Event Preview | 2019 Martinsville Speedway

Grant Enfinger, No. 98 Curb Records Ford F-150
NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series
Martinsville Speedway – Martinsville 250
Race No. 4 of 23

Team Info/Stats:
Crew Chief: Jeff Hensley
2019 Driver Point Standings: 1st
2019 Owner Point Standings: 2nd
Spotter: Chris Lambert

News and Notes:

• Martinsville Minute… Grant Enfinger will make his fifth start at the Martinsville Speedway “Paperclip” on Saturday. In four previous starts the ThorSport Racing driver has a track-best start of third (2018-1), and a track-best finish of fourth (2018-1).

• Music to our Ears… For the first time in 2019, Curb Records will be the primary sponsor on the No. 98 Ford F-150 at Martinsville Speedway. The label is in it’s 11th season with ThorSport Racing, and their third season with Enfinger.

• This Week’s No. 98 Curb Records Ford F-150… The No. 98 ThorSport Racing team will unload chassis No. 43 for Saturday’s NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series (NGOTS) Martinsville 250 at Martinsville Speedway. This is the same chassis Enfinger piloted at both Martinsville races in 2018, and earned his first pole of the 2018 season at Gateway Motorsports Park. In five starts in 2018, this chassis had one pole, and led 46 laps en route to two top-five and three top-10 finishes.

• Ford Fact… Ford powered F-150’s have found victory lane 98 times since 1995 in the NGOTS, including five times at Martinsville Speedway with Joe Ruttman (1995), Jon Wood (2003), Rick Crawford (2004), Ricky Craven (2005), and Joey Logano (2015).

• Hometown Hero… Jeff Hensley, crew chief for the No. 98 Ford F-150 is from Ridgeway, Virginia, which is 10 miles from Martinsville Speedway. Hensley, who has been in the NGOTS since 2004 has called the shots for 30 races at the 0.526-mile track and his success includes two wins (2007 sweep), six top-five and 12 top-10 finishes. Additionally, Hensley’s cousin, Jimmy Hensley, won at Martinsville Speedway in the NGOTS on April 17, 1999, after leading 37 laps.

• Sebring Salute… Enfinger and his ThorSport Racing teammates Matt Crafton, Ben Rhodes and Myatt Snider took on the 3.74-mile, 17 turn, Sebring International Raceway in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Alan Jay Automotive Network 120 on Friday, March 15. Enfinger, who shared a seat with Crafton, piloted the No. 22 Ford Performance/Multimatic Motorsports, Inc. Ford Mustang GT4, to a 15th-place finish, after starting 13th.

• Enfinger Gets Schooled In Martinsville… Enfinger joined Martinsville Speedway on a tour of the Patrick Henry Community College on Monday, March 18. The Martinsville, Virginia-based school, which crew chief Jeff Hensley attended, has a Motorsports Technology program where students can work with state-of-the-art equipment and technology, as well as build racecars and even work with a late model race team to gain knowledge in motorsports. Enfinger learned more about their program, talked to the students about motorsports and the importance of real world experience, and the importance of starting at the local level and working your way up, but most importantly to never give up on your dreams no matter how many challenges your faced with.

• Take Me Back – Las Vegas… Enfinger started fourth in the series last stop at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but was forced to the back of the field for the start of the race due to an engine change in practice. Due to pit strategy, Enfinger was able to get his track position back, but a plug wire ultimately came loose at the end of Stage 2, and the No. 98 had to make multiple trips down pit road for repairs. After working his way back inside the top-10, Enfinger lost a right rear tire in the closing laps, and limped home to an 11th-place finish.

• Truck Series Stats… Enfinger has 63 career NGOTS starts to his credit. His success includes three poles, and 277 laps led en route to two wins, 20 top-five and 37 top-10 finishes.

• Catch Grant at Martinsville…Enfinger will join his fellow ThorSport Racing teammates for the NGOTS Autograph Session, in front of the Martinsville Speedway Ticket Office from 4:30-5:15 p.m. ET on Friday, March 22.

Chatting with Grant Enfinger…

What are the challenges to getting around Martinsville Speedway?

“Last fall we had a lot of issues and brakes were one of them. You’ve got to be aggressive with the brake pedal if you want good speed, but you also have to save your brakes, so you have something at the end. The other thing is keeping the fenders on the truck, so you have something to race with at the end. If you lose track position in the middle of the race, you’ve got to drive your way to the front, and a lot of times you have to use up your truck to do that. If you want to finish first at Martinsville, first you have to finish.”

What would it mean to win at the Paperclip?

“Jeff Hensley, my crew chief, is from Martinsville, so it’s definitely number one on our list to get a win there. The stars have to line up, and we can’t have any mistakes. Fortunately, we’ve got the points lead coming in, and we’ve got a really good opportunity.”

About Curb Records:
Curb Records is one of the world’s leading independent music companies. Owned and operated under The Curb Group by Mike Curb since 1962, Curb Records has achieved 433 number one records, over 1,500 hundred Top Ten records and charted over 4,500 total records. Today’s roster includes some of the top names in Country, Christian and Pop/Rock music. Curb Records has produced over 100 Billboard awards and achievements and was recently honored as the 2015 Mediabase Gold Label of the Year. For more information visit: Curb.com.

About Champion Power Equipment:
Since 2003 Champion Power Equipment has earned a reputation for designing and producing the market’s finest power equipment. From our original headquarters in Santa Fe Springs, California, Champion has expanded its North American footprint to include facilities in Jackson Tennessee, Milwaukee Wisconsin and Toronto Canada. Today Champion’s product line has expanded to include portable generators, home standby generators, inverter generators, engines, winches and log splitters. With over 2.5 million generators sold in North America, Champion is a market leader in the power equipment field. For more information visit: ChampionPowerEquipment.com.

About ThorSport Racing:
Entering its 24th season of competition, ThorSport Racing, based in Sandusky, Ohio, is the longest-tenured NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series team, competing in the series since 1996.

Blackstone Management Partners | BSMPartners.com
Contact: Jessica O’Brien
Jessica@EdgehillManagement.com
Mobile: 803-240-5807