Category: Truck Series PR

Avondale, AZ — GMS Racing is proud to announce a new partnership with Quick Quack Car Wash, a chain of drive through car wash facilities with over 140 locations throughout Arizona, California, Colorado, Texas, and Utah. The brand will be prominently featured as primary sponsor on Jack Wood’s No. 24 Chevrolet Silverado in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

Quick Quack Car Wash is all about speed – they are able to have a vehicle cleaned, shined, and dried in under three minutes. On top of that, they offer free vacuums at all locations, and an unlimited membership option to ensure your car stays clean forever. With Quick Quack’s Clean Car Guarantee, if a customer is not 100% satisfied, they will rewash the car on the spot for free, no questions asked.

Driver Jack Wood enters the season finale wrapping up his first year competing part time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In eleven starts, Wood has one Top 10 to his credit, with a best career finish of tenth place at World Wide Technology Raceway – a 1-mile flat track that shares many characteristics to Phoenix Raceway. The rookie looks to cap off his inaugural campaign strong with another solid showing in “The Valley of the Sun”.

“I’m excited to have a new and exciting partner on my truck that continues to grow its presence as one of the top car washes on the west coast for our final race of the year at Phoenix. Quick Quack Car Wash has really changed the game in automotive cleaning and I can’t wait to have them on my No. 24 GMS Racing Chevrolet at Phoenix for the finale.” said Jack.

Fans can watch the GMS Racing No. 24 Quick Quack Car Wash Chevrolet Silverado in action at Phoenix Raceway during the Lucas Oil 150 on Friday, November 5th, at 8:00 PM ET (5:00 PM MT). Be sure to follow Jack Wood on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with his official handle @DriverJackWood. #WeAreGMS

ABOUT QUICK QUACK CAR WASH:

Headquartered in Roseville, California, Quick Quack now owns and operates over 140 locations across Arizona, California, Colorado, Texas, and Utah, with continued growth throughout these regions. Quick Quack takes pride in having been awarded “The Best of…” or “The Favorite” car wash in every community where a Quick Quack can be found. Additionally, Quick Quack has been recognized as a leader in establishing an environmentally friendly and sustainable business.

As the company continues to grow, the founding partners never lose sight of the Quick Quack mission to Change Lives for The Better. Through their Random Quacks of Kindness, community fundraisers and organization sponsorships, Quick Quack is honored to give back to the communities they serve. Learn more by visiting www.dontdrivedirty.com.

ABOUT GMS RACING:

GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with drivers Sheldon Creed, Zane Smith, Tyler Ankrum, Chase Purdy and Jack Wood. The team also competes in the ARCA Menards Series with Daniel Dye. Since the team began in 2014, GMS Racing won the 2016 and 2020 Camping World Trucks Championship, the 2015 ARCA Menards Series championship as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA East championship. GMS has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. The campus also includes operations for GMS Fabrication. More information can be found at gmsracing.net.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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

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

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: Lucas Oil 150, Race 22 of 22, 150 Laps – 45/45/160; 150 Miles
Location: Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway (one-mile oval)
Date/Broadcast: Nov. 5, 2021, at 8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Mr. Smith Brings Rookie Season to a Close:

• Chandler Smith and the No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass team head to Phoenix Raceway for the final race of the rookie driver’s first full-time season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Smith’s bid for a spot in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship 4 came up three spots short when he finished fourth at Martinsville Speedway Saturday. Smith entered the event 34 points below the cutoff line for advancing to Phoenix, making it nearly a must-win situation. The talented teenager battled a tight-handling Safelite AutoGlass Tundra throughout the Martinsville event but found himself battling inside the top five for the final 50 laps of the race that extended into NASCAR overtime. In the end, a fourth-place finish was all the 19-year-old driver could muster in his first career start at “The Paperclip” and he ended the Round of 8 50 points below the cutoff line for advancing to the Championship 4.
• Despite being in his first full-time season in the Truck Series, Smith has two previous starts at Phoenix. He finished third in just his fourth career start in 2019 and equaled that finish last year. He picked up the victory in his lone ARCA Menards Series start in the 2020 event.
• The Toyota Racing product is in a close battle with Carson Hocevar for the Truck Series Rookie of the Year title. Smith enters Phoenix three points ahead of Hocevar for the honor. A KBM driver has won the award twice previously, Erik Jones in 2015 and William Byron in 2016.
• Smith finished the regular season 10th on the Camping World Truck Series playoff grid, 10 points above the cutoff line for qualifying for the post season, after posting three top-five and five top-10 finishes across 15 races. The Georgia native fended off elimination in the Round of 10 when he collected his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory Sept. 16 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in the final race of the round. Smith muscled his way past reigning Truck Series champion Shelden Creed on a restart with five laps remaining and then held off his KBM teammate John Hunter Nemechek to collect the victory in his 34th career start in NASCAR’s third division. Overall, across 21 starts in 2021, Smith has recorded one win, five top-five and eight top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 17.6.
• The Toyota Racing Development driver has one win, 13 top-five, and 17 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 15.3 across 37 career Camping World Truck Series starts. In addition to his Bristol win, he has posted two runner-up finishes; at Knoxville Raceway earlier this season and at Bristol in 2019.
• Veteran crew chief Danny Stockman calls the shots for Smith and the No. 18 team in 2021. Stockman led the No. 51 team to four wins in his first season atop the pit box at KBM in 2020 and has earned one with Smith this season. He came to the organization with experience as a crew chief in all three national series, including a Truck Series championship with Austin Dillon in 2011 and an Xfinity Series championship with Dillon in 2013. Across four starts at Phoenix, Stockman’s drivers have collected one top-five and two top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 6.0. His best result was a fifth-place finish with Dillon in 2011.
• Safelite AutoGlass – the nation’s largest provider of vehicle glass repair, replacement, and recalibration services – will serve as the primary sponsor on Smith’s Tundra at Phoenix, their 16th race as a primary sponsor this season. Smith General Contracting and QuickTie – a proprietary, patented hold down system for high wind and seismic construction – will be associate partners on the bedtop of the No. 18 Toyota for Friday’s 150-lap event.

Chandler Smith, Driver Q&A:

How would you evaluate your first full-season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series?
“We made it to the Round of 8 and almost made it to Phoenix. Had a must-win situation at Martinsville and came up a little short there, but still had a strong run. Big building blocks and we’ll try to build on something even bigger for the future. Really proud to be able to represent Toyota Racing, Safelite AutoGlass, JBL and everyone at Kyle Busch Motorsports. We’ll try to go out and get another win at Phoenix.”

Talk about the chance to bring home Rookie of the Year honors in the Truck Series.
“Since we came up just a little short on a championship, I definitely think it would be a great honor to get the Rookie of the Year. It would be pretty cool for me considering it’s my first time racing full-time in any series since I was about 13 years old. I had expectations going into this year that I was expecting to be Rookie of the Year, so nothing has changed, and we’ll go out Friday night and try to secure that honor.”

You’ve finished inside the top five in both of your Truck Series starts at Phoenix, does it fit your driving style?
“I don’t know, Phoenix drives a lot like a short track and that’s my wheelhouse. It’s definitely one of our bigger short tracks, if you want to classify it as one. We were able to get the lead momentarily last year, hopefully we can put our Safelite AutoGlass Tundra in the mix and bring home the win this year.”

Chandler Smith Career Highlights:

• Across 37 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts has recorded one win (Bristol Motor Speedway, 9/16/2021), 267 laps led, 13 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 15.3.
• Posted an average finish of 7.7 across his final seven of 12 total Truck Series starts in 2020, including third-place finishes in the series finale at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway and his first career superspeedway start at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in October.
• Produced three top-five and four top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 4.2 across his first four career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts in 2019. He led 55 laps and finished eighth in his Gander Trucks debut at Iowa Speedway last July and then posted top-five finishes in his final three starts, including a runner-up finish at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.
• 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.

Chandler Smith’s No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Tundra:
KBM-70: The No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass team will unload KBM-70 for Friday’s race at Phoenix. Smith has recorded three top 10s across four starts in this Tundra in 2021, with its best result being a fifth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in June.

KBM Notes of Interest:
KBM drivers have collected eight wins, five poles, 985 laps led, 23 top-five and 37 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 8.9 across 57 starts at Martinsville.

• Todd Gilliland picked up the organization’s most recent victory at the 0.526-mile oval in October of 2019. Kyle Busch (2017 & 2019). Denny Hamlin (2011 & 2012) and Darrell Wallace Jr. (2013 & 2014) have all collected two victories at the Virginia track while Noah Gragson (2017) has one win.
• KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (89) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Bristol Motor Speedway 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. 18, the number which was on the first Tundra that went to victory lane for KBM in 2010, has 22 career victories.

Young’s Motorsports | NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway | Lucas Oil 150

Fast Facts

No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Team:
Driver: Kris Wright
Primary Partner(s): F.N.B. Corporation
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado
Crew Chief: Steven Dawson
2021 Driver Points Position: 26th
2021 Owner Points Position: 21st
Chassis Intel: YMS Chassis No. 22

Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

The Lowdown: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year candidate Kris Wright will pilot the No. 02 F.N.B. Corporation Chevrolet Silverado this weekend at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway for his 17th career start.

In addition to his 15 Truck Series races this season at Daytona, Las Vegas (twice), Richmond, Kansas, Darlington, Charlotte, Texas, Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, Gateway, Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and most recently at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, Wright also made his NCWTS debut last summer at the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway Road Course.

Friday night’s Lucas Oil 150 will mark Wright’s Truck Series debut at the famed Arizona speedway.

Welcome Aboard: For the sixth time in 2021, F.N.B. Corporation will serve as the primary partner on Wright’s No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado.

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 more than $38 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.

Kris Wright Truck Series Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway Stats: Friday night’s Lucas Oil 150 will mark Wright’s inaugural Truck Series debut at the 1.0-mile racetrack.

Wright, however, did compete in last year’s ARCA Menards Series West season finale at Phoenix. After starting 12th in an entry fielded by Chad Bryant Racing, Wright recovered from a Lap 1 incident to record an 18th place finish.

Martinsville (Va.) Speedway | United Rentals 200 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville, Wright made his 16th career NCWTS start.

Starting 26th based on the metrics set by NASCAR without practice or qualifying, Wright battled handling issues early in the race with his No. 02 F.N.B. Corporation Chevrolet Silverado. Great adjustments by crew chief Steven Dawson propelled Wright through the field and onto a lead-lap 13th place finish.

The effort was a career-best for Wright on a short track in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and marked his second top-15 finish of the season after finishing a season-high 12th at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February.

Driver Intel: Road racing standout Kris Wright continues his rookie season with Young’s Motorsports with Saturday afternoon’s United Rentals 200 at Martinsville.

The former IMSA and Formula 3 driver invades the Truck Series scene this season after spending much of the 2020 season competing in the ARCA Menards Series competing for Chad Bryant Racing and GMS Racing, respectively.

Wright earned three top-10 finishes in six races, including a career-best seventh in the season finale at Kansas Speedway last October.

This season, in addition to the Truck Series, Wright has spent time competing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Sam Hunt Racing on the road courses and a string of races in ARCA for Rette Jones Racing.

Solid Pace For Young’s Motorsports: With one race remaining in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this season, Young’s Motorsports sits a respectable 21st in the series owner standings with a handful of drivers.

In addition to Wright, former Truck Series winner Kaz Grala, NASCAR Xfinity Series winner Josh Berry, NASCAR Cup Series standout Daniel Suarez and USAC Triple Crown champion Chris Windom have all piloted the No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet in the 21 races thus far of 2021.

In one of the most competitive Truck Series seasons on record, the team has collected one top-five, two top-10s, six top-15s and 13 top-25 efforts collectively.

Young’s Motorsports stands 10 points behind 20th in the Truck Series owner standings currently secured by David Gilliland Racing.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Wright as crew chief of the No. 02 F.N.B. Corporation Chevrolet Silverado is crew chief Steven Dawson.

A long-time Young’s Motorsports employee, Dawson will serve as crew chief for just his third NCWTS race. In 2017, he guided Austin Hill to a respectable 17th place finish at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway after starting 27th.

Last weekend, he recorded a career-best finish as crew chief with a competitive 13th place finish in the 204-lap race.

Dawson, 33, is a native of Concord, N.C.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Kris Wright, please visit, kriswrightmotorsports.com, like him on Facebook (Kris Wright Racing) and follow him on Twitter (@KrisOnNASCAR).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports) and follow on Instagram (youngsmotorsports) and Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Kris Wright Pre-Race Quote:

On Phoenix: “I am pumped to get to Phoenix this weekend with the Young’s Motorsports team and our No. 02 F.N.B. Corporation Chevrolet Silverado. I am really proud of our team for making huge strides last weekend at Martinsville and I believe we can continue to showcase that pace on Friday night.

“Although I don’t have any laps in a truck at Phoenix, I’m hoping that the laps in the ARCA car last November will be helpful on top of the practice and qualifying I’ll have in the truck before the race.

“It’s been an influential season for me in the Truck Series and I’m indebted to everyone at Young’s Motorsports for giving me the opportunity to race.”
No. 12 Young’s Motorsports Team:

Driver: Tate Fogleman

Primary Partner(s): Young’s Building Systems | Randco. | Sim Seats

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado

Crew Chief: Ryan “Pickle” London

2021 Driver Points Position: 20th

2021 Owner Points Position: 27th

Chassis Intel: YMS Chassis No. 19

Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

Back To Familiar Territory: In his sophomore season of Truck Series competition, Fogleman returns to Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway looking for his third top-10 finish of the 2021 season.

Welcome Aboard: For the 22nd and final Truck Series race of 2021, Young’s Motorsports and Fogleman welcome Texas-based Young’s Building Systems and Randco Industries Inc. as the primary marketing partners on the No. 12 Chevrolet Silverado for the Lucas Oil 150.

Proud Partner: Sim Seats, an innovative leader in driving simulators has also stepped up to support Fogleman for the 150-lap race Friday night and be displayed on the television panel of the No. 12 Chevrolet Silverado.

Since 2009, Sim Seats has been designing and fabricating high-quality made-in-the-USA driving simulators including motion systems, triple monitor mounts, sim racing accessories, complete turn-key iRacing ready packages and even custom fabrication.

Their customer base includes all racers from amateur to pro ranks.

Sim Seats joined Young’s Motorsports as a team partner in June 2021.

First Win In The Books: Last month, Fogleman and crew chief Ryan London delivered Young’s Motorsports their second career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in a dramatic last-lap pass coming to the checkered flag.

Not only did Fogleman have to battle the No. 4 of John Hunter Nemechek, but also edged the No. 56 of Tyler Hill at the start-finish line, winning the Chevrolet Silverado 250 by a mere 0.052 thousands of a second.

Tate Fogleman Truck Series Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway Stats: Friday night’s Lucas Oil 150 will mark Fogleman’s second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at the 1.0-mile speedway.

Last November, he started 28th and used the 156-lap race to move forward and collect a 19th place finish, one of his 11 top-20 finishes in his rookie NCWTS season for Young’s Motorsports.

Tate Fogleman Truck Series Speedway Stats: At NASCAR Camping World Truck Series tracks classified as a speedway in lengths of 1.0 to 2.0-mile(s) in length, Fogleman has made 27 starts carrying an average finishing position of 23.8.

Martinsville (Va.) Speedway | United Rentals 200 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville, Fogleman made his 47th career NCWTS start.

Starting 12th based on the metrics set by NASCAR without practice or qualifying, Fogleman’s No. 12 Young’s Building Systems | Randco. | Sim Seats Chevrolet Silverado maintained a competitive top-20 pace throughout the majority of the race.

During Stage 3, Fogleman rebounded from being collected in a Lap 185 pileup in Turn 4 to finish 18th and not only earn his best result at the 0.526-mile paperclip but delivered his eighth top-20 finish of 2021.

To The Point(s): Entering Phoenix, Fogleman sits 20th in the championship standings with 280 points earned.

129 points separate Fogleman from 15th in the championship standings currently held by Tyler Ankrum with one race remaining.

Young’s Motorsports’ No. 12 team maintained 27th in the NCWTS owner standings following the penultimate Truck Series race of the season.

Did You Know?: 21-year-old Fogleman is the son of Jay Fogleman a former competitor in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and a 10-time winner in what is now known as the CARS Tour Series.

He is also a business major at High Point University and has a strong passion for fishing.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Fogleman as crew chief of the No. 12 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado is crew chief Ryan London.

He will crew chief his 46th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Friday night. In his previous 45 races, he has one win, two top-five and four top-10 finishes to his resume.

This weekend marks his second race as crew chief at Phoenix.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Tate Fogleman, please like him on Facebook (Tate Fogelman Racing) and follow him on Instagram (tatefogleman) and Twitter (@tate_fogleman).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports) and follow on Instagram (youngsmotorsports) and Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Tate Fogleman Pre-Race Quotes:

On Phoenix: “It has been a good three races for everyone on this No. 12 Young’s Motorsports team. In addition to the win at Talladega, we’ve been able to deliver two really solid top-20 finishes at Las Vegas and last weekend at Martinsville.

“Ryan (London, crew chief) brought me a really good truck to Martinsville last weekend, circumstances fell in the way of us getting another top-10 finish this season.

“It’s on to Phoenix where we are hopeful that we can continue this momentum and end the season on a high note for not only the Young family but everyone who supports and has supported our No. 12 program throughout the year.”
No. 20 Young’s Motorsports Team:

Driver: Spencer Boyd

Primary Partner(s): HairClub

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado

Crew Chief: Joe Lax

2021 Driver Points Position: 23rd

2021 Owner Points Position: 31st

Chassis Intel: YMS Chassis No. 14

Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

Back To Familiar Territory: Fan favorite Spencer Boyd returns to Phoenix Raceway, eyeing his second top-10 of the season in the final NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race of the season.

No. 119: This weekend at Martinsville, Boyd will make his 119th career NASCAR start. Boyd has three starts in the NASCAR Cup Series, 50 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and will make his 66th start in Trucks when the green flag waves Friday night.

The highlight of his NASCAR career is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in October 2019 driving for Young’s Motorsports.

Welcome Back To The Team: This weekend at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway, Young’s Motorsports welcomes back HairClub as the primary partner on the No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado.

This weekend, HairClub is promoting its Strain Builder line.

With HairClub Strain Builder, restore and grow hair again. Strand Builder rebuilds your hair with natural Keratin Fibers that are designed to statically cling to existing hair, building each strand for thicker-looking hair.

Founded in 1976, HairClub is North America’s number one provider of hair regrowth, replacement, and restoration solutions.

For over 40 years, HairClub has helped 600,000+ people regrow, replace, or restore hair that they love.

HairClub has over 120 locations throughout the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tokyo-based Aderans Co. Ltd., the world’s leading provider of total hair loss solutions.

Phoenix will be the fifth race where HairClub has partnered with Boyd and Young’s Motorsports. In addition to four races last year, including the season finale at Phoenix, HairClub also partnered with Boyd and Young’s Motorsports in September at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway.

We Love Free: As they did last year, HairClub is offering NASCAR fans a free hair health checkup and a free hair care kit as part of the partnership.

Find a location near you at hairclub.com/find-a-center.

Double Duty: In addition to Friday night’s Truck Series race at Phoenix, Boyd will return to DGM Racing and compete in the NASCAR Xfinity Series season finale on Saturday night aboard the No. 90 MiniDoge Chevrolet Camaro.

Spencer Boyd Truck Series Phoenix Raceway Stats: Friday night’s Lucas Oil 150 will mark Boyd’s second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at the Avondale, Arizona speedway.

Last November, Boyd finished 27th after starting 18th completing his first full season of Truck Series competition. Following Phoenix, Boyd claimed 23rd in the championship standings.

Spencer Boyd Truck Series Speedway Stats: At NASCAR Camping World Truck Series tracks classified as a speedway in lengths of 1.0 to 2.0-mile(s) in length, Boyd has made 39 starts carrying an average finishing position of 23.5.

Martinsville (Va.) Speedway | United Rentals 200 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville, Boyd made his 65th career NCWTS start.

Starting 18th based on the metrics set by NASCAR without practice or qualifying, Boyd’s No. 20 Credit MRI Chevrolet Silverado bounced back from mid-race handling woes to finish 15th in the 204-lap race.

The effort yielded Boyd’s third straight 15th place finish at the famed Virginia short track dating back to the 2019 season.

To The Point(s): Entering Phoenix, Boyd sits 23rd in the championship standings.

49 points separate Boyd from 20th in the championship standings currently held by teammate Fogleman with one race remaining this season.

Young’s Motorsports’ No. 20 team also secures 31st in the NCWTS owner standings.

Truck Series Rundown: In five years of Truck Series competition, Boyd has 65 career Truck Series starts with one win, two top-five and three top-10 finishes and a championship best of 17th in 2019 and carries an average finish of 22.5.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Boyd as crew chief of the No. 20 HairClub Chevrolet Silverado is veteran crew chief Joe Lax.

He will crew chief his 76th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Friday night. In his previous 75 races, he has one pole and seven top-10 finishes to his resume.

This weekend marks his fourth race as crew chief at Phoenix.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Spencer Boyd, please like him on Facebook (Spencer Boyd Racing) and follow him on Instagram (SpencerBoydpr) and Twitter (@SpencerBoyd).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports) and follow on Instagram (youngsmotorsports) and Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Spencer Boyd Pre-Race Quotes:

On Phoenix: “Phoenix is another busy weekend for, especially with practice and qualifying back in the mix. I’m very optimistic about our chances for Friday night.

“I’m excited to have HairClub back on our No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado and I definitely want to better our finish from last November. Phoenix is a tough track. It’s hard to pass and momentum is everything.

“It’s been a couple of solid races for our No. 20 Young’s Motorsports team and I’d love to head into the off-season with another top-15 finish added to our tally.”
Race Information:

The Lucas Oil 150 (150 laps | 150 miles) is the 22nd of 22 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races on the 2021 schedule. Practice begins on Fri., Nov. 5, 2021, from 8:05 a.m. – 8:55 a.m. Qualifying is set for later in the day at 2:05 p.m. The 36-truck field will take the green flag that night shortly after 5:00 p.m. (8:00 p.m. ET) with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM Satellite Radio NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (MT).

Phoenix Raceway Race Advance

Team: No. 40 Marquis Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Ryan Truex
Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @Ryan_Truex

Truex on Racing at Phoenix: “I’m so appreciative of Marquis for all of their support, we wouldn’t be able to get to the track without it. A huge thank you to Al Niece and everyone at Niece Motorsports for their hard work this season. We’re looking to go to Phoenix and close the season out on a high note.”

Truex at Phoenix: Friday night’s race at Phoenix Raceway marks Truex’s fourth start in the series at the one-mile track in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In 2012, Truex finished ninth after leading 22 laps.

Truex has six NASCAR Xfinity Series starts to his credit at Phoenix Raceway, with his best finish of second coming in 2019.

The New Jersey native has one NASCAR Cup Series start at Phoenix Raceway, coming in 2014.

On the Truck: Truex will race with support from Marquis in this week’s season-finale at Phoenix Raceway.

Marquis, an employee-owned company founded in 1980, builds world-class hot tubs in the USA. Designed with cutting-edge features, Marquis hot tubs deliver the ultimate hydromassage experience, costing less to operate, and requiring the least amount of maintenance. Marquis is proud to craft spas designed to enhance health and well-being. For more information, visit: www.marquisspas.com.

About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2021, Niece Motorsports enters its sixth season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Drew Dollar: Driver, No. 51 Sunbelt® Rentals Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: Lucas Oil 150, Race 22 of 22, 150 Laps –30/30/74; 150 Miles
Location: Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway (one-mile oval)
Date/Broadcast: Nov. 5, 2021, at 8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

The Data on Dollar:

• Drew Dollar will make his eighth career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start behind the wheel of the No. 51 Tundra in Friday’s 150-lap event at Phoenix Raceway as the final event in his eight-race schedule with Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) in 2021. It will be Dollar’s fourth career start in any series at the one-mile oval. Dollar posted a track-best fifth-place finish in the ARCA Menards West Series event at the Arizona track in Nov. 2020.
• Sunbelt Rentals, the premiere rental company in North America, will serve as the primary sponsor on Dollar’s Tundra Friday night at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway. This will be the sixth race of 2021 that Sunbelt has been onboard the No. 51 Tundra.
• Dollar has recorded an average finish of 25.7 across the first seven starts of his Camping World Truck Series career. His best result was a 10th-place finish in his series debut at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February.
• In addition to his part-time schedule with KBM in the Truck Series, Dollar competed in a limited schedule in the ARCA Menards Series this season with Venturini Motorsports. Despite competing in only 12 of the 20 races, the 20-year-old driver finished seventh in the championship standings behind the strength of an average finish of 8.2 across his 12 starts this year.
• The Toyota Racing Development driver finished fourth in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings in 2020 after recording one win, four top-five and 14 top-10 finishes across 20 starts. Dollar led 40 laps en route to his lone series victory at Talladega Superspeedway last June. He also finished inside the top 10 in both of his ARCA Menards Series starts in 2019, including a sixth-place finish in his series debut at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.
• The No. 51 team has won three times this season, including earlier this season on the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt track with Martin Truex Jr. KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch collected victories at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga., and Kansas Speedway in Kansas City. The team qualified for the owner’s portion of the playoffs by finishing the regular season ranked fifth in the point standings but were eliminated in the Round of 10.
• Mardy Lindley is in his first season as a crew chief at KBM. 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. In his only race atop the pit box in the Truck Series at Phoenix, Lindley earned a 19th-place finish with Sam Mayer in 2019.

Drew Dollar, Driver Q&A:
Are you looking forward to having practice and qualifying on Friday?
“Practice in our Sunbelt Rentals Toyota Tundra will be very beneficial for me this weekend. I’ve been to Phoenix a few times now, so that should help me get up to speed a little quicker. My focus will be on getting comfortable for the race later than night.”

You have an average finish of 6.0 across two ARCA Menards Series starts at Phoenix. Is it a track that fits your driving style?
“Phoenix is definitely one of my favorite tracks that I’ve been to in the Toyota Camry. I feel like we’ve always had good speed at Phoenix. I just need to focus on running all the laps and being consistent. I’m sure that Phoenix is a place where we can end up with a good finish.”

Drew Dollar Career Highlights:

• Has one top-10 finish and an average result of 25.7 across seven career Camping World Truck Series starts.
• Across 34 career ARCA Menards Series starts has one win, 98 laps led, 10 top-five and 24 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 8.2.
• Picked up his first career ARCA Menards Series victory at Talladega Superspeedway June 20, 2020.
• Finished fourth in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings in 2020 after recording one win, four top-five and 14 top-10 finishes across 20 starts.
• Recorded two top-five and seven top-10 finishes with 49 laps led across eight NASAR K&N Pro Series East starts in 2019.

Drew Dollar’s No. 51 Sunbelt Rentals Tundra:

KBM-054: The No. 51 Sunbelt Rentals team will unload KBM-54 for Friday’s race at Phoenix. KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch has two victories driving this Tundra, including its maiden voyage at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa. in July of 2018. Rowdy was victorious with it again this year in May at Kansas Speedway. Dollar drove it to a 24th-place finish in its most recent outing in September at Las Vegas.

KBM Notes of Interest:

• KBM drivers have collected five wins, five poles, 14 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes across 31 starts at Phoenix Raceway. They have earned a collective average finish of 9.7 and have led 914 laps.
• The organization’s five victories at the Arizona track have come with four different drivers. Kyle Busch won in 2011, Brian Scott in 2012, Erik Jones went back-to-back in 2013-2014 and Daniel Suarez claimed the top spot in 2016.
• KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (89) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Bristol Motor Speedway 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).
• With 37 victories, the No. 51 is the winningest number in KBM’s Truck Series fleet.

John Hunter Nemechek: Driver, No. 4 Pye-Barker Fire & Safety Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: Lucas Oil 150, Race 22 of 22, 150 Laps – 45/45/160; 150 Miles
Location: Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway (one-mile oval)
Date/Broadcast: Nov. 5, 2021, at 8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Neme’chek’ The Facts:

• Second-generation driver John Hunter Nemechek gave up a chance to continue racing in the NASCAR Cup Series, where he competed full time in 2020, to come to Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) for the 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. Nemechek came to the most successful team in Truck Series history with one goal in mind, winning. He made his announcement with #Here4Wins and winning is what he’s done at KBM this year. Nemechek led the Truck Series in race wins (five), stage wins (11), won the regular season championship, and now heads to Phoenix Raceway on Friday with hopes of winning his first NASCAR National Series title.
• Nemechek’s chance to compete for the Truck Series championship Friday nearly got derailed last weekend at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The Toyota Racing driver entered the final race in the Round of 8 36 points above the cutoff line for advancing and helped his cause by earning 17 stage points with finishes of third and second, respectively in the opening two stages. He hit pit road at the end of Stage Two, and then lined up 14th when the Final Stage went green due to differing pit strategies throughout the field. Marching back towards the front, Nemechek made his way to the inside of Austin Wayne Self and was nearly clear when Self turned left into the right side of Nemechek’s Toyota and sent him shooting up the track into the outside wall. With severe damage, Nemechek was unable to continue and relegated to a 39th-place finish. He would spend the remainder of the race watching the television broadcast from inside his hauler, seeing his name move in and out of the Championship 4 before ultimately making it in by four points.
• The 24-year-old driver registered his fifth Truck Series win of 2021 June 26 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa. The talented wheelman has posted victories at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway in March, Richmond (Va.) Raceway in April, Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway in May and in June at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. In addition to leading the circuit in race wins (five) and stage wins (11), he leads the Truck Series in top fives (12), fastest laps run (287), driver rating (113.5) and average running position (7.545).
• Nemechek is competing in the Camping World Truck Series playoffs for the third time in his career. He finished eighth in the championship standings for his family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports, in 2016 and 2017. 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 this year with KBM.
• KBM will be shooting for its eighth owner’s Truck Series championship Friday. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships (2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019), the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017). Both of KBM’s driver championships came with the No. 4 team. The team’s most recent championship was the 2019 owner’s crown with the No. 51 team.
• Eric Phillips returned to KBM to lead the No. 4 team this season. 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. His 41 career Truck Series victories make him the winningest crew chief in Truck Series history, with 32 of those coming while at KBM.
• Across 10 starts At Phoenix, Phillip’s drivers have three wins, five top-five and six top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 10.5. In his last three Truck Series races at the one-mile track, he has won with three different drivers: Kyle Busch (2011), Brian Scott (2012) and Erik Jones (2014).
• Pye-Barker Fire & Safety, an industry leader in commercial fire protection since 1946, will adorn the hood of Nemechek’s for the Championship 4 race at Phoenix. Pye-Barker recently acquired Nemechek’s long-time supporter Fire Alarm Services. Mobil 1, Fire Alarm Services, ROMCO, Berry’s Manufacturing, Safeway and Power Up Trail Mix have all served as primary sponsors of the No. 4 for at least one race in 2021.

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver Q&A:

You came to KBM to win, and you’ve won five races this year but was winning the championship the ultimate goal?
“Coming to KBM this year was coming back to win races. We were #Here4Wins, we used it when announced me coming back. I wanted to come here to be able to park it and victory lane and take checkered flags home. For me, it was proving to myself that I could still do this. When we use that hashtag, we’re not just using it to win races, we’re here to win practice, qualifying, stages, races, and championships. Luckily, we were able to lock up the regular season championship earlier this year, so now trying to go for the playoff championship. Hopefully, we’ll be the ones hosting that trophy over our head come Friday night.”

How rewarding has the move back to the Truck Series been not only for you, but for your long-time partners that came to KBM with you?
“It’s means a lot to me to be able to represent all of my long-term partners as well as Mobil 1, Toyota, TRD and KBM. It’s been definitely a road and journey that all my partners have been on with me through the ups and downs, through winning races to running mid-pack and now back in the spot to try and go for the first championship with all our partners. It’s been an exciting year. We’ll have a lot of our partners at Phoenix, hopefully to be able to celebrate when we get it done.”

Getting wrecked last week put you in a position where you almost didn’t get a chance to race for a championship this week. Did the feeling you had last week help motivate you more for this week?
“I definitely think that what happened last week it was definitely nerve wracking and stressful not knowing if we were going to make it or not make it. Very helpless feeling of not being able to pass cars and gain more points to make sure if we made it to the next round. I think if anything, we are ready to go. It’s definitely loaded the cannon, as Erick (Phillips, crew chief) said. We’re ready to go out there and show what we are made of. Just keep doing what we’ve been doing all year, don’t beat ourselves and hopefully we go and dominate.”

How do you feel about having practice and qualifying Friday compared to most of the season where you just showed up and raced?
“I don’t necessarily like it going into the final race since we’ve been pretty much all year with no practice and qualifying – just show up and race. It’s what the cards have dealt, so we have to go out there and show what we’re made of. Hopefully, we have a really good truck right off the trailer and don’t have to adjust on it too much — I definitely think that should be the case right here. Hopefully, we don’t chase the race track too much because I feel like it may change quite a bit during the day — especially with having practice and qualifying — us practicing in the morning, compared to racing later in the day. We definitely have some notes to fall back on I feel like and with myself running the 54 in the Xfinity Series I feel like that should help as well.”
Does it give you extra confidence that KBM placed all three trucks in the top five last year at Phoenix?
“It definitely gives me confidence knowing that KBM has been successful there, as well as Eric (Phillips, crew chief) and myself. Phoenix is one of my favorite race tracks to go to. I feel like every time that Eric has been there, he’s been super-fast, if not winning the race. KBM last year almost stealing a victory and having three trucks in the top five was a huge deal for the end of the year. I’m hoping that we can take everything from that race last year, all the notes and everything that I’ve learned and Eric and put it all into one. If we can do that and hit every right and not beat ourselves, I definitely think that we will be the one to beat.”

What would it mean to you to win a NASCAR National Series championship?
“It would mean a lot to me to win a NASCAR championship. As a kid this is the kind of stuff that you dream about. I’m not here just to be in the Cup Series, I’m not here just to be in the Xfinity Series, I want to be where I feel like I can win races and championships. I’m here to try and win as much as I can, set records and break them as well. All here, #Here4Wins”

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 123 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, has compiled two poles, 1,181 laps led, 40 top-five and 65 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.6.
• Qualified for the Camping World Truck Series playoffs in each of his two full-time seasons, finishing eighth in the championship standings in both 2016 and 2017.
• 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, earned the Sunoco Rookie of the Race award four times and finished 23rd in the championship standings.
• Across 55 career XFINITY Series starts, has totaled two wins, one pole, 325 laps led, 14 top-five and 32 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 11.8.

John Hunter Nemechek’s No. 4 Pye-Barker Tundra:
KBM-56: The No. 4 Pye-Barker Fire & Safety team will unload KBM-56 for the Championship 4 race at Phoenix Raceway. Nemechek piloted this Tundra twice this season, including at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa., where he was victorious. In its most recent outing, KBM-56 raced at Las Vegas, where it was out front for 33 laps but experienced some mechanical issues and was relegated to a 33rd-place finish.

KBM Notes of Interest:

• KBM drivers have collected five wins, five poles, 914 laps led, 14 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 9.2 across 31 starts at Phoenix Raceway.
• The organization’s five victories at the Arizona track have come with four different drivers. Kyle Busch won in 2011, Brian Scott in 2012, Erik Jones went back-to-back in 2013 and 2014 while Daniel Suarez claimed the top spot in 2016.
• KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (89) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Bristol Motor Speedway 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.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Nov. 2, 2021) – Dean Thompson will join Niece Motorsports in 2022 as he looks to compete for both the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship and Rookie of the Year Honors.

“To say I’m excited for next season is definitely an understatement,” said Thompson. “I’m honored to have the chance to drive these Niece Motorsports Chevrolets. I’ve enjoyed getting to know Carson and am looking forward to having him as a teammate. Thank you to Al Niece and everyone at Niece Motorsports for the opportunity. A huge thank you to Thompson Pipe Group for their continued support. I’m looking forward to the chance to make them all proud next season.”

Thompson will make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut this weekend at Phoenix Raceway.

The California-native will race with support from Thompson Pipe Group (TPG), a privately held family business of engineers, contractors and manufacturers based in Rialto, Calif. From its humble beginnings, TPG built a family of products to meet the needs of all kinds of infrastructure. Each generation of products is better than the previous. TPG is now the largest and most diverse drainage, sanitary, pressure and trenchless pipe provider, with manufacturing locations across the country and serving not just the US but all of North America.

So far, the 2021 season has seen Thompson make seven starts in the ARCA Menards West Series, earning two poles (Irwindale, Roseville), two top-10 finishes and five top-15 finishes.

His best finish in the series was a second-place result at Irwindale in 2021. After starting on the pole, Thompson led 144 of 150 laps, ultimately finishing second.

“We’re thrilled to have Dean join the organization,” said Niece Motorsports General Manager Cody Efaw. “He’s shown a tremendous amount of talent as he’s worked his way up, and we’re excited to help him continue to hone that. He’s got a great teammate to lean on in Carson Hocevar. We’re really looking forward to how 2022 is shaping up for our team.”

Thompson got an early start in racing, beginning at the age of five with the Orange Show Quarter Midget Associated at the Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino, Calif.

The young driver took a break from racing, making his return in a Spec Late Model in 2018 at the age of 16, running just a handful of races at the end of the season for High Point Racing.
In 2019, Thompson returned behind the wheel full time in late models, earning a win at Irwindale Speedway.

Thompson had his breakout season in 2020, capturing the Irwindale Speedway LKQ Pick Your Part Late Model Championship on the strength of six wins and 14 top-five finishes.

In addition, Thompson captured rookie of the year honors in 2020 in his first full time season in the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series.

Thompson followed up his 2020 Irwindale Speedway LKQ Pick Your Part Late Model Championship with another one in 2021, earning one win and 13 top-five finishes.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season-finale at Phoenix Raceway will take the green flag on Friday, November 5 at 8 p.m. ET, airing live on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2021, Niece Motorsports enters its sixth season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Friday, November 5
Track: Phoenix Raceway, 1-mile oval
Race: 22 of 22
Event: Lucas Oil 150 (150 laps, 150 miles)

Schedule
Practice: 11:05 a.m. ET
Qualifying: 5:05 p.m. ET (FS1)
Race: 8:00 p.m. ET (FS1)

Hailie Deegan, No. 1 Toter Ford F-150

• Deegan is making her final NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) start of her rookie season at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway.
• Deegan will pilot the No. 1 F-150 with Toter livery for the season’s final event.
• The young driver has one ARCA Series start at Phoenix. In March of last year, the California native started ninth and finished seventh in the 150-lap event.
• In the 2019 K&N Pro Series West race at the one-mile track, Deegan started 17th and finished fourth.
• For the second consecutive weekend, Deegan will carry the Ford Performance in-car camera.
• Last weekend at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, Deegan went three laps down after an unscheduled pit stop for a flat tire just 29 laps into the event. She battled her way back to the lead lap and finished 19th in her first Martinsville start.
• Crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. has called 14 truck races in his career at Phoenix. He’s amassed one win with Todd Bodine in November 2005, and earned seven top-five and 10 top-10 results at the Arizona track.

Tanner Gray, No. 15 Ford Performance F-150

• Gray makes his final start of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) season and 48th of his career Friday evening. Friday also marks the completion of Gray’s second full NCWTS season.
• The 22-year-old driver is coming off of his best finish this season, third, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. It matches his career-best finish which he achieved three times last season (Michigan, Bristol, Las Vegas).
• The Ford Performance driver has one ARCA Series start at Phoenix. In March of 2020, Gray started the 150-lap event from eighth and ended it in the fourth position.
• Marcus Richmond has called 14 career races at Phoenix in the NCWTS. He has one win with Timothy Peters to go with four top-fives and seven top-10s.

Taylor Gray, No. 17 Ford Performance F-150

• Taylor Gray makes his fifth and final NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) start of 2021 on Friday night. He will also stick around to compete in the Arizona Lottery 100 with the ARCA Menards Series West on Saturday afternoon to conclude the season.
• The 16-year-old driver earned his first career NCWTS top-10 last Saturday at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway after starting 39th and methodically working his way forward throughout the 200-lap event.
• Gray has two career ARCA starts at Phoenix with a best finish of third coming last season in this event.
• Chad Johnston has called 17 career NASCAR Cup Series races at the one-mile race track in Avondale with five top-five and eight top-10 finishes.

Sheldon Creed, No. 2 LiftKits4Less Chevrolet Silverado

START: 4th 

FINISH: 9th

POINTS: 5th

• Sheldon Creed entered Martinsville five points above the cutline as he looked to advance and defend his title. Creed would start in the fourth position and run up front for the first half of the race.
• With stage points at a premium, Creed and the No. 2 team would put those as the main focus, finishing second in Stage 1 and third in Stage 2. Early on, it appeared as if the defending champion had a clear route to making it to Phoenix.
• As the race progressed, differing strategy would mire Creed back in traffic, putting him in some precarious positions on restarts. Contact between two other trucks sent Sheldon in the wall, resulting in major right front damage.
• Creed would rally back and cross the line with a ninth place finish, but ultimately, he would come up three points shy of advancing. The driver, who is advancing to the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2022, will have one more shot to win a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race next Friday at Phoenix Raceway.

Quote: “Frustrating way to end our Playoffs run, I feel like I gave respect to everyone all day in an effort to gain our points the honest way, but we just got driven into. Not that I haven’t done that in the past, but with all of the circumstances, not making the final four, it’s just tough. What a frustrating way to end that, just not a whole lot of respect.”

Zane Smith, No. 21 MRC Construction Chevrolet Silverado

START: 9th

FINISH: 1st

POINTS: 1st

• Zane Smith and the No. 21 GMS Racing team had one agenda in mind entering Martinsville: win. Due to the points situation, Smith would need to win in order to advance to the final round of the Playoffs at Phoenix. The sophomore driver would start from the ninth position in the 200 lap race.
• Smith would gain several spots early on in Stage 1, notching a sixth place finish, but would have to overcome adversity when he radioed to his crew saying that he was down on power and that the truck was smoking in the cockpit. A strategy call brought Smith down pit road before the end of Stage 2, where he would rally back to finish eighth, but would cycle out to the lead from that point on.
• Going for his first win of the season, Smith would race aggressively, hanging onto the lead for the majority of the final run. On the green-white-checkered finish, the No. 21 MRC Construction Silverado would dart to the bottom in a daring three wide pass to take the lead, and ultimately, the win at Martinsville.

#21in21: With the win at Martinsville, Zane Smith advanced to the next round of the Playoffs and will compete for a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship at Phoenix Raceway. Last season, Smith would finish second to GMS Racing teammate Sheldon Creed in the race and the championship. This year, he looks to better that spot by one as he races into the Valley of the Sun.

Quote: “Man, I did not want Todd in front of me, he’s a good buddy of mine, but I got hit from the No. 16 so it wasn’t all on me. Man, such hard racing, thank you so much to MRC Construction, Mike Avila, Mike Beam, and Maury Gallagher. I’ll tell you what, after last year, I haven’t been able to sleep right all year, so I’m going to do my best to win the thing.”

Chase Purdy, No. 23 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado

START: 13th

FINISH: 40th

POINTS: 19th

• Chase Purdy made his second start at Martinsville Speedway, starting in the 13th position after a Top 10 showing in the series’ last race at Talladega. Purdy would slot in line right around where he started, holding his own in the opening laps of the race.
• Purdy would remark that he smelled smoke inside the cockpit of his No. 23 Bama Buggies Chevrolet with an apparent issue very early on. On lap 33, he would bring his truck down pit road to the attention of the crew, where they diagnosed the issue as a rear gear failure.
• With no way to fix the issue, the rookie was forced to park his truck early, resulting in a disappointing 40th place finish.

Quote: “Man, what a super frustrating way to end our day. I really thought that we were able to get our truck handling great there, but we just weren’t able to get a chance to show for it there. Looking forward to wrapping up the season next weekend in Phoenix and ending our year on a high note with our No. 23 GMS Racing team.”

Jack Wood, No. 24 Chevy Cares Chevrolet Silverado

START: 34th

FINISH: 27th

POINTS: 30th

• Jack Wood made his first start at Martinsville Speedway starting deep in the field, rolling off from the 34th position. In Stage 1, Wood was able to pass ten trucks en route to a 24th place finish. He would also gain his lap back via the free pass.
• On lap 65, Jack was spun by another competitor off turn two. Luckily, the No. 24 Chevrolet did not suffer any damage, and the rookie was able to continue onwards. In Stage 2, Wood backed up his Stage 1 finish with another 24th place run. Once again, he would gain a lap back from the free pass.
• Wood continued to run consistently for the remainder of the race, learning more each lap at ‘The Paperclip’. Unfortunately for Jack, he would be caught up in the last lap crash, resulting in a 27th place finish.

Quote: “What a crazy racetrack, that place is so small and you race so rough around there, definitely not a lot of give and take there. I felt like where our starting position was, we were able to make up some solid ground. Congrats to Zane and all the No. 21 guys, we have one more race this year in Phoenix and I’m ready to go back there. I can’t thank my No. 24 guys, GMS Racing, and Chevrolet enough for all the support, we are going to take these experiences and put them towards next year.”

Tyler Ankrum, No. 26 LiUNA! Chevrolet Silverado

START: 19th

FINISH: 26th

POINTS: 15th

• Tyler Ankrum entered the penultimate race of the season with high hopes of a solid finish to finish out the season. Starting from the 19th position, Ankrum would begin to gain ground on the nearest competition.
• Ankrum would pass numerous trucks to finish 15th in Stage 1, and gained one additional spot to finish 14th in Stage 2. Tyler would note that his No. 26 LiUNA! Chevrolet would swing to the tight side, prompting crew chief Charles Denike to make adjustments to help the overall balance.
• The adjustments would help Tyler gain spots in the closing moments of the race, but similarly to teammate Jack Wood, Ankrum would also be caught up in the last lap fiasco which took out multiple fast trucks. Tyler would come home with a disappointing 26th place finish.

Quote: “Another unfortunate finish here at Martinsville today, I was frustrated because I thought that we were able to get our truck to drive pretty well there, but we just ultimately got caught up in others’ messes there at the end. We’ve got one more shot to go out and have a good run in Phoenix, and I’m looking forward to ending our season on a positive note.”

ABOUT GMS RACING:

GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with drivers Sheldon Creed, Zane Smith, Tyler Ankrum, Chase Purdy and Jack Wood. The team also competes in the ARCA Menards Series with Daniel Dye. Since the team began in 2014, GMS Racing won the 2016 and 2020 Camping World Trucks Championship, the 2015 ARCA Menards Series championship as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA East championship. GMS has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. The campus also includes operations for GMS Fabrication. More information can be found at https://gmsracing.net

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