Category: Truck Series PR

Chase Purdy: Driver, No. 4 Bama Buggies Chevrolet

 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Overview:

Event: CRC Brakleen 150, Race 15 of 23, 60 Laps – 15/15/30; 150 Miles

Location: Pocono Raceway (2.5-mile tri-oval)

Date/Broadcast: July 22, 2023, at noon ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

‘Chase’n a Playoff Spot:

Chase Purdy and the No. 4 Bama Buggies team head to Pocono Raceway for Saturday’s CRC Brakleen 150 continuing to battle for a spot in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series playoffs. Purdy enters the 60-lap event 13th in the Truck Series point standings, with just two races remaining in the regular season and 10 drivers qualifying for the playoffs. Over the last five races, Purdy has registered an average finish of 9.6 with three top-10 results. Unfortunately, during that span he has gone from being 40 points below the cutoff line to 49 points below. In the Truck Series’ last stop at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, he came from the 24th starting position to finish 13th.

Across three Truck Series starts at Pocono, Purdy has an average finish of 15.7 with a best result of 11th coming in last year’s race. He also has competed in two ARCA Menards Series races at the Pennsylvania track, producing an average finish of 6.0 with a best result of third coming in the July race in 2018.

The Mississippi native entered the 2022 season having never earned a top-five result in Truck Series action but has produced two across 14 races in his first season at Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM), including a career-best runner-up finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April. He has already produced a career-high seven top-10 finishes this season, after posting just two each in 2021 and 2022.

Purdy will be trying to etch his mark in the KBM historical archives this weekend at Pocono as he looks to collect the organization’s 100th NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory. KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch collected KBM’s record-extending 99th career victory with his triumph at Las Vegas Motor Speedway earlier this year leaving his organization one shy of the century mark. Overall, 18 different drivers have won at least one race behind the wheel of a KBM truck, led by Busch’s 47. Four drivers rank second on the list with seven victories: William Byron, Christopher Bell, Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek. Seven of KBM’s wins have come at Pocono. Starting with Busch’s win in 2015, a KBM driver has won seven of the last eight Truck Series events at Pocono, including Chandler Smith last year. The exception was Ross Chastain’s win in 2019.

The 23-year-old driver is in his third full-time season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and first with KBM. He enters Friday’s race having totaled two top-five, 12 top-10 finishes, and 20 laps led across his 66 career Truck Series starts. Purdy 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, with a season-best finish of seventh coming at Talladega Superspeedway in October.

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. Villeneuve has been on top of the pit box for two races at Pocono with a best result of 11th coming with Todd Bodine in the 2013 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:

What is the trickiest part of “The Tricky Triangle?

“I would definitely say the tunnel turn. It’s rough and I think every time that you go through it guys just kind of hold their breath because it’s hard to keep your truck stable — it gets really light through there.”

How does having such short stage lengths affect how the race plays out at Pocono?

“I think it puts a bigger emphasis on qualifying. It’s important to put down a good lap because you don’t want to get behind the eight ball before the race even starts. You don’t want to have to play strategy to get yourself track position and try to contend; you want to be able to contend from the drop of the green flag. In a situation like we are in, we need to go out there and run up front, lead laps and try everything that we can to put ourselves in a position to win the race.”

Chase Purdy Career Highlights:

• Across 66 career Truck Series starts, has produced 20 laps led, two top-five and 12 top-10 finishes. Posted a career-best runner-up finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April of 2023.
• 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-79: The No. 4 Bama Buggies team will unload KBM-79, a brand new Silverado, for Saturday’s race at Pocono Raceway.

KBM Notes of Interest:

• Across 32 starts at Pocono, KBM drivers have earned seven wins, two poles, 325 laps led, 17 top-five and 25 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 8.8 and an average finish of 8.5.
• Chandler Smith picked up the organization’s most recent win at Pocono last year. KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch has tallied two wins (2015 and 2018) at the 2.5-mile track while Smith (2022), John Hunter Nemechek (2021), Brandon Jones (2020), Christopher Bell (2017), and William Byron (2016) each have one win.
• KBM holds the Craftsman Truck Series records for most career wins (99) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway last year, Corey Heim became the 18th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven owner’s championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
• The No. 4 has 18 career victories at KBM and was the number for both of the organization’s driver championships.

Kyle Busch: Driver, No. 51 Zariz Transport Chevrolet

 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Overview:

Event: CRC Brakleen 150, Race 15 of 23, 60 Laps – 15/15/30; 150 Miles

Location: Pocono Raceway (2.5-mile tri-oval)

Date/Broadcast: July 22, 2023, at noon ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

The Report on ‘Rowdy’:

KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch makes his fifth and final Craftsman Truck Series start of 2023 behind the wheel of the No. 51 Zariz Transport Silverado in Saturday’s 60-lap event at Pocono Raceway. Busch opened his 2023 Truck Series schedule with a dominant victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March and has two runner-up finishes this season. In his most recent start, he finished seventh at Kansas Speedway in May. Including his 2023 results, Busch has an average finish of 3.16 over his last 30 Truck Series starts while recording 15 wins and nine runner-up finishes during that span.

The Las Vegas native has two victories (2015 and 2018) across five career starts in Truck Series action at “The Tricky Triangle.” In his most recent Truck Series start at the 2.5-mile tri-oval he finished second to his KBM teammate John Hunter Nemechek in the 2021 event. Starting with Busch’s win in 2015, a KBM driver has won seven of the last eight Truck Series events at Pocono, including Chandler Smith’s victory last year. Busch also has four Cup Series wins (2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021) and one Xfinity Series triumph (2018) at Pocono.

Busch’s Vegas victory was his record-extending 63rd career Craftsman Truck Series victory. The win was the first for KBM under the Chevrolet banner, after collecting the first 98 with Toyota. For Busch, it was his first win in a Chevrolet truck since November of 2007 at Phoenix Raceway. With his win at Las Vegas, he extended his series-best streak of winning at least one race to 11 consecutive Truck Series seasons (2013-2023).

‘Rowdy’ has won 37.3% (63/169) of the Truck Series races he has entered in his career and has finished first or second in 56.8% (96/169). In addition to his Truck Series leading 63 wins, he also ranks first all-time among Truck Series drivers in driver rating (123.7), average finish (6.4) and is second in laps led (7,780).

Busch, who claimed KBM’s first Truck Series victory at Nashville Superspeedway in April of 2010, will be looking to collect his organization’s 100th NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory on Saturday. His Las Vegas win in March was KBM’s record-extending 99th career victory leaving his organization one shy of the century mark. Overall, 18 different drivers have won at least one race behind the wheel of a KBM truck, led by Busch’s 47. Four drivers rank second on the list with seven victories: William Byron, Christopher Bell, Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek. Seven of KBM’s wins have come at Pocono, including two by Busch.

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. In the Cup Series, his drivers produced six wins, nine poles, 57 top-five and 131 top-10 finishes across 528 starts. In 2012, he guided Clint Bowyer to three victories and a runner-up finish in the Cup Series championship standings. In 2017, he guided Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to two wins and a berth in the playoffs. The Florida native has also recorded 11 wins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and now has two wins as a crew chief in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Saturday will be Pattie’s first time calling a Truck Series race at Pocono Raceway. His best result across 28 Cup Series starts was a second-place finish with Juan Pablo Montoya in 2009.

The No. 51 team currently ranks seventh in the Craftsman Truck Series owner’s point standings. Across 14 starts in 2023, the team has recorded one win, one pole, 163 laps led, five top-five and eight top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 11.7. With two races remaining in the regular season, they sit 39 points above the cutoff line for making the owner’s playoffs.

Zariz Transport, a fast growing intermodal drayage company specializing in transporting containers from the ports, has served as the primary sponsor on Busch’s Silverado for all five of his races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this year. Billy Ballew Motorsports will serve as an associate sponsor on the No. 51 Saturday at Pocono. You can find the lowest prices on used Cars, Trucks and SUV’s at www.BillyBallewMotorsports.com.

Matt Mills will make his KBM debut behind the wheel of the No. 51 J.F. Electric Chevrolet at Richmond Raceway next week.
Kyle Busch, Driver Q&A:

KBM has been very good at Pocono in recent years. How has your team been able to be so successful there?

“Pocono is a track that we put a lot of emphasis on in our early days. When the Craftsman Truck Series first started going there, we got our butt kicked by KHI the first couple years — really, really bad — and I wasn’t too thrilled about it. So, after that, we put a lot of emphasis on getting better there and focusing on that place. We went and tested there in 2015 when Rudy (Fugle) was the crew chief with Erik Jones, and I was able to go to the test and be there as well and ever since then we’ve been really good. We went back for the race a month later and I was able to bring home the win and I think we’ve won at Pocono every year except one year since then — even had a couple of KBM 1-2 finishes along the way. This will be our first time showing up with Team Chevy, so I’m looking forward to our Silverados being fast out there and of course me being behind the wheel of the Zariz Transport Silverado hoping that we can get another win for them to cap off their first year as sponsor in NASCAR on a high note. If we can do that, it’ll be KBM’s 100th — it’s been talked about way too long that we’ve been trying to bring home that monumental win, so hopefully we can knock that out of the way Saturday.”

Kyle Busch Craftsman Truck Series Career Highlights:

• Busch has a total of 169 Craftsman Truck Series starts and is ranked first all-time in wins (63), driver rating (123.7) and average finish (6.4).
• The 38-year-old driver has won 37.3% (63/169) of the NCTS races he has entered and finished first or second in 56.8% (96/169).
• Busch stands alone as the leader in all-time career wins in NASCAR’s national touring series with 228 total victories. He has earned 63 NASCAR Cup Series wins, 102 NASCAR Xfinity Series wins, and 63 NCTS wins.
• In August of 2010, Busch made history when he won the NCTS, NXS and NCS races at Bristol Motor Speedway, becoming the only driver to sweep all three of NASCAR’s top three series at one track on the same weekend. He then repeated the feat in August of 2017.
• Kyle Busch’s No. 51 Chevrolet Silverado RST:

KBM-77: The No. 51 Zariz team will unload KBM-77 for Saturday’s race at Pocono Raceway. The Silverado made its debut at Darlington Raceway with William Byron where he led seven laps and brought home a fourth-place finish.

KBM-77 Performance Profile:

KBM Notes of Interest:

• Across 32 starts at Pocono, KBM drivers have earned seven wins, two poles, 325 laps led, 17 top-five and 25 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 8.8 and an average finish of 8.5.
• Chandler Smith picked up the organization’s most recent win at Pocono last year. Busch has tallied two wins (2015 and 2018) at the 2.5-mile track while Smith (2022), John Hunter Nemechek (2021), Brandon Jones (2020), Christopher Bell (2017), and William Byron (2016) each have one win.
• KBM holds the Craftsman Truck Series records for most career wins (99) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). With his victory at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway last year, Corey Heim became the 18th different driver to win a Truck Series event for KBM. In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
• With 41 victories, the No. 51 is the winningest number in KBM’s Truck Series fleet.

CRC Brakleen 150 | Pocono Raceway (60 Laps / 150 Miles)
Saturday, July 22 | Long Pond, Pennsylvania | 12:00 p.m. ET
TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Team: No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Kaden Honeycutt (Aledo, Texas) | Crew Chief: Cody Efaw
Follow the Team: Twitter: @NieceMotorsport | Instagram: @NieceMotorsports | Facebook: /NieceMotorsports | Web: www.niecemotorsports.com
Follow Kaden Honeycutt: Twitter: @KadenWHoneycutt | Instagram: @kadenhoneycutt10 | Facebook: /kaden.honeycutt.1 | Web: www.kadenhoneycuttracing.com

Honeycutt on Saturday’s Race at Pocono Raceway: “I’m so happy to get this opportunity with Niece Motorsports. I’ve raced at Pocono before, so I’m not super unfamiliar with the track. I’ve had a few opportunities to get behind the wheel this season in the Truck Series, but this is my biggest opportunity thus far so I’m excited to show what this team can do.”

Honeycutt at Pocono Raceway: Saturday will be Kaden Honeycutt’s second start at the 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway. In one previous start at Pocono, Honeycutt finished 25th after qualifying 33rd.

Returning to the Truck Series: “I’m excited to get back behind the wheel and am extremely thankful to Al Niece and everyone at Niece Motorsports for the opportunity,” said Honeycutt. “We’re hopeful that we can get some more partners to come on board and make some more starts this season. I’ve been working at the shop the last few months, so I know how hard this organization is working to field fast trucks.”

2023 Success: Honeycutt turned heads earlier this season, turning in strong performances at some of the circuit’s toughest tracks. The Texas-native earned four top-15 finishes in seven starts, including top-10s at the Bristol dirt track and Darlington Raceway.

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.

CRC Brakleen 150 | Pocono Raceway (60 Laps / 150 Miles)
Saturday, July 22 | Long Pond, Pennsylvania | 12:00 p.m. ET
TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Team: No. 41 Worldwide Express Chevrolet Silverado
Driver: Ross Chastain (Alva, Florida) | Crew Chief: Mike Hillman Jr.
Follow the Team: Twitter: @NieceMotorsport | Instagram: @NieceMotorsports | Facebook: /NieceMotorsports | Web: www.niecemotorsports.com
Follow Ross Chastain: Twitter: @RossChastain | Instagram: @rosschastain | Facebook: /RossChastainRacing | Web: www.rosschastain.com/

The No. 41 Truck Last Race at Mid-Ohio: Conor Daly was behind the wheel of the No. 41 Unishippers Silverado two weeks ago at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Daly showed speed throughout the weekend, but was hampered by a power steering problem from the start of practice to the end of the race. Daly battled all race long, finishing 18th.

Daly on Last Race at Mid-Ohio: “Sadly, we struggled from lap one with the power steering going in and out every lap. So, that made it super challenging to drive — I tried to keep going and hold on. I think the truck was really fast and I appreciate the team’s work; it was just a real challenge to get the most out of it. I’d love another shot to come back and give it another run because we were quick. I’m just thankful to have this chance; this is a great team.”

Chasing the Owner’s Playoffs: Going into Pocono, the No. 41 team is 43 points out of the owner’s playoffs. Pocono is the penultimate race in the regular season with Richmond being the regular season finale.

Chastain at Pocono Raceway: In four starts at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Ross Chastain has not finished worse than 10th. In his last two starts at the track, he has an average finish of 3.5, including a win in 2019, where he led all but six laps.

Chastain on Saturday’s Race at Pocono Raceway: “We’ve had success together at Pocono, scoring a win in 2019. I’m excited to get back into the No. 41 WWEX Racing Chevrolet Silverado again this coming weekend. The Niece Motorsports group has been bringing some fast race trucks to the track lately.”

On the Truck: Chastain’s No. 41 Worldwide Express Chevrolet Silverado will race with support from the WWEX group of brands, which comprises Worldwide Express, Unishippers and GlobalTranz, and offers full-service logistics expertise to more than 115,000 customers across the country.

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.

CRC Brakleen 150 | Pocono Raceway (60 Laps / 150 Miles)
Saturday, July 22 | Long Pond, Pennsylvania | 12:00 p.m. ET
TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Team: No. 45 AUTOParkit 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

Mid-Ohio Recap: In the final road course race of the year, Lawless Alan was able to impress. The Los Angeles driver was able to collect a stage point with a 10th-place finish in Stage One after starting the race 21st. Unfortunately for the driver of the No. 45, he was not able to get back into the top-10 after the first stage, ultimately finishing 17th, and tying his best finish of the season thus far.

Alan on Last Race at Mid-Ohio: “I’m happy with how the day went for our team. We were able to run up front, collect a stage point, and show our speed after coming from the back multiple times. It was really sketchy when the track was wet, but I think that’s where I made up the most time. In the end, I wish we could have finished a bit better, but it’s a step in the right direction for our team.”

Alan at Pocono Raceway: Alan will make his third-career start at Pocono this weekend. In two previous starts, Alan has a best finish of 20th and an average finish of 21st.

Alan on Saturday’s Race at Pocono Raceway: “I get some added confidence coming to a track I’ve been to more than once. Pocono is one of those tracks and I’ve had decent runs there the past two years. That said, I’m hoping to build on our good finish last race in Mid-Ohio and improve our season-best finish.”

On the Truck: The No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado will sport the AUTOParkit colors this weekend. 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.

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.

CRC Brakleen 150 | Pocono Raceway (60 Laps / 150 Miles)
Saturday, July 22 | Long Pond, Pennsylvania | 12:00 p.m. ET
TV: FS1 | Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius XM Ch. 90

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

Mid-Ohio Recap: After starting just outside the top-10, Carson Hocevar found himself multiple laps down by the end of the first stage after being collected in multiple incidents on the rain-soaked road course. But, with solid strategy and perseverance, Hocevar made up both laps, finishing 12th.

Hocevar on Last Race at Mid-Ohio: “Mid-Ohio was just as tough mentally as it was physically. We had to go through wet and dry conditions, battle a damaged truck, and race with power steering issues throughout the race, so to rebound with a 12th-place finish feels good. We had an incredible strategy call by Phil [Gould] late in the race and I think that’s what saved us. Overall, it was a good turnaround and I’m ready for Pocono.”

Hocevar at Pocono Raceway: In two starts at the Tricky Triangle, Carson Hocevar has an average finish of ninth, including a fifth-place finish a year ago. Hocevar has qualified inside the top-15 for both races and has not finished worse than 13th.

Hocevar on Saturday’s Race at Pocono Raceway: “Niece Motorsports always brings good trucks to Pocono, so I’m excited to get back to the track. We finished inside the top-five there last year and scored stage points. It’s an important track to this team as Ross [Chastain] won here a few years back. It’s a high speed track that gets very technical in the corners, but is super fun to race at and I think we can put our Worldwide Express Silverado up towards the front.”

On the Truck: Hocevar’s No. 42 Worldwide Express Chevrolet Silverado will race with support from the WWEX group of brands, which comprises Worldwide Express, Unishippers and GlobalTranz, and offers full-service logistics expertise to more than 115,000 customers across the country.

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.

Precious Metal IRA Specialists Partners with Team at Pocono and Milwaukee

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (July 18, 2023) – Zane Smith and the No. 38 Ford F-150 team will have a new partner to defend their NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship beginning this weekend. Birch Gold Group will make their NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut with the Front Row Motorsports (FRM) team Friday and Saturday at the Pocono (Pa.) Raceway and be the primary of the team later this summer at the Milwaukee (Wis.) Mile.

Birch Gold Group is making its NASCAR debut to educate fans about savings in physical precious metals that include gold and silver. The company is a trusted industry leader who helps Americans protect their retirement savings from inflation, economic instability and more with Gold IRAs. Founded in 2003, they have served tens of thousands of customers from all 50 states.

“With numerous wins and a championship to his name, Zane Smith and his Front Row Motorsports team are no stranger to gold,” said Andy Klein, Chief Marketing Officer of Birch Gold Group. “And when Zane’s racing, he’s in total control. Unfortunately, when it comes to our retirement savings, most of us simply aren’t. The NASCAR fan base is a perfect place for us to educate more people about our services and help them prepare their IRA or 401(k) for the future. We look forward to this partnership and meeting a lot more people.”

Smith and the FRM team now have all their primary inventory solidified with the addition of Birch Gold Group as Smith defends his championship.

“It’s important to have great partners as a part of the team,” said Smith. “The addition of Birch Gold Group just helps keep the team focused on the task at hand on the track, and I can help Birch Gold Group spread their message on and off the track. It’s nice to have everything in place and go and defend this title with all out partners that now includes Birch Gold Group.”

Fans can go to www.birchgold.com/zane to learn more.

About Birch Gold Group

Birch Gold Group (https://www.birchgold.com), the Precious Metal IRA Specialists, is a leading dealer of physical gold and silver in the United States. Birch Gold helps people protect their savings, either for retirement as part of a gold IRA or silver IRA, or as a home delivery of precious metals. Birch Gold maintains an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The Birch Gold team of professionals has decades of combined experience, including past positions with Citigroup, Dun & Bradstreet, and IBM.

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.

CONCORD, N.C. (July 17, 2023) – Spire Motorsports announced today Austin Hill will steer the No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado in the July 22 CRC Brakleen 150 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) race at Pocono Raceway where ARCO Design/Build will serve as the team’s primary sponsor.

Hill, a native of Winston, Ga., is a veteran of 121 NCTS starts dating to 2014 where he has earned three poles, eight wins, 27 top-five and 54 top-10 finishes. The 29-year-old driver made two starts for Spire Motorsports in 2022, including last year’s annual NCTS visit to the uniquely configured 2.5-mile Long Pond, Penn., race course.

The team and is led by championship-winning industry veterans Mike Greci and Kevin “Bono” Manion.

“I’m looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of the No. 7 ARCO Design/Build Silverado at Pocono Raceway,” said Hill. “Last year with practice and qualifying getting rained out, we had to start in back, but the Spire Motorsports team brought a fast truck, and we were able to get a top-five finish. I’ve had success and a chance to win in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series at Pocono in the past, so I feel confident that we will have a shot to contend for the win.”

Hill and Greci will be looking to tap into their shared history from their three-year run at Hattori Racing Enterprises where Hill drove the team’s No. 16 entry and Greci served as general manager. Hill earned a spot in the NCWTS playoffs all three years (2019-2021), finishing as high as fifth in 2019.

Hill, the full-time driver of Richard Childress Racing’s No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, is a three-time race winner in 2023 and currently sits second in points, just 33 markers outside the top spot.

Meanwhile, Spire Motorsports has made five NCTS starts in 2023 with four different drivers including Corey LaJoie (Daytona/Darlington), Jonathan Davenport (Bristol) Kyle Larson (North Wilkesboro) and, most recently, Marco Andretti (Mid-Ohio). Larson earned the organization’s second NCTS win in dominating fashion in the Tyson 250 at NASCAR’s celebrated return to Wilkes County, N.C.

“Spire Motorsports is thrilled to have a driver of Austin’s caliber behind the wheel this weekend at Pocono Raceway,” said Greci. “It’s no secret that Austin and I have some history together, so I know, first hand, what kind of talent he is. His Xfintiy Series results this season speak for themselves. I’m confident anytime Austin is in our truck, we’re fully capable of running up front and winning races.”

The CRC Brakleen 150 from Pocono Raceway will be televised live on FS1 Saturday, July 22 beginning at noon Eastern Daylight Time. The 15th of 23 races on the 2023 NCTS schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

About ARCO Design/Build …
ARCO Design/Build (ARCO) is widely recognized as a construction industry leader for various industrial project types, including cold storage warehouses, light industrial distribution, and manufacturing. As a national design-build firm, ARCO offers turn-key design-build services that provide a direct relationship with a single point of contact, resulting in cost savings and clear lines of communication. ARCO’s capabilities span project feasibility studies, site selection, and complete design to value engineering, code consulting, and full general contracting. Additionally, ARCO is 100% associate owned as an ESOP. With in-house architectural and structural engineering services, ARCO provides clients with a streamlined and efficient design and construction process, ensuring exceptional results and turnkey project delivery.

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 will field 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 CRAFTSMAN 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.

Boston Native to Make Third Truck Start of 2023

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (July 17, 2023) — TRICON Garage (TRICON) announced today that Kaz Grala will return to the seat of the No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for Pocono Raceway. Serial 1 E-Bikes will serve as the primary partner for Grala’s third NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) race of the 2023 season.

Serial 1 is a US-based E-Bike brand inspired by the entrepreneurial vision of Harley-Davidson founders and the revolutionary impact of their first motorcycle, affectionately referred to as Serial Number One.

In his two previous starts behind the wheel of the No. 1 truck this season, Grala finished 17th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and ninth at Circuit of the Americas in March. The full-time Xfinity Series regular has two truck races to his credit at the 2.5-mile tri-oval with those starts coming in 2017 and 2022.

“I am looking forward to making another start with TRICON at Pocono,” said Grala. “We showed speed in the races we ran together earlier this year, so I am optimistic that we can put together a great showing. I need to thank Carl Ruedebusch, Dion Reif, and the Serial 1 Dealer Network for coming on board and giving me the opportunity to drive the No. 1 again.”

“After researching Kaz’s resume of racing accomplishments and spending time with him at the track the last few months, I have gathered a greater understanding of his approach to racing. It was obvious to me that we wanted to sponsor him and go for a win!” said Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of Serial 1 Dion Reif. “In addition, we wanted to promote an amazing charitable cause, by partnering with Little Bricks at “The Tricky Triangle.” The non-profit is a transformative organization dedicated to uplifting the spirits of hospitalized children, which hits home for me and my family as well as our Serial 1 team members.”

“We are so excited to be teaming up with Serial 1 Premium E-Bikes to build BIG smiles on hospitalized kids across North America. Dion and Serial 1 have stepped up with a generous donation, and now sponsorship support as well as some of their amazing products. I can’t wait to ride up to our first children’s hospital on my Little Bricks Serial 1 E-Bike with LEGO sets in tow!” said Russell Cassvah, President & Founder Little Bricks Charity.

The CRC Brakleen 150 at Pocono Raceway will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 at 12:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 22. Radio coverage will be provided by the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

To learn more about Serial 1 E-Bikes, or if you’re Interested in joining our Nationwide Dealer Network, you can find out more by visiting www.serial1.com. Fans can follow along on Twitter and Instagram at @Serial1Cycles as well as follow Serial 1 on Facebook.

About TRICON Garage

TRICON Garage is Toyota Racing Development’s flagship NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series organization. Under ownership by former NASCAR veteran David Gilliland and businessman Johnny Gray, 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 Serial 1

Serial 1 offers premium E-Bikes that are guided by intelligent, human-centered design and crafted using the most advanced bicycle technology available, to create the easiest and most intuitive way to experience the fun, freedom, and instant adventure of riding a pedal-assist electric bicycle. Serial 1 is currently under contract to merge with an affiliate of Life Electric Vehicles, Inc. (Life EV), bringing E-Bike manufacturing to the USA.

About Life EV

Life EV is a USA-based corporation involved in the design, manufacturing, and commercialization of electric vehicles, with a current emphasis on electric bicycles. Life EV manufactures its products utilizing free-trade zone processes in Broward County, Florida, with a United States Certificate of Origin. Life EV through its affiliates, including Life Electric Vehicles Holdings, Inc. (OTCPK:LFEV), was established to support and grow the E-Bike industry, bringing manufacturing jobs back to the USA.

About Little Bricks

Its mission is to enhance their mental health through brand-new LEGO® Sets and immersive custom LEGO® Build Experiences. The nonprofit has an extended reach to over 10,000 children across more than 40 children’s hospitals nationwide.

ANDERSON, Ind: Leander, Texas’s Logan Bearden will trade in his wrenches for a steering wheel this weekend as the part-time NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series driver eyes a statement performance in Saturday’s 57th annual Greg Hubler Automotive Group Redbud 400 at the famed Anderson (Ind.) Speedway.

The Redbud 400, a Champion Racing Association-sanctioned event since 2000, now also becomes an ASA STARS National Tour event in the inaugural season of the rebirth of the American Speed Association namesake that was born, like Champion Racing Association, at Anderson Speedway.

Bearden, who now calls Mooresville, N.C. home and is a full-time employee at AM Racing returns to the Super Late Model scene on the heels of a competitive sixth-place finish in the CRA Super Series event at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville on July 2.

Excited to get back behind the wheel of his Bearden Motorsports No. 66 Ford Mustang, Bearden hopes the staple Midwest Super Late Model event this weekend will allow him to continue to showcase his talent while delivering his team and supporters a satisfying finish.

“I’m looking forward to competing in the Red Bud 400 this weekend,” said Bearden. “I’m feeling good about this year’s Redbud 400. It’ll be nice going back to a now familiar place.

“Nashville was a great boost for the team and me and now we’re heading back to the Red Bud 400 hoping to improve on our finish from the 2022 race.”

Last year, Bearden battled the best of the best on the Late Model scene running with the likes of Sammy Smith, William Sawalich and Stephen Nasse before finishing fifth.

While satisfied with their performance last summer, Bearden returns eager to win and believes with the right circumstances, the opportunity to contend for the win will present itself.

“Just like last year, it is going to be a competitive field, but I think we are more than ready for the challenge that awaits us,” added Bearden. “Just being able to sit back and click off laps and be able to capitalize on restarts.

“With it being such a long race staying on the lead lap and keeping the fenders on it is key. As a team, we learned a lot last summer and I’m looking forward to taking the notes from our race last year – combined with what we have learned over the past year and hope it puts us in a position to be even faster than we were last year.”

Set for his second Red Bud 400 attempt, Bearden knows that handling will be crucial for the race, especially late in the race and will be leaning on the leadership of crew chief Marc Metz to make the right calls to keep him in the hunt aboard his No. 66 Bearden Automotive | Parker Electric Ford Mustang.

“I believe in my team and I know they have confidence in me as a driver,” he continued. “I think at a minimum we can come out of this weekend with a top-five, but I also believe we can compete for the win we had a really good car last year driving to second before we had a tire go down.

“We just need to keep the balance under our race car, stay out of trouble and have some luck and I think we can find ourselves knocking on the door for that win on Saturday night.”

Following the Red Bud 400, Bearden will return to North Carolina and continue his role as a lead mechanic for the Statesville, N.C.-based AM Racing team before returning to the CRA tour at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on Saturday, August 12, 2023, with other Late Model races at Winchester Speedway, Toledo Speedway and Nashville still left on his calendar.

“I’m feeling good about the rest of the year,” sounded Bearden. “It will be nice to return to these tracks this year whereas last year a majority of them were all new to me.”

Behind the Late Model scenes, Bearden is also working with his management team along with AM Racing to put him back in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series field this season with a hopeful expanded NASCAR schedule in 2024.

“I’m very thankful for the opportunities that AM Racing has presented me,” added Bearden. “I am learning a lot about myself, as well as about the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The team and I have a plan and I believe in that plan; we just have to stay focused and hope the future is what we all want it to be.”

The 57th annual Redbud 400 will be 400 laps counting yellows and will pay the winner $15,000.

The 2023 version will mark the return of the iconic ASA brand to the Redbud 400 for the first time since 1999, with the ASA STARS National Tour set to sanction the 400-lap, 100-mile race.

The Redbud 400 will be co-sanctioned with the ASA CRA Super Series, which will be the third race of the CRA season.

On-track activities for the 57th Annual Greg Hubler Automotive Group Redbud 400 will kick off on Friday, July 14th with inspection and practice for the ASA STARS National Tour. Go Fas Pole Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday afternoon, July 15th, with the Redbud 400 set to go green at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

Fans who can’t attend the Redbud 400 on Saturday can stream the event via TrackTv.com, MidwestTour.TV, or RacingAmerica.TV.

Anderson Speedway is located at 1311 Martin Luther King Blvd. in Anderson, IN.

For more on Logan Bearden, please visit LoganBearden.com, like his Facebook page (Logan Bearden Racing) or follow him on Twitter @LoganBearden66.