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A fifth generation farmer, Chastain has learned while working on the family farm that small seeds can blossom into succulent fruit in just a few months time and the young driver knows those same small seeds in racing can blossom into career of his dreams. “I’m very excited to work together with Bobby Dotter and I want to help grow with the team and improve myself throughout the year. I think we have set realistic goals and I’m excited to get to North Carolina and begin preparing for the season.”

Ross Chastain

Ross ran five NCWTS races in 2011 finishing 10th in his first ever start at Lucas Oil Raceway and completed an impressive 98.5% of the laps in the five races with an average finish of 18.8. Last month, Chastain participated in an open ARCA test at the “World Center of Speed” in preparation for this February’s race posting lap times in the top quarter of the 79 drivers that attended.

Returning to its familiar No. 08 for the 2012 season, Chastain and the team SS Green Light team are guaranteed a starting spot for the first four races of the campaign. Sponsorship for the south Florida farmer is currently being finalized with multiple agricultural based businesses and will be announced at a later date. The team is also actively pursuing additional marketing partners for select races in the 22-race NCWTS schedule.

“My goal for 2012 is to run as many laps as possible and run up near the top ten each week,” said Chastain. “Bobby has a great reputation for developing young drivers and I’m looking forward to get to the shop to get some hand’s on experience on the trucks.”

The SS Green Light team has one of the longest tenures in the NCWTS with 270 consecutive starts dating back to 2001. The team is planning to run the No. 07 and No 08 Toyota Tundra entries utilizing horsepower from Mark Smith’s Pro Motor Engines.

Bobby Dotter, co-owner and crew chief of SS Green Light Racing is excited about his new driver; “I’m really looking forward to working with Ross this season. He built a nice resume running late models in Florida and in his few opportunities last year in the NCWTS he showed speed at a variety of tracks. His practice and test times proved to us he deserved the opportunity to be behind the wheel of our trucks. I’m impressed with his attitude and desire to learn and he has realistic goals. Ross plans to be in the shop working with the guys and gaining valuable knowledge about his equipment.”

SS Green Light Racing and Chastain plan to run the full NCWTS schedule and compete for Rookie of the Year honors.

For more information about SS Green Light Racing visit www.SSRacingonline.com.

- SS Green Light Racing Press Release

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NASCAR driver Mike Bliss will take the wheel in the #19 Brookshire’s Food & Pharmacy Chevrolet Impala at the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge Race on Saturday, November 5. The black, red and white Impala with red trim, along with the number 19 in red, will represents the colors of the Brookshire’s Food & Pharmacy brand over the NASCAR Nationwide Series Race weekend.

“Participation on the track is a natural extension of the relationship we’ve had with TMS and NASCAR,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Rick Rayford. “Thousands of NASCAR fans from across our market areas continually express their appreciation of our involvement in the sport they love and passionately support. We believe these fans are the most loyal of any sport fan base out there.”

TriStar Motorsports’ driver, Mike Bliss, echo’s Rayford’s excitement about the partnership at TMS.

“It’s an honor to be working with Brookshire’s Food & Pharmacy for this weekend’s race at Texas Motor Speedway. I know we will represent them well and I hope we put on a great show for them, the fans and their customers that will be joining us in the pits this weekend for the race.”

Mike currently sits just outside the top 10 in the Nationwide driver Standings in 11th position, but Bliss’s breadth of racing experience is tremendous. He has competed on many levels of racing. From the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series where he earned a championship to the USAC Silver Crown Series, where he raced against NASCAR champions Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon, to the Indy Racing League (IRL) and even on to NASCAR’s premier Cup series. Bliss is a Milwaukie, Oregon native, where he lives with his wife Sue and daughter Britney.

“This will be a nationally televised race, and to have Mike sporting our brand on the car and wearing a Brookshire’s Food & Pharmacy fire suit is very exciting,” Rayford said. “We believe it will continue to introduce our stores, products and services to an even greater audience.”

About BGC

Since 1928 Brookshire Grocery Co. has operated on the principle of putting people first—customers and employees. Known for friendly service, clean stores and strong community support, BGC operates 152 stores in three states—Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas—with three distribution centers and seven manufacturing facilities. For more information visit brookshires.com and super1foods.com

BGC Mission

To provide a great food and shopping experience

ABOUT TRISTAR MOTORSPORTS:

TriStar Motorsports is in its sophomore season of NASCAR Nationwide Series competition. Owned by Oregon native and NASCAR engine builder, Mark Smith, TriStar Motorsports operates out of a facility in Denver, NC and fields three full-time cars in the Nationwide Series. The driver line-up includes, Eric McClure, Mike Bliss, and former Nationwide Series champion Jeff Green.

- TriStar Motorsports Press Release

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“We’re very excited about the race this weekend and can’t wait to watch the U.S. Xpress car go around the track,” said U.S. Xpress President, John White. “It’s an honor to be partnering with not only a great driver but also a well respected company like TriStar Motorsports.”

TriStar Motorsports’ driver, Mike Bliss, reiterates White’s excitement about the partnership.

“It’s an honor to work with U.S. Xpress for this weekend’s race at Chicagoland Speedway. Not only is their equipment first class, they also put a large emphasis on commitment and customer service which is just one of the many reasons they are celebrating their 25th year in operation. I know we will represent them well and I hope we put on a great show for them and the fans this weekend.”

Headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S. Xpress is a family-owned and operated company celebrating its 25th Anniversary of “Service That Matters” in the trucking industry. Priding itself in honesty, integrity, and forward thinking, U.S. Xpress offers a wide range of services, advanced technologies, and above all personal service to help its clientele solve their most unique challenges.

Relying heavily on their employees to get the job done, whether it is the professionals behind the wheel or in the sales, maintenance, customer service, information technology, and operations departments, U.S. Xpress provides a friendly work environment with performance-based pay and reward. They also offer their employees training, education, and support so they can not only grow and succeed in their position but also within the company.

“We’re very much looking forward to the race this weekend,” White said. “It’s going to be fun to watch Mike and the U.S. Xpress car at a great track like Chicagoland. We pride ourselves on always doing our best to treat our drivers right. That’s why we provide them with the very best equipment on the road, and some of the best pay and benefits in the industry.”

Whether you need truckload services locally, nationally, or internationally, or want a self- rewarding career in the trucking industry, U.S. Xpress is the company for you.

For additional information on U.S. Xpress, please visit www.usxpress.com. If you would like to become part of the most dynamic team in the trucking industry, please visit www.usxjobs.com or the career portal on www.usxpress.com.

ABOUT U.S. XPRESS ENTERPRISES

Founded in 1986, U.S. Xpress Enterprises is the nation’s third largest privately-owned truckload carrier, providing a wide variety of transportation solutions throughout North America. We are committed to being at the forefront of safety compliance, using comprehensive training for our staff and drivers and ensuring our trucks feature the latest safety innovations. With a dedication to minimizing our impact on the environment, U.S. Xpress is a SmartWay Transport Partner and was honored with a 2009 SmartWay Environmental Excellence Award. U.S. Xpress Enterprises’ affiliates include Arnold Transportation Services, Smith Transport, Total Transportation of Mississippi, Xpress Global Systems and Xpress International. For more information, please visit www.usxpress.com

ABOUT TRISTAR MOTORSPORTS:

TriStar Motorsports is in its sophomore season of NASCAR Nationwide Series competition. Owned by Oregon native and NASCAR engine builder, Mark Smith, TriStar Motorsports operates out of a facility in Denver, NC and fields three full-time cars in the Nationwide Series. The driver line-up includes, Eric McClure, Mike Bliss, and former Nationwide Series champion Jeff Green.

- TriStar Motorsports Press Release

No. 14 Hefty® BlackOut™ / Reynolds™ Chevrolet Impala (Eric McClure) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

“I’m relatively ok with the way we finished tonight. We almost had a top 20 finish, but we were beaten by just a little bit at the line after trying to get another spot. We were tight the majority of the race, but the guys worked hard to make changes to the car and in the last part of the race it was getting to where we needed it. We didn’t qualify where I thought we could have and with the way track position is anymore we just got too far behind too early. We are having some respectable runs right now; we just need to keep working at it and put everything together all at once and capitalize on it.”

McClure took the green flag for the final time at Lucas Oil Raceway from the 25th position. Slipping three positions by lap six, McClure quickly reported “the car is way too tight in the center of the turns and I can’t get it to drive off straight.” After utilizing the first caution period on lap 47 to bring the Hefty® BlackOut™/Reynolds™ Chevrolet to pit road for four fresh tires with an air-pressure adjustment, a track-bar adjustment, and fuel, the team was scored in the 27th position on the lap 51 restart.

As the race progressed under green conditions, McClure was able to maintain the 27th position despite the car continuing to show tight handling conditions in the center of the turns. When the event’s second caution flag was displayed on lap 114 for debris, the team once again utilized this period to bring the car to pit road for four tires with another air-pressure adjustment, wedge and track-bar adjustments and fuel. After a quick stop by the Hefty Racing™ team, McClure was able to restart in the 25th position on lap 120.

Eric McClure

In the final 17 laps, the Kroger 200 saw two additional cautions, one of which forced a green-white-checkered (GWC) finish. As the field was coming to the checkered flag, McClure, who was running in the 20th position, went low to attempt to pass the No.7 car for position. Unfortunately, the car became too loose on exit allowing the No. 81 to barely nudge past him at the finish line. As a result, the Hefty Racing® team was credited with a 21st-place finish. Although the driver’s sights were set on a top-20 finish, the finish earned was a career-high at Lucas Oil Raceway.

With the result, TriStar Motorsports owner Mark Smith advanced two positions (27th) in NASCAR Owner Standings.

Up next for the NASCAR Nationwide Series is the US Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway. Catch all of the action live on Saturday, August 6, 2011 at 7:00pm (ET) on ESPN 2.

- Team McClure Inc. Press Release

No. 14 Hefty® BlackOut™ / Reynolds™ Chevrolet Impala (Eric McClure) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

“I can’t say enough about this race team. We struggled just a bit in practice but Gary (Cogswell, crew chief) made positive changes for the race. The guys worked hard extremely hard this weekend, pit stops were good and we put ourselves in position for the breaks to come our way. Jeff Green was a tremendous help to the team, both in practice and as a spotter. We’ve had good cars this year, with a lot of bad luck, but a finish like this is something we all needed. For this to come in front of a number of our supporters is icing on the cake. Hopefully, this will give us some momentum going forward. I’m pretty excited about it.”

Inclement weather again forced the cancellation of qualifying on Saturday afternoon. As the field was set per the NASCAR rule book, McClure lined up 27th on the starting grid. When a scheduled competition caution flag waved on lap 25 McClure, who was running in the 26th position, headed to pit road for the first stop of the event. Hoping to pacify the “loose on entry and tight in the center” handling characteristics of the No. 14 Impala, the call was made for four fresh tires with a small adjustment of air pressure, and fuel. After a quick stop by the Hefty Racing® team, the team was scored in the 22nd position on the lap 30 restart.

Over the next 30 laps, the Hefty® BlackOut™/Reynolds™ Chevrolet continued to be show a tight characteristic so, when the event’s second caution flag waved on lap 61, McClure came to pit road for four tires, fuel and adjustments. Following another quick stop from the Hefty Racing® crew the TriStar Motorsports team was scored in the 20th position. Unfortunately, on the lap 66 restart the field “stacked up” in front of McClure, resulting in the No. 14 machine getting hit from behind and forced out of line, which caused the team to lose four positions in the running order.

After getting back in the preferred racing line the team was able to maintain the 24th position until green flag pit stops began on lap 111. Hoping to gamble for a caution, Cogswell made the decision to stay on the track as long as possible and with just five laps before needing fuel the decision paid dividends as the event’s third caution flag waved. After visiting pit road for fuel and adjustments to air pressure, McClure restarted the event in the 16th position.

When the event’s fourth caution flag waved on lap 139, Cogswell once again called the No. 14 Chevrolet to pit road for four tires, fuel, and a track-bar adjustment as McClure had reported that the car’s handling had suddenly become “loose.” Following the service, NASCAR informed the team that McClure was too fast on pit road and would have to serve a penalty by resuming the race from the tail end of the longest line of cars. As a result, Cogswell decided to top off the fuel tank and the team was scored in the 21st position when the race resumed on lap 142.

This decision would also prove critical as the event would run under green flag conditions for the remainder of the race. The cars that had taken the “wave around” during the previous caution began hitting pit road for fuel on lap 186, with a handful of the leaders coming to pit road on lap 188. With enough fuel to complete the distance, the team decided to not bring the car to pit road during the final laps and, as a result, the Hefty Racing® team was able to score an 18th-place finish.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series returns to action on Saturday, June 18 at Michigan Int’l Speedway.

- Team McClure Inc. Press Release

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Headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin and founded in 1929, Miller® Welders has grown from a one-man operation to the world’s largest manufacturer of arc welding and cutting equipment. Keeping the people as its primary focus and valuing things as integrity, commitment, loyalty, and teamwork, Miller® Welders continues to maintain its global leadership, setting the industry standard for reliability, quality, and responsiveness.

“It’s an exciting time for us to be able to partner with TriStar Motorsports and Mike Bliss”, stated Andy Weyenberg, Manager of Motorsports Marketing at Miller® Welders. “We believe in Mike’s ability and have worked with him at Xpress Motorsports when he won his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship and then again at the Haas CNC Sprint Cup program. Miller® Welders are used daily at most of these race shops, so when Rick Carpenter brought this opportunity to us, we thought it would be a great way to promote our products to everyone from the casual hobbyist to the hardcore racer.”

TriStar Motorsports Driver Mike Bliss reiterates Weyenberg’s excitement about the partnership especially at the track where he recorded his last Nationwide Series victory in 2009.

“It’s an honor to once again work with Andy (Weyenberg) and the entire Miller® Welders organization for this weekend’s race at Charlotte (Motor Speedway). Not only is their equipment first class, they also put a large emphasis on people and commitment which is just one of the many reasons they have a large global presence. I know we will represent them well and will put on a great show for them and the fans.”

For additional information on Miller® Welders, please visit www.millerwelds.com.

ABOUT TRISTAR MOTORSPORTS:

TriStar Motorsports is in its sophomore season of NASCAR Nationwide Series competition. Owned by Oregon native and NASCAR engine builder, Mark Smith, TriStar Motorsports operates out of a facility in Denver, NC and fields three full-time cars in the Nationwide Series. The driver line-up includes, Eric McClure, Mike Bliss, and former Nationwide Series champion Jeff Green.

- TriStar Motorsports Press Release

Hefty Racing

“This is not the finish we should’ve gotten but after the past five weeks I will take it. We struggled a little bit during the race compared to the practice session on Friday, but I believe we have figured out why and we will work on it before we come back here in the fall. We will take the positives from the weekend and go forward. We just need to keep working together and continuing to improve each week. Our speed is better than in years past, and we are practicing and qualifying so much better; we’ve just been having some bad luck.”

Eric McClure started Saturday’s 5-Hour Energy 200 from the 23rd position, which was set per the NASCAR Rule Book as inclement weather forced the cancellation of qualifying for the second consecutive week. By the time the event’s second caution flag waved on lap 20, the Hefty® BlackOut™/Reynolds™ Impala had become extremely tight in the center of the turns. Rather than bringing the car to pit road for adjustments, the call was made to stay out and wait for the competition yellow that would be displayed on lap 40. It was then that McClure, who was running in the 31st position, brought his car to pit road for four fresh tires with a large air-pressure adjustment, fuel, and to add a ½ rubber to the right rear spring. Following the service, the TriStar Motorsports team was scored in the 27th position on the lap 45 restart.

Over the next 40 laps, the Virginia driver was still battling a tight handling car in the center of the turns, so when the event’s fifth caution flag waved he brought his No. 19 Impala to pit road for four scuffed tires with an air-pressure adjustment, fuel, and a track-bar adjustment. Returning to the track in the 26th position for the lap 100 restart, McClure was able to advance one position before the event’s sixth caution flag was displayed on lap 139 for inclement weather. Rather than visiting pit road for service, crew chief Gary Cogswell made the call to stay out, take the wave around, and hope the weather would force an early conclusion to the event. Unfortunately, after a 31-minute delay, the race resumed on lap 148 with the team scored in the 23rd position.

As the race progressed under green conditions, it quickly became apparent that not pitting under the last caution hurt the team as now the No. 19 Impala was on much older tires compared to most the field. As a result, a lot of time was lost to the race leaders as the car would no longer roll quickly through the center of the corner and the driver had to wait too long before applying the throttle. As the team had not been on pit road since before the lap 100 restart, McClure was forced to give up the 21st position on lap 185 to visit pit road for fuel and a small wedge adjustment. Following the service the team returned to the track and was scored in the 23rd position.

On lap 197, the event’s seventh caution flag was displayed which would force a green-white-checkered finish. Rather than visiting pit road for four fresh tires and fuel, the team decided to stay out with hopes of being in position to pass two cars for position in the final two laps. Unfortunately, when the field was taking the green on lap 202, McClure reported his Hefty® BlackOut™/Reynolds™ had no power and was out of fuel. By not being able to make it back to pit road, the event’s eighth caution flag was displayed which would force the second attempt at a green-white checkered finish. Receiving a push from a tow truck, the No. 19 Impala made it back to pit road where the crew quickly began force-fueling the carburetor that allowed the car to re-fire and sustain constant fuel pressure. Returning to the track in the 25th position for the lap 207 restart, a multi-car crash occurred on the frontstretch just after the leader had taken the white flag. Consequently, the race was forced to end under caution with McClure being scored with a 25th-place finish.

- Team McClure Inc. Press Release

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“This was strictly a business decision”, stated TriStar Motorsports owner Mark Smith. “Eric has done a great job for us this year but unfortunately we have had some mechanical issues that have put us in this position. We know Eric could have gotten his car back in the points but it’s very important to us to have our sponsored car in each race.”

- TriStar Motorsports Press Release

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

Race: Lucas Oil 200

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: 6 of 25

Track: Dover International Speedway

Track Length: 1.00 miles

Date: May 13, 2011

Driver Clay Rogers and the RBR Enterprises BTS Tire and Wheel Distributors / fleetHQ.com No. 92 Chevy Silverado team enter the Lucas Oil 200 at Dover International Speedway in eighth place in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) driver standings following a 31st-place finish in the Bully Hill Vineyards 200 at Nashville Superspeedway.

RBR at Dover: RBR Enterprises will be making its first start at Dover International Speedway in the Lucas Oil 200.

Rogers at Dover: Clay Rogers will be making his first start in any NASCAR National Touring Series at Dover International Speedway in the Lucas Oil 200.

Last race recap: The No. 92 BTS Tire and Wheel Distributors/fleetHQ team qualified 25th for the Bull Hill Vineyards 200 at Nashville Superspeedway three weeks ago. The team finished in 31st position.

Camping World Truck Series Points: Rogers enters Dover eighth in the NCWTS points, 43 points behind points leader Johnny Sauter. Rogers finds himself four points behind seventh-place Todd Bodine and two points ahead of ninth-place Max Papis.

Clay Rogers quotes:

On Nashville race: “We definitely had higher expectations for Nashville. The truck handled well, we just couldn’t find the speed that we needed all weekend.”

On moving on to Dover: “We’ve made some changes in the last couple of weeks. I really want to thank the guys on the team and Mark Smith and his guys at (engine supplier) Pro Motor for all they done. We are positive we have hit on some things that will make us go faster at Dover

“We are going to hit this one full bore.”

Owner Ricky Benton Quotes:

On team’s decision to add Dover to their schedule: “We are still looking for some partners for the No. 92 truck, but after the strong start we’ve had to the season, we hated to not go to Dover and try to continue the momentum that we’ve built. We are hopeful for a good run that we can build on moving forward in 2011, especially when we go to Charlotte in a couple of weeks.”

About fleetHQ:

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, 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 has expanded to include Dover and could expand more if additional sponsorship can be secured.

For more information or to learn how you can partner with RBR Enterprises in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, contact Rick Benton II at 910.840.6857 or by email at rbrmarketing@ncez.net.

- Ricky Benton Racing Press Release

No. 14 Hefty® BlackOut™ / Reynolds™ Chevrolet Impala (Eric McClure) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

“I really just want to forget this weekend. There were a couple of different reasons why we struggled today and we will all just work on them before coming back here in July; we actually got in the right direction the last third of the race, despite the engine skipping, so that’s positive.. I’ll be better than I was this weekend as well so it’s just a blip in the season hopefully. This was the worst we have been all year in a race, but really the first time we just had an overall bad day, so we’ll take the positive things from it and go from there. I just hate it for the Hefty® brand and all of TriStar Motorsports. We are better than this and will get back in the direction we were going soon.”

With temperatures in the mid to upper 80s, Eric McClure took the green flag from the 34th position and was able to advance three positions by the time the first caution flag was displayed on lap 49, despite being “tight through the center and snappy loose off of the turns.” The team took this opportunity to bring the Hefty® BlackOut™/Reynolds™ impala to pit road for four tires with a small air-pressure adjustment, fuel, and a wedge adjustment. Upon completion of the service, McClure returned to the track in the 31st position.

Eric McClure

Over the next 15 laps McClure was able to advance one position when the event’s second caution flag was displayed on lap 134. Crew Chief Gary Cogswell took this opportunity to once again bring the Hefty® BlackOut™/Reynolds™ impala to pit road for four tires, fuel, and a track-bar adjustment. Following the service, the TriStar Motorsports team was scored in the 32nd position on the lap 138 restart. One lap later the event’s third caution flag was displayed. Although McClure had just visited pit road for service, he hit pit road once again, but this time it was for additional water bottles as he was fighting heat buildup in the car. Once the race resumed on lap144, he was scored in the 32nd position.

Throughout the remainder of the event McClure visited pit road two additional times, both of which were under yellow conditions. One stop was to check under the hood for the cause of a “miss” that had developed in the No. 14 Impala. The diagnosis was an electrical problem, but as the team couldn’t determine the source of the problem McClure was sent back on track to ride out the race where he was able to finish the 300-mile event in the 32nd position. As a result, TriStar Motorsports owner Mark Smith is tied for 27th in NASCAR Owner Standings.

- Team McClure Inc. Press Release

No. 14 Hefty® BlackOut™ / Reynolds™ Chevrolet Impala (Eric McClure) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

McClure brought his car to pit road on lap 89 and then to the garage area where the team discovered a leaking fuel pump cable adapter. Additionally, the fumes inside the cockpit were so strong upon McClure’s arrival in the garage that he became sick and was forced to give his seat to teammate Jeff Green to finish the event. By returning to the race on lap 141, multiple laps down to the race leader, the TriStar Motorsports team was able to advance two positions to finish the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 in the 31st position. Despite the finish, McClure was able to advance to 17th in NASCAR driver standings.

Eric McClure

Starting the race from the 41st position, McClure quickly advanced six positions by lap four despite being loose in the center and on exit of the turns. As the race progressed, the car’s handling worsened as the Hefty® BlackOut™/Reynolds™ Impala was now loose on entry. As a result, spotter Bill O’Dea reminded the 32-year-old driver to search for different lines around the track to help with the car’s handling until adjustments could be made. As a result, McClure searched all lines around the track and found that the middle-to-high line worked best which allowed him to advance to the 30th position by the time green flag pit stops began on lap 39.

Hoping for a caution, the team decided to stay out as long as possible but was forced to give up the 15th position on lap 54 to bring the car to pit road for four tires with an air-pressure adjustment, a wedge adjustment, and fuel. Following the service, the No. 14 impala returned to the track and was scored in the 30th position, two laps down to the race leader.

On lap 68, the first caution flag waved and team crew chief, Gary Cogswell, played a different strategy. Taking a chance on a quick caution when the race resumed, the Hefty® Racing™ team decided to stay on track to receive the wave around. This allowed the Virginia driver to advance three positions to 25th and be scored one lap down to the race leader on the lap 73 restart.

Over the next several laps, the loose handling condition of the Hefty® BlackOut™/Reynolds™ Impala continued which forced the driver to back up his entry which resulted in time lost to the race leader. Just before McClure lost an additional lap to the leader, the event’s second caution flag waved on lap 87, which was good news for the TriStar Motorsports team. Unfortunately, smoke began pouring from the cockpit and rear of the car almost immediately when the field slowed behind the pace car. The car was immediately brought to the garage area on lap 89 for repairs and it was there that the team discovered the leaking fuel pump cable adapter. The subsequent sickness of McClure forced teammate Jeff Green to finish the event.

By returning to the event, the Hefty® Racing™ team was able to advance two positions to finish the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 in the 31st position. Despite the finish, McClure was able to advance to 17th in driver standings, while TriStar Motorsports owner Mark Smith remained 23rd in owner standings.

Other TriStar Motorsports News:

**Teammate Mike Bliss and his No. 19 TriStar Motorsports team started the race from the 36th position and cautiously advanced through the field to finish the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 in the 19th position. As a result, Bliss currently sits 10th in NNS driver standings while Mark Smith is 18th in NASCAR Owner Standings.

- Team McClure Inc. Press Release

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NASCAR Nationwide Series (Race 4 of 34) — Bristol Motor Speedway

New Crew Chief for Bliss:

- TriStar Motorsports owner, Mark Smith, announced that effective immediately Wes Ward will assume crew chief duties for the No. 19 entry and driver Mike Bliss.

A NASCAR veteran of 22š years and former Director of Competition at Rusty Wallace Racing, Ward replaces Dave Fuge at the helm of the No. 19 team.

Bristol Motor Speedway Notes:

Mike Bliss will be competing in his 216th Nationwide Series event this weekend and his 14th at BMS.In 13 races he has completed 94.6% of the total laps and has recorded a fifth place finish on two separate occasions.

Jeff Green will continue to drive for the No. 44 team this weekend. Green will be competing in his 282nd Nationwide Series event and his 24th at BMS. He has two back-to-back poles and has visited victory lane once at the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile”.

This Week’s Impalas for Bliss and Green:

Bliss will utilize chassis No. 105 this weekend.. This chassis was previously used at Phoenix International Raceway by Charles Lewandoski and it recorded a 21st-place finish.

Jeff Green will pilot chassis No. 1 this weekend. He drove it two weeks ago at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

- TriStar Motorsports Press Release

2011 NNS No. 14 Hefty Black Out Chevrolet (Eric McClure) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCAR

“I am happy with how the car ran today, although we didn’t get the finish we deserved. We were able to run competitively early and able to get ourselves to the front part of the field. Unfortunately, about the time the pack started to break up into two-car drafts the car started losing rpm’s and we fell to the back. We thought we were down a cylinder in the engine and tried to ride it out for awhile, but after going to the garage, they found a spark plus was broken. Although the finish isn’t the way we wanted to start the season, the effort of this team and how we ran most of the week gets me excited for a great season. I am looking forward to getting to Phoenix and rebounding from this weekend.”

Eric McClure

It was then that the 32-year-old driver reported that the car would not accelerate in second and third gear and that the rpms were very low in fourth gear. After switching ignition boxes and bringing the car to pit road for fuel, McClure was scored in the 27th position when the race resumed on lap 28. It quickly became evident the symptoms had worsened as the engine sounded “flat” and the car was no longer able to run with the draft. After bringing the car to the garage area on lap 41 it was discovered that a spark plug had broken. Once repaired, the team was able to return to the track in the 35th position on lap 64.

By returning to the event McClure was able to advance two positions in the remaining laps to finish the DRIVE4COPD 300 in the 33rd position. As a result, McClure sits 22nd in NASCAR Nationwide Series driver standings, while TriStar Motorsports owner Mark Smith is 33rd in owner standings.

Other TriStar Motorsports News:

- **Teammate Mike Bliss and his No. 19 TriStar Motorsports team started the race from the 30th position, received the “Lucky Dog” award on lap 55 while running in the 21st position, and was able to receive a push from the No. 66 Toyota in the closing laps to finish the DRIVE4COPD 300 in the 13th position. As a result of his finish and the new points procedure, Bliss currently sits 6th in Nationwide Series driver standings, while his owner, Mark Smith, sits 13th in owner standings. Bliss will be driving the No. 44 in next weekend’s event at Phoenix International Speedway as Charles Lewandoski will be making his season debut in the #19 Chevrolet.

- TriStar Motorsports Press Release

TriStar Motorsports

“It feels good to finalize my plans for the 2011 season by joining the TriStar Motorsports team and to be reunited with Mark (Smith) and Dave (Fuge),” stated Bliss. “In 2002 Dave and I won the Truck Championship with Mark’s engines under the hood. All of us have high expectations for the upcoming season with TriStar.”

Bliss has over 500 starts in the top three divisions of NASCAR, with over 200 of those in the Nationwide Series. The 2002 NASCAR Camping World Champion also has two wins in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (Charlotte Motor Speedway 2004 and 2009).

“Adding Mike to our team, along with Eric, is another step in the right direction,” said team owner Mark Smith. “I believe that we have put together a great group of people at TriStar and I only see great things on the horizon. The guys on the team are working hard on building our fleet of new cars for the upcoming season. We are working on finishing up some sponsorship programs with Bliss and we think 2011 will be a huge step in the development of TriStar Motorsports.”

- TriStar Motorsports Press Release

“We are proud to add Rick to our growing organization,” stated team owner Mark Smith. “He brings a wealth of experience to the team and we think he will be a great addition as we continue the growth of our program. I believe his personality is a great compliment to our group of employees and everyone has welcomed him with open arms.”

Carpenter is a veteran within NASCAR serving many capacities in the sport. Prior to joining TriStar Motorsports he served as General Manager for Rusty Wallace’s Nationwide Series operation at RWI Racing. Rick has also held management positions at Penske Racing and Jasper Motorsports.

“I have known Mark Smith for many years and to be able to come into the situation of leading his NASCAR team is pretty cool,” said Carpenter. “Also, in my early years of this business the Morgan McClure teams were always tough and I admired their work in the sport – and now to be able to work with Eric McClure is awesome. My goal is to provide Eric and the rest of our drivers with the best opportunity they have had in this sport to excel and to help Mark grow TriStar Motorsports into a very formidable organization. We do have some lofty ambitions and I am anxious to get started with everything.”

TriStar Motorsports will field three entries this coming season in the NASCAR Nationwide Series – with McClure piloting the No. 14 Hefty® Chevrolet as well as the team fielding the No. 19 and No. 44 Chevrolets. The team will be making future announcements on drivers and sponsors for the other two entries

- Integrity Sports Marketing Press Release