Rush Truck Centers Continues Partnership with Front Row Motorsports for 2026 Season

Rush Truck Centers to Support Noah Gragson in Multiple Cup Series Races

 

Rush Truck Centers, which partnered with Noah Gragson following his move to Front Row Motorsports (FRM) in 2025, will continue its relationship with both Gragson and FRM for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. The 2026 program marks the second year of a partnership established in 2025.

 

Rush Truck Centers will serve as the primary partner on Gragson’s No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse in multiple races throughout the 2026 season.

 

Since 1965, Rush Truck Centers has been the premier solutions provider for the commercial vehicle industry, earning a reputation for excellence, fairness, a positive attitude and solutions that exceed customer expectations. Rush Truck Centers provides customers with an integrated, one-stop approach to the service and sales of new and used commercial vehicles, aftermarket parts and more, with more than 160 dealership locations across the United States and eastern Canada.

 

Gragson will represent the Rush Truck Centers brand in 12 NASCAR Cup Series races during the 2026 season, building on a 2025 season that produced two top-10 finishes and four top-15 results with the No. 4 team. The partnership will go beyond the racetrack, with all three of FRM’s NASCAR Cup Series entries transported by Peterbilt Model 389 tractors supplied by Rush Truck Centers, maintaining its role as the “Official Truck Dealer and Service Center of Front Row Motorsports.”

 

Below is the full race schedule for the No. 4 Rush Truck Centers Ford Mustang Dark Horse.

 

• 02/15 – Daytona International Speedway (Daytona, FL)
• 03/1– Circuit of the Americas (Austin, TX)
• 04/19 – Kansas Speedway (Kansas City, KS)
• 05/3 – Texas Motor Speedway (Fort Worth, TX)
• 05/24 – Charlotte Motor Speedway (Concord, NC)
• 05/31 – Nashville Superspeedway (Nashville, TN)
• 06/21 – Naval Base Coronado (San Diego, CA)
• 07/26 – Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Indianapolis, IN)
• 08/29 – Daytona International Speedway (Daytona, FL)
• 09/19 – Bristol Motor Speedway (Bristol, TN)
• 10/4 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Las Vegas, NV)
• 10/25 – Talladega Superspeedway (Talladega, AL)

Additionally, Rush Truck Centers will again serve as an associate partner on the No. 34 and No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horses driven by Todd Gilliland and Zane Smith. 

 

 

Gragson shared his excitement on the continued partnership. “I am really proud of the relationship we have with Rush Truck Centers. We showed flashes of what we’re capable of together last year with some solid top-10 and top-15 finishes, and that motivates me heading into this season. Their ongoing support motivates our entire team as we work to take the next step in 2026.”

 

Rush Truck Centers also comments on their continued relationship with FRM and Gragson. “We’re excited about this second year of our agreement with Front Row Motorsports and the No. 4 team,” said Rusty Rush, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Rush Enterprises. “Our partnership with FRM extends across the entire organization, and we’re proud to support all three teams throughout the season. This relationship speaks to the confidence we have in the team and in Noah. Beyond being a tremendous competitor, Noah is a great friend and partner — his passion, charisma and genuine love for this sport are contagious. We feel really good about where this program is headed, and I believe we have what it takes to put Rush Truck Centers in Victory Lane with Noah this season.”

 

Rush Truck Centers’ 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season will begin at Daytona International Speedway with the Daytona 500 on February 15. The race will be broadcast live on FOX at 2:30 p.m. ET, with radio coverage available on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

 

.@FordRacing 2026 launch party with the boys! #FRSeasonLaunch26 pic.twitter.com/xr4V9wprja

— Front Row Motorsports (@Team_FRM) January 15, 2026

 

source:Front Row Motorsports (FRM) Media

Zane Smith Disqualified (NCTS)

Windshield Support Violation

 

After the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoff race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Zane Smith has been disqualified for a windshield violation. The windshield on the 2022 Camping World Truck Series champion’s truck was visibly flexing during the race.

 

Carson Hocevar ended up winning the race and Zane Smith was P2. Smith had to win to advance to Phoenix for the Championship 4. While this DQ moves drivers up one spot, it will not change who made the Championship 4 race.

 

Since Nick Sanchez and Ben Rhodes are tied on points after the DQ, Rhodes still advances over Sanchez.

 

 

NASCAR doesn’t take these DQs lightly. The No. 38 truck is going to go to the R&D Center. I suspect that NASCAR will try and determine why the windshield was flexing. Whether or not it was an intentional violation or just an accidental one.

 

Depending on what NASCAR finds in their inspection at the R&D Center, we may see a penalty or a fine for the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports team.

 

“We are disappointed in the disqualification from today’s NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series event. We will continue to work and discuss with NASCAR officials back at the NACAR R&D Center in Concord, N.C. before making any further comment” Front Row Motorsports

 

Carson Hocevar (the race winner) will battle with Corey Heim, Grant Enfinger, and Ben Rhodes (former champion) in Phoenix for the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship.

 

NEWS: The No. 38 truck has been disqualified following post-race inspection at @HomesteadMiami for violation of the windshield support rule, per the NASCAR Rule Book.

The No. 38 truck will return to the R&D Center.

— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 21, 2023

 

source: MSN Sports Media

2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoff Field Set

Corey Heim wins regular season Truck Series Championship

 

The 10-driver playoff field for the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is officially set following Saturday’s race at Richmond Raceway.

 

The 10 drivers listed below make up the playoff field. The field includes three former champions: Zane Smith (defending champion), Ben Rhodes (2021) and Matt Crafton (2013, 2014, 2019).

 

Drivers Who Qualified with Point Reset:

• 1. Corey Heim, No. 11 Tricon Garage Toyota, wins (2)/Regular Season Champion, 2,030 points
• 2. Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford, wins (2), 2,022 points
• 3. Carson Hocevar, No. 42 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet, wins (3), 2,021 points
• 4. Christian Eckes, No. 19 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet, wins (3), 2,019 points
• 5. Grant Enfinger, No. 23 GMS Racing Chevrolet, wins (2), 2,017 points
• 6. Ty Majeski, No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford, 2,014 points
• 7. Ben Rhodes, No. 99 ThorSport Racing Ford, wins (1), 2,013 points
• 8. Nick Sanchez, No. 2 Rev Racing Chevrolet, 2,005 points
• 9. Matt DiBenedetto, No. 25 Rackley WAR Chevrolet, 2,002 points
• 10. Matt Crafton, No. 88 ThorSport Racing Ford, 2,002 points

The Round of 10 begins Aug. 11 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (9 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The opening round will continue at the Milwaukee Mile on Aug. 27 in what will be the circuit’s first contest at the track since 2009. The Round of 8 will conclude at Kansas Speedway on Sept. 8, where two drivers will be eliminated from championship contention. The Round of 8 will consist of Bristol Motor Speedway (Sept. 14), Talladega Superspeedway (Sept. 30) and Homestead Miami Speedway (Oct. 21).

 

The championship race will be held at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 3.

 

Let's get after it. #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/q8B1JFiotD

— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 30, 2023

 

source: NASCAR Media

NASCAR & ARCA Race Recaps (Cota & Five Flags)

Winners: Tyler Reddick (Cup); AJ Allmendinger (Xfinity); Zane Smith (Trucks) William Sawalich (ARCA East) 

 

NASCAR Cup

Tyler Reddick Scores First 2023 Win at COTA

 

Tyler Reddick prevailed in three NASCAR Overtime restarts to claim his first trophy of the year – and first with his new team, 23XI Racing, with a 1.411-second victory over two-time series champion Kyle Busch in the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix – the NASCAR Cup Series’ first road course race of the season.

 

It was a field of international champions and NASCAR’s very best at the famed Circuit of The Americas course, but for most of the race, the outcome looked to be decided in a good ol’ Texas duel between the two fastest cars all weekend driven by Reddick and Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron. The pair exchanged the lead, lap after exciting lap for most of the afternoon.

 

And on the final two-lap restart, Reddick was able to put his No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota out front exiting Turn 1 – a tight left-hander – and power forward to the lead, while Busch and third-place finisher Alex Bowman, fourth-place finisher – and defending race winner – Ross Chastain and fifth-place Byron fought door-to-door, bumper-to-bumper as they chased after him.

 

“I’ve been wanting to win here in a Cup car for a long time,” Reddick, the 27-year-old Californian, said who now has four NASCAR Cup Series wins, but noted this was his first as a Toyota driver and with his 23XI Racing Team – co-owned by fellow competitor Denny Hamlin and NBA superstar Michael Jordan.

 

“It means the world,” said Reddick, who sat down on the track and leaned against his car with a bag of ice after winning to cool down on the typically Texas-hot afternoon. “This whole 23XI team has been working hard all winter long to make the road course program better and was extremely motivated to come in here and improve performance. Just so proud of this Monster Energy team and TRD (Toyota Racing Development). All the resources they’ve put in to turn around the road course program means a lot.”

 

RACE WINNER @COTA 🎉@TylerReddick and the No. 45 @MonsterEnergy team! pic.twitter.com/fm3MRnHs5A

— 23XI Racing (@23XIRacing) March 26, 2023

Pole: William Byron

Click Here for Race Results

 

Next Race: The Cup Series will return on Sunday, Apr. 2 3:30 PM ET for the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway. 

 

NASCAR Xfinity

AJ Allmendinger Scores Second Straight Xfinity Win at COTA

 

AJ Allmendinger started on the pole position and won the NASCAR Xfinity Series Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today on Saturday at the world-renowned Circuit of The Americas road course.

 

The 46 laps between the green and checkered flags, however, were dramatic and full of emotional highs and lows for the veteran Allmendinger, who led 14 laps to start the race and the final 14 laps to close it out. The series’ all-time road course winner earned his 11th road course trophy (and 16th career Xfinity Series victory) despite having to navigate through the field after falling back to 25th place during mid-race green flag pit stops.

 

It was a major league road course lesson for the rest of the field as the 41-year-old Californian diced and sliced his way forward in the No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet to win this race for the second consecutive year. He ultimately took a 0.853-second victory over relentless Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron in the No. 17 Chevrolet.

 

“William Byron put his best foot forward, you’ve seen all the Cup races he’s winning,” Allmendinger said of the season’s two-race winner Byron. “I knew it was going to be tough just trying to fight to get back up to the front there. Hate that I had contact with Sheldon [Creed], he got under me, I was trying to stay off him, so I hate that happened but so proud of everyone at Kaulig Racing. The Celsius Chevy was really hooked up, and with all the damage we had, it didn’t hurt the car.”

 

“I spent a lot of years not winning anything, so I’m going to celebrate every one of them like it’s my last one,” Allmendinger added. “You never know. As much pressure as I put on myself, I’m always going to try to live up to it. The pit crew was awesome, and I’m so proud of everyone.”

 

🏁Ringer, ringer, ringer!@AJDinger goes back-to-back to win the #PitBoss250 at @NASCARatCOTA. pic.twitter.com/Frsk4UNzMa

— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) March 25, 2023

Pole: AJ Allmendinger

Click Here for Race Results

 

Next Race: The Xfinity Series will return on Saturday, Apr. 1, 1:00 PM ET for the ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond Raceway. 

 

NASCAR Trucks

Zane Smith Goes Back-to-Back with TrucksWins at COTA

 

Zane Smith became the first repeat NASCAR winner at the famed Circuit of The Americas road course, the reigning series champion holding off veteran Kyle Busch to claim his second straight victory in Saturday‘s XPEL 225 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race.

 

The 23-year-old Californian‘s No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford led the final 15 laps — a race best 16 of the 42 laps in all — and crossed the finish line 5.451 seconds ahead of the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Busch. The win makes Smith‘s Front Row Motorsports team a perfect 3-for-3 in Craftsman Truck Series races at COTA. Todd Gilliland won the 2021 inaugural event here.

 

It‘s the second victory of the year for Smith, who won the season-opener at Daytona, too — the same first two victories he earned in his 2022 championship season as well.

 

“Shout out to Chris Lawson for an amazing strategy,” said Smith, whose Ford F-150 had a small fire under it extinguished after his burnout.

 

“So cool for [sponsors] Speedco, Peak and all our partners. It was fast when it mattered. I just enjoy coming to all the road courses, especially here. So cool. Just a true testament to this team.”

 

“Once we got to that eight-to-go point and I was told Kyle [Busch] was in second, my heart rate went up a little bit, just because he‘s so good at managing his stuff when it mattered,” Smith continued. “So, I just tried not to make any mistakes.”

 

CHECKERED FLAG: @ZaneSmith goes back-to-back at @NASCARatCOTA! pic.twitter.com/WUlLtXEvqy

— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) March 25, 2023

Pole: Ross Chastain

Click Here for Race Results

 

Next Race: The Truck Series will return on Saturday, Apr. 1, 4:30 PM ET for the SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway. 

 

ARCA East

William Sawalich Delivers a Dominant Run at Five Flags Speedway for his First ARCA Win

 

William Sawalich arrived at Five Flags Speedway for the Pensacola 200 with redemption on his mind.

 

A potential victory in his first ARCA Menards Series start on March 10 at Phoenix Raceway evaporated in the closing laps when Sawalich was turned by Bradley Erickson on a restart. The incident forced Sawalich to limp his battered No. 18 Starkey/ Sound Gear Toyota home with a disappointing 13th place run.

 

No such obstacle plagued Sawalich in his inaugural ARCA Menards Series East appearance Saturday, as he led every lap from the General Tire Pole to continue a pattern of success that’s followed the No. 18 on the ARCA platform over the past few years.

 

“I can’t thank this Joe Gibbs Racing team enough,” Sawalich said. “We had a really fast Toyota Camry here, and the team worked hard to make this car as good as it [was].”

 

The first of 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 for @WilliamSawalich!!🏆@starkeyhearing | @SoundGearHear | @ARCA_Racing pic.twitter.com/MPeZYuZWTZ

— Joe Gibbs Racing (@JoeGibbsRacing) March 27, 2023

Pole: William Sawalich

Click Here for Race Results 
Next Race: The ARCA Series (West) will return on Saturday, April 1, 10 p.m. ET at Irwindale Speedway.

 

source: NASCAR Media

Weather Impedes Friday Qualifying Sessions at AMS

Zane Smith – Truck Series Pole / Sammy Smith - Xfinity Pole

 

Mother Nature got the best of Friday’s afternoon qualifying at Atlanta Motor Speedway for both the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series, as the respective sessions were canceled due to rain in the area.

 

NCTS points leader Zane Smith will start on the pole for Saturday’s Fr8 208 (2 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The subsequent lineup will be set by performance metrics per the NASCAR Rule Book: 15% of a fastest lap time position in the previous series event, 25% of the driver’s final race finish position in the previous series event, 25% of the owner’s final race finish position in the previous event and 35% of the Owner Points position.

 

Sammy Smith, who won last week’s showdown at Phoenix Raceway, will lead the pack to begin Saturday’s Xfinity Series RAPTOR King of Tough 250 (5 p.m. ET, FS1, PRN, SiriusXM).

 

While Mother Nature won the day Friday, forecasts for Saturday’s slate of on-track action at AMS are much more favorable. Qualifying for the Ambetter Health 400 precedes the doubleheader racing with the Fr8 208 and RAPTOR King of Tough 250 running back-to-back. The weekend culminates with the Ambetter Health 400 on Sunday. 

 

 

Click Here for Truck Line-Up

 

Click Here for Xfinity Line-Up

 

Plan your race day with us! Here's what's happening before the #Fr8208 and #RAPTOR250! pic.twitter.com/sUd9spGjIx

— Atlanta Motor Speedway (@ATLMotorSpdwy) March 18, 2023

 

source: Atlanta Motor Speedway Media

Centene Corporation Partners with NASCAR Champion Driver Zane Smith and Front Row Motorsports

Ambetter Health and Wellcare to Serve as Primary and Associate Partners Across the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Starting at Daytona in February

Reigning NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion Zane Smith and Front Row Motorsports formally announce a new, multi-series partnership with Centene Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, that includes both primary and associate sponsorship for the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) entries driven by Smith.

 

 

 

The partnership – which will feature Ambetter Health, a leading provider of health insurance offerings on the Health Insurance Marketplace, and Wellcare, which offers a wide range of Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (PDP) – starts at Daytona International Speedway in February when Smith attempts to qualify for his second career NCS start and first Daytona 500 aboard the No. 36 Wellcare Ford Mustang. 

 

“I’m fortunate to have a great sponsor of Centene’s stature to step up and support me and Front Row Motorsports as I look to gain racing experience in the NASCAR Cup Series while at the same time defending the NASCAR Craftsman title,” said the 23-year-old Smith. “I’m excited to represent Ambetter Health and Wellcare as Centene continues to grow their involvement in NASCAR and their healthcare presence across the United States.”

 

 

As the cornerstone partner for Smith’s previously announced part-time 2023 NCS plans, Centene will be primary sponsor for five additional NCS races aboard the chartered No. 38 car at the following race tracks: Phoenix Raceway (March, Wellcare), Talladega Superspeedway (April, Wellcare), Sonoma Raceway (June, Wellcare), Texas Motor Speedway (September, Ambetter Health) and Charlotte Motor Speedway (October, Ambetter Health).

 

In addition to the six-race NCS primary car sponsorship, Centene will feature Ambetter Health as the primary sponsor of Smith’s NCTS No. 38 Ford 150 truck at Miami-Homestead Speedway on October 21. The comprehensive partnership also includes full season associate sponsorship on Smith’s No. 38 NCTS truck and on the No. 38 NCS car with driving duties split between Smith and Todd Gilliland. Smith is expected to race up to six of the 36 NCS points races in the No. 38 Ford.

 

“We want to welcome Centene Corporation to Front Row Motorsports,” said Bob Jenkins, owner, Front Row Motorsports. “This is an example of another well-respected and premier company to join our organization and the sport. Their support also allows us to move Zane up into the NASCAR Cup Series part-time and continue his growth while also helping us defend our NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship. We’re excited for the year ahead.”

 

St. Louis, Mo.-based Centene is not new to the sport of NASCAR. Centene is a healthcare partner of Speedway Motorsports (SMI) and serves as a race track sponsor across several SMI properties, plus as the race entitlement sponsor of the Ambetter Health 400 NCS race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March and the Ambetter Health 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July.

 

“We’re excited to partner with Front Row Motorsports and Zane Smith to build on our relationship with racing fans across the country,” said Sarah London, Chief Executive Officer, Centene Corporation. “Through this partnership, we have the opportunity to further connect with racing fans and educate them on our mission to transform the health of our local communities and ensure everyone is able to access high-quality, affordable healthcare.” 

 

ABOUT CENTENE CORPORATION

Centene Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a leading healthcare enterprise that is committed to helping people live healthier lives. The Company takes a local approach – with local brands and local teams – to provide fully integrated, high-quality, and cost-effective services to government-sponsored and commercial healthcare programs, focusing on under-insured and uninsured individuals. Centene offers affordable and high-quality products to nearly 1 in 15 individuals across the nation, including Medicaid and Medicare members (including Medicare Prescription Drug Plans) as well as individuals and families served by the Health Insurance Marketplace, the TRICARE program, and individuals in correctional facilities. The Company also contracts with other healthcare and commercial organizations to provide a variety of specialty services focused on treating the whole person. Centene focuses on long-term growth and value creation as well as the development of its people, systems, and capabilities so that it can better serve its members, providers, local communities, and government partners.

 

Centene uses its investor relations website to publish important information about the Company, including information that may be deemed material to investors. Financial and other information about Centene is routinely posted and is accessible on Centene's investor relations website, https://investors.centene.com/.

 

ABOUT AMBETTER HEALTH

Ambetter Health is a health insurance offering that is available on the Health Insurance Marketplace, or exchange, established by the Affordable Care Act. It is one of the healthcare programs provided by Centene Corporation, a leading healthcare enterprise. Ambetter Health is made available through local health plans and covers a wide variety of healthcare services, including preventive and wellness services, maternity and newborn care, pediatric services, mental health and substance misuse services, prescription drug coverage, and more.

 

ABOUT WELLCARE

For more than 20 years, Wellcare has offered a range of Medicare products, including Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (PDP), which offer affordable coverage beyond Original Medicare. Wellcare is a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a leading healthcare enterprise committed to transforming the health of the community, one person at a time. For more information about Wellcare, visit www.wellcare.com.

 

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.

 

source: Team Front Row Media

NASCAR Fetes Its National Champions In Nashville Awards Ceremony

 

It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that deuces were wild on Thursday night at the Music City Center, where NASCAR honored the champions of its top three national series at the annual NASCAR Awards.

 

Headlining the event was NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano, who drives the No. 22 Ford for Team Penske. The title was Logano’s second, following the championship he won for team owner Roger Penske in 2018.

 

Logano also made a two-time winner of crew chief Paul Wolfe, who earned his first title a decade earlier while on the pit box for Brad Keselowski.

 

Logano won two of the 10 Playoff races—the first Round of 8 race at Las Vegas to guarantee a spot in the Championship 4 as well as the race that decided the title, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix.

 

The 2022 champion ended the season with four wins—in addition, his victory on the exhibition Clash at the Coliseum, the competitive debut of NASCAR’s new Next Gen Cup race car.

 

“22 in ’22,” Logano said, repeating the motto that had driven his race team throughout the season.

 

Introduced by friend and IndyCar legend Mario Andretti, Logano paid homage to his team owner and his parents.

 

“Mom, Dad… Letting me chase my dreams means so much,” said Logano, 32.

 

He congratulated Penske for winning both the Cup Series and IndyCar championships in the same season.

 

“That’s never happened before, guys,” said Logano, who ended his speech with advice for young drivers. 

 

“Coming from a guy that has made plenty mistakes in front of a lot of people… plenty of them still remind me of my mistakes,” said Logano, the youngest driver to win a Cup race at 19 years, 35 days. “No regrets. 

 

“I challenge you to take risks, make the big moves, stand up for what’s right. Because it’s not about winning or losing, it’s about winning and growing. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas.”

 

Penske described Logano as “the leader on the track and off the track. Obviously, we’ve signed him up for five more years.”

 

Wolfe was just as effusive in his praise.

 

“Joey—he’s the guy that motivates us all,” said Wolfe, who contrasted his first championship with Keselowski with the current title.

 

“Ten years ago… that first one was so early in my career I didn’t know any better,” Wolfe said. 

 

In addition to recognizing the accomplishments of each of the 16 Playoff drivers, the NASCAR Awards also honored NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Ty Gibbs and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Zane Smith.

 

Gibbs won the Xfinity Series title at Phoenix, picking up his seventh victory of the season in the process. But hours later, Gibbs’ father, Coy Gibbs died in his sleep at age 49.

 

When Ty Gibbs took the stage at the Music City Center, he was greeted with a standing ovation.

 

“Wow! Thank you. It means a lot,” Gibbs said. “Thank you for all the claps. Thank you for all the support. I really appreciate it.”

 

Team owner Joe Gibbs, Ty’s grandfather, echoed the sentiment.

 

“Thanks so much for the way you’ve reached out in these last few weeks for our family,” Joe Gibbs said.

 

Ben Kennedy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing development and strategy, introduced Zane Smith with high praise.

 

“At such a young age (23), one can’t help but feel like we’re watching a future NASCAR superstar writing the beginning of his story,” Kennedy said. 

 

Smith’s parents were in Phoenix to watch the driver of the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford win his fourth race of the season and the accompanying title.

 

“I’m still not sure if my mom was more excited to see me win or get a picture with Jeff Gordon after the race, since she’s always told me that was her dream,” Smith quipped. “So, I’m happy we were both able to accomplish our dreams that night.”

 

Ralph Maccarone was honored as the winner of the prestigious Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award. In 2012, Maccarone founded Who We Play For to inspire and empower schools, sports clubs and communities to provide heart screenings for all student athletes and students.

 

Team owner Justin Marks, who fields cars for Playoff drivers Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez, was honored with the Myers Brothers Award for outstanding contributions to stock car racing. Marks’ Trackhouse Racing enjoyed a breakout season, with Chastain winning twice and Suarez once—and Chastain leaving an indelible mark on the sport with his eye-popping high-speed trip around the Martinsville wall to earn a spot in the Championship 4.

 

For the fifth straight year, Chase Elliott won the NMPA Most Popular Driver Award, the only significant honor in the sport determined sole by vote of the fans. Elliott’s father, Bill Elliott, won the award a record 16 times. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was voted Most Popular Driver for 15 seasons.

 

Noah Gragson was the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Most Popular Driver, and Hailie Deegan earned the honor in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

 

Jes Ferreira from CSM Production was honored as the winner of the Comcast Community Champion of the Year award for her commitment as the single parent of two adopted children.

Celebrate the best of the 2022 season with us!

Catch the #NASCARAwards from Nashville this Saturday at 8 PM ET on @peacock!#ChampionsWeek pic.twitter.com/2Uu4pUVku3

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) November 29, 2022

 

source: NASCAR Media

 

NASCAR returns to Nashville for Champion’s Week

 

As an eventful 2022 race season enters its final turn, NASCAR announced the return of its Champion’s Week celebration to Nashville on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.

 

The NASCAR Awards will be held on Dec. 1 at the Music City Center to formally crown this season’s NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champions. Fellow drivers, industry personalities and celebrities will take over downtown Nashville for the third year to celebrate an unforgettable 2022 season.

 

“We are pleased to announce our return to    keting Officer at NASCAR. “We are delighted to bring the celebration to Nashville once again, as the city’s energy and passion for motorsports never cease to amaze us. We are looking forward to being back following the conclusion of the 2022 season.”

 

The formal postseason Awards are a tradition that stretches back to 1981, when the event was held in New York City. It relocated to Las Vegas in 2009 and then called Nashville its home for the first time in 2019. Over the last two years NASCAR has seen a tremendous turnout from the Nashville fans not only at the race track, but for the celebration of Champion’s week. NASCAR looks to continue the tradition and conclude the season at one of the most iconic cities in the country.

 

Celebrate the best of the 2022 season with us!

Catch the #NASCARAwards from Nashville this Saturday at 8 PM ET on @peacock!#ChampionsWeek pic.twitter.com/2Uu4pUVku3

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) November 29, 2022

 

source: NASCAR Media

Front Row Motorsports Ends Another Historical Season

Will Celebrate First Championship in Nashville

In another year of “firsts,” Front Row Motorsports (FRM) will celebrate its first NASCAR championship during Champion’s Week in Nashville, Tenn. from November 30 through December 1. Zane Smith and the No. 38 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team secured FRM’s first championship by winning last week’s race at the Phoenix Raceway.

 

Champions. pic.twitter.com/fT7z24Xt8L

— Zane Smith (@zanesmith77) November 5, 2022

The win at Phoenix capped a four-win season for the FRM truck team led by partners Ford, MRC, Love’s Travel Stops, Speedco, Fr8Auctions.com, Boot Barn, Horizon Hobby, RTA, First Phase, SEM and Plan B Sales. Smith finished in the top-10 in every race this season except for four. His remarkable season ended at Phoenix with an exclamation point after earning the pole, winning all three stages and the championship.

 

 

FRM also continued to excel with its two-car NASCAR Cup Series operation. Michael McDowell and the No. 34 team had 12 top-10 finishes and two top-five results. McDowell had two third-place finishes that came at Sonoma in June and Talladega in October. McDowell’s average finish in 2022 was nearly four positions higher than any other in his Cup Series career. McDowell was once again anchored by Love’s Travel Stops on the No. 34 Ford Mustang. Other partners included Fr8Auctions.com, Horizon Hobby, WISE-EV, Stage Front Tickets, Navage Nasal Care, Chicago Pneumatic and FloRacing.com.

 

 

Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 Ford Mustang team completed their rookie season with two top-10 and one top-five finishes. Gilliland led laps during four different races. His highlights included finishing fourth at Indianapolis and pulling away while leading at Watkins Glen. Gilliland also finished seventh at Talladega after racing up front all day. Gilliland was primarily supported by First Phase, Boot Barn, Frontline Enterprises, Ruedebusch Development and Construction, Georgia Peanuts, Black’s Tire and Auto, Chicago Pneumatic, Southeastern Equipment, Entrepreneurs’ Organization of South Florida, Trident Seafoods, Cross Country Adjusting, CITGARD, The Pete Store and YANMAR.

 

 

“We knew that 2021 was a great season when we won the Daytona 500, but everyone dug in and we had an even better 2022 defined by our first championship,” said Jerry Freeze, General Manager, Front Row Motorsports. “It’s a testament to the men and women working at Front Row Motorsports, our drivers and all our partners. They worked hard to improve and we’re getting stronger on and off the track. More people are taking notice of what we’ve been building and now we just need to keep getting better. We’re excited about what we can do in 2023.”

 

FRM will next compete at the 2023 Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum on February 5 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Eyes forward toward 2023 💪 pic.twitter.com/3dlsfXXoe6

— Front Row Motorsports (@Team_FRM) November 18, 2022

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Camping World Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 champions and 2022 NASCAR Camping World 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 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters.

 

 

source: Front Row Motorsports

Zane Smith Proves Third Time is Charm

Wins Truck Series Title

 

Nothing short of an upward trajectory has defined Zane Smith through his first three seasons as a full-time driver in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

 

Smith — the Rookie of the Year in 2020 and a two-time Championship 4 driver heading into 2022 — certainly brought a winning pedigree to the table. After all, Smith had already amassed three wins, 10 top-five and 27 top-10 finishes before the 2022 calendar season was a forethought.

 

But that pedigree was missing one thing, and a big one at that.

 

A championship.

 

Champions. pic.twitter.com/fT7z24Xt8L

— Zane Smith (@zanesmith77) November 5, 2022

Not to worry, however. This pedigree soared to new heights following the season’s 2022 title race in Phoenix as the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford driver toppled the triple-Toyota threat of Ty Majeski, Ben Rhodes  and Chandler Smith to net the 23-year-old his first truck title in his already-blossomed racing career.

 

Rewinding the clocks to 2020 might have established Smith’s precedent right away, considering he concluded his rookie year spectacle with three straight top-three finishes, branching between the Round of 8 and Championship 4 (third at Texas, third at Martinsville and second at Phoenix). But his 2021 campaign would have painted the picture more succinctly, considering how close Smith came to claiming the title that season. After finishing outside the top 25 through the first two Round of 8 playoff races (29th at Las Vegas and 33rd at Talladega), Smith needed to win if he wished to keep fate in his own hands. And he did just that. After winning a frantic overtime finish at Martinsville in late October, Smith’s 2021 Championship 4 berth was set in stone. But while his top-five finish at Phoenix a week later certainly wasn’t too shabby of a result, Smith finished runner-up in the championship behind Rhodes.

 

Oh, so close. Yet so far, still.

 

For Smith, 2022 would be different. While his first and second Championship 4 appearances certainly brought some glamour, 2022 needed to take another step forward toward a potential title. Third time’s the charm, so the saying goes.

 

Winning the 2022 season-opener on Feb. 18 at Daytona established the tone, and while a second place finish a week later at Vegas was disqualified following post-race inspection, Smith didn’t falter.

 

Instead, he continued to drive and thrive.

 

Winning three races (Daytona, Circuit of The Americas and Kansas) and finishing inside the top 10 in all but the disqualification within the first eight races to begin the season cemented Smith’s place as a title contender. Having a career season certainly helped his case, too — heading into the title race at Phoenix, Smith’s 2022 season included three wins, 13 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes, with the latter two marks leading the field. Maintaining a net-positive average finish (8.0) compared to his average start (10.1) only made the resume that much more impressive.

 

But a strong regular season — and a just-as-sturdy playoff run, where Smith finished inside the top 10 in five of six postseason races heading into the championship — would be almost all for naught without that championship trophy. Sure, the campaign would have arguably still been a success, but falling just short once again would have left a sour taste in the mouth of an otherwise sweet season.

 

But not this time. Instead of falling just short of the title mark, Smith soared above the rest and delivered what he was oh, so close to achieving almost a year to the day.

 

Moving the clocks back to 2020 and 2021 might have shown Smith’s talent in racing an entire season. But his 2022 emphasized tenacity in starting strong and building momentum toward the truck circuit’s premier prize. And so, claiming the championship came into being.

 

Smith’s trajectory has again leaped forward. And consider the pedigree enhanced, too.

 

Quotes

Holding off defending champion Ben Rhodes by .236 seconds at the end of a wild final two laps of Friday night’s Lucas Oil 150, Smith put it succinctly after a celebratory burnout at Phoenix Raceway.

 

“The third time’s the charm,” exulted an emotional Smith, who said he was crying throughout the final lap after wresting the lead from Rhodes one circuit earlier.

 

“I’m going to win this,” Zane Smith said of his mind-set in overtime. “There was no other option. I was either backing it in the fence wrecking, or I was leaving tonight with a championship trophy. There were no other options, and when I saw the 18 (Chandler Smith) get underneath me I was worried that I got him too loose underneath me.

 

“Fortunately, he stayed off of me. I have a lot of respect for all three of (the other title competitors). It’s pretty impressive for some of the racing we’ve seen lately for us three to go at it that hard and that clean.”

 

Zane will return to Front Row Motorsports next season, where he’ll defend his championship and compete in selected NASCAR Cup Series races, starting with the Daytona 500.

 

Photo Gallery

Zane Smith, driver of the #38 Michael Roberts Construction Ford, celebrates after winning the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix Raceway on November 04, 2022 in Avondale, Arizona.

 

 

 

source: NASCAR Media - By John Crane, NASCAR.com