Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Category: Truck Series PR

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Press Release

  • Wright Brand 250 Preview: Eckes, Heim, Caruth Lead NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Stars In Pursuit Of Victory

    Wright Brand 250 Preview: Eckes, Heim, Caruth Lead NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Stars In Pursuit Of Victory

    NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. (May 16, 2024) – A strong core of regulars have had some thrilling races so far this season in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and more side-by-side, door-banging action is expected at the Wright Brand 250 on Saturday at historic North Wilkesboro Speedway.

    This is only the fourth NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race to be held at the .625-mile North Wilkesboro Speedway in NASCAR history, and its most recent winner – Kyle Larson – isn’t entered this year, so the elevated Victory Lane ceremony will go to a fourth different winner to join Larson and the other two past winners from the 1990s, Mark Martin and Mike Bliss.

    Several young guns have quickly established themselves as the 2024 front-runners in the series, including two-time season winners Christian Eckes and Corey Heim. Both of those rivals lead the current points standings and are being pursued by several other tough competitors, including recent Las Vegas winner Rajah Caruth and season-opening Daytona winner Nick Sanchez.

    Points leader Eckes has shined at the short tracks this season in his No. 19 Chevy, scoring wins at the high-banked Bristol Motor Speedway and the paper-clip shaped Martinsville Speedway. He would love to add the interesting layout at North Wilkesboro to his collection, where the front stretch is downhill and the backstretch is uphill, and like Bristol and Martinsville, has seen so many NASCAR legends race to victory.

    “Just the history of this place coming in here and knowing the legends that have raced here, is pretty cool,” Eckes said. “I think it’s going to be a lot of passing compared to last year, but I really like what they’ve done (with the repave) so far.”

    Heim, who won the pole and finished sixth here last year in his No. 11 Toyota and is currently second in points with wins at COTA and Kansas, also has a lot of respect for this historic venue, which opened its doors in 1947.

    “Just to look around here in the media center and see all the history that they have painted on the walls here, and all the videos that NASCAR came out with the history behind this place, and all the awesome finishes that this place has provided,” said Heim, who also noted the repave changes everything.

    “It’s got a lot of grip, it’s certainly a lot different than last year,” Heim said. “It’s going to be tough to see how the race goes.”

    Meanwhile, defending and two-time series champion Ben Rhodes is always a threat to win, as are several other veterans in the class, including Grant Enfinger, former champion Matt Crafton, Ty Majeski, Tyler Ankrum and Stewart Friesen. Several rising stars are also making an impact this year, including Daniel Dye, who won the pole at Atlanta, and Taylor Gray, who has posted some strong finishes lately in his TRICON Toyota, including three top-fives and seven top-10s.

    Three Cup Series experienced drivers – Ross Chastain, the recently retired Aric Almirola and resurgent Ty Dillon – along with Xfinity standout Sammy Smith, are also entered. Chastain won the most recent event at Darlington Raceway in the Niece Motorsports No. 45 and will certainly be one of the pre-race favorites to win the Wright Bacon 250. Almirola, who will drive another Toyota entry for Hattori Racing Enterprises, has been busy in his retirement as he claimed a victory earlier this year in the Xfinity Series at Martinsville Speedway.

    Dillon has returned to full-time status in the Truck Series this year at the controls of the No. 25 Rackley WAR Chevy, and Smith will pilot the No. 7 Chevy fielded by Spire Motorsports that Larson took to Victory Lane one year ago.

    Several drivers are planning to make their NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debuts in the race, including last year’s Window World 125 zMAX CARS Tour winner Brenden “Butterbean” Queen, who is driving the No. 1 Toyota; veteran Pro Late Model racer Clayton Green in the No. 04 Chevy for Roper Racing; and Dawson Sutton, son of Rackley Roofing president Curtis Sutton, who will be driving a second Rackley WAR Chevy, the No. 26 machine.

    TICKETS:
    Single-day tickets, camping and parking for all NASCAR All-Star Race week events can be purchased online by visiting www.NorthWilkesboroSpeedway.com.

    MORE INFO:
    Fans can connect with North Wilkesboro Speedway and get the latest news regarding NASCAR All-Star week and North Wilkesboro Speedway by following on Twitter and Instagram or becoming a Facebook fan.

  • Boyd and New Sponsor A&M Premier Roofing Team Up to Provide a New Roof to a Veteran

    Boyd and New Sponsor A&M Premier Roofing Team Up to Provide a New Roof to a Veteran

    Mooresville, NC (May 16, 2024) – The fastest-growing and highest-rated roofing company in North Carolina, A&M Premier Roofing and Construction will be the primary sponsor for Spencer Boyd at the upcoming NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. With the race centered around Memorial Day weekend and a highlight of the ‘NASCAR Salutes’ campaign, A&M Premier will be gifting a new roof to a deserving Veteran through its free roofing program, NC Roofs for Veterans.

    Spencer Boyd, known as the most patriotic driver in NASCAR, commented on the new partnership, “I like to partner with like-minded people. The team over at A&M Premier believes in taking care of the Veteran community – as I have my entire career. The award-winning roofing company is Veteran-owned and operated and is committed to hiring Veterans and helping local Veterans in need. They know firsthand how much it means to give back to the men and women that fight for our freedom. I want to applaud their efforts with the NC Roofs for Veterans program and hope I can help bring more awareness about what they are doing with a NASCAR marketing campaign.”

    A&M Premier awards a local Veteran in need of a full roof replacement through an open nomination process on their website amprco.com. At the end of May 2024, A&M Premier will provide its 3rd free roof to decorated Vietnam Veteran, Johnie Deans of Selma, NC. The company will fully replace Mr. Deans’ roof which has been severely damaged by weather over the years. A&M Premier will cover 100% of the costs for materials and labor in partnership with GAF®, the leader in roofing materials.

    A&M Premier, Co-owner, Stephen Mull shares, “Having a high-quality, properly-installed roof is essential to protecting your home. As a Marine Veteran, I’m proud to help fellow Veterans sleep well at night knowing their homes are protected from outside elements. It’s one of the best things we do at A&M Premier, and we hope to gain more nominations for the program throughout the year with Spencer’s help.”

    Helping is a core mission at A&M Premier. Their team has been all-in on helping their neighbors in the Rock Hill, SC community after the devasting storm that hit in April. “It’s about people helping people,” said Leonardo Almeida, the other co-owner of A&M Premier. “We see first-hand what damaging hail does to people’s lives. Our job is to relieve some of the stress associated with fixing their home and dealing with insurance companies. We believe in being 100% transparent so people can trust us in getting the job done right.”

    You can catch A&M Premier’s truck designed in partnership with Spencer Boyd at the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday, May 24, 2024m at 8:30pm and on FS1. The race is a crown jewel weekend for NASCAR and the highlight of the NASCAR Salutes campaign.

    The truck features three names of the North Carolina Veterans who’ve received roofs from the NC Roofs for Veterans program so far. A&M Premier’s Chief Marketing Officer, Del Scheitler adds, “It’s been wonderful working with the Spencer Boyd Racing team. When Spencer offered to place the names of our Veterans on the truck, it showed his genuine commitment to honoring those who served our country and helping us get the word out about the program. With his help, we are excited to connect with the large NASCAR Truck Series fan base and gain more deserving nominations.”

    ABOUT A&M PREMIER: ABOUT A&M PREMIER ROOFING & CONSTRUCTION – A Veteran-owned and operated roofing company in Raleigh, NC, specializing in roofing, siding, solar, and gutter systems installation. The company has achieved many accolades that set them apart from other roofing companies. Currently the #1 residential roofing company in Raleigh/Durham, recognized by regional and national media, like Forbes Home as the Top Roofing Company with more than 350 5-Star reviews on Google and over 250 5-Star reviews through the Better Business Bureau. A&M Premier is not only a “Master Elite” builder, recognized through GAF®, the largest shingle manufacturer in the U.S., but the company achieved that designation faster than any company in the history of North Carolina. Master Elite status means that A&M Premier is regarded as the most qualified installers of shingles – a designation that less than 1% of roofers in the nation possess. It also allows A&M Premier to offer the highest warranties available, which other roofing companies cannot offer. More information can be found at https://amprco.com.

  • Young’s Motorsports North Wilkesboro Speedway Truck Team Preview

    Young’s Motorsports North Wilkesboro Speedway Truck Team Preview

    Young’s Motorsports | NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series
    North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway | Wright Brand 250

    Fast Facts
    No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Team:
    Driver: Mason Massey
    Primary Partner(s): Young’s Building Systems | Randco Industries Inc.
    Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST
    2024 Driver Points Position: 23rd
    2024 Owner Points Position: 26th
    Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

    Notes of Interest:

    Settled In: In February, Young’s Motorsports announced that Mason Massey will compete full-time in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series this season aboard the team’s flagship, No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado RST, which will continue with Saturday afternoon’s Wright Brand 250 at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway.

    Massey arrived at Young’s Motorsports after running a limited NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule last season for SS-GreenLight Racing, including a top-10 performance at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

    The Douglasville, Ga. native started his 2023 Truck Series season with Reaume Brothers Racing and competed in seven races with a season-high 11th place finish at Texas Motor Speedway, but later shifted his presence to Xfinity for five races throughout the 33-race season.

    About Mason: Massey has over 20 years of experience behind the wheel, launching his racing career at age five. Since then, he has garnered over 200 feature wins, 11 championships, and 10 track records across multiple series, including the U.S. Legends Pro National Championship.

    Amongst the many Late Model victories to Massey’s credit during his tenure in the Bill Elliott Racing Development Program is the 2012 triumph in the Alabama 200. He eventually graduated to NASCAR in 2019, competing in the Truck Series before advancing to the Xfinity Series in 2020.

    After part-time Xfinity stints in 2020 and 2021, respectively, the Georgian captured the attention of many with an impressive sixth-place finish in the spring 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series contest at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway in front of the hometown crowd.

    With 41 more NASCAR starts to his resume since his first career NASCAR top-10 effort, Massey has landed with Young’s Motorsports, a longtime fixture in the Truck Series, hoping to impress and land the organization back in Victory Lane this season.

    All-Aboard!: For the 10th of 23 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races this season, Young’s Building Systems and Randco Industries Inc. return to serve as the co-primary marketing partners on the No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado RST for the 250-lap race on Saturday afternoon.

    Since 1981, Young’s Building Systems has been providing West Texas with all their metal building needs. This family-owned and operated business has become an industry favorite due to the experience gained and the professional results completed. Young’s Building System is a division of Randco Industries, Inc. We have expanded into a company that has the ability to erect any type of building, from a small single story to a city high-rise.

    Our customers have multiple uses for our buildings, including commercial, residential, agricultural, industrial, skid-mounted buildings and compressor station buildings.

    We also have a team that specializes in stairs and railings of all shapes and sizes. Young’s Building Systems is fully insured for your peace of mind, so we carry workmen’s compensation and general liability coverage that goes above and beyond State requirements.

    Our company is fully equipped with moving and lifting equipment along with compressors, generators and welding equipment. We have the tools and equipment needed to support large, demanding projects. Our work ethic is based on the principles of quality, promptness, and customer experience.

    Young’s Building Systems continuously raises our standard of excellence and works hard to make sure that each and every one of your needs are met.

    Mason Massey Truck Series North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s second-annual Wright Brand 250 will mark Massey’s first Truck Series start at the historic 0.625-mile North Carolina oval.

    The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series is approaching the halfway point of its 2024 season with a stop in Wilkes County, North Carolina, where they join the NASCAR Cup Series for their annual All-Star race on Sunday, May 19, 2024.

    On short tracks in 2024, Massey has an average starting position of 30.0 but has a solid average finish of 19.5 in the two short-track events run this year.

    During his short Truck Series career, Massey has an average finish of 25.4 in five short track races with a track length of a mile or less.

    Mason Massey Truck Series Career Stats: Entering North Wilkesboro, Massey has 23 career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races to his credit. He has earned a career-best 11th-place finish twice, most recently at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway after starting 29th in the Long John Silver’s 200 for Young’s Motorsports.

    Massey also finished 11th at Texas Motor Speedway after starting 27th in the 2023 edition of the SpeedyCash.com 250 for Reaume Brothers Racing.

    Since 2019, he has carried an average finish of 24.1.

    Bonus Practice: Although Saturday afternoon’s Wright Brand 250 will mark the Truck Series second-ever race at the iconic race track, NASCAR will host a 50-minute practice session for teams on Friday with 30 additional minutes of track time, compared to the custom 20-minute practice session.

    The track was repaved after the series’ visit last year. The additional track time will give teams, crew chiefs, and drivers valuable input not only on handling but also on track conditions.

    Faster-than-normal speeds are expected for the 156.25-mile race on May 18.

    Darlington (S.C.) Raceway | Buckle Up South Carolina 200 Race Recap: In the ninth race of the 2024 Truck Series season, Young’s Motorsports and Massey searched for another solid finish in The Palmetto State.

    In his Truck Series debut at the track dubbed “Too Tough To Tame”, Massey was able to muscle forward from his 29th place qualifying position and utilized another fast No. 02 Young’s Building Systems | Randco Industries Inc. Chevrolet Silverado RST to his advantage.

    Playing it safe and trying to avoid the dreaded “Darlington Stripe,” Massey made his move during Stage 3 when he positioned himself accordingly to receive the free pass when the caution waved on Lap 149.

    In NASCAR overtime, Massey took advantage of being the beneficiary of the free pass to pass five trucks over the final two laps of the race to finish a strong 15th at the checkered flag.

    In 2024, Massey has delivered two top-15, four top-20s, and six top-21 finishes, highlighted by a career-best outing at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, where he steered the team’s flagship truck to an 11th-place finish.

    Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ fourth NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts at one of the most legendary tracks on the NASCAR circuit.

    The organization posted a team-best 17th-place finish at the track on May 20, 2023, with Kaden Honeycutt at the wheel in the 2023 Tyson 250.

    Since 2023, the Mooresville, N.C.-based Young’s Motorsports team has had an average starting position of 26.7 and an average finish of 22.0 in three North Wilkesboro Speedway starts overall.

    Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series History: Since entering the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series in 2012, the Mooresville, N.C., – based organization has logged 485 starts from 63 drivers, resulting in solid performances that include two victories (Talladega Superspeedway 2019 and 2021), seven top-five finishes and 33 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 23.0 and an average finishing position of 22.0.

    Follow on Social Media: For more on Mason Massey, please visit masonmassey.com, like him on Facebook (Mason Massey Racing), and follow him on Instagram (@mason_massey) and X |Twitter (@mason_massey).

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

    Mason Massey Pre-Race Quote:

    On North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway: “I’m excited to race at North Wilkesboro for the first time this weekend. There are plenty of unknowns, and I’m not really sure what to expect.

    “I think that adds some fun to it though. We’re hoping to knock out another top-15 finish and keep our momentum going through this summer stretch!”

    Race Information:

    The Wright Brand 250 (250 laps | 156.25 miles) is the 10th of 23 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races on the 2024 schedule. The two-day show begins with practice on Friday, May 17, 2024, from 3:00 p.m. to 3:50 p.m. Qualifying is set for race day on Saturday, May 18 launching at 10:35 a.m. The 36-truck field will take the green flag shortly after 1:30 p.m., with live coverage on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (Eastern).

  • Layne Riggs and the No. 38 Infinity Communications Group Ford F-150

    Layne Riggs and the No. 38 Infinity Communications Group Ford F-150

    North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway Competition Notes

    MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 15, 2024) – Layne Riggs and the No. 38 Infinity Communications Group Ford F-150 return to Riggs’ roots in the short track scene this weekend at the famed North Wilkesboro Speedway.

    Riggs and the team come to the North Wilkesboro Speedway after a stellar showing at the Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, running in the Top-10 and even Top-5, before getting caught up in a wreck with 50 laps remaining in the event. Riggs looks to carry that momentum over to this weekend.

    While fulfilling his NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series duties this Saturday, Riggs will also compete in this week’s CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car race at the 0.625 mile paved oval.

    Track activity for the truck series will start with practice on Friday, May 17 at 3:00 p.m. ET. Qualifying will take place Saturday, May 18th at 10:30 a.m. ET with the race following that afternoon at 1:30 p.m. ET. The 250-lap event can be watched live on FS1. Fans can also listen in from the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM channel 90.

    No. 38 Infinity Communications Group Ford F-150:

    DRIVER LAYNE RIGGS:

    “This is a big weekend for myself and the team. I’ll be able to capitalize from the CARS Tour race and take what I learn over to the truck. It would be awesome if I could come out of Wilkesboro with two wins. I ran the late model test there, so I feel like I have a leg up on the competition.”

    CREW CHIEF DYLAN CAPPELLO:

    “We’re looking forward to this weekend, even more so that Layne (Riggs) is running the CARS Tour race today. He’s had solid runs at both Bristol and Martinsville, so I think he can continue that at Wilkesboro, especially with how he ran at Darlington. We have a lot of momentum going into this weekend.”

    ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

    Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series 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 CRAFTSMAN 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.

  • Spire Motorsports Wright Brand 250 Race Advance

    Spire Motorsports Wright Brand 250 Race Advance

    • The Wright Brand 250 will mark the second time Spire Motorsports will field a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) entry at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Last May, 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kyle Larson led 138 laps and drove the team’s No. 7 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Silverado to the Winner’s Circle in the division’s first race at the legendary Wilkes County (N.C.) oval. Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the NCTS. An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth drives the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Chevrolets in the No. 77.
    • The Wright Brand 250 will be televised live on FS1 Saturday, May 18, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 10th of 23 races on the 2024 NCTS schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. NASCAR RaceDay’s pre-race coverage on FS1 will take the green flag at 1 p.m. EDT.

    Sammy Smith – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

    • Sammy Smith will steer Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet in Saturday’s Wright Brand 250 at North Wilkesboro Speedway in his second of four NCTS starts this season. The Iowa native came from the 13th starting position to finish eighth earlier this season at Martinsville Speedway.
    • The talented teenager will be pulling double duty this weekend as he is also slated to drive the No. 88 for JR Motorsports in the zMAX Cars Tour Late Model Stock race Wednesday night. While it will be his first time in a truck at the 0.625-miile oval, Smith won the Racetrack Revival Super Late Model race there in 2022 and finished fourth in last year’s ASA Stars National Tour event.
    • Smith, 19, is the full-time driver of the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS). He has logged six top-10 finishes in 11 races this season and earned a season-best seventh-place effort last month at Martinsville Speedway.
    • Smith will return to the cockpit of the No. 7 Chevy Silverado July 19 at Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) and finish out his limited schedule August 25 at the Milwaukee Mile.
    • Pilot Travel Centers LLC keeps North America’s drivers moving as the leading energy and experience provider people rely on to fuel their journeys. Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., Pilot Travel Centers LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway and employs approximately 30,000 team members. As the largest network of travel centers, Pilot Travel Centers LLC has more than 870 Pilot, Flying J and One9 locations in 44 states and six Canadian provinces, serving an average of 1.3 million guests per day. In addition to travel center services, Pilot Travel Centers LLC offers trucking fleets a variety of solutions for fuel, credit, factoring, maintenance, and rewards. The company operates the third largest fuel tanker fleet in North America and supplies approximately 14 billion gallons of fuel per year. Pilot Travel Centers LLC is committed to shaping the future of energy as the largest provider of biodiesel and renewable fuels and through the development of a coast-to-coast EV charging network and low carbon fueling alternatives. For additional information about Pilot Travel Centers LLC, visit pilotflyingj.com.
    • Smith is a six-time ARCA Menards Series national tour race winner, who has won eight times in the ARCA Menards Series East and once in the ARCA Menards Series West. He earned a CARS Pro Late Model Tour victory in 2021 at Jennerstown (Pa.) Speedway and four pavement super late model wins that same season. A year later, he picked up another super late model victory in a combination ARCA CRA Super Series/Southern Super Series race at North Wilkesboro. He has also earned wins in some of the United States’ most notable late model races including the Winchester 400, Red Bud 400 and Florida Governor’s Cup.
    • After nine races, the No. 7 team ranks fifth in the 2024 NCTS owner point standings. The Brian Pattie-led program has notched one pole, two wins, led 268 laps and recorded four top-five and five top-10 finishes with five different drivers.

    Sammy Smith Quotes
    You’re running the Late Model race Wednesday night. How beneficial will that be heading into Saturday?
    “It’ll be very beneficial getting laps at a new track that a lot of people probably haven’t been to with the repave. That will be big and hopefully, we can go out and capitalize on that extra track time with our No. 7 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet Silverado.”

    Is it easier to prepare for this weekend now that you have a race under your belt with Brian Pattie and the No. 7 team?
    “I feel really good heading into North Wilkesboro. I have a better understanding of what the truck needs balance-wise and how it drives. I also having a better feel of how the drivers in the Truck Series race. That helps a lot. I know that Brian Pattie and everyone on the No. 7 Pilot Flying J team will bring me a fast Silverado. With the repave, we’ll also be able to get a full practice, which will allow me to continue to get a better feel for the truck. I need all the practice I can get since this will only be my third time racing in the Truck Series and one of those races was on a superspeedway.”

    Rajah Caruth – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

    • Rajah Caruth will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Silverado in Saturday’s Wright Brand 250 at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
    • Caruth started 26th and finished 30th in last week’s Buckle Up South Carolina 200 at Darlington Raceway. It was his only DNF (did not finish) of the 2024 season.
    • HENDRICKCARS.COM is the online home for everything Hendrick Automotive Group. Visitors can shop thousands of new or pre-owned vehicles, locate centers for service and collision repair, receive a value to sell or trade their car, chat online with customer service, discover career opportunities, learn more about vehicle protections programs, and explore how the company gives back to the community.
    • The Winston-Salem (N.C.) State University senior started 23rd and finished 34th in last May’s Tyson 250 NCTS race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
    • Caruth is currently sixth in the NCTS championship point standings after nine races. He has logged one pole, one win, five top-10’s and eight top-15 finishes. He’s recorded a 11.8 average start, a 10.8 average finish and completed 96 percent of the laps contested this season.
    • With his first career NCTS win and pole position earlier this season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Caruth became the third African American driver, alongside NASCAR Hall of Famer Wendell Scott and current NASCAR Cup Series regular Bubba Wallace, to win a NASCAR National Touring Series race.
    • Caruth raced his first season in NCTS in 2023, earning four top-10 finishes and coming home 16th in the division’s championship point standings.

    North Wilkesboro has such a deep history within NASCAR, what does it mean to you to get to race here again?
    “Honestly, it’s really special to go to North Wilkesboro because I know the history and I am a nerd about NASCAR as a whole. It’s been really cool to be part NASCAR’s return to a track with such a deep history. It shows that it’ll be there for hopefully, some years to come and can continue to foster racing in that region. It’s really special just because I’m a huge nerd about this stuff and it’s super important to remember the history within NASCAR in the years to come.”

    How does the repave factor into your outlook for this weekend?
    “So, that’s a really good question. It’s an unknown for everybody who didn’t get to be part of the tire test and, of course, the guys and gals who will run late models at North Wilkesboro will have a good feel, too. It’s exciting because we all have the same resources to kind of go off of, and lack thereof, because it’s a new element. I think it’ll be a good exercise for everybody. I do know I have a good set of tools to go to the racetrack with. We’ll adapt on the fly and look to be as competitive as I know we’re capable of.”

    You had a tough day at Darlington. How do you bounce back after a less-than-ideal weekend?
    “It’s not really hard for me to get over setbacks like that, because I’ve been through them before and it’s not something I did, you know, terribly wrong. There are obviously things I could have done better to not lose some spots on pit road or choose a different lane on the restart, but if you get wrecked out of the top 10 or better, there’s not much you can really do, especially when you didn’t cause it. It’s not super hard for me to reset just because there’s a lot of worse things that we could be struggling with. The thing is that we have speed every week and we’re competitive every week, so we just get back in our stride and keep doing what we’ve been doing to start the season. It’s time to go to a new race track, a new day, and finish out this five-race stretch with three solid races.”

    Chase Purdy – Driver, No.77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

    • Chase Purdy will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No.77 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado in Saturday afternoon’s Wright Brand 250.
    • Purdy heads to North Wilkesboro Speedway 16th in the NCTS driver point standings. He started 19th and finished sixth last week at Darlington Raceway.
    • In his single start at North Wilkesboro, Purdy started 24th, finished eighth and completed all 252 laps in his Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado.
    • In the NCTS most recent race at a short track, Purdy drove his Bama Buggies Chevrolet to a third-place finish at Martinsville Speedway.
    • The Wright Brand 250 will mark Purdy’s 85th NCTS start and his 10th behind the wheel of Spire Motorsports’ No.77 Bama Buggies Chevrolet.
    • Purdy’s Crew Chief Jason Trinchere will be making his North Wilkesboro debut in the Wright Brand 250. In 12 NASCAR Xfinity Series short-track races, the Penn State University alumnus has called one win, an average start of second, and an average finish of fifth. His one win was in 2021 with driver A.J. Allmendinger at Bristol Motor Speedway.

    Chase Purdy Quotes
    Fresh surface, how do you think it’s going to affect your driving?
    “I think there’s a lot of unknowns going into the weekend, so I’m relying on the sim a lot for this week. But it’s a short track and it’s going have a lot of grip, so I don’t think there will be too many surprises.”
    You had a solid finish at Darlington last weekend. How do you take that finish and build consistency?
    “I think by just keeping the nose clean and having a mistake free race. We have the speed, just need to capitalize on our opportunities.”

    From the Top of the Box

    Brian Pattie – Crew Chief, No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado

    • In his first season at Spire Motorsports, Brian Pattie has led the No. 7 team to two victories, both with Kyle Busch. The duo also won twice across five races last year at KBM.
    • Pattie also collected a victory with Ron Fellows at Watkins Glen International in 1999 to give him five career NCTS wins.
    • Pattie was atop the pit box for six wins across 14 seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series and has 11 career victories as a crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

    Chad Walter – Crew Chief, No. 71 Chevrolet Silverado

    • Chad Walter has over two decades of experience and began his career with Hendrick Motorsports in 1996.
    • Walter guided Caruth to his first NCTS win March 1, 2024 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
    • Some of his most notable accomplishments include a pair of Daytona 500 victories (2001 & 2003) with Michael Waltrip, along with Cup Series wins with Steve Park and Terry Labonte.

    Jason Trinchere – Crew Chief, No. 77 Chevrolet Silverado

    • Jason Trinchere earned his Bachelor of Science from Penn State University and began his professional career in 2005 as the race engineer for the iconic No. 75 Spears Manufacturing NCTS team, owned by series’ pioneers Wayne and Connie Spears.
    • Notable accomplishments include Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 wins with both Ganassi Racing and Penske Racing. He was a key member of the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series Championship team with driver Joey Logano.

    About Spire Motorsports …
    Spire Motorsports is a NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race team co-owned by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2024, Spire Motorsports will campaign the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Corey LaJoie, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively. The team will also field the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth will drive the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Chevrolets in the No. 77.

    Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on April 12, 2024, when Kyle Busch took the took the checkered flag in the SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway.

  • Niece Motorsports NCTS Race Advance: North Wilkesboro Speedway

    Niece Motorsports NCTS Race Advance: North Wilkesboro Speedway

    NIECE MOTORSPORTS
    NCTS RACE ADVANCE: NORTH WILKESBORO SPEEDWAY
    Race: Wright Brand 250 (250 laps / 156.25 miles) | Race 10 of 23
    Track: North Wilkesboro Speedway
    Location: North Wilkesboro, North Carolina
    Date & Time: Friday, May 10th | 7:30 PM ET
    Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | Motor Racing Network (MRN) | Sirius XM Ch. 90

    No. 41 AutoVentive / Precision Vehicle Logistics Chevrolet Silverado RST
    Driver: Bayley Currey | Crew Chief: Mike Hillman, Jr.
    Bayley Currey
    @BayleyCurrey
    @BayleyCurrey05

    • Currey’s North Wilkesboro Stats: Bayley Currey will make his first-career start at North Wilkesboro Speedway in Saturday’s Wright Brand 250.
    • Hillman’s North Wilkesboro Stats: Mike Hillman, Jr. has one prior start at North Wilkesboro which came last year working with Ross Chastain. The No. 41 team started the event in 12th, got stage points with an eighth-place run in stage two, and finished the race in ninth.
    • On the Truck: Currey’s No. 41 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from AutoVentive and Precision Vehicle Logistics.
    • Guest Speaker: Currey traveled to Waco, Texas during the week to appear as a keynote speaker in front of a large crowd at the Texas Asphalt Pavement Association (TXAPA) MAPS Conference. TXAPA has had a relationship with Niece Motorsports team owner, Al Niece, for several decades, and appeared as the primary sponsor on Ross Chastain’s No. 45 entry earlier this year at COTA.
    • Recapping Darlington: Close to securing their first top-10 of the season, Bayley Currey and the No. 41 AutoVentive / Precision Vehicle Logistics team would be relegated down the finishing order after a flat right front tire forced a green flag pit stop. Currey started the Buckle Up South Carolina 200 from 17th, dropped to 20th at the conclusion of stage one, and made ground up to 16th in stage two. By virtue of the flat right front tire issue, the team would ultimately be scored with a 22nd-place finish as their final result.
    • Points Rundown: Due to the poor finish caused by the flat tire in Darlington, Currey lost one position in the points standings. Now scored in 14th, Currey is three points behind Stewart Friesen in 13th and 41 points below Ben Rhodes at the Playoffs cutline.
    • Quoting Currey: Without having any laps here on the new surface, how valuable is your experience in the simulator going to be?

    “It’s everything. I feel like sim time is huge, especially at the races where we only have a 20-minute practice. We’ll have a full-length practice here this time, so that will help us, but definitely going to be leaning off that. Sim time is important everywhere, but especially at a new track like what we have this week.”

    • Quoting Hillman: Do you see track position as the most important factor with the repave?

    “I think track position is going to be very important, that’s my guess. It seems to be like that at most of the repaves. Looking at some of the lap times from the CARS Tour test, it looks like it’s going to be that way. We just have to make sure that we do everything we can to maintain the track position throughout the race to have a shot at a good finish.”

    • About AutoVentive: AutoVentive is an industry-leading Software as a Service (SaaS) applications developer providing customized solutions to the automotive logistics industry. The company is part of Liberty Hill Equity Partners, LLC, a Cincinnati-based private equity firm.
    • About Precision Vehicle Logistics: Precision Vehicle Logistics is a customer-focused group of professionals committed to service excellence in finished vehicle logistics. Precision offers a unique combination of talented experience, industry-leading software and systems, and a network of partners and resources to deliver customized solutions to the world’s leading automakers.

    No. 42 J.F. Electric / Utilitra Chevrolet Silverado RST
    Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Jon Leonard
    Matt Mills Racing
    @MattMillsRacing
    @MattMillsRacing

    • Mills’ North Wilkesboro Stats: Matt Mills will make his first-career start at North Wilkesboro Speedway in Saturday’s Wright Brand 250.
    • Leonard’s North Wilkesboro Stats: Jon Leonard’s lone start at North Wilkesboro came last year while working with NASCAR Cup Series driver, Christopher Bell. Bell qualified ninth in the race and showed flashes of speed, even finishing third in stage one. He would go on to finish the race in the 16th position.
    • On the Truck: Mills’ No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from longtime partners J.F. Electric and Utilitra.
    • Recapping Darlington: Mills and the No. 42 J.F. Electric / Utilitra team fought hard to secure their best finish of the season at Darlington. Qualifying in 25th, Mills and the team would hold steady throughout the first two stages. However, with late-race carnage, Mills navigated through several crashes to pick up track position. Skillful driving would lead his team home with an 11th-place finish, just one spot shy of their first top-10 result.
    • Points Rundown: Following race nine on the NCTS calendar, Matt Mills gained a spot in the points standings. Mills now sits 26th, chasing Spencer Boyd from four points back of 25th place. He has been on an upward-trend since Kansas, gaining one spot in each race over the past couple of weeks.
    • Quoting Mills: With your short track racing background, how fun is it to go back to your roots and race at a track like North Wilkesboro?

    “This track will be really cool for me; I’ve had this race circled on my calendar. I haven’t ever been there before, but I’ve always wanted to race there because of all the nostalgia and history that the place has. I didn’t get to run last year on the original pavement, but seeing how fast everything looks to be here now on the new pavement through testing, I think it’s going to be pretty cool. I think short tracks are definitely more in my wheelhouse than other tracks.”

    • Quoting Leonard: How aggressive do you anticipate this race will be compared to the other short tracks on the schedule?

    “I think this race is going to be a bit of a mix between a Richmond and a Martinsville. The drivers were running about two seconds faster this year at the tire test than where they were last year. With the repave, it’s a lot smoother. I think a lot of the truck races lean on the aggressive side so this probably won’t be much different. We aren’t expecting a huge amount of tire falloff, but I think that the aggression level is definitely going to be on the high side.”

    • About J.F. Electric: J.F. Electric is an electrical contractor that provides engineering expertise, backed by construction and installation know-how in a diverse range of service offerings, from utilities and commercial projects, to industrial and telecommunications customers. When having a long family history in an industry, a company not only builds on its knowledge and experience, it takes pride in cultivating a solid understanding of client needs, all the while nurturing strong relationships with its employees. Evolving through five generations of the Fowler family, J.F. Electric has matured into a well-managed and thoughtfully diversified electrical contractor which is poised to continue its growth and expansion into the future.
    • About Utilitra: Utilitra is a woman-owned firm specializing in utility and technology solutions with a diverse team of specialized professionals. Utilitra is committed to solving their client’s unique challenges, whether one expert or a team of experts is needed. By adapting to the needs of their respective industries, Utilitra has built a range of services for their utility and technology partners.

    No. 45 N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety Program Chevrolet Silverado RST
    Driver: Ross Chastain | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
    Ross Chastain
    @RossChastain
    @RossChastain

    • Chastain Returns: Ross Chastain will make his third of five planned NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts for Niece Motorsports in Saturday’s event at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Tracks remaining on his Truck Series schedule include Pocono Raceway on Friday, July 12th and Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on Friday, July 19th.
    • Chastain’s North Wilkesboro Stats: Chastain competed in last year’s NCTS race at North Wilkesboro where he pocketed a ninth-place finish. Having qualified for the Cup Series All-Star race as well, Chastain capped off the weekend with an 11th-place run in that exhibition event.
    • Gould’s North Wilkesboro Stats: Gould’s lone start at North Wilkesboro Speedway resulted in a fourth-place finish with Carson Hocevar behind the wheel. Hocevar started on the outside pole and led 16 laps in last year’s event.
    • On the Truck: Chastain’s No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program promoting the ‘Click It or Ticket’ campaign. He will carry the familiar ‘Protect Your Melon’ colors he’s been associated with for years, including the signature watermelon stripes down the side of his truck.
    • Recapping Darlington: Five years to the date of Niece Motorsports’ first race win, Ross Chastain delivered the team its ninth NASCAR Truck Series victory at Darlington Raceway. Chastain, who has driven for the team in some capacity since 2018, was emotional following the finish of the race which ended just past midnight. Team Owner, Al Niece, was in attendance to witness the victory, making it a special night of many reasons for the organization.
    • Owner Points Outlook: Following Chastain’s victory in Darlington, the No. 45 team jumped up to seventh place in the owner points standings. The win solidified their spot in the owner Playoffs, and they are now only 10 points behind TRICON Garage’s No. 17 team in sixth.
    • Honeycutt’s Double Duty Weekend: Though he might not be competing in the Truck Series event at North Wilkesboro on Saturday, Kaden Honeycutt will be running in both the CARS Tour Pro Late Model and Late Model Stock races held on Wednesday night. Honeycutt is chasing after the Pro Late Model championship – currently tied for the points lead through four races held so far, and will return to the seat of the No. 45 Chevrolet at the next race in Charlotte.
    • Quoting Chastain: How big of a benefactor will it be to get these extra reps in on the repave before the All-Star race?

    “Track time on any given weekend is always important, but especially here with it being the first race held on the repave. Last year was fun getting to race at North Wilkesboro for the first time, but the conditions are obviously going to be different. For me, that makes running the truck race that much more important. We’ve got some good momentum after last weekend and I think our guys will have another good shot to contend again.”

    • Quoting Gould: Before last year’s race, your team was able to run the tire test, but this year you weren’t. Is there anything you can take away from that test or are you viewing this as a brand-new track?

    “I mean, yes and no. You just have to recognize the differences that are there. To me, I think this track is going to be pretty similar to Richmond, so we’ll start out by bringing a similar setup to what we ran last year. At least we get a normal, full-length practice, but we basically will have to take everything we learned there last year with a grain of salt and adapt when we unload.”

    • About the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program:
      Dedicated to reducing the numbers of traffic crashes and fatalities in North Carolina, the Governor’s Highway Safety Program promotes efforts to reduce traffic crashes in North Carolina and promotes highway safety awareness through a variety of grants and safe-driving initiatives.

    These grants as well as initiatives – like Click It or Ticket, Booze It & Lose It, BikeSafe NC, Watch For Me NC and Speed a Little. Lose a Lot. – help address issues such as impaired driving, seat belt use, speeding, distracted driving, motorcycle safety, bicycle safety, pedestrian safety and other aspects of highway safety.

    GHSP also helps fund North Carolina’s Vision Zero initiative, which is working to meet the goal of zero deaths on the state’s roadways through community involvement and data-driven safety interventions.

    About Niece Motorsports:
    Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2024, Niece Motorsports enters its ninth season in the NASCAR Craftsman 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 X @NieceMotorsport.

  • Ford Performance NASCAR – 2024 All-Star Race Advance

    Ford Performance NASCAR – 2024 All-Star Race Advance

    NORTH WILKESBORO

    Saturday, May 18 — NASCAR Craftsman Series, 1:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
    Sunday, May 19 — NASCAR Cup Series, 8 p.m. ET (FS1)

    North Wilkesboro Speedway will be hosting NASCAR’s All-Star Weekend for the second straight year. The venerable track will see the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series compete on Saturday afternoon with the annual Cup Series All-Star event on Sunday evening.

    KESELOWSKI DOES IT AGAIN

    Brad Keselowski and Mustang will be forever linked in the NASCAR Cup Series, not once but twice. That’s because when Ford brought Mustang to the Cup Series in 2019, Keselowski was the first driver to win a points race when he took the checkered flag at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the Folds of Honor 500 on Feb. 24. He did it again last Sunday at Darlington Raceway by driving the new Ford Mustang Dark Horse to Victory Lane for the first time. Overall, the Mustang brand has 53 wins in NASCAR’s top series with Keselowski posting nine.

    CLIMBING THE FORD WIN LIST

    Brad Keselowski’s victory at Darlington Raceway on Sunday was his first as a driver/owner at RFK Racing and the 36th of his NASCAR Cup Series career. Of those 36 wins, 27 have been with Ford, a figure that puts him seventh on the manufacturer’s all-time series win list, moving ahead of NASCAR Hall of Famers Junior Johnson and Fred Lorenzen.

    ALL-TIME FORD CUP SERIES WIN LIST

    Ned Jarrett, 43
    Bill Elliott, 40
    Mark Martin, 35
    Dale Jarrett, 30
    Joey Logano, 30
    David Pearson, 29
    Brad Keselowski, 27
    Fred Lorenzen, 26
    Junior Johnson, 26
    Kevin Harvick, 25

    FORD’S ALL-STAR LINEUP

    There are five Ford drivers guaranteed a place in the All-Star field with additional spots available through the preliminary Open qualifying race and fan vote. Currently, defending series champion Ryan Blaney is joined by Team Penske teammate Joey Logano while the RFK duo of Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher are also included. Michael McDowell, based on his win in Indianapolis last season, rounds out the group.

    BRAD KESELOWSKI ON ALL-STAR RACE AFTER DARLINGTON WIN: “It’s a one-week-at-a-time kind of sport. I can tell you that. I’m probably not going to think about the All-Star Race for another day or two, to be quite honest. I’m going to try and enjoy this, and I know the work that comes with it before and after. But it should be good. I like the concept. I like the fact Goodyear is willing to take chances, and they’ve done a great job.”

    CHRIS BUESCHER: “You’re going from the absolute extreme of lack of grip to what’s ultimately gonna feel like infinite grip. I would say that you’re gonna be talking about exponentially more braking applied. You’re really gonna change up everything you do there. Speeds are obviously gonna be way, way faster. Throttle time is gonna be way more. You’re gonna turn it back into a horsepower war to some extent, and short track racing it’s not as big of a deal, but you’re gonna be wanting it. I hope that we have enough racetrack to be able to move around and be able to make passes.”

    RYAN BLANEY: “It will definitely be a different race with just the new pavement. I didn’t get a test there. I know they had that tire test and I wasn’t a part of it, but it’s gonna be the complete opposite. Last year, you were in super tire conserve mode the whole run hoping it would pay off at the end of that run. This year, I still hope there are still some similarities as far as fall off and stuff like that because that’s what racetracks need and it’s hard to get that with a repave, but I’m curious about the option tire. Hopefully, it does something. I know we tried that in the All-Star Race at Charlotte a few years ago, but it didn’t seem like it had enough of a gap from the option to the primary tire, so we’ll see about this one.”

    LOGANO AND KESELOWSKI FINISH 1-2

    Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski made All-Star history as they became the first teammates to sweep the top two spots in the All-Star Race when they did it in 2016. Logano came out on top of a side-by-side battle with Kyle Larson in the final two laps, getting clear with just over one lap to go after Larson hit the outside wall coming off turn two. That enabled Keselowski to get the runner-up spot and successfully commemorate the 50th Anniversary of car owner Roger Penske’s career in motorsports. It marked Ford’s 11th All-Star Race win and first in five years since Carl Edwards won in 2011.

    ELLIOTT WINS ALL-STAR RACE IN FRONT OF HOMETOWN FANS

    The first time Ford won the All-Star Race was in 1986 when Bill Elliott drove his Thunderbird to Victory Lane, but that race is remembered for another trivial fact as well. That marked the first time the event had been run at a track other than Charlotte Motor Speedway. Elliott’s home track of Atlanta Motor Speedway served as host on Mother’s Day that year, a date NASCAR traditionally does not race. With only 10 cars making up the field, Elliott darted to the lead from his outside front row starting position and never gave it up as he led all 83 laps en route to a popular victory with the fans.

    WALTRIP-WOOD FIRST-TIME WINNERS

    Michael Waltrip’s win in 1996 marked his first victory in NASCAR’s top division and was the first in the event for Wood Brothers Racing. Waltrip almost didn’t get into the big show because he had to battle it out in the preliminary Winston Open, where he grabbed the final transfer spot by holding off Johnny Benson to finish fifth. That meant he started last in the 20-car main event, which was called the Winston Select. After the first two 30-lap segments had been completed, Waltrip found himself fourth for the final 10-lap shootout. He passed Rusty Wallace for third after an aborted restart, and then was riding behind Dale Earnhardt and Terry Labonte, who were battling side-by-side. As the two entered turn one with eight laps to go, they made contact which slowed them down enough to allow Waltrip to dart to the inside and pass both of them for the lead. He held on the rest of the way to post his first win of any kind in NASCAR’s top division.

    RHODES CRACKS TOP 10

    Defending NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Ben Rhodes registered his first top-five finish of the season last weekend at Darlington Raceway with a third-place effort and that catapulted him up two spots in the standings to 10th. He joins Ty Majeski (4th) and Matt Crafton (8th) as Ford drivers currently in the top 10.

    FORD F-150 AT NORTH WILKESBORO

    Mike Bliss won the inaugural NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 1995 when he led Ford to a sweep of the top three positions. Bliss started 13th and didn’t take the lead until passing Jack Sprague on lap 130 of the 150-lap event. He led the final 21 circuits to post the first of his 13 career series victories while Butch Miller finished second and Geoffrey Bodine third. Mark Martin followed that up in 1996 by leading the final 73 laps to post his first win in the series. That completed the NASCAR series trifecta of winning at least one race in the sport’s top three divisions for Martin, and completed an event that saw Ford have four of the top five finishers.

    FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES

    ALL-STAR RACE WINNERS

    1986 – Bill Elliott (Atlanta)

    1991 – Davey Allison (Charlotte)

    1992 – Davey Allison (Charlotte)

    1994 – Geoffrey Bodine (Charlotte)

    1996 – Michael Waltrip (Charlotte)

    1998 – Mark Martin (Charlotte)

    2002 – Ryan Newman (Charlotte)

    2004 – Matt Kenseth (Charlotte)

    2005 – Mark Martin (Charlotte)

    2011 – Carl Edwards (Charlotte)

    2016 – Joey Logano (Charlotte)

    2018 – Kevin Harvick (Charlotte)

    2022 – Ryan Blaney (Texas)

    FORD’S NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS

    AT NORTH WILKESBORO

    1955 – Buck Baker (2)

    1957 – Fireball Roberts (1)

    1958 – Junior Johnson (Sweep)

    1963 – Marvin Panch (2)

    1964 – Fred Lorenzen and Marvin Panch

    1965 – Junior Johnson (Sweep)

    1966 – Dick Hutcherson (2)

    1967 – Darel Dieringer (1)

    1968 – David Pearson (1)

    1969 – David Pearson (2)

    1979 – Bobby Allison (1)

    1980 – Bobby Allison (2)

    1990 – Mark Martin (2)

    1992 – Davey Allison and Geoffrey Bodine

    1994 – Geoffrey Bodine (2)

    1995 – Mark Martin (2)

    FORD’S NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES WINNERS AT NORTH WILKESBORO

    1995 – Mike Bliss

    1996 – Mark Martin

  • Window World of the Triad and CheckIt4Andretti Foundation Partner Again

    Window World of the Triad and CheckIt4Andretti Foundation Partner Again

    Will Partner with Thad Moffitt and Faction46 to Honor John Andretti Legacy

     SALISBURY, N.C. (May 14, 2024) — Window World begins the next chapter of their motorsport legacy with Thad Moffitt while honoring their trailblazer, John Andretti, this weekend at the North Wilkesboro Speedway.

    NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series driver Thad Moffitt has partnered with Window World of the Triad to sponsor the Faction46 Chevrolet Silverado in the Wright Brand 250 at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Saturday afternoon.

    Window World, headquartered in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, has been involved in various motorsport endeavors since 2008 partnering with long time Petty driver, John Andretti, in both the Daytona 500 and multiple Indy 500’s. In addition to their Triad location sponsoring the 46 truck, they are also the presenting sponsor for the CARS Tour Race taking place Wednesday night, May 15th at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

    “There’s a lot of similar values between the Petty and Andretti families to our family at Window World,” Michelle Kennelly, owner of Window World of the Triad, said. “They’re all so genuine and focused on giving back. It’s going to be a really special weekend together at North Wilkesboro.”

    CheckIt4Andretti, a foundation built around preventative screening for colorectal cancer in memory of John Andretti, will also ride with Thad Moffitt on the 46 truck. Andretti made 197 starts for Petty Enterprises and many on the team considered him to be part of the Petty family.

    Thad Moffitt is nearly halfway complete with his rookie season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with Faction46. Coming off their best finish of the season after taking the checkered flag 18th at Darlington, Moffitt is excited to carry the legacy of Window World and John Andretti on some positive momentum.

    “It’s always special when I can continue carrying partnerships that my family has had for so many years,” said Moffitt. “After Window World of the Triad agreed to come on board for North Wilkesboro it was almost a no-brainer to honor John’s legacy and everything CheckIt4Andretti is doing. I’m excited to carry both on the 46 this weekend.”

    Tune in to watch the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Saturday, May 18th at 1:30pm. The race will be broadcasted on FS1, MRN, and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90).

    About Window World

    Window World offers energy-efficient replacement windows, exterior doors, siding, and more for homeowners around the USA. With each product comes the promise of quality, professional, installation at a guaranteed low price. You can learn more about Window World and their mission at windowworldtriad.com.

    About CheckIt4Andretti

    The CheckIt4Andretti Charitable Foundation, Inc.’s mission is to save lives by increasing awareness of the importance of screenings in the prevention and early detection of colorectal cancer, and by providing funding to high risk, low income patients who are uninsured, underinsured, or too young for insurance to cover the cost of screening. You can learn more at checkit4andretti.org.

    About Faction46

    Competing in their first season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Faction46 is focused on building speed and maintaining a family atmosphere with driver Thad Moffitt. The new Faction46 team can be found online at www.faction46.com and on social media on Twitter (@TeamFaction46), Instagram (@TeamFaction46), TikTok (@TeamFaction46), and on Facebook and YouTube.

  • Opportunistic Ross Chastain claims emotional NASCAR Truck Series win at Darlington

    Opportunistic Ross Chastain claims emotional NASCAR Truck Series win at Darlington

    May 10, 2024
    By Reid Spencer
    NASCAR Wire Service

    DARLINGTON, S.C.— Taking advantage of a late caution, Ross Chastain surged ahead during an overtime restart and held off charging Nick Sanchez to win Friday night’s Buckle Up South Carolina 200 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Darlington Raceway.

    Moonlighting from the NASCAR Cup Series in a race delayed more than two hours by rain, Chastain, driving for Niece Motorsports, led only the last three laps after seizing the top spot from Ty Majeski on the overtime restart on Lap 149.

    Sanchez finished second, 0.315 seconds behind Chastain. Defending series champion Ben Rhodes was third, followed by Christian Eckes. Majeski, who chose the top lane for the final restart, faded to fifth.

    “We have been trying to win at Darlington,” said Chastain, who picked up his fifth Truck Series victory and his first of the year in his second start. “This is where my career changed, my life changed forever.

    “It’s so cool—we won Darlington.”

    It was at the Lady in Black in 2018 that Chastain first turned heads in the NASCAR world. Driving a handful of NASCAR Xfinity Series races for owner Chip Ganassi, he won the pole at Darlington and swept the first two stages before an accident relegated him to a 25th-place finish.

    But at that point, he had made his mark, and on Friday night, Chastain completed the circle.

    Sanchez won the pole for Friday’s race but had to start from the rear after his team replaced a right rear hub on his No. 2 Chevrolet. On the final restart, he surged from the inside of the third row into second place but couldn’t catch Chastain before the finish.

    Majeski lamented his lane choice after the fact.

    “I should have taken the inside,” said Majeski, who held a lead of more than five seconds before Jack Wood hit the outside wall with five laps left to cause the seventh caution and force overtime.

    “It sucks when you’re in position to win with a truck like that. We were so good on the long run and not so good on the short run. It would take 10-15 laps for this thing to get going, and then the thing was just lights-out.

    “But it came down to a short run, and I didn’t execute like we needed to.”

    Corey Heim, the series leader entering the race, swept the first two stages with 77 laps led, but after a Lap 98 restart, the No. 5 Toyota of Dean Thompson broke loose beneath Heim’s No. 11 Tundra at the exit from Turn 2 and ignited a wreck that severely damaged the trucks of Heim, Rajah Caruth, Layne Riggs and Matt Crafton.

    Caruth, who was eliminated along with Heim, Thompson and Crafton, had started from the rear after scraping the wall during qualifying earlier in the day but had worked his way up to second by pitting for fresh tires midway through Stage 2.

    “It’s real tight there off of (Turn) 2, and the 5 just kind of lost it there,” Caruth said after exiting the infield care center. “We had a really fast truck. We’ll get ‘em next time.”

    Heim surrendered the series lead to Eckes and trails by 14 points.

    Racing for the first time in a truck at Darlington, Kyle Busch was challenging Heim for the lead on Lap 2 when his No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet snapped loose on the backstretch and nosed into the inside wall.

    Busch lost seven laps on pit road as his crew tried to make repairs. After he returned to the action, Busch pounded the Turn 1 wall and exited the race in 32nd place.

    That result marked a dubious distinction for the all-time Truck Series winner with 66 victories to his credit. Before Friday night, Busch had never finished last in a Truck Series race.

    “The truck was wrecked—there’s no reason it should have been back on the race track,” Busch told FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass after the second accident.

    NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race – Buckle Up South Carolina 200
    Darlington Raceway
    Darlington, South Carolina
    Friday, May 10, 2024

    (6) Ross Chastain(i), Chevrolet, 150.
    (1) Nick Sanchez, Chevrolet, 150.
    (12) Ben Rhodes, Ford, 150.
    (7) Christian Eckes, Chevrolet, 150.
    (16) Ty Majeski, Ford, 150.
    (19) Chase Purdy, Chevrolet, 150.
    (18) Colby Howard, Toyota, 150.
    (3) Taylor Gray, Toyota, 150.
    (15) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 150.
    (5) Tanner Gray, Toyota, 150.
    (25) Matt Mills, Chevrolet, 150.
    (22) Lawless Alan, Ford, 150.
    (27) Timmy Hill, Toyota, 150.
    (11) Stewart Friesen, Toyota, 150.
    (29) Mason Massey, Chevrolet, 150.
    (9) Grant Enfinger, Chevrolet, 150.
    (28) Bret Holmes, Chevrolet, 150.
    (32) Thad Moffitt #, Chevrolet, 150.
    (30) Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 150.
    (14) Jake Garcia, Ford, 150.
    (8) Layne Riggs #, Ford, 148.
    (17) Bayley Currey, Chevrolet, 148.
    (10) Daniel Dye, Chevrolet, 148.
    (21) Conner Jones #, Ford, 145.
    (23) Jack Wood, Chevrolet, Accident, 139.
    (24) Tyler Ankrum, Chevrolet, 136.
    (31) Mason Maggio, Ford, Brakes, 121.
    (2) Corey Heim, Toyota, Accident, 105.
    (13) Dean Thompson, Toyota, Accident, 97.
    (26) Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, Accident, 97.
    (20) Matt Crafton, Ford, Accident, 97.
    (4) Kyle Busch(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 6.

    Average Speed of Race Winner: 101.983 mph.

    Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 0 Mins, 33 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.315 Seconds.

    Caution Flags: 7 for 37 laps.

    Lead Changes: 12 among 6 drivers.

    Lap Leaders: N. Sanchez 0;C. Heim 1-49;T. Gray 50-52;C. Heim 53;T. Gray 54-57;C. Heim 58;T. Gray 59-67;C. Heim 68-93;G. Enfinger 94-96;T. Majeski 97-105;C. Eckes 106-120;T. Majeski 121-147;R. Chastain(i) 148-150.

    Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Corey Heim 4 times for 77 laps; Ty Majeski 2 times for 36 laps; Taylor Gray 3 times for 16 laps; Christian Eckes 1 time for 15 laps; Ross Chastain(i) 1 time for 3 laps; Grant Enfinger 1 time for 3 laps.

    Stage #1 Top Ten: 11,19,98,17,38,45,5,99,52,9

    Stage #2 Top Ten: 11,71,19,98,9,88,38,45,17,13

  • Niece Motorsports NCTS Race Recap: Darlington Raceway

    Niece Motorsports NCTS Race Recap: Darlington Raceway

    NIECE MOTORSPORTS
    NCTS RACE RECAP: DARLINGTON RACEWAY
    Race: Buckle Up South Carolina 200 (147 laps / 200.8 miles) | Race 9 of 23
    Track: Darlington Raceway
    Location: Darlington, South Carolina
    Date & Time: Friday, May 10th | 7:30 PM ET

    No. 41 AutoVentive / Precision Vehicle Logistics Chevrolet Silverado RST
    Driver: Bayley Currey | Crew Chief: Mike Hillman, Jr.
    Bayley Currey
    @BayleyCurrey
    @BayleyCurrey05
    Website
    Start: 17th
    Stage 1: 20th
    Stage 2: 16th
    Finish: 22nd
    Driver Points: 14th
    Owner Points: 18th

    • Key Takeaway: Close to securing their first top-10 of the season, Bayley Currey and the No. 41 AutoVentive / Precision Vehicle Logistics team would be relegated down the finishing order after a flat right front tire forced a green flag pit stop. Currey started the Buckle Up South Carolina 200 from 17th, dropped to 20th at the conclusion of stage one, and made ground up to 16th in stage two. By virtue of the flat right front tire issue, the team would ultimately be scored with a 22nd-place finish as their final result.
    • Bayley Currey’s Post-Race Thoughts: “Once again, I’m really proud of our No. 41 AutoVentive / Precision team here with Niece Motorsports for giving me a good truck tonight. We were in position to run in the top-10 again, and I messed up. I got into the fence and gave us a flat right front and basically gave it away. It’s tough, but you live and learn. I feel like we had a really good truck and we’ll move onto North Wilkesboro.”
    • About AutoVentive: AutoVentive is an industry-leading Software as a Service (SaaS) applications developer providing customized solutions to the automotive logistics industry. The company is part of Liberty Hill Equity Partners, LLC, a Cincinnati-based private equity firm.
    • About Precision Vehicle Logistics: Precision Vehicle Logistics is a customer-focused group of professionals committed to service excellence in finished vehicle logistics. Precision offers a unique combination of talented experience, industry-leading software and systems, and a network of partners and resources to deliver customized solutions to the world’s leading automakers.

    No. 42 J.F. Electric / Utilitra Chevrolet Silverado RST
    Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Jon Leonard
    Matt Mills Racing
    @MattMillsRacing
    @MattMillsRacing
    Website
    Start: 25th
    Stage 1: 25th
    Stage 2: 22nd
    Finish: 11th
    Driver Points: 26th
    Owner Points: 29th

    • Key Takeaway: Matt Mills and the No. 42 J.F. Electric / Utilitra team fought hard to secure their best finish of the season at Darlington. Qualifying in 25th, Mills and the team would hold steady throughout the first two stages. However, with late-race carnage, Mills navigated through several crashes to pick up track position. Skillful driving would lead his team home with an 11th-place finish just one spot shy of their first top-10 result.
    • Matt Mills’ Post-Race Thoughts: Interviewer: It’s been kind of a trying season for you, but here at Darlington you walk away with an 11th-place finish. How good does it feel?

    “I mean, it feels like a win, even though there’s still a little bit of disappointment there. We were so close to a top-10, just didn’t need that caution there at the end. We were going to be ninth and that was going to be a good day, but I knew the caution was going to come out, it wasn’t going to be that easy for us. But still to finish 11th, I learned something there on that last restart that was an experience thing with not having many restarts up towards the front. All-in-all, it’s still a good day. It definitely took longer than we wanted it to this year to pull off a top-15 finish, but it’s something that we can build off of. It’s momentum that we’ve been trying to get and we showed speed today where I feel like I can do this and the team can do this, so it was nice to have that today.”

    • About J.F. Electric: J.F. Electric is an electrical contractor that provides engineering expertise, backed by construction and installation know-how in a diverse range of service offerings, from utilities and commercial projects, to industrial and telecommunications customers. When having a long family history in an industry, a company not only builds on its knowledge and experience, it takes pride in cultivating a solid understanding of client needs, all the while nurturing strong relationships with its employees. Evolving through five generations of the Fowler family, J.F. Electric has matured into a well-managed and thoughtfully diversified electrical contractor which is poised to continue its growth and expansion into the future.
    • About Utilitra: Utilitra is a woman-owned firm specializing in utility and technology solutions with a diverse team of specialized professionals. Utilitra is committed to solving their client’s unique challenges, whether one expert or a team of experts is needed. By adapting to the needs of their respective industries, Utilitra has built a range of services for their utility and technology partners.

    No. 45 Buckle Up South Carolina Chevrolet Silverado RST
    Driver: Ross Chastain | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
    Ross Chastain
    @RossChastain
    @RossChastain
    Website
    Start: 6th
    Stage 1: 6th
    Stage 2: 8th
    Finish: 1st
    Driver Points: N/A
    Owner Points: 7th

    • Key Takeaway: Five years to the date of Niece Motorsports’ first race win, Ross Chastain delivered the team its ninth NASCAR Truck Series victory at Darlington Raceway. Chastain, who has driven for the team in some capacity since 2018, was emotional following the finish of the race which ended just past midnight. Team Owner, Al Niece, was in attendance to witness the victory, making it a special night of many reasons for the organization.
    • Ross Chastain’s Post-Race Thoughts: Interviewer: Ross, as much as that watermelon smash will be the highlight of this race, the other punctuation was that restart. How much grit does this track require?

    “Grit, I don’t know. It takes Phil Gould, it takes Niece Motorsports. We have been trying to win at Darlington. This is where my career changed, where my life changed forever! For better or worse, however all this works out. That first opportunity with CGR (Chip Ganassi Racing) and Spire to put me together with that group and the year before, see me pumping the honey wagon, getting the honey wagon over off of turn two, to now finally getting the Florida Watermelon queen here. It’s Florida Watermelon season. They’ve been with me for so long with Ms. Deborah. And Mother’s Day weekend; my mom’s here, the moms in our group. And to win it with ‘Click It, Don’t Risk It’ with the South Carolina Department of Public Safety. This ‘Protect Your Melon’ campaign is something that funded my career for several years, and now to have these cool moments that we get to have it on these trucks and cars on Friday and Saturday, and it’s so cool. We won Darlington.”

    Well, after that epic burnout, you were welcomed with your team and that watermelon. Just how satisfying is it standing on top of that truck and smashing that watermelon?

    “Well, Dad drove this up yesterday from the farm. I was down there Monday and Tuesday, and Dad drove these up. He drove through the night to get up here. There’s so much sacrifice from so many people back at the farm and those in the ag industry. That’s why you see me talk about watermelons and talk about agriculture. There’s so much misinformation, there’s such a small percentage of our population in charge of feeding the rest of the world. Not that a watermelon is part of anybody’s every day diet, like I’m trying to shovel this down right now. It tastes so good, but a watermelon farmer just won Darlington. And for everything this means for Niece Motorsports. I think five years ago to the day we won our first race, and we’re back in victory lane!”

    • About the South Carolina Department of Public Safety: The South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) includes the Highway Patrol, State Transport Police, Bureau of Protective Services, Office of Highway Safety and Justice Programs, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame.

    SCDPS has approximately 1,300 employees serving across the state, providing a wide range of public safety services focused on making South Carolina a safer place to live, work and raise a family.

    About Niece Motorsports:
    Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2024, Niece Motorsports enters its ninth season in the NASCAR Craftsman 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 X @NieceMotorsport.