Category: Truck Series PR

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 7, 2023) – Action sports legend Travis Pastrana will make his return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for the first time in three years, piloting the Niece Motorsports No. 41 WWEX Racing Chevrolet in the 2023 season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway on February 17.

Pastrana’s No. 41 Chevrolet will also race with support from Black Rifle Coffee Company, Dixxon and Wienerschnitzel.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Al [Niece], Cody [Efaw] and the Niece Motorsports crew quite a bit since the team was formed,” said Pastrana. “I was looking to be part of as much racing as possible during Daytona Speedweeks this year and couldn’t be happier to have the opportunity to drive their 41 truck with support from WWEX Racing in my first Daytona start in the Truck Series.

Cody was my car chief when I raced Daytona for my first time in the Xfinity Series. We qualified third and finished 10th, despite being backward across the grass when I crossed the line! We have an amazing team with amazing sponsors like Worldwide Express/WWEX Racing, Black Rifle, Dixxon and Wienerschnitzel. As always, we are approaching the race with optimism that we have the package to put in a great result, while having the most fun of anyone at the track!”

His last start with Niece Motorsports came in 2020 when he drove the No. 40 truck at both Kansas and Las Vegas, marking his first two-start Truck season.

“In our second year with Niece Motorsports and competing in the Truck Series, we’re proud to have Travis kick off the season sporting WWEX Racing and Worldwide Express colors,” said Mike Grayson, executive vice president of the WWEX group of brands. “Travis is an amazing ambassador of the brands he represents, and we’re honored to be alongside his other sponsors. Travis is a fierce, multi-disciplinary competitor and we share his passion for excellence and always pursuing new goals.”

Through its WWEX Racing program, the Worldwide Express, GlobalTranz and Unishippers brands will provide full-season support to the No. 41 Chevrolet Silverado as Niece Motorsports eyes the Truck Series Owners Championship. Following Pastrana’s Daytona start, a rotation of drivers throughout the season will include Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain as well as Niece drivers Chad Chastain, Bayley Currey and others to be announced.

“This is shaping up to be a great season for Niece Motorsports,” said General Manager Cody Efaw. “We’re really optimistic heading into this year. We are excited to have Travis in the truck in Daytona. He always brings a lot of energy and excitement, and it’s really an honor to work with him. On top of that, to be able to run the 41 truck full time this season, anchored by Ross – that’s huge for our organization. We can’t thank the WWEX brands enough for their support and are looking forward to big things with them this season.”

Chastain advanced to the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs last season with Trackhouse Racing, finishing second in the Playoff Standings. Chastain also gave WWEX Racing its first NASCAR win last season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series NC Education Lottery 200 with Niece Motorsports.

“We built last year’s program on a commitment to collaboration and supporting drivers and teams at all stages of their career,” Grayson said. “We’re excited to watch the continued mentorship that occurs this year between Niece, the Trackhouse team and now with the benefit of Travis’ perspective.”

Niece Motorsports has retained veteran crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. to lead the No. 41 team. Hillman has more than 450 starts as a crew chief across NASCAR’s top three series, with 23 wins in the Craftsman Truck Series and 2,903 laps led.

“I love getting behind the wheel of a race car any chance I get,” said Chastain. “It’s an added bonus working with everyone at Niece Motorsports and the WWEX brands. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to contend for wins in the No. 41 WWEX Racing Chevrolet. Thanks to Niece Motorsports and Trackhouse Racing for giving me the chance to do what I love.”

Logistics leaders Worldwide Express, Unishippers and GlobalTranz provide access to industry-leading small package, truckload and less-than-truckload shipping solutions and managed transportation services. Together, the three brands are the Official Logistics Partner of Niece Motorsports, Trackhouse Racing and NASCAR.

Black Rifle Coffee Company was founded in 2014 by former U.S. Army Green Beret Evan Hafer and built upon the mission to serve coffee and culture to people who love America.

Established in 2013, Dixxon began with the goal of creating the world’s best flannel and used that approach – classics redefined – for their full array of products, which now includes apparel for men, women and youth, as well as hats and accessories.

Founded in 1961 by John Galardi with a single location in Southern California, Wienerschnitzel has grown to be the world’s largest hot dog chain serving more than 120 million hot dogs a year.

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will kick off at Daytona International Speedway with the NextEra Energy 250 on Friday, February 17, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. ET, airing live on FS1, The Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

About Niece Motorsports:

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

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

About Worldwide Express:

Worldwide Express, LLC, is a full-service, non-asset-based logistics provider offering access to industry-leading small package, truckload and less-than-truckload shipping solutions and managed transportation services. The family of brands, comprised of Worldwide Express, GlobalTranz and Unishippers, serve more than 115,000 customers spanning from small and mid-size businesses to larger enterprises, with unmatched carrier options and strategic guidance for their supply chains.

With an annual systemwide revenue approaching $5 billion, the company is the second-largest privately held freight brokerage and largest non-retail UPS® Authorized Reseller in the country. Through a selective portfolio of 65+ LTL and tens of thousands of truckload carriers, and powered by proprietary technology, clients benefit from an award-winning, relationship-backed approach to solving their shipping needs. To learn more about the brands, visit wwexracing.com.

MOORESVILLE, N.C.: Young’s Motorsports confirmed today that NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series veteran Derek Kraus will join the team for next month’s season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

Kraus will pilot the team’s No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado RST with support from Jacksonville, Fla.-based Hardscape Construction.

His relationship with the team is currently a one-race agreement with a vision to increase his 2023 schedule with the team.

Joining Hardscape Construction are Kraus’s seasoned partners Shockwave Seats and Kafka Granite.

The 21-year-old Kraus will serve as the organization’s second announced driver for the Feb. 17 NextEra Energy Resources 250 joining previously announced driver Spencer Boyd.

“I am very excited about joining Young’s Motorsports for Daytona,” said Kraus. “Over the years, Young’s Motorsports have shown on the superspeedways that they build very fast Chevrolet Silverados and I am excited to be able to drive one of them next month at Daytona.

“Young’s Motorsports has two victories at Talladega Superspeedway in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, but I sure would love the opportunity to deliver not only my first Truck Series win but the teams at a historical venue like Daytona.”

Kraus, a native of Stratford, Wisc. has 73 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts to his resume, including four top-five and 24 top-10 finishes, including a career-best second-place finish at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway in 2020.

He is also a veteran of the ARCA Menards Series West where he has captured 10 wins, 29 top-five and 35 top-10 finishes, including the 2019 series driver’s championship.

Before transitioning to Young’s Motorsports, Kraus spent the last three Truck Series seasons driving the No. 19 Chevrolet Silverado RST for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing.

“I am so excited to welcome Derek to the Young’s Motorsports family,” offered Young’s Motorsports team principal Tyler Young. “I have watched Derek blossom over the past three Truck Series seasons and now to him racing for us rather than racing against him is a true blessing.

“With Derek’s ability and clever craft behind the wheel, I know we’re in good hands.”

“There is a lot of passion, focus and motivation that can be felt not only in the race shop but all around the Young’s Motorsports campus. We’ve proven to be winners in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and we are determined to get back to Victory Lane again and it would be incredibly special to pull that off in the season-opener at Daytona.

“I look forward to seeing what our team can accomplish not only next month at Daytona but throughout the 2023 season.”

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

For more on Derek Kraus, please visit like him on Facebook (Derek Kraus Racing) and follow on Instagram (@derek9kraus) and Twitter (@derek9kraus).

The NextEra Energy Resources 250 (100 laps | 250 miles) is the first of 23 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races on the 2023 schedule. Practice begins on Thurs, Feb. 16 from 5:05 p.m. – 5:55 p.m. Qualifying is set for race day, Fri., Feb. 17 beginning at 3:00 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.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Jan. 26, 2023) – Lawless Alan (www.lawlessalanracing.com) will return to Niece Motorsports in 2023 for his sophomore season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Alan will again pilot the No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado for Niece Motorsports as he looks to build upon last season’s rookie campaign.

“I am very excited to be returning to Niece Motorsports in 2023 with AUTOParkit,” said Alan. “I am looking forward to using everything I learned throughout last year and applying it to this year. I’m no longer coming to these tracks for the first time, so I have very high expectations for what I can achieve with Niece Motorsports and AUTOParkit.”

Alan joined Niece Motorsports in 2022, competing in the full NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule. The young driver earned his best finish of 11th at the first road course on the schedule, Circuit of the Americas. Alan closed out his rookie year with eight top-20 finishes.

The California native made nine NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts in 2021, with his best finish of 18th coming at Bristol Motor Speedway in the fall.

“We are excited to have Lawless return to Niece Motorsports this season,” said Niece Motorsports General Manager Cody Efaw. “Lawless gained a lot of experience and got a lot of seat time last season that we really think is going to pay off this year. We are excited to see his growth this season. He’s a hard worker and is always asking questions and learning from the people around him. He definitely has the right attitude to be successful in this sport.”

Alan enjoys sponsorship from AUTOParkit, AUTOChargit™, and Siemens with secondary sponsorship from GarageFloor 24™. Since 2017, Alan has been the official spokesperson for AUTOParkit and its sister companies: GarageFloor 24, AUTOChargit™, PARKSentry™, AUTOStorit™ and AUTODockit™.

“The 2023 NASCAR Racing Season is nearly upon us,” said AUTOParkit Vice President of Sales Shawn Adams. “Similar to Lawless expanding his skill set as a professional NASCAR Driver and continuing to compete at the highest level, we too have extended our product line to include AUTODockit for boat storage, AUTOStorit for mixed-use personal storage, and AUTOChargit for automated EV Charging solutions to grow our brand. Our sponsorship relationship with Lawless Alan continues to be strengthened with each opportunity to compete. As we are often reminded at each race that steel sharpens steel.”

Alan won the 2018 Track Championship at Irwindale Speedway in the NASCAR WHELEN Late Model Series. In 2019 Lawless won Rookie of the Year honors in Trans Am’s TA2 Series and most recently won the 2020 Silver State Road Course Winter Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Alan has also won the Late Model Winter Showdown at Kern County Raceway, where he qualified on the pole and set a new track record in the process.

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season will kick off at Daytona International Speedway, with the NextEra Energy 250 on Friday, February 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The race will air live on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

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.

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

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

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

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

For more information on AUTOChargit, visit www.autochargit.com

Follow Lawless Alan on Instagram and on the web: @lawless_alan / www.lawlessalanracing.com

Upstart Driver to Make Six Truck Series Starts in 2023

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (January 19, 2022) — TRICON Garage (TRICON) announced today that it has signed William Sawalich to drive in six NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races throughout the 2023 season. The 16-year-old driver will pilot the No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro.

The Eden Prairie, Minnesota native recently announced a 20-race ARCA slate with Joe Gibbs Racing, including plans to pursue the ARCA Menards Series East championship. Rocketing up the short track ranks over the past few seasons, Sawalich had an impressive 2022 campaign with six victories in CARS Tour Pro Late Model action, three late model stock wins, and two Southern Super Series wins among others.

“Late model racing is a foundational piece in the history of our race team, and it has been a pleasure to watch William’s success and maturation in those series’,” said partner David Gilliland. “We believe he will fit right in at TRICON and we are super excited to have him as part of our driver lineup.”

Sawalich’s Truck Series effort will feature Starkey’s SoundGear line of products. Based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Starkey is a global leader in hearing technology and premier provider of hearing healthcare. Starkey engineers and manufactures SoundGear products to provide digital sound enhancement that delivers superior environmental awareness while placing a premium on hearing protection.

The Starkey Toyota Tundra will debut at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway before taking a lengthy break and then returning for a mid-summer stretch that includes Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Richmond (Va.) Raceway, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, the Milwaukee Mile, and Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

“I am excited to work with the Gray and Gilliland families and everyone at TRICON,” said Sawalich. “I know that the team will put forth a great effort to make sure that we have the best equipment and best teams around us. 2023 is going to be a huge year for my growth between ARCA and Trucks, and I am confident that I will learn a lot and be able to perfect my craft as a Toyota development driver here.”

About TRICON Garage

TRICON Garage is Toyota Racing Development’s flagship NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series organization. Under ownership by former NASCAR veteran David Gilliland and businessman Johnny Gray, TRICON is actively involved in three different industries – racing, fabrication and transportation. The team operates out of three buildings totaling 60,000 square feet in Mooresville, North Carolina.

Mooresville, NC (January 12, 2023) – The red neon sign that blazes as bright as Rudolf’s nose at the Nor-Cal Equipment Rentals shop in Sacramento, CA shines just a bit brighter today as NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver, Spencer Boyd announced an extended partnership with the company. Nor-Cal Equipment Rentals will be the primary sponsor of the Young’s Motorsports No. 12 Chevy Silverado at Las Vegas Motor Speedway as Boyd makes his 11th start at the track that boasts the Neon Garage.

“NASCAR goes west beware,” warned Spencer Boyd. “I’ve got some unfinished business at Las Vegas and I’m bringing a crew that is going to help me get the job done. When I met Tom Butts and the Nor-Cal team last year at Sonoma, I knew we had to do more work together. What they are doing in the equipment rental business is second to no-one so when the trucks hit that desert asphalt, you’ll know which one is ours.”

Boyd suffered a dislocated shoulder in the closing laps of the 2022 race in Las Vegas that eventually led to surgery in the offseason.

Nor-Cal Equipment Rentals was established in 2004 and has been responsible for providing outstanding service and equipment ever since. Their specialty is in contractor and homeowner equipment rentals and sales. Customers value their commitment to providing the absolute best in customer service and reliable equipment, using brands you know and trust.

Tom Butts, owner of Nor-Cal Equipment and super-fan of Dale Earnhardt Sr., remarked on seeing a Nor-Cal Equipment Rentals branded truck race in NASCAR. “It’s a bit surreal actually. I’ve been a NASCAR fan for as long as I can remember. Three for Dale! When Spencer said we could design the truck together I knew I was going to pay homage to Sr. The truck looks amazing. It represents our brand well and all the hard work our team puts in day in and day out. It’s a proud moment for everyone that has contributed to the success of Nor-Cal Equipment Rentals over the years.”

Nor-Cal Equipment services all of Northern California and also parts of Nevada and Oregon.

The partnership between Boyd and Nor-Cal that began in 2022 extends through 2023 with Nor-Cal Equipment Rentals being named as an associate sponsor for the season opening race at Daytona.

Mooresville, N.C. (January 4, 2023) Young’s Motorsports and veteran driver Spencer Boyd are set to tackle the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for a fifth season together. The partnership comes with a renewed sense of competition after Boyd suffered a dislocated shoulder in the second race of 2022 that put a damper on the season.

“I want last season back,” remarked the 27-year-old Boyd. “We had great chemistry on the 12 team and showed speed early on. To make a long story short, we didn’t end up with the year we wanted and we are set out to put it all in the rear-view mirror with this season.”

The St. Louis native made his NASCAR debut in 2016 and has started an organization high 82 races with Young’s Motorsports with both the No. 12 and No. 12 numbers.

As Craftsman returns as the title sponsor for the Series, so do many of Boyd’s sponsors. While other sponsorship announcements will be forthcoming, it is confirmed that Freedom Warranty will be the primary sponsor for the season opener during the Daytona 500 weekend. The extended vehicle warranty company was on board for Boyd’s win at Talladega in 2019.

“We wanted to start this new season off with one of our good luck charms on the hood,” Boyd said of Freedom Warranty. “Freedom (Warranty) has stuck with me through the highs and the lows and I have great admiration for their work. They are rolling out a new program for dealerships with an exciting announcement coming soon.”

Tyler Young of Young’s Motorsports commented on the 2023 season ahead, “We are quite optimistic about this coming year. There were plenty of discussions in the off-season on what we have to do to get better on the track. One thing we knew is that Spencer (Boyd) was going to be a part of it. He’s now driven more races than I have for our family team and earned our first win, so he’s naturally going to be part of our resolution to be more competitive.”

Spencer Boyd will drive the No. 12 Chevrolet Silverado in the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with Ryan “Pickle” London returning as the crew chief.

Fans should expect announcements in the coming weeks detailing the sponsors for the season.