GMS Racing NCWTS Martinsville Preview

Sheldon Creed, No. 2 A.M. Ortega/United Rentals Chevrolet Silverado

Martinsville Stats

This will be Creed’s first NCWTS start at Martinsville Speedway.

Season Stats

1 start, Finish: 15th (Eldora)

Notes:

– Making his debut for GMS Racing in the NCWTS, Creed will climb behind the wheel of chassis no. 101 at Martinsville Speedway. While this chassis has been a staple in the GMS Fabrication fleet, it was most recently raced by Cody Coughlin earlier this season at Gateway Motorsports Park. Coughlin went on to finish ninth at Gateway despite fighting mechanical issues throughout the race.

– Before the last four NCWTS races of the 2018 season, Creed was competing full-time in the ARCA Racing Series, where their season came to a close last weekend at Kansas Speedway. Creed finished the 2018 season with four wins, 16 top-fives, 18 top-10s and 4 pole awards en route to winning the 2018 ARCA championship. He also was named the General Tire Pole Award overall winner, the Sioux Chief Short Track Challenge champion as well as the General Tire Superspeedway Challenge champion for 2018.

– For this weekend at Martinsville, as well as next weekend’s race at Texas, Creed will carry a familiar sponsor, A.M. Ortega, onboard his No. 2 Chevrolet Silverado. A.M. Ortega’s mission is to provide diverse civil engineering solutions for current and future generations with emphasis on safety, excellent workmanship and innovation. Also featured on the No. 2 this weekend will be United Rentals, another partner who has had longtime success as a part of Creed’s racing career.

– Creed’s No. 2 will carry special pink ribbons this weekend of those on the team within the GMS Racing family whose family members have been affected by breast cancer. The ribbons include Dean Cox, Annette Flashner, Linda Handy, and Shirley Handy.

Quote:

“I’m extremely pumped being able to close out the 2018 ARCA Racing season with a win and the championship. I’m looking forward to keeping that momentum rolling though into this weekend in the Truck Series. I’ve never raced at Martinsville but my goal this weekend is that I would like to run top-five, and I definitely think we can do it. GMS Racing has proven to bring fast trucks no matter where they go, so this time will be no different. At the end of the day though, I would still be just as happy with a top-10 finish being my first time at Martinsville and our first race working as a team.”

Johnny Sauter, No. 21 ISM Connect Chevrolet Silverado

Martinsville Stats

21 starts, 3 wins, 8 top-fives, 11 top-10s, 1 pole

2018 Season Stats

19 starts, 5 wins, 13 top-fives, 15 top-10s

Notes:

– Sauter will run GMS chassis no. 313 for Saturday afternoon’s race. Sauter last ran this chassis at Bristol Motor Speedway where he clinched the Regular Season Championship and picked up his fifth win of the season. The No. 21 team also used this Chevrolet at Iowa Speedway (started 7th, finished 5th) and Gateway Motorsports Park (started 13th, finished 3rd).

– The ISM Connect Chevrolet will once again carry the names of team members’ family and friends who have been affected by breast cancer, including Sauter’s mother-in-law Terry Owen.

– Back in March, Sauter qualified sixth and was running in the top-five just shy of halfway in the event when the No. 21 had to pit to replace a battery. Sauter was able to get one lap back before the end of the race, but the battery change resulted in a 19th-place finish.

– Sauter continues to lead the point standings heading into the first race of the Round of 6. The Necedah, Wis., native has maintained the top spot in the driver and owner point standings through all 19 events this season.

Quotes:

“I feel good about how we did in the first round. In my opinion it was a tougher stretch. The road course obviously isn’t my specialty and in Vegas I felt like we gave a little bit up there on the last few restarts. I can’t think of better tracks for us to be going into now with Martinsville and Texas, as far as past success. We’ve won a few at Martinsville and a lot at Texas, but I’m also smart enough and I’ve been around enough to know that doesn’t mean a whole lot. Other drivers and teams continue to get better just like we continue to get better. Yes, it’s a shot in the arm to go to tracks that you’ve had success at, but it also keeps you in check. Just because you’re good somewhere, that doesn’t meant anything. Anybody can get hot at any time and do what they need to do. With that being said, it has been a great season so far and I expect we’ll be able to keep it going through this next round.”

Timothy Peters, No. 23 AutosByNelson.com Chevrolet Silverado

Martinsville Stats

24 starts, 1 win, 8 top-fives, 17 top-10’s, 1 pole

Season Stats

4 starts, 1 wins, 2 top-fives, 3 top-10s

Notes:

– Peters and the No. 23 team will utilize chassis No. 018 this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. This chassis has been raced one other time this season, by Stewart Friesen at Atlanta Motor Speedway (start: 7th/finish: 6th).

– Veteran Xfinity crew chief, Chad Norris will be calling the shots for Peters atop the pit box. The Fremont, IA native has one year of experience in the Truck Series being in 2008 with Roush Fenway Racing with multiple drivers behind the wheel including Bobby East, Travis Kvapil, Jamie McMurray and John Wes Townley. In 22 races they collected 2 top-fives, 7 top-10’s and 1 pole.

– Peter’s will carry pink breast cancer ribbons on his No. 23 to honor GMS Racing family members who have fought and continue to fight against breast cancer, two of them being Peter’s close friends, Sheri Stallings and Elaine Compton. The remaining ribbons will include the following names, Amy Carter, Ruth Gallagher, Michelle Garcia, Mary Bammarito and Carol Barraclough.

– Peter’s, a Danville, Va. native, has had a lot of success at his hometown track. His most recent win was in 2017 in a late-model race, the ValleyStar Credit Union 300.

Quote:

“I’m excited to have another opportunity this weekend at Martinsville with GMS Racing. Autos by Nelson came on board as primary sponsor which is awesome. Barry Nelson has always been a great supporter of mine. Again it goes back to I’m very thankful for the opportunity that Maury (Gallagher), Mike (Beam) and everyone here at GMS Racing and GMS Fabrication, inside this organization has presented for me to go and try to execute on another win.”

Justin Haley, No. 24 Fraternal Order of Eagles Chevrolet Silverado

Martinsville Stats

5 starts, 1 top-10

Season Stats

19 starts, 2 wins, 8 top-fives, 15 top-10s

Notes:

– This weekend at Martinsville Speedway, Haley will utilize chassis no. 103. The No. 24 team has used this chassis three previous times, twice in 2017 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and the fall Martinsville race, as well as earlier this year at Martinsville in the spring. Haley’s showing in the spring in chassis no. 103 resulted in a track-best finish of 10th-place.

– Like Haley’s teammates, the No. 24 Fraternal Order of Eagles Silverado will have pink incorporated into the paint scheme as well as carry two breast cancer awareness ribbons onboard for Shelby Jean Carter and Becky Lowry Jordan.

– With points resetting to kick The Playoff’s Round of 6 off at Martinsville this weekend, Haley now sits fifth in the 2018 NCWTS driver points standings, just four points below the cutoff mark. He will have the next three races (Martinsville, Texas and Phoenix) to work his way into the top-four for a shot at making it to the championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Quote:

“Martinsville (Speedway) has always been a tricky place for me, I don’t know why. They say that road course racers usually excel at a short track like Martinsville because of the heavy breaking, but I just haven’t quite figured it out yet. Last race, in the spring, we had speed in qualifying and in the race, it was just so hard to pass. The Ilmore motors are so low on RPM there that you can’t get a good run out of the corner to try get up next to someone. I think it will be a tricky race, not just for me, but everyone in that aspect.

“Hopefully, with this being the first race in the Round of Six, we will bring some speed again this time. We will be set up pretty similar to our teammate Johnny (Sauter) who is usually always one of the trucks to beat at Martinsville. I’m excited for it, but we’ll just have to wait and see how the race plays out. Someone can move you pretty quickly just because you’re constantly racing so close to one another. There’s a lot on the line this weekend and it’s tough because sometimes your fate is out of your control.”

Tyler Dippel, No. 25 Turning Point USA / America First Action Super PAC Chevrolet Silverado

Martinsville Stats

This will be Dippel’s first NCWTS start at Martinsville Speedway

2018 Season Stats

1 start, Best Finish: 13th (Eldora)

Notes:

– The No. 25 team will utilize GMS chassis no. 115 for this weekend’s race. This chassis has been raced nine times over the last three seasons and has seen the track twice this year, at Dover and Bristol.

– Featured on the No. 25 for this weekend’s race at Martinsville Speedway are Turning Point USA and America First Action Super PAC.

Turning Point USA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with a mission to identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of freedom, free markets, and limited government. Since the founding, Turning Point USA has embarked on a mission to build the most organized, active, and powerful conservative grassroots activist network on college campuses across the country.
America First Action is the primary super PAC dedicated to electing federal candidates who support the agenda of the current administration. America First Action Super PAC is committed to creating an America where prosperity, safety, and strength reign–where hardworking people like you lead the charge with grit, determination, and pride.

– Dippel’s Chevrolet Silverado will also carry the names of GMS Racing employees’ family and friends who have been affected by breast cancer. Among those being honored are Dippel’s grandmothers, Charlotte Biro and Joan Lampreau, and Baxter’s sister, Cheryl Smith.

Quote:

“I’m very excited to get on track with Jerry and the 25 team this weekend. I got to spend time with them at Talladega and have already developed an understanding for how they work, which will be a huge benefit going into our first race together. Martinsville is a track where GMS has had success in the past and Johnny (Sauter) and Timothy (Peters) have been really strong, so I plan to lean on them and my other teammates a lot this weekend. Hopefully with their guidance we can have a strong day, run up front and bring some attention to the two great organizations we have on the truck this week – Turning Point USA and America First Action Super PAC.”

GMS Racing PR

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