Category: Truck Series PR

Chandler Smith: Driver, No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass® Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: XPEL 225, Race 4 of 23, 42 Laps –12/14/16; 143.22 Miles
Location: Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas (3.426-mile, 20-turn road course)
Date/Broadcast: March 26, 2022, at 1 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Mr. Smith Season 2:
Chandler Smith and the No. 18 Safelite team head to Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas looking to build on the momentum of two strong runs. Smith executed a last-lap pass on Zane Smith to bring home his first victory of 2022 at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway two races ago and then last week at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway was out front on the final lap when he got passed by KBM teammate Corey Heim and fell back to fourth by the time the field crossed the stripe.

In addition to being the primary sponsor on Smith’s normal No. 18 Tundra TRD Pro, Safelite, the nation’s largest provider of vehicle glass repair, replacement and recalibration services, will adorn KBM’s No. 51 with owner-driver Kyle Busch this week at COTA. Busch’s flat white truck is a reciprocal of Smith’s flat black version. The two drivers have engaged in a challenge on social media, pledging that the lower finisher in Saturday’s event will clean all the windshields at KBM next week.

Smith was running ninth with two laps remaining in last year’s inaugural visit to COTA for the Truck Series, but wheel hopped into a run-off area. Despite Smith being in the hazard, the field would remain green until the finish and relegate him to a 33rd-place finish. His best finish across three road course races in the Truck Series was a 12th-place result last year at the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway Road Course.

After three events, Smith sits atop of the Camping World Truck Series regular season point standings, 13 tallies ahead of Tanner Gray. The 19-year-old driver also leads the Truck Series in driver rating (111.9), average starting position (2.3) and fastest laps (22), while his 77 laps led rank him second to KBM teammate John Hunter Nemechek (84).

Earlier this year, Smith and his wife, Kenzie, announced on social media that they are expecting their first child in August.

Smith earned NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year honors in 2021 and finished eighth in the championship standings after producing two victories, one pole, 213 laps led, six top-five and nine top-10 finishes in his first full-time season. He earned his first career Truck Series victory at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in September and in the series finale at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway earned his first career pole and swept all three stages en route to his second victory. Across 38 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, the Toyota Racing Development product has collected two wins, 14 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes.

Veteran crew chief Danny Stockman will once again call the shots for Smith and the No. 18 team in 2022. Stockman’s drivers have produced six victories at KBM across his first two seasons, including two with Smith behind the wheel in 2021. The veteran crew chief captured a Truck Series championship with Austin Dillon in 2011 and also won an Xfinity Series championship with Dillon in 2013. Stockman has one win as a crew chief on a NASCAR road course, it came in 2015 with Paul Menard in the Xfinity Series race at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisc.

Charge Me will serve as an associate sponsor on the bedtop of Smith’s No. 18 Tundra TRD Pro for 16 races this season, including this weekend at COTA. Charge Me was founded on the principle that the electric vehicle (EV) revolution will require robust infrastructure support at all levels.

Chandler Smith, Driver Q&A:

How do you prepare for one of the newest tracks on the schedule?
“I actually was at COTA not too long ago in a Trans Am car, kind of testing and getting some laps overall. I’ve only been to COTA, this will be my fourth time overall, I’ve been in a TA2 car, I’ve been there in a truck, and I’ve also went and done some driving experience just to get overall laps there. I honestly love the track. Before it rained at the Truck Series race, we were really good, but it took a little while for me to catch up in the rain. Hopefully, it stays dry, and we should have a good showing in our Safelite Tundra.”

Does leading the points after three races give you confidence looking forward?
“Yeah, for sure, every little bit helps. Having a cushion, having a buffer, always helps for a rainy day, so I’m glad overall that we had a solid points day at Atlanta.”

You were able to beat Kyle at Las Vegas. Are you looking forward to racing against him again this weekend?
“I’m just looking forward to beating him and sitting there and bossing him around while he cleans windshields at KBM”

Chandler Smith Career Highlights:

• Across 41 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts has recorded three wins, 359 laps led, 16 top-five and 20 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 14.5.
• Led 55 laps and finished eighth in his Camping World Truck Series debut at Iowa Speedway in July of 2019. Drove a limited schedule for KBM in 2019 (four races) and 2020 (12 races), before going full-time in 2021.
• Has collected nine wins, 10 poles, 1783 laps led, 22 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes en route to an average finish of 5.4 across 34 career ARCA Menards Series starts. Set an ARCA Racing Series record by winning four consecutive poles to start his career and earned his first victory after leading a race-high 102 laps at Madison (Wis.) International Speedway in his fourth series start.
• Has numerous Super Late Model victories across his career, including two marquee wins: the Snowball Derby at 5 Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla. (2021) and SpeedFest at Watermelon Capital Speedway in Cordele, Georgia (2018). Will compete in several Super Late Model events around his Truck Series schedule in 2022.

Chandler Smith’s No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Tundra:
KBM-72: The No. 18 Safelite team will unload KBM-72 for Saturday’s race at COTA. In its lone start last year at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, Smith crossed the finish line in the 18th position but was credited with a 40th-place finish after his Tundra failed the height requirement in post-race inspection.

KBM-72 Performance Profile
KBM Notes of Interest:

• KBM drivers produced an average finish of 21.0 in last year’s Truck Series event at Circuit of the Americas with John Hunter Nemechek scoring a team-best 12th-place finish.
• Erik Jones’ victory in 2015 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ont. is KBM’s lone win on a road course.
• KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (92) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway, Corey Heim became the 18th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
• The No. 18, the number which was on the first Tundra that went to victory lane for KBM in 2010, has 24 career victories.

CONCORD, N.C. (March 22, 2022) – Spire Motorsports announced today seven-time NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) winner Alex Bowman will drive the team’s No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado in Saturday’s XPEL 225 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at Circuit of the Americas (COTA).

HendrickCars.com will serve as the effort’s primary sponsor while Ally, Bowman’s primary sponsor in the NCS, will be showcased as an associate sponsor on the truck’s decklid and lower-rear quarter panels.

Bowman, a native of Tucson, Ariz., is the full-time driver of Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the NCS. The 28-year-old tallied four wins on NASCAR’s senior circuit in 2021 and earned his first win of 2022 earlier this month at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Spire Motorsports made its NCWTS debut in February’s NextEra Energy 250 at Daytona International Speedway where Austin Hill raced at the front of the field for most of the night until a flat right-front tire, late in the race, stalled his bid for the checkers. The team is led by championship-winning industry veterans Mike Greci and Kevin “Bono” Manion.

While Saturday’s race will mark Bowman’s first NCWTS start at COTA, he started 12th, led three laps and finished eighth in last year’s inaugural NCS race the famed 3.41-mile, 20-turn, Austin, Texas circuit.

“I’m eager to get back to COTA this weekend and make as many laps as I can,” said Bowman. “I had a good run in the Ally Chevrolet Camaro for Hendrick Motorsports last year and being able to race Spire Motorsports’ Chevy Silverado this year will be a great help as we get ready for Sunday. The more laps the better at a place like COTA. Spire Motorsports proved at Daytona they build trucks capable of racing at the front of the field so this weekend will be a great opportunity to get some extra seat time and try and race for the win.”

In five NCS races this season, Bowman has notched one win, two top 10s and is currently ninth in the NCS championship point standings. Despite being a veteran of 230 NCS starts, Saturday’s 42-lap NCWTS affair will mark just his third time behind the wheel of a Truck Series entry.

“Alex is going to be a great help to our team,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson. “He’s an excellent road racer who works hard at getting even better. Between Alex, Mike Greci and Bono Manion, we’ve got a great shot to put our best foot forward Saturday afternoon. We’re grateful to Mr. (Rick) Hendrick, HendrickCars.com and Ally for the support this weekend.”

The XPEL 225 from Circuit of the Americas will be televised live on FS1 Saturday, March 26 beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

About HendrickCars.com…
HendrickCars.com is the easiest way to shop thousands of new and pre-owned cars, trucks and SUVs. Customers can use the site to locate the nearest Hendrick Automotive Group dealership, schedule maintenance and learn about Hendrick Autoguard, the company’s industry-leading vehicle protection program. Visitors can also learn about career opportunities at Hendrick Automotive Group, which is currently in need of more than 350 service technicians.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports was established in 2018 and is co-owned by Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2022, Spire Motorsports will field two full-time NASCAR Cup Series entries. Corey LaJoie will drive the team’s No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in NASCAR’s premier series for the entire 2022 campaign while Josh Bilicki and Landon Cassill will split time in the team’s No. 77 entry. The team will also field a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team in select events.

Spire Motorsports earned an upset victory for the ages in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019.

John Hunter Nemechek: Driver, No. 4 ROMCO Equipment Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: XPEL 225, Race 4 of 23,42 Laps – 12/14/16; 143.22 Miles
Location: Circuit of the Americas (Austin, Texas) (3.426-mile 20-turn road course)
Date/Broadcast: Mar. 26, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Nemechek #Back4More in 2022
Nemechek and the No. 4 ROMCO team turn their focus to the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) for the second running of the XPEL 225 at the 3.426-mile, 20-turn road course in Austin, Texas. In last year’s inaugural event, Nemechek ran in the top 10 for the majority of the race before an uncontrolled tire penalty set back the No. 4 team. Despite the penalty, Nemechek rebounded for a 12th-place finish.

Through the first three races of the 2022 season, Nemechek currently sits eighth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings, 52 points behind Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) teammate Chandler Smith in first. While he doesn’t have the finishes to show for how he has ran this season, the second-generation driver leads the NASCAR Truck Series with three stages wins and 84 laps led. He has led double-digit laps in each of the first three races.

The 24-year-old driver has made eight road course starts in the Camping World Truck Series. He has tallied one win (Canadian Tire – 2016), 36 laps led, four top-fives and five top-10 finishes with average finish of 9.3. In last year’s inaugural event at COTA, Nemechek started sixth and came home with a 12th-place finish.

ROMCO Equipment Co., a long-time partner of Nemechek, will serve as the primary sponsor on the No. 4 Tundra TRD Pro this weekend at COTA. A Texas tradition since 1961, ROCMO Equipment serves the earth moving, ground engaging and materials handling markets by providing superior quality construction and mining equipment. ROMCO has supported customer’s purchase decisions with outstanding parts and service for over 52 years.

Nemechek is an 11-time winner in Camping World Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports, and returning to victory lane in 2021 with KBM. Across 127 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, he has compiled three poles, 1,265 laps led, 40 top-five and 66 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.9.

Eric Phillips returned to lead the No. 4 team in 2022. His 41 career Truck Series victories make him the winningest crew chief in Truck Series history, with 32 of those coming while at KBM including five last year. Phillips led the No. 18 team at KBM in its debut season in 2010 and helped build the organization into one of the premier teams in all of NASCAR before departing at the end of the 2014 season. Under his guidance, the No. 18 team won eight races in its inaugural campaign and became the first team in Truck Series history to capture an owner’s championship in its first season of competition. In 2014, the Illinois native led the No. 51 team to an owner’s championship and his team’s 10 wins spearheaded KBM to a single-season Truck Series record of 14 wins. Phillip’s has been at been at the helm for four road course races with his drivers collecting three top-five and three top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 5.0. His best result was a runner-up finish with Nemechek last year at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver Q&A:

Despite not having the finishes to show for it is there a silver lining that you’ve led laps and won stages?
“Yeah, we’re definitely fast and have the equipment to run up front. We’ve led some laps and have three out of the six stages wins, which is a huge plus for us considering our finishes so far this season. They haven’t been spectacular or what we wanted but hopefully we can get this bad luck, or little slump, out of the way early and not have it go through the year. We’re working hard and not changing anything, just trying to show up to the race track and win, have good runs, and good results. We’re a little bit back in points right now, but I do foresee coming on strong in the future and moving our way up the points race and getting some wins underneath our belt.”

Do you enjoy road course racing?
“I do, road course racing is a lot of fun. Being able to go to COTA, last year was our first year there and we had a little bit of everything; we had a dry practice day, wet qualifying session, and then the start of the race was raining. Then, it dried out through the race, so we stayed on wet tires. I feel like we learned a lot about all conditions there last year having them all thrown our way. I’m looking forward to getting back there this year, I was able to test there a few weeks ago as well in a TransAm car and had a lot of fun doing that so I’m looking forward to going and chasing our first win of the year at COTA.”

Are you looking forward to having ROMCO back on the truck?
“Yeah, for sure. ROMCO has been a great company, Mr. Mullins and everyone that has been involved has been behind me and have supported me throughout my career. They started out as a really small sponsor and have grown with me through the ranks. Luckily, we’ve been able to get them wins in two of the top NASCAR Series so far and hopefully we can do the same this weekend. I know that they will have quite a few people there; employees and different vendors, so I’m looking forward to meeting everybody and hopefully we can put on a show for them.”

John Hunter Nemechek Career Highlights:

• Eleven-time winner in Camping World Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports. Across 127 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, has compiled three poles, 1,265 laps led, 40 top-five and 66 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.9. Registered a career-high and series-leading five victories in 2021 and earned the NCWTS Regular Season championship and third in the final standings after qualifying for the Championship Four for the first time in his career.
• Produced three top-10 finishes and an average result of 22.4 while competing for rookie of the year honors in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020. He recorded a career-best eighth-place finish twice, both coming at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway
• Across 58 career XFINITY Series starts, has totaled two wins, one pole, 375 laps led, 15 top-five and 34 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 11.6.

John Hunter Nemechek’s No. 4 ROMCO Tundra TRD Pro:

KBM-61: The No. 4 ROMCO Equipment team will unload KBM-61 for Saturday’s race at COTA. Nemechek raced this same Tundra twice on road courses last year with finishes of third at the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway Road Course and 12th at COTA. The Tundra’s best result was a runner-up finish with Alex Tagliani at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ont. in 2019.
Click Here for KBM-61 Performance Profile:

KBM Notes of Interest:

• KBM drivers have collected one win, 87 laps led, 10 top-five and 12 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 13.1 across 32 road course starts. Erik Jones picked up the lone road course win for KBM at Canadian Tire in 2015.
• KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (92) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway last week, Corey Heim became the 18th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
• The No. 4 has 16 career victories at KBM and was the number for both of the organization’s driver championships.

Kyle Busch: Driver, No. 51 Safelite® Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: XPEL 225, Race 4 of 23, 42 Laps –12/14/16; 143.22 Miles
Location: Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas (3.426-mile, 20-turn road course)
Date/Broadcast: March 26, 2022, at 1 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

The Report on ‘Rowdy’:
Owner-driver Kyle Busch gets behind the wheel of the No. 51 Safelite Tundra TRD Pro Saturday at COTA for his second of five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts in 2022. Despite having 161 Truck Series starts under his belt, Saturday’s 42-lap event will mark his first-ever start on a road course in the Truck Series. Busch, the winningest driver in series history, enters COTA having won 37.8% (61/161) of the Truck Series races he has entered and finished first or second in 57.1% (92/161). The talented wheelman has finished first or second in 20 of his last 22 starts, including a second-place finish in his first Truck Series start of the 2022 season at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway.

The No. 51 Tundra TRD Pro that ‘Rowdy’ will be piloting at Circuit of the Americas will have a different look this week. Busch will get behind the wheel of a flat white Safelite Tundra TRD Pro with Safelite, the nation’s largest provider of vehicle glass repair, replacement and recalibration services, as the primary sponsor. Busch’s white truck is a reciprocal of the No. black Safelite Tundra TRD Pro that Chandler Smith drives on a regular basis. The two drivers have engaged in a challenge on social media, pledging that the lower finisher in Saturday’s event will clean all the windshields at KBM next week.

In addition to his Truck Series leading 61 wins, ‘Rowdy’ also ranks first all-time among Truck Series drivers in driver rating (123.6), average finish (6.6) and is second in laps led (7,559).

While it will be Busch’s first time racing on a road course in the Truck Series, the 36-year-old driver has already found victory lane at COTA. He captured the pole for the inaugural NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the 3.426-mile, 20-turn road course last year and went on to lead 35 of 46 laps en route to his 98th career series victory. The Las Vegas native has collected four wins on road courses in the NASCAR Cup Series and his victory at COTA last year was his fourth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Mardy Lindley returns to KBM for his second season atop the pit box of the No. 51 team. In addition to this year’s win with Corey Heim at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the No. 51 team produced three victories in Lindley’s first season as a crew chief at KBM, two with Busch and one with Martin Truex Jr. Before arriving at KBM, Lindley guided his drivers to 32 wins and four ARCA Menards Series East championships since 2013, including back-to-back titles with Sam Mayer the last two seasons. Additionally, he earned the ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief Showdown championship with Mayer in 2020. Behind the wheel, the second-generation driver won 11 races on the Pro Cup Series from 2000 to 2006 and was crowned the series champion in 2001. Lindley’s one race atop the pit box at COTA resulted in an 18th-place finish with Parker Chase last year.

Rowdy Energy, the enhanced hydration formula energy drink created by Busch, and vendor partner QuickTrip, one of the top convenience store retailers, will adorn the bedtop of the No. 51 Tundra for Saturday’s 42-lap race. Rowdy Energy Drink is currently available in 10 flavors, including seven sugar free options that are KETO certified. Use Rowdy Energy’s store locator at https://rowdyenergy.com/pages/store-locator to find where you can pick up a can today, or order online at www.rowdyenergy.com.

Kyle Busch, Driver Q&A:
Are you looking forward to your first-ever road course start in the Truck Series?
“I guess it’s kind of crazy to think that I’ve made so many starts in the Truck Series and this will be my first on a road course. Back when I was running more races in the Truck Series, in the late 2000’s and early 2010’s, there wasn’t many road courses on the schedule and the ones that were on the schedule were typically stand alones. When the schedule came out last year, I had COTA and Watkins Glen on my wish list at first glance, but Cup Series drivers weren’t eligible for either of those two, so I’m glad that it worked out this year where not only will I be racing this weekend at COTA, but Sonoma in June is also on my truck schedule. Hopefully, we can check off another box and get a win on a road course in all three series. Safelite has been a long-time sponsor of ours at KBM, so it’s cool to have them sponsoring my truck this weekend and they’ll be on again at Charlotte. The flat white Tundra TRD Pro looks really good. Hopefully, we can put it in victory lane Saturday and celebrate with all the Safelite folks — they are a great sponsor who always brings a lot of associates out at the track and that is cool to see.”

You are running both the Cup Series and Truck Series races this weekend. Are doubleheaders fun for you?
“I feel like preparing for a doubleheader is pretty easy. I’ve always been used to running in two or three races in a weekend, running the Truck, Xfinity, Cup, whatever it may be. I like that, so I think it gives us an opportunity to get out there and get our feet wet in the Truck Series, and get a feel for the tire and the new car and really think about what you can learn. I’m a bit of a perfectionist, so it will be nice to have some extra track time to work on my car and get some experience and also have just a little bit more knowledge of what it’s like beyond what we do in our SIM and other ways we prepare for races and the limited practice time we will have.”

Kyle Busch Camping World Truck Series Career Highlights:

• Busch has a total of 161 Camping World Trucks starts and is ranked first all-time in wins (61), driver rating (123.6) and average finish (6.6).
• The 36-year-old driver has won 37.8% (61/161) of the NCWTS races he has entered and finished first or second in 57.1% (92/161).
• Busch stands alone as the leader in all-time career wins in NASCAR’s national touring series with 222 total victories. He has earned 59 NASCAR Cup Series wins, 102 NASCAR Xfinity Series wins, and 61 NCWTS wins.
• In August of 2010, Busch made history when he won the NCWTS, NXS and NCS races at Bristol Motor Speedway, becoming the only driver to sweep all three of NASCAR’s top three series at one track on the same weekend. He then repeated the feat in August of 2017.

Kyle Busch’s No. 51 Safelite Tundra:

KBM-71: The No. 51 Safelite team will race KBM-71 for Saturday’s race at COTA. In its lone start, Corey Heim finished 18th with this Toyota at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International Raceway last August.
Click here to see KBM-71 Performance Profile

KBM Notes of Interest:

• KBM drivers produced an average finish of 21.0 in last year’s Truck Series event at Circuit of the Americas with John Hunter Nemechek scoring a team-best 12th-place finish.
• Erik Jones’ victory in 2015 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ont. is KBM’s lone win on a road course.
• KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (92) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway, Corey Heim became the 18th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
• With 38 victories, the No. 51 is the winningest number in KBM’s Truck Series fleet.

KRIS WRIGHT
No. 44 F.N.B. Corporation Chevrolet Silverado
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News and Notes
Event: XPEL 225
Date: Saturday, March 26, 2022
Venue: Circuit of the Americas (COTA)
Location: Austin, Texas
Track Description: 3.41 mile(s), Road Course
Race: 42 laps / 143.22 miles

Niece Motorsports’ NASCAR Camping World Truck Series History … Since entering the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) in 2016, the Mooresville, N.C.,-based organization has logged 293 starts with 40 drivers, including NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) drivers Trevor Bayne, Ross Chastain and Kyle Larson. Niece Motorsports has collected three victories (Ross Chastain, 2019: Kansas, Gateway and Pocono), 19 top-five finishes and 55 top-10 finishes, and has logged an average starting position of 19.6 and an average finishing position of 19.0.

NIECE MOTORSPORTS STATISTICS
Niece Motorsports’ NASCAR Camping World Truck Series History at the Circuit of the Americas … This weekend will mark Niece Motorsports’ fourth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at the Austin, Texas,-facility. The organization posted a team best seventh-place finish at the track in 2021 with driver Carson Hocevar. The three previous starts at the Circuit of the Americas have earned Niece Motorsports one top-10 finish with an overall average starting position of 14.3 and an average finish of 17.7.

Catch the Action … The XPEL 225 at the Circuit of the Americas will be broadcast live on FS1 on Saturday, March 26, starting with NASCAR RaceDay: NCWTS COTA at 12:00 p.m. (ET). It will also broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 12:30 p.m. (ET). Qualifying for the fourth event of the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule will air on Friday, March 25 at 3:00 p.m. (ET) on FS1.

Kris Wright
No. 44 F.N.B. Corporation Chevrolet Silverado

The Circuit Facts … This weekend marks Kris Wright’s debut appearance at the Circuit of the Americas, the only FIAcertified Grade 1 track in the United States, with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Wright has one start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) at the Circuit of the Americas. In 2021 with Sam Hunt Racing, he
qualified in the 36th-place and finished in the 32nd-place, due to a mechanical failure.

Road Course Stats: In one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start on a road course, Kris Wright recorded a 25th place finish at the DAYTONA (Fla.) Road Course on August 16, 2020. The start was his debut in NASCAR national series competition in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, his single series start of the 2020 season.

Wright has competed on 22 different road courses and street circuits throughout his career.

KRIS WRIGHT STATISTICS
In the Rearview Mirror: Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway … Kris Wright, driver of the No. 44 F.N.B. Corporation Chevrolet Silverado for Niece Motorsports, finished in the 21st-place in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Fr8 208 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 19, located in Hampton, Ga. Wright started in the 21st-place in the 36-truck field. At the end of Stage 1 on Lap 30 he was in the 32nd-place, and by the end of Stage 2 on Lap 60, Wright was scored in the 26th-place. Wright was scored as high as the 15th-place at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

QUOTE WORTHY
Kris Wright, driver of the No. 44 F.N.B. Corporation Chevrolet Silverado for Niece Motorsports
On the Circuit of the Americas:
“I am excited to get to the Circuit of the Americas for the first road course event of the season. We had some good speed
there last year with the NASCAR Xfinity Series start. I am looking forward to what we can do in our No. 44 F.N.B. Corporation
Chevrolet Silverado.
“It is great having support from F.N.B. Corporation again this week in what should be a solid result for Niece Motorsports. I
know our team has been working hard in the shop to prepare this truck for Saturday.”

Kris Wright on Social Media … To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, visit KrisWrightMotorsports.com or connect with Kris Wright on Facebook (/KrisWrightRacing), Twitter (@KrisOnNASCAR) or Instagram (@krisonnascar).

#

About F.N.B. Corporation
F.N.B. Corporation (NYSE: FNB), headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a diversified financial services company operating in seven states and the District of Columbia. FNB’s market coverage spans several major metropolitan areas including: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Baltimore, Maryland; Cleveland, Ohio; Washington, D.C.; and Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham and the Piedmont Triad (Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point) in North Carolina. The Company has total assets of approximately $42 billion and nearly 340 banking offices throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, D.C. and Virginia.

FNB provides a full range of commercial banking, consumer banking and wealth management solutions through its subsidiary network which is led by its largest affiliate, First National Bank of Pennsylvania, founded in 1864. Commercial banking solutions include corporate banking, small business banking, investment real estate financing, government banking, business credit, capital markets and lease financing. The consumer banking segment provides a full line of consumer banking products and services, including deposit products, mortgage lending, consumer lending and a complete suite of mobile and online banking services. FNB’s wealth management services include asset management, private banking and insurance.

The common stock of F.N.B. Corporation trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “FNB” and is included in Standard & Poor’s MidCap 400 Index with the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) Regional Banks SubIndustry Index. Customers, shareholders and investors can learn more about this regional financial institution by visiting the F.N.B. Corporation website at www.fnbcorporation.com.

BLAINE PERKINS
No. 9 Raceline Chevrolet Silverado
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News and Notes
Event: XPEL 225
Date: Saturday, March 26, 2022
Venue: Circuit of the Americas (COTA)
Location: Austin, Texas
Track Description: 3.41 mile(s), Road Course
Race: 42 laps / 143.22 miles

CR7 Motorsports’ NASCAR Camping World Truck Series History … Since entering the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) in 2018, the Statesville, N.C.,-based organization has logged 51 starts with three drivers, Grant Enfinger, Colby Howard, and Codie Rohrbaugh. CR7 Motorsports has collected three top-five finishes (Daytona, Talladega, Austin) and eight top-10 finishes, and has logged an average starting position of 23.6 and an average finishing position of 22.5.

CR7 MOTORSPORTS STATISTICS
CR7 Motorsports’ NASCAR Camping World Truck Series History at the Circuit of the Americas … This weekend will mark CR7 Motorsports’ second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at the Austin, Texas,-facility. The organization posted a team best fourth-place finish at the track on May 22, 2021 with driver Grant Enfinger. The one previous start at the Circuit of the Americas, a 3.41-mile road course, has earned CR7 Motorsports an average starting position of 23.0 and an average finish of 4.0.

Catch the Action … The XPEL 225 at the Circuit of the Americas will be broadcast live on FS1 on Saturday, March 26, starting with NASCAR RaceDay: NCWTS COTA at 12:00 p.m. (ET). It will also broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 12:30 p.m. (ET). Qualifying for the fourth event of the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule will air on Friday, March 25 at 3:00 p.m. (ET) on FS1.

Blaine Perkins
No. 9 Raceline Chevrolet Silverado Crossroads of North America Details … This weekend will mark Blaine Perkins’ track debut with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at the Circuit of the Americas, named for its ideal location at the crossroads of North America from north to south, east to west. The 20-turn, counterclockwise track features an elevation change of 133 feet for Perkins to navigate. Road Course Stats: This weekend marks Blaine Perkins’ road course debut with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

The 22-year-old has road course experience at the Utah Motorsports Campus (East Loop at Utah Motorsports Campus, 2.2-mile), and the Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway (1.99-mile).

BLAINE PERKINS STATISTICS
In the Rearview Mirror: Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway … Blaine Perkins, driver of the No. 9 Raceline Chevrolet Silverado for CR7 Motorsports, finished in the 29th-place in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Fr8 208 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 19, located in Hampton, Ga. Perkins started in the 32nd-place in the 36-truck field. For the first time this season, NASCAR used a mathematical formula to set the starting lineup for the 135-lap race, after inclement weather forced the practice session to be postponed. At the end of Stage 1 on Lap 30 he was in the 23rd-place. On Lap 46 Perkins made contact with the wall resulting in a right-rear tire down. Throughout the event, he would have three additional right-rear tires go down. On Lap 60, at the end of Stage 2, Perkins was scored in the 33rd-place. He was scored as high as the 20th-place at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

QUOTE WORTHY
Blaine Perkins, driver of the No. 9 Raceline Chevrolet Silverado for CR7 Motorsports
On the Circuit of the Americas:
“I am excited to get to the Circuit of the Americas for the first road course event of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. Since starting my career in go-karts, I have always had a passion for road-course racing. This weekend, I am excited to get my first NASCAR national series road course start.
“CR7 Motorsports ran really well last year at COTA, so I know our team will have a fast Chevrolet Silverado. I am looking forward to being able to compete up-front this weekend.”

Follow CR7 Motorsports’ on Social Media … To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, visit CR7 Motorsports’ Twitter page – @CR7_Motorsports, and on Instagram at @cr7motorsports. “Like” CR7 Motorsports on the official Facebook page at facebook.com/CR7-Motorsports.

For additional information, news and the latest updates, please visit www.BlainePerkins.com or connect with Blaine Perkins on Facebook (OfficialBlainePerkins), Twitter (@BlainePerkins21) or Instagram (@blaineperkins21).

Saturday, March 26
Track: Circuit of the Americas, 3.41-mile road course
Race: 4 of 23
Event: XPEL 225 (42 laps, 143 miles)

Schedule
Friday, March 25
Practice: 3:00 p.m. ET
Qualifying: 3:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, March 26
Race: 1:00 p.m. ET (FOX Sports 1)

Hailie Deegan, No. 1 Monster Energy Ford F-150

• The XPEL 225 marks Hailie Deegan’s second start at Circuit of the Americas. The Ford development driver showed promise in her 2021 COTA debut, passing 14 cars en route to a top-15 finish.
• Deegan will look to rebound from an ill-fated weekend at the newly reconfigured Atlanta Motor Speedway after a flat tire spurred a chain of events that forced her to a 36th-place finish.
• The Temecula, CA native gained valuable road course experience in the off-season, making a start in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge at Daytona’s 3.56-mile course alongside fellow Ford drivers Harrison Burton, Austin Cindric and Chase Briscoe.
• Crew Chief Mike Hillman Jr. sat atop the pit box for Deegan’s first visit to Austin. However, the pair is still searching for their first top-10 finish together on a non-oval circuit.

Tanner Gray, No. 15 Ford Performance F-150

• Tanner Gray heads into the fourth race of the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season on Saturday afternoon at Circuit of the Americas.
• Through three races, Gray has had the best start to a season of his career with two top-fives and three top-10 finishes. The string of solid finishes has the Ford driver sitting second in the series standings, 49 points above the cut line for the playoffs with 13 races to go.
• The No. 15 team returns to COTA hoping for much better luck this year after missing qualifying and struggling with engine woes at last year’s event and finishing 31st.
• Despite showing speed turning left and right in the past, Gray is in pursuit of his first career top-10 on road courses.

Taylor Gray, No. 17 Ford Performance F-150

• Taylor Gray returns to the seat of the No. 17 Ford Performance F-150 at Circuit of the Americas for his first NCWTS start of the season and sixth of his career.
• The younger Gray has seen success on the ARCA trail this season with two top-fives in the East series and a victory with the national series at Phoenix Raceway on March 11.
• In five NCWTS starts, the Ford development prospect has one top-10 to his credit by way of an eighth-place run at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway last fall. His next best finish was 12th at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois.
• In addition to COTA, Gray’s current Truck Series schedule for 2022 consists of Martinsville, Gateway, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lucas Oil Raceway Park, Richmond Raceway, Bristol Motor Speedway and Phoenix Raceway to close out the season.

STATESVILLE, N.C.: AM Racing confirmed today the organization will launch a second part-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team beginning with Saturday afternoon’s XPEL 225 at Circuit of the Americas (COTA).

Logan Bearden, a native of Austin, Texas will serve as a teammate to fellow Austin, Texas driver Austin Wayne Self aboard the No. 37 Bearden Automotive | Parker Electric Chevrolet Silverado RST.

In addition to COTA, Bearden, 26, is expected to pilot the No. 37 AM Racing Chevrolet Silverado RST in select races, while also moving to North Carolina next month where he’ll work full-time out of the team’s headquarters in Statesville, N.C.

Bearden also tested for AM Racing in January at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in the ARCA Menards Series.

“I’m very thankful for this opportunity with Kevin Cywinski, Tim Self and AM Racing for COTA this weekend,” said Bearden. “I’ve been friends with Austin (Wayne Self) for a long time and now to have the opportunity to be his teammate at our hometown track is really a great and unique opportunity.

“AM Racing has been steadily enhancing their program over the past year and now to have the chance to be part of helping them expand to a second program is incredibly humbling.

“With COTA being a hometown race, it certainly puts the pressure on, but I know that the AM Racing team is bringing me a very competitive truck and I look forward to having a successful NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut on Saturday.”

AM Racing team principal Kevin Cywinski says the team’s second part-time team will see a rotation list of drivers this season, with the intention to expand the team to full-time alongside Self’s No. 22 team in 2023.

“We’ve been patiently waiting to launch a second AM Racing team and we feel like the opportunity with Logan (Bearden) at COTA is the time to do it,” explained Cywinski. “We tested the waters last year with Brett Moffitt at Knoxville and immediately saw the benefits of a two-truck team.

“Logan has been around the AM Racing program for the past couple of months and he’s certainly fitted in like family. We are thrilled to go to COTA with two teams and allow Logan to showcase his talent in front of a hometown audience – while also looking ahead positively about our No. 37 truck program throughout the remainder of the 2022 schedule.”

Longtime industry crew chief Jamie Jones will lead Bearden’s efforts at COTA.

For more on Logan Bearden, please visit LoganBearden.com, like his Facebook page (Logan Bearden Racing), or follow him on Instagram (Logan­­_Bearden66) and Twitter (@LoganBearden66).

For more on AM Racing visit amracing.racing, like them on Facebook (AM Racing) follow them on Twitter (@AMRacingNASCAR) and Instagram (@AMRacingNASCAR22).

The XPEL 225 (42 laps | 143.22 miles) is the fourth of 23 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races on the 2022 schedule. Practice begins on Fri., March 25, 2022, from 2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Qualifying will soon follow from 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. The 36-truck field will take the green flag on race day, Sat., March 26, 2022, shortly after 12:00 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (CT).
About AM Racing:

AM Racing is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) team headquartered in Statesville, N.C.
Established in December 2015, AM Racing is prided on faith, honesty and intelligent performance.

The No. 22 team has named Austin Wayne Self as its primary driver for the 2022 season while also expanding to a second No. 37 truck with a rotation of drivers this season.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: Fr8 208, Race 3 of 23, 135 Laps –30/30/75; 207.9 Miles
Location: Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway at (1.54-mile Quad-oval)
Date/Broadcast: Mar. 19, 2022, at 2:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Nemechek #Back4More in 2022
Nemechek and the No. 4 Pye-Barker team head to Atlanta Motor Speedway looking to rebound from a 25th-place finish in the previous race at Las Vegas. After capturing the pole and finishing in the top-10 in each of the first two stages at Las Vegas, Nemechek was involved in a late-race incident, relegating him to a 25th-place finish. Nemechek currently sits 10th in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings after the first two races of the season.

The 24-year-old driver will be making his fifth career start at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He has tallied one win (2016), two top-five and two top-10 finishes with average finish of 14.3 in his first four starts at the 1.54-mile oval. In his lone NASCAR Cup Series start at the Georgia track, Nemechek finished 18th in 2020. Additionally, he has made two NASCAR Xfinity Starts at Atlanta, with a best result of fourth coming in the 2018 event.

Back on January 4th, Nemechek participated in a Goodyear Tire Test at the newly repaved Atlanta Motor Speedway where he turned over 200-laps in the new Tundra TRD Pro. The No. 4 team will unload the same chassis, KBM-53 this weekend that was used during the Goodyear Tire Test.

Pye-Barker Fire & Safety, an industry leader in commercial fire protection since 1946, will serve as the primary sponsor for Nemechek at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Pye-Barker, who acquired Nemechek’s long-term partner Fire Alarm Services in 2021, will also serve as the primary sponsor of the No. 4 Tundra TRD Pro at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway (5/27), Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (9/15) and the season finale at Phoenix Raceway (11/4).

Nemechek is an 11-time winner in Camping World Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports, and returning to victory lane in 2021 with KBM. Across 126 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, he has compiled three poles, 1,254 laps led, 40 top-five and 66 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.8.

Nemechek spent the Truck Series off weekend racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway last weekend. He started 11th, led 11 laps and ended the day with a fifth-place finish for Sam Hunt Racing.

Eric Phillips returned to lead the No. 4 team in 2022. His 41 career Truck Series victories make him the winningest crew chief in Truck Series history, with 32 of those coming while at KBM including five last year. Phillips led the No. 18 team at KBM in its debut season in 2010 and helped build the organization into one of the premier teams in all of NASCAR before departing at the end of the 2014 season. Under his guidance, the No. 18 team won eight races in its inaugural campaign and became the first team in Truck Series history to capture an owner’s championship in its first season of competition. In 2014, the Illinois native led the No. 51 team to an owner’s championship and his team’s 10 wins spearheaded KBM to a single-season Truck Series record of 14 wins. At Atlanta, Phillip’s drivers have collected seven top-five, and seven top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 11.0 across 13 starts.

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver Q&A:
John Hunter Nemechek | Atlanta Motor Speedway
You participated in the Goodyear Tire Test at Atlanta, what’s your take on the “new Atlanta” for this race?
“Don’t know what to expect going back. We were a part of the tire test in January — I think that they are bringing a really good tire back to Atlanta Motor Speedway. Not sure how it’s going to race, though. A lot of things have changed since we were there at the tire test, double yellow line rule now, I know that they’re changing some of the walls around, some barriers for different angles so if you do hit it’s not as violent. A lot of changes going back, we were supposed to have a 50-minute practice on Friday but it doesn’t look too great with rain coming so not sure if we’ll get on track Friday. The first laps in a pack may be at the start of the race so a lot to learn, a lot to figure out in a short of time but hopefully it’ll be fun and hopefully we can bring home our first checkered flag of the year.”

In addition to running in the Truck Series, you have been running some Xfinity Series races. Does racing during those off weekends help you stay sharp?
“Yeah, I think being able to be in the seat when the Truck Series is off, being able to go out and run laps and race, you’re learning something. I think being able to run at Phoenix last week was a great addition for me with Sam Hunt Racing, being able to go turn laps, have a really solid day, not make any mistakes and learn. We raced really hard all day — had to come from the back and pass a lot of cars. That’s where our championship finale is, so the more laps the better.”

John Hunter Nemechek Career Highlights:

• Eleven-time winner in Camping World Truck Series action, winning at least one race each season from 2015 to 2018 for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports. Across 126 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, has compiled three poles, 1,254 laps led, 40 top-five and 66 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.8. Registered a career-high and series-leading five victories in 2021 and earned the NCWTS Regular Season championship and third in the final standings after qualifying for the Championship Four for the first time in his career.
• Produced three top-10 finishes and an average result of 22.4 while competing for rookie of the year honors in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020. He recorded a career-best eighth-place finish twice, both coming at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway
• Across 58 career XFINITY Series starts, has totaled two wins, one pole, 375 laps led, 15 top-five and 34 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 11.6.

John Hunter Nemechek’s No. 4 Pye-Barker Tundra TRD Pro:
KBM-53: The No. 4 Pye-Barker Fire & Safety team will unload KBM-53 for Saturday’s race at Atlanta. Nemechek drove this Toyota three times throughout the 2021 season, accumulating 125 laps led and an average finish of 4.3. Nemechek wheeled KBM-53 to a third-place finish at Atlanta last spring after leading 21 of 130 laps. Back on January 4th, Nemechek participated in a Goodyear Tire Test at the newly repaved Atlanta Motor Speedway where he turned over 200-laps driving this chassis.
Click Here for KBM-53 Performance Profile:

KBM Notes of Interest:

• KBM drivers have collected three wins, two poles, 689 laps led, 10 top-five and 13 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.8 across 26 starts at Atlanta. KBM Owner-driver Kyle Busch won last year and in 2019 while Christopher Bell brought home the trophy in 2017.
• KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (91) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Bristol Motor Speedway last September, Chandler Smith became the 17th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
• The No. 4 has 16 career victories at KBM and was the number for both of the organization’s driver championships.