Sheldon Creed, No. 2 LiftKits4Less Chevrolet Silverado

START: 19th  

FINISH: 3rd

POINTS: 5th

Notes & Quotes:—

• Sheldon Creed entered Watkins Glen looking to impress. With four Top 5 finishes in four road course starts, Creed was bound to be a contender from the start. Contend he did, driving his No. 2 Silverado to the front right away. Sheldon finished Stage 1 in second place, and backed it up with a fifth place run in Stage 2.
• Creed led the way for GMS Racing in the rain-shortened race, finishing an impressive 3rd place finish. Momentum is on the side of the 2 team right when it counts most.

Back2Back: Sheldon Creed is headed to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs, looking to defend his 2020 championship.

Quote: “Overall, we had a pretty good day at the Glen. I felt that we could have been more of a contender if we had an opportunity to get out in clean air, because aero means so much at this track. My truck handled great for the most part, but we were just a little too tight compared to the front two. I’m glad we got a good finish though, and I’m looking forward to getting the Playoffs started with my No. 2 team.”

Zane Smith, No. 21 Bay Mountain Air Chevrolet Silverado

START: 8th

FINISH: 6th

POINTS: 6th

Notes & Quotes:—

• Zane Smith competed in his third ever road course race at Watkins Glen International in NCWTS competition. Despite having little road course experience, Smith drove like a veteran on the 2.45-mile track as he fought his way through the field. The No. 21 Silverado played a different strategy than most of the leaders and short pitted in Stage 1, resulting in a 20th place result. In Stage 2, Smith cycled back to the front, holding track position to finish a solid fourth place.
• Smith was able to lead a total of four laps en route to his best career finish on a road course at Watkins Glen, coming home with a solid sixth place finish. Heading into Gateway, the No. 21 is a real threat to watch out for.

21in21: Zane Smith is headed to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs for a second consecutive year. The sophomore driver finished second place in the 2020 championship standings, can this be his year to win it all?

Quote: “Not a bad day, I felt good with our short run speed, but we need to be better on the long runs. I think once we work that out, it will put us more in contention for the final stage. We led some laps and ran up front all day but just needed a little bit more. I am ready to start the playoffs with my GMS Racing No. 21 team for the 2nd time.”

AJ Allmendinger, No. 23 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado

START: 25th

FINISH: 28th

Notes & Quotes:—

• Road course ace AJ Allmendinger took the reigns of the No. 23 Silverado after its primary driver, Chase Purdy, tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of Saturday’s race at Watkins Glen International.
• Allmendinger had quite an eventful race, having to start from the rear due to the driver change. From there, the No. 23 was on a tear, slashing through the field and making quick work up to the front of the pack. AJ drove up to sixth by Stage 1, and further improved his running position to third in Stage 2.
• Unfortunately, a broken component in the right front suspension hindered Allmendinger’s race severely, forcing him to pit on numerous occasions under green and caution periods. He was also involved with an incident near the start of the final stage. Hard work paid off, and the crew fixed his issues, however it was too late as the lightning set in and brought the race to a halt. Allmendinger crossed the line with a disappointing 28th place finish.

Quote: “It was a disappointing finish to the truck race with the issue that we had in the front end. It still had a lot of speed in it after we fixed that issue. I felt like we had the fastest truck by a mile! I think if we didn’t have the issue we did, we could have easily won that race. I’m really thankful to Maury Gallagher and everyone at GMS forgiving me the opportunity. More importantly, I hope Chase has a quick recovery so he can get back to driving for these guys! That No. 23 Chevy was really fast, so I’m disappointed that we didn’t really get to show it.”

Jack Wood, No. 24 Chevy Accessories Chevrolet Silverado

START: 27th

FINISH: 26th

Notes & Quotes:—

• Jack Wood competed in a double duty weekend at The Glen, driving in both the ARCA Menards Series race on Friday and the NCWTS race on Saturday. With an extra 41 laps of seat time from the ARCA race, Wood was eager to return to the road course for a second time.
• The rookie went to work early on, improving on his starting position to finish a respectable 13th in Stage 1. In Stage 2, it appeared as if Jack would be in the catbird seat, restarting in the lead for the first time in his career on lap 24. Unfortunately, a speeding penalty under green flag conditions near the end of the stage brought the No. 24 Silverado down pit road to serve a penalty, putting Wood a lap down.
• Wood gained his lap back by virtue of the wave around at the end of Stage 2, but with not many laps left in the race, he would have to settle for a 26th place finish.

Quote: “I’m pretty frustrated with how the weekend went for myself. I feel that I as a driver never had the speed that I wanted, but at the same time, I. feel like I learned a lot. We will have to keep fighting to get ourselves out of this slump. I’m confident that our No. 24 team will be able to rebound at Gateway.”

Tyler Ankrum, No. 26 LiUNA! Chevrolet Silverado

START: 10th

FINISH: 7th

POINTS: 12th

Notes & Quotes:—

• Tyler Ankrum arrived to Watkins Glen full of optimism as the No. 26 Silverado had a phenomenal race at the series’ only other road course event earlier this season at Circuit of Americas, where he finished second. This time, however, Ankrum had to scratch and claw his way to the front from the initial drop of the green flag. On lap 2, contact through the bus stop forced an early green flag pit stop with a flat tire, resulting in a 26th place finish in Stage 1.
• Despite it being an uphill battle early on, the LiUNA! crew never gave up hope, and crew chief Charles Denike made the right calls on adjustments throughout the race. Stage 2 was significantly better for Tyler, where he finished an impressive 6th place.
• Ankrum was essentially in a “must-win” situation to make the NCWTS Playoffs, and had a fighting chance to take home the win as the race came a to a close. Unfortunately, the No. 26 was on the outside looking in as the weather did not permit the full distance finish. Though the crew’s spirits are dampened, Tyler Ankrum looks to finish out his season on a high note over these final seven races.

Quote: “We had a pretty fast LiUNA! Silverado, and I was happy with our speed. It was just an unfortunate set of events that led to our team not being able to walk away with the finish that they deserved. I think if we would have had the opportunity to finish the race under green, we might have had a great shot at making the Playoffs. Unfortunately we’ll just be stuck wondering what if, but that doesn’t mean that we are done for the year. I’m ready to have some fun and go for some wins near the end of the season!”

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

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

Saturday, August 7
Track: Watkins Glen, 2.45-mile road course
Race: 15 of 22
Event: United Rentals 176 (72 laps, 176 miles)

Hailie Deegan, No. 1 Toter Ford F-150

Start: 18th

Finish: 20th

• On the opening lap, Deegan had to make evasive moves to miss spinning trucks and dropped back to 30th, but she made it through the melee.
• During the first caution on lap eight, Deegan came down pit road for fuel, four tires and for the Toter crew to evaluate an issue Deegan was feeling with the truck. She returned to the track and restarted 25th. The Ford driver was able to maneuver her way around a few trucks to end the first stage in 14th.
• On lap 24 in Stage 2, Deegan entered the top-10. On lap 28, the Ford driver had to make an unscheduled pit stop to remove grass from her F-150’s grille after she was forced off of the racing surface and into the grass. Deegan returned to the track and the remainder of the stage ran under green and she completed it in 26th.
• During the second stage break, Deegan visited pit road for service and received four tires, fuel and adjustments to help her Toter F-150 turn better in the center of the corner.
• The California native started the final stage in the 23rd spot. Another caution was displayed on lap 54 while Deegan was 21st. She remained on the track and the race returned to green.
• Unfortunately, the event was halted and eventually called with 11 laps to go due to lightning which resulted in a 20th-place finish for Deegan.

Tanner Gray, No. 15 Ford Performance F-150

Start: 22nd

Finish: 14th

• Tanner Gray started the race from the 22nd position. He was running 18th when the caution flag waved on lap eight.
• During the caution period, Marcus Richmond had the driver come down pit road for tires and fuel. The team was given a penalty for a crew member over the wall too soon and had to restart at the tail.
• The No. 15 F-150 was back up to ninth by lap 17 as pit stops began to cycle and ultimately finished the opening stage in 11th with a left rear tire going down.
• The team pitted again to change tires and add fuel. Gray restarted from 20th and was up to 15th on lap 26 when he was spun out entering the bus stop and fell back to 27th.
• Gray short pitted the second stage and finished it in 25th. He stayed out at the break to restart 18th and drove his way up to 14th before a lightning delay with 11 laps remaining. The remainder of the race was cancelled and results were considered official.

Taylor Gray, No. 17 Ford Performance F-150

Start: 32nd

Finish: 36th

• Taylor Gray started his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut from the 32nd position. He was up to 19th by the end of the opening lap and was in 17th when the caution came out on lap eight.
• The No. 17 Ford Performance F-150 entered the top-10 on lap 11, but short pitted with six laps remaining in Stage 1 and finished the stage in 28th.
• The younger Gray started Stage 2 in the 10th position and was running in 11th on lap 29 when he reported that the engine had begun to lose power.
• After two trips down pit road to check under the hood, the team opted to go to the garage on lap 42 and change fuel pumps.
• Gray rejoined the race in 36th, eight laps down to log laps and learn everything he could for his next visit to Watkins Glen. The race was deemed official due to lightning with 11 laps remaining.

Next event: World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois on August 20 at 9 p.m. ET.

AUSTIN HILL EARNS SECOND STRAIGHT VICTORY
Hill scores rain-shortened win at Watkins Glen

WATKINS GLEN, NY (August 7, 2021) – Austin Hill drove his Tundra to his second straight win as he earned the victory from the pole in the rain-shortened Watkins Glen event on Saturday afternoon. This was the final event in the regular season for the NASCAR Truck Series season. Toyota leads all manufacturers with six qualified Playoff drivers: John Hunter Nemechek, Austin Hill, Ben Rhodes, Matt Crafton, Stewart Friesen and Chandler Smith.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Watkins Glen International
Race 15 of 23 – 72 Laps, 176.400 Miles

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, AUSTIN HILL
2nd, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
3rd, Sheldon Creed*
4th, Todd Gilliland*
5th, Parker Kligerman*
8th, PAUL MENARD
13th, CHRISTIAN ECKES
15th, BEN RHODES
18th, CHANDLER SMITH
19th, COREY HEIM
21st, STEWART FRIESEN
22nd, DEREK KRAUS
23rd, MATT CRAFTON
24th, JOHNNY SAUTER
29th, DANNY BOHN
32nd, JOSH REAUME
33rd, LAWLESS ALAN
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

AUSTIN HILL, No. 16 United Rentals Toyota Tundra, Hattori Racing Enterprises

Finishing Position: 1st

What was it like watching and waiting for the lightning delay?

“It was nervewracking, that’s for sure. I didn’t know if we were going to go back green or not, but it feels so good to win on a road course. I’ve been wanting to win on a road course for a really long time – even back in the K&N days, I felt like I would get around the road course fairly decent and finally we had a race that does everything we needed to do. I was really biting my nails there and then when that rain came and I didn’t know what was going to happen with the lightning and all that. Everybody at United Rentals and HRE (Hattori Racing Enterprises), they gave me a really good piece today and we were able to go out there and get it done. Really cool, really special to get a win at Watkins Glen. First time back in 20 years or so, it’s really special.”

Are you and your team a threat for the championship?

“Don’t count us out. We’re hungry and we’re ready. We have a lot of confidence so we’re ready to go for these Playoffs.”

How did the experience in yesterday’s ARCA race help you today?

“I think it definitely paid off a little bit. I think once you got five laps into the race, everybody was kind of equal because they kind of figured out where their truck was and figured out where their points were. That paid off a little bit just knowing that tire wear was going to be a factor and that tires were going to fall off a little bit. I tried to be mindful of that, but at the same time, once we played that pit strategy and we got to the lead, I wanted to keep the clean air and that was really big for me just trying to keep the clean air because I thought whoever had the lead was going to be hard to get around. We made the right adjustments, made the right call to pit road and just everything happened the way it did and it’s one of those races that you had to be good, but at the same time we had a little bit of luck on our side to get to the lead and when it’s going green, there’s no telling what can happen on a restart or something. It’s nice to have the rain come and us not have to go back out there.”

How much were you being made aware of the weather during the race?

“The only times that they came on the radio and said anything to me was right when we were going green for that last restart. My crew chief, Scott (Zipadelli) came over the radio and said there was weather in the area, don’t know how long it’s going to last. We could make it all the way or we could be cut short, we don’t know. Just get to the lead if you can and when you have that restart, get through the gears and everything right. Try to save your stuff, but at the same time go. Don’t hold back, don’t let guys get around you. I was trying to manage that the best I could. I saw the 4 (John Hunter Nemechek) was pushing really hard, he was driving in deep. I was just trying to save my stuff, but at the same time just keep that gap from him. I didn’t want him to get too close to me. We just played that cat and mouse game the right way.”

How did things translate at this track for your team with relation to simulation after a 20-year break since this series competed at Watkins Glen?

“I thought that it translated really well. I did a lot of sim work with TRD and I did a lot of stuff with Toyota and it seemed to help going into the weekend. Obviously, the ARCA race helped a lot. I think just preparation was really big for us. To win at a place like Watkins Glen and to do it with United Rentals sponsoring the weekend, I have United Rentals gear all over me and it’s really special to see that. I was really excited to see that happen. I can’t wait to get the phone calls and talk to some of the United Rentals reps and see what they thought of it. I thought it was cool.”

What is making this team so competitive in recent weeks?
“I think the biggest thing is coming off the Knoxville win, just gained a lot of confidence for us. We had that three week break so we were able to really prepare going into this weekend and to also get ready for the Playoffs. I thought the three week break was really good for us and I think that played a factor into how good we were and how prepared we were today. Actually we brought a whole brand new road course package than what we had been running this weekend and we didn’t really know what to expect with no practice. It paid off and we unloaded and were really good. Felt like we got a little tight there, but they made good calls on pit road to get us to the lead and then get that clean air and the adjustments that were made were really good.”

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, No. 4 Mobil 1 Toyota Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports

Finishing Position: 2nd

Do you think you may have had something for Austin Hill in the final laps if the race was restarted?

“Possibly, it’s hard to say with the high downforce package that we have on these trucks, dirty air is really bad. You get super aero-tight behind other trucks and it kind of gives you a disadvantage being the second guy compared to being in clean air. Overall, we had a really fast Mobil 1 Toyota Tundra today. I feel like Austin (Hill) had the dominant truck all day. I do feel like we were better in certain spots, and he was better in other spots on the racetrack. Who knows what would have happened, he could have made a mistake, I could have made a mistake. It’s part of racing. I felt like if he would have slipped a little bit or if I could have gotten side-by-side with him, I feel like we probably could have made the pass and possibly drove off. I don’t know how fast, but I felt like we were playing cat and mouse with trading back who was faster on certain laps.”

What happened between you and Ben Rhodes on lap one?

“I wheel-hopped really bad getting into turn one and apologized to Ben (Rhodes). I’ve spoken to Ben and apologized to his team guys as well. That’s not how I want to race and that’s not my intention to take somebody out. I’m better than that and I should have never made that mistake, but wheel-hopped and I was just along for the ride at that point. We’ve raced hard against them all year and we’ve traded paint, but we’ve been respectful about all of it. It sucks that happened here at Watkins Glen.”

Is this your championship to lose or is it too soon to determine that?

“I feel like race tracks that are coming up are really good for us. I enjoy the race tracks we’re going to the first round and the second round. It all comes down to Phoenix. You have to make it there, be in the final four and whoever has the better race and plays the strategy right. Cautions may fall, we saw that last year as well. We’re on our ‘A’ Game I feel like, and we’ve been preparing fast trucks all year and we just have to keep the momentum rolling. Have to try to be that one that’s the favorite going into Phoenix.”

How does it change to now be the favorite versus the underdog?

“I feel like it changes your mindset a little bit. I feel like being the underdog, you’re trying to push your equipment further than is maybe possible or its potential. Now, I feel like we have really fast Toyota Tundras every time we show up to the racetrack and it’s my job not to make mistakes and it’s my job not to put ourselves in a bad situation that may take us out of the race. I do feel like we’re one of the favorites every time we show up. My mindset is to continue to work hard and head down, elbows up as I would say and continue to push. We’re going to work as hard as we possibly can and that definitely doesn’t change from being the underdog to now being the top guy, I guess. You put in the same amount of work if not more now to try to better yourself as a driver.”

Is it easy to learn to take what the equipment can give you versus trying to push past it?
“You can definitely fall into old habits, but at the same time being able to maximize the potential of the equipment that I was in as an underdog to now being in really fast trucks and maximizing that potential and possibly pushing it even more than what it may be capable of, I think that has taught me a lot. I definitely feel like that has helped me be a better driver, being in that underdog spot and now being in this spot, you know when you can run 95 percent and not have to push it to 100 or 120 percent. I feel like the mental adjustment, for myself personally, I’m having fun, I’m smiling, enjoying life and being able to come out here and have a shot to win every week when we show up to the racetrack feels good.”

What message did Kyle Busch send you for this season about chasing this championship?

“When Kyle (Busch, team owner) and I sat down at the end of last year, beginning of this year when this whole deal came together, we pretty much went into it and told me that I had to have a championship mindset. Don’t make mistakes, don’t make people mad and just go run your races and dominate races. I’m lucky enough that I’m the guy that Kyle believed in that could do that and put the experience there, like a Matt Crafton-type guy as he would say. It’s definitely been nice to kind of fill those shoes with Toyota and with Kyle as well within the organization. The last time KBM was a real threat for the championship was William Byron and Christopher Bell era so hopefully we can be on the list with those guys.”

CHANDLER SMITH, No. 18 Safelite Auto Glass Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports

Finishing Position: 18th

What are your thoughts knowing you will run for a championship?

“I definitely have a weight lifted off my shoulders I feel like. At the start of the race, I knew we had a really good truck and we go into the first corner and get wrecked right away. That kind of shot us in the foot and put us behind for the rest of the race. To be honest with you, we just now got caught up and got back on the lead lap. Here we are, we’re going into the Playoffs and we’ll take it.”

Are the Playoffs a chance to hit the reset button on your season?

“Overall, for us, this is the first time running something full time in a very long time, probably since I was 13 or something. At the start of the season we were really strong and started having some rough races and we dropped out. Looked like we weren’t even going to make the Playoffs and we’ve been wracking up some really good finishes here lately and here we are. I’m really proud of our whole Safelite Auto Glass team.”

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

Finishing Position: 21st

How do you feel coming into your first Playoffs since 2019?

“It’s good, obviously the last two years building the team with Trip (Bruce) and the team and everybody at Toyota, it’s been a major work in progress. Our oldest trucks are probably our speedway trucks and road course or dirt trucks. We get to use the new stuff from here on out. We have a new speedway truck being built for Talladega and looking forward to all that. We’re going back to Bristol and running the concrete. I think our best days are ahead of us.”

Are the Playoffs a chance to hit the reset button on your season?

“I hope so. For our team, just getting into the Playoffs was big, that was our goal. Last year was just a real big building year for us and still has been this year. Our equipment I feel like is where it needs to be for the next bunch of races and we’re looking forward to it.”

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.

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y.: The summer break is over and CR7 Motorsports and driver Grant Enfinger are ready to tackle the beautiful Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International in Saturday afternoon’s United Rentals 176.

Enfinger, the Fairhope, Ala. native returns to the CR7 Motorsports team for his sixth race of the 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) season and looks to duplicate his road course success with the team achieved earlier this year at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) where he propelled the organization to their first top-five of the year with a fourth-place outing.

Armed with the support of longtime partner Champion Power Equipment, Enfinger is hoping to deliver his sixth top-five but ninth top-10 overall in 15 NCWTS races this season.

Since 2003 Champion Power Equipment has earned a reputation for designing and producing the market’s finest power equipment. From our original headquarters in Santa Fe Springs, California, Champion has expanded its North American footprint to include facilities in Jackson Tennessee, Milwaukee Wisconsin and Toronto Canada.

Today Champion’s product line has expanded to include portable generators, home standby generators, inverter generators, engines, winches and log splitters. With over 2.5 million generators sold in North America, Champion is a market leader in the power equipment field.

“Champion Power Equipment has been a huge part of my career,” Enfinger said.

“Champion’s line of portable generators is a great fit for NASCAR fans who love to tailgate and camp at their favorite race track. It’s always fun to go out into the campgrounds and meet all the fans that support Champion. By getting out there and connecting directly with their consumers, we’ve had the honor and privilege to see that brand grow over the years.”

CR7 Motorsports nor Enfinger has turned any laps in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at WGI.

The series’ returns to the Finger Lakes of New York for the first time since 2000. Despite their lack of notes for the event, team manager and driver Codie Rohrbaugh are confident in the truck and their gameplan set by veteran crew chief Doug George for the final race of the regular NCWTS season.

“New track for me this weekend and some new Champion Power Equipment colors,” added Enfinger. “Looking forward to another opportunity with the No. 9 guys at Watkins Glen.”

When it comes to road courses, Enfinger has five starts to his credit with one top-five and two top-10 finishes and carries an average finish of 10.8.

“Everyone is excited about going to Watkins Glen for a variety of reasons,” Rohrbaugh offered. “We have seen our road course program improve significantly this year and Grant continues to bring excellence behind the wheel and providing ideas and feedback to improve the overall presence of our race team.”

In Enfinger’s last race with CR7 Motorsports at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in late June, the team contended for a top-five finish, but a mechanical failure eight laps from the finish have Rohrbaugh determined to make it up to his driver.

“Pocono was a major bummer, so everyone is eager to rebound on Saturday with Grant,” added Rohrbaugh. “We had such a strong run going and had an engine issue. I told Grant that we would rebound and I believe the truck we are bringing to Watkins Glen will give him the chance to do it.

“He’s a master when it comes to road course racing. He is so smooth and knows the tricks and trades of turning left and right. I look forward to seeing our No. 9 Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet out front.”
CR7 Motorsports has 38 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.

CR7 Motorsports holds a respectable 25th in the championship owner standings participating in 12 of the 14 races this season.

In 20 career ARCA starts, Rohrbaugh has a best finish of seventh twice at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway (July 2018 and Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (February 2019). He has qualified a career-best fourth on four different occasions, most recently at Kansas Speedway (Oct. 2018).

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 United Rentals 176 (72 laps | 176.4 miles) is the 15th of 22 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races on the 2021 schedule. The 40-truck field will take the green flag on Sat., Aug. 7, 2021, shortly after 12:00 p.m. ET with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM Satellite Radio NASCAR Channel 90.

About Champion Power Equipment:

Since 2003 Champion Power Equipment has earned a reputation for designing and producing the market’s finest power equipment. From our original headquarters in Santa Fe Springs, California, Champion has expanded its North American footprint to include facilities in Jackson, Tennessee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Toronto Canada.

Today Champion’s product line has expanded to include portable generators, home standby generators, inverter generators, engines, winches and log splitters.

With over 2.5 million generators sold in North America, Champion is a market leader in the power equipment field.

For more information visit: ChampionPowerEquipment.com.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 5, 2021) – Lawless Alan (www.lawlessalanracing.com) is set to join Niece Motorsports for several NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events in 2021. His first race with the team will come at Darlington Raceway on September 5.

Alan has also been tapped to run the finale at Phoenix Raceway for the team on November 5.

“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 continues to gain experience in the NASCAR Camping World 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.

“Steel sharpens steel, which is why we are excited for Lawless to be part of Niece Motorsports for these races,” said Shawn Adams, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for AUTOParkit. “It allows Lawless the opportunity to compete, contribute to the team, and most importantly learn for next year, when we hope to have him running for a championship. Lawless continues to be an excellent representative of AUTOParkit, meticulously preparing for every opportunity and relentlessly attacking each race in its entirety.”

Alan won the 2018 Track Championship at Irwindale Speedway in the NASCAR WHELEN Late Model Series. In 2019 Lawless won Rookie of the Year honors in Trans Ams TA2 Series and most recently won the 2020 Silver State Road Course Winter Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Alan has also won the Late Model Winter Showdown at Kern County Raceway, where he qualified on the pole and set a new track record in the process.

“We’re excited for the chance to get Lawless in our Chevrolets,” said Niece Motorsports General Manager Cody Efaw. “He’s proven himself to be a talented driver, so we’re thrilled to have him behind the wheel. Darlington is one of my favorite tracks, and our team has run well there in the past, so it should be a great start to his races with our team.”

The Truck Series will take the green flag at the Darlington Raceway on Sunday, September 5th at 1:30 PM 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.

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

Follow on Instagram:
Lawless Alan / @lawless_alan
Dasher Lawless Racing / @dasherlawlessracing

Young’s Motorsports | NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International | United Rentals 176
Fast Facts

No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Team:

Driver: Kaz Grala

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

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado

Crew Chief: Eddie Troconis

2021 Driver Points Position: 38th

2021 Owner Points Position: 20th

Chassis Intel: YMS Chassis No. 016

Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

Returning To The Finger Lakes: For the first time since 2000, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will make left and right turns at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International for their third and final road course start of the 2021 NCWTS season.

The Truck Series was held each year at Watkins Glen from 1996 to 2000, with Greg Biffle winning the series’ last race there in June of 2000. Road-course expert Ron Fellows won Watkins Glen’s truck event in 1997 and 1999.

The event located in Schuyler County is among the 16 national series’ tripleheader events in 2021.

Take III: Young’s Motorsports is thrilled to have former series’ winner Kaz Grala return to the seat of the No. 02 Young’s Building Systems | Randco Industries | Sim Seats Chevrolet Silverado for his third road course event of the season with the team.

Primary No. 02 pilot Kris Wright will be focusing on his NASCAR Xfinity Series opportunity this weekend at Watkins Glen.

Young’s Motorsports Recap: Grala has impressed in both of his Young’s Motorsports races this year in February on the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway Road Course and most recently in May at Circuit of the Americas (COTA).

At COTA, Grala narrowly missed the pole position and was in strong contention for Young’s Motorsports second career Truck Series victory, leading 11 laps before finishing second, the best performance for Young’s Motorsports since winning at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in October 2019.

Entering the United Rentals 176, Young’s Motorsports No. 02 team is eyeing its second top-five and third top-10 overall thus far in 2021.

Welcome Aboard: Supporting Grala for the 15th Truck Series race of 2021, Young’s Motorsports welcomes Texas-based Young’s Building Systems and Randco Industries Inc. as the primary marketing partners on Grala’s aboard the No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado for the United Rentals 176.

Proud Partner: Sim Seats, an innovative leader in driving simulators has also stepped up to support Grala for the 72-lap race Saturday afternoon and be displayed on the television panel of the No. 02 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.

Kaz Grala Truck Series Watkins Glen Stats: Saturday afternoon’s United Rentals 176 at WGI will mark Grala’s first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at the 2.450-mile road course.

However, Grala does have prior Watkins Glen experience with three ARCA Menards Series East and one NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the 11-turn road course.

Kaz Grala Truck Series Road Course Stats: At NASCAR Camping World Truck Series tracks classified as a road course, Grala has made four starts throughout his career with two top-five and three top-10 finishes. He also carries a road course average finishing position of 9.8.

Kaz Grala Career Truck Series Rundown: Since 2016, Grala has competed in 35 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races, delivering one pole, one win, six top-five and 17 top-10 finishes.

He earned his first career NCWTS victory in 2017 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, driving the No. 33 Kiklos Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil Chevrolet Silverado for GMS Racing.

Solid Pace For Young’s Motorsports: With eight races remaining in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this season, Young’s Motorsports sits a solid 20th in the series’ owner standings with a handful of drivers.

In addition to Grala and Wright, 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 14 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, four top-15s and nine top-25 efforts collectively.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Grala as crew chief of the No. 02 Young’s Building Systems | Randco Industries | Sim Seats Chevrolet Silverado is longtime crew chief Eddie Troconis.

Troconis is a two-time winning crew chief in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and comes to Young’s Motorsports after tenures at ThorSport Racing, AM Racing and Sam Hunt Racing (Xfinity Series) respectively.

He will crew chief his 137th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Saturday. In his previous 136 races, he has two wins, 23 top-five and 46 top-10 finishes to his resume.

Troconis touted as a gifted engineer will make his first crew chief start at Watkins Glen this weekend.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Kaz Grala, please visit, kazgrala.com, like him on Facebook (Kaz Grala) and follow him on Twitter (@KazGrala).

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).

Kaz Grala Pre-Race Quote:

On Watkins Glen: “I’m so excited to have another opportunity to compete for Young’s Motorsports this weekend at Watkins Glen. I can’t thank Tyler (Young), Randy (Young), Eddie (Troconis, crew chief) and the entire Young’s Motorsports team for the chance.

“I’d love nothing more than go to Watkins Glen and finish what we started at Circuit of the Americas and bring home another win for Young’s Motorsports and their partners.

“It should be another fun weekend.”
No. 12 Young’s Motorsports Team:

Driver: Tate Fogleman

Primary Partner(s): Banana Pepper Sauce

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado

Crew Chief: Ryan “Pickle” London

2021 Driver Points Position: 20th

2021 Owner Points Position: 30th

Chassis Intel: YMS Chassis No. 015

Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

Returning To The Finger Lakes: For the first time since 2000, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will make left and right turns at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International for their third and final road course start of the 2021 NCWTS season.

The Truck Series was held each year at Watkins Glen from 1996 to 2000, with Greg Biffle winning the series’ last race there in June of 2000. Road-course expert Ron Fellows won Watkins Glen’s truck event in 1997 and 1999.

The event located in Schuyler County is among the 16 national series’ tripleheader events in 2021.

Welcome To The No. 12 Team: This weekend at Watkins Glen, Fogleman’s No. 12 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado will adorn the primary colors of Ben & Pat’s Sauce Company – promoting its Banana Pepper Sauce.

The concept of a hot banana pepper sauce was born out of two friends love for banana pepper and bacon pizza.

Ben Thayer and Pat Halloran, college buddies and basketball teammates at Bates College in Maine, experimented until their sauce formula was perfected. Sourced from farms from North Carolina to Florida, the hot banana peppers are the key to their Made In America goodness.

Tate Fogleman Truck Series Watkins Glen Stats: Saturday afternoon’s United Rentals 176 at WGI will mark Fogleman’s first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at the 2.450-mile road course.

This weekend, however, will be his third road course race of the season. Earlier this season, Fogleman competed on the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway Road Course and Circuit of the Americas (COTA) Road Course.

Tate Fogleman Truck Series Road Course Stats: At NASCAR Camping World Truck Series tracks classified as a road course, Fogleman has made three starts throughout his career carrying an average finishing position of 21.0.

Knoxville Raceway | Corn Belt 150 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Knoxville Raceway, Tate Fogleman made his 40th NCWTS start.

Starting 28th, Fogleman methodically worked his way forward throughout the race and withstood multiple late-race crashes and overtime finishes to collect a career-best Truck Series finish of ninth.

Fogleman’s ninth-place effort eclipses a previous career-best of 13th at Michigan International Speedway last August.

To The Point(s): Entering Watkins Glen, Fogleman sits 20th in the championship standings.

118 points separate Fogleman from 15th in the championship standings currently held by Austin Wayne Self with eight races remaining.

Young’s Motorsports’ No. 12 team has climbed to 30th in the NCWTS owner standings.

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 39th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Saturday afternoon. In his previous 38 races, he has one top-five and three top-10 finishes to his resume.

This weekend marks his first race as crew chief at Watkins Glen.

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 Watkins Glen International: “Our Young’s Motorsports No. 12 team is still feeling great from our finish a couple of weeks ago at Knoxville Raceway. We head to Watkins Glen with an optimistic approach and a goal to stay on track and earn the best finish possible.

“I continue to improve my road racing craft and no doubt another road course race will give me an opportunity to elevate those skills even more and have another strong and successful weekend for our No. 12 Banana Pepper Sauce Chevrolet Silverado.”

On 2021 Season: “I’m proud of everyone on this Young’s Motorsports team – we are finally going in the right direction.

“We had a stout race at Knoxville. My first career top-10 finish and my first top-10 with Young’s Motorsports. It’s exactly what we needed to try and turn our season around and give us a boost for the rest of the season.”
No. 20 Young’s Motorsports Team:

Driver: Spencer Boyd

Primary Partner(s): E1 Motorsports

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado

Crew Chief: Joe Lax

2021 Driver Points Position: 26th

2021 Owner Points Position: 36th

Chassis Intel: YMS Chassis 05

Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

Returning To The Finger Lakes: For the first time since 2000, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will make left and right turns at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International for their third and final road course start of the 2021 NCWTS season.

The Truck Series was held each year at Watkins Glen from 1996 to 2000, with Greg Biffle winning the series’ last race there in June of 2000. Road-course expert Ron Fellows won Watkins Glen’s truck event in 1997 and 1999.

The event located in Schuyler County is among the 16 national series’ tripleheader events in 2021.

No. 104: This weekend at Watkins Glen, Boyd will make his 104th career NASCAR start. Boyd has three starts in the NASCAR Cup Series, 42 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and will make his 59th start in Trucks when the green flag waves Saturday afternoon.

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 Watkins Glen, Young’s Motorsports welcomes back E1 Motorsports as the primary partner on the No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado.

Founded in 2014, E1 Motorsports initially began as a parts drop shipper for automotive enthusiasts on national auto forums and local Facebook groups. E1 Motorsports has grown into a 14,000 sq. ft. full-service automotive repair and customization facility.

Offering Genuine, OE, OEM, and Aftermarket maintenance and repair parts, as well as high-performance accessories, there isn’t a need you have that E1 Motorsports can’t resolve.

Spencer Boyd Truck Series Watkins Glen Stats: Saturday afternoon’s United Rentals 176 at WGI will mark Boyd’s first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at the 2.450-mile road course.

This weekend, however, will be his second road course race of the season. Earlier this season, Boyd competed on the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February.

Spencer Boyd Truck Series Road Course Stats: At NASCAR Camping World Truck Series tracks classified as a road course, Boyd has made two starts throughout his career carrying an average finishing position of 28.0.

To The Point(s): Entering Watkins Glen, Boyd sits 26th in the championship standings.

48 points separate Boyd from 20th in the championship standings currently held by teammate Tate Fogleman with eight races remaining this season.

Young’s Motorsports’ No. 20 team also secures 36th in the NCWTS owner standings.

Chasing That W: Boyd is eyeing his second career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory for himself and Young’s Motorsports.

In 2019 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Boyd pulled an upset during the Truck Series Playoffs by winning the Sugarland Shines 250 at the 2.66-mile superspeedway edging Todd Gilliland by 0.027 seconds.

Truck Series Rundown: In five years of Truck Series competition, Boyd has 58 career Truck Series starts with one win, two top-five and two top-10 finishes and a championship best of 17th in 2019.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Boyd as crew chief of the No. 20 E1 Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado is veteran crew chief Joe Lax.

He will crew chief his 69th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Saturday. In his previous 68 races, he has one pole and six top-10 finishes to his resume.

This weekend marks his first race as crew chief at Watkins Glen.

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 Watkins Glen International: “It’s awesome to see the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series return to Watkins Glen for the first time in more than two decades.

“Excited to get to the Glen for sure. Road-course racing is fun and the Glen is where I made my NASCAR road racing debut in 2018 in the Xfinity Series.

“We were having a solid run on the Daytona Road Course when circumstances beyond our control hindered our finish. It’s our mission to go to Watkins Glen and see if we can maintain a similar performance with a strong finish to propel us to Gateway.”

On E1 Motorsports Partnership: “E1 (Motorsports) has been on my truck for almost every race over the past few years. They are a great partner and sometimes I spend way too long on their Instagram page.

“I’m so happy to see them on the hood at The Glen because so many of their loyal followers are sports car enthusiasts and there is no better place than The Glen to showcase their brand.”
Race Information:

The United Rentals 176 (72 laps | 176.4 miles) is the 15th of 22 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races on the 2021 schedule. The 40-truck field will take the green flag on Sat., Aug. 7, 2021, shortly after 12:00 p.m. ET with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM Satellite Radio NASCAR Channel 90.

Jordan Anderson Racing NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race Overview- Watkins Glen International; August 7, 2021
Track: Watkins Glen International – Road Course (2.454 Miles)
Race: United Rentals 176 at The Glen; 72 Laps –20/25/27; 176.4 Miles
Date/Broadcast: August 7, 2021 12:30 PM ET
TV: Fox Sports 1 (FS1), and the FOX Sports App
Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN)- Check Local Listings for affiliate, and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90
Social Media: Jordan Anderson Racing; Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
Bobby Reuse: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

Bobby Reuse – No. 3 I Heart Mac & Cheese
Chevrolet Silverado Preview- Watkins Glen International

News and Notes:

– Starting Position; Bobby Reuse will start the United Rentals 176 at The Glen from the 35th position when the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) take to the track on Saturday afternoon after a near month long break. Due to no practice or qualifying the starting lineup would be calculated by the competition-based performance metrics system; fastest lap in the previous race 15 percent, driver finish from previous race 25 percent, owner points 25 percent, and driver points 35 percent.

– Watkins Glen International Stats; Saturday afternoon’s United Rentals 176 at The Glen will mark the first NCWTS event Reuse has competed in at the Watkins Glen International, and his second NCWTS start of the 2021 season. Driving the No. 3 for Jordan Anderson Racing in the Brakebest Brake Pads 159 Presented by O’Reilly at Daytona International Speedway Road Course during the second event of the 2021 season, Reuse would start the I Heart Mac & Cheese Chevrolet from the 13thspot and come home with a 27th place finish. Reuse has previously competed at Watkins Glen in NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) action in 2015 where he would start 39th and finish in the 32nd position.

– I Heart Mac & Cheese; I Heart Mac & Cheese is a fast-casual concept specializing in made-to-order, Build Your Own Bowls and Grilled Cheese sandwiches that guests can customize using a wide variety of chef-inspired proteins, ingredients and sauces. Thinking outside the bowl, the brand takes timeless comfort food in exciting culinary directions, resulting in diverse, crave-able menu options for everyone to enjoy. Led by CEO Steve Giordanella, the brand launched its first location in 2016 and currently operates corporate locations in Pembroke Pines, Jupiter and Boca Raton, Florida. The company’s unique franchising program has fueled nationwide brand growth – with operating franchise locations in Florida, Georgia, New York and Texas – and additional locations are slated to open in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and Texas. I Heart Mac & Cheese was recently named #6 “Best Fast Casual Restaurant” in the USA TODAY 10 Best 2020 Reader’s Choice Awards. The innovative company was also recently featured on QSR Magazine’s “40/40 list for 2020: America’s Hottest Startup Fast Casuals”, and was ranked by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the top new franchise opportunities. For more information on I Heart Mac & Cheese visit IHeartMacAndCheese.com.

– Chassis; JAR will bring chassis No. 010 for Reuse to compete with in Saturday afternoon’s United Rentals 176 at The Glen. Having last competed for JAR at the Circuit of the Americas in May with brother Roger Reuse driving Chassis No. 010 earned a 34th place finish. Bobby previously drove Chassis No. 010 at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course in February earning a 27th place finish.

About Jordan Anderson Racing

Jordan Anderson Racing (JAR) is a NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) team, owned by owner/driver Jordan Anderson. Established in 2018, JAR has competed full-time in the last three NCWTS seasons claiming back-to-back runner-up finishes in the 2020 & 2021 season opening NextEra 250 at Daytona International Speedway. JAR fields a full-time entry in the NXS Series; the No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro SS driven by Jordan Anderson, Tyler Reddick, Josh Berry, Kaz Grala, Sage Karam, and Erik Jones. JAR also fields the No. 3 Chevrolet Silverado for select drivers in the NCWTS.

STATESVILLE, N.C. (August 5, 2021) – “Late yesterday afternoon, GMS Racing driver Chase Purdy tested positive for COVID-19 with mild symptoms. In accordance with NASCAR protocol and the CDC guidelines, Purdy will not compete in Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Watkins Glen International. AJ Allmendinger has agreed to substitute as the replacement driver of the No. 23 Bama Buggies Chevrolet. We wish Chase a steady recovery and hope to see him compete at the series’ next event at World Wide Technology Raceway in Gateway.”

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/.

John Hunter Nemechek: Driver, No. 4 Mobil 1 Toyota

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview:
Event: United Rentals 176, Race 15 of 22, 72 Laps – 20/25/27; 176.4 Miles
Location: Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International Raceway (2.45-mile, seven-turn road course)
Date/Broadcast: Aug. 7, 2021, at 12:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Neme’chek’ The Facts:

• John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 4 Mobil 1 team head into the final regular season race of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season at Watkins Glen International Speedway already having already clinched the regular season championship and the 15-playoff point bonus that comes with it. Nemechek has put together a remarkable season thus far in his first season driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM). The 24-year-old driver leads the Trucks Series regulars in wins (five), stage wins (nine), top fives (eight), laps led (485), fastest laps run (237), driver rating (119.4), average running position (5.906) and average finish (7.4). Including the 15 points earned for the regular season championship, he will enter the post season with at least 49 playoff points, plus any he earns at Watkins Glen Saturday.
• Nemechek registered his fifth 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. Busch was victorious at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway in March and Kansas Speedway in May. In addition to beating Busch three times, Nemechek also outdueled reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott to pick up the victory at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth in June. So, he holds a four-to-two advantage this season going heads up against the last two Cup Series champions.
• Saturday’s race marks the first time that the Truck Series has raced at Watkins Glen since 2000. Nemechek finished 12th in the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen, his lone National Series start at the 2.45-mile road course. In Truck series action, the second-generation driver has one win (Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, 2016), three top-five and four top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 10.3 across seven road course starts. Earlier this year on the Daytona International Speedway Road Course, Nemechek won the opening stage, but ran out of fuel as he was headed to pit road during the second stage. After going a lap down, the No. 4 team rallied back to score a third-place finish.
• 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. Across 116 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, the second-generation driver has compiled two poles, 1094 laps led, 36 top-five and 61 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.5. The North Carolina native 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. He was voted the series most popular driver in 2015.
• Eric Phillips returns 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. Phillips’s drivers have earned top-five finishes in two of this three road course events in Truck Series action, with Erik Jones finishing third at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2014 and Nemechek also finishing third at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course earlier this year.

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver Q&A:

What does it mean to have already secured the regular season Truck Series championship?
“Winning the regular season Truck Series championship and kind of locking it up at Knoxville a couple weeks ago allows us to go to Watkins Glen focused on one thing and that’s to get seven more playoff points. We’re excited about winning the regular season championship, when we came into this deal, we were #Here4Wins, so we want to win everything that we can. Winning it also give us a huge bonus for playoff points going into the playoffs which should help us even more and kind of give us a little advantage going into the first round.”

Does having raced at Watkins Glen in an Xfinity car previously give you an advantage heading into Saturday?
“Since I’ve raced Xfinity at Watkins Glen previously, I definitely think that will help me as a driver. There are a lot of drivers in the field this weekend at Watkins Glen that haven’t really run a lot at Watkins Glen, they’ve maybe run some K&N stuff and ARCA stuff there, but no really long races, so hopefully that plays into an advantage with there not being any practice and kind of plays into our favor. There is kind of little tips and tricks of getting around Watkins Glen and things that you kind of have to look out for and places that you can make speed, so hopefully we have all those speed secrets.”

How does racing at Watkins Glen compare to the other road courses that the Truck Series race at?
“There’s nothing like Watkins Glen. It has a lot of elevation change, not as much as Sonoma, but it’s super fast. I feel like the tires don’t wear and the track surface is definitely newer, and you are just running qualifying laps every single lap.”

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 116 career starts in NASCAR’s third division, has compiled two poles, 1,094 laps led, 36 top-five and 61 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.5.
• 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 52 career XFINITY Series starts, has totaled one win (Kansas Speedway, 10/20/18), one pole, 225 laps led, 12 top-five and 30 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.0.

John Hunter Nemechek’s No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra:
KBM-71: The No. 4 Mobil 1 team will unload a brand new Tundra, KBM-71, for Saturday’s race at Watkins Glen.

KBM Notes of Interest:

• KBM drivers have earned one win, 85 laps led, nine top-five and 11 top-10 finishes, with an average finish of 12.4 across 29 starts on road courses. Erik Jones collected KBM’s lone road-course victory in 2015 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
• 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).
• The No. 4 has 16 career victories at KBM and was the number for both of the organization’s driver championships.