Category: Truck Series

Cody Coughlin, No. 2 JEGS.com Chevrolet Silverado
Bristol Stats
1 start, Best Finish: 17th (2017)
Season Stats
15 starts, 6 top-10, 10 top-15 finishes

Notes:

– The no. 2 team will unload chassis no.118 at Bristol this week. This will be the fourth time Coughlin has used this chassis, collecting two top-10 finishes earlier this season at Dover (sixth) and Iowa (seventh).

– Rallying to a 14th-place finish at Michigan, Coughlin remains 10th in the driver point standings.

Quote:

“We were running really well at the beginning of the race last year at Bristol (Motor Speedway) and we just lost the handle throughout the race after a cut tire early on. The big thing this year is going to be just keeping up with the changing track and, if I remember correctly, the fast guys moved up to the top last year, so making sure the truck handles well up there also. We need to make sure we have maneuverability and speed all night.”

 

Johnny Sauter, No. 21 GMS Fabrication Chevrolet Silverado
Bristol Stats
10 starts, 4 top-fives, 6 top-10s
2018 Season Stats
15 starts, 4 wins, 11 top-fives, 12 top-10s

Notes:

– Sauter will pilot GMS chassis no. 313 at Bristol Motor Speedway. This chassis was has been used twice this season, at Iowa Speedway and Gateway Motor Sports Park, with Sauter earning top-five finishes in both events.

– Sauter and the No. 21 team will attempt to claim the regular season championship Thursday night. In doing so, Sauter would add to his Playoff Point total and increase his championship points lead prior to the start of The Playoffs at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.

– The Necedah, Wis., native is locked into The Playoffs with four wins and has 22 Playoff Points. He holds a 56-point lead over Noah Gragson in the driver championship point standings.

Quotes:

“We’ve had good speed at Bristol, but for some reason it seems like I always tend to get a little tight toward the end of that race. You always tell yourself when you’re going that fast and trying to run through traffic like that you need to be freer. That’s one place that I would love to get a win. I think every driver would. I just feel like that’s one of those places that you feel like you’ve done something big if you can get a win there. Having said that, for some reason we just come up a little short and last year we got roughed up on a late race restart and ended up sixth. That’s another race track that puts a big emphasis on grip and that track just seems to tighten up as it takes rubber.”

 

Justin Haley, No. 24 Fraternal Order of Eagles Chevrolet Silverado
Bristol Stats
2 starts, Best finish: 11th (2017)
Season Stats
15 starts, 1 win, 5 top-fives, 11 top-10 finishes

Notes:

– For the sixth time this year, Haley will utilize chassis no. 302 when the Fraternal Order of Eagles team unloads at Bristol. Haley has a chassis-best finish of third from earlier this year at Dover with no. 302, and most recently ran this chassis at Kentucky where he finished 10th.

– Aside from two previous NCWTS starts, Haley also has two NASCAR K&N Pro Series East starts at Bristol, resulting in one top-five and two top-10 finishes.

– With Bristol being the final race before The Playoffs begin, Haley is sitting seventh in the NCWTS driver point standings. He’s already locked in to the first round after his win at Gateway, but will use Bristol as a chance to gain more Playoff points for a better seeding.

Quote:

“Bristol (Motor Speedway) is always fun. Last year we struggled with the VHT. It’s hard there, you’re stuck on the bottom for the most part, but a lot of guys actually moved up to the top later in the race. I couldn’t get it working though, but a lot of guys could. We probably had a top-five truck but just got shuffled back after having some issues with lap trucks at the end of the race. Bristol has always been one of my favorites to go to. It’s fast, and as a short track, it’s one of those places where you can just get up on the wheel and go get after it.”

On one-day shows at Bristol

“You start the day not wanting to be the first one on track because the VHT is cold and there’s different rubber down. You have to wait until later in practice to get a good feel for what your truck actually has. By the end of practice it’s usually super hot and people are running up top. It’s a hard balance to find. You want to run as hard as you can, but even if you put half your right side tire above the VHT you’re going for a ride and you get real loose. It’s such a thin strip, you just have to try keep all four tires in it as much as possible. It really makes it difficult for qualifying runs, trying to get all you can.”

 

Dalton Sargeant, No. 25 Performance Plus Motor Oil Chevrolet Silverado
Bristol Stats
1 start, 1 top-10 (2015)
2018 Season Stats
15 starts, 1 top-five, 4 top-10s, 10 top-15s

Notes:

– Sargeant will pilot GMS chassis no. 115 at Bristol Motor Speedway. The No. 25 team has utilized this chassis once this season, earning a 13th-place finish at Dover.

– The 20-year-old is currently 11th in the driver championship point standings after 15 races.

Quote:

“I love Bristol, to be honest. The high banking, the short track atmosphere, all the beating and banging; it’s a lot of fun. We should have a pretty decent truck and hopefully, we can get a good finish. Bristol can definitely be a challenge though. As a driver you have to remind yourself to stay relaxed and ease up a little, not grip the wheel too tight or you’ll wear yourself out quick. You’ve got to be smart getting around there and not tear the truck up too much. With that, I think we have to take all the chances we can to make The Playoffs. We can’t get in on points so we just need to be smart about everything, and if there’s an opportunity that presents itself then you definitely have to jump at it and see if you can make the best of it.”

 

ABOUT GMS RACING

GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with drivers Cody Coughlin, Johnny Sauter, Justin Haley and Dalton Sargeant, and in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. 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.

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Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS)
Michigan International Speedway
Race 15 of 23 – 200 miles, 100 laps
August 11, 2018

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, BRETT MOFFITT
2nd, Johnny Sauter*
3rd, John Hunter Nemechek *
4th, NOAH GRAGSON
5th, TODD GILLILAND
17th, BO LEMASTUS
22nd, SPENCER DAVIS
24th, KORBIN FORRISTER
31st, MATT MILLS
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA DRIVER POINT STANDINGS**
1st, Johnny Sauter* 625 points
2nd, NOAH GRAGSON 569 points
3rd, Grant Enfinger 550 points
4th, Stewart Friesen* 536 points
5th, BRETT MOFFITT 533 points
12th, TODD GILLILAND 371 points
23rd, SPENCER DAVIS 141 points
26th, HARRISON BURTON 113 points
27th, DAVID GILLILAND 107 points
*non-Toyota driver
**unofficial point standings

· Tundra driver Brett Moffitt earned his fourth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) victory of the 2018 season in Saturday afternoon’s race at Michigan International Speedway.

· Moffitt started from the 21st position and led only 5 (of 100 laps) total laps in today’s race and made an exciting last-lap pass to capture the victory.

· Kyle Busch Motorsports teammates and fellow Tundra drivers Noah Gragson (fourth) and Todd Gilliland (fifth) also earned top-five finishes at the two-mile oval.

· Gragson led a total of 18 laps while Gilliland was out front for eight.

BRETT MOFFITT, No. 16 Hino Toyota Tundra, Hattori Racing Enterprises

Finishing Position: 1st

What does it mean to get the win on a last lap pass?

“I knew Johnny (Sauter) was fast and our Toyota engine, we were lacking a little bit of raw speed today with that, but I was just really waiting to time it. Aisin Group, Toyota and TRD – everything they do for us, they give us the right tools to get the job done. Pretty amazing that this little team has gone to victory lane four times now this year. I can’t thank Shige Hattori (team owner) and all these guys enough.”

How were you able to make the move on Johnny Sauter?

“The whole last however many laps that I was behind him, I was running wide open and I would push him with that air bubble between our bumpers so I tried to back up (turn) one and let him get out there a little bit. I knew the 8 (John Hunter Nemechek) was behind us and I was hoping he would get to us and be able to push us. I was able to plan it right and play it right – it’s just great to get here.”

How were you able to see where to make the move on Johnny Sauter?

“We were running wide open the whole last stint there, once Johnny (Sauter) got out front and I knew his truck was really fast. I was making sure that if I was going to pass him, don’t give him enough time to get back by. I was able to time it right and side draft him to the line there and get off of him and pull away by a fender.”

Were you surprised Sauter gave you the low groove?

“Normally the top momentum is better and I had been running behind him lap after lap and I wasn’t able to get to his quarter panel – laying off of him in one there, I was able to get to his quarter and side draft him and then it was just a race to the line.”

Did you think this team would be here with four victories a few months ago when sponsorship was in question?

“Certainly not, that’s just a testament to Shige Hattori (team owner) and all these guys on this team. We work hard, we never give up. Can’t thank Hino and Toyota Industrial and Aisin Group for being on board this week – that’s another piece to the puzzle, we have great partners. The more success we have on track, the more success off the track. We still have a few races that we need to get filled, but hopefully this was a step in the right direction.”

Where do you see your team going into the Playoffs?

“A lot better now. We had a rough little patch there where we still had really fast Tundras and everyone was working hard, but we just didn’t have things go our way and we didn’t execute the races like we needed to. It’s good to have one work out. I wouldn’t say we had the most speed today, but we had a really good handling truck and that was what was key. We’ve had good trucks all year long and it’s just an honor to go drive them. We get a lot of momentum going into the Playoffs now and have some more Playoff points today. That’s a positive feeling.”

Is it important to beat Johnny Sauter like that knowing you will battle him in the Playoffs?

“Certainly, I already see that unless something weird happens, he’s (Sauter) going to be one of the final four at Homestead and he’s the only other guy to win four races this year and it’s good to be able to join him on that level and get some points back on him. We’re tough competitors and we don’t like losing to each other. It’s good to go out on top.”

Is there something special that you’re able to win these races on the final lap?

“I’m a better hunter than hunted I guess. It seems to be if the money’s on the line, I can grab that extra gear and get aggressive. You don’t need to lead all of them.”

Do you think you could have beaten Sauter on the outside groove?

“I had momentum so I don’t know, that’s a good question. It probably would have been easier for him (Sauter) to slide up and block if he was on the bottom and then slid up to the outside. I don’t know, we were really good center to entry of three and I was able to hold it wide open and get a good run down in there and then once I got to his quarter panel, that was kind of the nail in the coffin, but it’s still a drag race back and I was trying not to get too far ahead of him to where he could come back and side draft me back. It was close, it was good racing and just glad we were able to come out on top.”

Do you feel you can go to Bristol and win and are you the championship team to beat?

“As far as Bristol goes, yes certainly – me and Scott (Zipadelli, crew chief) ran second there two years ago at Red Horse Racing and we have fast trucks every week. Our short track program at Iowa and Gateway was really strong and that puts some more confidence in me, but Bristol is always a little bit of a survival race and it seems like at the end things start to go haywire and if we can survive and stay up front and have decent speed, I think we’ll be having a good shot at victory lane again. As far as a championship team goes, I’ve felt all year long that we’re a potential champion team. We just need to cross all our ‘T’s’ and dot all our ‘I’s’ and the biggest thing is execution. We’ve had the speed all year and we’ve worked well together all year and we’ve made out trucks better throughout the race in minimal, minimal time so the biggest thing is just going to be executing on the Playoffs and when we get to Homestead, go have a perfect day.”

What does it mean to be where you are currently with this team focused on a championship run?

“It’s great. Running for a championship is obviously mentally more difficult than running one-off races here and there. When I ran here two years ago and won, I didn’t even know if I would be in the car the next week. It was just aggressive, lay it all on the line and now you have the whole points equation coming into it and obviously with the new style points it’s not as big of a deal as long as you have wins in the bank. It’s great to have this opportunity that Shige Hattori has given me, it’s fun when we can be aggressive and we have fast trucks. I don’t feel like we’re ever on defense in a race, we’re always on the attack. That makes my job a lot easier and more fun and it’s just fun working with all these guys here.”

Has your phone been ringing with other potential offers for 2019?

“It has not, but this seems like a good weekend to hang around and try. This seems like a good place to win after everything that’s come out. No, nothing yet.”

SCOTT ZIPADELLI, crew chief, No. 16 Hino Toyota Tundra, Hattori Racing Enterprises

Did you make any significant changes to the car before the race based on your qualifying position?

“No, we didn’t. It’s pretty much a product of the two engines that the Camping World Truck Series allows us to race – the NT1 and the OEM engine. It’s been something that’s kind of gone on all year with our team is our qualifying hasn’t been as good as it was last year, as you could see – we sat on a few poles last year and didn’t win any races and we haven’t sat on any poles and we’ve won four races. We knew coming here that qualifying would be an issue, but we worked on our game plan and stuck to it and this engine has a lot of advantages to it and it prevailed today.”

How has moral changed on the team with Brett Moffitt as the driver?

“The moral on the team has always been good. There’s three of us that have worked together before and it’s just like putting an old pair of shoes on, it works – you still like the shoes, they still feel good and we still enjoy what we do. We’re all very, very serious and we don’t take anything for granted. Right now, how could the moral be bad, right? Pretty much how I approach it and the boys have kind of followed suit, there’s a lot of things in this world that can really mess you up so to race cars for a living is a pretty huge privilege and winning is a huge privilege and it’s a major bonus to work with people you really like, to be successful and to win is just a huge gift actually. Very thankful.”

Is there any race in the Playoffs where the OEM engine could hurt the team?

“I would say Talladega is huge. As you can see if you look back at the speeds in Daytona, we were at a major deficit. NASCAR made some changes to the plate that the NT1 engine is going to run, which they think they’re going to be even. I don’t think it’s going to be even, but we can’t cry about it. It is what it is, but Talladega is kind of a crap shoot in itself so I don’t expect to have blistering speed in qualifying with single truck. We’ll do what we always do, we’ll stick to the plan and get our truck driving as best we can and like Brett (Moffitt) says, just execute.”

How big of a challenge is it to prepare the truck for Bristol after racing at Michigan?

“That’s probably the easiest challenge that we have really. It’s not a problem for us, we’re well prepared for Bristol. The truck has been put together, we started setting it up before we left on Thursday and looking forward to getting back to the shop and finishing that truck. That’s easy, we know what we have to do. The biggest thing is reviewing the races and having a good game plan and watch the race unfold with the PJ1 down on the surface, that’s probably the biggest obstacle of Bristol.”

NOAH GRAGSON, No. 18 Safelite Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports

Finishing Position: 4th

TODD GILLILAND, No. 4 Mobil1 Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports

Finishing Position: 5th

How was your Tundra in today’s race?

“We had a really fast Mobil 1 Toyota Tundra today and we just needed something, a little bit more to compete with those guys – (Johnny) Sauter and (Brett) Moffitt this weekend. We’re getting there every week for sure, but it kind of hurts to be that close. I felt like we were one adjustment away and in these races, you get like one-and-a-half chances at it. That’s just something I’m not used to and I need to get a little better.”

Are you concerned with one race left to make it into the Playoffs this season?

“I don’t know, I think just as the race ran we got a little tighter and tighter. Nonetheless, they brought me a really fast Mobil 1 Toyota Tundra for today’s race and I learned a lot out there. It’s a lot different, but just another oval. We just need to keep learning every week and I feel like we’re just one part away every race and that’s a good feeling and also a bad feeling. You mention one race left and the KBM stuff has been really good there at Bristol in the past so we’ll see what we can do.”

SPENCER DAVIS, No. 51 JBL Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports

Finishing Position: 22nd

How disappointing was this finish to your race?

“Definitely not the weekend that we wanted right here. Blew a right-rear tire in qualifying and actually had a good race truck to start off and unfortunately something happened to get the truck loose and we couldn’t diagnose the problem. Just trying to salvage the day here and get a top-10 finish and a right-rear tire blew again. Unfortunate way to end my Truck Series season right here, but just thankful for the opportunity to do it again next year.”

MATT MILLS, No. 54 J.F. Electric/Crosley Brands Toyota Tundra, DGR Crosley

Finishing Position: 31st

How disappointing it is to have your day that started with a strong qualifying effort end with an accident?

“After qualifying, it was going to be a highlight of the day – everybody kept talking to me and telling me what a great story it was. My guys at DGR, I can’t thank them enough for this opportunity that they give me. In qualifying, they showed what kind of a Tundra they brought – a fast one! I was kind of getting used to being in traffic and that’s part of the experience problem, I don’t have a ton of experience being up with those guys and it’s kind of why we made the switch to do this because you can’t really do it in the back of the pack. Just a tough deal, I really wanted to do well today. It was going so well and like I said, these guys are unbelievable to work with and I had fun all weekend. Hate that I got pretty loose right there in traffic. The truck was handling fine, but in traffic these trucks are crazy.”

What happened in the accident?

“I think (Johnny) Sauter was on my inside and a couple of them were on my inside and I don’t know if anybody was creeping up there. We were all in that pack right there and the air was going 40 different ways. It gets you off sometimes, especially if you’re not really for it. I’ll learn from it and I don’t want to say that I won’t do it again, but we’ll just move on and I’ll keep watching the replay and be mad at myself for doing it, but make sure not to do it again.”

BRETT MOFFITT, No. 16 Hino Toyota Tundra, Hattori Racing Enterprises

Finishing Position: 1st

What does it mean to get the win on a last lap pass?

“I knew Johnny (Sauter) was fast and our Toyota engine, we were lacking a little bit of raw speed today with that, but I was just really waiting to time it. Aisin Group, Toyota and TRD – everything they do for us, they give us the right tools to get the job done. Pretty amazing that this little team has gone to victory lane four times now this year. I can’t thank Shige Hattori (team owner) and all these guys enough.”

How were you able to make the move on Johnny Sauter?

“The whole last however many laps that I was behind him, I was running wide open and I would push him with that air bubble between our bumpers so I tried to back up (turn) one and let him get out there a little bit. I knew the 8 (John Hunter Nemechek) was behind us and I was hoping he would get to us and be able to push us. I was able to plan it right and play it right – it’s just great to get here.”

How were you able to see where to make the move on Johnny Sauter?

“We were running wide open the whole last stint there, once Johnny (Sauter) got out front and I knew his truck was really fast. I was making sure that if I was going to pass him, don’t give him enough time to get back by. I was able to time it right and side draft him to the line there and get off of him and pull away by a fender.”

Were you surprised Sauter gave you the low groove?

“Normally the top momentum is better and I had been running behind him lap after lap and I wasn’t able to get to his quarter panel – laying off of him in one there, I was able to get to his quarter and side draft him and then it was just a race to the line.”

Did you think this team would be here with four victories a few months ago when sponsorship was in question?

“Certainly not, that’s just a testament to Shige Hattori (team owner) and all these guys on this team. We work hard, we never give up. Can’t thank Hino and Toyota Industrial and Aisin Group for being on board this week – that’s another piece to the puzzle, we have great partners. The more success we have on track, the more success off the track. We still have a few races that we need to get filled, but hopefully this was a step in the right direction.”

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Aug. 10, 2018) – DGR-Crosley announced today that NASCAR NEXT member Riley Herbst would join the team for three races this season. Herbst will compete in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) races at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and ISM Raceway in Phoenix, Ariz. The 19-year-old Las Vegas, Nev., native will also race in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway next month.

Herbst is currently competing full-time in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards for Joe Gibbs Racing. So far this season, he has scored nine top-10 finishes with six of those finishes being fifth-place or better. In 2017, Herbst was named the ARCA Racing Series SCOTT Rookie of the Year after securing a win, a Pole Award and six top-five finishes. Aside from his ARCA Racing Series experience, Herbst has competed in both the NCWTS and NASCAR XFINITY Series this season. In his lone Truck Series start with Kyle Busch Motorsports, he earned a sixth-place finish at Gateway Motorsports Park. He also had an impressive showing in his NASCAR XFINTIY Series debut with Joe Gibbs Racing, going on to finish sixth at Iowa Speedway.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to join DGR-Crosley for a few races this season,” said Herbst. “They’ve shown impressive speed in the Truck Series and are dominating the K&N Series right now. I think we’ll have a real shot to run up front and contend for a win in all three races. Having David [Gilliland] to lean on will be a huge asset as well. I was able to work with the 54 crew some last week in a test at Bristol and we learned a lot that will help us next week. I’m really looking forward to getting to Bristol.”

Herbst’s first race in the No. 54 Advanced Auto Parts Toyota Tundra will be Thursday, August 16 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Qualifying will kick-off at 4:10 p.m., ET with racing action beginning at 8:30 p.m. on FS1.

Toyota Racing – Noah Gragson
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS)
Michigan International Speedway – August 10, 2018

Kyle Busch Motorsports driver Noah Gragson was made available to the media at Michigan International Speedway:

NOAH GRAGSON, No. 18 Safelite Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports

What is your mindset heading into this weekend and the final races leading into the Playoffs?

“I feel like this weekend is a great opportunity to win. I know I’ve been working hard this past week to get back in my Safelite Auto Glass Toyota Tundra and I’ve done a lot of preparation going in – talked to Kyle (Busch) quite a bit. He runs here good in a truck and I just have to be more aggressive. I have a good shot, a good opportunity this weekend to compete for the win and it’s all going to boil down to being in the right position at the end of the race. I feel like there’s not a ton of pressure going into this weekend, it’s more of a weekend with superspeedway racing or how superspeedway racing used to be – we’re not really going to do this kind of racing when we get to the Playoff races so this is not a fun weekend, but one that we can use as a chance to clean some stuff up before we get into the Playoffs and just have some fun and try to get the trophy.”

How do you feel about the road course and Talladega in the Playoffs?

“I feel like some drivers might be nervous going into there (Canada) because it’s the only road course we get to race during the year. I feel comfortable on the road course, I finished second there last year so I like that track. I’m pretty confident going to that track, but Talladega, that’s the one I feel like probably is the biggest crap shoot just because anything can happen. I was fortunate enough to be able to run last year in the race and it seemed like it was pretty clean. The guys got a little aggressive, but it wasn’t too bad. It always seems like Daytona – I always feel like if we went to Daytona here in the Playoffs, there would be a lot of wrecks, but Talladega is so wide and you don’t see as many wrecks and I was able to participate in the Xfinity race this year at Talladega so just fortunate to get some more experience under my belt. I feel confident for that first race – Talladega will be the biggest crap shoot, but you never know until you’re in the moment.”

Where is your team as far as being a championship contender?

“I feel like we can always get better as a team first of all, but I have the most confidence in my team and I feel like we’re the best team in the garage and have the best Toyota Tundras when we get to the race track and just having that confidence is an important thing to me. I feel like yes, if we went to Homestead we would definitely be a contender. I have a great group surrounding me at Kyle Busch Motorsports and just really fortunate to be racing here in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and just trying to do the best I can do when I get out onto the race track and learn the most I can. This weekend it will be a fun weekend and then we go to Bristol. Once we get into the Playoffs, that’s where it really starts and we have to start capitalizing on opportunities to get to Homestead and then it’s kind of gloves off when we get there.”

Which race in the Playoffs will be your Achilles heel?

“Probably Talladega, I feel like I need to be a lot more aggressive there. I’ve always been sort of the driver to not make the boldest moves there just because I want to be there at the end and have an opportunity to be racing at the end. I really wish last year, not put more of an effort into my speedway racing, but been more aggressive and made bolder moves and if that means I made a mistake and wrecked, but last year I wish I would have tried more stuff because it’s really important this year being in the Playoffs – I wasn’t in the Playoffs last year so being in the Playoffs this year, I feel like Talladega is going to be my weakest track, but we should have a lot of speed there. We’ve been working really hard at Kyle Busch Motorsports to get more speed in our Tundras and just having confidence in my team going to all these places is very important.”

How much do you feel this weekend can help your aggressiveness?

“I feel like this weekend is going to help me quite a bit, but I’ve kind of noticed a trend where we’ll be really fast in practice, really fast for the first and second stage of the race and then if we get shuffled back sixth or seventh on a pit stop or whatever happens in traffic, I need to do a better job of getting my way through traffic and making bolder moves. I spoke with my crew chief Rudy Fugle this week and I was like, ‘Let’s prepare for Michigan,’ and I was expecting to go in there and we would talk solely about Michigan, but he told me to do what I did at other race tracks where I was making passes and I was making bold moves and we kind of looked at my restarts and what I did well with and what I did better so just trying to be more aggressive and have good judgement all at the same time without wrecking people, but it’s a fine line when you’re out there. I lay in bed every night thinking about the upcoming race or a race I did in the past and what I could have done better. I’m just always thinking about that and it’s easier said than done and then you think about it that I could just weave my way up through there, but once you get in the moment, it’s harder. Just trying to get that experience and trying to learn what I can and ultimately it’s going to come down to Homestead and hopefully I can have all that experience pay off.”

Is your goal to move to the Xfinity Series in 2019?

“I think it’s one of my goals, I’m not sure if I’m pinpointing 2019 – I really don’t know where we are along with that right now. My priority right now is to focus on the Playoffs and doing the best job I can do from here until Homestead and just try to focus on the moment. I can focus on what’s going to happen next year or years down the road, but it’s not going to do me any good. I need to perform right now and win races and do the best job I can do. I’m very fortunate to have a good group around me with Kyle Busch Motorsports and Toyota Racing to do that, I have a lot of great people. Just trying to focus right now on the moment and then hopefully I can win some races and the rest will take care of itself.”

Race Advance: Michigan International Speedway

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 9, 2018) – The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) will return to action this weekend at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich. DGR-Crosley will field two trucks in the Corrigan Oil 200 on Saturday with the No. 17 Crosley Brands Toyota Tundra of Bo LeMastus and the No. 54 J.F. Electric Toyota driven by Matt Mills.

Mills, a 21-year-old Lynchburg, Va. native, joins the team for the first time this weekend. He has one previous start at Michigan International Speedway, which occurred earlier this season in the NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS). Along with his part-time NXS experience, Mills also has ten NCWTS starts under belt.

LeMastus will return to the No. 17 truck this weekend for his first Truck Series start at Michigan International Speedway. He has one previous start at the two-mile track in the ARCA Racing Series, where he put together a top-10 finish. Five of LeMastus’ nine top-10 ARCA Racing Series finishes occurred at speedways at least two miles in length.

Track: Michigan International Speedway, 2 mile oval

Event Details: Corrigan Oil 200 (200 miles, 100 laps)

Schedule: Friday, August 10
1:05 p.m……..Practice (FS1)
3:05 p.m…….Final Practice (FS1)
Saturday, August 11
9:30 a.m……..Qualifying (FS1)
1:00 p.m……..Race (FS1)
(all times ET)

LeMastus on Michigan: “My first race at Michigan was in the ARCA Racing Series. It’s been a few years since I’ve raced there, but I think there will definitely be some carryover from what I learned in the the ARCA car to the trucks. We’ll have some time to practice on Friday and get a good feel for the track before we qualify and race on Saturday. I know the DGR-Crosley guys will unload a truck with good speed, we just have to put it all together and have a solid race.”

Mills on Michigan: “I’m very excited to be getting an opportunity to run for DGR-Crosley. The past few years I have been using my opportunities to learn and grow as a driver. Now I’ll get to test the skills that I’ve learned and see where I rank up with other drivers in the field. I know the DGR-Crosley team brings fast trucks to the track every weekend. I can’t wait to get behind the wheel to see what I can do, and how much more I can learn with them at Michigan. Having David [Gilliland] there to help me is going to be huge asset. I can’t thank everyone at J.F. Electric and DGR-Crosley enough for giving me this opportunity.”