No. 92 BTS Tire and Wheel Distributors / fleetHQ.com Chevrolet Silverado (Clay Rogers) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

NASCAR Veteran Jason Overstreet has been named crew chief and team manager for the Ricky Benton Racing (RBR) Enterprises Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) entry. His first race with the team will be the season-opener in Daytona on February 24, 2012.

“I can’t wait for February,” said Overstreet. “I am looking forward to the challenge of helping build this race team in the truck series and having success at the track. There is a great foundation in place at RBR and I am excited to be a part of it.”

Overstreet spent 2010 and 2011 at Rusty Wallace, Inc. (RWI) where he served various roles, including crew chief and car chief for Michael Annett, Brendan Gaughan and David Reutimann. Prior to moving to RWI, Overstreet served as crew chief for Johnny Sauter at ThorSport Racing and at Germain Racing for Justin Marks. From 2004-08, Overstreet was the crew chief for Reutimann at Darrell Waltrip Racing.

“We are very excited to have someone of Jason’s caliber on board with us for 2012,” said RBR Enterprises owner Ricky Benton. “We have made great strides over the last two years with our truck program and look to grow those successes with Jason’s leadership at the shop and at the racetrack.”

Driver Clay Rogers finished 20th in the 2011 NCWTS points standings driving the No. 92 BTS Tire and Wheel Distributors Chevrolet despite only making 15 of 25 starts in the series.

A driver for the No. 92 BTS Tire and Wheel Distributors / fleetHQ.com Chevrolet for 2012 has yet to be determined.

About fleetHQ.com

fleetHQ is a business solutions provider for commercial trucking fleets and service tire dealers all across North America. fleetHQ provides 24-hour support, and helps fleets reduce operating cost while making it easier to do business.

About BTS Tire and Wheel Distributors

BTS Tire & Wheel Distributors offers wholesale distribution services to tire and automotive dealers across the Southeast, operating out of locations in North and South Carolina.

About RBR Enterprises

RBR has been racing in numerous touring series throughout the Southeast for nearly 20 years. Competing extensively in the USAR Pro Cup Series – winning a championship in 2002 in that series – the team has made forays into the ARCA Series and several NASCAR Touring Series. In 2010, RBR joined the NCWTS with driver Dennis Setzer, competing in eight races.

RBR teamed up with Rogers for the 2011 season. Originally, the team was committed to the first five races and 15 races total for the year. The schedule could expand more if additional sponsorship can be secured.

- RBR Enterprises Press Release

No. 98 Ferrellgas / Agrisure Viptera / Drive for Savings Chevrolet Silverado

“I think we’ve made gains each week and the more laps I get in the truck, the better I think we’re going to be,” Armstrong evaluated. “We’re going to work on finding more overall speed during practice this weekend and make sure we carry that over into the race.”

Before heading to the 1.5-mile oval this weekend, Stillman provided insight on his keys to success at Kentucky, as well as some goals the team looks to accomplish.

“Kentucky is really bumpy so you have to get through the bumps the best and get the driver as comfortable as possible to be fast,” Stillman explained. “I think we still just need to log laps and get more experience. If we can qualify and finish in the top-15 I’d pretty pleased.”

Top Notch Team Support From Fort Knox: During the last visit to the Bluegrass State in July, ThorSport Racing made a trip to Fort Knox to visit some recruits and families that live on base. To support those who dedicate themselves to serving our country from the Fort Knox base, each of the three ThorSport Racing teams will host honorary pit crew members this weekend at Kentucky Speedway.

“I had a great time going to the base last time we were in Kentucky. In the short time we were there we saw a lot of different things and it was nice to see the place. It really reminded me of a big city because there are so many people who live there,” Armstrong commented. “It’ll be cool for us to give these guys a chance to see what we do each weekend at the track and show them a good time for all of the support they give to our country.”

ThorSport Online Store Now Open: Long awaited by all, the ThorSport Racing online store is now open! We encourage everyone to check out our newest addition at http://store.thorsport.com. If you can’t make it out to the new shop in Sandusky, you can now purchase merchandise online.

Chassis History: A popular choice for the No. 98 team, chassis No. 23 will enter competition at Kentucky Speedway this weekend. This particular chassis has visited Iowa Speedway and Lucas Oil Raceway with Armstrong behind the wheel this season, as well as Atlanta Motor Speedway with Justin Marks. It also visited Victory Lane at Las Vegas and Kansas last year with teammate Johnny Sauter.

Dakoda Armstrong

What do you think it will take to succeed at Kentucky?

“The only thing I really remember is how rough the surface of the track is and how hard it is to get a hold of the handling; it gets really free at night. We’re just going to have to stay on top of our adjustments all night.”

With four races under your belt, what are you looking to improve on this weekend?

“We really just need to work on getting a little faster in practice and carry the speed over into the race. I think we can work on what we had at Chicagoland and get better for this week.”

About ThorSport Racing:

ThorSport Racing, based in Sandusky, Ohio, is the longest tenured active NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team. ThorSport Racing’s first came at the Milwaukee Mile on July 6, 1996. NASCAR’s only Ohio-based team, which has run full season schedules annually beginning in 1998, currently runs the No. 88 Menards Chevrolet Silverado driven by Matt Crafton, and the No. 13 Safe Auto/Curb Records Chevrolet driven by Johnny Sauter.

ThorSport Racing has wheeled into Victory Lane with Terry Cook, Matt Crafton, and Johnny Sauter since its inception and has finished a dominating seven times within the top 10 in points with both trucks. In April 2011, Sauter wheeled into Victory Lane at Martinsville Speedway. In 2009 and 2010, both Crafton and Sauter finished in the top five in driver points. In 2011, ThorSport Racing has moved into a state-of-the-art, world-class, 100,000 square foot racing facility in Sandusky, and has also expanded its operations with the addition of a third NCWTS team, the No. 98. The team is set to run select races in 2011, and full-time in 2012 with Rookie of the Year contender Dakoda Armstrong.

Ferrellgas

Ferrellgas originated as a family-owned propane company, founded in 1939 in Atchison, Kansas. Now headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, Ferrellgas has grown through acquisitions and an unwavering dedication to customer service and safety, and is now the premier propane provider in the United States. It is also the largest provider of propane by branded propane tank exchange through its Blue Rhino brand and serves approximately 1 million Customers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit www.Ferrellgas.com.

Syngenta and Agrisure Viptera 3111

Syngenta is the largest agribusiness in the world, with the widest portfolio of chemicals and seeds in the industry. A science based company focused on offering growers solutions and “Bringing Plant Potential to Life”, Syngenta’s goal is to help farmers feed and fuel a growing population. Agrisure Viptera 3111 is a corn seed produced by Syngenta and controls 14 types of insects that cost the Amercian corn grower over $1.1 billion per year in lost yield and grain quality. Syngenta and Agrisure Viptera 3111 are proud to be partnered with Dakoda Armstrong, a fourth generation farmer that utilizes Syngenta products to increase productivity. For more information, visit www.Syngenta.com.

Drive For Savings

Drive For Savings, based in Middletown, Indiana, was founded as a fundraising company, providing solutions to the lack of funding issue that most organizations face on a daily basis. Honored to be a member of a network that has been built over the past 27 years and has served over 15 million members, Drive For Savings creates innovative fundraising programs that are designed to meet the specific needs of any organization through the sale of discount cards. The Drive For Savings (DFS) cards are linked to a nationwide discount program that offers discounts at over 260,000 locations and are sold for $25 each. Each card sale earns money for the specific organization that sells it. The goal of DFS is to help organizations succeed by earning necessary funds and will increase revenue without adding labor. Each program is 100% designed, managed and tracked by the DFS staff. Drive For Savings is proud to sponsor NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Dakoda Armstrong and the No. 98 ThorSport Racing team. For more information, please visit www.DriveForSavings.com.

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

Justin Marks and his No. 98 GoPro Chevrolet Silverado

Marks came to the team for the Atlanta event to help the newest addition to the ThorSport Racing stable get more track time before next season’s attempt at Rookie of the Year with driver Dakoda Armstrong. After practice and qualifying on Friday afternoon, crew chief Dan Stillman called for changes to remedy the handling troubles Marks described prior to the 200 mile battle later in the evening.

Evidence of the changes appeared within the first five laps as Marks came over the radio and informed his team the GoPro Chevy was really loose. Holding on until the first pit stop, he maintained his position within the top 20 and steered clear of some early trouble on the track. On lap 23 the GoPro crew supplied their driver with four tires and several adjustments to tighten him up all the way around the 1.5-mile circuit.

Marks was silent on the radio following the first round of adjustments until the next caution period on Lap 37 when he radioed to Stillman that the adjustments had his ThorSport Racing machine headed in the right direction, but still needed some final tweaking. Just 23 laps later, Stillman brought his driver back down pit road for a set of sticker tires and more adjustments. Marks went back to work on traffic and began picking his way through the field towards the top-10.

The final chance for adjustments came during the last scheduled pit stop of the night with 30 laps remaining as Marks peeled off the track to bring the No. 98 to the attention of his crew. A solid stop by the team would be followed by a report from their driver that he had completely lost fuel pressure as soon as he returned to competition. Marks brought the truck down pit road and the crew lifted the hood and quickly discovered the failure in the fuel system. Stillman directed his crew to pull the truck behind the wall to fix the broken part, taking just 14 laps to remedy the issue and get Marks back to racing. Unfortunately, he was not able to gain any positions and ended the night in 28th position.

“We didn’t start the night off where we wanted to be, but the guys did a good job and we made gains all night,” Stillman commented. “I wish we could’ve run the whole last run on the track because we had the truck really handling well after that final pit stop.”

“We were really loose in the beginning of the race but we got better and better after every pit stop. We just had an unfortunate parts failure in the fuel system there and the guys did a great job getting it fixed and getting us back out there for the points,” Marks said following the race.

“I’m really excited for this team and for Dakoda. I can tell there’s a good pace in this truck and it just needs to be discovered with this group of guys and this package. It was going to be a good solid night for us but what’s good is the 98 got some experience and stayed fresh for the next race for Dakoda Armstrong. ”

Rookie driver Armstrong will retake the wheel of the No. 98 Chevy Silverado at Chicagoland Speedway in two weeks when the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series resumes competition.

About ThorSport Racing:

ThorSport Racing, based in Sandusky, Ohio, is the longest tenured active NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team. ThorSport Racing’s first came at the Milwaukee Mile on July 6, 1996. NASCAR’s only Ohio-based team, which has run full season schedules annually beginning in 1998, currently runs the No. 88 Menards Chevrolet Silverado driven by Matt Crafton, and the No. 13 Safe Auto/Curb Records Chevrolet driven by Johnny Sauter.

ThorSport Racing has wheeled into Victory Lane with Terry Cook, Matt Crafton, and Johnny Sauter since its inception and has finished a dominating seven times within the top 10 in points with both trucks. In April 2011, Sauter wheeled into Victory Lane at Martinsville Speedway. In 2009 and 2010, both Crafton and Sauter finished in the top five in driver points. In 2011, ThorSport Racing has moved into a state-of-the-art, world-class, 100,000 square foot racing facility in Sandusky, and has also expanded its operations with the addition of a third NCWTS team, the No. 98. The team is set to run select races in 2011, and full-time in 2012 with Rookie of the Year contender Dakoda Armstrong.

About Justin Marks

California native Justin Marks began his love of racing after attending local races and the Indianapolis 500 with his father at the age of 14. His racing career sprouted from local street stock racing and grew into a successful SCCA and Rolex Sports Car Series career. Marks finished 16th in the 2001 Rolex Sports Car 24 Hours of Daytona in his first career professional race, and later collected a total of 12 wins in the SCCA and Rolex Sports Car Series combined. In 2009, he competed once again in the 24 Hours of Daytona and came home with a victory.

Marks moved on to ARCA Racing Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series competition in 2007, where he competed in select races over the next two years. Last season, he raced full-time in the ARCA Racing Series with Win-Tron Racing, collecting one win, seven top-five and 13 top-10 finishes. In the first half of 2011, Marks competed in 12 events for Turn One Racing and GoPro, collecting the pole at Dover and two top-10 finishes. For the latest news on Justin, please visit www.JustinMarksRacing.com.

About GoPro

Based in Half Moon Bay, California, GoPro is the world’s leading activity image capture company. GoPro’s HD HERO line of wearable and gear mountable cameras are used by more consumers and video production professionals than any other camera in its class. GoPro’s products are sold in over 60 countries and in the USA through professional channels and retailers including Best Buy, Sports Authority, Bass Pro Shops, Cycle Gear, and online at gopro.com.

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

Justin Marks

Dakoda Armstrong has raced this truck in a limited schedule this year, but had no plans to run Atlanta as he already has seven races on his calendar.

- Examiner.com

No. 66. GoPro Chevrolet Silverado (Justin Marks) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

“Having GoPro get behind me and this team for these first 12 races has been an awesome experience,” explained Marks. “Nick, Justin, and the entire GoPro team in California have been incredibly supportive of the program. The guys on the Turn One Racing team have done a fantastic job and we’ve had some great races in the first half of this season. I’m sad to see this program come to an end but I’m excited for having been a part of what’s been such a fun partnership. I wish the very best to Turn One Racing and the 66 team as well as Cole Whitt and the 60 team as they chase the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship. GoPro is not leaving the sport and I look forward to the next step in bringing their exciting world to NASCAR fans.”

Without additional sponsorship in place, Justin Marks – who made a splash in the series by winning this year’s pole award at Dover – may miss the AAA Insurance 200 at Lucas Oil Raceway and other races this year.

“GoPro has served as the primary sponsor on the No. 66 truck since the beginning of the year,” said Team Owner, Stacy Compton. “They have been an incredible company to work with, but our agreement was only for the first 12 races. We wish them all the best as they continue to build their brand and we hope to have the chance to work with them again in the future.”

In addition to the No. 66 truck, Turn One Racing fields the No. 60 truck for 20-year-old Cole Whitt, who sits second in the points standings – a mere 23 points out of the lead. The team has put up a strong fight against other teams in the series, despite racing on a fraction of the budget of some of the bigger, heavily supported, and well known teams.

“We have a great race team in place and we’re working hard to find sponsorship that would allow the 66 team to stay together,” said Compton. “As much as we would love to find a sponsor that would allow Justin to remain in the seat all year, this may open up the door for one of the young driver’s that we have been talking too. We’re looking at every opportunity very closely. We may even consider putting a fresh, new face behind the wheel with adequate funding.”

Funded drivers that are interested in learning about opportunities with Turn One Racing are urged to contact the team via e-mail at info@turn1racing.com.

- Turn One Racing Press Release

Matt Merrell, driver of the No. 32 Champion Brands Dodge Charger celebrates his first career victory in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway in the Hantz Group 200 driving for Win-Tron Racing.

The triumph was a nice and welcomed reward for Merrell and his Lakeville, Minnesota-based Win-Tron Racing team after several weeks of misfortune tried to damper the team’s confidence and spirit.

From the moment the No. 32 Champion Brands Dodge Charger unloaded from the hauler on Saturday afternoon, it was a rocket ship. After netting the 13th fastest time in practice, Merrell stepped up to the plate in qualifying and rocketed his automobile to the third fastest time.

During the course of the 10th race of the 2011 ARCA Racing Series, Merrell patiently waited to make his move on pole sitter Grant Enfinger. Merrell took the lead shortly before halfway and carried the lead over into the second half of the slugfest.

A caution on lap 117 allowed the Win-Tron Racing team to make their lone trip to pit road. With four tires and fuel, Merrell was set for the remainder of the race, but returned to the race track second behind new leader Tim George Jr.

While George Jr. appeared to be heading towards his second career victory in the ARCA Racing Series, Merrell riding in second was begging for a caution as he knew that he had enough to battle for the top-spot in his No. 32 Champion Brands Dodge Charger. Merrell’s wish came true when the yellow flag waived on lap 189.

Just after the restart, Merrell brilliantly made an inside move on George Jr. to inherit the lead before the caution flag waived with Merrell at the point. Setting up for the green and white flags waiving simultaneously, Merrell held off a last-lap attempt by George Jr., but it was the No. 32 Champion Dodge Charger with Merrell at the helm taking the checkered flag first, ahead of a massive melee occurring behind him on the frontstretch. The 26-year old finished 0.289-seconds ahead of George Jr.

Merrell’s first career victory comes in his 23rd career ARCA Racing Series and exceeds past two runner-up finishes at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway and Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in 2009.

“Man, I don’t know what to say, this is awesome,” said the jubilant driver. “I cannot thank Win-Tron Racing, Kevin (Cywinski), Nate (Thiesse), Mike (Chafee, crew chief), Mike (Resop, car chief) and the entire team enough for all that they have done for me. They have stood behind me because they believed in me and I am so glad I’m finally able to give them a victory. We had an awesome car tonight. The Champion Brands Dodge was stellar. Tim (George Jr.) was able to get away from us all on that restart but I knew if we could get back to him, that we would have something for him. Thankfully, the caution flag came back out late in the race and I was able to do what I knew our Champion Brands Dodge Charger was capable of.”

He continued, “This is our first win with Champion Brands and I’m thrilled for them. We’ve had a couple of tough weeks, but I knew that if there was a track that I could give them a win, Berlin would be the place. I have an early flight Sunday morning, but we’re definitely going to do some celebrating before I get on the plane!”

Co-car owner Nate Thiesse offered, “We knew it was just a matter of time before Matt would take Win-Tron Racing to victory lane. He wanted it bad tonight and you could see that from the moment that green flag dropped. I’m stoked for him and this entire Win-Tron Racing team. This was a big night for us and I could not be more proud!”

The annual trip to Berlin (Mich.) Raceway, just on the outskirts of Grand Rapids signifies the ninth race that Champion Brands heeded the role as the primary sponsor of the No. 32 Dodge Charger. Headquartered in Clinton, Missouri, Champion Brands LLC produces and blends more than 300 products including fuel, oil and engine additives and lubricants for the automotive, heavy truck, agricultural and specialty markets.

Saturday night’s win was the first for Win-Tron Racing since Justin Marks led the team to Victory Lane at Palm Beach (Fla.) International Raceway last February.

Next up for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards is a trip out West to Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa for the running of the Prairie Meadows 200 on Saturday, July 16th. The 11th race of the season will air live on SPEED and ARCARacing.com beginning at 4:00 p.m.

Merrell made his 24th career start in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway this weekend. In his previous 23 outings, Merrell has one win (Berlin (Mich.) Raceway, July 2011), nine top-fives and 12 top-10s. His best start position for Win-Tron Racing occurred at the tricky triangle of Pocono (Pa.) Raceway where he qualified his No. 32 CollinsHope.org Dodge Charger second in June of 2009.

Further information including driver opportunities with Win-Tron Racing is available by visiting win-tronracing.com or contacting Nate Thiesse at 612.306.1641

For more on Champion Brands LLC and their extensive line of products, please log on to championbrands.com or championsusechampion.com.

- Win-Tron Racing Press Release

Mooresville Motorplex

“We have been working closely with the residents in the local area to reach a solution that was amicable for both sides,” said Justin Marks, whose company DryLake Entertainment, LLC is the project developer. “The process has taken some time, but I appreciate the work everyone put in, on both sides, and look forward to finally breaking ground for what promises to be a fantastic addition to the area.”

Mooresville Motorplex (MMX), a joint venture between Marks and NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Michael McDowell, was unanimously approved by the Mooresville city commissioners in 2010, but the decision was later appealed by a group of local residents. After an Iredell County judge ultimately ruled in favor of MMX, both sides came to an agreement to prevent further legal proceedings at the state level.

“We are confident we can break ground early this fall with how hard everyone is working,” continued Marks. “It’s been a long wait, but excitement is building and we’re all very much looking forward to our ground breaking.”

Key project partners are currently being aligned and an announcement will be made shortly naming the firms involved in the project.

Mooresville Motorplex will be a world-class karting facility featuring retail sales, kart storage, racing schools and experiences, corporate entertainment and group events, as well as hosting major racing events, all centered around one of the finest karting circuits in North America. The facility will be built on 31 acres in Mooresville’s Mazeppa Park.

For more information on the project, email info@mooresvillemotorplex.com.

- Mooresville Motorplex Press Release

Justin Marks

The couple were married on Saturday, June 18th at Lake Lanier Islands Resort in Buford, GA, surrounded by 200 of their closest family and friends. The reception followed in the grand ballroom at the 1,100-acre resort.

Surprise guests included Justin’s close friends, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Michael McDowell and Andy Lally who flew in from the Cup race in Michigan, and good friend Mark Morton, who is a Grammy nominated metal guitarist, that flew in from a concert in Montreal.

While on the alter, Morton surprised the couple by playing a song he had written for the pair, then he gave them the guitar he played as a memento.

The couple is currently honeymooning in Anguilla.

Justin and Erin met in the fall of 2006 in Salem, Ind.

Erin is originally from Auburn, Ga. and works at KartSport North America.

- Turn One Racing Press Release

No. 66. GoPro Chevrolet Silverado (Justin Marks) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

Race: 15th Annual WinStar World Casino “400k”

Location: Fort Worth, TX

Track Length: 1.5 Mile Paved Oval

Race Distance: 167 laps / 400 kilometers

Broadcast Coverage: SPEED

Radio Coverage: MRN / SIRIUS XM

Date: Friday, June 10, 2011

Time: 9 p.m. ET

Justin Marks

“I ready to get back to Texas,” said Justin Marks. “We’re taking a truck that debuted this year at Charlotte and seemed to race really well so I’m looking forward to continuing its development. We had a bit of a rough day at Kansas and need to get a good run going again and continue this team’s momentum. Texas has been good to me in the past. It’s an awesome race track, very fast and on the edge, but very raceable as well. It can jump up to bite you in a hurry but it has a lot of room and makes for some of the best racing all year long.”

LAST RACE RECAP:

Justin Marks and the No. 66 GoPro Chevrolet were riding on momentum heading into the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway. Their hopes were high after a season best performance at Charlotte (ninth), but a disappointing qualifying lap (27th) and unexpected handling issues took the team out of contention and relegated them to a 20th place finish.

THE CREW CHIEF’S CHOICE FOR TEXAS:

Crew Chief Doug Wolcott has selected chassis No. 143 for the 15th Annual WinStar World Casino “400k”. This truck made its debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 20, where it qualified 25th and finished ninth. During comprehensive wind tunnel testing, this truck posted impressive numbers and is one of the best trucks in the Turn One fleet. It was Wolcott’s obvious choice for the aero-sensitive 1.5-mile oval of Texas Motor Speedway.

TURN ONE WELCOMES CONSTRUCT CORPS AT TEXAS:

Construct Corps, a leading provider of temporary skilled workers for construction, disaster response, environmental and manufacturing companies throughout the U.S., has teamed up with Turn One Racing at Texas Motor Speedway. Through its exclusive Construct Buddy recruiting system, Construct Corps provides more workers in more locations with one point of contact than any other company. For more information on Construct Corps please visit http://www.constructcorps.com

THE COURTYARD IS BACK ON BOARD IN TEXAS:

The Courtyard Fort Worth / Blackstone has teamed up with Turn One Racing for the WinStar World Casino 400K. Teammates Justin Marks and Cole Whitt will carry their signage this weekend in the Lone Star State! This 23 story 1929 art deco hotel is a local landmark. The Courtyard Fort Worth Downtown/Blackstone is located in Sundance Square, four blocks from the Convention Center and ten minutes from the restaurants and shops of the famous Fort Worth Stockyards. To reserve a room for your next visit to the area, please call (817) 885-8700.

ABOUT GOPRO: Based in Half Moon Bay, California, GoPro is the world’s leading activity image capture company. GoPro’s HD HERO line of wearable and gear mountable cameras and accessories are sold in over 60 countries, in specialty sports retailers, Best Buy, and online at gopro.com.

Be a HERO…. GoPro.

No. 88 Menards / ThorSport Racing Chevrolet Silverado

“We just struggled all day; it’s all I can say. I wanted to post a higher qualifying time (17th), but we were working pretty heavily on our setups during practice. It happens. I was solidly running in fourth to sixth there for a good stretch, and we even had the chance to lead a few laps there on a cycle, so we were gaining some momentum until the pit road crash happened.”

Crafton encountered pit road contact with the No. 66 of Justin Marks, whose pit stall was adjacent to the No. 88 pit stall. “I was coming out, and Justin was coming in. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, it just happens and it’s bad luck all around. It really did change our momentum, because the right front headlight was completely caved in and we had aerodynamic issues the rest of the race. My guys did their best on our pit road recovery time, putting as much Bondo fiberglass cloth tape on that thing as they could to get me back out there without vibrations – but it had a big effect on where we could run.”

Despite the finish, several positives came out of the Kansas race. The veteran driver still showed he could post superior numbers – to include the second most green flag quality passes throughout the race – with 82 green flag passes after pass leader Kyle Busch. He also posted two of the fastest race lap times and raced 108 laps in the top 15 – even after the pit road crash – giving him 65% of the race in the critical top 15 range, which is important going into the summer series of Truck races. The No. 88 crew also posted the fastest pit stop times of the year during the race.

Matt Crafton

NEXT RACE:

Winstar World Casino 200 at Texas Motor Speedway

Friday, June 10th

Race Broadcast: 8:30pmET (NCWTS Setup Show on SPEED); 9:00pmET Race on SPEED,

MRN & Sirius NASCAR 90

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

No. 66. GoPro Chevrolet Silverado (Justin Marks) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

Race: 11th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts “250″

Location: Kansas City, KS

Track Length: 1.5 Mile Paved Oval

Race Distance: 167 laps / 250.5 miles

Broadcast Coverage: SPEED

Radio Coverage: MRN / SIRIUS XM

Date: Saturday, June 4, 2011

Time: 2 p.m. ET

Justin Marks

“Kansas is a great track. I had a good run there in the truck series in 2008 and I’ve been quick in ARCA. I think it’s a place that really suits my driving style and will play well into our strengths as a team right now. We had a good run at Charlotte so I think our 1.5 mile program is pretty solid. We just need to keep building on our momentum and developing these trucks and we’ll be closer to a win each week. The GoPro team has been working hard and we’re all looking forward to another top-10 or better in Kansas.”

LAST RACE RECAP:

Justin Marks scored his second consecutive top-10 finish in N.C. Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, claiming the O’Reilly Auto Parts Position Improvement Award after qualifying 25th and finishing ninth. Marks climbed four positions in the Driver Point standings, and is currently ranked 15th, just 15 points out of the top-10.

THE CREW CHIEF’S CHOICE FOR KANSAS:

Crew Chief Doug Wolcott has selected chassis No. 75 for the 11th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts “250″. Marks last raced this truck at Nashville Superspeedway where he qualified 27th and finished 25th. Prior to Nashville, this truck competed at Darlington Raceway where it qualified 28th and finished 24th. The team is looking for better results in Kansas.

MARKS MEETS THE FANS ON FRIDAY!:

Justin Marks, teammate Cole Whitt, and other NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers will take part in an autograph session on Friday, June 3rd from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. The autograph session will take place in the Fan Walk located between the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garages.

KANSAS RACE MARKS A MILESTONE FOR THE TRUCK SERIES:

The O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway will mark the 400th start for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. To honor the occasion, Justin Marks and teammate Cole Whitt will run a commemorative 400th series logo decal on their Chevrolet race trucks. 2000 series champion Greg Biffle will lead the field to the green flag from the pace truck on Saturday.

HOMEWOOD SUITES HOPS ON BOARD WITH MARKS AT KANSAS:

Justin Marks and Cole Whitt will carry support this weekend from the Homewood Suites by Hilton® Kansas City/Overland Park! The hotel is conveniently located near the intersection of I-435 and Metcalf. At this extended stay hotel, you’ll find a range of luxurious guest accommodations to choose from. All of their spacious suites feature fully equipped kitchens with a full-size refrigerator, two burner cook top, dishwasher, coffee-maker and microwave, cookware and a four piece place setting of dishes, utensils and glassware, two (2) 32″ flat-screen TV’s with cable and OnDemand movies, complimentary local calls and long distance access, iron and ironing boards, hair dryers, and full-size sofa sleepers in each suite. To book your stay at the Homewood Suites by Hilton® Kansas City/Overland Park, call (913) 341-5576.

LAST RACE RUN DOWN:

(May 20th @ Charlotte Motor Speedway)

· #2 motorsport event of weekend on SPEED with 1.1 million viewers tuned in (+86% more viewers than NHRA on ESPN2 and +148% more viewers than Formula 1 on SPEED).

· Among the top 10 most-viewed non-Daytona NCWTS events in SPEED history.

· Viewership of NCWTS Charlotte qualifying was equal to qualifying for Indianapolis 500.

ABOUT GOPRO:

Based in Half Moon Bay, California, GoPro is the world’s leading activity image capture company. GoPro’s HD HERO line of wearable and gear mountable cameras and accessories are sold in over 60 countries, in specialty sports retailers, Best Buy, and online at gopro.com.

- Turn One Racing Press Release

No. 66. GoPro Chevrolet Silverado (Justin Marks) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

“I think momentum is a big thing in this sport and right now the morale in the shop is up and we’re all very eager to get to Charlotte after our strong day in Dover,” said Marks before the race. “We knew all along that this team was capable of a competitive showing and being able to go into Dover, win the pole, and finish strongly just helps to fire everyone up for what’s ahead.”

What’s ahead included two practice sessions before an evening of action at Charlotte Motor Speedway. “We had a brand new truck so we went through a few teething issues in the first practice,” explained Marks. “Once we got to setting it up in the second practice it became clear to us that we had a very responsive and balanced Chevy for the race. For some reason in qualifying trim we didn’t really have the speed but I was confident that we would race well.”

Race well is exactly what Marks did after taking the green flag from the 25th starting spot. “The race was pretty eventful,” explained Marks, who had picked up 10 positions by lap 43. “We made our way up pretty solidly but we broke a throttle return spring on the carburetor that we had to fix which set us back in the field a bit.” Marks fell to 27th after stopping for repairs. “The GoPro guys did a great job making the fix on pit road without us losing a lap.”

Justin Marks

Marks’ managed to avoid the rest of the event’s record-tying 10 caution flags to claim ninth – his best finish of the year, and his best finish in two starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway. “Once we settled in for the run to the checkered, I found the truck to work real well up high on the track and were able to race our way into the top-10 in the late stages.”

“It was another great run for the team and continued to build our momentum,” said Marks after the race. “I think we have a real good package on the mile-and-a-half’s and I’m looking forward to the next races.”

UP NEXT: O’Reilly Auto Parts 250, Saturday, June 4, Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kan.

- Turn One Racing Press Release

Kyle Busch climbs out of the No.18 NOS Charged Citrus Toyota in victory lane after winning the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway - Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR

Busch paid remembrance to Baker, a 10-year-old Hickory, N.C., who was found slain last year, by winning the N.C. Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday night. After Busch collected the checkered flag, he immediately walked to Zahra’s picture on the side of his truck and was “kissed by an angel.”

“I had an angel riding with me in that last run of the race with Zahra Baker,” said Busch. “We didn’t have the truck to beat tonight – Clint Bowyer did. Somehow I found some more out of it and I’m going to say that I had some help tonight. It’s weird how things work. When you believe in it, you trust in it, and you have faith in it – it will repay you. I can’t say enough about NOS Energy Drink and this Kyle Busch Motorsports team. Toyota, M&M’s, Flexco, and Dollar General. It was a great night for all of us. To come out here with a win and with a special name on the side of the truck – it means a lot to Kyle Busch Motorsports, Speedway Children’s Charities and the North Carolina community. Especially the people from Hickory – who knew and loved Zahra. It means the world to me to be able to pay remembrance to her with a win tonight.”

Friday night’s win was monumental for the 26-year-old driver. Busch, who drove into victory lane for the 97th time in NASCAR’s top three series, moved into a tie with NASCAR legends Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip for third on the all-time combined national touring series wins list. The victory was the Las Vegas native’s 28th career NCWTS Series win, moving him into a tie for second all-time with series legends Mike Skinner and Jack Sprague.

Busch, who an hour before the start of the truck race captured the pole for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, started the N.C. Education Lottery 200 from the fifth position. In the early stages of the race the defending race champion communicated to crew chief Eric Phillips that the No. 18 NOS Energy Charged Citrus Toyota was extremely loose.

On lap 53, the extremely loose became uncontrollably loose as the back end of the Las Vegas native’s Toyota snapped around coming off turn four. The rear end of the No. 18 slid up the banking, nearly collecting the outside wall then slid back down the banking and just before the nose of the truck was about to make contact with the inside retaining wall Busch got the truck back headed in the right direction to complete the miraculous save.

When pit road opened, Busch brought his No. 18 to the attention of his team for four fresh tires, a full tank of fuel and wholesale adjustments to try and tighten the truck. He was scored in the ninth position when the race restarted on lap 59.

As the race progressed, the man who had led the most laps en route to dominant victories in the last two NCWTS races seem destined to run just inside the top five. He was running in the fourth position when a three-car crash on the backstretch brought out the seventh caution of the race on lap 77. Crew Chief Eric Phillips made the decision to come for a fuel-only pit stop when pit road opened.

When the race restarted on lap 82, the No. 18 NOS Charged Citrus Tundra was scored in the fifth position. The race continued to be slowed by numerous cautions as the laps wound down. Busch tried to force his way to the front of the field at times making things three and four wide on the numerous restarts.

On lap 107 David Starr brought out a record-breaking 10th and final caution of the race after spinning off Turn Four. Although he had the dominant truck in Friday’s race, Bowyer knew that Busch was lurking in the third spot. Bowyer chose the outside lane for the final restart of the race to try and get a jump on the inside lane where the No. 18 was lurking.

Bowyer’s decision appeared to have paid off as Busch fell to the fourth position when the race restarted on lap 112. NASCAR’s winningest active driver dove to the inside of Ron Hornaday Jr. and James Buescher going into turn three with 22 laps remaining and moved into the second position.

The No. 18 NOS Charged Citrus Toyota slowly chipped away at Bowyer’s lead as the race headed into the final 10 laps. On lap 127, Busch made a big run on Bowyer off the top side of turn two. As Bowyer’s No. 2 moved up the track to try and slow Busch’s momentum, the No. 18 quickly dove to the inside making it a side-by-side challenge for the lead down the backstretch. The 26-year-old was able to complete the pass off of turn four and hold off Bowyer for the last seven laps en route to his fourth NCWTS victory in seven races at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Rookie Cole Whitt finished third followed by Buescher and Hornaday Jr. Rounding out the top 10 were Johnny Sauter, Austin Dillon, Parker Kligerman, Justin Marks and Brad Sweet.

The victory was Busch’s fourth NCWTS in 2011 and fifth for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM). Dating back to 2010, KBM finished in the top 10 in 17 consecutive races; including 11 wins and three runner-up finishes. The defending owners’ champions have opened a 59-point in this year’s standings after six races.

Busch will be back behind the wheel of the No. 18 Dollar General Toyota when the NCWTS heads to Kansas Speedway for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 June 4 at 2:00 p.m. ET.

About Kyle Busch Motorsports

NASCAR superstar Kyle Busch added a second career within NASCAR in December 2009 when he announced his Kyle Busch Motorsports team would compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2010. KBM is a leader on and off the track in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, becoming the first team since the series originated in 1995 to capture the owners’ championship in their inaugural season. In October of 2010, the team moved into a brand new 77,000-square-foot facility in Mooresville, N.C., which boasts state-of-the-art equipment and its pending LEED certification make it unmatched among its peers. Fans can stay up-to-date with all the latest KBM news online at www.kylebuschmotorsports.com, by liking the team on facebook (www.facebook.com/KyleBuschMS) and following the team on twitter @KyleBuschMS.

- Kyle Busch Motorsports Press Release

No. 66. GoPro Chevrolet Silverado (Justin Marks) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

Race: 9th Annual North Carolina Education Lottery “200″

Location: Concord, NC

Track Length: 1.5 Mile Banked Paved Oval

Race Distance: 134 laps / 201 miles

Broadcast Coverage: SPEED

Radio Coverage: MRN / SIRIUS XM

Date: Friday, May 20, 2011

Time: 8:00 p.m. ET

Justin Marks

“I’ve circled the Charlotte race on the calendar since before the season even started. We have a brand new truck with a fantastic body on it that showed very well in the wind tunnel. You have to be strong on these mile-and-a-half’s because they comprise so much of the schedule so to be able to take a very high quality product like this truck to Charlotte is exciting.”

LAST RACE RECAP – DOVER:

Justin Marks was flat out impressive at Dover International Speedway last Friday. In only his second career start at the tough one-mile oval, Marks’ claimed the Keystone Light Pole Award for the 200-lap battle at “The Monster Mile” and raced on to finish 10th at the infamous speedway.

MARKS RIDING MOMENTUM INTO CHARLOTTE:

“I think momentum is a big thing in this sport and right now the morale in the shop is up and we’re all very eager to get to Charlotte after our strong day in Dover. We knew all along that this team was capable of a competitive showing and being able to go into Dover, win the pole, and finish strongly just helps to fire everyone up for what’s ahead.”

MARKS’ GAME PLAN FOR THE GOPRO CHEVY:

“Our game plan for this race is the same that it has always been. We have to have a strong practice and focus on getting the GoPro Chevy to where I need it to compete for a top-10 in the race. Regardless of whether we’re on the pole or we start 20th, the goal is race strong and finish in the top-10 as we build this program into something we can eventually compete for wins with.”

THE CREW CHIEF’S CHOICE FOR CHARLOTTE:

Crew Chief Doug Wolcott has selected chassis No. 143 for the 9th Annual North Carolina Education Lottery “200″. This brand new truck will make its first laps on the track in practice on Friday, starting at 9 a.m. ET. Chassis No. 143 is a Triad chassis, which was purchased from Kyle Busch Motorsports. During comprehensive wind tunnel testing, this fresh, new Chevrolet body posted impressive numbers and is one of the best trucks in the Turn One fleet.

MARKS TO SIGN AUTOGRAPHS NEXT SATURDAY:

Justin Marks, teammate Cole Whitt, and other NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers will take part in an autograph session on Saturday, May 28th from 6-8 p.m. at the Creative Loafing tent at Food Lion Speed Street Festival. The tent is located at the corner of Tryon and MLK (Wachovia Plaza).

SPONSOR SHOWCASE – LOCAL T.G.I. FRIDAY’S:

Two local T.G.I. Friday’s franchises are proud partners of Justin Marks and teammate Cole Whitt this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The Concord Mills and University locations have signed on to support the team. T.G.I. Friday’s serves a delicious selection of menu items including appetizers, entrées, and desserts. Next time you’re in the area, be sure to check them out!

- Turn One Racing Press Release

Matt Merrell

The Portland, Texas native has endured several different types of race tracks during his young career. From short tracks, to intermediate tracks and even the intimidating superspeedways of Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway but this weekend the opportunity to strengthen his resume by competing at a road course is an opportunity and not a hindrance.

“I’m more than ready,” said Merrell. “You have to approach tracks that you have never been to before with optimism. Who knows, I might even surprise myself this weekend. The biggest thing for me this weekend is not to break what we’ve already built so far in 2011 including moving up to second in points. A good run will help keep us in this championship chase.”

And that platform that Merrell has built in 2011 has been impressive. With a third place outing at Daytona, a ninth at Talladega, a fifth at Salem (Ind.) Speedway and a third in the most recent adventure at Toledo Speedway, the possibilities of keeping his streak alive remain at an all-time high.

“I cannot boast enough about this Win-Tron Racing team,” added the 26-year old protégé. “Nate, Kevin, Mike (Chafee, crew chief), Mike (Resop, car chief) and the rest of the guys are some of the best in the business. They know what they are doing even when it comes to road course racing, so I’m just eager to get behind the wheel of our No. 32 Champion Brands Dodge Charger.”

To help prepare the former USARacing Pro Cup Series star for his first tango with NJMP, Merrell recently attended the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving at Firebird Raceway. Merrell spent four days under grueling testing conditions which included three days of testing in a Chevrolet Corvette C6 Grand Sport and spent his last day in a Formula 1200 open-wheel car.

“I learned a lot at the school,” Merrell mentioned. “You learn the typical dos and don’ts, but you also get to experience some of what could happen first-hand for yourself. I know that even tough I wasn’t in a stock car, the techniques will no question help me on Sunday.”

An added bonus for Merrell is that he has developed a bond with former Win-Tron Racing pilot Justin Marks who erupted with his first career ARCA victory win at Palm Beach (Fla.) International Raceway with the Lakeville, Minnesota based team last February.

“Being able to lean on Justin the past couple weeks has been a huge bonus,” sounded Merrell. “He has told me what to be prepared for this weekend at New Jersey. He’s told me what to expect, what could happen and how to setup and make a move on the competition, that all helps. I’ve taken a lot of input in from him and it’s planted into my mind. I know that if I need to, I can also pick up the phone and call him this weekend too.”

Nate Thiesse, co-owner of Win-Tron Racing isn’t worried about his driver’s inexperience heading into the fifth race of the year. “Matt will be fine. One of his brightest abilities is how well he is able to adapt quickly to new surroundings and New Jersey this weekend will be the perfect scenario. I think with the help of the Bob Bondurant School and talking with Justin (Marks), we won’t see anything less that what Matt has delivered all year long.”

The lone road racing contest of the year signifies the fourth race that Champion Brands will heed the role as the primary sponsor for the Lakeville, Minnesota-based team. Headquartered in Clinton, Missouri Champion Brands LLC produces and blends more than 300 products including fuel, oil and engine additives and lubricants for the automotive, heavy truck, agricultural and specialty markets.

Entering New Jersey, Merrell is second in the ARCA Racing Series championship standings 95 points behind leader Ty Dillon and five markers ahead of nine-time champion Frank Kimmel in third. Currently, the Win-Tron Racing team holds the reins with Kimmel Racing as the only two teams to finish inside the top-10 in all four races thus far in 2011.

Merrell will make his 18th career start in the ARCA Racing Series presented Menards at NJMP this weekend. In his previous 17 outings, Merrell has eight top-fives including runner-up finishes of second at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway and Pocono (Pa.) Raceway (August) in 2009 and 10 top-10s. His best start position for Win-Tron Racing occurred at the tricky triangle of Pocono (Pa.) Raceway where he qualified his No. 32 CollinsHope.org Dodge Charger second in June of 2009.

The ModSpace 150 (67 laps / 150 miles) is the fifth of 19 events on the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The fourth ever ARCA event held at New Jersey Motorsports Park is a two-day show. Practice begins Saturday, May 21 with an hour and a half practice session planned from 11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. A final “happy hour” session has been etched in from 1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying is slated to begin at 4:30 p.m. The field will take the green flag on Sunday May 22 shortly after 1:00 p.m. The race will not be televised but event coverage including live timing and scoring throughout the weekend will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com presented by ARCANation.com.

Further information including driver opportunities with Win-Tron Racing is available by visiting win-tronracing.com or contacting Nate Thiesse at 952.469.1839.

- Win-Tron Racing Press Release