DGR NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race Advance: Atlanta

Hailie Deegan, No. 1 Built Ford Tough F-150

• Deegan makes her fourth start of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) season in the No. 1 Built Ford Tough Ford F-150 on Saturday afternoon at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The rookie driver will start from the 28th position.
• Deegan is making her second consecutive start at a mile-and-a-half venue. At the last Truck Series race two weeks ago in Las Vegas, Deegan started 30th and finished 28th after suffering damage from a multi-car accident put her multiple laps down for repair.
• This weekend’s livery is the same scheme Deegan ran in her Truck Series debut last year at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City. The notable difference is the number change from the No. 17 to No. 1. Deegan started 34th and finished 16th in her truck debut last season.
• Veteran crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. has 23 wins in the NCWTS, including one at Atlanta – Todd Bodine in March 2006.
• Click here for Deegan’s career statistics.

Deegan Quotes:

What made you want to race in NASCAR?

“I would say that when you look at auto racing in America, NASCAR is at the top of the list. As someone who came from off-road racing, I felt like I kind of capped out there. I was at the pro level at 15 years old, and I was wondering where I should go next in my career. NASCAR racing is definitely a challenge and I knew it would be a challenge for me, but it’s something I want to work at.”  

What are your goals in motorsports?

“That’s something I’ve talked with my crew chief a lot about. Realistic goals are to go out there and run a clean race, don’t make mistakes early in the race and to be able to get experience throughout the race is crucial since there’s no practice or qualifying. The races are really the only time I have to learn on-track stuff. It’s important for me to learn as much as I can about the trucks.”

Do you have any sort of workout routine or anything you to do physically prepare for the race?

“I love working out. I would say that if I have any hobby, it would be working out and going to the gym. That’s something I’ve been doing my whole life. I have my regimen of what I like to do – cardio, lifting weights, running. Working out is a big part of my life.”

Tanner Gray, No. 15 Ford Performance F-150

• Gray returns to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the second time in his career on Saturday. In 2020, he started 21st and finished 11th in the second race back from the COVID-19 pause.
• The No. 15 Ford Performance F-150 will lineup outside row 7 in the 14th position for Saturday’s 130 lap event.
• On speedways between one and two miles in length, Gray has 18 career starts with two top-five and six top-10 finishes. Consecutive races at mile-and-a-half tracks should bode well for Gray as he narrowly missed out on his first top-10 of the season at Las Vegas after running inside the top-10 for a majority of the race.
• Crew chief Shane Wilson has a combined 18 starts at Atlanta between the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series including a win in Xfinity Series action with Jeff Burton on March 18, 2006. His lone previous Truck Series start came with Gray last season.
• Click here for Gray’s career statistics.

Gray on Atlanta:

You are heading back to Atlanta for the second time in your career and are coming off of your best finish of the season. Does that give you confidence heading into Saturday’s race?

“It’s nice to be returning to a mile-and-a-half track again after how we ran at Las Vegas. I tend to enjoy those types of tracks more than short tracks or superspeedways and just feel more comfortable behind the wheel at them. We have the best starting position we have had all season, so hopefully we can get stage points early in the race and then be there to contend for a solid finish at the end.”

Bill Lester, No. 17 Camping World Ford F-150

• Lester returns to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with partner support from Camping World, Greater Atlanta Ford Dealers and Tommy’s Express Car Wash.
• Lester has six Truck Series starts at Atlanta with a best finish of 15th earned in 2004. The Ford driver has an average starting position of 13.7 and an average finishing position of 22.7 at the intermediate track. Lester will start Saturday afternoon’s event from the 31st position.
• Saturday marks Lester’s first Truck Series start since 2007 and will bring his series total to 143. He’s led 92 laps and has two top-five and seven top-10 finishes in the series. 
• Lester was the first African American pole award winner in the Truck Series. In total, he’s captured three series pole awards – May 2003 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, July 2005 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, and July 2005 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta.
• The Atlanta resident will guided by crew chief Seth Smith from atop the pit box and Joel Edmonds from the spotters stand. 
• In February, Lester released his memoir titled, Winning in Reverse: Defying the Odds and Achieving Dreams.
• The No. 17 entry has been driven by team co-owner David Gilliland and Xfinity Series driver Riley Herbst. After Lester completes his Atlanta start, Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick will pilot the No. 17 F-150 in next Saturday’s Dirt Race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.
• Click here for Lester’s career statistics.

Lester on Atlanta:

What made you want to return to the Truck Series and racing after a hiatus?

“It was time to practice what I preached in my memoir. In it, I wrote about the importance of getting out of one’s comfort zone and pursuing one’s passion. I’ve always loved racing, been a fan of racing, and that interest slowly began to build into a desire to race again. The release of my book became the perfect opportunity for my desire to race again to meet the desire to promote my book.”

How was your experience in the simulator? How much did you use a simulator when previously racing?

“I was fortunate enough to utilize a simulator to get some virtual time at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It was quite an experience and I believe it will be well worth while. It helped me to re-acclimate myself to the visual, physical, and audible environment I have been away from for so long. It’s no wonder that drivers spend all their time in them these days! I didn’t have this tool at my disposal when I was previously racing in NASCAR, but it sure would have been nice to.”

What are your goals for this weekend, or what would you consider a successful weekend?

“At a minimum, I expect to compete for the whole event and finish the race. It’s hard to realistically predict a result because I haven’t competed in the series in such a long time. I don’t completely know where I stand, where the competition stands, where my equipment stands, and there are always circumstances beyond your control, but I wouldn’t be out there if I didn’t think I would be competitive. We’ll just see where the chips fall.”

Do you think this weekend might give you the racing bug again and you’ll want to race more frequently?

“One of the reasons I’m so excited is because I don’t know how I’ll feel after this race. ‘Will I enjoy the experience? Will I want more of it?’ I just don’t know. As they say, ‘that’s why they run the race.’ I’ll be just as interested to discover how I feel afterword as everyone else will. Just the simple fact that I’ll be racing from the time I get to the track without practice or qualifying will be a completely different situation in itself. I’m sure it will just get crazier from there but I’m so looking forward to it!”