Category: Truck Series

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series news and information

  • Pair of No. 4 Teams, Others Facing Post-Atlanta Penalties

    Pair of No. 4 Teams, Others Facing Post-Atlanta Penalties

    The action and on-track drama at Atlanta Motor Speedway caused some teams to face post-race penalties across all three major NASCAR touring series.

    In the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the race-winning team of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford driven by veteran Kevin Harvick had one unsecured lug nut in post-race inspection. Crew chief Rodney Childers was fined $10,000 for the safety violation. No further fines or suspensions were placed on the team.

    Childers stated on Twitter his focus was on the win. While he knew his pit crew missed one lug nut, he understood what was on the line with that final pit stop.

    In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, two teams faced penalties for the same actions as Harvick’s team. The No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet and the No. 52 Means Motorsports Chevrolet were caught with one unsecured lug nut during post-race inspection on Saturday. Crew chiefs for both teams, Mike Shiplett and Tim Brown respectively, were each fined $5,000 with no further penalties. John Hunter Nemechek made his Xfinity series debut in the No. 42, finishing in the fourth position, while David Starr drove the No. 52 car to a 28th place result.

    However, it seems Kyle Busch received the most attention from the weekend. In the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, his No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota received the biggest penalty across all three series.

    With six laps to go in the Active Pest Control 200 at Atlanta, Josh Reaume hit the wall, bringing out the yellow flag and sending the leaders to pit road in preparation for a two-lap overtime. Busch’s pit crew had trouble on the right-front tire, causing a delay with the pit stop. The rear tire changer came around to the left side and loosened the lug nuts already, as the team had already prepared to change all four tires. However, once the issue was corrected on the right front and the jack dropped, Busch and his crew chief called an audible for just right-side tires, leaving his pit box to keep his lead. He pulled away before the crew could place lug nuts back on the left rear tire. Ultimately, the tire came off while Busch was on the apron of turns 1 and 2, and had to back up onto pit row with sparks flying from underneath the truck. Busch ended the race in the 21st position, one lap down.

    Busch’s misfortune resulted in Brett Moffitt’s improbable win Saturday.

    According to the NASCAR Camping World Truck series, the rulebook states: “Any loss or separation of an improperly installed tire(s)/wheel(s) from the vehicle after exiting the team’s assigned pit box will result in a three-race suspension of the crew chief, tire changer of the lost wheel(s), and the jack man.”

    While Busch’s crew chief, Marcus Richmond, is an employee of Kyle Busch Motorsports, the jackman and rear tire changer were both from Stewart-Haas Racing. Coleman Dollarhide is a rear tire changer on Cole Custer’s Xfinity team and Kurt Busch’s Cup team. Jackman Ernie Pierce services Clint Bowyer’s Cup car at SHR. The main concern was how the penalty would affect Dollarhide and Pierce for their responsibilities to the other teams in the other NASCAR series.

    To Dollarhide’s and Pierce’s relief, NASCAR announced Wednesday morning that they both would still be eligible to perform their duties in both the Xfinity and Cup series and that their penalty would only affect the Truck series.

    When asked about the penalties issued to the various crew members, Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR’s chief racing development officer, shared in an interview on Monday the process they took to reach this conclusion.

    “I think that’s really the discussion, not so much will they be penalized; it’s should it just apply to the Camping World Truck Series. I think that’s where we’re leaning but (series officials) wanted to take the time to get through the weekend and have that dialogue internally.

    “We want to be as fair as we can. We want the penalty obviously to have some teeth into it. We think it does in terms of the suspension. We want to make sure it possibly just applies to that series and who is working on that race.’’

    Marcus Richmond, who was also suspended and faced fines, shared his disappointment in himself in a tweet on Wednesday morning.

    All three major touring series return to racing action this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Tickets are still available and can be purchased through the speedway’s website at http://www.lvms.com/tickets/pennzoil_400/.

  • Four Takeaways From The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race At Atlanta

    Four Takeaways From The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race At Atlanta

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series visited the 1.5-mile racetrack in Atlanta, Georgia this past weekend for the annual Active Pest Control 200. Here are four takeaways from that event.

    1. Brett Moffitt Shines In Last Lap Restart – Moffitt hasn’t won a race since Michigan of 2016, where he scored his first career win with Red Horse Racing before they ended up closing their doors. However, for Hattori Racing, it was the first time for them to end up in victory lane. With a late race restart that came with two laps to go, Moffitt was there when it counted and led the only laps that were the most important. With that win, Moffit and the No. 16 team are now locked into the Playoffs. It will be interesting to see how he and the team carry this momentum.
    2. Noah Gragson Finishes Runner-Up – When there’s a restart with two laps to go in any race, you can expect it to be a wild finish. That statement rang true for Gragson. The No. 18 Safelite Tundra restarted ninth and finished second in just two laps. You could say it was almost like a video game for the No. 18 driver.
    3. Busch Will Have To Wait Another Couple Of Races To Tie Hornaday’s Record – It looked like Kyle Busch could have been one step closer to tying NASCAR Hall of Famer Ron Hornaday last Saturday night. However, under caution, Busch’s left rear tire fell off due to miscues on pit road with the late race caution. He led 67 of the scheduled 134 laps and even won Stage 2, but was relegated to a 21st place finish. It’s no doubt though that Busch will most likely either tie or surpass Hornaday’s record as he sits at 49 wins. Busch is currently scheduled to compete in Las Vegas this weekend, Kansas in May and Charlotte.
    4. Stewart Friesen Earns Top 10 Finish – The No. 52 of Halmar Racing continues to impress in the Truck Series. Friesen started seventh, ran ninth in Stage 1 but was outside the top 10 in Stage 2. However, he rallied his way back in the remaining laps to wind up sixth on the scoring pylon. This was Friesen’s sixth top 10 finish of his career. The No. 52 team could surprise the field and the fans by ending up in victory lane at some point this season.
  • Justin Fontaine – Stratosphere 200 Race Advance

    Justin Fontaine – Stratosphere 200 Race Advance

    Stratosphere 200 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway Race Advance
    Team: No. 45 ProMATIC Automation Chevrolet Silverado
    Driver: Justin Fontaine
    Crew Chief: Darrell Morrow
    Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @driverfontaine

    Fontaine on Racing at Las Vegas:  “I’m looking forward to Las Vegas.  Atlanta was a fast and tough mile-and-a-half, but Las Vegas should be a little similar to the other mile-and-a-half tracks I’ve run in ARCA and at Chicagoland last year in a Truck.

    “I’ve been told that you really need to get your truck to rotate through the corners to carry the speed on the straightaways.  Our Niece Motorsports team has a great technical alliance with GMS Racing and I know that relationship should be a benefit for us this weekend.”

    Fontaine at Las Vegas: Fontaine will visit another track for the first time this season this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  Friday night’s race will mark the rookie of the year contender’s first start at the 1.5-mile track.

    Recapping Atlanta:  In his first start at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Fontaine qualified 22nd and finished 19th.

    “My 45 team fought hard and we all gave it 110 percent every lap,” said Fontaine.  “I want to thank Superior Essex for stepping on board and for everything they have done for us.  I’m looking forward to improving at Vegas.”

    On the Truck: Fontaine’s No. 45 Chevrolet will carry the ProMATIC Automation, Inc. colors in Friday’s race.  ProMATIC Automation, Inc. specializes in the design and build of custom factory automation equipment.

    ProMATIC Automation, Inc. has extensive experience in the integration of high-level automation technologies like robotics, laser, vision, and dispensing systems along with many years of combined experience in the design and machining of custom manufactured components.

    About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece.  In 2018, Niece Motorsports enters its second full season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, fielding two full-time teams with Austin Wayne Self and Justin Fontaine.  Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 30 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 twitter @NieceMotorsport.

  • Austin Wayne Self – Stratosphere 200 Race Advance

    Austin Wayne Self – Stratosphere 200 Race Advance

    Stratosphere 200 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway Race Advance
    Team: No. 22 Don’t mess with Texas/AM Technical Solutions Chevrolet Silverado
    Driver: Austin Wayne Self
    Crew Chief: Joey Cohen
    Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @AustinWSelf

    Self on Racing at Las Vegas:  “I’ve always liked Las Vegas.  Each time I’ve run there, I seem to find myself getting more comfortable.  It’s a place where momentum certainly helps and balance is key for the long run.”

    Self at Las Vegas: Self will make his third NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Friday night.  In his two previous starts, coming in 2016 and 2017, Self placed 21st and 20th, respectively.

    Recapping Atlanta: Self qualified 20th for last Saturday’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.  The Austin-native turned in a solid performance, crossing the finish line in 15th.

    “I’m very happy with our progress throughout the race,” said Self.  “My team did an excellent job making positive changes with the feedback given.  For such a difficult and demanding race track that we raced on, I feel confident in what we are going to bring to Vegas.”

    On The Truck: TxDOT’s Don’t mess with Texas litter prevention campaign has been educating Texans about litter prevention since 1986.  For more information, visit dontmesswithtexas.org.

    About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece.  In 2018, Niece Motorsports enters its second full season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, fielding two full-time teams with Austin Wayne Self and Justin Fontaine.  Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 30 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 twitter @NieceMotorsport.

  • GMS Racing NCWTS Las Vegas Preview

    GMS Racing NCWTS Las Vegas Preview

    CODY COUGHLIN
    No. 2 JEGS.com Chevrolet Silverado

    Las Vegas Stats
    2 starts, 1 top-10

    Additional Info
    – Coughlin will pilot chassis no. 307; a brand-new chassis built by GMS Fabrication.

    – After a 20th-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Coughlin is tied for 13th in the NCWTS driver point standings, 61 points behind GMS Racing teammate Johnny Sauter.

    Quote
    “I love racing at Las Vegas (Motor Speedway). We had a good run there last year and I’m confident that we will again this year with the team I have behind me at GMS Racing.

    “Aside from that, Vegas is one of my favorite cities we go to during the season. I love the lights, the hotels and the good food.”

     

    JOHNNY SAUTER
    No. 21 Allegiant Chevrolet Silverado

    Vegas Stats
    9 starts, 1 win, 4top-fives, 6 top-10s

    Additional Info
    – Sauter will pilot GMS chassis no. 301 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The No. 21 team utilized this truck four times in 2017 for 1 win (Chicagoland Speedway), 3 top-five and 4 top-10 finishes.

    – Following his third place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway last week, Sauter remains the NCWTS points leader.

    Quote
    “If our truck drives anything like it did last yearat Vegas, and I don’t screw up, we’ll be in great shape. That’s one race that I still feel like I screwed up and one got away from us. It’s kind of a big race for us – Allegiant is headquartered there and it would be good for us to go out there and put on a good show for all of those folks and for Mr. Gallagher. You can always learn something that will apply week-in and week-out, and I think we definitely learned some things in Atlanta that we’ll be able to apply in Vegas.”

     

    JUSTIN HALEY
    No. 24 Fraternal Order of Eagles Chevrolet Silverado

    Vegas Stats
    1 start, Finish: 21st

    Additional Info
    – Haley will run GMS chassis no. 302. This truck was raced 3 times in 2017, with Haley earning 1 top-10 and 2 top-15 finishes.

    – Following a top-five showing in both practice sessions and qualifying at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Haley faced issues early in the race that relegated him to a 22nd-place finish. With that result, he is now 10th in the NCWTS point standings heading into the third race of the season.

    Quote
    “I like to think of Vegas as a smoother track, compared to Atlanta and some of the others we go to. We had a really fast truckat Vegas last year. It was the first time we debuted a new front-end package, we worked with it and were a little unsure to start. I think we’ll be pretty stout there. We’re taking the same truck we ran there last year, and in the end, it was a pretty good truck despite the rough night we had.”

     

    DALTON SARGEANT
    No. 25 Performance Plus Motor Oil Chevrolet Silverado

    Las Vegas Stats
    Sargeant will be making his first NCWTS start at Las Vegas this weekend.

    Additional Info
    – Sargeant will pilot chassis no. 303; a new chassis for the 2018 NCWTS season.

    – After a 14th-place finish at Atlanta, Sargeant is currently tied for sixth in the driver point standings, 45 points behind GMS Racing teammate Johnny Sauter.

    Quote
    “I think there will be some crossover between Atlanta and this weekend at Las Vegas (Motor Speedway). It seems like most of the mile-and-a-half tracks rely a great bit on aero with the trucks, especially with such a high amount of side force. I’m trying to be like a sponge at these tracks and learn as much as I can every weekend.

    “This weekend though is a big weekend for us as a team. Vegas is the headquarters of Allegiant and our team owner Maury (Gallagher). Hopefully we can go out and put on a good show for everyone there.”

    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 the NASCAR XFINITY Series with Spencer Gallagher. 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.

  • NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Power Rankings-Atlanta Motor Speedway

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Power Rankings-Atlanta Motor Speedway

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series came to Atlanta Motor Speedway this past weekend following the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the only doubleheader of the season. The Active Pest Control 200 sure didn’t disappoint as it came down to the wire and the last restart of the race.

    Here’s a look at this weeks power rankings.

    1. Brett Moffit – Moffit surprised the field Saturday night by taking home his second career Truck Series victory. A late race caution came out on Lap 126 when Dalton Sargeant and Josh Reaume got collected to send the race into overtime. Moffit led the most important two laps of the race and won for the first time since 2016 at Michigan. With this win, Hattori Racing and Moffit are now locked into the Playoffs.
    2. Johnny Sauter – Sauter came into a track where he had no wins in the previous seven races. It looked like that streak could have ended Saturday, but he scored another third-place finish. This was Sauter’s second consecutive third-place finish at Atlanta. He will have to wait another year to check this track off. Sauter started ninth and finished seventh and second respectively in both stages, along with leading three times for 12 laps.
    3. Noah Gragson – Gragson scored his career-best track finish this past weekend. In last year’s race, he finished 14th after starting 10th. This year, Gragson started third, won the first stage and finished fifth in Stage 2. Gragson only led 43 laps before ultimately finishing second after restarting ninth with two laps to go.
    4. Matt Crafton – Crafton headed to one of his favorite tracks on the truck series circuit, Atlanta, in hopes of locking himself into the Playoffs early. After starting second, he took the lead on lap 44 and led for seven laps. This would be the only time Crafton led in the race. He finished second in Stage 1 and fourth in Stage 2. However, the No. 88 Menards driver ultimately finished fifth at the end of the day. Crafton sits second in the point standings, 31 points behind Daytona winner Johnny Sauter.
    5. Jesse Little – Little competed in his first race of the 2018 season this past Saturday. The last time the No. 97 driver raced was at Phoenix where he started 24th and finished 18th due to a crash on lap 134. Atlanta saw Little make his track debut. After starting 12th, he finished fifth in Stage 1 and eighth in Stage 2. After a late race restart, the scoring pylon showed the No. 97 team eighth. It was a solid outing for Little’s first start at Atlanta.
  • Justin Marks to Drive No. 54 DGR-CROSLEY Entry in Las Vegas

    Justin Marks to Drive No. 54 DGR-CROSLEY Entry in Las Vegas

    MOORESVILLE, N.C. (February 27, 2018) – DGR-CROSLEY announced today the addition of Justin Marks to the team’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series program. Marks, coming off a 12th-place finish in the Daytona 500, will get behind the wheel of the No. 54 Crosley Toyota Tundra this weekend at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway.

    The 36-year-old California native brings a wealth of knowledge to the newly formed DGR-CROSLEY team with 73 starts across NASCAR’s top 3 series. He has a win in NASCAR’s XFINITY Series as well as four top-10 finishes in the Truck Series.

    “Justin is a great talent and someone that has extensive racing experience across several different series,” said David Gilliland, President of DGR-CROSLEY. “We are happy to have him in our equipment and believe he gives us a great opportunity to leave Vegas with a solid finish.”

    Marks, who currently races full time in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, has two prior starts at the one-and-a-half-mile track in Las Vegas, one of which was in the NASCAR Truck Series.

    “The Truck Series has always been one of my favorite in all of racing in America,” said Marks. “The opportunity to drive for DGR-CROSLEY came pretty late but everything that David [Gilliland] and Bo [LeMastus, President of Crosley Sports Group] have done to build a competitive operation made it a very compelling situation to get back in a truck. All the pieces are there for us to have a great night and a great result for the Crosley Toyota.”

    Qualifying for the Stratosphere 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will kick-off on Friday, March 1, at 6 p.m., ET on FS1, with race coverage starting at 9:00 p.m., also on FS1.

    About DGR-CROSLEY… A Mooresville, N.C., based organization operating under the leadership of former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver, David Gilliland and Bo LeMastus, DGR-CROSLEY is a driver development team competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, ARCA Racing Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

  • Brett Moffitt Active Pest Control 200 Benefiting Children’s Healthcare Of Atlanta In Wild Finish

    Brett Moffitt Active Pest Control 200 Benefiting Children’s Healthcare Of Atlanta In Wild Finish

    HAMPTON, Ga. (Feb. 24, 2018) – Brett Moffitt slid down to the bottom groove, surged to the lead in overtime and won the Active Pest Control 200 benefiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Saturday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

    Moffitt got a chance to claim just his second Camping World Truck Series win after pole-sitter Kyle Busch had a pit miscommunication under caution late.

    The field pitted with six laps to go, and Busch, who led 67 laps, left his pit box before the lugs on his left rear tire were secure. Busch made it off pit road and the tire fell off. He reverse to get it fixed, but a win was no longer in the cards.

    Moffitt powered away from defending series champion Johnny Sauter and Noah Gragson to win in the two-lap overtime shootout.

    “I knew I needed to get a good jump and get to the inside,” Moffitt said. “Then I was just watching my mirror, holding it wide open for two laps straight there. Luckily they were getting smaller in the mirror.

    “It’s unreal to be in Victory Lane this early with such a new group. I love this place — and I love it even more now.”

    Gragson, who won Stage 1, finished second. Sauter jumped to the lead after a shuffle at the top to start Stage 2 and led 12 laps before Busch took control in the final stage. Only Sauter was in striking distance of Busch when Josh Reaume wrecked with six laps to go.

    Under caution, teams were able to pit and that’s when the door opened for Moffitt.

    “I had a good launch,” Sauter said. “I felt like I did it right grabbing gears. I’d love to be able to tell you I could do something different, I just don’t think I could have. Wide open is wide open.

    “All in a all, a decent night for our Allegiant Sunseeker Chevy. I’m proud of the guys. It’s far and away the best run I’ve ever had here. I felt like we were in the right position and it just didn’t work out. That’s racing. But my pit crew was phenomenal.”

    Ben Rhodes struggled with his engine all night, but slogged through the difficulties to finish fourth.

    “There were times during the race where I would go a second and a half without power in the corner,” Rhodes said. “I mean, the motor was just completely out. I would go down to 5,000 rpm, which is absurd. Then going down the straightaways, I felt like I was on six or seven cylinders at times. For the whole race it plagued us and we could never figure out what it was. I’m really disappointed. We have a championship team and we’re making championship runs.”

    Two-time truck champion Matt Crafton was fifth. Stewart Friesen, rookie Myatt Snider, Jesse Little, Grant Enfinger and Austin Dillon rounded out the top 10.

    Snider was up front at the restart, but only got there by opting to get two tires instead of four.

    “This is unbelievable to even be in a race car, much less in victory lane,” Moffitt said. “We had a really good truck all night and right here I knew (Snider) was a sitting duck. I just wanted to get a good restart and hopefully they got into a battle behind me, which they did. It’s pretty surreal.”

    The 2018 Atlanta NASCAR Weekend wraps up tomorrow afternoon with the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race beginning at 1 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com or call the AMS ticket office at 877-9-AMS-TIX.

  • Team Dillon partners with GoShare and Young’s Motorsports for 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Season

    Team Dillon partners with GoShare and Young’s Motorsports for 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Season

    Friday, February 23rd, 2018
    Atlanta Motor Speedway
    Hampton, Georgia (Atlanta)
    Young’s Motorsports announced Friday that it will field a second truck in full-time competition for the 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) season.
    “In partnership with Team Dillon, we have put together an exciting schedule for 2018,” said team principal, Tyler Young. “The venture will feature both Austin and Ty Dillon, as well as Daniel Hemric and Team Dillon development driver, Tanner Thorson, in the No. 20 GoShare Chevrolet Silverado for a total of 17 races.”
    The most recent Daytona 500 Champion, Austin Dillon, will pilot the No. 20 GoShare.co Chevrolet in Saturday’s Active Pest Control 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway as well as the NCWTS race at Kansas Speedway in May.
    “The GoShare team is very excited to be a part of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series through our partnership with Team Dillon and Young’s Motorsports with No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado,” exclaimed Shaun Savage, GoShare CEO. “Team Dillon’s commitment to excellence in racing mirrors GoShare’s commitment to providing excellent experiences for our customers.”
    Austin’s brother, NASCAR Monster Energy Cup driver Ty Dillon will compete in the No. 20 Chevrolet for two races and NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Daniel Hemric will each compete in one race this season.
    “Team Dillon is excited to have the opportunity to partner with Young’s Motorsports in cultivating young talent for our sport,” said Austin Dillon. “GoShare is a transportation service that provides local on-demand delivery and is a perfect fit for the NCWTS.”
    The remaining 12 races will be piloted by 2016 USAC National Midget Champion, Tanner Thorson. In addition to the races with Young’s Motorsports, the 21-year-old Minden, Nev., native will continue to compete in the King of the West Sprint Car series as well as select midget sprint car races with Dooling Hayward Motorsports / Richard Childress Racing.
    “I had the pleasure to meet Tanner at our shop last spring,” said Young. “He’s an accomplished dirt racer and has impressed me with his eagerness to learn more about truck racing and our program. My family and I are dedicated to creating an environment to develop the talents of young drivers and are excited to have Tanner join us this season.”
    In addition to GoShare, Team Dillon and Young’s Motorsports would like to thank Andy’s Frozen Custard, Ohio Logistics and Maestro’s Classic for their continued support.
    GoShare connects truck and van owners with businesses and people who need to deliver or move big box items on demand. GoShare is a fully insured last mile logistics platformthat allows our customers to access a fleet of trucks and delivery professionals with a few clicks. All delivery professionals are licensed, insured and background checked.
    For more information about GoShare, please visit goshare.co, follow @GoShareDotCo on Twitter, @GoShare.co on Instagram and them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/goshare.co.
    For more information on Young’s Motorsports, please visit www.youngsmotorsports.com, follow @youngsmtrsports on Twitter and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/YoungsMotorsports.
  • Getting To Know NASCAR Driver Justin Haley

    Getting To Know NASCAR Driver Justin Haley

    Justin Haley is in his first full-time season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driving the No. 24 for GMS Racing Chevy. However, just like any driver, he started at a young age. For Justin, it was the around the age of nine.

    “I started racing when I was around the age of nine or eight and a half years old,” Haley said. “The reason I got into racing is mainly because of my uncle Todd Braun and Ralph Braun. They owned a NASCAR Xfinity team (nationwide back in the day), but Jason Leffler, Kyle Busch, Dave Blaney, all of them guys ran for them. My little cousin was actually racing a quarter midget at the time for my other uncle and I was at one of his birthday parties, and I thought it was pretty cool that I drove his quarter midget around the next day and I kind of asked my mom, ‘hey can I get one of those? Can I race?’ So I got started late, but I’m definitely thankful I did.”

    Haley can remember the first race he competed in and remembers what his emotions were at the time.

    “Yeah, so we bought this crappy quarter midget and it was very rough on the edges but we cleaned it up, and made it nice,” he continued.  “I spray painted it myself and didn’t have stickers on it. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. We built it and had no idea how to set it up. In quarter midgets, there’s a lot of different classes. There’s probably 12 or 13 different classes. I started at Kokomo Midget Club for my first race ever. My sister actually raced quarter midget a little bit later, but the first race I finished was third out of 25. That was pretty cool. Ever since then it kind of took off.”

    “I was definitely nervous,” he added. “But I really didn’t know enough at the time to be overly nervous. I was just trying to have fun, going out there, going to the go-kart track for any of us.”

    For many drivers, the ARCA Racing Series, K&N Pro Series and for Justin, the Super Late Model Tour series, was a stepping stone to making it to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. It’s a great way for young drivers to get experience before making it to the next step in racing.

    “Obviously, it’s a progression,” Haley said. “It’s a ladder of how you do things. I won a few Super Late Model races, CRA which excelled me to ARCA. I got a big break with Venturini Motorsports in 2015. I got a pole for them (Elko). HScott Motorsports signed me on. I won a championship over there in 2016 and then I got some opportunities with Great Clips with Braun Motorsports to do some Truck races, and GMS hired me on. Ever since then, it’s been a great ride. I’ve been living my dreams. I can’t necessarily say one thing helped me to another. I’m still learning today. There’s so much to learn, you know? Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch learn every weekend. I’m definitely thankful for the opportunities I’ve had.”

    Throughout a race car drivers career, they will normally have a great race car that they remember well for years later. For Justin, it was the Phoenix race in the K&N series.

    “We went to Phoenix in a K&N west car with Hscott with Justin Marks in the 2015 season, I believe,” Haley said. “We did not win the race, but it was kind of an odd race. I just got done racing my full east season over on the east coast and we went over to the west coast to Phoenix., and ran William Byron, Landon Cassill those guys were in that same race. William Byron was my teammate, Dalton Sargeant was over, I think Rico was the next year. Anyway, we qualified on the pole and didn’t practice the greatest but qualified it on the pole by just an insane speed. It was a 100-lap race and I think I had a 15 or 16 second lead on Landon Cassill, and William Byron was third. And then, I ran over something with my right front with three to go, popped a tire and lost the race. It was just an unbelievable car. Probably the best car I ever had in my life. I would have to go way back then.”

    “I’ve won races in worst driving cars,” he added. “It just kind of frustrates me that we couldn’t get the job done that night.”

    One of Justin’s sponsors right now in the truck series is F.O.E, which stands for Fraternal Order of Eagles. He describes more of what they are and what they do.

    “Fraternal Order of Eagles is a non-profit organization throughout Canada and America,” Haley said. “Basically, they just raise money for charity. It’s not a specific charity here and there, but any charity. They seem to be everywhere. You apply to be a member and you have to renew that for any amount of years. But basically, you’re part of this organization and you just raise money for charities. They’ve helped me a lot with my career. They’ve given me so many opportunities.”

    “The first time ever they were on my car was at Columbus Motor Speedway in the K&N East series,” Haley added. “I won with them. To kick off that partnership was pretty cool back then and obviously, they are supportive of my truck career as of now. It’s pretty cool to have them on as a sponsor.”

    Sometimes a race car driver wishes they can go back and do a race over again. In Haley’s mind, he couldn’t quite come up with an answer.

    “Man, I don’t know if I could ever put a race that I would like to redo,” he said. “Any racer I think would tell you that any race you lost, you would like to redo to have another shot at. I’ve raced so many races that I can’t think back to it. I always like to think if I went back in time to when I was 12 racing street stocks or the late models at 13 and if I knew what I knew now, it would be pretty cool to watch. I definitely like to say, any race that I ever lost I would redo it.”

    Stage racing was implemented last year for all three series and every driver has a different opinion on it.

    “Everyone was a little bit skeptical at first, but I think it really helps sell business opportunities and helps the competitiveness on how we race,” Haley said. “It really shows at superspeedways more so than a mile and a half, where we are all single file and just running. The strategy of the races has changed. Fuel mileage. NASCAR has done very good making them non-fuel mileage races, eliminating that factor. So we have good competitive races. I think it’s been good for the sport. I think it needs to evolve and it was a step in the right direction. I can’t wait to see what’s next!”

    Justin also has an idea on what could be added to the NASCAR Truck Series schedule.

    “I think it would be cool to add some more road courses to the truck schedule,” he said. “We have Mosport up in Canada and we’ve run really good up there. With my road course and dirt background, they all seem to fit me pretty well. I like to have my advantages on the road courses. Any road course. I think Road Atlanta would be cool. Road America. Places like that, I think we could do the Homestead roval, which would be really cool. They’re doing the Charlotte roval this year in the cup series, so maybe that can transform in later years to the lower series. That would be really sweet.”

    Haley was signed on to drive for GMS Racing in 2017. In any way, owner Maury Gallagher has helped him grow as a person and driver.

    “Maury is just a cool guy,” Haley said. “He is a business guy and he’s a leader for the sport, and GMS Racing and everyone involved. He’s given us all opportunities and people behind us. GMS is an empire. You walk in the building and so many people, so many faces, so much brain power and it’s absolutely unbelievable. Having Maury put Mike Beam, even Spencer his son in there, all the crew chiefs, Joe Shear Jr or even Johnny Sauter being in there. As a whole, he’s done so much for the sport and I can’t thank him enough for what he’s done for my career.”

    Prior to the June race last year in Texas, Justin won his very first NASCAR Truck Series pole. It was a great moment for him and the team.

    “Yeah, that was for sure cool,” Haley said. “The mile and a half stuff we kind of struggled on the 24 team last year, but we progressively got it better. That’s why it was so special to me and my team. We may have not started the best. We had our ups and downs. We had some podium finishes on the mile and a half’s, which was really cool but to go out there and be faster than anyone else really shows what kind of determination, and willpower that my guys have. We have a no quit attitude. To go out there and get my first career pole; that was insane.”

    “Obviously, Daytona last week and getting the second place finish that capped it off even more,” he added. “We have a lot of momentum going into Atlanta.”

    Johnny Sauter can most likely be seen as a leader for his teammates at GMS Racing. Justin has been able to get some advice on the truck throughout the weekend.

    “Johnny was really good at racing,” Haley said. “He’s just been around for so long and I can just feed on him for what he has to say. I was new to this mile and a half racing and I did the short tracks, and I did the superspeedways as well as the road courses and raced on dirt too. But, I hadn’t worked the air on the mile and a half’s yet. Last year at the beginning of it, we were new teammates and I just took everything I could from him and the crew chief Jerry Baxter, and everyone over there, Spencer too. Johnny has been great with me. Obviously, we’ve been working really well together. It showed last week when we had a 1-2 finish. It’s been cool to have that partnership.”

    2018 has started off hot for GMS Racing with a 1-2 finishing position at Daytona last week. Haley explains why they’ve started off well.

    “We’ve got some good guys this year,” he said. ” A new mechanic and front-end mechanic. New interior guy, tire guy. Having them guys, showing them what I’m capable of and my willpower, my overall strength in a race car. I think it built our team a lot and we walked in Monday morning having a smile on their face, and pumped to go to Atlanta this weekend. It was really positive it was what we needed. We need another strong finish here at Atlanta and hopefully lock ourselves in the chase.”

    Justin will be heading to Atlanta this weekend to make his first ever track debut.

    “I’m very prepared,” he said. “I’ve watched a lot of film and looking at raw data. Alex Bowman filled in for me last year. I have a lot of resources. I’ve been at a Chevy on the simulator and turning laps for hours. Leaning on everyone at GMS for the support and having that technology behind me is really helpful.”

    Finally, Haley has set some expectations for the 2018 NASCAR Truck Series season.

    “Winning the championship,” Haley added. “That comes with making the final four for my expectations. I’ve told everyone this. We are a championship caliber team and there’s no reason we shouldn’t be in the final four. We just need to go out there and focus on every race, and individually can’t get wrapped up over one lap and one race. I think if we just stay focused on our goal and task at hand, I think that’s what we will do best.”

    You can follow Justin Haley on Twitter at @Justin_Haley_.