GMS Racing NCWTS Phoenix Raceway Preview

Sheldon Creed, No. 2 LiftKits4Less Chevrolet Silverado

Phoenix Raceway Stats

– NCWTS Starts: 3, Wins: 1 (2020), Top 5s: 1, Top 10s: 2, Best start: 3rd

2021 NCWTS Season Stats

– Starts: 21, Wins: 3 (Darlington I, II, & Gateway), Top 5s: 8, Top 10s: 10, Poles: 2 (Darlington II, Bristol II), Stage wins: 7, Laps led: 602 (Most out of any driver)

– Sponsor spotlight: LiftKits4Less, who has served as Sheldon Creed’s primary sponsor for the majority of the 2021 season, will finish out the year with the No. 2 in Phoenix. For the season finale, Creed will run a special tribute to his late grandmother, who unfortunately passed away from stomach cancer. The periwinkle color represents those who have fought, or are currently fighting the disease.

– Chassis history/info: Creed and the No. 2 crew will race with chassis no. 337 at Phoenix Raceway. This chassis was only ran once before at World Wide Technology Raceway earlier this season, where Sheldon took it to lead 142 laps of 200. Gateway shares many similar characteristics to Phoenix, so be on the lookout for this truck to head to the front.

– Movin’ on up: Friday’s Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix Raceway will be Sheldon’s last race as a full-time driver for GMS Racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Looking ahead to 2022, Creed will climb the NASCAR ladder as he transitions over to Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Our team sends Sheldon the best of luck in his future, and he would like nothing more than to end his truck career with a win in the season finale.

– Quote: “Hard to believe that this weekend marks the end of my time with GMS Racing in the Truck Series. I am so thankful to Maury Gallagher and the team for everything that they have done for me in the time that I have been here, it’s truly been an honor to drive for them. I’m looking to go out with one more win before it’s time to move on to the Xfinity Series next year, and I’m confident that we have the truck to do it. Hopefully, we can win the race while Zane wins the championship, that would be a great way to end the season!”

Zane Smith, No. 21 MRC Construction Chevrolet Silverado

Phoenix Raceway Stats

– NXS starts: 1, Top 5s: 1, Top 10s: 1, Best start: 6th, Best finish: 5th (2019)

– NCWTS starts: 1, Top 5s: 1, Top 10s: 1, Best start: 2nd, Best finish: 2nd (2020)

– ARCA starts: 2, Top 5s: 1, Top 10s: 1, Best start: 8th, Best finish: 5th (2020)

– AMSW starts: 2, Best start: 5th, Best finish: 26th (2020)

– NKNPSW starts: 1, Best start: 2nd, Best finish: 21st (2019)

2021 NCWTS Season Stats

– Starts: 21, Wins: 1 (Martinsville), Top 5s: 2, Top 10s: 13, Stage wins: 3, Best start: 2nd, Laps led: 131

– Sponsor spotlight: MRC Construction will serve as Zane Smith’s primary sponsor for the season finale at Phoenix Raceway. MRC won their first ever NASCAR race as a sponsor in the series’ last event at Martinsville Speedway when Smith made a daring three wide pass for the win. This paint scheme is a tribute in memory of Richard Leo Avila, father of Smith’s primary backer Mike Avila, who unfortunately passed away earlier this year. The scheme is a nod to Avila’s speed boats that he used to race years ago.

– Chassis history/info: Smith and the No. 21 team will utilize chassis no. 339 as they compete for a championship in Phoenix. This Silverado was ran only one other time at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in September, where Zane started 4th and ran inside the Top 10 for the early part of the race until contact from another truck ripped out the battery, resulting in a 29th place finish. Smith looks to take this new and improved truck to victory lane to taste the sweetness of a championship.

– #21in21: Zane Smith rocked the world when he won in a last ditch effort at Martinsville Speedway in order to advance to the Championship 4. Heading into that race, he was 40 points below the cutline, and many had considered him a dark horse. The win propelled him to the number one seed heading into the series finale, where he will vie for his first ever NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship. In his rookie year of 2020, Smith would finish second in the championship fight to teammate Sheldon Creed, and has since stated that he hasn’t been able to sleep all year after that defeat. This time around, he is more hungry than ever, with so much to prove and a lot on the line. Driver No. 21 will fight his hardest to win the NCWTS championship in 2021.

– Quote: “I am excited for Phoenix, it’s definitely one of my best tracks, and having the opportunity to get to race for a championship again is amazing. It’s been a wild year with all the adversity thrown at our team, but we never let up and I think that’s what got us to the Championship 4. I hope to get MRC Construction, Maury, Chevrolet, and all of GMS Racing another championship on Friday night.”

Chase Purdy, No. 23 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado

Phoenix Raceway Stats

– NCWTS Starts: 1, Best start: 19th, Best finish: 13th (2018)

2021 NCWTS Season Stats

– Starts: 20, Top 10s: 2, Best start: 4th, Best finish: 6th (Gateway), Laps led: 8

– Sponsor spotlight: Bama Buggies will round out the season by serving as primary sponsor on Chase Purdy’s No. 23 Silverado.

– Chassis history/info: Purdy and the No. 23 team will compete with chassis no. 321 at the season finale. This Chevrolet was most recently ran at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in September, where Purdy finished 13th. In its lifespan dating back to 2019, the truck has earned three Top 10 finishes and one pole with Brett Moffitt at Las Vegas.

– Finishing strong: Chase Purdy will end his rookie year on Friday at Phoenix Raceway. In his first full-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, Purdy has earned two Top 10 finishes, a sixth at World Wide Technology Raceway and a ninth at Talladega Superspeedway. The NASCAR Next alumnus looks to cap off his maiden season with another strong run to end the season on a high note.

– Quote: “I’m excited to head to Phoenix this weekend. I’ll definitely be looking forward to practice and qualifying, because we haven’t had that many opportunities to do so this year. I really like this track, it’s a lot of fun and I think that we can be really strong this weekend.”

Jack Wood, No. 24 Quick Quack Car Wash Chevrolet Silverado

Phoenix Raceway Stats

– ARCA Starts: 1, Best start: 7th, Best finish: 29th (2021)

– AMSW Starts: 2, Best start: 7th, Best finish: 24th (Nov. 2020)

– NKNPSW Starts: 1, Best start: 8th, Best finish: 11th (2019)

2021 NCWTS Season Stats

– Starts: 11, Top 10s: 1, Best start: 2nd, Best finish: 10th (Gateway), Laps led: 1

– Sponsor spotlight: Jack Wood’s No. 24 Silverado will feature a new primary partner in Quick Quack Car Wash at Phoenix Raceway. Quick Quack Car Wash is a chain of drive through car washes with over 140 locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Texas, and Utah. The chain served as Jack’s primary sponsor for the ARCA Menards Series race at Phoenix in March, but this weekend will be their first truck race onboard Jack’s No. 24 Chevrolet.

– Chassis history/info: Wood and his No. 24 team will run chassis no. 312 in “The Valley of the Sun”. Jack last ran this chassis at Gateway in August, where he notched his first-career Top 10 finish. Zane Smith, Sheldon Creed, and Cody Coughlin have all taken this truck to Top 10 finishes, with Creed earning its best showing at Michigan in 2019, finishing second.

– Big year ahead: Part-time this year, full-time next year, Jack Wood will take the reins of the GMS Racing No. 24 Chevrolet for the entire season in 2022. In his first part-time season, Wood has gained valuable experience and track time to prepare for next year. A good finish in Phoenix will help boost morale and build momentum for the upcoming off season.

– Quote: “It’s the last race of the season at the only track on the schedule that I’ve been to before. I’ve got a lot of confidence heading in, because I think I know what I need to do to be fast around that place. We get one last shot to get after it in the 2021 season with these No. 24 guys, so I’m hoping to end the year out right and head into next year swinging.”

Tyler Ankrum, No. 26 LiUNA! Chevrolet Silverado

Phoenix Raceway Stats

– NCWTS Starts: 3, Top 10s: 2, Best start: 10th, Best finish: 6th (2018)

2021 NCWTS Season Stats

– Starts: 21, Top 5s: 3, Top 10s: 5, Poles: 1 (COTA), Best finish: 3rd (twice), Laps led: 13

– Sponsor spotlight: LiUNA! returns this week to feature on Tyler Ankrum’s No. 26 Silverado. LiUNA! has served as Tyler’s primary sponsor for every race except four over the past two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series seasons, showcasing their loyalty to the young Californian.

– Chassis history: Ankrum and his No. 26 crew will compete using chassis no. 326 to end the year out. This chassis has been raced by Tyler in every race that it has competed in, earning three Top 10 finishes during its tenure. Most recently, Ankrum raced it at Charlotte in May, leading two laps en route to a 16th place finish.

– West Coast Dreamin’: Phoenix Raceway is a track that holds near and dear to Tyler Ankrum’s heart, as it is one of the closest tracks to his hometown in Southern California. In 2018, Ankrum made his second ever truck start at the 1.0-mile flat track, and has competed in three previous races in “The Valley of the Sun”.

– Quote: “Last race of the year, I’m super excited because I always love Phoenix. We have practice and qualifying, finally! I’m excited to end out the year on a high note with my No. 26 GMS Racing team, thank you to LiUNA! and Chevrolet for the continued support as always.”