NASCAR reaches 20 million miles driven on renewable fuel

Posted on June 3, 2022June 3, 2022 by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 3, 2022) – NASCAR and Official Partner Growth Energy boast a significant milestone this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, celebrating 20 million NASCAR miles driven on Sunoco Green E15, a fuel blended with 15-percent bioethanol.

Growth Energy, the world’s largest trade association representing U.S. bioethanol producers and supporters, has partnered with NASCAR since 2011. Together, they have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent across NASCAR’s three national touring series while also increasing horsepower on the racetrack.

“We’re fortunate to have great partners like Growth Energy and Get Bioethanol who are dedicated to NASCAR and helping us minimize our impact on the environment,” said Michelle Byron, Vice President of Partnership Marketing, NASCAR. “This weekend is a testament to Sunoco Green E15 and its ability to fuel world-class competition for more than a decade, all while reducing emissions in pursuit of a more sustainable sport.”

Bioethanol blends like Sunoco Green E15 continue to increase in popularity with consumers as NASCAR and other key leaders showcase its benefits, including the ability to withstand the demands of NASCAR competition each weekend.

“Twenty million NASCAR miles driven on Sunoco Green E15 is a significant milestone for our environment and NASCAR’s sustainability platform initiative,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “Since our partnership began in 2011, every car on the track has reduced its carbon emissions by switching to engine-smart, earth-kind Sunoco Green E15, which is high octane and blended with 15 percent bioethanol. Mile after mile, E15 has also proven its ability to flawlessly perform in the most demanding driving environments, both on the track and for drivers across America. This weekend’s race and celebration is a reminder that filling up with E15 both on and off the track continues to be the smart choice for drivers who care about high performing engines, reducing emissions, and saving money at the pump.”

In recognition of the milestone, Austin Dillon will run the No. 3 Get Bioethanol Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway. All cars will also feature a special “20 Million Miles” decal with a green flag emblazoned with Get Bioethanol, honoring the achievement at the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 presented by TicketSmarter.

Posted on June 3, 2022June 3, 2022 by Terrin Waack

At this point last year, Justin Haley had already competed in 24 NASCAR races – 12 in the Xfinity Series and 12 in the Cup Series. He was running for points in the Xfinity Series with Kaulig Racing but also a near-full schedule in the Cup Series with Spire Motorsports. By season’s end, Haley had tallied 63 total races.

This year, Haley is solely focused on the Cup Series, where he races for Kaulig Racing in the No. 31 Chevrolet as they both make their full-time debut at the sport’s top level.

“I keep telling people that this is like an offseason for me because last year, I did 60-something NASCAR races between the two series,” Haley told NASCAR.com. “I’m like, ‘Man, this is easy. It’s just one series.’ ”

If only.

Chris Graythen | Getty Images

“No, I mean, it’s definitely not easy,” Haley said. “It’s been tough and it’s challenging and it humbles you. We had a string of good races. We finished third at Darlington (Raceway), and then the next week, our tire falls off, we catch on fire three times and we burn a battery system out of it. It’s just so hard to be consistent.”

GATEWAY: Weekend schedule | Paint schemes | Betting odds

With 14 races down, that third-place Darlington showing highlights Haley’s 2022 season so far. It’s his only top-five and top-10 finish. He does have six top 15s and a recent string of four in a row that Darlington capped off.

In the last two races since Darlington, though, Haley registered a pair of DNFs – 35th (electrical) at Kansas Speedway and 27th (engine) at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Haley, 23, is riding a 19.1 average finish as a result.

“There’s opportunity races for us,” Haley said. “We have to go out and find those opportunity races, and then slowly but surely make our race team better over the course of the years. It’s not like an overnight thing.”

Sunday’s race may provide such an opportunity. The Cup Series heads to World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in Madison, Illinois – right outside St. Louis – for the first time ever. And Haley is one of nine drivers in the 36-driver field who has won at the 1.25-mile track that has also hosted the Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series.

Jeff Curry | Getty Images

Haley won the 2018 Camping World Truck Series race at Gateway, leading the final seven laps and taking the checkered flag by 0.753 seconds. He was fifth in Stage 1 and 10th in Stage 2 after starting fourth.

“I would love to say I feel more confident, but the Cup Series is like… they’re so good,” Haley said. “Each and every week, every single driver is like lights-out. So, it’s gonna be tough to be good this weekend. … I know where Victory Lane is, but I don’t think that gives me an advantage. It probably will give me a disadvantage, knowing my luck.”

A for-sure disadvantage: Haley’s No. 31 crew will be without its crew chief, Trent Owens, as he continues to serve a four-race suspension NASCAR delivered after Kansas, where the Chevy lost a wheel during competition. Rear-tire changer Jonpatrick Kealey and jackman Marshall McFadden were also penalized the same. Gateway will be their third missed race.

This is the second time Owens has been suspended. After this probational period ends, that’ll be eight races Haley was required to perform without his crew chief – and the season isn’t even halfway over. Haley chalks up consistency issues to that rather important detail, along with the fact this is Kaulig Racing’s first real attempt at a Cup Series championship.

“It would probably have been easier to step into an already established organization, right? But I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” Haley said. “Because the opportunity Matt Kaulig and Chris Rice and LeafFilter are giving me to race their car — we’re in it together. And Matt and Chris and LeafFilter, they don’t have unreal expectations. We’re extremely realistic on where we think we should be. We don’t think we’re gonna go out there every weekend and win and just blow the world on fire. But it’s a possibility. …

“Again, I ran third at Darlington. I’m just gonna keep saying that till people respect it.”

Posted on June 3, 2022 by Staff Report

A super-charged, activity-filled race experience is set for the Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR race weekend, which will debut three days of live music at the World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, starting Friday and going through Sunday.

“We promised our fans a world-class event, and this festival will deliver on a whole new level,” said Curtis Francois, owner and CEO of World Wide Technology Raceway. “Collectively, with our incredible partner, World Wide Technology, we have developed a phenomenal lineup of entertainment and engagement opportunities that show the world how excited the St. Louis region is about hosting this race.”

GATEWAY: Weekend schedule | Paint schemes | Betting odds

Taking place across five stages, Confluence Festival features a line-up of 30-plus local, regional and national artists, ranging from rap to country. This first-ever festival includes performances by St. Louis native and multi-Grammy award-winning rap artist, Nelly, along with Academy of Country Music award-winning contemporary country band, Old Dominion.

Other performances throughout the weekend include A.C.M. award-winning singer-songwriter Cole Swindell, Country Music Association award-winning artist Jimmie Allen and fresh artist Kameron Marlowe, as well as St. Louis alternative-rock band The Steve Ewing Band, among many others.

Fan can also take part in STEM‑through‑motorsports activities, including World Wide Technology’s exhilarating RaceAR. An augmented reality race simulation that will be unveiled on the Midway. Other engagements include hands-on technology and innovative experiences run by community youth programs and a live esports tournament preceding the NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday.

Fans can kick off their four-day race weekend on Thursday with a NASCAR hauler parade throughout downtown St. Louis and end their day with musical performances live at Ballpark Village Fan Fest from 4-8 p.m. CT.

An official festival schedule has not yet been released with dates and times, however special performances include The Muny, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Jazz St. Louis and The Sheldon.

“St. Louis is making history with the Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR Cup Series race weekend,” said David L. Steward, founder and chairman of World Wide Technology, “a spectacular, must-see four-day celebration for our region,”

Posted on June 2, 2022June 3, 2022 by Staff Report

RFK Racing announced Thursday evening Chris Buescher, driver of the team’s No. 17 Ford, will miss this weekend’s inaugural NASCAR Cup Series event at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway after testing positive for COVID-19.

GATEWAY: Weekend schedule | Paint schemes | Betting odds

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series front-runner Zane Smith will fill in for Buescher, piloting the No. 17 Acronis Ford Mustang as NASCAR makes its much-anticipated return to the St. Louis area.

Buescher currently sits 21st in the points standings, 14 points below Kurt Busch and one point above Michael McDowell. Through 14 regular-season races, Buescher has notched three top 10s and is among the drivers battling for a spot in the NASCAR Playoffs based on points.

Get well soon @Chris_Buescher https://t.co/lpRecmuVkw

— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) June 2, 2022

Buescher expects to return to action next week at Sonoma Raceway, according to the team.

Sunday will be the first Cup Series start for Smith, who has three wins and eight top-10 finishes in 10 starts in the Camping World Truck Series this season. He has also led a series-high 253 laps while piloting the No. 38 Ford F-150 for Front Row Motorsports. He will become the 24th driver to pilot an RFK Ford for Jack Roush in the Cup Series.

Posted on June 2, 2022June 3, 2022 by Zach Sturniolo

For the first time in series history, the NASCAR Cup Series rolls into World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.

The St. Louis area will get its first experience with the sport’s premier series after hosting Xfinity Series races from 1997-2010 and Camping World Truck Series races since 1998, returning every year except 2011-13.

Get up to speed on the newest addition to the Cup schedule here:

MAKE LAPS AND TAKE NOTES

Teams will get a bit more track time than usual this weekend.

NASCAR Cup Series teams will have a full 50-minute practice session Friday (5:05 p.m. ET, FS1) as drivers and teams get familiar with the 1.25-mile flat oval. That deviates from the typical 20-minute sessions teams have received at other, more familiar circuits on the schedule where cars were split into two groups for practice.

SET THE STAGE

While teams won’t be split into groups for practice, there will be Groups A and B for qualifying Saturday (11 a.m. ET, FS1).

Each driver will post a single, timed qualifying lap. The fastest five drivers in each of the two groups will advance to the second round, where the remaining 10 drivers will fight for the Busch Light Pole Award.

HISTORY NEAR THE ARCHES

– Race promoter Chris Pook purchased Gateway International Raceway in 1995, a facility that consisted of a 1/8-mile drag strip, a quarter-mile track and a 2.6-mile road course.

– Pook, who previously promoted the Formula 1 and CART races of the Long Beach Grand Prix, immediately demolished the existing tracks and began construction of a new oval, infield road course and NHRA-sanctioned drag strip.

– The track’s first major event was a CART race on May 24, 1997, which was won by Paul Tracy.

– NASCAR’s first foray at the facility was an Xfinity Series race on July 26, 1997, won by Elliott Sadler. The series competed at Gateway through 2010.

– Dover Motorsports, Inc. purchased the track from Pook in 1998.

– The Camping World Truck Series made its first visit to Gateway on Sept. 19, 1998, which was won by Rick Carelli. Carelli currently spots for Erik Jones and the No. 43 Petty GMS Motorsports team.

– In 2010, Dover Motorsports, Inc. announced Gateway would officially close. In 2011, Curtis Francois, a retired race-car driver and real-estate developer, announced the purchase and re-opening of the 160-acre facility for the 2012 season. The track was renamed Gateway Motorsports Park.

– NASCAR and the facility announced the Truck Series’ return to Gateway for 2014, the first NASCAR-sanctioned race at the track since 2010.

– Gateway increased to more than 200 acres and is the largest outdoor entertainment facility in the region, encompassing a quarter-mile NHRA-sanctioned drag strip, 1.25 mile NASCAR oval track, 1.6-mile road course, a newly built world-class karting facility, improved grandstands and a recently completed fan pavilion.

– The oval was repaved in 2017 after the Truck Series race.

– In early 2019, Gateway Motorsports Park and World Wide Technology, a market-leading technology solution provider, formed a long-term naming rights commitment, renaming the motorsports facility World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.

– Nine of the 36 drivers entered in Sunday’s race have won an Xfinity or Truck race at Gateway.

Source: Racing Insights

GOODYEAR TIRES

Although Cup cars have never competed at WWT Raceway, teams will have experience with this weekend’s tire package.

Goodyear will provide teams with the same left- and right-side tires used at both Phoenix Raceway in March and Richmond Raceway in April.

“Having a 50-minute practice and three sets of tires on a known tire set-up will be a big advantage for Cup teams at Gateway this week,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing. “This being an inaugural event, NASCAR gives the teams this time to hone in on their car’s set-up, and that will give teams enough time to get ready for the race. They already have a good idea of what these tires will do, having run this set-up at Phoenix and Richmond, so teams will unload closer to what they will settle on and get up to speed much quicker.”

GATEWAY STORY LINES

– Denny Hamlin scored his second win of the year last weekend in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Hamlin’s only other top-10 finish this year is a fourth-place result earned at Kansas Speedway, one points race before his Charlotte triumph.

– The last driver to have multiple wins with only three top-10s through 14 races in a season was Derrike Cope in 1990.

– Hamlin’s victory was also his 48th career win, tying him with Herb Thomas for 16th on the all-time wins list and moving him one win shy of Tony Stewart’s career win total (49).

– Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has finished inside the top 10 in each of his last four races, a career-long streak and the first time JTG Daugherty Racing has accomplished that feat.

– Christopher Bell has also scored four straight top 10s, tying his career-best streak.

– Hendrick Motorsports has led 99,902.9 miles in the Cup Series and is 98 miles short of crossing 100,000 miles. Hendrick will break that barrier if the team’s four drivers combine to lead 79 laps Sunday at Gateway.

– Kyle Larson is on a 12-race winless streak, his longest since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2021.

– The pass for the win came in the final 10 laps in 11 of the 14 races in 2022.

– Martin Truex Jr. is making his 600th start this weekend. Only Richard Petty won in his 600th Cup start (Richmond in February 1973).

Source: Racing Insights

NEW TRACK, SAME FAVORITES

No matter where the Cup Series ventures, expect Kyle Larson to be at the head of the field.

The odds agree Larson is one to watch entering the weekend, with BetMGM listing Larson as the 15-2 favorite and JGR teammates Busch and Denny Hamlin right behind at 8-1. Larson has no prior experience at Gateway, but Busch does, winning an Xfinity Series race at the 1.25-mile oval in 2009.

Martin Truex Jr. is listed at 9-1 odds alongside Ross Chastain and William Byron. Truex won an Xfinity race at Gateway in 2004.

Looking for a long shot? Consider Bubba Wallace at 80-1 odds. Wallace won the Truck Series’ return to Gateway in 2014 during a four-win campaign, and his No. 23 Toyota has looked considerably quicker in recent races at Kansas and Charlotte.

RELATED: DraftKings betting odds for Gateway

FANTASY LIVE

Want to manage a team and race your way to the top of the leaderboards? Check out NASCAR Fantasy Live, which is open now. The free-to-play game lets you choose your drivers each week and show off your crew-chief instincts by garaging a driver by the end of Stage 3, and there is a $25,000 prize for the winner.

The 2022 Fantasy Live points leaders are Chase Elliott (483), Kyle Busch (445) and Ross Chastain (444).

How to play: Fantasy Live | Set up a team today!

ALSO ON NASCAR.COM

Get additional camera views by logging on to NASCAR Drive, where each week a select number of in-car cameras will be available — as well as a battle cam and an overhead look.

NASCAR has partnered with LiveLike to add fan engagement in the NASCAR Mobile App. Log in to the mobile app during the race for polls, quizzes, the cheer meter and more — and see instant results from NASCAR fans like you.

Posted on June 2, 2022June 2, 2022 by Reid Spencer

The NASCAR Xfinity Series ventures to the Pacific Northwest on Saturday for the Pacific Office Automation 147 at Portland International Raceway (4:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

The race marks the series’ first visit to the flat 1.967-mile, 12-turn road course, which runs in a clockwise direction. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series raced at the track in 1999 and 2000, with Greg Biffle and Andy Houston, respectively, winning the two events there.

RELATED: Portland weekend schedule | Entry list

Road-course ace AJ Allmendinger, who won earlier this season at Circuit of The Americas, is the obvious favorite at Portland. In fact, Allmendinger has a history at the track.

“I’m really looking forward to going back to Portland,” Allmendinger said. “Last time I was there was 16 years ago when I was able to win my first Champ Car race. It’s going to be truly special to go back to the track for the first time since then, and I think we will put on a great race for the Xfinity Series.”

Regardless of the outcome, the weekend promises to be an adventurous one for Allmendinger, who is also competing in the NASCAR Cup Series debut race at World Wide Technology Raceway on Sunday — without any prior laps in the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet.

“I’m looking forward to pulling some double duty and getting to drive the Cup car at Gateway on Sunday,” Allmendinger said. “I have never driven there and will miss practice and qualifying for the race, but I know we are up for the challenge that the weekend will bring.”

Posted on June 2, 2022July 29, 2022 by Staff Report

Christopher Bell’s win in the 2016 Drivin’ for Linemen 200 at Gateway Motorsports Park was a “dream come true” that made things “less stressful” for his Kyle Busch Motorsports crew.

Six years later, Bell is back at the 1.25-mile oval just east of St. Louis in Madison, Ill., for the track’s – now named the World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway – first-ever NASCAR Cup Series race. While he’s no longer the wide-eyed 21-year-old and is one of few drivers in the Enjoy Illinois 300 field with notable experience at the track, the stress might return at the track formerly known as “The Swamp.”

“I don’t know if there’s any track like that,” Rusty Wallace said this week. “Turn one will suck you in and it’s like a big, mean person waving his arms, saying ‘Come on. Come on.’ Then all of a sudden you realize you’re going a lot faster than you thought.”

At existing Cup Series tracks, Bell’s two career starts would rank near the bottom of the field in experience. This week, his two career starts rank closer to the top.

Oddsmakers don’t appear to be putting much stock into the limited experience, however.

As of Thursday in NASCAR betting at BetMGM, Bell has the ninth-best odds (+1200) to win the 240-lap race. Among the eight drivers ahead of him are two former winners at the track; Martin Truex Jr. (+900) won the 2004 Charter 250 in the Xfinity Series, and Ross Chastain (+900) won the 2019 CarShield 200 presented by CK Power in the Truck Series.

And bettors aren’t buying Bell at +1200. He’s tied with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and AJ Allmendinger for the 22nd-highest ticket share (1.1%) and is 15th in handle share (1.8%). But they are buying Bell in his featured matchup with Alex Bowman.

Here’s a look at the four featured matchups at BetMGM for the Enjoy Illinois 300:

Christopher Bell (-135) vs. Alex Bowman (+105)

The biggest favorite in featured matchup betting, Bell is seeking his first Cup Series win since last year’s victory on Daytona’s road-course layout. Since then, however, he has 23 top-10 finishes, including four straight top-six finishes entering this week.

Only three drivers have more top 10’s than Bell this season, though one of those three is Alex Bowman, who’s tied with Chase Elliott for the second-most in 2022 and has won five times since Bell’s last win.

Bell is dominating tickets (94%) and handle (92%) against Bowman.

Ross Chastain (-115) vs. William Byron (-115)

It took Ross Chastain 121 Cup Series starts to earn his first career win. Now, he’s seeking his third win in his last 10 starts to become the first driver this season with three victories, as is his featured matchup foe William Byron.

Since the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Chastain and Byron have combined to win four of the last 10 races.

Bettors love Chastain in race-winner betting – second-highest ticket share (9%) – but they’re pounding Byron in the featured matchup to the tune of a 93% ticket share and 94% handle share.

Kyle Larson (-120) vs. Denny Hamlin (-110)

Denny Hamlin leads all drivers in wins at intermediate tracks since 2019 (eight), including Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway. His average driver rating over that time, however, is only fifth; at 99.7 he’s well behind the leader Kyle Larson, who’s led more than 2,000 laps in his 30 races the last three and a half years.

More than one in every six dollars bet on race-winner odds has gone to Larson; at 17.3% he leads all drivers in handle share. The next-closest driver is Ryan Blaney at 11.1%.

And Larson is commanding 97% of the tickets and 95% of the handle against Hamlin.

Tyler Reddick (-130) vs. Chase Briscoe (+100)

Tyler Reddick and the BetMGM-sponsored No. 8 Chevy is looking to build on last week’s sixth-place finish at Charlotte, his sixth top-10 this season. Bumped to No. 14 in Pat DeCola’s NASCAR Power Rankings, Reddick sits just 50 points outside of the top 10 in the Cup Series standings, one point ahead of this week’s opponent, Chase Briscoe.

The pair has combined for just five top-five finishes and 104 laps led in 47 career Cup Series starts at intermediate tracks.

There’s currently a 50-50 ticket split between Reddick and Briscoe in tickets for their featured matchup, though Briscoe has 83% of the handle

You can view updated Enjoy Illinois 300 odds and more NASCAR odds at the BetMGM online sportsbook.

Posted on June 2, 2022June 2, 2022 by Staff Report

Hendrick Motorsports is returning to the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the team announced Thursday.

The storied Cup Series organization will field the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet in three Xfinity Series races this season, all at road courses throughout the summer.

Kyle Larson will pilot the car July 2 at Road America, Alex Bowman at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course on July 30 and William Byron at Watkins Glen International on Aug. 20.

RELATED: Xfinity Series full schedule

“Our drivers are always looking for more opportunities to compete,” Jeff Andrews, president and general manager of HMS, said in a press release. “We believe the additional road-course experience on Saturdays (in the Xfinity Series) will translate well to Sundays (in the Cup Series). It will be exciting to see the No. 17 return to the race track for Hendrick Motorsports, and we’ll do everything we can to take it back to Victory Lane.”

Hendrick has deep ties to the No. 17, fielding it for Darrell Waltrip from 1987-90 and claiming a Daytona 500 victory before running the same number in the Camping World Truck Series for Ricky Hendrick, the late son of team owner Rick Hendrick. The HendrickCars.com paint scheme used in Xfinity will be based on Ricky Hendrick’s 2001 scheme from his rookie season in Trucks.

“It will be special to see the No. 17 back in action for Hendrick Motorsports,” Rick Hendrick said. “It’s a great chance for Kyle, Alex and William to gain more time on the road courses to do even more with our HendrickCars.com sponsorship. I’m looking forward to running the Xfinity Series again.”

Kevin Meendering will crew chief the part-time entry. Hendrick Motorsports has 26 Xfinity Series wins, winning its most recent race with Tony Stewart at Daytona International Speedway in the No. 80 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet.

Posted on June 1, 2022December 6, 2022 by Team Release

CONCORD, N.C. – Spire Motorsports announced Wednesday that ARCA Menards Series standout Rajah Caruth will make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut aboard the team’s No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado in Saturday’s Toyota 200 presented by CK Power at World Wide Technology Raceway (1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Caruth, 19, has logged five ARCA Menards Series starts in 2022. The Washington, D.C., native has earned three top-five and four top-10 finishes over those five races, including a career-best second-place finish two weeks ago at Kansas Speedway. He is currently the division’s championship points leader a quarter of the way through the season.

“I’m thrilled to make my NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway with Spire Motorsports and Chevrolet,” Caruth said. “To drive the Confluence Music Festival Chevrolet Silverado and represent the Steward family and World Wide Technology is truly an honor. I’m grateful to represent them on and off the racetrack. This is the big break I’ve been striving for and I’m going to make it count.”

“Confluence Festival: Crossroads of Concert & Community” — a showcase of innovation, talent and live entertainment – will be featured as the team’s primary sponsor.

The Confluence Festival will encompass the entire weekend and kicks off Thursday at Ballpark Village Fan Fest. The event shifts into high gear Friday-Sunday at World Wide Technology Raceway with live entertainment from a diverse lineup of musical acts, including Old Dominion, Nelly, Cole Swindell, Kameron Marlowe and numerous other artist and performers.

“Raj Caruth is a rising star in the world of motor racing, and the Steward Family and World Wide Technology are thrilled to sponsor Raj in his St. Louis debut, June 4, in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series,” said David L. Steward, founder and chairman of World Wide Technology, the largest Black-owned company in the United States. “St. Louis is also making its debut with the NASCAR Cup Race on Sunday, and we have a wonderful package of top-tier racing, music and science, engineering, technology and math activities for students. Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be a celebration of all that is possible in racing, music and community.”

Spire Motorsports has fielded an entry in four NCWTS races in 2022 with an All-Star driver lineup, including Austin Hill (Daytona International Speedway), Alex Bowman (Circuit of The Americas), William Byron (Martinsville Speedway) and Chase Elliott (Bristol Motor Speedway, dirt), earning one win (Byron) and a pair of top 10s.

The team is led by championship-winning industry veterans Mike Greci and Kevin “Bono” Manion.

“Rajah Caruth is a rising star and we’re thrilled the help him take the next logical step in his career this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway,” Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson said. “Rajah has a tremendous upside and he’s proven that on multiple occasions in the ARCA Menards Series. He has the kind of talent Spire Motorsports looks for and this type of opportunity is exactly what my partner T.J. Puchyr and I had in mind when we decided to field a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team. We’re grateful to our friends with the Confluence Festival and World Wide Technology for helping us pull it all together so Rajah can make his first Truck Series start this weekend.”

Posted on June 1, 2022June 1, 2022 by Dustin Albino

It wasn’t long ago that Austin Hill was trying to find his footing in NASCAR. Now, he’s competing for one of the Xfinity Series’ Goliaths in Richard Childress Racing.

“I’ve never forgotten where I’ve come from,” Hill recently told NASCAR.com. “I’m very humble and very grateful to have the opportunity to be in really fast race cars. It makes it so much fun to go out and try to race for wins now. I don’t forget where I came from.”

Moving up the ranks, Hill competed for his family team in the K&N Pro Series East (Now, ARCA Menards Series East) before making stops with Camping World Truck Series underdog teams like Young’s Motorsports, Ricky Benton Racing, Empire Racing and Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing before landing at Hattori Racing Enterprises ahead of the 2019 season.

At HRE, Hill won off the bat at Daytona International Speedway. While driving the No. 16 truck, Hill won seven more times over the next three seasons, clinching the 2020 regular season championship.

“I think he learned a lot from Scott [Zipadelli, crew chief at HRE] and our team,” owner Shige Hattori said. “Three years with Austin, he became a great driver.”

But even when Hill succeeded, he saw the doubters. They continued despite him becoming a versatile driver, winning on a superspeedway, mile-and-a-half, road course and even on dirt at Knoxville Speedway.

“I get motivation from people that believe in me or don’t believe in me,” Hill added. “You’ll see tweets where it says, ‘This guy is terrible.’ And it just makes me laugh and dig that much deeper and harder to go show everyone that I can run up front, win races and can compete and run just as good as anyone out here.”

Building a program at HRE and becoming embedded with Toyota was hard to walk away from. Originally, Hill planned on staying in the Truck Series for the 2022 season to drive the No. 16 truck. However, neither side could agree to a deal.

That put Hill on the market, and last October, he landed a ride at Richard Childress Racing for a full Xfinity schedule.

RELATED: Weekend schedule for Portland

“For whatever reason, we weren’t able to make it work out,” Hill said.” I started looking around a bit, and there were a few places I could have went on the Xfinity side but I didn’t want to go because I’ve always said that if I was going to move up from trucks to Xfinity, I wanted to get in equipment that I thought I could win in.”

Admittedly, Hill had been talking to RCR for the past few years, trying to land a deal. This time, he had partners Bennett Transportation & Logistics and United Rentals follow him, adding on Global Industrial and Alsco.

Because of that, it was a no-brainer for Hill to move up to chase an Xfinity title.

“They could have easily gone and found someone else that probably had more money than what I brought,” Hill stated. “I feel like we’ve done a good job of finding the sponsorship and what it takes to win races with teams that we feel like are good enough to get the job done.”

A rugged, tough, relatable family man fits the RCR mold. In that way alone, Hill was the perfect fit to take over the No. 21 car.

“He’s a hard worker, good competitor and I like everything he’s done this year,” Austin Dillon, grandson of Richard Childress, said. “I thought he’d do a really good job and it’s panning out.”

Similar to when Hill joined HRE, he won his first race out with RCR at Daytona. It’s likely that win locked him into the playoffs, as seven series regulars have victories with 13 races remaining in the regular season.

Getting that first win off his chest early into his rookie campaign — acting like a series veteran — was important.

“It was a big boost,” Hill said of the win. “I feel like I’ve always been the underdog for whatever reason. We come to Daytona on the Xfinity side and win right off the bat, that just builds my confidence even more.”

Since Daytona, Hill has four additional top-five results, including runner-up finishes in consecutive weeks at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Circuit of The Americas, two distinctly different racetracks. The No. 21 Chevrolet also paced the field for more than half the race at Talladega Superspeedway before getting involved in a late incident, finishing 27th.

Currently sitting eighth in the championship standings, Hill has high aspirations for his rookie season. In a way, it’s win at all costs, believing he could potentially be a viable championship threat in the playoffs.

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As he noted, anything can happen if you make it into the postseason.

“I don’t ever try to come across as cocky because I don’t feel like I’m that type of guy, I feel like I’m a very confident person,” Hill continued. “For my rookie season, I’m going for the championship. It is what it is.

“Why not? I feel like our team is established enough and good enough that if we tweak on certain small things that we can win more races and compete for the championship.”

No matter what, Hill is going to do it with grace, knowing everything aligned with him to be in his current position.