Brent Crews Motorsports team to make debut at Watkins Glen on August 8th with Pristine Auction as primary sponsor

Mooresville, N.C. (August 1, 2025) — Rising Toyota development driver Brent Crews has announced the formation of his own NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team, Brent Crews Motorsports, which is set to make its official debut at Watkins Glen International on Friday, August 8 and run select races thereafter.

Backed by Pristine Auction as the primary sponsor, this bold new No. 70 Toyota entry into the national series marks a significant step in the 17-year-old’s fast rising career, which took a big step forward this season as a part-time driver in the No. 1 Toyota Tundra for TRICON Garage.

“I grew up going to dinner on race weekends with guys like Nick Tucker and Brian Keselowski listening to stories about building race cars and engines out of spare parts and barely getting to the track,” said Crews.  

“Even though everyone would tell them they were crazy, it always sounded like so much fun to me. When we started talking about me buying a truck to run Watkins Glen, no one was willing to tell me it was a bad idea and it just kind of snowballed from there. I sold all my micro sprints to raise some of the money and here we are.”

The launch of Brent Crews Motorsports reflects Crews’ vision to take control of a piece of his motorsports future and create an organization that champions young talent, innovation, and performance. 

A Proven Competitor Across Multiple Disciplines 

Crews began racing go-karts at age six. It was at the karting track where Crews and his stepfather Matt Lankford met Nick Tucker nearly ten years ago. Nitro kart was born soon after and Crews became the lead driver of what is now Nitro Motorsports.

This year, Crews is scheduled to run nine races for TRICON Garage in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) and nine races for Joe Gibbs Racing in the ARCA Menards Series.

He’s already off to a great start in 2025, having won a Golden Driller at the Tulsa Shootout, his ARCA Menards Series debut with Joe Gibbs Racing at Phoenix, and two additional ARCA victories at Rockingham and IRP.

Crews has three NCTS starts this season so far in the No. 1 Toyota Tundra for TRICON Garage with an impressive performance at North Wilkesboro and again at Lime Rock, where he recorded a top-10 finish. This new entry will supplement his scheduled races with TRICON and he will be behind the No. 1 truck for his fourth career start with the team at Richmond International Raceway.

“My stepdad Matt and I have always done things outside the box,” Crews added. “We went National Midget racing when I was 12 and became the youngest Midget winner in history with Pristine Auction on the side of the car, so I’m super pumped to have them back on board.

“I don’t really know where this is going to go, but with all the buzz around road course guys right now, it didn’t seem right to miss Watkins Glen. I love the track. I have a win there. I don’t know what to expect from our team, but I will give it everything I’ve got. Watching on TV was NOT an option.”

Brent Crews Motorsports will temporarily operate out of the Nitro Motorsports Trans-Am shop in Mooresville, N.C. and will unveil more partners and team personnel in the coming weeks. Crews is earmarked as the primary driver of the No. 70 truck.

The team’s debut at Watkins Glen International will be a key test of its readiness and ambition as it steps onto one of the sport’s most iconic road courses.

For more information on Brent Crews’ racing history visit www.BrentCrews.com

For more updates on Brent Crews Motorsports, follow @BCMinsider on X, Instagram, Facebook.

Source: Brent Crews Motorsports

Earlier today, Connor Zilisch got mixed up in the big news about Brent Crews launching his own NASCAR Truck Series team. So, he’s coming out with a statement to clear things up. Maybe Chevy wasn’t too happy about the news.

At times, things can be misunderstood and misconstrued. That appears to be what happened earlier today.

Jeff Gluck of The Athletic reported on the news about Brent Crews Motorsports. He also included a bit about Connor Zilisch, Jesse Love, and Jack Baldwin being “executives.” Turns out that last part was just a joke. The four young drivers are simply good friends.

Gluck later corrected his statement. Now, Connor Zilisch has chimed in as well.

“There was a misunderstanding in conversations with Brent’s new truck team and me being an executive,” Zilisch posted. “I’m excited to cheer him on as a friend next weekend at Watkins and I’m pumped to go for 4 in a row this weekend in Iowa with JRM, Chevy, and Trackhouse!”

I’m sure that Chevrolet didn’t like their generational prospect being linked to a Toyota Truck Series organization. Brent Crews and Connor Zilisch are friends, but they are rivals on the track and via their manufacturers.

Both Crews and Zilisch are seen as future Cup Series talents. Potentially generational, era-defining talents. As they both continue to develop and make big decisions, like starting a new Truck Series team at 17, it will be interesting to see if they live up to the hype.

Connor Zilisch not involved in Brent Crew Motorsports

It appears that this little misunderstanding did have some kind of an impact. Drivers like Connor Zilisch don’t put out statements like that without being encouraged or outright told to do so.

Brent Crews is doing something very bold. He is starting his own Truck Series program. He will have it operating out of the Nitro Motorsports shop for now. However, there is potential for this team to grow in the future.

The race at Watkins Glen next weekend is going to be a lot of fun. It is a classic NASCAR road course track. There will be great races all weekend long. Zilisch is doing an Xfinity/Cup Series double. He could very well win one or both races as well.

Between Brent Crews and Connor Zilisch, how many races will we see them win at Watkins Glen? If Crews is in the ARCA race as well, the two friends could sweep the weekend.

With only three race weekends remaining in the 2025 season, excitement is building for Bass Tire Family Night at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, coming up on Saturday, August 9. Headlined by a 100-lap feature for the Pro Late Models, the night promises high-speed thrills, family fun, and championship implications.

The 5/8-mile track will see the return of two premier divisions — the Pro Late Models and the Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers Super Trucks — as the fight for the championship intensifies. The tight Pro Late Model points battle has Hunter Wright of Lebanon, TN leading by just six points over Mt. Juliet’s Chase Johnson. Both drivers have scored a feature win this year, while Trey Craig, Corey Deuser, and Aidan Potter sit solidly in the top five.

The 1/4-mile bullring will feature action from the Paschall Heating & Air Limited Late Models, Pure Stocks, US Air Force Legends, Pest Doctor Front Runners, and CP Race Wear Bandoleros, creating a full night of racing entertainment across all divisions.

Championship chases across the board are heating up:

• In Limited Late Models, Carl Porter, Jr. holds the edge thanks to a win and third-place finish this season, with Johnathan Dishman just five points back.
• Phillip McCord has dominated the Pure Stock standings with two wins and two fast times, while Jeffery Belt, Dylan Jones, John Bradley, and Matt Barnes round out the top contenders.
• Ray Gann, of Nashville, TN, leads the Pest Doctor Front Runners by six points over Randell Waterston, both with wins to their name. Matt Hamlett, Tony Gann, and Brett Lee are within striking distance.
• Michael Crafton of Franklin, TN is a perfect two-for-two in US Air Force Legends Pro/Masters action, leading the points over Oliver Cordell, Boston Oliver, Dylan Fetcho, and Kevin Rollins.
  In the Semi-Pro class, Dylan Faulkner is out front, while Ayden Oliver of Bowling Green, KY leads the Young Lions.
• In CP Race Wear Bandoleros, Landon Thrasher from Murfreesboro, TN is 15 points ahead after back-to-back wins and fast times.

In addition to the exciting on-track competition, Bass Tire Family Night will feature special fun for fans of all ages — including giveaways, funnel cakes, the always-popular t-shirt gun, and bounce houses for kids!

 TICKETS & EVENT INFO:

• Friday, August 8 – Open Practice: 3:00–7:00 PM
• Saturday, August 9
  • Pits Open: 10:00 AM
  • Practice: 1:00 PM
  • Qualifying to Follow
  • Racing Begins: 5:00 PM
• Tickets & details: nashvillefairgroundsspeedway.racing
• Kids 11 & Under are FREE, Adult tickets start at just $12.00 in advance

With only three events left this season — August 9, October 4, and the All American 400 Weekend (Nov 7–9) — now is the time to catch all the action before the season comes to a dramatic close.

Make your plans now and join us for an exciting and family-friendly night at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway!

NFS PR

MANITOWOC (NBC 26) — The Manitowoc Police Department has a new tool that’s helping officers reach places their traditional patrol vehicles can’t go.

It might not look like your average patrol vehicle, but a new UTV (utility terrain vehicle) is giving officers a new way to get the job done both on and off the road.

The department received the UTV in May, and it’s already proving its value in emergency situations.

Watch the full broadcast here:

Manitowoc police get new off-road vehicle to help in emergencies

“Saved a lot of time, saved a lot of effort, avoided possibly damaging the squads, the rescue squads or the police squad,” Jeremy Kronforst said.

Kronforst, a captain with the Manitowoc Police Department, explained that the vehicle recently helped officers respond to e-bike crashes where the only access was along a narrow pier.

“Luckily we had this and we actually brought EMS out to the person to treat them, and then actually used it to bring the person back to the rescue squad itself,” Kronforst said.

The UTV was loaned to the department by TA Motorsports through Yamaha’s Law Loan Program, which provides the vehicle at no cost to the community.

“There is zero cost to the local community, it is shared between Yamaha and our dealership,” Rich Rothmund said.

Rothmund, general manager at TA Motorsports, emphasized that while the vehicle might look recreational, it’s designed for serious work.

“Some people look at like a toy, it is not. I mean it goes places you cannot get with a pick up truck, it goes on the beach, it does a lot of things or can do a lot of things,” Rothmund said.

The department says the vehicle will be an important part of its fleet, helping officers reach previously inaccessible areas like Camp Vits, a popular park in Manitowoc.

“It has mountain bike trails so if anybody needed help out there this would be our primary way of getting them…. as opposed to going out there and walking a mile or so of trails to try to find this person,” Kronforst said.

The Manitowoc Police Department will have the vehicle until November, when it will return to TA Motorsports to be prepared for resale.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Joey Gase has competed part-time for his own NASCAR Xfinity Series team, Joey Gase Motorsports, this year, just has he has done the past couple of years. But one thing he has not yet done this year is something that he did last year for the first time since 2021: compete in the Cup Series.

That is set to change this weekend, and it is set to change with a team for which he has not competed since 2019, when they were still known as MBM Motorsports.

Garage 66 are the only part-time team set to field a non-chartered (open) car in this Sunday afternoon’s Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway, a race from which they withdrew last year after planning to run it with David Starr behind the wheel of the No. 66 Ford.

Joey Gase to drive for Garage 66 at Iowa

With only 37 cars on the entry list for this 350-lap race around the four-turn, 0.894-mile (1.439-kilometer) Newton, Iowa oval, the No. 66 car is locked into the race.

Gase is set to become the team’s seventh different driver this year, just one week after Josh Bilicki made his team-leading fourth start behind the wheel of the No. 66 car in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The 32-year-old Cedar Rapids, Iowa native entered 2024 having not competed in a Cup race since 2021, but he changed that in the August race at Daytona International Speedway, where he finished in 20th place for NY Racing Team.

He competed part-time for Rick Ware Racing in 2020 and 2021, scoring a top result of 17th place at Talladega Superspeedway in October 2020. He has not competed for Garage 66 (MBM Motorsports) since the penultimate race of the 2019 season at Phoenix Raceway.

This season, Bilicki’s 21st place finish on the streets of Chicago, Illinois is the team’s best finish since 2020.