Category: Truck Series PR

STATESVILLE, NC (July 13th, 2023): GMS Racing’s NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series driver Rajah Caruth will debut a new paint scheme at Richmond Raceway with support from New College Institute and the Wendell Scott Foundation. The scheme will be ran to bring eyes on the foundation’s upcoming Camp Cultivation initiatives which will be held from July 18th-20th.

Hosted by the Wendell Scott Foundation at the Virginia State University campus, Camp Cultivation is a unique residential overnight learning experience for bright, forward-thinking high school students who will evolve into a generation of leaders, innovators, engineers, and scientists. Students will learn by engaging in hands-on activities, including simulation, augmented reality, virtual reality, workshops, and instructional labs. They will have the opportunity to experience college life while attending the three-day residential program.

“We are excited to showcase our Camp Cultivation initiatives through the new paint scheme at Richmond Raceway. At the Wendell Scott Foundation, we are dedicated to carrying on the legacy of Wendell Scott by empowering and equipping the next generation of leaders. Camp Cultivation provides a unique and immersive learning experience for high school students, allowing them to explore their passions and develop skills in STEM fields,” said Warrick Scott, CEO of the Wendell Scott Foundation. “Partnerships like these allow us to give back to our local communities by providing opportunities for students to excel in the world of STEM education. We are grateful to partner with GMS Racing to inspire and shape the future of these bright young minds.”

Along with the release of the Born Driven children’s book, Camp Cultivation yet another way that the Wendell Scott Foundation is acting and building upon their namesake’s legacy. The foundation has placed a main focus on giving back to their local Virginia communities, and they aim to provide students with the tools to further their education and explore options that lead to their future careers. Activities and engagements like these shine on the commitment the organization has to its youth.

“NCI is proud to partner with the Wendell Scott Foundation and their affiliates. We are honored to be included on No. 24 truck. Working together, we are poised to continue providing innovating and exciting STEM education and literacy development opportunities for students all throughout the Commonwealth.” said Joe Sumner, Executive Director of New College Institute.

With the importance of STEM fields in the NASCAR industry, the opportunity to raise awareness for the foundation’s efforts on the racetrack provides a unique way to bring an entirely different audience into the sport. GMS Racing is proud to spread this message and encourages its fans to support their efforts. Camp volunteers can sign up for the program by visiting the link here. Caruth will join the camp as a motivational speaker and assist with several of the planned activities with the students throughout the program.

“I’m eager to get to experience everything Camp Cultivation has in store for its students and think that the team at the Wendell Scott Foundation has done such a great job putting it all together. Getting students actively involved in these types of programs will do so much for their futures in education and careers, and it means a lot that the people who support me have put forth so much effort into developing this program. I’m proud to represent the foundation and appreciate the opportunity to use my platform to get the word out about the fun experiences they have in store.” said Caruth.

The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series heads to Richmond Raceway for the final race of the regular season on Saturday, July 29th. Live coverage of the Worldwide Express 250 will be broadcasted on FOX Sports 1 (TV), the Motor Racing Network (Radio), and Sirius XM NASCAR (Channel 90) at 7:30 PM ET. Follow GMS Racing on social media for continued partner updates and announcements. #WeAreGMS

ABOUT NEW COLLEGE INSTITUTE:

New College Institute is a state-funded educational entity that provides access to degree programs (bachelor, master, and doctorate) through our partnerships with VA colleges and universities. NCI strives to be accessible and convenient for students of all ages. Our staff, faculty, and board members are all committed to making NCI a premier educational facility for students, businesses, and the community at large.

In addition to college-level degree and certification programs, NCI offers experiential learning opportunities such as the NCI Internship Program and regional cybersecurity and engineering competitions. Additional programs such as NCI’s summer camps, LIFE (Learning Is ForEver), and financial aid resource events encourage and promote continued education throughout the Martinsville-Henry County region. New College Institute recently formed a partnership with the Wendell Scott Foundation last month, so more information can be found here.

ABOUT THE WENDELL SCOTT FOUNDATION:

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

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

ABOUT 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.

SALISBURY, N.C. (July 11, 2023) – Kaden Honeycutt will pilot the No. 44 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado at Pocono Raceway, making his eighth NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start of the 2023 season.

“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. I’m looking forward to Pocono.”

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.

“Kaden has really impressed a lot of people in the Truck Series this season, so we are happy to have him behind the wheel of one of our Chevrolets,” said Niece Motorsports General Manager Cody Efaw. “Our team is working hard to build the fastest trucks we can. We visited Victory Lane at Pocono in 2019, and are looking for more of the same.”

The CRC Brakleen 150 at Pocono Raceway will air live on FS1, The Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Saturday, July 22 at 12 p.m. ET.

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.

HEIM SCORES SECOND WIN OF THE SEASON
The Toyota development driver extends lead with fourth victory of his young career

LEXINGTON, Ohio (July 8, 2023) – Corey Heim continued to impress in his first full time season as he won his second race of the season – and fourth of his career – at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Saturday afternoon. Heim, the pole sitter, battled through both wet and dry conditions to earn the victory. The 22-year-old Toyota development driver extended his points advantage to 26 points with two races to go in the regular season after leading a race-high 31 of 67 laps. Stewart Friesen (fourth) also had a strong run as he closed to within one point of the Playoff field heading into the series’ next race at Pocono Raceway.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Race 14 of 23 – 67 Laps, 151.28 Miles

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

1st, COREY HEIM

2nd, Zane Smith*

3rd, Christian Eckes*

4th, STEWART FRIESEN

5th, Ben Rhodes*

10th, TYLER ANKRUM

15th, TAYLOR GRAY

20th, TANNER GRAY

21st, TIMMY HILL

23rd, RYAN VARGAS

27th, WILLIAM SAWALICH

33rd, DEAN THOMPSON

35th, DALE QUARTERLEY

*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

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

Finishing Position: 1st

What a day, can you talk about this win?

“Yeah, just unbelievable. We came here with high expectations – I felt like I did a good job to stay up front last year, but I put in the work to go from a third-place truck to a winning truck. This Safelite Tundra TRD Pro was every bit of that today. Huge thank you to TRICON Garage, David Gilliland, Shane Gray and the Gray family – I appreicate everyone over there. Scott Zipadelli (crew chief) and everyone on the team for everything they do and everyone at Toyota Racing. Just unbelievable. This Tundra was really good ever since we unloaded – we were the fastest truck in practice, qualified on the pole and came here and won the race. Huge thanks to Zane (Smith) and Christian (Eckes) – I knew they would race me clean as usual – but a huge thanks to them again. Just unbelievable – awesome. Hats off to everybody.”

Can you walk us through your race from your perspective?

From my perspective, I knew that my Tundra TRD Pro was really good in the dry conditions and if I was ride around when it was wet and not overstep and lose the track position we had from the start, I knew we would be in a good position when we ended the race in the dry. That was the case. Thankfully, I made minimal mistakes – I made a couple that cost me a few spots but nothing that was chastrophic for our finish. We were able to keep that top-five track position and sure enough, when it dried out, we were the fastest track and we were able to drive to the front. I owe a big thanks to Toyota Racing, TRICON Garage and Safelite for everything they do – TRD for allowing me to get as much practice as I could before the start of this race. I certainly needed it and it paid off.”

Had this race stayed wet, do you feel as confident as you would have in the dry?

“I would definitely say I would have been a lot more confidence in the dry with how fast we were in practice and qualifying and getting the pole. I think I could have pushed it a little harder in the wet. The ThorSport trucks were just really, really good when it was really damp out. The more dry it got, the more they fell off. I don’t know if that is an experience thing on their part with racing in the rain – they have a lot of laps in the Trucks – but yeah, once it got dry out there, they faded a little. I was for sure a lot more confident in the dry.”

Can you walk me through that last restart?

“Zane (Smith) and Christian (Eckes) are good buddies of mine and they’ve always raced me with a lot of respect throughout my career, so I wasn’t worried about them driving through me – where there is some people in trucks that will do that – but those two are not in that category. I had a lot of confidence that I could run my line and hit my braking points with worrying about them going through me and costing me a good finish. It definitely gave me a little bit of confidence to trust them and what they do. We’ve raced clean during the 2023 season and hoepfully beyond – I feel like there is always a chance of that with all of the hard braking zones we have that someone could have slipped up but those two guys are some of those that I trust more than others.”

Can you talk about the work you’ve put in to move from a third-place truck to a winner today?

“Yeah, I think I was refering mostly to this race. Last year, we were able to qualify here on the pole in the wet, and the truck just wasn’t as good in the dry. I want to be a winning driver week-in and week-out. I feel like last year I was capable of that most places, but road courses wasn’t it. To be able to work with Toyota Racing, TRD and get some simulator time and personal studying in the long offseason we had and early breaks in the season, just preparing for COTA and having a decent race there and knowing Mid-Ohio, a place that I’ve been to before was a really good opportunity for us to get our second win, and sure enough we are here in victory lane.”

Can you describe the conditions at the beginning of the race/?

“For me, it was a lot more slick than last year. I don’t know if that was setup induced – I think that the ThorSport trucks were just able to carry a lot of center speed, us not so much. As I mentioned earlier, I think it may be an experience thing on their part – they were really disciplined and the 98 (Ty Majeski) was driving really hard, but I feel like he was never really overstepping the track. I’ve got work on wet racing a little bit, but I knew once it dried off if I stayed disciplined and stay in the top-five, that we were the best truck. Our Safelite Tundra TRD Pro was great and hats off to TRICON Garage and Toyota Racing.”

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

Finishing Position: 4th

Your team thought you could be the story of the day. Can you talk about your run to the top-five?

“I don’t know who said that – but they were pretty confident – more than I was for sure. I saw it start raining and I thought, oh man – we’ve just really struggled in the wet. But I think we have figured something out, it actually raced pretty good in the wet. Starting in the back, helped I think. I could just take my time and ease on through. Zane (Smith) and I were kind of just picking our way through – we got to race with (Marco) Andretti and Conor Daly – which was pretty dran cool in the rain. Two guys that made a living doing it. Just proud of our whole Halmar Toyota team, Ferris Commerical Mowers, all of our great sponsors. Chris Larsen, all of my guys. We fought hard yesterday. I made a mistake in practice and we got this thing cleaned up and fixed up and these guys stuck with me. Thanks to Halmar, thanks to Chris, my wife, Jess (Friesen), who is here. All of my spotters too. The spotter we actually had in the carosuel – I hadn’t worked with him in like 20 years – he spotted for me in the modified stuff back in ’04 and ’05. It was cool to have him and Junior in the keyhole. Proud of our effort and proud to have a top-five.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 22 electrified options.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Young’s Motorsports | NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course | O’Reilly Auto Parts 150

Fast Facts

No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Team:

Driver: Will Rodgers

Primary Partner(s): RANDCO. Industries

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST

Crew Chief: Andrew Abbott

2023 Driver Points Position: N/A

2023 Owner Points Position: 30th

Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

Welcome To The Team: Young’s Motorsports welcomes Will Rodgers to the team as the primary driver of the No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado RST for the 14th race of the Truck Series season.

A familiar name in the NASCAR garage returns to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series for the first time since Circuit of the Americas in 2022.

A native of Maui, Hi, Rodgers began go-kart racing at the age of nine before moving into motorcross at the age of 13. After a successful stint including a regional championship on two wheels, Rodgers broadened his racing resume by competing in off-road events before evolving into Sports Car Racing in 2015.

By 2016, his Sports Car credentials landed him in NASCAR’s development series, the ARCA Menards Series where he competed in several races on the series’ platform winning four times at iconic road courses like New Jersey Motorsports Park, Sonoma Raceway and Watkins Glen International.

While sponsorship has kept him on the sidelines from competing full-time, the likable driver has managed nine NASCAR Xfinity Series starts since 2019 and three previous Truck Series races leading into Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

All Board: For Rodger’s Young’s Motorsports debut, Texas-based companies Young’s Building Systems and Randco Industries Inc. will serve as the primary partner on his No. 02 Chevrolet RST in the Buckeye state.

Will Rodgers Truck Series Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Track Stats: Saturday afternoon’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 will mark Rodgers’ first Truck Series start at the 2.25-mile, 13-turn road course.

While Rodgers will make his inaugural Truck Series start at the Lexington, Ohio course, the track is the home of his career-best NASCAR Xfinity Series finish in 2019 with Brandonbilt Motorsports.

Additionally, Rogers competed at Mid-Ohio last month in the TA2 & XGT TransAm classes. The XGT class performance with Chris Evans Race Cars landed Rodgers in Victory Lane.

Will Rodgers Truck Series Career Truck Stats: In two years of Truck Series competition, Rodgers has three career Truck Series starts with a career-best 21st-place finish in the XPEL 225 at Circuit of the Americas in March 2022 driving for Reaume Brothers Racing.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Riggs as crew chief of the No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado is longtime crew chief Andrew Abbott.

He will be crew chief in his 117th NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series race on Saturday afternoon. In his previous 116 races, he has two top-five and seven top-10 finishes to his resume.

Saturday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 will be his second tango with Mid-Ohio as crew chief in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ fourth, fifth and sixth NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The organization posted a team-best finish at the track of seventh with Kaz Grala in the 2022 edition of the O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 on July 9, 2022.

Since 2022, the Mooresville, N.C.-based Young’s Motorsports team has had an average starting position of 22.3 and an average finish of 19.3 in three Truck Series starts overall.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series History: Since entering the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2012, the Mooresville, N.C., – based organization has logged 445 starts from 54 drivers, resulting in solid performances that include two victories (Talladega Superspeedway 2019, 2021), seven top-five finishes and 32 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 22.5 and an average finishing position of 21.5.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Will Rodgers, please like him on Facebook (Will Rodgers), follow him on Instagram (@willrodgers_) and Twitter (@willrodgers65).

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

Will Rodgers Pre-Race Quote:

On Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course: “I am very appreciative of this opportunity with Young’s Motorsports for Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course this weekend. I believe with my previous experience at Mid-Ohio and the confidence in the No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado truck that my team is bringing me, I believe we can turn some heads.

“Our goal is to make sure we put ourselves in a good position to capitalize on track position in Stage 3 and be around when it counts the most. If we can stay out of trouble and have the track position we need, we should be in contention for a top-10 or better finish on Saturday afternoon.”

No. 12 Young’s Motorsports Team:

Driver: Spencer Boyd

Primary Partner(s): Freedom Warranty

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST

Crew Chief: Tyler Young

2023 Driver Points Position: 28th

2023 Owner Points Position: 34th

Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

Back To Familiar Territory: Fan favorite Spencer Boyd invades familiar territory this weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, the 14th race of the 2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series season eyeing his first top-10 of the year but more importantly hunting his second win of his Truck Series career.

No. 154: This weekend at Mid-Ohio, Boyd will make his 154th career NASCAR start. Boyd has three starts in the NASCAR Cup Series, 50 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and will make his 100h start in Trucks when the green flag waves Saturday afternoon.

The highlight of his NASCAR career is a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series win at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in October 2019 driving for Young’s Motorsports.

Welcome Back: This weekend at Mid-Ohio, Young’s Motorsports and Boyd welcome back Freedom Warranty as the primary partner on the No. 12 Chevrolet Silverado RST for the second time in 2023.

Freedom Warranty is the fastest-growing vehicle service contract administrator in the nation, offering a variety of products sold exclusively through authorized auto dealers, certified repair facilities, established lenders and accredited insurance agencies in 23 states and the District of Columbia.

Their goal is to provide a valuable service to automobile owners who want to protect their investment and shield them from unexpected repairs.

By providing superior service to contract holders, they strive to provide dependable coverage with customer care that goes above and beyond.

Bucks for the Brave: This weekend at Mid-Ohio, Boyd will continue to promote Record Rack’s Bucks for the Brave initiative.

Spencer Boyd is continuing his efforts to support the men and women who have served in the line of duty.

Veterans (no longer serving) and retired First Responders (Law Enforcement, Firefighters, EMTs) can win the hunting experience of a lifetime thanks to long-time Boyd partner, Record Rack® premium wildlife feed (brand owned by Cargill, Inc.)

The window for nominations will be open on July 4 through September 11, 2023, for the annual Bucks for the Brave charitable event, which will include for the first time a women-only hunt.

Bucks for the Brave is an all-expense paid trip that will take place in the fall of 2023.

The event will be hosted at Trinity Oaks’ Thumbtack Ranch in Batesville, TX, which is the only nationally recognized Purple Heart Ranch in the United States.

Four women plus one winner from each of our eight categories will be chosen: Army Veteran, Marine Corps Veteran, Navy Veteran, Air Force Veteran, Coast Guard Veteran, Retired Firefighter, Retired Law Enforcement and Retired EMT.

Spencer Boyd Truck Series Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Stats: Saturday afternoon’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 will mark Boyd’s second start at the 2.25-mile, 13-turn road course.

Last July in the Buckeye State, he earned a track-best finish of 16th after starting 35th in the 2022 O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 for Young’s Motorsports.

Spencer Boyd Truck Series Road Course Stats: At NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series tracks classified as a road course; Boyd has made seven starts throughout his career. He also holds an average finishing position of 26.1.

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

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

Truck Series Rundown: In seven years of Truck Series competition, Boyd has 100 career Truck Series starts with one win, two top-five and three top-10 finishes, and a championship best of 17th in 2019 and carries an average finish of 24.1.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Boyd as crew chief of the No. 12 Freedom Warranty Chevrolet Silverado RST is crew chief and team principal Tyler Young.

Saturday afternoon will be his first dance with the central Ohio road course as crew chief in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ fourth, fifth and sixth NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The organization posted a team-best finish at the track of seventh with Kaz Grala in the 2022 edition of the O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 on July 9, 2022.

Since 2022, the Mooresville, N.C.-based Young’s Motorsports team has had an average starting position of 22.3 and an average finish of 19.3 in three Truck Series starts overall.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series History: Since entering the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2012, the Mooresville, N.C., – based organization has logged 445 starts from 54 drivers, resulting in solid performances that include two victories (Talladega Superspeedway 2019, 2021), seven top-five finishes and 32 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 22.5 and an average finishing position of 21.5.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Spencer Boyd, please like him on Facebook (Spencer Boyd Racing) and follow him on Instagram (SpencerBoydpr) and Twitter (@SpencerBoyd).

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

Spencer Boyd Pre-Race Quote:

On Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course: “Mid-Ohio is a beautiful road course. I cannot think of a better partner than Freedom Warranty to celebrate the week of Fourth of July.

“Hopefully, we can have an explosive performance on Saturday afternoon.”

On the Bucks for the Brave: “This will be the sixth annual Bucks for the Brave that I will be associated with. I look forward to it every year and am humbled to represent all Veterans and First Responders on my truck.

“What Record Rack does to authentically engage my fellow NASCAR fans that love hunting and their country is truly inspiring. I love being a part of it and am honored to help promote nominations.”

No. 20 Young’s Motorsports Team:

Driver: Matt Mills

Primary Partner(s): Thompson Electric Inc.

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST

Crew Chief: Joe Lax

2023 Driver Points Position: N/A

2023 Owner Points Position: 32nd

Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

Welcome Back!: Veteran racer Matt Mills returns to Young’s Motorsports for the fifth time in a limited NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series schedule for Saturday afternoon’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Mid-Ohio was not initially on Mills’ Young’s Motorsports schedule but it will have behind the wheel for the first time since competing in the Toyota 200 at World Wide (Ill.) Technology Raceway at Gateway in early June.

During his four-race stretch with Young’s Motorsports, Mills earned a season-best 19th-place finish after starting 29th.

Welcome Aboard: This weekend at Mid-Ohio, Young’s Motorsports and Mills welcome Thompson Electric Inc. as the primary partner on the No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado RST for this weekend’s race.

Thompson Electric, Inc. is a full-service electrical contracting company that started in 1977 by father and son and has grown to be one of the largest electrical contractors in Ohio.

They offer electrical contracting and emergency services for commercial, residential, industrial, institutional, highway lighting, traffic signalization, temperature control, substation, transmission, distribution and projects of all sizes.

Additional Support: Mills will have additional partnership support aboard his No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado from J.F. Electric.

J.F. Electric is a leading electrical construction company specializing in the Commercial, Industrial, Telcom and Utility segments. J.F. Electric has been in business for over 50 years with the goal of delivering quality and value to every project.

Utilitra, a women-owned utility and technology solutions provider will also serve in an associate role on the No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado RST for the 14th Truck Series race of 2023.

Matt Mills Truck Series History: From 2016 to 2023, Mills has 19 starts in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series, highlighted by a career-high 15th place finish in 2022 driving the No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado RST for Young’s Motorsports.

Matt Mills Truck Series Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Stats: Saturday afternoon’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 will mark Mill’s inaugural Truck Series start at the 2.25-mile, 13-turn road course.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ fourth, fifth and sixth NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The organization posted a team-best finish at the track of seventh with Kaz Grala in the 2022 edition of the O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 on July 9, 2022.

Since 2022, the Mooresville, N.C.-based Young’s Motorsports team has had an average starting position of 22.3 and an average finish of 19.3 in three Truck Series starts overall.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series History: Since entering the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2012, the Mooresville, N.C., – based organization has logged 445 starts from 54 drivers, resulting in solid performances that include two victories (Talladega Superspeedway 2019, 2021), seven top-five finishes and 32 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 22.5 and an average finishing position of 21.5.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Mills as crew chief of the No. 20 Thompson Electric Inc. Chevrolet Silverado RST is veteran crew chief Joe Lax.

He will be crew chief in his 109th NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series race on Saturday afternoon. In his previous 108 races, he has one pole and nine top-10 finishes to his resume.

Saturday afternoon will be his second tango with Mid-Ohio as crew chief in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Matt Mills, please like him on Facebook (Official Matt Mills Racing) and follow him on Instagram (@mattmillsracing) and Twitter (@mattmillsracing).

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

Matt Mills Pre-Race Quote:

On Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course: “Excited to be back on a road course this weekend after a couple of years, and even better that it’s a trip back home to Ohio.

“I am also happy to also be bringing my longtime local sponsor Thompson Electric on board to make this weekend happen with Young’s Motorsports.”

Race Information:

The O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 (67 laps | 151.28 miles) is the 14th of 23 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races on the 2023 schedule. Practice begins on Friday, July 7, 2023, from 4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Qualifying will immediately follow from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The 36-truck field will take the green flag on Saturday, July 8, 2023, shortly after 1:30 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (ET).

Mid-Ohio Preview
July 8 | 1:30 PM ET | FS1 – MRN – SiriusXM

2023 NASCAR Truck Series Stats
Starts: 13; Best start: 9th; Best finish: 11th (Gateway); Laps led: 5; Current points position: 17th

Chassis History
Dye and the No. 43 team will compete at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in GMS Racing chassis no. 140. Zane Smith drove this chassis to a couple of top-10 finishes at the Circuit Of The Americas and Watkins Glen International in 2021, finishing as high of sixth place at the Glen. Daniel raced this chassis earlier this year at COTA for his NCTS road course debut, finishing in the 18th spot.

Rookie of the Year
Daniel’s 22nd place finish in the most recent event at Nashville Superspeedway was the fourth-highest rookie result of the race. Dye is still scored in fourth position in the rookie points standings, 126 behind leading candidate, Nick Sanchez, but now only three points behind Rajah Caruth in third.

Daniel Dye Quote

What did you learn about Mid-Ohio last year in the ARCA car that you can apply to this weekend?

“So much about road course racing is being comfortable at that specific race track. Between the ARCA race last year and our training with the Chevrolet drivers earlier this year in street cars, I’ve had two weekends on the race track and I am looking forward to getting back to it. It is a really fun race track. I am looking forward to seeing what we can do with our No. 43 Giuseppe’s Steel Pizza team. I’m hoping the rain stays away and I hope we can get a couple of good finishes before the regular season ends.”

About Giuseppe’s Steel City Pizza

Giuseppe’s has been proudly serving the Daytona Beach and Port Orange areas since 1982 when our family relocated here from Freeport, Pennsylvania, a small town just outside of Pittsburgh. We aren’t a chain, we are a family operation. You will always find one or more family members in the kitchen cooking up your order every hour of every day. We use only the highest quality, freshest ingredients, serving generous portion sizes, and offer it all at a reasonable price. Everything is homemade fresh daily, including our pizza dough, sauces, garlic bread, lasagna, pastas, soups, wing sauce, and our “to-die-for” creamy Italian dressing. Making our dishes from scratch has always been, and always will be, our promise to you. For more information, please visit www.giuseppessteelcitypizza.com.

About Race to Stop Suicide

Race to Stop Suicide is a non-profit organization co-founded by Daniel and Randy Dye. The organization’s main objective is to create awareness, remove stigma and normalize the conversation surrounding suicide. They provide entry-level education on what to look for, symptoms and how to check up on family and friends. Race to Stop Suicide also ensures that people have easy access to helpful resources like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and 988. For more information, visit their website at www.racetostopsuicide.com.

Mooresville, N.C. (July 5th, 2023) – Roper Racing, a prominent contender in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, is thrilled to announce the addition of Landen Lewis to their racing team. Lewis will make his series debut in the number 04 Carquest Auto Parts Chevrolet at the upcoming event held at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Having displayed remarkable talent and determination throughout his racing career, Landen Lewis is poised to make a significant impact on the track in the truck series. Joining forces with Roper Racing, Lewis expressed his gratitude, stating, “This has been a dream of mine to compete in the NASCAR Truck series and I cannot wait to make my debut in the number 04 Carquest Chevy for Roper Racing.” He continued, “I want to thank Cory Roper and everyone at Roper Racing for this incredible opportunity. I am honored to be a part of such a dedicated team and I’m excited to take on another road course behind the wheel of the Carquest Auto Parts Chevrolet.”

Craig Roper, team manager for Roper Racing, shared his enthusiasm about Lewis joining the team, remarking, “We’re excited to have Landen in the truck, we have watched him in the ARCA series and feel confident that he will do a great job. Even though he will be a rookie in the truck series for this race, I think we’ll see some veteran like driving from young Landen.” But what is the end goal with a rookie in the Truck? “Normally the answer to this question with a rookie driver would be to just run all the laps, help Landen learn the truck and have a solid day, but with Bruce as crew chief and with Landen’s talent, I think we’ll have a shot at winning this race,” stated Craig.

Bruce Cook will be Landen’s Crew Chief and the two have had remarkable success in the ARCA West Series this season and last. The two have a bond and have been finding their way to Victory Lane in the series, with a recent Win at Portland International Raceway in Oregon. “We have a lot of confidence in Bruce as well,” Roper said. “He has helped Roper Racing find speed and has put together some great finishes this year with a driver he hasn’t worked with before, so having Bruce and Landen together on our truck with their history is a great match up, especially with this being a road course race and seeing what they were able to accomplish at Portland this year in the ARCA West car.” So joining forces is setting sail to future endeavors for both driver and team alike. With ongoing support from Carquest, Chevrolet, and American Resurfacing Inc. they’ve played a vital role in the team’s success and continued growth and this is a step towards the future.

Roper Racing –

For more information about Roper Racing, please visit: www.roperracingteam.com.

Landen Lewis –

For more information about Landen Lewis visit: www.LandenLewis.com

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Overview:

Event: O’Reilly Auto Parts 150, Race 14 of 23, 67 Laps – 20/20/27; 151.28 Miles

Location: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (2.258-mile, 13-turn road course)

Date/Broadcast: July 8, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

‘Chase’n a Playoff Spot:

Chase Purdy and the No. 4 Bama Buggies team head to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for Saturday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 battling for a spot in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series playoffs. Purdy has recorded an average finish of 20.0 across six career starts on road courses. He finished 13th in last year’s race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course after qualifying 22nd, earning his best career finish on a road course in the Truck Series.

In preparation for Saturday’s race at Mid-Ohio, Purdy and other Chevrolet drivers traveled to the 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course in May for a track day, where they made laps in Chevrolet Camaros under the tutelage of road course ace Ron Fellows.

Purdy entered the 2022 season having never earned a top-five result in Truck Series action but has produced two across 13 races in his first season at Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM), including a career-best runner-up finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April. The 23-year-old driver has already produced a career-high seven top-10 finishes this season, after posting just two each in 2021 and 2022. In the Truck Series’ last stop at Nashville Superspeedway, he came from the 12th starting position to finish sixth.

Over the last four races, Purdy has registered an average finish of 8.7 with three top-10 results. Unfortunately, during that span has only trimmed his deficit from being 40 points the cutoff line to 39 points below with just three races remaining in the regular season.

Purdy will be trying to etch his mark in the KBM historical archives this weekend at Mid-Ohio 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 victory 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: Byron, Christopher Bell, Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek. Two of KBM’s wins have come on road courses: Busch at Sonoma Raceway last year and Erik Jones at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2015.

The Mississippi native 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 65 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. This will be Villeneuve’s first time calling a race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. He has been on top of the pit box for two road course races in his career. His best result was a 12th-place finish with John Wes Townley at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2016.

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:

How does Mid-Ohio compare to other road courses that you’ve raced at?

“I like Mid-Ohio. In a weird sense it races kind of like a short track but it’s a road course – as weird as that sounds. It’s very hard on tires and there will be some beating and banging and sliding around, so it makes for great racing and a good show for the fans. It kind of gives you that short track feel with some bump and runs. It’s definitely my favorite of the road courses that we go to in the Truck Series.”

You were able to go to Mid-Ohio for a track day earlier this year. How beneficial will that be with limited practice time?

“I think any time you can go and get laps, get an idea of the track layout and the feel of things, find certain patches and grooves before you go there for the real thing is always beneficial no matter what type of vehicle you are in. I’m not really a road course expert but having already been there is a big advantage. I ran decent there last year and hoping to do a lot better this year in KBM equipment.”

Chase Purdy Career Highlights:

• Across 65 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-76: The No. 4 Bama Buggies team will unload KBM-76 for Saturday’s race at Mid-Ohio. This was a brand new Silverado for Purdy when he finished 27th at Circuit of the Americas earlier this year.

KBM-76 Performance Profile:

KBM Notes of Interest:

• KBM drivers have one pole and one top-10 finish across three starts at Mid-Ohio. Corey Heim won the pole for last year’s inaugural race while Chandler Smith was the best finishing KBM driver with a sixth-place finish.
• Overall across 43 road course starts, KBM drivers have collected two victories: Kyle Busch at Sonoma Raceway last year and Erik Jones at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2015.
• 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.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Overview:

Event: O’Reilly Auto Parts 150, Race 14 of 23, 67 Laps – 20/20/27; 151.28 Miles

Location: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (2.258-mile, 13-turn road course)

Date/Broadcast: July 8, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

Get to Know Jack:

Jack Wood will make his seventh NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start of 2023 for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) behind the wheel of the No. 51 Rowdy Manufacturing Chevrolet in Saturday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. In addition to running the Truck Series race, Wood will also be competing in Friday’s ARCA Menards Series event at the 2.258-mile road course. The California native was relegated to a 29th-place finish in last year’s inaugural Truck Series race at Mid-Ohio after being involved in an accident on lap 55. He has an average finish of 26.0 across five career road course starts in the Truck Series, with a best result of 16th coming at Sonoma Raceway in 2022.

While this will be Wood’s first start on a road course in the Truck Series this year, he has raced in both the ARCA Menards Series West and TA2 Series on road courses this year. Most recently, he finished fourth in the ARCA Menards Series West race June 9 at Sonoma Raceway behind Ryan Preece, Sammy Smith and Riley Herbst. In late April, he captured the pole and brought home the victory at Sonoma in the TA2 Series.

The 22-year-old driver has finished inside the top 10 in two of his six Truck Series starts this season, including recording a career-best ninth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April. In addition to his part-time schedule for KBM in the Truck Series this season, Wood is running a limited schedule in the ARCA Series with Rev Racing. The California native has one top five and four top-10 finishes with an average result of 11.4 across five ARCA Menards Series starts this season.

Wood will be trying to etch his mark in the KBM historical archives this weekend at Mid-Ohio 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 victory 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: Byron, Christopher Bell, Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek. Two of KBM’s wins have come on road courses: Busch at Sonoma last year and Erik Jones at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2015.

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. 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 Truck Series. This will be Pattie’s first race atop the pit box for a Truck Series race at Mid-Ohio. He has one road course victory in NASCAR’s third division, a win with Ron Fellows at Watkins Glen International in June of 1999. He also has two road course victories with Fellows at Watkins Glen in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (2000 and 2001). In the Cup Series he has been to victory lane twice on road courses, with Juan Pablo Montoya at Watkins Glen in 2010 and at Sonoma with Clint Bowyer in 2012.

The No. 51 team currently ranks sixth in the Craftsman Truck Series owner’s point standings, 68 points above the cutoff line for making the owner’s playoffs with three races remaining in the regular season. Over the first 13 races, they have recorded one win, one pole, 163 laps led, five top-five and eight top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 11.7. Kyle Busch returns to the Zariz Transport Silverado at Pocono Raceway July 22 and Matt Mills will be in the No. 51 J.F. Electric Silverado at Richmond Raceway July 29. Wood’s next event will be Aug. 11 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Rowdy Manufacturing will serve as the primary sponsor on Wood’s No. 51 Silverado Saturday. Rowdy Manufacturing offers precision machining of components from concept to completion across all industrial sectors including automotive, aerospace and NASCAR teams. Rowdy Manufacturing builds the chassis that KBM races as well as several other teams in the Truck Series including race-winning organizations Spire Motorsports and Henderson Motorsports. The same attention to detail that has made Rowdy Manufacturing owner Kyle Busch a two-time Cup Series champion goes into every component that comes out of his organization’s Mooresville, N.C. facility.
Jack Wood, Driver Q&A:

Are you looking forward to your first road course race in the Truck Series this year?

“I’m looking forward to it. I’ve ran a couple road course races this year with the Lagasses (TeamSLR) and was able to win the Trans Am race back in April at Sonoma. I’m excited to try something different and the KBM road course package showed that it was strong at Circuit of the Americas with Kyle (Busch). Mid-Ohio is a fun road course and a place that I’ve put a lot of work into with different tests and what not. I’m running the ARCA race on Friday so that’ll get me some extra laps before the Truck Series race on Saturday as well.”

How different is a truck on a road course compared to the other vehicles you’ve driven this year?

“It’s quite a bit different I would say, the center of gravity in the truck is so much higher than in the Trans Am car and even the ARCA car. I think you have to minimize mistakes even more because of that, but the things that you have to do to go fast on a road course apply across really any vehicle. I just have to be adaptable any pay attention to what we are going to need to do to make speed.”

How does Mid-Ohio compare to other road courses you’ve raced at?

“There isn’t a lot of elevation change at Mid-Ohio, but there are some really heavy braking zones and other cool stuff. It’s got a little bit of everything but there isn’t a lot of room to race side by side, so qualifying is going to be really important especially with not having live pit stops. Our pit crew has been really good and usually helps us out with a couple spots every time down pit road and we’re not going to have that advantage this week. It’s going to be important to get 100 percent out of the vehicle every chance you get. I think we’ll have a good weekend!”

Jack Wood Career Highlights:

• Has produced three top-10 finishes across 41 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, two top-five and eight top-10 finishes across 14 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 Rowdy Manufacturing Chevrolet Silverado RST:

KBM-71: The No. 51 Rowdy Manufacturing team will unload KBM-71 for Saturday’s race at Mid-Ohio. Kyle Busch drove this chassis to victory at Sonoma in 2022. Busch also piloted this Silverado at Circuit of the Americas earlier this year where he led 12 laps and finished second. Corey Heim won the pole and led three laps in last year’s race at Mid-Ohio with KBM-71 before transmission issues relegated him to a 26th-place finish.

Click Here for KBM-71 Profile

KBM Notes of Interest:

• KBM drivers have one pole and one top-10 finish across three starts at Mid-Ohio. Corey Heim won the pole for last year’s inaugural race while Chandler Smith was the best finishing KBM driver with a sixth-place finish. Overall, across 43 road course starts, KBM drivers have collected two victories: Kyle Busch at Sonoma Raceway last year and Erik Jones at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2015.
• 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.

TEAM AND RACE NOTES:

This Saturday, Zane Smith and the No. 38 team head to Lexington, Ohio to take on the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Tipico Sportsbook will make their NASCAR debut at the sprawling and scenic road course. Not only will Tipico ride with Smith, but also 30+ new Tipico customers will have their names on the truck bed of the No. 38 Ford F-150.

It’s all part of the excitement that Tipico is bringing to the track. The leading global sports betting company that offers cutting edge digital and mobile betting entertainment will also be on-site in the fan display offering new sign-ups and giveaways. Smith will be signing autographs at the display on Saturday morning.

Track activity will begin Friday with practice and qualifying at 4:00 p.m. ET. Saturday’s 67- lap race is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

COMPETITION NOTES

Coming off a second-place finish at the Nashville Superspeedway, Smith and the Tipico team look to keep their momentum going at the 2.2-mile road course. Smith finished second in last year’s event, finishing right on the bumper of Parker Kligerman in a dramatic race.

Smith took the checkered in the CRAFTSMAN truck race at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) this season and now has two wins on a road course in the series- both coming at COTA.

CREW CHIEF CHRIS LAWSON

“I think Zane’s road course talent is one of the best in the series and we’ve been happy with our road course setups. We’ve always had good speed.

After our performance at Nashville, we want to come back and compete for the win and get back the points lead if we can. A win is even better.”

DRIVER ZANE SMITH

“I love road course racing. Winning COTA two years in a row was cool and racing Parker last year for the win here was fun. I expect another great truck this weekend and hopefully this time we get the win with Tipico at their first race.”

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.

STATESVILLE, N.C.: Officials from AM Racing announced today that mainstay driver Austin Wayne Self will return to NASCAR competition and compete in Saturday afternoon’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

The 14th race of the Truck Series will be Self’s first NASCAR-sanctioned event in 2023 and first since competing at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway in November 2022.

AIRBOX Air Purifier, America’s top provider of commercial-grade safe air solutions will support Self in his 147th career start.

“I’m excited about returning to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series this weekend with my AM Racing team,” said Self.

“I have missed the atmosphere that the NASCAR garage provides, so I am looking forward to that as well as an opportunity to have a strong performance for my AM Racing team.”

Self will make his second Truck Series start at the 2.25-mile road course in Lexington, Ohio. Last July, the Austin, Texas native qualified his truck 14th in the rain and withstood a chaotic finish to the race to deliver a strong 14th place finish.

This year, Self believes he can better his effort from last summer and deliver his 16th career top-10 finish.

“I loved competing at Mid-Ohio in both the wet and the dry,” he said with a chuckle. “The track really fits my driving style for a road course. We were super competitive last year and contended for a top-10 finish but ended up with 14th because of the fender-benders that erupted in the closing laps of the race.

“I am looking forward to a second chance at Mid-Ohio with our No. 22 AIRBOX Air Purifier Ford F-150.”

Since 2016, Self has competed in 146 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races, delivering two top-five, 15 top-10 finishes and carries an average finish of 18.9. He finished a career-best 12th in the championship standings in 2018.

Wade Moore, president of AM Racing added, “We are excited to welcome Austin back to NASCAR this weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Austin is a huge fan of road course racing and given his performance at Mid-Ohio last year and with the continued support of his long-time partner, AIRBOX Air Purifier we are looking forward to seeing the No. 22 AM Racing Ford F-150 back on the track on Saturday afternoon.”

Ahead of Mid-Ohio, Self has spent the 2023 racing season with AM Racing’s Dirt Division participating in various Dirt Modified events throughout the region. Most recently, he picked up his seventh win of the season this past Saturday night at Fairgrounds Raceway in Boone, N.C. Overall, the Statesville, N.C. division has eight victories thus far in 2023.

For more on AM Racing, please visit AMRacingteam.com, like their Facebook page (AM Racing), or follow them on Instagram and Twitter @AMRacingNASCAR.

For more on Austin Wayne Self, please visit awsracing.com, like his Facebook page (Austin Wayne Self) or follow him on Instagram (@austinwayneself) and Twitter @AustinWSelf.

The O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 (67 laps | 151.28 miles) is the 14th of 23 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races on the 2023 schedule. Practice begins on Friday, July 7, 2023, from 4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Qualifying will immediately follow from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The 36-truck field will take the green flag on Saturday, July 8, 2023, shortly after 1:30 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (ET).

About AM Racing:

AM Racing is a multi-tiered, multi-faceted Motorsports program headquartered in Statesville, N.C.

Established in December 2015, AM Racing is prided on faith, honesty and intelligent performance.

The family-owned team will compete in the ARCA Menards Series, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and various Dirt Modified events in its seventh year of competition.

The team has named Brett Moffitt and Christian Rose as their primary drivers for the 2023 Xfinity and ARCA Menards Series seasons.