GMS Racing NCWTS Bristol Motor Speedway II Preview

Bristol Motor Speedway Stats

– NCWTS Starts: 2, Top 10s: 1, Best start: 8th, Best finish: 6th

– NKNPSE Starts: 1, Best start: 2nd, Best finish: 11th

2021 NCWTS Season Stats

– Starts: 17, Wins: 3 (Darlington I, II, & Gateway), Top 5s: 8, Top 10s: 9, Poles: 1 (Darlington II), Stage wins: 4, Laps led: 407

– Sponsor spotlight: LiftKits4Less returns this week to feature on Sheldon Creed’s No. 2 Silverado. LiftKits4Less will sponsor Creed for the remainder of the season all the way through the season finale in Phoenix.

– Chassis history/info: Creed and the No. 2 team will utilize chassis no. 310 at Bristol Motor Speedway. This chassis has not competed at all this season, but was used last year at Bristol where it finished 11th. Most recently, the chassis earned a 3rd place finish at Martinsville in November, its best finish to date.

– #Back2Back: Sheldon Creed and the No. 2 GMS Racing team have opened the NCWTS Playoffs in a big way by dominating and winning the first two races of the Round of 10 at Gateway and Darlington. Heading into Bristol, Creed has taken over the points lead, and is securely locked into the next round. It’s safe to say that driver No. 2 is off to a great start of potentially competing for championship number two.

– Quote: “My No. 2 team has been absolutely killing it since we started the Playoffs. I’m ready to head to Bristol with another good starting position. Hopefully, we can end this round on another high note and keep building our momentum heading into the Round of 8.”

Zane Smith, No. 21 Karl Chevrolet Chevrolet Silverado

Bristol Motor Speedway Stats

– NXS Starts: 1, Best start: 16th, Best finish: 11th (2019)

– NCWTS Starts: 1, Best start: 6th, Best finish: 16th (2020)

– NKNPSE Starts: 1, Top 10s: 1, Best start: 16th, Best finish: 9th (2017)

2021 NCWTS Season Stats

– Starts: 17, Top 5s: 1, Top 10s: 11, Stage wins: 3, Best start: 2nd, Best finish: 4th (Nashville), Laps led: 66

– Sponsor spotlight: Karl Chevrolet joins GMS Racing for the first time this season to feature on Zane Smith’s No. 21 Silverado. The premier Chevrolet dealership based in Ankeny, Iowa has sponsored numerous NCWTS and ARCA drivers in years past, and last partnered with GMS Racing in 2017.

– Chassis history/info: Smith and the No. 21 team will utilize chassis no. 330 on Thursday night. This chassis debuted in 2020 and has competed eight times with four Top 10 finishes to its credit. Smith raced this Silverado to a victory at Dover International Speedway last season, the second win of his career.

– #21in21: Zane Smith enters Bristol with one main goal: advance to the next round of the Playoffs. A parts failure in Gateway severed Smith’s points cushion to the cutline, and for the second week in a row, the sophomore is on the outside looking in. Only five points separate Smith from a chance to continue his bid for the 2021 NCWTS championship, and the No. 21 crew is ready to put up a fight to prove they belong.

– Quote: “I’m ready to return to racing at a high banked concrete track like Bristol. These tracks are my favorite type, and the closest thing I have to Dover so I’ve had it circled all year. I hope to have a mistake free night and lock ourselves into the Round of 8. Hopefully, we can get Karl Chevrolet into victory lane by the time it’s all said and done. I know we will have the speed to do so.”

Chase Purdy, No. 23 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado

Bristol Motor Speedway Stats

– NKNPSE Starts: 1, Best start: 22nd, Best finish: 12th (2017)

2021 NCWTS Season Stats

– Starts: 16, Top 10s: 1, Best start: 4th, Best finish: 6th (Gateway), Laps led: 4

– Sponsor spotlight: Bama Buggies returns this week to feature on Chase Purdy’s No. 23 Silverado.

– Chassis history/info: Purdy and the No. 23 team will utilize chassis no. 306 under the lights at Bristol. Chassis 306 has over twenty races under its belt and has gone to victory lane twice – once with Johnny Sauter at Texas in 2018 and once with Brett Moffitt at Kansas in 2020. Chase has raced with this chassis three times this season, most recently at Pocono Raceway, where it finished 15th.

– New Truck, Same Track: Thursday night will mark Purdy’s first start on Bristol’s asphalt configuration in Camping World Truck Series competition, but don’t let that fool you. This short track racer has raced at Bristol in NASCAR K&N Pro Series East cars along with Super Late Models. In addition, Purdy competed on the dirt configuration at Bristol earlier this season.

– Quote: “I’m excited to get back to racing at Bristol once again. Fortunately I’ve raced here twice before – once in a K&N car and once in a CARS Tour Super Late Model. I’m looking forward to coming back to high banks with my No. 23 Silverado on the concrete this time.”

Doug Coby, No. 24 Mayhew Tools Chevrolet Silverado

Bristol Motor Speedway Stats

– NWMT Starts: 8, Top 5s: 4, Top 10s: 4, Best start: 5th, Best finish: 2nd (2017)

2021 NCWTS Season Stats

– Doug Coby will make his NCWTS debut at Bristol Motor Speedway

– Sponsor spotlight: Mayhew Tools, a longtime sponsor of Doug Coby in NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour competition, will join forces with Coby for his NCWTS debut at Bristol. Mayhew Tools is the oldest punch and chisel manufacturer in the United States, growing their extensive professional grade, American made product line to include pry bars, pneumatics, cable ties, and more.

– Chassis history/info: Coby and his No. 24 team will utilize chassis no. 301 in Thunder Valley. This chassis has been in the GMS Racing stable since 2017 and has won twice with Johnny Sauter at Chicagoland in 2017 and Charlotte in 2018. Most recently, Jack Wood ran this Silverado at Nashville where he qualified second and finished 11th.

– Not-So New Kid on the Block: Doug Coby will make his first ever NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start on Thursday night in Bristol. Colby, however, is not your average rookie. In fact, he has the most experience out of any of the GMS Racing drivers, with a career in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour spanning two full decades. In total, Colby has 31 wins, 105 Top 5 finishes, 157 Top 10 finishes, in 255 starts behind the wheel of a modified.

– Quote: “Can’t wait to get out there with GMS Racing for my first Camping World Truck Series start. It’s been really exciting so far and hopefully we have a strong run for Mayhew Tools. It’s going to be challenging because Bristol always is, but I’m really looking forward to it!”

Tyler Ankrum, No. 26 LiUNA! Chevrolet Silverado

Bristol Motor Speedway Stats

– NCWTS Starts: 2, Top 10s: 1, Best start: 5th, Best finish: 7th (2020)

– NKNPSE Starts: 1, Top 5s: 1, Top 10s: 1, Best start: 4th, Best finish: 4th (2018)

2021 NCWTS Season Stats

– Starts: 17, Top 5s: 3, Top 10s: 5, Poles: 1 (COTA), Best finish: 3rd (twice), Laps led: 12

– Sponsor spotlight: LiUNA! returns this week to feature on Tyler Ankrum’s No. 26 Silverado.

– Chassis history: Ankrum and his No. 26 crew will utilize chassis no. 311 at The World’s Fastest Half Mile. This chassis has been driven by Stewart Friesen and Tyler Ankrum since 2019, and has a best finish of 3rd place. Tyler last drove this Chevrolet at Nashville Superspeedway earlier this season.

– Rebound Time: After a disappointing 18th place finish in the last truck race at Darlington Raceway, Tyler Ankrum is eyeing an opportunity to turn his momentum around at Bristol. Luckily for Ankrum, he’s got all the right tools on his side. Ankrum’s Crew Chief, Charles Denike, knows a thing or two about finding victory lane at the famed short track, as he led Sam Mayer and the No. 24 team to the win in 2020. With only five races left in the season, Ankrum’s time to shine is now.

– Quote: “I’m excited to head back to Bristol this weekend with my No. 26 GMS Racing team. I love this track and am always happy to return to it as long as it’s paved. Hopefully we have a great Thursday evening and get to watch the Playoffs drivers shake it up before the end of this round.”