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

START: 2ND
FINISH: 14TH
POINTS: 6TH

Post-Race Quote: “I hate that our race finished the way that it did, because we were in a good position to come away with a clean top-five finish tonight at Darlington. Jeff Hensley and the rest of the guys on my No. 23 team worked really hard to bring me a piece to contend with, but we had some struggles throughout the race and it was hard to maintain our track position there. I’m thankful to all of our partners at Champion Power Equipment, Chevrolet, Maury Gallagher, Mike Beam, Ron Booth, and everyone back at the shop at GMS Racing including the guys in the fab shop for sticking with us through the good nights and the bad nights. I hate that we let them down tonight but I’m optimistic that we can continue to move forward once we head to North Wilkesboro next weekend.”

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

START: 13TH
FINISH: 6TH
POINTS: 17TH

Post-Race Quote: “I really wish it went green because I was running those guys down on the top of turns 3 and 4, so I was pretty proud of that. Our Wendell Scott Foundation Silverado RST was really sporty tonight, I can’t say enough about the men and woman on my team, they work extremely hard and it’s great to put together a full night. Hopefully we will continue our momentum next week for Mike Beam, Maury Gallagher, Ron Booth, all of our partners at GMS Racing and Chevrolet. I wish it went green there ’cause I was running them down. ”

Daniel Dye, No. 43 Race To Stop Suicide Chevrolet Silverado RST

START: 20TH
FINISH: 19TH
POINTS: 19TH

Post-Race Quote: “It was a tough race, we were trying to get the truck dialed in through practice and qualifying, but we fought the handling on our No. 43 truck all day. We never gave up though, and came away with a top-20 finish on the lead lap which isn’t terrible at all. Of course, we want better, but we will build up to it. For my first time coming to Darlington, it’s not a whole lot to hang our heads on, but we’ll definitely look for some better results next time. I’m thankful to all of the team members on our No. 43 Chevy at GMS Racing and look forward to North Wilkesboro.”

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.

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Buckle Up South Carolina 200 | Friday, May 12, 2023

Ford Finishing Results:
12th – Matt Crafton
18th – Ben Rhodes
20th – Hailie Deegan
22nd – Zane Smith
28th – Johnny Sauter
31st – Ty Majeski

MATT CRAFTON, No. 88 Ideal Door/Menards Ford F-150 – “We made so many changes today and came a long ways to get it in the top 10, but then they just proceed to wreck each other and run into each other and have zero respect for each other. My guys did a good job of making our truck a lot better, but I can’t believe we were off as bad as we were the first three-quarters of that race.”

BEN RHODES, No. 99 Farm Paint Ford F-150 – “Something went wrong in stage one. The truck was evil to drive. I think we had a left-rear tire going down from what my guys said, but that ruined the first stage. We were lucky to get our lap back. Once we did that, though, I lost the brakes. For at least half the race I had no brakes, which is an extremely nervous feeling at a track where you really need them. The tire falloff is so huge that I had to really back my corners way up and be careful not to run into anybody, so it was a very eventful and very challenging night. Finally, we were in position to get a top 10 and salvage it and the caution comes out and we get wrecked on the restart. It looked like the 35 got loose on the bottom and then just fenced us, along with another truck, so it was just a really tough night. Ultimately, we were salvaging it. We had a clean truck and we could have been fairly happy and now it’s just a lot of work going forward.”

STEWART FRIESEN AND TANNER GRAY BATTLE TO TOP-THREE RESULTS AT DARLINGTON
Five Tundras Claim Top-10 Finishes at Famed South Carolina Oval

DARLINGTON, S.C. (May 12, 2023) – Stewart Friesen (second) and Tanner Gray (third) survived two overtime attempts in Friday night’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at South Carolina’s Darlington Raceway. The two Tundra drivers were followed to the checkered flag by Toyota teammates Bubba Wallace (seventh), Corey Heim (eighth) and Dean Thompson (ninth).

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Darlington Raceway
Race 9 of 23 – 147 Laps, 200.8 Miles

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

1st, Christian Eckes*
2nd, STEWART FRIESEN
3rd, TANNER GRAY
4th, William Byron*
5th, Carson Hocevar*
7th, BUBBA WALLACE
8th, COREY HEIM
9th, DEAN THOMPSON
15th, TYLER ANKRUM
21st, TAYLOR GRAY
24th, TIMMY HILL
27th, RYAN VARGAS
35th, DAWSON CRAM
36th, BRENNAN POOLE
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

TANNER GRAY, No. 15 Black’s Tire Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

Finishing Position: 2nd

Why did you refer to this race as eventful for you and your team?
“Obviously, it was really cool to race with Taylor (Gray) there the last part of this race. Overall, it was pretty eventful for us. We didn’t fire off that well, we were really loose to fire and fought that through practice. Then we were able to go from almost being a lap down to finishing third. Says a lot about Jeremy Donnelly (crew chief) and everybody on this TRICON team to make good adjustments all night. Pit crew was amazing tonight and gained us spots every stop and that’s all you can ask for. Just proud of everybody at TRICON Garage and Toyota. To get everyone from Black’s Tire a top-three finish at Darlington is great as this is a track I feel like I’ve struggled to finish at in the past. It’s nice to finally come here and finish one out. We didn’t have the complete race that we wanted, but the end result was good and that’s all that matters.”

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

Finishing Position: 3rd

What is it that’s coming together for this race team with this runner-up finish?

“It’s a lot of teamwork here. Really proud of my guys. Thanks to Chris Larson for believing in me. Halmar International and everybody at the office that’s helping us work this all out. It’s a great team effort. Thanks to my wife Jessica, my son Parker and all my guys. My over-the-wall crew, we worked a little harder and those guys responded with great stops. We didn’t have a great truck in dirty air, but our TRD PRO was good in clean air. We had a good restart there at the end, but I was able to get the second spot. Proud of my guys. Thanks to all of my Northeast friends at home pulling for us. We got ‘Driving Ivan’ to the podium so at least that’s something we’ll drink a beer about tonight.”

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
Darlington (S.C.) Raceway | Buckle Up South Carolina 200

Fast Facts
No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Team:
Driver: Kris Wright
Primary Partner(s): WrightCars.com
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST
Crew Chief: Andrew Abbott
2023 Driver Points Position: 19th
2023 Owner Points Position: 25th
Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

Settling In: Road racing standout Kris Wright returns to Young’s Motorsports for the full 2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series season continuing with Friday night’s Buckle Up South Carolina 200 at Darlington Raceway.

The former IMSA and Formula 3 driver returns to Young’s Motorsports this season after spending the 2022 season competing in both Trucks and the Xfinity Series.

Wright competed in 16 Truck Series races during the 2021 season for Young’s Motorsports earning four top-20 finishes and a season-high 12th-place finish at Daytona.

Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR: Kris Wright pays tribute to Chip Ganassi with a throwback paint scheme that will appear on the Young’s Motorsports No. 02 WrightCars.com Chevrolet Silverado RST at the Darlington Raceway. Wright will honor the Pittsburgh, Pa. – native with the recreation of the Chip Ganassi Racing 2007 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) red and black scheme that was victorious at the Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway.

Earning his first career win, Juan Pablo Montoya made history as the third foreign-born driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series event. The hard-charging Colombian displayed his road-racing prowess, overcoming a 32nd place qualifying effort climbing through the field, using NASCAR’s new Car of Tomorrow chassis for the first time on a road course. He became the first driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway after starting further back than 13th place.

Glad You Are Here: For the second time in 2023, WrightCars.com will serve as the primary partner on Wright’s No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado RST.

Family-owned and operated, WrightCars.com is a respected Wexford dealer serving the Pittsburgh, Cranberry and Beaver areas, Wright Automotive Group’s six locations carry an extensive inventory of new and used luxury cars and SUVs.

The Lady in Black Statistics: This weekend marks Kris Wright’s fourth NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series appearance at the Darlington Raceway, one of the oldest and most historic racetracks. The Pittsburgh, Pa., – native has three starts at the Darlington Raceway.

Wright made his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series track debut at the Darlington Raceway on May 7, 2021.

In addition, Wright has one NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) start (2022) at the Darlington Raceway.

Speedway Stats: This weekend marks Kris Wright’s 23rd speedway (tracks 1 to 2 miles in length) start in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.

Wright also has five combined NASCAR Xfinity Series starts on speedways.

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

He will be crew chief in his 112th NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series race on Friday night. In his previous 111 races, he has two top-five and seven top-10 finishes to his resume.

He has two prior Truck Series races as crew chief at the unique 1.33-mile oval.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series at the Darlington Raceway: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ 12th, 13th and 14th NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at the Darlington Raceway.

The organization posted a team-best finish at the track of 14th place with Jesse Little on May 6, 2022. The 11 previous starts at “The Track Too Tough to Tame,” a moniker the track earned due to its unforgiving and treacherous nature that shows no mercy for even the slightest of on-track errors in judgment, have earned Young’s Motorsports an average starting position of 26.4 and an average finish of 25.4.

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 430 starts from 51 drivers, resulting in solid performances that include two victories (Talladega Superspeedway 2019, 2021), seven top-five finishes and 31 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 22.2 and an average finishing position of 21.4.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Kris Wright, please visit, KrisWrightMotorsports.com, like him on Facebook (Kris Wright Racing) and follow him on Twitter (@kriswrightraces).

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).

Kris Wright Pre-Race Quotes:

On Darlington Raceway: “Our throwback paint scheme for this week at the Darlington Raceway means a lot to me because of the connection to Chip Ganassi – he is a good friend of our family and from Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania).

“We wanted to honor him and his legacy in the industry, along with Juan Pablo Montoya. He was one of my favorite drivers and is a huge part of why I got into racing in the first place.”

No. 12 Young’s Motorsports Team:

Driver: Spencer Boyd

Primary Partner(s): SAD DADDY Hunting Blinds

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST

Crew Chief: Brad Means

2023 Driver Points Position: 25th

2023 Owner Points Position: 31st

Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

Back To Familiar Territory: Fan favorite Spencer Boyd returns to Darlington Raceway, the ninth 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. 149: This weekend at Darlington, Boyd will make his 149th career NASCAR start. Boyd has three starts in the NASCAR Cup Series, 50 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and will make his 96th start in Trucks when the green flag waves Friday night.

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 Aboard: This weekend at Darlington Raceway, Young’s Motorsports and Boyd welcome SAD DADDY Hunting Blinds as the primary partner on the No. 12 Chevrolet Silverado RST for the first time in 2023.

SAD DADDY prides themselves in building a quality, 100% American-made hunting blind. Each of their blinds provides optimal comfort and shelter in some of the harshest hunting conditions.

At SAD DADDY Hunting Blinds they strongly believe in God and family values. They are extremely honored to build a product that promotes spending time with family and carrying on the great tradition of hunting.

The term sad daddy is one of the many words to describe a big buck in the hunting world.

Spencer Boyd Truck Series Darlington Raceway Stats: Friday night’s Buckle Up South Carolina 200 will mark Boyd’s fifth NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series race at the historic South Carolina race track.

In his four previous efforts, Boyd has a track-best of 21st after starting 26th in the 2021 spring edition of the In It To Win It 200 driving for Young’s Motorsports.

He has an average track finish of 23.3 since 2020.

Spencer Boyd Truck Series Speedway Stats: At NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series tracks classified as a speedway; Boyd has made 55 starts throughout his career. He also holds an average finishing position of 24.6.

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 95 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 23.8.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Boyd as crew chief of the No. 12 SAD DADDY Hunting Blinds Chevrolet Silverado RST is crew chief Brad Means.

He will make his Truck Series crew chief debut at the unique 1.33-mile oval Friday night.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series at the Darlington Raceway: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ 12th, 13th and 14th NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at the Darlington Raceway.

The organization posted a team-best finish at the track of 14th place with Jesse Little on May 6, 2022. The 11 previous starts at “The Track Too Tough to Tame,” a moniker the track earned due to its unforgiving and treacherous nature that shows no mercy for even the slightest of on-track errors in judgment, have earned Young’s Motorsports an average starting position of 26.4 and an average finish of 25.4.

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 430 starts from 51 drivers, resulting in solid performances that include two victories (Talladega Superspeedway 2019, 2021), seven top-five finishes and 31 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 22.2 and an average finishing position of 21.4.

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 Darlington Raceway: “Darlington is always a fun weekend with a lot of history and contagious atmosphere. The racing on the track is fierce and competitive. With the track being hot on Friday, the trucks are going to slide around a lot.

“We just need to get a good balance on our No. 12 SAD DADDY Hunting Blinds Chevrolet Silverado RST and look for a strong showing under the lights on Friday night.”

No. 20 Young’s Motorsports Team:
Driver: Kaden Honeycutt

Primary Partner(s): Young’s Motorsports

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST

Crew Chief: Joe Lax

2023 Driver Points Position: 27th

2023 Owner Points Position: 36th

Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

Young’s Motorsports Debut: This weekend at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, Young’s Motorsports welcomes Willow Park, Texas native Kaden Honeycutt as the driver of the No. 20 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST for the first time in 2023.

About Kaden: Kaden Honeycutt is 19 years old and resides in Aledo, TX. Kaden started racing in 2012 in the Bandolero Division compiling multiple wins throughout Alabama and Texas.

In 2016 he moved into the INEX Legend Car Young Lions Division where he visited victory lane multiple times. In 2017 he advanced to the INEX Pro Series where he won the Las Vegas Bullring Showdown.

2017 also saw Honeycutt competing in the Pro Truck Series that included the 2017 Pro Truck, Snowball Derby event at Five Flags (Fla.) Speedway.

From 2018 to 2020, he graduated to the ARCA Menards Series, as well as competing in select Super Late Model and IMCA Dirt Modified events.

Over the past two seasons, he has participated in the CARS Tours Late Model program, picking up three victories, while also continuing to compete in select IMCA Dirt Modified events.

Last year, he advanced to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series where he amassed one top-10 and three top-15 finishes.

This season, he has continued a limited Truck Series program, while also competing in select CARS Tour events.

Kaden Honeycutt Truck Series Stats: Entering Darlington, Honeycutt has 14 career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races to his credit, earning a career-best ninth-place finish twice, most recently at the Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway Dirt Track where he finished ninth after starting third in the WEATHERGUARD Truck Race on Dirt for Roper Racing.

Since 2021, he has carried an average finish of 21.1.

Kaden Honeycutt Truck Series Kansas Speedway Stats: Friday night’s Buckle Up South Carolina 200 at Darlington Raceway will mark the Texan’s debut at the historic 1.33-mile track.

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series at the Darlington Raceway: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ 12th, 13th and 14th NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at the Darlington Raceway.

The organization posted a team-best finish at the track of 14th place with Jesse Little on May 6, 2022. The 11 previous starts at “The Track Too Tough to Tame,” a moniker the track earned due to its unforgiving and treacherous nature that shows no mercy for even the slightest of on-track errors in judgment, have earned Young’s Motorsports an average starting position of 26.4 and an average finish of 25.4.

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 430 starts from 51 drivers, resulting in solid performances that include two victories (Talladega Superspeedway 2019, 2021), seven top-five finishes and 31 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 22.2 and an average finishing position of 21.4.

Calling the Shots: Guiding Honeycutt as crew chief of the No. 20 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST is veteran crew chief Joe Lax.

He will be crew chief in his 104th NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series race on Friday night. In his previous 103 races, he has one pole and eight top-10 finishes to his resume.

This weekend marks his sixth race as crew chief at Darlington Raceway.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Kaden Honeycutt, please like him on Facebook (Kaden Honeycutt Racing) and follow him on Instagram (kadenhoneycutt10) and Twitter (@KadenWHoneycutt).

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).

Kaden Honeycutt Pre-Race Quote:

On Darlington Raceway: “I am very excited for this opportunity at Young’s Motorsports. I would like to say thank you to Tyler Young for even considering me to drive this weekend at Darlington.

“I have had success on the simulator at this track and hope to transfer it to real life and make the most out of our night. Thank you also to my Mom and Dad for never giving up on me through this tough journey.

“I cannot wait to hit the track on Friday!”

Race Information:

The Buckle Up South Carolina 200 (147 laps | 200.8 miles) is the ninth of 23 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races on the 2023 schedule. The one-day show begins with practice on Friday, May 12 from 3:05 p.m. – 3:35 p.m. Qualifying immediately follows practice beginning at 3:35 p.m. The field will take the green flag shortly after 7:30 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (Eastern).

EVENT PREVIEW: DARLINGTON
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Friday, May 12 | 7:30 PM ET
FS1 | MRN | SiriusXM
Driver: Daniel Dye
Hometown: Deland, Florida
Birthday: December 4, 2003
Series: NASCAR Truck Series
Vehicle: Chevrolet Silverado RST
Crew Chief: Blake Bainbridge
Owner: Maury Gallagher

NASCAR Truck Series Stats:
Starts: 8

Points: 20th

Track: Darlington Raceway
Date: Friday, May 12
Race: 7:30 PM ET
Length: 200 Miles
Coverage: FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM, FOX Sports App

Mental Health Awareness Month
Daniel Dye has partnered with NASCAR to promote Mental Health Awareness Month throughout the month of May. The Race To Stop Suicide will play a key role in these initiatives, and several pieces of content around the topic will be posted via Daniel’s social media handles.

Darlington Stats

Daniel Dye will be making his first start of any kind at Darlington this Friday night.

2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

Starts: 8; Best start: 10th; Best finish: 13th (Kansas I); Laps led: 5; Current points position: 20th

Chassis History/Info
Dye and the No. 43 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 343 for the second time this weekend at Darlington Raceway. This chassis made its debut earlier this year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where Daniel led five laps and finished 19th in only his second time in a truck.

Throwback Scheme
The iconic Petty blue and orange colors will make an appearance on the No. 43 Race To Stop Suicide Chevrolet as a homage to Richard Petty’s 1973 STP paint scheme. This scheme dates back to the 1970’s, when Richard was in the height of his racing career. Daniel has driven the famous No. 43 on the majority of his race cars since the start of his racing career, and his throwback scheme has been a hit amongst longtime fans since it was announced to run.

Sunoco Rookie Battle
Dye’s 13th place result at Kansas Speedway was the fourth highest finish of the drivers competing for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. Looking at the leaderboard of rookie points, Daniel is currently slotted in fourth, 83 points behind leading candidate Nick Sanchez and 11 points behind Rajah Caruth in third.

From the Driver’s Seat

Darlington is undoubtedly one of the tougher tracks for a rookie to go to for the first time, what comes to your mind racing here?

“As a driver, you always hear about Darlington being tough. I’m looking forward to the challenge and will be leaning on my teammates and their experience and utilizing our sim time to make the most of our weekend. We’re going to take advantage of practice as much as we can and learn throughout the entire race with our No. 43 team at GMS Racing.”

CONCORD, N.C. (May 11, 2023) – Kyle Larson, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion, will drive Spire Motorsports No. 7 Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet Silverado in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Tyson 250 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. It was previously announced Alex Bowman would drive the team’s entry. Bowman is currently recovering from an injury.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to run the (NASCAR CRAFTSMAN) Truck (Series) race at North Wilkesboro next weekend with Spire Motorsports,” said Larson. “It’s a shame that Alex (Bowman) won’t be able to compete. We wish him a speedy recovery so he can return to the track soon. Since I’ve never raced at North Wilkesboro, I think it could be beneficial to get some additional laps in at the track. I’m looking forward to double duty All-Star weekend.”

The Tyson 250 from North Wilkesboro Speedway will be televised live on FOX Saturday, May 20 beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

About Hendrickcars.Com …
HendrickCars.com is the online home for everything Hendrick Automotive Group. Visitors can shop thousands of new or pre-owned vehicles, locate centers for service and collision repair, receive a value to sell or trade their car, chat online with customer service, discover career opportunities, learn more about vehicle protection programs, and explore how the company gives back to the community.

About Hendrick Automotive Group …
Representing 131 franchises and 25 manufacturer nameplates from the Carolinas to California, Hendrick Automotive Group is the largest privately held automotive retail organization in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the company employs more than 10,000 people in its 95 dealership locations, 21 collision centers and four accessories distributor installers in 13 states. For more information, please visit HendrickCars.com.

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.

Concord, NC- As part of NASCAR’s “Throwback Weekend” at Darlington Raceway, Rev Racing’s Nick Sanchez will honor racing legend Mario Andretti at the Buckle Up South Carolina 200 this Friday (5.12).

With primary sponsorship from Gainbridge, Sanchez’s No. 2 Chevrolet will run the Andretti scheme, which found its way to Victory Lane in the 1967 Daytona 500. To date, Andretti remains the only driver to win an Indianapolis 500, Daytona 500 and the Formula One Championship.

Andretti will also join Sanchez and Rev Racing in Darlington to see the Holman-Moody paint scheme on Sanchez’s Chevy Silverado. Both Andretti and Sanchez are both very excited for the upcoming festivities. Sanchez has already had an incredible rookie start this season, compiling 1 top-5, 3 top 10s and 2 poles in 8 races. He also led the most laps in the 2023 NCTS at 187. Sanchez hopes to recreate this victorious moment in history in honor of Andretti and Darlington’s Throwback Weekend.

“The name Mario Andretti is synonymous with auto racing,” said Nick Sanchez. “To get to honor his legacy and his famous Daytona 500 win in 1967 is very special. The chance to meet a legend like Mario is also incredibly special. As a young driver, what he’s accomplished in motorsports is something I can only dream about for my future. Thanks to the Gainbridge and Rev Racing team for organizing this special throwback opportunity.”

Andretti is humbled and sincerely appreciative that Rev Racing and Gainbridge will honor and recognize a livery so important to his career.

“I was full of pride when I learned that Gainbridge and Rev Racing were paying tribute to me this way,” said Andretti. “The effort they are going through to present this commemorative truck is flattering. Thank you to the team for that effort and also for acknowledging my part in NASCAR history. I look forward to seeing Nick carry the design from my 1967 car. I hope this winning paint scheme will be a good omen for him and that he’ll get a victory. “

Andretti and Sanchez will be doing a Live Q&A at the Goodyear Legend’s Display in the Fan Zone starting at 5:00 PM ET, followed by a NASCAR Legends Autograph Session from 5:20 – 5:40 PM ET on May 12. Sanchez and Andretti will be autographing and donating Nick’s throwback firesuit, post-race, for auction with all proceeds going to the NASCAR Foundation.

The NCTS practice session is set for 3:05 PM ET, before a qualifying session at 3:35 PM ET. The green flag will wave at 7:30 PM ET and can be watched on FS1, MRN, Sirius XM and live streamed on the Fox Sports App or Rev social media.

About Rev Racing: Rev Racing seeks to obtain the highest quality applicants representing diverse backgrounds and develop them into successful NASCAR drivers. Started by Max Siegel in 2009, Rev Racing manages the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program. Rev Racing currently operates and manages drivers in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, and a youth racing initiative.

KRIS WRIGHT
No. 02 WrightCars.com Chevrolet Silverado RST
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series News and Notes
Event: Buckle Up South Carolina 200
Date: Friday, May 12
Venue: Darlington Raceway
Location: Darlington, South Carolina
Track Description: 1.366 miles
Race: 147 laps / 200.8 miles

Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR … Kris Wright pays tribute to Chip Ganassi with a throwback paint scheme that will appear on the Young’s Motorsports No. 02 WrightCars.com Chevrolet Silverado RST at the Darlington Raceway. Wright will honor the Pittsburgh, Pa., – native with the recreation of the Chip Ganassi Racing 2007 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) red and black scheme that was victorious at the Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway.

Earning his first career win, Juan Pablo Montoya made history as the third foreign-born driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series event. The hard-charging Colombian displayed his road-racing prowess, overcoming a 32nd place qualifying effort climbing through the field, using NASCAR’s new Car of Tomorrow chassis for the first time on a road course. He became the first driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway after starting further back than 13th place.

On Board … Family-owned and operated, WrightCars.com adorns the Young’s Motorsports No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado RST at the Darlington Raceway. As a respected Wexford dealer serving the Pittsburgh, Cranberry and Beaver areas, Wright Automotive Group’s six locations carry an extensive inventory of new and used luxury cars and SUVs.

The Lady in Black Statistics … This weekend marks Kris Wright’s fourth NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) appearance at the Darlington Raceway, one of the oldest and most historic racetracks. The Pittsburgh, Pa., – native has three starts at the Darlington Raceway. Wright made his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series track debut at the Darlington Raceway on May 7, 2021.

In addition, Wright has one NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) start (2022) at the Darlington Raceway. Speedway Stats: This weekend marks Kris Wright’s 23 rd speedway (tracks 1 to 2-miles in length) start in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.

Wright also has five combined NASCAR Xfinity Series starts on speedways.

QUOTE WORTHY

Kris Wright, driver of the No. 02 WrightCars.com Chevrolet Silverado RST for Young’s Motorsports
On the Darlington Raceway:

“Our throwback paint scheme for this week at the Darlington Raceway means a lot to me because of the connection to Chip Ganassi – he is a good friend of our family, and from Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania). We wanted to honor him and his legacy in the industry, along with Juan Pablo Montoya. He was one of my favorite drivers and is a huge part of why I got into racing in the first place.”

Kris Wright on Social Media … To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, visit KrisWrightMotorsports.com, or connect with Kris Wright on Facebook (/KrisWrightRacing), Twitter (@KrisOnNASCAR) or Instagram (@krisonnascar).

Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series History at the Darlington Raceway … This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ 12th, 13th and 14th NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at the Darlington Raceway. The organization posted a team best finish at the track of 14th-place with Jesse Little on May 6, 2022. The 11 previous starts at “The Track Too Tough to Tame,” a moniker the track earned due to its unforgiving and treacherous nature that shows no mercy for even the slightest of on-track errors in judgment, have earned Young’s Motorsports an average starting position of 26.4 and an average finish of 25.4.

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 430 starts from 51 drivers, resulting in solid performances that include two victories (Talladega Superspeedway 2019, 2021), seven top-five finishes and 31 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 22.2 and an average finishing position of 21.4.

Catch the Action … The Buckle Up South Carolina 200 at the Darlington Raceway will be broadcast on FS1 on Friday, May 12 at 6:30 p.m. (ET) beginning with NASCAR RaceDay – NCTS: Darlington. It will also broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 7:30 p.m. (ET). In addition, NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series practice and qualifying at the Darlington Raceway will air on Friday at 3:00 p.m. (ET) on FS1.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Overview:
Event: Buckle Up South Carolina, Race 9 of 23, 147 Laps – 45/45/57; 200.8 Miles
Location: Darlington Raceway (1.33-mile, egg-shaped oval)
Date/Broadcast: May 12, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

The Beat on Byron:
William Byron will make his second of three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts this season behind the wheel of the No. 51 Silverado for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) Friday night at Darlington Raceway. Byron, who ran full-time for KBM in 2016, made his KBM return earlier this year at the dirt race at Bristol Motor Speedway where he came from the 14th starting position to earn a third-place finish.

Friday night’s event at Darlington will mark Byron’s first start in a truck at Darlington. In Cup Series action, the North Carolina native has recorded one pole, 77 laps led, two top-five and three top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 18.6. His lone NASCAR Xfinity Series start at the egg-shaped oval resulted in a fifth-place finish.

HendrickCars.com, the online home for everything Hendrick Automotive Group, will be the primary sponsor on Byron’s Silverado for Friday night’s 147-lap race. The Ricky Hendrick tribute scheme will also adorn the No. 51 for the final race of Byron’s three-race Truck Series schedule at North Wilkesboro Speedway May 20.

Byron collected a Truck-Series leading seven victories and 727 laps led driving for KBM in 2016. He earned Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors that season and led the No. 9 team to an owner’s championship with his victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The North Carolina native returned to victory lane in the Truck Series last year leading a race-high 94 laps for Spire Motorsports in the HendrickCars.com Silverado at Martinsville Speedway. Across 27 career starts in NASCAR’s Truck Series, the 25-year-old driver has totaled eight wins, three poles, 821 laps led, 13 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 10.4.

With two wins across the first 12 Cup Series races this season; Byron now has six career victories in NASCAR’s premiere division. In 2022, he finished a career-best sixth in the Cup Series championship standings and ranked third in the series with 746 laps led. Across 192 career Cup Series starts he has totaled nine poles, 1990 laps led, 29 top-five and 65 top-10 finishes. Between his time at KBM and graduating to the Cup Series in 2018, Byron captured an Xfinity Series championship and Rookie of the Year Honors for Jr. Motorsports in 2017 after totaling four wins, two poles, 262 laps led, 12 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes.

Byron, who collected KBM’s Truck Series record-breaking 51st victory at Kentucky Speedway in 2016 can etch his mark in the KBM archives again this weekend 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 dominant victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March 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. KBM has collected two of those victories at Darlington, most recently with John Hunter Nemechek last year. Kasey Kahne picked up the organization’s first win at “The Lady in Black” in 2011.

Veteran crew chief Brian Pattie will call 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 KBM 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 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. This will be Pattie’s first time atop the pit box for a Truck Series event.

The No. 51 team currently ranks third in the Craftsman Truck Series owner’s point standings. Across eight starts in 2023, the team has recorded one win, one pole, 146 laps led, four top-five and seven top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 7.6. Jack Wood returns to the No. 51 Eberelestock Chevy May 26 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. KBM owner-driver Kyle Busch will make his final start of 2023 July 22 at Pocono Raceway.

William Byron, Driver Q&A:

Are you looking forward to racing in a truck at Darlington?
“I really, really love racing at Darlington and I’m looking forward to racing there for the first time in a truck on Friday night. It was really fun being back in the Truck Series with KBM at the Bristol dirt race. It’s funny when I got in the truck it was the same smells and same feelings inside the truck — that was the cool part. I felt all those feelings I used to feel, and it was really fun. Obviously, it was on dirt and things were a little bit different than normal, but now that I’ve got a race under my belt with everybody on this No. 51 HendrickCars.com team and I was able to get reacclimated to driving a truck, we’re ready to go out and do everything we can to try and win a couple races these next two weeks.”

William Byron Career Highlights:

• With two wins across the first 12 races, Byron now has six career NASCAR Cup Series victories. In 2022, he finished a career-best sixth in the Cup Series championship standings and ranked third in the series with 746 laps led. Across 192 career Cup Series starts he has totaled 10 poles, 2194 laps led, 31 top-five and 68 top-10 finishes.
• Byron captured an Xfinity Series championship and Rookie of the Year Honors for Jr. Motorsports in 2017 after totaling four wins, two poles, 262 laps led, 12 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes.
• The North Carolina native has totaled eight wins, three poles, 821 laps led, 13 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 10.4 across 27 career Truck Series starts.
• Won the 2015 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East title after registering four wins, three poles, five top-five and 11 top-10 finishes across 14 events.

William Byron’s No. 51 Chevrolet Silverado RST:

KBM-77: The No. 51 HendrickCars.com team will unload KBM-77, a brand new Silverado for Friday night’s race at Darlington.

KBM Notes of Interest:

• KBM drivers have collected two wins, 274 laps led, four top-five and seven top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 14.2 across 14 starts at Darlington Raceway. John Hunter Nemechek led a race-high 69 laps en route to victory in last year’s race at the egg-shaped oval. Kasey Kahne picked up the organization’s first win at “The Lady in Black” in 2011.
• 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 40 victories, the No. 51 is the winningest number in KBM’s Truck Series fleet.

Chase Purdy: Driver, No. 4 Bama Buggies Chevrolet

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Overview:
Event: Buckle Up South Carolina, Race 9 of 23, 147 Laps – 45/45/57; 200.8 Miles
Location: Darlington Raceway (1.33-mile, egg-shaped oval)
Date/Broadcast: May 12, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

‘Chase’n Checkers:

Chase Purdy and the No. 4 Bama Buggies team head to Darlington Raceway for this week’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. Purdy will be looking to rebound from a disappointing race at Kansas Speedway in his last start. Purdy qualified third, finished the opening stanza in fifth and crossed the stripe for Stage Two in the eighth position. Unfortunately, in the Final Stage he got caught up in a five-truck accident that ended his night and relegated the No. 4 team to a 33rd-place finish and their first DNF of the season.

Despite being only eight races into the 2023 season, Purdy enters Friday night’s race having already produced a career-high four top-10 finishes and having achieved a career-best runner-up finish earlier this year at Texas Motor Speedway. Purdy currently ranks 11th in the Craftsman Truck Series point standings, 136 tallies behind points leaders Zane Smith and Ty Majeski. With eight races remaining before the playoffs begin, the 23-year-old driver sits 12th on the playoff grid, 18 points below the cutoff line.

Across three prior Truck Series starts at Darlington, Purdy has recorded an average finish of 28.7. His best result was a 15th-place finish in September of 2021. In last year’s race, he finished 35th for Hattori Racing Enterprises, while John Hunter Nemechek won the pole and led a race-high 69 laps en route to victory for the No. 4 team.

The Mississippi native is in his third full-time season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and first with KBM. He enters Saturday’s race having totaled one top-five, nine top-10 finishes, and 18 laps led across his 60 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.

Purdy will be trying to etch his mark in the KBM historical archives this weekend at Darlington 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 dominant 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. KBM has collected two of those victories at Darlington, most recently with John Hunter Nemechek last year. Kasey Kahne picked up the organization’s first win at “The Lady in Black” in 2011.

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 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. Prior to joining KBM the New Hampshire native served as a truck chief at Athenian Motorsports in 2015 when the team won with John Wes Townley at Las Vegas. He was promoted to crew chief five races into the 2016 season. Saturday’s race will be Villeneuve’s first atop the pit box at Darlington.

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 Friday night 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:

You had a tough race at Kansas. Are you glad that there is another race on the schedule right away?
“I’m glad that we are strapping right back into our trucks not even a week later. That’s a really good thing mentally as a driver — having an opportunity to get a good finish and quickly get your confidence back.”

Darlington is a unique race track. How do you attack the race Friday night?
“Obviously it requires a lot of focus and it’s a driver’s race track. It’s important to have a truck that is stable enough and has enough security to run up against the wall and be aggressive. I think the driver who can run on top and run against the wall the best is going to be the driver to beat. You have to keep the nose on it and stay clean — don’t make mistakes like we did last weekend. It’s back to the drawing board this weekend and it’s an opportunity to have a good point’s day and put ourselves back in contention — if we do everything right maybe even come out with a win.”

At what point do you start looking at where you stand on the playoff grid?
“I’ve already started looking at it and it’s already been on my mind. I know we are 11th in driver’s points and we’re sitting 12th in playoff points — I think we’re 18 points out or something like that. Realistically we are only one good day away from being in, but obviously we’d like to win and guarantee ourselves a spot.”

Chase Purdy Career Highlights:

• Across 60 career Truck Series starts, has produced 18 laps led, one top-five and nine 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-73: The No. 4 Bama Buggies team will unload KBM-73 for Friday night’s race at Darlington. Purdy earned a runner-up finish with this same Silverado at Texas Motor Speedway earlier this year. John Hunter Nemechek piloted this chassis twice last year, with his best result being a third-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

KBM-73 Performance Profile:
KBM Notes of Interest:

• KBM drivers have collected two wins, 274 laps led, four top-five and seven top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 14.2 across 14 starts at Darlington Raceway. John Hunter Nemechek led a race-high 69 laps en route to victory in last year’s race at the egg-shaped oval. Kasey Kahne picked up the organization’s first win at “The Lady in Black” in 2011.
• 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.