Category: Truck Series PR

LAS VEGAS, Nev.: It’s often been said that seven is a lucky number in Las Vegas and as the Spencer Davis Motorsports (SDM) team treks to Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway, driver Spencer Davis hopes the legendary tale lives up to its hype in Friday night’s Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 presented by Westgate Resorts.

Davis, the Dawsonville, Ga. native will make his seventh start of the 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) and looks to boost his Mooresville, N.C.-based team to a season-high finish in the 19th Truck Series race of the season.

Statistically speaking, the 1.5-mile speedway of Las Vegas Motor Speedway has been a solid track for the 22-year-old driver and ahead of his fifth Truck Series start in Sin City, he hopes to roll the dice and earn a top-10 under the Friday night lights.

In his four prior starts, Davis has wheeled to four top-20 finishes nestled with two top-15 finishes including a 13th in his Truck Series debut at Las Vegas in 2018 with Kyle Busch Motorsports. Last spring, he finished 12th in his family-owned entry.

Davis has completed all but two of the 536 laps available for a 99.6 percentage lap completion.

“Las Vegas has been a pretty good track for me,” said Davis. “We may not of had the best starting position over the last couple of years, especially last year with the pandemic and all, but we’ve been able to make steady gains throughout the race to put us in a good position for a solid finish.

“We have been working on this truck for a few weeks diligently preparing it for battle and I’m confident that will be competitive on Friday night.”

Davis says the lack of practice and qualifying has certainly helped his team from a financial standpoint, but it has also prevented some challenges during the early run of the race.

“It’s a huge cost-cutting measure for us to not have practice and qualifying, but that time you had spent dialing in your truck is now being done in a crucial part of the race which is Stage 1,” added Davis.

“Everyone is in the same boat, so I’m okay with that, but it has forced some of the smaller teams to be more aggressive on our setups to make sure we’re marching forward from the drop of the green flag with the intent to stay on the lead lap.

“Some races it has worked, others it has not, but I think it has definitely made us be a little more on top of our game before we leave the shop. I feel pretty good about the setup and hope we’re able to make some moves in that opening stage on Friday night.”

Spencer Davis Motorsports partner INOX Supreme Lubricants will serve as a major partner for Davis’s 30th career Truck Series race.

INOX product range was first released in 1989 with the Original INOX MX3 Lubricant. The original MX3 product was in development stages for two years prior to release with testing and focus on creating the right product for the market.

The INOX product range continues to grow with 12 products on the market, each with their own many specialized qualities used in all different industries. All their products are tested and trialed before hitting the market to ensure the best of quality is maintained in the INOX name. INOX products are available at all major industrial, electrical, automotive, hardware, bearing and mining, marine, fishing and tackle outlets, plus many more locations.

A wholly owned Australian company Candan Industries is now exporting to over 25 countries including United States of America, Canada, France, South Africa, New Zealand, Indonesia and Malaysia.

“Excited to have a long-time friendship turn into a season-long partnership with INOX Supreme Lubricants,” said Davis. “I can’t thank Angel and James at INOX enough for their continued support and partnership with our small team.

“We use their products day to day on our race team and in our machines at our business. A quality product and amazing people helped bring this all together.”

Based on metrics set by NASCAR without practice or qualifying, Davis will lineup 34th for the 134-lap race.

Melvin “Woody” Burns who started the year with SDM as car chief will continue in his new role as crew chief for the third consecutive NCWTS race.

Entering Las Vegas, Davis, 22, has 29 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts to his credit with a career-best finish of seventh at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in Feb. 2018, with additional top-10s at Texas Motor Speedway (June 2018) and Kentucky Speedway (July 2019).

Following Las Vegas, Spencer Davis Motorsports plans to compete at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in the Chevrolet Silverado 250 on Sat. October 2, 2021.

For more on Spencer Davis, please like him on Facebook (Spencer Davis Racing) and follow him on Instagram (@spencerdavis_29) and Twitter (@spencerdavis_29).

Stay connected with Spencer Davis Motorsports on Instagram (@teamsdm11) and Twitter (@teamSDM11).

The Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 presented by Westgate Resorts (134 laps | 201 miles) is the 19th of 22 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races on the 2021 schedule. The 40-truck field will take the green flag on Fri., Sept. 24, 2021, shortly after 6:00 p.m. PT (9:00 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 (PT).

John Hunter Nemechek: Driver, No. 4 Berry’s Manufacturing Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200, Race 19 of 22 (Race 1 in the Round of 8), 134 Laps –30/30/74; 201 Miles
Location: Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway at (1.5-mile tri-oval)
Date/Broadcast: Sept. 24, 2021, at 9 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Neme’chek’ The Facts:

• John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 4 Berry’s Manufacturing team head to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the opening race in the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoffs 44 points above the cutoff line for advancing to the Championship 4 at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway. Nemechek accumulated 49 playoff points in the regular season and added an additional playoff point during the Round of 10 with his stage win at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.
• Nemechek was able to hold off KBM team owner Kyle Busch over the final seven laps earlier this season at Las Vegas to score his first victory of 2021. He led a race-high 94 laps of the 134-lap event. Overall, in seven Truck Series starts at the Nevada track, the 24-year-old driver has one win, two top-five and three top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 14.9. In the Xfinity Series, he has finished inside the top 10 in both of his starts, including a second-place finish in March of 2019. In Cup Series action, he has an average finish of 22.0 in his two starts at the 1.5-mile venue.
• The second-generation driver has put together a remarkable season thus far in his first season driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM). In addition to leading the circuit in race wins (five) and stage wins (10), he leads the Truck Series in top fives (11), top 10s (14), fastest laps run (270), driver rating (115.5), average running position (5.954) and average finish (7.3). Nemechek registered his fifth Truck Series win of 2021 June 26 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa. The talented wheelman was able to beat KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch head-to-head for the third time this season. Nemechek also bested his boss at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway in March and at Richmond (Va.) Raceway in April. Busch finished second to his pupil in all three of those events. Additionally, Nemechek has produced victories at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.
• The Toyota Racing driver 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. He qualified for the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs in 2019 and finished the final standings in the seventh position.
• 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.
• 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 42 career Truck Series victories make him the winningest crew chief in Truck Series history, with 32 of those coming while at KBM. At Las Vegas, Phillip’s drivers have collected two wins, two top-five and seven top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 11.4 across 10 starts. He won with Nemechek earlier this year and with Erik Jones in the fall of 2014.
• Long-time sponsor Berry’s Manufacturing will adorn the hood of Nemechek’s No. 4 Tundra at Las Vegas Friday. When you choose Berry’s Manufacturing, you are selecting a family-based business centered on exceptional quality, friendly customer service, and a product base that is proudly Made in the USA. Visit them online at www.berrysmfg.com.

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver Q&A:

Does winning at Las Vegas earlier this year make you optimistic that you can do it again this weekend?
“For sure, playoff race, first race of the Round of 8, so we’re looking forward to going back to Las Vegas. We won there in the spring and had a really fast Toyota Tundra. Hopefully, we’ll have the same this weekend. There are a lot of great trucks. A lot of guys have stepped up their game and brought some really fast trucks to the race track the past couple weeks. Hopefully, we have our Toyota Tundra dialed in and we can get to victory lane and lock ourselves into that final four for Phoenix at the end of the year.”

Do the track conditions at Las Vegas stay consistent from the spring race to the fall race?
I really don’t think that Vegas stays that consistent. Yes, the weather is consistent, but at the same time I feel like it’s the end of summer, you do get hotter temps this time of year, the sun has been baking on the race track all summer long, compared to it being winter – even though it doesn’t get super cold out there. I definitely think that the conditions are going to be a little bit different. I feel like the fall race is a little bit different than the spring race. Hopefully, we went back to the right notebook and took some notes and made the right adjustments to our setup for Friday night.

How will you approach the Round of 8?
“This round for us if we can go win Vegas and lock ourselves in, that would be amazing. Then, you don’t have to worry about the wildcard of Talladega and the cutoff race at Martinsville. All in all, if we can’t win Vegas, then we definitely want to point our way in and get a great starting position for Talladega and Martinsville. I feel with the playoff points that we have currently, we are in a pretty good position. We just have to go out there an execute and maximize stage points all day to maximize our end result.”

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 120 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, has compiled two poles, 1,135 laps led, 39 top-five and 64 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.3.
• 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 53 career XFINITY Series starts, has totaled one win (Kansas Speedway, 10/20/18), one pole, 225 laps led, 13 top-five and 31 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 11.8.

John Hunter Nemechek’s No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra:
KBM-56: The No. 4 Berry’s Manufacturing team will unload KBM-56 for Friday’s race at Las Vegas. Nemechek piloted this Tundra to his fifth victory of the season earlier this year at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa., in its lone start this season.
KBM-56 Performance Profile

KBM Notes of Interest:

• KBM drivers have collected five wins, four poles, 14 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes across 39 starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. They have earned a collective average starting position of 8.3, an average finish of 11.8 and have led 655 laps.
• Nemecheck collected a victory earlier this season at Las Vegas, while owner-driver Kyle Busch won in the spring of 2018, 2019 and 2020 and Erik Jones was victorious in the fall of 2014.
• 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.

LAS VEGAS, Nev.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) rookie Howie DiSavino III heads to Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway for Friday night’s Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 presented by Westgate Resorts competing with a heavy heart.

Following his most recent Truck Series start at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway last Thursday night, DiSavino’s mother Dawn lost her five-year battle with cancer on Sat., August 18.

Determined to keep his emotions in check, the Chesterfield, Va. native has decided to fulfill his obligations to Jordan Anderson Racing (JAR) and his marketing partners and race, but he is also poised to honor his mother’s last words to her only son, “Pass them all” in his Las Vegas debut.

“The last few days have been the most difficult of my life,” said DiSavino. “My mom was one of my biggest fans and it is going to be incredibly hard to get into that truck on Friday night knowing that I won’t be able to send her a text message or follow-up with a phone call or even a hug, but I know she would want me to continue my dreams.

“I’m going to do my best to “pass them all” just like she told me too shortly before she died. The outpouring of support and condolences has been overwhelming, but I am incredibly grateful to each individual who has thought of me and my family during this difficult time.

“I know my Mom is watching me from heaven and I hope I continue to make her proud not only this weekend at Las Vegas but whatever my racing career brings in the future. I love you, Mom.”

DiSavino, 20, will make his fifth Truck Series start of the season on Friday night and hopes to rebound from a disappointing 28th place finish at Bristol.

“We were really fast, but Bristol was tough,” added DiSavino. “We got collected in a few incidents, but it was ultimately a mechanical issue that put us out of the race.

“The guys on the Jordan Anderson Racing team have been working hard on our Las Vegas truck over the last few weeks and I hope we’re able to go to Las Vegas and not only pass them all, but recover for a career-best finish in the Truck Series.”
Longtime DiSavino partner Bud’s Heating & Air Conditioning will serve as the primary marketing partner on the No. 3 Chevrolet Silverado, while KEES Vacations will hold an associate partnership role in the triple-header weekend with the three national series of NASCAR all in competition in Sin City.

“I cannot thank my primary partners Bud’s Heating & Air Conditioning and KEES Vacations enough for this opportunity and sticking with me through a most challenging week. There are no words to describe what their support means to me, especially when you go through something like this. I hope I make them and all of our partners proud on Friday night.”

In addition to KEES Vacations and Bud’s Heating & Air Conditioning, Azalea D Realty, Bommarito Automotive Group, Lucas Oil, MassMutual Greater Richmond, and Q Barbeque Richmond will serve as associate marketing partners on DiSavino’s No. 3 Chevrolet Silverado.

Keeping his mother’s spirit close to him, DiSavino’s passenger door will adorn a special name rail decal.

In addition to Bristol, DiSavino made his NCWTS debut in April at Richmond (Va.) Raceway and competed at both Texas Motor Speedway and Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in June. He is also a six-time participant in the ARCA Menards Series where he earned two top-10 finishes for AM Racing.

Former winning NASCAR driver Reed Sorenson will continue to guide DiSavino from above this weekend as his spotter.

For more on Howie DiSavino III, please visit howiedisavino.com, like him on Facebook (Howie DiSavino III Racing), follow him on Twitter (@hdisavino) and Instagram (HowieDiSavino).

The Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 presented by Westgate Resorts (134 laps | 201 miles) is the 19th of 22 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races on the 2021 schedule. The 40-truck field will take the green flag on Fri., Sept. 24, 2021, shortly after 6:00 p.m. PT (9:00 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 (PT).
About Bud’s Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning & Electric:

Bud’s Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning & Electric is the recognized leader in residential and light commercial mechanical contractors in the Hampton Roads market. From simple, honest beginnings in 1969, Bud’s quickly rose to prominence, establishing a legendary reputation for quality, service and professionalism while always maintaining the same home-town personalized connections with clients throughout its 51-year history.

In 2000, Bud’s expanded under the current leadership of CEO Robert W. Nelson Jr. adding plumbing and electrical departments and introducing a science-based whole home approach that has now become the industry benchmark, while national influencing the market through innovative business and customer relations practices.

About KEES Vacations:

Your Vacation, Your Way with KEES FLEXSTAY™.

KEES Vacations on the Outer Banks, a division of KEES Travel™, is your source for quality vacation rentals from hotels to oceanfront homes. KEES FlexStay™ gives you the freedom to plan your ideal vacation with flexible check-in and check-out dates. We believe everyone deserves a vacation no matter the length and strive to provide the best experience possible.

Enter promo code HOWIE2021 at checkout and receive a discount at KEESVacations.com and KEESOuterBanks.com.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (September 22, 2021) – Todd Gilliland and his No. 38 Speedco Ford F-150 team want to play the spoiler role as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competes at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway this Friday night.

Gilliland, who is no longer in the championship hunt, looks to continue competing for wins and top-five finishes through the remainder of the 2021 season as he knows that his No. 38 Speedco team will be a factor in all four of the remaining NASCAR Truck Series races.

“I think we’ll be a threat at Las Vegas and the rest of the season,” said Gilliland. “We’re still racing for an owners championship and getting as high in the points as possible. We’re still going to be competitive and plan on racing with the guys that are still in the championship hunt. Our Speedco team has had a great season, but it’s not over it. We still have work to do.”

Gilliland heads into the Las Vegas Motor Speedway with six previous starts. He has three Top-10 finishes with a best result of fifth.

Friday night’s NASCAR Truck Series race will be televised live on FS1 at 9:00 p.m. ET.

ABOUT SPEEDCO
Speedco is a member of the Love’s Family of Companies. Love’s is the nation’s industry leading travel stop network with more than 560 locations in 41 states. Love’s has more than 415 truck service centers, which include Speedco and Love’s Truck Care locations. Love’s and Speedco combined is the largest oil change, preventative maintenance and total truck care nationwide network. Love’s is committed to providing customers with “Clean Places, Friendly Faces” at every stop.

To learn more about Speedco, visit www.loves.com.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Camping World Truck Series and the 2021 Daytona 500 champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team– from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Sheldon Creed, No. 2 LiftKits4Less Chevrolet Silverado

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Stats

• NCWTS Starts: 5, Top 5s: 2, Top 10s: 4, Best start: 2nd, Best finish: 2nd (Sept. 2020)

2021 NCWTS Season Stats

• Starts: 18, Wins: 3 (Darlington I, II, & Gateway), Top 5s: 8, Top 10s: 9, Poles: 2 (Darlington II, Bristol II), Stage wins: 6, Laps led: 596
• Sponsor spotlight: LiftKits4Less returns this week to feature on Sheldon Creed’s No. 2 Silverado. LiftKits4Less will sponsor Creed for the remainder of the season all the way through the finale in Phoenix.
• Chassis history/info: Creed and the No. 2 team will utilize chassis no. 338 at Las Vegas. This is a brand new Chevy Silverado that will debut during the first race of the Round of 8.
• Moving on up: Last week, it was announced that Sheldon Creed will be moving up to compete full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2022 with Richard Childress Racing. With just four races left to go this season, the 2020 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion would love nothing more than to deliver another championship to the GMS Racing organization.
• Back2Back: After a dominant opening to the Round of 10 with two victories and 433 laps led out of 510 total laps, Creed and the No. 2 LiftKits4Less team have cemented themselves as one of the favorites for the championship battle. Sheldon enters Las Vegas with a twenty point gap to the Playoffs cutline after the reset, and looks to continue to build momentum throughout the next three races.
• Quote: “I’m looking forward to opening up the Round of 8 on a mile-and-a-half this weekend at Las Vegas. My No. 2 LiftKits4Less crew has been putting in so much effort to make sure that we have fast trucks week in and week out, and I think we have a real chance to show what we are capable on all types of tracks as we near the end of the season.”

Zane Smith, No. 21 Allegiant Chevrolet Silverado

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Stats

• NXS Starts: 1, Best start: 6th, Best finish: 24th (March 2019)
• NCWTS Starts: 3, Top 10s: 3, Best start: 7th, Best finish: 6th (twice)

2021 NCWTS Season Stats

• Starts: 18, Top 5s: 1, Top 10s: 12, Stage wins: 3, Best start: 2nd, Best finish: 4th (Nashville), Laps led: 66
• Sponsor spotlight: Allegiant joins Zane Smith for the first time this season on Friday night. Notably, Las Vegas is home to the corporate headquarters of Allegiant, and is also home to GMS Racing team owner, Maury Gallagher.
• Chassis history/info: Smith and the No. 21 team will utilize chassis no. 339 on the 20-degree intermediate track. This is a brand new sister chassis to the No. 2 Silverado and will debut in the first race of the Round of 8.
• 21in21: Zane Smith was able to overcome early adversity through the first three races of the Playoffs and advance through to the Round of 8 by a mere two points in the series’ most recent race at Bristol. As the trucks head to Las Vegas to start the next three races, Smith and the No. 21 GMS Racing team look to capitalize on the points reset which has them above the cutline by three points.
• Quote: “I think that we have a big opportunity in front of ourselves with the Round of 8. Most people counted our No. 21 team out early, but that’s when we’re able to rally back the hardest. Las Vegas has always been a really fun track for me, and it’s always great to head out west to see some close friends and family. I’m ready to prove that we are here to contend for this championship.”

Chase Purdy, No. 23 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Stats

• NCWTS Starts: 2, Best start: 16th, Best finish: 23rd (March 2021)

2021 NCWTS Season Stats

• Starts: 17, Top 10s: 1, Best start: 4th, Best finish: 6th (Gateway), Laps led: 4
• Sponsor spotlight: Bama Buggies returns this week to feature on Chase Purdy’s No. 23 Silverado.
• Chassis history/info: Purdy and the No. 23 team will utilize chassis no. 321 in Sin City. This weekend will be the fifth time that this specific chassis has raced at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where it has a best finish of seventh in 2019. The chassis started on pole a year ago with Brett Moffitt behind the wheel. - Gaining Ground: Despite coming home with a disappointing finish at Bristol Motor Speedway last Thursday, Chase Purdy continues to close in on competitor Tanner Gray in the points standings. Currently, Purdy sits only twenty four points behind 18th place in his NCWTS rookie season. - Quote: “I’m pumped to go back to Vegas this weekend because I really feel like my No. 23 crew and I will bring a lot of speed here. I’ve gotten a lot better since we last raced on a mile-and-a-half and have learned so much over the course of the season. We’ve got some work to do starting towards the back but I believe we will make it a solid day for us.”

Jack Wood, No. 24 Martin Auto Color Chevrolet Silverado

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Stats

• Jack Wood will make his first start ever at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Friday

2021 NCWTS Season Stats

• Starts: 8, Top 10s: 1, Best start: 2nd, Best finish: 10th (Gateway), Laps led: 1
• Sponsor spotlight: Martin Auto Color joins Jack Wood for the first time this season at Las Vegas. The automotive paint distributor operates out of 24 locations in California and two in Nevada, and have been in business for over twenty years.
• Chassis history/info: Wood and the No. 24 crew will utilize chassis no. 308 in the Las Vegas desert. This Silverado was most recently driven by 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott at Texas Motor Speedway earlier this season, where it finished in 2nd place.
• Back in the Seat: 21-year-old Jack Wood returns to the driver’s seat of the No. 24 Silverado after stepping aside for Doug Coby to make his NCWTS debut last time out at Bristol Motor Speedway. Wood, who was announced as GMS Racing’s first confirmed full-time driver in 2022, will run the final four races of the season for the team starting at Las Vegas.
• Quote: “I’m really excited to get back on an intermediate race track this weekend. I feel that I take well to that style of racing and look forward to seeing what we are able to bring to the table. Having Martin Auto Color jump onboard our 24 GMS Racing Chevrolet is a great feeling, and I’m looking to deliver them a good finish this Friday night in Las Vegas.”

Tyler Ankrum, No. 26 LiUNA! Chevrolet Silverado

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Stats

• NCWTS Starts: 4, Top 10s: 1, Best start: 2nd, Best finish: 10th (Sept. 2020)

2021 NCWTS Season Stats

• Starts: 18, Top 5s: 3, Top 10s: 5, Poles: 1 (COTA), Best finish: 3rd (twice), Laps led: 12
• Sponsor spotlight: LiUNA! returns this week to feature on Tyler Ankrum’s No. 26 Silverado.
• Chassis history: Ankrum and his No. 26 crew will utilize chassis no. 335 for the Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 at Las Vegas. This chassis raced three times this season with teammate Sheldon Creed, and led 33 laps at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, but Friday night will be Ankrum’s first race with it.
• West Coast Kid Returns Out West: Though four of the five of the GMS Racing drivers call the West Coast home, Tyler Ankrum grew up closest to Las Vegas. Ankrum, who hails from San Bernardino, CA, was born just about three hours from the track, thus labeling it his home track on the Camping World Truck Series schedule. A good amount of TA’s family and friends will be at the track cheering driver No. 26 on.
• Quote: “I’m excited to return to Las Vegas this weekend. Vegas’ fall race is always a hot one, we spread way out as the track slows down so we’re able to run two, sometimes even three wide. There shouldn’t be too much wind throwing us around out there, so we should have some great pack racing for the fans.”

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 Racing Series championship as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA East championship and 2020 Sioux Chief Showdown 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/.

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: Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200, Race 19 of 22 (Race 1 in the Round of 8), 134 Laps –30/30/74; 201 Miles
Location: Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway at (1.5-mile tri-oval)
Date/Broadcast: Sept. 24, 2021, at 9 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Mr. Smith Heads to the Round of 8:

• Chandler Smith heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway Friday looking to build off the momentum of his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory. Smith muscled his way past reigning Truck Series champion Shelden Creed on a restart with five laps remaining at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and then held off Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) teammate John Hunter Nemechek to collect his first career victory in his 34th career start in NASCAR’s third division. The Safelite driver fended off playoff elimination with the hard-fought victory and will now open the Round of 8 fifth on the playoff grid, three points below the cutoff line for advancing to the Championship 4 at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway. In addition to Las Vegas, the Round of 8 includes Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway Oct. 2 and Martinsville (Va.) Speedway Oct. 30.
• Friday will be the Georgia native’s third start in Las Vegas. Earlier this year he finished ninth in the opening stage and 11th in Stage Two before getting spun in the Final Stage. After sustaining major damage, he was able to continue in the race, but was relegated to a 19th-place finish. Last September, he started fifth and finished fifth at the 1.5-mile venue.
• The 19-year-old driver ranks third among full-time Camping World Truck Series competitors with 174 laps led this season. Overall, across 18 starts in 2021, he has recorded one win, four top-five and seven top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 17.3.
• 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. Smith and fellow Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Carson Hocevar are the only two drivers who are competing for a driver’s championship for the first time. The other eight contenders have all competed for the Truck Series championship at least one time in previous seasons.
• The Toyota Racing Development driver has one win, 12 top-five, and 16 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 14.9 across 34 career Camping World Truck Series starts. In addition to his Bristol win, he has posted runner-up finished 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 this season. Stockman led the No. 51 team to four wins in his first season atop the pit box at KBM in 2020. 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. Stockman guided KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch to a dominant victory in last year’s Camping World Trucks spring event at Las Vegas. He also was victorious with Dillon in 2010 at the Nevada track.
• 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 Bristol and for 16 races total this season. Smith General Contracting and IT Consulting St. Petersburg, a total IT solutions company with a focus on network infrastructure, will be associate partners on the bedtop of the No. 18 Toyota for Friday’s 134-lap event.

Chandler Smith, Driver Q&A:

How rewarding was it to get your first victory in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series?
“It’s been a long time coming, that’s for sure. All week leading into Bristol, I kept talking about 2019 Bristol, what I felt like I did wrong and what I would have done differently in that same situation. It’s pretty ironic that it came down to pretty much the same situation, just a different driver and I did exactly what I said I would do different, for sure. The results were rewarding for sure.”

What is your outlook heading into this week’s race at Las Vegas?
“I’m definitely more confident than I was before, we’re coming with a completely different package than we had in the spring, and I feel like this one is going to be pretty strong. We’ll be starting somewhere up in the front and track position is definitely key there – with it being a mile-and-a-half track, you want the clean air.”

Looking at the Round of 8, which track is the one that you feel will be the most challenging?
“So, if there is going to be a track that is going to give me a hard time, realistically I feel like it is going to be Vegas. I’ve ran pretty good at restrictor plate tracks and Martinsville is a short track, which is kind of my forte. This will be my first time ever racing at Martinsville Speedway. I’m really excited to get going in these next three races and get my Safelite AutoGlass Toyota Tundra out front.”

Chandler Smith Career Highlights:

• Across 34 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts has recorded one win (Bristol Motor Speedway, 9/16/2021), 267 laps led, 12 top-five and 16 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 14.9.
• 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-67: The No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass team will unload KBM-67 for Friday night’s race at Las Vegas. Smith most recently piloted this Tundra at Darlington in September, where he started ninth, led four laps and finished seventh. Kyle Busch was victorious with KBM-67 in July of 2020 at Texas Motor Speedway in Ft. Worth.
KBM-67 Performance Profile

KBM Notes of Interest:

• KBM drivers have collected five wins, four poles, 14 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes across 39 starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. They have earned a collective average starting position of 8.3, an average finish of 11.8 and have led 655 laps.
• John Hunter Nemecheck collected the victory earlier this season at Las Vegas, while owner-driver Kyle Busch won in the spring of 2018, 2019 and 2020 and Erik Jones was victorious in the fall of 2014.
• 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.

Team: No. 45 Charred Flag Factory Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Chris Hacker
Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @chrishacker_

Hacker on Racing at Las Vegas: “I am really looking forward to my first intermediate race track in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, especially with Niece Motorsports.

“I just want to go out there and have a good run with our No. 45 Charred Flag Factory Chevrolet Silverado and earn the trust and respect of my teammates, colleagues and others in the Truck Series garage.

“A good run on Friday night will give us great momentum for Martinsville Speedway next month.”

Hacker at Las Vegas: Friday night’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway marks Hacker’s second start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. His first start came earlier this season at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.

On the Truck: Hacker and the No. 45 team will race with support from The Charred Flag Factory, which joined Hacker for his Truck Series debut last month at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.

The Charred Flag Factory was formed in Rochester, New York in 2017, by Paul Cummings after a cherry tree was cut down on his property.

After a few years of making flags around the holidays, he started customizing them and turned the Charred Flag Factory into his full-time passion.

The Charred Flag Factory only offers flags of the highest quality, using only solid hardwoods and hand picking each slab.

“I will forever be thankful to Paul and everyone at Charred Flag Factory for continuing to be a part of my journey and this incredible opportunity at Las Vegas,” offered Hacker.

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.

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

Truex on Racing at Las Vegas: “Our team is working hard to close out the season on a high note,” said Truex. “Everyone is doing all they can to build the best Marquis Spas Chevrolets possible. We’ll go to Las Vegas and give it our all.”

Truex at Las Vegas: Friday night’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway marks Truex’s fourth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at the 1.5-mile track. His best finish is 12th coming in 2017 and 2020.

Truex also has four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with his best finish of eighth coming in 2018.

The New Jersey native has one NASCAR Cup Series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, coming in 2014.

On the Truck: Truex will race with support from Marquis this week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

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.

Team: No. 42 Circle B Diecast Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Carson Hocevar
Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @CarsonHocevar

Hocevar on Racing Las Vegas: “We’re happy to prove that this team belongs in the playoffs,” said Hocevar. “We’re still racing with the mentality that we have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I’m excited to get back to Vegas for the second time. It’s always easier coming to a track that we’ve raced at before. Our CircleBDiecast.com Chevrolet looks great. We are ready for Friday night.”

Hocevar at Las Vegas: Hocevar returns to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the second time this season. In his previous start at the 1.5-mile track, he started 10th and finished 24th.

Hocevar has been impressive on intermediate tracks this season, with an average finish of 12th. In addition, the Rookie of the Year contender has been the model of consistency, completing all but two laps on the intermediate tracks thus far.

In the Points: After finishing sixth last week at Bristol Motor Speedway, Hocevar advanced to the second round of the NASCAR Truck Series playoffs. Entering the first race of the Round of Eight, Hocevar sits seventh in the standings, seven points out of fourth.

On the Truck: The No. 42 Chevrolet will race with support from CircleBDiecast.com this week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Plan B Sales was founded in 2010 with the goal of bringing service to dealers that carry licensed motorsports products. Plan B Sales started as a Lionel diecast and Chase Authentics apparel distributor. Over the last few years Plan B Sales has grown to be the largest account for Lionel, servicing the motorsports market and has expanded its product offerings.

Plan B Sales has quickly become the choice of dealers for a one-stop stocking distributor. Its product offering also includes Auto World, Greenlight Collectibles, BrandArt and are the exclusive distributor for University of Racing product lines.

In September of 2020, Plan B Sales decided to split its wholesale and retail business into two different websites to better serve each segment of customers, effectively launching CircleBDiecast.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.

Friday, September 24
Track: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 1.5-mile oval
Race: 19 of 22
Event: Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 (134 laps, 201 miles)

Schedule
Race: 9:00 p.m. ET (FS1)

Hailie Deegan, No. 1 Craftsman Ford F-150

• Deegan is making her 20th career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) start on Friday evening at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
• For the first time this season, Deegan will drive the red-and-black Craftsman branded Ford F-150.
• The California native is making her second Truck Series start at the 1.5-mile track. In her first start at the Nevada track earlier this year in March, Deegan started 30th and finished 28th after receiving damage in a multi-truck accident a little over halfway through the event.
• In last week’s race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, the Ford driver started 23rd and finished 25th after her night was ended 12 laps prematurely due to an accident she was unable to avoid on the racing surface.
• In addition to the 1.5-mile track in Las Vegas, Deegan has two starts at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track, located just outside the paved oval. In 2018, she started from the pole position and finished runner-up in the 102-lap event. In 2019, the young driver started eighth and led the final lap en route to earn her first of two K&N Pro Series West victories that season.
• Veteran crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. has called the shots for 16 NCWTS events at Las Vegas, including two wins – Todd Bodine in September 2005 and Kyle Busch in March 2018.

Tanner Gray, No. 15 Ford Performance F-150

• Gray makes his 19th start of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) season and 45th of his career on Friday evening.
• The Ford Performance driver is eager to return to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 1.5-mile oval is the site of his second best finish of the season so far. In March, he guided the No. 15 F-150 from his 22nd-place starting position to a 12th-place finish.
• The 22-year-old driver hasn’t been able to find any luck so far this season. Last Thursday night at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, he was moving forward in the field when he suffered a flat left rear tire that sent him spinning into the outside wall. Unfortunately, the damage was too extensive to continue and he was credited with a 38th-place finish.
• With Marcus Richmond having obligations in Martinsville, Chad Johnston will step in and call the race for Gray. Johnston has called 11 career races at Las Vegas with three top-fives and six top-10s.
• Although Richmond won’t be in Las Vegas, one interesting driver that Richmond has worked with at Las Vegas in the NCWTS is none other than Kevin Hamlin – the current spotter for the No. 15 team. The pair worked together on the No. 4 truck for Bobby Hamilton Racing in 2007.