City Breweries Co. is making their third race of the season with MB Motorsports. “ We are honored to be with Blue Lives Matter again for the 3rd time as we look forward to the Iowa 200, sponsored by Casey’s General Store notes Sam Lipari of Kansas City Breweries Company. Casey’s General Store and Price Chopper are two great sponsors in Iowa racing and Price Chopper provides great support for KC Lite™ and KC Lager™ products.”

    Resurrected from the original Kansas City Breweries Company of 1905, there’s a lot of history in every can of KC Lite™, KC Lager™ & KC Malt™. Currently available across the states of Kansas and Missouri, Kansas City Breweries Company is growing rapidly and looking for distributors and retailers throughout the Midwest to continue their expansion. For more information on the company, including its current distribution, visit kansascitybreweriescompany.com.

    The team is also continuing their support of Blue Lives Matter, which is run entirely by active and retired law enforcement officers to shed positive light on America’s heroes to help boost morale and gain society’s much needed support. “I’m a big supporter of our first responders,” adds Donahue. “This is just our way of saying thank you to those that risk their lives to protect us.”

    The #36 Chevy Silverado will also receive support from Winntec, Gateway Kartplex, Mittler Brothers Machine & Tool, MARADYNE® High Performance Fans, Mayhew Tool, Champion Brands, Reikken, Gaither Tool, Excel Bottling / Ski Soda, Timken, MechanixWear and WIX Filters.

    The Iowa 200 will be broadcast on FS1 and MRN at 8:30 pm ET, Saturday June 23rd.

    FAST FACTS:
    •  The Iowa 200 will be Kevin Donahue’s first NCWTS start at Iowa Speedway.
    •  The Iowa 200 will be Kevin’s sixth NCWTS start.
    •  Kevin recently graduated from Maryville University with a Bachelor in Science.

    About MB Motorsports:
    MB Motorsports is the sole surviving original team in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, having competed in every season since the series debuted in 1995.  The team has given many young drivers their start in NASCAR, including Sprint Cup Series winners Carl Edwards, Jamie McMurray, Brad Keselowski and Regan Smith.

    About Kansas City Breweries Company: Resurrected from the original Kansas City Breweries Company of 1905, there’s a lot of history in every can of KC Lite™, KC Lager™ & KC Malt™. Currently available across the states of Kansas and Missouri, Kansas City Breweries Company is growing rapidly and looking for distributors and retailers throughout the Midwest to continue their expansion. For more information on the company, including its current distribution, visit kansascitybreweriescompany.com.

    About Blue Lives Matter:
    Blue Lives Matter is run entirely by active and retired law enforcement officers. In today’s evolving society, an increasing number of citizens fail to accept responsibility for their actions and attempt to escape the consequences through outward blame. Due to the nature of the profession, law enforcement personnel are seen as easy targets and are consequently bullied by slander, illegitimate complaints, frivolous lawsuits, and physical attacks. The echo of these negative highlights by the media and political figures have only further damaged community relations, which has greatly increased the inherent threat of the profession. We desire to change these wrongs to law enforcement and once again shed positive light on America’s heroes to help boost morale and gain society’s much needed support.

    For more information on MB Motorsports and its marketing partners, visit www.mbracing.net

    For more information on Mittler Brothers Machine & Tool, visit mittlerbros.com or follow them on Twitter, @mittler_bros or on Facebook, Mittler Brothers Machine & Tool

    For more information on the Kansas City Breweries Company, including its current distribution, visit kansascitybreweriescompany.com or follow them on Twitter @KCBreweriesCo or Facebook, KC BreweriesCo.

    For more information on Blue Lives Matter, visit bluelivesmatter.blue or follow them on Twitter,  @bluelivesmtr

  • Wienerschnitzel will Send One Lucky Hot Dogger to Hang Out at the Action Sports Home of Eleven-Time X-Games Champion Travis Pastrana

    Wienerschnitzel will Send One Lucky Hot Dogger to Hang Out at the Action Sports Home of Eleven-Time X-Games Champion Travis Pastrana

    The World’s Largest Hot Dog Chain® sponsors Pastrana at the Sept. 29 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race

    Pastrana will “takeover” a Salt Lake City Wienerschnitzel on June 22 – with all proceeds going to the Road 2 Recovery Foundation

    IRVINE, Calif. (June 20, 2017) – Taking its cue from the action sports star’s years of iconic “hot dog” moves, Wienerschnitzel is giving one lucky fan the opportunity to visit – and even learn tricks from — professional racer and stunt performer Travis Pastrana at “Pastranaland”, his Davidsonville, Md., home and freestyle training center.

    In addition to the Grand Prize of a hosted trip to “Pastranaland” the weekend before his return to NASCAR (Sept. 23-24), including airfare, hotel accommodations and some spending cash, fans can win the second prize of a trip for two to Las Vegas to see Pastrana compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race.

    The World Largest Hot Dog Chain® has launched the “#Pastranadog Sweepstakes” (www.wienershnitzel.com) as part of the company’s sponsorship of the eleven-time X-Games Champion appearance at the Sept. 29 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race at Las Vegas. Pastrana will be racing his No. 45 for Niece Motorsports.

    “This is a partnership made in action sports heaven,” said J.R. Galardi,Wienerschnitzel executive vice president. “Travis loves hot dogs and Wienerschnitzel fans love Travis – so we knew we had to bring the two together. It was actually Travis’ idea to offer one lucky fan the chance to visit him in his one-of-a-kind backyard. Who knows – he may even throw in a riding lesson or two.”

    June 22 Wienerschnitzel Takeover

    To celebrate the contest and his partnership with Wienerschnitzel, Pastrana will be serving the chain’s legendary Chili Dogs, Corn Dogs, Chicken Schnitzel Sandwiches, Tastee Freeze desserts and other menu favorites during a 1.5-hour restaurant takeover on June 22 at the Wienerschnitzel at 3145 West 3500 South in West Valley City, Utah, eight miles southwest of Salt Lake City.

    According to Galardi, Travis will be in Salt Lake City for the June 24 Nitro World Games at Rice-Eccles Stadium and jumped at the chance to spend time with local customers while contributing to a larger cause. “In between his cooking and serving duties, he’ll be signing autographs, posing for pictures and hanging with his chili dog-loving fans.”

    Wienerschnitzel will donate all proceeds generated during the takeover to the Road 2 Recovery Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing professional motocross/supercross athletes with financial assistance and motivational, emotional and spiritual support after they sustain career-ending injuries.

    As an only-at-Wienerschnitzel bonus, fellow Nitro Circus Tour, X-Games and BMX athlete Andy Buckworth will help Travis behind the counter and perform a few bike tricks in the parking lot and on the restaurant’s iconic yellow A-frame roof.

    To enter the “#Pastranadog Sweepstakes” participants must complete an entry form at www.wienerschnitzel.com through August 20. There is no purchase necessary to enter. See website for full sweepstakes rules.

     

    About Wienerschnitzel

    Founded by John Galardi in 1961 with a single hot dog stand in Wilmington, Calif., Wienerschnitzel (www.wienerschnitzel.com) is one of the real pioneers of the quick-service food industry. Having successfully carved out a niche with hot dogs, The World’s Largest Hot Dog chain serves more than 120 million hot dogs annually. Based in Irvine, Calif., Wienerschnitzel operates or franchises 331 stores in 10 states and Guam. It is part of the Galardi Group, which is also the parent company of The Hamburger Stand and Tastee-Freez LLC.

  • Camping World Truck Series Preview – Iowa

    Camping World Truck Series Preview – Iowa

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to Iowa Speedway this Friday night for race number nine of the 2017 season.

    Currently, there are 34 trucks on the preliminary entry list. In the last five races, there have been three different winners. Erik Jones, who is not entered, is the only repeat winner with victories in 2014 and 2015.

    Here are some of the drivers to keep an eye on during Friday night’s M&M’s 200.

    Matt Crafton – Crafton has one win at Iowa which came in 2011. However, in the last three races at Iowa, he has two top fives and three top 10 finishes, with 33 laps led. Crafton ranks number one among active drivers at Iowa Speedway. He has not won yet this season but looks to turn that around at Iowa.

    John Hunter Nemechek – Nemechek is coming off his first win of the season last week. In the last three races at Iowa, Nemechek has one top 10 and one pole, along with 53 laps led. His average finish 15.0, but a win carries momentum into the next race. Keep an eye on Nemechek once again this week.

    Christopher Bell – Bell is having a strong season so far. In Iowa, he has competed in the last two races with a finish of ninth or better. He has one top five and two top ten finishes. Bell is always a threat week in and week out.

    Johnny Sauter – Sauter has been decent in his recent Iowa outings. In the past five races, he has one top five and two top finishes. In his championship season last year, Sauter finished 10th in the 2016 race. Sauter might just sneak a win out on Friday night.

    Ben Rhodes – Rhodes only has one start at Iowa coming in 2016, earning a fourth place finish.

    Drivers To Watch:

    Ryan Truex -Truex has been strong as of late. This season he has placed two top fives and six top 10 finishes, although, Truex has never competed in the Truck Series at Iowa.

    Brandon Jones – Jones is competing in the Truck Series once again this weekend. He has competed in two races at Iowa with the best finish of second in 2015.

    Chase Briscoe – Briscoe has been oh so close this season regarding victory lane. The driver of the No. 29 Brad Keselowski Racing F-150 has finished second in the last two races. In 2016, Briscoe competed at Iowa in the ARCA Racing Series and notched a win at the track.

    Noah Gragson – Iowa might be a breakthrough point for Gragson. During his K&N Pro Series days, Gragson has a finish of third, second and sixth, respectively.

    Coverage starts on Friday morning with the first of two practices beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET on Fox Sports 1. Qualifying is slated for 6:05 p.m. ET Friday evening. Race coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. on FS1 and the Motor Racing Network with the green flag scheduled for 8:47 p.m.

     

  • NASCAR Racing Schedule for Sonoma and Iowa

    NASCAR Racing Schedule for Sonoma and Iowa

    The NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series travels to Sonoma Raceway this weekend while the XFINITY Series and the Camping World Truck Series head to Iowa Speedway. There are 38 cars on the entry list for the Cup Series Toyota / Save Mart 350. Please check below for the complete schedule of events. All times are Eastern.

    Friday, June 23:

    On Track – Sonoma Raceway:
    3-4:55 p.m.: Cup Series First Practice – FS1 (Canada: TSN 2)
    6:30-7:55 p.m.: Cup Series Final Practice – FS1 (Canada: TSN GO)

    On Track – Iowa Speedway:
    10 a.m.-11:25 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series First Practice – FS1
    12:15-1:15 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Final Practice – FS1
    2-2:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series First Practice – FS1 (Canada: TSN GO)
    5-5:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series Final Practice – FS1 (Canada: TSN GO)
    6:05 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying
    8:30 p.m.: Camping World Series M&M’s 200 presented by Casey’s General Store (200 laps, 175 miles) – FS1

    Garage Cam: (Watch live)
    2:30 p.m.: Cup Series

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    10:30 a.m.: Alon Day (No. 23 Earthwater Toyota)
    11 a.m.: Clint Bowyer (No. 14 Cars 3 Ford)
    11:15 a.m.: Kyle Larson (No. 42 Target Chevrolet)
    2:15 p.m.:  Martin Truex Jr. (No. 78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Toyota)
    2:30 p.m.: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Axalta Chevrolet)

    Saturday, June 24:

    On Track – Sonoma Raceway:
    2:45 p.m.: Cup Series Coors Light Qualifying – FS1 (Canada; TSN 5)

    On Track – Iowa Speedway:
    6:15 p.m.: XFINITY Series Coors Light Qualifying – Airs taped delayed at 7 p.m. on FS1 (Canada: TSN GO)
    8:30 p.m.: XFINITY Series American Ethanol E15 250 presented by Enogen (250 laps, 218.75 miles) – FS1 (Canada: TSN 2)

    Sunday, June 25

    On Track – Sonoma Raceway:
    3 p.m.: Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 (110 laps, 218.9 miles) – FS1 (Canada; TSN 2)

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    9 a.m.: Cristela Alonzo (Grand Marshal) and John Lasseter (Official Pace Car Driver)

    Race Details:

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
    Race: M&M’s 200 presented by Casey’s General Store – Iowa Speedway
    Date: Friday, June 23
    Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
    TV: FS1, 8 p.m. ET
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 175 miles (200 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 60), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 120), Final Stage (Ends on lap 200)

    NASCAR XFINITY Series
    Race: American Ethanol E15 250 presented by Enogen – Iowa Speedway
    Date: Saturday, June 24
    Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
    TV: FS1, 8 p.m. ET
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 218.75 miles (250 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 60), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 120), Final Stage (Ends on lap 250)

    Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
    Race: Toyota/Save Mart 350
    Place: Sonoma Raceway
    Date: Sunday, June 25
    Time: 3 p.m. ET
    TV: FS1, 1:30 p.m. ET
    Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 218.9 miles (110 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 25), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 50), Final Stage (Ends on lap 110)

    Complete TV Schedule

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

  • Jesse Little Iowa Speedway Race Preview

    Jesse Little Iowa Speedway Race Preview

    The Road Ahead – Jesse Little:
    “Iowa Speedway is a track our team has been solid at throughout my career. In my NASCAR K&N Pro Series career we’ve run up front every race and with the success our JJL Motorsports NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team had at Dover (top-5 qualifying, 14th place finish) we’re on top of our game right now. It’s great to see the gains we’re making in the Truck Series and Iowa gives us another opportunity to show what this team is capable of accomplishing. We’re bringing the same truck we ran at Dover and with backing from Triad CNC and SouthMark Properties we’re going to aim for another strong qualifying run and go after our first top-5 finish in the series.”

    Welcome Aboard:
    This week JJL Motorsports welcomes Triad CNC and SouthMark Properties as corporate partners for the M&M’s 200 at Iowa Speedway.

    Strong Supporter – Mark Chambers, General Manager, Triad CNC:
    “In Jesse, we see a driver committed to excellence. We at Triad CNC have the same level of commitment to providing outstanding performance, service and reliability to our customers. It is a privilege to adorn his Toyota Tundra at Iowa
    Speedway.”

    Triad CNC, a new manufacturing division of Triad Racing Technologies, is a full service CNC machine shop with capabilities of 3, 4 and 5-axis simultaneous CNC machining that will focus on servicing the current auto racing community and also expand into the aerospace and military industries.

    Little’s Iowa Speedway Stats (NKNPS):
    Starts: 8
    Poles: 1
    Best Start: 1st
    Best Finish: 2nd
    Top-5’s: 3
    Top-10’s: 4

    Little’s NCWTS Stats:
    Starts: 10
    Laps Completed: 921/999
    Lead Lap Finishes: 2
    Best Start: 5th
    Best Finish: 14th
    * M&M’s 200 on Friday will be Little’s first NCWTS start at Iowa Speedway

    JJL Motorsports Chassis Notes:
    Chassis: No. 001
    Built: 2012
    Starts: 10
    Best Start: 5th.
    Most Recent Performance: Finished 3rd, 6th and 14th in Dover Stages 1, 2 and 3

    Race Information:
    Date: Friday, June 23, 2017
    First Practice: 10-11:25 a.m. EST
    Final Practice: 12:15-1:15 p.m. EST
    Qualifying: 6:05 p.m. EST
    M&M’s 200 Green Flag: 8:47 p.m. EST
    Television Broadcast: FS1 (live)
    Radio Broadcast: MRN (live)
    Satellite Radio: SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90

    News and photos from the weekend’s Bar Harbor 200 will be available on JJL Motorsports Twitter account @JJL_Motorsports and Little’s Twitter account @jesselittle97 and on his Facebook page, Jesse Little Racing.

    About Triad Racing Technologies: Triad Racing Technologies successfully builds racing engines, body parts and is a primary vendor for Toyota Racing Development in NASCAR and has helped its clients win seven manufacturer championships, five driver championships, and over 100 wins in multiple series since 2004. Triad specializes in horsepower. Triad engines can be found under the hood in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA. Triad’s clients have accounted for 94 wins and 79 poles in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series since 2004. Triad’s success can be attributed to its high level of customer satisfaction, its ability to operate quickly and flexibly and its success in the sport from the grassroots to the major national series.

    About Gaunt Brothers Racing: Gaunt Brothers Racing, owned by Triad Racing Technologies president Marty Gaunt, returns to NASCAR racetracks in 2017 after a six-year hiatus. Operating out of Mooresville, N.C., the Toyota team utilizes championship-winning Triad engines to compete in select Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series events. GBR previously fielded teams in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and NASCAR Pinty’s Series, for drivers Alex Bowman, Jason Bowles and John Gaunt, recording a victory in the 2011 Toyota All-Star Showdown and a track-record qualifying time on the Toronto street course.

    About JJL Motorsports: JJL Motorsports is a NASCAR Driver Development Program with a vision to build long-term partnerships with drivers and sponsors in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR K&N Pro Series. JJL provides a comprehensive driver development program, race car rentals, set-up and technical services, testing consultation and driver coaching. In 2017 NASCAR driver Jesse Little will be running in select Camping World Truck Series and K&N Pro Series Events.
  • GMS Racing NCWTS Iowa Preview

    GMS Racing NCWTS Iowa Preview

    JOHNNY SAUTER
    No. 21 Allegiant Chevrolet Silverado

    Iowa Stats
    10 starts, 6 top-fives, 7 top-10s

    Additional Info
    – Sauter will pilot chassis no. 301 – a brand new chassis, just added to the GMS stable.

    – Sauter continues to lead the driver and owner championship point standings after the eighth race of the season. He has 1 win and 9 playoff points.

    Quote
    “I enjoy racing at Iowa. I had a streak of top-five finishes going on at one point but in the last three or four years that changed, so hopefully we can get back to that this year. Spencer (Gallagher) did well there last season and I think that will definitely play into what Joe (Shear, Jr., crew chief) decides to do this weekend. It always helps to have info like that when you come back to a track where maybe we didn’t do as well as we would have liked; something new for us to try and build on.”

     

     

    JUSTIN HALEY
    No. 24 Fraternal Order of Eagles Chevrolet Silverado

    Iowa Stats
    – Haley will be making his first NCWTS start at Iowa. Has 4 K&N Pro Series East starts, 3 top-fives.

    Additional Info
    – The No. 24 team will utilize GMS chassis no. 119 for the fourth time this year. It was previously raced at Atlanta, Charlotte, and Dover en route to two top-10 finishes.

    – Haley has earned three consecutive top-10 finishes, and four top-10 finishes in the last five races.

    – Following a 10th-place showing at Gateway Motorsports Park last week, Haley gained two positions in the driver championship point standings and is now 14th. The 18-year-old missed the first two races of the season due to age restrictions and made his first start of the year at Martinsville Speedway.

    Quote
    “I’ve raced Iowa several times in K&N and done well there so hopefully there is something that transfers over to the truck that helps this weekend. Our No. 24 team has had some decent finishes the last few weeks and we’re so close to a top-five, we just need to put a whole race together and be consistent from start to finish.”

     

     

    KAZ GRALA
    No. 33 Kiklos Chevrolet Silverado

    Iowa Stats
    1 start in 2016. Started 4th, finished 29th.

    Additional Info
    – Kaz will pilot chassis no.108 this weekend. Kaz raced this chassis earlier this season at Dover where he qualified 16th and raced to a runner-up finish. Spencer Gallagher also used this chassis six times last season but it had since been rebuilt for 2017.

    – Aside from one previous NCWTS start at Iowa Speedway, Kaz has four K&N Pro Series East starts at the 7/8-mile track, including two top-10 finishes.

    – After a 13th-place finish at Gateway Motorsports Park, Kaz is currently eighth in the driver point standings, with one win to his name.

    Quote
    “I love Iowa. That’s got to be one of my favorite tracks because it’s a short track, but unlike Gateway, it’s got some banking to hold you. You can get after it harder and the aero doesn’t quite effect you as much as it does at other tracks. You can really set up passes like you would on a normal short track.

    “I’ve raced a K&N car there four times, and a truck last year. Iowa is one of those tracks that I have more laps on than most of the tracks we race at. I know what the place is like and what I need from a truck there. That will help right away when we unload.”

    ABOUT GMS RACING
    GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with drivers Johnny Sauter, Justin Haley and Kaz Grala, and the NASCAR XFINITY Series with Spencer Gallagher and Ben Kennedy. Since the team’s start in 2014, GMS Racing has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. The campus also includes operations for GMS Fabrication.

    SOCIAL MEDIA
    To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow GMS Racing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

  • Top Five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rankings-Gateway

    Top Five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rankings-Gateway

    The NASCAR Camping Truck Series headed to Gateway Motorsports Park on Saturday night. It was the fourth race for the track since its return in 2014. The race was action packed and featured different pit strategies. Chase Briscoe won his first career pole in the series, alongside him was race winner John Hunter Nemechek.

    1. John Hunter Nemechek – Nemechek had a decent track record coming into Gateway but never had won. Nemechek set the pace early by taking the Stage 1 win. He faltered a little bit in Stage 2 after pit stops but wound up finishing third. After a late race caution with eight laps to go, Nemechek made the pass for the win with six laps to go and held off Chase Briscoe for the win. It was a gutsy pit call by taking fuel only but it paid off.

    “Incredible,” Nemechek said, “I felt like we had the truck to beat if we had track position.” Nemechek led three times for 46 laps.

    2. Chase Briscoe – Briscoe was another contender for the win all night long. After Nemechek took the  Stage 1 win, Briscoe had the dominant truck in Stage 2, ultimately winning the stage. However, a pit stop with 27 laps to go, cost him the win after a miscommunication with his crew. A late race caution came with 13 laps to go, this saw Briscoe come down pit road and take four tires. After the restart, he tried all he could to get to Nemechek, but eventually, settled for second place once again for the second week in a row.

    “Tonight was a really great night for Brad Keselowski Racing and I’m proud of this team,” Briscoe said. “We’ve had fast Ford F-150s at every single race this year, but this was the first time we really dominated.” Briscoe now has five top-five finishes of the year.

    3. Christopher Bell – After starting third, Bell was quietly in contention all night. In Stage 1, he finished fourth, while he finished fifth in the second stage. Bell made his pit stop with 30 laps to go by taking four tires. He was headed straight for the leader with 13 laps to go by taking second before a caution ultimately slowed the pace. Bell was second with two laps to go when Chase Briscoe made a dive bomb move and moved Bell up the track. He eventually got a flat tire and finished sixth.

    “We had a really, really good truck there on the long run after we made our pit stop,” Bell said. “The other guys didn’t take tires and we did so that definitely helped us there and I felt like we were going to have it. We had a really strong JBL Tundra there at the end, but I didn’t get it done on the restart and I feel bad for my guys because they worked really hard.”

    4. Matt Crafton – Crafton was finally looking to break through at Gateway after three years of bad luck there. He finished third in Stage 1 and second in Stage 2. After a miscue by Chase Briscoe’s pit crew, Crafton took the lead with 25 laps to go. A caution came out, however, with 13 laps to go for a stalled truck. He held the lead for two laps after the restart, before eventually getting passed by race winner John Hunter Nemechek. Crafton fell back to a disappointing fourth.

    “Those guys just took two tires, and I was on no tires,” Crafton said. “You win some, you lose some. Everybody is upset, but at the same time, they knew we were here tonight.”

    5. Grant Enfinger – Enfinger was nobody’s pick to win, but he quietly had a solid night finishing in the fifth position.

    “It turned out that way because these guys busted their tails all day,” Enfinger said. “We had a better truck,  I feel like, than fifth, but it gets dicey on the restarts, and you’ve got to put yourself in compromising situations to even have a shot at it.”

    The race featured only three cautions for 17 laps, with five leaders among nine lead changes.

    Johnny Sauter continues to lead the point standings by thirty-eight points over second-place Matt Crafton.

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series now heads to Iowa Speedway Friday night June 23.

  • John Hunter Nemechek Wins The Drivin For Lineman 200 at Gateway

    John Hunter Nemechek Wins The Drivin For Lineman 200 at Gateway

    John Hunter Nemechek won the Drivin For Lineman 200 at Gateway Motorsports Park. It was his first win of the 2017 season and the fourth of his career.

    Thirty-five laps made up stages 1 and 2, while 90 laps made up the final stage.

    Chase Briscoe and John Hunter Nemechek made up the front row in qualifying late in the afternoon.

    After Stage 1 got underway, Nemechek set an obliterating pace and went on to win the first stage, while Briscoe finished second. Varying pit strategies already came into play, with Nemechek taking four tires when Briscoe only took two tires and won the race off pit road. Todd Gilliland was hit with an uncontrolled tire penalty.

    Stage 2 began on lap 43, with Briscoe and Matt Crafton on the front row. It was a battle of track position, as Briscoe got out in front and never looked back. He would go on to win Stage 2 and pick up 10 championship playoff bonus points. More strategies once again took place, as Christopher Bell won the race off pit road by taking two tires, while Nemechek came out fifth.

    Stage 3 was set on lap 77, with Bell and Ryan Truex for the top spots. The race was clean and green, trouble free until Gilliland broke a transmission for the second time of the year, and ended up not finishing the race. Pit stops started to begin with 33 laps to go with Ben Rhodes the first one on pit road. Bell pitted with 30 laps to go and took four tires, Crafton with 29 and the leader Briscoe with 27 laps to go by taking fuel only.

    A miscommunication by the No. 29 Brad Keselowski Racing car cost Briscoe a few seconds on pit road and eventually the win. After the pit stops, Crafton went on by and took the lead with 25 laps to go. Bell was coming, going to second with 13 laps to go. However, a caution came out on the same lap for Josh Reaume for stalling on pit road. Chase Briscoe was the only truck among the leaders to come down pit road and take four tires.

    The race was would set up a restart with eight laps to go. Crafton on old tires was able to remain the leader until six laps to go when John Hunter Nemechek took the lead. Nemechek held off Crafton to win his first race of the season.

    Nemechek led three times for 46 laps.

    There were only five leaders among nine lead changes, with three cautions for 17 laps.

    Next up is the Iowa Speedway Friday night June 23 for the Iowa 200.

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Gateway-NCWTS-results-6-17-17-T1708_UNOFFRES.pdf” title=”Gateway NCWTS results 6-17-17 T1708_UNOFFRES”]

  • NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Preview-Gateway

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Preview-Gateway

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series continues this week as it heads to Gateway Motorsports Park. There are currently 28 trucks on the preliminary entry list.

    Since its return in 2014, there have been three different winners at Gateway. Those include Darrell Wallace Jr., Cole Custer and Christopher Bell.

    Christopher Bell – In last year’s race, Bell led 38 laps en route to victory. However, his victory was overshadowed by a fight between John Wes Townley and Spencer Gallagher. Bell looks to repeat this year and win his second consecutive race this year. He is second in the points standings, 40 points behind Johnny Sauter.

    Matt Crafton – Crafton has the most experience of any active driver at Gateway. In 13 races at Gateway, Crafton has seven top-10 finishes with a best finish of fifth in 2010. In recent years, however, Crafton has a finish of  21st or worse with three DNFs in the last three races.

    Kaz Grala – Grala has one start at Gateway and has one top-10 finish. Grala hasn’t won since Daytona and is looking to secure his second victory.

    Johnny Sauter – Never count out the current points leader, Sauter, at any racetrack. Sauter has five starts, five top-fives, five top-1o finishes, and has led 33 laps total.

    John Hunter Nemechek – Nemechek has made three starts at this racetrack. In the past two races, though, Nemechek has a finish of sixth or better. Expect Nemechek to be in contention on Saturday night.

    Ben Rhodes – In last year’s race, Rhodes finished second to Christopher Bell after starting on the pole. Rhodes is continuing his momentum on a good year with three top fives and four top 10s this season. He his still looking for the first win of his career.

    Side note – In the last three races, the winner has come from the top-10 starting spot. With that said, qualifying is important if you want a shot at the win.

    It will be an all-day event at Gateway Motorsports Park. There will be two practice sessions, qualifying at 5:45 p.m, ET and the green flag is scheduled for 8:48 p.m. ET Saturday night on FS1.