PREVIEW: Martinsville sees several interesting names – and even a new team – on its entry list
by Brock Beard / LASTCAR.info Editor-in-Chief
IMAGE: Hettinger Racing
Friday, November 1, 2024 (6:00 P.M. ET, FS1)
TRUCKS Race 22 of 23
Round of 8: Race 3 of 3
Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 200 at Martinsville
2021 Last-Place Finisher: Chase Purdy
LASTCAR CHAMPIONSHIP
Current leader Mason Massey is the only driver who can clinch the 2024 LASTCAR Truck Series Championship with a last-place finish tonight – but he won’t as he’s not entered. The next seven drivers not highlighted can take the lead if they finish last tonight instead. Layne Riggs in yellow may be eliminated depending on where he and Massey finish. Those in orange will be eliminated from title contention if they don’t finish last tonight as each need a sweep of Martinsville and Phoenix to win. Those in red are already eliminated, along with any other driver not listed. Those in bold font are actually entered in tonight’s race.
ENTRY LIST
For the first time since 2021, the Truck Series kicks off the fall Martinsville weekend for a second of three consecutive triple-headers. Following the withdrawal of the Reaume Brothers #27 entry, there are 36 drivers entered for 36 spots, meaning all will qualify.
NEW TEAM: #4-Hettinger Racing
TEAM CLOSED: #32-Bret Holmes Racing
After the closing of Bret Holmes Racing following the Talladega race, the team’s assets have since been purchased by late model team owner Chris Hettinger, forming a new single-truck team called Hettinger Racing. In place of Holmes’ #32, Hettinger fields the #4, and has adopted the number font used by Morgan-McClure Motorsports, and more recently Kyle Busch Motorsports. Victory Custom Trailers is the sponsor for a returning Brett Moffitt, who makes his third start of the year. Moffitt’s most recent series start was in Charlotte, where he finished 15th in the TRICON #1.
RETURNING: #6-Norm Benning Racing
The withdrawal of the Reaume entry has locked in Norm Benning for his second start of the month, his first since a 21st-place showing in Talladega. This time, he runs his former Kevin Harvick, Incorporated truck with returning sponsor MDIA, Inc. This will be Bennings 17th series start at Martinsville and first since 2020, when he came home 26th.
DRIVER SWAP: #7-Spire Motorsports
MISSING: #75-Henderson Motorsports
After Connor Zilisch finished 18th for Henderson Motorsports in Homestead, the #75 team is not entered this week. Zilisch will still race tonight as he takes the place of 3rd-place finisher Connor Mosack in the Spire #7, sponsored by the Austin Hather Foundation.
RETURNING / DRIVER CHANGE: #16-Hattori Racing Enterprises
DRIVER CHANGE: #66-ThorSport Racing
On Wednesday, Conner Jones was suspended one race for wrecking Matt Mills at Homestead, a wreck which resulted in Mills’ hospitalization for smoke inhalation. Taking the place of Jones is Johnny Sauter, who had been entered in the #16 for a returning Hattori team, and now reunites with ThorSport in the #66. Taking Sauter’s place in the #16 is Landen Lewis, who made his first two Truck Series starts last year driving for Roper Racing, finishing 24th in Mid-Ohio and 28th at IRP. Lewis also finished 3rd in the MX-5 Cup race at Martinsville run just last week.
DRIVER CHANGE: #22-Reaume Brothers Racing
WITHDREW: #27-Reaume Brothers Racing
Speaking of Roper Racing, welcome back Clayton Green, who with that team finished 34th in his series debut earlier this year at North Wilkesboro. He returns at the Reaume team, taking the place of 33rd-place Homestead finisher Frankie Muniz. Team owner Josh Reaume had been entered in his part-time #27 entry, which last took the green in Pocono with 35th-place finisher Stephen Mallozzi, but Reaume withdrew at mid-week.
DRIVER CHANGE: #44-Niece Motorsports
Matthew Gould returns to the Truck Series for the first time since his 33rd-place debut at the Milwaukee Mile, again driving the part-time Niece Motorsports entry, the #44. He takes the place of IndyCar’s Conor Daly, who finished 28th last week in Homestead.
MISSING: #46-Young’s Motorsports
Not among this week’s entries is the Randy Young #46 with which Justin Mondeik finished 32nd in Homestead. It’s the second time in three races the team hasn’t been entered.
RETURNING / DRIVER SWAP: #81-McAnally Hilgemann Racing
DRIVER CHANGE: #91-McAnally Hilgemann Racing
Jack Wood makes his 60th series start, his first since a 26th-place finish under the lights at Bristol. He takes the place of 16th-place Homestead finisher Corey Day, who is entered in the part-time fourth entry at the McAnally team, the #81 with HendrickCars.com on his Chevrolet.
RETURNING: #90-Terry Carroll Motorsports
Justin S. Carroll will make his 10th series start and sixth of the season, his first since a 34th-place finish in Milwaukee. Carroll qualified for the spring race at Martinsville earlier this year, yielding a 32nd-place finish after a late-race crash.
DRIVER CHANGE: #02-Young’s Motorsports
The preliminary entry list had a “TBA” in place of 29th-place Homestead finisher Nathan Byrd. By midweek, the replacement was announced as Dylan Lupton, who will pull double-duty with Saturday’s XFINITY race with AM Racing (see below). This will be Lupton’s 16th series start, his first since a 32nd-place finish at Mid-Ohio on July 9, 2022, when he drove for Spire.
MISSING: #04-Roper Racing
Marco Andretti and the Roper team are not among this week’s entries after a 30th-place finish in Homestead.
CUP INVADERS: None
Saturday, November 2, 2024 (3:00 P.M. ET, USA)
XFINITY Race 32 of 33
Round of 8: Race 3 of 3
National Debt Relief 250 at Martinsville
2023 Last-Place Finisher: Kyle Sieg
LASTCAR CHAMPIONSHIP
Current leader Sam Mayer is the only driver who can clinch the 2024 LASTCAR XFINITY Series Championship with a last-place finish on Saturday. The next six drivers not highlighted can take the lead if they finish last instead. Josh Williams in yellow may be eliminated depending on where he and Mayer finish. Those in orange will be eliminated from title contention if they don’t finish last on Saturday as each need a sweep of Martinsville and Phoenix to win. Those in red are already eliminated, along with any other driver not listed. Those in bold font are actually entered in Saturday’s race.
ENTRY LIST
There are 38 drivers entered for 38 spots, so all will qualify.
DRIVER CHANGE: #14-SS-Green Light Racing
Greg Van Alst returns for his fourth series start of the season, his first since a 29th-placce finish in Bristol. He continues to drive part-time for SS-Green Light Racing, but for the first time this year drives the #14 instead of the #07. He takes the place of Austin Green, who finished 29th in Homestead.
DRIVER CHANGE: #26-Sam Hunt Racing
After he finished a sterling 6th in his XFINITY Series debut at Richmond this past March, late model star Bubba Pollard returns to the series at Martinsville. This time, he swaps the JR Motorsports entry for Sam Hunt Racing’s #26, taking the place of 21st-place Homestead finisher Ryan Truex.
DRIVER CHANGE: #35-Joey Gase Motorsports
Carson Ware is back for the first time since his season-best 22nd-place run in the fall race at Talladega, and again teams up with Joey Gase’s team. This time, he takes the place of 35th-place Homestead finisher Armani Williams in the #35 in what will be Ware’s first XFINITY start at Martinsville.
DRIVER CHANGE: #45-Alpha Prime Racing
DRIVER SWAP: #53-Joey Gase Motorsports
Garrett Smithley rejoins the Alpha Prime team for the first time since his 29th-place run in Las Vegas, taking the place of 31st-place Homestead finisher Mason Maggio in the #45. Knight Fire Protection joins as sponsor this week. Smithley’s only other XFINITY start at Martinsville was this past spring, when he finished 29th for the now closed JD Motorsports. Maggio is also racing this week, taking the place of 36th-place Homestead finisher Thomas Annunziata.
RETURNING: #50-Pardus Racing
One week after the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup competed on the Martinsville track, one of its graduates, Preston Pardus, will make his first XFINITY start at the track since 2021, when he finished 18th. This time, he drive for his family’s Pardus Racing team, which most recently finished 21st on the Charlotte “Roval.”
DRIVER CHANGE: #74-Mike Harmon Racing
DRIVER SWAP: #92-DGM Racing
The preliminary entry list had no driver entered in the #74, which Dawson Cram repaired the right side of following his 33rd-place finish in Homestead. Cram will this week rejoin DGM Racing in the #92, taking the place of 37th-place Homestead finisher Nick Leitz, who shredded the right-front fender after a flat tire. The TBA for the #74 was then announced as Logan Bearden, who most recently finished 33rd for AM Racing in the fall race at Kansas.
MISSING: #88-JR Motorsports
Not among this week’s entrants is Connor Zilisch, who instead focuses on the Truck Series race tonight. Zilisch finished 12th in this part-time #88 entry last week in Homestead.
DRIVER CHANGE: #91-DGM Racing
Myatt Snider and his longtime backer in Tree Top are back in action, this time at the Gosselin team in place of 14th-place Homestead finisher Kyle Weatherman. Snider made his second and most recent start of the year in the fall race at Las Vegas, where he ran 23rd for SS-Green Light Racing in the #07
DRIVER CHANGE: #07-SS-Green Light Racing
Driving that #07 this week is a returning Patrick Emerling, who makes his 50th series start on Saturday. He last ran the fall race in Kansa, where he ran 30th, and carries the same backing from BBPrintonCO.com. Emerling takes the place of Brad Perez, who finished 28th in his first Homestead start in a XFINITY car.
CUP INVADERS: None
Sunday, November 3, 2024 (2:00 P.M. ET, NBC)
CUP Race 35 of 36
Round of 8: Race 3 of 3
XFINITY 500 at Martinsville
2023 Last-Place Finisher: B.J. McLeod
LASTCAR CHAMPIONSHIP
Current leader Ryan Blaney can clinch the 2024 LASTCAR Cup Series Championship on Sunday if he finishes last OR if Josh Berry, J.J. Yeley and Alex Bowman fail to finish last. If Blaney, Berry, or Yeley don’t finish last, Bowman in yellow could still be eliminated depending on where Blaney finishes. Those in orange will be eliminated from title contention if they don’t finish last on Saturday as each need a sweep of Martinsville and Phoenix to win. Those in red are already eliminated, along with any other driver not listed. Those in bold font are actually entered in Sunday’s race.
ENTRY LIST
There are 37 drivers entered for 40 spots, marking the 30th short field in 35 races.
DRIVER CHANGE: #16-Kaulig Racing
Shane van Gisbergen carries sponsorship from Acceptance Insurance as he runs double-duty with the XFINITY Series in Sunday’s race, taking the place of 8th-place Homestead finisher A.J. Allmendinger. This would mark Van Gisbergen’s first Cup start at Martinsville.
MISSING: #44-NY Racing Team
J.J. Yeley is not entered after his last-place run in Homestead following late-race wall contact.
DRIVER CHANGE: #66-Motorsports Business Management
Carl Long’s team announced the signing of new sponsor 2ONE (Twenty-One) Pouches as sponsor for these final two races. Josh Bilicki returns to the driver’s seat for the first time since his 29th-place run on the Charlotte “Roval” with Timmy Hill’s sponsor Coble Enterprises on the hood. 2ONE will step up its backing for the Phoenix finale, where Chad Finchum is slated to return.
TODAY IN LASTCAR HISTORY (November 1, 2008): Kertus Davis picked up the 7th last-place finish of his NASCAR XFINITY Series career in the O’Reilly Challenge at Texas when his #49 In Memory of Kenneth Campbell Chevrolet had brake trouble after 4 laps. Driving for Jay Robinson Racing, Davis raced in honor of Campbell, who was the team’s manager before his passing from a brief illness on August 29th.
