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Race Results

October 21, 2014

GMS Racing Race Report

Joey Coulter Finishes Ninth at Michigan International Speedway

Joey Coulter and the No. 21 Allegiant Travel Chevrolet team finished ninth in the Careers for Veterans 200 at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday afternoon after battling handling issues during the 200-mile race. Taking the initial green flag from the ninth position, the Miami Springs, Fla., native was three-wide during the opening laps of the 100-lap event. As the yellow flag waved for the first and only time, Coulter immediately alerted crew chief Jeff Stankiewicz that the Allegiant Travel machine was loose around the two-mile track in the center and off, so under caution on Lap 11, Stankiewicz called Coulter to pit road for fuel and a track bar adjustment. Coulter restarted in 13th position on Lap 14, and the 24-year-old dropped as far back as 16th before the GMS Racing pit crew could work on the truck’s handling during the scheduled four-tire green-flag pit stop on Lap 51. After the stop, Coulter began working his way toward the front of the field and settled into the 11th position – at times running faster lap times than the leader. Green-flag pit-stops cycled through again, and Coulter moved into the ninth position with 20 laps remaining, but Coulter had to visit pit road for a final time on Lap 88 to take on fuel and a chassis adjustment. He returned to the track in 12th position, and during the course of the next 10 laps, Coulter maneuvered through the field and improved his position to ninth, before crossing the finish line at Michigan International Speedway. With this top-10 finish, Coulter remains ninth in the Camping World Truck Series driver championship point standings.

Start – 9 Finish – 9 Laps Led – 0

Joey Coulter Quote:

“We had a lot of great things going for us at Michigan this weekend for our No. 21 Allegiant Travel Chevrolet team. The truck was fast, the pit stops were good, but the race just didn’t fall our way. I am really proud of our top-10 finish and look forward to continuing our progress at GMS Racing for the rest of the season.”

Spencer Gallagher Finishes 13th in the Irish Hills

Spencer Gallagher and the No. 23 Allegiant Travel Chevrolet team rolled out of the Irish Hills and Michigan International Speedway this weekend with their third top-15 finish of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. The Las Vegas native secured a solid 13th-place finish in the Careers for Veterans 200 at the Michigan International Speedway on Saturday, August 16 after starting the blue and orange Chevrolet in the 12th position for the 200-mile event. After the drop of the green flag, the No. 23 Chevrolet was shuffled back to the 14th position in the first laps and Gallagher promptly radioed to crew chief Ryan “Pickle” London that the GMS Racing machine was tight. Under caution on Lap 11, London instructed the 24-year-old driver to bring his Silverado in for a fuel-only pit stop with a chassis adjustment. Gallagher restarted in the 15th position on Lap 14, but slipped back to 17th within six laps. However, he made progress as green-flag pit stops cycled through, and Gallagher was scored in the 11th position at the halfway maker in the 100-lap affair. The No. 23 Chevrolet had acquired a tight-handling condition, making it difficult for Gallagher to run his preferred line, prompting the London-led crew to execute a track bar adjustment on the next pit stop to combat the ill-handling truck. On Lap 50, Gallagher pitted for four tires with an air pressure adjustment, chassis adjustment and fuel. The adjustments improved conditions for Gallagher, and over the next 40 circuits at the Brooklyn, Mich.-based facility, he remained a fixture in the top-15. As the last round of pit stops occurred also under green-flag conditions, teams employed a variety of strategies, so the No. 23 team made its final pit stop on Lap 90 for fuel only. After returning to the track, he was able to improve by one position, to 13th, before the checkered flag waved.

Start – 12 Finish – 13 Laps Led – 0

Spencer Gallagher Quote:

“That was not the finish our GMS Racing team was looking for as we had a fast Silverado throughout the weekend. “Pickle” (Ryan London, crew chief) and the entire Allegiant Travel team put together a solid Chevrolet. I enjoyed getting back in the No. 23 Allegiant Travel Chevrolet and we’ll take a 13th-place finish. I can’t thank the whole GMS Racing team enough for all of their hard work this weekend. I had a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to our next NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race later in the season.”

Grant Enfinger Takes Home Third-Place Prize at the Illinois State Fairgrounds

Grant Enfinger has proved this year he can be fast and racy on the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards’ circuit. On Sunday he also proved he’s versatile on any surface when he’s behind the wheel of his No. 90 Motor Honey/Casite, Allegiant Travel Chevrolet. A week after his victory at Berlin Raceway, Enfinger started second and finished third, and also lead the most laps on the one-mile clay oval at the historic Illinois State Fairgrounds for the SuperChevyStores.com 100. It was just his third ARCA Racing Series career start on dirt. Due to poor track conditions officials canceled qualifying at the Springfield, Ill., facility, so the lineup for the 30-car field was set by the owner point standings. Once the green flag dropped, Enfinger stayed consistent and clicked off lap after lap on the slick racing surface. Under caution on Lap 29, crew chief Ryan “Pickle” London called the 29-year-old to pit road for four tires and fuel. Enfinger was blocked into his pit stall and as a result, he had to reverse. Shortly after, he took the lead for the first time on Lap 46 – Enfinger led a total of 33 laps. Enfinger’s No. 90 Motor Honey/Casite, Allegiant Travel Chevrolet proved to run well on old tires running multiple grooves. He remained up front until Lap 52 when he was passed in a battle for the lead. Under a caution on Lap 59, London made a strategic call to stay out and not pit and when the restart occurred on Lap 62, Enfinger regained the lead. The race stayed green for the last stretch, and across the next 26 laps he maintained position. Near the end, his position allowed the GMS Racing driver to race into the top three during the final laps and cross the finish line third. Following the 100-lap event, Enfinger is second in the ARCA Racing Series driver championship point standings.

Start – 2 Finish – 3 Laps Led – 33

Grant Enfinger Quote:

“I knew “Pickle” (crew chief Ryan London) would give me a good car. In practice I didn’t offer him much feedback, I just was content to let him set up the car.

“I’ll take third place for sure. Everybody at GMS Racing gave me another really fast race car. The No. 90 Motor Honey/Casite, Allegiant Travel Chevrolet was better than I was, but I learned a lot and we were in contention for a lot of the race. Thanks to everyone that busted their tails at the shop and at the track to get us here, and also thanks to Motor Honey/Casite, Allegiant Travel, and WURTH USA. I’m looking forward to Madison and then returning to the dirt at DuQuoin State Fairgrounds a week later.”

Win at Berlin Raceway

September 21, 2014

Grant Enfinger Dominates at Berlin Raceway

Enfinger Gives GMS Racing First ARCA Racing Series Win

Grant Enfinger and GMS Racing called for a simple strategy Saturday at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway: Start on the front row, stay out front, and win the race with the strongest car. Enfinger delivered on the strategy, performing admirably on every lap, dusting the rest of the field at the respected short track in Marne, Michigan, to pull away and win the Federated Auto Parts 200. The victory was Enfinger’s fifth in 14 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards starts this season. Enfinger, who led 181 of 200 laps, earned the organization its first victory in 58 ARCA Racing Series starts. Enfinger and the No. 90 Motor Honey/Casite, Allegiant Travel Chevrolet team had a strong Chevrolet Saturday, qualifying second at the 0.438-mile track. The Fairhope, Ala., native was able to take the lead before the 26-car field made it to the backstretch on the first lap. The 29-year-old commanded that lead for the next 56 circuits, even when battling lapped traffic. When the caution fell on Lap 54, Enfinger came down to visit his No. 90 GMS Racing team on Lap 56 for two tires and fuel. Restarting in the second position, Enfinger returned to first by Lap 61. Later, when being challenged for the lead, the Ryan “Pickle” London-led team chose not to pit during the Lap 88 caution to hold position. Enfinger began to battle tight handling conditions, and slipped to fourth position on Lap 122 as the caution flag flew. However, London was able to remedy this during the Lap 125 pit stop when he called for four tires, fuel and an adjustment. The quick work by the Motor Honey/Casite, Allegiant Travel pit crew paid off: Enfinger moved up to second-place for the restart, and by Lap 128, Enfinger had again wheeled his blue and orange machine back to the front of the field. Enfinger held off all opposition and earned his first victory with GMS Racing after just his third start with the team. This was also crew chief London’s first race win as a crew chief. Enfinger earned his 12th top-10 of the season at Berlin, and remained second in the driver point standings, 25 points behind first-place. The team goes to the Illinois State Fairgrounds on August 17 for the first of two dirt track races of the season.

Start – 2 Finish – 1 Laps Led – 181

Grant Enfinger Quote:

“This win is huge for so many reasons. This GMS Racing pit crew worked hard tonight and gave me a great pit stop. We came in fourth and came out challenging for the lead. They just did a great job in the pits. My spotter and teammate, Joey Coulter, did a great job getting me through some lapped traffic and changing my lines a couple times. I’m so happy for everyone on this No. 90 Motor Honey/Casite, Allegiant Travel Chevrolet team. Things just couldn’t have come together better. This whole team just pulled together tonight. GMS Racing did all of the right things.”

GMS Racing Race Report

August 21, 2014

Joey Coulter takes Third-Place in “Tricky” Finish at Pocono Raceway

Joey Coulter and the No. 21 Allegiant Travel Chevrolet team finished third in the Pocono Mountains 150 on Saturday at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, scoring his third top-five result this season. The Miami Springs, Fla., native started the 11th race of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) season from the 11th position and worked his way into the top 10 during the early laps. Under the first caution of the day at the 2.5-mile triangle, crew chief Jeff Stankiewicz attempted to remedy Coulter’s handling woes with a two right-side tire stop along with fuel. Coulter was a mainstay at the front of the field throughout the first half of the race and by the halfway maker he was in ninth place, despite struggles with a tight-handling condition during the 60-lap affair. Due to varying pit strategies, Coulter found himself running fourth as scheduled green-flag pit stops began on Lap 35. Stankiewicz called his driver to pit road one final time, on Lap 36 under green-flag conditions for left-side tires, a variety of adjustments and fuel, positioning Coulter strategically in between varying pit strategies among other teams. By Lap 50, Coulter was running eighth, but the Florida-native wouldn’t stay there for long, as he was able to drive his GMS Racing machine toward the front of the field each time he found himself mired in race traffic. Following a series of late-race caution flags, Coulter rallied from sixth on the final restart to finish third, posting his fourth top-10 finish in four races at the “Tricky Triangle.” Following the event at Pocono Raceway, Coulter remains ninth in the NASCAR Camping World Series driver championship point standings.
Start – 11 Finish – 3 Laps Led – 0

Joey Coulter Quote:
“It was a great day for us. I can’t thank Chevrolet enough for all the support they have given us. I’m really pumped about our GMS Racing team and what we’ve accomplished.”

Spencer Gallagher Earns Top-15 Finish at Pocono Raceway

Driving the No. 23 Allegiant Travel Chevrolet Silverado for GMS Racing, Spencer Gallagher earned a top-15 finish in his career-first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Pocono Raceway by finishing 15th in the Pocono Mountains 150 at the Long Pond, Pa. facility. The Las Vegas native started from the 12th position, right next to teammate Joey Coulter, and reported the Chevrolet Silverado’s handling was tight during the early laps of the scheduled 60-lap event. When the caution flag displayed on Lap 18, crew chief Ryan “Pickle” London called Gallagher down pit road for four Goodyear tires, an air pressure adjustment, fuel, and a track bar adjustment. He restarted the Allegiant Travel Chevrolet Silverado 17th on Lap 21 and worked his way into the eighth position by Lap 35. As green-flag stops began at the 2.5-mile track, Gallagher advanced to fifth across the next five laps. While running third, the caution flag was displayed on Lap 48, so London called his driver to pit road for the final time, swapping out four tires, making adjustments, and reloading the truck with fuel. This stop positioned Gallagher in 18th for the restart on Lap 52, but the 24-year-old radioed to his crew that the truck was still tight as laps wound down, until the caution flag was displayed with approximately three laps remaining in the scheduled race. For the final restart, Gallagher restarted 12th as he was shuffled back in the field, and he finished 15th in the green-white-checkered finish.

Start – 12 Finish – 15 Laps Led – 0

Spencer Gallagher Quote:
“Wow, what an afternoon! We set goals all weekend and with the effort of this GMS Racing team, we were able to achieve them and leave here with a top-15 finish.”

Grant Enfinger’s Day Ends Early at Pocono Raceway

Grant Enfinger had disappointment and frustration apparent on his face as he walked out of the Pocono Raceway infield care center only a few laps into Friday’s rain-delayed ModSpace 125. The Fairhope, Ala., driver started the 50-lap ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards event from the sixth position and finished 26nd after being involved in an early-race accident on Lap 13. Early in the race, on Lap Three, Enfinger moved into the top-five. An early yellow flag on Lap Five provided Enfinger and the GMS Racing crew the opportunity for pit strategy when crew chief Ryan “Pickle” London told his driver to stay out under caution. Under caution, Enfinger communicated about rain drops in Turn One to the No. 90 Motor Honey/Casite, Allegiant Travel team. Enfinger restarted sixth on Lap 12, but shortly after, Enfinger’s Chevrolet was knocked into the outside wall, an incident resulting from contact with another competitor. Enfinger was running his line and had committed to his turn, and did not anticipate a car on the inside. Enfinger’s GMS Racing team briefly looked over the car in hopes of repairing it enough to return to the track and salvage any championship points, but ultimately there was too much damage to the car, and Enfinger finished the day in 26th-place. In his 64 ARCA Racing Series career-starts, this was the first time Enfinger would not finish due to an accident. More significantly, the 29-year-old came to Long Pond, Pa. as the ARCA Racing Series points leader, with Mason Mitchell trailing by 40 points, thanks to four victories and seven top-five finishes in the first 13 races. However, his early end to the race this weekend leaves him in second place, 75 points behind the leader.

Start – 6 Finish – 26 Laps Led – 0

Grant Enfinger Quote:
“I did not know that the other car had dived below me until I felt the impact and started spinning. We were both racing hard. This sort of thing happens when both drivers are trying hard to win – especially with the anticipation of a possible rain-shortened event. We’ll put this behind us and stay friends.”

semper nibh non odio feugiat, id condimentum ex interdum.