Nicholas Carnes

Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway, 1.5 Mile Oval

Race: 7 of 38

Event: Coca-Cola 600 (600 miles, 400 laps)

John Hunter Nemechek

No. 38 YANMAR Ford Mustang

Started: 25th

Finished: 17th

Stage One: 24th
Stage Two: 20th
Stage Three: 17th
Stage Four: 17th

Driving in memory of Staff Sergeant Nicholas Carnes, John Hunter Nemechek started Sunday’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the 25th position. Nemechek reported difficulty finding a comfortable balance in his No. 38 YANMAR Ford Mustang early on and the crew made a wedge adjustment and added some grille tape during the competition caution on Lap 20. Mother Nature forced the race to come to a pause after almost 50 laps and engines refired a little over an hour later. Nemechek continued to struggle with the car’s handling for the remainder of Stage 1 and would finish P24.

Throughout the second stage, Nemechek continued to struggle with the handling of his No. 38 YANMAR machine. He reported his biggest issue being tight in traffic. Nemechek opted not to pit under the Stage 2 caution in order to regain a lap he had lost earlier in the stage. He took the green- and white-checkered flag in 20th position.

Optimistic at the start of the third stage, Nemechek said the previous run had been his best of the night thus far. Running low on fuel, Nemechek would pit on Lap 235 under green, putting him two laps behind the leader. He was able to regain a lap once green flag pit stops cycled through and made his way back inside the top 20 towards the end of the stage. The car was still tight in traffic and Nemechek finished the stage in 17th.

To start the final stage, Nemechek pitted for tires, fuel, a wedge adjustment and grille tape in hopes of loosening up his YANMAR Ford Mustang. The team called him back to pit road to correct an adjustment, and he would restart in 20th position. Despite the car continuing to be tight in traffic, Nemechek managed to stay inside the top 20 for much of the final stage. He would finish the race in 17th position.

Nemechek on Charlotte:

“It was kind of an up and down day, but overall, we had a good run in our No. 38 YANMAR Ford Mustang. We started off the night pretty free. Once we refired after the rain delay, we had a pretty tight racecar for most of the night. Seth [Barbour] and the crew kept trying different adjustments to get our handling better and we managed to run in the top 20 for most of the last stage. We never gave up and got some good notes to come back on Wednesday. Thanks to our partners at YANMAR for coming on board with us this weekend and thank you especially to all the men and women who serve our country. It’s an amazing privilege to have the freedom to race because of their sacrifices.”

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 21, 2020) – John Hunter Nemechek, along with primary sponsor YANMAR America, will pay tribute to a fallen member of the United States Army at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This Memorial Day weekend, Nemechek’s No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford Mustang will carry a decal across the windshield with the name of Staff Sergeant Nicholas Carnes, who was killed in the line of duty in 2007. SSG Carnes has a special connection to YANMAR’s own Matt Hilliard, as the two served together before Hilliard joined the YANMAR team.

SSG Carnes joined the Kentucky Army National Guard in March of 1999, at the age of 17. A resident of Dayton, Ky., he graduated from Dayton High School in 2000. Carnes was a member of Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 138th Field Artillery in Carrollton and deployed with his unit to Afghanistan in March of 2007, where he perished on August 26, 2007 by small arms fire during a firefight in the village of Lewanne Bazaar, Paktika Province.

The No. 38 YANMAR Ford Mustang will sport its customary red and black paint scheme to accompany SSG Carnes’ name on the windshield, along with the Folds of Honor logo, a non-profit organization benefiting the families of fallen or disabled service members.

“We would never be able to go to the track and do what we love every week if not for everyone in our military,” said Nemechek. “I’m honored to carry Staff Sergeant Carnes’s name on my car this weekend. He and Matt Hilliard from YANMAR had a special connection and it means a lot that we are able to acknowledge his sacrifice in this small way.”

“Before I began working at YANMAR, I served in the Army alongside Staff Sergeant Nicholas Carnes,” said Matt Hilliard, YANMAR Industrial Account Manager. “When I learned YANMAR and our partner FRM were looking to honor a fallen hero, I felt compelled to present Nicholas’ name. Having his name on the No. 38 YANMAR car is a great way to show our respect and pay tribute to someone who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service of our country. I appreciate YANMAR, FRM, our driver John Hunter Nemechek and the Carnes family for allowing me the privilege to honor my friend Staff Sergeant Carnes on Memorial Day weekend, a time created for us all to remember those we’ve lost in service for our country.”

The No. 38 YANMAR Ford Mustang will take to the track on Sunday, May 27 for the “Coca-Cola 600” NASCAR Cup Series Race at 6:00 p.m. ET on FOX.

About Yanmar America

YANMAR America Corporation, located in Adairsville, GA, is the regional headquarters of YANMAR Co., Ltd. a global company based in Osaka, Japan. YANMAR Co., Ltd. was established in 1912, and in 1933 became the world’s first manufacturer to develop a practical small diesel engine. Today, YANMAR is a recognized leader in the design and manufacturing of advanced performance diesel engines and diesel-powered equipment, as well as gas engine-based energy systems. By focusing on the development of highly efficient diesel engines, YANMAR remains committed to their mission statement of providing sustainable solutions for modern power needs.

YANMAR America Corporation is located at 101 International Parkway, Adairsville, GA 30103. For more information Visit yanmar.com/us and follow them on social media: Twitter at @YanmarAmerica, Instagram at @YanmarAmerica and Facebook at Facebook.com/YanmarAmerica.

About Front Row Motorsports

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields two full-time entries – the No. 34 of Michael McDowell and the No. 38 of John Hunter Nemechek – from its Mooresville, N.C., headquarters just outside of Charlotte. In 2020, the team announced an expansion to include the No. 38 Ford F-150 in the NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series, driven by Todd Gilliland. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

John Hunter Nemechek Post Race Report: Charlotte

John Hunter Nemechek to Remember Fallen Soldier at Charlotte Motor Speedway