Category: Truck Series PR

Talladega Preview
Sat. Sept., 30 | 1PM ET | FS1/MRN/SiriusXM

Talladega Stats

Daniel Dye will make his first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at Talladega on Saturday.

ARCA Starts: 1; Best start: 17th (2022); Best finish: 12th (2022)

2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

Starts: 20; Best start: 5th (Milwaukee); Best finish: 11th (Gateway); Laps led: 5; Current points position: 18th

About KIX Country
WAKX (KIX Country) is a radio station licensed to serve the community of Palm Coast, Florida. The station is owned by Flagler County Broadcasting and the broadcast license is held by Flagler Broadcasting, LLC. WAKX shares radio studios in Bunnell, Florida, with sister stations WBHQ and WNZF.

Chassis History/Info
Dye and the No. 43 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 130 at Talladega. Used as the team’s backup truck earlier this year at Daytona, it has not seen any laps of competition yet. The truck’s first lap on any racetrack will be made in qualifying on Saturday morning.

What If

Last year, in the first time that Dye competed at Talladega Superspeedway, he came ever-so-close to scoring his second ARCA Menards Series victory. Having positioned himself in a great spot to make a move, it appeared that everything had lined up in his favor. On the white flag lap, Daniel took the lead of the race for a brief moment in turns 1-2, but an untimely block saw him spinning down the backstretch, resulting in a 17th place finish. He looks back on this race as one of the toughest moments of his 2022 championship run, where he finished runner up to Nick Sanchez by only 14 points. A good result in the Truck Series race has been high on his list of races that he would like to perform well at.

Bainbridge at Dega

Blake Bainbridge often looks forward to returning to Talladega because of how close the racetrack is to his hometown. Bainbridge was born in nearby Hueytown, Alabama, which is less than one hour away from the site of Saturday’s race. Hueytown has been well-known for its crop of NASCAR legends that call it home, including ‘Alabama Gang’ members Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison, Davey Allison, Neil Bonnett, and Red Farmer, among others.

Blake has called two races in his career as a crew chief, including one NASCAR Xfinity Series race in 2005 and more recently, an ARCA Menards Series race in 2020. The ARCA race resulted in the better finish of his two starts, where Taylor Gray started eighth and finished 13th. This weekend will be Bainbridge’s first Truck Series start at Talladega.

From the Driver’s Seat

You were so close on winning here last year in the ARCA Menards Series race, so does that give you any added confidence to return here in a truck?

“I’m looking forward to getting back to Talladega in a different vehicle than I had there last time. We had good speed there with GMS last year and got towards the front of the pack. I was close to having a shot to win the race before I made a mistake that took us out of contention. But I definitely learned a lot in the two super speedway races I ran last year in the ARCA car and the one at Daytona this year in a truck. I’m hoping to use all the things I learned in those three races and have ourselves a good finish. We are still looking for our first top-10 of the year, and Talladega presents itself as an opportunity to either have a great day or an awful day. Hopefully we’ll be on the great side this time.”

Jack Wood: Driver, No. 51 TrueTimber Chevrolet
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Overview:
Event: Love’s RV Stop 250, Race 21 of 23, 94 Laps- 20/20/54; 250.4 Miles
Location: Talladega Superspeedway (2.66-mile, tri-oval)
Date/Broadcast: Sept. 30, 2023, at 1 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Get to Know Jack:

Jack Wood will make his 11th NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start of 2023 for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) behind the wheel of the No. 51 TrueTimber Chevrolet in Saturday’s Love’s RV Stop 250 at Talladega Superspeedway. TrueTimber – the most realistic, performance-drive camouflage brand in the industry – will serve as the primary sponsor on Jack Wood’s No. 51 Silverado for Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. TrueTimber offers a wide array of clothing items and accessories, featuring a variety of distinct camo patterns that perfectly blend with their surroundings. The company spends countless hours researching, testing and seeking new technology to produce the most effective and lifelike camouflage patterns possible. TrueTimber products can be found in retailers across the United States and Canada, and it continues to be one of the fastest-growing camouflage companies in the world. For more information about TrueTimber, visit TrueTimber.com.

Wood has finished inside the top 10 in two of his 10 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 six of 10 Truck Series events this season, with a season-best qualifying effort of second coming at Texas. Last week at Bristol, he qualified seventh and was running inside the top 10 when he got turned from behind early in the opening stanza, ending his night and relegating him to a 36th-place finish. Across 45 career Truck Series starts, Wood has produced four laps led and three top-10 finishes.

The 23-year-old driver has two top-five and six top-10 finishes with an average result of 10.4 across eight ARCA Menards Series starts this season for Rev Racing. 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.

The No. 51 team qualified for the 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 20 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 14.2. 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 race at Talladega in the Truck Series. He captured the pole and was victorious in the spring Cup Series race at the 2.66-mile track with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in 2017. Juan Pablo Montoya captured two Cup Series poles (2009 and 2010) with Pattie. Joe Nemechek won the NASCAR Xfinity Series race with Pattie calling the shots in 2000 and the duo also won two Xfinity poles (2001 and 2003).

Wood’s Chevrolet will carry associate sponsorship from Bass Pro Shops – North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company – and Zariz – a fast growing intermodal drayage company specializing in transporting containers from the ports – for Saturday’s 94-lap event.
Jack Wood, Driver Q&A:

After having speed at Daytona and Atlanta, how excited are you for this race?

“Obviously the KBM trucks were fast at Atlanta and Daytona. Talladega is a fun race, but it is a race for survival. I think it’s a good chance for the two KBM trucks and our alliance partner, Rev Racing, to work together and have ourselves a good finish. We should have strength in numbers and be able to qualify up front and be in control of the race. The truck races are so short that you don’t have time to drop to the back and try to avoid wrecks. You’ve got to be up front and be one of the five trucks or so in the first two rows to go win. It should be fun.”

How does racing at Talladega compare to racing at Daytona?

“I think the apron isn’t as aggressive at Talladega so you can race harder in the corners. Guys are willing to race a little harder than they are at Daytona. We don’t have another superspeedway race until next season now, so a lot of guys are going to be aggressive, especially the playoff drivers that need to win. It’s going to be hotter, and the surface is a little more worn out and the track is wider so it will be more aggressive racing than Daytona.”

Talk about having TrueTimber on the truck this week?

“It’s exciting to have TrueTimber on the truck as well as our associate sponsors Bass Pro Shops and Zariz Transport. It’s great having everyone come together to help us get out to the track. This is probably one of my favorite paint schemes I’ve ever had on a race car — it turned out pretty sweet. Thankful to Rusty Sellars (CEO, TrueTimber) and all the people at TrueTimber that helped back this. I had the opportunity to go down to their plant near Spartanburg, South Carolina and had the opportunity to meet a lot of the people and check out what they do there. It will be fun to have them at the racetrack, especially at a cool place like Talladega.”

Jack Wood Career Highlights:

• Has produced three top-10 finishes across 45 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 TrueTimber Chevrolet Silverado RST:

KBM-27: The No. 51 TrueTimber team will unload KBM-27 for Saturday’s race at Talladega. Wood qualified third and was relegated to a 27th-place finish with this same Silverado in a rain-shortened Truck Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway in February. The other start KBM-27 made was at Talladega in 2021 with Drew Dollar.

KBM Notes of Interest:

• KBM drivers have collected two wins, three poles, 116 laps led, 10 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.0 across 34 starts at Talladega. Raphael Lessard collected the first victory of Truck Series career at the 2.66-mile tri-oval in 2021 and owner-driver Kyle Busch was victorious in the 2010 event when he finished 0.002 seconds ahead of Aric Almirola in the closest finish in Truck Series history since electronic scoring was instituted.
• KBM holds the Craftsman Truck Series records for most career wins (100) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). 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.

Chase Purdy: Driver, No. 4 Bama Buggies Chevrolet
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Overview:
Event: Love’s RV Stop 250, Race 21 of 23, 94 Laps- 20/20/54; 250.4 Miles
Location: Talladega Superspeedway (2.66-mile, tri-oval)
Date/Broadcast: Sept. 30, 2023, at 1 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

‘Chase’n Wins:

Chase Purdy and the No. 4 team head to Talladega Superspeedway for Saturday’s Love’s RV Stop 250. Purdy is looking to close out his debut season with KBM strong to gain momentum towards a championship run in 2024. He has qualified inside the top 10 in five of the last six races, including earning his first career pole at Kansas Speedway two races ago. The Bama Buggies driver is coming off a solid effort in the Truck Series’ last stop at Bristol Motor Speedway where he qualified third and finished eighth.

The 23-year-old driver 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 20 races in his first season at KBM, including a career-best runner-up finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April. He has also produced a career-high nine top-10 finishes this season, after posting just two each in 2021 and 2022.

The Mississippi native had a strong run in last year’s Truck Series race at Talladega, which he considers his home track, leading six laps and bringing home a season-best seventh-place finish. Purdy also scored a top-10 finish at the 2.66-mile tri-oval in 2021, when he came home ninth. He qualified second and led four laps in his lone ARCA Menards Series start at the Alabama track in 2018 but was relegated to a 25th-place finish after a late crash.

The No. 4 team will be rolling out KBM-13, which is the same chassis that John Hunter Nemechek captured the pole and led 20 laps with for last year’s Talladega race. Nemechek also piloted this chassis at Talladega in 2021, when he led 11 laps and was leading coming to the checkered flag when he got turned by another competitor, relegating him to a fourth-place result as he slid across the start-finish line.

Purdy 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.

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 Talladega. He earned a ninth-place finish with John Wes Townley 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:

After leading laps there last year, how excited are you to get back to Talladega?

“Absolutely. Obviously, it’s a home race for me. It was special last year to have my school, where I went to college, on the truck and have a good day. We hope to go back there this year and do the same, but this time be seven spots better. I feel like I always have my best foot forward going there since it’s my home track and I’ll have a lot of family and friends there. I’ll be staying there the whole weekend, so I have a lot of expectations for it.”

The KBM trucks had great speed at Daytona. Do you feel like that will carry over to Talladega?

“We were upset with how qualifying went earlier this year at Daytona after we felt like we were in great position to get the pole but cut a tire in the first round and weren’t able to make a lap in the second round. It would be a big deal for me to get the pole at Talladega and go up there and lead laps, being that I consider it my home track. The Daytona truck was probably the best speedway truck I’ve ever had. We will bring that same package on our Bama Buggies Silverado to Talladega so we should be really good.”

How does the racing differ between Daytona and Talladega?

“Talladega just seems to be wider. The second lane just works better for the trucks at Talladega than at Daytona. I think you will see more two and three-wide racing than what you saw at Daytona in February.”

Chase Purdy Career Highlights:

• Across 72 career Truck Series starts, has produced one pole, 21 laps led, two top-five and 14 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-13: The No. 4 Bama Buggies team will unload KBM-13 for Saturday’s race at Talladega. Purdy qualified 10th and finished 17th in this year’s Truck Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway with this Silverado. This chassis has won two pole awards at Talladega, with John Hunter Nemechek last year and with Christopher Bell in 2017. KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch captured KBM-13’s lone victory at Daytona in 2014.

KBM Notes of Interest:

• KBM drivers have collected two wins, three poles, 116 laps led, 10 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 12.0 across 34 starts at Talladega. Raphael Lessard collected the first victory of Truck Series career at the 2.66-mile tri-oval in 2021 and owner-driver Kyle Busch was victorious in the 2010 event when he finished 0.002 seconds ahead of Aric Almirola in the closest finish in Truck Series history since electronic scoring was instituted.
• KBM holds the Craftsman Truck Series records for most career wins (100) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). KBM 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.

Race Information

• Round: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race no. 21 of 23 (Playoffs Round of 8)
• Track Location: Talladega Superspeedway – Talladega, Alabama
• Race Name: Love’s RV Stop 250
• Broadcast: Saturday, September 30th at 1:00 PM ET live on FS1 (TV), MRN (Radio), and Sirius XM NASCAR Channel 90
• Team Entrants:

No. 23 | Grant Enfinger & Jeff Hensley – Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet
No. 24 | Rajah Caruth & Chad Walter – Wendell Scott Foundation Chevrolet
No. 43 | Daniel Dye & Blake Bainbridge – Solar-Fit / LiftedTrucksForSale.com Chevrolet

Grant Enfinger, No. 23 Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet Silverado RST

Talladega Superspeedway Stats

• NCTS Starts: 9; Wins: 1 (2016); Best start: 2nd (2016); Top 5s: 2; Top 10s: 3; Laps led: 96
• ARCA Starts: 6; Poles: 1 (2014); Best finish: 3rd (2009); Top 5s: 1; Top 10s: 3; Laps led: 89

2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

• Starts: 20; Wins: 3 (Kansas I, WWT Raceway, Milwaukee); Poles: 1 (Milwaukee); Stage wins: 3; Top 5s: 8; Top 10s: 11; Laps led: 232; Current points position: 4th (+14 to the cutline)
• About Champion Power Equipment: Since 2003, Champion Power Equipment has earned a reputation for designing and producing the market’s finest power equipment. From our original headquarters in Santa Fe Springs, California, Champion has expanded its North American footprint to include facilities in Jackson, Tennessee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Toronto Canada. Today, Champion’s product line has expanded to include portable generators, home standby generators, inverter generators, engines, winches and log splitters. With over 2.5 million generators sold in North America, Champion is a market leader in the power equipment field. Visit ChampionPowerEquipment.com for more information.
• Chassis History/Info: Enfinger and the No. 23 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 146 in Talladega. This truck was purpose-built for the super speedways over the off season, only racing one time before in this year’s season opener. Grant qualified 16th and finished fifth with it in Daytona after scoring points in both stages.
• Bristol Recap: Survive and advance was the keynote for the No. 23 team in the previous race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Starting from the 13th position in a race that was difficult to pull off many passes, Enfinger and crew utilized strategy to gain track position by only pitting once throughout the night. This call proved to be a great one, as it resulted in a fifth place run in stage two, and ultimately, a third place finish at the drop of the checkered flag.
• Sweet Home Alabama: The pride of Fairhope, Alabama returns to his home racetrack this weekend, and has always considered Talladega as one of his favorite races of the season. The local fans have showed their support of Grant for years, usually receiving some of the most cheers during driver introductions. There will be no shortage of No. 23 flags flying high throughout the enormous campgrounds this weekend.
• First Truck Series Start: Enfinger made his CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut at Talladega back in 2010. Starting from the 12th position, the Alabama native would hang tough with the pack through his first race, until he was ultimately sidelined just four laps from the finish and credited with a 22nd place finish. 170 races later, Grant will make his 10th Truck Series start at Talladega on Saturday.
• Past Talladega Winner: Running on a limited Truck Series schedule in 2016, Talladega was one of only eight races on Grant Enfinger’s radar. Knowing that he had something to prove to keep his name relevant in the sport, he gave it his all and put it all out on the line. Enfinger qualified on the front row and stayed up front all race long, leading 45 laps en route to his first-career victory. A special day for those who root for the home team, Enfinger was able to celebrate his first win with several close family members and friends that attended the race.
• Hensley at Talladega: Jeff Hensley is one of the only crew chiefs that has contended in every single NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race ever held at Talladega. Making 17 starts since the inaugural race, his drivers have finished in the top-10 eight times including a pair of runner up finishes with Mike Skinner in 2006 and Spencer Gallagher in 2016. Hensley has also called 10 NASCAR Xfinity Series races at ‘Dega, holding one top-10 finish – a seventh place result in 2000.
• GMS at ‘Dega: GMS Racing has won three races at Talladega Superspeedway across two national series. Enfinger was the team’s first Truck Series driver to score a victory at the track in 2016, and in 2018, it was Timothy Peters that ran away with the checkered flag. Earlier that year, GMS broke through to win their first, and only win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, won by Spencer Gallagher.
• FearTheFinger Playoffs Profile: Currently fourth in CRAFTSMAN Truck Series points, Enfinger heads to Talladega with a slim 14 point buffer to the Round of 8 cut line. His three race wins at Kansas Speedway, WWT Raceway, and the Milwaukee Mile are tied for the most of any driver in the series, but strong finishes in the next two races will be crucial to determine his Championship 4 eligibility.
• Roll Tide: A huge University of Alabama football fanatic, Grant has shared similar interests with iconic NASCAR personality and former crew chief, Larry McReynolds, over the Crimson Tide. In nearly every one of his interviews with McReynolds, the two always make it a point to give a big ole’ “Roll Tide” shoutout over the air.
• Breast Cancer Awareness: As we enter the month of October, a team tradition that has taken place for many years will continue for the next two races at Talladega Superspeedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway. All three GMS Racing trucks will carry pink ribbons onboard to honor family members of the respective truck’s crew members that have been affected by breast cancer.
• From The Drivers Seat: You earned your first Truck Series win with GMS Racing here, how special would it be to cap off your time with the team with another win at home?

“Yeah, it was a huge day for my career back in 2016 when we were able to get the win at Talladega in front of the hometown and all the friends and family. There were a lot of people that were at that race that have been instrumental in my career and all the opportunities that I had to that point. So that will always be one of the most special moments that I’ve had in my career. To come back and do it again with our last opportunity to run in that race with GMS Racing would be special from a personal standpoint, but it would be pretty big career-wise to be able to lock ourselves into the Championship 4.

Obviously, that’s the goal for all of us; but there’s only one of the eight that can sleep well at night not having to stress out about this race, and that’s Corey [Heim]. I think our game plan is to try and be aggressive, and hopefully get some stage points. We want to be able to contend for the win. I think there’s some different strategies that teams are going to use; I think some guys are going to try and play it safe, and some guys that have nothing to lose are going to race for the win. We’re not one of those guys, but we’re definitely going to be aggressive. We’ve first got to have enough speed in our Champion Power Equipment Chevy, and hopefully the rest will all take care of itself.”

• From The Pit Box (Jeff Hensley): Your team was able to capitalize on stage points and a good finish at Daytona to start the season off, but will your focus change for this superspeedway?

“If you’re getting stage points, that means you are closer to the front, which hopefully means that you’re out of all the trouble. So, I think it kind of goes hand and hand – stage points and track position. We’re just going to have to play our strategy by ear. Things change during that race a lot from lap to lap, so we just have to see how everything plays out, honestly. We would like to score as many stage points as we can, maybe even win a stage, because that will help us out and set us up to where we can race for the win at the end, hopefully.”

Rajah Caruth, No. 24 Wendell Scott Foundation Chevrolet Silverado RST

Talladega Superspeedway Stats

• Rajah Caruth will compete in his first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Talladega on Saturday.
• ARCA Starts: 1; Best start: 19th (2022); Best finish: 6th (2022); Top 10s: 1; Laps led: 6

2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

• Starts: 20; Best start: 3rd (Nashville); Best finish: 6th (Darlington & Bristol); Top 10s: 3; Laps led: 1; Current points position: 17th
• 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.

• Chassis History/Info: Caruth and the No. 24 team will race with GMS chassis no. 129 at Talladega Superspeedway. This chassis has competed in 11 plate track races since 2017, and was driven to a victory at Daytona International Speedway in 2018 with Johnny Sauter. In six Talladega starts, the chassis has finished inside the top-10 three times including a best run of fourth with Brett Moffitt in 2019. Rajah drove this truck at Daytona this year, finishing in the 29th position after becoming involved in a late-race crash.
• Bristol Recap: Rajah was quick all day in the last race held at Bristol Motor Speedway, starting out the event in fifth – which was his fourth top-five qualifying result of the season. Caruth ran inside the top-10 all race long, taking points in stage one (sixth) and stage two (ninth). Using the same strategy of Enfinger, Rajah would only pit once all night. Like his teammate, the call paid off, resulting in a sixth place finish. This tied Caruth’s best-career result, also finishing sixth earlier in the year at Darlington.
• Closing in on the Top-15: The No. 24 team has quietly been making some serious ground in the points standings over the course of the past four Truck Series races. Following his sixth place finish in Bristol, Rajah Caruth is now only 20 points behind Taylor Gray in 16th and 22 behind Tyler Ankrum in 15th for the championship points. There are three solid chances to move the rookie up a couple of spots in the standings before the end of the year.
• Walter at Talladega: Chad Walter has made two Truck Series starts at Talladega, finishing as high as 16th with Tyler Ankrum in 2020. He has also competed in nine Xfinity Series races held at this track, with highlights including two top-five runs. Walter’s drivers Kyle Busch and Casey Mears finished third in back-to-back seasons in 2006 and 2007.
• Wendell Scott at Talladega: NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee, Wendell Scott, drove in five NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega in the early 1970’s. Scott finished in the top-20 twice, and his best finish at this track was a 19th place run in the spring of 1971. He made the penultimate start of his career in 1973 with what he said was the best car that he ever raced, but suffered a large crash early on that left him 55th in the running order.
• STEM Activity: In the spirit of giving back and growing interest of the sport, Rajah Caruth and Chad Walter will meet with a group of local seventh grade students who are attending the race on behalf of NASCAR. Thanks to a program put together by First Bank of Alabama, these students will be able to engage and learn about the importance of STEM fields within the industry. The driver/crew chief duo will explain several key aspects regarding communication, team work, and execution that go into every race weekend.
• From The Driver’s Seat: You’ve only had one prior super speedway race under your belt in the Truck Series, so what was your biggest “learning moment” from Daytona?

“Daytona feels like it was an eternity ago, but I was able to learn a lot in my first Truck Series race there back in February. I found out first hand how much these trucks like to move around in the draft, as well as the decisiveness necessary to make moves and being able to chill for a second. You don’t need to lead every lap in these races, and I learned a lot of the importance of setting yourself up for the finish, because you need to be around for the end of the race. I feel like our Wendell Scott Foundation team proved that they can bring one of the fastest trucks to the racetrack at these plate-style races, and hopefully I have gained enough respect of the other drivers out there to give them confidence in working with me here this weekend.”

Daniel Dye, No. 43 Solar-Fit / LiftedTrucksForSale.com Chevrolet Silverado RST

Talladega Superspeedway Stats

• Daniel Dye will make his first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at Talladega on Saturday.
• ARCA Starts: 1; Best start: 17th (2022); Best finish: 12th (2022)

2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

• Starts: 20; Best start: 5th (Milwaukee); Best finish: 11th (Gateway); Laps led: 5; Current points position: 18th
• About Solar-Fit: Since 1975, Solar-Fit has been Florida’s first choice for solar energy. Serving customers in seven counties (Volusia, Flagler, St. Johns, Clay, Putnam, Nassau, and Duval), Solar-Fit solar systems help heat pools, power appliances, and generate the most energy for homes and businesses in our community. Solar-Fit is a Tesla Powerwall Certified Installer. We are ranked one of America’s Top Solar Contractors by Solar Power World. For more information, visit www.solar-fit.com.
• About Race To Stop Suicide: Founded by Daniel and Randy Dye, this nationally recognized nonprofit focuses on raising awareness and breaking down the stigma surrounding suicide. The organization offers introductory educational material, including signs to watch for and guidelines for engaging with family and friends who may be at risk. One of its key initiatives is to make critical resources easily accessible, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the 988 emergency number. For further details, visit www.racetostopsuicide.com.
• Chassis History/Info: Dye and the No. 43 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 130 at Talladega. Used as the team’s backup truck earlier this year at Daytona, it has not seen any laps of competition yet. The truck’s first lap on any racetrack will be made in qualifying on Saturday morning.
• Bristol Recap: After qualifying 16th in the last race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Daniel and the No. 43 Champion Container team finished in the 21st position. Citing the difficulty to pass, Dye appeared to be trapped deep in the pack despite the crew making adjustments to improve on his handling. Daniel currently is placed in 18th for the drivers points standings.
• What If?: Last year, in the first time that Dye competed at Talladega Superspeedway, he came ever-so-close to scoring his second ARCA Menards Series victory. Having positioned himself in a great spot to make a move, it appeared that everything had lined up in his favor. On the white flag lap, Daniel took the lead of the race for a brief moment in turns 1-2, but an untimely block saw him spinning down the backstretch, resulting in a 17th place finish. He looks back on this race as one of the toughest moments of his 2022 championship run, where he finished runner up to Nick Sanchez by only 14 points. A good result in the Truck Series race has been high on his list of races that he would like to perform well at.
• Crew Chief’s Home Race: Blake Bainbridge often looks forward to returning to Talladega because of how close the racetrack is to his hometown. Bainbridge was born in nearby Hueytown, Alabama, which is less than one hour away from the site of Saturday’s race. Hueytown has been well-known for its crop of NASCAR legends that call it home, including ‘Alabama Gang’ members Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison, Davey Allison, Neil Bonnett, and Red Farmer, among others.
• Bainbridge at Talladega: Blake has called two races in his career as a crew chief, including one NASCAR Xfinity Series race in 2005 and more recently, an ARCA Menards Series race in 2020. The ARCA race resulted in the better finish of his two starts, where Taylor Gray started eighth and finished 13th. This weekend will be Bainbridge’s first Truck Series start at Talladega.
• Xfinity Series Debut: Though the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series was off last weekend, Daniel Dye made the trek to Texas Motor Speedway where he made the first NASCAR Xfinity Series start of his young career. Driving the No. 44 Champion Container Chevrolet for Alpha Prime Racing, Dye first needed to qualify his way into the show, which he had no issues in doing so – starting in the 26th position. Having narrowly avoided several moments of chaos directly in front of him, Daniel kept his car clean all race long. Despite a late-race spin, Dye never put a foot wrong all day in Texas, bringing the car home in 17th place. His finish tied APR’s best result of the season, which was ironically delivered by his GMS teammate, Rajah Caruth.
• From The Driver’s Seat: You were so close on winning here last year in the ARCA Menards Series race, so does that give you any added confidence to return here in a truck?

“I’m looking forward to getting back to Talladega in a different vehicle than I had there last time. We had good speed there with GMS last year and got towards the front of the pack. I was close to having a shot to win the race before I made a mistake that took us out of contention. But I definitely learned a lot in the two super speedway races I ran last year in the ARCA car and the one at Daytona this year in a truck. I’m hoping to use all the things I learned in those three races and have ourselves a good finish. We are still looking for our first top-10 of the year, and Talladega presents itself as an opportunity to either have a great day or an awful day. Hopefully we’ll be on the great side this time.”

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.

Mooresville, NC (September 25, 2023) – Spencer Boyd proudly announced that Alabama Roofing Professionals, the leading residential and commercial roofer in the state, will be the primary sponsor for the No. 12 Silverado at the Love’s Travel Stop 250 at Talladega Speedway this weekend.

Spencer Boyd reflected on the continued support from Alabama Roofing Professionals. “There’s obviously a special place in my heart for Alabama Roofing Professionals. They were there for my first win and they’ve been there every year since. I’m happy to see their growth into Texas and Florida and delighted to have them on my truck again at Dega.”

This year, Alabama Roofing Professionals expanded with locations in Texas and Florida under the name American Roofing Professionals.

“It’s been a very busy year,” commented Mike Parlier, owner of Alabama Roofing Professionals. “We’ve seen great growth in Alabama, and we were extra excited the first time we had roofs going on in three states. Spencer has been an important part of our company so supporting him is important to us. On top of that, we love sports so being supporters of local high school teams to the Crimson Tide says to our customers that we care about what they care about.”

Alabama Roofing Professionals is the Official Roofer of the University of Alabama Athletics.

“We’ve got some redemption on the menu this week. I love plate racing so with a terrible dad joke intended here, I am ready to eat after the past few servings at the big tracks,” said Boyd.

The Love’s Travel Stop 250 at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday, September 30, 2023 airs live on FS1 at 1:00pm ET and marks Alabama Roofing Professionals fourth primary race with Spencer Boyd and Young’s Motorsports.

About Alabama Roofing Professionals
It’s in our name, Alabama Roofing Professionals: we consider ourselves roofing pros. If it involves your roof, we’re the guys that you can trust to get the job done. We offer new roofs, roof inspections, roofing repairs, and a variety of other services to cater to the needs of every customer in the area. If you need the job done, our experts have you covered. Give us a call at 205-722-ROOF (7663) and speak to one of our highly-trained professionals about your roofing needs or to request your free estimate. We’d love to hear from you. Visit us on the web at www.alroofpros.com.

Brett Moffitt to Race No. 34 FR8 Racing/Fr8Auctions.com Ford F-150 Throwback Scheme

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (September 25, 2023) – A 12-time winner and the 2018 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Champion will join the 2022 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Champion Zane Smith at the Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway this Saturday. Front Row Motorsports (FRM), FR8 Racing and Fr8Auctions.com will enter Brett Moffit in the No. 34 Ford F-150. Seth Barbour will be the crew chief for the team.

It will be a reunion for Moffitt and FRM. Moffitt raced in the NASCAR Cup Series for FRM and now returns to debut the No. 34 Ford F-150 in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. It also continues the partnership between Moffitt and FRM, Fr8Auctions.com and now FR8 Racing.

The No. 34 FR8 Racing/Fr8Auctions.com scheme is a throwback to the first look that FRM, Fr8 and Moffitt raced together in 2015 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. The red, black and silver scheme mirrors that of the Cup car that weekend.

“I really want to thank Bob Jenkins, Marcus Barela at Fr8Auctions.com and FR8 Racing for this opportunity,” said Moffitt. “It’s really cool to have this opportunity in the truck series again, especially with a championship team. I always loved my time at FRM and now we’re back together again with the same scheme that we all raced together- all the credit goes to the people at Fr8 for making that idea come together. I can’t wait to go race for a win and help Zane in his title defense.”

Moffitt comes to Talladega with three previous truck series starts at the track. He has one top-five and two top-10 finishes at the superspeedway. His best finish is fourth.

The FR8 Racing logo will be on the hood of the No. 34 Ford F-150 with Fr8Auctions.com on the sides of the truck.

“There is no better track than Talladega for all of us to reunite and go for the win,” said Marcus Barela, Owner, Fr8Auctions and FR8Racing. “Brett is a champion driver and FRM is a championship team. We’re excited to partner for this race and debut the No. 34 truck for Front Row Motorsports. The throwback scheme looks great and it brings back a lot of great memories. We’re ready to make more on Saturday.”

The No. 34 FR8 Racing and Fr8Auctions.com Ford F-150 is scheduled to debut Saturday at 1:30 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.

TEAM AND RACE NOTES:

Zane Smith returns to the Texas Motor Speedway this weekend, this time, in the No. 38 Ford Mustang for Front Row Motorsports (FRM). Smith will be making his eighth NASCAR Cup Series start.

Ambetter Health will make their primary NASCAR Cup Series debut this weekend as they ride with Smith and the No. 38 Ford Mustang team for the 267-lap event.

Ambetter Health is a health insurance offering that is available on the Health Insurance Marketplace, or exchange, established by the Affordable Care Act.

It is one of the healthcare programs provided by Centene Corporation, a leading healthcare enterprise. Ambetter Health is made available through local health plans and covers a wide variety of healthcare services, including preventive and wellness services, maternity and newborn care, pediatric services, mental health and substance misuse services, prescription drug coverage, and more.

Track activity will begin with practice and qualifying on Saturday at 12:35 p.m. ET. Sunday’s 400-mile race is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on the USA Network.

COMPETITION NOTES:

Smith heads to the Texas Motor Speedway looking to best his 10th-place finish at the grueling Coca-Cola 600 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in May. The finish was Smith’s first top-10 in NASCAR Cup Series in only seven starts in one of NASCAR’s crown jewels.

The Huntington Beach, California native finished 17th in his Cup Series debut in 2022 and qualified into his first Daytona 500 this season by racing into the prestigious event through his 150-mile qualifier. Smith ended his first Daytona 500 in 13th.

This past weekend, Smith announced that he’ll race in full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2024.

Smith last competed at the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway oval in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in April. He finished fifth in the first two stages but was involved in a late race incident while leading at the white flag. He finished 14th in the event.

CREW CHIEF RYAN BERGENTY:

“I am excited to be working with Zane again. He has proven himself again and again in the truck series and his 10th-place finish in the Coke 600 further proved that he is a contender on Sunday’s.

“This will be another learning experience for Zane, but I know that we’ll have a car that he can go and prove himself again.”

DRIVER ZANE SMITH:

“I’m really excited for the opportunity to get back into the seat of a Cup car this weekend thanks to Ambetter Health and Front Row Motorsports. We had a really great run at Charlotte the last time I ran Cup and Ryan (Bergenty) and the entire team have been helpful in getting me prepared for this race. Texas is a tough track, but I feel good about the preparation for 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.

Team: No. 42 Worldwide Express Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Carson Hocevar (Portage, Michigan) | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Follow the Team: Twitter: @NieceMotorsport | Instagram: @NieceMotorsports | Facebook: /NieceMotorsports | Web: www.niecemotorsports.com
Follow Carson Hocevar: Twitter: @CarsonHocevar | Instagram: @CarsonHocevar | Facebook: /carsonhocevarracing | Web: www.CarsonHocevar.com

Start: 2nd | Finish: 4th | Driver Point Standings: 3rd

Hocevar on Thursday’s Race at Bristol: “I’m proud of everyone at Niece Motorsports for building such a fast Worldwide Express Chevrolet,” said Carson Hocevar. “I think we had a better truck than fourth-place, but it was just so hard to pass out there tonight – the groove didn’t widen out as much as we’d hoped. Still, fourth is a good points day and it gives us a little cushion heading into Talladega.”

Race Recap: Hocevar and the No. 42 Worldwide Express team nearly claimed the pole on Thursday afternoon, ending up with a second-place starting position for the 200-lap race at Bristol Motor Speedway. On a night where track position proved to be king, Hocevar and team were able to maintain position toward the front of the field for the entirety of Thursday night’s race, collecting stage positions in the first and second stage and ultimately crossing the line in fourth.

About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2023, Niece Motorsports enters its eighth 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 Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Media Inquiries: media@niecemotorsports.com | www.niecemotorsports.com

About Worldwide Express:
The WWEX group of brands, which comprises Worldwide Express, Unishippers and GlobalTranz, offers full-service logistics expertise to more than 115,000 customers across the country. With access to industry-leading small package, truckload, less-than-truckload and managed transportation solutions, its customers benefit from enhanced visibility and value for their supply chains. The company is the second-largest privately held freight brokerage and largest non-retail UPS Authorized Reseller® in the U.S., with an annual systemwide revenue nearing $5 billion through a network of company-owned, franchise and agent locations. A highly selective carrier portfolio, proprietary technology, unique data assets and business intelligence capabilities provide clients with unmatched options and flexibility to meet their shipping needs. The WWEX Racing initiative was borne of a desire to address the complex but underserved logistic needs of the performance motorsports industry, using the unique combination of capabilities offered by the three brands’ combined 80+ years of insight. To learn more about the WWEX Racing program, visit www.wwexracing.com. For media inquiries, contact racing@wwex.com.

Team: No. 45 AUTOChargit Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Lawless Alan (Los Angeles, California) | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
Follow the Team: Twitter: @NieceMotorsport | Instagram: @NieceMotorsports | Facebook: /NieceMotorsports | Web: www.niecemotorsports.com
Follow Lawless Alan: Twitter: @lawlessalan25 | Instagram: @lawless_alan | Facebook: /LawlessAlanRacing | Web: www.lawlessalanracing.com

Start: 22nd | Finish: 28th | Driver Point Standings: 23rd

Alan on Thursday’s Race at Bristol: “I think we had a stronger truck than the results show,” said Lawless Alan. “It was just so tough to pass tonight. Track position was the name of the game. I’m proud of everyone for their hard work on our AUTOChargit Chevrolet. We’ll regroup and get ready for Talladega, where anything can happen.”

Race Recap: Alan qualified his No. 45 AUTOChargit Chevrolet in the 28th-position for Thursday night’s 200-Lap event at Bristol Motor Speedway. On a night where passing was difficult, Alan and team battled hard to get track position. Alan would ultimately end the day in 28th.

About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2023, Niece Motorsports enters its eighth 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 Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

Media Inquiries: media@niecemotorsports.com | www.niecemotorsports.com

About AUTOParkit:
AUTOParkit™ designs, manufactures, and constructs fully automated parking systems for new and existing buildings. AUTOParkit system structural steel and modular design can provide double the capacity of a traditional parking garage, providing up to 17 LEED points and drastically reducing construction time.

AUTOParkit automated systems are 40 percent less expensive to operate, safer for the user and reduces carbon emissions associated with parking by more than 80 percent. AUTOParkit’s charging pallets provided by AUTOChargit, are a fast and convenient way of charging EVs and Hybrids. AUTOChargit’s patented technology allows for shuffling charged vehicles cutting infrastructure costs by up to 80 percent.

For more information on AUTOParkit, visit www.autoparkit.com

About AUTOChargit:
AUTOChargit designs, manufactures and installs EV charging systems for automated and conventional parking applications. AUTOChargit can decrease capital expenditures by up to 75 percent by providing automated coupling and decoupling of EV charging stalls from the power source. For conventional parking applications, a single 40-AMP circuit coupled with a single AUTOChargit System can be multiplexed to four, eight, or 12 stalls. Each charging stall is individually metered for the exact tracking of electricity usage. The AUTOParkit Mobile APP provides a touchless experience for the user.