GMS Racing NCTS Race Preview: World Wide Technology Raceway

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Race Information

– Round: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race No. 12 of 23

– Track Location: World Wide Technology Raceway – Madison, Illinois

– Race Name: Toyota 200

– Broadcast: Saturday, June 3rd at 1:30 PM ET live on FS1 (TV), MRN (Radio), and Sirius XM NASCAR Channel 90

– Team Entrants:

Grant Enfinger, No. 23 Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet Silverado RST
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World Wide Technology Raceway Stats

– NCTS Starts: 6; Poles: 1 (2018); Best finish: 5th (2017); Top 5s: 1; Top 10s: 3; Laps led: 92

2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

– Starts: 11; Wins: 1 (Kansas I); Best start: 2nd; Top 5s: 4; Top 10s: 6; Laps led: 68; Current points position: 4th
 

– 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.

– Chassis History/Info: Enfinger and the No. 23 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 329 at Gateway. This chassis has one win in 10 starts, which came in last year’s visit to Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. Its lone start at WWT Raceway in 2021 being driven by Tyler Ankrum resulted in a crash, but its most recent race at North Wilkesboro Speedway was a 10th place result just a couple of races ago.

– The Trip Rolls On: St. Louis will host the second leg of the 2023 running of the prestigious NASCAR Triple Truck Challenge. Since the program’s inception in 2019, GMS Racing drivers have delivered the most wins of any organization with victories from Brett Moffitt (Iowa, 2019), Sheldon Creed (Daytona, 2020; Gateway, 2020; Darlington, 2021), and Zane Smith (Dover, 2020). This year, the three tracks on the schedule for “The Trip” include Charlotte Motor Speedway, World Wide Technology Raceway, and Nashville Superspeedway.

– #FearTheFinger Playoffs Profile: There are only five races remaining in the regular season for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, and Grant Enfinger is continuing to place an emphasis on consistency. Grant’s win at Kansas effectively has locked him into the post-season fight, and he currently has five playoffs points in his tally. A fifth place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway kept him scored fourth in the drivers’ points standings, and he is now only 20 points behind Zane Smith in third and 63 markers behind from overall leader, Corey Heim.

– GE Appearances: Fans attending the race will have an opportunity to meet Grant Enfinger on race day at WWT Raceway:

  • Saturday, June 3rd | NCTS Autograph Session: All three GMS Racing drivers will head to the Infield Tent in the Enterprise Fan Zone to sign autographs from 10:30 AM to 11:15 AM local time. Be sure to get there early and meet some of your favorite drivers!

– From The Drivers Seat: What are your thoughts on returning to World Wide Technology Raceway given your strong runs there in the past?

 

“I enjoy running at WWT Raceway because it’s a little different style track.  It has some intermediate and some short track tendencies.  Heading into the last half of the season, the No. 23 team is more determined than ever to be a contender for more wins this year. The team has been putting in the work, and I feel our organization has shown more speed through the last four races.  I am confident that we will return to WWTR strong, and will continue to push ourselves to get back to victory lane.”
 

Rajah Caruth, No. 24 Born Driven Chevrolet Silverado RST
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World Wide Technology Raceway Stats

– NCTS Starts: 1; Best start: 19th; Best finish: 11th (2022)

2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

– Starts: 11; Best start: 4th; Best finish: 6th (Darlington); Top 10s: 1; Current points position: 17th
 

– 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.

– Born Driven: In a partnership with the Wendell Scott Foundation, Rajah’s No. 24 Chevrolet will have a new look in this weekend’s race at World Wide Technology Raceway, sporting a paint scheme inspired by the release of their new children’s book. Born Driven is based on the true story of the first African-American NASCAR Driver and Team Owner, Wendell Scott. The book follows Scott as a young boy facing the challenges of growing up in the South trying to chase his dream of becoming a professional race car driver. The uplifting story will teach children how having the persistence and willingness to make a difference can overcome seemingly impossible feats. The book is available for pre-orders at major book retailers such as Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million, Amazon, Simon & Schuster, and more.

– Chassis History/Info: Rajah Caruth and the No. 24 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 325 at World Wide Technology Raceway. This chassis was most recently driven at this same track a year ago with Grant Enfinger as its driver, where it was involved in a crash that resulted in a 28th place finish. Zane Smith won with this truck at Martinsville Speedway in 2021, and he also raced it at Gateway that season as well, leading 19 laps before a rear gear issue took him out of contention.

– Runway to Raceway: On Thursday, Rajah Caruth will join Neiman Marcus as a featured guest of the inaugural Runway to Raceway fashion event taking place at their Frontenac Plaza location in St. Louis County to celebrate NASCAR’s return to World Wide Technology Raceway. The free event includes a cocktail reception, exotic cars, music, passed hors d’oeuvres and modeling of the season’s most fashion forward designers as guests mingle and shop throughout the store. The event is open to the public but does require a reservation in advance. To register, guests should email rsvpstlouis@neimanmarcus.com.

– Sunoco Rookie Battle: Caruth’s 11th place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway, in addition to his seven bonus points scored in stage one, was the third-highest result of the rookie drivers. Rajah remains in third for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year points standings, 70 points behind Nick Sanchez in first and 33 points behind Jake Garcia in second place.

– RC Appearances: Fans attending the race will have an opportunity to meet Rajah Caruth on race day at WWT Raceway:

  • Saturday, June 3rd | NCTS Autograph Session: All three GMS Racing drivers will head to the Infield Tent in the Enterprise Fan Zone to sign autographs from 10:30 AM to 11:15 AM local time. Be sure to get there early and meet some of your favorite drivers!
  • Friday, June 2nd – Sunday, June 4th | Show Truck Appearance: Rajah’s No. 24 Wendell Scott Foundation Chevrolet show truck will be present all weekend in the World Wide Technology Raceway fan zone, where attendees can have their photos taken with it!

– From The Driver’s Seat: Rajah’s thoughts on this weekend in Gateway:

“I feel really good about heading back to World Wide Technology Raceway this weekend. This is the track that I made my NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut at last year, and ran inside the top-10 for a good portion of the day. We had a speeding penalty and some other stuff happen, but my team and I were still able to rebound for an 11th-place finish that day. I feel really good to go back to a place that I’ve raced at in a truck before. Additionally to have the support of the Wendell Scott Foundation and promote their new book, Born Driven, on our truck this weekend is really a blessing especially with having the Scott Family there. We are in the back yard of the Steward family, and I have been very appreciative of all they have done for my career as well.

I feel extremely confident about our chances to run well throughout the weekend in practice, qualifying, and the race. We continue to look at building upon our momentum with a good result for Maury Gallagher, Mike Beam, Ron Booth, Chevrolet, our body hangers, everybody at GMS Fabrication, Butlerbuilt Seats, Alpinestars, and Competition Cleaning. I’m very excited.”
 

Daniel Dye, No. 43 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline / LiftedTrucksForSale.com Chevrolet Silverado RST
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World Wide Technology Raceway Stats

– Daniel Dye will make his first ever start at World Wide Technology Raceway on Saturday.

2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats

– Starts: 11; Best start: 10th; Best finish: 13th (Kansas I); Laps led: 5; Current points position: 19th
 

– About 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a leader in suicide prevention and mental health crisis care. Since its inception, the Lifeline has engaged in a variety of initiatives to improve crisis services and advance suicide prevention for all, including innovative public messaging, best practices in mental health, and groundbreaking partnerships.

The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Vibrant Emotional Health launched the Lifeline on January 1, 2005. Vibrant Emotional Health, the administrator of the grant, works with its partners, the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD), National Council for Behavioral Health, and others, to manage the project, along with Living Works, Inc., an internationally respected organization specializing in suicide intervention skills training.

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has been independently evaluated since its inception by an investigation team from Columbia University’s Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene. The Lifeline receives ongoing consultation and guidance from national and international researchers and experts focused on suicide prevention and crisis response.

– Chassis History/Info: Dye and the No. 43 team will compete with GMS Racing chassis no. 330 in St. Louis. Although this truck hasn’t been raced at Gateway before, it has been driven to one win before with Zane Smith at Dover Motor Speedway. Daniel has competed with this chassis twice this season at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where he finished 16th, and later at Texas Motor Speedway, where he finished 25th.

– Sunoco Rookie Battle: Daniel’s 19th place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway was the fifth-highest finish of the drivers that make up the current rookie class. In the Sunoco Rookie of the Year points standings, Dye runs fourth, 89 points behind leading candidate Nick Sanchez and 19 points behind his teammate, Rajah Caruth, in third.

– DD Appearances: Fans attending the race will have an opportunity to meet Daniel Dye on race day at WWT Raceway:

  • Saturday, June 3rd | NCTS Autograph Session: All three GMS Racing drivers will head to the Infield Tent in the Enterprise Fan Zone to sign autographs from 10:30 AM to 11:15 AM local time. Be sure to get there early and meet some of your favorite drivers!

– From the Driver’s Seat: You’ve never raced at Gateway before, but are there any tracks that you have raced at before that seem similar?

“I’m looking forward to getting to a new track that’s similar to some of the tracks that I’ve been to before. I like to think that Gateway is pretty similar to Milwaukee, which I’ve raced at a couple of times in the ARCA Menards Series for GMS Racing. It’s going to be good to get to a track that has a little bit of a short track feel, but where still aerodynamics are still important. I’m happy to get our No. 43 LiftedTrucksForSale.com Chevrolet out onto the racetrack for our first race with them as a partner of ours!”

GMS Racing PR

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