Category: Truck Series PR

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Press Release

  • Daniel Dye – Texas Preview

    Daniel Dye – Texas Preview

    EVENT PREVIEW: TEXAS
    NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
    Saturday, April 1 | 4:30 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: Travis Sharpe
    Owner: Maury Gallagher
    Primary Sponsors: KIX Country, Solar-Fit

    NASCAR Truck Series Stats:
    Starts: 4
    Points: 17th

    Track: Texas Motor Speedway
    Date: Saturday, April 1, 2023
    Race: 4:30 PM ET
    Length: 250 Miles
    Coverage: FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM, FOX Sports App

    Onboard Camera
    Daniel Dye will again be featured with an onboard camera on the FOX Sports broadcast at Texas Motor Speedway. Race to Stop Suicide and ShopDanielDye.com is this week’s presenting partner for live coverage on the No. 43 GMS Racing Chevrolet Silverado.

    TV Ratings on FS1 & FOX Sports App
    700,000 people tuned in to the live broadcast at Circuit of the America’s on March 26. The event was rebroadcast several times, averaging more than 112,000 viewers each.

    Texas Motor Speedway Stats

    Daniel Dye will be making his first start in any series at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday.

    2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

    Starts: 4; Best start: 19th; Best finish: 16th (Atlanta); Laps led: 5; Current points position: 17th

    About KIX Country 98.7 FM
    WAKX (98.7 FM, “KIX Country 98.7”) is a radio station licensed to serve the community of Palm Coast, Florida. The station is owned by Flagler County Broadcasting and the broadcast license is held by Flagler Broadcasting, LLC. WAKX shares radio studios in Bunnell, Florida, with sister stations WBHQ (92.7 FM) and WNZF (1550 AM).

    Chassis History/Info
    Dye and the No. 43 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 330 in the Lone Star state. The chassis has raced one time previously at Texas Motor Speedway in 2020, where Zane Smith led 26 laps with it before finishing in 19th. The truck has one win to its credit, coming at Dover Motor Speedway in 2020 driven by Smith. Dye last drove this Chevrolet in Atlanta Motor Speedway in March, where he finished in 16th.

    Sunoco Rookie Battle
    A respectable 18th place finish at COTA was salvaged by Daniel Dye after suffering a catastrophic setback in practice that forced the No. 43 team to replace his engine, transmission, rear gear, and more. Dye would start shotgun on the field in Saturday’s XPEL 225, but worked his way through the field methodically, climbing 18 spots in the process to earn a top-20 finish. Dye is now tied for second in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings with Jake Garcia, 33 markers behind Nick Sanchez.

    Quarter Midgets to Trucks
    This weekend might be the first time that Dye races on the 1.5-mile intermediate track layout on the property, but he has raced at Texas Motor Speedway once before in a different capacity. On June 9th, 2018, Daniel competed in a quarter midget race held in the parking lot of TMS, and even went home with the trophy. Dye continues to show his support for quarter midget racing, often spending his time with his eight-year-old nephew, Jet Risley, who currently races in the same class Dye began his career in.

    DD Appearances
    Fans attending the Speedy Cash 250 will have an opportunity to meet Daniel Dye on race day:

    Located in a tent just outside of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series garage area, fans can meet all three GMS Racing drivers in an autograph session from 12:30 PM to 1:15 PM local time.

    From the Driver’s Seat

    Thoughts on competing at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend.

    “I’m looking forward to going to Texas with our No. 43 team this weekend, it’s another intermediate track on our schedule but quite a bit different than what we had in Las Vegas and Atlanta. It will be a new challenge for us, but I’m going to learn all day throughout practice, qualifying, and through the first stage of the race. I haven’t been to that track since I raced quarter midgets out in the parking lot a few years ago, so I think it will be a fun experience to come full-circle by racing at the big track.”

  • CRAFTON, SMITH HIGHLIGHT ‘FAST FIVE’ STORYLINES FOR SATURDAY’S NCTS SPEEDYCASH.COM 250

    CRAFTON, SMITH HIGHLIGHT ‘FAST FIVE’ STORYLINES FOR SATURDAY’S NCTS SPEEDYCASH.COM 250

    • ThorSport Racing’s Matt Crafton has made more starts at Texas Motor Speedway than anyone in all three of NASCAR’s National Series and INDYCAR.
    • Defending NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion Zane Smith looking to sweep the “Texas Two Step” after last week’s win at Circuit of The Americas in Austin.

    FORT WORTH, Texas (MARCH 29, 2023) – The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series continues its “Texas Two Step” as the two-race swing through the Lone Star State culminates with Saturday’s SPEEDYCASH.COM 250 at Texas Motor Speedway.

    The series competitors will shift from last week’s twisting, 3.41-mile Circuit of The Americas permanent road course in Austin to the ultra-fast, high-banked 1.5-mile oval in Fort Worth for the fourth race of the season.

    The one-day show opens Saturday with a 30-minute practice beginning at 9:35 a.m. CT followed by qualifying at 10:05 a.m. Once the field is set, the SPEEDYCASH.COM 250 will get underway at 3:30 p.m. (TV: FS1, Radio: MRN, SiriusXM).

    The SPEEDYCASH.COM 250 is the companion event for Sunday’s PPG 375 (11:15 a.m., TV: NBC & Peacock. Radio: SiriusXM, INDYCAR Radio Network, 95.9 The Ranch-local).

    Here’s a look at the “Fast Five” storylines for the SPEEDYCASH.COM 250 NCTS race:

    1. ThorSport Racing’s Matt Crafton will extend his record for most career starts of any series that has competed at Texas Motor Speedway in Saturday’s SPEEDYCASH.COM 250. The 47-year-old Crafton, in his 23rd full NCTS season, will be making his 43rd TMS start, which dwarfs the career leaders in NASCAR’s other two national series and INDYCAR.

    Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick owns the NASCAR Cup Series mark with 38 while Jeremy Clements of Jeremy Clements Racing holds the top spot in the Xfinity Series at 28. Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon, the INDYCAR career leader, will be making his 25th start in Sunday’s PPG 375.

    Crafton is a two-time winner at Texas and has the track records for career top-five finishes (17) and top 10s (30). He also ranks second for career laps led at 444.

    1. Defending series champion Zane Smith of Front Row Motorsports is producing a carbon copy of his run to last year’s title and is hopeful the script finishes out the same way.

    A year ago, he won the season-opening race at Daytona and followed with his second victory of the season at Circuit of The Americas. He has done so again, winning last week at COTA by 5.451 seconds over runner-up Kyle Busch after a season-opening win at Daytona.

    Smith, however, does find himself in a much better position in the NCTS points standings at this stage. Smith, who was 31 points behind leader Chandler Smith last season, exited COTA with the top spot, three ahead of ThorSport Racing’s Ty Majeski.

    He is hopeful that he doesn’t mirror his 2022 result at Texas Motor Speedway, where he finished six laps down and in 32nd place.

    1. ThorSport Racing’s driving trio of Ben Rhodes, Majeski and Crafton have combined for one win through the first four races of the season, but there is no need to fret for the organization.

    ThorSport Racing currently holds three of the top six positions in the NCTS points standings heading into the SPEEDYCASH.COM 250. Majeski is two points behind Smith in second, Rhodes is 18 back in third and Crafton is 38 out in sixth.

    Consistency has been the key as the group has combined for eight top-10 finishes, including four among the top five. Majeski and Rhodes have registered top 10s in three of the four races, including both having a pair of top-five performances, while Crafton has two top-10 finishes.

    1. The NCTS may want to issue directions to Victory Lane leading into the SPEEDYCASH.COM 250.

    Of the expected 36 drivers in the field, only two current fulltime NCTS drivers have recorded victories in the series’ 26-year history at Texas Motor Speedway. Crafton is one as expected, with the ThorSport Racing veteran winning at Texas in 2014 and again the next season.

    Joining Crafton is Stewart Friesen of Halmar Friesen Racing. Friesen earned his victory last season in overtime, marking his first win in 53 races dating to November of 2019.

    1. The most productive drivers in the last 10 races at Texas Motor Speedway include some of the usual suspects.

    Crafton leads the way with nine top-10 finishes, including four among the top five. Grant Enfinger of GMS Racing has seven top-10 finishes, including five top-five efforts. Friesen has four top-five finishes and five top 10s overall. Rhodes has four top-10 finishes, including two among the top 10.

    Interestingly, Friesen is the only one among the group with a win during the timeframe.

    Texas Motor Speedway’s 2023 events schedule consists of everything from the April 1-2 NTT INDYCAR SERIES/NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series doubleheader and the Sept. 23-24 NASCAR Playoffs weekend, car shows and competitions and the Ducks Unlimited Expo, the four-day Hwy 30 Music Fest and Bandas y Trocas Hispanic concert and truck show, and then wrapping up the year with the family-favorite and speedway tradition Gift of Lights holiday light show.

    Season tickets and camping for Texas Motor Speedway’s 2023 major event season are on sale now. Save up to 33 percent versus buying individual tickets, get the best seat selection and more. All-new reduced rates are available for the GEICO Infield, GEICO VIP and WinStar World Casino & Resort Lone Star Circle camping areas. Click HERE for more information and to purchase season tickets.

    MORE INFO:
    Keep track of all of Texas Motor Speedway’s busy schedule by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Keep up with all the latest news and information on the speedway website and TMS mobile app.

  • Chase Purdy- No. 4 Bama Buggies Silverado Craftsman Trucks Texas Preview

    Chase Purdy- No. 4 Bama Buggies Silverado Craftsman Trucks Texas Preview

    Chase Purdy: Driver, No. 4 Bama Buggies Chevrolet

    NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Overview:
    Event: SpeedyCash.com 250, Race 5 of 23, 167 Laps – 77/45/45; 250.5 Miles
    Location: Texas Motor Speedway (1.5-mile, quad-oval)
    Date/Broadcast: April 1, 2023, at 4:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

    ‘Chase’n Checkers:

    Chase Purdy and the No. 4 Bama Buggies team head to Texas Motor Speedway Saturday for the SpeedyCash.com 250. Purdy will be looking to rebound from a tough day at Circuit of the Americas where he was relegated to a 27th-place finish after getting spun late. Taking to a mile-and-a-half track could be just what the doctor ordered for Purdy, who is one of just three drivers to finish inside the top 10 in the Truck Series first two events at mile-and-a-half tracks this season. Most recently, he started ninth, led two laps and finished seventh at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Earlier this season he started third and finished eighth at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 23-year-old driver enters this week’s race at Texas 11th in the Craftsman Truck Series point standings, 61 tallies behind points leader Zane Smith.

    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 seven top-10 finishes and 18 laps led across his 56 career Truck Series starts. He posted a career-best sixth-place result in 2021 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. Purdy finished 16th in the Truck Series 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 (Ala.) Superspeedway in October.

    In his three prior Truck Series starts at Texas, Purdy has compiled an average finish of 16.7, achieving a track-best 12th-place finish in 2020. KBM’s nine Texas wins are the most the organization has at any track they’ve raced at. Owner-driver Kyle Busch has four Texas wins (2010, 2014, 2019 & 2020), while John Hunter Nemechek (2021), Greg Biffle (2019), Christopher Bell (2017), William Byron (2016) and Erik Jones (2015) all have one Texas triumph. Martinsville ranks second on the KBM track wins list, with the organization collecting eight victories at the Virginia venue.

    Purdy will be looking to etch his mark in the KBM historical archives this weekend at Texas as he looks to collect the organization’s 100th NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory. KBM-owner driver Kyle Busch collected the KBM’s record-extending 99th-career victory with his dominant victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway leaving his organization one shy of the century mark. William Byron collected KBM’s record-breaking 51st Truck Series victory in July of 2016. 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.

    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 third race atop the pit box at Texas. His best result was a 17th-place finish with Townley 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:

    With the speed you’ve shown at the mile-and-a-half tracks are you looking forward to Texas this weekend?
    “We’ve had really good speed at the first two races this year on mile-and-a-half tracks. KBM has done a really good job of bringing really dominant trucks to those places, not just this year, but years prior. I think this will be an opportunity for me to correct the mistakes I’ve made in the first two mile-and-a-half races and really put it all together and show that our Bama Buggies team can go out and starting contending for wins.”

    How does racing at Texas compare to the other mile-and-a-half tracks on the Truck Series schedule?
    “It’s less wide open. Turns Three and Four if your stuff is good you are going to want to be wide open, but Turns One and Two you are going to have to lift and with no substance down in the other lanes I feel like it is going to be one-lane dominant. Traditionally at mile-and-a-half tracks you can move around, but this one not so much. I think that is something to be aware of. With no live pit stops, track position is going to be more important so that will make qualifying even more important than it usually is.”

    Will the earlier start time affect the handling of the trucks?
    “It’s not going to be as hot as it would be if we were racing there in June, so I’m not sure that starting earlier will affect it that much. Normally when it is hot it makes it slicker. I think it will still be slick because nobody has been racing on it and we are going to be the first ones on track. I think that causes people to wreck when they try to get off the bottom and run up a little bit into the old substance that is there from before, but we won’t know until we get there.”

    Chase Purdy Career Highlights:

    • Across 56 career Truck Series starts, has produced 18 laps led and seven top-10 finishes. Posted career-best sixth-place result at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in 2021.
    • 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 Saturday’s Speedycash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway. KBM-73 has two prior starts, both with John Hunter Nemechek last season. Nemechek finished third with the truck last year at Charlotte and then was relegated to a 35th-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

    KBM-73 Performance Profile:
    KBM Notes of Interest:

    • KBM drivers have collected nine wins, four poles, 1065 laps led, 20 top-five and 38 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 10.8 across 59 starts in the Lone Star State. KBM’s nine Texas wins are the most the organization has at any track.
    • Owner-driver Kyle Busch’s has four Texas wins for his organization (2010, 2014, 2019 & 2020). John Hunter Nemechek (2021), Greg Biffle (2019), Christopher Bell (2017), William Byron (2016) and Erik Jones (2015) all have one Texas triumph.
    • 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.
  • GMS Racing NCTS Race Preview: Texas Motor Speedway

    GMS Racing NCTS Race Preview: Texas Motor Speedway

    Race Information

    • Round: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race No. 5 of 23
    • Track Location: Texas Motor Speedway – Fort Worth, Texas
    • Race Name: Speedy Cash 250
    • Broadcast: Saturday, April 1st at 4:30 PM ET live on FS1 (TV), MRN (Radio), and Sirius XM NASCAR Channel 90
    • Team Entrants:

    No. 23 | Grant Enfinger & Jeff Hensley – Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet
    No. 24 | Rajah Caruth & Chad Walter – Wendell Scott Foundation Chevrolet
    No. 43 | Daniel Dye & Travis Sharpe – KIX Country 98.7 / RaceToStopSuicide.com Chevrolet

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

    Texas Motor Speedway Stats

    • NCTS Starts: 10; Poles: 1 (2019); Best finish: 3rd (twice); Top 5s: 5; Top 10s: 7; Laps led: 60
    • ARCA Starts: 1; Best start: 14th; Best finish: 3rd (2010); Top 5s: 1; Top 10s: 1; Laps led: 22

    2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

    • Starts: 4; Best start: 7th; Best finish: 5th (Daytona); Top 5s: 1; Top 10s: 2; Laps led: 3; Current points position: 5th
    • About Champion Power Equipment: Since 2003, Champion Power Equipment has earned a reputation for designing and producing the market’s finest power equipment. From our original headquarters in Santa Fe Springs, California, Champion has expanded its North American footprint to include facilities in Jackson, Tennessee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Toronto Canada. Today, Champion’s product line has expanded to include portable generators, home standby generators, inverter generators, engines, winches and log splitters. With over 2.5 million generators sold in North America, Champion is a market leader in the power equipment field. Visit ChampionPowerEquipment.com for more information.
    • About Arlon Graphics: The history of Arlon is rooted in its customer-centric approach. What was founded in 1958 as a manufacturer of flexible materials (producing products like cork, rubber, and foam) has evolved into a global company manufacturing millions of feet of cast films. Today, Arlon Graphics is owned by FHT, a family-owned investment firm. Headquartered in Southern California, Arlon supplies the wide-format graphics industry around the world. For more information, visit Arlon.com/NA_EN.
    • Chassis History/Info: Grant Enfinger and the No. 23 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 344 at Texas Motor Speedway. This chassis has been driven by Enfinger twice before, once at Homestead-Miami Speedway last year, and most recently just a couple of weeks ago in Atlanta Motor Speedway, where he finished in 19th position after cutting down a tire under green.
    • Texas Two Step: Enfinger has found a lot of past success at Texas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The stats don’t lie; he has a top-10 rate of 70% at the 1.5-mile intermediate track and has finished in the top-five in exactly half of his starts at the facility. In 2019, Enfinger won his fourth-career pole award in a Champion Power Equipment truck that was crew chiefed by Jeff Hensley.
    • Hensley’s Qualifying Record: When it comes to qualifying at Texas Motor Speedway, nobody comes close to Jeff Hensley. The veteran has won seven – yes, you read that right, seven – pole awards during his career as a crew chief in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (four with Mike Skinner, and one a piece with Justin Lofton, Spencer Gallagher, and Grant Enfinger). Hensley owns the record for the most poles at TMS, more than double the amount of his nearest competitors. In 2011, Jeff went to victory lane with Ron Hornaday, and looks to return there this weekend with Enfinger.
    • GE Appearances: Fans attending the Speedy Cash 250 will have an opportunity to meet Grant Enfinger on race day:

    Saturday, April 1st | NCTS Autograph Session: Located in a tent just outside of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series garage area, fans can meet all three GMS Racing drivers in an autograph session from 12:30 PM to 1:15 PM local time.
    - From The Drivers Seat: Texas Motor Speedway has been a good track for you in the past, what are some of the key factors to take into consideration to stay up front this weekend?

    “I am ready to get back to Texas Motor Speedway. Last year at Texas we did not have enough to contend with, but I feel like our trucks are better this year. Texas is pretty unique, with it being so flat into turn one and two, but has so much banking in turns three and four. We need to stay ahead of the track and unload close, because it’s pretty difficult to pass there. I think our No. 23 Champion Power Equipment team has a lot of things going our way, and I feel if we do our job as a team we can contend for a win on Saturday.”

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

    Texas Motor Speedway Stats

    • Rajah Caruth will be making his first start in any series at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday.

    2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

    • Starts: 4; Best start: 17th; Best finish: 13th (COTA); Current points position: 20th
    • About the Wendell Scott Foundation: Founded in 2011, The Wendell Scott Foundation, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization inspired by Wendell Scott, Sr. and provides services such as job-skill training, STEM education opportunities, mentoring, and other supportive services to at-risk, underserved youth between the ages of 8-18 years in Danville, Virginia and surrounding areas.

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

    • Chassis History/Info: Rajah Caruth and the No. 24 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 323 in Fort Worth. This Chevrolet has made two starts in competition, once at Pocono Raceway last year with Grant Enfinger, and once at Las Vegas Motor Speedway earlier this season with Caruth at the wheel, where it finished 29th due to an incident on a green flag pit stop.
    • Best Finish of the Season: Rajah Caruth was in the thick of things for his road course debut at COTA. Despite being dealt a penalty for shortcutting the esses early in the 42-lap race, Caruth was able to take advantage of a strategy call that gained track position during the final run of the event, resulting in a 13th place finish. The end result promoted Caruth two positions in the points standings, with the rookie now holding it down in 20th.
    • Sunoco Rookie Battle: Caruth’s 13th place finish at the Circuit Of The Americas last Saturday was the third highest result of a rookie. Taking a look at the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings heading into Texas, Rajah ranks fourth, 36 points behind leading candidate Nick Sanchez, and three points behind Daniel Dye in third place.
    • RC Appearances: Fans attending the Speedy Cash 250 will have an opportunity to meet Rajah Caruth on race day:

    Saturday, April 1st | NCTS Autograph Session: Located in a tent just outside of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series garage area, fans can meet all three GMS Racing drivers in an autograph session from 12:30 PM to 1:15 PM local time.

    • From The Driver’s Seat: Rajah’s thoughts on competing at Texas Motor Speedway for the first time:

    “I’m excited to hit up another new venue this weekend in Texas Motor Speedway. I enjoy the high-speed facilities, and know our No. 24 Wendell Scott Foundation Chevy Silverado will have the speed to contend all race long! We are hoping to continue the start of the momentum that we’ve gained from last race in Austin. I think we can have ourselves a fun weekend with GMS Racing.”

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

    Texas Motor Speedway Stats

    • Daniel Dye will be making his first start in any series at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday.

    2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

    • Starts: 4; Best start: 19th; Best finish: 16th (Atlanta); Laps led: 5; Current points position: 19th
    • About KIX Country 98.7: WAKX (98.7 FM, “KIX Country 98.7”) is a radio station licensed to serve the community of Palm Coast, Florida. The station is owned by Flagler County Broadcasting and the broadcast license is held by Flagler Broadcasting, LLC. WAKX shares radio studios in Bunnell, Florida, with sister stations WBHQ (92.7 FM) and WNZF (1550 AM).
    • Chassis History/Info: Dye and the No. 43 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 330 in the Lone Star state. The chassis has raced one time previously at Texas Motor Speedway in 2020, where Zane Smith led 26 laps with it before finishing in 19th. The truck has one win to its credit, coming at Dover Motor Speedway in 2020 driven by Smith. Dye last drove this Chevrolet in Atlanta Motor Speedway in March, where he finished in 16th.
    • Sunoco Rookie Battle: A respectable 18th place finish at COTA was salvaged by Daniel Dye after suffering a catastrophic setback in practice that forced the No. 43 team to replace his engine, transmission, rear gear, and more. Dye would start shotgun on the field in Saturday’s XPEL 225, but worked his way through the field methodically, climbing 18 spots in the process to earn a top-20 finish. Dye is now tied for second in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings with Jake Garcia, 33 markers behind Nick Sanchez.
    • Quarter Midgets to Trucks: This weekend might be the first time that Dye races on the 1.5-mile intermediate track layout on the property, but he has raced at Texas Motor Speedway once before in a different capacity. On June 9th, 2018, Daniel competed in a quarter midget race held in the parking lot of TMS, and even went home with the trophy. Dye continues to show his support for quarter midget racing, often spending his time with his eight-year-old nephew, Jet Risley, who currently races in the same class Dye began his career in.
    • DD Appearances: Fans attending the Speedy Cash 250 will have an opportunity to meet Daniel Dye on race day:

    Saturday, April 1st | NCTS Autograph Session: Located in a tent just outside of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series garage area, fans can meet all three GMS Racing drivers in an autograph session from 12:30 PM to 1:15 PM local time.

    • From the Driver’s Seat: Daniel’s thoughts on competing at Texas Motor Speedway:

    “I’m looking forward to going to Texas with our No. 43 team this weekend, it’s another intermediate track on our schedule but quite a bit different than what we had in Las Vegas and Atlanta. It will be a new challenge for us, but I’m going to learn all day throughout practice, qualifying, and through the first stage of the race. I haven’t been to that track since I raced quarter midgets out in the parking lot a few years ago, so I think it will be a fun experience to come full-circle by racing at the big track.”

    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.

  • Zane Smith and No. 38 Speedy Cash Ford F-150 Team Texas Motor Speedway Competition Notes

    Zane Smith and No. 38 Speedy Cash Ford F-150 Team Texas Motor Speedway Competition Notes

    Zane Smith and the No. 38 Speedy Cash Ford F-150 Team
    Texas Motor Speedway Competition Notes

    TEAM AND RACE NOTES:

    Continuing their streak of consecutive races, Zane Smith and the No. 38 Speedy Cash Ford F-150 team will roll into the Texas Motor Speedway this weekend for Saturday’s SpeedyCash.com 250.

    Racing with the Speedy Cash colors, Smith will be looking to get his third win of the season and park his F-150 in Speedy Cash victory lane at the mile-and-a-half oval.

    Speedy Cash is an omni-channel lender that specializes in financial services such as installment loans, title loans, payday loans, personal lines of credit, check cashing, money transfers and money orders. Speedy Cash is a part of the Community Choice Financial family of brands which includes CheckSmart, easymoney, Check Into Cash, California Check Cashing Stores, and more. The Community Choice Financial family of brands provides personal lending and ancillary services at over 700 stores nationwide and online.

    Smith is looking to get his first win at the track.

    The SpeedyCash.com 250 will be held on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

    COMPETITION NOTES:

    The SpeedyCash.com team is the team to beat right now. Smith led the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports (FRM) NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team to its second win of the season last weekend at the Circuit of the Americas. Smith took over the regular season and playoff points lead, too.

    The team brings chassis 151 to the track. It will see its first track time this season. It raced at other mile-and-a-half tracks last season, including the Texas Motor Speedway.

    CREW CHIEF CHRIS LAWSON:

    “We have some unfinished business to take care of in Texas. We’ve been friends with SpeedyCash.com for several seasons and it’s time we get them into Speedy Cash victory lane with us.

    “This truck has shown great speed and we just need to make sure that we do the right things in preparation before we leave the shop. On the track, Zane is making the results speak for themselves.”

    DRIVER ZANE SMITH:

    “Texas is a tough track. You need to be out front at these mile-and-a-half tracks to have clean air. It makes a huge difference. That makes qualifying important and then staying up front. It’s tough to move back up through the field.

    “I want to win every race at every track, but it’s special when you can win when your sponsor is the race sponsor, too. They have an awesome Speedy Cash victory lane. I want to raise a cowboy hat at the end of Saturday.”

    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.

  • Lawless Alan – XPEL 225 Race Recap

    Lawless Alan – XPEL 225 Race Recap

    Lawless Alan – XPEL 225 Race Recap
    Team: No. 45 PlainsCapital Bank / MG Machinery LLC Chevrolet Silverado
    Driver: Lawless Alan (Las Angeles, California)
    Follow the Team: Twitter: @NieceMotorsports | Instagram: @NieceMotorsport | Facebook: /NieceMotorsports | Web: www.niecemotorsports.com
    Follow Driver: Twitter: @lawlessalan25 | Instagram: @lawless_alan | Facebook: /LawlessAlanRacing | Web: www.lawlessalanracing.com
    Start: 18th | Finish: 17th | Points Standings: 22nd

    On Saturday’s Race at COTA: “A run like this gives me a lot of confidence just in general. We were fast and they knew we were here. A controversial penalty during the final stage put us in the rear; but, we salvaged a top-20 finish and picked up stage points. Overall, it is what it is and we’ll be back next week,” Alan said.

    Lawless Alan had a career-run Saturday afternoon at Circuit of the Americas. The Los Angeles driver would pick up stage points in the second stage and run inside the top-ten for most of the race.

    Alan would have a very smooth day for the first half of the XPEL 225, finishing in 18th and 3rd in the first two stages, respectively. But, as the race neared the end, a pass-through penalty was dealt to the No. 45 team for corner-cutting in the esses. This penalty would take Alan and team out of contention for the win, leaving him with a 17th-place finish at the road course.

    About Niece Motorsports:

    Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2023, Niece Motorsports enters its eighth season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

    Media Inquiries: media@niecemotorsports.com

    About AUTOChargit:

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

    About AUTOParkit:

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

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

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

  • Carson Hocevar – XPEL 225 Race Recap

    Carson Hocevar – XPEL 225 Race Recap

    Carson Hocevar – XPEL 225 Race Recap
    Team: No. 42 Worldwide Express Chevrolet Silverado
    Driver: Carson Hocevar (Portage, Michigan) | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
    Follow the Team: Twitter: @NieceMotorsport | Instagram: @NieceMotorsports | Facebook: /NieceMotorsports | Web: www.niecemotorsports.com
    Follow Carson Hocevar: Twitter: @CarsonHocevar | Instagram: @CarsonHocevar | Facebook: /carsonhocevarracing | Web: www.CarsonHocevar.com
    Start: 6th | Finish: 34th | Points Standings: 14th

    On Saturday’s Race at COTA: “It was a tough day for our Worldwide Express team. We were able to start up front and stay there for a while until our brake problem put us in the sandpit. But, we’ve been strong at the intermediate tracks in the past and I’m hoping for the same in Texas,” Hoccevar said.

    After qualifying inside the top-ten on Friday afternoon, Carson Hocevar would find himself within the top-five for a majority of his race. Unfortunately for Hocevar, a brake problem on with less than five laps to go in Stage One would force the No. 42 to retire from the event.

    Ultimately, the Portage, Michigan driver would finish 34th — pushing him to 14th in the driver’s championship standings.

    About Niece Motorsports:

    Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2023, Niece Motorsports enters its eighth season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

    Media Inquiries: media@niecemotorsports.com

    About Worldwide Express:

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

  • Ross Chastain – XPEL 225 Race Recap

    Ross Chastain – XPEL 225 Race Recap

    Ross Chastain – XPEL 225 Race Recap
    Team: No. 41 Worldwide Express Chevrolet Silverado
    Driver: Ross Chastain (Alva, Florida) | Crew Chief: Mike Hillman Jr.
    Follow the Team: Twitter: @NieceMotorsport | Instagram: @NieceMotorsports | Facebook: /NieceMotorsports | Web: www.niecemotorsports.com
    Follow Ross Chastain: Twitter: @RossChastain | Instagram: @rosschastain | Facebook: /RossChastainRacing | Web: www.rosschastain.com/

    Start: 1st | Finish: 5th | Owner’s Points Standings: 9th

    Chastain on Saturday’s Race at COTA: “It means a lot to run for Al [Niece] at his home track. Our team is known to bring really fast race trucks and we sure had one today. So, I’m proud to do that here in Austin with our Worldwide Express team even though we’re a little disappointed, but we have to be proud of how fast we were,” Chastain said.

    A quick-time for Ross Chastain on Friday would put the Florida driver on pole for the XPEL 225 at Circuit of the Americas. From his front-row starting position, Chastain would lead a majority of the first stage after battling with Christian Eckes in the early laps.

    A caution late in the first stage would bring the No. 41 Silverado down pit road for the first time for a routine pit stop. Although a handful of the leaders remained on the track under this caution, Chastain would make easy work of them to finish 6th in Stage One.

    As the race progressed, a fuel cell issue would be the cause of a lengthy pit stop which would restart Chastain in 28th for the final stage. But, the NASCAR Cup Series driver would use his experience at COTA to weave through the field to salvage a fifth place finish, the second in as many weeks for the No. 41 team.

    About Niece Motorsports:

    Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2023, Niece Motorsports enters its eighth season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as Twitter @NieceMotorsport.

    Media Inquiries: media@niecemotorsports.com

    About Worldwide Express:

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

  • Smith Scorches Competition at COTA, Wins at XPEL 225

    Smith Scorches Competition at COTA, Wins at XPEL 225

    • Zane Smith earns back-to-back wins in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at COTA, truck catches on fire in Victory Lane after celebratory burnout.
    • Single-day tickets for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix are still available, starting at $70. Kids 12 and under get in for just $10. Further details can be found at NASCARatCOTA.com.

    AUSTIN, Texas (March 25, 2023) – After scorching the competition en route to a win at the XPEL 225 at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), Zane Smith brought his fiery performance to Victory Lane, setting his truck ablaze in a memorable celebration that redefined “burnout.”

    After short pitting and racing his way to the lead for the final 15 laps, Smith powered his No. 38 Front Row Motorsports machine to a 5.451-second victory over Kyle Busch.

    “Obviously that pit call was everything. It’s a true testament to this team behind me,” Smith said. “Besides Victory Lane, today was pretty smooth for the most part.

    “I feel like I didn’t leave a mark on it all race long. It didn’t catch on fire when I was in the truck, but I got out and there was white smoke, then all of a sudden there was black smoke all around. I’m probably in trouble after this one. I don’t know how many more burnouts I’m going to be able to do.”

    The win marked back-to-back triumphs for Smith in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series at COTA. His Front Row Motorsports team is undefeated at the Austin, Texas circuit, with Todd Gilliland earning the win at the inaugural event in 2021.

    While most of the field pitted before the final stage, Busch opted to stay out and take tires later in the race.

    “You want the freshest tires at the end,” Busch said of his team’s decision. “We were playing the long game, but unfortunately the long game didn’t work. They got lucky today and got the win.”

    Ben Rhodes was poised for a third-place finish before a parts failure on the final corner relegated him to 10th. Ty Majeski ultimately crossed the finish line in third, with Tyler Ankrum and Ross Chastain rounding out the top five.

    Tickets:

    Tickets for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix are on sale at NASCARatCOTA.com. Sunday tickets, which include the Darius Rucker pre-race concert, start at $70 for adults and just $10 for kids 12 and under. Further details can be found on the NASCAR at COTA website.

    Follow Us:

    Keep track of all things NASCAR at COTA by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@NASCARatCOTA). Keep up with all the latest information on the NASCAR at COTA website and mobile app.

  • GMS Racing NCTS Race Recap: Circuit Of The Americas

    GMS Racing NCTS Race Recap: Circuit Of The Americas

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

    START: 8TH

    FINISH: 12TH

    POINTS: 5TH

    Post-Race Quote: “A little bit of a frustrating day, we had higher expectations leaving the track here yesterday at COTA. I feel like we had a potential to be in the top-five speed wise with our Champion Power Equipment Chevy. Little by little, we slowed down a bit. It went from being able to attack the braking zones, but we lacked a little bit of forward drive, and the driver was giving up a little bit in one segment. Overall, just kind of tried to make the most of it. The strategy ended up not working out for us. We kind of gave up the stage points and track position. Overall, we were good enough to come from 21st on the restart to finish 12th. We probably had a 10th place truck, so we are definitely looking for more at our next road course outing. A little disappointing, but proud of everyone’s effort at GMS Racing.”

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

    START: 20TH

    FINISH: 13TH

    POINTS: 20TH

    Post-Race Quote: “It was a decent day with our Wendell Scott Foundation Chevrolet. I really set us behind with exceeding the track limits there in the esses early on and kind of got it back. I thought I had flat spotted the tires after that. We lost some track position, but it kind of ended up working out at the end. It would have been so much cooler if I didn’t kind of put us behind the eight ball with tires. Nonetheless, we were finally able to be good and put together a day here in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. We will go to Texas and continue on this five-week stretch with our GMS Racing team.”

    Daniel Dye, No. 43 Dell Children’s Medical Center / Nyle Maxwell Supercenter Chevrolet Silverado RST

    START: 36TH

    FINISH: 18TH

    POINTS: 19TH

    Post-Race Quote: “It was good to pass all those trucks with the limited amount of practice that we had due to our issues we had. I was just trying to get a feel for the racetrack there in the beginning and get to work on our truck a little bit. We fought the handling just a little bit, but overall we had an okay day. To pass 18 trucks after starting last is nothing to hang our heads on. Thank you to Nyle Maxwell Supercenter, Dell Children’s Medical Center, Helm, and everyone at GMS Racing for their support this weekend.”

    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.