NASCAR Camping World Trucks: GMS Racing’s Grant Enfinger Jumps Out Front With Victory In Playoff Opener

NASCAR Camping World Trucks:  GMS Racing’s Grant Enfinger Jumps Out Front With Victory In Playoff Opener

Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park’s first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race in 11 years did not disappoint. Tasked with opening the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs, the 0.686-mile flat paved track located just outside Indianapolis, Indiana produced some stellar side-by-side racing that went into overtime ultimately naming Grant Enfinger of GMS Racing the victor.

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Camping World SRX Series at Lucas Oil Raceway – News & Notes

Camping World SRX Series at Lucas Oil Raceway – News & Notes

WHAT:  Camping World SRX Series (Round 4 of 6)

WHERE:  Lucas Oil Raceway in Brownsburg, Indiana

WHEN:  8 p.m. EDT on Saturday, July 3

DISTANCE:  Feature consists of 76 laps (preceded by two 12-minute heat races, which sets starting lineup)

CARS:  Purpose-built SRX racecars

 

TV: LIVE on the CBS Television Network with streaming on Paramount+ Premium at 8 p.m. EDT on Saturday, July 3

●  Host: Lindsay Czarniak

●  Booth: Allen Bestwick (play-by-play) and Dario Franchitti (driver analyst)

●  Pit Reporter: Matt Yocum

●  Roaming Analyst: Brad Daugherty

●  Producer: Pam Miller

●  Director: Jim Cornell

 

THE TRACK: Lucas Oil Raceway (.686-mile, paved oval)

●  Banking: 7.5 degrees in the turns; 2 degrees on the straightaways

●  Width: 48 feet on frontstretch; 58 feet on backstretch; 54 feet in corners

●  Frontstretch Length: 699 feet

●  Backstretch Length: 699 feet

 

SPOTTER GUIDE: Car color, car number, driver and series they represent

●  Black: No. 98 of Marco Andretti (INDYCAR)

●  Teal: No. 18 of Bobby Labonte (NASCAR)

●  Yellow: No. 2 of Ernie Francis Jr.(TRANS AM)

●  Red: No. 3 of Helio Castroneves (INDYCAR and IMSA)

●  Lime Green: No. 13 of Paul Tracy (INDYCAR)

●  Purple: No. 9 of Bill Elliott (NASCAR)

●  Magenta: No. 48 of Tony Kanaan (INDYCAR)

●  Gold: No. 41 of Scott Speed (FORMULA ONE and RALLYCROSS)

●  Indigo: No. 17 of Willy T. Ribbs (TRANS AM, IMSA and INDYCAR)

●  Patriotic: No. 22 of Bobby Santos III (LUCAS OIL ALL-STAR)

●  Orange: No. 14 of Tony Stewart (NASCAR, INDYCAR and USAC)

●  Blue: No. 15 of Michael Waltrip (NASCAR)

 

ROUND 1: June 12 at Stafford Motor Speedway in Stafford Springs, Connecticut (half-mile, paved oval)

●  Feature Winner: Doug Coby (Local All-Star)

●  Heat Race No. 1 Winner: Greg Biffle (Ringer)

●  Heat Race No. 2 Winner: Doug Coby

 

ROUND 2: June 19 at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa (half-mile, dirt oval)

●  Feature Winner: Tony Stewart

●  Heat Race No. 1 Winner: Tony Stewart

●  Heat Race No. 2 Winner: Scott Bloomquist (Ringer)

 

ROUND 3: June 26 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio (half-mile, high-banked, clay oval)

●  Feature Winner: Tony Stewart

●  Heat Race No. 1 Winner: Tony Stewart

●  Heat Race No. 2 Winner: Marco Andretti

 

DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS: After Round 3 of 6

1.   Tony Stewart (129 points)

2.   Helio Castroneves (96 points, -33)

3.   Ernie Francis Jr. (90 points, -39)

4.   Marco Andretti (80 points, -49)

5.   Bobby Labonte (75 points, -54)

6.   Paul Tracy (64 points, -65)

7.   Michael Waltrip (57 points, -72)

8.   Bill Elliott (46 points, -83)

9.   Tony Kanaan (45 points, -84)

10. Willy T. Ribbs (38 points, -91)

Note: Points are awarded in both heats and the feature. In each heat, the winner receives a maximum of 12 points. Second place earns 11 points with every position in descending order receiving one fewer point, with the 12th-place finisher earning one point. Points increase in the feature, with the winner receiving 25 points, second place 22 points, third place 20 points, fourth place 18 points, fifth place 16 points, sixth place 14 points, seventh place 12 points, eighth place 10 points, ninth place eight points, 10th place six points, 11th place four points and 12th place two points.

 

CREW CHIEF CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS: After Round 3 of 6

1.   Mike Beam (297 points)

2.   Jeff Hammond (217 points, -80)

3.   Local Legends (216 points, -81)

4.   Todd Parrott (209 points, -88)

Tim Clauson is the local legend crew chief at Lucas Oil Raceway. Clauson was the 2011 USAC Crew Chief of the Year and he is co-owner of Clauson Marshall Racing (CMR), winner of the 2018 USAC National Sprint Car championship and the 2019 USAC National Midget championship, both with driver Tyler “Sunshine” Courtney. The team is an evolution of his late son’s enterprise, Bryan Clauson Racing, which ended tragically on Aug. 7, 2016 when Bryan succumbed to injuries sustained in a crash at the Belleville (Kansas) Midget Nationals. Last November, Courtney won his third consecutive Western World Nationals to give CMS its 65th feature victory.

 

THE LOCAL ALL-STAR: BOBBY SANTOS III

Hometown:Franklin, Massachusetts, United States

Social: IG: @bobbysantosiii / Twitter: @bobbysantosiii

●  Nicknamed “Bobby New England” and is best known for his success on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. He has 149 career starts with 19 victories, 54 top-five finishes and 18 pole positions to go along with his 2010 series championship.

●  Won the 2016 Whelen All-Star Shootout exhibition race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

●  Santos has excelled in USAC, scoring 10 career Silver Crown wins, including four at Lucas Oil Raceway. Two of his seven career National Sprint Car victories have come at Lucas Oil Raceway, as well as one of his 11 career victories in the Champion Midget category.

●  A four-time winner of the A.J. Foyt Championship (2006, 2011, 2017 and 2020), which is awarded to the driver with the season-best points tally at Lucas Oil Raceway in USAC’s top-three series – Silver Crown, Sprint Car and Midget.

●  Midget victories also include the prestigious Turkey Night Grand Prix at Irwindale Speedway in 2008 and the Copper World Classic at Phoenix Raceway in 2009.

 

THE RINGER: SCOTT SPEED

Hometown: Manteca, California, United States

Social: IG: @scott_speed / Twitter: @scottspeed / Facebook: @scottspeed

●  First American driver since Michael Andretti in 1993 to race in Formula One, driving for Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2006 and 2007.

●  After sampling Formula One, turned attention to NASCAR, working his way up the racing ladder, from the ARCA Menards Series, to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, to the NASCAR Xfinity Series and, ultimately, the NASCAR Cup Series.

●  Three-time Global Rallycross champion (2015, 2016 and 2017).

●  Won inaugural American Rallycross Series Championship (ARX) in 2018.

●  Three-time X-Games gold medalist in Rallycross.

 

THE REGULARS:

 

MARCO ANDRETTI

Hometown: Nazareth, Pennsylvania, United States

Social: IG: @marcoandretti / Twitter: @marcoandretti

●  Third-generation racer, son of INDYCAR champion Michael Andretti and grandson of the legendary Mario Andretti.

●  Racing select NTT INDYCAR Series races in 2021 (which included the Indianapolis 500).

●  Winner of the 2006 INDYCAR Series Rookie of the Year.

●  Tested for Honda Racing’s Formula One program in 2006 and 2007.

●  Purchased childhood home in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, and runs a successful real-estate business.

●  Prepared to run the 2020 New York Marathon before the COVID-19 pandemic forced cancellation of the event.

 

HELIO CASTRONEVES

Hometown: São Paulo, Brazil

Social: IG: @heliocastroneves / Twitter: @h3lio / Facebook: @h3lio

●  Four-time and reigning Indianapolis 500 winner (2001, 2002, 2009 and 2021).

●  Winner of the 2021 Rolex 24 at Daytona with co-drivers Filipe Albuquerque, Ricky Taylor and Alexander Rossi.

●  Credited with beginning the tradition of climbing the fence after a race win, which he did after scoring his first career INDYCAR victory at the 2000 Detroit Grand Prix.

●  Mirror Ball Trophy winner on Season 5 of Dancing With The Stars in 2007, alongside partner Julianne Hough.

 

BILL ELLIOTT

Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia, United States

Social: Twitter: @billelliott9 / Facebook: @billelliott

●  Affectionately known as “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville”.

●  Won the 1988 NASCAR Cup Series championship and is a two-time Daytona 500 winner (1985 and 1987).

●  Still holds the track qualifying records at Daytona International Speedway (210.364 mph) and Talladega Superspeedway (212.809 mph), both set in 1987.

●  Inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2015.

●  Voted NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver by fans a record 16 times.

●  Father of reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott. They are the third father-son duo to win NASCAR championships, joining Lee and Richard Petty, and Ned and Dale Jarrett.

 

ERNIE FRANCIS JR.

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States

Social: IG: @erniefrancisjr / Twitter: @erniefrancisjr

●  Winningest driver in the 55-year history of the SCCA Trans Am Series, all while being just 23 years old.

●  At 16, became the youngest champion in Trans Am history and is the youngest professional driver to win seven consecutive championships.

●  One of his most impressive performances came in the 2018 Trans Am race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. He had to miss qualifying because of a NASCAR commitment, but still won the race from the back of the grid.

●  Has made select starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR K&N Series.

●  Grandfather immigrated to New York City from Haiti five decades ago.

●  Counts Willy T. Ribbs as a mentor and, like Ribbs, making a name for himself in Trans Am.

 

TONY KANAAN

Hometown: Salvador, Brazil

Social: IG: @tkanaan / Twitter: @tonykanaan / Facebook: @tonykanaan

●  Won the 2004 INDYCAR championship.

●  Winner of the 2013 Indianapolis 500.

●  Splitting 2021 NTT INDYCAR Series season with seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson in Chip Ganassi Racing’s No. 48 entry, competing in all of the series’ oval races.

●  Lebanese ancestry but grew up in Brazil; member of racing “Brat Pack” with Dario Franchitti, Max Papis and the late Greg Moore.

●  Fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and English.

●  Avid triathlete and has completed Ironman event in Hawaii.

 

BOBBY LABONTE

Hometown: Corpus Christi, Texas, United States

Social: IG: @bobby_labonte44 / Twitter: @bobby_labonte

●  Won the 2000 NASCAR Cup Series championship and 1991 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship.

●  Won 2001 International Race of Champions (IROC) title, which was the precursor to SRX.

●  Inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2020.

●  Is a television analyst for FOX, specifically FS1’s RaceDay.

●  Competes in the Southern Modified Auto Racing Tour (SMART).

●  Founded Longhorn Chassis in 2010 with his brother, Terry, building dirt late model racecars. (Terry is a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, earning titles in 1984 and 1996.)

●  Owns a Red Mango yogurt shop on the campus of Duke University.

 

WILLY T. RIBBS

Hometown: San Jose, California, United States

Social: Twitter: @willyribbs

●  First African-American to compete in the Indianapolis 500 (1991 and 1993) and the first African-American to test a Formula One car (1986 with Brabham in Estoril, Portugal).

●  Winner of the 1977 Dunlop/Autosport Star of Tomorrow Formula Ford 1600 championship.

●  A 17-race winner in the SCCA Trans Am Series. Was the 1983 Trans Am Rookie of the Year on the strength of five wins and finished second in the series championship to teammate David Hobbs.

●  Won 10 IMSA GTO races driving for the legendary Dan Gurney.

●  Showed versatility by competing in Trans Am, IMSA, INDYCAR and various NASCAR divisions, including the Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series.

●  Made 46 INDYCAR starts between 1990-1994.

●  After retiring from racing, became a professional shooter in the National Sporting Clays Association. Ribbs’ son, Theodore, is also a professional shooter.

●  In the Disney Channel cartoon The Proud Family, character Penny proud and her friends attend Willy T. Ribbs Middle School, where the mascot is “Racer.”

●  Ribbs was the subject of the 2020 Netflix documentary, Uppity: The Willy T. Ribbs Story.

 

TONY STEWART

Hometown: Columbus, Indiana, United States

Social: IG: @tsrsmoke / Twitter: @tonystewart / Facebook: @tonystewart / YouTube: @tonystewart14

●  Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (2002, 2005 and 2011), 1997 INDYCAR Series champion and four-time USAC champion.

●  Stewart is the first and only driver to win championships in stock cars, Indy cars and open-wheel Midget, Sprint and Silver Crown cars.

●  Co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, winner of two NASCAR Cup Series championships (2011 and 2014).

●  Owner of Tony Stewart Racing, winner of 26 championships – 14 in USAC, nine in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series and three in the All Star Circuit of Champions TQ Midgets.

●  Inducted into numerous halls of fame, including the NASCAR Hall of Fame (2020), the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Hall of Fame (2020), the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2019), the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame (2019), the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame (2019), the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame (2018), the USAC Hall of Fame (2016) and the National Midget Racing Hall of Fame (2001).

●  Formed the Tony Stewart Foundation in 2003.The 501(c)(3) organization’s goal is to raise funds primarily distributed to serving three specific groups – chronically ill and physically disabled children, animals that are endangered or at-risk, and drivers injured in the sport of motor racing. To date, the Foundation has awarded nearly $7 million to assist charitable initiatives for more than 150 well-qualified organizations throughout the United States.

 

PAUL TRACY

Hometown: Scarborough, Ontario, Canada

Social: IG: @paultracyofficial

●  Current NBC TV commentator for its INDYCAR broadcasts.

●  Won the 2003 INDYCAR championship.

●  Finished second to Helio Castroneves in the 2002 Indianapolis 500.

●  Has competed in NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races, and dabbled in professional downhill mountain bike racing.

 

MICHAEL WALTRIP

Hometown: Owensboro, Kentucky, United States

Social: IG: @mwr55 / Twitter: @mw55 / Facebook: @michaelcwaltrip

●  Two-time Daytona 500 winner (2001 and 2003).

●  Younger brother of three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip.

●  Color commentator for FOX’s broadcasts of NASCAR Xfinity and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races, as well as pre-race commentator for FOX’s broadcast of NASCAR Cup Series races.

●  Author of a New York Times best-seller in 2011, In the Blink of an Eye: Dale, Daytona, and the Day that Changed Everything. A documentary film adaptation was released in 2019.

●  An avid runner, competed in the 2000 Boston Marathon.

●  Participated in season 19 of Dancing With The Stars in 2014.

 

About Camping World SRX Series:

The Camping World SRX Series was created by a team consisting of Sandy Montag and The Montag Group, George Pyne, NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief and team owner Ray Evernham, and legendary driver Tony Stewart. The Montag Group leads business operations and Evernham oversees all racing operations. Pyne is a member of the Board and serves as an advisor. For more information, please visit us online at www.SRXracing.com, on Facebook, on Twitter and on Instagram.

SRX Teams Up with Progressive for Inaugural Season

SRX Teams Up with Progressive for Inaugural Season

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 11, 2021) – Superstar Racing Experience (SRX), the six-race short-track series airing this summer on Saturday nights in primetime on the CBS Television Network and streaming live on Paramount+, announced today that Progressive, the third-largest auto insurer in the country, has become the series’ exclusive car and home insurance sponsor. Progressive is also a leading seller of motorcycle and commercial auto insurance, and one of the top homeowners insurance carriers.

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Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) and Speed51.com to Promote Grassroots Racing

Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) and Speed51.com to Promote Grassroots Racing

CONCORD, N.C. (May 7, 2021) – Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) and Speed51.com have formed a partnership ahead of SRX’s inaugural season with Speed51.com serving as the series’ short-track content marketing partner for the 2021 season.

SRX is a six-race short-track series airing this summer on Saturday nights in primetime on CBS. It features drivers from an array of motorsports backgrounds competing in identically prepared racecars on a variety of tracks. (more…)

Event Format Revealed for SRX Six-Race Short-Track Series Debuting June 12 on CBS

Event Format Revealed for SRX Six-Race Short-Track Series Debuting June 12 on CBS

Two 15-Minute Heat Races Set Field for 100-Lap Feature Race;  Points Earned in Heats and Feature Go Toward Season-Ending Championship

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 6, 2021) – Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) has announced the format for its six-race short-track series that will debut this summer on Saturday nights in primetime on the CBS Television Network and streaming live on Paramount+. (more…)

Amateur Drivers Join Racing Legends for Inaugural SRX Season

Amateur Drivers Join Racing Legends for Inaugural SRX Season

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (April 9, 2021) – Ever wonder how grassroots racing legends would fare against drivers who made their careers earning national championships and winning the most prestigious races in North America? Wonder no more as the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) will pit an amateur driver against its star-studded lineup in the first five of its six-race inaugural season, which debuts this summer on Saturday nights in primetime on CBS. (more…)