DARLINGTON, S.C.: CR7 Motorsports officially announced today that Simpsonville, S.C. native Colby Howard will pilot the team’s No. 9 Chevrolet Silverado in Sunday afternoon’s In It To Win It 200 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

The 17th Truck Series race of the season marks the return of Howard to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) scene for the first time since the 2019 season when he competed in the final two races of the season for Young’s Motorsports at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway and Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway respectively.

Howard, 19, is a full-time competitor in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for JD Motorsports with Gary Keller, piloting the No. 15 Chevrolet Camaro.

Heading into this weekend’s Xfinity Series race at the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval, Howard has competed in 20 races with a best finish of 16th in March at Phoenix.

Overall, he has 42 starts in NASCAR’s second national division spanning two years. This weekend, however, will mark the first time that Howard will pull double duty in his NASCAR career.

“I am just really excited to be running with the CR7 Motorsports team this weekend,” said Howard. “Darlington means a lot to me as it’s my home track and I consider it one of my best race tracks. It will be my first time running two different vehicles in a weekend, so I am looking forward to the challenge of adapting to the truck with no practice.”

Still a relatively new face to the NASCAR scene, Howard also has some experience in the ARCA Menards Series but made his name competing at short tracks throughout the Southeast in Late Model competition.

“CR7 Motorsports is happy to welcome Colby to the team,” said team principal and mainstay driver Codie Rohrbaugh. “This opportunity with Colby makes sense for our long-term approach to the future of CR7 Motorsports. He has several starts at Darlington in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and is a track he is very comfortable with.

“It has been a couple of years since he has been in a truck – but having the opportunity to run the Xfinity Series race first on Saturday should hopefully give him an advantage over some of his competitors on Sunday afternoon.

“Doug (George, crew chief) and the team are bringing him a really stout No. 9 Grant County Mulch | Highland Construction Chevrolet Silverado and we look forward to seeing what he can do during the race.”

The South Carolinian has three prior Xfinity Series starts at the track dubbed “Too Tough To Tame.”

Last September, Howard negotiated a track-best finish of 19th in the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 after starting 18th.

While keeping his expectations realistic for his Truck Series return on Sunday, Howard does have goals.

“My main goal is just to be smooth and be there at the end,” he said. “I would love to see a top-15 for these CR7 Motorsports guys or even a top-10 would feel like a win.

“But, if we can have a productive day and make some gains during the race and see the checkered flag, I think everyone will be satisfied.”

Highland Construction will serve as a major associate marketing partner for Howard’s third career NCWTS start.

Based on metrics set by NASCAR without practice or qualifying, Howard will line up 29th for the 147-lap race.

CR7 Motorsports holds 28th in the championship owner standings participating in 14 of the 16 races this season.

CR7 Motorsports has 40 NCWTS starts to their credit with a career-best finish of third at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (February 2020). Additionally, the team owns six other top-10 finishes including two this season at Circuit of the Americas (fourth | Grant Enfinger) in May 2021 and Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway (seventh | Grant Enfinger) in March 2021. An 11th place qualifying effort at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (Oct. 2019) is the team’s best time trials effort to date.

Marketing partnership(s) opportunities are also available for the No. 9 Grant County Mulch Chevrolet in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, as well as the team’s ARCA Menards Series No. 97 A.L.L. Construction | Grant County Mulch Chevrolet program with driver Jason Kitzmiller for the 2021 seasons and beyond. Interested inquiries are encouraged to contact tonya@gcmulch.com or 304.257.8783.

The In It To Win It 200 (147 laps | 200.1 miles) is the 17th of 22 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races on the 2021 schedule. The field will take the green flag on Sun., Sept. 5, 2021, shortly after 1:30 p.m. ET with live coverage on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM Satellite Radio NASCAR Channel 90.

Team: No. 45 AutoParkIt.com Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Lawless Alan
Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @lawlessalan25

Alan on Racing at Darlington: “I’ve learned a lot in the truck races we’ve run so far and being able to continue that education with a championship-caliber team is a great opportunity,” said Alan. “I appreciate Mr. Niece and Cody [Efaw] putting me in the seat, and I plan on making the most of it. Darlington is a challenging track and another one that I’ve never been to, so I’ll be putting time in on the sim and watching film, and hopefully I can have a good showing in the AUTOParkit Chevrolet and learn some things for next year.”

Alan at Darlington: Sunday’s race marks Alan’s fifth start of the season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and his first start at Darlington Raceway.

Alan continues to gain experience in the Truck Series, with four races so far, all coming this season. The 21-year-old driver made starts at the Daytona Road Course, Circuit of the Americas, Nashville, and Pocono.

On the Truck: Alan and the No. 45 Chevrolet will race with support from AUTOParkit™.

AUTOParkit is designed, manufactured, and constructed by Dasher Lawless Automation, LLC. These autonomous parking systems are for new and existing buildings and can potentially double the parking capacity compared to traditional ramped concrete parking structures.

AUTOParkit’s sustainable approach to autonomous parking provides up to 17 LEED points; reduces construction time due to a modular/scalable architecture; provides automated swapping of EVs to reduce electric vehicle charging infrastructure by up to 10X; is 40% less expensive to operate since it is automated; is safer for the user, and delivers a necessary, convenient alternative to an escalating global problem.

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.

About AUTOParkit:
AUTOParkit™ is designed, manufactured, and constructed by Dasher Lawless Automation, LLC. These autonomous parking systems are for new and existing buildings and can potentially double the parking capacity compared to traditional ramped concrete parking structures. AUTOParkit’s sustainable approach to autonomous parking provides up to 17 LEED points; reduces construction time due to a modular/scalable architecture; provides automated swapping of EVs to reduce electric vehicle charging infrastructure by up to 10X; is 40% less expensive to operate since it is automated; is safer for the user, and delivers a necessary, convenient alternative to an escalating global problem.

For more information on AUTOParkit, visit www.autoparkit.com
For more information on Dasher Lawless Automation, visit www.dasherlawless.com

Dylan Lupton: Driver, No. 51 Safelite AutoGlass® Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: In It To Win It 200, Race 17 of 22 (Race 2 in the Round of 10)
147 Laps – 45/45/57; 200.1 Miles
Location: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway at (1.33-mile egg-shaped oval)
Date/Broadcast: Sept. 5, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

The Details on Dylan:

• Dylan Lupton will get behind the wheel of the No. 51 Tundra Sunday for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Darlington Raceway. The 27-year-old driver’s Toyota will carry primary sponsorship from Safelite AutoGlass, the nation’s largest provider of vehicle glass repair, replacement, and recalibration services.
• Darlington will be the second race in the Round of 10 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owner’s playoffs. The No. 51 team qualified for the owner’s portion of the playoffs by finishing the regular season ranked fifth in the point standings. After one race in the Round of 10, they sit eighth on the owner’s playoff grid with 2017 points, one spot above the cutoff line for advancing to the Round of 8.
• Lupton has recorded one top-five and four top-10 finishes across 11 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts. He posted a career-best fifth-place finish in the Truck Series race at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta in 2019. Additionally, he has made four NASCAR Cup Series starts and 35 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. An alumnus of the NASCAR Next initiative, Lupton has one prior start at Darlington in the Xfinity Series during the 2017 season.
• The Wilton, California native finished second in the ARCA Menards Series West event at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway earlier this year. Across 33 career West Series starts since 2011, he has registered two wins, 14 top-five, 27 top-10 finishes and finished runner-up in the series’ championship standings in 2014.
• Mardy Lindley has guided the No. 51 team to three victories across 16 races is in his first season as a crew chief at KBM. Owner-driver Kyle Busch was victorious at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway in Kansas City while Martin Truex Jr. won the inaugural Truck Series event at the Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway Dirt Track. Truex Jr. became the 16th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM and the 12th to collect their first-ever victory in NASCAR’s third division. Before arriving at KBM, Lindley guided his drivers to 32 wins and four ARCA Menards Series East championships since 2013, including back-to-back titles with Sam Mayer the last two seasons. Additionally, he earned the ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief Showdown championship with Mayer in 2020. Behind the wheel, the second-generation driver won 11 races on the Pro Cup Series from 2000 to 2006 and was crowned the series champion in 2001.
• Lindley called the shots at his home state track for the first time in May. In Corey Heim’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut he finished eighth in the opening stage and second in Stage Two before getting caught up in a 17-truck pileup on a restart with 30 laps remaining and being relegated to a 23rd-place finish.
• Drew Dollar will get behind the wheel of the No. 51 Sunbelt Rentals Tundra at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway Sept. 16 for the final race in the Round of 10

Dylan Lupton, Driver Q&A:

How have you prepared for your first Truck Series race of the season?
“I’m excited to get going. I was able to jump in the TRD simulator a little bit this morning to get some laps. It has been a while since I’ve been at Darlington, so that is definitely going to help. I’ve been running my Super Late Model hear and there and I ran the Sonoma ARCA race but other than that, I’ve just been back in California working. I’ve prepared as much as I can, but it is going to be exciting getting back in a race vehicle.”

What do you feel like will be the difference between running the Xfinity Series and the Truck Series at Darlington?
“Quite a bit. It seems like these trucks you have a little bit more an air cushion when you get up next to the fence, so that will be a little bit different in (Turns) 3 and 4. Obviously you are able to carry a little bit more throttle time in these trucks when you are running by yourself. I think the biggest thing is that the track is pretty wide, but the racing groove is pretty narrow at Darlington. You know you have two lanes for the most part. Turn 2 is a place where I think that you can get yourself in quite a bit of trouble if you put yourself in a bad spot underneath somebody coming off that corner so that is something that I have to keep in mind. Other than that, it’s going to be feeling out the truck and the track that first stage and going from there.”

Have you set any goals for this race?
“I just want to go out there and put together a clean race and I think if we put together a clean race, we’ll be pretty fast. The bigger tracks are kind of my strong suit, I’ve gotten top fives, top 10s, in the Truck Series. This is the best equipment that I’ve been able to get in for sure, so I’d love to go out there and run in the top five. To do so, I just have to put together three clean stages and if we have an opportunity to run in the front and be aggressive, we will.”

Dylan Lupton Career Highlights:

• Has recorded one top-five and four top-10 finishes across 11 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts. Posted a career-best fifth-place finish in the Truck Series race at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta in 2019.
• Made four NASCAR Cup Series starts in 2016 with a best result of 25th coming at Richmond (Va.) Raceway Sept. 1, 2016.
• Made 35 NASCAR Xfinity starts from 2015 to 2018 with a best result of ninth coming at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.
• In two ARCA Menards Series starts has an average finish of 14.0 with a best result of fourth coming at Kansas Speedway in 2020.
• Across 33 career ARCA Menards West Series starts since 2011, he has registered two wins, 14 top-five, 27 top-10 finishes and finished runner-up in the series’ championship standings in 2014.
• Finished fourth at Watkins Glen International in his lone ARCA Menards Series East start (2015).
• Dylan Lupton’s No. 51 Safelite AutoGlass Tundra:
• KBM-69: The No. 51 team will unload KBM-69 for Sunday’s race at Darlington. This is the same Tundra that Corey Heim piloted in his Camping World Truck Series debut at Darlington in May and was running second late in the race before getting caught up in a 17-truck pileup. KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch’s second-place finish with KBM-69 at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway in March was the chassis’ best result across three starts.

KBM Notes of Interest:

• KBM drivers have collected one win, 162 laps led, two top-five and four top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 14.3 across eight starts at Darlington. Kasey Kahne led a race-high 95 laps en route to victory in the 2011 event.
• KBM holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (88) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at the Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt Track, Truex Jr. became the 16th 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.

Team Heads to Second Playoff Race Looking for Points

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (September 1, 2021) – Seeded eighth entering Sunday’s next NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoff race, Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 Frontline Enterprises Ford F-150 team wants to gain points lost at Gateway.

The Frontline Enterprises team are 10 points ahead of Zane Smith and the playoff cut line. They are also only 23 points out of fourth.

“I feel that we need to be back in fourth in the points as quickly as possible,” said Gilliland. “We can only do that by getting good stage points and with great finishes. Obviously, a win takes care of all our concerns, and I think we can do that too. We want to focus on being up front all day on Sunday.”

Gilliland takes his Frontline Enterprises Ford F-150 into the Darlington (S.C.) Raceway with experience. Gilliland has finishes of seventh and 15th in the truck series at the track. He has also run up front at the track.

“This is a good track for us,” continued Gilliland. “I’m confident that we can race for stage wins and be up front. I don’t think our strategy changes. We will race smart and be there at the end. We have to be there at the end and make sure that we’re gaining points.”

The race will be televised live on FS1 at 1:30 p.m. ET.

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.

Sunday, September 5
Track: Darlington Raceway, 1.366-mile oval
Race: 17 of 22
Event: In It to Win It 200 (147 laps, 200 miles)

Schedule
Race: 1:30 p.m. ET (FS1)

Hailie Deegan, No. 1 Built Ford Tough F-150

• Deegan is making her 18th career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) start on Sunday at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.
• The California native returns to the South Carolina track for the second time this season after racing there in May. She ran as high as the top-10, but suffered damage after several late race cautions and finished the event in 20th. Darlington marks the first track this season the NCWTS will visit for the second time.
• The Ford driver hits the track after a weekend off in the series. She enters Darlington coming off of a seventh-place finish at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Ill. The result was Deegan’s first top-10 in her young career.
• At tracks less than 1.5-miles in length, Deegan has an average starting position of 14.3 and an average finishing position of 16.3.
• Crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. has four starts in the Truck Series as a crew chief at the “Too Tough to Tame” track. He’s amassed one win with Todd Bodine in August 2010, two top-five and three top-10 finishes.

Tanner Gray, No. 15 Ford Performance F-150

• Gray makes his 17th start of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) season on Sunday afternoon at Darlington Raceway.
• In two career starts at the South Carolina oval, the 22 year old has finishes of 29th and 33rd and will look to turn his luck around this visit. In May, he was involved in a multi-truck incident that ended his day after 110 laps.
• In the last race out at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Ill., Gray finished 19th after sustaining damage on lap 157.
• Although Marcus Richmond has 283 career NCWTS races on his resume, only two of those races have come at Darlington. In 2011, he notched an eighth-place finish with Cole Whitt and, most recently, he served as crew chief on a 22nd-place effort in the No. 17 truck with David Ragan last season.

Sheldon Creed, No. 2 LiftKits4Less Chevrolet Silverado
Darlington Raceway Stats

• NCWTS Starts: 2, Wins: 1 (2021), Top 5s: 1, Top 10s: 1, Best start: 2nd, Laps led: 89

2021 NCWTS Season Stats

• Starts: 16, Wins: 2 (Darlington & Gateway), Top 5s: 7, Top 10s: 8, Stage wins: 3, Best start: 2nd, Laps led: 303
• 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 season finale in Phoenix.
• Chassis history/info: Creed and the No. 2 team will utilize chassis no. 327 at Darlington. This celebrated chassis carried Sheldon to the win, and more importantly, the championship, at Phoenix Raceway last November. The last time the chassis competed was earlier this season at Richmond, where Creed finished 11th.
• Returning Darlington Winner: After experiencing a crushing defeat at Darlington last season, where he led the most laps in dominating fashion, Creed clutched up and powered to the win on a late restart during the track’s most recent race in May. He enters this weekend’s race looking to become the first driver to sweep both races at the Lady in Black.
• Back2Back: Sheldon Creed and the No. 2 GMS Racing team made a statement during the Playoffs opener at Gateway, in a race where they led 142 of 163 laps and cruised to victory. Creed is now locked into the Round of 8, with hopes of continuing his winning ways this round.
• Quote: Winning at Gateway to open the Round of 10 was a huge confidence booster for our No. 2 team. I am excited to return to Darlington this weekend, because this track fits my style perfectly. We had the dominant truck last year, but it got away from us, so winning there earlier this season made it seem like we redeemed ourselves. I think we might have the truck to beat once again on Sunday, and I’m looking forward to chasing after another win.

Zane Smith, No. 21 Chevy Accessories Chevrolet Silverado
Darlington Raceway Stats

• NCWTS Starts: 2, Best start: 3rd, Best finish: 16th (twice)

2021 NCWTS Season Stats

• Starts: 16, Top 5s: 1, Top 10s: 10, Stage wins: 3, Best start: 2nd, Best finish: 4th (Nashville), Laps led: 66
• Sponsor spotlight: Chevy Accessories returns this week to feature on Zane Smith’s No. 21 Silverado.
• Chassis history/info: Smith and the No. 21 team will utilize chassis no. 331 at Darlington, the same chassis that delivered Smith his first ever NCWTS win at Michigan last season. In total, this Silverado has six Top 10 finishes in seven races, including a fourth place effort this June in Nashville where it was last raced.
• 21in21: Zane Smith finds himself on the outside looking in as the trucks head to Darlington, as a catastrophic rear gear failure parked the No. 21 Silverado with an early exit at Gateway. Smith currently sits ninth in points, just ten points back from the cutline. A solid run in Darlington could bump him back into the Playoffs picture.
• Quote: “I’m looking forward to climbing out of the points hole and getting back in contention at Darlington. Even though our previous finishes aren’t great at this track, I feel like our No. 21 team has always brought fast trucks to compete with. We have to go out there and stay up front throughout the whole race, try to take home as many stage points as possible, and ultimately contend for the win. I’m confident that we will be able to turn things around in this first round of the Playoffs.”

Chase Purdy, No. 23 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado
Darlington Raceway Stats

• NCWTS Starts: 1, Best start: 24th, Best finish: 36th (2021)

2021 NCWTS Season Stats

• Starts: 15, 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. 328 at Darlington, the same chassis that he competed with for the track’s first race in May. The chassis’ best race was a third place finish at Dover last year with Brett Moffitt behind the wheel. - Coming With Momentum: Purdy earned his best-career finish at Gateway in the series’ most recent race, an impressive sixth place result. The run marked the No. 23 team’s first Top 10 result of the season, a great confidence booster heading into Darlington. - Quote: “I’m pumped up to go back to Darlington this weekend! My No. 23 guys and I were fast the last time we were there, and I think when we return on Sunday we can be even better. Darlington is a super cool race track and I hope to come away with another solid Top 10 finish.”

Jack Wood, No. 24 Chevy Accessories Chevrolet Silverado
Darlington Raceway Stats

• Jack Wood has no previous experience in any series at Darlington

2021 NCWTS Season Stats

• Starts: 7, Top 10s: 1, Best start: 2nd, Best finish: 10th (Gateway)
• Sponsor spotlight: Chevy Accessories returns this week to feature on Jack Wood’s No. 24 Silverado. The familiar white, black, and gray colors make a return as the primary Chevy Accessories paint scheme.
• Chassis history/info: Wood and his No. 24 team will utilize chassis no. 309 at Darlington, a truck that has taken Brett Moffitt and Sam Mayer to one victory a piece at Iowa in 2019 and Bristol in 2020, respectively. Rafael Lessard most recently drove this chassis in Las Vegas earlier this season.
• First Start, First Top 10: Jack Wood made the most of his first start at Gateway last time out, earning his first ever Top 10 finish in NCWTS competition with a 10th place finish. Wood will also be making his first start at Darlington Raceway in Sunday’s race, as he continues to grow in his rookie season.
• Back and Ready for More: On Thursday, GMS Racing announced that Jack Wood will be returning to the No. 24 Silverado for a full-time effort in 2022. Competitive runs in the final six races of the year will help build a solid foundation entering next season.
• Quote: “Darlington is one of the racetracks that I have never been to before, and without any practice or qualifying, it will be a challenge getting up to speed. I’m doing everything I can to prepare for the best outcome possible, and I’m looking forward to seeing what my No. 24 team can bring to the table with The Lady in Black.”

Tyler Ankrum, No. 26 LiUNA! Chevrolet Silverado
Darlington Raceway Stats

• NCWTS Starts: 2, Best start: 9th, Best finish: 11th (2020)

2021 NCWTS Season Stats

• Starts: 16, 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. Ankrum will bring back the black and orange LiUNA! paint scheme from the start of the season.
• Chassis history: Ankrum and his No. 26 crew will utilize chassis no. 305 at Darlington, a workhorse that has fifteen races under its belt. In November 2018, this chassis took Justin Haley to victory lane at Texas. Most recently, Ankrum drove this truck to a fourth place finish at Pocono in June.
• Battle Within the Battle: With six races left to run in 2021, Tyler Ankrum finds himself in a heated battle with Derek Kraus and Johnny Sauter for 12th place in the points standings. Currently, Tyler runs 13th in points, just seven markers back from Kraus.
• Quote: “I’m excited to head back to Darlington Raceway with my No. 26 crew! Hopefully this time, we will have some better luck than what we had in the spring. It may be the second race of the Playoffs, but our mindset still hasn’t changed despite the fact that we aren’t a part of them. We’re going to go out there and try to win some of these races and hopefully put on a heck of a show.”

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.

Statesville, NC – GMS Racing is proud to announce that Jack Wood has been re-signed for the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. Wood will compete full-time in the No. 24 Chevrolet Silverado with primary backing from Chevrolet.

Wood, who is just twenty-one years of age, initially joined GMS Racing to run the entire ARCA Menards Series schedule for 2021. However in May, it was announced that those plans would change, as the rookie found himself presented with an opportunity to compete in thirteen truck starts throughout the remainder of the season.

Coming off his first-career Top 10 finish in truck series competition, Jack was elated with the news that he would be returning for a full-time effort next season. “I feel extremely honored to be asked to drive for GMS Racing again next year, we have built a lot of momentum over the last few months and I feel strongly that next season will be a very successful one. There has been plenty of learning and ground work built in order to do just that. I would like to thank everyone at GMS Racing and Chevrolet for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to chase my dream. I hope to finish the rest of this year out strong and then take the off season preparing to hit the ground running in 2022 starting at Daytona!”

So far, the California-native has competed in a total of seven NCWTS starts, with highlights including an eleventh place finish at Nashville Superspeedway and a tenth place finish at Worldwide Technology Raceway, his best-career finish in his most recent start. In seven ARCA starts, Wood has four Top 10 finishes with a career-best of fourth place at Kansas Speedway.

Having never raced at any of the facilities on the truck schedule, Wood has learned to overcome the challenge of not having any practice or qualifying by regularly training with the Chevrolet simulator in Huntersville, NC.

GMS Racing President Mike Beam looks forward to seeing the continued growth of Jack Wood’s career as he returns to the organization, saying “We are really excited to welcome Jack Wood back to our truck series program. I feel like this year was a solid learning year for Jack and he progressed a lot in a short amount of time. I am looking forward to him being able to return to tracks and apply what he has learned in 2021.”

In January, Wood was selected to join the Drivers Edge Development class of 2021, a co-op effort between accomplished Chevrolet developmental teams GMS Racing and JR Motorsports. During the week, as part of a strict fitness regimen, Wood trains with Josh Wise and fellow Team Chevy athletes to strengthen his stamina during races, showcasing his dedication to improving overall performance as a driver.

Additional sponsorship and partnership opportunities with Jack Wood and the No. 24 team are available for the 2022 NCWTS season. To inquire about these opportunities, please reach out via email to sara@gmsracing.net.

For more information about Jack Wood, please visit his new official website, www.jackwoodracing.com. Additionally, follow Jack on Twitter and Instagram with his official handle @DriverJackWood.

#WeAreGMS

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 www.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.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Aug. 25, 2021) – Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) announced today that Dylan Lupton will drive the No. 51 Tundra Sept. 5 when the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. The 27-year-old driver’s Toyota will carry primary sponsorship from Safelite AutoGlass, the nation’s largest provider of vehicle glass repair, replacement, and recalibration services.

Lupton has recorded one top-five and four top-10 finishes across 11 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts. Lupton posted a career-best fifth-place finish in the Truck Series race at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta in 2019. Additionally, he has made four NASCAR Cup Series starts and 35 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

The Wilton, California native finished second in the ARCA Menards Series West event at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway earlier this year. Across 33 career West Series starts since 2011, he has registered two wins, 14 top-five, 27 top-10 finishes and finished runner-up in the series’ championship standings in 2014.

An alumnus of the NASCAR Next initiative, Lupton has one prior start at Darlington in the Xfinity Series during the 2017 season.

“The opportunity to drive the top-notch equipment that Kyle Busch Motorsports prepares is a dream come true,” Lupton said. “The No. 51 team always prepares fast Tundras and I’m extremely excited to get to Darlington and be able to showcase my talent and represent Safelite AutoGlass.”

“Dylan has had strong runs on the intermediate tracks in the Truck Series and we believe that he can deliver a solid result behind the wheel of the Safelite AutoGlass Tundra at Darlington as the No. 51 teams tries to advance to the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owner’s playoffs,” said Mike Verlander, president of Kyle Busch Motorsports.

Darlington will be the second race in the Round of 10 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owner’s playoffs. The No. 51 team qualified for the owner’s portion of the playoffs by finishing the regular season ranked fifth in the point standings. After one race in the Round of 10, they sit eighth on the owner’s playoff grid with 2017 points, one spot above the cutoff line for advancing to the Round of 8.

First-year crew chief Mardy Lindley has led the No. 51 team to three wins across 16 races this season. Owner-driver Kyle Busch was victorious at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway in Kansas City while Martin Truex Jr. won the inaugural Truck Series event at the Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway Dirt Track. Truex Jr. became the 16th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM and the 12th to collect their first-ever victory in NASCAR’s third division. When he gets behind the wheel at Darlington, Lupton will be the eighth different driver to make a start for the No. 51 team in 2021.

About Safelite AutoGlass:

With more than 7,900 MobileGlassShops™ and stores in all 50 states, Safelite AutoGlass® is the nation’s largest provider of vehicle glass repair, replacement and recalibration services. Last year, close to 7 million customers chose Safelite AutoGlass for its 24/7 national contact centers, advanced online scheduling, superior repair and replacement systems, and the industry’s only nationwide lifetime guarantee.

Safelite AutoGlass is a member of the Safelite® Group family of brands, which together make a difference in the lives of nearly 11 million customers annually. This leading service organization, founded in 1947, is reaching record growth thanks to its People Powered, Customer Driven strategy. The Columbus, Ohio-based company employs nearly 16,000 people across the United States.

About Kyle Busch Motorsports:

Since debuting in 2010, Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) has quickly established itself as one of the most successful teams in all of NASCAR. Owned by two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch and fueled by his passion for winning, the organization holds the Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (88) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). 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).

KBM prepares a fleet of race-winning Toyotas out of its state-of-the art 77,000-square-foot facility in Mooresville, N.C. Fans can stay up-to-date with all the latest KBM news online at www.KyleBuschMotorsports.com, by liking the team on Facebook (KBMteam) and by following the team on Instagram (KBMteam), and Twitter (@KBMteam).

CRAFTON LEADS TOYOTA AT ST. LOUIS
Crafton, Rhodes and Friesen start Playoff push with top-five finishes

ST. LOUIS (August 20, 2021) – Matt Crafton (second), Ben Rhodes (third), Stewart Friesen (fourth) and Johnny Sauter (fifth) led Toyota with top-five finishes in the Toyota 200 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway on Friday evening.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway
Race 16 of 23 – 160 Laps, 200 Miles

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Sheldon Creed*
2nd, MATT CRAFTON
3rd, BEN RHODES
4th, STEWART FRIESEN
5th, JOHNNY SAUTER
20th, DEREK KRAUS
21st, ARMANI WILLIAMS
22nd, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
23rd, AUSTIN HILL
26th, DEREK GRIFFITH
27th, CHRIS HACKER
28th, CHANDLER SMITH
31st, CHRISTIAN ECKES
33rd, TY MAJESKI
36th, DANNY BOHN

*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

MATT CRAFTON, No. 88 Ideal Door/Menards Toyota Tundra, ThorSport Racing

Finishing Position: 2nd

Wasn’t the win you wanted, but it was still a good finish. How was your race?

“Yeah, it was a great points night, all-in-all. They knew we were here. We drove from 10th to get to second. We just needed a little bit more to catch the 2 (Sheldon Creed). The 2 was really, really good, but can’t thank these guys for working as hard as they did lately. They’ve been working their butts off. We went through and threw all the notebooks away from ’20, ’19, ’18. We went back to the old school stuff. I guess it still works here.”

BEN RHODES, No. 99 Bombardier Toyota Toyota Tundra, ThorSport Racing

Finishing Position: 3rd

Solid top-five finish. How was your finish?

“We have a few issues going on with our truck in the front end, but we know what we were fighting. We will go back home and make it better, but overall, I’m happy with my Bombardier Tundra. It was fast from the get-go. They made good improvements on it, so that I could hang with them at the end of the race. I have to say Matt Crafton was driving me hard. That was the hardest I’ve driven in a while. I had my tongue hanging out for like the last 100 laps.”

STEWART FRIESEN, No. 52 Halmar International Toyota Tundra, Halmar Friesen Racing

Finishing Position: 4th

Are you happy with this finish overall?

“Yeah, absolutely. Good start for us in the Playoffs. I knew we would be good but I just got a little tight there in the last run. We got up there quick in the first stage and then kind of just leveled out in third or fourth. I wish I would have gotten a better restart at the start of that last stage. I’m proud of my guys. Thanks to everyone at Halmar, Chris Larsen. Great owner and great friend. Proud of everything we’ve done here over the last two years, and we are going to keep it rolling and try to get a win here.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks in North America, where we have 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama (10 in the U.S.), and directly employ more than 47,000 people (over 36,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold nearly 2.8 million cars and trucks (nearly 2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2019.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

Friday, August 20
Track: World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, 1.25-mile oval
Race: 16 of 22
Event: Toyota 200 presented by CK Power (160 laps, 200 miles)

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

Start: 19th

Finish: 7th

• The first caution of the race was displayed on lap 25 and Deegan was in the 15th spot with a tight-center condition.
• Deegan remained in the top-15 throughout two more quick cautions and completed Stage 1 in the 17th position.
• Deegan started the second stage in 17th and was in the 15th position when the race went under a red flag on lap 61 for a power outage. After almost an hour break, the race returned to green with around 40 laps to go in the stage.
• The rest of the stage remained green and Deegan ended it in 14th with a pretty neutral Monster Energy Ford.
• During the final stage, Deegan worked her way up to the ninth position on lap 114 when the caution was displayed for accident on the track which she narrowly avoided.
• The race returned to green on lap 121 and the California native was in 11th on lap 130. With under 10 laps to go in the race, another caution was displayed with Deegan in ninth and ultimately sent the event into overtime.
• The first and only attempt at overtime resulted in a seventh-place finish for Deegan, her best career Truck Series finish.

Tanner Gray, No. 15 Ford Performance F-150

Start: 16th

Finish: 19th

• Tanner Gray was in the 16th spot when the first caution of the race came out on lap 25. The Ford driver did not visit pit road.
• Two more quick cautions occurred and Gray reported his F-150 was a little free on entry while in the 14th spot.
• The No. 15 machine ended the first stage in the 16th position.
• A power outage in Stage 2 at the track resulted in a red flag lasting almost an hour. The second stage resumed under green with a little over 40 laps to go and Gray was 18th.
• From the 17th position during the Stage 2 break, Gray reported his F-150 was free in and tight in the center. He received service from the No. 15 crew during the break and returned to the track.
• Gray reached the top-10 when another caution was displayed on lap 114. The New Mexico native remained in the top-12 for the majority of the remainder of the race.
• Unfortunately, with less than 10 laps to go Gray got loose and spun on the track to bring out the final caution. He made it to pit road for service and returned to the track on the lead lap in 19th.
• Gray finished 19th at the midwest track in the first and only overtime attempt.

Taylor Gray, No. 17 Ford Performance F-150

Start: 26th

Finish: 12th

• Taylor Gray started his second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race from the 26th position. He was in the 25th spot when the first caution was displayed on lap 25.
• Gray stayed out and on the second quick caution, he came down pit road for damage to the left rear of his Ford Performance F-150.
• The younger Gray returned to the track on the lead lap with 10 laps to go and finished the stage in 25th.
• On lap 61, the caution was displayed and ultimately the red flag was displayed for almost an hour due lights going out at the track. Gray was in the 23rd position. At the end of Stage 2, Gray was 22nd and looking for more turn. He pitted and returned to the track in the same position.
• In the final stage, the caution came out on lap 114 with Gray 17th. After returning to green, the No. 17 driver was in the 10th position on lap 130.
• The final caution of the race came out with less than 10 laps to go and Gray remained in the 10th position.
• The caution sent the race into overtime and the Ford driver slipped back to 12th in the closing laps.
• The 12th-place finish comes in Gray’s second career Truck Series start.

Next event: In It To Win It 200 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina on September 5 at 1:30 p.m. ET.