Category: Truck Series PR

Mooresville, NC (October 31, 2023) – Spencer Boyd announced today that, in a rare meeting of racing series, King of the Hammers will be the primary sponsor for his No. 12 Silverado in the penultimate race of the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. King of the Hammers (KOH) is the toughest two weeks of one-day, off-road races in the world.

“I love racing, period,” said a stoic Spencer Boyd. “When we started talking about putting this partnership together there was a mutual level of respect for the style of racing that we both do. I’m honored to represent these fellow racers on the NASCAR stage in Phoenix. And I thought I was dirty after dirt racing at Bristol, but apparently that is clean compared to how these guys look at KOH.”

Held annually in Johnson Valley, California, the race has evolved from a single race to feature over 1,000 competitors, 80,000 on-site fans and nearly 3 million online viewers in 2023. King of the Hammers is most notable for its 4400 unlimited horsepower, 4-wheel drive vehicles.

Dave Cole, Founder and Executive Chairman, says, “NASCAR is a huge stage and we are excited to introduce their fans to our event. King of the Hammers is a stage of tremendously diverse racing, with something for everyone.”

Courtney Prost, Communications for Hammerking Productions, commented on the crossover, “Spencer has been great to work with and we are thrilled to be partnering with him! King of the Hammers began as a handful of teams with a passion for racing. Today, KOH is a monumental phenomenon known as the largest and toughest one day off-road race in the world, which spans over the course of two weeks. The fit is perfect for fans because our event is during NASCAR’s off-season.”

The event features a 14-day schedule packed with races across treacherous terrain, concerts, a vendor show and exciting entertainment for all ages, taking place around a temporary city that rises in the desert.

King of the Hammers will be the primary sponsor of Young’s Motorsports No. 12 entry into The Craftsman 150 at Phoenix Raceway. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship race is on October 23, 2023 at 9pm ET and will air live on FS1.

Two Seasons with Team Brought Wins, a Championship, and Many Memories

 MOORESVILLE, N.C. (October 31, 2023) – Zane Smith will make his final start with Front Row Motorsports (FRM) Friday evening in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series finale at the Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway. Smith will pilot the Speedco/Delo Ford F-150 for the last time before moving to the NASCAR Cup Series full-time in 2024.

Coming to FRM at the beginning of the 2022 season to compete in the truck series, Smith and the team made an immediate impression. They went down to Daytona and won in their first race together. It began what was a dominating campaign. The team waited only a few races before winning again at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA) as Smith continued to lead the points. A third win came only four races later at the Kansas Speedway.

With three wins, Smith cruised to the regular season championship in the truck series in 2022. The top seed in the playoffs, Smith and the team easily advanced to the championship in Phoenix. Smith then finally won his first championship by winning the race- the team’s fourth of the season. It was also FRM’s first championship in NASCAR.

The historical 2022 season for Smith and FRM was capped by leading 492 laps, 19 top-10s, 14 top-fives, four wins, the regular season, and series championship. There was no team better.

This season, Smith and the team picked up right where they left off by winning at Daytona. Smith and FRM also teamed together to qualify for the Daytona 500. They finished 13th. Smith made six more starts in the NASCAR Cup Series for FRM and earned his first Cup top-10 during the Coca-Cola 600 at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway this past May.

Back in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Smith repeated and made it a three-peat for FRM with another win at COTA. Smith has earned 10 top-five finishes with the two wins, but just barely missed returning to compete for the championship this weekend.

Instead, Smith and the Speedco/Delo team will go for their seventh win together at the Phoenix Raceway and cap off a memorable run together.

Watch Smith behind the wheel of the No. 38 Speedco/Delo F-150 one last time on Friday at 10:00 p.m. ET on FS1.

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.

Jack Wood: Driver, No. 51 Rubbin’ Is Racing Chevrolet
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Overview:
Event: Craftsman 150, Race 23 of 23, 150 Laps- 45/45/60; 150 Miles
Location: Phoenix Raceway (one-mile, oval)
Date/Broadcast: Nov. 3, 2023, at 10 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Get to Know Jack:

Jack Wood will make his 13th NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start of 2023 for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) behind the wheel of the No. 51 Rubbin’ is Racing Chevrolet in Friday night’s Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix Raceway. The 23-year-old driver has two prior starts in the Truck Series at Phoenix, with a best result of 20th coming in the 2021 event.

Friday night’s race will be the final race in a storied chapter for KBM. The organization holds the Craftsman Truck Series records for most career wins (100) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). Owner-driver Kyle Busch picked up his organization’s first-ever win at Nashville Superspeedway in April of 2010 and also picked up its 100th Truck Series victory at Pocono Raceway in July of 2023. In addition to collecting a series-record seven owner’s championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017). With 42 victories, the No. 51 is the winningest number in KBM’s Truck Series fleet. The 51 has been victorious at Phoenix three times, 2013 and 2014 with Erik Jones and 2016 with Daniel Suarez.

Wood has finished inside the top 10 in two of his 12 Truck Series starts this season, including a career-best ninth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April. The California native has qualified inside the top 10 for seven of 12 Truck Series events this season, with a season-best qualifying effort of second coming at Texas. Across 47 career Truck Series starts, Wood has produced five laps led and three top-10 finishes.

The No. 51 Chevrolet Silverado will carry primary sponsorship from Rubbin’ Is Racing, a NASCAR podcast presented by Barstool Sports. Hosts Large and Spider team up to go behind the scenes of one of the world’s more interesting sports. The duo will interview some of the most well-known racers on the track and dive into the sports betting element of NASCAR. Tune in to hear everything that happens on and off the asphalt. New Episodes release once a week, every Thursday and can be found at https://www.barstoolsports.com/shows/106/rubbin-is-racing or you subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Wood will be pulling double duty this weekend at Phoenix, driving the No. 28 Chevrolet in the ARCA Menards West Series race. He has two top-five and six top-10 finishes with an average result of 10.4 across eight ARCA Menards Series starts this season. Across 17 career ARCA Menards Series starts he has recorded three top-five and 10 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.2. He has two prior ARCA Starts at Phoenix, including earlier this year when he qualified second and was running inside the top-five when he got turned from behind by another competitor and was relegated to a 28th-place finish.

The No. 51 team qualified for the Truck Series owner’s playoffs after finishing seventh in the regular season owner point standings but did not make it out of the Round of 10. Across 22 starts in 2023, the team has recorded two wins, one pole, 170 laps led, seven top-five and 10 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 14.1. Owner-driver Kyle Busch recorded both of the 51 team’s victories winning the second race of the season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and most recently collecting his organization’s historic 100th win July 22 at Pocono Raceway.

Veteran crew chief Brian Pattie is calling the shots for the No. 51 team this year in his first season at KBM after spending the last 14 seasons atop the pit box in the NASCAR Cup Series. It took the veteran signal caller just two races to get his first win at KBM, winning with owner-driver Kyle Busch at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The duo won again in July at Pocono Raceway and collected KBM’s 100th career Truck Series victory. In the Cup Series, his drivers produced six wins, nine poles, 57 top-five and 131 top-10 finishes across 528 starts. The Florida native has also recorded 11 wins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and now has three wins as a crew chief in the Truck Series. This will be Pattie’s first time atop the pit box for a Truck Series race at Phoenix. In Cup Series action, Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s fourth-place finish in the spring of 2017 was his best result across 28 starts. He was victorious with Jamie McMurray in the fall NASCAR Xfinity Series race in 2004.
Jack Wood, Driver Q&A:

You showed speed in the ARCA race earlier this year at Phoenix. Does that excite you for this race?

“When you go to a place that you’ve run well at, it gets you excited about going back. Of all the tracks on the Truck Series schedule, Phoenix is the track that I’ve been to the most. It was close to home growing up and I got the chance to race there in an ARCA West car a couple times with my family. Of all the races on the schedule, I’ve probably looked forward to this one the most. Obviously, with this being the last race under the KBM banner, it has motivated me more to go out and get the last win in the last race for the organization. I’m excited about going there, our sim stuff has gone well and we’ve had speed there in the past as an organization.”

Will doing double duty and getting extra track time driving the ARCA car benefit you this weekend?

“I think it will help. I will end up with around 100 minutes of practice. When I’ve ran the ARCA car before a truck race it has helped knock the rust off and helps me fire off better on the short run in the truck. I’m lucky to be able to get in the No. 28 ARCA car, I think we will have a good shot at it there and hopefully it will be a good confidence builder going into the truck race that night.”

You’ve got another cool sponsor this week with Barstool Sports on the truck. Talk about that.

“It will be fun. For me, as a younger kid, Barstool Sports has been a fun thing to follow with what those guys have done over the last 10 years. It’s exciting to have them on the truck, especially on the west coast at a track that they’ve been a part of the last couple of years. Their presence in NASCAR is growing so it will be fun to have Large and Spider (Hosts of Rubbin’ is Racing Podcast, Barstool Sports) out there for that. Hopefully, we can put on a good show for them and then go have some fun at the Barstool bar down in Scottsdale, Arizona.”

Jack Wood Career Highlights:

• Has produced three top-10 finishes across 47 career starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Posted a series-best ninth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April.
• Has compiled 14 laps led, three top-five and 10 top-10 finishes across 17 career ARCA Menards Series events.
• Has totaled three top-five and eight top-10 finishes across 12 career starts in the ARCA Menards West Series.
• Compiled one top-five and three top-10 finishes across 24 starts in the SRL Spears Southwest Tour from 2017 to 2021.
• Jack Wood’s No. 51 Chevrolet Silverado RST:

The No. 51 Rubbin’ is Racing team will unload KBM-69 for Friday night’s season finale at Phoenix Raceway. Across 10 career starts, this chassis has recorded a best result of second twice, both with KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (2021 and 2022). KBM-69 has hit the track three times in 2023, with Matt Mills fifth-place finish at Richmond Raceway being the best result.

KBM Notes of Interest:

KBM drivers have collected six wins, six poles, 1011 laps led, 17 top-five and 27 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 8.8 across 37 starts at Phoenix Raceway. The organization’s six victories at the Arizona track have come with five different drivers, with Chandler Smith’s victory in 2021 event being the most recent. Kyle Busch won in 2011, Brian Scott in 2012, Erik Jones went back-to-back in 2013 and 2014 while Daniel Suarez claimed the top spot in 2016.

Chase Purdy: Driver, No. 4 Bama Buggies Chevrolet
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Overview:
Event: Craftsman 150, Race 23 of 23, 150 Laps- 45/45/60; 150 Miles
Location: Phoenix Raceway (one-mile oval)
Date/Broadcast: Nov. 3, 2023, at 10 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

‘Chase’n Wins:

Chase Purdy and the No. 4 team head to Phoenix Raceway for the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The 23-year-old driver has shown improved results over the second half of his first season with KBM. Purdy boasted an average finish of 17.09 over the first 11 races of the season and an average result of 13.09 over the last 11 events. He captured his first career pole at Kansas Speedway in September and a second one at Talladega Superspeedway.

The Mississippi native has gained two positions in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series point standings since the start of the playoffs and now ranks 11th, which is the highest that a non-playoff driver can finish. Purdy entered the 2022 season having never earned a top-five result in Truck Series action but has produced two across 22 races in his first season at KBM. He has also produced a career-high 10 top-10 finishes this season, after posting just two each in 2021 and 2022. His most recent top-10 result came in the series’ last stop at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

He is in his third full-time season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and first with KBM. He finished 16th in the Truck Series final standings in 2022 after competing in 22 of the 23 events. He posted two top-10 finishes and nine laps led.

Purdy has three career Truck Series starts at Phoenix Raceway with a best result of 13th in 2018. KBM as an organization has six wins at Phoenix, but the No. 4 truck has never one at the Arizona track.

Friday night’s race will be the final race in a storied chapter for KBM. The organization holds the Craftsman Truck Series records for most career wins (100) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). Owner-driver Kyle Busch picked up his organization’s first-ever win at Nashville Superspeedway in April of 2010 and also picked up its 100th Truck Series victory at Pocono Raceway in July of 2023. 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 18 career victories at KBM and was the number for both of the organization’s driver championships.

Jimmy Villeneuve is atop the pit box for Purdy and the No. 4 Chevrolet team this season. Prior to being promoted to crew chief for the 2023 season, Villeneuve had served as a Truck Chief at KBM since the 2017 season and in that role was a part of 18 wins, a driver’s championship with Christopher Bell in 2017 and the 2019 owner’s championship with the No. 51 team. This will be Villeneuve’s second race calling the shots for a race at Phoenix. He earned a 19th-place finish with Dylan Lupton in the 2016 event.

Bama Buggies, your one-stop shop for all the biggest names in powersports and utility vehicles, will be the primary sponsor on Purdy’s No. 4 Chevrolet Saturday and for the majority of the events on the 2023 schedule. They are Central Alabama’s powersports experts, serving as an authorized dealer of Polaris, Slingshot, and Seadoo.
Chase Purdy, Driver Q&A:

Give an evaluation of how your season has gone.

“I definitely think that the back half of our season was better than the start, just with how far we’ve come as a group and what we’ve learned. I think that we have learned what we expect out of one another and the things that we want. I’m just excited that I’ve been able to work with this group of guys. I’m happy with how we’ve done things the last half of the year. I think that if we could start the season over, we would be playoff contenders and we would be going into Phoenix as a part of the Championship 4.”

Phoenix is a unique racetrack, do you like racing there?

“I do like Phoenix. I’m excited to go there in a KBM truck. It seems like every track that we’ve gone to has been significantly better than what I’ve had in previous years there. Phoenix is a cool track and I like racing it. I’m excited to see what it’s like in a KBM truck.

What does it take to have a fast truck at Phoenix?

“You have to have your truck turning good. You don’t want to be tight. My crew chief, Jimmy Villeneuve, has said that we haven’t been tight all year long, so I don’t expect it to be tight at Phoenix. I’m looking forward to it and excited about it.”

How do you feel being one of the drivers to race in the final race for KBM?

“I’ve definitely thought about it. I’m the last full-time KBM driver that there’s going to be at KBM. I just want to go out there and deliver a good race for KBM in the final race. I want to make the bossman and everyone else who has put their hard work, sweat, and tears into this proud. It’s my job to go out there and run well and win. “

Chase Purdy Career Highlights:

• Across 74 career Truck Series starts, has produced one pole, 21 laps led, two top-five and 15 top-10 finishes. Posted a career-best runner-up finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April of 2023. Earned first career pole in September of 2023 at Kansas Speedway.
• Finished 16th in Truck Series championship standings in 2022.
• Finished fourth in the 2018 ARCA Menard’s Series championship standings after recording 84 laps led, 10 top-five and 14 top-10 finishes.
• Earned the 2017 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East rookie of the year honors and finished fourth in the championship standings after posting four poles, 200 laps led, five top-five and eight top-10 finishes across 14 starts.
• Won the prestigious Snowflake 100 Pro Late Model race at 5 Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla., in Dec. of 2018.
• Chase Purdy’s No. 4 Chevrolet Silverado RST:

KBM-56: The No. 4 Bama Buggies team will unload KBM-56 for Friday night’s race at Phoenix. This chassis has two career victories across 20 starts, most recently with John Hunter Nemechek at Kansas Speedway last September. Nemechek also won with KBM-56 at Pocono Raceway in June of 2021. Purdy has piloted this Silverado four times this year, with a best result of sixth coming at The Milwaukee Mile in its most recent start.

KBM Notes of Interest:

· KBM drivers have collected six wins, six poles, 1011 laps led, 17 top-five and 27 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 8.8 across 37 starts at Phoenix Raceway. The organization’s six victories at the Arizona track have come with five different drivers, with Chandler Smith’s victory in 2021 event being the most recent. Kyle Busch won in 2011, Brian Scott in 2012, Erik Jones went back-to-back in 2013 and 2014 while Daniel Suarez claimed the top spot in 2016.

STATESVILLE, NC (October 26th, 2023): Heading into the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series finale at Phoenix Raceway, GMS Racing will pay homage to its winning heritage with two very special paint schemes in the team’s send-off race. In what will be the organization’s final start in NASCAR, current drivers Rajah Caruth and Daniel Dye will plan to run these schemes as a tribute to both of the team’s past Truck Series champions, Johnny Sauter and Sheldon Creed.

From the team’s first race in 2014 to present day, GMS Racing has solidified itself in the record book as one of the most storied organizations in the Truck Series. Starting with humble beginnings, the team has grown immensely under the tutelage of Maury Gallagher, Mike Beam, and Ron Booth, all who have been instrumental to the team’s success. A true powerhouse organization, GMS has accounted for a total of 71 race victories (one in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, 45 in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, 15 in the ARCA Menards Series, nine in the ARCA Menards Series East, and one in the ARCA Menards Series West), 42 pole positions (28 in the Truck Series, seven in ARCA, four in ARCA East, and three in ARCA West), 260 top-fives and 465 top-10 finishes in nearly 1,000 combined starts. GMS Racing was a five-time championship-winning team, conquering the 2015 ARCA Menards Series title, 2016 and 2020 NASCAR Truck Series championships, as well as the 2019 and 2020 ARCA Menards Series East championships, delivered by Grant Enfinger, Johnny Sauter, Sheldon Creed, and Sam Mayer, respectively. Its departure will undoubtedly leave a mark in the series, while its lasting legacy will continue on in several forms for hopefully many years to come.

At the start of the 2016 season, Necedah, Wisconsin native, Johnny Sauter made the transition to GMS Racing, and the partnership was quick to produce success early. Sauter would open the season with a bang by winning the first race at Daytona International Speedway, becoming the team’s first driver to qualify for the Playoffs in the process. From there, Sauter and his No. 21 Allegiant team would advance to fight for the championship, picking up wins at Martinsville Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway along the way.

With a spot in the Championship 4 secured, Sauter would bring the fight to Homestead-Miami Speedway, and out-duel his competitors to win the championship. It was a monumental night for the organization, and for Sauter, as it marked both of their first series titles. During Sauter’s post-race celebration, he keyed up on the radio and said “I never thought it would happen. It’s because of you guys; I didn’t do nothing different.”

Rajah Caruth will bring Sauter’s 2016 paint scheme – with the original blue and white Allegiant colors to the racetrack for one final time, thanks to a strong relationship with The Wendell Scott Foundation, who has supported him throughout his entire rookie campaign in the Truck Series.

“First and foremost, this paint scheme just looks good. I love how the colors match the No. 21 truck and am a huge fan of the neon numbers on the roof. I remember watching Johnny win the championship in 2016 and win a bunch of races from the time span of when he was at GMS. When he won at Dover, I was in the grandstands watching, so I’ve always had fond memories of this truck. I think it’ll be a great tribute to the history and everything that Mike (Beam), Maury (Gallagher), and Ron (Booth) have made here at GMS Racing. Hopefully we can give it a good run, especially at a track like Phoenix where I’ve raced at a handful of times before. I’m thankful to our partners at The Wendell Scott Foundation for playing along and allowing us to run this truck. It will be special.” said Caruth.

Fast forward a few years to 2020, a year that saw GMS Racing win 10 Truck Series races out of 23 on the schedule. Alpine, California’s Sheldon Creed, who was only in his second full-time season, would win his first race at Kentucky Speedway – followed by his second at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course – then by his third at World Wide Technology Raceway – and then his fourth at Texas Motor Speedway, the last of which qualified him for the Championship 4 in Phoenix.

Creed would step up to bat against two of his teammates, Zane Smith and Brett Moffitt, as GMS Racing would field three of the Championship 4 drivers, along with current driver, Grant Enfinger. As it appeared that he would finish third, a late-race caution would prompt a gutsy strategy call to bring Creed down pit road. In an overtime restart, Creed would rally his No. 2 Chevy Accessories Silverado all the way from ninth place to claim the championship.

Daniel Dye will drive Creed’s 2020 paint scheme – with the accompanying GMS team logo on the hood, in partnership with his Race To Stop Suicide initiative. On the rear of his truck reads a message thanking the team, highlighting the 71 total victories and five championship seasons in the Truck and ARCA Menards Series.

“It’s going to be really cool to honor Sheldon with his championship truck paint scheme. He and I have worked alongside each other in the gym as part of the Chevrolet Drivers Edge program for a few years now, so I think that’s neat in its own right. It’ll be a great way to look back on everything that GMS Racing has accomplished over the years and I think that it’s really neat that both Rajah and I can be a part of telling that story on the track. I’ve really enjoyed my time with the team since joining back in 2021 and am certainly going to miss the memories made and the relationships we’ve built over the years.” said Dye.

Grant Enfinger will keep GMS Racing in the fight for the championship in the team’s last race at Phoenix Raceway after locking himself into the Championship 4 last race out at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Enfinger is in search of his first Truck Series championship and would love to send the team off in a storybook ending by delivering the organization’s third title.

“These truck schemes bring back so many great memories from past championships. We appreciate Daniel, Rajah, and our partners for agreeing to participate on these. Being able to see these trucks on track again will be so special for us being our final Phoenix effort as an organization.” said GMS Racing Team President, Mike Beam. “Hopefully we can add Grant to our list of Truck Series champions and end our era on a high note. Grant got our first championship and it would be awesome to see him claim our last. A true storybook ending.”

The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will crown its 2023 champion at Phoenix Raceway on Friday, November 3rd. Tune-in to the CRAFTSMAN 150 race live on FS1 at 10:00 PM Eastern Time to see Grant Enfinger, Rajah Caruth, and Daniel Dye compete in GMS Racing’s final NASCAR race. To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow GMS Racing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. #WeAreGMS

ABOUT THE WENDELL SCOTT FOUNDATION:

Founded in 2011, The Wendell Scott Foundation, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization inspired by Wendell Scott, Sr. and provides services such as job-skill training, STEM education opportunities, mentoring, and other supportive services to at-risk, underserved youth between the ages of 8-18 years in Danville, Virginia and surrounding areas.

The Foundation’s mission of using educational attainment to end racial disparities in education and health is vital in addressing economic inequality and improving future success in African-American communities. For more information, please visit www.wendellscott.org.

ABOUT RACE TO STOP SUICIDE:

Race to Stop Suicide was co-founded by Daniel and Randy Dye. The nationally trademarked 501(c)3 non-profit works to create awareness, normalize the conversation, and remove the stigma surrounding suicide. Additionally, provide an entry-level amount of education, what to look for, symptoms, and a plan to check in and check up on family and friends. Race to Stop Suicide prioritizes ensuring folks have easy access to helpful resources, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and 988. For more information, please visit www.racetostopsuicide.com.

ABOUT GMS RACING:

GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Truck Series operating the No. 23, No. 24, and No. 43 Chevrolet Silverado RSTs for drivers Grant Enfinger, Rajah Caruth, and Daniel Dye. Since the team was formed in 2012, GMS Racing has won five titles across multiple series, including the 2016 and 2020 NASCAR Truck Series championship, the 2015 ARCA Racing Series championship, as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA East championships. GMS has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. including operations for GMS Fabrication. The GMS Racing campus also houses operations for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, a team that competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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

Wisconsin Native to Pilot Second Entry at Phoenix Raceway

CONCORD, N.C. (October 26, 2023) – Spire Motorsports will field a second NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) entry in next weekend’s Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix Raceway for Wisconsin native Derek Kraus.

Kraus will pilot the No. 77 Western States Flooring Chevrolet Silverado alongside teammate Marco Andretti, who will drive the No. 7 Parity Week by Gainbridge® Chevy, in the division’s final race of the season.

As part of an ongoing technical support relationship with JR Motorsports, Andrew Overstreet and Mike Hoffman will serve as crew chief and truck chief, respectively.

Kraus was nothing short of impressive while handling the driving chores for Spire Motorsports earlier this season at the Clean Harbors 175 at the famed Milwaukee Mile, where he started deep in the field and raced his way to a spirited eighth-place finish. He is a veteran of 75 NCTS starts with four poles, four top-five and 27 top-10 finishes.

“I’m really looking forward to racing at Phoenix with Spire Motorsports and all the guys on that team,” said Kraus. “Phoenix Raceway is one of my favorite races on the schedule, just because of how competitive the track is. I’m thankful to have Western States Flooring on board and looking forward to putting on a good show for that group. We had a good day at Milwaukee earlier this season so hopefully we can pull some notes from that weekend and put them to good use in Phoenix.”

In five previous NCTS starts at the uniquely configured one-mile Avondale, Ariz., oval, the 22-year-old standout has recorded three eighth-place finishes and, coincidently enough, finished 23rd in the other two.

Kraus, a native of Stratford, Wis., has made seven NASCAR Xfinity Series starts for Kaulig Racing in 2023, recording three top-10 finishes. Of those seven starts, he has only finished outside the top 12 twice, and outside the top 20, once.

Most recently, Kraus raced Kaulig’s No. 11 Celsius Chevrolet to an 11th-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

In 10 NCTS starts in 2023, Spire Motorsports has recorded one win, two top-five and three top-10 finishes.

Kyle Larson, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion, snared the checkered flag at the Tyson 250 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, while rising star Layne RIggs finished third in August at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. Kraus is credited with adding a third top 10 to the team’s 2023 stat sheet after his eighth-place showing in Milwaukee.

“We’re happy to have Derek back in a Spire Motorsports Chevy Silverado next weekend,” said team manager Mike Greci. “He did a nice job when he drove for us at the Milwaukee Mile and we think a lot of that success should translate to Phoenix. He’s incredibly mature for his age and has a knack for getting the most out of his equipment. When the opportunity came about to put him in a second truck for Phoenix, it was kind of all-hands-on-deck to figure out a way to make it happen. He’ll be a great compliment to Marco Andretti and vice versa, so we’re optimistic about the chances for both our trucks.”

The Lucas Oil 150 from Phoenix Raceway will be televised live on FS1 Friday, November 3 beginning at 10 p.m. EDT. The 23rd and final NCTS race of the 2023 season will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

About Western States Flooring …
Western States Flooring Inc. is a premier provider of flooring and installation services in the southwest United States. Established in 1991, Western States Flooring continues to be one of the largest providers for flooring services in the southwest.

As one of Arizona’s Shaw Design Centers, consumers can rely on beautiful products, professional installation, and great communication throughout their project. Western States Flooring has a public showroom in Chandler, Ariz., and flooring-services partnerships with Home Depot and Costco. With strong ties to the community and a long track record of happy customers, clients can rely on Western States Flooring Inc. to handle their project and provide a beautiful, finished product.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports is a full-time, two-car NASCAR Cup Series race team co-owned by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2023, Spire Motorsports fields the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for driver Corey LaJoie and No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Ty Dillon. The team also fields NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series teams in select events.

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 CRAFSTMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on May 20, 2023 when Kyle Larson took the checkered flag in the Tyson 250 at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

Toyota Racing – Corey Heim
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Quotes

MOORESVILLE, NC (October 24, 2023) – TRICON Garage driver Corey Heim was made available to media on Tuesday:

COREY HEIM, No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

What is your mindset heading into Phoenix?

“It’s been a good season for us for sure. There was a lot of question marks coming into 2023 with a new team, organization – and for me, a new crew chief and spotter. All new stuff, with a lot of question marks, but we really put together such a solid season and so much progress from start to finish. Super thankful for TRICON Garage and Toyota Racing for all the support. I wouldn’t be in this position without them. It has been such a cool year to see all of the progress and hard work people have put in from start to bottom in this organization and all of the support from TRD as well. We’ve got one more, hopefully we can keep it going – one more big one to win, and hopefully we complete a good year for us.”

Can you tell me more about you decision to stay in the Truck Series next year?

“I think for me TRICON was the best organization for me in 2024. I’m on a winning race team – my goal is to win races. I never want to be in a position where I’m not confident in my team and my organization. With TRICON, I’m super confident in them and their organization and the support with everybody. I’m not super focused on 2025 and beyond yet. For 2024, my goals are to win more races and just put together a solid season and up my resume for the future, but for now just focused on 2024 and of course on the last race of 2023, but as far as future plans, I’m focused on 2024. I think it was the best landing spot for me and my options. I’m excited to keep it going with TRICON in 2024.”

Do you envision that you can jump from Truck Series to the Cup Series or do you think you will run in the Xfinity Series in the future?

“I would just have to weigh my options, same at the end of this year. I really have no plans past 2024 as far as now. Depending on how the year goes, and how I feel and how confident I am in my abilities, I’ll kind of make that decision in the fall of next year. I could really see myself going anywhere. There is nothing saying that I can’t jump through the Xfinity Series or what not, but certainly I will just have to find out. It could go either way, really.”

Can you confirm your last championship – 2017 Thunder Pro division in Atlanta and the 2016 Young Lions?

“I believe so, yes. For me personally, I’ve really only had one full time season in something since then really. I’ve run some CARS Tour here-and-there, I was competing for the ARCA championship in 2021, but my career has been made of a lot of par time stuff, so it is really cool to finally get the opportunity to run for a championship and have a solid full-time season behind me. Of course, we were going for the owners championship last year, but for a driver, it is a lot more motivating to go for that driver’s championship. Definitely fortunate to be able to chase that this year.”

Is there anything from those 2016 or 2017 point championships that you can remember and relate to this?

“It’s funny that you say that because at Atlanta Motor Speedway we had a Playoff format very similar to this, for whatever reason, I thought it was really weird at the time for the 10 drivers that were running full time in the series, but yeah, we had a Championship 4 or whatever, when I was battling for that championship, so hopefully, we can run it back.”

What does a driver do when you have so much time to prepare for this championship race?

“I feel like the last five or six weeks have been really good for me. Phoenix isn’t particularly my greatest track that I’ve been too. Fortunately, I do have experience there – I have a couple of ARCA races under my belt that I’m able to look back and see what I could have done better in those races to apply to this race. Phoenix is a really interesting race track. It is not super technical, but there is definitely a lot of studying opportunities to sit back and kind of observe it and progressively get better. Luckily, I’ve had a lot of time to do that and I’m a pretty analytical person just as far as my studying and what I do to prepare. I remember, last year in 2022 and in 2021 as well, running part-time with KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports) I had so much time in between races – just because I was part-time – I feel like races that I had three or four more weeks to prepare, I did really well in, and I felt really prepared when I showed up to the race track. I don’t personally believe in over preparing. I think you can over think it but if you can’t over prepare. I’ve really been focused on preparing the right way and using sim times with Toyota Racing to the best of my abilities, and I really think I’m really confident I’m prepared for Phoenix.”

Can you tell me something that Toyota has provided you that 15-year-old Corey wouldn’t have thought of?

“I think just when I was growing up, I didn’t realize how important it is to prepare during the week as far as just taking care of yourself and being physically prepared, as well as mentally prepared. Having the Toyota Performance Center in Mooresville is really useful for us to be able to keep ourselves in physical shape, but they have so many other resources as far as nutritionists, and physical therapists and sports psychologists – you name it. I guess that is not something I really expected to need in the future. I’ve always trusted the process with Toyota Racing and trusted their resources, and for me, it has always been something that I can use as long as I’ve been a part of the program. I’ve always had faith that they would put me in the best position possible to succeed, and ever since I’ve been a part of them in 2020 – they’ve done just that. Definitely grateful for everyone at Toyota Racing and TRD, from the Salisbury location, to the Mooresville, to everyone from outside locations that helps with other things as well. Very grateful for them.”

How would you assess your three competitors for the championship?

“Throughout the year, I feel like they’ve all been really competitive. I’ve finished second to each one of them at some point. I feel like we’ve really been the best truck consistently throughout the year, but with the Playoff format and it being a one race scenario. You just show up, and you have the best truck, and you are the most prepared and you have the best driver, you are going to win the race. It really doesn’t matter how the rest of your season has gone. For me, it is just focusing on the one race and focusing on myself – not really looking at the other competitors too much, but they are all great drivers. As you mentioned, a former champion and the other two have won at least three races a piece this year, so definitely not any slouches there. I think it is going to be really competitive and I’m just going to focus on myself and show up and do the best of my abilities.”

When you prepare, do you focus on your run at Phoenix last season or similar tracks that you ran this year?

“For me, it is all Phoenix. I don’t really look into similar tracks too much. The truck package hasn’t changed much in a long time, so that gives us the ability to kind of read back into last year. I know the track changes here and there, but configuration wise, the track hasn’t changed much, and as far as the truck, it hasn’t changed much either. I definitely look at previous years – I’ve raced there the last year for the finale as well, and throughout we were relatively good, but I’ve learned a lot since then – I feel like just being able to improve on the last performances from Truck and ARCA there is big for me, but yeah, I just read into Phoenix for the most part.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM), creator of the Prius hybrid and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota and Lexus brands, and directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America (more than 49,000 in the U.S.).

Over the past 65 years, Toyota has assembled nearly 45 million cars and trucks in North America at the company’s 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, the company’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

Through our more than 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.), Toyota sold more than 2.4 million cars and trucks (more than 2.1 million in the U.S.) in 2022, of which, nearly one quarter were electrified vehicles (full battery, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell).

21-Year-Old Set to Return for Second Full-Time Campaign with TRICON

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (October 23, 2023) — TRICON Garage (TRICON) announced this afternoon that Dean Thompson will return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at the helm of the No. 5 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro in 2024.

Thompson, who has set career-highs in both top-fives and top-10s, has enjoyed an uptick in performance since joining the TRICON stable, collecting career-best finishes of third place at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway. The Anaheim, CA native currently sits 20th in the NASCAR Truck Series point standings, up three spots from his rookie campaign.

“I’m thrilled to get back with the guys at TRICON next year. We have a chip on our shoulder and are hungry for a playoff run,” said Thompson. “My team has had my back all year and I’m excited to continue this journey with them. We have some unfinished business.”

The 21-year-old prospect has also impressed in limited ARCA Menards Series starts this season, capturing a pair of runner-up finishes and five top-10s while leading 56 laps in just six starts. To add to his diverse racing schedule in 2023, Thompson has competed in select Trans-Am races and collected a Late Model Stock victory at Tri-County Speedway in April.

“Dean has taken a huge leap in his development this season. He’s had several strong runs, instilling confidence in us that he will continue to grow as a driver at this level,” said TRICON Partner David Gilliland. “He brings a lot of character and energy to the team, and we’re happy he’ll have a home at TRICON for another year.”

The closing round of the 2023 Truck Series season will take place at Phoenix Raceway on Friday, November 3. The race will be televised live on FOX Sports 1. Radio coverage will be provided by the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

About TRICON Garage

TRICON Garage is Toyota Racing Development’s flagship NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series organization fielding five full-time Toyota Tundra TRD Pros. Under ownership by former NASCAR driver David Gilliland, businessman Johnny Gray and industry veteran Kevin Ray, TRICON is actively involved in three different industries – racing, fabrication and transportation. The team operates out of three buildings totaling 60,000 square feet in Mooresville, North Carolina.

About Thompson Pipe Group

Headquartered in Southern California, Thompson Pipe Group is a manufacturer of reinforced concrete pipe and box, FLOWTITE® and other pipe solutions for storm water, water transmission, sewage, and industrial applications. Thompson manufactures pipe nationwide and is one of few American-owned companies with the ability to supply water/wastewater piping in the United States and Canada.